Book Haul

Books in the mail, books in the store, books from the most beautiful place in the world (library), just books. Oh also: These are from the last few weeks not just this past week. 

Bought: aka I discover the joy of amazon and the used book

• The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan (just finishing up my collection)
• Past Perfect by Leila Sales
• Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales

Review:

• Fox Forever by Mary E. Pearson
• A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty (Starting this one and already laughing, not even on the first page!)
• Trinkets by Kirsten Smith (kleptos unite. Already read this one, such a good book! Look for my review on March 12th)
• Game by Barry Lyga 
• The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett
• Fuse by Julianna Baggott

Library:

• Carrie Pilby  by Caren Lissner
• Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers
• Speechless by Hannah Harrington
• Hysteria by Megan Miranda 

What did you get in the mail?

-Kare Out-

I'm Getting a Hair Cut!

Seriously, whatever. 

This is monumental. I haven't gotten a hair cut since April of last year. The lady who does my hair lives here in Ga so when I'm in Idaho I just have to wait it out. I was going to get it cut in the summer when I was off but she was way booked up so it didn't happen. I am so freaking excited!! I'm not sure when but I've already been scouring for pictures. I wanted to show you them. 

So I am in love with these bangs!!

And I like all of her many layers here and where they begin. 

I kind of already know what I want and these pictures are just solid visuals of what it is I want. You have no idea how excited I am. :D Are you weird like me and have to have pictures to illustrate what you want? Do you get excited to get a hair cut? Do you prefer long hair, medium hair, or short hair?

-Kare Out- 

Flash Reviews

Bits about books I've read.

The Morgan Rawlison Series by Maryrose Wood

So some background is needed here. I read this series like two years ago so I'm all fuzzy on the details otherwise I would do full reviews for all of them, that's how much I loved this series! However I don't have time to re-read them so I'm flashing them. Just know that this series is awesome and I-the girl with series commitment issues-managed to read them all in a row without missing a beat. I highly encourage you to read these, they are so good!

Why I let my Hair Grow Out 
Goodreads
Flash: Take one part Paranormalcy add one part Iron Fey and mix well, put it all behind an Ireland backdrop and you have Why I Let My Hair Grow Out. Morgan is one of the more snarky characters I've read and I just wish there were more like her. She changes pretty drastically in the mix, the whole finding self thing. Some how a bike ride through Ireland and a magical adventure can set you up right in the world. Oh, and did I mention, there is a cute and funny Irish boy, complete with accent? Well there is and his name Colin. A great story that balances reality, fairy(and faery) tales, love, and laughter.

How I Found the Perfect Dress
Goodreads
Flash: Some of the big points in my original review were learning about leprechauns and gnomes, seeing more of Morgan's home life like friends and family (particularly her sister Tammy who is a huge fan of Disney), and of course more Colin except this time he is on her side of the ocean. You see Phinnbar, the trickster of the series, is back and tricky as ever. More snark + new spin on mythological creatures + a boy with an accent = you really can't go wrong reading this series.

What I Wore to Save the World

Goodreads
Flash: Unicorns are a huge part of this book. Just thought I'd put that out there first. Seriously though they are pretty epic, there horns have magical properties like the glow stick setting. Yes, they are that cool. Back to Colin's side of the ocean this time but set in my favorite place which I have never actually seen, aside from Narnia, England!! Tammy's snark is improving and she is as cute as ever. We also meet Grandpop-Colin's Grandpa-who is the cute old grandpa of the story. More magic and deep self discovery and the almighty love. The fact that this series ended in a way that it can't ever come back makes me miserably sad. Although it was a brilliant end to the series.

