No books, no music

Hello all! Long time no post. I would apologize for my lack of posts, but I feel like I do that everytime I blog so it should just be an automatic thing now. So this post will not be about music and will not have the songs I'm listening to. This is because I'm not sure if I'll have enough time to blog about books at the moment (I've taken my mom's laptop hostage) and I'm not listening to music since I'm on my mom's computer and my iPod is all the way upstairs. Yes I know I'm lazy. Don't judge me!
Anywho this is going to be a very random post so prepare yourself. This is going to be one of those rare moments where I just blog what's been going on in my mind and in the media. However, you guys love me (hopefully) so just hang in there with me. Hey you never know; you may end up loving this post :D  Well here I go:
1. I went to the zoo today and it was awesome. I know of you are questioning my maturity because I enjoyed my day at the zoo, but you're the one missing out. I personally love the zoo and indulging in activites that may be consider "childish." For example I still love play grounds, building forts, playing tag and the list goes on. I can be very mature when I need to, but I'm honestly still a kid at heart and I don't ever think that will change. Honestly if someone wanted to make me happy all they would have to do is either get me a snowglobe, honeybun or a coke and I will instantly love you forever. I'm easy to please (and distract). Anywho, the main thing I wanted to make sure I saw at the zoo was the elephants. See I've always liked elephants, but after reading The Nature of Jade I pretty much fell in love with them. I even did a research project for English on a elephant sanctuary. My friend even got me a mini elephant snowglobe <3
-I now have 10 snowglobes. I honestly think I'm going to be that lady with a bunch of snowglobes, but that's alright. I embrace the fact. Something about them just make me so happy.

2. Lately I've been seeing a lot of different things on the internet about people taking their life due to bullying. I can't understand it. Why would you intentionally say something mean to someone. Yes, I do realize that we all can have pretty harsh thoughts on people, but what makes someone think it's okay to say them? Who gives a person a right to determine if someone is pretty, smart, funny or anything? Who gives them a right to make a person feel like they are such a horrible person and should not live anymore? No one should be made fun of for something they cannot change. We were all born differently so why should someone be tormented for something they cannot change? How is it any different from slavery or the Holocaust? Yeah, it may not be as drastic, but in a way it is the same. The idea behind it is the same which is "we don't like you for something that is not within your grasp to change." Maybe someone out there reading this is thinking "well what if someone is fat?" and I laugh at their ignorance. Just because someone looks a certain way does not determine anything. Just because someone looks large does not mean they are unhealthy or that they are not beautiful. Just because you can't see their beauty doesn't mean it's not there. It just means that you're looking, but not truly seeing. Something else I can't wrap my head around either is the fact why people wait until that person being bullied takes their own life to step up and do something. What does it matter if you loved that person, but you never told them while you had the chance? When they needed someone to let them know that at least one person cared no one stepped up. I can't understand that. Yes, I also know that people who seemingly live a great life take their life away also and that's a shame, and I wish I knew what were going threw their mind when they did it. I don't know. Maybe one day I'll have an ans)wer to all of these questions, but for now I shall be left wondering. Sorry for the sudden intensity.

3. I want a popsicle...and I'm pretty sure I spelled that wrong, but I don't really feel like changing it so you all will have to live with that.

4. PITCH PERFECT (the movie) WAS AMAZING! So I have been waiting for the movie to come out for months now and was disappointed when I couldn't see it opening night. However, my friend took me to go see it over the weekend and it is one of my new favorite movies. It was cute, funny, it had people singing (I'm a choir geek- don't judge), I loved the male lead (despite the fact that I was iffy about him in the beginning. I didn't want to like him for some reason, but he made me love him), they referenced The Breakfast Club (M, you would have loved it), and Anna Kendrick & Rebel Wilson are in it which made it 10 times better (I adore those two ladies).


5. I honestly can't remember anything else I was going to say. I'm really tired and will just have to pick this up again next time.

