Day 7 – Most underrated book

This is the 7th post for the 30-Day Book Meme.

Day 7 – Most underrated book

How do I know if a book is underrated? Are they the ones that don't get the attention that I think it deserves? I think it will be easier for me to answer the most overrated book(s), but that will be in Day 8. :)

For this question, I'll just pick The True Story of Lilli Stubeck by James Aldridge. I wonder how many people have read it before. Click on the link to check out my book review on my other blog.

I read this book twice. The last time I read it was way back in 2006, I think. I remember reading about the main character, Lilli Stubeck, who has been under the guidance of Miss Dalgleish, who grooms Lilli to become a well-groomed and educated young woman. I'd read about Lilli reading and reading and it sort of motivated me to get some reading done as well! It was also good motivation for me to study. That's one reason why I like the book.

My review of this book that was written in 2006 is not comprehensive enough to describe why I liked the book. Perhaps I'll write another review when I read the book again. :)

How about you? What is your choice for most underrated book?

Day 6 – A book that makes me sad

This is the sixth post of the 30-Day Book Meme.

Day 6 – A book that makes you sad

I do remember reading several books that made me sad until I cried. No, I don't think I bawled like a baby but still, certain books did manage to evoke such strong emotions unlike other books.

But for this question, I'm going to pick a book which did not make me feel the happy kind of 'sad', you know what I mean. For example, Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern. It has a happy ending but I felt a bit teary for the two main characters who had to live almost their whole lives being apart until they realise that they are meant for each other. When they are already in their 50s. That's happy 'sad'.

For the really sad 'sad' kind of book, I'd choose The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne. If you have read the book or already know how it ends, you might understand. This book absorbed all my attention and the ending was even more gripping. I could not stop thinking of the ending even several days after I finished the book. Here is my review of it.

Would you want to share a book that made you sad?

***

Today, I finished reading and also reviewed Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. It is the sixth book in the popular Shopaholic series, which is one of my favourites. :) Do check out my review of the book.

***

image taken from here

Here's wishing all my readers and also visitors of this blog a Happy Valentine's Day!

p.s. Did you watch the cute video on the Google homepage today (Feb 14)?

Day 5 - A book that makes me happy

This is the fifth post of the 30-Day Book Meme.

Day 5 - A book that makes you happy

Oh dear, what does this question mean? How do I choose which book makes me happy when reading it? What kind of happy? Could it be happy with a funny, humorous book or happy with a book that ends on a happy note or something else? Ok, I should just probably pick one! And I admit that I'm going through my Goodreads page now to choose my answer.

*one minute later*

So I've scrolled through my pitiful selection of books on Goodreads and have come to a handful of optional answers. I want to choose Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern but the happy feeling I get from reading this book just isn't that of a strong kind of happy.

Therefore, I'm going to choose the Calvin and Hobbes comic book as my answer. Calvin is an endearing little character with all his funny antics and thought-provoking musings. His imaginary friend and stuffed toy, Hobbes, is just as memorable.

Combine the two with the other characters such as Calvin's parents, teacher, girl-frenemy (Susie Derkins - one of my favourite characters!), the baby-sitter, the bully and other characters that appear occasionally.

I've been reading the Calvin and Hobbes comic books ever since I was nine (??) or 10 years old. I don't read much of them now but would try to re-read them during my free time.

How about you? What are/were your favourite comic books? What book(s) makes you happy?

Day 4 - 30-Day Book Meme

This is the fourth post for the 30-Day Book Meme.

Day 04 – Favourite book of your favourite series

In Day 3's post, I picked the Harry Potter books as my favourite series. So I'll now pick Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban as my favourite book of my favourite series.

Why this book? I guess it's because of the affectionate bond and relationship between Harry and his godfather, Sirius. In the beginning, Harry thought Sirius murdered his parents but realised after that that his allegations were wrong. It turned out that Sirius was Harry's godfather, making him the only other friendly 'relative' that Harry ever had. I guess that's about it about why I liked the book. I haven't read it in years so I can't elaborate more on it. :/

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Previous questions and answers:

Day 01 - The best book you read last year
Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times
Day 03 – Your favourite series

Day 3 – 30-Day Book Meme

This is the third post for the 30-Day Book Meme.

