Category: Out of the Box Blogs

Anything that doesn’t have to do with books and reviews

Books, fantasy, Out of the Box Blogs, paranormal romance, Reviews, Romance, scifi, steampunk, Urban Fantasy

News about our blogging team

Karen

Book 1

First we wanted to start out by letting everyone know some sad news. Debra, one third of our blogging trio, is very ill and we will be losing her soon. Debra is the kindest of the three of us, even when she had a “harsh” criticism she would send it to me and I always would say “you’re too sweet” but that’s just her nature. She loves books, cares for people and made Les and I a little bit better. Because of this we think it’s appropriate to give someone else the gift of a book, from Debra to you. We know we have been sporadic bloggers over the years but you guys stick with us through some crazy times, hard times, and downright unthinkable times.

If this gift card goes to someone who’s been reading as long as us we say great, you get to have whatever book you want and it won’t be an ARC so there is no pressure in your review. If you are new or struggling, that’s great too, here is a chance to get a book without guilt. Believe it or not we’ve been blogging now for three years and we will miss Debra’s unique voice, but we thank you all for listening and always being kind to her. She loved blogging, so thank you for making it special.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Click the link to enter for your chance at winning. The winner will be chosen on Friday August 3,2018.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Books, great reads, Out of the Box Blogs

Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter by: Randy L. Schmidt

Les

little girl

**THIS ONE IS MORE OF MY FEELINGS AND OPINION OF KAREN AND HER LIFE, THAN THE BOOK**

To be honest I forgot that my Goodreads is attached to the blog, and the whole world sees what I read. Kind of strange to think about it now. This is a book I read for me and my mother. She loved Karen Carpenter, and thought she was a victim of circumstance and an overbearing family as well as the fame.

This book dives into her entire life, even the not so glamorous times, and the low points. There are a lot of interviews with her friends in this book, which is the reason I decided to read it. I know the music, but who was she? My take on Karen is she was a beautiful soul looking for unconditional love, and a life as a wife and mother that she could be proud of. She had this amazing gift, that voice was so unique and so recognizable. I didn’t  know until this book that she recorded a solo album while Richard was in Rehab for his addiction issues. While reading this book told by some of her closest friends, there were times when I was so mad for her. I was so angry, when I found out about the solo album, and then to find out they made her shelf it. They told her it wasn’t good enough. I think they were afraid. They were afraid to release it. What made me the most mad was that they released it after her death. My favorite Karen Carpenter song is on this album. I wish she could have seen how many people loved that album.

So many people controlling her life and micromanaging her. She was already a perfectionist when it came to her singing. The constant comments about her weight in the beginning, to the butting in of her relationships with men. She never had a moments peace. When she found out the truth about her fiancé being a fraud, it is said she wanted to cancel the wedding. Her friend claims her mother wouldn’t here of it, too many invitations had gone out. It would have been too embarrassing. So she married a con man who blew almost all her money, and it is said he even told her ” Look at you, I would never have a child with you, you look sick. Nothing but skin and bones, how can I love that”. It is no wonder she sought refuge in the few who did love her as she was. She tried to be perfect on the outside in front of the world, but she forgot to love herself. This is why my mother told me this story, so I can always remember to love myself first.

She tried to fight her bulimia and anorexia, she was doing well, but she just couldn’t get that monkey off her back. Some friends say she was taking a prescription medicine, instead of her usual laxatives, but some friends truly thought she had beaten it. Some say she was doing so well. Her autopsy says she did have the prescription in her system, but some say it was because she was sick. I say no matter what we lost a great artist, and an amazing woman, who never got to live up to her full potential.  I listen to her music almost daily, and I am saddened by the fact that she didn’t get to see how many people still listen even now.

Here is my favorite song from her solo album. I hope you enjoy it. *of course I do not own the rights to this song*

Peace,

Les

Books, funny, great reads, indie author, Kissing booth, Movies, Out of the Box Blogs, Romance

The Kissing Booth the movie and the book by: Beth Reekles

Les

Original Book Cover                              Movie Cover

Hey everyone! I just watched the movie The Kissing Booth on Netflix. I realized it was based on the book by Beth Reekles. I have a story about this book, so I thought I would share.

