La Musique et le Roman

Je suis femme écrivain.
I am a writer and no one will stop me.
I will rise above all odds, an awesome wave.
I will divide and conquer (Q.What else does that?).
I am a writer and my books will stand like proud soldiers, fluttering on paper wings and not midst the sea of cyberspace. 


My friends are musicians and they are about to rock your world. (I would add a tsunami joke, but that's tsu inappropriate, isn't it? Honhonhon.)


MY FEATURED FRIEND OF THE FOREVER:

Alaina Krakowiak


Every art this girl has touched contains a certain finesse, a secret, a mystery sauce. Individuality more than you've ever seen before.


She has the most concentrated talent I have ever seen.
Even more than "man who can hang 50 pounds from his ears"
And "woman who can smash cans with her volumptuous breasts."
I mean, damn, I'm so prouud to he graced by her friendship! (so proud there's even an extra "u.")
If you don't get my immediate point, then I shall continue with my infinite string of badly thought out simi-phors.
...
Haha. Not really. I have to conserve them for use later. Stand up comedy or something... yeah...
...
Because I know the only one who reads the written/opinionated-non-crochet patterns is me, I'll inform you all (read: me) on her new endevor--
Musical production.
She (modestly) played her music from an iPod one day as we were chill-axin (my diction!) in her chic room.
It started off with how many layers--- 16?
It was haunting and enchanting and fascinating and delicious (delicious!).
I never said this aloud, fore my mouth was perpetually stuck open and probably drooling in bewonderment, but.... "Now damn. I'd tap that."
Please. Please. (PLEASE!) Check out this budding internet star so in the future, you may say, "I saw her first!!!"


She's done covers.
She has her own album.
Singles, no prob. (I've been promising to put this here forever, so now one's been created. And it's beautiful.)
In her newest single, Starlight, her voice is so tender, comforting, and an all-over encompassment of what it means to be home .
I can't wait to hear what else this prolific artist has for us!


With love to Alaina who secretly knows this is all true,


Kayla the also-awkwardly-budding-author. <3

You can access all of her music here: http://alainakrakowiak.bandcamp.com

Best part, it's all completely free to download.

(But she'd appreciate any donations toward her music career.)

I'll add more comments pertaining to each song at a later time.

^ (I don't even know what I wrote, this is from a few months ago, because I, my good sirs and dames, am a procrastinator.)

ANSWER: Bacteria. <3
The heart is totally optional. I put it there for the pizazz.

Kayla's 3 AM Purchasing High

I like to buy stuff; it's most likely a problem.
I like to buy stuff; if you have any complaints, just file them in my pocket along with some money.
I like to buy stuff, but I won't spend it.
I like to buy stuff; I'm a pathological liar. 
:D


Act 1 (Act 1, see, I'm colorblind friendly!)
So, in this "modern age" of ours, my parents are completely and illogically terrified of my computer. It may have the ability to electrocute you (so does your toaster), but it's not going to bite!
I want to buy things off the internet like a normal internet-addict. 
Like books. And cool shoes from Nomadic State of Mind.
Sometimes my folks'll (shhh, I like fake contractions) allow me to use their credit card, in the case of the shoes.
It still scares them.
Alot.


Act 2 (Act 2) (Act II) <--look at me, getting all fancy and giving credit to the Romans.
Before Borders started dying out like an overheated mammoth, I got the Borders Rewards Plan +, because Borders gives good frickin deals. 40% off all the time? 10% off every (new) purchase?
And then, the motherload- free shipping.
Merely a few months ago, I figured this out and also the "used books" section.
Tempting. Too tempting.
Another parental cave, allowing me to buy a few things (like $1 manga).


Act 3 (Act 3) (Act III) (Act 3) <--homeage to Wingdings. I still don't understand/like you.

Mom bought me a $50 gift card, just to avoid using the credit card.
After buying a book on Buddhism, I found out that Borders... was CLOSING (like WTF, MOFOS?!).
You ruined my deal-making, people-who-buy-data-for-$10! Those effin nook-kobo-fake-book-readers ruined all my nefarious plotting!
At least when my favorite place in the world closes, I get some good sales later one.
For now, I went online, Borders.com... and splurged on all the cheap books on/off my wishlist.
Well, some. Borders would only let me buy 20 books at a time, destroying my urge to buy a tofu-cookbook.
This is my book list, if you wanna read them with me or at least comment and laugh:
(the ones marked with * are suggestions from my Book-Buddie Sam. I think he deserves a good dose of  street cred.)


