tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25564576052676894812024-03-13T15:33:01.146-04:00Bone by BoneLunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-1543173526799870112011-12-15T15:26:00.004-05:002011-12-15T15:33:20.425-05:00Review: Leftovers (and a bit of raging)<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Okay okay, I know. I've been a flake this year. Apologies! This semester has been especially rough; as soon as I finish one thing, there seems to be ten other things that need to be done. Have you guys ever felt that way? As much as I love the college experience, my biggest discontentment with the schooling system is how little freedom students truly have to pick the classes they want to take. Now of course, this doesn't apply to every college student out there, but this has been an ongoing discussion between my classmates and me. Say, if you want a career in pre-med, you have all these prereqs that are ridiculously hard, and all your free time is spent building up your CV with hours of volunteering, research, lab work, extracurriculars, etc. Sometimes I feel so stressed I just want to scream, WHY. Us pre-med kids aren't the only ones who feel this way. Same goes for other paths, I'm sure. And I know that I really do have a choice, in that I could just choose not to be a doctor and instead pick something that won't steal my youthful years from me. After going this far though, it's too hard to see my cards holding anything else for me..</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Anyways, I know public ranting is extremely annoying, but sometimes it helps to share a bit of what's peeving you, if only to infinitesimally relieve your burdens. Sorry guys! I'm on winter break now, which will last for over a month (yay!), so hopefully I'll get to simmer down and post some more reviews and such.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Onto the review!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13063272-leftovers">Leftovers</a><br />
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Author: Laura Weiss<br />
Publisher: MTV Books<br />
Release Date: 1 January 2oo8<br />
Pages: 256</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>A devastating novel of desperation and revenge from one of today's most compelling new voices in fiction. In this follow-up to her heartbreaking debut, Such a Pretty Girl, Laura Wiess once again spins a shattering tale of the tragedies that befall young women who are considered society's Leftovers. </em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Blair and Ardith are best friends who have committed an unforgivable act in the name of love and justice. But in order to understand what could drive two young women to such extreme measures, first you'll have to understand why. You'll have to listen as they describe parents who are alternately absent and smothering, classmates who mock and shun anyone different, and young men who are allowed to hurt and dominate without consequence. You will have to learn what it's like to be a teenage girl who locks her bedroom door at night, who has been written off by the adults around her as damaged goods. A girl who has no one to trust except the one person she's forbidden to see. You'll have to understand what it's really like to be forgotten and abandoned in America today. </em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Are you ready?</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Luna's Take:</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I love this author. She has a way with words, and I equate her writing abilities to those of Stiefvater, Clare, and Collins. I first got hooked after reading her book, <em>How It Ends</em>. You can read my review <a href="http://tripisu.blogspot.com/2011/03/review-how-it-ends.html">here</a>. That being said though, I didn't like this one as much as <em>How It Ends. </em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">That sounds like a huge contradiction, right? How can I rave about this author and yet not fully love one of her novels? Essentially, I almost feel like I know this author. Her writing is so poignant and memorable, her own personally seeps out between the lines. If you've ever felt a deep connection with a book (the story itself, and not the characters), you know what I mean. If not, I'm pretty sure I must sound like a psych patient to you.. ;D </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Ultimately, even though I didn't like this as much, I still want to read her other books. It's kind of like, oh there were a couple hiccups in this one, but who cares! The author is still amazing, and this stuff is better than the majority of other YA works out there!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The two main characters, Ardith and Blair, have some pretty effed up lives. Ardith lives in a fairly shabby house on the outskirts of town with middle-aged parents who can't seem to loosen their grasp on teenagedom and an older brother who leeches on any decent-looking girl within eyesight. You know how in high school, there was always that kid whose parents were gone for the weekend, so his house automatically became party central? That's how Ardith's house is, except for her it's 24/7, rain or shine. She lives in constant fear of being assaulted by hordes of drunken people right outside her room, so she padlocks her door every night and sleeps with a screwdriver under her pillow. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Ardith, instead of being noticed too often, is frequently ignored by her job-crazy mother and absent father. She lives in near isolation, in a posh house with two parents who can't even stand to look at each other without resentment. When her parents commit the ultimate act of betrayal against her, she begins to fall apart internally, losing her passion for life and passively conforming to their societal expectations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The characters themselves were sketched out extremely vividly, which was my favorite part about this novel. Weiss has a way of allowing her readers an exclusive, raw look into the intricacies of her characters' lives. When I read the summary, I was so excited to find out what the girls did.. Upon discovering what it was though, I found myself rather disappointed. I thought the ending could have been elaborated upon, or at least dramaticized more. But I can't complain too much, because I still managed to breeze through the book in less than 24hrs :P Looking forward to reading more from this author!</span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-50734025691070669962011-07-02T11:36:00.000-04:002011-07-02T11:36:33.828-04:00Review: Sisterhood Everlasting<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Gahh I know, I know, it's been about 3 years since my last post.. Sorry for being MIA, I just had a lot of stuff going <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">on (typical cliché, yes). I've been doing some undergraduate research for a Fellow (who happens to not be a <em>fellow</em>) at the med school near my university, and all the grunt work can take quite a while. Other than that, I'm taking a couple summer classes at a local college and still holding a job to pay off some of my spending sprees. But I have been reading in the interim, and now the "stuff" in my life has died down a little, and I want to share this amazing book I recently read. So all excuses laid aside, here goes my first review since the Ice Age.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_787273425">Sisterhood Everlasting</a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9461872-sisterhood-everlasting">(The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants #5)</a><br />
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Author: Ann Brashares<br />
Publisher: Random House<br />
Release Date: 14 June 2011<br />
Pages: 349</td></tr>
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<span id="freeText16230364836835866521"><em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ann Brashares comes the welcome return of the characters whose friendship became a touchstone for a generation. Now Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget have grown up, starting their lives on their own. And though the jeans they shared are long gone, the sisterhood is everlasting. <br />
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Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness. <br />
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Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected. <br />
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As moving and life-changing as an encounter with long-lost best friends, Sisterhood Everlasting is a powerful story about growing up, losing your way, and finding the courage to create a new one.</span></em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Luna's Take:</strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">First off, I know this review will probably be a little exclusive, since I know not all of you have read this series. But I just HAD to review it (can you tell I'm a huge Sisterhood fan??). </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I actually finished reading this over a week ago. I purchased the book its opening day, and it didn't take me too long to breeze through it. Hopefully I can get some of you to convert into fans, too. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This book starts off about 10 years after the conclusion of the last one, so the girls have all just turned 29. Although I'm still about a decade younger than the Sisterhood in this book, I didn't feel that the age barrier prevented me from fully understanding and empathizing with how the characters felt during the story. This is a tribute to Brashares, because I feel she manages to keep the core of each girl intact, despite there being such a long gap in the storyline.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Not to give anything away, but I wasn't too surprised that the girls weren't as close at the onset of this book as they were when they were mere teenagers. Anyone can attest to it - life happens. You find yourself more connected to some people than others over time. It is partly because of this bridge that Tibby decides to bring the Sisterhood back together, and they all end up meeting in Santorini.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">What did surprise me was the fact that Lena and Kostos <em>still</em> have not gotten together! Their relationship has been a tortuous and tumultuous one, but at the end of the last book, as Kostos whispers "Someday" to Lena in Greek, I truly believed that their intertwined fates were sealed. As my favorite character (and not just because our names are so similar), Lena shocks me at times. But there are plenty of other twists in store for those of you who read this; it's so hard not to give much away!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One of the only criticisms I have about the book is regarding its dimensions - it's HUGE! Brashares had this book published under a different company, and I think that affected the length and width of it.. So now, it looks just a tad awkward next to the other four in the series, which are all synchronized - not only in size, but also in cover design. But really, this is just a superficial detail. Overall, I LOVED the conclusion to this epic saga; I ended the book in tears of happiness! So if you haven't yet touched a Sisterhood book, it's not too late to start!</span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-407633333068839842011-05-19T00:29:00.001-04:002011-05-19T00:34:12.743-04:00Review: Illusions <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6918909-illusions">Illusions (Wings #3)</a><br />
