{Guest Post by Laura Pauling} Life Lessons from Prom Night

Hey guys! Today, I am excited to bring you a guest post from the author of Prom Impossible, Laura Pauling. She'll be talking about some of her prom experiences that she used to shape Cassidy's story. So without further ado, let's give Laura a warm welcome! 

Life lessons from Prom Night

Gosh, prom can be so complicated yet so simple at the same time.

Some girls start thinking about prom months before. They might see that guy they’ve been crushing on for weeks or maybe months, and their hearts can’t help but pitter patter at the thought of being asked by him.
Or maybe, they’re falling hard for their best friend, wondering if he’ll ask, and if he does, how will they survive the night? Should they let the guy know how they feel?

I dated this one guy on and off over the course of my senior year. His eyes were those startling blue kind of eyes that a girl fell headlong into, and boy, did I ever.

I really, really wanted to go to prom with him.

There were several factors that played into prom that last year of high school. By our senior year a lot of the “groups” started melding together. Friendships spread and it became extremely hard to have a small group of people over because that would turn out to be about fifty people. Everyone was friends with everyone else. Maybe not super close but close enough.

It was a neat experience and one I haven’t experienced since.

So you’re probably asking what this has to do with prom? By the spring of our senior year this melding of groups left prom wide open. This guy with startling blue eyes? We danced on edge of dating seriously but going to prom together was in no way a given or assumed.

And one of his close friends asked me.

Looking back now, I barely remember senior prom, but there’s one picture in my yearbook that says it all. It’s a picture of me and blue eyes dancing together.

Even if you don’t get asked by the guy you’re crushing on, sometimes things have a way of working out.
For me as I wrote Prom Impossible, all my experiences from prom nights influenced the story. The more I wrote, the more I realized that as important as one night may seem, often, it’s not who we go with or whether we have the best dress that matters. Not even the memories, because those will fade.

Instead, it’s realizing that when things don’t work out the way we want them too, we need to move forward. Eventually, in hindsight, we’ll see how that one night fit with the rest of our life. How, at times, life has a way of working together for good.

the book:

Title: Prom Impossible

Author: Laura Pauling

Release Date: May 1, 2014
Publisher: Redpoint Press
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

1 girl + 
1 prom +
3 guys = Prom Impossible

Cassidy decides her senior year, including prom, will be about Michael, the boy destined to be her soul mate. One problem. He hasn’t figured that out yet.
But certain events meant as innocent pranks—that weren’t completely her fault—introduce her to Zeke, the reformed bad boy. And cutting deals in the boys’ bathroom with Jasper, the hottest guy in school, lands her in a complicated web of half-truths.
At the end of the year, she’s dateless the day before the big night but risks a lot more than her pride if she can’t fix her mistakes.

Prom Impossible is a modern-day Shakespearean romantic comedy in the world of teens, true love, and life.

the author:

Laura Pauling:

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Goodreads

Laura Pauling is the author of the exciting young adult Circle of Spies Series and the time travel mystery, Heist. She writes to entertain and experience a great story…and be able to work in her pajamas and slippers. Prom Impossible is her newest YA romantic comedy, published as of May of 2014. To keep up on her new releases sign up for her newsletter so you don’t miss out!

Thanks for sharing that experience with us, Laura! I never went to prom (junior or senior), so I have nothing to share. Please, share some of YOUR prom experiences with us! We'd love to hear all about them :)

{Guest Post by Corey Ann Hadyu} Under the Radar YA

Hey guys! Today, I am excited to have Corey Ann Haydu on the blog, talking about some of her favorite Under the Radar YA books! If you didn't already know, she's the author of OCD Love Story and Life By Committee (which comes out tomorrow), so you should definitely check out both books!

Under the Radar YA

Great news: none of us are running out of books to read.

If you love YA literature, you are living in the right moment of time. New wonderful books are coming out every single day (or, like, mostly on Tuesdays and sometimes Thursdays). Your tastes can be incredibly specific and you will STILL have a huge list of books that, if you’re anything like me, it feels like you will never ever get through.

And this is a wonderful thing. Except it also means that some books get a little lost. Or maybe tons of people read them but for some reason no one’s talking about them. Or they are critically beloved but haven’t reached enough readers. Or maybe they’re library favorites but not talked about on blogs or Twitter. It’s hard to know.

