Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (31)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.


Fortune
by Megan Cole

Release Date:
July 8th, 2010

Description:
HarperCollins is ready to set the publishing world alight with the acquisition of the world's first 'snogbuster', a new teen genre that is set to grace poolsides everywhere this summer. Written by hot new talent Megan Cole – the pseudonym of a journalist and writer steeped in celebrity culture – FORTUNE combines the allure of the super-rich with the thrill of first romance, all in a glossy, blockbusting format.

Fortune tells the story of three very different girls – Madison from New York, Simonetta from Rome and Sapphire from London – who all receive mysterious invitations to the 50th birthday of Brad Masters, billionaire record executive. But what could the girls possibly have in common? The truth shocks them all, and turns three strangers into something much closer and more dangerous – after all, family make for the deadliest enemies...

Most of all, though, Fortune is something totally new in the booming teen romance market. So it's time to wet our lips and unashamedly embrace the glitz and glamour of the snogbuster.

---

This sounds like a really good summer read! Even the cover looks summer-y. It's coming out pretty soon, too. I can't wait to check it out. :D

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (17)


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading.

The rules are:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS.
My teaser:
I splash some cold water on my face at the bathroom sink and take a deep breath. Time to go back out there and make this right. I am brand-new. I can change. Only not for Tal. For me.


~pg. 58 "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist"
by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Man, I'm loving this so far. Already watched the movie but I can't help but like the book as well! Although there are countless swear words, I love the witty characters. Nick and Norah are just so awesome.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Daily Dose (27)

Happy Monday to everyone!! :)



This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly, where inspirational pictures are posted to enlighten your day.


Friday, June 25, 2010

Justine's Thoughts: My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Here's a review I promised. :)

My Sister’s Keeper
By Jodi Picoult

Pages:

423

Book Description (from Goodreads):

Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves.

A quote:

Where are words, when you need them?

Any thoughts:

Wow, is all I have to say right after I finished it. My Sister’s Keeper is one stunning piece of work that I must read it again. I even found out that the quote “You don’t love someone because they’re perfect. You love them in spite of the fact that they’re not” originated in this novel! Jodi Picoult is brilliant, I say!

One thing that I loved was the constant switching of point of views. Every chapter it is different, and there are several characters who get the chance to speak and voice out their side of the story. It may be confusing and may take some getting used to at first, but it eventually becomes easy adapting to the way they tell it. The purpose is to prepare the reader for the case in the end of the story, which is all too suspenseful that I could not stop reading.

There are two main sides of the story, and at times I find it difficult which one I should side with (I was neutral most of the time). There is one being Sara’s side, the mother who would absolutely do anything for her dying child and the other being Anna’s side, who is Sara’s youngest daughter, the one who filedsthe case for medical emancipation. It is all too big of a web to explain everything, but that is the point of it. Most characters don’t really explain why they’re doing what they’re doing, such as why Anna files the lawsuit and why Campbell Alexander, the lawyer, makes up a variety of excuses for his service dog. It is only near the end when we finally see things clearly.

My Sister’s Keeper is definitely one that would make you think hard. There are times when characters such as Anna and Brian, the father, would insert short, meaningful passages. Brian has a hobby of using his telescope to look at the stars at night and when he would tell stories about stars, gods, or goddesses, I would find myself asking, “Why did Picoult include this passage?” And then I would pause so I could deeply analyze the meaning.

Needless to say, this novel is very knowledgeable. From the detailed medical information, the ethical and moral issues, to the law-related concerns, I was just marvelled. It takes time to absorb all of it, causing one to feel touched because of the subject matter.

The movie, on the other hand, made me bawl. I watched it first (*ahem* this one is an exception to my oath which claims to always read the book first then watch the movie) and watched it again whilst I was in the middle of the novel. There are several differences, the major one being the end, which was completely different from the book. I’m beginning to think that moviemakers want their movies to have pleasant endings, because it is the very opposite from the book, which was just shocking. I still liked the movie, however. Cameron Diaz is one great actress and played the role of Sara really well. The others were quite amazing too. I pictured each of them as their own character while reading the book and they all fit their roles nicely. I would most likely see it again whenever I need my fix of sadness, because it can surely make a person cry enough tears.

Friday's Finest (21)

HAPPY FRIDAY, everyone!


Friday's Finest is a new meme hosted by Steff & Justine from A Bookful of Thoughts.

Rules:

~Post a quote that really stuck to you after reading it in a book.
~Make sure it isn't a spoiler!
~If you'd like, expand on what you think it means and why you chose it.


Usually we walk around constantly believing ourselves. "I'm okay" we say. "I'm alright". But sometimes the truth arrives on you and you can't get it off. That's when you realize that sometimes it isn't even an answer--it's a question.

The Book Thief by Mark Zusak

I believe it's a fact that we mask ourselves with uncertainty. I even do it at times.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

FREEDOM!



SUMMER IS HERE!


I finished exams today -- yahoo! -- and am I ever so ecstatic! Now on I go to write reviews for books that I read a month ago. (Maybe not. Maybe I'll just write a new story. Funny how I still procrastinate even when I'm not in school). There will be a review posted up soon though! And perhaps....a small giveaway? Who knows?

Monday, June 21, 2010

Daily Dose (26)



This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly, where inspirational pictures are posted to enlighten your day.

***It's almost time for me to come back to the fantastic world of blogging! Oh I cannot wait!!!***


Friday, June 4, 2010

Friday's Finest (20)


Friday's Finest is a new meme hosted by Steff & Justine from A Bookful of Thoughts.

Rules:

~Post a quote that really stuck to you after reading it in a book.
~Make sure it isn't a spoiler!
~If you'd like, expand on what you think it means and why you chose it.


"She said it out loud, the words distributed into a room that was full of cold air and books. Books everywhere! Each wall was armed with overcrowded yet immaculate shelving. It was barely possible to see paintwork. There were all different styles and sizes of lettering on the spines of the black, the red, the gray, the every-colored books. It was one of the most beautiful things Liesel Meminger had ever seen.

With wonder, she smiled.

That such a room existed!"

The Book Thief by Mark Zusak

Who could not agree with this one? Just by reading it, it makes me smile.