tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40178774728052695482024-02-18T20:44:59.909-05:00La Petite Fille Roussethe little redheaded girlAllisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-44109681418887634092012-07-04T12:26:00.000-04:002012-07-04T12:28:41.622-04:00Review of Glimpse by Stacey Wallace Benefiel<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Glimpse </span></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">
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<span style="background-color: white;">Zellie Wells, #1 </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Stacey Wallace Benefiel </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">2010 </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glimpse-Zellie-Wells-1-ebook/dp/B003IKMOTE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1341418861&sr=8-5&keywords=zellie+wells" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;">/ </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8122052-glimpse" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></div>
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FREE ON AMAZON KINDLE (as of 7/12)</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tT_6w_cHTLIyfvtopgjXLdae1cxJ4YJbY-ueKCcsFtRpy9ANBrjMAPt7_YScL796_5VvDHApJVSMds3dchI9dyEFqF5vzU7WSOI5YTpMI425wzHsaMFRL7c-qJvNf6mg0WzIA1rK0tWC/s1600/glimpse.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tT_6w_cHTLIyfvtopgjXLdae1cxJ4YJbY-ueKCcsFtRpy9ANBrjMAPt7_YScL796_5VvDHApJVSMds3dchI9dyEFqF5vzU7WSOI5YTpMI425wzHsaMFRL7c-qJvNf6mg0WzIA1rK0tWC/s320/glimpse.jpeg" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SPARKLES!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Reasons for reading:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Again, when I got my Kindle, I went a little bit crazy buying books. This book happened to be free and was highlighted on a Kindle-blog, so I downloaded it based on reading the summary. <br /><br /> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Basic plot:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">At Zellie’s 16th birthday party, she dances with her crush and has a vision of the future: they are both older, she is pregnant, and he is bleeding profusely, clearly dying. Insta-love ensues and she starts sneaking out the window at night to snog him, but there are lots of Secrets that Zellie’s mother and great-aunt have yet to tell her, and these Secrets will change everything… <br /> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Curiosities: </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> <br />The book is mainly in 1st person with Zellie as the narrator, but throughout the book it switches randomly into 3rd person omniscient with Zellie’s crush, Avery, as the narrator. The first couple of times this happens it’s really distracting, but after a while I got used to it. <br /> <br />The weirdest thing about this book was the ridiculous way in which the characters talked. Zellie is a 16 yr old preacher’s daughter, and she has a younger sister named Melody. Zellie’s BFF is named Claire, and she’s virtually identical to Helen’s BFF, also named Claire, in Starcrossed (AKA realllly annoying.) Zellie, despite living in the middle of nowhere and having all of her social events centered around the church, used so much crude phrasing and ridiculous sounding one-liners that it pretty much killed the book for me. Non-spoilery examples: </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Location 607: “…kinda didn’t care if the whole room was scoping my nips at this point; I was filled with reckless sixteen-year-old abandon.” --SCOPING MY NIPS???? EW.<br /> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Location 780: “…buried his face in my hair and took a big whiff. It was so good to know we were the same kind of perv.”—How does smelling someone’s hair while making out make you a perv? Again, ew… </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> <br />There is also a weird jail-bait kind of thing going on… At one point, Zellie narrates that her friend Claire’s “red miniskirt rode up, only just covering her thighs” (Loc 546), and Zellie enjoys the summer weather because “even pastor’s daughters could get away with wearing less clothing.” (Location 1091) This reminds me of the writing middle schoolers who are just starting to explore their sexuality come up with, when appearing sexy involves baring their midriffs and body glitter. <br /> <br />The actual paranormal premise of the story is pretty cool, which is why I persisted in reading the book despite the weird characters. I can’t really explain it without giving away the whole plot, but basically Zellie is part of a line of women who have psychic powers- powerful ones! I wish the story gave us even more psychic scenes instead of the struggling banter between horny adolescents. <br /> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Final thoughts:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I wish this book had gone through quality editing, because the premise could really be something great! It’s worth reading if you are curious- it’s short and moves quickly, and I’m glad I read it because it was fun and weirdly fascinating. The awkward dialogue really made it difficult to enjoy the book, which is unfortunate. I won't be reading the sequels. Two stars.</span>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-57277514614893890552012-06-16T17:44:00.000-04:002012-06-16T17:45:40.141-04:00Review of Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles<br />
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Perfect Chemistry</h2>
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Simone Elkeles</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
2008</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Chemistry-Simone-Elkeles/dp/0802798225/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339882939&sr=8-1&keywords=perfect+chemistry" target="_blank">Amazon</a>/ <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4268157-perfect-chemistry" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_PVn9KWbtxHG0ZGuG8tZsWQ8xiCt_2iMhQiE4-sK0wi8IZWtDB2mkU5K1BfwdLgjfrx1rVBfh_Fc39x6qsbAczkXPzaKr2lv6npdhkZwWsK1YxcyB3pJtQkxWTa_bjG2Ggn18RqfCyBZ/s1600/perfectchemistry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_PVn9KWbtxHG0ZGuG8tZsWQ8xiCt_2iMhQiE4-sK0wi8IZWtDB2mkU5K1BfwdLgjfrx1rVBfh_Fc39x6qsbAczkXPzaKr2lv6npdhkZwWsK1YxcyB3pJtQkxWTa_bjG2Ggn18RqfCyBZ/s320/perfectchemistry.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at all that dark hair!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
Reasons for reading: </h3>
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<br /></div>
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I downloaded Perfect Chemistry on my Kindle in a jubilant
book-buying spree of quite a few books on my TBR list that I haven’t yet had an
opportunity to read. I thought
Perfect Chemistry would be a fun teen romance with some steamy parts. I loved the dark cover- although I
sometimes enjoy sugary books with little-girl-y covers, I liked that this cover
seemed more edgy.</div>
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<h3>
Basic plot: </h3>
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<br /></div>
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Alex is in the Latino Blood gang outside Chicago. Brittany is a white girl princess with
a terrible home life. When they
are forced to be Chem partners, sexual tension and violence ensues…</div>
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<h3>
Curiosities:</h3>
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<br /></div>
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Direct quote from p. 278? (according to my kindle): “‘You
only live once.’” Again, p. 280:
“Alex pulls me close and whispers in my ear, ‘You only live once, isn’t that
what you said? Dance with me again.’”
When I read this, The Motto starts playing in my head… E’ryday e’ryday…
YOLO…” It made me sad that such a
watershed part of the book was so cliché.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76jyYLuBgY_hqnDn38dBjZzKmWFXwWtDTzCjZ8ZnoBl6_LCLfg8ybEPjpSQp71ir6MlSE8_Mm6FSowQgkOrfoRawcVjeiNS_n_t0KEpnqfjbrqThjoydxjqHOBNtxal1e8iuPceKtr9lG/s1600/yolo-slip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76jyYLuBgY_hqnDn38dBjZzKmWFXwWtDTzCjZ8ZnoBl6_LCLfg8ybEPjpSQp71ir6MlSE8_Mm6FSowQgkOrfoRawcVjeiNS_n_t0KEpnqfjbrqThjoydxjqHOBNtxal1e8iuPceKtr9lG/s320/yolo-slip.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Alex is hot.
You will not be disappointed in his sexy bad-boy-ness. This book was worth reading simply
because of that.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9bXDeeap7EikrS31Z7EuCSFELIh89yE1uIPmtYmSWf6zuKs0wDt-ej-_xfQZhQBFOJwz8K9wMbIQ7N0RbfegAlbxKf4auv1RQxgyYMJ5JtteBuHe5wyF-qxQZwHmce3qE8v_Kk-rrpzQ/s1600/NOMs.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9bXDeeap7EikrS31Z7EuCSFELIh89yE1uIPmtYmSWf6zuKs0wDt-ej-_xfQZhQBFOJwz8K9wMbIQ7N0RbfegAlbxKf4auv1RQxgyYMJ5JtteBuHe5wyF-qxQZwHmce3qE8v_Kk-rrpzQ/s1600/NOMs.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure if these are the models or what, but :D</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Brittany’s older sister, Shelly, has cerebral palsy, yet her
character is developed and plays an important part in the story. I found it refreshing to read a
character with serious disabilities who isn’t treated with pity or swept aside
by the story.</div>
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I was under the impression that the story was a
trilogy. No. The story is contained in this one
book- the two books that come after it are about each of Alex’s little
brothers. This story goes beyond a typical book and includes a weird
TWENTY-THREE years later epilogue- this just seemed excessive to me. It was like the author wanted to
reassure the reader that they really, really did live happily ever after. Also,
I can’t explain this without spoilers, but it’s almost supernatural- reminds me
of what’s going on in Starcrossed.</div>
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Final thoughts:</h3>
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I’m glad I read it, but I wish I had read it when I was
younger and I wanted stories to tie up neatly. I feel like I’ve either read this book or seen the movie
because the plot was VERY predictable, but Alex’s hotness and the tenderness
Brittany feels for her sister made this book worth reading, and I would
recommend it to mature middle (there is actual SEX) / high school readers
looking for a romantic story about love overcoming circumstances. Three stars.</div>
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<h3>
Book trailer:</h3>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/hr0OtYYpyek?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I'm glad I didn't watch this book trailer until after I read the book... BUT THEN AGAIN, my middle schoolers would love this trailer and would be fighting over the book. SO if you are under the age of 15, watch the trailer. Over 15, just read the book.</div>
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<br /></div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-21251114131737488872012-06-08T17:40:00.000-04:002012-06-08T17:40:12.052-04:0080's Pop Culture, Trailer Stacks, and an Easter Egg- Review of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Ready Player One</h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Ernest Cline</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2011</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ready-Player-One-A-Novel/dp/0307887448/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339191102&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a>/<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9969571-ready-player-one" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OV1yXb2HQc5bxq3Libr0YLxDuEoAmOkkQO8J3eDx8j6vJ9oVoR3-8aSNXnqJknDaximatT6Z-UZPW6NfF4sHLbNNnntfiL5V2OZHkKCI3UlqpZ5JuaDZwHAoodaZtC4T1X9kaWvERIeU/s1600/ReadyPlayerOne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OV1yXb2HQc5bxq3Libr0YLxDuEoAmOkkQO8J3eDx8j6vJ9oVoR3-8aSNXnqJknDaximatT6Z-UZPW6NfF4sHLbNNnntfiL5V2OZHkKCI3UlqpZ5JuaDZwHAoodaZtC4T1X9kaWvERIeU/s320/ReadyPlayerOne.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wade lives in a "trailer stack"- literally a stack of trailers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is a dystopian novel set in
2044. Due to global warming and
the energy crisis, industrialized nations are collapsing. People escape into the Oasis, an
immersive Internet world, where players are able to build the lives they wish
they had in reality. When the
1980’s-obsessed inventor of the Oasis dies, he leaves his fortune to the winner
of a virtual contest within the Oasis.
