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Monday, May 24, 2010

Teaser!

A little excerpt from my current read, Will Grayson, Will Grayson By John Green and David Levithan. I know I've been on it for a while, but I plan to wrap things up as soon as school calms down and halts.

"and then there are nights like tonight, when the truth is what comes out, because it's what we need the most. or maybe just one of us needs it the most, but the other knows the right time to give it."

And some more:

"Every day, Tiny miraculously manages to wedge himself into the chair-desk beside mine in precalc, and ever day, I am amazed he can do it."

(Notice the difference in voice? I love that!!!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

BBbblargh!



I know.


I've had no time to read, let alone review.


Curse you end of school (not really) and all the tests, quizzes, and exams (yes, really) that follow.




But I did pick up some new books: TTYL and TTFN. They don't seem like my usual type of book-- these are full of text/computer lingo and I consider myself somewhat of a grammar-enforcer. But hey, I thought I'd try something new.


Also, I'm currently reading something great that I can't wait to write a review for.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Top Books... have you read them?

So this is a list compiled by someone with fantastic taste in Children's/Young Adult Literature. I found it on this new blog I came across, and decided to repost it, highlighting the ones that I, myself had enjoyed reading. Pretty interesting...



100. The Egypt Game - Snyder (1967)
99. The Indian in the Cupboard - Banks (1980)
98. Children of Green Knowe - Boston (1954)
97. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - DiCamillo (2006)
96. The Witches - Dahl (1983)
95. Pippi Longstocking - Lindgren (1950)
94. Swallows and Amazons - Ransome (1930)
93. Caddie Woodlawn - Brink (1935)
92. Ella Enchanted - Levine (1997)
91. Sideways Stories from Wayside School - Sachar (1978)

90. Sarah, Plain and Tall - MacLachlan (1985)
89. Ramona and Her Father - Cleary (1977)
88. The High King - Alexander (1968)
87. The View from Saturday - Konigsburg (1996)
86. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Rowling (1999)
85. On the Banks of Plum Creek - Wilder (1937)
84. The Little White Horse - Goudge (1946)
83. The Thief - Turner (1997)
82. The Book of Three - Alexander (1964)
81. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Lin (2009)


80. The Graveyard Book - Gaiman (2008)
79. All-of-a-Kind-Family - Taylor (1951)
78. Johnny Tremain - Forbes (1943)
77. The City of Ember - DuPrau (2003)
76. Out of the Dust - Hesse (1997)
75. Love That Dog - Creech (2001)
74. The Borrowers - Norton (1953)
73. My Side of the Mountain - George (1959)
72. My Father's Dragon - Gannett (1948)
71. The Bad Beginning - Snicket (1999)

70. Betsy-Tacy - Lovelae (1940)
69. The Mysterious Benedict Society - Stewart ( 2007)
68. Walk Two Moons - Creech (1994)
67. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher - Coville (1991)
66. Henry Huggins - Cleary (1950)
65. Ballet Shoes - Stratfeild (1936)
64. A Long Way from Chicago - Peck (1998)
63. Gone-Away Lake - Enright (1957)
62. The Secret of the Old Clock - Keene (1959)
61. Stargirl - Spinelli (2000)

60. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle - Avi (1990)
59. Inkheart - Funke (2003)
58. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase - Aiken (1962)
57. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 - Cleary (1981)
56. Number the Stars - Lowry (1989)
55. The Great Gilly Hopkins - Paterson (1978)
54. The BFG - Dahl (1982)
53. Wind in the Willows - Grahame (1908)
52. The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007)
51. The Saturdays - Enright (1941)

50. Island of the Blue Dolphins - O'Dell (1960)
49. Frindle - Clements (1996)
48. The Penderwicks - Birdsall (2005)
47. Bud, Not Buddy - Curtis (1999)
46. Where the Red Fern Grows - Rawls (1961)
45. The Golden Compass - Pullman (1995)
44. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing - Blume (1972)
43. Ramona the Pest - Cleary (1968)
42. Little House on the Prairie - Wilder (1935)
41. The Witch of Blackbird Pond - Speare (1958)

40. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - Baum (1900)
39. When You Reach Me - Stead (2009)
38. HP and the Order of the Phoenix - Rowling (2003)
37. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry - Taylor (1976)
36. Are You there, God? It's Me, Margaret - Blume (1970)
35. HP and the Goblet of Fire - Rowling (2000)
34. The Watson's Go to Birmingham - Curtis (1995)
33. James and the Giant Peach - Dahl (1961)
32. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH - O'Brian (1971)
31. Half Magic - Eager (1954)