Recently, people started tweeting more about their favorite Under the Radar YA novels, and I've been so happy to see people promote books they believe in that their friends might not have heard of for whatever reason. This is such a beautiful part of Twitter, and I wanted to dedicate a blog post to exactly that.

I don’t want to define Under the Radar with too heavy a hand, because it can mean almost anything. For the purposes of this post, I consider Under the Radar anything that I don’t think is getting talked about ENOUGH, given how fantastic it is.

We all want our favorite books to be huge. We want them to have tons of readers. Mostly, selfishly, so that we have more people to talk to about them.

In the case of contemporary YA, I’d say most books could be considered “under the radar”, since even books that get great recognition critically don’t usually make it to bestseller status or get the reader love they deserve.

I want to have more people to talk to about the following contemporary YA and MG books:

Her and Me and You by Lauren Strasnick:
Anything Lauren Strasnick. If you love contemporary YA with unique characters and truly spectacular writing, I expect you to be reading Lauren Strasnick. Today, every day. Always.*
sidenote: I champion her work so often she is probably going to start to think I’m stalking her. I’m not. I am, however, stalking her books.

This Full House and True Believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff: 

I got my MFA in Writing for Children at The New School, and True Believer was on one of the best course reading lists I've ever had—the reading list for David Levithan’s class on YA literature. These verse novels are everything. Gorgeous. Diverse. Heartbreaking. Enlightening. Authentic. I’m so grateful True Believer was on that course list, since I may never have read it otherwise—I didn't know much about novels in verse, and like so many readers, I’m naturally drawn to stories about people like me. The sad thing about doing that is that you never find out how many people are actually “like me” even if they’re not “just like me”. This character is from a wildly different background and culture than my own. But she’s curious and ambitious and loved learning and in so many ways she, too, is “like me”. What a huge lesson to learn.

Speaking of novels in verse! Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay:
If you have been curious about this whole YA novels in verse thing but are scared you won’t like it, this is the book to start with. It’s a quirky, romantic read with great writing and a classic, confused, unique main character. It’s like reading a great indie movie.

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers:

 I want to believe this author isn't Under the Radar, but not enough people have read this book. I was inspired to write more challenging, complicated, layered characters after reading this one.

Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor:
This is MG for anyone who loves dark, difficult contemporary YA and isn’t so sure they’ll be able to relate to an MG voice. If you love reading about troubling family circumstances and strong characters and the search for hope in a world where it’s hard to find any—this is for you. Give MG a try. You’ll like it. This book was recommended to me when I was trying to find my own MG voice for my upcoming MG debut, Rules for Stealing Stars and man did it help me and inspire me and push me to be better.

The Difference Between You and Me by Madeleine George: 

I heard Madeleine George read at an event in NYC and she was so much more than a reader, she was a performer. The excerpt she read was hysterical, and this book is really unique—both in terms of its alternating perspectives and its content. Plus it’s an LGBTQ read, and a really interesting one about two girls falling in love, even though one of them isn’t ready to own their relationship yet. This should be on every YA list and especially every LGBTQ list.

And Then Things Fall Apart by Arlaina Tibensky:
 I love Sylvia Plath. You probably love Sylvia Plath. This book is an ode to Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. And it is one of my favorite YA novels of all time. It is criminially under-talked-about.

Pure Sunshine by Brian James:

 This is a kind of incredible book about intense drug use. It has a compact, tight, physically intense feeling to it. It came out in 2002. I’ve never read anything like it. If you love Ellen Hopkins, you need this one immediately.

The Vow by Jessica Martinez:
Martinez writes such fantastic and diverse YA fiction I am in awe of her. This book is a great pick and very timely. It’s about friendship. And marriage. And immigration. And the meaning of love. It’s got a great structure and a lot of heart. (Her upcoming novel, Kiss Kill Vanish is one of the most arresting, unique YA novels I've ever read, so you’ll have a wonderful follow up to read after this one. But here’s hoping Kiss Kill Vanish is very much above the radar.)

Kendra and Tyrell by Coe Booth. 

