My girl Hope playing Face Down on the piano:
She's so awesome =D
<3 Chelsie
Title: Skinned
Author: Robin Wasserman
Summary:
Lia Kahn was perfect: rich, beautiful, popular -- until the accident that nearly killed her. Now she has been downloaded into a new body that only looks human. Lia will never feel pain again, she will never age, and she can't ever truly die. But she is also rejected by her friends, betrayed by her boyfriend, and alienated from her old life. Forced to the fringes of society, Lia joins others like her. But they are looked at as freaks. They are hated...and feared. They are everything but human, and according to most people, this is the ultimate crime -- for which they must pay the ultimate price.
The cover of this book is absolutely beautiful. The girl is gorgeous, the mechanical line things (I wonder what they're called?) gave it flash without being too overpowering. Also on the cover is a review/quote by one of my favorite authors: "A spellbinding story about loss, rebirth, and finding out who we really are inside." Scott Westerfeld said that about this novel, and I whole-heartedly agree.
This was a book that confused me... at first. I was confused, but strangely intrigued. The book starts out with this girl... and she is lifeless. She can't move, she can't talk, but she can feel everything. She was in an accident, and it changed her life forever.
I couldn't stop reading; I was entranced. The story was just so interesting, and it brought up so many questions that have yet to be answered. When I started reading I wasn't expecting much; the cover was gorgeous, but that doesn't always mean anything. And yet when I finished, I was glad that I read the book. It was a great novel. Similar to Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series, which is set in a futuristic world as well, and also similar to one of my Favorite Novels of All-Time, Stephenie Meyer's The Host, simply because it questions the ideas of humanity: what makes a human, and what crosses the line from human to something different? In The Host, it was a soul. In Skinned, it was a machine. Still, the idea was the same. And while all these books are similar, Skinned was probably the one that I would pick out to say it was the most "out there". Good? Heck yes. Worth the time? Definitely. But not for someone who doesn't want to stretch the imagination a bit.
I am still eagerly anticipating a sequel.
Twilight the second time 'round was way better than the first. For one thing, there was significantly less giggling. And a significantly smaller number of comments about each thing.
I loved it... a lot. I just want to thank both my uncle for lending me the money to go see it again, and also myself for deciding to be more open-minded this time. Thank you!
And this would have been a long post about the movie and how obsessed I am becoming, but I got a Facebook message from my friend Sam who reminded me that I have an Anatomy and Physiology test to study for... which sucks, but it has to be done. So... we'll save the Twilight!squeal!omg! post for tomorrow.
<3 Chelsie
Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Summary:
Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.
This book came highly recommended to me by basically everyone. It would not have been a book I'd pick out for myself; the cover didn't intrigue me, and just by that I wouldn't have even considered reading the back of the book to get more info. If it had been just a random book in a bookstore, I'd have passed it by without an extra thought.
But this is no ordinary book; not even close. With all they hype and great reviews about it, I was interested. And when it came to my school's library, it was so easy to get my hands on it. And when I did, I was not disappointed.
This was an extremely gripping story. Futuristic, scarily so. While extreme critics find other books or movies to compare this one to, I can think of nothing that compares. The story is definitely different from anything I've ever read. Killing people for sport is not a subject that I find gracing the pages of young adult literature. But here it is, plain as day. Perhaps it's a comment on society and the way things are shaping up to be, or perhaps it was just a hypothetical story meant to entertain and keep readers on the edge of their seat. Whichever the case may be, I was enthralled. And it really got me thinking about people, and just goodness overall.
The writing wasn't my favorite; it actually kind of bothered me in parts, the way that Katniss spoke in her narration. But the story fully made up for it.
I'm not sure exactly how the sequel will turn out... but you can bet that I'll be ready for it when it's released.
So, Brooke Taylor his having a contest that deserves a post of its own:
She's giving away a Collector's Edition of Twilight. Woohoo! So click this link and go enter!
<3 Chelsie
I have very. very. very. mixed feelings about this movie.
