Exciting Book-Finding Weekend/Hurry up and READ!!! :)

   Hey everyone!
  
   I have to apologize for not making it on in the past week or so (lots on the go on the personal front!) I decided to check in, see how you are??? and to tell you my exciting book finding deals this weekend! *Yeah*

   First of all, remember my book shelf ramble?? Welllll .... the neighbours across the street had a big moving sale this weekend ;-)  They had a BEAUTIFUL wooden bookshelf with angled corners, over 6 foot tall ... super super nice :D So I watched it. And I watched it. LOL Today it was out on the lawn today again. I watched some more. hahaha (I am now a bookshelf stalker :P) So they started to pack everything up around 2pm and I went over to talk to them. I cut a deal and got the shelf! =) I had my brother and boyfriend carry it back to the apartment... only to find out it was TOO TALL for my room (or the apartment really, I had a feeling it may be too tall :( ) So its now on the living room floor LOL :) Thankfully, my brother is a carpenter and we are going to be able to do something this week to make it fit :D I will have to find a way to post my sad before and my wonderful after bookshelf pics ;-) 

   I was also able to find 6 books to add to my collection! (A few I had on my list of "books-to-find"!!!) 

• - Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
• - The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards 
• - The Color of Water by James McBride
• - The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kid 
• - The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
• - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini 

   As much as I would love to dive into these books, they have to wait, wait, wait as I have 2 books on the go as you know that are advance copies! I am waiting to truly "get into" the one book but I don't want to give it any negatives before benefit of the doubt ;) Some of the BEST books I was hemmmming and hawwwwing at the beginning and then crying or wanting to read it allll over again towards the end LOL Thus the phrase, "Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover". So True in so many ways :D

   Have also been doing a lot of personal writing these days! Hummmm have to work up the nerve to share - it maybe taken in a weird, strange way lol ;)

   So that's my news, Hoping to have a new review up in the next few days and heading off to my lounge chair to read, read, read =)

  Love, Hugs, and Book-Deals =)

- A <3

A very, VERY special delivery!

  
I just HAD to post about the package I recieved in the mail this week! It starts with an email ... a reply ... from one of my favourite, and most inspirational authors. She returned MY email!!!!!
O.M.G. =) And it just gets better from here .... ;)

   A few months ago, I decided to write to an author who was someone very, very inspirational to me, Marya Hornbacher. It took a lot of guts. I do suffer from a few forms of mental illness and Marya is an INCREDIBLE speaker on behalf of the silent. She has helped me in more ways then anyone can know, her books bring you inside the mind of the reader and actually help you to understand what is going on up there ;) Thank you Marya for doing what you do, and doing it SO damn well :) xo NOTHING and I mean nothing made sence until I read Madness. <3

   So as stated, I recieved a package. She had sent me out 3 of her books (the ones I didn't own) and 2 of them were SIGNED!!!!!!!! I was in shock and tears and can't thank her enough for such a kind gesture that made me smile more then I have in a long, long time <3  Here are the books she sent me:

Signed:

And her AMAZING fiction novel!!!!!

   Thank you again Marya for being SO very kind <3 I cant wait to dive into your books and only hope to be as half and good as a writer as you one day ;-) God bless, and stay happy and healthy <3

   Please take a minute to check out Marya Hornbacher and her work at:

http://www.maryahornbacher.com/home.html

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/26256.Marya_Hornbacher

A little bit about Marya's next book :) :) :)

http://www.maryahornbacher.com/waitingsummary.html

        Love you Marya - you are tough, you are strong, you are YOU and I thank you for that!!!! <3

   Loves! - Amanda <3 

Bookshelf Ramble =)

   I have been thinking for days now about how I hate having one tiny bookshelf (that really isn't meant to be a bookshelf lol) and I can never just SEE all of my books in my collection at once. This drives me NUTS! There are books in boxes, books in closets, books at my parents house even books in reusable bags behind doors?!?! Oh no. Time to get this collection controlled :) I am always on the look out for books. At garage sales, used item stores, used book stores, online classifieds... I am building an AMAZING collection - all to be hidden away.

   Ok so with the space given in my little appartment I do have to settle. Someday when I win the lotto I shall have something similar to these (humor me here! :D ) hahaha but honestly I just dream of this!

(Dog too!!! Not too sure about the colour co-ordination however?! lol)

(A ladder, Oh a Ladder .... Love this so much! Space, space, space!)

   But due to the settling factor *takes a pin and "pops" the fantasy library, space and organization dreams* I shall be settling for this beauty from Ikea (If all measurements work out):

Hummmm.... lol classy ;-) I am very excited though this is going to allow me to display SOOOO many more books! (And maybe, just maybe buy some more for the collection :D )

I'd love to see or hear from you what your dream/fantasy/library/book nook would look like :) 

   - Peace, love and bookshelves! Amanda





My upcoming advance copies and reviews!

