Book Club Friday/Literary Junkies volume 6

Hey y'all,

So it has been a while since I wrote a Book Club Friday post and it is the sixth edition of Literary Junkies link-up so I thought I would just create a large post all about books. Up first a late Book Club Friday. I know it has been a while but I read this Young Adult series and had to share. The series is based on Biblical stories and are great uplifting teen novels for us Christian girls. These were really quick reads (I read one one Sunday afternoon/evening) and while they could all stand alone as novels the characters are all connected.

Up first:

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The last thing Addy Davidson wants is to be on a reality TV show where the prize is a prom date with the President's son.

She's focused on her schoolwork so she can get a scholarship to an Ivy League college, uncomfortable in the spotlight, never been on a date, and didn't even audition for it.

But she got selected anyway.

So she does her best to get eliminated on the very first show. Right before she realizes that the President's son is possibly the most attractive guy she has ever seen in person, surprisingly nice, and seemingly unimpressed by the 99 other girls who are throwing themselves at him.

Addy's totally out of her comfort zone but that may be right where God can show her all that she was meant to be.

Based on the story of Esther which is one of my favorite books of the Bible, this story really discusses the fact that God's plans are greater than our own and He might surprise you by placing you in a situation to do His work rather than what you expect to do.

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Kara McKormick is told she's auditioning to star in a new teen variety show. But it's what she isn't told that could change her life.

The feisty New Yorker moves to sunny Orlando to participate in a month-long audition, where she'll live with nine other contestants and an eccentric housemother. Kara knows that the show already has a big-time celebrity lined up for the co-host, but she doesn't know who it is.

Chad Beacon quickly rose to fame after winning America's Next Star, but he doesn't want his entire career to be about singing. There is so much more he wants to do-like act. The new variety show sounds like the perfect next step for him, but his parents want him to have a co-star who shares his faith since they'll be spending so much time together.

Acting is high on Kara's priority list. But a relationship with God? Not so much. In fact, she's tried to stay away from anything religious. But God is after Kara's heart and He's put people in her life who are showing her there's far more to Christianity than rules and judgment.

And just when it seems that Kara's going to have to give up her acting dream, God reveals that she may have a starring role after all-in a story so big only He could write it.

You meet Kara as Addy's roommate in First Date and this story is her journey to finding Christ which is very powerful. The book also focuses on Chad Beacon and the discussion of dating a Christian as a foundation of beliefs and the influence others have on you. I thought this was great considering my church is currently doing a series on relationships.

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How do you find your place in the world? 

Tired of watching her father flit from one wife to another and having formed a true bond with her most recent stepmother, Natalia decides to move with her from Spain to Florida when the divorce papers are finalized.

There are a couple things Natalia knows for sure: 1) She's being groomed to take over her father's international business. Success is expected. 2) There is no such thing as true love. Just look at her father. 3) Her stepmother's faith is real. And Natalia wants more of it.

Being in a new place, though, has a way of challenging one's preconceived notions. Natalia is still searching but before it's over, she hopes to discover right where she belongs.

The last book in the series has connections to the story of Ruth and knowing that God knows the plan for your life and to truly trust in Him as he shapes you bringing you to the perfect place to learn and grow and find out His plan for your life not the plan of others like your parents or societal expectations. 

If you know of any Christian teen girls that love to read I would highly recommend the series.

Now on to some literary junkies questions:

What are you currently reading? Tell us about it!

I am in a weird place where I am not really loving the books I grabbed from the library last so I am heading to the library this afternoon for hopefully some better luck at this library tonight. I am though reading not a fan. The book talks about not being a fan of Christ but rather a follower. It is described as a Define the Relationship talk to have you consider the demands and rewards of being a true disciple of Christ.

Now onto my reading habits:

Amazon or brick and mortar? Both. I tend to find books from browsing online places like Goodreads or Amazon but I tend to buy from a brick and mortar place or go to the library.

Locally owned bookshop or big name chain store?

This is hard I love to support the local stores but I haven't found one I really like so I tend to frequent the big name stores. I mainly though go to the library and the friends of the library discard sales. 

Bookmark or dog-ear?

BOOKMARK!!!! I was raised by a librarian and dog-eared pages to me think I am hurting the book. I also hate to make a crease on paper-backed books. I am all for the least damage to the physical pages.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?
hahaha, so I alphabetize my DVD collection but in no way is my book shelf alphabetized. Well, I take that back since my classics shelf is alphabetized by author since those are all books I gained while getting my B.A. in English but my personal shelf is organized by genre or type (paperback vs hardcover) and then by series in order, so completely random but I understand it.

Keep, throw away, or sell?
I only tend to buy books I know I will love or those that look interesting at discard sales. I never throw away a book unless it is damaged beyond repair the rest I tend to donate or sell.

Keep dust jacket or toss it?
Keep!

Read with dust jacket or remove it?
I tend to read with it unless it moves a lot and then it is removed until finished.

Short story or novel?
Novel. Who only wants 100 pages when you can have 300+

Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)?
Collection. If an author wants to enlighten you on a few minor charachter's stories I am all for it. I hate having to find multiple anthologies for the same series just for that one story in each.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
Chapter breaks usually.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?
Both.

Buy or borrow?
Borrow. I only buy books if they are from a series I am in love with.