*just a warning: I don't think I really get into details, but if you're worried that I'll ruin something for you, just don't continue. I tend to ramble on, but I think that what's ahead is mostly my opinion, and nothing too revealing about the movie itself. But I figured I'd caution readers just in case.*
The one word that just came to my mind that basically sums it all up is constricted. But it would be really hard for me to describe how that could be.
I tried really hard to like it, and not compare it to the book. However, when the amazing awesome fantabulous-ness of the book is on my mind, it's hard to expect anything less from the movie. Which sadly it didn't deliver.
However, I do not totally hate it. On the contrary, I am intrigued. For me, this was merely a sneak peek, just to get an idea on what it's like. I plan on seeing it again next weekend, and I will be more open-minded. And we'll see if it's better then.
To be honest though... the reason I didn't like it as much as I planned on was because my friend Sam and I were right next to each other... and every five seconds we had a comment on everything. From Edward's lips, to Jasper's gorgeousness... even the naked Barbie doll on the dresser in Bella's bedroom. And Sam is hilarious, so the things she said were just so freaking funny, I could not stop laughing.
Although I have to admit; there were parts that were ridiculous. And I'll probably get into more detail on it when I see it again and actually watch it without the Sam Distraction. But for now... I think I'll just let it sit in my mind for awhile. Let it fade away, so that when I see it again it'll be a clean start.
---
On a different note, I just realized something. The email address on my right sidebar is WRONG! I've had the wrong email address! bookluver, not booklover... I swear, the u and the o bother even me. I'd better change it... *whistles innocently*
I've had it like that for months. Good gracious...
-Chelsie-
I am beginning to wonder whether my blog shows up correctly on people's monitors.
It doesn't show up right on my school's computer, but I figured that was just the blocks.
But it's not showing up here at the library, where there are no blocks (at least, not on the computer behind the desk). So it has me wondering: does anyone else have a problem seeing the right sidebar when visiting my blog?
If so, please let me know... and if it seems to be a common thing, I will find some way to fix it. It works just fine on my home computer, but at school and here it's not showing up. So it makes me wonder...
<3 Chelsie
Title: City of Bones and City of Ashes
Author: Cassandra Clare
Summaries:
City of Bones-
Their hidden world is about to be revealed....When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Clary knows she should call the police, but it's hard to explain a murder when the body disappears into thin air and the murderers are invisible to everyone but Clary.
Equally startled by her ability to see them, the murderers explain themselves as Shadowhunters: a secret tribe of warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. Within twenty-four hours, Clary's mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a grotesque demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....
City of Ashes-
Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go -- especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil -- and also her father.To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings -- and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?
In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.
Occasionally, I'll find a book that immediately captures my interest. I'll pick it up and start reading, and just be hooked.
City of Bones was one of those books. From the very first chapter, I was intrigued. This series was unlike any other fantasy books I've ever read. I mean, come on... Shadowhunters? What the heck are those? Um, hello? Uniqueness! It's a great concept, and these novels have it all.
So I started reading, and I was interested. My first question was: who are the good guys and who are the bad guys? Every single character has an element of mystery to them; and while a lot of questions were cleared up, I still find that the depth of the characters extends beyond just good and bad. The characters are real, flawed, and none of them are perfect, even if they do happen to be on the "good" side.
And then I read further and I found myself genuinely caring about the characters and what happened to them. Believe me, I really got into it. At some point in time during the second book, I closed the book and couldn't read anymore, because I just couldn't stand the thought of something bad happening. I was borderline obsessed. I found myself caring about the characters, and also wanting to be in their world. This was one of the first times that I've found myself actually believing and hoping that it could be possible for a fantasy to be real. I mean, vampires? Whatever. Werewolves? Yeah, okay. But Shadowhunters? How cool would that be?! How fascinating.
I have a strange fascination with the Shadowhunters.
Just like how I find myself with a strange fascination with these novels. Which is perhaps why my review is so strange; these books are definitely at the top of my list, and I really recommend them to anyone.
*Teen Tuesday is the day we set aside for teen book lovers to visit with each other to find out what's being read in the world of young adult literature. You can comment whether you are a participant or not. Visit all the posters at teentuesday.blogspot.com*
My reading week has actually been uneventful.
