For Keeps

Bonjour!!!!!

For Keeps by Natasha Friend is an amazing book!!! Everyone remember the other books by Natasha??? Perfect, Bounce, and Lush????? Remember how much I loved those? Well, I love For Keeps just as much!

The protagonist is a 16 year old girl name Josie Gardner. she lives in a small town with her young mother Katie Gardner. Josie and her friend Liv, have a lot of fun as normal 16 year olds, until several episodes in sequence happen, and change everything that the girls have believed.

I don't remember anything, that I found annoying about the book, (besides the fact that I had to read it in the dark ;) )

5 OUTTA 5 STARS! OH YAAAAAA!

I can't wait to read more from Natasha!

Anyway, now I'm reading the book Small As An Elephant by Jennifer Jacobson. This book is so interesting! Jennifer is also the author of The Complete History of Why I Hate Her and Stained, among others.

Au revior!

~Remedyleaf

Small Acts of Amazing Courage

Bonjour!!!!!

Last night I finished the book Small Acts of Amazing Courage by Gloria Whelan. Gloria is also the author of Homeless Bird and Angel On The Square among others.

Small Acts of Amazing Courage was an interesting book, and the setting was very critical to the story. The characters were thought out, and the Protagonist was understandable.

The only things I can think of that I didn't like was the use of "said".  And the fact that the ending was a little rushed, a little fairy tale happily-ever-after, and it needed a little more.

The book was not too long, and not too short.

I will rate this book 4 and half stars out of 5

Au revior!!!

~Remedyleaf

Beautiful Creatures

Bonjour! Hello! Hi! Howdy! Hey! Hei! Aloha! Guten Tag!

I have been very busy lately! And I have been a little stuck in books! So sorry!

I tried to read the book Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu. But sadly I got bored. Then I tried to read the book When Zachary Beaver Comes to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt, but I'm stuck in that book too.

Eventually, my friend told me to read (and lent me their copy) of the book Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl & Kami Garcia. This book, was amazingly well written, did not have any un needed details or plot, and was a perfect (and generally original) idea. I admire the two authors for their strength and maturity for choosing to work together and make their work the ever so much better with the combined talents.

I love the characters, who were ever so perfect for the story, and the setting, ever so perfect. I don't think there is anything I would possibly change, it was so ever so perfect! ;)

Now I'm reading the book Small Acts of Amazing Courage by Gloria Whelan, the author of numerous books. So far, its fairly good, and I'll try to keep you more updated as I read! I'm sorry you've had to wait so long!!!!!!!

Word of the day: Combined- "Made by combining"

Quote of the day- "Intelligence and courtesy not always are combined; often in a wooden house a golden room we find." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Au revior,

~Remedyleaf

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bonjor! I'm so sorry that I haven't posted in a while! I haven't read anything lately worth reading! How sad is that!!! :( But I do have good news,

I've gotten a bunch of friends to read the book Unearthly by Cynthia Hand! We all are in love with the character Tucker! He is so cute and sweet!!!!

I sound a little silly,

Au revior,

~Remedyleaf

Halves of hearts

This morning I finished The Other Half Of My Heart by Sundee Fraizer. Sundee has also written Brendan Buckly's Universe and Everything in it,  among others.

I am struggling with how to review The Other Half Of My Heart because I didn't enjoy it very much. The plot was predictable, the climax was subtle, and everything seemed to drag on and on through out the story.

I felt that 3 quarters of the book was just set up! The real part of the book happened in the last few chapters, so the book was pretty boring for the majority.

I was confused at how the author thought the book was oh so complete, because the plot was so boring. The idea was great, twin sisters that are different races. But the real plot, (the twins in a pageant) was very boring.

I will rate this book 2 out of 5 stars, because I finished the book, (though it was only because I wanted to give a truly accurate review.

Au revior,

~Remedyleaf

Lost. I lost it! :0

No, not really, just the book I finished a few days ago was called "Lost"

The book, Lost by Jacqueline Davies was a historical fiction novel that twined together two newspaper reports from Manhattan, New York in the early 1900s. Thus, an amazing book evolved.

