Follow Friday/Book Blogger Hop

Hosted by Parajunkee.


This weeks question:

Q. Keeping with the dystopian and apocalypse theme that seems to be running rampant on parajunkee.com, I have one very hard question for you: If you were stocking your bomb shelter, what books would you HAVE to include if you only had space for ten?


This question frightens me. I would bring:

The Gone series (4)

Anna and the French Kiss (1)

Nightshade (1)

The Hunger Games (3)

Five Flavors of Dumb (1)



Hosted by Crazy For Books.

Question of the week:
"Summer is coming quickly - what 2011 summer release are you are most looking forward to?"

Summary from Amazon:
Everyone has weird thoughts sometimes. But for seventeen-year-old Dani Solomon, strange thoughts have taken over her life. She loves Alex, the little boy she babysits, more than anything. But one day, she has a vision of murdering him that's so gruesome, she can't get it out of her mind. In fact, Dani's convinced that she really will kill Alex. She confesses the thoughts to keep him safe, setting off a media frenzy that makes "Dani Death" the target of an extremist vigilante group.


Through the help of a brave therapist, Dani begins to heal her broken mind. But will it be too late? The people of her community want justice . . . and Dani's learning that some thoughts are better left unsaid.

Haha, unique summary...


Leave the link to your hop/follow so I can follow back!

Jude by Kate Morgenroth

Stars: 5


Summary From Goodreads:

"Listen, you're young. We don't send kids to jail. If you had something to do with this, it's better to tell us. Then we can help you. Maybe it was a friend of yours come to take care of things for you. You've got a nasty bruise there, and your neighbors told us that you tend to get a lot of bruises. We take those things into account, you know. We understand about things like that."



"You don't understand anything," Jude said.

After Jude watches his drug-dealer father get gunned down at the kitchen table, he's taken from their dangerous neighborhood to a comfortable home, an elite private school, and a mother he doesn't remember. Only fifteen, Jude is under suspicion for his father's murder, but to save his own life, he can't tell the police what he knows.

To make things worse, Jude's mother is the district attorney. She can protect him from the police — but when Jude's classmate overdoses on heroin, Jude is implicated, and his mother decides to prosecute. Jude is determined to clear his name, though he doesn't know that mysteries from his past have yet to be revealed — secrets that will forever alter the course of his life.

Jude's gripping story is at once moving and horrifying as it traces a young man's quest for acceptance and his incredible capacity for hope and resilience. Kate Morgenroth, whose adult novels have been called "nearly impossible to put down" by Time Out New York and "compulsively readable" by Entertainment Weekly, here shows more of her considerable talent.



Review:

Wowowowowow. I literally finished the book a few minutes ago.


I knew I was going to love Jude by Kate Morgenroth by the end of the first paragraph. And I did. At the beginning of the book Jude's world was black and white. His father beat him. What was he supposed to do about it? Jude sucked at school. Not like actually studying would help. Jude makes a promise to his father's killer that he would never tell. Jude never breaks a promise. That was the promise that changed his life.


The plot was so woven. Whenever I thought the twists were good and twisted as they could ever be, some thing else came. Something bigger, worthy of a "hung open jaw"(or what you wish to call a reaction to a completely stunning curveball). I thought I knew many characters well in this book, but more then once I ended up being proved wrong again and again.

I would recommend it to EVERYONE. Although especially reluctant guy readers. The book is like a freaking flycatcher for guys. Just in school, like five guy asked to look at the back. Okay... maybe it was because of the handcuffs on the cover. They seemed interested even after they read the synopsis. I’m going to take that as a good sign.


Run to your bookstores, my pretties. Run. With great speed.

Three Black Swans by Caroline B. Cooney

Stars: 4


Summary from Amazon: 

 When her teacher challenges her students to research and fabricate a scientific fake of some kind, Missy calls her cousin and best friend, Claire, for help to do the trick assignment. The plan: bring Claire, who looks startlingly like Missy, to appear on the school's live morning news broadcast as a newly found twin. As it turns out, the Connecticut sophomore perpetrates a hoax that turns out not to be a hoax at all but instead a revelation of the past that her family and two others must try to deal with and accept. Claire's sobs at the moment of revelation on the news show help answer Missy's very real question–yes, the two are identical twins, somehow. That's what everyone who sees the interview at the school and soon on YouTube believes, and with the speed of the Internet, texting, and email forwarding, a third girl on Long Island soon finds herself with a question of her own: How can I look just like these two girls I've never met? Playing on the interest of teens in identity drama, this story will draw willing readers through the suspenseful days that follow. Three sets of parents and three daughters take some time for readers to separate into recognizably different characters, but their experiences delve into the nature of love, family, parenting, and the bond of siblings.



