Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light. - Albus Dumbledore

I read the first Harry Potter under the duress of my mother when I was just 9 years old. I thought it was nerdy and stupid and would NOT read it. But boy am I glad she forced me to! 

Harry Potter was a HUGE part of my childhood. When each book came out, it was like catching up with old friends every time. I grew up with the characters. They became as real to me as anything. When I read the last words of the last book, I burst into tears and cried for HOURS! No joke. That's how much I loved these books.

Somewhere in there, the movies started coming out and it made the wizarding world of Harry Potter even more real to me. I just love them so much, I can't even describe how much I love Harry Potter!

Exactly one month from this very moment, I will be in a movie theatre (in full costume of course) with some of my best friends watching the first half of the last Harry Potter movie. Words cannot even begin to describe how stinkin' excited I am! But at the same time it's really sad, because once the 2nd half of the movie comes out next year, it will be over.... forever. And after growing up with Harry, Ron and Hermione after all these years, it will be really hard to say goodbye.

So you want to be a writer?

Are you thinking of becoming an author? Well, here is some advice that you may find a bit helpful from someone who works with books all day...

1. Don't make your name bigger than the title. Nobody cares what your name is, in all honestly, they just want to read your book. It makes you look desperate for fame. It's like guys who drive huge trucks, you know their trying to compensate for something else ;] There are some books where you literally have to squint to read the title. Nobody likes squinting, and no one will read your book.

2. Put your full name on the binding. Especially if you have a common name like Smith, or Brown. It will not only be easier for shelvers to find the right spot for each book, but it will be beneficial to you because all you're books will be together instead of crammed in with all the other Browns'.

3. While we're on the topic of names, use the same font for your name on each of your books (DON'T use tight cursive or weird fonts that are hard to read). It also wouldn't hurt to keep your books all the same size and with the same sort of layouts and/or color schemes. That way whoever is scanning the shelves looking for a book can tell that your books all belong together. It'll make your books stand out from all the others.

4. If your book is in a series... INCLUDE THE STINKIN' NUMBER! Put it on the spine, the cover, and on the cover page in the inside! There are so many series out there that aren't numbered and people get frustrated when they go home with a book and realize they picked the wrong one in the series. AND if you end up writing other books not included in a series, they will all get mixed in together. Take the Twilight series for example; Stephanie Meyer didn't include the numbers on her books so they are all out of order on the shelf, and her other book 'The Host' is right in there with them.

5. If you are wanting to write a mystery book, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE... don't include any of these words in the title: Dead, death, dying, bones, case, murder, blood or bloody. I would bet you $20 bucks right now that almost half, if not more, of the mystery titles have these words in the title. Come on people! You can be a bit more creative than that.


Anywho, these are some of the things that have been driving me nuts the past few weeks. I know that some of these things are all up to your publisher, but at least let them know what you want and work with what you're given. You will sell more books, and the people who work with them all day won't have a deep seeded resentment for you.

"Finding Paradise" by Michele Ashman Bell

Title: Finding Paradise

Author: Michele Ashman Bell

Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.

Year: 2004

Pages: 249

Plot (from cover):

"Welcome to sunny Cancun. The only problem is that Morgan Rose would rather be sitting at home than hanging out with her best friend's parents in an exotic vacation resort full of couples on romantic getaways. She's decided to perform her Maid-of-Honor duties at Samantha's wedding and catch the next flight back to her predictable life.

Then she meets Justin, the groom's best man. At first she finds him annoying - cute, but annoying. But soon she realizes that there is much more to this good-looking man than his fun-loving exterior suggests. When their brief time together ends, they promise to keep in touch and, more importantly, to meet again six months later to see if their attraction has any lasting possibilities, But time has  away of complicating even the most beautiful beginnings, and Morgan will son be forced to make a difficult decision that could change the course of her life."

When I first started reading this book, the main character, Morgan, really bothered me. I honestly didn't think I could make it through the book. She was completely close-minding, rude, boring, and a total pessimist... she was basically my worst enemy, I can't STAND people like that. Plus, it was your typical cheesy Mormon story line. Maybe it's the fact that I am Mormon so it just sounded cheesy to me, but it really was. 

In the story, Morgan's best friend Samantha, who used to be Mormon but stopped going to church once she met her fiance, Trevor, is getting married on the beach in Cancun. Morgan would rather be at work than on a vacation, she "just didn't agree with their marriage". So she decides to relax a little bit and then head home to San Fransico right after the wedding. Then she meets Justin, Trevor's best man. He's handsome, charming, interesting, but apparently not Mormon. She hardly gives him the time of day because of it (BIGGEST PET PEEVE!). But then they end up spending the day together and things start to change. Morgan is basically the biggest pansy in the entire world and is dead set on never trying new things. But Justin is adventurous and fun and his thrill of life intrigues her, so he talks her into swimming in a cave and hiking up ancient ruins; things she would never do. Spending time with him makes her realize how much she had been missing out in life and something inside her starts to change. 