Essie is the protagonist, and she is a 16 year old girl. She lives with her mother, brother, and sister. Essie loves to make hats, like really make them. Not just embellish, but actually make the frame and everything!

The narration goes back and fourth between Essie's diary that flits through her early life, then the "present" (but still 1900s) where the main part of the story happens.

*Note: this method was very effective.

I would recommend this book, even though it was quite sad at the end.

Jacqueline's only other book I'm interested in reading is Where The Ground Meets The Sky, it sounds so good! :)


Anyway, now I'm reading The Other Half Of My Heart by Sundee T. Frazier. This book is about twin girls, (age eleven) who are different races, (Mom African American, Dad white) Once girl looks like their mom, the other looks like their dad (skin color wise)

I'm not very far, but I'll keep on reading!!!!!

Word of the Day- Banished: to compel to depart; send, drive, or put away

Quote of the day: "Named must your fear be before banish it you can"- Yoda

Who doesn't love "Star Wars" watch/play/read some for me will ya?

Au revior,

~Remedyleaf

New Year! New Post!

We're coming to you live from my web- blog to bring the interesting report on the book Runaway by Wendelin Van Draanen. Wendelin also is the author of Flipped (an amazing favorite of mine) How I Survived Being A Girl, the Sammy Keys series, and others.

Runaway is about a girl named Holly who is a Foster child. Holly writes in a journal, and thus-- our book.

I enjoyed Runaway, because it was very realistic. The journal design worked out well, and the plot progressed nicely.

Au revior,

~Remedyleaf

Stolen: A Letter to My Captor

Last night, late, late, late, I finished Stolen:A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher. This book was written in a narrative by teenage girl named Gemma. Gemma is a british girl at the airport when the book starts.

Throughout the book, the narrative refers to a person Gemma calls "You" and that "You" person eventually reveals that their name is Ty.

Lucy wrote this book in an odd format, but it was an odd book. I thought this review over before I even began typing.

I will say that I enjoyed it, and that Lucy didn't drag the book on. She also didn't rush right into the action, but took time to explain the set up. Both of these things I highly appreciated.

This book will be recommended by me, but not in a crazy way. I am very calm about this book.

Yes, I enjoyed it. Yes, I think that a lot of different people would read it, but I put caution. This is not really a happy book, or a sad book. Stolen by Lucy Christopher is more of a book about even when something bad happens, and then it ends, you still end up with the same pretty poopy life.

Word of the now- Odd: unusual; eccentric

Quote of the now: "It's an odd world" Timothy Spall

Au revior,

~Remedyleaf

I didn't abandon you!

Hello!

I've been kind of lost in the reading world the past few days. I'm re-reading the first Anne of Green Gables book so I can be caught up and read the rest of the series.

I also have been trying to read the book, A Girl, a Ghost, and the Hollywood Hills. I'm not really into it yet...

I'm also reading the book called Stolen  by Lucy Christopher. This book is the winner of the "Medical Printz Award for Excellence In Young Adult Literature Honor"

So far, I have to say this book is pretty creepy. But I like it a lot.

Word of the now-  Stolen: Past participle of steal

Quote of the now: "Stolen kisses are always sweetest" Leah Hunt

Au revoir,

~Remedyleaf

Lost

Good morning,

I just finished the book I started last night called Once was Lost by Sara Zarr. Sara is also the author of Sweethearts and Story of a Girl.

I enjoyed Once was Lost because of it's story idea, characters, and over all writing style. Sara kept the book moving and you were alway's waiting for more, even in the beginning before anyone knew what the problem was.

I recommend this book because the problem doesn't just appear on the first page, characters are introduced and the life of the protagonist is explained a bit. I think Sara did this to save time instead of stopping every time something that needs to be explained comes up.

This is the first book I've read by Sara Zarr but I think it was very worthwhile.

Word of the now- Lost: having gone astray or missed the way; bewildered as to place, direction, ect.

