Tag Archives: Fun

09.17.17
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Tag #29: “20 Questions Book Tag”

The lovely ladies at Thrice Read did another awesome book tag! It was created by someone on Goodreads.

Here’s the link to Thrice Read’s original post:

How many books is too many books in a book series?
Ooooh, good question. I love Harry Potter, so I’ve always thought that seven is enough.

How do you feel about cliffhangers?
Cliffhangers are decent, but a writer shouldn’t rely on them all the time.

Hard copy or paperback?
I hate it when the paperback spines crack, so I like hard copy.

Favorite book?
My all-time favorite is The Great Gatsby.

Least favorite book?
The Scarlet Letter.

Love triangles, yes or no?
Yes. It makes a book interesting.

The most recent book you just couldn’t finish?
Nothing comes to mind at the moment.

A book you’re currently reading?
The Girl on the Train.

Last book you recommended to someone?
I recommended The Unknown and the Impossible: How a research facility in Virginia mastered the air and conquered space.

Oldest book you’ve read? (Publication date)
Little Women.

Newest book you’ve read? (Publication date)
The Whistler.

Favorite author?
John Grisham, Nicholas Sparks, Jeanette Walls, John Green, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Buying books or borrowing books?
Can I say both? I’m trying to use my local library to borrow more, rather than buy.

A book you dislike that everyone else seems to love?
I can’t put my finger on a single book.

Bookmarks or dog-ears?
Bookmarks, all the way.

A book you can always re-read?
Any of the American Girl books. Childhood nostalgia for the win!

Can you read while hearing music?
Not really.

One POV or multiple POVs? (POVs = Points of view)
I’ll stick with one POV. I hated the way Veronica Roth attempted to write Allegiant, and that’s left a sour taste in my mouth ever since.

Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?
It would be so nice to read a book in one sitting. But, since my reading time is mostly limited to vacations, or before going to sleep, it usually takes me several days to finish a book.

Who do you tag? (You can invite them to the group to do the tag)
Anyone!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.07.17
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Tag #28: “Wonder Woman Book Tag”

As soon as I saw this tag from Delphine’s Babble on Some Good Reads two weeks ago, I knew I needed to do it!

Also, check out Delphine’s amaze-balls blog, while you’re at it. She’s fabulous!

Here’s the link to Delphine’s original post:

Wonder Woman: Your Favorite Badass Female Book Character

hunger-games

Image Credit: Scholastic Media Room

Katniss Everdeen was the first badass character that came to mind! I love The Hunger Games trilogy – It’s a set that will sit on my bookshelf until the end of time.

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Fantasy Island: A Book Setting You Want to Escape To

The Vacationers

I loved the richness of Spain in The Vacationers. This is a perfect escape book!

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London: A Hyped Book That Let You Down

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org
Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org
Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

I liked Divergent, and I loved Insurgent, but Allegiant was incredibly disappointing. It was one book that I almost didn’t finish. It also kind of ruined the entire series for me. The movies were even worse!

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Steve Trevor: A Book That Has a Beautiful Cover And a Great Story (i.e., Great Personality)

Black Beauty

Image Credit: Pinterest

As a child, I enjoyed books about horses. Black Beauty was no exception.

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Lasso of Truth: A Book You Hated

The Scarlet Letter - B&N

Image Credit: Barnes & Noble

I absolutely LOATHED this book. I had to read it for one of my summer assignments in high school, and I struggled to get through it. As an adult, I now understand why it’s important to read it, but back then, I cried because it was so awful and so frustrating, and I did not understand why I needed to read it!

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Wonder Woman’s Shield: A Book So Sad You Need a Shield

The Battle of Jericho - Simon & Schuster

Image Credit: Simon & Schuster

This was the first book from Sharon M. Draper that I read. I wasn’t expecting to cry and feel multiple emotions, but I did. Despite feeling incredibly sad, I wanted to read more. This book is part of The Jericho Trilogy, and she’s written another impressive trilogy, along with many other books. If you haven’t read any of her books, you should. She gives a powerful perspective on the lives of African-American teenagers, as well as tough topics, including abuse, poverty, teen pregnancy, hazing, and others.

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No Man’s Land: A Book that You Want to Send Through No Man’s Land (i.e., shoot it to death)

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - Goodreads

Image Credit: Goodreads

As a senior in high school, the last thing I wanted to do was attempt to decipher the stream of consciousness of the narrator in this blasted book. I remember reading, and then re-reading, pages over and over and over. It didn’t make me cry, but most of my class bemoaned Mr. Degnan for picking this book!

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Ares: A Villain That is Scary, But You Can’t Seem to Hate

Carrie.jpg

Image Credit: Amazon

Carrie was one of the few Stephen King books that didn’t truly scare me. I guess it was because I’d heard so much about the book and the movies before reading it? I’m not sure. Regardless, Margaret White is a scary character, but I don’t hate her.

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Ar. Poison: A Villain That Has No Reason To Exist

Honestly, I’m at a loss for this question. Readers – Do you have any ideas for this one?

