Daughters of the Sea Series by Kristen Day....I'm OBSESSED!!!

Get it for free on Kindle Amazon here!!!
Okay so out of curiosity and because I wanted to get back into reading more series I downloaded the Amazon Kindle app on my phone and tablet. I searched for free books and found a wonderful book Forsaken. The first of a series called Daughters of the Sea written by Kristen Day. I'd never heard of this author nor this series before but still decided to give it a try and I am VERY glad I did. I'm now obsessed.

The story centers around a teenager, Hannah, who was adopted by a family after being left on the steps of a police station as a baby and moved around "the system" her entire childhood. She experiences strange dreams and other incidents that leave her feeling completely confused and out of place. She also happens to be the direct descendant of a water Goddess but she doesn't know it...yet. She starts having fainting spells in which she would have these dream like experiences that seemed all too real. Finally her adopted mom decides it's time to take action and again, and takes her to a therapist who happens to be the door to her amazing, brand new, magical, unbelievable life. The complete series includes a total of 5 books that take you through the journey of Hannah (Anastasia as she decides to go by) as she learns where she came from and where she truly belongs and what she's meant to do.

It's funny because I've never been into Greek mythology until after reading this series and now seeing how much influence on our lives it has I'm hooked. For instance how our Achilles' heel is called that because of what happened to the Greek God Achilles. Or how the "world atlas" corresponds with the 'curse' put on the Greek God Atlas to hold up the world. It's crazy. My thought is something fake couldn't have such an establishing impact on an entire species. But that's another conversation for another day...er post. :-)

I hope if you are looking for something new and awesome to read that you check this one out.

Happy reading!!

Craigslist: Maybe the most unusual place to find a lovely short story

So if you've ever braved the different sections of Craigslist for ANY location you'd know why it's the LAST place anyone would ever expect to find such a riveting short story. Among the many postings for free curbside furniture, baby clothes for sale, and help wanted ads, who knew a beautiful love story would be created in the "missed connections" section. You have to be particularly brave to enter the gates of the "personals" section and even more than that you have to be CAREFUL otherwise you might stumble upon something that will be burned to your mind forever and hunt your dreams.

Although not professionally written, which is obvious by the lack of punctuation, in no way does that lessen the impact this story is sure to have on it's reader. In some weird way it actually makes it even more compelling, adding to it a rawness that it might otherwise lack if kept within the limits and editorial expectations of multiple edits. Surely if you like a good love story this is one you'd want to read. It's a simple story yet draws you in and keeps you reading to see if the two strangers make something of their encounter. I won't spoil it by telling you what happens but instead let you read it for yourself.

Here is a tidbit of the story:

"I saw you on the Manhattan-bound Brooklyn Q train.

I was wearing a blue-striped t-shirt and a pair of maroon pants. You were wearing a vintage red skirt and a smart white blouse. We both wore glasses. I guess we still do."

To continue reading this divine love story click here. Enjoy!

Famous Personalities Born on April 1 to 15

Does you birthday fall on April 1 to 15? Find out who shares your birthday!

Photo from guamsportsnetwork.com

April 1
Randy Orton, William Harvey, Otto von Bismarck, William Manchester, Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds, Annette O'Toole

April 2
Casanova, Hans Christian Andersen, Emile Zola, Sir Alec Guinness, Marvin Gaye, Charlemagne, Christopher Meloni, Adam Shulman, Amy Castle

April 3
Washington Irving, Alec Baldwin, Eddie Murphy, Amanda Bynes, Leona Lewis, Adam Scott, Wayne Newton

April 4 
Maya Angelou, Anthony Perkins, Robert Downey, Jr., David Blaine, Heath Ledger, Jamie Lynn Spears

April 5
Colin Powell, Pharrell Williams, Juicy J

April 6
Peyton List, James Watson, Raphael

April 7
William Wordsworth, Will Kellogg, Jackie Chan, Russell Crowe, Jack Black, Duncan James, Francis Ford Coppola

