Well, my dear friend Sheila has taken over "It's Monday" — so I thought I'd better get in on this action. Plus, I really want to strive to be a better member of the book blogging community and I figure this is a great way to get started.
Review Books: Well, today I begin reading "The Postmistress" and it's really important that I finish it in the next two weeks as I'm very behind and the review really should have been posted weeks ago.
My Books/Recreational Read: I'd like to begin to read "The Power of Now" and continue to leaf through the fun little secrets in "1000 Best New Teacher Survival Secrets." But I also need to read "Catching Fire" before it's due... hmmm
Class Books: Next Monday I begin teaching "All Quiet on the Western Front" to my twelfth grade British Literature class. I should probably read it before I teach it. I'm just saying.
Looks like a busy week in books for me — what about you?
I feel like sometimes all my weekend posts are memes. I don't have a problem with memes, I don't want it to consume my blog with 3/6 posts I do a week (rough estimate). So, with a new year of blogging resolutions, I'm going to try something different: smash In My Mailbox, Sunday Salon, and It's Monday into one post. Let's see how it goes.
Hosted by The Story Siren. If you want to find out more about it in my blog. Anyway, these are books I got this week at the bookstore, library, and in the mail, of course. So far, I've held true to my word and haven't purchased a book this week! I've read three so far (so that's another three off my shelves). I did go to the library (dangerous deal) to return the keys to the computer lab, and accidentally walked out with three books. For Review: Won: From the library:
"Inside Out"
"The Twin's Daughter"
"White Cat"
"Definitely Dead" (Audio)
Downloaded:Purchased:
I won't lie, I'm pretty proud of myself this week. As I stated earlier, I've stayed focused and haven't purchased a book (although my trip to the library did put me back a bit). I've also been reading a lot, but it's easier now that D reads with me. I finished four books this week — "Delirium, " "Wake," and "Change of Heart." I've contacted two authors about author interviews and I've been diligent about my Google Reader and commenting on as many posts as possible — my new goal is for any post about a book I've heard of, read, or want to read = COMMENT! It's been working really well so far. I've found that it's not so impossible to stay on top of my Google Reader as long as I don't let it get so large. I've been checking it when I wake up 5:30 am, during my lunch break, after school, and before bed. It sounds like a lot, but it's only ever for fifteen or so minutes at a time. I'm really proud of my blogging attitude this week! I feel like I've done everything I can to be supportive to others and an active member of this awesome community. I know not every week will be like this one, but I feel like this New Year is off to the right start.
In my classroom I've "bitten the bullet" and loaned two of my "be careful, it's signed" books to students: "Knightley Academy" and "Delirium." I know, I know — I can't believe it either. I gave both of the students the lecture: "This book is signed. I know the author. It's important to me. Please don't break the spine, dog-ear the pages, wipe your buggers on the pages, etc." For "Delirium" it was a bit more involved: "This book isn't even out yet. It's signed to me. It's my favorite book. Please... treat it well."
I don't normally have a problem with my students using my books, but it seems like three students later and the books are in super bad shape! Again, this doesn't normally bother me (even with signed copies of "Shade" and "The Dark Divine"), but "Delirium" was one of those books I hate out my hands. When the book is released (in 23 days), I'll buy a copy to put in my room. This one is special! It's signed to me — most times I have authors write "To Miss Remmers' Class" or the "BVHS students." It means a lot to me and I wouldn't have loaned it out if this student wasn't extremely trustworthy, but it is still hard. When to loan and when not to loan books? Most of the times I justify loaning (even signed) books by saying "what good are they doing on my shelves?" But again, sometimes I struggle giving up a book.
Hosted by Sheila — Thank you!
This week I finished "Delirium," "Wake," and "Change of Heart," — which means that I did what I said I was going to do! Seems like forever since I've been so productive!
Review Books: "When the Stars Go Blue"
My Books/Recreational Read: "How to Say Goodbye in Robot" and "Inside Out"
It seems like this week is awful lonely without Sheila and "What Are You Reading" has almost less meaning because I know while I'm writing this she's off saving lives and making a difference. At first when I started thinking about it I grew almost bitter at the mundaneness of memes; I mean, really why is it important, who does it benefit, listing what you accomplished every week and what books you "brought" in?
What is it about book blogging that I feel like "makes a difference" anyway? Is it the reviews, the community, the memes, the scheduled posts, the Twitter conversations? Being a teacher, I'd like to say it's the reviews and the growing knowledge of YA books that I have gained since becoming a book blogger. But really, I think it's more than that. Yes, this blog benefits my students — but more than that this blog benefits me, as a teacher and as reader. If it weren't for reading YOUR "It's Monday" posts, "IMM" posts, and other random book posts, my TBR pile wouldn't be overflowing... but at the same time I wouldn't know what books to "look for" at my local book stores or library. I wouldn't know about books (synopses) without reading them. And most importantly, I don't think I'd be as driven to read every week if I didn't know that someone out there was going to check in on my progress every week.
