Review: Famous Last Words

Famous Last Words by Katie Alender
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, what an incredible novel. Picked this up on a whim in my library in the new acquisition section of the teen portion, and I did not regret it for a second!

The first thing I loved about this book was the description. The author really had a way for making you hear the voices of the characters, see the expressions on their faces, the scene playing out in front of you.

The second thing I loved was how it was written in a very realistic way in regards to how it portrayed LA. Too many books about LA are written by people who don't have a clue about what it's really like, and overdramaticize it to the point where it takes over the plot too much.

I eventually got so scared and anxious I had to skim ahead (I KNOW IT'S A TERRIBLE HABIT). This book just had me reeling and freaking out constantly. The rising action was awesome for a while, but eventually I just got antsy and wanted to get to the climax to figure out who the killer was. The only complaint I have: (view spoiler)[The climax was a little too dark and disturbing for my taste, wish there had maybe been a bit more warning of that on the book. Then again, most of the book wasn't like that and that might have scared some people off so maybe it was better off that way. (hide spoiler)] Falling action was absolutely beautiful and truly made me extremely happy. (view spoiler)[ THOSE LAST FEW PAGES ABOUT WILLA AND WYATT OHMYGOD!!! They were written so beautifully and I could truly feel and see the scene as they would have experienced it, it was so brilliant. Unlike many other couples I read about, I feel like their relationship will truly last forever, and I like to believe that they got married. (hide spoiler)]

Don't know why, but for some reason I pictured Wyatt's character as Caspar Lee. I guess Caspar just looks like a Wyatt, and to me his personality just kind of fit Caspar. He's a YouTuber if you don't know who he is, check him out he's hilarious and super sweet. Here's a link to his channel: https://m.youtube.com/user/dicasp?

How I pictured Wyatt:



Unlike another review I read from a friend, it took me a while to figure out the "whodunit" so to speak. (view spoiler)[ However, when Willa was going through what Marnie had said to her the last time she saw her with Wyatt on page 234 (in my book), and she recited the gentleman line in her head again, all the dots connected, as not long before in the book Reed had said he was "no gentleman". Throughout the rest of the book, even when I was still not truly sure it was him because of how dang good of an actor he was (or was written to be), I knew it had to be because there was no way that was a coincidence and was obviously written that way. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ Katie (the author) wrote a serial killer incredibly well. It was very difficult to tell that Reed was the murderer, he was an amazing actor, but his transition from sweet, caring guy to psycho madman was still believable. That's what truly cinched it for me. How well this book was written. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, this book was so well written and had me on the edge of my seat. I don't really read mysteries (besides Nancy Drew in my younger years) or crime novels, and especially not the teen crossovers, but I am so glad I decided to give this one a go. It was really difficult to connect the pieces together, as there were multiple clues that somehow all connected but you just couldn't quite figure it out and it drove you insane. I never wanted to stop reading this book, but she wraps it up quite nicely in the end. Stellar read.

Maybe it's human nature to be drawn to the things that have hurt us the most.

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What is This Blog Even For Anymore? DON'T ASK ME!

It's Thanksgiving break. I'm just kind of chillin in my jammies. Pretending to be a super cozy and cute Youtuber-type girl who wears fuzzy socks and crap. Listening to the new One Direction album on Grooveshark because I don't buy their stuff anymore but I still wanna listen, you know?

Anyways, life is weird and I don't really know what this blog is for anymore. It's my personal blog of me that I will use for whatever I want, which will still include books every once in a great while because I do love those but don't get much time during the school year, but also for my esoteric posts where I pretend to be cool but am actually just super bored and wanting to make myself feel productive.

I tried a workout on Pump Up yesterday and I was a teensy bit sore today so woo for that! I wanna start doing that more because it seems super fun and I need to be more active.

School is cool, I genuinely enjoy some of my classes and overall I feel it's less of a drag than normal. Rough, but less of a drag. My teachers are some of the coolest people though, so that might be helping a little, maybe a lot.

My break has been pretty calm and uneventful so far, but it will be heatin up the closer it gets to Thanksgiving :) I am also pretty stoked that today I finally cleared my phone out enough to have space to re-download all of my Christmas music to my phone, as well as my iPad, and my playlists are alll set up to start playing as soon as Friday rolls around :) I think it's important to savor and appreciate Thanksgiving for what it is, so no holiday celebrations for me yet.

I'm really enjoying this break and the time to kick back, relax, and really delve into the comfier, cozier, more reclusive, cookie and Christmas loving side of myself that I so miss from a few years ago when life was simpler. 

But all fuzzy socks, cozy jammies, festive music, and hot drinks aside, winter just is not really coming here yet...but who knows what the rest of the season holds.

One thing I realized after writing this post: I am extremely fortunate to even get to write this post and mention the things I do in it, and God has truly blessed me. This Thanksgiving I will give thanks to the good Lord in all things, no matter how big or small.

What to do now...homework or just relax or sleep...so many options. :)

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Hourglass by Myra McEntire
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I stopped at page 82, I simply couldn't take it anymore. I was hoping for a cool haunted YA story with supernatural elements but instead I got constant blabber about Michael this and Michael that and how much she hates her ability and NO EXPLANATION. I was waiting forever for SOME ghost interactions or explanations about her ability but there were no answers and plenty of OHMYGOSH MICHAEL *electric touch* Just poorly written.


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Sophomore Switch by Abby McDonald

Sophomore Switch by Abby McDonald
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
In Sophomore Switch, the characters are truly written well. Although often this book portrays California completely inaccurately, it might just help you realize some things about your own life. Not to mention, the whole story is fun, light, and one really gets invested in the characters.