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The Amazons: A Book that You Wish Had More/Better LGBT + Representation

Same as above. I’m not sure how to answer this one, either. Readers – What say you?

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Justice League: What Superhero Book Friends Do You Tag?

I’m not tagging anyone in particular, but I hope some of you will consider doing this one!

This tag was really HARD. Thanks for the challenge, Delphine!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.02.17
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Tag #27: Disney Princess Sidekicks Book Tag

disney-princess-sidekicks-tag

Image Credit: Book Princess Reviews

I found this adorable book tag on YA and Wine, authored by the amazing Krysti!

Here’s the link to the original post:

 

Mushu from Mulan / Olaf & Sven from Frozen

The Comic Relief – Name your favorite hilarious character, or your favorite comedy / funny book.

harry-potter-series

Image Credit: Potter Talk

Hands down, Ron Weasley from Harry Potter.

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the-seven-dwarfs

The Seven Dwarfs from Snow White

Favorite Group / Ensemble

harry-potter-series

Image Credit: Potter Talk

The entire Weasley Family / Clan in Harry Potter.

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pascal

Pascal from Tangled

The loyal cheerleader chameleon (Not a frog, Flynn Rider) – Name a book that started out one way, but changed for you.

Uglies

Image Credit: Goodreads

I remember being immensely skeptical when assigned to read Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld, for my Young Adult Literature class at Longwood in the spring of 2011. But, I ended up really liking it, and appreciating the depth Westerfeld brought to the story. I need to read the other books!

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meeko

Meeko from Pocahontas

Pocahontas’s sly and sneaky raccoon friend – Name a plot twist that you did not see coming.

Shutter Island

Image Credit: Amazon

Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane. If you haven’t read any of Lehane, do it. He also wrote Mystic River, and Shutter Island is just as creepy and spine-tingling. The movies are excellent, but I love the books! I want to re-read both of them.

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Rajah from Aladdin / Flounder from The Little Mermaid

Gentle with their princess, but protective with everyone else – Name your favorite best friend in a novel.

Molly Books

Image Credit: AG Playthings

I have a three-way tie here. I love Linda, Susan, and Emily, in the Molly McIntire American Girl book series, all by Valerie Tripp. I identify with all of them, in a way. These were my favorite books for years, and I have them all now.

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louissebastianbeauty-and-the-beast-gang

Louis from The Princess and the Frog / Sebastian from The Little Mermaid / Cogsworth, Lumiere, Mrs. Potts, and Chip from Beauty and the Beast

The Musical Bunch – Name a novel where music played a big part, or made you want to sing its praises.

Nick and Norah

Image Credit: Goodreads

Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, by Rachel Cohen and David Levithan. I absolutely loved this book, and I’ve devoured every book that Cohen & Levithan have written!

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maximus

Maximus from Tangled

The Obstacle in Flynn Rider’s Way – Name a character that faces a lot of obstacles.

Across Five Aprils

Image Credit: Rainbow Resource

Jethro Creighton, the main character in Across Five Aprils, by Irene Hunt. I remember being assigned to read this book in school, and I was deeply moved and affected by it. I’m also planning to re-read this one.

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meridas-bros

Hamish, Hubert, and Harris from Brave

Favorite family dynamics in a novel.

Little Women

Image Credit: Amazon

The March girls, from Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. In ninth grade English, we had to pick a book to read, and report on it. Back then, this was a dense book, and difficult for me to read. Now, I recognize it’s a classic, and I love it!

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Ray from The Princess and The Frog / The Three Fairies from Sleeping Beauty

The Advice Givers – Book that most impacted your life.

harry-potter-series

Image Credit: Potter Talk

Let’s see – Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, even Professor Snape … Shall I go on?

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hei-hei

Hei Hei from Moana

Name a character that steals the show.

Paper Towns

Image Credit: John Green

Margo Roth Spiegelman, from Paper Towns, by John Green. I love most all of Green’s books, but something about Margo makes this book my favorite.

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gus-and-jaq

Gus & Jaq from Cinderella

Opposites Attract – Name your favorite or worst opposite attracts pairing.

Letting Go of Lisa

Image Credit: Goodreads

Nathan and Lisa, from Letting Go of Lisa, by Lurlene McDaniel.

This was such a fun tag! I love Disney, and the sidekicks have always been some of my favorite characters!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

08.27.17
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Tag #26: “Keep It Fresh Award / Book Tag”

Keep It Fresh

Image Credit: audreywritesabroad

I saw this post on Marie’s library. She loves many types of books!

Here’s the link to her original post:

The Rules:

  1. Post the rules before starting and link back to this post as a reference for other bloggers.
  2. Part A: Answer each of the fruit questions (Each fruit corresponds to a book!), and add pictures, plus why you thought that particular book deserves that particular fruit if possible.
  3. Part B: Choose your favorite fruit (Even if it is one of the fruits in part A). Come up with a question that we didn’t ask, and answer it.
  4. Part C: Create your own smoothie from the fruits in Part A (Imagine a Lemon-Tomato-Apple smoothie ~ yuck), and find a book that would correlate to your smoothie!
  5. Nominate as many and anyone that you think are deserving of this award but it would be nice if you nominated a minimum of 5!
  6. Notify your nominees of the nomination.
  7. The most important rules? Have fun, and of course, keep it fresh!

