Monday, May 28

The Pro's and Con's of Summer [that may or may not apply to you]

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Hello guys! I'm back!

This is the part where you cheer or groan (hopefully not the latter) and congratulate me on surviving yet another busy school year, with AP tests and finals and what not.

Or, this is the part where you just stick to reading this post because you're surprised that either a) I'm still alive or b) I'm motivated enough to start blogging again. But let's just forget about that for now...

THE PRO'S AND CON'S OF SUMMER BREAK
based on yours truly
Summer is usually either a time of relaxation or a time of stress, all based on the things you do and the people you meet during the time. For most students in high school, however, summer is the former, where many young adults get together to hang out and stay up late, and then make plans for the next day. For others around the same age...not so much.
PRO: NO SCHOOL! YOU DO GET TO STAY UP LATE AND SLEEP IN. No need to worry about waking up early or having a healthy breakfast to start off your brain because, hey, you don't really need it anymore! (I mean of course you do need it, but not necessarily for learning and studying.) 

CON: FOR SOME, THIS MEANS MORE TIME TO DO THE THINGS YOU DON'T WANT TO DO. And what in the world is that supposed to mean? Well for those who might not have the luxury of hanging out all the time due to whatever reason, having more time is like blatantly stating that you can't procrastinate or stall, or put off your work (summer job, volunteering, studying, etc.) any longer. After all, now you have more time to do it. Just like Macy Queen from The Truth About Forever (Sarah Dessen), now you suddenly have ample time to do all of the things you're simply pressured to do.

PRO: IT'S WARM! IT'S SUNNY! Why yes, the weather indeed is very nice, and the sky indeed is very blue. These are definitely influential factors in making someone happy.

CON: IT'S ALSO HOT AND HUMID AND BLEH. 'Course, there are also those days where the heat's simply suffocating your very existence.

PRO: IT'S TIME FOR SWIMMING, BBQ, CAMPING, PARTYING, ETC. Which kind of ties back to the fact that there isn't any school, but of course I'm talking about the ideal, almost fictional feel to a perfect summer night: parties, roasting s'mores, bonfires, and maybe even some alcoholic drinks as well (think contemporary fiction that's set in the summer. Again, I'll have to go back to Sarah Dessen for this one...)

CON: WELL MAYBE FOR OTHERS IT...ISN'T. Maybe for others, there is a different schedule involved. A schedule of prepping, studying, and late nights and early mornings of working.

PRO: THINGS CHANGE IN THE SUMMER. Perhaps for the better?

CON: THINGS CHANGE IN THE SUMMER. Or, maybe not.

Whichever of these pro's and con's apply to you, I hope it's beneficial to you and will make your summer the best that it can be at the moment. If not, hey, you'll have plenty more summers to experience differently.

- E

Monday, April 23

Hang on! Let me explain...

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Before everyone panics about this blog's inactivity (because of course everyone would be panicking about that, of all things), I have to explain myself.

1) It is completely natural, I think, to be inactive during the months of March - May, mostly because during this time, the hardships of finals and AP testing has finally dawned on the blogger. Well I guess it really depends on how motivated to blogging, how enthusiastic and dedicated such a blogger is, and in my case I just don't fit that mold. Not right now anyway. But my point is, the months of March, April, and May are like catch-up/revelation months for me, months where one realizes just how important school has become and starts cramming and cramming and cramming. It also doesn't help that most of the harder units within my classes are being taught during these months.

2) Ella...stressed! Man, do I really not want to say that. I'm not a blogger of my emotions and Issues-in-Life (at least I don't think I am), so coming out and saying this makes me feel kind of weird. But anyway. I am actually very, very stressed out. I've been taking naps frequently, eating a bunch of random food, and (do not freak out) skipping lunch during school*. Too much information, perhaps? Well either way, I've found myself staying up until midnight often trying to finish work. This doesn't even include trying to figure out what to blog, or what else to contribute to the MRRC (and I haven't contributed much at all! AT ALL! This is pretty bad), or what else to read and review and enjoy. And write. And speaking of trying to figure out what to blog, I haven't. Figured out what to blog, I mean. Well, except for this, which doesn't really count.

3) "Jumbled Muse" is what this blog should be called at the moment. All of my thoughts and ideas--musings, if you will--have all gotten jumbled up and mixed together at this time. I think this is more of my tendency to over think in situations, but still, there you have it. My ideas and Things I Have Learned This Year have been doing crossovers** in my brain, mixing up with classes and/or idea categories that they really shouldn't be mixing up in. And it's just very distracting.

4) I dislike math and physics, have I already mentioned that before? Oh, and AP tests. Especially a certain AP U.S. History test I'm taking in the first few weeks of May. And the PSATs. And GPAs. And how our grades aren't weighed. But enough on that.

5) Volunteer work and academic teams are killing me. For the former, I get my hours and I am immensely grateful for that but seriously: three straight hours grading papers, until seven o'clock? It's painful. I will not complain too much because it could be a lot worse, but honestly, it really is painful. And as for the latter, bleh to that as well. Think Spell Bowl for that, except Spell Bowl expands to include subjects such as English, Social Studies, Science, Math, and Fine Arts as well. And the material covered is much harder than spelling words. Well, maybe. I mean all of this is all based on perspectives and opinions. But either way, joining an academic team simply means extra work on your part.

And due to all of these reasons, my brain's automatically prioritized all of that up there^ by pushing them straight to the front of my mental Things To Do List. In turn, my brain has pushed activities such as blogging, and MRRC, and Goodreads, and reading to the bottom of the list. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry! I promise that after all of this is over, I'll come up with much more interesting posts. Well I mean, at least until summer starts and I go on vacation through the most of June...but let's just ignore that for now.

- E

* Seriously, though, don't freak out. The only benefit I get from not eating lunch is the feeling of freedom, which comes from knowing that I'll have a full 45 minutes to get a head start on homework, instead of the usual 25. And like waking up a little later in the morning, the time difference really matters. (Does this make me sound weird? I feel like it does.)

