Palmer's Page Turners

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door Author: Stephanie Perkins 338 pages, published September 2011 Genre: Young Adult Source: Library Ever since I read and reviewed Anna and the French Kiss  (here's my review ) I've been excited to read Lola and the Boy Next Door.  I absolutely loved the first book and was excited for more! From GoodReads: Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit--more sparkly, more fun, more wild--the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. When Cricket--a gifted inventor--steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. Once again, Stephanie Pe

This is the seventh and FINAL post in my "Harry Potter Through the Eyes of a First Time Reader" series! In each part of the series I will provide a review and commentary on each Harry Potter book. Don't worry--I know some of you haven't read it, so just like all my reviews, there will be no spoilers here ! Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Author: J.K. Rowling 759 pages, published July 2007 Genre: Young Adult Source: Personal Collection From GoodReads: Harry is waiting in Privet Drive. The Order of the Phoenix is coming to escort him safely away without Voldemort and his supporters knowing - if they can. But what will Harry do then? How can he fulfill the momentous and seemingly impossible task that Professor Dumbledore has left him? The epic finale to an epic series. I DID IT! I finished my summer reading project, crossed an item off my Bookish Bucket List , and finally read the book series everyone's been talking about for years. And

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish . This week's theme is Top Ten  Books I Really Want to Read but Don't Own Yet! This should be an easy one :) 1. What I Remember Most by Cathy Lamb:: won this in a goodreads giveaway quite awhile ago and it hasn't shown up yet....anxiously checking the mail every day! 2. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: just finished (last night!) Lola and the Boy Next Door and I'm already itching to read the third one! 3. Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover: this one has been on my most wanted list for awhile:) 4. Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand: Saw this at Target the other day. Almost bought it. Didn't. Regretting it. 5. Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire: I read Beautiful Disaster but haven't read the second one yet! 6. Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf: Heard lots of good things about this one! 7. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover: because I need to read Colleen Hoover&

  Bout of Books 11 is officially complete! I had a fun week and I hope you did as well! Here's an update for yesterday (Sunday) as well as the final totals for my week:   Goals for Bout of Books 11:   1. Read every day of the readathon: DID IT!   2. Complete 2-3 books: DID IT! Completed 2, one of which was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallwows--long book!   3. Participate in daily challenges and twitter chats: SORT OF DID IT ....did the twitter chats but not the daily challenges.   4. Track pages read: DID IT! I even beat my total page numbers from Bout of Books 10! (barely)     Final Stats for Books 11:   Total Pages Read: 851 (beat my Bout of Books 10, which was 847...so just barely :)   Total Number of Books Completed: 2 Books Read from but not completed: An Abundance of Katherines (just couldn't get into it) and Lola and the Boy Next Door (almost 200 pages in)   Books Completed:          

Day 5: Friday August 22 and Day 6: Saturday August 23 Pages Read Today: 208 Total Pages Read this Week: 665 Books Read from today:Harry Potter #7 (163 pages) An Abundance of Katehrines (45 pages) Books Completed: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Total Books Completed This Week: 2 So here's the deal: Today (Sunday) If I read more than 182 pages, I will beat my number of pages read goal from Bout of Books 10. Challenge: Accepted!!! Happy Reading, fellow Bout of Books participants!

Day 4: Thursday August 21 Pages Read Today: 86 Total Pages Read this Week: 457 Books Read from today:Harry Potter #7 and An Abundance of Katherines Books Completed Today: 0 Total Books Completed This Week:1 Happy Reading, fellow Bout of Books participants!

Title: The Vacationers Author: Emma Straub 292 pages, published May 2014 Genre: Contemporary Fiction Source: Library I've seen quite a few reviews on this one, both positive and negative, so I was definitely intrigued to read it. When I saw it while browsing the library at the university where I work, I couldn't resist picking it up and reading it for Bout of Books 11! From Good Reads: For the Posts, a two-week trip to the Balearic island of Mallorca with their extended family and friends is a celebration: Franny and Jim are observing their thirty-fifth wedding anniversary, and their daughter, Sylvia, has graduated from high school. The sunlit island, its mountains and beaches, its tapas and tennis courts, also promise an escape from the tensions simmering at home in Manhattan. But all does not go according to plan: over the course of the vacation, secrets come to light, old and new humiliations are experienced, childhood rivalries resurface, and ancient wo

I was worried that I wouldn't get a lot of reading done on Wednesday...with work, checking on the pup at lunch, and dinner with my cousin (visiting home from Ohio with her two adorable little girls!) I was wrong! After the pup went to bed I managed to read a good chunk of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! Day 3: Wednesday August 20 Pages Read Today: 124 Total Pages Read this Week: 371 Books Read from today: HP #7 (124 pages) Books Completed Today:  0 Total Books Completed This Week: 1 Happy Reading, fellow Bout of Books participants!

