I live in Orange County, NY. So when it started happening, it was a little intense! These are all from my local newspaper. Images gathered by their photographers at the paper and locals that took some during the last 72hrs. So far 41 people have died in total from 11 states that were affected by Irene. 







I'm about to face Hurricane Irene here in New York tomorrow. I won't be around to post till Monday or possible Tuesday with this weather. We're getting 70-80mph winds and a foot of rain.


Here are the latest updates about the storm coverage:
  • Hurricane Irene poses an extraordinary threat and is one that no one has yet experienced from the Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast to New England.
  • Hurricane Irene is a category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
  • Rain and wind will begin to pick up in eastern Virginia late tonight and on Saturday and then up to Maryland, Delaware, and southern New Jersey Saturday. Hurricane conditions possible along the coast, with tropical storm conditions possible as far inland as I-95.
  • Flooding and wind-related damage (including downed trees, limbs, power lines, power outages, roof, window, and siding damage) can be expected from North Carolina to New England by the time Irene moves away on Monday.
  • Hurricane warnings are in effect from Little River Inlet (near the North Carolina/South Carolina border) all the way up to Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts, including New York City, Long Island, Long Island Sound, Albemarle, Pamlico, and Currituck Sounds, Delaware Bay, and Chesapeake Bay south of Drum Point.
  • A tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Merrimack River, Massachusetts, to Eastport, Maine.

Everyone stay safe if you are along the Atlantic Coast line!
I've won this ebook in a contest from The Life of Fiction! Thank you Carole so very much! You are awesome!!!
"Olivia, Kelly, Christopher, Jason, and Eva have one thing in common: They’re addicts. Addicts who have hit rock bottom and been stuck together in rehab to face their problems, face sobriety, and face themselves. None of them wants to be there. None of them wants to confront the truths about their pasts. But they’ll all have to deal with themselves and one another if they want to learn how to live. Because when you get that high, there’s nowhere to go but down, down, down." - Goodreads.com

Title: Clean
Author: Amy Reed
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: July 19th 2011
Format: eBook
Pages: 288
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Clean is about a story of a group of teens in rehab, with all sorts of different backgrounds in how they even got there in the first place. The newest kid is Olivia and out of all the kids she meets, she is the only one with a food problem from dieting too much.

Throughout the story, you get to have shifting perspectives from all five main characters. There is Kelly, the girl that would get drunk and snort coke. Eva who would get high off of pot and prescription pain killers. Jason who was always getting drunk to the point of blacking out. Christopher was a church going boy, that was homed schooled and started using coke, then meth from his neighbor. And then Olivia, upper class society girl who abused weight loss pills to the point of being anorexic. Then there is the therapist for group called Shirley. She sees through their bull and pushes them to be honest with themselves. The story spans over a period of three and half weeks.

My one favorite part was the kids learning about themselves and seeing on Family Day the dynamics of some of the kids with their parents; especially Jason's father who is an ex Marine and treats his mother like dirt.

But my most favorite part of all was the questionnaire history. Amy Reed broke down that into sections in the book, so that you wouldn't get it all in one sitting. It helped because as each question was answered by all five teens, you saw the progression in back story line up with the recovery of each one. You really got a taste of what it felt to be in their shoes, how they even ended up in the position they got them to rehabbed at 16 or 17.

I would recommend this book to any teen wanting to know what it was like to have gone too far in the world of abusing drugs and alcohol; to get an understanding of how hard it can be. But this is a good book I think for anyone who wants to go into drugs and alcohol consoling, because it can help them maybe understand what kind of problems they may come up against. But overall it's a great book to read.

My last thought for this review is that I wasn't sure what to expect out of this book. I knew there was going to be a theme of drug and alcohol use from teenagers, but to the extend that I was reading. it was very touching at some points and a lot of the characters were made more human by the end of the story.
I'll be busy with reading some books that I have for reviewing, working on my side project, and volunteering for "Extreme Makeover". I'll be back on thursday with plenty of updates and posting!




