**The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway**

By this point, most people know the heart warming version of the Snow Queen as portrayed in one of Disney's more recent films. Much like every other person with a love of a good power ballad and a story about sisterly love, I adored Frozen. From reading other Hans Christian Anderson books as well as Grimm's Fairy Tales, I assumed that the actual story of the Snow Queen was going to be a bit different from Elsa and Ana's adventures. That being said, I was a little surprised to discover that the titular character does not actually play that big of a role in this story. The story mostly follows two children who are torn apart by a shard of a mirror that splintered piercing the heart of the young boy. After finishing the short book, I can see how the Disney writers took bits and pieces of the original to create what we know and love as Frozen. There are trolls, someone's heart is pierced by magic, and there are magical reindeer.

What makes this particular tome so lovely is the artwork. Sanna Annukka has used a lovely Nordic style to enhance this reading experience.

Look at how pretty! 

The style of the artwork is perfect for a story that was originally set somewhere Nordic and beautiful. I found myself mesmerized by the illustrations, staring at them much longer than it took me to actually read the text. As with most traditional fairy tales, this story is for older children but still conveys a moral - and contrary to your usual boy saves girl story line, Gerda ends up rescuing her fella in distress. For your friends who adored Frozen, or anyone who loves an OG fairy tale: consider this particular copy of The Snow Queen for some lovely illustrations alongside a classic tale. 

Provided by Blogging for Books. 

Finally Mindfully Aware

I haven’t been very mindful lately. I’ve been eating a lot of popcorn for dinner, doing quite a bit of sitting, and screaming at other drivers from the safety of my Toyota Carola. I got this mindfulness journal weeks ago, wrote one entry, and there it sat in the back of my car gathering dust until this morning when I remembered I should probably be mindful. Moving takes a lot out of you. You have to rewrite your entire life. Going to the grocery store is a struggle. Parts of my life that were easy and made sense are suddenly taxing and difficult and all I want is to curl up with Netflix and some two buck chuck. Some days it feels like I used all of my energy to get here, find an apartment, move, and learn my job. I did all the big stuff, and now I need to do the actual living thing. “Extraordinary Ordinary Moments” actually helped me refocus this morning. Sure, I need to be mindful every day not just in moments when I feel particularly weak. 

One of the entries was titled “A Good Beginning” and it felt refreshing to be able to write about why I’m here, why I’m putting myself through this, and remember that I’m doing everything for the right reasons and to better myself and my life in the long run. I might be tired and broke, but I’m finally on the right career path with an amazing boyfriend and a tiny apartment I can call home. Being mindful gave me a moment to put things into perspective, refocus, and get back on track. 

book courtesy of blogging for books 

Not Punny

I was so excited to see that there was a card game a la "Cards Against Humanity" on Blogging for Books. And even more excited that it was about puns. And then I was sorely disappointed. I thought about filling this post with bad puns and even worse jokes. But honestly, I don't have it in me. Forced puns are not punny. Forced puns are awkward and don't work. I want to figure out what this game is based off, and is if that show really did work. The rules were hard to follow, and the game just didn't work. Playing this game was really more of a PUNishment. Well, maybe I do have one joke in me.

This is the first bad review I've had to give on here. Which seriously is a bummer.

Game courtesy of Blogging for Books

Faith Salie - You've Got My Approval!

As everyone who even knows me a little bit knows - I love a good memoir about a baller lady. When I saw that one of my favorite NPR ladies wrote a book, I had to read it! Faith Salie did not disappoint. Approval Junkie is funny, honest, and often resembles my life WAY too much. After reading this book I wish that I could call Faith up and be like "Hey girl, you're pretty fabulous. Lets go get mani/pedis and Starbucks."

Her book touches on so many issues that girls and women deal with today: not skinny enough, not pretty enough, waiting on kids, dating the wrong guy, and seeking approval in all the wrong places. She talks about her life so openly that it made me reflect on so many of the missteps that I've made over the years. Her life has followed a crazy route to get her to the happy and (hopefully) healthy place that it is now. We've all had our low points, but I continuously am amazed when women can write about those times in a way that can help other women (or men) find their own way. As I'm about to embark on the next chapter of my life, I'm glad that I'll be able to take some great advice that Faith laid out in her book.