** Are they even called crossovers? See, normally I would know this. But right now, I just don't.

Among other things, I've finally gotten onto Pottermore and got sorted into Gryffindor. Huzzah.

Thursday, April 12

As I Walked Out One Evening by W.H. Auden

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I am not one for poetry, I will admit, but this poem is different I think:

As I walked out one evening,
Walking down Bristol Street,
The crowds upon the pavement
Were fields of harvest wheat.

And down by the brimming river
I heard a lover sing
Under an arch of the railway:
"Love has no ending.

"I'll love you, dear, I'll love you
Till China and Africa meet
And the river jumps over the mountain
And the salmon sing in the street,

"I'll love you till the ocean
Is folded and hung up to dry
And the seven stars go squawking
Like geese about the sky.

"The years shall run like rabbits,
For in my arms I hold
The Flower of the Ages,
And the first love of the world."

But all the clocks in the city
Began to whirr and chime:
"O let not Time deceive you,
You cannot conquer Time.

"In the burrows of the Nightmare
Where Justice naked is,
Time watches from the shadow
And coughs when you would kiss.

"In headaches and in worry
Vaguely life leaks away,
And Time will have his fancy
To-morrow or to-day.

"Into many a green valley
Drifts the appalling snow;
Time breaks the threaded dances
And the diver's brilliant bow.

"O plunge your hands in water,
Plunge them in up to the wrist;
Stare, stare in the basin
And wonder what you've missed.

"The glacier knocks in the cupboard,
The desert sighs in the bed,
And the crack in the tea-cup opens
A lane to the land of the dead.

"Where the beggars raffle the banknotes
And the Giant is enchanting to Jack,
And the Lily-white Boy is a Roarer,
And Jill goes down on her back.

"O look, look in the mirror,
O look in your distress:
Life remains a blessing
Although you cannot bless.

"O stand, stand at the window
As the tears scald and start;
You shall love your crooked neighbor
With your cooked heart."

It was late, late in the evening,
The lovers they were gone;
The clocks had ceased their chiming,
And the deep river ran on.

--And it has inspired parts of ARoN as well (and speaking of ARoN, I've finally uploaded Chapter 4)

- E

Saturday, April 7

March Update (Good News-Bad News form)

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Hey guys! I know it's been extremely quiet around here lately, and I apologize for that; things have been getting pretty hectic outside the blogging/writing world. Mainly, I've been loaded with homework and outside activities. Also, I haven't written in days which although is pretty sad, it's actually helped a great deal with de-stressing and managing my time. Going for a run's also helped (just a side note right there).

Good news: I've managed to finish my WIPs! Yay!
Bad news: I still haven't finished GOoD.
Good news: I'm almost done writing Chapter 4 of A Rush of Needles!
Bad news: I'm not done though. And it's been a while since I finished Chapter 3.
Good news: I've found a novel contest to enter for 2013 for young writers! Hurray!
Bad news: I have no idea what I'm writing for it. And it isn't going to be Depravity.
Good news: I've read both The Angel Experiment, School's Out--Forever, and My Soul to Save!
Bad news: I've only reviewed two of those three ^ And I still have to read My Soul to Keep. 


So, yes, I am about to end this post on a bad note. Does this mean March has been horrible and uneventful? Not really. Just busy and not as efficient as I'd hoped. Hopefully April will be different!

- E

Sunday, April 1

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

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* This review is for the Maximum Ride Reading Challenge :]


Title: Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment
Author: James Patterson
Genre: YA - Science Fiction
How I Obtained Said Book: Bought
Series: Book 1 in the Maximum Ride series
The Blurb: (from Goodreads)
Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride, better known as Max, knows what it's like to soar above the world. She and all the members of the "flock"--Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel--are just like ordinary kids--only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time...like when Angel, the youngest member of the flock, is kidnapped and taken back to the "School" where she and the others were experimented on by a crew of wack jobs. Her friends brave a journey to blazing hot Death Valley, CA, to save Angel, but soon enough, they find themselves in yet another nightmare--this one involving fighting off the half-human, half-wolf "Erasers" in New York City. Whether in the treetops of Central Park or in the bowels of the Manhattan subway system, Max and her adopted family take the ride of their lives. Along the way Max discovers from her old friend and father-figure Jeb--now her betrayed and greatest enemy--that her purpose is save the world--but can she?

The Review: 
Max, along with the other five members of her family, are quite special: they are only 98% human. The rest of them--the 2%--is made up of avian genes, which means they have most of the benefits of birds--wings, for example. Together, Max and her "flock" were raised in a hideous place called the School, where they were made into what they are and tested in extreme ways for scientific research. That is, until a man named Jeb (one of the white coats at the School) took pity on them, and rescued all six of them from the cursed place and into a protected and thoroughly hidden area in the mountains far away from Death Valley, California. There, Jeb raised them as a father would for his own children, teaching them how to work their wings, how to protect themselves--how to survive. And a few years later, he disappeared.

The story picks up months after Jeb's disappearance, when the older members of the flock (Max, Fang, and Iggy) are fourteen years old (they aren't really fourteen though--it's just an estimation, considering all of the members picked their own birthdays). They were convinced that their current home was protected and well hidden, but when Erasers--part human and part wolf hybrids--find their home and take their youngest member, Angel, back to the School, Max and the others realize that they must bring her back. The rest of the book is as predicted, really: a rescue mission for the first part, and then a journey full of action as the flock embark on a trip to New York City, trying to discover their purpose and heritage (because I mean, almost all of them thought they were test tube babies).

As confusing as both my summary and the summary from Goodreads might be, this book is actually quite easy to keep up with and understand. Despite that it really is pretty fast-paced and action-packed, it still slows down at some points for readers to catch up and recuperate. I will admit that there are some parts to the book that might seem seriously random and out of place, and then later on explained not as well as you would have wanted it to be explained, but honestly, the book itself is not meant to be pondered for hours and hours on its contemporary meanings and sensibility. Because first, it's not contemporary fiction, it's science fiction. And second, frankly, action/adventure fiction is just much easier to enjoy when you don't spend your time pondering over what had just happened in great detail. It's supposed to be fast-paced, it's supposed to not make sense for a little while. And then eventually, it's all supposed to connect together--which it does. Eventually.