Sorry this wasn't like my usual posts, but I'll be back to my funny (just go with it), book loving self next post. Until then stay classy you guys :)

-K

Mind. Blown. #18, 19, & 20

The title of this post really says it all. I've finished three books in twelve days and  that makes me ecstatic (notice I said "finished" not started and finished). (btw the song I've got on repeat right now is Skinny Love by Bon Iver) I can guarantee that this post will be tinged with a sense of urgency but there's a good reason for that. I've spent the past 2.5 months reading stuff for school and  haven't had any time to read for pleasure. It's been a super hectic and stressful 2.5 months (since school started) what with cross country, school, mountains of homework, etc. This abundance of stress led to my own introverted somewhat depressed state (the fact that we had to read Frankenstein probably didn't help the gloom--I mean the unit of literature that we're in right now for AP Lit is called Death....just pointing that out). Anyway, my point is that I've been juggling a lot and have been unfortunately absent from the world of enjoyable literature. However, in the past twelve days, this has changed. You know it's been a stroke of sheer luck when I get three books for The List of 55 in less than a month. This just doesn't happen. Ever.
Ok, let me recap: last time you heard from me I had 140 pages left in 1984 by George Orwell. I ended up finishing the book the next day. I hated it. Scratch that, I STILL hate it. Present tense hatred. Orwell is a sick bastard that makes his readers essentially watch the main character get hunted down and then tortured...extensively. There were times when I wanted to cry because the torture scenes were so intense and psychological. Also, the ending made me want the hurl the book across the room, hitting every object in its path so as to make a ruckus. This is how strongly I feel about George Orwell. He's a cruel, cruel man. You will never ever again get me to read anything by him ever again unless forced at gunpoint or at the insistence of an English teacher for class (even then, I might rebel and refuse to read it, SparkNoting instead. and if you really knew me, you'd know how strongly i feel about SparkNotes being unacceptable and how people should just read the assigned book and not cop out and cheat. however, i would cop out if forced to ever again read an Orwell piece of "literature." and by literature i really mean to insert a different word. enough said.) Anyway, after two different timed writes in AP Lit over 1984 and several class discussions, our teacher announced that we were done with it and were moving into a different book. My reaction, of course, was "hurrah!" and that wretched book went to the back of my bookshelf (it was our copy of the book, not the school's) and it almost felt wrong to place it on the same shelves that hold great pieces of literature, like the lovely Sarah Dessen or Nicholas Sparks or Ally Carter. At least my Harry Potter Books weren't on that shelf...they get their own display on my bedside table, stacked in order :)
Anyway, I soon after finished a "pleasure reading" book I had been working at for a while, Going Underground by Susan Vaught. I was intrigued at first because the book was told from a high school guy's POV and he worked at a cemetery and was always plugged into his iPod. Also, he had this big, dark secret. So, of course, I found myself getting drawn to this character. However, the reader soon finds out his dark secret and it gets weird from there on out. And kind of awkward to read. Needless to say, I no longer found myself drawn to him. However, the only reason why I continued reading it was because I was curious as to how it would end. The author had enough in there to keep me, however grudgingly, until the end. So, that was not one I would ever suggest, although it did make you think, I suppose.
Then, I would like to go back to what I said about my AP Lit teacher announcing the next book we would be reading. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Possibly the most depressing book of all time. All the main characters die left and right and it's always gloomy and rainy and there's really no hope. It's Gothic literature, so I guess I shouldn't have expected any less. Fear lurks at every corner for Dr. Frankenstein (let me clear this up for all y'all who didn't previously know, due to pop culture: Frankenstein is the last name of the scientist who created a monster. The monster is not called Frankenstein. It's simply called the monster or the wretch or the daemon, but never a real name. So, when your kids go out dressed up as "Frankenstein" for Halloween, they better be wearing a white lab coat, not gobs of green makeup, a bolt in their head, and their hands out in front of them.) and, by extension, the reader. Honestly, there are all of two characters that survive the book and neither of them are really likable characters anyway. One is a little kid that never talks and one is a whiny sailor who constantly complains about his lack of friends. The reader doesn't get emotionally attached to them like the main characters, so we could care less that they live on. So, after a timed write and a formal essay for this book, we moved on. Hallelujah.
During the time that I was reading Frankenstein, we were also required (in AP Lit, the class where one book at a time is never enough) to read an SSR book to be picked off an "Approved AP Book List" which was about 5 pages long. Most of these books I'd never heard of and, therefore, skipped over. I ended up choosing Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë simply because I'd heard of it and I'd been meaning to read it at some point. The version of the book I got from the school library was the Movie Tie-In Edition, meaning the cover featured the two actors in the movie and at the back of the book was a little note about the movie, but that was the only difference from the normal editions of the book. However, I, being a true book snob, chose this version (our library had like 3 different versions to choose between) because I thought the cover was beautiful. I still think that. Simple, yet enchanting. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:

This is the Movie Tie-In Edition book that I read and later ordered online.

