This week was actually pretty eventful. First of all, we have this program called Crossroads at school, where we had all these speakers come and talk to us about safe driving and stuff like that. On the left is a photo of a cut-up car. One of the demonstrations was brought to us by Fire and Rescue NSW. They brought their hydraulic spreaders and cutters, and actually cut open the car to show us how they get trapped victims out. This was on school property as well – awesome! And they had this cool springy thing – you just flick it onto a window and the whole thing cracks and shatters safely. I took a lot of notes – who knows when I’ll need to write about a car accident scene?
On the right is a picture of our school gym. They brought along about fifteen wheelchairs, and half the class played wheelchair basketball before switching. It was REALLY difficult – I kept going in circles. I can’t even imagine what it must be like to be in a wheelchair full time. It was interesting how the sports wheelchairs have slightly slanted wheels. Anyway, all this was great research for Wanderland, and I understand a lot more just from that hour. The main point from that lesson was that we can just walk away from the wheelchair – people who are paraplegic/quadriplegic cannot.
I’m now on school holidays, so that’s also exciting. Aaaaaand I reached 60,000 words on the second draft of The Daisy List – I hope to finish it before the start of July so I can focus on Camp NaNoWriMo. Finally, I got a new phone for my birthday – now I can take more awesome photos of books/cats.
There were also a lot of books that arrived this week. So let’s go to Stacking the Shelves!
Stacking the Shelves is a book meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews. It’s all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual.
THE STACK
GIFTED/WON
I got Love Letters to the Dead as a birthday present from the lovely Cait at Notebook Sisters. Thanks so much Cait, I can’t wait to read this 🙂
I won The Year of the Rat from Amanda at The Bookish Manicurist. Aussie contemporary YA, yes PLEASE! Plus it came with such a cute note 🙂 (you can see it in the third picture)
I got Just One Day and Pivot Point from my sister for my birthday – yeah, I guess she’s ALRIGHT as a sister (she’s probably reading this, actually…).
I bought Geek Girl as part of the Bookworld sale. I’ve been wanting to read it for AAAGES.
FOR REVIEW
Broken Strings by Maria Farrer thanks to Scholastic Australia. This was a surprise and it looks AWESOME.
Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid thanks to Harlequin Australia. I didn’t think this was coming, but it looks SO amazing, and the book itself is just really nice.
LIBRARY
I’d heard so much about these two that I couldn’t avoid it for any longer – I borrowed them. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein appeals to me because of the friendship, and The Sky So Heavy by Claire Zorn because I KEEP ON HEARING ABOUT IT. Can’t wait to read these two.
So yeah. Quite a few books this week. Thank goodness it’s school holidays so I can read them all! Right now I’m at my dad’s house for a week. I’m sure when I get back to my mum’s there’ll be a few more waiting for me…still waiting on a couple that I bought 🙂
BOOKS READ SINCE LAST WEEK
All were good! Searching for Sky and The Probability of Miracles were both amaaaazing. Look for the review of Searching for Sky soon (it will also include a book written by Little Me about a desert island and monkey butlers, so that’s fun)
CURRENTLY READING
My sister inSISTS (haha, sister…insists…no? Okay) that I read this soon because she is almost up to it and I should therefore hurry up and read it. Plus, the first one is awesome.
READING NEXT
Slightly worried about this one, because the reviews have been pretty negative, but still intrigued to see what I think of it!
GIF OF THE WEEK
Flamingos are just ridiculous. I mean, seriously.
POSTS ON THE BLOG
Monday: I reviewed Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Tuesday: I told you about the book covers I (to borrow a phrase from Cait @ Notebook Sisters) adore and abhor
Wednesday: I provided you with a very simple, 10-step process of conquering your TBR
Thursday: I reviewed the awesome Writing Clementine by Kate Gordon
Friday: I reviewed The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder (FLAMINGOS)
Saturday: I talked about book-buying bans
What happened with you this week? Is anyone else celebrating the start of school holidays?
