Top 10 Tuesday: Freebie!

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Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own Top 10 list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top 10 Tuesdays here.

Freebie: 10 Reasons Why I Love YA

This week, we get to pick any topic we want, and this week, it’s why I love young adult.  I love YA, which should be really obvious by now.  But there are so many reasons why I love it, and I’m sharing some of those reasons today.

  1. It’s so creative!  Adult fiction can be creative too, but there are so many great ideas in YA, and they are most certainly things you wouldn’t see over in the adult section.  There are so many great YA books out there, and I’m amazed at how fun, thoughtful, and interesting YA is.  Even when I don’t like a book, a lot of times, I do like the premise of the novel, and love that you see authors going for something different.
  2. Length.  I’m not going to lie, the length is part of why I love YA.  The more I read YA, the less I pay attention to the length, but I do like that they’re (generally speaking) shorter than “adult” books.
  3. There are a lot more options in the YA section than there were when I was in high school.  I graduated from high school 8 years ago, and even then, it didn’t seem like there was much to choose from.  Now?  I don’t even know where to start half the time!  I love that it’s growing so much, and that there’s almost always something to fit my mood!
  4. I find the characters and what they’re going through a lot easier to relate to.  Reading about characters who are trying to find their place in the world and figuring out who they are is so much more fun to read.
  5. I love that it’s so hopeful!  No matter what happens, there’s always hope that things will get better, that the characters can make a difference or get through whatever’s going on.  YA is good at reminding me that there is both good and bad in the world.
  6. YA authors seem so supportive of each other.  From a few interviews I’ve heard, and based on some acknowledgements I’ve read, it seems like quite a few YA authors really like each author, and are super-supportive of other YA authors.  This is seriously cool, and it’s nice to know that they support each other.
  7. YA authors also seem a lot more accessible than other authors.  Then again, I pay more attention to YA authors because it’s most of what I read, but I feel like I can tweet them, or comment on their blog or whatever, and that they might actually answer back.
  8. YA brings out a lot of emotions.  I’ve laughed until I’ve cried, I’ve sobbed, and I’ve done happy dances.  I’ve yelled at books, and fought the urge to throw some books at the wall.
  9. I’ve read so much YA that I am now inspired to write my own!  Thank you YA!
  10. There’s something comforting about YA, and I think it’s reading about characters who have so much potential and opportunities.  It’s a good reminder of who we can be.  Reading YA usually makes me feel better.

GG 1 x 12: Double Date

Posted in Season One, The Gilmore Girls Project by

Double Date originally aired January 18, 2001.  It was written by Amy Sherman-Palladino and was directed by Lev L. Spiro.

In Double Date, Lorelei goes on a double date with Sookie and Jackson, and ends up with a horribly rude blind date!  Lane goes on a double date, and gets in serious trouble with her mom.

We open with Lorelei and Rory’s morning routine.  From there, we see Lane asking Rory to set up her and Dean’s friend Todd, who is the current love of her life.  Lane’s love life (or lack thereof) is always entertaining.

Things are awkward between Sookie and Jackson, and we see that she never did anything after asking Jackson if he wanted to go out sometime.  She finally sets up a date…and it’s a double date, because Jackson’s cousin Roon is in town, and it never occurred to Sookie to reschedule the date.  Sookie is kinda clueless at times, but it is kind of endearing.

Dean and Rory set up the date with Lane and Todd.  I have to say, watching Rory talk to Dean about setting up Lane and Todd…it was a hard scene to watch.  Rory’s so eager and persistent, but for some reason, Rory was really annoying in this scene.

We move on to date night, and Sookie’s nervous.  Lorelei’s helping her get ready, and Rory and Lane are getting ready for their night, all while trying to figure out what to tell Lorelei.

Meeting Roon was interesting.  He’s not happy about being set up with Lorelei, mostly because she’s tall…I was amused by his issue with her height.  As someone who’s not quite 5 feet tall, it’s nice when there’s someone tall, because they can get things off the top shelf.  Then again, it could be different for guys.