New or used?
new. I have some used books but I mainly buy new.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?
All of the above. I tend to browse but I love to look out for recommendations and book reviews. I think that is one reason I love Goodreads.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
If it is the end of a series or a stand alone novel: tidy ending if not I am all for a cliffhanger, just don't make me wait two years for the next book.

Morning, afternoon or nighttime reading?
ALL! I seriously have a book or my nook in my purse at all times. I read during my lunch break, Saturdays as soon as I wake up and I could read for hours snuggled up in bed at night.

Single volume or series?
SERIES! I love a good series and I think that is why I love romance novels since they never really end. I have a few series I read that I am on the 20th book and more are in the works. I love it!

Favorite series?
This is really hard so I will just write one I adore:

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?

Anything by MaryJanice Davidson. I love her Undead series as well as all the others.

Link up here with Taylor and Lesley!

BlogLovin & Literary Junkies Link-Up

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Hey y'all,

Since the lovely Google Reader is disappearing, I thought I should join the world of Bloglovin. For those of you who don't use a blog reader, carry on with this post/link-up with the Literary Junkies!

1. What are you currently reading? Tell us about it.

I am currently reading a few books....

Cocktails for Three

Described by GoodReads:

Roxanne: glamorous, self-confident, with a secret lover -- a married man
Maggie: capable and high-achieving, until she finds the one thing she can't cope with -- motherhood
Candice: honest, decent, or so she believes -- until a ghost from her past turns up
At the first of every month, when the office has reached its pinnacle of hysteria, Maggie, Roxanne, and Candice meet at London's swankiest bar for an evening of cocktails and gossip. Here, they chat about what's new at The Londoner, the glossy fashion magazine where they all work, and everything else that's going on in their lives. Or almost everything. Beneath the girl talk and the laughter, each of the three has a secret. And when a chance encounter at the cocktail bar sets in motion an extraordinary chain of events, each one will find their biggest secret revealed.
In Cocktails for Three, Madeleine Wickham combines her trademark humor with remarkable insight to create an edgy, romantic tale of secrets, strangers, and a splash of scandal.

I am only about halfway through the book. It is interesting but not my favorite of Madeleine Wickham's. I will finish but I'm not sure if I would reccommend it.

The Fallen Star

GoodReads Description:

For eighteen year-old Gemma, life has never been normal. Up until recently, she has been incapable of feeling emotion. And when she's around Alex, the gorgeous new guy at school, she can feel electricity that makes her skin buzz. Not to mention the monsters that haunt her nightmares have crossed over into real-life. But with Alex seeming to hate her and secrets popping up everywhere, Gemma's life is turning into a chaotic mess. Things that shouldn't be real suddenly seem to exist. And as her world falls apart, figuring out the secrets of her past becomes a matter of life and death

I am currently at the beginning of this book. It is on my nook as my book to read when I go to the gym but this past week I have been doing a lot of exercises at home so I have yet to pick this one back up.

2. Recommend a book that has changed your perspective on life.

I read this book as part of a Bible Study and it will change your mind and your heart as you realize your perspective on the world and how it relates to your relationship with God. We all need some strategies against the Battlefield of the Mind.
3. What book do you recommend the most to people?
I read so much that it is always so hard to reccomend just one book. I tend to reccommend authors or series I enjoy and it really depends on the person I am reccommending to, but I tend to reccommend Jane Austen, MaryJanice Davidson's Undead series, ANYTHING by Sherrilyn Kenyon, as well as the Argenau series by Lynsay Sands & Imortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole.

4. What are the top 3 books on your "to-read" list?
I just went to the local library yesterday and picked up the following:
The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin
Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close
Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
A Rogue By Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean
First Date by Krista McGee
Right Where I Belong by Krista McGee
Jessica's Guide to Datine on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

5. What do you "do" while reading? (i.e. listen to music, eat) Any weird reading habits?
I tend to read while listening to music but I can really read everywhere.

Join on in with the link-up!

Literary Junkies LinkUp

Hey y'all,
Tonight I am linking up for a few questions about books from the Literary Junkies LinkUp. If you know me, you could of course label me as a Literary Junkie. Let's dive right in....

1. Which book could you read over and over again?
Hands down Ella Enchanted, Cinderella 2000 and Pride & Prejudice are my most re-read books. I don't tend to re-read books unless they are part of a series and it has been awhile since I last read part of the books and need a re-fresher. The last book I reread was on New Year's Day I reread Born of Ice since I was starting back with the two newest books.

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2.If you could be any character from any book you've read, who would you be?
Elizabeth Bennet would be nice, I mean who wouldn't want to end up with Mr. Darcy at the end of the story. Hello, Pemberly, amazingly sweet letters, hero, and who is saying no to Matthew MacFadyen or Collin Firth?

An Austenite's dream

Hello

3.Do you ever put a book down because you just can't get into it? Or do you stick it out to the bitter end? Any examples?
Yes, all the time. I have a rule that by page 75 if I am not captivated I can put it down. It happens a decent amount of time but after pg 75 I try to get to the bitter end. Also, if I went out and payed for it I am more likely to suffer through the book. I can't think of any examples off of the top of my head but there have been quiet a few books that find themselves back at the library after a few hours.

4. Show us your book shelves!Do you have one designated spot for your books in your house or do you scatter them around?
Mine are contained within my two bookshelves unless they are in my nightstand/purse. Other than that I have a pile on my endtable of books from the library but that is all.

 Classics/Books from my English Lit classes

Everything else.

Link up with Taylor and Lesley!

Peace and Blessings,

jDl