a little bit of catching up...

All right, this is going to be super quick and therefore pretty concise. First, I think I should admit that I didn't finish the Harry Potter series this time through. I hit the figurative brick wall in the middle of Goblet of Fire and couldn't finish and felt like I was wasting my last remaining days of summer on something that my heart wasn't really in, which didn't seem right to me. (Currently listening to: "Stay Together for the Kids"- Blink-182) So, I went to the library and browsed the new book shelf as I normally do and came up with Love, Inc. by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout, the same two ladies that wrote Girl vs. Boy and the Vivien Leigh Reid series (both of which I've read). It was a story of Zahra, Kali, and Syd, three unlikely friends that met in group therapy following the divorces of each of their parents. They soon realize that they've all been dating the same guy at the same time without realizing it and arrange for some good, old-fashioned revenge. After which, they realize they can help others get revenge and thus begins Love, Inc., a company dedicated to love in all its forms: revenge, matchmaking, mediation, and break-ups. I really liked the individual personalities of the girls and the general plot. Although it dragged a tad in the middle/end, I still think it was deserving of a spot on The List. Moving on. ("Happy Fun Song"- Straight Outta Junior High) Next, I picked up My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, which K had recommended to me over a year ago and I had forgotten about until I was volunteering at the library and shelving books and the title jumped out at me. Samantha Reed, daughter of a senator, spends her childhood watching her next door neighbors, the Garretts, from her balcony with a sense of awe. They are the exact opposite of her clean, precise, classy family: messy, crowded, loud, and unorganized.("Juke Box Hero"- Foreigner) Enter Samantha's seventeenth summer and a relationship that blossoms with Jase, one of the Garrett kids. Sam learns about love, family, and the consequences of the truth. Although there were thoroughly irritating characters (Mrs. Reed, Clay, Nan), there were also some true gems (Sam, Jase, Tim, George, Alice) that really made the book that much more special. I loved the humor, narrative voice, and idea of a summer whirlwind romance. However, the ending caught me off guard and wasn't all that clear or fulfilling. Also, after finishing, I walked around in a daze for several hours, the effects of the book still not wearing off. However, despite its negatives, I gave it four stars and a spot on The List. Next up was Whip It by Shauna Cross. After watching the movie for the first time this summer, I thought it would be a great book to check out and boy was I right. I love the sarcastic, witty, educated humor that Bliss maintains throughout the entire book. It reminded me of my own internal dialogue and I loved it. She was such a relatable character for me and plus roller derby is just so badass that how could you not be intrigued? Also, there were all kinds of musical references that I got, loved, and really appreciated--especially when Bliss was saying that Weezer's Pinkerton is the best makeout album-- I mean it's Weezer's best album, in my opinion and I just loved that she incorporated that. It was honestly the funniest book I've read in a long, long time and I've been kind of disappointed by the lack of quick, intellectual, snarky humor in everything I've read since. Loved the movie, loved the book. Verdict: Five stars and a spot on The List of 55. I recently reread Just Listen by Sarah Dessen and was struck once again by how utterly amazing Owen is and how much I really need to find his twin brother at my school or something :) Still just as great as ever and, of course, parts that I went back and reread just for my own emotional reading pleasure (for example, the scene when Owen takes Annabel's picture and shows her what she means to him--my favorite scene). Oddly enough, I was talking to K in the hallway the other day and she was saying that she's rereading it right now too. Great minds think alike I guess. A couple days ago I finished All I Need by Susane Colasanti, which I was super skeptical of from the beginning because I haven't really been a fan of Colasanti in the past, but I was pleasantly surprised. I thought it was a decent love story of serendipity and taking chances and summer romance, but there were parts that I just didn't like. For example, the excessive teenage girl drama between Skye's friends and the awful ex-girlfriend and the weird passage of time. I really enjoyed the alternating POV, as I've always loved. Also, Seth was such a gentleman and I really enjoyed reading his chapters because he just seems like the sort of guy I would fall for. *sigh* Now, I'm ready to start The Secret Ingredient by Stewart Lewis, the author of You Have Seven Messages, which I didn't particularly like. However, I'm willing to give the author another shot. Also, it was on the New Book Shelf and sounded interesting and the cover is really beautiful. Well, I will post when/if I have time in the future because with sports and activities and school and a social life it's going to be pretty difficult to get around to posting anything for a while. Hang in there, though. I'll be back soon enough.
Happy Reading!
-M

the music post

As you all know by now, K and I are very passionate about music of mostly all sorts. Therefore, I thought I should share what I've been listening to....list style (because lists make everything better). Before I begin, though, I'd like to dedicate this list to Owen, quite possibly the greatest character ever developed by an author and a true freak for music just like us :)

CD's I've Checked Out From the Library Recently:
-¡Uno! by Green Day
-¡Dos! by Green Day
-¡Tré! by Green Day
-21st Century Breakdown by Green Day (notice a pattern yet?)
-Dookie by Green Day
-Sky Full of Holes by Fountains of Wayne
-Codes and Keys by Death Cab for Cutie
-Lonely Avenue by Ben Folds
-B.R.M.C. by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
-There Is Nothing Left to Lose by Foo Fighters
-One by One by Foo Fighters
-Wasting Light by Foo Fighters (Great album....seriously there was only one song that I didn't particularly care for, the rest were amazing. Arlandria is the best in my opinion)
-Subterranean Jungle by Ramones
-Stadium Arcadium by Red Hot Chili Peppers
-Take Off Your Pants and Jacket by Blink-182
-Enema of the State by Blink-182
-Suck it and See by Arctic Monkeys
-Humbug by Arctic Monkeys
-Get Behind Me Satan by The White Stripes
-Icky Thump by The White Stripes
-The White Stripes by The White Stripes (bet you didn't guess who this album was by)
-X&Y by Coldplay
-Mylo Xyloto by Coldplay
-The Clash by The Clash (gee they're really original with their titles aren't they?)
-Daisy by Brand New
-Holy Smoke by Gin Wigmore
*As you can see, I'm kind of all over the place musically, but stick in the vein of rock for the most part.