Review:


Firstly, I want to mention this book is by the author that wrote Face on the Milk Carton. I've never heard of it, but after I witnessed two girls going fan girl over it, I thought I should say something. ; )

The triplets Missy, Claire, and Genevieve are identical. Caroline B. Cooney (thankfully) manages to make their lives completely different. Missy is hyper, Claire is laidback, and Genevieve is use to taking charge. Giving the characters their own point of view was a great way to figure out all the characters motivations and feelings, but it also made it hard to remember which secondary characters go with whom.

The backbone of the book was made up of the family matters. It was the family drama that had me gasp-oh-no-you-didn’t-ing all over the place. There were some touching moments in this book. There were also moments that made me want to rip someones head off. A must-read for any mystery lover.

Photos that remind me of books.

These are some pictures I took that remind me of something/ an idea from a book:

This one reminds me of a fantasy book. You know, with the elves and stuff. I can't think of a specific book   (anyone? Help?) but it would sound cool described in the oldish language in fantasy books. "Thy waterfall is infested with dryads in the summer months. Occasionally they can be found preening on the lower steps of the waterfall. Vain creachers, they are." : P

This sort of reminds me of the first arena in The Hunger Games. (P.S. I just found out that the movie is going to be shot in Asheville, NC. This excites me because I can tell my grand kids that I lived in the same state that the Hunger Games movie was shot. Then they will totally be in awe of me and use me for all those "whose your hero" essays.)

This isn't quite accurate, but this reminds me of Bridge to Terabithia.  

You know Paranormalacy? The photo reminds me of where Lend's mom lives. If it wasn't a river.  

Werewolf books.

This photo just looked book-worthy.

Teens and reading

Or more appropriately labeled, their lack of it.

http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/sabino/library/ALA.gif


Just yesterday, when I was at a friend’s house, her mom presented her with two books she randomly bought for her. Her mom thinks she should read more.



I am insanely jealous.



If my mother thought I needed to read more, I would explode with literary happiness. But no, my mother thinks I need clothes. When I mention that I have plenty, she reminds me that three fourths of my closet is composed of my sister’s hand-me-downs. I have no problem with this. Picture a stereotypical (brunette), fashion-loving cheerleader. This is my big sister. Yeah, my sister knows her fashion.

http://blogs.davenportlibrary.com/pr/wp-content/2010/01/Teen-Reading-Challenge-Poster.png

My intense jealousy isn’t the main point. The main point is that my friend doesn’t like reading. These are the books she got:

• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (I previously showed it to her, she didn’t like it)

• A random MG (for someone who doesn’t read much, this is very bad.)



I think her mom rules for going to a bookstore and getting books. My friend would never have. At the same time, she would not have picked those books.

(I’m talking from experience here) I know Tom Sawyer is a classic. My language arts class had to read it. Most of them hated it. I know teachers want to “expand our vocabulary”/ “give us literary wisdom”. To be honest, I don’t know how reading Tom Sawyer can accomplish that.


I think I’ve posted about this before, but this gets under my skin. Teachers complain about us kids not reading. Why not assign us to read the Hunger Games or something? I know we are required to read some stuff, but there are opportunities to read other books.

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Pretend You Love Me by Julie Anne Peters




Summary from Amazon:

In this fresh, poignant novel, Mike is struggling to come to terms with her father's suicide and her mother's detachment from the family. Mike (real name: Mary Elizabeth) is gay and likes to pump iron, play softball, and fix plumbing. When a glamorous new girl, Xanadu, arrives in Mike's small Kansas town, Mike falls in love at first sight. Xanadu is everything Mike is not -- cool, confident, feminine, sexy.... straight.




 
 
From the two books I read by Julie Anne Peters, as far as I can tell, she rocks. The only thing I'm confused about: Is this book the same as Far From Xanadu?
It sounds like it, but it says it's new....
 
