Title: Art Geeks and Prom Queens
Author: Alyson Noel
Publisher/Release Date: St. Martin's Griffin (August 11, 2005)
MSRP (Paperback): $8.95
Pages: 240
Rating: * */5 stars
Summary: Being the new girl is tough- just ask sixteen-year-old Rio Jones. A New York transplant, Rio has no clue how she's going to fit in at her fancy new private school in Southern California. Plus, being late, over-dressed, and named after a Duran Duran song doesn't make the first day any better.
Then Rio meets Kristi. Beautiful, rich, and a cheerleader, Kristi is the queen bee of Newport Beach. And Kristi isn't friends with just anyone, so Rio is thrilled when she's invited to be part of their most exclusive, popular clique. Of course, like with any club, Kristi and her friends have rules: Always smile (even when you don't mean it), always dress cute (and never repeat an outfit) and always flirt (but only with jocks, preps, and rich college guys) .
At first Rio is havign a great time, but as she becomes more immersed in this jet-set crowd, she figures our there is one last rule that her new friends forgot to mention- don't cross Kristi...
My thoughts on the....
PLOT: Oh my, it's been done SO many times before. Totally and completely predictable every step of the way.
CHARACTERS: I didn't feel much of an attachment to any of the characters, including Rio- she actually whined about how hard it was for her to be beautiful and model-like. ALL the time. Something about her just didn't work for me. And the other characters? Didn't click either. I felt like something was missing from them, like they weren't really there (yes, I KNOW it's a book, do you get what I mean though?).
START/ENDING: Slow beginning, but I was pretty happy with the ending. At least she got over herself, and it was cute and sweet.
SETTING: Not much of a setting- this book was pretty bad about using the details that make a book interesting. Mainly, it was a big breakdown of what EVERYONE was wearing. At every second of the day. Not fun, my friends.
WRITING: The writing did have some plausibility- it was respectably funny. But (there's always a but with this book) it was really repetitive, and, as stated in the characters section, whiny. I kept getting distracted and bored, letting my eyes flit around.
OVERALL/ANYTHING ELSE?: I've always shied away from Allyson Noel's books on the shelves- now, I kind of see why. If you're curious and in a serious state of bookdrought, maybe pick up a copy at the library, but don't waste your time otherwise.
Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Allison Noel review
Paper Towns by John Green
Title: Paper Towns
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (October 16, 2008
MSRP (Hardback, also available in paperback): $17.99
Pages: 320
Rating: * * * * */5, absolutely!
OMGOMGOMG readitreaditreadit,nownownow! Is what I really want to use for this review, but that's not what I'm paid (albeit in books) to do, so let's break it down into more sophisticated rant sentences, shall we?'
CHARACTERS: More than anything, I think it was the characters that made me fall in love with this book. Ridiculously cool dorks, each one unique, hilarious, and expertly flawed, as real and layered as if they were existing, they kept me laughing hysterically throughout the book. These are the kind of people you'd want to be friends with!
PLOT: Great plot. It was exciting, and kept you turning pages while at the same time wanting to make it last for a while, just so you can enjoy it's sheer awesomeness for longer. And the whole thing about paper towns, I thought was fascinating, and I loved the little clues Margo left for Quentin.
SETTING: No complaints about the setting. He pretty much nailed it, as he did with the rest of the book: Making you feel like you were there, right beside Quentin and the rest of them.
WRITING: Absolutely phenominal writing. Like I said in the setting section, you felt like you were there, and the sensory details were great. Quentin's voice showed through smashingly too (can you tell that I'm running out of a variety of words to use to describe this book?)- hilarious, honest, and you could tell how much he loved Margo, what he said about her- I loved it.
START/ENDING: Great, fast paced start, with Margo sneaking in and their night, and the ending, while not exactly what I wanted, worked out better than what I wanted (I can't tell you because it'll spoil the plot, sorry), more satisfying.
OVERALL/ANYTHING ELSE?: Overall, readitreaditREAD.IT! One of the best written books I've read in a long time (which is saying something, since I just read If I Stay and Wintergirls!), add it to the top of you're must read list. As to anything else, can I just say how much I want Margo's record collection!?! She had all these great records, practically every one from every band... *sigh* to have that would be to fulfill my life. As soon as I get a record player. Also, as part of anything else, I would like to say what an EXCELLENT movie this would make. Think about it.
UPDATE: I looked up a site in the book, called Omnictionary (check it out, if you're a fan of this book!)- it's an actual site created in '03... and GUESS WHAT I SAW?!?! PAPER TOWNS WILL BE A MOVIE IN 2010! YES! I AM VICTORIOUS! I CAN CONTROL THOSE WHO MAKE MOVIES TO MAKE THIS A MOVIE! I AM ALL POWERFUL! *ahem* Sorry. Caps got stuck.
*hums* I know what I'm featuring for Movie Monday tomorrow...
Breathless by Jessica Warman Review
Title: Breathless
Author: Jessica Warman
Publisher/Release Date: Walker Books for Young Readers, August 18 2009
MSRP (Hardback): $16.99
Pages: 320
Rating: * * * */5
SUMMARY (from Amazon): When Katie Kitrell is shipped off to boarding school by her distant father and overbearing mother, it doesn’t take her long to become part of the It Crowd. She’s smart, she’s cute, and she’s an Olympic-bound swimmer who has a first class ticket to any Ivy League school of her choice. But what her new friends, roommate, and boyfriend don’t know is that Katie is swimming away from her past, and from her schizophrenic older brother, Will, who won’t let her go. And when he does the unthinkable, it’s all Katie can do to keep her head above water.
CHARACTERS: The characters were remarkable developed and layered for a first novel (for any novel, really!), and you got to know them on a really deep level- Warman did an excellent job of that, but still, I didn't really feel a connection with them. There really was only one character I truly liked, and that was Mazzie Moon- even though she was really awful sometimes, and mean, I loved the relationship she and Katie developed. It was something everyone wants in a best friend, and it was magnificiently real. All of the relationships were intricate, as well, which is also something to give her much credit for.
PLOT: To quote the accolade on the back from a fellow author of hers, it was predictable but totally unexpected. I know that makes no sense- I'll try to explain as best I can: It was full of surprises and turns, like real life is, but at the same time so true and relatable to our own lives, in the "predicable" sense.
SETTING: Her small town from where she just wants to escape was detailed greatly, and it was always believable, to the point that you felt you were reading a biography.
WRITING: The writing was really excellent for a debut, deep and thoughful, and with lots of details- but not to the point that it got boring.
START/ENDING: At first, I wasn't sure if this was going to be something I liked- this really awful thing with a cat being dropped almost made me throw up in math class- but then, once you get used to it all, and know the characters, it gets better with time.
OVERALL/ANYTHING ELSE?: Something I would recommend, very memorable, and true to life.
Many thanks to the publisher for sending this to me.
In My Mailbox, August 30
Slow week, bookwise. So slow, in fact, that I have NOTHING to show you for In My Mailbox *gasp*! Sorry, dudes. Can't wait to see what you got though :)
Now, I'm off to post 4 book reviews. Yes, 4. Those are the books I've finished TODAY. Marvel at... my ability to turn library books in on time??? :)
What Is It You Guys Want Me To DO Exactly?
So, some of you left comments on a recent post about how you wish I didn't "approve..." something? I don't understand what you want me to do. Have I done something that made you upset? Do you mean the comment moderation? The only reason I do that is so I know when I have comments and can reply to them and read them. But if it's bothering you guys, I'll take it off right away!
Just tell me in the comments, ok? I'll go haunt the dashboartd now. :)
A Cool Meme I Found
Hi! I was browsing the internet, my favorite hobby on weekends (I know I should go do my chores and read, but oh well :P), and I found this cool little summer reading questionairre! It was on The N, one of the articles... I thought the article was pretty funny too, so I'm copying and pasting (thank God for that little piece o' technology!). So please disreguard all "I"s and "me"s in it. The only thing mine is the answers to the questions, coz I'm lazy like that!
"Holy vampire-loving mobs! So, as I write this, there are approximately 3 twazillion crazed Twilighters camping outside our offices -- sitting on the filthy, pee-stained sidewalks of Times Square -- waiting to get into tonight's sold-out Breaking Dawn Concert Series (which, fear not, we will all be able to watch live and streaming on the Internets right here. In fact, I actually tripped over some such fangirl on my walk back from lunch, and (SMACK! Whoahohoa.) almost spilled burrito all over her DIY "Mrs. Edward Cullen" t-shirt. Not cool! But it's cool. My burrito and I and the young "Mrs. Cullen" survived the incident unscathed. And in the end I was just really really psyched to see so many people so passionate about... books.
So here. A questionnaire about 'em. Post your answers in the comments and compare, for the sake of fun." [End of article, now for the Q and A!]
My answers in bold:
1) Name a book you recently read, or are in the middle of reading. Breathless, by Jessica Warman
2) Who wrote it? Jessica Warman. Remember?
3) Explain the story in 15 words or less. Katie Kitrell's schizophrenic brother threatens to wipe away her new life at boarding school, with a boyfriend and as a member of the elite popular croud.
4) How many pages long? 311
5) Hardcover or paperback? Hardcover.
7) When was it written? August 2009, released the 25.
8) Describe the book's cover in 10 words or less. A gorgeous aquamarine with a girl swimming, showing just her face, hidden behind her hair. (oops, that was more wasn't it?!)
9) Rate the book on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 = snoresville, 10 = geniustown) 6.5 or 7. Still deciding.
10) For fun or because you have to? For fun!
11) Bookmark, folded corners, or what? I grabbed the form letter the book came with from the publisher as a bookmark. Dogearing is a federal offense in my book!
12) Do you underline/highlight? Nooo...?
13) Name one word in the book that you don't understand. Look it up. And define it here. I'm pretty well versed in my vocab, thank you very much!
14) Stick your nose in the book and flip through it. Describe what you smell. Paper? ANd cinammon. Some cinammon fell in it... long story :P
15) Take the DAY of your birthday and flip to that page number. Take the MONTH of your birthday and go to that sentence number on the page. Copy down that sentence. Will doesn't say anything. (That's the sentence, not me telling you!)
K, bye all! Hope you like meh meme.
Theme Thursday: Coffee Coffee Coffee!
Take A Chance Challenge!
Hey everybody! I saw this cool little challenge a while ago, and I've decided to do it. The rules are changed though, most likely, because... well, it's me improving it for myself :P Plus, I made a nifty little button on Picnik so it's ALL MINE! *ahem*\
What do you think of my button? I typed chance into that flickrCC thing, and it gave me dice. I sharpened it, and did the classic tone, then picked a scrawly text, colors, and whatnot. I was going to add those sweet lil' Tombots Margo's always using- but that's her thing (for now. Margo? I'm warning you in advance that I'm tearing those adorable little thingys from your Picnik account just as soon as I make me comment award I have in the works. K?!)
Anyways, here's the rules and stuff:
1) Remember the random word page we used last month for the "If I Were An Author" meme? Bookmark it, it'll be the central part of this challenge. (I have to get off soon so I'll come back tomorrow and superimpose it in again, sorry!)
2) Go to that site, and click refresh 9 times, so you'll have 10 words. Write them down so you don't forget!
3) Go to Amazon and type each word in seperately for searches.
4) Read the first book you see result you see that's appealing- just by the cover ( ooh, idea for another challenge... :D)!
5) Start you time of reading dangerously and pass the challenge on!
Good luck, post a comment with any questions, and good night :)
A Belated In My Mailbox
Hey everybody! Sorry I'm late. I forgot yesterday :P
The recieved:
Breathless by Jessica Warman
My second ARC... so happy, so happy :) The publisher offered it to me. I'm still kind of clueless in the way of these things *sigh* It comes out tomorrow officially, BTW.
LIBRARY:
Paper Towns by John Green
Along for the Ride by Sarah DessenThe Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Destroy All Cars
After
The Possibility of Sainthood
BOUGHT:Secrets of Truth and Beauty by Megan Frazer
Dear Julia
So now you now what I got, what about you?
Zombie Chickens Shall Eat You All!
*hums Thriller*
Coz the zombie chickens are here! At least, they are on this cool award Margo just gave me. Isn't it... cool? Ah, the wit :P
The description of the award, as ripped off shamelessly by me:
The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all...
Well. Nice to know I have some tao. I should go refocus my chi now (Yup, I'm watching too much Design Star. My parents made me- and guess what? That and Drop Dead Diva [is anyone watching that besides me!? I love it!] are some of his favorite tv shows. No comment from me!).
So, I'm going to nominate blogging friends that don't already have the award, since I only have 5 spaces (but I'm renominating you guys, 'k?):
1) Collegiate Bookworm
2) Cherry Banana Split
3) Bookalicious
4) Write About What?
5) Katie's Book Blog (you have this already...?)
Thanks guys!
I Am SUCH a Mooch Now.
Book mooch, that is. I saw a post about this on Allison's cooleo blog a second ago, and I wanted to tell you guys about it :)
BookMooch is this fabulous little group you can join in which you give books to get books. The steps:
1) Join, of course.
2) Create a list of books you'd like to give away.
3) Create a wishlist of books you want.
4) Mail in your books for points.
5) Ask for books from others with your points.
BookMooch operates on a point system, as mentioned up there...kMooch
Add a book to your inventory- +1/10 of a point
Give away a book (in your own country)- +1 point
Give away a book (internationally)- +3 points
Mooch a book (in your own country)- -1 point
Mooch a book (internationally)- -2 points
Acknowledge recieving a book you mooched- +1/10 of a point
http://bookmooch.com/about/points- That's the link to the information about Book Mooch.