30. Winnie-the-Pooh - Milne (1926)
29. The Dark Is Rising - Cooper (1973)
28. A Little Princess - Burnett (1905)
27. Alice I and II - Carroll (1865/72)
26. Hatchet - Paulsen (1989)
25. Little Women - Alcott (1868/9)
24. HP and the Deathly Hallows - Rowling (2007)
23. Little House in the Big Woods - Wilder (1932)
22. The Tale of Despereaux - DiCamillo (2003)
21. The Lightening Thief - Riordan (2005)

20. Tuck Everlasting - Babbitt (1975)
19. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Dahl (1964)
18. Matilda - Dahl (1988)
17. Maniac Magee - Spinelli (1990)
16. Harriet the Spy - Fitzhugh (1964)
15. Because of Winn-Dixie - DiCamillo (2000)
14. HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Rowling (1999)
13. Bridge to Terabithia - Paterson (1977)
12. The Hobbit - Tolkien (1938)
11. The Westing Game - Raskin (1978)

10. The Phantom Tollbooth - Juster (1961)
9. Anne of Green Gables - Montgomery (1908)
8. The Secret Garden - Burnett (1911)
7. The Giver -Lowry (1993)
6. Holes - Sachar (1998)
5. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - Koningsburg (1967)
4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - Lewis (1950)
3. Harry Potter #1 - Rowling (1997)
2. A Wrinkle in Time - L'Engle (1962)
1. Charlotte's Web - White (1952)

30%...not too terrible, considering I really wasn't the hugest reader when these books would have appealed to me most.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Book time! But oh, the title is a mouthful!

Oooohohkay, haven't been posting on here. I know! I'm a terrible blogging person!


Sorry.

Plus, I've been out of it with all kinds of things. Overwhelmed at school; one month before exams, and in every class we've been "wrapping things up."

I don't know if I'm even making any sense...


So I recently finished The first book in the Gallagher Girls series. I guess I'll write a review...



I'd Tell You I Love You, but then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter.

Wow, what a mouthful. I got this book from a friend, only because she started to read it, but decided a few chapters in that it wasn't quite for her. But I had heard from a few different people that this book was so good, so I'd thought I'd give it a try.



Summary (my own words):

Cammie has been raised knowing all the secrets of the trade, everything that her parents could teach her at a young age, Cammie knew, and some things she could figure out by herself. But these weren't just any trade techniques; these were top secrets government things of high importance. And so from seventh grade on, Cammie definitely knew her fate and the way her life was headed. It was something that was always known, but Cammie finally starts to realize exactly what she's giving up when, on a mission, she meets Josh. Average town boy, an encounter like this shouldn't have the affect on Cammie that it does. Cammie starts living a double life, torn between her cover and who she really is, until everything comes crashing down on her in one swift motion. What's a spy to do?

This book for me, was actually pretty good. It would have been a great beach read. The writing was okay, (not terrible like another hard core, unrealistic chick-lit series) and the plot was good. The characters were a little cliche, but that didn't stop me from enjoying them. Humor was abundant, which made for a very light hearted read. It was a great read for just sitting around the house. I never really had to concentrate on what I was reading; there was nothing I had to go back and reread because of a confusing situation. It was very straight forward. Almost a nice change in pace. But if you don't like chick-lit, then there really isn't anything in this book for you.


I started the second, having gotten it super cheap at the LB. I'm about fifty pages in, but so far it's not grabbing my attention. We'll have to wait and see.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

A day of crazy? Indeed!

And why again did I need more YA books??

Who knows.



But I just got three today. Bought one from the LB, and ordered two online at awesomely decent prices for new releases.



What I bought:


  • Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott

  • Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green (DFTBA!) and David Levithan

  • It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han (Finally! I've practically been stalking the LB and all the employees, checking to see when it would come in... but the impatient me decided to order it online...)


Oh, on a completely different note, I went to a WWII reenactment. Very interesting. So many people in authentic uniforms, both allies and Germans. A kid from my lunch table was actually participating. But the noise! Loud, constant shots being fired so rapidly it's hard to tell from which direction they've come! Imagine what it would have been like....


Bummer man, I didn't get any pictures...


Also, I went to a parade that my school's band was marching in. Most of the floats were throwing candy, mostly tootsie pops or rolls. Got to see everyone in identical uniforms that are oh-so-lovely. And then got (sarcastically) yelled at by the band director for distracting one of the marchers who just happens to be a friend. Then a bit later, started to get a weird feeling as I was spazzing out...