Book love - The Darkest Minds

Okay, so this isn't a review post, but I do have to gush a little bit about a new YA book that I read and LOVED.

Here is the synopsis from GoodReads (the greatest social networking site in the world!)
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

When I first saw this book at Barnes & Noble the cover grabbed me, but I wasn't entirely certain about the synopsis. Let's face it, the YA market is saturated with Dystopian/Post Apocalyptic novels.  I've read more than my share lately.  So, it took me about two or three weeks to finally give in to the cover love and buy it. (It would have only been a matter of time. I'm weak for a pretty cover, plus I buy almost everything that looks half interesting in the YA section, especially if it's got a Sci-fi/Supernatural/Paranormal vein.)

 After reading this book, I'm sad that I waited the few weeks to experience this beautiful novel.  The writing was beautiful, the characters were amazing (Especially Liam, who I fear I might be madly in love with.) and the premise and plot were unique and interesting. Often times the premise can be amazing but the execution is not.  That wasn't the case here, in this case it was execution that made the premise truly shine.

I still think about the characters and the story, and where it's going next even after having read six books since.  I got so emotionally tangled in this book, I actually yelled at it when I had to pause my reading to make my commute home and I was sure a certain character had done something super heinous.  Turns out I was wrong, but... well I'll say no more because I hate spoilers.  But you have to read this book!

Though I in no way want to rush summer along (especially since I live in Alaska) I can say that I am very much looking forward to November when the second installment comes out.

Source: barnesandnoble.com via Monica on Pinterest

 

My Sunday Afternoon in Alaska

As you know, I am doing this biggest loser challenge with a bunch of friends.  I'm not in it for the money so much as a way to help keep me accountable and motivate me to work on being more healthy. 

One of the best ways to be healthy is to get plenty of exercise.  What better way to do it than to get out and enjoy the God given beauty we have here in Alaska?  So I've set a goal for myself since summer will be here in a few short months and there is this beautiful, nine mile hike I'd like to do again this year.  

http://aktrailhead.com/reedlakes/reedlakes.shtml (The pictures on this site do NOT do it justice.)

I hit the treadmill a lot, but that is far from the same as even walking the four-wheeler trails around my house, let alone hiking a mountain.  So, to prepare for the hiking season to come, I decided getting out and hitting said trails was a good plan.  My dogs need to work up to it too.  (They've gotten lazy and a little chunky themselves.)

In hindsight, maybe the day after a Snow-Thaw/Melt-Re-Freeze during the night and then Snow some more cycle wasn't my most brilliant stroke of genius.  The four-wheeler paths have plenty of hills and the fresh dusting of snow on top of sheer ice = America's Home Video style slip and fall on my butt moment at least once while taking the downside of a hill on this trek and several arm flailing near repeats.

But the overall plan was a good one.  Walking in the snow is good exercise, it's a bit like walking in sand, only with the added bonus of treacherous ice linger just beneath.

Another thing you don't have to worry about with the treadmill is the possibility of being run down by a snow machine or encountering a 1500 pound moose.

While I was walking, I was musing about the fact that this week we had some vendors and higher ups visiting from out-of-state at work, and a couple kept saying, "I hope I see a moose!" As an Alaskan, we usually are thinking the very opposite thing.  You don't want to come face to face with one, and you definitely don't want to come vehicle to face with one.  It ends badly for at least one, if not both of you.

Last year my poor little dog got stomped by a moose.  I was very lucky that 1. We'd gotten record snow that year. (provided the life saving cushion he needed)  and 2. My dad was there to distract the moose giving my dog time to escape.  The moose was so angry, after going after my dog, then my dad, he tried to also get the cat, and when that didn't work he kicked the house and for good measure came back for a second round on the house the next day.  (We think the neighbor dog was harassing it and he took his anger out on my dog.)

Back to hiking. I love to hike.  I used to organize and lead the hikes in the Matsu Valley for an Alaskan hiking meet-up group I was part of.  I probably went on 2-3 hikes a week minimum.  Looking at pictures from back then my body looked very different than it does today.  I'd like to get back to that place.  Maybe not spending all of my free time hiking, but a nice long hike once a week is a good goal to shoot for, I think.

The Fall - Cover Reveal

    In preparation for the release of The Fall... 

                       The cover.

An awe inspiring view tempered by heartbreaking need.

Sometimes I marvel that with all the people and places in the world, I somehow won the lottery and was born to the parent's I was and in the place I was.  I am truly grateful for both of these things.  But sometimes life gets busy and it can be easy to take things like our family and our state for granted.

Today I was reminded of how lucky I am to be in Alaska.

I was driving to the weigh in for the weight loss challenge I'm taking part in, and I was caught by the beauty that was happening right in front of me.

I live in Wasilla which has its share of wind, but Palmer is about 20 minutes from Wasilla has quite a bit more.  Today was one of those days in both Wasilla and Palmer and looking at the mountains that surround us both, the wind was blowing the snow off the edges of the mountains. 

It was about 9:45am and the sun was in just the right the spot that it was catching the edge of the mountains and the snow that was blowing off of it.  After being awed by the view for the majority of the drive I finally thought to pull off and take a picture, but by that point it was only the very edge of the mountain that was still "glowing".

Here's a somewhat pathetic glimpse of what I was treated to by Mother Nature this morning.  It is a pale comparison to the reality, but it's hard to capture and hold onto such beauty.