Also, while looking for Jane Eyre pictures, i found this awesome scarf.


The book version I wish
I had due to the awesome
cover; my favorite
scene in the movie.

I would totally buy and wear this shirt or
love someone if they ever got it for me, simply
because I hate Twilight and am now a
Jane Eyre fan.

Unrelated, seeing as how we're talking
about the Brontë sisters here, but I also
love Jane Austen, so I would love to
buy this shirt at some point :)



Ok, now that I'm done with my Google Image-ing....back to the book! So, I started Jane Eyre and wasn't that impressed from the get-go. It was rather boring and I didn't really care about her childhood and the hardships of her schooling. However, I realize now that they helped develop her character further. Once I got past the initial 116 pages, I loved it. I loved the language and the diction and syntax (yes, I know, lit terms) and the romance. Ahhh...it was just one of those books where you are completely invested emotionally. So, when Ms. Brontë drags the characters around in complicated yet passionate circumstances, the reader is hanging onto the hem of Jane's dress along for the ride and is becoming just as angsty and distraught as Jane and Rochester. It really affected me towads the end and I was getting emotional and teary-eyed and literally could not put the book down. My gaze on the book in front of me made me feel like a wild animal stalking its prey with an unblinking stare. I was, in a way, ravenous to continue reading this book. When I finished it at around 2am one morning, I was filled with peace, yet still rather worn out from the long ride I'd just been on. So, this is why this wonderful, enchanting book makes "The List" and also gets added to my imaginary list of favorite books which is as follows:

1. Pride and Prejudice--Jane Austen
2. Just Listen--Sarah Dessen
3. Jane Eyre--Charlotte Brontë
4. Along For the Ride--Sarah Dessen
5. Paper Covers Rock--Jenny Hubbard
6. The Last Song--Nicholas Sparks
7. A Walk to Remember--Nicholas Sparks
8. The Name of the Star--Maureen Johnson
9. Stay--Deb Caletti
10. The Beginning of After--Jennifer Castle
11. Graffiti Moon--Cath Crowley
12. The Truth About Forever--Sarah Dessen
13. Keeping the Moon--Sarah Dessen
14. This Lullaby--Sarah Dessen

So, you should know that if it's up there with Jane Austen and Sarah Dessen, it's gotta be great! So, everyone go out and read it. Now. Especially you, K :)
After I finished Jane Eyre, I moved on to Girl v. Boy by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout, the book that K had given me at our last book swap, which feels like forever ago. I wanted a quick chick lit book to read before I had to start my next SSR book or "class book" for AP Lit. So, I picked it up and fromt the first page I liked it. The main character is very likable and relatable. I loved it as much as K said I would, thus making it Number 19 on The List of 55. I finished it October 10th.

The next day, I started Stay by Deb Caletti. Now, i've already gone on and on about Deb Caletti and my thoughts on her writing, which you can read again here (scroll down pretty far...it, like this one, is a lengthy post). As mentioned in that same post, I got this book at a book store on sale. On the front cover, there is a review quoted that pretty much sums up my thoughts: "Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen."--Booklist. Now, I was taking a huge risk buying this book to begin with because Caletti's books are hit or miss with me and I'm not big on buying books before I know for sure if I'm going to like them or not. My policy is normally: check out from library, love, buy. However, I'm glad I bought this one because it saved me a trip to the store :) It was so gripping. I don't believe I've ever used that word to describe a book before, so this is monumental. Clara is haunted by her past, more specifically her past relationship with Christian, the seemingly perfect guy. However, Clara and her father are now living on an island in Washington state to get away from it all. Things I loved about this book:

• the main character
• the fact that both guys were likable at some point, which makes us sympathize with the main character (Clara)
• the emotion-heavy plot
• the entertaining footnotes that the author includes to add more personality to Clara
• the alternating chapters. one chapter is set in the past and the next is set in the present. it's a great way of learning about her background while fitting the pieces together in the present situation until the point where the past and present meet and the reader feels well-informed.
• Clara's dad. he's so likable and the dream dad (writer, sarcastic, laid-back, loving)
• the non-cliché plotline. it could've gone with the cliché, but it didn't, which I love.