Day 03 – Your favourite series

I've read quite a number of books that are part of a series but only managed to complete very few of them! But I'll proudly say that I finished the Harry Potter series (seven books), The Chronicles of Narnia (seven books), Gemma Doyle trilogy (A Great and Terrible Beauty) and ... omg, that's it. Guess I need to finish up other series so I can add more to the list!

Anyway, I'll say that the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling are my favourite series books. The first time I read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was when I was 12 years old, I think. It spurred me to want to read the books that follow. The books are funny, clever and addictive. I do feel like part of Harry's world when I'm reading the books. I remember that when Book 5 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix came out, I spent a couple of weeks ignoring my Maths homework only to read the darn book. :)

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Previous questions and answers:

Day 01 - The best book you read last year
Day 02 - A book that you've read more than 3 times

Day 2: 30-Day Book Meme

This is my second post for the 30-Day Book Meme which I'm currently doing.

Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
(Read my review)

It was hard to pick just one book but anyways, I picked this one because I know that I definitely read it more than three times. I read it for the first time when I was in primary school, maybe I was around 9 or 10 years old. The book was enjoyable as there were cute illustrations in it. I like the ones with Charlie's grandparents!

The sequel is Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator but I prefer Chocolate Factory.

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Previous question and answer:
Day 01 - The best book you read last year

30-Day Book Meme

I have decided to participate in the 30-Day Book Meme. Its origins are unknown. I got to know about this meme when I stumbled upon Chimneys and Magic who is also doing the meme right now. It's for 30 days but I won't be posting every day to answer all the 30 questions in the meme though I'll try to be as regular as possible! :)

Day 01 - The best book you read last year

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (my review)

Some say that the main character, Holden Caulfield, is spoilt and repetitive, which is what he's like in the book. But it's just all the 'phoni-ness' of it that intrigued me and made me think that yes, that's how the world is right now.

This novel somehow left a huge impact on me after I finished the last page and I couldn't stop thinking about the story for days after.

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Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times
Day 03 – Your favourite series
Day 04 – Favourite book of your favourite series
Day 05 – A book that makes you happy
Day 06 – A book that makes you sad
Day 07 – Most underrated book
Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favourite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favourite writer
Day 14 – Favourite book of your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favourite male character
Day 16 – Favourite female character
Day 17 – Favourite quote(s) from your favourite book(s)
Day 18 – A book that disappointed you
Day 19 – Favourite book turned into a movie
Day 20 – Favourite romance book
Day 21 – Favourite book from your childhood
Day 22 – Favourite book you own
Day 23 – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 – A character who you can relate to the most
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favourite title(s)
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 – Your favourite book of all time

I've seen 80 out of 239 films

I've never done a movie meme before and I'm excited about this one! Got this from Reading Adventures.

SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 85 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own blog, paste this as a post. Then, put x's next to the films you've seen, add them up, and change the header adding your number. Have fun.

( ) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(X) Grease
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
() Fight Club
( ) Starsky and Hutch
(X) Neverending Story
( ) Blazing Saddles
( ) Airplane
Total: 3

( ) The Princess Bride
( ) Anchorman
( ) Napoleon Dynamite
( ) Labyrinth
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
( ) Anger Management
(X) 50 First Dates
(X)The Princess Diaries
(X) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 6

(X)Scream
( ) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
(X) Scary Movie
(X) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
(X) American Pie
( ) American Pie 2
( ) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 10

(X) Harry Potter 1
(X) Harry Potter 2
(X) Harry Potter 3
(X) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
(X) The Wedding Singer
(X) Little Black Book
(X) The Village
(X) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 18

(X) Finding Nemo
( ) Finding Neverland
( ) Signs
(X) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
(X) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
(X) 13 Going on 30
( ) I, Robot
( ) Robots
Total so far: 22