 

After being treated to such a majestic sight, I was brought back down to reality at the grocery store when a young boy approached me asking for money so he could get some food.  I don't carry cash, but I did give him the lunch I'd just purchased and then afterwards, after he'd thanked me and left to get a fork from back inside the store, I went looking for him to see if I could give him some more of my groceries so he could eat at least for a few days, but was unable to find him.  

It makes me heartsick to see homeless children, especially in a state so unforgiving weatherwise as Alaska is.

 

Tempted

I know it's been a long time since I've posted anything.  I haven't had a lot of time lately, and though I've had a few sparks of inspiration for blog posts, I haven't had the energy to follow through on them.  Excuses, excuses.  I know.

I think part of the problem is that I've felt like I actually had to have something deep and important to say, but then I realized that when I started this blog, I said a lot and most of it wasn't deep or important.  A lot of times it was just fun, or whatever was on my mind.

Remembering that rekindled the a spark.

So, my friends are doing their own version of the biggest loser and I agreed to join them since they were starting a new round this last weekend.

It started on Saturday, and of course I started immediately, stopping by the grocery store after I left my friend's house and got apples, oranges, eggs and pickles to eat as healthy snacks.  But I find the moment I can't have something, even if I didn't want it before, I desperately do now that I can't have it.

The first couple of days I decided TV was out for the next 10 weeks. (That's how long it's going for.)  Commercials are the enemy.  They are busy trying to sell tons of yummy looking food.  Food that makes losing weight impossible.  Even the commercials for food I don't like suddenly made that food sound amazing.

Towards the end of the week I was heading to the grocery store again to pick up some more healthy snacks and healthy dinner makings.  It was slow going because that day we'd gotten a nice dusting of snow and the plows and street sanders weren't out yet. Here in Alaska when it snows or is icy we "sand" the roads and parking lots.  It's not really sand, but small pebbles.

   

The parking lot of the grocery store had been "sanded" already and with the mix of the white snow and the dirty pebbles, I was amused to find the whole parking lot looked like a big gallon of cookies and cream ice cream!  I'm not even a big fan of ice cream, but I did steer clear of the frozen aisle to keep from picking up a thing of cookies and cream ice cream.

But, after all the temptation, I made it through the week and at my weigh in this Saturday, I was down four pounds!

The commercials aren't bothering me this week.  Hopefully the weather will also be kind and not provide any further temptation!

Is the universe talking to you?

Do you ever have those moments when it feels like the universe is talking to you?  Maybe even shouting, trying to get you to listen?  I had one of those moments yesterday while out walking the dogs.

If you’re a follower of this blog, then you’ll know that music is a huge part of my day.  I listen to it at work, on the commute, working out and especially while writing.  So, yesterday on my walk was no exception.

I was listening to a song that I’ve heard hundreds of times and a line in it just struck me. “If I die before I learn to speak, can money pay for all the days I lived awake but half asleep.”

The answer was immediate. It was a resounding NO, money cannot pay for all the time I’m wasting, floating, while I wait to live the life I want to.

Then today I was listening to a podcast and the speaker was talking about a problem they had previously experienced and the statement someone made to them when they were seeking advice.  “A loaded train doesn’t jump the track.” He further explained what that meant. “When a train is loaded down with freight, it will not jump the track.  Only when the boxcars are empty is the train liable to leave the tracks.”

Heavy words.  For me this was exactly what I needed to hear. We are always changing and growing.  The things we wanted in the past aren’t always the things we want or need as we advance. I’ve let the things of the past become shackles that hold me back and pull me down. The message I heard from this speaker was that in order to change course, I have to unburden myself. 

 

I don’t think what I heard was what he was intending to convey, but that is what I love about reading/listening to other peoples words.  The messages you get aren’t always the same for everyone, or even what the author meant but they are often just what you need to hear and always meant just for you.

I’m not going to try tie this into anything, or make it more than it is. It’s just me writing down my thoughts before they get away. And leaving myself a place to go back to and remember what I was feeling today.  Because surely I’ll need reminding again in the future.

Children of the Gods Blog tour - July 1-10th

I'm going on tour!  Make sure to check out each stop for something new and interesting, and watch for Giveaways of an ebook copy of my book, Children of the Gods!

July 1st ~ http://renthewriter.com/

Author Bio/Excerpt

July 2nd ~  http://kasonndraleigh.blogspot.com/

July 3rd ~ http://www.moosubi.blogspot.com/

Review/giveaway

July 4 ~ blog: http://dragonslairbooks.blogspot.com

Review

July 5th ~ http://myguiltyobsession.blogspot.ca/

guest post

July 6th ~ http://stephiereadsbooks.blogspot.com/
  

July 7 ~ http://suzannevanrooyen.com/blog/

author interview

July 8th ~ http://readwearwrite.wordpress.com

Review and Excerpt

July 9th ~ http://neverendingstoriesblog.blogspo...

July 10th ~ http://the-avidreader.blogspot.com

Visit me on:

Twitter 

Facebook

GoodReads

Buy the Book!

Amazon

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble

Or through your Itunes

***Here's the Giveaway part.  Leave me a comment here on this post, I'll be drawing at least 1 lucky winner to receive an ebook copy of Children of the Gods, then check back on  Friday the 13th to see if you've won. (Make sure to leave info on how to contact you.)

Also, if you comment on any of the tour stop posts, let me know here which sites you posted comments on (you can just leave the tour dates and I'll check to confirm) and I'll give you an extra entry for each post  you comment on.  That's 11 chances to get entered to win!