Love-A-Thon: High Five!

Here's the deal. I don't know if I'm interpreting this challenge right. Do I list one thing for each of the five categories? Or 5 things for each category? Then I decided that it's my post and I can do what I want. So I'm going to list 1 thing for each category.

My "High" Fives:

Book: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. THIS BOOK YOU GUYS. The lovely Sarah over at What Sarah Read loaned me her copy last month. I devoured this book in hours. Yes hours. I'll be buying a pretty finished copy when it comes out in May.


Genre: YA retellings. I've read some AMAZING books already this year (including the aforementioned ACOTAR which is based on Tam Lin a/k/a Beauty & the Beast). 2 other favorite retellings coming out this year are Lion Heart by AC Gaughen (sooooo good!) and of course Winter by Marissa Meyer. I can't wait to read Winter when it's released.

Author: Sarah J. Maas. I just can't even pick anyone else. From ACOTAR in May, to Queen of Shadows in September, to The Starkillers Cycle she's writing with Susan Dennard on Tumblr, the girl can do no wrong. Also her hair is glorious and I wish mine looked like hers.

Blogger: A tie between Sarah & Kristina. These two have become "real life" friends. We've engaged in many texts about all kinds of things that aren't even book related at this point. They're my "fairy book-mothers" and have loaned me some awesome books the past few months. Kristina even sent me a baby gift before my little guy was born a few months ago! I absolutely adore these two women.

Bookish Merchandise: I'm IN LOVE with the bookmarks from CraftedVan. I've been using the Guardians of the Galaxy set (particularly Rocket & Baby Groot). Sadly they're currently out of stock, but there are a ton of other bookmarks right now, and they're constantly updating and adding more.

Because dancing Baby Groot is the best thing ever.

Any of your favorites make my list?

Love-A-Thon: Snapshots

Here's the deal. I'm actually more of an e-reader since I have two kids and I always have my phone with me (meaning I always have my books with me). So I really only have this one bookshelf. Sad, I know. But it is home to a quite a few books for such a small bookshelf.

Up on the top of the bookshelf, under the letter "S" are my special edition copies of Pride & Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, and Little Women. They've all been gifts from my husband over the years. He knows me well. ;) The bottom shelf is all of the books I have physical copies of on my TBR. The top shelf is books I love. What you can't see is my collection of classic books (which includes, but is not limited to every book by Jane Austen, my well-loved copy of Gone with the Wind, and the entire series of The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit). They are on the top shelf, but behind my series books and favorite books. My next house WILL have more room for my books.


And each of my boys have a bookshelf (or at lease a place to keep books as is the case in the baby's room).

Older son's bookshelf:

(Plus more stacked in the top of his closet that he isn't old enough to read yet).

Baby's book bucket:

(I LOVE children's books. He has a whole shelf full in the armoire in his room, plus a HUGE box full in the garage that I'll get out when he gets older).

Thanks for stopping by!

Love-A-Thon: One Can Only Quote!

It's quote time! Both Sarah & I selected quotes for this post. I picked a quote on friendship and Sarah picked one about love, so we have all the bases covered. ;)

Lindsay: I should really get better about marking quotes in books that I like, but I'm usually in too big of a hurry to keep reading to make that happen. So for my quote, I went way back to one of my favorite childhood books, Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.

Image is from the book. Text was added by me.

Sarah: Leo Tolstoy was a wise man. This quote could not be truer for me.

 

 

 

What do you guys think of our quotes? They're both good ones to remember & to live by!

Love-A-Thon: Book Valentines!

Sarah here! Park (from Eleanor and Park) is my book valentine. He's the exact type of boy I would have fallen in love with in high school. He's the embodiment of my teenage self's perfect guy. I adore him. I did some shopping and this is what I got Park for Valentine's Day. Enjoy!

Love-A-Thon: Book Spine Poetry

Both Sarah & I decided to weigh in with book spine poetry this year. Check out both of our "poems" below!

Lindsay: So here's the deal. This is soooo not my strong suit. In fact, I made Sarah do it last year by herself. But I figured, what the heck, I'll give it a go. Here's what I came up with:
 

Dear Mr. Knightley,

Speak / An Echo in the Darkness.

Return to Me / All Our Yesterdays.

If I Stay / I'll Give You the Sun.

I was Here,

Don't Look Back,
Emma 

Sarah: I love this challenge. It was my favorite from last year so I'm super stoked that it's back this year! Here's what I came up with:

Daylight Falls

Behind the Scenes

Under the Lights 

Bright Beyond

The

Dark Expanse 

Of

Broken Skies

And 

Shattered Stars 

*Daylight Falls series by Dahlia Adler
** Bright Beyond series and Broken Skies series by Theresa Kay 

Love-A-Thon Kickoff! An Introduction Post

Hi everyone!
We're so excited to be participating in the Love-A-Thon once again this year! There's so many fun posts planned, we can't wait for you all to see them. Since Sarah & I do this blog together, we'll both be participating in the challenges. So you may have me doing a post, Sarah, or both of us!

