iTeen Kansas City Blog

Jeez. This year is going by sooo fast. I don't know what I assumed would happen after I graduated high school, but I never thought I would actually miss it. I just want to freeze time so I can enjoy the little time I have left. I always wanted high school to be over with, but now that I am so close to actually getting out, I am thinking about everything that I will miss. All those friends I only see when I'm at school, ill miss every single one of them. And worst of all, I only have 3 months left. Does anyone else feel the same way?

We're currently accepting submissions for official iTeenKC bloggers.  Just email a sampling of your writing so we can get a feel for your style to info@iTeenKC.com, be sure to put "Blogger" in the subject line.  The more voices the better!

What do you know about Greek Mythology? Oh, that Zeus guy, right? And then... Hercules!

But Greek mythology is really complex and interesting. I'm not going to go off on some tangent about how we all should learn more classics, blah blah blah but I think that learning the stories of the people who founded society like the Ancient Egyptians and the Ancient Greeks is pretty important!

That's why today, my friends, I am not going to talk about one book, but instead six, all by the same author. I know, so ambiguous! ...sure.

The first book is Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. This book is about Greek mythology. I know there's a movie, but the book is so much better and the movie isn't slightly accurate. (For example, Percy is supposed to be 11, Annabeth has BLONDE hair, and Riptide has a CAP!) If you can't tell, I didn't love the movie. They didn't even get the plot line right! Which is why you should go read the book. Even though this seems like a little kid book, my sophomore friends and I still get excited about it. The only reason I would recommend seeing the movie is because the special effects are pretty cool and the guys are superawesomemegafoxyhot! (Points for whoever e-mails me with what that's from.)

Before you go get this, though, you may want to know what it's about. Percy Jackson is just misunderstood. ADHD and dyslexia - it's not his fault! His mom has always supported him and found him new schools when he gets expelled from the old ones, but his stepfather sees Percy as a no good loser. Then Percy is told something - his real father is a Greek God. I really suck at writing summaries, so you may want to look some up. But I can assure you that this book is super fantastic!

The next book is The Cane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid, also by Rick Riordan. This is about Carter and Sadie Cane, who are siblings that have been separated forever. Their father is a world renowned Egyptian archaeologist, and Carter has grown up with him while Sadie lived with their deceased mother's parents in England. But after a terrible accident with their father, they find out lots of secrets about their family and themselves. I didn't like this as much, but then again I haven't read it as many times. But I would still definitely recommend this to anyone.

I don't think I can fit all of my reviews on this one post, so you should go check out the rest on my blog http://www.SMWGraceR2013.blogspot.com or if you want to e-mail me, it's SMW.Grace.R@gmail.com. I definitely treasure your comments/questions!

<3 you if you exist!

-Grace

Hey, fellow readers!

So today I was at the movies and I saw iTeenKC and I thought "Oh crap, I haven't blogged in awhile!"

So, I'm blogging! Yay!

Today I had to clean out my bookshelves. Clean out as in get rid of books! It was very traumatic. But when deciding what books to keep, I also came across my blog topic.

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen is the story of Ruby Cooper, a girl with an alcoholic mother. When Ruby's mother abandons her, Ruby decides to live on her own. And succeeds!... For a few days. Then, the landlords find out that Ruby, only 17, is living alone and Ruby is sent to live with her big sister Cora, who Ruby hasn't seen in years.

There's a lot of long standing tension between Ruby and Cora, especially because of all the changes going through Cora's life. She's now married, lives in a HUGE house, and has money to spare.

This story, as cliche as it sounds, comes alive through Ruby's sarcasm and skepticism. Being a pretty cynical person myself, I found it very easy to relate to Ruby. But if that's not really your type, check out Sarah Dessen's other books. I've read almost all of them, and I have never been disappointed.

I definitely want to hear your thoughts. You can either e-mail me at SMW.Grace.R@gmail.com or check out my blog at www.SMWGraceR2013.blogspot.com. Or both!

Check out my reviews on music on the music blog!

