I asked people via my Twitter account what they’d like me to blog about.
- Lia and my friend Pam suggested talking Oscar predictions. I love watching the Oscars, but I’m not a big movie watching person. The only three films I’ve seen that are nominated this year are Avatar, District 9, and Up In the Air. In fact, I don’t watch movies in general. I haven’t seen any of the Star Wars or Lord of the Rings films. That’ll give you a good idea of how few films I’ve seen compared to the general public, lol.
But if I WERE to predict, I’m sure it’s going to be another landslide year like it was for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009. Avatar all the way.
- Nat suggested I talk about idiots at the gym. WOW, this girl read my mind. I’ve wanted to bitch about people at the gym for a while.
In a nutshell, I hate when people at the gym: 1) do not put their free weights back on the racks, 2) sit on machines – not using them – just to socialize with people, 3) SMELL, 4) sit on machines using their phones, and 5) scream loud when they’re struggling with their weights. I understand some grunting cause you’re pushing yourself, but I dislike the obnoxious people who go ‘AGHHHHHHHHHHHH’ and then let their weight hit the floor with a huge thud.
- Gabrielle suggested I make book recommendations. I wish I had something more recent to talk about, but sadly I don’t. I plan on spending a lot of time at the pool and/or beach this summer so I want to have a couple really great books to read. If YOU have any recommendations, let me know in the comments. Let me know why I would like it!
- This wasn’t a request, but here’s a product I’ve wanted to rave about for a while: Keurig coffee makers. Possibly one of the greatest home inventions in recent years. These coffee makers are special in that they make coffee really fast. You turn it on, it heats up, you insert a “K-Cup” (the coffee type/flavor you want), and it pours the coffee into your cup.
There are a few different brewers available. I got the “Select Home Brewing System” for Christmas and love it to death. My current favorite K-Cup flavors are CoffeePeople’s “Donut Shop Coffee“, “Black Tiger“, and “Santa’s Buzz“.
The best part about these K-Cups are the price. You can buy a pack of 50 of most flavors from Amazon. If you order through Amazon Subscribe, you get free shipping AND 10% off. For Donut Shop Coffee and Black Tiger, that equates to 35 cents per cup. And these are Starbucks-like sizes. Keurig’s can dispense up to 10 ounces at a time. If you want more coffee in a cup, then just use two K-Cups for a price of *gasp* 70 cents. Check ‘em out at Target, Costco, or online.
There are so many other flavors I’m dying to try. This new Tree Hugger flavor is described as sweet and chocolaty. Mmmmm.
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I have a Keurig and I love it! It’s great too if you just want a cup of hot water for your tea bag or whatever, it takes seconds.
As far as book recommendations, I’d say Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments Series. It has everything, demons, warlocks, vampires, werewolves, etc but the story is unique too. It has such a fun cast of characters that you can’t help but fall in love with. It’s about a race of people called Shadowhunters who’s mission it is to rid the world of demons. It has action, romance, comedy, and wonderfully shocking twists.
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http://search.barnesandnoble.com/City-of-Bones/Cassandra-Clare/e/9781416955078/?itm=3&USRI=city+of+bones+the+mortal+instruments+series+1
The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld is pretty good.
It’s a YA series similar to The Hunger Games in the way that it depicts the way the world would be was it governed differently.
If you want a really good book read “Noughts and Crosses” by Malorie Blackman. It is amazing. It’s actually part 1 of a 3 part series, but I’ve only read the first.
I know that a lot of people have probably recommended it, but you really should read the Percy Jackson books. There is a lot of Greek mythology similarities (Percy is pretty much taking the role of every major Greek hero) but it is done great. As someone who has read The Odyssey, I didn’t find it too boring or unoriginal. In fact, I couldn’t put it down.
P.S. I am kinda biased, I pulled out my signed copy of the book in the middle of the movie because I was so depressed that it was being messed up so bad.
Book recommendation: Paper Towns by John Green
Yes, Paper Towns, I was going to recommend this book too. It’s a story about teens but it’s a smart story, unlike many others out there. It isn’t only fun but it also makes you think about a lot of things in your life which you propably never wonder about. It’s a great story that’ll make you smile, laugh, cry, think. It’s just great.
