OMG this makes all the crap in my life go away!!!!!

AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I just found Xiao Gui's new song!!!!!!!!!!!!! [His EP comes out on the 17th]

So, I am just sooo happy!!! Love this song, he has a super unique voice and this song just makes me smile for some reason.

It's called 鬼打牆 (Ghost Hitting the Wall - a play off his name called "Xiao Gui" or "Little Ghost").....

Check it out!!! The talking is just the DJ, but OMG!!! Only 11 more days till his EP comes out!!!!!!!

Haha I'm just sooo happy, I was having such a crappy day...now I find this!!!! I think only Xiao Gui or Xiao Zhu could make me this happy :)

Enjoy....

Hope you enjoy! And remember to comment!! Support XG!!!

Wdebo :)

Suite Scarlett By: Maureen Johson

Title: Suite Scarlett

Author: Maureen Johnson

PAPERBACK

Amount of Pages: 353

Publisher: Point

Release Date (paperback): May 1, 2009

Geared Towards: Teens/YA Lovers

Summary: Scarlett Martain's life might seem like something out of a story book. She lives in a hotel with her family right in the heart of New York City. And every year a Martain turns fifteen he/she recieves a key to a room he/she has to take care of.

However, things aren't all fun/games and happiness here. Her family is poor, very poor, seeing as how they barely have any customers. Her brother, Spencer, an aspiring actor, might have to give up his dreams and become a cook. Her sister, Lola, is a classic beauty and is dating a mega rich and he has as much money as he has lack of brains. Her younger sister, Marlene, is a cancer surviver, and to put it mildly, a total pain in the ass.

But things start to look up when Scarlett turns fifteen and recieves a key to the Empire Suite [the grandest of the hotel]. There she recieves her first guest, Mrs. Amberson, an aging C-list starlett, who is one of the most interesting people...hmm let's just leave it at that. And Eric, the gorgeous actor working alongside Scarlett's brother.

Now, I just have one question for you, when are you ready to check into Suite Scarlett?

Wdebo's Review: I first heard about this book from a librarian I was working alongside. [Yes, I am a teen volunteer at my local library]. We were talking about books we really enjoy and how hard it was to talk about books we liked just out of thin air, without a paper in front of us and stuff like that. Anyways, she talked about how she was really excited to read this one book Suite Scarlett and she gave me a summary and it sounded really really interesting. So, when I got an email asking me to host a contest for the paperback version of this book [You can still enter HERE-ends July 13] I was super excited and couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. I was not disspointed it was sweet and sassy (I always feel so old when I say that word, but it is such a good adjective!!)

The writing was really great, it just glides you through the story and there was very few bumps and boring parts. It was fast paced, filled with sweetness/romance, growing up, family bonding, just such a great summer read!

I liked Scarlett, but at some times she just really bothered me. I absolutely hated Marlene, ugh why was she so ANNOYING, I know she is like an 11 year old cancer survivor, but PLEASE can you tone down the diva 'tude just a bit? Thank you! [Good writing on Maureen's part-only a good author can allow you to love/hate characters].

The cover, hm it's ok I like the other one better. The background is very carpet-y.

All in all, such a cute book sure to wet ur YA book hunger. Check out the paperback version!!! And my contest!!!!

Grade: A-

Wdebo :)

Fragrance of Rice-Jay Chou

Amazing song from Jay Chou's new album, Capricorn.

I totally love this song, and the mv, for some reason it made me cry in the beginning :( Anyways, LOVE Jay's outfit he looks like a gangster cowboy lol.

Here it is ENG SUBBED!

Hope you enjoy! And remember to comment! Help support Jay!

Wdebo :)

Dear Julia By: Amy Bronwen Zemser

Title: Dear Julia
Author: Amy Bronwen Zemser
HARDBACK
Amount of Pages: 327
Publisher: HarperCollins Publisher
Publishing Year: 2008
Geared Towards: Pre-teens +

"Delicious. Just Delicious"

Summary (From front flap): All Elaine Hamilton wants to do is become a chef. Not a feminist politician like her mother. Not a yoga fanatic like her father. But a chef like Julia Child. Julia Child who she has been writing letters to since she was very young, locking them into a chest at the foot of her bed stamped and left behind.

