YA is Not Just For Teens

I've been to the library twice in less than 24 hours. I just really like books, okay? Plus, for some obnoxious reason, all the books that I have had on my wait list, magically all became available within the last couple days. And that means marathon reads for me!

Almost every morning for the past two weeks, I've spent at least an hour reading with my feet in the pool, catching some rays. I smell like chlorine and Coppertone. And it's fantastic! And, yes, I have a fantastic sandal tan line design huh?

By book shelf is full of YA novels. My pile from the library is all YA novels. Some may find this embarrassing. After all, YA is a genre "aimed" at 12-18 year olds. I'm about 5 years above that "cutoff." However, I have tons of friends my age & older discussing YA fiction late into the night. 

I did a bit of research and found some interesting articles, editorials, and comments. New research has shown that 55% (possibly more) of YA books are being purchased by adults (over 18), with most of those adults buying the books for themselves. Perhaps the Harry Potter franchise, later followed by the Hunger Games and Twilight series, spurred this interest in adults (I'll rant about books becoming movies later). The bandwagon has a lot of new jump-ons.

I ran across a few very angry adults. One of which said he can't take adults who read YA seriously. They're too "childish" for him. He says, "I'll read the Hunger Games when I finish the previous 3,000 years of fiction written for adults." Well, I'm sorry for your loss, sir. Because it is quite the loss; you're missing out. 

Once I waded through the haters, I found some great articles about YA novels are fantastic and completely okay for adults too. Hallelujah, there are people who agree with me!

Here's some reasons I gathered up about why YA is awesome for ANYONE 12+:

They are good.

They're compelling and action packed. They can make you cry or laugh. And they for sure make me stay up reading very late into the night! I can't remember the last time an "adult fiction" book had me up all night reading. Plus, I'm willing to bet ANY YA book is better than what's available on most shelves in the adult section of the bookstore (i.e. Fifty Shades of Gray).

They are an escape in our complicated, neurotic adult lives.

YA novels allow creativity and imagination that is not always available to us in the "real world." How much fun did you have imagining exactly what Hogwarts would look like? The writing of YA is easy. It's not like Dstoyevsky. They're light, easy, and comforting to jump into after a long day.

They remind us of who we are and who we want to be.

YA books are extremely relatable (even if they do involve vampires). We can see ourselves in the characters, how we used to be, and how we got to be where we are. We see the characters' fight for identity and purpose as our own fight.

They are current. 

One of these days, you'll be out of the loop. You'll have to Google what certain phrases or shorthand writings mean. You'll not have any idea who the next Justin Bieber turned out to be. But if you're reading YA, you have something in common with the "younger generation," you'll know what they're problems are at their time in life, and you could end up being the "cool" parent or role model because you understand. And you have an interest in what they have an interest in.

One columnist said, "We want to read things that apply to us, that tap into our emotions and make us feel, and we want to read things that don't put us to sleep right away, because at the end of the day, we are grownups and we are tired." 

So don't be embarrassed of your stack of YA novels. Because I think you're pretty awesome for reading them. 

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I get a lot of requests for book recommendations, so I thought I'd post a few here. Enjoy! 

The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green

Someday, Someday, Maybe, by Lauren Graham (yes, from Gilmore Girls)

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak

An Abundance of Katherines, by John Green

Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell

Warm Bodies, by Isaac Marion

To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee (CLASSIC)

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs

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And, ah yes, my mini rant: I despise the relatively new major trend to transform books into movies. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Harry Potter, and I'm sure the Hunger Games is fabulous (no I haven't read it or seen it), but it just seems like Hollywood can't come up with any of their own original ideas anymore. And doing this sometimes makes the books become obsolete :( It's sad. And they often change things, which also saddens me. *Sigh* But I guess I'll have to live with it.

Happy YA Reading! 

CicLAvia

No, I don't live in Los Angeles, but I do LOVE what they do every few months. They close off main streets in LA and only allow bikes and pedestrians (dogs as well) to occupy the street. It's genius. And I totally wish my town did something like that too. Heck, I just wish my town had bike lanes on every street! That would make my life a whole lot easier.