I started reading Sovay by Celia Rees, and I finally realized why I love her books so much: they always feature a strong leading female character. I love the Sovay, she is such an interesting and strong narrator. It seems like women are stereotypically weak, or dependent, and in her books that just isn't the case. Sovay is definitely not an exception.
I am about halfway through, but I put a pause on that to start reading Hairstyles of the Damned, which was recommended to me by the fabulous Stephanie Kuehnert. I got about twenty pages in that before I realized that there is less than a week before Twilight comes out (eeek!) and so I am now reading Twilight for the third time so it's fresh in my mind.
And can I just say how much I love it? I am 200 pages in and I just don't want to stop reading; I'll take breaks occasionally, just to stretch and get drinks. But then I'm back at it; I haven't read Twilight since New Moon came out, and I am really glad I'm reading it again. It's just as entertaining the third time 'round! =D
Of course, I'm dying for the movie. My school's book club is going to go see it as a group, so we've already pre-bought our tickets and everything. So on Friday at four we'll all be in the theater and getting ready to watch it. We all made Twilight T-shirts last week, and just today (which happens to be Monday, since I'm writing this ahead of time) my friend Sam and I decorated ours with beads and glitter paint and whatnot... it was great fun, and I'll definitely have pictures next week!
Anyways, that's my reading and whatnot... I hope someone else posts this week... I was lonely last week ='(
But I understand anyways!
<3 Chelsie
S. Krishna's Books decided to turn USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books of Last 15 Years into a meme. I found this over at Lori's Reading Corner, and I decided to do it and see how underexposed I've been to bestsellers. So here I go =D
So here's the deal: bold what you've read, italicize what you own, star books on your TBR list!
1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
2 Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution - Robert C. Atkins
3 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
4 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
5 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
6 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
7 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
8 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
9 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
10 Who Moved My Cheese? - Spencer Johnson
11 The South Beach Diet - Arthur Agatston
12 Tuesdays With Morrie - Mitch Albom
13 Angels & Demons - Dan Brown
14 What to Expect When You're Expecting - Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg, Sandee Hathaway
15 The Purpose-Driven Life - Rick Warren
16 The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom
17 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey
18 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
19 Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus - John Gray
20 The Secret - Rhonda Byrne
21 Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert T. Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter
22 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
23 Don't Sweat the Small Stuff ... And It's All Small Stuff - Richard Carlson
24 The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd
25 Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
26 Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
27 The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks
28 The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
29 The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
30 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
31 A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle
32 Oh, the Places You'll Go! - Dr. Seuss
33 The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
34 Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt
35 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
36 Body-for-Life - Bill Phillips, Michael D’Orso
37 New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
38 Night - Elie Wiesel, translations by Marion Wiesel and Stella Rodway
39 Chicken Soup for the Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen
40 The Greatest Generation - Tom Brokaw
41 Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
42 The Celestine Prophecy - James Redfield
43 Wicked - Gregory Maguire
44 Good to Great - Jim Collins
45 Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
46 Eragon - Christopher Paolini
47 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood - Rebecca Wells
48 Your Best Life Now - Joel Osteen
49 In the Kitchen With Rosie - Rosie Daley
50 Simple Abundance - Sarah Ban Breathnach
51 A Child Called It - Dave Pelzer
52 A Million Little Pieces - James Frey
53 The Testament - John Grisham
54 Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Kimberly Kirberger
55 Deception Point - Dan Brown
56 The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
57 Marley & Me - John Grogan
58 Dr. Atkins' New Carbohydrate Gram Counter - Robert C. Atkins
59 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
60 The Brethren - John Grisham
61 The South Beach Diet Good Fats Good Carbs Guide - Arthur Agatston
62 The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town - John Grisham
63 For One More Day - Mitch Albom
