Books, books, books

1. Favorite childhood book?

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

2. What are you reading right now?

Vikings In The Attic: In Search of Nordic America by Eric Dregni

3. What books do you have on request at the library?

None, I'm not one for going to the library for books.

4. Bad book habit?

I look ahead in books.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?

Perrine's Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry (this is for AP English)

6. Do you have an e-reader?

Yes, a nook. One of the best things I ever invested in, give them a try guys!

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?

I can be reading a few books at the same time, like a book for school and then one I am reading on my own, but I usually will start a few and then really get into one and just read that one until I'm done and then start the other.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

A bit, not because of the blog, but more because I got into a weird rut this summer and I am slowly crawling out of the deep hole I fell into.

9. Least favorite book you read this year?

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, the series just went down the drains.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green ('nuff said)

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?

All the time.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?

I guess I really don't have a reading 'zone' that I would put myself in. I'll read almost anything that sparks my curiosity, but I draw the line at the paperback romance novels you can buy at CVS-Pharmacy.

13. Can you read on the bus?

Yes, I've done it a lot, but my butt tends to fall asleep quickly...(odd right?)

14. Favorite place to read?

Right now, in our new basement on the fold-out couch.

15. What is your policy on book lending?

I let anyone take any of my books and then I write down their name on a post-it note and stick it to the side of my bookcase. My reasoning? I spend much of my own money on these books and would like to get them back someday.

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?

I didn’t, but I started to when I was reading the Hunger Games trilogy. It kinda depends on how I feel about the book.

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?

For school I started to in AP English and I like being able to look back and see what I thought, but I can’t reread the book because of all the markings. If I really like a quote I might sometimes underline it.

18. Not even with text books?

I do in textbooks, and I also doodle.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?

I like being able to read Spanish, but I really don't know it that well to read a book in it.

20. What makes you love a book?

How the author writes, it can be a great story written by a horrible author and I won't like it.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?

If I have to sit and look into nothing after finishing the book and just collect my thoughts then I'll go out of my way to recommend the book.

22. Favorite genre?

Action/adventure

23. Genre you rarely read, but wish you did?

Steampunk (is that science fiction?)

24. Favorite biography?

Home: A Memoir of my Early Years by Julie Andrews

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?

Yes, I read He’s Just Not That Into You because I wanted to see the movie and I thought it was a work of fiction until I started reading it.

26. Favorite cookbook?

Thanks for the Hospitality by Carol McNaughton and Deb Cardwell. (ie; my Grandma and Aunt)

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or nonfiction)?

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. He brings to your attention that everyone is capable of being evil when the environment is right. It inspired me to do the right thing because I don’t want to end up like the characters in his book.

28. Favorite reading snack?

M&M’s

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.

The Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner, that dude doesn't deserve having a movie of his life made about him. He's a horrible person who is obsessed with sex.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?

Not very often. I don’t read book reviews often and I usually do when I like the book and then the critic will say something that I don’t like and thus not agree with.

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?

It’s fine, there has to be bad books in order to have good books and some books are bad. I just want to tell people to not read them and not to waste their time on them.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?

Norwegian, because I really like being able to speak it so being able to also read it would come in handy.

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad because my AP English teacher told my class that the first time she read it she didn’t get half of the stuff that was in it.

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?

Anything by William Shakespeare. I feel like I won’t understand the whole play unless I’m reading it in a class, but I really want to read them!
35. Favorite poet?

I don’t really read poetry.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?

Two, at the most.

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?

A few times.

38. Favorite fictional character?

Isabelle Lightwood (The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare)

39. Favorite fictional villain?

Jane (Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer)

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?

Anything on my nook now so that my suitcase ins’t bulging. Otherwise smaller paperback books. Some light reading.

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.

This summer I got into this weird rut where I just couldn’t read. And I seriously didn’t for about two months. I think I was just fried from Junior year.

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?

Food, being hungry when food is being described.

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?

Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas or Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix because I hated both of the books and loved the movies.

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. In the second movie they just kinda gave up ad squished them all together.
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?

Maybe 100 dollars on a nook gift card so that I wouldn’t have to keep on going to Barns and Nobel to buy a gift card, ya know, have some money built up so I don’t have to worry about it.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?

All the time.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?

It’s taking me to long to get through it. I really don’t not finished a book though.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?

Yes, kinda’ by genera.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?

I keep them, it’s my new thing to not give away any books, which I made easier by my nook.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?

The Lord of The Rings trilogy, I just need to sit down and read them!

52. Name a book that made you angry.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?

Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?

D'aulaire's Book of Greek Myths by Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire

Christina! You should do this!!!!

'points to self' Jet

“Ambassador Winters, allow me to introduce my aunt Abby and her..boyfriend." Townsend tensed. Abby glared. And Rebecca Baxter looked like she was going to choke on her own chewing gum.” - Out of Sight Out of Time (Ally Carter)

I've kinda' been in a rut lately in regard to books and reading them. Maybe AP English has been frying me out. I don't know. I barley got through The Metamorphosis this summer. And that was only a 120(ish) page book.


So I'm happy to have gotten back into the swing of things, and it's all thanks to a Gallagher Girl.

Lisbeth and Elizabeth

Most of you know I can speak Norwegian, and if you don't you should check this out.

My whole carrer at Skogfjorden I had the name Lisbeth (pronounced Lisbet). You could choose any name you wanted from the long list of names, but I choose Lisbeth because of two reasons. One, it was close to my name, and two it was beautiful. I have come to terms with my name and have indeed learned to enjoy it. It's common enough that I can find keychains with my name on them, but it's not like I'll run into an Elizabeth at every turn. Plus, I find it very regal and formal, so when I have to be a bit more reserved I enjoy introducing myself because I have the idea that Elizabeth gives me the leg up to make the person I want to impress think 'she is a respectable women, this Elizabeth'.

I have toyed with the idea of going by a different nickname when I start college. I've talked to a few people about this and they agree it's a perfect time for changing you name. Or at least how you introduce yourself. I always say 'Hello I'm Liz McNaughton' and I end up doing this a lot in regards to Cutaway Productions when I have to be a cool formal teenager who is suposed to blow away the adult clients.

There are many names that can come from Elizabeth. Liz, Lizzy, Lisbeth, Beth, Betty, Bess (coined by Gretchen), B (or Bee/Be), L (or Ell/El), Ellen, Elly (or Ellie), and Eliza. These are just the few I have come up with sitting here. But I have decided I like L and Lisbeth the best and intend on trying them on, so to say.

Saying this I was happy to find out a Lisbeth was a character in Stieg Larsson's Millennium series more commonly know as 'the girl with the dragon tattoo series'. Not only do we share the same name, but we are both small girls with lack of chest and we have the same birthday. If that isn't cool, what is? True, I haven't been raped and my father isn't a psycho, and I don't go around tazing people, but on the outside we are similar. We both even have the same (real) hair color. And for those of you who don't know Lisbeth has red hair, and I have brown/red hair. Don't freak out people, I have brown/RED hair, and I don't care if you don't agree! DEAL WITH IT!!!

After this whole ordeal I am finally getting to what I wanted to talk about, Lisbeth. I just love that girl. And the series is very much worth reading, but they are long. And just one thing, they aren't as 'disturbing' as people lead then to be. I was expecting this horrible rape scene, but it's hardly anything (or as little as a rape scene can be) don't get me wrong it's a big deal that she's raped, but it's not super graphic.

I would say the movies are more graphic, because they do what Larsson didn't write, but was alluding towards. I don't know which one I like the best (the never ending debate between the Swedish movies and the American movies) but both were good. I like seeing the Swedish one because I could watch and understand what they were saying (Swedish and Norwegian are very similar) and it was just cool hearing the book in it's original language. I think we miss a little having it translated into English and not reading it in Swedish because it's ment to be read in Swedish. Understand what I'm trying to get at? I do agree with Gretchen about how the American Lisbeth is more like the books, she isn't crazy, she is just very private and distrustful. The Swedish version makes her out to be a bit more of a person who doesn't understand social situations, when in reality she understands but she just doesn't care.

Above is a bookmark I created using Hannah's (known as SpannerX23 on Deviant art) artwork of Lisbeth. I have printed the bookmark and use it when reading the books. I'm almost half way through the third, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest. It's good, I can't wait to finish!

Alpha Wolf

The Friday we got out of school for spring break Courtney, her step-sister (Nicki) and her step-sisters friend (Jen), and I went to meet Jodi Picoult.

We did this last year, but I was even more excited then the last time! I was freaking out during lunch on Friday and I was very energetic the whole night.

I volunteered during Jodi's little presentation and I learned how to wolf howl, I was the Alpha wolf, because I just am born for that roll. And I was amazing, there should be some pictures/videos going up on Facebook soon.

She gave me a little Wolf stuffed animal for volunteering and I hugged the lady. She is shorter then you would think. And skinny because that's all Nicki and Jen could talk about so apparently I should tell ya'll that.

I had her sign her new book (Lone Wolf) and one of the books I had read of hers over the past year (Mercy). Both of them I would recommend to you.

And then dinner as Red Robbins was grand! And quite hilarious, my side hert so much from laughing.

Kisses - A

Pretty Little Secrets
Starts with
Hannah who is now living with her Stepmom, Dad, and Kate has enough to deal with, then her boyfriend leaves on a trip, with a hot girl? She doesn't mind once she joins a Body Boot camp and meets Apollo...

Then
Emily has a new job, she's Santa at the new mall, but she's also a spy for her church! After a bedbug sighting she's in with the targets, three grils who have terrorized Rosewood by stealing a Baby Jesus...

Plus
Aria gets a visit from an old friend, or maybe an old flame? It's a good thing she can forge her mom's signature because Atlanta City here she comes! No need to worry about the pumas, the ASPCA will soon get them back in their cages, after CNN makes it national news...

Finally
Spencer is looking for a distraction from A-Mona, and her family woes. When she meets Collin she is convinced he is just that, and then Melissa is here to help?! After all, Spencer can get anyone's blood pumping...

This is a great book. Courtney you need to read it. And acicia too! I'll try to remember to bring Ruthless (the next book) to school!

Anyway this is set after Mona is killed, the original 'A', and right before Courtney/real Alison take over.

My Books, and Me

While not away on a vacation this week, I'm doing the things that need to be done. Specifically going through my bedroom and cleaning, which is way over due. Through my big task Samantha (in her blue summer dress) and Kiwi keep me company.

After going through all the boxes under my bed I decided to tackel my bookshelf. Not in the 'get ride of' vibe like I had going for everything else, but instead just re-organizing.

It was a big task. I have a lot of books. 

Then there is the whole 'how to' organize. I've done the alphabetical thing, but I don't like how it looked and I'm not one for "by authors", sadly most of the time I won't look at the author thus making a book hard to find without the authors name. I'm getting better at that though. So, I went with genera, kinda. I guess it's my version of generas. Whatever it is, it turned out great!

Worm Hole Much?

I came upon this amazing photo, and just had to share it with all of you.

From left to right. Cho Chang, Harry Potter, Cedric Diggory/Edward Cullen, Bella Swan.

I love that Harry says dude, he seems like a guy who would say that. At least in my mind.

Cousin Chris

My cousin Chris and I have a good relationship. We are about 12 years apart, so our relationship didn't really start until I was at least in the sixth grade because I was too worried about children things and he was too worried about teenage things.

I identify the most with him out of all of my cousins. He and I are both very driven and end up doing homework over the long breaks when the family gets together. The rest of the cousins make fun of us, but hey, they can do their homework super late at the last possible moment. I don't care.

That being said, I haven't seen him in two years. (See he moved to Washington) Sure, there is Facebook, but he's not really one to go on often, nor am I really. There is also Skype, and we've only done that maybe twice.

So, at the beginning of the school year I devised a plan which was dubbed acceptable by Rudy, Chris's younger brother.

While cleaning out his mom's (Nancy's) house I found a good number of postcards from really random places. And this is the least random thing we found in her house. That lady has moved so many times, but this time Mom put her foot down and the two of them (over the course of 3 weekends) cleaned her whole house. That was a project.

It became a thing to call for me when a postcard was discovered and at the end of the house cleaning I had a good pile of odd postcards. While the pile was forming so too was an idea in my head.

I decided to smoke Chris out of his 'hole' in Washington by sending him a postcard each week. I figured this worked with Tekla (to an extent) so why not with Chris.

On Friday I received a package in the mail from Chris. It wasn't a huge surprise because I had talked on the phone with Chris a few times since I had started my project and I had gotten the word from Grandma and Nancy that he loved the postcards, but it was still fun to have solid evidence that Chris has seen the postcards.

In the package was the new Brian Selznick (if this name rings no bells google him!) book titled: Wonderstruck, a puzzle postcard, and a note from Chris.

Plus a poem, which I'll end with.

A Note From a Friend

-H. Hensher

When you are weary and sick

at the close of the day,

And things don't seem

to be going your way

When even your patience

seems near the end

What a wonderful lift

that note from a friend

With a troubled heart

and a heavy load

Perhaps he, too, may have

travled the road,

And you find real comfort

in the end

As you read the lines

in a note from a friend.

What a welcome, the few

words of cheer

Received from this friend

you hold dear

No troubles so great

God and time cannot mend

After you've read this note

from a Friend.

and sidekick G, yo!

Yes, yes another video. I'm sure you all are on the edge of your seats.

But this one stars me! And Gretchen. And were rapping to Romeo and Juliet!

So, tell me what you think. If this is not HORRIBLE then I think it would be funny if I would come up with some of my own lyrics to rap about classical literature, or really anything excepte what real rappers rap about. Yo.

Naughtee out!

Oh, Bernard.

So, for those of you who have read the book, what do you think?

#HPforlife

Last week the world received amazing news. Joanna Rowling is to write again! Our lovely Harry Potter Queen is going to write a young adult novel. I know she can do it, and I just hope everyone else doesn't freak the hell out because it's not Harry Potter.

I herd directly from the Queen via her real twitter account.

Thus to calm Christina's nerves that this book might never happen it seems that she's at the point where she knows it will be out on shelves. That's extremely good news.

And here is some Harry Potter to delight your hearts.

 This is my iphone lock screen thing.

 I sang this to Nora last week when I found it, she was a bit slow on the uptake, or maybe it was my confusion as to how to sing the song halfway through the second column.

Albus Dumbledore is rolling over in his grave right now, and all Harry Potter fans are going to punch you.

I thought this was funny because how true is it? Come on, you have to admit how scary funny it is.

OhMyGod Dude

Apparently I'm not the only one who gets way too into the books I read.

My TFIOS

This is my opinion on The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.

Now, I, in no way, disagree with Christina. It is an amazingly witty book, filled with humor that only the amazing John Green can come up with. (Though I have to say I laughed more in Paper Towns)

Saying that I want to touch upon something that everyone has been saying.

Crying?

I'm not saying it wasn't sad and in NO way am I making fun of them, but I didn't cry at all. In fact the chapter I loved the most (Chapter 22) was the one that Courtney said she hated the most, or well the one where she was balling her eyes out.

I was seriously laughing and smiling so much in that chapter and (according to Courtney, I was soundly sleeping right next to her) Courtney was just crying up a storm.

I loved the book, just because I didn't cry doesn't mean I didn't think it was a literary genius!

I so love that Jodi Picoult has a quote on the front of the book! So cool!

(note: I made the picture above! super cool right?)

Her Green Eyes

P&P

Since we just finished Pride and Prejudice in English I've been thinking about it all the time. I really enjoyed the book. I thought it was hilarious!

Comcast?

Now, what did you first think of when you saw this picture? Tell me you thought the same thing!

Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile exhibit house screamed and started running for the exits.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Chapter two: The Vanishing Glass

NY, NY

"She cried loudly enough that the man sitting across from her had offered her a tissue, and she screamed, What do you think your looking at jerk? at him because that was what you did in New York. After that she felt a little better."(451)

So, all thanks to Ragan, I have come across an amazing series, as books go. The Mortal Instruments! It's quite amazing. I highly recommend it to everyone!

Above is a picture of the evil guy from the series. Valentine (yes, ironic) who is using the 'mortal sword' (super powerful, something he shouldn't have) to butter his tost. Only those who have read the boks will fully understand.

"Never believe the bad guy is dead until you see the body," said Simon. "That just leads to unhappiness and surprise ambushes"

Harry Potter Post