Update (8/23) : Had time to finish reading 'Clean' by Amy Reed, so I've posted a review, but I'll be back thursday, I promise!
I'm volunteering on Tuesday (8pm - 2am) for the Extreme Makeover house out in my county! I won't be allowed to really talk about it or take pictures or anything. But my loop hole is my local paper! The 'Times Herald Record' was there and snapped some pictures. Here are some pictures:

Ty Pennington, at center, star of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” rallies build team members and volunteers Thursday as homeowner Jimmy Korpai, at left, and son Hudson, 1, join in the celebration. The ABC-TV show will replace the Korpais' home with a new one in a week. The Korpais' daughter, Hailey, 5, has dwarfism; in this episode, producers hope to clear up misconceptions about the condition.

Jimmy Korpai, holding his son Hudson, answers a question during an interview while standing next to his wife Darlene, holding their daughter Hailey, in front of their home in the Town of Crawford on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011. The Extreme Makeover: Home Edition show, with the help of volunteers, will be tearing down the Torpais home and constructing a new one.

As the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” crew got to work on Day Two in the Town of Crawford, Ben Stolte carries designer Jillian Harris past star Ty Pennington during filming. Stolte is the show's assistant location manager. The “Extreme Makeover” team reduced Jimmy and Darlene Korpai's old house to a pile of rubble in about 30 minutes.

Associate producer Arinze Ikemefuna helps volunteer Mari Fandl of Middletown with her robot costume.

Kevin Bruyn of the Pine Bush Fire Department lights a line of fire behind the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" bus for a scene on Petticoate Lane in the Town of Crawford on Friday.
So I went to Boarders today and picked up some books. Bought two that were marked super cheap and saved about 70-75% on my whole order! Woohoo! So here is what I bought:

All teenagers have problems, but few of them can match those of Aislinn, who has the power to see faeries. Quite understandably, she wishes that she could share her friends' obliviousness and tries hard to avoid these invisible intruders. But one faery in particular refuses to leave her alone. Keenan the Summer King is convinced beyond all reasoning that Aislinn is the queen he has been seeking for nine centuries. What's a 21st-century girl to do when she's stalked by a suitor nobody else can see? - Goodreads.com

The story of two very different women, one mortal, one mermaid, and the clash between worlds best kept apart... It is a cold day at the end of the world when a young woman, a princess in hiding, looks out across a Northern sea and sees something she could not have seen. It looks...it can't be. It looks like a mermaid's tail. And, as she looks more closely, she sees that the mermaid is dragging a drowning sailor in her arms. Because, only hours before, another princess, the daughter of the sea queen, has decided to risk everything and take a look at the world above the sea: the world of mortals. And there she finds a storm, a shipwreck, a sailor, and sets in train events which will change both women's worlds forever. - Goodreads.com

Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. The daughter of a renowned surgeon and a prominent Washington DC politician, she has grown to be a talented photojournalist who takes refuge in a career that allows her to travel to the most exotic parts of the world. But after Clea’s father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, Clea’s photos begin to feature eerie, shadowy images of a strange and beautiful man—a man she has never seen before.

When fate brings Clea and this man together, she is stunned by the immediate and powerful connection she feels with him. As they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father’s disappearance, and they discover the centuries old truth behind their intense bond. Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fates, together they race against time to unravel their pasts in order to save their lives—and their futures. - Goodreads.com

Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all. - Goodreads.com
Jael has always felt like a freak. She’s never kissed a boy, she never knew her mom, and her dad’s always been superstrict—but that’s probably because her mom was a demon, which makes Jael half demon and most definitely not a normal sophomore girl. On her sixteenth birthday, a mysterious present unlocks her family’s dangerous history and Jael’s untapped potential. What was merely an embarrassing secret before becomes a terrifying reality.

Jael must learn to master her demon side in order to take on a vindictive Duke of Hell while also dealing with a twisted priest, best-friend drama, and a spacey blond skater boy who may have hidden depths.Author Jon Skovron takes on the dark side of human nature with his signature funny, heartfelt prose. - Goodreads.com
Title: Misfit
Author: Jon Skovron
Publisher: Amulet Books
Release Date: August 1st 2011
Format: ebook
Pages: 384
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: ❤❤

I had gotten a copy to read from Netgalley and was excited to dig in after I read the excerpt online. But much to my surprise by getting to page 16, nothing was exciting enough to keep me going. I rarely find books I read like that, even ones I had to read in school.

I think it had to do with the perspective of the way it was written that didn't suit my reading needs. It had such hopes, but on some level it just didn't work for me.