It really took me until the last few chapters to actually get something from this book other than the pleasure of the plot-line and characters, which is completely fine, that's not a complaint. I wasn't expecting to get some real life lessons and encouragement from this book but a few passages towards the end explored some ideas that helped me view my life differently. I realized a different way I needed to approach certain challenges. I wouldn't count on everyone taking something away from this one, probably only high school and college students. However, you don't need to take something away for this book to be worth your read.

I found myself sympathizing with Tasha and Emily as they navigated their new lives. Since Tasha is the slutty, party girl you would think you'd hate her character, but she has a brain in her head and that is what sets her apart from someone you might be disgusted with or not relate to in the slightest. She's a real person with different sides to her, not just a ditz. I admire Emily's organization and intelligence, but after a while you're like, "Honestly, girl, TOO MUCH!" All the same, I love both of them and their (legitimate) love interests.

As a native Californian, the author's portrayal of Southern California really annoyed me and was the only thing about this book I didn't enjoy. I hadn't read her bio in the back of the book, but when I read a line in which a native, Carla, says  "Cali" instead of California, I knew this woman was not from around here. Otherwise, she wouldn't have a native say "Cali." It's a tourist thing to say, or something someone who is not originally from here would say. So, I flip to the back and find out she is essentially an Emily, from Oxford who majored in politics just like her character. And I was like, "CALLED IT!" Additionally, her descriptions of California are a little too all one way and one sided for someone who is from here or has lived here very long at all. The way she writes the people and environment is very tourist. I think this is her view of California: Paradise, sluts, and fake people, oh my! To say the least, I wasn't very impressed.

Also, like EVERY girl in So Cal or at UCSB is depicted as a slut with a few exceptions. You start to get the feeling that most young women in Southern California are fake sluts. She makes it seem like any girl that goes to the beach is a slut. WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THAT?!

And my last, but not least, complaint about her portrayal of So Cal may be summed up by this:

"Yay me!' I mimic the California-girl squeal."

My instant thought was WTF and then of course complete and utter disgust for her lack of knowledge about girls in California but DESPITE THIS her decision to still make this statement in her book.

Anyways, my rant about Southern California inaccuracies aside, if you haven't ever lived here very long you probably won't mind her descriptions at all. And if you have, well it doesn't ruin the book. The characters and actual story definitely make up for that, in addition to the help this book may provide you.

I can tell the author was trying to write this great novel about feminism and identities for women and a balance between traditional polar opposite types of women but honestly if her book had read like that it probably wouldn't have ever achieved the decent success it has today. Thank goodness it didn't turn out being THAT kind of a book. The story it ended up being, about real people you could identify with, even for it's sometimes completely unreal faults, is what makes it true and real and GOOD despite her aim for the novel.

However, she did bring up some important points AGAINST feminists, saying they're a little too one-minded. I hate how some girls are so feminist-minded and activism-oriented that they can't let other girls be wild and crazy and dress the way they want to. I mean, I'm reviewing a book on Goodreads, obviously I am not nor have I ever been one of those "wild and crazy girls", but I still think the viewpoint that girls wouldn't act that way if they weren't "brainwashed" or more informed is completely untrue. Some people want to cut loose and have fun, hang out with boys, and would feel totally uncomfortable and hate debates about  political strategies. Other girls could just never be good at the things flirtatious and freewheeling girls are good at, and would much rather fight injustices. And that's totally okay. No girl should be forced to become a certain way if she doesn't enjoy being like that! But to act like girls who love to party are just "brainwashed objects for men", almost as if they're poor animals, is just wrong. When people I know have this flawed opinion, it annoys me and is partly why I haven't been able to stay friends with certain people.

I think it was fate I plucked this book off the shelf. This was exactly what I needed in my life right now to reassure me and guide me. It helped me realize some things about my life and people in my life I was only beginning to figure out for myself. It put these things into words for me through the characters. I've found there aren't many people at all who really understand what I'm going through or who I can talk to, and this book was like therapy. It calmed my fears. showed me who I am is OKAY even if it isn't the me I've always been. It's a different side of myself. I CAN be a lot of different things at once, I don't have to be people's expectations. People can change and evolve and add things to themselves and...yeah wow this book helped me a lot. It's great for any young adult really.

And the best and last lines of the book, which sum up everything I learned and feel and hope, and are also conveniently a nice end to the plot:

"I'm going to have everything,' I say slowly, like a promise to myself.
'Don't you mean we are?'
'Absolutely."

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2013...A Year of Eh?

Don't get me wrong, some really awesome and amazing things happened in 2013 for me. But then I look at if I've really accomplished more, become a more productive person, or been able to spend more me time this year and the answer has to honestly be a no.

I feel like this year I've regressed a little in my productivity and confidence levels as far as getting things done. I didn't have as much direction. I have been able to really point this back to my lack of resolutions this year, so I am determined to make a lot of focused ones in 2014. I have done this in years past, and done a check-up on my resolutions halfway through the year and this seems to work remarkably well.

Really, I've let my reading and blogging go by the wayside. I'm okay with the blogging part, and some of the reading, because I don't want to miss out on life and making connections with people. However I read so little during most of the year I actually hunger for it and feel so deprived. I've realized that this level of lack of reading is a little unhealthy, and so I'm setting my sights at 40 books this year since I read 28 this past year. I decreased my reading amount so incredibly much, I went from reading 77 books in a year to 28. Obviously something has happened. I don't want to get so completely invested in other things that I lose so much reading, but I don't want the opposite to happen either so I need a balance. So this year I'm definitely going to make more time for reading by not procrastinating on my homework and budgeting my time using a day planner. I hear if you do this, it totally changes your life and what you can get done.

This past year I totally halted all of my giveaway entering and participation, besides ones I really, really could not pass up for a book I'd been wanting for a while. I finally realized what a waste of my time it was and how it cut out so much of my reading time and I'm much happier now because of it.

