Mint Tea and A Good Book

Blogging Break and Cloudy Days

2013-04-20T04:00:00.000-05:00

Hello lovely Mint Tea and A Good Book readers!

As some of you may have noticed, we haven't been posting much lately here on the blog, and we apologize for that. Unfortunately, school seems to be in full swing right now as we take far too many standardized tests and prepare for (gulp) finals. The end of the school year is like the nice weather that follows the looming dark clouds and thunderstorms (cough, finals, cough). Once this mess of standardized tests and finals is over, we should be back to blue skies and sunshine. And hot weather as summer tends to announce along with it's arrival.

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So once again, we do apologize for the lack of posting lately, and unfortunately what will probably be some sporadic posting for the next month and a half as we're stuck under these ominous dark clouds. However, on a positive note, I very much believe that dark clouds give you a greater appreciation for those sunny days. I can't wait for that sunshine!

Spring is So Lovely

2013-04-06T05:00:00.000-05:00

Hello there, everyone!

Today's post strays from the usual literary related topics, and instead focuses on my favorite season, Spring! A couple days ago, I included this lovely picture (above) of a wildflower from my backyard, and I wanted to share a few more "spring things" with you all. xx

oh hello little ladybug

I really love how alive everything is in the spring. After the sort of abandonment of winter, everything comes back to life in the spring and it's so refreshing and beautiful!

Queen Anne's Lace accompanied by a seed wisp

The weather in spring is also very pleasant, because it's comfortable. It's not unbearable like sometimes winter and summer can be. I even enjoy the spring rain.

little red flower

I also love flowers, especially spring wildflowers so much. Our backyard is covered with them right now and I can't help but take dozens of photos and embrace them while they last!

During spring, I often feel jittery and can't sit still because I NEED TO GO OUTSIDE and enjoy the lovely weather and the flowers!

pink flowers and rusty clothesline pole

Embrace spring, before summer pushes it away and takes over. Don't get me wrong, I love summer, but I just don't find it quite as lovely as spring.

It's not summer yet, little flower!

I hope you all are having a very agreeable spring, and don't forget to spend some time outdoors with a good book!

Social Media Break

2013-04-02T01:00:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed the blog design tutorial from Saturday, and hopefully I'll be able to do more posts like that in the future. However, today I wanted to let you all know that I will be taking a break from major social media (except Pinterest) for a while.

Some of you may remember my post from November titled "A Superabundance of Social Media." Sometimes I feel like a slave to social media, like if I don't post anything, I'll lose followers or whatever, depending on the social media site. And so school + social media slavery are a very BAD combination, and I know that choosing between the two, school is definitely more important.

So I will be taking a break from all social media, except Pinterest (for a multitude of reasons, mainly because I use Pinterest to relax), for the entirety of April and possibly a good chunk of May. I will still be blogging, just not tumblring or tweeting or any of that.

Wildflower in the backyard

I hope you all understand, it's not that I don't love connecting you, I just need a break to focus on school and embrace the lovely spring weather.

VIDEO TUTORIAL: The Easiest Way to Design A Blog Without Photoshop

2013-03-30T01:00:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone!

Today I am finally going to address probably the number one question I get asked- how do you design a blog? This is going to be tutorial on how to make the absolute easiest blog banner. It's seriously so easy, I feel like it's cheating.

Our ultimate goal here is a blog banned that looks like this:

I'll also teach you how you can make a simplified version and give tips on making one a bit more complex. Let's watch!

In case the video isn't working you can also use this link- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKP2FJMfNVQ and paste it into your browser. If you have any questions about the video please leave a comment on the blog or on the video, or you can email me- mintteaandagoodbook@gmail.com.

Side Note: This is not the method I used to create my blog header, but it is still a simple and easy way to make a GREAT looking blog header. :)

If you enjoyed the video please don't forget to give it a thumbs up on Youtube. And I apologize for not posting much this week. School has been crazy lately as we get into standardized testing mode (sigh) and it also took me a couple days to make the video, so not much time was left over for blogging. But in my opinion, today's post is pretty great and I hope pretty helpful as well! xx

New VS Used Books

2013-03-21T00:30:00.000-05:00

Hello!

Today I thought I'd share with you guys something that I constantly wonder about- New VS Used books. What's better? What books should you buy used? What are the benefits of buying new? Etc.

Benefits of Buying NEW Books

1. Cleanliness- I don't know about you guys, but I love buying a brand new book with a crisp jacket and that magical new book scent. It's a very satisfying feeling that you just don't get the same way with used books.

2. Condition- This goes along with cleanliness a bit, but with new books you're pretty much guaranteed a book in good condition. No torn pages or writing between the margins, it's all new and beautiful.

3. Supporting Indie Bookstores- There are definitely indie bookstores that carry used books, but a lot of indie bookstores carry primarily or exclusively "new books," meaning that when you buy a new book, you're supporting your local indie bookstore! An added bonus!

Benefits of Buying USED Books

1. Personality/History of Book- I love when you buy a used book and there's sort of a mystery to the book itself. Why are some words on this page crossed out? What does this note mean in the margin? Why did the previous owner highlight this sentence? In my copy of The Great Gatsby, which I purchased from Half Price Books, the previous owner wrote dark or light on the bottom of each page, which definitely intrigued me. You don't usually get that same "history" with a new book.

2. Price- Used books are cheaper than new books! This is why some people prefer used books- you can usually get better deals than a new book! I've seen books on sale for literally about $2 at used bookstores. And because of the low price, I often feel more compelled to try a book because it's not a big deal if I end up not liking the book since I didn't pay much for it.

3. Go Green- Used books are better for the environment than new books because you're essentially recycling/reusing a book!

Honestly, I can't really say whether I prefer new books or used books as they each have their ups and downs. No matter what, it's a book, and for me personally, that's what matters the most. Do any of you have preferences towards new or used books? Let me know in the comments! :)

Motivational Monday: Love Yourself!

2013-03-18T01:00:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone!

Today's post is not really book related (well, sort of, ok not really), but it is inspired by one of my all time most favoritest blogs ever, Sprinkle of Glitter. Recently, Louise, (who runs Sprinkle of Glitter) has been posting some sort of inspirational quote or motif to help her readers start their week- because lets face it, Mondays can be hard. And, in enjoying Louise's Motivational Mondays, I've decided to do my own Motivational Monday today on Mint Tea and A Good Book!

So, I poked around on my Pinterest and pulled out some inspirational words of wisdom to share with you all!

The theme of today is LOVE YOURSELF!

When I was small, I actually thought that you shouldn't think about "loving yourself," and things like that because no one around me was ever saying positive things about themselves. All I heard were things like "my hair is ugly," and "I hate my artwork,"and "I'm horrible at math." I rarely heard and still hear people say things like "I'm great at math," and "I love my hair."

