Edward Cullen has NOTHING on that hairstyle. Oh lord, that jawline and those lips. SWOON.

JTT was the main reason I watched Home Improvement. Now I can look back and appreciate that show’s comedic value. At the time though, my priorities were a tad different. I merely tolerated the tool humor just to catch a glimpse of my favorite Taylor son.

A poster much like this one graced my wall:

He’s not quite as clean cut and baby-faced as he used to be, but I still think he’s more than acceptable these days.

Who were the objects of your teenage affection? Perhaps we should make a series of these…

And for a still shot:

So, I’ve been thinking and thinking and thinking about a name and I finally came up with one yesterday that I think is fun and most importantly, available:

Madame bookworm

What do you think? I’m just now working on the template, uploading book posts from here to there, etc. I hav the actual URL purchased, but for now if you want to go ahead and become a follower, the temporary URL is:

http://madamebookworm.blogspot.com/

Go follow and I’ll keep you updated on the progress. After I get this all set up, you won’t be seeing any book reviews here. This will be my personal blog of randomness (which you should still follow).

Anyway, what do you think of the name?

by Lisa McMann

My rating: A-

Goodreads synopsis:  The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on… until Kendall’s boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it’s crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear…and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating…and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico’s mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.

My thoughts: I am such a huge Lisa McMann fan and loved her Wake trilogy so much that I was really looking forward to this book. It was really fun and a nice, quick read, but it left me wanting more. I guess I didn’t feel connected enough to the characters and felt like I needed an extension with them. That said, the mystery aspect of the story was really fun. This didn’t live up to her previous novels, but it’s still worth your time.

by Ally Condie

My rating: A

Goodreads synopsis: Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander’s face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham’s face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it’s a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she’s destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can’t stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society’s infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

My thoughts: This is another one of those books that received so much hype that I didn’t want to read it right away. It sat on my shelf forever. I can’t believe I waited so long. I really loved the main character, Cassia. Condie did a great job of creating her own world that really made me think. I haven’t always been a dystopian fan, but this is another one I’ll have to put under my belt. Great read!

By the way, Ally Condie is SO nice!

The Romeo and Juliet Code

by Phoebe Stone

My rating: B+

Goodreads synopsis: 

Phoebe Stone, author of the sleeper hit DEEP DOWN POPULAR, is back with a middle-grade code-breaking mystery full of romance and excitement. Think CHASING VERMEER meets THE SECRET GARDEN!

Felicity’s glamorous parents have a secret. When they leave her with distant relatives in Maine, Felicity hopes they won’t leave her long. Her new Uncle Gideon hides things. Her Aunt Miami is star-crossed. And Derek, a kid her age, refuses to leave his room.

But Felicity needs Derek’s help. Gideon is getting coded letters from Felicity’s parents, and she’s sure they’re in trouble. Can Felicity crack the code, heal the family and save her parents, all while surviving her first crush? It’s a tall order, but – like THE SECRET GARDEN’S Mary Lennox before her – Felicity’s up for the challenge.

My thoughts: I haven’t read many middle grade novels lately, but I can definitely say that this was such a refreshing change from the ones I have read. I tend to stick with fantasy, so this awesome historical fiction novel was just what I needed. I love anything set in the WWII period and this was no exception. The author did a great job building up the characters and showcasing their interesting relationships along with the factual historical information. My favorite part of this book were the quirky characters and their fun interactions. This is a fun, easy read that will leave you with a smile.

A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future

by Daniel H. Pink

My rating: C

Goodreads synopsis: The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: artists, inventors, storytellers-creative and holistic “right-brain” thinkers whose abilities mark the fault line between who gets ahead and who doesn’t. Drawing on research from around the world, Pink outlines the six fundamentally human abilities that are absolute essentials for professional success and personal fulfillment-and reveals how to master them. A Whole New Mind takes readers to a daring new place, and a provocative and necessary new way of thinking about a future that’s already here.

My thoughts: I read this for a class this Spring. I really wasn’t terribly impressed by this book. There were several interesting studies quoted, but overall the author’s opinions were much different from my own. I felt like the entire book was just him restating the same thing in another mundane way. Skip this unless you are seriously interested in the artistic mind versus the left brain.

Dearest Nook,

I had an unhealthy need to have you. I whined. I pouted. I made a ridiculously obnoxious  savings jar to guilt my husband.

Then, a godsend came in the mail. A godsend in the form of a refund check from the college. I thought I owed them money but instead they sent me $1300. Off to Best Buy I went, $20 off coupon in hand.

I came home with you and it wasn’t quite love at first sight, but I had a sincere attachment nonetheless. I researched. I browsed. I was indecisive. I downloaded my first library book and began to read.

I was finally in love.

Let’s keep this love affair going, shall we?

                         -Me