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Ashley

Daily Prompt:

Book Review: Cascade

 Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren

Summary: (amazon)

Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?”

 

In Cascade, the second book in the River of Time Series, Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.

 

But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever.

 My thoughts:

As the second book to Waterfall which I LOVED, I was really excited. While this one was pretty awesome too, it wasn't as enthralling as the first book and got slow at some points. Unlike in Waterfall though, I fell in love with the characters as they grew and changed. The writing is simple, yet perfect for the book and--I wish I could tell you! The ending...and then you start the third book (which I will be posting in the next week, once I finish it) and you are just hooked. Great CLEAN books, which I would recommend in particular to middle school girls.

Content: Cautious--blood and gore, heavy violence, kissing, drama, torturing, gruesome descriptions

My Rating: 4 stars (I really liked it)

PG13, 12 and Up

Daily Prompt:

I have a lot of cool prompt pics that I will try to post every day, starting now. (look at it upside down)

Book Reveiw: Number the Stars

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Summary: (amazon)

As the German troops begin their campaign to "relocate" all the Jews of Denmark, Annemarie Johansen’s family takes in Annemarie’s best friend, Ellen Rosen, and conceals her as part of the family.
Through the eyes of ten-year-old Annemarie, we watch as the Danish Resistance smuggles almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark, nearly seven thousand people, across the sea to Sweden. The heroism of an entire nation reminds us that there was pride and human decency in the world even during a time of terror and war.

My Thoughts:

I first read this when I was nine and loved it. This book was what started me on the cause and effect and all of the mysteries of the holocaust. The writing is perfectly awesome (Lowry has amazing writing style) and I really enjoyed the characters. But the summary outlined it to be more dramatic and enthralling than it turned out to be. Overall it was a fantastic book but I wouldn't recommend it for older reader. It's perfect for kids in 4\5th grade though.

Content: Cautious--violence, drama

My Rating: 5 stars (I loved it)

PG, 10 and Up

Writing Playlist

Do you use music when you write? I highly recommend it, in fact I'm listening to some right now! When I'm studying I listen to classic, when I'm writing steampunk I listen to movie scores, when I write modern fiction I listen to stuff like Taylor Swift and Boyce Avenue.

So for you I put together a playlist for different genres of writing. I use grooveshark, where you can select and listen to music for free, no account needed! It's way better than Itunes or Pandora

Dystopian\Steampunk:

Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol 

Human by Christina Perri

A Thousand Years by Piano Guys (intrumental)

A Thousand Years by Christina Perri (vocal)

Discombobulate by Hans Zimmer (from Sherlock Holmes)

Molossus by Hans Zimmer (from Batman)

Psychological Recover by Hans Zimmer (from Sherlock Holmes)

Silhouette by Owl City  

HANS ZIMMER PANDORA STATION

Modern Fiction\Romance:

Perfect by Boyce Avenue

You Belong with Me by Taylor Swift

Barriers by David Archuleta

Tonight, Tonight by Kidz Bop (Kidz Bop for clean version)

You and Me by Lighthouse

One Step at a Time by Jordan Sparks

Beautiful Soul by Jesse Mccartney

Best Day of my Life by American Authors

Love Story by Taylor Swift

Let her Go by Boyce Avenue or Passenger

Fireflies by Owl City

Fairy Tale:

The Call by Regina Spektor

Fly To Your Heart by Selena Gomez

Defying Gravity by Glee Cast (Glee Cast for just the song, no script)

Hedwigs Theme by John Williams (Harry Potter)

A Thousand Years by Piano Guys

Touch the Sky by Julie Fowlis

Love Story by Taylor Swift

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Once again I highly recommend listening to music while you write! It really does help to get you in the mood of your story

Book Review: The Willoughbys

 

















 The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

Summary: (amazon)

The Willoughby's—Timothy; his twin brothers, Barnaby A and Barnaby B; and their little sister, Jane—are old-fashioned children who adore old-fashioned adventures. Unfortunately, the Willoughby parents are not very fond of their children, and the truth is that the siblings are not too keen on their parents either. Little do the Willoughby kids know that their neglectful mother and father are hatching an evil plan to get rid of them! Not to worry—these resourceful adventurers have a few plans of their own. But they have no idea what lies ahead in their quest to rid themselves of their ghastly parents and live happily ever after.

My Thoughts:

I really love Lois Lowry's writing, especially in this short little book. It's fun and whismical. The book itself was alright. It was really unique, unusual, and unsuspecting. I never really fell in love with any of the characters, and all in all was weird but fun. It took me under an hour to read so it's a good nighttime book, and it will keep you hooked.

Content: Cautious--neglectful parents, abandoning

My Rating: 3 stars (it was decent)

PG, 12 and Up