actually its's an intertwining heart that said "To the moon and back" (to tell you the truth I've never seen her smile like that in
583029
For Mother's Day I bought this heart pendant and a rope chain as the chain it came with was to flimsy and fragile and we not that kind with our jewelry, actually its's an intertwining heart that said "To the moon and back" (to tell you the truth I've never seen her smile like that in, oh I don't remember. Let's just say it's been a while, I mean her eyes lit it, 2 thumbs up 4 me   I'd send a picture but we all were all in our sleepwear  so thank for making "Our" Mother's Day so memorable 

#GoKateGoKate!
4895923
Every moment is filled with something interesting, whether it be secrets, hidden motives, mad Queens, or stolen kisses and crazy plots. This book took me to another world. As I read In the Time of Dragon Moon, the real world fell away and I was swept into Uma's world. I was hooked on this story by the second chapter. From then on, there wasn't a moment that my heart didn't hurt for Uma or cheer for her to succeed. I felt like I was walking in her shoes. I felt like I took her place in this book. Everything about In the Time of Dragon Moon just seemed magical. The descriptions were magical and the atmosphere this book seemed to emit was captivating. Not to mention the fact that dragons are very much a forefront in this book so you know I was going to go crazy over that.

  The trouble and hurt that Uma had to go through was heartbreaking to read, but it made everything feel more real. Her struggles kept me turning every page and as soon as I met Jackrun, I was even more determined to find out what would happen to Uma and him. I was instantly in love with Jackrun, not only because he came in riding a dragon, but because he is so kind to Uma, where others were not. He is another added interest to the story, that's for sure. I could not handle how perfect Uma and him are for each other. That ending had me fangirling over them, I'm telling you. I'm in love with their love, seriously.

  Another thing that I love about this book is that it features a lot of different places and castles. It gave me a feeling of recall as if I was there before. It made the book feel more real to me because Uma traveled and walked to a lot of places. Plus, it added to the adventure of the story. It seemed like every page turned we were going to experience someplace new and it was exciting. In the Time of Dragon Moon also made me feel so many things. This is one book that will seriously captivate you and transport you to that world. I can't talk about it enough because it is so amazing. Every beautifully written chapter had me engrossed more and more until I felt like I was in Uma's shoes. I think it's safe to say that this book is definitely a favorite of mine

  Honestly, I loved everything about this book. It had everything I needed or wanted in a book. It had dragons, of course, but it also had mystery, magic, adventure, and a slow burning romance that had my heart in knots. I loved how beautifully this book was written too. Every word sucked me into the story more and more, and by the end of the book I was aching to go back to that world or for the book to continue on. I also loved how this book had a balance of everything. There was not more adventure than there was romance or mystery. This book had the perfect combination of everything that makes a book great.
4508412
Fluffy story - check
Hearts and flowers - check
Declarations of love - check

Only kidding!

If you want the above, them leave this review now, because this story is DARK. However if you love dark tales of despair, of the pits of human suffering and depravity, then youve come to the right place.

I have to say this book had one of the best Prologues ive read. From the minute I read it, I was drawn in and the funny part is, when youve finished the book, you need to go back and reread it. You need to reread it because you get a lot from it, when you know every part that Mae is talking about, every step of the journey she takes to the end.

The decimation of Mae is unsurprisingly the story of Mae. Mae is alone in the world and doesnt really have friends. Shes at a point in her life where shes not making great decisions and being manhandled at a party, she is rescued from her kind of boyfriend, Mae hopes for better things.

What Mae doesnt realise is that she has opened her own personal gates into hell. From the brutal first wave to the then reunion years later, Mae is tossed into a world of pain, a pit of despair from which she fights to retain her identity. Everything she has ever known and believed about herself will be called into question along the way. Her relationship with her Master is often difficult to endure, and comprehend, especially as it confuses them both, and his is not the only dark soul that Mae endures.

If you are looking for a book with a happy ending, then this is not the book for you. If you are intrigued by all sides of human nature and being able to see the good, even within the beast, then I believe youve found what you are looking for.

