My July Blogging Break

    As a lot of you already know, I will not be blogging in July. My reasons are semi- explained in a previous post.

"Yes, that's right, I will not be blogging in July. There are multiple reasons I'm doing this, the main reasons being that I want a low-stress summer and just want to take a little break. I'll be back in August though, I promise!" 

    As of right now, I will be stopping by a few times in August, for a blog tour and a couple of other random posts. And never fear! For those of you who were concerned and asked this question- I will still be responding to emails and via twitter and goodreads in July. So you CAN get in contact with me if you need to. And remember, Erin will still be posting, so it's not like Mint Tea & A Good Book will be completely postless in July.

     So that's about it. I hope all you readers have a fabulous July, and I will see you sooner than you think!  (well I don't really know what you think, but I'm assuming so) :)

TGIF (37): Best Books of 2012

TGIF is a feature hosted by Ginger over at GReads! Ginger asks a fun question every week and bloggers post their answers. TGIF is a great way to learn about some of your favorite bloggers, and have fun posting too!


This Week's Question Is............

What are your top three favorite books that you have read in 2012?

1. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green: 

Me reading TFIOS (source)

           I read The Fault In Our Stars in January and it has left me flabbergasted, awestruck, amazed, and feeling like a small bolt of lightning has struck me ever since I read it. I accidentally bought three copies of The Fault In Our Stars (it's a long story) and I planned on giving one....or two..... away, but greed has taken over me. This book is a part of me, and I just can't give it away--it would be like giving away my foot to someone, and that would be an all around bad plan. 
           When I read TFIOS I looked like the crying little guy to the left. Every single person that has read TFIOS that I know (which is about 20 or more people) has cried while reading it. I was sitting at a table at school and I spotted a girl reading a book... a suspiciously familiar book. I knew that TFIOS blue cover from a mile away so I jumped up. Now, a play about me interacting with the girl reading TFIOS :


Erin's Encounter With a Girl Reading The Fault In Our Stars
Act I Scene I


[Erin enters Said Girl's vision and obnoxiously taps her on the shoulder. Erin is bouncing on her toes like a fangirl]


Erin: So, I see you are reading The Fault In Our Stars!
Said Girl: Yeah, I am
Erin: What part are you on, don't you loooooooooooooooove it??
Said Girl: Yeah, I guess it's alright, I don't really know what part I am at though.


[Erin then drops her jaw and stares at girl wide-eyed]


Erin: You WHAT? You think it is "alright." Don't you adore it??

[Said girl looks up at Erin and slowly inches off seat]


Said Girl: Yep, ummmm, it's alright so far 


[Erin regains composure and peeks at what part Said Girl is on]


Erin:  Said Girl, I would stop reading this book in public right now, you are about to start bawling.
Said Girl: Nope, I don't think I'll cry while reading this book.
Erin: Oooooooh, Said Girl, I guarantee you will cry while reading The Fault In Our Stars, trust me!
Said Girl: I really don't think so.
Erin: Whatever you say....


[Next day]
Act I Scene II


Said Girl: Erin, I went home and finished The Fault In Our Stars. I cried SOOOOOO much! It is the best book I have ever read!


[Erin puts arm around Said Girl's shoulder and conveniently hands her a tissue]


Erin: I know, it's going to be alright. You can make it through this time of pain.

THE END

I hope that this way-too-long of a rambling helped you understand my love for TFIOS. If you would like to see my review of this fabulous novel click here. 

I know books are good when they
make me cry because I'm happy,
and cry because I'm sad. (source)

2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: I'll make these next two book descriptions short and sweet because of my TFIOS ramble. The Book Thief was absolutely incredible. Yes, this novel made me cry as well. Whenever I read novels that take place in the World War II era (like The Book Thief), they are normally about a person suffering in a concentration camp during the Holocaust. The Book Thief was about a German girl, Liesel (who was not in a concentration camp, but lived a "normal" German life), and her life during the World War II era. It was interesting to see Liesel's outlook on life then, and how she was affected by World War II. This novel is inspirational, tragic, and extremely real--you should read it! See  my review here. 




3. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli: After reading Stargirl I felt extremely refreshed; Suddenly the world made sense, and I knew that if you were nice to other people, and (as cheesy as it sounds) did what your heart told you to do, then life would be good and the world would be a better place. Stargirl is incredibly eye-opening. Yes, again, I cried while reading Stargirl too (man, I need to toughen up!). In my review of Stargirl I wrote,


"As I was reading Stargirl I felt like I needed to hold the book above my head (somewhat like when Cimba was being introduced to the animal community in the Lion King) and shout "This book holds all the answers!"


I still firmly believe in this statement. If you want to feel uplifted, then read Stargirl! Click here to see my review of Stargirl.


Thanks for reading this novel of a post! Feel free to comment and link your TGIF!

June Book of The Month: The List

Title: The List
Author: Siobhan Vivian
Publisher: Push
Release Date: April 1, 2012


Goodreads Synopsis:

An intense look at the rules of high school attraction -- and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.

My Review: 


Heartbreaking, intriguing, unique, realistic, and engrossing are all words that could describe the fabulous novel, The List. The List exposes the upsetting reality of the lengths girls will go to try and be "beautiful" and the harsh things girls who are considered "ugly" have to go through. 


One aspect of The List that was different than any other novel I have read, was that there were eight main characters. You can do a double take of the last sentence if you wish, but yes, I said eight. When I began The List and noticed that there were eight main characters, I was a smidge worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up with all of them and that I wouldn't have enough time to become attached to a character because there were seven other characters to keep track of as well. I was mistaken! I got to know every character extremely well, and as I read I became more attached to some characters than others.

Now, onto a blabbersize--an interesting program I used to make a podcast about The List. 

The List is eye-opening, and definitely not sugar coated. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and hope that you will as well!

Thanks for reading a Mint Tea and A Good Book Book of the Month! I hope you decide to pick up The List!

Top Ten (errr...five...) Tuesday: Do I Know You??

Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week The Broke and The Bookish posts a topic and lists their top ten things that fall under the category. Top Ten Tuesday is a great way to learn more about your favorite bloggers and discover new blogs and books as well! To learn more about Top Ten Tuesday and see the weekly topics, click here. 


This Week's Topic Is........

Top Ten Book Characters That Remind You of You or Someone You Know

1. Lola from Lola And The Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins: One of my good friends, Gus, reminds me somewhat of Lola from Lola and the Boy Next Door. Gus' personality doesn't necessarily mirror Lola's, however her love of fashion does. Gus is always talking about the clothing store Anthropology, and she regularly raids thrift stores. In fact, Gus and my other friend Ramona have a fashion blog. Click here to see it. 

2. Rosalind from The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall: One of my best friends, Finlay, reminds me a lot of Rosalind from The Penderwicks. Finlay always keeps the peace/order and is a wonderful, wonderful sister. Finlay jokes around and isn't as uptight as Rosalind, but her care for other people is like Rosalind's. 


3. Rue from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: Finlay's little sister, Willa, reminds me a little bit of Rue. Willa is like a stick of dynamite. She does back flips left and right, is extremely adventurous, and is a volleyball rock star. Her athletic abilities remind me of Rue. If Willa wanted to, I'm sure she could swing from tree branches.


4. Payton from Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt: Willa from Willa's Ramblings (a different Willa than Willa from #3) reminds me a smidge of Payton from Sean Griswold's Head. Willa is very organized, and likes things to be in order. Payton color coats everything, and is a very neat person, so Willa reminds me of her. One time Willa came over and my room, well....it was not looking like the people from Extreme Home Makeovers had come over. The messiness of the room greatly peeved Willa, so she set to work and started organizing and cleaning.

5. Stargirl from Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli: My piano teacher reminds me a lot of Stargirl. My piano teacher is very free-spirited, and extremely kind. She believes in random acts of kindness, and is a great listener. The way that my piano teacher does things a little differently, and is an amazing person reminds me of Stargirl.


Feel free to leave a comment and link your Top Ten Tuesday!