Part A

Strawberries – Name the sweetest book you’ve read (e.g., sweet in terms of the characters, or if the story takes place in a sweet world, etc.)

The_Notebook_Cover

Image Credit: Wikipedia

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Coconut – What’s a book that you would bring on vacation with you to a tropical destination? (Or if you’re just relaxing at the beach…)

Elin Hilderbrand

Image Credit: Mix and Match Mama

 

Anything by Elin Hilderbrand!

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Pineapple – What’s a book that you didn’t think you would like by judging its cover / summary / the first few pages, but started to grow on you?

Looking for Alaska

Image Credit: Wikipedia

I remember feeling incredibly skeptical when this book was assigned for my Young Adult Literature class during my final semester at Longwood. I hadn’t read anything from John Green until then. But, after this book, I was hooked.

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Orange – What’s the juiciest book you’ve read? (e.g., a book with tons of action, romance, etc.)

Rosebush

Image Credit: Amazon

For the life of me, I cannot remember how I found this book, but I loved it!

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Watermelon – A watery book (e.g., there wasn’t tons of substance to the book / the details were just too watery, etc. Don’t get us wrong though, we love watermelons!)

The Last Summer of You and Me

Image Credit: Amazon

I tried so hard to like this book, especially since I devoured The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I just couldn’t get into it. This is one of those rare books that I never finished.

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Dragonfruit – What’s the most unique book you’ve read? (e.g., unique in writing style, characters, plot, etc.)

dragon tattoo

Image Credit: Paste Magazine

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Lemons – Name a book that made you feel sour (e.g., the emotions were just sour, you just felt sour reading the book, or the book includes sour characters, etc.)

This Is Where It Ends - Goodreads

Image Credit: goodreads.com

Check out my Book Review.

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Tomato – What’s a wonderful book that you think should be more widely known? Or a fantastic author whom you think deserves more recognition (Since some may not know that tomatoes are actually fruits!)

the-war-that-saved-my-life

Image Credit: books.google.com

I’m so excited that Brubaker Bradley is releasing a sequel in a few months – I’ve been eagerly waiting since January! It’s not a delightful topic by any stretch of the imagination, but I loved it. Check out my Book Review!

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Apple – Name a really stereotypical book of a certain genre, just like apples, which a typical fruits. In the end, was that book good or not? (e.g., a very typical contemporary / fantasy book, etc.)

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org
Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org
Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

Read my Book Reviews!

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Blueberries – Name a book that made you feel blue (Any sad, depressing books that you’ve read.)

lurlene

Image Credit: Children of the 90s

Most anything by Lurlene McDaniel. I devoured her books in middle school and high school, but most of them are very sad!

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Grapefruit – Any bitter books? (e.g., a book that was blue, but more. Do you have any bitter resentments toward characters from a book? Any sour turned bitter emotions? Any uber-hateful villains?)

angels-and-demons

Image Credit: Amazon

Check out my Book Review.

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Limes – Name a funny book that you’ve read because limes add flavor, and so does humor with every book.

The Vacationers

Image Credit: Amazon

Check out my Book Review!

Part B

Limes – Name a book that you can read, or re-read, while drinking your favorite beverage (For me, Corona with lime).

The Last Song

Image Credit: Goodreads

Part C

Smoothie: Pineapple, Oranges, and Limes

  • A book I thought I wouldn’t like by judging its cover / summary / the first few pages, but it started to grow on me.
  • The juiciest book I’ve read.
  • A funny book.
harry-potter-series

Image Credit: The Odyssey Online

Hands down!

 

This tag was so much fun, but also challenging!

I’m not tagging anyone in particular, but if you want to participate, please do so!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

08.18.17
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Tag #25: The Taylor Swift Book Tag

Taylor Swift Book Tag

Image Credit: Out of Time Blog

I love books, and I love Taylor Swift! I’ve always admired her, and her music.

When I saw this post on Ann’s Reading Corner about a week ago, I knew I needed to do it on my blog! She actually published this tag in 2016, but I stumbled upon it, and loved it immediately.

Here’s the link to Ann’s post:

“WE ARE NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER”
Pick a book or series that you were pretty sure you were in love with them, but then wanted to break up with them.

 

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org
Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org
Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

See my review!

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“RED”
Pick a book with red on the cover.

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“THE BEST DAY”
Pick a book that makes you feel nostalgic.

A_Walk_to_Remember_(Hardcover)

Image Credit: Wikipedia

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“LOVE”
Pick a book with forbidden love.

flowers-in-the-attic-books-about-forbidden-love-610x1024

Image Credit: About Great Books

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“I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE”
Pick a book with a bad character you couldn’t help but love.

Daisy Buchanan, from The Great Gatsby.