Day 2 in the readathon is now complete! I'm excited to say I finished my first book: The Vacationers! Review will be on the blog in the next couple days. I really enjoyed the book. Also read a bit from Harry Potter before going to bed! Day 2: Tuesday August 19 Pages Read Today: 103 Total Pages Read this Week: 247 Books Read from today: The Vacationers (43 pages) and HP #7 (60) Books Completed: The Vacationers Total Books Completed This Week: 1 Happy Reading, fellow Bout of Books participants!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish . This week's theme is Top Ten  Books People Have Been Telling Me I MUST Read!  Here we go: 1. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins: I absolutely LOVED Anna and the French Kiss , which several people recommended in addition to Lola. 2. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: same deal as above. I can't believe the amazing reviews I've read about this one! Can't wait to read it. 3. Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover: I've gotten so many recommendations for this one and all Colleen Hoover's books. 4. Life of Pi by Yann Martel: People have been recommending it to me for ages, but haven't gotten to it yet. 5. Where She Went by Gayle Forman: I'll admit, I am dying to know what happens... 6. Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf 7. The Invention ofWings by Sue Monk Kidd 8. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith: Don't worry, it's on my

The first day of the readathon is behind us! I finally got a chance to read last night after my puppy went to bed, and got a lot read in The Vacationers . Came close to finishing it, but I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer! I also read about 30 pages in Harry Potter and theDeathly Hallows . I was disappointed I couldn't get more reading time in, but life with a puppy is exhausting. Here's the roundup: Day 1: Monday August 18 Pages Read Today: 144 Books Read from: The Vacationers (114 pages) and HP #7 (30) Books Completed: None yet! Happy Reading, fellow Bout of Books participants!

  Welcome to Monday, friends! This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey .   The good thing about this Monday is that it's the start of Bout of Books 11! Pretty excited for this week. Last week I read quite a bit. I finished I Will Never Forget , a book given to me by the author for an honest review . I also finished 84 Ribbons . I haven't done a full review on it yet, but it's definitely a book with a very specific target audience--those that love and understand ballet. It was a three star book for me--wasn't overly impressed.   I'm still working my way through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows --I'm almost halfway through. I also started The Vacationers this weekend. Both books are ones I'm going to continue on in for Bout of Books , as well as An Abundance of Katherines .   Recently Finished:       Currently Reading and On Deck:         Happy Reading, friends! And Happy Bout of Books Week!!

  Next week is Bout of Books 11! I had a fantastic time with Bout of Books 10. and I'm super excited to connect with other bloggers during this fun reading week.   I had some hefty goals for Bout of Books 10--and exceed them (here's my wrap up ). My goals won't be quite as high for Bout of Books 11--as most of you know, I have a nine week old puppy at home that takes up A LOT of my free time, so I won't be able to read as much as I did back in March for Bout of Books 10. But, I'm still excited to accomplish some goals and have some fun! Goals for Bout of Books 11:   1. Read every day of the readathon.   2. Complete 2-3 books   3. Participate in daily challenges and twitter chats   4. Track pages read: for Bout of Books 10 I read 847 pages...I'm not sure I can beat this (due to being a puppy mama) but I'm going to give it my best shot!   Books on my TBR list for Bout of Books 11:   * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by

Title : I Will Never Forget: A Daughter's Story of Her Mother's Arduous and Humorous Journey Through Dementia Author: Elaine C Pereira 274 pages, published May 2012 Genre: Memoir Note: I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. I rarely read and review memoirs, but I chose to read and review this book  after the author contacted me for a review because of the subject matter. I personally related to the topic, and felt it an appropriate book for me to review. In 2013, my father passed away after a long battle with vascular dementia. He was only 64. Here's the synopsis from GoodReads about this book: It is extremely difficult to watch a loved one decline as dementia ravages his or her mind, robbing him or her of memory, thinking abilities, and judgment. In her touching memoir, I Will Never Forget, Elaine C. Pereira shares the sometimes heartbreaking and occasionally humorous story of her mother's journey through dementia, as