Maybe down the road when I have the time or remember, I can re-read again. But right now, I'm not feeling this book.
"For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along.With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life." - Goodreads.com
Title: Hush, Hush (#1)
Series: Hush, Hush Saga
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: October 13th 2009
Format: Paperback
Pages: 391
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Sub-Genre: Paranormal
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Where to Buy: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

Becca Fitzpatrick's first novel of the series went above and beyond my expectations for 'Hush, Hush'. The story unfolded at a nice pace and most certainly kept you guessing through out the book as to why Patch's past was so mysterious. There was one or two spots in the book were it lagged on for a bit, but sometimes that happens when creating a story.

I really don't want to say much about what happens in the book, because it's such a great journey you take with Nora. But I guess I can say she learns a lot about herself and about life.

The one issue I've had when it came to this book was the comparisons it had against 'Twilight'. It may have had the erie supernatural tone, but it is NOTHING like 'Twilight'. Nora is a complete 180 from Belle Swan and Patch is a bad boy next to Edward Cullen. I haven't found one identical piece of evidence as to what made it so comparable by a lot of readers. 'Twilight' was about vampires and 'Hush, Hush' was about Angels. Not even in the same realm of fiction.

Which brings me to this: I actual now favor 'Hush, Hush' over the twilight saga. There was something very real and intriguing about 'Hush, Hush' from beginning to end. I had a hard time putting the book down for the last 5-6 chapters because of the way Fitzpatrick wrote her climax and ending.

Would I recommend this book: Yes I would! Mostly to those that didn't enjoy 'Twilight'.

Plus if it were ever made into a movie, I think the guys would enjoy that there is a lot more action in this novel than 'Twilight'. Anyway, I can't wait to start the sequel "Crescendo" and find out what happens next to our two lead characters Nora and Patch!


So what is Pulse It?

It is a website that is geared towards teens/young adults who enjoy YA literature.

There you can sign up and read advance copies or ebooks online!

I'm currently reading from the website:

Clean by Amy Reed

"Olivia, Kelly, Christopher, Jason, and Eva have one thing in common: They're addicts. Addicts who have hit rock bottom and been stuck together in rehab to face their problems, face sobriety, and face themselves. None of them wants to be there. None of them wants to confront the truths about their pasts. And they certainly don’t want to share their darkest secrets and most desperate fears with a room of strangers. But they'll all have to deal with themselves and one another if they want to learn how to live. Because when you get that high, there's nowhere to go but down, down, down." - Goodreads.com


Not once in twenty-four years has Alexis slept a dreamless night. She used to relish the visions, but lately they've grown dangerous. Darkness is invading her days, showing the true nature of her existence. After a nightmare occurs while she’s not sleeping, she discovers much about her past. Her real mother was killed the day she gave birth, leaving Alexis a faery changeling. Now the murderous evil is on the loose and stalking Alexis, desperate for her soul. A simple bedtime verse holds the key to her life and safety, as well as the lives of many other fae. With only strangers to depend on—one being a depraved faery whom she can't help but fall for—Alexis’ emotions become stuck in overdrive. Not even her wildest dreams could have prepared her for this chaos. But that's exactly where she must delve, back into dreams, to steal and sacrifice. This, according to the prophetic rhyme. Alexis’ strength must lead her toward the greater good. She’s in a race against fate, evil, & time … and doesn’t have a clue if she can actually win. - Amazon.com


From New York Times bestselling author of NOT WHAT SHE SEEMS...Jane’s been in love with her best friend Lance since they were kids. Best friend, that is, until he ditched her for the more popular crowd. What’s a computer nerd doing spending time with jocks anyway? When he asks her for help getting a date to the prom with the most popular girl in school she almost tells him to take a flying leap. But she’d be spending time with him, teaching him to dance and he’d be holding her...that sounded like heaven.So she says yes.But how much practice can her heart take?The Practice Date is a novelette, 11,000 words, 50 pages in paperback. - Amazon.com


Desperate and on the run, Tillie Thornton finds herself in an uneasy partnership with Graeme McLeod, a daring adventurer who comes out of nowhere to thwart the plot of Tillie’s would-be kidnappers. Now these two must join forces against their common enemies, as well as the challenges of nature, as they embark on a quest that could bring them the answers they seek—or cost them everything. - Amazon.com

The television cast and crew of 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is in my hometown (Hudson Valley Area of NY) and they have picked a family. They hosted a pep rally with a local radio station at my college's gymnasium yesterday.

Details about this are still underway. But I'm looking to volunteer and after reading the fine print, if I do, I can not be allowed to post, mention, or discuss the entire episode of my experience or show anything till it airs. So when it does and if I do volunteer, I'll be posting pictures, location, info about the family, what I did, and more!

I can however post pictures that my college posted on their Facebook page! See loop hole readers!

   


So if you've been reading the news or been on facebook, you probably heard of 'Pottermore' by now. It's an interactive social networking type of site dedicated to the books. It's not like facebook, it's more of a 2-D  pop-up looking world.


Here is the main picture they have on the page, but it also has banners and such since it's not open up to the public yet. Unless.... you got in early to test out the beta, then you get to see it before October.

For myself, I got in on day #6! It was a 7 day event to find a magic quill, answer a trivia question and register to get into the website.


This is my first email I've gotten telling me that I'm officially accepted into the early testing! Now everyone is waiting, who received an email like the one above, to literally enter into the world on their computer.

Some teens and young adults are very impatient right now for this. I think the on thing they have forgotten or don't realize is that London is not doing well. That's where the SONY branch is that collaborated with J.K. Rowling on this project. It has been hell with the riots and company had to probably close doors for a few days because of this. Also it's in beta stage, so it's going to have a few kinks, which is why they needed testers (ie - myself and others who got in early).

In due time, after I've gotten in, I'll post a few pictures of what it looks like on the inside of Pottermore. Till then it's against the law in the fine print of the website to post anything that isn't on the main page of the website. So it's very hush, hush to the public (minus a few leaks here and there).

So till then, we all have to just wait *sigh*...

Hey guys!

I'll just get straight to the point! There's more than 1000 followers on my blog! YAY! I would have never have thought that I'll get this far. It has been a great experience. Oh and I also would like to take this time to mention a few bloggers that helped me in the early stages of blogging!

Lea @ Ya book Queen
Thanks Lea for giving me loads of blogging advice when I was so new to blogging and you were also my first follower! I still remember (:

Danya @ A Tapestry of Words
Thanks you Danya for taking the time in giving me some great tips on techinques in making a great blog header... I really appreciate it :)

Clarisse!
Thank you Clarisse for helping me on the blog and you are greatly missed! I loved your posts that you did and you contributed a lot :D

And also Thanks to all you awesome people for following... This is such an amazing thing! And so I'm hosting a giveaway and it's massive. There's going to be FIVE prize packs, yes you've heard me FIVE!You can enter all the prize packs so you don't have to worry! And oh yes, there's going to be 8 winners so there's more of a chance to win! 

RULES:
- To enter, please fill out the form below
- Entrants must be 13 years of age or older
- Deadline Spetember 9 2011
- Open Internationally
-Must be a FOLLOWER to enter
- ONE ENTRY PER PERSON!

Check out her blog to see the entire prize pack and to fill out the form:

5 BOOK GIVEAWAY
EACH WINNER WILL RECEIVE 1 BOOK OF MY CHOOSING. IT COULD BE A GENTLY-USED ARC, A TRADE PAPERBACK, OR EVEN A HARD COVER
RULES:
**Open Worldwide.
**No P.O. boxes, please.
**Must include your email in your comment, unless you signed in to leave a comment with your “real” email.
**All comments must be separate to count as separate entries. For example, if you follow me on Facebook and Twitter, leave 2 comments, one with your Facebook name, and one with your Twitter name. Or, if you posted about the giveaway on your blog, leave 5 comments, all with the link to your giveaway.
HOW TO ENTER: 
See her page for all the big details! 
(http://thegirlfromtheghetto.wordpress.com/2011/08/06/5-book-giveaway/)

"A chilling new digital YA series from Patrick Carman. DARK EDEN is a provocative exploration of fear, betrayal, memory, and ultimately, immortality." 
- HarperTeen

http://www.facebook.com/enterdarkeden
Isabella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife—between desire and danger. Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite. - Goodreads
Title: Twilight
Series: The Twilight Saga
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Release Date: September 27th 2005
Format: Paperback
Pages: 498
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Sub-Genre: Paranormal/Romance
Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Where to Buy: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

It took me one month to finish this book, but it was well worth it! I was into this book WAY before all those twilight fans jumped on board in 2008. I even was the type that would bolst to my friends about how great of a book it was. I even had them read the exert to get a feel for it and they both were blown away by what Meyers had written.

This series gets a lot of flack from hundreds of people, but I don't blame them. The series was over promoted once the movie went into production and caused a rift between the readers and the non-readers of the series.

Even though I don't like the movies, the books will always be special to me.

Twilight is a great book. It doesn't compare to Eclipse, but still it's a great book. I felt as though I was in Bella shoes and could relate to her very well, especially with her clumsy issues. I've personally knew what it was like to be there from the way Meyers described the scenes in the woods to the moments at the school to her meeting the Cullen family for the first time. Each moment was priceless.

Would I read this again? heck yes! It's been years but maybe because of that it's a good thing.
"Welcome to New York City's Upper East Side, where my friends and I live, go to school, play, and sleep--sometimes with each other.

S is back from boarding school, and if we aren't careful, she's going to win over our teachers, wear that dress we couldn't fit into, steal our boyfriends' hearts, and basically ruin our lives in a major way. I'll be watching closely...

You know you love me,

gossip girl" - Goodreads
Title: Gossip Girl #1: A Novel
Series: Gossip Girl Series
Author: Cecily von Ziegesar
Publisher: Poppy
Release Date: April 1st 2002
Format: Paperback
Pages: 224
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: ❤❤❤
Where to Buy: Amazon | B&N

This book is VERY different from the television show. First off, most of the kids in the book do a lot of drugs, i mean all the kids smoke, get high, and do a lot of recreational drugs.

It starts off with Blair being bulimic. It goes on to mention how Dan smokes and you find out Chuck and Nate getting high in the park on the way to school. Serena is very conceited in this book, then on the show. Blair in the book is more human than in the show (ie - less b***hy). I also feel this book stays more true to lifestyle of the upper east side in manhattan. Even with the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of it.

I did enjoy the book a lot though. I wouldn't say it's my favorite, but it wasn't boring either. This is more of a book for young girls, more so who aren't too impressionable, because of the activities that go on in the book.

"Earthy, magical, and utterly charming, this tale of family life in turn-of-the-century Mexico became a best-selling phenomenon with its winning blend of poignant romance and bittersweet wit.

The number one bestseller in Mexico and America for almost two years, and subsequently a bestseller around the world, "Like Water For Chocolate" is a romantic, poignant tale, touched with moments of magic, graphic earthiness, bittersweet wit - and recipes.

A sumptuous feast of a novel, it relates the bizarre history of the all-female De La Garza family. Tita, the youngest daughter of the house, has been forbidden to marry, condemned by Mexican tradition to look after her mother until she dies. But Tita falls in love with Pedro, and he is seduced by the magical food she cooks. In desperation, Pedro marries her sister Rosaura so that he can stay close to her. For the next twenty-two years, Tita and Pedro are forced to circle each other in unconsummated passion. Only a freakish chain of tragedies, bad luck and fate finally reunite them against all the odds." - Goodreads
Title: Like Water for Chocolate
Author: Laura Esquivel
Publisher: Black Swan
Release Date: January 1st 1989
Format: Paperback
Pages: 224
Genre: Fiction
Rating: ❤❤❤❤

Having read it for a group project in the Fall semester of '09, I was curious about it from the start. The back of the book was what made me read it in the first place. What kept me going was the story and the really cool touch of having recipes added.

It was broken down into twelve chapters. Each chapter represented a month and a special recipe was added at the beginning of each chapter. And the recipes were picked for that special moment of that month or for that season. I have yet to try any of them, but it's all Mexican recipes written in english.

Anyway, it's a fantastic book and left me and my classmates being satisfied with the ending; well sort of haha it was an "odd" ending, but a good one.

I would say it's worth reading once and great for anyone looking to write a report in high school or the freshman year of english in college.

Warm, feisty, and intelligent, the Delany sisters speak their mind in a book that is at once a vital historical record and a moving portrait of two remarkable women who continued to love, laugh, and embrace life after over a hundred years of living side by side.

Their sharp memories show us the post-Reconstruction South and Booker T. Washington; Harlem's Golden Age and Langston Hughes, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Paul Robeson. Bessie breaks barriers to become a dentist; Sadie quietly integrates the New York City system as a high school teacher. Their extraordinary story makes an important contribution to our nation's heritage—and an indelible impression on our lives. - Goodreads
Title: Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters First 100 Years
Author: Sarah Delany, Amy Hill Hearth, A. Elizabeth Delany
Publisher: Dell
Release Date: September 15th 1993
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 210
Genre: Biography
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

This book was originally read for a class book project for my Spring semester of this past year. I wasn't sure what to expect at first, but as soon as I reached the 5th chapter I fell in love with it! It's certainly an amazing book!

True story of two sisters growing up at the end of the 19th century and both lived to be over 100 by 1991! These women had lived through segregation, prohibition, JFK, the civil rights movement, and so much more! They grew up in the south, but later on they moved to the north up to NYC area.

I would say it's a wonderful and fascinating read. It is worth at least once to be read.
"Ever wonder what it's like to have your own personal team of beauty experts, advising you on how to look and feel knockout-gorgeous every day? Or have you ever questioned what exactly goes on inside the creative minds of beauty industry heavy-hitters? Step into the pages of Sephora, where the top beauty authorities give you access to their private domains. Spend the day with Vincent Longo backstage at fashion week, create red carpet—worthy hair with celebrity hair stylist Oscar Blandi, master the smoky eye with Hollywood's hottest makeup artists, and take a tour of Dr. Nicholas Perricone's kitchen with his refrigerator full of skin-perfecting foods.

In 'Sephora: The Ultimate Guide to Makeup, Skin, and Hair from the Beauty Authority, fashion and beauty' journalist and former Sephora beauty editor Melissa Schweiger personally introduces the people behind some of your favorite brands and fills this gorgeous book with the beauty secrets usually reserved for insiders. Each photo-packed page brims with words of wisdom and expert advice from the creators of and authorities on more than two hundred classic and emerging beauty brands sold at Sephora, including LORAC, Smashbox, Too Faced, Dr. Perricone, Frédéric Fekkai, and many, many more.

Each chapter is designed to mimic a Sephora store's "try everything" vibe while revealing the finest beauty tips and tricks for getting creative with cosmetics. From an A-to-Z glossary of terms and ingredients and a shopping guide to the best products, to detailed explanations of how to properly use cosmetic tools, Sephora is the complete beauty package that no woman will want to be without." - Goodreads
Title: Sephora: The Ultimate Guide to Makeup, Skin, and Hair from the Beauty Authority
Author: Melissa Schweiger
Publisher: William Morrow
Release Date: April 15th 2008
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 224
Genre: Make-Up and Beauty Guide
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

This is my favorite go-to beauty/make-up book. I learned so many tricks from the professionals who do high fashion run-way models to those of Victoria Secret cover girls. Some of my favorite tips are: use green to reduce redness, use purple for dark under eyes, make sure when applying mascara that you pull up and twist the brush to create a longer looking and full lash, and so many other fantastic tips! I don't know what I would have done these last couple of years if it wasn't for this book!

It all began with an idea Frank Warren had for a community art project. He began handing out postcards to strangers and leaving them in public places -- asking people to write down a secret they had never told anyone and mail it to him, anonymously. The response was overwhelming. The secrets were both provocative and profound, and the cards themselves were works of art -- carefully and creatively constructed by hand. Addictively compelling, the cards reveal our deepest fears, desires, regrets, and obsessions. Frank calls them "graphic haiku," beautiful, elegant, and small in structure but powerfully emotional.

As Frank began posting the cards on his website, PostSecret took on a life of its own, becoming much more than a simple art project. It has grown into a global phenomenon, exposing our individual aspirations, fantasies, and frailties -- our common humanity. Every day dozens of postcards still make their way to Frank, with postmarks from around the world, touching on every aspect of human experience. This extraordinary collection brings together the most powerful, personal, and beautifully intimate secrets Frank Warren has received -- and brilliantly illuminates. - Goodreads
Title: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives
Series: PostSecret
Author: Frank Warren
Publisher: Regan Books
Release Date: December 1st 2005
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 278
Genre: Self-Help/Contemporary
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

This was my very first Post Secret book that I not only read, but own as well. There were some very interesting bits in the book and some very shocking ones too. I swear I felt normal after having read a few of the entries and also had a few of my friends read some of the book. It helped a few to feel better, to laugh, even realize that the situation they were in wasn't as big of a deal afterwards.
Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid. From ghosts, vampires, and zombies to serial killers, cannibalistic hillbillies, and haunted Japanese videocassettes, How to Survive a Horror Movie shows how to defeat every obstacle found in scary films. Readers will discover:

• How to Perform an Exorcism
• What to Do If You Did Something Last Summer
• How to Persuade the Skeptical Local Sheriff
• How to Vanquish a Murderous Doll
• How to Survive an Alien Invasion
• How to Tell If You’ve Been Dead Since the Beginning of the Movie

and much, much more. Complete with useful instructions, insane illustrations, and a list of 100 important films to study, How to Survive a Horror Movie is essential reading for prom queens, jocks, teenage babysitters, and anyone employed by a summer camp. - Goodreads
Title: How to Survive a Horror Movie: All the Skills to Dodge the Kills
Author: Seth Grahame-Smith
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release Date: May 1st 2007
Format: Paperback
Pages: 176
Genre: Humor/Know-How Guide
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

This is by far one of my most favorite sardonic horror books of all time! I mean who doesn't love a good guide on the horror genre!? I know I do!

This little book also packs a lot of punch with in the first few chapters. The artwork throughout the book is awesome and stands true to what is being described in each section of each chapter. I love chapter #2 the most, because it's called 'Slasher Survival School - Masks, Gloves, and Motels'. I feel that the second section called 'Surviving Summer Vacation', is the most fitting currently because it is summer. But also because who doesn't love those campy horror flicks where people go to cabins or take road trips or even sleep away camp plots and you just know how its going to turn out. But it makes you wanna go "hmm i wonder if I'm in one myself?". The good news is that this book lets you know, the bad news it if you are S.O.L. for you!

Haha, anyway, this book is a MUST OWN for horror fanatics, especially of the slasher genre of the 80's, because it has everything you love and more! Seriously, you won't regret owning this book!
One of TV's best shows now has a superb tie-in book--and this watcher's guide is even better than the one for The Simpsons. For novices, the title is a pun: Buffy, an ordinary high school girl with all the normal problems, also must spend her nights battling vampires and demons, supervised by her "Watcher," who poses as the school's librarian.

But the book serves novices and obsessive Buffy fans equally well. Each episode of the first two seasons gets a snappy yet learned summary, including a "Quote of the Week," a quick recap of each love entanglement and relationship switcheroo (and no soap opera is tanglier than Buffy), a "Pop-Culture IQ" guide (when Oz hunts for Buffy--who's been turned into a rat--that's Michael Jackson's "Ben" he's singing), countless pop-up balloons of fun facts (Buffy was turned into a rat in order to free up her schedule to host Saturday Night Live), and a catalog of "Buffy's Bag of Tricks"--her weapons, plus all the spells, chants, incantations, and previously incomprehensible rock-band lyrics on the show.

There's way more than we can list here. Not only do we get an ample sample of dialogue nearly as clever as Seinfeld's, there are scenes from the original scripts that were cut for length and cast interviews. Every single vampire, demon, witch, zombie, mummy, werewolf, shape shifter, ghost, reanimated cadaver, invisible killer, prehistoric parasite, monster puppet, and psychotic robot on Buffy's acrobatic dance card gets its due.

Get this book, then send one as a gift. Friends don't let friends miss out on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. - Goodreads
Title: The Watcher's Guide, Volume 1
Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Author: Christopher Golden & Nancy Holder
Publisher: Gallery Books
Release Date: October 1st 1998
Format: Paperback
Pages: 298
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

I've read this book cover to cover over 50 times since the first time I've received it as a christmas gift in 1999. This is a quint essential book for any fan of the show. It has all sorts of good things inside ranging from back stories on certain demons, character bios, even the love triangles on the show. My favorite parts are the explanations of the sets, how the make-up is done, and loads of other cool facts. It's my all time favorite BTVS book.
Twenty-five years after saving a Down's-syndrome kid from bullies, Beav, Henry, Pete, and Jonesy -- now men with separate lives and separate problems -- reunite in the woods of Maine for their annual hunting trip. But when a stranger stumbles into their camp, disoriented and mumbling something about lights in the sky, chaos erupts. Soon, the four friends are plunged into a horrifying struggle with a creature from another world where their only chance of survival is locked in their shared past -- and in the Dreamcatcher. - Goodreads
Title: Dreamcatcher
Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Scribner
Release Date: March 20, 2001
Format: Hardcover (1st Edition)
Pages: 620
Genre: Fiction
Sub-Genre: Horror/Thriller
Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Where to Buy: Amazon | B&N

