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Thursday, March 31, 2016

Blog Tour: Lucky Me

ABOUT THE BOOK:
For eighteen year old Gia Winters, having a movie star for a father, a former Playboy bunny as a mother, a Hollywood mansion, and a closet stocked with Chanel is simply another day in the life.


But her world is turned upside down when her father mysteriously hires a group of bodyguards to trail the family 24/7 and threatening phone calls from a “Dr. D” start buzzing daily.

When Gia scores the coveted role of Miss Golden Globe, she is forced to strike a deal with her bodyguard, Jack, who is almost as arrogant as he is attractive. Juggling Gia’s romantic failures, fashion faux pas, and celebrity obsessions, the duo investigate a series of clues with the help of a police cadet, who has a special set of skills and an even better set of dimples.

But with the Golden Globes just around the corner, danger levels rise higher than her stilettos as Gia learns that the biggest secrets might be the ones buried in her own home.

In a place where the hills have eyes, high school nemeses, bad hair days, raging parties, and stolen kisses, there can only be trouble for a girl who was just starting to consider herself lucky.

Come back Saturday for a review of the book (spoiler alert: I really liked it!)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born in India, Saba Kapur spent her childhood in Indonesia and Kiev, Ukraine. Her passion for storytelling developed at a young age, born from a deep seated love of books.
Saba is a 20-year-old writer currently in her final year of college, studying International Relations and Criminology at Monash University. She hopes to one day become a fabulous lawyer in New York City, with a closet full of stilettos. Lucky Me is her first novel and an ode to her favorite things: fashion, romance and mystery.
In her spare time, Saba enjoys reading, watching anything to do with Ryan Gosling and pretending she’s BeyoncĂ©. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia with her parents, her older sister and a large supply of chocolate.

AUTHOR Q AND A
 What inspired you to write Lucky Me? Where were you when the idea came to you? When did you decide to write it?  The idea for Lucky Me actually came to me in the shower! I was in tenth grade, and had been spending a lot of time in the library. High school drama was at its peak, and I found my solace amongst books. I think that’s where most of my urge to write came from. This idea just popped into my head and I typed up a rough first chapter, and decided to continue from there. I never wrote it with the intention of having it published; it was initially just a hobby. The idea for the book developed from various places. I had noticed that, particularly amongst my generation, the focus on young celebrities was growing in Hollywood, which really intrigued me. I wanted to write something that was funny but also had an element of mystery, as those are my favorite kinds of books to read.
 How did your love for fashion influence the characters and story? Fashion is something that I’ve always been interested in, and because of the setting of the novel, it was easy to incorporate it throughout the book. There is no singular definition of fashion, and I love that it’s so subjective and fluid, because it allows you so much opportunity for fun and creativity. I tried to integrate this sentiment into Gia’s personality, but of course tailored (no pun intended) to suit her lifestyle. The importance of looking good is extremely influential amongst my generation, especially with young celebrities as role models. I felt that Gia would be incomplete or unauthentic without including her love for fashion.    
Did you base Gia’s character off of anyone in particular? Gia is a product of many influences. I tried to develop her as a combination of some of real-life celebrities and my favourite female characters, taking a few personality traits from each one. Gia definitely has elements of Cher Horowtiz (from one of my favourite movies, Clueless) with her love for fashion, and Blair Waldorf (from the books and TV show, Gossip Girl) who I spent most of high school pretending to be! In reality, Gia is really a heightened depiction of my own personality. We are different in so many ways (namely, I don’t make as many poor life choices and do not own a single pair of Louboutins). But we are very similar through our sarcastic and witty personalities. Gia also shares my love for Audrey Hepburn, who I have idolized ever since watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s, in seventh grade. 
Who would you imagine Gia’s celebrity best friends (squad) would be? I think in reality, Gia would hate to be friends with young models; purely because she’d be worried they were prettier than her. Maybe Gia would be lucky enough to join Taylor Swift’s squad, which seems like a lot of fun. She would probably befriend someone fashionable but also fun, like Selena Gomez. But truthfully I’m only saying that for selfish reasons (I’m secretly hoping Selena wants to be my best friend). 
 I love the idea of having a girl squad.
 What authors do you look up to and why? This may sound a little clichĂ©d, but I try and learn something from every book I read. If there’s a particular writing style I like, I try to incorporate it into my own writing. I have such respect for so many authors, particularly those who write in my preferred genre, such as Meg Cabot, Janet Evanovich and Sophie Kinsella. They have completely mastered the art of mystery, humor and romance. Those are some of my favorite authors too!!
 Do you plan to write a sequel? I am currently working on the sequel! Lucky Me ended with a few unanswered questions, and I just felt that I couldn’t fit it all into one book without taking away from the main story. I always intended on writing another book, and I’m having so much fun exploring what’s next in Gia’s life, now that she’s graduating from high school. I feel like the characters are growing up alongside me.   Oh, I'm so glad! 