This book, much like Jane Eyre got me emotional. I was very invested in Clara and towards the end of the book, the suspense was so much that I was almost crying  in fear and sitting up in my chair erect with the book mere inches from my face as I gobbled down the words in front of me. I can't explain how truly great this book was. That's why it deserved a spot on The List as well as the list of favorite books listed above, if you hadn't noticed. I just finished this book today and was robotic in that when my parents started talking loudly near where I was sitting, I simply got up and walked upstairs, reading as I walked, to read in peace. That same robotic tendency kicked in again when I finished it and walked, almost zombie-like in my determination, to the computer where I knew I had to tell the world about how awesome this book is. I still feel a need to enjoy the characters again and half of my mind is urging me to read it again, but I know I won't.
So, that's the gist of my reading life. In class, we are now starting Othello by William Shakespeare, which is interesting seeing as how the language is very difficult to decipher. Also, for my SSR book, I've chosen Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë seeing as how I loved the work of her sister. My teacher mentioned in class the other day that there was a book about the Brontë sisters that just came out written by Juliet Barker about their lives and I talked to her after class expressing my interest in reading it eventually. So, whenever I read that, I'll talk about it here and then proceed to talk to her about it and just, in general, freak out about books like the bibliophile that I am. Also, K and I are hanging out at the movies on Sunday, so we will swap books then, as it will be near the 13th, the day that we try and do book swaps each month. I won't post again just for that, as this is getting to be brutally long, but I will update the sidebar where we've listed all the Book Swap Books. Well, as I've been typing for a good two hours maybe, I'm off to enjoy my Friday night.
Read to your heart's content,
M

