tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-299019142024-03-06T12:00:31.987-08:00Book CrumbsBook reviews, random musings, and more.Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.comBlogger379125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-75105294148475252152012-01-01T21:11:00.000-08:002012-01-01T21:13:40.649-08:00Hello Everyone!Happy New Year! I know I haven't been here for a while, but I am hoping to start blogging again this year. Yay!!! I have a couple reviews that I'd like to write too, so we'll see how that goes...Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-88900863266002134672011-05-26T16:55:00.001-07:002011-05-26T17:46:46.801-07:00More New Covers!Two covers have come out this week for two of my favorite series! The first one is for <em>Clockwork Prince</em> by Cassandra Clare:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDw9IAxRCivPWwPoEhE_eBzLgzlezEd1ouLKVSOpfLDzxwLNPZrB-05GKX7IJWYtB33z5kPGLtFNwF91XMsGjSyVoEoiyFOSd3UkricSX9KXkpRHL0Xhz3skrrhZFxPm34H_LaQ/s1600/clockwork+prince.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 210px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611178848812643490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDw9IAxRCivPWwPoEhE_eBzLgzlezEd1ouLKVSOpfLDzxwLNPZrB-05GKX7IJWYtB33z5kPGLtFNwF91XMsGjSyVoEoiyFOSd3UkricSX9KXkpRHL0Xhz3skrrhZFxPm34H_LaQ/s320/clockwork+prince.jpg" /></a><br />Jem kind of looks like a mad scientist with the hair, but I still love the cover!<br /><br />The second cover is for <em>The Son of Neptune</em> by Rick Riordan, which I CANNOT wait for October to read! The cover looks so beautiful and epic, and I really want to know where all this ice is coming from!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QUwOyj1HfRg/Td7pcBU1wOI/AAAAAAAABoI/Nc9ApX_Nohw/s1600/tumblr_llssf5bAiV1qkvr5oo1_1280.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611178853351669986" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QUwOyj1HfRg/Td7pcBU1wOI/AAAAAAAABoI/Nc9ApX_Nohw/s320/tumblr_llssf5bAiV1qkvr5oo1_1280.jpg" /></a><br />The first chapter of <em>The Son of Neptune</em> is also up <a href="http://disney.go.com/disneybooks/heroes-of-olympus/">here</a>. What do you think?Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-4995441663779680422011-04-17T12:20:00.000-07:002011-04-17T12:42:17.334-07:00My Sparkling Misfortune<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfiSRFN-T6ky25_LurDGzX1pFbIb4-79G5lJhYuoMOlxHRJD9I5fE5PMWXsOHXEIBWRHUdleIkW2D8wQttcPYHKPT2a1AEaL5JRrUzZ-zTzYhR2a41BeN3VOLd-3zaCDpPFQ4udg/s1600/mysparklingmisfortune.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 145px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 217px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596638828936292258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfiSRFN-T6ky25_LurDGzX1pFbIb4-79G5lJhYuoMOlxHRJD9I5fE5PMWXsOHXEIBWRHUdleIkW2D8wQttcPYHKPT2a1AEaL5JRrUzZ-zTzYhR2a41BeN3VOLd-3zaCDpPFQ4udg/s320/mysparklingmisfortune.jpg" /></a>by Laura Lond <br /><div><br /><div></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Sparkling-Misfortune-Laura-Lond/dp/1460922360/"><em>My Sparkling Misfortune</em></a> is the hilarious and quirky tale of noted villain Lord Arkus and his struggles to become the most evil villain ever. When Arkus' attempt at becoming invincible goes wrong, he embarks on adventure that somehow involves saving damsels in distress and helping little princes realize their dreams. Somewhere in all of this, Arkus starts wondering: is he really cut out to be a villain? <br /><div></div><br /><div>This was one of the most original middle-grade fantasy reads that I have encountered in a while. It was refreshing to read from the viewpoint of an antagonist and really understand the motives behind their actions. Lord Arkus also has a wonderful personality and voice- sarcastic, witty, and humorous, with subtle undertones of kindness and compassion. <br /><div></div><br /><div>Another one of the characters, goody-two-shoes Jarvi, had a great personality as well. He often interfered in Arkus' plans and it was fun to see the friendly-insults kind of relationship between the two. <br /><div></div><br /><div>The ending was unexpected, so I'm hoping that a sequel is coming! But overall, this was such a lovely and wonderful read (quite similar in mood to the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede) - if you're ever looking for a fun fantasy book, <em>My Sparkling Misfortune</em> would be a great choice! <br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">(pdf provided by author)</span> </div></div></div></div></div>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-21690369542352056252011-04-01T17:03:00.000-07:002011-04-01T17:10:46.807-07:00afternoonI spend an eternity in liquid porcelain, <br /><div></div>a quiet but wildly spun <br /><div></div>dance of time and <br /><div></div>cold light, always turning. <br /><div></div><br /><div></div>frozen, time-piercing. <br /><div></div><br /><div></div>I fall <br /><div></div>like voices of smoke. <br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>I love <a href="http://www.twittermagnets.com/">twitter magnets</a>! It's such a great way to come up with poems.Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-63046166558203119652011-03-28T12:14:00.000-07:002011-03-28T15:43:35.563-07:00Adventure at Simba Hill<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSVDqyyWfseW6VIzCCTfmqcEx8qW1QmLeBcjf9WqYqcJwfOp9A5D_uEdTsgaQjxJKDA0m9DtvjRWKWM3_hjxJPzWlMCK2AfafVtsD-eWT0aChHkDtIc2YEQs2tH1dg6BlxxUCsA/s1600/adventureatsimbahill.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 212px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589213530995214258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSVDqyyWfseW6VIzCCTfmqcEx8qW1QmLeBcjf9WqYqcJwfOp9A5D_uEdTsgaQjxJKDA0m9DtvjRWKWM3_hjxJPzWlMCK2AfafVtsD-eWT0aChHkDtIc2YEQs2tH1dg6BlxxUCsA/s320/adventureatsimbahill.jpg" /></a>by Susan Runholt <br /><div></div><br /><div></div>If you haven't read this series yet, you have to! All of the books are really fun mysteries set around the world. <em>Adventure at Simba Hill</em> is the third book in the series, and it takes place in Kenya. The story follows the two main characters, Kari and Lucas, as they attempt to find out who stole a bunch of ancient artifacts at a nearby archeological dig. Their adventure takes them into close contact with angry natives, stampeding hippos, lion heads, and more. <br /><div></div><br /><div></div>What I absolutely love about this series is the level of difficulty of the mysteries. They are complicated enough that you spend the whole book guessing what might have happened, but they're easy enough that you have a couple hunches yourself. Although I love mysteries, I always like the book less if the mystery is so convoluted that I have no idea who the culprit could possibly be. This is never the case with Runholt's books. In <em>Adventure at Simba Hill</em>, I was able to make some guesses. Most of my guesses were right, but I was wrong in a couple of them too. <br /><div></div><br /><div></div>I also really enjoy the fact that each book is set in a different country. I've never been to Africa, let alone Kenya, and I learned A LOT about the lifestyle, culture, and wildlife there. So this book was educational and fun at the same time. <br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Bottom line - this series is definitely something to check out! I think it's marked as YA, but it's great for middle-grade readers as well.Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-11405616942154387232011-03-18T16:23:00.001-07:002011-03-18T16:25:44.379-07:00Sneak Peek at HP7 Part 2 Movie!It looks amazing!<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="430" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hn3PAiuR4fM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-21759059954859725522011-03-11T16:09:00.001-08:002011-03-11T16:26:17.670-08:00Inside Out<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eo8kAQZNggI/TXq9c2zl9dI/AAAAAAAABnQ/3puGxzU991k/s1600/insideout.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 141px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 222px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582982991525049810" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eo8kAQZNggI/TXq9c2zl9dI/AAAAAAAABnQ/3puGxzU991k/s320/insideout.jpg" /></a>Sorry for not posting in weeks... tennis season for girls just started and I've been at tennis practice every day after school.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Anyways, I just got a bunch of books from the library, and the first one I read was <em>Inside Out</em> by Maria V. Snyder. I'd seen so many reviews for this book, it's surprising that I never picked it up until now! <em>Inside Out</em> is about a girl named Trella, who is one of thousands of scrubs, who work in the lower levels of Inside to keep them clean for the rich and dominating Uppers. Known as the Queen of the Pipes for her superior knowledge of the inner workings of Inside, Trella keeps her head down until a series of events result in her starting a total revolution.</div><div></div><br /><div><em>Inside Out</em> is fresh and original. It was literally suffocating to read about an entire society that lives inside and has no idea what the outside is like. Metal walls on all sides, no windows, doing the same menial tasks every day, thousands of identical weeks stretching out in front of you... ugh. </div><div></div><br /><div>A simultaneous pro and con of Snyder's novel is the constant action. There's never any sitting around. While it made the plot more exciting and interesting, it was also a bit overwhelming. Trella hardly ever slept, she was constantly running around, and she always had things to do. I don't know how she managed to keep track of everything she had to do and get everything done without much sleep, and while leading a rebellion! I wanted to hand her a planner or something, but I don't even know if she would have time to open it. :-)</div><div></div><br /><div>The ending was disappointing for me... shocking at first, but then a bit anti-climatic. I'm planning on reading the next book though... I want to know what happens!</div>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-83998454193106293072011-03-02T14:51:00.000-08:002011-03-02T14:55:49.475-08:00Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOryLiX78gpde5oJpnbUdRPVTqiyt8sOCW_WUaDt5wMGVa83-2Ry_ukhjd4I0K1yZZPKoztZkGOxK5hFNqM_hGcqLiUaEB3NasqDLahtbFr9ryhod_wrLKZBhd2jXty9Rjakhpg/s1600/Horton-Speck-crop.