Shit My Dad Says

Couple weeks back, or maybe just one I don't even know, I read Justin Halpern's ultra short book, Shit My Dad Says. It was funny, short, and as the the front cover blurb says: "Ridiculously hilarious."

The book has full anecdotes in a short two-to-three pages chapters and several short snippets (basically tweets form the twitter account that launched everything) titled on the subject between the anecdote chapters. Did that make sense?

see what I'm talking about?

The book is -as said before- very short and will take about an hour or so to read. That being said it is a really great book. It delivers n everything it promises it would. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to start reading biographies or nonfiction in general. I will also be definitely be looking for I Suck at Girls, the second book by Justin Halpern.

final rating: 5/5

I really don't see how this idea could generate any more money, to be completely honest. Apparently, some tv network thought otherwise, because this happened:

Now, I never say bad things about old people cause that's disrespectful and my mother taught me better, but William Shatner -and Goldie Hawn but that's another story- is the exception to that rule. I hated him in everything he's ever been in. Anyways, although the show is based on -and I'm using that term lightly here- the book, it bares close to no resemblance whatsoever to what the story is actually about. I mean, they made the dad and the mom divorced, something that can never happen in real life, at least not according to the book. That alone took a lot from the character of the father. The second thing was that they made the father an ex-navy which is plain out idiotic.

When I downloaded the first episode of the show I honestly thought it will take place in the author's childhood, this is just sloppy TV work. The brother and his wife are obnoxious. The playback laughter is just too much, the jokes are not even funny. Bottom line is I hated the show and given the choice I'd rather sit through a football game than watch it.

final rating: -5/5

Ready Player One Review

As some of you know, I'm a huge youtube lover. It is the best internet website after google and wikipedia. One of the things I watch on youtube are booktuber videos, which is basically nerds talking about books they do and do not like. starting around last November I've started hearing a ton amount of buzz surrounding a novel, Ready Player One by Earnest Cline. At first I wasn't very intrigued by all the buzz -mainly because of all the hype around Anna & the French Kiss, which I've read the synopsis of but didn't catch my interest-, then I felt like I should at least check what the book was about. After that, I was very much interested, so I got the book on my e-reader and decided that it will be my R for my A-Z book challenge.

The story is in the year 2044, all the fuel and resources are done and dried up. People are suffering from famine, poverty, homelessness, and about every other bad thing you could think of. However, there is one thing that is still thriving and basically holding up the economy and everyone's lives together, and that is the internet. God bless.

love this official motion cover *excited noise*

The protagonist of the story is Wade Watts or as his avatar, Parzival, an 18 year old boy who lives in the stacks (RVs stacked on top of each other and held up by pipes). He goes to school virtually, in the OASIS (Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation), which is the entire world's escape from reality. He has no friends or loved ones in the real world but has a best friend in the OASIS named Aech (pronounced as H). Basically, the guy who created the OASIS, James Halliday, died, and after his death a statement was released on his website that he's hidden an 'easter egg'' in the OASIS. To acquire the egg, the person must first open three gates. No gate can be cleared unless the player has the proper key. There is a copper key, a jade key, and a crystal key. The clues to finding those keys are in James's "manual", which is filled with 80's pop culture.

The book is divided into 4 parts. A sort of prequel, level 1, level 2, and level 3.  The quotes at the beginning of each part are really funny.

Actually, you can pick a page at random from a book and you'll find a sentence worthy to be quoted. The writing style is very elegant. I was not expecting the writing to be so beautiful in a book that essentially a play-by-play of a video game. Boy was I in for a pleasant surprise. This is an author I'll be waiting to read more from.

 The characters are very well written. My favorite character by far is Aech. I loved his dialogue, his development, and his very smart comebacks to whatever Parzival said. I honestly liked all of the High Five. They were very fun to follow, closely relate-able, and watching them understand and discover the mysteries of the game is very engaging.