Gatsby - biography

Image Credit: biography.com

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“INNOCENT”
Pick a book that someone ruined the ending for you.

Carrie

Image Credit: Amazon

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“EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED”
A character who goes through an extensive character development.

Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, from The Help.

thehelpbookcover

Image Credit: Wikipedia

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“YOU BELONG WITH ME”
Most anticipated book release.

Origin, by Dan Brown. Robert Langdon returns!

Origin

Image Credit: Publishers Weekly

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“FOREVER AND ALWAYS”
Favorite book couple.

Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, from Pride and Prejudice.

Pride and Prejudice

Image Credit: Book Depository

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“COME BACK BE HERE”
Book you would least like to lend out for fear of missing it too much.

My hardcover British copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I scored a copy during the midnight release, in London, in 2005. It was incredible!

hbp-uk-adult-jacket-art

Image Credit: Harry Potter Fan Zone

I loved this tag – It was so much fun!

Tell me your answers in the comments, and your favorite Taylor Swift song!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

08.13.17
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Getting Personal #80: My Love for American Girl

American Girl - Etsy

Image Credit: Etsy

Some of you have probably figured out by now that I have loved Pleasant Company and American Girl for, well, forever.

I wanted to give you a bit of an inside look into my love and passion for these books and the dolls!

Here’s a few articles that I read and reviewed while working on this post:

Before we dive into my love / passion for these books and dolls, here’s a brief history of Pleasant Company and American Girl.

Pleasant Company was launched in 1986 by former textbook writer Pleasant Rowland. The idea was sparked when she wanted to buy dolls for her nieces, ages 8 and 10 at the time, and the only options available were Cabbage Patch Kids and Barbies.

She then took a trip with her husband to Colonial Williamsburg, and she was inspired by the history there. She thought girls would be interested in learning more about history by connecting with dolls associated with certain historical time eras.

There were three original Historical Characters when the company started in 1986:

  • Kirsten Larson, 1854
  • Samantha Parkington, 1904
  • Molly McIntire, 1944

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Here is the complete list of Historical Characters the company has created:

  1. Kaya, 1764
  2. Felicity Merriman, 1774
  3. Elizabeth Cole, 1774 (Felicity’s best friend)
  4. Caroline Abbott, 1812
  5. Josefina Montoya, 1824
  6. Marie-Grace Gardner, 1853
  7. Cecile Rey, 1853
  8. Kirsten Larson, 1854
  9. Addy Walker, 1864
  10. Samantha Parkington, 1904
  11. Nellie O’Malley, 1904 (Samantha’s best friend)
  12. Rebecca Rubin, 1914
  13. Kit Kittredge, 1934
  14. Ruthie Smithens, 1934 (Kit’s best friend)
  15. Molly McIntire, 1944
  16. Emily Bennett, 1944 (Molly’s best friend)
  17. Maryellen Larkin, 1954
  18. Melody Ellison, 1964
  19. Julie Albright, 1974
  20. Ivy Ling, 1974 (Julie’s best friend)

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In 1995, the company debuted its American Girl of Today product line, where girls could pick from a variety of hair, eye, and skin colors to make their own dolls. Today, it has been relabeled several times, and it’s now branded as the Truly Me line. The company even offers dolls without hair for girls with alopecia, hair loss, or going through cancer treatments.

In 1998, Rowland sold Pleasant Company to Mattel for approximately $700 million dollars!

In 2001, American Girl launched its “Girl of the Year” (GOTY) line. With the exceptions of Lindsey (2001-2002) and Kailey (2003-2004), all GOTY dolls have only been available for one calendar year, with the new doll being unveiled on January 1st.

Along the way, several Historical Characters have been archived – Samantha and Nellie, Kirsten, Felicity and Elizabeth, Molly and Emily, Marie-Grace and Cecile, and a few others. The decision was made for all the “Best Friends” dolls to be archived by August 2014. Caroline Abbott was the most recent character to be archived, in spring 2015. The only two Historical Characters to have been brought out of the archives, so far, are Samantha, and Felicity.

In the summer of 2014, American Girl revamped its Historical Characters line into the BeForever line. The original six-book set was redesigned into two main volumes, and then what’s called a “Journey Book,” where a modern-day girl goes on a journey with one of the Historical girls.

Currently, in 2017, the BeForever line has approximately 10 characters, with the 11th being Nanea Mitchell, 1941, scheduled to officially debut at the end of August. Gabriela is the current GOTY. There is a new Contemporary Characters line of 18-inch dolls, consisting of Tenney Grant, Logan Everett, and Z Yang. Logan Everett is the company’s first boy doll. Z Yang is the first doll to be created from American Girl’s popular YouTube channel. The WellieWishers are a series of five 14.5-inch dolls, designed for younger girls. Bitty Babies are also available for children ages 3 and up.

Now, if I remember correctly, I was given my Bitty Baby doll in 1994 or 1995. I have some photos from a few vintage Pleasant Company Holiday Catalogs below.

