Important YA Books To Read

(I realize that my captions are quite witty)

I'm a big YA fan. Nothing makes me happier than curling up in bed and reading a young adult novel and basically not sleeping until you finish the book and then you just stare at your dark ceiling and think about the book. But the problem is that there's a lot of substandard stuff out there so I'm just going to make it easier for everyone and tell you my favourites and why you should read them.

Unwind by  Neal Shusterman

Lord, this book. This is the father of every YA book of teenagers on the run. It's a brilliantly executed novel about an alternate universe kind of world, where troublesome teenagers are "unwound". Their souls are split and their body parts are used for harvesting. It's a tough concept to explain so I'd strongly recommend reading it because it's amazing. It's a perfectly balanced novel, with a healthy mixture of everything that makes YA really irresistible. And the best part is that it doesn't feel like a YA novel. It's like a roller coaster of good fun. The sequel to this novel will be out soon but don't fret because it's not really though series that start off really great and then just lose steam. The ending's kind of vague and perfect and you could leave it at that and still be a happy person.

Angellfall by Susan EE

I'm a sucker for romance but I hate romance that's overdone or silly. It's especially frustrating when it completely destroys what could have been an amazing book. However, Angelfall doesn't work like that. It's about angels- which is exciting enough. There's been an angel invasion of some kind on Earth (the reason is never explained) and so everyone's in hiding and it's a post-apocalyptic world and there are little cannibal children running around. Also, a wingless angel who could help our butt-kicking Penryn a way to find her missing little sister. The romance doesn't override the story but it still works and the oh my god, the UST. Fun fun fun. The ending was really kickass but now we need to expect a sequel which should be out sometime next year.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

To be very honest, I didn't really like John Green's earlier stuff. I didn't think much of Looking For Alaska or Paper Towns and I almost wasn't going to real Fault In Our Stars but then I did and I'm so incredibly glad. I wept buckets through the book because it's so achingly sad and beautiful and nice and funny and important. I don't want to ruin the book for anyone who hasn't read it but I urge to go get yourself a copy and inhale it because it's A+. And watch Vlogbrothers because it's extremely important too.

The Long Walk by Stephen King 

This is a dystopian story, about a society controlled by one leader. Every year, hundred boys walk. They keep walking (they aren't allowed to stop, mind you) and it ends when there's only one boy left working. The Hunger Games works on this principle too: last person standing is the winner. It doesn't have too much action/romance/drama that would qualify it as a YA book but it's worth a read. Especially if you're into The Hunger Games series.

This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers

Zombie Apocalypse. Six kids trapped in their high school auditorium, trying to live it out. Uh guys, this is amazing. It really is because it's not just a zombie apocalypse story. Not at all. I almost forgot the zombies part because it's about a girl whose been abused and now she's surviving through an apocalypse and all she wants to do is die. Summers is an excellent author because she keeps you hooked. I couldn't stop reading and there were parts that actually creeped me out (a stranger in their little hideout). It's gripping and fast-paced and you can stay up at night and finish it and you'll be left a little creeped out. Promise.

dirty little secret

I have one. A major one.

I read twilight fanfiction.

I know, I know! How embarrassing! Except for Twilight (which I read, I admit. I forced my mother to buy it for me for my thirteenth birthday and I devoured it in a few hours and spent a whole lot of time on this site callled twilightlexicon or something of that sort), I've flipped through the other books in the series and eh, whatever. They didn't really do much for me and I thought the characters were written quite badly.

Which brings me to my main point. I started reading fanfiction simply because the books did nothing for me. I've noticed that there's no way I can read fanfiction of something I hold very close to my heart (case point: Harry Potter) because the characters and the their world mean so much to me. I found the idea of Malfoy and Hermione doing it t to be blasphemous! Harry and Hermione?! Jeez, what's wrong with the people of the world?!

See, that's where fanfiction comes in. It's perfect for stuff you really don't care about. I do agree that most people feel passionate about a certain fandom and that's what drives them to write for it but personally, that's one thing I couldn't do. If I loved something too much, I'd just slave over the original matter again and again  because- to me- that's magical.

So yes, back to twilight fanfiction. Where do I start? Oh yeah, it was back in... 2008, I think. I was fascinated by the idea of Midnight Sun (which is the Edward- male protagonist of Twilight. If you didn't know that, you've been living under a rock) and it frustrated me because I couldn't read it. I found a comment about Midnight Sun- written by somebody who wasn't the author! It was a regular lady! It was called fanfiction! I'd lost my fanfiction virginity to some Harry Potter fic back in the sixth grade but that didn't count. I also read a fair bit of A Great and Terrible Beauty fanfiction sometime between 2007-2008 but it was this silly fandom that really sucked me in.

It's been four years. Four years of school and I'm in college now and I cannot give up fanfiction. Especially Twilight fanfiction. It's escapism at it's best. I've stayed up 'til seven in the morning READING. Yeah, I know! I once bunked school because an author killed off an Edward in a WIP (work in progress, you noobs) and I was depressed.

It's sometimes depressing. I'm a major lurker so I only post comments here and there and I definitely don't actively participate. It's an ugly fandom, let me tell you. Authors pull their fics every other day because of the hate mail they receive and that's partly why I began to back up fanfiction. I downloaded a program and everything for that purpose. And this is the fandom that produced 50 Shades of Grey! Fun fact: I knew about it when it was being published on fanfiction.net. Wow, right? I couldn't read it because it was a 110 chapters and BDSM kind of icked me out back then.

One major thing about fanfiction is that it's turned me into a complete perv. The number of weird fantasies that have been drilled into my head at the young, young age of fourteen is astronomical. And nothing icks me out anymore, really. You want to shove a tree trunk up her ass? Go ahead and do it! You want to make Bella a hu-cow? Yes, please! (There really was a fic like that. Promise)

So yes. That's my fanfiction story. I've drabbled in some other fandoms but it's twilight fanfiction 4eva!

things to like

#1
Sixteen Candles! Why did I wait so long to watch this? It's kind of stupid, to be honest. Sam talks to herself! That's weird. It's weird that she comments on how lame she is, out loud. I do it in my head. I wonder if it makes a difference if you say it out loud. This is unrelated but my sister suggested talking to yourself as a way of "being in touch with your feelings". Yeah, back to the movie. Jake Ryan is kind of a douche. Who the hell lets some little freshman drive his very drunk (albeit horrible) girlfriend home and suggests getting frisky (!) with her? That's douche-y! But he's a total babe, isn't he? He's those beautiful boys who you just crush on 4eva and they should never know how you feel because ew! Relationships are gross.



What a dish.

#2

My mom walking into my room while I'm slaving over fanfiction and hugging me tightly and saying, "Baby." God, I love my mom.

#3
These pink zines I've been working on. I really like them... they're basically just ~feelings~ and stuff but they're cute and fun (even if I say so myself)

#4

This is one of the nicest and slowest and most beautiful songs by the Strokes. I realize it's just the demo version but it's fantabuolous (yes, these kind of words describe the importance of the song). It's so important and gah, touching. Plus everyone can appreciate the orgasmic bliss that is Julian's voice.

#5

The Lumatere chronicles! Everyone should read it. 

fun fantasy

It's a book, you guys. Fun fantasy novels!

But what a book. I just finished Froi of the Exiles, which is the second book in the Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta. I cannot stress how amazing both the books in this series are. It's fantabulous. Heart melting. The kind of stuff which you cannot stop thinking about. It's perfect. I think Melina Marchetta is soon going to become a goddess.

I loved the first book, called Finnikin of the Rock. It's fantasy but that shouldn't put you off (if you're not a fantasy fan, that is. Of course)! To be honest, it took me a long time to get around to reading it in the first place because the plot synopsis seemed so blah, like another fantasy series about a boy and complicated name and characters and languages and stuff you stop comprehending after the first fifty pages (I'm looking at you, Eragon). But you have to give this a try because it'd be unfair to categorize this book under the fantasy genre simply because it's so so so so much more. It's about a boy who is all alone in the world, exiled from his own kingdom, it's about a man trapped in a prison for ten years without seeing his son, it's about a kickass girl who's ready to take down the whole world for what is rightly her, it's about a boy who's been left to raise himself so the lines between good and bad blur (Froi- he's such an interesting character and the second book is super interesting), it's about home and good and bad and fate and destiny and magic and just being human.  I'ts a power-packed book. Finish it in one night if you can. I did it before my History midterm so that's probably going to explain my substandard marks.

