In My Mailbox - April 3rd, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

I had a much longer post planned, but whenever my In My Mailbox posts get long, Blogger always screws them up.  Instead I'm just going to do it this way.  I bought:

Come, Sit, Stay by Arden Moore


Why Do Dogs Do That? by Kim Campbell Thornton

(The edition pictured is not the one I own.)

Ouran High School Host Club Volume 8 by Bisco Hatori



Beastly by Alex Flinn


Matched by Ally Condie


The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook by Dinah Bucholz


Classic Cooking with Coca-Cola by Elizabeth Candler Graham and Ralph Roberts



The Hassle-Free Walt Disney World Vacation, 2011 Edition by Steven Barrett



Universal Orlando 2011: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Theme Park Adventure by Seth Kubersky, Kelly Monaghan



The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing a Novel by Tom Monteleone

(The edition pictured is not the one I own.)

At some point in time I plan on filming video In My Mailboxes, so I can say more about the books without Blogger screwing everything up.  However,  I can't this week.  I already have another video filmed, and it's not long before I need to go to work.  Maybe next time

Book Review: Nerve by Taylor Clark

ISBN:  0316042897 (ISBN13: 9780316042895)

Release date:  March 6th, 2011

Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company

Read from March 6th to the 28th, 2011

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Nerves make us bomb job interviews, first dates, and SATs. With a presentation looming at work, fear robs us of sleep for days. It paralyzes seasoned concert musicians and freezes rookie cops in tight situations. And yet not everyone cracks. Soldiers keep their heads in combat; firemen rush into burning buildings; unflappable trauma doctors juggle patient after patient. It's not that these people feel no fear; often, in fact, they're riddled with it.

In Nerve, Taylor Clark draws upon cutting-edge science and painstaking reporting to explore the very heart of panic and poise. Using a wide range of case studies, Clark overturns the popular myths about anxiety and fear to explain why some people thrive under pressure, while others falter-and how we can go forward with steadier nerves and increased confidence.

This book is great for anyone who wants to learn more about fear.  It's really something that's a lot more interesting than you think.  The book explains why and how we feel fear and how it's possible to overcome fear.

I was surprised and how interesting this book was.  With most nonfiction books like this, I get bored after a while, but that wasn't the case with this one.  It had so many interesting facts in it that I wanted to keep reading.

I found the subject of fear intriguing because I deal with it a lot.  I'm very awkward in social situations, and whenever I'm forced to have a conversation with someone I don't know, I get really nervous.  A sentence or two to just one person, I'm okay.  Carrying on a conversation or being put on the spot in front of a group of people, I have to try really hard not to panic.  If you go to my Youtube channel and watch my old videos, you can very easily tell how terrified I am in them.  That's gotten better since, but I still have moments where I get really nervous in my videos.  I hope what I learned while reading this book will help me get over that a little more.  The books doesn't promise to help you get rid of all of your fears though (that's not really possible unless you take out part of your brain), but it does give some good ways of working to overcome your fears or at least make them easier to live with.

I definitely recommend this to everyone.  If you have a certain fear or phobia (doesn't everyone?), then I definitely think you should check it out.  It really changed my views on nerve, fear, anxiety, etc.

*I recieved this book for free from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Lots of Hunger Games and Harry Potter Talk

I'm trying something new and separating this post into different sections.

Hunger Games 30 day challenge:

Today is my last day of doing two challenges a day because of missing the days I was in Georgia.  (For more about they 30 day challenges, see the page at the top of this page.)

The first one I have to do today is:  something you wish didn't happen in the series.  This is a difficult question, and my answer is going to contain some spoilers for the Hunger Games series.  I didn't really enjoy the fact that Peeta was hijacked, but I think it was a good move storywise.  I don't think I would change it because it would change Mockingjay too much.  I enjoyed it as a part of the plot, but I was sad to see Peeta go through that.  I also wish Rue, Prim, Finnick, etc. hadn't died, but again, I see why that was important for the story.  I'm also not a huge fan of any scene that includes Katniss and Gale kissing.  As for something that I hate becase I thought it was unnecessary to the plot, I can't really think of anything.

