Litspiration Challenge: Books and Songs #1

Hey! I got this idea from Raeleen from padfootandprongs07 on Youtube. Basically, I'll be showcasing books and songs that remind me of each other, whether in the lyrics, tone, or even just the rhythm of the song.

*I do not claim any of these songs, they are not mine!! Please give full credit to the respectable artists!*

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater: Be Here by Parachute
Whenever I listen to this song, those lyrics just scream "Puck Connelly" to me.  Well she wants to get in/and she wants to get out/but the city it calls her name. That line in particular really describes Puck's thoughts and situation. Her brother, Gabe, is leaving her for the mainland, and sometimes Puck feels as if she wants to escape as well. But ultimately, she chooses to stay because Thisby is her home and it as if the island calls to her, exactly as it says in the song. The scars that she hides/with those stars in her eyes/like the echoes they're all the same. This fits Puck because she still feels her parents death and the sting of Gabe leaving, but she hides them. The stars in her eyes represent her spunk to me, and her vision of being in the Scorpio Races. The final lines I included in my snippet are cause it's all been done before/yes it's all been done before. This fits as well because The Scorpio Races occur every year.






The Program by Suzanne Young: Mad World by Gary Jules
This song is insanely sad, both in the lyrics and the notes on the piano. It talks about someone being unhappy with our society, the way people seem to have no expression and the "daily races" go on and on, day after day. It digs into the deeper meaning of someone being depressed, which is a perfect reflection of the book The Program. In the book, depression and suicide is an epidemic, and if you show signs, you go to a facility to be 'cured', which is really just wiping your memories. The main character, Sloane, is depressed because her brother was depressed and committed suicide as a result. The lines in this song perfectly represent her feelings before the cure. Also, her brother committed suicide from drowning, and one of the lines says I want to drown my sorrow/no tomorrow/no tomorrow, which resembles the novel in a way that is almost eerie.

Vampire Academy/Frostbite by Richelle Mead: Kill of the Night by Gin Wigmore
The tone and rhythm of this song just screams Vampire Academy! The song, excluding lyrics, represent the main character, Rose's, strong, tough, and feisty attitude is clearly portrayed. Also, the lyrics relate back to the story as well, and have a dual meaning. The more literal meaning is the fact that the evil vampires, Strigoi, are in fact dangerous and do want to 'tas
te the way that you bleed', as it says in the song. The chorus of the song also represents how in the sequel, Frostbite, different Moroi (moral, good vampire) families are being hunted down. The more abstract meaning I got out of the lyrics was also about the character Rose. Being very confident, witty, and beautiful, she is kind of a heartbreaker at St. Vladimir's Academy. The final lyrics I included say "what do I do with you boy? I'll take your heart to kick around as a toy", which really describes her and Mason's relationship in the second book. She dated him for the wrong reasons, and she used him and led him on a bit. She learns from this through her development, but the song is a good way to describe her more figuratively before this development.


The Maze Runner by James Dashner: Radioactive by Imagine Dragons
The mood of this song immediately reminded me of The Maze Runner. It's super intense, with really harsh beats. In this book, the characters have to survive on their own in the maze, so it is a very hard and harsh life. This song brought out the anger and urgency of the characters thoughts, and intensity of their situation. The first line is also "I'm waking up to ash and dust," which reminds me of Thomas waking up at the very start of the novel as well, forgetting who he is, as if his mind is full of dust.




Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers: Dark Side by Kelly Clarkson
Sybella D'Albret is an extremely damaged character. Her father is evil, doing things only for his own selfish needs, and stopping at nothing until he gets what he wants. As a result, Sybella grew up with this surrounding her, and was a victim to her father and step-brothers torturous deeds. Sybella hides so many shadows, deep inside her, that she doesn't dare to show to anyone. That is, until the character Beast comes. This stanza really portrays this relationship. Or will you stay/even if it hurts/even if I try to push you out, will you return/and remind me who I really am/please remind me who I really am. Sybella does try to push people away so they are not tainted by her dark past, and often feels overshadowed by it, as if she is not anyone except her past. It is Beast who does remind her of who she is, and the lyrics in this song are as if written to their situation. Everybody's got a dark side/do you love me/can you love mine/nobody's a picture perfect/but we're worth/you know that we're worth it/will you love me/even with my dark side. When Beast and Sybella fall in love, she wonders if he could ever love her because of her history and the things she's done. She is not innocent either, and has killed many men in her lifetime, and wonders if he will be able to love her nonetheless. Finally, the rock instrumentals in the background seems to really bring out the battle, both literal and figurative, inside of Sybella.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer: Breath of Life by Florence + the Machine
Though the lyrics in this song are not a perfect representation of the story, the tone definitely reminds me of a certain character. Queen Levana, the villainous ruler of the Lunar colonies on the moon, returns to earth to try and force Prince Kai into marrying her to forge an alliance. She is purely evil, cold and unfeeling, doing everything for her own selfish wants. The song I chose has a creepy, eerie kind of tone to it, while also being intense as well, a very good representation of how Queen Levana comes across in the books. Florence Welch's strong vocals really add to the feel of the song, perfectly embodying the strength and power Queen Levana holds behind her delicate exterior. To get a dream of life again/a little vision of the start at the end. These lyrics remind me of her because she is returning to earth again, as if to witness the 'life' there. The "vision of the start at the end" seems to me as if she is returning to the place where everything began with her need to control earth (the start), yet the 'end' to me would represent her finally achieving what she wants, or destroying any shard of good left in her.

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen: Miss Invisible by Marie Digby
This entire song tells an excellent story of Annabel's life after her best friend Sophie accuses her of doing something she didn't and rejects her. Once so noticed and popular at Sophie's side, she is now cast aside, ignored by everyone. This song really gripped me as relating to Just Listen because all the pieces seemed to fit. The book often describes Annabel eating her lunch alone each day, and there is one time where the author explicitly states how Annabel pretends to look busy so people won't see how much she wants to cry on the inside. I included a snippet too that talks about how the person in the song retreated to their current state from all the bullying and taunting, which again is very prevalent in Annabel's case. I also included the final lines of the song because it's so perfect to what happens with her and Owen. Gradually, they begin sitting closer and closer together on that one wall, until they start to talk and that's how their relationship begins.

Hope you enjoyed this challenge! Thank you for reading. (:

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey MOVIE REVIEW!

Hey everyone! Here is my The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey movie review. I mostly just reviewed the movie rather than a book to movie adaptation. Watch my video to see how I liked it! :)

*Disclaimer: The music is NOT MINE and is courtesy to iLife and iMovie (though I did pitch some of it for effect), and neither are the pictures. The following sources own license to these awesome images. Gollum, Gandalf, Elrond, Galadriel, Frodo, Dwarves, and Bilbo.

NOTE: If it says "blocked plug-in", try watching it in Firefox. :)

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

I am doing another review of someone else's review, this time on Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder. I am going to be reviewing the book, as well as analyzing a review from Live to Read, Read to Live.

Both Mac and I agree that Poison Study was an extremely engaging and entertaining read. In his review, Mac said he thought the introduction of the characters throughout the story seemed strange or abrupt, a fact that I disagree with. In the exposition stage of the novel, we are made familiar with some of the main characters, such as Yelena and Valek. I personally liked how the minor characters were slowly brought into the story, because it stopped the story from becoming overwhelming, yet still kept the book interesting. I especially liked how certain characters like Irys would pop up at certain times and then fade to the background as we learned about other characters. I definitely agree with the fact that the book was exciting, with unexpected events, such as the fight scenes with Brazell's guards. Unlike Mac, I didn't notice any spelling mistakes, and I would definitely like to know what he thought the theme to be. I do, however, agree that anyone who enjoys mystery or fantasy would absolutely love this book!

Poison Study had me in a serious grip, and however hard I tried, it just wouldn't let go. Right from the minute I started the book, I was captivated by the unique, twisting plot and phenomenal characters. I really liked Yelena, the main character, which was very important because I was able to sympathize with her. There were certain times in the novel where I literally wanted to strangle one character in particular, which was, in a way, also important because I actually cared about what happened to the characters. Not only did I love Yelena, but I also felt that minor characters such as Ari, Janco, Rand, Dilana, and Margg really added a pop of interest and more layers to the novel. Another thing I loved about the book was how Snyder didn't just tell us right out why Yelena killed Reyad. Small details and flashbacks were sprinkled throughout the first half of the novel, leaving me clamouring to learn more about Yelena's tortured past. It helped to give the plot more complexity and keep the reader guessing. Snyder's ideas and plot twists in the novel were really unique and also contributed to my enthralment with the plot and world she created. I think the theme of this novel was to believe in yourself because the entire book was Yelena's struggle to gain confidence and really become herself again. I also think the book is about learning who to trust, because, as Valek says, "Trusting is hard. Knowing who to trust, even harder." I also found that, throughout the book, I was constantly kept guessing at who Yelena should put her faith into. Snyder slipped little hints throughout the book, and I had fun trying to make predictions about what the Criollo was and the intentions of different characters. I would recommend this amazing novel to absolutely anyone over the age of 13 for some mature content and references. Overall, I give Poison Study 5 stars out of 5 because I loved absolutely everything about this book!