So maybe it sounds like I'm making excuses for the book now, which I kind of am (I'll admit it), but don't worry: the benefits of this book are still there. It's extremely funny; Max is a very witty and clever kind of person, very strong and determined. Definitely not your average Bella Swan. The action scenes are very descriptive, not in the way that it's particularly gory (there really isn't much gore anyway), but in the way that you can almost picture every swing and blow the flock members issue out--or take--as they fight the Erasers. And the whole entire book obviously sets itself up for a sequel: the plot is never fully fleshed out, but the ending of the book leaves you into believing that it will be fleshed out later in the series.

In Conclusion...!

The Angel Experiment was "fun". Not the enlightening, impacting read The Fault in Our Stars had on me, but an entertaining read all the same. Some parts could have been improved, certainly, but overall I'd say the book and author achieved their goals.

Rating: 8 - Hey there. I think I'll read you again another time.

- E

Friday, March 23

Book List: Bitterblue, Scarlet, and Defiance (#6)

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My Ultimate Book List is a collection of books that I really, really want to read, whether they have been released or not. Some of these books might not be on the shelves yet; some of these books might have been on the shelves for ages. It doesn't matter. I just really, really want to read them.
Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past. 

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.




Yes! Bitterblue! Finally! I've been wanting to read this book ever since I finished Graceling. I have to admit, I didn't really care about Bitterblue (the character, not the book) at first in Book 1, but having read the blurb it head me head on--like a face palm, or something. New queen of  Monsea! And she's pretty much just a child! Plus, it seems like there's a new Grace in the midst. You can actually read the prologue and chapter one here.
Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. 

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. 

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.




I'm expressing some serious cover love here (although I think that the dagger is placed a little awkwardly). And also, it's Robin Hood. Which, by the way, isn't something I'm really all that familiar with. I know the basics of course, but that's pretty much it. I love spin-off books. Have I mentioned that before? There's a reason why I'm writing a spin-off book of Thumbelina. (Not to self-promote or anything...)



Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her. 

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared. 

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.
All right, I will admit that I do have some issues with the book already--but I won't judge it too much considering I haven't even read it yet. There is a city named "Baalboden", and you might think, "All right. Baalboden. Sounds very high fantasy, very Star Wars or Eragon-esque". And then without warning you read the next few words and you get "Rachel Adams". And "Logan". And by then, you might be slightly bewildered. Because I know I was when I first read the blurb.
However with that aside, can you guess why I'm so excited for this book? It can't be that the blurb mentions something about...assassins. Out for blood. (Which as you all know is something assassins normally do). I love assassins. I love mercenaries, bounty hunters, guilds of violent, supernatural people. So there you have it.

- E

Friday, March 16

Three Awards! Three Awards!

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The amazing Sophie from Sophie's Writing Adventures has given me three blog awards! Three!

In order to accept these awards, I have to list seven facts about myself and then give a few other bloggers these awards as well. And then I must alert them of their amazing gift, which I'm actually pretty bad about doing. But hopefully this time it will all work out.

I have been awarded:















And for the third time! (yes, I must brag about it):

























Because Sophie listed a total of seven instead of listening seven for each (like I had last time), I shall do that as well. So, here I go.

1. In reply to one of Sophie's seven things, I've recently discovered that I absolutely hate peeling shrimp. It's so, so disturbing. And messed up. Like tearing off the head, and its tiny...leg things. <-- I'm sure there's a proper term for that, but I frankly don't remember much at all of what I learned last year in Biology.

2. Despite not remembering what I learned in Bio, I'm about to take AP Bio next year. Which is great, right?

3. On the majority of the Harry Potter Sorting quizzes I've taken, I have gotten either Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. On the most recent one I've taken, I have gotten Slytherin. We'll see how this plays out once I take the legit Pottermore quiz in April.

4. I am somewhat multilingual. I can speak English, some Mandarin, and about three years worth of Spanish.

5. I love Cheetos. I can eat a whole entire bag of it in one day (although I definitely haven't and probably wouldn't).

6. Probably the only sport I pay attention to is tennis. With that being said, the only sport I watch on TV is tennis as well, and the only channel I really watch on TV is the Food Network.

7. Ironically enough, despite writing YA Fantasy, I'm starting to like YA Contemporary a lot more. I just can't write it.

And now the other bloggers who will receive these awards!

Mag (Geek Chic)
Smiling_Ina (Smiling_Ina's Bookish Corner)
Brooke (Paper Mountain)
Riv (Riv Reads)
Olivia (The Reading Enchantress)

Hurray! And thank you again Sophie for these amazing awards :]

- E

Sunday, March 11

Somewhere Private. (Writing Prompt -- #7)

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Brought to you by Creative Writing Prompts ^-^

