Sandwiches

Saw this fun quiz on the Books, Boys, Buzz blog and thought I'd share. It's always good to know what type of sandwich you are, right? Let me know your results! ;)

You Are a Grilled Cheese Sandwich

You are a traditional person with very simple tastes. In your opinion, the best things in life are free, easy, and fun. You totally go with the flow. And you enjoy every minute of it! Your best friend: The Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Your mortal enemy: The Ham Sandwich

What Kind of Sandwich Are You?

Bits 'n Pieces - Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Diana Rodriguez Wallach is the author of Amor and Summer Secrets and the newly released sequel, Amigas and School Scandals. Both books look really amazing and are on my pile! I'm looking forward to reading them as they have gotten a ton of great reviews. :) Diana is a really wonderful author. I hope you enjoy her answers!

This or that:
Rain or shine? 

Definitely shine. Rain is sad.

iPod or mp3 player?

 iPod
Movies or TV? 

Hmmm…If you read my blog, you know I’m a TV junkie. But I do love a good movie too. It’s a tie.
City or country? 

I’m a city girl. I’ve lived in Boston, New York and Philly. All I need to do now is move to D.C. and I get a “I Rocked the Northeast” t-shirt.
Mountains or beaches? 

Beaches. I’m not very outdoorsy, but I love to sit on the beach.Dots or stripes? 

Neither. I prefer solids.
Dogs or cats? 

Cats. I have tabby I rescued from a shelter in Harlem. Her name is Lupi.
Cooking or eating out? 

I can cook, but I prefer eating out. Let someone else do the work and clean up.
Coffee or tea? 

Coffee. I also love caramel macchiatos from Starbucks.
Books or magazines? 

Books, obviously. I left magazine journalism to become an author.

Favorites:Book- 

The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint Exupéry
Book store- 

Head House Books; it’s a small independent store in my neighborhood. If you order my book from them, I’ll sign it for you before they ship it out.
Movie- 

Ever?? That’s hard because it depends on my mood. When I want to be serious, the Godfather; when I want to laugh, the Wedding Crashers; when I want to be romantic, Love Actually; when I need a comfort film, Pretty Woman; it just keeps going and going.
Music artist- 

Madonna, hands down.
Website- 

I spend most of my time on Yahoo Mail, MySpace, Blogger and Twitter. Oh wait, can I say my own? www.dianarodriguezwallach.com. Hehe.
Designer- 

I don’t have a lot of designer duds, but I love Fendi bags, Cole Haan shoes with the Nike Air, and BCBG dresses.
Coffee chain- 

I often bring my laptop to Philly Java.
Guilty pleasure-

General Hospital
Restaurant- 

I’m not much of a foodie, but anything with seafood.

Color- 

Depends on the day, but for clothes you can’t go wrong with black and for walls, I love Restoration Hardware’s Silver Sage.

Have you ever:
Lived abroad? 

Yes! I lived in Madrid for five months during a study abroad program.
Gotten a tattoo? 

Yes! I got a tattoo on my honeymoon in Bora Bora (Tahiti is where the tattoo was invented). It’s an all black tribal-looking turtle.
Stayed up for the midnight release of a movie or book? 

No, but I bought Stephenie Meyer’s Breaking Dawn the day it came out.

Disliked your job? 

Yes! I wasn’t very happy working as reporter for trade magazines. There’s a whole story on my website about how that discontent led me to write a novel. http://www.dianarodriguezwallach.com/for_writers.html
Cried during a movie? 

Oh, my God. Have you ever seen Legends of the Fall? I thought I would need psychiatric help after watching that film because I cried for so long.
Sang karaoke? 

Several times. The most memorable was in Spain with my study abroad program. A couple of us tried to sing “Dream On” by Aerosmith; needlesstosay, we couldn’t hit the big notes at the end.

Questions:
If you were on a desert island, what 5 things would you bring with you? 

I’ll skip the snarky comments about a boat and survival tools, and go straight to: My husband, a journal, my cat, a pair of sneakers, and soap.
What’s on the list of things you have to do during your life? 

I love to travel, so I’d like to visit every state in the U.S. and every country in Europe. I’m surprisingly closer to accomplishing the Europe goal than the U.S. goal.
If you could have one super power what would it be? 

The power to heal others. How cool would that be?
What’s your perfect music playlist? 

I have several playlists from ‘80s, to Rock, to Slow Songs, to Monster Ballads, to Random Favorites. I love them all.
What’s the one food you could eat day after day and not get sick of? 

Pizza
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

Right now, I’m thinking of going to Poland because my parents just got back from there and loved it (my mom’s Polish).
What moment in history do you wish you could’ve experienced? 

Woodstock. I think it would’ve been cool to be a hippy. My parents somehow skipped that whole trend.
What does your dream library look like? 

I’d love a library in my house with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves with a sliding ladder and one of those puffy leather chairs with metal grommets.
When you walk into a bookstore, where do you head first? 

The YA section. I like to see if A) my book’s there, and B) what new releases came out.
If everyone had to read one book, what would you have it be? 

America the Book, by Jon Stewart. It’s hysterical.

Thank you so much Diana! And congrats on the release of Amigas and School Scandals!

The winner of a copy of In Your Room is Yan. 

Authors; want to be featured in a Bits 'n Pieces interview? Email me at livsbookreviews@yahoo.com and we'll make it happen.

Autumn

So I know this isn't book related, I just thought I'd share a few pictures with you guys. I took these over my fall break when I went hiking in the woods with my fam. Autumn's probably my favorite season because of the changing leaves, the sweaters, and the hot cocoa. Living in the city, I don't get to see a ton of the fall colors so it was really fun to be able to get out and see all the trees and trails. It's nice to be able to forget all of the city hubub for awhile. :) 

Tinkering

I am, at long last, changing my layout. I think...

If it all goes well, I'm hoping to have the new one up by the end of the day, but between then and now, it's going to be ugly. Just bear with me here. :)

EDIT: And it's done! There may be a few more minor changes I'll be making, but I think the new layout is successfully in place. What do you think? I want to hear some feedback! :)

Anatomy of a Boyfriend by Daria Snadowsky

Before all this happened, the closest I'd ever come to getting physical with a guy was playing the board game Operation. Okay, so maybe that sounds pathetic, but it's not like there were any guys at my high school who I cared to share more than three words with, let alone my body. 

Then I met Wes, a track-star senior from across town. Maybe it was his soulful blue eyes, or maybe my hormones just started raging. Either way, I was hooked. And after a while, he was too. I couldn't believe how intense my feelings became, or the fact that I was seeing-and touching-parts of the body I'd only read about in my Gray's Anatomy textbook. You could say Wes and I experienced a lot of firsts together that spring. It was scary. It was fun. It was love.

And then came the fall.

(Summary from jacket flap)

It took me long enough to get to this book, eh? Everyone else has been reviewing it and so I decided to step on board. And while it wasn't a completely phenomenal book and it didn't move me emotionally, it was a solid novel. The thing I think I enjoyed the most was how Dominique was just a regular teen girl who had the same thoughts as any of us do. She's probably one of the most realistic characters I've read about in a long time. The author really knew how to write about teens so that we could actually relate to them. On the other hand, I hated the character of Wes. He was a total idiot and every time he did something stupid I wanted to throw the book against the wall. And the sad thing is that there are guys like him out there! I'm scared for my future. :P The other thing I liked about the book was how Wes and Dominique's relationship was orchestrated beautifully. While I might have hated Wes, he and Dom interacted in a way that was real. It wasn't a fake sugar-coated romance, it was the real deal. Grit, tears, and all; and that was what really made this book worthwhile to read. We often read books about fairytale romances where the boy and the girl fall madly in love and then make out in random places until the end of the book where they pledge to each other to stay together forever. Sometimes that might be fun and enjoyable to read about, I know I like some fluff occasionally, but now and then we need a wake up call which is where Anatomy of a Boyfriend comes in. The plot is slightly predictable, the guy is a total snake, but the relationship Wes and Dom have is what makes the book worth reading. I'd definitely recommend it, but beware of the graphic content.

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #8: Coupling

On Saturday

“Name a favorite literary couple and tell me why they are a favorite. If you cannot choose just one, that is okay too. Name as many as you like–sometimes narrowing down a list can be extremely difficult and painful. Or maybe that’s just me.”

Oh goodness gracious, that is extremely difficult and painful. I love reading about romances whether they be fated, forbidden, or star-crossed. After reading some other blogger's responses to this, I'm going to play off of them a little bit. My list of favorite literary couples is:

-Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen

-Jace and Clary

-Landon and Jamie

-Ron and Hermione

-Wanderer and Ian

-Margo and Q

-Elizabeth and Darcy

-Noah and Allie

-Nick and Norah

-Bleeker and Juno (technically not literary...)

and there are probably about a bajillion others out there, but I think that's a pretty solid list right there. For a couple to make it onto my list there has to be some good chemistry, interesting and verbose conversation, and some good kissing scenes. :P I love me some romance!

Bits 'n Pieces - Jordanna Fraiberg

Jordanna Fraiberg is the author of In Your Room, released October 16th. It is her debut YA book and has been generating quite a bit of buzz around the blogosphere! I'm looking forward to reading and reviewing it soon. 

You can visit Jordanna's website here. She's a really wonderful and fun author and I loved her answers to the questions. Enjoy!

This or that:
Rain or shine?
Shine, which is convenient since I live in sunny LA. But I think I did a little dance when it drizzled for the first time in 8 months just an hour ago.
iPod or mp3 player?
iPod (or now, iPhone. Same thing).
Movies or TV?
I’m a recent TV-convert (ahem…addict).
City or country?
City (with a little country thrown in. Hikes, parks are a must).
Mountains or beaches?
I heart both! But a beach really gets my heart beating
Dots or stripes?
Stripes.
Dogs or cats?
Dogs (but I loved my cat SO much and want to get another one).
Cooking or eating out?
Cooking.
Coffee or tea?
Green tea!
Books or magazines?
Books, definitely.

Favorites:
Book-
Many, many. But best book I recently read = The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman.
Book store-
Book Soup, Los Angeles
Movie-
Amelie.
Music artist-
I’m currently obsessed with a band called Ra Ra Riot.
Website-
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Designer-
Diane von Furstenberg.
Coffee chain-
I usually go local.
Guilty pleasure-
Chocolate!
Restaurant-
AOC (a French sort of tapas restaurant in LA. It’s where my husband took me when I sold my book!) and of course, Sushi Ike, two blocks from my house and THE. BEST. SUSHI.
Color-
Green is currently edging out purple.

Have you ever:
Lived abroad?
Yes! I grew up in Canada (that counts as abroad, right?); I’ve also lived in India (4 months) and in England (2 years).
Gotten a tattoo?
Nope. Just a henna one at an Indian wedding, like Rina in In Your Room.
Stayed up for the midnight release of a movie or book?
Nope.
Disliked your job?
Oh, yes.
Cried during a movie?
So. Many. Times.
Sang karaoke?
Yes. Very, very badly.

Questions:
If you were on a desert island, what 5 things would you bring with you?
a journal
my iPod
pictures of my family and friends
can I bring my dog?
My wedding band

What’s on the list of things you have to do during your life?
Write more
Have more animals
Raise a child
Explore
If you could have one super power what would it be?
Heal the sick
What’s your perfect music playlist?
Hmm. Great question. Here goes:
Ghost Under Rocks (Ra Ra Riot)
Kids (MGMT)
Show Me What I’m Looking For (Carolina Liar)
Heart Songs (Weezer)
Bixby Canyon Bridge (Death Cab For Cutie)
Together (The Raconteurs)
Such Great Heights (The Postal Service)
King of Pain (The Police)
Rebellion (Lies) (The Arcade Fire)
I Feel It All (Feist)
Viva La Vida (Coldplay)
What’s the one food you could eat day after day and not get sick of?
Sushi.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Paris, or a beach on a tropical island, mood depending.
What moment in history do you wish you could’ve experienced?
Europe in the 1920s.
What does your dream library look like?
Rows of books, neatly stacked on floating shelves affixed to a brick wall, One of the walls is all glass, maybe overlooking a patio, a patch of grass. A fireplace, a big desk, lots of artwork by my friends and favorite artists, pictures, an easel to draw on, a big comfy couch, and one for my dog. You meant a home library, right??!!
When you walk into a bookstore, where do you head first?
I start with the books on display in front, then head to the new fiction section on my way to the YA section. After that, it’s different every time.
If everyone had to read one book, what would you have it be?
Wow. Tough question. I don’t think there’s one book that can contain it all. But another book I recently read, which I loved and also got me thinking – both creatively and historically – was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

Thank you so much, Jordanna!

If you'd like to win a copy of In Your Room, leave a comment on this post with your email, your answer to "iPod or mp3 player" and a reason for your choice.

The winner of a copy of I Know It's Over is Sara! Look for an email from CK soon.

Authors; want to be featured in a Bits 'n Pieces interview? Email me at livsbookreviews@yahoo.com and we'll make it happen.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the other districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before - and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

(summary from back cover)

I've been hitting myself in the head ever since the time I finished this book. When I recieved an ARC of it in August I knew nothing of the book, and didn't pick it up until now-when buzz started to swirl around about it. And by waiting to read it, I passed up the chance for a signed copy of the book that Scholastic was offering to any person who recieved an ARC and submitted a review of it to them by a certain date-a date which passed long ago. URGH!!! I'm so amazingly angry with myself because this is one fantastic book. It is written superbly, it grabs you immediately, and it has any element you could ever want in it; romance, action, and suspense all bundled into one heck of a book. From the first sentence, I was not able to put it down until I finished. It's been quite a while since I've been able to truthfully say that about a book, but I can say that about The Hunger Games without a doubt. And while the plot was fast moving and drew you in, the characters and the imagery made it that much better. I came to completely understand and sympathize with Katniss, as she was just a regular girl like me who was forced into the most unfortunate of circumstances and had to decide whether to trust her instincts or her morals. And Peeta Mellark is probably my all time favorite guy character in a book. I'm completely in love with him. I think he trumps just about any other desirable male book character out there. I was pretty close to crying at the end...and let me just say that I am sooo glad that there's going to be another book in the series. I have to see what happens between Katniss and Peeta and Gale. The author really knows how to manipulate a reader which she definitely showed at the end when we were left with that enormous cliff-hanger. I'll be the first in line at the bookstore to buy the next book when it comes out. And if you haven't read The Hunger Games, please please please get a copy by any means you have available to you. It just might be one of my favorite books of 2008. 

Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell

Since the days of King Arthur, there have been paintings and poems created in her name. She is Elaine of Ascolat - the Lady of Shalott. And now, there is  a new story, a new vision, of this mysterious and captivating girl...

Beautiful sixteen-year-old Elaine has a temperament as fiery as her long red hair. The daughter of a soldier in young Arthur's army, Elaine is the sole girl in a militaristic world of men. Often slipping into daydreams, she wishes that the handsome Lancelot would see her as more than a tomboy.

Then a new girl arrives, and Elaine is thrilled - until Gwynivere proves to be cold and cruel. But when Elaine and Gwynivere are thrown into a situation of gravest danger, the girls must band together in order to survive. Can Elaine find the strength to fight for the kingdom she has always believed in?

(Summary from the jacket flap)

The only other books based around the mythical Arthurian period that I've read are Avalon High by Meg Cabot and the Lost Years of Merlin epic by T.A. Barron. I enjoyed them immensely so I was expecting an amount of quality from Song of the Sparrow. Also, the fact that it's written in verse, I thought would add some nice resonance and mystery to the tone of the book. And while it started out slow, towards the middle of the book I was sucked in and became fully engrossed in Elaine's story. While the last half was quite good, I have to say that the first segment of the book dragged and didn't leave me satisfied. The writing was good as was the imagery and the character development, there just wasn't enough going on. The last part of the book is what made me really love this book. The author picks the book up out of the ditch and adds some action, suspense, and romance, which is what kept me reading and savoring every word. That and the fact that Elaine was a wonderful main character. While her trivial thoughts about Lancelot got a tinch annoying after a while, she grew throughout the book into a strong young woman with a true voice of her own. I'm so glad that this was told from her point of view because it showed that even in a time in which women were commonly stifled and used (take Gwynivere, for example), she was strong and opinionated and loved because of it, not in spite of it. Reading about girls who know who they are is so much fun. You just get sucked into the story with them; which is what happened with me and Song of the Sparrow. I would highly recommend this book. The poetic aspect of it lends a mysterious and addicting air to the book. It's only the second novel in verse that I read, and I'm loving that genre so far. Although the first portion of the book might have you yawning, stick it out and you'll get to the rewarding meat of the story which you'll eat up, I promise. :) 

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #7: What's Sitting on Your Shelf?

On Saturday

Okay–here was an interesting article by Christopher Schoppa in the Washington Post.
Avid readers know all too well how easy it is to acquire books — it’s the letting go that’s the difficult part. … During the past 20 years, in which books have played a significant role in both my personal and professional lives, I’ve certainly had my fair share of them (and some might say several others’ shares) in my library. Many were read and saved for posterity, others eventually, but still reluctantly, sent back out into the world.
But there is also a category of titles that I’ve clung to for years, as they survived numerous purges, frequent library donations and countless changes of residence. I’ve yet to read them, but am absolutely certain I will. And should. When, I’m not sure, as I’m constantly distracted by the recent, just published and soon to be published works.
So, the question is his: “What tomes are waiting patiently on your shelves?"