Book Cover Runway

I am part of a book reviewer group at my local book store. The other day we were asked to think about what catches our attention on the cover of a book. So, today I am going to post about some of my favorite book covers (with a runway theme). Enjoy!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(*Turn on the classic radio voice in your head*) Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming to the show! Today, some of the best models in the literary land will be joining us to strut their stuff. Let's get off to the races!

First up we have the lovely Ms. Why We Broke Up. Give her a hand. 

Ms. Why We Broke Up is looking snazzy! Ms. Why We Broke Up is simple, yet very dramatic. I love the bold red in the background. The red isn't overpowering, but it makes the book pop! I absolutely adore how the font looks handwritten and somewhat casual. The aspect that I like the most about this lovely cover is that the tea cup is falling. It is so cool that there is action(the falling of the cup) on the cover of the novel. I also adore that the words that make up the title are falling with the tea cup. 

Up next is the uber stylish Stargirl. Stargirl is simple, frivolous, and sophisticated all at once. I love that there are no words on this cover, and that the pictures are very literal as to what the title is. Please applaud ladies and gentleman.

Ladies and Gentlemen please clap for Mr. Boyfriend List (15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs, and Me Ruby Oliver). Again, the cover is simple. There isn't a lot going on, yet the cover is attention grabbing. I like the sassy look on the frog's face because it is humorous and relates to the title. Because the background of this book cover is white, I enjoy the bold green and pink on the front--it makes the cover pop. 

Now, here comes Ms. An Abundance of Katherines. Ms. Katherine is incredibly colorful and the way the title is arranged is creative. Another thing I adore about Ms. Katherine is that all of the girls have a different silhouette. Very nice and creative. Again, this cover isn't overly busy, but it pops. Please put your hands together for Ms. Katherine!


Thank you for coming to the runway ladies and gentlemen. Feel free to comment about some of your favorite book covers.

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid

An "Adult" Novel

Title: The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
Author: Bill Bryson
Publisher: Broadway Books
Release Date: October 17, 2006

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Some say that the first hint that Bill Bryson was not of Planet Earth came when his mother sent him to school in lime-green Capri pants. Others think it all started with his discovery, at the age of six, of a woollen jersey of rare fineness. Across the moth-holed chest was a golden thunderbolt. It may have looked like an old college football sweater, but young Bryson knew better. It was obviously the Sacred Jersey of Zap, and proved that he had been placed with this innocuous family in the middle of America to fly, become invisible, shoot guns out of people's hands from a distance, and wear his underpants over his jeans in the manner of Superman. Bill Bryson's first travel book opened with the immortal line, 'I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to.' In his deeply funny new memoir, he travels back in time to explore the ordinary kid he once was, and the curious world of 1950s America. It was a happy time, when almost everything was good for you, including DDT, cigarettes and nuclear fallout. This is a book about growing up in a specific time and place. But in Bryson's hands, it becomes everyone's story, one that will speak volumes - especially to anyone who has ever been young.


My Review: 


The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid  (LTTK) was a hilarious and painstakingly honest memoir. If one was to briefly describe this memoir, it would sound as entertaining as staring at a gray wall all day long. Essentially,  LTTK is about a boy growing up in the 50s in Des Moines, Iowa. I don't know how he did it, but Bill Bryson made a novel about a boy growing up in the 50s in Des Moines, Iowa one of the funniest, most intelligent books to grace the shelf of any book store or library. Just so you can catch a glimpse of how Mr. Bryson can turn something seemingly boring into a laugh-out-loud scenario, here is a passage about a school project made from Lincoln Logs: 


        " What Buddy Doberman and I discovered was that if you peed on Lincoln Logs you bleached them white. As a result we created, over a period of weeks, the world's first albino Lincoln Log cabin, which we took to school as part of a project on Abraham Lincoln's early years. Naturally we declined to say how we had made the logs white, prompting pupils and teachers alike to examine them keenly for clues. 
        'I bet you did it with lemon juice,' said Mr. Sipkowicz, who was youthful, brash, and odious, and had an unfortunate taste for flashy ties, and who for a single semester had the distinction of being Greenwood's only male teacher. Before we could stop him (not that we had any intention or desire to, of course) he shot out a long, reptilian tongue and ran it delicately and experimentally--lingeringly, eye flutteringly-- over the longest log in the back wall, which by chance we had prepared only that morning, so that it was still very slightly moist."