High school senior Wade Watts is determined to win this fortune- and the
most epic videogame of all. </div>
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I enjoyed this fast-paced read because of the incredible
world building, the 1980’s pop culture references, and the mysterious clues
within the contest. I even found
myself trying to solve the riddles along with Wade. The characters demonstrate inspiring perseverance and
sacrifice in their quest, and teenage and adult readers alike will enjoy the
game contained in this book.</div>
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For more information, check out the book's <a href="http://www.readyplayerone.com/" target="_blank">website</a>.</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-2780213841838568902012-05-28T20:17:00.001-04:002012-05-28T20:18:18.074-04:00Muy Delicioso: Dinner at Plaza del SolLast night J and I decided to drive out to Bethesda to try a new restaurant. As anyone who spends a lot of time with us knows, we spend a lot of time debating about where to eat. Because of our living situations, cooking our own food is not an option right now, so we eat out 3-4 times a week. With J's Medifast diet, he gets tired of eating at the same few places... leading to us driving 30 minutes for Mexican food.<br />
<br />
<b>Plaza del Sol</b> serves "fine Tex-Mex and Latin American cuisine," but the food was typical for a Mexican restaurant in the DC area. The front of the restaurant looks like a hole in the wall- the restaurant is narrow but long, and the front is very understated. Inside it looks nice with dark wood and a dedicated bar. There is indoor and outdoor seating. We arrived at 8:30 on Sunday night, and there were lots of people there- a few families with very young kids, but mostly young to middle age adults. <br />
<br />
We were seated promptly and already knew what to order from the online menu. I had the <b>Gold Cadillac Margarita</b> and <b>Steak Tacos al Carbon</b>. J had <b>Seafood Soup</b> and <b>Matamoros BBQ</b>. The food came quickly but nicely spaced, and the service was courteous and efficient. The margarita was pretty standard. The tacos came with 3 tacos, pico de gallo, sour cream, and guacamole- the meat was delicious and flavorful but not fatty. The Seafood Soup had scallops, shrimp, and some shelled-thing that I won't touch with a stick. I did enjoy the broth and it was creamy like a bisque. J loved the generous portion of meat from the Matamoros BBQ- there was also a basket with plenty of warm tortillas, but J didn't eat them since he's on Medifast. The prices were about 2-3 dollars more than our local Mexican place, but it was worth it!<br />
<br />
All in all <b>the experience was great and we will return soon</b> despite the distance. There is free parking in the garage across the street on weekends, and the area is pretty nice. I would highly recommend it!<br />
<br />
Check out the restaurant's <a href="http://pdsolrestaurant.com/">website</a> or the restaurant's <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/plaza-del-sol-bethesda" target="_blank">Yelp page</a>.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-31361309135284574322012-05-27T12:57:00.003-04:002012-05-28T20:19:11.990-04:00Why 50 Shades shouldn't be dismissed as mere Twilight fan ficI have spoken to several friends who are curious about the 50 Shades craze, and one friend who read it back when it was really just fan fic who thinks I'm an idiot for enjoying the series so much. While 50 Shades certainly isn't for everyone, and I don't think it's a MUST READ, the attitude of it being inferior to other romance stories or that I have no taste for enjoying it really irks me. I think the general attitude is that if you think Twilight sucks, then this book that is BASED OFF Twilight must be even lamer. Here's why I think 50 Shades shouldn't be discounted because of its origins:<br />
<br />
<b>1. Christian's control issues are viewed as an illness and treated as such. </b>In Twilight, Edward's crazy protection/control mentality is seen as for Bella's own good. In 50 Shades, Christian is seeing a therapist, and he and Ana eventually work out that control in the bedroom is good for them (though they switch it up), but Christian trying to control Ana's life is unacceptable. She gets angry at him and stands up for herself. I love that at several points she refuses to back down. She doesn't get flustered and start doubting her stance- instead she fights for her freedom and refuses to give in to Christian. He has to come to terms by adjusting his behavior, and although it is sometimes painful, he does.<br />
<br />
<b>2. There are no vampires, werewolves, or other paranormal elements. </b> My fiance was still laboring under the assumption that Christian was a vampire. No. All paranormal elements have been removed, which also removes the strange desire Edward feels to eat Bella because of his "nature." Although Christian at some point admits to wanting to hurt women, there are psychological reasons for this and it is addressed as part of his mental illness, not a sexy thing. Edward wanting to suck the life out of Bella but trying to control himself is portrayed as hot; Christian wanting to beat a woman is portrayed as unhealthy and unacceptable.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Ana is not a dishrag. </b>While Ana reminds me of Bella during the first couple of chapters where she is clumsy and has bad fashion sense, Ana quickly develops into a strong-willed, smart, and passionate woman. She is able to defend herself and does at a couple points, she is not afraid to be alone (no laying the woods for hours), and she knows what she wants from life. While Ana does bite her lip to the point of obnoxiousness, she isn't mousy. She actually IS very beautiful and interesting.<br />
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<b>4. There is no morality message from 50 Shades. </b> Twilight's pro-abstinence, pro-life, and sometimes religious undertones are not evident in 50 Shades. This is just a fun series for grown-ups without the author trying to make something that is not spiritual into a message- no hidden PSAs here.<br />
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To wrap up, I'd like to point out that while I would be embarrassed to be seen reading either series on the train (I love my Kindle!), aside from a basic outline the actual perspectives and tones of the novels are very different. Not to say they don't have things in common, because they clearly do, but 50 Shades isn't "Twilight for grown-ups." It isn't even really "What if Edward and Bella were into BDSM?" (The BDSM sub-plot takes a backseat to other story-lines.) It's an erotic romance series about unconditional love and overcoming mental illness.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-38687302022925774882012-05-26T11:25:00.000-04:002012-05-26T11:25:11.348-04:00The Vow: Not Sappy EnoughSo after listening to my best friend from high school gush about how excited he was to watch The Vow now that it is out on DVD, I decided to rent it this morning from Amazon. I love Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum (this friend and I have already made plans to go see Magic Mike this summer!), and I have been begging my fiance to rent it with me for awhile. The trailer made the movie out to be heartbreaking and beautiful, and I was expecting to be torn apart and refreshed like when I watched The Time Traveler's Wife or when I read The Fault in Our Stars. The Vow was certainly beautiful- I loved her sculptures, the urban background, the great costuming and make up (love Paige's wedding gown!), but it didn't make me cry- I didn't even tear up! I still think the story is beautiful and inspirational (more so because it's true), but I was expecting to be crying into my ice cream.<br />
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My favorite thing about the movie was actually really unexpected. The Vow is set in Chicago, and there are lots of city images in the movie, so I feel much better able to picture the setting of Divergent now! Paige and Leo visit the bean shaped sculpture that is near the Erudite compound, and there are trains running all over the city! I'm from DC, so I'm used to most of the trains being underground. It gave me a good background from which to view the Divergent story now.<br />
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I'm glad I watched The Vow, but I'm also glad I didn't make my fiance watch it with me. I'm still saving up credits to get him to go see Breaking Dawn part II with me this fall :)Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-78681008565240809912011-08-27T19:38:00.000-04:002011-08-27T19:38:44.341-04:00GIVEAWAY- Swamps, Gunshots, and Stolen Jewels: Review of Brightwing by Sullivan Lee<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Brightwing</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sullivan Lee</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brightwing-ebook/dp/B005BHR61I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314486536&sr=8-1">Amazon</a>,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/brightwing">Barnes and Noble</a>, and <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/73392">Smashwords</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Adult Action/Thriller</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNKHCbZKH59ebGKMU4N6be99hW5wk2xqdUfxoiio4zGfWOraOOU4gFqkJPfZIkwFPU2Pv3pVzw_kx8imz5k73coq2JlYwHSNUhKX8cCS7dTjF3w-gVViMwlHoUawr7NhYLlxgd9i56gbU/s1600/Brightwing2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNKHCbZKH59ebGKMU4N6be99hW5wk2xqdUfxoiio4zGfWOraOOU4gFqkJPfZIkwFPU2Pv3pVzw_kx8imz5k73coq2JlYwHSNUhKX8cCS7dTjF3w-gVViMwlHoUawr7NhYLlxgd9i56gbU/s320/Brightwing2.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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Brightwing is the story of Lucy Brightwing, the last living member of the Tequesta tribe, and her life-changing run-in with infamous brothers Edgar and Mallory Battle. Lucy is a hardworking, nature-loving, beautiful young woman. Edgar is my favorite kind of criminal- one with a personal moral code, like Captain Jack Sparrow. He's recently escaped from prison, and on the run with his younger brother Mallory. Mallory is an absolute sociopath. More on this later.<br />
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Lucy is given the opportunity to steal some uncut jewels, and her cut of the deal would be enough for her to purchase some land to start her own tribe. She experiences car trouble on her way home after the theft, and Edgar and Mallory see her on the side of the road and decide to use her as a hostage. Little do they know, she is not an average woman, and she could easily escape from them or kill them- at the risk of losing her jewels. She also knows that she must stay alive at all costs, to keep the Tequesta blood alive. Together the three evade the law and must decide how to resolve their individual problems.<br />
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Brightwing is extremely well-written- the language is beautiful, the editing is well-done, and the action and dialogue flow comfortably. Lucy is a cool, very likable character. She is resourceful and powerful, and her love of the land brings back memories of Disney's Pocahontas. Edgar is also likeable, although as the author pointed out in her interview with this blog, his character is not that of the traditional male hero. Lucy really is more powerful than him, and he experiences tons of personal conflict in the story regarding his brother and his desire for freedom. I absolutely hated Mallory. Mallory reminded me of Lennie from Of Mice and Men- IF Lennie was a psychopath, IF Lennie did not recognize other beings as having life, and IF Lennie found personal pleasure in cruel, unspeakable acts. However, Mallory's character is part of what made this story unique- he is presented as sympathetic from some angles, which was an interesting perspective that stretched my thinking.<br />
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My favorite part of the story is the end. The last 100 or 200 pages on my iPhone were really fun and exciting, with cool twists. I also enjoyed reading about how Lucy transferred power from the men to herself gradually. If I could change anything about the story, it would be to take away a little bit of the swamp descriptions- I've never liked setting descriptions in books, and although the descriptions are eloquent and the settings intricate, I prefer more action and dialogue. I would also make certain scenes less graphic. I can't watch CSI or anything like that because graphic violence, particularly of a sexual nature freaks me out.<br />
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I would recommend this book to adults who enjoy stories of survival, action, and nature. The Floridian swamp setting is almost a character in this book, it plays such a big part, and nature lovers might really enjoy that aspect.<br />
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Giveaway time!!<br />
<br />
