Books and...

Life.

I was thinking how books and reading have affected my life. Before I dived into the reading world I can honestly say I was a walking zombie. I didn't really see or remember most of the things I was doing, and was just walking through life without a real purpose. But then came along books...

When books touched my life they ignited in my a desire for basically everything. A desire to experience, a desire to learn... they also woke me up. I remember the first book I read, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (I skipped the first one), and that book was so awesome that I became a Harry Potter junkie. At first I only read Harry Potter; Harry Potter was the center of my universe (still kind of is). But then after I read the books about 5 times, each, I decided that there had to be more to it! More to reading I mean, and thus I became the only member in my family that currently reads. Sad, I know. But awesome for me ;)

Books also affected my career choice. Before I wanted to be an architect. Math and drawing are some of my fortes. But when I really got into arquitecture I decided that it just didn't inspire me anymore. I got bored with my first career. But books make me happy, and I decided that as long as I had books life would be alright. Thus I want to become a part of the publishing world!

How have books affected YOUR life? Have they changed anything? Maybe a career choice? Or the way you look at life, maybe even the way you think about people...

Books are not a hobby, they are a lifestyle, and those who get into this lifestyle are the luckiest people in the world.

Last Warning!

Giving away a copy of Ardeur and the entries STOP tomorrow.

With the upcoming release of the nineteenth Anita Blake book in June, Smart Pop, a line of popular culture books, has released Ardeur: 14 Writers on the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Series, a collection of essays edited by Hamilton herself. Ardeur explores a variety of topics relating to the Anita Blake series, including:

• Why the ardeur is the best thing that could have happened to Anita and how Anita was never meant to have sex in the books.

And to add greater insight into the series, Hamilton has written an introduction for each essay that let’s us see a little further into her own world and Anita’s.

-Heather ButterfieldIntern, Smart Pop | BenBella Books, Inc.

Don't miss the chance of reading something awesome!

Chat With Aprilynne Pike!!!!!

There will be a live chat with Aprilynne Pike on Friday night April 30th 8 p.m.

For those who don't know who Aprilynne Pike is, well, keep reading...

Aprilylle Pike is the author of Wings...

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful--too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

Laurel discovers she is a faerie, sent among humans to protect the gateway to Avalon. Thrust into the midst of a centuries-old battle between faeries and trolls, she's torn between a human and a faerie love, as well as her loyalties to each world. In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

And Spells...

US-UK

The sequel to Wings.

"I can’t just storm in and proclaim my intentions. I cant 'steal' you away. I just have to wait and hope that, someday, you’ll ask," Tamani said.

"And if I don't?" Laurel said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Then I guess I’ll be waiting forever."

Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger--and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever.

When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?

Available from HarperTeen on May 4, 2010.

(Which cover I prefer? UK!!!!!!!!!!)

I sadly will not be able to attend this live chat *insert sad face here* I will be working *barfs*.

But if you have the chance, really, why not? Go! Ask questions, have fun, say hi for me won't ya?

Below is the link to the chat room:

http://openbooksociety.com/chat

This is from an email I got from my new Affiliate -more on that tomorrow- The Open Book Society.

"The chat room is password protected, but on the night of the chat we will take that off – you will not need a password to get in. So please join us to chat with Aprilynne Pike author of Wings and Spells."

New Addition to RAC

**RAC: Ridiculously Awesome Contest.

Splendor is the 4th installment in the The Luxe series. I adore this series. It's Gossip Girl back in the 1800.

This is from the official The Luxe website:

THE LUXE IS . . .

Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn.

Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions.

White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups.

This is Manhattan in 1899.

I love the writing of the author, and the characters are so much fun! If you haven't started reading this series, well, I strongly recommend it. If you wish to learn more click here.

Anyways, yes, the final installment in the series is going to be added to RAC and that's that.

Oh and if you wish to know what I think of the series... Click on the picture and it will lead you to my review =]

Enjoy!

PS; If you wish to read the The Luxe series, for free and online, click here. (this link was provided by the The Luxe official website.)