Seriously. Pick this up and READ IT NOW. I am so glad it is one of the books I chose to buy. Thanks for reading! :)

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time: Review!

As I have mentioned before in a few of my previous posts, I have decided to do a special review on the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. This review will not only talk about my thoughts on the novel, but also analyze and respond to Ali's thoughts from Loving Life by Reading. If you would like to see a summary for this novel, check on Goodreads, it provides great synopsis's for every book.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is an extremely thought-provoking novel that provides a shockingly different view into an outsider's life. In Ali's review, she talks about the way the novel was written provides "a window into Christopher's mind". I also felt like the book acted as an amazing insight, such as the descriptions of how his mind is like a film: he can replay, fast forward, and rewind his memories (pg. 76). He also sees the world in extraordinary detail, making life confusing for him (pg. 140), which helped to develop his character and make sure he was a round character. I also agree with Ali about the format the book, and how the journal entries allow you to understand Christopher and also make the book a quick read, which was nice for a change. Ali mentioned in her review that “It is an easy read”, but it would be helpful if she explained that, because I disagree. Some of the material covered is pretty heavy and sometimes it’s hard to put yourself in Christopher’s shoes. Ali’s recommendation was 12+, though I would say no one under 13 because there was serious subject matter, quite a lot of swearing, and it could get confusing for younger readers.

An original novel for sure, the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time was certainly an experience to read. I often felt uncomfortable while reading, most likely because it was far out of my comfort zone of fantasy and science fiction, and also because of the way Christopher was treated. It also was difficult to understand sometimes, such as his discussion of how the cars he sees in the morning will determine if he has a good or bad day. However, I felt that the visuals really added to the story. It often helped me to understand the way that Christopher thinks and also broke up the text. I especially liked the pictures of emoticon faces to describe which emotions he couldn't understand. Because we are in Christopher's head, the author can't explain that Christopher doesn't understand the "angry" face. This leads me to the theme, which is learning to see life through someone else's eyes. I think Haddon chose to write this book to convey the way that different types of people think, through an engaging method. Overall, I gave the novel 4 /5 stars because the plot was a bit sporadic because the transitions were often rocky, and it was lacking in the mystery elements. However, it was a very enlightening read that encouraged me to think out of the box.

Cover to Cover: Sisters Red

After a very long while of no Cover to Cover features, I've decided to do it again for a book I just read: Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce. You can see my review on Goodreads. :)

I've decided to do it a bit different this time. Brianna at the Book Nook, liked the idea and decided to give it a try as well. However, Brianna separated her thoughts and gave points to certain categories. I thought this was a great idea, however, I have created different categories than her. Each category will be marked out of 10.

The first cover here is the mass market paperback, though the cover is the same for hardcover, minus the quote at the top. I really love this cover. The characters are portrayed clearly but artistically on the cover, unlike many YA covers now that simply feature a beautiful girl's face staring at you. The plot is also portrayed by showing the Fenris clearly on the cover. The closeness of the two girl's faces also symbolizes their thought of sharing a heart expressed in the book. I think the graphics on this cover are some of the best I've ever seen. The incorporation of red, to represent the title, and black and white creates a striking cover and very nice balance. I really love the way there are two images flawlessly fitted into the other, almost like an optical illusion. The typography and placement of print on the cover is well done. The title, Sisters Red, is eye-catching but not overdone, with the first letter of each word being the focal point. The font chosen really represented that fairytale concept I was thinking of. I also like the use of white for the author's name, and the awesome quote at the top to tie in the colours. The cover is definitely one of the most original I have seen, focusing on beautiful illustrations rather than ball-gowns and photography which is very popular recently. The only thing lacking a little is the connections to the story, because though it does represent it in some ways, it is more generic things. Here come the scores!

Originality: 10
Graphics/Photography: 10
Typography: 9
Story Connections: 7
Total: 36/40

The next cover I've chosen is the newer paperback version. I love the typography on this cover! The way the blood red kind of transitions into orange is really neat, as if the sunlight is touching it. The font itself is beautiful and also reminds me of fairytales, and, though it is big and flashy, does not overwhelm any other aspects of the cover. The photography skills are very good, especially the background pictures of the sunlight and forest. However, that brings me to the point that photography is so common! You see it all the time on YA covers now, so it begins to lack in originality. Finally, the connections to the story are definitely apparent. The axe is what Scarlett uses to hunt the Fenris. Though people who have not read the book may not realize it, but the sunlight actually has significant meaning. In the novel, there is a time when they talk about a metaphoric story about a cave and facing the sunlight, so that was a really cool touch to the cover. That being said, it's missing a Fenris! I feel like there should be some incorporation of one of the werewolves, seeing as the quote on the cover talks about it! I think a cool addition would be maybe a pair of ochre eyes or something. 

Originality: 6

Graphics/Photography: 7

Typography: 9

Story Connections: 8

Total: 30/40

And here is the final cover! This cover is in German, and the words "Blutrote Schwestern" is roughly translated to Blood Red Sisters. I really like the image on this cover. The billowing red cloaks mixed in with the fog floating off the ground and the dark forest really sets the mood for the novel. Being a bit of a dark book at times, this cover did a great job of capturing that tone. I also love how the cloaks add a hint of pop to the otherwise dully coloured cover. However, I still don't see a Fenris! The photography skills and angles, again, are very nicely done. The moon and the fog add really nice touches, but like the last cover, loses more of the originality factor. I am delighted again though, that no faces are shown, which does make it different from other covers. It seamlessly involves the characters without taking away your chance to imagine the characters for yourself. I have to say, the typography on this cover though is a bit disappointing. To me, it's a little bit blah. Not eye-catching at all, though the rest of the cover is. The portrayal of the characters, Scarlett and Rosie, connects to the storyline, as well as the fact that they are off hunting in the woods, which is essentially what the book centres around. But the story centres around the Fenris too, and as mentioned before, I see none. 

Originality: 7
Graphics/Photography: 9
Typography: 5
Story Connections: 9
Total: 30/40
Bonus: 1

And the winner is... drumroll please... The first cover, the mass market hardcover and paperback! This cover won out for it's superb graphics and originality, while still connecting to the plot. There is, however, a tie for second place! In the event of a tie, I will give a bonus mark to the cover I personally believe may have upped the other or of personal preference. That being said, the winner of second place is the German cover, earning this position because of it's amazing portrayal of the storyline, little details, the way the red of the characters really popped, and finally, it's dark mood. Pulling into last place is the newer paperback cover, still earning a very respectable 30 points for it's great photography and typography.

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you want me to do more of these, and be sure to leave your thoughts on these covers in the comments!

Love, Stargirl- Book Review

My review of Love, Stargirl, the companion book to Stargirl. Hope you enjoy. :)

Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Sequel to Stargirl

Realistic Fiction/Romance

288 pages

**** (four stars)

    Through a yearlong letter to her former boyfriend, Leo, Stargirl reflects on her experience at Mica High and her new life in Pennsylvania. At her new home, she befriends her new, strange neighbors and finds herself drawn towards the nonchalant Perry Delloplane. As Stargirl struggles to find herself again, she thinks about Leo and tries to sort out her feelings for both him, and the strange delinquent, Perry, whom she finds herself oddly curious about. With new and old characters from Stargirl, this companion book allows us to follow Stargirl along her journey.

    "When a stargirl cries, she sheds not tears but light." (p. 182). This quote from Stargirl takes on a new meaning in Love, Stargirl. As a character in this book, Stargirl went through major changes. She lost her confidence and this quote didn't seem as true anymore as Stargirl lost what made her so special. However, throughout the book Stargirl transformed again to her refreshingly eccentric self, and these developments made me feel more invested in the story. I liked the format of the book as well, as they were organized in simple journal entries that made it easy to read and understand when it took place. Because of this, I was able to get through the book quickly, but I actually enjoyed it more than the first book, which is somewhat surprising. This book seemed to have more depth, and I liked Stargirl as a narrator better, though I did miss Leo's physical presence in the book. However, I was disappointed in Stargirl at first because she transformed from this unique, amazing character to an average teenage girl. I think Spinelli chose to write this from Stargirl's perspective to both reveal more about her character and way of thinking, and how she changed after meeting Leo. I admired how Stargirl rediscovered herself and realized she never had to change who she was, which was the theme of the book. Love, Stargirl inspired me to recognize and appreciate the little things that make our life special. 