But since I was small, I have learned how important it is to love yourself! It's important to love others and it's important not to be too arrogant as well, but I think that most of us, including myself, could learn to love ourselves a bit more.

When you love yourself, you're happier! And being happier makes you healthier and leads you to do more positive things!

So give yourself a great big bear hug and don't forget to

LOVE YOURSELF!

And with that, I hope you all have a splendid week!

PS: If you would like to see more motivation from me, you can find more than you'll ever want on My Pinterest Page. :)

The Ruby Oliver Series

2013-03-15T23:30:00.000-05:00

The Ruby Oliver Series by E. Lockhart:

Warning: this review may contain excessive fan-girling, sporadic virtual squealing, and an extreme amount of GIFs. It's only necessary, because I'm talking about the Ruby Oliver series.

Ruby Oliver is the most brilliantly crafted, frustrating, lovable, amazing, magnificent, fabulous character to ever exist. Ever. At some points in these novels I wanted to slap Ruby to bring her back to her senses. Sometimes I wanted to give her a chocolate chip cookie. Sometimes I wished I was her friend. Sometimes I was perfectly fine not being her friend. But 99% of the time I adored her. I not only loved her, I loved the siege of characters that were in these novels: Ruby, Nora, Meghan, Cricket, Kim, Jackson, Finn, Hutch, Gideon, Elaine Oliver, Kevin Oliver, Juana, Doctor Z, the posse of siblings that came with the siege of characters, the zoo animals (don't forget Robespierre the goat), Polka-Dot the great dane and, of course, Noel. E. Lockhart is a genius because she was able to include all of these characters that I loved and hated without making me think, "Wait, who was that guy again?"

Now, a list of reasons why the Ruby Oliver Series is possibly the most amazing series ever:

The words "debacle" and "neurotic" appear every other word.
Right when the book is about to end and you think Ruby's situation is an absolute mess, everything is resolved.
They made me laugh out loud, swoon, and want to endlessly read.
An overly calm poncho-wearing shrink named Doctor Z is involved.
Icky words like "puberty" are replaced with "mocha latte."
The titles are ridiculously long and humorous.
There are an indefinite amount of foot notes.
Even though there are four novels, each is entertaining and each novel is better than the last.
They are witty, romantic, and the most lovable things on earth.
The main character's name is Ruby Oliver. That is probably the best main-character name in the world.

It is impossible to be sad while reading these books. I love these books so, so much. It doesn't matter where you are or when, if you like to laugh and are in for a good chick-flick, then read the Ruby Oliver Series.

Other benefits of the Ruby Oliver Series (just in case the first ten weren't enough):

Ruby's shrink makes her write her issues
down and flush them in the toilet!

There are penguins and
Xs and Os involved!

There are cute guys and baking involved!

In the third book a bake sale is
a major part of the plot!

The Space Between Us

2013-03-12T16:29:00.000-05:00

Title: The Space Between Us
Author: Thrity Umrigar
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Release Date: January 10, 2006

Goodreads Summary:

Poignant, evocative, and unforgettable, The Space Between Us is an intimate portrait of a distant yet familiar world. Set in modern-day India, it is the story of two compelling and achingly real women: Sera Dubash, an upper-middle-class Parsi housewife whose opulent surroundings hide the shame and disappointment of her abusive marriage, and Bhima, a stoic illiterate hardened by a life of despair and loss, who has worked in the Dubash household for more than twenty years. A powerful and perceptive literary masterwork, author Thrity Umrigar's extraordinary novel demonstrates how the lives of the rich and poor are intrinsically connected yet vastly removed from each other, and how the strong bonds of womanhood are eternally opposed by the divisions of class and culture.

Review:

A lot of people at school read The Space Between Us and everyone, even the people who claimed they hated reading, liked it. I wanted to join the group that praised this novel, so I decided I needed to give it a whirl.

I know a book is good when throughout the course of the novel my opinions change about the characters. One day when my friend and I were talking about our over-the-top obsession with Modern Family she said she liked it because there were no good guys and there were no bad guys. I've thought about what she said not just in relation to Modern Family, but everything. In the world no one is really "good" or "bad." Any who, after that philosophical rant, that is what I liked about the book; no character was one-sided.

I also enjoyed The Space Between Us because (like the Goodreads summary above states) it showed how the lifestyles of the rich and the poor in India intertwine, and how every person no matter their financial circumstances goes through struggles. A good mantra for this novel is like the saying in Horton Hears A Who: "A person's a person no matter how small."

I loved this novel. It was heartbreaking, well written, and intriguing. There were so many secrets hidden in this novel that were unpredictable. I couldn't put The Space Between Us down. If you want to read a novel that takes place in India and is an eye opener I highly, highly recommend The Space Between Us.

Happy, Happy Birthday: Epic Virtual Birthday Party!

2013-03-09T07:59:00.000-06:00

Today is a very, very special day here at Mint Tea and A Good Book! Today is Erin and I's Birthday! Yes, we have the same birthday, it's one of those crazy twists of fate. (among other creepy coincidences we share, we were also born within the same hour on March 9th...)

We're going to celebrate with a little virtual birthday party! (You may remember last year's virtual birthday party...)

And step one of a virtual birthday party? A guests list! So let's see who we've invited!

You've got to have JK Rowling! (source)

And it's not a party without Jennifer Lawrence! (source)

Or Emma Stone! (source)

Or the other Emma, Emma Watson! (source)

Why don't we just invite the whole HP cast while we're at it? (source)

We've also invited a bunch of authors and other incredible people, but for the purpose of time, we couldn't feature all their pictures/gifs here. And next up on our list is FOOD!

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SPARKLEY OREOS! (source)

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This is the venue (source)

In the great words of Rapunzel, Best Day Ever!

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Also, thank you to all who have wished us a happy birthday, and thank you to all of you in general, because you guys are zee best! :)

The Moon and More

2013-03-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

Title: The Moon and More
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Release Date: June 4, 2013

Goodreads Summary:

Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?

Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

Sarah Dessen's devoted fans will welcome this story of romance, yearning, and, finally, empowerment. It could only happen in the summer.

Review:

The Moon and More is my second Sarah Dessen novel to read. When I brought my copy to school I felt like I was a juicy toe in a pool of piranhas (well, nice piranhas who fangirl and say please). Everyone at school is absolutely crazy for Sarah Dessen novels so there was a bit of a mob around me when I unleashed my copy (quite entertaining!)

I have mixed emotions about this novel, so I'm going to do a pros and cons set-up for this review. I'll get the "bad" stuff over with first.

Cons: Maybe I'm just uber impatient, but I felt like the novel was dragging. It was a little bit dull in some parts and repetitive. It could have been 50 pages shorter. I also didn't like the sappiness of the novel. There were a lot of one-liners that-- if the book was a soap opera-- the character's hair would have been blowing in the wind and she would have looked at the star-filled sky and put a hand over her heart because she was so touched by X thing.