Twenty-Odd Songs That I've Come Across Elsewhere and Really Enjoy:

1. Surfer Girl--Home Grown
2. Definitely Maybe--FM Static
3. Sheena Is a Punk Rocker--Ramones
4. If It Kills Me--Jason Mraz
5. Shiver--Coldplay
6. To Be With You--Mr. Big
7. Layla--Eric Clapton
8. Calypso--Spiderbait (which reminds me of "Hate Spinnerbait" from Ms. Dessen's novels)
9. Fight For Your Right--Beastie Boys
10. Summertime--Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (I actually love this song...and all versions thereof but this is my favorite cover)
11. These Roses--Gin Wigmore
12. Holding On To You--Twenty One Pilots
13. Jude Law and a Semester Abroad--Brand New
14. Mix Tape--Brand New
15. The Sky is Crying--Albert King (also a great cover of a great song)
16. Play Crack the Sky--Brand New
    
17. Happy Together--Filter
18. Kissing You Goodbye--The Used
19. I'll Be Seeing You--Billie Holiday
20. Master Celebrator--No Fun At All
21. Goodnight Moon--Go Radio
22. Drive Away My Heart--Ida Maria
23. Shark in the Water (Blame Remix)--VV Brown
24. New Born--Muse
25. Crave You (Adventure Club Dubstep Remix)--Flight Facilities
26. La Vie en Rose--Louis Armstrong (He truly has the richest voice I've ever heard)
27. Just Like Heaven--The Cure
28. Leona--Millen Colin
29. Flavor of the Weak--American Hi-Fi

So, I realize this post was essentially just lists, but I thought I'd give you guys some suggested music to listen to this summer :)
-M

summer reading

Hello all! I realize that I haven't posted anything since the 24 Hour Readathon, so I should probably get you guys up to date. On April 27 I participated in a readathon and I completed four books: One Night by Marsha Qualey, Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen, Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber, and Perry's Killer Playlist by Joe Schreiber. I didn't particularly care for One Night because I felt like I couldn't relate to the characters and I didn't really like the premise of the book. However, a friend recommended it, so I figured I'd give it a try. As for Someone Like You, I've read it before and didn't really care for it then. However, it's Sarah Dessen so I decided to give it another shot. Nope. Still didn't like it. The  guy (Macon) was kind of an ass and the family (HER MOM) was so irritating and I almost couldn't keep reading because they were getting on my nerves. Also, Noah is a whiny little boy who needs to move on with  his life. Sorry, I'm getting worked up about this and it's been about a month and a half since I finished it, but it's Dessen and I (and K) hold her to a higher standard. Let's just say that this book didn't cut it. Also, recently I re-read That Summer (also by Dessen), which is another one that I didn't like the first time I read it. The second time it didn't get much better. I thought the main character was kind of immature and I didn't like her incredibly bratty sister who I'm not sure I would be able to stand living with for more one or two days before slapping her upside the head. She has no consideration for anyone but herself and leaves behind a wake of broken hearts/feelings. That was another second read-through strike-out for Ms. Dessen. Back to the readathon wrap-up: I loved reading Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick, a book that was recommended by a librarian-friend of mine. The fast pace and interesting plot line kept me engaged at whatever outrageous hour I was reading it. It was so full of action that it really pulled me in until the end and earned a spot on The List of 55 (number 28). I then proceeded to pick up the sequel (Perry's Killer Playlist) and start in on that, but not before I could go to Grooveshark (in my opinion, the best internet music website) and compile a playlist of the songs that were used as chapter titles in the book so that during each chapter I could listen to the appropriate song. I think this also helped keep me awake and really enhanced the story. I suggest doing this and getting it all set up ahead of time before starting the book and then being prepared to hit replay on some songs so it gets you through the whole chapter before moving on to the next song. Also, it definitely helped that Joe Schreiber apparently has a similar taste in music as me. I would recommend both of these books although the sequel didn't make "The List." After the readathon, during the last month of school, I didn't have much time for reading, but somehow managed to sneak in Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti, Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz, Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz, and the aforementioned That Summer by Sarah Dessen. Honey, Baby, Sweetheart was one of those books that I was not very pleased with and I'm pretty sure I had a nice couple of rant sessions while I was reading it. However, much as I wanted to quit reading it, I couldn't because I just had to know what happened. While the general idea of the bad boy really appealed to me, I thought it was poorly executed and a tad cliché. Definitely didn't live up to the ultimate standard of "bad boy", John Bender. Also, I wasn't really happy with the ending. Next up was Blue Bloods, which I thought was very interesting and well-written. It definitely held my attention and was a nice introduction into the whole vampire genre for me. Then I read the sequel, which was slightly less captivating, but still ok. I'm sure eventually I'll get around to reading the rest of the series, but not now. Then, this summer so far in the past week I've read Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler, Supernaturally by Kiersten White, and Being Henry David by Cal Armistead. Bittersweet was good, predictable plot, but good. Not exactly appropriate seeing as how it takes place in the dead of winter and  I read it the first week of summer, but good nonetheless. Supernaturally is the sequel that I've been getting excited about ever since I read and loved Paranormalcy several months ago. It was good and kept me intrigued, but not as good as the first and I felt like there was still unresolved conflict that was bothering me. Also, the ending felt very very rushed and kind of just felt unfinished. Then, today I read and finished Being Henry David, which reminded me a little of Paper Covers Rock, so of course I loved it and it's going on The List (number 29). A boy wakes up in a train station and can't remember who he is, why he's there, or anything about his past. All he knows is that there is a ten dollar bill in his pocket and a copy of Henry David Thoreau's Walden at his side. It's a book of adventure, but also one in which the main character finds himself. It was a very enjoyable read and I loved everything, except for the ending, which was left a bit open-ended, perhaps for readers to fill in the blanks for themselves. Very well done, especially since it was Ms. Armistead's first book. I look forward to reading more of her books as they come. Another great New Book Shelf find that I took a chance on and ended up loving. With this book, I completed the Summer Reading Program at my library, which requires 1000 pages to complete. Now, I'm working towards the extra incentive of another free book by going for 5000 pages by August 6. Every year I've done the Young Adult program, I've made it to 5000, so I don't plan on stopping anytime soon :) I am now about to start Me, Him, Them, and It by Caela Carter, which I know very little about, as it was also a New Book Shelf find. Enjoy the summer sunshine and, more importantly, rain showers. Happy Reading!

-M

Readathon Hour 10

Hey guys so as most of you know, I started my 24 hour readathon at midnight and have therefore been going for about ten hours now. I admit I drifted off to sleep several times from around 6-8am, but I'm keeping with the reading after these breaks. I'm very excited due to the fact that I passed the nine hour mark, which is where I dropped out last time. So far I've been semi-productive and have finished two books: Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen and One Night by Marsha Qualey. On the readathon website they asked everyone to answer questions about themselves and link to our blog, so here goes:
1) Where in the world are you reading from?  My couch/chair/bed (I like to move around from time to time) in the Midwest.
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?  The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson (sequel to The Name of the Star)
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? Coconut Greek Yogurt
4) Tell us a little about yourself. I am a an opinionated and currently exhausted high school junior trying to enjoy as many books in my lifetime as possible. As my mother always says: don't waste your time reading books you don't love. There are so many books available out in the world and only one lifetime in which to find the great ones. This is one of the mantras I repeat to myself when I'm considering quitting a book that I don't particularly like. Also it's kind of the reason why I started this blog in the first place: to find the books that were good enough to be added to "The List of 55". Yes, I'm picky, but not willing to settle for a book that I'm not enjoying.
5) If you participated in the last readathon, what's one thing you'll do different today? I didn't do it last year, but two years ago I did the April Readathon, or at least tried. I got to hour nine and gave up.  This time I plan to take it in via social media and blogging instead of having my nose completely immersed in a book all 24 hours. Also I'm going a little easier on myself about napping and breaks which I've realized are actually quite necessary. I'm going for a more laid back approach.
Well, I'm about to start Book 3: Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber, as it was recommended by my friend/librarian. I'd better get back to it then!