Thanks to the generous author, I am giving away two e-copies of this book. Please fill out the form below. Ages 13+ only. This giveaway will end in one week, on September 3 at midnight.<br />
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<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="696" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dGdkVFd2WEZaN3FoUlpSbG9ldTBhQkE6MQ" width="760">&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;</iframe>
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**Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-5935624901708106722011-08-26T20:59:00.000-04:002011-08-26T20:59:00.081-04:00Lucky Charm Blog Tour- Interview With Author Marie Astor<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lucky Charm</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Marie Astor</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Adult Contemporary Romance</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Purchase at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Charm-ebook/dp/B005BZL3L4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1314052260&sr=8-6">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lucky-charm-marie-astor/1104362033?ean=2940011386602&itm=8&usri=lucky%2bcharm">Barnes and Noble</a>, or <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/72450">Smashwords</a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcyF74KXX07Sv_iwS1WNO1x7bNk8V6gXqyDXdQjuUVSmPGW9bqRvbqcGwaqx6s1felXlHRF2V6On94wVkZvPiXAlL0xfDC-dp2mKKWBIc_IDNnyqhxHB85WnOoga_8M9-NliHce73Om75/s1600/Mary+Astor_Lucky+Charm+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcyF74KXX07Sv_iwS1WNO1x7bNk8V6gXqyDXdQjuUVSmPGW9bqRvbqcGwaqx6s1felXlHRF2V6On94wVkZvPiXAlL0xfDC-dp2mKKWBIc_IDNnyqhxHB85WnOoga_8M9-NliHce73Om75/s320/Mary+Astor_Lucky+Charm+%25281%2529.jpg" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the cute cover! <br />
What a classic, romantic scene.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQ9NlPTPjgd_UAlQQ8qCHBTwBvPKQdb0_2GZv12D8eyk_3IuHyBBWcVxwB54hfNKCdEGef8YoIwC_WWoGV31PZZbiY847XQP9OzkPHRUjywOGhU7Lm70A-yp8m6GXI8b2vzKgjKFKpTCL/s1600/Marie+Astor+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQ9NlPTPjgd_UAlQQ8qCHBTwBvPKQdb0_2GZv12D8eyk_3IuHyBBWcVxwB54hfNKCdEGef8YoIwC_WWoGV31PZZbiY847XQP9OzkPHRUjywOGhU7Lm70A-yp8m6GXI8b2vzKgjKFKpTCL/s320/Marie+Astor+photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Author Marie Astor</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: As a newer
author, many bloggers may still be unfamiliar with you. Could you please tell us a little bit about
yourself?</span></div>
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MA: I am a die-hard romantic who wholeheartedly believes in true
love, which is why I write in the contemporary romance genre. I am the author
of a contemporary romance novel, Lucky Charm, and a short story collection, A
Chance Encounter and Other Stories. In addition to being a writer, I am an avid
hiker, an excellent swimmer, a good skier, and a capable badminton player. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: Please tell
us about <i>Lucky Charm</i> in one sentence.</span></div>
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MA: In a nutshell, Lucky Charm is a story about a girl who
loses her faith in love, but it is also a story about friendship and
forgiveness, and most importantly, it is a story about being brave enough to
believe in love and having the courage to pursue it.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: What was
your inspiration for writing <i>Lucky Charm</i>?</span></div>
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MA: Romance is such a big part of women’s lives – we spend so
much time dreaming and worrying about finding that special someone, but when
things do not go exactly as planned, we rely on our friends to help us through
the tough times. I knew I wanted to write a fun contemporary romance about the
role that friendships play in women’s lives and the challenges of opening up to
love after getting one’s heart broken. </div>
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At first, <span style="color: #222222;">the idea started out
as a short story I wrote, entitled Lady Luck, which is part of my short story
collection, A Chance Encounter and Other Stories. By the time I finished the
outline for Lucky Charm, the novel turned out to be very different from the
short story that inspired it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: You handle the unraveling of Annabel’s engagement
with honesty and hope. I went
through a broken engagement as well… What advice do you as a romance
writer and woman have for others recovering from broken relationships?</span></div>
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MA: Never give up on love! We’ve all suffered from a broken
heart - as daunting as it may feel at the time, it is possible to fall in love
again. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: What is your
favorite part of the story?</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">MA: My favorite part of the story is
when Etienne takes Annabel for a tour of a chateau – Annabel is expecting them
to be part of a tour group, but instead she finds herself sharing a romantic
evening alone with Etienne.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: What are
some of your favorite books right now?</span></div>
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MA: I just finished rereading Sidney Sheldon’s <i>If Tomorrow Comes.</i> I absolutely love
this book - it’s got romance, intrigue, revenge – what more could a reader
want?</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: What
are you working on now? Can
we expect another book soon?</span></div>
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MA: I am currently working on my next contemporary romance – it
is a love story set at a ski resort. The book should be coming out in November.
Please visit my website, <a href="http://www.marieastor.com/">http://www.marieastor.com/</a>
for updates. Here is a little preview:</div>
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At twenty two Maggie has a lot of important decisions to
make: Jeffrey, her aspiring politician boyfriend of five years has just
proposed to her, and an acceptance letter from one of the best law schools in
the country is lying on her desk. But is that what she really wants? The answer
comes most unexpectedly when during a ski trip to Colorado she meets Taylor, a
handsome, free-spirited big mountain skier who is the complete opposite of
Jeffrey. Maggie’s attraction to Taylor is undeniable, but she is engaged to
marry Jeffrey. Will Maggie find the courage to follow her heart? </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: Thank you, Marie Astor, for this interview!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqamBWNydgBezcY5YQZPoa6hK3w8YZW6GElwtKYyiXu-C5yuiB3uA9h_MQ0ssD049YF8QMopbdQVi0iivvI5srjnkIBxVL-6XetgBmO76P35IU8Kh31XFeHF_dJB0RkN4fCE2oeLYTjSc/s1600/LuckyCharmBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqamBWNydgBezcY5YQZPoa6hK3w8YZW6GElwtKYyiXu-C5yuiB3uA9h_MQ0ssD049YF8QMopbdQVi0iivvI5srjnkIBxVL-6XetgBmO76P35IU8Kh31XFeHF_dJB0RkN4fCE2oeLYTjSc/s640/LuckyCharmBanner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">I received a copy of this book from the author for review. Review for this book to come soon. Visit the next stop tomorrow August 28th at </span><a href="http://jacaburintexas.blogspot.com/">Housewife Blues & Chihuahua Stories</a>!</div>
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Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-54210577673914065692011-08-25T04:00:00.000-04:002011-08-25T04:00:07.797-04:00Love Potions, Librarians, and a Tiny Hispanic Boy: Review of Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Witches of East End</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">#1, The Beauchamp Family</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Melissa de la Cruz</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Adult, 272 pages</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I like the cover, but I'm not too sure <br />why there are pretty red leaves.</td></tr>
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This is Melissa de la Cruz's first adult novel, and I LOVED it. It was fun, but not ridiculous (some of the Blue Bloods kind of weirded me out), it read smoothly, and basically, it was like the perfect truffle- rich but not too big of a serving. I also liked that although there will be more books about the Beauchamps, this book could be a stand-alone novel. As in, it's a complete story in one book! Imagine that!<br />
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North Hampton is an old-fashioned coastal town in New York, and three witches live there. Joanna Beauchamp lives there with her two adult daughters, Ingrid and Freya, and their familiars: a griffin, a raven, and a cat. Joanna's gift is wisdom, Ingrid's is Hearth, and Freya's gift is love. Unfortunately, back in the 1600's, the three were told that they could no longer practice magic- they had to live as humans... So Joanna is a lonely woman, Ingrid works at the local library as an architectural archivist, and Freya is a bartender, engaged to be married to wealthy Bran Gardiner. Things are going well for the family until Freya's eye is caught by Bran's younger brother at their engagement party. When Ingrid decides to secretly practice a little magic to help a fellow librarian conceive, things really start to spin out of control, and the events that follow start to look pretty bad for the family.<br />
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As I said, this was an excellent novel. It's advertised as a summer read, and it's really perfect for reading right now, with the end of summer mentality going around. For me, it's cooler nights, stormy weather, and an air of nostalgia. Some Blue Bloods characters show up, which is fun, and there is a heavy infusion of Norse mythology, particularly at the end. It's also refreshing to read the first book in a paranormal series where the paranormal beings already know about their powers! All three main characters are engaging and likeable. Joanna is a very motherly figure, and her affection for her housekeeper's young son is endearing. Ingrid, who might have an unrequited crush, has a sincere desire to help others, and Freya's passion for love and life is energizing and sexy. My favorite part is when Freya starts to mix up love potions at her bar- I love fancy drinks, and magical ones sound even better! <br />
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I'd recommend this to older fans of Blue Bloods- I like this book better, and it's got a positive energy flowing through it. I'm looking forward to the next book!<br />
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<br />Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-33701043702071348082011-08-20T15:11:00.001-04:002011-08-20T15:11:59.137-04:00Interview with Sullivan Lee, Author of Brightwing<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Review of Brightwing to come later this week!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: Since you usually write books for younger readers, many bloggers may be unfamiliar with you! Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself?</span></div>
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<b>SL: I'm a former newspaper editor, former social worker, former deputy sheriff, current mother, constant worrier, and perpetual writer. Under my real name (Laura L. Sullivan) I write books for children. <i>Under the Green Hill</i> and <i>Guardian of the Green Hill</i> (Holt Books for Young Readers) are about a group of children caught in the middle of a fairy war. <i>Ladies in Waiting</i>, out next May from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, is a bawdy historical set in the 1660s England.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>When I started writing adult crime novels (hey, I have to put that law enforcement training to use!) I was intrigued by the self publishing world, and decided to experiment. It's going very well so far!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>You can find out more about me on my blog, The Omniscient Third Person.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="http://lauralsullivan.blogspot.com/"><span style="text-decoration: none;">http://lauralsullivan.blogspot.com/</span></a><b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: Please tell us about your book in just one sentence.</span></div>
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<b>SL: Two criminal brothers on the run get more than they bargain for when they take a female thief hostage.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>(Whew! I should note that I'm not good at short. My last contracted book had a 90K word cap and my first draft was 120K. I turned it in at 106K and my poor editor had to do her magic.)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: I'm guessing your past as a Deputy Sheriff made you interested in the criminal aspect of the story, but what was your inspiration for writing about the indigenous peoples of Florida?</span></div>