Pros: This is a fun read. It's definitely a chick-flick and what my English teacher would call a "cotton-candy novel." Also, Sarah Dessen was a trickster in this novel because by the end of the novel the people that I thought were the bad guys ended up being the good guys and vice versa. It was a clever move. The Moon and More was a page turner. I wasn't 100% intrigued by the plot all the time, but Sarah Dessen's writing style made me want to continue reading.

I know that all Sarah Dessen fans will enjoy the Moon and More. If you're looking for an escape to the summer, or you just want a light-hearted read I recommend you read this novel. It comes out in June, so be on the look-out.

Your Questions ANSWERED... Again (Part 2)

2013-03-06T02:00:00.000-06:00

The week before last, I answered some of your questions! And I promised I would post a second part to that post (since I didn't get to answer all the questions in the first post), so here I am! In case you didn't see my previous post, I just want to reiterate that I unfortunately could not answer ALL of the questions (I'm still blown away by how many you all asked!), so please don't be offended if I didn't answer yours. I also didn't want to repeat any questions, so if you asked a question that I've answered previously (or in this post), that may be why you don't see your question answered.

Again, thank you all so so so much for asking questions! Hopefully we can do this again soon, especially for those of you who didn't get your question(s) answered. :)

Celia asked: "How do you balance blogging with the rest of your life?"

It's not easy! You may notice gaps in posting certain weeks- that's because of as you said, "the rest of my life." Everyone has their own ways of balancing busy schedules- personally, I think it's just important to know when to step away from blogging for a bit. Blogging isn't my number one priority in life, and I do well remind myself of that. :)

Celia (also) asked: "On average, how much time does blogging take up per week?"

Ooh, this is a tough question! It's difficult for me to say, because it varies a lot from week to week. I try to write posts on the weekends, so I don't really spend much time on blogging on weekdays. Sorry, I don't have a very straight forward answer for this one.

Dee asked: "Whats your fav John Green book?"

The Fault in Our Stars is my favorite, but I love all of John Green's books so so much! You could pick up any of them and you won't be disappointed.

Esty asked: "Any advice for new bloggers?"

Make blogging what you want it to be! There are really no rules and someone is more likely to remember a blog that is different and unique rather than a blog that is just like all the others.

Ana asked: "what are your favorite types of teas?" and Emily asked: "Is mint tea your favorite type of tea, or did you just pick it for your blog name because it sounds relaxing or for other reasons? If it is not, what kind do you prefer?"

My favorite teas at the moment are Mint (that one is sort of a given), Chai, English Breakfast, and Apple. (it sounds gross, but it's so wonderful!) Mint is one of my favorites, so I put "Mint Tea" in the blog title for that reason, but I also used it because it's very calming and I wanted this blog to be a bit soothing- like mint tea! :)

Emily (also) asked: "We all know you write lovely book reviews for your blog, but have you ever tried penning your own novel?"

First off, wow, thank you! I'm very flattered to hear that! Now to answer your question- I think the more I read the more I think, writing a novel would be so fun! I've never tried writing my own novel despite all the story ideas that float around in my head, but hopefully someday I'll give writing novels a go! :)

Emily (also, also) asked: "What is it like to share a site with another blogger? How do you work out the posting schedule so that you don't post on the same day?"

I really enjoy sharing Mint Tea and A Good Book with Erin, and I hope that she would say the same! We used to be really good about keeping up a Mint Tea and A Good Book calendar, but more recently we've sort of ditched the calendar. Instead, we just email or talk in the real world. (What!? We can talk outside of the internet!?) Great question! :)

Matt asked: "I was wondering what are the most important aspects of a book to you?"

The most important aspect of a book, for me, is that it invokes emotion and maybe helps me to see something from a different perspective.

Anonymous asked: "How would you recommend a blogger to start off?"

I would first start by visiting some blogs you enjoy, take note on what you like/dislike about those blogs and then try to incorporate the positives into your own blog! I would consider that to be the first major step in beginning to blog.

Thank you all for the great questions! Enjoy your day! xx

Top Ten Tuesday- Series I'd Like To Start But Haven't Yet

2013-03-05T00:00:00.000-06:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week The Broke and The Bookish posts a topic and lists their top ten things that fall under the category. Top Ten Tuesday is a great way to learn more about your favorite bloggers and discover new blogs and books as well! To learn more about Top Ten Tuesday and see the topics, click here.

This week's topic is........

Top ten series I'd like to start, but haven't yet

1. Pretty Little Liars: A lot of people I know have read the Pretty Little Liars series, but I haven't gotten to it yet. I've heard great things about the novels and they seem like fun and fluffy reads.

2. Twilight: I hope your respect for me didn't just nose dive because you saw that I a) haven't read Twilight (if you're a fan) or b) can't believe I would ever think about reading Twilight (if you aren't a fan). I need to read this series because it's part of my generation and I'm pretty out-of-the-loop with it (I haven't seen the movies either). I'll hold off until the summer before I sink my teeth into this one (even I'm ashamed with that pun, wow.)

3. The Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy: I own the Daughter of Smoke and Bone, but I'm going to wait until the third book comes out so that I can read them all at once and in order. The author visited my school, and I'm really excited to read the series now!

4. The Chemical Garden: I also own Wither, the first of the Chemical Garden series. I was waiting for all of the books in the trilogy to come out before I started Wither, and now they're all out--yay! I look forward to reading this series.

5. When We Wake: The first book comes out today. I have a copy to review, so I look forward to reading this series!

6. The Lord of the Rings: I haven't read the Hobbit, or any of the Lord of the Rings books, however I'd like to. Now that the movie of the Hobbit has come out I feel obligated to read these books.

7. The Giver: You are allowed to virtually whack me over the head for not having read The Giver. I haven't read anything by the legendary Lois Lowry. I loved the Hunger Games and Matched (dystopian) and apparently the Giver is the Momma of these books, so I've got to read the series.

8. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: I've read the first and half of the second book in this series, but I was about eight and these novels were waaaaaaay too romantic for me (I had to stop somewhere in the second book). I kind of freaked out over them. So, now that I am good bit older, I'd love to read this series.

9. Shiver: Everyone loves these novels so I have to read them. I saw Maggie on a panel when she was touring for the Raven Boys, and I immediately knew I had to read the Shiver series.

10. The City of Bones: Everyone at school is head-over-heels for this series. I hear rumors that a movie is in works. I should probably read it.