My lack of resolutions and goals in general can really be traced to the root of my problems in 2014, andd since I llike goals/resolutions/checklists/other modes of planning/organization, I think I'll really enjoy doing more of that this year. 2014 will be a year of goals for me. I have learned from my mistake this past year of not setting more goals because without them, I feel like you veer off of what you want to do and lose focus. I'm glad I learned this early on so that I can do even better in the future.

I'm very optimistic about 2014. I might choose to share a few of my resolutions with you here on the blog, I might not (most likely not). I regret a lot of things about this past year, yet I celebrate so many wonderful things about it. I am excited for the opportunities 2014 can bring me and God is opening up for me this next year.

Love always,

MY TWO YEAR BLOGOVERSARY!!!!!

Similar to my one year blogoversary last year, I posted over my Thanksgiving break when I finally remembered about it, that it was my blogoversary in end of September/beginning of October. I remembered about the same time this year it appears, five minutes ago in fact, and so here I am recognizing it now. No giveaways or anything like last year, I don't have the time or means for that but I still shall acknowledge it all the same.

 

I would just like to thank my 8th grade English teacher, Mr. Allen, for introducing me to Goodreads and inadvertently starting this blog and causing a revolution in my reading life. I literally am not the same person because of discovering Goodreads and the book blogging world.

 

I would like to thank all of my followers for not hating me for doing blogging a little differently. For not posting often, and being inconsistently active. I appreciate that people read my reviews and do pay attention, and that makes all the difference.

 

I enjoy reviewing, reading, and communing over books with all of you and it feels weird that it has been and yet has only been two years since this whole wonderful world was opened up to me.

 

So thanks again to everyone. I hope I'll be doing this for a while to come. And stick around even when it appears I have disappeared. I will always come back I promise ;) 

 

 

Candide: or, Optimisim by Voltaire

Candide: or, Optimism by Voltaire
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book was...interesting. There were some really hilarious parts, and its fair share of good quotes I must admit. However, the first half of the book was just incessant action. It was like, "Murder...rape....murder...rape...whippings...murder...whippings...misfortune...misfortune...yada...yada". It's a good thing this book isn't a classic for its plot, or I would be wondering what the heck is wrong with literary critics.

Granted, some of the plot was entertaining. The constant escapades were pretty enthralling, but they got a little tiresome because of how repetitive they were. Some of it kept me reading at times. It got more tolerable in the second half of the book, but then I just felt like the ending was really drawn out because (view spoiler)[ Candide just took forever to get to Cunegonde  (hide spoiler)].

I thought Candide's devotion to Cunegonde was reeeeeally cute <3...for most of the book. Until she got ugly. And then he was like, "Ew. Gross. Even though this entire book has been about me searching for being able to be with Cunegonde, lol I don't want to be with her anymore. But I'll marry her out of duty." Like...wow man. I thought you appreciated Cunegonde other than her beauty unlike everyone else. But no. You suck too.

And can I just mention how blaringly unrealistic this book was? (view spoiler)[ So basically he finds all of these people who he realistically should never seen again MULTIPLE TIMES, in a really far away place which doesn't make sense because most people then would not have traveled that much? Really? And then some of those people he even WATCHES DIE and he still finds them halfway across the world at the exact same spot as him ALIVE?!?!?!. (hide spoiler)] I know it doesn't have to be realistic, but really this was just ridiculous. Come on. Honestly.

The ending was just ugh. Overall, this book just convinced me more of the overall misery and blatancy of death, and life in general. Made me see that life is truly a bitter thing.


Quotes

“It is love; love, the comfort of the human species, the preserver of the universe, the soul of all sentient beings, love, tender love.”

*applause* Wow Voltaire. Who knew you had it in ya.


"I adored him to distraction, to the point of idolatry: I loved him as one can never love twice.”

This is a very beautiful statement that the otherwise seemingly cold Voltaire makes about love. Shocking coming from him.


Funny Quotes:
"My dear young lady, when you are in love, and jealous, and have been flogged by the Inquisition, there's no knowing what you may do."

If you're reading the book, it is hilarious in context.


“I should like to know which is worse: to be ravished a hundred times by pirates, and have a buttock cut off, and run the gauntlet of the Bulgarians, and be flogged and hanged in an auto-da-fe, and be dissected, and have to row in a galley -- in short, to undergo all the miseries we have each of us suffered -- or simply to sit here and do nothing?'
That is a hard question,' said Candide.”

I laughed aloud at this point in the book.


“Martin in particular concluded that man was born to live either in the convulsions of misery, or in the lethargy of boredom.”


“All events are linked together in the best of possible worlds; after all, if you had not been driven from a fine castle by being kicked in the backside for love of Miss Cunegonde, if you hadn't been sent before the Inquisition, if you hadn't traveled across America on foot, if you hadn't given a good sword thrust to the baron, if you hadn't lost all your sheep from the good land of Eldorado, you wouldn't be sitting here eating candied citron and pistachios. - That is very well put, said Candide, but we must cultivate our garden.”

It was such a silly way to end the book.


“If this is the best of all possible worlds, what are the others like?”

Poor Candide is constantly saying this at the beginning of the book.



Quote for Bookish People:

“Fools have a habit of believing that everything written by a famous author is admirable. For my part I read only to please myself and like only what suits my taste.”

So true. Especially in regard to this book. And my feelings on The Hunger Games series.



Philosophical Quotes:

“Work keeps at bay three great evils: boredom, vice, and need.”

I have always been of this opinion, which is partly why I read because it puts my mind to work in periods of inactivity.


