Heather Frost's Blog, page 6

10 More Book Nerd T-Shirts I Want

I did a post a few weeks ago featuring ten nerdy t-shirts with awesome bookish humor that I could really use in my life. Maybe you could use them, too? 

OK then, here are ten more:

"Books. Helping introverts avoid conversation since 1454."

"Life is short. Read faster."

"I'm a reader. What's your super power?" 

"Bookmarks are for quitters."

"My favorite people are fictional."

"Sometimes all you need is a good book."

"There's never any dust on my dust jackets."

"Why lift weights when you can lift hardbacks?" 

"Buy me books and I'm yours."

"If anyone needs me, I'll be reading . . . Please don't need me."

Book lovers be like:

Do you have a favorite book-themes or nerdy t-shirt? Share it in the comments!

Wanderlust: Dubrovnik, Croatia

I am feeling some wanderlust, and since we're all staying home right now, I thought I'd do a post that features one of the cool places I visited last: Dubrovnik, Croatia. Croatia is absolutely gorgeous. The people are so kind and resilient, and tourism is basically their main source of income. There are no factories in Croatia, and the air is the cleanest I've ever breathed. If you watch Game of Thrones, you might also recognize this as King's Landing. I haven't seen the show, so this is just awesome Dubrovnik to me :) This picture shows me and my mom braving the wind to get a picture with the Old City on the left, and Lokrum island on the right. Here's a closer up of both, because they're so cool! P.S., Lokrum is where the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones is. This is as close as I got :) To enter the Old City, you get to walk through this awesome-ness: And this: My medieval, fantasy heart was in heaven! This is a really cool fountain near the entrance to the old town that still works. This fountain has helped the people of Dubrovnik stay alive during times of war, both ancient and modern. This shows a church as well as the stairs you can use to access the ancient city wall. Dubrovnik's old town is also home to the worlds oldest yet still operational pharmacy. It was founded in 1317, and it's still filling prescriptions today. It's located at the Franciscan Monastery, which has an amazing courtyard surrounded by arches and columns, and I admit it felt pretty Harry-Potter-like to me :) There was also a museum with old pharmacy relics, which I wasn't allowed to take pictures of. But my favorite thing to see were the old apothecary manuscripts. Seeing handwritten notes on ancient healing was so cool! And then of course, it was just fun to wander the streets. I got some great writing inspiration while in Dubrovnik, and I am excited for one idea in particular, which will hopefully someday shape into a really cool book that I get to share with you :) To summarize: Dubrovnik, Croatia is beautiful, cool, and fun to explore. I loves the greenery, the water, the cliffs, and especially the old town. And the gelato was pretty amazing, too! I'd love to hear in the comments about a favorite place you've visited, or a place you're excited to travel to one day!

From My Library: The World According to Mister Rogers

With all the craziness in the world right now, I feel like featuring a book that has uplifted me and inspired me to be a kinder person; kinder my friends, family, those who I may not always get along with, and myself. This book of quotes and anecdotes is from one of my heroes, Fred Rogers. "The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember" is one of those books that I love to flip back through, not only when I'm sad, but also when I'm in a mood to improve myself. Here is the official blurb from Goodreads: There are few personalities who evoke such universal feelings of warmth as Fred Rogers. An enduring presence in American homes for over 30 years, his plainspoken wisdom continues to guide and comfort many. The World According to Mister Rogers distills the legacy and singular worldview of this beloved American figure. An inspiring collection of stories, anecdotes, and insights--with sections devoted to love, friendship, respect, individuality, and honesty, The World According to Mister Rogers reminds us that there is much more in life that unites us than divides us.

