The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson

Jenna Fox has just awoken from a year long coma after surviving a terrible car accident.  She has no memories at first, and the memories that do start to come back with time are scattered and leave her lost and confused as to what her true identity was or is.  Jenna's parents strangely have taped much of her life and encourage her to watch videos that cover major events in her life over the years.  As Jenna struggles to understand her true identity - a series of medical ethics questions are raised.  How far would you go to save someone you love?  Can a person be a series of events and memories or is there more to it?  Set in the future, I can see science advancements that seem attainable in the not so distant future.  This was a great read, I enjoyed how the author described Jenna's family and wondered why they were so distant and cold towards Jenna.  I had to keep reading more to find out the answers to all of my questions.  I would have preferred a more shocking ending, but ethical concerns are addressed without being too preachy!  You should definately read it - a nice quick summer read!



The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

When troubled student Percy Jackson vaporizes his math teacher on a class field trip, he begins to suspect that his life is not what it seems. He discovers that his lifelong reading and attention troubles are all signs that he is a half-blood-a child of the Greek gods. After a summer training session with other demigods and Chiron the centaur, he sets off on a cross-country quest to Los Angeles (the entrance to Hades) with his friend Grover the faun and Annabeth, a child of Athena, to recover Zeus' lost thunderbolt and stop a war between the gods. Along the way, where modern life and mythology intersect to create both humor and excitement, Percy will come to know his father Poseidon, rescue his mother, and discover that he has what it takes to be a hero. Ultimately, Percy learns to trust his friends and his abilities and to choose love over despair. (Taken from Scholastic.com)

There was so much action and so many details I found it hard to create a summary of this book in my own words.  People raved about this book, and honestly it was not my favorite.  I'm not a huge fan of fantasy, but if you enjoy fantasy and Harry Potter books you will LOVE this!  I did enjoy all of the references to Greek Mythology and loved Percy's character.  Some of the plot was corny, but I feel that many children and adults will treasure this book.  Give it a try - it is definately worth it.  Overall, I'm glad I read  the book.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Jacob Jankowski is 23 years old and one final exam away from becoming a certified veterinarian at Cornell University.  A horrible accident occurs leaving both of Jacob's parents dead.  Soon after, Jacob suffers a breakdown and jumps onto a moving train.  The train happens to belong to "The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth", and Uncle Al the owner of the circus agrees to let him stay and work as the circus veterinarian.  Jacob's journey through the traveling circus during the Great Depression is a lucky one as he has shelter and food unlike many others during this time.  Husband and wife August and Marlena befriend Jacob and allow him to reap the benefits that the performers recieve.  August is terrifyingly magical as he exhibits a split personality, charming one minute and abusive the next.  Jacob and Marlena have fallen deeply in love with one another - - will their affair outlast the rage of Uncle Al and August?  This is an A plus historical novel and  has even  been transformed into a movie starring Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon!  I can't wait to see it!  This book is truly one I won't forget.

Royal Bride Sparks Fascinator Frenzy

After tuning in to the royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton early this April morning, I a couldn't wait to comment on all of the unique hats that mostly (if not all) women wore during the ceremony.  I give these women a whole lot of credit for attempting this bold fashion statement.  Not just anyone can put on a goofy hat with feathers and other crazy decor and make it look so good! Although, I'm pretty sure Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie took the hat craze a bit too far - check their picture out below.

Check out some other hats that were worn today: Best and Worst Hats

Kate Middleton has sparked quite a frenzy in what the Brits call "fascinators."  A fascinator is described as a decorative trapping made of fanciful materials such as flowers, feathers, lace, or beads.  They're typically attached to hats or worn in lieu of a hat, along with formal attire.  I favor the fascinator over some of the other  hats that were worn today at  the royal wedding.  I'd like to totally rock a subtle fascinator at a wedding this summer.  Check out this article from Wall Street Journal to learn more about fascinators: Kate Middleton Sparks Fascinator Frenzy

Fallen by Lauren Kate

If you liked the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer, you'll obsess over Lauren Kate's debut novel Fallen. 

Luce Price is mandated to attend Sword & Cross reform school after the mysterious death of her boyfriend.  Even relocating to a new school won't stop the evil shadows from chasing after Luce, and causing death and destruction to the innocent people around her.  There's something achingly familiar about her fellow classmate Daniel Grigori.  Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, Luce won't stop until she gets what she wants even if it costs her life.  You'll fall in love with Sword & Cross Academy, the people, the atmosphere,  as well as the quirky characters Luce meets along the way.  Keep reading and don't give up - the beginning was a bit slow with a lot of  background information to cover, but the ending will not dissapoint!  If you're into mythology/vampire/angel/demon books you'll eat up the "fallen angel" theme which is super trending right now!  It was a breath of fresh air!  Fallen will also be a movie coming out within the next year or so!  Be on the lookout!

