Friends of mine know that I stick little tabs in my books to mark funny passages, lines that I loved, or important sections that I need to take note of for reviews.
I got a new set of sticky tabs recently, and look what they’ve been up to:
This dazed hamster says hello to Brandon Sanderson from the pages of my copy of "The Alloy of Law". He's marking a particularly mind-bending paragraph about the magic system on Scadrial.
Not all of my book hamsters are dazed. This one likes Brandon's jokes. Har har.
Want Books? is a weekly meme hosted at Chachic’s Book Nook and features released books that you want but you can’t have for some reason. It can be because it’s not available in your country, in your library or you don’t have the money for it right now.
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
In this funny, uncannily wise portrait of the dynamics of a sixth-grade class and of the greatness that sometimes comes in unlikely packages, Dwight, a loser, talks to his classmates via an origami finger puppet of Yoda. If that weren’t strange enough, the puppet is uncannily wise and prescient. Origami Yoda predicts the date of a pop quiz, guesses who stole the classroom Shakespeare bust, and saves a classmate from popularity-crushing embarrassment with some well-timed advice. Dwight’s classmate Tommy wonders how Yoda can be so smart when Dwight himself is so clueless. With contributions from his puzzled classmates, he assembles the case file that forms this novel.
Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger
It is a dark time at Ralph McQuarrie Middle School. After suffering several Origami Yoda–related humiliations, Harvey manages to get Dwight suspended from school for being a “troublemaker.” Origami Yoda pleads with Tommy and Kellen to save Dwight by making a new case file—one that will show how Dwight’s presence benefits McQuarrie. With the help of their friends, Tommy and Kellen record cases such as “Origami Yoda and the Pre-eaten Wiener,” “Origami Yoda and the Exploding Pizza Bagels,” and “Origami Yoda and Wonderland: The Musical.” But Harvey and his Darth Paper puppet have a secret plan that could make Dwight’s suspension permanent . . .
I’ve had Origami Yoda on my wishlist since last year, and I still haven’t managed to find a copy in a local book store. I feel like I’ve lost some of my Star Wars Fan cred. :p
The posts on the Origami Yoda blog keep popping up on my Twitter and WordPress feeds like constant reminders to “go call the book store to order these or Darth Paper will order the Origami Death Star to destroy your Origami Planet.”
Anne McCaffrey (1926-2011)
Anne McCaffrey, a legend in the SF/F community, passed away yesterday. As someone who loves fantasy, I understand what her loss means to the genre and to the people who were inspired and influenced by her works. I must, however, take this as a cue to confess that I have not read any of her books. I know, I know. Feel free to send out your fiercest dragons to hunt me down for this blasphemy (Warning: I wear a Ring of Dragonfire Protection). Or if you don’t have any dragons to send out, maybe you can hit the comments section and send me suggestions for which of her books I should read first instead. ;p
“The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” clothing line to be launched
I still haven’t managed to get past the first chapter of the book, but I’m excited to see the movie starring Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig. Trish Summerville, the costume designer for the film, is going to launch a men’s clothing line inspired by Mikael Blomkvist’s outfits in the movie, and a women’s clothing line inspired by Lisbeth Salander’s. This warms my little movie geek’s (and my little closet fashion fan’s) heart.