Again, these are books assigned to me in David Levithan’s class that, again, I might not have picked up because of that awful impulse to read about girls whose high school experiences remind me of my own. And again, I came to realize I enjoyed even more reading about lives outside my comfort zone, and that I’d find emotional common ground with these characters even if our high school circumstances were world’s apart. These are raw, beautiful, challenging books that I couldn’t put down. As we continue to search for diversity in YA, Coe Booth and her incredible characters and superb writing should be on everyone’s lists. Tell publishers you want more books with characters you haven’t met before. And remember that the best part of reading is often finding emotional truths that resonate beyond circumstances.

Thank you, Corey, for that great post! I know by TBR just got a little bit longer! And in honor of her new book coming out tomorrow, let's take a little look at it, shall we?

the book:

Title: Life By Committee
Author: Corey Ann Haydu
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: May 13, 2014

Tabitha might be the only girl in the history of the world who actually gets less popular when she gets hot. But her so-called friends say she’s changed, and they've dropped her flat.

Now Tab has no one to tell about the best and worst thing that has ever happened to her: Joe, who spills his most intimate secrets to her in their nightly online chats. Joe, whose touch is so electric, it makes Tab wonder if she could survive an actual kiss. Joe, who has Tabitha brimming with the restless energy of falling in love. Joe, who is someone else’s boyfriend.

Just when Tab is afraid she’ll burst from keeping the secret of Joe inside, she finds Life by Committee. The rules of LBC are simple: tell a secret, receive an assignment. Complete the assignment to keep your secret safe.

Tab likes it that the assignments push her to her limits, empowering her to live boldly and go further than she’d ever go on her own.

But in the name of truth and bravery, how far is too far to go?

the author:

Corey Ann Haydu:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Corey Ann Haydu is a young adult novelist currently living in Brooklyn, NY. Her first novel, OCD Love Story, came out July 2013 from Simon Pulse. Her second novel, Life by Committee will be out in Summer 2014 from Katherine Tegen Books at Harper Collins.
Corey grew up outside Boston, Massachusetts where she learned a deep love for books, cheese, cobblestone streets, cold weather and The Gilmore Girls. She has been living in New York City since 2001, where she has now developed new affections for New Yorky things like downtown bookstores, Brooklyn brownstones, writing in coffee shops, the Modern Love column in the Sunday Times, pilates, leggings, and even fancier cheeses.

So what are some of YOUR favorite Under the Radar YA books?

{Birthday Blogaversary Bash} The One Who Nerds Out About Quotes

Hello again! Today, I have Jessica from Fly to Fiction here to discuss what she nerds out about! So sit back, relax, and give Jessica a warm welcome! 

Hey everyone! Firstly, thank you to RachelMarie for inviting me to be a part of this awesome event! Happy Birthday and Blogoversary!

Secondly, I have to admit that when I learned about the theme of this post, I freaked out a little bit. Not because I didn't know what to write about, but because I had too much to write about! How was I to narrow down the things I fangirl about when there’s probably a list of a thousand or more things that I, in some way, fangirl/nerd out about. I could have gone the predictable route--books, movies, music, TV shows (this was such a huge contender). I could have talked about dance, which I can’t say is predictable unless you know me. But I've decided to write about how I nerd out/fangirl about quotes.

Yup, quotes. Quotes in books, quotes in movies, quotes from song lyrics, quotes from poems, quotes from TV shows, quotes from just about anything!

I love various types of quotes for various reasons. There are funny quotes that just make me laugh. There are deep, meaningful quotes that just make me think and that get to bottom of my soul. There are pretty quotes that are just so nice to read and say aloud. There are inspirational quotes that can get me through a tough time. There are quotes that just GET it, if you know what I mean. A short quote can mean so much and evoke so many thoughts and emotions, and I find that to be so incredibly powerful and amazing.

So I've decided to share some of my favorite quotes with you today! (Not in any particular order)

As a dancer, this quote just speaks volumes to me. It gets at the core of what it means to be a dancer. If you truly love to dance, every floor can be a dance floor, waiting for you to dance on it. There’s just so much beauty in this portion of the poem and in the poem in general. This is my favorite dance poem, and this is one of my favorite quotes of all time.

This has, particularly in the past year or two, become SO important for me. I need to remind myself of this--that dancers with great technique but no passion or emotion can only be so great; it’s the dancers that feel, that dance with a passion, that can’t imagine not dancing, that feels the emotions of a dance that are truly great. I constantly need to remind myself of this when I start to compare myself to other dancers and to my dance friends. I am a good dancer not because I’m good with technique and can do all the cool tricks, but because I dance with a passion. I put emotion into what I dance. I get into the zone when I’m dancing. I am connected to the music, the feeling, the floor, and the sky. And I think that’s what makes me a good dancer. When I start to feel my self-esteem dropping because of dance, I try to remember this. Yes, others are great in some aspects, but there are many aspects of dance that I excel at too.

