My New Books (1)

The festival yesterday set me up on a huge book splurge and I kinda spent a copious amount of my allowance on some reading material. Plus I've added some random books I've bought over the past month. You know those people on the couponing shows that love to keep stockpiles of food? Well I think I'm becoming one of them - with books.

Fateful by Claudia Gray

Hardcover, 328 pages
Published September 13th 2011 by HarperTeen

A tragic tale about falling in love on the world’s most infamous ill-fated sea voyage as heroine, Tess, discovers darker secrets that lie beneath the doomed crossing… and a hidden brotherhood that threaten to tear her lover from her forever.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins *signed

Hardcover, 338 pages
Published September 29th 2011 by Dutton Books

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.
When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson (Goodreads Author), Lauren Myracle 

Paperback, 352 pages
Published October 2nd 2008 by Speak
(I know it's not Christmas, but I needed to buy one of John Green's books to be able to meet him.)

Sparkling white snowdrifts, beautiful presents wrapped in ribbons, and multicolored lights glittering in the night through the falling snow. A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks. Thanks to three of today?s bestselling teen authors?John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle?the magic of the holidays shines on these hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and breathtaking kisses.

Envy (The Fallen Angels #3) by J.R. Ward 

Paperback {not in photo}
Published September 6th 2011 by Piatkus Books

Seven deadly sins. Seven souls to save. And a man and a woman treading the lines of danger, desire and deliverance ...As the son of a serial killer, homicide detective Thomas DelVecchio Jr grew up in the shadow of evil. Now, on the knife-edge between civic duty and blind retribution, he atones for the sins of his father. Hired to monitor Veck is Internal Affairs officer Sophia Reilly, whose interest in Veck is both professional and arousingly personal. But Veck and Sophia have a common interest. He's Jim Herron, a mysterious stranger enlisted to save the soul of a killer's latest victim, one precariously hovering between heaven and hell. Before Herron's job is done, Veck and Sophia will be inexorably drawn into a battle of good against evil, where the risk is nothing less than total damnation.

Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter #1) by Nalini Singh 

eBook, 339 pages
Published March 3rd 2009 by Berkley

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she is the best- but she does not know if even she is good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, Elena knows failure is not an option—even if the task is impossible.
Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.
The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other—and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt does not destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just might. For when archangels play, mortals break.

LA Book Festival

Last weekend our newspaper was dropped off at our house in the early hours of Sunday morning. The sun was sneaking out over the horizon, the birds were chirping, and the neighborhood was unbelievably quiet, making it the perfect time to try out my new slippers. I grabbed a light sweater and I walked out to the drive way in my PJs to grab it and pull out the comic books. As I bent over to pick up the wad of paper I glimpsed an add for the LA Book Festival this weekend and at moment my day was made.

John Green, author of
The Fault in Our Stars, 
signs a couple of my books.

I had an internship interview this morning, but as soon as it finished it wasn't long before we left for USC. We parked in the structure across from the dorms and walked towards the booths. It's at this point that I lacked words to describe how awesome it was. Books every, book lovers in every corner, and basically everything that's good in the world of reading was there. So, eventually, after we looked around for a bit and walked through the comic book booths for an unknown rather long period of time, we got in line to see John Green and get our books signed. Despite the long lines and the incessant heat, you can't help but have fun there. I did have to buy a book to get in line, but I figure that's a small price to pay to be within a 2 foot radius of his brain.

Books I got signed.

Not only that, but I had a chance to meet new people and Nerdfighters while we waited in line, buy a couple books (I'll blog about that later), and meet my favorite author in the whole world. I'm quite proud of myself that I didn't freak out and fan girl when he was signing my books. 

It's awesome and a great experience. The campus is extremely pretty and the best place to hold an event like this. So if you ever have the chance to go to the LA Book Festival, just GO!

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Hardcover, First Edition, 313 pages
Published Janurary 10th 2012 by Dutton Juvenille


Rating: 5 Stars. Truly. 






Summary:
Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

My Thoughts.

This review is going to be rather short because I think it's sort of an injustice to review a book like this. It was beautifully written and utterly heartbreaking in all the best ways possible. Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters were complex and completely real people that you grew to care about. I can't say very much without giving something away but I can state without a reasonable doubt that it was one of the best books I've ever read.

I loved it.

Hazel and Augustus's relationship was beautiful and really pulls at your heartstrings. 

Please just read it.

What I Loved:

• The bittersweet humor. You can't talk about cancer without getting sad, but when John Green throws in a little humor in there it turns it all around.
• Augustus Water's Soul. He just is.
• "An Imperial Affliction" and Peter Van Houten. His douche bagginess at the worst of times makes me want to hurl and cry and laugh at the same time.
• Everything. 'nuff said.

What I Hated.

• I hated the ending. In a very good way.

Should You Read it?

I know this wasn't a very good review but every time I think about it I still get teary eyed. Read it and understand. Please. :)

Cover:

4.5 Stars

The cover of the novel doesn't reveal very much at all, but it's simple and sweet, just like the story it tells.

I FINALLY GOT IT!

It finally came in the mail today and it's signed in green sharpie! I can't wait to read it, I heard that it was amazing.


*Happy dance*


I absolutely adore all of his books! I heard him read the first chapter and can't imagine how much sadder it can get.


*note: I actually got it yesterday but I wasn't able to post this in time. x3

Review: Will Gray, Will Grayson

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Leviathan

Hardcover, 310 pages

Published April 6th 2010 by Dutton Juvenile

Five Stars

Summary:

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.

Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them both legions of faithful fans.

My Thoughts.


I'm not going to lie and say this book made me laugh out loud during math class. My teacher assumed it was because of the odd problem we were doing, but cosine graphs are only so funny (in fact, they're not all hilarious). 
The summary doesn't really give much away, but it's a story about two boys who share the same name. One's gay, the other's straight. This is a novel that tells their story.
Will Grayson and Will Grayson are two complete different characters with their own completely different set of problems. Straight Will Grayson and Gay Will Grayson do share one similarity: Tiny. 


Tiny is what made this book for me. Tiny is the reason why I want to be in a musical (yes, there are musicals involved in this book).

“Tiny Cooper is not the world's gayest person, and he is not the world's largest person, but I believe he may be the world's largest person who is really, really gay, and also the world's gayest person who is really, really large.” 

With an introduction like that you can't really go wrong. But there's more to the book than just Tiny (who scarily resembles some football player I sit next to in history class).The problems that these two boys have to make are real and believable. One's having trouble figuring out who he really is, and the other is discovering that's next after you've come out of the closet. I cried, I laughed, and I loved it. 


What I Loved.

• The Wittiness. I love wit and snappiness in my characters and these definitely delivered. I mean, when a character says, “dating you would be like a series of unnecessary root canals interspersed with occasional makeout sessions.” you know you've hit the jack pot.
• The Sheer Fabulous-ness of Tiny Cooper and his Musical. Is he not fabulous? When he decides to make a musical about his life with lyrics like "I was born this way / Big boned and happily gay / I was born this way / Right here in the U.S.A." there are no words to describe how awesome it gets. This proves it, Lady Gaga stole from Tiny Cooper!
• Straight Will Grayson. He's confused that he doesn't know his place in the lives of others. He's upset that his friend named a character in his musical practically after him. And he has to deal with the drama that school comes with. You grow and understand what he's going though because it's totally relatable.
• Gay Will Grayson. There are so many books out there that deal with coming out with your sexuality, but there aren't very many books about what happens after. This is one of the few. Will knows who he is, and he's accepted this fact. This story is about him living with it and dealing with his depression that seems to be ever present in his life.
• The IMs. Normally I don't like them very much, but it helped tell the story and was very amusing.

What I Didn't Really Like.

• The lowercasing of Gay Will Grayson's chapters. I'm going to sound like a complete arse but I like my capitalization the way it is. I got used to it and I totally got what they were trying to convey, but it kind of bugged me. 
• Maura. She's a bee with an itch.

Should You Read It?

Yes! Go! Be enlightened by Tiny Cooper!

Cover: 3 stars

As pretty as it is, I thought it was going to be some distopian alternate universe sort of story. I only wish it could reveal a little more of what kind of book it is.

DFTBA!