Swooning Saturdays #1

**Swooning Saturdays Meme; inspired by Waiting on Wednesday which is hosted by Breaking The Spine. Swooning Saturdays however is not only for the upcoming books you wish to read, but for old and new books you wish to read that have beautiful covers. Swooning Saturdays is hosted by Bloody Bookaholic**

As I was browsing through Amazon.com (one of my favorite sites) I came across a couple of books I found interesting, and that I think you can find interesting also. Yeap, you heard it here! Swooning Saturdays is where I'm going to post any book that I am currently Swooning for. Old or new, anything goes!

Swooning definition:

To be overwhelmed by ecstatic joy.

But why did I clicked on these books instead of the others?

Oh my, because they had beautiful covers.

Reading level: Young Adult

Paperback: 848 pages

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publish Date: July 6, 2010

She won't let them forget?

Shari Cooper wakes up dead. The last thing she can remember is falling from a balcony during her friend's party. Her death has been ruled a suicide, but Shari knows she was murdered. All of her closest friends are now suspects. As she tries to find her killer from the other side, she discovers her friends may not have been so loyal to her after all. Now, Shari is not just out for justice, she's out for revenge?

This book contains about 3 books in one; Remember Me; The Return; The Last Story. What I love about Christopher Pike is that his books have to do with the supernatural, and that for me is what books are all about.

Reading Level: Young Adult

Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: Crimson Oak Publishing LLC

Publish Date: April 7, 2010

When seventeen-year-old Jane Taylor witnessed her father's death, something happened to her. Ever since, her thoughts have been consumed by death, going so far as to foresee the ever-changing deaths of those around her.

Sixteen-year-old Emily Taylor resented her sister's closeness with their father, who died when she was six. With the strange ability to read minds, she drowns the voices out with drugs, sending Jane over the edge.

When seventeen-year-old Wes Green was adopted, he moved in next door to Jane, finding in her a childhood friend turned high-school crush. All summer, the pain in his bones seemed unwarranted. He was done growing long ago. When senior year starts, however, the pain only gets worse. The foreseen changes are not expected, and far too animal for his taste.

When Max Gordon found himself standing above the dying body of an innocent seven-year-old girl, he saw in her eyes something he hadn't seen in the century he'd spent roaming Earth. Her father was already dead, but there was hope to save her. Jane was her name, and already she was all he ever wanted...

(gotaa make a quick stop here, doesn't it remind you of another book this little part here? I don't know, something like Evermore by Alison Noel!?!?)

... It was his job to bring her back, and it was his job to protect her - the biggest mistake of his life.

When these four teens enter Glenwood High their senior year, no one but Max could understand the future ahead of them. Drawn together by blood and friendship, they each hide a dark secret that will soon bind them together. Max has to protect Jane, Jane wants to be normal, Wes wants Jane to love him, and Emily just wants the voices to stop... But their fate just wants them dead.

What a BEAUTIFUL cover! I swear that even if the summary wasn't interesting (which it is) I would buy this book just for aesthetics alone!

And that is IT for today folks. Aren't these books interesting looking? Beautiful looking? Too bad we have to wait for Remember Me a little more, but The Knight Angels is out now... *leaves a little bit of dust behind as she is running to Borders*

Review: The Society of S by Susan Hubbard

Title: The Society of S

Author: Susan Hubbard

Pages: 304

Publisher: Simon Schuster Paperbacks

Reading Level: Young Adult

Reading Timeline: About a week (I need to really start counting this hehe)

Rating: .7

"Will S Be Lucky for Ariella?"

What if everything you knew about your family was a lie: What if, when the lies began to crack, beneath them lay a truth so dark and deep, yet so compelling, that it pulled you inside? The Society of S, a taut, character-driven literary mystery, is the future of vampirism, told in a voice that will haunt you---and make you think.

Taschima:

The tale of a vampire, as its suppose to be told.

Ari, short for Ariella, has always lived a secluded life. Abandoned by her mother, but raised by her over protective father, she has always have questions about her existence. About who she is; what she is. Why did her mother leave her? Why is her father the way he is? Why is he so mysterious? And who exactly killed the neighbors cat?

Ok, that last question is an inside joke, if you read the book you will understand.