Before and After: How Blogging Changed the Way I Read

2013-03-03T02:00:00.000-06:00

Happy March everyone! Recently, one of my favorite bloggers, Jamie from The Perpetual Page-Turner, held a discussion on her blog about how blogging changed the amount of time she waited in between finishing a book and starting another one. So inspired by Jamie, I thought it would be interesting to compare how blogging has changed the way I read.

1. Marking Up Passages or Important Parts In A Book

Before: I never marked up passages, or even considered doing so. I guess you could say I was a more "carefree reader."

After: I always mark up passages that are significant or passages that I like with sticky notes. I've even done color coded sticky notes (orange = funny part, pink = passage I love, etc.) although I mainly only do that if I'm reading a book for school.

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2. What Types of Books I Read

Before: I would just go to the library/bookstore and get a book that either looked really good or that a friend had recommended.

After: After becoming a blogger, I sort of had an obsession with only getting the most recent books, the ones that hadn't come out yet or that had just come out. It was sort of a bad thing actually, because I neglected to even look at these wonderful books that had come out even just a few years before. Fortunately, while I'm still very drawn to recent books, I do read not-so recent books just as often.

3. How Long I Wait Between Finishing A Book and Starting A New One

Before: Once I finished the book I would usually wait a couple days for the book to sink in before starting a new one. I liked to have a couple days to think about the book.

After: I sort of miss the before, because now once I finish a book I feel a bit pressured to immediately start the next book because there are so many books I have to read. The only instance where I will wait a few days is if I get into a reading shlump which usually comes after reading a really phenomenal book, or not finishing a book.

4. What I Notice When I Read

Before: Like I said, I used to just read the book and just get lost in the plot and not think about anything else

After: This may partly be because I've advanced in school, but now I always seem to be thinking 'oh I like that' or 'oh I don't like that.' Or 'this would be better if blank happened.' It's sort of like I'm writing the review in my head before I've even finished the book. I've grown to be much better about this than I used to be- I try not to form a complete opinion on the book in general until I've finished it- but it still happens sometimes, although I wish it didn't.

5. Recommending Books to People

Before: I used to give book recommendations when people asked, which wasn't very often, and I would just be like "here, this book is good."

After: People are ALWAYS asking me for book recommendations. And while I'm very flattered, I'm always worried that the person won't love the book I've recommended, especially after I've gushed over it. Which brings me to the other part of recommending- instead of just saying, "here, this book is good," now I'll actually briefly explain what the book is about and why I liked it. (I think my enthusiasm probably scares people off sometimes...)

Has blogging affected my reading habits in a positive or negative way? I would say both. Sometimes I miss when I would simply read a book, but the fun I have blogging overcomes those thoughts. I just find it very interesting to see how my reading habits have developed from blogging.

Have a lovely week!

Top Ten Tuesday- Authors On Our "Auto-Buy List!"

2013-02-26T02:00:00.000-06:00

Top Ten Authors That I'd Put On My Auto-Buy List

By "auto- buy list," we mean authors that you love so much, you would automatically buy a book by them sometimes without knowing much about the book. So without further ado- authors on my "auto-buy list!"

1. John Green- This one is sort of a given! It honestly would not matter what John Green was writing- it could be the iTunes Terms and Conditions- and I would still give it a go! And honestly, I think John Green is such a good writer that he could probably make even the iTunes Terms and Conditions interesting!

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2. Lindsey Leavitt- I love love love Lindsey Leavitt's writing style so much that I would definitely buy anything she writes. She has such a great sense of humor in her writing- she could probably be writing about anything and make it funny and interesting!

3. Ally Carter- I love all of Ally Carter's books and Ally Carter herself so much- I've even read her out of print adult novels (what!?)- so I think I would definitely read anything she wrote because I know that no matter what it is, it will be FANTASTIC!

4. Sarah Dessen- Despite the fact that I'm in love with Sarah Dessen, I'm pretty sure that considering how much hype each of her books get, I would buy her books whether I knew who she was or not! Plus, I can't imagine her ever writing a dull, boring book- so why not have her on auto-buy?

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5. Stephanie Perkins- Ah, I just love Stephanie Perkins' books so much! Both of her books are two of my most favorite YA books ever! I cannot wait to read more books from Stephanie Perkins, and I honestly don't care what they're about- I just love her and her writing!

6. Jenny Han- I've read nearly all of Jenny Han's books, and I love her smooth writing style. She definitely knows how to write a good love story, and I'm guessing she knows how to write "a good nearly ever other kind of story" as well.

7. Ruta Sepetys- Ruta Sepetys florid writing is so beautiful and invokes so much emotion! If she wrote the iTunes Terms and Conditions, she could probably get me to start crying. That's how amazing she is at writing emotion!

8. Morgan Matson- I've read both of Morgan Matson's books and I loved them and Morgan (who I met once) so much, that I don't think I could bring myself to not buy a book by her. Morgan is great at love stories, and also very good at making her readers cry. (cough, Second Chance Summer, cough)

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9. Veronica Roth- Oh, Veronica Roth. Veronica Roth's incredible ability to write action and love AT THE SAME TIME completely baffles me! And the fact that she wrote Divergent while in college, baffles me even more! If Veronica Roth wrote the iTunes Terms and Conditions, she would probably have me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

10. JK Rowling- I cannot describe how beautifully and eloquently JK Rowling writes. Each sentence and thought seems so carefully written and planned. It all seems so delicate and perfect! I'm in the process of reading The Casual Vacancy- and even though it is outside my usual comfort zone, because it is JK Rowling, I'm reading and enjoying it!

The God of Small Things: Review

2013-02-23T12:25:00.001-06:00

Title: The God of Small Things
Author: Arundhati Roy
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: August 31, 1999

Goodreads Summary:

"They all crossed into forbidden territory. They all tampered with the laws that lay down who should be loved and how. And how much."

The year is 1969. In the state of Kerala, on the southernmost tip of India, fraternal twins Esthappen and Rahel fashion a childhood for themselves in the shade of the wreck that is their family. Their lonely, lovely mother, Ammu, (who loves by night the man her children love by day), fled an abusive marriage to live with their blind grandmother, Mammachi (who plays Handel on her violin), their beloved uncle Chacko (Rhodes scholar, pickle baron, radical Marxist, bottom-pincher), and their enemy, Baby Kochamma (ex-nun and incumbent grandaunt).

When Chacko's English ex-wife brings their daughter for a Christmas visit, the twins learn that Things Can Change in a Day. That lives can twist into new, ugly shapes, even cease forever, beside their river.... (from dust jacket)

Review:

The God of Small Things is the craziest, most challenging/tragic, whirlwind of a book that I've ever read. This novel could be read twenty trillion times, and I'm sure that each time I would discover something new about the plot/characters/theme.

Each page I read of The God of Small Things felt like taking care of a sick kitten or holding a delicate flower. This novel was so well-written that I wanted to spend a lot of time reading each page; dissecting every word, and sentence.