Um...none really. I don't have a ton of books that I've been putting off reading for a period of time. I do have a lot of books out from the library that are sitting on my shelf, but those are recent acquisitions. I do have a few books on my mental list that I would like to read like Life of Pi, Nineteen Minutes, The Great Gatsby, The Bell Jar, Flowers for Algernon, and other must-read books of that sort. I don't actually own any of them, but they have figuratively been sitting on my "shelf" waiting to be read for quite some time. I want to read some of the more prominent well known classics of our decade. You know, the kind of books that everyone should read in order to be a cultured member of society. Speaking of which, what are some books that you think everyone should read? I'd say The Outsiders, To Kill a Mockingbird, Lord of the Flies, and Harry Potter, to name a few. I haven't read a ton of classics so I'm probably not certified to name books like that, but out of the books I have read, those are the ones that stick out to me. Your thoughts?

I'm Going on a Bear Hunt

Not really. 

I'm just taking a short little trip up to the northern woodsy regions of my state for some quality hiking time to appreciate the pretty changing colors of the leaves. That probably means that I won't be posting until Monday unless the little inn that we're staying at miraculously has wireless. 

You can expect a review or two to be posted upon my return. I'll definitely have time to read on the drive so I'm hoping to finish Song of the Sparrow and take a crack at the greatly lauded Hunger Games. I'll have time to flip some pages.

And I'm also hoping that I'll get to take some pictures of the pretty leaves that are everywhere right now. Don't you just love the fall? Last weekend I decided to take a stroll back to my kindergarten days and make one of those wax paper iron pressings of leaves. Haha. I have it in my window now. It actually looks really cool. :P

Anyways, I'll see you all in a few days! 

Bits 'n Pieces - CK Kelly Martin

CK Kelly Martin is the fabulous author of I Know It's Over, released September 23rd, and the upcoming novel One Lonely Degree, to be released May 26, 2009. I Know It's Over has been getting some great reviews around the blog-o-sphere and I'm looking forward to reading it soon! You can visit CK's website here to read up on her books, her thoughts, and her favorite literary links among other cool things. She provided some really fun answers to my questions so I hope you guys enjoy the interview! 

This or that:
Rain or shine?
Once upon a time I would’ve said rain but living in Ireland for several years changed that. Shine, definitely!
iPod or mp3 player?
iPod, although I usually listen to music directly on the computer.
Movies or TV?
Movies. The Toronto International Film Festival is always a wonderful time up here – it’s great to see people so excited about movies that they’ll spend hours in line to see films that aren’t your standard box office hits. During the past few years I’ve caught a couple festival screenings at the Elgin Theatre which is this gorgeous, ornate, old world theatre, supposedly the last double decker theatre in the world. When you’re watching a movie in that setting you can’t help but think this is how movies should be viewed.
City or country?
City. Especially walking cities.
Mountains or beaches?
Both. That’s what makes Vancouver so perfect!
Dots or stripes?
Stripes.
Dogs or cats?
Dogs.
Cooking or eating out?
Cooking, although I’m sure Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay would be dismayed to see what we considering ‘cooking’ at our place. There’s no herb garden. We don’t even have a food processor.
Coffee or tea?
Neither. I get my caffeine via Coca-Cola, which I’m pretty addicted to.
Books or magazines?
Books. I’m always reading something.

Favorites:
Book-
I hardly ever reread anything but a book I keep coming back to over the years is Emma Who Saved My Life by Wilton Barnhardt. It’s about this twenty year old guy named Gil who moves to New York in the seventies to become an actor. The two constants in his life, for years, are his feelings for Emma (his first roommate in New York) and the vibrancy (both good and bad) of the city itself. On a more general level I think it’s about that time in your life when everything feels like a possibility and you want it all so badly! You’re consumed with drama and longing.
Book store-
Easons on O’Connell Street in Dublin. Every time I’m in Dublin this is one of the first places I go. Their flagship store has four floors and a café and I get to pick up all the Irish and British books that haven’t made their way across the pond yet. It seriously doesn’t feel like I’ve properly arrived in Dublin until I visit Easons.
Movie-
It’s so hard to pick just one but The Year My Voice Broke, an Australian coming of age movie, is always near the top of the list. It’s set in the fifties and is about a fourteen year old guy in unrequited love with a girl a little bit older than him. She has a reputation for being wild, like her birth mother, and nobody’s sure who her real father is. There’s also a ghost, problems with the law and the tragic story of her birth mother. I’ve seen this movie so many times and it still breaks my heart. Am I cheating if I name a second one? Children of Men completely blew me away. I almost forgot it was a movie while watching it, and got a tension headache from that unrelenting feeling of the fate of the future hanging in the balance.
Music artist-
British protest singer Billy Bragg who is equally talented at writing love songs (he’s also incredibly funny and down to earth so most people at Bragg gigs are as happy to listen to him speak as they are to hear him play). I’ve been a fan for over twenty years and have lost track of how many times I’ve seen him play over the years. The last time was at an HMV appearance in Toronto and I actually gave him an advance reader copy of I Know It’s Over. It was one of those moments that’s going to stay with me.
Website-
Last spring a friend got me hooked on Africam.com, a site with live streaming video from a game reserve in Africa. I haven’t been on it quite as much recently (which is a good thing because I was spending way too much time there) but it’s highly addictive. At first I didn’t see many animals at the watering holes but if you stick with it you’ll be rewarded with sightings of elephants, gnus, giraffes, water buffalo, zebras etc.
Designer-
I think my picture says it all – I’m not a designer person.
Coffee chain-
Since I don’t drink coffee I’m happy at any place that serves a good fruit smoothie.
Guilty pleasure-
Potato Chips. Lately I’m really into pistachio Jell-O too.
Restaurant-
I like pubs with a traditional British or Irish feel that serve a good shepherd’s pie and fish and chips – places with lots of dark wood and not a lot of natural light so you can hide out from the sun when it’s too hot or from the snow in winter. When you’re in places like this you feel almost like it could be any time of year – any year for that matter.
Color-
Aqua. I never get sick of blue.

Have you ever:
Lived abroad?
I lived in Dublin on and off for several years during the 90’s. I was crazy about it but incredibly homesick at the same time. It’s a fantastic place and I met some really amazing people there and loved having the chance to hang out there but ultimately the pull to come home to Toronto was really strong.
Gotten a tattoo?
No.
Stayed up for the midnight release of a movie or book?
Not yet but my friend and I went to the midnight release of a U2 album in HMV in Dublin years back.
Disliked your job?
Not the writing one but other jobs in the past. I once worked at a lingerie store in Knightsbridge for a week and the people running the store were the worst snobs. They didn’t even want you helping someone if they didn’t look like they had money. I had to tell a woman we wouldn’t do a bra fitting for her. I spent the majority of the five days I was there pointing all the hangers in the same direction on the racks or running errands for the manager. It was so boring. They were trying out me and another girl during that week and I was really relieved when they decided to hire her and let me go.
Cried during a movie?
Oh, yeah, quite a few times!
Sang karaoke?
I’m an awful singer and have only done this once, with a friend in a Dublin pub at somebody’s twenty-first birthday party eons ago. I can’t remember what the song was. The experience is a haze.

Questions:
If you were on a desert island, what 5 things would you bring with you?
Rice (that seems to work well on Survivor), a shortwave radio, one of those flashlights you can power just by shaking it, a good strong knife and a how to book on surviving on a desert island.
What’s on the list of things you have to do during your life?
I don’t really have a list but I’d like to travel more and live a few different places (before the homesickness sets back in and pulls me back to home base!). It would be cool to learn to play guitar at some point and write some songs.
If you could have one super power what would it be?
I’m having an inner debate between time travel and being able to use the Jedi mind trick. I’m going to say time travel because of the things that would allow you to see – dinosaurs, the building of the pyramids, the future.
What’s your perfect music playlist?
The Airborne Toxic Event song Innocence would definitely be on there because I’ve been playing it to death lately, also Nightswimming by REM, Optimistic by Radiohead, some Leonard Cohen, Bloc Party, Aimee Mann, Our Lady Peace, The Frames.
What’s the one food you could eat day after day and not get sick of?
Turkey.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
New Zealand. Any images you see of it are breathtaking.
What moment in history do you wish you could’ve experienced?
It’d be great to have been around to see all the cultural changes happening during the sixties – the civil rights and anti-war movements and all that amazing music. I think the sixties is still an inspiration to us. It shows we really can changes things if the desire and persistence is there.
What does your dream library look like?
Kind of like the pub I mentioned earlier – lots of dark wood, tall shelves, a fireplace, lots of elegant, high-backed arm chairs. Since it’s my dream library you can even order shepherd’s pie there and of course they’d have an amazing selection of young adult books, graphic novels and literary fiction. Maybe it’d even be haunted by the ghost of a friendly librarian.
When you walk into a bookstore, where do you head first?
Most of the time the first place I hit is the teen section to see what new stuff is on the shelf.
If everyone had to read one book, what would you have it be?
Deaf Elephants by William Benton. It’s a tiny, tiny picture book I stumbled across in a gift shop about five years ago. It’s a simple, beautiful story about deaf elephants making their way in a world that doesn’t always have a place for them. The story had me tearing up in the store. It’s very short (you’ll have it finished within minutes) but had such important things to say about struggle, individuality and happiness.Thank you so much CK! 

Want to win a copy of I Know It's Over? Comment on this post with your answer to "Rain or Shine" and an explanation to enter. A winner will be chosen next Wednesday.

The winner of a copy of Dream Girl by Lauren Mechling is pepsivanilla! If you could contact me with your email address, I'll get that to Lauren!

Authors; want to be featured in a Bits 'n Pieces interview? Email me at livsbookreviews@yahoo.com and we'll make it happen.  

Reviewer Interview

I was interviewed over at Bookluver-Carol's blog a while back and it's been posted today. You guys should all definitely go check it out and laugh at my answers in which I tried to sound intelligent and literate. I don't really think I succeeded in that. :)

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist: The Movie

I read Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist back at the very beginning of my blog. If you want to hunt it down (I'm not linking to it because I'm ashamed), you will see that it was a rather negative review. In fact, a very negative review. I didn't like the excessive swearing and sexuality in the book as I felt it wasn't at all needed. 

The movie version of the book has been getting some mediocre reviews. Some reviewers say that it was pieced together weirdly, it tried too hard, it didn't have a definitive plot, etc. And I beg to disagree with those negative reviewers. I went to see the movie with a big group of my friends and we all basically fell in love with it. I think you have to be a teen to enjoy and get the meaning of it. The actors in the movie embody the whole spontaneous shifty chaotic lives of real teens so the movie was really convincing to me. 

I had my doubts with the cast of the lead roles at the beginning of the movie's production, but seeing it all melded together proved to me that Michael Cera and Kat Dennings have some sort of strange chemistry. They actually, to my huge surprise, made me believe they were the Nick and Norah of the book. 

And, also to my surprise, I found that I appreciated the book more after seeing the movie. I kind of have a new found respect for it and will probably go back and reread it eventually so I can absorb it again. It's the kind of book that can be taken in a lot of different ways, and I just think I understood it wrong the first time through.

I'd definitely recommend going to see Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist in theaters. It's funny, convincing, and real. A good movie.

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #6: Book Meme

On Saturday

I’ve seen this series of questions floating around the ‘net the last few days, and thought it looked like a good one for us!

What was the last book you bought?
Paper Towns by John Green, along with Let It Snow. I got them so I could get them signed. :)

Name a book you have read MORE than once
Twilight, Harry Potter 1&2

Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it?
Not really, no. I mostly read YA and I don't think any of those types books have a strong enough message to fundamentally change my life. Sadly. It would be cooler if I were able to say yes. I do read a lot and that hobby has changed my life to an extent, though.

How do you choose a book? eg. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews
Basically all of the things listed above. The cover is super important to me as is the plot summary. I want to make sure I don't end up reading anything cliched or boring. I also depend a lot on the reviews I read around the blogs to see what other people like me think of it. 

Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?
Fiction for SURE! I rarely read non-fiction which probably isn't that great, but I just love the idea of being taken away into a place where you can read about other people's troubles and not worry, at least for a little bit, about your own. 

What’s more important in a novel - beautiful writing or a gripping plot?
Plot is definitely more important. Take for example the Twilight series. There's nothing stunning about Stephenie Meyer's writing. Some might even say that it's choppy and disconnected which is pretty valid. Despite that though, the books have been read by almost every teen girl in America. Why? Because they have an interesting and addictive plot. 

Most loved/memorable character (character/book)
Margo Roth Spiegelman in Paper Towns is probably one of the best characters ever created, in my humble opinion. My most loved book(s) are the Harry Potter books though. They're the books of my decade and they really are fantastic. Harry Potter is a classic and I will be recommending the series to my future children and grandchildren. Haha.

Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?
Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell

In Your Room by Jordanna Fraiberg 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?
Paper Towns by John Green-I finished maybe a week ago? Way too long ago. I need to finish another book ASAP.

Have you ever given up on a book half way in?
Yes, sadly. I can't really remember any specifically but I think I've given up on around five books in the last year. Just couldn't get into them. *sighs*

Oh Boy!

The new and last Twilight trailer has arrived. The first two trailers were slightly disappointing to me, but this last one looks pretty decent. I'm really looking forward to going to the movie at its midnight premiere with a bunch of my friends. It doesn't hurt that Robert Pattinson is a babe. 

What are your thoughts on him? The movie? Think you'll see it at midnight?

Bits n' Pieces - Lauren Mechling

Lauren Mechling is the author of the novel, Dream Girl, which has one of the coolest covers and layout I've seen in quite a while. How could you not like that cute font and the scattered pink roses? You can read my review of Dream Girl here. Lauren is a very sweet author and I'm definitely looking forward to any upcoming books of hers! Enjoy the interview!

This or that:
Rain or shine? 

shine!
iPod or mp3 player? 

iPod. im bad at techy stuff so i need it to be as easy as can be.
Movies or TV? 

TV shows on DVD.
City or country? 

City, preferably one in France that rhymes with "Ferris."
Mountains or beaches? 

Mountains, I guess? Beaches make me break out in freckles.
Dots or stripes? 

Stripes, except the jail-y ones.
Dogs or cats? 

Dogs. One day I will own one and he will be called Saul.
Cooking or eating out? 

Cooking weird hippie foods that my friends pretend to like.
Coffee or tea? 

Two cups of coffee, before anything.
Books or magazines? 

Books.

Favorites:
Book-

toss up between Harriet the Spy and anything by Barbara Pym.
Book store-

Book Court in Brooklyn, which is only about to get better when they get their new kids section up and running.
Movie-

Sixteen Candles and The Heartbreak Kid (the original version!)
Music artist-

Otis Redding
Website-

www.elifbatuman.net
Designer-

Lanvin
Coffee chain-

Tim Horton's
Guilty pleasure-

bad women's magazines (I know, I said I prefer books, but I'm a very complicated gal)
Restaurant-

vinnie's of carroll gardens
Color-

dove grey

Have you ever:
Lived abroad? 

yes--best mistake of my life
Gotten a tattoo? 

no, i cant get the picture of an inky 90-year-old me out of my head whenever i contemplate it.
Stayed up for the midnight release of a movie or book? 

no, im a dork, but im also a morning bird
Disliked your job? 

i was once an assistant to a mean newspaper gossip columnist. need I say more?
Cried during a movie? 

Yes.
Sang karaoke? 

It was a rap, Does that count?

Questions:
If you were on a desert island, what 5 things would you bring with you?
the Lulu Dark book that comes in a waterproof cover, Julia Child's "Mastering The Art of French Cooking" volumes 1 and 2, a pink paper umbrella to stick in whatever I end up drinking, water wings
What's on the list of things you have to do during your life?
Learn how to cook without needing a recipe.
If you could have one super power what would it be?
Id like to be Never-Awkward-Girl, coming soon to a cocktail party near you!
What's your perfect music playlist?
I just listen to the MIT radio station every morning from 8-10.
What's the one food you could eat day after day and not get sick of?
indian food: saag paneer and nan
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I'd like to go to New Zealand and learn how to surf.
What moment in history do you wish you could've experienced?
id enjoy a day of being useless at king louis xiv's court at versailles
What does your dream library look like?
king louis xiv's court at versailles, but with books by my favorite authors that I never knew existed strewn amongst the furniture.
When you walk into a bookstore, where do you head first?
i like to check out the staff picks and read the notes, especially those by Arthur at Book Court.
If everyone had to read one book, what would you have it be?
As if there's any question. Dream Girl!
Second up: Emily Post's guide to etiquette.

Thank you so much Lauren! 

Want to win a signed copy of Dream Girl? Leave a comment on this post to be entered. Comment on my review of Dream Girl for an extra entry.

Authors; want to be featured in a Bits 'n Pieces interview? Email me at livsbookreviews@yahoo.com and we'll make it happen.

EDIT: The winner of a copy of Freefall is Meredith. Congrats! Sorry for not posting that at first. Meredith, if you could get me your email address that would be great. 

I'm In John Green's Video...

Umm yeah. It's pretty awesome. 35 seconds into his latest video, he shows a little clip of some people from the Minneapolis event and I'm in it. Barely, but I'm still there. If you look behind the guy, and the girl with pink hair, I'm the blondie with the glasses talking to the girl in the hat. Isn't that a great description. And I must say that in the 1.5 seconds you're able to see me, I manage to look stupid. Urgh. But it's still cool to be in one of his videos if only for a blink of an eye. Kind of like my fifteen minutes of fame except you put a decimal point between the numbers and change it to seconds. 

Wow. Can you tell I'm tired tonight? Enjoy the video and see if you can find me! :P

I Love Kelsey

Wanna know why? It's not only because she's my favorite Minnesota sistah, or that she has a fantastic blog. It's also because she started a very cool Ning site for all of us who are addicted to books. A bunch of the YA bloggers are already members so you should definitely head over and see what all the fuss is about. And you should friend me! I'm really looking forward to being able to chat with people and interact in this new and super fun way. 
http://bookaholicsanonymous.ning.com/ is your gateway to books, discussions, good times, and cookies. Check it out!

Why I Can't Go Into Bookstores

Just the other day I decided to amble into my neighborhood Barnes and Noble and check out their YA section.

Normally, I get books from the library because I find it way too expensive to buy the books myself. Have you seen the prices of books lately?! A hardcover is between $15 and $20 which is totally out of my budget. 

Every once and a while, though, I like to go look at the shelves of books that I will never own to see if there are authors I recognize or interviewed, books that I've read, etc. Besides the fact that I saw basically every book that's ever been reviewed around the blogs there, I wanted to buy around 2/3 of them. Ugh. I was this close to buying Lauren Myracle's Bliss. But sadly I don't actually have the $17 it would take for me to be its happy owner. *sigh* I was down about it for the rest of the day. 

I can't stand going into a bookstore very often because I have no money, and all I will be doing is torturing myself with the dream of having a lavish and YA filled personal library; a dream that is probably never going to happen. I do have some books at home, but most of them are review copies or books that I bought to have signed at author events that I've gone to. 

Needless to say, I will be asking for piles and piles of books these holidays. Even books that I've already read. I just like having the actual material evidence there for me to hold. 

Some books on my wishlist:

1. The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld

2. Skinned by Robin Wasserman

3. Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Suplee

4. The House of Night series by PC and Kristin Cast

5. How To Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier

6. Bliss by Lauren Myracle

and about a bajillion others that will be too painful to call up and remember. Urgh. 

Do you guys buy your books? Rent them out from the library? What's your personal bookshelf like?

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #5: Best

On Saturday

What, in your opinion, is the best book that you haven’t liked? Mind you, I don’t mean your most-hated book–oh, no. I mean the most accomplished, skilled, well-written, impressive book that you just simply didn’t like.
Like, for movies–I can acknowledge that Citizen Kane is a tour de force and is all sorts of wonderful, cinematically speaking, but . . . I just don’t like it. I find it impressive and quite an accomplishment, but it’s not my cup of tea.
So . . . what book (or books) is your Citizen Kane?

Oh geez. This is an impossible question to answer. If I was forced to pick a book, I think I'd have to say Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. I read it almost a year ago and it just didn't hit me as hard as I was expecting it to, based on all the hype it'd been getting. I'm not saying that it was that horrible of a book; it really wasn't. It's got a nice plot, fun characters, and it's written pretty well, it just didn't live up to my expectations. It isn't a book I'd put on my list of favorites.

But speaking of Nick and Norah's, have any of you seen the movie yet? I really want to because, based on the trailers and all the advertising, it seems like it will be pretty decent. I loved Michael Cera in Juno with all his nerdy wonderfulness, so I'd go just to see him act in another fun movie. If you've seen it, what were your thoughts? Is it anything like the book? I might go and see it tomorrow if I have time, and I'll definitely do a post with my thoughts. :) 

Paper Towns by John Green <3

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life-dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingernious campaign of revenge-he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always and enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues-and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew.

(summary from jacket flap)

After being able to purchase a copy of Paper Towns early when I went to see John Green when he came to my city, I immediately put down everything that I was doing and read. How could I do anything else? Not only was I uber excited that I got to read the next book by the marvelous John Green early, but I had already read a lot of reviews of the book, all of them giving Paper Towns the highest praise. And let me tell you, every single drop of that praise was well-deserved. The book is the kind that will hook you from the first page with its flowing, snarky, and detailed prose, and keep you reading until the very last letter because not only is it witty and captivating, it is meaningful and oozes with intelligence and realism. Margo and Quentin are characters you can completely picture in your mind. They act like teens do, without thought or consideration, which only adds to the story. When I heard John Green speak, he said that he writes for teens because he cares about them more, and you can really sense that while you're reading. He put thought, effort, and a lot of planning into this book and it all pays off when it forces you to think about how you perceive the people and world around you. I love the fact that the book has two covers; the gloomy one and the cheery one, because it illustrates how a person can be misinterpreted and thought of in a way that they're not. And the title Paper Towns is woven into the story thoroughly, as a main theme of the book. Margo and Quentin's musings and thoughts on existence and life really made me think over my relationships and how I look at and interact with my family and friends. I loved this book so much. It made me laugh out loud multiple times but also made me stop and take a second out of my busy life to think about some pretty basic things that had never even entered my mind before. If that's not an example of a remarkable book, then I don't know what is. When Paper Towns is released on October 16th all of you who haven't had the privilege to read it yet need to head, no run, to your local bookstore and pick up a copy. It's a must. 

Bits n' Pieces - Anna Levine

Anna Levine is the author of the newly released novel, Freefall. It follows a young girl getting ready to enlist in the Israeli army. Except she doesn't want a cushy job, she wants to be in an elite combat unit. I'm hoping to review Freefall very soon as it looks like a really cool book! You can check out Anna's website here. She's a very sweet author and her answers are some of my favorites. :) Enjoy!

