Brainrush by Richard Bard (Review)

*Cover and Synopsis from Goodreads
Synopsis

When terminally ill combat pilot Jake Bronson emerges from an MRI with extraordinary cognitive powers, everyone wants a piece of his talent--including Battista, one of the world's most dangerous terrorists. Thrust into a deadly chase across Europe and Afghanistan to save his love and her autistic-savant daughter, Jake discovers that his newfound talents carry a hidden price that threatens the entire human race.

An original weave of current events bound by colorful locations and cutting-edge technology, Bard's novel is a must-read for fans of Michael Crichton, James Rollins, Clive Cussler, and Brad Thor. A dynamic mix of fast-paced action and thought provoking soul, this book challenges the reader to keep pace with every sharp turn and shocking twist. Acclaimed by fans of action, sci-fi, and political thrillers alike, Brainrush is one of the most innovative and entertaining books of the year.

Helpful Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

My Review: 4 Delectable
I was so torn as I read this book, and reviewing it, even more so! There were so many parts of this book that I loved, but there were also parts that left me saying, really???

I completely loved the idea of this story and was all too excited to dive right in, completely intrigued by the idea of Jake developing superhuman abilities from a freak accident, that left him the ultimate prize for a crazy terrorist! I absolutely loved how Richard Bard managed to cross the idea of superhuman abilities with the world of the secret agents and military action! The characters were great and I totally believed in Jake! His story was one that literally broke your heart, so I was happy to see him get to kick some serious butt!!

However, I did not like the idea of aliens being involved with the story. I really don't think it added much to the story itself and personally could have done without it, granted it played a small role in this book, but I think that this story could have more than stood up on its own. There were many glamorous moments throughout this book, moments that left me literally on the edge of my seat filled with adrenaline, expecting and waiting for what was going to happen next.

Sure I could do without the aliens, but seriously Jake's abilities definitely have me interested. The action sequences in this book were great and were told in a way that were completely believable  and you definitely couldn't say that things were easy on this rugged crew. Far from it, this was literally a case of what can go wrong will go wrong, well besides the few little miracles that happen throughout the story, but really this is a book worth taking a risk on. Full of excitement, intrigue, and even gives you a taste of what real superhuman powers would be like.

Favorite Character Moment:
Okay this is a little bit long, but essentially sums it all up! Definitely one of my absolute favorite moments!!

"Let's see. I'm about to get dropped into the mountains of Afganistan in pitch-blackness. Then, assuming our two SEALs do their job right, I'm going to scale a fifteen-hundred-foot cliff using the equivalent of a Batman-style, motorized zip line; waltz in the back door of a top-secret terrorist mountain stronghold; and then sneak into their HQ and defeat their state-of-the-art security system with your little gizmo. Oh, and finally, rescue the girls. All while trying to avoid a couple hundred very pissed-off terrorists." (kindle, loc. 4432). 

"Devouring worlds, one book and recipe at a time." 

Feature and Follow #6

So what is feature and follow you ask? Why it is this awesome meme hosted by  Parajunkee and Alison Can Read; that gives you the opportunity to meet as many bloggers as possible!!! 

Q: If you could choose one supernatural being/creature to really exist what would it be and why?  

First of all I love just about all supernatural beings, really they all have something pretty cool to offer, but when I really think about it I am torn between two very cool supernatural beings; the witch and the shape shifter!! And when I say shape shifter I mean the type that maintains their human side while they are in animal form, so that they are basically two forms in the same body. The animal is always there as well as their human side!! Really it comes down to which creature/ being I would want stalking my streets. Either have the potential to be bad, I mean who doesn't, but overall I think I will have to go with the shape shifter; I always thought it would be cool to shift into a big cat!!

So, what creature or being would you want to see stalking your streets??????

"Devouring worlds, one book and recipe at a time."

Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Review)

*Cover and Synopsis from Goodreads

Synopsis

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don't kill him first, that is.

Helpful Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Website

My Review: 5-Must Devour!!!!!
I admit, the idea of reading a book involving an alien, kind of had me worried. Aliens are so not my thing, but  guys with that I-don't-give-a-flying-fig about what you think or who you are is! I hate to admit it, but guys like Daemon, guys who really could care less, guys who have that attitude that you want to smack off their face, but deep down really have a softer side. That I dig!!