I used to read a lot of stories on WattPad. If you’re not familiar with WattPad, it is an app where people share their stories, and others can read them. They are normally unfinished stories that are updated every week or so. So every week you get a new chapter, and you give feed back on what you liked or didn’t like. I actually found a lot of great stories on there, and every so often I pop back in the app to see what is new.

I found the story ” The Kissing Booth” one day, I think it had maybe 2 chapters done at the time, and it grabbed my attention. So every time I would get a notification that it had been updated, I would drop what I was doing , or reading and read my new chapter. I was really into this book. I liked the characters and also story line.

Fast Forward and Beth makes an announcement that she has an offer and will be publishing her story. This is kind of a close knit group that have been growing with the characters and the story, so we are hella excited for her! I love supporting new and indie authors, so as soon as it came out I bought the paperback. Funniest thing: I never read the paperback! I was always afraid that they may have edited out some of my favorite parts.

All of a sudden Harper Sloan (another author) makes a post about watching the movie The Kissing Booth. I am like, WAIT!!! It’s a movie now? I got super excited and swore I would watch it. But lets be honest, I work in tourism and this is busy season, and I have a company to run. (For anyone who didn’t know Kar and I are both in tourism, and both run companies, hence why we fall off the grid sometimes)  Meanwhile, my daughter is watching a movie on her phone in the car, and I ask what she is watching. She replies, “The Kissing Booth, and it is really good”. So, tonight I cooked dinner and kicked everyone out of my family room, including the husband, (not a family room tonight! It’s my room) and I watched the movie.

I LOVED IT!! It stayed pretty true to what I remember from the book. I mean it was published in 2012, so I read the original draft before that, so I don’t remember every detail. I have added it to my list on Netflix, so I can watch it again and again. My daughter has watched it 3 times already, so look at me being cool, and now she is reading the book! I love it when I can get her to read books I have read and we can talk about them.

Has anyone read the book and seen the movie as well? What are your thoughts? Should I read the published book? I am still scared of that one.

 

Peace,

Les

Books, great reads, Mystery, Out of the Box Blogs, Reviews, Romance

“Shelby” by: Katie Murphy

Les

35438429Hey Everyone! I have to say first,  this is a  book that I have waited for since the first little snippet I got to read a year or so ago.  I was intrigued, and wanted more. I got it and it is great! So here we go!! I am excited, aren’t you? Well you should be! Ha!

Enter Shelby, the Secretary of State’s daughter. She is the complete socialite. She has an assistant, stylist, maids, money, and is one of the most unlikable characters I have ever met. Her father calls in a favor with a friend to be her bodyguard. He is Jesse, and he is likable, down to earth and hot! Shelby treats him poorly and tries to play games with him, but then again she plays games with everyone, including her douch-tacular fiancée Jack. She thinks it’s so funny when Jack treats Jesse like the mere paid staff, so like crap.  Okay, so its obvious I do not like a few characters in this story.

Then, you realize Shelby has no real friends, her fiancée is cheating, and when a tragic accident happens she loses everything, except Jesse’s vow to protect her. He continues to do so, and she eventually has an epiphany. She realizes how meaningless her life was. Now there are people trying to kill her and she sees that she needs to actually live life, and do something meaningful. She had to go into hiding and Jesse’s reputation was ruined, because people assumed he was to blame for her being missing. You would think after she changed her behavior and mind I would start to like her. NOPE! NOT AT ALL!

I’ll tell you why I still don’t like her. She is better, but she is still kind of dumb and blind. How can she just dismiss Jesse, or just pull unassuming people into her crazy paparazzi and dangerous world without warning, just because she likes them. To me she is still selfish. She can’t just be herself, like that isn’t good enough.

Okay, we know I won’t give away any spoilers, but I will say that I really did enjoy this book. Anyone who knows me, knows I usually hate the girls, unless they are awesome. This book is written in different point of views, and has a cliffhanger!

WHY KATIE?!?!?! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WITH JESSE!!

Seriously, I may be a little delirious, but go read it! Let me know what you think.

Peace,

Les