Quote of the now: "Exaggeration is truth that has lost it's temper"- Kahlil Gibran

Au revoir,

~Remedyleaf

Julian

I hope you all have met my hamster Julian ---->

Julian is my hamster because I have cats in RL.

Please feed Julian as much as you want (pudgy hamsters are cute!) But don't tease him, he follows your mouse.

Thanks for listening to my random deciding of mentioning Julian,

Au revoir,

~Remedyleaf

Feeling sorry...

This morning I finished the book Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty.

This book was interesting, because characters were flowy, and changed a lot. This helped the plot progress in a fairly smooth manner.

Like Jaclyn's other books, Feeling Sorry for Celia wasn't written in traditional story format, but written in letters and notes. The letters were correspondence between the protagonist Elizabeth and her mother, her step-brother, her best friend Celia, and her pen-pal through school, (Christina). The other letters, (no usually responded to) were from odd societies and associations that feel obliged to write to Elizabeth. The notes, are from a "a stranger who rides your bus" or Elizabeth's bus.

Through this crazy manner a plot is revealed, and an amazingly twisted up story forms.

I enjoyed this novel (Feeling Sorry for Celia,) and all of it's companions, ( The Year of Secret Assignments, The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie, and The Ghosts of Ashbury High.)

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ^^^^^^^^^

Word of the now- Association: an organization of people with a common purpose and having a formal structure

Quote of the now- "No memory is every alone; it's at the end of a trail of memories, a dozen trails, that each have their own associations." Louis L'Amour

Au revoir,

~Remedyleaf

Bounce!

Just now, I finished the book Bounce by Natasha Friend, author of Perfect and Lush.

Bounce had a different story line twist, than Natasha's other two books (mentioned) In Perfect and Lush, Natasha took common story starters, and twisted them about. With Bounce, Natasha surprised me by giving a new story idea.

I loved the characters to pieces, and the protagonist Evyn was the perfect role of "kinda Tom-boy girl whose mother is dead".

I highly recommend this series, (about 13 year olds) mostly because of its diversity. Commonly, series are about a group of protagonists and other characters that roll from one plot to another. With this series, each protagonist and cast of other characters has a plot.

I enjoyed this detail very much.

5 stars!!!!!!!

Word of the Now- Bounce: to spring back from a surface in a lively manner

Quote of the now- "Everything's not going to go perfect. You're going to have some losses that you're going to have to bounce back from and some things that are a little unforeseen that you're going to have to deal with."- Tony Dungy

Au revoir,

~Remedyleaf

Fast

A few hours ago I picked up the book Lush by Natasha Friend. Natasha is the author of that book I read a while ago, Perfect.


I enjoyed Lush in an odd way. Natasha took such a common idea (alcoholic parent) and messed up the boring story starter, by adding in a lot of other problems. I loved Sam's personality, and the other characters fit the story in a very realistic way.

I was surprised at some parts, and other times in private, fairly upset with characters. Natasha used a lot of true adolescence nature and reality to form this quick read novel.

I would recommend this book, (And Perfect) to a lot of readers, with varying genre tastes.

5 outta 5 stars!

Au revoir,

~Remedyleaf

Brides....

Yesterday, I finished the book Sister of the Bride by Beverly Cleary. I enjoyed the book, because of it's well character development. I loved how the character's realistically changed their point of views and ideas.
It was pretty old! Copyright 1963!!

I hope to read more by Beverly, and hope you read some too!

Word of the day-Sock: A short stocking usually reaching to the calf or just above the ankle

Quote of the day: "Never put a sock in the toaster."- Eddie Izzard

Organize all your house's socks today. Any that don't match split down the side, wash, and make washcloths.

Au revior,

~Remedyleaf

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, I. Am. Very. Upset!!!!!

I tried to read the book today My One Hundred Adventures by Polly Horvath! I barely got to chapter 3 when one of the (adult) characters kicked a goose! And made his beak bleed! :(

I stopped reading that book.