Before I even received my first 18-inch doll, my “American Girl of Today” that I named Stephanie, I absolutely fell in love with the American Girl books!

Pleasant Company Catalogue Holiday 1991

These are the original “meet” books – This photo is from the Pleasant Company catalog for the holidays in 1991. Image Credit: Mental Floss

Before the BeForever line was introduced, each Historical Character had a “Central Series” of six books. I’ll use Molly’s name as an example:

  1. Meet Molly: An American Girl
  2. Molly Learns A Lesson: A School Story
  3. Molly’s Surprise: A Christmas Story
  4. Happy Birthday, Molly!: A Springtime Story
  5. Molly Saves The Day: A Summer Story
  6. Changes for Molly: A Winter Story

The six books cover approximately two years of each character’s life. I loved reading and re-reading these books. There were beautiful illustrations in every one! My personal library had all of Felicity’s books, and Samantha’s, in hardcover. I borrowed the rest from the library, over and over. When I was in speech therapy for most of elementary school, I distinctly remember reading Felicity’s books out loud to my parents as practice.

Eventually, I gave away most of my American Girl book collection to other girls, and the library. Now, I’ve been feverishly rebuilding my childhood library, and then some! I have a huge copy paper box in my office space that is overflowing with books. I’m so excited to get my huge bookcase from my parents, and promptly fill it up.

In addition to the Central Series, American Girl has published other contemporary titles for girls, and I owned many of them (Games and Giggles, Tiny Treasures, Help!, The Care & Keeping of You, etc.). They have also published multiple short stories and mysteries featuring the Historical Characters. I’m also very fond of the 22-book History Mysteries series, as well as the eight Girls of Many Lands books.

I will never stop loving the books!

Photo montage!

This is the most recent catalog that I received in the mail. It’s significantly smaller than the older Pleasant Company catalogs. This one is about the size of a small magazine, roughly 50 pages total.

This is one of the vintage Pleasant Company catalogs that I recently purchased from someone on Facebook. I loved looking through these as a kid, over and over.

This is my current “stash” of doll stuff in my office!

 

I have Molly’s desk at my parents’ house! I found it in really good condition from a Facebook post a few years ago – I only paid $30 for it!


This is from one of the Pleasant Company catalogs. I remember starting at these full-size photos for hours!

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Here’s some photos featuring the American Girl of Today line!

I loved the Snowflake Jumper when I received my American Girl of Today, who I named Stephanie. I need to do a second blog post when I get all my dolls from Mom and Dad’s!


My Stephanie is currently dressed in the School Jumper outfit at Mom and Dad’s. I also had the Girl Scout Uniform, and I took Stephanie to a few troop meetings!


I had the Cheerleader Outfit for many years – I eventually sold in it a lot of AG clothes to a woman at my office building for her 6-year-old daughter. She emailed me the following weekend, saying that she gave the box of clothes and accessories to her daughter early, and she and her friends loved everything!


I now own the Culotte Dress after years of wanting it. Facebook is an amazing resource for all things Pleasant Company and American Girl!


I didn’t have that swimsuit set, but I did have the In-line Gear and Baxter the Bunny!


This was the outfit that my doll Stephanie arrived in, for Christmas 1997!


I remember loving all the girl outfits and accessories! My parents said no, though. They didn’t want to spend a lot of money on clothes that they knew that I would quickly outgrow!


I love the Jeweled Headband, and those AG Earrings! I also had a very similar haircut from fifth grade through middle school.


I loved these outfits – Totally 90s!

I absolutely love the older catalogs! I’ve had so much fun recently, looking through the three that I recently purchased. So many memories!!

Here’s a fun quiz:

Here’s my results:

2bf1ec0b-ae8c-4690-85a3-e684df75d79f

“Hey, Molly. You either wanted to be a Samantha but got stuck with a mom who gave you Molly (raises hand reluctantly), proudly wore glasses, loved World War II, or all of the above. Either way, be proud of your inner Molly — though you suck at doing math.”

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I’ve always loved Molly! I definitely wore glasses, from sixth grade on. And I definitely suck at math!

This past week, American Girl officially launched their newest product – “Create Your Own” American Girl!

Not the best photo. But, meet Bethany, my true look-alike!


Bethany loves to daydream. Her fave place is the city, and her fave things are reading & writing.

The new doll line is a bit more expensive than the other dolls, around $200. But, after nearly 20 years of having a blonde doll, I think it’s high time that I have one that actually looks like me!

My doll collection, at the moment, consists of five dolls:

  1. Stephanie, my American Girl of Today, 1997 — Mom and Dad bought Stephanie for me for Christmas. I was a very happy 9-year-old!
  2. Molly McIntire, 1944 — Molly was the first doll that I bought with my own money, right before she was archived in 2013.
  3. Kit Kittredge, 1934 — Al bought her for me for my birthday in August 2016.
  4. Chrissa Maxwell, Girl of the Year, 2009 — I quickly identified with Chrissa’s character several years ago. Her story revolves around bullying. Chrissa came home to me in early 2017.
  5. Unnamed American Girl of Today, circa 1996 — I bought this doll off eBay in 2016, trying to help out someone on a Facebook group with creating Harry Potter dolls. That never happened, so I kept her. I may turn her into Hermione Granger someday 🙂

I have a few other dolls on my wish list. Aside from Bethany, my Create Your Own, I would love to eventually own Nanea, 1941, and Maryellen, 1954.