Enter Isadora Wilhelminetta Fischburger AKA Lucinda Sans [Yes like the font]. Over-the-top, crazy, popularity-craving, Stargirl acting Lucinda Sans. Who meets Elaine in an event that has to do with:

• Romeo & Juliet
• A Fire
• Promotion
• And a guy who's name looks suspiciously like crouton

These two girls meet. A great friendship blooms. And Lucinda's personality rubs off on Elaine as she goes (above her wildist imaginations) on a cooking compition, and maybe even her own cooking show!!

Just like her dad always says, "Delicious. Just Delicious"

Wdebo's Review: This was such a refreshingly quirky book. It was like eating a nice cool fruity sherbt after a big heavy dinner. (lol if that makes sense). I enjoyed this book completely.

The beginning was cute, but not my favorite. It seemed really old fashioned but very enjoyable. Though, what annoyed me was that it stated the most obvious things. Like, there was a beginning part where she said the handsome boy was handsome, those kinds of things.

The characters where very originial, Lucinda Sans, well just meeting her remeinded me of reading Stargirl. She was loud and original, though trying way way hard to fit in, but anyone who is brave enough to dress like a mouse earns my envy. Everyone else, from her yoga-fanatic father, workaholic mother, cross-dressing brother [awesome character btw], angry brother, Lucinda's moms, etc, was just so entertaining it was like going to a house filled with a loud family, that was so happy and festive you just couldn't help but wish you lived with them. [Being an only child it can get lonely sometimes].

The cover was cool, who knew you can make such a coolio picture with veggies :P

All in all, old-fashioned, cute and sweet story that is sure to wet ur hunger for a great book. [And hunger in general, because there was a heck lot of food refrences that made me HUNGRY!!!!!] I just had to stay up all night to finish it!!

Grade: A-

Wdebo :)

Does My Head Look Big In This? By: Randa Abdel-Fattah

Title: Does My Head Look Big In This?
Author: Randa Abdel-Fattah
HARDBACK
Amount of Pages: 360
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Publishing Year: September 2006
Geared Towards: Pre-teens +

"And it's when I'm standing there this morning, in my PJs and a hijab, next to my mom and my dad, kneeling before God, that I feel a strange sense of calm. I feel like nothing can hurt me, and nothing else matters. And that's when I know I'm ready."

Summary (From Front Flap):

High School is tough enough

without throwing a hijab

into the mix...

In Randa Abdel-Fattha's brilliant debut novel, Amal, an Australian-Palestinian girl living in a suburb of Melbourne, makes the biggest decision of her life, to wear the hijab, a Muslim head scarf, full-time. In spite of her parents' gentle warnings and the ostricizing that is sure to come from the other kids at her snobby prep school. Amal's decision springs from a deep sense of faith, and she is certain-well, almost certain- that she's ready to take this step.

But can she handle the taunts of "towel-head," navigate the wilds of a mad crush, and stay true to herself? Amal is sassy. intelligent, sensitive, and hillarious, and her jouney of faith will take readers down an unexpected and very entertaining path.

Wdebo's Review: This was a cute and sweet book! The book started out trying too hard, like it stuffed jokes in that just didn't let the book flow. So instead of going from point A to point B in a straight line it went zig-zagg-y, I hate it when books do that. But slowly, it started to get smoother, the jokes and writing went in the straight line and it was really enjoyable.

Amal was a great character. She was true to herself, sure she doubted herself in the middle, but who wouldn't? She pushed all that out in the end she did what she knew she had to.

The story was cute the characters were very well developed. I was so happy her parents were totally cool and not all like Jess' parents in Bend it Like Beckham - I know Jess' parents are INDIAN but bear with me ok, you get my point? hopefully... It was the only example I could think of. (Love that movie!-Since we're on that subject, am I the only one who thinks Joe is super cute?!)

The cover is also cute but the posing and giant circles reminds me of those middle school book covers.

All in all, a very sweet book!

Grade: B+

Wdebo :)


*****************

Songs listened to while writing this review:

Kai Tian Chuang By: Mayday
You Belong With Me By: Taylor Swift
Dr. Jones By: Aqua
Lollipop By: Aqua

The Hunger Games By: Suzanne Collins

Title: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

HARDBACK

Amount of Pages: 374

Publisher: Scholastic

Publishing Year: 2008

Geared Towards: Teens +

Extra Info: The Hunger Games is part of a trilogy, the sequal Catching Fire will be coming out on September 8, 2009. (I want to read it sooo badly....I'm not very patient)

Summary (From front flap):

COULD YOU SURVIVE ON YOUR OWN, IN THE WILD, WITH EVERY ONE OUT TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T LIVE TO SEE THE MORNING?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weight survival against humanity and life against love.