Aech & Parzival: ULTIMATE BROMANCE

I loved the rivalry between the Gunter (egg hunters) and the Sixers (I can't explain the sixers). I loved how the villain, he was your typical villain who rests on the throne of a corporation which is linked throughout the book with words like: fascism, imperialism, and corporate scum, among other things. I also loved the epic final battle scene. That was awesome.

The credit of this beauty is due to a blog titled Dalton James Rose

To say the truth, there were some parts of the book that were really hard to believe. They are spoilers, so I won't say anything, for once in this blog's history, a post is spoiler-free. Anyways, back to the hard to believe stuff, they really seem like the were written for a rushed screenplay. Maybe I'm just saying that cause I'm a Grinch who doesn't like it when things turn out for the better. Turns out, the author did write it with a movie adaptation in mind, so, I guess I was right. The author also created his own egg hunt on his website, with the prize as a renewed & refurnished DELOREAN. Guys. GUYS. He also traveled for his book tour in a DeLorean.

how cool is this guy?

Warner Brothers bought the movie rights for this book. I'm not excited about that. I think that it is very hard concept to create through that medium. We'll just have to wait and see.

final rating: 4.9/5 (only because of those two parts. urgh.)
now reading: blueeyedboy (don't judge me for still reading this it is very slow)

Just a small request here, a group of friends and I are working on a charity book fair. If you have any new or used books that are in good condition, let the magic live on for anther person. Contact us to see how you can help today.

W.E. (2011) Review

 A couple of weeks ago I watched  Madonna's W.E. It was magnificent, breathtaking, and alluring. It is basically about the story of Wallis Simpson and prince Edward -aka David, to his close friends. It also shows the story of Wallis Winthrop, a woman named after and obsessed with Wallis Simpson in 1998.

To be honest I've never heard of Wallis & Edward's story before watching the film. I haven't seen The King's Speech yet either. Now, I'm hooked. I want to know everything about Wallis and prince Edward, I want to read about their lives before, while, and after the were together. I find their story fascinating to say the least. I think I'm going to order their correspondence letters book and their biographies.

As to the film itself, it is pretty AWESOME. I mean the costume design is just perfect; the clothes are to die for and the hair and makeup is spot on.

 
And the casting is spot on, as well. I mean, they could pass as siblings.

In the film, there is a scene in which Wallis is on a yacht with prince Edward and he presents her with a tray. She lifts the lid and finds a beautiful silver cross with the most beautifully cut stones you've ever seen. He actually gifted her several which she wore in a beautiful silver chain bracelet. Madonna wears a replica of it.

 

To tell you the truth, this film has now become one of my favorites -as if you haven't guessed that already. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful, although there were a couple of transition frames I hated. The pacing of the film wasn't too slow or too fast, it was very smooth and evenly paced, which I like in films. The colorful scenes weren't overwhelming, and the scenes that lacked colors weren't depressing.

As for the story of 1998's Wally Winthrop, it is very predictable. We've seen her story a million times and more, but we've never seen the decisions made by the influence of a dead duchess.

final rating: 5/5

"Another" Anime Review

After watching Madoka Magica and liking it -for the most part- I asked my friend Alaa -who is the biggest anime fan- to recommend something a bit more mature for me. She recommended I watch Another.

Another is a horror/mystery story based on a novel by Yukito Ayatsuji. The story follows Sakakibara Kouichi, a boy who moves with her grandparents to the city of Yomiyama. Basically, there is a curse on the 3rd class of ninth graders. It started 26 years ago when a student died but his/her classmates pretended that he/she didn't. With that, they invited death to that classroom. Each year after a death will occur to the students and their immediate relatives in that class in what will be knows as class 3 calamity. I won't go into further explanation of the calamity because

spoilers.

The series is only 12 episodes, each is about 25 minutes long (roughly 5 hours), so it's pretty easy to wedge into a weekend if you're not busy.  The theme song -as usual in anime as far as I can tell- isn't related to the storyline of the show itself whatsoever, and nor does the name of the anime. Then again, that is the usual problem with translated materials.

The art wand graphics for the series were very normal and mundane, I would have loved to see more risk taking in this aspect in particular because the story has a supernatural element to it.

