Legend by Marie Lu - a video review

Legend by Marie Lu




Note: Yeah, I got the publication date wrong. Amazon strikes again. It's November of 2011. But I shouldn't have to mention the publication date since it's out. Actually, I think I'll start skipping that part. Apologies for jumping up and down again.

Tune in Tuesday (7)

Tune in Tuesday is hosted by Ginger at GReads.

For those of you who remember me breaking out into song during Anna and the French Kiss here it is:

And since this blog has been getting so many hits recently, and has had more people join it, and more people follow me on Twitter now (it was like a blog explosion last week), here is a song that made me think of you guys (and this blog):

So basically, welcomes all newcomers.

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.




Stuff/people I mention: Elizabeth Fama, President Obama, Futurama, My Vocabulary Did This to Me by Jack Spicer, City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, Lola and the Boy Next Door* by Stephanie Perkins, The Queen's Thief by  Megan Whalen Turner

(This title has been removed from sale by Penguin Group, USA.--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.)

I hate you, Penguin.

TGIF: Required Reading (1)

Today's TGIF question from GReads is:

Which book from your school days do you remember reading and enjoying? Is there a book published today that you'd like to see in today's curriculum for kids?

In order to understand why I'm picking The Stranger (Albert Camus) and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams) and The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger) we have to go all the way back to high school.

In high school I had one of those really cool teachers for a humanities class. You know the type: goes by his own rules, seems like a made for TV movie about street thugs getting an education but isn't as cliche as them. He gave me the above books to read even though they weren't on his required reading list. He is the man who got me seriously into reading. He was also a Buddhist and heavily into NASCAR, which is retrospect is an odd combination even by today's standards.

It didn't stop me from loving those books. I still have the copy of The Stranger he gave to me the day before I graduated. He didn't write an inscription on it. He just told me to keep and enjoy it and to learn from it. I haven't learned that lesson yet (the book is about murder). So I guess his lesson has been DON'T MURDER PEOPLE, ADAM.

It's paid off... so far...

Is there a book that I wish were on the curriculum today? Yeah. There is. Some people might disagree but I think Harry Potter should be required reading. Harry Potter has created a generation of readers and there's a reason for that: kids can connect to Harry.  He goes from a kid to a young adult. Making that transition isn't easy but JK Rowling nails it perfectly, even if it does involve flying cars and wizards.

Oh and the stories are funner than Jane Eyre or the other thousand boring required reading books.

So basically, hook em' young with Harry Potter and then pull them to the dark side with other stuff. If the tobacco companies can do it so can Scholastic. 

Anna and the French Kiss - a video review

Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins - 400 pages

I tried my hand at editing a little. I didn't go crazy with it, and I also read from my notes this time instead of doing it all willy nilly like how I have been. Of course, some of it is spontaneous because I really do just jump sometimes.

Once again: I love book recommendations. I also appreciate feedback about the videos and how to improve them. And any and all comments are welcome. Also, if anyone has advice on what Paris is really like... don't tell me. I'll smell a French person on my own when I get there.

Warning: There are three curse words in this video. Also, for the Divergent fans, I knock it. Again. But only slightly this time.




Sidenote: If anyone can offer advice on a good FREE easy to use version of video editing software that is not Windows Movie Maker; I would appreciate it.

The Top Five Trends in Young Adult Literature That Are Pissing Me Off

Special thanks to Jenn Ladd from Booksessed for this video idea. If anyone else has a top five video idea, or an idea for a video in general, let me know and I'll do it. Warning: this video contains a few curse words. Also, wahoo for one take and no editing.

Tune in Tuesday (6)

I've been in the mood for Camera Obscura all week. Here's my favorite song (Razzle Dazzle Rose) by them:.



Also, The Cab.