“I have wanted to kill myself a hundred times, but somehow I am still in love with life. This ridiculous weakness is perhaps one of our more stupid melancholy propensities, for is there anything more stupid than to be eager to go on carrying a burden which one would gladly throw away, to loathe one’s very being and yet to hold it fast, to fondle the snake that devours us until it has eaten our hearts away?”


“What's Optimism?' asked Cacambo. 'I'm afraid to say,' said Candide, 'that it's a mania for insisting that all is well when things are going badly.”


“It is demonstrable," said he, "that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as all things have been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for the best end.”

I agree with some of this...but some of the ways times presented in this book, to that extreme, I do not agree with.

"You're a bitter man," said Candide.
That's because I've lived," said Martin.”

Basically sums up this book.



This book was largely exasperating, not that great, but had some good points. I liked it enough to say that I altogether liked it, but I wouldn't go so far as to say I really enjoyed it.

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Grace Unplugged: Official Movie Trailer

So I am like SOOOOOO excited about this movie!!!! You absolutely have to check it out and come see it in theaters!

Second Liebster Blog Award Nomination

It is my second nomination for the Liebster Blog Award! I was actually nominated for this award many months back but I am now finally getting around to my post...really bad I know. I feel very honored though, to have received another nomination, so I feel obligated to complete the requirements of a nominee. I would like to thank JoanneMarie Faust @ Fausti's Book Quest for this second nomination. It really means a lot to me to be noticed!

 

 

 

The purpose of the Liebster Award is to get blogs with less than 200 followers noticed.

The Rules

 

1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog and link back to their blog.

2. Answer the 11 questions from the nominator, list 11 random facts about yourself and create 11 questions for your nominees;
3. Present the Liebster Blog Award to 11 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they’ve been chosen.
4. Copy and paste the blog award on your blog.

 

And so without further ado...my post!

 

Q&A

 

1.    Why do you blog:

        A: I started blogging because my English teacher told us that we could do our reading logs on a blog that year. I had never had enough room to write on my reading logs, so I was very happy I finally had a much more fun and easier option. :) Around the same time, I got a Goodreads, and I discovered book blogs, the "Blog this Review" HTML option on Goodreads, and discovered "book reviews" that I had a ton of fun writing simultaneously. I was like, "Why not post my reviews to my blog?!" So, I did. And then, I began to learn that people had whole blogs with GIVEAWAYS *drools* and reviews!! Like AHHHH!!!!!!!!

2.    What are 3 words you would use to describe yourself?

A: Crazy, procrastinator, caring

3.    What advice would you give fellow bloggers?

A: Don't waste so much of your life blogging. I really shouldn't blog because of all of the things I could accomplish in life but alas....

4.    Who is your favorite fairy tale character?

A: Cinderella. I love her dress, her story, her everything. (But mainly the Disney version of course. =)

5.    Do you have any book crushes?

A: Probably Darcy from The Mother-Daughter Book Club series. He's a history buff, and he loves to read. And he's pretty darn cute. But I would never steal him from Jess! I totes ship them!
6.    How many books do you want to read this year?

A: Well my Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge says 85, but I am 28 books (34%) behind schedule. Ouch.
7.    Where is your favorite place to read?

A: Window seats, but since I do not have any, my closet. I can forget I'm in my house. I just sit on my closet floor on top of some cozy blankets with a lantern and read in my own private reading nook.
8.    What is your favorite time of year?

A: Summer. No stress. End of story.
9.    What are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?

A: I'm re-reading The Mother-Daughter Book Club series by Heather Vogel Frederick and I'm on Pies and Prejudice. I love this series SOOOO MUCH!!!!! It is in my top five books/series of all time! My reviews are being written as I re-read them, but the first two are posted recently on the blog, I believe right below this post.
10.  Do you prefer e-books or print books?

A: Print books. I start feeling a little sick when I read ebooks from a device for too long, and they get more boring on a screen. There are pros and cons to both, and I like both, but physical books are just a little more my thing.
11.  Do you have any pets?

A: Yes. I have one cat, and two dogs. I am absolutely in love with my cat, but I'm not really a big dog person. My cat is...well...<3 class="separator" p="" style="background-color: white; clear: both; line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">

 

 

11 Random Facts About ME!!:

 

Since I'm not really going out all out for this post and I'm proud of myself for making it, I am just going to copy and paste from my previous post. Sorry. :/

 

1. I am a popcorn NUT. My favorite foods are pasta and popcorn. My favorite drinks are root beer <3 and="" div="" lemonade.="">

2. I am a procrastinator. *sigh*

3. I am super competitive and get very, ah, passionate about things I care about.

4. I'm awful at all sports (especially volleyball) mostly because I don't know the rules. I have good hand-eye coordination though, which kind of goes to waste.

5. My friends think I'm crazy because when I'm tired (which is most of the time) I go all nuts and start laughing like a maniac.

6. My favorite restaurant is Elevation Burger. *mmmmmm licks lips*

7. My favorite TV shows are Dance Moms and Dance Academy. I know, shallow. As well as most things on The History Channel. Which brings me to my next fact....

8. I am a HISTORY NERD!!!!! I love everything history pretty much, except I'm not a big fan of history about all wars (in America) from the 20th century to now (unless of course it's info about my ancestors in those wars).

9. I have a dream of traveling to many historical sites all over the world!

10. I am related to lots of awesome people from history. No one extremely big that I know of, but people I wish I could meet. Though, who knows, I haven't done my family tree research yet.

11. I like to sing, dance, and act. And SHOW CHOIR!!! WOOT WOOT!!!!

Okay, so now after seriously creeping you out with my tell-all (not everything MWAHAHA) and causing you to reconsider your follower status, let's move on to....

NOMINEES!!!!!!!!!

