Be Back In a Jiffy

Ello loves! So I just got done reading M's latest post and it reminded me that I really need to get caught up also. However, I cannot do that at this moment because I just came back in from a run (it was so flipping hot outside...I know what was I expecting from summer) and am in desperate need for a shower then food. I promise I shall get on later to get you lovely folks up to speed.
I apologize for the lack of posts, but like M said in her post, we had school  and dreadful finals :p
Anywho, I must really go now. Ta-ta for now!
-K

summer has been summoned

"Paging Dr. Summer. Dr. Summer to the front desk." haha i'm just being funny (or at least trying), but seriously did you see what i did there ("paging" as in reading....no? ok then, i guess my puns aren't that punny)? so, the reason why i haven't blogged since the end of April is because of one thing: SCHOOL and more specifically: FINALS. K and i got off on Thursday and i am now free to do whatever the hell i want. YAY! for me, that includes: running every single morning for cross country, volunteering at the library once a week for two hours, reading so much i have constant headaches, hanging out with cool friends like K, drinking WAYYY too many lattes at Starbucks, running some more, doing the Summer Reading Program at aforementioned library, and going to an amusement park at least twice over the course of the summer. To set the scene, as i sometimes like to do....Currently Listening to: All My Days by Alexi Murdoch (this will change throughout and i will probably comment on it, so stick with me here). Wearing: a flowered tank and Roxy shorts. Sitting: at the foot of my parents bed on the floor against the footboard. Now that you've got an idea of the setting, let's continue on. So, i have a lot to get you guys caught up on. Let the catching up commence!

