Category: Uncategorized

Drooling for These Book Deals

I’m not trying to be a deal site but for a book obsessed person, there are 4 days left to Barnes & Noble 50% off book blow out. I made the mistake of looking and I saw some books that I loved reading or some on my to-read list I thought I would share. I do mostly frequent my local library for my reading needs and I would surely recommend that if money is tight even for some of these wonderful deals but if you’ve been eyeing one of these beautiful books to occupy your shelf nows the time. Any money saving that can be done on my book buying habit I’m all in. (If you prefer, I included the Amazon link if they had the same deal.)

Strange the Dreamer

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor I read this and loved. I think Laini Taylor has such a poetic way with language. This is a fantasy. It’s about Lazlo Strange and his obsession with the mythic lost city of Weep until it leads him to finally find it’s borders. Just disappointed it is the paperback on sale. Was thinking of adding the hardcover to my collection. Amazon

Dread Nation

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland and on my to-read list. Zombies rise from their graves at during the Civil War. The US ends the war with a compromise that frees the enslaved but forces them into combat schools that train them to slay the undead shamblers and the reader follows Jane McKeene, a Black teen. Need I say more. Amazon

Warcross (Warcross Series #1)

Warcross by Marie Lu is the first in a series. A teen bounty -hunter hacks into Warcross championship games and accidentally into the action. Game creator recruits her to spy but she soon uncovers sinister plots. There is also an e-book deal just for today (probably only the US) for $2.99. Amazon

Love and Ruin (B&N Exclusive Edition)

Love and Ruin by Paula McLain. From the point of view of Martha Gellhorn, famed novelist, travel writer, and journalist during her marriage to Ernest Hemingway.  I really like Mclain’s first novel The Paris Wife from point of view of Hadley Richardson, Hemingway’s first wife, so I’m all in for this one.
Amazon doesn’t have the paperback/hardcover deal by the e-book is $3.99 at the time I posted this.

Circe

Circe by Madeline Miller. I don’t think I could tell it any better so, “In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child–not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power–the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.” Amazon

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

A non-fiction pick on my to-read list is Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. I just have heard so many good things about this book. I now wonder how I haven’t read it yet? Amazon

That concludes my list but there are so many more books I want to read that are currently on sale. What do you think of my list? Is there any you would or would not recommend. Would you like to see more post like this one? This blog won’t be book reviews forever. I do plan on getting back to discussing some writing struggles but for now, this is what I got.

Book Review: Buffering by Hannah Hart 

I first learned about Hannah Hart on her YouTube show, “My Drunk Kitchen,” and I introduced her videos to many of my friends and family. I was hooked by her creativity, funny cooking puns, and life morals after every episode. On film she is a positive force. I didn’t know that from the comedy came a hard and trying life. She is an inspiring person with a story everyone needs to read.

Buffering: Unshared Tales of a Life Fully Loaded is a collection of journal entries, essays, and memories of Hart’s life experiences which lead her to who she is today.

This book is incredibly moving. She talks about growing up with a mother who struggled with mental illness. She talks about her sisters and her slow understanding they weren’t living like others. Her complicated relationship with her father and step-father. How that realization still affects them today. But she also still tries to help others by showing how she has overcome her battles with self-harm and stress. I felt a close connection to Hart’s struggles with depression. And was making mental notes to try some of the exercises she uses to work through tough times.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom. Hart did a great job of mixing the sad with the funny. It was nice to learn the beginnings of “My Drunk Kitchen,” the work that went into creating the business and the content she does today. Also, the meaningful friendships she has developed and the honesty of learning to embrace her sexuality, faith, and self worth.

She is an excellent writer. Her voice is strong and comes through as completely authentic through her writing. It reads as if Hart is sitting with you sharing her story. It takes a lot of courage to open up but by doing so she will help many others.

Thank you to Dey Street Books, HarperCollins, and Edelweiss for the ARC in exchange for this review which had no weight on the outcome of the rating.

Expected publishing date for Buffering: Unshared Tales of a Life Fully Loaded by Hannah Hart is October 18, 2016.

Hope You Stay Tuned.

That was 2011. I started this blog on Tumblr. Recently I was told by a few peps that I should try a platform that gives readers more interaction. So, I’m back at WordPress. I could have just started a new blog on this day but I couldn’t leave behind my past. I really liked some of the writing I did. It was interesting to re-read all my old posts. The up and downs of life’s jump robe.

Tomorrow (maybe later today) I’ll post (half of) 2012’s Random Thoughts. Don’t think there were to many storys since my blogging skills are not very scheduled. Hope all my new followers, readers, and likers stay tune. Thanks for taking the time.

Running Through My Head

December 6, 2011
I feel like I’m missing something in order to sit down and write. I don’t know if it’s the place, time or person.

I think this place is stale with distractions. Internet, cable, and me. I think about places I could go and not plug into the world but just my head. But I wonder if place or distractions are the problem. The disappointment when I find out it isn’t any of that. It is me.

Is it time? I have no set schedule. I don’t write in the morning with sleep still in my eye. I don’t let my hands search my inner subconscious. I have been writing almost everyday but there is not set day. No set time. Most of the time it is just for work. Does that make me less of a writer?

