Friday, October 7, 2011

My Bookworm Santa

Jenn from Books & Barks posted about this and I thought it looked like fun so I signed up too!


'My Bookworm Santa' is an event that Bree from The Magic Attic and Michelle BookBriefs got together and planned. 

The Magic Attic




My Bookworm Santa is the book blogger's version of  'Secret Santa.' So you sign up via the form on one of the host pages linked above, and they will pair you up with another random entrant. If you're only willing to ship to America, they will pair you up with someone from America.(remember though, that the Book Depository ships free to most countries. This is a good way to meet some international book bloggers)  They will send your paired blogger's wishlist and address to you, and your wishlist and address to them. Then, before December 10th, they will ask that you purchase a book from the wishlist they sent over, and send the book to your randomly selected blogger. And on Christmas (December 25th), you'll reveal yourself to the other person, and hopefully make new friends :) Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, you're more than welcome to join the fun.

The Host Blogs will also be having a small, separate giveaway during the sign-up period. If you tweet about this event, blog about this event, or follow their blogs via GCF, and grab the event button then you'll earn extra entries. Signing up for their "My Bookworm Santa" event earns you one point. At the end of the sign-up period, they will randomly choose two participants (international people are more than welcome), and send them over one book from their wishlist. Setting up a blog post is a great way to get referrals, and each person that names you as their referral will earn you one extra entry in the giveaway.

Here are Rules, Terms and Conditions:

  • If you sign up for this event, you're PROMISING the Host that you will, no matter what, fulfill your end of the agreement and send over a book to the blogger. If you have any problems, please come talk to one of the host.
  • International people are more than welcome to join :)
  • Sign-ups close at the beginning of December
  • Please do not reveal yourself to your assigned blogger until after December 25th
  • You MUST send over a book before December 10th so that it can arrive to the blogger's house in time for, or a little after Christmas on December 25th.
  • The book MUST be in in perfect condition, and listed in your assigned blogger's wishlist.
  • This isn't created as a way to 'get new books.' Our goal through this is to help create new friends.
  • Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, you're more than welcome to join us :)
  • You can sign up through the form on either of the host's pages. 
Doesn't this sound like fun? What a great way to meet new friends and share in the fun of the Holiday Season. I am excited about it! I hope you join us!

Review The Facts Speak For Themselves - Brock Cole & FF



The Facts Speak for Themselves
The Facts Speak For Themselves by Brock Cole
ebook178 pages
Published September 9th 2009 by namelos (first published 1993)


From Good Reads:
The subject is a white female, age thirteen. Her score on the standard Stanford-Binet puts her in the low-average quarter of her age group. She appears to be in good physical health. She is small for her age, but sturdily built. She reports that her first onset of menses occurred seven months ago. Her periods are scanty and irregular. A long history of sexual abuse.
Offended by her social workers report, above, Linda decides to tell her own version of her life and circumstances. The Facts Speak for Themselves is Linda's story, an uncompromising look at a sexually active adolescent adrift in a world where she is more responsible than the adults around her.

From me:
I chose this book, (which I purchased), as I am trying to read a number of the books on the Banned Book list that I have not read. It was a haunting read for me. It should have been a quick read as it is not really long. For me though the some of the issues were close to me and I had to keep stopping to breathe - just breathe. I think most people will be able to read it in a few hours. It is a good book that delves into a lot of issues people do not really want to speak of. I think most wish the issues were made up and really did not exist. Perhaps that is why it really was selected for the ban. Most people want to look away. They don't want their children reading it because then they might have to acknowledge it and maybe even look at the fact that someone they know may have gone through it or is walking through it now. This desire to look the other way and pretend it doesn't happen is exactly what keeps it happening. You are not protecting your daughter from anything by denying her this book. I understand the parental need to want to do that. I have two daughters. But I also understand the feeling of isolation when you are the one who is dealing with this. For as much as we tell our children if someone touches you in a bad way, we still hold them to this isolation. You can say tell me all you want but when you also say I don't want you to read this for your own good, we get the message. You really don't want to know and you are willing to let us go it alone. So we stay alone with it for years, sometimes our whole lives. Because even though the act, (acts), was, (were), finished before we reached adulthood the memories and the feelings never go away. The isolation carries on. Instead of forbidding your teenager from reading this book why not read it together? Then let your teen take the lead on discussing it. No judgement. Just listening to what they felt and thought. You may learn something, possibly something you don't want to know, about them or someone they care about. The subject this book deals with isn't going anywhere. I desperately wish it was but I am realistic enough to know that it remains a fact of some children's lives. 


The book is a compelling read. It is difficult. There is adult language and sexual situations. It is not as graphic as it could have been and I truly appreciated that. There is not a lot of feelings expressed that maybe some people will want in it. I understood that. When it is happening you shut down. You don't feel. It is something you don't fully understand and, in your mind, there is no one to talk to; so you shut down. You accept it as "normal" for you and then pretend it isn't what it is. You just try to get through each day. I appreciated that coming through for me in this book. Had the author tried to address the various feelings I would have been disappointed.

I give this book a 5 star rating. I think it is one that should be required reading, (for both teens and the adults in their lives), with a lot of listening going on. Knowledge is the key, education is the door, companionship, empathy and understanding are what get you through the door. 



If you are new to the #FF fun, Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. Feature & Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow them to show off more new blogs! This weeks blogs are:


This weeks Question is:

 If you could pick one character in a book, movie or television show to swap places with, who would it be?

In a book it is hard to choose just one. Possibly Sookie. I think she gets herself into a lot of things but she cares about family and friends. We all make wrong choices, hers are a little more than average but she always comes through. 

Movie much easier - I loved Sam from Benny and Joon. So I would go for Joon. She had issues but she got through them humanly, was learning to live with them and she got Sam. 

TV would be Cristina from Parenthood. I am familiar with parenting and autism. I feel she does an awesome, realistic portrayal. She is very real and even though she is stressed, she loves her family. I would choose her.

If you choose to leave a comment I ask that you do it with the knowledge that survivors may read it. So keep it courteous, honest but respectful.

Review: Dracul

Dracul by Dacre Stoker My rating: 0 of 5 stars Dracula was the first horror story I read as a teenager. ...
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