Hunger Games Pumpkin Carving 2011 Edition

Last year I carved a Hunger Games themed pumpkin for Halloween. You can read my post about that little endeavor here. I wasn't originally planning on carving a Hunger Games pumpkin this year (mostly because there aren't many things you can carve other than the mockingjay symbol and I already did that last year...) but then I saw that Mockingjay.net was having a pumpkin carving contest and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to possibly win one of the comic con mockingjay pins. :P

It took me awhile to come up with a design but I finally decided to carve each of the mockingjays from the book covers along with the words The Hunger Games Trilogy. Here's the finished product:

It took FOREVER to make. Around 6-8 hours. :P

This can be attributed to the fact that I used the technique of carving out only a partial layer of skin that way I could do the trickier stuff like the thin lines on the catching fire mockingjay. I think it turned out pretty bomb diggity! What do you guys think?

Hope you all have a fantastic candy-filled Halloween!!!

Julia :)

Kawaii Monday: Pop Monsters

This week's Kawaii Monday features Pop Monsters! I ran into these little guys at the Changing Hands Bookstore when I went there for the Ashes event. THEY ARE SO CUTE!!!!

Okay, so they aren't you stereotypical cute but still. I'm a sucker for monsters..... And besides it's Halloween so why not talk about monsters am I right? My favorite is definitely the periwinkle one in the bottom right corner. There's something about his smile that is just so adorable.

The coolest thing about these is that their eyes pop out when you squeeze them. That's why they're called pop monsters! You can watch the video below to see one in action.



Pretty cool huh? Best stress reliever ever!

Which pop monster is your favorite?

You can buy these cuties here.

Julia :)

Favorite Creeptastic Reads!

I've been wanting to do a post highlighting my favorite creepy reads for awhile now and its Halloween season so I would say this is the perfect time wouldn't you? So here is a list of some of my favorite creepy/mysterious/scary reads!

Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks

This book came out a few years back and when I read it I really enjoyed it. A slightly creepy summer carnival? People go missing? POSSIBLE MURDER?!?! So good!

Cryers Cross by Lisa McMann

I'm guessing this book would be on everyone's creepy book list. The cover alone just screams creepy! This one has some great paranormal frights. I've read scarier but it definitely kept me up at night!

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab

All Unquiet Things is not half as creepy as some of the other books on this list but it deserves to be here because:

1. I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH!
2. Its a mystery. And a good one at that!

Who said a book had to be super scary to win a spot on my favorite creepy reads list?

Choker by Elizabeth Woods

 I read this recently and it actually really surprised me with how creepy/scary it was! Don't be fooled by its pretty peach exterior because this book will give you serious chills!

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Not scary persay, but anyone who has read Imaginary Girls knows how eerie and chilling it is!

The Kindaichi Case Files

These are some of the only mangas I've ever read (manga lovers don't hate me!!!) and they are amazing! Talk about scary mystery stories. I would always swear to myself I wouldn't read these at night because they freaked me out too much but then I would anyway. What can I say? Its fun to be scared sometimes. :)

House by Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti

Two things went wrong with this book for me: 

1. I listened to it on tape. There was creepy music. IT FREAKED THE CRAP OUT OF ME!

2. I listened to this at night. Such a bad idea.... >.<

I wouldn't say this book is a favorite of mine (in fact far from it) but it's worth a mention because its just so dang scary. Just thinking about it is scaring me... *shudder*

Bliss by Lauren Myracle

This is one creepy book! Of course you probably already knew that from looking at the bloody cover.... I'm pretty sure I hid this book from my mother when I read it because I didn't think she would approve of its freakiness..... >.<

Finally here are some books that I haven't read but have heard are really creepy:

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

So those are my favorite creeptastic reads! Or at least the ones I can think of right now.... Does anyone have any other good creepy book suggestions for me?

Julia :)

Cover Comparisons [14]

This past week Daisy Whitney revealed new cover designs for her books The Mockingbirds and The Rivals! I'm really loving the contrast between these two sets of covers. Let the cover comparison begin!

       Original Covers

                                                   

New Covers

 Original Covers: While I liked these covers its almost like something is missing from them. They just don't have an "it" factor. They're good but not great. I do love that they match though!

New Covers: I'm gonna say it right now: These are total hipster covers! Photo booth photos? Check. Cursive handwriting font? Check. Bright red vintagesque lipstick? Check. Messy bedhead hair? Check. Yep, so hipster. I love it though! Sometimes hipster covers look cheesy but these aren't and they're really fitting for the books.

So who wins? I'm giving it to the new hipster covers! They have a sort of mysterious intrigue to them much like the books themselves and they look really classy! I still like the old covers but they just don't have the same "cool" factor that the new covers have. 

Which covers of The Mockingbirds and The Rivals do YOU like best? Be sure to vote in the poll below and sound off in the comments about why you made your decision!

Julia :)

Book Review: Forgotten

Forgotten
by Cat Patrick
288 pages
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 7, 2011
Source: My Bookshelf

Ever night, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can "remember" are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you'd easily forget, yet try as she might, London can't find him in her memories of things to come.

When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it's time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting - before it destroys her future.

Forgotten is a book that (I apologize for the cliche) won't soon be forgotten. To me it was like a mixture of 50 First Dates, The Notebook, and a fascinating psychological thriller. In short: It was awesome. I read Forgotten over a week ago and I still can't get the story or characters out of my mind. It was that good.

London Lane is a girl who can't remember the past, only the future. But even so she only remembers the future the same way we remember the past; small bits and pieces that were really memorable. At first I had a hard time figuring out exactly what London's condition entailed. What exactly did the reminder notes mean? How much could London actually "remember" about the future? Was she born with her strange memory or did it just start happening one day? Stuff like that. Eventually it all became clear (sort of..) but I do think that there could have been a bit more time explaining London's condition.

Normally I'm not really the romance type but when its done right I can dig it as much as the next girl. Forgotten is the perfect example of romance done right: Sweet without being overly sappy. The way Cat Patrick had the relationship between London and Luke develop was an aspect to this story that I really loved. Plus they went on some of the cutest dates EVER! I want some guy to take me on a car date where we watch movies in the trunk and stargaze out of the moonroof! I just need to find a boyfriend and get a car with a moonroof first..... >.<

Along with the romance Forgotten also has a lot of intrigue and this is what really kept me hooked. Cat Patrick uses a series of flashbacks (or flash forwards?) to create some really great plot tension. The only gripe I have is that the ending felt unfinished. A lot of the mysteries in the story weren't solved until the last 2/3rds (if not 3/4ths) of the book and then the book was just over. I wanted more closure. I'm hoping Cat Patrick might write a sequel but I don't think she's planning on it. :/

Overall Forgotten is a fantastic read. Its got a great romance to pull in the contemporary readers but it also has just enough psychological intrigue to keep someone like me hooked! I give it 5 out of 5 ice cream cones.

Also you might want to take the time to watch Forgotten's book trailer. If I haven't convinced you to read this book, the book trailer most certainly will.





And lastly they might be turning Forgotten into a movie with Hailee Steinfeld starring as London Lane! Anyone have any thoughts on this casting? Personally I think Hailee is a great choice. She's such a cute little actress. Now we've just got to find a guy to play Luke Henry.....

Julia :)