1. A Bend in the Road by: Nicholas Sparks......Well, you can find your first clue that i liked it by glancing at the author's name. that should tell you all you need to know, but i will elaborate simply because i think you deserve the basic plotline before picking it up for yourselves. SONG: Glad You Came-The Wanted.  So basically it's about a man (Miles) who's wife was killed by a hit and run as she was jogging. Him and his son (Jonah) are still grieving and, him being a policeman, can't get over the fact that they don't know who was driving the car that killed his wife. New in town is Sarah Andrews (whose name always makes me think of the graceful woman who is Julie Andrews), Jonah's teacher at school. Jonah shows signs that he's struggling in school, so she takes time every day after school to help him one-on-one. Through this, she starts getting to know his father. I mean, it's pretty obvious from the start what is going to happen because, after all, this is Nicholas Sparks we're talking about :) However, what did catch me off guard was the "big reveal" of the driver of the hit and run vehicle. I definitely did not see that coming, so I appreciated the twist. I gave it 5/5 stars because it was enjoyable and a good book for those who enjoy the chick lit genre as much as i do.
2. Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by: Kate Brian....This was the book that i got from K at a book swap, which seems like ages ago. SONG: You Sleep Alone-hellogoodbye. When i read the back cover/inside the jacket, i was really intrigued and the "chick lit hormones" (which are nonexistant, but for the purposes of this blog actually exist) in me were going crazy. The idea of Megan living in a house with seven guys was very appealing to me. Anyway, so as i was reading the book, i constantly disagreed with Megan's taste in guys until she finally came to her senses and realized her feelings for the one i'd been rooting for all along. I'm sorry, but i don't normally trust a guy who wears polos, khaki shorts, and Sperry's and he definitely seemed like the type. It was a very good story, but when the end came, it had no close. There were so many unanswered questions about Megan and Finn and even some doubt about Evan, who is such a tool, if you ask me. I was pretty outraged that there was no epilogue, as i am a HUGE fan of epilogues...they fix all :) Also, there is no sequel. It was not very clear as to relations between Megan and Finn, the guy i'd been rooting for the entire book. SONG: Not Alone-Seabird. I had to rely on my quite elaborate imagination to do what the author obviously couldn't. Very irritating. This is the only reason why i gave it a 3.5/5 which may seem harsh just for the ending, but i was emotionally invested and then left completely hanging for NO APPARENT REASON!
3. Two Way Street by: Lauren Barnholt.......I read this book over Spring Break (which i realize was forever ago, but cut me some slack) and i really enjoyed the plotline: Jordan broke up with Courtney for a girl he met on MySpace and now they are stuck together in his car for the long road trip to college. Needless to say, it's awkward, hurtful, and unpleasant. However, Courtney doesn't know the ACTUAL reason why Jordan broke up with her and he might just like her more than he lets on. There's some great conversations and great bickering between the two of them and it ends in a satisfactory way, so i was appeased. This earned a spot on The List of 55 with a 5/5 stars.
4. Also, over Spring Break, i re-read Keeping the Moon by: Sarah Dessen for about the 4th time. It is just such a satisfying book and i have a policy about which books i can take on SB. I only take books i know will be good, even/especially if that means re-reading some Dessen books (i did just that). It was just as good as it was the first time :) I would also be happy if she wrote a sequel to it, because i just can't get enough of Colie and Norman :) I know, i'm mushy today, but i can't help it.
5. Another favorite that i re-read over SB was The Last Song by: Nicholas Sparks. SONG: Aperture-Sleeping at Last. I love the book and the movie (the book more so, yet the movie has a great soundtrack with artists like Jose Gonzalez and Iron and Wine and Eskimo Joe). Ronnie is such a relatable character (in the book at least) and Will is such a gentleman. Also, i love the religious aspect of the book and the EPILOGUE!!! i know i already told you that i'm an epilogue junkie, but seriously. that's how it's done, son. take notes from Mr. Sparks. it was possibly the most satisfying and necessary epilogue i've ever read.
6. Dreamland by: Sarah Dessen....surprisingly, i hadn't read this Dessen book yet before SB. However, i  came into it with very high expectations seeing as how she's my favorite author. Well. Let's just say that i wasn't a fan of this book. i didn't like the heavy drug usage and weakness of the main character. She was getting abused by her boyfriend (which is the entire basis of the book) and she doesn't stand up for herself, because "he's just doing it out of love for me". NO. He's an asshole and you need to report him then stay as far away from him as possible and get on with your life. I honestly don't see how she put up with it so long. I would like to think that if i were ever in her position i would have the metaphorical balls to stop him after just one offense instead of waiting until there are blue and purple bruises all over my body. I can't imagine lying to my parents and telling them i fell on the driveway or some other lame excuse. Anyway, i came into the book knowing it would piss me off greatly, yet i knew that i still wanted to read it just so i would have "experience" in that area in case something like that ever came up (basically i wanted it to scare the crap out of me so i could be even more assertive if that happened to me or a friend). i'm still pissed about this book and this topic, but it was pretty well written, which is why it earned 3/5 stars instead of Dessen's normal score of 5/5.
7. Winter Town by: Stephen Emond....may i just say that the New Book Shelf is the best?! I know i already touched on that fact back when i was raving about Paper Covers Rock. However, it is still relevant because that is where i found Winter Town. Now, normally i'm not a big fan of reading books out of season, if you know what i mean. Because i read this book in the spring and it was all about the winter, but i didn't really mind with this book because it was SO DANG GOOD! It had 2 aspects that i really enjoy in a book: alternating POVs and an epilogue! Yay! The book would've been very disappointing if Emond hadn't added it in. It is about the lives of Lucy and Evan, two lifelong friends who only get to see each other every winter. However, this year, Lucy has changed a lot since the last time Evan saw her, and they find themselves drawn to each other in a way that is more than just friends. The book includes writing, short comics, and drawings scattered throughout to show the reader what the main characters are drawing during the story. It is unlike any book i have ever read and yet i loved it. As i read the book, i found myself wishing i could find my own Evan because he's cute, smart, funny, a great artist, sweet, and has a great taste in music. I found this in the description of the book on Stephen Emond's website: "It’s an indie movie in a book, perfect for the inner outcast and lovelorn nerd in all of us." So, so true. That basically sums up my opinion of the book in a much more eloquent way. This also made The List of 55 with a score of 5/5. Just go out right now and read it! Please!
8. Getting Over Garrett Delaney by: Abby McDonald.....i'm pretty sure this was also a New Book Shelf find. Sadie is the daughter of a very successful therapist/life coach/guest speaker, so when she gets her heart broken, she writes a how-to guide/12-step program about how to get over Garrett, her longtime best friend and crush when he goes away for the summer and meets "the love of his life". She is crushed and gets a job at a cafe where she works with all sorts of lovely and interesting people. SONG: Loud Pipes-Ratatat. This book shows Sadie's realization of how she contoured herself to fit the things that Garrett liked. As I was reading this, i realized that over the years i've been doing the same thing with my brother and since reading this book, i've been trying to change that and become more of an individual instead of always looking for his approval. This got a 4/5 because i felt at times like it dragged and was sort of all over the place at times. However, the ending was nice and a certain person (not naming any names here) got his comeuppance, which was great for me. 
9. The Lucky One by: Nicholas Sparks..... I went and saw the movie in theaters with K the day after our last post and we loved it :) Zac Efron....ahhh...*sigh*. Anyway, after that, i decided to read the book, which i had just gotten for my birthday. It was, dare i say, about on the same level as the movie. I mean, the movie got his look better than the book, because think about it: he was in the army and in the book he's got long shaggy hair. No. They had it right in the movie when he had a buzz cut-traditional army look. However, i obviously liked the book better, since there were more details and a  better back story. i was just surprised that the movie people did a halfway decent job of staying semi-true to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and it got a 5/5 as most Nicholas Sparks books do. However, it's not making The List of 55 because i feel like it wasn't quite on that level.
10. The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by: Lynn Weingarten.....another great long-shot from the New Book Shelf. Lucy (this is the second book recently that had a Lucy as the main character....coincidence? i think not.) got dumped by her boyfriend on the first day of school, right when she had decided that she was willing to give herself to him. SONG: Ships in the Night-Mat Kearney (i'm on a Kearney kick currently). She was definitely caught off guard and went to the bathroom where she cried and tried getting Sharpie off her skin. (She had written a provocative message to Alex, dumper, on her stomach in Sharpie) While she was crying, Olivia, an older and glamorous girl gave her a scarf to dry her tears with and then left mysteriously. It wasn't until later that Lucy realized that the scarf had a message on it when affected by her tears in an almost magical way. This message told her to meet Olivia and friends at an old house. This was her introduction to The Sisterhood of Heartbreakers, a group that makes it so that their hearts can never be broken again and they avoid the turmoil that goes with it. Also, along the way, Lucy realizes that they possess magical powers that could come in handy to win Alex back, which is against the rules. Lucy gets the self-esteem boost that she so desperately needs from these girls and uses her new-found confidence to practice reeling in the guys. It's a very unique book, but i was disappointed by the ending. This is why it received only 4/5 stars. However, i heard yesterday that Ms. Weingarten is writing a sequel, so that's something i will look forward to read, especially considering the fact that i think Lucy made a big mistake by refusing a certain guy towards the end. Maybe that can somehow be reversed and she can make the "right decision"? I hope so!! SONG: Count On Me-Mat Kearney.
11. The Book Thief by: Markus Zusak....may i just start by saying that his name is AWESOME? anyway, so we were required to read this book in English class. i thought it was way too long and depressing. However, i LOVED how the story was told from the POV of Death. that was very intriguing to me. It was very well written and i think that Mr. Zusak has a lot of talent, however, the book was just too depressing for me, especially at the end. it received a 3/5. Yes, i realize i didn't do a description or plot summary, but it was way too long for me to even get into without this being an absurdly long post, as it is getting to be anyway.
12. The Pearl by: John Steinbeck...once again, a required reading book in English class. I hated it. Plain and simple. it was the shortest book ever (100ish pages) and the plot was very predictable and depressing and i just don't like John Steinbeck. also, i didn't like it because i had to write an essay comparing it to Of Mice and Men (also by stupid Steinbeck), which was our final exam and really sucked. i refuse to ever read any of his other stuff unless it is required in school like The Pearl and Of Mice and Men were required for me this year. SONG: Madison-Belle Histoire. Kino and Juana find "the pearl of the world" and then there is death, fleet, more death, more death, and yeah that's pretty much it. Such a happy book! *heavy sarcasm* <---i hope someone got that reference to Alex Reads Twilight. K? Please tell me you got that. 
13. Graffiti Moon by: Cath Crowley.....i think you've got the point by now that i love the New Book Shelf and this is a find from there. THE BEST BOOK THAT I'VE READ IN A LONG TIME! i finished this book yesterday. i started it yesterday morning. what does that tell you? i spent my entire day reading this book and enjoying every single page. it was witty, entertaining, and there was dramatic irony throughout the entire book because of the alternating POVs, which we've already established that i love, especially when it's a guy and girl. Guy: Ed aka Shadow. Girl: Lucy (the third Lucy in this post!!! this is no coincidence! it's a conspiracy!). Lucy is in love with the work of Shadow, a graffiti artist in her city. Shadow does the art and Poet sprays on words or a short poem that fits the art. Lucy and Ed were in the same art class and he eventually asked her out. They went out and he barely spoke. He then made the mistake of touching her "arse" (the book takes place in Australia) and she punches him in the face, breaking his nose. She just leaves and doesn't talk to him after that. Ed drops out of school and she hasn't seen him since, but is still mad about their date. Lucy, Jazz, and Daisy (three very different best friends) follow around, respectively, Ed, Leo (aka Poet), and Dylan in Lucy's search for Shadow. It is super awkward because Ed and Lucy refuse to talk to each other because they are both still mad about their "date". However, the author takes the reader along for Lucy and Ed's wild night of adventure, art, and love. This book was just too good. Simple as that. I couldn't find a flaw. There were twists and turns and a great ending. i found myself smiling throughout the entire book and after i finished, i texted K telling her to go out and buy/check out the book from the library. she asked me what it was about and i wasn't exactly out of my "awesome book" haze yet in order to tell her. Sitting here typing, glancing furtively at Graffiti Moon sitting next to me it makes me want to read it all over again right now, which i'm seriously considering. Hmmm....we'll see. So, obviously a book of this greatness deserves a spot on The List of 55. Duh! I've been waiting since last night to write this review, but i got distracted last night and ended up watching a special on Harry Potter for an hour and a half and was up until 4:30am. Yeah, i'm a Potterhead. i know. 