This is a vampire book. There is no other way to say this really. The book is read like if it were a diary, though it doesn't go by dates. Susan Hubbard's way of writing will truly haunt you days after you've read it, and inspire you to read more. The story flows beautifully. And the main character is a piece of art. She is not what I am use to. I'm use to normal high school girls, or kick ass chicks. This character, though cold at times, has a level of intelligence that will amaze, and an insight that will leave you speechless. As I read it it reminded me a little of An Interview with a Vampire; it doesn't have the same plots or characters, but the mood and the style is similar.

Another positive thing on the book is that it makes you want to learn. Ari's education is truly an inspiration. Though she doesn't know how to cook, or anything about how to get somewhere, she is a master at poetry, philosophy and the likes. Raphael's favorite poet -Raphael is Ari's father- is Edgar Allan Poe. After I read the book I searched all over the internet for works on Edgar Allan Poe, and similar poets the author mentioned.

As for plot, well, you kind of read the story as it goes along. Kind of like The Time Traveler's Wife. You don't really see a goal, but you still keep reading. It will give you something to keep you going, a plot line here and there, but I believe that this book is more focused on showing different styles of vampires, it's a coming of age novel for vampires everywhere!

All that said there were something that irked me. For example, the main character is supposed to be 13. But she doesn't seem 13! She is way wiser than a 13 year old, she appears to be 17, or even 20. So yeah, that was a thorn in the middle of the road.

All in all, I like where this is going, and I will keep reading book 2, The Year of Disappearances. I think you should read The Society of S too.

PS; Weird; the title of the book, The Society of S, there is actually a society of S, but is only mentioned once.

Pictures of My Real Bookshelf **Update**

Bookshelf part 2! Last time I posted pictures of my bookshelf, everything was very organized, and I had sooo much space for extra books and stuff, but now... ITS OVERCROWDED!

Pictures from the highest part of the shelf to the lowest.

My Read Shelf

My shelf is adorned by Betty Book and a Guitar Hero Dog! The game of Betty Boop is very cute and everything, but I will tell you a little secret, I swear to God we have never used it! My mom guards like if it were her child (Hello Mom? I thought I was your child!)

The first part of the shelf is STILL Vamp Kingdom. Pokemon has taken a little space, but Pokemon is so awesome it doesn't really matter. On my last pictures the books were on their feet, on this one? Forget about it! They are making space for the other worthy new members of the family.

Here is the list if you can't see them well... Stephenie Meyer, Claudia Gray, P. C. Cast, Richelle Mead, Melissa De La Cruz, Alison Noel, L. J. Smith, and last but not least Scott Westerfeld.

Careful children, this part of the shelf is just not PG 13. Keep reading if you think you are safe, but If I find emails from hysteric mothers tomorrow I will find you, and kill you. Let's continue...

This USED to be Magical Land. Well guess what? Magical Land has evacuated and Steamy Land has moved in. With authors like J. R. Ward, Y. S. Lee, Gail Carriger, Jeaniene Frost, Charlaine Harris, and so much more.

After this, it's pure Randomness Land... From J. K. Rowling to Anna Godbersen. Cassandra Clare also makes an appearance... Beautiful Creatures is there (UK Cover), The Real Real, Wicked Lovely, The Gemma Doyle series, Prophecy of the Sisters, Wondrous Strange... AND THE HUNGER GAMES!!!!!!!!!! Pure randomness I tell you.

And more!!!!

The Manga Section. I don't read much manga, well, not as much as other people at least. But I still like it!Theres Inuyasha, D. N. Angel, THE KINGDOM HEARTS MANGA, Bleach, Dragon Ball, and more. The Read shelf has been so overcrowded that Ive had to take my Chiis' and put them elsewhere, sad but true.

And this concludes my "Ive Read" bookshelf. Now this are the books I haven't read...

Decorated by Star Wars...

My Not-Read-Yet-Shelf

I made that mask! It was on 8th grade,

and I was inspired by Bleach.

My Final Fantasy 13 Collectors Guide and the game. Love them! The last picture holds movies and Ps3 games. We kind of needed more space for movies, so I sacrificed 2/5 of my shelf.

Well this was an update, what do you think? I should stop buying books shouldn't I? xD I can't help it (and tell me the truth, neither can you).

Read - Not Read

Seriously?....