Dreamcatcher is not for everyone. But It surely is amazing. I've seen the movie as well and the book is far better. For starters, the book is able to paint a better picture for the reader, then the movie did on back stories. My only problem is how hollywood changed the story half way through. So that is one big reason why people should read this book. Another is that it has the same dedication to the way Mr. King plays on words as he did with some of his earlier work. All in all, for myself, it's a 4 out of 5 star review. The reason it doesn't have 5 stars? Not as gripping as some of his other books.


Okay so today is the first day I've not only found this on Amazon, but the first day I'm testing it out.

Okay so first thing I notice is that they intergraded the Home ebooks with the Archived. Another thing is that you can seamlessly increase and decrease the size of the view for books, which I found very helpful (ie - less scrolling!).

You can also either have it as cover or a list for the way you view it at the home page.

Here is an example of what a book opened and being read looks like in the web page Kindle Cloud format:


Overall, this is a nice touch from Amazon in the way Kindle is use, so I may use it in the near future.
“You asked me not to judge you by your past. The truth is I judge you more by my own.”

After Katie witnesses her mother's tragic murder, she is uprooted from her life in upstate New York and forced to live with an estranged aunt. When she arrives in Seaside Heights, NewJersey, she meets Joseph Bruglia, a boy whose sordid past leaves him uncomfortably wedged between the mistakes that haunt him and his new-found religion. When they first meet it isn't necessarily love at first sight. Through trial and error, they learn to see the beauty in each other. However, it will take harsh reality and divine intervention before they can see the beauty within themselves. inkpop.com
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This novel in progress looks promising. The writer has surely set herself up to write a beautiful story. I have yet to read it but I figured since it looks so good, I had to share it with the rest of my blog readers.
This post is here to take a time out from books and discuss other things. This week I'll be discussing a really cool new add-on for The Sims 3.



The new add-on is called "Hidden Springs". It's entirely new world that the company had made for the simmers!

There you can explore new places, meet new sims, even find a supply of water located mysteriously that when your sims drinks, they will be forever young!

  • A Whole New World Awaits - Meet new Sims, explore new locations, and become forever young when you discover the mysterious healing powers of Hidden Springs. 
  • Become Forever Young - Will your Sims uncover the curious magical properties of Hidden Springs? Explore the World and you might discover rejuvenating waters, drink from the Fountain of Youth and your Sims wishes just might come true.
  • Explore New Locations - Hidden Springs is full of all-new locations, lots, and venues. Where will your adventures take you?
    • Mingle with the social elites at the Redwood Heights Luxury Lodge.
    • Experience true balance and well being as you bask in the ambiance of the Crystal Solarium Rejuvenating Waters.
    • Take imagination to another dimension of fun and fairy mischief at Fairyfolk Park.
    • Or, head to the Silver Zephyr Health Spa to discover world renowned techniques in the fields of health and beauty. 
  • Exclusive New Items - Customize your game with dozens of all-new exclusive objects, clothing and hair that are only available with Hidden Springs. 
  • All-New Sims and Stories - An exclusive retreat for the rich and the famous? Or a mysterious World with curious healing powers? Whatever the answer, one thing is certain: the Sims you meet in Hidden Springs will have all-new stories that are out of this World. 
  • The Sims 3 Hidden Springs will be available August 25th at The Sims 3 Store.

- EA: Hidden Springs
NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all? - Goodreads.com



Cate Cahill and her sisters are considered eccentric bluestockings—a little odd, a little unfashionable, and far too educated for their own good. The truth is more complicated; they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it could mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave. Before their mother died, she entrusted Cate with keeping them safe and keeping everyone, including their father, in the dark about their powers. When her father employs a governess and Cate begins to receive notes from her missing, presumed-mad godmother, her task becomes much more difficult. As Cate searches for answers in banned books and rebellious new friends, she must juggle unwanted proposals, tea parties, and an illicit attraction to the new gardener. Cate will do anything to protect her sisters, but at what cost to herself? - Goodreads.com




Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's... - Goodreads.com