Review: Peeps by Scott Westerfeld

From Barnes and Noble: A year ago, Cal Thompson was a college freshman more interested in meeting girls and partying than in attending biology class. Now, after a fateful encounter with a mysterious woman named Morgan, biology has become, literally, Cal's life.
Cal was infected by a parasite that has a truly horrifying effect on its host. Cal himself is a carrier, unchanged by the parasite, but he's infected the girlfriends he's had since Morgan. All three have turned into the ravening ghouls Cal calls Peeps. The rest of us know them as vampires. It's Cal's job to hunt them down before they can create more of their kind. . . .

First of all I have to say that I really adore Scott Westerfeld. All of his books are a little bit dark and twisty and involve plots where the main characters find out that the "good guys" aren't always good. However, this is one thing that makes his books remarkable. Peeps is a new take on vampirism. Instead of people running around biting other people, vampirism is a disease that is spread through saliva and other bodily fluids. The parasite that cause vampirism causes the people who are infected to hate everything they once loved and to go a little crazy. Cal is lucky enough to only be a carrier. He works for an agency that tracks down people who are "parasite positive" aka Peeps. As far as heroes go, Cal is decent. The reader doesn't really get to know him, the story and his search for every girl he has come in contact with since his infection is where the story focuses. One unique element in this book was that every other chapter is devoted to a different parasite. As you read these chapters about real life parasites that humans come in contact with every day and how they manifest and mutate, your skin will crawl. However, these chapters really do add to the story. The parasite chapters help you understand the parasite that turns humans into vampires. I really enjoyed Peeps. The ending is a little strange, but that is because there is a sequel. Many questions are left unanswered that are hopefully dealt with in The Last Days. I would recommend Peeps to anyone who enjoyed Twilight, Anne Rice, or any other vampire book. Scott Westerfeld has an incredible ability to weave a story. I have enjoyed everything of his that I have read, but Peeps is my favorite so far.

Chelle's Life According To...The Beatles

Okay, so most people know that I have a sick obsession with The Beatles. Basically, I don't think that there is any situation that their music won't help. So, here is my life according to The Beatles. We will have "Ally's Life According To..."next Friday. Feel free to link your meme in the comments section!



The Rules: Pick an artist, and using ONLY SONG TITLES from only that artist, cleverly (preferably) answer these questions. This is harder than it seems! ADDITIONAL RULE: You cannot use the same artist I did, or duplicate song titles even if they were performed by another artist.

1. Are you a male or female?
Lady Madonna

2. Describe yourself.
Blackbird

3. How do you feel about yourself?
I Feel Fine

4. Describe your EX.
The End

5. Describe your CURRENT significant other.
If I Fell

6. Describe your current location.
Octopus's Garden

7. Describe where you want to be.
Penny Lane

8. Your best friend?
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

9. Your favorite color is?
Mean Mr. Mustard

10. You know that...
Can't Buy Me Love

11. What's the weather like?
Here Comes The Sun

12. If your life was a television show what would it be called?
Revolution

13. What is life to you?
The Long and Winding Road

14. What is the best advice you have to give?
All You Need Is Love

15. If you could change your name what would it be?
Sexy Sadie

Teaser Tuesday: May 5, 2009

Today's Teaser comes from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

"How dare you approach me! How I wish I could kill you with one blow and bring back to life the two people you have cruelly murdered."

Enjoy!!!

Reading Suggestions

Okay, I don't really have time for a long blog post. So, instead of lots of words I am just going to leave you with a short list of books that you can read that fit into the body image challenge that I am focused on.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Go Figure by Jo Edwards
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
The Confessions of Georgia Nicholson Series by Louise Rennison (this series is great because it shows that you don't have to be "beautiful" to be fantastic)
Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going

These are only a few of the books that are out there that focus on loving yourself for who you are. Tomorrow we are going to be gone all day, we have a meeting in Radford. I'm not really sure how the blog posting will go, but I've already failed BEDA so it's not really a huge deal if I miss another day! Happy weekend everyone!!!

Body Images

Today when I opened my blogger homepage, I saw that some of the bloggers that I subscribe to (Lenore and The Story Siren) were asked to be guest bloggers for a special theme week (well more than a week because it is lasting until the end of April) that is being hosted by SpeedReader at MyFavoriteAuthor. The idea is that it isn't just teens who have negative self images, but that we all should try to love ourselves more. Obviously this is a problem that we associate most with teenage girls. We have all seen the horrible pictures of anorexic girls who have ribs sticking out of their skin and look like they are about to die. However, just because we aren't starving ourselves or binging and purging doesn't mean that we love who we are. For example, I recently lost about forty pounds, and I am still losing weight. I didn't radically alter anything in my life, I just stop eating when I'm full. I also run around and play with my younger cousins. Even with the recent weight loss and all of the people who tell me that I look good, I still have days (most of them actually) when I look in the mirror and think "Ugh." This is horrible!!! And I hate it about myself. It's true that I also have really great days where I wake up and look in the mirror and think "Wow grrrllll...you are FINE!!!" However, these days don't happen as frequently. Positive reinforcement is always nice. This past weekend two of my brothers friends questioned me about my body consciousness. I told them that I there were times I felt uncomfortable in clothes even though I have a rockin' bod. Their response? Simultaneously they turned around, looked at me, grinned, and said "yeah ya do!" And that was nice!!! Two attractive 20 year old guys complementing me? Yeah, I felt really good. Unfortunately, I can't count the number of times that someone says "I love those pants you look so good in them" and I respond with "yeah okay..." THIS MUST STOP!!! Part of the challenge is that when compliments are given you accept them. You are also supposed to find one thing about yourself that you like each day and concentrate on that. The third part is that you also let the people around you know that they are awesome too. So here is the blog post where the challenge is issued. I think that everyone should participate because it is a wonderful way to help feel better about who you are. If you decide to participate sign up at MyFavoriteAuthor and let us know in the comments!

Teaser Tuesday: April 21, 2009

Today's Teaser comes from Identical by Ellen Hopkins.

"Nothing less sexy than stubble
when you're leg to leg
with an amazing guy.
And, teacher or no teacher,
ten years (or maybe more) my
senior or not, he is def amazing.

I love Ellen Hopkins (even though I've only read one of her books) and I really think that everyone should experience her style of writing once in his/her lifetime. However, if this teaser doesn't excite you then you can always find more here.

The Library In Our Pants-Banned Books Edition

It's not Banned Books Week, but there has been a lot of noise this week about books that are banned for offensive subjects/language/etc. so I decided to dedicate this week's Library In Our Pants to some frequently banned books. It just seemed appropriate.

* And Tango Make Three (In My Pants)
*I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (In My Pants)
*The Great Gilly Hopkins (In My Pants)
*The Witches (In My Pants) (by Roald Dahl)
*The Headless Cupid (In My Pants)
*Where's Waldo? (In My Pants)
*The House of Spirits (In My Pants)
*The Misfits (In My Pants)
*One Night (In My Pants)
*Doing It (In My Pants)
*Daughters of Eve (In My Pants)

So, most of you that are patrons know how I feel about challenged books and censorship. Basically it's a load of bull. I hate when people make judgements about what is okay for everyone. If you have a problem with a book don't recommend it or don't let your own child read it...don't try to keep other people from reading it as well. Also, I am generally more eager to read a book if it has been challenged or banned. So, in the long run all challengers are doing is helping book sales!