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<b>SL: I've lived most of my life in Florida (right now I'm in Kentucky but I'll be moving back soon) and I've always been fascinated with its early history. Florida was, essentially, <i>Clan of the Cave Bear </i>at the beach, with humans living beside mammoths, giant sloths, sabre-tooth cats, and man-eating terror birds. (Even Ayla didn't have to contend with those!)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>I've been an amateur fossil hunter for years, and though most of what I find is from animals, I've also found a few relics of the people – beads and arrowheads. Florida has lost a lot of pristine habitat, but you can still find places – especially in the swamps – that are a lot like they were when Florida's first indigenous people were there. (Of course, most of them quite sensibly lived on the coast, or the spring-fed, higher elevation interior. No one in their right mind lives in the swamps if they can help it!) Florida still has a bit of a primal feel, and it never seemed like the paleoindians were too distant.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>So when I needed a heroine who was perfectly at home in the Florida wilderness, I looked to pre-history. The Tequesta are a real tribe, but (as far as we know) they died out about 300 years ago. (The Seminole and Miccosukee tribes came later, fleeing from the north, and the Seminoles probably owe their status as the only unconquered tribe to the fact that they moved to the inhospitable Everglades.) I tweaked history to make a branch of the Tequesta line survive to this day.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: I have to be honest with you- your story left me feeling unsettled. Without giving away anything, the last third or so of the book contains some surprises (both good and bad, in my opinion), and the last page was not really what I was expecting! How did you feel about the ending of the book, and how do you expect other readers will feel?</span></div>
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<b>SL: When you write for a commercial publisher, there is a lot of pressure to make your book conform to certain presuppositions. Villains should die (or be defeated until the sequel) and when a couple gets together their emotions should be overwhelmingly happy. That's what they think will sell best – and it probably does. I decided that I needed to tell a different kind of story.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>The characters I created in <i>Brightwing</i> are meant to be very disturbing people. And the things they do? As you say, unsettling. They do things which, in other people, would be unbelievable, but which are perfectly in accord with their natures. I wanted to induce strong emotions in the reader – disgust at Mallory's actions, shock at Lucy's reaction to them, puzzlement and sympathy over Edgar's emasculated role. And the ending is deliberately provoking – but again, it suits the characters' natures.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>I wrote an alternate ending first, with Mallory dying, but it just wasn't right. When I reworked it, I also saw what terrible wonders he could do in a sequel, so he had to stay. (The sequel, <i>Swamp Bordello</i>, will be out in about a year.)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Most of all, I want <i>Brightwing</i> to be a book people think about long after they finish reading it. Justice and happy endings fade quickly, I think, but if you've thrown a book across the room a time or two – and picked it up again – you'll never forget it.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: That's funny, because I came close to throwing the book. I'm glad I didn't, seeing as how I was reading the ebook on my phone. How did the experience of writing for adults differ from your other writing?</span></div>
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<b>SL: To me, writing for children and writing for adults feels fundamentally the same. Children are slightly less forgiving, and not quite so easy to manipulate as adult readers, but I tell the stories pretty much the same way. I never write down to children, and I never sugarcoat emotions, good or bad. All of my books, I think, speak of the world being an exquisitely lovely place, but terribly unsafe, which children need to learn, and adults need to be reminded of.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: What are you currently reading?</span></div>
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<b>SL: I just started <i>Kushiel's Dart</i>, by Jacqueline Carey. I'm a sucker for slave-girl and courtesan narratives! It's fascinating that the main character is a complete masochist without being at all weak.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: What advice do you have for young writers who are trying finish a novel and get it published?</span></div>
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<b>SL: Pretty standard stuff – read everything you can get your hands on. Not every sensitive reader can become a sensitive writer, but I don't think you can be a good writer without being a true reader first.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>When you've finished your first manuscript, lock it away and spend the next few months doing research about the publishing world. When you think you're beginning to understand it, edit your book – many times. Put it away and research the market again. Edit again. Then simultaneously start your new book and begin to query agents. You need the new book to take your mind off checking your email every three minutes!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>If you decide to go the self-published route, do the same, but double your research time!</b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">LPFR: Thanks for the opportunity to read and review your book! </span></div>
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<b>SL: And thank you so much for having me on La Petite Fille Rousse!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-34731960920333908072011-08-11T17:34:00.001-04:002011-08-20T15:13:39.482-04:00Blogoversary Giveaway of Starcrossed!** GIVEAWAY CLOSED **<br />
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Hi, everyone! On Monday, I started my first full-time teaching job, and it's AWESOME. The school is so excellent and so focused on student success! However, I'm still finishing my summer tutoring appointments, so my reading and blogging time has been stunted. I'm currently reading Brightwing by Sullivan Lee, and it's proving to be an exciting read! <br />
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A year ago today, I wrote my first blog post. To thank my followers and celebrate, I am going to give away a new, finished copy of Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini! This was THE BEST book that I read this year, but I haven't reviewed it (there are so many rave reviews already)... So here's my "review": Starcrossed is romantic, passionate, and full of action. It incorporates mythology and super powers with heart breaking secrets and twists. If you enjoy YA at all, READ THIS BOOK. <br />
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RULES: You must be 13 or older to enter. You must live in the United States or Canada. You must be a follower (this is to thank my followers, after all)! I reserve the right to cancel the contest in case of disaster.<br />
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To enter the contest, fill out the following google form:<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="718" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dFY3UDhLNHhnZjRBWFB6Y1pXMVVtRGc6MQ" width="760">&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;</iframe>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-14272861978541133522011-08-07T12:52:00.003-04:002011-08-07T12:52:49.193-04:00In My Mailbox #1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br />In My Mailbox is hosted by <a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/">The Story Siren</a>!</div>
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I also received a really cool eBook:</div>
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<br />Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-14393753819694073392011-08-05T15:52:00.001-04:002011-08-05T15:54:15.254-04:00A Spanish Convent, Love Triangles, and Lots of Aliens: Review of The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8659601-the-power-of-six"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Power of Six</span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lorien Legacies, #2</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Sequel to I Am Number Four)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pittacus Lore (pen name for James Frey)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Will be released on August 23, 2011</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(but you can pre-order!!)</span></div>
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**BASIC SPOILER ALERT FOR I AM NUMBER FOUR!!**<br />
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The Power of Six is a strong follow-up to I Am Number Four (<a href="http://lapetitefillerousse.blogspot.com/2011/07/belated-books-glowing-hands-scary.html">review here</a>). The story picks up shortly after the last book ended, but it opens with a new member of the Garde (super-cool young aliens with special powers, only six known survivors of their race). Marina (Number Seven) and her Cepan (older protector alien, skilled in combat but without the special powers) have been hiding in a convent in Spain for a long time. Marina is now almost eighteen and skilled with the Legacies she has discovered so far. The problem is that her Cepan, Adelina, has dedicated her life to the Church and refuses to acknowledge what they are and what their mission is. With the help of an adorable new orphan named Ella, Marina plots to find the Chest containing her powerful inheritance- she wants to find the other five, before the Mogadorians find her!</div>
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The book is split back and forth between Marina's story and John's story. John, if you will recall, has run away from Paradise, Ohio with Six, Sam, and Bernie Kosar, leaving Sarah, the love of his life, behind. They are major fugitives, suspected of terrorist actions and hunted by the police as well as the Mogadorians. John is still holding on to the letter than his Cepan, Henri, wrote to him before he died, and he hasn't opened his Chest to explore his Inheritance yet. Meanwhile, both John and Sam have crushes on Six- which makes John feel guilty and Sam feel jealous. </div>
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Fortunately, relatively little time is spent on the love triangle(s) aspect. This book is action packed- the fight scenes are more frequent and even better than in the first book! The Garde have such cool powers, and in this book, they use them creatively. Marina, in particular, uses her powers skillfully. I remember reading I Am Number Four and wondering why John didn't use this or that power to do whatever, but in this book, he uses his powers in ways that I hadn't imagined, leaving me impressed with his innovative thinking. There's also a really cool part where John and Six use their powers to directly help humans by freaking out a bad guy. Sam also has special moments- he's NOT like Ron Weasley (mostly useless in combat until the very end). Despite being a human instead of an alien, Sam shows bravery, strength, and skill alongside John and Six.<br />
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The only downside was that the book was a little hard to get into- the first 50 pages or so set up the story for both John and Marina, which ends up being a lot of build up. After that, though, things start to get exciting... There are several cool twists- some in the beginning, and some near the end, and I LOVE twists that I didn't see coming! The last one hundred pages I couldn't put the book down, and I can't wait for #3! This book definitely ended on a cliffhanger, but the kind that makes you look forward to the next book, not the kind that makes you write an angry tweet and then delete it.<br />
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I would recommend this series to fans of YA Adventure. This is an alien story, which is kind of different, and it's a lot of fun to read. Yes, there's lots of violence, and yes, there's sad parts, but the writing gives you a positive, vibrant feeling, and the characters are good natured and warm. Both boys and girls will enjoy this book, and I think it transcends interest levels- this would be just as good to someone my age as to a fourteen year old.<br />
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Check out <a href="http://iamnumberfourfans.com/the-lorien-legacies/">the website</a> for more info!<br />