The Greek Cookbook: the Crown Classic Cookbook Series //Sophia Skoura


*The Running Man //King, Stephen

*Skeleton Creek //Patrick Carman

*The Long Walk //Stephen King The Vampire's Promise //Caroline B Cooney Lament: the Faerie Queen?s Deception (Gathering of Faerie) //Stiefvater, Maggie Reincarnation //Suzanne Weyn Green Angel //Alice Hoffman Night World: the Ultimate Fan Guide //L.J. Smith, Annette Pollert Claire De Lune //Christine Johnson Other (an Other Novel) //Kincy, Karen A Curse Dark as Gold //Elizabeth C. Bunce The Global Etiquette Guide to Europe:       Everything You Need to Know for Business and Travel Success //Foster, Dean Allen The Hollow People (the Promises of Dr. Sigmundus, Book 1) //Brian Keaney Plain Kate //Erin Bow Ice //Durst, Sarah Beth Old Warsaw Cookbook //Rysia Mistwood //Leah Cypess Girl Parts //John M. Cusick Polish Cookery//Marja Ochorowicz-Monatowa --------------------- Act 4 (Act 4) (Act IV) (wingdings malfunction) (gbvfbvgffbj) <-- me smashing my head into the keyboard out of... Frustraction <---  an accidental word I typed in while half asleep. I think I'm keeping it. [Frustration/ Distracted... crossbreed/hybrid] All adding up to the wopping price of: $31.57 (with tax). With all my random books, I feel so boss I almost can't take it.  Mind: Polish Cookery, really, Kayla? Me: I like golumpkies. You have a problem with that? Mind: You're going to get fat.  Me: What?! Correct that!! Mind: Fatter? Me: *flips through Buddhism book*          No violence. Damn.         Can I really do this?! In case you haven't noticed, the font/sizing/fun stuff went wacko.  No idea how to fix it; I'm tired. This post is for you, Ms. Sarah. (This post is for you, Ms. Sarah.) Just in case you're colorblind, too. With that assumption, I apologize for your unfortunate sex-linked trait. Your misfortune is truly rare. <3 With love to her readers, Exhausted-chan (me.)

ARG, YEE MATIES!!

We have another member aboard the Kayla-worship... ship. (ahah, that just sounded so awkward, I love it).
New follower, thank you for making my 3:28 AM special.
For you. Me write. Me say stuffs. Yay! Everybody happy!

Random Ideas That Have Popped Into My Head/ Pissed Me Off

1. Why am I listening to Britany Spears right now? The same three songs... for the last half hour?
Um, I'm switching. Now.
Thank you Airplanes by The Ready Set. My love goes out to you, too.

2. Movies with hidden clips after the credits.
You. Piss me off.
Here I was, in the theatre at the showing of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The movie just ended; everybody acts as if a fire alarm has been pulled, throwing themselves out the doors, pouring out like a  too thin pancake batter. Nasty, right?
What's worse is that I'm the awkward person standing with my friend, waiting.
Waiting.
After an eternity, I glance at my phone, squinting at the blurred too-small-numbers. That can't be right.
How long have these credits and bloody annoying (epic) pirate background music been rolling.
Do you really have to name every little boy?! Every food caterer to the caterers?!
Oh. Look-y there, the minimum wage cleaners have arrived to fill their bellies with forgotten candies and to sweep the floor. How many people are left again? Ten... maybe?
I wait. We all wait. In anticipation.
The cleaners just want to seem nonchalant, squirming into corners, doing little stationary sweeping motions to appear productive. Camouflaged by their cinema-ordained khakis, they might not even be there, if it wasn't for the awkwardness. I glance inwards, leaning, aiming for a closer look. Is that the lady in my math class who I saw cleaning in the bathrooms earlier?
Ah! She spotted me! Advert eyes, look away, look away!
...
Silence.
Then appears... the dreaded black screen. The moment of truth.
Will there be more, or just disappointment? (I enjoy good ol' pirate music, but not 20 minutes worth. They could have made those credits a minimovie of their own! Staff of the Caribbean: At Pay's End.)
Okay, okay.
I see... I see a girl! The girl! My time has not been wasted!
My mouth hangs wide open, eyes glazing over with pure attentiveness.
....
One minute later.
...
"Is there going to be another movie?"

And so the journey continues and I'll hopefully get to see the lovely face of Jack Sparrow star in another movie. If not, I want a voodoo doll, too. (aha, inside joke to the... evil... cliff hanger/piss off kayla/ blow mind/ thingy.)