Culled from Fred Rogers' speeches, program transcripts, books, letters, and interviews, along with some of his never-before-published writings, The World According to Mister Rogers is a testament to the legacy of a man who served and continues to serve as a role model to millions. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7... I love Mr. Rogers. As a child, I adored his show. I loved the pacing, the way he would talk to me, and the way he would acknowledge my feelings. He talked about such important things that all kids--and adults--need to hear. As an adult, I've come to value his insights and I admire his attitude toward others. I want to be like him when I grow up. (You know, if I ever do grow up :) How can you NOT love him? For such a small book, "The World According to Mister Rogers" packs in so many great insights. I want to share a couple of my favorites. The first is about making your dreams come true. Here's the quote from Mr. Rogers: "What makes the difference between wishing and realizing our wishes? Lots of things, and it make take months or years for a wish to come true, but it's far more likely to happen when you care so much about a wish that you'll do all you can to make it happen." This is a sentiment I completely agree with! I have often been asked variations of the question, "How did you become a published author?" My response has been some variation of this: "I didn't give up. I wished on birthday candles and the first star each night, but I also sat down and wrote a book. I revised that book. I shared that book. I kept sharing it, even when I was rejected. I kept writing. I kept wishing, until one day, it happened. And that's how I continue to achieve my dreams." The second and final thought I want to share from Mr. Rogers is about the importance of self care. Here is the short story he shares: "It's important to know when we need to stop, reflect, and receive. In our competitive world, that might be called a waste of time. I've learned that those times can be the preamble to periods of enormous growth. Recently, I declared a day to be alone with myself. I took a long drive and played a tape. When I got to the mountains, I read and prayed and listened and slept. In fact, I can't remember having a calmer sleep in a long, long time. The next day I went back to work and did more than I usually get done in three days." It's so easy to get caught up in everything we need to do, everyone else we need to take care of, that we forget to take care of ourselves. I find it easiest to find small, daily ways to slow down, be mindful, and take a moment for myself. This can be as simple as going through my morning or bedtime routine with a little more mindfulness, good music, and positive self-thoughts. But I also love to occasionally do what Mr. Rogers suggested: dedicate a day (or afternoon, or morning, or evening) to spend time with yourself. Get reacquainted. Realign your goals. Re-find your center. I hope these thoughts from Mr. Rogers help you as much as they help me. And remember, you are the only person in the world who is just like you. You are important. You matter. And you can help others know that they matter by the way you treat them. Kindness is never a mistake. Thanks for reading!

Royal Decoy Giveaway!

I'm thrilled to announce a giveaway going on at Goodreads! You can enter to win a kindle copy of Royal Decoy--before it releases on June 18th! I know! Super exciting!! There are 100 advanced reader copies available, and one of them is calling your name! Giveaway is open in the US only (sorry international friends, your time will come!) Winners will be announced in May, and when you read your copy, I would love to hear what you thought about it. You can send me a message through my website, connect via social media, post a review on Goodreads and/or Amazon, or shout it from the rooftops :) You can enter to win by following the link below. Good luck!!! https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

10 Book Nerd T-Shirts I Want

I think I actually need these... "Fight evil. Read books." "I am what you would call indoorsy." "I manage my stress with books." "I'd rather be reading." "Sorry, I'm booked for the weekend." "There's more to life than books" said no book lover ever! "Do not disturb: chapter in progress." "Born to read. Forced to work." "Forget marathons, I read-a-thon." "So many books, so little time."

