Ruby in the Smoke

Hellooo Fellow bloggers,
Today I'm reviewing a book I just finished. It is by Philip Pullman and is called Ruby in the Smoke as you can see from the picture.
It is about a girl named Sally Lockhart, who is newly orphaned, and she receives a mysterious letter from her deceased father warning her about something called the "Seven Blessings". What unfolds is a sometimes confusing, yet predictable story with an anti-climatic ending. The characters all felt kind of flat, I didn't care for them and it wasn't very scary. The only thing possibly scary about it was the amazing amount of opium use which is nothing new because it's used in practically every Victorian fiction story. I really wanted to like it, because the back were they tell you what it's bout looked like a promising story. But it wasn't and left me with a bad feeling because it was so gosh darn depressing,and unsatisfying.
It got a lot of praise, so I'm sure for others it might be interesting. But for me it was one of the more uninteresting young adult mysteries I've read.

The Author Reviews Coraline and a Book

HELLLOOOOO fellow bloggers,
Okay, so I think I'll make this quick. I went to see the Coraline movie last week with my darling sister, and I liked it. She was freaked out a bit, but I think she liked it too. I could be wrong though. The more I think about it the more I realize I didn't like it as much as the book. It doesn't make my top ten, but neither did the book. The cat is a great character in the book and movie but wasn't (in my opinion) used enough in the movie, Coraline lacked some emotion in the book and had a lot more in the movie, but she was kinda bratty, and decided to hate her next door neighbor for no reason. Although she did have a reason later on, but that's beside the point. Anyway it was nice and scary and the 3D was cool. The stop motion was nicely done too. It's definitely good, but not great. All in all if you look hard enough you can learn alot from it like "It's better that you don't get everything you want.","your mothers the best mother for you.","pay attention to your kids or someone else will" or even "if you see someone with button eye run like heck in the opposite direction." and "when in doubt throw a cat."


My second review is for a book I just finished called Savvy. It is about a little girl named Mib's, who lives in a family that get's a special power on their 13 birthday. It's almost her 13 birthday but suddenly her father gets into a terrible accident. After a misunderstanding over her new power, she finds herself on a road trip to her fathers hospital, with a bible salesman, her two brothers, and the preachers kids. the book is very cute as it tells about the ups and downs of growing up and making decisions, and finding out who you are. It also really sounds like it is written by a 13 year old girl from Kansas/Nebraska.
Well, I have to get going now, but i just wanted to write this all out real quick before I forgot.

Coraline Alphabet Posters

Helllloooooo fellow bloggers,
These are alphabet posters for the new movie Coraline. Each of the letters are words having to do with characters, things, and plot lines. This is my favorite and it's for my favorite character, the cat. He doesn't have a name because he says cat's are secure in who they are therefore they do not need them. Humans on the other hand, need time to feel comfortable in themselves. I thought he was very smart and funny and said exactly what a cat would say if they could speak.

Another Off Day

Hellllooooo fellow bloggers,
I wish I had a camera, I really do. then you could see that the world around me, (or at least outside my house) is covered in powdery glistening snow.
it was even more beautiful yesterday in the moonlight. It's the second wensday in a row that it has snowed and we got off from work. I can just imagine all the little children we teach bundled up in their winter coats and playing out in the snow. Making snow men and having snowball fights. Sometimes I miss being that young. But I guess your ideal of fun changes. I'm going to be perfectly happy grabbing my new mysteries, curling up on the couch and reading them.
Also my cousin is down for the week, so when she wakes up and my sister does it should add to the days pleasures. We always have a lot of fun with my cousins.
oh also as a P.S. I finished my first Agatha Christie novel (yay me!) I really like it, it was very interesting and fun to read. I'm starting on my second this week.

Creepy books, Funny books and Everything in Between.

Hellloooo Fellow Bloggers,
During the past couple of weeks I've been putting more time in my schedule to read a few books, short, long, just as long as their worth the time. As my mother pointed out to me after I read "Twilight";and complained about it, I am a book snob. I just don't read any type of book. They have to have a special something to them.
So this week I read a book, Coraline, that had that special something. It's a story about a girl; and I'm sure your seen it in the media,who walks through a door in her house and finds a world exactly like her old one except everything is much more interesting, and much creepier. She finds a women their with black buttons for eyes who claims to be her other mother. Soon Coraline realize her real parents have been kidnapped and she must rescue them. It is a story that I think has many different types of lessons, all which are important, and I don't want to give too much away, so if you like dark books this is one to read. but I don't recommend it if your a sensitive reader.
They are also making a stop motion movie of it, here is the trailer, it looks good and I hope to go see it.

I got out a lot of books from the library, probably a lot more then I can read, but I like to have them around. I got out the sequel to a book I read a year ago called "The Name of This Book is Secret". Reminiscent of Lemony Snickets style, I'll always like this book because last year I had a dry spell with reading. I'd get out a book but never finish it. This book though was funny, and nicely written. So I persevered with this it and finally finished it. It was like a spell was broken and suddenly I was able to finish reading all the books I got out. Sometimes I still don't finish books, but usually it's for a good reason now. I just bought a book from the library, for 25 cents. It's a historical novel, which looks like a lot of fun, and I'll probably finish it, eventually. I did buy it after all...

The Writer Blabs on...

HELLLLOOOOO fellow Bloggers,
Today, The sky is gray, which is no surprise to me because a storm is coming, and lately it's been raining enough to rival Forks Washington. (haha)
Yesterday, while I was watching superstars of dance for my mom (which i don't really understand because some of the dancer aren't very super) I saw this girl who did a tap dance number to Jerry Lewis's typewriter song. I liked it but the Judges didn't. Although disappointing, the group team from America really lifted us out of last place. They were super good, they are called the groovaloo's and you should totally look them up on youtube.
The Ireland team, although good seems to just be doing Lord of the dance all over again. I mean I recognize all the dances, and I was trying to think of why they were doing that. Maybe they're traditional dances, I don't know but, it lessens my impressed level.
Recently I've been having this problem, I want absolute quiet whenever I sit down to read a book, but usually I read in the afternoon, since I finished all my chores and schoolwork. But the afternoon, is when my family comes home, and for some reason I can never concentrate on my book, if people are talking, watching a movie, or listening to music. It never used to bother me before but now it does, and the slightest noise makes me freak out 'cause I can't read then.All I want to do is enjoy a nice book, but I can't tell my family and everything else around me to stop what they're doing just so I can read. So last night when I had a particularly bad episode of failing to concentrate under noise, after I felt better, it suddenly reminded me of an Animaniacs song that Dot sings. So here it is enjoy. ^_^




When I finished watching it, I looked down at the comments and this was one of them I read that was super funny: "Cheap romance horror thriller novels? Sounds like Twilight." haha! I was thinking the same thing when Dot said that. ^_^
Well, I hope to soon conquer this noise problem I'm having. I'm going to pray for some patience and tolerance. I also thought that maybe it's caused by lack of sleep, so tonight, I'm gonna work on one solution I thought of, and go to bed early.
Soooooooo long until next time.

Life is just so...daily...

Hellooo fellow bloggers,
I haven't posted anything in a while because nothing particularly exciting has happened. Except for yesterday. A little boy escaped his parents in a nursing home and my friend and I were the ones who found him on the 5th floor. The parents we're very happy. But the 3rd and 4th floor were under construction and looked really creepy. Going up in the elevator I resisted the urge to sing chopsticks...which I know you probably think is weird so I'll explain it. In an Animaniacs episode Wakko is stuck in an elevator with his psychiatrist and he sings every song he knows until he runs out. so he starts singing chopsticks. Animaniacs songs are so much fun to sing.
We are know on a 3 week vacation from the friendship circle. then we will go back and become friends with a new child. My friend hasn't had time to bond with any of the children because they kept switching each week. But maybe this next session she'll have a steady buddy.
My friend liked the drama session so much that she got to perform in the Hanukkah play as the king. It was alot of fun to watch and everyone really liked it.
My poor brother really bruised his nose yesterday while snowboarding. It scared me so much when he came into the house with a giant band-aid over his nose. It's hard to look at because it looks like it really hurts but he claims it does not.
So my friend left to comment on my last post asking how I liked the Twilight movie, so I thought I'd answer here since I'm not that good at full blown reviews. The music was
really beautiful as well as the scenery. The baseball scene was fun, and we laughed alot. I think that pretty much covers it. ^_^
Well I must go and tend to a pot of rice i have on the stove. So goodbye until next time. Oh and also, check out my art on deviantart! i posted up some Twilight comics that my mother thought were hilarious.
http://thepacclub.deviantart.com/