Leesburg mom not giving up on

library book warning-label campaign

There's this article about a mom that has a campaign going on concerning book labeling. I found out about it from a post on Twitter. Let's just say Maureen Johnson is not happy...

"A Leesburg mother who successfully challenged the young-adult book policy at the Leesburg Public Library is expanding her campaign, hoping to get warning labels placed on some books in libraries across the county."

Seriously? She was SUCCESSFUL? That is crap. Sheltering children is just not good. Topics like sex, drugs, teen pregnancy, rape, and other controversies are OUT THERE. Kids are going to know about them, and it's better that they know about them through a GOOD resource as are books.

"Fechtel said two books in particular — The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson and Only in Your Dreams: A Gossip Girl Novel by Cecily von Ziegesar — had vulgar content, such as teen sex, and depicted illegal acts such as drug use."

Books that talk about this kind of behavior, and really any book Ive read that talks about this kind of behavior, always aim to the same goal, and that goal is to let teens know that these behaviors always bring bad consequences, that that path never brings positive things. These kind of books don't, and I quote, "glorifying illegal behavior" they do exactly the opposite! I don't know either of these authors very well, but Ive seen these authors in videos, Ive seen the soul in their books, and they are so much better than what these mother portraits them to be!

"What we're talking about here [are books] depicting a lifestyle that just doesn't work if they're going to be the leaders of our nation," she said. "It's a shame that we as a community are feeding [teens] this kind of garbage."

GARBAGE!? Do you have any idea how many people have found answers to their questions in books?! Books are enlightening!! This quote makes me sad. Garbage... Such a bad word for books =[

What's next? They are going to ban these books? Because you know how the drill goes, first they single them out, then they ban.

This women should just teach their children whats right and whats wrong and get the hell over it. Return to their lives. Stop trying to be the saviors of us all, and just go back to being a mom. And this doesn't mean I don't support women who are trying to make a difference, I so support that, but I don't like where this is going. And I just wish they would just let it go.

Morpheus Road: The Light by D. J. MacHale Trailer!!!

You know I never post trailers, but this one is one I found interesting. This book is from the author of Pendragon, a book that I think about everyone has either heard of it or seen the cover.

But now the author has a new series, Morpheus Road. This author does know how to come up with cool names for his books.

A little summary:

Marshall Seaver is being haunted. In the first installment of this chillingly compelling trilogy, sixteen-year-old Marshall discovers that something beyond our world is after him. The eerie clues pile up quickly, and when people start dying, it’s clear whatever this isit’s huge.

Marshall has no idea what’s happening to him, but he’s soon convinced that it has something to do with his best friend Cooper, who’s been missing for over a week. Together with Coop’s sister, Marsh searches for the truth about what happened to his friend, ultimately uncovering something bigger than he could ever have imagined.

Click here for an excerpt!

I hope you enjoy it!!!

US VS UK, Round Twelve...

There are always two version's to a cover, but in this post we are putting the

US and the UK head to head to see who comes with the best cover.

Our contestants are...

I just went to Melissa De la Cruz website and found the UK cover for Keys to the Repository. Let's see now...

US-UK

And I prefer the US one. This is from Mellissa's website:

"My lovely British publisher Atom books just sent over the cover for KEYS TO THE REPOSITORY. A bit different from the US cover since the books are just being introduced to the UK market now, and Atom felt it would be good to have the city nightlife and our lovely heroine featured in the cover."

In my mind our lovely heroine doesn't look like that. The girl looks kinda creepy to tell you the truth Lol I like the US because this book is suppose to be like a manual to the series, and I think the US cover is very good for that type of book. We are looking INTO the series, to the secrets and all that stuff. And the UK is just so dark, not what I would expect after all the other covers.

...did I mention the girl creeps me out?

Review: The Real Real by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus

Title: The Real Real

Author: Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus

Pages: 336

Publisher: HarperCollins

Reading Level: Young Adult

Reading Timeline: About 2-3 days.

Rating:

"There is a difference between The Real,

the Reel, and the Real Real"

The bestselling authors of The Nanny Diaries introduce a new heroine to root for: Jesse O'Rourke, coffee barista, high school senior, and unwitting reality TV star. Imagine there was never a Laguna Beach , a Newport Harbor , the shimmering Hills . Imagine that your hometown—your school—is the first place XTV descends to set up cameras. Now imagine they've trained them on you.