The accident has left Maggie with a crippiled leg. It completley changed her life. She stopped going to school for a year, lost her best friends, her popularity, and her place on the Tennis team. Tennis was Maggies whole life before the accident. It dosen't help that she has to live next door to the family of the boy (Caleb) who did this all to her. Throughout the book you go through amazing emotions and see how their lives come together now that Caleb is back. You can practically feel the emotions Maggie goes through when people call her names like "retarded" and "cripple". And Caleb hurts just as much when people are always refering to him as "dangarous" and a "criminal". Even his whole family is diffrent. He realizes how much life can change in a year.

The book is phenomenal and  I suggest you all read it!

The Time Traveler's Wife is now most famous as a major motion picture. But before all of that began there was a book made by Audrey Niffenger. I had seen the comercials for the movie and it looked interesting but I have never really been a fan of the whole time machine thing. Its just too sci-fi for me. But I decided to pick up the book anyways. And I am very glad I did. The book is about the main characters Henry and Clare. Henry is a time Traveler and the way he time travels has never been done before. He compares it to having the disease epilespy in the book. He can't control it. One day he is working at his job in the library and the next minute hes taken to the scene he wishes more than anything he could leave behind.

The time Traveling has its benefits and pains as everything does. But its also a story of an epic romance that started from awhile back and continues on in different time periods. The two are in love and are fighting more than anything to make it work and make the relationship worthy of the notebook. Will it last? Will time traveling have after effects? Details on the romance? You can find all of this out by picking up a copy of the Time Traveler's wife at your local library! Peace! :)

Hey everyone! Hows the world treating you? A personal belief of mine is that too many people have given up on reading. I have a ton of friends who always say, "well I'll just wait for the movie to come out... " . What a lot of people dont understand is that there is something great about reading a good book. I personally am not a fan of the classics. Although i've read some shakespere and all that stuff I perfer modern day books. Today I'm going to talk about one of my favorite series. The Luxe Books by Anna Godberson/

A lot of people know the books by their covers. You may have seen them around or at Borders. The books have diffrent girls on the cover with huge, old fashioned dresses that have a certain class to them. If your not into dresses, dont judge a book by its cover. These books take place at a period from long long ago, but unlike the old books their written in a modern language. The books are about the main characters who are living in the nice areas of New York. They are old, rich families that take pride in their lady like ways and the handsome men that steal their hearts.

What you dont expect to come out of the book is suspense, love triangles, pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying untill dawn, irresistable boy characters that you wish your boyfriend would be like, white lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups. There are four books in the series so far and they are defiantley worth your time! Go check them out at the local library, or buy them from the nearest barnes and noble. Can't wait to hear what you think about them!

Heres the link to the website: http://www.theluxebooks.com/series.vm

So there's an earlier post about the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins on here. I just want to reiterate what an AMAZING book this is. Mrs. Collins astounded me with her uncanny description about what life as a teenager caught in an awkward position was like. I've read many of these "dramatic" novels, and have been steadily unimpressed, but this shocked me. I started this book at 3:00 in the afternoon and sacrificed my viola playing, my homework, and, sadly, my poor dog's walk just in order to figure out "what happens next!" (Oh, I finished at sometime that evening.) Then, I had to figure out someway to get the next one, pronto. So for those of you who haven't read it, get your mom to take you to Borders RIGHT NOW! Be sure to get Catching Fire while you're there, also, because you will surely want to read it. The next book in the trilogy comes out August 24th. I hope I've occupied you for several hours!

-Grace

Can a teenager really write a book? The answer is a resounding YES! 

There have been many famous and not-yet-famous teen authors. 

Have you read The Outsiders? S.E. Hinton (Susan Eloise Hinton) wrote that book when she was 16.

Anne Frank received a diary for her 13th birthday and a few weeks later went into hiding from the Nazis. Her words have been read by millions of people.

On a lighter note, the author of the Captain Underpants series, Dav Pilkey, held the classroom record for the number of crayons he could stick up his nose. A diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder and Hyperactivity didn't stop this guy from writing his first book at age 19. It was called  World War Won.

Christopher Paolini, a homeschooled teen, wrote Eragon when he was 15.