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Author: Aprilynne Pike<br />
Publisher: HarperCollins<br />
Release Date: 3 May 2011<br />
Pages: 375</td></tr>
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<span id="freeText5530693079194278451"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice. <br />
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But just as life is returning to normal, Laurel discovers that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail.</em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Luna's Take:</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">It feels like I'd been waiting for the third installment in the <em>Wings</em> series for forever and a day, so you can probably guess just how psyched I was to finally have this in my hands! Ever since the first book, I'd been completely hooked into both Laurel's human world and the fantastical realm of Avalon. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Safe to say, this book did not disappoint. Tamani crosses the threshold into the human world by posing as a typical high school student, all for the purpose of being able to act as Laurel's guardian up close (and personal!). One of the main reasons I think Pike really impressed in this book is the fact that she fleshes out most of the characters so they become more 3-D to readers. Personally, I felt that Tamani's character was lacking a bit of description and personality in <em>Wings</em> and <em>Spells</em>. Before, it seemed to me that all he obsessed about was Laurel this, Laurel that, did Laurel have breakfast today because that's an essential meal in every faerie's life, etc. Not to say that he wasn't overly-protective of her in this book, because he was, but his motivation and willingness to execute his goals are much more evident to us. We are able to read some passages from his POV, as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The main problem at this point is the appearance of Yuki, who is a foreign exchange student later revealed as a rogue faerie in the human world. Tamani and Laurel, among others, are baffled by her existence, especially since Laurel is the only known scion. They do their best to tread on water around Yuki, fearful of their predictions on how much she might know or not know about themselves, and this mystery lasts throughout the majority of the novel, making the plot thicken considerably.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The passion between Laurel and her two favorite leading men is absolutely smexy, too. At times, it's true that the love triangle can be a bit maddening, but most times, it's pure hilarity to witness Laurel's constant internal struggle to choose between the two.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I would definitely recommend this to all fans of Pike's previous two books, and if you haven't picked up on this series yet, be sure to get your own copy of <em>Wings</em>! Scoot scoot!</span><br />
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<em><span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia;">Rating: 5/5</span></em>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-31906979715273102972011-05-12T00:18:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:23:14.626-04:00Review: The Sky is Everywhere<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm back!!! And just in case you guys can't tell how ecstatic I am for school to be over, I'll tack on a few more !!!s. Anyways, I've gotten to read some fabtabulous books since the end of my term, so here's my first review post-finals-induced-hiatus!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7963255-the-sky-is-everywhere">The Sky is Everywhere</a><br />
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Author: Jandy Nelson<br />
Publisher: Speak<br />
Release Date: 22 March 2011<br />
Pages: 288</td></tr>
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<span id="freeText14919324325837114292"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.</em></span></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Luna's Take:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This book made my heart ache a little. I almost don't know how to review it; there don't seem to be words satisfying enough to describe how I felt upon finishing it. Safe to say, Nelson's writing style is so enchantingly lyrical and breathtaking, I couldn't stand it at times. And just a little disclaimer for those of you who haven't read the book yet: Tears will be shed. Especially if you're a big ol' hopeless romantic at heart, as I am.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">There are many different ways to mourn a lost one. Shortly following her older sister's death, Lennie undergoes a sexual awakening that is as surprising as it is sudden. Indeed, her feelings toward the opposite sex are so shocking because she has always been one to follow in her sister's shadow, making all her emotions and desires pre-death to be expressed in a muted fashion, and she therefore didn't quite live up to her full potential. Post-death, she attempts to bury her anguish and depression by pouring her heart out to two boys. While Bailey's boyfriend, Toby, helps Lennie remember Bailey in her glory, new boy Joe blows into town and alleviates Lennie's pain simply by being the happy ball of sunshine that he is. And while both of them help shoulder her crushing pain somewhat, it is only through self-reflection and contemplation that Lennie can truly learn to heal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I'm sure that doesn't cover it all, but all I know is, my mind was going in all directions while reading this book. There were times I felt so strongly for Lennie's suffering, and other times when I had this huge grin on my face for the comical way in which she expressed her inner turmoil and confusion. Most of </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">us have lost a dearly beloved, and I think Nelson truly managed to capture the core emotions we ourselves feel in our journey to recovery. Her words will stay with me, long past the last page.</span><br />
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<em><span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Rating: 5/5</span></em>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-2086595636681540572011-05-02T14:08:00.001-04:002011-05-02T14:08:53.791-04:00cover revealed for silence!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Have you guys seen the newly-revealed cover for Becca Fitzpatrick's <em>Silence</em>? It just came out today and it's 110% GORGEOUS. Can't wait for this to come out. :)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10637766">Silence</a><br />
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Author: Becca Fitzpatrick<br />
Publisher: Simon & Schuster<br />
Release Date: 14 October 2011<br />
Pages: 400</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And I know Waiting on Wednesday's a couple days away; I just couldn't wait to rave about this cover! Look at how beautimus Patch is... (heartheartheart). And I know I'm probably not the only one who's jealous of Nora in this image. I've loved all the covers in this series so far, and this one definitely doesn't disappoint! Gahh, who else cannot WAIT until October rolls around?!</span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-69467284658476324402011-04-29T01:48:00.000-04:002011-04-29T01:48:07.022-04:00the hunger games movie casting: effie<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Okay, taking a short little break from studying here to announce... *drumroll* ...that the role of Effie Trinket has been scored by...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kbGgTcWt9y5ZCAEWv_duKsd8rRinzjmkHPFSFQwoygM2O28AYBooKUwzs4vEIQpQI1Ojo7ZF0nEzNPZLIl_RaAFpLk_QCTLgu5WiYiZ1Qz1Qy0k6cx_L6DChRiDUxIYbSh_VvxcfS2oO/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kbGgTcWt9y5ZCAEWv_duKsd8rRinzjmkHPFSFQwoygM2O28AYBooKUwzs4vEIQpQI1Ojo7ZF0nEzNPZLIl_RaAFpLk_QCTLgu5WiYiZ1Qz1Qy0k6cx_L6DChRiDUxIYbSh_VvxcfS2oO/s320/untitled.bmp" width="232" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A Ms. Elizabeth Banks!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">At first, I didn't know whether she could pull off our bubbly busybody, Effie, but at second glance, I think she could, with some effort. The only movie I remember her from is <em>The Uninvited</em>, and she played a fairly creepy role in that film. Anyways, just wanted to share for anyone who didn't know.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Back to hittin' those books!</span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-43210111560648066242011-04-25T21:34:00.000-04:002011-04-25T21:36:14.141-04:00review: The Goddess Test<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hello!