Me and Earl and the Dying Girl: A Book Review

Hi!

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Summary: Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics. Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel. Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives. And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.

{kindly taken from Goodreads}

My Thoughts: I picked this up at my local library after falling in love with the cover. Although I LOVED the cover, I was not entirely impressed with the book. It was very humorous, and I think the author had a very interesting writing style, but the actual story didn’t fully connect with me.

Greg has not seen Rachel for years, when his mom suddenly tells him that she has cancer. Of course, Greg feels the need to reconnect with Rachel before she might die. This is a totally different direction than most cancer books out there, and its the main character helped it to stand out. Greg was such a strong protagonist. He had an original personality, and it will let the story stand out among the thousands of YA novels out there. His humor and wit really pushed the plot along. The way the book is set up is that Greg is “writing” it as if it is a journal. There are scripts and other formats throughout the book, which I really liked! It’s fun to switch it up a bit. Besides Greg, the other characters lacked the development I was hoping to find. Rachel had so much potential to be explored, but I could never feel any emotion for her.

The plot was solid. Nothing amazing, but thoroughly entertaining! There was not a huge focus on the cancer aspect. Instead, the story was mainly about Greg and his growth as a young adult. I liked that the author took a different approach to a usually depressing topic. For many reluctant readers, this should {and will!} appeal to them because you will laugh out load. I promise. There were a few unnecessary scenes that could have been cut out, but the main plot was there, and that is what matters.

This was a surprising “cancer” book. Although it has themes similar to the award-winning The Fault in Our Stars, do not go into reading it thinking you will cry. My final thoughts? Check it out when you need a good laugh, but skip it if you have better books on your TBR list.

Pros: Solid writing and strong protagonist.

Cons: The rest of the characters needed more development, and the story wasn’t easy to relate to.

Heads Up: Hmm. Lots of teenage boy humor and the language was a biggie.

Overall: I give it 3 stars {***} and I recommend it for ages 14 and up.

Have a terrific night!

Bella :)

my top ten favorite book covers

Hello!

Today, I’ve decided to join in The Broke and the Bookish’s weekly Top Ten Tuesday, totally ignoring the fact that today is Monday and NOT Tuesday :) The topic this week is a fun one – your favorite book covers! And as much as I hate to admit it, I do judge books by their cover. I often gravitate towards books with a simple, impactful image on the front or some outstanding typography that makes it stand out. What are some of your favorite book covers?

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell // Isn’t the artwork on this cover amazing?! The simple design with the artistic use of color and line really made this one a winner for me. I would love to have the book casually resting somewhere on my bookshelf :) {review can be found here.}

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews // I’m about halfway through the book right now, but I think something we can all agree on is that the cover is pretty darn awesome. If that doesn’t make you want to pick up the book {along with that strange title}, I don’t know what will.

Countdown by Deborah Wiles // The cover of Countdown fits the description of using a lone image to really sum up the novel. This book is such a cool read {check it out if you can!}, and I think the bright yellow against the dark record was a good choice to fit the story.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith // A total font geek at heart, this cover makes me so happy! :) The typography obviously is the star of the cover, but the little details, like the pops of red and how the image is blurry except for the people in the middle, all add up. {review can be found here.}

Emma {Penguin Threads edition} by Jane Austen // This is the edition I own, and it is stunning in person. The cover is “raised” in a way so that is actually feels embroidered. Not to mention that lovely color combo! I love coral, yellow, and blue together. {review can be found here.}

Cold Cereal by Adam Rex // For this one, I think the book jacket as a whole would be my favorite. Because the story revolves around the destruction a cereal company, the book is designed like a cereal box. Cool, or what?! {review can be found here.}

Ungifted by Gordon Korman // I like this cover simply because of the color and image used. The robot is the focus of the entire story, and it fits the image of the narrator. I also like the background color mostly because it is not widely used. {review can be found here.}

Spy School by Stuart Gibbs // This is a really entertaining story, but I would have never thought to grab it at the library if hadn’t been for the good design of the cover. I think the minimalist look screams “spy.” {review can be found here.}

Drama by Raina Telegemeier // This cover sums up the entire story for you. It’s an adorable graphic novel that explore first love and friendship, all while working the behind-the-scenes of the school show. {review can be found here.}

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly // Striking color combination? Check. Intriguing illustration? Check. All-around amazing cover? Check again!

