Fangirlish: To Be a Fangirl

Needless to say, Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl really had me thinking about what it really means to be a fangirl to begin with. Cath, the story's protagonist, is a total fangirl (she's even has the Simon Snow pillows to prove it.) So, I was compelled to write this piece on To Be a Fangirl. It isn't so much bookish talk but my writing, my thoughts, and what it really means to be a fangirl. Thoughts?


Admittedly, I am a total, complete, utter fangirl.

            Yes, I’ll get squeamish when a Sailor Moon re-run comes on. Hell, I’ll spazz when it’s a Harry Potter movie marathon—but it’s that, yet so much more, to earn the title of being the fangirl.

            Look up what a fangirl is, and you’ll be knocked for six by this definition: (n.) “a rabid breed of a human female who’s obsessed with a fictional character or actor.” (Well, gee, thanks Urban Dictionary!)

            So, let’s set the record straight.

            The sad truth is: not all of us have the money to exploit in the pleasures of being in a fandom. I might not have the latest Fault in Our Stars t-shirt, or the newest pack of Hunger Games trading cards, but it doesn’t at all discourage me from at least trying to fandomize myself. And, pathetically so. Even by the means of—(cringe!)—making my own costumes and fangirlish items.

            Point being is… we’re not all crazy. It isn’t so much having all the fandom’s exclusive content which makes you—or me—any more different than any other fan to be a fangirl. I’ll talk like the characters; I’ll memorize their lines in books, movies—everything. Rereading. Reading. Watching. Rewatching. It’s like a pattern.

            To me, that’s exactly what makes me a fangirl. Having all the sanity sucked right out of you. Yup, I can admit fandomization has driven me to insanity (as if you haven’t…) But it isn't just wearing a costume to a movie premiere  reblogging and reblogging that picture from your favorite fandom's Tumblr--well, that; yet so much more. It's waiting on your last breath to get that chance--that one chance--to embrace what you love once more, to read, to watch, to fall in love with it all over again.

You might not spend all your money on your fandom’s content, but the source material still manages to engross you and that, my friend, is A-OK. I’ll sleep with the books I fangirl over, I’ll keep reading, I’ll keep watching their movies.

It never gets old. When it does, it’ll be time to find a new fandom to immerse into. And if it doesn’t, needless to say, you are crazy.

And that’s okay.

What it means for you to be a fangirl prompt, 500 words or less. This was a short piece I wrote for Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl contest on Wattpad. (c) 2013

Sunday Post!

It's been a rather uneventful week at To The Moon and More to say the least. School--again--has pulled me away from blogging, reading, writing--everything, really. This year, I'm a junior in high school; not sure how it works for any other grading systems out of country, but junior year is a vital year for college applications. So, I'm super nervous about that but undoubtedly, I'm really happy to make time for Sunday postings. BTW, Sunday Post is a meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer!


What has been the buzz at To The Moon and More?

• Reviewed Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
• Reviewed All I Need by Susane Colasanti
• What I'm waiting on this week
• Nominated for the Liebster award! *squee*
• Feature and Follow Friday
• Saturday's Stacking the Shelves

What's been the latest buzz at your blog? What books have you added to your haul?

Stacking the Shelves: Totally not a fangirl.

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by the lovely Tygna's Reviews  sharing all the latest books I've added to my shelf, review books, and well--a whole lotta books.

This week, I purchased two new books 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and Legend by Marie Lu!

I actually finished Fangirl this week, and I read really huge chunks of it in one sitting because yes, I loved it. That much. I've been dying to get this book ever since I heard of it, and I finally had it... my biggest regret was going through it so fast. I wanted to cherish the book while I could and I didn't really want the story to end...

Please don't tell me I'm the only one who thought of Tumblr when they saw Fangirl?  

 Pff, anyhow. You should really read this book; my review on Rowell's Fangirl is here! Or you could read my fanfiction of it . . . here.

The second book I purchased at my school's book fair, Legend by Marie Lu. I've been wanting to read this for a while, and I think reading a science-fictiony book would be a definite refresher to what I've been reading right now (pattern: contemporary, contemporary, ROMANCE, contemporary, ROMANCE). I'm getting total Maze Runner vibes, Hunger Games vibes, Divergenty vibes from this book and I think it'll really appeal to dystopian lovers. I like it (so far)!

Overall, really looking forward the both of them!

What did you add to your shelves this week? 

Feature and Follow Friday: My Reading Nook Tour

This is my second time joining Alison Can Read and Parajunkee's lovely book meme Feature and Follow Friday. This week, I'll be sharing my favorite reading spots--so yay! My little reading nook *squee* I'm at my home, and living in a small town, there aren't too many of the coziest of reading places--especially considering we're on the brink of fall (and the Northeast isn't too kind when it comes to chillier seasons.) 

I don't have too many pictures to offer (sadly) and I know my place is super obvious but here it is... the library. Obvious, obvious, obvious. Doh! Of all places, that's what I picked. But I love the quietness of the library, because I can never seem to get it at home (siblings, family and all); the backyard isn't exactly quieting so I always retreated to the library when-- of course, in need of a good book and some quiet to clear my thoughts. Utter perfection. Not to mention, as a teen volunteer there they have an amazing teen selection-- which is another reason for me to love this place.

So, hi! What's your favorite reading nook? Have a FF post? Please share! 


With much love,
Bri♥

Liebster Award Nomination-- *squee*

So I was given the Liebster Blogger award. I'm not entirely sure what it is, but it sounds really exciting and now I'm really excited. Thank you so much to Jaz @ This Girl Reads A Lot for nominating me! My day has been suckish, and I know this week I have been neglectful to my blog due to being super busy with school but this has made me feel happy about my blog. I cannot stop yaying, aaah!

In return, I was asked to answer the following questions by Jaz:

1.Paperback or Hardcover? Why?
Paperback, totally. No hard feelings (no pun intended), I love hardcover books equally as much as I love me paperbacks but sometimes I'm just really reluctant to pay $20 for a hardcover when I can get it for half the amount in paperback AND have a flimsy, soft cover. It's a win win situation.

2.Favorite book to movie adaptation.
WHY DID YOU ASK ME THIS, JAZ?! 

3. Favorite time of day to read and why.
Nighttime. I cannot focus on reading any other time during the day, which is a mystery even to me. But something about it being late and quiet, actually having the time to enjoy my coffee and appreciate the words on the printed pages makes it all worthwhile.

4. Top five favorite fictional characters.
Curses. I have too many but, I'll do my best . . .

1. Tamaki Suoh from Ouran High School Host Club (both the manga and anime) 

Tamaki might be a control freak, obsessive, spoiled, and seriously effed up in the head sometimes-- but he's endearing, and did you see his blonde hair?! Gorgeous. 

2. Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird

Atticus always been among one of my favorite characters in To Kill a Mockingbird. Just . . . how he is as a person and what he stands for is what I think makes him most admirable and amiable. A definite favorite.

3. Ron Weasley from Harry Potter

Sorry, I'm susceptible to liking ginger boys-- and Ron is no exception to this.

4. Isaac from TFiOS

Personally, I felt like Isaac was a severely underrated character. What ever happened to Isaac and Monica? Okay, when you finish this book you'll have a lot of questions-- but for a good part of the book, I felt like Isaac could've done so much more. I was unsure what to think of him at first, but the moment he read his eulogy, I think I liked hearing his dialogue. And a lot. (Natt Wolf is playing Isaac in The Fault in Our Stars movie!)

5. Magneto from X-Men

'Cause. Magneto.

'Nough said, he's a badass and did you see Michael Fassbender as Magneto in X-Men first class? I love the relationship he has with Charles.

5. Recommend three books.
*scavenges through bookshelf*
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Lost Series by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Pendragon Series by DJ Mchale (That counts as a book, right? Sort of.)

6. Name one book you couldn't put down and read in one sitting.
I actually never came close to reading a book in one sitting--my mind can never focus for that long. But most recently with Fangirl, I came to halfwayish through the book (and for me, that's close enough.)

7. Favorite fictional villian
Too, too many to count. But I really like good ol' Voldemort from The Harry Potter series as well as The Joker from Batman being among a few of my favorites.

8. Favorite snack.
I really like protein bars and Nature valley bars. Yup.

9. Why do you blog and when did you start blogging.
I blog because I have a lot of things to say. Or rather, I have something to say. I want to give honest thoughts and books and opinions and plus, I'm a major bibliophile and I needed somewhere to channel all my feels and fangirlish feelings somewhere, right? I started blogging August 31st of this year!

10. Favorite genre and why.
Contemporary. Fantasy. Romance. Action. Thriller. DAMN. This is too hard. I love every genre (except historical, sorry; oh and memoirs, I do not care for memoirs much) as long as it's a good book and I like it then it's my favorite genre. But essentially? Young adult. It's all I ever read.

*I will have my updated list with my blog nominations very soon.*

Book Review! Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Say what you want, but I have a hard time believing that you can't be a fangirl. There's a little squeaming, screaming, obsessing fangirl living inside of all of us - so mmmaybe I'd be most freaked out knowing you weren't a fangirl. And in my rage of fangirlish bookishness, I *finally* got my hands on Rainbow Rowell's latest novel, Fangirl. 

About Fangirl

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Published: September 10th, 2013
Pages: 433
Genre: Young Adult/New Adult (Contemporary/Family Life/Romance)

Goodreads / Barnes and Nobles / Amazon

SUMMARY: Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone. For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

*****
My rating? ★★★★★ 

One word: LOVE.

It is safe to say that I am in love with Rainbow Rowell's writing. Crazy, I know. But I am truly in love with this book (which, would be perfectly suffice to say if I had not been fangirling and fangirling over this book to begin with-- but still. Not in a creepy way, I swear . . . Moving on--) I'm in love with Simon Snow, Levi, just the whole universe Rowell created in her world of words--everything. I love. It's just one of those books where I honestly, swear, wished, hoped that the story couldn't end. Rowell's Fangirl took my fangirl notch and set it in overdrive, and I don't think I ever can talk about this book without fangirling to begin with. Seriously. It definitely broke my boring book streak!

Cath loves Simon Snow (love being a *complete* understatement .  . .) She's starting her freshman year at college, and she can't quite seem to shake the past of the fandom of behind. She's got a hit fanfiction on the Simon Snowiverse, and now caught up in her studies, Cath can't quite shake off the past of the fandom behind her. Now on her own, Cath must come to terms to what she wants for herself, for her dad, for her future and most importantly: writing her own story.

Cath's been working on her fanfiction Carry On, Simon for a super long time. She prefers being alone, writing, eating protein bars, being a part of the whole Simon Snow fandom. It isn't so much because Cath is a loner, crazy (though sometimes, she convinces herself she is), but Cath is really socially awkward. That, being one of the many things I love about Cath's character. And it's really rare when I actually come to like the protagonist, but something about Cath was genuinely likable yet she still has her many flaws like any other teenage girl; she's weird, she's quirky, she's savvy--she knows how to write a damn good fanfiction, too. She's really relatable to book readers; I could relate to her easily. If anything, I never found a character I could relate to as much as Cath Avery.

Not only Cath, but the whole rainbow of colorful characters really brings some life to Fangirl in a way I hadn't been expecting. There's Levi--a farmboy with his never-ending smiles, his acre-long Widow's peak... *swoons* Let's not forget Cath's twin sister Wren (who totally breaks the barrier that all twins think alike, talk alike; Cath n' Wren ((see the pun on their name?)) totally don't), Cath's roommate Reagan, even Cath & Wren's dad-- point being, all characters are given their fair share of characterization, unique dialogue. They all connected together well, the quirky cast of different personalities blended so nicely sometimes even I felt myself smiling all wide like Levi.

I was sort of expecting a great chunk of the novel to be fangirling (self note: don't take the title so literal) but it didn't. In fact, the farther you go on in the book, you realize that it is a little fangirling, fanfiction, fandoms-- yet there's so, so much more to it. It's first loves, there's family, there's--ah, okay if I get too ahead of myself, I think I'll fangirl myself out with spoilers!

However, while there are moments when Fangirl can fall flat on its nose, there's always another string of action and excitement and romance that can just pull you back again, like a fish on a hook. I couldn't put Fangirl down, and I don't think there was ever a point where I wanted to. And considering it's genre, the amount of pages might seem a little daunting. 433 pages on contemporary fiction? Pluh-eese. But totally worth all the pages, because one way or another, Rainbow Rowell squeezes another story in there to keep the story reeling. There isn't so much a plot, but it felt more like real life; there's always something to keep you on your toes, and plots can't die by tying up the loose ends within a story. Or well . . . as real as fiction can be.