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Graphic Review: Nameless City

* First in a new Trilogy *
Kaidu comes to the Nameless City for training. His father is a General, but Kai's never met him before. On the first day, he takes his son around the city for a quick tour. Kai's impressed with the city so far. Then he meets a girl.

She looks hungry. His father attempts to befriend her, but she wants nothing to do with either of them. But when Kai's lost in the city, she appears.At first she torments him, and then she realizes that he's fast. in exchange for food, she teaches him how to run.

They form a bond, even though she's not interested in outsiders. When she meets his General, he's nice to her. She thinks about changing her mind about outsiders. When she overhears a plot against him, will she risk everything to save the General?
My Thoughts: I loved this graphic novel, it's perfect:

  • Lots of action. 
  • Outsiders. 
  • Friendships. 
  • Stunning art. 
  • Rooftops. 
  • Cityscapes. 
  • Traitors
  • Race against time
I can't wait for the next installment!


Cover Thoughts: Brilliant.
Source: Sent for Review

Final Thoughts: Add this to your graphic novel collection immediately!

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: Recent 5 Star Reads

This week's topic is Recent 5 Star Reads. This might be my easiest one yet. Most of the books I read are rated 4 or 5 stars because I've stopped reading books that don't interest me (unless I have to review them). So here are my recent favorites...from pictures books to adult books.

meme from The Broke and the Bookish 

If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur by Linda BaileyA Library Book for Bear by Bonny BeckerThe Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow MillerHow to Dress a Dragon by Thelma Lynne GodinMiss Moon by Janet Hill
Study Hall of Justice by Derek FridolfsYou're Invited Too by Jen MaloneWhere You'll Find Me by Natasha FriendThe Candymakers by Wendy MassLost in Rome by Cindy Callaghan
Zero Day by Jan GangseiThe Heir and the Spare by Emily AlbrightFangirl by Rainbow RowellThe Siren by Kiera CassTwilight by Meg Cabot
Some Kind of Wonderful by Sarah MorganA Girl's Guide to Moving On by Debbie MacomberCopy Cap Murder by Jenn McKinlayRemembrance by Meg CabotBrighter Than the Sun by Julia Quinn

Tween Tuesday Review: Lost in Rome

Lucy and her sister can't wait to return to Rome during the summer. Lucy's excited to help out her grandmother is the family pizza joint. But when she arrives, she learns that business is down - way down. Lucy has some creative ideas that just might help bring business back to normal.

Unfortunately, some of the ideas go against her grandmother's wishes. She wants to play matchmaker to customers based on their favorite pizza toppings. When she first tries it, everything works out.

Soon a reporter comes by and wants to do a story. Lucy concocts a scheme to get her grandmother to leave the restaurant. When the article comes out, business picks up again. Could it be enough to save the business?
My Thoughts: I love Cindy Callaghan's Lost in books (Ireland, London, and Paris) and this book is no different. Super cute, super fun read. I loved the moments in the pizza shop, my mouth watered when reading about all the great pizza and sandwiches that were being made. I really liked Lucy's ideas on how to update and market the pizza joint. I loved learning about the matchmaking through pizza slices. I loved how she created stories and exaggerated history. I liked Lucy's sister Gianna and her fashion and DIY ideas. The secondary characters were fun. There's a small romance plot line.

Cover Thoughts: Fantastic
Source: My Library
Final Thoughts: A wicked fun read filled with family, friends, great food, and matchmaking.

Monday, March 28, 2016

Display Ideas: April

Spring is here! Flowers are blooming. Rain is upon us. Soon the grass will green up and leaves will pop out. I just returned back to the librarian world and I'm excited about making more displays. I'll still talk about ideas, but also chat about some displays that I created.

April is:
Monthly:


National Humor Month
Display Ideas: Funny Books
A Teen Book Display I made last year featuring funny books.  Gordon Korman, Catherine Jinks, E. Lockhart, etc.:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/44332377551859278/
Book Lists: humor

National Poetry Month
Display Ideas: Lots of variations of Poet Trees on Pinterest 
Library Displays: Poet-Tree:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/67765169370507315/
Book Lists: Check out novels in verse or Book Riot's 100 must read novels in verse

Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Display Ideas:
April Is Sexual Assault Awareness Month: Recommended YA Reading:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/92675704806796707/
Book Lists: From the photo on Pinterest or from the Hub blog

Weekly:
Library Week (week 1)
Display Ideas: Reasons to Love your Library
April 10-16, 2011 is National Library Week and at Twin Hickory we plan to celebrate all month! Actually we are starting today. We made a giant love letter to the library that anyone can add too wit...:
Add caption
Book Lists: Characters who love the library