When Jesse O'Rourke gets picked for a "documentary" being filmed at her school in the Hamptons she's tempted to turn down the offer. But there's a tuition check attached to being on the show, and Jesse needs the cash so she can be the first in her family to attend college. All she has to do is trade her best friend for the glam clique she's studiously avoided, her privacy for a 24/7 mike, and her sense of right and wrong for "what sells on camera." . . . At least there's one bright spot in the train wreck that is her suddenly public senior year: Jesse's crush has also made the cast. As the producers manipulate the lives of their "characters" to heighten the drama, and Us Weekly covers become a regular occurrence for Jesse, she must struggle to remember one thing: the difference between real and the real real.

Taschima:

Carrying the legacy onto YA, Emma and Nicola have done it again.

Jesse O'Rourke is your avaerage student. She hangs out with her best friend Caitlyn, goes to school, works, and tries to survive. That is until XTV crahses into her life taking all her freedom and her best friend away from her in exchange for a 40,000 dollar scholarchip for college. They casted 6 students, Nico the popular perfect girl, Trisha, the shadow of the popular girl, Melanie, the popular girl's real best friend, Rick, the guy that I don't really know because he doesn't leave an impression on your mind, Jase, the asshole, and Drew, which at times I wanted to hit with my fist because he kept sending this totaly mixed signals to our MC. In order to get the 40,000 the six kids must participate in a "documentary" about the real lifes of high school teenagers. But as the creaters start taking things the wrong turn Jesse will have to ask herself if 40,000 is really the price for her soul.

With comedy that is sharp as a dagger this novel brings us to the other side of reality T.V. A side you wouldn't have really expected. The things that happen behind the lensses will leave you with your mouth opened, and at certain times, if not all the time, you will want to hit the director where the sun don't shine.

The Real Real is a very funny and engaging novel. I read it non stop and still wanted more by the end. Though not really intense, the novel has it's moments. It's fun, it's light, but at the base of the novel it holds a truth that will change your perspective when you are watching reality T.V.

Not only that, but Emma and Nicola really know how to take the masks off of issues and put them right on the open. First Nanny Diaries, a novel about how rich people often ignore and don't raise their children, now The Real Real, a novel where nothing is what it seems and where sometimes in order to survive you have to sacrifice what is most dear to you.

When I started reading this book I had in my mind an image of Mean Girls, because of the tree popular girls and then the one who crashes from the outside. The characters may seem a little steriotypical at first, and some stay that way until the end, but some of the characters come out of their shelfs and shine by the end. Jesse is your typical normal teenage girl, and though not my favorite character of all times, I still liked her and rooted for her the entire book.

The romance of the novel had me going AHHH! Because nothing was what it seemed and you could think something was going to happen but suddenly the cards changed and you were left felling like you were in the middle of New York City with no map.

Which leads me to my final point. The novel has twists and turns I didn't expect. Including the ending. But this was what kept me reading, the twists, because by now Ive read so many YA's somethings are expected, but again this novel took me by surprise.

Emma and Nicola should write another YA! Or maybe even make a numero dos book for this one...

A Surprise Giveaway! Come out, Come out Anita Blake Fans!

Calling all Anita Blake Fans!!!!!

I have been contacted by Smart Pop to do a giveaway on a book that is going to BLOW YOUR MIND.

It goes as follows...

With the upcoming release of the nineteenth Anita Blake book in June, Smart Pop, a line of popular culture books, has released Ardeur: 14 Writers on the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Series, a collection of essays edited by Hamilton herself. Ardeur explores a variety of topics relating to the Anita Blake series, including:

• Why the ardeur is the best thing that could have happened to Anita and how Anita was never meant to have sex in the books.

And to add greater insight into the series, Hamilton has written an introduction for each essay that let’s us see a little further into her own world and Anita’s.

-Heather ButterfieldIntern, Smart Pop | BenBella Books, Inc.

The last book Ive read that is like this (a lot of essays on one topic) was A New Dawn, a collection of essays about the Twilight novel. And let me tell you, the essays were almost better than the book! A lot of comedy, originality, and insight. You get to learn what other authors think on the series and that for me is always a blast.