3. I'm an unproductive reader.
Sometimes, I don't start/finish a book because:
-It's too beautiful to end.
-I don't want to become a beast engulfed in a book
(like Mockingjay. My father would ask, "W-would you like a snack? A drink?" And I'd growl and spout things such as "I'm bloody reading!" "He died?!" "Let me enjoy this!!" "Graghfghgf!!")
-Get distracted
-Don't want to know if I'll have to wait for a sequel
-It's summer

It's good to know the only thing I've read this summer is manga and The Secret Unicorn (Part One of Four). And I don't plan on reading the others.
Me? Accomplished much?
You betcha.

4. I've been writing a (craptastic) story.
Should I put some of it on here (?), cause I most definitely need an excuse to write. Long term, kayla-only stories aren't exactly my thing.
I get off topic a lot.
Did I mention I like kitties? :3

With love,
The Wendy who almost has a cumulative 30,000 page views. (sorry, watched a 2-hour Peter Pan movie. Because I'm obviously the coolest. Maybe that's why I'm thinking about pirates...)

Best/ Worst Idea of ...... A While.

What is this stupid, though brillian idea of mine?
Can't be that brilliant-- but I can sure do stupid!
A few words:
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.


If you haven't familiarized yourself with this series (The Hunger Games) yet, I greatly recommend that you do. Mockingjay has to be one of the most fantastic books that I've read in a while. Honestly, the past two days I've been on edge wanting nothing but to know what happens to the stars of the first two books.
Wrecking this book for you guys could be the worst thing I couyld possibly do, but at least take a few suggestions from me.

1. Wait until the weekend to read (you should have seen me frothing at school. I swear when the teacher passed out my math test, I was tempted to tear out some throats and read my hardback in peace.

2. Go into a private/ comfy place and be prepared for a long ride. (Private? My dad tried to over me food and I swatted him away, screaming a little. And the book took me a little while to read...which I spent upwards of five hours reading yesterday. You won't want to put it down.)

3. Choose your team and post it here! (I'll attach it to a poll. Please do vote!)
Team Gale? Team Peeta? Hell, Team Cinna?

4. Create the Dream Cast of The Hunger Games with me! It'll be fun, I'll do a special segment on it if I get enough brio from you guys. Show me enthusiasm!!

--------

Which before I continue, must be rated!! (I have an inclination to get off topic as we all know...)

My grueling conclusion.... >insert heart-wrenching, thrilling music here<

Drum roll please!!

10/10

I don't know if I'm still riding the wave, but I love this book from the bottom of my heart, my core!

It's horrible of me to say, but I like how Katniss's mental state deteriorates throughout the series. You can't live through all she's been through and be unmarred, scar-less. Collins does this magnificently. Everything has been done right, frankly. Her details are the work of a master, nothing simple or expected, death at every turn. It'll make you sing. Cry. Laugh. Be twitchy. Easily agitated. All you can think about. Have to tell someone about it.

Though mostly cry and be twitchy. (this book is going to take a long time for me to possibly forget)

And lastly...

A well deserved...

One question... How does she come up with all these names?! (I've grown to adore them)

I've been working on my part of the dream cast, feeding off people's other ideas.

My possibilities are as follows (gonna be working on it), you better, too!!

Katniss:

Kaya Scodelario

(has the dark look. Could pull it off. I just don't see famous disney-star actors killing people!! Oh, yeah... they suck so bad they kinda do. My bad. I like her still...)

Gale:

Ben Barnes 

(already wearing some District 12-like clothes and looking so fine- pulling it off 100%...)

Really cute- supposed to be older than Katniss anyways.

Peeta:

Hunter Parrish (hard choosing a picture. -check a few out- Each one had different elements I liked, and I want you to like this person, too. So cute.)

Haymitch:

Prim:

President Snow:

---

Other books...

Finick

Annie

Rue

...

oh boy, I'm not up to thinking this much.

Let's just try to cover the basics, huh?

One o'clock Ramblings

I'm just going to type everything that comes off the top of my head....

Doctors.
They scare the hell out of me with their probing eyes, needles, and scalpels. Yeah, they're beneficial and blah, blah, blah- we all have to admit they're terrifying.
Well, at least to me. Cause I've got a doctor's appointment on Tuesday since I found a weird bump on my left breast and don't want to end up looking like my poor rats.
(this isn't my picture, but I think it shows my point.)
Future me isn't looking too good.....

