Copyright by Lara Kazis | Via LesMads/OK Cool
VISION
Lara Kazis is feminin.
Plain and modern.
Pure and in love with detail.
Unique and wearable.
PRODUCTION
Each of Lara Kazis’s creations is developed and manufactured personally by the designer in Munich, Germany. It's important to us to bring uniqueness, individuality and personality into our designs.
HISTORY
The fashion label Lara Kazis was founded by the swiss fashion designer Larissa M. Ziegler in 2009.
LARA KAZIS

VIA Lara Kazis Women’s Bag Collection

Copyright by AKOG
THE KILIM PROJECT
About 2 years ago we made a trip to the middle east. We bought used carpets from almost every counrty located around the persian gulf. Every carpet is hand knitted and a few of them are from the beginning of the 19th century. Over the years we´ve collected more than 50 carpets to make a limited collection of 100 bags. Every piece is unique and handmade in Germany.
A KIND OF GUISE (AKOG ) was born by a common interest in creating. We met in Munich in the summer of 2009 working on various creative projects. AKOG is an expression of ourselves and our influences. Basically, what we are is what we create.
AKOG POP UP STORE
8th–10th December 2011 | 11am–7pm
Corneliusstraße 2 | 81312 Munich
A KIND OF GUISE

VIA Limited Bag Collection Made Of Hand Knitted Carpets

I know I usually post Sunday Salons much earlier than this, but I put off today's post for a special reason. If you've been following my Sunday Salon posts for the past few weeks then you know I just got back from a trip to New York City. I wanted to let you all know about my trip to this fabulous city, but I couldn't very well do that without pictures, could I? Which is why I had to wait until I got back to Iowa City to post this.

The two main pilgrimages I made during my trip to NYC were the Strand Bookstore and the New York Public Library. Strand was the first place I went and I managed to spend less than $100 there which was actually pretty amazing. I just kept reminding myself that I had many more places to go to. In case you don't know, Strand Books is famous for its 18 miles of books. That thought scare my parents, but it's actually just a three floor bookstore. Don't get me wrong, it's big, but I mean, it's not that big. I got some amazing deals on books while I was there though. I highly recommend stopping at the Strand if you're ever in NYC.

I was also pretty jazzed to get this awesome bag while I was there. I think I'm going to use it for my used bookstore shopping from now on.

From left to right we've got the heroic Dante, Emily Bronte, Herman Mellville, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Homer, and Oscar Wilde. Oh yeah... and I might have gotten something for someone else too. But you'll have to keep reading to find out about that.

The New York Public Library was fabulous and beautiful, although it was quite strange to have my bag searched before entering a library.

I got an awesome children's book at the library amongst a few other things. I actually bought three children's books while I was in New York so you can look forward to those during some upcoming Children's Book Thursdays! And now about that hint I had earlier... I got a Strand bag for one reader. It looks like this:

It doesn't matter to me if you have been to Strand or not, you can fool people if you please! The bag is brown with a green logo, I know it's kind of hard to tell in the picture. All you have to do to win the bag is leave a comment, but if you don't want to win the bag and do leave a comment please let me know. I also ask that everyone who enters the contest is a follower of English Major's Junk Food. You can become a follower by clicking Follow in the upper right hand column of this page. Oh yeah, this is open internationally.

In case you missed some of posts this week here is a quick list: Emma Volume 3, Author Interview with Alexandra Bracken, The Creation of Eve (my favorite book so far in 2010!), and Deep Bookish Questions.

Art handbags from Louis Vuitton

VIA «The French house of fashion Louis Vuitton»

Leif Reads is a monthly feature I work on with Aths of Reading on a Rainy Day. Each month we choose a book that covers an environmental topic and discuss these topics and the book.

I've really enjoyed reading Coop this month because it's fitting in nicely with a long term comic I'm working on about sustainable agriculture. If you haven't noticed I've been thinking a lot about the disconnect that has happened between Americans and their food. While it's great that Michael Perry is able to live on his family's farm and teach his children about how food is grown and made I'm starting to realize that most people have never even set foot on a farm. A couple of weekends ago I went to an organic farm to do some volunteer work through an Iowa City organization called Local Foods Connection. Even though I grew up on a farm and around agriculture this farm was in a completely different league. I was amazed by the variety of produce they grew and the methods they used. The farm I visited started everything in a greenhouse and then moved it to a field.

If you have the ability to visit a farm or do some work with a farmer I would encourage you to do so. Next time you're at a farmer's market talk to the farmers there and find out what methods they use to grow their produce. It saddens me when I hear people talk about how lettuce comes from the bag. They don't realize that the lettuce in their bag was grown in Mexico and shipped to a plant where it was bagged and then shipped to their grocery store. They don't realize that the food they're putting in their mouths has gone through miles and miles of travel to reach them. They have no idea who is on the other side of that lettuce.