Summary of Ardeur:

Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series is a literary sensation, thanks to its strong female hero, well-fleshed (both literally and literarily) characters and unabashed attitude toward sex. The world Hamilton has created is powerfully compelling and stunningly complex—and it gets deeper and richer, and more perilous, with every book.

Straddling the series’ dominant themes of sex and power, Ardeur gives Anita fans a deeper look into the dynamics, both personal political, that have kept readers fascinated throughout the run of the series. Why is the ardeur the very best thing that could have happened to Anita, personally (aside from all the sex it requires her to have with hot men)? How is Anita’s alternate United States a logical legal extension of our own? And as the series continues, what other bargains might Anita have to make with herself and others in order to keep the people she loves safe from harm?

If I were you I would get in on this. Even if you haven't read any Anita Blake books you could start reading them and then have this as a back up read for when you are finished with the books.

Now the rules of the giveaway are...

• Leave a comment here! In the comment you have to give me a reason you want this book, and leave your email! If you don't feel comfortable leaving your email, email me at bloodybookaholic[AT]hotmail[DOT]com.


• If you are able to, tell other people.


• You don't have to be a follower if you don't want to (Though I encourage for you to be one... Ya know lol)

This giveaway will run for 2 weeks only. NO EXTENSION! You have till April 29, 11:59 P.M. to enter the giveaway.

Have fun! (Don't kill each other)

Extension... (Extra Entries)

I will be extending the Ridicously Awesome Contest for another 4 weeks!

Why?

• I have to pay college stuff this month and can't leave it for next month. That means that I won't have any money till May. And since I don't want to take long in sending everything out...
• More time for you guys to spread the word and make extra entries and all that.

I hope this works for everybody and that you keep spreading the word! Also if you take any of these two images now and put them in a visible spot on your official blog you automatically get 10 extra entries in the contest! If you put both... Do the math. Oh, and try to remember to link to the contest and mention is at Bloody Bookaholic.

New Contest Deadline: May 14

XOXO,


Hahaha been watching Gossip Girl too much.

The Real REAL Teaser!

This novel is so freaking awesome!

It has totally entertained me. I have to agree with the New York Daily News when they say that Emma and Nicola have found their true calling in YA. Everything clicks! Their comedy, their way of writing, their characters, their plot. It is a wonderful ride.

Ridiculously short summary: The Real Real is about 4 students who are picked to start in a T.V.Show that is supposed to show the normal lives of teenagers.

Complete Summary:

"When Jesse O'Rourke gets chosen to be part of the cast of a new documentary series, The Real Hampton Beach, about seniors dealing with the real world and real issues, she has considerable reservations, but the offer of $40,000 in college tuition is too good to turn down. It sounds easy enough–pretend to be best friends with people you despise, wear designer clothes you cannot afford, and give up any semblance of privacy–right? If only it were that simple.

Between the phony friendships, the staged fights, and the product placements, Jesse can no longer differentiate between what's real and what looks good on television. She and the other players are just pawns in the network's moneymaking game. However, that changes when Jesse gets dirt on the network's president of programming. Now they have the upper hand and can finally regain control over their lives. This book is far more entertaining than most of the so-called reality programs on television."

My Real Real Teaser:

"I look around in the chirp-filled stillness. Nothing. No van. No cameras. Tentatively I extract the envelope from the velour paws and open it.

On the florist's card is printed, beneath the glittered illustration of flowers and hearts, Let's get away from it all, just the two of us, Drew.

Get away. With me. Drew. Me. Not Nico. Take that, FrankenTrisha! Yes. Yes! "Yes!" I cry out, toothbrush aloft, bouncing up and down on my porch, the invitation clutched to my chest.

"And cut."

I freeze.

"Moving on!"

... I look down at the fake invitation I just did a Snoopy dance over, mortified."

Talking about the Real Real...

Old-New

Look at the Real Real covers. I like the second one. I think it looks more glamorous because it's not trying too much. The glamour is on the lip-gloss, on the teeth, on the way the girl is not showing her eyes, like how superstars hide their eyes behind dark glasses. The first one is trying to look glamorous, and there is when it fails.