quotes Elisquared likes


"Saying 'I notice you're a nerd' is like saying, 'Hey, I notice that you'd rather be intelligent than be stupid, that you'd rather be thoughtful than be vapid, that you believe that there are things that matter more than the arrest record of Lindsay Lohan. Why is that?' In fact, it seems to me that most contemporary insults are pretty lame. Even 'lame' is kind of lame. Saying 'You're lame' is like saying 'You walk with a limp.' Yeah, whatever, so does 50 Cent, and he's done all right for himself."— John Green

8.14.2011

In My Mailbox (23)



In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and inspired by one of her friends, Alea of Pop Culture Junkie where we get to post about the books we receive each week through publishers/authors, our own purchases, contests won, and libraries.
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8.13.2011

NOOK Bargains (04)

I have a nook color, which I love!  But whenever I see e-books on sale, they're always for the Kindle. 
So I thought I might start my own round-up of sales on e-books that are for the nook to help my fellow nookers (yes I've just made that word up).
The catch is that some of these books are on-sale for a limited time, so get 'em while they're hot!





































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I myself just bought Eden and Waterfall.  I've heard good things about Eden, but I can personally recommend Waterfall.  I just finished it, and it was FANTASTIC!

8.12.2011

AWESOME 1000 SUBSCRIBER GIVEAWAY AT GRIPPED INTO BOOKS!

I proud to help Mia from Gripped Into Books put the word out about her awesome giveaway she's having to celebrate making it to the big 1000!  1000 subscribers?!  That's so crazy; I can't imagine I'll ever get there.

I love Gripped Into Books; it is one of the blogs I follow on my netvibes.  I think the way Mia writes her reviews is very helpful, and I take her recommendations seriously!

So if you want to win some AWESOME prizes (FIVE prize packs guys!) click on the banner below and enter!

8.10.2011

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (Review)

Title: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Fire and Ice, Book 1)
Edition: Paperback, 835 pages
Author(s)George R. R. Martin
PublisherSpectra
Publication Date: June 1, 2006
Source: Bought from Barnes & Noble














The Summary
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In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones
My Opinion
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Epic.

Simply put of course.

I was introduced to A Song of Fire and Ice series by my good friend Emma.  The first book in the series, A Game of Thrones, is an amazing start to this high fantasy tale.  Set in Estros, a country resembling Medieval England, the story centers around the Stark family and other key players.  Head of the Starks is Eddard, or Ned as he's called.  His point of view is considered to be the main one of the book, and it is through him that we see this world as he is called to be the "Hand of the King".  This summons is the start of everything.

Many critics claim Martin to be the "American Tolkien", but I disagree.  While the two series shares similariites, as do all high-fantasy books, I think that they are extremely different and should be recognized as such.  There is a ton of intrigue and back-room bargaining in A Game of Thrones that it reads very much like a political thriller: medieval style.  There is also less of an emphasis on the fantastical.  There aren't elves or orcs running around.  The "magic" is very mythical harkening back to Merlin and Camelot if anything.  Finally, the grittiness, barbarity, and sexuality pushes this series apart.  This book is always a story of power and what humans will do to harness it.  Martin brings this greed to stark (haha...) relief within the pages.

What I loved best about the style of A Game of Thrones is the changing perspective.  A different character narrates each chapter.  This is useful as there is so much going on and the reader gets to undertand events, motives, and emotions from all sides.  This also gives Martin an easy way in which to move throughout the kingdom and world without having to move the main character to the action.  Very clever, but it can be confusing if you're not paying attention.

Fantastic book driven by the characters, and the world-building is amazing; you feel you're in Westeros.  If you enjoy high-fantasy, political intrigue, and family honor, then you really need to read A Game of Thrones.

Final Rating
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Book Cover: 3/5 (there are several covers for the books, but I'm using the one above)
Book Title: 5/5 (there is such a great line that makes the title sing)
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 8.5/10
Overall: 43.5/50: B+

8.09.2011

Teaser Tuesday (16)


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be ReadingAnyone can play along! Just do the following!
  • Grab your current read.
  • Open to a random page.
  • Share a few teaser sentences from somewhere on that page.
  • MAKE SURE NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (you don't want to give too much away and ruin the book for other readers)
  • Share the title and author too, so that other readers can add your book to their TBR list if they like your teaser!
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Waterfall 
(The River of Time Series, Book 1)
 by Lisa T. Bergren

     I moved around a pillar and down a small hallway.  Finding a door unlocked, I slipped inside and moved over to the window, where the moon was just barely bright enough for me to read the note.

     Votre recherche se termine avec moi.  Je sais où est votre soeur.
     Your search ends with me.  I know where your sister is.


(Page. 204)

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I received this as part of a book tour and I am LOVING IT!!!!!  It is so so good!  Review to come soon!

8.08.2011

Heart and Salsa by Suzanne Nelson (Review)

TitleHeart and Salsa (S.A.S.S.) 
Edition: Paperback, 224 pages
Author(s): Suzanne Nelson
Publisher: Speak
Publication Date: June 1, 2006
Source: Bought from Books-A-Million











The Summary
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Cat Wilcox has left chilly Boston for sunny Mexico and a summer of girl bonding with her best friend, Sabrina. But Sabrina has a surprise. She is accompanied by her boyfriend-a boyfriend Cat didn't even know existed. So rather than Sabrina and Cat spending their study-abroad semester working together at the orphan school building site, Cat expects she'll be hammering nails all by her lonesome. Then she meets Aidan. He's cute, he's smart, and he's paying her a lot of attention. Cat can't tell if he's flirting or friendly, but she's not sure it matters. Isn't it easier to be just friends? But this is enchanted Mexico and, between hiking in the rain forest, diving off waterfalls, and finishing the orphan center, it's going to take a little bit of salsa spirit, and a lot of heart, for Cat to make it through the summer unchanged.
My Opinion
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I started the S.A.S.S. series with Westminster Abby which was awesome!  Heart and Salsa is just as good.  Suzanne Nelson did a wonderful job mixing the exploration of a new country and the exploration of self.

In Heart and Salsa Cat is looking for a way to escape her family problems, and what better way then a trip to Mexico?  Cat travels to Mexico to work with Helping Hands, an organization that helps out the Mexican community, to help build a school for the local orphans.  Also while in the program, she and the other students go on ecological, cultural, and political side trips around Mexico.  It was very cool to read about these trips.  It felt like I was on them with Cat.  My favorite was when they visited the rainforest, and you'll see why when you read the book.

Learning about a new country is really what makes the S.A.S.S. so great!  The way Nelson presents the combination of Cat's personal struggles and the struggles of a still developing country is really touching.  All the S.A.S.S. books are like this.  They take the great difficulty of mixing fun and responsibility.  I think Nelson did this better than Michol Ostow did in Westminster Abby.


Cat's big struggle revolves around relationships: familial, romantic and friend.  In the latter two struggles I could relate because I've delt with very similar problems.  however, the family problem was way off my radar.  I haven't even had friends who have gone through it (I don't want to tell you what it is as it will spoil some stuff).  So I felt Cat's reactions were really over-the-top.  But then I asked around to acquaintances and such, and they told me she reacted pretty true to life.  I mention this because I found it interesting that no matter how well parts of a book are written, sometimes the reader is just not going to get it.

Overall, a fun read full of "not-dates", eco-adventures, and unique Spanish cuisine.  Another great addition to the S.A.S.S. series as well.  Look for the series at your local bookstore, and look for more reviews to come!

Final Rating
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Book Cover: 3.5/5
Book Title: 4/5
Plot: 8.5/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 43/50: B

VALA: DAY 7


Full of bad camera work, delicious food, and annoying sisters.

What do you guys think of the new way I'm doing my videos? Like, dislike? Let me know in the comments (I'm really trying to make better quality videos)

8.07.2011

Poetry Sunday (11)


This is a fabulous blog feature here at Eli to the nth!  Thanks to Genna from Reading, Writing, and the World of Words, who created this awesome feature and gave me the permission to host it here, as well as, use her cute graphic!  Poetry is one of my passions, but I have yet to share it here.  So this feature gives me the perfect opportunity to do so!


I feel these words within my bones, but today, today I am not finding my life lines, so I am going to share ones from other people.  Hopefully, I will find more inspiration through the poetry on poets.org, one of my favorite poetry sites.  If you have a life line, please share it with me in the comments.



VALA: DAY 6 - Vlogging on the Road!


Full of apes, AKs and alotta trees.

Didn't get to do my 30 Days of Books question today, but I'll add it in tomorrow!

