Tuney Tuesday--June 12, 2012

  

Hosted by JAYA and Singing, Reading, and Writing in the Rain. For rules go to one of their websites, but basically you just post the song lyrics of the song you choose this week and then you post a short review of it.

My song: Stronger by Kelly Clarkson

You know the bed feels warmer
Sleeping here alone
You know I dream in color
And do the things I want

You think you've got the best of me
Think you've had enough the last laugh
Bet you think that everything good is gone
Think you left me broken down
Think that I'd come running back
Baby, you don't know me, 'cause you're dead wrong

Chorus:
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes you fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean I'm over 'cause you're gone

Bridge:
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger
Just me, myself and I
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/k/kelly_clarkson/stronger.html ]
You heard that I was starting over with someone new
{ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/k/kelly-clarkson-lyrics/stronger-lyrics.html }
They told you I was moving on, over you

You didn't think that I'd come back
I'd come back swinging
You tried to break me, but you see

Chorus:
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes you fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean I'm over 'cause you're gone

Bridge:
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger
Just me, myself and I
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

Thanks to you I got a new thing started
Thanks to you I'm not the broken-hearted
Thanks to you I'm finally thinking 'bout me
You know in the end the day you left is just my beginning
In the end
[Repeat chorus][Repeat bridge x2]

I'm not alone

My review:

I love love love this song. Don't even know how many times I've listened to it this past month. It's really fun to dance to and it has a great message that we often forget. There is a beauty is a strong woman. Not a harsh one, not a tough one, a strong one. Strength means knowing when to fight for someone you love and when to let go of the past. When people leave us, we are changed, but we are stronger for it. Because, like the proverb says, if you love someone let them go, if they come back then they are yours; if they don't then they were never yours to begin with. If they don't love you enough to come back, then you are better without them. You are stronger for it. That's what I get from this song.

I also love how the music video shows all these people dancing and it makes me want to dance and just wriggle out of my skin into this awesomeness. The beat and rhythm plus Kelly Clarkson's voice equals awesome. Time to get up and dance to it.

PEACE OUT and HAVE A GOOD DAY, Rachel:)

Called to Controversy

Summary from GR (not my own):

"Called to Controversy" is a compelling look at the life of Moishe Rosen, the man behind the mission known as Jews for Jesus.
How did an ordinary Jewish man from Denver become an extraordinary force in missions to the Jewish people? What were his strengths and weaknesses, his successes and failures? Why did some love and trust Rosen while others despised and feared him? Discover the personality, principles, struggles and successes that made this man such a powerhouse. Radical, fanatical and indefatigable, Rosen challenged the status quo for Jews and Christians alike. In "Called to Controversy," you'll find a wealth of information layered with drama, humor, analysis and whimsy, offering a comprehensive look at the life of a controversial and complex man from beginning to end.

My thoughts:

This is the last historical book I read unless it is historical fiction. No more memoirs or autobiographies or biographies. They bore to me death, and I feel like I can't do them justice.  I respect Ruth Rosen for writing down her father's story and carrying on his legacy. But I think it would be far more interesting if Moishe had written his own story. Because Moishe's life was interesting, but not the way it was presented. And I felt like I never really got a sense of what it meant for Jews to be Jews for Jesus or how the foundation really functioned/worked. I feel like a lot of similar books have given me the same feelings, and I'm starting to realize that they all fall into the same category, and it's not a category that really suits me. I did enjoy getting to hear about Jewish culture, but overall this was a tedious read for me.  On a final last note I will say, the story of Moishe Rosen is a glorious one, dedicated to Jesus who saves, but this book is not written in such a way where the story stands out.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Armchair BEA Day 5

