TTT: 10 Books I Would Buy Right NOW!

Oh man, another great topic on The Broke & The Bookish for Top Ten Tuesday! You've got a fully loaded gift card, no strings attached, and can only buy books. What will you buy? For me, it would be a lot of beautiful classics and sets, plus a few randoms thrown in. And writing this post has made me really want to start collecting these for real!

1. Harry Potter --I own the regular US hardbound set already, but of course I could use want more! I really like this set in the trunk but I love them all really. I definitely want the next illustrated edition, my sister bought me the first for Christmas last year, so I hope she gets the hint that she has to keep buying them as they come out lol.

2. Anne of Green Gables --I own the paperback set thanks to my dad & stepmom, but there are sooooo many beautiful editions out there, it's hard not to want them all! I mean, just look at this gorgeous set by Jacqui Oakley! ModernMrsDarcy did a great job of gathering up some of the beauties for us, you should check it out!

3. Jane Austen set --I've got almost all the books but they're all used, random copies I've picked up. I'd love to have a full matching set. This one by Penguin is perfect, although I don't think it's all of her books? I would hate to have only half of them in that type and others in another, you know what I mean? Also, JuniperBooks kills it with the beautiful sets!!

4. On the JuniperBooks note, I NEED the Penguin Drop Caps series. I mean really, how amazing would that look on my bookshelf?? And so many wonderful titles included. 

5. I also found this Puffin Children's Classics set that's lovely. I'm going to need more room for my classics.

6. John Steinbeck --I couldn't find a specific set that I liked, which made me sad. But I really, really, really want a matching set of his books. I mean, he's my new favorite author and his books are starting to feel like home to me, so I can't have these ragtag miscreant copies laying around lol.

7. The Ghost Bird Academy series by CL Stone --I know I've mentioned in passing how much I love this series, but really it is so, so good. And weird, a little weird. But good weird. I read the first book in March 2014 and since then, I've read it 5 times! I have them all on my Kindle but I'd really like the paperback copies too.

8. Delirium's Party: A Little Endless Storybook by Jill Thompson --(we're getting into the random books now) I love Neil Gaiman's Sandman but even more, I love the Little Endless. They are just so adorable and serious and sweet and Delirium is my favorite. I have the first one but I never bought the second.

9. On that same note, I'd also get the rest of the Absolute Sandman sets I need. I have the first 2 and they are gorgeous and big but there are 5 total and I don't have that kind of extra money usually.

10.Clubbing, Burnout, & Water Baby graphic novels to complete my Minx Comics set --unfortunately, this line of graphic novels geared towards younger girls didn't last very long but it put out some really great stories. My favorite is probably The Plain Janes but I liked them all and just need these last 3 to complete my set.

Review: "1984"

1984 by George Orwell
2 out of 5 stars

This is another one of those classics that I really could have used an English teacher to interpret and explain the themes for me. I don't know how high school kids read some of these books and get any kind of personal meaning out of them. I know I had read this previously but I don't remember when or what I thought of it at the time. I just know I didn't like it this time around, as an adult. As always, my reviews for classic books will have spoilers throughout, so be warned.

Winston stopped reading, chiefly in order to appreciate the fact that he was reading, in comfort and safety. It was bliss, it was eternity. Suddenly, as one sometimes does with a book of which one knows that one will ultimately read and reread every word, he opened it at a different place and found himself at the third chapter.

Yes, I think this book is important, in the same way that The Handmaid's Tale was. Interestingly, both books were set sorry Handmaid's Tale was written in the mid-1980s and also terrifyingly, both could still happen today. These things could still happen. Certain presidential candidates could make these things happen. How scary is that? So yes, people should be reading this book. Or at least discussing it, comparing it to their own lives. The themes (the ones I could decipher, at least) are still prevalent, 60+ years after Orwell wrote it. But does that make it a good book? Not necessarily.

We are led to believe we should feel pity for Winston Smith, the main character, but it's hard to. He's a pretty boring guy. And it's not his fault, he can't really do anything interesting without Big Brother watching. His biggest coup is sitting in the alcove of his apartment where the cameras can't see him and writing in his secret diary. (Insert your own Lord Voldemort joke here.) He knows he should stand up to Big Brother, speak out, make a change, but he doesn't know how or have the courage really.

He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.

Then he meets the lovely Julia and feels the first stirrings of hope. Going back and rereading passages for this review has made me realize that I actually really enjoyed the first half of the book. I liked Winston & Julia's relationship, their secret meetings and clandestine talks, when they get the private room above the antique shop. It's when Winston gets the book that it all goes downhill for me. Pages and pages and pages of doublespeak and political ire that I could just not wrap my head around. And then when they are captured and we get 65 pages of Winston being tortured, well it's all just too much. And for what purpose? We know the government can be evil. But what is the real purpose of Big Brother? What are they thinking, who is running it all and why? We need that back story to make this a truly good book, otherwise it's just an overly long political essay.

(images found on Pinterest, if you don't want yours shown, let me know)

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Things Books Have Made Me Want To Do

I thought this week's TTT post on The Broke & The Bookish would be hard at first, but then I started thinking and it all just came to me. (Don't you love when that happens?) Books are made to make you think and wonder and want, so here are a few that have made me want to DO MORE. Most of these link back to my reviews, so be sure to check those out for a more in-depth analysis of each book and WHY I want to do more.

1. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson --this book is begging you to go on an epic roadtrip! All of Matson's books make me want to have an amazing summer too.

"Tomorrow will be better."

"But what if it's not?" I asked.

Then you say it again tomorrow. Because it might be. You never know, right? At some point, tomorrow will be better." 

2. The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson --yes, I had to add 2 of her books. They're just so darn good! This one made me want to do an awesome scavenger hunt with my sisters. So much, that I actually already created a list (for our mall) and plan on doing it soon. :)

3. The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson --it made me want to create things. Anything...crafts, words, music, passion. I want to be that passionate about things, people, feelings.

"Or maybe she thinks other forms of nourishment are more important."

4. I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson --yep, I had to include both of her books as well. I don't know what it is about her writing, but she ignites that spark of creativity like no other author I've ever read.

(Kandinsky: "Composition 8")

5. Just One Day by Gayle Forman --go on a big trip by myself and become someone else, even if it's just for one day. 

I may have pretended to be someone named Lulu, but I had never been more honest in my life. Maybe that's the thing with liberation. It comes at a price.

6. The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour --start an 80s rock girl band and go on an epic roadtrip tour up and down the coast.

7. Cannery Row by John Steinbeck --ugh this book, it gets my heart and it wrings it all up and lays it out in the sunshine to bask in the glow and warmth of its words. I want to live that simple life like Mack & the boys, be inspiring and respected like Doc, run an enterprising and successful whorehouse like Fauna okay not that last one lol. And OMG why didn't I know there was a movie??!

8. Kristy's Great Idea: The Baby-Sitters Club #1 by Ann M Martin --start a baby-sitters club, duh!

9. For Real by Alison Cherry --go on an Amazing Race-esque adventure with my sister.

10.Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto --become a Crafter (capital C) again.

"The sensation that my brain cells were multiplying was exhilarating."

11.The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern --tell stories, create beautiful artwork and sculptures. Actually, I started handsewing (I do not sew at all, so this was a miracle in itself) a Blythe dress/costume based on this book. I should really finish that and take some pictures soon!

Double Review: "Belzhar" and "The Bell Jar"

Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer

originally 4 stars, now 2.5-3

I first heard about and met Meg Wolitzer at a Half Price Books author event and after hearing her talk about this book, I had to go pick it up. It was such an interesting concept and I'm a sucker for boarding school stories, so I was pretty excited about it. You could almost call this a retelling of Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar, which is why I decided to read the classic after this and am reviewing them together now.

The basic story is about a girl, Jam, who goes through a horrible, life-changing event and is sent to a boarding school for troubled youth. First of all, yes, her name is Jam. I kind of liked it but I know it irritated some people (my middle sister for one, who I gave this to after I finished it). Jam's boyfriend, the fiendishly handsome and British Reeve, dies suddenly and Jam can't cope with it. It's been a year and her parents have done everything they can think of so the school is their last hope. Of course, Jam is resistant to any help at first until she is enrolled in a special writing class with a few other hand-chosen people. All of these students have suffered extra horrible losses and problems in their lives and their teacher feels they need extra help.

