Monday 27 June 2011

Sunday 26 June 2011

Harry Potter: Pottermore and Trailer

J.K. Rowling has announced the creation of Pottermore, an online reading experience!  It will give crazy Harry Potter fans, like myself, an opportunity to interact and participate in this amazing fictional world! 

This trailer is so freakin' AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! I can hardly wait!
It's so sad to see this amazing movie series to come to an end :'(...However, I have no doubt that these books will continue to be read and enjoyed by youths all over the world.
I've read these books tooo many times...And will continue to do so <3
Love you Harry!

Saturday 25 June 2011

Review: Delirium

5 of 5 stars
Delirium
by Lauren Oliver

Summary (Goodreads)
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love


Quote
"And now I know why they invented words for love, why they had to: It's the only thing that can come close to describing what I feel in that moment, the baffling mixture of pain and pleasure and fear and joy, all running sharply through me at once." Lauren Oliver (Delirium)

Review
I LOVED this book. After reading "Before I Fall" I was a tad bit hesitant to read another Lauren Oliver book. However, it surpassed my expectations in all areas.

The plot was like none other I had read before. It was an original concept that transported me into the unstable possibilities of the future. What would life be like if love was a disease? "Delirium" painted a world I could never imagine for myself - a world where everything important to me would be considered dangerous.

Lena was everything a main character should be. It was very easy for me to place myself in her shoes and take a run through a futuristic Portland. The love story between her and Alex was a journey in itself as it was in pursuit of something banned and condemned. "Love" became a discovery in itself: hesitant, scary, and passionate.
This book made me fall for Lauren Oliver's writing. She writes as though she is painting a canvas (something I can truly appreciate). I recommend this book to everyone and eagerly await the second and third installments in this series.

Friday 24 June 2011

Friday's Finest (5)

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.

Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Bronte
"To women who please me only by their faces, I am the very devil when I find out they have neither souls nor hearts - when they open to me a perspective of flatness, triviality, and perhaps imbecility, coarseness, and ill-temper: but to the clear eye and eloquent tongue, to the soul made of fire, and the character that bends but does not break - at once supple and stable, tractable and consistent - I am ever tender and true."
             ~Mr. Rochester

Follow Friday (8)

Q. In light of the Summer Solstice. Also known as Midsummer...let's talk about fairies. What is your favorite fairy tale or story that revolves around the fae?

This is such an easy question to answer!  The Iron Fey Series is definitely my favourite fairy adventure by far!  The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, and The Iron Queen were an absolute delight to read: romantic, action-filled, tear-jering, and comedic.  Who knew faeries could be so kick-ass (and attractive)?
I am eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series The Iron Knight!

Wednesday 22 June 2011

EXAMS!!!

I've been neglecting my blogger duties for the last couple of weeks as a result of EXAMS!!!  Poo...
Of course I'd rather be finishing up "Jane Eyre" and starting on "Hunger Games", but I'm too busy pouring over religion textbooks and dissecting "Waiting for Godot."

The good news, however, is that I'm done tomorrow!  I'll be back to regular posting soon :)

Good luck to all the souls braving the weathers of exams, and happy reading to those who are a)done exams and b)don't have exams...I'm totally jealous!

Friday 10 June 2011

Follow Friday (7)

Q. The magic book fairy pops out of your cereal box and says "you and your favorite character (from a book of course) can switch places!" Who are you going to switch with?

I would LOVE to switch places with Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series.  Frankly, she pretty much has it all: brains, beauty, skill, Ron...;)  I love the fantastical world of Hogwarts and its many magical settings. It would feel magical to go tramping through the Forbidden Forest, dance at the Yule Ball, or attend classes with a couple of amazing friends.  Plus, she has a happy ending!  (I can't stand tragic endings.)

Happy Friday!

Wednesday 8 June 2011

Musical Fantasticness that makes me feel gushy inside...

Found this amazing guy through Christina Perri (who is also amazing...Check her OUT!)
...His name is Jack Martello. 
His voice is like butter on a bagel
...Or chocolate mousse on a cake
...Whichever!
Plus, he's covering Adele...So major bonus points to him! 
Awesome-sauce!
(Everything seems to be either "amazing" or "awesome" to me today...My apologies.)

Tuesday 7 June 2011

Teaser Tuesday (6)

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

From page 161 (of my copy) of Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Bronte

*Beware of the run-on sentence! :P

"My world had for some years been in Lowood: my experience had been of its rules and systems; now I remembered that the real world was wide, and that a varied field of hopes and fears, of sensations and excitements, awaited those who had courage to go forth into its expanse, to seek real knowledge of life amidst its perils."
 
*Note: This book is so beautifully written. I'm loving it so far! <3

Monday 6 June 2011

Artist Spotlight: Viktoria (viria13): Jane Austen FanArt

Check out Viktoria (viria13) on DeviantArt HERE!

I am a huge fan of Jane Austen, and thus, fell in love with most of the movie adaptations.  My favourite of all is the most recent "Pride and Prejudice" starring Keira Knightedly.  I love Viktoria's FanArt of Elizabeth and Darcy, as well as Jane and Tom from "Becoming Jane" (starring James Mcavoy and Anne Hathaway).  These are so adorable!!!  In addition, Viktoria is a huge fan of Harry Potter...Her FanArt that will appeal to Harry Potter nerds (for example...moi), can be found HERE.

Elizabeth and Darcy
from 'Pride and Prejudice'



Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy
from 'Becoming Jane'



I absolutely LOVE these movies, as well as the Jane Austen novels.  Be sure to check them out.  There's nothing like an old-fashioned romance ;)

Daily Dose (9)

 
This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly.
 









All images can be found on DeviantArt!
<3

Saturday 4 June 2011

Review: Before I Fall

3 of 5 stars 
Before I Fall
by Lauren Oliver

Summary (Book Trailer)



Quote
"And when I wake up it's wonderful, like I've been carried quietly onto a calm, peaceful shore, and the dream, and its meaning, has broken over me like a wave and is ebbing away now, leaving me with a single, solid certainty. I know now." Lauren Oliver (Before I Fall)
 
Review
I really wanted to love this book. But...

From the beginning, I had trouble connecting with the main character. Samantha is the kind of girl that is the polar opposite to who I am. Popular, spoiled, spiteful, and cruel.

I plowed through pages and pages about a self-centered girl who had trouble learning from her mistakes. Every time she had to relive a day, I hoped for her to become the kind of character I could feel for. It was only until the end of the book that I was able to truly recognize her humanity.

The concept of reliving the same day was frustrating...Same people, places, and conversations. This book could have been much shorter.
What really turned me off was the unrealistic ending. I could not imagine myself making Samantha's choices or using her rationale. All in all, I closed the book without satisfaction.

There is no doubt, however, that this book was beautifully written. It was delivered like a piece of poetry and had many memorable lines. For this reason alone, I do not regret reading this book. It was breathtaking in its imagery and language usage.   flag