Not only was LTTK hilarious, but it taught me a lot about the 50s. Sadly, before I read LTTK, I didn't know anything about the 50s. For every decade I have at least a single word/event/image that defines the decade in my mind. Here is a timeline of my thoughts on each decade before I read LTTK:


'00s- Great grandma born
'10s- World War I
'20s- Flapper dresses 

20s Flapper Dress/girl (Source)

'30s-Great Depression 
'40s-World War II and Holocaust 
'50s-Yep, really don't know


?????????????


'60s- JFK was president, and first man on the moon
'70s- Disco 

Source

'80s-Bad make up and hair 
'90s-Technology Boom


Now, after reading LTTK I have a greater knowledge of life in the 50s. I know that people were feeling confident, and happy. The Great Depression was over, as was World War II, and life was good. After I read LTTK I was told that the 50s were described as America's golden era/age and I fully understand why.


 This book was my first official memoir to read, and surprisingly enough, it was written by a somewhat normal (other than the fact that he is an incredibly talented author) middle aged man . This middle aged man (Bill Bryson--no offense to him) did not escape from Alkatraz, survive the Holocaust, climb Mt. Everest, backpack the Great Wall of China (although he did hike the Appalachian trails, but that story is in another one of his books, A Walk In The Woods), or go into outer space. He grew up in Des Moines, Iowa and wrote an amazing memoir that a teenage girl and a middle aged man (my dad LOVED it as well) could enjoy. Don't shy away from this book because it is a memoir written about somewhat normal happenings--it is amazing! 

Top Ten Tuesday: Summertime Must Reads

Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week The Broke and The Bookish posts a topic and lists their top ten things that fall under the category. Top Ten Tuesday is a great way to learn more about your favorite bloggers and discover new blogs and books as well! To learn more about Top Ten Tuesday and see the weekly topics, click here. 


This Week's Topic Is...... 

Top Ten Books on Your Summer To Be Read List

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen- If you were to look at the list of books that I have read, the ratio of classic novels to contemporary/modern novels is about 1 to 1,000,000. Unfortunately I haven't read all that many classic novels (in fact, maybe only To Kill a Mockingbird...). So, my goal this summer is to add some classics to my reading resume. I decided to start with Pride and Prejudice because there are so many cultural references to this novel that make me feel like a deer in the headlights. I don't want to be a deer in the headlights, I want to be a deer safely housed on the side of the road (or better yet a forest), so there you have it, I'm going to read Pride and Prejudice.

2. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson- Second Chance Summer sounds like a heart-breaker, but I am ready for it. I read Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson and I was head over heels for it. I'm excited to read another novel by Ms. Matson (woo hoo)!

3. A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson- The next three books (including this one) are on my summer reading list for school, but they all look like magnificent novels. Right now I am reading the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson, and it is awesome, hilarious, witty and more, so I look forward to reading A Walk In The Woods.

4. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon- I started CIDNT and I adore it. I am intrigued by the main character, Christopher, and his perspective. I also like the lay out of the novel and that all of the chapter numbers are prime numbers.

5. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini- I don't know much about this novel, but I have read a short synopsis and the novel looks very interesting. I know that A Thousand Splendid Suns takes place in Afghanistan, and I always love learning about different countries, so wha-la, I look forward to reading this book.

6. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler- Twenty Boy Summer has been on my TBR list for over  a year and I haven't gotten around to it. I am bound and determined to get my hands on this book before summer ends. Plus, my friends who have read Twenty Boys Summer all enjoyed it.

7. The List by Siobhan Vivian- I own The List, and it is signed by the one and only Siobhan Vivian. I enjoyed Senora Vivian's book, Same Difference, and the premise of The List seems very entertaining and heart felt. I am looking forward to this novel (plus, the cover is awesome).

8. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs- This novel has been on my TBR list  since the ice age. MPHPC looks positively eerie, yet amusing at the same time. I have been wanting to read this novel for a long time and then I saw this vlogbrothers videos (click here) which then lead me to this video which makes me want to read it even more. I can't wait for MPHPC!

