Judging Books By Their Covers: School Books

Since it is nearing fall, which means I, like many others, am going back to school. As a final hoorah, I am going to judge school required reading from our class orders shelves.

DISCLAIMER: Most of these are pretty unknown because I've read a lot of the known ones. Darn school *shakes fist angrily at the sky.*

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon

At first, when you look at the orange cover, it only shows a silhouette of a dog upside down. This makes me think the dog died, because that happens with tarantulas/spiders/and such. I open the little cover to the quotes (which I did not read) it showed a car. So the curious incident is the dog dying because it was hit by a car. I think the story is the main character (maybe a boy) decides to find out who did it and seek Clint-Eastwood-inspired revenge against the person who killed his dog.

Actual plot: Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow. Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, for fifteen-year-old Christopher everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning. He lives on patterns, rules, and a diagram kept in his pocket. Then one day, a neighbor's dog, Wellington, is killed and his carefully constructive universe is threatened. Christopher sets out to solve the murder in the style of his favorite (logical) detective, Sherlock Holmes.

Was I close? I actually was! But how was I supposed to get "great with numbers" from that cover? And I also missed the fact it was actually the neighbor's dog. I'll give myself a 90%, which I consider a victory.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

If I wanted to be cheeky/flippant I'd say in a dramatic tone with numerous pauses for dramatic effect: "This is about... a house... on Mango Street." But since this is my last week, I'll put in more effort than that. There's a woman in the window, and she's probably the focus. In a wild guess, I'd have to say this is about a woman who owns a boarding house and lets in numerous people that help shape the way she sees the world.

Actual plot: Told in a series of vignettes – sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous – it is the story of a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, inventing for herself who and what she will become. Few other books in our time have touched so many readers.

Was I close? Not. At. All. I am a failure. 2%, because I completely missed the idea of this book haha. I laugh, but it's to cover up my pain.

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

In this cover, it's a painting of a guy in a fancy hat (yay fancy hats!) being surrounded by people. He seems like a charismatic guy, and the art style and clothing in the painting tells me it's set in the 1800s. I saw some other covers as well along with the movie cover, and they included a woman. Plus, rumor has it that it's a romantic comedy. So I want to guess this is a comedy about a guy named Ernest who is "in need of a wife." And more fancy hats.

Actual Plot: Cecily Cardew and Gwendolen Fairfax are both in love with the same mythical suitor. Jack Worthing has wooed Gwendolen as Ernest while Algernon has also posed as Ernest to win the heart of Jack's ward, Cecily. When all four arrive at Jack's country home on the same weekend the "rivals" to fight for Ernest s undivided attention and the "Ernests" to claim their beloveds pandemonium breaks loose. Only a senile nursemaid and an old, discarded hand-bag can save the day!

Was I close? I respond with a resounding "Ehhh maybe". I didn't get any of the romantic entanglements, but I think I got the gist. And the gist is worth a solid 70.5%. It's about courting and suiting and deceit, but none of that showed in the cover IMHO. 

So this is my last post of the summer! Sadness. Thank you for reading through these year through year, I greatly appreciate it. I will try to post more this year, but it's my senior year. *gasp of simultaneous sadness and happiness*

Farewell for now!

Owyn the Intern

Judging Books By Their Covers: Part 4

Hello, welcome back to the fourth installment of "Judging Books By Their Covers." This time, we're delving deep into the world of romance. Wish me luck!

The Summer House by Santa Montefiore

The cover features a woman wearing a fancy straw hat and fancy shirt, implying this is a romance between rich people. Especially since many rich people have summer houses, which is the title. One of the blurbs says it's a romance, so I'm going to say it's an affair, whether actual or emotional, between two rich people in a place like the Hampton's filled with romance and deceit and more fancy hats and a really pretty house.

Actually About: When Lord Frampton dies in a skiing accident, a beautiful young woman named Phaedra appears at his funeral—claiming to be the Lord’s illegitimate daughter. In his will, Lord Frampton has left the priceless Frampton suite of sapphires to this interloper, confirming her claim and outraging his three adult sons and widow. Eventually, however, Phaedra’s sweet nature thaws the frosty relationships. She becomes the daughter that Antoinette Frampton never had and a wise and compassionate granddaughter to the formidable Dowager Lady Frampton. But an attraction grows between Phaedra and the eldest son, David. It seems an impossible love—blocked by their blood connection and by the fury of one family member who is determined to expose Phaedra as a fraud.

Was I close: Kind of. I got the affair and deceit part, but in a different situation. But the people having the affair (or at least sexual tension) are potentially related. Which is gross. And the deceit is whether or not Phaedra is lying about being related to the Lord. I give myself 85%, since I got the major things. (And how was I supposed to guess a relationship between maybe half-siblings? My mind doesn't go to that place.)

Sight Reading by Daphne Kalotay

The cover is of a woman wearing a red rain jacket holding a instrument case that I'm going to say houses a violin. The title Sight Reading is definitely a music term I've heard before, but I have forgotten what it means. I think it has something to do with how you read the music, but more spontaneously. But don't hold me to that. My formal guess is this is about a classically-trained musician woman who falls for some reckless boy who teaches her how to let loose and have fun.

Actual plot: It has been twenty years since Remy, a conservatory student whose ambition may outstrip her talent; Nicholas, a wunderkind suddenly struggling with a masterwork he cannot fully realize; and his wife, beautiful and fragile Hazel, first came together and tipped their collective world on its axis. Over the decades, each has buried disappointments and betrayals that now threaten to undermine their happiness. But as their entwined stories unfold from 1987 to 2007, from Europe to America, from conservatory life to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, each will discover the surprising ways in which the quest to create something real and true--be it a work of art or one's own life--can lead to the most personal of revelations, including the unearthing of secrets we keep, even from ourselves.

Was I close?: Sorta. It is about violinists, but instead of letting loose and having fun, it's a love triangle like situation where two old friends meet after a while but one is married to the other's old crush. Being kind, I'll give myself a 55.9%. But I'm giving myself a 2% bonus since I remembered the fact "sight reading" is a music term. 57.9%!

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

The cover has a man and a woman, hand in hand, running on top of old-fashioned pedestals. Plus, it has these accents of boxes that remind me of a Greek Mythology book I read when I was younger, so I'm going to say this is set in Greece. Given the title, I'm going to guess that it's about a couple going on an adventure of hilarious and crazy proportions on the honeymoon in Greece.

Actual plot: Lottie just knows that her boyfriend is going to propose, but then his big question involves a trip abroad—not a trip down the aisle. Completely crushed, Lottie reconnects with an old flame, and they decide to take drastic action. No dates, no moving in together, they’ll just get married . . . right now. Her sister, Fliss, thinks Lottie is making a terrible mistake, and will do anything to stop her. But Lottie is determined to say “I do,” for better, or for worse.