(X) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
(X) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(X) Along Came Polly
( ) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
(X) Never Been Kissed
(X) Meet The Parents
(X) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
( ) KING KONG
Total so far: 28

(X) A Cinderella Story
( ) The Terminal
(X) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
( ) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
(X) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
(X) Final Destination 3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving X-MAS
( ) Flubber
Total so far: 32

( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(X) Practical Magic
( ) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
(X) Secret Window
(X) I Am Sam
(X) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 36

( ) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child's Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
(X) Ten Things I Hate About You
(X) Just Married
( ) Gothika
( ) Nightmare on Elm Street
( ) Sixteen Candles
( ) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
(X) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 39

( ) Bad Boys
( ) Bad Boys 2
(X) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Slevin
(X) Ocean's Eleven
(X) Ocean's Twelve
( ) Bourne Identity
( ) Bourne Supremacy
( ) Lone Star
(X) Bedazzled
( ) Predator I
( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
( ) Ice Age
( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
Total so far: 43

(X) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
(X) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
(X) Christine
(X) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
(X) Maid in Manhattan
( ) War of the Worlds
(X) Rush Hour
(X) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 50

( ) Best Bet
(X) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(X) She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
( ) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(X) Ever After
( ) Wizard of Oz
(X) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
( ) The Terminator
(X) The Terminator 2
(X) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 56

(X) X-Men
( ) X-2
( ) X-3
(X) Spider-Man
(X) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
( ) Catch Me If You Can
(X) The Little Mermaid
(X) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
( ) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek
(X) Shrek 2
Total so far: 63

( ) Swimfan
( ) Miracle on 34th street
( ) Old School
(X) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf's Tribe
(X) A Walk to Remember
( ) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
( ) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 65

(X) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(X) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(X) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(X) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(X) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(X) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 71

( ) Baseketball
( ) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
( ) Elf
( ) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) Three
Total so Far: 71

( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
(X) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(X) Monsters Inc.
(X) Titanic
( ) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
(X) Willard
Total so far: 75

( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
(X) Hook
( ) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
( ) Waterworld
Total so far: 76

( ) Kill Bill vol 1
( ) Kill Bill vol 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 76

(X) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
( ) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
( ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
( ) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
( ) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
( ) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 77

(X) The Matrix
( ) The Matrix Reloaded
( ) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
(X) Silence of the Lambs
(X) Hannibal
Total so far: 80

Now Add them up and...

Put "I've seen ...__ out of 239 films" in the subject line and repost it.

Feel free to grab this meme and post it on your blog!

Meme With Weird Questions

Just like any other meme. It wouldn't be a meme if it didn't contain mindless questions. By the way, I got this from Cahaya's blog.

1. Have you ever been on TV?
Yes, on a family video cam!

2. Have you ever sung in public?
Alone or in a group? If group, yes. I was in the school choir when I was 13! Singing alone? Wahahahaahha!

3. Have you ever dyed your hair blond?
No. It'll turn my mom's hair white.

4. Have you ever eaten frogs' legs?
I believe I ate frogs before. The meat was white and looked like fish but it had bones bigger than a fish's. Well, my uncle told me it's frog but I can't say it's true or not.

5. Have you ever received a present that you really hated?
Hmmmmmm....yeah, I think so. I have presents that I didn't like but not to the extent of hating it.

6. Have you ever walked into a lamp post?
I've walked into many things before.

7. Have you ever cooked a meal by yourself for more than 15 people?
No. My father wouldn't even let me cook his instant noodle last time.

8. Have you ever fallen or stumbled in front of others?
Did that a couple of weeks ago. One of my coursemates laughed non-stop. *angry face*

9. Have you ever done volunteer work?
Would like to.

10. Who's next?
Anyone reading this!

Do let me know if you have any memes with weirder questions than this.

A Sentimental Book Meme

I saw this at Out of the Blue and decided to do it too! Eva from A Striped Armchair was the creator of this meme.