So, yeah. That's all folks. Sorry it was so long, but i had a lot to get caught up on. oh and i tagged The Breakfast Club because i assumed it would be mentioned again, so i guess i better talk about it briefly. last night, i watched The Breakfast Club with my family, which was sorta awkward especially when the characters started talking about sex and stuff. When it was over, my brother, who hadn't seen it except in IPR class 4 or 5 years ago, said that he didn't like it then and he didn't like it now. WHAT?? Are we even related? My mom and dad didn't like it either. *gasp/scoff* My dad asked me "M, why do you like this movie so much?" i was silent. my mother, who thought i didn't hear him, said "M, did you answer him?" "no" "why?" "because i have no answer to that." *as i'm putting the disc away in the case from the DVD player* Mom: "you just like it because you're in high school and that stuff is relevant to you with all the cliques at your school." Me: "mom, i'm not gonna psychoanalyze this ok? i don't have 2 hours to discuss this movie like we did after Inception, so just stop." i start walking upstairs to my room and i hear my dad say this: "you just like it because basically the kids blame all their problems on their parents and you can relate." SMH. THEY DON'T GET IT!! i know K gets it, but they sure don't. i vow right now that i will never ever watch it with them ever again. These are the same parents who think John Bender is a bad influence and a jerk and my mother thinks that Dr. Sheldon Cooper from TBBT is annoying and immature. once again, how am i related to these people?! ughhhhh.

enjoy the sunshine. soak up the words. rain is awesome and calming.