April 8
Betty Ford, Patricia Arquette, Sara Shepard, Vivienne Westwood

April 9
Kristen Stewart, Jesse McCartney, Jackie Evancho, Dennis Quaid

April 10
Joseph Pulitzer, John Madden, Steven Seagal, Haley Joel Osment, Mandy Moore

April 11
Morgan Lily, Charles Evans Hughes, Vincent Gallo, Tricia Helfer

April 12
Jennifer Morrison, Shannen Doherty, David Letterman, Beverly Cleary, Claire Danes, Tom Clancy, Brian McFadden

April 13
Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Beckett, Ron Perlman, Paul Sorvino

April 14
Annie Sullivan, Loretta Lynn, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Amy Dumas, Rod Steiger

April 15
Emma Watson, Leonardo da Vinci, Iyaz, Flex Alexander, Bessie Smith

"A" Phobias

Let's first define what phobia is. As per MedicineNet.com, Phobia is "An unreasonable sort of fear that can cause avoidance and panic. Phobias are a relatively common type of anxiety disorder. Phobias can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy, using exposure and fear-reduction techniques. In many cases, antianxiety or antidepressant medication proves helpful, especially during the early stages of therapy."

Ablutophobia - Fear of bathing, cleaning or washing.
Acerophobia - Fear of sourness.
Achluophobia - Fear of darkness.
Acousticophobia - Fear of noise.
Acrophobia - Fear of heights. (Altophobia)
Aeronausiphobia - Fear of vomiting.
Agateophobia - Fear of insanity.
Agliophobia - Fear of pain.
Agoraphobia - Fear of open spaces or of crowded places.
Agyrophobia - Fear of streets or crossing the street.
Aichmophobia - Fear of needles or pointed objects.
Ailurophobia - Fear of cats.
Alektorophobia - Fear of chickens.
Algophobia - Fear of pain.
Alliumphobia - Fear of garlic.
Allodoxaphobia - Fear of opinions.
Amathophobia - Fear of dust.
Amaxophobia - Fear of riding in a car. (Hamaxophobia, motorphobia, ochophobia)
Ambulophobia - Fear of walking.
Amnesiphobia - Fear of amnesia.
Amychophobia - Fear of getting scratched.
Anablephobia - Fear of looking up.
Androphobia - Fear of men.
Anemophobia - Fear of air drafts or wind.(Ancraophobia) 
Anglophobia - Fear of England or English culture, etc.
Angrophobia - Fear of anger or of becoming angry.
Anthrophobia - Fear of flowers. (Anthophobia)
Anthropophobia - Fear of people or society.
Antlophobia - Fear of floods.
Anuptaphobia - Fear of staying single.
Apeirophobia - Fear of infinity.
Aphenphosmphobia - Fear of being touched. (Haphephobia)
Apiphobia - Fear of bees.
Apotemnophobia - Fear of persons with amputations.
Aquaphobia – fear of water.
Arachibutyrophobia- Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth.
Arachnephobia - Fear of spiders. (Arachnophobia)
Arithmophobia - Fear of numbers.
Arrhenphobia - Fear of men.
Arsonphobia - Fear of fire.
Asthenophobia - Fear of fainting or weakness.
Astraphobia - Fear of thunder and lightning.(Astrapophobia, Ceraunophobia, Keraunophobia)
Astrophobia - Fear of stars or celestial space.
Asymmetriphobia - Fear of asymmetrical things.
Ataxophobia - Fear of disorder or untidiness.
Atelophobia - Fear of imperfection.
Athazagoraphobia - Fear of being forgotten or ignored or forgetting.
Atychiphobia - Fear of failure. (Kakorrhaphiophobia)
Aulophobia - Fear of flutes.
Aurophobia - Fear of gold.
Autodysomophobia - Fear of one that has a vile odor.
Automatonophobia - Fear of ventriloquist's dummies, animatronic creatures, wax statues - anything that falsely represents a sentient being.
Automysophobia - Fear of being dirty.
Autophobia - Fear of being alone or of oneself.
Aviophobia - Fear of flying. (Aviatophobia)

Sources: 
http://phobialist.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_phobias

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

I read this book since it was being compared to Gone Girl and Before I Go to Sleep. It's also been on the NY Times Best Sellers for 12 weeks now and that got me convinced to read this.