The Rules

1. Tag 3-5 people, so the fun keeps going!
2. Leave a comment at the original post at A Striped Armchair, so that Eva can collect everyone’s answers.
3. If you leave a comment and link back to Eva as the meme’s creator, she will enter you in a book giveaway contest! She has a whole shelf devoted to giveaway books that you’ll be able to choose from, or a bookmooch point if you prefer.
4. Remember that this is all about enjoying books as physical objects, so feel free to describe the exact book you’re talking about, down to that warping from being dropped in the bath water…
5. Make the meme more fun with visuals! Covers of the specific edition you’re talking about, photos of your bookshelves, etc.

The book that’s been on your shelves the longest:
I guess my first book was those Ladybird Peter & Jane books. My first chapter book would be the Billy-Bob Tales by Enid Blyton. The others were my fairy tale books also by Ladybird. I had a lot of Ladybirds when I was a kid! That's as much as I can remember so I can't really say which book has stayed the longest on my shelf.




A book that reminds you of something specific in your life (a person, a place, a time, etc.):
Each book has a different story, a different memory. For example, the Twilight book by Stephenie Meyer would remind me that I was in KL (Kuala Lumpur) with my mom in 2007 to visit my grandmother who became ill. I had brought along that book to read when I was alone. When I finished the book, I typed out the review on my aunt's computer!



Another book, Back To St. Clare's by Enid Blyton would remind me of what my father said to me last time. He said that yeah, I can read thick books but I should set aside time for studying or something... It is thick because it's a compilation of three books in the St. Clare's series. I think I just nodded to show my agreement and continued reading!

A book you acquired in some interesting way (gift, serendipity in a used bookstore, prize, etc.):
I won The Gift by Cecelia Ahern in a contest! Had to write a slogan for it too and like I said before, I suck at slogan-writing.



A book that’s been with you to the most places:
I bring different books when I go out so none would qualify as the book that's travelled the most.

The most recent addition to your shelves:
The Gift by Cecelia Ahern.

A bonus book that you want to talk about but doesn’t fit into the other questions:
The True Story of Lilli Stubeck by James Aldridge. Reading that book would always motivate me to spend more time reading and studying. Lilli was under the care of Miss Dalgleish who guided and nurtured her from a rude, grubby girl to become an intelligent and cultured young lady. Inspiration? Sort of. :D

Now who to tag?

1. KittyCat
2. Trisha
3. Beth F

What Have You Done?

I saw this meme at Life and Times of a "New" New Yorker and felt like doing it. There are 100 things in the list and you've to bold the ones you've done.

1. Started my own blog

2. Slept under the stars (What if I could see the stars from my bedroom? Can that be counted?)

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than I can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland/world

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis (I held a dying bird though. :( No, I didn't kill it. It got hit by a ceiling fan in my school hall. I picked it up to put it somewhere else so that the other students wouldn't accidentally step on it. Poor thing.)

10. Sung a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched lightning at sea

14. Taught myself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown my own vegetables (How about bean sprouts for science projects?)

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train (When I was a kid travelling to KL.)

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitchhiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught myself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had my portrait painted (during a camp. We had to draw each other's portraits. My portrait was drawn horribly by some silly boy.)

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had my picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Rode an elephant

ABC List of Books

KittyCat from Right Reads tagged me for this last month.

What are your favourite books? Can you create an ABC list of them? Here’s mine:

A - Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
B - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Black Maria by Diana Wynne Jones
C - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
D - Does My Head Look Big In This? by Randa Abdel-Fatah
E - Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
F - Firestarter by Stephen King
G - A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
H - The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
I -
J - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
K -
L - Looking For Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
M - The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie by Jaclyn Moriarty
N -
O -
P - PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern
Q -
R - Rebel Angels by Libba Bray, Roots by Alex Haley
S - The Shopaholic books by Sophie Kinsella
T - The True Story of Lilli Stubeck by James Aldridge, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
U - Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
V -
W - Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern
X -
Y -
Z -

This would be my list for the time being. As I read more books and if I happen to get fond of them, I'll just add them in the list above.