-M

the slaphapiness that is so often associated with sleepovers....an M&K production

hola. soooo K and I are hanging out and we were slaphappy (note: i used the past tense seeing as how we had to wait 10 minutes for this stupid Google Chrome to download before being able to type this and thus we are no longer slaphappy. therefore, we have committed the non-illegal crime of false advertising. boo hoo. go cry to someone else.) so we decided to type this blog post. also, we never had a true discussion about book swap which took place yesterday and today (K forgot my book.... :P  I suppose we can forgive her...maybe. someday. i suppose). let me just say now that i do not like having to download stuff just because the internet makes it necessary (tonight alone i have been forced to download not only Google Chrome, but also Flash Player version whatever. not pleasing.) Oh and also i find it sad that i started a new post and went to labels and knew before even typing this post that somewhere in here we will find a way to start talking about The Breakfast Club...it's inevitable. "and that's all i have to say about that."
hello there. it's K here. it's a shock i'm still awake right now...not really...kinda....AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Okay, sorry. Like M mentioned we may be a wee bit tired. Hehe, I said wee and that reminded me of Charlie <3 Anywho, while waiting for M to take out her contacts (& waiting for Google Chrome to download :p) she let me read the beginning of a book (I shall not say the name, hehe take that!) and it was pretty interesting. I honestly probably would have fell asleep though if I didn't have the book. Oh The Breakfast Club! I watched that for the first time in IPR (Interpersonal Relations) first semester. I always think about it now....it can become quite annoying at times, but hey I'll live.....hopefully. OH! Yes, you guys should forgive me! (sorry random I know, but I just remembered M typing that). I have a issue with remembering stuff. Seriously it gets bad at times. I have sticky notes on my walls to remind me to do stuff....sad I know, but hey at least my walls are never bare! :D  Wow, this whole thing is really random....that's cool. I have "Made to Love" by tobyMac stuck in my head (if you have not heard the song yet GO YOUTUBE IT NOW!!!!) so yeahs....that's all my brain (hehe I said brains at first. who has more then one brain? no one i hope...that would suck) will fart out for now. Here ya go M :)
it is a sad day when i'm falling asleep reading K's postings. it's not that they aren't interesting. it's that i've had a long week and despite my earlier slaphapiness and random cheer, it is all catching up to me and i have now crashed. also, i don't like jack-in-the-boxes. i realize this is randomness, but they are one of my largest fears. my grandmother has an old one in her basement that my brother used to torture me with when i was little and i think i was scarred for life...don't ask me how that popped into my head. also, another fun fact...M's current SIHS (stuck in head song) is: Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons. i suppose its better than yesterday when my friend purposely got Young, Wild, and Free stuck in my head despite that fact that she knows i am against everything that song is about and this ridiculous day that has been termed by some as a "holiday." anyway, i would also like to point out that i am the only person i know that would even think of writing an essay for English class on John Bender. yes, ladies and gentlemen, i did. The Breakfast Club was the topic of my paper. i'm just that weird and slightly obsessed. please tell me i'm not the only one that is insanely glad that the people reading the stuff you type can't see your appearance as you're typing it. because if anyone could see me right now they'd see a girl half asleep with her mouth slightly parted and wearing an oversized concert tee and shorts. and now i kick it back to the slightly more coherent K.
I'm not sure about me being more coherent. I might have fell asleep for a few seconds while you were typing. Usually I could stay up later on a Friday....nope that's a lie. At the first possible chance on Fridays I go to sleep because I'm exhausted from the week, but no. I went and had a bunch of fun with M and other friends instead. Not that I'm complaining. It was awesome, it's just that my body wants to shut down on me now. However, I shall fight against the weight that is upon my eyes! Not sure how long we'll last though...I'm thinking not too much longer. OH! M showed me awesome videos on youtube of these two guys, Charlie & Alex. They're both British and very funny :)
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Icecream! Haha, whenever I try to say the first word that comes to mind or something completely random I always say icecream now. I'm not sure why...I wasn't even thinking of icecream. I was thinking of the book I was reading, sleep, and more wonderful sleep. Now I'm thinking of the French Toast M's dad is supposed to be making in the morning for us :D I'm excited! Well, not at the moment...but I will be when I wake up in a few hours! So yeah, I'm dead now so here ya go M. Enjoy :) haha
i had a strong urge to make a TBBT reference while K was typing, but instead i'll make it here: "now i'm thinking about the origin of the phrase 'train of thought'. now i'm thinking about trains. *5 minutes later* i'm back to trains again!" ok i'm fulfilled now. i can leave this blog post in peace (oh except to reiterate the fact that you all must go on YouTube and watch Alex Reads Twilight and assorted videos from the user: charlieissocoollike.) so yeah. i'm ending with an awesome quote that close to none of you nonexistant readers will get, but whatever:
"you've just had the almost imponderable joy of watching Charlie is so cool like, which makes you like cool."

Guess What :D

Hello you lovely people!
So this past week I've been on spring break and I've made it a mission to finish at least four books (including the one I'm required to read for English) before we go back. Some of the books I have acquired from our (M and I's) school library before we went on spring break, two I got from Barnes and Nobles today and the rest I got from my grandma's house (long story that I'm not going to get into). Any who I figured I'd give you the details on the books now so the next post can be M's post on her spring break reading OR our bookswap (which in case you did not know is next Friday). LET THE LISTING OF BOOKS BEGIN!


The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen- 

• Read the book in one day
• I enjoyed this book very much
• It had romance in it which is always a plus
• It has a very good lesson to it- Never be afraid to show who you really are. If you want someone to love you for all of you, every little imperfection and perfection, you must first love yourself.
• There were some parts I skim read, but that's only because it was her paper on this guy called Edward Willing, he was an artist, and I honestly didn't want to read any school papers while I was on spring break
• This book probably sounds pretty hectic, but all in all it ties together really well and I'm glad I spent $8.99 on it (actually my mother did as part of my birthday present, but let's not get into details).