And yes, a subject like CicLAvia brings me directly back to people I talk about all the time. But I think they're fantastic people, so I'll just keep writing about them! A few years ago, actors Stana Katic and Seamus Dever teamed up to create The Alternative Travel Project, which encourages people around the world to give up their cars for at least one day and use public transportation, bikes, or their own two legs to get around. It helps the environment, but it also helps you! You build up muscles walking and biking that normally simply lay dormant when traveling in a car. And who doesn't love the fresh air blowing through their hair?! Plus, its proven that biking makes you happier! 

Scared to give up your car? It's really quite easy. At least where I am. I'm blessed with a city that is fairly connected to the surrounding cities. I can take the bus practically anywhere, quite a few of the main streets have bike lanes, and almost every business has bike racks to park at. I've been without a car for 4 years, and I love it (for the most part--snow is not so fun to bike in)!

For more info on Stana & Seamus' ATP initiative, check out their YouTube videos (a few shown below) and their website: www.alternativetravelproject.com.

They even recruited some of their castmates to join in the ATP fun! And for some kicks, check out actor Jon Huertas' hilarious PSA on bike safety (excuse any language, please)!

ANYWAY....back to CicLAvia...last month, Los Angeles shut down iconic Wilshire Boulevard for a day. Stana Katic was there to support the effort in conjunction with her own Alternative Travel Project. She rode the famous street with kids on either side. 

It may seem "hippy" to some people, but I love the camaraderie and sense of community that appears when cars simply disappear in a city. It's brilliant. To see a massive street in one of the worlds largest cities completely full of bikes instead of cars is just awesome; empowering even. 

There are some amazing people in this world and unfortunately we're all secluded from each other in the bubbles of our individual cars. With walking, biking, and public transit, you meet people that you would never otherwise meet. I think that may be my favorite part! I've met some fascinating people at the bus stop, on the bus, at the bike racks... Waiting at a stoplight allows for conversation; believe it or not, people are very nice! Get to know some of them! Don't keep your mouth shut at a crosswalk; wish someone a happy day; wave at a fellow cyclist. It's amazing how much more connected you feel when you step out of your personal car bubble and enjoy the world and people around you. 

Enjoy your city!

Enjoy the sunshine!

Enjoy the wind in your hair!

And remember your helmet!

The next CicLAvia event is October 6, 2013.

**All photos courtesy of CicLAvia Facebook**

Monsters University

I've never been a huge fan of sequels following fantastic original films. Mulan II was a disappointment, Cinderella apparently has 3 or 4 sequels that I simply have no interest in, the Air Bud films should have ended after 2, and the Saw movies shouldn't have even started at all. The only sequels I really enjoyed were Toy Story (2 & 3) and Lion King 2. So call me skeptical when a sequel movie is announced for any series. Especially when said sequel comes out very soon after the first or over a decade later...

But Pixar caught my eye on this one. 

 First of all, its been 12 years since Monsters, Inc. And that was one GREAT movie. I really didn't want them to mess up the legacy of the first film. I thought the original was such a touching film, with it ending in laughter as power instead of fright. Brilliance.

So, when Disney Pixar announced a sequel to Monsters, Inc, I had no idea what to expect. I was thinking, "What? Are they going to bring Boo back as a teenager or something?!" I wasn't so sure they could pull it off.

And the thing I was least expecting was a PREquel! I think that was the key to this film's success. Everybody loved where these two best friends were in Monsters, Inc., and finding out how they got there seemed to be the perfect route to take. Bravo Pixar!

I was EXTREMELY delighted to hear that Billy Crystal (Mike) and John Goodman (Sulley) would be reprising their roles. Nothing annoys me more than sequels (or prequels) with different actors. They think they're convincing when they do that, but NO.

And then they announced my man Nathan Fillion would be voicing Johnny Worthington, and I was sold. 

So here's what I thought of Monsters University! 

[[SPOILERS AHEAD]]

This little guy is the most adorable thing I've seen in my entire life. Baby Mike Wazowski totally caught my attention right off the bat at the first of the film. In Monsters, Inc., we see Mike as a very positive little guy, helping his best friend Sulley in the Scare Department. At first glance, Mike is not what you would call "scary," and it was great to see Monsters University take us to Mike's childhood and see why he is who he is as an adult. 

