ngtlindsay: Book Review #3

On the third edition of Lindsay’s book reviews we have Percy Jackson and The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan!

This a freaking huge picture of the book but it is the smallest I could make it.  Or rather, the book is so awesome it deserves to be this big.

I just recently got into the Percy Jackson series and boy am I glad I did.  I absolutely love the books.  Rick Riordan is a masterful storyteller.  My first Rick Riordan book was the first 39 Clues book, The Maze of Bones.  Why I did not seek out any of his other books right then and there I can’t figure out.  I love the 39 Clues!  And the fact that different authors all get to write the books yet Riordan came up with the series plotline…it just excites me in a weird way.

I can’t wait until The Last Olympian comes out in paperback so I can buy it.  I have the first four books all in paperback, so if I bought the hardback it would look all weird.  I read this book in installments at Borders.  Thank you Borders.  Eventually I will buy the book…maybe not from you though.  *Sidenote – does anyone else feel like a jerk when they buy a book from a big chain bookstores like Borders or B&N?  I do because I could totally go to Davis Kidd which is just as well stocked…but I don’t because DK is out in the mall and I can totally walk to Borders after working out.

OK, on to the book.  I’m not going to recap this book other than to say it is the final book in the Percy Jackson series.  I will say that the series is about a boy named Percy, who at age 12 finds out he is the son of Poseidon which makes him a demigod.  And also that the books are all about the different quests he goes on.  I feel like I am cheating you all a bit, but I really don’t want to give anything away to anybody who has yet to read the first books.

Well, I think you can already tell that I loved this book and the rest of the series.  But I think this was my favorite book of all.  Percy, in my mind, really steps up to his hero status.  I don’t mean to say that he doesn’t save the day in other books, because he does.  But in this last one he really does come into his own.

Another thing I like about this book?  I love the way Percy talks.  Rick Riordan just gets it.  I don’t know if teenagers really talk like Percy does…but Riordan has totally convinced me that they do.  Or at least I found the way Percy sounds to be totally believable.  Also Annabeth – I totally believed her too.

Favorite characters (excluding Percy): Annabeth, duh!  If I could be a character in this book I would totally want to be Annabeth.  Not because of why you might think, but more because she has (name omitted for reasons concerning the fourth book)’s computer.  That’s so frickin’ awesome!!  I want that computer!  Oh all right, and also because Percy is totally a literary hottie (I am picturing him as at least 20, ok?  Or more likely that I am 16…..no juding please).

Clarisse: What a badass!  Sure she’s a little mean and rough around the edges.  But she’s got her softspots.

Blackjack: I want a pegasus!!!!!

Bessie: Seriously, so cute in my mind!

Tyson: Awwwwww so loveable.  I want him to be my little brother!

Nico: He totally comes through when he’s needed and I think he may be the bravest demigod yet.

My not favorite characters: Rachel.  I do not like Rachel.  Maybe this is because when I am reading the books I like to imagine myself as Annabeth.  But seriously, I just wish Rachel would like get a bad case of irreversible acne or something.  Ugh, whatever, she’s like so totally not worth my time.  Hehehehehehehhehehehehehe.

Hera: OMG she’s like so mean!  No wonder Zeus cheated on her all the time!

As for the movie, I am totally psyched for it to come out!  However I do not like the fact that Annabeth will be played by someone who is #1) Not blonde, and #2(and most importantly)) 23 years old.  I could deal with Annabeth being a brunette.  But 23 years old?  Unforgivable.  The guy playing Percy is 17… not much better but whatever.  I just don’t like the idea that casting couldn’t find someone closer to the age of 12 to play Annabeth.  I mean surely there are talented enough girls under the age of 20 at least!  I don’t know if this will bother me when watching the movie…I severly hope that there will be no Percy/Annabeth action in this movie…I may be too creeped out to enjoy it.

I don’t want to end my review on that note.  Instead I will go back to the books and say you must must must must go read them!  They are super fast paced and totally easy to read!  Also I think both guys and girls can totally get into these books which is a total bonus!

Go read!

lindsay

EEEK! Teacup Pigs Are Real!

The cuteness is too overwhelming for words

I first heard about the adorable idea of Teacup Pigs in one of my favorite books Let It Snow, which I have raved about before.  In Lauren Myracle’s story “The Patron Saint of Pigs” a huge part of the plot revolves around getting a teacup pig for one of the characters.  I thought the idea was great, but I thought I remembered reading an interview with Lauren saying that teacup pigs didn’t really exist, she’d just made them up for the story.

Well, I must have been halucinating because they are totally real!!!!  So if you have an extra thousand dollars lying around, you can buy your very own teacup pig.  The baby ones are small enough to fit in a teacup (hence the name) and the fully grown ones only get to be about a foot tall.