Nanea Doll - American Girl Wikia

Nanea Mitchell, 1941. Image Credit: American Girl Wikia


Maryellen - American Girl Wikia

Maryellen Larkin, 1954. Image Credit: American Girl Wikia

As long as I live, I don’t think I will ever get “too old” for American Girl. It’s been such a staple in my life since the mid-1990s!

I’ve always appreciated Pleasant Company’s and American Girl’s dedication to historical accuracy. I give immense credit to these books for making me love history!

I’ve written Book Reviews on several of the new BeForever books, including Maryellen’s and Melody’s stories. For my birthday last week, Al bought me the two Classic volumes of Felicity’s books, and I can’t wait to read those. I’m also very excited for several new releases this winter (I may or may not have already pre-ordered these from Amazon):

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

08.05.17
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Tag #24: The Book Titles Tag

Kristin Kraves Books

Image Credit: Kristin Kraves Books

The lovely ladies at Thrice Read did another awesome tag!

Here’s the link to the original post:

1. Title that’s the story of your life

  • Survivor, Chuck Palahnuik.

2. Title that describes your perfect weekend

  • On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King.

3. Title of an adventure you’d like to go on

  • Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson.

4. Title you want to name your child

  • Ordinary Grace, William Kent Krueger.

5. Title of your ideal job

  • Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them, Francine Prose.

6. Title of a place you’d like to visit

  • I’m totally stealing their answer – Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children, Ransom Riggs.

7. Title of your love life

  • A Walk to Remember, Nicholas Sparks. I immediately thought of this because on our first date, Al and I took a walk on the boardwalk at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, and that’s where we kissed for the first time!

8. Questions you ask yourself

  • Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, Judy Blume.

9. Title of a kingdom you want to rule OR name

  • The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett.

10. Title you’d name your band.

  • The Dive from Clausen’s Pier, Ann Packer.

11. What is your current mood?

  • The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin.

12. What is your favorite color?

  • The Green Mile, Stephen King.

13. How do you feel about 2017 so far?

  • Stealing another answer – The 5th Wave, Rick Yancey.

14. Where do you want to travel?

  • The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern.

15. What are your summer plans?

  • The Geography of Bliss, Eric Weiner.

16. What are your 2017 goals?

  • You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life, Jen Sincero.

This was such a fun tag!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

07.30.17
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Tag #23: “Who Am I?” Tag

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Image Credit: Stuming Games

Many thanks to Jenna at Bookmark Your Thoughts for tagging me!

Here’s the post where I was originally tagged:

What does my name mean?

Since I go by my first and middle name (given in honor of my great-grandmother, Laura Bethany Powers), I decided to search for “Laura” and “Beth” separately. When I searched “Laura Beth,” most results landed on either “laurabeth” or “laura-beth.”

This is what I found for the name Laura:

“Derived from the Latin laurus (laurel, an evergreen shrub or tree whose leaves were woven into wreaths by the ancient Greeks to crown victors in various contests). Originally a Latin name, Laura came into use in England in the 19th century, and is now popularly bestowed throughout the English-speaking world.”

This is what I found for the name Beth:

“Originally a short form of Elizabeth (God is my oath) and Bethany (house of figs), Beth is popularly bestowed as an independent given name and as a name element in compound names such as Mary-Beth or Laura-Beth.”

According to the website Seven Reflections:

“You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act.You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.

You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.”

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What is my Myers-Briggs Personality Type? (Link)

My results: Protagonist (ENFJ-T) — Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging, Turbulent.

I would agree with these results. I’ve always been enthusiastic, sensitive, caring, and so on. In terms of Turbulent, my results were 53 percent Turbulent to 47 percent Assertive, and that’s me to a T, no pun intended!

“With vision and determination, nothing is impossible.”

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What is my Zodiac Sign? (Link)

I was supposed to be a Scorpio (November 18th), but I was born a Leo (August 7th).

LEO TRAITS

Strengths: Creative, passionate, generous, warm-hearted, cheerful, humorous

Weaknesses: Arrogant, stubborn, self-centered, lazy, inflexible

Leo likes: Theater, taking holidays, being admired, expensive things, bright colors, fun with friends

Leo dislikes: Being ignored, facing difficult reality, not being treated like a king or queen

People born under the sign of Leo are natural born leaders. They are dramatic, creative, self-confident, dominant and extremely difficult to resist, able to achieve anything they want to in any area of life they commit to. There is a specific strength to a Leo and their “king of the jungle” status. Leo often has many friends for they are generous and loyal. Self-confident and attractive, this is a Sun sign capable of uniting different groups of people and leading them as one towards a shared cause, and their healthy sense of humor makes collaboration with other people even easier.