The characters are portrayed distinctly and are very much one dimensional. Not two characters in the same show share one quality or habit.

still don't get what the dolls have to do with anything

Kouichi is very dull, he is probably the Japanese spokesperson for Gryffindor (no offense to all you roaring lions out there). Misaki Mei is a childish weirdo, Teshigawara is flirtatious jock, Mochizuki is helpful and quiet, and Akazawa is strong, willful, assertive, and takes no one's crap.

no.

The first episodes are a bit confusing cause you don't know what's going on yet, but once the first death happens the show picks up its pace and things start to ravel to Kouichi and the viewers.

this poor kid actually falls down the stairs her umbrella opens and the pointy end goes right through her neck. It was actually pretty epic.

The story line is pretty decent, you can see how this was a book previously. The last two episodes are awesome, the class goes on a trip and the students figure if they kill each other maybe they won't die and a fighting rampage erupts by those 15 year old kids. Which, Japanese people, why is it always middle school kids that die?

I should mention that I have very poor tolerance and resistance towards horror and scary things in general. I still remember an episode in Charmed back in 4th grade which had people haunting the rooms in a painting of a house. To this day I find paintings of buildings creepy. I can actually count on one hand the names of horror movies I've seen (3 if you count sci fi genetic move, The Fly.) When I saw that this anime was rated in the horror genre I was like, "please, as if." They are not messing around. This is very creepy and scary and has ghosts and what not in it. If you can't handle your horror movies do not watch this. Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit.

 

creepy, I tell you

 Final rating: 4/5

Okay, you should just watch this clip because it is ingenious.

This -if you ask me- is the best death scene ever, better than all the deaths in Battle Royale.

"Spread the Love"

My high school's Parents' council along with the student council came up with a mini event at the Bahrain City Center mall this past Saturday. They asked me to help and since I had nothing to do that morning, I did.

The whole project's idea was to give out flowers with a reason of why we love prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The flowers were arranged in this huge cylinder covered in the words "I love Muhammad" in a bunch of different languages.

There were also brochures, booklets, water bottles, and chocolates. I personally preferred to hand out the brochures because I'm a boring person who likes to read random brochures. We gave the flowers, chocolates, and brochures to security staff, cleaners, shop clerks, receptionists, and random shoppers and passerby-s.

People's reactions to the handouts varied, some were happy to take the flowers and brochures, asking us if we had any more different booklets. Some smiled and said grateful words like, "thanks, love", "thank you, dear", "cheers", and "shukran". Some people thought we were selling the roses and some refused to even look at us while we handed things out.

Somewhere around the third "no" some of the volunteers started to complain that those who refused were ignorant haters. I didn't believe that. I might read every brochure given to me, but that's only me. I know for a fact if some of the volunteers were given brochures about Judaism or Buddhism they will refuse them. Some of the younger kids just wanted the chocolates, some people thought the whole point was to exchange and choose flowers, and a couple thought it was the prophet's birthday, but all of that doesn't matter. What mattered were those few who said, "I got a book about Islam in my language but it was to deep for me to understand, thanks for this one" and those who said, "that is a lovely thing to do, what you're doing. thanks."

In the end, not everyone will read the brochures we handed out, the flowers will wither and die, the bottle of water drank and recycled, but some will remember the day a stranger gave them a flower or a piece of chocolate in the mall and smile.

Avalon High Coronation

When I was about 8 years old my dad tricked me into eating ketchup with eggs. I was -and still am for the most part- a very picky eater. After a glass of water I told him that I didn't like it. He told me that we should only say that about things after we've tried them at least once. With that little anecdote as an introduction, I've read manga for the first time today. I know.

I didn't jump into the deep Japanese stuff, though. I picked up the Avalon High Coronation manga, which is based on the Avalon High book by one of my favorite authors: Meg Cabot.

Seriously, I love Meg Cabot.

Meg Cabot's style of writing is very simple, she uses everyday words that don't require a dictionary to understand, and her stories are short and fluffy. In short, her books are quick, funny, and entertaining reads.