This is the sixth post in my "Harry Potter Through the Eyes of a First Time Reader" series! In each part of the series I will provide a review and commentary on each Harry Potter book. Don't worry--I know some of you haven't read it, so just like all my reviews, there will be no spoilers here ! Title: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Author: J.K. Rowling 652pages, published September 2006 Genre: Young Adult Source: Personal collection From GoodReads: The war against Voldemort is not going well; even the Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.   And yet, as with all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate—and lose a few eyebrows in the process. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish . This week's theme is Top Ten  Books I'm Not Sure I Want To Read...basically, To Read, or Not To Read? It's no secret that my TBR list is overflowing with books. As for many book lovers like myself, the list is never ending. Should I move on to other books, or bump these up my TBR list? Help me decide! 1. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 2. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold 3. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 4. Crossed by Ally Condie 5. Reached by Allie Condie : Read the first in the series (Matched) but haven't gotten to the last two. Is it worth finishing the series? 6. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 7. Life after Life by Kate Atkinson 8.  Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid 9. Save Me by Lisa Scottoline 10. Four Friends by Robyn Carr Any of these I shouldn't miss? Happy Reading!

Welcome to Monday, friends! This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey . This weekend, my husband went camping with his friends, so  I had time to get a lot of reading done while my puppy was napping! Last week I finished The Bridge from Me to You (here's my review ).  On Sunday, I finally finished Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince ! My review will be up later this week. We also watched the movie last night, and it was definitely my favorite movie of the series so far, though Book 4 ( Goblet of Fire ) is still my favorite book.  Yesterday I started Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , and also one I received from NetGalley called 84 Ribbons (about ballet, so clearly I'm enjoying it so far!). So overall it's been a great reading week!   Recently Finished:         Currently Reading:     What are you reading this week friends? I hope you have a great reading week!

  I love reading challenges! Clearly, I love reading, but I also like connecting with other readers through the challenges!   The Beat the Heat Readathon is hosted by Jessi @ Novel Hearbeat and Reanna @ Phantasmic Reads  and runs from August 11th-September 1st.   Here are the rules: The Beat the Heat Readathon runs from August 11th to September 1st. What does this readathon entail, you ask? Well, read as much or as little as you want – the main point is to READ! You set your own goal, and for three weeks you read as many books as you can/want to reach your goal! There will be mini-challenges throughout the Readathon for participants, along with a grand prize giveaway at the end! Sign up here at Novel Heartbeat or over at  Phantasmic Reads . You may join whenever you like, but to be eligible for our grand prize giveaway, you must sign up by August 24th. To join, all you have to do is make a sign-up post – even if it’s just a “Let’s do this!” thing –

Title: The Bridge from Me to You Author: Lisa Schroeder 336 pages, published July 2014 Genre: Young Adult Source: NetGalley Note: I received this ebook from NetGalley . This is my honest review. From Good Reads: Lauren has a secret. Colby has a problem. But when they find each other, everything falls into place. Lauren is the new girl in town with a dark secret. Colby is the football hero with a dream of something more. In alternating chapters, they come together, fall apart, and build something stronger than either of them thought possible--something to truly believe in. My Thoughts: I absolutely loved this book. It warmed my heart and I related to it so well. The book is set in a small, fictional, Oregon town an hour or two away from Portland, during football season. I felt like this was going back in time for me, as I grew up in a small Oregon town a similar distance away from Portland, and vividly remember the experience of football season in a small town. I love

This is a weekly event hosted by  Bookishly Boisterous . 1. As you know from last week's post, I am a new puppy mama! Which means my free time has been eaten up by a cute little 8 week old black lab puppy that requires a LOT of time and attention, not to mention multiple bathroom breaks in the middle of the night that leave me sleep deprived during the day. But oh my goodness I LOVE this little guy. He is so adorable and is such a good pup. Here's a picture of him from one of his first car rides! He loves riding in the car :) 2.I'm still working my way through Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince --about 250 pages away from being done (it's 650 pages total). Hoping to maybe finish it this weekend. Also started The Bridge from Me to You (courtesy of NetGalley ) this week. Enjoying it so far as well. 3. One thing that my mom and I enjoying doing together is going to cooking class! I love to cook (though I'm not particularly good at it) and there's