Was I close?: Again, I was close enough and got the basic plot. It does feature a wacky marriage in Greece, but in a different context. The context being a girl obsessed with getting married so she marries an old flame instead, with wacky consequences. I hereby give myself 80%. Yay!

Wow, I'm surprised I did so well. As we can recall, I usually fall flat on my face with at least one of these. But all these were above 50%. Victory!

See you in the next post!

Owyn the Intern

Judging Books By Their Covers: Part 3

I AM BACK WITH PART THREE!

Are you excited?

I'm excited.

Let's get started.

The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin

shiny....

I'd like to start with the fact that the shiny star-things on the cover distracted me for longer than I'd like to admit. 

Back to judging.

This cover gives me the impression the book is about an impeccably dressed lady during Victorian England, or early 1900s America. She has a cool hat on, which means she's dapper. The title The Fortune Hunter tells me that she got to this state of dapper-ness by inheriting money that wasn't hers in the first place. Maybe it's a murder mystery and she murders her family and/or various husbands to inherit their wealth, or maybe it's more romantic and it's a tale of her downfall with wealth and now plans to marry for love.

What it's actually about: Beautiful, athletic and intelligent, Sisi has everything - except happiness. Bored with the stultifying etiquette of the Hapsburg Court and her dutiful but unexciting husband, Franz Joseph, Sisi comes to England to hunt. She comes looking for excitement and she finds it in the dashing form of Captain Bay Middleton, the only man in Europe who can outride her. Ten years younger than her and engaged to the rich and devoted Charlotte, Bay has everything to lose by falling for a woman who can never be his. But Bay and the Empress are as reckless as each other, and their mutual attraction is a force that cannot be denied.

Was I close?: Kinda but not really. This is more a passionate love affair about two rich women who go on a quest with a dashing, working class man that leads to a love triangle, not a serial marry-er who craves wealth. But I did guess the time period correctly! I give myself a dismal 30%. 

Burn Out by Kristi Helvig

The blurb quote on the cover tells me it's a thriller, but I would've guessed that because it has a silhouetted person surrounded by red and dark blue/black. Given the word "burn" in the title and the yellow/orange coming from the center of the cover, either a huge fire or (possibly) lava is happening and the protagonist must do something to stop it and it's very thrilling.

What it's actually about: Most people want to save the world; seventeen-year-old Tora Reynolds just wants to get the hell off of it. One of the last survivors in Earth's final years, Tora yearns to escape the wasteland her planet has become after the sun turns "red giant," but discovers her fellow survivors are even deadlier than the hostile environment.

Was I close? Yes actually! It's a thriller about fire/lava that is technically referred to as the sun. I kind of missed more of the plot details, but this cover didn't reveal those to me as much. But it definitely looks like an interesting book! Might have to check it out ;) I'll give myself an 80% since I'm biased and I was close enough.

The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook

Again, judging by the nice hair and jewelry (PEARLS!), I'd say this book is about a rich person. Perhaps royalty from somewhere in Europe. It has snow on the cover, so I want to say Russia for some weird reason but that's not an official guess. I'm not sure what else I can discern from the cover, but I get a weird feeling it's a darker book, because the cover is gray-tinted with red letters and the title is THE AFTERMATH in large red capital letters. So the aftermath could be following some sort of tragedy, like death if it's darker or divorce if it's romantic. I'm going to lean towards death.

What it's actually about: 1946, post-World War II Hamburg. While thousands wander the rubble, lost and homeless, Colonel Lewis Morgan, charged with overseeing the rebuilding of this devastated city and the denazification of its defeated people, is stationed in a grand house on the River Elbe. He is awaiting the arrival of his wife, Rachael—still grieving for their eldest son—and their only surviving son, Edmund. But rather than force the owners of the house, a German widower and his rebellious daughter, out onto the streets, Lewis insists that the two families live together. In this charged atmosphere, both parents and children will be forced to confront their true selves as enmity and grief give way to passion and betrayal, to their deepest desires, their fiercest loyalties, and the transforming power of forgiveness. 

Was I close? The rich lady is not the main character, so I was off there. But it does seem to be about a devastating aftermath in 1946 Hamburg, which is vaguely close to my kinda guess of Russia as the setting. But I totally misjudged the cover when guessing it's darker. This seems more dramatic rather than murderous. So I'll give myself a 60.3%.

I think I'm getting better at this, you guys. Root for me. And tell me what you think of my guesses in the comments!

See you next time!

Owyn the Intern

Judging Books By Their Covers: Part 2

In this edition of "Judging Books By Their Covers," I am entering the world of non-contemporary teen fiction.

*dramatic music swells*

Without looking at the summaries, I tried to find books that looked otherworldly and guess what they're about.

Let's hope I don't fail as miserably as I did last time.

Avalon by Mindee Arnett

The cover is black with futuristic silver letters, so I'm guessing this is fantasy/sci-fi. Also, there's a weird silvery, twisty thing on the cover that's pointing down at an adolescent male (wearing futuristic clothes,) so I'm guessing this isn't set in your average high school. To hazard an official guess, I'm going to say it's about a future/otherworldly teenage boy who has to fight a weird substance/race from destroying his planet.

Actual plot: A ragtag group of teenage mercenaries who crew the spaceship Avalon stumble upon a conspiracy that could threaten the entire galaxy in this fascinating and fast-paced sci-fi adventure from author Mindee Arnett.

Was I close?: I was close about the future/otherworldly aspect, along with the main character being a boy that has to fight something. But he's fighting his controlling government. I'll give myself 60%.

Plus One by Elizabeth Fama

The cover has two kissing people, so it's probably a romance. One person is made up of sunset clouds while the other is made up of nighttime stars, so I'm going to say it's probably a paranormal romance. I could take this cover literally, and say it's a re-imagined Greek myth about the God of the Sun and the Goddess of the Night falling in love and dealing with the fact they're fundamentally opposites or a Romeo and Juliet thing because they're star-crossed lovers. (Get it? Hahahaha) Or it could be metaphorical and they're just opposites in a weird paranormal setting.

Actual plot: Sol Le Coeur is a Smudge—a night dweller in an America rigidly divided between people who wake, live, and work during the hours of darkness and those known as Rays who live and work during daylight. Impulsive, passionate, and brave, Sol deliberately injures herself in order to gain admission to a hospital, where she plans to kidnap her newborn niece—a Ray—in order to bring the baby to visit her dying grandfather. By violating the day-night curfew, Sol is committing a serious crime, and when the kidnap attempt goes awry it starts a chain of events that will put Sol in mortal danger, uncover a government conspiracy to manipulate the Smudge population, and throw her together with D'Arcy Benoît, the Ray medical apprentice who first treats her, then helps her outrun the authorities—and with whom she is fated to fall impossibly and irrevocably in love.