Sookie’s chattering away nervously, and the dinner really isn’t going well.  I vaguely remember Jackson looking a little bored, Roon is still annoyed he has to be there with Lorelei, and Lorelei is trying to get Sookie to talk to Jackson instead of her.

Meanwhile, Lane’s date with Todd isn’t going well either.  She realizes that he’s not her soulmate.  I seriously want to know more about these Connecticut schools!  Todd is majoring in gym…in high school!  I know it’s a fictional town, on a t.v. show…but that is one nice public high school if they have majors.  Did the writers not notice this or something?  I just think it’s weird.  But whatever.  I’ll go with it.

Lorelei, Sookie, Jackson and Roon leave the restaurant they’re at, and go to Luke’s instead.  Roon leaves, and wants Jackson to go with him, but Jackson ends up staying with Sookie.  Luke plays cards (poker, I think) with Lorelei so that she’s not alone.  Mrs. Kim comes in, looking for Lane, and that’s when they realize Rory and Lane weren’t completely honest with them.  They all go home, and Lane gets grounded, while Lorelei just talks to Rory about what happened.

Later, Lorelei talks to Mrs. Kim about how Lane’s a good kid, and to ease up a little.  You really see how differently they parent their kids, but you also see that they want the best for their kids and for them to be safe.  Mrs. Kim is one of my favorite characters on the show, and while strict now, she does become a lot cooler later on in the series.  We see that Lane can go in the front yard, as long as she stands behind the sign in the front yard.

Favorite scenes: Lorelei not wanting to study; anything with Michel is great

Pop Culture: Yoko Ono breaking up the Beatles, Sylvia Plath’s autobiography

Final thoughts: I liked seeing the start of Jackson and Sookie’s relationship.  I love Mrs. Kim, and she always makes me laugh, but she really is a great character.  It was a fun episode, and it got quite a few giggles.  It was fun, and I liked it!  It gets 3.5 mugs of coffee!

Princess In The Spotlight

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Book: Princess In The Spotlight by Meg Cabot

Published July 2000 by HarperCollins Publishers, 256 pages

How I Got The Book: Purchased for my Nook

Genre: YA: Contemporary

Find out more: Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Meg Cabot

Goodreads.com Summary: No one ever said being a princess was easy.

Just when Mia thought she had the whole princess thing under control, things get out of hand, fast. First there’s an unexpected announcement from her mother. Then Grandmère arranges a national primetime interview for the brand-new crown princess of Genovia. On top of that, intriguing, exasperating letters from a secret admirer begin to arrive.

Before she even has the chance to wonder who those letters are from, Mia is swept up in a whirlwind of royal intrigue the likes of which hasn’t been seen since volume I of The Princess Diaries.

I really like The Princess Diaries series.  Princess In The Spotlight is a fun read, and things really do move fast.  We learn that Mia’s mom is pregnant, so she’s going to have a sibling, and she also has a secret admirer.  She has to deal with the aftermath of an interview that she gave, and manages to annoy people at school, mention her mom’s relationship on national t.v., and has a fight with Lily because her first interview wasn’t on Lily’s t.v. show.  Sometimes, I wonder why Mia and Lily are friends, but at least Lily isn’t just talking to her because of her being a princess.

I love that it’s in diary form, and how we get to see what Mia’s thinking and feeling about her new life as a princess.  I also love the random lists throughout the book.  Mia’s so easy to relate to, and I can relate to a lot of her insecurities.  And she’s such a fun character- she is starting to grow into her role as a princess, and she’s definitely facing a lot of interesting challenges because she’s balancing a normal life with one of duty to Genovia.  She’s just a girl trying to get through high school, and she really feels like someone I could be friends with.

I just love that things don’t come easy for Mia.  She’s certainly not perfect, but I love that about her because being a princess isn’t as glamorous as it seems.  It’s actually refreshing to see a character who has to struggle with her new life and that it doesn’t automatically work out for her.

Final Thoughts: I didn’t love Princess In The Spotlight, but it’s a fun read, and a great addition to the series.