 

1. Corrie the Book Crazed Girl

Okay so I know I already nominated her last time, but REALLY PEOPLE!! I LOVE HER BLOG! It is just as good, if not better, then some of the other book blogs out there with 5,000 followers, so please! FOLLOW HER!!!!!!!!!!! And visit!

 

2. Paper Fantasies

 

3. * Eternal Moonshine of a Daydreaming Mind *

 

4. An Abundance of Kathryn

 

5. Bella Harte Books

 

6. Between My Lines

 

7. Book-A-Holic

 

8. just one more chapter

 

9. Kari's Crowded Bookshelf

 

10. Couch Potato Reader

 

11. Nena's Short Reviews


 

 

Questions For My Lovely Nominees =) 

 

See that pretty, kiss-up title? It's trying to make up for the fact that I will be copying the questions I was asked by JoanneMarie Faust for my questions for my nominees. Truthfully, I am no good at making up questions and I'm too lazy to spend like ten minutes, plus I have better things to do with my time and these are perfectly good questions as is so...here they are!

 

1.    Why do you blog:
2.    What are 3 words you would use to describe yourself?
3.    What advice would you give fellow bloggers?
4.    Who is your favorite fairy tale character?
5.    Do you have any book crushes?
6.    How many books do you want to read this year?
7.    Where is your favorite place to read?
8.    What is your favorite time of year?
9.    What are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?
10.  Do you prefer e-books or print books?
11.  Do you have any pets?

 

Much Ado About Anne (The Mother-Daughter Book Club #2)by Heather Vogel Frederick

Much Ado About Anne by Heather Vogel Frederick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Much Ado About Anne Review

As usual, Heather Vogel Frederick serves up lots of spice and charm in the second installment of her The Mother-Daughter Book Club series. This was my second time reading this book, as I was rereading this series before I read the last book in the series. I truly missed reading about these girls, and I am so excited to finish the rest of the series, although it's bittersweet because IT'S ALL OVER AND THEY'RE GOING TO COLLEGE WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE OH MY GOODNESS EIGSSGLWYSTSNEKEYS!!!!!! *takes deep breath*

Anyways, it was definitely a different experience reading the first book this time around because I know what happens four books from now, and I know people change and it's weird to see them before they changed. The last time I read this book was probably 2009 and I loved it so much then. It's a little different for me now, since I  am no longer about the same age as the girls in the books, but I can still connect really well to the characters.

Something I also do with this series is I read all the books they read before I read the book. I read Little Women before I read this first book, I had already read all of the The Complete Anne of Green Gables Boxed Set that they read in this series before, I read Daddy-Long-Legs & Dear Enemy, and Just Patty, and When Patty Went to College (even though I don't really remember if any of the girls in the books read them I wanted too because of the occasional quotations from the other books Ms. Webster wrote in the books. I know, OCD. ;) I also read Pride and Prejudice (which caused me to buy Barnes and Noble's leatherbound volume of all of Jane Austen's works,  Jane Austen: Seven Novels, which I have really enjoyed reading with my book club), and I read the entire Betsy-Tacy series which are definitely my favorites of all of the books I read for this series. =) You can read my pretty bad review for it here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
but I would recommend researching my later reviews for them (don't worry the spoilers are hidden ;) because they are much better. I also read the three companion novels, Winona's Pony Cart, Carney's House Party: A Deep Valley Book, and Emily of Deep Valley, which were phenomenal as well. And, finally, I read Jane Eyre in preparation for reading the last book of this series (and also for a book assignment for school that was free choice and I actually ended up not liking it; you can see my review here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...), Wish You Were Eyre, which I still have yet to read because I need to finish rereading the series first. It's so big and final and sad and OHMYGOSH IT CAN'T BE OVER PLEASE HEATHER DON'T MAKE IT BE OVERRRRRR!!!!!! *calms down*

I also read most of this series, with my book club. We're not a mother-daughter book club but we do consist of one adult mom who is not any of our mom's, and we absolutely loved it.

Anyways, about the book. I have to say that this book is not my favorite of all of them. I do love it, I love all of the books, but if I had to pick a least favorite it would be this one. It is a really fun book, but I feel like it was lacking some of the MDBC spark. As I stated earlier, she does serve up lots of spice and charm (I don't think she knows how not to), but I felt like something was missing. Then again, it might just be the fact that things change from book to book, and no book is ever going to be as classic as the first. I did find myself cracking up quite a lot during the course of this book though, which was a good point for me about the book. The escapades were still Mother-Daughter-Book-Club-classic in style, and I feel that overall it was a wonderful addition to the series. Was that a little too contradictory? It's just hard for me to describe how I feel about this book...it's a little bit of a contradictory feeling.

Overall, this book was another amazing installment in The Mother-Daughter Book Club series that I truly enjoyed. You should definitely read this charming and unique sequel in the series;  it is one not to be missed. This series is one every woman should read in her lifetime.


View all my reviews

The Mother-Daughter Book Club (The Mother-Daughter Book Club #1) by Heather Vogel Frederick

The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my second time reading this book, as I was rereading this series before I read the last book in the series. I truly missed reading about these girls, and I am so excited to finish the rest of the series, although it's bittersweet because IT'S ALL OVER AND THEY'RE GOING TO COLLEGE WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE OH MY GOODNESS EIGSSGLWYSTSNEKEYS!!!!!! *takes deep breath*

Anyways, it was definitely a different experience reading the first book this time around because I know what happens four books from now, and I know people change and it's weird to see them before they changed. Also, I visited Concord last summer and went to Orchard House (where I got a bookmark with a Louisa quote on it just like in the book that I used while reading this book :). I truly got to experience and see the places described in the book, which was an amazing experience. =D Now I can truly connect with the places and people being described as I read. The last time I read this book was in...let me see...I believe 2008. Probably 2009. The book is still a favorite for me, but it is definitely a little different for me because I am reading about sixth graders, and they no longer seem as relatable as they once seemed to me at the time when I was their same age.