This is my go-to quote when I’m having a bad day or going through a tough time. This reminds me to have hope, and it’s meant so much to me as I've grown up. It will continue to be one of my all time favorite quotes.

I love this. Yes, it’s another Harry Potter one (there are more below too). But this is so impactful in so many ways. You are who you choose to be. Your abilities can only take you so far. It means that you don’t have to be the smartest, the bravest, the best at something. Your actions can make you the better person. I think about this all the time when faced with a choice.

So inspiring. This reminds me to keep moving forward when things get tough because there’s always a way out, you just have to push past the hard parts and get there.

I love this quote for so many different reasons. Firstly, it reminds me of the different forms of bravery, and it makes me feel better about not being brave. Because I might not fit the conventional definition of brave, but there are moments when I think I’m brave in my own right. This is also one quote I go back to all the time because it reminds me that it’s okay to stand up to your friends. It’s not wrong. It’s just as brave to say it to a friend as it is to tell it to someone you hate. If that makes any sense.

This just gets at the heart of friendship so well. Yes, it’s great to have someone that tries to give me advice, but for me, the people I’m closest to are the ones that just GET it. They’re always there for me, they understand what I’m going through, and rather than telling me what I should do, they just tell me that they understand. Because empathy is so important in friendships.

This very similar to the previous quote. My two best friends are my best friends because they get me in a way very few people do. Perhaps they understand me in different ways, but they understand me and are always there for me. No matter their flaws, that is why they’re my best friends.

This quote touched me in a way I never expected that it would. I doubt many people would find this quote to be spectacular, but it is to me. For me, this quote is so vital because it reminds me that it’s okay to be wrong and that it’s okay to mess up sometimes. It’s okay to let yourself be human. When I feel disappointed in myself, I think of this.

I used to love this song so much--and for a good reason. This song means so much more than it appears to be about. There’s a depth to this song that I just can’t get over. I love these lines in particular because it’s about taking your life into your own hands. If you have strength and courage and just keep going, you’ll be okay. You are the only one that can do the things you do. You can be in control of yourself and your actions; you can make your own decisions.

Well, there you have it! These are only a handful of many quotes that I love and reflect on often. And I've also included some quotes related to other things I nerd out about, so yay! I hope that you may find one of these quotes impactful.

Thank you again, RachelMarie! I've loved sharing one of the many things I fangirl about.


Thank you, Jessica, for sharing those awesome quotes. I have a notebook that I use for random things that just has pages of quotes, so you aren't the only one. Which quote of the ones Jessica shared is your favorite?

And if you haven't already, enter the blogaversary giveaway below, or the Blind Date with a Book giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Birthday Blogaversary Bash} The One Who Fangirls Over Retellings

We meet again, lovely people. Today, I am excited to have Meredith from Pandora's Books fangirling over something I am absolutely obsessed with as well...retellings!  If you know me at all, you know that I absolutely LOVE retellings, especially mythology and fairy tales. So, let's give Meredith a warm welcome!

There aren't many things I fangirl over. So when I DO fangirl over something, it’s because it’s epic. Today, I’m going to discuss one of the things I fangirl over: Retellings in young adult books. There are so many different types of retellings – based on mythology (Greek, Indian, Egyptian), fairy tales, classics, etc. I could go on and on. It doesn't matter what kind of retelling it is, I usually love it.

Greek Mythology Retellings:

I was in fifth or sixth grade when we first started studying Greek mythology in school and I fell in love with it. I've been fascinated with the original myths ever since, but I also love reading modern takes and retellings. Two of my favorite Greek myths are Persephone and Pandora’s Box (Hence my blog name!). I've read some amazing Persephone retellings – Meg Cabot and Brodi Ashton are just two authors who have done great jobs bringing this intriguing myth – about Hades and the Underworld – into modern day.

One of my all-time favorite authors, Heather Lyons, recently released a Medusa retelling. If you love Greek Mythology, I HIGHLY recommend it. It’s full of awesome and bursting with Greek mythology, not just Medusa.