So while Sheila, God Bless her, is out saving lives and making a difference in Honduras (save travels!), this week I was able to add one more book to my classroom shelves and do a book talk on it. This week I finished reading "Shade." And who knows, maybe someone out there will read my review or a student will love my book talk and pick the book up and consequently have a life changing literary experience. It could happen, right? Maybe I'm changing lives one book and one student at a time? Or... maybe I just like the satisfaction of seeing what I've accomplished every week.
What about you? What benefit do you get out of doing memes?
Q: What would you prefer: reading your favorite book over and over again until you got sick of it OR reading 100s of mediocre books? Why?
Wow, this question is hard. I'm thinking... oh I just don't know! I was going to say the same book over and over — but it would eventually lose it's magic. I may have to go with the 100s of books — because at least... oh, I just don't know! What do you think!!
Sunday — "It's Monday" Meme Monday — "Pinterest Project Creations" | Superbowl No Bake Cookie Monday — BBRAW Prompts for next week! Tuesday — Book review of "Double" by Jenny Valentine Wednesday — My Last 20 Books Thursday — "Pinterest Project Creations" | Drunk Gummy Bears
BBRAW starts on Monday! Are you participating?! Have a great week everybody!
Wow, it's been a long time since I've done an "It's Monday" post! But like I said yesterday I'm hoping to get back in the swing of things and today is definitely the day to start. This week I finished "Fall for Anything."
Review Books: "E=MC2" and " The Classics"
My Books/Recreational Read: "Shade"
Class Books: "To Kill a Mockingbird" — I should finish TKM this week!
Do you like to establish relationships with authors? Do you ever have"fan-girl/boy" moments?
ISALYS: Are you kidding?! There are few things in this world (at least as far as I'm concerned) that are cooler than being able to say"Oh, I got to meet Cassandra Clare and Carrie Ryan" or"Kate Pearce and Stacia Kane tweeted me". And I so totally have fan-girl moments. I try to keep it cool most of the time but there are a few authors like Gail Carriger, Gena Showalter, Sarah MacLean and Jeaniene Frost that if I'm lucky enough to meet, expect very loud & prolonged squeals from me!
VANESSA: OMG YESSSSS! I can never believe it when I meet an author and they actually talk to me.They're my rock stars! I think it's awesome when an author emails us or tweets us b/c it's like"They know we exist. OMG, THEY. KNOW. WE. EXIST!" lol — Isalys & Vanessa at Book Soulmates Establishing relationships with authors is like the icing on the cake. Talk about amazing conversations! I’ve become friends with a few and I am thankful for their friendship. It’s another part of blogging that I’d say just happens. Fan girl? YES! Lol It does happen. I jump up and down, giggle like crazy and it all happens in the privacy and comfort in my own home. You should all be thankful that it happens behind closed doors too. How can someone who loves to read not have fan girl/boy moments with authors? I mean they are the rock stars when it comes to books. — Lisa at A Life Bound by Books The best relationships with authors are the ones that just 'sorta happen.' You have a bookish discussion somewhere (Twitter, on the blog) and it happens naturally. The only fangirl moment I had was when Margaret Atwood tweeted another blogger I know and I nearly fell out of my chair:"Dude, Margaret Atwood spoke to you!" And was totally jealous.: ) — Chris at Chrisbookaram YES! I love chatting with authors about their books. It's easier to have a relationship with authors now because of social networking. There are several whom I've never met, but consider friends. I have fan-girl moments ALL the time. Some are super embarrassing — one that sticks out is meeting Scott Westerfeld. — Janenifer at YA Book Nerd I love talking to authors and getting to know them personally, though I will admit, I still get really nervous and shy… even though they are always so nice. Ha! I can be very fangirly. To the point where I should probably be embarrassed sometimes, but I didn't start my blog to be a serious reviewer, I started it so I had somewhere to fangirl. And authors don't usually seem to mind, so it's all in good fun: ) — Jessica at The Firefly Book Loft I usually only establish relationships with authors after I've read their book and loved it. I don't like to get too close to authors beforehand because I don't want to be swayed in my reviews, and I can't stand writing a negative review about an author's book if I know them personally. I've definitely had some fan-girl moments. When Melissa Marr tweeted that she recognized me from my videos, that was squeal-worthy! — Andye from Reading Teen I am still a little new to the whole review scene. I still feel a little shy when talking to authors even if it’s only on Twitter! However, once I get over the initial awkwardness of it all, I have been able to connect with some pretty amazing writers (published & the not-quite-published-yet). As for fan-girl/boy; all the time! I try not to bug them through blogs/twitter/e-mail but if you ever read my reviews, that’s all you need. I can gush about certain authors for days. — Katelyn at Kayelyn’s Blog While on tour for my own novel, The Thirteenth Chime, I had a few fan-girl moments when authors would come up to me and had read my novel. I swear there were a few times I thought I was going to faint! It is just so amazing to have read a novel by an author and find out that they have read yours too! — Emma at Emma Michaels I think all book bloggers have those"fan" moments, and establishing a relationship with an author that you love is one of those moments. The first time they reply to your tweet, leave a comment on your blog, or ask you for a review is a moment that most book lovers never forget. — Theresa at Fade Into