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Sorry for the long interval since my last post; it's finals week! I probably won't post again until next week, when school is all over and done with. For now, I'll leave you guys with this review...</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpkZzPe7FDC1Fa0KNL3spu7HZyRvQ4ClUCoN6tBTOqPX-0oQftAfi1NGe7CkYgxoSZiD1Pb6n-LZnSgKlZCSyJbn5rgIOOa4W9xkgwbnCqHHf5rnRMQn-LsDJNwfsOQJTiDjZnuvaWr89/s1600/51Nve345cKL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpkZzPe7FDC1Fa0KNL3spu7HZyRvQ4ClUCoN6tBTOqPX-0oQftAfi1NGe7CkYgxoSZiD1Pb6n-LZnSgKlZCSyJbn5rgIOOa4W9xkgwbnCqHHf5rnRMQn-LsDJNwfsOQJTiDjZnuvaWr89/s320/51Nve345cKL.jpg" width="199" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9681214-the-goddess-test">The Goddess Test</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Author: <span style="color: black;">Aimée Carter</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Publisher: Harlequin Teen</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Release Date: 19 April 2011</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Pages: 304</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall. </em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests. </em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.</em></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Luna's Take:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I <em>love</em> this cover! The "Greek-ified" title is cool too, even though sigma isn't actually pronounced with an "e" sound.. But oh well (Sorry, is my status as a college student that obvious now? :p).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Also, I've recently had a penchant for reading books regarding Greek mythology. As summer reading for my senior literature class, we read Edith Hamilton's <em>Mythology</em>, and there my obsession began. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">So obviously, I got really wrapped up in <em>The Goddess Test</em>. Carter didn't really overload readers with facts on mythology, but enough was in there to keep fans like me happy. The description of the relationship between Kate and Henry was fairly swoonly, too. I was able to see it foster and grow throughout the book.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Appearances aside, this is not your typical read. One of the underlying plotlines is a murder mystery that remains to be solved. I don't normally read about this theme, but Carter wrote it in a way that drew me in and made me excited to read the subsequent chapter.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Though it wasn't a perfect read - some of the character sketches didn't quite agree with me - I enjoyed <em>The Goddess Test</em>, and recommend it to fellow Greek mythology lovers and to anyone who wants to discover some tidbits about mythology!</span><br />
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<em><span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia;">Rating: 4/5</span></em>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-71693804845985500142011-04-22T15:16:00.000-04:002011-04-22T15:16:16.695-04:00follow me friday #1<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">First off, happy Earth Day, everyone! I always love this often-forgotten holiday. Two years ago, I planted a tree near my high school (named Grubby... long story), and I made sure to take the time to visit him today. Plus, today's the one month mark until my 19th birthday! Though I'm not sure that's a number worth celebrating. What's really special about 19? Last year of teenagedom? Prime number?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Rambling's done, now onto the post subject!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtSHB3vFVuv5SwB2RSGh6S9khPLrERVmmHVRSy3Cc0_NiiDjKoPHCJHRqTodoLlb-DPhb354kXLYFfDxc0cKD-USPIC2H4IKoqkbFYkvpuO0_SfDgXubOyQ1Rouu8Lgf7SYZ6rsXo4D0P/s1600/4710921228_bf32d46f6d_o.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtSHB3vFVuv5SwB2RSGh6S9khPLrERVmmHVRSy3Cc0_NiiDjKoPHCJHRqTodoLlb-DPhb354kXLYFfDxc0cKD-USPIC2H4IKoqkbFYkvpuO0_SfDgXubOyQ1Rouu8Lgf7SYZ6rsXo4D0P/s1600/4710921228_bf32d46f6d_o.png" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Follow Me Friday is a book meme hosted by </span><a href="http://www.parajunkee.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Parajunkee</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. It provides members of the blogosphere to check out some new blogs, meet some cool peeps, and stalk some fellow bloggers (and possibly get some new followers, woot~).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong><em>This Week's Question:</em> </strong>What is on your current playlist?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">So my playlist is a bit all over the place, but </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">that's one of the reasons I love it. :)</span><br />
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<div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>"Give Me Strength" by Snow Patrol</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>"All This Time" by OneRepublic</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>"Background" by Lecrae</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>"My Boots" by LIGHTS</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>"Nothing Left to Lose" by Mat Kearney</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>"Live Your Life" by T.I.</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>"Talking to the Moon" by Bruno Mars</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>"Time is Running Out" by Muse</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>"Look After You" by The Fray</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>"The Scientist" by Coldplay</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>"Someone Like You" by Adele</em></span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I've been listening to some of these songs on replay for quite some time, but others are new finds. My favorite genre usually falls in the "alternative" range, but I like to mix it up with some other songs every once in a while.</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">What have you been listening to recently?</span></div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-53996605331069257592011-04-20T19:13:00.000-04:002011-04-20T19:15:26.756-04:00cover clash: headless ladies<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Cover Clash" is a book meme that highlights how some book covers are truly <em>too</em> similar to one another. <span style="font-family: Georgia;">While "Cover Clash" is a regular feature, I post it fairly sporadically. Feel free to participate as well, but don't forget to credit me!</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
There have been cases where some covers are reused for different books, but then there are those like these... </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-eX9LxR2kvuzabvmMKlAGnSr-pw7SUItg0v4fMvHdku_l_OY3-HdTNVuSCeE7J-M1HsFDW8sZ-k78v3Kp5mCr0m0XU6ZL4WsERz-WHJKwIGSKx8g4feb7dNy7gnelCoSUHGthnJPCmvO/s1600/7092447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-eX9LxR2kvuzabvmMKlAGnSr-pw7SUItg0v4fMvHdku_l_OY3-HdTNVuSCeE7J-M1HsFDW8sZ-k78v3Kp5mCr0m0XU6ZL4WsERz-WHJKwIGSKx8g4feb7dNy7gnelCoSUHGthnJPCmvO/s200/7092447.jpg" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7092447-things-i-know-about-love">Things I Know About Love</a> <br />
by Kate Le Vann</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYefwWDTqd95C61iGIa8CZIYLA8mkwMk6jhowklSkYxL1TWsRJA1-8O15j_lOx8bIRtJFSSAeelktUDDqNm8oNJj5tWKvL3MZkt6Pm0XR6hjvacq0fnOH_kSCJMDLYNOTJoh1Ht5WytXsV/s1600/10473144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYefwWDTqd95C61iGIa8CZIYLA8mkwMk6jhowklSkYxL1TWsRJA1-8O15j_lOx8bIRtJFSSAeelktUDDqNm8oNJj5tWKvL3MZkt6Pm0XR6hjvacq0fnOH_kSCJMDLYNOTJoh1Ht5WytXsV/s200/10473144.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10473144-don-t-expect-magic">Don't Expect Magic</a> <br />
by Kathy McCullough</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I get how it's considered artsy at times when the subjects photographed don't show their heads/faces, giving the picture a mysterious vibe, but really? It's kind of overdone, in my opinion. Don't be afraid to show your faces, ladies! Everyone goes through puberty, a couple of zits shown to the public aren't the worst of your worries. :)</span></span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-39833443225921134202011-04-19T22:00:00.000-04:002011-04-19T22:57:34.284-04:00review: Wither<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Man... It's been a Murphy's Law kind of day. You know, one of those days where it seems like nothing goes right, and everything that could ever possibly go wrong does. Sigh. That darn Murphy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Sorry for being such a Debbie Downer; hopefully this review will make up for my cloudy mood!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkxRmG_VQ7oHg77EmM9ORAUkYpO6-RpIEYGz8stdKSvIFWIjDQCAxsJryo4XBXsTdRprWqtrbjZc1EbTwQmQ1gwOXj6rJkiVGPGDUau17xTNauW-XWaZf1OcdA81yAatHXxVoMAHKkjm5/s1600/8525590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkxRmG_VQ7oHg77EmM9ORAUkYpO6-RpIEYGz8stdKSvIFWIjDQCAxsJryo4XBXsTdRprWqtrbjZc1EbTwQmQ1gwOXj6rJkiVGPGDUau17xTNauW-XWaZf1OcdA81yAatHXxVoMAHKkjm5/s320/8525590.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8525590-wither">Wither (Chemical Garden #1)</a><br />
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Author: Lauren DeStefano<br />
Publisher: Simon & Schuster<br />
Release Date: 22 March 2011<br />
Pages: 356</td></tr>
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<span id="freeText3327277895552424496"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>What if you knew exactly when you would die? <br />
<br />
Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out. <br />
<br />
When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home. <br />