I haven’t stumbled on any Pandora’s Box retellings, though, so if anyone knows of any, please feel free to share that with me in the comments!

Not a fan of Greek Mythology? That’s okay! Check out Amalie Howard’s The Alpha Goddess – it’s Indian mythology and it’s so amazing, I re-read it immediately after finishing it! (Literally... I finished it late at night on March 6 and re-read it right after on March 7).

Want to continue branching out? Kiersten White wrote The Chaos of Stars, which has Egyptian mythology. I was always intrigued by Egyptian Mythology, but never went out of my way to read retellings with it – until this book. The first half was a little slow, but the twists and revelations in the second half of the book will make your eyes bug out!

Fairy Tale Retellings:

I was a big fan of Disney and the Disney Princesses. They were all based on fairy tales, myths and legends. So I started off, at a young age, loving those things. Not to mention the fact that fairy tale retellings are also plentiful in the YA book community and I've read some wickedly amazing ones lately – like The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. The Lunar Chronicles is based on several fairy tales and includes a retelling of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White.

One retelling I read recently that merged Greek mythology with fairy tales was Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge. While I didn't enjoy the book, I LOVED the combined retelling. It focused on the Persephone myth and the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. (Aside from Rachel here--I LOVED Cruel Beauty. But then, you should have already known that.)

Classic Retellings:

Recently, I've stumbled upon a lot of retellings based on classics like Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz. Now, I’m ashamed to admit that I haven’t read the original Alice in Wonderland or The Wizard of Oz. I do own them (I swear, I can send pictures as proof!) but I just haven’t gotten to them yet. But I grew up on movies, television shows and the kiddie versions of the books.

When I was growing up, Disney had a live-action version of Alice in Wonderland. I loved it so much! I also devoured the movie with Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp. Frank Beddor wrote an incredible retelling back in 2006, but I hadn't read any amazing retellings recently.... Until I discovered the INCREDIBLY TALENTED A.G. (Anita) Howard and her book, Splintered. Best Alice in Wonderland Retelling EVER. Seriously.. The world of Wonderland is creepily re-imagined and ... MORPHEUS. Yeah... MORPHEUS. Also, Jeb. Because even though I’m 100% Team Morpheus, I still like Jeb – And even if you hate love triangles, you will LOVE this one. Anita is just that amazing a writer.

Also in 2015? Marissa Meyer (previously mentioned for her Lunar Chronicles fairy tale retelling series) will be releasing a book called Heartless - “A prequel to ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ HEARTLESS will tell the tale of how a marquis’ teenage daughter became the infamous Queen of Hearts,” (From Goodreads). Umm..... SIGN ME UP!

With The Wizard of Oz, obviously I've seen the 1939 Judy Garland movie. I loved it as a kid – devoured it, honestly. I also loved, loved, LOVED the 1985 “sequel” with Fairuza Balk. This was an intriguing, darker story. Dorothy returns to Oz to find that it’s a broken mess. Honestly, Return to Oz is really what sparked my interest in Oz retellings. Seeing that darker, slightly less than kid friendly version of things? So, of course, I've been hoping for an epic retelling in book form – and I finally got what I wanted with Danielle Paige’s Dorothy Must Die. I’m currently reading it - I’m about 200 pages in and I LOVE IT TO PIECES. So, so, so much fangirling over this book so far. A darker Oz, Dorothy as the villain and every character you thought you knew... is nothing like they should be. Also, this is a trilogy! So, that’s an even bigger win!

Another classic retelling I've read – and loved – recently? Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes. It’s a modern retelling of Oliver Twisted with computer hackers. Sold? Sold! It was amazing and I loved it so much. I haven’t read Oliver Twist, but Vivi did a beautiful job of maintaining aspects of the classic without making it confusing for those who haven’t read it.

Other Notable Retellings:

Remember how I said I loved all retellings? That includes King Arthur/Merlin retellings, like Melissa de la Cruz’s recent release, The Ring and The Crown. It had magic, historical elements and epic characters.

Have you read anything by Claudia Gray? She wrote a story called Fateful. Guys, it’s the Titanic... and werewolves!!! Read it!!

So, case-in-point: Retellings are epic and will always intrigue me! I find them fascinating and I highly recommend you guys check out any (or ALL) of the books I mentioned in this post. Seriously, you won’t be disappointed!