-------------------------

Mockingjay comes out tomorrow!!
The long awaited finale to The Hunger Games series, which I have mentioned before.
If you haven't given it a try, do so now. What a gripping, heart wrenching tale... and finally the conclusion to the trio is out. I'm really regretting pre-ordering the book (since I'm getting it around September 2nd. I didn't know there was going to be a release party at borders...)
That party-- I'm so going to.
4:00 PM. I'm semi-pumped since all my former plans were canceled.
Though I'll kinda be going it alone....
At least I'm going to buy some merch. and new manga- also The Iron Daughter, sequel to The Iron King.
Which are definitely worth a read.
----------

I've got to go soon (being banished to the downstairs realms).
Before I leave, I've got to touch on one last subject----

          NosTale


An adorable MMO, lemme tell you. As my friend Brette told me--- if you want to play the game, avoid the "world server" --hence it's of the world and runs very slowly.
And I'LL be on the UK version, so you'll HAVE to go on it. Problem solved.
I don't know how to explain the game.... but it's so adorable to kill things!!


Here's the basic instructions she gave me:


1. Go to us.mmogame.com and browse the games until you find NosTale.
2. Click and go to "help".
3. Make sure the setting is on "UK" and download!


--You might need an account to the site first, which takes roughly a minute.--


THE WELL DESERVED........

goodnight my lovelies.
<3, Kayla.

But..... I'M SLOW!!

Time to catch up on the books I've been reading the last few months.... stupid slacker tendencies. I'll see if I can remember what I had to say about them- I really hate my memory.
It'll recall stupid minute details, though nothing important.

Starting with....

Cut by Patricia McCormick

Starting with what the back cover had to say....

    Callie cuts herself. Never too deep, never enough to die. But enough to feel the pain. Enough to feel the scream inside.
     Now she's at Sea Pines, a "residental treatment facility" filled with girls struggling with problems of their own. Callie doesn't want to have anything to do with them. She doesn't want anything to do with anyone. She won't even speak.
     But Callie can only stay silent for so long....
---
My take on it:

It's never a good sign when a book begins with three pages of positive reviews.
Why?
The publisher is basically putting the raves up as a safety net-
     
"Don't like it? You.... you have to like the book! Look at these famous people! See all this?! They liked it... So you ha-have to... Have to! HAVE TO!!!"

Yeah, you see where I'm going.

The second thing- Patricia McCormick's take on self-multilation was very shallow feeling. And fake. In her interviews (and on the book's back) it stated that she took three years to interview people and write this 149 page book. This brings up the question... Had she ever done it? No.
Not that I have a problem with that, it just seems very artificial in the book...

In an interview:

Q: How much research did you do for Cut?


A: Writing Cut took three years. I started out doing a lot of research. Then, at the advice of an editor friend, I decided to put all my research material aside and let the story come, not from my notes or my books, but from my imagination. After the book was finished I visited a clinic for girls who self-injure. I was terrified that I'd gotten everything wrong. I was pleased and touched to see that my imaginary characters were surprisingly similar to the real people who shared their stories with me.


More importantly, I was gratified by the girls who read the manuscript and who told me how pleased they were that someone was interested in telling their story.

Very sweet and all....
See how this was a bad combination?
You can't turn feelings and the lack of into notes, graphs, research-- you'll get it wrong.
Gah! Sorry, but this bothered me, how she portrayed everything (as much as I remember).
At least this book (overly)simplifies things so they make sense to those who aren't too familiar in this territory.

As a character, I didn't care much for Callie, either. Not that she had much of a personality to begin with.
At the end of the story (believe me, you're not missing anything), I believe she escapes "Sick Minds" (what she nicknamed the place) to see her family. After getting tired and winding up Dunkin' Donuts, she calls her dad. They talk for a bit, a back and forth conversation.
Then he says- "So. Where we going? Home?"
And little miss Callie goes "Back to Sick Minds."
...
Bravo.
....
Didn't you just run from the place?
And I thought you didn't like it there... and didn't want to go back?

I GIVE UP ON YOU!

Kayla's remembered rating/guesstamation:
3.5/10


Tiddles And Bits from other people's reviews!


Terrence Ibarra (1/5) *stars 
"Creating a contrived "cutter" does nothing but harm"
I'm not sure who was involved in letting this thing out, but perhaps they should reevaluate their criteria, not to mention their careers. As for the author, if in fact she never has cut herself, I would suggest she look, in the future, towards her own experience, rather than co-opting a serious issue that afflicts so many. It is already misunderstood enough. Cutting does not need this sort of false publicity, this pseudo-understanding, this ingenuous "creativity."


