A Read in the Life

Book Review: F in Exams by Richard Benson

2011-06-02T17:48:00.000-07:00

F in Exams: The Best Test Paper Blunders
by Richard Benson
Paperback
127 pgs.
2008

Summary:

We've all been there. You've been studying hard, the day of the BIG test arrives, you turn over the paper, and 'what the *&%@ does that mean?!'

Not a clue.

This book is packed full of hilarious examples of the more creative ways that students have tackled those particularly awkward exam questions.

Review:

With only five days of high school left, and a spate of finals right around the corner, I needed to read something to help calm my nerves. As soon as I spotted F in Exams, I knew it was exactly what I was looking for.

The book is a short collection including very real and very wrong (but laugh out loud hilarious) answers in a variety of subjects, including Chemistry, Biology, History, Math, English, and more. The student's answers will have you chuckling at their wittiness and cleverness that I would have marked as correct if I was their teacher. One of my favorite's was the following excerpt from the Psychology section:

Question: Describe what is meant by "forgetting."

Answer: I can't remember.

If you're looking for something quick, light, and hilarious to read, F in Exams is the perfect book to pick up. It is chalk full of witty answers that will have you laughing to yourself. Trust me, it's the perfect books for students, teachers, or anyone that could never find x in a math problem.

Favorite Classics

2010-12-05T11:54:00.000-08:00

You know what really sucks? Senior year. AP classes, college apps, scholarships, FAFSA, regular classes, homweork, my school's Senior Project, sleep (if you're lucky), and spending time with friends (almost non-existent). As you can tell my blog has taken a back burner these last few months, simply because I haven't had the time to read any books. Scratch that, books that are not required to read.

However, I thought I'd talk about some of the books most of us are required to read in school.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Favorite Quote: "In two weeks it'll be the longest day in the year... Do you always watch for the longest day of the year and then miss it? I always watch for the longest day in the year and then miss it."

The Great Gatsby was published in 1925, and has come to be seen as a magnificnent representation of the Jazz Age. The novel relates the story of the life and lost love of Jay Gatsby--as told by Nick Carraway. It is far from my favorite classic, but I love the language of the novel. It isn't complex language, but it is beautiful. Fitzgerald had a way with stringing words together and creating emotion simply through his sentences. He was an a,azing writer and I think everyone should pick this novel up and read it at least once in their life.

Read it for: AP Language and Composition, Junior Year

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Favorite Quote: "It ain't that big. The whole United States ain't that big. It ain't that big. It ain't big enough. There ain't room enough for you an' me, for your kind an' my kind, for rich and poor together all in one country, for thieves and honest men. For hunger and fat."

The Grapes of Wrath is a novel writen by John Steinbeck. Published in 1939, the novel centers around the Joads, a family of sharecroppers, who journey to California to find a new life during the Dust Bowl. While the novel is one of the longer books I have ever read, it is one of my all-time favorites. The novel worked so well because as a reader you could relate to the Joads and the terrible hardhsips they faced on their way to California. Every loss was a loss I felt with them. It is an emotionally draining novel, but any story that can make you experience such emotions is one everyone should read.

Read it for: AP Language and Composition, Junior Year

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Favorite Quote: "I have sometimes sat alone here of an evening, listening, until I have made the echoes out to be the echoes of all the footsteps that are coming by and by into our lives."

One of Dicken's most widely read works, A Tale of Two Cities is a novel set in the backdrop of the French Revolution. I grew to love this one over time, but I also resented it in a way. I had to write 5 college-level essays analyzing the historical, biographical, gender, and close-reading influences on the novel. Once you disect a book to that degree, it loses its impact. This is one I wish I could have read on my own, and not as homework.

Read it for: AP Literature and Composition, Senior Year

What were some of your favorite required reading in high school or college? What about your least favorites?

Contest Craze - Top 5 of 2011

2010-09-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

Princess Bookie--as most of you already know--is having a mini-challenge naming our top five wanted books of 2011. I was planning on doing a post like this anyways, so here it is! Also, you may notice a trend in these books. In that all of them are mostly dystopian/post-apocalyptic. I can't help what I like!

5. The Water Wars by Cameron Stratcher

Release Date: January 1st, 2010

Short Summary: In a future where water is more precious then oil or gold, a brother and sister must face water pirates, guards, and government to save their friend and save themselves.

Why I want it: The cover. The plot. Plus, what looks like a story with a great sister/brother relationship. I feel like YA doesn't have enough stong sibling relationships, at least not one's that take center stage.

4. Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari

[Cover not available]

Release Date: 2010

Short Summary: In which a teenage girl struggles to survive in a post-apocalyptic New York City.

Why I want it: The story is very vague as of now, but what I've heard of it, I love! Plus New York City is so crazy already, who knows what it would be like in a post-apocalyptic setting.

3. All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

[Cover not available]

Release Date: 2011

Short Summary: Set in a dystopian future where chocolate and caffeine are contraband, teenage cellphone use is illegal, and water and paper are carefully rationed, the series relates the ascension and ultimate downfall of 16-year old Anya Balanchine, the heir apparent to an important and dangerous New York City crime family.

Why I want it: I've read both of Gabrielle Zevin's other books, and while I liked them both, I think this would could easily become my favorite. If you haven't already noticed a trend, I'm all about the plot, and if it's dystopian, I can dig it.

2. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

[Cover not available]

Release Date: [date not specified] 2011

Short Summary: A satire about a group of teen beauty queens whose plane crashes on a deserted island

Why I want it: Ok, confession time. I've never read anything by Libba Bray. I know, I know. She's apparently amazing, but none of her books have ever appealed to me. BUT THEN I found out about Beauty Queens, which the plot sounds unbelievably amazing. I love anything that has to do with deserted islands and surviving in a place out of one's element. Bring it on.

1. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Release Date: February 1st, 2010

Short Summary: Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Why I want it: I LOVED LOVED LOVED Before I Fall. The writing was beautiful, and as soon as I put it down I could not wait for Laure Oliver's next book. I was ecstatic to find out about Delirium. The plot is fantastic and I need something to fill my dystopian addiction now that Mockingjay has come and gone. I envy everyone who has already gotten to read this.

Friday Favorites (4)

2010-08-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Summary of The Hunger Games (from Goodreads):

In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place.

Where do I even begin to talk about this series? They're New York Time Bestseller's for a reason. I read the first one in two days, the second one in one day, and the third one in about 7 hours. The plot is intense and full of action. The characters are thought-provoking. The setting depressing and harsh. The prose is grim, and perfect for that reason. I loved Katniss. I loved Peeta. I came to care for characters I wouldn't have thought I'd like; like Haymitch and Finnick. And more than anything, I loved how happy I was to be in this world that Collins' created. I feel lucky just to have had the experience of reading these books. I recommend this series to basically to everyone who has yet to read it (do those people even exist?). This is one of my all-time favorite series. Actually, it is my all-time favorite series.

Also, I know there are a million reviews of Mockingjay floating around, so I think I'll hold off on writing a review for a while. Maybe I'll even wait until I re-read the series, just so I can truly sort out how I felt about the last book.

Review: My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman

2010-08-14T18:05:00.000-07:00

My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman

Published September 29th, 2009

Hardcover, 240 Pages

Book Description (from Goodreads)

With Roz and Eva everything becomes a contest—who can snag the best role in the school play, have the cutest boyfriend, pull off the craziest prank. Still, they’re as close as sisters can be. Until Eva deletes Roz from her life like so much junk e-mail for no reason that Roz understands. Now Eva hangs out with the annoyingly petite cheerleaders, and Roz fantasizes about slipping bovine growth hormone into their Gatorade.

Roz has a suspicion about Eva. In turn, Eva taunts Roz with a dare, which leads to an act of total insanity. Drama geeks clamor for attention, Shakespearean insults fly, and Roz steals the show in Lauren Bjorkman’s hilarious debut novel.

My thoughts:

My high school theater experience begins and ends at props crew for The Crucible during my sophomore year. However, I've been best friends with many of those in the drama circle for years. I know the inside jokes, the backstage shenanigans, and I know that everyone involved in the plays is like family to one another. It's the perfect backdrop for such a hilarious and touching story.

The main character, Roz, is a likable narrator from the start. Smart, sarcastic, and witty. And like many high school girls, she makes unwise choices and puts herself in complicated situations. She invents a new "life" both in a way to stretch her acting ability and to try and grow close to her sister, Eva. In the process, she befriends new boy Jonathan, and finds herself growing closer to fellow drama geeks Nico and Andie. Not to mention Eva's boyfriend, Bryan.