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But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.</em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Luna's Take:</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Gahh, this book! And the beautimus cover! I'm sure you all have heard the hype. And in my opinion, it's true! But let me elaborate a little.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">To start, if I was living in the world of <em>Wither</em>, I would pass away in two years. Two years! Imagine having such a short life; what would you do? And what would <em>I </em>do? I kept pondering this question all throughout my reading, and I came up with only one answer that satisfied me: I would quit school, rack up my (meager) savings from my piggy bank, and backpack all over the world. So basically, nothing but me and what I could carry on my back. And when my time came, I'd want to be relaxed, staring at the myriad colors of a setting sun, or something along those lines. Cheesy, no? Granted, this is considering I that I'd have free will. What if you couldn't choose how to life your truncated life?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This is the sad reality of Rhine's world. The novel is set in a post-apocalyptic world, where an incurable virus runs rampant, killing females at twenty and males at twenty-five. With no antidote at hand, females are forced into servitude at the hand of eligible bachelors desiring campanionship and future offspring.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Rhine is thrust into this position, acting as one of the "sister wives" to Linden. Though we as a society are prone to shun polygamy, the characters in <em>Wither</em> have grown accustomed to such a distasteful practice. Her story is unbelievable yet heartrending, and I felt myself pulled into the story as if I was one of the characters myself. If you know me well, you know I *love* The Hunger Games series, and this first installment to the Chemical Garden provided many dystopian parallels that I loved.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Honestly, this was one of those novels that left me wanting so much more at the end, but in a good way. Hopefully we'll see more of Gabriel next time! Anyone else in the DeStefano fan wagon with me?</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia;"><em>Rating: 5/5</em></span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-89713079812196349152011-04-17T12:47:00.000-04:002011-04-17T12:47:53.770-04:00cover clash: peek-a-boo!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cover Clash is a little segment I want to start that highlights how some book covers are truly <em>too</em> similar to one another. Have you guys ever noticed that? There have been cases where some covers are reused for different books, but then there are those like these...</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgyTDbd77lcltg6dQt3Mi5ljJsJrkHS7SBVKtg3qJrp4aZKy3T28bLPKeb4pUUWwaO4z2DeLu9EcV8hwn6_iFAZzYb74No4EOxwSv20QbKZVGEnVqrw3EscVJYk7KqbOriNhqHD2To_KW/s1600/8508770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgyTDbd77lcltg6dQt3Mi5ljJsJrkHS7SBVKtg3qJrp4aZKy3T28bLPKeb4pUUWwaO4z2DeLu9EcV8hwn6_iFAZzYb74No4EOxwSv20QbKZVGEnVqrw3EscVJYk7KqbOriNhqHD2To_KW/s320/8508770.jpg" width="185" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8508770-overprotected"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Overprotected</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> by Jennifer Laurens</span></td></tr>
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</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFL4d7cu9n-VEj1xMxAWfm-1A9mmZl8iEuhZOVEyuRkqW1zKXLS-eqKgWqR8y1gzwcNhXmY1Xo7fYN01IyqwmO4aPYfgo_e7zViCEXe-eIQy3N9TjRxQAE0SR1dszwQSlK1U53u3N0-DYx/s1600/9926930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFL4d7cu9n-VEj1xMxAWfm-1A9mmZl8iEuhZOVEyuRkqW1zKXLS-eqKgWqR8y1gzwcNhXmY1Xo7fYN01IyqwmO4aPYfgo_e7zViCEXe-eIQy3N9TjRxQAE0SR1dszwQSlK1U53u3N0-DYx/s320/9926930.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9926930-exposure"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Exposure</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> by Therese Fowler</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">...that make you wonder whether the designers for these book covers were too lazy and decided to semi-plagarize off one another. I had seen the cover of Overprotected first, and when I came upon Exposure, I seriously thought it was the sequel. </span></div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What are your thoughts? Personally, I'm kind of over the whole "peeking eyes" routine. A bit too cliché for my tastes.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-41769108785263654512011-04-16T20:45:00.000-04:002011-04-16T20:45:48.103-04:00in my mailbox #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">In My Mailbox is a book meme hosted by Kristi @ </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/" style="color: #a32db6; text-decoration: none;">The <span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: none;">Story Siren</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span></span></span></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">The title of this entry is actually a lie (I know, shame on me, blah blah blah). I didn't actually get these books in the mail.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">So this weekend, I came back home for a little refresher before going back to school and hitting the books in preparation for FINALS... bleck. Anyways, lucky me, because today happened to be the last day that the Borders near my house stayed in business. Have you guys ever been to a bookstore that was going to close soon? It was like a bibliophile's heaven. Everything was 90% off! Now, I should give the disclaimer that I happened to step into the store 30 minutes before it closed (forever), so everything was dirt cheap. Let me tell you though, it was so competitive in there! I was going to reach for this book when this random woman snatched it right from underneath me! And to add insult to injury, she also swiped ALL the books from the shelf and cradled her victory bundle in her arms. I would have spit at her if it weren't so socially inacceptable... not really... well, maybe.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span></span></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Okay, that's enough rant time. Now to show off my fruits of the day! I forgot to bring my camera with me, so these were taken with my shotty - yet reliable - webcam. Woo hoo!</span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span></span></span> </div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIVz8W-2uDbfBO5g2bcxELXcN07pitvKRI1DxSwSt6ulHZv5IetHn2cJVBp2jn8lwYZ8ppzMpWhTvNmLb2fKH73iynZ-qrK5CGddfwCe8eZ-tU_8N4x78BGgX9lT3FWWcZa9dzA3rKl3C/s1600/110416-195832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIVz8W-2uDbfBO5g2bcxELXcN07pitvKRI1DxSwSt6ulHZv5IetHn2cJVBp2jn8lwYZ8ppzMpWhTvNmLb2fKH73iynZ-qrK5CGddfwCe8eZ-tU_8N4x78BGgX9lT3FWWcZa9dzA3rKl3C/s320/110416-195832.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6600807-jealousy">Jealousy</a> by Lili St. Crow<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7740152">Torment</a> by Lauren Kate<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7903851-vixen">Vixen</a> by Jillian Larkin</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wHOohIHwk-WxNa_ZYD4E1fjw9Sx_XRRGOdBim3S8jcKSSohrZ0wv3oR2Ue0cMmY2_GVW2ePmOnnrTldvJVYCRgNIJcAY_k9MH0FDrtD5z65izf4t54SgjQRzMr41isXjKL2vOMv5_AyT/s1600/110416-195935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wHOohIHwk-WxNa_ZYD4E1fjw9Sx_XRRGOdBim3S8jcKSSohrZ0wv3oR2Ue0cMmY2_GVW2ePmOnnrTldvJVYCRgNIJcAY_k9MH0FDrtD5z65izf4t54SgjQRzMr41isXjKL2vOMv5_AyT/s320/110416-195935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1625.Twelfth_Night">Twelfth Night</a> by William Shakespeare<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6494966-the-line">The Line</a> by Teri Hall<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7810984-outside-the-ordinary-world">Outside the Ordinary World</a> by Dori Ostermiller</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRJ_MAiUlSLQreCPDcd3O9MiuxSlgaRglvEMgIIT1FWFKnK9hohVMBV8hFYnnaFJUU05LM67iJj2Wc0FMSbBcuaYBR5QBNuR-xDWrOa2iP5utWeMG-G7Y5syXLPtlj_2dlXpWfVRMT1tG/s1600/110416-200033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRJ_MAiUlSLQreCPDcd3O9MiuxSlgaRglvEMgIIT1FWFKnK9hohVMBV8hFYnnaFJUU05LM67iJj2Wc0FMSbBcuaYBR5QBNuR-xDWrOa2iP5utWeMG-G7Y5syXLPtlj_2dlXpWfVRMT1tG/s320/110416-200033.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6087756-white-cat">White Cat</a> by Holly Black<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13376.The_House_of_the_Scorpion">The House of the Scorpion</a> by Nancy Farmer<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7785598-you">You</a> by Charles Benoit</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0mQBspGeEKb4eUyScQmfnMZX6XTrejahD7bo6UA8fdDCWGeDDqw_Ln28wfrl6H1A_VGl8mkkIbRd8kE5MNCpDCKFjr5d7I8a1Ut3bgdL2ox7SVgtoIlvWDGuHZNvBcYePzvGU_eIAh5t/s1600/110416-200139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0mQBspGeEKb4eUyScQmfnMZX6XTrejahD7bo6UA8fdDCWGeDDqw_Ln28wfrl6H1A_VGl8mkkIbRd8kE5MNCpDCKFjr5d7I8a1Ut3bgdL2ox7SVgtoIlvWDGuHZNvBcYePzvGU_eIAh5t/s320/110416-200139.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7946630-a-kind-of-intimacy">A Kind of Intimacy</a> by Jenn Ashworth<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7740142-the-frenzy">The Frenzy</a> by Francesca Lia Block<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6794855-betrayal">Betrayal</a> by Gillian Shields</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKlEepBkDzW23LCTqBWGRvrGvdMxnNmTFAJjOShh0ouLrzH_MrLjvD_HZUqSvONq9eLjIoWS6bvxxZVuCYRdRiDEsno0ONEmlhwuCjF6difBrYWbkRZZrsPgQU-FzbORSJaSeoO7vwHKt/s1600/110416-200226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKlEepBkDzW23LCTqBWGRvrGvdMxnNmTFAJjOShh0ouLrzH_MrLjvD_HZUqSvONq9eLjIoWS6bvxxZVuCYRdRiDEsno0ONEmlhwuCjF6difBrYWbkRZZrsPgQU-FzbORSJaSeoO7vwHKt/s320/110416-200226.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7631105-the-scorch-trials">The Scorch Trials</a> by James Dashner<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/71332.Push">Push</a> by Sapphire<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51428.Rebel_Angels">Rebel Angels</a> by Libba Bray</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span></span></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I know these aren't all YA fiction, but I always like to branch out in consideration to my reading range. One thing I should mention, though - I already have my copy of Torment (and am eagerly awaiting the third installment!), so I might just have my newly-bought copy up for grabs! ;)</span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span></span></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Happy reading~</span></span></span></span></div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-32047630392256424322011-04-13T16:26:00.000-04:002011-04-13T16:26:37.470-04:00waiting on wednesday 04.13.11<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Waiting on Wednesday is a book meme hosted by Jill @ </span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Breaking the Spine</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. What future releases are <em>you</em> anxiously waiting for?</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Glow" id="coverImage" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1300476450l/10174795.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10174795-glow">Glow (Sky Chasers #1)</a><br />
