Crazy Creatures of The Blogging World!

I am so psyched to post this (no really, you don't even know. I can barely contain myself right now)!  when I got a reply to my e-mail this was pretty much my reaction:

Then I actually got Cait's answers back and I read them and realized that she is like my blogger soul mate (don't ask what that means exactly because I honestly don't even know) and I basically became like their number one fangirl in like 5-10 min and now I am going about this post and just life something like all the fallowing combined (I work in stages and phases people, plus I am just so awesome that one gif wouldn't even come close to scratching the surface of me in life):

Anyways! As I was saying, Crazy Creatures of The Blogging World is back and today Cait from The Notebook Sisters is here being all crazy and creature-y and blogger-y and stuff! Enjoy the interview! I know you will love her and the interview!

First off, tell us all a little bit about yourself and your blog!

My name is Cait and I’m one of the Notebook Sisters! (We’re collectively known as Cait and Mime. The myths are true! We are, in fact…sisters.) I’m rather obsessed with books, superheroes, and the glorious invention of mint milkshakes. I’m 19 and Mime is 15.

How did you get started blogging and why?

We started blogging (2 years ago) after our trip to China. We wanted to share our photos (who doesn’t want to pictures of cow-stomach-soup and Beijing?) with our friends. After we exhausted all things China, we started blogging about our favourite thing in this galactic universe: books.

How did you decide what your blog was going to be like? (What things you were going to post about, the name, the design ect.)

Like I said above, it was originally a travel blog! (I know, hilarious.) Mime came up with “Notebook Sisters” because we were sisters (wait, we still are sisters) and we were writers. Now we post a lot of book reviews, participate in bookly linkups, and write about our views on life in general. The design? I tweak it every year or so. This time, I’ve made it from scratch (!) with an owlish theme, because owls are cute.

What is your favorite thing about being a blogger?

Comparing thoughts with other bookworms! I love the support (and humour) of the blogosphere too.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your blogging, and how did you overcome it, or how are you currently working to overcome it?

Dang HTML. I don’t think I’ll ever figure out how to design layouts the way I want them to. Usually I pout and Google and follow tutorials, buuuut, let’s face it. HTML is another language.

What has been your favorite/craziest/most awesomesauce experience since you started blogging?

When real live authors have visited/commented on our blog! That is the best. Mime had an author comment on her writing and say it was awesome (eek!). I’ve chatted to authors and interviewed them (double eeek!).

What is your favorite type of post to write or feature to participate in?

Okay! I admit it! Writing about superheroes is ridiculously fun. (Fangirling, who doesn’t like it occasionally?)

What have been some of your favorite reads this year?

There are way too many to count. I’ll just throw a few at you. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (sci-fi with snarky dialogue…so awesome). Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis (apocalyptic stuff, lots of guns and bristly narrators). This Song Could Save Your Life by Leila Sales (contemporary with a smoosh of music).

In your opinion, what is key to making a book great?

Characters! If the characters are awesome, realistic, and relatable, the book is half way to being awesome.

What are you reading right now?

I’m rereading Insurgent by Veronica Roth. I wanted to reread the series before I gobbled Allegiant…which has a feels-crushing ending I’ve heard. I desperately need to find out.

Who are your favorite characters male and female?

Ha! Impossible question! Buuut, I’ll go Peeta and Katniss from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Not only is the series my all-time favourite, those two are ridiculously awesome. Real or not real? I ask YOU.

If you were to make your favorite book into a movie, what book would it be and who would you cast yourself as?

I would never ever no way cast myself into a movie! Gosh, I’m extremely shy! I don’t talk to the postman if I can help it. But if I could pick any book to be made into the movie? At the moment, I’d go Red Rising by Pierce Brown. It has awesome potential to be an action-packed-thriller. It has the feels, the scenery, and snarky characters. What more could you want?

Any last wise words for other bloggers, readers and authors out there?

Don’t eat pasta while you’re reading. The tomato-sauce red fingerprints on the book pages look kind of like…blood. It’s awkward.

Is there anything else you want to share about yourself? How can others find you and your blog online?

I’m everywhere! (Just kidding.) But, no really, catch me on Twitter, I’d love to say hi! And, of course, stop by my blog Notebook Sisters and talk books with me. (You definitely want to meet Mime, anyway, so come read some of her posts!)

Thank you so much for doing this it has been SO much fun having you!

It’s been awesome, Briana! Thanks for asking.

Isn't she just fabulous?! I mean really, how can you not love that epic personality?! And like she said Mime is a jar of awesomesauce too so be sure to go to their blog, stalk them on twitter or whatever and "meet" her too! (Don't actually stalk them on twitter that is just creepy. Not a good way to make friends.) Also, below are the links to buy all the different books she mentioned through Liberty Bay Books and to find them on Goodreads simply click the hyperlinked titles in the interview! And, another big huge thank you SO much Cait!

These Broken Stars

Not a Drop to Drink

This Song Will Save Your Life 

Insurgent

Allegiant

The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxed Set

Red Rising

Allegiant

Allegiant

by Veronica Roth

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories. 

