Saturday, September 4, 2010

Song Stuck In My Head Saturday

This new meme I created is so aptly named because it's basically just a showcase of what song has been stuck in my head recently. I've been thinking of a music meme for a while, but I never thought I'd be able to pull it off. Until I thought of this! Because, don't we all always have a song stuck in out head. One that won't just come out. Especially the annoying songs you don't even like! Maybe this will be some sort of therapy and rid your head of the song....who knows.

If you want to partcipiate in this meme, there aren't really any rules besides crediting me. God, I hate saying that, but it has to be done....

This week Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons has been stuck in my head. I'm just glad it's a song I love! You know, not any Miley Cyrus song...



Thursday, September 2, 2010

Top 100 YA Novels for 2010

Here's Persnickety Snark's Top 100 YA Novels for 2010:

#1 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008)
#2 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling (1996)
#3 To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960)
#4 Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (1996)
#5 Northern Lights [The Golden Compass] by Philip Pullman (1995)
#6 The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen (2004)
#7 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2006)
#8 The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (1967)
#9 Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (2005)
#10 This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen (2002)
#11 Looking for Alaska by John Green (2005)
#12 Just Listen by Sarah Dessen (2006)

#13 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling (2007)
#14 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868)
#15 City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (2005)
#16 On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (2006)
#17 Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger (1951)
#18 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling (1999)
#19 The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (1999)
#20 Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
#21 Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (2009)
#22 Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (2007)
#23 Graceling by Kristin Cashore (2008)
#24 Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (2007)
#25 Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty (2001)
#26 The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien (1954)
#27 Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce (1983)
#28 Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (1985)
#29 Harry and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling (2005)
#30 Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (2005)
#31 A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (2003)
#32 Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden (1995)
#33 The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (2008)
#34 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)
#35 The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (1978)
#36 Paper Towns by John Green (2008)
#37 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling (2000)
#38 Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (2009)
#39 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (1943)
#40 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (2007)
#41 Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen (2008)
#42 The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (2000)
#43 Evernight by Claudia Gray (2008)
#44 Sabriel by Garth Nix (2003)
#45 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling (2003)
#46 Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margie Stohl (2009)
#47 Forever by Judy Blume (1975)
#48 I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (1948)
#49 Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (1997)
#50 The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot (2000)
#51 Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (2000)
#53 The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper (1973)
#54 Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (2009)
#55 Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta (2003)
#56 Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty (2003)
#57 Dreamland by Sarah Dessen (2000)
#58 Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (2007)
#59 Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (2006)
#60 Fire by Kristin Cashore (2009)
#61 The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier (1974)
#62 Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block (1989)
#63 The Diary of a Young Girl (1947)
#64 Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta (1992)
#65 How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (2004)
#66 City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (2009)
#67 Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen (1999)
#68 Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (2008)
#69 Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison (1999)
#70 If I Stay by Gayle Forman (2009)
#71 The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (2006)
#72 Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (2009)
#73 Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley (1978)
#74 The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley (1983)
#75 Feed by MT Anderson (2001)
#76 The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants by Ann Brashares (2001)
#77 Go Ask Alice by Anonymous (1971)
#78 Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr (2006)
#79 Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954)
#80 Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen (1998)
#81 The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (2009)
#82 Jacob I Have Loved by Katherine Paterson (1980)
#83 The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness (2008)
#84 Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder (2006)
#85 Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead (2008)
#86 The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi (1990)
#87 An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (2006)
#88 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon (2003)
#89 A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle (1980)
#90 Glass Houses by Rachel Caine (2006)
#91 The Astonishing life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party (2006)
#92 Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (1994)
#93 Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher (2001)
#94 Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles (2008)
#95 Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols (2009)
#96 The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks (2009)
#97 Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (2010)
#98 Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (1987)
#99 The Pigman by Paul Zindel (1969)
#100 The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley (1985)

If I counted right, I've read 51 books out of this awesome list! Very interesting...what about everyone else?
 
 

The September Spectacular

Steph from The Thoughts of A Book Junkie is hosting a reading challenge/giveaway called the September Spectacular! And it is mighty spectacular.

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Some info about the event:
1. It will start September 1st and go on through September 30th.

2. There will be a 5 book reading challenge, ( one book a week) that you will have to read. Which books? Any 5 you want. Its your choice... Easy huh. At the end of that week you will post your review on your blog and add your link to the Mr. Linky at the bottom. ( If you don't have a blog you can either post a comment, letting everyone know what you think about the book or sent me an email with your review) * Sep first starts on a Wednesday so you can start your first book on Sunday the 29th if you want.

3. At the end of each week a giveaway will be posted. That's 5 giveaways!! The only thing you have to do to enter is, link your review on that weeks Mr. Linky. Plus get an extra entry if you add the September Spectacular button to your post or sidebar! ( Open Internationally)

You can go enter HERE and learn more about it.

Hm.....I don't know if I can plan what books I'm going to read, but I'll try.
In no particular order.....
AND

Ok, so the last book is for school, which starts the 7th, and I really need to get it done! And I already read 13 To Life because I read very fast. I just forgot to do this introudctory post, but here it is! Have fun and come join!


