Review: WHAT I LEAVE BEHIND by Alison McGhee (YA)

*A finished-hardcover copy of WHAT I LEAVE BEHIND was sent to me for free by the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for an honest review. All thoughts here are my very own. Any problems, concerns, questions, etc. please contact me via email - thebumblegirl@rocketmail.com - Thank you!

WHAT I LEAVE BEHIND

by Alison McGhee

Expected release date: May 15th, 2018

Published by: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books (Simon & Schuster)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Format: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Format read: Hardcover

SUMMARY

Trigger warning: Suicide, rape.

After his dad commits suicide, Will tries to overcome his own misery by secretly helping the people around him in this story made up of one hundred chapters of one hundred words each.

Sixteen-year-old Will spends most of his days the same way:

Working at the Dollar Only store, trying to replicate his late father's famous cornbread recipe, and walking the streets of Los Angeles. Will started walking after his father committed suicide, and three years later he hasn't stopped. But there are some places Will can't walk by: 

The blessings store with the chest of 100 Chinese blessings in the back, the bridge on Fourth Street where his father died, and his childhood friend Playa's house.

When Will learns Playa was raped at a party - a party he was at, where he saw Playa, and where he believes he could have stopped the worst from happening if he hadn't left early - it spurs Will to stop being complacent in his own sadness and do some good in the world. He begins to leave small gifts for everyone in his life, from Superman the homeless guy he passes on his way to work, to the Little Butterfly Dude he walks by on the way home, to Playa herself. And is through those acts of kindness that Will is finally able to push past his own trauma and truly being to live his life again. Oh, and discover the truth about that cornbread. 

MY REVIEW

*A finished-hardcover copy of WHAT I LEAVE BEHIND was sent to me for free by the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for an honest review. All thoughts here are my very own. 

Brilliant writing and composition - the author made me feel so many emotions that left me wanting to have a better attitude on life and the people around me.

WHAT I LEAVE BEHIND is another book that is going on my favorite shelf... 
I read this book twice in one day. TWICE! 

Written in 100 pages with only a 100 words per page, the author delivers a strong and moving story about a teen named Will who is coping with the loss of his father and the tragedies that surround him... 

Will is just a kid trying to get by. Every day he thinks of his dad, who committed suicide a few years ago. If it weren't for the note that they found, he would never have believed it. He doesn't talk to anyone about it, but he does try to cope with it with something that has always stuck with him, something that his dad used to do... we get to see Will go to work, his relationship with his boss and how Will tries to make his boss feel like he's something important, that he is being seen... we also get to see a small boy in Will's neighborhood and how Will tries to keep an eye on him and leaves the boy small trinkets thinking that it will give the little boy extra time to stay little and naive in thinking that there really is magic in the world, to have an imagination and play, before being disillusioned into the real world... and then there are the feelings that he is dealing with in regards to his best friend Playa. Playa who he hasn't been able to see yet; the guilt he feels about what happened to her and how he can help her. 

While reading this book, I couldn't help but think of how many people are out there that are in the same place as Will is. How important it is to take the time to truly see people and that it doesn't take much to give a person a little of your time - even if it is just a smile. The littlest thing can bring so much joy to a person... As a mom, all I wanted to do was reach into the book, grab Will, and give him a huge hug and a big ol' plate of freshly baked cookies and tell him that things will get better, it'll be okay. Even though he seems to have figured that out on his own, and I felt proud. I know I had nothing to do with how Will was handling things, but I was happy to see that instead of being a destructive teen, he was doing his best to bring happiness back into his life and into those he thought could use some too.

I do have to admit that I was a bit skeptical at first when I was told that this book was written in such a way - 100 words within 100 pages - surely this wasn't enough to tell someone's story. But it was and is! I feel that the format definitely gave me just enough of a glimpse into Will's life - I not only got to see his day to day routine but also got to see what he was thinking and feeling. The format very much felt like journal entries, but more... I was completely invested in learning about him and emotionally engaged and being there with him while he sorted out this period in his life. 

Will's personality shines, good and bad; where there was sadness, there was also hope. And I think that many people need to read this as a way to know that no matter where you are in life, a little positivity, the tiniest bit of kindness, can truly change someone's world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Alison McGhee

Alison McGhee writes novels, picture books, poems, and essays for all ages, including NEVER COMING BACK (October 2017) and the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestseller SOMEDAY, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. 

