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Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts

Book: The Hunger Games

Happy Friday! :D

Any fun plans for the weekend?

Besides having the time to watch movies, I also have more time to read books (that aren't required reading, haha!). ;)

I was finally able to read The Hunger Games, and I loooooved it!

Now that Harry Potter is coming to a close (less than a month left!!! *tear*), I am sooo looking forward to The Hunger Games movies. :D


Anyway, the book... I absolutely loved it!
It was so good I could hardly put it down. I have to get Catching Fire and Mockingjay!

Have you read The Hunger Games?

Have a wonderful weekend!!! :D

P.S. My $100 Shopbop gift card giveaway ends tomorrow night at 11:59pm PST! To enter, click here. Good luck! :)

Sweet Valley High: Ten Years Later


Confession time: I'm crazy excited for this book.
Like, excited enough to buy it, excited.

Almost as excited as I was when New Kids
started touring again.

Jessica and Elizabeth are now 27 and
NOT SPEAKING.
Boys were likely involved.

The Twins Back in the Day [via]

I know this isn't going to be the best read ever,
but there is something to be said for nostalgia.

And I can't wait to find out what all the characters have been up to.
Jeez, I'm talking about them like they're people. 

I can't believe the first Sweet Valley book came out in 1983--I was 1!

So, tell me, am I the only one here?
And when are we getting the new Babysitters Club book?
Happy April Fool's - I hope everyone has a great weekend!



American Idol Season 10 :)

Happy Thursday!

Were you able to watch the season 11 premiere of American Idol last night?


I know most people are a bit skeptical about whether or not American Idol can still stay on air -- Simon left, Ellen being a judge didn't work out too well, Kara left too, and I have to admit, last season wasn't all that great. But, it seems like this new season will be better.


It does feel weird to not have Simon and his snarky comments. The show is more light-hearted, easy going, and fun. I think the new judges, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, are good choices to go along with American Idol veterans Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest.

It's fun to watch Jennifer Lopez slowly learning how to say no. And, watch out for Steven Tyler's facial expressions and reactions. ;)


Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler know what they are talking about, not like Ellen (I love her, but really, she seemed so lost last season).

I've read that ratings went down, but I'm really hoping that this season won't disappoint.

Another thing that I will be looking forward to (besides the changes in the show) is Jennifer's outfits and looks, of course! She looks so beautiful and her clothes, accessories, and makeup are perfect!



I think by the end of this season, I will definitely make a post on Jennifer's American Idol outfits. :D

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If you haven't seen them, I hope you check out my previous posts:

Wedding: Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom
Warm Tuesday and Boots
2011 Golden Globes

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In other news, click the link below to read the article "20 Acclaimed Authors and Their Unique Writing Rituals". It's very interesting. :)

http://www.mastersdegree.net/blog/2011/20-acclaimed-authors-and-their-unique-writing-rituals/

I hope you had or are having a good Thursday! :D

Four days 'til Christmas?! :O

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It's December 21st, and it's four days 'til Christmas. Can you believe it? Seems like just yesterday, I was blogging about how it's the first of December and all that, and now 2010 is coming to an end! Woah, there. :O

Anyway, enough about that... so, how are Holiday preparations going? What are you having for Christmas lunch and/or dinner?

I feel like I haven't been as active here on Blogger as I have always been, but I am really really going to make it up with more future blog posts, and of course by visiting your blogs. I miss you all! I am happy that I was able to blog hop for a good hour. And now, time to put up a new post... but what to talk about? Hmmm, a lot of things came to mind - there's just a lot I want to share with you guys.

So, here is another jumbled post! ;)

Have you seen Nicole Richie's wedding dress? Here it is:

Nicole wore three different dresses on her wedding day. The one pictured here is a Marchesa "ball-gown skirt crafted from more than 100 yards of hand-draped silk organza and tulle petals".

What do you think of the dress?

I like it, but not as much as I liked Hilary Duff's wedding dress. It reminds me of a Swan Princess inspired ballet costume. I can't see myself wearing it, but it looks great on Nicole Richie. And she looks happy! :D I'm glad she's over her wild days... Paris Hilton should really follow her example.

People has the photos of Nicole Richie and Joel Madden's wedding. Perhaps, a wedding post once I find more of them online? :)

Moving on, one of the reasons I haven't been blogging as often as I used to (besides school, of course) is: I've been reading. Haha. Yup.

I read two of Meg Cabot's books:

This one is hilarious! I was laughing throughout the whole thing.

This one is really good too! Not as funny as Boy Meets Girl, but still has funny parts, and the story is "cuter", if you know what I mean. ;)

Have you read these? Any more of Meg Cabot's books I should read?

I got the Killers DVD. I will be watching it tonight. Movie review soon, along with Alice in Wonderland! :D

Have you seen Killers? Thoughts?

More movies...

A lot of my friends are saying Tron: Legacy is good. Have you seen it?


Little Fockers opens tomorrow! :)


I will be writing down all the posts I will be doing in the next few days so I do not forget them and end up with another mixed post. ;)

I haven't done a travel post in a while, another wedding post would be good... What else would you like to see?

Have a great week, everyone!

*all images from Google*

Book: If You Have To Cry, Go Outside

It's been a pretty mellow Saturday for me, what about you?

I may have mentioned before that I love to read - I mostly read young adult books (even though, yes, I am really not part of that category anymore), classics, and chick lit. I'm not really into the whole autobiography kind of thing, but Kelly Cutrone's book is a different kind of autobiography.


First off, Kelly Cutrone is "a fashion publicist and the founder of the public relations, branding and marketing firm People's Revolution. Cutrone is known for her no-nonsense approach to the industry, and her brutal straight-talking. She is best known for her appearances on 'The Hills' but has said that she and her People's Revolution partners mute their personae somewhat for the cameras. Kelly now stars in her own reality drama 'Kell on Earth'".
Kelly on The Hills with Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port

I'm really happy that I read this book - it's kind of like a "life manual" in many ways. She really does share a lot of life lessons in her book. I learned a lot about her that I never would've guessed happened to her.

Watching The Hills, Kelly Cutrone seemed to me like a really scary boss, but reading this book, I felt that she's not. She's just really a straight to the point, no BS kind of person. Did you guys know she bakes cupcakes for her employees, and likes to be called Mama Wolf? Yup, she does.


If you get the chance to grab or borrow a copy of this book, I hope you get to read it. But I know that a lot of us are really busy, so I thought I'd share with you guys quotes from the book that made an impact on me.

"Dreams don't always take you on a straight path to destiny, but they're usually related to what your soul wants for you."

"Sometimes, if not most of the time, you find out who you are by figuring out who you are not."

"... the world will change only when we change ourselves. And that starts with finding ourselves: learning to quiet the clamor in our minds and the voices of everyone around us and move toward what feels right - toward the things we know, for reasons we can't explain, that we're meant to do, the things that make us feel alive."

"... you can't fake hard work, and [that] when you believe in something and truly go after it with all you have, amazing things will happen."

"After all, you can't truly be happy if you've never known pain. You can't truly feel joy if you've never felt heartbreak. You can't really know what it feels like to be filled unless you've been empty."

"Sometimes in life, seasons don't come in order; instead of fall, winter, spring, summer, we get three winters in a row. But that doesn't mean spring won't come eventually."

"This is an important thing to remember when you're having a bad day, a bad month, or year: Things will change - you won't feel this way forever. And anyway, sometimes the hardest lessons to learn are the ones your soul needs most."

"You can't have a sense of victory unless you know what it means to fail."

"... you have to give up your life as you know it to get a new one: [that] sometimes you need to let go of everything you're clinging to and start over, whether because you've outgrown it or because it's not working anymore or because it was wrong for you in the first place."