Even if you're not into gardening, visiting farms or farmer's markets, you might find it fruitful to grow a little something. I don't have my own yard but we're working on growing some things on our patio. Even if you don't have the option to do that, if you live in an apartment with one window you too can grow something. Jason and I are growing coneflowers, sunflowers, basil, and a few other things on our kitchen counter. It's set by a window and we water it every once in awhile. We planted all of these things just a few weeks ago and as you can see they are growing like crazy. If nothing else it's an exercise in understanding. Children often grow something small as part of their science classes in elementary school, but adults can learn from growing a flower in their kitchen to. It will help you understand that everything starts somewhere, even the book I'm reading came from a tree.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.

The winner of of the Strand NYC bag is Lisa from Lit and Life. Congratulations Lisa and thanks to everyone else who entered! This bag is part of a giveaway from my trip to New York City.

Today's post is going to be short and sweet because I'm still recovering from my amazing Saturday. What made it so amazing? Here is a quick summary for you: Coffee with my friend Hanna, blogger at The Art Blotter. The fabulous Eula Biss reading (and cheese fries). Sharing Chinese food with the boyfriend. Camera Obscura concert! And finally, The Real Face of Jesus on the History Channel. Best. Day. Ever.

Here are the books I read in the amazing (reading wise) month of March.
1. Aurora Floyd by Mary Elizabeth Braddon (A)
2. Emma Volume Three by Kaoru Mori (A)
3. Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith (B)
4. The Creation of Eve by Lynn Cullen (A)
5. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (A)
6. Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine (A)
7. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (A)
8. Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan (B)
9. How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster (B)

Nine books! I was pretty happy with that. My favorite book was definitely The Creation of Eve with a close second being The Bell Jar. My least favorite was probably How to Read Literature Like a Professor, which I had high hopes for and they weren't quite fulfilled. Honestly though, I didn't dislike any book I read in March and I would recommend all of them!

The Third Child: a fill-in from author Maureen McGowan There was an old woman who lived in a Birkin bag. She had 3 children, the bane of her existence. The first was a thick-headed, doltish son, who was prone to buying magic beans and geese that laid strange orange eggs. The 2nd was a beautiful but haughty daughter, who stared at herself ceaselessly in any reflective surface, speaking in rhyme to the reflection there. But the 3rd child, Pandora, she was the worst of all. The first 2 children gave her endless grief, but it was Pandora who drove the old woman to distraction, for Pandora was always greedy.

The old woman had no choice but to lock Pandora high in a tower — from which Pandora promptly escaped, climbing down a ladder made of hair and fleeing in a giant pumpkin carriage. (The old woman’s fault, you see, for braiding hair-ladders and growing what were surely mutant pumpkins...)

The 3rd child traveled night and day, finally reaching the Great City. When Pandora reached the City, she opened a manhole and discovered the sewers flowed with gold. It seemed too good to be true. So Pandora promptly stole a bucket from a poorly attended vendor’s stall nearby, and set off to climb into the sewers.Pandora‘s quest was not an easy one, and before long, she discovered the bucket had holes. Not knowing what else to, Pandora did what any greedy 3rd child would do: using her skirt, she plugged the holes. This of course caused her to run through the streets half naked, which led to her arrest for stealing a bucket filled with yellow paint. Which is exactly what one would expect of such a 3rd child.Pandora lived infamously ever after, of course. But to this day, when ever someone says Fool’s Gold, everyone thinks of Pandora , the 3rd child of the old woman who lived in a Birkin bag.

Thanks, Maureen! Maureen McGowan is the author of the Twisted Tales series, including Cinderella: Ninja Warrior and Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer, as well as a short story in The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance.
Make sure to check back with us in late May, when Misty and Ashley will both be a part of Maureen's blog tour.
Ashley will be reviewing Cinderella: Ninja Warrior. Misty will be reviewing Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer.

Today's guest post is with Barbara Quick, author of A Golden Web (read my review here) . Barbara is joining us today to share her:

Top Ten (Dead) Historical Figures You Would Like to Have Dinner With

1. Mozart
Dinner would be long and leisurely, with half a dozen of his best friends and a piano in the room. Mozart would be prevailed upon to improvise between courses.

2. Oscar Wilde
I picture this in a villa on the Amalfi coast, with a houseful of witty guests (to take the pressure off of me!)

3. Henry James
The Master and I would drink tea together beforehand in a beautiful English garden, speaking quietly about our favorite flowers.

4. Jane Austen
I would whisk Jane off to Paris for a picnic dinner—including the finest fois gras and a gorgeous Burgundy—on Midsummer’s Night by the banks of the Seine.

5. The young Joseph Haydn
The composer would be overjoyed with the feast I would order up for the two of us in 18th century Vienna’ s finest restaurant. I’ d make sure he was allowed to take a huge doggy-bag home with him, along with glad tidings from the future.

6. Antoine-Brillat de Savarin
I would eat and listen raptly during a meal that would, without doubt, last for several hours.

7. Thomas Jefferson
We would both be guests at a ball at the American Consulate in Paris. Dinner would be served at 11 pm.

