Speak Up

I'm just now catching the news about Speak (by Laurie Halse Anderson) and this Dr. Scroggins. I had to go through a couple Bloggers to find out what was going on, and I'm deeply saddened by what I've read. But I'm deeply moved by the stories I've read, and now I want to share mine for the sake of keeping books like this on the shelf. Teens need to read theses books. They need to know that they are not alone, and they shouldn't be afraid to speak up.

When I was 13 years old, I was raped by a 17 year old boy from my neighborhood. He was older than me, bigger than me and knew everyone in our neighborhood. He threatened to hurt me even more than he already had if I told anyone, so I kept quiet. I was afraid to see what he would do next. So for 6 months, I lived in fear of him hurting me if he though I had told anyone. I saw him walk my my house everyday, smile at me like we had a secret to share, and torture me when he got too close.

I ended up going to therapy soon after. My family noticed a difference in my, and knew that I was depressed. I knew it, too. I also knew the reason. I actually loved my theray sessions and my group sessions. No one talked about why they were there, we just talked and laughed. I felt like I belonged somewhere again.

I still acted out though. I ended up getting taken from my grandmothers house and almost went to a Youth Dentention Center. I hated being away from my family, but I was finally away from him.

6 months after the rape, I got news that he had been arrested and moved to Minnesota to go to an all boys youth jail center. I was in a haze for days. I zoned out at school. I stayed in my room all day and night. I was at a crossroads in my life.

I finalls broke down in school three days after I heard that he had left. I had my teacher escort me to the counselor and they called my officers that visited me at school every so often.

And I spoke up.

I told them everything. I told them the date, what happened, what he said, and how he treated me afterwards. I was able to complete me therapy, and get rid of my depression. I was able to go home and not be afraid.

Throught out this ordeal, I thought I was alone. I didn't think things happened to other girls my age. I was young, confused and hurting...and no one I knew could understand. Once I was able to open up and tell people, I felt relieved. I felt like I had finally won. I had beat him. Though nothing could be done to him, I was the victor because I didn't let him hold me down. I rised above the fear and the pain.

I didn't know about Speak until just about a year ago. I have yet to read it, but I know what it's about. I know that if I had read this book before hand, or one like it, I might have had a different outcome. I might have spoken up sooner. I might not have kept quiet.

I regret holding it in for so long, but there's nothing I can do to change that. It changed me for the better. I've been a stronger person since then.

Just because someone doesn't like the content of a book does not mean it should be banned. Books about real life issues, and teen issues alike should be out there for girls like me, and others like me, who need to be aware that they aren't alone. Books about rape, eating disorders, drug abuse, and other issues that at least one of us will pass in our life should be written about. I don't like reading about them, but only because it makes me ache to know that someone else went through the same thing I did.

It hurts me to know that there are people out there who want to act like rape doesn't exsist. It hurts me personally, because I know first hand that it does exsist. Please voice your opinion in this matter. Don't let them hide books like this from teens that need to be aware.

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready


Released : May 4th 2010



Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding--and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Somehow this book flew under my radar. I had no idea this exsisted until today. It sounds amazing though. And the reviews I've read say it's a good read. I'm hoping to read it soon.

Until then, I've entered a contest to win it and so should you. It's over at The Book Butterfly and it's easy peasy to enter. Go HERE! Or look for the link on my sidebar.

Review :: The Dead & The Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

The Dead & The Gone (Last Survivor's #2) by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Released :: June 1st 2008




Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life as We Knew It enthralled and devastated readers with its brutal but hopeful look at an apocalyptic event--an asteroid hitting the moon, setting off a tailspin of horrific climate changes. Now this harrowing companion novel examines the same events as they unfold in New York City, revealed through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Puerto Rican Alex Morales. When Alex's parents disappear in the aftermath of tidal waves, he must care for his two younger sisters, even as Manhattan becomes a deadly wasteland, and food and aid dwindle.

With haunting themes of family, faith, personal change, and courage, this powerful new novel explores how a young man takes on unimaginable responsibilities. -- Summary from Goodreads.com





I know this is the second book in the series, ut seeing as I read it before I read the first one, I'm writing the review for this book first. I tried writing it in order of the series, butI kept wanting to talk about how I felt about reading this book. It was difficult.

When I first read the backs of the book, I was insanely interested, but skeptical. I like reading about disaters on Earth and how the people here are affected. I'm odd, but it's cool to me. I knew I wanted to read the series, but I wasn't sure if it would be good. I bought this one anyways. They didn't have the first novel on the shelf, so I bought this one and read it...

In like 3 hours.

I couldn't put it down. It's amazing. It sucked me in before I reached the middle of chapter 1. I was gone. It had me in it's claws, and I wasn't trying to get away.

Susan is an amazing writer. The story is so imaginative. So real! I was still in the early stage of my pregnancy when I read this like a month ago, so I read it in bed, and I can't tell you how many times I had to set it down and take a breather. I can't tell you how many times I started crying (not from the hormones) and had to get up and walk around. A few times I walked outside and looked around to make sure what I was reading wasn't really happening.

That's how real it is. The tragedies are yours. The loss is yours. The tears, the greif, the suffereing...you feel it all. You get scared, and look out the window to see if you can see the moon. Or you simply get scared of the moon. Quite a few people in the book did.

The best things about the book to me is that it takes place in New York. I don't want to give too much away, I never do, but seeing New York City through Alex's eyes as such a weakened part of our country was indescribable. I've always looked at New York City as a strong, busy and lively city. That's not the case in the book. Not after the asteriod. Not after the effects of the asteriod. NYC is dead and gone, just like the title says.

I highly recommend this book to anyone. Teens, some pre-teens, adults. Though you'd never want to think of something like this happening, if it did, this book gives you a heads up. It will give you the strength to get through. To survive. Just like Alex tries to do for himself and his two younger sisters.

I give this book :

To tempt you to read it if you haven't already, I'll leave you with a little excerpt.

Alex sat there, absolutely still, the sound so low he could barely hear. The words and pictures assaulted him anyway. Horrific loss of life. Lower Manhattan decimated. Staten Island, Long Island devastated. Blackouts, looting, riots. Curfew between 8pm and 6am. Tides twenty feet tall, sweeping away people, trees, even buildings. Mandatory evacuations. Plane crashes. Countless numbers of people dead in subways and in car from tunnel flooding.

Review :: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Released :: August 24th 2010

My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.


It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans -- except Katniss.


The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay -- no matter what the personal cost.
--Summary from Goodreads.com


4 hours, people. It took me 4 hours to read this book, and if I hadn't been so tired after the first time, I would have read it again. And again.

Fans of the series know how I feel when I say I nearly died waiting for this book to come out. Hunger Games and Catching Fire are the first two books of this series, and after every single book you can't help but think 'It CANNOT get any better than this.'

But it did.

Sadly, Mockingjay is the last of the series, and I cried for ten minutes about that fact alone. The other times I cried were for the major...for the unexpected turn of events. In most books I can point out a character and think 'They aren't going to make it' or read a few lines and be like 'This is what's going to happen' but not in this book. That's thanks to an amazing writer and story-teller.

Nothing will prepare you for reading this book. Nothing can prepare you for the profound love that you will read about. The immense greif that you will read about. The deep suffering, and tragedy that you will enconter as you read through this book. If you think the first two books had these things, if you think that they went beyond your expectations, you are in for one big surprise. Mockingjay is all that and more.

There were very few times that I just had to set the book aside. I set it aside, and took a few deep breaths and when I was calm, I picked it back up. I'm trying to find the one word to describe this book, but I can't. Nothing seems to fit it properly. The words I'm typing and erasing just aren't good enough to describe the book. Maybe one day I'll find the right one, and I'll let you know.

The only thing I can tell you is this: Mockingjay will haunt you. It will devour you completly. It will take you on a ride so exhilarating. Sometimes you will want it to stop, because it's so hertbreaking, but you know can't simply stop. You have the urge to keep going, because you know it's worth it. You hope it's worth it. You have to find out what happens. You want to see if there's a happy ending after all what has happened.

I gladly give Mockingjay my highest rating :

This is a book that will stick with me, and most of you, forever. The whole series will. It's...unforgettable. If I ever got to meet Suzanne Collins, I'd thank her profusely for giving books lovers around the world such an amazing story to read. I'll save these books for my neice, and my children, to read when they get to that age. That's how much I love this book, and the series. That's how good it is.

This concludes my review. I'll leave you with a bit of a teaser. If you haven't read any of the books, you must do so immediately. Got it?!


Teaser:

So after, when he whispers, "You love me. Real or not real?"
I tell him, "Real."

Those of you who are fans of the books know about Team Peeta and Team Gale...well, we find out who Katniss chose. Who did you choose? I've been Team Peeta all along. But Gale was nearly tied with him.

New Ratings

If you look around you might see some changes. I got a new layout. I don't really like it, but it's the only thing I got for now. And it's bright, so I used it. You may also now see that I have ratings up. I haven't done many reviews on here in the past, but I am starting. I have the time to read them and review them now. Before I'd just read them, and go to another before I had to go to work. No job now, so I have all the free time in the world. Well, I share it with cleaning the house and going to doctor's appointments. The point it, I will be updating more often now. Go me!

As for the ratings. I tried to come up with something...unique to my blog. As you all know it's called The Ultimate Dumpees. If you are unfamiliar with the reason behind the title go HERE to learn it. So I tried to think of something that could relate. I came up with this.



Marry Me?!



College Sweetheart



Spring Fling



Only On A Bet



Not My Type



Marry Me?! is the equivilent of a 5 star rating. This is a book that you will never forget. It's one that will stick with you for the rest of your life. Remember, these are all my opinions. Others may differ.

College Sweetheart is the 4 star rating. It's a book that is certainly amazing, and one that will be in your heart forever but will never be first after you meet your 5 star book.

Spring Fling is the 3 star rating. It's the book that you will pull from your memory, and be like 'OMG! I remember this. It was great.' But it only lasts a while. Once the season is over, so is the connection. It's a far away memory.

Only On A Bet is the 2 star rating. It's the book that you forget about easily, but will remember at your wedding and be like, 'Oh, why did I do that again?'

Not My Type is the 1 star rating. I'm sure you know what this one is. It's the one you don't want to touch at all after just one date.

These are my ratings. I will try to go back and add these to the few reviews I already have, but I will start using them on my next review, which will be Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.

I hope you like them, if not...oh, well. I can't please everyone. I try, and that's all that matters. :)

Trailer Thursday - Radiance

Radiance by Alyson Noel
Released : August 31st 2010

Riley has crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. She has picked up life where she left off when she was alive, living with her parents and dog in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. When she’s summoned before The Council, she learns that the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure. She’s been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a possibly cute, seemingly nerdy boy who’s definitely hiding something. They return to earth together for Riley’s first assignment, a Radiant Boy who’s been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But all of that was before he met Riley . . .




I'm sure most of you are aware of Alyson's other series, The Immortals. Well, this is the lead characters litle sister staring in this series. Riley has her own series now, and knowing what an amzaing writer Alyson is, I'm sure fans of her first series will love and rave about this one just the same. I have yet to read it, but I'm hoping to do so soon. Then you shall see a review.

For now I'll leave you with the book trailer to watch. If the video doesn't work, go HERE to watch it. It's still giving me issues. :/

Halo Book Trailer

Another book trailer, and another amazing book. Amazing author, too. Published her first at age 14! That's crazy, and simply awesome.

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto is the second novel from this author, but this is her American deut. Her first book, The Shadow Theif, was released in Australia.

I must say, I am more then happy to welcome her over here. The book sounds amazing, the cover is bee-u-tee-full and the trailer is just as great.

Here's a bit about her newest book.

Three angels are sent down to bring good to the world: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. But she is the most human, and when she is romantically drawn to a mortal boy, the angels fear she will not be strong enough to save anyone—especially herself—from the Dark Forces.

I'm loving the Angel theme going around. And I love reading how these amazing authors use it.

Now I am still having issues with my videos, so I will try to post it, but I will post a link to you can see it. Just go HERE.

No Mercy Book Trailer

Long time, no see from me! But I am back, and will be back for good. I'll tell you why later. Until then, let's get down to some book trailers. First up is a book I have been waiting along time to read.





Due in stores September 7th, No Mercy is the latest book in Sherrilyn Kenyon's amazing Dark Hunter series.



"Live fast, fight hard and if you have to die then take as many of your enemies with you as you can. That is the Amazon credo and it was one Samia lived and died by. Now in contemporary New Orleans, the immortal Amazon warrior is about to learn that there's a worse evil coming to slaughter mankind than she's ever faced before....."






You can find the full book sysnopsis, reading order for the series, up coming releases and much more here. It's an awesom site, trust me. Now for the book trailer.

Enjoy!





And I seem to be having issues with this trailer, so until I can figure this out, you go watch the trailer here. Enjoy it!