Now, share with me: Have you read any of the above? What did you think? And if you haven’t, do any of the above intrigue you? Which ones are you adding to your TBR??


Thank you, Meredith, for that awesome post! One of my absolute always favorites is the Percy Jackson series, as well as the spin-off, Heroes of Olympus. I will basically read anything Rick Riordan writes. He also has an Egyptian mythology series, The Kane Chronicles. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen is an amazing Robin Hood retelling. One that I feel doesn't get as much attention is Kenneth Oppel's The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, which I love. Antigoddess by Kendare Blake is worth mentioning as well. And since I could be here for days listing awesome retellings that you should read, why don't I just redirect you to the awesome infographic that EpicReads made.

And Meredith has been kind enough to give away an ARC of The Here and Now by Ann Brasheres! So, thank her profusely and enter below! And if you haven't already, enter the Blind Date with a Book giveaways, which end in a few days!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Birthday Blogaversary Bash} The One Who Fangirls About Doctor Who

Hey guys! Today, I am so excited to have Stacee from Too Fond of Books on the blog, fangirling about one of my favorite things to fangirl over as well...Doctor Who! So, let's give her a warm welcome!

When Rachel contacted me about doing a guest post for her blogiversary, I immediately agreed. And after she told me that the topic was just about something I fangirl over, I knew what I was going to talk about. While authors and all things books are a major love of mine, there is only one thing that I seriously geek out about…

We found Doctor Who on accident. At SDCC in 2010, the Hubs and I went to the BBC America booth to see if they were selling any Top Gear merch. Somehow we got into a conversation with the girl working the booth about Doctor Who [Season 5 had just ended] and she said it was something we should check out on Netflix. It was something I filed away in my head, but never really expected to come back to.

Fast forward a couple of weeks. We turned on Netflix to find something to watch and saw that Doctor Who was being recommended. Figuring what the hell, we started Season 1 of the reboot with Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor. We ended up binge watching the entire season and Season 2 [with David Tennant] in a weekend.

And so started my love affair for all things Doctor related. I started small: a lanyard here or a pin there, but it quickly progressed to phone cases and keychains and anything I could get my greedy hands on.

We flew to London to see David Tennant and Catherine Tate in Much Ado About Nothing and waited by the stage door to get my playbill signed. I met Matt Smith at 3am in the morning on accident and literally ran into Karen Gillan later that night. We've been to the Doctor Who Experience and spent a small fortune on toys. My license plate says TARRDUS [because my MINI is bigger on the inside], Hubs and I both have Doctor Who tattoos, and my collection of Doctor Who shirts from Tee Fury takes up at least half of my closet space.

I will admit to not knowing all of the things about all of the episodes. I can’t tell you what Captain Jack wore in a certain episode and I can’t remember the specific details of everyone’s timeline. I can tell you that I want to correct anyone who calls it Dr. Who. Or that I love when people recognize River Song on my arm. Or that even though Ten will always be my Doctor, Eleven was the first one that I went through a regeneration with and I wept like a little girl.

The Doctor Who community is a lot like the blogging community. Everyone is eager to hear how you got started, what your favorites episodes, companions and baddies are [for the record: The Girl in the Fireplace, Donna Noble, the Weeping Angels] and who your favorite Doctor is. And while I’m relatively new to this culture, I love seeing other fans out and about. When someone recognizes something trivial to the non-watcher’s eye, it’s like a secret club.

So, come on over to the dark side. We may not have cookies, but we do have a TARDIS and that’s better.

Anyone else crazy jealous that she MET MATT SMITH AND KAREN GILLAN? I mean, I am. And her tattoo is super awesome. Thank you, Stacee, for sharing what you fangirl over! And don't forget to enter the blogaversary giveaway and the Blind Date with a Book giveaways if you haven't already!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Birthday Blogaversary Bash} The One Who Loves Words

Hello, lovelies. Today, we have the lovely Jessica L. Brooks, author of Pity Isn't an Option and If I Speak True, here on the blog discussing what makes her part of the NerdHerd. So without further ado...

When Rachel called out for posts to celebrate her Blogaversary Bash and said the topic was “what makes me part of the Nerdherd”, I was flabbergasted, at first. Not because I don’t know what makes me feel included in that, necessarily, but because there are sooo many things, it was hard to put my finger on just a few. I ran through lots of reasons... books, fandom, writing... But no matter how hard I tried to put my finger on specifics, I kept coming back to… words.