Some Nights

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Right now, one of my favorite songs is Some Nights by Fun.  It’s a great song, and I can’t stop listening to it.  I love the video- it wasn’t what I was expecting, but it’s still great.  Enjoy!

A Fractured Light

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Book: A Fractured Light by Jocelyn Davies

Published September 2012 by HarperTeen

Where I Got It: Purchased for my Nook, 352 pages

Genre: YA- Paranormal

Find out more: Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Jocelyn Davies

Goodreads.com Summary: When she wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings, Skye knows something terrible has happened to her. It’s not until she hears Asher, the dark, rebellious angel she fell in love with, that the memories come flooding back. She tries to put the past behind her, but she knows she’ll be forever haunted by the ruthless betrayal that almost took her life.

Skye returns home, but with the knowledge of who she really is, nothing can ever be the same. As she tests the limits of her newfound powers, Skye discovers that she’s capable of far more than anyone could have imagined. Both the Order and the Rebellion want her for their side as war between the factions looms. She can’t forget the terrifying truth she now knows about the Order, but something holds her back from embracing the Rebellion.

A Fractured Light is the sequel to A Beautiful Dark, and I can honestly say that I’m glad I didn’t stop with the first book!  I really liked A Fractured Light, and liked seeing Skye struggle with both the light and the dark that’s in her.  Was her decision a little predictable?  Yeah, but it’s also a good reminder that balance is good.  I also like that she’s learning to control all of her powers, and not just one side of them.

I liked learning more about Skye’s family, and how she decided that she needed to make her own way.  She has the best of the Order and the Rebellion, and eliminating one of those groups isn’t going to be good.  For anyone.  I did like that she didn’t automatically join the Rebellion even though she knew what the Order was like, and she seems intent on following her own path.  As for Asher and Devin, I’m not sure who I want her to end up with.  I feel like she’s going to end up with one of them, and I like that you can make a good case for either guy.  But Skye is also different enough that I feel like I’m going to be disappointed with whoever she doesn’t end up with.

We learn of Rogues, who don’t fit in with the Rebellion or the Order, and that Aunt Jo is a Rogue.  It’s an interesting idea, and one that will likely be important in the next book.  There wasn’t a lot of action, which means the epic battle between light and dark will be eventful and in the third book.  Still, we did learn a little more of the mythology, which was cool.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed A Fractured Light.  It was slightly predictable at times, but I loved the new things we learned, and how much Skye is changing.  It gets a 4 out of 5.

The Madness Begins Today

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So, today is the start of NaNoWriMo!  It’ll be a fun but crazy month of writing, so I’ll be sharing that crazy part of my life for the next month!

Remember how I said I was going to figure out where the parents of the main characters worked?

That hasn’t happened.  It’s not a big deal, because it may be a while before I get to that part of the story.  Even then, I can just have a factory or whatever, and if the need to change it comes along, I can be all inconsistent and have them work at a bunch of different places.  And when December comes, I can laugh at my inconsistency.

With the lack of planning I’ve done, this novel should be as funny as the one I did a few years ago where I had no idea what the heck I was doing.  But that’s enough about December…I should probably focus on actually writing it first.

Yes, write first, laugh later.  That just may be the slogan for the month.

I have no word count update…mostly because I don’t know what it is yet.  I have words, but they’re hand-written, and there’s no way I’m counting them.  I still have no clue where I’m going with it, but at least I have a start.  And I do know more about the characters than I did yesterday.  Or even last week.

I hope everyone had a great Halloween, and have a fun November!

Pretty Amy

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Book: Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein

Published May 2012 by Entangled Publishing

Purchased for my Nook (304 pages)

Genre: YA: Contemporary

Find out more: Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Lisa Burstein

Goodreads.com Summary: Amy is fine living in the shadows of beautiful Lila and uber-cool Cassie, because at least she’s somewhat beautiful and uber-cool by association. But when the girls get stood up for prom and take matters into their own hands—earning them a night in jail outfitted in satin, stilettos, and Spanx — Amy discovers even a prom spent in handcuffs might be better than the humiliating “rehabilitation techniques” now filling up her summer. Even worse, with Lila and Cassie parentally banned, Amy feels like she has nothing — like she is nothing.