-Kare Out-

Sea of Love by Jamie Ponti [Happy Valentine's day]

Description: As if it's not bad enough that Darby had to leave NYC and her BF to move to Florida, where her family's started running a hotel, now she has to help with the hotel's annual Valentine's Day Cupid's Ball. Things start looking up when local beach hottie Zach takes Darby surfing and shows her around. Beach life actually starts to grow on this fish out of water. This Valentine's Day, is Darby ready to dive into a new relationship with the guy who's captured her heart

Wins:

• This book is super short. All of these Simon Pulse RomComs seem to fly by. It was just the sort of jump start I needed for the year. 
• A story about Valentine's day near February? I totally didn't do this on purpose either. I just saw it at the library and decided to read it. Yay for happy coincidences!!
• Sea of Love was cute and fluffy and sometimes that is exactly what you need. I'd been in a reading funk and from past experience I knew these types of books were quick and cute, perfect for lifting me out of that rut. 
• Darby- a) She get props for an awesome name. b) She had this whole I-don't-want-to-be-in-this-town whinny attitude in the beginning that was slightly annoying but eventually I warmed up to her. 
• Zack- I never really got a picture of him down in my head but I know the cover doesn't do him justice. I love how he showed Darby the good in her new town. He really opened her eyes. 
• I loved how the book was about Darby accepting the new town that she was in, opening her eyes to the lay of the land. 
• Kate- She was a hoot! I wished you knew more about her because she's one of those characters who you can't get enough of. 

Overall: Quick and cute stamp of approval. Such a sweet tale about new places and finding love. 

Happy Valentines day (or single awareness day)!!

Figured this post could only be improved by homemade VALENTINES and COOKIES :D

YOU'RE NOT just MY FRIEND you're my best friend/I HATE when YOU are so far away

without LOVE life STINKS/I'D KILL to get a hug from YOU

Sugar cookies frosted with raspberry jello flavored frosting. Yum!!

-Kare Out-

Operation Valentine's Day

I'm not a huge fan of Valentines day. I think it is kind of cheesy. HOWEVER, I like to take the time to tell my family that I love them and show them some sort of appreciation on Valentine's day. Last year I made them all these really cute valentines. I drew the animals myself and everything. They were adorable. I kind of wanted to keep them all, that's how amazing they were. I have a few ideas brewing for this year and since it's right around the corner I figured I'd give you a visual representation of my ideas.

Lovely valentines (read the small print) (Etsy)

And of course Whotines for Dallin (Etsy)

Sugar Cookies (Make Bake Celebrate)

Frosted with yummy jello flavored frosting!! (How Do It)

When my creations are finished I'll put pictures up. Till then: How do you celebrate Valentine's day? Are you a fan of it or not? Please expound. Do you have a significant other to celebrate with or are you floating solo this year? (I would be in the second category sadly.)  

Reading Report:
Currently Reading: The Cavendish Home for Girls and Boys by Claire Legrand: This book is creepy in the best way! I'm not very far into it but what I've read I love!!
Recently Finished: Sea of Love by Jamie Ponti, Crank by Ellen Hopkins, and Getting Over Garret Delaney.
On Deck: Fuse by Julianna Baggot and a slew of library books.

-Kare Out- 

An Old Post

Weekly Whatever is a new thing I'm going to try. Basically I post about something going on in my life or bookish things that I love or even about the way Doctor Who rocks my socks. It can be bookish or it can be a rant about the way people chew their food. Anything is game. It's just random collection of whatever. Hence the name. 

This week I'm taking a step down memory lane. I was looking through Katie's blog (Call Me Crazy Ya Reviews) and I noticed a guest post I had written up for her. It was on why I loved books, and what they are to me. I vaguely remember writing it but even as I read it, the one who wrote it, it reminded me why I love books and sometimes you just need that reminder. I thought I'd post it on my blog. Enjoy! 

To me books are:

A time machine

(The Book Thief, To Kill a Mocking Bird, and Night)

A magic show

(Harry Potter, My Fair Godmother , and City of Bones)

A portal to another world

(The Chronicles of Narnia, The Iron King, and Now You See it)

A key to the past

(Revolution, Nobody’s Princess, and A Great and Terrible Beauty)

A window to the soul

(The Mocking Birds, I am the Messenger , and By the time you read this I’ll be Dead )

A vision of what could be

(The Hunger Games, Inside Out, and The Forest of Hands and Teeth)

A non-stop Laugh

(Hex Hall, Demonglass, and Just one Wish,)

A story between a boy and a girl

(The Oracle of Dating, Love Undercover, and At first Sight)

A view through a boy’s eyes

(Infinity, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and The Giver)

What are books to you? What do books give you? Which is your favorite category? Any suggestions to add?

-Kare Out-