I also loved that I could connect with Mike on some level. When he visited the Scare Floor for the first time as a child, one of the monsters gave him his Monsters University baseball cap and from then on, all Mike could think about was going to MU and becoming a scarer. When I was younger, my parents took me to Purdue University for basketball games and such. I got t-shirts and basketballs with the college logo & set my life on a path towards Purdue (which was later changed, and all turned out for the better). Baby Mike may have been my favorite part.

More connections to my life? When Mike set foot for the first time on Monsters University campus. 

Every door was open to him and he was where he had wanted to be all his life. 

He was decked out in MU apparel (typical freshman), covering his dorm room walls with Scarer posters (mine were more of the Patrick Dempsey variety), and always ridiculously prepared for class--bunches of pencils, notebooks, all of his textbooks. 

I was totally Mike when I started college. Anything seemed possible. One building held my future, and I'd sit and stare at it between classes just like Mike. I had hands full of luggage too (however, I wonder what on earth Mike could have in all those bags when he doesn't wear any clothes...). I loved reliving my first year at college through young Mike.

Oozma Kappa. What can be said about them. They're the strangest group of misfits on campus, but also ridiculously endearing! 

They were amazing side comedy. Loved every single one of them! 

And then the big guys on campus: Roar Omega Roar. 

The meanies. BUT, I couldn't hate ROR president, Johnny Worthington, simply because he held the voice of my beloved Nathan Fillion. **sigh**

It was also great to see through ROR how Randall came to be the bad guy he is in Monsters, Inc., and why he and Sulley had such a big rivalry later in life. 

I love that they made him a little nerdy and strange, trying to fit in just like the rest of the monsters in his class. It was great to see some side characters from Monsters, Inc., wandering around in the film as well, such as crabby receptionist Roz, a young Mr. Waternoose, and the Abominable Snowman (pre-banishment). They were great hints to those who had seen and loved the original film. 

I also thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between Mike and Sulley throughout the entire film. It started off very shaky, with Mike outsmarting Sulley in the Scaring classrooms and Sulley thinking he was "all that" just because he held the Sullivan name and could do one great scare face. It was great to see a relationship between rivals becoming a relationship between friends and partners. So great! Now I know why Mike stuck with Sulley in Monsters, Inc., despite the madness surrounding Boo.

I think my favorite thing about Monsters University is that it didn't end in the stereotypical way. Sulley broke the rules, he and Mike went out into the "child's" world without permission, they scared a whole bunch of cops, and got expelled from the university. They got themselves jobs in the Monsters, Inc. mailroom and worked their way up, through janitorial service, scream can service, and other things until they made it as a team to the Scare Floor, where we see them in the first film. Great storytelling for sure! 

So, if you haven't already, run & go see it! It's totally worth it and I can't wait until it comes out on DVD! That is how a sequel should be done! Well done Pixar! 

Happy Canada Day!

I love Canada. I really don't know why I love Canada so much, but I do. Maybe it's because they seem to pronounce words the way they should be (ex. tomorrow--Americans say tomArrow, Canadians say tomOrrow). 

The only two downsides I see to Canada are that I now have to have a passport to go there :( and the fact that Justin Bieber originated from that land...

Anyway...in honor of Canada Day, I give you, my favorite famous Canadians.

1. Stana Katic (surprise, surprise, I know)

I may be slightly biased because I'm obsessed with her TV show, Castle, but this woman is fantastic! She owns her own production company, Sine Timore, and is the co-founder (with Seamus Dever) of the Alternative Travel Project, which encourages people worldwide to ditch their cars for even just one day and take public transportation (or bike or walk). And my favorite thing about Stana is her devotion to Children's Hospital Los Angeles and her genuine interest in people.

2. Nathan Fillion (duh)

I love him for so many reasons. Castle, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, Firefly, Monsters University, Desperate Housewives, Percy Jackson 2, and Much Ado About Nothing. Plus, he's just so ruggedly handsome! Why do I think Nathan is awesome? Because he is the co-founder of Kids Need To Read. And we all know how much I love reading....and a man who reads!

And just look at his choice in Halloween costumes! He loves his home!

3. Ryan Gosling

Because, come on, look at him!

4. Celine Dion

"My Heart Will Go On." Enough said.

5. Kristin Kreuk

She played a great Lois Lane in Smallville when I was a teenager. And now she plays Catherine Chandler on Beauty and the Beast. She's fantastic. 