Catching the signal from one of her friends, Angela brushed her skirt, took a deep breath, and walked towards where he was sitting.
"Hey," she said, nodding to Caleb's friends. She tried for a meek smile but only managed to lift half of her lips up, resulting in a strange and totally awkward grimace. "I um--"
"Wait a second," said Patrick, leaning back in the booth. He laced his arms behind his head and openly stared at her. "Weren't you the girl who passed out this morning? In Gov?"
Something inside her roared in protest at this, threatening to overtake her control and assume charge from there. The tips of Angela's fingers tingled and her hands twitched, as if itching to punch Patrick in the face. But she swallowed and forced the feeling down, pressing it as far back in her mind as possible.
"Listen," she said, making herself look at Caleb. He had his gaze lowered, pinpointed on the cup of coffee in front of him instead, but Angela stood her ground with a surprising firmness she had no idea she possessed. She pressed her lips together. "Can I talk to you? In private?"
And that was definitely stretching it a little. She'd barely known Caleb for a month, which meant she had no right to ask him to speak with her in a private area. She knew this just by the looks on his friends' faces and she mentally cringed at it. But she didn't have a choice. It seemed like there was something going on with Caleb, a connection between him and the violent feelings she has been experiencing...and, at least, it was something he understood better than her. 
At that point Angela snuck a look to her side, her eyes searching for her friends. They were still grouped beside the counter, with Macy leaning across flirting shamelessly with the cashier, who must be at least a freshman in college. It surprised her that they were still there, but she was immensely grateful regardless. No matter what strange events happened to Angela, it was comforting (though surprising) to know that her friends would still be with her.
"Come on, man," said Patrick, shaking his head. "Don't go anywhere with her. Let's just get out of here."
She glanced at him and her teeth gnashed together. Honestly? She didn't understand why she had to put up with this, with any of this. If Caleb had wanted to help her--which he obviously did or else she would not be alive in the first place--then he would come to her. And so far, he hasn't. If anything, she should be the one waiting on him. It shouldn't be the other way around.
As if hearing these thoughts Caleb finally looked up, and when his gaze met Angela's, he smiled faintly.
"No, it's fine. I'll hear what she has to say."
Patrick seemed taken aback, a look on his face that matched the stupidity in his brain. Angela pressed a hand to her mouth, hiding her smile and feeling oddly triumphant. She watched as Caleb's friends got up, one by one approaching the door, each muttering excuses and disloyal comments that Angela was proud to realize her own friends have never uttered. When all of them had left she turned to face Caleb, suddenly unsure of herself again.
"Um," she began, but he only shook his head, gesturing to the small hallway next to the bathroom. "I thought we were going somewhere private?"
Angela exhaled. "Yeah," she said. "Right."
- E

Monday, March 5

February's update of The Ink Timeline.

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What I recently found online: An article on the traits of a Mary Sue character. Basically, an article on What Not to Give Your MC. I thought it was pretty entertaining if not a little intimidating. And mind wracking (although some parts of the article are just a little weird). Because eventually during the middle of the article, you will start comparing the article's list of traits to your own MC's list of traits (or you will have a sudden revelation that your MC is, in fact, a Mary Sue). Which, I suppose, is the point. o.o

This post is going to be about me. (And something I'd [reluctantly] like to mention over what I'm about to read.)

As some of you might know, on January 19th I made a post about the Ink Timeline which basically stood as a list of writing goals I hope to make by the end of this year, labeled in chronological order with a time limit per goal. The goals of the timeline include: finishing the GOoD (Giant Outline of Dread--and I did change what the acronym stands for because after starting the GOoD, I've dreaded finishing it ever since), finishing the WAPs (Wikia Article Profiles--world building documents based off the format of Wikipedia articles), revising Depravity, and writing/revising Shadowed.

My first goal was to finish both the GOoD and the WAPs during the months of January and February. Because today is March 5th I should be done with them both, right?

Ha ha ha.
Wrong.

By my count, this is what I have finished so far:
  • 16/26 WAPs
  • Like 1/20 of the GOoD
  • Revisions of the prologue and chapter one of Depravity
  • All of the Pre-GOoD (an outline of events that took place leading up to the start of Depravity)
But look. At least I did something with my life during that time. I just didn't do enough. Which, by the way, will not happen again. I've extended my timeline so that (basically) I'll have until the end of April to finish what I should have finished by the end of February, and I'll have to write more during the July-August time span. Which is perfectly fine since I'll be on break, as long as marching band doesn't barge in and ruin everything.

The thing is though, what worries me the most aside from finishing the GOoD is finishing the WAPs. That requires a great deal of detail; I'm basically putting in whatever world building detail I can think of into one document, so I don't end up forgetting that detail or changing it up, or anything else, really, when I'm writing/revising. And it takes so looong. On Saturday, I had about fourteen of the WAPs done and I thought, "Oh, my gosh. I'm more than half way done." And for a moment I allowed myself to celebrate. And then I thought, "Oh, my gosh. If I'm half way done, then to finish it up I basically have to do it all over again."

Yeah.
So, wish me luck :]

- E

Note: On the reluctant part of this post: I'm about to read Marked by P.C. and Kristin Cast. I don't particularly want to read this book because I am a little tired of vampires, but the series has around, what, ten books now? And I'd really like to know what all the fuss is about. So, Marked. Here we go.

Friday, March 2

The 21 Minus Blog Tour

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Hey guys! I know I have never mentioned this before, but weeks ago, I was nominated by someone to participate in the 21 Minus Blog Tour, hosted by Anna Waggener (author of Grim). The blog tour itself is pretty self-explanatory: writers under the age of twenty one were gathered together and interviewed. Also, along with the blog tour is a pretty amazing giveaway. The giveaway list is here (and there are some really great books on the list ^-^).

Although we were all interviewed, however, the process itself was slightly different. We were each assigned one person to interview, but the interviewee was not allowed to know the interviewer. In other words, at this very moment, I still have no idea who interviewed me. But if that person is reading this blog post right now, then thank you for your lovely questions. I really enjoyed answering them! And if whoever nominated me is also reading this post (I believe I know who it is, but I'm not entirely sure) thank you so much as well.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

And I interviewed Taryn! Not only is she a writer, but she is also a literary agent intern and she already has an agent for her novel. Which, to be put simply, is just amazing.

Q: Why, exactly, do you write? What made you decide to write or aim to be a lit agent? 


A: I love stories, and I’d rather have a job I enjoy than something that makes me miserable or is just done to make money.

Q: Is there one thing that always ends up feeding your muse whenever you write?

A: Nope.
Q: What is your current take on the Harry Potter vs. Twilight debate? And which one do you prefer?

A: The HP-vs-Twilight debate has been dead for years. The nice thing about reading is that it’s subjective so there’s no point in saying which is better, blah blah blah. I have never been a fan of love triangles, vampires, or characters who must be saved, so I prefer Harry Potter. But it’s not a debate in my mind—not since my junior year of high school (2008-2009).