There is A LOT that goes on in this novel. It revolves around two fraternal twins, Estha and Rahel, and their life growing up in India with crazy aunts, a perfect cousin, a strict mother, and an "Untouchable" idol. There isn't any colossal plot-line until the end when every little detail in the book is tied together. I loved the characters Estha and Rahel, and I adored their relationship.

The God of Small Things is still very jumbled in my mind, and I will definitely be thinking about it for a long time. Whenever I try to explain the story I looked something like the two gifs below

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Meredith and I both read The God of Small Things as a required read in English. Each day when we got to class we would sit and discuss the book with our groups. I highly recommend this be read in a book-club, because it is confusing and it's nice to hear other people's views. Epiphanies always occurred when discussing the novel.

I didn't do The God of Small Things justice through this review, but it was marvelous and extremely eloquent. I recommend it if you want a challenging yet engaging read.

Some Little Changes Around Here!

2013-02-20T01:00:00.000-06:00

Hello lovely Mint Tea and A Good Book Readers! We have a few announcements today regarding some changes that will be going on here on le blog. Don't worry, it's nothing bad! :)

I don't even know why this giraffe is here.

Commenting
The first change, is regarding commenting. We've been receiving so many spam comments, that a few weeks ago we added word verification on the blog. But since word verification was such a pain, we changed to comment moderation. And, I don't know about you all, but I kind of like it when I see my comment published. Otherwise I don't really feel like I'm interacting with the blog, which is the whole point of commenting. So as a solution to the spam problem- we are going to be switching our comments over to a different program called "Disqus."

What does this mean for YOU? Well, it means that it will be much easier for you all to comment and you won't see as much spam! However, because we're switching over, all comments commented prior to February 21st, that's tomorrow, will no longer be displayed. We may try to fix this, but for now, that's how it's going to be. I'm sorry- I know that's a bit odd, but it will be worth it to make 'leaving a comment' so much easier.

Memes
Some of you probably remember when we used to contribute to lots of weekly literary memes. However, we've stopped doing most of these memes mainly because they started to pile up and there seemed like an obligation to post to each meme every week. Due to this, we've decided to instead just have Leading Literary Lives (run by MT&AGB) and Top Ten Tuesday (run by The Broke and The Bookish), however we will not be posting to either of these memes every week/month. This means that we are no longer participating in In My Mailbox, Book of the Month, or TGIF. Most of you have probably noticed that we've stopped posting to these memes, but in case you haven't, this is our official notice.

Giveaways
I had a couple people ask me on the last couple giveaways if they could still enter if they don't live in the USA or Canada, but has a mailing address/friend who has a mailing address there. The answer to that is YES! I don't care where you live, as long as you have a shipping address in the USA/Canada.

Another thing about giveaways, remember (w/ the exception of the twitter giveaway) you can only enter ONCE. Yeah, I see those cheeky multiple entries. ;) However, I think this may be my fault, if I haven't been very clear about this.

Last thing- we will no longer be having a "Giveaways" page at the top pages menu below our header. We have found the page to be pretty pointless since we already always list the current giveaways in our sidebar. So from now on, giveaways will be accessible via the sidebar. :)

If you have any questions please email me- mintteaandagoodbook(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Have a great day! :)

Your Questions ANSWERED! (Part 1)

2013-02-17T02:00:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, after having a Tumblr Q&A, I wrote a post with a form where I asked you all to submit any questions you had for me- and, um, wow, I was definitely NOT expecting so many questions! I thought I was going to receive like 2 questions and then I would have to make up some extra ones. And I'm completely flattered that you guys asked so many questions!

However, unfortunately, do the volume of questions I actually received, I am going to answer in 2 parts and I am only going to answer the more relevant ones. (I got a couple questions on things like relationship advice, which I don't really think I should answer...) I also received a bunch of repeat questions, so obviously I'm not going to answer one question more than once. Without further ado, here we go!

Anonymous asked: "Who do you think should blog? Any specific people, and/or what type of person?"
Anyone can blog! I think the most important quality of a good blogger is dedication, but I honestly think that anyone can do it! It's not so difficult, I promise!

J asked: "Hi Meredith ! I love your blog layout, did you create it yourself ?"

Thank you, and yes, I did create it myself. :)

*Additional note- I got a ton of questions on blog design and layout, so I think I will be doing a post specifically for this in the near future!

Anna asked: "If you could be a fly on the wall in anybody's house for a day, who would you choose?"
Good question! I think I would have to go with JK Rowling, because I'd love to see what she's up to! (yes, I realize how creepy this sounds)

El asked: "How do you find time to blog?"

I don't really know- to be honest I don't have the time! I think when you like something, you learn to make time for it. :)

Lanna asked: "What is a difference, you think, between teen book bloggers and adult ones. Are there advantages and disadvantages?"
Another really great question! When I started blogging, I was hesitant to say that I was a teenager because I was worried that people wouldn't take me as seriously. However, I've found this to be the complete opposite! People seem to have more respect for me because I'm young and I'm blogging on a regular basis! In terms of advantages and disadvantages, the only ones I can only think of a few: disadvantage- I'm sort of limited on literary events and such I can go to since I can't drive or anything like that, advantage- Especially with blogging on primarily YA books, being a teenager blogging books means that I actually am the target audience and maybe my opinion could possibly be valued more than an adults? I don't really know, that might be a stretch...

Lanna (also) asked: "Do you want to work in book pub'ing as an adult?"
Maybe! There are so many things I want to do, so I guess I'll just have to see what happens!

Francie asked: "How do you choose what books to review on?"
I actually get asked this question a lot! I try to write reviews for ARC's I receive in the mail (although occasionally I'm a bad blogger and this doesn't happen...) and I also just like to review books that I have a strong opinion on/ really, really love!

Francie (also) asked: "Would you say what age someone should be to blog?"

I started blogging when I was really young (I wasn't even quite 13 yet...), I think as long as you know how to "be safe," on the internet, you can blog. But remember, the internet can be a very scary place. *cowers in corner*

Nency asked: "I've always wanted to blog, but I'm afraid I won't get much followers. How did you get all of yours?"

Aww, don't be afraid! Getting followers is NOT what's important about blogging! Blogging should be as much as for other people as it should be for yourself. Don't let the amount of followers you have discourage you! I would rather enjoy my blog and interact with a few readers than have bazillions of followers. In terms of I did get followers, I posted content that I wanted to post, interacted with other bloggers, and commented on other blogs! I've never really been one of those super promote-y bloggers. I just do what I want. ;)

Nency (also) asked: "Would you recommend having another person on board for a blog, like Erin is on Mint tea and a good book?"
I love having Erin on MTAGB! For me personally, it's more fun to blog with a friend because you don't feel like you're in on something on your own. But everyone is different, it should all depend on your own preferences. :)

e asked: "What is your favorite part of blogging?"
I love interacting with readers and meeting new people and other bloggers! That's the most fun part of it all! :)

Emie asked: "U must have so many books you want/need to read! How do u pick which ones to take time and start to finish?"
I sometimes pick up a book based on it's release date (if it's an ARC), but usually I just read a book based on personal preference- what looks good, what I've heard good things about, etc.