the return...

alright, it's M here and i know i owe you guys a huge apology for essentially dropping off the face of the earth, but i've been super busy and haven't exactly had much time to read, let alone write about it. also, with finals and AP testing coming up i probably won't be posting much until June, but stick with me here, i'm trying! so, the main reason i wanted to post is because this saturday, April 27th, i'm once again participating in Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon and am super excited. it was a last minute decision to participate (i decided this about an hour ago) so i'm not exactly organized and don't have nearly enough books in my house for saturday, so that means i'll be making a library run soon...i hope. Anyway, if you guys want any information about the Read-a-thon, like if perhaps you want to join me and 340 other crazy people, follow this link. Ok, now to review the past several months quickly:

• The Fault in Our Stars-- such a great, funny, witty book until the second half when i bawled my eyes out. i was not happy with the ending at all. and endings are everything in my book (hehe)
• Second Chance Summer-- awesome summer read about obviously second chances and trusting yourself and others. i loved it and it's getting added to The List
• Oh. My. Gods.--this was a book swap book from K and i really liked it, so much so that i begged her to give me the second one the day after i finished it. it was also decent, but not as good as the first.
• The Six Rules of Maybe--girl falls for her sister's fiancee...drama ensues....too much drama and just downright irritating
• The Kite Runner--required reading over winter break and was quite depressing. that being said, it was amazingly well written and easy for western readers to comprehend to some extent. such a sad story, but well done.
• The A Circuit-- competitive horse riding. drama ensues. eh, not really a fan...
• Anna Dressed in Blood-- this one was recommended to me by my librarian and friend H when i told her i was looking for something similar to Maureen Johnson's The Name of the Star. about a teenage boy who "kills" ghosts all over the country and then ends up falling for one. eery and kind of frightening at points, but had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. i loved it. added to The List
• Paper Covers Rock-- i've read this book 3 times now i think and it's amazing each and every time. if you want a better review, i'm sure there's one in the archives somewhere.
• When Lightning Strikes series-- several years ago i started the series and only got through the first and second books because the library didn't have the other ones available at the time. so, i decided i would give the series another shot and i'm glad i did, because i loved Jess and her "IDGAF" attitude and Rob and his motorcycle ( that would be my Bender complex talking) anyway, i got through the whole series and loved them all, especially the ending of the final book, which i ended up rereading several times just because it made me so happy. job well done, miss cabot.
• Paranormalcy--the same librarian/friend suggested this book about Evie, a girl who works for a government agency to keep the peace between paranormal creatures. she's caught between a crafty fairy and a mysterious unknown species. i loved this book and just today found out that there are others in the series!! AHH! added to The List.
• The Next Thing on My List--a girl is giving a stranger a ride home and gets into a car crash that her passenger doesn't survive. she then finds a list that the stranger had of all the things she wanted to do before her next birthday, so she takes it upon herself to complete the list for this girl she knows nothing about. i liked the concept, but the execution, especially the ending, were severely lacking.
• Never Let Me Go--cloning.isolation.organ donors.art.coming of age. I hated it. and the movie was even worse
• As I Lay Dying--required for school. my friends and I, being the super nerdy people that we are, decided to let out our emotions about this book through a series of strongly worded haikus. needless to say, we all hated it. i don't understand why people raise Faulkner up on a pedestal.
• The Great Gatsby--required for school and the only novel i've been forced to read this year that was actually enjoyable. i loved this book and the narrative of Nick, who seems like the kind of guy i would get along well with. yes, there were characters that you love to hate, but the book as a whole is just so great. i and aforementioned nerdy friends are going to go see the movie in theaters May 10 and we are all very excited. also, the music in the trailer (Happy Together by Filter) is so haunting yet perfect that every time i hear it, it makes me shiver, but in the best possible way. added to The List
• This Lullaby--my second time reading it and i think i loved it even more this time than i did last time. Dexter is just so darn persistent that it's endearing.
• The Book of Luke--i thought the story was slow and dramatic and hated the ending how things just so happened to work out after a few rather weak apologies. not very realistic if you ask me.
• Safe Haven-- this was definitely Nicholas Sparks' most thrilling book to date. it had me on the edge of my seat and i loved it. not his normal thing, but it worked. i have yet to see the movie, but i'm sure i'll watch it sometime this summer when i have more time.
• The Host-- my friend is obsessed with this book. she reads it every year and therefore made a deal with me that if she read 3 Dessen books i had to read The Host. i thought it was a pretty fair deal. however, let me say that the first 250 pages are slightly confusing, slow, and drag. However, after that, things pick up and from then on i truly enjoyed the book. so, if you have any intention of reading it, just power throught the first 250 pages and stick it out, because it's definitely worth it. also another one that i would like to see the movie, but don't know how much the directors have screwed with the plot. added to The List.
• Death of a Salesman--required for school. hated the play and i hated the movie version with Dennis Hoffman. so sad and tragic with no real point. definitely not enjoyable as i always seemed to fall asleep when i was reading it.

So yeah, we're at 27 now on The List, which is very exciting for me :) I am about to start Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen, which i tried reading a couple years ago, but didn't like and put aside. However, i'm determined to finish it this time no matter what. We'll see how that goes....anyway, thanks so much if you've continued to follow our sporadic postings and keep an eye out for posts on saturday during the Read-a-thon, because i'm sure i'll have something to say :)
happy reading!
-M