9. Wanderlove by Kristen Hubbard- I don't have a ton of background information on this novel, but I do know that Meredith loves it and I know that it takes place in Guatemala. The premise of Wanderlove reminds me of Red Glass by Laura Resau (which everyone should read) which I adore and treasure, so Wanderlove is definitely on my summer TBR list.

10. Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King-  I loved Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King. It was a great kind of eccentric, and absolutely phenomenal. Everybody Sees the Ants looks tragic, heart felt, but entertaining nonetheless. I'm looking forward to it.

What is on your summer TBR list??

TGIF (36)- Most Valued Book (MVB)

 TGIF is a feature hosted by Ginger over at GReads! Ginger asks a fun question every week and bloggers post their answers. TGIF is a great way to learn about some of your favorite bloggers, and have fun posting too!


This week's question is...

Most Valuable Book: From your personal collection of books, which ones hold the most value to you - is it signed by the author? or maybe it's your favorite story of all time? 

source

 1. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray- I met Libba Bray last October at an evening event during the Texas Book Festival. I was still sort of shaking from meeting Sarah Dessen, but Willa, Erin, and I saw Libba Bray and sprinted walked swiftly towards her. And so we said hi, you know- the usual, and then Willa launched into this story about spilling water on Beauty Queens, leaving it on the car to dry, and then driving away forgetting it was there, and having it fall off the roof of the car... (you can ask Willa if you want to know the full story) And after the story was done I gave Libba Bray my copy of Beauty Queens to sign, and she took up the first few title pages and blank pages (whatever you call those things) giving me advice about not putting books on top of cars. Additionally, Beauty Queens is just such a fun book, so that's another reason why it's my MVB. ;)

 2. Next Stop Grand Central by Maira Kalman- Maira Kalman is probably my favorite illustrator. Her drawings are always just so quirky and unique! And I've been reading her books since as long as I can remember. This one, Next Stop Grand Central, I love for so many reasons. The first, being that the pages are just filled with color and personality and there's so much to look at. Maira Kalman explains everyone and exactly what they're doing at Grand Central Station. Most picture books about a train station would probably be along the lines of "there goes the train- chug, chug, chug," but this one is so different. Even now, as I'm much older, I can appreciate the immense amount of detail and whimsy that Maira Kalman puts into every page. The drawings, the words- it's just incredible. The second reason I love this book so much, is the physical condition of the book. My mom's friend lives in New York, and she gave this book to my sister and I when we were babies. And I love the little note she wrote us in the front of the book. Years later I looked back at the note and just thought what a quaint, sweet little note. You can also tell that this book is very well- loved. Mysterious marker smudges adorn the pages, and there are places where the pages are bent and even torn. I just love this one.

Why We Broke Up

Title: Why We Broke Up
Author: Daniel Handler
Illustrator: Maira Kalman
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Release Date: January 2012

Goodreads Synopsis: 

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

My Review: 

I had been dying to read Why We Broke Up for a long time before I finally nabbed a copy of it. Why We Broke Up is a refreshing, riveting, and awesome read. This novel is full of descriptive and colorful writing, realistic characters, and it was in a cool letter format making the read all the better. 

Why We Broke Up first stole my attention because of the awesome cover. The cover is very intriguing because of the falling tea cup and the imperfect font of the cascading words.  I also like the simple red background. Anyway, onto the book.

I loved the letter format of Why We Broke Up. The main character, Min (short for Minerva), is writing a Dear Johnesque letter to her boyfriend, Ed. Throughout the whole book Min is writing to Ed, so it seems as though Ed is the one the book was written for. Reading this novel was more like listening to a conversation than reading a book which made the read different and interesting.  

I also loved that the entire plot was about Min's break up with Ed (judging from the cover, that's pretty obvious). This book could have been 100% sappy and cliche, but the way Daniel Handler wrote the novel + the pictures made the book entirely unique. I loved that throughout the letter Min referenced items she had kept through the relationship, and how they contributed to the reason that she broke up with Ed. The pictures in this novel were simple, yet very cool. 