Something I also do with this series is I read all the books they read before I read the book. I read Little Women before I read this first book, I had already read all of the The Complete Anne of Green Gables Boxed Set that they read in this series before, I read Daddy-Long-Legs & Dear Enemy, and Just Patty, and When Patty Went to College (even though I don't really remember if any of the girls in the books read them I wanted too because of the occasional quotations from the other books Ms. Webster wrote in the books. I know, OCD. ;) I also read Pride and Prejudice (which caused me to buy Barnes and Noble's leatherbound volume of all of Jane Austen's works,  Jane Austen: Seven Novels, which I have really enjoyed reading with my book club), and I read the entire Betsy-Tacy series which are definitely my favorites of all of the books I read for this series. =) You can read my pretty bad review for it here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
but I would recommend researching my later reviews for them (don't worry the spoilers are hidden ;) because they are much better. I also read the three companion novels, Winona's Pony Cart, Carney's House Party: A Deep Valley Book, and Emily of Deep Valley, which were phenomenal as well. And, finally, I read Jane Eyre in preparation for reading the last book of this series (and also for a book assignment for school that was free choice and I actually ended up not liking it; you can see my review here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...), Wish You Were Eyre, which I still have yet to read because I need to finish rereading the series first. It's so big and final and sad and OHMYGOSH IT CAN'T BE OVER PLEASE HEATHER DON'T MAKE IT BE OVERRRRRR!!!!!! *calms down*

I also read most of this series, but this book for sure, as well as Little Women, with my book club. We're not a mother-daughter book club but we do consist of one adult mom who is not any of our mom's, and we absolutely loved it.

So, as far as the actual book, it is a wonderful, sweet read I would definitely recommend to any middle school girl or girl who enjoys reading middle grade. I even recommend it to mothers of girls of the above age groups. I just love the characters. I think that's something that really gets you. No one is perfect, and every character is realistic, unique, and different. Emma is chubby, Cassidy is a tomboy, Jess is shy, and the mean girls aren't perfect. Sometimes, they can be nice, even, which I think is pretty realistic because not every mean girl is mean all the time. Every character has layers, not just one component to them, even the mothers. Throughout my reading of this series, I feel like I have truly grown to have all of these moms as a second mother to me. I love them like an aunt, they are so sweet and full of hilarious quirks. I sooooooo wish I lived in Mrs. Sloane's house. It's straight out of the pages of a home design magazine! In fact, I wish I was part of this book club with these girls. I wish I lived in Concord with them. But sadly, they are not real people (possibly one of the saddest moments of my life :'( ). Anyways, I am totally in love with the events and people and writing style and everything about these books and I think every woman should read them at least once in her life. =D

Overall, this book series and this book by itself are ah-mazing and there is nothing better than a good fix of these girls. A MUST   read!!!!!!!


View all my reviews

Saving Mr. Banks Official Trailer and the Untold Story of Mary Poppins

I was really excited for this movie for a long time, but then I read this article and now I am completely convinced that Disney will not tell the "untold true story" as they advertise in the trailer, but rather that they will end the movie with Mrs. Travers loving the movie and thanking Walt for his wonderful job. What do you think will happen? This is a truly sad piece of history and I wish, as wonderful as the movie is in my perspective, they had done everything

the way she wanted it. Then, we could have had more movies. And it's true, the musical did a much better job of conveying the theme of "Saving Mr. Banks" because I did understand that as a theme in the musical, whereas it was not as big of a thing, if at all, in the movie. I like both the movie and the muscial, but I wish Mrs. Travers' vision had been followed. That would have been truer to the real, more straight-laced Mary Poppins. I can see now why Mrs. Travers cares so much about every detail being right, because she was a real person, and she wants to stay true to what she was really like and what really happened. I think I will read and review the six actual Mary Poppins books before I see the movie, trying to be as unbiased as I can, so I can truly see what Mary Poppins was like.

Mary Poppins Boxed Set

I HAVE REACHED 1000 PAGEVIEWS!!!!!!

Okay, so I know this is not much, but for a small little blogger like me this is my entire life. So, please do not make fun of me as I CELEBRATE WOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

In My Mailbox #2: From Tax Day to Today!

 In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, where we spotlight the books that we've received for review, swapped, or purchased that week. I am only listing physical books, by the way.

 

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Giveaways:

 

 

 

An ARC copy of Dear Cassie (Pretty Amy #2) by Lisa Burstein

Plastic Polly by Jenny Lundquist

*I won this in a giveaway over at I Am A Reader Not A Writer*

The Académie by Susanne Dunlap

Hooked by Catherine Greenman

 *I won the above two books in a giveaway over at Emily's Crammed Bookshelf *

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith

*I won this in a giveaway listed by the publisher, Penguin, through the Goodreads First Reads program*

 

 

Bought:

 

  

 

 

Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer

Signed copy of Rules of Summer (Rules of Summer #1) by Joanna Philbin

*I bought these two books at my new favorite bookstore which I was practically drooling in, Vroman's Bookstore, the oldest and largest bookstore in Southern California, located in Pasadena, CA. I loved Hope Was Here when I read it last summer, it was absolutely amazing, but I had only gotten it from the library and so I wanted my own copy. This is my favorite cover of all of them, it is sooooo cute!! It fits the story perfectly. :') And Vroman's has quite a few books they have a limited quantity of signed copies of, and I just couldn't resist getting Rules of Summer. *

Wish You Were Eyre (The Mother-Daughter Book Club #6) by Heather Vogel Frederick

The Darkness Dwellers (Kiki Strike #3) by Kirsten Miller

*I got these at my local Barnes & Noble *

Sealed with a Diss (The Clique #8) by Lisi Harrison

Success for Teens: Real Teens Talk About Using The Slight Edge by John Fleming

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey

*I bought the above three books at the book resale store run by the friends of my library inside my library, and my total bill was like four something dollars. Pretty good. =) *

 

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And that's it for these past few months! Link me up to your Weekly Recap/Stacking the Shelves/In My Mailbox's!