Her work has been translated into more than 20 languages. 

She lives in Minneapolis, California, and Vermont.

GOODREADS / WEBSITE / TWITTER / FACEBOOK  

Blog Tour (Review): THE GOLDEN COMPASS (His Dark Materials #1) by Philip Pullman (YA)

Welcome to THE GOLDEN COMPASS BLOG TOUR!!!

It is with great pleasure that today I get to share my thoughts on the original book that started it all, THE GOLDEN COMPASS... 
with the anticipation of getting read for Philip Pullman's next book in the HIS DARK MATERIALS series, THE BOOK OF DUST (on sale 10/19/2017)!!!

THE GOLDEN COMPASS

His Dark Materials #1

by Philip Pullman

Original release date: July 1995

Published by Yearling (Penguin Random House)

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Mass Paperback, Audio book

Format read: Paperback edition, published May 22nd, 2001

SUMMARY

Lyra is rushing to the cold, far North, where witch clans and armored bears rule.

North, where the Gobblers take the children they steal - including her friend Roger.

North, where her fearsome uncle Asriel is trying to build a bridge to a parallel world. 

Can one small girl make a difference in such great and terrible endeavors?

This is Lyra: a savage, a schemer, a liar, and as fierce and true a champion as Roger or Asriel could want.

But what Lyra doesn't know is that to help one of them will be to betray the other.

MY REVIEW

EVERYTHING about THE GOLDEN COMPASS is original, wondrous, magical and brilliant!

To start, I oftentimes have a hard time describing THE GOLDEN COMPASS to those who have asked me... to me, it almost feels as if it is a parallel-world to our own, with magical realism, steampunk elements and perhaps even takes place during the Edwardian Era in the U.K. with mythical creatures, hot air balloons and witches... there an organized group of dark and sinister people that are kidnapping children and taking them up North. No one knows why or what they are doing to the children. Soon, people realize that the government, police and more are corrupted and their aren't many people to trust in order to get help and find these innocent children...   

Lyra is confident, stubborn and very determined for her age. She is not one to be caged or tricked into anything. She is extremely smart, observant and is one to decide for herself. She often questions everything and everyone around her; something that is frowned upon but necessary during all that she has to endure. However, like any child, Lyra is enchanted with everything she sees outside from where she grew up in Jordan College and Oxford; until she realizes that she is fated to deal with things that she only knew in stories. Being able to only rely on herself, question the world and tell stories herself saves her from many things and shows us that one will always rely on themselves in order to get through most things. 

The world-building is what dreams are made of - magical and within reach. You can tell that every little detail was carefully thought out and made to be important to all of the characters and the story. I really enjoyed how the narrator would give us their thoughts and extra bits to help us better understand the history behind what was happening.

The whole concept of everyone having their own daemons (pronounced demons) is mesmerizing to me! Our world would be so very different if we all had our own personal daemon to represent and guide us. Although the actual concept as to how and why each person has a daemon is never fully explained except that children's daemons can shape-shift into different animals and accommodate themselves to the child's emotions and needs, until they reach adulthood. Once they are grown adult's daemons seem to take on one animal-like shape for the rest of their lives, representing their person's characteristics since once one becomes an adult one is more sure of themselves and has taken on a role in society. Also, the bond between a person and their daemon is one of life and death - they cannot be separated, it's as if they share a soul. If one dies, so will the other. The realization of having a separate identity that can cause harm to oneself is quite terrifying to me, but still, an enigma that I would love to learn more about and would possibly wish to have. 

My only grievance with Pullman's writing is that I felt as if he went over and beyond with the details and underestimated what his readers would get from his/this world. I truly felt that more could have been visualized with less of the particulars. For example, the narrator would oftentimes step in and give us extra bits about how Lyra was feeling, or what one of the other characters were thinking about it, or more details as to the history of something that had happened which led to what was about to happen - and then the story would jump right back into Lyra's point of view.  Oftentimes it felt like someone was just disrupting the flow to purposefully be spoilery about the things that were about to happen rather than letting the reader have a moment to guess and wonder... I hope that what I am saying is understandable and not truly a negative thing. It is most likely that I am not used to this style of writing. 

Overall, I sincerely enjoyed Lyra's journey and felt all of her emotions through every one of her encounters. Big or small, every moment was believable and cinematic - a true classic that will be read for many, many years!