Lockdown: Escape From the Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith

Whoaaa, Alexander Gordon Smith could very well be the next Stephen King. Two words to describe this book: delightfully disturbing.  "Furnace Penitentiary: an underground hellhole built especially for young felons.  A place ruled by murderous gangs and thuggish guards.  A place where horrific creatures come out in the dead of night to steal you away.  A place where the impossible - escape - is your only hope."  Alex, a  not so innocent teenager who has a history of breaking and entering, has been framed and wrongfully accused of murdering his best friend. Alex ends up being sentenced to Furnace Penitentiary for life and struggles to stay alive each and every day.  I freaked myself out while reading this book, and even thought about it when I wasn't reading. Some of its' grotesque scenes include the descriptions of skinless hounds, violent gang fights, and the food that the prisoners are forced to consume to survive in Furnace. In all seriousness, I found myself gasping for air several times during reading this novel.  It will satisfy all readers (beware if you're squeamish), especially horror fans.  This book ends with a cliffhanger as we find out if Alex is able to escape Furnace once and for all.  The sequel to this book is called Solitary and I'm going to have to read it ASAP!

Easter Bow Ties for Dudes

Attention guys!  If you want to snag a date to prom you should probably invest in a super chic bow tie featured on Etsy @ http://www.etsy.com/listing/72384502/men-and-boys-easter-basket-plaid-bow-tie?ref=cat1_gallery_20.  Etsy is one of my all time favorite websites where all of the items sold are hand made by artisans around the world.  I guarantee all of the girls in school will be swooning when they see the new bowtie trend started by YOU!

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay by Gayle Forman is narrated by Mia, a 17 year old girl who is exceptionally talented at playing the cello.  Her day starts out like any other except there is a huge snow storm  and school is cancelled. (I used to live for snow days...and still do as a teacher!)  Mia's close knit family spend the day together, and unexpectedly a horrific tragedy occurs.  Mia talks to us as she watches over her comatose body, and eventually makes her own decision as to whether she stays alive, or gives in to what would be the easy way out...death.  Mia's excentric family, her brother Teddy, her best friend Kim, and rocker boyfriend Adam will influence the most important decision she's ever had to make.  It kind of reminds me of Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (so if you loved that one you'll absolutely love this one too), but still the two books are very different.  This book will take a strain on your heart, and I will be suprised if you don't shed a tear after you're done.   The true frailty of life will be put into perspective.

Cakes Designed to Look Like Favorite Books

Check out these awesome sweet treats that are based on popular books @ http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2011/04/sunday-sweets-bookin-it.html

I love these adorable cupcakes based on Lewis Carroll's classic novel Alice in Wonderland!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Thomas wakes up in an elevator lift and cannot  remember anything but his first name.  When the door opens, a group of  teenage boys welcomes him to The Glade.  The Glade is a mysterious place where once a month a new boy is delivered via elevator lift.  The group attempts to carry on with life by harvesting food and performing a specific job so the Gladers can experience some type of a semi-normal life.  Every day several sets of doors open and allow boys assigned as runners to try to figure a way out of a huge maze.  The boys must make sure they return to the Glade before dusk because if they get stuck in the maze overnight, most likely they won't make it out alive.  Things are changing - no more survival equipment is delivered via elevator lift weekly, a GIRL arrives a day after Thomas, and the sky remains gray which = major problems with harvesting food.  Who is playing such an evil game with these innocent boys?  They've been trying to escape for over two years with no luck...is it too late or will The Gladers find a way out alive?  If they find success out of the maze could life outside the maze be even worse than in The Glade?  If you liked The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins you'll eat this up.  Fast, exciting,  and suspenseful read that will appeal to adventurous readers of all types.



Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Samantha Kingston and her three best friends Elody, Allie, and Lindsay are the best looking, most popular girls at Thomas Jefferson High School.  They use their "mean girl" attitudes to intimidate others, and ultimately get whatever they want without caring whom they hurt along the way.  February 12th is an exciting day for the girls because it is Cupid Day - a tradition at school where part of a person's social status depends on how many carnations he or she recieves.  That evening there is a huge party in town and after a night of too much drinking, Sam gets into a car with a drunk driver.  She is ejected from the car and envisions herself falling, falling, falling, and then she magically wakes up in her warm bed to realize it's February 12th all over again.  Samantha ends up re-living February 12th seven times, similar to the Groundhog's Day movie like deja vu fashion, and has the opportunity to make up for the way she has wrongfully treated others. Will Samantha be able to prove that she has changed for the better, or will it be too late?  This book has been added to my top 10 list of all time favorite books.  It's amazing how a young adult book can make you contemplate your own life and want to be a better person.