Here is the link to Book Mooch.
Enjoy!
Wintergirls Review
Title: Wintergirls
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Viking
MSRP (Hardback): $17.99
Pages (numbered): 278
Rating: * * * * */5
God, I can't even think of anything to say to do this book justice. I though Envy was a 5 of 5? It's totally irrelevant compared to this. I'll try to write a good review to the best of my ability, though.
SUMMARY: Lia and Cassie were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia's mother is busy sabing other people's lives. Her father is away on business. Her stepmother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia's head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. If she keeps going on like this- thin, thinner, thinnest- maybe she'll disappear altogether.
In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since Speak, Anderson explores one girl's chilling descent into anorexia.
I don't think I should use my usual format of critiquing for this review.)
This is definitely the hardest review I've had to write. I'm trying and trying... nothing comes to mind wrong with this book. I know it's my job to be an objective reader and point out good and bad things about the book, and never have a gush review because there's always something wrong with a book... but God, it's just amazing.
Sure, I've read books about eating disorders before, but NOTHING like this. The writing is like poetry, it flows like music, too. You really get the full sense and then some of Lia's experience, and you won't want to be sucked back out.
But I'm asking you seriously... don't let anyone younger than about 14 read it (yes, I read it and I'm 13. Trust me, it affects you... more in a second on that). I'm not saying censor it by any means- I despise that, and can't wait for October to celebrate Banned Books Week- but it's extremely strong. "Sickening" and "terrifying" has been used many a time by some reviewers, not how I'd term it, though. And if you suspect someone who wants to read it is easily susceptible to things like this, it could give them ideas and send them over the edge. It involves REALLY serious issues- cutting, anorexia, death, depression... and all of it graphic but not in an awful way. Does any of this make sense?
But it you think you can handle it, this book's required reading for you absolutely. My whole view on things like this has changed totally thanks to this book.
Envy Review
Jealous whispers.
Old rivalries.
New betrayals.
Two months after Elizabeth Holland's dramatic homecoming, Manhattan eagerly awaits her return to the pinnacle of society. When Elizabeth refuses to rejoin her sister Diana's side, however, those watching New York's favorite family begin to suspect that all is not as it seems behind the stately doors of No. 17 Gramercy Park South.
Farther uptown, Henry and Penelope Schoonmaker are the city's most celebrated couple. But despite the glittering diamond ring on Penelope's finger, the newlyweds share little more than scorn for each other. And while the newspapers call Penelope's social-climbing best friend, Carolina Broad, an heiress, her fortune—and her fame—are anything but secure, especially now that one of society's darlings is slipping tales to the eager press.
In this next thrilling installment of Anna Godbersen's bestselling Luxe series, Manhattan's most envied residents appear to have everything they desire: Wealth. Beauty. Happiness. But sometimes the most practiced smiles hide the most scandalous secrets . . .
Are You Serious!?!
I reaaaaallly want to make a change, layout and background wise to Serendipity Reviews. I'm extremely fond of Tweety and all (the bird hanging out in the corner) but I'm not feeling the pink. I found this really great layout, but it'll erase ALL of my widgets! The pictures, info, notes, links, everything I've carefully tweaked, attended to, and revised... GONE. Unless I get another layout like the one I have now, that mainly changes the sides? But i can't find any I like that are like that.
Does anyone know how I can change the layout w/o losing the sidebar stuff? I'd really appreciate it :)
Comeback Winner!
Hey everyone! Come check out the winner!
Thanks so much to all you guys who entered. I'm planning another soon (promise I'll be on time!), so good luck next time :)
So, the winner of The Comeback by Marlene Perez is...
Marisa, Brianna and Arielle from B.A.M. Book Reviews!
I'm sending an email to you guys, so make sure to get back to me with the shipping address (no P.O. boxes, if you can help it, thanks!) by Monday, ok? Thanks!
xoxo everyone, Meggin
Theme Thursday Ideas?
Hey everyone... I'm trying to write Theme Thursday but I can't think of any themes! Does anyone have any? I'd really appreciate it :)
Comeback Contest!
Hey everyone! The contest is officially over- I'll have the winner posted tommorrow (I got lazy and have a LOT of names to put in the bowl)! Thanks for entering everybody!
Awww Thanks Guys!
Hey everybody! I just got an email saying I got nominated for Best New Blog from the BBAW.
Thanks so much for nominating me everybody! I can't even remember what it was like not having you cool peeps around, and thanks for that.
Waiting On Wednesday: DupliKate by Cherry Cheva (plus a breif interlude of school sprit. Goody.)
And Now For Something Completely Different... Music!
...Well, not that different, since I post about music a LOT. But I just wanted to share with you guys some really great bands and songs I found via Pandora- has anyone used that site? I think I'm in love! I'm using it right now, listening to my Altie/Indie genre station I made. Go check it out, you'll ifnd some great bands!- and iTunes indie spotlight. Also, lol I looked up songs they played on Gilmore Girls :P But hey, it helped me find The Shins! And may I just say how did I love music before them? I love that voice :)
So here's some awesome songs running through my head for you to check out:
1) Jamie All Over- Mayday Parade
2) Say Anything (Else)- Cartel
3) Turn On Me- The Shins
4) So Says I- The Shins
5) All Apologies- Nirvana
6) Teddy Picker- Arctic Monkeys
7) The New Year- Death Cab for Cutie
8) No Sunlight- Death Cab for Cutie
9) Karma Police- Radiohead
10) Panic! At the Disco songs
And bunches of others. Yeah, some are a bit emoish, but still really cool.
And then I found songs by the trubadour of Stars Hollow, on Gilmore Girls- and found out I can get them on iTunes! I LOVE those songs. Yup I'm weird. :P
Okay, continue about your business!
xoxo,
Meggin
Teaser Tuesdays- August 18
Hey everybody! Time for a teaser for the first time in... about a month? Yikes.
Anyways, todays teaser is brought to you by Laurie Halse Anderson's *Wintergirls*. And also the letter P. And viewers like you (did I quote PBS right?)
So the rules to this lovely Tuesday occasion are kind of like follows:
1.Grab your current read/ the book closest to you.
2.Flip to a random page.
3.Pick some interesting sentences that might make someone want to read that book desperately.
4.Make sure you don't include spoilers! Also, don't pick something BOR-ing. (That part is my little addendum to the official rules :D)
(Mine's kind of long... but if I cut it off it won't make sense.)
****************************
"Wait." Jennifer grab my arm. For the first time since they loaded me on the stretcher she looks me in the eye. "David doesn't want me to say this to you, but too bad. I love you, Lia. When I married your father, I swore to love you like you were my own. But you hurt my little girl."
She shakes with anger.
"You hurt her by starving yourself, you hurt her with your lies, and by fighting everybody who tries to help you. Emma can only sleep a couple of hours at night now. She's haunted by nightmares about monsters that eat our whole family. She says they eat us slowly, so we feel their sharp teeth."
"I'm-" I start.
"No."
*****************************
I'd just like to add that the review for this book will be the hardest I'll ever encounter. Have any of you read it? I'm going to be shocked if it doesn't win countless awards. I can't think of something to convey how wonderful it is.
Ciao Bella! -Meggin
Awards!
Book Soundtracks Rock.
Hey everyone! Part 2 of Music Monday is something really cool I found last week. I was watching TV and on my laptop, and then I saw an ad for The N.com, I checked it out, and they have really cool articles and stuff on there. I'd recommend going if you have some free time, and searching through the nsider notes. I looked at their posts labeled books, and a LOT of stuff I'll be featuring soon, and I decided to use this one first. Here's the full link; I just picked some favorites of mine from it, and some I found surfing the internet. Plus I superimposed/removed songs :)
Paper Towns by John Green
She - Green Day
Tonight, Tonight - Smashing Pumpkins
We Intertwined - The Hush Sound
Lions Roar - The Hush Sound
The Mixed Tape - Jack's Mannequin
Calendar Girl - Stars
Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare
"Winner at a Losing Game"-Rascal Flatts
"Hero/Heroine"-Boys Like Girls
"When the Day Met the Night"-Panic at the Disco
"Bless the Broken Road"-Rascal Flatts
"Bat Country"-Avenged Sevenfold
"I'll Stand By You"-Carrie Underwood
"Could Not Ask For More"-Edwin McCain
"Listen"-Beyonce
"Bleeding Love"-Leona Lewis
"I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing"-Aerosmith
The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
1.Oasis-Wonderwall
2.Michelle Branch-Desperately
3.The Killers-Shadowplay
4.Manchester Orchestra-Wolves at Night
5.Panic at the Disco-Northern Downpour
6.Thriving Ivory-Angels on the Moon
7.Skye Sweetnam-Tangled Up In Me
8.Mandy Moore-Crush
9.Chiodos-The Words "Best Friend" Become Redefined
10.L.P.-Wasted
Sweethearts, by Sara Zarr
Satellite-Guster
Closer to You-Brandi Carlisle
Naked As We Came-Iron and Wine
Casimir Pulaski Day-Sufjan Stevens
Latter Days-Over the Rhine
You’re All I Have-Snow Patrol
Hands Open-Snow Patrol
Make This Go On Forever-Snow Patrol
Shut Your Eyes-Snow Patrol
Open Your Eyes-Snow Patrol
The Finish Line-Snow Patrol
Bizarre Love Triangle-New Order
Save Me-Aimee Mann
Chasing Cars-Snow Patrol
In addition to the tracks above Sara said the Snow Patrol Eyes Open album and Aimee Man’s Lost in Space album are representative of Sweethearts.
Wake, by Lisa McMann
Superman-Five for Fighting
Dream Police-Cheap Trick
Sleep-My Chemical Romance
Wake Me Up-Evanescence
Dirty Little Secret-All American Rejects
Dreams-The Cranberries
Sleeping Lessons-The Shins
Dream Weaver-Gary Wright
Crash Into Me-Dave Matthews Band
Don’t Dream It’s Over-Crowded House
*************
This is so much fun, I think it's really cool. Coz not only do you get book recommendations, you also get music ones too! Feel free to make a soundtrack to your own favorite book in the comments; I'll post it up here :) Or you could just suggest a song or two to add.
Now don't you have some music to listen to? I definitely do! And I really need to go to the library now and get some of these books- esp. Paper Towns.
Movies, Music and Mondays Part I: A Tribute to John Hughes
As you may have heard, this country just lost someone who, in my opinion, was one of THE most talented people to grace said country- John Hughes. In case you don't know who that is- GASP!- John Hughes is the creator of The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty In Pink, and- my personal favorite- Ferris Beuller's Day Off. (Watch them!)
He really, truly understood what it was like to be a teenager in the '80s- the unrequited love, insane crushes, awkward gawkiness, bad clothes, and embarrassing moments constantly populating life. To quote myself, he is the Judy Blume of cinematics.
I found this link to a girl's blog who was pen pals with him- check it out, you won't be sorry!
I'm really glad I made my essay about his work- I feel like I did something for someone important to me.
Some advice: Next time your crush blows you off, you get a huge zit, etc., watch one of his movies- it's worked for everyone else ;)
Excuse me while I mourn/write Part ll of MMM.
In My Mailbox- August 15th
Waves: Yay! I can't believe they had this at the library. I almost bought it just before I went to the library, but I decided against buying any more books and got this. It's a kind of mystery novel, and it sounds realllllly good, but sad. I love the cover.
Margo's Challenge
If you're like me, you're totally and completely in love with this button, and if you're REALLY like me you'll have named them too (Oh, you want to know their names? *sigh* I suppose... from left to right and down it's: Mr. Bubby, Kat E. Kit, and... MO. Expirimental names of course ;D)
So Margo's challenge is as follows: She found this list (I saw it on the N website a few weeks ago, kept meaning to post it!) by BBC of books, classics and the like, that they say most people have only read about 6 of out of the whole list. Margo's challenge is to read through all the books on the list below- I'm going to post it, and then put an x by ones I've read... Eep!- no time limit set, but her own personal one is a year.
And without further ado, the list!
The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books here. How do your reading habits stack up? Instructions: Copy this into your blog. Look at the list and put an (X) after those you have read. Pass it along to other book lovers...
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
Total: 0 (I've read the bible, but not like a book, and others I haven't finished yet)
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveler’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
Total: 0
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll - (x)
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
Total: 1
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini -
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden-
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
Total: 0 (but I have the Kite Runner checked out, per my friend Erin's instance that I read it)
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell -
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery (x)
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
Total: 1
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons (x)
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon (x)
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Total: 2
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
Total: 0
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett (x)
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Inferno – Dante
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
Total: 1
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White (x)
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (x)
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
Total: 2
.91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas9
8 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl (x)
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo
Total: 1
So, my overall total is...
6.
I'm having trouble looking myself in the mirror! Technically it's 5, because I don't *think* I finished Cold Comfort Farm. Not only is BBC totally right about me, they OVERestimated me!
So what do you guys think? How many have you read? Will you do the challenge?
UPDATE: Hey, me again! I forgot the final 90- 100 portion of the list, and thanks to Margo for pointing outI missed a point... so my total is actually 8 (maybe 7, see the Cold COmfort Farm incident :P)
Good luck everybody!
I Gotsa Awards!
I got these a week ago from Margo and then again from Sara- thanks guys!- but I kept forgetting to post it :( So here it is, in all it's glory... the gorgey (omg I love this word, I stole it from Sasha- sorry, Sasha!) awards!
Isn't it pretty?