What I really love about this series is that every character is so unbelievably intricate. That's what I meant by human; every character has about fifty different layers. There's no black and white... just an endless blurry shade of grey. Melina Marchetta is an amazing writer because she manages to keep you completely absorbed. I was rooting so hard for every single character because they all seemed so important, so... true. I've only read one more book by her, called Saving Francesca, which was okay. It was a lot like a Sarah Dessen novel by an Australian writer. It didn't have too much of an impact, to be honest. But oh my god, the Lumatere Chronicles! I really cannot get enough. I was literally shaking while reading- I was that excited. So please please please, procure these books and devour them. A word of caution though: the second book is HUGE. Massive. So be prepared.

Happy reading. 

diy day

I love arts 'n' crafts. Nothing makes me happier. NOTHING. I love looking at photos for inspiration, keeping track on tutorials, reading craft blog and generally doing arts 'n' crafts all day. One of my favourite people in the world and I sat and did exactly that and it was perfect. Major influence was Rookie, at least when it came to the zines and banners. And the glitter clips. The flowers in ice were something we'd seen on tumblr and they worked out really cute! Now we just need an occasion to actually use them. Just freeze petals in water! They're so pretty.

How cute is this? B took all the photos and those are my gross hands. But pwiddy pwiddy.

DIY is so messy. But fun and productive. We played Little Joy and Simon and Garfunkel (okay it was the Almost Famous OST) and we destroyed our workspace AKA B's room.

~~Stationery Forever~~

We got conned into buying a shitload of wool for banners which we ended up not using.

And zines! Zines are my favourite.

goddess shakira

I had an amazing day with B today, but that's a post especially devoted to diy. I just realized the beauty of Shakira and she's a true goddess. She belly dances, for Christ's sake! And she's beautiful. She looks like those people who're beautiful on the outside AND inside, y'know? Which is an extremely important criteria for being a goddess. Also, I'm not really sure if she's actually a beautiful person on the inside but she sure looks like it. So without further ado...

Underneath Your Clothes is like my jam. It's perfect, really. Everyone should listen to this and sing along, especially on auto rides early in the morning. It makes your day better because you'll be humming this song until you go to sleep that night.

Um, this is the combined beauty of goddess Shakira and Dude I Love, Nadal. I know zilch about tennis but whatever. Look at his smile, you guys! I melted into the puddle of love and goo when I saw his smile. And together? They're on fire! This is beautiful. Even the scene in which she dances for him doesn't make me cringe which is a massive achievement (for me, at least)!. Yummy yummy.

More fun stuff to listen to: (this stuff just makes your dull day bright. Really. Promise)

(Isn't she gorgeous? And hello, it's the world cup! United we stand, divided we fall!)

And finally... the jam of the jamzz. The belly to my dancing. The ANTHEM.

Enough said.

And bonus:

I want to go through a break up, just so I can listen to this song.

I realize that all the video stills are of goddess Shakira's assets. Weird.

and your mother too

I'm a big fan of coming-of-age anything- books, movies, playlists, thoughts, websites, the works. Y Tu Mama Yambien seems to be featured on every coming-of-age movie list (I read those, yes) and I finally got around to watching it.

If you remove every sex scene/sexual reference/sexual anything in the movie, you'll be left with about a fifteen minute footage of the sea and maybe a car travelling on the road. But this movie works on so many different levels because it's just so... real and so blinded at the same time. It's about two Mexican teenagers who take a roadtrip with an older woman to a beach they made up. That's essentially what this movie is about but it's so much deeper than that. You have a narrator, who points out little scenes during the movie which you'd otherwise miss, and they're so full of... feeling. It's been two days since I've watched it and I can't stop thinking about it. It makes me want to pack up my bags and just take a long roadtrip somewhere, anywhere. Every little thing in the movie is so real (I know I'm using the word too many times but it just fits in with the movie) and it's so easy to overlook things. It's set in 1998, with the end of the dictatorship (I think it's the dictatorship. My facts could be completely wrong) and you have scenes where soldiers patrol up and down the roads with guns and the boys take it so calmly it's easy to overlook them. Until you stop to think and you realize how unsettling armed soldiers in civilian society are.

    

   

    

I'd really recommend this movie. It's fun and light but you think long enough and it's got a deeper subtlety to it. Also, I really dig the soundtrack. I found it on 8tracks so I've been listening to it non-stop.