ok guys i know i just posted a couple days ago, but since then i have finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (which made me feel like my life's purpose was gone because i've spent so much of my time with Harry, Ron, and Hermoine o' course :P ). the re-reading of the entire series was very satisfying and i picked up on some stuff that i hadn't noticed the first time around. i wholly (sp?) encourage K to get through the series because they're awesome. nuff said. (song: Come As You Are (live)--Nirvana)
i went to our public library today for my volunteer shift (this happens every thursday during the summer) and checked out a book despite the fact that i told myself i would walk out of there empty-handed. it's called Chopsticks by: Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral. a couple months ago i had read a review on a book blog i read occassionally. it's a book that tells a story through pictures, letters, quotes, and other types of mixed media forms. i was intrigued and thus when i saw it on the New Book Shelf at the library i just HAD to pick it up. i'm very intrigued to start it and sorta flipped through it earlier. (song: Bullet with Butterfly Wings--Smashing Pumpkins) so that is now on my stack of books (it's pretty small though so i don't feel quite so bad about it).
after finishing the wonderful series of Ms. Rowling, i started The Name of the Star by: Maureen Johnson. this book has been in the back of my mind since whenever it came out. a friend of mine is a huge fan of Maureen Johnson, so she kept going on and on about it when we were in Barnes and Noble. i told myself that i would read it eventually, but hadn't seen it around the library much because it was always checked out when i was in there. so, when i went to the library (probably for another volunteer shift) a couple weeks ago and saw it was in, i was thrilled. (Ain't No Rest for the Wicked--Cage the Elephant) although the other books i checked out that day were due, i kept only this one because i had been waiting so long to read it. as it turns out, it's a great thing that i read this right after Harry Potter, because there were some noticeable similarities that made it easier to transition into real life again. for example: it takes place at an English boarding school where there are prefects and head boys and girls. i was so excited when i found that part out. now, i don't know if all English boarding schools are organized like this, but it came as a shock to me, the naive American. (The House of the Rising Sun--The Animals) oh and i should also point out that i'm very into books that take place in boarding schools, so if there are any suggestions out there, that would be great. anyway, a quick synopsis for y'all:
Aurora (Rory...like in Gilmore Girls :P ) is from New Orleans and moves to England her senior year of high school to go to boarding school at Wexford, a pretty prestigious school. (One Headlight--The Wallflowers) London is in a state of panic after a murder takes place in exactly the same fashion of the killings of Jack the Ripper in the 1800's. This copycat is scaring everyone because they know that the city isn't safe on certain days (the same days that the original Ripper victims were killed). Rory finds herself in the middle of all the conflict and has to juggle that, her new friends and roommates, homework, and adjusting to the culture of boarding school.
This book is great because it incorporates mystery, romance, chick lit (which is pretty much the same as the one before it), paranormal, and suspense. i haven't enjoyed a book this much in a long time. i was on the edge of my seat for the majority of the book and started it one day (read 30 pages) then finished it the next day and the book is 370 pages long. i was hooked from the start. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone. (My Hero--Foo Fighters *sidenote: i like the acoustic version better, but whatever*) i simply can't explain how great this book was and am thoroughly looking forward to the next books in the series when they come out. until then, i will continue enjoying reading Maureen Johnson's tweets, as they are always obscure yet awesome in a creepy way. anyway, for those reasons and many more, The Name of the Star deserves a spot on The List of 55. we're up to #15! woo hoo! yay us!
so, after reading such an awesome book, i sat down last night and had planned to start reading Obsessed by Ted Dekker, but was somehow drawn to a Sarah Dessen book because i was feeling very girly and needed some good chick lit. so, i grabbed my copy of Along For the Ride and read it until about 4am when i finally gave in and fell asleep (i stayed up to read it in homage to Eli and Auden's nighttime wanderings). i then finished it today and was very pleased. (Brain Stew--Green Day) however, i've said it before and i'll say it again: the ending isn't quite satisfying. as K said in her last post: it's like The Vow's ending. we're girls. we need closure and a good, satisfying, if not stereotypical and cheesy ending to keep us happy. (Self Esteem--The Offspring)
on a completely unrelated note, i'm really enjoying my Nirvana Pandora station right now, as you might've noticed from my song choices. i've been listening to it for the past few days and i feel like Owen would be so proud of how much i've branched out. i never would've thought that i would be the type of person to listen to Nirvana, but here i am. so i guess you never know until you try. also, stereotyping people is bad. in general. i'm just pointing this out because people are often more than they appear to be. oh and i was very happy when i saw that Serena Williams won her match at Wimbledon this morning. i will definitely be rooting for her Saturday morning in the finals if i'm up. this ties back to the whole England obsession that i harbor, as does K. we have problems and we know it. (In One Ear--Cage the Elephant) ok enough rambling from me. good bye, auvoir, adios. (sorry, that's the extent of my foreign language knowledge) happy reading and enjoy your lives and keep the music loud :)
-M
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