Fantasy I LOVE to establish relationships with authors. To me, an avid reader, authors are superstars. If an author acknowledges my existence, whether it's through my blog, Facebook, or Twitter, I'm in heaven! So, yes. I've definitely had several fan-girl moments. - Raenice at Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Publication I have never really established any relationships with any authors, occasionally talked a tad with a few. I hope to in the future gain a friendship with a few, but I don't want to end up being one of them people who try far to hard. — Kayleigh at OnceUponABookNerd I don’t think I’ve really had any “fan-girl” moments yet, as I haven’t ever attended a book signing event. (YA authors, Canada is very friendly, come to Vancouver!: D) But I am thrilled whenever an author replies to me on Twitter or comments on my blog! — Danya at A Tapestry of Words Oh sure! I think we all have fan-girl moments (unless you’re a guy in which case fan-boy moments) I've been friends with authors or rather am friends with authors and I do enjoy it but something I've learned is that I don't like stepping on eggshells. So when I talk to authors about reviewing a book I don't get really friendly or fan-girly until after I’ve read the book because then I don't feel so crappy if I didn't like the book so much. I think its awesome talking to authors though. Especially when it's someone you really admire. The other day I got an e-mail from Julia Hoban about a review of Willow I wrote last year and it was just such a cool feeling because she's an author I really admire. — Khadija at Black Fingernail Reviews I do love to establish relationships with authors. The majority of the authors I have spoken to are amazing and generous. The best moments I have had as blogger have been when an author has emailed me thanking me for a review. - Grace at Books Like Breathing Yes though I have mainly done this through Twitter and writing forums rather than blogs so far. But I've just signed up for April's Blogging A-Z Challenge so that may change. — Kirsty from Kirstyes No, but I'm starting to work on that. I had a fan-girl moment when I got to meet and talk to all the ladies on the Breathless Reads Tour — they were all great! — Michelle at Hooked on Books I don't think I have an established relationship with any one author. But, I've chatted with quite a few. I love that and have definitely had fan girl moments. It's been great to learn that authors are just like me. - Page at One Book at a Time
Yes, I love connecting with authors. I tend to connect with more writers than authors through my blog, but I do write articles, which usually involve interviews with authors. Most of my"fan-girl" moments are cringe-worthy. For example, I interviewed Katherine Center on the phone once for an article I was writing. When I listened to the recording later on, I noticed that our entire conversation consisted of Katherine saying brilliant things and me giggling in response.: ) - Bridgid at Inky Fresh Press Yes, I love talking with authors… especially on Twitter. I had a total fan-girl moment when I got to go to the True Blood panel at ComicCon. I also had the opportunity to get a book signed by Charlaine Harris herself. I loved it. I won the trip there and I had no idea what to expect. It was amazing. It was literally like watching the characters from the Sookie Stackhouse novels come to life in front of me. I geeked out! — Kaitlyn at Kaitlyn in Bookland Yes! Talking and interacting with authors is the best! They are so funny and just super nice, easy to talk to. I've had my fair share of"fan girl" moments. I went to a Rachel Caine signing, and after asking a million questions she started signing books and she said to me"I like your shirt!" (PB and J shirt) I just giggled and told my friend,"She likes my shirt!!!". Also, when Cassandra Clare @ me back in twitter, and Andrea Creamer RT'd my review of Nightshade and @ twitted me. I have other embarrassing stories but I think this is enough. =) — Alex at More Than Just a Book I like to establish relationships with authors who have written books I am very passionate about. I like being able to set up interviews and guest posts with authors so that my readers can have a variety or blog posts to read, not just reviews. I think this can broaden my readership. -JL at An Avid Reader's Musings I don't really reach out to be friends with authors. I tend to prefer to keep it that way because becoming friends with an author can go both ways. I notice many who are friends with authors, but I always think to myself what do you do when you don't like their book and have to review it? It's fine for people who don't write negative reviews and for those who can gush abut a book when they hated it, but I am not one of them. So, it's just easier for me to keep my distance and avoid all that messy drama. It depends though, although it hasn't happened to date — in the near future I might be willing to put aside the potential consequences due to really connecting with an author. Regarding fan- girly/boy moments I have had them on the rare occasion. For instance; when Jay Asher joined twitter and I interviewed him that was a moment for me because I have spent years trying to figure Hannah out, trying to come to terms with her story, and then here I was for the first time meeting the man who had told me her story. Who made me fall completely in love with it. The Second time was when the author of two of my most well loved books being The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns emailed me back. When you love something as much as I love those books, as much as I look up to the author you can't help but beam and have that moment to yourself where you want to run around the room and dare I say FIST PUMP like crazy! — Aly at Fantasy4eva
*The third question from the authors will be posted Monday. USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.
