About

Thank you for your interest in us! Let me introduce us, and our little blog!

~About Our Blog~

Rose (that's me) started Desert Rose Reviews after realizing that book reviewing and blogging combine two of her hobbies and passions: reading and writing. The name "Desert Rose Reviews" is both literal and metaphorical for her, Ken and their life.

While Rose is the main reviewer and blogger, Ken also reviews from time to time, and shares in the posts and updates. He'll soon become the co-blogger and reviewer, and main editor for Desert Rose.

Until mid 2017, this blog was mostly used to share book reviews, thoughts, book promotions, tours, blitzs and blasts. Now, however, it's expanded to only reviews, which was the original idea for it - only reviews. It grew to sharing book promotions, however it was never intended to be a "book blog" specifically.

It has been a ton of fun having a de-facto book blog though, so I did create one, so I can still share my passion for books specifically. You can find that at Desert Rose Word Candy. Cute, hu?

Here, I'll be reviewing everything! Books, movies, music, art, food, places, clothes, jewelry...basically, anything I want! It will finally be a simple review blog, which is awesome.

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I've also started another blog! =D  I've started an Unplugged blog, which is Version 2.o of Desert Rose Reviews. Since this site has become very professional and service centered, I've started a blog focused on goofy, fun, and expressing myself.
I'll have reviews and fun, random stuff there as well as here, but warning, my posts there *May have spoilers*!
To check it out, click on the banner below!  Thanks! =D

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~ Curious About the Blog Banner/Button? ~

Our business banner image was created by Ken, the co-owner of Desert Rose.  Each part of the image has a meaning for both of us.

~The Dragon Image:

The sword is a representation of Ken (he spent his high-school years growing up in Japan, and his name in Japanese means "sword"), and the rose in the hilt of the sword represents Rose. The yin yang sign covering the rose, which covers the sword, is the balance we create for each other, and together. The dragon represents our life, how it's dangerous, yet equally mysterious and beautiful. =)

~The Cartoon/Anime Characters:
Rose created the characters in the banner and around the blog, simply using free online character makers from deviantart.com.

Rose has always loved Disney characters and princesses, so she created several with the help of Azalea's Heroine Maker, and Dolldivine/Madmoiselleclau's Disney Princess Maker.  

We also chose a Disney Prince Character for Ken, and his character was made using Prince Maker. We have another character for him, made from Azalea's Warrior Maker. As Ken grew up in Japan, we may also have an anime character for Ken sometime, which was made using the free anime maker.

*Huge shout out to Azalea- her games are fantastic!!  What an amazing artist, guys! If you're bored, or want to create an amazing cartoon character, check her stuff out!  Totally awesome =)

~ We are Spiritual Christians, and follow God with everything we do.

~We're best friends, met on Facebook, are happily married, and have been together for almost 10 years.

~ We have many pets, no kids, and rarely stay in the same place for more than a year or two.

~ We are both avid readers since childhood, and each have a deep love and appreciation for the written word, in any form.

~ We spent several years serving in the USAF (Ken) and as a military-wife (Rose), but are now enjoying civilian life again.

~ We are often called eccentric, bohemian, eclectic, artistic, hippies, and (Rose) Renascence Woman.

~ We wear many hats, and are also:

~Musicians and Singers

~Artists
~Photographers

~Dog trainers

~Animal & Nature lovers

~Exercise buffs, Health-nuts and Chefs

~Car enthusiasts

~A Mechanic (Ken)

~A Dancer & an Actress (Rose)

~ In our spare time, we often enjoy writing lyrics and playing music together.  We love most kinds of music and instruments, and are currently working on our first album together.

~ We enjoy most kinds of music, but some of our favorite bands are Third Eye Blind, The Killers, Dashboard Confessional, Brand New, Imagine Dragons, Deathcab for Cutie, Lana Del Rey, Frank Sinatra, The Beetles, Kimbra, Gotye, Grouplove, Fun., Matt & Kim, Modern English, and most everything from the Twilight Saga Soundtracks.

~ Some of our passions are music, art, animals, nature, old-world, steampunk, dieselpunk, reading, writing, photography, food and cooking, trying new things, traveling, and cultures/languages. 

~ We love making new friends, and discussing books, music, art and life.

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~ Slices of Ken ~

~ I spent my high-school years growing up in Japan.

~ My name in Japanese means "sword."

~ I have a deep love of cultures and languages, and have studied Japanese, Spanish and Korean. I'm fluent/able to communicate in Japanese.

~ I attended a private university for four years, and majored in Music and English.

~Petals of Rose~

~ My middle name was inspired by my favorite Disney Princess.

~I have violet eyes.

~ I sometimes go by the nicknames "Butterscotch Bubbles" and/or "Pandora," neither of which I picked myself, but somehow picked up along my life, and they seemed to stick...long stories- and yes, there are stories, but aren't there always??

~ I have a deep love of cultures and languages, and have studied Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Japanese, Korean, and ASL. I've been fluent/able to communicate in each of those languages at some point in my life.

~ Growing up and living with dyslexia, books and writing became a deep-set hobby and passion for me.

~ I consider myself an experienced writer, having taught a writing class, written for both a newspaper and a literary magazine, as well as participating in several writers groups. I've also written several books myself, and publish them as Roze Wallin. You can find my work on Amazon or on Goodreads.

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~ Fun Stuff ~

Rose took the
~ Jane Austen Heroine Character Quiz ~

"You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice!  You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive.  You have a good head on your shoulders, and oftentimes find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of ridiculousness.  You take great pleasure in many things.  You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it.  Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward prejudgement that serves you very ill indeed."

Take the Jane Austen Character Quiz here!