Me, I love dark and twisted stories. Rarely do they make me cry. Instead im fascinated by the whirl of human emotions, the kaleidoscope of human capacity in respect of behaviour. So for me, I was left with a huge smile on my face at a fine, clever piece of storytelling, and looking forward to the next book I pick up from D H Sidebottom, because I know ill be back for more.

This review is short and sweet for a reason. I want you to feel every step of the story, I want you to experience it all with fresh eyes, and I want you to get the full emotional impact of every second of Maes existence
4473249
"A cold and lonely lovely work of art"  who's smile really does hide a broken heart.  And the worst of it is Monalisa's heart is breaking because of her own parents, her father in particular.  Sent to Nocturne Falls to use her Will-o-the-wisp willies to get Ivan back into the fight game after he retired.  She bears a double burden of guilt, because it was she who distracted him at his last fight (under her father's orders) resulting in the injury that made Ivan retire, and because the only way to get her freedom from her father is to use her powers to coax or coerce Ivan back to fighting.  But imagine her surprise when this huge dragon of a man turns out to be the complete opposite of what she has always been lead to believe. Not only that but he turns out to be the perfect man for her.  The struggle to help him heal, is at war with her father's command to get him to Vegas for the fight.  But even beyond that is the fact she does not trust her own father to keep his word and giver her the coin that grants her the freedom to live her own life free of his greedy manipulative control.  Can this new found love be worth the actual physical pain of defying her father.  Can Ivan accept and forgive her and her new-found friends help them release her so she is free to love the man of her dreams?  -  It will have you filled with angry frustration and tears of joy, not to mention a typical girl's night out in Nocturne Falls -
825620
Connah Brecons Theres This Thing follows a little girl as she tries to share her heart with another. She tries to invite love, entice love, capture love, but the love seems to be unrequited and unreturned. She tries to be someone she is not, to be loud and showy in order for her displays of affection to go noticed. And just as she is feeling rejected and giving up, she gets her happy ending  love has found her after all.

This books message of not trying too hard for love, but letting it find you, is not in-your-face, but rather, more philosophical. The girls longings are described rather vaguely so I am not sure a picture book aged-child will understand completely; However, I think if you can explain the story to your child first, in a simplistic way, they will really enjoy the story. Perhaps if it was more straightforward all along that she wanted to share her love with a boy, it would read easier for children, but I understand in doing so, the story could lose the thing about it that makes it so different.

Brecons quirky illustrations accompany the story perfectly and show the girls frustration through squiggles and hope of potential romance on the horizon through a single red heart balloon that follows her. I do think that picture book aged children can appreciate Theres This Thing for what it is without understanding the message; the pictures are bright and vibrant and tell a story all their own that a child can make of what they will.

This book may require more than one read even as an adult, but as such, I must say I really enjoyed Theres This Thing, on many levels. There truly is this thing about it that makes it very captivating. In fact, it gives you that all-too-familiar butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling you experienced in your youth, even just remembering how nerve wracking and tough and exciting and dramatic it was to be in first love (ugh, those years were the worst). This book was a really different story of love than is typically told in a childrens book, probably a more real story than most, so I appreciated that realness very much. Love isn't always easy, it is full of heartache and turmoil, joy and playfulness, but it is beautiful. Read more at www.diapers-and-daydreams.com
3086890
This book shows how there can be two sides to a person, the love that is shown is amazing!
2400519
Love is your hoarse cries. Its your anger, its your sadness.
Its your happiness and laughter.
Its everything wrapped up into one.
Love is one of the heaviest words to exist.
Its a miracle anyone survives it.
Itd be a wonder if I survive it."

WOW!

I didn't think it wouldve been possible for this author to render me speechless, but damn it she did!! Im still trying to figure out what I just read but if Im being completely honest wit myself, its the final chapter that did me in. Im confused, happy, sad, and mournful at the same time. How is that possible? How can I feel all of these emotions at the same time and be content? I simple call it the power of words.

