Banned Books Week 2012

A long time ago, there was an episode of The Famous Jett Jackson on Disney Channel that made reference to Fahrenheit 451. I don't remember much of the episode's plot (as it was a long time ago and TFJJ didn't last very long), but I do remember Jett taking part in a sit-in, and his inspiration came from Bradbury's novel.*

It's Banned Books Week! I have yet to read Fahrenheit 451 (it's on my to-read list), but I did finish my 2012 BBW read this morning: The Giver by Lois Lowry. It's one that's likely to be taught in school at some point, but for some reason, I was never in an English class that taught it. I know it wasn't because it was banned/challenged in the district; it was merely a matter of it not being on the syllabus in the English classes I took the year I took them. I managed to also miss anything by Jane Austen until college, as well as The Catcher in the Rye. We did read some fabulous literature in elementary, junior high, and high school. Plus, I had the chance to read some great literature in college courses from authors I'd hadn't encountered before then. As for the rest of them, I'm slowly making up for lost time, reading all the books I missed.

And because there are so many of them, combined with the fact that I'm a slow reader, it's taking a long time.

But, anyway: The Giver. I'm glad that I didn't know much about it going in. I knew it was a dystopian novel, and I knew it was greatly admired, but I didn't know anything about the plot. It blew me away. I gasped aloud at least twice, as realizations hit about the true horrors of the community system in which Jonas, the protagonist, lives. It's a brilliant novel, and Lowry's writing is incredible--this, I think, was the first book I'd ever read of hers, and I was so engaged that I forgot what time it was and the list of things I'd hoped to do today. And as soon as I was done, and found out there were three more books within the same series, I added them to my to-read list.

There are a lot of banned and challenged books that have been included on various lists over the years. The American Library Association has compiled lists by year, from 2001 to present day.

One of these days, I need to sit down and make my way through Brave New World. After The Casual Vacancy and The Hobbit, anyway. The freedom to read is a beautiful thing. What are you reading?



*I was curious. When I looked it up, I watched it on YouTube; someone had posted the episode in two parts (part 2).

Two Things: "Perks" and "The Casual Vacancy"

I know I haven't mentioned it in awhile, but I've been obsessively awaiting the Perks of Being a Wallflower movie. According to the official FB page, the movie opens in wide release on October 5, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will be at the local theater. I was asked to write a blog post over on WORDY by Nature, the Sigma Tau Delta blog, about the movie. The first part is up, and I gush a whole bunch about it. The second part will be a review, once I've had the chance to see it. Check it out if you're interested. The Sigma blog is awesome, so at least poke around to see what's on the website.

The second thing I should have mentioned at some point earlier--and, frankly, haven't really had a chance to since things have been so crazy--is that J.K. Rowling's new book came out today.* I am SO FREAKING EXCITED to read it; I feel like I've been waiting for many, many years for another Rowling novel,** and it's so surreal that it has finally been released. I don't have my copy yet; I ordered it a few weeks ago, and it should be coming in the mail in the next week.

This is the first time I've ordered one of her books via Amazon, and it's KILLING ME because all I wanted to do today (as I was dealing with a fridge malfunction, writing a yay/nay post over last week's Glee, running errands, and doing other little things around the apartment) was sit and read The Casual Vacancy straight through. My roomie went to the bookstore this morning to pick up her copy, and so the first thing I saw when I entered the living room this morning was the red and yellow cover with that looming X. Needless to say, I felt very much like I did when I was awaiting my copy of The Fault In Our Stars back in January and she'd gotten hers first: I was impatient. And a little sad.

Honestly, I don't think I will ever not be excited for a J.K. Rowling release. This one was a different experience; it was weird getting a synopsis back a few months ago, because details were kept so secret before each HP release. I definitely miss the book release parties, though. I'm really thrilled to hear the positive reviews that have been released so far (though I haven't read any yet because I don't want to be spoiled too much), and I'm so intrigued by the few tidbits of information about the book that I've allowed myself to read up on. And I absolutely LOVED watching this interview. There's a reason she's one of my favorite authors of all time. J.K. Rowling is AWESOME.

And so, I go back to waiting for the book's arrival, as well as Perks. I feel like I've been waiting a LOT lately.


*As I write this, it's still officially September 27 in this time zone.

**Deathly Hallows came out 5 years ago. I can't believe it's been five years. I mean, there was Tales of Beedle the Bard in between, but...you know what I mean.

Bullet Points

• The Glee season finale was good for the first thirty-five minutes. It was excellent, in fact, until that point. And while I appreciated the twist with Rachel, I was frustrated with what was left out of the episode before we saw Rachel through the end. It had to be a writing or editing issue. Meh. I might talk about this more in another post, but this is not the time and place for that. Soon, though. 
• As I write this post, I am alternating between typing and making pancakes. Pour, type, flip, type, move to plate, pour, eat newly made pancake, type, etc. 
• In the last four days, I have had two school nightmares and one pregnancy dream. The school nightmares have been pretty standard, though I don't know how much longer they're going to follow me around, since I've graduated...
• Life as a graduate is nice, but also really odd. More on this later. 
• I've been slowly going through my belongings, really trying to pare everything down and get rid of the clutter. I've sold back some movies and books, and have gone through my clothes at least twice to pull out some stuff to take over to the Salvation Army, but I still feel like I have so much stuff. It's insane. 
• I feel like I've been incredibly lazy in the last week and a half. I've already have had at least two silent freak-outs and have tried writing things down in a list or two, but the problem is that I have two separate lists when I really should have one. I really need to keep tabs on what needs to be done. 
• While I was waiting for my car in the shop, I spent the better part of yesterday reading*, something I hadn't done in a long time. I finished a book called Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman and another called Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen. I hope to do a thoughtbox for both soon (as well as one for Mockingjay, which is long overdue). I like this part of the real world. I mean, realistically, I know that I won't always have a free day to do things like that, but it's nice to have even the smallest bit of time to read. Now, if only I can just get myself into a schedule...
• The more flexible schedule is going to take some getting used to. 

*I'm a slow reader, so any reading time is precious to me. 

A Brief Note about Wizard Rock

I have a lot of things I'd like to write about regarding my trip to the SigmaTD convention last week (New Orleans!! Amazing!!), but I have been trying to keep up with various BFA and classwork things since my return on Sunday. Plus, I have class in twenty minutes, so I need to be really, really quick about this.

Saturday is the fifth wizard rock concert here at K-State. It's this great evening full of book nerdiness and celebrating reading and Harry Potter and His Dark Materials and Hunger Games and other such awesomeness. It has become one of my favorite things about the spring semester, and there's just something really wonderful and special about being around people who love reading as much as you do and listening to really quality music celebrating the power of story and the books you love. 

For time's sake, I'll save more gushing about this until I have a moment or two. But for now, I leave you with Ministry of Magic's "Don't Leave". Happy Thursday! (And see you Saturday at the Alumni Center!)

Three Things

Thing 1

I wrote another guest-blog post over at The Hype Weekly site. It was a huge honor to be asked to write again, and as always, a huge thank you to The Hype for letting me rattle on a little bit about the crazy stuff I think about.


Thing 2

When I woke up this morning, I found a bag just outside my bedroom door. My mom had stopped by when I was still asleep to drop off the bag while she was in town running errands, and because both she and my roommates thought I'd already left for work, I didn't get to see her. (I did call her as soon as the other girls told me this to thank her for bringing the bag and chat a little, though the chatting was slightly awkward as I was still trying to wake up and she was grocery shopping.)

Anyway, included in the bag was my copy of John Green's The Fault In Our Stars, which had been sent home after I'd pre-ordered it.

It's so pretty! I like the simplicity of the cover. 

My roommate Alisha received one that included a Hank-lerfish, so I had convinced myself that maybe I'd get one with a Yeti* included with the signature. But no matter. I like the red. And really, the book is the most important thing. 

Thing 3

So this happened on Saturday night. And it was beautiful and hilarious and entertaining and so worth watching every minute that Daniel Radcliffe was on.** The skits were clever, funny, and unexpected in a good way.  It was awesome--I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Here's to hoping they'll invite him back to host again in the future. 

Thanks to DanRadcliffe.com for links to pictures and skits from the episode (the image above was from the same link). 

*You can learn more about the Yeti here. She's discussed here and there, and is quite elusive. 

**Lona Del Ray was the musical performer this episode. She was awful. Seriously, though. She was drone-y and the lyrics made me scratch my head. Like, a lot. 

New Perks Promotional Pictures

Emma-Watson.net has posted a couple new promos from "Perks". And I really hope that a trailer is released soon, because the more we see from the movie, the more excited I get.

So a few quick thoughts/gushing about all the details I love in this picture:

• THAT TYPEWRITER. (I can't read what it says on the paper, and it makes me really sad.)
• I love the little robot drawing posted on the wall.
• The cameras on the shelf!! 
• The worn quality of Sam's desk and dresser thing. 
• If the stereo on the shelf above the desk is indeed a cassette player like I think it is, I will faint. Probably. So freakin' cool. 
• Though it's rather hard to see, that picture on the wall looks like it's Sam, Patrick (?), and someone else. 
• I love the stack of books that's been bound together. Also, I can't read the spines...
• All of the pictures, ticket stubs, school supplies, and that floral hat box...everything just seems so perfect, you know? And perfect in the sense that I believe that this is Sam's room (I'm pretty sure it's Sam's room, if my memory isn't too shoddy), and it feels organic and lived in and so much like a place that Sam could live. Does that make sense? 
• This scene.... <3

I'm such a sucker for detail. (How cool would it be to to be a set decorator?!) And, of course, all I want to do now is read the book again. 

Many thanks to Emma-Watson.net!

"Make Lemonade"

When I was in high school, I made my way through all the YA books both the public library and the school library had. Well, all the ones that sounded good, and I tried to read as many as I could. One of the books I picked up was a book written in poetry form (I think either blank verse or free verse, and because I'm such a terrible English major, I can't remember which is which--my deepest apologies) called True Believer. I remember feeling really affected by it because it was so unique in comparison to the kinds of things I had been reading before.

A year or two after reading it, I was browsing the school library's collection of YA books*, and I found a book called Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff. I found out that ML was the first of a trilogy that included True Believer, the second book in the series.

After I'd finished reading both in the series, I tried looking on the internet to see what the third one was called and instead found out that it had not yet been published. When I had to read True Believer again for my Lit for Adolescents class a few years ago, I looked again, my love for the series renewed**, and found out that the third book had not yet been published. I asked my professor if she knew anything about it, and she knew no more than I did.

After I got back from getting my hair cut earlier today, my roommate Prairie was sitting at the dining room table with my battered but loved used copy of True Believer. She had recently finished Make Lemonade and I suggested reading TB since she loved the first book so much. She commented on how much she loved the book so far.

"There's supposed to be a third one in the series," I said, rinsing off the saucepan I'd been washing and putting it into the dish drainer. "I don't think it's out yet, though."

"Really?" she said, turning the book over in her hands and inspecting the cover.

"I think so. Gimme a sec and I'll see if there's anything about it yet online. I don't even know what it's called..." I dried my hands and got on my laptop and did a google search.

I pulled up Virginia Euwer Wolff's website and clicked on the books link. Among the covers shown, I noticed one that looked pretty recent, a book called This Full House, and clicked on it.

As soon as I saw the name LaVaughn, I flipped out. "I think this is it! It has to be!"

I had to double check, just to be safe.*** It came out in 2009, and I didn't know until two years later. But no matter. Finally, after years and years, the trilogy is complete. I can't wait to read it.


*I think this is where I found it, because I don't recall the public library having it, but it could be the other way around. I can't remember for sure. I just know I read both books and they came from either library.

**Because reading it the second time made me love it even more.

***I'm not a big fan of the cover design. It makes me think of the covers for series like Pretty Little Liars, as seen here. It doesn't seem to fit the nature of the series, but ultimately it doesn't matter, because the story is what counts. You know?

One of Those Cliche End of 2011 Posts...

I think this year was one of the only years that I slept soundly Christmas Eve. I woke up once during the night when I heard the ringing of a bell, and though I knew it was not what I thought it was, there was a brief moment in which I wondered if, after all those years, I'd finally had some kind of evidence of Santa Claus. The semi-concious mind is a fascinating thing.

A lot has happened in the last year. I became a proud godmother. I have settled into the Tiny Blue Room. I read some of my poetry in Pittsburgh, PA, where Jessica, Kelsey, Laura and I hung out with other English majors, basked in all things English-y, and ate sandwiches topped with french fries. I discovered a lot about drawing and what it means to me personally and in my work. I've thought a lot about the future, and in the process learned a lot about myself and how I want to live my life. I went to see the final HP movie with my sister and my best friends. I was sorted into Ravenclaw on Pottermore. I tried my hand at nonfiction and found another mode of expression that I connected to, learning many things about myself in the process. I completed the requirements for both my French minor and English major. I am three art classes away from graduation. And I started this blog.

I have a lot of thoughts. But now is not the time.

Favorite Books Read in 2011

• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
• The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

The Jury Is Still Out Award 2011

• Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Thoughtbox coming soon...)
• I Kissed A Girl, 3x07 of Glee

Favorite Glee Episodes Aired in 2011

• Silly Love Songs 2x12
• Born This Way 2x18
• Prom Queen 2x20
• I Am Unicorn 3x02
• Asian F 3x03
• The First Time 3x05

The Television Cool Point Award 2011

• Every single episode of Modern Family, one of my favorite shows ever. 
• The First Time, for many reasons.

Favorite Movies 

• Super 8
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Music (does not mean it has to have been released this year...)

• Florence + The Machine, "Ceremonials"
• Alanis Morissette, "Jagged Little Pill"
• Madonna, "Madonna"
• Lady Gaga, "Born This Way"
• Coldplay, "A Rush of Blood to the Head"
• Panic! At The Disco, "Vices and Virtues"
• Freelance Whales, "Weathervanes"
• Jessie J, "Who You Are"
• Adele, both "19" and "21"

See you in 2012. I'm off to knit and continue with my Glee marathon to ring in the New Year.

Reconsidering "Breaking Dawn Part 1"

So I went to see BD again with Heidi and Brandon. I hoped that with my initial hard-headedness out of the way, that I'd be able to look at the movie with as unbiased an opinion as possible. And the experience was a little better, so that's good.

I'm sure that Eclipse is still my favorite of all of the movies that have been released so far. BD didn't quite live up to the third one for me, but after giving it some thought and consideration, I think part 2 will be a likely contender if they treat it right. We'll see.

I don't like the score for Part 1. The soundtrack itself is awesome--they really know how to put together a killer soundtrack for the Twilight films, and they never disappoint--but I feel the same way about the score in this movie as I did for the first one. It just sounds off to me, and it's hard for me to explain.

I still really like the wedding and honeymoon on Isle Esme. The post-preggers realization half of the film is alright (and I'm feeling a lot better about it now than I was the first time). I am positive that my confusion with how they treated the Quileute storyline is a wish that they'd spent a little more time with it. I mean, I can't remember if there was much more with them in the book, but I felt like there was more time spent with the wolf side because we were able to dive into Jacob's POV. I still wish they'd included more of Leah's story in the movie, because it allows for more insight into the complications of these characters and the situations they are in. Leah's take on being a part of the pack is incredibly different from that of the others because she's one of (if not the only) woman to have the responsibility of being a wolf in the pack. (And isn't she unable to have children because of it? Or am I remembering wrong?) Even if they'd had more wolf telepathy....

And speaking of the wolf telepathy, I'm not a fan. Brandon used the term "cartoonish" to describe it, and I thought that was pretty accurate. I think it's the way they did the voices....I'm having a hard time trying to put it into words.

Leah, I thought, was awesome. I just wish she'd had more. Jasper didn't have a lot this time around either, and I wish he had more.

I've decided I don't mind the inside the body stuff. The graphics are really good, and I like how you can see the venom spread.

I still have a few logistical concerns about the story and plot lines, but they're minor and mostly relate to the book. I love the book to pieces, but it's not perfect.

The acting was really good this time around, and I feel the acting from everyone has improved with each movie.

How awesome was Maggie Grace as Irina? I realized tonight that, if I remember correctly, the Denali clan reappears again to help prepare for the arrival of the Volturi in the second half. I'm glad we get to see more of her. She's awesome.

I've had issues here and there throughout all of the Twilight movies with the screenwriting. It's so awkward sometimes, though definitely not all the time. I thought the first scene where Jacob sees Bella with child for the first time was that kind of moment for me in this film. I know it's probably pretty close to the book, but I wish it didn't come off so strange. Work with it a little. You know?

Emmett will always be awesome to me. He cracks me up so much.

I got really excited for part 2 when the movie ended this second viewing. I don't necessarily feel that part 1 can successfully stand on its own as a film, but I do feel that if they do part 2 right, they might be able to pull it off. It definitely feels like a part of something bigger--but it needs that other half to be fully appreciated. I think my favorite bit of the story is after Bella becomes a vampire, and the entire time through part 1 all I could think about was "Remember that time when Bella became a bamf vampire? That was a good time." I'm eager to see that side of her.

I'm still kind of on the fence with the movie as a whole, but I feeling better about it than I was.

Points of Interest for 22 November, 2011

So. Have you seen the new made-of-awesome Hunger Games trailer? I have soooooo much love for it. Effie! The Capitol! Peeta! Gale! Katniss volunteering! Cinna! Caesar Flickerman! Rue! My heart! And March seems like such a long ways away....

The Leaky Cauldron has posted links to part one and part two of a documentary called "When Harry Left Hogwarts" (from one of the special Blu-rays of DHp2...I think). It's beautiful, and I have few words.

Finally, I highly recommend the Loudspeaker podcast, which is also made of awesome. (It's amazing. It really is.)

Have I mentioned how much I love having a break from things for a bit? I am currently watching Chamber of Secrets (Harry and Ron are just about to change back into themselves after taking Polyjuice potion), taking a quick breather from planning a drawing strategy for my final drawing project. This morning, Mom and I made a quick trip to Lincoln to do a little Christmas shopping, and I found a little something for Heidi and my goddaughter Emilyn. I also now own my very first pair of Birkenstocks. I feel like I've achieved some sort of right-of-passage wearing them. Is that weird?

When I have time to really think through things...I'm just really thankful for this week off. I really needed it.

The Issue with "Breaking Dawn"

So I just got back from seeing The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 with Mom. I have many thoughts.

First, though, a little background/disclaimer.

I did not want them to make Breaking Dawn into two movies. I thought it was a foolish idea, and that the decision itself was purely for the purposes of making more money, and not necessarily for the sake of the story itself. I was convinced putting it into two parts would ruin it, would make it into some kind of joke, and I didn't want that at all. This is my problem, though: I honestly feel that BD does not have a story that can carry out through two parts. Not that the story is bad--because it certainly isn't. I just feel that BD's story is not complex enough to warrant two parts. Like in Eclipse, there is a heckuvah lot of wait time in BD. Don't get me wrong--I love the book. I love its quirks, I love the way the plot is structured overall (albeit how effing weird some parts are), and it's a lovely close to an entertaining and unique-ish romance. My dearest wish was that they'd treat it like they did with Eclipse and cut down on the annoying let's-sit-here-and-talk-while-we-wait time (leading to a battle that does not really take place, in all honesty) and make it into a cohesive, exciting story for film. The wait time won't work cinematically, and I was not sure they could achieve that with BD if they made it into two parts. Needless to say, I was incredibly miffed when they announced it would split. They would have to prove to me that the decision was worth it.

Now that that's out of the way, on to the first part itself. (I should also clarify that it has been awhile since I read the book, so please pardon me if I misremember anything. I really should reread it soon, especially for part 2...)  Major spoiler warning.

After finally seeing Part 1, I still don't know how to feel about it. I'm interested in the idea that this part focused on the "conflict" with the Quileutes, while the brief scene we get during the credits suggests that the overlying conflict in part 2 will be with the Volturi. This, I thought, was a good decision, but even then, the conflict was mostly driven by Jacob: the wolves were fine, and then they were angry, and then Jacob left, and they were angry with him in addition to the Cullens....I couldn't remember when Jacob takes official position as Alpha, and I spent much of the last half of the movie wondering when it was going to happen. (When does it happen?) I wasn't sure what to do with it all, though, and I couldn't remember enough from when I read the book to be sure either way. I was pleased, however, to see that they hadn't seemed to divide the point of view between Bella and Jacob. The scenes in La Push and those in Forks seemed cohesive and flowed really well with one another. I did, however, miss Leah explaining her perspective from being the only girl in the pack, but I wonder if they're going to address that in part 2.

I was very pleased with the first half of the movie. The wedding and honeymoon were beautifully done, and I really found myself caught up in it. I cracked up during the speech montage at the wedding (Emmett's and Jessica's were my favorites), and I adored the post-coitus montage during the honeymoon. I thought Bella's attempts to seduce Edward were funny, and they felt very Bella-like to me. It was also really cool to see them doing things: swimming, hiking, playing chess (though I did roll my eyes a little). I really felt their love and adoration for one another. One of my favorite sequences is when Bella realizes she may be preggers, from when she makes the chicken to when she calls Rosalie for help. I felt there was a lot of tension during this sequence, and I got chills watching the scene where Edward asks the woman who comes to clean about what she knows regarding what's happening to Bella.

I also really liked the scene where Edward and Bella are discussing the possibilities if Bella does die--which seems likely at that point in the movie--and Edward's outburst. This scene/sub plot was really well handled with the perfect amount of tension. Edward's anguish was palpable: he was facing the possibility of losing his reason for living, and no matter what Bella said--nor the responsibility of taking care of their unborn child--could make up for the fact that he knows he couldn't handle losing her. I thought this scene was a nice parallel, of sorts, to the scene in which Edward hears the baby's thoughts. Beautifully done, and I really felt the emotion the scene was carrying. (What can I say? I ship Edward/Bella forever and ever.)

I hated the wolf-telepathy part, as well as how they handled Jacob's imprint. The wolf-telepathy is something I can understand being very difficult to translate without it seeming campy. But it really was. I sat there for its duration feeling embarrassment for the first time ever watching a Twilight movie. It was too much. I almost wish the pack was in their human form for that scene, thought admittedly it would have taken away from the importance of Jacob declaring his independence/authority in the pack and the significance of it taking place when he's in wolf form. As for the imprint, I don't think it had the oomph it needed. Again, I understand the difficulty of translating it in a way that makes sense onscreen, but the montage didn't do it for me. I didn't feel like Jacob's whole world had shifted. All in all, it was an incredible disappointment.*

I don't know how I feel about the inside-the-body montages. It definitely warrants a second viewing. I did like how you see a snippet of almost-dead-Bella in pain followed by a shot of her lying there, calm and internalizing the agony. The birth scene in general is something I'm undecided on; I LOVED the tension and emotion when Edward is trying to save her, and I could really feel Jacob's misery when he believes her to be dead. But wasn't Carlisle supposed to be there? Or am I remembering incorrectly?

They ended about where I thought they would--I feel like there wasn't a lot of surprise in regards to the split point, to be honest. It's been awhile since I've read the book, but I could see some of the logic in ending it right after Renesme is born. I was surprised, however, that they went as far as to show the moment right as Bella finishes transforming. I thought they'd save that for part 2, but the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of leaving that as a cliffhanger. It holds a lot of tension and mystery.

Ultimately, I feel like I can't really have an opinion about this movie until I've seen part 2. I still feel like there's not going to be enough genuine plot to make it work as a movie in itself. We have yet to see the other awesome vampires from around the world (including Garrett *fist pump*), see Bella kick some major ass as the badass vampire she is (including when she gets angry with Jacob for being annoying about calling her daughter "Nessie"), and (hopefully) see her go talk to the man who makes the fake i.d.'s (though this scene is arguably unnecessary). But then there's the fact that this huge battle they're expecting to fight doesn't actually happen (and the last half of the book builds and builds and the tension is never really dealt with). And then, of course, Alice disappears for a disconcerting amount of time, which kills me (Alice is one of my favorite characters). And honestly? Most of these little things happen AS THEY ARE WAITING FOR THIS BATTLE THAT NEVER HAPPENS. I feel like they really need to beef it up or something; make it so that it won't leave the audience feeling unsatisfied plot-wise. They need to be wise about splitting it up. I mean, I suppose Part 1 works....to an extent. But as of right now? I do not yet understand why the split had to be made.

Some points of interest:

• The dream Bella has of her and Edward in their wedding garb standing on the pile of their loved ones, drained and deceased, was particularly chilling to me. I couldn't remember if that was something she'd dreamed in the book, but I loved it all the same. Nicely done. I approve. 
• I LOVED the wedding speech montage, especially Emmett's recommendation for Bella to get plenty of sleep now when she still can. Geddit? Because, you know, Bella's going to become a vampire, and she and Edward will be breaking headboards every chance they get. I appreciated the pause there, too, as the double meaning of what he was saying sunk in. I laughed so hard. Emmett is awesome. 
• Seth Clearwater really bothered me in Eclipse. This time, however, I grew to love him. I don't know what he did this time around, but I really, really felt for the kid watching this movie. 
• Rene and Charlie reacting to the graduation cap artwork = GENIUS and hilarious, as well as a nice throw-back to the first film. 
• I missed Bella's strong reaction to realizing she'd probably never see her mother again. I didn't feel that panic at all as I did in the book. 
• I did enjoy most of the montages throughout the movie, especially the pre-act Nervous Bella (Kristen Stewart did a really nice job with this; I felt it was very much Book Bella on screen). The look on her face when she finds what lingerie Alice had packed for her is perfect (and incredibly hilarious). I also really like Bella's life-flashing-before-her-life montage. 
• I did like the Edward-as-a-killer-in-the-teens-and-twenties flashback. Nicely done. 
• Bella looked disconcertingly emaciated. Oddly enough, I was really pleased with that detail even though it was really difficult looking at her in that state. Great effects.
• I did not care for the effects with the wolves during the "fight" at the end. I thought they looked incredibly sloppy. The wolves were fine throughout the rest of the movie, though. (I know, it's weird, but I don't know how to explain it.)
• I was really uncomfortable watching the scene in which Bella drinks the blood. This isn't unusual: I felt the exact same way when reading that in the book. Also interesting to note: Edward puts the blood into a styrofoam cup, not unlike the one I had been drinking from during the movie, though mine was filled with Mt. Dew instead of blood. 
• What was up with Jasper's hair?? Why do they feel like they have to change it every movie?
• I liked seeing the Denali clan at the wedding. I do admit, though, that I don't remember Edward mentioning them in the previous movies, so I wondered if those who hadn't read the books were confused. 
• Alice is perfection in every scene she's in. I LOVED her directing everyone when they're decorating, as well as her having Bella practice in heels. I also loved the scene in which she and Rosalie help Bella with her hair and makeup. 
• The honeymoon scene was lovely. I have no criticisms whatsoever. 
• Jasper and Alice swing dancing during the reception was unexpected but so, so perfect. I ship them so hard, it's ridiculous. 
• Bella's dress was GORGEOUS. Holy schmokes, was it beautiful. 
• I love the moment at the wedding right after the vows where Bella and Edward kiss and it's like there's no one else there. Call me a hopeless romantic, but I thought it was a beautiful shot. 
• Can we talk about how hilarious and awesome Emmett and Jasper are when they are waiting for Edward before the bachelor party? 
• I think the only wolf pack scene that worked for me was the one where they're sitting on the beach talking, and the members who have not yet imprinted are watching the others with resentment and such. 
• Jacob didn't piss me off this time around as he did in the third film. I especially love the scenes where Edward asks him to talk to Bella and the one where he does go talk to her about considering, essentially, an abortion. Really great acting in both, from all involved. 
• I'm not quite sure this film has established the significance of why Rosalie would be the one on Bella's side. I did like, though, how Rosalie was adamant about referring to Renesmee as "the baby," as opposed to "that thing" or "the fetus."
• I'm curious as to how they're going to handle Renesmee. I didn't know how to feel about what we saw of her as Jacob was imprinting. Also, I thought I saw teeth on the baby, but I could have been imagining it. Related: I didn't know how to handle the part when she bites Bella, and then Edward takes her away....I just don't know. It's all so jumbled to me. I felt that way when reading the book, too, but something about the way it was handled in the movie....

*throws up hands* I just don't know. I really don't. 

*I have mixed feelings about the imprint in the book; I feel very cheated as a reader in general that Jacob imprinted on Renesme because to me, it seems to negate the relationship that had been built so carefully between Bella and Jacob in the three books previous. It was like the relationship hadn't ever meant anything in the first place, but perhaps that's the peculiar thing about imprinting (see Leah and Sam's destroyed relationship). 

MTV Visits the Set of "Perks"

And there is a video. And interviews. And behind the scenes of graduation and a dance (homecoming?). Sam and Patrick? Amazing. I haven't seen the actor who plays Patrick in anything, but from just seeing this little bit as well as the interview, I love him as Patrick already. "Come On Eileen". And LOGAN FREAKIN' LERMAN. The cast so far seems so perfect. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS MOVIE.

Many, many warm fuzzies. And excitement. And love. It's going to be incredible. <3

(Thanks to The Leaky Cauldron for the heads up!)

Banned Books Week Goodness

Happy Banned Books Week! I always look forward to BBW; I get warm fuzzies around this time of year, not only because of our freedom to read but in the sheer amount of books and stories that we have at our fingertips. It's such a wonderful thing, to have the right to choose. And really, that's what this week is about. We can make the decision for ourselves.

First, FYA continues to promote awesome by poking fun at censorship. I love them so much. They are amazing. Also, this from The Literary Snob (who also reblogged this amazing post earlier this week).

Throughout the week, there have been readings and panels and other such awesomeness celebrating reading. I read from The Perks of Being a Wallflower at the Union earlier this week (the scene when Sam is up in the truck bed as they're going through the Fort Pitt Tunnel, my favorite part).

The ALA has posted many lists of challenged and banned books, including those most frequently challenged in the '90s, the 2000s, as well as by year (here's the list for 2010). If you're interested, poke around a bit. They have some really great resources and bits of information.

My Top Five Favorite Banned/Challenged Books

1. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson: This was one of the first books I fell for once I came to the realization of how awesome reading was (and more than just a means to get A.R. points). 
2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
3. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling: <3
4. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
5. Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison: ...and the rest of the series that followed this amazing and hilarious novel.

There are more, as always. Reading is wonderful. <3 What are your favorites?

Hoarding #1, Additions

I am an incredible pack rat, but (I hope) not entirely of useless things. When I shop--which, honestly, is not that often--it's typically for books, movies, or music; shopping for clothes usually depresses me beyond words and I'm not much of a have-a-lot-of-shoes kind of gal. I buy music (on CD) like it's candy, and I have been known to scour discount bins for gold nuggets whenever I get the chance. My bookshelves are seriously overflowing, as are the shelving units that are currently stuffed with my movies.

Some of what I've acquired recently:

Alisha and I went to Wal-Mart today just to look around. We roamed through the toy aisles, pushing buttons and picking stuff up. At one point, we even had the cliche lightsaber battle in one of the aisles. And I found this. 

I bought Season 2 on Tuesday (hooray!). Alisha found the folders and gave me a couple. School supplies are always welcome. As is Glee, one of the best pick-me-ups out there. 

These are the last books I will ever buy from Borders/Waldenbooks. When we walked in the local Waldenbooks a week ago, it was incredibly barren. They'd roped off half the store, and there were few books left in most of the genres. I walked around the store twice scouring their limited selection before I decided on these. It was much more emotional than I thought it would be; I am devastated Borders is closing, and I can't even begin to imagine what the future will bring to bookstores themselves. 

There is a Hastings in town, and I really like scouring what they have overall to see if there's anything that catches my eye. Cue these used books, which I was able to pick up for a decent price. I really like the different kind of selection Hastings provides; it gives a nice balance to the kind of selection the Dusty Bookshelf (our local used book store) and Waldenbooks had, at least until the recent going-out-of-business sale. I absolutely adore Maureen Johnson (her book, The Bermudez Triangle, is one I highly recommend), and I've read a book or two by Carolyn Mackler in high school and enjoyed them. I can't remember for sure if Vegan Virgin Valentine was one of them or not, but I know I at least knew about it, so I thought it would be worth it. 

On the same day as our lightsaber-wielding Wal-Mart trip, I found this Snoopy coloring book. It called to me. Thus, I bought a box of crayons for the first time in years.

Peeta and Gale and Various HG Goodness

I am satisfied as of this point. I know there's been a lot of back and forth about the casting choices, but I have faith in these two (and the more we see from it the more intrigued I become). There is a kind of Book Peeta and Book Gale vibe from this. I'm not sure how to describe it yet; it should be a little easier to explain after we see more. (By the way, did you see this, this, or this? Related: when are we going to see a trailer? I've been very patient...)

I'm just excited to see the movie and what they do with it. If they can get it right, it will be incredible.

[Image source.]

Some Points of Interest for 28 June

First, a friend of mine on Facebook linked to a picture of this Sign of Awesome. It kind of made my day.

Second, John Green has released the title of his new book, which will rock the world's socks off for sure. If you have not read any of his previous books, go now to your local library or bookstore. I'd start with Paper Towns; others would argue with me and insist on Looking for Alaska. And yes, Will Grayson, Will Grayson counts. When it comes down to it though, it does not matter, because all of them are AMAZING. John Green is a brilliant writer; you won't be disappointed.

Third, and most annoyingly, Meghan Cox Gurden responds to the uproar following her previous opinion piece. I have a hard time finding her argument sound, but I'd rather not think on it too much because it makes my brain hurt. This article has enflamed Twitter and the rest of the internet once again, even more so than her first, it seems. Two rebuttals I really like come from Gayle Forman and Bookshelves of Doom. Both are incredibly insightful but also offer different criticisms, which ups the awesomeness of each. Agreed, agreed, agreed. As for my thoughts...they are many, but one of the things that upsets me the most is that she suggests that adolescence--and all complications that come with it--can, essentially, be forgotten, like those things (some which are terrible) won't carry with you as you get older. As someone who's still trying to understand the complex and often inexplicable issues with change-overs in friends, the little things that were actually kind of huge, and has since developed a very poor sense of self-esteem from all the teasing and the unkind words, I beg to differ. YA helped me (and still does) understand myself in relation to the world, and it sure as hell didn't matter what the subject was, because I gained so much from every single YA book I read. There is a true reflection of ourselves that can be found there. It may not have the ultimate sense of influence, but even the smallest connection makes a difference.

Anyway.

More Perks Awesomeness, Plus Truck and Fort Pitt Tunnel

Oh. My. Goodness.

Emma-Watson.net posted a video from filming the Best Scene Ever. (And my favorite part of the book, hands down.) The best part? I think the truck turns around right in front of the hotel Jessica, Kelsey, Laura and I stayed at in March when we were in Pittsburgh. Which makes complete sense, because once you come out of the Fort Pitt Tunnel and cross the bridge, the hotel is right there.

Excitement!!!!!!! Gah....I cannot wait to see this movie. It is going to be incredible.

Once again, the genius of Louise Rennison

Another site I love, Bookshelves of Doom, has posted a link to the first chapter of Withering Tights on the Harper Teen website. EXCITEMENT.

One of these days I should tell you all about my devotion to the Georgia Nicholson series (and how my sister and I are some of the biggest fans in the Midwest, probably). And how excited I am that Louise Rennison is continuing to publish.

I haven't yet read this chapter, but rest assured that by the end of the week, I will have. Most definitely. It's going to be awesome.

FYA Strikes Again

Have I mentioned how much I love Forever Young Adult? I know I haven't posted a lot about it thus far, but rest assured I will tell you more as time goes on. They're kind of my heroes.

Anyway, they posted a clever, witty, and totally awesome response to an article that was recently published in the Wall Street Journal misinterpreting the way YA as a whole works. It is awesome (the rebuttal, not the original criticisms), and I agree with their assessment of how the WSJ handled the argument.

Slightly related: FYA has also posted their analysis of the new Breaking Dawn trailer (which was AWFUL, by the way, but made me laugh my butt off because not only did they show sexy times on Isle Esme, but also teased at pregnant Bella. HAHAHAHA). The analysis is hilarious. I love FYA so much.

Thoughts on Summer (Part One, probably)

Since this summer will most likely be the last one I get to savor fully (for the time being), the next the one I plan to cap off my college experience with Something Very Big and Probably Spontaneous. Summer has always been a reprieve. It is the silver lining on the haze of the rest of the year. So much can happen in the space of three months--and it can be anything.

The summer between junior high and high school, my friend Jael and I made a pact to prepare for high school. As far as we were concerned, there was a set of guidelines to follow. The top of the list was that high school girls had tans. So, we went to the pool every day for two weeks to sit in the sun for an hour to build one up--and I remember having a very mild one across my shoulders. The day I finished eighth grade, I felt different. For the rest of the summer, I spent my free time reading, working on the first two pencil drawings I knew would be due for my first high school art class. I wrote a lot that summer. I had finished that novella that I'm now slightly ashamed of. I started my second novel idea--which I have never finished to this day. The soundtrack that summer was Vanessa Carlton's "Be Not Nobody," a CD I listened to over and over as I was writing though at the time I didn't like most of the songs on the album. I made an over-the-shoulder bookbag from an old canvas Boogarts shopping bag, using a leopard striped seatbelt shoulder thing as part of the strap. I dieted the whole summer after talking to a dietician, walking every morning with my mom and keeping track of my calorie intake. We would sit out on the porch after our return to eat breakfast. I tried to get into a beauty regime. The diet, the tan, and Neutrogena were my passes to impressing boys and the rest of the student body. I don't think it actually worked, but at the time I had hope.

That was the summer after Grandpapa passed away, the one before the last summer we saw Grandmama before she died. I looked through Grammy's photo albums for pictures I wanted to draw for art, finding a  stack that I worked my way through. I carried around two sketchbooks and a stack of magazines (mostly relating to Harry Potter) that I drew from. Apart from the family stuff and our Michigan trip, I spent a lot of time by myself, reading, drawing, writing, watching music videos, thinking.....I remember sitting in the living room one afternoon, staring out the screen of the front door, willing someone to come over. Though I appreciate now the time I had to ponder, to prepare myself for what would come, I should have involved myself more. But there was hardly anyone left to involve myself with, because the end of eighth grade was such a grand disaster.

I did, however, get involved in some form during the summers, though it varied depending on the particular summer. For many of them, I was a part of a kids' theater/singing group. I was Dorothy in "The Wiz," Nala in "The Lion King,"and sang many songs like "Aquarius" and "The Time Warp" (which I will never ever tire of). And then there was the community theater group I was involved with, whether it was having a small part in the ensemble or working as a techie. I loved every minute of these experiences--I'm a proud drama kid--though some productions weren't as fun as others and I hated striking the set. But there were so many little "defining moments" from not only being on stage or waiting just offstage to switch out a set, or even waiting for the next cue in the warm high school hallways with the other members of the cast. It became a part of me. It was only during my final involvement with the theater group--that summer's musical was "Will Roger's Follies"--where it just wasn't fun anymore, and I wanted out. That was the summer I almost quit, the last summer I spent in my hometown. I needed to get away from the patterns I was seeing, because a lot of it made me sick. That's not to say that I wouldn't be up to doing theater again in the future--it's just that by that summer, I began to see through the illusion and understand the dynamics of the people I'd grown up with, and I could not handle it anymore.

In junior high and high school, I joined a summer reading group for teens that was held every Thursday. It was called Lunch Bunch, and we would sit picnic style in the conference room at the public library (go libraries!) and eat our lunches, do an activity, and then talk about what we were reading that week. By the time I joined this group (probably right after I finished 6th grade or 7th grade, I can't remember the exact year), I was looking for more to read, and I remember meandering to the YA section for the first time, somewhere I hadn't been before. There was a different feeling standing in front of those few shelves, inspecting the books to find a good one. It seemed...dangerous, and from there, I have never looked back. I'm almost positive that the first summer I was a part of Lunch Bunch, I read a book called That Summer by Sarah Dessen, and it seemed like my life changed, even if it really didn't. I loved being a part of it, and I really miss it.

The summer between my freshman and sophomore years, I spent a lot of time by myself. I read nineteen books--an accomplishment I was very proud of--and began driving lessons. It was a big summer; I was fifteen, and I was determined to be more grown up. I started carrying a purse with me everywhere because I had a learner's permit. My driving instructor rejoiced when I finally drove over 60 miles an hour on the highway. I remember really, really wanting to be a good driver. That was my mantra as I started building up my driving hours: "You need to be a good driver, you need to be a good driver..." Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix came out that summer, and I lost myself in its 800+ pages. It's still my second favorite HP book (the top spot is held by DH). That was also the last summer we went to Michigan and saw my grandmother; she died the following October. I did not know the following school year would be so bad, and it was. Royally. I was incredibly relieved when summer came again.

I know I'm probably not making a lot of sense in this post. As usual, I've been thinking too much and the start of summer vacation has prompted a whole lot of memories that I had almost forgotten I had. There is a certain something about it, though, that keeps me interested. I love reading YA books about summers--and Sarah Dessen is the queen when it comes to good summer reads, whether they're set in summer or not. There's something about the freedom, the liberation in a road trip or vacation, the sounds of thunderstorms, the peace from watching the stars, listening to the crickets and the cicadas, swimming and getting out and just being....I'll probably return to this at some point.