Do any of these make your list of favorites? I think designing book covers would be such a fun job. It combines two of my favorite things – reading and graphic design!

Have a lovely rest of your day!
Bella

Strawberry White Chocolate Blondies

Hello!

Strawberries dominate May in the food world. They are everywhere on foodies blogs these days, and for a good reason. Strawberries add a sweet taste to any baked good, not to mention the fact that they are yummy! :) When combined with white chocolate, the strawberries really do shine. These blondies are much less cookie-like, and, instead, are a burst-in-your-mouth cake bar. They are perfect for a late summer night treat, and I think they would also be just as tasty at a luncheon. Wherever you go, be sure to bring extra because these will go quickly!

Strawberry White Chocolate Blondies Adapted from Love and Olive Oil

ingredients

• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup butter, cut into pieces
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup strawberries, hulled and halved

to make

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Melt the butter and white chocolate over medium heat. Once smooth, remove from the heat, and stir in the sugar.
3. Whisk in the eggs.
4. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Fold in the strawberries.
6. Grease and 8 by 8 baking pan. Pour the batter into the pan and spread so it is an even surface.
7. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
8. Let the blondies cool completely before cutting into squares. Enjoy! {The blondies should be stored in the fridge.}

Have a delightful Sunday!

Bella :)

Unlucky Charms: A Book Review

Hi!

Unlucky Charms by Adam Rex

Summary: Have you seen me? Name: Scottish Play Doe Age: 11

Last seen with twins Erno and Emily, their gargantuan housekeeper, Biggs, and an accountant named Merle Lynn who claims to be a scientist from the future or something, “Scott” is suffering from a sick delusion that your beloved Goodco Cereal Company is secretly run by a fairy named Nimue with a sinister plot to take over the world. That Goodco is selling cereals with NEW! Intellijuice in order to turn kids into a kind of zombie army, if you can believe this. That Goodco has kidnapped the Queen of England and replaced her with two goblins in a queen suit. Have you ever heard anything so crazy—seriously, we’re asking. Last sighted en route to England, Scott is reportedly searching for a rift in the space-time continuum so that he might save the queen and convince the fairy court to stop their so-called invasion. Kids today, right? Too many wizard books, not enough fresh air, if you want our opinion. We at Goodco are not angry. We want only to see Scott get the help he needs before he hurts himself. Or gets hurt. Sightings of Scott with a two-foot-tall leprechaun named Mick are of course ridiculous and should be reported immediately to Goodco.

{kindly taken from Amazon}

My Thoughts: I adored Cold Cereal when I read it last summer, and ever since I learned that it was the first book in a trilogy, I’ve been waiting to find out what happens next! The second book, Unlucky Charms, just came out recently {in February, I believe?} and I finally was able to read it. It was really nice to see what adventures all of my favorite characters got into, and I enjoyed diving deeper into the plot of the Goodco cereal company. This was a solid second book, and I think it well lead nicely into the finale.

