Merry Wanderer of the Night:
Contest

I know that in a previous Memory Monday Post, I talked about Willo Davis Roberts, and the impact she had on me as an author. (in my blog to read it. It's hysterically funny.) But, I talked about her writing in very general terms. Today, I want to talk about one book in particular that was a big deal for me.

I've always been super nerdy when it comes to books. I love making my own book lists, reading books from specific award lists, etc. So, when I learned in 4th grade (I think) that there was a contest of sorts where you were to write in with the number of mystery books you had read to 'win' I signed up! I kicked myself for days after sending in my list because I kept thinking of more and more that I had read and forgotten to put down, but I guess 9 is still a lot for a 4th grader because I won! I won a certificate along with my very first signed book, Twisted Summer by Willo Davis Roberts.

I cannot even begin to describe what it felt like to look down at that book and see that signature, knowing that the woman who wrote this book, whose books I had been reading and loving for years had TOUCHED MY BOOK. Seriously. Whoa.

I was going to take a picture, because I still have both the book and the certificate, but I can't find my camera. Perhaps another time.

But honestly, for a 4th grader who has loved books her whole life, that was the greatest, most amazing moment. I wish I had been more careful with the book, but it was one of my favorites of hers and I read it over and over. It's not in awesome shape anymore, but it is definitely a book I will keep and treasure forever.

(I mean, seriously!! 4th grader getting a SIGNED book from their favorite author?! AMAZING!!)

The Parthenon Marbles, a group of sculptures, statues, inscriptions and architectural elements depicting scenes from Greek mythology, were once part of the Parthenon. Built in 5th century BC to honor Athena, the temple has become one of the most recognized symbols of Western Civilization and is regarded as the highest architectural achievement of the Ancient Greeks.

About half of the marbles were torn from the temple between 1801 and 1802 by the Earl of Elgin while Athens was under Ottoman occupation. According to most historians, Elgin received an official decree (firman) to remove sculptures. While the document no longer exists, a translation from an Italian copy suggests that Elgin was permitted to take “some stones”—not half of the carvings on the Parthenon. Some historians argue that Elgin never actually received the requisite permission for removal, as there is no documentary evidence that the firman existed. What is known is that the removal of the objects damaged the Parthenon, even if that was not Elgin’s intention. Then in 1816, the British Parliament purchased the marbles and presented them to the British Museum.

Lord Elgin’s actions have been disputed from the start

From the start, the legality and morality of Elgin’s actions have been disputed. Lord Byron was one of the most vocal critics of Lord Elgin, referring to him as a “plunderer.” Greece gained its independence in 1832, and in 1837, the Greek Archaeology Society was founded. At its first meeting, the president called for the marbles’ return. The Greek people regard the carvings as a symbol of their culture, heritage and past. In the same vein, art historians and archaeologists argue that the sculptures are integral to the ancient temple structures still standing in Athens. There is a call for the marbles to be unified as they were intended to be viewed. On the other hand, the British Museum asserts that the objects should be seen in a larger framework, presenting Greek art in a chronological narrative. The British Museum argues that the Parthenon sculptures are “integral to the Museum’s purpose as a world museum telling the story of human cultural achievement.” And after being housed in the museum for nearly two centuries, the carvings are a significant feature of British cultural identity. But, some view the sculptures’ placement in London as a sad reminder of British imperialism—an attempt to transform London into the “New Athens” in the way that Napoleon tried to convert Paris into the “New Rome.”

The British Museum opened in 1759, a few years before the Hermitage. They are two of the first great museums of the Enlightenment, established for the public benefit, educating and exposing the masses to art. These encyclopedic museums aim to present visitors to a variety of cultures and exhibit art in a broader context, providing a sense of a shared human cultural heritage. However, is this the best context for art? Is it proper to remove a work from its original cultural setting, losing its context? While millions of people visit the British Museum each year, it is still disheartening to view the marbles in London after learning that their removal damaged one of mankind’s crowning achievements.

Moral solution is to return the marbles

The British Museum claims that the removal of the objects saved them from destruction, as they were not being protected at the time. However, times have charged; if the marbles are returned to Greece, they will be in a museum. (Interestingly, the marbles were damaged while under the custodianship of the British Museum where conservators used harsh cleaning agents on them.) Greece has built the New Acropolis Museum featuring state-of-the-art design and technology which ensures protection of its collection. What’s more, the New Acropolis Museum is a mere 300 meters from the Acropolis, allowing the marbles to be seen as intended—basking in the Greek sunlight. To fully appreciate the artistic and historical significance of the friezes, they should be viewed in their context of the Acropolis mount, a hillside covered with art venerating the gods watching over Athens.