Fangirl is one of the first Rainbow Rowell books I've read, and I'm happy this is the one I started with. It has just enough romance, just enough drama, just enough characterization, charming dialogue, and sentiment to keep it going. After desperately awaiting to get Fangirl, I can easily say it was worth the wait--and from all the buzz I've seen on the blogesphere, worth the hype too. And nooo, you do not have to be a fangirl to give a Rainbow Rowell book a try. Fans of Harry Potter, fantasy novels, romance, fandoms, or contemporary books will definitely come to love Fangirl and Rowell's written charm. Definitely recommend!  ♥

*****

Also, did I mention Fangirl's quotes are totally quotable? And awesome? Well, they are. Loved this page in the book . . .

*****

Here's a preview of my Fangirl fanfiction . . . (click to enlarge)

What do you think? Will you be picking up Fangirl? Loved to hear your thoughts on the book!

Waiting on All The Boys I've Loved Before...

So posts for this week have been way, way slower than I expected because school has definitely been keeping on my toes (much to my displeasure...) which means I've been away from the blogging world for a little while. Grrr. But! I have been reading, and I recently gotten into Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl (last week, I was fangirling over getting it from my last Top Ten post) and I'm halfway through, loving it, and happy. Having a book, tea, and writing reviews is content enough but hopefully I'll have more reviews up soon, so fingers crossed!

 But this week, I'm ready to jump into among one my favorite memes hosted by Breaking the Spine, WAITING ON WEDNESDAY and Pen to Paper's Wishlist Wednesday...

There are actually a ton of books I'm waiting on or wanting to get. I can't be the only one who wishes books were so much more cheaper... and well, weren't published so frequently because all I want to do is get more and more (ah, the troubles of being a bookaholic, I suppose). Anyways, this week my pick is:

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

Um, yes. Please. That is all I can really say.

Okay, not really. I love Jenny Han. I read the entire Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy this summer, and I loved the series so much-- so as soon as I heard the premise of this one, I really wanted to give it a read. Only: it comes out in April 2014. Sooo, why am I waiting on a book that comes out all the way in April? That, friends, is a mystery even I can't answer-- there's so many other books I want to read super badly-- but this one always captured my eye the most. There's romance, boy drama, and sounds really suspenseful-- so yeah, definitely reading this!

I'm also keeping my fingers crossed and wishing on getting Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. After finishing Anna and the French Kiss, I've been suspectible to the charm of Perkins's writing-- plus, there's just no way this French Kiss could just end. I have to know what happens to Etienne, to Anna-- oh wait. Lola. It's Lola. Isla's Happy After includes them, but either way, SUPER excited to get them (too bad Isla and the Happy Ever After is so far away from it's release... May 2014?!)

I'll be sure to check out your blog ASAP!

Book Review! All I Need by Susane Colasanti

About this book

The last night of summer is only the beginning. Skye wants to meet the boy who will change her life forever. Seth feels their instant connection the second he sees her. When Seth starts talking to Skye at the last beach party of the summer, it’s obvious to both of them that this is something real. But when Seth leaves for college before they exchange contact info, Skye wonders if he felt the same way she did—and if she will ever see him again. Even if they find their way back to each other, can they make a long-distance relationship work despite trust issues, ex drama, and some serious background differences?

I tried really hard to come to love this book, you have absolutely no idea. I've heard amazing things when it comes to Susane Colasanti books, so my hopes for reading All I Need were high. I don't have a problem with fluffy romance because I'm a big big fan of contemporary romance, I just wished this wasn't my first Susane Colasanti book I read because the experience I had reading this book was dreadful. Seriously, utterly, dreadful. Definitely not impressed with this book at all, and not too often do I say this. Oh my gosh...

So it isn't so much that the book was badly written, it was okay. Just okay. Some of the sentences were a little choppy and subpar to me, but overall, the writing was good. It was the matter of how the plot line (if you could even call it that) was executed so poorly to the point where it actually had me CRINGING.

There's a "show don't tell" rule when it comes to writing, and this book not only broke that rule, All I Need literally shattered it. Everything in this book was 'telling' and when you think about it, there was nothing much to show. Throughout the book, I felt like I didn't really get to know the characters--not even the narrators, Skye and Seth. There were potentially interesting characters, but the lack of characterization a lot of the characters were given just put a whole MEH factor to the book and made it way, way more boring than it needed to be. For one, Skye and her friends talked like high school cliches plucked right out of an After School special, and no one's personality just seemed to stand out. It was like the author was moreso explaining their personalities rather than having it shine through the writing and dialogue, which totally made my like for the book dwindle down even more.

Seth and Skye meet up on the beach in that instant, they decide they're soul mates. No, you heard me. Soul mates, and after one day?! I have read paranormal romances where the characters fall in love quickly, but All I Need is one of the first instances where I can actually say it takes the whole concept of insta-love to an extreme. OMG. They lose track of each other when they part ways back to school, and even if it seemed flipping impossible for them to find each other again--they do. It was predictable and this infuriated me because there were absolutely no surprises...

What we're given in All I Need isn't a plot. I wouldn't dare call it a plot because it doesn't necessarily even have an exposition. It's the fact that both narrators, Skye especially, spend practically the entire novel whining about how much they want each other. Skye: SETH SETH SETH. I want Seth. I know it sounds terrible for mocking Skye, but her wanting for Seth to be around her side constantly is not only annoying, creepy, but I think the sort of relationship Skye and Seth have is unhealthy. Obsessing much? Overly clingy and overbearing, and I didn't really find it too cute.

The characters just didn't feel... three dimensional. Maybe I would've liked them so much more and go "aww" for them, but I felt absolutely no connection to the characters. Nothing too technical. I felt nothing for the characters, and I think my apathy I had for them bothered me lots. What I'm wondering is: Okay. You're sixteen or whatever. Why are you so desperate to find your soul mate?! Maybe it's just me, but that's just weird--and not to mention an ill-pictured portrayal of teenage love or well, romance in general really.

Ultimately, it was disappointing. Some might come to enjoy All I Need's romantic fluffy sweetness and love, but it just didn't work out for me. It could make the perfect summer book with the airy feeling All I Need gives. But-- something about the style wasn't very pleasing, and completely missed the mark. And then I realized: nothing in this book really happened. It was a total fest of anti-climaticness, boring 2D characters-- disappointing overall. If you're really into the romance scene if you're into fluffy romances and instalove in the purest form, then maybe All I Need is your kind of book. But totally does not get a recommendation from me.

Amazon / Goodreads / Barnes and Noble / Kobo

Stacking the Shelves with Sunday Post: and a *sadface*

This week, was a really sad week when it comes to my book haul pile. I didn't really buy anything, or borrow much,  or ask for books much which isn't too usual for me. I was really busy with school with week, so that definitely kept me on my toes. In spite of this, I at least do have a few exciting-ish books to share which I'm happy to start reading so-- yay!

Something borrowed . . . 

Won . . .

*sadface* It just hasn't been a good week for books for me but hopefully things will get better. So, finger crossed! Totally pumped for the mystery and science fictiony-ness from my two latest books to my haul. They both seem equally amazing, and after All I Need, I seriously need a refresher and a good read.

Also time for some bookish news, courtesy of the Caffeinated Book Reviewer! (which, by the way, you should be totally checking out her blog because it's amazing!) Eeyup, I'm talking about Sunday posts-- so, double yay!

So what has been the buzz on To The Moon and More this week?

Um, lots.

So last week, you missed . . .

• A review on Where She Went by Gayle Forman
• My top ten Fall TBRs at my Top Ten Tuesday
• Reviewed the awesomeness of John Green's The Fault in Our Stars
• Everyone now knows that I'm still waiting on Eye of Minds.
• Also, reviewed The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
• Shared my childhood favorites with Friday Feature and Follow
• Reviewed Delirium by Lauren Oliver
• And lastly, gave a little mini movie review on Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters and gave my bookish, and cinematic, thoughts!

Yeah, definitely a busy week-- probably the busiest I've ever been on this blog but I had a ton of things to say this week, and luckily, I have even more in store the next!

And lastly, I recently discovered a newest NEW book meme, at The Sirenic Codex (another equally amazing blog which you should check out!) Already swamped in memes, but I thought it definitely deserved a mention here. Check it out!

Coming soon to Moon and More...

Reviews on

and we're

on the set with...

(pssst... the Fault in Our Stars... Okay? And more book-to-movie adaption news on your bookish favorites!)

Okay... and well, so much more! Have to keep my lips sealed, can't spill too much, right?

Super excited to talk about these books + movies, and if you can't tell already, I am REALLY excited. 

I just want to thank everyone who took the time to visit my blog this week, followed, commented--everything. I appreciate it so much, and I always have more and store. In the meantime, time to go back to making a cup of tea and find another book to delve into!

From one reader to another

with much love,

Mini Movie Reviews! Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

So this is my first time doing movie reviews and I thought it'd be awesome to do some mini-reviews on my thoughts on book-to-movie adaptions. This week? Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters!

Disclaimer . . . First things first, I want to be honest and say I have not read the second book in the Percy Jackson series so I am maybe a teeny, teeny bit biased when it comes to my opinion. I actually have those two books on my shelf right now, which I really should get going to on reading but I just never really had the chance. With the movies recently released last month, I decided to give the movies a try and see if I like it. I've been trying to tell myself 'Never judge a book on its movie' mantra so many times, to actually make light of these movies and hopefully enjoy them too! Now let's see . . .

on Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Honestly, I was never that big of a Percy Jackson fan. I always thought Percy Jackson was--and still is--an amazing twist on Greek mythology from what I read in the first book, was just ultimately fun and fast-paced and just awesome overall. So I was really disappointed in the first movie's film which totally managed to miss out on plot points, character descriptions, etc. etc. I could go on and on for forever really, and most of the cons of The Lightning Thief pretty much outweighed the pros for me. With so many people complaining and enraged by how the first movie went, I think it was bound to have at least some improvements from its predecessor to at least impress its fanbase.

Oh and look! Annabeth's hair is actually blonde this time. So I at least give kudos to that.

There were some elements of the surprise which I loved. My friend did say some parts of it differed from the book, and we were going OMG practically the whole film at it's more climatic moments. Like the first Percy film, it was fast-paced and jumped into the action right away. In the instance of Sea of Monsters, I don't think it was as messily done to delve into the plot-line as much as the first either. The script was a little... off, and some parts just felt really disjointed to me. The special effects were impressive, and I always seemed to get a Harry Potter-esque vibe from Percy Jackson (Camp Half Blood v. Hogwarts? Hogwarts. Totally Hogwarts.) But something about Percy just never seemed to click as much as Harry's books did with me.

This Percy Jackson movie just... I didn't particularly care for it much. Maybe it could be the fact that I never read the second book, but as a standalone film it was not very good. The characters and plots felt done SO many times before. Nothing felt new or fresh. Fun, but really uninspired. But on the bright side, it is an improvement to the first book (I mean, at least they got Annabeth's hair right...) The plot, unlike Lightning Thief, was so much more tightly held together plot-wise. I felt like it was more episodic like HP movies and books, but I'm just unsure how to feel about this one. I don't like this one--though not as much dislike as the first--and while I knew I disliked Lightning Thief film (no harsh feelings towards the book though! Love the book!) I can't say what made me dislike this one. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that, like Sea of Monsters, the directors and screen writers will continue to make improvements towards the script and characters as well, if not better, than the book series has. Fingers crossed for The Titan's Curse! 

Oh, and here's some Percy Jackson fan art for your viewing pleasure. I am totally not fangirling, I am not a fangirl... okay, yes. I'm fangirling. OMG LOOK AT PERCY.

Book Review! Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium (Delirium Series #1)

Author: Lauren Oliver

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: February 2012

Pages: 441

In Delirium, we’re thrust into this world where love is forbidden. In this society, it’s not only forbidden but it’s seen as a disease, called amor deliria nervosa (otherwise known as delirium). And because of this, a surgical procedure was created in order to cure it. Lena couldn’t have been more happier to receive the procedure, and always looked forward to what her life might be like past it, convinced that love was a horrible disease too. That is, until she meets Alex and does unthinkable: she falls in love.

I wasn’t sure whether to gag or be delighted-- because for some reason the whole Lena falling in love part, was just something I was expecting. I think it wasn’t so much that I was surprised by it, but I was surprised by the events which followed after. It had it’s moments, especially in its end: thrilling, exciting, and some super interesting characters (...and some hot guys *cough cough cough*)

Delirium had me on the edge of whether to read or not because-- well, for crying out loud, it’s a DYSTOPIAN. Maybe it’s me, but I felt like with the Hunger Games’s popularity there’s been a surge of them published in YA literature. I can’t help but compare the newly published books to Hunger Games because, as equally wonderful and exciting as the trilogy was, I couldn’t imagine there ever being a dystopian book that seemed to satisfy me as much as that one did. Other examples are probably, say, Divergent, The Giver... and I could probably go on, endlessly listing titles with dystopian/post-apocalyptic-themes. Each other definitely brings their different, savvy spin on the world and storytelling. Some don’t even make any sense, or are just waaaay too far-fetched for explanation but still maims my interest. I thought the reviews on Delirium were just too high to be true, but I was super excited to try.

I’ll be honest: it literally took me two times re-reading this book to actually go through the ENTIRE thing. I didn’t think it was bad, and I already had the preconceived notion that it wasn’t, because it’s Lauren Oliver writing it after all (and if you’ve read Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, you know she can write a damn good book.) And Delirium is written beautifully. The dialogue between characters was just too genuine and I could literally imagine myself, and the characters, because they were that amazingly characterized. Oliver just set the bar as an author even higher, and I can say I love this book. Just-- WOW.

The story does know how to drag out, which is something I can easily say what I dislike about it. The book could’ve moved along way faster than it did, and for a whopping 480 pages-- I wanted more story to it. Essentially, there are things happening but it feels longer than it needs to be with Lena’s constant indecisiveness. She could spend the longest time making a decision really, and probably that’s my biggest pet peeve with Lena. Come on... just make up your mind already!

Probably if it hadn’t been for the spectacular ending, nothing in particular would’ve stood out. It really did fail to keep my interest because of it’s slow pace, even as beautiful as Lauren Oliver’s words are. Sorry to say, but it did not grab me like most grabs me like dystopians, because of the lack of creativity in its setting. If there wasn’t the whole ‘love is disease’ thought processing, then Delirium could’ve and would’ve easily been a contemporary YA read rather than dystopian. I could be mistaken (and correct me if I’m wrong), but isn’t Delirium taking place in the future? Where’s the technology advancements? Hell, where’s the flying cars? (Joking, of course.) But really, that’s not important-- but it is something I ached for in this book, and hoped for there something really distinctive about this ‘new world’ Lena lives in.

Okay I admit, I was a bit confused by the backstory of the dystopian as a whole. Like I said, there are dystopians that simply just seem really far-fetched and Delirium is just is one of those books. Then there are well-written ones, just like this one, too. But what really keeps me on my toes in this book, is the fact that love is considered a disease. I would think with the unlikelihood of this ever happening, there would at least be somewhat-ish of a background given to why a society like this was created...? The gears aren’t quite turning when it comes to this, and I’m hoping at least for the sequel (Pandemonium) there’s further explanation.

And considering how much press Delirium received, I was expecting a strong female lead--as most dystopians these days seem to be following that trend--but Lena was ultimately a bland character. Her memories of her mother are heartfelt, but Lena just has such a... stodgy narrator and person as a whole to the extent where I’m dulled by her. She could’ve been more to her, especially considering she is the protagonist, and the “Why me? I’m so plain” attitude she seems to carry throughout the novel can be on the annoying side. But hey,  she isn’t perfect given her flaws, which is something I do like about her and I’m sure others will too.

But shh, don’t let me discourage you! Because Delirium is an amazing book, it really is. And trust me, you do not have to be a teen to love this book because I can imagine this appealing to adults, just as well as teens. I enjoyed it and it was a decent book. I wouldn’t go as far as saying it was my favorite book, because there were just things that bothered me a little too much about the book for me to simply ignore it. If you’re a reader who loves their books to grab at them from the start, then maybe I would rethink adding Delirium to your read list because it is slow-paced and you just have to wait to the end for it to really get heated.