In a novel filled with twists and turns, witty language, and Shakespearian insults, how could you go wrong? As soon as I turned the last page, I wanted to read it once again. Lauren Bjorkman is an author to watch out for. She draws you in, and you will not want to let go.

5 Stars.

I love my city (a love post for Portland)

2010-07-24T06:35:00.000-07:00

I live in Portland, Oregon.

To me, it is an amazing place to live, despite often being called the "most depressing city"--presumably because of the weather. I think a lot of people assume that it is always raining and cold in Portland, which would not be true. Today it was eighty degrees and clear. But, in all honesty, it does rain a lot. Portland has what many of my friends call "bipolar weather" where it is sprinkling at one moment, and sunny the next. I do not see Portland as depressing, but an exciting adventure.

Why do I love this city? Let me count the ways.

+ The most unique shops

One of the biggest tourist attractions in Portland is the hole-in-the-wall shop Voodoo Doughnuts. No, seriously, it is a hole in the wall. The location downtown is no larger than one's kitchen, and usually has a line of 30 people outside the building at any time. But, it's worth it. And there have been two new locations that have opened up that are far less crowded. The main attraction at this delicious store is the Bacon Maple Bar--a raised yeast doughnut with maple frosting and a slice of bacon on top.

Don't judge it before you take a bite. It's delicious.

There is also a sweet place downtown called Sock Dreams. Let me make this clear, it is a store dedicated to SOCKS! What is better than that? Not to mention all the awesome Vintage and Used clothing stores such as Crossroads Trading Company, Avant Garden, Magpie, Little Evie's Five and Dime, and way too many more to list.

+ The scenery

Portland has been referred to as the most environmentally friendly city in the United States and the second most in the world. We measure how nice of a day it is by how well you can see Mt. Hood. The beach and the mountains are both located within hours of the city. Multnomah Falls is breathtaking, and the perfect tourist destination.

+ The Food.

I can't really talk about how amazing some of the restraunts are over here. Even the food at Saturday Market is delicious. By the way, if anyone reading this has never eaten an Elephant Ear (no, not an actual elephant ear), let me know, because that is a tragedy.

My favorite restraunt? Montage. Not even for the food, although there macaroni and cheese is remarkably good, but because they package the leftovers so beautifully.

I try my hardest to not eat my food when I go there. I still remember the adorable duck I got the first time I ate there.

+ Transportation

To go along with being the "greenest city" in America, there are several options on how to get to where you need to go in this city. First off, biking is not only convenient but a beloved hobby by many that live on Portland. I doubt you will see less than 50 different bikers after being downtown for less than an hour.

We even have a naked bike ride, but I'll let you look at those pictures on your own.

Also, I can't forget the MAX (short for Metropolitan Area Express) light rail system, which connects the city and suburbs.

+ The used bookstores

Oh, how lucky I am to be a book lover in one of the bookish cities in America.

Powell's Books is a beloved favorite by many Portlanders and tourists alike. It's the largest independent used bookstore in America, and occupies a full city block. It contains over 68,000 square feet (1.6) acres of retail floor space.

Everytime I go in, I fall back in love. However, there are other places I like to go while shopping for books, especially when I don't want to spend as much as I do at Powell's.

I enjoy Title Wive Used Books, and buy from them often. Basically, Tital Wave is where they sell the books that have been taken out of circulation from the Multnomah County Libraries. Hardbacks are usually two dollars and paperbacks are even less. It's like heaven, if heaven was a bookshop (which it is, in my mind).

Of course this is only scraping the barrel about what is great about Portland. Many would mention the rose gardens, OMSI, the popular brewery's, and the like. But as a 17 year old, none are large interests points. Even though the rose gardens are beautiful.

Thanks for your time. I hope you liked seeing a bit of my city.

Book Review: Columbine by Dave Cullen

2010-07-16T22:55:00.000-07:00

Columbine by Dave Cullen

Published April 6th 2009

Hardcover, 417 pages

Description (Book Jacket)

On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold left an indelible stamp on the American psyche. Their goal was simple: to blow up their school, Oklahoma City-style, and to leave "a lasting impression on the world." Their bombs failed, but the ensuing shooting defined a new era of school violence-irrevocably branding every subsequent shooting "another Columbine."

When we think of Columbine, we think of the Trench Coat Mafia; we think of Cassie Bernall, the girl we thought professed her faith before she was shot; and we think of the boy pulling himself out of a school window-the whole world was watching him. Now, in a riveting piece of journalism nearly ten years in the making, comes the story none of us knew. In this revelatory book, Dave Cullen has delivered a profile of teenage killers that goes to the heart of psychopathology. He lays bare the callous brutality of mastermind Eric Harris and the quavering, suicidal Dylan Klebold, who went to the Columbine prom three days earlier and obsessed about love in his journal.

The result is an astonishing account of two good students with lots of friends, who were secretly stockpiling a basement cache of weapons, recording their raging hatred, and manipulating every adult who got in their way. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold left signs everywhere, described by Cullen with a keen investigative eye and psychological acumen. Drawing on hundreds of interviews, thousands of pages of police files, FBI psychologists, and the boys' tapes and diaries, he gives the first complete account of the Columbine High School massacre.

In the tradition of Helter Skelter and In Cold Blood, Columbine is destined to be a classic. A close-up portrait of violence, a community rendered helpless, and police blunders and cover-ups, it is a compelling and utterly human portrait of two killers--an unforgettable cautionary tale for our time.

My thoughts:

Wow.

Going into Columbine, I knew it wasn't going to be an easy read; And honestly, it wasn't. There were many times when I just needed to set the book down and take a breath. That's how I knew that this book was special, for it touched me in a way other books had not in a very long time.

The author, Dave Cullen, spent ten years covering Columbine, and he thoroughly knew his stuff, which made for a compelling read. The reaccounting of this massacre could have been disasterous if in another reporters or writers hand. I can picture a book filled with numerous pages berating the killers and their families for all the pain they caused. This is not that book. Instead, this book takes on a fresh perspective, one not riddled with judgement, but instead filled with analytical and comprehensive thoughts on the massacre, the killers, and the cover-up.

This isn't just the story of what happened at Columbine Hogh School on April 20, 1999. It delves in much deeper, focusing on what led to that fateful day, and the aftermath that millions witnessed firsthand. Whether you followed what happened at Columbine for years, or this is your first exploration into the massace, you will find what you are looking for in this exceptional book that will touch you in ways you can not imagine.

I can not reccomend this book highly enough.

Book Buyers Anonymous Book Ban

2010-07-05T14:48:00.000-07:00

Hello. My name is Jenna, and I am a book buying addict.

Lately, I've been realizing how much I spend on books that I never even get around to reading. I NEED to buy books more than WANT to, and it has become a problem. I need to take a break from acquiring more books and enjoying the MANY books I own and haven't read. That is why I decided to join Book Buyers Anonymous Book Ban, started by Tara at 25 Hour Books, for the month of July.

I have a problem, and am obviously trying to get help with it.

However, there are a couple rules I have for myself, so it's not an all-or-nothing situation (I'm not strong enough to quit cold-turkey).

1. I can acquire books from contests and/or giftcards, since I am not actually paying for them with my own money.

2. If a book is under $3.00, I can get it. (This rule is just in case I go to a garage sale and find a book I like. I don't plan on ordering any books at all this month).

3. If the book is a present for someone else, like a birthday gift, it is okay to buy it.

It would be great if you decided to join the rest of us in this fun AND CHEAP book ban.

TV News: Pretty Little Liars adds 12 episodes!

2010-06-30T16:04:00.000-07:00

I know that a lot of people around the blogosphere are relly liking the new ABC Family show, Pretty Little Liars, and I have some good news for them!

ABC Family has ordered 12 additional episodes of the network’s hit one-hour series, “Pretty Little Liars,” announced Kate Juergens, Executive Vice President, Original Programming & Development. The order will bring the show’s first season to a total of 22 episodes.

“‘Pretty Little Liars’ is a break-out hit for the network,” said Juergens. “We’re thrilled that our Millennial viewers have responded so strongly to the show. It’s a perfect fit with the network’s strong slate of original scripted dramas, including ‘The Secret Life of the American Teenager’ and ‘Make It or Break It.’”

SOURCE

I think this is awesome. What do you guys think?

Book Review: Pretty Little Liars

2010-06-29T15:39:00.000-07:00

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Summary (from Goodreads):

Everyone has something to hide—especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna.

