Februrary Book Photo Challenge Days 3 and 4

February Book Photo Challenge (from Books and Cupcakes)

Day Three: Made Me Cry

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
 - Truly amazing historical fantasy novel. It delves into the legends surrounding Dracula, but that only scratches the surface of the experience of reading it. I read this book in college and then again a few years later and it had the same emotional impact it did the first time I read it. The ending is beautiful and tragic so you know it's among my favorites of all time.

Day Four: Couldn't Put Down

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
 - I think Stephen King is one of the greatest living American authors although he's rarely credited as such. (What's so wrong with being prolific or writing mainly horror anyway?)
 - This book is about a young girl who takes a wrong turn while out hiking with her family. The rest of the book follows her as she attempts to survive in the wilderness, and evade a nameless horror that is hunting her.
 - It's beautiful and haunting and, yeah, a bit terrifying. As with most King novels, I couldn't put it down because I was too scared not to find out what happened next!

February Book Photo Challenge

February Book Photo Challenge (from Books and Cupcakes)
Day One: Reading This Month
(Yes, I'm one day behind. Shh.)
 

In a bit more detail...

Unnatural Death: Confessions of a Medical Examiner by Michael M. Baden, M.D. with Judith Adler Hennessee
- My boyfriend's mom loaned me this after we binge-watched a bunch of Forensic Files together. I'm on chapter five right now and I love it. Totally fascinating, if somewhat morbid.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
- I'm reading this with my BFF. She bought a gorgeous copy from the Folio Society and because we wanted to challenge each other to read new things this years... Ta da. We're a little more than halfway done and it is surprisingly boooooring. Also the protagonist is a moron.

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
- This is the first time I've read this since I was a girl myself. Still gut-wrenching and wonderful.

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
- I bought this years ago, devoured half of it instantly, started my own "Feel Better" blog, and a month later decided it was all too hokey to do much with. I'm finally making myself finish it. Gretchen has good ideas and good lessons to learn from, but she is a bit hokey. There, I said it.

Scarlet and Cress by Marissa Meyer
- I read Cinder in a weekend in December. I thought it was fun and the world has a lot of possibilities. Now that I'm a few chapters into Scarlet, I think this series is going to disappoint me in its lack of true scope. I'll let you know when I finish.

The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman
- Checked this one out from the library to read over winter break. Much heavier than I was expecting. But some solid writing. I'm still enjoying it, but final verdict is still forthcoming.

If I don't finish all of these books this month, somebody should pinch me really hard. I've been reading a least half of this pile for months now. Ugh.

The Best Christmas Present Ever

Okay, so on to the exciting news!

My boyfriend did a truly amazing thing for Christmas this year. He conspired with members of our families and managed to win me one of the auctions that Worldbuilders does every year for, get this, a manuscript critique from a published author.

At first, I was in shock. Then I cried. The boy caught it on video and put it on Facebook.

So I've been hard at work trying to edit my monster of a first manuscript in order to take advantage of this amazing gift. I am insanely excited for this opportunity. It should be invaluable.

Not sure how he's ever going to top this present for me though....