Video Review: Hate List

AUTHOR: Jennifer Brown
PUBLISHER: Little Brown and Company
PAGES: 405
STAND ALONE/SERIES: Stand alone
SOURCE: Library

OUTLINE: Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

STARTED: Feb 26, 2011
FINISHED: Mar 2,2011


MY THOUGHTS:

I did this review in Vlog format. Hope it's enjoyable.

Oops I just realized there's 4 parts to the book. When I was looking through it at my quotes.


MY QUOTES:

-People do it all the time--assume that they "know" what's going on in someone else's head. That's impossible. And to think it's possible is a mistake. A really big mistake. A life-ruining one if you're not careful.
-Because who you are is supposed to be the easiest question in the world to answer, right? Only for me it hadn't been easy for a very long time. maybe it never was. (Val)
-Being my friend would be a tough risk to take. (Val)
- A little edward Scissorhands or something, but in a cool way. (Stacey)
-Pretending my heart wasn't breaking, Pretending I wasn't angry, confused, scared. (Val)
-Life isn't fair. A fair is a place where you eat corndogs and ride the ferris Wheel. (Dr Heiler)
I hate when you say that. (Val)
-So do my kids. (Dr)
- It's the sunrise that gets people's attention. Rebirth always does. (Bea)
- Being pretty isn't everything, but sometimes being ugly. (Val)
-Now that I knew who I wasn't, I was determined to remember who I was. Who I would become. (Val)

BOOK TRAILER: I liked.

New beginnings to old ends (An Ashley rant)

This is the house!!!

So I'm super excited this week. If you watched my IMM Vlog all the way through. (It was sort of long. Sorry about that!) then you know why I'm excited. I finally get to move out of my mom's apartment and my apartment that I haven't lived in since last October. I'll have my own room, and I can be loud (okay not to loud because I'll have 3 younger kids in the house too) Still it's better then a lonely apt where my puppy passed away, or in a smoke filled apartment with one bed and one bath, and me sleeping on a futon in the living room. Yeah, I'm excited. It will be hard to condense all the stuff I have, and by that I mean ALL my books, movies and big furniture. Here's my predicament: I have a big black book, big white bookcase, a desk, a dresser, a nightstand, a stand for my tv, and tons of other smaller bookcases. Not to mention a bed, papsan (sp) chair. Problem the rooms are small. So I don't know what to do. I want to be able to keep all my books out because I love being able to look at them. I'm afraid that some I've had for along time might be boxed  up though. I'll just keep out my YA books which is a very, VERY big majority of them. Still I'm very happy. Now if I can just get the job at the Hospital I'd be on the way to enjoying my life a little more, and it wouldn't be as sucky as it has been the past few months for me. :)

The back of the house. Yes, it needs a little work. Which they are doing.

A backyard. We have a backyard!!! I haven't had a backyard since like 2005.

Main bathroom.

Small Bedroom 1. I'm not sure which will be mine. Either this or the next one!

Or this one. They're pretty much the same size.

The living room with a fireplace and a mantle.

The kitchen with new appliances and everything. :)

Another angle of the living room and backdoor. My brother and Niece also.

That's pretty much all I wanted to say. We actually get to start moving tomorrow. I'll be at work until 3, but after that it's time to go home. :) You better believe once I have everything like I want in my room. I will have pictures to show how I managed to wiggle everything in there. Also pictures of the house. If you don't see alot of posts from me in the next few days or maybe week or two this is also why. I'll have to get the internet connected there.

North of Beautiful Review

AUTHOR: Justina Chen Headley
PUBLISHER: Little, Brown Young
PAGES: 373
SERIES/STAND ALONE: stand alone



OUTLINE:
She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her stifling small town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off-course by her controlling father. When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly in Jacob's path, the handsome but quirky Goth boy immediately challenges her assumptions about herself and her life, and she is forced in yet another direction. With her carefully laid plans disrupted, will Terra be able to find her true path?