IMM (3)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. So this was meant to be posted days ago, but as you may know, I'm back at home so I don't always have access to a computer. Ugh. So I'm posting it now. Better late than never, no?


From my second, almost first home, the Doylestown Library(not in picture):

Won:

Swag:
I got some cool swag from Jennifer Lauresn along with Heavenly!
Tons of bookmarks and other shtuff from the awesome Denise Jaden, author of Losing Faith!!

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens Review

From Goodreads: I met someone who changed everything. Matthias. My autistic sister's guardian angel. Honest. Inspiring. Funny. Hot. And immortal. That was the problem. What could I do? I did what any other girl would do-I fell in love with him. Zoë's sister darts in front of cars. Her brother's a pothead. Her parents are so overwhelmed; they don't see Zoë lost in her broken life. Zoë escapes the only way she knows how: partying. Matthias, a guardian sent from Heaven, watches over Zoë's autistic sister. After Zoë is convinced he's legit, angel and lost girl come together in a love that changes destiny. But Heaven on Earth can't last forever.

Rating: 4.5/5

Plot: 5/5

Characters: 4.5/5

Ending: 4/5

I think Indie books are becoming my favorite. They seem so much more real, and understated- in a good way. Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed this? Anyway, Heavenly definetly fit into this category. I don't know that I've ever read any Angel YA before, but if this books doesn't start a new train of it, I don't what other will.

Zoe is a very real character. I also have a twin brother and a younger sister with behavioral issues, not as serious as autism though, so I felt I could relate in the slightest bit with her. She's just trying to go through life while dealing with her autistic sister and her changed family. Which revolves around her little sister, Abria, who is always keeping them on their toes. But then Zoe learns that Abria had a guardian angel, Matthias. And a hot one at that. I had a great time seeing their relationship grow, especially considering the fact that they couldn't touch so they really had to get to know each other instead of just relying on a physcial connection. I swear I got excited almost every time Matthias popped into a room.

While I loved Laurens book, I did I have a few problems. First, Zoe's drinking. I felt confused at times because it seemes like she had a problem but the next minute it seemes like she was fine. And then, she has an epiphany and suddenly has no problem with alcohol. I don't know if it was explored as much as I would've liked because it wasn't important, or if she just wasn't as dependent on alcohol as Luke was with drugs. Another thing that bothered me was the little side problems with Zoe and her friends. I'm thinking there'll be more with them in the other books in the series...hopefully!

Lastly, I want to say thanks to Jennifer Laurens because I won a copy of Heavenly from her awesome blog!! Also, because she's going to do an interview with me and a giveaway- which should be up some time next week- so check back in for that!

The Killers vs. Brandon Flowers..............?

So I was listening to the radio the other day and I hear this song. I automatically said it was The Killers, because they are my favorite band and I'd know them anywhere. But then I was listening to the Alternative channel on my tv and the song came on. Well, when I looked I saw the artist of "Crossfires" is actually Brandon Flowers. I think I stared at the tv screen for a few seconds because I was so confused and I recognized the guy. So I did the only thing I could do- I went on google.

So I don't know how I don't hear these things, but apparently Brandon Flowers announced his solo career from The Killers in April! Where the hell was I?? Seriously, man. Not that he doesn't sound greta on his own, but he doesn't sound any different either. Okay, that's a little lie. He sounds the slightest bit different to me, only because I know their music so well! Why would he leave them?

Whatever. I'm still calling him The Killers! Hmphh.


Top 5 Sundays (3)


Rules:

1. Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the themechosen for the week.
2. Mention Larissa's Blog on the post and link back to it.
3. Fell free to use the Feature's image
4. After you've finished your post, add your link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post.


Favorite Childhood TV Series

Wow. This was one of mall time favorite shows. I think I remember watching it with my uncle when I got home from school- I just loved all the characters. I still remember the theme song....

 
I watched The Rugrats when I was really small and still loved it as I got older. I have all the movies, my favorite being Rugrats in Paris, and I have all the books!


So these shows were huge in my school- and I loved them too. I can still remember the theme song to Hey Arnold! All my friends and I would talk about Recess the next day at school if we weren't watching it together!



 
So I loved this show too, but unlike all the other shows above, I was liek the only one who liked it! I remeber I cried one day when my mom picked me up from school because some kids were making fun of me for watching Dexter's Laboratory. :-(



So this is more like a "tween" show, but I couldn't not think about being a kid and not mention Lizzie McGuire!

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles Review

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

Rating: 4/5

Plot: 4/5

Characters: 4/5

Ending: 4.5/5

Favorite line: :-(
 
I just got this book from the library today, and even though I had like 12 others books I still had to read, I read this in less than 3 hours! I was so immersed in the novel, I just needed to know what happened. Knowles writing and her subtlety were great and flowed perfectly. She did an amazing job portraying all 4 characters points of view. It was a very realistic novel but I felt like I needed some hope that Ellie was going to get to the root of her problem. I just felt like a lot of things were left unsaid- but that may just be my personality speaking...If I have a problem, I tell people. But then again, if I were put in her situation I don't know how I'd act either.