On the bus ride back to the hotel from all their adventures, Morgan finds out that Justin is indeed Mormon, she had just assumed he wasn't since all of his friends weren't. After that day they end up spending everyday together, she even stays the whole week instead of going home early. He is sweet, and kind, and charming, and best of all adventurous. You honestly can't help falling in love with him when reading, he is pretty much the perfect guy. This was my favorite part of the book, their week spent together in Cancun.

But then the romantic week ends and they go their separate ways; Morgan home to California where she is a librarian, and Justin to Brazil where he is building a new business with the people he spent a lot of time with on his LDS mission. They promise to meet six months later at a restaurant in San Fransico and also to meet as often as possible in between. 

Morgan lives for his emails, and they come everyday if not more. But then several hurricanes and storms blow through Brazil, knocking out power, internet towers, and cell phone service. Justin stays in Brazil to help his friend rebuild their village and get back on their feet. Just when he thinks he can go home to the States, another storm hits, causing him to stay for several more months. All the while, Morgan waits and waits for him to get in touch with her. Then her old boyfriend, Manny, enters the picture. He is a cute guy, very smart and kind and loving. They end up going on a few dates and spending more time with each other, but Justin is always in the back of her mind. She can't figure out why he hasn't gotten a hold of her and she starts to doubt his feelings for her, pushing her closer to Manny.

She has a huge decision to make and really struggles making up her mind. It seemed like everything in her life was pulling her one way, while her heart was taking her in the complete opposite direction. 

This book was all about finding who you are and living life to the fullest. It was also about following your heart and facing tough decisions head on. 

In all honestly, I actually liked this book. It gave me hope that someday I'll find someone like Justin, because he was basically everything I have ever wanted in a guy. I have to admit, Morgan really bugged me a lot of the times. I know that if she were a real person we would not get along at all, but it was really neat to see her character grow from the boring, predictable, stubborn pushover into an independent, fun, daring, take charge kind of person.

My Grade: A-

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Next time!

'L.A. Candy' & 'Sweet Little Lies' by Lauren Conrad

Title: L.A. Candy

Author: Lauren Conrad

Publisher: HarperCollins

Year: 2009

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Pages: 336

Plot via: 

"Los Angeles is all about the sweet life: hot clubs, cute guys, designer . . .everything. Nineteen-year-old Jane Roberts can't wait to start living it up. She may be in L.A. for an internship, but Jane plans to play as hard as she works, and has enlisted her BFF Scarlett to join in the fun.

When Jane and Scarlett are approached by a producer who wants them to be on his new series, a "reality version of Sex and the City," they can hardly believe their luck. Their own show? Yes, please!

Soon Jane is TV's hottest star. Fame brings more than she ever imagined possible for a girl from Santa Barbara—free designer clothes, the choicest tables at the most exclusive clubs, invites to Hollywood premieres—and she's lapping up the VIP treatment with her eclectic entourage of new pals. But those same friends who are always up for a wild night are also out for a piece of Jane's spotlight.

In a city filled with people chasing after their dreams, it's not long before Jane wakes up to the reality that everyone wants something from her, and nothing is what it seems to be.

L.A. Candy is a deliciously entertaining novel about what it's like to come of age in Hollywood while starring in a reality TV show, written by a girl who has experienced it all firsthand: Lauren Conrad."

I read this book when it first came out last summer and I absolutely loved it! The Hills was one of my favorite shows at the time and Lauren was my favorite person on it. Sure, a lot of it may have been staged, yada yada yada! But I thought it was so interesting being able to look into someone else's life, especially when they lived such a different life then the one I live.

Although I loved the show and really liked Lauren, when I found out she was writing a book, I was a little apprehensive about reading it. It really bothers me when people use their fame to get famous in other areas, like how every Disney Channel star has to have an album. I was afraid that if I read her book I would be really disappointed. But despite my fears, I read it anyways. It completely surpassed my expectations.

The plot was very well thought out and none of the characters were under-developed. Sure, it was very, very similar to some of the things that happened on The Hills, but Lauren found a way to make it a little different and threw her own spin on things. A lot of people gave her crap for writing something so close to her own life, but hey, some of the best stories come from what you know, right?

This book was about two best friends, Jane and Scarlett, who move to LA after high school. One night they decide to go to a club to experience typical LA life. After waiting in line for what seemed like forever they finally got in and ended up being spotted by a TV producer who asked them if they would want to audition for a reality show. Jane was all for it, Scarlett, not so much, but they went to the auditions anyways and ended up being chosen along with two other girls (Madison and Gabi) to be on the show. They were suddenly in the spotlight with all of the glitz and glamour that fame provides.