Slow Week

So, National Library Week has been pretty boring (at least blog-wise.) We have had so much extra time/programs/outreach that we haven't even been at the library much. However, all that is over tomorrow and we will be back to our regular schedule. I promised a long blog today, but I'm not sure how I'm going to manage that since everything we had going on at the library is over...I could have a few (book and movie related rants) I guess. Tonight we had a teen movie night at the library and I showed The Princess Bride. I was truly shocked by the number of people who had never seen the movie. It is so epic! Since so many new movies for teens are not really library program appropriate, we usually end up showing older movies that Ally and I loved when we were growing up. I don't know that the teen love this, but since we usually only have three teens come it doesn't really matter. Now, as shocked as I was that kids haven't seen The Princess Bride, I was equally shocked to learn that many people are unaware of the fact that The Princess Bride was originally a book. So now, the problem is that I really want to read the book. Why is this a problem you ask? Well, I started this Spring Reading Thing challenge and I've already picked the books that I was supposed to read. This is a problem anyway because I several of the books that I picked have holds on them at the library. So, it is really looking like I am going to have to take some time on Saturday and decide which of my books I am going to have to take back to the library, and which ones I am going to put on the list. I still plan to read 28 books, they are just going to be very different from my original list. So at least now I have something to blog about on Saturday! I know you guys get really excited reading the lists of books that I choose to read! Also, in exciting blogging news, Christina at {Insert Book Title Here} gave us a Super Comments Award! I am sure that I am supposed to somehow put that cute little badge on my profile, but I have no idea how. I'll play around with it this weekend and figure it out.

Um, in an effort to make up for lack of posts this week I'll also do a Teaser. This one comes from Graceling by Kristin Cashore. This is a Teaser for me as well because I have been waiting to read this book since it was published, and I only just got it.
"When Raffin had given the go-ahead to fight a few days later, she'd insisted they fight barefoot. And in truth, she had taken more care of his face since then."
I really hope that this book lives up to all of the excellent reviews that I read! It looks fantastic! I'll let you guys know what I think of it as soon as I actually have time to read.

In Which I Suck At BEDA (again)

Okay, so I totally didn't post yesterday!!! I'm sorry! It's National Library Week so we have a million things going on. Wythe County teens- don't forget that there is a volunteer meeting and a movie night tomorrow. We want to see you there! Since I'm typing this on my phone that's all I'm going to say today...tomorrow is open until about 4:30 so I will write a long post then! Sorry our blog hasn't been exciting this week!

Nothing To Blog

Yeah, so today we had movie day and there were several kids who came and participated. Ally and I both have strange schedules this week because we have to take ten hours each off work because we have worked overtime with the movie days and also with the benefit from Saturday. Wythe County teens don't forget that we are have a volunteer info meeting on Thursday at five and also that we are having a teen movie night that night as well. That's really all that I have...except Thursday is Support Teen Literature Day and I still have no idea what I'm going to do. If you have any ideas let me know in the comments!!!

Review: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Cassie and Lia were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia's mother is busy saving other people's lives. Her father is away on business. Her stepmother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia's head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. If she keeps on going this way-thin, thinner, thinnest-maybe she'll disappear altogether.

I recently realized that (most) every time I finish a book I think "this is the best book I've ever read!" However, this can't be true of every book I read. Regardless, I think that this is one of the best books that I have read this year. Laurie Halse Anderson has such an incredible ability to write gut-wrenching stories about characters who are broken. Lia is so sad, and your heart breaks for her more page by page. Her family is messed up, her best friends dumped her and then died, and she is starving herself to death. There is a beautiful relationship between Lia and her stepsister Emma. Emma is the person that make Lia want to be whole and healthy, but her journey is not easy. The story follows Lia as she goes through the weeks after Cassie's death.

There are many things that I love about this story. There are entire lines of crossed out thoughts. I think that it is a beautiful way to see the difference between what Lia thinks/feels and what she is supposed to think/feel. This is a common theme with most people, you have thoughts or feelings that are vastly different from what you actually express. However, Lia does this to the extreme. Another aspect that I thought was especially eye-opening was the fact that every bit of food Lia eats has the calorie count beside it in parenthesis. For example “half a slice of bread (38) + quarter tablespoon butter (25) = 63.” This helps emphasize Lia’s downward spiral.

This really was a wonderful book. Laurie Halse Anderson has an ability to suck you into the story and want to fix the broken and bruised characters in her book. You don’t feel pity for the characters though, at least I didn’t. Instead I felt a deep sorrow that anyone would ever deal with the things that Lia deals with in the book. I would recommend this book for any teen. The story will appeal to any age group and even though the main character is a female, I think that many males would benefit from reading this book as well as females. Bottom-line? This is a book about an especially sensitive topic (eating disorders) that doesn’t glorify them or make the character seem like someone who is completely unrealistic. I could relate to Lia, and so can most people. A fantastic story by an award winning author, and it was so much more than I expected.