Q: If there was one person you could be from your WIPs, who would that person be and why?
A: I write a lot of strong female characters. Since I’m toward the end of swim season right now, and I have a few swimmer protagonists, I’d have to choose between them. Lottie’s Olympic level, but she hates her sport. And Tessa’s not quite as fast but she lives on swimming . . . and she’s very independent. So I’d go with Tessa right now. Tessa at the end of the MS, after her journey.
Q: If you had to describe your latest WIP in one word, what would it be?
A: Motivated
Q: What is your take on love triangles and the current Young Adult books out there? Have you noticed any recent YA cliches?
A: As I said earlier, I’m not a fan of love triangles, simply because of their pervasiveness. Sometimes they work, but when it’s just the typical bad guy-good guy choice, I’m not a fan because that doesn’t happen. The way your question is phrased, it sounds like love triangles and YA are hand-in-hand (it sounds condescending, actually), and they’re not. Be careful to read everything. Publishers hype what sells—it’s always ridiculous to me when Hunger Games uses the love triangle as a selling point. That’s not even close to what it’s about. There are amazing YA books out there.
Q: Quick! If a meteor were to come hurtling out of the sky right this moment heading towards you, your family, and your friends, what would you do?
A: Depends how much time there would be. For instance, if you actually mean “sky,” there would be no time to react. But if scientists realize we’ll be hit in like 24 hours, I would spend my last day with friends.
So, thank you Taryn for your answers, and Anna for this amazing tour! And once again, the link to her blog is here, where you should be able to read her very own blog post and interview questions for the 21 Minus Blog Tour. And don't forget about the giveaway on Anna's blog!

- E

Thursday, March 1

Top 5 books with the most baffling love triangles

8 comments
Could be love triangles that shocked me in a good way (both development and conclusion), love triangles that shocked me in a bad way, and love triangles that flat out just didn't make any sense to me. I made a post about love triangles here.


Warning: Possible spoilers.


Blurb
1. Hourglass by Myra McEntire. (you can read my review for Hourglass here)
This book definitely falls in the "love triangles that didn't make any sense" category. Emerson Cole meets Michael Weaver. There is an obvious attraction between these two, an almost insta-love, that although I didn't buy I was still somewhat fine with enough to finish the book. So, throughout the book, I thought, "Hey, this is fine. This is all right." And then, BOOM, I met Kaleb.
I liked Kaleb, actually. I liked him more than I liked Michael. But for some odd reason, after just a few hours, Kaleb decided that he really, really liked Emerson. It happened so fast. And it just didn't make any sense! Where in the world did he come from anyway? How could the author just let him barge into their relationship without much of an explanation? It was as if she was saying, "Dang, there isn't a love triangle in this book. WE NEED A LOVE TRIANGLE IN THIS BOOK." And you know what? Books without love triangles are perfectly fine. Great, even. Books without love triangles are better, in my opinion, than books that have them.

Blurb
2. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand.
I liked the love triangle in this one. I really did. The relationship Clara shared with Christian led me into thinking that she was going to choose him for sure they (SPOILER ALERT) supposedly had a destiny with each other after all. In fact, I hadn't even considered the other persona of the triangle, Tucker, as much as I should have. So when Tuck really did come into play, I was shocked, but in the good way. Although I didn't exactly see it coming, the love triangle intro was still believable because there was character development between the two. Cynthia Hand actually turned the love triangle into what a love triangle should be in the grand scheme of things: a plot twist.






Blurb
3. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.
I should be saying great things about this book. So many people loved The Hunger Games, after all, and I know at least twenty people who are going to see the movie when it hits the big screen. But then again, so many people were also immensely disappointed by the last book. And actually I was one of them.
The main reason I didn't like the outcome of the series was because of the conclusion of the last book. So:
Katniss chose Peeta over Gale. Why did she do it? That was never fully explained. Frankly, I'm a Team Gale person, and to me the fact she chose Peeta was more out of guilt than anything else. And originally, the whole love triangle between the three throughout the series had never even clicked in my head at all. I couldn't understand how Katniss and Peeta felt about each other. I didn't get the chemistry between them. But Katniss's relationship with Gale--now that I understood. Maybe the reason I'm ranting about this is because I'm a disappointed Team Gale fan, but that is not necessarily it. In my opinion, KatnissxPeeta had never been fully developed at all. And once again, this can be taken back to my tidbit with Hourglass. Where is the development? The obvious relationship? How could the love triangle have been genuine? Because to me, it wasn't.

Blurb
4. If I Die by Rachel Vincent.
 #4 on this list is another good example of baffling love triangles, and by good I mean I was genuinely happy with the outcome. If I Die is actually the fifth book of the Soul Screamers series and the love triangle that began to emerge in books four and five (My Soul to Keep and My Soul to Steal respectively) was both shocking and pleasing, because first of all: 1) The relationship between Kaylee and the persona that made the triangle a triangle was believable--unlike Mockingjay. 2) The love triangle had not seemed random at all, like it had in Hourglass.
Why did I choose If I Die then if the love triangle had started in books four and five? I was mainly impressed by the outcome of the triangle, and in If I Die, the outcome was delivered. With justice. And the outcome was the most baffling part of it all. Originally, I had been rooting for a Kaylee and Nash pair (Naylee, if you will) throughout the first four books. In fact, I hadn't even considered the other addition to the love triangle: Tod. Or Taylee. And when I figured it in the beginning of If I Die, I thought, "Oh, of course! So that's why. That explains everything now." And ironically enough, Rachel Vincent claimed that she hadn't even expected Tod to be that addition. (In fact, Rachel Vincent herself said that the love triangle isn't really a love triangle at all, which you can read more about here.)

Blurb
5. The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong.
Yet another "good" example of love triangles (in other words: Yes, I did enjoy this book very much and it was an excellent way to end the Darkest Powers trilogy.) The love triangle part of this book was filled with pleasant shock and I LOVED its conclusion. Once again, I didn't see it coming because the author had originally focused on the Chloe-Simon bit, but when it did come it was still fully believable. Still fully acceptable. Even though I had loved Chloe and Simon, I began to love the newest addition even more. And that, everyone, is what a love triangle should be like: a plot twist that increases character development, relationships, and interaction, making it more believable and fleshing out each persona of the triangle even further. In my opinion, at least.





Another important notice: The Maximum Ride Reading Challenge officially starts today! So if anyone's interested, the banner at the top of this blog should take you to the MRRC blog--and all of its glorious details ^-^

- E

Tuesday, February 28

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

0 comments
Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Genre: YA - Contemporary
How I Obtained Said Book: Library
Series: Stand-alone novel
The Blurb: (from Goodreads)

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A. 

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

The Review: (This review will contain a minimum number of spoilers. Ha ha, bet you didn't see that coming...)

Seventeen year old Hadley's father is just about to be remarried to a British woman in England. Despite her obvious hatred for the marriage, Hadley decides to listen to her mother's insisting pleas and fly by herself to England to attend their wedding. But several things happen that change the course of her journey: 1) She misses her flight by four minutes. 2) She meets a British boy named Oliver. 3) Her next flight to England is the same flight as Oliver, and they are sitting in the same row. The relationship that comes to be from these events and this one particular encounter will change Hadley's reflection on her family, first love, and perhaps
her overall outlook on life.

I thought this book was wonderfully truthful when it came to showing the aftermath of divorce and death, when it comes to the people affected by them. I also thought this book was poignant, amusing, and startling (why the title of the book is what it is, for example; and no, it doesn't necessarily mean that Hadley and Oliver shared a "love at first sight" sort of thing, because if they had, then this review would've turned out a lot differently). All of this was made possible by Hadley's "voice" and personality. I mean, there are preppy YA contemporary main characters and there are the calm, sensible kind, and Hadley definitely falls in the second category (although there are definitely many more categories than just those two). And I liked that, I really did. I enjoy reading about calm, sensible characters. The thing is though, Hadley isn't completely like this throughout the whole entire novel. Some parts--like the words she said to her mother right before going to the airport, and how she behaved during the plane ride--definitely did not suit the whole "calm, sensible" sort of description. But you know, that was perfectly cool with me as well.

And then there's Oliver. Oh, Oliver. I'm not really a sucker for guys with accents; accents are pretty sweet and everything, but I'm not going to automatically like you if you have a super cool accent (I might be a tiny bit jealous though :P). However, even if Oliver hadn't possessed a super cool accent, I'd wager that a bunch of the readers would have liked him anyway. He's charming. There really isn't a better word for it, I mean. He made me crack a smile so many times throughout the book, and during the parts he wasn't present, I found that I really missed him.

The book itself is set in a period of twenty four hours, which upon first glance might make you doubt the plot's credibility, but no worries, it's perfectly credible. Transitions between each part were lovely and smooth, and oh, the pacing of the book was great: a little bit of Hadley, a little bit of Oliver, and a bit of Hadley's family all mixed together. Perfectly proportioned as well. So you know, it's pretty great.

In Conclusion...!


The Stat of Love wasn't necessarily as poignant or deep as The Fault in Our Stars but it was poignant and deep enough. It's a considerably quick read: honestly, the two hundred pages flew by so quickly, when I read the last page I thought, "Okay...wait. Seriously? This is it?" Which could be both good and bad, I suppose, but in my opinion it's very, very good.

Rating: 8 - Hey there. I think I'll read you again another time.

- E

P.S. Chapter 3 of A Rush of Needles is finally finally up. Please review? ^-^

Monday, February 27

Tagged -- #2

2 comments
I have been tagged (again!) by Nicole from Fierce Butterfly (thanks Nicole ^-^ and also, I love the vocabulary you used in your questions!). The rules are the same:

THE RULES
1. You must post the rules.
2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've been tagged.
3. Tag eleven people and link to them on your post.
4. Let them know you've tagged them!

1. What is the oldest book you've ever read?
I will admit right now that I have not read many old books, besides the ones I had to read for English. So I guess that means that the oldest book I've read--and finished--is A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. The oldest book I've attempted to read--but never finished--is either Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility. I can't remember which book was published first.

2. What was the first story you ever wrote and what was it about?
The first story I ever wrote was also the most stupid story I ever wrote. I have to admit that. I have come to terms with that. So, the first story I ever wrote was when I was seven, and it was about how my dad was out mowing the lawn and--SOMEHOW--mowed a gigantic hole in the grass, which strangely enough led to a secret passageway. And my protagonist (AKA my 7-year-old self) went down that tunnel and found a wonderful world (woah--Narnia). Like I said: stupid and silly :]

3. Who is your favorite author? If you have several, list them all out!
My favorite author right now is still J.K. Rowling. But I also love John Green and Sarah Dessen.

4. Tell me a little story about the significance of your birth date. Feel free to embellish.
I was born in Michigan in late July. My birth date really isn't that significant besides the fact that it's apparently a really hard number to remember (it took one of my past best friends an extremely long time to remember it). But I guess one significant story was that when I was finally able to leave the hospital, my dad brought me outside and it started to pour. I mean, the clouds were still there, the storm was obvious, but it hadn't started raining at all until I stepped outside*. No idea what this means. Hopefully nothing bad :]

5. What tropes are beginning to annoy you in steampunk? I know you have a few; I certainly do.
Okay, confession time: I haven't read many steampunk books. But if I do have to choose some cliches, I'd probably have to pick the whole "clockwork army" thing. That and if the girl is the main character, she feels like she must defy the social norm and become a non-lady.

6. Do you think a novel needs an idealized hero?
Hmm...not necessarily. I love characters who are flawed, but a character who is idealized would be great too. As long as they aren't Mary Sue's/Gary Stu's.

7. What do you think of gender roles in novels? Should they reflect reality, an ideal, or something in between? 
Probably something in between. I think gender roles should be able to be switched in novels, altered, and changed in any way to fit the plot and novel elements. Gender roles should also be, like, equal and interchanged. For instance, if a girl can be a damsel, so can a guy (although both would be a little annoying and eye rolling-worthy, in my opinion).

8. What makes a delicious villain?
Villains with a past! Villains with good qualities! Villains with a purpose besides just feeling like "being evil", or taking over the world, or something else that's common. Villains who are actual human beings. Or, villains who are so far from being human, they are absolutely unique and strange that they're considerably interesting.

9. Tell me about a lesser-known novel that made an indelible impression on you and why.
I would have to choose The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (which I think was originally written in French). I read it in seventh grade for my English class, and it was probably the most meaningful book I've ever read at that time. It played with themes involving the behaviors and intelligence of children and adults, which, you know, definitely created a giant impact on a twelve year old who was just about to become a teenager. I highly recommend this book.

10. Early bird or night owl?
Night owl. I even have "Become nocturnal for one week" on my Bucket List. I love staying up late and I hate waking up early in the morning. So much.

11. Favorite mythological being? Feel free to pick an obscure one.
This is a hard one...but I'd have to choose an elf. Elves are pretty sweet.

Since I've already picked eleven bloggers in my last tagged post, I think I'll pass on this one (truth is: I can't think of eleven more bloggers to tag. It's very sad.) Thank you again Nicole!

- E

* 'Course, I couldn't possibly have "stepped" outside. I couldn't walk then. But you know what I mean.

Saturday, February 25

Things worthy of loving.

4 comments
First, we have this song:



And this song (I LOVE Titanic):
(I realize it's only part 2 of the song. The original song is actually about 20 minutes long and Youtube doesn't typically allow 20-minute long videos...but you can still find part 1 by clicking on the link in the info box ^-^)



And this movie trailer (of course):



And this movie trailer:



And that is all.
(A pretty meaningless post...but I felt like I had to share all of this amazingness with someone. So. There you go.)

- E

Friday, February 24

Top 5 books I would take with me during a zombie apocalypse.

10 comments
A midnight post because I just want to get this over with (considering it's been sitting on my Draft Pile for a few days now) I am so dedicated.

TOP 5 BOOKS I WOULD TAKE WITH ME DURING A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

Blurb
1. The Fault in Ours Stars by John Green.
You should know by now that I am currently obsessed with this book. If not, then this post proves it. I'm not entirely sure how helpful this would be during a zombie apocalypse, but hey, at least it might offer some encouragement and brief happiness.








Blurb


2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling.
What to do when the zombies invade? Pretend I'm Harry Potter, grab a broomstick, and try to make it fly me away to a tropical, impenetrable island. Maybe figure out how to produce fire from a wooden stick while I'm at it. Of course, the book itself is pretty gripping, so maybe it'd be something to distract me during the lonely nights.







Blurb
3. The Host by Stephenie Meyer.
Before everyone freaks out (what? A Stephenie Meyer book? You serious?), I'd like to add that I've enjoyed all of her books.
Actually, no, I take that back; I strongly disliked Breaking Dawn. The movie was so much better.
Still, Stephenie Meyer isn't famous for just the Twilight Saga. I thought The Host (soon to be a movie, by the way) was much better, the characters way better developed, and the plot far more interesting. Plus, it has to do with aliens taking over the world. Do I see a relation here with the zombies?






Blurb
4. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.
A book for encouragements and snarky comebacks, in case I need them for the zombies. Also, a book for some fast-paced action. A book for a brief escape to a world without zombies and mummies (as Jace helpfully pointed out). And if things get bad, I could just pretend that the Shadowhunters would swoop in and save me (and then bring me to an Institute, where they would tell me that I'm actually a Shadowhunter myself. How cool would that be?*)







Blurb
5. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.
It's a book on survival--even if it's fiction and has absolutely nothing to do with zombies--so it's pretty self-explanatory. Despite its lack of zombies and apocalyptic action (and the fact that it isn't an apocalyptic book at all), it might still be useful to me. I mean, if I happen to get stuck in the wilderness...










So that's it! The five books I would take with me if zombies were to come and decide to rule the world. What's on your list?

- E

To-Do List: Reply to Goodreads messages, contribute more to MRRC (*waves to Mag*), answer more Tag questions, alert the rest of the Tagged bloggers, GOD...
Oh. And I finished my pre-God.

* Upon second thought, being a Shadowhunter would not be all that cool. Aside from the fighting skills and seraph blades and steles and marks, I suspect it would be unappealing. Killing demons, and maybe dying at a young age? I think I'll pass right now...

Tuesday, February 21

An update on the WAPs and GOD, and everything else.

4 comments
Over the weekend, I decided to get down to business.

There were several things I'd messed up on, when it came to following the Ink Timeline. According to the Ink Timeline, I have almost a week before I should be done with both my WAPs (Wikia-Article Profiles) and my GOD (Giant Outline of Doom).

Ha ha. Right.

Out of the twenty six WAPs I'm supposed to have finished by the start of March, I have written about fourteen of them. I have not exactly started on GOD, but Sunday night, I did start on the Pre-GOD, which is a timeline on What Happened Before the Start of the Series. Background information, basically.

This was a conversation I had with myself on Sunday night:

Me: No. Stop blogging. Write demon WAP.
Brain: Yeah, but you still have, like, two more of Mag's questions to answer for the tags.
Me: Nononono. Must flesh out info on demons. Must...flesh out...info.
Brain: Oh look. Susan Dennard is following you on Twitter.
Me: WHAT?
Brain: Yeah. I'm surprised too.
Me: *flails arms* Thatisthecoolestthingever! I haven't tweeted a single thing about her though!
Brain: So how about those tag questions?
Me: ...
Brain: And that Spanish homework?
Me: No. Can't do homework. Write demon WAP.

A typical mental war I wage on myself^

Then, at around ten the same night, I started having second thoughts.

Me: Okay, so...elemental WAP, check. Demon WAP, check...WAIT A SECOND.
Brain: ...
Me: What came after Event X?
Brain: I dunno. How about you check that GOD you NEVER FINISHED?
Me: What are you talking about? It wouldn't be there in the first place....Oh.
Brain: Oh?
Me: Oh. I need to make a Pre-GOD.
Brain: So like...?
Me: So like a timeline on the events that took place before the start of Book 1. Like all the foreshadowing, background info, Reasons Why This Event Happened in Book 1 stuff.
Brain: Ohh.
Me: Yeah. Oh.