*I received this book directly from the publisher to post an honest review during the blog tour. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

FAVORITE QUOTES

"That's the duty of the old," said the Librarian, "to be anxious on behalf of the young. And the duty of the young is to scorn the anxiety of the old." - page 32

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Philip Pullman

In 1946, acclaimed author Philip Pullman was born in Norwich, England, into a Protestant family. Although his beloved grandfather was an Anglican priest, Pullman became an atheist in his teenage years. He graduated from Exeter College in Oxford with a degree in English, and spent 23 years as a teacher while working on publishing 13 books and numerous short stories. 

Pullman has received many awards for his literature, including the prestigious Carnegie Medal for exceptional children's literature in 1996, and the Carnegie of Carnegies in 2006.

He is most famous for his "Dark Materials" trilogy, a series of young adult fantasy novels which feature free thought themes. The novels cast organized religion as the series' villain. 

In 2007, the first novel of the "His Dark Materials" trilogy was adopted into the motion picture "The Golden Compass" by New Line Cinema. 

LINKS

Goodreads / Website / Twitter

Blog Tour (Guest Post, Review and Giveaway): DOUGLAS, YOU NEED GLASSES! by Ged Adamson (C)

DOUGLAS, YOU NEED GLASSES!

by Ged Adamson

Release date: May 17th, 2016
Published by Schwartz & Wade (RandomHouse)
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Format: Hardcover, eBook 
Format reviewed: Finished hardcover from the publisher.

SUMMARY

Meet Douglas, a dog with a big problem: he needs eyeglasses but doesn't know it, and his bad eyesight tends to land him in some pretty hairy situations. 

Readers will laugh along with the new picture book character Douglas as he chases a leaf that he mistakes for a squirrel, walks through wet cement because he can't see the warning sign, and annoys the neighbor's dog by mistakenly eating out of his bowl. And when Douglas's owner Nancy finally takes him to what is clearly an eyeglass store and Douglas asks, "Why are you taking me to a shoe store?" everyone will be giggling.

After an eye exam confirms that Douglas needs glasses, and Nancy helps him find the perfect pair, readers will rejoice with Douglas as he sees all the amazing things he's been missing!

Both kids and parents will laugh out loud - and may even recognize themselves! - while reading this utterly irresistible, hilarious picture book. 

PURCHASE LINKS

Book Depository / Amazon UK / Amazon US

Barnes and Noble / IndieBound

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GUEST POST BY AUTHOR Ged Adamson

UNDER THE INFLUENCE

Probably the most frequent question people ask me is "Is it ok to draw birds with teeth?"

My answer is always the same: "Why would anybody draw a bird without teeth?"

The way you illustrate things says a lot about how your mind works. The things you draw represent your aesthetic leanings and your artistic influences. Every artist or illustrator has stuff they really like that inspires their work in a big way. These influences can last a lifetime or they can simply be a passing phase, it doesn't matter. No man or woman is an island and it's impossible to build a Donald Trump wall that stops other people's stuff getting into your work. And who would want to? 

It's a common thing that when people take up drawing or painting or any creative pursuit, they start off imitating something else. Your influences are everything at this early stage and usually, you will gravitate towards one of them and simply copy. This isn't a bad thing - it's almost a necessity because if you're lucky the process of imitation will teach you how to get to your own style. Other influences will be added and mixed. The more you do, the more those different influences will keep crashing together until they form something new: art that's yours and nobody else's. 

There's a whole load of things that go into my own style of drawing and writing. I was lucky enough to be a kid before the Internet. I say 'lucky' because the downsides of having so much instant choice at your fingertips are: 

1. You tend to look at the same kind of things and never encounter stuff that might spark some new ideas and thoughts. 

2. It's harder to be bored. Boredom as a kid is a great thing. It can make you use your brain and explore new territory. 

In that distant pre Internet age, you were stuck with what was scheduled on TV and what was available in your immediate environment. So some of the most memorable things from my childhood that kept me amused are not kid-related at all. What I wasn't drawing, I was watching telly and quite often it would be a programme that was thrown into the listings to fill a gap. Like an old public information film about what to do when a pipe bursts - or an episode of an ancient animated series about chess strategy. TV oddities like these seemed to occupy strange and forgotten worlds and, as a child who was obsessed by the past, they held a strong fascination. 

But there was one thing that, for me, made a wet Tuesday afternoon absolute heaven and that was watching an old British movie. But it had to be a certain kind of British movie. What I really loved were Ealing comedies - The Man In The White Suite, Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Lady Killers, I loved them all. But occasionally there were Norman Wisdom films too, Morcambe and Wise features and Will Hay pictures from the 30s. Here was humour from a different source and it seeped into mine and my brother's own sense of what makes something funny. 

Another British film favourite were the St Trinians movies. These always started with a title sequence illustrated by Ronald Searle from whose original comic strip the series was adapted. 

Ronald Searle is one of the most influential illustrators/artists of the last hundred years. His draughtsmanship alone was incredible and his output was staggering. Searle's characters - famous of not - are instantly recognisable as his. His humour is dark but never vicious. His love of Victorian architecture and ornamentation is evident everywhere in his work. There are so many illustrators, including myself, who have taken that aspect of Searle's work and mixed it into their own. 

A big American influence of mine who was a contemporary of Ronald Searle's is Charles Schultz. 

It's hard to put across how much I loved Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Linus and Lucy when I was a child. They were the best thing in the world. I literally dreamt about them. We amassed a large collection of Peanuts books in our house. We were all fans including my dad. In contrast to the simplicity of the art, there was a sophistication to the humour that kids and adults appreciated pretty much in the same way. That's another aspect of the genius of Schultz - his humour didn't work on two levels (like we're always hearing the Pixar movies do for instance); both children and adults could sympathize with Charlie Brown's insecurities and Linus's curiosity and sense of right and wrong. Through the Peanuts books we had at home, I loved to trace Schultz's development as an artist and the evolution of his style. It intrigued me that the 1950s Charlie Brown and Snoopy looked so different to their 19802 counterparts. 

Every Christmas there would be a new Giles annual in our house. Giles was a hugely popular cartoonist for the Daily Express. Being a Conservative newspaper, it wasn't one we took ourselves but Giles was so loved by us, we bought his annual anyway regardless of who was paying his wages. 

The cartoons centred around a large beleaguered family. They were very Middle England, Southern - whilst we were Northern, working class. But they were so well drawn - in the human sense as well as the artistic sense - it was easy to like them and laugh at their predicaments. But the things I particularly loved about Giles was his mastery of landscape and the portrayal of our uncompromising British weather. Nobody could do a rainy street in so perfect a way as him. His study of the gardens and backs of suburban houses covered in deep snow, overseen by black bare branched trees rivalled anything by Lowry in my opinion. Somewhere in this scene would be the dad working on his boat saying something (usually about the gran) to one of the kids. The gag was rarely memorable but, to me, the art itself was breathtaking. 

I could mention even more strange and wonderful things that have lodged in my brain and given me inspiration over the years but to mention them all would turn this into a small book. So the next time you’ve created something, remember to thank all those little influences that collaborate in your brain to make you who you are.

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MY REVIEW

OH how I wish I had this book when my oldest, who is now 12, had to get glasses!

You see, we didn't know that my son needed glasses at such a young age - he was having some problems engaging in certain activities, etc. But not even his doctors were aware that it may have been an eyesight problem. It took us a whole year to discover that he needed glasses! And by then, my son had learned to identify things by shapes and colors... he's now been wearing glasses since he was 4 years old, and will have to wear them for the rest of his life! He's not the only one in our family to have to wear glasses, so he's not alone now - but, it would have been so very nice to have a dog named Douglas to help him transition and accept that he wasn't the only one that had to wear glasses at his age... 

The story is so sweet, fun and humorus! Douglas gets into a bit of mischief because of his bad eyesight - something that we can all relate too! His 'hooman' does that best that she can, but soon realizes that her pup needs more help than she can give. Which is something that I can relate too! It's so hard, especially as a parent, to admit that something may be wrong with your child or anyone else that you love dearly. Being able to accept them as who they are is very important - especially if there is a way to help them improve their way of living. 

What I love about this book the most is the watercolor pictures - they give you exactly what and how the dog sees the world. Vibrant and colorful, and yet, a little blurry and shadowy, exactly how one struggling to see correctly would probably views the world - great blobs of colors!

My older boys, 12 and 10, really enjoyed the story - they thought it was cute and funny. And enjoy reading it, over and over again, to their littlest brother who is now 2 1/2. Littlest brother loves the "so funny part" and all the bright "pretty colors". 

Definitely a book for everyone!!! 

*A hardcover copy of the book was sent to me by the publisher for an honest review.

All thoughts are wholeheartedly my very own. 

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Bumbles and Fairy-Tales will not be held responsible for any lost, damaged, unclaimed, etc. prizes.)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Ged Adamson

Ged Adamson is a writer and illustrator. His first two books, Elsie Clarke and the Vampire Hairdresser and Meet the McKaws, are both published by Sky Pony Press. A third, Douglas, You Need Glasses! will be published in May 2016 by Random House. He sees two books published in 2017 - Shark Dog in Summer 2017 and published by HarperCollins and I Want to Grow will be released in Fall 2017 by Boyds Mill Press. 

His cartoons have appeared in magazines such as Punch and Prospect, in books and on film. He's been a storyboard artist and a caricaturist. He also works as a composer for TV and film. 

He lives in London with his partner Helen and their son Rex. 

Links: Website / Instagram / Twitter

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BLOG TOUR INFO

Don't forget to enter the amazing giveaway, and leave a comment!!!
THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!!!

Review: THE LADYBUG GIRL Doll from MerryMakers, Inc.

Ladybug Girl Doll

by MerryMaker's 

OUR REVIEW

Ladybug Girl is the sweetest little thing to come into my home in a very long time. Perfectly made to withstand the hands of time, she will add joy to everyone around her. Whether or not you and your little ones are familiar with her books, she will fit right in and help little imaginations grow and you will both enjoy creating new adventures for Ladybug Girl to carry out and earn her polka-dotted wings. 

MerryMakers Ladybug Girl Doll

Ladybug Girl aka Lulu, is a little girl who loves to put on her ladybug costume and make pretend that she is a superhero. She uses her superhero powers to create new adventures everyday right in her own backyard. All of her books encourage children to use their imagination and creativity for playtime - as long as you put your mind to it, their is no end to having outside fun! And to never be afraid of who you are. Dress up and go with the flow!

This little plushie is the perfect size for a little one to hug and carry around with them; although, her hair is stringy, so I recommend her for kids who no longer put things in their mouth. Even so, she is really well made and endured the hands of my one-year-old who immediately smiled and laughed as soon as he saw her. With a careful curiosity, he was drawn to her beautiful wings and boots - the pattern and color really caught his eye. Without ever being told or shown to do so, he immediately began to make pretend that she was flying and made swooshing noises. Ladybug Girl has made quite a first impression on him.

My older boys are familiar with Lulu's stories and adventures and admired how cute she was and said that even though they were older they were completely sure that their classmates would find Lulu adorable and entertaining. They remember the few toys that they had that were in books when they were smaller and fondly went over sweet memories they had with their books and toys - how the toys enhanced their connection to the story; how they learned to care not only for their toy, but the book too; and how it helped them remember the story, pay closer attention, so they can play with their plushies accordingly. 

I had always liked (and still do) having a stuffed doll to go along with our children's books. Many people think that it is a sales gimmick to get us parents to buy more things. But I wholeheartedly disagree with this. As I mentioned previously, whenever one of my kids showed any interest in a book, especially a child who has had hardly any interest in reading, an interactive tool may be the perfect thing to get your child to try it out. 

It brings me much joy to see so many characters are being brought to life! We adore Ladybuyg Girl from MerryMaker's and I know that we will be adopting a few more as time goes on. I highly recommend these sweet plushies - definitely check them out! 

*A Ladybug Girl Doll was sent to us from MerryMaker's, Inc. for an honest review. 

All thoughts are our own.

Other favorite book-toy dolls:

- How ROCKET Learned to Read

- DUCK & GOOSE Doll Pair

- POUT-POUT FISH Doll

- FIVE LITTLE MONKEY'S Finger Puppet Playset

Go HERE for a full list of gift ideas!!!

ABOUT THE COMPANY - MerryMakers, Inc.

MerryMakers was founded in 1993 with the goal of providing carefully designed dolls and toys based on the very best children's books, museum collections, and other characters for customers around the world. We handle all stages of product development, from design to the manufacture and delivery of finished products.

In addition to our line of licensed dolls, we make custom products for a wide variety of clients, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Louvre, Colonial Willamsburg, and publishers in the US and abroad.

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram

View MerryMaker's current 2014-2015 CATALOG here:

MerryMakers 2014-2015 PDF Catalog

Review: REASONS MY KID IS CRYING by Greg Pembroke (A)

REASONS MY KID IS CRYING

by Greg Pembroke

Release date: April 1st, 2014

Published by: Three Rivers Press (Crown Publishing)

Genre: Adult 

Format: Paperback, eBook

Format read: Paperback from the publisher.

