Love My Indie with Authors Amy Helmes and Kim Askew

Love My Indie is a feature where fellow bloggers, readers, and authors tell me about their favorite independent bookstores. I love the feeling I get when I go into an independent bookstore - like it is filled with hidden treasures just waiting for me to find them.

Showing some Indie Love today are:

Amy Helmes and Kim Askew 

authors of Tempestuous and Exposure

We spend numerous hours lost in the shelves at Los Angeles’s Skylight Books, which is conveniently located between our two houses in our east side neighborhood, Los Feliz. Skylight carries a great collection of literary journals, zines, children’s books, art and coffee table books, and graphic novels, but our favorite section is undoubtedly fiction. It’s incredibly curated, allowing for really great, unexpected "discoveries" like the English translations of the detective series the Marseilles Trilogy by French writer Jean-Claude Izzo.  

Skylight’s event calendar is packed with readings from some of the most talented writers around, including A.M. Homes and local author Aimee Bender, as well as up-and-comers like Emma Straub. They also hosted our friend, Andrea N. Richesin, when she launched her anthology Crush. We can’t wait to have our first reading of the Twisted Lit series there on February 2. For bibliophiles, Skylight is truly the heart and soul of our neighborhood!

Small World Books on the Venice Boardwalk is probably the best bookstore you’ve never heard of. Blink and you’ll miss the entrance, too--it’s almost lost among the jostling crowds next to an outdoor cafe with a literary-themed menu. Small World has a surprisingly large collection of New York Review of Books Lost Classics and a fab mystery collection, all guarded by the bookshop’s fluffy feline, Conan the Librarian.

About the Authors
Kim Askew and Amy Helmes are the authors of the Shakespeare-inspired YA series Twisted Lit. Tempestuous is available now and Exposure will be available January 18, 2013 from Merit Press. For more information, visit TwistedLitBooks.com.
 

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Bout of Books 6.0: Update #1, Day 4

It's Day 4 of the Bout of Books Read-a-thon and this is my first update. Just a reminder of my original goals:

Read for Review:

The Namesake by Steven Parlato

And By the Way . . . by Denise Deegan

 

Finish Delirium by Lauren Oliver Audiobook

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver Audiobook

Read a few chapters of Pride and Prejudice

What I've accomplished so far:

Read Close Enough to Touch by Victoria Dahl - this one wasn't originally on my goal list (because I forgot to include it). I read this one for book club and loved it.

Read 5 chapters of Pride and Prejudice

Finished Delirium audiobook - I read this one last year before Pandemonium came out and now I'm rereading (or listening) the series to prepare for the release of Requiem in March. 

I still plan to read The Namesake and And By the Way . . . I will probably squeeze in a reread if possible. Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay has been calling me and I think it's time I read it again.

I hope to pick up the reading pace as the weekend approaches. And if I don't find the need to watch Pitch Perfect again and again (it's a sickness), I may complete all of my goals!

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Goals for 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because they are particularly fond of lists. I am too so that is why I am participating this week.

Bookish Goals for 2013

I previously wrote  a reading/blogger goals post for 2013, but of course as soon as it was posted I thought of some more. Here is a more complete list of my goals for 2013. 

 

From my original post:

 

1. Read 90 books for the Goodreads Challenge 

 

2. Read 30 books from my bookshelves that obtained prior to 2013; this includes e-books, and at least 5 of them must be books that were given as gifts/RAKS 

 

3. Read at least 10 library books   

 

4. Read more new-to-me authors

 

5. Finish reading Pride and Prejudice - I had a goal to read it in 2012, I started it - that's something.

 

Newer goals

 

6. Allow myself to reread my favorite books. I did more rereading toward the end of 2012 and it was wonderful to revisit books that make me happy and characters that I love.

7. Read more books that are recommended to me by my friends and family. I'm always sharing the books I love with them, but I rarely read a book that they recommend because it is usually by an author that I wouldn't normally read.

8. Don't succumb to the book buying bans. This usually leads to a book buying binge which defeats the entire point of a ban.

9. Attend even more author/blogger/reader events. I attended YALLFest for the first time this past November and want to go again this year. I had the best time attending the panels, meeting new bloggers, and being around people who love books as much as I do.

10. I want to branch out beyond my blog and become more active in my community by volunteering at my local library or at the literacy advocacy center. 

 

 

Review: Forever My Girl by Heidi McLaughlin

Forever My Girl
by Heidi McLaughlin
Published by Bandit Publishing
Publication Date: December 26, 2012
Pages: 220
Sources: Purchased









(from Goodreads)

I was never supposed to be a rock star. I had my life all planned out for me. Play football in college. Go to the NFL. Marry my high school sweetheart and live happily ever after.