Speaking of fashion, I love Rooney Mara’s dress on the cover of Vogue. 😀
10 Themes Shared by Science Fiction and Historical Fiction
It explains a lot. 😉 [Link to article]
Ronreads Interview: Junot Diaz
My friend Ron was very lucky to have interviewed Pulitzer prize winner Junot Diaz during the Manila International Literary Festival. He seems like such a fun guy to talk to (color me envious, Ron!), and I love that he’s taken the time to get to know the Philippines and the Filipinos. [Link to interview transcript]
Open Call for Submissions: “Horror: Fantastic Filipino Fiction for Young Adults”
Hit the link if you’re interested to submit something. [Link]
#bumperstickersforwriters
A couple of days ago, I stumbled upon this fun Twitter meme, #bumperstickersforwriters. Here are some of the funnier entries:
– “Support our tropes.” @3rdplacepress
– “I’m not lost; I’m procrastinating.” @katelhunter
– “I just killed someone.” @LisaDMartinez
– “Cut me off and I’ll break your fourth wall.” @IrisBlasi
– “It’s not cheating if he’s only an imaginary lover.” @EbonyMcKenna. I suppose this counts for the #bumperstickersforbookworms meme too, if ever one gets started. :p
Salvador Dali + Walt Disney = Destino
I just had to post this link because the short film that Dali and Disney collaborated on is made of pure awesomeness. You can spare 6+ minutes of your time to see it, right? 😉
Star Trek sequel: 17 May 2013
My Star Trek men in IMAX 3D. World, please don’t end in 2012. That is all. [Link to report + JJ Abrams is seriously considering casting Benicio del Toro]
I hate season breaks The Vampire Diaries is on season break, so I’ve had to resort to re-watching the first 8 episodes of season 3 and some from the tail-end of season 2 (Klaus walks into a bar and confronts Damon and Alaric…) Sometimes news breaks the monotony: lo and behold, Ausiello comes through with a spoiler!
For the record, though, I see all the other characters as “somewhat less evil” than Klaus even if he is actually more complicated than just plain “evil.” So that description from the spoiler doesn’t really tell us much about Finn. The flashback occurring in the 1400’s, though, makes for more interesting Originals Speculation Fodder and also begs the question: is there a curse on the Petrova doppelgangers that has something to do with brothers falling all over or fighting over them? ;p I wonder if the writers will spin an Elijah vs. Finn angle on this one.
Enough rambling. It’s time to post a gratuitous photo of Klaus. Just because.
Please note that the caption should be read with Klaus' American accent from S03E01. :p | Image Source: The TVD Facebook App
Now, I’m gonna go open my media player and listen to some Coldplay while I work. 😉
It pains me to admit that it took me 4 movies to come to this personal realization: The Twilight Saga–no matter how much it earns and no matter how big the fan base–is not ideal for a big-screen adaptation. And I say this with all due respect to the filmmakers who tried and gave it their best: it’s not you, Directors, it’s the source material. And I also say that with all due respect to Stephenie Meyer. I admit I liked the books–they’re a guilty pleasure and please lower those eyebrows–but there are some books that are best left to a reader’s personal mental book-to-movie adaptation. Many people, of course, will disagree with me; I don’t mind. I’m not trying to get people to cross the line anyway. Everyone must live with their own epiphanies.
I’m a fan of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games trilogy, so this post about the brand-new trailer for the movie adaptation was inevitable. I just wouldn’t be able to keep my virtual mouth shut. 😛
Let’s break it down, shall we?
Katniss and Gale, bonding and hunting in the woods outside District 12:
I’ve ranted about the casting of Liam Hemsworth as Gale too much already. But while he seems okay based on the scenes here and I can feel the rapport between him and Katniss, he still hasn’t won me over. Sorry, Liam. I like what I saw of JLaw’s take on Katniss though.
The Reaping:
That was goosebumps-inducing. The ceremony felt as cold and faux-spectacular as it did in the book, so the scenes between Katniss and Prim and the “I volunteer as Tribute!” part had more impact. I like the look that Katniss and Peeta shared when Peeta was called to the stage. Gale and Katniss’ last talk before she’s whisked off to the Capitol looked good, too. Okay, let’s give Liam a few points for that. 😛
Oh, but Katniss, Prim, Peeta, and Gale looked a bit out-of-place among the other District 12 residents–like they’re a group of Hollywood stars in the midst of a sea of extras, which is exactly what they are in real life, and it shows. Or maybe that’s just me. Hrmmmm… That’s not a bad thing, really, because they’re the focus characters but it would’ve been better if they looked more like the District 12 residents that they’re supposed to be.
The train ride to The Capitol:
The train has chandeliers? How very Capitol! ;p The look of the Capitol and the Training Center wasn’t at all like I imagined, though–they seemed a little too stereotypical future-era production design. I expected more opulence and general ridiculousness.