A Customer (2/5)
"Superficial treatment of a deep subject"
I had expected more from this book when i bought it. After reading the summary on the back cover, i was hoping to read a serious novel that truly confronted the issue of self-injury (SI). Instead, i found the book to be lacking in depth and using SI as a gimmick to establish the lead character, Callie, in the setting of the book.    
     "Cut" is not a novel about the issue of cutting. It is a novel about a girl in an adolescent psychiatric ward. As written, the book is a very diluted version of "Girl, Interrupted," describing Callie's stay in the ward and some experiences with her therapist and with the other patients. With very little effort, this book could be rewritten as a story of a girl with an eating disorder or a substance abuse problem--the type of mental-health issue is unimportant to the plot.
     If you are looking for a story about life in a psychiatric ward, written at a middle school level, this book is perfect and very readable. If, however, you are looking for a book for older teens or adults, or for a book specifically confronting the issue of self-injury, you will likely find "Cut" very disapppointing.


ON THE BRIGHT SIDE:


Mid-Praire Teen (5/5)
"A great book on real life problems"
I'm reviewing a great book called Cut by Patricia McCormick. It is a wonderful descriptive novel about a girl named Callie who cuts herself and her father works a lot to make money so they can take care of her brother since he's sick. Her mother doesn't work and she stay's home with her brother Sam so he doesn't get sick anymore. Callie's parents send her to Sea Pines so she can get better just with a little help. Her parents can visit, and do a couple of times. She has to go to group with other people with the same problem as her or something else. Callie doesn't talk during group or even sit by the group. She sits by herself by a window not really paying attention. After group she goes to talk to a counselor to talk about things somewhat personal. To find out what else happens and what Callie decides to do you have to read the book yourself.

I thought this book was very descriptive, and really good to read. If I could rate this book between 1-10 I would rate it a 10. That's how much I liked it. I don't have the same problem as Callie, but I know people that are so it gave me some new perspectives to think about. If you like books about real life problems then you would like this book.
 


Woops... Who let the toddlers on the computer again?!
Good job, you summarized the book, gave it a perfect score..... but didn't give any good reasons why you could stand the thing!!
 
*huff*
 
My friend Juhi suggested it to me.... but honestly- I didn't care for it. Sorry, loff. (Luna, that's a different story)
What's even more disappointing is that I had to special order it. EIGHT BUCKS. It's tiny, too... (didn't check the pages when ordering.)

On the bright side (a less sarcastic one), one less book I have to review.... a good six to go.

Until next time!

I Can't Understand You... But It's Okay.

Who doesn't love the "classic" coming of age book, The Giver by Lois Lowry....

(I loved my 7th grade copy so much I turned it into The Diary of Anne Frank for an 8th grade Language arts project..... Yay for recycling!)

THE STORY:
About Jonas, a twelve year old receiving the crippling memories of the thousands of years before him through an old man touching his back.
His father's a baby killer. Literally.
Only birthmothers are allowed to get preggo, and they're used 4 or 5 times before they're trashed.
Retirement = death.
He has dreams about sponge bathing old women.
Sexual yearnings are called the stirrings, which are treated by daily pills.
........
Yay for coming of age?

Here's some video spoofs I found kinda entertaining... even though I had some communication problems.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMDp3Sm0EwU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSsvyO4uPeM&playnext_from=TL&videos=qvljVEdL-Ao&feature=sub

....
I'm good. now.

YUU FOGOT DUHHH BLOOBERRIEZ!

Believe me, I'm NOT putting this video on here because it's so damn cute.

Me? That innocent? Well, that's for you to decide.

Just watch the whole thing. The WHOLE thing.
(thanks to Alaina for showing me this video)

--------
This one site makes me wonder, makes me really wonder:

What the hell's wrong with people??
(this is what I get for looking up "tiger hairstyle")

It's a new revolution!
Who needs to memorialize a passed pet with a fancy stone, flowers, or even a few nice words when you can incorporate them into your hairstyle?

They say that pets look like their owners-- so prove them right!

Just shear Fido right off and you're ready to go.
Or plop a baby elephant on your head and "voila", a hairstyle the entire family can feel ashamed about.
Maybe it'll even increase your memory-- so you remember never to do this again.

If you're part of a family of hunters, celebrate a job well done!!
- 'cause who doesn't want a plaited ball of hair on their head?
Oh, yeah, we're extreme.
Worst part was that the site even spelled deer wrong. "Hairstyle with Dear". Twice.

Oh, and last-- if you have unmanageable hair like my friend Haylee, don't let it bring you down.
Just turn it into some other fuzzy bastard.
BEFORE:

AFTER:

Total improvement, rightttt???

Wrong.