8. Anna Maria dal Violin
I would bribe the Portinara and arrange for a gondola at sunset for Anna Maria and her closest friends. The King of Denmark and Norway would lend us his private chef for the evening. Vivaldi (after being paid a huge sum of money) would serenade us with his violin.

9. Catherine of Aragon
We would speak—very frankly, tete-à-tete—about men.

10. Queen Elizabeth I
The after-dinner entertainment would include the first act of a new play by William Shakespeare.

What Writing Ten Novels in Nine Years Has Taught Me

1) I’ve learned that I only have 2 hands. Writing a book takes as long as it takes, regardless of how long my editor or agent may think it should actually take me; I believe they have learned to deal with this. I will not drive back to school to deliver a forgotten book or PE bag. My children have learned to deal with it. I thought I’d be on the NYT list after my first book. I’ve learned to deal with it. I can only work as hard or as fast as my two hands will allow me. This will only change if I somehow manage to clone myself. I’m still learning how to deal with that.

2) I’ve learned that frozen vegetables are OK, regardless of what my mother thinks. Same goes for ordering gifts online and making cakes out of a box.

3) I’ve learned that there will be times when I will see my gift as a blessing and adore every word that flies from my fingertips. There will also be times when I will view this very same gift with derision, calling every word drivel, and every page a waste of a good tree. From this, I’ve learned that writing is a lot like the stock market: there will always be ups and downs, and you have to be in it for the long haul to be able to reap any benefits.

4) I’ve learned that crying is a good thing. If I’m doing that while writing an emotional scene, then I’m doing it right. Laughing is good, too, as long as it’s supposed to be funny.

5) I’ve learned that sitting with bad posture for extended lengths of time while absorbed in writing a novel can seriously damage your back. And the prospect of having needles inserted into spine to relieve pain can actually be a welcome thought.

6) I’ve learned that there are mean people out there; people who apparently have nothing better to do than write inane or bad reviews on Amazon or elsewhere; I’ve also learned that they are wonderful and generous people out there who take the time to write and let me know how much they’ve enjoyed my books; I’ve learned that good friends, fans and family are a nice buffer between me and the mean people and to try and spend more time with them. Voodoo dolls help, too.

7) I’ve learned that grocery shopping is overrated. My ability to concentrate on the manuscript at hand is indirectly proportional to how stocked my pantry is. Procrastinating by snacking is one of my favorite activities. So is shopping online. My husband is threatening to enroll me in a three-step program for the latter. I simply tell him that I don’t have time—I’m too busy procrastinating and shopping!

8) I’ve learned that my writing is not a hobby. It’s a calling and something I feel compelled to do. If I ever devote this kind of time, money and energy to a hobby, I want somebody to shoot me or have me committed.

9) I’ve learned that summer vacation is as much for me as it is for my children if not more so. I’ve learned that they live in a veritable country club for most of the year (with a personal maid, chauffeur, chef, social planner and personal secretary) and that she needs a break. I’ve learned to turn a deaf ear to their plea for lounging by the pool all day and put them to work. My daughter will be updating my database for my mailing list this summer and my son will become more acquainted with the washing machine and vacuum cleaner. There will also be the nirvana of all mothers: Summer Camp.

10) I’ve learned that the word ‘no’ is actually a word I can become comfortable with saying. I can almost say that I have at times enjoyed the feeling of it rolling off my tongue.

11) I have learned that no matter how many times it happens, I’m always touched by the kind words in a fan letter.

12) I’ve learned that despite good sales, good reviews, kind fan mail and awards, there will still be times when I look down at the page I’ve just written and say to myself, “this sucks.”

13) I’ve learned that with every novel, I’ve learned something new. Gained more confidence. Gotten better. Found new ways to express myself or tell a story. But it has never, ever become easier. Like my father used to tell me, if it were easy, everybody would be doing it.

14) I’ve learned that despite all the ups and downs, there is nothing in my life that I would change. Except, maybe, the size of my hips and the annoying habit my family has of needing to be fed every day.

15) I’ve learned that blogging on a virtual tour is hard work! Trying to say something new and different for each blog leads one to make a list of lessons learned in the hopes that she might enlighten others and even maybe be a little bit entertaining.

Thank you, Karen! Check back tomorrow for my review of Karen's latest novel, The Lost Hours.

Pump Up Your Book Promotion

“We take books to the virtual level!”

www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com

When August Wilte learns his wife is pregnant, he's terrified. His own father, London, was less than perfect. To make things worse, his mother died when he was very young, so he's never been exposed to "good" parenting.

August confronts his father, demanding an explanation for his failures. Instead, London suggests that meet once a month for a round of golf. Both men get what they want: London gets the chance to reintroduce his son to the game of golf, and August receives tidbits of memories of his mother on golf score cards that London used as a sort of diary.

August soon learns that his father's motive isn't just golf. Each golf lesson is actually a life lesson. By the time his wife has reached the end of her pregnancy, August has received nine lessons in life from his father.

