Book Meme: Titles

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

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)

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

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

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)

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?

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

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!

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

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)

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

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)

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

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

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

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)

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

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)

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)

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

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

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

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)

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?