Obession: Books - Part II, Books Cost too Much

Looking for my calendar giveaway on Bird Crafts?  It's here.

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 Okay... so much to do here today.  First of all... it's time for a giveaway winner!  

Random.org chose {drumroll, please}:

Congratulations Christina from Ruby Red Studio!  Please contact Megan to claim your prize.

If you didn't win... Megan still has a great offer for you.  

Order from Preppy Prints before Sunday {5/16/10} at midnight PST and mention my blog in the Message to Seller at checkout and Megan will refund $3.50 on your order... making the cost just $10 for your own Customized Digital Invitation!  Thanks Megan!

I will have a new giveaway starting next Tuesday, so be sure to check back.  

From now on my giveaways will be starting each Tuesday and running through Sunday, with winners announced each Monday.

Whew... now on to my regularly scheduled programming.

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"Books cost too much! That's why I opened Crown Books"

Anyone else remember that commercial from the 80's, or is it just me?  Just me?  Oh.

Well Brooke and I love to swap books and then pass them on to other friends, because that guy was right... books do cost too much. 

It got me to thinking that it would be fun to have a kind of book chain, where we passed the same book around to lots of friends, and had each person write a little review inside to pass along to the next person.

First of all, it had to be a good book worth passing along... right?

I took off the original cover, and cut out some key elements that the new book cover would need.

Then I decoupaged some fun paper onto the cover, along with those key elements.

Finally, I wrote my review on the inside cover.

You may want to spray the finished product with an acrylic clear finishing spray to keep it from being too tacky {and by tacky I mean sticky, not ugly... you'll have to keep yourself from making it ugly.} 

Does it make you want to read this book more?

You should want to read it anyway... it is excellent.

I think this would make a great gift for a book lover.  

And the best part is that because you are taking off the store cover... it will no longer have the price right on the gift!

Obsession: Books - Part 1

Looking for my calendar giveaway on Bird Crafts?  It's here.

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Looking for the Preppy Prints Digital Invitation Giveaway?  Scroll down or click here.

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I love to read!  

I wish I had more time to read.

My problem is that I can't just casually read a book that  I am really enjoying.  I get obsessed with it.

I ignore everyone and everything else.

My husband hates when I have a good book.

 I thought I would share some of my favorites with you to tick your husbands off too.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Set in my favorite era... Civil Rights South, this novel is so wonderful.
Truly one of my all-time favorites.
It's Kathryn's first published novel... I can't wait for more from her.

The Time Travler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Try not to get bogged down by the sci-fi element of this book and just enjoy the love story.

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

One of the best love stories you will ever read.  Written by a Romance-Novelist turned born-again Christian it is a beautiful picture of love and redemption.

The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells

Another Civil Rights South set story... fun, surprising, and dramatic.  Even if you have seen the movie, you will love the book.  The movie combines the stories from this book and its sequel, Little Alters Everywhere, which I liked, but not as much as this one.

The Green Mile by Stephen King

Again, even if you have seen the movie you will enjoy the book.  There is a great love story that they ignored in the movie.  I love a book that can make me cry... I finished this book and sobbed for about twenty minutes.  Sobbed.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

This book will make you want to go to Guernsey!  I loved, loved, loved this book.  An easy read, and so romantic.  I finished the book, and immediately went back and re-read the last chapter because I just didn't want it to be over.

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

Fascinating novel that intertwines the story of Brigham Young's 19th wife and the 19th wife of a modern day Fundamentalist LDS leader.  It's long, but a total page-turner.  There were times when I had to skip ahead through one story because I couldn't wait to find out what was happening in the next.

The Magician's Nephew by CS Lewis

The is the prequel to The Chronicles of Narnia series, and by far and away the best one of them all!  This one needs to be made into a movie, and I hope they will someday.  If you haven't read this series with your children, you must!  We started reading it with Beau when he was about 5 and we have two to go.

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Wonderful book... not even close to the same story that the movie portrayed.  I mourned for Jodi Picoult when I saw the movie because I think she must be devastated by how they massacred her amazing story.  If you've seen the movie... read the book, it's way better.  If you haven't seen the movie... don't!

sTORI TELLING by Tori Spelling

Okay... you knew I had to get a guilty pleasure in there.  First of all, I love a good autobiography, and didn't I just admit to you yesterday that I watch The Real Housewives?  This is me people.  Seriously though... surprisingly well written and hilarious, and freakishly fascinating at the same time.

Okay, now here are some books that I don't recommend:

The Shack by William P. Young

I know, I know... everyone loved this book, it's so great... blah, blah, blah.  I pained my way through this ridiculously over descriptive book because I have to finish a book once I've started it, and when it was through I threw it across the room.  I hated it.  I mean it.  Hated it.

 The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

An autobiography that is hard to believe.  This book was very interesting and well written, but utterly depressing and with no redemptive ending.  I won't give it away in case you are into depressing true stories, but as a mother I found it difficult to read... the absolute selfishness of the author's parents was disgusting.

 Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

Unlike most novels-turned-movie, this one is actually better as a movie.  See the movie.  Don't read the book.

Here's what on my to-read list:

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers

Mommywood by Tori Spelling

Unchartered TerriTori coming soon by Tori Spelling

Tomorrow I have a fun little book craft for you... stay tuned.