Have you ever wonder what it would be like to live in another lifetime? To be a part of history and witness some of the greatest mark on the world? Im sure we all have and Serene Parow is no different. Being a lover of antiques and everything historical, Serene has always loved the classical time error and the year 2017 has made no difference to her. When she comes across an old photo from the year 1912, theres an automatic pull to the strangers who are in the picture. Particularly one important.

As time goes by, Serene realizes that her finding the picture was no coincidence and that she was meant to help in some way or the other. But by doing that, will she alter the future and change everything for the better or make it worse? How far will you go to protect someone you love? Does time or distance really matter?

 You think you belong in another time. Belong to another man. But maybe you have it all wrong. Maybe you belong here with me.

I really loved how different this story was. I knew all about the time traveling and if Im being honest, that is what drew me to the story in the first place. It was refreshing in my eyes, classy, heartbreaking and it sucked you into this time era that made you fall in love with it all over again. These characters were amazing but it was their journey and refusal to quit is what was awe inspiring to me.

As much as I loved everything else about the story, I just couldn't for the life of me get over that final chapter. I felt like as deflated balloon with bittersweet feelings. I guess Im still trying to process everything and figure out my true feelings on it but at this point, Im happy and sad at the same time.

If you're in the mood for something completely different, I would highly recommend this one. The writing is flawless, the characters will make you feel, and your heart will quite possibly get bruised in the process but I think its worth it. To me, the most beautiful things are sometimes the most painful ones.

*Arc received for an honest review
211268
I absolutely love this frame.  It is perfect and my granddaughter loves it too. This is one of our special sayings to each other.  I do not live near my granddaughter as they are in the military, so when I last visited I took a picture of both of us and put it in this frame and sent it to her. She has it by her bed and reads it every night saying she loves me to the moon and back.  It's a precious way  to keep our closeness special. The frame is made w/ great quality and the two hearts add a special touch.  I highly recommend this frame.
122811
Its okay to laugh. Its okay to smile. Its okay to feel happy. Or whats the point in life?

Tillie Cole has stolen my heart with this most beautiful love story. The story of Poppy & Rune is powerful and raw. The message will touch you deeply.

Poppy and Rune. Two halves of the same whole. Their love is immense, their bond unbreakable. Through everything they endure together, their love will make your heart sing! And they endure so much, but through it all, they are each other's guiding light. They help, guide, and protect each other.

But then he found you, she said. He found you. You taught him, through your words and actions, that life didn't always have to be so serious. That life was to be lived. That life was one great adventure, to be lived well and to the full.

Its been awhile since a book affected me as this one has. I didn't know it was possible to cry this much during a story. Oh the tears, there were many. The pain, the hurt, the anger, the heartache, but most of all, the undying, immense amount of love! A love so profound, a bond so immense. A message that impacts. This story makes you change the way you look at life, how you handle things, and appreciate the little things.

Maybe it was because sometimes all we get are moments. There are no do-overs; whatever happens in a moment defines life- perhaps it is life.

The writing blew me away! The way Tillie connects you to the characters from the start. I read the prologue with a huge smile on my face. And that connection stays with you throughout Poppy & Runes journey. And the same connection is felt by all the characters, parents, and friends.

The writing is so phenomenal that I felt like I was on this journey with Rune and Poppy. Each scene so detailed it was as if watching a movie play out before my eyes. Each sentence so descriptive you could feel every emotion of every character. The love between Poppy and Rune always shining through each moment.

Its like music. When I look at you, when you touch me, when I see your facewhen we kiss, my heart plays a song. It sings that it needs you like I need air. It sings to me that I adore you. It sings that Ive found its perfect missing part.

Written with such passion and care, I was overcome by so many intense feelings. You feel everything in this story. Its heartbreaking, soul searing, and absolutely stunning. The immense light to the darkness Poppy and Rune bring to each other is incredibly beautiful. So beautiful, "my heart almost burst."

Our kiss may have been a middle finger to anyone who didn't want us together, but her smile was a middle finger to the darkness in my soul.