First up is the questionnaire! So here's a little bit about me!

1. What’s your name? Lindsay :)

Me. And my no-longer-this-tiny littlest boy

2. Where in the world are you blogging from? The thriving metropolis of Amarillo, Texas.

3. How did you get into blogging in the first place? My friend Sarah & I were constantly sending books back and forth and talking about them, and I was also frequently bombarded with questions from friends about what books to read, etc. So one day I texted Sarah and asked if she would want to start a blog with me, and here we are!

4. How did you come up with your blog name? We like books. Books cost money. So we are broke because of books. Simple as that.

5. What genre do you read and review the most on your blog? I read YA epic fantasy the most, but I've been reading a lot more contemporary since I just had a baby 3 months ago. Contemporary doesn't require nearly as much focus from me, so I'm able to read it in the middle of the night when I have to get up with the little guy.

6. What other types of posts do you do on your blog, apart from reviews? Well.... since it's been a while since I've done any actual posting, it's hard to say. I do like to make cookies based on books, so let's go with that.

7. Best blogging experience so far? The epic response we got from our March Madness Book Boyfriend Edition last year! We're planning on doing it again this year with a few changes.

8. Favorite thing about the blogging community? The friends I've made! Seriously though, I don't know what I would do without Kristina, Sarah, & Emily.

9. Name the 5 books you’re most excited for this 2015! ONLY 5?!? Okay then, off the top of my head:
A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J. Maas (I read it already and it is AMAZING), Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas, Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson, Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner, and The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May.

ETA: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo & Winter by Marissa Meyer

10. What’s an underrated book or series that you think everyone should read? Not nearly enough people have read Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta. Get on it people!

11. Which book boy or girl would be your book BFF? Ohh tough question. The guy I would love to be friends with is Roar from Under the Never Sky. I loved his relationship with Aria. The girl is Francesca from Saving Francesca & The Piper's Son. I love how fiercely loyal she is.

12. Apart from reading, what are your other hobbies or interests? I'm a cookie decorator! You can see some of the cookies I've done here.

13. Apart from book shopping, what else do you like shopping for? I love shopping for stuff for my kids-clothes, books, toys. It's so much fun.

14. At a party, the DJ suddenly changes the song – and it’s your song. What song would be playing? I love classic rock, so I'll have to go with Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi. More recent would have to be Shake If Off by Taylor Swift (I'm not even sorry. That song is freakishly addictive).

15. Pick out either a book you want turned into a film/TV show, or a film/TV show you want turned into a book. Hands down, I would LOVE to see The Lunar Chronicles made into a tv/mini-series. I feel like that's the only way to do it justice. I don't think a movie would be able to encapsulate everything that story would need.

Thanks for stopping by!

I Mustache You Some Questions

Happy Tuesday!

Thank you to Katie at Bookish Illuminations for tagging me for this post!

Four Names People Call Me Other Than My Real Name

1. Linds
2. Zoo (my brother's kids)
3. Mama (my kids, obvs)
4. Face (my best friend, for reasons)

Four Jobs I’ve Had

1. Cookie Decorator
2. Wedding Coordinator
3. Geological Technician-which is a fancy way of saying I colored maps, and cut and taped things together for an oil and gas geologist.
4. Pre-K teacher. For one semester because I was miserable.

Four movies I would/have watched more than once: (only 4?? hahaha)

1. Pitch Perfect (I once watched this every day for a week)
2. Pride and Prejudice (2004)
3. 10 Things I Hate About You
4. The Avengers

Four books I’d recommend: (to everyone-I usually tailor suggestions to each person that asks me)

1. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
2. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. Anna & the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
4. A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

Four places I have lived:

1. Amarillo, Texas
2. Lubbock, Texas

(That's it. Only 2 places!)

Four places I have been: 

1. Nassau, Bahamas
2. San Juan, Puerto Rico
3. St. Maarten
4. Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Four places I’d rather be right now: (or 4 places I want to visit)


1. Scotland
2. Australia
3. Anywhere in the Caribbean
4. England

Four things I don’t eat:

1.Onions
2. Pickles
3. Tomatoes
4. Mushrooms
(This list could be a mile long. I'm a rather plain eater)

Four of my favorite foods:

1. Chicken fettuccine alfredo
2. Cookies & Cream cookie butter from Trader Joe's
3. Chocolate Granola
4. Donuts!

Four TV shows that I watch: (I'll go with current shows)

1. New Girl
2. The Big Bang Theory
3. Survivor
4. Hart of Dixi

Four things I am looking forward to this year (2015):

1. Reading some amazing new releases!
2. Turning 30 in a couple of weeks!
3. Celebrating my kiddo's 5th and 1st birthdays!
4. Redoing our backyard

Four things I’m always saying: (or texting)

1. ODP (okie dokie pokey)
2. Just sayin'.
3. So.....
4. You know that's right.

Four People I tag: (If you’ve already done this, no worries!)

1. Emily at Oh Magic Hour
2 & 3. Kristina & Daphne at Gone Pecan
4. Sarah at What Sarah Read