Estevan Vega wrote Servant of the Realm when he was 15.

 Since then he has written two other books: The Sacred Sin and the soon-to-be published Arson.

Teens have a lot of say, so if you want to write a book, go for it! These authors did.

Hmmm....

Although the first book in Stephanie Meyer's series, Twilight, offered a seemingly new twist in teen romances, by the time I got to New Moon, I sensed a fear that had nothing to do with Edward's sharp teeth.

Where exactly is this series going? I admit to having read only two books of the four, but what kind of message is Meyer giving to fans?

In case you haven't 'met' Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, they're a high school duo. Okay, that's not original except for the fact that Edward is a vampire. I give the author credit for having the klutzy-girl-next-door fall for the ultimate-bad-boy-who-is-really-good, but the development of this plot is definitely belittling to females.

Bella obsesses over this guy and can't seem to breathe when he's around or not. In New Moon, Edward decides to break off this relationship because, hey, it's hard for an immortal 17 year old to date a human girl with nice smelling blood in her veins. (No, I didn't make that up; that's the essential story line.)

But what happens next is Bella falling apart. Sure, every good romance has to build up some tension that usually develops after an argument or misunderstanding. Yet, Bella really loses it.

And that's my problem with this book. Is this normal? No, not the part about the vampire, we all know that's fantasy. But the message I'm getting from this novel is that a girl needs a special guy in her life to exist.

Let me take this one step further. Bella wants to die to be with Edward forever.

Do we really need another book, (let alone an entire series!) to feed off teens' emotions? (And for now, I'm just going to ignore her new best friend, Jacob, because it's too weird.)

The author claims to have based her books (loosely) on Pride and Prejudice. Nah. That book was a classic, but Meyer's series merely manipulates readers' minds.

So, do you think I'm a Twitard?

Set in the future, in the ruins of North America, The Hunger Games are both a spectator sport and a scream for survival. Every year, twenty-four teenagers are forced into a unique arena with only one basic rule: Kill or be killed. Every moment of this brutal battering is televised with bets being placed on the winner. But to the teens inside the arena, winning only means walking out of this nightmare.

Author Suzanne Collins takes readers alongside the Tributes from District 12. Their gasps, shrieks and cries fill these pages with an unrelenting sense of suspense. The conclusion is explosive and there are enough loose ends to open the door to the sequel.

The Hunger Games is truly a taste of terror in a thought-provoking plot.

And if you have never read anything by this author, check out The Underland Chronicles. I loved the entire series!

Have you read anything by Suzanne Collins?

True stories are often better than fiction. That's probably why yet another book about Christian the Lion has been recently published. Although the original story happened in 1969 and a couple years afterward, the appeal of this lion cub still remains strong.

Two friends, Ace and John, bought the male cub in Harrods' exotic animal department. Christian lived in their basement for a year, and the three of them developed a strong attachment for one another. When the men realized that a life of captivity wasn't in Christian's best interests, they decided to release him into the wilds of Africa.

This book traces their early years and has some wonderful photos. But if you really want to get the full impact of their friendship, see their heartwarming reunion at YouTube.

Imagine having a lion cub as a pet and a friend...

No, I'm not going to talk about some scholarly journal that would be best eaten by a gang of bookworms. (Personally, I think really smart people should speak more clearly so the rest of us can get smart too....but I digress.)

Do you believe time exists? No fair checking to see if your watch stopped. I mean, is time something that actually happens or is it some manmade invention so we can feel in control? If you've ever had thoughts like this, you are not alone. Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity overthrew assumptions about time. He didn't think it exists in a linear fashion but has other dimensions.

Tanglewreck is a fictional story that explores another way of looking at time. When a Time Tornado drops ancient horsemen and chariots into present-day London, an out-of-this-reality adventure begins. An evil scientist, a certain prophecy and an orphan named Silver leap across the barriers of time and space for a story not soon forgotten.

Although the author used imagination to bring this tale to life, there are also explanations about time and its possible properties scattered throughout the book. This gives the novel a rich dimension and will give readers something to think about long after the last page is turned.

Make "time" for this book.