So it's ABEA Day 5, the final day. And I must say that as much as I loved it, I'm ready for it to be over, simply because I'm tired. I've determined I have a coffee/caffeine addiction. I drink so much coke soda and coffee, yall. Today I had two cups of joe in the morning, 2 cups two hours after, and a soda at 3. And at 5 I wanted another soda. It required so much time and energy with each post. I loved all the twitter parties. I loved meeting so many new people, authors, publishers, other book bloggers and readers like myself. I love everyone and anyone who has commented on this blog or who has taught me something about blogging. Shout-outs go to Eileen at Singing, Reading, and Writing in the Rain for making my blog button (see the right side bar) and to Lauren Oliver, Tahereh Mafi, Josephine Angelini, and @tiftalksbooks on twitter for being a host. And thanks to the hosts of the ABEA blog. Also thanks to my family for understanding why I needed to use the computer so much this week. And my incessant talking about the ABEA.
Okay on to today's topic: Ask The Experts. In your post, ask the visitors to your blog for blogging advice. What did you always want to know about blogging but were afraid to ask? Now is the time!

I've learned so much, but I still have so much I want to learn. So now I will post the Qs yall have inspired me to ask, that I have never even really considered before.

1. How can I create a header for my blog? Any suggestions for what it should look like?
2. Someone tell me about Library Thing and how to use it. Last post, someone commented saying it was a good way to get ARCS and a good place to post reviews, and I started an account but I had a hard time managing it.
3. Will you find me on GR? I'm there are Rachel Rooney, and I have a profile picture, same one that I use on my twitter account.
4. THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT How How How can I get an ARC copy of Requiem by Lauren Oliver, because she's driven me crazy!
5. Songs and Books. See my FF post. Any recommendations for music I should be listen' to?
6. How awesome is the Hunger Games? (movie and book) I haven't seen the movie yet! (that too is driving me crazy!)
7. How can I put up a list of other blogs I read? Because I see it on yall's blogs, but I don't know how to do it.
8. How can I know what times people are most likely to read my posts so I can schedule them that way?
9. How can I encourage commenting on my blog?
10. Is there are right way to host a giveaway?

Okay, that's all I got, but if I have more I'll post them here. Please comment and I will comment back on your blog. Have a great Friday and have a great weekend and happy reading!

Love, Rachel

Follow Friday--June 8, 2012

I know it's been a while since I did one of these. I took a break in August/May because I was so busy with finals and graduation and then taking sociology and microeconomics at college over the summer. Basically these hops work like this: go to alisoncanread.com, follow her and the feature (there's a new one every week), answer the Q, and link up when you're done with your post.

The Feature for this week is:

(who is a co-host of the FF)

Today's FF is "do your own thing." Mine is Songs & Books!

Answer:I love music that reminds me of book I've read or am reading. There's a lot of music out right now from the Hunger Games movie--Safe and Sound, Eyes Open, Come to the Water, Deep in the Meadow, Girl on Fire. Most often songs nowadays remind me of dystopia novels. Of women in worlds that tell them they are not strong enough to survive and live on the outside. Cassia from Matched/Crossed. Lena from Delirium/Pandemonium. Juliet from Shatter Me. Katniss, too. When it comes to who they love, I have two songs I esp LOVE: Holding on and letting go (Ross Copperfield) and Collie (Howie Day). Most importantly are the songs that remind me of Downton Abbey or Pride and Prejudice, but I won't list them all here, because there's so many! I will leave this FF with a Q: Don't ya just love LOVE?

Armchair BEA Day 4

Hey yall, it's Day 4 of the ABEA, and yes I do know I missed Day 3. I had to study microeconomics. I also had to take a placement test for math and English for college next year. I got a 100 on my writing test, and did well on the prealgebra, but not very well on algebra. So I didn't test into College Algebra, but Elementary Algebra. So if I was to to take math I'd have to do a year rather than a semester. Thus, I'm not taking math. At least not this year. I might take EA over the summer--NEXT summer. Also have to learn how to drive so I can drive myself to school next year. I also registered for classes for fall semester--Oral Communication, College Composition, Pilates (have to take a PE credit, but it's Tuesday/Thursday for an hour in the evening), Biology 101, and Cornerstone. Cornerstone is a foundation class for fall, and in the spring I'll take Capstone (which is just the foundation class for the spring). So yeah, that's why I wasn't on blogger yesterday. I had to go to school, take the test, find classes online, register, go driving, and study. But school gets out next Friday, and I am so ready to be done.