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan-

• It was terrible
• I expected this amazing love story or like clippings of what he believes love is like
• In a way it was, but that way sucked and did make me all happy & giddy like a little school girl
• I refuse to write anymore on this book because I'm so disappointed in it.

The Night Room by E.M Goldman- 
The book M gave me for the book swap. Well I'm sorry my loves, but you will not have my review on this book until next Friday. Oh don't pout! It won't kill you to wait that long (hopefully).


Little Women by Louisa May Alcott- 
My granny gave me this book when I told her I have not read it yet. She seemed very appalled at the thought. I mean I know it is supposed to be a great piece of literary and I'm sure I would have gotten around to reading it on my own time....possibly. Anyways this book is not on my spring break reading list. This is for during class when I've finished my work and I am incredibly bored.


Fixing Deliliah bySarah Ockler-
I have not read this book yet, but once I have finished my required reading for English this is definitely a book I want to at least start before spring break is over. This looks like a great book filled with family, love, and self-discovery. I'm excited to start it!


And I'm too lazy to write more about the other books (none of which I've read yet) so now I will list them: Stories for a teens Heart by Alice Gray (I'm not exactly thrilled about this one, but I thought it may pleasantly surprise me), Immortal by something Shields (sorry I don't know the first name. It's a hardcover book and the cover is not on it so I have not clue what the author's first name is-or what the book is about. It just sounded interesting), Juliet by Anne Fortier (this one seems extremely intriguing. I have not read it yet, but if it lives up to its description I highly recommend it), and finally Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.
Jane Eyre is the book I have to read or English. Actually we got to the book we wanted to read (from a list our teacher made) and I originally picked Wuthering Heights, but I was 15 pages in and wanted to hang myself from boredom. Yes, granted 15 pages is not a lot and I do agree I have not really given the book a chance, but I'm crunched for time and I have a feeling it is going to take a lot of force for me to pick it up again. So I switched to Jane Eyre which I'm two pages deep in. All in all I wish I would have gone the easy route and picked a book I have previously read, and loved (and read almost every other remake of the story), also known as Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. In fact I'm going to see if I can get the book before Tuesday to re-read. I'm a quick reader so it won't take me long. Plus, I'm very good at remembering major details that happens in books (I just want to read it for the smaller ones I may have forgotten). If I can't get Pride & Prejudice I'll probably be pulling an all nighter reading Jane Eyre. Wish me luck (please, I seriously need it).
Oh I guess I should probably bring into play the title of this post.Guess what book I finally got!!! Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter!!! I'm so pumped to finally have it. Granted I'm not allowed to read it until all my homework (including the required reading) is finished, but hey at least it gives me something to look forward to.
Okay it's about time to wrap up this post because I'm extremely tired and have a long day ahead of me tomorrow :p
For those on spring break: enjoy it while it last, for those of you who are not: hang in there! You don't have much longer, For all: HAPPY READING! :)