So basically, I have to finish my WAPs, my GOD, my Pre-GOD, and printing the other 200-something pages of my current Depravity draft. All in a week. Or, I could just not follow my Ink Timeline. That choice seems much better than the other one...

- E

Monday, February 20

Tagged!

11 comments
THE RULES
  1. You must post the rules.
  2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.
  3. Tag eleven people and link to them on your post.
  4. Let them know you’ve tagged them!
Hey guys. I was tagged by the super cool Mag from Geek Chic, and here are her questions (with my answers) ^-^

1. Who is the author you own the most books by?
J.K. Rowling. I own nine books by her. But wait! you say. Harry Potter consists of only seven books! Well, yeah, that's true. But I do own nine of her books. Well, technically like 6.5. You can find out why here.

2. If you meet ANY author, who would you pick?
It's a tie between J.K. Rowling and John Green. Meeting John Green would be more realistic though, since I have absolutely no idea when I'll ever be able to go to England. And chances are, I probably won't be able to. *sulks*

3. What book have you reread the most times?
I think it's a tie between Twilight and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (How does that work out? o.o) Why yes, I did really enjoy Twilight. Why no, I am not obsessed with it.

4. What is your favorite book genre?
Young Adult. And I can't choose between its sub-categories, like urban fantasy or contemporary, or anything because they're all pretty great, and it really just depends on the books themselves ^-^

5. Do you ever listen to music while you're reading?
Nah, unless it's for homework. Like reading my AP U.S. History book. I sometimes listen to music while reading that. I do listen to music while I write though.

6. Who is your favorite character from any book?
Again, it's a tie between Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson & The Olympians by Rick Riordan), Isaac (The Fault in Our Stars by John Green), Dexter (This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen), and Wes (The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen).
...I really don't know why they're all guys.

7. If you could meet (and be friends with!) any character from any book in real life, who would you choose?
Ahh. This is really, really hard. But probably Isaac from The Fault in Our Stars. 


8. Five books that made you laugh?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson, and The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.

9. Five books with the hottest guys?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, Cross by Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter, Divergent by Veronica Roth, and The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen.
I think o.o

10. How many books do you read in the average week?
Like, one. It really depends on how much time I have and when I'm allowed to go to the library (because my parents think I "Read Too Much"). It's horrible :3

11. And now for the most important question ever: if you had to pick ONE BOOK, what would you say your favorite is (at least, as of right now)?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green ^-^

Soo...ah, right. Now I have to pick eleven amazing bloggers to answer my eleven questions below:

1. Mag (Geek Chic)
2. Hana (Love. Dream. Imagine.)
3. Brynne (Quite Ridden with Ice)
4. Riv (Riv Reads)
5. Brooke (Paper Mountain)
6. Jaclyn (Rambles From Insanity)
7. Bailey (Novel Nerd)
8. M. Nicole Cunningham (Fierce Butterfly)
9. Smiling_Ina (Smiling_Ina's Little Corner)
10. Dear Maria (Writers like Me)
11. Helen (Normal is Boring...)

And my questions are:

1. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
2. You are walking in a forest and you come across two different paths. As the poem by Robert Frost goes, the first path is one that appears to be worn and familiar. The other path appears new and unused. Which path do you take?
3. What is your opinion on love triangles?
4. What is your opinion on vampires, faeries, and werewolves being used in YA fiction?
5. What are some amazing books you have read this year (so far)?
6. Which is more important in a novel: the plot or the characters?
7. If you went to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which of the four houses do you think you would be sorted into?
8. What is one book and one movie you are looking forward to reading/seeing in 2012?
9. One book you would most definitely read again, and one book you would never read again?
10. What is your favorite comfort food?
11. If you'd been on the Titanic, would you have been: a) one of the first people to jump into the ocean, b) a person who waited and ended up in a small lifeboat, or c) someone who sunk nobly along with the ship?

Thanks for tagging me Mag ^-^ (and yes, I had to tag you back :P)

- E

Sunday, February 19

Book List: The Statistical Pandemonium of Love at First Sight (and Time) (#5)

7 comments
My Ultimate Book List is a collection of books that I really, really want to read, whether they have been released or not. Some of these books might not be on the shelves yet; some of these books might have been on the shelves for ages. It doesn't matter. I just really, really want to read them.
Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A. 

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.





I first saw this book while watching this, and I thought, hey, if John Green loves it, that means it would be one of the most amazing YA contemporary novels I would ever read in my life. And I managed to get to that conclusion without even reading the blurb. (Which I actually don't recommend doing--assuming you'd like a book because one of your favorite authors likes it, I mean. You are not necessarily what you write.) But then I read the blurb, and I thought, "I MUST HAVE THIS BOOK." So I went to my public library database, searched it up, and put a hold on the book even when the books is actually available in the New Teens Fiction shelf right this moment, only because I know I won't be able to go to the library until some time next week, and no one else can get that book.
--------------------------------------------------
I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, 
pushing aside thoughts of Alex, 
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, 
push, 
push, 
push, 
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.


Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.
I will admit right now that I don't remember much of what happened in Delirium. Except for that unforgettable ending with Alex. And by unforgettable, I mean 1) I totally didn't see it coming--I really didn't--and 2) How is Lauren Oliver supposed to write a sequel after that? I don't now who Raven is at all (should I know?), I think Hana was Lena's best friend, but I do remember the ending vividly. And I think I liked Alex. So with that being said, I also must have Pandemonium--once it comes out
You can read the blurb for the first book, Deliriumhere.
--------------------------------------------------

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan--an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home. 

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It’s a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.


Spies. Assassins. Plus, Zach. Man, I love Zach.  
Out of Sight, Out of Time is the fifth book in the Gallagher Girls series. You can read the blurbs for the previous four books in these areas: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill YouCross My Heart and Hope to SpyDon't Judge a Girl by Her Cover, and Only the Good Spy Young
What's currently on your book list? :]

- E