Here's some more if you want them: WTF HAIR CONTINUED

-------

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Premade overview. YAY:

When Wayland North brings rain to a region that's been dry for over ten years, he's promised anything he'd like as a reward. He chooses the village elder's daughter, sixteen-year-old Sydelle Mirabel, who is a skilled weaver and has an unusual knack for repairing his magical cloaks. Though Sydelle has dreamt of escaping her home, she's hurt that her parents relinquish her so freely and finds herself awed and afraid of the slightly ragtag wizard who is unlike any of the men of magic in the tales she's heard. Still, she is drawn to this mysterious man who is fiercely protective of her and so reluctant to share his own past.

The pair rushes toward the capital, intent to stop an imminent war, pursued by Reuel Dorwan (a dark wizard who has taken a keen interest in Sydelle) and plagued by unusually wild weather. But the sudden earthquakes and freak snowstorms may not be a coincidence. As Sydelle discovers North's dark secret and the reason for his interest in her and learns to master her own mysterious power, it becomes increasingly clear that the fate of the kingdom rests in her fingertips. She will either be a savior, weaving together the frayed bonds between Saldorra and Auster, or the disastrous force that destroys both kingdoms forever.

Who's Team North? KAYLA IS!!

Wonderful, wonderful book that little people are aware of- and I'm proud to be one of them.'

It just came out, really--March 23, 2010. Quite new.

North is charming and distasteful, clever and humorous.

Sydelle (or Syd as North likes to call her) is the easily loveable heroine who kicks ass her own way.

Slipping into Sydelle's feelings and thoughts was effortless, usually pleasant- and I often found myself muddling them with my own.

When I ordered this book online, there was hardcover and library bound.

Guess who got the expensive one!

Me.

Dumbasses. Really, it was only a few bucks more. But, yes.

If you're really interested, here's another synopsis (and on the author's site is a link to the first chapter, I've heard)-

Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him.

In return for this gift, Wayland North is offered any reward he desires—and no one is more surprised than Sydelle when, without any explanation, he chooses her. Taken from her home, Sydelle hardly needs encouragement to find reasons to dislike North. He drinks too much and bathes too little, and if that isn’t enough to drive her to madness, North rarely even uses the magic he takes such pride in possessing. Yet, it’s not long before she realizes there’s something strange about the wizard, who is as fiercely protective of her as he is secretive about a curse that turns his limbs a sinister shade of black and leaves him breathless with agony. Unfortunately, there is never a chance for her to seek answers.

Along with the strangely powerful quakes and storms that trace their path across the kingdom, other wizards begin to take an inexplicable interest in her as well, resulting in a series of deadly duels. Against a backdrop of war and uncertainty, Sydelle is faced with the growing awareness that these events aren’t as random as she had believed—that no curse, not even that of Wayland North, is quite as terrible as the one she herself may carry.

This book gets-- and deserves-- a 9/10 and the Kayla Seel (oh, I do love seels and seals) of Approval.

I love you all (kinda).

And last thing:

HAPPY SUMMER VACATION!

Reclusive Recluse

Lately, I've had no social life....

Voice: You've never had a social life!

Shut up! Who asked you?

Voice: I'm your mind, I don't need to be asked.
Gah! Ew, and just mentioning--can you clean the cobwebs up here? And...... And....
And something smells like dead rat....

About that........
---

So.... like I said, no social life the past few weeks which = me reading much more.
Which then = me being lazy. And I'm pretty lazy to begin with.
Which ultimately = the fact that I'm becoming a recluse.

Recluse:
[n. rek-loos, ri-kloos; adj. ri-kloos, rek-loos]
–noun

1.a person who lives in seclusion or apart from society, often for religious meditation.

Awww, shiz.

Here are my pictures (cause I know you all love examples!!)

Obama
Well, if he was bit by a recluse.
And if he was asian....
And.... nevermind. Use your lovely imagination.

A BROWN RECLUSE!

(the stuff that appearantly romps, yes, romps around Tennessee and my neighborhood. Woo....
The person next door was bit by one.... and it seems to really, really suck. Haha.... hah... I hate spiders)


And then there's me!
Pretty similar to both of them, holed up in a dark corner, reading a book.

Then there's my mom.

As always, she's chastising me about reading in the dark- ruining the mood via lights. Post bursting into my room.

Like seriously, if I want lights on, I'll turn them on.

I'm not gonig to be all like:

"It's so dark..... so very dark.... I can barely read.... is that clap or crap.... so confused....
God, I'm so miserable! This is terrible.... the lights aren't on.... oh, my....."

Okay... maybe.

I might actually be like that.