This week I feel like I've made real headway, since last Wednesday when I wrote my "It's Monday" post, I've finished "Captivate" and have made serious progress on "To Kill A Mockingbird." I'm listening to TKM, it really helped pass the time on my way to the Twin Cities for the TC Book Festival (post to come soon). Now that I'm past Chapter 10, I'm very much into the book and find myself constantly thinking about it.
Wow, it has been forever since I've done a It's Monday post, and that's probably due to the fact that my reading life has been a bit inactive lately. But I just finished "The Juliet Spell" tonight and am hoping that that will spur me into action again.
This week I'd like to read:
"A Beautiful Dark" Jocelyn Davis
"On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine."
Happy Summer everyone! This is my FIRST "It's Monday" post as a College Graduate! I am super excited for the summer to begin — I expect to make a serious dent in the Reading List!
Review Books:
My Books/Recreational Read: "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief"
This week I finished listening to "Crescendo" and am planning to finish "Ashfall" by Mike Mullin this week. I am absolutely loving this book. It's the mega survival story of all times. It's heartbreaking but hopeful at the same time. If you are a fan of survival stories — this is fantastic. I'm having a hard time putting it down.
"Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.
Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget."
This week I've been giving you some mini-reviews from Indie/New Adult books that have been released over the past year or so. I'd read a ton of them so it's easier to review a few at once. Monday had the books that got a 5 star review from me and yesterday featured the 4 star books. Today is another batch of 4 star books. Hopefully you will find a few you'd like to add to your list.
Fallen Crest High by Tijan Add to Goodreads
As far as new adult authors go, Tijan is not one that pops up often. I happened to find this book while browsing one day and was so glad that I did. This is really one of those books where the characters stay with you. You may not love every aspect of the story, but you can't help but keep reading till it's finished. Mason and Logan (the bothers) were great in their own ways and Sam has the misfortune of living with them after her mom decided to marry their dad. This book is pretty complicated with all the plots, sub-plots, and characters but I definitely want to see what happens in the new book.
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover Add to Goodreads This one is easy to spoil because there is a lot going on. Tons of tragedy! When Sky meets Dean she has no idea of their past. Sky has been through more than many people could imagine. It was sad to see how broken she was but I was glad that Dean could be there for her. At times the drama seemed a bit too much but it was still a well written story with a lot of great moments between the characters. Dean was my favorite. You can't help but love him and hope that these characters can somehow find happiness through all the heartbreak. Not sure when/if I'll read the next one but so many people loved this one.
Play With Me by Piper Shelly Add to Goodreads You know how sometimes you just want a light, sweet book to read? This one is perfect for those times! This was one of the cutest romances ever. Liza is a cutie! Poor girl has been in love with her best friend Tony forever and he comes back from soccer camp in love with another *sigh*. So, she has a plan to become sporty herself in hopes he will notice her. What she doesn't plan for is the soccer captain, Ryan, to start paying attention to her. They have so many of those cute moments that have you saying"awww." The ONLY complaint I had about this story was that it was just too short! I wanted more! Of course, there is now a version in Ryan's POV but still… I wish this one would have been a bit longer. But, I totally recommend it.
If You Stay by Courtney Cole Add to Goodreads Some books say they have bad boys but this one is really bad. Pax is a jerk, 100%! He has money to burn but is rude, disrespectful, and has a whole slew of drug issues. Not the easiest character to like but I liked that there was no doubting his personality. Everyone knew immediately what type of guy he was. Mila is a sweetheart who can't help but try to help Pax. Even though she is told to forget about ever changing him, she can't help but have hope that he will get better. It took a while for their sparks to really heat up but I liked seeing Pax change. Much is the story is from his POV and it was easy to see how Mila got under his skin. Courtney Cole is a great author and I look forward to reading more from her.
Someone to Love by Addison Moore Add to Goodreads This is a light story and a nice college-age romance but there was something lacking. Maybe it was depth for the character? Not sure. But, in this book, Kendall wants to be a player and she goes to the king of all players, Cruise, for help. She says she's determined to learn how to play guys. The overall story was fun to read but I'm not sure I fully bought the whole"wanting to be a player" thing. I think that with more work this book could have hit it out of the park but for something light and fluffy, it's a pretty good read. I've seen other people with some mixed feelings about this title.
Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A Tucker Add to Goodreads This is a very intense story. Kacey has had a really hard life and all she wants to do is find safety and take care of her little sister. They move into a rundown apartment and she starts working to try to take care of the bills. Then Trent moves next door. Kacey tries to brush off her feelings for him but they are drawn to each other. I really enjoyed this book and all the side characters/plots too. It's depressing at times but I couldn't stop reading. The overall idea is a bit predictable but I still found myself rooting for the characters and wanting to find out what will happen next. I will probably check out the next book in the series because it focuses on Kacey's sister.
After Tuesday by Renee Ericson Add to Goodreads This book is about Ruby, a young girl dealing with an alcoholic father. I liked this book for a lot of reasons. One big reason is that her dad, although sick, wasn't a complete jerk. He seemed like he wanted to be a good dad and that's something rarely seen in YA books. Then Ruby gets to know Brent, a guy from school, and she's forced to balance her real life with that of a normal teenager. She tries to hide her issues at home but that isn't easy. Soon both collide and she has to rely on someone else. Sometimes I just wished she would have been honest with Brent early on instead of hiding things. But I did like the way the author portrayed the relationship and the issues Ruby had with her dad. He wasn't just thrown to the side like some novels do.
Breathe Into Me by Amanda Stone Add to Goodreads This was another complex story and in the end I was scratching my head a bit. Kelsey had some really craptastic luck. She had a horrible tragedy 6 years before she heads to college and all she wants is to escape it. She has her best friend Jessi, who I loved, and soon she meets bad-boy Kane. But Kane isn't really bad. He was actually much nicer than I expected. Sometimes I wanted to shake Kelsey for being so darn trusting of guys-who-shall-remain-nameless, especially after what she had been through. Plus, I wasn't happy with the fact she judged Kane so quickly when something happened with him. I don't want to spoil anything but I do think this is definitely worth the read. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
Picture Perfect by Alessandra Thomas Add to Goodreads It's pretty hard to find a good story that doesn't involve a girl who is a perfect size 4. Cat used to be a model but now she can't fit into anything in her closet. She had an accident and, after sitting for nearly a year, she's going back to school as a size 12. One thing I really liked about this story is that all of Cat's friends didn't shun her because of her size. It's not like it's the worst thing in the world so it sucks when books act like the character can't have friends if she's beyond a size 10. Cat did have friends and, really, she is the biggest issue blocking her own happiness. When Nate steps in Cat finally starts to see herself as more than a size. He helps her break down her walls and be happy again. Sometimes I just wanted her to get over things but I tried to understand where she was coming from. This book was really enjoyable and had a very unique plot (and twist).
Unbroken by Melody Grace Add to Goodreads This book has one of my all-time favorite lines ever… "Mom always told me there are two kinds of love in this world: the steady breeze, and the hurricane. Emerson Ray was my hurricane… " Love it! This book is great for a summer read. Juliet is forced to go back to her summer beach home for a while and she runs into her old flame Emerson. I enjoyed this story but nothing really stood out to me as memorable. There is some cheating, which I hate, but it didn't ruin the book for me. The characters definitely have chemistry and there are several hot moments to enjoy. ALL OF THESE BOOKS WERE RATED
It's official. I've caught the bug. Only took me a day to finish this (started around 6pm and stayed up all night then read the final four chapters in the morning — always a sign of a good book). Beware of mild spoilers.
From Amazon.com...
"Recovered from the vampire attack that hospitalized her in the conclusion of Twilight (Little, Brown, 2005), Bella celebrates her birthday with her boyfriend Edward and his family, a unique clan of vampires that has sworn off human blood. But the celebration abruptly ends when the teen accidentally cuts her arm on broken glass. The sight and smell of her blood trickling away forces the Cullen family to retreat lest they be tempted to make a meal of her. After all is mended, Edward, realizing the danger that he and his family create for Bella, sees no option for her safety but to leave. Mourning his departure, she slips into a downward spiral of depression that penetrates and lingers over her every step. Vampire fans will appreciate the subsequently dour mood that permeates the novel, and it's not until Bella befriends Jacob, a sophomore from her school with a penchant for motorcycles, that both the pace and her disposition begin to take off. Their adventures are wild, dare-devilish, and teeter on the brink of romance, but memories of Edward pervade Bella's emotions, and soon their fun quickly morphs into danger, especially when she uncovers the true identities of Jacob and his pack of friends."
I know I kind of threw a Twilight fit a week ago — but here I am the prodigal reader. I read and liked Twilight when it first came out. Then I tried to read New Moon, but for some reason (that I can't think of now), I just hated it. I was mad at Bella and I was furious with Edward — so I abandoned it... only for it to become a phenomena years later. In 96 hours I picked up Twilight and finished it, then I watched the movie, and finally I read New Moon. I think it's safe to say I caught the bug.
I don't quite now how to compare Twilight to New Moon — probably because I read them so close together that they kind of bleed together (haha — pun). New Moon was... oh wow, I can already tell this isn't going to be a very good review!