64 The Polar Express - Chris Van Allsburg
65 The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
66 The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow
67 What to Expect the First Year - Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi Murkoff, Sandee Hathaway
68 Love You Forever - Robert Munsch, art by Sheila McGraw
69 Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss
70 A Painted House - John Grisham
71 The Rainmaker - John Grisham
72 Skipping Christmas - John Grisham
73 Cold Mountain - Charles Frazier
74 The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time - Mark Haddon
75 Life Strategies - Phillip C. McGraw
76 Seabiscuit: An American Legend - Laura Hillenbrand
77 The Summons - John Grisham
78 Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt
79 The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
80 The Runaway Jury - John Grisham
81 Goodnight Moon Board Book - Margaret Wise Brown, art by Clement Hurd
82 The Perfect Storm - Sebastian Junger
83 Snow Falling on Cedars - David Guterson
84 The Giver - Lois Lowry
85 Embraced by the Light - Betty J. Eadie
86 The Chamber - John Grisham
87 You: On A Diet - Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz
88 The Prayer of Jabez - Bruce Wilkinson
89 Holes - Louis Sachar
90 Digital Fortress - Dan Brown
91 The Shack - William P. Young
92 The Devil Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger
93 Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
94 A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
95 The Seat of the Soul - Gary Zukav
96 Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, Marci Shimoff
97 The Partner - John Grisham
98 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
99 Eldest: Inheritance, Book II - Christopher Paolini
100 The Broker - John Grisham
101 The Street Lawyer - John Grisham
102 A Series of Unfortunate Events No. 1: The Bad Beginning - Lemony Snicket
103 The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
104 Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
105 The King of Torts - John Grisham
106 The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell
107 The Horse Whisperer - Nicholas Evans
108 Hannibal - Thomas Harris
109 The Audacity of Hope - Barack Obama
110 Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs
111 The Glass Castle: A Memoir - Jeannette Walls
112 My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
113 The Last Juror - John Grisham
114 The Devil in the White City - Erik Larson
115 Left Behind - Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins
116 America (The Book) - Jon Stewart and The Writers of The Daily Show
117 The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
118 John Adams - David McCullough
119 The Christmas Box - Richard Paul Evans
120 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares
121 Sugar Busters! - H. Leighton Steward, Sam S. Andrews, Morrison C. Bethea, Luis A. Balart
122 Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
123 The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle
124 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life - Don Piper, Cecil Murphey
125 The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien
126 1776 - David McCullough
127 The Bridges of Madison County - Robert James Waller
128 Where the Heart Is - Billie Letts
129 The Ultimate Weight Solution - Phillip C. McGraw
130 Protein Power - Michael R. Eades, Mary Dan Eades
131 Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, Marci Shimoff
132 Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer
133 Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
134 Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin
135 You: The Owner's Manual - Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz
136 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List - Patricia Schultz
137 Self Matters - Phillip C. McGraw
138 She's Come Undone - Wally Lamb
139 1984 - George Orwell
140 The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
141 The Millionaire Next Door - Thomas J. Stanley, William D. Danko
142 The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory
143 The Zone - Barry Sears, Bill Lawren
144 The Pilot's Wife - Anita Shreve
145 The Lost World Michael Crichton
146 Atonement - Ian McEwan
147 He's Just Not That Into You - Greg Behrendt, Liz Tuccillo
148 Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
149 The World Is Flat - Thomas L. Friedman
150 Cross - James Patterson
Total Number Read: 23 (eh, could be worse!)
<3 Chelsie
I've been thinking a lot lately about my Inte(Re)view feature.
In the beginning there was a general positive response. Some interest. But as it got going, I found that it wasn't quite as popular. My Inte(Re)viewees were all fantastic, and there are a few people who are still enthusiastic. But there isn't enough interest to keep it going. I think I have maybe one left, and then it will dwindle and die, a horrible spiraling death.
So now I ask you, my readers: is it something you'd like to see more of? Do you have any ideas on making it better? Would you be interested in participating? And, be honest, could you care less?
I'd love feedback, because I want to see if it's something I should try harder to keep alive. I don't want to start asking people if they'd be interested if it's something that nobody even likes. So, please let me know, and don't be afraid to be honest.
In the meantime, expect a couple reviews in the next week or so =D
<3 Chelsie