M & K: A Book Swap Extravaganza

hello all! we realize that a book swap is WAY overdue, but just be glad to have it at all. school is crazy for both of us and we haven't had sufficient time to get together. anyway, ONWARD!
So, the guy next to us is watching a video of a tv show or movie and it's very distracting. I keep glancing over and probably seem like a total creeper, but hey!....Yeah I didn't have anything to make that better. haha it's true, she is being a little creepy with her furtive glances toward his screen. come to think of it, this is the most full i've ever seen this room (our public library's computer lab). K, what do you think, character analysis of our neighbors?? Well the guy next to us obviously has good taste in shows because whatever he's watching is really good (and I can't even hear the dialogue). Then there's the women I saw the other day who has the most adorable baby ever!!! He's sleeping, but that's probably best for a library. Oh! A friend of mine is in here. I would say his name, but I don't want to call him out. He's on the opposite wall behind us. So that's cool I guess. There's a man, he's very jittery...well kinda...okay his leg keeps bouncing so :p Everyone else seems pretty normal...for now. of course, because everyone seems normal at first. even the hypothetical mass murderer/child molester down the street seems normal until he asks you to get candy from his white van with suspiciously tinted windows. my point being, all these people are weird, whether we realize it or not....just hopefully none of them try killing me. Um, or your lovely friend sitting right next to you. I do agree with all of them being weird...it actually sounded like something that could possibly be in a Dessen novel...eh...no....maybe I just want to read a book of hers'....yup that could be it. Especially since I haven't really had time to read much since school started. meow. hehe, I love doing that. I kept pausing like I was done, but nope.....meow. Okay sorry I'm done. My brain is honestly all over the place. Oh! On another note: I do apologize for not posting sooner than this. I do have a lot to catch you guys up on. I shall try to post...um....Sunday? Or Monday....we'll see, but I will post soon :) Daaaaaanggg that guy's music is loud. THIS IS A LIBRARY FOR HEAVENS SAKE!!! We take pride in remaining silent during our book swaps, i think other people should have the same consideration. oh wait, he got in trouble, nevermind. justice has been done. Anyway, now onto books...so for the book swap last time, K gave me Girl V. Boy by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout. I already reviewed this book here so i won't waste space here and do it again. however, it was great. nuff said. So, to repay the favor and hopefully give K something that she will love as much as i do (which will be pretty difficult given how awesome i think this book is) i have chosen................*the ellipsis indicates your mental drumroll, we're in a library after all!*..............................................Stay by Deb Caletti. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Okay, so I always see this book whenever I go to the book store and I always want to get it, but usally don't. Meaning I've been wanting to read this book for a while now. So, hopefully I will enjoy it as much as M did :)  Okay so M just pointed out that at the bottom of the cover it says "Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen" -Booklist. Honestly?!?! It's a sign!!! Haha, okay so last night...I think it was last night, but not the point. I texted M asking about Greek mythology. Well, it wasn't a pointless question. I was doing it to see what book I would share next with her. So I have brought................."Oh. My. Gods" By Tera Lynn Childs. Personally I think M will love it because
1. The main character is a runner
2. There's a good little love story going on
annnnnnnnndddddddddddd because the Greek mythology involved is actually pretty cool. However, this is coming from a person who can spend hours reading the stuff. I don't believe in it, but I just think it is so awesome. I got K's text last night (or whenever) and was very unsure because i knew that it meant she would be bringing me some mythology book. the mental image i got was some thick, tan, volume with words in it like "thither". not exactly my ideal pleasure read. Needless to say i was pleasantly surprised when she pulled this one "out of the hat" (and by hat i mean backpack, but it was for literary purposes, cut me some slack). Upon looking at the back to figure out what the heck a fiction novel like this had to do with Greek mythology, i found out that this girl RUNS XC!! i kinda freaked out a little as K watched. i'm sorta excited now to read it after reading the *how dare he! this guy's phone just rang. ONCE AGAIN this is a library. need i spell it out for you??? L. I. B. R. A. R. Y. (boy, wouldn't it have been embarrassing if i had misspelled that?!) meaning no noise or minimal noise. sorry, back to the point* synopsis. we shall see... So, K what did you think of Girl at Sea?? So I really should *M is going to murder someone if their phone goes off again...oh my...she's the murderer she was referring to earlier....I'm going to die D: * *no, you aren't gonna die. he is. also, K can't type today, and neither can i....it's been a long week* *agreed, back to the point* So I really should have like typed up my opinion earlier so I could just copy and paste, but I didn't so shame on me. Anywho, I would like to say that I love the main characters name. "Clio" it's not over used and it just was cool to me. I honestly enjoyed this book. I had moments of frustration with Clio though because she was in total denial about her feelings!!! I mean...okay so I had to back track for a moment because I almost gave stuff away :o  Nope, not on my watch. Anywho I shall just say that I really liked the book, the plot, the characters and the underlying stories. Okay...I actually didn't fully enjoy that they were at sea....deep depths of water...me not being the best swimmer...bad images *insert my shudder here* Fudge I forgot what I was going to say...well I guess we'll have to wait and see if it comes back to me. Oh and on a side note I'm pretty sure what the guy next to us was watching was Once Upon A Time...I think...I should ask, but then he'd know I was creeping on him. I love that show! i haven't exactly watched any of this season's episodes, but they're on my DVR at home for later because i have no free time, but when i find some, i will be watching them. but it didn't really look like that to me on his screen...it looked more fantasy-based...but what do i know? i wasn't exactly creeping like K was. I've only seen one episode and that was more because I was at a friend's house and his mom insisted that I would love it (I would have liked it more if I wasn't so confused- it was mid season :p). However, I do intend to watch it when I get the chance. Maybe winter break if my teachers aren't evil and decide to give me homework. if i had the first season readily available, i would invite you over for a marathon to get you educated, but i sadly do not. maybe i can procure (props to M for the SAT vocab word!) it from someone? a friend and fellow Once Upon A Time watcher? watchee? idk. Eh, i think either could work. So we must see who else watches the show and pray they have it on DVD. Then we will beg them to let us borrow it :D I don't know why, but I just had the image of me standing on a hill with a cape and crown while holding up the DVD....yup, it's been a long week. ummmm is this really what you think about during the day??? and i thought my mind was weird and messed up.... haha, well my mind never stays focused on one thing for too long...except for in my block class...I'll explain that to you later though. So, I guess to answer your question simply...yes :) Ok unrelated i know, but i realized that i haven't ranted about the book i just finished or the book i'm currently reading. So for AP Lit i had to choose a book off "The AP List" *picture some British gentleman reading this in a pretentious tone with a look of disgust thrown to any and all in....normal English* for my SSR book and i chose Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (i would add the umlat on the e of her name, but i can't on the Internet). Now, me and this book have history together......i started it last year for fun (bad idea) and ended up quitting after about 100 pages. however, i told myself that i would complete it someday. so, i thought this would be the perfect opportunity to do so. Maybe not. i got to i think about page 80 this time before quitting. now, i've had people tell me that the book is really good, but it just is boring until about page 120. i have yet to make it that far, so i can't really agree with them. however, same as last time, i vow to finish it some day. (that day might just be farther in the future than i would hope) So, it was like 4 days before we had to have our SSR book done and a literary packet about the book completed and i switched books. wow, M, you're smart. yes, yes i am, thank you. UGH bad idea to wait that long to switch. Especially considering the fact that 2 of those 4 days included Thanksgiving break, during which i knew i wouldn't go near a book for school. So, i somehow managed to pull it off and read Persuasion by Jane Austen. i chose this one because i already owned it and it was short. simple as that. convenience. also, i like Jane Austen, so that was a plus. at first, i had trouble getting into it (this seems to happen a lot for me and books of this time period), but once i did, i got emotionally attached to the characters and was rooting for Anne the whole way through. it got to the point where i was reading the day before it was due and i was holding the book in front of my face by about 5 inches hunched over with excitement and anxiety of what would happen. All in all, a TERRIFIC book. (not as great as Pride and Prejudice, my all-time favorite, but still really good) This is why it's going on the List of 55. Then, i realized that i now have all this time where i don't have an SSR book due for class, so i can read for pleasure! yay! i picked up two books at the library on Monday: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green and Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson. the John Green one because so many friends have recommended it (some with such intensity i'm getting a little nervous). the Morgan Matson one because K had me read Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by recommendation (not a book swap) and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT, so i thought i would try it out. I'm currently reading The Fault In Our Stars and it's pretty good so far. this is the book that my mother confiscated from me yesterday claiming that i was reading it too much and not focusing enough on studying for my physics test. pshh. i was going to get around to studying eventually....after i finished the book :) anyway, pretty good so far, i'll probably be doing another post after i finish it to tell you all what i thought. Yeah, I tried reading Wuthering Heights once....didn't finish it. Maybe I'll go back to it one day...not today, but one day. I must read Persuasion! I love Jane Austen and if M also enjoyed it I think it'll be pretty darn good. Now that M has reminded me I must also read Emma again. Okaie doks, I must go and push my brother down the stairs for being a butt face (not really, he's taking me to get food so I'll be nice for now). Adios lovely readers I shall post later (probably not today seeing as I won't get home until 10).