Was I close?: I was pretty close. I didn't get the book's universe that correct, but I grasped the basic plot of opposite day/night people falling in love when they shouldn't have so I'm giving myself 83.2%.

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

The title makes me think of a book about a girl with body image issues coming to terms with herself, but the black and white cover throws me. There's a soaking wet girl emerging from a body of water with yellow crime scene tape crossing the book with the tagline "silence is meant to be broken." I'm doing two separate guesses. First guess, a Lonely Bones-like tale where a girl who's drowned comes back (paranormally?) to solve her own murder. Second guess, a weird ocean-dwelling science-created creature breaks out of her science lab prison to challenge human-set body stereotypes. (That one's me being flippant, but still a valid guess.)

Actual plot: Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident-including her memory of the event. She doesn't remember driving on the cliff road. She doesn't recall jumping from the truck just before Trip lost control. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she's kept hidden for so long, the horrible reality of their abusive relationship. When the police reopen the investigation, it quickly turns on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. As the threats begin and the survivor's guilt takes over, Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free?

Was I close?: Not at all. First off, the person who dies in the main girl's boyfriend, not the main girl. Second, it's a mystery, meaning it's not paranormal at all and I kinda failed on principle. For the first guess, I'll give myself a weak 15%. For the second guess, a weaker 1% with a margin of error plus/minus 1%.

What did these covers tell you? What do you think of my guesses? Leave your answers in the comments below!

Owyn the Intern

Predict Casting: Paper Towns

Wow I haven't done one of these in a while! So, to welcome back this segment, I'm starting with Paper Towns by John Green!

Due to the massive success of The Fault in Our Stars, it seems like Green's books will slowly take over Hollywood, starting with Paper Towns. 

It's already been confirmed that Nat Wolff, who played Isaac in TFIOS, will be playing Quentin "Q" Jacobsen, but what about the others? TIME FOR ME TO GUESS.

*NOTE: These are just my opinions. Feel free to leave your own down in the comments!*

Margo Roth

Margo Roth Spiegelman- Ariel Winter. I think her kind of deadpan style is perfect for the Manic Pixie Dream Girl attitude that Margo embodies. Plus, she's my favorite on Modern Family and it'd be interesting to see her on the big screen.

Other choices: Hailee Steinfeld, Shailene Woodley (but this one would be too obvious.)

Ben

Ben Starling- Liam James (sound familiar?). I loved him in The Way, Way Back and it'd be totally cool to see him as this dorky dude who calls girls "honeybunnies" but ends up with the hot blonde girl. I think he'd bring the band geek awkwardness to the role, which is a necessity.

Other choices: Josh Hutcherson, Johnny Simmons. 

"Radar"- Nadji Jeter. Radar always seemed like the comic relief to me ("IT'S NOT MY FAULT THAT MY PARENTS OWN THE WORLD'S LARGEST COLLECTION OF BLACK SANTAS") so Jeter's comedy background (Grown Ups) would be very helpful in taking on this role.

Other choices: Christopher Massey, Chris O'Neal. 

Lacey

Lacey Pemberton: Chloe Grace Moretz. She seems to be in a lot of book-to-movie adaptations, so I might as well call it now. Moretz usually plays the more badass, sarcastic types (or the telekinetic, murderous type like in Carrie,) so I think it'd be interesting for her to play the more popular, almost-ditzy character of Lacey.

Other choices: Jennifer Stone, Bella Thorne. 

Add your casting choices in the comments!

Owyn the Intern

Judging Books By Their Covers: Part 1

You've probably been told at least once in your life "never judge a book by its cover" and you probably learned a great lesson in friendship.

But... what if you could judge a book by its cover? What if I possess the ability to guess the summary of a book just by looking at the cover?

Or I could horrendously fail and we could all have a laugh.

So, every week, I'm going to take 4 books from the recommended shelves that I do not know the plots of and guess what they could be about based on their covers.

Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally

If I take this title literally, this book could be about female martians. But with there being water and murky skies on the cover, I'm going to guess it's figurative and it's set on Earth. Perhaps these women are in a secret society of badasses like the Daughters of the American Revolution except with a focus on science and space.

Actually about: In 1915, two spirited Australian sisters join the war effort as nurses, escaping the confines of their father’s farm and carrying a guilty secret with them. Used to tending the sick as they are, nothing could have prepared them for what they confront, first near Gallipoli, then on the Western Front.

Was I close? Nope. Not really at all. I'll give myself 10% to be kind.

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith

There's a man silhouetted in a red alleyway, and I'm guessing this means that this is a murder story because red means danger and blood. But is a silkworm being murdered? Is a silkworm symbolic of a clothes-maker or designer? Is the silhouette man this "Cormoran Strike?" (By the way, not a fan of this name. Too obvious.) Or is it the silkworm man? Officially, I'd say it's about a detective solving the mystery of the murder of a prominent clothes designer.

Actually about: When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, Mrs. Quine just thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days--as he has done before--and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home. But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine's disappearance than his wife realizes. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were to be published, it would ruin lives--meaning that there are a lot of people who might want him silenced. When Quine is found brutally murdered under bizarre circumstances, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any Strike has encountered before.

Was I close? I'd say 50% because I guessed it was a murder mystery, but the silkworm title threw me off and it's actually about a writer going missing then getting murdered. I think this Galbraith fellow threw me off on purpose ;)

The Circle by Dave Eggers

I'd assume this book, with its minimalist cover with a weird logo on it with swirlies inside the circle is about a secret society (I'm a fan of those, give me a break) revolving around this magnificent circle. I can't tell if it's a murder mystery and the people in this society are getting murdered and it's up to an ex-member gone rogue to solve it or if it's a tale of brotherhood and the feeling of belonging somewhere and some poor mid-life crisis guy is trying to get his life back together with his bros.

Actually about: When Mae Holland is hired to work for the Circle, the world’s most powerful internet company, she feels she’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime. The Circle, run out of a sprawling California campus, links users’ personal emails, social media, banking, and purchasing with their universal operating system, resulting in one online identity and a new age of civility and transparency. As Mae tours the open-plan office spaces, the cozy dorms for those who spend nights at work, she is thrilled with the company’s modernity and activity. There are parties that last through the night, there are famous musicians playing on the lawn, and even an aquarium of rare fish retrieved from the Marianas Trench by the CEO. Mae can’t believe her luck, her great fortune to work for the most influential company in America—even as life beyond the campus grows distant, even as a strange encounter with a colleague leaves her shaken, even as her role at the Circle becomes increasingly public.

Was I close? Not really. If you replace "secret society" with "bizarre internet company" and "dude in mid-life crisis/rogue member" with "ambitious lady" then I kinda hit the nail on the head. But it is neither of the general ideas I had, it's more about business mystery rather than murder. I'll say 45%, because I'm off but close.