"I followed my fears to their worst possible conclusions... and what I realized was that no matter what happened, I was going to be fine."

"Your negative thoughts are weeds strangling the progress of your soul; you must find a way to kill them."

"The unavoidable truth is that in the real world things don't always come in order we're taught to expect them."

"When life deals you blows, there are blessings to be found in them if you look hard enough."

"If you don't know exactly what fits into your life and what doesn't, the best way to figure it out is to follow your inner voice away from what feels wrong and toward what feels right."

"... things that seem perfect rarely are..."

"The people who succeed are... the people who respond to rejection by brushing themselves off and moving on, again and again."

"... getting good at something requires consistency and repetition. There is no other way. With few exceptions, you will get out what you put in."

"... you also have to learn where to draw the line. Take on as much as you can and soak up as much as you can, but learn to say no when the situation demands it."

"My mistakes have been some of the best teachers of my life."

"We aspire for a knowledge truly knowing, for a power truly powerful, and for a love that truly loves."

"... none of us can change the world alone. We need to help each other, or at least get out of each other's way."

:D

*images from Google*

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For the month of October ten winners will receive a University Medical AcneFree Sport Clear 2-Go Skin System. You have until October 31st to enter and winners will be chosen on November 5th.

For Pennsylvania and Virginia residents, Prestige Cosmetics will be at college bookstores with a free basket raffle for Prestige products and free makeovers. In December, Coty will be at Rite-Aid throughout Pennsylvania and New York to promote their holiday fragrance gift sets.

I hope you have a great Saturday night, and a restful Sunday! :D

Busy Friday and Library books :)

Hi! Yesterday was one of the days that I wasn't able to go on my blog to post a new entry and comment on your lovely posts. I didn't even go on Facebook! Haha. ;) Yesterday was a busy day. I spent it with my sister and parents, running a few errands, then walking around shops, buying little stuff here and there, and eating at Rubio's. I bought a few items from Forever 21, and I will definitely be doing a post about those this coming week. :D

Another thing that kept me busy yesterday was a little "spring cleaning". I brought out my summer clothes that were in storage, and kept my winter clothes (here's hoping the weather doesn't change its mind and start raining on us again, haha). I also found a lot of clothes that really don't fit me anymore. I label them as B.H.S. = before high school. All my clothes from before high school are so tiny, I can't believe I fit into them. ;)

Here is the post that I meant to publish yesterday:

I love to read. When I was younger, I enjoyed reading Sweet Valley and The Baby-Sitters Club. In high school, I've read well over 50 classics, and for fun, there's Harry Potter, Sarah Dessen books, the Shopaholic series, Dan Brown books... the list goes on.


While I have my very own book collection, I must say that buying all the books I want to read can be heavy on the budget. Thank God for public libraries! :D


The Los Angeles Public Library system has many branches all over the county. Luckily, there is one near where I live. It is a 10-15 minute walk. Once or every other week, my Mom, siblings, and I walk to our local library to return and borrow books and CDs.


Their collection is vast. They have children's books, young adult novels, classics, chick lit, romance novels, encyclopedias, history books, how-to books, magazines, CDs, DVDs... basically, you name it, they can most probably get it for you. Sometimes, they have to order it from another branch, but you will surely get the book/s you need.


Most libraries also have a used bookstore. They sell books for 5 cents to a dollar.


Here is a picture of my library card:





All you have to do is fill out a form, show them proof that you live in Los Angeles, and they give you a library card = access to tons and tons of books. :D


You are allowed to borrow 10 CDs and 30 books per visit (not sure about the DVDs, though).


Here are the books I borrowed the last time I went to the library:




1. Spanish, Learn to Communicate in 24 hours - I can speak conversational Spanish (thank you, high school!), but I want to practice some more.


2. iPhone and iPod touch Quick Steps - For some reason, an iPhone doesn't come with a user guide. This book helped me a lot! I learned more about my phone.