Benefit and Haircuts

Today Ally and I worked at a benefit for a local charity to benefit children with special needs. Basically, we just had a booth for the library and talked about programs we have planned. We also got really cheap haircuts by one of the best salons in town.


***MY BROTHER JUST GOT HOME!!!!***

Okay, obviously there is more that I would like to write, but he sooo trumps everything in my life! Sorry for the cruddy blog post. I'll do better tomorrow and Ally will have more details about our charity work on Monday. Have a Happy Easter!!!

The Library In Our Pants (Classics Edition)

Okay boys and girls. Ally and I frequently play the "In My Pants" game. If you don't know what this is, I feel sorry for you. However, a brief explanation is as follows: John Green (YA author and co-founder of the Nerdfighters {HOO!!!HAA!!!}) made this game up. Basically, any book title is funnier with "in your pants" added to the end of it. Sooo...today we present The Library In Our Pants: Classics Edition.

*Madam Bovary (In My Pants)
*Gulliver's Travels (In My Pants)
*Crime and Punishment (In My Pants)
*The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (In My Pants)
*The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (In My Pants)
*A Doll's House (In My Pants)
*The Inferno (In My Pants)
*To Kill A Mockingbird (In My Pants)
*The Outsiders (In My Pants)
*The Age of Innocence (In My Pants)
*The Awakening (In My Pants)
*Beowulf (In My Pants)
*The Call of the Wild (In My Pants)
*Dracula (In My Pants)
*Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (In My Pants)
*Hard Times (In My Pants)
*Frankenstein (In My Pants)
*Great Expectations (In My Pants)
*The Importance of Being Earnest (In My Pants)
*The Jungle (In My Pants)
*Heart of Darkness (In My Pants)
*The Last of the Mohicans (In My Pants)
*Les Miserables (In My Pants)
*Oh Pioneers! (In My Pants)
*Persuasion (In My Pants)
*The Return of the Native (In My Pants)
*The Secret Garden (In My Pants)
*Sons and Lovers (In My Pants)
*Treasure Island (In My Pants)
*White Fang (In My Pants)
*Wuthering Heights (In Men's Pants)

Sooo...do you all have any funny classics in the Library of Your Pants? If you do please let us know in the comments!

Movie Days and National Library Week

Next week is National Library Week. The theme is a very exciting one: Worlds Connect @ Your Library. Now, it's true that this theme is a huge improvement over last year's theme (A Circle of Knowledge), but it is still not super fun. However, since we bring the party, we are livening things up! On Monday April 13th we are having a Family Movie Day. Local schools are closed, so we will be playing movies all day that day. We will have free popcorn, cookies, and drinks. Here is the schedule:

11-12: A short movie about a spring holiday, a dog, and a bunch of Peanuts
12-1:30- Revist some zoo animals as they roam around Africa
1:30-2:30- A movie about a dog who is a TV action star who realizes that he isn't really a superhero.
2:30-4:30- A movie about a warrior mouse, based on a popular children's book by Kate DiCamillo
5:30-7:30- A movie about a pampered puppy who is dognapped in Mexico.

If you can't figure out what these movies are, come in the library and we'll be glad to let you know! There will be other events throughout the week. On Thursday April 16, we will have a teen volunteer meeting at 5:00. If you need volunteer hours, or if you just need something to keep you busy, come by and get some information. After our meeting we will be showing a teen movie. I will have more details about teen volunteers and the teen movie later this week.

Teaser Tuesday: April 8, 2009 (Yes, I know, It's Wednesday...)

Today's Teaser come from Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls. I can already tell that I am going to be completely obsessed with this book. I just started it this morning and it is fantastic.

"I take a whole wheat roll (96) out of the basket and two buttery Brussels sprouts (35), even though I hate them. In jenniferland I am An Example and must take at least two bites of everything."

Laurie Halse Anderson is such an amazing writer. I have only recently picked up her books, but I regret waiting this long to read her work! She is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA authors. If you aren't excited by this Teaser you can always find many more here.