Girlchild by Tupelo Hassman

Just by the cover and title, I'd guess it's about a girl who lives in a trailer park. Letting my imagination run wild, I'd add that she has an alcoholic authority figure. If the girl is less than 15, I'd say she finds a new caring figure for herself somewhere like the library or school all while helping understand her identity. If the girl is older than 15, I'd guess she'd be smart and get good grades to try to escape her situation by getting a scholarship but she meets a cute/hot rich boy and everything changes.

Actually about: Rory Hendrix is the least likely of Girl Scouts. She hasn’t got a troop or even a badge to call her own.  But she’s checked the Handbook out from the elementary school library so many times that her name fills all the lines on the card, and she pores over its surreal advice in the Reno trailer park where she lives with her mother, Jo, the sweet-faced, hard-luck bartender at the Truck Stop. Rory’s been told she is “third generation in a line of apparent imbeciles, feeble-minded bastards surely on the road to whoredom.” But she’s determined to prove the County and her own family wrong. Brash, sassy, vulnerable, wise, and terrified, she struggles with her mother’s habit of trusting the wrong men, and the mixed blessing of being too smart for her own good.

Was I close? I'd actually say yes. I was right about a girl in a trailer park, with a bad influence mother (the mom apparently dates around, not drinks, but she's a bartender so it works) and she spends a lot of time at the library! I'm going to give myself a 79%.

I shouldn't quit my day job. What did you guys think of my judgments? Tell me in the comments below!

Sincerely,

Owyn the Intern

Book vs. Movie: The Fault in Our Stars

NOTE: I bet you guys have been waiting for this one, huh?

The Fault in Our Star's movie adaptation came out a couple of weeks ago, and I think you guys have had plenty of time to read the book and see the movie. So *SPOILERS AHEAD*

vs  

I really liked TFIOS. I think it's a heartbreaking, hilarious romance with valid points on love, life and relationships. 

Looking at the movie as a separate entity from the book, I think it's a pretty good movie. The actors were great with their characters (much better than I'd thought they'd be to be completely honest) and it was also a great mix of tears and laughter.

Differences:

- Hazel's friend Kaitlyn is not in the movie

- Hazel and Augustus have different ages than in the book

- Hazel's mom isn't obsessed about the minute holidays (which angered me because I found that really endearing)

- The last line of the book isn't the last line of the movie in one of the most ridiculous and infuriating moves I've ever seen. The whole "okay? okay." thing isn't THAT special and it's borderline cliche now. 

- A lot of scenes and aspects are cut from the book

• Isaac and Hazel playing that voice-controlled game and ordering the character to "Hump the moist cave wall" which is the best scene in the book
• Hazel letting a little girl try her oxygen tank at the airport
• Caroline Mathers (Augustus's ex-girlfriend) is not really mentioned in the movie
• Augustus's parents aren't really in the movie, and they don't have the dinner scene between the Waters and the Lancasters.

Personal things that irked me:

- I thought Van Houten was going to be more slobbish. Not just irritating and bitter.

- Isaac is relegated to the role of comic relief which pisses me off because his character is more than that. 

- Back to Caroline Mathers' role in the story: I think that adding in something more to add more depth to Gus's character would've been nice. I think his (admittedly terrible) relationship with her gave him more of a character back story than just "pretentious love interest that slowly reveals himself to be a sweetheart with cancer" because their story was interest. That being said, I'm glad that they didn't linger with Hazel's obsessive feelings over it, like Facebook-stalking Caroline after her death. 

Gus's Cancer: A Rant

Another thing that angers me is the fact that they cut out a lot of things with Gus's cancer, like the bed wetting and more moments of weakness like the vomiting and the general terribleness. And if they did mention it, it was verbally, not visually. It seemed like Josh Boone (the director) wanted to make this movie as friendly as possible in order for it to do better in the box office because Hazel's dramatic-but-not-gross cancer was heavily featured but Gus's "gross" cancer was hardly touched on. It just irritates me because John Green and the press and the people involved in the movie kept saying how true they kept it true to the book was just not that true. 

Which was better?

The book. Obviously. But, even though I have my complaints, it was probably one of the truer movie adaptations of a book I've seen. They just cut out things for time: not change things around like people have done before in other adaptations I've seen (1995 Scarlet Letter and My Sister's Keeper come to mind.) Overall, the movie is pretty true to the book. Plus, they added some great dialogue to the car-egging scene, which has my seal of approval because it was the perfect place for comedy. 

What are your thoughts? Leave them in the comments down below!

Owyn the Intern

P.S. I got to see a special screening of TFIOS and I tell the awesome story here!

Plot Wars: Guitar Notes vs. Hung Up

NOTE: I'm back! And this is a comparison between two YA books with similar plots.

The books I am comparing are Kristen Tracey's Hung Up and Mary Amato's Guitar Notes.

The Set-Up:

• Guitar Notes is the tale of Tripp (a loner guitarist) and Lyla (a fancy cellist) who leave notes for each other in a practice room and form an easy (yet forbidden because they don't run in the same circles) friendship.
• Hung Up is told only through the phone calls and messages between Lucy and James after Lucy calls James' number. It details how they get closer and closer, but for some reason, Lucy is reluctant to meet. (A/N: it's NOT because he's like a stranger on the phone or anything.)

*SPOILERS AHEAD YE BE WARNED*

Similarities: 

• They both detail people talking and developing a friendship without meeting in person
• They both have epistolary elements
• The main characters are a male and female duo.
• They both have some pretty good dialogue
• This is mean but true: They both have plots that involve nothing but fluff for the first 3/4ths of the book and then in the last 30 or so pages BAM drama appears out of nowhere that has bare minimum to do with anything other than to give the book a semblance of plot.

Differences:

• Their methods of communicating are different. GN had notes, HU had phone calls.
• Guitar Notes wasn't limited to epistolary
• Hung Up was exclusively done in phone call format.
• Hung Up's cover angers me

Look at those people. Look at their blatant faces. Be angry

• The catalysts were different (HU was Lucy's big secret and GN was Lyla gets in a car accident)

WHO WINS????

To be honest, it's all a matter of opinion. While both endings came out of left field, Guitar Notes' didn't piss me off as much as Hung Up's did. Lucy ended up being a liar and her back story was so completely ridiculous that when I got to that part, I almost threw my book at the wall. While GN's was kind of random and just added in to give it a plot, it was an overall better book. Read that one instead.

Sincerely,

Owyn the Intern

P.S: Check out my blog for more of my reviews!

Book Expectations

NOTE: This may or may not be a rant, the intern hasn't decided yet. But there are slight spoilers. ** I am not suggesting that every book has a formula. I'm just saying that I want a happy ending.

So picture this:

You read the back/inside flap of a book, and you either intentionally or unintentionally develop this idea of how the book should go.

When you read a romance, the main girl ends up with the guy that either makes the most sense or the guy that makes the least sense in the best way.

Or when you read a mystery, the murderer/criminal gets caught and the detective/cop gets the satisfaction of catching him/her.