I'll have to admit, I was apprehensive about reading THE NINE LESSONS when I read the description. However, I enjoyed Milne's other book THE PAPER BAG CHRISTMAS I thought I'd give him another chance. I'm glad I did. Milne's characters are genuine and experience emotions we've all experienced. The messages relayed in THE NINE LESSONS are messages that we can all take to heart.

Here is just a sampling of some of the wisdom London passes on to August:

"Some days we play the game of life in the bloody rain. Not all days can be sunny skies and fair weather. But sooner or later the dark clouds dissipate...and the light shines through."

"If your child happens to wonder out of bounds, stick by his side, let him know you're there to help, and encourage him to get back on the fairway as quickly as possible."

"Mind your own score...get rid of the mental tallies of who is doing what, and just work as a team to get everything done that needs to be done."

"You've got to follow through. Even if it seems hard, you've got to force your body to do it."

THE NINE LESSONS would be the perfect gift for a father-to-be, or any person attempting to overcome a obstacle or challenge in life. Don't discount the book because on the surface it appears to be about golf, because after all, Golf IS life!

Today I have an interview with up and coming author Alexandra Bracken. Her novel, Brightly Woven, debuts March 23. The short description of the novel from her website is, "Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him." I haven't read her novel yet, though I plan to, so many of you might be wondering why I chose to interview her. Bracken is unique in that she was working on publishing her novel while she was still in college. She signed with an agent on her 21st birthday and after spending her senior year revising the novel her dream is finally coming true next week. How did she do it you might ask, and I think the work diligence pretty much sums up Bracken's story. I won't just leave it at that though, as follows you can read her answers to my questions about how she balanced school and writing and what path (or paths) she took to get there.

Where did you go to school, when did you graduate, and what did you go?
I went to the College of William and Mary, graduated last Spring, and majored in History and English

Did you start as an English major? What made you decide to become an English major?
When I was applying for schools, I focused on the Virginia area, mostly because I knew I wanted to study Early American History and I would freeze my butt off if I went to school in New England. I had always loved English, but my dad had convinced me to major in History and Government because he wanted me to be a lawyer. BIG mistake. I took one Government class and realized how stupid it was for me NOT to major in English--AKA the subject I really loved.

What were your plans for after graduation? How have those plans been fulfilled or how have they been different than you expected?
Originally, I was going the pre-law route (I'm sure you've all noticed that when you say you're an English major, most people assume that you want to be A) a lawyer or B) a teacher)... but I realized, in the middle of taking the LSAT unfortunately, that being a lawyer would make me MISERABLE, and spent all of the summer between Junior and Senior year moping around without a life plan. My next idea was to work in PR/Communications (which I definitely recommend), but I ended up getting a scholarship to attend the Columbia Publishing Institute and decided to take it. I now work as an editorial assistant in children's publishing. Looking back, it seems like a natural choice since being an author had given me a lot of insight into the business.I'm not sure if it's what I want to be doing forever, but I'm happy to be employed and doing something I enjoy!


What made you decide to take on writing a novel while in college?
I first tried my hand at writing a novel my freshman year--I always say that NaNoWriMo made me very brave, and it's true. I thought I would just give it a go, and ended up getting hooked on the process.

Were you planning to publish this all along?
No... I tried to be very realistic about it and not get my hopes up, but secretly I was hoping I'd be able to sell something before I graduated.


How did you balance school and writing?
I get asked this all the time, and I'm still not sure what the right answer is. I was very disciplined and made a lot of social sacrifices on the weekends. You really do have to find a schedule that works, though. The first three years of college were incredibly reading and writing intensive (I was once assigned 2000 pages of reading a week in my Sophomore year. Not. Fun.), but that helped me write. Knowing that I only had an hour here or two hours there meant that I used that little time for writing and writing alone. When i was working on revisions with my agent, I gave myself a deadline to finish the first round before finals that May. Starting in March, I woke up at 6 AM every day and wrote until I had class at 1 PM, and when I was done with homework at night, I'd be back to revising. I tried getting up at 5 AM and squeezing in an hour of work out time, but... uh... I quickly decided an extra hour of sleep was more important than getting my fitness on.


What advice would you give college students who want to write seriously in college? What advice would you give those who want to publish? What steps should they take?
The advice that I always give to high schoolers and college students that ask me this question is this: While you're in school, focus on being a writer before you focus on being a published author. I really miss the days I had before I was published, when I could write whatever I wanted regardless of how crappy it was and I didn't have to worry about another person's judgment. I can't reinforce this enough, being published in college is like having a full-time job, and one that isn't always fun. It's an incredible amount of stress and pressure to put on yourself, when you're already anxious about exams/papers/what-have-you. Not everyone will have a negative experience, but I would also add that a good portion of my friends thought that I had graduated a semester early because I was so deep in my revision hole that I only surfaced for food and class. School is such a unique and wonderful time, but you don't get to experience it when you're by yourself writing. There are a zillion and a half elements in Brightly Woven that I picked up from the classes I was taking at the time. Be a sponge and absorb as much as possible from your classes and friends. Make sure you're taking advantage of all that college life has to offer, and if you happen to write something that you feel is ready to be seen by the world, go for it! Revise it seriously, submit it to agents, and learn from the feedback you get. Make sure that when you're writing you are happy and excited, because the minute you start feeling stressed out or depressed, it often means that your life has become unbalanced, and you need to step away and refocus.


