Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

Franny Banks is an actress living in New York City but she has a deadline. If she doesn't get a good acting job by the time her self-set three-year deadline then she has to go back home. It's getting really close and she's starting to get nervous. She lives with her best friend from college, Jane, and a sci-fi writer, Dan. Dan has feelings for Franny but she has no idea. Her agent isn't return her calls, her dad wants her to come home, and her new friend Penelope turns out to be her competition. 

This book was written very well. Lauren Graham includes pages of weekly schedules and it is filled with her witty charm. It wasn't a love story, it wasn't too exciting but it was still overall enjoyable. I feel like it's really delved into what the acting world can be like. The people that didn't like the book are people who don't really like Lauren Grahm. They couldn't get into the book because her voice bugged them. I totally can see that. This book definitely appealed to me more because of her. I love her and have always looked up to her.

So, I recommend this book to fans of Lauren Grahm and people that like books about the acting world (fiction style of course). Someday, Someday, Maybe really touches on that lifestyle, and it's coming from a true actress who probably has some true experience. If you like Lauren Graham I can almost guarantee that you'll like this book.

Other books like this:
Brooklyn Girls by Gemma Burgess
My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi

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The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger

The Perfect Storm is a book written with stories, dialogue from interviews and memories, plus lots of research. This book not only tells the story of the storm that took down the Andrea Gail of the coast of Nova Scotia but it also shows what the life of a fisherman typically is like. Sebastian Junger starts on shore, explaining everything the crew did, what they each were like, how they all felt and what they had to come back to. He also talks about swordfishing in general, and different facts about the ship; all sorts of technical stuff. You'll then move on to the perfect storm, the one that joined together and struck all at the 'perfect' time.

This book was wonderful but also a little heartbreaking. No one truly knows what happened on the Andrea Gail, neither it nor the crew were ever found. All this book can do is tell you what might have happened. What I liked most about this book was that it did have a lot of information about the storm itself as well as other storms throughout history that are like it. The reviews on this book are almost all praising. It's just all around a good book.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories of the sea or is curious about what it can be like. The ocean is a marvelous and mysterious thing, and this book truly shows that. 

I have never read another book like this but my pal Goodreads recommends:
The Hungry Ocean by Linda Greenlaw
Ten Hours Until Dawn by Michael Tougias
South by Ernest Shackelton

Check it out!

Short Story Saturday!- Little One

Right now you radiate sunshine, brighten everyone’s day. You’re innocent, and still dance around the living room in your footie pjs to the music in your head. Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny are all real. Eyelash wishes come true, dream catcher work, and everyone gets a happy ending. Daddy loves Mommy, Mommy loves Daddy, a big happy family. You live in a big house with a trampoline in the back yard. You’re surrounded by a horde of cats that let you dress them up and pull them everywhere you want. The world is perfect and at peace. There is no war. What even is politics? Your dreams soar at great heights. You want to be a farmer and cook for people with ingredients from your farm. You live off of late nights and Cocoa Puffs. Second graders can be mean, school is early, and sometimes hard. You’re past 2+2 and your reading level is higher than the rest. Chapter books are more fun than the books you have to read. Baby sitters are over rated. Why do vegetables even exist? Asleep before 9? Please. You’re 7 now that obviously means you need to stay up an extra hour or maybe two. You’re growing up but at least boys are still gross and pull your hair. Barbies are still your favorite toys. It’s still fun to color pictures of imaginary beings and put them on the fridge. Your height is documented on the doorway, and you ask to check if you’re taller everyday even if you haven’t grown. You will not say goodbye to your invisible friends for a little while longer. We all have a little longer where you still stand on our toes and have us dance around. I never want you to stop being little, no one ever does but someday you’re going to drive yourself to the movies, read bigger books, and live on your own. Someday the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus will be strangers. You’ll learn about war and the lack of peace we have. Footie Pjs won’t be your go to dance outfit and your pictures won’t decorate the fridge. It happens to everyone, and it will happen to you. Just don’t let it happen too fast, give us time to breathe.

Passion by Lauren Kate

Luce stepped into an announcer, sending her through her past. No one would tell her about her life, out of fear or whatever it might be, she didn't care anymore she was going to find out for herself. Luce travels from life time to life time, going back as far as she can, learning as much as she can. Daniel and the others are chasing after her, trying to stop her from messing with the past. 

I have to say this was by far my favorite book in the series. I guess it comes down to me being Luce's number one fan. I love her, and this book makes me love her even more. In this book you get to see not only what she's like in other lives as she goes further and further into the past you also get to see how she learns from each lifetime. Many people found the time traveling confusing, and it is at first. You definitely need to pay close attention when reading it but I certainly didn't think it wrecked the book. I personally think that it must have been a hard thing to write. She goes further back then any of us could have lived through. It must have taken a lot of research and for that I commend Lauren Kate for. I couldn't imagine putting that much work into a book. 

I recommend this book to people who have loved the series so far. I always find it hard to recommend books that are in the middle of a series because really you should never start from the middle. If you're interested in this series book one is Fallen I have already written about it so you can find it under the Lauren Kate label. It's truly a great series and I recommend it to fantasy lovers.

Series like this:

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

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Revelations by Sophia Sharp

Nora is now a vampire and although she's escaped the people hunting her for awhile she still has many more things to do. She's on the run and headed to find a magical cave with answers. Hunter and her meet some other vampires on their way to the same cave. A fight breaks out, Hunter says some mean things, and he leaves with one of the travelers they met up with. Now Nora is alone, with a stranger, Alexander, who has promised to stay with her.

I'll admit, this series still hasn't been the best I've ever read but I am one who can't help trying to figure out how a story ends. This book was better than the first one in my opinion. It was less a copy of Twilight and branched more to it's own story. It is still very similar to Twilight. For example, in New Moon Edward leaves Bella and she is left with Jacob. In this book, Hunter leaves Nora and all she has is Alexander. Many reviewers agree that this book was better than the first. I haven't decided if I want to hope it only gets better or just give up. I am curious about how it all ends and if it continues to resemble Twilight. 

I recommend this book to someone who loved Twilight and wants another story similar to it. It's also a quick short read but still interesting. If you didn't like Twilight and/or didn't like the first book in this series then don't read this book.

Books like this:
New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
Enchant Me by Anne Violet

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Spindle by Shannon Slayton

Briar Rose's life is far from a fantasy. She's raising her siblings by herself, she makes very little at the spinning mill and her wages keep getting cut. Her best friend, Henry Prince, has decided to go off on an adventure, leaving her by herself. While he's gone a mysterious peddler comes into town and sells her a new spindle, saying it has magical powers. Little does she know this spindle will bring her danger and possibly death.

I went into this book thinking it was a spin-off of Sleeping Beauty, without giving anything away from the book I can say that it's not. I'm not saying that that means I didn't like the book but it's not Sleeping Beauty. People had similar opinions about this, they expected Sleeping Beauty but that's not what they got. Other than that many people liked the book. I guess I finally read a book that other people liked just as much as me! :) 

I recommend this book to anyone who likes fairytales but also I need to warn you that this isn't your classic fairytale so don't get surprised when you start reading it. I think that you'll especially like this book if you like Sleeping Beauty. Although this is not another Sleeping Beauty story it does have aspects of it in it. 

Books like this!( with some help from our pal Goodreads)
Spinning Thorns by Anna Sheehan
Becoming Beauty by Sarah E. Boucher

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Short Story Saturday!- Dear Reader

Dear Reader,

I’ve stood pretty still for most of my life. I like my home, and maybe that’s why I’m here for so long, although I don’t really know. Most of my days are spent in the same spot except the occasional, often exhilarating moment where I get to leave this spot and am fed the attention I constantly crave, the attention I need to survive. We all need it, all of us in this place but some more than others. Newbies get more of it, and feel it’s because they need it more than others. Oldies, like me, don’t get it much, we’re not new and shiny anymore. Kids don’t run to us with grubby hands eager to hear what we have to say. Even adults forget about us from time to time. It takes someone some time, and digging and even then they might look but decide on another. It’s rather suspenseful, and exciting but it often gets followed by disappointment.

During my younger days, I wished to spend more time in my home, I felt that I never got a break, no chance to breathe, but these days I long to be taken away. I want to feel my insides move! I dream about stretching out, bending my spine, feeling that sigh of relief after a good stretch. I need to ruffle out everything that’s gotten stale from sitting so long. Breathe in the fresh air, even if it’s not fresh! I don’t even care anymore, it’s different and that’s all I want. Different air.

It’s hard sometimes as the years go on. Getting fed less and less. I crave to be picked up, to have someone’s hands on me! I try my best to call out to any passerby but I’ve lost that voice I had long ago. It’s been so long since I’ve been held that I don’t think I remember what it’s like. Sadness hits me to think of it that way but it’s the truth. That feeling is lost, taken away by mountains of time. Time is hard to track from where I am but I’m sure it’s been awhile since I first got here.

I’ll admit, it gets rather lonely here on my perch. None of us can talk or move without the help of someone else. Our keeper occasionally moves us around, but all it does is change our view of the room but that’s not really what we desire. I have a great story to tell! I promise! iI just need people who are ready to hear it. I’m running out of options and I know what they do to things like us when we get old. I’ve seen it many times but I never thought it’d get to my turn. I know that we all have to go sometime, I’m just afraid that my story will get lost in the ocean waves of others.

I believe in my heart that other’s stories are equally important but mine is too! So, I’m begging you. Please don’t forget who I am. Don’t forget my story, it truly is a good one. If you remember then I know that there will always be hope. All it takes is one person to spread my tale like wildfire, and that’s all I am asking you to do! I believe in you!

Sincerely,

Just another book on a shelf waiting to be read.