---
I'll do another book review for you guys cause I'm caring and all.... *snickers*

------------

Kiss & Blog  by Alyson Noel


Usually, I'm not into the whole "realistic fiction" fad. If I want realistic fiction, I'll write some type of autobiography (blogging...?) and call it a day. Or call it my life. My very pitiful life.

But then I saw that it was by Mrs. Noel (the writer of the highly addictive The Immortals series. Evermore, Blue Moon, etc.) and thought, why not- I'll give it a chance. I've liked a couple books of this kind.... just not something blatantly called Kiss & Blog. But because I'm not judgemental (hehe), I picked it up and began reading during the only time I knew I would read it unforcibly- during the empty minutes of TCAP.

The beginning sucked.
Except I did like the part where Cash Davis, the jerk of the school who the main character Winter is crushing on, said something abrupt....

"Oh, man, you're that chick who spilled that purple shit all over the place yesterday." Then he shakes his shiny, beach-bleached hair, and narrows his Pacific blue eyes in disdain. "You're a fuckin' hazard, bro." (19)

How can you not LOL? And because of Avery (the gay horse joke), every time one of the people said "Heyyy", I couldn't help but mess it up. And that was alot.
(I'll edit the hey every time....= adding appropriate letters)

Try it out, you're guaranteed* to at least smile once.

* Smiling is by no means guaranteed by Kayla, Kayla Kulture, or anything in association with Kayla or Kayla Kulture.

And then, as if that wan't enough, she continued to look me in the eye as she opened her frosty pink mouth to say, "Heyyyyy." (160)

"Heyyyyy," they say all together now, scrutinizing my entire outfit, and smiling in a way that could never, under any circumstances, be considered sincere. (185)

"Heyyyyy," he whispers, leaning back and smiling. (215)

"Oh, heyyyyy," I say, stopping just shy of the door, wondering what they could possibly want. (217)

"Heyyyyy," I say, gazing from him to the still wet walls. "Is my mom around?" (207) 

"Of course. I just got finished with her, Winter. You next?" He replies, wrenching his zipper down with a quick flick of his wrist that seemed so smooth and seemless, he must have practiced it.

Okay, I added that part, but see how awkward that joke made every phrase?! LAWL!

In a nutshell, here's the book:

  Long time best friends Winter and Sloane [slow-an + a country drawl] want to be popular. That's all they care about. Are obsessed about. All summer they make careful preparations-- "correct popular responses" notecards, buying all the latest fads, a cheer so they can try out for cheerleading, a matching set of Victoria's Secret PINK pj's for pajama day (for the cheerleaders at their school), and a "popular" personality.
One that only Sloane has seemed to perfect. The popular group immediately accepts her into their bosom (hehe)..... with the exception of Winter. They said they'd do it together- if one made it, she was supposed to open the doors of popularity to the other. Except.... that didn't happen.

Sloane secures her cheerleading position by stealing Winter's cheer. (they were supposed to be a team)
She gets the guy, mista Cash.

Has the friends.

The popularity.

While Winter's left with the sour taste of betrayal. (And lemons! They're sour, too!)

To get revenge, she begins a blog titled The Gospel of Eleanor Rigby, exposing all of her friend's darkest secrets-- nicknamed P.P. (pee pee) for Princess Pink. 
Like number 11.

11. If asked, P.P. will pretend that she never, ever, not even once, cried herself asleep because the only thing she wanted in the whole world was to meet Britany Spears. But don't you believe her.

Which leavses me wondering.....
With hair or without?

Her blog suddenly becomes very popular with the students of Ocean High, exposing the socially mutilating secrets of Pee Pee to the world......

And things go on from there.

But don't'cha worry, there's romance in this book- I usually don't like books without romance (which is why I'm iffy about The Den of Shadows Quartet by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. Wait til I review it before even THINKING of picking it up. uck)

All and all, this book wasn't so bad. It was actually pretty good.

If you don't like the beginning, don't get discouraged!

Kayla's Rating: 8.5/10

It was actually a pretty good book, except it was hard for me to get into the whole "popularity is my life" thing. Toward the middle, I was actually finishing it up out of choice (so I read the 227 pages in one day).

I usually don't have much time for reading.....

Except since I've become a recluse.

About that, at least I know which cult to join...

I'm really curious about this picture I found while looking up "recluse"-"spider".
Anyone care to join?


By the way, I'm sooooo proud of my cat for starting this thing (her name's Luna, so this is obviously hers. I'd follow her anyday. Except to the litterbox. Except that.... evil microbes....)

