Armchair BEA 2011 :: Chick-lit book or $10 at Amazon GIVEAWAY WINNER!!

Earlier this past week, I held my first-ever giveaway on my blog for a chick-lit book OR $10 Amazon gift card.

Thanks to all that visited and entered the giveaway!


Without further ado, here is the winner...

The winner is:
JK17 or @kimson_dino!!!

She chose the book, Mr. Maybe by Jane Green.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
To Libby Mason, Mr. Right has always meant Mr. Rich. A twenty-seven-year-old publicist, she’s barely able to afford her fashionable and fabulous lifestyle, and often has to foot the bill for dates with Struggling Writer Nick, a sexy but perpetually strapped-for-cash guy she’s dating (no commitments–really). So when Ed, Britain’s wealthiest but stodgiest bachelor, enters the picture, her idea of the fairy-tale romance is turned on its head. Libby soon finds herself weighing the advantages of Nick’s sexual prowess and tender heart against Ed’s luxurious lifestyle and unlimited retail therapy. But when the diamond shopping commences, Libby is forced to realize that the time for “maybe” is up.

Taking romantic comedy to a hip, sparkling new level, Mr. Maybe is a classic tale of what happens to one girl when her heart and her head aren’t looking for the same thing. With a laugh a minute and a heroine whose struggles in the dating jungle will remind you of your own, Mr. Maybe is a story that will leave you smitten.


Thanks again to everyone who entered! This was so much fun! I think we might have to make it a regular thing to do a giveaway on my blog!

JK17, please send me your mailing address at thebookishmama at gmail dot com and I will mail that off this week!

Armchair BEA 2011 :: My interview at Reading Thru the Night

I was also interviewed by another book blogger! Christina at Reading Thru the Night interviewed me this week.

You can go leave some love on her blog and check out my answers here!

Armchair BEA 2011 :: Interview with Anaiz from Lady and the Books

One of the great features of participating in Armchair BEA this year is networking with other book bloggers. Our assignment was to interview another book blogger and thus get to know each other better.

Today for Armchair BEA, I am introducing:
Anaiz from Lady and the Books

Jasmine: I noticed on your blogger profile that you are a college student. What are you currently studying in college and what do you plan on doing after you graduate?
Anaiz: I am currently majoring in English (the journey getting to that major is a whole story in itself). I'm not quite sure what I will do when I graduate, that's just a bridge I'll cross when I get there!
What made you decide to write a book blog?
Unlike some other bloggers I don't have many RLFs (one actually) that I can discuss books with. I reviewed a book once in a while on my personal blog and I enjoyed the feedback so much I decided to do it full time.

If you were on a deserted island and could only take 3 books with you, what would they be and why?
Difficult question! I would probably take a dictionary because that's one book I'll probably never finish ;) and I would take Nevermore by Kelly Creagh because I could seriously read that book over and over again and still find it entertaining and last but not least I would take Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire for the same reason as Nevermore. Gotta love Harry Potter!

Do you have any tips or pieces of advice for a newbie book blogger like myself?
I would advise any blogger (new or veteran) to not lose themselves. Your opinions are unique and you should never be swayed or "encouraged" to write something you don't truly think. I've seen blogs that *love* every single book they receive for free and I just don't believe it. I like seeing what a reviewer likes AND doesn't like.

I noticed that you enjoy listening to Jason Mraz on Pandora. (I LOVE both!) What else do you usually listen to while you read? Where would your favorite spot to read be?
I love listening to the solo piano station on Pandora while I read or do homework. It's so relaxing. My favorite spot to read is sitting sideways on the love seat in our second living room, I never feel uncomfortable even after a few hours.... or half a day!

What are some of your other hobbies and interests other than reading?
I love love love photography! I'm a newbie at it but it's so much fun snapping shots of the beautiful outdoors. I can spend the entire day outside and still want to go back out the next day for more pictures.

Bookstore or library? Or both?
Bookstore for me. I've never been a library type person, I've visited my local library only a few times and I like owning my personal copies of books.

