Thursday, September 25, 2014
Review: Crank
“We used to do coke, till "Just Say No" put the stuff out of reach. Now it's crank. Meth. The monster. It's a bitch on the body, but damn do you fly.”
Three weeks. That's how long Kristina will have to spend with her distant father, a user. He doesn't cook, doesn't clean, he doesn't care -- and so their distant relationship continues even if they are living together. No one can blame Kristina for being thrilled when she meets Adam. So what if he wants to smoke a little pot? A line of meth, why not? It brings out a different side of her. Besides, it's not like she'll be doing drugs forever.
I was not prepared for this book to be written all in verse. It's not the first book I read that way, and yet Hopkins handled dialogue through it all. That did impress me! If you know an addict then you can understand how they tend to withdraw or be happy one moment then angry the next. Kristina/Bree was the same. Making it difficult to be in her head for a long time, hence why the verse felt necessary.
Unlike Go Ask Alice by Anonymous where the main character tries one drug and then goes on a rampage trying them all, Kristina/Bree appears to have a link between Adam and the monster as if she has linked meth and love together. It makes her feel special, wanted, audacious... but as the days go by, all it does is destroy her.
A sad story based on Hopkins daughter.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Review: Writing Great Books for Young Adults
Novels are a great start. They help maintain the vocabulary flowing and learn how to keep up paragraph and dialogue pace. But reading how-to write books can be a huge advantage.
Here is part of the books on writing I have read:
Writing Great Books for Young Adults outshines its competitors, by combining all of the writing themes together. Instead of focusing just on dialogue, it will have a chapter on the subject, and so on, making it a great start for aspiring writers.
The main focus on YA literature comes from written examples and exercises. Brooks will ask you to go back in time to your teenage years and focus on your preoccupations. She also lists teen character traits, plots that involve family and school issues, as well as settings youth would most likely be chilling at.
Although, adding a list of YA literature classes students may take in American Universities doesn't help us Canadians, she does explain the variety of awards (YALSA) YA books can merit as well as publishing houses, and manuscript format and submitting procedures.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Cover Reveal: Escape from Witchwood Hollow + Giveaway
Escape from Witchwood Hollow will be published through Curiosity Quills on October 29 2014.
Jordan Elizabeth, can't get enough of the woods, be it splashing through a stream, sitting beneath an ancient oak, or following a path up a hill. You can contact Jordan via her website.
You don't have to wait until October 29th to explore Witchwood Hollow. Jordan is offering a free ebook. To enter, all you need to do is share the cover. This can be done on your blog, facebook, twitter. Each time you share it, log in to rafflecopter to record it. Contest ends October 20th. Good luck!!
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Movie Time: If I Stay
If I Stay directed by R.J. Cutler
Blooming star Chloe Grace Moretz from Hugo, takes over the role of Mia in Gayle Forman's book adaptation. Those who read the book, know that most of the story takes place in flashbacks as Mia skims through her memories, after a tragic car accident that left her an orphan. Is love enough of a reason to continue to stay alive?
If I stay places all the action on the main characters. In fact, the accident scene is incredibly rushed, Mia waking up when the ambulance is already there. The book was a lot more detailed. As a reader, that's what connected me to Mia. Watching her go through all that anguish of finding her family members one after the other except for little brother Teddy (Jakob Davies). This time around, I felt, disconnected from her. It seemed the only thing Mia cared about was to fit it. Whether with Adam (Jamie Blackley) or best friend Bri's (Liana Liberato) opinion of Adam and her.
So, the film concentrates more on Adam and Mia's romance. Showing us that aside from family, we can experience other types of love. Love that we choose and love that chooses us.
Strangely, the most powerful lines of the film are delivered by Mia's grandfather (Stacy Keach). A man with a small role but with strong words.
Blooming star Chloe Grace Moretz from Hugo, takes over the role of Mia in Gayle Forman's book adaptation. Those who read the book, know that most of the story takes place in flashbacks as Mia skims through her memories, after a tragic car accident that left her an orphan. Is love enough of a reason to continue to stay alive?
If I stay places all the action on the main characters. In fact, the accident scene is incredibly rushed, Mia waking up when the ambulance is already there. The book was a lot more detailed. As a reader, that's what connected me to Mia. Watching her go through all that anguish of finding her family members one after the other except for little brother Teddy (Jakob Davies). This time around, I felt, disconnected from her. It seemed the only thing Mia cared about was to fit it. Whether with Adam (Jamie Blackley) or best friend Bri's (Liana Liberato) opinion of Adam and her.
So, the film concentrates more on Adam and Mia's romance. Showing us that aside from family, we can experience other types of love. Love that we choose and love that chooses us.
Strangely, the most powerful lines of the film are delivered by Mia's grandfather (Stacy Keach). A man with a small role but with strong words.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Book Feels (The Gif Tag)
BOOK FEELS (a.k.a The Gift Tag)
A shout out thank you to Mo_books for challenging me to join this fun post.
How to play:
I will give a list of books at the end. All you have to do is list the books, and then write a sentence that relates to what you think of when reading the book, and add a gif! Then, tag people/blogs and list ten books for them to do this with! Try to keep the books relatively well known or popular. When you receive this make sure you mention who tagged you! Pass it on!
My turn:
Here are the books from Mo_books list and what I thought of them:
How to play:
I will give a list of books at the end. All you have to do is list the books, and then write a sentence that relates to what you think of when reading the book, and add a gif! Then, tag people/blogs and list ten books for them to do this with! Try to keep the books relatively well known or popular. When you receive this make sure you mention who tagged you! Pass it on!
My turn:
Here are the books from Mo_books list and what I thought of them:
1. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
He he, the printer went loco... Oh no, wait! The strikethrough text is there on purpose.
2. The Immortal Rules by Julie Kawaga
So wrapped into this story, my poor nerves! Won't make it through without a little help.
3. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Series just started, and I'm still loving it. Encore! Encore!
4. The Selection by Kiera Cass
WTH! How could he just let her walk away?
5. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
That Will and I are going to have a talk on how to treat a lady. Like it or not!
6. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
I can no longer sit here and pretend the world is normal.
7. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Not quite ready to read this yet. Soon, I promise.
Couldn't make it to 10. But maybe others can.
Here is my list:
1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
2. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
3. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman
4. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
5. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L.James
6. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
7. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
You are free to add 3 more gif from books of your choice.
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