Emie (also) asked: "Are u a super fast reader?"
I'm probably around average. I think the speed I read a book is based off of the amount of time I have more than anything!

Thank you all for asking such fabulous questions! If you have a question that was not answered above, and that you would like to ask- please ask below.
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Thank you all for the great questions! I will be doing Part 2 of these questions next week! :)

Valentines Day: My Favorite YA Love Stories

2013-02-14T02:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentines Day! Today is a day to celebrate the people you love- and what better way to start off Valentine's Day then with a list of lovely YA Love Stories!

1. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith- I think the title says it all, this is a love story of chance and fate and how a matter of minutes can change your life. The story takes place over the course of 24 hours and follows a girl, Hadley, who's on the way to her father's second wedding in London and misses her flight only to find herself with a particular boy...

2. The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth- The love story twisted into this novel is one full of passion and danger and mainly consists of saving each other's lives. I absolutely love this series and the romance in it, and if you haven't read it, I highly, highly recommend it to anyone whether you're a fan of dystopian novels or not.

3. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins- This is possibly my all time favorite YA love story! The setting (Paris), the boy (Etienne St. Clair), the girl (Anna), and everything else all make this such a perfect love story! Just writing about it, I'm aching to reread it! Stephanie Perkins is such a master of YA love stories!

4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green- "sniff, sniff, wipes away a tear* This is probably the saddest book I have ever read ever, but it's such a beautiful love story. John Green perfectly crafts a story between two young adults and their battles and finding happiness in a tragic life. I don't want to preach to you, but if you haven't read it (and aren't afraid of crying a river) then I highly, highly, highly recommend it!

5. The Gallagher Girl Series by Ally Carter- Ally Carter is basically the ultimate genius when it comes to writing YA love interests. I don't really know how she does it, but she keeps the reader longing for the love interest in the story. Especially since she's writing spies, you never really know when someone's going to turn up, and Zachary Goode seems like he's the expert at showing up at the strangest moments.

6. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau- Banks by E. Lockhart- Some of you may argue that this isn't a love story, but I think it is, it's just a different kind of love story which is part of the reason I love it so much. The love story is very unexpected- it's not all lovey-dovey, it's in a weird way, kind of a story of revenge. And I definitely recommend it- it's a super fun read!

7. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson- Morgan Matson is also one of those YA authors that I associate with writing really great love stories. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour is sort of one of those "accidental love stories" in a way, and it's a really riveting and entertaining read. I highly recommend it, especially if you're traveling and need a fun read. :)

8. Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt- I think one of the reasons I love this love story so much is because of how realistic it is. Lindsey Leavitt is fantastic at capturing the voice of a teenage girl and her interactions with a boy. This is a sad but also hilarious read (a perfect blend!) that I highly recommend to absolutely anyone!

9. The Summer Series by Jenny Han- I'm actually not usually a fan of love triangles, but the Summer series is one exception! Primarily set on beautiful summer beaches, these are books that have the tendency to make you cry, burst out laughing, and also swoon all in one chapter. These books are the ultimate summer read!

10. The Heist Society Series by Ally Carter- Ally Carter strikes again- but this time with another mysterious boy who's known by simply Hale, since no one, not even his best friends, know his first name. These are books full of heists (hence the titles), private jets, bad guys, and lots of settings all over the world!

So there you have it! My absolute favorite YA Love Stories! What are some of you all's favorite YA Love Stories?

Twitter Party + Giveaway Results + A Lovely Blogoversary!

2013-02-12T02:00:00.000-06:00

Hello lovely Mint Tea and A Good Book readers!

I just wanted to thank you all for such a lovely blogoversary! (if you haven't read my earlier blogoversary post- here it is if you'd like to read it) This has been such a great last couple of days for me and I cannot thank you all enough!

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I still cannot believe I've been doing this for over 2 years! It still seems so new to me- but as this past week went on I came to realize how I've actually built up a following and how, yes, it's actually been quite some time since I started blogging!

For those of you who participated in the twitter party, thank you, thank you, thank you! There was some poor planning on my part (yeah, scheduling this the night of the Grammy's wasn't exactly my smartest decision), but nonetheless, it was super fun and I am super happy that people actually participated! And especially, since twitter is more personal, I really, really wanted all of you who tweeted to win the prize packs! However, I only have two prize packs and therefore there are only two winners. *sniff, sniff, wipes tear*

And the winners are... *drumroll* @BookishComforts for the big giveaway and @blueskyshelf for the little giveaway! If you didn't win, do not take this personally in any way- I didn't choose the winners, that was random.org's job. But a MASSIVE THANK YOU goes out to all who tweeted! :)

I also just felt like I should take advantage of this post and announce the winner of the recent 500 Followers Giveaway, and that is... *drumroll* Alexa from Alexa Loves Books! Congrats!

*all winners have been notified

Again, thank you all for such a fabulous blogoversary! I hope we can do another twitter party soon and here's to another year of Mint Tea and A Good Book! :)

#2YearsofMTAGB Twitter Party is TODAY!

2013-02-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

Hello lovely Mint Tea & A Good Book Readers! This is a friendly reminder that the Mint Tea and A Good Book Two Year Blogoversary Party will be taking place... TODAY! In case you missed our previous post, we will be holding a twitter party to celebrate our 2 Year Blogoversary!

We've never done anything like this before, but we really wanted to have a more interactive giveaway, and what better place to do it, than on twitter!

How to Participate: (this is a tad bit complicated) On February 10th (that's today), if you tweet using the hashtag #2YearsofMTAGB you will be entered to win a super fun Literary Surprise Package! (this package will consist of books and other goodies!) We will also be holding a mini SWAG Giveaway the same day! To participate in the mini swag giveaway tweet the link your favorite Mint Tea & A Good Book post with the same hashtag #2YearsofMTAGB. (side note: by entering the mini swag giveaway and using the hashtag #2YearsofMTAGB, you are also entering the big giveaway at the same time)

Rules for Entering the Big Giveaway
- You must have a twitter account (haha- this one is pretty obvious)
- You must tweet #2YearsofMTAGB sometime between 12AM and 11:59PM Central Time
- You may tweet #2YearsofMTAGB as many times as you would like (you get one new entry each time you tweet using the hashtag)

- You must be 13 years or older to enter

- You must be following me (@meredithmabel) and/or Erin (@Erin_the_witz) on twitter (this actually makes the giveaway easier)

- You do not have to be a follower of MTAGB, but it is always appreciated!

- You must have a mailing address in the USA or Canada (sorry- not international!)

Rules for Entering the Mini Giveaway

- You must tweet your favorite Mint Tea & A Good Book post using the hashtag #2YearsofMTAGB (please remember, by tweeting your favorite MT&AGB post with the hashtag, you are also entering the large giveaway as well)

- All the same rules above apply

*for any questions, please see contact/policy page. :)

Like we said earlier, we've never done this before, but we are pumped for this party nonetheless! Can't wait to see you all there!

Meredith's Twitter: @meredithmabel

Erin's Twitter: @Erin_the_witz

Mint Tea and A Good Book's 2 Year Blogoversary + Festivities!

2013-02-06T02:00:00.000-06:00

YAY! *bugle sounds, confetti shoots into the sky* Today is Mint Tea and A Good Book's 2nd Blogoversary! Our little bloggy is now 2 years old! I thought, in honor of this tremendous occasion, I would give you all a fun, brief little history of Mint Tea & A Good Book. (links will lead to previous posts)

Hey look, it's Erin and I holding cupcakes!

The History

February 6th, 2011- After coming across some book bloggers who had left comments on author, Ally Carter's, blog I decided to create my own blog, and on February 6th, 2011, I posted my very first post. (agh, that post makes me cringe)

March 1st, 2011- I posted my first ever review, which is of Heist Society by Ally Carter.

April 14th, 2011- I attended the 2011 TLA Conference in Austin, Texas!

May 25th, 2011- Mint Tea and A Good Book hit 100 followers and I finally got into the groove of blogging!

June 9th, 2011- My best chummy, Erin, joined Mint Tea and A Good Book!

August 2011- We reached 200 Followers, 100 post, and 10,000 page views!

October 1st, 2011- We attended the Austin Teen Book Festival in Austin, Texas!

December 30th, 2011- We said our goodbyes and parted ways with what turned out to be a wonderful 2011.

February 6th, 2012- We celebrated our 1 Year Blogoversary with lots of pictures and a super long post!

March 9th, 2012- Erin and I celebrated our birthday (Yes, we have the same birthday! Crazy!) with a "Virtual Birthday Party!"

April 18th/19th- We attended the TLA Conference for the second year in a row, this time in Houston, Texas!

June 10th, 2012- Erin celebrated her blogoversary! (the anniversary for the day she started blogging at MT&AGB)

July 2012- Due to tons of traveling I took a blogging break through the entire month of July. But Erin held down the fort while I was gone!

September 29th, 2012- I attended the Austin Teen Book Festival in Austin, Texas (sadly, Erin couldn't make it this time) for the second year in a row!

End of September/ October 2012- Erin and I took a short hiatus, because with the new school year started, we were completely overwhelmed!

December 29th, 2012- We bid 2012 farewell and pondered "endings," and what really makes a good one.

January 21st, 2013- We reached 500 Followers and held a giveaway to celebrate! Plus, we thanked all of you for your love and support!

February 6th, 2013- Which brings us all the way to today! Our Two Year Blogoversary!

Festivities

In honor of this lovely day, we are going to be holding a twitter party/giveaway! This is the first time we're doing something like this, something twitter based, so we'll have to see how it works!

How to Participate: (this is a tad bit complicated) On February 10th, if you tweet using the hashtag #2YearsofMTAGB you will be entered to win a super fun Literary Surprise Package! (this package will consist of books and other goodies!) We will also be holding a mini SWAG Giveaway the same day! To participate in the mini swag giveaway tweet the link your favorite Mint Tea & A Good Book post with the same hashtag #2YearsofMTAGB. (side note: by entering the mini swag giveaway and using the hashtag #2YearsofMTAGB, you are also entering the big giveaway at the same time)

Rules for Entering the Big Giveaway
- You must have a twitter account (haha- this one is pretty obvious)
- You must tweet #2YearsofMTAGB sometime between 12AM and 11:59PM Central Time
- You may tweet #2YearsofMTAGB as many times as you would like (you get one new entry each time you tweet using the hashtag)

- You must be 13 years or older to enter

- You must be following me (@meredithmabel) and/or Erin (@Erin_the_witz) on twitter (this actually makes the giveaway easier)

- You do not have to be a follower of MTAGB, but it is always appreciated!

- You must live in the USA or Canada (sorry, this one isn't international)

Rules for Entering the Mini Giveaway

- All the same rules above apply

*for any questions, please see contact/policy page. :)

Again, we're sorry this all seems so complicated but we really wanted to try a giveaway that could be more interactive with our readers! This is very different from any giveaway we have ever done before but I think this is going to be super duper fun!

A Thank You!

Lastly, I cannot believe it has been 2 years since I opened this little bloggity blog! It still seems like such a new part of my life, although it really isn't anymore. I definitely owe all of you Mint Tea & A Good Book blog readers a massive thank you- especially those of you who have been reading MT&AGB for nearly 2 years! That's insane! Like I've said before, it's just still completely flattering that so many of you read and follow Mint Tea and A Good Book, and take time to leave a comment or tweet us or send us an email.

I would also like to thank everyone I've met through blogging/twitter/YA book publishing community! You are all extremely supportive and inspire me each and everyday I blog! A million thank you's to all of you! I'm so glad I've got to know you!

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A final thank you to my friends, family, and teachers who put up with my blogging day in and day out and support me in everything I do! And a special last thank you to Erin- I could not ask for a nicer blog buddy. THANK YOU!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2013-02-03T01:27:00.002-06:00

Title: Cinder

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Release Date: January 3, 2012

Goodreads Summary:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Review:

Before reading Cinder I heard a lot of hype and buzz about it. I was excited to read the novel, but a little skeptical about whether or not I would like it because it was sci-fi. Thankfully Cinder pulled me into the story, and I ended up loving it.

I liked Cinder because it was a unique and subtle retelling of a classic fairytale everyone knows. I would be in the middle of a paragraph and think "Oh! That's how this plays into the Cinderella story." I'm normally not a sci-fi fan, but after I warmed up to this novel I really enjoyed it. I loved the main character, Cinder, and I especially enjoyed Cinder's android companion Iko who was sassy and adorable.

The only negative thing I have to say about Cinder is that the beginning was slow. Over the course of about five days I read 100 pages, and then I got on a roll and read the last 270 or so in one night. I had a hard time getting used to all of the sci-fi terminology (Lunars, Cyborgs, Earthens, androids, med-droids, etc,), but after I got comfortable with seeing these words on the page, I enjoyed the novel.

I recommend Cinder to sci-fi lovers, because you will adore this novel. If sci-fi is out of your comfort-zone Cinder just may get you hooked on reading sci-fi. I loved this book and can't wait for Marissa Meyer's newest book, Scarlet, to come out because Cinder left me on a cliff hanger hoping for more. I hope you check out Cinder!

