Book Reviews & Stories by Danielle
Hope all of my followers are having a great Sunday so far. Today, I need your help. I’ve entered into a engagement ring and proposal story giveaway. It would be greatly appreciated if you can go and vote for mine. You just need to have a Facebook account to enter.
Thank you so much!
Here’s the link:
During my lunch break a few months ago, a co-worker and I walked to this lovely bookstore in Downtown LA called The Last Bookstore.
I asked my co-worker why he didn’t tell me about this bookstore sooner because it’s amazing! They sell used, but decent books at cheap prices. I only spent $16 on three books including sales tax and the books seem new. They also sell new books as well, but at the retail price. I was seriously in heaven being there.
If you ever find yourself on Spring Street in Downtown LA be sure to check out this awesome bookstore. I know I’ll be visiting regularly.
Do you have a bookstore you love visiting?
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Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
In honor of the holiday, I wanted to share 5 things I am thankful for this year.
1. My wonderful fiance
2. My family and friends
3. Being healthy and happy
4. Having a full-time job
5. Being able to write and read freely
What are you thankful for?
I’ve been working with the Women’s National Book Association Los Angeles Chapter for a few months now. I love the events I’ve attending and enjoy the other members. So I wanted to get more involved with this non-profit organization that allows me to meet people who are as passionate about books as I am.
That’s why I’m excited to announce that I’m officially the Social Media Chair for the Women’s National Book Association Los Angeles Chapter! I’ll be working on the organization’s social media platforms to promote events and interact with members and followers. I have a ton of ideas and can’t wait to get started on them.
Here’s a bit about the organization:
“The LA Chapter of WNBA brings together individuals with diverse backgrounds to exchange ideas, focus on issues, make contacts, and support the local book community. In an effort to advance knowledge of the world of book publishing and related fields, we welcome, encourage, and educate people from all areas of the book industry, particularly women.
Our members include authors, screenwriters, poets, songwriters, performance artists, activists, readers, publishers, librarians, booksellers, educators, publicists, editors, production/graphics specialists, agents and reviewers.”
Women’s National Book Association Website
Facebook: Women’s National Book Association Los Angeles Chapter
Twitter: @WNBA_LA
I cannot begin to describe how grateful I am to have such wonderful followers. It was only about two months ago that I announced that my blog had reached 100 followers. Now, it’s reached 200!
To some, 200 might seem like a small number, but not to me. I’ve been working on my blog for almost three years now and it’s hard work to get followers sometimes. I get so excited when I get alerts that I have a new follower. I’m proud of how far my blog has come and I have a lot more planned for it in the future.
Again, thank you so much to all my followers. I appreciate all the support you have given me.
I look forward to getting to 300 followers!
Love, Danielle
On most Tuesday evenings you will find me sitting in a USC picnic chair, ebook in hand, watching my fiance play softball. Yes, there are times when I want to stay home and read in bed or work on my blog, but that’s part of the balancing act right? I have to find time to read, write, and spend time with the people I love, especially my future husband.
I’m very lucky that my fiancé is supportive of my writing ambitions because I spend a lot of time doing it. Sometimes I have to consciously tell myself, “Hey, you’ve been doing this for a few hours, now it’s time to watch a show with your fiancé”.
There are times when I find it difficult to do everything. I still hold a day job during the week and that takes up 40 hours. I read books to review and I’m continuously working on other things to post (like this one). I also need to find time to go to the gym, that’s about 1-2 hours per day, 5 days per week. I play softball and that takes up to 3 hours per week.
My fiance is the most important thing I need to factor into everyday. There are nights when I say I have to catch up on posts and he’s ok with it. He understands that I love writing and reading. He supports my dreams and knows that the hard work I’m putting in will pay off. When I am writing in the evening, he makes dinner and does the dishes…what an amazing fiance I have!
But there are the days I feel bad because I spent almost no time with him. Those are usually the days I go to work, go to the gym, take a shower, write, and read a bit. Seriously, 24 hours in one day is not enough!
Oh and I can’t forget about our wedding we need to plan. We are a little over 6 months away from the big day and there’s still tons to do. I’m sure that I will be pulling my hair out soon.
I love everything I do, otherwise why would I do them, but it’s a tough job fitting everything in and sometimes I have to sacrifice doing one thing for another.
I don’t like the idea of having to make a schedule for my entire day, but at some point I might have to. There’s always something to do and somewhere to be that a little more structure won’t hurt.
Does anyone else have to constantly balance life, books, and blogging? I know there must be. What do you find the most difficult thing about balancing everything?
Oh…and this is my 100th post! Yay!
Today, I wanted to share a few books I love that were made into movies.
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
I know it’s very cliche to love The Notebook, but I do! I’m a huge fan of the Nicholas Sparks books and anytime he announces another movie adaptation I start to freak out! Obviously, The Notebook is the most popular one, but I love every single one of them.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I really loved reading this series and was so excited when the movies started coming out. Part 1 of the Mocking Jay will be out this year! Yay! I can’t wait to see it. I just hope that the movie doesn’t portray Katniss as needy as she was in the third book. That’s the only thing I didn’t like about the last book.
As a side note, when my fiancé gave me the books for Christmas..or my birthday, not sure which…I read all three in a week. I think he missed me that week.
The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Myers
I will admit that I never finished the last book (I seriously need to do that), but I read all the others. I loved the series and I thought the movies were just ok. I just didn’t like Kristen Stewart playing Bella. She kind of ruined it for me, but that’s just my opinion.
What books do you love that were adapted into movies?
I’m so ready for a vacation! My fiancé and I need time away from work and time away from wedding planning.
We’re going to spend a few days at Disney World..specifically at Epcot where they are hosting the Food & Wine Festival because we LOVE food! We spent a week at Disney World last year (my first time there) and I definitely over indulged. I learned my lesson and I’m going to be very selective about the stuff I try this year.
Here are some things I want to try when we get to Epcot:
After Disney World we will be heading to Cancun! I’ve never been and I’m looking forward to laying out on the beach and catching up on some reading.
I’m hoping to finish reading the following books on vacation:
I will definitely have some posts scheduled while I’m gone. However, if I don’t respond to comments or questions right away it’s because I’m soaking up some sun. I will make sure to respond as soon as I can.
Hope everyone has a great week!
Today marks the 6th anniversary of my mother passing. I feel like it should be easier the sixth time around, but this year hurts more than the last few. I’m constantly dreaming of her now and I know it’s because of all the wedding planning I’m doing.
In one dream, I’m standing in front of a full length mirror wearing my wedding dress and veil. I turn to head down the isle when my veil gets snagged and rips. I start to cry and that’s when my mom appears to tell me everything will be all right. Other dreams with her are about my upcoming nuptials, but there are the few that venture back to when she was alive.
I went on my first dress appointment by my myself because I wanted to be left with my own thoughts knowing I would be thinking of how my mom wasn’t there to see me. Now, each time I see myself in my wedding dress, her face appears in my head and I have to choke back tears and sobs. Planning the wedding of my dreams has caused these painful emotions to bubble up once again and I’m constantly trying not to think of the day she left us.
I keep telling myself “You know she’s with you right now, watching over you“, but it’s not fair that she isn’t physically here. I would give anything to be able to pick up the phone and tell her about how our wedding is progressing. To ask for her opinion on the type of flowers we should get or if I should wear my hair up or down.
I know that on one of the happiest days of my life, I won’t be standing in front of the full length mirror and see my mother’s reflection looking back at me. She’ll just be living in my memory.
Knowing that I’m going to me marrying the man of my dreams makes it better and I know that she would have loved him. I also have many family members and friends who will be with me to share in my happiness that day. I will have my wonderful step-mother and future mother-in-law who have graciously taken the place of “mother” in my life.
I feel blessed and fortunate to have people in my life that care about me and love me. I just wish my mom wasn’t gone.
Lisa Michelle Miller
November 9, 1963 – September 20, 2008
Stories Unfolded 