If you want to do it, go ahead and let me know! I'd like to see your list too. :)

Downfall

I saw this over at Trisha's blog and wanted to do it too! I did another one just like this some time ago and found it oh-so-fun. The answers were hilarious too!

• Put your iTunes/Other music device on shuffle.
  
• For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
  
• YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
  
• Tag friends who might enjoy doing this.

1. IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY? Hand In My Pocket
   
2. WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY? Wait A Minute
   
3. WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL? Taking Chances
   
4. HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY? Dream Catch Me
   
5. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE? Glamorous
   
6. WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO? Don't Cha
   
7. WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU? Runaway
   
8. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS? Dance Inside
   
9. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN? Ashes and Wine
   
10. WHAT IS 2+2? Take A Bow
    
11. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND? Be Mine (???)
    
12. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE? Best I Ever Had (???) :p
    
13. WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU? Single
    
14. WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING? Far Away
    
15. WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL? Obsession (No Es Amor) Hmm, sounds cool.
    
16. WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST? Maria
    
17. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET? Potential Break-Up Song
    
18. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS? I Ain't Missing You (Oh no!)
    
19. WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN? Say
    
20. HOW WILL YOU DIE? Brave
    
21. DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU? All You Wanted
    
22. IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE? Bounce
    
23. WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW? Torn
    
24. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR DAY? Put Your Records On
    
25. HOW’S YOUR LOVE LIFE? Who Knew
    
26. IF YOUR LIFE WAS A TV SHOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE CALLED? She's So High
    
27. WHAT’S YOUR PARTY SONG? Everything
    
28. WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR A LIVING? Over You
    
29. WHAT WAS THE WEATHER LIKE TODAY? If Everyone Cared
    
30. WHAT WAS/WILL GRADUATION (BE) LIKE FOR YOU? Complicated
    
31. WHAT WERE YOUR DREAMS LIKE LAST NIGHT? Ever The Same
    
32. WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS? Downfall

Wow, that took almost two hours. You know, to listen the songs one by one. :)

Anyway, I'd like to tag the following people:

1) Edmund
2) Faisal
3) Drey
4) Jard The Great
5) YOU!

What Have You Eaten?

I got this meme from Trisha's. This should be an interesting one since I love to eat! But when I glance through the list, there are so many kinds of food that I've never heard of before. Well, here we go:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at Very Good Taste linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare (was this what Mr. Bean ate at the restaurant on his birthday?)



5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari (Squid)
12. Pho (is it something like beef noodle soup?)
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi (potato and kunyit or turmeric!)
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes (apple wine?)
19. Steamed pork buns (char siew pau!)



20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans (I eat rice everyday and I've eaten them with baked beans too. Is it counted? :D)
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat (mutton curry!)
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk (I once used a shampoo containing goat's milk!)
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal (I like McD's but I don't think I've eated the Big Mac before. It's always the chicken burger, filet-o-fish or quarter pounder)
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores (Yummy! Haven't tried before! Make your own with this recipe.)



62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yam
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers (what kind?)
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Have You Read Them All?

If yes, then BRAVO!!! It would mean that you're a very well-read person. :D Anyway, I got this from Trisha's blog.

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline (or mark in a different color) the books you LOVE.

Here's the list:
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling (only read 5 in the series!)
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Phillip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Travellers Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War & Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime & Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt.
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie.
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Colour Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flauber
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
90 The Faraway Tree Collection
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo - I love this movie!

I intend to read as many of the books not bold in the list as possible.