Navigating unlikely alliances with her new coworker, two very different boys, and possibly even her parents, Amy struggles to decide if it’s worth being a best friend when it makes you a public enemy. Bringing readers along on an often hilarious and heartwarming journey, Amy finds that maybe getting a life only happens once you think your life is over.

I have mixed feelings about Pretty Amy.  We did get a novel about a girl dealing with the consequences of being arrested, but it wasn’t what I was expecting.  I think I was expecting something a little more light-hearted.

It was very hard to care about Amy and what happened to her.  She whined (a lot) and made a lot of stupid decisions.  Which does happen, but if she doesn’t care if she ends up in jail, why should I?  I think that’s my main issue with the book- she’d rather go to jail than explain what happened, and do what she needs to do to stay out of jail.  It really felt like Amy was just going through the motions and got a job and did community service just so people would leave her alone.

I can relate to Amy in some ways- mainly, how insecure and lonely she is.  And even though I could relate to her in some ways, more often than not, I really couldn’t care.  As for her relationship with her parents, I didn’t get why she didn’t like them.  It was never clear why they don’t have a good relationship, so it was hard to believe that they were as bad as Amy thought.  If there was something that led them to having the kind of relationship they did, then it’s a shame we didn’t get to see it.

At the same time, I thought it was an interesting choice that Amy didn’t want to help herself for a lot of the book.  I was expecting her to be all, “I really screwed things up, maybe I need to get my act together.”  But she didn’t, and I kind of liked that getting arrested didn’t seem to be a life-changing event for her.  I liked seeing her thought process and why she did what she did.  And I did like Amy’s sarcasm.

By the end, though, she did want to change, but it also seemed a little out of place.  I think it’s because she resisted it for so long, but at least we see that she’s starting to realize that she needs to change.

I have to say that I loved AJ, her pet parrot.  AJ is easily my favorite character in the book.  At least Amy had AJ.  Her boss wasn’t too bad, but all in all, I didn’t care for a lot of the characters.  It’s definitely realistic, and I feel like all of the characters were pretty realistic, even if I didn’t like any of them.

Final Thoughts: I thought Pretty Amy was okay.  I could relate to Amy a little, and I really liked that there wasn’t a happy ending.  Things don’t go the way we want them to, and sometimes we have to deal with the consequences of our stupidity.  Pretty Amy gets a 2 out of 5.  It’s not for me, but I’m sure there are a lot of people who will love Amy’s story.

Top 10 Favorite Kick-Ass Heroines

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Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top 10 Tuesdays here.

Top 10 Favorite Kick-Ass Heroines

I have a confession to make- I had a lot of trouble with this one at first.  I kept thinking of so many characters that have no problem saving the world, and want to take out the bad guy.  A tough, ready to fight, weapon-wielding bad-ass can be fun to read, but I also love the strong, quiet characters who struggle with things and are in the background helping out.  Being kick-ass can come in so many different forms, so I’m hoping my list reflects that.  Here are my picks!

