Top Ten Books I Want to Read But Don’t Yet Own and I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up For Education and Changed the World Book Review

TTT is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

 

1. Where She Went by Gayle Forman-I mean, I loved If I Stay, so this is a must-have. Kind of obvious…

2. The Giver by Lois Lowry-Every blogger (or at least almost every blogger) has loved this book. It sits on my teacher’s shelf, mocking me.

3. The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare-Yet again, I read The Mortal Instruments, so it’s just…I have to have these!!!

4. Four: A Divergent Collection by Veronica Roth-This slipped between my fingers. It was at Costco when it first came out for, like, eleven dollars, but I was like, I don’t really need it. Now I need it.

5. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell-I have yet to read a Rowell book, but bloggers rave about her. I honestly know nothing about this book.

6. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell-Another must-read from all the blogosphere and beyond.

7. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor-Bloggers love this!

8. Hate List by Jennifer Brown-Emily @ The Loony Teen Writer just reviewed this, and it sounds like a great book.

9. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll-Believe it or not, I have never read this book. And I’ve only watched the Hello Kitty version of it when I was really little.

That concludes this week’s TTT. Sorry there’s only nine! Any books you would like to read but don’t have? Tell me in the comments below.

I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up For Education and Changed the World (Young Readers Edition) by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick

Title: I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up For Education and Changed the World

Author: Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick

Number of Pages: 193

Overall rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary From Cover: Malala Yousafzai was only ten years old when the Taliban took control of her region. They said music was a crime. They said women weren’t allowed to go to the market. They said girls couldn’t go to school.

Raised in a once-peaceful area of Pakistan transformed by terrorism, Malala was taught to stand up for what she believes. So she fought for her right to be educated. And on October 9, 2012, she nearly lost her life for the cause: She was shot point-blank while riding the bus on her way home from school.

No one expected her to survive.

Now Malala is an international symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize nominee. In this Young Readers Edition of her bestselling memoir, which includes exclusive photos and material, we hear firsthand the remarkable story of a girl who knew from a young age that she wanted to change the world — and did.

Malala’s powerful story will open your eyes to another world and will make you believe in hope, truth, miracles and the possibility that one person — one young person — can inspire change in her community and beyond.

Discussion: I loved this so much! I devoured it extremely quickly; I never thought that I would enjoy a nonfiction book so much. The only thing that separated me and five stars was that some of the content was missing that was included in her first book.

This Young Readers Edition isn’t as heavy. It also has less names, dates, and acronyms to memorize. I had a lot of trouble with those during her first book!

I recommend reading this first, and if you want to know more, read the original I Am Malala. But this is easier to process and lighter on the intense stuff. You also get more insight into her life before the Taliban.

Sorry this review was so short; I’m tired. I will go write now, though.

Book Review of City of Heavenly Fire, a.k.a. Add All the Feels and Stake You in the Heart

Honestly, that’s what it was like. I’m going to try to keep this review spoiler-free, but I might do a bit of spoiling in a discussion rant afterwards. So, continue to calmly read my spoiler-free review below, but once that ends, go. Just go. [Unless you’ve read CoHF; that’s different.]

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Heavenly Fire

Author: Cassandra Clare

Number of Pages: 725 [Yes, it is a tome. I know.]

Genre: YA Fantasy

Overall Rating: 5/5 stars [I mean, it would be impossible not to give it five stars. It would just be…wrong. So wrong.]

Summary From Cover: In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary’s own brother.
Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.
The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris – but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?
When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee – even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned…
Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

Discussion: OMG. Just, OMG. I know, not the most poetic or descriptive choice of words, but it’s very accurate. Be prepared to say this after you read it. Because you’re going to. Even if I have to tie you to a chair, duct tape your mouth shut, and scream it at you.

Ahem.

I’m trying to save some of my ideas for the spoiler discussion below. If you have read this lovely, torturous book, feel free to skip below; I don’t mind. This might be a bit sucky, actually.

First of all, the feels. They are overwhelming. [I guess this whole spoiler-free discussion will be a warning. (CAUTION: This book may cause emotions, feels, crying, trauma, elation, and unwilling laughing at inopportune times in public. Read with head, my dear friend. Proceed with caution.)] Be prepared to die inside, to laugh in public, to tear up, to feel like someone has stabbed you in the gut, to be so freaking happy you just have to tell everyone, to be perceived as a lunatic. These are all side effects.