The Musical Meme

Instructions:
1. Open your music library (iTunes, winamp, media player, iPod, whatever)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question below, type the song that’s playing
5. New question — press the next button
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool


*Opening credits: Stay by Lisa Loeb

* Waking up: How by Lisa Loeb

* First day at school: She's The One by Robbie Williams

* Falling in love: Don't Tell Me by Avril Lavigne

* Breaking up: Sorry by Buckcherry

* Prom: Almost by Bowling For Soup

* Life’s okay: It's My Life by Bon Jovi

* Mental breakdown: Too Much by Spice Girls

* Driving: Potential Break Up Song by Aly & AJ

* Flashback: Wait A Minute by The Pussycat Dolls

* Getting back together: Hands by Jewel

* Wedding: You're A God by Vertical Horizon

* Birth of child: Everything by Lifehouse

* Final battle: Brave by Idina Menzel

* Death scene: That Don't Impress Me Much by Shania Twain

* End credits: That Thing You Do by The Wonders

I swear I didn't cheat! ;)

SF Book Meme

I was just looking around for a meme to do and I stumbled upon this from SF Signal! This should be interesting or weird since I don't really read a lot of science fiction but then, let's give it a try, shall we?

Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror?
I'll have to go with fantasy. Horror gives me the creeps.

Hardback or Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback?
Hardback looks grand but the mass market paperback's so much cheaper! Mass market paperback for me.

Heinlein or Asimov?
Erm, who're they? *grins sheepishly*

-Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was an American novelist and science fiction writer.

-Isaac Asimov (c. January 2, 1920[1] – April 6, 1992), pronounced /ˈaɪzək ˈæzɪmʌv/,[2] originally Исаак Озимов but now transcribed into Russian as Айзек Азимов, was a Russian-born American author and professor of biochemistry, a highly successful writer, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books.

~From Wikipedia~

Amazon or Brick and Mortar?
Brick and Mortar!

Barnes & Noble or Borders?
No Barnes & Noble here in Malaysia. But I've always loved Borders!

Hitchhiker or Discworld?
Haven't read either one yet.

Bookmark or Dogear?
Definitely bookmark. Dogear ruins the book.

Magazine: Asimov's Science Fiction or Fantasy & Science Fiction?
Neither.

Alphabetize by author, Alphabetize by title or random?
Random?

Keep, Throw Away or Sell?
I keep those that I want and sell those I don't want. Simple. And recently, I give away those that I don't want!

Year's Best Science Fiction series (edited by Gardner Dozois) or Years Best SF series (edited by David G. Hartwell)?
Can't answer that.

Keep dustjacket or toss it?
Keep.

Read with dustjacket or remove it?
Sometimes with and sometimes I remove it.

Short story or novel?
I've always preferred novels.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
I've only read Harry Potter and watched the Lemony Snicket's Unfortunate Events movie.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
Chapter breaks. If I'm really tired, then I'll just stop.

"It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time"?
"Once upon a time"

Buy or Borrow?
Buy! Borrow the book if I'm out of cash. Haha!

Buying choice: Book Reviews, Recommendation or Browse?
All three!

Lewis or Tolkien?
Only read Lewis.

Hard SF or Space Opera?
Neither.

Collection (short stories by the same author) or Anthology (short stories by different authors)?
Anthology.

Hugo or Nebula?
Are you talking about Victor Hugo? Oh no, you're not!

Hugo Award: The Hugo Awards are given every year for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year.

Nebula Award: The Nebula Award is an award given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the two previous years.

~From Wikipedia~

Golden Age SF or New Wave SF?
I can't answer this either.

Tidy ending or Cliffhanger?
Tidy ending.

Morning reading, Afternoon reading or Nighttime reading?
Anytime, actually. As long as I'm not tired.

Standalone or Series?
Depends. If it's a good story, then series.

Urban fantasy or high fantasy?
Urban fantasy.

New or used?
I like new books. I like the smell of new books.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?
Tough one. I think all the books that I read are heard of.

Top X favorite genre books read last year? (Where X is 5 or less)
1. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
2. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
3. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

By genre books, do they mean 'genre fiction'?

That's a long meme. Actually, there are 3 more questions but I'm skipping them. Can't think much right now. Gonna take my lunch, anyway and drama class later!

Classics Meme

I found this meme from Book Club Classics!