#21 and some AWESOME news

So, this is gonna have to be a short post for me seeing as how I've got a project to finish and physics homework to do, but I couldn't resist blogging today. That is because of the following: I was innocently logging into my email account to send myself something to print out later and what appears in my inbox but a Sarah Dessen Newsletter. Now, I signed up for her newsletter several several years ago when I first became obsessive about her books. However, she doesn't send them out very often; only about two or three times a year. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find one in my inbox this afternoon. Then, I opened it and what did I find? SHE'S COMING OUT WITH A NEW BOOK!!! It will be in store in June!! As you may have picked up, I was super excited to hear this and so I clicked on the link (I've provided it for you) and read the article about it in USA Today. I had no idea that they would be giving me a preview of the first chapter of the book, but USA Today, being the nice people that they are, provided that for us Dessen fanatics! And after reading that excerpt may I just say: June cannot come any sooner. It sounds fantastic and I'm getting anxious to read it even though it's like 8 months away from coming out. Funny, because I was just talking to my mother the other day about how if/when she came out with a new book, K or I would be the first to know and that if one of us knew, we would alert the other. Well, folks, it took me all of four or five minutes (the time it took me to read the excerpt) to get around to texting K in all caps and sending her the link. That's called fanhood.
Also, I would like to recognize Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (recommended to me by K) as number 21 on The List of 55. It was a really cute story about a road trip and personal discovery and love and music (Man, Roger had great musical taste! I feel like Owen would approve). So it got five stars and if I had more time I would do a full rant, but I have to go, so you all should go get it and read it.
Read like your life depended on it,
M

Vas happening?!?

If we have any One Direction fans out there then you'll probably know that's what Zayn says in a lot of their youtube videos (M I know the look you're giving me, DON'T JUDGE ME!!!) At least I'm not one of those girls who are completely obsessed with them and get mad when they get a girlfriend. Plus I'm not convinced I'm in a relationship with them so it's all good. ANYWHO, I told M I was going to post last weekend, but as you all can see I didn't exactly get around to it :p This won't be a long post, but I have exciting news so let's get to it!
1. I watched this super adorably awkward movie called Return to Me and I absolutely adored it >.<
2. I re-read This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen and was again reminded of how much I love the main male characters in Dessen books <3
3. The exciting news is this: a book that I've recently read my 55 books list!!! It was a book that always caught my eye when I went to the public library and always debated on checking out. So after M's and I last book swap I checked out Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson and usually it's not the kind of book I would go for, but I was absolutely thrilled by it. I guess because it had some amazing aspects such as:

• a road trip :D
• romance
• humor
• over coming obstacles/doing what K wants to happen <3

It was amazing and it makes number 6 on my list of 55.
So now I must bid you all a farewell until next time *tips hat*

you know you're a freak when you'd rather read than watch the olympics

Song: Black Hole Sun- Soundgarden. Well, it's been close to two weeks since my last post and i've been doing some pretty serious reading and judging (not only books, but the performance of the Olympic athletes). When I last blogged, I hadn't yet started The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen. So, that is where i will start and move onward from there. Ok? (If you're not ok with this, then I have some choice words for you including the fact that you should just stop reading now and get a personality :P )