Look! They like cats!!!

My new goal in life is to go back to England and bring back one of these little pigs (maybe two….then I could become a breeder as my full time job!!!).

EDIT:  Apparently a lot of people have been commenting that these pigs are not really as small as they appear to be and that these breeders might not be on the up and up.  So I think I will just stick to cats for now.

Jen

P.S.  Is it wrong that I want to buy another copy of Let It Snow just because it has a new cover???

Got that Wishbone Talent

Elena Hurst = Amanda = Katie

Did you watch Gossip Girl yesterday?! (must admit, Season 3 is a little weird so far–what is with Dan having such big arm muscles now? anyway…) Did any of those new cast members seem a little familiar? Like maybe, I don’t know, that new girl who’s friends with Vanessa and Dan also seems like she might be friends with a costumed dog? YES BECAUSE THE GIRL WHO PLAYS KATIE IS ELENA HURST WHO PLAYED AMANDA ON WISHBONE!!!!!! (see photo-girl holding red cup) I am ridiculously happy about this.

Amber

Overwhelmed with sudden awesome idea: Wishbone as Chuck Bass; whaCHAAAA!

This Is Why I Totally Have a Girl Crush on Anne Hathaway

She can go and make all the horrible movies she wants (*cough* Bride Wars *cough*) but I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Anne Hathaway.  Here is a commercial for the MTV Movie Awards at the end of this month.  Andy Samberg is funny but Anne MAKES this video with her reaction at the very end.

I might actually watch the awards this year.

Jen

My Music Collection Is Confused

Did anyone else hear about the news of Mandy Moore and Ryan Adams getting engaged a few weeks ago?  I hadn’t even realized they were dating!  It kind of blew my mind.  I mean, it’s Mandy MOORE and Ryan ADAMS.  They’re so different.  At least I’m assuming they’re so different because of how different their music seems to be.  Mandy Moore will always be a young poppy “Crush” singer/Lana Weinberger in my head, and I just would never have called her and Ryan Adams the folk-rock(?) “New York, New York” singer to connect.  But what do I know?  I guess it works.

P.S.  I can’t vouch for anything Mandy has done post-The Princess Diaries soundtrack (“Stupid Cupid” is a MUST listen…so catchy!), but I like a lot of Ryan Adams songs.  I recommend his cover of Oasis’ “Wonderwall”, “Come Pick Me Up” (which was played in Elizabethtown), “Gonna Make You Love Me” (played in Sweet Home Alabama) and “When the Stars Go Blue” (which was covered by Tim McGraw and some people on One Tree Hill).  Enjoy! 

- Jill

I Think I Might Be A Little In Love With The Rock

Okay, I know we are supposed to call him “Dwayne Johnson” now, but he will always be The Rock to me. I know that he is nothing like the guys that I normally have crushes on, but there is just something about him that is really kind of awesome.

I didn’t even know who he was until my boyfriend-at-the-time forced me to go see “Walking Tall” (probably payback for making him sit through many, many chick flicks). Well I actually really enjoyed the movie, mainly because Mr. Johnson is very, very nice to look at. I also love the movie “The Rundown” especially at the end when he goes all crazy with the guns. But that is not why he is so awesome……I think he is so great because he can totally laugh at himself, which is made clear by the fact that he is not afraid to go on “Hannah Montana” and let Miley and Lily get him all dolled up in a wig and makeup.  When he screams “I look like Grandma Rock!” it is pretty much the greatest thing ever.

Well, over the weekend Mr. Johnson hosted SNL and I missed it. I haven’t really paid attention to that show in a long time, but thank God for hulu! I love this clip of “The Rock Obama.” No matter what your political affiliation, you have to admit it is a very great sketch. I love it when he smashes the phone!

Jen

more about “I Think I Might Be A Little In Love W…“, posted with vodpod

 

Not even Britney would have worn that dress

It has almost been a week, and I think I’m just now getting to the point where the pain has lessened enough that I can talk about it. Did you watch the 2009 Miss America Pageant? If you didn’t, no worries–I twittered the whole thing. Also, no worries because IT SUCKED. well, actually it was amazingly awesome until they announced the winner. It was Miss Indiana:

Miss Indiana being crowned Miss America 2009.

that dress. THAT DRESS. I almost cried I was so upset that that dress is the current symbol of America.