Then there are those books that don't do that. And it's just like:

I respect an author's decision to do what they want but at the same time there is a formula (or a similar word) that you must follow.

For example, don't have a huge cliffhanger at the end of a book if you're not planning a sequel. And, yes this is a fictional reference but Augustus Waters will understand, but An Imperial Affliction. Anyone who has read The Fault in Our Stars gets that reference.

And this is probably just one of those "things that only I think are a thing" but I really hate it when, in some of the YA lit that I've read, the main girl decides to "find herself and learn to love herself as a person yadda yadda" instead of being in a relationship with the boy.

This is totally fine in real life. In fact, I highly suggest it. But I'm talking about enjoyable, light fiction. I did not read your romantic teen lit for you to go on a journey of self-discovery. If I did, I would've read a different book that told me this up front. And I definitely don't appreciate it when a book gives me this whole idea about how it's supposed to go and then it doesn't go that way and goes in a totally bad way.

And I'm not talking about plot twists. I'm talking about when books just completely veer off the point. Maybe I interpreted the first 30 pages differently or incorrectly, but I thought this was a teen book not a philosophical pondering.

One of my popular examples of this are two books by Robin Palmer: Geek Charming and Wicked Jealous. In Geek Charming, the geek boy and the popular girl do not get together. She dates a random college guy and he dates some girl from his childhood. I found that really disappointing because I really liked the idea of Dylan and Josh being a couple but then NO.

But in Wicked Jealous, the main girl Simone spends the book pining for this popular jock who's a Belieber but she ends up getting close to this adorkable, shy puppeteer and then SHE GOES OUT WITH THE PUPPETEER, I WAS FILLED WITH SO MUCH ENJOYMENT.

My point with this (all the way down here) is that there's a certain agreement writers have with readers. They want to see the couple get together. They want to see the bad guy get caught. They want to see the hero go on a huge adventure and live. Give us that please.

Leave your opinions down in the comments! I'd love to read them!

Sincerely,

Owyn the BBS Page

Books versus Movies In General

NOTE: Since I've said in multiple blog posts on here that I actually do enjoy some movies more than the books, let me just explain this is because most of the time I read the books second for those instances. But I will get to this.

So, since Hollywood seems to have an issue with developing some original ideas, people are seeing more and more book-to-movie adaptations in theaters. Especially with the success of such franchises like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Twilight (say what you will about the series, it still did really well in both book sales and at the box office).

And there are some pros to this! More and more people can discover the book after seeing the movie trailers and all that kind of buzz. And, if you're an avid reader like me, you have this hope that the

Unfortunately, the movie is almost never as good as the book.

But that's not necessarily the movie's fault.

HOW DARE I SAY SUCH A THING?

Let me explain.

I mean,  typically, when I hear people complain about books' movies they say stuff like "Well it's not how I imagined it..." "When I envisioned this scene..." "If I directed the movie..."

I mean, in the end it's how someone else interprets the words and puts them on screen. It's not like they can enter everyone's imaginations and then see how the book should be done with all of those preferences. That would be tiresome and unlikely.

So, that's why the movies are never better than the books: because it's someone else's imagination projected onto yours and it will always disappoint you.

On the other hand, it could also be the movie's fault.

Sometimes, books aren't meant to be adapted for screen: they don't have that kind of caliber, they're better in the imagination, etc. Which is okay, but it's kind of annoying that the big-wig movie producers out there in Hollywood-land want to squeeze EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR out of the franchise. Which is not okay.

Or they're just adapted poorly. The person who directed it was terrible at it, the person who wrote the adaptation didn't know what they were doing or one of the lead actors had never read the books and are doing it for the money. And that kind of stuff makes me sad because when you are graced with the opportunity to adapt a book into film form THEN YOU SHOULD DO A GOOD JOB BECAUSE A GOOD BOOK DESERVES TO BE A GOOD MOVIE.

Especially since it seems the movies are geared towards those who have not read the book because they want to get a wider audience. You shouldn't do it for the audience you don't have, you should do it for the audience you do.

Those are my thoughts. You can comment down below with yours!

Hasta la vista!

Owyn the Intern

Banning Books: Why it's Stupid

Hello everyone! I was browsing my Pinterest (which you should check out because I think I'm funny) when I saw a list of 25 banned books. One of them happened to be Alice in Wonderland, which was banned in China because the "animals are scary".

NO.

JUST. NO.

There are so many things wrong with that, I don't even know where to start. Maybe how the animals aren't even that scary. Or the fact that just because SOME people are freaked out, doesn't mean you ruin it for everyone else.

Which brings me to my main problem with Banned books: you're stopping everyone from reading something just because a percentage (can be small, can be big) are too appalled by it.

Mark Twain (the best quote-person ever) once said "Censorship is telling a man he can't have steak just because a baby can't chew it".

Banning books just seems like something so simple to stop. Why are you denying people their natural right to read what they want?

If I want to read Fifty Shades of Grey (I don't) at 16-years-old, I will. If I want to read Are You There God, It's Me Margaret? at age 8 (and I did), I will. If a teacher wants to assign me to read Speak (a book about a girl who is raped) because of its fantastic message to speak up for yourself, then they should.

If it comes to people in school and of school-age, you can't protect us forever. Especially since we have the internet. I'm going to learn about sex, pregnancy, STDs, and other adult-stuff in the world. People who ban books are also banning open conversations that parents should be having with their teenagers. I'm fortunate enough to feel like I could talk to my parents about everything. And I get a lot of my questions from reading books that could be seen as "risque" (by which I mean YA books featuring off-the-page sex).

But if it comes to books of any age that happen to feature any other kind of risque material (sex, homosexuality, politics that aren't in agreement with the government, etc.), then I'm just like WHY?

What is so wrong with that stuff? If you really don't like that stuff or reading about it, then don't read it. Why stop other people from reading it? So what if I want to read a children's book about a same-sex family? Erie, Illinois should not be able to stop me.

And, even then, there can be some stuff about the book that is appalling to read. I read one on the Pinterest list that was banned in Germany because the author is Pro-Nazi. While being a Nazi is DEFINITELY not okay, books should still not be banned. Just don't read it and then, hopefully, the book will go out of print so you're not supporting a Nazi.

But yes, those are my thoughts. Tell me what you think in the comments here or on Facebook!

Owyn

Required Reading: Pros and Cons

NOTE: I really like pro and con lists.

The topic for this weeks Pros and Cons is required reading.

As a junior in high school who's been assigned to read books since seventh grade, I've been forced to read my fair share of books. I have a lot to say about the subject.