Life was amazing for the girls, but being famous has it's downsides. They soon realize that being famous allows no privacy and trusting the people around you becomes all the more difficult. When Jane gets in over her head with her new boyfriend Jesse (and his best friend Braden), things get really messy fast. 

I honestly couldn't put this book down, it was that good. 

L.A. Candy ended with quite the cliffhanger and I knew that there had to be another book coming soon. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

Title: Sweet Little Lies

Author: Lauren Conrad

Publisher: HarperCollins

Year: 2010

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Pages: 309

Plot (from cover):

"Jane Roberts was the average girl next door until she and her best friend, Scarlett Harp, landed their own reality show, L.A. Candy. Now the girls have an all-access pass to Hollywood's hottest everything. But their's more to life on camera than just parties and shopping...

When racy photos of Jane are leaked to the press, she finds herself at the center of a tabloid scandal. She turns to her costar Madison Parker for help, unaware that Madison is scheming behind the scenes. She might be Jane's shoulder to cry on, but does Madison really have Jane's back?

Scarlett's working on a scandal of her own. She's fallen for someone who's strictly off limits - which means Scarlett has a big secret to keep... from the L.A. Candy cameras, the paparazzi staking out her apartment, even from her best friend.

Of course, nothing stays secret for long for the stars of the newest hit TV series, and all this drama couldn't be better for ratings. But can Jane survive another season in the spotlight?"

The second book in Lauren Conrad's trilogy was just as good as the first. I loved this book just as much as L.A. Candy! Despite being about young Hollywood starlets, this book was very relatable. It was all about friendships, trust, relationships, learning to live with what's dished out to you, and making the most out of every situation despite the odds. 

The relationship between Jane and her best friend Scarlett takes a turn for the worst in this book, and amid all the chaos and confusion that fame brings, the girls take a journey that they never thought they would have to take.

It was really interesting to see how each character changed with the sudden stardom. It made me realize how hard it would be to hold on to who you are while the whole world is watching your every move. Especially when what's on camera can be so easily manipulated into what the TV producers want, making someone as brutally honest and hard as Scarlett look like the sweet and innocent, quiet type.

This book was all about focusing on what really matters, not worrying about what others think of you, and following your heart.

I would definitely recommend these books! Especially if you watched The Hills; I found it very entertaining to pick out which characters in the book were based off of other characters in the show. 

On a side note, L.A. Candy is going to be made into a movie and should be coming to theaters in 2012! (You know a books got to be good when they put it on the silver screen!) Also, her third and final book in the L.A. Candy series, Sugar and Spice, should be coming out this August!

My Grade: A

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Next week!

'Princess of the Midnight Ball' by Jessica Day George

Book review number one! Wohoo!

Now that I work at a library, I am accosted by flashy book covers on a daily basis and tend to cave into their alluring ways. So I have decided to start sharing which books I like (or don't like, although I tend not to read the whole thing if I find it boring) and share what I thought about it with all of you. My goal is to read a book a week and make these posts every Sunday. Here we go!!

photo via

Title: Princess of the Midnight Ball

Author: Jessica Day George

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Year: 2009

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Pages: 272

Plot (from cover): 

"Princess Rose is the eldest of twelve sisters condemned to dance each night for the wicked King Under Stone in his palace deep within the earth. It is a curse that has haunted the girls since their birth - and only death will set them free.

Then Rose meets Galen, a young soldier-turned-gardener with an eye for adventure and a resolve that matches her own, and freedom suddenly begins to seem a little less impossible. To defeat the king and his dark court, they will need one invisibility cloak, a black wool chain knit with enchanted silver needles, and the most critical ingredient of all -true love."

I'm pretty much a sucker for any story containing princesses, magic, and handsome prince charmings, so I was excited to read this book. I had never heard of this particular fairy tale (The Twelve Dancing Princesses) so I was really interested in learning the story.

The concept of this novel was a really great idea, but I don't think the author quite got there. It lacked a lot of detail and often left me bored and confused at the same time.

When I find a book that I like, I tend to put everything down to finish it because I am so anxious to see what happens next. This book... not so much. It took me a little more than a week to get through this one (an eternity when I read considering it only took me a day to both the fourth and fifth Harry Potter in 24 hours.) I didn't become very attached to the characters and the plot just wasn't that exciting.

Jessica Day George really could have made this into a really great story, but the lack of details and explanations left me feeling so-so. It wasn't bad, just not the most interesting book I have ever read.

My Grade: C+

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Next week I'm reviewing two books. I read the first one a while ago and thought it would be lame to review the sequel without the first one. They are by Lauren Conrad from MTV's The Hills.

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