• The Truth About Forever....This was either my second or third time reading this book and the last time i read it was probably 3 or 4 years ago. (If You Could Only See- Tonic) My point is that it's not one of the Dessen novels that i keep in my room and read every year, so I had forgotten a lot about it when K and I mentioned it at our book swap. So, i felt the need to check it out and do a quick re-read. I loved it. I don't remember enjoying that book as much the first 1 or 2 times. Wes is simply awesome as are most of Dessen's male characters. It had a decent but slightly lacking ending. (On a Plain- Nirvana) However, i do like the fact that Macy used to be a runner which is easy for me to relate to. Also, Kristy was a very fun character. However, it, like all Dessen books, had parts where i just wanted to reach out and shake the main character because they were acting stupid and isolating themselves from those they care about for whatever reason. (Mr. Jones- Counting Crows) This seems to happen a lot in Dessen novels: in Along For the Ride, Auden starts to like Eli and then she freaks out and isolates herself and dives into academics and her loser ex; in Keeping the Moon, Colie tries to run away from Norman because she gets freaked; in What Happened to Goodbye, Mclean kind of isolated herself and was going to accept moving away again; in This Lullaby, Remy breaks up with Dexter and later stops talking to him altogether and goes out with some jerkface; (I Miss You- Blink182) and finally, in Just Listen, Annabel pulls away from Owen for two months after the concert (although, i don't know why you would every do that!). Officially, in my order of Dessen guys it goes: Owen, Eli, Wes, Norman, Dexter, Dave. (i didn't include guys from That Summer or Someone Like You because i haven't read them. i didn't include the jackass from Dreamland because he wouldn't even make the list. i didn't include the dude from Lock and Key because i didn't like that book and honestly don't remember much about it.)
• Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler....I chose to read this book after a Dessen because i thought it might be similarly written. Boy, was i wrong. Ms. Ockler has nothing on Sarah Dessen. I hated this book. (Scar Tissue- Red Hot Chili Peppers) It's as simple as that. The main character was relatable, but the ending wasn't satisfying, the best friend was super annoying and i honestly don't know how Anna (main character) puts up with her for so long. Also, the guys in the book aren't exactly likable. Matt is awesome and I could definitely see the appeal. However, Sam and Jake seem like jerks to me. Also, i hated how the whole focus of the book seemed to be on Anna's virginity. I'm sorry, but i have better things to be reading about than a girl who's complaining about never having sex and a friend who's practically throwing herself and Anna at every boy that crosses their path in hopes of changing that. I really hated this book. Except for the stuff about Matt. That's all i have to say about that.
• After reading Twenty Boy Summer, i was being super picky because i wanted a good book after a crappy one. So, i started Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison because i'd heard that it was a really good series. However, i couldn't get past the third chapter because i didn't like the main character (which is always an issue), couldn't follow the heavy British slang, and didn't like the fact that the book was written as a series of journal entries. (About a Girl- Nirvana) So, i stopped reading it because, as my mother always reminds me, "So many books, so little time! Don't waste your time reading something you don't enjoy." After that, i picked up Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler. These are the same authors that wrote Dream Factory, which i love dearly, so i thought that this book would be on the same level. No. i got through less than one chapter before quitting because i don't like stuff about Renaissance Fairs and i hated that the girl called her mother by her first name and then proceeded to call her a wench. Also, it takes place at a fat camp, which i didn't exactly want to read about. So, for the second time in one day, i put  it down and started another book: This Lullaby.
• This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen....The first time i read this book, i had a lot of homework and stuff going on, so i was only able to pick it up about twice a week, so i would often forget the dynamics of the book and forget most of what had happened. So, i ended up quitting it because i got bored by it. However, i told myself that i would read it again some day in its entirety simply because i owed it to Ms. Dessen to not give up on her books. So, i read it and finished it two days ago. Ahhh so good! It was a much needed change of pace after the depressingly terrible Twenty Boy Summer that i had just suffered through and my two failed attempts at starting a book that followed. (Hotel California- The Eagles) I loved Remy's attitude, hated her mother even at the end, got irritated by her brother and especially her brother's girlfriend, HATED Don, loved Dexter, and got confused often by which friend was which and which bandmember was which. However, as a whole, it was a great book. I still don't know why i stopped reading it the first time, because this time, i couldn't exactly put it down. I was intrigued by Remy's slightly bitchy attitude and heartbreaker streak. This book also included, as stated above, a part where i wanted to beat some sense into the main character and make her get back on the track again after doing something incredibly stupid, usually like 3/4 of the way through the book. The ending was kind of disappointing. However, when i was doing my analysis above with all of the Dessen books, i had to flip back through the concert scene in Just Listen and spotted a cameo of Remy and Dexter and the rest of Truth Squad, which slightly made up for the fact that This Lullaby ended on a not-so-satisfying note.
• Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta....So, on one of my many library visits, I asked one of my librarian friends for some book suggestions, as i was almost done re-reading all the Sarah Dessen books :). She told me that someone she'd talked to had said that Melina Marchetta's books seemed a lot like Sarah Dessen's. So, she handed me Saving Francesca. Also, she suggested a book she just finished called The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman, which i have a bookmark in but haven't yet started. I was very skeptical going into it because i didn't think anyone could even come close to comparing to SD because of my fierce loyalty to her books. In a way, i was right. I don't think that Marchetta writes like SD. However, she is a good writer and i loved her book. Francesca is one of thirty girls in a formerly all-boys Catholic school in Australia. She spends her junior year of high school dealing with heavy family issues, making and breaking friendships, and finding a special someone. I realize i'm being very brief, but i just don't want to give away too much. It's a book about girl power, family bonds, craziness, and cliques. (Fine By Me- Andy Grammer *I GET TO GO SEE HIM IN CONCERT TOMORROW!!!) What i first liked about the book was the narrative by Francesca. She's a very opinionated, headstrong character and i loved her for that. Also, there was cussing all throughout which i actually liked because it made her seem even more in control. Another thing i really enjoyed was the humor. I constantly found myself grinning, chuckling, and even laughing while reading it. Although the ending wasn't what i would've preferred, it made sense and it was do-able in my opinion. Well, that was super vague, but i just think you should all go out and read this book then tell me what you think! (especially you, K) This book obviously made The List which makes this number 17. Oh, and as far as my goal of 10,000 pages by the end of the summer, i'm at 9,672 so i have 328 pages left. (The Scientist- Coldplay *my favorite Coldplay song) Ideally, i'll just read The Book of Blood and Shadow, which is 432 pages long, and be done with my goal. However, i know me and i'll probably end up quitting this book and picking up a different one, so you never know. Also, for school, i'm being forced to read 1984 by George Orwell which i'm just THRILLED about reading. I made it to page 5 before getting bored and i decided to pick it up another time. I'm such a slacker, i know ;) Yup, that's all i've got for now. (Come On Get Higher- Matt Nathanson)

Enjoy your lives, soak up the sun, always keep your earbuds blasting.
-M

a "whole heap" of reading, 'mon

please tell me that someone out there appreciated my Cool Runnings reference in honor of the Olympics...except for the fact that that movie is about the WINTER Olympics, but still...close enough. (Float On- Ben Lee) so, as the title says, i've been reading a whole heap of stuff so this is probably going to be long, boring, droning, and i'll go on at least one rant, but what do you honestly expect coming from me? :) so, ONWARD! (Surfer Girl- Home Grown)

• Wild Roses by Deb Caletti...this book for me started out great and i was really getting into the writing style and sarcastic humour of the main character. however, over time i felt like the book got kind of repetitive and she fell for the guy WAYY too fast. also, the end wasn't very satisfying. (My Hero (acoustic)- Foo Fighters) loose ends were left and i still ended up hating certain characters at the conclusion. i was pretty disappointed because i had really high hopes for that book and then, like most things in life, it didn't really turn out how i wanted it to.

• The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle...in one word: amazing. very well written. i felt all the emotions of the main character and almost found myself crying along with her (which is pretty impressive if an author can get me to do that). also, i should point out that the cover art is breath-taking. quick summary: Laurel's entire family gets killed in a car crash (we know this after just the 12th page so i don't feel too bad about giving this away) as does the mother of her bad boy neighbor, David. (Mirror ft Bruno Mars- Lil Wayne) the entire book is just Laurel coping with her loss and going through the grieving process. she grows closer to David as they realize they have more in common now more than ever. *May I just point out that David definitely reminded me of the John Bender type? Which, of course, I loved about him. You know K and I's slight obsession with Bender and The Breakfast Club in general.* This amazing book I've already suggested to K and it definitely deserves a spot on The List of 55. this would make it number 16. yay.

• The Julian Game by Adele Griffin...i started this book and made myself get through a full three chapters before giving up completely. i always try to give the book a chance, but this book was just petty and pathetic. i hated the main character and all the supporting characters, so i didn't really see it going anywhere that i would like. therefore, it got discarded onto the return stack.

• The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti...I got through the first half of this book before giving up and going to the book swap hoping for a good book to read. i didn't like the dad, sister, main character, or boyfriend. (Metal Health (Bang Your Head)- Quiet Riot....from Footloose, the original of course) however, i very much enjoyed the best friend, aunt, grandma, and mom and their skepticism towards men. i just didn't like the basis of the book. i kept hoping it would get better, but it didn't and i had already wasted a lot of my time on that book, so i skimmed and figured out who the love interest would be and realized i wasn't missing a whole lot by skipping the rest of the book.

