Recent Posts
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Girl on Fire: Yellow Brick Road, here I come
[As seen in Creston News Advertiser, October 31, 2013] In six months, I will be finishing my first half marathon. I caught the marathon bug from my mom, who has been doing half marathons for a couple of years now. Her next one is the Monumental Half Marathon in Indianapolis, Ind., Saturday. I wish all […]
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Book Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Title: Insurgent Author: Veronica Roth Published: 2012 Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books Pages: 525 From: Barnes and Noble “One choice can destroy you.” The quote on the cover of Veronica Roth’s second novel Insurgent is the perfect lead into the second installment of the author’s Divergent trilogy. Insurgent is a continuation of the first novel Divergent. […]
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Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth
Title: Divergent Author: Veronica Roth Published: 2011 Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books Pages: 487 From: Barnes and Noble The first thought I had when I heard about Veronica Roth’s debut novel Divergent was, “Oh, God. Not another one.” I have a natural hate toward anything paranormal, science fiction or fantasy written after the year 2005, thanks […]
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Book Reviews, Maguire, Gregory
Book Review: Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire
Title: Son of a Witch Author: Gregory Maguire Published: 2005 Publisher: Regan Books Pages: 329 From: Barnes and Noble The second in a saga of four novels, Gregory Maguire’s book Son of a Witch takes the life of Liir, the supposed son of the Wicked Witch of the West, and follows his life after the […]
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Girl on Fire: How books, music inspire my writing
[As seen in Creston News Advertiser October 17, 2013] One thing I love talking about, which could be one reason why I have a degree in English and creative writing, is books. I’m an avid reader, and occasionally I can devour a book in a day or two. Currently, I’m reading several series, two of […]
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Girl on Fire: Appreciating what firefighters do
[As seen in Creston News Advertiser, October 3, 2013] I climbed the ladder and stepped onto a roof of wooden shingles and moss. The slant made it hard to climb, as did the uncertainty of whether the wood would give. I followed firefighters Lee Freeman and Jake Winkler up near the peak, and Jake and […]
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Girl on Fire: Achievement is a dream itself
[As seen in Creston News Advertiser, September 19, 2013] My feet hit the concrete hard as I ran past a Japanese garden and gazebo overlooking the Des Moines River, then ran up to a bridge crossing the water. The breeze cooled me off while I ran in the Diva Dash 5K in Des Moines over […]
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Girl on Fire: Crohn’s: Ranked right next to cancer
[As seen in Creston News Advertiser, September 5, 2013] Over Labor Day weekend, I visited family in Minnesota. While I was there, I witnessed the slow deterioration of my aunt, Rhonda. My aunt has Crohn’s disease, and from what I’ve seen of the disease, I rank it right next to cancer in terms of the […]
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Girl on Fire: Parties, running and more parties
[As seen in Creston News Advertiser, August 29, 2013] Last week was my birthday, and I don’t feel any older. However, it hasn’t stopped me from having epic weekends. I went to Des Moines and stayed with my sister Breezy Thursday and Friday nights. Thursday we went to a restaurant called Tally’s, where I had […]
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Book Reviews, Maguire, Gregory
Book Review: Wicked by Gregory Maguire
Title: Wicked Author: Gregory Maguire Published: 1995 Publisher: HarperCollins Pages: 432 From: Barnes and Noble Everyone knows the story of the Wicked Witch of the West, but what I like about Gregory Maguire’s version is it’s not so simplified to good and evil. Shades of grey are part of reality, and the Witch is one […]
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