Unremembered

by Nora
(By the way, sorry about the lack of posts. We are really busy with school!)

Can I start by talking about how lovely this cover is? It's just...perfection. I love how the face in the background is blurry, just like Sera's memory. Out of focus and fuzzy. Also, the eyes! I really like that they made the eyes purple (Violet ;)) to go along with the actual description of Seraphina.

Unremembered follows sixteen-year-old Seraphina (a.k.a. Violet) as she tries to regain her memory after obtaining a serious case of amnesia when she was found at the scene of a plane wreck. Every little piece of new information made my brain want to explode.

I absolutely loved the characters. My favorite was Cody, Sera's younger foster brother. He was just hilarious and reminded me (almost too much) of my friends at school. Nerdy, sarcastic, and adorable. For once, I wasn't so attached to Zen (the romantic interest of Seraphina) that I was super upset when the book was over. I guess that's a good thing. Good for my well-being, anyway. :)

The end of the book was just...what.

what what what what what what what what
(no, this is not a Macklemore reference)

I can't really tell you why I'm like this because I would spoil a lot for you (and I hate writing posts with spoilers), so all I can say is go read the book. I don't like leaving you hanging like that, but...just read it, okay?

Help Me! I Can't Think Of What To Write About!

By Kristen


Do you ever get those days where you want to write a story but you just can't think of an idea?  Ever get WRITER'S BLOCK?!  IT'S A TERRIBLE DISEASE FOR AUTHORS AND PEOPLE WHO ENJOY WRITING LIKE ME.  But Don't worry because.This. Is. Normal.  So don't freak out if you are having trouble with this.  Because everyone does every once in a while :)


Here are some things you can do to fix that:

1. It's called Google.com.  No, no I'm just kidding.  This is something I do sometimes:  I pick an object, it doesn't matter what it is, just pick something.  I use that as encouragement (Omg, like in TFiOS, which Nora reviewed a while before).  I then give the object, say, an important role.  For example, a pen.  Maybe it has some magical factor to it.  Maybe it can be the key to something.  Or a letter.  It can lead a mystery, trace the person who disappeared or ran away for unknown reasons.  Then, form a story around it.

2. How about start with a main character (MC).  Think of a name.  If that's causing a problem for you because it does for me; coming up with character's names is about the hardest thing for me when it comes to writing, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.  What else can you do?  OhOHOH! I know! Make a graphic organizer.  Write a description about your character: physical appearance, attitude, hobbies, etc.

3.  Pick a place you like to go to like a vacation spot.  Pick a place you don't like going to.  Think of different traits you could give a place.  Maybe you can turn it into a wasteland and make that where your story takes place.  Or maybe you can just leave it as is and turn it into a Dystopian society!  Like in Divergent or Delirium or Matched.


Those are just some of many things you can do to help you come up with an idea if you have this really terrible bad terrible horrible life threatening disease aka writer's block.

-Kristen

Send Me a Sign

By Nora

Cancer, cancer, cancer. I just can't seem to get enough of it, what with this and The Fault in Our Stars. I had, actually read this before The Fault in Our Stars. Anyway, after hearing Tiffany Schmidt read a short passage from Send Me a Sign at the New York City Teen Author Festival, I knew I was hooked. I just needed to get it.

Send Me a Sign is beautiful. It is surprising. It is just...amazing. The main character, Mia, and her best friend, Gyver, grabbed my attention from the start. I'm not sure why, perhaps how close they are to each other. BUT THE END. I DIDN'T EVEN...WHAT??? HOW DID I NOT NOTICE THAT??? HDGAHSDKFJHASLDKFHLAKJSDF (Yes, Mom. That means I'm freaking out, not that my keyboard broke)

When Mia is diagnosed with leukemia, she decides to keep it a secret from her friends. I mean, I see why she tried to hide it, but if I were Mia (which I'm not. I'm really, really not. She's completely different from me), I would have told my friends first thing. Meh. But I still loved the book.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to reading more Tiffany Schmidt in the future. She has gotten my attention. I'll be waiting.

-Nora

Requiem

By Kristen

**HUGE SPOILERS FOR PANDEMONIUM AND, BASICALLY, THE FIRST TWO BOOKS**

MY STRIKE IS OVER!!!!!!!!!  I'm wondering how Nora's three posts were.  I should explain why I was striking sooo here it goes: Nora was "busy" like three weeks ago and did no posting when she was supposed to :P So I promised her that I would not post until she did the three she owed me.  And she did, eventually, x) so every thing's all good now.

Requiem

 

 

 

Ohmigod, Lena.  Honestly, I wish Lauren Oliver continued from where she left off in Pandemonium, but as I read, I decided against that.  BECAUSE IN PANDEMONIUM, AT THE END LENA FINDS OUT THAT ALEX IS NOT DEAD AT ALL.  And then she's all caught up with Julian (I mean, I don't hate him, but still.  Lena and Alex are so perfect together and I'm dying to see the show!  And that had NOTHING to do with Lena and Alex being the perfect couple.)

 

But then there's like so much tension between Lena and Alex and Alex and Julian and Oh My Goshness.  It so sad when Lena goes up and scare a bear away and Alex is all like "Oh, the Lena I know would be scared" and then he . Just.Walks.Away.From.Her.  And then there's Coral and something she says to Lena about Alex (Don't worry, it's not a bad thing!)  And then now, moving on so...

 

I read this book like a month before it came out (thanks to Nora getting the ARE, Advanced Reader's Edition, which is not fair to some people but her mom works for Random House).  I heard that they were changing the ending and I think Nora said the only thing they changed is Julian is shirtless or something like that...  BUT THE ENDING.  I WAS SO happy on page 248 (I'm pretty sure, and yes, I am aware that I remembered the page number) because I can't say so asdghjkawdgnkihl that's as close as it's going to get! #TEAMALEX

 

 

-Kristen

 

Eleanor & Park

By Nora

Eleanor & Park was amazing. Like, finish in three days, amazing. At first, I was kind of annoyed by Eleanor.

"I'm so fat and life is awful and blah blah blah"

But as the story moved along, I began to love her. The unfortunate situation with her family made me sympathize for her like crazy. And then there was Park. When I brought Eleanor & Park to
school, two of my K-Pop-obsessed friends wondered if there was any reference to J-Park (a K-Pop star that they love). I told them no, except that he was half Korean. Besides, the book is set in the 80's. Where am I going with this? Blah.

Anyway, the two really captured my heart and I couldn't put the book down. The perfect ratio of sadness and humor was quite astonishing and the music references were just splendid (Did I just say 'splendid'?).

Why do all stand-alone books have to have sad endings? I mean, come on! After reading The Fault in Our Stars (which was too depressing to even think about before bursting into tears), I was really hoping that this would be a happy, cheerful book. I guess I was wrong.

I may have mentioned (I think I did...maybe not...), an author at the NYC Teen Author Festival came up to me and told me she would mug me for my copy of Eleanor & Park. They had sold out. But now I see why. I'd probably do that, too. :)

-Nora