<br />
Author: Amy Kathleen Ryan<br />
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin<br />
Release Date: 27 September 2011<br />
Pages: 320</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">First off, I love the cover! It's simple yet elegant, and I'm all for images within O's. Here's a little summary...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15628359340102428285"><em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue? <br />
<br />
Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them... <br />
<br />
Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth. <br />
<br />
But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside. <br />
<br />
Glow is the most riveting series debut since The Hunger Games, and promises to thrill and challenge readers of all ages.</span></em></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I can't wait! Basically, I'll be into any book that's put in comparison to The Hunger Games, because really, how could I resist? And if the book's already bound for a series deal, it must be worth a read. Only 5+ months to wait... Sigh.</span></span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-33242472434506484062011-04-13T00:07:00.000-04:002011-04-13T00:07:56.963-04:00new design giveaway<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So I don't know if you all check out Siobian over at <a href="http://siobianthebookowl.blogspot.com/">The Owl Bookmark Blog</a>, but she's currently hosting a giveaway for a new custom design! One lucky blogger will win a package including:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";">ê</span></span> custom header</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";">ê</span></span> custom background</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";">ê</span></span> link bar with up to 5 buttons</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";">ê</span></span> signature</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";">ê</span></span> blog button with code</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";">ê</span></span> custom rating system for reviews</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";">ê</span></span> custom colors to match new design</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: "Wingdings 2";">ê</span></span> installation</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I know I will definitely be participating. My blog needs a revamping! If you guys feel the same way, be sure to check this out!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0ucfK61xwCrDLof2eaUOuBong9yMzXIUI8rWx9yXB5A2imKOcTEfi65CPC-MXmSZ-nm8EYUR7aC_2OYI4zf2yNxGKQVXc5S6cgzUlMQEfyaKOz6KeX1ozk1jvBZUB_FB6cvwsT9RiLQS/s1600/owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0ucfK61xwCrDLof2eaUOuBong9yMzXIUI8rWx9yXB5A2imKOcTEfi65CPC-MXmSZ-nm8EYUR7aC_2OYI4zf2yNxGKQVXc5S6cgzUlMQEfyaKOz6KeX1ozk1jvBZUB_FB6cvwsT9RiLQS/s1600/owl.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siobian's Awesomely Original Design!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-52513311271070178122011-04-10T14:50:00.000-04:002011-04-10T14:51:10.570-04:00review: Breathing Underwater<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">YUM.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Do you guys have an Einstein's near your house? We have one on campus, and I'm completely addicted now. My friend suggested I try the Cookies & Creme Frap, and it's like a mouthful of heaven every time you take a sip... highly recommended!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">And now, onto the review.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XEPMhADE3REmhc5mGdpAjTv0VOA0F6r42VtaGpgMdgs6zPY6DaiIv6dTjAOElV2RQiTveT9VzEIKF4W0PSZyTridr7PzfGcAFUKm6VBa8KfVa53yPqyygJRsSKzxP5v_gdSsQufVKqZK/s1600/imagesCA4LRC24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XEPMhADE3REmhc5mGdpAjTv0VOA0F6r42VtaGpgMdgs6zPY6DaiIv6dTjAOElV2RQiTveT9VzEIKF4W0PSZyTridr7PzfGcAFUKm6VBa8KfVa53yPqyygJRsSKzxP5v_gdSsQufVKqZK/s320/imagesCA4LRC24.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/389535.Breathing_Underwater">Breathing Underwater</a><br />
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Author: Alex Flinn<br />
Publisher: HarperTeen<br />
Release Date: 1 October 2002<br />
Pages: 263</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Like father,<br />
like son </em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Intelligent, popular, handsome, and wealthy, sixteen-year-old Nick Andreas is pretty much perfect — on the outside, at least. What no one knows — not even his best friend — is the terror that Nick faces every time he is alone with his father. Then he and Caitlin fall in love, and Nick thinks his problems are over. Caitlin is the one person who he can confide in. But when things start to spiral out of control, Nick must face the fact that he's gotten more from his father than green eyes and money.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Luna's Take:</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">First thing: DON'T be repelled by this book solely because it was first published over 8 years ago and thus considered "ancient" in the ever-progressing bloggosphere. I had read something else of Flinn's, Beastly, over the summer, and I really liked her storyline, so I decided to try out another of her works.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Let me just say, it's a decision I definitely don't regret. Upon the first 50 pages or so, I really thought Nick was a fairly average guy, albeit one with some serious anger management issues. We find that his ex-girlfriend Caitlin put a restraining order on him because he allegedly treated her poorly, although we don't find exactly what that entails until nearly the end of the novel. However, throughout journal entries that Nick writes, I initially deduced that all that happened was him hitting Caitlin. Once.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Not to say I support abusive relationships, because I am 110% against them. It's just that with all that Nick's been through, I sort of understood where his anger came from. He shouldn't have hit his girlfriend, sure, but he really didn't know how to ask for help, who to tell, and so on and so forth. If you think I'm crazy though, don't feel afraid to disagree!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">As I read on, I realized there was a bucketload of things readers weren't privy to from the get-go. I personally did not like Caitlin as a character. To me, she seems kind of weak and meager for the majority of the book, someone who can't really speak up for herself when it counts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">All in all, I suggest picking up a copy of Breathing Underwater for an intense ride.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia;"><em>Rating: 4/5</em></span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-18162085664544040282011-04-09T20:16:00.000-04:002011-04-10T14:13:41.207-04:00in my mailbox #1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">In My Mailbox is a book meme hosted by Kristi @ </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/" style="color: #a32db6; text-decoration: none;">The <span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: none;">Story Siren</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">. Be sure to join in the fun and share your IMM! </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Gahh second post today, I'm on a roll!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Anyways, I figure that since I had such a huge shipment of books that landed on my doorstep the other day, I should share my list with you guys. :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I would post up a picture of all my fabulous books, but unfortunately, I forgot to do that when I was back home, and now I'm in my dorm again... Sad. Probably won't be going back in a while, so I'll just post up higher-quality images of all the books I received! Here they are...</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDAUUij12UHgsvlzlBeUoJcv8oDECJcrYVZaBXlWrqE5e4r8qbSDUjjR_DgEpL9jddX26zJotnMOD-4J33z6MqOrgSePj3LgSgqkiQA3mfK4Wk-6U0TN4ZgGOxh9_AZayP2HQ2L1rSU-V/s200/images.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="126" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6421588-hourglass">Hourglass</a> by Claudia Gray</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFtwX6TcbckZrTk_e4c4jt320X-HYWXKyc0wYd3xXQ1Bi-v1D091j582qviI5P56dH8YzwI9PJ3V-WmbWAAZFe9M7kqp9LTtxkn3GNyQRMLHLlmIEKtujFN5wJ33U8t9X68T17EX-HnJh/s1600/imagesCA3MU21Y.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFtwX6TcbckZrTk_e4c4jt320X-HYWXKyc0wYd3xXQ1Bi-v1D091j582qviI5P56dH8YzwI9PJ3V-WmbWAAZFe9M7kqp9LTtxkn3GNyQRMLHLlmIEKtujFN5wJ33U8t9X68T17EX-HnJh/s200/imagesCA3MU21Y.jpg" width="131" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5867763-sleepless">Sleepless</a> by Thomas Fahy</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_LZI8ERQPuczsRY8V7Yf97aMFNpFzNPuZuB_g-MsvJ2sNNWfwVm089g4WoTOOcdJfVCmdUqDzBm62pkYRija9jHk3DkDr4N-oLBwsRwQd7BQKtKVIu8uHHDgRLRYzLH2yOItZ5nzFaFL/s1600/imagesCA5PQNTO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_LZI8ERQPuczsRY8V7Yf97aMFNpFzNPuZuB_g-MsvJ2sNNWfwVm089g4WoTOOcdJfVCmdUqDzBm62pkYRija9jHk3DkDr4N-oLBwsRwQd7BQKtKVIu8uHHDgRLRYzLH2yOItZ5nzFaFL/s200/imagesCA5PQNTO.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5231173-twenty-boy-summer">Twenty Boy Summer</a> by Sarah Ockler</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2m0-kjoHHqesU3GDeuxzi7_zifGG5UmgnI716oEF2oMhnvuLyaoMAvtv6zP50N7CY_JN50V8v4Dn-6G7ZlSS7Fr3uIKqgovkESSelKNC9nN3MZaWWxrSA0Y6b3drR1g8v1vlT26ciqgBn/s1600/imagesCA5NE2LX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2m0-kjoHHqesU3GDeuxzi7_zifGG5UmgnI716oEF2oMhnvuLyaoMAvtv6zP50N7CY_JN50V8v4Dn-6G7ZlSS7Fr3uIKqgovkESSelKNC9nN3MZaWWxrSA0Y6b3drR1g8v1vlT26ciqgBn/s200/imagesCA5NE2LX.jpg" width="128" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7059135-inside-out">Inside Out</a> <br />