Pros:

If I'm being honest, there are some pros to required reading. Like the fact that you may not have read a book without being forced to and then enjoy them. For example, I finished reading The Glass Castle as part of my summer reading and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even though I never thought I would. Reading beyond your comfort zone can be very healthy, and while challenging, rewarding. I absolutely enjoy hearing someone say "I probably wouldn't have read this unless you pushed me, but I liked this book." (Which my friend said about one of the books we had to read for LA, A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich) And when I read To Kill a Mockingbird back in 7th grade, I enjoyed it.

But, with TKaM, I would've read it anyway because my mom loves that book and she would've made me at one time or another. My English teacher helped a lot with understanding the book; stuff I would not have gotten without him. Like, in my naivete, I thought the "black balcony" was referring to the color of said balcony, not the people who had to sit there. Or when Bob Ewell said "... rutting on my Mayella!" I had no idea what that term meant, and my teacher said it gave a horrible connotation to what "Tom was 'doing' to Mayella", as a part of ethos to get the jury on Bob's side.

Cons:

As a very stubborn teenager, I don't like to be forced to do anything. I know this. So that's one of the many reasons I don't like required reading. Why should I have to read books I don't want to?

My reaction to most required books.

I know that you're really supposed to delve in when you have to read books for school, and normally I read through a book once to understand the plot then read it again to get a better understanding of everything. Unfortunately, most of the books I read for school are ones that I NEVER WANT TO READ EVER. (Like Great Expectations, The Odyssey, or Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.) So I usually end up "reading", term applied loosely, a book I hate instead of reading books I actually enjoy (like the ones I can post blog posts for). Because if I read a book I want to read instead of a book I have to read then I just completely forget about said book.

Speaking on behalf of a percentage of teenagers, required reading totally turns us off to reading in general. I mean, why can't I just read books I want to instead of the ones a bunch of 40-50 year old people who know nothing about me think I should read. I mean, maybe I DON'T want to read a very depressing play about teenagers deciding they're randomly in love and 6 people end up dying (AKA Romeo & Juliet). HOW ABOUT THEM APPLES?

Solution:

I think required reading should be a thing, because sometimes it works (like 10% of the time) but if a student reads 1/4 (or some other agreeable fraction) of the story and genuinely doesn't want to read anymore, but for a reason other than laziness, they should be able to have some sort of alternative project for a book they want to read.

For example, my L.A. teacher made us do blog posts about a book every 70 pages and talk about it (which was right up my alley) and then graded us on whether we did it or not. You see, that's a good idea. Then I'm not reading a horribly depressing book about a sexist, misogynistic society invaded by white people (Things Fall Apart) and instead I'm reading YA lit that I truly enjoy.

Because at my school, I get weird looks for reading. (I talk about it here on my blog). And I'd say a majority of people there don't read for leisure. And required reading is certainly not helping. So instead of trying to get kids to read books that teachers and adults think they should read, they should try to GET KIDS TO READ IN GENERAL BECAUSE LESS AND LESS KIDS ARE READING AND IT MAKES ME WEEP FOR HUMANITY.

I told you guys I had a lot to say about this.

What are your opinions? Leave them down in the comments!

Adios!

Owyn the BBS Page

New Adult: Pros and Cons

Hello everyone, it's the Intern! And I'm going to be discussing the pros and cons of the up and coming category "New Adult" named for people that are "new" to being "adults".

For those of you who don't know, New Adult is written for people 18-25ish since they are no longer adolescents but you could argue that they are not exactly adults either. It's like the purgatory between Young Adult and normal Fiction.

What sets NA apart from YA is the topics it covers. They contemplate leaving home for college, first actual jobs, roommates, sexuality, mature relationships, and discovering yourself without your parents to guide you.

And the sexuality part is probably the biggest difference. It's racier and could even be more explicit (not graphic, but not exactly fade-to-black-for-the-sexy-times either.) Which makes the category definitely more Adult than Young.

To get my opinion out of the way, I'm going to just say that I like the whole New Adult category. And I hope it continues to be a thing. But I will also go over the other side's equally valid view points.

Cons:

One could argue that it's just a marketing ploy to try to get an even WIDER audience and try to sell more books that are in such a purgatory. And they could also ask why are they in such a purgatory? Can't they be limited to either YA or just A? You may not even hate New Adult itself, just when people try to limit books to one category when they can go across the board if they want.

Or you could be offended by the SEX ASPECT!1!

Sex has no place in anything anywhere. The fact that authors can even imply people aged 18-25 could have DONE that is just DESPICABLE. (This is my sarcastic side coming out since I can't take these kind of arguments seriously).

Pros:

I think that anything that engages more readers is a good thing. If you can appeal to a new audience, then what's the harm? I also think that there is a distinct difference between people in high school and people in college and post-college and I think many plots that one could apply to one cannot be applied to the other.

Also, people forget that YA wasn't really a thing until a couple decades ago. And I, for one, am particularly excited to be apart of this upcoming category. I think there are a lot of ways people could write for it and there is a great hope for more books in this genre to come.

And if the potential sex aspect bothers you, don't read it. That simple.

So yes. Hip-hip hooray for YA and NA!

If you guys have any opinions, feel free to comment them down below.

Bye!!

Owyn the BBS Page

Vague Endings

Hello everyone! I hope you had a lovely Fourth of July weekend.

And I decided to kick off this week with a blog post about books that have vague endings.

There are two ways to do this: satisfying or infuriating.

*AVAST HASHTAG YOLO SPOILERS*

The two books I'm going to compare for the sake of a visual are Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys and The Corner of Bitter and Sweet. The first being by Kate Brian and the latter being by Robin Palmer.

Brian's book is about a girl who moves into a house that is occupied by 7 boys because it was either that or move to Korea with her military parents. And there is drama, romance, and MOAR DRAMA. (Like the fact that one brother cheats with the other brother's girlfriend and that girlfriend tries to blame Megan when it wasn't Megan's fault.)

Palmer's book is about a girl named Annabelle who's mom, Janie, is an alcoholic TV star who decides to clean up her act and take better care of her daughter while Annabelle has been taking care of her most of the time. Also coupled with cute romantic moments between Janie and Billy then Annabelle and Matt.

You see, in Palmer's book the ending doesn't say anything finite. But there's this hopefulness to it. Two couples are brought together, there's a new precedence for how Annabelle and Janie are supposed to act together and it just gives you a nice "Aw there's nothing really set in stone but I feel satisfied with that ending thank you very much awesome author."

BUT THEN THERE'S BRIAN'S BOOK

WHO GAVE HER THE RIGHT?

Ask my boss on twitter (@boulderbooks), I actually did this

I should probably explain my all caps rage. So in this book Megan has a slight crush on Evan but it's really more of an infatuation but then Megan starts to develop actual feelings for Finn and of course she does, Finn is amazing, but then things happen and then Megan leaves then she comes back and she has a moment with Finn and a slight one with Evan but BRIAN DOESN'T SAY WHO MEGAN ENDS UP WITH AND IT GIVES ME ISSUES.