Ohhh, Breaking Butterflies. OH. I want to know what you think. I’m still buried in a hole of horror, BUT I WON’T MAKE YOU BIASED. (looool) *ahem* That’s really cool about the cutting up the car and also: holidays. Holidays never cease to be awesome. For some reason Mime has 3 weeks off school, which is fabulous, and we…um, accidentally plotted a book. Holidays! They call for book writing, right?!
I want to know what I think as well!! I’m super-intrigued about this totally scarring book. Holidays are definitely awesome. Thank goodness they’ve arrived – it would be difficult to start Camp NaNo during term time. SO UNFAIR that Mime gets three weeks off – completely not cool.
I wish I could accidentally plot a book 😛
YAAAAAAAAAAAAY! i SQUEALED WHEN I SAW YOU LOVED SEARCHING FOR SKY!!! That makes me super happy, dude. That book made me curl up and cry all night. The ending was devastating and fitting at the same time… huhuhu Skyyyyyyyy~ Riveeeeeeeeeeer~ huhuhuhu…
Okay, I thought about that book again and I’m teary-eyed now.
I CAN’T WAIT TO READ YOUR REVIEW!!!
Faye at The Social Potato Reviews
Wow, your response is SO OVERWHELMINGLY OVERJOYED. It makes me happy to see other people so happy about books. That ending, though…emotional wreck, right here.
Ooh, a nice collection of books you have this week! 😀
I really like Kasie West, and Pivot Point was especially good (in my opinion). I keep seeing the cover image of LET’S GET LOST floating around the interwebs, so I’ll be really interested to see what you think of it! I keep hearing mixed reviews of that one, though I do like the cover. 😉
I can’t wait to read Pivot Point – it’s high up on the list after I get through some of these review books.I saw Let’s Get Lost around with lots of the BEA bloggers – so many of them got it! I’m very intrigued 🙂
Wonderful new books that you’ve acquired this week Emily! I particularly want to read Geek Girl and How To Convince A Boy To Kiss you. I should be reading Breaking Butterflies soon, it sounds super creepy! How lovely that you won Year of the Rat and Cait is so sweet for sending you a present! Enjoy all of your books lovely.
Geek Girl looks AWESOME, can’t wait to read it. And I’m slightly concerned about Breaking Butterflies…I’ve heard some weird things about it, haha. So happy to have won Year of the Rat, and Love Letters to the Dead is one that’s been on my TBR for ages 🙂
It sounds like you had an interesting experience at school. That is a huge book haul! I really want to read Broken Strings and Code Name Verity and I can’t wait to read your reviews!
Code Name Verity is one I’ve heard SO much about! Definitely one I have to read soon 🙂
hahaha that gif is so cool! I laughed when I saw it. Great haul this week!
Oh, awesome haul! Love Letters to the Dead is interesting although it reminds me a bit of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. 🙂 Just One Day is awesome so I think your sister is also awesome haha. Code Name Verity! It’s amaaazing. ❤ Trying wheelchair basketball is really great. I can't imagine how it feels to be in wheelchair all the time.
Happy reading, Emily! 🙂
You have so many of the same activities as me! Some wheelchair basketball players came to my school as well. And I have Crossroads next term I think. Yay for the holidays! And yay for so many new books. Hope you enjoy them all. 😀
That GIF. I can’t stop staring it. Flamingos! They’re like the slightly slower bird cousins of the Meerkat. Awesome haul, I’m really looking forward to reading Let’s Get Lost as well. I love road trips and adventures. Can’t wait to see what you think of Breaking Butterflies, my gawd it was horrid for me.
Flamingos. I may keep coming back just to stare at them now.
So many books (which is any bookworm’s dream of course) Hope you like ‘How to Convince a Boy to Kiss You’ – I love Tara Eglington’s series! 🙂