Pretty Little Liars interview

I was recently invited to an interview of Ian Harding (Ezra on the ABC Family show, Pretty Little Liars). I wanted to share some of what he had to say.


Moderator Why do you think people love Ezra and Aria’s relationship so much?

I. Harding I think because it’s so right, and like there’s a connection that is undeniable and kind of once in a lifetime. But I think the problem is the circumstances; it’s that kind of element of forbidden love that it needs to happen, but oh it can’t happen, and so it’s them trying to work it out and trying so hard to just make this love happen. I think people can really relate to that and really love that.

Moderator How do you view the current status of Ezra and Aria’s relationship?

I. Harding It’s always a fluctuating status. The moment that it starts to kind of hit a plateau of ease and of happiness somebody gets shaken up A, because it’s a TV show, but B, because their lives are very strenuous; just the student/teacher relationship, even though it’s changed a little bit. It can be difficult, on top of just Aria has stuff that she’s keeping from Ezra because it’s so crazy I think in some ways she doesn’t think he’ll believe it. So it’s always it’s a very material relationship, to say the least.


Moderator Could you speak a little bit about how things are different for you to shoot when you’re filming a scene with just you and Lucy versus you and the whole cast?

I. Harding Lucy and I have a comfort zone that’s otherworldly in the sense of like we had to take a photograph, I won’t say specifically for what, but there is something where we just had to be affectionate. And it’s gotten to the point where I remember when we first starting shooting if we were going to do a make out scene we were literally brushing our teeth beforehand and flossing and chewing all kinds of gum, and now we’re lucky if the other person has brushed their teeth at all prior to a make out scene. So there’s definitely a comfort level there that is pretty unique. When it’s the whole cast it’s just very professional when we’re actually shooting, but in between takes it’s pretty goofy.


Moderator What has been your favorite scene or episode to shoot and why?

I. Harding There was one episode recently that I can’t really talk about, because it does give it away just simply by explaining it, that’s probably my favorite just because it was so much fun to shoot. It was really loose on set and everybody was having a good time.

The last episode where I left Rosewood High School was a lot of fun to shoot because it was with all the girls and they would try and distract me. I would try and distract them, and it was just quite funny—because it was so like heartfelt and everything we made light of it in between takes by ridiculing each other.

Behind the Gates

Summary:

In a terrifying future world, four girls must depend on each other if they want to survive.
Louisa is nervous about being sent away to a boarding school -- but she’s excited, too. And she has her best friend, Maddie, to keep her company. The girls have to pretend to be twin sisters, which Louisa thinks just adds to the adventure!

Country Manor School isn’t all excitement, though. Louisa isn’t sure how she feels about her new roommates: athletic but snobby Rosie and everything’s-a-conspiracy Evelyn. Even Maddie seems different away from home, quiet and worried all the time.

Still, Louisa loves CMS -- the survival skills classes, the fresh air. She doesn’t even miss not having a TV, or the internet, or any contact with home. It’s for their own safety, after all.
Or is it?

Review:
The first book in the series is the most important. This is the book that will either sell the rest, or flat line a brilliant idea. Hands down: AMAZING! I was fortunate enough to have the second in the series (Run For Cover) waiting on the sidelines just begging to be read. Behind the gates was a really quick, easy, exciting book to read, and the definition of characters was flawless.

Easily a 10+A

Wednesday Wishlist

What?

If high school were a fairy-tale kingdom, Connelly Sternin would be Rapunzel, locked not in a tower by a wicked witch but in a high-rise apartment building by the SATs and college applications—and by the secrets she keeps. Connelly's few friends think that her parents are divorced—but they're not. Connelly's father died when she was two, and she doesn't know how.

If Connelly is the Rapunzel of her school, Jeremy Cole is the crown prince, son of a great and rich New York City family. So when he sits down next to her at lunch one day, Connelly couldn't be more surprised. But Jeremy has a tragic secret of his own, and Connelly is the only one he can turn to for help. Together they form a council of two, helping each other with their homework and sharing secrets. As the pair's friendship grows, Connelly learns that it's the truth, not the secrets, that one must guard and protect. And that between friends, the truth, however harsh, is also beautiful.

Why?
It sounds like an out of the norm story.