Maybe some people are okay with not knowing but I am not. How. Dare. You. Brian.

So, personally, I prefer it if there's more of a happy-ending feel, because I didn't read your book to not get a happy ending. But I don't want an actual happy ending where every single string is tied and everything is all perky. I want realistic, but happy. So there could be a few loose ends, but at least have the couple together or the villain defeated or a hopeful outlook for that something to get fixed eventually. (Unless there's a sequel, then cover it in the sequel.)

But if the author just doesn't say something that seems vital to the denouement then I'm left feeling empty inside because HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHAT GOES ON IN YOUR BRAIN.

That's just my opinion. Leave yours in the comments!

Sincerely,

Owyn the Intern

Plot Wars: Distance Between Us vs. This is What Happy Looks Like

And the Intern is back with another Plot Wars for you all!

The two books butting heads today are The Distance Between Us by Kasie West and This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith.

VERSUS

The Set Up:

• The Distance Between Us is about a girl named Caymen who helps her poor mother run a porcelain doll shop that rich people frequent. Which is how she meets Xander, a rich boy who seems to understand her. But she knows from her mom's experience that the rich's interest doesn't last long, but that doesn't stop him from trying to get her attention.
• This Is What Happy Looks Like is about teenage hearthrob Graham accidentally sending normal, Maine girl Ellie an email, which leads to a period of emails where they talk about everything (except for their names or backgrounds). So when Graham's new movie is shooting in her hometown, Graham decides to meet her. Even though Ellie has a secret that requires her to stay out of the spotlight. Will these factors keep them apart?

Similarities:

• A difference in social class between the love interests
• A girl with a dad that is not involved in her life (SPOILERS: highlight to see: the mom slept with a rich man and who then abandoned the mom during pregnancy )
• A girl with a poor, working mom
• Both girls help their mom in a shop
• A best friend who is highly opinionated about the main girl's life and the rich man's intentions
• A group of similarly-minded people who think the love interests shouldn't be together/try to keep them apart
• The girl has no siblings
• The male lead has a problem with his parents

Differences:

• Instead of being rich, Graham is famous (he's rich too, but that's not the defining factor)
• There was more of a focus on the social-class differences with Caymen and Xander
• Ellie's dad is a politician and Caymen's dad is just plain rich
• Caymen's mom's shop is limited to dolls while Ellie's mom is a more general type of store
• Some of Xander and Caymen's friends don't want him "slumming" with Caymen while it's the paparazzi make things difficult for Ellie and Graham
• Ellie's not allowed to be in the spotlight because of her dad, and Caymen just doesn't want to deal with it

WHO WINS???

I don't know! They were both really well-written. It really just depends. The dialogue with Caymen and Xander is really dry and sarcastic, which made The Distance Between Us hilarious. But at the same time This Is What Happy Looks Like had an epistolary beginning (which are my favorite) with a shift in limited-third-person point of view. So it really comes down to what you prefer. But I liked them both.

Until later, readers!

Owyn the Intern

A/N: I also reviewed these on my personal YA book blog:

The Distance Between Us

This Is What Happy Looks Like (WARNING the images don't work well and I don't know how to fix it. Sorry)

Fanfiction: What Does it Mean for Society?

Hello, everyone! Owyn is here to talk about FANFICTION.

Now, for some of you, that could be a really dirty word that you associate with "Porn" or "Plagiarism". And some of you wholeheartedly embrace the trend and perhaps even write some of your own. And then some of you either don't know or don't care.

My opinion is that Fanfiction is fun to read and write and that people shouldn't be attacked for doing something they enjoy.

That being said, I know where a lot of you are coming from.

Take Fifty Shades of Grey for example. If you haven't heard yet, E.L. James originally wrote this as a Twilight (smut) fanfic, and it grew a huge following. So James decided to have it published, with the names switched to avoid copyright.

Not all fanfiction and its authors are like that. (Like Cassandra Clare got her start writing fanfiction.) Some of can be fluffy ones that people write because they want something changed or expanded on from the original story. And there's nothing really wrong with that.

Most fanfiction authors aren't trying to pass the story off as their own. They just want to tweak it a bit, and there are a lot of reasons for that. Like their ship isn't canon. In layman's terms: there's a couple that they really wanted to get together but they didn't end up dating in the original story, like if you wanted Katniss and Gale to get together. It's basically when you really support a couple and them being together. Or maybe they want to tell the story with the same characters but in a totally alternate universe (for example, taking all the characters in Harry Potter and making them dogs.)

I was talking to Jorden from Shipping and Receiving about a book that featured fanfiction, and I compared it to: "Someone made a bunch of really unique dolls and told a story with them. And someone else really liked those dolls, so they decided to play with them as well, but told a completely different story." And, some people can take the story with totally different characters. Like, if you really liked The Hunger Games and you wanted to write a story about a bunch of people in a death arena, you could write a fanfic based on that series but with new, original characters.

Now, like books, some fanfiction stories can be really bad. Since they don't have editors (unless you have a bit of a following, then someone in the same fanbase could help you edit it), there are a lot more grammatical mistakes and plot holes than you would find in a published book.

Or they could just be poorly written. And that's okay, this could be part of their process for becoming better writers, because most fanfiction sites have the ability to let people review the stories, so authors get instant feedback. Everyone has to start somewhere.

If you would like to get into the fanfiction scene, then you can try fanfiction.net or Tumblr. (WARNING: There could be some dirty stories on there. On Fanfiction.net you can limit your story rating to K-> T, which stands for Kid-friendly through Teen. On Tumblr, if you use Google Chrome, you can "blacklist" it with Tumblr Savior so it never shows up in your feed. I recommend blacklisting "NSFW", which means "not safe for work" and "Smut", which is how fanfic writers refer to "sexy times").

But yes, that is my opinion on fanfiction. If you guys have varying opinions, feel free to talk to me in the comments below!

Sincerely,

Owyn the Intern

Book vs. Movie: Warm Bodies

And Book vs. Movie is BACK! *eep of excitement!*

 

                                                                        VERSUS
So, last week I finally saw the movie Warm Bodies after reading the book back in January. And here are my thoughts from my brain that has yet to be eaten by a corpse.

*SPOILERS BEWARE AVERT YOUR EYES*

Major Differences: (thanks to this blog for help with the list!)

• M and Nora don't have a hopeful potential romance like in the book.
• The movie's human city didn't take place in a sports stadium
• They left out R's family in the movie version (which I was thankful for)
• The loss of Julie's mother isn't as prominent
• M became a comic relief character (which I did not mind)
• In the movie, the last human R kills is Perry
• While it ends on a similar note, the ending of the movie becomes only loosely based on the book's ending

Me Being Stupid: Do you ever not notice something about a book/movie but when someone points it out, it's like "Why didn't I see this before?" For me and this movie, it's the fact that Warm Bodies is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet. I don't know how I didn't see it before and I've been mentally kicking myself. There's R (Romeo), Julie (Juliet), M (Mercutio), Perry (Paris), and Nora (Nurse). It's obvious. 