Do YOU Have A Question for Me?

2013-01-31T01:00:00.000-06:00

I've done this once before and it was loads of fun and recently I did a little mini Q&A on my tumblr as well, which was also great, so I thought- "Why not do another one on the blog?"

Somebody has a QUESTION! source

You can ask me anything questions at all, and you can choose to be anonymous if that makes you more comfortable. Oh, and you can only ask 3 questions per form, but if you're just bubbling with questions then feel free to fill out the form more than once. I will be answering all questions in a few weeks. :)

Ask away!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Most Frustrating Characters EVER!

2013-01-29T01:00:00.000-06:00

This week's topic is...

Top Ten Most Frustrating Characters Ever

It has been a looong time since I've done a Top Ten Tuesday- but this week's Top Ten Tuesday Topic looked especially fun, so I had to give it a go!

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1. Brooklyn Pierce from My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody- Now, it wasn't that I disliked this main character, it was more that I thought she was making the stupidest decisions! I just remember sitting there reading thinking "what one Earth are you doing!?" However, her not-so-smart decisions made for a hilarious plot line!

2. Charlie from The Innocents by Lili Peloquin- If Charlie had been the only main character in this book, I don't think I could have read it. She just got on my nerves so much with her desire to fit in, her destructive personality, her incredibly spontaneous tendencies, agh I just wasn't a huge fan of her! Plus, this may just be how Lili Peloquin chose to write her, she didn't really ever explain her thoughts. She would just start crying and you would be like "huh? What? Wait, why is she crying?" Luckily, I liked the other main character, Alice! If the entire book had been written from Charlie's point of view it would have been a nightmare!

3. Tess from I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler- I never really liked this character to begin with- she was far too self- pitying. But then, in the second half of the book, Tess was supposed to "undergo a change" and you know, sort of become a new person. But this new person was so out of character, it was hard to believe she was the same character. And now she was even harder to like! I wasn't a huge fan of this book...

4. Allie from Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf- I really, really dislike it when I feel life an author just dumps all the world's problems on one character and there's no even a glimmer of hope and the book is just so depressing to read! This character had, yes, been through a lot (almost to the point that it was unrealistic) but then the character just kind of moped around and wallowed in her own misery and expected everyone else to come help her. I mean, The Fault In Our Stars is a sad book, but there are happy and funny parts mixed in. This book was just not any fun to read, and the main character was not very relatable either.

5. Troy Maxson from Fences by August Wilson- This is not a YA book, but rather a play I read for English class, which I actually ended up enjoying overall, but only after getting passed my hatred for the main character. Yeah, the main character, Troy, has been through some bad things in life, but not much worse than any of the other characters, except that Troy is the most insolent character I think I've ever read. He thinks he has the right to just march around making everyone else's lives miserable, but then he's excused for all his rudeness because "he's had a harsh life?!" No, sir. That is not going to fly with me!

6. Eve from Eve and Adam: This child was too snobby for my liking. I didn't appreciate her "everyone's world should revolve around mine" attitude.

7. Delilah from Fixing Delilah: It's been a while since I read this, but I remember Delilah being too reliant on guys. She lacked some much needed independence, which frustrated me. Overall a good book though.

8. Katz from A Walk In The Woods: Katz was frustrating in a humorous way. He was the comic relief in A Walk In the Woods, but he was so annoying. Example a) Katz and Bill are hiking a 2,000 + mile trail and Katz eats most of the food the first night. I wanted to slap Katz in the face when this happened, but it was mostly funny (because I was the reader, and this was a true story and I didn't have to hike with him).

9. Leo from Stargirl: I wanted to throw something heavy and sharp at Leo from Stargirl (maybe that's a little much). The novel, Stargirl, was from his perspective and I loved the book, but I ~~hated~~ strongly disliked Leo. He was so evil to Stargirl. He loved her when they were by themselves, but in front of everyone else he was worried about being an outcast because he hung out with her. Not cool.

10. Sophia from Endangered: I love this book and highly encourage people to read it. Sophia was an awesome character, but I found her frustrating out of jealousy (is it bad if you're jealous of a book character?). Sophia was so selfless all of the time. She was in a war-torn country and had opportunities to get out of life-risking situations, but she wouldn't because of her deep love for a bonobo (ape) that she was taking care of. At some points I wanted to tell her, "Just leave!" but that would be a cold-hearted notion.

What are YOUR top ten most frustrating characters? (If you have your own Top Ten Tuesday post, feel free to link to it in the comments!) :)

Bossypants by Tina Fey: Review

2013-01-26T00:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Bossypants
Author: Tina Fey
Publisher: Reagan Arthur Books
Release Date: April 11, 2005

Goodreads Summary:

Before Liz Lemon, before "Weekend Update," before "Sarah Palin," Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV.

She has seen both these dreams come true.

At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon -- from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence.

Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.

(Includes Special, Never-Before-Solicited Opinions on Breastfeeding, Princesses, Photoshop, the Electoral Process, and Italian Rum Cake!)

Review:

Bossypants by Tina Fey was just what I was expecting and more (does this sound like an infomercial yet?)! This memoir was witty, honest, and allowed me to learn a lot about Tina Fey--a woman I admire.

I appreciate people who can laugh at their mistakes. In Bossypants Fey cracked jokes about her mistakes and nearly everything about her life. Fey's willingness to laugh at her mistakes made the reader (in this case me) able to relate to her, because instead of Tina seeming like a glamorous woman who just hosted the Golden Globes (for pete's sake!) she seemed like a "normal" person.

Because Tina Fey is a comedian, I wasn't sure whether she was going to use the funny-in-character voice when she wrote her memoir, or if she was going to take the I'm-a-serious-adult-and-this-is-how-I-became-so-successful route. The memoir was about Tina Fey's life, but it had a humorous tone to it. Fey's in-character self and her real-person self do a lot of mingling throughout the memoir (because there is no in-character self and real-person-self, there's just Tina Fey; a mix of humorous and offbeat serious).

When I picked up ol' Bossypants I thought "Tina Fey's a funny woman, I bet this whole memoir will be light-hearted!" All of Bossypants was fun to read, but if I had to choose a moral of the memoir it would be girl power. Fey repeatedly mentioned the doubts people had in her being successful in comedy/being the boss (reference to title--BOSSYpants. Tina Fey is the walking image of a woman who slowly but surely worked her way (or stumbled her way) to becoming a powerful, successful leader and comedian. Bossypants is a little jab at those who doubt(ed) women who have careers that men usually hold.

Bossypants is funny, relatable, and empowering. Read it today, tomorrow, in a year, or whenever (look at me being bossy).