And just for fun... what is something that your readers don't know about you, but would find interesting?
I'm a vegetarian descended from a Spanish captain who came to conquer Mexico and am training to run a marathon :)



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Thank you so much for sharing, Anaiz! Would love to hear the story of how you became an English major someday. I would totally take Harry Potter with me as well. It'd be hard to pick just one book out of the series though! Looks like I also need to check out Nevermore and add it to my TBR list... and add that solo piano station on my Pandora as well. That really does sound so soothing and relaxing to have as background music. I always sit sideways in my special chair too. Isn't it just cozier that way? I'm a wedding and portrait photographer myself and I started out just like you - wanting to take pretty pictures. I encourage you to take lots of them because you'll learn so quickly from playing around with different settings. I'm a bookstore gal myself. My hubby is as all about the library, but somehow our marriage seems to work. ;) And boy, a Spanish captain?! Wow! Thanks for sharing your tips for a newbie blogger like myself.
It's been a pleasure having Anaiz from Lady and the Books drop by. I'm excited to have her as a new blog buddy! Please be sure to drop by and leave some love on her blog as well. You can also follow her on twitter at nizmart.

Armchair BEA 2011 :: Chick-lit book or $10 at Amazon GIVEAWAY

Chick-lit book or $10 Amazon gift card GIVEAWAY!

In honor of Armchair BEA, I am doing my very first giveaway on my blog! I have more than enough chick-lit books lying around and want them to find some new homes! Winner will get to choose a book or a $10 Amazon gift card!

Here are the book choices:

Mr. Maybe by Jane Green

Synopsis from Goodreads:
To Libby Mason, Mr. Right has always meant Mr. Rich. A twenty-seven-year-old publicist, she’s barely able to afford her fashionable and fabulous lifestyle, and often has to foot the bill for dates with Struggling Writer Nick, a sexy but perpetually strapped-for-cash guy she’s dating (no commitments–really). So when Ed, Britain’s wealthiest but stodgiest bachelor, enters the picture, her idea of the fairy-tale romance is turned on its head. Libby soon finds herself weighing the advantages of Nick’s sexual prowess and tender heart against Ed’s luxurious lifestyle and unlimited retail therapy. But when the diamond shopping commences, Libby is forced to realize that the time for “maybe” is up.

Taking romantic comedy to a hip, sparkling new level, Mr. Maybe is a classic tale of what happens to one girl when her heart and her head aren’t looking for the same thing. With a laugh a minute and a heroine whose struggles in the dating jungle will remind you of your own, Mr. Maybe is a story that will leave you smitten.

4 Blondes by Candice Bushnell

Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
With its uncensored observations of the mating rituals of Manhattan's elite, Candace Bushnell's Sex and the City created a sensation, becoming an international best-seller, spawning a worldwide hit TV series, and inspiring countless imitators. Now, with the novel Four Blondes, Bushnell triumphantly returns to the playgrounds of the beautiful and powerful -- once again capturing the zeitgeist and mores of our era like no other writer. Four Blondes brings together the stories of four modern women to render a vivid portrait of New York at the millennium. Like the fiction of Helen Fielding and Melissa Bank, Bushnell's novel is a pitch-perfect chronicle of her characters' romantic intrigues, liaisons, betrayals, and victories. A beautiful B-list model finagles rent-free summerhouses in the Hamptons from her lovers until she discovers she can get a man but can't get what she wants. A high-powered magazine columnist's floundering marriage to a literary journalist is thrown into crisis when her husband's career fails to live up to her expectations. A "Cinderella" whose husband was one of the world's most eligible bachelors faithfully records her descent into paranoia in her journal as she realizes she wants anybody's life except her own. And an artist and aging "It girl" -- who fears that her time for finding a man has run out -- travels to London in search of the kind of love and devotion she can't find in Manhattan. Studded with her trademark wit and stiletto-heel-sharp insights, Four Blondes is dark, true, and compulsively readable. It's destined to be a hit among the author's legions of loyal fans and many new devotees.


Trading Up by Candice Bushnell
Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
Candace Bushnell is turning heads . . .

The New York Times bestseller, now in paperback.

When Trading Up was published in July, readers from coast to coast devoured the sharp-witted, Jane Austin-esque story of Janey Wilcox's unsteady climb to the top of Manhattan's social scene. It became THE hot book -- and the numbers prove it: We've sold more than 250,000 copies to date. To top it off, Candace Bushnell was the apple of the press's eye. Her signature glamour, poise, and humor lit up TV screens, newspapers, and magazines across America.

While Janey Wilcox may want to be on top, it's clear that Candace Bushnell's Trading Up IS on top. With an even wider paperback audience, who knows how much higher she can climb?