As an attorney, my position is troubling: Greece does not have a strong legal argument for restitution. If Lord Elgin did not receive the proper permit for the marbles’ removal, then the British Museum could not have purchased legitimate title. However, there are time limitations for bringing suit. The Greek government has been aware of the removal for nearly two centuries now, and they never filed suit against Elgin or the British Museum. The statute of limitations may stop any lawsuit from moving forward. Still, while the legal answer may not support restitution, the moral solution is to return the marbles. The carvings are a symbol of the Greek people—their violent removal distanced the objects from their legitimate home.

The British Museum has undercut its own argument with its own actions

In 2013, UNESCO requested that the British government enter mediation, and the deadline for a response is in March. In the meantime, the British Museum loaned one of the statues to the Hermitage. For years, the museum argued that it would not move the Parthenon Marbles because of their delicate nature, the risk being too great. The British Museum alleged that the carvings were safest in London. That argument has been undercut by the museum’s own actions. But what is most surprising is the recipient—especially amidst rising tensions between Russia and the U.S. and Europe. Russia has a poor reputation for handling plundered art. Russian officials are uncooperative in returning Nazi-looted art to rightful owners, claiming that objects seized during World War II are reparations for lost lives. It is ironic that the Hermitage should be the first to benefit from a loan involving the most hotly contested cultural heritage objects. The museum long accused of holding on to stolen Greek art is now loaning its inventory to a country that refuses to restitute stolen art. The Greek outrage is understandable.

The British Museum has unequivocally stated that it will not return the marbles to Greece but, maybe the country has some options. Just as Italy leveraged its vast collections and archaeologically-rich resources against American museums, perhaps Greece could do the same. Over the past decade, museums across the U.S. returned looted objects to Italy after Italian officials threatened to withhold all Italian loans. The fear of losing access to Italian objects pressured museums to comply with Italy’s demands. As Greece has a rich archaeological trove, bargaining may be successful. International fervor is rising over the dig at Amapholis, an elaborate burial site in Northern Greece that may contain the remains of a relative of Alexander the Great. Prohibiting British archaeologists to access the site and barring any finds from going to British institutions may be one way to apply pressure for the return of some of the Parthenon Marbles. This type of action is necessary. The Parthenon is not just cultural heritage, but a symbol of Greece and the glory of Athens.

Author: Leila Amineddoleh | Source: Forbes [December 23, 2014]

I like mini-reviews. I don't do them terribly often, partly because I talk/type too much to be consistent with 'mini' anything, but I also have a lot of books that I would love to spotlight during Just Contemporary, so I'm chearing and doing three.:)

These three books are completely different from each other, and have pretty much nothing in common besides being Contemporary and books that Ashley very much enjoyed and since those are the 'requirements' for posts in November, I'm totally doing it!

It is not even kind of a secret that I love Lisa Schroeder. Like, a lot. I've read all her books, I've loved all her books and I talk about her all the time. But I was a tiny bit nervous to read It's Raining Cupcakes because it's very different from her other books. Not only is it MG, but it's also written in prose, not verse. But, it was a Lisa book and I wanted to read it, so I did. And it was seriously so charming and delightful and just so much fun.
At first I thought it was just going to be a light fluffy book about cupcakes and baking, but there was quite a bit more to the story, which surprised me. Isabel want to enter a baking contest that will get the winner sent to New York. She has always dreamed about going places and this would be an absolute dream come true for her. But her best friend, Sophie, who always seems to get whatever she wants is going to enter too. And Isabel has some great ideas for recipes to send, but her mom, who has just opened up a cupcake shop wants her to submit a cupcake recipe because it would be great publicity. And Mom is heavy on the guilt trip, and Mom is (in Ashley's opinion) depressed (although it's hard to nail down exactly what she is, or how to explain it) and Isabel needs to decide where her priorities lie. And that's something that's hard for a 12 year old to learn, and in this instance, while I totally understood where the mom was coming from, I was also really upset at how selfish I felt she was.
So, this is yet another win from Lisa Schroeder. It's completely and totally different in style, feel, and tone than her other novels but it's definitely worth a read.

Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens is a book that really surprised me. I've always been pretty upfront about the fact that I don't generally read books that are very romance heavy, but I won a copy of this from the author and it just really appealed to me for some reason, so I picked it up and I just loved it! It was exactly what I was in the mood for (how great is it when that happens?!) and it just made me happy. I don't know that I would have liked it so much if I had read it at any other time, but as it stands, I seriously enjoyed it.
It's very definitely a romance novel for teens and the romance is the most important part of the story. But it didn't really bother me this time around. It was a fun book with interesting characters (even if I probably wouldn't want to know a single one of the IRL) and the 'danger' that Ashlyn's father perceives her to be in is just real enough to be believable. But I will say that Ashlyn's dad is a major creeper. He didn't really feel like an overprotective father to me. He felt more like a jealous and possessive lover/ex-boyfriend which seriously igged me out. He's obsessed with her, with keeping her close and making sure that she belongs to him. Seriously — CREEPY!
I will also say that I was initially worried about Colin and Ashlyn falling for each other, because how could you want to be with someone that is not only okay with creeper dad keeping you totally locked up, but being the one who enables the locking up. But Daddy misleads Colin and he is not aware of the full extent of his job until he gets there. He thought he was going to be more bodyguard, less prison guard, which made me feel better about their situation.
I honestly wasn't expecting to like this one as much as I did, but it was the perfect book at exactly the right moment and I had a lot of fun reading it.

Choker by Elizabeth Woods is the most different and the heaviest of these three novels. It's a Contemporary story but it is also a bit of a thriller type. (which are also Contemporary, but seem to get their own genre... Greedy, aren't they). In Choker, Cara is kind of an awkward loner. She hasn't had any really good friends since she moved away from her best friend in 5th grade (or thereabouts) and now she is either ignored or teased by the other kids at school. It's tough being that kid. There's nothing necessarily wrong with her, she's just that shy, quiet kid that no one really talks to. But then her old best friend shows up in her room. Some bad stuff was happening at home and she's run away and come to Cara for a safe haven. They don't tell Cara's parents because Zoe is very probably in some real trouble and doesn't want anyone to know where she is. And then some seriously weird and freaky stuff starts happening.

I was surprised by this book because a lot of it caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting the story to go where it did, and watching the dynamic between Cara and Zoe was very unsettling. Zoe is not a very nice person and although she's the best friend Cara ever had, even Cara is starting to get weirded out by her. Cara is a character that I think people can, at least initially, relate to. She's an outsider with a crush on one of the cutest boys in school, no one notices her and when they do finally start paying attention to her, it's to be mocking and cruel. My heart went out to her, but she definitely makes a bunch of bad decisions.

And then the ending. I kept waiting for something to happen and I thought I knew what it would be. And then, it wasn't. At all. And maybe I should have seen it coming, but I totally didn't and it was definitely one of those, like, whoa moments for me.

If you are looking for something a little out of the norm, this is one that is definitely worth looking into. It's not going to be for everyone, and I get that. But I for one was most definitely a fan.

I am so insanely excited to have Jay Asher on my blog today! I read Thirteen Reasons Why in college and it just slayed me. Such a phenomenal story, totally brilliant. AND because he really iscompletely awesome, he's donated a signed copy of Thirteen Reasons Why. Information below.

Thirteen Reasons Why is a very powerful and emotional book. What inspired this book?

A close relative of mine attempted suicide when she was a junior in high school, the same age as Hannah Baker in the novel. Around that same time, I came up with the idea of an audiotour-style novel, using two simultaneous narrators. Nine years later, the subject matter and the structure came together, and I began writing the book. I knew the structure allowed me to discuss the very serious issues with an element of suspense, which was important to me. There's no reason serious books shouldn't also be entertaining.

Did you always know the direction you wanted Thirteen Reasons Why to go? Or did Hannah and Clay surprise you? I always knew the emotional arc of Hannah's character, but the details that happened along the way were mostly surprises. As well, I had already written a large chunk of the book before I realized Clay's role in the story. Basically, I wanted to keep myself in the dark as much as possible, discovering the story as I went along. That way, if it was a suprise to me, I figured it would also be a surprise to the readers.

Did you have any idea writing this book the kind of reaction it would have? That so many people would so connect to it, would find it so powerful and emotional?
I had no idea this many people would love the book and tell so many other people about it. I always figured it would have a very strong, but rather small, following. There just happens to be a lot more people than I anticipated who allowed themselves to open up and try to understand what Hannah was going through. Many times, that's because they could identify with her a little bit. Other times, it's because they knew other people who'd been through similar circumstances. My main focus while writing Hannah's story was to write it with completely raw honesty, and I think that's what connected with so many people.