3. French for Dummies - to help me learn French


4. Shopaholic Ties the Knot - the only one out of the series that I haven't read yet


5. Luscious Chocolate - filled with tons of yummy chocolate desserts :)


6. The Hopeless Romantic's Handbook - it seemed like a fun read


7. Me & Mr. Darcy - Like almost everyone else, I loved Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice.


If there is a library system in your area, how does it work? What books do you love to borrow and read? :D


Have a great weekend, everyone! :)

Book: The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen has always been one of my favorite authors. She has written nine books in the past years, and I have read all of them. She has the secret formula when it comes to writing the perfect pre-teen/ teen novels. Dessen touches subjects that almost all girls know: family, school, friends, and of course, love. She weaves amazing stories that are deep in meaning, and yet enjoyable to read. When I read her books, I feel like I am a part of her characters' stories.

Out of all her books, I would say that my absolute favorite is The Truth About Forever. It tells the story of seventeen-year old Macy Queen as she deals with her father's death, her mother's insistence that everything is okay, her relationship with her boyfriend... in other words, her unhappy life. She spends her summer working at the library, eating dinner with her mother at exactly the same time everyday, and reviewing for the SATs every.single.night. Fortunately, she meets the Wish catering crew, and she starts to live again.

And, yes, of course there's a boy involved... There's Wes, an artist with a mysterious past who let's Macy be. They get to know each other through a game they call Truth. The thing I love most about Macy and Wes' love story is how they start off as friends. :)

This story reminds us that no one is ever perfect, and more often than not, you just have to let go and let yourself be. And that no matter what, we will always get a happy ending. :D


Oh, and btw, Sarah Dessen also writes the best quotes.

Here are some of my favorite lines from this book:

"It's all in the view. That's what I mean about forever, too. For any one of us our forever could end in an hour, or a hundred years from now. You never know for sure, so you'd better make every second count."

"It's just that...I just think that some things are meant to be broken. Imperfect. Chaotic. It's the universe's way of providing contrast, you know? There has to be a few holes in the road. It's how life is."

"There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment."

*book cover image from Google*

Have you read any of Sarah Dessen's books?

Have a peaceful Sunday, everyone! :)

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando

Since my last post was about the Harry Potter series, I thought it'd be nice to have another post about it. For HP lovers out there, Universal Studios Orlando has a treat for us: a Harry Potter theme park! They will open this newest attraction on June 18th of this year. So exciting! :D


It's like being in the actual movie set. It's Harry Potter's world open for everyone to see and experience.


Some of their attractions include a roller coaster ride reminscent of the events in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Dumbledore's office, a family-friendly coaster simulating how it is to ride a Hippogriff, Hogwarts Express, and Hogsmeade Village. And get this, you can go to Ollivander's Wand Shop and actually get a wand! How cool is that? :)


Here are some pictures:




Check out their official website here.


To see more pictures, click here.


*all images from Google*

The Shopaholic Series

since my recent posts were mainly about what i bought when i went shopping this past week, i thought it'd be nice to talk about Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic Series. the first book in the series, The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (published as Confessions of a Shopaholic here in the United States), came out in 2000 and 2001 respectively. it introduces Becky Bloomwood, a financial journalist, and her shopping woes. she loves to shop even though she has pretty much maxed out her credit cards and have numerous overdrafts. and the worst part is, she doesn't want to face the reality that she needs to stop shopping and actually sort out her financial situation.


the second book in the series is Shopaholic Takes Manhattan (aka Shopaholic Abroad). this book starts out with Becky having her financial woes sorted out, being good at her new television job, and being happy with her new boyfriend, Luke Brandon. they stay in New York for Luke's new business deals... and well, i guess we can all figure out what happens with a shopaholic let loose in New York.