I have no person to go to with my writing. Criticism is the hardest thing to take but the thing needed most. I don’t want a writing group I want a literary companion who will tell me my silly grammar mistakes aren’t stupid but easy to fix. Someone I can return the favor to with conversion. I can do that myself. I have fears. I don’t need to be told everyone has the same fears but do I need to hear it. Maybe I could read my stories out loud tripping and stumbling. Listening to someone read their stories worried I may miss something because it is not visual. I can read my stories to myself with the written word in front of me. Not be forced to read my work out loud to someone who will grin and nod but really daydream away. Worst believe someone believes in my writing but shows no interest in what I write.

It isn’t inspiration. Inspiration does visit me. Sometimes it is at the worst moment. Just as I’m laying down to sleep. Dark. The bed is finally warm where I can stretch out of the radiation of heat ball. Words and phrases and sentences start to talk in my head and there is always that moment I think, “I should write this down,” but I think about turning on the light and being closer to awake than asleep and I abandon inspiration. The worst is when the muse tricks me. She makes me believe what I am hearing from my head is genius then I write it all down in a clique mess of words.

I am missing something when I sit down to write. Me.

Shoe Obsession Barbie Doll

November 29, 2011
I shouldn’t keep posting my other writing and blogs on this blog. That’s not really what I wanted to use this blog for but this is a blog entry I did for ShoeStyle.Co. Writing is writing no matter where is it done and this is my writing.

Barbie has always been obsessed with cloths and shoes. She may have been the first female with a shoe buying problem. Oh! Wait, no. That’s right, I bought her everything she owned. (Okay. I was to young. My family did). Well to commemorate her obsession Mattel came out with Shoe Obsession Barbie.

Writing Challenge

November 19, 2011
Challenging myself to write.

I need a better schedule. Closer to writing everyday. Can’t wait for inspiration. This quotation is what I want to do right now, “What on earth could be more luxurious than a sofa, a book, and a cup of coffee?” — Anthony Trollope, The Warden, or maybe a cup of tea. First I am going to write something then I am going to reward myself with my book and some sort of treat (coffee, cappuccino, hot chocolate or tea). I feel writing is like that Dorothy Parker quote, “I hate writing, I love having written.” I don’t hate writing. I think I hate the struggle of trying to write something other than nothing. I’m not taking about work writing. That is different. I guess at least I’m writing.

Beauty in Imperfection

November 17, 2011
I have a chip in my cup, which now makes it mine. No other cup that looks like mine will ever blend. I will look at it and I will know it is my cup because what are the odds that the same cup will have the same chip in the same place. I have no idea how the chip got there. It could have happened while washing, maybe when it went onto the drain board or maybe when it was stored back into the cabinet. But it is mine. I have very few mugs with imperfections but I like the ones with chips the best. Perfect tries to look like all the others. Perfect messes up, creates a chip, feel shame and find it hard to shake the imperfection away. Some flaws do shake away. Like a wrinkle on a shirt from the laundry. Hang up the piece of clothing and it will fall away with time. Some mistakes fall away. Some stay. The chip in my cup will stay and it is damaged and it is perfect. It doesn’t apologizes. It sits there for all that use it to see it. It can now be passed down because it is special.

Like a scar. Clique but true. Men have the right idea. They embrace their scars because they are men. Scars makes them tough. Women hide scars. Try to remove them. Rub them away. Cover them. With shirts, pants, or excuses. My favorite is the tattoo. Cover your scar with a tattoo that represents that scar. Can’t the scar represent itself.

What’s On My Mind

November 13, 2011
I want a Dunkin’ Donuts coffee but don’t know of any D&D open this late. Sunday night everything has been closed all day or closed early. Should I really have a coffee this late? I keep thinking about my bitter coffee as I change it to some french or Irish flavor. Sweeten it up with tons of sugar. If it’s ice, let the sugar grind and crunch between my teeth. If it’s hot, burn my tongue to leave me with a sandpaper feeling.Coffee will most likely keep me up. In all reality, I don’t have to worry about coffee keeping me awake since I stay awake without any help from coffee or any other type of caffeine.

Maybe I only want this cup of coffee just to have an excuse to leave the house. I could just leave without an excuse, with no destination. No destination doesn’t appeal to me tonight. Even the person who runs away has an idea where their next step will be.

In the middle of autumn, the cold weather has set in. It makes it hard to leave the house. Comfortable bundled up snuggling with the covers. Don’t want the wind trying to find the bare spots I missed covering with clothing.

I could stay in and have relaxing de-caffeined tea. The coffee can have it’s turn grabbing me out of bed tomorrow fighting away the sleepy night dreams.

Road Tripping

October 22, 2011
I was having a conversation with myself on Facebook. That’s the moment I deleted it and came on tumblr to tell my story.

What do you do when you can’t sleep? I was thinking about driving to Boston for some early breakfast at the South Sea Diner. Maybe a stopover at Mohegan to win a few millions. Then I thought how much I wanted a Sweet Sue’s breakfast. Instead I would drive up to Phoenicia, NY. A quiet and smooth ride this time of night. Walking into Sue’s with the warm flour, sugar smell of cooking pancakes.

I realized while answering my own status feed that a spontaneous adventure would be perfect right now but I have no one to go with. Everyone is sleeping, partying, or doing something. Another good reason to caution when posting certain things on Facebook is the passenger. Never know who would answer back. I could go by myself but I feel half the adventure would be going with someone. Laughing, singing loud and off key to good music and getting to Sue’s to park outside talking, maybe even falling asleep, cramped in a car, warm. Wake up and order an amazing recipe mixed of fruit or nuts pancakes or omelets with pepper, onions and cheese. To drive home tired but coffee buzzed, full of sweet stuffed and content.