Pretty Little Liars interview

I was recently invited to an interview of Troian Bellisario (Spencer on Pretty Little Liars). Here is some of what she had to share!

Moderator We’ve certainly seen a really great evolution for Spencer’s character since Season One. Not even just with her family, but of course through relationships with her friends, the Liars, and of course with Toby as well. I was wondering if you can talk a little bit about the evolution of Spencer through those three aspects?

T. Bellisario It’s funny, it’s actually kind of difficult for me to speak about her evolution just because I’m steeped in it and I just feel like there is so much more that she can do. I think Spencer’s biggest evolution has been being able to let go in terms of she’s learned through getting her friends back how to keep friends and how to be supportive. I think Spencer because of the family that she grew up with has a very strong and black and white sense of what is right and what is wrong and she sometimes thinks that she can control other people.

She’s learned to kind of just be supportive of her friends and not let that get in the way of their friendship. I still think she has a long way to go with that in terms of being judgmental of other people and I think her biggest lesson in that was her relationship with Toby. She really ran the gamut as far as thinking that he was the one who killed Alison; he was the one who might be involved with A, and he was their mortal enemy and now there is nobody she holds closer than her friends and Toby.

Moderator Do you think that Spencer tries to put herself away from the girls or tries to hide who she is a little?

T. Bellisario I don’t know, I guess I feel like their relationship is a myriad of different things. Of course, when you consider it from a bunch of different aspects, I think when you consider Spencer’s coolness factor in the group she’s probably a bit of a pariah. As I’m coming to realize throughout the script, Spencer is really the sort of Nancy Drew of the group.

She’s the one who’s always got a dedication to and she kind of plays that by default especially because of the things that are going on in her family with Melissa and Ian, but there is a lot of—with Aria and her relationship with her family, the family’s problems that are going on, but also her relationship with Ezra. Hanna is struggling with relationship issues and finding herself within the relationship with Caleb, and also the relationships with her mother and father. It’s the same thing with Emily.

Spencer definitely, I think, has these familial issues that there is something that she’s not willing to let go of in regard to Alison’s death. I think Spencer, because she’s a control freak, she’s the one who takes A the most harshly. She cannot stand having someone play her like a puppet. I think in that sense that’s where Spencer kind of fits in with the group, is that she’s always the one who’s willing to run out into the woods in the middle of the night if it means finding another clue. Where I think some of the other girls might just want to forget about it, leave it alone, let’s not play this game anymore and that she just can’t let that go.

Moderator How are you personally different than or similar to your character?

T. Bellisario Well, Spencer and I are very similar in that when I was Spencer’s age I was very studious. I was the valedictorian of my class; my academics meant everything to me and my family put a lot of pressure on me to do well, but it was also mostly coming from myself. I felt that I had to be the best and the brightest at everything otherwise I wasn’t worth anything.

I think Spencer definitely feels that and that’s something that I have grown out of. I’ve only grown out of it with age and by having life experiences and that’s more important to me. Spencer hasn’t had those life experiences yet. She’s truly steeped in the middle of trying to be perfect in every way. I would say that that’s the biggest similarity and difference between Spencer and I. I hope one day Spencer will get to go through the sort of life-rocking experiences that I have that make you re-evaluate what’s really important and get off your own back a little bit.

Moderator I have a question submitted on Facebook by a fan. They wanted to know if you knew who A is or is that being kept secret from the cast by the producers?

T. Bellisario Oh, my gosh, I feel like I could answer this question a million times and nobody would ever believe me. They will not tell us who it is. To be honest I don’t even think they know who it is. I don’t mean that they don’t have a few different choices, but every time I speak to them they are keeping their options as open as possible. I think that—maybe Marlene, our executive producer and our creator of the show has a hard fast choice and she’s now working towards that, but I remember there was a time in the writer’s room where they told me she has six different options for people that could be A.

Moderator Spencer has been in so many life-threatening experiences - how do you, as an actress, mentally prepare for these kinds of scarier scenes?

T. Bellisario It’s quite hard, because to be honest we’re always having our lives threatened. There is always something that if it were actually happening to you, if the things that were happening to the girls were happening to me I feel like I would just need a break and I would ask my parents to commit me to a mental institution and just leave me there for my own safety.

