Book Confessions of an Ex-Ballerina

 
 
   

A girl looking for a way out.

Being the daughter of New America’s leader, Mercury Masters has everything a girl could want. A glamorous life full of beautiful people, and the power to have anything she wants, except for one thing—to escape. Because Mercury’s perfect life comes with secrets to keep. Dangerous secrets that if made public would destroy her, her family, and her father’s reign. Then she meets Hawk.

A boy looking to be a hero.

Hawk, a handsome prep school dropout turned vigilante, has his own family secrets. Deadly secrets that have haunted him since he was fifteen. But instead of fighting the ghosts of his past, Hawk has assembled a group of misfit hackers and thieves to save the future from the corrupt government of New America and the mysterious virus that is killing off its citizens. But trying to do the right thing is tough when the person you really want to save is your enemy’s daughter.

A love that could kill them both.

Powerful forces keep them apart, but coming together could be the key to saving New America from destruction—even though it may cost both their lives.

   

Scarlett Kol grew up in Northern Manitoba reading books and writing stories about creatures that make you want to sleep with the lights on. As an adult, she's still a little afraid of the dark. Scarlett now lives just outside Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with her husband and two boys, but if you need to find her she's likely freezing at the hockey rink.

   
 

You know what? I don't even know what that tagline means. Either way, it's Monday again and that means another week of meals for you to wet your pallet.

We've decided to add a kids night to the menu, so now Friday night is all about the kids. The meal will be simple and geared toward the family. Something we can all sit down to and eat together. A lot of the time, I make a separate meal for the boys or severely simplify it for my picky eaters. Its a pain and causes fighting most nights. It would be nice to have the boys seeing that mom and dad like the same things they do, and hopefully it will create a frustration free night, especially after a long week.

Enjoy this weeks menu... and kids night! 

- Leftovers Night

Thank you for hosting me on your blog!

There are so many stories I loved that could go on my top list. A lot are older ones. Like practically ancient. My all-time favorite will always be The Secret Garden. It holds special meaning for me and is weaved throughout the Library Jumpers series. But for this post, I decided to leave it out and choose more current books. Have you read any of them? What are your favorites?

1. The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling, will always top my list. The writing and the world building is fantastical and lovely. I want to go to Hogwarts and be a wizard. I’d so be a Hermione.

2. Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn is such an amazing story touching on sister bonds and tough decisions. The characters are well rounded and the relationship between Callie and Logan is sweet and swoon-worthy.

3. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell feels like a familiar story (see number one above) but is so different. I loved how the characters and the world feel real. Simon and Baz are just perfect together.

4. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is a novel filled with memorable characters and swoony moments. Perkins does the almost-kiss so well.

5. Teach Me to Forget by Erica M. Chapman stole my heart. It made me laugh and cry. Chapman puts such raw feelings into the story.

6. This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp is another tearjerker I couldn’t put down. It’s a gripping story about a school shooting. Within the tragedy that happens throughout the story, there is hope. The ending is gut punching. I loved the diversity in this book.

7. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh was such an amazing read. It’s a reimagining of The Arabian Nights. Ahdieh writes settings that breathe life and characters that surprise the reader at every turn of the page. 

8. The Reader by Traci Chee is a fantastical adventure that is beautifully written. It’s a book about the magic of words with amazing characters, heart-pounding action, and twists. Adored it!

9. Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith is probably a series I don’t have to explain, but it’s a thrilling read with to-die (pun intended) for characters and intense romance. I do have to admit, I’m a bigger fan of the T.V. series.

10. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare is a series I came to after early readers of mine mentioned the Library Jumpers series was similar and now I’m hooked. I’ve read the first two books and have the third in my TBR pile. I love Clary, Jace, and all the shadowhunters. And Simon—swoon! Clare can really write a story.

Brenda Drake grew up the youngest of three children, an Air Force brat, and the continual new kid at school. Her fondest memories growing up is of her eccentric, Irish grandmother's animated tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling. With kids of all ages populating Brenda's world, it was only fitting that she would choose to write stories with a bend toward the fantastical for both younger readers and the young at heart. And because she married her prince charming, there's always a romance warming the pages. Her favorite books are The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, Kings Row by Henry Bellamann, and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. When she's not writing, she hosts workshops and contests for writers such as Pitch Wars and Pitch Madness on her blog, and holds Twitter pitch parties on the hashtag, #PitMad. In her free time, Brenda enjoys hanging out with her family, haunting libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops, or just reading someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).

There are some awesome books being released this month. So many that I want to read that this post would be super long if I shared them all. I've decided to give you the three that are being released this week. Three that I've had an opportunity to read already, and I loved them. Make sure to add these ones to your Goodreads shelves, because they are epic!

This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place, things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.


The fledgling town of De Smet in the Dakota Territory is hit hard by the brutal winter of 1880-1881. Laura, Pa, Ma, Mary, Carrie, and little Grace face the winter as best they can, but soon, blizzards have covered the town in snow that piles up to the rooftops, cutting the town off from supplies and trade. Food stores begin to run dangerously low. To save the town from starvation, young Almanzo Wilder and a friend brave the conditions, set off across the prairie in search of wheat, and return victorious. The town is saved, and the townspeople share in an unusual, but joyful, Christmas celebration.

The nine books in the timeless Little House series tell the story of Laura’s real childhood as an American pioneer, and are cherished by readers of all generations. They offer a unique glimpse into life on the American frontier, and tell the heartwarming, unforgettable story of a loving family.
As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on fans, compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together, they endure the agony of foot-binding, and reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.
Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever. 
This edition follows the original numbering scheme. Recent publishers have renumbered the volumes so they are ordered chronologically. This was reportedly the author's preference. Other editions number this book as 2.