The book kicks off with Scott and friends trying to escape from the Freemen. Starting with an action-packed beginning was a good move, as it made me not want to put the book down! The story, unlike the first book, described the magic and time-traveling aspect more than the actual cereal company. There were a lot of little details to keep track of, and there were a few key points that you had to have gotten to understand the entire story. Because of how intricate the storylines were, I often had to reread every few pages or so to make sure I knew what was happening. However, I think Adam Rex did a good job intertwining the more detailed chapters with lighter, more adventurous chapters. I liked all the references to King Arthur! Another small detail I liked were the television programs {basically like a comic strip showing what was happening on TV} that broke up the novel. What a nice surprise! :)

One of my favorite parts of Cold Cereal had to be the characters. I loved Erno and Emily, and Scott was a good protagonist. Unfortunately, I felt that the strong character development was a bit muddled between everything that was going on, plot-wise. Having read the first book before, it was a bit easier, but it would be very difficult for a first-time reader to get the grasp on who everyone was. With saying that, I think this is definitely a series where reading the books in order is a must. Besides that, though, I still really liked Emily and Erno, and the relationship between Polly, Scott’s sister, and her friend, Prince Fi was well-done.

Anyhoo, Unlucky Charms was a delight to read, beginning to end! I think any Adam Rex fan would enjoy it, but new readers should try reading the books all at once. That would be helpful because then the information is still fresh in your mind!

Pros: Well-written storyline that can hold the reader’s interest.

Cons: Not as much character focus as I would have liked.

Heads Up: Nothing!

Overall: I give it 4 stars {****} and I recommend it for ages 11 and up.

Have a happy Saturday!
Bella

loving >> week 76

Hello!

It’s been a lovely and busy week, but I am very happy that it is finally the weekend.  I hope to spend most of my time making a few things and hanging out outdoors. It is predicted to be in the high 60′s and low 70′s all day tomorrow and Sunday, so I hope that is the case!

I’m loving…

blog inc.

I’m so happy I put this on hold at the library! Blog Inc. is a quick read, yet it explores all aspects of blogging, from social media to effective design to advertising. It is chock full of helpful tips, and I’m sure it will come in handy as I do some bigger updates to the blog this summer. The author, who writes her blog, Oh Joy!, is very skilled in the area, and I only wish I had this book when I just started out as a blogger. My favorite part would definitely be the interviews with famous bloggers and other business owners worldwide. It was interesting to see everyone’s view on things! Anyhoo, it is a worthwhile read, and I encourage new and expert bloggers alike to read it themselves.

homemade ice cream

To celebrate Mother’s Day, my family got her an ice cream maker! Now, doesn’t that sound like the perfect gift? :) Along with a few starters, our ice cream maker has been in use all week. We’ve only tried vanilla out {not wanting to get too crazy here!}, but I can already tell you I will be eating homemade ice cream all summer long. I can’t wait to make some chocolate, which is my favorite flavor, as well as use some toppings, like chocolate chips, fresh fruit, and crumbled cookies. Do you have any tips when it comes to making homemade ice cream?

teen vogue’s june/july 2013 issue

Sigh. There is six weeks of school left. SIX weeks! I’m hanging on, but I really do wish June and July could come sooner :) Thankfully, my pink-hued covered Teen Vogue came today in the mail, and it screams summer! Here are the articles that caught my eye…

• power play I totally agree with the statement that it is best to look healthy and strong, and this article really got that message home! I can’t wait to try out the full-body workout included.
• para para paradise This entire shoot was gorgeous! I loved the warm tones of the outfits and the photos. This one makes my list of favorite fashion articles of the year.
• water works This was another well-photographed and well-designed shoot. The swimsuits were pretty and colorful, and I liked the vintage feel.
• mane event Growing out your hair can take a long time. I’m going to keep this tips in the back of my head!

so you think you can dance

The summer season of television has begun! I’m really excited for the bunch of shows premiering this month, and it kicked off with So You Think You Can Dance earlier this week. I am always amazed at what every dancer can do, and it is a really inspiring show. The auditions this week were interesting, to say the very least, and it was nice to see all of my favorite judges reappear again. They sure know how to have fun on the show!

this video on the history of typography

{found here}

Finally, I leave you with amazing and stunning video on the history of typography! It is a really nice summary of everything that happened in the type world in just five minutes :) While worth a watch! Now, I’m very curious to wonder, how in the world did all those letters get cut out?!

Have a wonderful Friday!