 
Live your WOW link so I can visit you back!
 
 
:)

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Stars: 4


Summary:
(from amazon.com)


Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn’t remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?



This fascinating novel represents a stunning new direction for acclaimed author Mary Pearson. Set in a near future America, it takes readers on an unforgettable journey through questions of bio-medical ethics and the nature of humanity. Mary Pearson’s vividly drawn characters and masterful writing soar to a new level of sophistication.



Review:

 Jenna wakes up not knowing who she is.

How cool is that? Way freaking cool.


In Who Am I stories, the possibilities are endless. The character is so fresh. Jenna started off docile. She was willing to let her mother take care of everything. Jenna was afraid to ask the questions that mattered. Like, why her grandmother, Lily, seems to hate her. Thankfully, as Jenna starts figuring more about herself, she becomes more assertive. She makes her own decisions, gets her own consequences.


I would compare this book to The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman, and Skinned by Robin Wasserman. The Other Side of the Island because they have a similar narrative, plus, gooey dystopian goodness. Skinned, because of subject matter.


The narrative felt so slow, and unhurried. The mystery kept me into the book, but the sleepy voice made me need to take brakes. Also, Jenna’s relationship with Ethan had no spark; their relationship was only a subplot, so I wasn’t too bothered.

The ending tied up all the loose ends and answered all the questions, it made the book feel more worth while. Overall, if you can get past the slow narrative, The Adoration of Jenna Fox is a great read!

Contest

Favorite season, and why?




Would it be a cop-out to say I love all of them for different reasons? Winter, for the snow. Fall, for the breezy weather (and my b-day!). I don't like spring that much. Summer, for my swim team.





How would you describe your personal style?



I don't think I have a style. I go though any random store and what ever sticks out to me, I get.









What's one weird thing you can do? (The stranger the better!)



I am super flexible. I don't think it's weird, but a my friends act like the are going to throw up when I do all my splits, scorpion, etc.





Rain or shine?



I love rain. Most of the time. I don't like it in school because (annoyingly) all the girls moan about their hair messing up.





Confession time... what's a flaw of yours?



Shyness. I first realized this was a problem when in the middle of the year when this random person in my class started a conversation with me, he was genuinely surprised that I talked : P

I think it's totally fine to have a few close friends. So what?



Favorite music?



I don't listen to music. I guess anything on the radio at the time.





Have you ever made a decision you instantly regretted? What was it?



Yes. I was at the World of Coca-Cola and I tried every flavor in the taste testing room. It makes me nauseous thinking about it.









Who do you admire/look up to?



Michael Grant. Best. Author. Ever. (Plague came out today!!!)





You've just won an unlimited lifetime supply of... what?



Money. The rest will come soon ; )





If you were an animal, what would you be?



An owl. Partly because my elementary school obsession with Guardians of Ga'Hoole. Also a night-time silent hunter sounds sort of sexy.









If you knew you were going to die in a year, what would you do with your time?



Eat. All food will end up in my mouth.









You're now a gazillionaire... where do you go to spend your money?



This question makes me hyperventilate. I'll pass.









Classical music: love it or hate it?



As mentioned above, I don't listen to music in general.





Phobias?



BUGS! When I hear those little wings...





Hop on a plane and go live somewhere for a year... where is it, and why?



Los Angeles. I would like to see what school there is like.




Are you an extrovert or an introvert?



Introvert. DAMN MY SHYNESS.













Would you/do you perform on stage?


I do. Once a few months ago. After going on stage covered with a mustache and unibrow (don't ask), I think I'm ready for anything!

I'm a new Figment reviewer!

Remember Figment? The teen writing website I frequently mention? Because it is so awesome? Should I stop talking in question marks? Because it is so annoying?

I think I should.

Figment Reviewer, it is what it sounds like. I will review books on figment. Here is the links to the reviews. There are many fabulous reviews, so check it out if you have time : D
It seems that I am very put together about this. I am not.

I am freaking out from happiness!\It's like I just saw a flying pig, and now all my dreams are coming true...
I didn't think I would be picked. IT'S A GOOD THING I'M ALMOST ALWAYS WRONG (this time). After I got the e-mail I sat there and stroked the computer screen... it is now covered in little greasy finger marks.

So, click this link to go to Figment Reviews.   
EEEEPPPP!!!!!