Category: Uncategorized

January Book Events!

Leave a comment

I am SO sorry this is so late. I’m usually so much more on top of this but December was an incredibly busy month and I’m working two jobs and reading and writing…that’s no excuse. I apologize for the delay and I hope it does not happen again!

Here are the events for the month!

Please remember (as always) that this  list is not 100% accurate. Please check with the bookstores to keep updated with the event. Events can be canceled, patient arranged for different days, dosage etc. This is ROUGH, stomach and not updated through the month.

January 12th: 

Houston, TX: R.J. Palacio at Blue Willow Bookshop at 3 pm

Santa Monica, CA: Ann Stampler at Diesel at 3 pm

January 13th: 

Austin, TX: Joelle Charbonneau at Barnes and Noble at 6 pm

January 14th: 

Los Angeles, CA: Ransom Riggs at Barnes and Noble: The Grove at 7 pm

January 15th: 

Albuquerque, NM: Joelle Charbonneau at Alamosa Books at 7 pm

Salt Lake City, UT: Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando at King’s English Bookshop at 7 pm

January 16th:

Petaluma, CA: Joelle Charbonneau at Copperfields at 4 pm

January 17th:

Las Vegas, NV: Lissa Price at Barnes and Noble (Rainbow Promenade) at 7 pm

January 18th:

New York City, NY: Cornelia Funke and Susan Cooper at Books of Wonder at 1 pm

January 19th: 

Naperville, IL: Ransom Riggs at Anderson’s Bookshop at 2 pm

Redondo Beach, CA: Robin Benway at Mysterious Galaxy at 2:30 pm

January 20th:

 

January 21st:

 

January 22nd: 

Frisco, TX: Ransom Riggs at Barnes and Noble at 7 pm

January 23rd: 

Fairway, KS: Ransom Riggs at Rainy Day Bookstore at 7 pm

Oceanside, CA: Kiersten White and Shannon Messenger at Barnes and Noble at 6 pm

January 24th:

 

January 25th: 

Carle Place, NY: Ransom Riggs at Barnes and Noble at 2 pm

Keller, TX: YAK Fest (Young Adult Keller Book Fest) at Central High School

January 26th: 

Baton Rouge, LA: Neal Shusterman at Barnes and Noble at 2 pm

January 27th:

 

January 28th:

 

January 29th: 

McClean, VA: Ransom Riggs at Barnes and Noble at 6 pm

Milwaukee, WI: Patrick Ness at Boswell Book Company at 7 pm

January 30th:

 

January 31st:

Tuesday Top Ten-Favorite Bands/Musical Inspirations

2 Comments

Music is an important aspect of my life. Not as much as my boyfriend, remedy who has an obsession, bordering on addiction to music, but it is still important to me. It is important in the bands that I love and in that it is very inspiring and helpful while I’m writing my novel and my blog post.

I wanted to share my favorite ten bands because of the inspiration they provide for me, and the way they can all make a bad day feel like a good one again.

I didn’t write  much for each one. I wanted the music to speak for itself.

Click on song titles to listen to them on YouTube!

10. The Beatles

beatles_the

This is all my boyfriend’s doing. When we first started dating, this is all he was listening to and I quickly became so attached to them. I quickly learned all their songs, watched their movies, and learned alllll about them. The Beatles can always make life feel that much better.

Favorite Songs: 

I Will

Oh Darling

9. Wicked Soundtrack

tumblr_m7jxsfXtmD1qzwk3bo1_500

I’ve seen Wicked so many times that I can’t remember exactly how many times I’ve seen it. Its an amazing musical, a bizarre but fantastic book and the best Elphie and Galinda pairing is Eden Espinosa and Megan Hilty (pictured above). I named my little green car Elphie. It all makes sense. But I love listening to this soundtrack.

Favorite Songs:

Dancing Through Life

For Good

8. Set It Off

Set-It-Off-4-Profile

I know this sounds silly because I just discovered this band in October but they quickly quickly quickly became a favorite. I have had their album, Cinematics, on repeat since then and I credit them in part for what is done on The Reawakened because their album is so perfect for writing a zombie YA novel. I can’t wait to see them again in March.

Favorite Songs: 

Nightmare

Dream Catcher

7. Jack’s Mannequin

url

The band that came after the best band ever…Jack’s Mannequin came onto my radar and into my musical heart because of the incredibly talented Andrew McMahon. He changed my life in the band Something Corporate (see later), and I knew when he made the move to start this new band that I would love it as well. He took the piano skills we grew to know in SoCo and turned into a heavy pop rock mess. In a good way of course.