"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will..."
--Jane Eyre



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*

book swap numero cinco

setting: insanely dead/quiet library computer lab.
song: none, as of now. (this may change as i hate the sound of silence....hehehe simon and garfunkel anyone?)
ANNNNDDDD GO!
why hello there! So first off I guess I should apologize for my lack of posts. i've been pretty busy lately and currently our internet/cable is not on so that means no posts. however i'm posting now so we're good right? please? okay good. let's move on. i got the book gift from the sea by anne morrow lindbergh for the last book swap. my opinion of it you ask? well, i'm not entirely sure yet...my feelings kind of contradict each other. i loved the book, but at the same time disliked it (of course I didn't hate it because i did love it also...confusing? yeah well that's me). anyway i loved the gist of the book. it felt sorta informative, but very helpful if you're struggling with life. it was one of those books where it helps push you along in life no matter what your current situation is. i'm not sure if M agrees with that, but that's just how i read it *shrugs* however, i didn't like the book because i had to actually focus fully on it. i know that sounds weird because you're supposed to focus on any book you read, but for this book i felt like staying on task was much more difficult. i'm not sure why...maybe it was the timing (my family just moved so that kind of takes a lot of your time). i think it was more of a me thing then the book. chances are that at some point i'm going to re-read it and most likely come up with a totally different perspective on it. so you guys should look out for that post in the future. now throwing the keyboard over to M (not literally of course).
sorry, i'm a perfectionist. my apologies. (directed at K, not the general populus, although you guys sorta deserve that apology too...) anyway, in response to K's review of Gift From the Sea, i would just like to say that it's been at least four or five years since i last read that book, so i have no way of knowing today what my opinions would be. i simply gave you this book for the swap because i wanted to know your opinion. it was probably a poor choice seeing as how i normally like to make absolutely sure a book is top-notch before handing it over to someone as critical about literature, but honestly the night before the swap i was staring at my bookshelf wondering which book i would give her and had no clue. therefore, i grabbed Gift From the Sea without another thought. needless to say, i probably won't be doing that again. as for the book i was supposed to read, i did read it this time! YAY! however, i'm pretty sure i already blogged about it...for a refresher, click here and go down to the "BOOK SWAP ALERT" bullet point. i've come to the conclusion that Susane Colasanti just isn't for me. also, Deb Caletti is very hit or miss with me. For example, i loved The Nature of Jade, but hated The Secret Life of Prince Charming (i couldn't even finish it). Also, i had mixed feelings about Wild Roses, although i still recommend it to K simply because i want to hear her take on it. I tried to read The Fortunes of Indigo Skye, but got to about the second chapter and quit. i honestly can't remember my reasoning at the time. however, i decided to give her another shot and while at a local bookstore (i think that was last week?) i picked up Stay by Ms. Caletti. we'll see how that goes once i get around to reading it. also, during said trip i grabbed One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt. i had previously read The Secret Life of Devon Delaney and Two Way Street by her and loved them both, so i took a chance. (also, the back cover and inside flap were very convincing AND it was only like 3 dollars...i know i'm weak) however, before i can start reading my new acquisitions, i have to finish reading all the library books sitting in a pile at my house (including a certain Cassandra Clare novel....i'll get around to it). however (wow this is a lot of howevers), i'm currently reading 1984 by George Orwell (such a creep) and it has to be done by wednesday. soooo i've been reading nothing else since i started it about a week ago and i keep procrastinating and putting it off. i'm currently at page 160ish out of 300. yeah, i'm really gonna have to step it up which brings up the point of WHY ARE WE POSTING THIS SO EARLY IN THE MORNING?? well, i need the rest of the day to spend with my head in a book that i don't even like. oh, the irony. yup that's all.
okay first off i would just like to mention how freaking happy i am that M finally picked up city of bones by cassandra clare :D
oh and by the way M, ms. colasanti isn't for everyone and of course i respect your opinion on those two books. plus, your posts about them made me laugh sooooooo all is good in the world :) including world peace? no, but thanks for the effort.
now on to the swapping! i picked this book (not going to say the name yet. just bare with me) mainly because i read it and liked it. for the most part at least. then when i was scanning my bookshelf for a book to give to M for this swap i was hit with a huge problem. when someone has very similar taste in books as you it's pretty darn hard to find a book that they haven't read also :p (i hate this keyboard-random note for you guys). The book i was set on giving her for this swap was two way street...then I found out she read it..oh joy haha. anyway i came across this one and i have to know what her thoughts on it will be. i must warn M though that she may be able to guess what happens...not entirely sure, but she's pretty good at guessing so who knows? so without further ado i give you.....girl vs boy by yvonne collins and sandy rideout. i don't want to give anything away so i'm not going to say anything else about this book and wait to find out what M thinks. i'm really looking forward to one of her rants (good or bad). i'm rather confused at what M wants me to do so i'm going to keep typing like i have important stuff to say....la-de-da-lalalalala!!!!!!
ok enough of her rambling. on first glance (i was going to say first look, but that's the thing at Regal Cinemas "Regal First Look with a behind the scenes look at all the childrens movies you will never go watch!") i thought the guy on the cover looked like Nigel Barker "noted fashion photographer" in Tyra's words from ANTM (america's next top model). i'm still unsure if this is him or maybe he has a son?? who knows...anyway, i read the back and am intrigued. (i'm also kind of intrigued by the mix of interesting people here in the computer lab with us. as a sidenote let me outline them for y'all:

• to our right we have a middle aged man balding who's doing some internet research on books and seems to enjoy clearing his throat.
• next to him we have a woman in old fashioned headphones with eyes glued to the screen 
• to my left i've got a maybe 38 yr old man strawberry blonde hair checking his email
• next to him is a preteen boy with dark hair with white headphones in. while he's on the computer he doesn't really seem to be doing anything productive....he seems bored
• then we've got a man in his 50's maybe wearing something you might wear to the gym and typing using the hunt and peck method that is often popular with older generations.
• down the center aisle we have a kid...teenager? i think so (it's hard for me to tell at times) he was in my summer gym class. he's in our grade. i've got him pegged as an Owen type. musically inclined. carry on. now i'm intrigued with this fellow. anywho, he has light brown hair and appears to be very focused on whatever he's doing. i'm trying really  ****update: mr. 38 yr old male seems to be blogging same as us! if i could only figure out which blog, i would look it up just to be super creepy.*** hard not to look back at the guy too many times....yeah so let's just go on from here
• aren't there like 2 more people down the row? mhm, i thought you would want to give them a shot? no? i'm less discreet when it comes to turning around and glancing. you always seem like you're stretching or at least have some good reason for turning around. i on the other hand just come off as creepy. hahaha, okay point taken. so while she was typing that i pretended that i was trying really hard not to laugh and took in the crowd. next to the teenage boy there is an older lady...40ish? she has short red hair and glasses you would most likely see your grandmother wear...she seems pretty capable of handling modern day technology, but i can't really see her typing technique to justify this.
• **update: strawberry blonde 38 yr old is now reading about the amish? ummm ok then. he really is checking everything from Facebook to emails to the amish...**
• wow, two more people walked in...they're trying to make this difficult on me :p anywho, the next person i "checked out" is also an older fellow who if i do say so myself, rather creepy looking...friendly, but still kinda scary...left or right? uh, your right (very far down) middle aisle? yuppers. okay so M casually tried to look back, but it was a failed attempt...however, i admire the dedication. haha, she's trying to get a picture of him, but is not doing a great job of that either...i did get a good picture of K though! wow i really suck at surveiling people....well, the creepy guy seems to know what he's doing (looking up how to hide a body perhaps? no? too far? okay). he's balding & greying a bit in the front, but has his longish hair combed back I AM SCARED FOR MY LIFE RIGHT NOW! i finally got a good look at the dude and OMG. he looks like FILCH from HP!!!!!!!! what a creep! i agree with K about the whole "how to bury a body thing". wow. haha, to keep with the whole "silent" thing the computer lab has going i had to struggle really hard not to laugh at M's reaction of him. i totally agree though! he does look like Filch!!! that was a good description :)
• a 20-something yr old girl just left. we also have a new addition right behind us. a girl about mid to late twenties. we can't see her screen so we have no idea what kind of mischief she's getting into.
• also, next to Filch we have a 50-ish guy who's obviously aged well and has fully intact hair. no creeper tendencies so far. seems pretty normal. oops he's gone now. i did just realize though that we 2 teenage girls are kind of outnumbered. ummm this is the point where my brain does silly things and i start looking around for all the exits and possible weapons. i think the computer would be easy to lift and throw at someone's noggin...other than that we've got a decently heavy chair (i would know, i lifted it earlier). i think we'll be ok if strawberry blonde, Filch, and Mr. Throat-Clearer ever get together and hold us all hostage or something. i have a feeling Preteen and Owen and new mid twenties girl would join our cause and fight to the death. hopefully it doesn't come to that, though. wow, reading that would be another good reason of why and how we're friends. just thought i'd throw that out there.
• an older lady entered not too long ago. she has short hair (that was once a dark blackish color) that is pretty much all grey now (you can see the underlying dark color...i'm not crazy for knowing that :p). she too has glasses, but not as... grandma-ish? as the other lady's (who has now left the lab).
• now that my mind is on it, i can't stop thinking about this whole theoretical hostage situation. who would be the mastermind? do the 3 men know each other and just chose their spots apart from each other in order to appear as if they've never met? their varying ages also would reduce suspicion (except from me of course). my mind really should just stop daydreaming and carry on (my wayward son...sorry). K, wouldn't this be a really cool idea for a story?? wow, seriously? since when can you read minds and better yet why didn't you tell me?!?! hehehehe there are lots of things you don't know about me....muahahahah jk you know that's what people always say and they turn out to be super heroes....just saying....i assure you, the closest i've come to being a super heroe would be when i was about 6 i wore a snow white costume and it included a cape. that's it. sorry to disappoint. you haven't disappointed me entirely....i mean even at the age of 6 i'm pretty sure you make a better snow white than kristen stewart did...just saying. KRISTEN STEWART DOESN'T DESERVE TO HAVE THAT ROLE! i'm sorry but when you can't even show emotion, what's the point in acting?? ok onto the swap please. i think we're done creeping on our fellow labbers? we may have updates later on their status (not relationship....at least i don't think so. well we might see them change their facebook page or something, but other than that. oh whatever you know what i mean!).