Plus, we share the same birthday :)

6. Howie Mandel

This guy is a hoot! I first saw him when I started watching Deal or No Deal with my mom back in the day. And now he's a judge on America's Got Talent. I enjoy his severe aversion to germs.

7. Sandra Oh 

She kills me. So hilariously funny. One of my all time favorites in Grey's Anatomy as well. 

(please excuse the video's poor quality)

8. Caroline Rhea (in red)

My favorite aunt of Sabrina the Teenage Witch....and wasn't she in the Disney Channel movie Mom's Got a Date With a Vampire? Good times.

9. Shania Twain

"Man I Feel Like A Woman." Now that is a song you can blast in your car! 

10. Ryan Reynolds

Mmm, mmm, mmm...he's just pretty.

Well, that's only 10 of my favorite Canadians. There are many, many more, I'm sure! 

Who are your favorite Canadians???

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!!

You Know You're Addicted to Books When...

I've had A LOT of time on my hands recently and I've filled a lot of that time with books and reading (which I'll probably end up recommending and posting about at a later date). I've always loved books, but summers always allow me the time to fall in love with them all over again. And due to the massive amounts of reading and time spent at the library this week, I present to you, "You Know You're Addicted to Books When..."

...you have a Kindle/Nook, but rarely use it because it can't compare to the feel and smell of a brand new/or used book.

I got this Kindle over a year ago, and I LOVE it. But it's true, I basically only use it on airplanes or long car rides because of it's convenience. However, there's always at least one actual book tucked away in my suitcase...which brings me to my next point.

...you run out of room for clothes in your suitcase.

There's a select couple of books that go with me everywhere. And they most definitely look like they go everywhere with me too. As heard someplace, somewhere, "a girl's gotta have her stuff."

...the signature on your library card is worn off.

My past roommate, Jessi, forced me to get a city library card a year and a half ago. And thank goodness! 

...you enjoy library decoration.

Honestly, who wouldn't?!?! Especially when decoration includes Nathan Fillion, Hugh Jackman, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan!

...you can spend hours on end in a bookstore.

This would be Jessi. In Barnes & Noble. For a very long time. I must say, working in a bookstore would be FABULOUS.

...you're favorite childhood memories revolve around books.

I'm the daughter of both a librarian and an elementary school teacher, so I was bound to love books, and thus my childhood has many happy memories involving books. After hours at the public library, piling up towers of books to buy at book fairs, tallying up totals on book orders, and overflowing homemade book shelves.

This book, Martha's House, has a special place in my heart. It resided in the glass covered bookcase at my grandma's house for as long as I can remember. And when she passed away a few years ago, it was one of the only things I requested to keep from her house. It's made the journey with me to college and beyond. I'm sure it'll eventually hold its rightful place inside my own glass covered bookcase one day.

...your idea of a perfect day off is a trip to a building that was built in 1892.

And what a beautiful building it is! This is the Provo City Library. It originated as Brigham Young Academy, the origin school of Brigham Young University (where I recently graduated). There's just something about reading in an old, beautiful building that contains so much history and legacy...

...your nightstand has gotten taller than your bed.

I seriously love reading right before turning out the light at night. It sometimes facilitates quite a few interesting dreams as well!

...you forget to eat lunch because you were so immersed in your book.

I may have done this the other day. I was in the middle of the third book in one of my favorite YA trilogies (Shades of Earth in the Across the Universe series by Beth Revis). I didn't get around to lunch until 4:45pm...

...your favorite movie is based on a book and every aspect of said movie has something to do with books and reading.

Matilda. My all-time favorite. So much a favorite that I rented the book it's based on by Roald Dahl, again for the 20th time. I couldn't resist. Yes, its a children's book, but I just had to. 

And here are some of my favorite quotes from it:

"A book?! What do you want a book for?"

"To read."

"To read? Why would you want to read when you got the television set sitting right in front of you? There's nothing you can get from a book that you can't get from a television faster!"

"You wanted cake, you got cake, now EAT IT!"

"You can do it Brucey!" 

"I'm right and you're wrong. I'm big and you're small, and there's nothing you can do about it!"

"These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: you are not alone."

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So, you readers and friends, go pick up a book. Get addicted. It's the best kind of drug.