What advice would you give to English majors about how to make the English major work for them after school?
Okay guys, here's a secret: what matters in the job world isn't necessarily what you majored in, but the internships and work experiences that you have. My current boss didn't hire me because I was an English major (though I'm sure that helped)--she claimed it was because I talked about coordinating our Student Assembly's Thanksgiving airport shuttle rides. So don't discount any work experience you have, regardless of how small or insignificant you think it is. I would also recommend networking with alums in the career field of your choice, and seeking out speciality programs like the Columbia Publishing Course, which often feed you directly into jobs. Besides the fact that companies are always looking for good writers (seriously--critical writing does not tend to be a strength of most business majors), so be sure to always play that up. Plus, you've spent how many years analyzing and forming your own arguments, right? That's another skill you have in the bag.

Alexandra's novel, Brightly Woven, comes out March 23. You can read a longer synopsis if you follow the Brightly Woven link.

I really do like The Broke and the Bookish's Top Ten Tuesday feature. I don't participate terribly often, but I am a devoted rereader and just couldn't pass this one up. I'm also terribly guilty of rereading just my favorite parts of books again, but this list is going to be specifically for those books that demand to be read as a whole unit. Hopefully, I'll be able to stop at ten... : P

#1- Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls: Normally, the order in these types of posts is more a matter of which order I thought of the books than an actual number one thing. But this book — DEFINITELY belongs on my number one spot. My teacher read this book to my class in 4th grade & I had to leave the class because my 'allergies' were acting up. I have read it (no lie) over 50 times since then and every time I read it, it's a new and wonderful experience. Oh ya. And, I sob every single time I read this book. When I was a kid — I legitimately thought that I was going to go to the Ozark Mountains and retrieve the ax and lantern that Billy left there. It was that real to me. (And honestly — a small part of me is still pretty sure that if I looked hard enough, I'd find it...)

#2 — Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta: If any of you are surprised to see this book on my list — I don't think we can be friends any more... No seriously. If you don't know how much I obsessively love this book, then I have failed you as a friend. It's one of the most complex, captivating and compelling books I've ever read. This is a book that slips inside your soul and makes your heart weep. I don't think it is possible for another book to surpass this one in my mind.

#3 — The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart: One of the smartest, wittiest books I've ever read. Seriously guys — I want to be Frankie, but I definitely get that I will never be that cool...

#4 — The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling: I'm pretty sure these books will be on a lot of lists. I've read the first books SO many times. I always read all the previously published books to prep for a new release, and sometimes, during the long waits between books, I'd read them all again anyway. But, I haven't read any of them since the release of the 7th and I've only read it once. No doubt there is much I missed in my desperate race to know how it all would end. These books were a huge part of growing up for me. I literally grew up with Harry (read the first book at 11, the last at 18) and it's a series I will love forever.

#5 — Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson: Everyone talks about Speak and while I absolutely and wholeheartedly love and recommend that one as well (and really need to reread it too) I feel that Twisted is often overlooked, and let me tell you — that's a shame. It's one of the most honest and authentic teenage boy POVs I've ever read, especially coming from a female author. I connected to Tyler, felt his pain and hurt right along with him. But when he starts to learn who he really is, and step up to it — Whoa man. Seriously — Love this one.

#6 — The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak: I really enjoyed this book and there was so much to it that really struck me. The narration by Death is one of the most unique and heartrending I've ever come across. But I didn't connect to it quite the way I had expected (oddly enough, the part that I felt the most disconnected to was actually the theft of the books) but I want to revisit it, because there is so much to this story to love. Amazing book, and I'd love to go back to it, and see if it's even better on the reread.

#7 — Enchantress from the Stars by Sylvia Engdahl: I wasn't very interested in science fiction when I was younger, pretty well convinced that it was lame and boring and so not for me. Who needs aliens. Seriously. I read this book because it was on the Newbery Honor list and it totally changed my perspective on Science Fiction. I loved this book, connected with it, really felt it, and I so want to go back and read it again to try and recapture that.

#8 — The Novels of a Kingdom by Cynthia Voigt: These four books (Jackaroo, On Fortunes Wheel, The Wings of a Falcon & Elske) are each amazing on their own (and can be read as standalone) but reading them together, realizing the connections and living these stories is something that I miss. These are a strange genre to pin down too. I think of them as fantasy, but there is nothing magical about them. They feel magical and have a Feudal/Medieval setting. I don't know what else to call them, but I can't really get over how much I truly do love and miss these books! (Honorable mention — The Tillerman Saga. Changed my life, these books did. I LOVE them)

#9 — Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott: Dude. This book is awesome. It was the first time that I can remember reading a villain that truly confused me. Seriously awesome stuff. And, the action, the writing, the setting, the characters — all of it. LOVE! Zoe is pretty brave with a lot that she does in this novel, but it's truly a gripping, compelling and strong story. I loved it so much, that I totally talked to a stranger on a bus in Washington DC about this one. (A stranger who was knitting plastic grocery sacks, no less...) LOVE this book.