From My Library: Obsidian

We all need books to read right now, so today's From My Library features one of my favorite authors: Jennifer L. Armentrout. She is phenomenal and writes YA, NA, and Adult. She has so many great books, it's hard to pick which one I want to feature first, but I'll start with the first Armentrout book I ever read: Obsidian. And it remains one of my favorites! Here's the cover and blurb from Goodreads: Starting over sucks. When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring… until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. And then he opened his mouth. Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something… unexpected happens. The hot alien living next door marks me. You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. If I don’t kill him first, that is. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... You can already tell by the blurb that Armentrout has a great writing style and that Katy, our main character, has a fun voice. Katy is obsessed with books, so we became friends almost instantly. Plus she is smart, real, and a heroine you root for. Plus she's dealing with a lot, including the loss of her dad, and that just pulls at me. I have never read about an alien quite like Daemon Black. I LOVE HIM! Snarky, sarcastic, fiercely protective of those he loves, super powerful, attractive . . . Ok, he can be a jerk sometimes, but he has lots of layers :) The world Armentrout has created in her Lux series sucks you in and doesn't let go. Each book in the series is better than the last, and the last couple books are sure to blow your mind. If you are looking for action, humor, romance, twists, and a wholly unique world, you need to grab this book! Seriously. I can hear your thoughts, and I agree: You do need it! Even better news? The Lux world doesn't end after the Lux series. Because then you get to read the Origin series! That starts with The Darkest Star . . .but that's a post for another day :D Suffice it to say, I am DYING for book three in the Origin series. It comes out this October. And I need it. Why aren't you here yet, October? At least I have a lot of Lux and Origin books I can re-read until then! As always, I like to let readers know a little about the content of the book I've just raved about so you can choose books that fit you best. Content in Obsidian includes kissing, some innuendo, suspense, and some language. Let me know in the comments if you have read Obsidian, or if you've added it to your list :) Happy reading!

10 More Common Thoughts of a Book Lover

So, I love to laugh, and I feel like right now we all need a little more humor in our lives. So I want to share 10 more common thoughts of a book lover. Let me know in the comments if you've ever had one of these thoughts :) "One does not simply stop reading mid-book" "When I said I'd come to bed after the chapter, I meant the last chapter." "I'm reading a romance novel. Either be quiet or make me a better one." "The rest of the world doesn't exist when you're reading: The house is on fire? Cool..." "Find me another way to Hogwarts and I'll put the book down." "Always bring a book." "If I'm ever stranded, I hope it is at a bookstore." (And if I could choose a bookstore, I'd pick The Shop Around the Corner...because You've Got Mail is my favorite rom com!) "Sometimes I forget myself in a book. And when I have to stop reading, it takes me a minute to remember where I am. Or who I am." "One can never have too many books." "I've learned so much from people who never existed." Thanks for reading (hah!) and keep it up. Books can be a great source of entertainment right now, and a great way to take care of yourself.

The World Right Now

Hello, friends. How are you? Are you safe? Are you healthy? I would love to hear from you in the comments, but more than that I encourage you to reach out to your friends and neighbors, check in with them and make sure they're doing okay and not feeling totally isolated. Even if we're social distancing, we can still be there for each other via techonology! So, quick update in my corner of the world (Utah, USA). We are practicing social distancing, restaurants no longer offer dine-in, and toilet paper is nowhere to be found on the shelves. My brother and his fiance have adjusted wedding plans (again) so (fingers crossed!) they're getting married tomorrow. And that is some wonderful, beautiful news. Also, my family still followed what we could of our St. Patrick's Day traditions yesterday, and that was wonderful! Today is officially one week since the pandemic was officially declared. Life has changed dramatically for so many around the world. And to top it all off, an earthquake struck near Salt Lake City this morning, so that was a fun way to wake up. I was like: Each day feels a little more like we're living the prequel to a dystopian novel, but we're in this together and I have full confidence that we will get through this! Especially if we're looking out for each other and keeping a sense of humor. So. Take care of each other and take care of yourself! It is SO important that we practice self-care, even if it is in small and simple ways. I really liked this list, but do what will most help you! https://wholefully.com/self-care-ideas/ Also, if you have kids in the home, remember that this is a scary time for them, too. Here are some ideas from the Child Mind Institute on helping kids through this time: https://childmind.org/article/support... Lots of love to you all! Stay safe!!!

From My Library: Letters to the Lost

"Letters to the Lost" by Brigid Kemmerer grabbed my attention and refused to let go. This book has a classic, timeless feel that I loved.

Royal Decoy: Cover Reveal

A SERVANT blackmailed into becoming a princess’s decoy.
A BODYGUARD determined to keep her alive.
A WORLD on the brink of war.

Out June 18!