I don't like the anime/manga drawing style that much, to be frank. I don't like how everyone looks the same and how everyone seem to have perfect bodies. However, after reading the Game of Thrones graphic novel this one was not frustrating at all.

No high school student is this fit. Believe me, I was one.

The story follows Elle, a high school girl whose parents are both an Order of the Bear believers, which basically means her parents believe in a King Arthur reincarnation. Not only that, but they believe her boyfriend, Will, to be King Arthur. Of course she and Will don't believe that, because "what the hell?"

Anyways, they go on living their life until Will's brother, Marco, who is some other bad guy reincarnated, tries to kill them both. Actually everyone is just some old person reincarnated: King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Mordred, Merlin, The Lady of the Lake, and Elaine of Astolat. I didn't read King Arthur, but there is a characters' index in the end of the book.

Sandor Clegane reincarnated?

I liked how the idea was executed and the merge between the past and the future. I didn't read the original book but I have an feeling that I wouldn't like it. I think this medium serves the story well. I believe this idea reached its full potential in this execution, and beautifully so. I still don't know how I feel about the lack of colors in manga, but so far I'm not really bothered by it. There is still one final installment to the manga adaptations and I'll be sure to pick that up next time I go to the store, which was weird, cause this was the first time I buy books from the store, as in where we buy groceries.

This is a chapter cover. I love how we see the future in the reflection.

I don't know if this is in all mangas or just this one, but I really really liked the ratings at the back of the books, its really helpful if you don't know what the story is about.

I should mention that I finished both these books in about 45 minutes. As I said, quick reads that serve their purpose, entertainment. As for reading more manga, I don't really know. I'll just have to wait and see.

final rating: 5/5
now reading: A Feast for Crows

New Year's Reading Resolutions

Happy New Year to all of you!

For the year 2013 my reading resolutions are to do the A-Z book challenge, read more classics, reread my favorite books all within the 50 book challenge.

Classics list:
1- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgareld
2- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgareld
3- The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
4- A Midsummer's Night Dream by William Shakespeare
5- The Complete Short Stories by Oscar Wilde

Non-Fiction list:
6- Diary of a Young Girl by Ann Frank
7- Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me by Mindy Kaling
8- Shit My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
9- Writing in the Dark by David Grossman
10- كخه يا بابا by عبدالله المغلوث
11- بيكاسو و ستاربكس by ياسر حرب
12- طوق الياسمين by واسيني الأعرج
13- العبودية المختارة by أيتيان دي لا بواسييه
14- The True Secret by Amira Ayad

Re-reead list:
14- The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling 
15- The Host by Stephenie Meyer
16- The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chbosky
17- Looking for Alaska by John Green
18- Julie & Julia by Julie Powell
19- The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
20- The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
21- Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

A-Z Book Challenge (fiction list):
23- A- Avalon high Coronation volume 1 by Meg Cabot
24- A- Avalon High Coronation volume 2 by Meg Cabot
25- B- Blueeyedboy by Joanne Harris
26- C-  Cracked by K. M. Walton
27- D- A Dance of Dragons by George R. R. Martin
28- E- Every You, Every Me by David Levithan
29- F- A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
30- G-The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
31- H- Horns by Joe Hill
32- I- Invisible Monster by Chuck Palahniuk
33- J-John Dies at the End by David Wong
34- K- Kraken by China Mieville
35- L- Life of Pi by Yann Martel
36- M- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
37- N- Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
38- O- Othello by William Shakespeare
39- P- A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
40- Q- 1Q84 by Haruka Marukami
41- R- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
42- S- Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
43- T- Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
44- U- Ubik by Philip K. Dick
45- V- Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre
46- W- Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan & John Green
47- X- X by James Galvin
48- Y- The Year of the Flood by Margret Atwood
49- Z- The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks

I-must-finish-this-book-to-die-a-happy-person:
50- عزازيل by يوسف زيدان

I challenge everyone reading this to do the same, and create lists because it is so much fun. You don't have to read the A-Z challenge books in alphabetical order, and in case you want to remove a book from a list you must replace it with one in the same category.

Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor.