2011 Fill in the Blanks

Hey Blogger Buds,
I did this last year, and it was a blast. You take books you read throughout the year, and you answer a series of questions. I traced this game back a bit, from blogger linkage, until I got HERE.

So. Here are the questions, all answered with titles of books I read in 2011. If you like the idea, feel free to do it as well! Let me know so I can check out your blog post, or where ever you did it.

On Sunday I'll be doing a roundup of 2011, and I'll be ringing in the new year.

Describe Yourself:
The Iron Queen
I flatter myself


How do you feel:
Five Flavors of Dumb
Bit of a brainfry right now, from schoolwork

Describe where you currently live:
Nomansland
...Sorta

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
The Berlin Boxing Club
It could be fun

Your favorite form of transportation
Steel
And iron, and the like...

Your best friend is:
Forever
Hear that, S? I'm getting cheesy about you

You and your friends are:
Matched
Ain't I sweet?

What's the weather like:
Forever Summer
...she says as she puts on another sweater

Favorite time of day:
A Midsummer Night's Dream
What do you want from me? I like sleep!

What is life to you:
Summer's Crossing
More correctly, I'm counting down the minutes until next summer

Your fear:
Secrets and Shadows
It's a smart thing to fear

What is the best advice you have to give:
Gemini Bites
so avoid anyone born between May 21st and June 20th at all costs!

Thought for the Day:
I can't keep my own secrets
Wait. Shoot. Um... I can TOTALLY keep my own secrets... *cough*

How I would like to die:
Breathing
Suffocation isn't pretty. I just want to cross that one off the list.

My soul's present condition:
Nevermore
What does that mean? I don't know. It's very ominous sounding.



Well, that's all. Bye guys, I'll see you next year!

Adios, Nirvana
Riv

Faves of 2011: The Random and The Covers

Hey Blogger Buds,
I'm sure you guys are slowly sinking from your high from the holidays (I know I am), so here I am to add a little cheer. (Oh, don't be like that, all *facepalm*ing and *headdesk*ing at me. I'm not that bad...okay, maybe I am that bad...)

It's time for more of inkcrush's faves!! Well, they're actually my faves, but inkcrush gave me the idea and all...you get the point.

1. fave first sentence

Adios, Nirvana

When you piss off a bridge into a snowstorm, it feels like you’re connecting with eternal things. Paying homage to something or someone. But who? The Druids? Walt Whitman? No, I pay homage to one person only, my brother, my twin.
In life. In death.
Telemachus.

2. fave book title

Adios, Nirvana

3. fave reading experience (ie: created a great reading memory)

I bought Original Sin at a really fun book event

4. book with the best food in it (made you so crazy-envious-hungry)

Anna and the French Kiss was all about fancy French dishes

5. book with the most sensual weather (made you shiver/sweat)

The Scorpio Races had some beautiful writing, and there was a scene with Puck and Sean Kendrick the night before the race where I felt like I was actually there.

6. most embarrassing book cover (feeling sheepish in public or just plain ugly) 

Here are just a few:

Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman

Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

(sorry for the weird spacing)

7. can’t believe you waited this long to read the book (!)

Hex Hall was sitting on my shelf for months!

8. book you'd give your mum/sister to read

I would give my sister Hex Hall...well, at least, I would give it to her if she hadn't already borrowed and read it before me

9. book you'd give your dad/brother to read

My brother is a fan of action and, for obvious reasons, boy POVs. I already gave him Angelfire, and I would also totally give him The Scorpio Races.

10. book you'd like to give your past-self to read

I would give my 12 or 13 year old self Like Mandarin

11. book that lived up to (or superseded the hype)Delirium was amazing, and the first book I almost threw across the room

12. book you stayed the latest to finish (confess!!!)

I've been pretty good lately about not staying up too late to read, but Inheritance was so long that I stayed up late several times to try to get through it, even though I didn't finish it. I stayed up until around 2:30 maybe...?

13. book you were *dying* to get your hands on the most

There are a bunch of these. Angelfire, since it sounded so awesome. Forever because of Linger's ending, The Scorpio Races because it's Maggie freakin' Stiefvater, and The Iron Queen because of the complete mind-blow that was The Iron Daughter

14. fattest brick of a book you read (by page count)

Definitely Inheritance--8 freakin' hundred and 60 pages

15. killer cliffhanger award

There are a couple of these. Illusions for the mind-blowing, Nevermore for the heart-stopping, and The Iron Queen for the tear-jerking

I mostly have some singles, but I also have a set that I read this year and is really pretty together

1-3

The eye is kinda creepy, yet still awesome...

4

I mostly love this one because it matches my other three books

5

General awesomeness

6

Boring and gorgeous all together

7

You can't really see it online, but it has these feux waterstains

8

Mostly for the sword

9

Fiery guitar? Count me in!

10

I love the font, and it matches my other book

Well, that's all. That was a fun roundup, in total. :D Sorry for leaving out the authors this time.

Peace,

Riv

Faves of 2011: The Characters and The Scenes

Happy Holidays, Blogger Buds!
We wish you a merry christmakwanzakah!

I'm back with some more of inkcrush's Faves of 2011! Today, I'm doing the characters and the scenes.

No pictures this time; I don't want to slow down your computer too much, and you've pretty much seen these already, in my last post. (And this post took AGES as it is.)

Let's get on with it, shall we?

I challenged myself to use someone different for each answer (or else Puck would dominate most of this section.)

1. favorite female main character

Viola from Viola in the Spotlight by Adriana Trigiani (New York FTW!)

2. favorite male main character

Roran from Inheritance by Christopher Paolini (I like him because he's not popular by default. He's popular because he's a genius, and he applies that.)

3. best couple <3

Grace and Sam from Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

4. who i so want to be best friends with

Sophie from Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (she's so snarky)

5. who i fell completely in love with (new literary crush)

<3Puck<3 from The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

(anyone who's been following my blog for more than a day know that there is no contest with this one.)

(and I guess I didn't fall in love with him for the first time this year)

Close second: Cadan from Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

6. worst (best & baddest) villain

The Villain in Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

(don't really know if there was a specific bad you or anything...)

Close second: Galbatorix from Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

7. best character twist (who you loved then hated or vice versa)

Snape

Alexi from the 13 to Life series by Shannon Delaney (he was just...weird...but awesome)

8. best kick-arse female

Ellie from Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

9. best kick-arse male

Will from Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton (they're both just really awesome!)

10. broke your heart the most

Ash from The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

11. favorite pet/animal character award

Saphira from Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

12. best YA parents award

The Packwoods from Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

13. favourite sibling relationship

Meghan and Ethan from The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

14. favourite best friends/friendship award

Jonathan and his "thicks" in Adios, Nirvana by Conrad Wesselhoeft

15. best/worst character names

Telemachus from Adios, Nirvana by Conrad Wesselhoeft. This is both the best and the worst.

Close second, for best: Ash from The Iron Queen. His true name is beneath the highlighter. SPOILERY SPOILERY SPOILERY: Ashallyn'darkmyr Tallyn

Bonus: best love triangle

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare (I HATE love triangles, but this one was great)

And now...

1. best first chapter

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

2. best climax

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

(only saying this because I read it recently, and remember it pretty well)

3. best ending

Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard

4. best plot twist/revelation (no spoilers!)

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

5. scariest/most disturbing scene

Most of the scenes in Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

6. steamiest scene (or sweetest/sexiest kiss award)

Original Sin by Lisa Desrocher

Drought by Pam Bachorz

7. best swoon-worthy moment

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

8. biggest nail-biting moment

right before the race in The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

9. most hilarious scene

every single scene with Puck in The Iron Queen and Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

10. most heart-breaking/tear-jerker moment

the end of Delirium by Lauren Oliver

and (you guessed it) the end of The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

BONUS: favourite meet cute

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

Faves of 2011: The Books (AKA: I'm Perpetually Late

cuz that's the way we do it in the Re house)

Hey Blogger Buds,
No review today. I need to get some stuff today, but I'm still kind of in my blogging funk. I have some inspiration for a handful of posts though:
As you probably know, Nomes over at inkcrush is hosting a sort of "faves" week. Book Awards for different favorites of 2011. Since I only post three times I week, I plan to take part, though slower than everyone else.
Check our Nomes's ("Nomes'?" "Nome's?" "Nomesssses?") Kick-off post!

Just for the record: I've read 63 books so far this year, out of my goal of 71. (My goal was originally 75, but I dropped it because Inheritance took me A MONTH.)

Many of the books are repeats.
Most "faves" have a runner up.
My inevitable snarky comments are scattered throughout, on its own special line in each section.
Sorry this post is up so late.
Sorry also for possibly freezing up your computer.
Sorry again for the bizarre formatting.
Sorry for apologizing so much. (D'oh!)

Enjoy!

1. favorite book read in 2011

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Close second: Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
(these will show up a lot)

2. most powerful book

Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard

Close second: Adios, Nirvana by Conrad Wesselhoeft
(both happen to be realistic[ish])

3. brilliantly funny

Anna and French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Close second: Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa
(there's Julie again ^_^; Anna will show up, too)

4. best ache-y, heart-breaking, tear-jerker read

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
(almost threw it across the room)

5. most beautiful story

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Close second: I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous and Obscure by Larry Smith
(totally cheating on the second one, and I haven't finished The Book Thief, either)

6. delicious rainy day comfort read

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Close second: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

7. adrenalin-fuelled, unputdownable award

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

Close second: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
(had to put Inheritance in here somewhere-8-freakin-60 pages)

8. the beautiful prose award

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Close second: Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Close third: Adios, Nirvana by Conrad Wesselhoeft
(never thought a Maggie-wolf book would come in second in this category)

9. most atmospheric and vivid setting

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Close second: Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

10. i-so-want-to-go-there award

Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Close second: Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
(notice how ten is almost the same as nine)

11. most original and imaginative

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Close second: Gemini Bites by Patrick Ryan
(Poe FTW!)

12. best under-appreciated, hidden gem book

Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman
(not fantastic, but a very pleasant and enjoyable read...and this is coming from the girl who's sick of realistic fic [hey, I'm a poet and I didn't even reaize!])

13. i-had-no-idea-i-would-love this-so award

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
(average realistic fiction, right? wrong!)

14. most haunting story
Drought by Pam Bachorz
(creepy!)

15. outside my comfort zone but gosh how i loved it
Viola in the Spotlight by Adriana Trigiani
(New York City rocks)

16. series that i’m loving
Pagan's Chronicles by Catherine Jinks
Close second: Wings by Aprilynne Pike
Close third: Thirteen to Life by Shannon Delaney
(love all three of these, Pagan's Chronicles is already completely published)

17. always recommending this book award
Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
Close second: Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Close third, sorta: Iron Fey series (didn't read the first book this year)
(haven't done much recommending lately, but these would be two of my top)

18. completely awesome premise award
Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Close second: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

19. would make the best movie
Crave by Melinda Metz
Close second: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
(Crave is just very awesome; Angelfire is in second because I'm scared a movie would destroy it)

20. want to re-read already
The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
(wish I could reread for the first time!)

Well, I've got one thing left to say,

 

Why I Successfully Failed NaNo (AKA 14045 #epicfails and #wins)

Hey Blogger Buds,
Right off the bat, I'm not done with my sort-of hiatus. I'm still missing days here and there. But I have a new meme  that I've been planning, and I hope it works out. (For those of you who have been with me a long time, you know that I've said this twice before. The first time, the meme lasted only a few weeks. The second time, nothing happened.)

So. NaNoWriMo.
I never really blogged about NaNoWriMo. I think I did some blogging about blogging about NaNo. But it took me to December 4th to finally write something. (I'm so timely, aren't I?)

This is my second year doing NaNo. Last year, I wrote a little under ten thousand words. This year, I wrote a little over fourteen thousand. It's an #epicfail, but not quite as epic as last November.
But, like last year, my epic fail was also a #win, albeit it not an epic one.
I always come back ("always" being said based on all of my scientific research, a whole two months worth) from NaNo stronger. I may be sick of my NaNo, but I fall back in love with Eberheardt. (For my new followers: Eberheardt is my main WIP. Out-dated info at the left of the page.)

Last night, for the first time in a long time, I got up, went over to my computer, and sat down, really in the mood. That isn't so usual. I still love to write, sure, but I haven't missed my characters this much in a while. And I opened up Word, and I looked at my most recent words and I said "hey guys, what's up?" And I spent some time with them.

(Ignore the fact that there was a two hour gap from the time I sat down and plugged in my flash-drive to the time I opened Word.) (New YouTube is weird!)

A month that you're forced to be away from one of the things that keeps you alive makes you appreciate it all the more. (Food, water, oxygen, and WIPs.)


So, to make drawn-out point slightly less drawn-out:

NaNoWriMo 2011 was an #epicfail. But it led to a #notquiteasepicwin.

Peace and #epicwins to you all,
Riv

Did you NaNo? How was it?

(Oh, I forgot. How was Thanksgiving for you guys? Did any of you "open your belt buckle?" Anyone go out to buy new pants before/after the holiday? What did you eat? Turkey? Tofurkey? Turducken?)

Current Music: Not All Heroes Wear Capes by Ocasan (What is it with the UK and awesome bands? We've got  The Beatles, Cold Play, and now these guys. They're indie, but they're amazing.)