#10 — A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb: I don't read many ghost stories, and paranormal isn't really my favorite genre, but this is one that kept me up all night reading. I intended to read the first 1-3 pages of this and about three other books before bed, because I couldn't decide what to take to work with me, since I had a minimum of an hour commute, both ways. It was late & I needed to get my bag for tomorrow reading, so I read the first few pages, and then needed to finish the chapter, but then, just one more. Well, one more is okay. I might as well read to page 50. Oh, have to finish this chapter. One more and so on and so forth until I was finished. LOVE.

Note- This intentionally doesn't include any of the books I've read since I began blogging. There's just too many, so these are all books it's been close to 2 years (or longer) since I read. I'm serious when I say I'm a devoted rereader. It's been so long since I've really been able to just sit and reread like I really want to and I miss that. I think, that once I get through some of the books clamoring for immediate attention, I'm going to start rereading again and spend a lot more time with these books I just love and want to see again.:)

I made myself a new layout last night! I think it's much improved from my previous layout, which I never thought reflected me very well. This is closer to what I'm wanting, but I only have time to do a little bit on the layout every once in awhile. Luckily I'm ahead on posts for next week so that gave me some extra time to work on layout.

I've been tossing over what to do Sunday Salon about this week. It's not quite the end of March, so I didn't really want to do a March wrap-up post, but I did just reach 25 books which I think is something to celebrate! So I think I'll do a 1/4 year wrap up today, and next week I'll do a quick, more focused, March wrap-up. You can check out the full list of books I've read on my 2010 Reads page.

Books read in 2010: 26
YA Books: 5
Classics: 7
Graphic Novels: 3
Historical Fiction: 12
Romance: 2
ARC/For review: 4
My favorite: The Creation of Eve by Lynn Cullen
My least favorite: The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig
Distributed grades: 10 A's, 8 B's, 6 C's, and 1 D.

I was actually really surprised by a few things on this list. For example, I thought I'd given out mostly C's this year, but I've actually read more A books. I think this is partially because I read a lot of C books at the beginning of this year and recently I've had a streak of awesome books. I was also surprised to see how many "Classics" I have read, since it seems like I haven't read that many. I was really surprised by how many historical fiction books I've read because I felt like I've read hardly any, although to be fair I counted graphic novels in that which I don't really consider historical fiction while I'm reading them. 26 books in three months means I should be able to read 100 books this year. This was never really a spoken goal of mine, but I thought it would be neat. I'm glad to see I'm on my way.

This week I posted a review of Dawn of the Dreadfuls and Aurora Floyd. I brought back Children's Book Thursday with a vlog about a great book called Library Lion. I shared my thoughts on Writing Classes and posted a review of the Moleskine Passions Book Journal. Also, don't forget to enter the contest to win a bag from Strand Bookstore in New York City! I will announce the winner next week so be sure to leave a comment on last week's Sunday Salon before next Sunday!

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce is a companion novel to last years Sisters Red which I absolutely adored (read my review of SR) . I had incredibly high hopes for Sweetly because of how much I loved SR and while I did really enjoy Sweetly, I liked Sisters Red better.

But, I don't like reviews that compare one book to another, rather than judging or whatever on their own merit, so that is all I'm going to say on that subject.

There was a lot I really liked about this book. The characters were very real to me, and my heart went out to these two siblings even while I thought their relationship was perhaps a bit... unhealthy. That much co-dependence on another person is never really a great idea. But I also, in a way, understood it. Gretchen and Ansel have been blamed their whole lives for the disappearance/death of Gretchen's twin sister. They were chased through the woods by some wicked bad nasty & when they emerged from the trees, the three had become two and nothing would ever be the same.

Gretchen is terrified of the woods and she has never gotten over the loss of her twin. None of them have. They won't even speak her name. Older now, Gretchen and Ansel are kicked out of the house and start to drive. They have a semi-destination in mind, but ultimately decide to stop and stay where their car broke down, at least for a little while. And here starts the mystery.

If you've read the synopsis, you know it involves Sophia, who owns a candy shop and something mysterious and a town who hates Sophia. You have to try and figure out all of the mysteries surrounding the dying town, Sophia, the witches in the woods (that chased the three kids years ago) and more.

Although Pearce's version of Hansel and Gretel is very unique and original, I found it to be predictable. I had all of the big reveals figured out early on in the story and I can't think of much, if anything, that surprised me while I was reading. However, as I have mentioned before (my Fairy Tale Fortnight post) , I am very forgiving of predictable fairy tale retellings. I don't care if it's the most original retelling I've read, using almost nothing from the original, or if it follows the outline perfectly, merely adding extra detail. If I know a book is a fairy tale retelling, I find I am hugely forgiving. So the predictability here didn't bother me at all.