Seeing life through Poppy's eyes makes you appreciate the beauty of every moment. Time is precious, live life to its fullest. Forgive, love, and live.

Live hard, love harder. Chase dreams, seek adventurescapture moments. Live beautifully.

A story so touching, it stole my heart from the start! A thousand beautiful stars!

"Poppy and Rune. Forever. Always." "As special as special can be."
3204905
Frances Mayes inspired my heart with Under the Tuscan Sun. When I saw that she was coming out with a book about returning to her roots in the South, I was excited to read it. She and her husband bought and restored an old house in North Carolina. The book did not go through that journey so much as her reconciling with her roots.

The book was not what I expected at all. It was melancholy, full of raw moments. It reminded me of Maya Angelou's autobiography. You get punched in the gut with pain and then you see redemption in it. It is psychologically fascinating to see where the woman who wrote Under the Tuscan Sun hailed from. It gives such understanding to what she traversed in life to arrive depressed and divorced at a villa in Tuscany.

This is the story of her growing up in the South with an extremely dysfunctional family. We follow Frances through the death of her father, grand father, and later her mother. Then we follow her to an all girl college. The things of the day were strange and fascinating. In one chapter she tells about how the college lined them up naked to check their posture. They were photographed as well. Of course, you know those photographs were stolen by a neighboring college for young men.

There is this this level that we can connect on when we share our stories in such an honest way. Frances is gifted at doing this. She draws you into her story by simply telling it. She doesn't try to cover anything up or moralize it. She simply tells us. It's powerful. We are free to glean from her hurt, embarrassment, and her joy what we will. We simply walk with her as she discovers the back story of what shaped her family. I think when we seek to understand people and where they hail from, it's easier to find forgiveness. We come to understand.

I truly enjoyed this book. The last few pages tore my heart out. After losing her mama, she tells us that she does not share the belief that she is in heaven. It is the same feeling that I had at the end of Eat, Pray, Love. All the beauty of the story and the searching seems to be void. After all of that, there is still no peace made with her maker.  May her story continue on to reconcile the rest.

This book was graciously provided for review by Random House Publishers.
2249300
This is a heartwarming and sweet story of a little girl struggling against her fate to achieve her dreams, with the help of her supernatural friends. It starts off with young Mitsuki being told by her stern grandmother that she cannot go to a voice audition because it would be harmful to her health, since she has a growth in her throat. Suddenly, two "shinigami" (death gods, or spirit reapers) appear before her. Surprised that she can see them, they reluctantly inform her that they're there to watch over the year she has left before her appointed death, to make sure nothing interferes with fate and that she can die peacefully. After some plucky hijinks, she convinces them that if she has only a year left, then she simply MUST try to achieve her dream of becoming a singer, and they help her go to the audition by transforming her into a healthy older teen. She wins and is selected to debut as a new pop idol, Full Moon! She's got a year to sing her heart out, hoping her feelings and message can reach the hearts of those she loves~

Although the subject matter seems rather heavy - she's going to die in a year! Can she become a pop idol before then with the help of her new reaper pals?? - it's actually very sweet and intriguing to watch and I don't think it's at all too scary or dark for it's intended audience of young 'tween and jr high age girls. Rather than her impending death causing constant drama, most episodes are about Mitsuki trying hard to become a respectable and beloved singer, her purity and tenacity reminding people she meets along the way of what your dreams and singing from the heart are really about. Readers of the manga should be warned that the anime and manga are drastically different in places and can't really be substituted for one another.

I saw this show years ago when it was originally shown in the morning in Japan, and a friend thankfully helped me track it down years later. The premise of Mitsuki doing a magical transformation so she can grow up fast and be a singer before she dies of throat cancer bowled me over as so very Japanese, but the entire thing was also charming and hopeful and sucked me right in. While the tone is light and shiny, the show doesn't let you forget that there are heavier elements in play in the larger storyline, but also doesn't let those elements bog you down. Rather than being a weepy soap opera, the story focuses on Mitsuki's life in the music industry and in junior high school, with breakaway pop hits scattered throughout the series run as Mitsuki's singing career progresses.