This or that: 

Rain or shine? 

Rain. I love having a reason to stay inside under the covers reading and good rain storms are so rare here.
iPod or mp3 player? 

Records! Have not been able to part from them.
Movies or TV? 

Movies…love the space in movie theaters, the huge screen that brings you inside the action…sharing the laughs and the tears with the total strangers in the theater with me.
City or country? 

Love the pace of the city but only because I live in the country and can run away from it.
Mountains or beaches? 

Beach. Sun. Sound of the waves. Sand between my toes…! Sleeping on the beach is one of my favorite things.
Dots or stripes? 

Neither. I can’t think straight when I’m confronted with someone wearing either.
Dogs or cats? 

Have lived with both but since I don’t speak either language often had communication problems.
Cooking or eating out? 

Having someone cook for me!
Coffee or tea? 

Coffee….lots of it.
Books or magazines? 

Curling up with a good book, definitely, but prefer lunching with a magazine if no friends are around.

Favorites:
Book- 

You mean the “I’m going to be stuck on the plane for 12 hours test”? Takes me about as long to choose which books fly with me when I travel trans-Atlantic. Last time I took an anthology of Billy Collins poems. I love his poetry and the poets he chooses to include in his anthologies. I’ve also flown with T.S Eliot and Emily Dickenson. Neither of them snore or step on your feet on the way to the bathroom. So as far as traveling companions go, they’re highly recommended.
Book store- 

Wish we had a good one here! Imagine a book store with one shelf of English books and the rest in a foreign language. Talk about living in the desert! Our one big English book chain has all the best sellers – from the early 1900s (with apologies to Alcott but how many times can you reread Little Women?). Okay, I’m exaggerating a bit. But when I get to the States and walk into Barnes and Nobles, Borders, Chapters or Indigo (in Canada)…I start to hyperventilate.
Movie- 

Jane Austen’s Book Club (based on a book by Karen Fowler) it was even better than the book – which almost never happens.
Music artist- 

I think I got stuck in the 70s and haven’t been able to unstuck myself…I still love all those soppy songs…and then there are the Israeli artists …but also from the 70s and 80s.
Website- 

Am stumped…
Designer- 

I live in Jerusalem. The answer to that would be “clothes.” We’re much more easy going about that stuff and go by the motto: if it fits, wear it, and if it doesn’t fit put a sweater over it.
Coffee chain- 

There is no Starbucks in Jerusalem!!! So I’d have to say “Yossi’s”. He serves a great “café hafuch” which translates to “upside down coffee.” Of course, there’s nothing better than mud coffee to get the adrenaline pumping for marathon writing sessions. That’s the dark sweet middle-eastern coffee with the grains that form a thick carpet of, well mud, at the bottom of the cup.
Guilty pleasure- 

watching reruns in the afternoon of shows that were shown in the US years ago and only made it to Israel recently.
Restaurant- 

Any place that serves hummus, pita, olives, chips, lamb skewers…
Color- 

blue-green though my wardrobe is a variety of black and white and jeans.

Have you ever:
Lived abroad? 

Came to Israel (from Canada) for a year when I was 18 … and am still here! Have lived in Italy and I guess for me California is now “abroad.”
Gotten a tattoo? 

No, but I’ve always wanted a butterfly.
Stayed up for the midnight release of a movie or book? 

No such thing here though the bars and cafes are open round the clock…so there’s a lot of hanging around in the streets and pubs.
Disliked your job? 

No. I love my job. I write books!
Cried during a movie? 

All the time. I’m pathetic.
Sang karaoke? 

Okay, I’ll admit it, yes – and sometimes loudly.

Questions:
If you were on a desert island, what 5 things would you bring with you?
A poetry anthology, something to write on and with, insect repellent, chocolate and coffee.
What’s on the list of things you have to do during your life? 

Backpack through India, write a mystery series, live by myself on a remote fishing village on the coast of Newfoundland.
If you could have one super power what would it be? 

Super sonic hearing!
What’s your perfect music playlist? 

You mean the most scratched records in my collection: Bob Dylan, Don Mclean, Jim Croce, Fleetwood Mac, Carol King-James Taylor (that’s one word) Joan Baez, Bach, some Beethoven, Vivaldi.
What’s the one food you could eat day after day and not get sick of? 

Licorice
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

Besides here? Italy. I lived in Italy for a year and go back as often as I can.
What moment in history do you wish you could’ve experienced?
In A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway, he describes Paris in the 1920s and hanging out in cafes with people like F.Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and James Joyce…I would have loved to be seated at the table next to them listening to them talk about art, writing…. life.
What does your dream library look like?
Barnes and Nobles on 5th Avenue in Manhattan -- with the candy section at the check out counter. Why don’t they have rooms to rent there?
When you walk into a bookstore, where do you head first?
New releases. Since we don’t have much of a selection here, I like to browse through the latest releases to see what’s being published. I love mysteries and then always end up in the poetry section. Of course I spend hours in the YA section. And since you can drink coffee and read in American bookstores (pretty much unheard over here) you can find me in the book store cafe with a stack of writer’s magazines in front of me until 11:00 at night when they throw me out.
If everyone had to read one book, what would you have it be?
A poetry anthology including everyone from A.A. Milne to Shel Silverstein from John Milton to John Donne and Emily Dickenson, of course Elizabeth Bishop and Richard Brautigan (It’s Raining in Love), Billy Collins…I’ll stop here but I could go on and on Jan Heller Levi (No Bad, Dad, Not Bad) and anything by Leonard Cohen (For Anne) oh and of course Dylan Thomas and…Gwendolyn Brooks…
Thank you so much Anna! And I am totally with you on the licorice thing...

Want to win a copy of Freefall? Leave a comment to be entered! 

Authors; want to be featured in a Bits 'n Pieces interview? Email me at livsbookreviews@yahoo.com and we'll make it happen!