Random Buzz = So, I'm Reading Vampire Academy Again...

What's up people! So, I'm rereading Vampire Academy in anticipation of the movie coming out February 7.

Yeah, that movie.

In case any of you haven't read VA here's the cover and synopsis.

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

Seriously, for those who haven't read VA:

GO. READ. IT.

I'm not kidding. Richelle Mead really did something here. I mean, it's my second favorite series. Of all time. Rose is one of the most kick ass female main characters out there. Just look at this poster. (I know it says the 14th but I couldn't find one with the changed date.)

The whole world that Richelle built is awesome. I just love it.

Anyways, back to the movie. A lot of people are saying that the movie looks like a knockoff version of Mean Girls with vampires. I can kinda see where they coming from from the first trailer but even then, VA still looks like it's pretty true to the book. And Vampire Academy is nowhere near Mean Girls.

I think it just incorporates a lot of humor in the hopes of trying to gain a broader audience. But then I saw more of the trailers and it looks more like it captures the more darker tones of the book.

I also remembered that as the series goes on the content gets grittier and darker. I mean just look at Shadow Kiss. That ending was harsh.

Another thing is the clip with Christian lighting someone on fire. Literally. That was awesome.

Holy smokes! Hahaha!

I know I'm going to see Vampire Academy when it comes out! Just 7 more days! How about you? Are you guys going to see the movie? Do you think the trailers and clips live up to the book?

And now I'll leave you with this Christian Ozera cool fire gif thingy.

Random Buzz = Recycling is NOT Boring, It's Cool

Hey guys! Welcome to my first Random Buzz post. This randomized session will be about recycling. Yeah, I know you're probably thinking, ugh really soooo boring.

But, don't worry you won't be yawning. It's actually quite cool if you follow these tips and tricks on how to recycle: 

1) Reduce -- Avoid buying single-serving containers and also look for products that have less packaging. If you see something that is overladen with packaging, skip it. Besides, you don't wanna be wrestling with the package just to get it open.

Although it'll give you a good arm workout.

2) Reuse -- So, you're about to toss you're old, used, and slightly stained couch. WAIT! STOP! HALT!

Before you do that, you could easily just donate it to charity or an organization like the Salvation Army. Or you could try to refurbish it yourself. Other things you could donate are computers, rugs, televisions, and tables.

3) Recycle -- Obviously, use recycling bins. Those things are important. Try to keep 'em close so you can easily add recyclables to them. You can also try recycling your clothes by turning them into new outfits. A great way that I've recycled clothes is through hand-me-downs. You know: my cousin had that outfit, now my other cousin, then my sister, and finally passed down to little 'ole me. Like,

No, but seriously wearing used clothing is a great way to recycle. Along with hand-me-downs, you can also go to thrift stores to buy, trade, and sell used clothes.

4) One more thing, start composting -- Composting is a great and inexpensive way to recycle food and trash, not to mention it's great for the environment. Just set it up in your backyard, garden, courtyard, etc. Here's how: First, add green matter like fruit and vegetable waste, e.g., banana peels. Second, add brown matter such as dead leaves or plants. Third, keep up the adding and layering making sure to add water if it gets too dry. Fourth, turn over your compost every once in a while and your compost should be ready to go in a few months!

I also found this really cool article that shows unconventional and creative ways to recycle. You can check it out here. It's pretty amazing stuff.

Now, what are your thoughts? What do you think about recycling? Do you have any other ideas on how to recycle? What's your favorite tip on how to recycle? Let me know in the comments!

Well, that's all I've got for now. Until next time!

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: Standalone
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Dutton Books January 10, 2012
Pages: 313

Synopsis:

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.
  






My Thoughts {bzzzzzzzzzz}:

• The Scene

Just look at the synopsis for this book. Shows you that it's about cancer and teenagers. With that said, I was very reluctant to read The Fault in Our Stars. I wasn't all to ecstatic to read about cancer and have my heart ripped out. But, really you should give this book a go because, yes even though it ripped my heart to shreds, it is a damn good story about life, love, and growing up (cheesy as that may sound).

• The Girl

Hazel was a very likable character. She didn't rub me the wrong way. I felt for her. I'm so glad that Shailene Woodley is playing her in the movie. I think she'll do a superb job of portraying Hazel.

• The Boy(s)

Augustus Waters. He made this book so heartfelt. There's really not much I can say without spoiling anything so my advice to you is to just read The Fault in Our Stars. 

• The WTF?!

Yeah, so normal teenagers don't talk like Augustus and Hazel. Halfway through the book I was trying to see if I could talk like them but it kinda just came out like I was reciting poetry and talking about metaphors. Simply put, it didn't really work. I also came to the conclusion that to have dialogue like Augustus and Hazel you have to really think. Hard. And let me tell you it's very difficult to think stuff like that on the spot. You gotta like sit down and write it. So yeah I really liked reading about their clever choice of words but I felt like it was a little unrealistic. But then again I think maybe that's a part of the reason why I like The Fault in Our Stars so much. (Besides the tragic love story and fear of oblivion, among other things.) It wasn't the typical teenager talk. Sure it had some of that (not much) in it but for the most part it was different albeit sometimes it felt like John Green tried too hard (with the dialogue) and Hazel and Gus kinda talked the same way. Like really, their two different people.

• The Buzz

I feel like I shouldn't post any gifs of crying in this review seeing as how other readers and reviewers have adequately (okay maybe excessively) done their shared duty of said crying gifs. So, I won't. But I will say this: reading this book will probably make you cry, maybe not full blown snot induced hysteria but perhaps a light misting of the eyes or a subtle frog in your throat. I mean that's what happened to me (the latter not the former). Whatever type of tear you shed, make no mistake, The Fault in Our Stars will affect you. (Unless you're a robot.) And now, let us go watch the movie and torture ourselves even more. Maybe that's what John Green intended. I swear, authors. Always messing with our heads. And hearts.

• My Favorite Quotes

"They don't kill you unless you light them," he said as Mom arrived at the curb. "And I've never lit one. It's a metaphor, see: You put the killing thing right between your teeth, but you don't give it the power to do its killing."

--Augustus

"Oh, I wouldn't mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you."

--Augustus

"I can't talk about our love story, so I will talk about math. I am not a mathematician, but I know this: There are infinite numbers between 0 and 1. There's .1 and .12 and .112 and an infinite collection of others. Of course, there is a bigger infinite set of numbers between 0 and 2, or between 0 and a million. Some infinities are bigger than other infinities. A writer we used to like taught us that. There are days, many of them, when I resent the size of my unbounded set. I want more numbers than I'm likely to get, and God, I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got. But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful."

--Hazel

"I thought of my dad telling me that the universe wants to be noticed. But what we want is to be noticed by the universe, to have the universe give a shit what happens to us--not the collective idea of sentient life but each of us, as individuals."

--Hazel

Review: Awaken by Meg Cabot

Awaken by Meg Cabot
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: Abandon Trilogy #3
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Point July 2, 2013
Pages: 343

Synopsis:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, the dark reimagining of the Persephone myth comes to a thrilling conclusion.

Death has her in his clutches. She doesn’t want him to let go.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera knew by accepting the love of John Hayden, she’d be forced to live forever in the one place she’s always dreaded most: the Underworld. The sacrifice seemed worth it, though, because it meant she could be with the boy she loves.

But now her happiness — and safety — are threatened, all because the Furies have discovered that John has broken one of their strictest rules: He revived a human soul.


If the balance between life and death isn’t fixed, both the Underworld and Pierce’s home back on earth will be wiped away. But there’s only one way to restore order. Someone has to die.

My thoughts:

You know what I hate? When a series you like gets to the final book and you've read it and you suddenly realize that it's the LAST one. Then your all like, no! I need more, it just CAN'T end. Then, you realize again that there's nothing you can do about it, it's over. Bye-bye. Good night. The end.

This is how I feel now that I've read Awaken. Granted, I think this should be a good thing because if you don't feel this way about a series then that means you don't like it. But it still hurts. Now on to the book!

Awaken had all the elements of its predecessors, Abandon and Underworld. There was humor, sarcasm, fighting, romance, and all the mythology of the Underworld. To say the least, it was great. I love Pierce as the main character. She's very smart, fierce, and funny. Some of the scenes made me laugh out loud. Of course, I also enjoyed reading about all the other characters that make the Abandon series so great. I think my favorite is Mr. Smith. I also like Henry and Mr. Lui. Wait, now I can't leave out Kayla, Frank, and Alex. Oh, and obviously John. The plot was well done and the ending was cute.

If you enjoyed the first two books, then this is the book for you.

P.S. That cover is AMAZING. I think it's one of my favorite covers of all time. The purple and her dress is really pretty. I have no words I like it so much.


What are your thoughts? Did you like Awaken? What do you think of that cover? I mean, seriously that cover. :)

Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: Nightshade #1
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Philomel October 19, 2010
Pages: 452

Synopsis:

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?



My Thoughts {bzzzzzzzzzz}:

• The Scene

Well, oh, well, what do we have here? Werewolves, love triangles, giant spiders, creepy wraiths, keepers, searchers -- wait, GIANT SPIDERS?!? Actually, it was just one spider. But, still that was one giant mother of an arachnid. Huge freaky-assed spiders aside, the scene of Nightshade was comprised of kickass werewolves and, surprise, a complicated love triangle. Don't turn your nose away just yet though. This book has some buzz.

• The Girl

Calla Tor's a Guardian which is just a fancy way of saying she's a werewolf, part of a pack that guards sacred sites for their "masters", the Keepers, to keep away from the Searchers. Oh, and Calla's also the alpha of her young pack, the Nightshade's, soon to be merged with the Bane's. Did ya get that? Don't worry just read the book and you'll get it. Matter of fact, you might just love it.

• The Boy(s)

Holy love triangle! Ren or Shay? Shay or Ren? Who cares? They're both smokin' and awesome! (Did I just say smokin'?) No, but seriously for me I lean more toward Ren. Shay just seemed a little too insta-love between him and Calla.

• The WTF?!

Calla and Shay's insta-love. Calla's switch between two boys like bam! she's with Ren so she's all over him then kaboom! she's with Shay and fawning over him. I mean, jeez pick one. But, then again that's the whole complicated love triangle thingy. Also, we're back to the big, giant, nasty frickin' assed spider. Yeah, and it's a brown recluse. So, not only it can kill you with it's huge size, but you also have to watch out for it's poison or venom or whatever too. Did I mention that I HATE spiders? No, like abhor, detest, cringe, shudder, loathe, dislike, repulsed, and revolted by these eight legged things. So, you can imagine my dislike when I read that scene. I'm totally like Ron Weasley with the "Why spiders? Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies?"

• The Buzz

If your looking for a buzzy book then you've come to the right place! Nightshade has tons of buzz! It's full of action, romance, and supernatural foray. Personally, I loved it and can't wait to read book two, Wolfsbane!

• My Favorite Quotes

"I've never really made friends, at least not close ones, I think that's why I read so much. Books have been my real companions."

--Shay

"I belong to Ren," I said, hating the words, wishing Shay could kiss me and make the rest of the world disappear. "There's nothing I can do to change that."
"You belong to yourself," he said quietly. "And I can wait for you to figure that out."

--Calla and Shay

"Tell me you'll come back for the pack. For me." His eyes were bright with tears. "I don't want to lose you."
I couldn't speak. Tears welled up in my eyes and I stepped away from him. But Ren caught me in his arms.
"Do you love him?" His eyes searched mine.
"Don't ask that," I said, lips still burning from my confession to Shay, now stinging with deceit. "This isn't about love. It's about survival."
"No, Calla." His voice became hushed. "This is only about love."
And then he was kissing me. His lips moved over mine in a slow caress, hands running over my body, every touch begging me to stay. I could tell he believed he would never kiss me again. Part of me wanted to linger, clinging to him, knowing all the ways we were meant for each other, how well we fit. But another part tugged me away already running through the forest, chasing after a fate unknown. I choked back a sob when Ren released me and turned away.
The charcoal gray wolf paused and looked back once more before disappearing into the trees. From behind me, I heard the lone cry of a wolf. The howl echoed as it rose toward the full moon, a sound full of agony and irreparable loss.

--Calla and Ren
Ahhh, this last quote! The feels!

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: Unearthly #2
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperTeen January 17, 2012
Pages: 403

Synopsis:

For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.


In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

My thoughts:

There are spoilers in this review. You've been warned.

Hallowed is filled with a ton of emotions. Well, one particular emotion the most: sadness. No seriously, Clara feels sad, like, all the time. To be fair though a lot of stuff that happened in this book would make me sad too. Actually, I was sad a lot for Clara, especially at the ending.

After the events of Unearthly, Clara now is trying to live life with knowing she failed her purpose. Clara thinks she being punished because of her failed purpose but really she's not, it's just life. She thinks she's being punished because stuff like the evil fallen angel Samjeeza keeps following (more like stalking) Clara and her family. Then, she has another one of her visions in which someones she loves dies. Originally, she thinks it's Tucker who dies so she goes all angel overprotective on him. But, actually, and this is the really, really sad part, the person who's going to die is her mother. Yeah, you read that right, her mother. Yeah, 'cause apparently being a half angel means you only live 'till your 120. And guess what, Clara's mother was just about to hit that age milestone. I felt so bad for Clara about this.

The other sad part was Clara's relationship with Tucker. Oh, that ending. Why, oh why, did you have to break up Clara and Tucker Cynthia Hand? I mean, really? And the Christian thing. What, he's going to go to Stanford too? I like Christian, really I do. I just like Tucker better and I think Tucker is better off with Clara. Christian feels too much like it's written in the stars and stuff because of the angel stuff.

Anyways, Hallowed is a really good book. I can't wait to read Boundless!

How was Hallowed for you? Did you like the ending?

Favorite Quote:

"I know that when I think about my future, I'm usually overwhelmed, knowing how much will be expected of me. I know the odds are that I'll fail many of the things I try. And it's a big deal. What if I figure out what my purpose is, my reason for being on this planet, only to fall short? What if I don't pass the test? But then I think about what I've learned here in the last year, and I don't mean in my classes, but what I've learned from watching my friends face their futures and search for their purposes. I've learned that a storm isn't always just bad weather, and a fire can be the start of something new. I've found out that there are a lot more shades of gray in this world then I ever knew about. I've learned that sometimes, when you're afraid but you keep on moving forward, that's the biggest kind of courage there is. And finally, I've learned that life isn't really about failure and success. It's about being present, in the moment when big things happen, when everything changes, including yourself. So I would tell us, no matter how bright we think our futures are, it doesn't matter. Whether we go off to some fancy university or stay home and work. That doesn't define us. Our purpose on this earth is not a single event, an accomplishment we can check off a list. There is no test. No passing or failing. There's only us, each moment shaping who we are, into what we will become. So I say forget about the future. Pay attention to now. This moment right now. Let go of expectations. Just be. Then you are free to become something great."

--Angela

Review: Danse Macabre by Laurell K. Hamilton

Danse Macabre by Laurell K. Hamilton
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Series: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #14
Reading Level: Adult
Publisher: Jove June 27, 2006
Pages: 517

Synopsis:

These days, Anita Blake is less interested in vampire politics than in an ancient, ordinary dread she shares with women down the ages: she may be pregnant. And, if she is, whether the father is a vampire, a werewolf, or someone else entirely, he knows perfectly well that being a Federal Marshal known for raising the dead and being a vampire executioner, is no way to bring up a baby.





My thoughts:

This will be a short review because Danse Macabre was a dull read and I really don't have much to say on it. Here are reasons why this book is sooo boring:


1. Nothing happens. Literally, there is no plot, no premise, you wouldn't even think it's an Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter book. Quite seriously, if you picked up Guilty Pleasures, the first book, read it and then read this boring mess you would be scratching your head, like huh? Is this even the same series?

2. All talk, no action. I mean how can an author write her whole book based on talking about nothing? It was just so boring. This is Anita and everybody else: oh, no I'm pregnant! What am I going to do?! Now we talk forever about the baby. Yadda yadda. Wait, now I've getting more powers! Now, we have to talk forever about said powers. Yadda yadda yadda. Oh, now someone's feelings got hurt. I'm Anita so I have to go console him and talk about meaningless things the whole time. It's goes on and on. It's like that teacher in Charlie Brown where she talks but you can't understand a word she's saying.

Now you see why it was like watching paint dry. I gave Danse Macabre two stars because it was just okay. Not horrible (although reading over this review, it sounds like its horrible) but nowhere near good either. Nevertheless, I'm going to give the next book, The Harlequin, a try and hope for the best. Besides, I've heard that later in the series Hamilton gets back on track so to speak to the Anita from the first nine books. Oh, and did I forget to tell you that it took me almost a YEAR to read this book. Yeah. That's how boring it was. Now that I read over my review, it seems that I had more to say about this book than I thought. Huh.

What did you think of Danse Macabre? Boring as heck or did you find it entertaining?