 

 

 

Цекало и Puttin` отожгли на Воробьевых горах (I have no idea what that means but this is a really cool video)

Are you looking for something to brighten your day? Well, this video just did that to mine! This is an awesome flash mob in Russia. I find it entertaining, not to mention, can I say it again, AWESOME!!!

So GFC Is Still Here...FOR NOW

As you all have probably noticed, it is after the first of July and GFC is still here. So, we all think in fear, how long do we have before it is snatched out from under us? I suppose not long. Knowing Google's progressive take on technology, GFC is an embarrassingly archaic and dinosaur approach to social networking that is now obsolete thanks to its predecessor, Google+. Us bloggers use it as a way to keep up with our favorite blogs and for giveaway entries, but if you delve deeper you discover it's actually a dysfunctional and lame attempt at social networking. This leads me to believe that Google has practically forgotten it even exists, and this Google Reader thing has caused them to realize it does still exist. I think Google is frankly too focused on their top services and too embarrassed by GFC to keep it around much longer. So I wouldn't get too comfortable and discontinue your Bloglovin' push. I personally prefer Bloglovin', and there will come a day soon when GFC will go away, whether within the next few months or a year from now, so it's probably just smarter to abandon GFC now and switch to Bloglovin'.

 

 

 

SHOUTOUTS

So my friend was very sad that there was no mention of him on the blog...sooooo....Billy Castelli is a kool kat. And Google, you should really hire him as an intern.

I'M BACK CHILL PEEPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So after an awful, book deprived second semester (which I did really well in because I wasn't distracted) in which I read four books besides ones I had to read for school, I am back from my semester long MIA! I just got out of school today and I am dying to do stuff! I was so deprived of books and some good YA that just reading a few sentences felt sooooo goooooodddddd. It's crazy how much you can miss reading (especially YA)! But I got straight A's so it was all worth it in the end. =) I'm so behind on everything, but I just have to manage my time to get it all done. So expect things to heat up this summer as I FINALLY get time to do things! YAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!! Sorry for all of this excitement, I'm just the happiest I've been since August. I seriously keep telling myself to do my homework but then I'm like, "Wait, I DON'T HAVE ANY! BWAHAHAHAHHAHAH!" (well besides that pesky AP summer assignment but that doesn't really count). I'm 26 books behind on my Goodreads challenge and there's 874 messages in my inbox. I haven't been on Goodreads in forever besides updating progress and asking people some questions. I have 72 messages in my Goodreads inbox, 10 group invitations, 7 event invitations, 1 friend request, 4 book recommendations, and 10 notifications (but with probably tons of new posts on each thread). Guess it's time to get cracking.

Love <3 p="">

 

Top Ten Tuesday REWIND -- pick a past topic you missed or one you want to revisit!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. 
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This is my first ever Top Ten Tuesday post! This meme has basically exploded on the blogs I follow lately, and I have just loved the topics and the whole idea! I want to get in on this, so here is my first post! I think I picked the perfect time to start, because this post allows me to do some of my favorite past Top Ten Tuesday topics within the current one! You're only supposed to pick one, but I can't decide between two, so I'll do them both! Wow, that was a lot of explanation marks.



 

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Top Ten Books At The TOP Of My Spring 2013 TBR list!

 

 

These books have been on my TBR for pretty much ever. But I will get to them soon and, if not spring, summer.

Note: These are in no particular order.

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1. Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush, #1) by Becca Fitzpatrick

 

My friend has been bugging me to read this book for ages now because she's in love with it. I've heard good things, but I'm not really a fan of those "mysterious bad boy" books.

 

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2. City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1) by Cassandra Clare

 

I know. I know. *sigh* I've known about this book and its popularity for what feels like ages now, but I still haven't read it. With the movie coming out, I kinda have to read it. Plus, all of my non-Goodreads/non-book blogging friends have read it now, and I always pride myself on reading everything before them.

 

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3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 

The same friend who has been pressuring me to read Hush, Hush is now begging me to read this. I own the Collector's Edition, so I'm planning to breeze through this baby pretty soon. I'm kinda freaked out that she read Hush, Hush and The Fault in Our Stars before me. I knew about how popular and well-loved these were way before her, and now she's found out about them and is reading them? Not good. See how slow I am? All of my non-Goodreads/non-book blogging friends already have read these and heard about them! Failure on my part.

 

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 4. The Throne of Fire (The Kane Chronicles, #2) by Rick Riordan

 

I FINALLY finished reading The Red Pyramid  after owning it since it came out. I've had this one since it came out too, so I think it's time to finish this trilogy.

 

 

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5. Shadow by Jenny Moss

 





I've had this book for about two years now that I borrowed from a friend...she kinda wants me to return it.

 

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 6. The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus, #1) by Rick Riordan

I have been meaning to read this one forever. Last year, I re-read Percy Jackson to read it and never read this one. I know. I need to read it.

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7. Insurgent (Divergent, #2) by Veronica Roth

 

I read Divergent before it was ever popular as part of a group read for a YA book club on Goodreads, and so I have been waiting for this one forever. For some reason though, I just never got around to reading it. I'm a strange one, eh?

 

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8. Matched (Matched, #1) by Ally Condie

Why have I not read this one yet when I have a copy of it that I bought for $1 from my library's used book store? Why? Honestly, I really don't know. It's been on my to-read-soon shelf since I bought it last summer, but I somehow haven't really gotten around to it.