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love. 

That gif pretty much sums my feelings up about this book. I pretty much have no words and I probably shouldn't be writing this right now because it definitely gave me one serious book hangover. For those of you unfamiliar with the term "book hangover..."

Personally, I think that picture pretty much explains how a book hangover feels perfectly but a lot of times it also includes "the inability to start a new book because you're still living in the last books world." Anyways, despite all this I find my self writing this review/rant. You may want to take a moment to prepare yourself before reading on. I suggest sitting down, perhaps a seat-belt or something, additionally I invite you to add your feelings about this book to the comments below, and I wish you luck in making it through this, may the odds be ever in your favor and all that. And here we go...

Crap. I don't know where to start now. I'm supposed to start reviewing this now I announced it and everything. I don't know what to start with. Crap. Well, I suppose I shall begin with Tris and Tobais and the characters. I really love them all and they all grow so much in this book. They all develop on a deeper level and grow so much more than even in the first two books. It is beautiful. They are beautiful. However, I grew to almost dislike Tris just a little bit, as well as Tobais. This book was strongly focused on the flaws and extremes and really brought those out and while I think that all characters should have flaws to make them realistic, I felt that their admirable qualities were too absent to the point where they almost became quite unlikable and realistic. They were unbalanced. Wow that all actually turned out to be coherent and an accurate thought filled analysis. I am proud of myself for not just fangirl ranting all over this...so far. Ok, writing. Well I don't have too much to say about the actual writing technique and voice because I felt that yet again Veronica did a good job and I have to admit I got so swept away by the story its self that I wasn't being too critical of that part and I really didn't care at the time. So I guess props for sweeping me away that much! Oh, and here is where it gets a little messy. The plot. I almost hated it. Almost. The pacing was good but then at the end the whole pace thing just kinda fell apart. Then throughout the rest of the story there was just way too much going on at once. I get it it was a chaotic time, there was a lot going on. But, there were so many thing that were just thrown in and then that didn't really effect anything or didn't really go anywhere or went somewhere and then were forgotten for the rest of the book. For example, Amar's sexual orientation, all of the sudden it was like he is gay and likes George but that was totally random and it didn't help the story or impact anything in the story and plot. Then you have David's relationship with Tris's mother. It kind of hints that there was something deeper going on there before Tris's mother went into the experiment but then it never really tells you exactly what was happening there and again it really didn't impact the story or plot line. It was a big deal for a little while then it was never really talked about ever again. I don't know. There were just so many little things happening at once it was a little distracting. Again, I get it the chaos that is logical for that situation but there were so many things that were unnecessary or just felt like they didn't go any where or do anything! However, MEGA points for the killer twist ending! I have a few gifs to express my feelings over the end and just how I felt in general after finishing the book. And yes I let exactly one tear fall...

For starters, initial thoughts directed at Veronica upon reading that killer part...

and:

Then my general emotions upon finishing and reading that killer part:

and of course the gif that I opened with. Overall, it was total awesomesauce despite its flaws, and it is totally emotionally taxing (in the best of ways). I highly recommend reading it and the entire series and I think it appeals to a very wide and extensive audience. It might just be that perfect holiday gift for someone you know! *wink wink* You can buy it through Liberty Bay Books by clicking the hyper-linked title and make sure to add it on Goodreads! Oh yeah and I give it 5 out of 5 stars!

A Special Guest

Today I am happy to give you my interview with a very special guest...Shawn Mihalik! Here is the interview with him!

Hi Shawn! It is a pleasure to have you as a sort of guest on Reader, Writer, Critic to talk a little bit about your writing career, publishing experience, and your new book Brand-Changing Day. Thank you for taking the time to do this! Now let’s get this party started!

 First off, tell us a bit about yourself and your new book!

I was born in San Diego but grew up in Youngstown, Ohio. I studied journalism at Youngstown State University, and while I loved (and still love) journalism, I realized that I would rather write fiction.

Brand-Changing Day is my second book but my first novel. It’s literary satire about the world of casual American chain restaurants.

 How and why did you start writing?

I started writing short stories and things like that when I was pretty young, maybe thirteen or fourteen, but of course I wasn’t very good. In high school I became interested in journalism, winning a few awards both as a writer for and then editor of my school paper.

Where did the idea for your book come from?

I worked in restaurants (as I think a lot of people do) a lot. When I was sixteen I got my first job at a Bob Evans, and in the years after that I worked for three other different restaurant chains. But the entire time, I hated the experience. I hated the policies, mentality, and what chain restaurants typically stand for. So when I wrote my first novel, it seemed natural that it would take place in and be about restaurants, exploring what makes them, and the people who work in them, tick.

Are there any parallels between Brand-Changing Day and its characters’ lives and your life? What are they?

Several. As I said, the book takes place in a restaurant, and I worked in restaurants for years. But the book also takes place in Youngstown, Ohio, where I group (and which is a city a love). Additionally, the main character spends some time living in Pittsburgh, PA, which I did as well.