You can’t play that all the time. There are moments when A threatens the girls and it’s just a nuisance and there are moments when A threatens the girls and it throws Spencer into a rage. It’s like as human beings we don’t ever have one reaction so I think it’s determining where we are in the story, what was the last time A tried to get under our skin, what are the stakes at this present moment and really connecting to all of those things to determine is this truly a scary moment. Or is this a moment where I completely lose my self-composure or is this a moment where all four of us are in the jungle and we’re all being scared and if I go to pieces everybody else goes to pieces so Spencer has to be stronger.

That’s what gets you out of the moment of oh, my God, I just have to feel scared again because I might jump off a cliff if I thought that that was the only way that I was going to be doing this acting for however many seasons this show is going to be running. It’s not just about that, it’s about what are the circumstances? Am I completely alone? How much fear do you show when you’re alone? Is it more, is it less? It’s those things.

Moderator What do you do when you are not filming? I know that you spend a lot of time with the other girls and I was wondering if there was anything that you guys like to do when you have free time on the set?

T. Bellisario Oh free time on the set. For me personally, I try to sleep if there is any free time because we’re all really tired all the time pretty much so sleeping is a big thing. I also try to write and to just to work on other projects that I am trying to keep afloat while I’m doing this.

Moderator Spencer has a very defined sense of style - what’s an outfit we’ll never see her wear, something that you can think of that is just like not Spencer at all that you would think would be fun?

T. Bellisario Oh, that’s hard, maybe a giant clown suit. I feel Spencer can go so many different ways. I feel like Spencer could totally traipse into Aria’s closet and put something on and be a bad girl for a day. She could even go into Hanna’s closet, probably less into Hanna’s closet, but she can always—in some aspects she dresses down and she is a little bit more casual like Emily.

Spencer trades hats very easily. She can go very high-brow very prim and proper or she can just be wearing like literally sweats after field hockey and just be the same girl—that’s what’s kind of cool about Spencer is that it’s not really her style that defines her, Spencer defines her style all the time.

Must Monday

What?
A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

Why?
I'm judging this baby by it's cover. It's beautiful!

When?
October 11th, 2011

Contest Winners!

The Winners of For the King are Myra and Throughthehaze! Congrats guys! You will both recieve emails from me!

Suzanne Young Contest Winner and Interview

First off, I would like to congratulate the two winners! Lindsay Writes and My Life With Books, you both will be getting an email from me!

After Suzanne's signing (where she provided all this awesome swag) I was able to interview her over dinner. I'm excited to share with you!




1) This book was very different from The Naughty List. Were you ready for a change?
The Naughty List was actually different from what I usually write. I had to tell the story of A Need So Beautiful.

2) Where did the idea for this story come from?
A stranger who helped me through a tough situation inspired the forgotten.

3) Did you do any research for this book?
I did some on angels to avoid too much religion.

4) If you could feel the need like Charlotte would you want to?
NO NEVER!!!!

5) Was there a character you loved to write?
I loved exploring the darker side with Onika.

6)Did you like writing The Naughty List or A Need So Beautiful more?
I liked the writing process of The Naughty List. A Need So Beautiful was like therapy for me.

7) What's next for you?
The sequel to A Need So Beautiful, called A Want So Wicked. It's more like a companion than an actual sequel. Also I have a book coming out called The Program.

Thank you, Suzanne!

Frost-

Summary:
After the drama of discovering that she’s a member of the Storks, a mystical order of women endowed with powerful abilities, Katla Leblanc is finally settling into her life in chilly Minnesota. In fact, the ex-California girl even hopes for a white Christmas. But Katla’s wintry wish unexpectedly turns into the snowstorm of the century, drawing the attention of Brigid, a gorgeous environmental researcher with an amazing array of fur coats and an unusual interest in Katla’s boyfriend, Jack.

Review:
Enticing, Invigorating, Enthralling, Aggravating, and Explosive! This book is a great second course to a fantastic starter! The story really grabs you and draws you in, and like any great writing you invest yourself in you’re bound to find yourself taking sides and hoping your heroes find their way safely through the obstacles impeding them.

Probably, what I loved most about this book would be how it takes magical figures and embodies them in the normal lives of everyday people. And let’s get real here, who hasn’t honestly wished they were a little less than ordinary?

Overall, I’d rate this book a 12+A. Really great, quick read, and definitely one that you can cozy up to.