The second one is:  your favorite kiss.  I'm going to choose Katniss and Peeta's kiss in the Capitol in Mockingjay.  (I always seem to choose scenes from Mockingjay for these things.)  I just love that scene (not that I don't love everytime Katniss and Peeta kiss in the series).  It's the first time Katniss and Peeta have kissed without having cameras filming them and having to pretend for the Capitol.  In case you're interested, here's the scene:

Only one figure stays huddled against the wall. “Peeta,” I say. There’s no response. Has he blacked out? I crouch in front of him, pulling his cuffed hands from his face. “Peeta?” His eyes are like black pools, the pupils dilated so that the blue irises have all but vanished. The muscles in his wrists are hard as metal.



“Leave me,” he whispers. “I can’t hang on.”


“Yes. You can!” I tell him.

Peeta shakes his head. “I’m losing it. I’ll go mad. Like them.”


Like the mutts. Like a rabid beast bent on ripping my throat out. And here, finally here in this place, in these circumstances, I will really have to kill him. And Snow will win. Hot, bitter hatred courses through me. Snow has won too much already today.


It’s a long shot, it’s suicide maybe, but I do the only thing I can think of. I lean in and kiss Peeta full on the mouth. His whole body starts shuddering, but I keep my lips pressed to his until I have to come up for air. My hands slide up his wrists to clasp his. “Don’t let him take you from me.”


Peeta’s panting hard as he fights the nightmares raging in his head. “No. I don’t want to…”


I clench his hands to the point of ain. “Stay with me.”

His pupils contract to pinpoints, dilate again rapidly, and then return to something resembling normality. “Always,” he murmurs.

Hunger Games news:

I just want to briefly say that the Hunger Games movie casting is driving me crazy.  That's all I really have to say.  I was wondering what you guys think about all of it.  I'm not sure how I feel about any of the guys up for the role of Peeta.  I wish I could actually see them acting as Peeta.  I used to have a huge crush on Josh Hutcherson, but I'm not sure I'd like him as Peeta.  I think he's a good actor, it's just that I can't picture him as Peeta.  What about you guys?

Harry Potter news:

Apparently Deathly Hallows Part 2 is going to be the shortest Harry Potter film.  I guess it makes sense.  It is only half of a book.  It's still over two hours long though, so it's not a short movie by any means.  I just hope it's good.

A few deleted scenes from Deathly Hallows Part 1 have been released on the Internet.  I'm strongly attempted to watch them, but I'm forcing myself to wait for the DVD.  There's supposed to be one of Ron teaching Hermione how to skip rocks.  It sounds so cute!  I can't wait to watch them, but I'd much rather watch them on the DVD.  That just makes it more special to me.  I have no idea if that makes sense to anyone else.  Have you guys watch any of them yet?

Someone also leaked the opening scene of Deathly Hallows Part 2 online, but it's already been taken down.  (*Slight spoilers* It's apparently of Ollivander and Harry talking about the Elder wand.)  It's actually going to be on the Part 1 DVD, but I'm not sure if I'm going to watch it.  It's going to be really hard to stop myself once I have the DVD in my hands, but I think it would be a much better idea to wait until I get to see the whole movie.  I don't think watching Part 2 would be as epic if I've already seen the first scene of it.  What do you guys think?

There was also a test screening of Part 2 today.  I'm jealous of the people who got to see it and yet not jealous at the same time.  It would be amazing to see the film early, but I wouldn't want to watch it unfinished.  It just wouldn't be the same.

Wow, there was a lot of Harry Potter news the past couple of days.

Life:

I had no idea what to title this section, so that will just have to do for now.  Honestly, not much happened today.  I worked part of the day and got to find yet another cockroach (this one was dead, but I don't think that's much better).  I'm trying to enjoy my last two days of spring break.  Unfortunately, I have to work for six hours tomorrow.  That is not a fun way to spend your last day of spring break (especially if I find another cockroach).