Which Do I Pick?: I think I liked the movie more, because I had a tough time getting into a zombie book but I liked the whole zombie flick. But the book was still good, well-written and funny. I just prefer the movie. 

Tell me what you guys thought down in the comments!

Have a great day!

Owyn

P.S. Nicholas Hoult is very attractive. That is all.

OMG Fierce Reads Author Lunch

Salutations!

As one of the many perks of being an intern here, I got to accompany my bosses Stephanie and Liesl to a lunch on Pearl Street with the four authors from Fierce Reads: Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm), Anna Banks (Of Poseidon, Of Triton), Jessica Brody (My Life Undecided, Unremembered) and Emmy Laybourne (Monument 14, Monument 14: Sky on Fire)

First of all, I read all the books for the event and it made it SO MUCH MORE FANTASMAGORICAL.

Since I have a horrible memory (even though this was just a couple hours ago), I decided to tell you some amazing things that I managed to remember:

Anna:
- We somehow managed to try to get her fourth book title of Testicle/Tentacles and I hope she does name the book the latter and accidentally says the former.
- She just threw in so many sassy, sarcastic comments throughout and it reminded me of her books.

Emmy:
-She told this amazing story how she drove up skiing with her friends and they forgot to get a hotel so they went to this shady place instead. And then the spigot from the faucet in the kitchen was missing and it totally freaked her out.
-She also made fun of me for scraping all the toppings on my pizza but I don't need her judgment ;)

Jessica:
- She told us these awesome stories of how she used to work at Disney World and told us all the secrets. (We'd leak them here but no one wants a Disney lawsuit)
- We also fangirled over How I Met Your Mother. That was amazing.

Leigh:
- She just had these amazing stories and also threw in her witty quips that were fantastic.
- My favorite story was when she was watching The Titanic and was sitting next to this man who kept mumbling throughout the movie. When it got to the part Kate Winslet took off her clothes, he said "MAGNIFICENT" and now whenever people mention the movie that's what she associates it with.

But yes, these people are so amazing and the books are SO GOOD. I recommend them highly.

Ta ta!

Owyn

Plot Wars: Prom and Prejudice vs. Epic Fail

Hello everyone! The BBS Intern Owyn is BACK with a blogging vengeance!

So, for my first day, I decided to start a series of blog posts called Plot Wars, which will pit two books with similar plots against each other and one shall rise the victor!

The first two books are Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg and Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik. 

VERSUS

The Set-Up:

• Prom and Prejudice focuses on Lizzie Bennett, a piano-playing girl on scholarship at Longbourn Academy. Due to her constant bullying for being poor, she's developed a mistrust and distaste for rich people. And then she meets Will Darcy, a rich man with a mistrust and distaste for poor people. With the huge prom coming up, will they be able to give up their prides and prejudices?
• Epic Fail is about middle-class girl Elise Benton who moves to a new school with her principal-mom and four sisters. Derek Edwards is the son of two famous actors and is pretty much royalty around their school. Unfortunately, her sister falls for his best friend. Is there a way to refuse his amazing smile and embrace his known-enemy Webster Grant?

Similarities:

They are both modernizations of Pride and Prejudice.
-A brooding male lead
-A romance between the friends of the male and female lead
-A character who uses people to get wealth.
-A wealth gap between the leads
-A big event (Prom versus a Movie Premiere)
They're both set in the 2010s

They both have a attention-seeking younger sibling character who falls whim to the guiles and charms of Wickham/Webster (that I despised.)

Differences:

Eulberg's is more obvious about the fact it's a retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Same character names, same plot, just with some modern slang and euphemisms... Yo.

LaZebnik's uses fame instead of richness as the separating factor, making Derek Edwards the son of prominent actors and Elise the daughter of her prep school's principal.

Lizzie's character punches Wickham's character in Eulberg's version (YES BRING ON THE PAIN)

WHO WINS???

I think Prom and Prejudice wins because Darcy was more likable than Derek and less annoyed-sigh-inducing, Lizzie punched Wick, and Epic Fail was too preachy when it came to the way Paparazzi treat celebrities. While I admit it must get annoying, I don't need to hear about how much it sucks. They get free things. No complaining. 

If you want to read a modernization of Pride and Prejudice, then I'd recommend Prom and Prejudice.

Glad to be back!

Owyn

P.S. Check me out on my personal blog The Bookstore Intern Chronicles!

Nice 'ta Meetcha Monday 12/03/12

Welcome back! This week's edition of Nice 'ta Meetcha' Monday will be featuring two of the most important members of the Boulder Book Store team...the legendary ladies of the Business Office, LuAnn & Tracy.

LuAnn Harris --

• When did you start working at BBS? 
  
  •  I started working at the Boulder Book Store on 5/2/05
• What is your role on the floor?
• My role on the floor is to the avoid the floor/customers at all costs! I am the Business Manager and Bookstore Mom.
• Where are you from originally and what brought you to Boulder?
  
  • I am originally from Florida and my ex-husband's job brought us to the area.
• What are some of your favorite genres/specific titles?
  
  • My favorite genre is mystery.

• What is your favorite thing about working at BBS?
• My favorite thing about working here is all the employees. I truly do love my "kids" and I love how kind and wonderful they are to each other.
• What is one unique/interesting fact about you that one wouldn't necessarily learn in ordinary conversation?
• The only unique/interesting thing I can think of about myself is that the best thing I ever did in my whole life is to adopt my son, Scott. He is 19-years-old now and has worked summers here for about three years now and many of the staff know him.

Tracy -- 

• When did you start working at BBS?
•  I started in Summer of 2009 right around the time I turned 30-years-old.
• What is your role on the floor?

• I've done almost every job available at BBS. I started as a bookseller, moved to shipping and receiving, then spent a year as the Head Buyer's assistant. Now I am Business manager/Bookstore Mom LuAnn's assistant in the business office. My days are spent counting the previous day's cash and paying our vendors. I'm an accounting nerd so it's my favorite job by far.
• Where are you from originally and what brought you to Boulder?
• I grew up in Southern California where I learned to loath the sun. In 2003, I escaped to Portland where I met my partner Bryce, a mathematician, who decided to go to graduate school at CU.
• What are some of your favorite genres/specific titles?
• My all-time favorite books are the Sandman graphic novels by Neil Gaiman. I judge book by their covers on a regular basis, it is often how I choose my next read. A quirky western called The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt is one of my favorite books/covers from the last year.
  
• What is your favorite thing about working at BBS?
• My fellow employees for sure. We're a goofy bunch of dorks.
• What is one unique/interesting fact about you that one wouldn't necessarily learn in ordinary conversation?
•  I want to live in the middle of nowhere and rarely come into contact with human civilization.