What has most surprised you (positive, negative or both) about the response to Thirteen Reasons Why? On the positive side, it surprised me how many readers say the book inspired them to reach out and get help. They identified with Hannah in some ways, but also recognized where she could have, and should have, done more for herself. On the negative side, I'm always surprised when people say they didn't like the book because they didn't think Hannah had good reasons to kill herself. Of course she didn't! Does anyone? Yet it still happens. The alternative is to have written a book where, when people were done with it, they said, "Yep, she totally did the right thing." People who were hoping to read a book like that, they make me a little nervous.

The Future of Us, your upcoming release, is not really Contemporary. Was it a lot different than writing Contemporary? Which do you prefer?

The premise required us to set our world in 1996, but we didn't write it any differently than if it took place today. Along the same line, there's a sci-fi element to the story, but we wanted it to feel very real. So while it's set in the mid-90s, and has a fantastic element, we wanted it to feel like a realistic contemporary novel.

You also wrote Future as part of a team. What was that writing experience like? Would you want to write as a team again, or do you prefer solo writing?
It honestly felt no different than writing alone... just faster. Before Carolyn Mackler and I wrote a single word, we had several discussions about our writing styles and philosophies. Because we have very similar thoughts on those things, the entire time we wrote and brainstormed the story, we never clashed. Sometimes we challenged each other, but always pushing toward the same goal. Having someone to bounce ideas around with every step of the way, the process flowed much quicker than usual. So while I would be afraid to write a book with someone else, because there's no way they could compare to writing with Carolyn, it was much more enjoyable to write as a team (with that team!) than writing alone.

What's next for you? Any information you can share with us about your work in progress? Nothing I can share, no. Like I said, I like surprises!
Oh you tease!! I cannot wait to see what you will be working on next! Thank you so much for taking part in my event! It's been awesome having you here!! And, as mentioned previously, Jay has donated a signed paperback of Thirteen Reasons Why. This is an International giveaway. (Everyone should tell Jay how awesome he is, because he is the one shipping the book. The contest will close, as are all Just Contemporary contests on December 10th. Enter on the widget below. (Also, I feel like I have to say that I am jealous of whoever wins this one. This is one of the books I would love to have signed! Le sigh.:) )

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John is easily one of the best books I have read all year. It's so layered, so complex and I can't get over how amazed I was by this book. My very first reaction after finishing this book was to say (out loud) Oh My LOVE! Antony has created this rich and emotional story filled with real people. I read this book back in March and am only just now writing my review because for the first time ever, I am at a loss for words to adequately describe how I'm feeling about a book. I've started and deleted this review more times than I can count, and it's taken me a lot of tries to get something out there that I think *might* do justice to this phenomenal story.

Nothing about Piper's story is ever simple or easy. She's the only deaf person in her family, her father has refused to learn sign language (he has his reasons, but ultimately leaves Piper feeling like he's ashamed of her and thinks she's broken), her best friend (also deaf) has just moved because her school district just cut their deaf programs due to budget cuts (and Piper's family moved into an area a bit above their income level so Piper could have those deaf programs) her dad got laid off. Oh, AND her parent's took money from Piper's personal college fund so that her baby sister, also born deaf, could have a cochlear implant, which makes it so she can hear. And that is what leads the deaf girl to become the manager of the band called Dumb.

Talk about confusing. How is Piper supposed to feel about any of that but especially her parents?! She can't really be angry at them, even though they stole from her, because that would make her cruel and selfish, not wanting her baby sister to be able to hear. But it makes Piper feel worse, because they spend so much time cooing over new baby ears that it makes Piper feel even more like they (dad especially) are ashamed of her, and think she's something to be fixed or 'normalized' if possible. But really — How do you make that kind of decision without even telling your daughter that you have just taken away any chance she had of attending her Dream college, so that the baby doesn't have to be like her. OUCH. I was so pissed at her parents. Seriously. SO pissed. But at the same time, it was obvious that, even with all their struggles and problems, her parents really and truly did love her. Piper had a real family — they fight, sometimes everyone thinks everyone else kinda sucks, they have issues, nothing is perfect but they love. I think that this is exactly what is missing from most YA books right now. So many books have that crappy YA family where the parents suck or are neglectful or whatever. But this is far more realistic. Families have problems, but most families are tied together by this strong bond of love and all anger aside, Piper had that. Sometimes it's murky, sometimes she doesn't really feel it, but it's always there and it's mutual.

