It’s true that sometimes distance makes the heart grow fonder, but sometimes the heart just gets bored and moves on.

I enjoyed twilight, but found it poorly written, repetitive and drawn out. Due to its huge popularity however there are tons of new books coming out about vampires and other non-humans relationships with humans. I’ve found it difficult to distinguish the interesting, well written books from ones that are just trying to coast on twilight’s coat tails. Here are a few I have found that I really liked, and you might like too.

Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr (I’m hoping to get the third book in the series, Fragile Eternity, for Christmas)

hush hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black

Here are a few of my favourite books that feature awesome female characters

Stargirl and Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

How I live Now by Meg Rosoff

Luna by Julie Anne Peters

Kissing Doorknobs by Terry Spencer Hesser and A.J. Allen

Walk Two Moons, Absolutely Normal Chaos and The Wanderer by Sharron Creech

I like everything by Sarah Dessen but Someone Like You and The Truth About Forever are probably my favourites

There. Can you say you don’t have anything to read now? I don’t think so.

My hair is so charged with static electricity that it crackles when I run my hair through it.

It’s been sticking to my face all day, but on the plus side it’s quite shiny, and otherwise obedient.

In psychology I’m learning about Nature vs. Nurture right now and I’ve been thinking back to my childhood. I’ve always loved reading and I believe books played a role in shaping who I am. I learned lessons in confidence, honesty, generosity, hope, sharing and imagination’s power through riddles, fairytales, legends and art. Here are the picture books I remember most fondly. Each left an impact in my life, and I hope, that one day I’ll read them to my own children.

The Balloon Tree by Phoebe Gilman

A Midsummer Night’s Faery Tale by Wendy Froud

The Winter Child by Wendy Froud

Catkin by Antonia Barber and P.J. Lynch

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

A Bad Case Of STRIPES by David Shannon

A Promise is a Promise by Robert Munsch, Michael Kusgak, and Vladyana Krykorka

The Fairy Necklaces by Cicely Barker

Blueberries For Sal by Robert Mccloskey

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

The Gypsy Princess by Phoebe Gilman

The Dragon’s Pearl by Julie Lawson and Paul Morin

Lao Lao of Dragon Mountain by Margaret Bateson Hill

The Girl in the Golden Bower by Jane Yolen

The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau

Tatterhood and the Hobgoblins by Lauren A. Mills

Dove Isabeau by Jane Yolen and Dennis Nolan

Mary Margaret’s Tree by Blair Drawson

The Weaving of a Dream by Marilee Heyer