  1. Evie from Paranormalcy.  She tracks vampires, werewolves, and other creatures, has a pink taser named Tasey, and loves pink, shopping, and clothes.  She’s a girly bad-ass, which is an awesome (yet seemingly rare) combination.
  2. Luna from Harry Potter.  She’s quirky, sometimes wears strange hats or jewelry, and is open to any possibility, no matter how insane and crazy it seems.  She really is at peace with herself, which is something I love about her.  She knows who she is, and she’s okay with that.
  3. Mrs. Weasley from Harry Potter.  Molly does kick-ass because of dueling with Bellatrix.  I love that Mrs. Weasley raised such a good group of wizards, and that her family (whether her own family or the people she kind of adopts) is so important to her.  Never mess with Mama Weasley…ever!
  4. Tally from Uglies.  I love how Tally keeps fighting every surgery she has, and I liked seeing Tally come to terms with her memories of David and Zane as she goes from Ugly to Pretty to Special, and much the surgery can change her perspective on things…if she lets it.  She really struggled with loyalty and making the right decision, and that the right decision can change depending on the circumstances.
  5. Lily from The Secret Life Of Bees.  I love Lily because she just wants a place to call home, and I loved that she found that home with the Boatwright sisters.  She has to deal with a lot of things, but she finds her place in the world.  She really just kicks ass because she takes this amazing journey and learns a lot about herself.
  6. Melinda from Speak.  She’s one of the first characters I thought of.   I loved seeing Melinda grow throughout the book, and how she used art to express herself.  Speaking up can take a lot of strength, and that we have a voice, no matter how much we try to ignore it.
  7. Hermione.  I know Hermione is an obvious choice, but I just have to include her.  Hermione’s really smart, and Ron and Harry are so lucky to have her around!  Plus, she cares about what happens to the house-elves, and fought for their rights, even when everyone thought she was crazy for doing that.
  8. Zara from Need.  Zara kicks ass in a lot of ways.  Like going to Valhalla to save Nick, or teaching her classmates how to fight the evil pixies.  She just wants to help people, and make sure they’re okay.  Plus, she leads a student chapter of Amnesty International at her school.  Fighting for the rights of people everywhere?  Totally cool.
  9. Tohru from Fruits Basket.  She might come across as a complete ditz, but she’s just so optimistic for someone who has lost her parents.  Plus, she wants to break the Zodiac curse, because she’s become good friends with Kyo and Yuki.  She’s such a good person, and never loses hope, no matter what’s going on in her life.
  10. Katniss from The Hunger Games.  I know Katniss is another obvious choice, and while hunting is a strength of hers, the biggest reason she kicks ass is that she volunteered as a tribute so Prim wouldn’t have to be a tribute.  She’d do anything to make sure her family is taken care of.

GG 1 x 11: Paris Is Burning

Posted in Season One, The Gilmore Girls Project by

Paris Is Burning originally aired January 11, 2001.  It was written by Joan Binder Weiss and directed by David Petrarca.

In Paris Is Burning, Lorelei has doubts about her relationship with Max, while Paris kind of accepts Rory’s offer of friendship.

We open with Rory and Lorelei going through diseases in alphabetically order to decide who will clean out the fridge.  It’s actually pretty funny, and a cute way to decide who will clean out the fridge.  Lorelei gets distracted by puppies, and we learn that Rory had a pet hamster named Skippy, who laughed at Lorelei.  To the point that Lorelei brought Skippy back to the pet store.  At this point, it’s not a surprise that Lorelei would do that, and in all honesty, I can see Lorelei wanting a pet, getting one, and then have Rory take care of it.

Lorelei has dinner with Max, and she borrows a copy of Swann’s Way.  It doesn’t seem like Lorelei’s kind of book, but I commend her for wanting to give it a try.  At Chilton, Madeleine, Louise and Paris are talking about who Max is dating.  Rory, of course, overhears, knowing that Max and her mom are dating.  We learn that Paris’ parents are going through a nasty divorce, and that all of the details are in the local papers.

At Friday night dinner, Lorelei learns about Parent’s Day, but goes because she doesn’t want Emily to.

Later, Rory asks if Max can go ice-skating with them, which freaks Lorelei out.  In a conversation with Sookie, she says that Max is great for someone.  Sookie calls her out on it, and Lorelei says that it’s not good that Rory is getting attached.  Sookie says Lorelei always dumps a guy after 2 months, while Lorelei insists this isn’t a pattern.

At Chilton, Max asks Rory if Lorelei is coming to Parents Day, because he hasn’t heard from her in a while.  The timeline seems a little fuzzy to me- it seems like it’s happened over, like, 3 or 4 days, but maybe it’s been longer.  Anyway, Lorelei tries to get out of going to Parents Day, and wants Rory to give the book back.  She ends up going, of course, but isn’t happy Max asked Rory about her.