oh yeah i was intrigued by the back cover of the book. First of all, it has to do with journalism. Check. Battle of the sexes. check. Anonymous columnist. check. (i've always wanted to do that...oh wait maybe i shouldn't disclose that because now K will know if the school newspaper ever gets an advice column or something.) however, K was right when she said i would probably be able to guess the ending. i already have my guesses. i just love being able to figure it out before the main character. (that was sarcasm, people. look alive!) i have a feeling this will be one of those books where i just want to hit the main character with a blunt object so that she/he comes to his/her senses and realizes that the person in front of them is the one for them. ARGHH. oh well. i'm reading it anyway because it sounds good. also, i've read stuff by these authors before. the entire Vivien Leigh Reid series. it was ok but not really my thing because she was kind of a stuck-up actress. not very relatable. if i wanted to read about stuck-up brats i would just read oh i don't know Gossip Girl. which i won't so dont get any ideas about a book swap in the future, K. however, underneath all the stuck-up-ness the main character really was likable and i enjoyed the one when she got to travel to Ireland. oh and there's a good romance that blossoms. if K ever feels like reading it i would still recommend it. **update: strawberry blonde amish lover is gone and at his formerly vacant computer is a 40yr old male with a baseball cap looking at....(he's clicking a bunch but the screen isn't changing...hmmmm) it looks like maybe an AOL home page? i honestly have no clue what he's doing so my guess is as good as yours. oh, but hey the page finally changed. his body is blocking what he's viewing, but it looks like a comment page...interesting...btw Throat Clearer left. wow, all 3 of our killers have left....hmmm suspicious. we now have two youngish looking guys where Filch was.

• well the one closest to us looks like he just left work (dress shirt& tie, check). he has short dark brown hair and is slumped in his chair like he just can't stand to do whatever it is he's doing...sucks for him.  he looks a lot like a guy that was in my Bib Lit class this past year. he was a senior. i'm not completely sure if this is him or not, but there's a good chance.
• next to MR. I HATE LIFE is another young looking guy who also looked like he just stepped off the "I have a job that requires me to look nice" train. if i do say so myself he is quite the looker ;) hehe, okay sorry i'll move on. ehh he's ok. i prefer MR. I HATE LIFE or Owen-prodigy myself. haha, duely noted :) well, mr. i look like i just left work guy also has dark brown hair
  (a bit longer than a buzz) and nicely tanned skin (i hate when people look freaking orange because they think that, that's tan...no you idiot that's "i just rolled around in a bag of doritos"..okay sorry i'm done) THIS COMPUTER SUCKS (or rather the keyboard sucks and the computer simply annoys me.) nicely put M. i honestly just want to smash this keyboard....but i don't want to pay for a new one so i'll leave it be. if we had been hostages i would have totally let you smash it over Filch's head. just saying...awww :) i feel flattered. thank you! ah! did i tell you about the time where i was having a sleepover at my friend's house (there was like four girls there-including me) and we thought there was a murderer in the house...granted we had just got done watching a scary movie, BUT there was foot steps upstairs like someone was creeping around and the next morning when we asked her parents about it they said they didn't leave bed that night (creepy). however, in the moment i was in a corner holding a rather heavy stool to beat the person with if they happened to come downstairs...see! i'm not the only one with an overactive imagination when it comes to murders and such. she grabbed the nearest weapon as i've been planning to do for the past hour. Oh and btw back to our evaluation of the guys in the room, please tell me i wasnt the only one that noticed the guy walking in front of us as we entered the library this morning. i wish i could tell you that, buuuuuuuuttttttttt i can't. i was not being very observant while entering this wonderful place....sorry? oh, darn. he was really cute. better than the selection in here, at least.