M vs. K: Book Swap Month 2

ok so here we are again ready for our monthly book swap and may i just point out that it is incredibly hot in this town. bad decision for both of us to wear jeans...just saying. anyways, on to the important stuff. you all probably saw the reviews K and i posted involving last months books, so we shouldn't have to recap that.
Why hello there lovely bookworms! I would just like to apologize ahead of time if whatever I type makes no sense because I'm currently running on no sleep (all nighters on school nights may be fun, but my lord...). ANYWHO! Book swapping (thank you M) time! I really hope M enjoys this book because
1. It's one of my favorites.
2. The main character shares something similar to miss M..... ;)
hmmmm....i'm intrigued now. possibly a runner? just guessing. ok sorry carry on.
Well, M will know instantly (hopefully) what the similarity is, but you my darlings are at a disadvantage seeing as you don't know M (therefore not beginning to be able to make the connection). Hahaha sucks for you! Okay sorry....I'll be mature.....or at least attempt to (haha you just missed a priceless look that M gave me while I typed that).....I tried to give M the honor of typing, but she wanted me to continue...Could it be that she just wants to see the book I have brought for her? *pointed silence as the tension in the crowd builds* "tell us what it is K!"
WWWWWWWeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllllllllllllllll, if you insist. However, first I would like to tell you a story about my dog....hehe just kidding I don't have a dog (not like I haven't been trying to get one though-my mom is a tough cookie to break). I guess I'll stop stalling now and announce what book I have to share....Silent drum roll please bubububububububububububububububububu.....(that was supposed to sound like a drum, but i failed miserably) The name of the book is........."and we'll be right back after this brief commercial break" (p.s the breaks are NEVER brief). We're back! The book is Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian :)
This book is filled with humor, romance and all that other jazz that makes a good book. While the book may get a bit predictable towards the end (or if you catch on to things early on then it would be from the start of the book), but it's worth it.
I normally catch on within the first few chapters because i've got practice from watching way too many chick flicks and Lifetime original movies. (THEY ALL END THE SAME WAY! gosh can't writers be original anymore??) oh and a tip for you guys, if you ever find yourself in an abusive relationship or in a relationship with a psychopath, dont convince yourself that its ok. oh and when you finally come to your senses, GET OUT OF THE STATE! he might follow you, but make it hard for him to do so because the crazies always end up killing the sweet innocent, naive girls. just saying. ORRRRRRR you could be really smart and alert the police like no one in those stupid Lifetime movies ever thinks to do! don't just try and handle it on your own (unless you arrange for said psychopath to die a horrible death. oh woops i probably shouldn't condone murder....oh well).
wow. can you say tangent? ok, back on track. my point was, i've seen enough Lifetime movies and chick flicks to know how a book or movie is going to end. (that doesn't mean i enjoy it any less, though). i'm pretty interested in this book after reading the back of it and seeing as how it's one of K's favorites and it was written by Kate Brian (who also wrote the Princess and the Pauper which was a very enjoyable read for me). and that's all i have to say about that. (please someone tell me they got that Forrest Gump reference. if not, that's pathetic. ok sorry)
Wow.......that was an excellent rant you had going there M :)
However, I totally agree. I hardly ever watch Lifetime movies anymore (well the ones with the...."weird" boyfriends-which is usually the majority of them). Right now M is my life line in this blog. pun intended?? Hahaha, nice M. Like I said I'm running on no sleep so keeping my eyes open is quite the struggle. Then add typing grammatically correct sentences (with all the words spelled correctly D:) is even harder. Oh by the way I did get the Forrest Gump reference. I feel very proud of myself seeing as I've only seen it like twice in my life. wow, at least i know that you have a life (seeing as how you have actually seen the movie AND you got my reference). but twice is not enough. just saying....M got frustrated with the computer for the moment and she made a mean face at it....it was quite the sight. Sorry for not being up to your standards on the number of times I'm required to see Forrest Gump.....I'll just go sit in my little corner and cry....I'll never be good enough D,:  Hahahaha, no not really. I'm awesome (there's a song called "I'm Awesome"...just thought I'd share Was it written about your life? Yes, infact it was. I'm glad you noticed!)
Well, as awesome as K is....i shall now get on to the part where i make "The Big Reveal" and tell her my choice. dum dum dum dummmmmmm......the suspense is killing me!....It is The Night Room by E.M. Goldman. This is the book that i was raving about in my last blog post. It is one of my favorites and has definitely got me thinking about life and the future and just everything. It's a sci fi book, which originally turned me off, but once i got into it (and was able to finally keep all the characters straight!) i loved it. There's mystery, romance (always necessary :] ), suspense, and a Breakfast Club-ish sort of circumstance. *for my rant about the Breakfast Club and my raving about The Night Room, click here.
Well this book does certainly look interesting. Slightly creepy, but that's alright. Haha, so I had to force myself not to cringe when I saw the "sci-fi" part, but then M redeemed herself by adding that it also had some romance in it (like she said, always neccessary). Upon reading the back of the book I found myself quite intrigued...I guess I'll have to read and find out *insert my attempt at an evil smile here* well that smile was kinda creepy :P Yay! goal almost accomplished. OH! OH! I told M this on the walk over to the library, but last night I pulled an awesome all nighter (it was only awesome because I was reading). I read an amazing book that I haven't read in ages! ....Well maybe not that long, but just go with it alright? Geesh. It was The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen (BEST. AUTHOR. EVER. !!!!) ....thanks M, that was my line :p Haha, but it's okay. I forgive. I mean you have had to put up with my horrible typing for the last half hour? Maybe longer? I didn't really pay attention to the time. Sue me (not really, that would suck). i wouldn't dream of doing such a thing....or would i?? *gives M a slightly curious look* hum......things are starting to get interesting around here (except for the fact that it's DEAD SILENT except for the furious pounding of keys all around us. Oh, and the sighing dude from last time was here too, but i think he left.)  Yeah, they're beating those keys like they stole something (It's a southern saying that I may have twisted to fit the situation....don't hate because you didn't think of it!) Haha seriously??? I didn't even notice. Probably because he wasn't sighing :) um, he was earlier. i can't tell who it was or if hes still in here, but he's obviously not as depressed as he was earlier...Hahaha I guess not. That's good for him! You go Glen Coco! Haha, sorry that just randomly popped into my head while I was typing and I figured "why not???" M is making me type more D: Lol, just kidding (well she is, but I don't mind). I was going to say something really mind blowing, but then I got distracted by the lady leaving the room. I guess we'll never know what I was going to say....such a shame She was probably going to impart her wisdom with the loyal readers (or lack thereof) of this blog because you (if you truly exist, which i kinda doubt by now) are awesome for choosing to spend your time reading the nonsense that we post. Oh, that's so very true....I kinda want to see how many rants we have posted on here....between the both of us I'm pretty sure we racked up a pretty decent number. *I shake my head in a silent agreement (this is the library after all)* That is very true (everytime I type 'true' I end up typing 'ture' first....is that even a word? I should make it one if it's not!) I just looked on Dictionary.com and it is not a word, but in my opinion it should be (btw the sigher just left i think). Ok so here's our unofficial M&K Collegiate Dictionary entry for 'ture':


Ture- noun- "t-your"
an object that is pure, rare and only found in the deepest parts of the Mediterranean Sea. Usually tangerine or turquoise in color, these objects have been found by divers in the 80's, only to be lost. The divers died soon after discovering them and legend has it that there is a curse associated with the tures and their protecters, the Turwane (for more, see Turwane).


And here is the conversation we typed in a Word Document to each other while debating on this very important task of defining 'ture':

How do you do the little phonetic thingy?? Where you sound out the word?? And if so, how do you make a “u” with the little thing that makes it long? U know what I mean?