Even with a fairly predictable plot, Pearce still managed to create characters that I cared about, characters that I felt had a lot to offer and the characters themselves were developed and unique. I enjoyed reading about each of them and I loved watching them learn and grow and change.

It's a very well written book, one that, although didn't quite live up to my expectations, I am very glad to have read and think it's a good follow-up to Sisters Red. I am very excited for the third fairy tale companion, which I believe Pearce said will be a retelling of The Little Mermaid. I'm SO stoked!:)

Also, if nothing else, this book will also make you crave skittles. (I'm not lying either... I had to go buy a bag after reading this book and I craved them for days.)

*Disclaimer: Borrowed a copy through Around the World Tours.

Ever since I saw the Moleskine Passions Book Journal I was overcome with lust. I decided to purchase it as a gift to myself for my hard work during midterms (and hopefully I worked as hard as I thought I did!). I've never been a huge fan of Moleskines, mostly because they carry a pretty hefty price tag and I don't take notes very often. I normally just takes notes inside the book I'm reading when I have a thought, and I don't every have my Moleskine when I want to take a note down about something I want to write or read. But I think this Book Journal might have changed my entire view on Moleskine.

This book is so organized, which I love. The book pages are in alphabetical order and on each page there is a space for the title, author, nationality, publisher, dates read, first edition (y/n), year, original language, awards, notes, quotes, and final opinion plus rating. So essentially everything I want to remember about a book after I read it. I really think this is going to help me stay organized for reviews as well. I haven't reviewed a book I've written about in here yet, but I have finished a book and filled out a page. I can already see a huge difference in how I read. And here is the really amazing thing, I have not left home without my journal since I bought it. I cannot even explain how amazing that is. There have been days where I thought to myself, "Eh, I won't really need that today," but then I always reconsider and end up slipping it in my bag.

At the back of the book there are sections where you can name your own tabs. So far I have tabs for Bookshops, Magazines, Readings & Signings, and Podcasts. The first four of those were labels that came with the book that I chose, but the last one I made myself with a blank tab. Following the tabs are more blank pages, which you could use for a never ending list of things. I'm using them for a Wish List and a List of Books Read in 2010.

My favorite thing about this journal though is probably the fold out compartment in the back. Here I can keep receipts for books, the labels that came with the book, recommendations, random notes, bookmarks, and whatever else I want. Another great quality is the book has three bookmark ribbons to mark three different important pages at any time. This is especially helpful since I'm usually reading a few books at a time, so I can keep my in progresses marked for quick notetaking!

I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.

This kind of crept up on me but today is a day I have been looking forward to for awhile. Today Fiona Robyn will begin posting her novel, Thaw, on her blog. The book is a diary, so it's really a great way to check it out! I'm doing this today in place of a review, I hope you all give the first entry a try. Here is the first page:

These hands are ninety-three years old. They belong to Charlotte Marie Bradley Miller. She was so frail that her grand-daughter had to carry her onto the set to take this photo. It’s a close-up. Her emaciated arms emerge from the top corners of the photo and the background is black, maybe velvet, as if we’re being protected from seeing the strings. One wrist rests on the other, and her fingers hang loose, close together, a pair of folded wings. And you can see her insides.

The bones of her knuckles bulge out of the skin, which sags like plastic that has melted in the sun and is dripping off her, wrinkling and folding. Her veins look as though they’re stuck to the outside of her hands. They’re a colour that’s difficult to describe: blue, but also silver, green; her blood runs through them, close to the surface. The book says she died shortly after they took this picture. Did she even get to see it? Maybe it was the last beautiful thing she left in the world.

I’m trying to decide whether or not I want to carry on living. I’m giving myself three months of this journal to decide. You might think that sounds melodramatic, but I don’t think I’m alone in wondering whether it’s all worth it. I’ve seen the look in people’s eyes. Stiff suits travelling to work, morning after morning, on the cramped and humid tube. Tarted-up girls and gangs of boys reeking of aftershave, reeling on the pavements on a Friday night, trying to mop up the dreariness of their week with one desperate, fake-happy night. I’ve heard the weary grief in my dad’s voice.

So where do I start with all this? What do you want to know about me? I’m Ruth White, thirty-two years old, going on a hundred. I live alone with no boyfriend and no cat in a tiny flat in central London. In fact, I had a non-relationship with a man at work, Dan, for seven years. I’m sitting in my bedroom-cum-living room right now, looking up every so often at the thin rain slanting across a flat grey sky. I work in a city hospital lab as a microbiologist. My dad is an accountant and lives with his sensible second wife Julie, in a sensible second home. Mother finished dying when I was fourteen, three years after her first diagnosis. What else? What else is there?