Another thing that I liked about Why We Broke Up were the characters. I liked how realistic Min was. She was headstrong, yet had human weaknesses. She was head over heels over a boy, which caused her to ignore some obvious red flags in their relationship. Ed was also very realistic in his arrogant super star ways. At some points the book was easy to relate to because of how realistic and human the characters were. 

I was thoroughly entertained by Why We Broke Up, and would suggest this novel to any teen or adult looking for a refreshing read!

Top Ten Tuesday: Breezy Beach Reads

Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week The Broke and The Bookish posts a topic and lists their top ten things that fall under the category. Top Ten Tuesday is a great way to learn more about your favorite bloggers and discover new blogs and books as well! To learn more about Top Ten Tuesday and see the weekly topics, click here. 

This week's topic is: Top Ten Favorite Summer Beach Reads
1. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson- I adore Amy and Roger's Epic Detour. It is touching and while it could've been a 100% cliche book, the details woven into the novel made it very original. In Amy and Roger's Epic Detour, Amy and Roger go on a road trip. I always think of road trips as something one would do in the summer, so ta-da this would be a great summer beach read.

3.The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver (Ruby Oliver, #1)- I read this novel (I'm not going to repeat the title--criminy it's long!) in about two and a half hours. Partly because it is short, and partly because it was extremely funny and kept me interested. This light and fun novel that is 100% hilarious would definitely be a great beach read. 


4. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han- The setting of this novel is the beach. The season in which the novel takes place is summer. There is a beach house involved. There is a love triangle of sorts going on. Enough said-this book belongs to summer.

5. Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins- Anna and The French Kiss is one of my very favorite books. While the novel is adorable and somewhat fluffy, Stephanie Perkins wrote the novel superbly. I have never been to Paris, and after reading this novel, I am whole-heartedly in love with the city. Paris + romance = A good beach read.


6. Forgive My Fins by Terra Lynn Childs- Forgive My Fins was a chick-lit novel. It's been a while since I have read this book, but I know that there were mermaids and kissing involved, so there you have it, it is destined to be read on the beach.

7. Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen- Although this novel is middle grade, you will never be too old for it. Flipped is hilarious, and adorable.  This novel would be and awesome beach read because of the romance (maybe I should say the not-so-romance or almost-romance) and the (mostly) fluffiness of the novel.

8. Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mylnowski- This novel is mostly light and fluffy, and light and fluffy books belong in  the summer.

9. Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle- Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks has a summery vibe. Swimming and pools are involved in this novel, which makes me think of the summer and beaches. This novel would be a nice and quick book to enjoy on the beach.

10. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray- The setting of this novel is a deserted island, and the island is made up of a couple of beaches. The beach setting would make Beauty Queens a fun beach read. Also, there are pirates involved, so if you were on the beach you could imagine that you were about to be taken captive by the pirates.

10. The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg- The Lonely Hearts Club goes by in a blink. Whenever I looked up from reading the novel and saw what page I was on, I would be stunned that I had read 35 pages in 10 minutes. The Lonely Hearts Club is definitely light, fluffy, and a total chick-flick that would be perfecto for the beach.

Erin's Bloggoversary

Source

Wooohoooo! It is official, I have been blogging with Mint Tea and A Good Book for one WHOLE year (and a little bit)! Now, the short story behind me and my blogginess. I loved to read and I loved Mint Tea and A Good Book. I was inspired by my dear friend Meredith's blog, so I decided to give book blogging a whirl. One day I emailed my dear compadre Meredith and asked if she would mind helping me come up with some names for a possible book blog, and wha-la she asked if I wanted to join Mint Tea and A Good Book. My sister can attest to the fact that I literally jumped off the couch and did a happy dance when I got the MTGB offer. Shortly after joining MTGB Meredith came over and gave me the low-down on blogging and blogger, which was very helpful considering I had never blogged before. Ever since joining MTGB I have had an awesome time blogging!