Spencer covets her sister's boyfriend. Aria's fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily's crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful.

But they've all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.

How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and all the dirty secrets they've kept. And guess what? I'm telling.

My thoughts:

I've actually had a copy of Pretty Little Liars lying around on my bookshelf for a couple years now, and just never got around to it. And like many others, once I heard it was being made into a show--now airing on ABC Family--I knew it was time to pick it up.

I'm really glad I did.

First off, the mystery is great. Who is A? Who killed Allison? What about The Jenna Thing? Why does Hanna seem to get in so much trouble with the police? Ok, that last one was a joke, but it is questionable. It seemed like she spent most of the book either down at the station or commiting a crime. Anyway, that's beside the point.

I did like the characters, however, I did question their motives often. I wasn't really sure why Spencer liked Wren so much in the first place. Or even why Aria moved so quickly with Ezra, when they hadn't even known eachother for that long. All in all, though, I felt each character had a distinct voice, and towards the end of the novel I really began to look forward to reading about all of them.

My favorite dynamic so far is the one between Emily, Aria, Spencer, and Hanna, now that Allison is dead. They've grown apart, and I'm looking forward to see how their friendship progresses along with the novels. My favorite scenes were of all of them together. Sadly, those were few and far between.

Overall, If your looking for a fun novel riddled with mystery, Pretty Little Liars is for you. Shepard has no problems leaving the reader wanting more as the novel concludes, so make sure you have a copy of the second book lying around, otherwise you'll be kicking yourself like I am right now.

Winner of the $40 CSN Gift Card!

2010-06-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

I used Random.org to calculate the winner of the $40 Gift Card to CSN Stores. I am happy to announce that the winner is....

DRUMROLL PLEASE!

Mami2jcn

Congratulations!

I've sent off your email to Caitlin from the CSN Promo Team. She will forward you the $40 gift certificate!

Thanks to everyone that entered. I promise this will not be my last contest on the blog.

In My Mailbox (9)

2010-06-13T18:47:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie to share the awesome things we’ve received in the mail in the previous week.

Today, I went down to Powell's and picked up a couple of books while hanging out with some of my friends. I also recieved a couple of books in the mail this week.

Hunger by Michael Grant

It's been three months since everyone under the age of fifteen became trapped in the bubble known as the FAYZ. Things have only gotten worse. Food is running out, and each day more kids are developing supernatural abilities. Soon tension rises between those with powers and those without, and when an unspeakable tragedy occurs, chaos erupts. It's the normals against the mutants, and the battle promises to turn bloody.

But something more dangerous lurks. A sinister creature known as the Darkness has begun to call to the survivors in the FAYZ. It needs their powers to sustain its own. When the Darkness calls, someone will answer -- with deadly results.

Leftovers by Laura Wiess

Blair and Ardith are best friends who have committed an unforgivable act in the name of love and justice. But in order to understand what could drive two young women to such extreme measures, first you'll have to understand why. You'll have to listen as they describe parents who are alternately absent and smothering, classmates who mock and shun anyone different, and young men who are allowed to hurt and dominate without consequence. You will have to learn what it's like to be a teenage girl who locks her bedroom door at night, who has been written off by the adults around her as damaged goods. A girl who has no one to trust except the one person she's forbidden to see. You'll have to understand what it's really like to be forgotten and abandoned in America today.

Are you ready?

Folly by Marthe Jocelyn

Three fates intertwine in this moving and passionate love story set in Victorian London.

Mary Finn: country girl, maid to a lord in London

Caden Tucker: liar, scoundrel, and heart's delight

James Nelligan: age six, tossed into a herd of boys

When Mary Finn falls into the arms of handsome Caden Tucker, their frolic changes the course of her life. What possesses her? She's been a girl of common sense until now. Mary's tale alternates with that of young James Nelligan, a new boy in an enormous foundling home.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Audrey Niffenegger's innovative debut, The Time Traveler's Wife, is the story of Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-three and Henry thirty-one. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing.

Waiting on Wednesday: Matched by Ally Condie

2010-06-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

Matched by Ally Condie
Pub. Date: November 30th, 2010

Summary (from Goodreads):

In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.

I know that everyone has seen this one around. I've heard so many amazing things about this one, with many people comparing it to The Giver and The Hunger Games. It has a lot of hype surrounding it, and I can only hope it lives up to it. Plus, dystopian novels have just been so intriguing to me as of late, and this one sounds right up my alley.

What are you waiting on this week?

Book Review: Television Without Pity

2010-06-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

Television Without Pity: 752 Things We Love to Hate(and Hate to Love) About TV
by Tara Ariano

Summary (from Goodreads):

Television Without Pity features irreverent entries about the shows, characters, actors, clichés, plot devices, memorable moments, and catch phrases that make watching TV such a guilty pleasure. From weekend-long Real World marathons to the People's Choice Awards, from favorite characters (Brenda Walsh, Seth Cohen) to the most unfunny recurring skits on Saturday Night Live, this is a celebration of television unlike any other. Written by the creators of televisionwithoutpity.com (hailed by Entertainment Weekly as "the industry standard" for obsessive TV fanatics), this snarktastic volume features 100 illustrations and an encyclopedic two-column design. It's great fun for nostalgic browsing and guaranteed to prompt more laughter than a whole season of Seinfeld.

Even though I love books, there is a part of my heart that will always belong to television. From Rugrats to Friends to LOST to Glee, I have always and will always be a fan of the tube. That is why I love books about television, for I get to combine two of the things I love--reading and television. Television Without Pity: 752 Things We Love to Hate (and Hate to Love) About TV is the perfect read for the snarky television lover (and hater) in all of us.

If you've ever visited the Television Without Pity website, you know what you'll be in for while reading this little treasure. These ladies have no qualms with making fun of shows that jumped the shark and over-used clichés still prevalent in today's programming. For example, bringing in an adorable child that say's the funniest things when everyone else on the show has grown up (The Cosby Show, One Tree Hill).

If you have no problem recognizing the fault in your favorite shows, characters, and plot lines, then you'll love this book. And although, the entries can be a little scathing, they will only bother you if you let them.

Overall, if you love television--and even more, like to poke fun at it--this book is the perfect fit for you.

Rating: 4 Stars

Contest: CSN $40 Giftcard

2010-06-07T19:21:00.000-07:00

Today is a great day, which means it's time for a contest!

I have been a fan of the CSN Stores for a while now (I love drooling over their seemingly endless suply of bookshelves and lights ), so when they contacted me about doing a contest, I couldn't pass it up! There are many great things about CSN Stores, such as their variety in inventory, ordering made easy, and great customer service. With 200+ individual stores, CSN has everything you could possibly imagine or need. From gifts, to desks, to bookshelves, to lights, and even wine refrigerators, they have it all.

The fine people pver at CSN offered me a $40 gift card that one of you awesome people are going to win. But, first off, let's take a look at some of the great stuff available at CSN Stores:

Vesuvius 2 Light Wall Sconce in Fresco
$22.12

Round Blue Little Ones Pillow Precision Dog Bed
$21.95

4D Concepts Hanging Corner Storage In Espresso
$34.99

Now, on to the rules:

- The contest will close at midnight on Sunday, June 20th.
- A winner will be chosen at random via a random number generator.
- The winner will be announced Monday, June 21st.
- You do not need to be a follower, but will gain an extra entry for it.
- International entries are accepted, but keep in mind you must live somewhere that CSN stores ship to. Also, keep in mind that there may be shipping charges or international fees for certain products.

Extra Entries (KEEP ALL ENTRIES IN ONE COMMENT)

+1 Leave your email address (this counts as the main entry)
+1 For becoming a new follower, +2 if already a follower
+2 Tweet about the giveaway and leave me a link
+3 Visit the Lights Store, and tell me an item you would purchase with your $40 gift card.

Good luck!

Long time no blog

2010-06-07T13:27:00.001-07:00

Yes, I am alive. The last time I posted was way back before my Junior year even began, and wow, was it a hectic school year. I had two AP classes, AP US History and AP Language and Composition. In addition, I also had the hardest Chemistry class known to man. I struggled and barely had enough time to sleep most nights. Furthermore, I barely was able to read anything that wasn't school-related. However, school ends next Thursday, and I thought it was time to get back into one of my favorite things, blogging!

I have a bunch of cool things lined up. A couple giveaways and contests, reviews, a bookshelf tour, and of course the fun weekly stuff like Waiting on Wednesday and In My Mailbox. Maybe even some non-book things like Television and Movie reviews.

I'm excited to get back into things because I've really been missing the blogosphere!

I hope everyone has a great week, and happy reading!

Book Meme: Titles

2009-11-01T21:54:00.000-08:00

This is a book meme I 'stole' from Chelsea at The Page Flipper(http://thepageflipper.blogspot.com)

For this meme you are supposed to use book titles of novels you've read in the past year. Sadly, I haven't had the chance to read much on my own due to AP classes and such, so we'll see how it works out!

Describe Yourself: You Don't Know Me
How do you feel: Much Ado About Nothing (A play, but it still counts!)
Describe where you currently live: In The Time of The Butterflies
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Elsewhere
Your favorite form of transportation: Gravity
Your best friend is: Sweethearts
You and your friends are: Leaving Paradise
What's the weather like: Let it Snow
Favorite time of day: Days Like This
What is life to you: The Realm of Possibility
Your fear: Things Fall Apart
What is the best advice you have to give: Speak
Thought for the Day: Just Listen
How I would like to die: The Chosen
My soul's present condition: Hard Love

Wow, this was challenging and fun! Thanks Chelsea for the meme!

Mandatory Music: Fireflies by Owl City

2009-10-26T18:41:00.000-07:00

Owl City is a synthpop project that formed in early 2007 consisting of one member, Adam Young. Young started out making music in his parents' basement, which he claims is a result of his insomnia.

Owl City found early popularity through its own MySpace profile, which has received more than 6 million plays on tracks, such as "Hello Seattle". However, the song I picked for today's Mandatory Music is Fireflies.

I've been obsessed with this song for the last month. It has such a whimsical and fun quality to it that you just can't help but smile when you hear it.

Selected Lyrics:

To ten million fireflies
I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes
I got misty eyes as they said farewell

What do you think?

In My Mailbox (8)

2009-10-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie to share the awesome things we’ve received in the mail in the previous week(s).

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

Gone by Michael Grant

In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE.

Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day.

It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14: Debate Club. Her father's "bunny rabbit." A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school.

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15: A knockout figure. A sharp tongue. A chip on her shoulder. And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston.

Frankie Landau-Banks. No longer the kind of girl to take "no" for an answer. Especially when "no" means she's excluded from her boyfriend's all-male secret society. Not when her ex-boyfriend shows up in the strangest of places. Not when she knows she's smarter than any of them. When she knows Matthew's lying to her. And when there are so many, many pranks to be done.

Frankie Landau-Banks, at age 16: Possibly a criminal mastermind. This is the story of how she got that way.

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

Seventeen-year-old Veronica 'Ronnie' Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, especially her father ...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church.

The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story about love in its myriad forms - first love, the love between parents and children - that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that deeply felt relationships can break our hearts ...and heal them.

Top 10 Books I'm Most Looking Forward To In 2010

2009-10-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

I never thought I'd see so many amazing books coming out as there was in 2009, but just look at what will be coming out next year! This is my personal top ten of what young adult books I'm looking forward to the most coming out in 2010.

10.

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

Release Date: May 18th, 2010

Lani and Erin are bonded for life. One thing that connects them is their fascination of fate. Lani wonders how much of our lives has already been decided and how much we can actually influence. Since the Unknown can unexpectedly change our lives forever, how much can we really control?

From the minute Lani meets Jason, she can't deny the intense connection they share. It feels like she's known him forever. She's not sure if he feels it, too. But it doesn't matter. Because Jason is Erin's boyfriend. Lani is determined to ignore her feelings for Jason, no matter how powerful they are, rather than risk hurting her best friend.

How long can Lani keep running from the boy who might be her destiny?

9.

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Release Date: March 16th, 2010

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

8.

By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters

Release Date: January 5th, 2010

Daelyn Rice is broken beyond repair, and after a string of botched suicide attempts, she's determined to get her death right. She starts visiting a website for "completers"- www.through-the-light.com.

While she's on the site, Daelyn blogs about her life, uncovering a history of bullying that goes back to kindergarten. When she's not on the Web, Daelyn's at her private school, where she's known as the freak who doesn't talk.

Then, a boy named Santana begins to sit with her after school while she's waiting to for her parents to pick her up. Even though she's made it clear that she wants to be left alone, Santana won't give up. And it's too late for Daelyn to be letting people into her life. Isn't it?

7.

In A Heartbeat by Lorreta Ellsworth

Release Date: February 2nd, 2010

Story of a heart transplant told in alternating chapters between two girls: the heart transplant recipient and the heart transplant donor. When Eagan dies during a figure skating competition, Amelia receives her heart, but when she experiences new personality traits, she questions whether she's received more than just a heart.

6.

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Release Date: January 5th, 2010

Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around.

Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

5.

The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard

Release Date: January 7th, 2010

Seventeen-year-old Colt has been sneaking out at night to meet Julia, a girl from an upper-class neighborhood unlike his own. They’ve never told anyone else about their relationship: not their family or friends, and especially not Julia’s boyfriend.When Julia dies suddenly, Colt tries to cope with her death while pretending that he never even knew her. He discovers a journal she left behind. But he is not prepared for the truths he discovers about their intense relationship, nor to pay the price for the secrets he’s kept.

4.

The Unwrtitten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

Release Date: April 6th, 2010

Everyone knows the unwritten rule. You don't like your best friend's boyfriend.

Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He's easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he's paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna's boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah's best friend.

Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she's thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It's wonderful...and awful.

Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can't stop herself from wanting more.

3.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Release Date: April 6th, 2010

Two superstar authors join forces on a collaborative novel of awesome proportions One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical. Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them legions of faithful fans.

2.

A Match Made In Highschool by Kristin Walker

Release Date: February 4th, 2010

When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can’t get any worse. Then she marries her “husband”: Jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona’s long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very mysterious Johnny Mercer. Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes.

1.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Release Date: February 17th, 2010

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.

Mandatory Music: Technicolor Eyes by Backseat Goodbye

2009-09-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of simpler, beautiful songs, than this one is for you. Backseat Goodbye is the stage and recording name of pop-folk singer-songwriter Chad Sugg . His music has been described as "brilliant upbeat acoustic folk you can sing along, and listen to all day." and "Feel good pop music that's deeper than what you're used to..."

Check it out!

Selected Lyrics:

I like simple songs with pretty words
I tried poetry, but it's just no good
the pages get lost, besides I'd much rather sing to you

I love living life with you by my side
you're a smart kid with a beautiful smile
and oh god those technicolor eyes

In My Mailbox (7)

2009-09-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie to share the awesome things we’ve received in the mail in the previous week(s).

Recieved

Fade to Blue by Sean Beaudoin

Sophie Blue started wearing a black skirt and Midnight Noir lipstick on her last birthday. It was also the day her father disappeared. Or spontaneously combusted. Which is sort of bad timing, since a Popsicle truck with tinted windows has started circling the house.

Kenny Fade is a basketball god. His sneakers cost more than his Jeep. He's the guy all the ladies (and their mommas) want. Bad.

Sophie Blue and Kenny Fade don't have a thing in common. Aside from being reasonably sure they're losing their minds.

Acclaimed author Sean Beadoin's wildly innovative novel combines uproarious humor with enough plot twists to fill a tube sock. Park thriller, part darkly comic philosophical discussion, and accompanied by a comic book interstitial, Fade to Blue is a whip-smart romp that keeps readers guessing until the last paragraph.

Sounds good!

Bought

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Sparkling white snowdrifts, beautiful presents wrapped in ribbons, and multicolored lights glittering in the night through the falling snow. A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks. Thanks to three of today's bestselling teen authors John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle the magic of the holidays shines on these hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and breathtaking kisses.

How was everyone else's week?

Quiz - What Kind of Reader Are You?

2009-09-18T22:27:00.000-07:00

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Literate Good Citizen You read to inform or entertain yourself, but you're not nerdy about it. You've read most major classics (in school) and you have a favorite genre or two.
Dedicated Reader
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Fad Reader
Book Snob
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Yep, that sounds about right.

School Halts Everything

2009-09-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

School is once again in session, and I am being bombarded with homework. For my Junior year I'm taking two AP classes (AP US History & AP Language and Composition) along with Algebra II, Chemistry, Advanced Video Production, and Accounting. It's only been a week and I have way too much homework to count. I'm still reading of course! (just at a slower place)

What I'm reading right now:

Rachel's Tears: The Spiritual Journey of Columbine Martyr Rachel Scott

The Columbine tragedy in April 1999 pierced the heart of our country. In December 1999, we learned that the teenage killers specifically targeted Rachel Scott and mocked her Christian faith on their chilling, homemade videotapes. Rachel Scott died for her faith. Now her parents talk about Rachel's life and how they have found meaning in their daughter's martyrdom in the aftermath of the school shooting. Rachel's Tears comes from a heartfelt need to celebrate this young girl's life, to work through the grief and the questions of a nation, and to comfort those who have been touched by violence in our schools today. Using excerpts and drawings from Rachel's own journals, her parents offer a spiritual perspective on the Columbine tragedy and provide a vision of hope for preventing youth violence across the nation.