PRE-ORDER your copy now!

Wednesday Wishlist

What?

Best friends Lani and Erin couldn't be more different. Lani's reserved and thoughtful; Erin's bubbly and outgoing. Lani likes to do her own thing; Erin prefers an entourage. There's no possible way they could be interested in the same guy.

So when Erin starts dating Jason, Lani can't believe she feels such a deep connection with him - and it may be mutual. The more Lani fights it, the more certain she feels that it's her fate to be with Jason. But what do you do when the love of your life is the one person you can't have?

Why?
The drama of this book is just too good to pass up.

Guest Post: Eileen Clymer Schwab

One of the comments I frequently hear from readers is, “This isn’t the kind of book I usually buy, but once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down.” These are very kind and gratefully received words that exhilarate me as an author… yet cause me to fret as an historical novelist. Nothing pleases me more than having readers say that they stayed up past midnight or were late to work because they were swept away by the story, but realizing how close the same reader came to not picking up the book because of its genre worries me.

My current novel, SHADOW OF A QUARTER MOON, is set in the pre-Civil War South, therefore it is categorized as historical fiction. Does this mean that someone who prefers mystery and suspense, or romance, or contemporary novels will not enjoy the book? My answer is… a reader can love a book of any genre, because when all is said and done… it’s all about the story.

In truth, it’s about the characters too. I love writing about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances; particularly how friends, family, and inner conviction can change the course of our lives. Though the premise and setting of SHADOW OF A QUARTER MOON makes it “historical”, there are elements of suspense, intrigue, and romance in the layered plot and characters that appeal to a broad cross-section of readers. I think any good novel balances these elements to some degree, regardless of the genre, and while we as readers get comfortable in the feel and style of certain categories, we shouldn’t lose our sense of adventure. That’s the magic of reading! We spread our wings and are transported to places we’ve never been.

I must admit to you that I am a “happily ever after” kind of gal. So the fact that I’ve written two novels against the backdrop of slavery in the 1800s may seem like a highly unusual choice. After all, what good can be gained by stirring old ghosts? For this reason, there is not a lot of adult fiction written about this period. I suspect this is because it is not a time we are proud of or wish to reminisce over. Instead we hide it from sight like an ugly scar. Readers and writers alike often avoid revisiting these pre-Civil War years because of the horror and shame it stirs in our moral conscience.

However, in keeping the door closed on this time period, we miss the chance to recognize and celebrate the incredible acts of courage and daring deeds that were the genesis of social change in our country. In writing SHADOW OF A QUARTER MOON, I was honored to look back and give voice to a generation deserving of acknowledgement, tribute, and literary life.

Books are fabulous vehicles for discovery. They take us places, both real and imaginary, that we might not otherwise go. I love sitting in front of a keyboard, not knowing where the words will lead me. This sense of adventure is what bonds authors with readers. You share our sense of adventure, and willingly follow us, albeit from the comfort of a beach chair or on a bus to work. You invest your time and emotion into the journey and trust that your authors will make it worth your while. As an author, my hope is that the characters and story resonates with readers long after finishing the book, and they think, “Now that was a journey worth taking.”

Links:

http://www.ecschwab.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eileen-Clymer-Schwab/193999413946643

http://twitter.com/#!/EileenCSchwab

Must Monday

For those of you new followers, this is a feature I do every Monday. I feature a book that has not yet been released that I am anxiously awaiting!

What?
Everyone has something, someone, somewhere else that they’d rather be. For four high-school seniors, their goals of perfection are just as different as the paths they take to get there.

Cara’s parents’ unrealistic expectations have already sent her twin brother Conner spiraling toward suicide. For her, perfect means rejecting their ideals to take a chance on a new kind of love. Kendra covets the perfect face and body—no matter what surgeries and drugs she needs to get there. To score his perfect home run—on the field and off—Sean will sacrifice more than he can ever win back. And Andre realizes to follow his heart and achieve his perfect performance, he’ll be living a life his ancestors would never understand.

Everyone wants to be perfect, but when perfection loses its meaning, how far will you go? What would you give up to be perfect?

Why?
Impulse was a marvelous book and I expect this will be just as wonderful.

When?
September 2011

Contest Alert!!!!

I have two swag gift packs to give away with some small trinkets from Suzanne Young's book signing.

The packs will be an assortment of bookmarks, stickers and pins. I will also be including some extra bookmarks from other places. I probably don't need the 100+ I have!


Same as always, you must be 13+ to enter or have a parent enter for you. US residents only.

To enter please leave an email. That alone is 1 entry.

To win another entry you can follow my blog.

I will announce the winner on the 23rd of this month.

The Lying Game

Here is some exciting news about a series turned TV show.


"The Lying Game," a new one-hour scripted drama, follows Emma, a kind-hearted foster kid who learns she has an identical twin sister, Sutton. Sutton, unlike Emma, was adopted by wealthy parents and is seemingly living an ideal life. After their initial meeting, Sutton talks Emma into stepping into her life for a few days while she pursues a lead on the mysterious identity of their birth mother.

After Sutton inexplicably fails to return to the girls' designated meeting place, Emma must decide whether to come clean about her identity and risk her own safety in the hope of uncovering her twin sister's whereabouts, along with the truth about why they were separated in the first place.

"The Lying Game" stars Alexandra Chando ("As The World Turns") as Emma/Sutton; Andy Buckley ("The Office") as Ted; Helen Slater ("Supergirl") as Kristin; Blair Redford ("90210") as Garrett; Sharon Pierre-Louis ("Lincoln Heights") as Nisha; Kirsten Prout ("Kyle XY") as Char; Alice Greczyn ("Lincoln Heights") as Mads; and Allie Gonino ("10 Things I Hate About You") as Laurel.

Charles Pratt, Jr. ("Ugly Betty," "Desperate Housewives," "All My Children," "Melrose Place") serves as executive producer and writer; Leslie Morgenstein ("Pretty Little Liars," "The Nine Lives of Chloe King," "Gossip Girl," "The Vampire Diaries") and Gina Girolamo will serve as executive producers. Produced by Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television, the series is based on the novel by author Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars).

Steampunk

Summary:
In the first major YA steampunk anthology, fourteen top storytellers push the genre’s mix of sci-fi, fantasy, history, and adventure in fascinating new directions.
Imagine an alternate universe where romance and technology reign. Where tinkerers and dreamers craft and re-craft a world of automatons, clockworks, calculating machines, and other marvels that never were. Where scientists and schoolgirls, fair folk and Romans, intergalactic bandits, utopian revolutionaries, and intrepid orphans solve crimes, escape from monstrous predicaments, consult oracles, and hover over volcanoes in steam-powered airships. Here, fourteen masters of speculative fiction, including two graphic storytellers, embrace the genre’s established themes and refashion them in surprising ways and settings as diverse as Appalachia, ancient Rome, future Australia, and alternate California. Visionaries Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant have invited all-new explorations and expansions, taking a genre already rich, strange, and inventive in the extreme and challenging contributors to remake it from the ground up. The result is an anthology that defies its genre even as it defines it.


Review:
I will say that of these short stories, many have great potential to become well-loved full length novels. I would also to love to see “Steam Girl” in comic book form, as well as in a full length edition. Of these stories, “Steam Girl” was undoubtedly my favorite. However other top ranking stories within this book would include:

• Some Fortunate Future Day
• Clockwork Fagin
• Hand in Glove
• Ghost of Cwmlech Manor
• Gethsemane
• The Summer People
• Everything Amiable and Obliging
• Oracle Engine

For overall purposes I would rate this a 12+B or a 12+C

My reasoning being that, yes there are many good short stories, but some people may not be inclined to read them over and over again.

Contest time!!!

I have two copies of this lovely book to give away!

The rules are the same as always. You must be 13+ to enter. US residents only. NO PO boxes.

Leave an email in my comment box of this post to be entered. Link to a post about this contest and get +1 entry. Be a follower and tell me you are, +1 entry.

The winner will be announced the 24th.

When I Grow Up becomes an App

Here is some exciting news I was asked to share with my readers!

WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC’S BESTSELLING PICTURE BOOK WHEN I GROW UP COMES

TO IPAD, IPHONE, AND IPOD TOUCH

New York, NY – June 16, 2011 – HarperCollins Children’s Books, Bean Creative, and “Weird Al” Yankovic, America’s leading satirist of popular music and culture, today announced that WHEN I GROW UP – an interactive app based on Yankovic’s bestselling children’s book – is available on the App Store for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.

With virtuosic narration by Weird Al, fans of all ages can explore the story like never before as young Billy catalogs his wildly improbable career choices in an unbridled celebration of creativity and possibilities. With multiple interactions and animations on every screen, fun and challenging games based on the story, and the ability to personalize the app, users will eagerly consider what they want to be when they grow up.

"Ever since I was a small child, I dreamed of one day helping to produce a cross-platform app that would be sold in the iTunes Store. I was a very prescient kid,” says Yankovic.

Along with exclusive new art, the WHEN I GROW UP app contains all the dazzling wordplay, hilarious rhymes, and whimsical illustrations that readers have raved about since the book’s publication in February. Other fun and fabulous highlights from the app include:

EXCELLENT GAMES—3 interactive games give users the opportunity to try their hand at unusual career options from the story. Never shaved a tarantula before? Well, here’s your chance in the “Tarantula Shaver” game! Or test your job qualifications with “Extreme Snail Race” and “Gorilla Masseuse.”

EXTENSIVE INTERACTIONS—Tap, swipe, pinch, and tilt your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch to interact with the characters and settings. Over 50 interactions engage users for hours on end.

PERSONALIZATION – Include your name in the app and see it carried through the entire story.

EXUBERANT NARRATION AND GREAT SOUND EFFECTS—Select “Read Myself” or check out the inspired “Read to Me” option performed by Weird Al himself.

The WHEN I GROW UP app is available for $2.99 from the App Store on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, or at www.iTunes.com/AppStore.

“Weird Al” Yankovic is a comedian, singer/songwriter, music producer, actor, director, and bestselling author. He has won three Grammy Awards and has sold more comedy recordings than anyone else in history. On June 21^st, Weird Al will release his long-awaited album, ALPOCALYPSE.

Bluefish

Summary:
Travis is missing his old home in the country, and he’s missing his old hound, Rosco. Now there’s just the cramped place he shares with his well-meaning but alcoholic grandpa; a new school and the dreaded routine of passing when he’s called on to read out loud. But that’s before Travis meets Mr. McQueen, who doesn’t take “pass” for an answer-a rare teacher whose savvy persistence has Travis slowly unlocking a book on the natural world. And it’s before Travis is noticed by Velveeta, a girl whose wry banter and colorful scarves belie some hard secrets of her own. With sympathy, humor, and the disarming honesty, Pat Schmatz brings to life a cast of utterly believable characters-and captures the moments of trust and connection that make all the difference.

Review:
I am pleased to share with you all that I have found another book to add to my “best reads” list. Be sure to warn your significant others before reading this book because you are sure to fall in love with the witty, charming, and enchantingly inspirational characters that fill these pages with an enticing story that will leave your heart aching for more. Every once in a while you find a story that you don’t want to end and in my opinion this book needed to be much thicker. I hope there is a sequel in the works because I simply must find out what happens next.
I’d rate this a 12+A. Not a lot of swearing, but a lot of alcohol and some violent tendencies.

Harry Potter Weekend

My friend over at ABC Family wanted me to let you know there is a major Harry Potter weekend, starting tonight. Here is some of what she had to say.

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With the epic battle between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort approaching, ABC Family gives fans a chance to experience the journey through the years of spells and secrets with a magical weekend full of “Harry Potter” films and an online sweepstakes that “Harry Potter” fans won’t want to miss. The “Harry Potter Weekend” event starts with “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” on Thursday, July 7^th and will include airings of each of the first five films through Monday, July 11^th, as well as exclusive never-before-seen footage of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2”, which opens in theaters on July 15, 2011.

The “Harry Potter” weekend schedule is as follows:

Thursday, July 7^th

7:30 PM – 11:00 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”

Friday, July 8^th

3:30 PM – 7:00 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”

7:00 PM – 11:00 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”

Saturday, July 9^th

9:00 AM – 12:30 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”

12:30 PM – 4:30 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”

4:30 PM – 7:30 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”

7:30 PM – 11:00 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”

Sunday, July 10^th

7:00 AM – 10:30 AM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”

10:30 AM – 2:30 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”

2:30 PM – 5:30 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”

5:30 PM – 9:00 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”

9:00 PM – 12:00 AM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”

Monday, July 11^th

3:00 PM – 6:00 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”

For anyone who believes he or she is the ultimate “Harry Potter” fan, ABC Family has the online sweepstakes not to be missed. Fans can go to www.abcfamily.com/harrypottersweeps starting on Thursday, June 30^th through Sunday, July 10^th to enter their name for a chance to win the “Harry Potter Ultimate Fan Sweepstakes” grand prize. Fans 13 and older can enter once per day to increase their chances.

The grand prize package includes:

· “Ultimate Edition” DVDs or Blu-ray discs of the first six “Harry Potter” films

· “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows – Part 1” (three-disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

· “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows – Part 1 & 2” video games by Electronic Arts

· Authentic Prop Replica Ten Wands & Wand Display Case

· Authentic Prop Replica Gryffindor House Sweater & Tie

· Authentic Prop Replica Gryffindor Robe

· Plus a copy of The Harry Potter Film Wizardry Book signed by Daniel Radcliffe and other cast members

Wednesday Wishlist

What?
Two years ago, when Eliza Sellman was in ninth grade, her dad found out he was being transfered and the family was going to move. Having always been shy and not so confident about her body, Eliza took that opportunity to start a list in her private notebook of all the things she planned on doing when she moved but had always been afraid to--like wearing a miniskirt and asking guys to dance; singing karaoke in front of strangers; posting a photo of herself on her Facebook wall in a bikini...you get the idea. New town, new Eliza, right? Well, she'll never know because the transfer fell through and they didn't move. But Eliza kept adding her goals and secret fears to the list in the notebook. Now it's two years later, and in that time Eliza has had and lost her first boyfriend. But this was more than your average breakup...turns out the sweet and cute Cooper was only dating her as a hazing stunt by a secret society. Eliza got her revenge by posting some pretty nasty (and only sort-of true) stuff about Cooper online. That posting has had major consequences and now Cooper and his buddies have stolen her private notebook and won't give it back until she performs all the things on her list in one night. It's torture...until Eliza steals something from the boys she knows they'll want to trade her notebook for. What starts out as a night of humiliation turns into a night of revelations as Eliza learns what Cooper was really thinking when they dated, the real reason he's stolen her notebook, and how freeing--and life-changing--it can be to do the things you fear the most.


Why?
Super catty and dramatic! What a fun book!

Crazy Hot

Summary:
This summer's not just hot...it's crazy hot.It's been a year since the hottest au pairs ever saw the Hamptons, and they're certainly older — though not necessarily wiser. Or drama-free.Eliza, Jacqui, and Mara thought they'd be spending the summer apart, but when Eliza's new stepmother finds herself in need of some nannying help around the megamansion with the step-monsters, Eliza makes a call...and Jacqui and Mara wind up with two first-class tickets to the Hamptons.After ruling her first year at Parsons, Eliza, the up-and-coming starlet-turned-designer, is opening her own boutique on super posh Main Street. But it's not just Eliza's career that's on the fast track — her relationship with Jeremy is too. Too bad he's moving too fast for Eliza to keep up.Brazilian beauty Jacqui is trying to be a good, responsible au pair. But it's tough when there's a hot British photographer following you around, telling you to quit your job and become an international supermodel. All she wants is to make enough money to pay for NYU...so what happens when she gets a much bigger offer?After getting fired from her travel-writing job and dumped at the airport by her journalist boyfriend, Mara settles for a summer chasing toddlers once again. There's one benefit to nannying: She'll have plenty of material for the novel she's writing about being an au pair — and an It Girl — in the Hamptons. Nothing's going to distract her from the task...

My thoughts:
I adore this series. They are very quick reads and a series you do not want to put down. I'm a nanny so maybe that makes them even better. This is the 4th and final au pair book. It was my least favorite of them all but it was still pretty good.

The girls of these books are fun and the kinds of girls I'd want to be friends with. The series is an A+ series. This book alone was a B. I'd rate these 15+, there is a lot of drinking and sexual behaviors.

Must Monday

What:
On the last day of her junior year, Hannah's boyfriend Ryan dumped her. Facing a summer of loneliness, Hannah turns to her best friend Ava for comfort. Ava does what BFFs do: she stays by Hannah's side...until it's time for Ava to head up to Maine for the summer. Also left behind is Ava's boyfriend, Noah, who's such a great guy he gets Hannah a job at the diner he waits tables at. Slowly, Hannah comes out of her funk thanks to Noah's good conversation and their fun times at the diner. But things get complicated when their friendship turns into attraction—and one night, into a passionate kiss. The novel opens on the first day of senior year; the day Hannah is going to see Ava, Ryan, and Noah all in one place. Over the course of the day secrets and betrayals are revealed, and alliances are broken and reformed. In the end, everyone is paired up once again, but not the way you might think...

Why:
I'm judging this one by it's pretty cover!

When:
Buy it the 12th of this month!

168 Hours

Summary:
There are 168 hours in a week. This book is about where the time really goes, and how we can all use it better. It's an unquestioned truth of modern life: we are starved for time. With the rise of two-income families, extreme jobs, and 24/7 connectivity, life is so frenzied we can barely find time to breathe. We tell ourselves we'd like to read more, get to the gym regularly, try new hobbies, and accomplish all kinds of goals. But then we give up because there just aren't enough hours to do it all. Or else, if we don't make excuses, we make sacrifices. To get ahead at work we spend less time with our spouses. To carve out more family time, we put off getting in shape. To train for a marathon, we cut back on sleep. There has to be a better way-and Laura Vanderkam has found one. After interviewing dozens of successful, happy people, she realized that they allocate their time differently than most of us. Instead of letting the daily grind crowd out the important stuff, they start by making sure there's time for the important stuff. They focus on what they do best and what only they can do. When plans go wrong and they run out of time, only their lesser priorities suffer. It's not always easy, but the payoff is enormous. Vanderkam shows that it really is possible to sleep eight hours a night, exercise five days a week, take piano lessons, and write a novel without giving up quality time for work, family, and other things that really matter.

My thoughts:
I think this could be a really useful book if you thought you needed it. I am super busy but I have my own system of keeping my time managed. I did not need the assistance so I was only able to look at it from the writing aspect. When it came to that it was a super book! I can think of people who can benefit from this sort of thing and I wish they would read this book. It really shows that "I'm too busy" is just a lame excuse for forgetting the people in your life and doing what you want to do.

What Comes After

Summary:

After the death of her father, sixteen-year-old Iris Wight is uprooted from her hometown in Maine and sent to live on a farm in Craven County, North Carolina, with her hard-bitten aunt Sue and her hulking, monosyllabic cousin, Book. Almost immediately, Iris, a vegetarian and animal lover, clashes with Aunt Sue, who mistreats her livestock, fritters away Iris’s small inheritance, and thinks nothing of striking Iris for the smallest offense.

Grief-stricken and alone, Iris finds solace in her aunt’s willful but lovable herd of goats. But when Iris sets two of the young goats free to save them from slaughter, the tensions between her and Aunt Sue come to a frightening and violent head. Can Iris recover from tragedy for a second time and find a way to save not only her beloved goats but also herself?

My thoughts:
I had very high expectations for this book and they were not met. I had not seen anything about it but when I received it I was ecstatic. It sounded like the kind of book I would want to read through right then and there. I turned out to be wrong. I was uninterested and kept having to take breaks. That in itself was annoying.

The other thing that really bothered me was that I could tell it was written by a man. The main character was a girl and the author didn't seem to fully grasp how she would have been thinking.

I would give this book a "c". It was average.

The Limit

Summary:
An eighth grade girl was taken today . . . With this first sentence, readers are immediately thrust into a fast-paced thriller that doesn't let up for a moment. In a world not too far removed from our own, kids are being taken away to special workhouses if their families exceed the monthly debt limit imposed by the government. Thirteen-year-old Matt briefly wonders if he might be next, but quickly dismisses the thought. After all, his parents are financially responsible, unlike the parents of those other kids. As long as his parents remain within their limit, the government will be satisfied and leave them alone. But all it takes is one fatal visit to the store to push Matt’s family over their limit—and to change his reality forever.

Review:
Twisted, wacky, and a little disturbing, this tale a nightmare that everyone has reason to fear. It also contains a lot of truth about how many people are ignorant to the serious consequences of frivolous spending. I’d rate this a 10+A, it was thrilling and kept all its secrets until the end. And after a few dramatic twists, the resolution is one that leaves everything on the right path and no matter how many times you put this book down, the top floor will always be waiting for you.