Wdebo's Review: I have heard way many good reviews for this book, so I decided to read it. I was NOT disappointed. One of the most amazing books I've ever read!!

Even the beginning was very intense (Something that rarely happens). From the first time I picked it up, I was sucked into this world. The whole time I was reading it, I was thinking how the hell will I survive a world like this and, what kind of cruel government would allow this to happen?

The romance that was in it, was not all forced in, like how most fantasy novel romances are. It flowed with the story, it actually made sense, I was totally in love with it at the end.

Katniss was such an awesome character, she was strong and fought for her way and protected those she loved.

The cover, uh, not the best, the symbolism is on there, but I just couldn't really fall in love with it like I could with the story.

All in all, this is one of the best books I have read in my life so far. I LOVED LOVED LOVED it and I am dying to read the sequal, god, how am I going to be able to wait for it to come out? I AM NOT THAT PATIENT!!!!!!!!

Grade: A+

Wdebo :)

In My Mailbox 十 (10)

So, I know I haven't been posting my IMM, but I have just been really lazy SORRY!!

As usual, I am "Stealing" this from Kristi from The Story Siren

So, not the biggest haul (three books) but not bad... [I am too lazy to post up ALL the books I missed by missing all those weeks of IMM]

The Recieved:

The Chosen One By: Carol Lynch Williams

(From Booklist): "Taking a story “ripped from the headlines,” Williams looks inside a polygamist cult and the dangers it poses for one girl. Kyra and her father, three mothers, and 20 siblings live in an isolated community under the thumb of a prophet, who controls every aspect of his apostles’ lives. The most shocking intrusion of all comes when the prophet decrees that Kyra is to become the wife of her 60-year-old uncle. A secret patron of a local mobile library, Kyra knows there’s a world away from the compound she might escape to, but first she pins her hopes on her father’s ability to change the prophet’s mind. Instead, her family is threatened, and the stakes for her refusal to marry are raised. The clandestine relationship Kyra is having with one of the compound’s teenage boys is a romance more convenient than convincing (everyone is carefully watched except this duo, it seems). Contrivances notwithstanding, this is a heart pounder, and readers will be held, especially as the danger escalates. Williams’ portrayals of the family are sharp, but what’s most interesting about this book is how the yearnings and fears of a character so far from what most YAs know will still seem familiar and close"

[I finished this book and it's AMAZING!! Check out my review HERE- Thanks to Steph @ Reviewer X for this one!!]

The borrowed:

Dear Julia By: Amy Bronwen Zemser

All Elaine Hamilton wants to do is become a chef. Not a feminist politician like her mother. Not a yoga like her father. But a chef like Julia Child. Julia Child who she has been writing letters to since she was very young, locking them into a chest at the foot of her bed stamped and left behind.

Enter Isadora Wilhelminetta Fischburger AKA Lucinda Sans [Yes like the font]. Over-the-top, crazy, popularity-craving, Stargirl acting Lucinda Sans. Who meets Elaine in an event that has to do with: Romeo & Juliet, a fire, and a guy who's name looks suspiciously like crouton.

As these two girls meet, a friendship blooms that could turn Elaine's dreams into reality!

[I finished this book, it was very cute! Review coming soon!]

Larry and the Meaning of Life By: Janet Tashjian (No pic-srry)

(From Amazon): "Josh Swensen (otherwise known as Larry) can’t seem to get off the couch. His usual overactive imagination and save-the-world mindset have all but vanished, and his best friend Beth is seriously worried.When Beth coaxes Josh into taking a walk at Walden Pond, Josh meets Gus Muldarian, a spiritual guru who convinces him to join his study group as a way to find deeper meaning in life. Josh thinks Gus is a joke. Still, feeling desperate and seeing no way out of his rut, he agrees to try it. What begins as a harmless Thoreau-esque search for meaning soon turns into Josh’s most chaotic and profound adventure yet. After the success of The Gospel According to Larry and Vote for Larry, Janet Tashjian returns with yet another tour de force—a book that explores important topics and will keep teens hooked right until the unexpected end."

[I'm not sure if I should read the first two books before I read this one]

The Bought:

None :(

Wdebo :)

P.S. Remember to join my contest!!!!! HERE