 
 Ok I gotta boogie ;) lol I have 2 seperate advance copies to get to within the new few days as both will be released soon. They are both from goodreads.com! They are as follows:

The Thirteen ~ Susie Moloney (On Sale 06/07/2011)

&

Never Knowing ~ Chevy Stevens (On Sale July 2011)

   So that is what I will be up to reading in the next little while *although I am sneaking in Sing you Home ~ Jodi Picoult on the side hehe* I really, REALLY want to get to Water for Elephants too ... soon.
Too many books, not enough time! So lots of reviews to come! =)

   Hope you are all well and loving the book(s) you are into right now <3 Oh! And FINALLY enjoying some warmer weather :) :) :)

- Talk soon! Amanda <3

REVIEW: The Girl's Guide to Homelessness by Brianna Karp

Hey all :) I would like to make my first review of "The Girl's Guide to Homelessness" by Brianna Karp!

This was a WONDERFUL goodreads.com win that I possibly wouldn't have spotted otherwise! I am so thankful it was "sent" to me ;-) I simply couldnt put the book down! Well Done Brianna!! <3

This book is available for purchase already (Not an advanced copy to me)

Published April 26th 2011 by Harlequin        ISBN 0373892357 (ISBN13: 9780373892358)

 I would like to rate this book 4.8 out of 5 :)

It all started with a blog ...

   Brianna, like others has had to deal with a lot of abuse, heartbreak, struggles and pain - to me, its how she goes about telling her story that pulls readers in as if they were living the story itself. Her inner strength and determination in each situation faced cause her to be in charge of her life - dispite its situation!

   With a strong Jehovah's Witness upbringing, the beginning of the book explains much of the religion. I found this very interesting. Brianna was different and didnt want to live life following the "rules" of the faith and so with little hesitation, she was disregarded by the Johovah's Witness religion completly.

   When Brianna's estranged father passes away, she inherits an old trailer - however not known at the time this trailer turns out to be something a lot more to Brianna later down the road. When things become so abusive at home, she takes the leap to move the trailer to a Wal Mart, becoming homeless. Not running water, no electricity, no bathroom. So many things we take for granted everyday, gone in a heartbeat. Just her and dog... but she was free, she had escaped the abuse. Although, now had to learn life in a different way; she does some amazing things to do so in cutting costs, finding resources,  learning trust, and life outside the JW religion!

   The story has many twists and turns as Brianna's life continues on, new jobs and losses, love and heartbreak, doors opening and doors closing. I dont want to say much more because I want YOU to read the book ;) hehehe

   I think this is only the beginning of  Brianna Karp, I cant wait to see what she does next!

You Go Girl! =)

- Until next time :) Amanda

To reach Brianna or for more information please visit:

http://girlsguidetohomelessness.com/

http://girlsguidetohomelessness.com/friend-me/ 

I saw it in the store today too (Yeah Bri!!!!)

http://www.amazon.com/Girls-Guide-Homelessness-Memoir/dp/0373892357

A 'lil about me & why I call myself the advanced copy queen ;-)

                                                          


   My name is Amanda! I am 29 (Now 31) years old, out of Canada eh?!? This is my very first blog (lol so bare with me!) I have been off work for some time now due to medical reasons and surgery & I am going CrAzY with boredom :P

    I take sanctuary in my books and my writing <3 Since I have been off, as I am on a limited income, I have been entering any and all book contests I possibly can! I have been on a roll so far with an AMAZING site called goodreads.com and have won 3 books so far! :D One of which has been released, however the other 2 are advanced copies! All of which to read and write a review... ahhhh heaven! Both my passions rolled into one ;-) *DING* Then the light bulb went off. I want to do this a lot.. and I mean A LOT more ;) As an inspiring writer, all I could do is learn and for the writer - who's beautiful work of art has just come to light, what an incredible process to share! I became an incredibly fast and bright reader at a VERY early age - even in kindergarten I would read stories to the other children! It is said we all have our talents ... maybe its time for mine to kick in ;-) (Ok ok call me crazy now :P)

   Anyways, this blog will mostly be my book reviews. reviews of books that I SIMPLY MUST read *hehehe* and maybe, just maybe a sample or two of my own personal writing :D 

   If you are an author and would like me to do an advance copy review of your book, please don't hesitate to ask! I am open to most genres, will be honest and open, and promote, promote, promote (trust me .. when I am in love with something you never ever hear the end of it LOL) 

   Thank you all for reading and I am looking forward to my first blogging experience :D 
                                       (I promise to keep up! lol) 

         Loves! - Amanda <3