Candace Bushnell is the author of the international bestsellers Sex and the City and 4 Blondes. She has been a columnist for The New York Observer and was a contributing editor for Vogue. She lives in New York City.


Diary of a Mad Mom-to-Be by Laura Wolf

Synopsis from Goodreads:
When last seen, Amy Thomas, the mad bride-to-be, was working her way through her 70-item to-do list, trying to keep chicken off the reception menu, and vowing never to change her name. Now Amy Thomas Stewart is a newlywed and a career woman, and becoming a mom is the last thing on her to-do list. So why is Amy obsessing about baby clothes and ogling pregnant women on the street?

Suddenly Amy realizes the inconceivable: She wants a baby—even though she’s just lost her job, their apartment’s way too small, and she doesn’t have a clue as to her ovulation cycle. Caught up in a passion to procreate, Amy knows she has to strike while the iron is hot. And if getting pregnant is making Amy this crazy, just think what will happen when the stick turns blue…

If none of these books fit your fancy, you can choose a $10 Amazon gift card!

**MUST BE A FOLLOWER TO ENTER*
(To follow, scroll down on the right and click "follow")

To have more than one entry, you can do either one or all of the following:

• Like bookish on facebook
• Follow @jasmine_marie on twitter
• Tweet about this giveaway!

Winner will be chosen on Sunday May 29, 2011 at noon. Open to US and International winners! Have fun! Thanks for dropping by!

GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED

Armchair BEA 2011 :: Interview with Monica from Bibliophilic Book Blog

One of the great features of participating in Armchair BEA this year is networking with other book bloggers. Our assignment was to interview another book blogger and thus get to know each other better.

Today for Armchair BEA, I am introducing:
Monica from Bibliophile Book Blog.

Jasmine: Hi Monica! I'm always curious about what people studied when they were a college student. When you were a college student, what did you study?

Monica: I was a college student and when I was studying I was studying Military Intelligence Studies.
What made you decide to write a book blog?

I saw a blog one day and I thought it was cool and was like that is a neat way to keep track of what I read so I started one.
If you were on a deserted island and could only take 3 books with you, what would they be and why?

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by: J.K. Rowling, Rampant by: Saskia Walker, and The Mists of Avalon by: Marion Zimmer Bradley. POA because I heart Harry Potter and that is my fav of the series. Rampant because it is full of sensuality and would remind me I am human and The Mists of Avalon because I am crazy King Arthur freak and need something to take the edge off.
Do you have any tips or pieces of advice for a newbie book blogger like myself?

Be active on twitter, don't be afraid to make friends and mistakes, make sure to keep in excellent contact with you publicity contacts just always keep them informed, I suck at this but it is a very important thing.

What do you usually listen to while you read? Where would your favorite spot to read be?

I usually listen to QVC while I read, I love the background noise. Weird I know. Favorite spot at home to read is on the far cushion of my couch. My favorite spot here in Korea to read is propped against my headboard.

What are some of your other hobbies and interests other than reading?

Sing, writing, dancing, swimming.

Bookstore or library? Or both?

Both. I love the smells in both, they are very different and both essential.

And just for fun... what is something that your readers don't know about you, but would find interesting?

Um...they might not know that I can fire 3 different weapons with sharpshooter accuracy.



------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you so much for sharing, Monica! My husband loves reading all about the military and I'm sure he would love to pick your brain sometime. Harry Potter: Prisoner of Azkaban is actually my favorite of the series as well! I tried reading Mists of Avalon years ago, but couldn't get into it. Maybe I should give it another try! Wow, a sharpshooter. I think I might just been a teensy bit afraid now... just a teensy bit. I also appreciate you sharing your tips for a newbie blogger like myself.

It's been a pleasure having Monica from Bibliophilic Book Blog drop by. I'm excited to have her as a new blog buddy! Please be sure to drop by and leave some love on her blog as well. You can also follow her on twitter at bibliophilicboo.

Armchair BEA 2011 :: Best books of 2011

Today's blog topic is: "Best books of 2011"

I haven't read as many books as I hoped to be at this point. If you remember, I set a goal using Goodreads new challenge widget in January to read 50 books this year. Life is definitely different with a baby, but I'm excited about my time off this summer to catch up on reading!



Out of the few books I've read so far, I'd have to say, hands down, my favorite books were The Hunger Games series. I was late coming to this series, which I sometimes prefer because I get to read all the books at once instead of waiting and waiting. Once I started it, I just could not put it down. I must have read all three books in the span of a week. I heard about it about a year ago from a colleague, but couldn't get myself to read it because it sounded too dark for me, but I should have listened to her!

It seems like the theme of books I've chosen to read so far in 2011 is "so dark, but yet so good" and The Hunger Games was SO dark, but yet SO very good. I still feel a little bad for enjoying the book so much considering the content is so cruel and unforgiving.

I have yet to review it on my blog, but I'm planning on catching on my 2011 books as soon as school ends and summer begins!

I am super excited about the upcoming movie next Spring. I heard yesterday that Lenny Kravitz is going to play Cinna. Interesting choice... totally NOT what I was picturing in my mind, but still interesting...

I have been perusing some of the catalogs from publishers and will make another blog post of books I'm adding to my TBR (to be read) list in the next couple of days. It would be a very unwise thing to do, considering my TBR list is in the 200s now, but I'm curious to see what's coming out this year.

To those visiting my blog, thank you for dropping by! What are your favorite books of 2011 so far?

Armchair BEA 2011 :: How do you Armchair?

I found out about the Book Expo of America held in NYC this week a few months ago was really itching to go. I actually won a free ticket to go from Armchair BEA a couple of weeks ago, but had to turn it down because of personal reasons, but it was SUPER SUPER hard to turn it down. I kept trying to find ways do some creative accounting in our budget to make room for travel to NYC, but it just wasn't meant to be this year. Maybe next year?


Luckily, I found Armchair BEA online and it's a gathering of book bloggers who are not attending the real BEA, but still want to network online together! It's for those of us who can't attend, but still want to enjoy all the fun of BEA together online. Hence, ARMCHAIR BEA. Woot woot!

Today's blog topic is: Who are you and how to you Armchair?

Greetings! My name is Jasmine and I am an elementary school teacher by day and a wedding/portrait photographer by weekend (Jasmine Marie Photography). Needless to say, I am a very busy person! My hubby and I have a beautiful 9-month daughter who brings us so much joy each and every day. She is such a wonderful gift from God and we cannot believe that we get to be her parents.

Snuggling with my little one.

I have been an avid reader as far back as I can remember. My mom used to read to me when I was young and I am a firm believer that I love reading now because my mom read to me as a child. One of my favorite times of the day is reading bedtime stories with my daughter. It was one of the main things I looked forward to when I first found out I was pregnant a year ago. I can get compulsive and obsessive about reading, so I tend to read in spurts. I mostly read contemporary fiction, chick-lit and I started dabbling in historical fiction recently (especially about kings and queens).

Other than reading, I enjoy working on my Project Life and scrapbooking. My husband and I are homebodies to the core and we enjoy playing Settlers of Catan with our friends, doing puzzles, and watching Netflix and DVDs. We love watching TV series on DVD and are currently hooked on The Good Wife and Modern Family. We enjoy traveling and hope to see more of the world when our daughter gets older.

I am looking forward to meeting new book-minded people by participating with Armchair BEA. I work all day, but am looking forward to catching up in the evenings. I hope that you will come back and visit my blog and leave a comment so I can drop by your blog as well. You can also friend me on facebook or follow me on twitter.

Thanks for dropping by!

Weekend Photo :: 3

I apologize for the lack of posts lately. My daughter's been sick with the fever and stomach flu for the last 4 days and it's been a tough week! Hopefully she's on the up and up now and life can return to normal.

That being said, I am longing for a day where I just lay in bed and curl under the covers with a book. Mmm.... that would be lovely.

image courtesy of: Emmas designblogg

Book Review :: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Published April 9th 2006 by Algonquin Books

Whenever I visit bookstores, I am immediately drawn to the bestsellers section. I tend to read mostly bestsellers. I figure, if millions of other people have read it, it must be good, right? "Water for Elephants" was a book that I must have picked up at least a couple dozen times and for whatever reason, it just didn't grab me. I couldn't see what was so interesting about the circus. Admittedly, the reason I chose to read this book was because it was recently released as movie and I didn't want the movie and all of it's commercials on TV to ruin my own vision of the story in my head. This is surprising very frequently the impetus for most my decisions on what to read next.

This story follows Jacob Jankowski, who is telling his story in flashbacks of his time working with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth when he was much younger. The way it's told reminds me a lot of the way Nicholas Sparks wrote "The Notebook" and I found the frequent flashbacks very enjoyable to read because it nicely tied the past to the present along the way. At the beginning of the story, you are left with a cliffhanger and you spend the rest of the story trying to figure out what leads to that cliffhanger. (Those of you that have read the story, did anyone else feel like they read the beginning wrong when they figured out the ending? I'm curious if it was just me reading too fast.)

Lately, I keep finding myself reading books that are "so dark, but so good." "Water for Elephants" would definitely fit into that category. The author, Sara Gruen, does not hold back on any of the gritty details of the circus industry in all of it's glory and all of it's ugliness during the early Great Depression time period. There are things that were very, very hard to read, especially knowing that Sara did extensive research into circus life and even used snippets from real life stories she came across in her research. I tend to fall towards the more conservative-moderate end of the spectrum, so I had a hard time stomaching they way she described some of the more sexual events in the story. Overall, it was very eye-opening on just how gruesome circus life was, especially if you were in the lower levels of the social hierarchy system. Some of the facts are almost too cruel to be believable in my opinion.

The girl in the story is Marlena and she is the star of the show with her beautiful horses. She is married to the wrong guy, who just so happens to be one of the head honchos on the show. She and Jacob befriend each other and predictably, things get complicated. He also builds a relationship with an elephant and I just love how Sara Gruen intertwines Jacob, Marlena and Rosie the elephant in the story.

This story is beautifully written. There is great ebb and flow to the rhythm of the story and once it captured me, I definitely regretted waiting this long to finally read it. It gripped me from the beginning and didn't really let go even when it ended.



This is book #11 of the year. I am participating in the 2011 Goodreads Reading Challenge. My goal is to read 50 books this year.

Bookshelf Monday :: 5

This week's featured bookshelf is intense. Being a Southern California girl most of my life, I immediately think of how this probably wouldn't work well in SoCal because of our frequent earthquakes, but putting that aside, isn't it a beauty?

I always wanted a bookshelf with a ladder. I have to admit whenever I see a ladder in the local Borders bookstores, I just want to disregard the sign that says only employees are allowed to use it, hop onto it and swing down the aisle singing from Belle's song, "There must be more than this provincial life!" Anyone else with me?

*EDIT*

I found a picture to match what I was picturing in my mind... enjoy!

image courtesy of: hgtv

Magazine Love :: Creative Spaces from Creating Keepsakes

I love reading magazines. Sometimes I am in the mood for something short and sweet with pretty pictures to look at and a magazine is perfect for that. Add pretty pictures of beautiful ways to organize spaces and I'm sold!

Here is a special issue from Creating Keepsakes and I am majorly lusting over the craft space featured on the cover. Like jaw-dropping borderline coveting over it. I can't wait to pick it up in the bookstore!

Here's a sneak peek:

Open publication - Free publishing - More craftroom

If you'd like to enter to win a free copy of this, you can check out Becky Higgin's blog here. She is the super awesome creator of Project Life, which I am thoroughly enjoying. I am telling the story of our new life with Lily with it and I am thankful for such an easy project to do.

Bookshelf Monday :: 4

A hidden library?! What a great idea! I love it!

I think it'd be a great place to hide from the world and just get escape into my books while I read.

I wonder what's behind the doors...

image courtesy of: xineann

Weekend Photo :: 2

Does this just look divine? *sigh*

Happy weekend everyone!

image courtesy of: Everything Fabulous

TGIF :: 4 :: Non-reader/blogger identity

Happy Friday! This feature is from GReads. I recap the posts from the week and also ask a fun question. TGIF everyone!

This Friday's Question:

Book Blogger Identity:

What occupies your time when you are not reading and/or blogging?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I am not reading and/or blogging, I am a wife to my husband of almost 3 years and a mommy to my 8-month old daughter. I spend my day hours teaching elementary school. For over 10 years now, I have spent a lot of my time working with kids of all ages. I love being around kids and love working with them.


I am also a part-time wedding and portrait photographer. I started my business, Jasmine Marie Photography, a few years ago. I had a great time capturing special moments for my couples and families. My business has slowed down lately since I became a mommy and made my family a priority, but I am still doing jobs for friends and family. I am looking forward to what God has in store for my business later on, but right now I am content with putting my family first.

My hubby and I are homebodies by nature so we are happiest spending our free time at home with our smiling, cooing, almost-crawling baby girl. We love browsing through bookstores, especially used bookstores. I enjoy working on my Project Life scrapbook, watching TV or DVDs and spending time on the computer. All other times, you can probably find me reading. :)

This week's posts:

Throwback Thursday :: 3 :: The Berenstain Bears
Children's Book Week 2011
If You Like The Hunger Games...
Bookshelf Monday :: 3

Throwback Thursday :: 3 :: The Berenstain Bears

This week's Throwback Thursday is spotlighting The Berenstain Bears series. These books were the first series of books that I read as young child and I loved the stories. I also enjoyed looking at the pictures. There was always a moral to the story and I enjoyed reading them over and over and over again.


Another reason why I have a soft spot in my heart for The Berenstain Bears has to do with my grandpa. My paternal grandparents lived with us and helped raise us while my parents worked all day. When I was really young, my grandpa would take us to the mall and whenever we would go together, he would let me pick out a book. And thus began my collection of The Berenstain Bears books. It is such a sweet memory of mine and I hope my kids will enjoy this series when they are of age too.


I have bought a few Berenstain Bears books for my daughter and I've noticed there's a new character in the books. There's a baby named Honey. What's strange about it is they've incorporated her into some of the older books where Honey wasn't there before. Not a huge deal by any means, but just a little strange for me to go back and look at some of my favorite titles as a kid and see different pictures where they've added Honey. It's almost like she's photoshopped into them.


I also noticed that there are many Christian faith-related books that they've published. I didn't know that Stan and Jan Berenstain were Christian writers. All the more reason to share these with my daughter when she's more interested in hearing the story and not just chomping in the book. :)



Which Berenstain Bears book was your favorite?

Children's Book Week 2011

This week is Children's Book Week. Since 1919, Children's Book Week has been celebrated countrywide with author and illustrator appearances, parties, storytelling, and other book-related events in schools, libraries, bookstores, clubs -- anywhere where kids and books connect. What a great celebration!



They just released their Children's Choice Book Award winners. They had a record breaking 500,00 votes this year. What a great way to get children excited about books! I came across this event too late, but hopefully next year I can get my students to vote for their favorite book, author and illustrator.

The 2011 Children Choice Book Award Winners are:

Author of the Year:
Rick Riordan for The Lost Hero



Illustrator of the Year:
David Wiesner for Art & Max



Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year:
Little Pink Pup by Johanna Kerby



Third Grade to Fourth Grade Book of the Year:
Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarrett J. Krosoczka



Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year:
The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1) by Rick Riordan


Teen Choice Book of the Year:
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Congratulations to all the winners! I am looking forward to sharing the bookmarks with my students and holding our own Book Awards of the Year in our classroom. I'm going to have them vote on their favorite author, illustrator, fiction book, and non-fiction book. I am curious to see what they come up with. I'll post the results next week after they finish voting.

If You Like The Hunger Games...

Scholastic has a great link to a list of books that you might enjoy if you loved The Hunger Games like I did. You should check it out if you're looking for more. You can also read excerpts from each book on Scholastic's website.

Out of that list, the one that I added to my to-read list is:

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Here is a blurb from Goodreads:

Gemma, 16, is on layover at Bangkok Airport, en route with her parents to a vacation in Vietnam. She steps away for just a second, to get a cup of coffee. Ty - rugged, tan, too old, oddly familiar - pays for Gemma's drink. And drugs it. They talk. Their hands touch. And before Gemma knows what's happening, Ty takes her. Steals her away. The unknowing object of a long obsession, Gemma has been kidnapped by her stalker and brought to the desolate Australian Outback.

Stolen is her gripping story of survival, of how she has to come to terms with her living nightmare - or die trying to fight it.


Lately, I keep reading books that are so dark, but yet so good. I think it's time for a more "happy" book. :) Any recommendations?

Bookshelf Monday :: 3

A lot of you liked last week's featured bookshelf transformed from a closet. I came across this bookshelf to display your kids' books and thought it was another great use to space. I believe this was a corner of a room turned into a bookshelf.

I'm very much a "out of sight, out of mind" kind of person and I think seeing all the covers at once would be a great way to get good rotation through the various books.

My only complaint is that a kid wouldn't be able to reach the top shelves. I could see kids trying to climb this to reach the top shelves, but overall, what a great way to display your child's library of books!

image courtesy of: Craft & Creativity