SUMMARY

A glimpse into the tribulations of parenting that is part documentary, part therapy, and completely hilarious.

It all started when busy father Greg Pembroke posted a few pictures online of his three-year-old son, mid-tantrum, alongside the reason his son was crying: He had broken his bit of cheese in half. In Reasons My Kid is Crying, Greg collects together photos sent from parents around the world, documenting the many, completely logical reasons why small children cry.  Among them: “I let him play on the grass” . . . “He ran out of toys to throw into his pool” . . . “The neighbor’s dog isn’t outside”.  The result is both an affectionate portrait of the universal, baffling logic of toddlers—and a reminder for burned-out parents everywhere that they are not alone.

BOOK TRAILER

MY REVIEW

In this hilarious book, the author shares pictures and quotes from parents capturing their own children having epic meltdowns over the most bizarre reasons.

As a parent, there is no way to deny that all of my kids have had a memorable moment or two that left me shaking my head in wonder - why is my child crying? Why is he so hysterical that his shoe is untied? Why did he just throw himself onto the floor because I used the red cup for his juice and not the yellow? And one of the best - he's crying because I wouldn't let him drink water out of the toilet!
All of the pictures and subtitles in the book are just that - moments our toddlers have had either do to their own reasoning or just common sense that these little babies haven't acquired yet.

The author, Greg Penbroke, originally started this trend when he started to share his own kid's breakdowns on his tumblr/blog. He then started to include pictures of other children from around the world when their parents started sharing pictures that they have captured as well. It has since become a well-known trend among families and friends to share these adorable yet questioning things that causes these little ones to have the most bizarre reactions.

Definitely a laugh-out-loud book to share with other family members over and over again.

I received a paperback from "Blogging for Books" for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Greg Pembroke

GREG PEMBROKE is the father of two sons (and the husband of one wife) from Rochester, NY. He works part time as radio advertising copywriter three days per week and stays home with his young sons two days per week.

Goodreads / Tumblr / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest 

Review: THE NEW COLORED PENCIL by Kristy Ann Kutch (E)

THE NEW COLORED PENCIL

by Kristy Ann Kutch

Release date: May 20th, 2014

Published by: Watson-Guptill (Crown Publishing)

Genre: Everybody (ages 

Format: Paperback, eBook

Format read: A paperback from the publisher for an honest review.

SUMMARY

Learn to draw and paint using colored pencils in The New Colored Pencil: a how-to guide for creating vibrant, textured, and easy art illustrations by best-selling author and teacher Kristy KutchMaster the Latest Breakthroughs in Colored Pencil Art

If you want to create colorful, radiant works of art, colored pencil and related color media (wax pastels, watercolor pencils, and so on) provide you with limitless options for adding vibrancy to your creations.

In The New Colored Pencil, artist and instructor Kristy Ann Kutch guides you through the latest developments in color drawing media with examples of and recommendations for the newest pencil brands, drawing surfaces, and groundbreaking techniques (including using the Grid Method, grating pigments, blending with heat, and more). Supported by step-by-step demonstrations and showcasing inspiring art from some of today’s best colored pencil artists, The New Colored Pencil shows you how to use color theory to your advantage, combine color media, create and enhance textures, and experiment with surfaces to create interesting effects. Whether you use traditional wax-based, or watercolor colored pencils, The New Colored Pencil will take your art to the next level.

MY REVIEW

A beautifully illustrated book for those who are interested in expanding the artistic techniques with pencils.

I am a person who needs a lot of visuals in order to learn something new, and the author delivers with many high quality pictures on many techniques, step-by-step how-to's and finished worked.
Every material is thoroughly discussed with many details, and many tips on how to use these materials are shared.

This book is not intended for beginners, you must have some basic knowledge in using some pencil mediums and know some beginner techniques and lingo. However, it is helpful to have once you are comfortable into experimenting with the new and stepping up into the next level.

What I enjoyed most about the book is that the author uses all of her own drawings to explain her steps, tips and techniques. It is clear that she is very passionate in sharing what she has learned and loves to work with. I admire her work and will definitely be following her creativeness via social media and in her future writings.

