Friday, January 18, 2008

And the book of the week, is...


(Don't be scared away by the bleak cover. It's actually a very vibrant book. :P)

Ellin Fisher is a Southlander inside and out, which is why when she’s taken to the Northlands with her father for some very secret purpose, she’s not exactly happy. It doesn’t help that the Northlanders view her kind as scum, with their brilliant red hair marking them forever as different from these tall, blond people. Northlanders and Southlanders don’t mix, it just isn’t done, and it happens to be against the law, so Ellin knows that the fact her father is there to try to help heal the king is very dangerous indeed. And when she’s locked out of the city gates and unable to get her father the herbs he needs so badly, she knows for sure the King will die. That is, until she discovers the insulting guard that closed the gates in her face to be the kings own youngest son, and finds herself offering to help, despite what he did. That is how she finds herself inside a palace full of Northlanders, breaking the law, and trying to heal the king.
After that night, when Ellin really healed for the first time, she and her father are commissioned to stay there until the King is well, although they both miss their home sorely. But to her surprise, Ellin discovers not all Northlanders are cold and icy as the land they live in, in fact a few become her good friends, and help her discover the power she has always had hidden. It’s this same power that will bring grief upon her when she has escaped the palace, and force her to join an unruly bunch of True Southlanders, as they’ve dubbed themselves. But is the way they’re using their power really right? And what will happen if Ellin chooses to help them in their plan of changing the lands laws?

That's just the summary thing I did for school, but I really liked it a lot. It was so weird going from The Sweet Far Thing to it, because it's 250 pages which is like... a quarter of The Sweet Far Thing. Haha. But it was really refreshing, and I loved the characters. Finn, Erik, Ellin, her fathers friend... almost all of them!  But especially Finn, (who's deaf, btw.) I'm hoping for a little romance in the next book, hehe. Although I'm not sure whether it will be about her or not, since it's 'tales of the borderlands.' I hope it is though!!! 

'I motion for Finn to join me at the table , where it's lightest, and look at him helplessly for a moment when he does. 
"I can't talk with you," I say softly, making sure to face him after I've seen that Coll and Gareth aren't listening. 
Finn nods, looking as though he expected this. I shake my head when I realize he doesn't understand. 
"No! Finn, I want to," I explain. "But when we escaped, I-I did something to the guard." I point to my forehead and make a face. "It hurts."
Finns eyes widen, and he nods again. Then he gives me a wry smile and makes a frustrated gesture with both hands.
"I know," I say, with a mirthless, breathless laugh. "But I-" I break off, startled, when he touches my hand and, when he has my attention, taps a finger to his lips, shushing me. 
Then he stands and pulls me up and hesitantly puts his arms around me. And I realize as I hug him back that some thing - some apologies and some forgiveness and even some goodbyes - can be said even without saying anything at all.'
Like, awwwwwwwwwwwwww right?! 
Yeah, go read it. 

.....Not really in a blogging mood so I think I'll update ya'll about more life (or lack thereof ;)) another time. Looking forward to Saturday though. I'll probably read Sunshine all day!! :D 
.....er that is, when I'm not writing... or messing around on here...  or working on L's present. Like I should be. All day. Aheh. 

Anyways, I'm going now! 
Goodbye!

...Really!

Bye!

...(why aren't you gone yet?!)

...(jeez people)

...(I said bye!)

*rolls eyes*

Gracious. 

You all need lives.

Lovingly,
Sloopy Pottypants

Sunday, January 13, 2008

It's too late to apoligize... it's too late...

LOOK!
I CAN POST PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
*screams, jumps, falls to the floor*
Hahaha. You may all think I am crazy, but this is in fact cause for celebration because I never used to be able to, but this week dad forced me to start using Safari as I should have been and suddenly I can do all kinds of things! I can climb mountains! I can forge streams! I can...!
*cough*
I think I have a little energy ehehehe. 
But anyways, anyone have any idea who this (this ---->) person is?! (and yes I mean other then Nicole Kidman dingbats. Kelia, shush.)
*squeals* I love safari. :) 

Anyways, *ahem* I fully intend to start my book blogging today, which is quite, quite possible because I happened to finish a marvelous book yesterday. Bet you can't guess what it was...
Yes, yes you're right. The Sweet Far Thing, by Libba Bray, third and final book in the Gemma Doyle trilogy. Leila was so kind to lend it to me (after I threatened her with forks and spoons of course. GRACIOUS I'm in a weird mood!), and I read it in about four or five days, reading the last 400 pages Saturday morning. It's a MASSIVE book at over 800 pages! But it's a masterpiece. There are certain books and authors out there who write in this way that makes me want to live in their books. Reading their books is like eating, the words are delicious. And I know that sounds so weird but it's the only way I can think of it. Libba Bray is like that, especially in this one. I don't even have words for it I liked it so much. I mean.. jskls.. ahoihjd... wow. Haha. And I know I should be doing a whole summery type thingy but it's going on nine and I don't really feel like it. So tough. I will say, however, that it made me cry, which is quite impressive! If you care to read the spoilers you will find out below. 

*spoilers*
Kartik??!!! KARTIK?!? WHAT?! NO!!! WHY??!!! I LOVE HIIIIMMMMM. 

*spoilers ended.*

So for general impressions of the book, (other then absolute adoration), it was a tiny bit slow in parts. But the words were still edible so I was happy. Gemma annoyed me a little, I wanted to kick them all several times, Felicity and Ann both managed to redeem themselves to me by the end although they're both mixed characters. They're all so complex, it seems sometimes that Felicity is purely selfish and mean, and Ann is completely worthless, but they so aren't and it comes out by the end. Gemma herself manages to stay quite like-able, mostly, and I can really understand where's she's coming from. And Kartik... Mmmmm Kartik. As Leila said, Libba Bray is really, really good at steamy. *swoons*
All in all, I think I liked this one best of all the trilogy, although they're all definitely good, and I appreciated how this author at least does not let her characters dissolve after book one. Not that that's pointed or anything. Nono. *cough.* 
And I gift you with this cool trailer someone made... the people playing Gemma and Kartik are not, *ahem*, to my taste but other then that it's very well done! 
(And it's being very strange so I don't know if it will work, but if not I'll fix it.) 

Another thing that makes me like these books is the author. She's absolutely fabulous. I would be totally despairing about my own writing after reading that if it wasn't for reading her blog about a year ago... she was having a hard time finishing it but she'd finally given it to her editor and her editor said, "well... this COULD be good..." 
So you know. Hope! :D
Here's a fabulous interview between Shannon Hale and Libba Bray that shows their fabulosity. And yes I made that up. I'm cool like that. http://oinks.squeetus.com/2008/01/squeetus-exclus.html
 
Um as for another news I've been trying to keep my life interesting, chose to go to a concert Friday instead of holing up at home and it proved to be quite an adventure! It was in Augusta and it was pouring and we got lost, and then Kelia was there JUST in time to go on, and then afterwards we lost dad! He went out to the car to wait for us forgetting that we didn't know where the car was, and finally mom called him on his cell phone. He was coming in to see where the heck we were and he answered his phone and mom said "Where ARE you?!" and he didn't recognize her voice because she was using someone else's phone. So he said "I'm in Augusta," and she said "this is CAROL," he was like carolcarolcarol what carol do I know who doesn't know where I am?! Fortunately at that point mom saw him through the doors and was like oh brother, and we were reunited. 
And that is the story of the night! Hope you have enjoyed, any tips or odds and ends you might be willing to part with can be paid to blahblahblah. 
;)

I think the hyperness of this post is caused by some freaky things that have been going on of late that I was ignoring, but it kind of escalated today. I was really bothered for awhile this afternoon but then mom and dad and I had a long talk (well really dad was the only one talking, but you know), and I do feel a lot better about it. I'm not going to make the same mistakes twice. And the whole "you're different but different is good," pep talk was kind of nice. :) 
However things are an enormous mess here, so please, if you can find it in your hearts, be praying, or whatever it is you do. And things will turn out all right I know, by the grace of God.
Writing Rants post coming soon, hopefully! I promised Katie so I guess I'd better get my butt moving! :P 

<3>

Monday, January 7, 2008

Wheee?

Why is it whenever I pull up a new page to write a post I suddenly don't feel like blogging?! REALLY???!
Jeeze, Anna.
Haha anywho, very shortly you might see this blog turning bookish. I've started reading again and I think I'm going to write up reviews at least once a week, hopefully. I hadn't really been reading for quite awhile now, but I got back into it when I was sick and I'm determined to have a well balanced life. :P I refuse to be one of those people who writes but never even reads.
So yeah. Prepare yourselves.
I was needing books so I went to the library today hoping Leila would have some for me (she didn't. Poo.), but the astonishing thing is I walked, there and back! I think that's one of the things I want to do more this year. Used to be I liked to stay holed up in my room, doing creative things, but now I want to get out into the world, see places and people... which is partly why I'm looking for a job, and I know I've said that before but now I actually AM! Haha. I asked about one at the library today hoping desperately there would be a miracle opening, but no such luck. Oh well. I could apply to the grocery store but I dunno, somethings not very appealing about that... I need the money if I'm going to take drivers ed in the spring, although I suppose I could just get more flute students. We'll see.
Speaking of flute students, it's official. I'm teaching flute, choir, and readers theatre at a homeschooling school in Sanford starting late February. Which is a job I suppose but only for Fridays. I'm also taking a stained glass class there, which is cool. I'm really excited but scared too!!! It'll be a lot of work, but I'm curious to see how I like it because it occurred to me the other day maybe teaching was something I could actually do. I'm always thinking of more things hehe.
I've been writing a little bit, although I did break my goal and it's actually kind of a relief not to HAVE to do anything, but I have been dabbling a little in WR (not Writing Rants ya'll, White Rose ;) ). Mirany's currently about to be given a clue about her parents. Woo. I still want to attempt writing short stories and sending them out places, just to try it... but I don't know how to start, having no plot in mind. There's this contest for Maine Juniors where you send in your short story (less then 2k. Eeek.), and you're judged by three authors and some other people, and if you get semifinalist you're rewarded stuff I think, and then the judges pick from the three finalists. It looks pretty cool, I might try it next year. But a little practice in short stories would be good!
Ahem, anyways.... oh yeah, it's a month till we leave for San Diego today!!! WHOO!! I'm so excited to wear shorts!!!
Hahaha. :P

<3 Anna