Books and Bling

Ummm, I promise I still live here

So, yup, ummm…haven’t visited in a while. Let’s just call it an extended vacation.
Have I been reading tons of books? YUP!
Have I been reading tons of blogs?
Totally!
Have I forgotten about my cool little spot on the www?
Nope!
Excuses?
Not a one!

So what’s up, whatcha been doing, why’d you leave?
Dissertation writing, 8th grade kiddo teaching, Schmoopy love life living, Instagram loving, scrapbook mess making & all that jazz.
But summer’s coming and I’m feeling the blog love again. So, no promises, but I think I’m ready!

Pic proof of the life that’s been happening:
Yay Books!

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AWESOME YALL FEST PIC ROUND UP!

20 Nov By Mandee Leave a Comment

My super adorable friend Laura & I set out on an adventure to Charleston, SC for YALL FEST! It was an awesome trip filled with tons of book love! Here are a few of our favorite pics from the weekend. Yay books!

My new YALL FEST shirt

Cassie Clare & Holly Black

My ticket to meet Cassie Clare. Alas, it wasn’t in the cards that day. Sad Panda!

Adam Gidwitz rocks Grimm with tons of sass! Love it!

Trenton Lee Stewart! Love his Mysterious Benedict Society series!!

David Levithan. I love the way he makes the world a better place with every awesome book he writes!

Gayle Forman…OMG! Love her!

Laura & I on a bike taxi! Check out the cool reflection in her glasses! So fun!

Carrie Ryan…then I died! Love her!! Also, LOVE HER!

The coolest YALL FEST volunteer around!

Laura with her fave, Stephanie Perkins

Laura with Carrie Ryan. Did I mention that I love these two?!?!

My new favorite necklace by the amazing www.hebeldesign.com Love her work!

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Today I am…talking about bullying at Uniquely Moi Books!

25 Oct By Mandee Leave a Comment

I stopped by Uniquely Moi books to give my teacher perspective on bullying. Check it out and you could win a copy of A.S. King’s epically awesome EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS. ANTS is an awesome book about bullying, the kind of wounds we can see, and the kind scars that we can’t. (And also because I [...]

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Sending ASK THE PASSENGERS my love!

24 Oct By Mandee Leave a Comment

Wow! I just finished A.S. King’s ASK THE PASSENGERS. Her words live, as they always do, like magic, like the perfect hug, like a tattoo that gets inked onto all that you are and ever were, like the one thing you need to hear at the right time to know that everything really will be ok. [...]

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Finally! AS King’s New Book!! Ask the Passengers!

15 Oct By Mandee Leave a Comment

Yup, I totally love A.S. King. She rocks my whole face off. I’ve been waiting for this book for at least a million years (or a few months, whatevs). It arrived on my doorstep Friday. And I devoured it. I love it. I kinda wanna marry it. (just kidding…maybe). Go read it. Now! I don’t [...]

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YALL Fest!! Woot!

12 Oct By Mandee Leave a Comment

So, I totally (finally) decided to go to YALL FEST!! WOOT! YAY!! BOOKS! *tries to calm down & fails* Yall Fest is an awesome one day author/book loving event in Charleston, SC. AND I CANNOT WAIT! Check it out & join the fun!

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Ashes & Shadows…Ilsa J. Bick Rocks This Post!

2 Oct By Mandee 1 Comment

So, you may remember when I read Ilsa J. Bick‘s Ashes. It freaked me out & kept me up at night. I LOVED IT! It also ended in a OMG! WHAT THE WHAT! cliffhanger! I totally love/hated how Ilsa rocked those last two pages! Finally, finally, finally, Shadows is here! And, let me tell you, [...]

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Today I am…joining a LGBT reading event!

17 Sep By Mandee Leave a Comment

Today I am…Joining a LGBT reading event. The mega awesome Roof Beam Reader is hosting THE LITERARY OTHERS: AN LGBT READING EVENT in October. I’m totally participating! I’m jumping in because equality is an issue that I am passionate about. Sometimes people ask me why LGBT rights are such a big issue to me when [...]

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Oh My Awesome Authors! DBF12 Rocked!

5 Sep By Mandee 5 Comments

This weekend was the Decatur Book Festival. It is an amazing celebration of authors, books, and those who love them! I hung out there all weekend (yup, me outside for two days straight…that should tell you how great of an event it is!!). Schmoopy, Ash, from Smash Attack Reads, and I had a blast in [...]

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Ilsa Bick…OMG! Cannot wait for Shadows!

20 Aug By Mandee 1 Comment

Ashes totally (TOTALLY) freaked me out! I mean, I had to stop reading it at night. It was awesome and scary and creepy…I loved it! So, Shadows is coming out soon (9/25/12). I am lucky and I get to read it early (Yay!). I’m starting it tonight. YAY! I hope that it terrifies me and [...]

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