Sunday, March 29, 2009

Book Signing

So as you guys saw in the 'In My Mailbox' post, I got to see Laurie Halse Anderson. There's a full story in the vlog so you gotta check it out. If you can't watch videos cuz your computer is slow, email me and I'll tell you the story.

What's even worse (on my part) is that I haven't finished Wintergirls yet. I know I should have read it on my way up there, but instead I was playing my Gameboy Advance SP (partly old-school, partly with the times). I told her that but she said that she wouldn't chatise me for it because I am a college student, so I need some time off from reading. Yea!

Here she is hugging me after she found out I was in college after writing her essay. I didn't know someone could get so excited: 

Here we are doing the "typical" book signing thing: 

And here is my favorite picture, the one with us showing off our Converse: 

Here is my signed copy of Wintergirls: 

Here is my signed copy of Speak: 

This is my hat with the Speak Up About Speak button: 

In My Mailbox (5)

In My Mailbox is memefied by The Story Siren (Kristi).

I went to see Laurie Halse Anderson, as you'll see in the blog. I will post the pictures in another post. I hope you guys enjoy this! I know I did!

Books mentioned in the blog:

Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag from Book Chic (Thank you so much James)

The Diamonds by Ted Michael from Random Buzzers (forgot what publishing company that is right now)

Sophomore Switch by Abby McDonald. I won it on with a contest on her blog. I got my first Royal Mail package. I am so excited!

Rest of books (Wintergirls and Speak, Signed. *Squee*) will be in the next blog (above me).

Bonita

Thursday, March 26, 2009

In My Mailbox (4)

This was taken a couple of days ago. I will upload a new In My Mailbox with a couple more books that I have recieved. I know some of these books overlap, but I wasn't sure if I was gonna upload the other video or not. So now you know when the books were recieved! Yea!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

In My Mailbox (3)

Just doing a catch up. Will post more videos after this one.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Review: Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend by Carrie Jones

Summary: Is it fair to be mad, mad, mad at your boyfriend for being gay? Anything but straight in small town Maine won't exactly be a walk in the park, even for invincible Dylan. But can't heartbroken Belle whine just a little? What's a girl to do when her perfect soulmate says Goodbye Belle, Hello Bob?

For starters, she makes a list on how to deal. (from inside cover of hardcover)

Review: I thought this book could help me get over my gay ex-boyfriend. It seemed really intriguing. It made everything seem like it could really happen. It was a sweet story, but it involved a lot of people that were mean and some things that seemed impossible. For one thing, if she loved Dylan so much for two years, why does she automatically start liking another guy?

It seemed like the tone of the voice of more of an immature person than a senior in high school, more like a freshman. This story has more than one list, but not all of them seemed to be good ones. They just seemed to be something for her to distract her and not really help her.

I also hated what they said the word "fag-hag". Jones used it in a context where only the "bad" people said it, but I still find that word a little offense.

I would give this book 3 coins.
5 = best
1 = worst

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Thinkin' About Thursday and Geek Fest

There is not Thinkin' About Thursday this week because I am a different computer and do not have the book list. I am truly sorry. TaT will continue next week without fail!

The Not-So-Closet Geeks are having Geek Fest right now and there are three contests of particular interest to me (and maybe to you):

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev
(ends March 15)
How to Hook a Hottie by Tina Ferraro (ends March 17)
Kiss Me Kill Me and Kisses and Lies by Lauren Henderson (ends March 19)

Make sure you go enter these wonderful contests and more throughout Geek Fest, which lasts all March!

Awards


As my blog is new, I never thought I would be getting an award. Well, I did get an award. And I didn't get it just once, I got it three times!

The first time was Tuesday by cupcake witch.
The second time was Wednesday by Musings of a Fledging Writer.
The third time was also Wednesday by Bites.

Wow! Now here are the rules:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog

2) Add a link to the person(s) who awarded it to you

3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs

4) Add links to those blogs on your blog

5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!

Well, here are my nominees:

Book Chic

The Not So Closet Geeks
The Brain Lair
Pub Rants
Melissa Walker's Blog
Hope's Bookshelf
I'm Here, I'm Queer, What the Hell do I read?
Author2Author

Review: Naomi & Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Summary:
Naomi <3 Ely.
And she's kinda in love with him.
Ely <3 Naomi.
But he prefers to be in love with boys.

Naomi and Ely have been inseparable since childhood--partially because they've grown up across the hall from each other in the same Manhattan apartment building, and also because they're best friends. Soul mates. Or are they? Just to be safe, they've created a NO KISS LIST--their list o people who are absolutely off-kissing-limits for both of them. The NO KISS LIST protects their friendship and ensures that nothing will rock the foundation of Naomi and Ely: the institution.
Until Ely kisses Naomi's boyfriend. and a fateful piece of gum in the wrong place at the wrong time changes everything.
Soon a rift of universal proportions threatens to destroy their friendship, and it remains to be seen whether Naomi and Ely can find their way toward new soul-mate prospects...and back to one another. (from back of paperback)

Review: I have to admit, when I first picked up this book, I thought it was a just another middle grade book about "backstabbing friends", but I found it later on a GLBT book list and changed my mind. I am glad I later went back and got this book. I do not regret it.

The book is told similar to Nick and Norah's Infiinite Playlist where it has alternating chapter views. There was even one chapter where it alternated within that chapter! It was kind of confusing sometimes because I did a little lost as to I am reading the point of view from. I liked how Naomi used pictures instead of words all the time.

This book reads like a diary. It even has a playlist from the night doorman. I think because Naomi has the hots for Ely, she doesn't want anyone else, which I think why Ely kissed her boyfriend, Bruce the Second. Ely didn't want him to passed on as another Naomi trash.

It is a real growing up for these two NYU freshman. They have to grow apart in order to them to grow by themselves. It is wonderfully written and Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written yet another book that teenagers will like. This one has less profanity than Nick and Norah, but defintely more "gayness" (please excuse the politically incorrectness there). But it truly is many loves stories within one love story. Between Ely and Bruce. Between Naomi and Gabriel. Between Robin and Robin. Between Naomi and Ely. But most of all between each character and themselves.

I would recommend this book for fans of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and also for fans who want to read a love story with all the mushyness and sex scence.

I would give this book 5 coins.
5 = best
1 = worst

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Review: Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Description: When Coraline explores her new home, she steps through a door and into another house just like her own . . . except that it's different. It's a marvelous adventure until Coraline discovers that there's also another mother and another father in the house. They want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to keep her forever!

Coraline must use all of her wits and every ounce of courage in order to save herself and return home

Review: I have to admit that I read Coraline because the movie came out and I wanted to read the book before I saw the movie. Since it was a children's book, I didn't think it would like it is. I like reading children's books, and usually they don't scare me like from R.L. Stine or Christopher Pike. This story was diffrent.

It had so much detail. It read like a children's book, with simple words and everything, but I could feel the sense from it. It was a fully developed story. It did scare me, a little bit. I finished it in the middle of the night, so I had to turn off the night to go to bed. Actually, I was reluctant to turn them off because the book felt so real. I feel like Coraline was telling the story about herself, and not a narrater.

Gaiman did a very good job on the telling of this story. I would recommend this to anybody skeptical that children's books are just that, children's books. This book is for all ages, whether you are starting to read, or about to stop. But be careful letting the little ones read the book. It might scare them a little too much and give them nightmares.

*Maybe Spoilers*My favorite scene in this book was...actually I had two. One them was when Caroline went exploring in the "Other Mother's world" and walked into whiteness, and then ended right back at the house. It just seemed so surreal. The other one was at the end when the hand went after the key and Coraline set up the perfect trap.*Maybe Spoilers Over*

I would give it 4 coins.
5=best
1=worst

New Challenges. Yea!

Well, I know it's already about a quarter through the year, but it's never too late to join challenges. I have now joined 4 challenges.

They are:
Compass Challenge
The Young Adult Challenge
1st in Series Challenge 2009
Read 'n Review Challenge

I will make their own pages over the next few days, so watch out for those posts. Enjoy!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Spring Break

I am on Spring Break (yea!) and so I do not have fast internet connection. I will be posting my In My Mailbox when I have time, either that or I will make a IMM double feature next week or a triple feature the week after. I am not sure.
I will not having one this week for I am not at my normal mailing address, so I won't get anything. Thank you for following my blog. I will try to post a couple of reviews up this week, including Coraline, which is overdue. Thank you for being patient with me.

Sara

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Thinkin' About Thursday: Wintergirls

This is similar to Waiting On Wednesday except that the books are necessarily not published at the moment. Some may be from a few years back and maybe even a rumored book every once in a while...

So this week's book that is for Thinkin' About Thursday is:

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.
Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit.

I loved Speak and the issue that it dealt with, so I figured that Wintergirls would be just as good. I have had to deal with that so many of the problems that Anderson writes about. I like how her stories make you relate to the characters. I can't wait till it comes out!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Meetin' Monday: Hope's Bookself

Hope from Hope's Bookshelf is my second Meetin' Monday. Yea! Remember, these questions are somewhat conventional, I guess. You are free to comment.

What is your real name?

Hope.

What has been a promient interview that has stuck out in your memory?

I like all of the interviews I've done, but I think my favorites were the ones I did with Sara Shepard and Siobhan Vivian. They were the first few interviews I did, and they will always hold a spot in my heart... and cliched as that sounds.

What has been a promient book that has stayed with you over the years, even from when you were a child?

CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM! It has been my favorite book since I was four or five. I love it so much, I don't have to use the book anymore... I can recite it from memory. :)

Who are some people you looked up to growing up?

My mom and my grandma are two people I still look up to today. They are strong and independent women. They do many things to help the community, and I just really look up to them.

Were you nervous first contacting authors or them first contacting you?

When I first started blogging, I was scared to contact authors. After a while, I realized that they were real people, just like us, and I started to contact them, too.

Who was your first author you contacted and how did you feel?

The first author I contacted was... Sara Shepard, I do believe. I asked if she would like to do an interview for my blog. And then I got an e-mail back saying that she would love to, and that when she got final copies of the Pretty Little Liars book she would send me a signed copy. Let's just say that I was on Cloud Nine for weeks following that e-mail. :)

what is your favorite bite size candy?

M&Ms. The peanut ones or the regular ones... it doesn't matter to me. :)

Wasn't that fun? Keep watching back for more Meetin' Mondays with more interesting people!

In My MailBox (2)

Second Vlog:

List of Books, as promised:

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (Hardcover, but with water stains) from PaperbackSwap.com

Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend by Carrie Jones from my local library in town

Ranger's Apprentice-Book One: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan from Penguin

What a Girl Wants by Liz Maverick from my college library

The Deadly Diet: Recovering from Anorexia & Bulimia by Terence J. Sandbek, Ph. D. (Non-Fiction for school project) from my college library

Eating Disorders by L.K. George Hsu (Non-Fiction for school project) from my college library