The feels are everything. Yes, there is a plot. Yes, there are characters. Yes, there are relationships and kissing and swearing and drama and sacrifice and beauty. But, really, it all revolves around feelings. You can feel the characters’ pain and love and joy. You are them.

I really don’t no what else to say, except this:

And I don’t even like Adventure Time!

If you have not read this book or series, go get it now. And, BTW, don’t read below, because…

SPOILER ALERT!!!

So, bye now. Bye!

SPOILER Discussion: I…I don’t even know where to beg–

WHY?! WHY MUST CASSANDRA CLARE TORTURE ME SO???

Simon is my favorite character. And when he volunteered to give up his immortality and his memories in the demon world, I wanted to go inside the book, slap him, push Magnus to his father and say “Have him instead!” and then possibly kiss Simon. But then Isabelle would have killed me. Seriously, though, Simon is my fave. It pained me so to think know, while I was sitting in a hot car staring at highway, Simon was a mundane and couldn’t remember Clary. He would grow up, go back to his mother, be in the band–be human. He is my OTP, though. Where are you, real-life Simon?

And the whole thing with Sebastian was creepy. Being in love with your sister, even when you don’t know what love is? I wanted to stab him! When Clary sat onto that throne, my heart was crumpled and thrown into the trash. Thank goodness it was her plan!

Jace has grown on be a bit. I find him much too perfect, egotistical, arrogant, heroic–Maybe I don’t like him at all. He reminds me of Jason from Heroes of Olympus; superman perfect. Although his moments with Clary are sweet.

Izzy is just as awesome as ever, Alec is still Alec, and the world still revolves around the sun. Everything is good and fine. I guess I would’ve liked a more…devastating ending, I guess. Maybe a major character dying, perhaps like, erm, *cough* Jace *cough*.

*protects self while fangirls run at me*

Love this quote! And Izzy.

And Emma! Dear Emma, I do adore and admire her so. She’s a lovely addition, although I do wish she was in on more of the action, I suppose.

To conclude my epic (as in epic, I mean long) review, I would like to say that although it was a bit of a traumatic experience, I loved CoHF.

Thanks for getting here! Sorry it was a bit on the long side, but I really felt like ranting and warning. y next read will be Malala Yousafzai’s newest book, I Am Malala: How One girl Stood Up For Education and Changed the World. Did you enjoy CoHF? Tell me in the comments below!

Back From Camp–OMG, 13 Days Till Winning Begins at Camp NaNo!

I’m back from the woods, back in civilization. I have a lot to post! Did you miss me? Bet you did. Love you too. I’m very sad to admit that I did not write Nakoma while at camp. Even though I printed it out. Even though I brought a bazillion pieces of college-ruled paper. Even though I had three really nice blue-ink pens (I actually prefer blue ink). Please try to forgive me while I try to forgive myself.

But enough with the sad regrets. Let me go on with my post.

Yes, there are thirteen days until the winning for Camp NaNoWriMo begins. Ha. Ha. Whoops. Where has the time gone? Just wanted to note that.

Also: My new blog will be up on July 14. If you are against sexism and wish to see equal gender rights, please go to it. I will link to it on this blog.

I really have to start writing like right now.

-C-

 

Malala Day, Nakoma, and Harry’s Eye

I haven’t posted for a while, so I thought I’d do a bit of tying up loose ends and such. Nakoma has been updated (the fourteenth chapter!). I just want to note that on June 26, I had 25,656 words, and now I have 33,799. How amazing is that?

Pardon my pride.

On my Summer Goals list, I said I wanted to get Malala Yousafzai’s newest book. I just visited the Malala Fund website, and here is what I found out:

The new and updated young readers edition of her book will be coming out on August 19, 2014.

It comes out on August 19!!! No!!! So, cross that off my list for summer. I can’t wait to get it. I have to buy it on the day it comes out. Note: Must check local bookstore to see if they will order it.

Okay, dramatic pause for effect.

I’m making a new blog.

It’s not to replace this one, but for a different purpose. For Malala Day on July 14, everyone is supposed to raise their voice for girls’ rights. I am making a blog about feminism for this. I will only post on that one whenever I feel necessary, and will continue to post on here.

On an unrelated note, I am going to a camp Monday-Thursday. I might post on Friday when I get back… Wish me luck in the wilderness!

[OMG, Harry’s left eye (his right, our left) in the GIF is so funny!]

Hasta luego,

Chloe