Their teacher requires them to read Plath's book, along with her other work, and keep a personal journal for the semester. She provides these journals and the group soon realizes there is something extra special about them. As they progress, the group gets closer and begins to talk about their individual traumas and heal. All except Jam. She bonds with the group, yes, but still refuses to talk about the day Reeve died. We get plenty of flashbacks showing their relationship but that's it. I felt for her, I really did, the pain she was feeling was real and intense. But. However. And then. A thing happens and the story changes and I felt betrayed as a reader. (I'm trying to be as general as possible here to avoid spoilers for those who still want to read it.)

Have you ever had that feeling of betrayal while reading a book? I felt it a bit in Harry Potter when we find out Snape's true story but I was happy for that reveal. I was not happy about this one. And it completely changed how I viewed this book. My sister felt the same way. So take that with a grain of salt if you still plan on reading this one.

“We're talking about the novel, right? But maybe we're not. 

We're talking about ourselves. And I guess that's what can start to 

happen when you talk about a book.”

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
3.5 stars

This is a classic that I'm finding hard to review. Actually, I'm finding it hard to call it a classic, but it is, don't you think? Does it belong with To Kill a Mockingbird and The Grapes of Wrath? Would it be considered a modern classic, even though it's set in the 1950s and seems incredibly outdated reading it now? Semantics aside, I am glad I read it and think it's a story that many people can relate to and will benefit from reading.

Considered an autobiography of sorts for Plath, this book tells the story of Esther Greenwood and the summer she has a mental breakdown. I felt very still and very empty, the way the eye of a tornado must feel, moving dully along in the middle of the surrounding hullabaloo. Esther is in New York, working for a fashion magazine on a scholarship/contest she won. She tries her hardest to fit in with all the other fashionable girls, but deep down she knows she's a fraud from a small midwestern town. This eats at her soul until she starts to crack.

We see Esther falling apart, eventually attempting suicide, and being sent to a mental hospital, where she undergoes electroshock therapy. Her story is told honestly and with little embellishment, because it's not needed. It's horrifying enough on its own, with just the facts. Yes, this is a hard story to read but it's worth it.

eta: I originally had this review scheduled for Wednesday, but I didn't get it written in time. I wish I had because it was the perfect day with the news of the movie coming out!

TILT: Book Wear

I really want like ALL the bookish tshirts but I limited myself to two on today's Things I Love Thursday. I don't have any right now, I am seriously lacking! My sister keeps trying to convince me to buy a Silhouette Cameo machine so I can make my own shirts, but it's $260.00...she's crazy!

(if you do not want your item shown, please contact me)

Out of Print Library Card Socks on Bridge & Burn --so cute! I have a weakness for fun socks too.

I Just Want to Read My Books & Ignore All My Adult Problems on Teespring --don't we all? don't we all.

Books Make Me Happy. You, Not So Much on DiverseThreads --I could wear this to work, right? Sure.

The Little Prince Book Ring on Mandragola --I love it when the jewelry actually opens up and has tiny writing in it. Makes me happy. :)

TTT: 10 Books Set Outside the US

I'm not sure how hard this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic on The Broke & The Bookish will be, but we'll see how far we get! I have a feeling most of these will be set in England, what do you think?

1. Anna & The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins--set in France. this one was easy, it was the first I thought of and I'm sure it will be on everyone's list. I still need to buy a hardbound copy of this (I gave mine to my sister lol).

2. For Real by Alison Cherry--set around the world, lots of different countries. If you love The Amazing Race, this is absolutely the book for you!

3. Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery--set in Prince Edward Island, Canada. I don't know if it really matters that this series is set in Canada, but I'm going to count it anyway lol. I love this book so much! I really need to finish the series soon.

4. The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett--set in England. I forgot how much I loved this book until I reread my review! I need to try to find the movie again.