What is the best classic you were “forced” to read in school (and why)?
If only we did read classics in school. I mean, reading the whole unabridged version. The only ones we read were Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe and The Pearl by John Steinbeck. Those were the really simplified versions.

What was the worst classic you were forced to endure (and why)?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It was so boring that I skipped several pages. Too long-winded for me. I wanted to read Sense and Sensibility next but decided to skip that too!

Which classic should every student be required to read (and why)?
Uncle Tom's Cabin. To learn about history, slavery, and injustice.

Which classic should be put to rest immediately (and why)?
It has to be Jane Austen's classics.

**Bonus** Why do you think certain books become “classics”?
Hmm, I don't know why either. Strong plot? Unforgettable characters? Happy endings? The really difficult aka boring level of English? Yeah, I guess these determine why classics are classics.

I'm not going to tag anybody. Feel free to do this meme in your blog too and do let me know when you're done!

More Bookish Questions!

I got this really nice meme from Alice's blog!

Do you remember how you developed a love for reading?
I think I started ‘reading’ when I was a baby! There’s a baby pic of me turning the pages of a magazine. Well, maybe I wasn’t exactly ‘reading’ at that time! Haha!

What are some books you read as a child?
If I remember correctly, the first books I read were those Ladybird Peter and Jane books. I was around 5 or 6 years old. My mom bought me a lot of Ladybird fairytale books. Then, my sister introduced me to Enid Blyton. The first Enid Blyton book I read was the Billy-Bob Tales.

What is your favourite genre?
For now, it’s young adult fiction!

Do you have a favourite novel?
I like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon and The True Story of Lilli Stubeck by James Aldridge. Okay, so it's two. :)

Where do you usually read?
On the couch or bed.

When do you usually read?
When I have nothing else to do. I also enjoy reading before going to sleep.

Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?
I try to read one book at a time.

Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?
Yeah, kind of. I don’t read a lot of nonfiction except for my school books. And for nonfiction books, I don’t usually finish them in one sitting. I’ll just skip here and there.

Do you buy most of the books you read, or borrow them, or check them out of the library?
I buy and borrow them from my sis!

Do you keep most of the books you buy? If not, what do you do with them?
I keep the ones that I really like and quite like. The ones I don’t fancy, I either give them away or sell them off.

If you have children, what are some of the favorite books you have shared with them? Were they some of the same ones you read as a child?
No kids. Only nieces and nephew. My nieces are quite interested in my books, so sometimes when they come over, I’ll help them read the simpler English story books.

What are you reading now?
Friday’s Child by Georgette Heyer.

Do you keep a TBR (to be read) list?
Of course.

What’s next?
I don’t know. When I finish the book I’m currently reading, I’ll just hover over to the bookshelf and pick the first book I feel like picking.

What books would you like to reread?
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and The True Story of Lilli Stubeck! I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of these two books.

Who are your favourite authors?
This is hard. I only like one book by Haddon and I’ve only read one by Aldridge. So they can’t really be my favourite authors even though I like their books. Besides, I do enjoy reading the Shopaholic books and also the Harry Potter ones. But I wouldn’t save those books if there was a fire. To sum it up, I don’t really have a favourite author!

*Feel free to do this meme too and let me know when you're done!*

The Infamous Page 123 Tag

I've seen this tag on almost every book blog I've ever visited and yeah, it's like the most popular and one of the easiest tags around. Not much thinking, not much brainstorming, no need to crack your brain open to answer it the best way possible.

What you need to do is lazily pick up a book nearest to you, maybe a telephone directory will do too! They didn't specify what kind of book, right? So, I guess any book will do. =p

All right, I decided to finally do this tag when I visited Alice's blog.

The RULES:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

The nearest book is Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern. I'm going to find page 123. Ah, found it. Now, the 5th sentence:

Greg's proposal sounds nice and all, but whatever happened to that dream?

I'm not going to tag anybody, feel free to do this tag if you want. Also, nobody tagged me but I did find this tag from Hello, My Name Is Alice. =)