Photo from goodreads.com

I found this book generally fast-paced. I got confused at first with the dates but when it was easy to get the hang of it. There were three narrators for this book. With that in mind, I didn't feel like there were three persons narrating. They sounded the same and talked the same so it got boring in some places.

What I like about this book is that I couldn't predict the outcome at all. Unlike with other thrillers and suspense, this has kept me on my toes until the last few pages. Human emotions and relationships were realistically conveyed, capturing the dark essence of humanity.

I still like Gone Girl better. Maybe because I read that first and I had such high expectations with this book. That said, this is still a good read.

10 Quotes About Happiness

Here are some quotes about happiness that will surely get your spirits up.

Photo from: ishafoundation.org

1. It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness. (Charles Spurgeon)
2. I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it. (Groucho Marx)
3. Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get. (W.P. Kinsella)
4. It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will. (L.M. Montgomery)
5. The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. (George Washington Burnap)
6. Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile. (Mother Teresa)
7. Happiness quite unshared can scarcely be called happiness; it has no taste. (Charlotte Brontë)
8. One of the keys to happiness is a bad memory. (Rita Mae Brown)
9. Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy. (Guillaume Apollinaire)
10. It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living. (F. Scott Fitzgerald)

Have a happy day!

Inspirational Quotes: Life

Feeling down? Here are some inspiring quotes that will lift your spirits up.

Photo from: hedgy.com

• Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow. (Helen Keller)
• You're going to go through tough times - that's life. But I say, 'Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.' See the positive in negative events. (Joel Osteen)
• If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes. (John Wooden)
• In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can. (Nikos Kazantzakis)
• Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground. (Theodore Roosevelt)
• Either I will find a way, or I will make one. (Philip Sidney)
• In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. (Abraham Lincoln)
• Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
• You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry, don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way. (Walter Hagen)
• Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. (Marie Curie)
• When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained. (Mark Twain)

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

The Undomestic Goddess is a book written by the author of the famous Shopaholic series, Sophie Kinsella. I enjoyed reading the Shopaholic series so I decided to give this a try.

Photo from goodreads.com

Samantha Sweeting is a lawyer who is up for partnership, a feat she's been working very hard for for years. However, all chances of a promotion disappeared when she made the worst mistake that a lawyer like her can make. She has a breakdown and accidentally ends up being a housekeeper. Samantha now has a new problem - she doesn't know how to do any kind of house work. Sophie Kinsella tells of how she begins again. She tells how Samantha learns how to cook, iron, sew and how she finds love in the process. But can she ran away from her problems forever?

I personally like this book better than the Shopaholic series. I sometimes get annoyed with the Shopaholic lead's Becky. This didn't happen at all with Samantha.

This isn't entirely a light read since there are serious parts too. However, the way Sophie Kinsella wrote this made this a light read. This is a good read if you're looking for a book you can read in your down time.

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

This is my first time reading a Jennifer Crusie book. I've been hearing a lot of positive feedback and the ratings are high so I gave it a try. And much to my surprise, it is really good.

Photo from goodreads.com

Bet Me is a romantic comedy that tells of the love story of Minerva Dobbs, a thirty-three year old woman who is not thin, and Calvin Morrisey, a guy who could be described as God's gift to women. Their love story started with a bet but could they make it last?

I love the way that this was written. It was light, witty and funny. I guarantee that you'll be laughing your head off with Bet Me. If you're looking for a read that will take the aftertaste of a dark-themed or heavy book, this is highly recommended.

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

If you're looking to read a romance novel that will touch your heart, you don't have to look any further. A Walk to Remember is one of Nicholas Sparks's bests. It is certainly one of the best romance novels out there.

Photo from goodreads.com

This book tells of the beautiful love story of Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan. Landon didn't think that he was the type of guy who'd fall for someone like Jamie, a Baptist minister's daughter. But he did, slowly and surely. Jamie showed him a depth and goodness of heart that utterly and irrevocably changed him forever.