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 283px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 263px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579619852574296466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOryLiX78gpde5oJpnbUdRPVTqiyt8sOCW_WUaDt5wMGVa83-2Ry_ukhjd4I0K1yZZPKoztZkGOxK5hFNqM_hGcqLiUaEB3NasqDLahtbFr9ryhod_wrLKZBhd2jXty9Rjakhpg/s320/Horton-Speck-crop.jpg" /></a><br /><div>On the fifteenth of May, in the Jungle of Nool,</div><div>In the heat of the day, in the cool of the pool,</div><div>He was splashing... enjoying the jungle's great joys...</div><div>When Horton the elephant heard a small noise.</div><div><br /></div><div align="center"><strong>Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!</strong></div>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-53037562973285876702011-02-22T15:58:00.000-08:002011-02-22T16:02:30.111-08:00City of Fallen Angels excerpt<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0s2doUUKQyg/TWROd5nFP0I/AAAAAAAABnA/MJmPxikeOgM/s1600/CityofFallenAngels.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 215px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576668514179432258" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0s2doUUKQyg/TWROd5nFP0I/AAAAAAAABnA/MJmPxikeOgM/s320/CityofFallenAngels.png" /></a><br /><div>As a teaser, the first chapter of <em>City of Fallen Angels</em> by Cassandra Clare is up on her website! <a href="http://www.mortalinstruments.com/excerpt-angels.php">Go check it out!</a> I'm counting down the days until April 5th...</div>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-36787164570456539662011-02-20T13:51:00.001-08:002011-02-20T13:59:12.449-08:00Pretty New Covers!The past few weeks, there have been so many pretty cover releases! You've probably seen most of these already, but here are my favorites:<br /><p>The sequel to <em><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/03/books-ive-been-reading.html">Heist Society</a></em>... I love how it follows the theme of the first cover with the same model and sunglasses, but the color scheme is different. I love the purple and the teal!</p><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XE1O6cU2c6M/TWGNFVWVNSI/AAAAAAAABmo/agqHdPaxyfk/s1600/UncommonCriminalsFINAL.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 212px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575892936431056162" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XE1O6cU2c6M/TWGNFVWVNSI/AAAAAAAABmo/agqHdPaxyfk/s320/UncommonCriminalsFINAL.jpg" /></a></p><p>The sequel to <em><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/10/paranormalcy.html">Paranormalcy</a></em>... the dark reds are gorgeous!<br /></p><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xhH6EDs9bTo/TWGNRJNB7oI/AAAAAAAABmw/xU_lE8sXmg8/s1600/Supernaturally_Front_cover.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 218px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575893139329248898" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xhH6EDs9bTo/TWGNRJNB7oI/AAAAAAAABmw/xU_lE8sXmg8/s320/Supernaturally_Front_cover.JPG" /></a> And this one is my absolute favorite - the last book in the Theatre Illuminata series. Everything about this is amazing. :)</p><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-06zO2Jp6G5k/TWGNYe18dII/AAAAAAAABm4/YQ9kLzHEjf4/s1600/SoSilverBrightcoverforreveal.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 215px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575893265397085314" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-06zO2Jp6G5k/TWGNYe18dII/AAAAAAAABm4/YQ9kLzHEjf4/s320/SoSilverBrightcoverforreveal.jpg" /></a></p><p>It doesn't help that I can't WAIT to read all of these! Only a couple more months...<br /></p>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-47429804877981144862011-02-18T09:25:00.000-08:002011-02-18T09:28:52.549-08:00BreakageI go down to the edge of the sea.<br />How everything shines in the morning light!<br />The cusp of the whelk,<br />the broken cupboard of the clam,<br />the opened, blue mussels,<br />moon snails, pale pink and barnacle scarred—<br />and nothing at all whole or shut, but tattered, split,<br />dropped by the gulls onto the gray rocks and all the moisture gone.<br />It's like a schoolhouse<br />of little words,<br />thousands of words.<br />First you figure out what each one means by itself,<br />the jingle, the periwinkle, the scallop<br />full of moonlight.<br /><br />Then you begin, slowly, to read the whole story.<br /><br />-by Mary Oliver<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(Poetry Friday roundup </span><a href="http://greatkidbooks.blogspot.com/2011/02/welcome-poetry-friday-dazzling-display.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">here</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">.)</span>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-82105121986466961392011-02-14T17:03:00.002-08:002012-01-06T19:52:59.384-08:00Happy Valentine's Day!Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! I hope you had a wonderful day filled with lots of candy and sweets. :)<br /><br />A couple updates:<br /><br />First of all, I'm going to be doing another CSN review soon! CSN is a chain of online stores that sells a variety of goods from office desks to yoga mats. I would highly recommend checking them out!<br /><br />Second of all, my sister Maya and I were the featured guests on the Seedlings show on the Bit by Bit podcast. The show is hosted by three teachers and basically is all about education and technology in the classroom. Here's the <a href="http://bobsprankle.com/bitbybit_wordpress/?p=2956">link</a> to our show if you're interested in listening. By the way, I read <a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2009/12/exaggeration.html">this poem</a> at the very end.Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-22175044262341085412011-02-06T17:29:00.000-08:002011-02-06T17:49:00.936-08:00Enchanted Ivy<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TU9OzGuc8lI/AAAAAAAABmg/njsJZsvo1hM/s1600/enchantedivy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 178px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 263px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570757903966335570" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TU9OzGuc8lI/AAAAAAAABmg/njsJZsvo1hM/s320/enchantedivy.jpg" /></a> by Sarah Beth Durst<br /><div></div><br /><div>Lily Carter, age 16, just wants to finish high school and get into her dream college, Princeton. As everyone knows, the admissions process can be very difficult - however, her grandfather, a Princeton alumnus, has signed her up for the Legacy Test, which, if she passes, will grant her automatic admission into Princeton. Her task? To find the "Ivy Key." What's that? Who knows. As Lily struggles to complete the test, her magical past is revealed and she realizes that the world is nothing like she thought it was. </div><br /><div></div><div><em>Enchanted Ivy</em> was yet another entertaining read from Sarah Beth Durst. With witty writing, a fast plot, and a cast of admirable characters, this book was so much fun to read. I appreciate how closely readers can identify with Lily - college admissions is definitely a big part of high school and it was nice to see a character who finally cared about their education and wasn't constantly off having adventures and not doing their homework. </div><div></div><br /><div>However, I felt like Lily was so skeptical whenever she encountered magic. She was always looking for secret controls and speakers, even when there obviously were none. I understand why she would deny that magic exists at the start, but after being exposed to it several times, she <em>still</em> refused to admit that magic exists. That was annoying.</div><div></div><br /><div>I still tremendously enjoyed the book though, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves YA, fantasy, and gargoyles. :-)</div>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-89432345513518017992011-01-24T19:52:00.000-08:002011-01-24T20:11:24.123-08:00The Princess and the Frog<img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 155px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 201px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565970215723091426" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TT5Ma-KUReI/AAAAAAAABl4/dEZXWC0WJxA/s320/The-Princess-and-the-Frog-disney-princess-9704089-600-707.jpg" />I FINALLY got a chance to watch "The Princess and the Frog" at the beginning of January. It was such a cute movie! I didn't realize until I watched it that it was set in the New Orleans bayou. Disney did a really good job of depicting the setting and bringing it to life - I could almost feel the warm, muggy air. It reminded me of our stay at the Port Orleans Resort in Disney World last summer (the resort has a Southern mansion/bayou theme).<br /><div></div><br /><div>The story was quite unique. I enjoyed the new aspect of Louisiana voodoo, although I was a bit surprised to see it in a Disney movie. I was also surprised by some of the scenes involving the villain, like when he called up creepy shadow monsters. They were actually rather scary, and I can imagine several younger children getting extremely frightened.</div><br /><div></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TT5MotXAdJI/AAAAAAAABmA/LfDemFcE048/s1600/princess_and_the_frog_still.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 168px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565970451731084434" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TT5MotXAdJI/AAAAAAAABmA/LfDemFcE048/s320/princess_and_the_frog_still.jpg" /></a> <div>However, I did like Disney's fresh take on the movie. The main character, Tiana, is not born a princess - rather, she grows up in a poor community and has to work hard to achieve her dreams. I liked all of the other characters as well, including Ray the firefly. There are no fireflies here in Washington so I have to get my fill of them through books and movies! I've always wanted to see a real firefly...</div><div></div><br /><div>I liked some of the songs, but they were definitely a bit disappointing compared to many of Disney's other songs. I had trouble figuring out the words several times, especially since many of the voices (unique as they were) were a bit hard to understand.</div><div></div><br /><div>The main thing I liked about the movie was the message of working hard - not just having a goal, but actually doing your best to reach it. This is something that never really comes across in any other Disney movie, so I was glad to see it here.</div><div></div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TT5NCrMxraI/AAAAAAAABmI/miHEo3yzuW8/s1600/princess-and-the-frog.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 186px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565970897827900834" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TT5NCrMxraI/AAAAAAAABmI/miHEo3yzuW8/s320/princess-and-the-frog.jpg" /></a><br /><div>"The Princess and the Frog" was definitely not my favorite Disney movie (in fact, "<a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/12/tangled.html">Tangled</a>" was much better in my opinion), but it was still adorable and entertaining and worth the time.</div>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-9296338153399683302011-01-21T18:04:00.000-08:002011-01-21T18:19:00.824-08:00Harry Potter CalligraphyFinals are over, so I'm back to blogging! One thing I wanted to share with you was a calligraphy manuscript that I did in art class in December. I decided to write the Harry Potter school song from the first book.<br /><br />By the way, it's much harder than it looks - everything has to be perfect and if you even make one teeny tiny mistake (spelling mistake, writing a letter in the wrong font, having one letter look weird, smudging), you have to start over because you're using India Ink (which is permanent) and "calligraphy" means 'beautiful writing,' so it HAS to be exactly perfect.<br /><br />Anyways... here it is!<br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">(you can click on the pictures to enlarge them)</span></div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TTo8ysO33zI/AAAAAAAABlw/R33LJAANuiw/s1600/DSC_3923.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564827131134336818" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TTo8ysO33zI/AAAAAAAABlw/R33LJAANuiw/s320/DSC_3923.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5qy5QDt0oJTzLUEh_I7Z3TasXokkj8uBuKNKBuzprpON_SqCgDd-Oene1Pv28LXzt1mfZ4UoSKqirNvbGbHNMJDmIDkYzUjiw3_cTY-D0UT1xViZ1oOF9O1MpEXtLSrVtSVZPA/s1600/DSC_3927.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564827125316400834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5qy5QDt0oJTzLUEh_I7Z3TasXokkj8uBuKNKBuzprpON_SqCgDd-Oene1Pv28LXzt1mfZ4UoSKqirNvbGbHNMJDmIDkYzUjiw3_cTY-D0UT1xViZ1oOF9O1MpEXtLSrVtSVZPA/s320/DSC_3927.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCHViti9rGeSXnUlGi44JMsuFrFx15RfRQiqnpISTssJRN0YV1QDzbx0ZgZfCqPVdGql3MNSRgoL2QRC0NSsbeilq43jS6aZZkv3IKFukHlHu5Vd4zbpvSJ0NqQKPRxtIzc8oGQ/s1600/DSC_3928.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564827116363809282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCHViti9rGeSXnUlGi44JMsuFrFx15RfRQiqnpISTssJRN0YV1QDzbx0ZgZfCqPVdGql3MNSRgoL2QRC0NSsbeilq43jS6aZZkv3IKFukHlHu5Vd4zbpvSJ0NqQKPRxtIzc8oGQ/s320/DSC_3928.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mcVatlcboLJwfp_bBsjZzrDbFjjjeJE5KedWO-aBDJ97mai7lutkqfZP61PCaY0FDJ1o1Sy1YNhYZPzPbFmJcdtxzGWvi9-tY-54S0B3CFVAJdu420hn-1q1XFiG4Ws9XGptrA/s1600/DSC_3929.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564827110717333570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mcVatlcboLJwfp_bBsjZzrDbFjjjeJE5KedWO-aBDJ97mai7lutkqfZP61PCaY0FDJ1o1Sy1YNhYZPzPbFmJcdtxzGWvi9-tY-54S0B3CFVAJdu420hn-1q1XFiG4Ws9XGptrA/s320/DSC_3929.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TTo8xZ9UZUI/AAAAAAAABlQ/RtQ-iGEkFG8/s1600/DSC_3931.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564827109049001282" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TTo8xZ9UZUI/AAAAAAAABlQ/RtQ-iGEkFG8/s320/DSC_3931.JPG" /></a></div></div>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-43164530788664537032011-01-13T16:52:00.001-08:002011-01-13T16:54:06.101-08:00Bleh... studyingFinals are coming up next week, so I'll be off this blog until next Friday the 21st. Sorry... see you then!Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-35823749567553418982011-01-02T18:34:00.000-08:002011-01-07T16:40:52.628-08:00BlizzardI discovered this poem in the January edition of Cricket Magazine and just wanted to share:<br /><br />Above and around us<br />the white dragon howls,<br />hoarse and hollow.<br /><br />Ice-claws click<br />at the windows.<br />We cower inside.<br /><br />Sudden silence.<br /><br />The monster sprawls<br />across our lawn;<br />the dragon drowses.<br /><br />Our boots crunch<br />on mounded shoulders,<br />crush diamond scales.<br /><br />Winter's spell:<br />now we<br />breathe out dragon-steam.<br /><br />-by Sandi LeibowitzPriyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-26942986609580142842011-01-02T12:43:00.000-08:002011-01-05T14:23:14.396-08:00The Butt Book<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Butt-Book-Artie-Bennett/dp/1599903113/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1294265671&sr=1-3"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 173px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557695826516093762" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TSDm6IUpq0I/AAAAAAAABlI/Iil8qmqY3Lg/s320/the-butt-book-image.jpg" /></a>by Artie Bennett, illustrated by Mike Lester<br /><div></div><br /><div><em>The Butt Book</em> is a fun, cute picture book for little kids... all about butts. Funny without being crude or inappropriate, this book uses colorful pictures and great rhymes to entice young readers, for example:</div><div></div><div><em><em><em><em><em><em><br /><blockquote><p><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></p><p><em><em><em><em><em><em>Patches found on baboon rumps</em><br /><em>help them when they sit on stumps.