by Maria V. Snyder</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7095326-crash-test-love">Crash Test Love</a> by Ted Michael</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbQnbOmtECwIbg87ld0dCgJQ0P4q2NcXy0EzY1Pf50P-tuJrOmhuBI6Ie4B-dTIA_RNdHWG3bIIiWS7vcYpfZQqOWw_FuYOiiVM_jqy1qoLacbWmGJBHokOX598zJ4ZtyyVT7iozJxAvw/s1600/imagesCA4LRC24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbQnbOmtECwIbg87ld0dCgJQ0P4q2NcXy0EzY1Pf50P-tuJrOmhuBI6Ie4B-dTIA_RNdHWG3bIIiWS7vcYpfZQqOWw_FuYOiiVM_jqy1qoLacbWmGJBHokOX598zJ4ZtyyVT7iozJxAvw/s200/imagesCA4LRC24.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/389535.Breathing_Underwater">Breathing Underwater</a> <br />
by Alex Flinn</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUU9A7kbMLmui83va-SqutWaTPkWT2j1ueCqsDt3s4MQ7jk6EBVgpyEFXKm-0kWCUMIDod1baQ9KdxWPYrAXkMRbNuSsC3wyPysgqONIQ0D6R4BKXjY_D3njwQkVdi6fxs_Zl-sbfdOMsh/s1600/imagesCADEP5Q4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUU9A7kbMLmui83va-SqutWaTPkWT2j1ueCqsDt3s4MQ7jk6EBVgpyEFXKm-0kWCUMIDod1baQ9KdxWPYrAXkMRbNuSsC3wyPysgqONIQ0D6R4BKXjY_D3njwQkVdi6fxs_Zl-sbfdOMsh/s200/imagesCADEP5Q4.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/930428.Teach_Me">Teach Me</a> by R.A. Nelson</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7422080-girl-parts">Girl Parts</a> by John M. Cusick</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5737588-ruby-unscripted">Ruby Unscripted</a> <br />
by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismdsa_PEwQQBvHAihVp4w3dzrwkSmIFJ8XAZh3abrshHN3mOaX_cXXLX84zxWmFIOkRHkY2akH-Rll4d1uU7uwH3PWiO6Nt_iEokRces6T83cXlrePnOA_-Lp-3iekMg6HUf7lA_MIMaN/s1600/imagesCAFYLSZK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismdsa_PEwQQBvHAihVp4w3dzrwkSmIFJ8XAZh3abrshHN3mOaX_cXXLX84zxWmFIOkRHkY2akH-Rll4d1uU7uwH3PWiO6Nt_iEokRces6T83cXlrePnOA_-Lp-3iekMg6HUf7lA_MIMaN/s200/imagesCAFYLSZK.jpg" width="146" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6344423-intertwined">Intertwined</a> by Gena Showalter</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5U79q3yWi-8YnXvrPNTivyBDh3op3vXgQs9iQZYjQyanWxtS67-dcgx2nlcZhbyswiTQ03CvzKSs1Rn28f1PUN4kB1sKl6JgfwxdGwSit4bpljXoCa3bacy7lBui54T3oTY3fxerxf5L/s1600/imagesCAP0DITA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5U79q3yWi-8YnXvrPNTivyBDh3op3vXgQs9iQZYjQyanWxtS67-dcgx2nlcZhbyswiTQ03CvzKSs1Rn28f1PUN4kB1sKl6JgfwxdGwSit4bpljXoCa3bacy7lBui54T3oTY3fxerxf5L/s200/imagesCAP0DITA.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4374400-if-i-stay">If I Stay</a> by Gayle Forman</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFl0rBeu8y97tfXbqog7pyXHRt23Ly6XLD6HuM5hyL46PlrCmA-juNPfFplrvpFXRwnYNVzSV2JUE1tmRBPAqxhiBLduNRzc-oYat020W07SeQ3KXyk6UuAzEuVpxrLYTVxOED2BnC4W7n/s1600/imagesCAP3ZMGV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFl0rBeu8y97tfXbqog7pyXHRt23Ly6XLD6HuM5hyL46PlrCmA-juNPfFplrvpFXRwnYNVzSV2JUE1tmRBPAqxhiBLduNRzc-oYat020W07SeQ3KXyk6UuAzEuVpxrLYTVxOED2BnC4W7n/s200/imagesCAP3ZMGV.jpg" width="129" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6280118-one-day">One Day</a> by David Nicholls</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgBLd6VJGct6ofqKkr0kTeGzpKuFhocq4EdmMCN1o6Glnwl7JG1bH8q3OvdLxKC-A6vnhAnpMnR_GrfOpRxPq5Mhh079koudDgPDGfEBFSiCCqVKaC3C-X0eBN3LnQGDVAnJRmXIUhATQ/s1600/imagesCAPPRMJD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgBLd6VJGct6ofqKkr0kTeGzpKuFhocq4EdmMCN1o6Glnwl7JG1bH8q3OvdLxKC-A6vnhAnpMnR_GrfOpRxPq5Mhh079koudDgPDGfEBFSiCCqVKaC3C-X0eBN3LnQGDVAnJRmXIUhATQ/s200/imagesCAPPRMJD.jpg" width="134" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3831768-swoon">Swoon</a> by Nina Malkin</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rrygsOkecbrfpGIxtODmAJ2aRUdYsce8SLx15IinpoEr4V-RraVpqIdSRExvzQe4Toie6J1l3_JvljQ38kVKa-RwKOs4QdJldcLLpYMi1CnhU9a8mVyWShoKmoRCGlcx5Afwss0cUzRt/s1600/imagesCAS0X3TX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rrygsOkecbrfpGIxtODmAJ2aRUdYsce8SLx15IinpoEr4V-RraVpqIdSRExvzQe4Toie6J1l3_JvljQ38kVKa-RwKOs4QdJldcLLpYMi1CnhU9a8mVyWShoKmoRCGlcx5Afwss0cUzRt/s200/imagesCAS0X3TX.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5806303-taken-by-storm">Taken By Storm</a><br />
by Angela Morrison</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0eduPRjkfCRrLp9piZOaqCClOaBopugflQZwT1mrHpljz_aXUlejKd_eOk5aD59gzzLMbpe4sB8aDMW9sLL5CMnMf3HtRRV6R726BfhSIAt0qS7-B_it3ar7QTl1LN7xDa2Ply15KtRO/s1600/imagesCAR2NP2O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0eduPRjkfCRrLp9piZOaqCClOaBopugflQZwT1mrHpljz_aXUlejKd_eOk5aD59gzzLMbpe4sB8aDMW9sLL5CMnMf3HtRRV6R726BfhSIAt0qS7-B_it3ar7QTl1LN7xDa2Ply15KtRO/s200/imagesCAR2NP2O.jpg" width="138" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6186357-the-maze-runner">The Maze Runner</a><br />
by James Dashner</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzyYG6ztaNljj5mNQWtpxOQn8JftIcxs9fqy7OEsift80nmcy6v2MJp8mWNbl1vMybHaDB-AnYAtY85VMhEUojNRyt3uDUnbk8M97TJbMgPhzytCHKBa5urdj293PKQ5NVZLjXm8PJY8Z/s1600/imagesCAQLL50J.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzyYG6ztaNljj5mNQWtpxOQn8JftIcxs9fqy7OEsift80nmcy6v2MJp8mWNbl1vMybHaDB-AnYAtY85VMhEUojNRyt3uDUnbk8M97TJbMgPhzytCHKBa5urdj293PKQ5NVZLjXm8PJY8Z/s200/imagesCAQLL50J.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7744064-infinite-days">Infinite Days</a><br />
by Rebecca Maizel</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlsVusNnaOA-O6IWryZoJmMJOzX15s-ptBvRyHOxwMJKjP78TKEIcKfKQvjk70F-tCixvOg88EMKKzdCddAzowJa1-DZcH8lmFPoekgI9256eWSA1x5oMWMd7Hacnu70uKKaNChCLFtEs/s1600/imagesCAU8JV4A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlsVusNnaOA-O6IWryZoJmMJOzX15s-ptBvRyHOxwMJKjP78TKEIcKfKQvjk70F-tCixvOg88EMKKzdCddAzowJa1-DZcH8lmFPoekgI9256eWSA1x5oMWMd7Hacnu70uKKaNChCLFtEs/s200/imagesCAU8JV4A.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5598819-the-secret-year">The Secret Year</a><br />
by Jennifer R. Hubbard</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEx1skKSpe7WSHX8sa6IoJCSBF8jmSxstCgqJsqj65RXjQ0qpoNnLBqXp33-ZqzhwAlDgPXNg1xVhfdRY0X3DC4XwS67HktYgj6h1e5FuR_abRAcAGDcnkj-iEF7FWxC1_3bI_mVTJ7uE3/s1600/imagesCAW9Z7WC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEx1skKSpe7WSHX8sa6IoJCSBF8jmSxstCgqJsqj65RXjQ0qpoNnLBqXp33-ZqzhwAlDgPXNg1xVhfdRY0X3DC4XwS67HktYgj6h1e5FuR_abRAcAGDcnkj-iEF7FWxC1_3bI_mVTJ7uE3/s200/imagesCAW9Z7WC.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7948945-falling-under">Falling Under</a><br />
by Gwen Hayes</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxu-KYImksIQpN3IdNrTTcCWzND0m9kVCErm2UAqu2qbDO0FRgrA4zp4XCg093PHF_IhUVSLtSdqJM_C6oJA7kzBrcUoekoaypo3n07ZfxwFDIFVt5mruIG9XoxgpgkYHM1TSnAa2PiGf/s1600/strange.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxu-KYImksIQpN3IdNrTTcCWzND0m9kVCErm2UAqu2qbDO0FRgrA4zp4XCg093PHF_IhUVSLtSdqJM_C6oJA7kzBrcUoekoaypo3n07ZfxwFDIFVt5mruIG9XoxgpgkYHM1TSnAa2PiGf/s200/strange.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6006518-strange-angels">Strange Angels</a><br />
by Lili St. Crow</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4vGcZy2umc2FuqbY136hvI5kAFju_rxZ4VW_GEIgy9wlxv0bbRylyavW4kiFX8Z9YNg6WbriWNJ3Z-3-_wFcmnIwMEKloJz3zQalECah18tpStj1T0z7lULrb41O86swmGCpbbMVgQ2o/s1600/tear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4vGcZy2umc2FuqbY136hvI5kAFju_rxZ4VW_GEIgy9wlxv0bbRylyavW4kiFX8Z9YNg6WbriWNJ3Z-3-_wFcmnIwMEKloJz3zQalECah18tpStj1T0z7lULrb41O86swmGCpbbMVgQ2o/s200/tear.jpg" width="127" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6411554-the-tear-collector">The Tear Collector</a><br />
by Patrick Jones</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviaQiyj5lFoQ17KgUcny29Hj3T-E1Y4QSXEm9xD00Gz8SWZhXARYcrlaJ3lRbn4rwMqJ_9lu6fuXCt9M2fQsS-8X0kqwJFRvtW9ydahUY7g_fFYkFt51SRyeuaq4wDCje0rqIFUcxaB0d/s1600/imagesCABM4S60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviaQiyj5lFoQ17KgUcny29Hj3T-E1Y4QSXEm9xD00Gz8SWZhXARYcrlaJ3lRbn4rwMqJ_9lu6fuXCt9M2fQsS-8X0kqwJFRvtW9ydahUY7g_fFYkFt51SRyeuaq4wDCje0rqIFUcxaB0d/s200/imagesCABM4S60.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9751406-the-trouble-with-mr-darcy">The Trouble With Mr. Darcy</a> <br />
by Sharon Lathan</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><img height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76a9URKW6aaXY0HNYrpIOq2WQkt-ak3O3GOovdOJY5qa4F_uCLq14TyUvjvpNPEpF1EYCDGLFTgjK6igY0UyyNBSEnG78dX6jwwDXztcInaAM9Tj5M8BzvoAWmZvtTQ0ZWMDlqwIV0DBN/s200/imagesCATH8J9T.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 404px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 1729px; visibility: hidden;" width="68" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sorry for the weird spacing. I'm not... how do you say, "computer-savvy." Anyways, don't they look awesome?! I love getting tons of books all at once, clearly. And I don't feel embarrassed telling you guys, since I know you're all book nerds at heart! Don't deny... I can't even decide which cover is my favorite. Sleepless? Twenty Boy Summer? The Secret Year?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">If you all have any suggestions as to which I should attack first, comment away! And also tell </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">me whether you'd prefer me to review one over the others.</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">*EDIT 04/10/11</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">So I went over to my friend's place and was on her computer, checking out my blog (how vain of me, I know). She has a Mac, and I realized how my IMM looks horribly disfigured! Just saying, I have a Dell and this post looks alright on my laptop... So I guess I'm just saying, sorry if this looks really horrible on your Mac! I'll try and gain some computer skills by next time...</span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-86144728258027719352011-04-09T19:35:00.000-04:002011-04-09T19:35:27.007-04:00wishlist #1<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hey all! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">So I don't know if you guys visit Isalys & Vanessa @ <a href="http://booksoulmates.blogspot.com/">Book Soulmates</a>, but each month, they host something called Random Acts of Kindness. I've snatched one of their buttons, so you can go ahead and check it out on the right, but basically, it's where bloggers post up their own wishlists then check out other blogger's lists to see if they can make their dreams come true... in a "random act of kindness!" :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I think the theory behind this idea is simply brilliant, and I can't wait to participate! Anyways, the following is my current wishlist. Just a disclaimer, this is definitely the shortened version - my original one is wayy too long.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">So here goes!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1) <span id="goog_1430938664"></span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6686092-lies">Lies<span id="goog_1430938665"></span></a> (Gone #3) by Michael Grant - paperback</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">2) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6752378-city-of-fallen-angels">City of Fallen Angels</a> (The Mortal Insturments #4) by Cassandra Clare</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">3) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8525590-wither">Wither</a> (Chemical Garden #1) by Lauren DeStefano</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">4) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8428195-entwined">Entwined</a> by Heather Dixon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">5) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8428110-through-her-eyes">Through Her Eyes</a> by Jennifer Archer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">6) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9802528-leap">Leap</a> by Jodi Lundgren</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">7) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6929996-the-absolute-value-of-1">The Absolute Value of -1</a> by Steve Brezenoff</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">8) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6586512-sing-me-to-sleep">Sing Me to Sleep</a> by Angela Morrison</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">9) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6609549-by-the-time-you-read-this-i-ll-be-dead">By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead</a> by Julie Anne Peters</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">10) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7135858-my-name-is-memory">My Name is Memory</a> by Ann Brashares</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Good luck to all the other bloggers out there participating in RAK - hope I can help you out, too!</span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-58517106066598693042011-04-07T16:16:00.000-04:002011-04-07T16:18:41.068-04:00review: Where I Belong<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hola! Hope everyone's having a nice day so far. As for me, the weather's been great recently! A little cool, but that's the way I like it, really. Nice and crisp. And now, to the review!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsfze4DerVx3U-7iChs-bkL0ObyMdcdCvWvxyn7_67Yo98syRoIL8mOzv8WRZRcwWIPbpMVvxzCSR_Dxn1Vfbdfh4UEExP_yoYvYAl4GSKU0Zfd_Izht5q7kTzH5_peHN8U51Onk0YkIe/s1600/173816_1721668253_7259273_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsfze4DerVx3U-7iChs-bkL0ObyMdcdCvWvxyn7_67Yo98syRoIL8mOzv8WRZRcwWIPbpMVvxzCSR_Dxn1Vfbdfh4UEExP_yoYvYAl4GSKU0Zfd_Izht5q7kTzH5_peHN8U51Onk0YkIe/s320/173816_1721668253_7259273_n.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8430916-where-i-belong">Where I Belong</a><br />
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Author: Gwendolyn Heasley<span class="greyText" title="Goodreads Author!"><span style="color: #999999;"> </span></span><br />
Publisher: HarperTeen<br />
Release Date: 8 February 2011<br />
Pages: 289</td></tr>
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<span id="freeText7629125750370401375"><em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Meet Corrinne. She's living every girl's dream in New York City—shopping sprees at Barneys, open access to the best clubs and parties, and her own horse at the country club. Her perfect life is perfectly on track. At least it was. . . . </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When Corrinne's father is laid off, her world suddenly falls apart. Instead of heading to boarding school, she's stripped of her credit cards and shipped off to the boonies of Texas to live with her grandparents. On her own in a big public school and forced to take a job shoveling manure, Corrinne is determined to get back to the life she's supposed to be living. She doesn't care who she stomps on in the process. But when Corrinne makes an unlikely friend and discovers a total hottie at work, she begins to wonder if her life B.R.—before the recession—was as perfect as it seemed.</span></em><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Luna's Take:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">When we first meet Corrinne, she's a total brat. Take all the stereotypes you have about snobby rich girls, multiply it by 3.14159, and you have our main character. When she finds out that her once opulent father lost his job, she completely blows her top. Because, she won't be able to buy designer clothes anymore! Or go to that super snazzy boarding school! And let's not even talk about her having to move all the way to hick-ville Texas in order to accomodate their lack of cash flow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">As we progress through the book, she does mature a bit, but not as much as I would've hoped. In this way, I was disappointed in the book. As a cover-judger, I thought this might've been more amazing, profound, whatever... But my hopes were left in the dust. Sigh. The ending was not red carpet worthy, either.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">That's not saying this doesn't make a good light read, because it really does. Just a forewarning though - if you're looking for a book with more meat, don't choose this one.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia;"><em>Rating: 3/5</em></span></span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-85941156565788499392011-04-06T16:50:00.000-04:002011-04-06T16:50:10.935-04:00the hunger games movie casting: peeta & gale<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hey all!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sorry I'm a little late on the uptake for this one, school's been pretty killer lately. Anyways, I was surfing the net just now and came upon this little gem: the casting for for Peeta and Gale in The Hunger Games movie has been announced! Let's see our men of the hour...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Y1LEwCr6Unn0sIfCnrdYI9ttOVutFE1Uq8ekIAqP6jgv0qVI3JetNq8Vl8Tj4vAbxiopcO8dN3FVeDuX8MQbTaoZSUfou2lSGQfv6Iz7In0ByzL_8nHTY_ohSZwOF1yu-Huh7R9RITHd/s1600/josh-hutcherson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Y1LEwCr6Unn0sIfCnrdYI9ttOVutFE1Uq8ekIAqP6jgv0qVI3JetNq8Vl8Tj4vAbxiopcO8dN3FVeDuX8MQbTaoZSUfou2lSGQfv6Iz7In0ByzL_8nHTY_ohSZwOF1yu-Huh7R9RITHd/s320/josh-hutcherson.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Josh Hutcherson starring as Peeta Mellark</span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUowQHgL8j83MdJqFt7un9fZswxzN9_dScpkft12E36HXFzegnwztvGQUopFF6BzAeBPVYcNfPTI7n0kHYYQtAtdGZV3_VpC5Wvo1FZ5nBUj6IdhhrqNvxehWxwToII_qwKj2K1KO9v-4g/s1600/imagesCAT4A28W.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUowQHgL8j83MdJqFt7un9fZswxzN9_dScpkft12E36HXFzegnwztvGQUopFF6BzAeBPVYcNfPTI7n0kHYYQtAtdGZV3_VpC5Wvo1FZ5nBUj6IdhhrqNvxehWxwToII_qwKj2K1KO9v-4g/s1600/imagesCAT4A28W.jpg" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Liam Hemsworth starring as Gale Hawthorne</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What do you guys think? I have to admit, I was a little disappointed when Jennifer Lawrence snatched the role of Katniss. With respect to acting, I do believe she's perfect for the role; her Oscar nomination speaks for itself! But as for appearance-wise, I think she's a little too all-American for my tastes. Personally, I thought Hailee Steinfield parallels Katniss's looks better. Though it might have been her age that impeded her from landing the role, who knows?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Anyways, onto <em>the guys</em>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Before I get into anything else, let me just mention one thing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">HOW IN THE WORLD did Josh get so smoldering hot?! All I remember of him is from the movie Bridge to Terabithia, which was in 2007, sure, but still. He's grown up so much! No more do rag hairstyle for him! I know, I know, "do rag" makes no sense here. It's just the phrase I use to describe the hair some guys have - you know the type - slightly too long, flippy, with an air of unkemptness. Like JB style, tenfold.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">But as for his similarity to Peeta... ? Where are the blonde locks? The bright blue eyes? It may be picky of me to mention, but for once, I'd like casters of a novel-adapted-movie to pick actors who can both act AND look the part. Sigh. Josh does give an air of sensitivity though, at least to me. I feel he can at least act the part.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Now I've never watched The Last Song, but that may just be due to the fact that I don't approve of Miley. So I don't know if Liam can act, AND I don't like his looks, especially when comparing him to intense, passionate Gale. Liam's a bit too pale and light-haired for the part, but who knows? With some sun and a dye job, he may do just fine. At least he's got a cool name going on for him.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Any thoughts from you fellow bloggers?</span></div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-61468140127316434892011-03-26T18:55:00.000-04:002011-03-26T18:58:52.221-04:00review: How It Ends<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I've fallen in love. With a book. Its name is How It Ends and I just can't stop thinking about it. You know when you read a truly amazing book, you keep going over and over the plotline events and simply sit there, feeling utterly amazed at the intense connection you feel with the characters or story or whatever? Well, case in point.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UH2valoVT2dwreiEXD3HibTTX1uy9SgHbveYmXYvFn5IOxhnxQkodop97xFEloWodaTBgXPwA2FMKJu-gumAn6h077D15pvZEb14CEMNQ5v1I6Q-6kEX8wj4odNzTSpaIy7xhWLiLG7j/s1600/HowItEnds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UH2valoVT2dwreiEXD3HibTTX1uy9SgHbveYmXYvFn5IOxhnxQkodop97xFEloWodaTBgXPwA2FMKJu-gumAn6h077D15pvZEb14CEMNQ5v1I6Q-6kEX8wj4odNzTSpaIy7xhWLiLG7j/s320/HowItEnds.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5927595-how-it-ends">How It Ends</a><br />