Attack of the Literary Critic Halfway Through a Book

Thought I'd try a Different Font and color. But that really has nothing to do with my post today. My post today is about books i'm halfway through and what i think about them.
I Have Three so far:
Arthur Conan Doyle--A Study in Scarlet
Lyn Gardner--Into the Woods
James Kennedy--The Order of Odd-Fish (I know, ODD title)

I'll Start with the Second on my list. Into the Woods. Into the Woods has an interesting plotline, set in a world that's a mix of fairytale and real life. It's about an adventurous girl named Storm who must protect a mysterious pipe from the wrong hands because it is the wish of her dying mother. The wrong hands soon show up in the form of a creepy exterminator named Dr. Dewilde who loves Wolves and Rats and wants the pipe for his on neferious plans.
I like all the weird situations Storm and her sisters get into trying to thwart Dr. Dewilde, there are more then enough references to popular fairytales that make it interesting as it goes on. But the writing does feel a bit choppy, and forced at times. If you just dismiss those facts it's a nice easy romp. The illustrations, by Mini Grey are really nice too.
Now to James Kennedys' the Order of Odd-Fish. Now at first it sounds like a cookbook but it's not. The Front Cover caught my attention in the teen section on last weeks visit to the library. The inside plot is as follows, Lily Larouche former starlit, finds a baby girl in her washing machine one day with a note that says "This is Jo. Please take care of her. But beware. This is a DANGEROUS baby." Not paying attention to the capitals in Danger Lily raises the baby who proves to be anything but dangerous until her thirteenth year. Then on Lily's annual christmas party weird things begin to happen, Jo meets a Russian Colonel who is shot by a boy dressed up as a Hedgehog and a gaint cockroach is found in the basement tied up and complaining about the tabloids, plus a mysterious package falls from the sky for Jo, from the Order of Odd-fish.
All that sounds like a terrific head-ache but it actually plays out quite nicely and quickly. I find it rather well written, with a good sense of humor. Lily and the Russian Colonel are sufficently crazy, and the cockroach is suprisingly likeble with a great wit. Jo, has not only proved to be undangerous in what I've read but she seems more then unusually wimpy and unquirky for someone who was found in a washing machine. I had hopes for a different kind of heroine but I hope she turns out better as it goes along.
Now For A Study in Scarlet. What can I say but I love it! I find it very interesting even when all Sherlock and Watson are doing is talking about the science of observation. Sherlock is a great detective, and has come across to me as kinda quirky in his own logical way which I liked, and Watson a great bioghrapher. I'm enjoying it immensely and can't wait to finish.
Okay that's all for today!
Adios!

Disappointment

Hi,
So last week, after being trapped in a house where the same movie was watched over in sucession and little girls blasted my ears out with Jonas brothers music I was ready for a break.
Unfortunately the bookstore My aunt,cousin, and I went to was just as annoying as my week. They didn't have what I was looking for so I'll have to get it off line. But I did manage to buy one book (it was a mystery) and my cousin spent time trying to decide on a wig set or a stationary set. I was buying for her (aren't i nice). I thought i might look for something new to read, something out of the mystery genre, so i checked the teen section. But i didn't find anything interesting, except a bunch of highly girly books about things I didn't care about or didn't relate to(Like school cliques, i've never been in a public school and i've never had problem with cliques) I found nothing of real quality. Which makes me realize the stunning lack of good teen literature out there.
Regardless to say because I couldn't find anything I felt still a little depressed, but hopefully if It rains (^_^) I'll be able to snap out of it.

Three Bags Full

I just finished reading a very good murder mystery story where the detectives are sheep. Yes that's right, one morning the flock of George Gleen wake up to find him dead with a spade right through him.
They soon set out to find out who killed their beloved shepherd. Looking at the world through a sheeps eye view the author, Leonie Swann writes a funny, engaging, and sometimes scary murder mystery that keeps you guessing. You really learn to care for the sheep characters, and the way they see the world is interesting and amusing.
You can really learn alot about humans from it and it has some really good lines. I really liked it and read most of it in one night. It's definately worth reading. who'd of thought that sheep would make such good detectives?

The Struggles of Writing

One of my goals in life is to be a novelist. You might ask what I've written. well to tell the truth not much. My only completed book was 12 pages and was written when i was nine. i rewrote it when i was 11 but it disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

Well my proudest work is L&C, which as far as an outline is complete. I know what is going to happen from beginning to end but writing it out is another thing. My mind always shifts from idea to idea and trying to make it stay on one for more then a second has...been quite difficult.

My sister often likes to make jokes about this and has told me on more then one occasion to stuff all my ideas into one book and call it inconsistency. I must say for a while this daunted me. But i love coming up with ideas that it didn't last for long. B''H i usually get right back up and keep working. I try to keep this up no matter how many writers blocks i come across, (and believe me it happens often) so hopefully you'll be walking through the bookstores and see my latest work. I really hope you do. ^_^

Books: If you read, you might as well read something good

Ever since I was a little girl I’ve loved reading. Before i read i looked at pictures and imagined stories for them. I loved being read to and i was thrilled when i finally learned enough reading skills to start chapter books.

But as I got older I found out that good books became harder and harder to find. Especially mysteries. I love mysteries but apparently every other 16 year old doesn't. But i must say the ones i did find, were well worth reading.

My favorites have been Kiki Strike: In the shadow city and its wonderful sequel the empress’s tomb. Kiki Strike is the story of six girls with unusual talents suppressed by there monotone lives until they discover a secret city under New York City.









It's well written, realistic enough too maybe happen, and lots of fun. I couldn't put it down, which was bad because I have a lot of things to do during the day.

The other one I liked came as a surprise to me was Skullduggery Pleasant a book about a walking talking wise cracking skeleton detective. Although it scared me (It was a horror book for kids but I am VERY, very easily scared) it was soo well written and the characters so unbelievably witty I couldn't help but finish it.




I look forward to its sequel, and to catch up with the girls of Kiki Strike when its next book comes out. So if you like good books, with somewhat predictable plots that are not ruined because they have such great characters definitely check these books out.

If you like straight up fantasy check out Diana Wynne Jones first chrestomanci book: Charmed life. This one i mention because even though the others are very good as well this one stands on its own as one of the best.




It's about a powerful sorcerer and a young witches attempt to impress him no matter if she gets her seemingly untalented brother into life threatening situations. This book has characters that make your react to them and several unexpected plot twists. Her other good works include Howls moving castle which was turned into a beautiful animated film.

If you like a little romance about dragons and princess's in weird situations try the Frog princess series by E.D. Baker.

Story behind the story fan, you might like the looking glass wars which is a take on Alice in wonderland. Although it seems a little too ridiculously serious for an Alice book it still has entertaining moments. As far as straight up mysteries...still looking, but if I find any I'll let you know. Unless you find one first. In that case, let me know ^_^

My First Character/My First Chapter

When i was twelve years old my friend gave me a story she had created when she was much younger about a superhero named Super Kid. She had started drawing him out on her math books and notebooks and had made a whole group of superheroes. When she gave them to me i changed most of her characters around, but it also gave me a chance to create my first character who i am very fond of. Nati Brecker was the first character i ever drew and his name (Nati)is actually short for Naftali. I created him to be a very quirky character, but he's also very smart. I've always liked comedy the best, and my favorite comedy is a good screwball comedy with crazy characters and even crazier situations. So i try to bring that across in me stories and i loved to write it.
For a long time after she gave me her story i had a hard time figuring out a story for her characters. Nothing seemed to fit them, until i decided to make a build up for the main character. Now I finally came up with a good story, and i wanted to post it as soon as possible.
So even though it might not make too much sense at first, I hope you enjoy this rather small chapter for the beginning of my friends. I'll write more about it soon^_^

Dedicated To Kayla Reill Kids Creator. (Hope you don't mind me featuring Nati first but don't worry, Kid will be worth the wait.)

Kid Dudeton
Nati Brecker worked in the packaging department at murder house inc. the place where our story opens. The packaging department is in the basement and has vents to all over the building and it is often very convenient to use as an eavesdropping tool. Nati would spend lots of time in front of these vents learning everything that went on in the building, even more then the security cameras. There were no security cameras in the basement. There should have been but they had all been disconnected by Nati’s younger brother Daryl. No one ever thought to fix them because no one ever paid attention to the packaging workers.
So Nati and Daryl were left to do what they pleased. It was on this day that our story begins that Nati was listening in at the vents, and learned something that had been top secret to the company.
“So how are the inmates doing?” Nati heard E. Cloud voice ask. he was the C.E.O of murder house.
“They refuse to say anything, and that brat Ted keeps trying to mess with the electrical locks.” Colin replied angrily.
“Then make the room neutralize the affect.” E. Cloud said.
“We have but it seems he to have no affect on him.”
They started to get out of hearing range so Nati leapt like a hyperactive squirrel from one box to the other until he found another vent that caught their voices.
“Have you found our next target?” E. Cloud was asking.
“Yes, he very close too. His name is Kevin Dudeton, he goes to Gates bury junior high and he lives…” the voice faded again and Nati slipped of the boxes and fell hard on the floor.
“Nati what are you doing?!” Daryl asked coming out with tape stuck all over him.
Nati looked up at him and raised hi eyebrows. “What am I doing? I could ask the same of you.”
“I can’t work that stupid automatic tape dispenser. It tried to send me through the mailing bin.” He moped. “Why are you on the floor?”
“Just a little eavesdropping and I think it paid off too.”
“What, what’d you find out?!” Daryl asked as he started pulling the tape off of him. Nati didn’t answer but got up and started heading for the elevator. Daryl gave a yelp of pain as the tape came off.
“I’ll deal with this later.” He said and quickly ran into the elevator before the door shut.
“What are you up to?” Daryl asked Nati. His brother just stared at the arrow slowly showing their progress up to the 3rd floor and said nothing.
Daryl sighed in frustration. Nati was always so indirect, so confusing.
They finally reached the 3rd floor and Nati pulled Daryl quickly toward Izzy Brecker’s office. Izzy Brecker was a company worker and had his own office. He was also the one who rescued Nati and Daryl off the streets and let them live at his place and work in the packaging department.
Nati knocked on Izzy's door and then walked in.
“Nati! You’re not supposed to be up here during working hours.” Izzy said without looking up from the computer.
“Sorry pops but I was wondering if I could barrow your computer. It’s almost lunch break for you.” Nati said.
“Don’t call me pops Nati. I don’t know if you should use my computer. It’s a company one.” Izzy said.
“It’s okay pops, I know how to erase everything. I’ve just got to look this up. It’s important.” Nati pleaded. Izzy looked over at Daryl who just shrugged.
“all right, but only until I get back.” Izzy said.
“Right-O.”
Izzy got up and left the office and Nati instantly jumped into the computer seat.
“Can you tell me what you’re doing now?” Daryl asked.
“Later, hey you go to Gate bury middle school don’t you?”
“Yeah, why?” Daryl asked.
“Do you know a kid named Kevin?” Nati asked.
“Not really.” Daryl said.
"Well, i thinks it time we introduced ourselves.”