The minute the story began I was caught up in the Katy's story, I totally felt for her. Her pain and frustration was my pain and frustration. I love how despite Daemon being drop dead gorgeous and a total jerk Katy stood up to Daemon. She didn't let his looks or his stand off attitude sway her from being Dee's friend. To me that said a lot about the type of person Katy was.

I loved all the characters in this story, Katy with her incredible desire to see the good in people, her deep rooted trust in people, and her strong willed personality who is not afraid to stand up to the gorgeous jerks that surround her. Dee with her sweet and innocent behavior who really believes that her brother can do anything, who puts her absolute trust in her love for Daemon, and who wants nothing more than to belong and finally have a true friend. Daemon the hot and sexy boy next door, who would make any girl drool. The guy who could have any girl he wants, could be anything he wants, but wants nothing but safety for his family and his people. Daemon who doesn't trust lightly, but has a softer side, a side he doesn't show often; but when he does it takes your breathe away.

The story of this trio was completely mesmerizing and had me absolutely captivated. There was enough action to quench my thirst of excitement, enough humor to keep me interested and more than enough sexual tension to keep me thirsting for more!! This story is what every girls dreams are made of, a story not to be missed and an incredible must read!! I think I have overcome my fear of reading about aliens.

Favorite Character Moment:

"Hands clenching the edges of the plastic tray, I leaned over the table and turned my plate upside down over Daemon's and Ash's heads. Chunks of noodles and spaghetti sauce fell. Most of the red gunk hit Ash and the noodles covered Daemon's broad shoulder" (kindle, loc. 2171).

"Devouring worlds, one book and recipe at a time." 

Aurora Sky Excerpt + Giveaway

I am so excited to take part in the blog tour for Aurora Sky by Nikki Jefford! I absolutely love what Nikki did with witches and could not wait to see what she would do with the vampire, and I was not disappointed!! Nikki has to be one of the kindest and most talented people that I have ever met! I am always glad to support her efforts!!

Synopsis

If there is one thing eighteen-year-old Aurora Sky wants, it’s to get off the iceberg she calls home. Being kissed before she graduates wouldn’t hurt either.

Then a near-fatal car wreck changes everything. Government agents step in and save Aurora’s life in exchange for her services as a vampire hunter. In Alaska. Basically she’s a glorified chew toy. All thanks to her rare blood type, which sends a vampire into temporary paralysis right before she has to finish the job… by hand.

Now Aurora’s only friends are groupies of the undead and the only boy she can think about may very well be a vampire. And if he’s a vampire, will she be forced to kill him?

For ages 16+

Find Aurora Sky at  Amazon | Goodreads

Book Trailer Link to You Tube: Aurora Sky

Excerpt from My Review: 5-Must Devour

"In most vampire hunter stories the hunter relies on their ability to be able to over power vampires, but Aurora has a different set of skills. Her blood is paralytic and instead of beating vampires into submission until she can get a kill shot, she lures them in with the temptation of her blood. And this little twist blew me away and I never saw it coming. The vampires in this story had a little of what you would expect with that little something special that can only come from Nikki Jefford's mind."

My Complete Review of Aurora Sky

Excerpt

Dante chuckled. “Relax, Sky. We’re superhuman, remember? Danger is what we do best.”

I folded my arms over my chest. “Whatever.”

I glanced back. Tommy must have been used to Dante’s driving because the dog moved with the car.

Dante spared me from yelling at him again by slowing down.

“So what do you want to know about our fanged foes and how we’ve been recruited to rid this world of evil? Fire away.”

“All right, are there really vampires?”

“I was told you were initiated.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“It should. The beast bit you, didn’t it?”

“Yeah, but any crazy person can bite someone.”

A smile worked its way up Dante’s cheeks. “Did this one drink blood straight from your vein?”

“Yeah…”

“Welcome to the world of the demonic, Sky.”

I stared out the window at the shadowed storefronts as we passed through downtown. There was a certain thrill to leaving town even if we were headed deeper into the darkness.

I shifted in my seat. “Did you believe the agents when they told you there were vampires?”

Dante shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, anything’s possible. What I didn’t believe is that they’d doped me up on some kind of noxious blood that’d knock a creature out.”

“And then they initiated you.”

Dante was quiet a moment then laughed. “Oh, yeah. Who forgets their first bite? It’s more memorable than the first time you have sex.”

“That’s gross.”