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Author: Laura Wiess<br />
Publisher: MTV<br />
Release Date: August 2009<br />
Pages: 344<br />
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</tbody></table> <em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">All Hanna's wanted since sophomore year is Seth. She's gone out with other guys, even gained a rep for being a flirt, all the while hoping cool, guitar-playing Seth will choose her. Then she gets him -- but their relationship is hurtful, stormy and critical, not at all what Hanna thinks a perfect love should be. Bewildered by Seth's treatment of her and in need of understanding, Hanna decides to fulfill her school's community service requirement by spending time with Helen, her terminally ill neighbor, who she's turned to for comfort and wisdom throughout her life. But illness has changed Helen into someone Hanna hardly knows, and her home is not the refuge it once was. Feeling more alone than ever, Hanna gets drawn into an audiobook the older woman is listening to, a fierce, unsettling love story of passion, sacrifice, and devotion. Hanna's fascinated by the idea that such all-encompassing love can truly exist, and without her even realizing it, the story begins to change her. </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Until the day when the story becomes all too real...and Hanna's world is spun off its axis by its shattering, irrevocable conclusion.</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To me, a book distinguishes itself as the cream of the crop if it can make me cry. I don't think I've ever cried out of sheer happiness, so what I'm referring to are the tears that are elicited from a really tender and touching or else devastatingly heartwrenching moment. I wouldn't say this makes me a masochist, for wanting to have a book that can bring out a real good tearfest from me, I just think it's important for me to feel a connection with what I'm reading.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">With that being said, Laura Wiess is the go-to author if you're prepared for a bonafide bawl-a-palooza. I can't quite describe it precisely, but Wiess just knows which parts of the book she needs to spell out for readers and which parts are fairly self-explanatory. One thing I strongly dislike about some books is how they assume the readers are dumb and need everything explained to them, as if we don't know what foreshadowing or metaphors are. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">And truthfully, I don't think the blurb above does the book enough justice. It makes How It Ends sound a bit trite and unassuming, but seeing as how I've been raving about it this entire entry, I don't find that very accurate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The character development is just wonderful, I have to say. The book is told both in first and third person. Weiss makes sure to clearly differentiate from Hanna and Helen, the two main characters. And when the storytelling came along, I felt myself being drawn into what was happening, insomuch that I could really familiarize myself with the events.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">But seriously, you should pick up a copy of this for yourself. This review can't even hold a flame to How It Ends. Try it out, you might find yourself raving about it, too! :)</span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-45592162670052419402011-03-24T01:16:00.000-04:002011-03-24T01:16:48.964-04:00review: The Adoration of Jenna Fox<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Okay, so I might have said I wouldn't be posting for a while.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Well I lied.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So here goes my first review! Sorry if my lexicon has died a little, it's been a while since I had an English class. Hopefully my writing skills haven't gotten too rusty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyi39kz1yFqHHnNZ_zm6cFRUSTc8MCOt7l48wq_Uk8pVmlUv3-0-pgSFJ5DGfaEvEDamfIAS0a7yEbN-iAWrVy3nWaYvs_B61o9-vPyFZitFn60p4ZoofCKfxiLFVW9yxyyS4xwx4qfRz/s1600/The_Adoration_of_Jenna_Fox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyi39kz1yFqHHnNZ_zm6cFRUSTc8MCOt7l48wq_Uk8pVmlUv3-0-pgSFJ5DGfaEvEDamfIAS0a7yEbN-iAWrVy3nWaYvs_B61o9-vPyFZitFn60p4ZoofCKfxiLFVW9yxyyS4xwx4qfRz/s320/The_Adoration_of_Jenna_Fox.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1902241.The_Adoration_of_Jenna_Fox"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Adoration of Jenna Fox</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(Jenna Fox Chronicles, #1)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Author: Mary E. Pearson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Release Date: April 2008</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Pages: 266</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> <div align="center"><span id="freeText12558146648178003824"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></div><em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">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? </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">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.</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So this is a novel I read over my Spring Break (which was very short, sadly). I have to just put it out there - I am someone who judges a book by its cover. I don't do that with people, of course, but for books? Oh, yeah.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is one of the reasons I decided to give The Adoration of Jenna Fox a try, since the cover caught my attention. I'd like to say it speaks to me, you know? Just the way that you don't know whether the puzzle pieces, which seem to represent her essence, are slowly falling away (thus taking her identity with them), or else they are reforming her to become whole again. The colors are pretty snazzy, too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The title was interesting to me, as well. Adoration isn't necessarily a word I'd say gets used too often, so for Pearson to have integrated it into her title... Well, let's just say it's pretty significant as far as symbolism goes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Anyways! Down to the meat of it. Jenna wakes up from an unexplainable year-long trauma and finds herself thrown into this world she has no recollection of whatsoever. As much as her family tries to remind her of the past, Jenna initially can't bring herself to remember any memories, let alone the family members themselves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">As she gradually starts piecing back the puzzle pieces of her past, she gets her hesitant mom to send her to school. Little does she know it's a school specially designed for teens with... "problems." It's there that she meets Ethan, who of course is the love interest in the story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I found myself really enjoying this book. The way the author writes is very engaging, I felt myself understanding Jenna's confusion after being woken from her coma, and making the journey with her toward her recovery was filled with cliffhangers at times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">And I recently found out that there will be a new installment to this series (which I didn't even know was a series), with a description that can be found <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9774821-the-fox-inheritance">here</a>. I actually don't know how I feel about this novel continuing... I felt the first novel did the story justice. I don't know, others will probably feel differently. What do you think?</span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556457605267689481.post-66336405813575274942011-03-22T23:45:00.000-04:002011-03-22T23:45:43.589-04:00not with a bang, but a whimper.<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sigh, Tuesdays.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">You know how people always complain about Mondays? But what about the day after? Sure, Mondays signify the beginning of the dreaded school week, but after that's over, all you're greeted with is the arrival of nothing-major's-going-to-happen-to-you-today Tuesday. Hence, the sigh.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Anyways, hope you're all doing well! I've decided to get my own blog going. Woo, excitement! I'm probably not going to get to start my book reviews until a couple weeks later, when school winds down a bit and I get a smidge of time in to actually read some, but hopefully the ball will get rolling soon!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">In the meanwhile, I'm sure you've all heard "Friday" by Rebecca Black, correct? Well here's a little interview Good Morning America scheduled with our newest viral sensation...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NOHFy1Arf8&feature=feedlik">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NOHFy1Arf8&feature=feedlik</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Is it me, or does Rebecca's mom rock? Maybe it's just me, but there's something to be said about a mom who'd kill for her daughter (and is willing to admit it on national television...). Just sayin'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">So au revior! Happy World Water Day! Until next time, loves.</span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12282266486539677412noreply@blogger.com0