Cinna:
The Cinna that I conjured up in my head when I read the books was like Kyan Douglas with a bit of Christian Siriano’s flair. I admit that while I didn’t have a violent reaction towards Lenny Kravitz being cast, I wasn’t sold on the idea, either. The short glimpse I got here, though, makes me think he has more potential in the role than I thought.
The Interview:
Katniss’ gown wasn’t at all like I imagined, either–it looked rather Dolce and Gabbana, and therefore too much “in the now” and not quite dystopian. They should have made Christian Siriano design it! :p No, really. And was that Caesar Flickerman? Hrmmmm…
The training sessions:
That voice-over about the games is a good idea. I like the background music, too; it’s not cliché. And wow, Alexander Ludwig! 😉 I like that they showed glimpses of the main Tributes.
Haymitch:
Ummmm… Haymitch. I imagined Haymitch as someone like Mad-Eye Moody but a little less mad. :p Woody Harrelson’s Haymitch seems too well put-together compared to how he is in the book. And he has nicer hair (Thor, is that you?). Oh, all right, benefit of the doubt granted…for now.
Seneca Crane and the Head Gamemaker’s Beard of Freaky-Stylish Awesomeness:
Just one glimpse of Crane and that wacky beard has got the internet all abuzz, someone even had to interview it! You know your facial hair has arrived when people talk about it as if it’s sentient. :p
The “Talk”:
“I don’t want them to own me. If I die, I still want to be me.” Peeta. I have a very strong attachment to Peeta’s character, so I desperately want Josh Hutcherson to turn in the perfect performance. I won’t go as far as to say he nailed it based on this scene, but he’s on the right track as far as I’m concerned.
Katniss makes the District 12 salute/gesture and the people salute back:
Yet another goosebumps-inducing scene. Yay! I was teary-eyed when I read this part.
The countdown to the Arena:
I love that we got a glimpse of the characters that matter to Katniss–Prim, Gale, Cinna–before she rocketed up to the Arena. Katniss and Peeta taking stock of each other’s location and condition as they run for the supplies was a nice touch.
The trailer struck a good balance between telling the viewers what the movie is about and showing off the good stuff that they’ve done with it, while still holding back a lot of surprises for the movie itself. It makes me curious even if I didn’t see any scenes from the Games at all. The editing and the over-all structure that the filmmakers went with was really good.
I am a tad disappointed with the production design, though, because it looked like they didn’t want to push the envelope; it felt too safe. They were on the right track with Seneca’s beard and Effie’s look already, to be honest! But I do realize that I’ve only seen roughly 2 minutes of footage, so I hope the rest of the film is better in that aspect.
Okay, enough rambling. I’m gonna go and watch it again!
I’m posting this in support of Honey (of Coffeespoons), who’s one of the nicest people I’ve met in the local book blogging / literary network. 😉 Also, Flipreads seems like a very viable alternative for people like me who are worried about online transactions and going crazy on Amazon and exceeding my credit limit. 😛
I hope that the alternative payment systems on Flipreads (like GCash) will be available soon, along with more titles in more formats! 🙂
eBooks now made accessible to Filipinos through Flipreads.com
Filipinos can now have easier access to eBooks through the online eBookstore, Flipreads.com. Likewise, authors and publishers can now distribute their eBooks more widely and securely through the same website, which was launched on November 11 2011 from 4-7PM at the Celebrity Sports Club Grand Ballroom.
Flipreads.com is owned and developed by Flipside Publishing Services, a sister company of Flipside Digital Content. Flipside Digital Content, previously just a conversion house catering to four of the top six international publishers, is responsible for publishing and co-publishing more than 70 Filipino and Asian eBooks on Amazon, Apple iBookstore, and Barnes and Noble just in its first six months of operation. Most of these international eBookstores, however, are not available to the local populace.