“You’ll understand once you have a chance to compare.”

Well, I could compare. Not that it was any of Dante’s business. Sex and bloodsucking were seriously overrated in my opinion.

Author Bio

Nikki Jefford is a third generation Alaskan who loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt. She writes edgy teen fiction, including the Spellbound Trilogy and Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter.
 Nikki married Sébastien, the love of her life, while working as a teaching assistant in France during the 1999/2000 school year. They now reside in the not-so-tropical San Juan Islands, 70 miles northeast of Forks, Washington.

Nikki’s Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Balance

We all know that finding balance in life is key. Whether it is balance between life and work; family, life and work; life, work, hobby, family or whatever it is you have to do with all your time, finding a way to balance all these intersecting parts of your life can be a challenge.

And everyone finds there own way to deal with them. Some people keep a planner, make lists, set reminders, leave themselves notes, schedule things-everything, while some just roll with the punches. I fall in the latter category-I just roll with it. I keep a list sort of-in my head, I keep a running list of all the things I have to get done. But sometimes just having the list in my head makes me more stressed until finally I feel like my head will explode.

So what do I do when things get stressed or I feel like I am about to explode?? Easy, I get totally lost in some mind numbing video game where I can go in guns a blazing and blow stuff up-yup, totally helps!! But that just covers how to handle things when life get's out of control. The question I want to tackle today is......how do you maintain balance in your life? You know what do you do to avoid the nuclear meltdown, the messy head explosion, and the oh so painful hair pulling? 

You see I don't plan much, I don't right lists, I don't schedule, I don't use a planner and I don't leave myself notes. You see I have a plan i.e., that list in my head, looks something like this: blog more, read more, write more, cook more, all while not neglecting my family! Of course the list is a little more specific, but you get the gist.  So how do I maintain my balance?

For me, it is with the incredible assistance of my better half, my spouse! You see it is because of him that I can even do the things that I attempt to do. He gives me the freedom and support to be me. You see he is literally the ying to my yang, the light to my dark, water to my fire, he is the light at the end of the tunnel and is my rock! If it wasn't for him I would literally do all that messy stuff listed above, you know the head explosion and hair pulling, totally.

It is the balance that he brings me that gives me the strength to accomplish so many crazy things. Oh sure every once in a while things slip and I go into meltdown mode, but he's there for that too! He just get's me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But I'm not saying that I still don't break down and that I still don't struggle, because believe me I do. Just ask my better half, he will tell you. There are many times that I wonder how will I do it all, but somehow I manage to do it all. I probably should start keeping a planner or writing a list, but the problem for me is reading those things once I have actually written them down. They don't exactly help you if you don't ever read them!! So you see my dilemma!

Currently my life is not as crazy as it has been in the past, but ever since I took up blogging my world seems to get a little more busy! Even though I am doing this for fun it takes a lot of time, time that I sometimes wonder if I have or where I am going to get it. But it is a passion, so I find the time. And that's the thing with blogger's you see most of us don't do this for money, we just do it because it is our passion and we want to share that passion with other people and hopefully turn someone onto to something that maybe they never considered before! If we help introduce even just one book to someone then what we do is worth it!

And not only do most of us not do this for money, but most bloggers have full time jobs, like actually jobs that pay money, and things that they have to do, like take care of a family!! I greatly admire all those blogger's out there that manage to post original content every day, read tons of books and manage to write amazing reviews all while keeping it sane!!!  How do you all do it????? Really??

And what about all you non-bloggers? I know your lives are just as crazy, they are just full of other things that demand your time. So what fills your time and how do you manage to find a balance???

So what do you do to avoid all the messy and painful stuff listed above???? I would love to hear from you!

"Devouring worlds, one book and recipe at a time."

The Key Inheritance by Jen McConnel (Review)

*Cover from Goodreads
My Summary

Lou is back in Scotland after a ten year hiatus, only this time it is no vacation. While dealing with some depressing family news, Lou is forced to deal with two things that should be left in the past: Brian, her vacation lover and a ghost from another time who is out for blood. 
Will the magic that Lou has embraced be enough to send the ghost back to where it belongs? Or will the ghost send Lou packing back to her life in the United States?

My Review: 4-Delectable
I am very happy to say that this book brought me what I thought was missing from The Burning of Isobel Key, magic! And it even brought a bit of the paranormal with a ghost. I thought this novella was pretty fast paced as the story moved along quickly. My main complaint is that I think I could have done without the visits to the past. For me these were the slower moments in the book and I don't really feel like they added much to the story. That said I did like the suspense that I found in this book as we discovered that Lou was being haunted by a vicious ghost out for vengeance.

We get to see that Lou is more comfortable with the fact that she is a witch and is no longer afraid to practice her art. We see that she has grown into a much more mature young woman who has finally accepted who she is.

On top of getting to see her use magic we get to see Brian again as she sees him for the first time in ten years! And I loved the tension between her and Brian as he was torn between hating her and loving her. I was really happy to see that there was no instant love, and that they didn't just pick up right where they left off after 10 years.

However, I really wish that this novella took place closer to the ending of The Burning of Isobel Key because I really feel like a lot of time had passed. It would have been really nice to get glimpses into Lou's life as she grew to be that mature, confidant young woman.

Overall a really good, fast paced read that gives you a spark of magic, a splash of paranormal and the tingling of romance.

Releases: January 15, 2013

*Author gave me an ARC in exchange for an honest review


Helpful Links: Goodreads | Jen McConnel Amazon

Favorite Character Moment:

"The fire shot up, and she jumped back quickly. Her fingertips were singed, but Lou knew she couldn't stop the ritual" (Kindle, loc. 3047). 

"Devouring worlds, one book and recipe at a time."

Bout of Books 6.0 Read-A-Thon

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 6.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. -From the Bout of Books 6.0 team

Recently I set goals for my blog, one of them was to blog more, and in this case it will be reading more as well!! This is my first read-a-thon and I am really looking forward to it! At first I wasn't going to do it, but I just got a ton of new books and have decided that I seriously need to get reading!!

My Goals:

~To read 8 books, at least 1 a day
~To read as much as time will allow (without ignoring my family)
~To review at least 5 books
~To visit as many blogs as I can a day
~Participate in at least 1 Twitter chat
~And participate in at least 1 mini-challenge

Okay I am exhausted just writing all of that....I really hope I can do this!! I am going to need lots of Mountain Dew to get through this :)

Books to Be Devoured:
Obsidian X
Brainrush X
A for Argonaut
Option to Kill X
Near Death
Dawn of a Dark Knight
Blood SkiesX
The Third Coincidence

Challenge: Book Spine Poetry hosted by Escape Through The Pages

Using books on your shelf create a poem using the titles! Using these books this is the Poem I created:

Charmed by Shadow

Exiled

Eclipse-d

The Summoning of

The Bad Moon Rising

Making Easy Prey

to The Face of Deception

New Year Resolution Challenge:
The character I am going to choose is Chase Williams from The Protector Series by M.R. Merrick! This is by far one of my favorite series, I am in complete love with the characters and the crazy worlds that Merrick creates!! Yup major love going on here! Anyway, here are Chase's New Year Resolutions:
1: Try not to be so hard on self
2: Don't let the lose of my friend prevent me from accomplishing my goal
3: Don't let thirst for revenge take over
4: Continue to work at my anger and control issues
5: Try really hard not to kill Vincent....yet!
6: And absolutely don't let Rayna go for any reason, no matter what she or I say!!

Monday

Number of books I've read today: 1 
Total number of books I've read: 1
Books: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I was seriously worried I wasn't going to reach my goal today. The started off really bad, but I stayed up a little late and reached my goal for the day! Now to do better tomorrow! 
Quickly devoured Obisidan once my kids were in bed, read for about 5 hours. And I can't believe I haven't already devoured this book! It was totally awesome and I am so in love!!!!!!!

Tuesday

Number of books I've read today: 168 pages out of 295
Total number of books I've read: 0
Books: Brainrush by Richard Bard
Today was not a good day for me. Totally did not come close to reaching my goal for the day, but that's okay I will hopefully make up for it tomorrow!! 

Wednesday

Number of books I've read today: Finished Book 2! Read 233 pages of Option to Kill 
Total number of books I've read: 2
Books: I finally finished reading my second book, participated in my first twitter chat--so much fun, yesterday I also wrote my first read-a-thon review for Obsidian!