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Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.<br />
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<br />Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-62273308237934954632011-08-05T14:46:00.007-04:002011-08-05T14:51:11.615-04:00Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiaMXeyANEjXe26EhbN75T486IsdPtHi6JxY-fS08AVKeEnbXTuPaxSfISITpSa0DhoznRF5VKfD_yahdHNcde4xywfHKy6SksVpHuk7UiUw1J7Aip_PJQtERlT7-rT6okKoBLm0dBd8xX/s1600/bookbloggerhop.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiaMXeyANEjXe26EhbN75T486IsdPtHi6JxY-fS08AVKeEnbXTuPaxSfISITpSa0DhoznRF5VKfD_yahdHNcde4xywfHKy6SksVpHuk7UiUw1J7Aip_PJQtERlT7-rT6okKoBLm0dBd8xX/s1600/bookbloggerhop.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book Blogger Hop is hosted by <a href="http://crazy-for-books.com/2011/08/book-blogger-hop-85-88.html">Crazy for Books</a>!</td></tr>
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This week's question: What is the one ARC you would love to get your hands on right now?<br />
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EASY:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCVF-LOMPlIurFToo8MKYfuIiB5lNx9zqZpGqDhGsEW1kb7WrHSEhQgESBIMe9gRjs-TKgou7D5PbazMvIN-NZehvpoGylp3xuV9hA4qk8JdmU_2JNTZL5WaB_0sBjRFbwYX9U4tu1LMK/s1600/Bloodlines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCVF-LOMPlIurFToo8MKYfuIiB5lNx9zqZpGqDhGsEW1kb7WrHSEhQgESBIMe9gRjs-TKgou7D5PbazMvIN-NZehvpoGylp3xuV9hA4qk8JdmU_2JNTZL5WaB_0sBjRFbwYX9U4tu1LMK/s400/Bloodlines.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I would LOVE to read and review this book, <br />
just like so many other bloggers... <br />
I know I'll get it when it comes out in a few weeks, <br />
but for right now, I'm majorly jonesing for it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjSevuXm1ralBrstmPjr4XJAznETs3KUvH5o8N7y6JIZq-LCk46wZQrrkCcvnVM7B6uNbwGgW3gigyHtGcOdP4q4a19KxsSehxcLGNuDFpYuYumAJeBu_HrmWCXj9HV4ZY0U9LxOlNZZO/s1600/FollowFriday.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjSevuXm1ralBrstmPjr4XJAznETs3KUvH5o8N7y6JIZq-LCk46wZQrrkCcvnVM7B6uNbwGgW3gigyHtGcOdP4q4a19KxsSehxcLGNuDFpYuYumAJeBu_HrmWCXj9HV4ZY0U9LxOlNZZO/s320/FollowFriday.png" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Follow Friday is hosted by <a href="http://www.parajunkee.com/">Parajunkee's View</a> and <a href="http://www.alisoncanread.com/">Alison Can Read</a>!</td></tr>
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Q: What is the one book that most changed or influenced your life?</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhvgpm_9wRMgsUI7uoLharFrz0jYryz-PkHDOE31eMIusGluUlE0dYpyYBNaykSVc0npXSgBd_bE85HYBLRivl-CvXXIqI6M1LGWMNn9eYlnCJ9ctCjPIcPoODVZRLLepEiqSNCi0evuG/s1600/A-Tree-Grows-In-Brooklyn.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhvgpm_9wRMgsUI7uoLharFrz0jYryz-PkHDOE31eMIusGluUlE0dYpyYBNaykSVc0npXSgBd_bE85HYBLRivl-CvXXIqI6M1LGWMNn9eYlnCJ9ctCjPIcPoODVZRLLepEiqSNCi0evuG/s400/A-Tree-Grows-In-Brooklyn.jpeg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I read this back in high school, <br />
and I learned so much about life and love from it. <br />
The characters are rich, their struggles are genuine, <br />
and through the heartache, hope never leaves them.</td></tr>
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<br />Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-41937616230471034262011-08-03T09:56:00.002-04:002011-08-03T09:56:28.097-04:00Music, Love, and a Fateful Porn Shop Meeting: Review of Will Grayson, Will Grayson<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Will Grayson, Will Grayson</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">John Green and David Levithan</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">YA Contemp Romance</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2010</span></div>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9Kh0P4phFv9vbRsEz1b0nTlLCfnUwm6dNycsbYwXhkwIRmf0HRwEyXsznIyu0d8Jh0HJhDuFM_qwR4wOZp0BbGvXwtKbH3NQnlez6LwfCphq6R-bQ5NVhD_AtFzJb60uEAKAb7eNU3pQ/s1600/200px-WillGrayson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9Kh0P4phFv9vbRsEz1b0nTlLCfnUwm6dNycsbYwXhkwIRmf0HRwEyXsznIyu0d8Jh0HJhDuFM_qwR4wOZp0BbGvXwtKbH3NQnlez6LwfCphq6R-bQ5NVhD_AtFzJb60uEAKAb7eNU3pQ/s1600/200px-WillGrayson.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm guessing the cover, which is beautiful, <br />is showing city lights on the night the two Wills meet.</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
Will Grayson, Will Grayson is the story of two boys, both named Will Grayson, and their struggle to learn to love others and themselves. John Green and David Levithan each created a character and then had them meet- incidentally at porn shop that neither one was supposed to be at. This chance encounter brings out different aspects of their personalities as their friends interact and as they compare themselves to each other. <br />
<br />
The "first" Will Grayson is a quiet boy with a very loud, very openly gay, very huge best friend named Tiny. Tiny is a giant football player who falls in and out of love several times each week, and he's working on a musical about his life called Tiny Dancer. Tiny is the GSA president, and another member, Jane (who at first may be part of the gay or the straight side of the alliance, Will isn't sure), turns out to have awesome taste in music, be very smart, and totally cute to Will. Can Will discover his place in this group of friends? Will needs Tiny, but does Tiny need Will?<br />
<br />
The "second" Will Grayson is a guy struggling to live with major depression. Will lives with his mom, who loves him dearly, but clearly has her own problems as well. He has few friends, none close, except for an online friend named Isaac. Isaac and Will talk online every night, and they hope to one day meet. Finally, Will plans to travel to meet Isaac...<br />
<br />
I had a hard time getting into this book, but once I got past the first 50 pages, I loved it. This is an excellent LGBT book about teens, but it's really just a book about LOVE. Love between parents and kids, love between friends, love between boys and girls, and love between boys and boys. What is love? How do you know you are in love? What will you do for someone who loves you? Can you make someone love you? <br />
<br />
While this book deals with the painful topic of major depression, both Wills are humorous which keeps this from being a depressing read. There is a dark tone to it, but the use of music lightens things up periodically. The "first" Will Grayson and his friends are into punk/indie music, and they go to a couple of shows and talk about their favorite songs. A sub-plot of the book is Tiny's production of his musical, including some lyrics, that are super funny while expressing issues and questions surrounding his sexuality and his desire for love (example: a baseball scene with the song "What's Second Base for a Gay Man?"). <br />
<br />
I LOVE the honesty of this book. The "second" Will Grayson eloquently expresses his feelings and frustrations with his life and depression: "it's not fair, because i didn't ask for dad to leave, and i didn't ask to be depressed, and i didn't ask for us to have no money, and i didn't ask to want to f--k boys, and i didn't ask to be so stupid, and i didn't ask to have no real friends, and i didn't ask to have half the s--t that comes out of my mouth come out of my mouth. all i wanted was one f--king break, one idiotic good thing, and that was clearly too much to ask for, too much to want (p. 148)." Will feels a great sense of injustice that his life is so hard. He knows he's hurting people, but he doesn't want to, he's just trying to survive with the life he has been given. I think he wants space, too, space to be himself even if it bothers other people. He wants those around him to realize that he's hurting and may hurt them, and to love him anyways.<br />
<br />
There's a scene when the "first" Will is giving Tiny the silent treatment that I really found insightful. "It's not even that I want to torture him anymore. I'm just reveling in the glory of not having to hear the neediness and impotence of my own voice (p.158)." If you've ever argued with someone who is more loud, more demanding, and more assertive that you, you might identify with Will here. I know that I do. There comes a point when you feel so helpless that you don't even want to try to get your point across, and there's power in NOT speaking, because the other person needs you to say something in order for him or her to shut you down. Will is sick of his relationship with Tiny, and he wants to stop feeding his own need for Tiny.<br />
<br />
Bottom line: GREAT read. I'd highly recommend it to all high school students as well as anyone who likes diverse romance books or books about friendship. I can't wait to read other books by Green and Levithan.<br />
<br />
I checked this book out of my local library.<br />
<br />Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-49741430437084654332011-08-02T14:54:00.003-04:002011-08-02T14:54:56.173-04:00Top Ten YA Trends- More or Less?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGrotodQhwrzvrsSW2dXOFEqqjL7X1GKbOBJfXhDanXGdiOBIoGKFI9u_8OIuIG3fOXFA_cYMitfO68hyphenhyphenQTVY7nLqFMbVPVLuHgkjTLQON3UZps2Z29-i_N31l2VjaAQoyAcsraFv7eoV/s1600/TTT3W.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGrotodQhwrzvrsSW2dXOFEqqjL7X1GKbOBJfXhDanXGdiOBIoGKFI9u_8OIuIG3fOXFA_cYMitfO68hyphenhyphenQTVY7nLqFMbVPVLuHgkjTLQON3UZps2Z29-i_N31l2VjaAQoyAcsraFv7eoV/s1600/TTT3W.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />
More:<br />
1. LGBT characters- I'm not sure if this is really a TREND... but I'm reading Will Grayson, Will Grayson right now, and of course, I'm a big TMI fan, and I love reading about queer characters worked into the story, sometimes main characters, sometimes supporting, but present and not victims.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9Kh0P4phFv9vbRsEz1b0nTlLCfnUwm6dNycsbYwXhkwIRmf0HRwEyXsznIyu0d8Jh0HJhDuFM_qwR4wOZp0BbGvXwtKbH3NQnlez6LwfCphq6R-bQ5NVhD_AtFzJb60uEAKAb7eNU3pQ/s1600/200px-WillGrayson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9Kh0P4phFv9vbRsEz1b0nTlLCfnUwm6dNycsbYwXhkwIRmf0HRwEyXsznIyu0d8Jh0HJhDuFM_qwR4wOZp0BbGvXwtKbH3NQnlez6LwfCphq6R-bQ5NVhD_AtFzJb60uEAKAb7eNU3pQ/s1600/200px-WillGrayson.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
2. Steampunk- I really want to see MORE steampunk, because it's not something I'm super familiar with. I really like what Julia said about it on <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/2011/08/top-ten-trends-id-like-to-see-moreless.html">The Broke and the Bookish</a> for today.<br />
<br />
3. Magic! I love reading about magic. So does most of the rest of the YA audience, apparently. I love reading to escape, and reading about magical people with power and large scale problems is a good way to get out of my own life and into someone else's.<br />
<br />
4. Cool covers- Beauty Queens by Libba Bray might be my fav cover ever. It's cool and striking- it definitely grabs your attention with the bikini clad girl wearing a bandolier of lipsticks! There are also a lot of beautiful covers on the paranormal books- pretty angels, glitter, shining lights.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRcs21Xmc1faky8eDtU-lvbWgO5a5NuxEiMBRi_ey7oBMo0uyeXNe6-pfVoEA09aBDiq_-uBfMOWKvsVD9wzXyhf5tAu1xKn271IhgC1srTj_zV08FmmA6bxrt6650ayaTuNZ4Zccjar6/s1600/BeautyQueens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRcs21Xmc1faky8eDtU-lvbWgO5a5NuxEiMBRi_ey7oBMo0uyeXNe6-pfVoEA09aBDiq_-uBfMOWKvsVD9wzXyhf5tAu1xKn271IhgC1srTj_zV08FmmA6bxrt6650ayaTuNZ4Zccjar6/s320/BeautyQueens.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
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<br />
5. YA pride! YA hasn't been around for that long- I love that the YA section of my local library is growing and the books are getting bigger and prettier!<br />
<br />
Less:<br />
6. Series. I imagine that lots of people will include this under the "Less" category. Series are great, if it's a world so amazing that you would want to live there and immerse yourself, but for books that are a) really sad or b) iffy in plot intrigue, I'd rather get it over in one book. Example: personally I found Matched by Ally Condie to be SO DEPRESSING... and I know a lot of people loved it, but it just made me so sad and so angry... and when it ended with a "to be continued" I almost went crazy. I might have thrown the book. I know that I like binged on happy food or something because I just was so sad! I don't know if I want to read Crossed, because Matched made me so upset! It's like The Giver by Lois Lowry... clearly another book could have been written all about Jonas, but she LEFT IT ALONE. Instead, she wrote about two other characters in the same world- the three books have different tones and different main characters and you can even enjoy them as stand alones! I wish more books were written that way, without these epic "Friends" length romances and love triangles.<br /><br />