Leo belongs to the element of Fire, just like Aries and Sagittarius. This makes them warmhearted, in love with life, trying to laugh and have a good time. Able to use their mind to solve even the most difficult problems, they will easily take initiative in resolving various complicated situations. Ruled by the Sun, Leo worships this fiery entity in the sky, quite literally as well as metaphorically. They are in search for self-awareness and in constant growth of ego. Aware of their desires and personality, they can easily ask for everything they need, but could just as easily unconsciously neglect the needs of other people in their chase for personal gain or status. When a Leo representative becomes too fond and attached to their achievements and the way other people see them, they become an easy target, ready to be taken down.

Leo – the Lion in the Cave The story of the Lion always speaks of bravery. This is an animal fearless and impossible to challenge, hurt or destroy, their only weaknesses being fear and aggression towards those they confront. Living in a cave, a Lion always needs to have one, nesting and finding comfort in hard times. However, they should never stay there for long. With their head high, they have to face others with dignity and respect, never raising a voice, a hand, or a weapon, bravely walking through the forest they rule.

I completely agree! These results made my laugh out loud so hard! I’m definitely stubborn (My mom mentioned this just a few weeks ago!)

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What is my Hogwarts House? (Link)

Hufflepuff – Loyal, Dependable, Hardworking.

I’ll take it!

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What are my Learning Styles? (Link)

Visual 10

Aural 9

Read/Write 12

Kinesthetic 14

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Am I Left or Right Brain Dominant? (Link)

I’m more Right Brain Dominant —  66 percent versus 34 percent (images, chaos, creativity, fantasy, intuition, curiosity). Yep, that definitely makes sense, especially since I’m left-handed!

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What is my Blood Type?

I am A-negative (A-), just like my mom. My blood can be given to patients with four different blood types (A+, AB-, AB+, and A-). My dad is O-negative, so he is the “universal” donor. That means his blood type can go to anyone! I’m currently working on my iron level so I can donate again on August 5th – Blood drive number 101!

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What Career am I meant to have? (Link)

Writer

You have a skill for language, your imagination is vast and you are artistic and creative. Your brain is just overflowing with ideas, and all you have to do is get a piece of paper and share it with the world. You were born to turn words into magical stories.

Yes! Awesome!!

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What Divergent Faction do I belong to? (Link)

I belong in Divergent.

You deviate from the norm. The aptitude test is inconclusive. It cannot determine just one faction for you, Divergent. Your mind is ceaselessly changing. You’re creative, with a strong sense of self, and you have a clear picture of who you are and what you want. You stand out from the crowd. You may pose a threat to the norms of society, but you are unwilling to give into them.

I love it!

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What does my Birth say about me? (Link)

The Firstborn (Technically only child)

Stereotype: Natural leader, ambitious, responsible.
Why it’s true: The eldest, for a while, has no competition for time (or books or baby banter) with Mom and Dad. “There’s a benefit to all of that undiluted attention. A 2007 study in Norway showed that firstborns had two to three more IQ points than the next child,” says Frank J. Sulloway, Ph.D., the author of Born to Rebel. Firstborns tend to be surrogate parents when other siblings arrive, hence their protective and responsible nature.
When it’s not: Parents can set high expectations for a first (or only) child. “When he feels like he has disappointed his parents or can’t measure up, he may veer off in another direction,” says Kevin Leman, Ph.D., a psychologist and the author of The Birth Order Book.

This was such a fun tag! Thanks, Jenna!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

07.23.17
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Tag #22: “How I Choose My Books” Tag

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Image Credit: Kristen Kraves Books

The lovely ladies at Thrice Read did this awesome tag!

Here’s the link to their original post:

Find a book on your shelves with a blue cover. What made you pick up that book in the first place?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I had heard a lot about it, but I bought it after the movie came out. I found it in a local used book shop called Book Owl. I’m glad that I bought it and read it – John Green is one of my favorite authors.

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Think of a book you didn’t expect to enjoy but did. Why did you read it in the first place?

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. As I wrote in my review, I was intrigued by it when one of my PEO sisters presented her review of it at one of our meetings in 2014. However, when I finally found my own copy, I felt hesitant and unsure. I found quickly that I didn’t need to worry – It was a really good book!

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Stand in front of your bookshelf with your eyes closed and pick a book at random. How did you discover this book?

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. I’d first heard good things online, but what sold it for me was when Whitehead was interviewed by Terry Gross for NPR’s Fresh Air in August 2016. Not too long after the interview aired, I received a Barnes & Noble gift card for my birthday, and promptly bought it. It’s one of the best adult fiction books that I’ve ever read.

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Pick a book that someone personally recommended to you. What did you think of it?

If I Am Missing Or Dead: A Sister’s Story of Love, Murder, and Liberation by Janine Latus. My good friend Mike Holtzclaw recommended this book after I told him about my past abusive relationship when I was in college. Mike is good friends with Janine, and learned her story along with her sister’s tragic murder. It was a tough book to read, but I’m so glad that I did. It’s one of those books that’s stuck with me ever since I’ve read it, and that was well over a year ago.