Thursday

Number of books I've read today: Today I finished reading Option to Kill by Andrew Peterson, and read the first 98 pages of Blood Skies!! 
Total number of books I've read: 3
Update: Well I am not doing so good in the reading department, but I have accomplished my goal of participating in a challenge! So score there. I also wrote my second of 5 reviews, for Brainrush! Today I hope to finish reading Blood Skies and start another book! 

Friday

Number of books I've read today: Finished Blood Skies and started A is for Juggernaut
Total number of books I've read: 4
Update: Still haven't read as much as I would like, but that's okay, reading is reading!! Hopefully this weekend I will make a push and finish strong, won't accomplish my goal, but I am having a total blast!! :)

Saturday

Number of books I've read today: 0
Total number of books I've read: 4
Update: Well toady was definitely not a good day! I didn't read or do anything blogging related :( But I did spend some much needed time with my family, so I don't regret anything. I also participated in the last twitter chat. Really love those!!  We will see what I can accomplish tomorrow!!

Sunday

Number of books I've read today: 1
Total number of books I've read: 5
Books: Today I read Near Death by Richard C. Hale and will write a review later for the blog!

Check out my Bout of Books Wrap Up

Southwestern Beans

Well ladies and germs, welcome to 2013!! This year has already been crazy busy and the kids and I haven't even gone back to school yet!! Oh well, it wouldn't be my life if there wasn't a little crazy in it! After all I do thrive in chaos.

Anyway, earlier today I asked my lovely Facebook friends whether or not the first recipe I posted on the blog should be sweet or savory......and guess what? Savory won!! Oh, you guessed that already! Duh, guess the picture kind of gives it away :) Since savory won out and it is the first recipe of the year I have decided to go with a recipe that is very simple, yet very delicious.

Recently I made this recipe for some family that I had visiting and I really have to tell you that when I first began this recipe my sister and step-mom thought I was out of my mind! You see the first step to making these lovely beans is to rinse two 15 oz. cans of Ranch Style Beans. Hehe....I bet you can see where this is going. I could tell they were all thinking why even use those kind of beans if you are just going to rinse them, well the answer to that would be: 1) I only buy things that I can use in multiple ways in order to keep down my food bill; and 2) even though you rinse them they still maintain some of their flavor.

After I committed the cardinal sin of rinsing my beans I finished making the recipe and I am proud to say that everyone thoroughly enjoyed them!!

Southwestern Beans
Yield: 9-10 ppl    Cook Time: 10 minutes

2 15 oz. Cans of Ranch Style Beans Rinsed
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
2 tsp. Minced Garlic
1/4. Cup Chopped Pickled Jalapenos
1/4 Cup Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
*For extra spice can add a couple of Tablespoons of jalapeno juice
*Could also add onion

Place rinsed beans in a medium sauce pan and place over medium heat. While beans are heating add garlic, and salt and jalapenos. Once you hear the beans begin to sizzle add the chicken broth. Allow to cook until beans come up to temperature. If you are looking for a runnier bean you can always add more chicken broth, but I like to make my a little drier.

And there you have folks, very simple, yet very delicious beans that I promise will disappear faster than you can even make them!!

"Devouring worlds, one book and recipe at a time."

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa (Review)

*Cover and Synopsis from Goodreads
Synopsis

"In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity."Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of "them." The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and who--is worth dying for.

My Review: 4 Delectable
First Reactions: Now I will admit that I was a little disappointed when I first picked up the book because I felt there was a serious lack of description for the main character Allison and her mentor Kanin. All that was really mentioned was that she was of Asian decent and that he was tall and well a vampire. I love it when an author gives me the freedom to imagine a character just the way that I want, but come on you have to at least give me an eye color! I don't mind if you don't describe the supporting characters, but when it comes to two pretty main characters I like to be able to visualize them fully!

Lack of descriptions aside I really found that I enjoyed the story. Julie Kagawa didn't bring much new to the world of the vampire, but she told the story in her own unique way, which I completely appreciated. The story did remind me vaguely of both Divergent and Hunger Games with how the main population in the book is treated and is left to fend for themselves.

I felt the story was decently paced and I really enjoyed getting to see Allison kick some butt. Finally, another book that brings me a kick butt female that also happens to be a lead character. Allison is tough as nails, doesn't back down from a fight, has a thirst for life, is intelligent and kind of a smarty pants....I totally love her!

This book is not completely what I expected and I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised, the story was a little slow in the beginning, but once it got started I quickly got wrapped up. I can't wait to read The Eternity Cure.

Helpful Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Website

Favorite Character Moment:

"Hunger flickered, always there, but I pushed it down. I was a vampire. Nothing would change that. but I didn't have to be a monster." (Hardcover 2012, p. 345).

"Devouring worlds, one book and recipe at a time." 

Welcome 2013: New Year, New Goals

Well in case you haven't noticed and you have been living under a rock, it is the beginning of a new year! And if you are reading this then I can assume that you survived your night of wild celebrating and are just as ready as I am to tackle whatever the year 2013 has to offer!!

Already my year is off to a rocky start as I brought in the new year with a cold and sparkling apple cider that tasted amazingly similar to what I imagine carbonated pickle juice would taste like, thanks to those fantastic little NyQuil pills my taste buds were totally off. Anyway, I am still sick, but for the most part I am out of my head, or the sickness is anyways. Those that know me, will testify that I am always a little out of my head as in I am a little off or weird!! But I say whatever...own it....let your freak flag fly or whatever.

So with my little run in with that nasty little cold I was in no frame of mind to write or decide upon my goals for 2013. And now I can say I am not sure it really had anything to do with the cold. You see I am not much of a goal person. What I like to do rather is decide upon what I want to accomplish then just manage to do it. I don't really think of it as a goal, just something I want to do, I don't necessarily line up ways to accomplish said tasks, I just manage to work it out in my mind. But as this is a new year and I am trying to turn over a new leaf and make my blog better I have decided to try these little things that you people call 'goals' a try. So here it goes my so-called goals for the year 2013........In no certain order.......

1. Blog More.......and by blog more I don't mean more fluff and necessarily every day. Although I would love to blog every day, but with being a Graduate student, a wife and a mother of 5 I just don't want to turn my blogging into stress, so I want to blog more, but keep it stress free. And I want to Blog more about some of my favorite content. Especially characters. I want to see what else I can do with Character Time. I also hope to bring you more of my weirdness and show you a little more of me, even if it means I scare some of you off. But I really think it is necessary, so expect more of my life to appear across the screen, I know scary. But don't say I didn't warn you. :)

2. Do more food posts......currently my blog mostly consists of book posts, and don't get me wrong I love it, as I love books and everything that they have to offer, but I also love food and have an equal desire to share that with you as well. And as I really don't think I could maintain two separate blogs I am just going to have to make it work here, even if it means multiple posts in one day! Originally I was going to set certain days for food posts, but then I decided I didn't like the feeling of having to post something on certain days, I already tried that and hated it!!

3. Take more risks......by risks I mean, I want to crawl out from my little hide-y hole and risk reaching out to some of my favorite authors, for something other than just telling them I reviewed or loved their book, but maybe a guest post too. I already bother, stalk, irritate, pester......a couple of authors, pretty sure you know who you are, but I want to take it further and invite them to do stuff on the blog. Now I just have to get up some gusto and ask. 

4. Create an environment I love.....I don't currently love my blog design. It really doesn't fit me. But eventually I hope to create an environment on the blog that I absolutely love to be in, so much so that maybe I won't want to leave, and maybe then you won't want to either. I also want to get more comfortable with HTML, as currently I am practically scared of it. You see, technology doesn't really like me, so whenever I 'play' with it, I usually get bit, hard! But I am going to swallow my fear and learn a few things and hopefully.......live to tell the tale and have a better blog because of it!!

5. Share.....Now this will probably be the hardest for me as I am incredibly afraid of failure, but I declare to share with you, lovely blogging community some things that I have been working on. You see I have been playing with a story for some time now, actually not just playing, writing. I am well into this piece and you see I have no intention of doing anything with it, other than finishing it, hopefully. But my family and friends really think that I should go forth and publish my said crazy little idea. Of course I think they are all crazy as I think I am talent-less and couldn't tell a story if my life depended on it, but that is neither here or there; in honor of my family and those that believe in me 100%, for some un-gosh-ly reason, I plan on posting a prequel to my story here on my blog. Now I will not give you an exact date, but will only say expect it before the end of 2013. Hopefully by then I will have grown some metaphorical balls as they say.

So there you have it, my so-called goals for 2013, you know that wasn't so bad, but now comes the real hard part.......accomplishing them!! Well wish me luck, and tell me what you think. Do you have any goals for 2013?????

"Devouring worlds, one book and recipe at a time."