I don't think most men would understand this book. But I think it could be a great way to start encouraging men to think about the added pressures that women have in today's world. Faith's memoir is, of course, about her life and her experiences, but this book is a look at the human condition. Faith provides insight into love, career choices, educational paths, and eyelash extensions. Faith, I totally approve.

Book provided by Blogging for Books.

Out of Orange is the New Black

By now, most people have heard of the hit Netflix original series Orange is the New Black. What a lot of people don't know is the story behind the very real people who are fictionalized in this show. While Piper Kerman (Champan in the show) had the chance to tell her story, many of the other characters did not. Her memoir paved the way for the very real Cleary Wolters (Alex Vause for those who watched the show) to tell her side of the story.

Cleary's memoir, Out of Orange, is poignant, funny, and emotional. She opens with her reaction to realizing that her life was going to become a TV show, expressing both her rage and excitement as she binged most of the first season the day it was released. The fictionalized version of her life has similarities to what really happened all those years ago, with some key differences. Cleary did serve a sentence at a women's prison for both carrying drugs and enlisting others to carry drugs across borders. But the show's writers took many liberties while creating a fictionalized character and the real "Alex Vause" shines through in this memoir.

Honest and sometimes heartbreaking, Cleary recounts the years of her life spent as a drug mule, trying to get her life back on track, and the years she spent in prison. She talks of how scared she was each time she carried drugs and of the covert blackmailing that led her to continue her life of crime. However, she does not try to pretend like some of her experiences weren't fun. Although she does not glamorize the criminal world, when an African drug lord is footing the bill, a several week stay at a resort is going to be a raucous good time. Whether you're a fan of the show or looking for an intriguing memoir, Out of Orange will make you laugh, bring you to tears, and have you wanting more.

Copy courtesy of Ohioana Library

Coloring Books: Not Just for Kids

Everywhere you look these days there are adult coloring books. Researchers have begun touting the therapeutic nature of them, and bloggers have been talking about how great it is that coloring is cool for adults now. I'm with the latter. So of course, I couldn't help but order this little number... 

This cat has an awesome napping spot

There are cats! And books! And Paris! Cats in Paris is like a nerd's dream. Despite the amazing amount of mockery this produced from my boyfriend, this coloring book is pretty dope. My art skills are limited to cutting shapes out of construction paper and cake decorating, so a way to draw without embarrassing myself with stick figures makes me pretty happy. 

How could you say no to that face?

This book is not one of the super intricate doodling coloring books. There are big white spaces but some more difficult coloring spots. The book is definitely cute, but if you're looking for an incredibly complex coloring book, I wouldn't pick this one. It's also quite large. This is a big purse coloring book, great for airplanes or some solid coloring on a Saturday night. I'd pair this with a nice Merlot. A good book for the cat lover in your life, or if you're looking for a coloring book that doesn't require a ton of patience or attention, this one is pretty fabulous.

Courtesy of Blogging for Books

Reading the Smell of Other People's Houses in a Stranger's House

I happened upon an advanced reader copy of "The Smell of Other People's Houses" a few months ago at a library conference. It stared at me from my TBR pile, a little purple confection waiting to be devoured. I loved the title. I know you're not supposed to pick books based on their cover or title or whatever. But we all do it. We like a good title and we like good cover art work. This book has both. This book is dark, adorable, and wraps up very satisfyingly. And beyond appropriate that I finished it while staying at an Airbnb in NOLA. 

Set in rural Alaska, the story follows a number of different protagonists as they struggle to understand their identities as teens, Alaskan natives, runaways, orphans, siblings, sons, and daughters. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character, and their stories intermix and affect each other in surprising, upsetting, and heartwarming ways. Growing up in the Midwest, I have very little background knowledge of what it must be like to grow up in Alaska. This book, for all I know, could be totally inaccurate. However, the narrative crafted by *author* feels real, and evokes sympathy for these struggling youths. This story touches on so many difficult experiences that teens face everywhere, not just rural Alaskan fishing communities. Poverty, teen pregnancy, and abusive parents are just a few of the hardships mentioned in this short novel. The flawed characters bumble around trying to make sense of the madness around them, leaning on one another for support and finding help in the most unassuming places. 

Would I have bought this book at my local book store? Probably not. Am I happy I read it? Hells yeah! My copy found a home in a Little Free Library in New Orleans, and I hope it finds its way into the hands of a teen or the parent of one who might find some insight or comfort in the stories and characters inside.