STARTED: 2-14-11
FINISHED: 2-18-11

MY THOUGHTS:
This might not be a long or helpful review, but I'm going to write it anyway. :) The way I see this book is it's about loving yourself (looks and beyond) and being true to who you are. Something I think alot of people have a hard time doing. Whether they want to admit openly or not is a different story. Myself personally I've always had a picture in my mind of how I look, and I don't like it. I've never liked the way I look. I always saw all my others friends growing up, and I still do...as being close to perfect. At least better then me. Is it sad for me to say that? Yes, because I know that no one is perfect, and no one is 100% satisfied with themselves. (or maybe they are. Who knows.)  That is just my way of thinking though. I have low self-esteem and it's something I've learned to deal with.

I loved this book just flat out loved it. I will admit it did take me a bit to get into it which for me is usually the case with most books, unless it's a series I've started and I know something about it.  I love books that are able to teach me something new. Ones that teach me things I didn't know about, or make me want to go google it to find out more. (Yes I said google it! I love google!) What exactly did I google? You'll have to keep reading. :)

It's through the eyes of Terra who was born with a port wine stain on her cheek. So if you saw her on one side she would seem like any other teenager the whole blonde hair, beautiful, and what not. If she turned to her other cheek that's when she would get the stares. The adults who just look and don't say anything, or the children who stare, and ask mommy or daddy what's wrong with that girl? Children are much more outspoken then adults. They say what's on their mind.  That is just one thing about her though. I loved her character so much. In the beginning she wasn't as strong of a character, but she grew into herself. She became strong. That is always a good thing when you can see a character change from beginning to end. She began with a super cute, athletic boyfriend. She was only with him because she was afraid she wouldn't find anyone to like her for her. Don't alot of girls do this same exact thing? She was stuck at home with a mom who coward down to her husband.Two brothers who moved away as soon as possible. (One moved as far away as China) I have to say I hated the dad with a passion. I wanted to hit him. Tell him he was worthless, but then I would have looked stupid yelling at my book.

Then there's Jacob, the Asian goth  kid, who Terra almost ran over. Who like Terra had a few issues. (I won't tell you those) The friendship that grows between them is so cute. He teaches her about geocaching. Which sounds like so much fun to do. He also shows her how to be herself. He seems to know her better then the people she's lived with all her life. I loved Jacob!

So the book was broken up into 3 parts I believe. (Sorry I had to return it to the library so I don't it to look back on) On of the parts was Terra and her mom going to China to visit one of Terra's brothers. I enjoyed this part so much because the author took you on a journey through China, and what it's like over there. You got to see..okay read about some of the well-known structures there like the Great wall  when Terra and her mom on it. Then there was the gardens I believe. (I should have done this while I had the book. Whoops) Then she took you through some of the markets, and what those were like, and then down the regular housing editions. The descriptions were awesome. Then at the end they went to a few other places, and met people who I think also helped Terra to see the beauty in herself.

I enjoyed the end just as much, but that's all you're going to get from me. I've rattle on enough about the book.


QUOTES:
-Wondering is just a breath away from hoping- Terra

-Why would I when I knew how precarious words could be, how betraying they were, how vulnerable they made you. -Terra

-Could you aim your light somewhere else...unless you plan on blinding me too. -Jacob

FAN MADE TRAILER: It's pretty good, and I love some of the quotes that were used. :)

In My Mailbox 18: Edition: Ashley goes edit crazy

This is In my mailbox hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren

Alright you'll notice my Vlog is a little different I was playing around with the editing on youtube. :) Adding stuff and all that jazz. I like the beginning though so I might keep that.
The song that is playing is one by Jackson Pearce, Author of Sisters Red. I have the actual Writer's Blok video on my site, or you can go to youtube, and type in Writer's blok. :) (The song itself might change in coming weeks I don't know)

REVIEW:
All about daisy-O'dell Hutchison (Thank you so much)

BOUGHT
AMAZON
Haven-Kristi Cook
A touch mortal- Leah Clifford
Clarity- Kim Harrington
The Iron witch-Karen Mahoney
Across the Universe- Beth revis

HPB
Going to Far-Jennifer Echols (FYI-I meant the lip ring Varen had on the cover of Nevermore)
Gone- Lisa McMann
13 days to midnight-Patrick Carman
The Reckoning-Kelley Armstrong
21 proms-Various authors
The Season of Risks-Susan Hubbard
Give up the Ghost- Megan Crewe
Grace-Elizabeth Scott
Living Dead Girl- Elizabeth Scott
Delirium- Lauren Oliver

MOVIES
What Happens in Vegas
You don't mess with the zohan
Happy Feet
Joan of Arcadia

Follow Friday (20) Blog Hop (19)

BLOG HOP

Who's your all-time favorite book villain?
I haven't read tons of books to have an all-time favorite villian, but I do think Kalona and Neferet from the HoN series are pretty close to my faves. As much as I want to hate them I don't think I really can. Okay well maybe Neferet, but Kalona a Fallen Angel not so much. :) I'm telling you this is by far the most drama filled I've read. It would make quite an interesting Tv series. Day time show....Paranormal Drama. :) Sorry a little off topic I know.

Follow Friday
What embarrassing thing have you done on cold medicine? Honestly I can't think of anyhting I've done, but then again I hate taking medicine for anything.

Writers' Blok: Video by Jackson Pearce

A MUST WATCH VIDEO! Parody of Kesha's Tik Tok



OMG! This was so freakin adorable.
This is what happens when I should be writing reviews I have, or doing something else productive. I you tube videos, and read authors blogs/sites. You can't tell me this was not awesome. A parody of Kesha's Tik Tok. I was laughing. Seriously. It's cute watch it if you haven't. I really need to get the sisters red by her. Also read her As you wish which is sitting on my shelf.

Ok so tell what'd you think?
I always enjoy watching her videos.

Review: The Adoration of Jenna Fox

AUTHOR: Mary Pearson
PUBLISHER: Henry Holt and CO
PAGES: 266
SERIES/STAND ALONE: Ok, I've been told that a second one is coming out so I'm not sure. Apparently there is. It's called The Fox Inheritance.

OUTLINE: 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?

STARTED: Jan 24,2011
FINISHED: Feb 2, 2011




MY THOUGHTS:
This review has been kind of sitting here waiting for me to write it, and I'm not sure what exactly to say about it without giving away some of the story's main twists and things. I will say this it had a few good twists, and wow moments. It did take me quite awhile to actually finish it. I think the main reason for that is I'm not much of a sci-fi, dystopian reader. Just like the few before this one that I've read namely The Hunger Games I just can't get into them. Still I keep trying hoping one book will change my mind. This is not to say I won't still read them. Once I start a series I like to finish it.

I liked Jenna as a character and I really felt bad for her waking up after a year in a coma, and not knowing anything about yourself. All she had to go on was what her parents told her and the videos of the "old Jenna Fox" that she watched. How would you feel if you just woke up and nothing seemed real? You don't know your parents, your grandmother, who your old friends were, nothing...not a thing. Not only that, but you weren't allowed outside your own home for reasons unknown to you. Pretty scarey huh? Then throughout the book she slowly learns and figures things out about herself. Where she use to live, why they moved, who her friends were. During the book she makes some new friends when her parents decide that it might be ok to let her go to school. This school isn't an ordinary school though. The kids there all have their own problems. She becomes close with a few like Allys and Ethan.

You know from reading that something is different about Jenna, but you don't actually learn what that is until later on. I'm sitting here looking at the cover, and now I get the puzzled cover too. I understand the coloring behind it. Sorry it's like it just clicked.

  
What to say about Ethan. Hum? I wasn't moved by him either way really. You know how there are some potential crushes in books that you get attached to. Well I didn't really feel that way about him or I think Dane maybe. Which ever I didn't care for either. There were a few lines, and "moments" in the book that I thought how cute (like when the were gardening with each other...flicking dirt on each other.) other then that nothing.
Then there's Allys to me she seemed kind of snobby and better then everyone else. I know..I know I should have felt bad for her or something because of what happened to her, but I couldn't she wanted to blame everyone else. Maybe it was or wasn't their fault who knows I just didn't like her. I would have much rather learned more about Kara and Locke, Jenna's old friends.

I did like the way the book wasn't actually written in chapters but kind of like time periods. When there was a chapter break it had instead poem like writing, or Jenna's thoughts that tied in with what was going to happen next. I don't how to explain it, but it was different.

I'll definitely read the next book just because of the way this one ended.
QUOTES:


OTHER BOOK COVER:

The other cover. I don't really like this one as much as the puzzle one!
This one does have a meaning behind it though when you read the book you understand.

BOOK TRAILER: I don't think this is an official one, but it's a really good one. It's creepy as hell too.

3 OF 5 STARS: Mainly because I couldn't get into it.