Book Review: Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft

With more than a few YA novels on my "to read" list, I chose to begin with Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft, by Jody Gehrman. It was a good decision.

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft, the first in the Audrey's Guides series, is a terrific book about a 17-year-old girl who discovers that she's a witch right after her mother disappears. She struggles to adjust to this knowledge, follow the rules, and keep her experiences secret from almost everyone--all while trying to help bring her mother home safe and sound.

Along with a fun story, the author has created lifelike characters and relationships that would translate well to the big or small screen (presuming good casting decisions). She's also included some recipes; although I haven't tried it yet, Bridget's flourless chocolate cake recipe looks fantastic.

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is an enjoyable novel suitable for fans of YA and/or paranormal stories. I will definitely be on the lookout for future books about Audrey's adventures in witchcraft--and Bridget's recipes.

Crossposted from Goodreads.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author, which did not influence my review.

2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

I found another reading challenge to tell you about. It lasts all year, and you can sign up anytime.

The Book Vixen is hosting the 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge. Lasting from January 1 through December 31, the idea is to read more books than you read last year.

Of course, it's good to have some idea of how many books you read last year. When you figure out how many more you'd like to read this year, you can choose from the five challenge levels. It's very flexible, though; you can change levels whenever you want, depending on how you're doing with the challenge.

To sign up and get all the details you need, check out the official sign-up post.

Reading Challenge

I realize this is short notice, but I found out about a read-a-thon and wanted to include a heads-up in case anyone wants to participate.

This is actually the fourth Bout of Books read-a-thon; it starts May 14 and lasts seven days. Participants make their own goals and have the opportunity to enter to win a fantastic giveaway! The idea is simply to read more that week than you normally do. You'll need to sign up on the host blog and then be sure to post your updates somewhere. See Bout of Books for all the details.

I don't think I'll be participating this time (I'm in the middle of a few books and would prefer to start a read-a-thon from scratch), but I'll definitely think about doing it in the future. I'd love to know if any of my readers sign up, so please leave a comment if you do!

Vampire and Zombie Books Set at Christmastime

If you're into the undead and/or walking dead and looking for something to read around Christmastime, you may be interested in Christmas Reading for Vampire Lovers or Christmas Reading for Zombie Lovers. These articles give some great ideas for books that combine the Christmas season with vamps and zombies.

Two Awards and Some Trivia

Lisa at Diary of a Square Toothed Girl has given me two awards: Stylish Blogger and Irresistibly Sweet Blog. Thank you, Lisa!

There are two conditions for claiming the awards. I need to tell you seven things about myself and pass the awards on to five other blogs.

The seven things I've chosen to tell you about myself are in keeping with the arts and entertainment theme here.

1. I avoid spoilers for my favorite series. If I'm really into a show, I don't want to know what's happening until I see it on my TV.

2. I don't watch my shows or any movies online. I'll watch something short, such as a music video, but when it comes to full-length entertainment, I want an actual TV screen.

3. I must watch episodes of my favorite primetime shows in order.

4. I've watched very few reality shows over the years.

5. I like most types of rock music, including classic, goth, southern, and alternative.

6. I've never played air guitar. Air piano is a different story.

7. I like to read suspense, horror, paranormal, and health-related books.

Now, I would like to pass the Stylish Blogger and Irresistibly Sweet Blog awards on to the following sweet and stylish blogs:

1. Amy at Content for Foodies
2. Jamie at From My Classroom Window
3. Langley at Hearts in Fur Coats
4. Pam at A Pirate Looks Past Sixty
5. Pup Fan at I Still Want More Puppies

Storms: My Life With Lindsay Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac

Last week's episode of Glee, "Rumours," highlighted the tension among the members of New Directions and compared the teens to Fleetwood Mac as they worked on their Rumours album. While watching this episode, I remembered reading an interesting tell-all book about the band.

Storms: My Life With Lindsay Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac was written by Carol Ann Harris. As the title suggests, the book is an autobiography of the author's time as a member of Fleetwood Mac's inner circle. It tells how she first met the band members, began dating Lindsay Buckingham, developed an antagonistic relationship with Stevie Nicks, and much more. Published in 2007, this book has very mixed reviews.

I don't read many autobiographies, but this one caught my eye. Although I enjoyed it, I didn't believe every word I read. After all, everything took place many years ago, and the memory is a funny thing. Also, the author was in an intimate relationship with one of the band members, and although she tried not to show any bias toward or against anyone, she didn't always succeed.

In any case, I felt Storms: My Life With Lindsay Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac was worth reading. Maybe those who have followed the band for decades already know everything mentioned in the book or can even dispute a lot of it, but most of it was new to me. All in all, I recommend it for anyone interested in learning about some of Fleetwood Mac's history.

When Books Become Movies

As someone who likes both reading and watching movies, it's sometimes hard to decide which form I'd rather indulge in. Differences between a book and its movie adaptation can nag at me, even when they don't make a difference to the story. Because of this, I've found that it usually helps if I see a movie long after having read the book. That way, the text isn't fresh in my mind, and I can appreciate the film version better.

I found three books that I think have potential on the big screen. The publication dates range from 1982 to 2007, and I read them all fairly soon after they were published. If you're a fan of Christopher Moore, Dean Koontz, or Bentley Little, check out my picks for books that should be movies.

Pretty Little Liars

A friend alerted me that ABC Family will be airing a Pretty Little Liars catch-up marathon on August 10. The marathon starts at 11:00 am EDT and will include the first ten episodes.

This show is based on Sara Shepard's book series of the same name. Although teens--especially teenage girls--are the target audience, it has broader appeal.

I knew about Pretty Little Liars before it premiered, and I was interested. The problem was that I couldn't justify adding yet another show to my schedule, so I decided to pass. I regretted this decision after finding out that Nolan North was playing the father of one of the liars.

Port Charles fans know Nolan as Chris Ramsey. Since its cancelation in 2003, he has become a prolific voice actor. In fact, if you're a gamer, there's a good chance you've heard Nolan's voice many times.

I like to watch shows in order, and I don't watch shows online. Now, thanks to the upcoming marathon, I'll be able to watch Pretty Little Liars from the beginning.

Welcome to Ellie's Couch

When I watch TV, read, or listen to music, I'm usually on the couch. For me, it's the most comfortable place for those activities. That's why I chose "Ellie's Couch" as the name for this blog about books, television, music, and movies. I won't be writing about everything I'm watching, reading, or listening to; that would be a monumental task. Instead, I'll choose the most interesting ones and see how that goes.