Days Until:
Deathly Hallows Part 1 DVD: 9!
The Twilight Saga: The Complete Illustrated Guide released: 10
LeakyCon 2011: 102
Deathly Hallows Part 2 Movie: 104
My 18th Birthday: 124
Breaking Dawn Part 1 Movie: 230
Breaking Dawn Part 2 Movie: 596

Books Read in 2011: 10

Harry Potter Reread: Order of the Phoenix 6

Haley

Book Review: Harry Potter: Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley

ISBN:  0061997811 (ISBN13: 9780061997815)

Release date:  November 1st, 2010

Publisher: Collins Design

Read from January 21st to March 26th, 2011

Synopsis from Goodreads:

On November 19th, the opening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 will cause crowd scenes at movie theatres all over America. This large-scale, fully-endorsed book is the first to delve into this singularly successful film festival. Harry Potter Film Wizardry contains illuminating interviews with key cast members, producers, and directors; and high-quality behind-the-scenes illustrations of the settings and devices that make the movies come alive. Designed to resemble an antique spell book, this deluxe coffee-table hardcover casts its own magic.

I heard really great things about this book from other Harry Potter fans when it came out, and I was incredibly excited to finally get it.  It didn't disappoint.  If you're a Harry Potter fan, you absolutely have to buy this book.  Seriously.

It's divided up into sections by movie, and their's a production designer's notebook and producer's diary for each movie that actual people who worked on the movies (Stuart Craig and David Heyman respectively) talk about making the movies.  There are also lots of quotes from other members of the cast and crew.  It gives a lot of information about how the films where made.  Even if you're not a Harry Potter fan, this would be a great book if you're interested in film making.

It also comes with a lot of cool stuff inside the book.  You get a copy of Harry's Hogwarts letter, Umbridge's educational decrees, (my personal favorite) a Maurader's map, and more.  (I may have damaged one of my friend's hearing after screaming in their ear after seeing the Maurader's map for the first time.  I had a huge fan girl moment.)  I may make a video showing all of the awesome stuff in this book.

It's not something that I sat down and read all the way through.  (You can see at the beginning of the post that it took me about two months to get through the whole book.)  I liked picking it up every so often and reading bits at a time.  Even though there are tons of cool pictures and things, there's also a lot of information.  At first I thought it would only take a day or two to read, but I underestimated how much text the book contained.

This book is just amazing, and I'm so happy to own it.  I'll definitely be picking it up every so often just to look at the awesome pictures and read little bits and pieces.  (And, of course, play with the Maurader's map.  I may be a little obsessed with it.)  If you're a Harry Potter fan who doesn't own this book yet, you need to go and get it as soon as possible.

Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

ISBN:  0673583503

Release date:  December 1982 (originally published in 1960)

Publisher:  Warner Books (Note: The cover pictured is not the cover of the book I read.)

Read from February 21st to March 9th, 2011
Rewards:  Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (1961)
Synopsis from Goodreads:

Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up.

I was excited when my English teacher told us we were going to be reading this book.  I'd heard a lot about it, and everyone I knew who read it talked about how great it was.  I think everyone in my class enjoyed reading it as well.

I've read some negative reviews on Goodreads that criticize the book saying it's naive or idealistic.  I can see where their coming from, but I don't think that makes it a bad novel.  It may not be very realistic for a man to defend a black man in the south (or anywhere in the U.S. for that matter) during the time period when To Kill a Mockingbird takes place, but I don't think that really matters.  It is, after all, a work of fiction.  I also don't think naivety is necessarily a bad thing in certain cases, but I don't want to talk much about that.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I'd definitely recommend this to others.

*I'm not really to happy with this review.  It's probably because it's late.  I'm tired, and I don't know if any of this will make sense after I've slept.  I may come back and edit this later, but I felt like I needed to (finally) get it up.