Read a Road Map Week: (week 1)
Display Ideas: Read your way across the country
Road Trip book display!  on the road, 13 little blue envelopes, goinf bovine, paper towns, an abund of kath, walk two moons, amy & roger's epic detour, the bean trees, sisterhood of traveling pants, american gods, canterbury tales:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AR_DbM16qlOrRKpMWbAk7T1eG5y3ws2mT174Bl4sAValDn5tCFy9pL0/
Road trip display. Our favorite sign on the road "Plot twist ahead.":
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/116671446573886937/
Book Lists: Road Trip Books

National Karaoke Week (week 4)
Display Ideas:
switch up to pictures in large squares of twins and intersperse with little dr. seuss "book covers" that we make on the inbetween colored dots (or whatever the inbetween lines are).:
Change this up a bit, but the records work
Book Lists: Main characters who sing

Days:
April 4th: Tell a Lie Day
Display Ideas: Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire
Book Lists: Characters who Lie

April 15th: Titanic Remembrance Day
Display Ideas:
Maybe a smaller 3D boat coming out from the corner- dhow?:
Book Lists: Titanic books, books about sinking ships, shipwrecked

April 18th: Newspaper Column's Day
Display Ideas:
Extra! Extra! Read All About It!:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/Ae2WNHN5sBufUKg7wIRnBKmlxZVpxML0F7ur53kgRHUHTIU4sVMxTOw/
Book Lists: Characters who write for their school newspaper

Friday, March 25, 2016

About Me: Candy

One of my resolutions this year (and to be honest almost every year) is to talk more about myself on the blog. Me in a nutshell: I'm a Librarian. I'm a blogger. I'm a reader. Here's a little bit about me outside the bookish world.

Like my father and my grandfather, I have a sweet tooth. I'm a bit of a candy freak.

Earlier this week, I was leading a book club on the book Candymakers (which is a fabulous book and made my mouth water while reading it). We were talking about candy we liked and candy we didn't like. While I LOVE candy, there are certain kinds I don't enjoy which made me think of this list.

Of course I'm picky about everything I eat and candy is no exception.

I'm a strictly dark chocolate lover. It's hard for me to enjoy milk chocolate or white chocolate anymore, unless it's in say a Snickers bar or peanut butter cup.

I love gummy candy, fruit slices, SPKs, mounds bars, Reeses pieces, Flavored M&Ms (dark chocolate, peanut, and peanut butter). I love truffles.

But I don't love black licorice, really sour candy, taffy or anything that will stick to my teeth, I like soft caramel, but not hard caramel.

When I was a kid, I loved going to my great-aunt's house because she had a candy drawer filled with various types of candy and I was allowed to take anything I wanted. I thought it was the best thing ever and swore that I would have one too when I was old enough.

I don't have a favorite kind of candy, because it always changes. I'm a seasonal candy eater. I love jelly beans around Easter. I love dark chocolate covered marshmallow eggs around Easter. I like a few candy corn in the fall. I like mint candies around Christmas.

I feel better when there's candy in the house; when it's not I tend to feel cranky. I like a little something sweet after lunch and dinner. It doesn't have to be big, just a little something will do.

Of course I like to make candy too. I make it usually for Christmas - various types of truffles. Last year I tried my own Mounds bars, which went over really well. My Pinterest page has lots of recipes that I'm looking forward to testing out.

Are you a candy lover too? Do you have a favorite kind or are you more like me?

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Tween Tuesday Review: Pilfer Academy

George likes to create trouble and he's good at it. So good that he's kidnapped and taken to Pilfer Academy where he will learn how to become a thief.

At first, everything's fantastic. The food is great. He's scoring top marks in his class. He's found a new friend. The only downside to the school is his roommate.

Will George become the Academy's best student?
My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book.I loved learning about the school - from the classes to the food to the secret rooms. I liked Georges friendship with Tabitha. The book didn't go at all the way I thought it would and I really enjoyed the surprise. 

Cover Thoughts; Cool
Source: My Library

Final Thoughts: Pure fun, entertainment, and full of hi-jinks. 

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: Quiet Books

This week's topic is  Ten Books I Really Love But Feel Like I Haven't Talked About Enough/In A While or as it's talked about on Twitter- Quiet YA (with a side of a few middle grade books). For me, many of these were emotional reads or books I couldn't put down.
meme from The Broke and the Bookish 

Middle Grade:
Where You'll Find Me by Natasha FriendThe Girl Who Could Not DreamThe Forget-Me-Not SummerThe Curious Cat Spy ClubBreaking the Ice


YA:
You Were HereHello?How to Be BraveInfinite in BetweenAll We Have Is Now
The Summer of Chasing MermaidsA Matter of HeartA Time to DanceJesse's Girl (Hundred Oaks)Court of Fives (Court of Fives, #1)

Have you read any of these?