I broke both our hearts that day when I told her I was leaving. I was young. I made the right decision for me, but the wrong decision for us. I’ve poured my soul into my music, but I’ve never forgotten her. Her smell, her smile.

And now I’m going back.

After ten years.

I hope I can explain that after all this time.

I still want her to be my forever girl.

My Thoughts

I love when I start reading a new book and getting swept up in the story from the very beginning. That is exactly what happened while reading Forever My Girl. The alternating point of views let me know what Liam and Josie were thinking and feeling which allowed for an immediate connection to the characters. They both were experiencing a significant loss - the death of a friend - and it was as though I was experiencing their loss. I was that caught up and I admit there were even a few tears shed.

Some parts of the story are told in flashbacks and these were some of my favorite parts of the book.  In these moments, it was apparent just how much Josie and Liam meant to each other and loved each other. Their love was a young love, but real and overwhelming.

Forever My Girl had me on an emotional roller coaster. There was a heaviness to it, but there were many smiles, some laughs, heart-warming moments, and lot of anticipation.  It is a really sexy story and the idea of what might be contributes to that. The story builds and builds and I hoped that Liam and Josie would end up together, but there for a while I could see the possibility that I might not happen. A lot of time had passed, Josie suffered a lot of pain when Liam left, and she had a lot of healing to do and feared that her heart would be shattered all over again. 

While I loved the story and cared about Liam and Josie and their happiness, there were some things that I do take issue with. The timeline of when Liam left college, changed his fate, and became a rock star. It was like he was an overnight success and he really didn't have to make his way to the top. I realize that his journey to fame wasn't the point of this story, but it felt too easy and not very realistic.

The small town girl in me really loved the small town setting. I could relate to how all of the friends and town's people where wrapped up in each other's lives. I'm thrilled that this will be a series and getting to see into the lives of the other people of Beaumont. Even though Forever My Girl just came out, I am already anticipating reading the next book. Until then, I will push it on my friends.

Goodreads * Amazon

Bout of Books 6.0

 

 

Official Blurb

(from Bout of Books website)

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 6.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. -From the Bout of Books 6.0 team

I can never pass up the opportunity to participate in the Bout of Books read-a-thon. It's a great time to connect with other readers and bloggers and knock a few books off of the TBR pile. I did a lot of reading during the holidays and don't want to suffer from reader's burnout at the beginning of the new year, so I'm keeping my goals to a manageable minimum.

My Goals:

Read for Review:

The Namesake by Steven Parlato

And By the Way . . . by Denise Deegan

 

Finish Delirium by Lauren Oliver Audiobook

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver Audiobook

Read a few chapters of Pride and Prejudice

(because I will finish it some time)

If any of my readers are participating in the Bout of Books Read-a-thon, please let me know in the comments below. I'll make sure to stop by your blog and cheer you along!
 

Reading and Blogging Goals for 2013

It's that time again to consider the new year, establish some goals, and think about what I want to achieve in the future. Here are some of my goals for 2013. I've tried to be ambitious without setting myself up for less than success.

 Reading Goals

• Read 90 books for the Goodreads Challenge
• read 30 books from my bookshelves that obtained prior to 2013; this includes e-books, and at least 5 of them must be books that were given as gifts/RAKS
• read at least 10 library books  
• read more new-to-me authors
• Finish read Pride and Prejudice - I had a goal to read it in 2012, I started it - that's something.
  

Blogging Goals

• Revive my Love My Indie feature - I'm going to reach out to other bloggers, readers, and authors to participate with guest posts. 2013 is already off to a great start with several authors scheduled to share their favorite independent bookstores.
• Comment on more blogs and interact more with my blog readers in an attempt to create a greater sense of community
• Make an effort to catch up on many overdue reviews - this is a priority for 2013
• Write current reviews in a timely manner
• Add more substance to my posts: I hosted a lot of giveaways in 2012, made a bunch of lists, and participated in some memes which is just fine, but I need to include more of my thoughts, ideas, and considerations.

 Did you set some new goals for 2013? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year 2013 Giveaway Hop

Happy New Year to You!!

What better way to start the new year than with new books?! 

I am giving away one $10.00 Amazon Gift Certificate. 

Following is not required and up to 3 extra entries can be earned.

You must be 16 years or older to enter.

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below.

Winner will be selected via random.org and announced here via Rafflecopter.

This giveaway hop is hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Babs Book Bistro.

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