I'm not going to ever finish that book

It has emotionally scarred me

Poor birdie! :( :( :( :( :(

What's even sadder is that I loved Polly's other book

Everything on a Waffle


This all troubles me,

Fare well,

~Remedyleaf

Maybe you should be worried...

Well, today I'm working on 4:45 of sleep last night

I kinda feel as if I was just drowning, or born.

But then I feel like I just died.

Just now, in the car, listening to Christmas carols,

The rich voices rolling into my ears,

I swear I heard them singing about easter eggs

You all probably should be worried

I off my nuts!!!

Let this be a lesson on what little sleep can do to you,

IT TURNS YOU INTO DELUSIONAL HAGS WITH WEIRD SLEEPING PATTERS!

Farewell,

~Remedyleaf

Glass of water

Hands grasp

A glass

Fingers turn the nob

Water

Cold

Fresh

gushes from the faucet

Thrust cup under the stream

fingers tense as the cup grows in weight

just in time, you pull it away

turn off the faucet

sit

and

enjoy

the cold water

from the glass

as your tired fingers

no longer need to be tense

~Remedyleaf

Ghosts at 1:06 in the morning

Last night, I finished The Ghosts of Ashbury High by Jaclyn Moriarty at 1:06 in the morning. Funny how right now I've got about five hours of sleep and should be getting my clothes on; brushing my hair ect. Though I'm sitting in my bed in my pajamas with my hair tangled and matted.

I enjoyed The Ghosts of Ashbury High a lot for numerous reasons . 1) I loved that the book was written in  test essays, letters to ghosts, blogs, blog comments, letters to the dead, angry emails, scholar ship progress reports, and transcripts of The Committee for the Administration of the K. L. Patterson Trust Fund meetings.

2) I loved the odd historical note in this book, that I haven't seen Jaclyn use ever before. I was greatly impressed

3) The style was different, this wasn't really a "webbed story" I felt the book had a "webbed plot" where not everything had to do with the big thing in the end, for there were several discoveries in the last pages of the book

4) The characters are so much more developed now that they've bounce across books, I loved it!!!

Of course, I give the book a 5 (outta 5) rating and hope you consider Jaclyn's Ashbury Brookfield Legacy, (I have 1 more to read!!!!!)

Now I must go,

~Remedyleaf

Happy Dancing Lights

Cool white

Pulsing water, pouring from the faucet

Swirling soap, finding the emptiest crooks and crannies

Knuckles, hot pink, right hand

Skin, tight, pulled over the body, tensed by soap

Hair, clinging to head, swing in face

Eyes squinted, and flashing with light

Bubbly warmth seeping and swishing in ears

The clicking as the air bubbles escape

Sudden pain

Your foot just slipped under the faucet

The water is that hot?

Turn it off.

Soak

Wash

Relax

Notice your hands,

Wrinkles, over lapping

A shivery old person taking a bath.

Not really, you realize

Rinse

Water, colder, splashing over your body

Towel, steamish, having sat in the bathroom, waiting.

Tousle hair

Smooth legs

Rub arms

Notice your blurry reflection

Write in the mirror

Use your arm to wipe off the fog

There is your face, as clear as day

Though night time sounds echo from the windows

You stare into the eyes

Bright, alert,

Lashes flashing

Flirtatious?

No.

You are alone,  for a moment

In the house, it seems

Even though there are people moving, all around

Pajamas, slip on

Teeth brush

Face scrub

Hand reaches for the door-nob

Leave this moment of peace?

Leave this time for yourself?

Why not, life would be too lonely with out anyone

to bang on your door and complain of the time

to trick you and steal things of yours

to embarrass you

or to love no matter what

spend time when you are down

keep themselves open to ideas, no matter how silly.

Hand grasping the nob, you fling yourself into reality

and it hits you

But it hits a you that is clean

relaxed

open minded

and had already been missing those

waiting outside

as the minutes passed

while you soaked

and washed

and relaxed

with warm soapy water

and happy dancing lights

~Remedyleaf