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7. Mega angst- I'm just sick of teens whining for the sake of whining. If something is really wrong, that's one thing, but if you are just feeling moody (like HP circa book 5... well, things were bad for him, but not as bad as they would be later!) then I don't want to read about it. I had a Xanga... In fact, it's still up, I think, and I can't stand to read about how lame I was in high school. Get over it.<br />
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8. Creepy faeries- Personally, I am not the biggest fairy fan. I like my good and evil distinct, not mixed together in a cold but beautiful way. I enjoyed Tithe by Holly Black, but it's not something I'd like to immerse myself in (like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson).<br />
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That's all I can think of! Thanks for visiting- leave a comment so I can check out your list as well!Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-88368140823001066422011-07-30T08:30:00.001-04:002011-07-30T08:30:00.294-04:00Mean Girls, BFFs, and a Creeper: Belated Books Review of ttyl by Lauren Myracle<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>ttyl</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Internet Girls, #1</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Lauren Myracle</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>2004</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>209 pages</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72CpJQ6_KXPkdB0UVYWauWfdqMvNv2se8QMzoPMelq7hn6ueSqQyZspdOf7prnrk7svB50s45701sgNHKZQ_RZBYDVCem_qkcMs9AMfk83PQFTI739RgSIkmgpUibvAsrNxayAkWCVl4K/s1600/ttyl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72CpJQ6_KXPkdB0UVYWauWfdqMvNv2se8QMzoPMelq7hn6ueSqQyZspdOf7prnrk7svB50s45701sgNHKZQ_RZBYDVCem_qkcMs9AMfk83PQFTI739RgSIkmgpUibvAsrNxayAkWCVl4K/s320/ttyl.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun, simple cover- tells you what to expect with the internet vibe and the dramatic emoticons!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I picked up this book from the library out of curiosity. ttyl was on the <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/21stcenturychallenged/2007/index.cfm">ALA's Top Ten Most Frequently Challenged Book</a> list from <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2007-2009 for "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group." Since it looks like a typical young teen girl book, I wanted to see what all of the fuss was about. </span></span>Interestingly, the book, which is about high school sophomores, was published the year I was a high school sophomore.<br />
<br />
ttyl is written as a series of IMs between three best friends. Maddie is loud and funky- she really wants to be cool and edgy, so she tries to get in good with Queen Bee Jana. Angela is boy-crazy but loyal to her friends. She reminded me of Tina Hakim-Baba from The Princess Diaries. Zoe is a very straight-laced, obedient kind of girl who is unsure how to respond to attention from her young English teacher. She is also curious about the Christian group at her school, and she experiments with faith and religion.<br />
<br />
The book was exactly what I expected- the crazy actions of high school girls, mixed with drama and tension between the friends. The book contains cursing and vulgar language, but not as bad as the language online when I was in middle school. The sexual content is not explicit, although one scene where Maddie recounts her visit to a frat party might be shocking to a sheltered girl, like her friend Zoe, whom she tries to hide what happened from. Basically, this book was a pretty realistic picture of what high school can be like.<br />
<br />
The dynamics between the friends were believable- they get jealous, love each other, and bicker about stupid stuff. Their voices were authentic- I felt like I knew these girls. They didn't say "lol" as much as I know my friends and I did and still do online- I actually can't find any "lol"s just flipping through. <br />
<br />
I'm opposed to book banning in general, but I especially don't see why this was banned except because it was so popular and some girl wasn't subtle enough... I always kept books my mom wouldn't like in my room, or I hid them under things so my mom wouldn't randomly see them and decide to read them to get in touch with teenagers. Whatever.<br />
<br />
Bottom line, this book was fun but not particularly groundbreaking- I'd recommend it for light reading, or to get a young teen girl involved in reading. I don't think I'll be reading the other books in the series right now- I wish I had read this in high school, because I think I would have loved it back then!<br />
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I checked this book out from the library.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-91438468762688992282011-07-29T10:41:00.003-04:002011-07-29T10:42:02.538-04:00Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJo_waAiq224glAeklfhiI_eqZl7nLeFejrOFmm0By-HoCe_J7CzB27RfB2iuBnIVrS5ykJ4jyhGzFppNoLkqojwWgxNRxVClBQ8rtH8HP1pe5iGf2BXjG-s9T7LGoPd-WrBOl1SBNHoM/s1600/bookbloggerhop.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJo_waAiq224glAeklfhiI_eqZl7nLeFejrOFmm0By-HoCe_J7CzB27RfB2iuBnIVrS5ykJ4jyhGzFppNoLkqojwWgxNRxVClBQ8rtH8HP1pe5iGf2BXjG-s9T7LGoPd-WrBOl1SBNHoM/s1600/bookbloggerhop.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Book Blogger Hop is hosted by <a href="http://crazy-for-books.com/2011/07/book-blogger-hop-729-81.html">Crazy for Books</a>!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTfmKpZsAlcPzUcNqndIPZOTk31EPeqcJrGskOG9ys5Cb95w-uVVpxFBOoxT0j8qQXRghEwGUkwbCM5MyANoNzHmeeS6Iq6SX9Sd5RrEyJr3U4oiFEFTDFBp4-Xm6BhTLiDe8QtHvveom/s1600/witches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTfmKpZsAlcPzUcNqndIPZOTk31EPeqcJrGskOG9ys5Cb95w-uVVpxFBOoxT0j8qQXRghEwGUkwbCM5MyANoNzHmeeS6Iq6SX9Sd5RrEyJr3U4oiFEFTDFBp4-Xm6BhTLiDe8QtHvveom/s200/witches.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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This week's question: "Highlight one book that you have received this week (for review, from the library, purchased at the store, etc.) that you can't wait to get into!"</div>
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I don't have it in hand yet, but I have <i>Witches of East End</i>, a new series by Melissa de la Cruz, on hold at the library! I'm going to pick it up today, and I can't wait to read it. The cover is really beautiful, and I've really enjoyed the Blue Bloods series so far.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjSevuXm1ralBrstmPjr4XJAznETs3KUvH5o8N7y6JIZq-LCk46wZQrrkCcvnVM7B6uNbwGgW3gigyHtGcOdP4q4a19KxsSehxcLGNuDFpYuYumAJeBu_HrmWCXj9HV4ZY0U9LxOlNZZO/s1600/FollowFriday.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjSevuXm1ralBrstmPjr4XJAznETs3KUvH5o8N7y6JIZq-LCk46wZQrrkCcvnVM7B6uNbwGgW3gigyHtGcOdP4q4a19KxsSehxcLGNuDFpYuYumAJeBu_HrmWCXj9HV4ZY0U9LxOlNZZO/s1600/FollowFriday.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Follow Friday is hosted by <a href="http://www.parajunkee.com/">Parajunkee's View</a> and <a href="http://www.alisoncanread.com/">Alison Can Read</a>.</span></td></tr>
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Question: What t-shirt slogan best describes you?</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cafepress.com/+science_teacher_light_tshirt,405374419" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiC4LeHro21t2ljmS9PEQCw_PFGCnEKPmfpKbHwadKrdJhEYB9FzaTZky2vTqUv3VIU8Sl24CaVVNdf-xCT895wevEZrxe3eXr5kzwP-XU-TELFB8F9gIRLc4-zI-yLVf8nfCqjdpG1XYl/s320/science.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sometimes I tell random people bits of science info <br />that I find applicable to the situation. <br />I also find that people believe me when I give medical advice...</span></td></tr>
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If you are visiting, please leave a comment so I can return the visit!! </div>
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You can also check out my two latest reviews: <i><a href="http://lapetitefillerousse.blogspot.com/2011/07/philadelphia-secret-powers-and-stolen.html">The Cordovan Vault</a></i> (YA adventure) and <i><a href="http://lapetitefillerousse.blogspot.com/2011/07/belated-books-glowing-hands-scary.html">I Am Number Four</a></i> (YA sci-fi).<br />
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Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-15632784093103351632011-07-28T11:16:00.001-04:002011-07-28T11:16:23.209-04:00Belated Books-- Glowing Hands, Scary Knives, and a Delicate Girl: Review of I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">I Am Number Four, #1</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Lorien Legacies</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Pittacus Lore (pseudonym for James Frey)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">2010</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk12VRi46Eeq-I3yGL1NYN1yBvNi7Jcm7UYZ5q-81-vTWYuU20Fk8PR9XEqkD4gANWxvsmWunMK0T1_HUeIKYS-7wlPp7WlY4ZFKXkhPhBsCwa-k2PnVUSZwEjkKNXDbWq_mZdeMNLLbFL/s1600/I-Am-Number-Four-book2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk12VRi46Eeq-I3yGL1NYN1yBvNi7Jcm7UYZ5q-81-vTWYuU20Fk8PR9XEqkD4gANWxvsmWunMK0T1_HUeIKYS-7wlPp7WlY4ZFKXkhPhBsCwa-k2PnVUSZwEjkKNXDbWq_mZdeMNLLbFL/s320/I-Am-Number-Four-book2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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In case you missed it, this book was made into a movie very soon after it was published. Goodreads says it was published in August 2010, and the movie came out February 2011. Wow- maybe I'm missing something, but that's really fast turn around time. I saw the movie and liked it, but I wasn't fully convinced to love the story. I did, however, really enjoy the book- I found the book to be a 4.5, and I would recommend it to readers who like YA adventure. The writing is mature enough for adult readers, and the book is "safe" to recommend to friends and family who scoff at vampire books. Aliens are cool, right?<br />
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Basically, "John Smith" is a humanoid alien from a beautiful planet that was invaded by the greedy Mogadorians. His people sent nine children and their guardians to Earth in an attempt to keep them safe. Before they left, a spell was put on them so that they could only be killed in a specific order. The child was was Number One had to be killed before Number Two could be hurt, etc. This book begins when Number Three is killed, meaning Number Four aka John is next in line. He and his guardian move to Paradise, Ohio, where John makes a couple of new friends, including a nerdy boy who believes in aliens and a lovely ex-cheerleader who enjoys photography. Despite John's enjoyment of his new town, the threat of being caught or having to move always looms over him, particularly as he starts to develop his super powers ("legacies").<br />
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The movie kept most of the premise the same, but I was pleased that the actual super power/action/thriller scenes are much better in the book. For example, there's a weird thing about these magical geodes in the movie, but that's not part of the book. The book is also over a longer period of time, which allows for more character growth, both of John and the supporting characters. Basically, the book is richer with more detail and background about why things are the way they are. Interestingly, I don't think a physical description of John is ever given- but I just pictured Alex Pettyfer in my head and hummed "Rolling in the Deep," which was quite enjoyable.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sigh. I love JCB, but AP would have made such a cute Jace!</td></tr>
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Some other reviews I read found the book boring, but I enjoyed the relaxed style. There were funny things and quirky moments- John's guardian can't get the hang of cursing in English, so he occasionally swears using the wrong words for the phrase. While some of the characters are naturally "cooler" than others, they all have their moments of importance to the final outcome of the story- they can make good and bad choices, but none of them is helpless or without impact.<br />
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I can't get out of my head these awesome flashbacks that John has when he mentally travels back in time to his home planet and he views the destruction as well as his family. His planet was suspiciously Earth-like, but a fantastical version with shape-shifting animals. There's a subtle message about caring for our planet- contrasting his people, who made environmental concerns their priority after almost destroying their planet, versus the Mogadorians, who used up their resources, then John's planet's resources, and now want to use up Earth's resources.<br />