What I didn't like was that I felt like Bella was purely using Jacob and then all of a sudden he's her best friend? I feel like that relationship wasn't built strong enough for me to believe. He was her crutch — we've all had one. I felt bad for Jacob — because Bella was so clearly not over Edward. Maybe I'm missing something, or maybe it's in the next two books, because from what other readers have told me — Bella and Jacob are a big deal. And I just didn't get that from New Moon. I think it would have made a difference if Bella could have stopped pitying herself all the time and would have been more attracted to Jacob right away rather than RIGHT before all heck broke loose.
Again, wow I seem to be a Bella hater, it bothered me how Meyer constantly had to remind us that Bella is a klutz. I gotta ask, why is this so important? Her character is built on her 'attracting trouble' and being uncoordinated. In my opinion, that's all her character is good for — getting into trouble and then being saved by Jacob or Edward. This damsel is getting on my nerves. Also, now I can't say I've ever been in love — but people move on from loss everyday. I think about the little old man who sits in the second pew at church who lost his wife fifteen years ago (made up story, but still — you get my point). Life goes on. Is Bella's love for Edward more than the love he had for his wife? I just can't fathom living in a shell and ignoring everyone for that long! Yes, a couple weeks, maybe a month, for the sake of argument let's say two months — but really four months and you're still catatonic? I just... I can't imagine.
But really, that's all I disliked — well and the whole Edward bit. I loved how Alice played such a pivotal role. Like I mentioned before, I love the Cullens. While I love that Alice has a bigger role — I am sad that the other Cullens are almost nonexistent. Sad day. This will depress me when I go to the movie — I've already mentioned my slight crush on Jasper.
I absolutely loved the Romeo and Juliet analogy — I mean, wow! Stephenie Meyer definitely thought that one out — perfect!
And while I didn't totally buy into the relationship between Bella and Jacob — I really liked Jacob (and think he could do SO much better than Bella). Even when he's tortured, he's a great guy. Edward's attitude, behavior, and down right demeanor gets kind of 'glum' after while — reminds me of Eeyore. So Jacob brought a great fun and lightheartedness to Bella's life (and in case she didn't notice, to my reading experience). It's hard to constantly be reading about how depressed and angry Edward is. But anyway — Jacob was just a fun character to read. Bella was kind of... coquettish with Jacob — holding his hand etc. And the boy didn't even get a kiss!
I liked how it expanded on the Vampiric history and what not. Although, those last four chapters (I'll admit) I did a lot of skimming to find out what happened. I also liked how it ended — with the vote. And Bella's epiphany — that was a very honest part of the book. Despite how I feel about Bella — I know what it's like to know that you don't deserve someone and then have him leave you. A guy can tell you he loves you a million times, but it takes just one sentence for you to see that it was a lie. Wow — I'm getting depressed.
Again, just for good measure — I loved the Romeo and Juliet analogy! Just loved it!
I've got to read a couple ARC books and slim my library pile down a bite... I mean bit... before I pick up Eclipse. But hopefully by Monday I can start back in with my 'recreational' reading!
I finished "Need" last week and am currently almost through "Matched." It's been a crazy week and I haven't had a lot of time to devote to reading — but it's BBAW! Whoot!
Review Books: "Matched"
My Books/Recreational Read:
Class Books: "The Pedestrian," a short story by Ray Bradbury (I think).
"I think I struggled with this book because I'm not used to the unsugarcoated truth; I've grown up with Disney movies and "happily ever afters." But life, as Hannah Moskowitz has illustrated, isn't always as cookie cutter perfect as it appears. " — Miss Remmers
Release Date: April 19th, 2011 Publisher: Simon and Schuster's Children Publishing Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge
"Noah’s happier than I’ve seen him in months. So I’d be an awful brother to get in the way of that. It’s not like I have some relationship with Melinda. It was just a kiss. Am I going to ruin Noah’s happiness because of a kiss?
Across four sun-kissed, drama-drenched summers at his family’s beach house, Chase is falling in love, falling in lust, and trying to keep his life from falling apart. But some girls are addictive... ."
This book is misrepresented. It appears to be a light, summer, beach read and it starts out that way. I loved the beginning of this novel because it reminded me of home and of summer. Having grown up on a lake in Northern Minnesota all I know is lake houses and summer. My favorite part of summer was when the "tourists" would come visit on the weekends and the whole town would buzz with excitement and then they'd leave on Sunday evening or Monday morning and, while it was still summer and the sand and the water was all the same, it felt completely different — like a different kind of summer. Then the tourists would return Thursday or Friday and the routine would continue.
In the beginning when Chase and Noah are waiting for their neighbors to return I could almost smell my own beach in MN and feel the sand and hear the water (sans the salt). I envisioned the summer families unloading, unpacking, the excitement of summer finally here. This was the part of the novel I loved — the family, fun, beach part.