PS: I can’t believe you haven’t seen Lord of the Rings! Even if you don’t like it, as a staff member of two major fantasy book series you should know, it’s not as if you’re reading the books, those movies are so well made that there’s no need but you definetely should at least watch the movies.
I agree with The Mortal Instruments and Percy Jackson.. Both are great books.
I agree as well The Mortal Instruments series. I couldn’t put it down. There are also two books by Kristin Cashore called Graceling and Fire that are really good. They don’t have to be read in order. The only thing connecting them are that they take place in the same world (just a few years apart) and are related by one character.
Dune by Frank Herbert – the classic science fiction book and amazing!
The colour purple by alice walker – makes you think!
oh and the magicians sequel should be out soon
& I completely agree with the gym thing. Deodorant was invented for a reason?!
Book recommendation: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It’s an amazing story, set in Nazi Germany and narrated by Death (cool or what?!). It’s very emotional and beautifully written.
I don’t recommend Percy Jackson, I found it quite boring and unoriginal.
Book recommendation: The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster.
You’ve piqued my interest with this Keurig coffee maker- I’ll definitely be checking it out next time I’m in Costco or Target!
As for book recommendations? You shouldn’t have asked- sorry in advance for spamming your blog with a rather long comment!
“Dispatches From the Edge” by Anderson Cooper
Absolutely AMAZING autobiography- gives great insight not only on his entire life but also on what exactly was going through his head during some of the more pivotal stories he’s covered as a reporter.- I was enthralled the entire time I was reading it and couldn’t put it down.
“High Fidelity” by Nick Hornby
Probably one of my favorite books of all time. If passages like: “What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?” intrigue you, DEFINITELY pick this one up.
“Looking For Alaska” by John Green
You could probably pick up ANYTHING by John Green and end up loving it but I specifically recommend “Looking For Alaska” because it’s my favorite- deals with love, loss and growing up/experiencing life in general.
A few people recommended The Mortal Instruments by cassandra claire and I completely agree! That series is so great! I read all three books in like 4 days
HI Andrew!
Since to you like Harry Potter, and Twilight, I have one of the best series in the world for you. It’s called Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. The first book is called The Alchemys, the second is the Magician, and the third is The Sorceress. The fourth comes out May. They rank just as high as Harry Potter. I hope you enjoy them!
-Madison
Oh yeah, New York Trilogy man, def one of the best books i’ve ever read or perhaps On the Road by Jack Keroauc or East of Eden by John Steinbeck, those are awesome too! with these books you’ll see that there’s a whole other world outside of fantasy series.
I definitely second the Percy Jackson series, and absolutely would also recommend the Mortal Instruments. They were very near Harry Potter ranking, in my opinion, I couldn’t put them down, even the second time. The Percy Jackson series is written for younger audiences, but I still found it entertaining. I enjoy Greek mythology, and Rick Riordan put a great spin on it.
I would also recommend the author L. J. Smith. She wrote the Vampire Diaries series, the one far better than the CW tv show based on it. My favourite series of hers is the Night World series, which also has a little bit of everything, though mostly vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters (oh my!). The were originally published in the 90′s and have recently been republished as the final book is coming out this year. She also wrote a series called the Secret Circle, about witches and, more recently, Dark Visions, which is my second favourite of her books.
Sorry, my rambling is done now.
I have two authors that I happened upon. One is Tamora Pierce, who writes for a teenage girl audience, but a ton of my guy friends (in college!) have enjoyed her books immensely. Her first series is about a young girl who disguises herself as a boy in order to become a knight. She has written about 25 so far, 16 of which take place in one world that she has created. Most of them I read through in a 3 or 4 hour sitting, I couldn’t put them down.
The other author I have come to absolutely love is Anne Bishop, a scifi/fantasy writer. I picked up her first novel and I was completely blown away at how detailed and unique her world is. It’s definitely for the more mature reader (but not extremely explicit sexually), and her characters are certainly memorable, if a tad cliche at times.
Oh, and the Keurig Coffee Maker is a must. I worked at a Bed Bath and Beyond last summer and I sold dozens of them with no returns!