Also I have no clue why the first part of the video is smaller than the second. If you know help! (If you guys can't tell, I'm trying to do a much better job editing)

In My Mailbox (22)


In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and inspired by one of her friends, Alea of Pop Culture Junkie where we get to post about the books we receive each week through publishers/authors, our own purchases, contests won, and libraries.
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Check out my VALA (Vlog Alotta August) posts as well!

VALA: DAY 5


Full of books, nooks, and looks.
Sorry this was late, I went to go see Rise of the Planet of the Apes, so I didn't get a chance to upload earlier. (I also don't have a handy link in which you can click to buy the tickets. What good am I?)But you should still go see it, because it was pretty awesome. 
More on it tomorrow!

30 Days of Books Question: What book makes you happy?
Leave your responses in the comments!

8.06.2011

Thoughts from an Acute Triangle (02)


Thoughts from an Acute Triangle is a feature I started where I discuss things related to books, authors, reading, or just me.  This is a place for me to be a little brainy or a little silly.  The conversation is always open for comments and if there is ever a topic you want me to discuss, please leave a comment!

This segment of TFAT is along the same lines as the last installment: books and making time to read them.

As I'm sure many of you bloggers know, it takes up time to keep a blog going.  I love it, but it definitely takes up time, because not only do I have my own posts (like this one here), but I love to read and reply to what my fellow bloggers are posting.  This is how you create friends, generate ideas, learn about all the new stuff going on.  I really really really love book blogging, but I sometimes have to force myself to make time in my schedule to do it.

This summer I've been lucky (and unlucky) to not have any university classes.  You'd expect this to open up a lot of free time to read and review books.  I can tell you it hasn't.  There are several reasons for this.  As I stated last time I'm kind of in a reading slump, but additionally I started working a lot more, which is good for the bank account, and bad for the reading.  I'm also part of the Black Belt Club at my Dojo, which eats up three nights a week, with training and weapons class.  Not to mention my personal writing.  That takes up so much of my time.

I also love television.  I realize many people probably think that TV is a waste of time, but I love it!  I think screenwriting is such a different animal than prose writing and I've wanted to write for a show like Community or Glee.  Something fun and bright.  Due to this love, I watch a lot of television, sometimes making notes, sometimes just being delighted in the story telling.  But ether way it eats up a large chunk of my time.

Through all this, I also have a LOT of friends.  Not tooting my own horn, just a fact.  And because they're out of university as well, they all want to hang out.  Dinner, movies, bowling, drinking, clubbing.  Lots of time taken away from reading.  And I don't want to tell them no and try to explain why.  It's such a weird conversation to have with people, "Oh I can't come out tonight because I'm taping a vlog talking about books"  or "I can't hang out because I have to get this review written even though I don't get paid".  Unless you do this, or you love books you really won't get it (At least as far as I've seen).

So through ALL that, I am having such problems keeping up with my reading and reviewing.  I don't know how to fix them either!  If you have some suggestions PLEASE leave them in the comments!!

8.05.2011

VALA: DAY 4


 Full of books, birds, and biscuits.


LINKS!
Magic Beyond Words: The J.K. Rowling Story
You Do the Dishes
Biscoff








Disclaimer: I have NOT been paid or contacted to endorse ANY of the things talked about or linked to in this blog/vlog post.  These are all my own opinions.

8.04.2011

VLOG A LOT in AUGUST (VALA): 30 Days of Books


Around the Youtubes there's been a lot of VEDA (Vlog Every Day in August (April)), Vlogust, and VALA (Vlog A Lot in August) going on. I've decided to participate by combining the 30 Day Book Meme and VALA. So each day (hopefully...that's why I'm doing VALA and NOT VEDA) I'll post a Book Day video.

This video comes to you at 2:00 AM and has Day 1-3...Enjoy my puffy eyes and horrible hair!

NOOK Bargains (03) - Two Editions to Two Awesome Series


In this edition of Nook Bargains I'm bringing you two great additions to two great series: The Lorian Legacies and A Beautiful Creatures.








I'm really excited to read this!  I loved I Am Number Four and it'll be cool to find out more about who Six is, and how she has been surviving.


I still haven't finished Beautiful Creatures (I know I am lame), but what I have read is fantastic.  This is an interesting look into Link and how he plays into this crazy ride!

Both of these stories aren't JUST available for nook, but they are both only ebooks, 
so be sure to pick up your copy for whatever device you use!
Also let me know if you've read either of these books, and what you thought!!!

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