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>On their butts, skunks have a gland</em><br /><em>that sprays a stink no one can stand.</em></em></em></em></em></em><br /></em></em></em></em></em></em></p><p></p></blockquote></div><div></div><br />So it's educational as well as entertaining! I also learned a few new synonyms that I never knew before. :)<br /><br /><div>I can see how this irresistible book would encourage reluctant young readers to pick up books and read more. However much we deny it, this is the type of stuff that little kids love and find hilarious, and if it results in more books in their hands, awesome! I would definitely recommend this to younger children, and even teens and adults will probably get a kick out of it.</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">(pdf provided by author)</span></div>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-23320208273893867742011-01-01T13:04:00.000-08:002011-01-05T13:23:48.115-08:00Interviews and Guest Posts<strong>Author Interviews</strong><br /><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2009/02/interview-with-ingrid-law.html">Ingrid Law</a> (<em>Savvy</em>)<br /><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/10/interview-with-janet-lee-carey.html">Janet Lee Carey</a> (<em><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/10/dragons-of-noor.html">The Dragons of Noor</a></em>)<br /><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/01/interview-with-lauren-mechling.html">Lauren Mechling</a> (<em><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/01/dream-life.html">Dream Life</a></em>)<br /><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2009/04/interview-with-lorie-ann-grover.html">Lorie Ann Grover</a><br /><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/06/interview-with-rj-anderson.html">R.J. Anderson</a> (<em><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/06/kidz-book-buzz-blog-tour-wayfarer.html">Wayfarer</a></em>)<br /><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/01/interview-with-shannon-hale.html">Shannon Hale</a> (<a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/01/kidz-book-buzz-blog-tour-calamity-jack.html"><em>Calamity Jack</em></a>)<br /><br /><strong>Blogger Interviews </strong><br /><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/04/interview-with-cate-sparrow-review.html">Cate</a> (<a href="http://sparrowreview.blogspot.com/">Sparrow Review</a>)<br /><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2009/07/interview-with-danielle-seeking.html">Danielle</a> (<a href="http://seekingneverland.wordpress.com/">Seeking Neverland</a> - <span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#000000;">now blogs at</span> <a href="http://www.poppysmic.blogspot.com/">Sesquipedalian</a></span>)<br /><br /><strong>Interviews of Me</strong><br /><a href="http://bookbutterflyangel.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/featuring-priya-of-book-crumbs/">Notes from the Nerdette<br />Sparrow Review</a><br /><br /><strong>Guest Posts</strong><br /><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2009/12/guest-post-lm-preston-on-trusting-in.html">L.M. Preston on Trusting In Yourself </a>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-69808621833787378162010-12-31T19:26:00.000-08:002010-12-31T19:30:35.832-08:00Happy New Year!As 2010 comes to a close, I would like to thank all my readers, everyone who has ever visited this blog and left a comment, sent me an email, etc. Your support and encouragement motivate me to keep on blogging. You guys are the best!<br /><br /><strong>Happy New Year!</strong>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-78249022801767689042010-12-30T10:42:00.000-08:002010-12-30T13:43:03.403-08:00Favorite Books of 2010This year, I read a total of 92 new books, and I just wanted to highlight some of my best reads this year. I had trouble narrowing the list down, but here are my top favorites (in no particular order):<br /><br /><b><u>Books Published in 2010:</u></b><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmb5CJ5AIXa9MR2OF02MDx1-_emG92V4qkLHMhCKdphLirRLnLKfX0Rv0JPUYcwZblqaLc6qShN6LM2IH5eGD3PTKhCza5x2QxmLfGg_yeGU2j0BRWiImuVj3zOpyhctCL-OjRw/s1600/heistsociety.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 108px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 153px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556590035224018290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmb5CJ5AIXa9MR2OF02MDx1-_emG92V4qkLHMhCKdphLirRLnLKfX0Rv0JPUYcwZblqaLc6qShN6LM2IH5eGD3PTKhCza5x2QxmLfGg_yeGU2j0BRWiImuVj3zOpyhctCL-OjRw/s320/heistsociety.jpg" /></a><br /><i><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/03/books-ive-been-reading.html">Heist Society</a></i> (Ally Carter)<br />Mystery, adventure, history, art, and thievery come together in this book for a fast-paced and exciting read.<br /><i><br /><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/05/conspiracy-of-kings.html">A Conspiracy of Kings</a></i> (Megan Whalen Turner)<br />I've always loved the wittiness and clever twists of the Attolia series, and this newest release did not disappoint.<br /><div><div><div><div><br /><div><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/07/books-ive-been-reading.html"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 129px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 185px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556590161136338530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZI0-aob7S9wFlntMNiSKCAOV0jDLhRureA8i4XWvo1KO8611ua6f-M6dFCIu4gm20b70Yegbgr5f7Ve7lPq_v4g2Z4V2EKae-JaP_Pzaj87og4bBpt-G_xejd4vjEvLvGyzpbAA/s320/perchancetodream.jpg" /><i>Perchance to Dream</i></a> (Lisa Mantchev)<br />Shakespeare, magic, legends, costumes, mischievous fairies, and lovely words... what more could you ask for? I adore this series (and the covers are amazing as well!).<br /><br /><i><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/07/scarlett-fever.html">Scarlett Fever</a></i> (Maureen Johnson)<br />Maureen Johnson's writing is so much fun to read. Her characters are so endearing and hilarious, making this a great feel-good book. </div><div><br /><i><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/08/mockingjay.html">Mockingjay</a></i> (Suzanne Collins) <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySK3QEIU23s9LaIo6tW8qhfNLNrK-jHrxpsfRQ7xPf2K2wFCRH3o_Vxwj_ZrFG9iRewcX9THp8rdgsKoVuJBmaK0DVBJRn4N77Iw9TWDFASPqstCJ4-1CB0-6pgNQGqumJAkAog/s1600/Mockingjay.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 124px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 179px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556590374883973618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySK3QEIU23s9LaIo6tW8qhfNLNrK-jHrxpsfRQ7xPf2K2wFCRH3o_Vxwj_ZrFG9iRewcX9THp8rdgsKoVuJBmaK0DVBJRn4N77Iw9TWDFASPqstCJ4-1CB0-6pgNQGqumJAkAog/s320/Mockingjay.JPG" /></a><br />Although I despised the ending (I'll always be Team Gale!) and was very disappointed in Katniss at the end, this was such an anticipated, mind-boggling, EPIC read that I had to put it in.<br /><br /><i><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/10/dragons-of-noor.html">The Dragons of Noor</a></i> (Janet Lee Carey)<br />Rich in storytelling and magic, Janet Lee Carey's new book is imaginative and original - a must read for anyone who likes fantasy! </div><div><br /><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 121px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 169px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556590730707696370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpkqqaB4YFl7brQ3T9mE9rA-VbBihpoKNoVU4-Gp-CQgsnGzcxYaY1cPZXqMgn-YGrbfhYNjxHLmcbX5bQlBmerwLq_jJM85x5GfgO9_KWReOhrtiZ285fJwuRzAP41jpekwW6Q/s320/The+Heart+Is+Not+A+Size.jpg" /><i><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2009/11/heart-is-not-size.html">The Heart is Not a Size</a></i> (Beth Kephart)<br />I actually read this last year, but it's still one of my favorite books. I enjoyed reading about Juarez and the surprising strength of the people there, and this book was written in a simple yet touching manner.<br /><br /><i><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/11/dangerous-neighbors.html">Dangerous Neighbors</a></i> (Beth Kephart)<br />Can you tell by now how much I love Beth Kephart and her writing? :D <i>Dangerous Neighbors</i> is a wonderful showcase of her amazing writing talent, and the story kept me reading until the very end.<br /><br /><i><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/11/lost-hero.html">The Lost Hero</a></i> (Rick Riordan)<br />Although this book was a bit of a letdown after the Percy Jackson series, it was still nice to reconnect with the characters and dig deeper into the history and mythology of the Greek gods. And the ending.... all I can say is that I can't wait for the next book!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfg1b2SX_OniBndEdXFrTvoASH-pXTIfYFQMjB19EIcMp0JLOdWV71dlRcRAU6Hhv1cmTdaTBzSB86cICG7Is3jBINibXh3vu2hN3mRHBXIq96NNwQBMZbRBRKMgf5YzRWEPphGg/s1600/clockwork-angel1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 118px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 167px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556591196271528914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfg1b2SX_OniBndEdXFrTvoASH-pXTIfYFQMjB19EIcMp0JLOdWV71dlRcRAU6Hhv1cmTdaTBzSB86cICG7Is3jBINibXh3vu2hN3mRHBXIq96NNwQBMZbRBRKMgf5YzRWEPphGg/s320/clockwork-angel1.jpg" /></a><br /><i><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/12/clockwork-angel.html">Clockwork Angel</a></i> (Cassandra Clare)<br />A great prequel to the Mortal Instrument series with well-developed characters and a unique story. I would recommend reading City of Bones/Ashes/Glass first though.<br /><br /><b><u>Books Read This Year (but not published in 2010)</u></b> </div><div><br /><i><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/03/books-ive-been-reading.html">Study series</a></i> (Maria V. Snyder)<br />This is one of my favorite series - it's so full of adventure and exciting escapades and magic that I could never put the books down!<br /><br /><i><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/03/city-of-glass.html">City of Glass</a></i> (Cassandra Clare)<br />Thrilling and suspenseful... I don't know how Cassandra Clare does it every time. :)</div><div><br /><a href="http://priyaganesan.blogspot.com/2010/03/books-ive-been-reading.html"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 114px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 176px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556591494550290146" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TRz6hjKgfuI/AAAAAAAABk4/I5rS-ydGVj8/s320/leviathan-cover.jpg" /><i>Leviathan</i></a> (Scott Westerfeld)<br />Before reading this book, I barely knew anything about WWI, and I hadn't read anything in the steampunk genre. <i>Leviathan</i> was surprisingly interesting and informative at the same time, and I loved all of the drawings that accompanied the story.