Leanna's Dreamland

I knew I wasn't crazy

2009-07-03T23:36:00.000-07:00

So I was flipping through one of my mom's magazine's today when I saw this ad:
Yes, it's an ad for Abreva. Then I got this crazy deja vu feeling and I knew that I had seen that picture somewhere else before. Then it figured it out. See for yourself.

It's also the cover of Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph! Who knew that a book cover could also make a nice ad for cold sore treatment?

Books You Should Read

2009-06-07T21:39:00.000-07:00

I'm too tired to do any real book reviews right now, but I've been doing some reading in the last five months I haven't been posting and would like to make some recommendations. Seriously, just read the following books:

1. Wings by Aprilynne Pike. It was very addicting and I liked her concept of fairies more than a lot of other author's.

2. Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. Some of the best books that I've read all year. Way better than Twilight. I'm in love with Jace.

3. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan. Or any other books in this series for that matter. Very, very fun, fast reads.

4. Being Nikki by Meg Cabot. The first part is kind of slow but it really picks up near the end. I cannot wait for the sequel.

Just read this books, they're awesome. Plus, I'm getting Forest Born this Saturday! Still debating whether or not to do a review on it once I get it. I already know it's going to be incredible.

Taylor Swift Concert

2009-05-27T20:08:00.000-07:00

I got the chance to see the Taylor Swift Concert on May 26 in Salt Lake City. It was the first concert I'd ever been to so I wasn't sure what to expect. The show was completely sold out, and I heard afterwards that there were over 14,000 people there! Not surprising, the majority of the people there were young girls. It was fun to see all of them with their cowboy hats on. :)

Anyways, we were in the nosebleed section so it was hard to see anything from the stage except for from the screens. Taylor was amazing though. The girl can put on quite a show. She changed her clothes a lot and there were a lot of other dancers and people up there with her. It was cool to hear all of her songs live and I liked that she sang songs from her first album as well. There was one point in the concert after she sang "Tim McGraw," that the people were clapping so hard, Taylor looked like she was about to cry. It was a cool show and definitely worth seeing if she comes to your town.

So, it's been a while

2009-01-12T14:43:00.000-08:00

So, it looks like it's been a month since I last posted. I feel bad about that, I really do. Though there's a lot of stuff I want to talk about in this post:

1. It's the one year aniversary of my blog here on Blogger! It's hard to believe that a whole year has passed already. Though I've actually been blogging longer than that because I did have a blog on LiveJournal. It's fun to look back on those posts.

2. I'm also going to finally post a new book review, since the last one I had was Breaking Dawn in August! Considering I actually have had time to finish a book that wasn't related to school. Wow, has that really been five months? So expect that soon.

3.There's some sad news as well. This morning at school we found out that this weekend one of my assistant principals passed away. This was very shocking news, especially for the students in my grade who knew him the longest. He was an extraordinary person who contributed to our school in so many amazing ways. And even though I didn't have personal contact with him a lot, the loss was still felt deeply.

Anyway, I'll have some more posts soon. One of my '09 resolutions is to post on my blog more, so that'll be happening more often.

Have a great day!

Surprises

2008-12-12T14:56:00.000-08:00

I won the short story contest at my school. I completely did not see that coming. When I entered, I really didn't have a particular reason to do so. The story I wrote wasn't really good in my opinion. When I was waiting with the other contestants before they announced the winners, I couldn't help but notice all the talented people that were there. They were all fantastic writers, probably better than me. I thought I had no chance. But when they announced my name as the first place winner, I was beyond shock.
I don't really give myself a lot of credit when it comes to my writing. That's why I don't openly share it with others very much or even talk about it a lot. And now my short story is going to be published in a book that will be in my school library. I don't know if I'm happy for everyone to see that yet, but hopefully it will turn out okay.
Regardless of that, I am very happy. It was a great day and I have to go to another meeting next week to discuss the publication (which will by the way, be my very first.) Woohoo!
Have a great weekend!

Happy (early) Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T08:52:00.001-08:00

I hope that everyone has a great Thanksgiving tomorrow! And if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope that you have a nice day off from school. :) And if you don't live in the United States, have a huge meal for dinner anyway.
Personally I have nothing against this holiday, though it usually isn't very enjoyable to me. Family parties are definitely something that I try to just endure. I'd much rather just spend the day off doing whatever I want (like reading). I'm actually going to three Thanksgiving dinners, none of which except maybe the last one, I'll actually have a good time at. Sigh...
Well, have a wonderful holiday!

Leanna

Yawn...

2008-11-21T05:59:00.000-08:00

I went to the midnight showing of Twilight last night. It was so stupid because we didn't even get to see the movie until 12:15, because they had to do some promotional fashion show right in the middle of the theater beforehand. It was lame. Though I think that all the boos and the chanting of "start the movie!" made them finally realize that this crowd was in no mood for that and that they should start the movie already.

And right now I'm so tired, that I really can't sort my opinion of it into anything that is coherent. So I guess I'll give it later.

Now I have to go to school...Bleh. I hope I'll be able to stay awake.

The Poem I Chose

2008-11-17T07:03:00.000-08:00

I was looking for a poem to memorize for over an hour yesterday! Sadly, the teacher said that we couldn't do The Road Not Taken and none of Emily Dickinson's were long enough. Sigh. So my older sister suggested that I do this one:

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a croud,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they

Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;

A poet could not be but gay,

In such a jocund company!

I gazed-and gazed-but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

Yes!

2008-11-14T16:54:00.000-08:00

Today was a good day. I got my first quarter report card today. A lot better than I thought it was going to be. Plus, I got my letter of acceptence into NJHS. Plus I got a ninety-five on my biology test.
Finally, school is actually going okay after it stunk for a really long time. So that's why I finally have a weekend of peace where I don't have to stress out over anything. Yay!
But I actually need help with a couple things, and some suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

First, does anyone have any suggestions for a poem I could memorize for my English class? It needs to be at least twenty lines, and since I don't read much poetry, I have no idea what to do!

Second, I'm doing book reviews for my school paper, and I need ideas on what books I should do. It needs to be YA, something that appeals to all types of readers, and is school appropriate. I'm lost on this too, so I would love recommends.

So any type of suggestions at all on any of these would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Does this mean I'll post more?

2008-11-12T21:18:00.000-08:00

I got a new template! Maybe this will help motivate me to post more. I have to admit, there are no excuses. I can't say I haven't had time. Because I have had time where I could have made a short blog post. I've just been way too dang lazy. So I promise, more frequent updates will be coming. Though they will probably be short and sweet like this one.

More later (seriously).

Leanna

Book Meme

2008-10-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I wasn't specifically tagged for this. I just saw it on Faith's blog and thought that it looked like fun! So here it goes...

1. List the 10 books/collected works/series that you would bring on a desert island.
2. (Optional) Say why you would bring them.
3. Link to the person who tagged you.
4. Tag 6 people to also do the meme.
5. Leave a comment to let those people know .

1. All of Shannon Hale's books, of course!
2. The Ink Trilogy by Cornelia Funke.
3. The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray.
4. The Chronicles of Narnia series.
5. The Harry Potter series (that would occupy my time for a while.)
6. The Twilight series (for whenever I needed a good laugh.)
7. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen.
8. The Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot.
9. The Percy Jackson series.
10. 13 Little Blue Envelopes.

As you probably noticed, I listed mostly series. But if I'm stranded than I'm going to need a lot of free time. Right now being on a desert island with no school work and just books sounds pretty good right now.

So I tag whoever wants to do this!

Internet Sarcasm

2008-10-19T17:22:00.000-07:00

It is so hard to determine whether someone is using sarcasm on the internet. Sometimes when I leave a comment or response on a blog or message board, someone else might respond to what I said in what I might interpret as sarcasm.

You see, on the internet you're not actually there with them to determine their tone of voice, facial expressions, etc. So when you're online you have no idea what they were intending by their particular comment. So the comment can either not phase you or you end up thinking "Wait, were they making fun of me?"

So please, if you're using sarcasm with me say so. Otherwise, it could leave me scratching my head for while. ;)

Days Off from School Bliss

2008-10-18T20:16:00.000-07:00

I can't even tell you how happy I've been having days off from school on Thursday and Friday. This is the first time I've had free time in what seems like forever! Even though I put off all my homework until tomorrow and Monday, I'm still really happy. I've spent most of my time...

Listening to this song. I get so happy whenever they play it on the radio when I'm in the car, even my family knows I love it by now. :)

I also read Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott. I loved it! It's really disturbing and dark in a way, but totally addicting once you get into it. Highly recommended.

Well, hopefully more posts will come later. Have a great rest of the weekend!

I remember when I used to be smart...

2008-10-10T22:51:00.000-07:00

*Sigh.* Right now, I am frustrated. School is making my life extremely stressful right now. I used to consider myself pretty smart. I got straight A's every year of elementary school and I got a 4.0 gpa seventh and eighth grade. This year though, my grades have pretty much dropped. Mainly in Biology and Geometry. First, I did really badly on a Biology test (though the test was on a chemestry unit) and that brought my grade down. And right now I'm doing horribly in Geometry. I've been getting low scores on all the tests and quizzes so far, including the one I took today which I know I just failed. So that's going to bring my grade down even lower.

The end of the quarter is in just a couple of weeks. Right now I have a 3.8 but the test from Geometry is definitely going to lower it. So I'm probably going to get a 3.6 or a 3.7 first quarter. Considering I'm an honors student and in classes with a bunch of smart people, that's pretty bad. No NJHS for me.

So I'm really depressed about that right now. This year just has not been good. If I study extremely hard in all my other classes I might do well, but those Geometry tests are just going to ruin me.

So just feeling really blue lately. I just hope that things get better soon.

New Twilight Trailer

2008-10-09T18:04:00.000-07:00

http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvkIoi5OS28

My sister and I both agreed that the lines from the book sound cheesier when they're acted out. ;)

Plus, what's up with the creepy music in the background?

Happy Birthday to me!

2008-09-29T18:19:00.000-07:00

Well, another birthday has come and gone. It was so much fun; I went to school and then did homework! Yay! Now begins the one year countdown until I can get my license! :)

Inkdeath is Here!

2008-09-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

After three long years of waiting, Inkdeath is finally here! What a great almost birthday present! I got it tonight, so that's what is probably going to occupy most of my time this weekend. I'll probably even still be reading during my birthday party on Sunday, I'll be so into it...;)

I officially love Borders! I tried to get it at Barnes and Noble, but they said it wouldn't be coming out until October 7th. But there it was right in the front at Borders...:)

Have a great weekend!

The Three Meme and Baltimore Book Festival!

2008-09-23T14:17:00.000-07:00

First item of information, there's going to be a Baltimore Book Festival! Here's some info on it.

13th Annual Baltimore Book Festival

Where: Historic Mount Vernon Place centered on the 600 block of North Charles Street, 21201 Baltimore, MD.

When: Friday September 26 from 5-9 pm

Saturday September 27 from 11 am-7pm

Sunday September 28 from 11 am-7pm

Website: http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/

Obviously I can't make it here in Utah, but if you're in the area you should definitely check it out!
Now I'll do this cool meme Danielle tagged me for!

Rules: 3 Catagories-3 MUST read books
3 Keep your eyes on these,
3 Look for these soon.

Then I’m going to tag three bloggers. They will copy these lists, but will subtract one and add their own.
(And please keep the additions 2007-09)

MUST read books:
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen*
Undercover by Beth Kephart

Keep your eyes on these:
Identical by Ellen Hopkins*
The 13th Reality by James Dashner
Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale*

Look for these soon:
Cybele’s Secret by Juliette Marillier
Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke*
The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli

* are my additions

I tag whoever wants to do this!

I'm seriously considering homeschooling...

2008-09-02T18:58:00.000-07:00

So I'm about a week and some odd days along in my last year of junior high at the public school that I've been going to for two years. And at this point it just hasn't been going very well for me.
My sister is considering doing homeschooling, and I think that I might too. My mother is thinking about it and I just need to talk about it with my dad now.

I am just not enjoying public school. Half of it is busy work, the students and people there are aggravating, the options very limited. If I did homeschooling I could do this Electronic High School that is available in my state and take some classes that they did not offer at my school. Plus it would give me chance to get ahead and not waste so much time with unimportant assemblies and teacher advisary classes like I'm doing now. I think that it would be an okay choice academically.

My mom is worried about how I'll do socially if I do decide to drop out of public school. I personally don't care, but I don't want to do anything that I'll regret.

So some opinions would be very much appreciated (especially from you folk that are homeschooled.) So what do you think?

First Day of School

2008-08-25T16:47:00.001-07:00

So I had my first day of school today. And truthfully it was pretty boring. And long.

I always feel discouraged the night after my first day of school too. I don't why. Even if nothing really went wrong, I still do. Huh.

Where Did Summer Go?

2008-08-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

So what do you think of the new layout? I think it's quite refreshing. The other one served me well for a good four months, but a change was nice.

I haven't been blogging as much lately, but I'm going to start up again and do it quite a bit once school starts. I start on Monday and have been putting off getting ready for it. I pretty much have everything I need, but I need to prepare emotionally and mentally. I am not ready to let go of summer. It feels like it's just started. Today I had my last summer violin lesson. I've been quite sad to say goodbye to all the lazy summer days where I had all the time to read and go online in the world.

I talked to one of my school friends on the phone yesterday, and that was fun because I haven't talked to her all summer. I'm actually quite happy because I got into all the classes that I wanted. My sister is in five of those classes with me. I have to sign up for an online class tomorrow, which is something I've been putting off for two days.

So I'm just trying to enjoy these last few days of summer. It always ends far too quickly.

Breaking Dawn-Stephenie Meyer

2008-08-02T20:08:00.000-07:00

*There will be spoilers in this post. If you haven't read the book yet, don't read this. It will contain major plot spoilers.*

I went to get this at midnight at Barnes and Noble, and after waiting in line for an hour and a half, we finally got the book at 1:30. I just barely finished it this evening, so I'm still kind of processing everything. I'm probably going to be rereading it within the next couple of days, because there is still a lot of stuff that I still need to take in.

Okay, so the book is divided into three books. It starts out in book one with Bella's point of view with the wedding and the honeymoon. The wedding was really not what I was expecting and I was a little disappointed. I felt that it was really rushed, and they didn't have as many details as I thought there were going to be. The honeymoon was also a huge shock. I had heard rumors that Bella was going to get pregnant in Breaking Dawn, but I couldn't even imagine that they were true. It was very surprising, and you're just thinking "Wow, this book is a lot different than I thought it was going to be."

Book two then switches to Jacob's point of view. At first I was like "No! This will be just like New Moon all over again." I didn't really like it, and it stays that way for about three hundred pages. I have to admit, Jacob is a funnier narrator than Bella and soon you get so caught up in the story, it doesn't really matter. I really liked how Jacob creates a stronger bond with the vampires in this book, especially with Edward and Carlisle. I also loved how he and Leah became better friends. Those were some of the things I really liked.

Book two ends with Bella having her baby and Edward changing her into a vampire in order to save her life. And that is not all. Jacob imprints on the baby as well. There were a few things that I didn't like about this part in the story. First, the baby's name was just weird. Renesmee? I didn't like it. Also, I hated how the only reason that Rosalie was being so kind to Bella was because she only cared about the baby. I really hoped that they would have become better friends by then, which they do later, but I still didn't like it in that aspect. And really, did Jacob have to imprint on the baby? Between him and Rosalie, you're kind of like "Okay, it is Bella's baby here. Come on guys." I also that Edward would have a deeper connection with the baby as well. I know that he resented it at first because it was killing Bella, but I hoped that he would get better afterwards. He did a little, but not as much as I would have liked.

Then it's book three with Bella as a newly born vampire. I truthfully wasn't expecting that. I almost thought for sure that Stephenie was going to leave her human. But I think that she turned out all right. I thought that it had a weak climax, and I was extremely disappointed at the end when they didn't resolve anything with the Volturi. This was the last book! It gave me a really nervous feeling at the end because you know that they're going to come back. I really wish that they could have resolved things and not just let it hang like that.

I liked the end of the story, but it didn't completely satisfy. Sure they defeated the Volturi for now, Nessie was saved, Bella's a vampire, Charlie kind of knows, Jacob is a friend again, etc. I just really didn't feel like that was it. I found myself craving for more, even though I already got 754 pages. It just didn't feel like the end. Sure, it ended the way that the books were supposed to end. Bella and Edward got to be together forever. Maybe with multiple readings the ending will feel better to me.

So overall, this was a very different book from the others in the series. I could almost say that it was a companion book and not actually part of the books. Stephenie did throw in many surprises, and in the end I liked it. I liked it better than New Moon and Eclipse at least. I'm still kind of in denial that this is really the end (even though I am kind of relieved.)

So now am I more excited for the movie? Not really. I think my excitement kind of decreased actually. But I think that the book did what it needed to do, so I'm okay with it. I'd give in about three and a half out of four stars.

House of Dance-Beth Kephart

2008-07-16T09:59:00.001-07:00

Rosie and her mother coexist in the same house as near strangers. Since Rosie's father abandoned them years ago, her mother has accomplished her own disappearing act, spending more time with her boss than with Rosie. Now faced with losing her grandfather too, Rosie begins to visit him every day, traveling across town to his house, where she helps him place the things that matter most to him "In Trust." As Rosie learns her grandfather's story, she discovers the role music and motion have played in it. But like colors, memories fade. When Rosie stumbles into the House of Dance, she finally finds a way to restore the source of her grandfather's greatest joy.

This book was a little hard to get into, and I was almost sure that I wasn't going to be able to finish it. This book is similar in the writing to her other book Undercover and I think that I might like that one a little better. But House of Dance had a lot of good messages and the story between Rosie and her grandfather is heartbreaking. Once you can get into this book, it is definitely worth it. I'm glad that I was able to finish it.

A Random Post

2008-07-15T13:11:00.001-07:00

So it's been a few days, so I'd decided I'd just do a big random, about nothing in particular post. So here it goes...

First, I haven't read any good books lately. I have started a couple, but I haven't been able to get into any of them. So good recommendations would be appreciated. Or I think I'll just reread a book. That always works, especially if it's something amazing by Shannon...:)

Second, how sick is everyone getting of High School Musical....? My mother works with the guy that makes the trailers and promos for HSM 3, so I knew the trailer was coming out soon. Sadly I will probably end up seeing this movie eventually. Definitely not anywhere close to the first day though because I don't want to be ambushed by all the major, screaming fans.

Third, speaking of movies the second Twilight trailer is premiering tonight on Entertainment Tonight. I can't decide whether the HSM or the Twilight fans scare me more. Plus, have any of you been checking out the Breaking Dawn quotes of the day on Stephenie's website...? They're pretty cool, though not nearly as satisfying as I'd like them to be.

Fourth, I get to go to the Shakespeare festival this weekend! We're going to see two shows, one of which is The Taming of the Shrew. I played a townsperson in my school's production of it in elementry school. I'm excited to see it.

So that's probably it until this weekend. Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

EDIT: The links just aren't working for me today on Blogger so I just took them off. *is frustrated.*

You're never too old for American Girl....

2008-07-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

I saw Kit last night with my cousins and aunt. Now I probably wouldn't have seen this movie on my own, but my cousins are nine and eleven so they really wanted to see it. Now I loved American Girl when I was a kid! I used to love to read Kit's books. She was always my favorite. I never got one of the dolls though. They were always too expensive, sadly.

Anyway, considering we were the only ones in the theater, I guess the thrill was already fading a little. So that was nice and a lot better than my Wall-e experience (screaming little kids surrounding you on all sides.) And I really enjoyed it. It was historically accurate and a lot like how I remembered the books to be. I recognized most of the actors and spent the majority of the movie trying to figure out where I'd seen each of them (I was developing a crush on the actor who played Will.) What I liked most about though was it that it showed the real dramas and trials of what people really had to go through in that time period. I was a bit worried when I saw all the previews that they wouldn't have that. But it actually turned out to be quite a drama instead of the light children's comedy that it looked like. It turned out to be a lot better than I thought, so I recommend it.

Suite Scarlett-Maureen Johnson

2008-07-06T11:29:00.001-07:00

Scarlett Martin has grown up in a most unusual way. Her family owns the Hopewell, a small hotel in the heart of New York City. Her nineteen-year-old brother, Spencer, is an out of work actor facing a family deadline to get his career in order. Eighteen-year-old Lola has the delicate looks of a model, the practical nature of a nurse, and a wealthy society boyfriend. Eleven-year-old Marlene is the family terror with a tragic past.

When the Martins turn fifteen, they are each expected to take over the care of a suite in the once elegant, now shabby Art Deco hotel. For Scarlett’s fifteenth birthday, she gets both a room called the Empire Suite, and a permanent guest named Mrs. Amberson. Scarlett doesn’t quite know what to make of this C-list starlet, world traveler, and aspiring autobiographer who wants to take over her life. And when she meets Eric, an astonishingly gorgeous actor who has just moved to the city, her summer takes a second unexpected turn.

With Mrs. Amberson calling the shots, Spencer’s career to save, Lola’s love life to navigate around, and Marlene’s prying eyes everywhere, things won’t be easy. Before the summer is over, Scarlett will have to survive a whirlwind of thievery, Broadway glamour, romantic missteps, and theatrical deception.

This book is definitely a must read. This is probably one of the best books that I've read all summer. It's by the same author that wrote 13 Little Blue Envelopes and I can't decide which one I like more because they're both fantastic. The book takes place in New York City and her writing style really helps draw you into the book. I'd say that I loved every single character in this book and they were each unique in their own way. I liked most of the secondary characters more than the main character herself. I enjoyed this book the whole way through and you should definitely consider this the next time you're looking for something to read. This is the best book I've read this summer so far, without a doubt. It will not disappoint.

Two Book Reviews

2008-07-04T12:26:00.000-07:00

Wish You Were Here-Catherine Clark

Ariel Flack never thought she'd write a postcard saying "Wish you were here," especially to Dylan, the boy she's had a crush on forever and is finally (sort of) dating. She also didn't know she'd be sending that postcard from the family vacation from hell—a two-week geriatric bus tour with her crazy mom, annoying sister, embarrassing uncle, and frighteningly energetic grandparents.
As South Dakota rolls by at five miles an hour, Ariel begins to learn that sometimes life is just too complicated to fit on a postcard. Sometimes your parents let you down (and sometimes they don't). Sometimes you meet an unexpected fellow traveler. And sometimes you just have to go where the road takes you—even if the tour bus won't.

I enjoyed this book a lot and it is a really fast read (which I seem to be into lately.) It is funny and entertaining, and great if you're looking for something light to read. I recommend it as a good summer read.

The Loser's Guide to Life and Life-Ann Cannon

Ordinary, boring Ed works a loser summer job at Reel Life Movies, where he doesn't even have his own name tag. He's stuck with "Sergio." Ed's only consolations are his two best friends. Shelving DVDs isn't so mind-numbingly dull with Scout cracking jokes, and after hours Ed hangs out with the superbrain, Quark. Life starts to look up when the girl of his dreams saunters into Reel Life. Ed knows he doesn't stand a chance . . . but maybe, just maybe Sergio does. All he has to do is pretend to be a smoldering Brazilian stud for the rest of his life. Simple, right? But . . . Ed's new dream girl has her own secrets, Scout wants to be more than Ed's best friend, and his buddy Quark wants Scout for himself.

I really, really loved this book. It is so funny and I loved all of the characters especially the main character Ed, who is just hilarious. I highly recommend this book. It's great book that everyone will enjoy.

Happy Fourth of July!

Meeting Ann Cannon

2008-07-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to go see Ann Cannon yesterday over at the King's English where Shannon Hale usually does her signings. She was signing and talking about her new book The Loser's Guide to Life and Love which is based on A Midsummer Night's Dream. I just started reading it last night, but it is fantastic so far and I highly recommend it. She is so funny and they did a little reader's theater after she spoke, so it was really fun. And the best part was that Shannon was there too! After we got our books signed we went over and talked to her and she was so nice and even remembered who I was, which was great. My cousins came with me and they're from California and huge Shannon Hale fans, so they were really excited to see her also. It was a great night!
And on another subject, I am so sick of the weather here in Utah right now. It's over 100 degrees and I'm feeling kind of sun sick. I'm going to a baseball game tomorrow too, so I'm not looking forward to sitting in the sun for that long.
Have a great Fourth of July weekend! In fact, I forget that it even was the Fourth of July tomorrow until I saw the date today. ;)

Leanna

Sweethearts-Sara Zarr

2008-07-02T11:45:00.000-07:00

As children, Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick were both social outcasts. They were also one another's only friend. So when Cameron disappears without warning, Jennifer thinks she's lost the only person who will ever understand her. Now in high school, Jennifer has been transformed. Known as Jenna, she's popular, happy, and dating, everything "Jennifer" couldn't be---but she still can't shake the memory of her long-lost friend. When Cameron suddenly reappears, they are both confronted with memories of their shared past and the drastically different paths their lives have taken.

I main reason that I wanted to read this book was because I found out it was by a local author. I had read good reviews and it sounded pretty good so I read it, and I'm really glad that I did. I read this book in just one afternoon, so it's fast and keeps your interest the entire story. This book will make you cry. The entire histoy between Jenna and Cameron is so sweet, and you find yourself feeling sympathy with them throughout the entire book. The ending was bittersweet and can't satisfy you enough. It is a very sweet and sad book about a lost friendship. So just go out and read it, because I can't recommend it enough.

P.S. My sis got a blog so go check it out. It's kind of quirky. :)

Seven Songs Meme

2008-07-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

Tagged by Ani Isilee.

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your summer. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to.

1. Maybe-Secondhand Serenade
2. Realize-Colbie Caillat
3. Vulnerable-Secondhand Serenade
4. This is Home-Switchfoot
5. No Air-Jordin Sparks
6. Whatever It Takes-Lifehouse
7. The Call-Regina Spektor

I actually have way more than seven, but I couldn't list the entire Secondhand Serenade CD. ;)

I'll tag Fantasy, Hoho, and Ennagirl (I know it isn't seven.)

The Juliet Club-Suzanne Harper

2008-06-30T09:28:00.000-07:00

Italy . . . Shakespeare . . . but no romance?
Kate Sanderson inherited her good sense from her mother, a disciplined law professor, and her admiration for the Bard from her father, a passionate Shakespeare scholar. When she gets dumped, out of the blue, for the Practically Perfect Ashley Lawson, she vows never to fall in love again. From now on she will control her own destiny, and every decision she makes will be highly reasoned and rational. She thinks Shakespeare would have approved.
So when she is accepted to a summer Shakespeare symposium in Verona, Italy, Kate sees it as the ideal way to get over her heartbreak once and for all. She'll lose herself in her studies, explore ancient architecture, and eat plenty of pasta and gelato. (Plus, she'll be getting college credit for it—another goal accomplished!) But can even completely logical Kate resist the romance of living in a beautiful villa in the city where those star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet met and died for each other? Especially when the other Shakespeare Scholars—in particular Giacomo, with his tousled brown hair, expressive dark eyes, and charming ways—try hard to break her protective shell?

So I bought this book basically on a whim, but it turns out that I really loved it. The main character was accepted to a Shakespeare Seminar so that was what intrigued me the most about why she was going to Verona, Italy. The author uses wonderful descriptions of the city and all the sights that the main character saw there. By the end of the book, it felt like you had just visited Italy too. She also uses mulitple points of view among all the characters in the story, and I really liked how that turned out because they were all very interesting. So this is a really great novel if you love Shakespeare. I wasn't quite satisfied with the ending, but authors do that to you I suppose. This is a book where I hope there is a sequel. I highly recommend this book.

New Moon-Stephenie Meyer

2008-06-24T21:23:00.001-07:00

Seriously, who even needs a summary? I'm sure you all know what this book is about by now. Though you should be warned that there are major Twilight series spoilers to come. And also...

***Please consider before reading this post***

I have nothing against this series. In fact, I love this series. If you're a huge Twilight fan, don't take anything in this post personally. While I may have some strong opinions about some of the characters, it does not influence my opinion of the book, and I still like it very much regardless.

Okay, so I'll get started now. What can I say about New Moon? It used to the only book in the Twilight series that I had only read once. I also thought that it was my least favorite. That's the main reason that I kept putting off rereading it. But I gave in about a week ago.

So there were things that I liked and hated about this book. The first time I read this, I absolutely hated and despised Jacob Black. I, like most everyone else, just wanted Edward to come back. But I had this opinion before I read Eclipse, which was when I realized I didn't like Edward as much as I thought I did. Anyway, I was always constantly annoyed with Jacob and wished that he would just go away. Even through my second time, I still found myself wishing that at some parts. But I approached him with more of an open mind this time. I figured, what was it that I hated so much about Jacob Black? (just in New Moon, don't get me started about Eclipse.) Seriously, what did I dislike about him so much? He was a kind, caring friend towards Bella. He was the one who got her out of her huge pit of depression after Edward left. From the outside, he seems like an awesome guy. Then I realized the only reason I didn't like him was because he threatened Bella's relationship with Edward. And then like I said before, I realized after I read Eclipse that I didn't like Edward as much as I thought I did. So through my second reading of New Moon, Jacob didn't annoy me half as much as he did before. So that was an improvement I noticed while reading it again. So even though I was still relieved when Alice came back and the plot started to pick up again (and reach my favorite part when they go to Italy), I still appreciated that part of the book more when Bella hangs out with the werewolves.

Still remember that this is my opinion on the characters in New Moon. My Eclipse one (that will be interesting) won't come until later.

So like I said, it was better the second time when I had an open mind. Even though my favorite part was still the Volturi in Italy. That part was just awesome. So I enjoyed it, and it went by a lot quicker than it did the first time.

So some Eclipse thoughts will be coming soon. This is all just in preparation for Breaking Dawn on Aug. 2, which I am excited for. I think that it has the potential to be the best in the entire series, so that's what I'm looking forward to.

I added a playlist!

2008-06-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about doing it for a while. Not many songs on there right now, but I'll probably add more later. So for now, enjoy!

Don't expect any new book reviews for a while. Right now I'm rereading a book (that you've all probably read), and will giving my thoughts on it, even though I've read it before. Should be fun.

Have a great week!

Leanna

Some Narnia News

2008-06-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

Will Poulter has been cast as Eustace Scrubb in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader! He's fourteen, so he'll be two years older than Georgie Henley and two years younger than Skander Keynes. He's okay, except I wasn't expecting him to be so... small. Though I guess he'll fit the part perfectly. This just raises my hope that maybe Dawn Treader will be better than Prince Caspian was. I can only hope. ;)

Pretty Face-Mary Hogan

2008-06-19T07:54:00.000-07:00

Hayley wishes she could love living in Santa Monica, blocks from the beach, where every day—and everybody—is beautiful and sunny. But she just doesn't fit in with all the blond, superskinny Southern California girls who have their plastic surgeons on speed dial. Hayley is smart and witty and has such a pretty . . . face. Translation: Don't even think about putting on a bikini, much less dating superhot Drew Wyler. A bikini will never be flattering, and Drew will never think of her as more than a friend.
Just when Hayley feels doomed to live her life in the fat lane, her parents decide to send her to Italy for the summer—not for school, not for fat camp, just for fun. It's there, under the Italian sun, that Hayley's vision of herself starts to change. She's curvy, not fat. Pizza isn't evil. And life is so much more than one-size-fits-all. Who knows? Once Hayley sees herself in a new light, maybe the girl with the pretty face will finally find true amore.

The main reason that I wanted to read this book was because the main character went to Italy. It was a fast read, and I read the whole thing in one day. They describe a lot of the Italian scenery and about all the sites and buildings there, so I enjoyed that. It was the typical story about a young girl going off on her own for the first time, meeting a guy, etc. So in all, it was a pretty good read. Check it out if you want some light summer reading.

I went to the library

2008-06-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, first off, I don't go to the library much. I used to go all the time, probably every other day, when I was a kid. But I stopped going because I realized I didn't like the books there. I started to prefer new books from the bookstore, plus I found out that the bookstore has a way better selection. So I probably didn't set foot in the library again for years.
Yesterday, I went there with my sister and I was surprised...they actually had books! We went to the Teen section (which only consists of three bookcases, but whatever) and they actually had books I recognized. Even new ones. I think that I was under the impression for years that they didn't have a good selection of anything, and that there would be nothing I would know there. But there were. Many of them that just barely came out. I was so excited, my sister was kind of like, " Duh, what were you expecting?" And also surprisingly, most of them were in good condition ( I don't think many people go in the teen section much.)
So libraries have books. Who would have thought?

English Goose Girl

2008-06-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

I bought the English The Goose Girl while I was in England! Sadly, I haven't been able to get a picture of my actual book, but this is what the cover looks like. The Enna Burning and River Secrets books were the same except for the background on EB was red and on RS it was blue. I wish I could have gotten them all! I have to say looking in the bookstores was one of the parts I enjoyed most, because it was interesting to see the different covers to all the books that you know about. The YA section in most of them were limited to about two shelves so it was kind of sad. But I was really glad to see that they had a lot of Shannon Hale books!

I'm back!

2008-06-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

Yay! I am so happy to be home. After two extremely long flights, I finally got home at around midnight last night (or technically, early this morning). And I have to say...

I hate airports. The entire security thing is so dumb. We had to go through it twice, plus check our luggage twice when we reached our layover in New Jersey. It just tires me out, especially when you're in a line with one hundred other people front of you and behind you. And after one seven hour flight, plus three hours of waiting in the airport in New Jersey, my plane back to Salt Lake City was sitting on the runway for an hour because of who knows what. So I was in a pretty bad mood on that last flight.

Okay, I'm done complaining. This morning my grandpa surprised me with a cell phone as an early birthday present. I'm very happy.

Now I can finally enjoy summer vacation (which will mostly be spent reading, online, and things of that nature.)

Have a great day!

Leanna

Even More Pictures

2008-06-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

When we went to Oxford yesterday, we got to see the building where they filmed the first Harry Potter movie. It was cool, and you could really recognize it, especially the halls and staircases. That's where the picture's from.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm ready for this trip to be over. I'm completely exhausted. I think that once you start wanting to come home, it means that you made the most out of the trip, right? Plus everyone is probably getting tired of these trip posts.

I'll probably have some new book reviews when I get back. I'll post again once I'm home!

Leanna

More Trip Details

2008-06-09T10:18:00.001-07:00

We went to Bath yesterday and I have some pics from it. It was extremely cool to look at everything. The picture above is of me touching the water from the baths. The water is really hot! But I should mention that England is absolutely beautiful, both in the country and in the cities. The buildings are amazing and if you're an architect like my sister you'll be having lots of fun. We went to Oxford today and I got a University of Oxford t-shirt. Since the sizes work differently in Europe, I got a little confused so I hope I grabbed the right one. ;) Some things you should know about England:

When you order lemonade at a restaurant, they'll bring you Sprite.
None of the drinks are cold ( no ice).
They call parking lots "car parks".
They call the restrooms "toilets".
Chips are called cripses.
When you put a dime in their vending machines, it will come right back out.
Most of the buildings are from the 1400s.
So much more, I can't write it all.

More later!

Leanna

London Picture

2008-06-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

I'm still in England and I haven't had too many opportunities to use the computer yet. Sorry. But we did go to England yesterday and I have a picture of my sister and me in front of Buckingham Palace!

Hopefully I'll have some more opportunities to post later!

Leanna

Unbelievable-Sara Shepard

2008-06-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

Behind Rosewood's grand façades, where the air smells like apples and Chanel No. 5 and infinity pools sparkle in landscaped backyards, nothing is as it seems. It was here, back in seventh grade, that five best friends shared everything—Seven jeans, MAC makeup, and their deepest, darkest secrets. For Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily, it was a dream come true . . . until Alison, the most beautiful of them all, suddenly vanished.
Now someone named A has turned their charmed lives into a living nightmare. Emily has been shipped off to her hyper-conservative cousins in Iowa. Aria is stuck living with her dad and his home-wrecker girlfriend. And Spencer fears she had something to do with Alison's murder. But Hanna's fate is far worse than all of that—she's clinging to life in the hospital, because she knew too much.
With A's threats turning dangerous and Ali's killer still on the loose, the girls must uncover the truth—about A, about Ali, and about what happened to Hanna—before they become A's next victims. But as they unravel Rosewood's mysteries and secrets, will it bring an end to the horror . . . or is this just the beginning?

This is the fourth book in the Pretty Little Liars series. The main reason I like these books are that they're easy and can entertain me pretty fast and well. Compared to some of the other books in the series, this one wasn't the greatest but I still enjoyed it. I would recommend these books if you're looking for a suspenseful mystery, but don't want anything too hard. A little warning though, these books do have some suggestive content. This one hardly had anything at all though. So go out and try these if you want.

P.S. I found out I'm taking my laptop with me on my trip so I will be able to give updates.

Have a great week! Yesterday was my last day of school. :)

Why I won't be posting...

2008-05-31T20:31:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be gone from June 4th until June 12th. I'm going to England for a week with my family. I've never been out of the country before so it should be really fun. I might not be able to post anything in the next couple of days either because I'm going to be getting ready and packing and everything. But I might have a chance to do a book review. And I will still be going to the LRRH convention on the 13th, jet lag or not. :) I'm definitely going to miss you guys. Maybe my dad will let me use his laptop, so I might able to come on a for a little while.

Have a great week!

The Host-Stephenie Meyer

2008-05-28T19:18:00.001-07:00

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away.
Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.
When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.
Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves—Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.

First off, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I don't especially like the Twilight series, but I heard a lot of good things about this one. Some people even said it was better than Twilight. So I started it, and I have to admit that the beginning was a little slow. It took me a little while to get into it, but it does get better. About ten chapters in, I got so engrossed in it, I finished it in one and a half days. And I loved it! I think that I liked it ten times better than the Twilight series. The characters in this one don't annoy me half as bad, and Stephenie's writing in this one is the best it has ever been. However, I was very disappointed in the ending. I think the book would have been fine it she'd ended it at chapter 58. I didn't really like the ending as much. But I loved the book as a whole. This is definitely worth it! Ten times better than Twilight in my opinion. This is a book definitely worth reading.

Airhead-Meg Cabot

2008-05-20T15:17:00.000-07:00

Emerson Watts didn’t even want to go to the new SoHo Stark Megastore grand opening. But someone needed to look out for her sister Frida, whose crush, British heartthrob Gabriel Luna, would be singing and signing autographs there—along with the newly appointed Face of Stark, teen supermodel sensation Nikki Howard.
How was Em to know that disaster would strike, changing her—and life as she’d known it—forever? One devastating accident later, and Em Watts, always the tomboy, never the party princess, is no longer herself. Literally.
Now getting her best friend Christopher to notice that she’s actually a girl is the least of Em’s problems.
But what Em’s pretty sure she’ll never be able to accept might just turn out to be the one thing that’s going to make her dream come true....

I am a huge fan of a lot of Meg Cabot's books, so I was excited when this one came out. Though it is not my absolute favorite, I still enjoyed it a lot. It reminded me a little of The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson. It is a fast read, and great if you're looking for something fun to read. I can't wait until a sequel comes out!

The Battle of the Labyrinth-Rick Riordan

2008-05-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

Percy Jackson isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.

Time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Krono's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth-a sprawling underground world with surprises at every turn.

I finished this book in two days, it was that amazing! I love this book series, and every novel in it entertains me very well. Don't get put off of it because it is a children's book, because it really is a great book series that has a lot of history in it. The characters keep getting better and better and so is the storyline. I highly recommend it, and cannot wait until the next book comes out! Read Maribeth's review here.

Happy Mother's Day!

Leanna

Bewitching Season-Marissa Doyle

2008-05-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

In 1837 London, young daughters of viscounts pined for handsome, titled husbands, not careers. And certainly not careers in magic. At least, most of them didn't.

Shy, studious Persephone Leland would rather devote herself to her secret magic studies than enter society and look for a suitable husband. But just as the inevitable season for coming out is about to begin, Persy and her twin sister discover that their governess in magic has been kidnapped as part of a plot to gain control of the soon-to-be Queen Victoria. Now they must weave their way through some magical and real challenges to rescue her. And Persy discovers that husband hunting might just not be such an odious task after all.

This book reminded me a lot of The Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray, considering they both deal with English society, but also magic and fantasy. Except....this one wasn't as good. I enjoyed parts of it, but it was very slow at the beginning and it couldn't hold your attention for very long. I did really love the main character Persy though, whose point of view the story is told from. There were some good parts that really did entertain me, but I wasn't completely enthralled with it the whole time. It is a fun read, and I would recommend it if this is something you're in the mood for. But if you have something better to read, feel free to pick that up instead.

So Many Book Releases!

2008-05-06T20:15:00.000-07:00

Here are some books that I really wanted to buy today, but sadly couldn't.

It is probably just as well. Right now, I'm trying to read six books at the same time as it is. Seriously. Maybe this weekend. ;)

Have a wonderful day!

Leanna

Slightly Disappointed

2008-05-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

So the Twilight movie trailer came out today. I have to say, I was a little disappointed. It was an okay trailer, but it didn't wow me. Usually seeing the first trailer gets you more excited for the movie, but this one didn't really do anything for me. Maybe it's because I still want more? I do not know.

Any other opinions?

Another Meme

2008-05-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

So I've been tagged by Kelsey to do this cool thing!

The Rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4.Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people and post a comment to the person who tagged you once you've posted your three sentences.

The nearest (and only book) I have with me right now is The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. So here it is...

In the previous moments of stupendous danger, Papa has said goodbye to Wolfgang Edel and was ready to accompany Liesel home.
"Ready," she answered.
They began to leave the scene of the crime, and the book was well and truly burning in her now.

I haven't even made it this far in the book yet, so I really have no idea what is going on. ;)

I tag Anilee, Ani Isilee, Summermoon, Q, and Bookbutterfly.

Just Listen-Sarah Dessen

2008-04-28T17:33:00.000-07:00

Last year, Annabel was the girl that had everything-at least that was the girl she played on television commercial for the Kopf's Department Store. This year, she's the girl that has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong. Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy committed to telling the truth. With Owen's help, maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

Wow. You. Seriously. Must. Read. This. Book. It was so amazing, there is really no way that I can rave about it enough. Probably my favorite by Sarah Dessen. It was similar to Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, and I even think that I might like this one a little better. It talks a lot about how music affects our lives, and how Owen teaches her to listen, and the dangers of holding in her inner emotions. This review is really short because there is really no way I can describe how much I loved. You'll just have to see for yourself. Go read this book, you will not regret it.

Lock and Key-Sarah Dessen

2008-04-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

When a social worker shows up at Ruby's small yellow house demanding to know where her mother is, Ruby knows the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.

That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie. A luxurious house, a fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future-it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby so reluctant to let go of her past and learn to trust again?

Wow, this was such an amazing book! The main character Ruby was wonderfully realistic, and I could really relate to her and her struggles throughout the story. This is great book about letting go of the past and learning to accept the changes in life. I loved her hesitant relationship with her sister Cora at the beginning of the novel, and how it grows throughout the story as we learn more and more about why they haven't spoken in so long. The characters were funny, especially her brother-in-law Jamie, and all the new people she meets, that teach her a lot of stuff about herself she didn't realize before. I've loved all of Sarah Dessen's novels, and this one did not disappoint! If you haven't bought this book already, do so, because it is an amazing, inspiring read!

New Layout, Changes, etc.

2008-04-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

So, I really just changed the layout on a whim. I was getting a little tired of the old one and I wanted something different. Also I think that for the future, this blog is mainly going to be book reviews and thoughts on important book related things. Mainly because, my life isn't very interesting. And I don't have much to say about it. So from now on, it's just about books and other important topics. Also that explains the title change because it really isn't about my life anymore.
Anyway, here are some book reviews coming soon!

Lock and Key- Sarah Deseen
Princess Ben- Catherine Murdock
Bewitching Season- Marissa Doyle
Just Listen- Sarah Dessen

Have wonderful rest of the week!

Leanna

The Writing on the Wall- Wendy Lichtman

2008-04-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

It's spring semester, and Tess's eighth grade existence hasn't gotten any simpler. Suave bully Richard has been scaring her with threats, a strange graffiti pattern keeps showing up on the wall outside school, and there's a new girl whom Tess just can't seem to figure out. Not to mention the fact that her crush Damien has been acting stranger than ever. What's a math loving girl to do? Turn to algebra for guidance of course! What if Tess finds out the solutions are DNE- Do not Exist? Or are the solutions right in front of her?

While I was reading this book, it kept reminding me of something that I couldn't figure quite figure out. Then I remembered that it reminded me of something that might have been on an old episode of Lizzie McGuire! Well, I'll just say it was a book for younger readers. And it does talk about math a lot! So if you're not a math lover, you probably won't enjoy this book as much, but it's still an okay read. I thought it was pretty good. I never read the first one in the series, but it didn't matter that much, because they filled you in well on the stuff you missed. So if you love math, you'll love this book because it relates math to real life a lot! So be sure to go and buy it when it comes out sometime in July!

Waiting for Normal- Leslie Connor

2008-04-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

Addie is waiting for normal. But Addie's mom has an all-or-nothing lifestyle, which never adds up to normal. She must live with her mother in a bright yellow trailer, near the corner of a small town mini-mart, where she meets some close friends to help her through her struggles. Even though she is often left alone by her mother, sometimes for days at a time, Addie must remain optimisic. Though everyday she longs to be with her stepdad and half sisters. Despite life's twists and turns, someday, she'll find normal.

I loved this book so much. The characters were very realistic, and I loved the voice of the main character Addie, as we went with her through her day to day challenges and struggles. There were happy parts, there were sad parts, and I loved every page. I never got bored, and read it almost in one sitting. The main character shows real hope with her bleak reality, and the ending was very satisfying. I recommend that if you haven't read this book, do so! It is a very hopeful, encouraging read!

Perfect You- Elizabeth Scott

2008-04-11T15:12:00.000-07:00

Kate Brown's life has gone downhill fast. Her father quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall, and Kate is forced to work with him. Her best friend Anna, has become popular, and now she acts like Kate is invisible. And then there's Will, whom Kate acts like she can't stand even though she can't stop thinking about him.
Kate figures that the only way things will ever stop hurting so much is if she keeps to herself and stops caring about anyone or anything. What she doesn't realize is that while life may not always be perfect, good things can happen...but only if she lets them.

So I really loved this novel, and read it in about two days. I really liked the main character Kate. I really felt like I could relate to her and the struggles she was going through, especially since I have gone through some of the same ones. She feels like her whole life is horrible, and that she shouldn't even try to be happy. I could understand that feeling of hopelessness, but it was a little overdone in a few scenes. I was sad about how her friendship with Anna turned out in the end, but I could see it coming. I didn't really like her romance with Will, but I've read worse. So this book is definitely worth reading. I think it's on sale now, but I'm not sure.
Also when I was reading a sneak peek of Elizabeth Scott's next novel, one of the guy's names in it is Finn! Very weird to see it in another book. Anyways, have a great weekend and I'll try to get some other posts done!

Leanna

Hello Everyone

2008-04-07T20:13:00.000-07:00

I've had a lot going on lately, and haven't really been giving this blog as much thought and attention that I should be giving it. I've just been busy, and dare I say it, actually having fun, * is shocked*. The good news is, I have a lot of really fun stuff planned for the next couple of weeks. I'm reading some amazing books, and am expecting a few more to come in the mail in the next couple of days, so stay tuned for some new book reviews! Also some poetry, a Twilight rant, some fun games, and my thoughts on other random things. Again, I'm always looking for ideas on new stuff to do, so if you have any, feel free to email me! Have a great week!

Leanna

Getting Ready for May 16: Prince Caspian Movie

2008-04-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

*SPOILERS*

I'm a big fan of this book series, and the first movie The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Now usually when one of someone's favorite books are being made into a movie, they want the adaption to be as close to the book as possible. Now for this movie I am very open to changes, mainly because I loved the changes they made to the first one. However, there have been many controversies to some of these changes, so I decided to share my thoughts on some of them.
The Night Raid: First, the completely added, action packed night raid on Miraz's castle. When we very first found out about this change, we didn't know the reason behind the night raid. Now from recent reviews, we know the main motive is to overthrow Telmarine king, and free Narnia once more. We also know that it does not go well, and ends in a slaughter of the Narnian troops according to a new review by Aint it Cool News ( for your warning, the article has very strong language). I was very excited about this scene and was glad that they added it in the movie. I think the reason they did was to just add another action scene, but at least something might come out of it, since we know now it'll give a lesson to the characters and make them realize what they're up against.
Peter and Caspian fighting: Another one of the big controversies. This is something that they didn't do in the book. Actually they got along quite well. But in the movie there is going to be a lot of tension and rivalry between them. And I think that this makes perfect sense. Of course when you put two kings in the same room, there's going to be friction. Plus with Peter's cockiness that is going to be added ( something I completely dislike), I can see how they would have that power struggle. It doesn't help that they got off to a bad start ( we know there is mistaken identity, and that they sword fight each other). I think this change will add to their maturity at the end of the book, when Peter passes the throne along to Caspian.
Susan and Caspian romance: I am completely, one hundred percent against this change. I think it is completely ridicuous. In the book, they barely even speak. They just want to add another Holleywood cliche. Some rumors from the first screenings even say that they kiss. This would ruin the movie for me completely. I hate this change, and hope nothing serious comes from it.
Susan fighting: In the movie, Susan has a big part in the battles. The reasons I don't like this is because it is completely against her character. Susan doesn't fight ( hence her nickname "Susan the Gentle"). It is completely out of her character and is something she never did in the book. The reasons I like this is because, I think it's okay for girls to fight and it would add that she's not going to hang around and let the boys fight for her. Plus it's a modern day movie now. Women do fight in wars now, when they didn't when the books were written. So I mainly like that because of the " Girl Power".
So those are my thoughts on some of the really big changes. I feel pretty comfortable with them making changes, as long as they're needed. Feel free to comment as much as you wish with your opinions. But in the end, we'll have to wait to see the movie to form our real ones.

Music

2008-03-29T21:01:00.000-07:00

So I was in the car today with my sister listening to the radio. When we're in the car, we usually don't speak at all and just listen to whatever's playing on the radio. So while we were listening to this song we both liked, we started bringing up songs we liked in general and why we liked them. Then I brought up that my favorite song depended on what my mood was, and how I was feeling. She agreed, and said she liked songs that had to do with what she wanted with her life at the current moment.
So your life can really influence your music, and your music can really influence your life. Like when I had a bad day or I was feeling down and bad about myself, I would listen to "Iris", or another song that had to do with how I was feeling. Or if I had tons of energy and was feeling imensely happy, I would listen to a fast-paced song that made me want to jump up and dance. Even when I have a long orchestra rehearsel or concert, I want to listen to classical music. Sometimes even books influence what I listen to. There have been times that I really liked a song, that completely seemed like a book's plot that I recently read. The two things I love most in the world are books and music, so when they connect it so amazing!
So that was my random thought of the day. :) Have a wonderful weekend!

Crazy Things I Did as a Kid

2008-03-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

Tagged by Bookbutterfly and Fantasy.

Rules:
1. Follow this format
2. Copy/Paste the rules
3. State who tagged you and add a link to their blog.
4. Write 5 crazy things you did as a kid
5. Tag 5 people

Crazy things:

1. I used to be in love with the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast. I would watch it every day, print out coloring pages for it, buy the dolls, etc. Then one day my sister told me, jokingly, that I was too obsessed with Beauty and Beast, and being the sensitive person I was, I decided to put everything I owned that was remotely Beauty and the Beast in a shoe box and hid it under my bed. I don't think I even retrieved it until months later. Of course, if anyone did that to me nowdays, I'd just laugh in their face. ;)
2. I used to seriously think that different magical lands really did exist, and used to spend most my day trying and thinking of ways to get there. My friends and I tried tons of fake spells, and a million different things. Sadly, we never prevailed.
3. I used to put on and play with my grandmother's jewelery. I don't think she minded though. I see the pictures now of me with all that jewelery on, and they're hilarious.
4. My sister and I would make up songs and dances, and have concerts that my dad video recorded. Oh how we cringe when we see them now. ;)
5. Once when my cousins were visiting, we started to make a long paper chain. Extremely long. For over an hour we worked, and we hung it up through almost the entire house. Some of it was saved and is still hanging up in my grandpa's house.

Let's see, five people I apologize if you've already been tagged: Q, Hwalk, Miss Erin, Felicity, Elizabethbennett.

What I'm Doing, etc.

2008-03-25T15:47:00.000-07:00

Right now I'm rereading The Chronicles of Narnia books. I read them for the first time two years ago, so I decided to reread them. I'm not going to post a review for every one though. Maybe just a couple of the ones I liked the most. I'm not reading them in the right order either, since I'm starting from the ones that I've read the least recently. So I'm enjoying that. By the way, I kind of gave up on Snow. But only for now. I'll finish it eventually.
Yeah, so I'll try to post about more interesting stuff later. There's plenty that I could blog about, but nothing that anyone else would be interested in. Right now I'm basically doing school stuff and trying to work out some personal issues. I'm sure that I'll find peace with what I'm worrying about eventually. So....yeah.
Have a great week!

Not the Easter I was Planning...

2008-03-23T21:34:00.000-07:00

So today has really been an emotional roller coaster for my family and me. We were planning on going to church and doing some other activities today, but it didn't turn out as planned. My grandfather got very sick, and this morning we had to take him to the emergency room. It was very scary, and we got really worried when we found out he had to have surgery tonight. We called some of our other relatives and they were concerned also. I was at the hospital for most of the day, and it was so emotionally draining. This evening he did have surgery though, and fortunately it went well. He has to spend two more nights at the hospital, and then he should be able to come home. Today was very stressful, but my family is so glad he's all right. When we got home we found tons of Easter stuff our church leaders and neighbors left us, so it really helped us and made us feel happy. We might even get to celebrate next weekend. I'm just so grateful that everything could work out so well, and that it could still be a good holiday. Thanks for the support you guys. You're awesome. :)

Happy Easter

2008-03-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

I hope that everyone has a lovely Easter tomorrow. I'm not really planning on doing much. But I am going to have an Easter egg hunt with my sisters at my grandparent's house. They no longer put candy in the eggs, so now it's just all money. Do you think I'll collect enough to buy a new book? ;)

Also as you may have noticed, I did some changes to the layout. I was getting really bored with the other one and I needed a change. What do you think?

Have a wonderful day tomorrow!

Beauty Sleep

2008-03-18T17:58:00.001-07:00

The Princess Aurore has had an unusual childhood. Cursed at birth, Aurore is fated to prick her finger at age sixteen and sleep for one hundred years- until a prince awakens her with a kiss. So, to protect her, Aurore's loving parents forbid any task requiring a needle.

On her sixteenth birthday, Aurore learns that the impending curse will harm not only her, but the entire kingdom as well. Unwiling to cause suffering, she will embark on a quest to end the evil magic. The princess's bravery will be rewarded as she finds adventure, enchantment, a handsome prince, and ultimately, her destiny.

This book was a lot slower than the other ones that I've read in this series. Truthfully, I was pretty bored most of the time while reading this. It did have some very good parts that I enjoyed. And I liked the ending and how the story worked out. But overall, I didn't enjoy it as much. If anyone else has read this one, what were your opinions on it? I liked it pretty well, but was a little disappointed.

Now I'm reading Snow and I'm really liking that one. Hopefully I'll finish that one soon too.

Have a great day!

Happy St. Patty's Day

2008-03-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

I decided to post this now while I still had time. I hope everyone has a fun St. Patrick's Day tomorrow. I am planning on wearing green, but first I have to find something that I own that is green. My wardrobe is pretty much limited to blue, and well blue. But I'm sure I'll find something. And pretty soon after that, it's going to be Easter. For me, having these two holidays in the same month is very weird. Now what do we have to celebrate in April, besides the lovely months of spring?
Well anyway, the reason I did this today is that I have to work on a big Rube Goldberg project tomorrow. If you don't know what a Rube Goldberg is, look here. Really, I don't even understand the point of doing this. Why make things more complicated than they need to be? And another question, why did I put this off until the evening before it was due? ;)
Also my sister got back from D.C. today! It's great to have you back Jessie, if you're reading this. :)
Have a wonderful week!

Leanna

Golden

2008-03-13T17:28:00.001-07:00

Before Rapunzel's birth, her mother made a dangerous deal with the sorceress, Melisande: If she could not love newborn Rapunzel just as she appeared, she would surrender the child to Melisande. When Rapunzel was born completely bald and without hope of growing hair, her horrified mother sent her away with the sorceress to an uncertain future.

After sixteen years of raising Rapunzel as her own child, Melisande reveals that she has another daughter, Rue, that was cursed by a wizard years ago and needs Rapunzel's help. Rue and Rapunzel have exactly " two nights and the day that falls between" to break the enchantment. But bitterness and envy come between the girls, and if they fail to work together, Rue will remain cursed...forever.

I really enjoyed this book, and it definitely held my attention the entire time. I have read other books in the Once Upon a Time series, so I had high hopes for the Rapunzel one. It was very inviting, and different from the original story, which is something that I like in retellings. I loved the main character Rapunzel, and it was interesting to read about how both her and Rue's stories were worked out. * Possible Spoilers* The only thing that was strange was, it seemed that there wasn't really a proper villain and there wasn't a big part at the end where they had to defeat that villain. It was mainly the two girls trying to break the enchantment, that truthfully seemed entirely too easy. But other than that, I enjoyed it. Another great book in the series.

Book Titles Meme

2008-03-12T15:53:00.000-07:00

Tagged by Ennagirl.

In this one, I'm supposed to write the first word in the title of the book I'm currently reading. Then I'm supposed to write a phrase for each word that describes the book. Okay, here's mine:

Good and giving sorceress
Order given by a wizard
Long, golden hair.
Daring heroine
Enchanted tower
Never ending magic

I can't think of anyone who hasn't done this yet, but if you haven't, consider yourself tagged.

Sons of Liberty

2008-03-10T14:30:00.001-07:00

Nobody knows the American Revolution better than thirteen-year-old Rock Kindle. He can list every battlefield and weapon, each general, spy, and traitor of the war that won the colonists freedom from Great Britain. His belief that he himself could brave any combat often helps him through the bad times, when Rock's own father wages small wars on the rest of the family.

But when his best friend Liza decides to run away from home, Rock begins to question the bonds that hold his family together. He knows that he would never be a traitor to his father and would never desert his family, so why is his wish to escape his home so powerful?

I really enjoyed this book. My sister recommended this to me, after she read it a few years ago and loved it. I finished this in about one day. I really liked the story, setting, and characters the author described. I could relate with the characters a lot throught the book, and after I read the end, I was sobbing. I really understood the decisions that Rock had to make, whether to do what he knew was right, or stay with his abusive father. I really loved this book, and recommend it.

7 Random Things

2008-03-09T11:29:00.000-07:00

Tagged by Bohae.

In this meme I'm supposed to say random things about myself. Hmm....this will be interesting.

1. I have a clone ;) Actually a fraternal twin sister that is leaving to go on a leadership forum tommorrow to Washington D.C. I'm so incredibly jealous.

2. I love to watch movies. In fact, I think that I love watching movies almost as much as I love reading books. If you're going to see a movie at the theaters, chances are that I've seen it. I think I watch one at least every other day.

3. I've met Shannon Hale three times, and have all of her books autographed. Also for the past nines months I've been a member of LRRH, I've logged on at least once a day. Obesessed, I know.

4. I cry when I read sad books and watch sad movies. I even cry during happy books and movies. Really, I'm a sap when it comes to things like that. :)

5. I really like to listen to classical music. Mainly soundtrack movies, but I love other classical too. I think it began when I started to play the violin, but I've loved it ever since.

6. I'm going to England for the first time this summer. I'm so excited, since this will be the first time I've ever been out of the United States.

7. I've never owned any pets. And believe me, I love animals. We were going to get a dog for a while when I was in fourth grade, but it never worked out. Oh, how I want a doggie. ;)

I tag Ani Isilee, Maribeth Kayla, Hwalk, Fantasy, Ennagirl, and anyone else that wants to do this. :)

Wake

2008-03-08T19:57:00.000-08:00

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. She can't tell anybody about what she does-they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.

Then she falls into a more gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted dream. She is a partcipant...

Wake was a very quick read. It didn't take me very long and I finished it within days. Before I knew it, it was over and it took me a while to formulate an opinion on it. Overall, it was an okay book. There were some parts that were very suspenseful and had me wanting to keep reading, and some that seemed slow and unnecessary. I thought the dream aspect of it was interesting, and it was different than a lot of books I've read. The only thing that bothered me was the language, which was pretty bad throughout the entire book. But the ending satisfied me, and I'll probably buy the sequel Fade when it comes out.

My Life in Six Words

2008-03-07T17:38:00.000-08:00

Tagged by Anilee.

So, I thought long and hard about how I should sum up my life in six words. Here's what I came up with.

I'm making my way to reality.

I'm always daydreaming about books, thinking about books, basically breathing books and never giving a thought to anything else but books. Don't worry I'll get there though. ;)

Since I can't think of anyone who hasn't been tagged already, whoever is reading this who hasn't, go ahead.

A Curse Dark As Gold

2008-03-05T19:44:00.000-08:00

Okay, this isn't the first review for A Curse Dark as Gold. And I'm sure that you all know what it's about by now. But in case you don't...

Since her father's death, the fate of the Miller family woolen mill and Shearing village, rests on Charlotte Miller's shoulders. An unexpected and seemly insurmountable debt leads to a difficult choice for the normally pratical and level-headed miller's daughter.

Must she take the offer of the strange little man that can spin straw into gold, or can she make her own way through a maze of ill luck and deceit that seems her family's legacy?

This is a re-telling of the Rumpelstiltskin story. I had never read the original tale, but I absolutely loved this book. I have to admit, the forces were working against me to never have time to finish this book. But I couldn't stop reading for hours when I finally got to reading it. I think that the author's writing is beautiful, and I loved the romance and the characters just as well. The wonderful reputation for this book is well earned. Great fantasy read.

Partner Interviews

2008-03-01T10:25:00.000-08:00

In Health class, we're starting our unit on social health, so we did an activity to to kind of introduce us to it. The teacher paired us with someone we did not know and we had to interview them on our following things:
Strengths
Concerns
Likes
Sorrows
Dislikes
Life Experiences
Frustrations
Guilts
Joys
Dreams
After that, you presented all the things you learned about your partner to the class. Usually I don't like doing personal stufff like this. Do you really learn about anyone in the end? I was surprised about the few people that really did open up, and answer these questions truthfully. Others used humor to escape potential embarrassing things to be revealed. Does it make it easier when someone else is talking about you, so you don't have to do it yourself? Maybe a little. Like I said, I usually get uncomfortable doing things like that, but I think it went all right in the end. Maybe people did learn some new things about me.
By the way, I saw Penelope last night at the movies. Really good. Leanna gives it five stars. :)
Also, I am still reading A Curse Dark as Gold, but it's been a really slow process. I've barely had any time lately.
Have a great weekend!

One Year Ago

2008-02-27T15:15:00.000-08:00

One year ago today was when my sister and I left to go to California. We went to my uncle's wedding, Disneyland and California Adventures, and to the Queen Mary for brunch. Plus, we got to stay with my aunt, uncle, and cousins the whole time. Oh, it was lovely. Time goes by so fast. And the sad part was that I haven't seen my uncle or my new aunt since the wedding one year ago. I really get to miss my family down there, since we don't get to see them very often. Even though when I was in California, I began missing my family here, like my mom and dad and such. The good news is that I might get to go visit them again during spring break. Now that would be fun! Plus, I wouldn't be missing a week of school like I did last time. On that note, I must go do some homework.

Leanna

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

2008-02-25T18:50:00.000-08:00

How far would you go to save someone you love?

Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a year-long coma, and she's still recovering from the terrible accident that caused it. Her parents show her home movies of her life, her memories, but she has no recollection. Is she really the same girl she sees on the screen?

Slowly, Jenna starts to remember. But along with the memories come questions-questions no one wants to answer. What really happened after the accident?

I absolutely adored this book! I loved this book so much, I couldn't put it down for three days. This book is science-fiction and takes place about twenty or thirty years in the future. Mary Pearson's writing is beautiful, and I loved Jenna's character and could relate with her every moment in the story. I also loved the secondary characters like her grandmother Lily, and all the people she meets. I loved this book immensely.

This will be released on April 29. I highly recommend it.

New Stuff

2008-02-24T13:59:00.001-08:00

I've added a header to my blog! Please let me know how you like it, and any suggestions you may have in a comment or email. Thanks!

Leanna

A School Post

2008-02-22T18:42:00.001-08:00

School is beginning to have a whole new meaning. This past week we have been doing class registration for the next school year. I'm going into the ninth grade next year, which means that it's going to be my first year of high school. This is when everything starts counting. The classes that I choose to take or not take, is going to affect college or even my future career. You start thinking about what's going to get you the most credit and will look good on your college applications instead what you really want or should do. Choosing my classes this year was some of the hardest decisions I've had to make this year. I'm hoping to get into all the honors classes, journalism, and advanced orchestra. Overall, I'm excited about what I chose. Though there was some stuff like Spanish, that I had to leave behind.
But I have high hopes for next school year. I mostly enjoy school. I've noticed that the classes that I love are the ones that challenge me the most. There are some that are easy that I should enjoy, but bore me. And the ones that give me the most challenge and stress...well, I love them. It's rather hard to explain. I like being busy and having something worthwhile to do that I'm not wasting my time. I like feeling that I accomplished something that day, instead of just barely making through it.
Most of my classmates hate learning, and that's something I don't understand. I say, find something at school that you love and try your best to excell at it. That makes it all worth it for me. :)

A Rhyming Meme

2008-02-22T14:54:00.000-08:00

Hwalk made this...

What your favorite nursery rhyme?
I don't think I have one.

First chapter book you read?
I don't know if I exactly remember the first, but I liked Bailey School Kids, Junie B. Jones, and some other of those kinds of books.

Do you read best in the daytime?
It doesn't usually matter. I read when I feel like reading, day or night.

Or when you are in bed?
When I read at night, I am usually in my bed.

A funny or serious tone?
It depends on what I'm in the mood for. I really like both.

A favorite character that is a guy.
Finn from the Books of Bayern.

Some books you want to own.
Breaking Dawn, Forest Born, Dragon Slippers, Specials, and many, many others.

And the first book that made you cry.
That would definitely be Charlotte's Web. I cried, and cried, and cried if you can believe it.

I tag whoever wants to do this. It's really cool. :)

Elsewhere

2008-02-20T15:23:00.001-08:00

How can fifteen-year-old Liz let go of the only life she has ever known and embrace a new one? Is it possible that a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward?

When Liz is hit by a taxicab and dies from head trauma, she suddenly finds herself in Elsewhere. In Elsewhere, your age suddenly reverses and you find yourself growing younger each year instead of older, until you eventually make it back to Earth as a baby. Liz must now accept her new life in Elsewhere and forget the life she left behind.

I really enjoyed this book. I love Gabrielle Zevin's writing and I especially loved this book. I really liked the main character Liz, and all the stuff I could relate to her about. The world which she created in the book was amazing, and I was interested by the entire story the whole time. I recommend this book to everyone.

Princess Academy

2008-02-15T21:21:00.000-08:00

It was a lovely idea and Miri wished she could believe it, but she knew lowlanders would never allow a crown to sit on a mountain girl's head.

Wow, what a lovely book. This is one of my favorite's and it will always hold a special place in my heart. You see, this is the first book that I had ever read by Shannon, and it's what introduced all of her amazing books and all the wonderful things that went along with it. If my mom hadn't bought me Princess Academy two years ago, I never would have read any of Shannon's books, joined LRRH, met her, or have gotten introduced to all of the wonderful things that it gave me. Really I think that Shannon's books changed my life. And Princess Academy is what started it. That's one of the reasons that this is one of my all time favorite books.

My work here is done.

Leanna

Happy Early Valentine's Day

2008-02-13T17:30:00.000-08:00

No, this post isn't really about Valentine's Day. I just thought I'd wish everyone a good one while I had time to blog.
The weather here has been crazy. These last couple of days have been sunny and bright, and I thought that spring was finally coming. But as I walked out of school, I walked into a snow blizzard. I really wish that the weather would make up it's mind already.
I got two books this week. One from Pulse It and one of In Group. From Pulse It. I got Secrets of my Surburban Life. Sophie already did a review for it on her blog. I actually got that a few weeks ago and should be done with it by now.
Then from In Group I got The Adoratin of Jenna Fox. That one is an ARC I believe.
So I must get busy. I have to study for a lot of tests tonight, and then I have a huge violin test on Friday and for the next couple of weeks. Seriously, I wish I could get some days off from school because of all this snow. First, I need the time and second, they still make us trudge to school even though there is sixteen inches of snow outside. It really isn't fair.
Anyway, have a great rest of the week!
Leanna

River Secrets

2008-02-10T09:38:00.001-08:00

Razo-short, funny, and not the best soldier-is sure it's out of pity that his captain asks him to join an elite mission escorting the ambassador into Tira, Bayern's great enemy.

I love this book. It has so many funny moments that I love. This was such a satisfying read. Razo is truly a hilarious character.

My top five favorite moments in River Secrets:

1. When Razo gets to show off his slinging skills to the Tiran soldiers. That was just kind of a ha-ha, Razo's awesome kind of part.

2. When he meets the prince of Tira. The prince was one of the funniest characters. I do hope that he shows up again.

3. When he's trying to describe a squirrel to Dasha. Tree Rat-simply hilarious.

4. When Finn plays his harp song for Enna. That was a real swoon moment.

5. At the end, when Razo's in the boat with Dasha. That was a satisfying ending, when he's just telling her a story. I just loved it.

Now all I can say is, I can't wait for Forest Born!

Ugh

2008-02-09T21:41:00.000-08:00

Stys are really horrible. When people ask me what's wrong with my eye and I tell them a sty, I usually get two responses. One, they sympathize with me like they know what I'm talking about. Or two, they haven't even heard of one. If you haven't, consider yourself very, very lucky. They are the worst. I've basically been doing everything in my power to get rid of it today. Hasn't really worked. Like I said, I've pretty much tried everything, but if you have any ideas, please let me know. This is the first one I've gotten in about a year, but I've still been getting a lot of them in the last couple of years. They're so bad and I hope that this will be my last one.
On a happier note, I finished River Secrets and hope to put up a review for it soon. This weekend has been pretty miserable, but at least I have my books to make me feel better. :)

Leanna

I'm Still Alive...

2008-02-08T20:15:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a long time, but this week has been so incredibly busy! I've been doing schoolwork and tons of music stuff pretty much all this week. I swear, my Orchestra teacher is working us to the maxium...
So basically I haven't had much time to read River Secrets this week, so that's been kind of sad. I'm about halfway through though, and I hope to finish it this weekend. I don't have too much homework, thankfully. I'm not home right now either, I'm typing this from my Grandpa's house...
Anyway, for some updates, last Saturday I got see the symphony perform Beethoven's Seventh. That was amazing.
Also, the release date for Breaking Dawn was announced on Thursday; August 2, 2008. Less than a year from Eclipse. I'm excited for another summer release. Hope a cover comes out soon.
So that's it for now, until I (finally) have enough time to finish some books. There's probably no hope for any next week, since my Orchestra teacher is giving us another test...blah. Have a great weekend!

Leanna

Enna Burning

2008-02-04T15:21:00.001-08:00

Continuing my Shannon re-reads and reviews...

So Enna Burning. Well, of course it was amazing. This is probably the book by Shannon that I've read the least amount of times, so it was fun to go back and read the parts I'd forgotten. But I think that this book was a little different from the others. That is, I loved it best the first time. I loved the mystery and suspense of never having read it before. Such as, meeting the new characters and trying to decide whether they were good or evil, etc. Knowing how the book ended kind of took that away. Regardless, I still enjoyed it immensely. It is a lot more serious and suspenseful than some of the other Books of Bayern. Lots of stuff going on, and lots of action and romance (my most favorite parts). I always thought, too bad about Sileph. I didn't exactly like him the first time I read it, but for some reason I thought he was a really cool character. Even though I sort of figured he was using her, I liked him a little bit for a while, just like Enna. But that's all I'm going to say about that, especially since Finn is so much more awesome.

So a great read. Plan on re-reading that sometime too.

Leanna

The Goose Girl

2008-02-01T15:36:00.000-08:00

I love this book. It's one of my all time favorites. And every time I read it, I realize how much I love it again.

When Princess Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee is sent by her mother, the Queen of Kildenree, to marry the prince of Bayern, their neighboring country, she is betrayed by her lady-in-waiting Selia, who is trying to steal her name and her title. She must hide out as a goose girl before she can fight for her name and title back. She soon discovers some unusual talents, along with friends who help her discover who she really is and what she's meant for.

Amazing. Stunning. Completely wonderful. Everyone in the world should read this book. And if you've already read it, go and re-read it-now! ;)

Leanna

Oh No!

2008-01-29T16:26:00.000-08:00

http://littleredreadinghood.com/

How will I be able to survive without LRRH for so many days? How will I know all you LRRH-ers are still alive? ;) Though I feel bad for her server crash and all, especially if it had all her work stuff. Though I'll take her advice from her list, and glady re-read all of Shannon's books again. And that, " Write a comedic one act play about a girl named Little Red, " sounds pretty good too. ;) Do the last on the list, and keep your fingers crossed!

Leanna

Book of a Thousand Days

2008-01-28T19:23:00.000-08:00

Wow. What a great book. So good, I stayed up until 12:30 a.m. on a school night just to finish it.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale, is about a lady's maid named Dashti who gets locked up in a tower for seven years with her mistress, Lady Saren. I loved the diary format of this book, and the way it tells the story through the maid's eyes. What a beautiful book. Even though I knew how it would end from the first time, I still found myself almost crying when the book ended. I was so happy for Dashti! I absolutely loved the characters, the realness all of them had. I couldn't tell you my favorite character in the whole book; all of them had so many things I loved about their personality. Shannon writes in such a beautiful language, you can't help but be intrigued from the moment you start reading any of her books. When I read Maid Maleen on her website, I thought how much I loved her version of the story, and how well she developed many of the characters. Book of Thousand Days is truly one of my favorite books by Shannon Hale.

By the way, I'm re-reading all of Shannon's books this month, so if I get a little emotional like this on all my posts....;)

Leanna

My Plan

2008-01-27T13:53:00.000-08:00

So lately I've been thinking about all the wonderful books that I haven't read in a while. There are so many that I loved that I've been wanting to re-read, but haven't had the time. I've been reading all the new books and new releases. For instance, I haven't re-read any of Shannon's books for over a year, and I got the whole Harry Potter collection for Christmas, but I haven't had time to read any of those either. So I revised a plan on what I'm going to do. I'm not going to buy any new books until I finish all the ones I've been planning on reading again. I'm really happy about my decision. It is so much fun to revisit old books, especially when they're your favorites. And it would probably save me a lot of money over time. I'm really excited.
Sadly, I haven't had a lot of time to read this week, because I've been too busy with school stuff. I'll try to finish some up soon so I'll be able to post some new ( or old) reviews.
Have a great week!

Leanna

Book Meme

2008-01-25T17:48:00.000-08:00

Tagged by Anilee

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?

That would probably be Eldest by Christopher Paolini. I read the first Eragon thinking it was just okay, and then started to read the second. I got so incredibly bored, I stopped and never started again. Some of my friends loved it and thought it was better than the first one, but I think I've been avoiding reading it. Maybe someday...

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?

Wow. I suppose I would pick Edward Cullen from the Twilight series, to decide for myself if he's really as perfect as he's made out to me. Plus it'd be cool to meet a vampire, if he'd refrain from killing me ( just kidding). Next, I would pick Ani from The Goose Girl mainly because she's one of my favorite female characters, plus someone I could totally get along with. And lastly, either Ginny or Luna from the Harry Potter series.

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can't die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for a while, eventually you realize it's past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

Maybe this fits better with the first question, but that would be The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I started reading it a couple years ago, but was so bored I couldn't get past the first couple of pages. But maybe I'd enjoy it more now than I would have two years ago, but it boring me is basically the only thing I remember about it.

Come on, we've all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you've read, when in fact you've been nowhere near it?

I've never actually said or hinted that I've read these books at all, but a lot of people I know think I've read The Lord of the Rings series. Most of my friends have assumed this since I'm such a big fan of fantasy books and movies, but nope I haven't. But I'm planning to.

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you'd read, only to realize when you read a review about it/ go to re-read that you haven't? Which book?

I don't think that's ever happened to me. I usually keep pretty good track of the books I have and haven't read.

You're interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisior to some VIP ( who's not a big reader). What's the first book you'd recommend and why: ( if you feel like you'd have to know the person, go ahead and personalize the VIP).

I would probably recommend a book by Shannon Hale ( they're all so good, I can't think of just one). Though if they weren't big on reading, I would recommend Twilight by Stephenie Meyer just because everyone seems to like it, and it wouldn't be too hard for them ( basically, an easy read).

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading and comprehension in a foreign language of your choice. What language do you go with?

I'm having a huge debate over French and Spanish. I'm learning Spanish right now, so I already understand some of it, and French has always been something I've wanted to learn. There's only one way to decide this: I'll pick German! That way I'd get to read Inkdeath before it comes out in the United States!

A mischievious fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will re-read once a year for the rest of your life ( you could read other books as well). Which book would you pick?

Hmm, something I'd enjoy now and in the future. I don't think I'll ever get tired of The Goose Girl.

What's one bookish thing you've discovered from book blogging?

A lot of different genres and authors, I guess. I've started looking for release dates, trying new kinds of books, and reading books I thought I'd never read.

The good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she's granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favorite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead- let your imagination run free.

I prefer to actually read books in paperback, but I like to have hardcover books for my collections. So maybe all of my books in paperback and hardback? While I'm being extravagant, I'd want all my favorite books signed by the authors. Other than that, just a nice, roomy, comfy place would be fine by me.

Well, that was really fun! I guess I'll tag Fantasy and Maribeth.

Thirteen Reasons Why

2008-01-22T19:43:00.000-08:00

Thirteen Reasons Why is the debut novel by Jay Asher. It's about a boy named Clay, who one day comes home to find a mysterious package lying on his doorstep. Inside he finds thirteen tapes made by his classmate and crush Hannah Baker, who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Inside she explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life, and each tape tells a story that contributed to her thoughts of suicide. Clay will learn how he made the list, and what her learns changes his life forever.

It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did I couldn't stop reading. This book really changes your perspective about life and how you treat the people around you. I'd recommend this book to everyone. It's one of my new favorites.

I'm also reading Book of a Thousand Days for the second time. So much better than I remembered from the first time! I can't wait to post my thoughts on it soon!

Leanna

One Week Anniversary Post

2008-01-20T19:19:00.000-08:00

Oh no, where has the weekend gone?! It's slipping away and I can't seem to catch it. At least I still have one more day off.
I know this sounds crazy, but I'm actually kind of excited to go back to school Tuesday. Don't ask me why, I can't believe it myself. I've actually been really bored today, because I finished my homework early. But it gave me a lot of time to catch up on some books and some writing. And to spend a lot of time online as usual.
Not to make boring remarks about the weather, but it was actually really pretty today. The snow in the mountains looked beautiful, and everything felt nice and cool, not completely freezing like it has most of the time lately. It was great.
Have a good week,

Leanna

School Projects

2008-01-18T13:27:00.000-08:00

So we're learning about the American Revolution in both my History and my English class. I think that the teachers were trying to be nice by having the units at the same time, but sometimes it seems like a bit too much. Especially since the classes are right after one another. And they both decided to assign projects the last week of the semester. So I have a lot to do this weekend.
In History, we have to write a biography about a famous historical figure during the American Revolution. Complete with pictures. So he had a list of who we can choose from and since everyone had to pick someone different, we wrote down who we wanted on a list. Then he chose people's list randomly, and they either got who they wanted or had to pick someone else. I got William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania. In the end I think my book turned out okay, except that the drawings were horrific. I am terrible at art, especially drawing so in the end it was some very poorly drawn stick figures.
In English I have to make a poster and write a report on Lexington and Concord. We got to do this with a partner at least. We met up today and got some stuff done, and we're going to meet again on Monday. All I can say is, I'm going to be really glad when this is all over.
So anyway, sorry for the really long school post. That's how I'm spending most of my four days off. Tuesday is the first day of the new semester, so I'm excited. But we're not getting our new schedules until that morning though, which is really sad but the office gets behind a lot. I know that because my sister works in the office one of the periods.
Enjoy the long weekend!

Leanna

The Titan's Curse

2008-01-16T14:30:00.001-08:00

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan is the third book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. When Percy receives an urgent call from his friend Grover, him and his two friends Annabeth and Thalia immediately come out to find him. It turns out that he had discovered two powerful new half bloods.
But that's not all that awaits them. When Annabeth goes missing, Percy and Thalia must unite with the Hunters to rescue their friend and withstand the trap the evil Titan lord has set up for them.
The first two books in the series, The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters are about the adventures Percy and his friends experience, and what a true hero means. Fun, fast, and hilarious reads. This is definitely the best in the series so far.

Something to Brighten my Week

2008-01-14T17:29:00.000-08:00

I got an ARC today from Harperteen Where People Like Us Live. I was so glad when I saw it in the mailbox. I needed something to make this week a little more bearable.
Today they announced the Newberry Award winners! And while the book I was rooting for Book of a Thousand Days didn't win, I was still happy for the winners. I hadn't heard of a lot of them though. But I could always use a couple more recommendations.
I have a test on all twelve major scales tomorrow in orchestra, so I have to practice a lot tonight. Stuff like that always makes me nervous, so I like to be extra prepared.
Well, since I've been getting so many good books lately I might post a couple of reviews soon. Still loving Blogger tons...

Leanna

First Post

2008-01-12T19:21:00.000-08:00

So this is my first post on my new blog. I basically decided to switch from my old one on LiveJournal ( http://annaisilee.livejournal.com/) to this one because I didn't like it too much in the first place, and decided that LiveJournal wasn't for me afterall. So I have big plans for this new one. I like this one better already actually. So stay tuned for some great new stuff. Thanks!

Leanna