But that's not what this book is about. I think if I would have known that going in I would have enjoyed this book as a whole more. I read the synopsis and figured "love triangle" and summer. What I got was a whole lot more depth and I wasn't prepared for this.
For the better half of the novel it was a summer read and then I started picking up on the undertones of the novel (subtle or not): Claudia's rebellion, Noah's disillusionment, Melinda's games, and the fighting. I began to realize that this wasn't a fluffy read and that serious "stuff" was about to be addressed: family, rape, responsibility, handicaps, etc.
I wasn't prepared for this.
I loved Chase and I loved Gideon. But there were all these allusions to Noah's past and his need to run — why did he need to run? I felt like that was really left hanging open for readers merely to accept. Melinda and Chase. Melinda and Noah. Melinda, Chase, and Noah? That was extremely awkward. The families portrayed at the beginning of the novel, my "tourist" families, were shattered, broken, but seemingly perfect. While this bothered me at first it made me question: what about my "tourist" families who come each summer and look so happy. Are they really that happy? Is it all a facade? Furthermore, what about my family? Are we as happy as we appear to strangers and observers?
This book was honest.
Did I enjoy this book? Not as much as had hoped. But despite this, it's undeniable that this book evoked such strong emotion in me that I could feel it throughout my body: rage, sorrow, anger, hatred. With "The Goddess Test " by Aimee Carter my heart felt so connected to the characters and plot, but with "Invincible Summer" I felt disconnected to the characters and plot but there's still this raw emotion inside of me. Even while writing about this I'm angry and upset but I don't really know why. If I didn't like the book why would I be feeling this way? If I didn't like the book how can I be so emotional about it?
Maybe I just didn't like what happened in the book. Maybe I just didn't like how honest the plot was. Maybe I didn't like the book because it's filled with raw emotion, it's real, and it's life. And really, isn't it that very raw emotion what makes a good book? I think I struggled with this book because I'm not used to the unsugarcoated truth; I've grown up with Disney movies and "happily ever afters." But life, as Hannah Moskowitz has illustrated, isn't always as cookie cutter perfect as it appears.
Favorite Quote: "Hiding behind an attitude is no better than hiding behind literature" (178).
-Visit Hannah around the web here: Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter -BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook
To the FTC, with love: Review from Publisher (hard copy)
First of all, I just finished my last day of classes. Monday I enter the classroom FULL TIME as a student teacher. I'm coming in at the right time, the end of their quarter is Friday. So next week will be mostly observing. But then starting on Monday the 8th, I am teaching an entire unit in British Literature all by myself. The book I've chosen is "1984" — if you have any lesson ideas, let me know!
So that's a pretty big deal, but it gets better.
I love my blog. But I want to be able to talk about other things than books — like my teaching experiences and my job hunt! So I've created a secondary blog, The Adventures of Miss Remmers. This blog won't be updated everyday, but I will be putting up the adventures of mine in the classroom while student teaching, different lesson plan ideas, job hunt stuff, and anything else having to do with my life in the classroom — obviously all pertinent information will be confidential, so you'll be seeing a lot of Student Y and School X ect. But hopefully it will be a good time, so I invite you all to stop by and see me struggle through life (only a little).
And FINALLY the BIG BIG news!
I have applied for two positions, same school district, one at the middle school and one at the high school. This school is my TOP choice as its the school where I'm student teaching and it's right in town next to the college. This is important because I want to continue my education, and what better way of doing so than by living in a college town, I love the area, I love the community, it's close to family, and of course it's where T (boyfriend who is a graduate student) lives. So it's an all around GREAT opportunity.
Wait for it...
I just got a call asking for an interview!
Breathe.
I go in next Tuesday (the SECOND day of student teaching).
Wish me luck. If you have any suggestions, hints, tips, or ANYTHING that would be helpful for my first interview, please let me know! I'm already getting a little bit nervous. I mean this isn't just ANY interview — this is my dream job!
From now on, anything like this post will be posted over at The Adventures of Miss Remmers. I hope to see you all there soon!
Reminder: Have you signed up for my Hopping Giveaway? Win Delirium or one of two $25 gift certificates to Barnes and Noble! It's INTERNATIONAL! Only need 15 more to get the added $15 gift certificates to Barnes and Noble!! SIGN UP HERE!
I feel like sometimes all my weekend posts are memes. I don't have a problem with memes, but I don't want it to consume my blog. So, with a new year of blogging resolutions, I'm going to try something different: smash In My Mailbox, Sunday Salon, and It's Monday into one post.
Hosted by The Story Siren. If you want to find out more about it in my blog. Anyway, these are books I got this week at the bookstore, library, and in the mail, of course. So far, I've still been true to my word and haven't purchased a book this week — although I did purchase a NOOK! I did slow down reading this week though and only finished reading two books: Inside Out and Outside In. A week after purchasing Sam — look at all I found for him for free!