i actually haven't read the third book, Shopaholic Ties the Knot. but i'm gonna swing by our local library to borrow it. i enjoyed the other four books in the series, so i'm pretty sure i will like this as well. :)


in Shopaholic & Sister, we find Becky having the time of her life with now-husband Luke in their almost year-long honeymoon, traveling all over the world. she goes back to England to surprise her parents, but she finds she's the one surprised instead. her parents tell her that she has a half-sister... who turns out to be just the complete opposite of her. :)



Shopaholic & Baby is the last book in the series (it was kinda sad when i was almost to the end of the book). for starters, Becky has her finances under control (sort of), thanks to her businessman husband, Luke, they are living happily together... and they're having a baby! Becky happily awaits the arrival of their firstborn by, what else: shopping! however, the entrance of her new celebrity obstetrician (who also happens to be Luke's college girlfriend), Venetia Carter, threatens their marriage.



if you are looking for some light reading to relax or just for fun, i absolutely recommend that you read the Shopaholic series. some parts may be a bit blah, like the parts when they talk about finance and stuff like that, but other than that i found them really interesting and fun to read. plus, for those of us living here in the U.S. and in other countries, it gives a peek on how it's like in England. i had fun trying to imagine the places described in the books. :)

i have yet to watch the movie, which is based on the first two books. but when i do get the chance to watch it, maybe i will write a post comparing the books from the movie. :)

have you guys seen the movie or read the books? did you like it/them?
*all images are from Google*

New Hugh Hefner book

A new book about Playboy founder Hugh Hefner is about to be released - and everything in it is true. Hefner reportedly cooperated with author Steven Watts for Mr. Playboy: Hugh Hefner and the American Dream.

"This is the most authoritative book ever written about me... It's all essentially true," Hefner said.

According to one celebrity blogger, allegations in the book include that Hefner has engaged in gay sex and also once had a foursome with his wife, his brother and his sister-in-law.

The book is set to be released October 6, 2008. A description of it states:

"In this wise and penetrating biography, intellectual historian Steven Watts looks at what Hugh Hefner went onto become, and how he took America with him. Hefner became one of the most hated and envied celebrities in America, dating a long list of his magazine's beauties and always standing just barely on the wrong side of decency and moral uprightness."

Madonna & Spears tell-alls to be published

Madonna's brother, Christopher Ciccone, has written a tell-all titled Life With My Sister. The memoir is set for release July 15 with a first printing of 350,000.

Rumor has it Madonna has met with lawyers to discuss legal methods of stopping the publication.

"When she was meeting with lawyers and everyone was saying it was because she wanted to divorce Guy, she was really meeting with them to get the book killed," a source told E! News' Marc Malkin.

Liz Rosenberg, Madonna's rep, has not commented on the book; however, she did say her client has not talked to attorneys about it. Reps at Simon & Schuster, Ciccone's publishing house, have declined to comment on the matter.

But the material girl isn't the only subject of a memoir coming out soon.

Lynne Spears is reportedly writing a book about raising her two famous daughters, Britney and Jamie Lynn, her publisher told People.

"When Jamie Lynn got pregnant, it was put on hold," said a spokesman for Thomas Nelson, a publishing company for inspirational books and Bibles. "Lynne never stopped working on it because she wants to express her love for her children and tell their stories through a mother's eyes."

Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World is due for release in September. It "will not be a parenting book," the spokesman said. "It's her story of what it was like being a mom and raising two very famous people. It's a memoir."

It will be the second book for Lynne Spears, who co-wrote A Mother's Gift with Britney.

Jonas Brothers sign book deal


The Jonas Brothers have followed in the steps of fellow teen star Miley Cyrus. The trio signed a deal with Disney Book Group to publish their first book, an exclusive behind-the-scene view of the band.

The book will be published under the Disney-Hyperion Books imprint and will be out in the fall.

"We have such an amazing time performing at our concerts, and to be able to chronicle all of the fun for our fans and readers is just incredible for us," Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas said in a statement. "We hope our fans get to relive our shows and discover things they haven't seen before through our book."

