Book Review: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Happy weekend everyone!  To celebrate the end of this long, long, week, I decided to review a book I've recently re-read and absolutely fallen in love with--Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Anderson is known for her wonderfully realistic fiction novels about common teenage problems, such as Wintergirls, about anorexia, and several historical fictions featuring teenage girls as the main character.

Here is Speak's synopsis as it is written on the back of the book:
"Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't know hate her from a distance.  It's no use explaining to her parents; they've never known what her life is really like.  The safest place for Melinda to be is alone, inside her own head.  But even that's not safe.  Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she admitted it and let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens.  And then she would have no choice.  Melinda would have to speak the truth."

Melinda is a 15-year-old girl who has just entered her freshman year in high school.  Having called the cops to a popular end-of-summer party for an "unknown" reason.  Melinda faces humiliation, hate, and the wrath of most of the school.  She tries and fails to succeed in many aspects of her life, but draws into herself.

The most amazing part of this book is Anderson's innate capability to perfectly capture the emotions and language of teenagers.  She effectively communicates Melinda's distress and drawing back from society in ways that I.... I don't know.  To be perfectly honest with you guys, there are no words to adequately describe the perfection that this book is.  If you don't believe me, please, read the book.  It could change your life, or it just might be another book, but whatever it is, I think you should definitely read it.

I hope you guys enjoyed this review, and I really really hope that you will take me up on this suggestion, find this book, and read it!

xx

Must-Buy-Everything-In-Sight Disease

Is it just me, or does this happen to anyone else too?

It seems like every time I'm supposed to be saving my money, and only buying things for other people or that are absolutely necessary, every single thing I see looks perfect and I just want everything I see.  This is unhealthy, right?

Saving money = rose colored glasses--for me at least. I'm pretty sure that if I saw a giant sweater with reindeer antlers, christmas lights, and pom-pom balls on it, I would buy it.

Gah!

So I went to the Naval Exchange yesterday  (For those of you not familiar with this, it's basically just a giant store with pretty much everything in it at discounted prices for military/Navy families) and I just was shopping for my pretty much immediate family.

But I went into the makeup/fragrance section to find the Calvin Klein perfume and Bare Minerals foundation, which by the way, they were out of the shade my step-sister needs, so... boo.  And I've been watching a ton of beauty videos on youtube recently.

i.e.
leighannsays
arose186
grav3yardgirl
AllThatGlitters21
MsBrittanybrat
and
eleventhgorgeous

I love them all so much... just saying.

Anyway, I've been accumulating a giant product list of things I want to try (though it didn't make my last blog post) from their videos, but I haven't been able to get to Ulta lately, and I haven't found the Benefit brand anywhere.  So I walk into this giant cosmetics section, and there are these ENORMOUS shelves of Smashbox, Benefit, Bare Escentuals/Bare Minerals...  I was in cosmetic love.  Would that be lust?

So you can imagine how hard it was for me to control this crazy, seasonal impulse buying disease.

Do you guys have any crazy Christmas shopping quirks?  Tell me about them, because man, I would love to feel a little less crazy!

Youtube: www.youtube.com/sarahnova52844
Polyvore: www.summerlove-sarah.polyvore.com

xx
Sarah

Random Stuff that Intrigues Me : November

To let you guys know, I pretty much a sucker for interesting advertisements or commercials, and when things catch my eye, I keep thinking about them.  And thinking, and thinking about them, until I eventually read like, a bajillion reviews--positive or negative, doesn't matter--on whatever product it happens to be, or I just buy the product and try it myself.

I decided that this time, I'd make a list for y'all of what I currently have my eye on.  If you have any input as to whether these products are supermegafoxyawesomehot* or... not, then let me know!

1. Clump Crusher mascara by CoverGirl
       Dude.  I am so sick and tired of my mascara being all wonky and stuff.  I hate it when my lashes get all clumped up, and it annoys me so much!  I don't know what CoverGirl is actually doing that changes the clumpy-ness of the mascara, but if it actually does what it's supposed to, that would be super awesome.

2. Mega Plush Volum'Express mascara by Maybelline
       Yes, yet another mascara that I want to try.  And no, of course they wouldn't be by the same brand.  That would make too much sense!  But anyway, if you haven't heard of this mascara, it's supposed to have a gel-like formula that would make your lashes super soft and "touchable."  Because, you know, I sit around and touch my eyelashes all day...  Besides that, I think this would be really neat if it works, and I like that I can see kind of the "mechanics" behind the difference in product.

3. Essie "Matte for You" Top Coat
       So basically, it's this one or Orly's matte top coat.  I need one, eventually, and I DON'T KNOW WHICH TO BUY!!!!  They're the same price, and I know that they're both really good brands.  I'm in a conundrum!

4. CoverGirl NatureLuxe Foundation/Tinted Moisturizer
       If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a CoverGirl junkie.  Especially with Taylor Swift as the cover girl.  But I'm really looking to try out some liquid foundation, and I just don't know where to go.  I like the idea of a tinted moisturizer, but my forehead is super oily (yay for combination skin) and I don't want to accentuate that.

So there we go!  Four products for November.  I'm thinking about doing this every month.  Last Thursday of the month sorta thing?  Would you guys be interested in that?

Let me know, and also tell me anything else you would like for me to blog about.  Like a tutorial or ideas for hair styles?  Would you want a belated Black Friday haul?

Leave me some love guys

xx

*yes, that just happened.  For anyone who has ever seen AVPM (if you don't know what that stands for.... A Very Potter Musical), please be proud of me. (:

Target Haul 8/12/12

So, I started by back-to-school shopping early with a quick trip to Target.  3 trips to the dressing room later, I walked out with 7 tops and a pair of jeans.

When I saw this sweater, I absolutely had to get it.  So adorable!!  The cropped length and baggy fit are super casual and cute.

I found another sweater that will be good for when it gets colder.  It's not really appropriate right now, but I know it will be.  I love the color and design, and it's super soft.

This was the first thing I saw when I walked into the store and I immediately picked it up.  It's long enough that I can wear it with leggings, but short enough that it still looks good with jeans.

So I found this tank top, and I'm absolutely in love with the geometric design.  It's super flattering and the colors are so perfect.

Tribal print and tie-front, need I say more?  I'm not crazy about the fabric or the sleeves, but it's pretty good considering.

This shirt was kind of a borderline purchase for me.  I usually don't wear the color yellow.  Ever.   But, I needed more color in my wardrobe, and I liked the style.

And, the final item in my haul... LOVE.  I saw this top on someone at a camp I went to, and I've been searching for something like it, and now I've found it!  It fits perfectly and is so comfortable.

Just another view of the previous top.  Did I mention I love the high-low hem?

And that is the end of my Target haul!  I did get a pair of jeans, but I didn't see a reason to put a pic up.  I had a super successful day at Target, and a big thank you to my dad, who funded my expedition.

xx