Upcoming Releases of 2013

I know a lot of you YA crazy fans are anticipating an exciting year for YA books coming up, and it's called 2-0-1-3!  So many exciting debuts, sequels, prequels, and other fun stuff is coming out next year! So I've decided to feature just a few of the books that avid young adult readers are most excited about these days. :)

Boundless (Unearthly, #3)
The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfil her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices, #3)
Who's forgetting the finale to this epic series? I certainly am not!

Danger intensifies for the Shadowhunters as the New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy comes to a close.

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it?

The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.

Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment.

Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy.

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)
I know personally that I was one of those few people that fell head over heels in love with the first book in this series. 

Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.

As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.

The Elite (The Selection, #2)
I know I'm very much anticipating the sequel to The Selection. 

The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestsellerThe Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

Which 2013 release are YOU most looking forward to! Drop me a comment, it'll brighten my day. :)

 that's all for today, but throughout the rest of 2012, I'll be featuring a few more upcoming releases of 2013, so keep looking for the posts! 

SS #3: Taylor Swift

Introducing the Saturday Scoop: The Saturday Scoop is a weekly post posted here on Leopard Kitty Girl Books. Each week, I pick a new topic to write about and just rant and rave about that particular topic. 

This Week's Topic: Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift.  What comes to mind when you think of the curly-haired country pop singer?  No doubt you think of some of her songs: ranging from full-out country ("Mean") to full-out pop ("I Knew You Were Trouble").

Well, if you know me well enough, you would know that she is one of my role models and that I look up to her.  She's brilliant, fearless, an amazing songwriter, and has awesome fashion sense.  It's hard not to like her, wouldn't you agree? She's America's sweetheart, in simple words.

When she was 16 years old, her first album was released.  The songs were all completely country, and she sang with a southern accent.  Most of them were about break-ups she had with guys, or general experiences she'd had.  Her next album, Fearless,  was released when she was 18, and the songs were still country, and many of her hits still are popular today-- "Fearless" and "Fifteen" and "White Horse"...  Her next album, Speak Now, was released when she was 20, and the songs had taken a slightly different direction.  Some of them were still country ("Mean" for example) but the majority of them sounded more pop ("Sparks Fly", "Enchanted").  So when her newest album, Red, was released a couple weeks ago (She's 22 now), people weren't really sure what to expect.  It turns out that almost all of them are pop, and some even seem to be Indie.

For some people, they either like the new songs or they don't.  A lot of people are saying that she can't call herself a country singer anymore and refuse to listen to her new songs.  But some are open to both. Since I admire Taylor Swift, I like both kinds of her songs.  Some of her new pop songs are brilliant.  I'm a huge fan of "I Knew You Were Trouble"(reportedly about One Direction's Harry Styles...drama!!) but then, it's the songs like "Mean" that always make me feel really happy for some reason.

Even her style has slightly changed.  Most people imagine her in flowing, floral skirts and dresses, but now she's wearing tight black body cons and aggressive red lipstick, and her flowing blond locks have been cut in blunt bangs and has been straightened completely.

So that's the latest on her. But what about her music?  Now that I've obsessively listened to the album in the past weeks, I know every song by heart and could tell you the order of the songs in the album.  So I'm going to do what I'm going to call an "album review". :p I'll do a short review of each song. (Most of the reviews will be positive. :D)

State of Grace: The lyrics are beautiful, but hard to comprehend.  I've looked at the lyrics several times and gotten nothing out of them.  The message hidden in the lyrics is "I Love you doesn't count after goodbye", which I'm not really sure what to think of.  It has a very cool song and sounds a little Indie.

Red: At first, I couldn't seem to like this song, but now that I've listened to it many times, I like it.  I like the similes in it, and I think Taylor Swift would make a good writer because she has a really awesome way of expressing her emotions through her music.  The hidden message is "SAG" or at least I think that's what it is, it's a little confusing. Haha

Treacherous: This is one of my favorite songs on the album, because it has a great tune throughout the entire song.  A lot of songs have great choruses but tuneless otherwise, but every line in this song has a great tune and it's really relaxing to listen to.  Hidden message: "Won't Stop till it's over". (??) I don't really understand any of the hidden messages...

I Knew You Were Trouble: My second-favorite song on the album (I'll tell you what the first one is later).  It's definitely her most pop song so far, but the tune is so catchy that I can't help but be pretty obsessed with it.  The lyrics aren't beautiful like some of her other songs, but it's amazing and I Love it. Hidden message: "When You saw me dancing".  This song is supposedly about Harry Styles, who were apparently found making out backstage at some music awards thing. (DRAMA!)

All Too Well: Wow.  I have no words.  This song is beautiful.  That's the only word I can think of for it. The lyrics are sensational and phenomenal. I don't know how many adjectives for beautiful there are, but I would list all of them if I had the space.  Also, this song is a little more country than her other songs on this album.  Country sound, country storyline.  Hidden message: "MAPLE LATES". Don't really understand that one.

22: What I love so much about this song is it's Taylor Swift having fun.  And it's not about a guy like a lot of her other songs.  She's just having fun with her friends, and even though it's not a typical T-Swift or the least bit country, it just always makes me smile because it's so.... HAPPY. :) Hidden message: Ashley Danna Claire Selena, who I am guessing are her girlfriends.  (Selena Gomez probably...)

I Almost Do: Pretty sad song, makes me feel sad.  I guess that's good though? But it has great lyrics and a great tune.  Hidden message: I wrote this instead of calling.  Awww. Cute.  Well I think that whichever guy this one's about feels pretty good right now. Or sad. Or depressed. I don't know which.

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together: This song's the #1 hit.  I love it.  Although, I feel like it's one of those songs that if you listen to so many times, you get an extreme headache and start to get a little sick of it.  I still love it, but I wince every time it comes on because I know it'll get stuck in my head and drive me crazy.  It was released a while ago.  Maybe if it had been released like her other songs, I would still head over heels love it.  Hidden Message: When I Stopped Caring what you thought.  Rumors say this song's about Jake Gyllenhaal. (If that's how you spell his name? )

Stay Stay Stay: Well. This is my favorite song on the album.  It's so cheerful and makes me laugh and want to cry at the same time.  Why? At first it made me laugh and go crazy with my friends whenever it came on, but when I decoded the hidden message, I want to cry now.  The message: "Daydreaming about real love".  Wha....???? I thought it was about a real guy and that she finally loved someone! And now she's just daydreaming about this adorable guy she's singing about? Now that made me really sad. But it's still an AMAZING, PHENOMENAL, AWESOME song and my favorite song of hers ever written! That will never, ever change.  My new obsession.  My forever obsession. :)

The Last Time: At first I was wary of this song because it has a guy singing half of it, and what i love about Taylor is that she's very independent.  And I didn't even like the song at first.  But now it's pretty good, I have to say.  The lyrics are kinda confusing except for the chorus.  I'm not overly enthusiastic about this song, but it's pretty good and i like it. HIdden message: LAON YOU BREAK. What the? I don't know what it means, unless I decoded it wrong.

Holy Ground: Love this song! From the beginning it was one of those sings I skipped to get to.  I've noticed that i love Taylor's songs that are cheerful and happy.  Some of the lyrics aren't totally rejoiceful, but the sound and feel of it is happy and makes me feel happy too.  Hidden message: "When you came to the show nsd" don't know what that means except for the first part?

Sad Beautiful Tragic: Every time this song comes on, I just can't do it.  It's a depressing ballad that I can't listen to without feeling utterly depressed myself.  So I usually end up skipping this song or else I'm sad for the rest of the day.  I have to say the lyrics are pretty, though.  Hidden message: "While you were on a train". That line is depressing in itself.

The Lucky One: Awesome! It has a cool, different tune than the other songs, and it's one of those songs that you want to tap your foot to sing along uncontrollably to.  I like the name of the song, though.  The lyrics, again, are confuzzling! I just don't get it.  I don't know if it's happy or sad, sarcastic maybe? I don't know!! Hidden message: "Wouldn't you like to know?" Sounds sarcastic to me... Also she has the word "Hell" in this song which is not typical for her. :p

Everything Has Changed: Ed Sheeran.  Well I fell in love with Ed Sheeran after listened to this song and listened to all his other songs.  Too bad I can't go on tour because the tickets are waaay too expensive.  I love this song :D and I haven't met anyone who didn't like this song.  Hidden message: HYANNS. I don't get it!!!!

Starlight: Like "The Lucky One", this song is cool and different.  The name also totally fits the tune.  I love the word starlight and the tone of the song is definitely starlight-y. If that even makes sense.  Hidden message: FOR ETHEL. Who's Ethel?

Begin Again: For a while I didn't realize why this song was so popular.  It's not my favorite song on the album, but now I really like it after listening to it a few more times. I like how the album ends with Begin Again, and it's about falling in love again, and that amazing feeling you get when you start to really like someone. :) Hidden message: I wear heels now.  I guess that ties in with the lyric "you didn't like it when i wore high heels"? Also, a lot of people criticize taylor Swift when she wears heels because she's already almost six feet tall, so that makes her even taller, but I think it's awesome she embraces her height.

All in all, AWESOME impressive album!!! I love it and can't stop listening to it!  Five of five stars!

Quick Note about my posts and blogging:  I have been thinking that my blog will get pretty boring if I Just do SS posts and the occasional book review.  Anyone know of some cool weekend memes I could participate in? I would love some suggestions.  

Have a nice weekend! 

SS #2: Insta-Love and Cliché Love

Introducing the Saturday Scoop: The Saturday Scoop is a weekly post posted here on Leopard Kitty Girl Books. Each week, I pick a new topic to write about and just rant and rave about that particular topic. Note: this week I'm doing my SS post Friday night because I have to go away this weekend. 

This Week's topic: Insta-Love and Cliché Love. 

Hello everyone! :) I hope you had a good week and that work/school didn't get you all stressed out. Anyway, let's look on the bright side-- It's the weekend and you're ready to read your weekly SS post!

This week I'm going to be talking about two different things that have been on my mind a lot lately: Insta-Love and Cliché Love. These days, you can't pick up a young adult book and not see fake, shallow insta-love and a lot of sexy British boys. I was talking to Erika on Goodreads (her blog is the awesome Living For The Books) about this today. It can be so frustrating sometimes when you pick up a book, expecting something fresh, new, and exciting, and it turns out to be just another nameless face in a library of YA books.  Yet another jaded young adult book among thousands.  Cliché love makes me sad, to tell you the truth, and here's why.

All the good ideas seemed to have been "used up". Everything that teenagers enjoy and appreciate has been snatched up by other authors, sort of like them sucking the color out of everything, or, let's make a vampire reference here, sucking the blood out of something.  And then the original product was left colorless, bloodless, bland, and flat. Where has our authors' creativity gone? Has all of it vanished, been thrown into a choppy ocean where sharp-toothed sharks (indulgent teenagers, I'm trying to be metaphoric here) will feast on them and chew them all up until they're finally all gone, and they keep getting regurgitated, and each time the ideas are regurgitated, they become weaker.

Am I confusing you yet? Please, try to bear with me here, because I feel like this idea is confusing yet it could be really interesting if I explained it well. I just feel like writers these days need serious inspiration. Onto the next topic, though, since I'll leave that one for you to think about: Insta-Love.

Insta-love is cliché, too.  It's used too much. I know the whole "love at first sight" thing is classic, but now it's starting to get out of hand. I don't think I can handle one more stupid guy and one more stupid girl looking at each other and realizing how totally in love they were, THE FIRST. FREAKING. TIME. THEY. EVER. SAW. EACH. OTHER.  I mean, I think it takes a little more than one swift glance for people to realize they're in love. I think they have to have a true conversation, get to know each other,and not just look at each other stupidly to know that they're head over heels.  Troubling, troubling, troubling. >.<

Anyway, I hope you understand what I'm trying to get across, and my mom's telling me to get off the computer, so bye! Have a fantabulous weekend.

love, love, love
Annie :)

Edit Your Html: Customising Your Font on Blogger :)

She's my new best friend. :p

Hi everyone! Hope you're having a nice week :)

Today I've decided to feature a quick tutorial on customizing your font on Blogger. I have just figured it out and am almost too proud of myself ^-^

Well, first I have to give credit to Spring Flowers Blog Design because it showed me exactly what I was looking for.  It helped me soo much!

So HTML is kind of like a separate language. Like English, French, or whatever language you might speak or learn, it seems confusing to one who is not familiar with it. I know that if I looked at a page of German I would be entirely clueless. For me, HTML was an unknown thing to me a few months ago. Now, I feel like me and HTML are becoming better friends every day :p now that I've figured out the mystery of her. :)

Don't let yourself be intimidated by her-- She's friendly, I promise! (xD) And she won't bite! And she'll give you what you want if you're careful with her and you follow directions. Promise.  So, let's say you want to customize your font for free on Blogger. I'll tell you, and I hope it works for you and hope I'm not the only freak who figured this out. ;)

So, first. Log into your Blogger account (obviously :p).

 Click on Design. It's in the top right corner of your screen, which you already know if you're not a real newbie to blogging. :D

Click on "Edit HTML" . That button is next to the big orange button that says "Customise". It took me longer than it should have for me to find this one simple button.

There'll be a warning when you click on it, that says you should only Edit HTML if you're an advanced user. Yeah, yeah. You can do it, girl! I have faith in you. (Or, if you're a boy, you can do it, boy!) Click on Proceed. 

Scroll down (it will be fairly early in your scrolling process) until you see this:

<Group description="Page Text" selector="body">

     <Variable name="body.font" description="Font" type="Font"

         default="normal normal 12px Font, Font, Font, Font, Font" value="normal normal 12px Font"/>

NOTE: The text I've highlighted here will not be highlighted there. Also, in the place of "Font, Font, Font, Font, Font" will be the fonts you have already. 

Enter the name of the font you want your page text to be in in place of the highlighted places. You can also adjust the size where it says "12px" or whatever size font you currently have. 

When you're finished editing the HTML, it should look something like this (I'm using the font Century Gothic as an example, since that's what i have on my blog):

<Group description="Page Text" selector="body">

     <Variable name="body.font" description="Font" type="Font"

         default="normal normal 12px Century Gothic, Century Gothic, Century Gothic, Century Gothic, Century Gothic" value="normal normal 12px Century Gothic"/>

Then, of course, click on 'save'. View your blog. If it doesn't work, please tell in comments so I can investigate the issue! 

I really hope I helped you! :D

Review Edit: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Synopsis:
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Who Recommended it to Me: No one. I was drawn to it by its cover (as usual).
Who I'd Recommend it To: A girl, probably age 12-15, who wants a YA princess book :)

So I've decided to edit this review. Why? Because after rereading it, I have some different opinions than I had the first time I read it. Not too much different; The rating still stays a good 4 stars. But some things, I see differently.

Review:

I loved it. The second time around, my opinions changed. So why did my opinions change? Well, I don't know. Now I know what you're thinking: That's a pretty crappy answer when you're about to write a review: that you don't know why. For some reason, everything just came together at the end, I got the point of the book, everything was sort of... Connected. The ends met: it was like a three-year-old struggling to tie her own shoes until finally, something just clicks and she can do it for the rest of her life. Or a third grader learning her multiplication facts. It was weird.

America and Maxon are cute in a weird way. They're not the kind of couple that I'll swoon over: "they're Oh-so-adorable" "Oh em jee I just want them to make out already". They're more like...cute in a real way. A princess like, proper way. Maxon is a little clueless about girls and that's what makes him pretty cute, in my opinion. Aspen was ok but if I had to choose one I'd pick Team Maxon. Yeah, I know a book is not about which boy she chooses, but it was a vital part of the book so I feel that I have to mention it.

So why did I love it? Well, the princess thing was relaxing to read about. Like having hot chocolate with marshmallows on a cold day, or taking a hot bath, the scent of warm water and soap blended together to make a soothing mix of scents, or the smell of your hair after you wash it with your favorite shampoo. It was fluffy in a nice way and while yes, I can say that the writing wasn't Jane Austen-esque, it was nicely written and written in a way that was believable and cute. I can be a real girly-girl sometimes and have to admit that the princess thing was what originally drew me in. I know I'll definitely be reading the next book (Yes, for its cover :p but also for how much I enjoyed this book the second time around I read it.)

America, I still am not a fan of. She's still a little annoying and her name is still a little annoying. But I can say that she did grow on me through the book. She went through her ups and downs and sometimes I wanted to punch her in the face and other times I wanted to hug her, but all in all she ended up being fairly decent. Not my favorite female heroine of all time, but definitely not as bad as I thought originally.

Well, dear Selection , I've given you a second chance and I'm glad. Because I don't like not liking books. And now, may you and I live happily ever after. ;)

The Infamous Captcha :p

So, I know that all of you have probably come across this huge problem in blogs these days, and it's called Captcha.

Today, my friend Lottie over at La Lovely Stories   pointed the captcha on my blog out to me. I had no idea that it was there, and had gone through trying to decode the words on other people's blogs and found it frustrating. I thought, "well, It's good that my blog doesn't have one of these," but then I found out that it did, to my alarm.  I didn't know that it was automatic. I thought you had to adjust a setting.

It turns out, you do. The automatic is set as "yes" for "Set Word Verification". I didn't realize this. I scrolled through many websites talking about how to fix this, but none of them were helpful as there was no 'Old Blogger Interface' on my settings. So, I decided to find out how to do this MYSELF. I'm s smart girl right?

First, I went to "Settings".
Underneath "Settings", I clicked on "Posts and Comments".
Where it says "Show Word Verification", there's a drop-down menu.
To remove captcha, click on, "No."
It worked :)

Hope I helped some of you who might be confused, distressed... Etc. :)

love, love love
Annie :)

Book Review: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Synopsis:
Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything"—at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older 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 with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help,maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

Number of Pages: 383
Publishing Date: April 6th 2006
Publishing Company: Viking Juvenile

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Who Recommended it to Me: A bookstore employee
Who I'd Recommend it To: Every teenage girl in the entire world, simply put. 

My Review:

When my dad brought this book back from London after a business trip, I was excited.  Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors and I had yet to read every book by her.  Apparently, an employee at my favorite bookstore in London had recommended this for a 13-year-old girl, and my dad had bought it for me and brought it back.  I anticipated the experience of reading it, as Sarah Dessen's books always hit me incredibly hard.  This time, though, I had no idea what I was about to read. 

Seventeen-year-old Annabel Greene is the girl who has it all.  She's tall, blond, beautiful, and popular.  She's a model who people recognize.  But the reader finds out that she's so much more than a pretty face.  Annabel struggles with the ever-present fact that her sister is getting treatment for serious anorexia, but most of all the fact that everyone has turned on her now.  She's not popular anymore.  Instead, every day she sits alone on the wall by the school, eating her lunch as her used-to-be best friend, Sophie, throws vicious insults at her.  "Slut." "Bitch." "Whore."  The remarks don't seem to ever stop.  But Annabel is living with a secret that's suffocating her--the fact that at a party at the end of the previous year, she was sexually assaulted by Sophie's boyfriend.  

For many weeks, Annabel is alone.  No one knows about the terrible thing she went through, and while she sits sombrely Sophie is surrounded by a gaggle of talking, laughing girls.  But there's this one person who changes everything.  It's Owen Armstrong, the definition of a "bad boy" at first glance.  But like Annabel might seem just a pretty face at first glance but runs deeper, Owen is the same way.  He's music-obsessed, a ponderer of life and music and honesty.  He is led to believe Annabel is honest but really has no idea of her problems.  Slowly, Annabel and Owen begin to fall in love, but Owen still has no clue what her problems are.  He knows a bit about her sister's anorexia and her social struggle, but he doesn't find out why until the end of the book. 

This book reminded me of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson in the sense that there is a girl hiding away from something that has haunted her for months.  When I finished the book, I cried. I actually did, and I don't often cry during books.  I felt sad, lonely, but ridiculously happy at the same time.  Annabel and Owen.  There's so much insta-love and stupid relationships in young adult literature these days, but Annabel and Owen's relationship was so real.  Like nothing I'd ever read about before.  If I had been any younger when I read this book I don't think it would have hit me as hard.  It was amazing.  Unreal, to tell you the truth. 

The plot is crystal clear, the writing pure and smooth, like creamy chocolate icing.  It was easy to read, not entirely challenging, but the story had so many layers it made me think.  The part of the book that had the wheels in my brain turning was when Whitney was reading her story in front of her two sisters, and when Kirsten showed her family the video of the two girls on the bikes, and when Annabel confessed everything that had happened in the past year to her family, and when Annabel and Owen shared that kiss after their nails-on-a-chalkboard fight.  

To me, the main theme in this story is family.  How completely messed up families can be but then turn out even more beautiful and valuable when everything is solved.  It was amazing, seeing that family as a precarious glass vase, then falling down and shattering, and cutting people's feet as they tried to step over the pieces, until finally someone comes in rubber gloves and picks up the pieces and tosses them in the trash, so that the broken pieces are gone, and then someone buys a new vase and secures it on the window so it'll never fall apart again.  That probably sounded confusing, but it makes sense to me if it doesn't to you. :p

Sarah Dessen amazes me.  She's one of my role models as a writer.  I want to touch my readers and make them think as much as I did when I read this book.  At the same time, my mind hurt after I stopped thinking about the book.  My mind hurts right now, typing this, thinking about this family and what they went through, and this girl and what SHE went through.  Sarah Dessen, you're amazing.  Sarah Dessen, you're my life.  I'll never, ever forget you, Sarah Dessen.  Thank you for providing this amazing, life-changing book that I will think about every day from now on.  

SS #1: Writer's Block and Inspiration

My New, Improved Logo :))

Hello everyone! :)

 So if you recall I published a post a while ago, back in Late September (the days have passed unbelievably quickly!!) about something called "The Saturday Scoop".  I Have to unfortunately say that I have not followed up with my Promise that I included in that post and I'm SO sorry!! In case you forgot what The Saturday Scoop was, and want to know more about it, please click here. 

I Said that my first SS topic would be fangirling, but I have decided to file that subject away for later and focus on a different subject that Has been bugging me a lot lately: which is Writer's Block and Inspiration.  Definition of Writer's Block: "an inability to write".

An Inability to write... Curious, curious.  Now, let me say something that is particularly wrong with this statement: everyone can write.  For some people, it comes more naturally to them, and others struggle with writing. But everyone can DO it.  If they're passionate about writing, then they can write whatever the heck they want.  They just have to... write.

I Myself have descovered that writing comes at the strangest times.  When you want to write, you never can. You sit at the computer, looking at the screen blankly, not one single idea coming to mind, and the ones that do come to your mind seem bland, uninteresting, and cliche.  For Me, writing comes when it's a rainy day and there's a strange color in the sky, or when you're on an airplane looking down at the tiny world below you, or when you're reading a book and you suddenly realize that the two ends meet, or when you're on a rollercoaster feeling as if you might get sick.

So Now that we've established that Writer's Block is nonexistent, let me move into something that is quite related to writer's block: Inspiration.  If you have what is supposedly writer's Block, then you need inspiration ASAP.  How do you get inspiration? You Read.  You Watch.  You Listen.  There might be that girl you admire because she's not afraid to be out there, or there might be that author who manages to make words sound perfect and invincible and beautiful, or there might be that Math teacher who explains everything in a clear, calm voice and makes you feel relaxed when you were feeling panicked just moments ago.  Like writing can come to you at the strangest times, Inspiration can come to you at the strangest times.  It's an odd world, isn't it? But that's what makes writing beautiful. Inspiration.

I'm inspired every day.  I look at my mom, and my sister, and my brothers, and my dad, and even my dogs!  I look at my favorite authors and think, "I could be just like them someday".  And you CAN.  If you just sit down and write your heart out, or do whatever your heart out, you COULD be just like them someday.

:)

love, love, love,
Annie :)

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Sister: Rough Draft

This is a paper I'm writing for school. Please give me your thoughts and opinions on it. It's the rough draft, so I'll post the final soon. Enjoy ;)

The sky paints our gleaming skin, and glitters against the turquoise water.  Our legs swing from the dock, the tips of our feet skimming the water, sending electric coolness through us.  My sister laughs, and the wind carries the sound.  In just a few seconds, the water will steal us, and strings of water will splatter the dock.  I glance at her.  She’s gliding through the water, her hair cascading down her back.  She’s like the sun.  Without her, the world would be dark, and yet she’s always there, so I often overlook her presence.

            As I look back, I see laughter, smiles.  I see French manicures, prom dresses, field hockey sticks, and lopsided Brooklyn apartments.  Now, I see sandy, dry deserts with shepherds herding hundreds of sheep, and the intricate Arabic alphabet.  I know this because last spring, she announced her ambition of teaching in Jordan at an American-style boarding school.

            My parents’ attention, not to mention every single one of our aquaintances’, slowly shifted to my sister and her future.  I was the youngest in the family, the one everyone gushed over and admired.  I’d always been somewhat like a china doll in a glass case, but would get jealous if the attention from me for two minutes.  So there I was, with everyone in the universe talking about the way this was a lovely experience, what an amazing girl she was, how she would go on to do great things, and I would just sit there, arms crossed, lips in a thin line, and eyes fixated on the ground.

            It wasn’t that I was trying to get attention, although maybe that was slightly part of it.  I felt jealous. I felt wistful.  I felt as though a puzzle piece was missing.  My sister had always been within reach, and now she was going to be across the world, in an entirely different time zone, learning to speak Arabic and teaching Shakespeare plays.  It was more exciting than anything I’d ever done.  A pang of annoyance and jealousy combined into one emotion would run through me every time someone mentioned her new job. 

            A few days, before she left, we argued.  Not only was the argument irrelevant and unimportant, it was so irrelevant and unimportant that I can't recall fully what it was about.  I remember our voices screaming and echoing across the silent lake and my dogs tentatively seeing what was wrong, but most of all I remember her voice, over a blur of chaos, saying loudly and clearly, "In case you forgot, I'm moving to Jordan in three days, so..." This line made me feel as if I'd just fallen out of a tree and gotten my breath knocked out of me.  It was a reality.  In three days, we'd say goodbye. 

            When three days passed, and my parents drove her to the airport in New York City, I watched their car descend through the trees, down the gravelly road, before turning back, full of happiness and regret combined.  I remembered in disgust the days I would sit sulking because every ounce of attention was not on me, but I also remembered the good things: the midnight swims, the days when we'd do nothing but listen to loud music and hang out, the times when we'd watch Matilda and cry at the sad parts, and the lengthy debates we had over The Hunger Games. 

           After she moved, I became more selfless, and more aware of what I did and said.  I still have the moments when I find myself annoyed when all my parents talk about are my brother's college applications, but mostly I have become someone different. I'm a better friend, a better daughter, and most of all,  a better sister. 

            

New Info: The Elite, Taylor Swift, and Me.

Hi!   Today I'm taking a day off from school voluntarily to catch up on a lot of things, such as sleep, homework, studying, reading, and my blog. This is going to be a triple post: as in, 3 completely different things crammed into one big post.  Hope this doesn't scramble your mind too much.  :p

Today I'm going to be talking about three things that I feel are important. One, the release of Taylor Swift's new album, Red, and a quick album review. (Something I'll start doing when I buy more albums, haha.)  Two, Kiera Cass's second book in The Selection series, The Elite. I decided to pick this day to take a look at this book because "elite" is one of my English vocabulary words, and because it's possible that the second cover just might be as pretty or prettier than the first cover. I'll give you the inside scoop on it, as well as what I'm planning to regarding reading this book.  And three--me, myself, I.  Me as a blogger. Me as a fashion blogger. Me as a reader. And me as myself.  :)

First things first: Thank you for all of you patient followers. I know my posts have been unpredictable and scattered the past month and a half, and I thank you for bearing with me during these crazy weeks of my life. :p

Now, I don't know if you're a Taylor Swift fan, but as you've definitely figured out by this point, I am.  A die-hard T-Swift fanatic who refuses to become skeptical of her new decisions even when she supposedly crashes a wedding. Oh, Taylor. Those are the moments when you shake your head and laugh.  But, back to my point. HER NEW ALBUM. Released yesterday.  I got picked up from school early for a dentist appointment (which is impossible when you have top and bottom braces, a herbst, and other various torture devices glued into your mouth), and I saw the Walgreens sign flashing to all those who drove by: "Taylor Swift 'Red' $11.99!" My eyes widened. I waited until my mom had picked me up from the dentist to sweetly try to convince her that this was a once-in-a-two-year experience. That REAL Taylor Swift fans bought her albums the day they came out.

After much persuading, she finally handed 3 crumpled bills to me and told me to run into Walgreens.  I did, and after I almost got lost and finally found the display of albums, I walked out hugging the carefully wrapped album to my chest, sighing with pleasure.  A great thing to indulge in on a depressing Monday night. (Especially when your gums are bleeding because the lady literally went at you like you were some sort of scientific experiment.)

Instead of talking on and on like I always seem to do, I'll get straight to the point, my dear friends.  This album is amazing. All of the songs.  I have several new favorite songs: "Treacherous", "I Knew You Were Trouble", "All Too Well", "22", and who could forget "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"? But that's not a new favorite song.  Also, this isn't about the songs at all, but the photography is gorgeous. Although, I did notice quite a contrast between different songs. You'd see her in a silky dress with dreamy curls floating around her face as she sings a depressing ballad, and then you'd turn the page and she'd have on those sunglasses and tight black skirt.

Anyway, I'm obsessed. I'm listening to "I Knew You Were Trouble" right now, in fact, as I type.  Two-thumbs up to Taylor Swift with her new album, I am extremely impressed.
____________________________________________________________________________

One subject down, two to go!

Next. The Elite by Kiera Cass.

This just about settles it: I'll be dragging my parents to the bookstore the day this book comes out, just for the cover, once again. Yes, I did like the first book quite a lot and would buy this book anyway, even if it had a grotesque cover. But I would have been able to wait a few days before I got it.  This clinches it: I am not waiting.  The moment this book is available for public eye, I will be holding it. It is gorgeous. More than gorgeous, it looks very good.

If you scoll through Goodreads, a lot of people say that they won't read this. I understand. I actually respect them for overlooking the cover. But here is one thing logical about my desperation to have this book: I did like the first book. Quite a lot. So, naturally, I'll read the second. If it had had a normal cover I might be just "Yay, cool" about it, but I'm sort of like "YYYYAAAAYYY COOOOL!" about this one, because that's just me.

This was kind of a short section, but I don't have much to say about this except that it is pretty, and who wants to read about prettiness for a gazillion minutes of their day? I don't.

______________________________________________________________________________

Next! Me.

Bad picture, but whatever...
Anyway, so the last few days I have been posting a lot. That was partly because I felt bad for not posting for 2 weeks, and also because I am a bored person with a boring life. Well, not really. Actually my life is anything but, haha.

I'm still feeling sad about summer being over (I know, I know, it's late October, and I'm still getting over summer...sad), ESPECIALLY because that means no more reading for long periods of time. When I can read, it's brief and I can only read a few pages at a time, which makes me so sad.  I miss my daily book review posts! :( I also miss reading all my other fellow bloggers' daily book review posts.

Again, I promise I am still alive if I don't post every week. I will try to post as often as possible and try not to make my posts TOO repetitive (after all my life is pretty repetitive: wake up, go to school, go to practice, come home, eat dinner, do homework, shower, go to bed, then the cycle starts again).

Anyway, thank you for  reading this long and probably boring post! Bffn!

Taylor Swift: Country Belle?

Is Taylor Swift never ever ever getting back together with her former self?

In 2006, Taylor Swift released her first album.  In 2008, her second, in 2010 her third. All have been major hits, and she is one of the most popular musicians today. So, it's natural for fans to be crazily anticipating the release of her 2012 album, Red, which, if you haven't been living under a rock, you know is to be released Monday, October 22. In other words-- In. Less. Than. Two. Friggin. Days.

We've gotten a sneak peak into her album, with her hit--ahem, her POP hit-- We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together playing on every radio station there is.  But, doesn't it puzzle you? The way she has gone from being a 16-year-old singing in a twangy accent to b being a 22-year-old who sings pop songs, crashes weddings, and wears tight clothing?  It is positively mind boggling.

I can't help but love Taylor; her songs are all great. I'm obsessed with all of them and can sing We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together entirely by heart. Want me to start? "I remember when we broke up, first time, saying this is it I've had enough, cause like..." Oh, I could go on, but I won't.

Doesn't it make you sad, that Taylor Swift has gone from being a country belle, everyone's sweetheart and people thinking she's adorable, to being this barely recongizable girl? Gone are the butterscotch curls and floral dresses and in their place are blunt bangs and stick-straight hair, with (as you can see in the picture above) tight black skirts and button-down shirts.

And what about her new boyfriend? Conor Kennedy? He's an 18-year-old junior in high school at the prestigious Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts. His mother recently committed suicide. And he's dating Taylor Swift, a person who is almost five years older than he is.  That's like my sister dating one of my brother's friends. (Umm, weird... Why did I even say that? Enough.) It's weird. Very weird. Although I do admit they're a cute couple, even if they did crash a wedding.

I might be a critic, but I'm still the same Taylor Swift-y I was before all of this crazy stuff happened to her. I love her new look, even if I feel slightly sad about her old look being thrown out the window. I liked her old look better but new and different changes bring good things, right? Well, let's hope so. I know I'm eagerly anticipating the release of Red, and you better be, too! (No, just kidding, just kidding. Not all of us love Taylor Swift, I get that. :p)

Fashion Blogging: Will I Make it?

(Yes, I'm aware that I'm posting multiple times in one day, but... um, I feel guilty for not posting in such a long time.)

So, I'm a bit obsessed with Teen Vogue. I always beg my mom to let me buy the latest issue at the store, and if she's in a nice mood usually she'll let me buy it. This month's issue caught my attention when I read the articles on fashion blogging. It gave me inspiration: I love fashion, I love writing, I love blogging: So, why not start a fashion blog?

So, even though it's a bit crazy, I did. I barely have time to manage THIS blog; how would I have time to manage another blog? I've made so many blogs over the years that, um, most of them except for this one are dead.  But I want this new fashion blog to be a success. I don't want people to just overlook it as some teen fashion blog. I want people to read it, to appreciate it.

A lot of people think fashion is shallow, but they're seeing it in a very black and white way.  Fashion is only shallow if you make it shallow.  If you like expressing yourself through writing, I think fashion is a big statement about yourself.  The people who just wear jeans and sweatshirts every day (well, yes, I admit that is my go-to outfit if I'm staring at my closet blankly), well, some of them don't care about fashion, which is perfectly fine, but some of them are insecure.  I've noticed that the girls who aren't afraid of how they're going to appear to you are the ones that seem the prettiest, the most fashionable, and the girls who hide under hoodies look insecure and awkward.

I don't mean to say that you shouldn't wear that kind of stuff; I wear it all the time.  I'm not daring, I admit, and I do tend to follow trends such as skinny jeans and Uggs. But I think fashion matters, so that's why I decided to start a fashion blog. So if anyone wants to check it out and tell others about it, if you're interested, here is the link: Inner Beauty Meets Fashion. Read, enjoy, and be a fashionista ;)

Book Review: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

About three things I was absolutely positive:
First, Edward was a vampire.
Second, there was a part of him--and I didn't know how dominant that part was--that thirsted for my blood.
And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

My Rating: 2.5/5
Who Recommend it to Me: No one. 
Who I'd Recommend it To: The more curious of people. 

I picked up this book not expecting much. I'd already tried to read it about five times and each time epically failed. It wasn't until I was 12 that I finally finished the book. After I finished it, I decided something--that I hated the book, that I would never try to read it ever again and that it was the worst piece of literature I'd ever read.

Yes, this is not a Jane Austen-type book. This is not one that will charm readers generation after generation, but it is a book that people obsess over, whether it be to criticize it, or to wish they could marry it. The last time I read the book, I was determined to join those who strongly hated it. And I did, for a year.

About a week and a half ago, I was staring at my bookshelf, wanting something to reread. My eyes skipped over Twilight since it was naturally THERE, not something I cared about or even took a second glance at. But this time I found my fingers tugging at it, and eventually it became loose. I flipped through its pages, and within moments I was sitting on my bed, reading the first page of it again. I decided I'd try it again. Whether the outcome would be good or bad was beyond me. It was an experiment.

I enjoyed the book in the way that you enjoy stuffing your face with chocolate. I didn't sigh when Bella and Edward confessed their love, I rolled my eyes. But nonetheless, I kept reading, and even though this book did not prove worthy of people's obessions, I still can give it an honest 2.5 stars.

A year ago, I thought Bella was an offensive portrayal of females. And she still is, in a way, but in a different way. I respected her more during this book, even though she still disgusts me. I wouldn't go so far to say that she's offensive to females anymore, but I wouldn't say she's the most feminist thing I've ever read about.

Anyway, I encourage you to see the bright side of this book, instead of just seeing it in a black and white way. I didn't like the book. It will not go on my favorite books list anytime soon, or even on my "ok" books list. But people seem to approach this book in a way that makes me frustrated, a way that I did until now. Feel free to hate the book--I do hate it--but just try to look at things in a smart way instead of just hating, hating, hating it or loving, loving, loving it.

The Story of My Crazy Busy, Super-Hectic Life.

I have been MIA for two weeks. I apologize to my community. (Got that one from The Giver. Is it possible I study too much?)

HI, guys! I feel like I've been away for, like, forever. So I'm not that much different from what I was almost 2 weeks ago, but I feel different. Like my life has taken a different shape. Well, no, not really, haha, but I do feel like a slightly different person. I've noticed 2 things in the past couple weeks.

- Thirteen is an awkward age.
- It's annoying when girls go off and have secret conversations that they push you out of and u feel incredibly awkward just standing alone because everyone is having secret conversations with each other.
- It is very awkward talking to boys. Unless it's not. But it usually is.
- I hate some people I loved 2 days ago, and I love some people I hated 2 days ago.
- Social life is stressful.

Well, I could use the word awkward several more times but I don't think I will primarily for your benefit.  Since it's Friday (thank the Heavens), I get to save all my homework for Sunday evening and just chillax all weekend because that's the way I live and function.  Last week was the interim and my grades are all well and good except for math where there's that one ominous 84. (C+). Ugh. Whatever, though. I scored a few goals in field hockey this weekend which I'm happy about, also there's this boy who pretends he hates me but everyone knows he likes me, Oh! And there's this girl who I used to like but now i hate. Fun life, right?

I am exhausted. More than exhausted, I am suffering from major sleep deprivation.  There's the drama queen in me, but I am so tired I could just collapse in a heap on my bed and never wake up. Or, at least, wait until Christmas break to wake up, when my sister would come home and there would be no school, no mile runs, no friend drama, no boy drama, no nothing except me and presents and cake and Christmas trees. Ahhh. A beautiful thought.

Even though it might sound as if I loathe my life, I love it. Life sucks sometimes and life rocks sometimes. It depends on the day. Today was half and half.  The school part was ok, the social part sucked, the practice part rocked! Miss Brooks was in a verrry good mood and we decided to just play games in the gym with the boys soccer team since it was wet and rainy outside and everyone was in a sucky mood. Luckily, our sucky moods were quickly turned to happy moods when we found out we could show off our sexy athletic skills to the hot soccer boys. Just kidding. No, we were just happy that we didn't have to run the 5-lap test. :p

Anyway... I love all of you guys, and even if I sound like a sleep-deprived, half drunk maniac, I promise I am still my normal self and will post a civilized post soon enough. Bffn. :)

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Synopsis:

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .
    Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.
     Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything--her family, her future--to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.
    With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.
       From the "New York Times" bestselling author of "Peaches" comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

Title of Book: Tiger Lily
Author of book: Jodi Lynn Anderson

Date of Publication: July 3, 2012
Number of Pages: 292
Publisher: HarperCollins

My Rating: More than 5 stars

Who Recommended it to Me: Erika

Who I Would Recommend it to: Every girl in the world. 

My review:

I am crying right now. This was an amazing story. I'm in love. 

I've always found it incredibly difficult to choose a favorite book. I have read so many awesome books in my lifetime that it is impossible to pick just one that was my absolute favorite. But here, I have a winner. The story of Tiger Lily takes the top slot on my favorite books. 

I loved everything about it. I have not one complaint. I warn you, if you read this book, you will cry loudly. It is heartbreaking and beautiful, and definitely one of the most thought-provoking, beautifully written things I have ever touched. My life will never ever be the same after reading this book. I'm more impressed than I could ever tell you in plain words. This book, in short, has touched my heart in a way that a book has never had before. 

I don't know if my love for this book has anything to do with my unconditional love for faeries for many years, but I loved Tinker Bell. I'd never thought of Tinker Bell in such ways before. She was a generous narrator, talking little about herself and more about Tiger Lily. I loved the snippets of Tinker Bell's personality, and something about her made me feel like crying every time she talked about herself. She was so lonely, so selfless, and something about that made me sad. 

From the age of six all the way to the age of nine or ten, I would go into the woods right behind my house and search for faeries and faerie houses. I'd make them out of branches, weeds, sticks, grass, leaves, and anything I could find. I used to sing for the faeries to come, and sprinkle cinnamon along the path, because I'd heard faeries were attracted to the smell of cinnamon. All day long, I'd sit there in the woods until my fingers got near frostbitten, singing for the faeries and sprinkling a path of cinnamon along the gravelly road. Needless to say, the faeries never came, but I truly believed that one day they would come. This book brought back nostalgic memories of those days, and for a few seconds in the book, I felt like I wanted to be right there, I wanted to be Tiger Lily, sitting there peacefully with Peter Pan and Tinker Bell fluttering around us. 

For a while, it seemed as though everything was damn near perfect (minus, of course, Tiger Lily's unavoidable upcoming marriage to a grotesque creature Giant). But then, of course, there is pain, like there is pain in every well written story. Wendy Darling, a beautiful, sweet girl from England threatens to take away all Tiger Lily's love for Peter, and soon everything falls downhill after she arrives. Tiger Lily loses herself and never really gets brought back to normal. She marries Pine Sap after the mysterious death of the Giant, who though she is happy with, brings sadness every time she thinks of Peter. 

About three fourths of the way through the book, I realized I was truly on the verge of tears. I could place myself right there in Tiger Lily's shoes, imagining what it would be like if my true love abandoned me for a girl who is everything that I am not, if I had to marry someone I didn't love, if my life suddenly seemed to burn around the edges like Tiger Lily's did. 

Though the ending of this book wasn't exactly happy, it had the sad-smile kind of thing that you get in good books. You're crying, but you're happy at the same time. You feel unbelievably sad, but happy at the same time. Happy at the same time. This was what this book was about for me.

This is a book of pain, love, loss, but most of all, genius and perfection. My life will truly never be the same after reading this book. It was an amazing, amazing story. My new favorite book

I'm (Finally) 13!

This is a bit of a late post since my birthday was Tuesday and it's now Friday (4 day weekend! woo-hoo!), but I'm now officially 13 and officially can call myself a teenager.  It is very surreal, might I add? Probably the majority of you readers are teenagers/have been teenagers so it's probably not a big deal to you, but... I'm sure you remember when you became a teenager within 24 hours of your life, and how surreal it felt.

It is both a moment of happiness and a moment of sadness.  I'll never be 12 again. I want to be like Tinker Bell, like Peter Pan, never growing up, staying a little girl forever.  I look back on all of these years and remember my faery-house days, my ever-present hair ribbon days, and the days when I was a foot shorter than my mom.  I'm now just about as tall as she is, maybe like half an inch shorter.

Blowing out birthday candles is something that also changes over the years.  When my mom brought out the glowing birthday cake with the glittering 14 candles (one extra for good luck), I sighed in happiness but when I blew them out, my wishes differ from the ones I made even just a year ago.  I wish for selfish things.  I think I'm too old to believe in magic things like birthday candle wishes, but it still counts, I think.  I can't tell what I wished for, I'm still that way; but let me just tell you that it wasn't for world peace or for hungry children to be fed.

Well, anyway... Just a quick little note from your (teenage) writer, ^^ to say hi to all of you and to celebrate my 4 day weekend and gift certificate to Barnes & Noble! Ahhh so excited to go!

I love you guys,

love, love, love
Annie :)