This would be me (replace the beach with a couch) Source

Some of my favorite parts of book blogging/being a part of Mint Tea and A Good Book are:

1. Interacting with the readers of the blog via comments :)
2. Interviewing authors and editors
3. Practicing my writing skills
4. Getting to reflect on the books I read by creating reviews
5. I have become an avid reader, and reading has become a bigger part of who I am since joining MTGB. 

Special Thanks To...

1. Meredith: Thank you for getting me started and inviting me to be part of Mint Tea and A Good Book! Thanks for being a great friend and going to all book-related events with me.
2. Willa from Willa's Ramblings- You whole-heartedly look at some of my reviews before I post them to make sure that I don't have any glaring errors, so thank you for saving me from embarrassment. Also, thanks for loving John Green books and Jellicoe Road as much as I do.
3. Readers- I have written some pretty strange and bad reviews, and I am still practicing how to write an entertaining yet honest review. Thanks for hanging in there and reading everything I've written. 

Extra Side-Note:  I now have a Mint Tea and A Good Book email which is: erinminttea@gmail.com . Feel free to email me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. 

Yip-Skippity, that is all I have to say. 

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TGIF (35)- Cast A New Story

 TGIF is a feature hosted by Ginger over at GReads! Ginger asks a fun question every week and bloggers post their answers. TGIF is a great way to learn about some of your favorite bloggers, and have fun posting too!


This week's question is...

Cast Your Own Story: If you could use existing characters from some of your favorite books to create a new story, who would be in it?

So basically, which characters would I like to see in other novels with other characters? This is a very creative and fun question!


1. Hermione Granger from The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling- She should show up again. I love it when authors like Sarah Dessen write other books and you still see a glimpse of characters from her past novels. Maybe JK Rowling should do something like that. I just LOVE Hermione.


2. The Colonel from Looking for Alaska by John Green- Honestly, he might be my favorite John Green character (right up there with Augustus Waters). The Colonel is such a well- developed character with a hilarious, sweet, incredibly blunt personality. He's very authentic. ;)


3. Oliver from The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith- Oliver was a very unique character that I really enjoyed, but wanted to see more of. I would love to see more Oliver in another book!

Top Ten Tuesday- Favorite Words!

 Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week The Broke and The Bookish posts a topic and lists their top ten things that fall under the category. Top Ten Tuesday is a great way to learn more about your favorite bloggers and discover new blogs and books as well! To learn more about Top Ten Tuesday and see the topics, click here.

This week's topic is...

Top Ten Favorite Words

1. Extraordinary- I've just always loved this word because it makes no sense. Extra Ordinary would make someone sound super plain and boring, but the word "extraordinary" means the total opposite.

2. Spiffy- I can't really place my finger on exactly what I like about this word, but I remember saying it even when I was little. I guess it's really just a very fun word.

3. Entice- I just really like the way this word sounds. It sounds so clean cut and fresh. It sounds so "enticing." ;)

4. Effervescent- I must like words that start with "e" because this is another one of my favorite words. It means "bubbly," in terms of water boiling and also in terms of someone who is very enthusiastic. So that's kind of cool. :)

5. Palimpsest- I find this word funny just because it's such a specific word. This is what the mac dictionary says "a manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for later writing but of which traces remain." And also "something reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form: example- Sutton Place is a palimpsest of the taste of successive owners." 

6. Palatable- Another "pal" word I remembered when typing "Palimpsest." I love this word because of the way it sounds, and also it's "scrumptious" definition. And I remember having it as a bonus spelling word in 4th grade. ;)

7. Whimsical- I've always liked this one because it reminds me of like a giant swirly lollipop or popsicle. Doesn't it sound like it could be a popsicle or lollipop?

8. Charismatic- Such a fun word! Mac Dictionary says "exercising a compelling charm that inspires devotion in others." It makes you sound really smart when you use it in a sentence too. ;)

9. Disdain- Yeah, it's not really a "positive" word, if we were going to classify words like that. But I really just like the way it sounds when you say it. The two D's and the S, just sort of roll out of your mouth. 

10. Poignant- I think the main reason I like this one is that you often see it in a blurb on the cover or back cover of a book. Plus, it just sounds like a very crisp pinch of a word in a way.