Are any of your characters the types of people you would be friends with in your life? What characters and why or why not?

Some of them are, yes. Some of the characters—for example, Lori, Kara, and Mike the Bartender—are wonderful people. Other characters, on the other hand—like Geoff McCree, R.J. Fredickson, and of course, the black bear—aren’t very good people at all, or at the very least, they’re complacent people, content to live very boring, menial existences, and that doesn’t appeal to me in a friend.

And then there’s the main character, Scott, who I also probably wouldn’t be friends with, which is problematic because he’s a lot like me.

What was your publishing experience like working with an indie publisher?

It was wonderful. There are some amazing things happening in the indie publishing world, and Asymmetrical Press is doing a great job of taking advantage of them.

The best part of indie publishing is having a significant amount of control over the process: I got to work directly with editors, approve layout and covers, and things like that.

What was the biggest challenge you faced when writing and/or publishing Brand-Changing Day and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge was releasing the book into the world. I have a very conservative family, but Brand-Changing Day is far from a conservative book—it has a lot of controversial, subversive elements, and I new my family wasn’t going to be happy that I’d written something like that. And they weren’t. But I had to release the book anyway.

What was your favorite part of the writing and publishing process?

My favorite part is creating. Creating a world, a sandbox, and then creating characters to play in that sandbox. It’s exhilarating when it all comes together.

Do you have any special playlists, writing habits or rituals” ect.? What are they?

I’d like to say that I do, but not really. When I wrote Brand-Changing Day, I went through periods of time where I was writing every single morning, but then there were other periods where I was writing every single evening instead. And then there were periods were I would go a few weeks having written barley a thing.

Even now, as I work on new projects, my processes are different. If I had to pick out any sort of pattern, I’d say that silence is important to my process. I have to be alone when I’m writing, with no music or background noise of any kind, which I think is why I like early morning or late evening the best most of the time.

It was been lovely having you and thank you again for your time!
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Brand-Changing Day

You can buy brand changing day through Liberty Bay Books by clicking the hyper-linked title under the cover and remember to add it on Goodreads!

Teaser Tuesday

Woo-who! It is yet another Teaser Tuesday! I made a graphic of my own to go with it. (Please don't use it without giving me credit! Thanks!) And I might have chosen the font solely because it was called "Tall Dark and Handsome." Anyways, moving on to the good stuff now! Today I bring you a teaser from...BUM BUM BUM....Allegiant by Veronica Roth!

Allegiant

"I can't go back to the staring eyes and unspoken questions of the dormitory. I know I shouldn't return to the scene of my great crime, even though it's not one of the secure areas I'm barred form entering, but I feel like I need to see what's happening inside the city." -P.310 (Tobias) Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Add it on Goodreads and buy it through Liberty Bay Books by clicking the hyper-linked title ASAP! 

Stacking the Shelves

Ok and here is the make up Stacking the Shelves post accompanied by a new logo! Enjoy and let me know what you think and what books found their way to your shelves in the comments below!

Allegiant

Big huge shout out thank you and bear hugs to my awesomesauce friend Corben to letting me borrow his copy! I am a kinda a Divergent series and Veronica Roth fangirl so naturally I am MEGA excited to read the next book! I will let this gif sum up my feelings about this...

Add it on Goodreads and buy it through Liberty Bay Books by clicking the hyper-linked title!

Teaser...Sunday?

As you may have read in my earlier post/rant I am so sorry that I completely spaced this weeks memes so I am making today a make up day and posting a Teaser Tuesday post and a Stacking the Shelves post today and then I will continue on with the memes as scheduled. So here is Teaser...Sunday? Enjoy!

"Now George, spindly legs flying, is running out the door, wearing nothing but Superman underpants, with Duff angrily brandishing the phone as though it's a weapon, careening after him...We stand in the driveway with Jase kissing me as though the fact that Harry is making vomiting noises and Duff is about to kill George doesn't matter at all."-pg.268 My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Add it on Goodreads and buy it through Liberty Bay Books by clicking => My Life Next Door.

My Mind is Slowly Decaying

I have officially decided that my mind must be slowly decaying or something because I have just totally lost my grip on everything in my life this past week and that just seems the only logical explanation. My room has suddenly turned into the aftermath of a war zone, clothing, markers and other assorted crap litter virtually every square inch of my floor. But now that I think about it it kinda always looks like that. I completely, utterly, spaced both this week's Teaser Tuesday post and Stacking The Shelves post. I'm so sorry about that and again have no logical excuse or explanation other than that my mind must be slowly decaying. And, I had two just flat out emotional break downs, one over a pie. A PIE! I am officially certain that my mind is for sure slowly yet surely decaying. So, one big apology to ya'll and my family and a big thank you for putting up with my madness. Today I will post both a Teaser Tuesday post and a Stacking the Shelves post. And I will try my hardest to remember to post both on time this coming Tuesday and Saturday. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving weekend and have a wonderful week!