Favorite Songs: 

Into the Airwaves

Kill the Messenger

6. The Cab

The-Cab-the-cab-1987716-1024-640

The Cab is my go-to when I need to be cheered up, and when I want to dance. This band makes me want to dance more than any other band. Its also my go-to music when I’m doing long drives and I need to stay awake. They’re so fun, and the main singer’s voice is like sex. Is that inappropriate? Maybe…I’m not sure. But it is totally the truth.

Favorite Songs: 

Take My Hand

Can You Keep a Secret?

5. NSYNC

NSync-reunion-MTV-VMA-2013

Laugh at me all you want,  but I know that some of you like One Direction (ugh not for me) or The Wanted (Love!) or still clutch your Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block CDs with happiness. For me, I will always remain an NSYNC fan. I have listened to them pretty faithfully since I was 10 years old, and if there is ever a reunion tour, I am so there. I will drop hundreds to be up on that barricade, I’m not kidding. I even teared up a bit at their reunion at the VMAs. I love this band.

Favorite Songs: 

I Want You Back

Just Don’t Tell Me That

No Strings Attached

4. Story of the Year

Story+of+the+Year+2013

I started listening to Story of the Year because I was obsessed with my high school’s baseball team (one, it was baseball, two, they were AWESOME, and three, they were hot…) and they played SOTY allll the time during practices and games. The rest is history. I saw them at Warped Tour and a ton of other shows, and then didn’t see them again until this past October when they did a ten year anniversary show. And guess what? I still can’t get enough of them.

Favorite Songs: 

Sidewalks

Dive Right In

3. Panic! at the Disco

panicnew2013_600

I swear, the reason Panic! at the Disco is one of my favorite bands has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Brendan Urie is one of the most beautiful human beings on the planet. I swear, nothing to do with it. I mean, maybe his sexy voice …Yeah, it probably is hugely to do with Brendan Urie. Their music makes me feel good, it makes me want to dance, his voice is incredible and they have the only Sara(h) song that I’ve ever actually liked.

Favorite Songs: 

Camisado

Sarah Smiles

This is Gospel

2. Fall Out Boy

falloutboyMIKEMASSARO970600

What would I do without this band in my life? Seriously. I’m going to get a little misty for a second. I started listening to them when I was 15 years, when I first picked up “Take This To Your Grave”. I was emo, incredibly dramatic and I felt like I was the only person in the universe sometimes. I heard that album and it was the best album ever. I literally couldn’t handle out much I loved it. Now that I’ve gotten over (most of) my dramatics, I still love that album with so much passion. Each album they’ve put out has made me feel incredible, and I just love them. And their album, Folie a Duex got me through one of the roughest times in my life. Without Fall Out Boy in my life…I’d be a less happy person.

Favorite Songs: 

Homesick at Space Camp

Just One Yesterday

7 Minutes in Heaven

1. Something Corporate

AP266-SOMETHINGCORPORATE

Talk about a band that has a huge impact on my life. I started listening to this band when I was 14 because the boy I had a massive crush on in high school loved them too. Its insane how they became my absolute favorite band. I have seen them so many times, I have met Andrew McMahon a hundred times. I have a Something Corporate tattoo. No other song has ever made me feel so much like “Konstantine” has.

Favorite Songs: (this one was hard…)

Fall

Konstantine

Miss America

*      *      *      *       *

I hope that you enjoyed this week’s Book of the Week!

I also hope you can check some of these bands out. You won’t regret it at all!

Ask the Passengers Book Review

Leave a comment

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King    

13069935

 

 

 

 

You Can Find the Books At:

GoodReads

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Book Depository

Author Website

GoodReads Summary:

Astrid Jones desperately wants to confide in someone, approved but her mother’s pushiness and her father’s lack of interest tell her they’re the last people she can trust. Instead, viagra order Astrid spends hours lying on the backyard picnic table watching airplanes fly overhead. She doesn’t know the passengers inside, but they’re the only people who won’t judge her when she asks them her most personal questions . . . like what it means that she’s falling in love with a girl.

As her secret relationship becomes more intense and her friends demand answers, Astrid has nowhere left to turn. She can’t share the truth with anyone except the people at thirty thousand feet, and they don’t even know she’s there. But little does Astrid know just how much even the tiniest connection will affect these strangers’ lives–and her own–for the better.

In this truly original portrayal of a girl struggling to break free of society’s definitions, Printz Honor author A.S. King asks readers to question everything–and offers hope to those who will never stop seeking real love.

