1.31.2011

Magazine Monday (01)

Bust is a bi-monthly United States-based women's lifestyle magazine. It was founded in 1993 by Debbie Stoller, Laurie Henzel, and Marcelle Karp. Bust covers music, fashion, art, crafting, sex and news from an independent, Third Wave Feminist perspective.

The trio wanted to create a new, positive, outspoken women's magazine for their generation and started the then-zine by photocopying and stapling issues themselves after work. Editor-in-Chief Debbie Stoller named the magazine Bust, because it was "aggressive and sexy and funny". While Bust had the connotation of "breaking through and busting stereotypes", she also liked that "it was a title that could belong to a men's porn magazine". The tagline is "For Women With Something To Get Off Their Chests."


Feb/March 2011 - Volume 67

Bust is one of my favorite magazines. The perspective it takes is in-line with my views on many issues. The writers are all great and really do the homework for the types of articles they have. I'm going to talk a little bit about this Feb/March issuse, which is all about SEX!

Some of the articles include:

"Blonde Ambition - Portia de Rossi proves that self-acceptance is the sexiest accessory of all. By Priya Jain"

I hope everyone gets a chance to read Portia de Rossi's memior, Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain, because it is powerful! Jain did a great job interviewing de Rossi about her fight with aneroxia, her views on being a feminist, and her coming out and marriage to Ellen DeGeneres. Each question adds something to the interview; there isn't vapid "What's your favorite food/color/hair product?" questions. In four pages the reader gets the meat of the story!

"Like a Virgin - Uncovering the Christian crusade to keep girls' mitts off their naughty bits. By Blaire Briody"

Briody explores the culture of Dirty Girls Ministries, which is an organization said to help women recover from their "porn addiction". However, as Briody discovers, those two words are misleading, and many of these young women are being condemned or shunned for their "extra curricular activities" under the sheets, which is quoted to be two ties or less a week. This article is interesting because it highlights the spin in which certain organizations put on issues in order to gain their way. now if someone feels they have a porn addiction and wish to seek treatment, I support that; it's your decision. But I don't support the preaching that a sexual appetite is wrong or unhealthy. Definitely was an interesting read!

"The Naked Truth - Bloggers who exposed their sex lives on the Internet talk about playing with fire and getting burned. By Emily McCombs"

I turned to this article first because I was intrigued by these women who were brave enough to put something as personal as their sex lives online without being in the porn industry. They speak of the repercussions, but also the community that has popped up around this topic. It was amazing to read about how intensely some people hate these women. I'm definitely on the side of if you don't agree then don't read it!

There other gems include in each issue, such as "She-bonics", which takes funny/inspiring/awesome quotes from some of the top females in today's culture. "Buy or DIY", which always gives a cool DIY project (this issue it was mobiles). And "One-Handed Read", which features an erotic story at the very back; always very satisfying ; ).

WARNING: This magazine is NOT for anyone younger than 17 or 18. It is not meant for teens, but if the teen is mature enough I think this would develop her (or his!) sense of feminism to a higher degree! If you want some more information about Bust and other feminist magazines, this NY Times article, "The New Feminist Mystique", is good even if it's from 2001.

1.30.2011

Poetry Sunday (01)

This is a fabulous new blog feature here at Eli to the nth! Thanks to Genna from Reading, Writing, and the World of Words, who created this awesome feature and gave me the permission to host it here, as well as, use her cute graphic! Poetry is one of my passions, but I have yet to share it here. So this feature gives me the perfect opportunity to do so!

I'm starting it off right with one of my favorite, favorite poems about writing and being a writer.

so you want to be a writer
by Charles Bukowski

if it doesn't come bursting out of you in spite of everything, don't do it. unless it comes unasked out of your heart and your mind and your mouth and your gut, don't do it. if you have to sit for hours staring at your computer screen or hunched over your typewriter searching for words, don't do it. if you're doing it for money or fame, don't do it. if you're doing it because you want women in your bed, don't do it. if you have to sit there and rewrite it again and again, don't do it. if it's hard work just thinking about doing it, don't do it. if you're trying to write like somebody else, forget about it. if you have to wait for it to roar out of you, then wait patiently. if it never does roar out of you, do something else. if you first have to read it to your wife or your girlfriend or your boyfriend or your parents or to anybody at all, you're not ready. don't be like so many writers, don't be like so many thousands of people who call themselves writers, don't be dull and boring and pretentious, don't be consumed with self- love. the libraries of the world have yawned themselves to sleep over your kind. don't add to that. don't do it. unless it comes out of your soul like a rocket, unless being still would drive you to madness or suicide or murder, don't do it. unless the sun inside you is burning your gut, don't do it. when it is truly time, and if you have been chosen, it will do it by itself and it will keep on doing it until you die or it dies in you. there is no other way. and there never was.

Metamorphosis: Junior Year (Review)

Title: Metamorphosis: Junior Year

Edition: Hardcover, 128 pages

Author(s): Betsy Franco

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Date: October 13, 2009

Source: Amazon.com

Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

The Summary

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Life. Love. Death. Identity.

Ovid’s got a lot on his mind, and he pours it all — as confessions, observations, narrative poems, and drawings — into the pages of a notebook. Inspired by his namesake, he wryly records his classmates’ dramas as modern-day Roman mythology. There’s Sophie and Caleb, the Psyche and Cupid of cyber-couples; poetic Paula, who pursues filmmaker Franny like Apollo chasing Daphne; and graphic novelist Duwayne, a Proserpina shuttling between divorced parents. Meanwhile, Ovid hides his own Olympian struggles: his meth addict sister Thena has run off, leaving him with a suffocating home life and a disturbing secret. In her striking YA debut, Betsy Franco introduces an expressive soul with a heartbreakingly authentic voice. Fantastical ink illustrations by her son Tom Franco enhance the intimate tone, delving deep into one intriguing teen’s imagination.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

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What drew me to this book wasn't a review from a fellow book blogger, or even word of mouth from a friend. Nope, I bought this based on plain old book summary (the one listed above in fact). I have an obsession with Greek/Roman mythology. I've read The Odyssey 20 times, watched each movie made about the myths (super excited for The Eagle to be coming out!), and tried to read as many YA books based on the subject (some of my favorites: Psyche in a Dress by Francesca Lia Block, The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan, The Eagle of the Ninth (The Roman Britain Trilogy) by Rosemary Sutcliff & Nobody's Princess (Princesses of Myth) by Esther M. Friesner). So when I saw that Betsy Franco (mother of James Franco) used Ovid's Metamorphoses in a modern context I was excited!

Unfortunately, when I started to read I was disappointed. Yes, the story is told in poetry, with a mix of prose to make it more tangible for modern teens, and the illusions of each character is really good, there isn't enough. Like when you get a bite of some great dessert, but that's all? That's how this book was for me. I wanted more: more character development, more explication, more coherence. I think it would have been easy to accomplish with the format presented.

This is really upsetting because the writing is beautiful. There are some really great lines: "But Thena beat every poetic bone out of their bodies. They walled up that part of themselves, and it'd take a lightning bolt to crack them open again" (pg. 66). But no matter how good the writing is, the plot is suffering. All the reader has to wrap up a book with some pretty intense issues being explored, such as, cutting, anorexia, sexual abuse, meth addiction, is an epilogue that simply has a couple of lines about each character.

In addition, Franco has her other son, Tom, include his art to help illustrate the book. The drawings are suppose to be as if Ovid (the protagonist, go figure) is drawing them. I understand what Franco is trying to do, but I don't feel this really adds anything to the book. The drawings are somewhat confusing to look at, which could have been really good as Ovid is confused and dealing with a lot of things, but they end up just detracting.

I really wanted to love this book, but I didn't. I like it, I don't regret buying it, but I just wish it was ten times thicker than it is.

Final Rating

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Book Cover: 4.5/5

Book Title: 3/5

Plot: 6.5/10

Characters: 7/10

Writing: 8/10

Ending:6/10

Overall: 35/50 - C

1.28.2011

Follow Friday (03)

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee at Parajunkee's View. It is an awesome opportunity to network other book blogs. Here's a blurb about it from her site!

Hi, welcome to Follow Friday! Let me tell you what is going on today. First PJV will be featuring one blogger from this great community each Friday along with having the Follow My Book Blog feature. Each week one blogger will be selected as a feature, so sign up for the Follow Feature. Future features are picked randomly.

This week's question is:

What is/was your favorite subject in school?

I love English so much, I'm studying Secondary English Education at University.

Of course, I'm going a little crazy in my internship right now. But still. Love it.

1.19.2011

In My Mailbox (03)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and inspired by inspired by one of her friends, Alea of Pop Culture Junkie where we get to post about the books we receive each week through publishers/authors, our own purchases, contests won, and libraries.

Bought:

BtVS: Predators and Prey

BtVS: Retreat

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Need by Carrie Jones
I bought all of these with my birthday money! All of them have been on my TBR list for a while! Especially the Buffy comics; I was a fanatic and the fact that Joss continued Season 8 in comic form made me so happy!

Gift:

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

I got this for my birthday from my boss. Daniel Radcliffe is starring in the movie version, so he said I needed to read the book before I see the movie, which I definitely agree with!

Won:

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

I won this from a contest, that I can't remember! I feel so bad, but am so grateful for the book!

1.16.2011

Glitz Book Trailer

Glitz by Philana Marie Boles

Looks like a really cool urban book! I think there isn't enough out in "mainstream" and I hope readers pick this one up.