Filipinos can only buy from Amazon, albeit with an added cost of $2 per book. Now, Flipside is making eBooks more accessible especially for Filipinos through Flipreads.com. Readers can download eBooks onto their Apple or Android devices. They can even download it onto their PCs or Macs. Whereas before, Filipinos could only buy eBooks legitimately if they had credit cards, but with Flipreads, they may use other payment gateways such as CashSense and, in the near future, Globe GCash, and Smart Money.
Flipreads also serves as a secure distribution platform for Filipino publishers, authors, and other content providers. Therefore, publishers can now sell their eBooks securely through Flipreads.com. Authors can also opt to independently publish their titles through the site. Other institutions and entities can also distribute their digital materials safely through Flipreads. eBooks distributed through Flipreads can be made secure through the use of Adobe Content Server’s
DRM. DRM stands for Digital Rights Management and is the means by which eBooks are protected from casual piracy. Alternatively, authors and publishers may choose to distribute their eBooks for free through the Flipreads site.
Flipreads also hopes to provide a venue to publishers and authors to bring previously out-of-print titles back into circulation. Since everything is online, these titles will also be available to an international market.
For more information, email business@flipreads.com or call +632-5709255 or +63917-6206244.
It’s no secret that I’m quite invested in Lauren Kate‘s Fallen series, especially after being given the chance to interview her(twice), and to get a glimpse into the kind of work she puts into each of her novels.
One of the things that I love about the books is the striking book design and cover art. Brazilian artist Fernanda Brussi Gonçalves photographed and edited all of the cover images, and, if I’m not mistaken, she’s also the model in the photos.
Yesterday, Lauren revealed the cover art for Rapture, the conclusion of the Fallen series, which will be released on 12 June 2012.
I’ve always thought that we would finally see Luce’s face on the cover of the last book after that bit of a tease in Passion, but I like how this turned out. It feels right that Luce is wearing white (Rhyme on!) It also makes for a dramatic contrast with the darkness of Fallen, the sadness and isolation of Torment, and the colors of Passion. Together, the covers tell the story of Luce’s journey from darkness to enlightenment.
But before that, Lauren will also release Fallen in Love on 24 January 2012.
Unexpected. Unrequited. Forbidden. Eternal. Everyone has their own love story.
And in a twist of fate, four extraordinary love stories combine over the course of a romantic Valentine’s Day in Medieval England. Miles and Shelby find love where they least expect it. Roland learns a painful lesson about finding-and losing love. Arianne pays the price for a love so fierce it burns. And for the first -and last- time, Daniel and Luce will spend a night together like none other.
Lauren posted a chapter sampler from the Shelby/Miles story on her website: click! It’s super cute, especially if you like the idea of pairing up Shelby and Miles. (I do!)
In other book-related news:
– Rick Riordan announced that he will release the Kane Chronicles Survival Guide on 20 March 2012. “Fans of The Kane Chronicles series will adore this gorgeous primer on the people, places, gods, and creatures found in Rick Riordan’s #1 New York Times bestselling series. Boasting lenticulars, an easy-to-assemble trading card pyramid, and full-color diagrams and maps, this deluxe, lavishly illustrated guide teaches readers how to compile secret messages, read hieroglyphics, and recite ancient magic spells. Featuring enough information and extras to satisfy avid followers and budding Egyptologists alike, this guide will cast a spell on readers of all ages.” Looks like it’s the same concept as the Percy Jackson Ultimate Guide. This comes before the publication of the still untitled Kane Chronicles #3 on May 2012.
– Scholastic is going to release a bunch of movie tie-ins and companion books for The Hunger Games to mark the release of the film. May your fandom budget be ever in your favor!
Time for some “Other Stories” here on The Girl Who Read and Other Stories.
True Blood Season 4 just premiered on HBO Asia last week, so that means it’s time to talk vampires and were-animals and Alexander Skarsgård! 😛 Continue reading →
Title:The Scorpio Races Author:Maggie Stiefvater Read Date: 31 October 2011 Goodreads Reading Progress Status Updates: Click here. May contain spoilers. Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars Review in a nutshell: There will be blood.
I modified this review for submission to GMANetwork.com Lifestyle section. The published article may be accessed here. Continue reading →
The Girl Who Read and Other Stories 