I am going to say something now and only now that some people won't like, but may understand. I feel underappreciated due to a lack of commenting on posts and a lack of followers. I've been stuck at 82 followers for a while now and about a year ago I was stuck at 16 followers. It took me forever just to get 50. I have more people following me on twitter, than on A Book Crazy Jane Austen Lovin' Gal. Is my blog like not crazy, awesome, fun? And commenting--I have 170 post and 112 comments as of today. There are some posts I don't even think some people read. Which doesn't make sense to me. Because most likely if you are reading my blog, you like to read and/or are another book blogger. Thus, wouldn't you want to read and comment on my blog?!?! I almost always comment on other people's. As you can see I'm a part of the Comment Pact (down at the bottom of the page).

It's just frustrating, because I want to know that people are reading my blog. I want to be a bigger part of the blogging community and for people to appreciate all the hard work and effort I put into each post.  And I don't always get that.
I love love love reading and blogging and all of you reading this made me love reading even more because of your blogs. You've taught me a lot about blogging.  It's more or less I am one of you, and I want to belong with yall. Yall know the semantics (Jellicoe Road lovers, right?) be. long to be. a longing to belong. long to be. long to belong. To be to long. My frustration stems from a lack of connection that I feel for some reason, and I feel the need to address it. But don't take this too hard.

Okay, so on to today, Day 4 of the ABEA. The subject is "Beyond your blog" and here's the prompt/question.

Has blogging opened up opportunities for you beyond getting free, advance copies of new books? Has it helped you get offers to write or review elsewhere (maybe even for pay)? Have you gotten invites to special events or places you might not have been to otherwise? Today, we'd like you to talk about those opportunities in you own posts, and later this morning, we'll have a guest post from one of our own Armchair BEA team members, about her freelancing experiences.

I've never gotten free ARC, only Indie books or books from my library or bookmooch. Or Booksneeze. The only ARCs I ever got were The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, which I got long after it had come out, and Thunder and Rain. I also recently got A Chance in the World that I requested for Booksneeze over a year ago and which they now just sent me. Now that it has come out.

I have also never gotten any other offers to write or review elsewhere. I blog because I love books (esp. Delirium #deliriumchat #twitter)
I want to be a writer and write tales as intriguing as those of my favorite authors: Lauren Oliver, Kristin Cashores, Tahereh Mafi, Suzanne Collins, Nicholas Sparks, Anita Shreve. I want to be a writer. I mean, I've been journaling since I was 12 years old, writing down stories before then. Stories that I've now thrown away. Some of them were lost ideas. But there are those tales that have stuck with me, stuck in my head. And I will write them down. I will write. I am already I a writer, and one day I'll be published. It's my dream, and in a way I'm livin' it and in a way I have yet to get there. But I'll get there.

It does not matter how slowly you go, but do not stop.--Confucius


So I guess overall I haven't gotten that many opportunities beyond my blog. But I have met some awesome people who I am now friends with on twitter. And I've gotten to know other blog writers--Eileen, Molli, Darlene, Tara, Katie, Becca. I've gotten to read some awesome books and find those awesome authors on twitter. I've gotten to participate in memes--What's happening? Mondays, Teaser Tuesdays, Tuney Tuesdays, Follow Fridays. And I think I'm better off because I blog. I think I'm a better writer because of it. I don't know where my blog is going to go. Honestly I don't think it'll last beyond 2014, but we'll see. Beyond my blog is me. And I'm a college student, a writer, a daughter, a friend, a Christian, a volunteer, a lover, a runner, an optimist. I'm a woman with my whole future ahead of me. And I have to go out there and grab ahold of me and let it shake me down to my roots and fill me with purpose.

Armchair BEA Day 2

It Day 2 of the Armchair BEA, and it's all about the Best Books of 2012 (thus far!). Here's my top 12:

The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Tears of Min Brock

The Secret Life of Prince Charming

The Atonement Child

To Come and Go like Magic

Moonglass

Shatter Me

Starcrossed

Eve

Delirium

North of Beautiful

Until There Was You

So there ya have it! Please comment below. I'm out of here, Love Rachel

Armchair BEA Day 1

This year, for the first time ever, I am participating in the Armchair BEA. It's very exciting and new for me, because I've never done it, and I feel like I'm taking the next step as a reader by doing this.

For those of you who are new, here's a little bit about me.

Like my blog says I'm a book crazy, Jane Austen Lovin' Gal. Jane Austen is the reason I created this blog. It used to be called My Jane Austen Obsession, but then I figured out I wanted to blog about more than just her books. Although I still do my 1 a month "sequels" (yall will understand if you read some of my very first posts!) I've been blogging since January 2011 as a project for my junior year creative writing class. I've stuck with it for over a year! I am book obsessed and I do love Jane Austen, but I am not from the south and I do not have an accent. I volunteer at Camp Barnabas, a camp for kids with special needs and a lot of volunteers there are Texans. Although, I don't see why I can't be a Gal just because I'm not from Texas:)

I also want to be a writer, and am going to write my own book this year (so excited!) I'm a Baptist, but I'm not one of those religious-shove-it-down-your-throat-people, although I do take my faith seriously and am very intense and wise and deep. I know a lot for a my age, and I don't know a lot for my age. But I am only 17. YES I am a high school graduate!! If you haven't figured it out yet, I am not just book crazy, I am crazy as in crazy wild and also crazy about life. I am that woman who grows up but still has the heart of a little girl in a dress with two swinging braids. I believe in havin' a purpose and using the gifts God gave us. I am that woman who always laughs, always smiles, always gives hugs, is always happy and excited to see you, is forever bright and optimistic.

I'm on GoodReads as Rachel Rooney and Twitter as @RachelRooneyr. For more about me, see my profile on the side of my blog.

Now on to the Interview.

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?

Well, I'm currently reading Nights of Rodanthe when I'm not busy. Being a student is very demanding; the book sits in my backpack, and I haven't gotten past page 1. As for my favorite books (I have 3!): The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Delirium, and North of Beautiful. While I've read SO MANY GOOD BOOKS, these are the top 3.

Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

I'm fascinated with bubbles. I've been to Eulethera, where I stood between the Atlantic and Caribbean sea. I paint with watercolors. I can't drive. I dream of having a blond and curly haired daughter named Selah. Summer is my favorite holiday, but I love spring too. I want to learn how to play the accordion. Bethany Hamilton is my hero. I want a tattoo, but I don't know where I would get it. I cannot just do "one"thing. Ever.

What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?

Ummmmm I don't really have anything specific to my blog, except its craziness.

Where do you see your blog in five years?

Honestly, I don't think I'll be blogging for that long. As much as I love blogging, my goal was 2 years. I don't know if I see myself doing it for 5.

Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?

My recommendation is: the best books I've read in 2011.

If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?

I mean, obviously Jane Austen. For the obvious reasons. Other than her, Melina Marchetta. I want my stories to have as much mystery, driving force, beauty as hers. Her books are awesome, and so is she.

What literary location would you most like to visit? Why?

I'd love to visit Shakespeare and Company in Paris, France. Because I'd love to live as a writer for free, have that be my life, learn French, be in the city of light and love, and have many fabulous adventures.

What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?

I love the blog hops and I love being on GoodReads. I love it when people comment on my blog (hint, hint:)

Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?

I don't know if my reading tastes have really changed. I think I'm just more in the know about which books are good, ya know I'm up to date with the (book) times.

Please comment below, leave your links, love God, love everyone you know, and peace out of here. Love and laughs, Rachel