William Shatner talks about Star Trek and his memoir


William Shatner is best known as Captain James Tiberius Cook on Star Trek - but the Canadian actor wants people to know that there is more to him than that.

That's why he has written several memoirs and has a new one out called "Till Now," which is about his rise from a Canadian boy with a modest childhood to his current role, a self-spoofing Priceline.com spokesman.

Shatner spoke to Brian Braiker of Newsweek about the new Star Trek movie and a number of other topics.

He said that he has not been approached by J.J. Abrams, who is doing the bigscreen remake of Star Trek. "I know nothing," he said about the movie. "I had a meeting a couple times with J.J. Abrams, who actually came down one time to where we shoot "Boston Legal" to visit with me—and I don't know what it was about. He never called back, and I'm not in the movie. I'm disappointed."

He added that he is a little disappointed that he won't be in the movie.

"I would have liked to have been in the revival of Star Trek," he said. "More than that I'm fascinated by the business decision of not including that popular character and the actor who has a lot of popularity still, as opposed to anybody else in the cast who's either unknown or not in the public eye particularly."

The entire interview is available here.

The Today Show recommends summer books

Find out which books The Today Show recommends for the summer:

Prince is writing a book


Prince will be celebrating his upcoming 50th birthday by publishing a book about the summer of 2007 when he had 21 consecutive sold-out concerts at London's 02 arena.

"21 Nights" will be a multimedia volume released in September. It will feature poetry by the artist, live CD sessions with new music from after parties at the O2's Indigo Club and photos by Hollywood's Randee St. Nicholas.

An online statement by Atria, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, said the book jacket will have a black and silver duotone paper-over-board and will be "elegantly sealed in a purple slip case with foil stamping and then shrink-wrapped for protection."

Prince is Coming out with a Book


Prince/ the Artist Formerly Known As is working with Simon & Schuster to come out with a book in conjunction with his 50th birthday.

The book will be entitle 21 Nights and will be a tribute to his 21 sold-out concerts at London’s O2 arena last summer. It will feature a live session CD, poetry written by the singer, and never-before-seen photos.

Ever since prince entered the music scene with his 1984 album Purple Rain, he has been a force to be reckoned with, and if the book is anything like the performer himself, it promises to be interesting at the very least.

Top 10 most popular books

A new poll has been released that determines the most popular books by following how people voted based on religion, race, and political beliefs, among other things.

Here is the top 10:

1. The Bible
2. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
3. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
4. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
5. The Stand by Stephen King
6. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
7. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
8. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
9. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
10. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Julie Andrews' memoir a top-seller


Julie Andrews' new book Home: A Memoir of My Early Years was just published April 1, but it is already the 23rd best seller on Amazon.com. In "Home," the singer, actress and children's book author recalls her own childhood, prior to her rise to fame in movies including "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music."

Andrews recounts the struggles of growing up in war-torn Britain, her parents divorce and the difficulties inherent in living in a family of hard drinkers. But Andrews also recalls the happier times; her childhood spent on radio and in music halls and her decision to leave home at 18 to become a star.

Andrews isn't the only celebrity with a currently successful book. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance remains a popular seller at number 24 on Amazon. His The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream is number 32.

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul's The Revolution: A Manifesto is the 42nd best seller, despite the fact that is won't be released until the end of the month. At number 70 is Martha Stewart's Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share.

Also in the top 100 is a diet book by Jillian Michaels of "The Biggest Loser." Making the Cut: The 30-Day Diet and Fitness Plan for the Strongest, Sexiest You is the 75nd best seller on Amazon.

Not in the top 100? Tori Spelling's sTori Telling, for one, which was released March 11.

Post Secret: A Lifetime of Secrets hits stores today!

This is one of my personal favorite websites and ongoing projects. Please give it and Mr. Fran Warren some support! I just felt I would share with all you viewers out there. Check out the trailer for the newest book Post Secret: A Lifetime of Secrets: