What A Nerd Girl Says Finally Gets a PO Box!

February 20, 2015Leave a comment

I know! I KNOW. Its intense. Its been nearly three years since I put this blog together so, this really, healing its about time I got official and got a PO Box.

Now I can send my address out to publishers and all that sort of thing without feeling like a weirdo for sending my home address. That just always felt super wrong to me.

Also! You guys are always asking for my address so you can send me stuff (which is WAY super cool) so now you guys can do that. I really didn’t feel comfortable giving out my home address, medications for many good reasons but now I’m excited to share my PO Box with all of you. It will be going under my “bio” info and also my Contact tabs here on the blog so it won’t disappear after this post.

ALSO! My birthday is in ONE week! I am legit SO SO SO SO SO SO SO excited about this, you have NO idea, because even though I’ll be 27 and old or whatever, I’m excited for my birthday. I’m spending it at Disneyland with some of my absolute favorite people and its going to be a blast. And I figure, if I stay excited for my birthday every single year, hopefully, I won’t be so sad about getting older. But if you’d like to send a note or a card, or something, that would be fabulous :) I love getting mail, period so yay!

SO here it is guys:

What A Nerd Girl Says Official PO Box Reveal Time!

(I am so weird):

PO Box 9632

Brea, CA 92822

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Book Review: Salt and Stone (ARC) by Victoria Scott

February 20, 2015February 18, 20151 Comment

This review is based on an advanced reader’s copy of the novel obtained through snail mail at the permission of Scholastic Press. This is in no way had an effect on the integrity of my review. Please note that published novel will differ from this ARC.

Genre:

Young Adult, buy information pills Dystopian/Science Fiction

Pages:

320

Part of a Series?:

2nd Novel of the Fire and Flood Series

Release Date:

February 24th, more about 2015

You Can Find the Book At:

GoodReads Summary:

In Fire & Flood, this site Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can’t quit–she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone’s keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you’d relied on most suddenly isn’t there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left–and only one can win.

My Review:

Please be advised that while there will be no spoilers for Salt and Stone, there will be spoilers for Fire and Flood. You can read my review for that book here.

When I first read Fire and Flood, I was blown away by it. I had heard some comparisons to other books, in particular, The Hunger Games. And while I can see those comparisons, Victoria’s story and characters stand on their own and I became a staunch supporter of her right away. I’m proud to say I’m part of the V Mafia and I’m eagerly counting down the days (not many of them left) until this book releases and all of you can enjoy it. Fire and Flood was absolutely fantastic and I wasn’t quite sure where the rest of the story was going to take us so when I managed to get my hands on Salt and Stone, I was ready for an adventure of a novel and I was granted just exactly that.

What really gets me about this book, besides the fact that it COMPLETELY TORE OUT MY HEART AND MADE ME SOB INTO MY PILLOW (ahem, ahem), is that she’s not afraid to take it just one more step further, one more step further, one step further. Its incredible. The basis of this series is this: how far are you willing to go in order to save someone you love? How far are you willing to take it? Are you willing to kill? Are you willing to let others be killed? Are you willing to maybe die yourself? Its incredible. Every single person taking part in this…”game” of sorts has volunteered. They weren’t forced. Every action taken, its a choice they made, and its crazy. Some of those choices didn’t feel like choices because they want this cure and they want to win the game and they want all of that, and it feels like they have no choice, and this is getting a little tangent-y but it all boils down to…every single person in this game makes the choices they feel necessary to get them where they need to go.

Which is why this book is so good. Fire and Flood was brutal but when compared to this novel, its child’s play. Tella and the rest of her gang are faced with worse obstacles than they were before, including each other. They are pit against each other over and over again, struggling with the feelings that they have each other, whether its friendship or just plain straight out love, which is something that’s hard to feel when you’re all battling for the same thing, something that you can’t all win. But its also the struggle for Tella and Guy at the same time. Victoria creates such real characters and even when they’re in this completely incredible world…they still feel real to us. You don’t know if you would do any different if it was yours.

The best part of this book is the end. I can’t go into too much detail because spoilers and all that. But she pushes it to the limit at the end, that last sort of thing she makes the contestants go through just…oh my god, it kills me. It breaks my heart. I literally was clutching the pages, wanting to scream at her, how could you do this? It was really pushing the limits. She really takes it to the very tip…really, how much are you really willing to sacrifice in order to get what you want? Its incredible. And the ending just makes me want the next book. The book is brutal and harsh and incredible but I just love it. And I can’t wait for more.

Rating:

Event Recap: The DUFF Screening Presented by Tumblr with Mae Whitman and Robbie Amell!

February 19, 2015February 19, 20151 Comment

Last week, prescription I was all gearing up to go on a date (yes, viagra a date AGH) when I got an email from a super cool lady named Christina from Tumblr, order inviting me to an exclusive screening of The DUFF, with some of the cast in attendance.

And I freaked out a little. I had already seen the movie and some of the cast but you guys know me, I was NOT going to turn down another chance at meeting my number one celebrity crush (besides Mike Trout), Robbie Amell. What a conundrum and confusion on what to do!

Luckily, it all worked. My date decided to hang out with me at the screening for the day, so I got to hang out with a super cool guy AND see The DUFF and Robbie Amell again.

This was possibly the coolest screening I have ever been to, and I’m not just saying that. I’ve been to a ton of screenings and this one just took the cake.

First off, it was put on by Tumblr, who gave us a TON of swag. I got a tumblr bag, all these buttons and stickers, a DUFF shirt (which I proudly wore this past weekend at Gallifrey One) and a Tumblr sweater that I literally keep wearing because its so massively comfortable.

We then were escorted into the theater, where my jaw basically dropped. This theater was BEAUTIFUL. Super large, reclining seats with pillows and blankets and these little tables and personal tablets to order food on. I was like, I seriously can’t see a movie at any other theater ever again. Ever again.

Then came MORE free stuff. We got free drinks, either strawberry lemonade or watermelon lemonade. I got the watermelon lemonade and it was something new and absolutely delicious. They also had a candy bar (mmm, gummy bears) and handed out free popcorn before the movie. I also ordered a pizza because I just couldn’t resist ordering something from the super fancy tablet thing. Seriously, this theater blew my mind.

Then it was movie time :) I loved the movie just as much as I did the first time, if not more. I know they changed a lot about the movie but the fact that they really kept the core message, that meant a lot to me. The DUFF is all about realizing that there are always going to be people that you think are prettier or smarter or whatever than you, but you have to be confident and happy with the person that you are and things will be okay and I’m glad they kept that part in. If you’d like to read my recap of the last screening AND a spoiler free review of the movie, check it out.

After the movie, they brought out Robbie Amell and Mae Whitman who play the two main characters in the movie to do a short Q and A. It was fun to see them talk about the movies, focusing on the self-confidence part of the story. I also liked hearing them talk about other projects, and about teens and all of that. This is a YA book so it meant a lot that the questions stayed geared toward YA themes and issues. It was awesome. Plus, I spent most of the time drooling over Robbie, much to the amusement of my wonderful date haha.

Then they lined us up and we were able to get our professional photo op with Robbie and Mae. I absolutely LOVE when they do this. They did this with Vampire Academy too and I think that’s great when they do. They know this is an experience for the fans and they do what they can to make it a great experience and I seriously appreciate that. I’m more likely to write about an event with high praise when it feels like I matter and I definitely felt like I matter.

I’m especially happy with the way the picture turned out, because these are two of my favorite people and they were SO nice. I was going to stand in between them but it was like my body had a mind of its own and I just went straight for Robbie haha, and Mae just laughed and was like “its all good, I know he’s hotter than me.” Which made me laugh. Then I was able to say that I loved them in Arrested Development and The Tomorrow People, which is SO very true, and I squealed a bit, again, to the amusement of my date.

All in all, great night. I would seriously do another screening through them again, easily. It was a ton of fun, I enjoyed the movie, enjoyed meeting part of the cast, and the whole movie experience was just fantastic.

And I have the most comfortable Tumblr sweater ever so there’s that too ;)

Make sure to go see The DUFF in theaters this Friday! Remember, every single YA adaptation needs YOUR support so that more movies with our favorite characters get made so head to the theater this weekend and watch the movie! Even if its only just see Robbie Amell’s beautiful abs ;)