The Princess Bride- Book Review

Here is my review on the amazing fantasy/adventure/romance novel, The Princess Bride, by the brilliant genius William Goldman. 

http://samantharaephotography.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/princessbride.jpg

The Princess Bride by William Goldman
No series (though one long, long chapter of a long-lost sequel)
Fantasy/Adventure/Romance
512 pages
***** (five stars)
Original Tale by S. Morgenstern

Westley and Buttercup were meant to be together. As soon as Buttercup realizes she's madly in love with the farmboy, Westley, he sails away to earn money for them to build their life together. Buttercup waits anxiously for his return when the news reaches: Westley's ship sank, and he is dead. Buttercup, as she mourns the loss of her true love, becomes more and more beautiful, finally reaching the status of the most beautiful woman in the world. In a rapid turn of events, Buttercup then finds herself engaged to the awful Prince Humperdinck... until she is whisked away by a motley trio of kidnappers: the giant Fezzik, the swordsman Inigo, and the evil genius Vizzini. How will Buttercup ever escape?

This book was filled with delightful plot twists! I love plot twists! Not only this, but William Goldman, who abridged the story (hint, hint) filled the book with amusing and interesting pieces of information and sub-stories about himself (more hints!) throughout the book. This narration really added another layer of depth to the novel. I also really enjoyed the character development throughout the book. Buttercup matured greatly from start to finish, and I was very pleased to learn more about different character's backstory (such as Inigo, my favourite character). I believe S. Morgenstern chose to reveal more about the sub-characters because it made me connect with them and the plot more deeply. As an author, the entire aim is to have the novel and characters relatable, so I commend Morgenstern on succeeding. The theme of this novel is if you love someone with all your heart, you will always find a way to be together. With a perfect combination of adventure, love, and humour, this book let me fall right into its pages. If you are 12+ and enjoy intense yet comical adventures, I beg you to read this! 

The Literary Dinner Party

Hello everyone! Here is my literary dinner party video tag from Renee @ Nehomas2 on Youtube. The images and music I used are not my own! I have cited them at the end of the video. I had a lot of fun putting it together, so enjoy!

Insurgent- Book Review

So, if you saw my previous post you'll know that I recently finished reading Insurgent by Veronica Roth, which is the sequel to Divergent. You'll also know that I was pretty crazy about it. So here is my book review to prove to you that I'm NOT crazy, because the book is just so good!

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Sequel to Divergent
Dystopian/Science-Fiction
525 pages
**** */* (four and a half stars) 

“We both have war inside us. Sometimes it keeps us alive. Sometimes it threatens to destroy us.” This dystopian action novel takes places in a future society where it's inhabitants are bound to the values of their faction. In light of this, a bitter rebellion is rising against the Erudite faction. Fuelled by the fury from the barbaric elimination of the Abnegation, the remaining factions plot against the leaders of the disastrous war. In the middle of all the secrets and conflict is Tris Prior, a sixteen-year-old girl with courage, and maybe too much strong-will. Forced to face her divergence, Tris fights against the city itself to disclose the information that could revolutionize the new world... or destroy it. 

This book was so packed with action and suspense that I couldn't put it down, even when I wanted to! Roth did a masterful job of keeping her characters real. I felt Tris's pain when she grieved over the losses, and my heart ached when my favourite characters lost their lives in the epic struggle. I understood Tris and her choices and felt like her emotions were believable.  And though the book contains a very large amount of violence (the loss of lives I admit is high), there wasn’t excess gore, which I liked. Because of the choices and realizations Tris makes near the end of the book, I discovered the theme is appreciating those you love, and learning to value your own life. The only thing I didn't like was the fact that Roth never explained how the society came to be, and how the factions were initially developed. That being said, I am hoping this will be explained in the third book of the trilogy. I highly recommend this book to action lovers who are 13 and over, due to inappropriate content and violence.

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/187/8/b/divergent_faction_symbols_brush_set_by_xsavannahxx-d566bti.png 

*Please check out my Insurgent post! I have some information regarding the titles of the books.