I know what you mean, but I have no clue how…

But if you were writing a dictionary, how would you say it’s pronounced??

“ta-ur” the e would definitely be silent

My guess was (don’t make fun) “t-your” like your sock or your jacket, but with a t sound in front.

Hum…..you make an interesting case…..I think I can agree with you this one time

So how do we spell it so that our readers don’t think we’re stupid?

I think they might already think we’re stupid (I mean we are creating a new word….a very weird one at that)…um……..

True,true

And, we're back. "So now you're back! From outer space (that part maybe wrong...)" and now I just forgot the rest of the words to the song. That's quite sad on my part... and this is where i use my resources and find the lyrics because i'm secretly curious about it too....ON TO GOOGLE! (imagine me saying that as if i were shouting "FOR NARNIA!" except that i can't seeing as how i'm in a library....so yeah thats awkward....) the correct lyrics are: and so you're back from outer space. I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face. i should have changed that stupid lock, i should have made you leave your key if I had known for just one second you'd be back to bother me....and so on (btw you're welcome for getting that song stuck in your head....muahahahahah.....*insert evil grin here*) Well, i believe that's about all we have time for today, folks. Come back next month and you will be graced with our usual witty selves and hear us rant and talk about books occasionally and act like the nonsensical people that we are :) Sidenote- i'm hoping that someone appreciated me using the word "nonsensical" since it was in Pride and Prejudice.....which we all know is a superior film :) yes, this is propaganda. get over it. I WILL NEVER GET OVER IT!!!! Haha, just kidding. I will...one day...in the future...hopefully....(M said something similar in our last book swap. Score 1 for K with the awesome memory). Anyways I love that movie also so you will hear...or read no complaints from my end of this conversation :) in order to score points for myself, *insert surly head nod and pointed glance here* i shall end on a familiar note.

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Well Hello There!

So I owe an apology (as usual). I haven't been on in a while (things have been pretty hectic for me). Oh, and on behalf of myself and M we are very sorry for not having our book swap on the 13th. However, to make up for it we will do our book swap tomorrow (Monday). Anyways to make up for my total lack of writing I'm going to make this a long post (especially since there is a lot I would like to talk about).


1. I tried to get my mom to take me to the bookstore today to get Out of Sight, Out of Time, but she knew what I was up to and said no :p
Although I will continue asking her until I come out victorious!


2. I'm reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte for an English assignment (we got to pick the book off of a list our teacher gave us). I was super excited to read it, but now that I've started it I'm not all that pumped about it. Granted I'm only on page 18, but that's not the point. I'm seriously considering just switching to reading Jane Eyre.


3. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver-
Honestly one of the worst books I've ever read (I'm sorry if you enjoyed it, but I didn't). To make this easy I'm going to do a comparison of what I didn't like about the book to what I did enjoy.

What I didn't like:
-The main character
-The main characters friends
-The choices the main character makes


What I liked:
-The cover of the book
-Kent (a character in the book <3)
-I got it for $2 at Good Will instead of the $17 if I was to buy it from a bookstore


Yeah so I'm pretty sure the rest is self explanatory.

4. THE HUNGER GAMES!!!
I finished the whole series in a week. I was very reluctant to start the series because of all the hype about the book and I was afraid of being let down. From enough peer pressure I finally caved and I fell in love. Suzanne  Collins knows how to make you love almost every character even when you shouldn't because of what you know is going to happen to them. I cried several times throughout each of the three books. That is actually a shocker too because I normally can hold back from crying (I blame hormones haha). Despite my love for the books I'm still not quite sure on how I feel about the ending of the books. Anyways I highly recommend everyone reading the series. It's amazing and worth reading <3
Now, I'm extremely excited to go see the movie when it comes out! Hopefully it won't let me down.THE HUNGER GAMES


5. Icing on the Lake (long over due review on the book from book swap)
Overall I enjoyed the book. The main character reminded me a lot of myself so she was easy to relate to.
It was kinda predictable and I'm a bit iffy on the ending of the book, but it was very cute and fun to read when there was snow still on the ground here.


6. I've spent a long time on the computer today looking at books I want. It's amazing how excited I get about books. Like whenever I walk into a bookstore I just feel this calmness, and belonging wash over me. Yeah I know, I'm a bookworm. I've come to terms with that a long time ago haha.


Hum...anyways I think that's about it. Until tomorrow (the book swap with M!) my fellow bookworms!

10) Hope Was Here and 11) The Night Room and my ranting about My Sister's Keeper

Wow! That was a really long title....ok so i've got a very short amount of time to get this typed up, so this is gonna be short and sweet:

• Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer has become number 10 on "The List." It's a great little short read about life, love, loss, and politics. Hope, a waitress lives with her aunt, who is a cook. They are always moving around from place to place for various reasons. Hope likes to write "Hope Was Here" descreetly in places that she's lived right before moving. It's her way of leaving part of herself behind and showing that she made a difference there. Hope and Aunt Addie's most recent move is to Wisconsin. Hope isn't too thrilled because she considers herself a city child after living in NYC. That's all i'm telling. It's a great book, even if it IS a little predictable at points.