Lately, I've been finding myself more and more interested in the events behind the Columbine School Shooting. One of my favorite Documentaries of all time was about the subject, Bowling For Columbine, which I urge everyone here to watch at some point. Non-fiction is not a big favorite among people my age, but I think if you can find a particular subject that interests you, then Non-fiction can be just as enthralling as fiction.

What do you think? What kind of Non-fiction do you like to read? Or do you not like Non-fiction at all?

Bookish Meme!

2009-09-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

I'm stealing this meme from Khy at http://freneticreader.blogspot.com/

Hardback, trade paperback or mass market paperback?

Hardback's look the best on my bookshelf, but I only by Hardcover's for books written by my favorite authors. So, I own mostly trade paperbacks.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?

Barnes and Noble. They have one at both of the malls in Portland, so I always go there. But, my favorite book store is Powells.

Bookmark or dog-ear?

I get mad at people who dog-ear books. My sister does it, and it annoys the hell out of me.

Amazon or brick-and-mortar?

I definitely like seeing the books in person. I like holding them, and feeling the cover (that sounds so weird). I have bought a lot of out of print books off of amazon, though.

Alphabetize by author, or alphabetize by title, or random?

Right now, all my books are alphabetized by Author. However, I'm really not digging the way it looks. What do you guys think?

Keep, throw away, or sell?

KEEP. I keep all my books, or give them away to friends or family.

Keep dust jacket or toss it?

The dust jackets are the most awesome part! I'd NEVER throw one away.

Read with dust jacket or remove it?

I usually read with it on. If I take the book to school, I take it off, so it doesn't get bent in my backpack.

Short story or novel?

Both. On one hand, I love short stories, and how author's try to express more with less. It's really interesting. But on the other hand, I love novels, and how so much foreshadowing and build-up there can be.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?

Harry Potter. I never really got into A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

I've done both. It's better, in my opinion, to stop at chapters.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?

Why not, "Once upon a time, it was a dark and stormy night." ?

Buy or borrow?

Buy. I LOVE owning books. It's an addiction.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendations, or browse?

All three. Thanks to book blogs and friends, I've learned about a lot of books I would have never even heard of. I do like to browse and look at new books at the library and bookstore as well.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?

Cliffhangers are good if there is a sequal. I like closure when finishing a book.

Morning reading, afternoon reading, or nighttime reading?

Nightime reading during the school year, and Afternoon reading during the summer. It just fits my schedual better.

Stand-alone or series?

Stand alone books. I can become bored with a series after a while.

Favorite series?

Harry Potter. Always has been, and probably always will be.

Favorite children’s book?

I used to be obsessed with The Boxcar Children books. I read a lot of them, and saw the play twice in the same week! The Theif Lord is one of my all time favorites too.

Favorite YA book?

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. If you have not read this book, READ IT NOW. But, truthfully, my favorite YA book changes depending on the day.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?

Love, Rose by Cecila Ahern. This book is amazing and so funny. I recommend it to anyone who will listen.

Favorite books read last year?

My favorite books read in '08 were Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Paper Towns by John Green, and Night by Elie Wiesel.

Favorite books of all time?

Love, Rosie by Cecila Ahern, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, The Theif Lord by Cornelia Funke, The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty, Sweethearts by Sara Zarr, The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan, Paper Towns by John Green, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Night by Elie Wiesel, and The Chosen by Chaim Potok.

What are you reading right now?

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. It is so long.

What are you reading next?

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It was my summer reading that I put off until now.

Favorite book to recommend to an 11-year-old?

11 is a great year to start the Harry Potter books. Also, the (underated) Fire-Us trilogy by Jennifer Armstrong.

Favorite book to re-read?

The Year of Secret Assignments and Love, Rosie. I've read those both countless times.

Do you ever smell books?

I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

Do you ever read primary source documents like letters or diaries?

I've read letters and diaries for school, but not on my own time.

---

That's all! I hope to see a lot of you do this meme, so I can see your answers!

Mandatory Music: Two is Better Than One by Boys Like Girls

2009-09-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

Two is Better Than One by Boys Like Girls feat. Taylor Swift

I've always been a big Boys Like Girls fan. Their music has always been upbeat and fun to sing along with. With this new song off their new record, Love Drunk, fans get to see a new side of the band. The harmonies with Taylor Swift are gorgous, and this is definitely one of my new favorite songs.

What do you think?

In My Mailbox (6)

2009-08-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie to share the awesome things we’ve received in the mail in the previous week.

I only got one book this week, but I'm super excitrd to finish my summer reading to start this one!

After by Amy Efaw

An infant left in the trash to die. A teenage mother who never knew she was pregnant . . .

Before That Morning, these were the words most often used to describe straight-A student and star soccer player Devon Davenport: responsible, hardworking, mature. But all that changes when the police find Devon home sick from school as they investigate the case of an abandoned baby. Soon the connection is made—Devon has just given birth; the baby in the trash is hers. After That Morning, there’s only one way to define Devon: attempted murderer.

And yet gifted author Amy Efaw does the impossible— she turns Devon into an empathetic character, a girl who was in such deep denial that she refused to believe she was pregnant. Through airtight writing and fast-paced, gripping storytelling, Ms. Efaw takes the reader on Devon’s unforgettable journey toward clarity, acceptance, and redemption.

What did you get this week?

Review: Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

2009-08-19T03:26:00.000-07:00

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

Summary: As children, Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick were both social outcasts.They were also one another's only friend.So when Cameron disappears without warning, Jennifer thinks she's lost the only person who will ever understand her. Now in high school, Jennifer has been transformed. Known as Jenna, she's popular, happy, and dating, everything "Jennifer" couldn't be---but she still can't shake the memory of her long-lost friend. When Cameron suddenly reappears, they are both confronted with memories of their shared past and the drastically different paths their lives have taken. Sweethearts is a story about the power of memory, the bond of friendship, and the quiet resilience of our childhood hearts.

My Thoughts: From the cover, you'd never guess that this book is the emotional tale that it is. I guess that's why they always tell you to not judge a book by it's cover.

Jennifer and Cameron have always shared a impenetrable bond. Being bullied and picked on, these two were always there for eachother through thick and thin. Years later, after the dissapearance of her best friend, Jennifer has evolved into Jenna. She goes to a different school, lost her baby fat and lisp, made some friends, and gained a boyfriend. However, Jenna can't help but think to the days when it was just her and Cameron against the world. She starts to question who she really is, and if she likes the person she changed in to.

Jenna's life is turned upside down by the reappearance of Cameron Quick, they boy she thought was gone for good. Life hasn't been kind to him, and Jenna starts to remember some unpleasant memories she'd rather forget about their past.

Sweethearts really suprised me. I hadn't loved a book like this in a long time. The main characters had multiple layers to them that the readers got to see stripped away throughout the book. The writing was pheonomenal, leading me to never want to put the book down. Overall, It was a beautifully, heartbeaking tale of friendship, and love, and not being able to, or wanting to let go of that one person that's always loved you for who you really are.

Memorable Quote: "Because love, love is never finished. It circles and circles, the memories out of order and not always
complete."

Rating: 5 Stars

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

2009-08-19T03:17:00.000-07:00

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Pub. Date: October 15th, 2009

Summary: dear caitlin, there are so many things that i want so badly to tell you but i just can’t.

Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend’s suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn’t die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid’s descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid—and Caitlin herself.

This is the type of book I drool over. I love angsty books. I love stories of friendships that aren't all rainbows and butterflies. I love reading about the coping and moving on process. Alot of people like to read books that are fun and happy (I do, too!), but I also like to read things that are a little darker with some deeper emotions.

In My Mailbox

2009-08-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

Eh, I've been really slacking on updating my blog. I've actually been procrastinating on everything I need to do (don't even get me started on my summer homework).

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie to share the awesome things we’ve received in the mail in the previous week(s).

I'm not going to post summaries for the books today (the books are all well known), just the covers, I'm being lazy I know.

Airhead by Meg Cabot

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

The Clique Summer Collection by Lisi Harrison

So, how was everyone else's week, book-wise?

Mandatory Music: Send it On

2009-08-07T18:20:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know this has nothing to do with books, but I want to share this brand new song that came out today with everyone. I love the message behind it, and the voices are so powerful (Mostly, Demi Lovato, which is fine with me, because she is amazing). I love it when people use their voice to make a positive contribution to the world, which this song does. It has a message that everyone can do something to make this world a better place ("just one spark starts the fire."). Just humor me, and listen to it if you have the time.

Song by Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Brothers, and Selena Gomez. (Yes, I listen to Disney stars. And everyone here should be listening to Demi Lovato, anyways.)

So, what did you guys think of the song? I want the truth. Trust me, I'm not a fangirl, so I wont be hurt if you dont like it. :P

Review: "The Treasure Map of Boys" by E. Lockhart

2009-07-21T17:38:00.000-07:00

The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart
Release Date: July 28th, 2009

Summary:

(Spoilers for the two previous Ruby Oliver novels) Ruby is back at Tate Prep, and it's her thirty-seventh week in the state of Noboyfriend. Her panic attacks are bad, her love life is even worse, and what's more: Noel is writing her notes, Jackson is giving her frogs, Gideon is helping her cook, and Finn is making her brownies. Rumors are flying, and Ruby's already-sucky reputation is heading downhill. Not only that, she's also: running a bake sale, learning the secrets of heavymetal therapy, encountering some seriously smelly feet, defending the rights of pygmy goats, and bodyguarding Noel from unwanted advances. In this companion novel to The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book, Ruby struggles to secure some sort of mental health, to understand what constitutes a real friendship, and to find true love--if such a thing exists.

My Thoughts:

The Treasure Map of Boys is a quirky and hilarious look at High School student Ruby Oliver's daily trials and tribulations, which includes boys, old and new friends, a bake sale, therapy, and a great dane named Polka-dot.

I've always been a fan of this series, so I was super excited to get a copy of this before it was released. Ruby is one of the funniest characters I've ever encountered, and I love reading everything she has to say. However, this wasn't my favorite book in the series. Ruby, overall, seemed indecisive and even at some points annoying.

Gladly, though, there was a lot more in this book that I liked than disliked. As always, the cliffnotes add a unique twist to the story. Plus, I loved reading more about Ruby's friendships with both Hutch and Meghan. And I hope to see more of that in the future if the books continue.

E. Lockhart again weaves undeniable comedy with heartfelt emotion in the third book in the popular Ruby Oliver series. I would recommend this to anyone who has read the previous two books in the series, and to everyone else I recommend the first book (The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart)

4 Stars

In My Mailbox (4)

2009-07-19T17:01:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie to share the awesome things we’ve received in the mail in the last week.

Giving up the V by Serena Robar (Autographed!)

Spencer Davis just turned sixteen. But unlike most hormonal teenagers who seem obsessed with sex -- like her entire crew of friends -- Spencer just doesn't get it. She'd rather wait for the right guy and the right moment. But that moment may be arriving sooner than she'd thought. Enter Benjamin Hopkins, a new transfer student who seems to have his eyes on our V-card-carrying heroine. He's gorgeous, funny, suave, athletic, and capable of making Spencer's knees wobble with a single glance. Spencer has never felt this way about anyone before, but is Ben truly V-worthy?

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler (Hardback)

While on vacation in California, sixteen-year-old best girlfriends Anna and Frankie conspire to find a boy for Anna's first summer romance, but Anna harbors a painful secret that threatens their lighthearted plan and their friendship.

Also, from the Library I got:

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
Tomorrow Wendy by Shelley Stoehr

Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford

Rose of No Man's Land by Michelle Tea

Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott

Cringe: Teenage Diaries, Journals, Notes, Letters, Poems, and Abandoned Rock Operas by Sarah Brown

Claws by Will Weaver

A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian

PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives by Frank Warren

Also, I ordered a couple dvd's off of amazon that arrived not long ago.

Radio Free Roscoe Season One Greatest Hits

Aghh!! I wish they would have released all the episodes of both seasons, but I guess I should be grateful they even released this set. I used to be in love with this show when I was 10. I miss it.

Everwood Season One

One of the best shows ever on televison. I put off buying season one until they started releasing the other seasons. Season two was just released so I had no excuses to not pick this one up.

Felicity Season Two

This was on sale at Best Buy and I couldn't help myself. I loved the first season, and needed to see the rest, since I missed this show the first time around.

Ok, that's all! I hope everyone had a great week overall and in their mailboxes!

Going Out Of Town

2009-07-09T15:16:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone! Today I am leaving to go camping with my family up in Sisters, Oregon. It's kind of a tradition we do every summer, and it's beautiful up there. You should see the stars at night time. I will not be back until Tuesday, so if you try to get ahold of me, I wont be able to get back to you until that date. I'm sorry if this provides any inconvenience for anyone.

I hope you all have a good weekend!

In My Mailbox (3)

2009-07-05T11:37:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie to share the books we’ve received in the last week.

A very good week in my opinion. I really love all the books that wound up in my mailbox, and can't wait to read them.

Recieved:

The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart (ARC)

Ruby is back at Tate Prep, and it's her thirty-seventh week in the state of Noboyfriend. Her panic attacks are bad, her love life is even worse, and what's more: Noel is writing her notes, Jackson is giving her frogs, Gideon is helping her cook, and Finn is making her brownies. Rumors are flying, and Ruby's already-sucky reputation is heading downhill. Not only that, she's also: running a bake sale, learning the secrets of heavymetal therapy, encountering some seriously smelly feet, defending the rights of pygmy goats, and bodyguarding Noel from unwanted advances.

Jumping off Swings by Jo Knowles (HB)

Tells from four points of view, the ramifications of a pregnancy resulting from a "one-time thing" between Ellie, who feels loved when boys touch her, and Josh, an eager virgin with a troubled home life.

Swim the Fly by Don Calame (HB)

Fifteen-year-old Matt Gratton and his two best friends, Coop and Sean, always set themselves a summertime goal. This year's? To see a real-live naked girl for the first time — quite a challenge, given that none of the guys has the nerve to even ask a girl out on a date. But catching a girl in the buff starts to look easy compared to Matt's other summertime aspiration: to swim the 100-yard butterfly (the hardest stroke known to God or man) as a way to impress Kelly West, the sizzling new star of the swim team.

Bought:

I took another trip down to Powells yesterday, and picked up a few books with a giftcard I got for my birthday. These books include:

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

68 Knots by Michael Robert Evans

That Summer by Sarah Dessen

Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita

Geektastic by Various Authors

So that was my week! What did everyone else get?

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

2009-07-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Release Date: September 1st 2009

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets. Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

Can you say amazing? I am so completely jealous of everyone who has a copy of this. Let's just say this, I really love summer because I don't have to deal with the suckiness that is school. So, when a book makes me WANT it to be September (when school starts), I know that I want it.

What are you waiting on?

Going through a readers block

2009-06-30T22:57:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to read anything lately (not including fanfiction), and it's beginning to frustarte me. I have some great books to read on my bookshelf, but when I look at them, I just think "meh".

How do you guys get passed reading blocks? Is there a particular book or author you turn to when this happens? Do you find that a light or more emotionally packed book helps better get one out of a reading slump?

Inquiring minds (really just me) want to know.

Review: A Time For Dancing by Davida Wills Hurwin

2009-06-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you best friend is dying?

Summary:

Samantha and Juliana. Sam and Jules--they've been best friends forever. Now, in the summer before their senior year, they're ready for anything! College? Professional dance careers? They'll share the triumphs and face the fears together. But neither of them is prepared for what happens when Jules is diagnosed with an incurable cancer.

My Thoughts:

A Time For Dancing has been a book I've been wanting to read for a long time. The plot sounded great, and like something I could really dig my teeth into. So, when I was at Powells City of Books a couple of weeks ago, and saw it on the shelf, I quickly picked it up.

Every chapter alternates in perspective between the two best friends, Julia and Sam. I actually enjoy books with differnet points of view, but I can see how some might find it distracting and/or frustrating. However, I feel that this didn't take away from the story at all, and actaully worked well for this book.

The thing I loved most about this story is the relationship between Sam and Julia. They have the type of friendship that is just easy, and make you wish that you and your friends communicated and got along like they do. Even from the first few pages, I believed in their friendship and that they cared for eachother, and that's not an easy feat in my book.

Sadly, though, this book wasn't everything I'd hoped it would be. I find it hard to place my finger on what it was that made the book feel off to me. I think it was that the emotion I was really hoping for throughout the whole second half of the book, didn't even show up until the last few pages. Actually, I didn't even really enjoy the middle of this book at all. It was a good story, not amazing, but good.

Overall, A Time For Dancing is a poignant and heartfelt look at how much an illness can effect and change a person, and also effect that person's family and friends. I encourage anyone who finds the plot interesting to pick up a copy, for it is worth your time.

4 Stars

Also, A Time for Dancing recently got a new cover!

I think it's pretty, but I'm glad to have the book with the original cover. What do you guys think? Do you prefer the original or new cover?

Waiting on Wednesday

2009-06-24T12:57:00.000-07:00

Flash, Burnout by L.K. Madigan
Release Date: October 19th, 2009

Fifteen-year-old Blake has a girlfriend and a friend who’s a girl. One of them loves him; the other one needs him. When he snapped a picture of a street person for his photography homework, Blake never dreamed that the woman in the photo was his friend Marissa’s long-lost meth addicted mom. Blake’s participation in the ensuing drama opens up a world of trouble, both for him and for Marissa. He spends the next few months trying to reconcile the conflicting roles of Boyfriend and Friend. His experiences range from the comic (surviving his dad’s birth control talk) to the tragic (a harrowing after-hours visit to the morgue). In a tangle of life and death, love and loyalty, Blake will emerge with a more sharply defined snapshot of himself.

So, I'm a BIG Photography geek. And, I've never really read a book where a character is passionate about it (Except for Naomi from Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac), so I'm very excited to read about that. Plus, I love books from the teenage male perspective, they're way more interesting to me. Also, the plot just sounds great.

What are you waiting on?

In My Mailbox (2)

2009-06-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea from Pop Culture Junkie.

I just got my brand new laptop charger this last week, so I can actually update my blog now, instead of having to indure pain by going on the virus contaminated house computer. So, the books I list will be books that I've recieved for the last two or three weeks.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

This was a birthday present from my friend Paula. She knew I had been wanting it, but I was still suprised she got it for me. I love the cover, and everything Laurie has written, so I'm super excited to read this one!

This Lullaby and Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

My friend Anfisa got me both of these for my birthday. I am so happy to have gotten the paperback of Lock and Key because I love this cover way more than the hardback. These both look really nice next to my other Dessen books.

Fighting The Current by Heather Waldorf

I won this book from the Random Contest over at The Shady Glade. I had never even seen this book before, but when I read the description I decided I had to read it. I was so excited to recieve it so quickly, and to find out it was a hardcover. I am obsessed with hardcovers (I think they look better in my bookshelf). Thanks so much for this book Alyssa!

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle

This was from another contest I won from playing a guessing game on an interview between Lauren Myracle & Little Willow. I've only read one novel by Lauren, and a short story (from Let it Snow), So I'm excited to read more from this author. Plus, I think the book looks adorable.

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

I went down to Powells a week or two ago, and my mother bought me this one. I usually have to buy my own books (It is my addiction, afterall) but my mother was being generous, and paid for it. I love my mommy.

I know it's over by C.K. Kelly Martin

This was another contest win (I think it was my birthday that was making me lucky) over at Writer Musings. I've actually been wanting this one for awhile, and can't wait to read it!

and last but not least....

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

My sister and I went to Barnes and Noble on my birthday yesterday, so she could buy me this. It was the only one left in the store (at least from what I saw), and I kept staring at it on the way home. I have to read this one fast because a lot of people want to read it after me.

So, that's all for me, what did everyone else get?

Review: "How They Met and Other Stories" by David Levithan

2009-06-06T12:35:00.000-07:00

I normally don't do reviews, but I just finished this collection today and thought I'd put my two-cents in.

How They Met and Other Stories by David Levithan

Book Description:

Just in time for Valentine’s Day comes a confection from David Levithan that is sure to appeal to fans of Boy Meets Boy. Here are 18 stories, all about love, and about all kinds of love. From the aching for the one you pine for, to standing up and speaking up for the one you love, to pure joy and happiness, these love stories run the gamut of that emotion that at some point has turned every one of us inside out and upside down. What is love? With this original story collection David Levithan proves that love is a many splendored thing, a varied, complicated, addictive, wonderful thing.

My Thoughts:

This is a great collection of short stories by an amazing writer. David Levithan is able to show and convey that love just is. Sometimes it lasts, sometimes it doesn’t, sometimes it’s easy, sometimes it’s not, but it exists all the same.

Some of my favorite stories were (in order of appearance): “Starbucks Boy”, “Miss Lucy Had A Steamboat”, “The Number Of People That Meet On Airplanes”, “Princes”, and “Skipping The Prom”.

I also really liked “Without Saying”. It was mysterious and confusing in the best way possible. As soon as I finished, I went back and read it over again.

Overall, if you’re looking for a story with heart, there is a good chance you’ll find that story in this collection. I urge anyone who believes that love can defy gender, age, and sexuality to check this book out because as Levithan himself puts it:

“It doesn’t have to be on Valentine’s Day. It doesn’t have to be by the time you turn eighteen or thirty-three or fifty-nine. It doesn’t have to conform to whatever is usual. It doesn’t have to be kismet at once, or rhapsody by the third date.

It just has to be. In time. In place. In spirit.

It just has to be.”

5 Stars

Friday Favorites (3)

2009-05-29T13:54:00.000-07:00

This Friday's favorite book is:

Thirteen Reasons Why- Jay Asher

Description:

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers 13 cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

I hope that by now all of you have read this book. I mean it has spent about 30 weeks as number 1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's a depressing story, but the writing, characters, and plot make it one of the best books I've ever read. Highly recommended.

Summer Reading...

2009-05-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

...No, not the good, light, campy literature that always seems better during the summer, while your laying out in the sun by the pool or beach. What I'm talking about is what my AP English Literature and Composition class is making me read during what should be my day's of freedom. Sigh. I signed up for this class, though, so I really should have no room to complain.

Anyways, the two books (there's more than just reading, but I'm not even going to get into that.) that I have to read are: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

The Great Gatsby

The Grapes of Wrath

So, someone lie to me and tell me that not only am I going to love reading these books, but I'll also love analyzing them to death.

My Book Personality

2009-05-25T22:24:00.000-07:00

I saw this quiz posted by Amy on Addicted to Books, and it looked fun so I gave it a try.

Your Personality: Involved Serial Reader!

Your responses place you into two different groups - the involved reader and the serial reader. Not only do you love to read, but you also love finding out about new and interesting books and the authors who write them. You're also a publisher's dream, because once you discover a favorite writer you tend to stick with him/her through thick and thin - but even you need to discover some new blood from time to time!

That sounds about right!

What I'm Reading and Challenge Standings

2009-05-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

I have some additions to my 50 Book Challenge list. Sadly, I haven't been reading as much as I'd like due to school. I swear they just want to stress kids out with giving so much homework!

The 2009 50 Book Challenge

21. The Lovely Bones- Alice Sebold (328 pgs.)

22. The Kindling (Fire-Us Trilogy Book 1)- Jennifer Armstrong and Nancy Butcher (224 pgs.)

23. Hiroshima - John Hersey (116 pgs.)

24. Take Me There - Susane Colasanti (290 pgs.)

25. Days Like This (A 2004-2005 Student Anthology)

What I'm currently reading:

Much Ado About Nothing- William Shakespeare (For School)

Hard Love- Ellen Wittlinger

I Just Hope It's Lethal: Poems of Sadness, Madness, and Joy- Deena November

In My Mailbox + What I bought at Powell's

2009-05-17T14:47:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd try this out. IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea. So I got two books in my mailbox this week, which were:

Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott

Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti

Both of these came from a contest I won over on Elizabeth Scott's blog. I knew she was sending me Waiting For You, but Something, Maybe was a pleasent surprise! Thanks Elizabeth

I also bought some books this week. My friend Liz and I went to Barnes and Noble last night. Liz had gotten a gift card for her birthday so she picked up Are U 4 Real by Sara Kadefors and Memoirs of A Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin She also owed me for a book, so she bought me Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers.

Also, I'm one of those very lucky people that live in Portland, Oregon. Why is it a good thing to live in Portland, you ask? Because that means I am less than ten minutes away from Powell's Books. Seriously guys, if you ever travel to the Pacific Northwest try and stop by Powell's, you won't regret it. The best thing about Powell's is that you always find a book you can't find anywhere else, or even one that you've never heard of.

So while I was there I picked up:

Days Like This: 2004-2005 Student Anthology

In 2004-2005 Writers in the Schools placed 25 writers in 76 classrooms to lead weekly writing workshops with students in every Portland public high school. During this dedicated writing time, students experimented with poems, plays, short fiction and creative nonfiction. Students wrote about themselves, their ideas and what they care about. A sampling of their work---"bold, honest, imaginative"---is captured in this anthology.

I actually had no idea about these Anthologies (There's one for every year, I'm not sure when they started). It's pretty cool from what I've seen so far. I go to Parkrose High School, pretty much the only school in Portland that's not considered in the Portland Public Schools (I'm exagerrating, but it feels like it). I kinda wish I was apart of Portland Public now, though.

Fire-us #2: The Keepers of the Flame by Jennifer Armstrong and Nancy Butcher

They have found others.
Five years after a deadly plague killed all the Grown-ups, the world's population has nearly vanished. But a group of children have survived and forged a new family, a new life, and together traveled up the coast of Florida, looking for answers.
To their shock, they've found a group of adults, the only Grown-ups they've seen for years, living in an abandoned shopping mall. It's a world the travelers had almost forgotten -- cupcakes, clean clothes, adults to depend on.
But something is terribly wrong. The family must find the truth before it's too late.

My school library had the first book in this trilogy, but not the other two. And since these books are out of print, they aren't easy to come by. Luckily, Powell's had the second book in stock, so I grabbed it up.

Girl Goddess #9: Nine Stories by Fracesca Lia Block

Movie stars, rock stars, pond nymphs, intergalactic superheroes . . . who are the real goddesses in Francesca Lia Block's world? Real young women--the kind who ache, bleed, dance, and talk to blue ghosts in closets. Famous for her lyric Weetzie Bat books, Block blossoms in this collection of short stories about love: straight, gay, familial, and otherworldly. Very few young adult authors talk as frankly as Block about sex and some of the other yearnings we feel in this world, yet she guides her readers toward the self-respect and courage necessary to make smart choices about those yearnings.

I've had my eye on this one for awhile, so I decided to just buy it when I saw it. I already know I'm going to like it. I dig short stories.

I Just Hope It's Lethal: Poems of Sadness, Madness, and Joy collected by Liz Rosenberg and Deena November

The teenage years are a time filled with sadness, madness, joy, and all the messy stuff in between. Sometimes it feels that every day brings a new struggle, a new concern, a new reason to stay in bed with the shades drawn. But between moments of despair and confusion often come times of great clarity and insight, when you might think, like the poet Rumi, "Whoever's calm and sensible is insane!" It is moments like these that have inspired the touching, honest, and gripping poems found in I Just Hope It's Lethal: Poems of Sadness, Madness, and Joy. After all, what's normal anyway? This collection includes poems by Charles Bukowski, Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, T. S. Eliot, Edgar Allen Poe, W. B. Yeats, Dorothy Parker, Jane Kenyon, and many more, including teenage writers and up-and-coming poets.

This one was on sale, and I remembered it from my goodreads to-read list, so I got it. I'll probably keep it on my nightstand for something to read before bed.

So, that's it. A pretty good week, I think. Even if I am broke!

Friday Favorites!

2009-05-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know, I forgot to post this last Friday. Truth is, my laptop charger has been broken for the past month. So, that means the only computer access I have is at school. I ordered a new one, but they still haven't sent it. I could go on a whole rant about that, but I digress.

So, this weeks favorite is:
Love, Rosie by Cecila Ahern

Summary (off of Amazon):

"Love, Rosie is the amusing story of Alex and Rosie, best friends who grow up together in Ireland and stay close throughout cross-continental moves, marriages, parenthood, family dramas. and professional triumphs. Friends for close to 50 years, the potential for romance between the pair is always under the surface, yet never seems to find the right time or place to become a reality.

Love, Rosie is written through a series of notes, letters, IMs, e-mails, and text messages between the two protagonists and their various friends and family members."

Sort of like The Year of Secret Assignments, One of the main attractions, to me, of this book is the fact that it's written through notes and letters. I dig books like that. I also am just in love with the characters in this book. They each are so unique and special, and even in the best books, those are hard to come by. Plus, it's just so funny. I cracked up may times in the one day it took me to read it.

Seriously, if you've ever been intrigued by a book written in only letters, etc. you should definitley try and pick this one up. You won't regret it.

Friday Favorites

2009-05-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

I decided to try something newish. Every Friday I'll post a book that I loved and is one of my favorites.

To start out, I pick The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty

In The Year of Secret Assignments, a tenth grade English teacher attempts to unite feuding schools by launching a pen-pal project. Best friends Cassie, Emily and Lydia initiate the correspondence, and are answered by Matthew, Charlie and Seb. Emily and Lydia are more than pleased with their matches, but quiet Cassie has a frightening experience with Matthew. When Lydia and Emily discover that Matthew has threatened their fragile friend, the Ashbury girls close ranks, declaring an all-out war on the Brookfield boys. Soon, the couples are caught up in everything from car-jacking and lock-picking, to undercover spying and identity theft.

This is definitely a fun read. I have reread it countless times and it never gets old. I just bought myself a copy of it when I went to Powell's last week, so I no longer have to keep checking it out from the Library. I love books that aren't straight narrative, like books that are told in letters and emails. I recommend this to everyone!

Updated 'What I'm Reading'! and 50 Book Challenge

2009-04-30T15:41:00.000-07:00

First off, how much does my header rock?

Now, onto my challenge!

The 2009 50 Book Challenge

1. In the Time of the Butterflies - Julia Alvarez (326 pgs.)
2. The Chosen – Chaim Potok (271 pgs.)
3. Just Listen – Sarah Dessen (400 pgs.)
4. Let it Snow - Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle (352 pgs.)
5. Keeping You A Secret - Julie Anne Peters (250 pgs.) (Re-read)
6. Elsewhere – Gabrielle Zevin (276 pgs.)
7. Speak – Laurie Halse Anderson (198 pgs.)
8. The Boyfriend List – E. Lockhart (229 pgs.)
9. The Boy Book – E. Lockhart (193 pgs.)
10. The Years They Burned The Books – Nancy Garden (247 pgs.)
11. The Realm of Possibility - David Levithan (210 pgs.)
12. Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe (209 pgs.)
13. You don’t know me – David Klass (262 pgs.)
14. Roswell High: The Outsider - Melinda Metz (170 pgs.)
15. Finding H.F. - Julia Watts (165 pgs.)
16. Out of the Shadows – Sue Hines (153 pgs.)
17. The Necessary Hunger – Nina Revoyr (365 pgs.)
18. The Secret Hour (Midnighters Books 1) – Scott Westerfeld (297 pgs.)
19. Dairy Queen – Catherine Gilbert Murdock (275 pgs.)
20. A Doll’s House – Henrik Ibsen (68 pgs.) (Play)
What I'm currently reading:

1.The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold (Almost Done!)
2. Hiroshima- John Hersy (For School)

Book Challenges and What I'm Reading

2009-04-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

My 50 Books for 2009

1. In The Time of the Butterflies- Julia Alvarez
2. The Chosen- Chaim Potok
3. Just Listen- Sarah Dessen
4. Let It Snow- Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle
5. Keeping You A Secret- Julie Anne Peters
6. Elsewhere- Gabrielle Zevin
7. Speak- Laurie Halse Anderson
8. The Boyfriend List- E. Lockhart
9. The Boy Book- E. Lockhart
10. The Year They Burned The Books- Nancy Garden
11. The Realm of Possibility- David Levithan
12. Things Fall Apart- Chinua Achebe
13. You don't know me- David Klass
14. Roswell High: The Outsider- Melinda Metz
15. Finding H.F.- Julia Watts
16. Out of the Shadows- Sue Hines

Currently Reading
1. The Necessary Hunger- Nina Revoyr
2. A Dolls House (Play, For School)
3. The Secret Hour (Midnighters Series Book 1)- Scott Westerfeld

Hello, World! (or internet)

2009-03-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

This is my first post (as if you couldn't tell) on my own personal blog. My name is Jenna, and I am a fifteen years old. I love to read, write, listen to music, and everything else in between. I guess I just like to be entertained.

Even though I just made my blog, I've been lurking around for a while, which brings me to the point. Bookworm Readers (http://bookwormbooklovers.blogspot.com/) is giving away a copy of the book My Life in Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald! If you are interested go enter for a chance to win!

I'll be here, lurking. So if you have any questions (I know, I know, I mean how could you? this post was so detailed :P) Don't be afraid to ask. I'm not a scary person