Words are what ignite the NerdHerd. Adjectives. Adverbs. Nouns. Phrases. Descriptions. Feelings and emotions explained with letters that make up words that pull at our hearts and bring smiles to our faces and brighten our day and remind us of things out of the blue that only our fellow NerdHerd can understand. Words attach us to characters, to families, to experiences. Words paint pictures and create songs and tell stories long after we're no longer here.

We NerdHerds tweet and blog and rate and review and blather about books. Book-loving NerdHerds hoard book swag and drool over author news and wait patiently for book announcements and sympathize with characters and guess what will happen next (and even write fanfic). And what is required in order to share all of that information? Words.

Leaping hearts and falling stomachs and baited breath and trickling tears and all of those things we go through again and again and explain and write down and blog about and share… can only be possible with words.

So what makes me part of the NerdHerd? Five simple letters: W-O-R-D-S.

Happy Blogaversary, Rachel! <3

Thank you, Jessica, for that awesome post. What an interesting perspective, but so, so true. Jessica has also agreed to give one INT winner ebook copies of Pity Isn't an Option, If I Speak True, and the upcoming Flora novella, By Sun and Candlelight! Enter the blogaversary giveaway below, and the Blind Date with a Book giveaways if you haven't already!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Birthday Blogaversary Bash} The One Who Nerds Out About Candy

Hey guys! Today, I am excited to have Celeste(Jess) from Reading Nook Reviews here to share about something that I'm sure is going to have us all drooling...candy! 

I’ll be honest: I’m a pretty big believer in snacks while I’m reading. I feel like nothing sets the mood for a book more than the perfect snack.

And I won’t lie - more often than not, I like to eat sweets while reading. So today, I’m going to give you my top five favorite sweet snacking choices, and some of the books that I like to pair them with!

5) Chocolate caramel balls

These are milk chocolate on the outside, and have a coffee caramel center on the inside. Believe me when I saw, they are amazing.

I typically bring these out when I’m about to dive into a dystopian novel. Something about the combination of chocolate + pep of the coffee gets me in the perfect mood to run away from evil governments or run toward a fight with my Alt.

Eat these while reading: Dualed, Divergent, The Hunger Games and Legend.

4) White chocolate yogurt pretzels

There are a couple of different flavors of yogurt pretzels out there, but I’m pretty partial to white chocolate yogurt pretzels.

There’s just something about the light creaminess that gets me in the right mood of energetic and mellow while reading, especially when I’m reading books which are set during the summer.

Eat these while reading: The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, 17 First Kisses, and anything by Kasie West.

3) Caramels 

I’m a big fan of anything caramel, especially caramel candy. They’re creamy and chewy, and (weirdly) help me concentrate when I’m reading.

I love caramels especially when reading urban fantasy – it gets me in the right mood to believe that magical and fantastical things are happening all around me.

Eat these while reading:  The Rook, Neil Gaiman, and Maureen Johnson’s Shades of London series.

2) Fruit chews 

(Yeah, yeah – I had to have something relatively healthy on this list!)

Fruit chews work best for me when I’m reading non-fiction. It gets me in the right mindset to feel like I’m living life along the Mitford Sisters, living out a spy ring in Washington, or just reading about history.

Eat these while reading: GI Brides, The Mitford Sisters, The Irregulars.

1) Sour Candy 

If you follow me at all, you’ll know that I’m a HUGE fan of sour candy.

This is my go-to snack while reading just about anything. And seriously, if you've had sour skulls, you’ll know why.

Eat these while reading: ANYTHING! :)


In honor of Rachel and her blog, Tom and I are going to give away a gift box of candy from Andy’s Candy, with some of our favorite items!

The box will include:

1) A bag of sour skulls
2) A bag of chocolate caramel balls

And some other surprises!

(Of course, we can’t spoil everything for you, so we won’t tell you everything the winner is getting. But if you want a hint, check out Andy’s FB pictures at: https://www.facebook.com/AndysCandyStore/photos_stream)

Thank you, Celeste(Jess) for that awesome guest post and for that AMAZING prize. Seriously, go check out the pictures. Or don't, because you'll be insanely jealous. Enter the blogaversary giveaway below, if you haven't already, and the Blind Date with a Book giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway