The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Before I launch into a rant about Mockingjay, I will first tingle your spidey senses with the brilliance of the first two books.
I first stumbled upon The Hunger Games when it was released. I read the teaser on a website and knew it was going on my "To Read" list on Shelfari.

However, I didn't get an opportunity to read it until about this time last year. I walked into my school's library - urm, media center, and there it was - a shiny, new hardcover copy of The Hunger Games! True, I had to wait an entire year to gain access to it, but once it was safe in my hands, I devoured it faster than I'd ever read any book in my life.

Cover: The cover shows the mockingjay pin that Katniss receives as a gift from Madge before she leaves for the Hunger Games. It's not a very impressive cover, but it does have a symbolic touch to it.

Story: The Hunger Games follows 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives with her mother and little sister, Prim, in the Seam. The Seam is akin to the Bronx, in a country called Panem. Panem is made up of 12 Districts that surround the luxurious Capitol. There once were 13, but after a rebellion, it was destroyed beyond repair and now, to remind the districts that the Capitol is in control, 24 tributes (two from every district) is sent every year to fight to the death on live television.

When Prim's name is called, Katniss doesn't think twice about stepping up to save her sister. Before she even knows what's happening, she's shuttled off to the Capitol with the warm-hearted baker's boy, Peeta (named after a type of bread, punny eh?) and their drunk, slurring mentor (a former victor.)

Review: The Hunger Games is an exciting, edge-of-your-seat novel, and has a little something for everyone: it is a thriller, a romance, and full of action.

Suzanne Collins is a descriptive, talented writer who captures the reader's attention. The author has a talent that is hard to come by these days, when bland, unimaginative authors such as Stephanie Meyer are considered #1. Collins explores the themes of freedom, punishment, dystopia, and the topic of self-preservation, and what people will do to survive.

The Hunger Games is reminiscent of another great series: The Giver Trilogy, which also explores utopian and dystopian societies.

When deciding to pick up this book (and you should!) make sure it's a day where you have nothing else to do, because you won't be able to put it down until you finish it!

And may the odds be ever in your favor!

Fringe (Graphic Novel)

Cover: I've always been a fan of the odd Fringe glyphs. In case you aren't clued in, one of 26 symbols will appear on commercial break for the show, each with a yellow dot appearing in a different location - signaling a different letter. These are a type of secret message to the viewer. However, on the cover of the Fringe miniseries collection, the three characters do not add up to anything in particular.

The single issue collection has a code. Each symbol added up builds this: S-R-E-N-. The butterfly with a dot on the inside is not an original glyph. This leads me to believe that the creative minds either chose random glyphs, or developed a new code for the comic miniseries. Until news of the latter is released, I'm rather disappointed that I didn't get to decode anything. :(

Story: Two crazy scientists pushing the boundaries of ethics and science, a man who mysteriously wakes up in prison, a news reporter investigating Massive Dynamic, a boy poisonous to the touch - and HITLER IN THE MESOZOIC ERA?!

When William Bell encounters bossy, hot-tempered Walter Bishop, he adds a softer blur to Bishop's edgy experiments. Years later, as odd occurrences start popping up, a strange blonde appears at a mental hospital, asking for the now-institutionalized Bishop.

*There is a prequel to this, and it serves to explore The Pattern even more.

Review: I was mildly upset that this miniseries was not focused on the usual characters, rather it jumped around from Walter and Bell's happenings, to some experiments gone awry, to ONE appearance of Olivia. Some of the stories were rather funny and gave a nice background, but I was hoping for something more linear to the show, which was what I thought I was getting when I opened to the story of Bishop and Bell meeting for the first time. The stories weren't very well connected, nor were they answered - but I guess you can't expect that with Fringe.

Hopefully the creators will make a continuing series of Walter and Bell's old experiments, focusing primarily on the project involving Olivia. Even some new storylines could be revealed.

It was nice to see more of Belly's personality revealed -- it had never occurred to me that he may have been the gentle counterpart to Walter's crazy science fantasies.

On the whole, it was a nice start - but if no other comics are made from this, it has been in vain.

Rating: 3/5. A little better than the X-Files miniseries.

Fables Book 1: Legends in Exile

Cover: I thought this cover was extremely witty and appealing. It provides the setting for the story, and gives insight into the comedic writing of the series.

Story: A common enemy known as the Adversary has forced the inhabitants of

fairytales and fables into exile - smack dab into the hustle and bustle of New York City. There, they try to blend in with society and hide their secret in a luxurious apartment building known as Fabletown. Things seem to be going great - or as great as they can be for former characters of folklore.

But then Snow White's party-girl sister, Rose Red, disa

ppears. It's up to the Big Bad Wolf to play detective and determine if the guilty party is Bluebeard or Jack (of Beanstalk-climbing fame.)

Will the mystery be solved so Fabletown can move on peacefully, or will Snow White's incessant interference cause everything to be "Happily Never After?"

Review: I've always been a fan of alternate universes for stories we already know from heart (hint: BIG Superman review coming up on that!) Fables takes the characters we already know and love from childhood, and puts a grown-up spin on them. The humor is sarcastic, clever, and sometimes mature. Add to that the fact that Legends in Exile is a mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and you've got one big party. I will definitely be continuing the series.

Rating: 5/5

whoops.

I haven't posted in a while, apparently reviews just aren't my thing, when I'm trying to write a book, do AP Language homework, and get situated in my new job. In May, the last book I wrote a review on became even more real. I lost a friend to suicide, and since haven't really done anything noteworthy. But I promise, I still want to share the joy of reading, along with working on my various writing projects.

From time to time, I'll let you in on what book I'm reading, and whether or not I like it. To tide you over, here's a few graphic novels I've been reading since I started working at the comic store:

The Walking Dead Volume 1: Days Gone Bye is a breath of fresh air in a long line of zombies (okay, zombies aren't fresh.) I will definitely be finishing the rest of the series. The Walking Dead is about Rick, a small-town cop from Kentucky, who awakes from a coma to find the world he used to know gone. When he realizes a zombie apocalypse has taken place, he embarks on a mission to find his wife in Atlanta - and what waits for him there is no pretty sight. RATING: 4/5.


While the art was dead-on with a Scully and Mulder we know and love, I was disappointed. The X-Files graphic novel did NOT live up to the show's standards. A recent string of possessions have Scully trying to rationalize, and Mulder trying to find the evil responsible, as always. Although the plot was interesting enough, I just felt it didn't give me the classic feeling of, "I Want to Believe." :( RATING: 2/5.

Y: The Last Man Volume 1: Unmanned is about the last man on Earth, literally! When all the men in the world suddenly drop dead, young Yorick is left standing with a disconnected phone call with his would-be fiancee. First item on his long list: find her. Erm, maybe he'll find his mom first. Interesting concept, excellent follow-through. Y: The Last Man, leads you in with just enough action and mystery to put you on the edge of your seat. From gun-toting Republican wives, to the question of, "What is going on here?!", you will be begging for more. Plus, the monkey is a cute touch. I will be finishing these. RATING: 4/5.

Hold Still - Nina LaCour

Just yesterday, Ingrid seemed fine. She laughed and hung out with her best friend Caitlin at an abandoned movie theatre. But last night, she killed herself. Caitlin is immobilized with mourning, intentionally failing her photography class out of spite. But then she finds a new friend in Dylan, the new girl; and soon after discovers Ingrid's personal journal underneath her bed. The journal is less of a diary and more a collection of letters to friends and family during Ingrid's last days. Caitlin had thought Ingrid was fine. Sure, she had a few bad days, but everyone does, right? Wrong. Ingrid's deep depression surfaces, helping Caitlin realize and cope with Ingrid's suicide. These notes are Caitlin's final link to her best friend, so she indulges in them slowly, keeping them a secret from everyone.

Hold Still was a poetic portrait of loss, love, and recovery. Ingrid's letters are full of heart and the struggle to be happy, despite intense pain. And Caitlin's prose and artistic talent help her bring her friend back to life somewhat, if not entirely.

The centerpiece of the novel is photography, which is a huge passion in my life, so I could definitely relate to Caitlin's love for the art, and it was extremely easy to become frustrated with the character when she was being stubborn. Nina LaCour did a wonderful job creating characters that stand for themselves and automatically take a step into your life and pull at your heartstrings.

The entire novel, I embodied myself in Caitlin and Ingrid became my best friend. It left me with so many questions, some answered by the quiet yet explosive ending, some not.

The one thing that disappointed me about Hold Still was the fact that there is no afternote or forward explaining the intense ties of emotion to suicide, both affecting the suicide and the aftermath. There's no note at the end recommending you talk to a trusted adult if you are concerned about a friend or yourself in relation to suicide. I definitely believe that if a novel contains disputable and/or controversial material, there needs to be a disclaimer somewhere in there that explains the actions/beliefs/quotations are not the personal philosophy of the author, and if it relates to suicide or such subject matter, that there should be a couple websites and/or phone numbers given to aid the person in the rare case that they have such thoughts.

Otherwise, Hold Still was not only a great time waster for when you're bored, but a deep, reflectional novel that makes you think, "what if."

P.S. Sorry, guys. I am definitely back, I had a little bit of pressure due to finals at school. Today's my Sweet 16 Bday, and I just got my driver's permit, so I decided to do a celebratory post (or two - or three).

So...where'd you go?

Sorry, everyone.

My computer crashed. So I bought a new one - a MAC!

Uhm...I really have nothing to say, except that I will be reviewing The First Part Last and Cut A.S.A.P.

Which means, not very soon (unless babysitting tomorrow proves fruitful).

School is hectic, and though I've been reading as much as I can, I've only recently finished 3 or 4 books. BAD LINDSEY.

But I promise you all, YDHIFM isn't going to disappear into the unreachable void of dead-book-blogs.

I've been thinking about adding some new memes that I can do quickly, so readers will have something to look at, and I won't feel so darned guilty.

So, I now present: SO, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING? - ON SUNDAY! (unofficial meme, just wanted to let you all know how busy I've been!)

1. I got a Mac. You knew this from my mentioning it WAY UP THERE. But I have to say, it is brilliant. I've been watching episodes of House and Desperate Housewives on it, editing my beautiful photography, and pretty much spending every waking second attached to Safari. Computers, how I've missed you!

2. My new nephew was born 8 days ago. He celebrated his week-birthday on HALLOWEEN!!!! :) His name is Kaden, and he is the cutest thing to ever bless me with his presence.

3. I got 4 new pet cows. My official one, tagged #17, is named Sunshine! We also have 3 others that "belong" to my mom, dad, and grandparents. But, secretly, they're ALL MINE. *insert evil laugh*.

4. I was a Leopard for Halloween. Here I am with my puppy. He seems to not mind that a vicious cat is holding him.

**Pictures will be uploaded later, as Blogger is being slow. Sorry :(

Ellen Hopkins - Joseph Beth Booksellers, September 28

It was 7:02 when Ellen Hopkins took the stage, greeted by applause and shouting girls who felt two minutes was too long.

I was one of them. :)

Ellen Hopkins is very down-home and nice in person. You can immediately tell that she could be angry and annoyed by her hardships, instead she just makes the choice to change peoples' lives. She's definitely an author that you'd want to call "Mrs. Hopkins" instead of by her first and last name.

The first topic of the evening was how a town in Oklahoma wants to prevent her from talking at schools in the area. The "grown-ups" want to ban her books because of the sexual content/drug addiction contained within the binding.

This made me very angry, seeing as Ellen Hopkins is pretty much the sweetest woman you will ever meet, and she's just trying to help people with her novels. They all contain little afterwords in the back that all but beg you to get help if you are addicted to drugs/thinking of suicide/a teenage prostitute.

After the short little explanation, she gave a brief summary of her newest book, Tricks (which I have already reviewed.) She took about a half hour of questions, and by then the crowd was worn out.

Most of the questions were things I already knew (because I stalk really like Ellen Hopkins.)

Is Crank really about your daughter?

What books do you have planned for the near future?

How did you come up with the idea for _____?

And the like.

By the time we got to the signing, I was super-excited. I was also in the B Section, so I got to get my book signed without waiting too long.

ACK! I also got a picture!

Before I left, I asked one last question that Tricks-virgin ears would not have wanted to overhear. And I got the ANSWER! :DDDD

When I walked away and opened my book, I noticed she wrote "Dream!" on the inside.

So Ellen Hopkins basically made my day. :) If you ever notice she's coming to do an event in your town or somewhere near, go!!

Seacrest, uhrm, Lindsey, out!

P.S. I'm really sorry this is a day late and I haven't reviewed anything lately. Don't worry - I'm still alive and plan to review a lot of books very soon. Right now, though, I'm working hard on midterms before Fall Break. Wish me luck!

I feel "snaps" are in order.

So, over at Hey, Teenager of the Year, Steph is doing 

something really interesting: Books Change Lives month.

She said that I was free to do a guest post, so I did! 

I wrote about Tips on Having a Gay (Ex) Boyfriend by

Carrie Jones, a book very near and dear to my heart.

Steph said the review will be up any day now, so go

check it out!

Thanks Steph!!!

:)

*squee* (x2) E.H. and what LEGENDARY Steph Bowe has to say...

Okay, well I have jumped up and down like eighty times today. Two are blog-related.

1) Ellen Hopkins will be doing a book signing Monday, September 28 at 7:00 pm!!! I am SO completely excited for this, and her new book, Tricks. My mother went to Joseph-Beth in Lexington today to get Tricks while I was at school, and while there she discovered this AWESOME event. I'm soooooo happy. Expect full coverage of that, the blog will be up September 29.

2) A few days ago, I emailed Steph Bowe from Hey, Teenager of the Year (you can find the link over this way -->) and asked her a couple of tips and her opinion of this blog. I thought you guys (which, well, I don't have any "guys" right now, BUT I WILL) would like to see what she had to say: 

Hi Lindsey!

 

Glad you like my blog :-) Your blog looks great!

 

what I'd recommend to you, since your blog is pretty new and you don't have many readers is

1. Add the 'follower' widget. Right away! It makes it easy for people to keep updated with your blog, and if a specific blog doesn't have a follower widget, I'll forget to add itto my blogger dashboard.

2. Regularly post content. Sometimes I won't post for a few days, and the number of visitors goes right down. Posting daily brings people back the most.

3. Email book bloggers and ask if you can do guest posts. This is mainly for exposure, so that people know about your blog. Say 'Hey, I love your blog. Would you be interested in swapping guest posts? I can write a post about [topic]' or 'Could I write a guest post for your blog about a book I love/a book that changed my life/somethign else bookish'. Guest posts are really rewarding to do, and attract readers to your blog. One blogger who might be interested in swapping guest posts with is weronika (http://weronikajanczuk.com). She's really nice. Also, if you don't heaps of book blogs yet, check out my blogroll. I have so many blogs there it isn't funny, and lots of them are probably willing to swap blog posts or let you interview them.

4. Regarding reviewing books... I don't like to ask for books, but read lots of author blogs and occasionally you can register your interest for a review copy. Once you get a bit of a following on your blog, authors and publishers might start to offer you books. Last month, I was sent three books from one publisher, one from another, and a couple from authors directly. But there are only really two Australian book bloggers, and I'm assuming you're in the US, so there's a bit more competition for review copies (though there are a lot more books being published!) Put a review policy on your blog once you have a handful of reviews up there, so that people can see your reviewing style.

 

It's taken me about five months to build up the following I have on my blog -- asnd it's SO slow at first. I'm doing a thing called Books Change Lives month at the moment, so if you'd like to write a guest post for that, that would be fantastic!

haha, I'm not famous at all XD

 

Anyway, there are a couple of other things you might want to read:

Presenting Lenore has advice for book bloggers, which is super-useful: http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-book-blogger-faq.html

Plus Persnickety snark has a guide to YA blogging too: http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com/2009/08/guide-to-ya-blogging_07.html
 

All the best,

Steph

Well, that's all for now, be expecting a complete Tricks review by this Friday.

Party Girl by Lynne Ewing

Kata and Ana are two girls have lived practically their whole life as gang members, and really see no way out. The two best friends dance together, fight together, they can't even say one name without the other. But when Ana is shot in a drive-by, Kata must learn to live without her best friend.

I had expected this book to be larger, but when I saw it at the library, I was amazed at how small it was. I really enjoyed the gentle elements of the story as well as the action. From Kata's decision to escape from "the life" to her painful attempt at recovering from Ana's death, it was all very in touch.

I really loved how in the end, everything to remind Kata of her past (the tattoo, the boyfriend, the drunk mother, etc.) is slowly but surely disappearing. It shows that though things aren't fairytale, we can still make the best of what we have.

Party Girl also painted a very realistic portrait of gang life and to what extreme measures people go to get out.  Also, how these "tough" members all have dormant weaknesses.

However, I really felt as if the title didn't fit into any of the story. Kata and Ana did not really "party", and the story was about Ana's death and Kata's journey out of the gang.

Also, the touch to the story, what made it so gripping, sometimes disappeared in the thick of things. Even though there was a lot of beautiful wording and memorable quotes, sometimes the gist of the story got lost in all the gang-talk. Some parts were irrelevant and unnecessary. I was distracted a little bit because it was one installment, not a book with chapters.

Overall, it was a nice, enjoyable read with enough action and agony to keep me turning the page when I should have been doing my homework.

Before I Die by Jenny Downham

When I first picked up this book, I had somehow gotten it stuck in my mind that it was about the apocalypse. Don't ask how, but it might have had something to do with the play I was in at the time of it's appearance to me - Dracula Spectacula (in which the famous vampire wants to start his own show on Broadway). That's a Hellraiser for ya if there ever was one!

So anyway, I went into the library, saw this book, and snatched the last copy up and giggled with excitement as I rushed to check it out.

"Read the last chapter when you're alone," I was told. Well, guys, I obeyed, and today I am sitting at the computer sniffling over Tessa and her non-apocalyptic (in the loosest sense) 

world.

Even my mom read the last hundred pages in one sitting, and I had forgotten she knew how to read. 

Though the concept is well-worn, Jenny Downham puts a new spin on things. You see at pretty much every turn how the world is moving on without Tessa, and how anytime is too soon for a 16-year-old girl to die.

I love how Tessa's list played out. Especially in the end, when she started adding simple things like, "Eat an ice cream" and "Kiss my boyfriend".

The lifelike rendering of leukemia really gives you something to think about. But Before I Die is not just depressing. This novel also has some high notes as well. Like Tessa's witty facts about pregnancy, or whenever Tessa's with Adam, or Cal's last words to Tessa. Tessa's view of life was written beautifully, and is pretty darn near the carbon copy of how I'd live my life if I discovered I didn't have long to live.

BEWARE OF SPOILER!

My deepest regret about this book is that there was no rescue, no escape from her fate. I also hated that she never got to complete #10 - seeing Zoey's baby.

While searching for the cover to Before I Die, I came upon an alternate cover with a review from Heat on it. It said: "A book that will make you happy to be alive." And I know that no matter how many tissues I've used up, that line hit it dead-on.

"A little birdy told me. . ."

The thought of this blog first occurred to me when I heard that Steph Bowe over at Hey, Teenager of the Year! gets advance copies of books (which totally rocks! keep in mind I really do want these books for reviewing purposes!). Then I thought, "Hey, why don't I try to knock her out of her spot as 70th Top Blogger in Australia." But then I remembered I don't live in Australia, so that was pretty much out.

In any case, enjoy my book reviews, occasionally witty, always the precursor to a night spent in bed, eagerly flipping pages.

- Lindsey

P.S. DON'T DOGEAR YOUR BOOKS. How would it feel if someone kept tugging on your ear? Or something of more use to you . . . ?