ModCloth

Modcloth.com is super "librarian chic!"  One day as I was catching up by reading some status updates on facebook, I noticed an advertisement on the outer perimeter of the screen.  I usually never click on them because I figure it's a scam or something, but I'm glad I found out about this mod-retro-indie website where you can buy anything from clothes, shoes, and accessories to home decor and gifts for special events.  I absolutely adore the merchandise on this site...and I will update you as to when I make my first purchase and how that goes.  In the meantime check it out and let me know what you think!

Pencil flats shown on right sell on ModCloth for $97.99, but they're currently out of stock.  Don't know if I'd actually wear them or pay that outrageous price...but they make me giggle!

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book brought me to happy tears as I stayed up until midnight this morning to finish reading it.  The book was awarded the Newbery Medal for its' distinction to children's literature in 2009 - but many young adults and adults of all ages hold this classic novel near and dear to their hearts.  The story tells a tale of a man Jack who murders an entire family except for a small toddler.  The toddler escapes to a nearby graveyard, and to protect him from the murderer the entire graveyard votes in agreement to raise the boy.  Mr. and Mrs. Owens are named as the boy's parents, and Silas as his guardian - where Silas is able to venture out into the world to retrieve food and other items for the boy, Nobody Owens.  Nobody, otherwise known as Bod learns many interesting things as he grows from a baby to a young man from the ghosts in the graveyard such as fading, haunting, and dream walking.  Bod meets a human friend named Scarlett and becomes caught in-between the world we know, and his graveyard home.  Will Bod remain in the graveyard, or venture out alone into the world to experience the gift of life we sometimes take for granted?  This book will change the way you think about life...simply amazing.



Vintage Reading Glasses

A must have fashion accessory for librarian chic males and females alike would be an inexpensive pair of reading glasses.  Whether you actually need a pair to read or not doesn't matter - they're stylish either way!  If you are wanting a pair because you really can't see the difference between your b's and p's, or for fashion purposes solely, check out the selection at WalMart!  Also check your local Target and Kohls ... I've seen trendy pairs at those stores too. The lenses will simply magnify whatever you're reading to make it easier to read and make a fashion statement while you're at it.  You don't have to spend a fortune to be fashionable!  You'll look super trendy in your school library pretending to read with your spiffy lenses.  Totally joking - you'll be reading too...right?!

http://www.walmart.com/cp/Reading-Glasses/1070325

These funkadelic pairs would look great on both genders.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I tried to come up with a book that would appeal to many readers for my very first review.  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was the first to come to mind.  Set in a dystopian society, where North America once was lies a land mass called Panem.  Panem is divided into twelve districts and all are controlled by an overpowering goverment called the capitol.  The annual hunger games are televised where one boy and one girl from every district fight to the death in an arena.  The brutal hunger games exist to remind citizens that the capitol has control over everyone, including innocent children and teenagers.   Read along through all of the drama and violence as Katniss Everdeen and the other tributes fight for their lives.  Only one will remain...who will make it out alive?  

I really think everyone can appreciate this book, it totally wrapped me from start to finish.  There are two other books in the trilogy called Catching Fire and Mockingjay.  This series is totally trending right now and is even coming out as a movie in March 2012.  Jump on the bandwagon, you won't be dissapointed!!!

Librarian Chic...it's a way of life!

Welcome to my new blog Librarian Chic!  No, a chic is not a fluffy yellow bird, but is rather an iconic statement...a way of life.  Chic is pronounced like = (sheek).  Urban Dictionary states the definition of sheek as being,"A misspelling of Chic, as in fashionable or stylish. If you spell chic this way, you most likely have no clue what chic means or you have the same name as a city in France.  Wait a sec! Chic is pronounced sheek? Woah...  Anyway, I created this blog so that boys, girls, men, and women alike can come to read many types of interesting book reviews (ranging anywhere from children's picture books, young adult literature, to adult best sellers) and find fashion tips from myself, the official Ms. Librarian Chic.  Please stop back often as you won't want to miss anything.  Thanks to actress Lea Michele who stars on the hit television show Glee for bringing the term "librarian chic" to audiences around the world.  Wait and see...this is only the beginning!