Nicholas Sparks has woven an unforgettable story that will entrance you and stir your deepest emotions. A Walk to Remember is guaranteed to move you.

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

A lot of people don't even know that there's a book that goes before The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe in The Chronicles of Narnia. Most just head right on to the first book but you wouldn't really get the feel of the story if you skip this one.

Photo from goodreads.com

The Magician's Nephew tells of how Narnia was created. It also gives us a good look at Queen Jadis. Did you even know that Queen Jadis has already been to London? I had a fun time imagining her experience there. But my favorite part in this book is when Aslan, the Lion was creating Narnia. It was beautiful reading that part.

If you liked reading The Chronicles of Narnia, this is a must read so you know the beginnings and origins - from Narnia, to Queen Jadis, to the lamp post and the Wardrobe.

The Dark Half...Stephen King

This book is about an author Thad Beaumont who is a recovering alcoholic and husband. He writes these very dark stories under an alias George Stark. Then this "George Stark" comes to life and starts killing people. It's a really good read. Come to find out the author actually has a twin in utero whom he absorbed and was removed from him as a child. So now he deals with massive headaches and the people that know about it begin to wonder if it's his headaches that are causing his split personality or if that twin still has a hold on him somehow. It's amazing the details put into the story such as that when Thad is taken over by Stark mentally he leaves notes and even has completely different handwriting. The notes explain to Thad what Stark does while he's in control. Even watching his family. They seem to be able to have a bond as twin's sometimes are thought to. Including feeling each other's pain and at times reading each other's mind. By the end of the book Thad's wife is having serious doubts about the future of their marriage and is especially worried about the fact that Thad seems to like this other half...this "dark half" of himself.

For more info visit: http://stephenking.com/library/novel/dark_half_the.html

The Shack

No, I haven't finished my current novel but was thinking that I wanted to remember to mention a certain book to you all so I figured I should mention it now so I didn't forget lol.

This wonderful book even though I'm not a religious person by any means is a good read. It made me wonder, it made me smile, it made me cry. If you're looking for something to give you a little inspirations while going through a dark time you should definitely look into this book.

www.theshackbook.com/

John Grisham's Gray Mountain

So I know this isn't a short story either but I love John Grisham. I just started reading Gray Mountain.


It's really good so far (as are the other novels I've read by him). It's centered around a lawyer who was laid-off from her job at some big time Wall Street Law Firm in Manhattan. Then the recession hits and the firm downsizes and she gets furloughed and escorted out of the building. She has to choose one out of a list of places (provided to her) to intern for x amount of time as part of the furlough. She decides to take one in some podunk town in Virginia right smack in the middle of Appalachia. So she's getting a taste of "real people" with "real problems" as she put it. So far that's where I am in the story and it's pretty good. If you've never read as John Grisham novel and like to read you should definitely check out one of his books.

http://www.jgrisham.com/

My latest read....

The latest book I've read is the second book of the The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King called The Drawing of the Three. If you've never read it or any of Stephen Kings books I'd suggest you do so. You are missing out. I love how in this book it defies our sense of what's possible and takes you on a journey though the mind of multiple characters that end up having a common thread in their stories. Even though each character is from a different time once you get to know the string of events it's easy to piece together the happenings that led them to where they currently are in life. I'm trying not to give too much away because I hate to spoil it for anyone who may be intrigued enough to read it for themselves but what I will say is I'm definitely on the search for the next book in the series.


What are your thoughts? Have you read this book? If so did you like it? Did you read the entire series? If you haven't read this book do you even like Stephen King as an author? Have you read any of his books? I'd like to know your thoughts/opinions.

Thanks All!!

Things to share

Hello,

I love to read and because of that I love to share what I read with others in hopes that those who don't enjoy it as much as I do will find start to understand the magic a book or short story can breath into your mind.

With that being said this blog will be about just that...short stories and books I've read. If you have any that you like and would like to share please feel free to share them in the comments.

Thanks all!