5. Harry Potter--you know where it's set and I don't have to tell you why I chose it. ;)

6. Saga series by Brian K Vaughan--set in outer-space & lots of different worlds. It's not called an "intergalactic love story" for nothing.

7. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes--set in England (I think?). I loved this book and the movie so much. I think the setting really helped in this case too. Especially the castle and Lou's breakdown (one of the scenes that I wish they had put in the movie).

8. The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer--set in New Beijing, France, Africa, the moon, and a bunch more. Obviously, the places are super important for these books. Especially the moon.

(pic from when I got to see Marissa Meyer talk at my local library) 

9. Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson--set in London, duh. ;) The first book is my favorite, a retelling of the Jack the Ripper murders. Bonus: the girl is in American going to a boarding school in London, love!

10.Just One Day by Gayle Forman--set all around Europe (and a bit of US). I just put the first one in the series, because I loved it so much more than the second. (Willem's story) But, put together as a whole, with the short story, they are wonderful. This is a book all about growing up and finding out who you are and adventure and love.

Review: "Jem & The Holograms vol 1: Showtime" and "vol 2: Viral"

Jem & The Holograms vol 1: Showtime and vol 2: Viral 
by Kelly Thompson
4 out of 5 stars

I'm an 80/90s girl and proud of it. I played with Barbies until I was...way too old lol. Punky Brewster and Cyndi Lauper were my fashion icons. My pink boombox with double tape deck and my Nintendo were my most prized possessions. And yet, I never really watched Jem & The Holograms. I did love the Jem coloring book that my grandparents kept in the "grandkids" room; it was my favorite book to color in with my 64 count Crayola box with sharpener. (Am I the only weirdo who color-coded their crayons? Probably. That's fine though. I could always find Tickle Me Pink and Cerulean when I needed them. :))

When I heard that it was getting a reboot last year in comic book form, I decided to give it a shot. I picked up the first single issue and loved it. When the first volume came out in October, I immediately bought it, along with the single Christmas issue, which was later published in volume two. And I have to say, I was really pleasantly surprised. I think the creators have done a great job of keeping the feel and heart of the original while updating it for this generation. I must note also, I did try to go back and watch the cartoon on Netflix and it was soooo bad and cheesy I just couldn't do it lol. I got through 2-3 episodes and gave up. I still would like to try the new movie too, even though I heard it was awful. :/

If you're not an 80s girl and don't know the original story, here's a brief synopsis: Jerrica Benton and her sister, Kimber, want to start a band with their 2 friends Shana & Aja. There's just one problem: Jerrica, the lead singer, is terrified of performing in front of people. When Jerrica's dad (a music producer) dies suddenly (no mention of a mom), he leaves her with a big secret that can help skyrocket their music career. Thus, Jem & The Holograms are born. The books follow their musical journey and personal lives. Of course, there's a rival band, The Misfits, led by the volatile Pizazz, she of the green spiky hair and bad attitude.

Okay so now you know what it's about, let's talk about some of the characters. There will probably be minor spoilers after this so if you want to read it fresh, stop here!

Jerrica/Jem is actually one of my least favorite characters. She's kind of a Mary Sue, a bit boring and one-dimensional. Kimber, on the other hand, is my definite favorite. She's sassy and fun and optimistic. And she has pink hair and loves My Little Pony. :) Also, she has a thing for Misfit's keytar player, Stormer. It's really nice to see a same-sex relationship be so normal and accepted, just like the other relationships in the books. Namely Rio and Jerrica. I'm not sure if I like Rio or not, even after the 2nd volume. He seems skeezy. Anyway, not only do we have an LGBT relationship, but there's also plenty of race and body diversity throughout. Shana and Stormer are fluffy girls with major style. (I so want Stormer's orange dress!)

As far as the overall story and artwork, volume one is definitely stronger than volume two. Volume two felt like a lot of filler stories and the different art style for each issue was confusing. I absolutely loooooved the Muppet Babies arc though. Such a great throwback! The Christmas issue was also lots of fun. Poor Shana had to go out with a hipster lumberjack lol. Overall, I loved them both though and can't wait to get volume three.