So I feel really catty—who cares what she was wearing, right?—because I do like Miss Indiana. In fact, she almost made my list of I’m-rooting-for-you-despite-you-not-being-Miss-Iowa that I developed after watching TLC’s Countdown to the Crown. My favorites going in on Saturday were Miss Oklahoma and Miss South Dakota—Miss Oklahoma because she was such a real girl—a Princess Mia type—but I didn’t think she would win. And I was right, she didn’t even make top 15.

Miss Oklahoma!

Now I thought Miss South Dakota would make runner-up at least (I was pretty positive Miss Georgia would win)—but she was out after swimsuit. Which was an outrage btw considering she totally rocked her tallness. And I was always rooting for Miss Iowa, of course, but then she completely won me over as the competition went on!—She had the second best dress, the best talent (TAP DANCING!), and a pretty solid interview question.

Miss Iowa giving some Tap lessons.

The only thing that was questionable about Miss Iowa was that she seemed to have her bikini a bit toooo high-cut to be flattering (I tried forever to find a pic of this, but I couldn’t! weird, I figured Miss America pics would be all over the interweb by now), but all the girls did. The designated swimsuits were ick! Couldn’t we get some glam pinup girl style in the ring? —but early 90’s style seemed to be what the judges wanted because how else could have Miss Indiana had won with that dress on? Seriously, I am all for lace. but that was white, off the shoulder, long-sleeves, asymmetrical mini, see-through full-length, long slit, crazy lace. Not even Britney would wear that outfit. She knows how to break them up:

See-through Lace. Asymmetrical mini. and white. This is how you make them look hot.

Sigh, I’m just mad because Miss Iowa was so close! And this is the second year I feel the Miss America judges have not been watching the same show as me (and I suppose they weren’t–I didn’t see preliminaries…) Remember last year??!! That was just not right. I’m still holding a candle for you, Miss Wisconsin!

Miss Indiana seems very smart, independent and fabulous–She’ll make an awesome Miss America. And if she likes the dress, then “wear it like its hot, girl.”

Best part of pageant? Clinton Kelly telling a bunch of Little Misses “I hope puberty is kind to you.”

ngtamber

My Night Would Have Been A Total Disaster…

If not for this.

Let me just start by explaining what has happened to me tonight since I got home from work.

1. Have been dying for a pizza hut pizza, so tried to send my order in online three times (I have an online only coupon that I want to use).  It never worked.  Finally gave in and called the place for a delivery.  Wait time was an hour and a half….so no pizza for me.

2.  Needed to do laundry.  Laundry card (like an ATM card) only comes up with an error message.  Tried it on another machine and it says I need to “see the manager.”  So no laundry either.

3.  Decide to make banana bread.  Proceed to drop half of first banana on the floor.

4.  Smoke alarm goes off while cooking dinner.

5.  Carbon Monoxide detector is now going off.  And we all know that is not something to take lightly in my apartment of doom.  Maintanence is on the way.

I was in a pretty foul mood…..until I saw my friend Abby’s twitter update that linked to this article about Bella the dog and Tarra the elephant.  It is so fantastic that the video had me crying before it was even half over (crying in a good way).  So everyone go and read the article and hopefully it will give your day a boost as well.

Happy New Year!!!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday and got to take some time off work or school to relax.  I got to go home and see my family even though the weather was determined to get in the way by throwing snow and ice at the midwest.  I got some really cool presents, but of course the most important thing was that I got to see my parents and my sister.

I did get a really cute little mailbox for my cats.  Now they have a mailbox, truck, and a giant cat cottage.  Pretty soon I am going to have more cat furniture than people furniture.

Also, I have the most amazing sister in the history of the world because she got me this:

Now I am off to go eat lots of leftover holiday goodies and enjoy my evening off before I have to return to work tomorrow (for one whole day–the horror!!).

Jen

Is That An Olympian??

I opened my Entertainment Weekly yesterday and I was very puzzled by the picture inside.  I was looking at a picture from the Olympics thinking “that guy really looks like Jason Segel……”  Then I realized that it was Entertainment Weekly and why would there be pictures from the Olympics in it?

Well, thankfully my sad little brain figured out that EW had the cast of “How I Met Your Mother” re-enacting some of the years best moments.  You must go to this link right now and check it out.  My favorite one is the Indiana Jones one because Cobie Smulders is a dead ringer for Cate Blanchett and Josh Radnor looks super hot as Shia LaBeouf.

I am sad that for the past two and half years I have worked Monday nights, so I haven’t been keeping up with HIMYM.  It used to be a can’t miss show for me.  There are so many reasons to watch it:  Neil Patrick Harris being “legendary,” Alyson Hannigan all grown up after Buffy, and all of the Canadian jokes about Robin.  Sometime I vow to catch up with the show on DVD, but for now, I will happily gaze at these pictures to tide me over until then.

Jen