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The book was well-paced- I read it in a day or two without growing bored or grouchy. Scenes of intense action and drama are interspersed with brief, more mundane, daily life scenes, which gave me time to relax and showed what life might be like for an alien living in Ohio. This was a great book for vacation because it kept me engaged while reading but I didn't shout at people who interrupted.<br />
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The end of the story clearly opens up for the next book, The Power of Six, which comes out August 23. I will be reviewing it soon, so be on the lookout!<br />
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There's also a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Am-Number-Four-Legacy-ebook/dp/B004X2JH5U/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1311865901&sr=8-3">short eBook on Amazon</a> that tells the story of Number Six- apparently it's very short, just a bonus material book.<br />
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I checked out this book from my local library.<br />
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<br />Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-23900497372726189002011-07-25T11:39:00.001-04:002011-07-25T17:22:04.353-04:00Philadelphia, Secret Powers, and Stolen Art: Review of The Cordovan Vault by J Monkeys<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">The Cordovan Vault, #1</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">The Livingston-Wexford Adventures</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">J Monkeys</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">YA Adventure</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">2011</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cover shows the mysterious vault... Where is it, and what's inside?</td></tr>
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The Cordovan Vault is J Monkey's debut novel. When fourteen-year-old Kayla Livingston and Quinn Wexford's older siblings (and legal guardians) duck out of their wedding at the beginning of the reception, Kayla and Quinn have no idea what's about to happen to them. The next day, they receive heartbreaking news from the police that Jim and Lorelei have been found dead, and that Kayla and Quinn are emancipated minors. However, a frantic phone call from Lorelei- whose death has apparently been faked- puts Kayla and Quinn on a secret escape and journey to The City of Brotherly Love, where mysteries await them.<br />
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During the story, we find out that Kayla and Quinn's families have some interesting history involving secret societies and special powers. I really enjoyed this mystery/adventure aspect. The story is linked to Masonic and United States' history, similar to National Treasure, and I learned some interesting historical information, such as about the history of libraries and other city facts. A large chunk of the story takes place at a very very old inn, where Kayla and Quinn help out the elderly owner.<br />
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Kayla and Quinn are likeable main characters, but I would age them at around 16 or 17, not 14. Their hyper-maturity is acknowledged in the story, but they really do behave with much more confidence, street smarts, and personal responsibility than the 14-year-olds I know. Kayla is fun and very smart- she loves solving puzzles, and this is an important element in the story. She is, however, subject to mood swings and temper tantrums, typical of a teenager. Quinn is very tall and noble- he has very good social skills and is able to work most situations to his advantage. When the book begins, Kayla and Quinn are not friends- they treat each other like bitter step siblings, but that quickly changes under the extreme circumstances of their escape. <br />
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There is very little boy-girl tension present in this story- presumably to make it appropriate to a wider audience, but possibly the author just chose not to focus on it because of the adventure genre. I would like to see a more natural, realistic development of the relationship between Kayla and Quinn in #2- even if there is no physical attraction between them, I feel like the boy-girl element deserves some more attention. As a child/teen I had a very close family friend who was a boy- we never were romantically interested in each other, but there was still tension between us, such as when he had a crush on my best friend, or when I introduced him to my new boyfriend.<br />
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My favorite element of the story is the puzzle-solving. Throughout the story, Kayla and Quinn are faced with mental challenges, and it's really cool to see them work through the puzzles and to see the pieces fall into place. Some of the things I figured out while reading, but some solutions were surprising to me, which was exciting! If I could change anything about the story, I would make the paranormal element stronger. It's not a major part of the story until about the last third, but I expect that this will change in #2.<br />
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I would recommend this story to younger teens or anyone who enjoys fun adventure stories. Readers who are looking for something to read in between Rick Riordan releases would enjoy this book. There is a very small amount of language and some brief but scary violence/torture parts, but I would still recommend it even to middle schoolers whom I don't know very well. Book #2, The Peacock Tale, will be out in the fall, and I look forward to finding out what happens to Kayla and Quinn!<br />
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Check out the <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11044596-the-cordovan-vault">Goodreads page</a>, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cordovan-Vault-Book-Livingston-Wexford-Adventures/dp/1460956796/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311608243&sr=8-1">Amazon page</a>, or the <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/booksbyjmonkeys/">author's website</a> for more information!<br />
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Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-24738567566852529972011-07-19T11:40:00.002-04:002011-07-19T11:41:06.499-04:00Top Ten Books All Teens Should ReadSorry that I've been MIA!! I was in Mississippi at my grandmother's house, and I got tired of fighting with 3G to be able to use the internet. Now I'm chaperoning a week of church camp, so I don't have time for pictures today!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/">The Broke and the Bookish</a>!</td></tr>
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TOP TEN BOOKS THAT ALL TEENS SHOULD READ! My big theme here is getting teens to recognize that not everyone is just like them. Everyone is different, but everyone has problems, and it's important for us to realize that the person sitting next to you on the bus may have a totally different life than you, but they still feel the same emotions: love, anger, fear, resentent, hope, etc.<br />
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10. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli: Stargirl is a total <strike>wacko</strike> free spirit, and we could all use a little bit of her in our lives.<br />
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9. In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez: Reading this book really exposed me to just one tiny slice of Latin American history, but it was a good start. It features love, action, and AWESOME heroines.<br />
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8. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: First of all, this is a really GOOD book. Second, it illustrates the effects of racism in the US on both whites and blacks. Third, it shows kids that while some adults do things that are wrong, other adults can be trusted.<br />
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7. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson: This book really opens your eyes up to the issue of sexual assault and rape. It makes people (both male and female) consider a tough topic and recognize their role in preventing rape and helping victims recover.<br />
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6. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros: This book is short and easy to read, and it has both beautiful and heartbreaking silhouettes of people who could be your neighbors.<br />
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5. Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce: Alanna really struggles with gender roles and how others perceive her. Plus the action and fantasy aspect is super cool.<br />
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4. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling: Most of us know what it was like to read this series- remember the excitement, the fear, the heartache, and the desire to read, read, read? Harry Potter is an excellent way to engage kids in a true story just for the fun of it (Plus, you can tie in the good vs. evil aspect and references to mythology and Latin and the Bible...)<br />
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3. Push by Sapphire: This is the book the movie Precious is based on. Although its fiction, as a teacher it made me realize that I need to look behind the student I see in class and try to imagine their life outside of school. <br />
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2. Divergent by Veronica Roth: Another book that is SO FUN to read... I love that it features a strong heroine and a choose your own path message. <br />
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1. The Giver by Lois Lowry: This book allows kids to see what would happen if our government had too much power or if we "elimated" all of the bad things about life. It also shows that adults can be wrong, and that it's okay for kids to question the way things are.<br />
<br />Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-29309101584228603072011-07-10T17:11:00.000-04:002011-07-10T17:11:32.541-04:00Orange Blossoms, Hurricanes, and Brides: Review of Wither by Lauren DeStefano<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Wither</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">The Chemical Garden, #1</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Lauren DeStefano</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">March 2011</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">YA Dystopian</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhXoZWatJ7DwlnPG-69XuFZGTc7Sxcz8tblBdS0yaEw_o9Bv98GefFq63F-Iyv5jyp5AJQ0WBdtAmZTDpbi5GnV0D9vuMpDJOkJAE6dWhD6XgVHQVinFiFFkNHGEO2_gwM08yNnA1Bp3F/s1600/witherS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhXoZWatJ7DwlnPG-69XuFZGTc7Sxcz8tblBdS0yaEw_o9Bv98GefFq63F-Iyv5jyp5AJQ0WBdtAmZTDpbi5GnV0D9vuMpDJOkJAE6dWhD6XgVHQVinFiFFkNHGEO2_gwM08yNnA1Bp3F/s320/witherS.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cover shows Rhine's beauty quickly fading <br />as she approaches the age of 20 and death. <br />The bird in the fancy cage represents her gilded prison.</td></tr>
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Wither is an excellent YA novel in the dystopian genre- it's less violent than The Hunger Games, more serious than Bumped, and more glamorous than Delirium (note: I enjoyed all of those books, but hopefully that gives you a frame of reference). A 16-year-old girl named Rhine is kidnapped and forced to marry a kind but strange man because his wife and love is dying at only 20. Rhine will die at 20 also, and her new husband at 25, unless a cure is found for the "genetic virus" that kills all young people at these ages. Rhine's wedding also belongs to two other girls, one much younger and one older. This first book in the series chronicles these sister-wives as they get to know one another, their new husband, and his creepy father. They live in a beautiful mansion with lovely gardens and a fancy pool, but to Rhine it is just a prison keeping her from her beloved twin brother.<br />
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I picked this book up at the library because of lots of positive reviews- and I certainly enjoyed it. Most other dystopian fiction I have read is about people struggling to fulfill their daily needs, but Wither examines the future from a comfortable albeit restrictive sitting room. Both views are important for the whole story, but with the harsh conditions that are a reality for some of my students, I find reading about luxury to be more fun. I expect that #2, Fever (next February?), will be quite different from Wither in setting, but I hope that the romantic, feminine tone will continue at least in part.<br />
