It's too bad I didn't pick this up last fall at a bookstore I'd stopped at - I would enjoy owning this (FYI, I did pick up Stargirl, SVH #3 Playing with Fire [the 2008 reissue], and The Veronicas' Hook Me Up).


On my copy, it says "scratch and sniff here" on the top of the cup. Unfortunately, I can't confirm the verity of that statement, since the cover is covered with plastic.

( Is love an STD? From what I've seen, it's harder to cure than herpes. )

After a couple of hectic days (had to put our old cat down and do some stuff for next semester), it feels good to post something.  Unfortunately, I think the book I'm reviewing deserves more time devoted to thinking it over.  And at the same time, I just want to do this and move on.


It really sucks when you finish a book and the first thing you can think of, regardless even of whether or not you liked it, is "At least I didn't pay money for this." Well, okay, maybe I'm feeling a bit miserly lately, but the point is I was disappointed in the direction this book took.

( It's the first time Iris has ever seen her stepsister look, for just a moment, as if she doesn't mind being beautiful. )

So.  I went over to my grandparents' for dinner tonight, along with an off-kilter combination of cousins and relatives, and got into my grandma's basement library in search of books.  Later, after engaging her in a dialogue about The Pillars of the Earth, and then reminding her that I'd read her copy of Gone with the Wind, she invited me to borrow/take some more of her books for reading. 

When she told me that there was a group of books she was planning to throw away - not donate, not sell, but toss out - I had a mild panic attack.  Unfortunately, I couldn't save all of them, but at least the ones I did take are now mine.  Sweet.

Little Women
Made in the U.S.A.
Can't Wait to Get to Heaven
Eleven on Top - A Stephanie Plum Novel
Motor Mouth - A Stephanie Plum Novel
East of Eden

I like to think that such a list is more impressive in its range than perhaps its total (that is, if a list of books can have a value).  I'm happy to get my hands on a couple of classics, along with a couple of feel-good, Midwest-speed style of books.  Grandma didn't like the Stephanie Plum books at all, which is why they were on her "take out the trash" list.  But I think I remember seeing a few blurbs about them, good things, and decided to give them a try.  I'm excited to read Little Women and East of Eden first; however, for now this list is secondary to the couple of books from the library I have yet to read.

Review for Ugly Stepsister should be up soon.

I literally squealed with delight as I finished reading this. 


The title is so similar to How to Be Popular, I wondered if this was written as a response to that book.  And yet, it bears many more similarities to Stargirl.  On a different note, it's wonderful to see an original cover instead of some stock photo.

( Lunch at a new school is like the SAT of social tests. It determines your immediate standing. Whomever you choose to sit with tells people who you are, or who you see yourself as. )

Recently I was looking at EW.com's 40 Bad Romantic Comedies, not for the first time, and it got me thinking.  Now, I think I need to start trying to be more positive, but sometimes a good "Worst" list just helps you blow off some steam.  So in the interest of keeping the peace, I thought I'd do a little ditty about Some Romantic Comedies I Find Problematic.

You see, a lot of these are movies that I like to watch (maybe not pay moolah for them, but spend a couple hours watching them on TBS).  However, a part of my viewing pleasure comes from pointing out what I don't like - a plot twist, annoying characters, silly lines, or just plain predictability.  But I will acknowledge that there are people - in some cases, tons of them - who enjoy these movies and would rather not think about them too deeply.  Which is probably just as well.

Let's get it on:( There's 10 of them. It just worked out that way. )

This book is basically a non-musical version of Hannah Montana (and yes, it is sad that I know even one lyric from the opening song by heart). 


Jen Calonita has written for Teen People and Entertainment Weekly, one of which is my favorite zine and other something I never read when I was actually a teen.  Predictably, this is the first in a series.

( Work, work, work, Kaitie-kins. It will pay off. )

Back from another library outing, not quite as successful as the last.  Not only was Rumors not there, I spotted two other books I'd recently purchased on the shelves.  Aarrgh!  So I felt kind of silly.  This time around I noticed just how many fantasy series there are, not to mention how unappealing they looked to me.  I explained it to my mother thusly: "It's either books about rich people fucking each other [i.e., Gossip Girl et all] or vampires not fucking each other." I guess I'm applying a kind of if-you've-read-one-you've-read-them-all mentality here, but isn't there a bit of truth to that?

Get ready for another list:

Secrets of My Hollywood Life
Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty
How Not to be Popular
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

Ironically, Hollywood Life is part of a Gossip Girl-esque series, replacing Manhattan socialites with a teen actress as a protaganist.  I'd seen it on Amazon.com a little while ago, so it intrigued me then: the teen actress wants to lead a more normal life, which is something that does appeal to me.  Triple Shot Betty looked different and fun, about a group of girls who work at a coffeehouse.  Popular sounds to me like the best of the bunch, with its protaganist eschewing her popularity.  Ugly Stepsister has been on my radar for the past couple years (I saw a rather well-done TV movie based on it); hopefully it'll renew my faith in Gregory Maguire, whose Wicked was only so-so.

Holy wow, am I really posting another book review two days in a row, even though this book was more than the combined lengths of the two previous books* I'd read?  I am quite surprised at myself.


This was one of those instances where I gobbled the book up out of the good kind of fascination, and not the bad kind (see: The Luxe).  I was riveted.

*I'm bad at math, so this may be a slight exaggeration.

( In which fate deals me a savage blow, leaving me to my own pitiably meager devices. )

This is another of my library finds, a short and sweet offering from Carolyn Mackler.  Apparently it's a sequel of a previous book, but the main character is different.


Interesting that this should be a road-trip story, since I've been thinking of writing a road-trip story of my own. (This may or may not have to do with the fact that a good friend of mine recently moved to Oklahoma, and many of my school friends are back in Manhattan KS).

( Or maybe we should meet in St. Louis? )

This post's title is a slightly altered quote from one of my all-time favorites, Mansfield Park.  It's funny (well, not funny ha-ha) how well it describes the extreme non-events in this book.  However, I find myself confused as to how I feel about it.



Disclaimer: They didn't wear dresses like that in 1899.  But, oh my God, the marketing people they have are geniuses.

( In life, Elizabeth Holland was known not only for her loveliness but also for her moral character, so it was fair to say that in the afterlife she would occupy a lofty seat with an especially good view. )

I still can't believe I made myself do it, but I can't deny it now: Over the weekend, I watched The Clique, the movie based on Lisi Harrison.  What was I thinking?  Well, in the spirit of total honesty, there is something about teen movies that I find intriguing.  Hell, I watched Where The Boys Are, a 60s-era spring break movie, just a few days ago.  Even sub-par movies made on the cheap will spark my interest (for the first few minutes or so, and then I usually switch back to USA for a Monk marathon).  I know to expect the convoluted story, the bad acting, and the trying-too-hard "jokes," but that never stops me.  There's something fascinating(ly wrong) about the way Hollywood likes to portray high school life.  Of course, it's occasionally worth it if it's well-done and feels natural.



Feast your eyes, people.  Hatwear, multiple layers, leather gloves, knee-highs, and wavy locks.  These are the most stylish and sickeningly rich 12-year-olds at Octavian Country Day School.  That's their leader, Massie, in the foreground.  How can you tell she's their boss?  Her dog is a pit bull.  Or the leash represents her tight hold on her friends, constantly controlling where they go and what they do. 

Ha, no.  Symbolism in The Clique?  Not likely.

( Teleplay by Liz Tigelaar; directed by Micheal Lembeck; and, duh, based on the book series )

The Johnson County library system has again made it possible for me to enjoy a nice selection of YA lit without having to part with my money - and threw in a couple treats for me, as well.  Get ready for a doozy of a reading list:


Boy Girl Boy
If I Stay*
Guyaholic
Shrimp
Princess Ben
The Luxe

How great is that?  No less than three books I've had my eye on every time I went into Borders, and here they are, sitting in my room.  Hell, I was so excited for Luxe that I'm already at chapter 7!  I'm going to have to slow down, though, because I've just began The Season which has many similar themes.  I think I've also noted Stay is something that I've been eager to try; Shrimp is the second book in Rachel Cohn's Gingerbread series.  Guyaholic was written by Carolyn Mackler, the wonderful author of The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, and itself was featured on Pop Culture Junkie.    I honestly can't wait to read it.  Princess Ben looks like a clever book about a strong feminist princess, as well as quite a popular fantasy novel (judging by the number of copies there).  And Boy Girl Boy looks like a quirky read, and its third-wheel narrator - or so I gleaned from the summary - appeals to me.  This list does mean that I'll have to put a hold on the few books I've just bought (plus one or two on their way to me from amazon.com).

And - you won't believe this - I found the craziest thing.  Someone made a Clique movie!  The horror!  I had had HAD to pick it up, if only to see how bad it is, of course.  Apparently, it actually came out in theaters  (sorry, I was mistaken) in 2008 and was produced by Tyra Banks.  Good (terrible) news - they've stayed true to the weird spelling, as one of the special features is entitled Ehmagawd!  We're Rolling: Stars on the Set.  (Do me a favor: try to sound that out.  What does it sound like?  Is it a word?  What accent is that?  Doesn't it sound like how the South Park characters talk?)

I am sure I will have a review of The Pillars of the Earth up in a few days.  Until then, :)

I am a girl with unsophisticated tastes, so it should come as little surprise that I'm a fan of Judd Apatow and Co.  Truth be told, I was a little late to the game - The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up were both out on DVD by the time my interest was piqued.  But something appealed to me in those movies, where immature humor co-exists with real grown-up problems and issues.  These movies show that comedy and drama aren't exclusive, and that movies that embrace both can succeed (Funny People, I admit, didn't do such a great job of demonstrating this).  As someone who can appreciate both, I like the idea of more movies showcasing both of them equally - a more-bang-for-your-buck kind of appeal.

There's one person in particular whose career I follow most intently: Seth Rogen.  I think his biggest appeal is that he's funny and talented while also coming across as completely normal, so it's easy to relate to the guy.  He's a screenwriter as well as a funny guy, and he's said that he only writes the kind of movies that he and his friends would pay to see.  Would that more people wrote like that.  I can relate to that because I'm busy writing the kind of books I'd want to read.  Rogen (as well as his friends/like-minded set of actors) is a game-changer, which is something I believe Hollywood has needed for a long time.  Let me put it this way: I'd rather pay $10 to go see him do his best in Funny People than watch a bunch of romantic cliches be exploited in The Ugly Truth. 

After a few off-beat movies - Pineapple Express, Observe and Report - I was eager to see what came next.  Apparently, the choice was so odd to everyone that many declared outright it would be a major bomb.  Rogen is writing and starring in The Green Hornet, a full-on action movie based on a TV show from the 60s.  Unfortunately, at first it seemed like the naysayers were right: it was a TV-to-movie adaptation a la Get Smart; they had to replace the director and the actor playing sidekick Kato; the release date was set back from summer 2010 to winter 2010; and perhaps most glaringly, Rogen is not known for action movies - he makes jokes and looks fat and doesn't give a damn.

Even I was unsure.  Why should I care about a crime-fighting superhero who's best known for his TV show sidekick, Bruce Lee?  But Rogen, it turns out, was deadly serious: it's a straight-up superhero flick, he's doing his own stunts (at least, those that the studio will let him do, I imagine), and he lost quite a few pounds in order to really look the part.  And you know what?  He's way hot:



Dude!  Green is so your color.

 

( I don't say this often, but - Squee! )

How fitting that my first review of October should be for a book like this.  If I time it right, I could have Twilight read and reviewed by Halloween. (Not that I'm making any promises.)


There's been a lot of horror/fantasy stuff coming out lately - not just books, but TV shows and movies - but nevertheless I was surprised to see that this book came out earlier this year.  Is it weird that I kinda want those shoes?

( Whatever was going down, it wasn't Settler stuff. It was black-arts stuff, the kind of thing that led to nothing but seriously bad news for average humans and Settlers alike. )

I'm totally serious.  The only reason I did is because I had to read it for my Shakespeare & Children's Lit class (other survivers are here and here).  I've tried so hard to forget I ever read it, but I finally decided to bite the bullet and post a review.


Apparently, Sharon Draper has other book out that are much better, and reflect her decent talent for YA writing.  But this book is one huge FAIL, and I'm not about to excuse her.  Here's how much I didn't like it: I've sold it to a used book store.

( Seriously, don't read this. )

All right, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, since I never really lost my faith in the first place.  But I have been noticing that some of the books I've read lately, with the exception of Sweet 16, haven't really wowed me.  This book, however, is a major game-changer.


First of all, feast your eyes on this doozy of a cover.  Don't you just wish you could jump into it, a la Mary Poppins, and live in that colorful, cartoony version of New York?  Because among other things, this book is a gentle celebration of all things New York.

( Every other person in Silicon Valley is of Indian descent or related to an Internet tycoon, and frequently they're both. I'm actually considered pretty mainstream. )

This is one of the many fantasy-themed books noww out on the market, thanks to the intense popularity of Twilight.  Now, the only fantasy books I've read in the past few years are the Harry Potter and Discworld series; despite being a fantasy-lover in my youth (I offer this as exhibit A), I've really gone off it lately.



My paperback is quick to declare, rather vaguely, that this is a "New York Times Bestseller." I bought this mostly because of the title and having seen this book featured on another blog.

( Passive resistance, that was what Grams would counsel. Just get through it and get away. )