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Pick a book you discovered through book blogs. Did it live up to the hype?

To be honest, I don’t think I’ve read or reviewed any books that I’ve discovered through book blogs – Not yet, anyway. I’m working through several books on my TBR first! However, there are several book blogs and book bloggers that I absolutely adore, and I’m finding that my TBR is constantly growing and expanding.

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Find a book on your shelves with a one word title. What drew you to this book?

Divergent by Veronica Roth. I remember falling in love with the plot, and being inspired because the woman is my age. As my review shows, there are issues with the overall trilogy, but when I first heard about Roth and her books, my imagination ran wild and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on them!

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What book did you discover through a film/TV adaptation?

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win The Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly. I LOVED the movie adaptation – If you haven’t seen it, do it! It’s an awesome movie and a great story. With that said, I need to add the book to my TBR. Plus, Shetterly is from Hampton, Virginia, just a stone’s throw away from where I live and work.

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Think of your all-time favorite books. When did you read these and why did you pick them up in the first place?

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I’ve loved this book since it was assigned reading by Mr. Degnan in IB English. It’s one book that I re-read at least once every single year. I was so inspired by Gatsby that I ended up doing a major research project for Degnan on Fitzgerald’s life and his other books. It was an amazing time period that he lived in and wrote about!

How do you typically choose the books you read?

Leave me some recommendations of your favorite books. I’m always looking for more!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

07.14.17
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Tag #21: What Makes Me Happy Tag – Number 2!

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Image Credit: BrainyQuote

I was tagged by the sweet and beautiful Jenna at Bookmark Your Thoughts!

Thanks, Jenna!

Here’s the link to the post where I was tagged:

It’s funny – I just realized that this is the second time I’ve been tagged for this one! It looked familiar.

I was previously tagged by B.G. last August:

List Five Things That Make You Happy

  1. Writing — I love my blog! I’ve also written drafts of three novels, and I have an idea for a fourth. I greatly enjoy supporting other writers and bloggers. I try really hard to write about things that are interesting and exciting!
  2. Books — I’ve always been a reader. I will always love books. I’m excited to get my giant bookcase from my parents’ house (when the weather isn’t so hot) and fill it up with my collection. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed certain authors (Nicholas Sparks, J.K. Rowling, John Grisham) and certain series and collections (Chicken Soup for the Soul, Dear America, American Girl), but I’m always looking for recommendations!
  3. American Girl Dolls — This ties in with the books. I fell in love with the American Girl books before the dolls. As a child, I had a Bitty Baby first, and then I received my “American Girl of Today” 18-inch doll that I named Stephanie. She was supposed to look like me, but American Girl didn’t sell a brown-haired, green-eyed look-alike doll when I received Stephanie in 1997, so she’s blonde. I currently have five 18-inch dolls (Stephanie, Molly, Kit, Chrissa, and another look-alike doll that I may sell or make into a custom). Al is helping me design a custom doll cabinet / storage unit, and I’m excited to make this dream happen! I would eventually like to own Maryellen, Nanea, and a true look-alike doll.
  4. Traveling — I love having a job that gives me substantial PTO. We try to travel as much as we can. Right now, we’re planning to go to New York City next summer, for my milestone birthday!
  5. Podcasts — As I wrote in my Getting Personal post about podcasts last year, I love being able to listen to a variety of topics during my commute, or when I’m traveling solo. Like books, if you have any podcast recommendations, feel free to send them my way!

List Five Songs That Make You Happy

  1. “Mine” by Taylor Swift
  2. “Who I Am With You” by Chris Young
  3. “Haven’t Met You Yet” by Michael Buble
  4. “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey
  5. “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

All five of these songs remind me of Al, in some way 🙂

I sang “Mine” to him at our rehearsal dinner. My amazing bridal party helped me make posters that spelled out “You are the best thing that’s ever been mine.” They, along with the groomsmen, stood behind me and held them up as I sang to him. I was so nervous! I practiced every chance I could in the car for months. Overall, I think he was embarrassed, but it went over well and I enjoyed doing it for him.

We danced our first dance to “Who I Am With You” at our reception. I knew I wanted to use that song in some capacity starting in 2013, when I first heard it on the radio on the way back to my apartment late one night.

I still get chills when I hear “Haven’t Met You Yet” because that’s one of the songs that reminds me of the very beginning of our relationship. Plus, all these music videos make me feel warm and fuzzy.

We played the other two at our wedding reception. I just love “Uptown Funk” in general and I knew I wanted it played at our reception. Everybody danced! Then, “Don’t Stop Believin'” was the last song of the afternoon. Everyone surrounded us in a big circle, and we danced and sang our hearts out. The photo on my phone is a perfect shot of us singing and dancing during that song, and it makes me smile every time I see it.

I won’t tag anyone in particular, but you feel led to do this tag, please do so! I love seeing other people’s responses. Plus, I love spreading happiness!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