<br /><br /><i>The Mystery of the Third Lucretia/Rescuing Seneca Crane</i> (Susan Runholt)<br />I discovered this series through another blogger and immediately got hooked! The characters are great and so much fun to read about, and the stories are exciting as well. These books are perfect middle grade mysteries for the average sixth or seventh grader. </div></div></div></div></div>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-88008106539452527252010-12-27T16:01:00.000-08:002010-12-27T16:10:24.169-08:00Clockwork Angel<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiszm2snUcRBJQb63jqVSM26rYDNgMUojhCgktTDql5WVfAFyI9SZDHNvzwPK-Qp5_Mf2xO7vpveTOQCyOJOlaCQorisYbwdJlJxPUrn8IAKru2SjBSV9ImNABf6U8ewi1lPghSCg/s1600/clockwork-angel1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 183px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 290px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555518660794032818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiszm2snUcRBJQb63jqVSM26rYDNgMUojhCgktTDql5WVfAFyI9SZDHNvzwPK-Qp5_Mf2xO7vpveTOQCyOJOlaCQorisYbwdJlJxPUrn8IAKru2SjBSV9ImNABf6U8ewi1lPghSCg/s320/clockwork-angel1.jpg" /></a>by Cassandra Clare<br /><div></div><br /><div>I can't believe I didn't read this book until now! <em>Clockwork Angel</em> is just as good as the Mortal Instruments series. Set a few centuries ago in Victorian London, it follows the story of sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray, who arrives from New York and is immediately wrapped up in the wild and violent world of Shadowhunters and Downworlders. Even worse, an unknown figure known as the Magister is after her.</div><br /><div></div><div>I didn't think I would like this book much, but I was proven wrong! It was so exciting to get back into the Shadowhunters' world, with a series of new and old characters. The characters were great - way too close to the characters in the Mortal Instruments, but still fun to read about. The plot was great as well, with some nice twists near the end.</div><div></div><br /><div>My favorite part was seeing the parallels between the two series and having those aha moments when something I read in one of the Mortal Instruments books was finally explained or referred to. Overall, <em>Clockwork Angel</em> was a great start to the Infernal Devices series... can't wait to read more!</div>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-29728521323172110152010-12-25T00:00:00.000-08:002010-12-25T00:00:09.586-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TRUGRxPSIpI/AAAAAAAABkA/lTLrzUUL18Q/s1600/Imported%2BPhotos%2B00208.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554352617776358034" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TRUGRxPSIpI/AAAAAAAABkA/lTLrzUUL18Q/s320/Imported%2BPhotos%2B00208.JPG" /></a><strong> Merry Christmas!</strong><br /></div>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-85752400521411868432010-12-14T16:16:00.001-08:002010-12-14T16:24:32.923-08:00CSN Stores Giveaway WINNER!Thank you to everyone who participated in the CSN Stores giveaway this time! I used a random number generator to pick the winner, who is...<br /><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Amber Gi!</span></strong> </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong></div><div align="left">Congrats, Amber! I've already sent you an email. If I don't get a response back in 48 hours, then I'll pick another winner.</div>Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29901914.post-38870017622477854622010-12-10T16:23:00.000-08:002010-12-10T16:29:09.050-08:00elapsed moonI wrote these two poems a few weeks ago. The first one was written when the moon was just rising, blurry and yellowy, and the second one was written about an hour later, when the moon was much higher in the sky and clear and white. Enjoy! :)<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TQLFjyUQuXI/AAAAAAAABjs/L75ZBkQeHc4/s1600/Greece%2B232.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549214909466720626" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_a_FXY_uG7Vw/TQLFjyUQuXI/AAAAAAAABjs/L75ZBkQeHc4/s320/Greece%2B232.JPG" /></a>I.<br />the sky holds its breath<br />in anticipation of the coming snow,<br />tonight's stage prepared:<br />frosty cold air stagnant and muffling<br />while northern winds dance, frenzied,<br />among the upcoming performers<br /><br />the moon a blurred pastel smudge<br />the color of yellow diamonds,<br />edges gray and foggy.<br /><br />II.<br />moon of purest white,<br />like a diamond inlaid in a<br />stone of cold winds and<br />clouds of indigo blue.<br />all hardened edges and<br />rims of amber gold,<br />light reaching to all four<br />corners of the sky.<br /><br />the night quietly waits,<br />and below, the cries<br />of a child and the<br />slamming of car doors<br />sound oddly out of place.Priyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.com3