This is a fun and warm show to watch to the heart-wrenching conclusion, which is why the slow (and possibly halted?!) release schedule is such a shame. With 52 episodes, this series would end up being around 11-13 DVDs - a sizable investment to purchase, and a long time to wait for a series to be completed. I wish Viz had released this in two or three sets rather than 4-5 episodes per disc. Then I surely would've snapped up the entire run all at once~
2191092
This heartwarming father daughter tail will have your feels in a vice grip, but at the same time it will have you smiling like a fool.

Corina grew up without her father. All she knew about him was that he was a red-cross doctor, trying to save war torn villages that have been terrorized by a decade long - ongoing war. When he dies, in a POW camp, she's angry, not sad; angry.

Her anger is well placed, and felt real. She's angry at everyone for placing her father, who's is partially a stranger to her, onto an extremely high pedestal; while gleaming up his achievements and exaggerating their own personal tails almost to the point where he sounds more valuable than gold.

She doesn't know how to react. That is a real, solid. Blood may have had made them family but years have made them strangers.

My favorite moments where when Corina and her father (in the past) bantered back and forth, and have without reason, a strong connected. As they went through trail after trail, (very exciting trails, full of action to boot) you get to see how alike they actually are. Not only are we getting to know Corina but we are also getting to know the man that she disliked, and had us disliking at the beginning. By then end, as Corina mind changes, so does ours.

I liked the raw nature of this book. Just like the war it portrays, nothing was sided stepped or simply waved off. Like most teenagers Corina swears, ( not all the time, but there are times when a good swear is called for) and shows us that she can be a brat. Most YA sugar coat that bit, like they're writing a PG movie.

There are a few graphic scenes. One of which is of a news report showing the war, as it really is, no editing, no cutting. I can't figure out if that's a good or bad thing. Too many things are surge coted, making us naive.

My only tiff, you could say, is that some of the dialogue was too long. I get it, a point needs to get across, but sometimes fewer words are more.

In all this book is about the what if's, and the if only's. For Corina, hers gets answered, and in doing so shes taken on a world wind adventure through time and space. (Well more like a watery rabbit hole.)

I highly recommend this book, as I said; this is a father daughter tail. One that will hook your feels and have you cheering with all your heart, that somehow, by the time you're done reading, the ending will have changed.

Happy Reading

-Emily
1423493
Absolution Road is an incredibly phenomenal journey of two intersecting lives whose collision sparks an unforgettable transformation that forever changes them both. Nothing in this story is done halfway. You willingly hand over your heart, or you will never make it far into this story. This is truly a magnificent piece of heart and soul that has been delicately wrapped and exquisitely handled in its delivery that needs to be read and enjoyed by anyone who wants to be moved and touched in a way like no other.

Alyson Road has reached and achieved her greatest goals in life, and she is very proud of herself. Her life is small but important to her. She is happy and content for the most part, but something still tugs at her heart that she just cant put a name to. Looking outside of the safety of her well-constructed walls never crossed her mind until Jake Wrigley barrels into her neat life effectively toppling her fragile foundation. Jake is fiercely battling demons from his past, but when he meets Alyson, he knows she is more than just another woman. She brings a startling peace to his constant internal chaos, and his heart is twisted all up feeling things it never felt before. There is suddenly more he wants out of life, and it all starts with her. Will Jake and Alyson get the chance they deserve to explore their bewildering and intense connection, or will they lose everything before it even begins?

I was completely in awe as I watched these two beautifully breathtaking characters walk out of the comfort zone, grow, and transform into the person they were always meant to become. This journey was painful, joyful, and priceless, and neither would have traded it for anything in the world. Alyson and Jake reached into the others soul and brought hope and love that no one else could. They found and fit the missing pieces back together until they were both whole and healed. What they found at the end of their battlefield was peace, love, and more hope than they ever dared to dream possible. I loved everything about this beautiful couple!