I received a paperback from the publisher for an honest review. My thoughts are all my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Kristy Ann Kutch

Kristy Ann Kutch is a notable expert in colored pencil and a popular go-to reference for guidance and inspiration. She is the author of the popular Drawing and Painting with Colored Pencil and is a contributor to several colored pencil publications, including The Best of Colored Pencil, 1, 3, and 5; 

Creative Colored Pencil; and Colored Pencil Explorations. Her work has appeared in International Artist Magazine and Pratique des Arts. She also has a DVD called Colored Pencil Landscapes: Beyond the Basics, and her instructional videos on YouTube have garnered over 42,000 hits. 

When she is not traveling to all corners of the United States to teach sold-out workshops, she is experimenting with the newest pencils, papers, and other materials sent to her from every major art supplies manufacturer.

Goodreads 

Review: SNEAKING CANDY by Lisa Burstein (NA)

SNEAKING CANDY

by Lisa Burstein

Release date: December 9th, 2013

Published by: Entangled Publishing - Embrace

Genre: New Adult Romance (18+)

Format Read: eGalley via Netgalley/publisher for an honest review.

SUMMARY

All I ever wanted was to make a name for myself as Candice Salinas, creative writing grad student at the University of Miami. Of course, secretly I already have made a name for myself: as Candy Sloane, self-published erotic romance writer. Though thrilled that my books are selling and I have actual fans, if anyone at UM found out, I could lose my scholarship…and the respect of my faculty advisor, grade-A-asshole Professor Dylan.

Enter James Walker, super-hot local barista and—surprise!—my student. Even though I know a relationship is totally off-limits, I can’t stop myself from sneaking around with James, taking a few cues from my own erotic writing…if you catch my drift. Candy’s showing her stripes for the first time in my real life, and I’ve never had so much fun. But when the sugar high fades, can my secrets stay under wraps?

MY REVIEW

I have been able to read all of Lisa Burstein's young adult books; which, by the way, have all been superb, memorable and have all made an ever-lasting impact on me. It was so refreshing to have her "let go" in this New Adult romance! We are definitely not in YA-land anymore!!! And I truly enjoyed every minute of this book!

I instantly liked Candice and her quirkiness!  She is one of those people that has a little bit of everything in her - she's happy with what she's doing, but what she's doing is also making her sad. She's sure of herself as a writer, but also doubtful. She's strong and confident with herself, but she's also weak and scared to share her confidence with others. Candice is someone I want to be BFFs with! The kind of friend that you can tell her anything over a pint or two of ice cream and feel like you've known her for forever...
Candice is a creative grad student working her way through school - something that she never thought she would have to do. But when your parents don't agree with the choices you've made and cut you off, you do what you have to do to make your dreams come true. She wants to be a writer. A successful writer. And even though working alongside an egotistical professor wasn't part of the plan, she manages to keep things going for herself as best as she can. But her scholarship isn't enough to pay for her bills and other needed things, she had to do something to help compensate her for her living expenses, etc... something that can possibly end her career before it even starts!... Her alter-ego, Candy, at your service.
That's right! Candice is a successful writer under the pseudonym, Candy. A self-pubbed erotic romance writer who quickly gains a fanbase and keeps in touch with them through updates on Twitter and her Facebook page. And, even though Candice is nothing like Candy, Candy is also the main character in all of her stories! Which to me, is fun and hilarious at the same time. Who doesn't wish to be the lead character in any romance book? Although her roommate/BFF helps her with most of the exotic parts of her stories, Candice can really let her imagination run wild too. Especially after she meets James at the local coffee shop; that boy makes girls heads spin and more!  And that is all I am going to say about James... there aren't enough words to explain how good, well-meaning and delicious he is!

Lisa Burstein captured me with her fun and sexy writing style without ever lacking on her well thought out and realistic characters that I have always expected from her. SNEAKING CANDY is definitely a great read to pick up, especially if you have not ventured into the new "New Adult" genre yet. You'll not only get your hot romance fix from it, but also expect some great laugh-out-loud and 'oh snap' moments, as well!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Lisa Burstein

Lisa Burstein is a tea seller by day and a writer by night. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the Inland Northwest Center for Writers at Eastern Washington University. She is the author of Pretty Amy, The Next Forever, Dear Cassie and Candy, Stripped. As well as a contributor to the upcoming essay collection, Break These Rules: 35 YA Authors On Speaking Up, Standing Out, and Being Yourself. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her very patient husband, a neurotic dog and two cats.

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