OH and i still have to give you a book! that would be really sad if we walked out of here and you still didn't have a book...wow. the book i chose for you i hope you haven't read yet. as stated earlier, we have a very similar taste in books so this might be possible. i've read this book about 3 or 4 times and each time it's as good as the first. a very predictable chick lit book, but worth it. so, i give you **WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT! i think we've got a rogue printer here that's just trying to mess with us.** anyway, before we both freaked out i was about to give you something...............*insert silent finger drumroll* Girl At Sea by Maureen Johnson. i love the girl's name and just the book as a whole. i normally save it for Spring break so i can read it on a beach somewhere, but you'll love it just the same. also, maureen johnson is awesome. i think you read my post about The Name of the Star a couple weeks ago and how i was freaking out about her and her awesome twitter account. she's the weirdest person you'll never meet. that's the only way i can describe her. however, that's not really reflected in this book.
well after reading the back of the book i must say that i'm looking forward to reading this book. the only book i've read by maureen johnson was 13 little blue envelopes and i wasn't a huge fan of it...however i won't hold it against this book. i'll get back to you with my opinion when i have come to a conclusion on how i feel about this novel. i kind of felt the same about 13 little blue envelopes, but there were parts of it that i really enjoyed. as a whole, though, i wasn't thrilled. well, i think we're about done here. unless K wants to do some more creeping...haha no i think i'm good. especially since i'm going to get the paper stuff to get a library card! :D  (yeah, i know. me not having a library card seems crazy. DON'T JUDGE ME!!!) i guess that's all for now. adios!
as in all book swap episodes, i must end the same way......
...........................beep.......................................................beep..................................................................................beep............................................................................................................................................

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

a little catching up then a library run

ok guys so i feel like i should get you up to speed on my reading habits over the past few days. i found myself with extremely high expectations the day after finishing The Name of the Star, so i picked up Obsessed by Ted Dekker. i got through the first chapter and said, "eh, screw it. there are better books out there." i then picked up The Song of the Sparrow, which was a book swap book that K had given me. i lasted 17 pages before quitting. i just couldn't stand how it was written in a poetic form and was about King Arthur. i'm sorry, but the only thing about King Arthur that i've ever enjoyed was Avalon High by Meg Cabot and that was a present day re-telling, so i'm not really sure if that counts. so, i put that down and grabbed Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral. i had such high hopes for this book since it was a mixed media book, which interested me greatly. it was told through pictures and words and ticket stubs and newspaper clippings and IMs. it was a really cool concept, but after i finished it that day (it only took about an hour or so) i was incredibly confused and disappointed. i then turned to my friend, the Internet, and found a site where people were talking about the book. their theories about the ending really helped me understand, but it was a conclusion that i never would've came to on my own. i was so frustrated because i'd gone through 3 crappy (sorry, K) books in one day. so, i turned to a book that i found at Haslam's Used Bookstore in Florida over spring break. So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson. it seemed like such an appropriate book to read at that time, so i went for it :) i enjoyed the writing style, but found myself dragging through it, so i practically begged to go to the library today (she didn't object to the idea). *sidenote: i still fully intend to read So Many Books, So Little Time at some point.* i walked out of the library with 9 books and 7 CDs. yeah. i'm that girl. so, i thought i would let y'all know the books and music i picked up so you know what to expect reviews on in the near future. also, if you want another place to see what books are in the queue, there's a place on the right side of the page that says "Books on the Stack" and it serves the same purpose. let's begin, shall we?

Books (in the order i will be reading them):

1. Wild Roses by Deb Caletti <---- I actually started this book while at the library and I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far.
2. The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle
3. The Julian Game by Adele Griffin
4. Legacy by Molly Cochran
5. The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti
6. Gilt by Katherine Longshore
7. Jenny Green's Killer Junior Year by Amy Belasen & Jacob Osborn
8. A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff
9. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

Music (in no particular order):

1. Bringing Down the Horse--The Wallflowers (currently listening to)
2. Eyes Open--Snow Patrol
3. Adore--Smashing Pumpkins
4. Americana--The Offspring
5. Everything All the Time--Band of Horses
6. The Science of Things--Bush
7. Golden State--Bush

That's all folks. I hope you enjoyed reading about my acquired bounty.
Live free, read to the fullest, and enjoy your summertime while it's here.
-M