Nighty night my faithful few...

The few, the proud**, the Kayla Kulture readers.

thank[most of]you.

Love,
the cat that kinda freaks kayla out by its sharp teeth.

Nail file anyone???

**proud does not include the meh'er who continues to piss me off and is probably getting their natural high from all of this attention.

New Stuff = Happiness

Okay, just wanting to ask-- do you guys (readers, *cough*) prefer more frequent but shorter posts, rarer mega-posts, or are neutral either way?
Tell me so that I can better serve YOU! (haha.... ha...)
No. I am not your personal slave.
Yet. Depends if you can make sushi and entertain me- I feat few can accomplish.
Not really. Just hand me a piece of twine.

Adorable, yes?
Yeah.... that's not me. Remember that mutant from a few posts ago? Mm, hm, now that's me.

----
Okay, I REAAAALLY need to stop my hand spasms. I pushed some weird button on my key board [BUTTERFINGERS] ... >sho tasteh<  and it made my screen FILL with the site I had up. Which was this one. And that freaked me out, so I pressed random keys on the board in kayla confusion. My loffs, I almost lost all of this beautiful work. This.... this masterpiece. This.....
Blasphemy, really.

--------
MORE BOOKS FOR YOU AVID (or nor so avid) READERS!!
....
And these are ones I've actually finished!!!

Voice: Good job. I clap for you.

Me: Are you... Are you serious?!

Voice: Haha. No.

Me: You were just yanking my chain!

Voice: Yanking.... your what?

Me: My chain. You're yanking it.

Voice: Oh. Be that way.

Me: It's okay, voicey. My fatherly figure (WowLaurenWow, thanks for the ref.) thought I didn't know what that meant.

Voice: Me either, what with your IQ score and all----

Me: I thought... I told you never to speak of that again...

Voice: *whispers* gooooose........eeeeeegg.......
---------
Here are da books (skip as you please):
The Vampire Diaries
If I Should Die Before I Wake
-----

I'll start at the bottom.

Being of Polish decent, I find fiction books on the holocaust extremely interesting.
If I Should Die Before I Wake by  Han Nolan is an example of a book like that. Also entertaining because I read it on the nine hour car ride to New Orleans.
In a nutshell.... (don't worry, no spoilers. I'm just cruel like that you lazy peoplez)
Enter Hilary, a sixteen year old neo-nazi living in the subburbs.
Well, before she was in a motorcycle accident that practically killed her.
Practically. While Hilary's body battles against the odds in a Jewish hospital (Irrrrony) not far from her wreck, her mind is far away in Poland.
There, she is no longer herself- she's Chana.
The Jew.
~
I give this booook.... 8/10 or 9/10.
The ending was a bit odd, but it was truly a touching story. *dabs at eyes*
If you're not into this sort of novel, you may be a bit bored-- though I found it engaging.
Still, the ending was weird. O.O
---------------------------
Book Three of The Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love L.J. Smith's fantasy books- especially her Night World series which is by far one of my favorites!

This book was just downright disappointing.

Books one and two were phenomenal pageturners that I couldn't put down.
No, really. I blame the superglue.
And about the t.v. show- I've heard it's great, although the first episode was a major turnoff.
Like seriously, ELENA'S HAIR IS BLOND!!! Throughout the entire series, they mention "halo of golden hair" "blond" "angelic blond" "yellow wheat" .... those aren't the exact ones--- but you get my point. They mention it. Alot. I like my minor details.
And the other cast is pretty dang (f-bombsss awaayyy) - up.
Stephan is...... somehow unattractive. Kinda ape-ish.
And Damon. Well, he's an exception. They didn't portray him too terribly. Reminds me of the fawn dude in Narnia.


Okay, onto the story.
There's vampires. Yes, I get that.
What I don't get is why they randomly added a slew of kitsune-(japanese shapeshifting fox demon/spirits/ creatures. For reference- Nine-tails, the Pokemon. More tails = more power.)
I like japanese folklore, yes.
When it enters my beloved vampire books unsuccessfully and randomly- not so much. Especially when it alters the story.
The first bit of the third book was wonderful. The rest? Not so much.
Rating: Around 5.5/10. It was one of those WTF kind of books.
-----------
Soon to come:

Willow by Julia Hoban

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

(a continuation of) Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
------------
Oh, and if you get the chance to:
Listen to Mum.
No, not your mother, although she might like that from time to time.
The Band/ group/ person. I don't know- Alaina gave me the tracks.
Try the album- "Finally We Are No One"
I love it!
Your closet buddy,
KAILAH-CHAAN!