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Rhine is a beautiful character- she has two different colored eyes, and gives off an air of pride and virtue. Rhine's new husband, Linden, reminds me of Ashley Wilkes- wussy and sheltered, but his father has President Snow written all over him... CREEPER. EW. I kind of like Linden, despite his lack of a spine- perhaps it's his father's fault that he's so dependent on home. His visions of the perfect home provide a window into his grief over the loss of his first wife, Rose, and the life he wanted them to have. Gabriel is a servant in the home, and I'm never quite sure why a male servant is allowed to tend to these imprisoned wives. He's not my type, but apparently he's quite cute, so why can't he tend the gardens or the automobiles or do any job other than directly serving the wives in their rooms? That's just asking for trouble. <br />
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My favorite thing about this book is how beautiful it was- the lovely imagery, the soft language and tragic pictures of the other wives, contrasted with Rhine's anger. This beauty is bittersweet because of both the pain surrounding it and its false nature- most of it is human-controlled, hence the series name "The Chemical Garden." I'm excited for Fever and the adventure it promises. I would recommend this book to any YA reader who is aware that it's not as edgy as Divergent and The Hunger Games- Rhine is a different sort of heroine, but I'm expecting big things from her in the future!<br />
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<br />Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-91563687650912991982011-07-09T08:45:00.003-04:002011-07-09T08:52:31.133-04:00Owls, Bad Boys, and Corkers: Review of Withering Tights by Louise Rennison<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Withering Tights</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Misadventures of Tallulah Casey, #1</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Louise Rennison</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Spin-off to Confessions of Georgia Nicolson</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">June 2011</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji33pHPpGWqjQbOIidbrYXTlfkat5K1QUFcBXXzNer5QeSGQfF-uWrDUpvptZEVJUrEJk_0iWz4fnxvQYdMK6HbqKXIN8nYBf-gco3B60bLBBUyN5PPoyQ9oPwMprEu7tDAO-eCZXFrTFx/s1600/witheringtights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji33pHPpGWqjQbOIidbrYXTlfkat5K1QUFcBXXzNer5QeSGQfF-uWrDUpvptZEVJUrEJk_0iWz4fnxvQYdMK6HbqKXIN8nYBf-gco3B60bLBBUyN5PPoyQ9oPwMprEu7tDAO-eCZXFrTFx/s320/witheringtights.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love this cover! The tights pattern, the title font, and the cute owl <br />
give the reader a good idea of what's inside!</td></tr>
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Teaser: "The boys didn't get off at their stop because Phil said, 'We'll escort you ladeez to your homes in case of carriages going by and sloshing your evening gowns.'<br />
What is he talking about?<br />
Phil said, 'We've been doing Jane Austen at Woolfe, so we can get inside the female mind.'<br />
I said, 'What is inside our female minds, then?'<br />
Phil said, 'Well, for instance, should one of you want to climb up a staircase on the way home, we lads would have the training to quickly get behind you and walk up the stairs, bracing ourselves.'" Page 140</blockquote>
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Tallulah Casey is Georgia's younger cousin. Fourteen and a half years old, to be exact, and every bit as hilarious, with extremely long legs that she's very self-conscious about. Tallulah has been accepted to a Performing Arts College Summer School in the moors of Britain- basically in the middle of nowhere. Because she applied late, she doesn't get to stay in the dorm. Instead she stays with a funny family in town with two little mischievous boys. The family is a bit odd, and they put her in a small wooden room and give her handmade furry squirrel slippers. Tallulah has a bit of a hard time adjusting to the school- disaster after disaster occurs as she tries to discover her talent and earn herself a permanent place in the program. Meanwhile, she makes some crazy friends- tiny but strong Jo, loyal Vaisey, and boy-magnet Honey, among others. Tallulah and her friends meet up with some boys from a nearby school, and they discover that teenage boys aren't quite what they had expected. Tallulah also tries to avoid Cain, a local boy who reminds her strongly of Heathcliff because of his deplorable manners.<br />
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The title, Withering Tights, acknowledges the desolate setting, crazy Cain, and the musical version of Wuthering Heights that the school puts on at the end of term. One of the most fun things about this book is the local pub-owner's daughter, Ruby, who follows Tallulah around like a younger sister. Ruby and Tallulah find some owl eggs and get to see the chicks! Ruby also has an older brother named Alex, who is going away to a performing arts school in Liverpool. Tallulah, of course, has a secret crush on Alex, but Ruby finds this to be disgusting.<br />
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There's also a very helpful dictionary at the end of the book which helps with the slang. Here's an example: "corkers: Another word for girls' jiggly bits. Also known as norkers. Honkers, etc. Cousin Georgia calls them 'nunga-nungas.' She says because when you pull them out like an elastic band, they go nunga-nunga-nunga. I will be the last to know whether this is true or not." This dictionary is funny even if you don't need to look up the words!<br />
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I really enjoyed this book- it was definitely zany and cute. Four stars! The only downside was that it really reads in a fourteen-year-old's voice, so it was like spending a lot of time with my younger sister. Because of this, I would recommend it mostly to middle school girls, but fans of Georgia Nicolson would probably enjoy it a lot, too. The references to Wuthering Heights add to the depth of the story, but you probably don't need to have read Wuthering Heights to enjoy this book- some info is included in the dictionary.<br />
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The publisher's <a href="http://www.harperteen.com/books/Withering-Tights-Louise-Rennison/?isbn=9780061799310">website</a> also includes a link to the first chapter!<br />
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Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. <br />
<br />Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-6697511878899921552011-07-08T16:46:00.002-04:002011-07-08T16:46:52.162-04:00Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiaMXeyANEjXe26EhbN75T486IsdPtHi6JxY-fS08AVKeEnbXTuPaxSfISITpSa0DhoznRF5VKfD_yahdHNcde4xywfHKy6SksVpHuk7UiUw1J7Aip_PJQtERlT7-rT6okKoBLm0dBd8xX/s1600/bookbloggerhop.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book Blogger Hop is hosted by <a href="http://crazy-for-books.com/">Crazy for Books</a>!</td></tr>
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<strong><em>This week’s question isn’t a question at all! I thought I would do things a little differently this week and give all of you a chance to promote a giveaway (or two!) from the blogosphere.<br />The catch?<br />IT CAN’T BE YOUR OWN GIVEAWAY!<br />Gotcha!<br />You have to find another blogger who is having a giveaway and promote their giveaway for them! If possible, promote a giveaway from a blogger doing the Hop (hey, you are visiting other blogs anyway, right?). Have fun with this one! It’s not an easy task this week! <img alt=":)" class="wp-smiley" src="http://crazy-for-books.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(230, 230, 230) 1px 1px 2px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(230, 230, 230); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(230, 230, 230); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(230, 230, 230); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(230, 230, 230); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgb(230, 230, 230) 1px 1px 2px; float: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" /></em></strong></blockquote>
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Wow... That's a cool challenge! <br />
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Mundie Moms, an awesome blog that I've been following for awhile, is giving away three YA ARCs... Check out the giveaway <a href="http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2011/07/freebie-friday-arc-giveaway.html">here</a>!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjSevuXm1ralBrstmPjr4XJAznETs3KUvH5o8N7y6JIZq-LCk46wZQrrkCcvnVM7B6uNbwGgW3gigyHtGcOdP4q4a19KxsSehxcLGNuDFpYuYumAJeBu_HrmWCXj9HV4ZY0U9LxOlNZZO/s1600/FollowFriday.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjSevuXm1ralBrstmPjr4XJAznETs3KUvH5o8N7y6JIZq-LCk46wZQrrkCcvnVM7B6uNbwGgW3gigyHtGcOdP4q4a19KxsSehxcLGNuDFpYuYumAJeBu_HrmWCXj9HV4ZY0U9LxOlNZZO/s1600/FollowFriday.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Follow Friday is hosted by <a href="http://www.parajunkee.com/">Parajunkee's View</a>!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Q. Let's step away from besties...What is the worst book that you've ever read and actually finished?</span><div style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">Wow. That's a tough one... OR NOT. I remember suffering through <i>Angela's Ashes</i> by Frank McCourt for high school summer reading. OH MAN. I hated every sentence of that book. I know a lot of people loved it, but it just wasn't for me. I would have answered <i>Moll Flanders</i> by Daniel Defoe, but I definitely faked my way through that one in British Writers 102.</span></div>
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If you are just stopping by, please leave a comment so I can return the visit! Also, check out some other posts- I just finished Meg Cabot Week in celebration of the release of Overbite!</div>
Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017877472805269548.post-38440189349612658942011-07-07T08:00:00.001-04:002011-07-06T21:31:57.417-04:00MEG CABOT WEEK: Chick Lit Day!To wrap up Meg Cabot Week here on La Petite Fille Rousse, I'd like to highlight two of Meg Cabot's adult series that I absolutely loved.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_w2w-N7k_UDsao6_wP8jYWLWVkfI2Mp3k0Cip-jUDHl_6wAOyNNTqJbxHiyP0Q6T96MBDCSgN7hYj4lmhehEh_BZ-Ro8rw1pWimD72tOZSk3Kli9Y_Sx_LiHbjSXwe0L65DU1zNQOtg7/s1600/heather+wells.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_w2w-N7k_UDsao6_wP8jYWLWVkfI2Mp3k0Cip-jUDHl_6wAOyNNTqJbxHiyP0Q6T96MBDCSgN7hYj4lmhehEh_BZ-Ro8rw1pWimD72tOZSk3Kli9Y_Sx_LiHbjSXwe0L65DU1zNQOtg7/s320/heather+wells.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Heather Wells Series<br />
Size 12 Is Not Fat, #1<br />
Size 14 Is Not Fat Either, #2<br />
Big Boned, #3<br />
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Heather Wells used to be a famous pop star, but now she is just your average assistant dorm director at a NYC college... well, except for the fact that people keep dying in her dorm. Heather decides to get nosy and do a little bit of investigating herself, but what she finds is even weirder than what she expected. While Heather's struggle with body image is part of her character, it's by no means the focus of these books. This series features crazy college students doing very sketchy things. I found this series to be hilarious and a little bit scary- these are my favorite books by Meg Cabot after The Princess Diaries. I would strongly recommend these to anyone looking for chick lit with a mysterious kick. According to her website, Meg Cabot is working on two more books in this series- I can't wait!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxb1Zde5WKwZsYZSBOpmdZ2U9hHIsdh1dnTTGB5Fhb_7YdXjXcQFT6qDuRcSrZrBzuRB8KWaOI9Lb9Seu11zthmDGLsK4yV_pdCVvS7ASaL0y5QlRsSxc7En-QFQGCw7qQVY8WwXs3WX9O/s1600/queenofbabble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxb1Zde5WKwZsYZSBOpmdZ2U9hHIsdh1dnTTGB5Fhb_7YdXjXcQFT6qDuRcSrZrBzuRB8KWaOI9Lb9Seu11zthmDGLsK4yV_pdCVvS7ASaL0y5QlRsSxc7En-QFQGCw7qQVY8WwXs3WX9O/s320/queenofbabble.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;">Queen of Babble Series</div><div style="text-align: right;">Queen of Babble, #1</div><div style="text-align: right;">Queen of Babble in the Big City, #2</div><div style="text-align: right;">Queen of Babble Gets Hitched, #3</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: right;">This series is a lot of fun, but it's hard to describe. Basically, Lizzie Nichols, your average twenty-something American woman doesn't really know what to do with her life. She has kind of a big mouth, but as far as I can tell, the thing that stands out about her most is her love for vintage clothing and fashion. That's probably my fav thing about this series- the amazing clothing descriptions... oh, and the super excellent series ending that blew my mind! Queen of Babble is pretty typical chick lit (by this I meant that it doesn't have Meg Cabot's crazy premise spin of secret powers, etc.). Writing this now makes me really want to reread the series.</div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18384554351353947602noreply@blogger.com0