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9. Hex Hall (Hex Hall, #1) by Rachel Hawkins

 

One of my non-Goodreads/non-book blogging friends found out about these a few weeks ago and already read the whole series. I've known about this series for...how long exactly? I really need to get my act together. Plus it sounds like something I would really love and they're quicker reads.

 

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10. Beautiful Darkness (Caster Chronicles, #2) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

 

I might re-read Beautiful Creatures before I read this one, however I REALLY want to read this one because I am kind of obsessed with this series. I have to re-read Beautiful Creatures first because the movie kind of ruined the entire book for me and confused events and the ending for me, so I need to redeem it in my mind by reading it again.

 

 

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Top Ten Books I HAD To Buy...But Are Still Sitting On My Shelf Unread

As you can see, most of the above books fit into this category. I'll probably repeat some of those. Sorry. These are only a few of the books I have and haven't read yet, there's probably around 150 in my bookcase....

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1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 

I had to buy it because I have heard such good things about it and I knew I would want a copy. Plus, everyone I know who has read it says they wish they had the collector's edition, so I'm sure I'd want it. I've only had it for about two weeks.

 

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2. The Throne of Fire (The Kane Chronicles, #2) by Rick Riordan

 

I was so excited about this series that, when it came out, I bought it, even though I hadn't even read the first book yet. Thankfully, I have read The Red Pyramid now.

 

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3. The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus, #1) by Rick Riordan

 

Because I loved the Percy Jackson series so much, I kind of had to buy this one. I had no idea I wouldn't get around to reading it. I don't regret buying it, because I know I would want a copy of it, plus it's a frequently requested book to loan.

 

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4. Matched (Matched, #1) by Ally Condie

 

I don't really mind the fact that I bought this and haven't read it yet because it was only $1, but I still wish I had read it already.

 

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5. The End of the World Club (The Jaguar Stones, Book 2) by J & P Voelkel

 

So, my friend has this aunt who always finds the coolest middle grade books for her to read before they are even mildly popular. Then, about three/four years later, they become somewhat popular and my friend and I say that we have known about these books for years. With this series, the first book came out in 2007, and my friend waited forever until FINALLY the second book came out in 2012 (might have been 2011) but it was definitely NOT 2010, as Goodreads says (at least not in the US). I read the first book, Middleworld, in 2011, and it wasn't out when I read it. I had to wait a while until this one finally came out. My friend and I were very excited when it was released; she got it from the library and quickly read it, I bought it not long after and STILL haven't read it. Its popularity has increased since I read the first book, because Barnes & Noble now carries the books in their stores.

 

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6. The Darkness Dwellers (Kiki Strike, #3) by Kirsten Miller

 

This book would be number eleven in the previous Top Ten Tuesday above, because this book FINALLY came out after a very long wait, similar to the above book. And, similar to the above book, my friend's aunt introduced her to this series. I read the first book in the series, Inside the Shadow City, in July 2011. The book had been published in 2006, so I was already behind the times. My friend gave me the second book, which I read from September 23 to October 2, 2011. It had been published in 2007. The back of the book had mentioned more books, but I looked on Goodreads only to find there was an untitled third book with an unknown publication date. The author said that the book was going to be published in 2012 on her blog, but then mysteriously stopped mentioning it. It was FINALLY published in January 2013!! I was so excited because the long wait was over! I told my friend, who was excited. This series has gained in popularity since the first two books were released because they didn't used to be in Barnes & Noble stores, like the above series, but now are sold there. I bought this book about two weeks ago, and I don't want it to sit on the shelf for years like all the others!

 

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7. The Pretty Committee Strikes Back (The Clique, #5)/Dial L for Loser (The Clique, #6) by Lisi Harrison

 

These both kind of go together because the first one is the fifth book of The Clique series, and the second one is the sixth. The fifth book I got at Barnes & Noble full price, but the second one I got for like $1 or $2 at my library's used book store. I bought them both, but they're both within the same series so I think they kind of go together.

 

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8. Daniel X: Watch the Skies (Daniel X, #2) by James Patterson and Ned Rust

 

Although I need to read the novella in between the first and second books, Daniel X: Alien Hunter, I still want to read this one soon. I've owned it for a long time now, and I finished the first book before I bought it, so I really need to get to it.

 

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9. The Ghoul Next Door (Monster High, #2) by Lisi Harrison

 

I remember when I read the first book in the series, Monster High. It was such a fun story that I was instantly captivated and couldn't stop reading; wondering what would happen next. I bought this one when it came out because I remembered how much I'd loved the first. But then I never read it. I got a serious wake-up call when I went to Barnes & Noble two weeks ago and saw the fourth one there. I was like, "I really need to read the second book." I've read the first chapter or two, and it seemed really good, so I'm sure I can finish this quick read before long.

 

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10. Rebel Angels (Gemma Doyle, #2)/The Sweet Far Thing (Gemma Doyle, #3) by Libba Bray

 

The first book in the series, A Great and Terrible Beauty, was the first YA book I ever read. It was such an instant favorite that I knew these types of books were for me. Little did I know there was a whole category of these books called "Young Adult". I read it when I was probably about 10 or 11, but the cover and summary was so enticing! Anywho, I read a bit of Rebel Angels a while ago, but didn't remember much of the first so was sort of confused. I think I need to re-read the first book before I read the second and third. They were so big and beautiful (especially the third), that I just HAD to have them. I don't regret buying them; even if I never read them they're so pretty to look at and have!

 

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And that's it! My first ever Top Ten Tuesday which took forever to write, but was totally worth it! And it's super fun! Link me in the comments to your Top Ten Tuesdays!