1.15.2011

Goodbye to 2010 Giveaway!

Taschima at Bloody Bookaholic is hosting one of the most generous giveaways!

Taschima:

"2010 was such a great year for YA!! I decided to celebrate the new year with a fantabulous giveaway!!! I have them stashed on a box, they need a new home and someone who will take care of them and read them. "

There are 3 winners that are receiving 10 books each. SO I hope I win. Like, I REALLY hope I win!
All my followers should check the contest out if you haven't already. Link is the picture above!

Good luck (but I hope I win more LOL)

1.14.2011

Follow Friday (02)

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee at Parajunkee's View. It is an awesome opportunity to network other book blogs. Here's a blurb about it from her site!

Hi, welcome to Follow Friday! Let me tell you what is going on today. First PJV will be featuring one blogger from this great community each Friday along with having the Follow My Book Blog feature. Each week one blogger will be selected as a feature, so sign up for the Follow Feature. Future features are picked randomly.

This week's question is: What makes up your non-human family?? My non-human friendly consists of this guy:

His name is Jebbery (pronounced like Jeffery, but with Bs), Jebbers/Jib-Jab/Jeb for short.

He is a Beagle/Basset Hound mix.

I got him for my 22nd birthday, and will have had him for a year on January 20th.

He is a rescue dog from the Tampa Bay Beagle Rescue (WARNING: don't view webpage unless you're yearning for a puppy. They tug at your heart), and I could not have gotten a better dog. My sister and I went to an adoption event with a different dog in mind, who turned out to be a little too hyper for us. But as we were walking to leave, Jeb nudged up against my leg and I immediately fell in love.

God gave Jeb to me that day, and I thank him for it always.

Friday Covers (03)

Friday Covers is a weekly meme inspired by Cover Crazy, which is hosted by Tawni at The Book Worms. The point of this meme is to admire the art and beauty of a book’s design. In my interpretation, I'm not only admiring covers, but criticizing them as well.

For this Friday's post I'm comparing the book covers of My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent. Now I just found out about this book thanks to Dwayne over at Girls Without a Bookshelf. It looks really interesting; I especially love that it is about bean Sidhe, a creature not many people know about.

It is being released in the UK in early January by new publishing group MIRA Books (if you read GWB, you've heard a little about MIRA), and they've released the cover:

It is absolutely gorgeous!!!!!! I love the smoke surrounding, what I assume to be Kaylee, the protagonist. Also the use of red evokes a desire and a violence which often surrounds supernatural beings. The typography is really beautiful. I love how they highlighted Take but making it cursive and adding the red highlights. Finally, the girl is screaming, which ties right into the title of the series "Soul Screamers". In all I think this is a great cover!

Here is the US version released by Harlequin (which MIRA is an imprint of. Go figure):

Now this one, I have some problems with. First, I don't like the whole cover being red.

It's hard to look at and isn't appealing. I feel it makes it too much of a supernatural

romance than the book really is. Secondly, The girl on the cover looks like some sort of acrobatic gypsy, and not at all like a teenage girl. Finally, the typography is a little hard to read, especially the series title "Soul Screamers". It isn't a great cover compared to the new one.

I wonder how much say an author really has on the cover of their book? Did Rachel Vincent like this cover, or does she like the new one better? I suppose that's be like asking a parent which child they like better.

Tell me what you guys think in the comments. I promise next week I'll simply have a cover I'm gushing over!

As always DFTBA,

1.12.2011

Delirium by Lauren Oliver Giveaway!!!!

Yes, you read that right! Lauren Oliver is giving away 5 signed copies of her finished book, Delirium. In addition each winner is receiving an cool book thong made by Lauren's friend Briana at The Book Pixie.

This is such an awesome and generous giveaway, and I encourage all of you to enter (click the picture to get to the giveaway).

If you're not familiar with Delirium (which shame on you!), here is the summary from Goodreads:

"Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love - the deliria - blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love."

Waiting On Wednesday (04)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we seriously can’t wait for.

Here's my pick for the week, that I seriously can't wait for. I know it's already out, but I'm still waiting:

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

"Keep Your Head Down.
Don't Get Noticed.

Or Else.

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution."

This sounds like such an interesting universe. I haven't heard a story like this, so I'm excited to see where Synder is going to go with it. It is also a part of a series. I love me some series!

What are you waiting for?

1.11.2011

Across the Universe (Review)

Title: Across the Universe

Edition: Hardcover, 416 pages

Author(s): Beth Revis

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: January 11, 2010

Source: NCTE (ARC)

Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

The Summary

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A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

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Beth Revis has a hit a home run with her debut novel, Across the Universe! I couldn't put this book down. I ignored everyone and everything for two days while I was reading. I liked every single thing about this book: the characters, the plot, the world; all enthralling and interesting. I haven't been this engulfed in a book since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, so that's saying something.

Each chapter pushed into the next, perpetuating the mystery fueling the entire book. The mystery within the book isn't just one single solid line; it has cracks branching off of it at every turn. The cracks converge and diverge in and out of the plot, which simply keeps the readers hooked:

Who unfreezes Amy?

Why did they do it?

How is she connected to the other victims?

Who is Elder/Eldest?

Where are Elder's parents?

What is the plague?

What happened to the previous Elder?

Who's the man Doc and Eldest are afraid of?

See, cracks just splintered from the main mystery: Why are these people here for and what happened to Godspeed? The best part is that, while there are clues through the whole book, you don't learn the truth of Godspeed until the end. Then it, of course, continues on to the next book (which I want nownownow!).

Revis's writing is beautiful. The story is told from two alternating points of view, Elder's and Amy's. Often the reader sees snippets of the same event from each point of view with additional details added. Sometimes, while Amy is doing something, the next chapter will be at the same time, but wherever Elder is at that moment. The progression of the story can also be seen in the writing. At the beginning the voice of each character reflects their situation: Amy is frozen and her thoughts are dreamlike and philosophical. Elder is caught in a leadership role and as such his rhetoric is stark. However, as the story progresses, the two voices start to emulate each other; Elder becomes more emotional and Amy becomes more logical.

The characters and the world building are both another amazing part of the story. Revis is able to flesh out her world so well, that I feel even the slightest character is actualized. Each person has a personality, even when that person doesn't have a personality, as with the Feeders (when you read it you'll understand). The brutality which is seen in this society is perfectly constructed. I can feel it happening, but at the same time it is simply a fact of life for these people. The mix of dystopian, science fiction, and romance is one of the most amazing jobs I have seen within a book.

I recommend Across the Universe to every single person who enjoys reading. I'm not kidding. I think it has something fro everyone; the themes are endless: dystopia, sci-fi, mystery, murder, romance, coming-of-age, etc. The themes presented are for older kids, but younger kids could read it if a parent is there to help guide them and answer questions.

GO OUT AND BUY IT! LINKS TO PURCHASE ARE ABOVE.

IT CAME OUT IN STORES TODAY, 1-11-11!!! SO DON'T WAIT!

Taken from www.bethrevis.com Check out the EXTRAS page if you can find it!

Final Rating

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Book Cover: 5/5

Book Title: 5/5

Plot: 10/10

Characters: 9/10

Writing: 10/10

Ending: 10/10

Overall: 50/50 - A

That's right a perfect 50/50. It totally deserves it!

1.10.2011

A New Blogger Question

I have a couple questions for the established bloggers:

Do you work? And if so, what do you do?

How do you make time to read/write while working?

The reason I ask is that I'm going to be starting my internship next week

and my free time will drop to nothing.

I'm up for any stories/advices/suggestions to help me out!

Thank you, and as always don't forget to be awesome!

Top 5 (Last Week's)

Hosted by Larissa over at Larissa's Life

This (LAST) week’s theme is Best Book Covers of 2010!

(Some of these might not have been published in 2010, but I discovered them in 2010)

Rules:

1 - Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the theme Larissa chose for the week.
2 - Mention this Blog on the post and link back to it.
3 - Fell free to use the Feature's image (there is a smaller size version of it below Larissa's post)
4 - After you've finished your post, add your link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the
Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post on Larissa's blog.

I have such weird feelings about covers. Sometimes I like them right away, sometimes I hate them right away, and sometimes they grow on me (I think it helps if I like the book). So here are my 5 picks!

I like all of these for a couple of reasons.

One: the simplicity of design. I love how clean each book cover is; my eye isn't overwhelmed.

Two: each also has an amazing pop of color. Color always attracts me to a book first.

Three: I think each cover shows a part of the plot/character in the story. This is an important aspect because I feel this is the point of a book cover.

Overall, book covers are so important! If they weren't we wouldn't use them. So next time you pick up a book, really give the cover a once over.

Do you like or not, and why?

Defiance Book Trailer

Defiance: A Strange Angels novel by Lili St. Crow

I'm really excited to read this series and the next book looks awesome!

1.09.2011

In My Mailbox (02)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and inspired by inspired by one of her friends, Alea of Pop Culture Junkie where we get to post about the books we receive each week through publishers/authors, our own purchases, contests won, and libraries.

From the store:

All of these were bought either at Books-A-Million, Target (LOL), or Haslam's Book Store,

Mexican High by Liza Monroy

Spud by John Van de Ruit

Kitty, Kitty: A Novel (Bad Kitty #2) by Michele Jaffe

The Boyfriend List (Ruby Oliver #1) by E. Lockhart

Ninth Grade Slays (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod #2) by Heather Brewer

Tenth Grade Bites ( The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod #3) by Heather Brewer