So, according to the rules, I have to list 7 of my fave things and 7 of my fave blogs (but how do I choose between you guys?!)
My favorite stuff:
1) iPod
2) The blogoverse!
3) Friends and family
4) This teeny tiny netbook laptop
5) Library
6) Compulsive book buying
7) Movies
Not in that particular order, obvs :)
Now I shall nominate (again, in no particular order of favoriteness!)...
1) Bookworm Barista
2) Dragonfly Book Reviews
3) Read Into This!
4) Collegiate Bookworm
5) B.A.M. Book Reviews
6) Bookalicious
7) The Striped Sock Story Society
***************************************
And now for the hearthfelt award!
I'm having trouble uploading the award, but picture an adorable widdle bunny in a pink tea cup peaking out of the tea cup and crouching back in. :)
So here it is, the rules blatantly copied from Margo (sorry, Margo!):
Do you reach for a cup of cocoa or tea when your relaxing, seeking comfort, sharing a plate of cookies with family and friends? You know the feeling you get when you drink a yummy cup of cocoa, tea, or a hot toddy? That is what the Hearthfelt Award is all about, feeling warm inside.
Rules
Put the logo on your blog/post. Nominate up to to 9 blogs which make you feel comfy or warm inside. Be sure to link your nominees within your post. Let them know that they have been nominated by commenting on their blog. Remember to link to the person from whom you received your award.
Here's my nominees...
1) everyone I just gave the Kreativ Blogger Award to!
2) The Sweet Bonjour
3) Write About What?
And that should cover all nominees possible :) Thanks for being awesome, guys!
Confessions of A Triple Shot Betty Review
Title: Confessions of A Triple Shot Betty
Author: Jody Gehrman
Edition: Paperback Reprint
Publisher: Puffin (reprint)
MSRP: $7.99
Pages: 272
Rating: * * */ 5
SYNOPSIS: Geena, 16, plans to spend her summer working at the local coffee shop in her Sonoma Valley town with her cousin Hero and her friend Amber. She envisions grinding out espressos and supersize iced mochas during the day and spending sleepover nights painting toenails and confessing secrets. Within the first few hours of her arrival home from a Connecticut boarding school, Hero falls in love with an Italian boy working at her father's vineyard and it's clear that she and Amber are not going to be friends. As the story unfolds through Geena's diary entries, readers discover each girl's strengths, flaws, and personality.
PLOT: The plot was a little repetitive- I kept getting this feeling of deja vu when I was reading it- I was like, "Didn't this happen already?" It did, but in slightly different circumstances. I really would have like a fresher deal.
CHARACTERS: I didn't feel a connection to the characters at all, and that's really important to me! If anything, I was annoyed by them a bit. Geena was so crabby and whiny, I could barely take it. It gave me a headache.
SETTING: Even for it being a diary entry, it lacked details about the setting. So, not much to report besides that.
START/ENDING: Pretty slow beginning, but once you got into it and got the characters down, their personalities and whatnot, things picked up and got better. Great ending, though- by the end, I DID start to like Amber a little- well, I could tolerate her more than the others, anyways :)
OVERALL: We had some good times, and I might recommend it, but it's DEFINITELY not on the top of my list at all.
OTHER THOUGHTS: Anyone else think the cover is appallingly pink!? I'm not a big fan of pink. That probably should have been a warning sign that I wouldn't like the book much :(
Also, for some reason I KNEW Amber was a ****** (Spoiler, I'm protecting you)! I don't know how, maybe because that's how I would have done it if I wrote this, but it's supposed to be a shock, so that wasn't good. If you read it and knew tell me!
Apology!
Hey everyone! Just writing to say sorry for what an awful blogger I've been. Neglected Theme Thursdays, abandoned Waiting on Wednesdays (what'll you wait for now?!), teased Teaser Tuesdays. Not to mention I have to enter lots more of you guys into the Bowl of (soon to be!) Winners! I've gotten more entries then I thought I would- thanks so much, by the way :)
I promise I will try to attempt to work to blog more features, kk guys?
xoxo,
Meggin
Now I'm off to write reviews for you xtremely cool peeps.
Heaven Looks A Lot Like the Mall Review; My Assignment Turnout
English Assignment :P
I have NO CLUE what to decorate my comp journal with!!!??? I'm thinking movies on the front cover. I'm covering all the basics- noir, classic Hepburn, '80s brat pack, the best chick lit, old thrillers like Hitchcock ones... Wow. I'm going to run out of space xD The only thing it's proving is how much of a geek I am. BUt awesome, right? (oops. But I'm not old!) ;)
And on the back...
You know how on a lot of book reviewing blogs, they have a button with their name? I'm trying to design one. Piknic should make it easy and fun to do, and I just have to get a background. Do you guys have any suggestions for it? Thx :)
Then, I'll print it out, and glue it in the middle of the back, and paste books around it.
Whaddaya think?
Think Your Voice Doesn't Count? Think Again!
DBR B-Day Review: The Year of Secret Assignments
Emily: "My interests: Don't get me started about chocolate! My nickname might be 'Em', but it's also Toblerone! I think this is an angiogram of Thompson, which is my last name."
BACK!
HI! Oops, sorry, I'm just so excited because...
a) I am no longer grounded (the reason for my MIA in the blogoverse)
b) I won Six Steps to A Girl from Sara! (I hope it's not too late to claim it though :P)
c) I actually have class with my friends at school for once, and an awesome writing class!
Here's a moment where II would do a happy dance, but I'm cooler now. *Cool dance* ;)
Anyways, I finished so many books while I was gone. So be prepared for a flood of posts today (I accomplish a lot when I'm not loafing around on my computer, huh? Insight)
And now for my first review of the day, Heaven Looks A Lot Like the Mall, by Wendy Mass:
BEHOLD! The Latest Twilight Crap!
Witness, all, the latest- or is it lamest?- marketing attempt since Team Edward Burger King crowns and Twilight themed Jesus tee's with " Jesus is 'Thelight'" on them (well, maybe that ad was the other way around, adverting church, but still)!
Now, for you Twilighters out there, I have nothing against Twilight (erm... maybe a bit). But what shall be said by me throughout this post is rather snarky in nature. Prepare yourselves :)
What am I talking about, you ask? Witness also the button. See that red circle on the cover? Anyone care to read it for us?
Fine, I will:
"Bella and Edward's favorite book!"
0_o EXCUSE me? One more time please?
It says that the classic, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, that wonderful moody romantic awesome enduring work, is Bella and Edward Cullen's, fictitional vamps everyone but me and a few select others seem to be obsessed with, favorite book. Therefore, you have to read it. Or they shall come suck your blood (though apparently, some tween girls may have that on their wishlist for Christmas. Anyone see that E! News segment last week?).
I just need to step back from this computer and take a deep breath, turn to the person next to me (in which case that would by my dog Maddi. Well, things that can't talk tend to be good listeners to of my snarkalicious comments, eh?) and get it all out.
But I won't. Because I want to get my opinions out (as per usual- anyone out there schocked by this? :P) and I REALLY want to hear your thoughts too.
My first thought that comes to mind to share with you lovely people? Ready? Crank your hearing aids up everyone.
*Deep breath*
W.
T.
F.???????!!!!!
I can't believe that somewhere in the UK, Marketing and Sales people thought this would be a good idea. So putting a now-cliched cover on a book and slapping a sticker on there saying some fiction characters SO many people are wicked obsessed with now, like it, so no matter the quality of it and without knowing what it's about, will make teens crazy and buy it?
Apparently so. It's selling like hotcakes.
Wuthering Heights is one of my favorite books, and it's really sad that people are taking this great classic thing and using it as just another ploy to sell ANOTHER vampire romance remake. Again, no offense to Twilighters.
So, what do you think? Can't wait to see these comments. I bet some obsessed 9 year old will stumble upon my blog and rant :P I can see it now... "Um, Meggin! Edward is hotttttt with like 5 t's and a a and... a w. So why you hatin' on Twilight? Next you'll be digging on Hannah Montana. Riduculous." Of course, it'll be much more hilarious than that *devious smile* And as to the Hannah Montana digs? I think we all agree this'll be much, MUCH to easy. (Which reminds me, look for my post about Wings tommorrow. I'll put a review in between for your protection from my ranting ;)) BTW, I totally ripped this nine year old stuff off from Margo's awesome comment- sorry, Margo :)
P.S. Hope none of you are offended? :D
UPDATE: Me again. So I was reading and replying to your lovely comments and I looked at the cover again. Notice the caption:
"love never dies..."
...like vampires? Is that what was to be implied? That Heathcliffe and Cathy are like vampires, therefore read it? *sigh* Here we go again...
Doesn't it say something to that affect on the cover of Twilight?
Also, they're blatantly copying Twilight's cover. From the font to that caption to that WAY too obvious button to that flower. Ok, I have to get away from this and just take a break. I'm getting a bit... ANGRY. LOL, sorry, just kidding :)
Y'know, I like this ranting posts. It's cathartic. And I have so much book-related material to work on :) Like that Pride and Prejudice and Zombies thing, for example. Anyone else slighty angered or irked by that?
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