• The Night Room by E.M. Goldman has now been added as number 11 on "The List." Another very short read, but it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I read it in one day (which is saying something seeing as how i have school and homework and such) and was very pleasantly surprised by how much i liked this book. My brother had to read it for an English class when he was in middle school and it was lying around our house when we were cleaning for a garage sale. I saved it from being sold because he'd told me about it and i was interested in reading it someday. Apparently, my "someday" was Thursday. After finishing Hope Was Here, i was trying to figure out what to read next and so i scoured my bookshelf for something new to read and came across The Night Room. I've never been a fan of science fiction novels, so i was very skeptical at first, but i kept reminding myself to keep an open mind. However, as soon as i started it, i got sucked in. My mind was constantly occupied with the plotline and i couldn't quite pay attention in class because i wanted to read so badly. It was even affecting my mood because when i was worried about a character, i would start feeling all sad and depressed and then when they were happy, i was happy. I haven't come across a book that made me react this way in a long time and it definitely deserves a spot on "The List." This, ladies and gentlemen, is what reading is all about. So, brief summary: Ira (average guy), Sandra (popular girl), Tess (school newspaper's reporter), Joy (actress), Mac (football jock), Barbara (brainiac), and Graham (slacker) are all selected to take part in a project called Argus at the local university. It's a computer program that gives a possible projection of each person's future selves. These seven classmates have been programmed to meet at their tenth high school reunion. However, there are twists and turns both in the future and the present as attitudes and decisions change. It truly is a great, and kind of reminds me of The Breakfast Club in that all the stereotypical groups are represented, which makes it all the more enjoyable (just ask K....we've had a discussion before about how Bender is so attractive and awesome because of his bad boy attitude despite the fact that everyone else we know think Bender is just a jerk and a criminal. to those people i say "shut up". ahhh young judd nelson :) ok ok i'm done now....i swear....maybe? ok lemme just say that at the end when Bender and Claire get together i was like jumping up and down with excitement and then the fist pump just made me happy inside. ok i'm done now.) This book has intrigue, sci fi, romance, and mystery. It's awesome and I'm considering making this K's book swap book...hmmm....we'll see. Darn, now i really want to watch The Breakfast Club....:) what can i say? it's awesome.
• My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult doesn't even deserve to be underlined like a real book title. i'd heard it was really sad and i knew the gist of it before starting it and i really didn't want to read it. at all. however, it was assigned by my English teacher. thanks a lot. i will now list the things i didn't like about it:

1. there were different POVs every chapter, which would've been fine, except that they alternated between soooo many different characters that i got really confused and halfway throught the chapter i would forget who was talking so i'd have to go back and look at the start of the chapter. also, some of the chapters went back in time, which was even more confusing to keep track of the past vs. the present.
2. it was too reliant on the side topic of astronomy. no one cares about supernovas and nebulas.
3. Anna was such an unlikable yet likable character. she was irritating the entire book because she simply couldn't make up her mind and was being immature.
4. Campbell was such a conceited jerk.
5. Anna's mom, Sarah. she needs to learn to listen to her kids and stop obsessing over Kate bc she's obviously neglecting to care for the other two. she's such a controlling person.
6. It was SO FREAKING LONG!
7. I wanted more chapters from Jesse's POV.
8. the ending was depressing and made me want to cry...in a bad way...not like The Notebook crying, but One Day crying (if you haven't seen this movie, i would say watch it but be warned now YOU WILL CRY, but theres something calming about the depression of it. plus, it's anne hathaway and who doesn't love her? exactly my point.)

Now, i shall list the things i liked about the book:

1. how ultimately Anna had a voice
2. Jesse :) he was such a likable bad boy (see above about Bender....hehehehe)
3. the romantic tension between Julia and Campbell. it was very entertaining with all their banter and denial.
4. we didn't have to do a project or report on it for class, which was definitely a plus.

Yup, so you can obviously tell that the Dislikes list heavily outweighs the Likes list. Therefore, it got a measly one star from me. I know, that's harsh, but it was deserved. Jodi Picoult is a jerk for writing such an ending. How dare she?! For those of us that were emotionally involved in the book, you can't just do that to us. It's like a dagger in our backs. thanks a lot, Jodi.

• I figured i should probably write about the book swap book i read, When it Happens by Susane Colasanti. When i was reading it, i texted K and told her that Ms. Colasanti should've ended it at Chapter 29 and i wouldve been happy. Then, i agreed with myself again when i finished the book. It. Should. Have. Stopped. At. The. End. Of. Chapter. 29. Everything after that was unnecessary...they were just being sex-crazed, if you ask me. That sort of stuff is not what i like reading about especially since i have pledged to remain a virgin until i'm married. That's my belief, sorry. The only good thing that came out of the the chapters after 29 was *SPOILER ALERT* when Tobey recreates the Say Anything boombox scene. i really appreciated that and thought it was cute and there was that little place inside of me that was screaming "why can't that happen to me?" So, that was why i only gave it three stars. The first half of the book was fine and good, but i lost respect for it due to the second half. However, i really liked the alternating POVs. That's one of my favorite things in a book, especially when it's a guy and a girl. I always like to know what's going on in their minds and what their motives are. It's like an insight into the guys in my life...or at least i like to imagine that it is. I thought it was really cute how Tobey was pursuing Sara...once again "why can't that happen to me?" Ok i'm done pitying myself because, as we all know, "the number one killer of teenage girls is self pity." (i'm hoping someone got my The Kid reference...if not, then i came off as a creeper, but whatever.) In conclusion, it was a great 1st half and had some moments of greatness in the 2nd half, but it was for the most part unnecessary.

ok, i'm done now. enjoy your lives. enjoy your reading.
-M