My Review:

In 2013, at the recommendation of Andrew Smith, I read A.S. King’s new release, Reality Boy, and was absolutely blown away  by it. When I received a ton of Barnes and Noble gift cards for Christmas like I always do, I was wondering the book store and saw this book. I knew that this book was going to be a good one, based on the amazingness that was Reality Boy.

What I really loved the most about the story is that while it follows the typical path of a coming-of-age story, especially that of someone struggling with their sexual identity, its also unique too. Astrid is really confused, in that she doesn’t really know if she’s gay. She knows she likes girls, one in particular. In fact, she’s in love with that girl. But she doesn’t know if that defines her as gay. Her reluctance to label herself is fantastic. She doesn’t want to feel constricted by labels, or by the idea that she has to choose a gender. This felt so incredibly close to my heart. The idea is that she’s in love with a girl, she finds other girls attractive but she can’t rule out that she wouldn’t fall in love with a boy. I think that’s a beautiful thing. I’m madly in love with my boyfriend who is, obviously, a boy but I could never rule out a girl. Its not about gender, its about people. I think AS King really tackles that in this novel.

I also like the relationships between child and parent that she writes about in her novels. The one in Reality Boy made me feel sick to my stomach, and the relationship between America and her mother was so visceral and so real and so heartbreaking to me. It wasn’t abusive, like the relationship between Gerald and his mother in Reality Boy, but its neglecting and its hard for me to deal with. That’s how well that she writes these kind of relationships. They feel SO incredibly real. Everything she writes is written with such honesty and realism and its the kind of writing that makes the story stick with her.

The thing that really gets me about this story is that you could write it off as just another  “gay story”, or whatever, but its not like that. Its so very real, and I think a lot of kids and teenagers and hell, even some adults go through this kind of confusion. The fact that Astrid doesn’t feel the need to define herself, and that she’s going to love who she loves, labels or not, is beautiful and its a truly wonderful story. I think so many people could relate to Astrid, not just because of her struggle with her sexual identity but her struggle just to figure herself and feel important in her own home.

This story is addicting and compelling and deserving of every accolade bestowed upon it. A.S. King is two for two for me, and I am truly impressed with her novels. She is an incredible writer and a great storyteller. She really gets contemporary young adult literature, and I think even adults that are wary of YA would love her novels. She writes SO well. Ask the Passengers is on its way of being one of my favorites that I’ve read this year…and its only the fourth day of the year. Keep that in mind :)

Happy Reading.

My Rating:

5 out of 5 stars

*       *       *       *       *

The Grownup Fangirl Book Memories Challenge!

Leave a comment

Screen Shot 2014-01-04 at 5.08.38 PM

My dear friend, rx Amber, salve over at Grownup Fangirl and the brains behind Oh the Book Feels are doing a fun challenge for the year 2014.

Get yourself a pretty jar, or a box, or something, and every time you finish it a book, get a piece of paper and write a memory about the book. Write a quote that you loved, or a character that felt close to you, or your favorite part. Something to remind you why you loved (or maybe didn’t love) that book this year.

I think its a beautiful idea, and I decided to take part in it. I’ve read three books so far this year, and I have written down my memories for them in the box.

See? So cool!

unnamed

If you decide to participate, let me know! Post it on Instagram and tag me in it (@whatanerdgirlsays) and tag Amber as well! (@grownupfangirl). We’d love to see your boxes, and this is SERIOUSLY an awesome idea!

Happy Reading in 2014!

*      *      *      *      *

What A Nerd Girl Says Secret Valentine 2014!

3 Comments

In December, sildenafil I participated in an awesome feature over at one of my favorite blogs, The Broke and Bookish, a sort of Secret Santa across the country. I decided to do a smaller version with some of my close fangirl friends and fellow bloggers and it was awesome, so I decided to do it again for Valentine’s Day.

And then I thought to myself…I’m going to extend this out to you as well!

Before I get into all the rules and fun and all that, I do need to make something VERY clear. This will cost money. Simply put, it will require the purchase of a book or two, and an extra goodie and such, not to mention postage to another state (possibly country, if you’re interested).

I encourage you ALL to participate BUT please do not sign up unless you are 110% sure that you can and will participate. I will be very disappointed if someone misses out on getting a gift because you could not send a present. Please be VERY sure.

Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, here is the information that I need to make you a part of it!

The deadline for this information is January 15th! I will remind you again at the end of this blog post! 

 

 

Your Full Name: 

Yes it does need to be your full name. You can’t really send a package to just a first name. Or at least I don’t think you can…

Your Blog:

If you have one. One, they can follow you, yay! Two, it’ll help them get to know you. You guys seriously get to know me from this blog.

Your Full Address: 

Pretty self-explanatory.

5-10 Books You are Interested in Reading: 

Keep in mind: make sure you choose books that you will NOT buy in the next month. Your Secret Valentine is spending time and money to send this to you so make sure they don’t send you a book you already own!

You can also share your “To-Read” list from GoodReads or your wish list from Amazon, if that is helpful too!

Other Fandoms You’re Interested In: 

Are you a huge Doctor Who, Star Wars, Disney, Supernatural, etc fan? Share! Anything to help your Secret Valentine pick out goodies for you.

Anything Else You’d Like to Share: 

Are there particular candies you like? Do you collect shot glasses or keychains? Do you love silly socks or drinking tea? Again, share! Anything that can be helpful.

International or Not?

Anyone can participate from any country. But there are some things to say:

If you would prefer not to ship international, please let me know! This is incredibly important. If you don’t let me know, I can’t guarantee you won’t get someone in a different country.

If you are IN a different country, you’ll probably be shipping to another country. I can’t guarantee someone from your country will be participating so please keep that in mind when you sign up.

*      *      *      *

I hope that you can all participate :) The deadline to get this information in to me is JANUARY 15TH. 

Emails will be sent out with the information on your Secret Valentine, the deadline to send your package, and other rules by JANUARY 20TH. 

Oops forgot to put my contact info. Please email this information to whatanerdgirlsays (at) gmail (dot) com with the subject line: Secret Valentine!

Thanks to The Broke and Bookish for such a great idea!

Can’t wait!

Fictional Crush of the Week-The Doctor from Doctor Who

5 Comments

So remember when I said I’d be writing more now that the holidays were over? I promise, view I really do mean that. I’ve just been SO busy. But here we go. I’m going to work on a TON of posts today so that there will be PLENTY for you to read!

Character Name:

The Doctor

PFD159-DOCTOR-WHO-11-doctors

Book or Series They Appear In:

Doctor Who

Author/Creator:

Sydney Newman and others back in the 60s and revamped in 2005 by Russell T. Davies and others.

Played By: 

William Hartnell, mind Patrick Troughton, visit this Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davidson, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, John Hurt, Peter Capaldi

Who They Are:

The Doctor is the main character of the 50 years running television show, Doctor Who. He is an alien called a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey. He has a spaceship that looks like a police box, called a TARDIS, which can travel anywhere in time and space. He is centuries old and he travels the universe, always in companion with a normal human being or two. He travels to these other places for adventure, and always ends up in some sort of trouble but he always saves the day. When his body is killed, it regenerates into a new form, which leads to all the various actors that have played him.

Why I Am Crushing On Them: 

I’m sure people would think “oh she has a crush on the Doctor because David Tennant and Matt Smith are pretty hot.”

And while that is true, I had a crush on The Doctor since Christopher Eccleston and I believe I’m still going to have a crush on him when he’s Peter Capaldi.

The reason that the Doctor is amazing is because he is everyone. He is not human, and there are times when it seems like he doesn’t understand humans and their emotions but there are other times when he is so steeped into emotions that are overwhelming. The Doctor feels the loss of innocent lives, he feels the pain of others. He wants to save everyone, and when he can’t save someone, it really truly affects him. He gets attached easily to people, and he is happy when they are happy, and sad when they are sad.

But he’s also super fun, he’s full of adventure. He’s hundreds of years old, and yet he acts like a child sometime. He wants to have fun, and he gets himself into a lot of trouble because of his adventurous spirit. He dances silly, and he makes the most ridiculous faces and jokes sometimes, and people immediately fall in love with him and his lifestyle because of the personality that he has.

He also has an air of mystery. You don’t really know much about him, and he only reveals small bits of himself. You never learn his real name, though it feels like we get closer and closer to it, just to have it yanked away from us. We are addicted to him because you never know where you’re going next, what you’re going to see or who you are going to meet or what you are going to learn next.

Notable Quotes: 

“You want weapons? We’re in a library! Books! The best weapons in the world!”

“The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don’t always spoil the good things and make them unimportant.”

“In 900 years of time and space, I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t important”

“Always take a banana to a party, Rose: bananas are good!”

“Rose, before I go, I just want to tell you: you were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And you know what? So was I.”

“I don’t want to go.”

“I’ll always remember when the Doctor was me.”

*      *      *      *       *

I hope you enjoyed this week’s Fictional Crush. Stay tuned next week for more!