At Parents Day, we see Paris’ mom- I think it’s the only time we see either of her parents.  Lorelei and Rory head off to Max’s class, and afterwards they talk, while Lorelei tries to give the book back.  Lorelei doesn’t want Rory to get hurt, but Max thinks it’s because Lorelei herself doesn’t want to get hurt.

I have to agree with Max at this point.  I mean, I get Lorelei is worried about what will happen if it doesn’t work out, in terms of him being Rory’s teacher.  And for her too.  But it really seems like a combination of Lorelei being scared of things getting serious, and wanting to use Rory as an excuse.  Rory is a big girl, and she seems mature enough to handle it.

Then, they make out.  Naturally, Paris sees this, and tells the entire school.  Mostly so people will stop talking about her.  But we’ll get to that in a little bit.  Rory is mad at Lorelei, and thinks the rules Lorelei has in place are stupid (in terms of dating).  We go to Friday night dinner, and Emily isn’t happy.  Lorelei thinks that Max might have been the love of her life…it’s just too bad she kinda screwed it up.

Rory extends an offer of friendship to Paris during lunch one day, after telling Paris that she hurt a lot of people by telling their classmates about Lorelei and Max.  She did hurt Lorelei and Rory, of course, but she also really hurt Max, who really likes her and thinks she’s a great student.  Paris admits that she wanted people to stop talking about her, and this is when Rory tells her that if she ever wants to talk, Rory’s there.  Paris kind of accepts this offer (but not really).

Sookie asks Jackson out on a date, and we end with Lorelei and Max breaking up, because he doesn’t want to put his job on the line.  And because he didn’t want to believe that a relationship with Lorelei would be so complicated.

Favorite scene: The only scene that really stands out is when Jackson tries to sell Sookie a zucchini-tush…a hybrid of zucchini and sucotash, I think.

Pop culture references: Psycho, Rick James, Hugh Grant, Tonya Harding

Final thoughts: This episode established the Lorelei/Max relationship as a complicated one, and it’s not the last we’ll see of Max.  If I remember correctly, I think this is the episode that starts the Paris/Rory starting to get along storyline.  It didn’t strike me as particularly funny, but it does set some things up that I don’t want to spoil.  Paris Is Burning gets 3 mugs of coffee.

At Least I Have A Plot

Posted in NaNo by

So, it’s that time of year when I go completely insane.

It’s time for NaNoWriMo, which means I’ll be writing a 50,000 word novel next month.

I am quite relieved to have a plot and 2 characters who are named, which is a big improvement.  A week ago, I only had a genre…and now I know the names of 2 characters and a plot!  It’s quite exciting, and I have the feeling I’ll be pantsing it more than normal this year.

I knew I wanted to write something YA, and I decided contemporary was what I wanted to go with.  Something paranormal would be cool, but I honestly don’t have the energy for it this year.  Maybe next year.

Tucker and Holly don’t like each other, and have to work together to keep the local factory from closing because their don’t want their parents to lose their jobs.  Along the way, they become friends.

I really like this idea, and while it doesn’t have to be a factory, I like the idea of their parents losing their jobs because of something closing down.  They really will have to set their differences aside, because of what will happen if the factory does get closed down.  I’m hoping I can work out the details a little more, but if I don’t, that’s totally okay.  I definitely need to get the job thing figured out, since that’s kind of important.  But of that’s all I get figured out, cool.  If I work out more than that, that’s also cool.

This brings me to the ever-important playlist.  I think it’ll be heavy on Taylor Swift, but I’ll definitely be looking through my music collection and see what seems to fit.

It is weird writing one novel- it’s been quite a few years since I’ve written one novel, and I’m so used to writing 2, that one novel is really strange.  But honestly?  One novel seems right.  Besides, I’m having enough trouble working on one idea, so two just seems weird.

This year, more than any other year, I’m really okay with just going with it.  Whatever happens, happens.

Well, I say that now.  Who knows how I’ll really feel when I actually start writing on Thursday?  I’m sure this year will go a lot better than last year, but either way, NaNo is always interesting, and I’m sure this year will be no exception.