• BOOK SWAP ALERT: On July 14, K and I met at the public library (aka heaven) to talk/rant about books and swap. i waited for K, as she was late (no complaints here), and read the first few chapters of Pet Sematary by Stephen King, but i haven't picked it up since. In the swap, I got Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti and K got The Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, a book that I read several summers ago and loved so much that upon finding it in a used book warehouse, i had to buy it. (Candlelight- Relient k) It's a book about life and love and the seaside. To be honest, i don't remember much about it except for the fact that i loved it. I haven't heard from K about it though, so i don't know what she thought of it. As for me, I started reading Waiting For You the day i got it and finished it the next day. i wasn't all that thrilled by it. i pretty much had the entire plot figured out just by reading the jacket cover. it was a very predictable and somewhat frustrating book. the main character (sorry i don't remember her name) wasn't all that likable in my opinion and she seemed rather immature and young. also, the guy she was after wasn't "attractive" enough (as in, i wasn't attracted by the author's description. she should've made him slightly more likable so it was really more of a struggle for the reader to switch loyalties). also, i pegged the radio host from the start and it just seemed wayy too obvious. that being said, i did enjoy his character, although i DO NOT approve of his whole "what should i do about liking a girl" approach. that's petty and, as the main character said, very 5th grader-ish. overall, it was kinda a blazé (sp?) book. (Tears in Heaven- Eric Clapton) maybe susane colasanti just isn't for me, seeing as how i wasn't exactly thrilled with the other book by her that i read: When It Happens (which you might remember i went on a rant about how the author should've just stopped at chapter 29). but K can go right ahead and try to persuade me otherwise. (From the Bottom of My Heart- The Wallflowers)

• What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen...I've been putting this book off for a while now because K had told me that she wasn't exactly thrilled with the ending of it, so i was very hesitant because i thought that i would be disappointed, as has happened before with Ms. Dessen's earlier works *cough Dreamland cough*. However, during our hour and a half book discussion that went along with the swap, we talked about the book and how she didn't really remember the book that well so that i should just give it a chance. So, after reading the swap book, i started What Happened to Goodbye. Since it's been over a week since i read it, i'm reading back through the texts i sent K while reading and after finishing WHTG.(When I See You- The Moog) here are some excerpts from our texting ranting: i'm on pg 53 and freaking out!!! annabel and owen get a cameo appearance!!.....i just finished what happened to goodbye. i agree about it not being satisfying......i feel like Dave should've been a more developed character and he should've made a move sooner. i feel like the ending was too rushed to fully resolve things. also, mclean went off to college--not a very happy ending. also she didn't get to go on the Texas trip which i'd hoped she would've done. oh and they didn't explain the whole restaurant thing very well at the end. thank you!! ah, okay. i didn't know if it was just me and i knew you'd understand. okay thank you for sharing what you thought. i thought the book had so much potential, but then the end screwed it up. I feel pathetic that i had to type out our texts, but that's the best thing i could think to do so you guys could get the full experience of our opinions and mine right after i finished the book. I would like to say, though, that Ms. Dessen has a way of writing great male characters (ex: Owen, Eli, Norman, Dave). (All Apologies- Nirvana)

• Gallagher Girls Series...After finishing WHTG, i felt like i owed it to myself to read a book with a good ending and a good love story. That's what made me walk over to my bookshelf and grab I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter. Possibly one of my favorite series (behind Harry Potter of course) and there's always comfort in reading books you know you'll love. Also, me being lazy, i hadn't read the newest book yet so it seemed right to go through and read the entire series as a refresher. Here are some essential stats about the series... favorite book in the series: book 2 (because Zach is always around and it's when Cammie and Zach meet....yeah i know what you're thinking about me being some ridiculous teenage girl...well you'd be absolutely right :) ). most confusing book: book 5. (By the Way- Red Hot Chili Peppers) most boring book: book 1 (because, let's face it, regular boys aren't nearly as exciting as super-spy boys :P ) After finishing book 5, i felt even more confused than i was when i started the book and i know for a fact that Ally Carter is writing another. However, it was kind of hinted at that the next one will be the last. (If I Should Fall From Grace With God- The Young Dubliners) Cammie said something along the lines of "when we come back next semester we'll end this for good" or something like that. also, there's the fact that the girls are going into the last semester of their senior year, so of course they can't stay at Gallagher Academy forever. however, i would be very pleased if Ms. Carter kept going and wrote novels about their after high school experience like their first years in the field doing whatever it is they'll go on to do. i'm just going to be really sad when the series is over and Cammie, Bex, Liz, and Macey are no longer students at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Girls. I guess i'm just a Gallagher Girl at heart. Anyway, book 5 made me tear up because i have always felt very connected to Cammie and when i thought that her best friend was trying to steal her boyfriend i was outraged and literally had tears in my eyes. I read the whole series in a week and that made it even more emotional because i basically spent all my free time with Cammie, Bex, Liz, and Macey and then i felt really lonely when i finished the fifth book. I now sit waiting for the next to come out...whenever that happens to be. (Someone Like You- Adele)

• Avalon High by Meg Cabot....I was at the library last week and got Avalon High and The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen. What made me pick up Avalon High was the fact that K and i had talked about it when we were discussing The Song of the Sparrow and how it's also about King Arthur and how i said that i didn't like any books on the topic except for Avalon High. So, i remembered this while i was there and grabbed it off the shelf. However, I still had five books left from my last trip to the library. I was simply not in the mood to read those books because when i get something in my head, i have to do it. i looked over the books that had been checked out previously and realized that i didn't want to read about a serial killer or a person with supernatural ability or a historical fiction novel. so, i put those five books in my return stack and picked up Avalon High this morning after/during breakfast. It was not my first time reading it, in fact i think it's probably the second time i've re-read it. I finished it this afternoon and it was just as delightful as i remembered. I had forgotten that Ellie is a runner (probably because it wasn't relevant before...as i hadn't started running xc yet...that's how long ago i read this book last) too, which helped me relate to her even more. (Aint No Rest for the Wicked- Cage the Elephant) After reading the book, i wanted to go outside and run two miles in the pouring rain as she did, but that's not exactly possible seeing as how we're in the middle of a drought. May i just point out that i LOVE running in the rain. other people are complaining about getting soaked and wet and how they feel gross but my best friend and i are out there running with huge smiles on our faces enjoying the rain running down our faces. we're weird; we know. anyway i was so excited when i got to that part of the book and i just wanted to join Ellie out there in the pouring rain and go for a run (despite the fact that i already ran this morning). (Run- Ben Lee) It's a perfect chick lit book for those looking to read a fast read.

• I am now reading The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen. During our chat, K suggested that I re-read it because i'd obviously forgotten most of the plotline. (Stand By Me- Marvin Gaye) So, after finishing Avalon High today, i stuck my bookmark (a worn sticky note) in the front of The Truth About Forever and i haven't touched it since. i plan on getting started on it soon, though. Also, as i've learned through the summer reading program, i've read 8,420 pages this summer. YAY! my goal is to get to 10,000 before school starts, which, the rate i'm going won't be a problem. (Salvation- Carolina Liar) i only have 1,580 pages left and 23 days left of summer break. which means that ideally i'll have to read 68 pages a day. which isn't exactly a problem for me, seeing as how i pretty much have been finishing a book every day the past couple of weeks. so i will keep you guys up to date on my progress towards 10,000 as the summer comes to a close. 

enjoy your summer, read far too many books, live your life.
-M

15) The Name of the Star

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

random musings

You know that scene in A Cinderella Story where they show the entire neighborhood's grass to be dead and then zoom in on the one house that has green grass? maybe its just me. however, my point being that if Google maps or whatever they used to do the bird's eye view in the movie were to focus on my neighborhood, our house would be that green one. we are in the middle of a semi-drought and my dad is obsessive about watering his lawn. daily. i don't get it. conserve water.
I am currently re-reading all the Harry Potter books and am on the Deathly Hallows. as much as i love these books (and believe me, i do), i feel like i haven't got the chance to read anything else all summer. so, after i finish the series, my book priority list is as follows:

1. The Name of the Stars- Maureen Johnson
2. Obsessed- Ted Dekker
3. The Song of the Sparrow- ?? (i need to read this so that K and i can have another book swap)
4. 1984- George Orwell (not of MY choosing, but of the AP Lit teachers' choosing)

Summer is almost halfway over and i feel as if i've done absolutely nothing that i told myself i would do.  hmmm thats ridiculous. however, that's how my summers all end up. oh and i still haven't redecorated my room like i said i would this summer. yeah. i'm that lazy. also, i really would like to see K again somewhat soon. oh and on a related note, K and I have been spamming each other's FB pages with music. it's great. except for that awful country song she tried to get me to listen to....that was really bad. Owen (from Just Listen by Sarah Dessen) would be so proud of our Music Enlightenment. it's really too bad that he doesn't exist. also, i've been using my time this summer to immerse myself even deeper in different types of music.
I apologize now for the randomness and seemingly insignificant-ness of this post. I just thought that our devoted readers *insert sarcastic smile here* deserved a post since the last one was about a month ago.
Oh, and in case anyone cares.... Song: Love Me or Leave Me by: Rooney

Peace Out. (which of course reminds me of "peace up a town..." yeah that's gonna be stuck in my head for a while and hopefully your's as well. you're welcome :P )

Anything and Everything

Sarah Dessen:
-I found it funny how M re-read Keeping the Moon because I'm currently re-reading it. We're such hardcore fans haha :)
-I find it hard to believe that M re-read Dreamland though. Okay, not entirely (I mean seriously, it's a Dessen book). However, every time I think about the book it opens a new can of pure rage. I just hated how weak the main character was. Yes, I do realize that he was manipulating her to think that he was only hitting her because he loved her and blah blah. I just can't approve of a girl letting herself being a guy's personal punching bag. I mean it's one thing if you're too scared to do anything. I can understand that, but just letting him hit you repeatedly? No, not going to fly. Oh my goodness and if a guy hit one of my friends? He would go missing, just saying. Okay I'm going to end my rant here.

Tanner Patrick:
I am currently listening to his cover of Ours (original by Taylor Swift). Tanner has an amazing voice and does awesome covers of a lot of my favorite songs (that are known to most people). Oh and it doesn't hurt that he's extremely attractive (he has gorgeous eyes. Like seriously they're flipping beautiful). If you haven't heard any off his covers then let me help you with that: Tanner Patrick's cover of "Paradise"

SUMMER TIME!:
Like most people I'm super pumped that it's summer time. Yet, I can admit that in a few weeks I'll probably be bored out of my mind and wish I was in school just so I could have something to do. However, I do have more plans than usual for this summer. I'll just list them out for ya:
1. Summer bucket list with a group of friends
2. Movie nights/sleepovers
3. Reading :D
4. Running
5. THE ZOO (I know this may sound like I'm five, but whatever I don't care. I have this really strong urge to go to the zoo. I haven't been in forever and I really want to go...preferably on a day where its not so hot to point where you feel like you're going to pass out).
6. Water balloon/water gun fight
7. Flashlight tag
8. More running
9. Eating
10. Visiting University of Chicago
11. New York (possibly)
12. Other stuff I'm too lazy to list so I'm just going to stop here


Book Related STUFFS:

• I have a new book picked out for the next book swap with M (after she finishes the one from last time :) ). I think she'll like it for reasons that I will go into details for when it's time for the next book swap
• Much A Do About Nothing (by Shakespeare)- we were required to read it for English. I'm starting to realize that I only enjoy the comedy parts of Shakespeare's plays. Other than that, I hate them. I know he's one of the greatest writers and what not, but I just don't really care for his plays much. However, I do enjoy his poems. Especially the ones about the Dark Lady. Mainly because throughout the whole play he is giving her a backhanded compliment. It's quite hilarious. He's basically saying "You're ugly, you smell, there's nothing special about you, but HEY! I love you" Haha, I just think its funny.
• My brother is getting me like three or four books as a very belated birthday present and I'm extremely excited!!! :)
• Two Way Street (mentioned in M's last post)- I thought it was funny that M read it & enjoyed it because that was going to be one of the books I was going to give her for one of our book swaps! At least I know she would have liked it.
• Leap Day by Wendy Mass- This is the book I received from M during our last swap. I think it was a pretty cool book. It's about this girl, Josie, and her birthday is on leap day (which the book took place on). However, what's different about this book is that every other chapter is told from everyone else's perspective. You get to see into the mind of all these different characters which put a cool twist on everything. While I enjoyed the book I give it a 3/5. I shall list my reasoning below

1. Josie has a crush on a butthead
2. I never really connected with Josie throughout the whole book
3. I liked how I got to see into the mind of other characters, but Mass didn't do a good job of elaborating. She left out stuff about the character that would be interesting to know. Go big or go home *shrugs*
4. I wasn't satisfied with the ending of the book. It just sort of ended. I mean there was a bit of closure, but nothing that just blows you away.
So that is why it only received three stars from me.

• Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter- I finally got around to reading this book last week (I got it over spring break...sad I know) and I still haven't decided how I feel about it. While it was pretty good, it was definitely not the best out of the Gallagher Girl series. I'll just let you guys read it and come to your on conclusion on the book.

MUSIC:
I love music. I mean more than the average. I wouldn't say I'm quite on Owen's level (M you better get that or I may have to disown you), but I think I'm getting there. Music is just such a beautiful thing. Right now my iTunes is on shuffle and Fifteen by Taylor Swift is playing...not exactly what I'm in the mood to hear, but I'll go with it.

Okaie doks, that's all for now my loves. ADIOS!

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