Charlotte Marie Bradley Miller. I looked at her hands for twelve minutes. It was odd describing what I was seeing in words. Usually the picture just sits inside my head and I swish it around like tasting wine. I have huge books all over my flat — books you have to take in both hands to lift. I’ve had the photo habit for years. Mother bought me my first book, black and white landscapes by Ansel Adams. When she got really ill, I used to take it to bed with me and look at it for hours, concentrating on the huge trees, the still water, the never-ending skies. I suppose it helped me think about something other than what was happening. I learned to focus on one photo at a time rather than flicking from scene to scene in search of something to hold me. If I concentrate, then everything stands still. Although I use them to escape the world, I also think they bring me closer to it. I’ve still got that book. When I take it out, I handle the pages as though they might flake into dust.

Mother used to write a journal. When I was small, I sat by her bed in the early mornings on a hard chair and looked at her face as her pen spat out sentences in short bursts. I imagined what she might have been writing about — princesses dressed in star-patterned silk, talking horses, adventures with pirates. More likely she was writing about what she was going to cook for dinner and how irritating Dad’s snoring was.

I’ve always wanted to write my own journal, and this is my chance. Maybe my last chance. The idea is that every night for three months, I’ll take one of these heavy sheets of pure white paper, rough under my fingertips, and fill it up on both sides. If my suicide note is nearly a hundred pages long, then no-one can accuse me of not thinking it through. No-one can say, ‘It makes no sense; she was a polite, cheerful girl, had everything to live for,’ before adding that I did keep myself to myself. It’ll all be here. I’m using a silver fountain pen with purple ink. A bit flamboyant for me, I know. I need these idiosyncratic rituals; they hold things in place. Like the way I make tea, squeezing the tea-bag three times, the exact amount of milk, seven stirs. My writing is small and neat; I’m striping the paper. I’m near the bottom of the page now. Only ninety-one more days to go before I’m allowed to make my decision. That’s it for today. It’s begun.

For the past ten years, Cat has been trying to forget her past. She's tried to hide from the pain by drowning herself in alchohol and moving from one meaningless job to another. When she receives a phone call from the sheriff of her home town, it all comes flooding back. Her mother has committed suicide, leaving a note sealed in a plastic bag, that reads "He isn't who you think he is."

Cat is forced to return home and face those things she's been attempting to forget: her abusive father, now in the hospital after suffering a stroke; and her first love, Addison. She must find out who the "he" is, and in doing so she has to relieve a very painful past.

The Last Bridge

alternates between the current time and Cat's memories of her youth. The reader relives the abuse Cat and her family suffered, right along with her. It is a truly engaging book; I was able to finish it in one evening.

The Last Bridge

is a very intense tale of love, pain, forgiveness and acceptance. It exudes suspense as well. The identity of the "he" mentioned in suicide note isn't revealed til the end. Little snipets of secrets are revealed throughout the book, drawing the reader in even more. I couldn't believe this is Coyne's first novel. She writes with a style and assurance that typically only comes with time and experience. Be forewarned, some of the recountings of Cat's abuse are quite vivid and detailed, but in this case I believe that level is necessary in ordered to accurately detail the abuse. A highly recommended book overall!

Thank you to Random House for providing me a copy of the book to review. Be sure to check out the official book web site!

Back down to earth: Hudson changed into flip flops as she left the studio with her fiancé and father of her baby, Muse frontman Matt Bellamy
She accented her outfit with a pair of sky high beige peep toe Christian Louboutin heels which showed off her toned legs.
Hudson joins the trend of pregnant celebrities like Victoria Beckham and Rachel Zoe who continued to wear sky high heels throughout their pregnancies while many mothers-to-be opt for flats to cope with their swollen ankles.
Waiting: Kate says she and Matt have not found out the sex of their baby and want it to be a surprise
The pregnant actress appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel show to promote her new movie Something Borrowed.
She was later accompanied by her fiancé and the father of her baby, Muse rocker Matt Bellamy, as she left and was then decidedly more dressed down.
Hudson had changed into a long flowing brown dress, a cream cardigan and wore flip flops as she exited the television studio.
Bellamy gallantly carried her bag for her while also clutching his iPad.
Promotional trail: Kate appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show yesterday in the same dress as she wore on Jimmy Kimmel
'I get really exhausted,' she told Ellen. 'More tired, more sick, more everything.'
Kate and Matt can't wait to meet their child, but refuse to find out ahead of time whether they are having a boy or a girl.
'I looked at Matthew and said: 'We're almost there',' says Hudson. 'It's so easy to find out.'
'But this way, there's no expectation on what the baby is. You're not thinking about what they look like. You're literally just going: 'Is it a boy or is it a girl?', she told USA Today.
The actress already has a seven-year-old son, Ryder, with her ex-husband Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson.
All smiles: The actress clutched her baby bump as she made her entrance on the talk show
Kate Hudson Guesses Her Baby is a Girl!

source: dailymail

VIA Pregnant in very high heels! Kate Hudson wears towering Louboutin stilettos

is Callista! Congratulations, Callista! Please email me at jenlaw77ATearthlinkDOTnet with your mailing address.

Copyright by Mykita/Moncler | Photography & Direction Stefan Heinrichs
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VIA Mykita X Moncler Sunglasses