Rachel Blaufeld has officially stolen my heart, and I am not sure that I want it back. Her writing is out of this world incredible infused with an unbelievable amount of heart and soul. She packed those pages until the heart of this story literally overflows in your own soul. There is not stopping a powerhouse like this story from overtaking you. You let it in, or it will blow you over. If you want a story with power and soul, look no further than this literary masterpiece.
1788435
Wow what a journey. My heart broke into pieces at what happened to Julia and the Prof, but I cried happy tears to see the sacrifice that Gabriel gave on behalf of his beloved. The love between these two is so otherworldly and too good to be true. It is true though and beautiful in its intensity. They deserve their HEA.

Thanks Sylvain Reynard for this beautiful work of art. Reminds me of old times as a student of Literature. The appreciation of exceptional written works of the Masters of 'all that they survey'.
3394932
I feel like the author bared her soul in this book.  She literally gave the reader a glimpse into her past via a diary style novel. Most people can relate to this story.  First love and heartache pretty much go hand in hand.  Not many people get their happily ever after on the first try.  I truly wanted to hug Cindy after reading this and to tell her it would all work itself out someday.

This story had its laugh out loud moments too.  Two of my favorites were the missing patio furniture and the first attempt at doing laundry.  The story also shows the power of true friendship.  Cindys girls were always there.  Not judging.  Just being there.  Every girl, no matter her age needs that.

I have read the reviews from critics who poorly judge this novel calling it simple and not caring for the style in which it was written.  To that I say while not my favorite genre, the author put her life, her experiences, her heartache out there; not to be judged, but to perhaps help steer some other lost soul.  I commend Cindy for baring it all.
3956325
I can't be unhappy while watching this gem, it's hard to describe. But, as a movie about taking chances to improve your life, and a movie about love, it's amazing that it really evokes an emotional response from me.
It feels a lot like that burst of happiness you feel when you are just falling in love.
Hard day at work, this is the prescription for you, I was grumpy last night and popped this in, and found myself grinning several times. Similar feeling when I saw this in theatres.
This is not a movie to miss. It's clever, it's beautiful, and Audrey is amazing in this.
1052953
Tiger Tail Soup left me feeling as though I had watched the most vividly beautiful movie. Every word is a delight to the senses, the writing as elegant as the author's description of a tiger. I could see the golden sheen of his fur and count the perfectly carved pieces of night that were his stripes.

As the sub-title warns  the subject matter is China at war. But carefully woven through a story of loss and hardship are numerous threads of beauty.

The author is a craftswoman when it comes to painting a scene or aptly describing an emotion. The moon is a fishhook over the sea, peace soaks through the crust of skin and sun-warmed rocks are fragrant. Consider this passage when An Lee is preparing to send a batch of letters shes written to her husband, Yu-ming. I pulled out a green silk ribbon, the exact color chosen long ago: a soft lotus-leaf green for the wind-skirts and the water-pads of a lotus pond. Seeing the ribbon, he would think of mandarin ducks swimming in pairs among white lotus flowers blooming pure and untouched above the muck. No matter the challenges and privations faced by An Lee as the war drags on and life on the small island of Kulangsu becomes more and more brutal, her life is lived with her thoughts turned to beauty.

The tiger thread that makes its wending way through this novel is strong. It was as if I could feel the padding of the large animals paws as it walks alongside me. It seemed to me that everyone loved tigers  their beauty and strength, the danger they represented. Tiger-ness, that what I love, the idea of a tiger, the myth.

Throughout the novel, the author is relentless in showing us An Lee as she is  flaws and all. By the end of the story, I felt as satisfied as any doting mother would be at An Lees maturity. She reflects on what life reunited with her husband will be. Yu-ming is only a man, after all. Hes not a mold that fits around all my corners. He isn't a river that will forever flow into the basin of my emptiness.

This is the type of book that caused me to slow down as I neared the end. I didn't want it to be over. It is a story to savour. It is a story to remember.