Okay, I'm not a Twitard, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a good love story.

Although Chataine's Guardian was published over twenty years ago, the plot hasn't lost its power. Author Robin Hardy has personified love with the character of Roman. No, he doesn't have a head of tousled hair and an impish smile, but Roman's physical looks do play a large part in this book.

Set in the fictional kingdom of Lystra, the story follows the relationship that develops between  Chataine Deidre and Roman. Deidre's father and ruler of the fictional realm of Lystra appoints Roman as her guardian because of the heightened political intrigue developing in his kingdom. Although Roman was a seasoned warrior, keeping Deidre safe gave him a whole new set of challenges. The plot steadily builds to a climax when Roman performs the most selfless of all actions. Readers will almost be able to hear Roman's heart beating with love.

This book remains one of my all-time favorites. Most authors depict 'love' as a verb, but in this novel, 'love' becomes a proper noun. There's no hype here-- just a dose of love as it should be.

A few days ago I went into my local bookstore. I was rather excited for this trip, I'd just received a $50 dollar gift card and at the time the possibilities on what to get were endless.  Once I'd made my way up to the teens section of the store, I was hit with a giant sign "VAMPIRES" tables were stacked with books upon books all centered around the undead. I turned to my right and just as I suspected a whole wall was even dedicated to the ‘Twilight' saga. Now don't get me wrong, I like my blood suckers just as much as the next guy. And no I'm not one of those rabid Twilight fangirls. (I save my fangirl moments for Harry Potter... but that's a whole new story.) I'm just sick of vampires. Or, what I should say is I'm sick of the hype Vampires are getting these days. It seems like everyone and their grandmother has hopped on the eternal life bandwagon and milked it for all it's worth. Correction, okay not everyone has tried their hand with the vampires but thanks to book publicity it seems like it. I know there are many really amazing books that have come out recently that have nothing to do with vampires. The problem is they're white nose that will go unnoticed by the general population. It also doesn't help that I hate reading a book when it's popular. Because to me, books are like secret gardens and hidden treasure maps that only you know about when you read the book. When it's popular, however, it feels like my secret place is now a public stomping ground. It ruins the book for me really. Am I just odd or does anyone else feel this way? So while I wait for all the vampires to be pulled from display and quietly put back in their coffins, placed among all the other ordinary books. By genera by authors last name in alphabetical order I sit here and wonder, what will the next fad be? Thanks to Gossip Girl the clique based series are making a comeback but I don't think that'll be it. I suspect it'll be illegal relationships (i.e. jailbait, predators... ect.) I'll be putting my vote in for Zombies or some kind of mythical creature. What do you think the next fad will be any you really want to see in the spotlight? 

Although the title seems to caution readers --Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before-- once that first page is turned, no one will want to close this book until the end. Author David Yoo has created a love story that may not resonant with "Romeo and Juliet" fans, but will hit the mark with MySpace or Facebook followers. While teenage love stories seem to be popular, this one delivers a dose of reality and hilarity that you won't find anywhere else.

Albert Kim is the kind of student that you could sit next to in high school for four years and not even notice. That's because Al had given up and had become an intentional loser. He perfected his Zen-like detachment from life and walked through the halls of his high school with an odd mixture of apathy and anger. He wanted to slip through the cracks and stay invisible, but meeting Mia Stone pulled him into the spotlight.

Mia was the high school sweetheart, cheerleader and the "One Most Likely To" (fill in the blank with whatever you want, Mia could do it.) When a summer job pushed this unlikely pair together, love exploded with the force of a zit. It was both a relief and a little messy.

Written from Al's perspective, readers will get inside his mind and discover a lot of surprising stuff. This nerd from nowhere has opinions, hopes and dreams and as the pages turn, they spill out into actions that take his life someplace he never thought he would go. Al is candid, often alarmingly so, but that makes this book hard to resist. The author shows the complicated social networking that high school teens deal with daily in an upfront and honest way.

This is more than a story about the nerd getting the prom queen. It's more like the prom queen getting the nerd, and no, I haven't heard that one before.

(Courtesy of In the Library Reviews)

What are you reading?