For Review:
"Nocturne" by Syrie James
Won: From the library:
"Fade"
"Gone"
"The Anatomy of a Boyfriend"
"The Lost Saint"
Downloaded:
"Populazzi" — NetGalley
"Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer" — NetGalley
"The Cellar" — NetGalley
"The Glory of Green" — NetGalley
"The Iron Queen" — NetGalley
"The Lipstick Laws" — NetGalley
"A World of Without Heroes" — GalleyGrab
"Always a Witch" — NetGalley
"Dead is Not an Option" — NetGalley
"Here Lies Bridget" — NetGalley
"Jane Austen" — NetGalley
"Lost Voices" — NetGalley
"One Hundred Candles" — NetGalley
"Outside In" — NetGalley
"Plan B" — NetGalley
"Beasts and BFFs" — BN.com
"The Demon Girl" — BN.com
"Dead(ish)" — BN.com
"Danger in the Shadows" — BN.com
"Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #1" — BN.com
"Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #2" — BN.com
"Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #3" — BN.com
"Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #4" — BN.com
"Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #15" — BN.com
The Star Wars books are for D:) He's addicted and you can't find them in print anymore. Purchased:
Hosted by Sheila — Thank you!
This week I finished "Inside Out" and "Outside In."
Review Books: "When the Stars Go Blue"
My Books/Recreational Read: "How to Say Goodbye in Robot" and "The Twin's Daughter" Class Books: "The Odyssey"
Wow! The Spring Blog Carnival hosted by Candace’s Book Blog, Reading Angel, Pure Imagination, and The Book Swarm is almost at a close!
As I promised last week, today I am hosting the "It's a Bad World" Booth Challenge! We've all at least heard the somewhat annoying yet catchy "It's a Small World" tune that depicts the perfect world with everyone from all different races and backgrounds getting along famously well; where no matter the language, the tune and unity is still strong. In case you would like to walk down memory lane (or experience something all new) — here's a video of the "It's a Small World" ride.
However, lately it seems that life is not so "good." Yes, we've had the Royal Wedding, Osama has been found, and schools getting out (that last one is more for me than anyone else), but our world is still in turmoil. We aren't all singing together in unison and holding hands. We are partaking in polygamy and selling the prettiest girls off to the highest bidder in hopes of impregnating them, we are promoting teenage pregnancies by paying girls to "bump," and at the other of that spectrum we have society telling us that love is a disease and that any kind of emotion will make you crazy! We are sending people into space to fix our societal problems and as a result we have digressed into a social class hierarchy! It almost seems as if we are living in a Dystopian Society!!
dys·to·pi·a
[dis-toh-pee-uh] –noun a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression,disease, and overcrowding. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am referring to the YA genre's biggest literary hit — dystopian literature. After "The Hunger Games" and "Matched" I couldn't get enough of dystopian literature and have been devouring any bit of fiction I can get my hands on! I've joined the Dystopian Challenge in an attempt to read 15 novels this year containing these horrific societies! And here's the kicker: I am definitely not alone! Dystopian fiction has (seemingly) taken over the world! Readers can't get enough and authors are happy to supply it. My challenge for you is to do one of two things:
Write a post explaining why you think Dystopian fiction is so addicting. Why is everyone reading it? What does it say about our society that we want to read about WORSE societies? Are there any implications dystopian fiction's popularity has on our own society? What say you!!
What is your favorite dystopian novel to date? Why did you like it? How does it stand apart from all the other countlessly recent dystopian novels? Why would you recommend it above all others in this genre?
Once you do this go ahead and fill out the form below so we can all stop by and visit! This Challenge will be open until Monday at noon and the winner will be posted next week. Should a US winner win they will be sent a copy of my favorite dystopian novel (of the moment) — Wither by Lauren DeStefano. Should an International Blogger win, they will be emailed a gift certificate email from Barnes and Noble to order their own favorite dystopian novel!
Yes, this Challenge is therefore INTERNATIONAL.
Also, anyone have any guesses as to the four dystopian novels mentioned at the beginning of this post?
It's the first "What Are You Reading" of the 2011 and I can't be more excited to participate! This week I finished "Knightley Academy" and am on my way to finishing "Delirium."
WOW! It's been forever! Like an entire week! Well, I survived no internet and cell reception and have come out of the ordeal pretty much unscathed. Fortunately, I'm all moved into my new apartment and have wireless internet all set up! (Thank goodness!) This weekend my best friend is getting married (last wedding of the summer) and then I start school on the 11th! Hopefully I can get a few more books read between then and now. This week I finished (and loved) "Shiver."
Happy Reading!
Review Books:
My Books/Recreational Read: "Linger"
Class Books: I'm focusing on lesson planning this week.