My heart went out to Piper. But then, I kinda got over it. Because Piper became, well Piper! The high schools awesomely hot new band, who just won a big competition, play an impromptu concert on the school steps and Piper finds herself entranced. At first, she's just caught behind a crowd of kids, trying to ignore the awkward stares of people watching the deaf girl 'listening' to a band, but something about the energy becomes contagious and Piper gets swept up in it. And then in what was probably more of a pissing contest, but becomes something very real and desperate to Piper (after realizing she now her no college fund) Piper becomes the manager of this band and has to try to help them make it big. Imagine the challenge of that! It boggles my mind.

I just... I can't even begin to describe how much this book made me think. I spent so much time thinking about Piper and her friends, and the people in this band. She learns so much from this experience, about life, about people and family, about music (umm, helloooo awesome tour of Seattle's rock stars' homesteads!) and she also learns a lot about herself. And it was brilliant. Watching Piper grow both as herself and in relation to everyone around her was just so... amazingly intense. It's one of my favorite things about reading Contemporary. That growth is real. It doesn't need some great quest to develop. It's just a teenager, living her life, trying to make the most of the hand she's been dealt and when you take life and learn it's just perfect.

And I loved that every single character in this book is fleshed out, multi-dimensional and just flat out real. These characters could be real people. I want to search for their band's performance on Youtube and write them fan mail. Even the characters that at first glance appear to be those stereotypical fill-in-the-gaps characters are so much more than that. A lot of the characters first appearances make you think they are going to be flat, but as you get to know them through Piper, a lot of misconceptions leave and you realize there is so much more to these people (and, consequently to every people, in real life too) than immediately meets the eye, and you miss out on a lot if you just take everyone at face value. I was going to say a little something special about each of the characters, but decided that would take too long in an already long and kinda rambling review, so I am just going to tell you that they rock out loud & that you need to go read the book to figure out why.

There was really nothing missing from this novel and it's one that I want to read again and again. I have a feeling that there is more to be learned from this book every time you read it and I want that experience, I want to be able to experience this story over and over. I know that there were some things about the book that felt a little underdeveloped right after I finished reading the book, threads that I didn't think were used to their full potential, but I can't for the life of me remember what they were or why. All I feel now is this overwhelming sense of love and feeling like I need to convince everyone else to read this book (which, BTW, in true Ashley style, I have done:) ) So while the book might not be 'perfect' it's pretty darn close to it and it's one that is just amazing.

I also have to mention, very briefly, that ending. Oh my goodness, did that scene give me chills!! Seriously. I just sat there soaking in the awesome and wishing, wishing so hard that it could have been real because I just so wanted to be there when it happened! But alas. I had to settle for rereading the scene immediately after finishing the book.:) In the notes I wrote to myself, I called it — Rockin' awesome, and I still think that's a perfect description.

I'm still afraid, even after having written this whole review that I haven't done it justice, that I haven't been able to convince anyone to read it. So let me just reaffirm that this is a book worth reading. I can't imagine trying to deal with what Piper is facing but she's such a strong character. She grows a lot as a person and becomes so much more confident in herself. She doesn't like to draw attention to herself because she's different in a very noticeable and obvious way but by the book, she's more comfortable in her skin, more willing and able to let her opinion be known. I loved Piper by the end of this book and it makes me legitimately sad to think that there are people who are never going to meet her or these other wonderfully rich characters. I can't think of a single person I would hesitate to recommend this too. So what are you waiting for?! Go read it!

It is now September, which means Danya, from A Tapestry of Words has started Psychtember! I've already posted for her a few times, and there shall be more to come, both from Danya and from myself soon.

But for now-

My first guest post was about Depression in YA and how it's represented, along with misconceptions people have about depression, especially that people thinks it's just a case of the sads to 'get over'.

You probably already saw the big one here on my blog, but I also wrote a post about my frustrations with the representation of OCD in YA. The post on my blog (read it here) is very long and is a full on rant, but the guest post on Danya's blog is shorter and a bit less... angry. I do still make a lot of the same points, but there are differences as well.

And finally for Psychtember, I wrote a guest review of Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann, and talked both about the book and about the way I felt McMann handled OCD. (and if you can't guess from the ranty guest post right before it, IMO, it wasn't done very well...)

Next, Meredith from Mint Tea and A Good Book did a little interview with me, and asked some fun questions for her new Blogger Detour feature! If you want to know a bit more about me, go check it out!!

And finally-

I have an ARC of Shut Out by Kody Keplinger sitting here, next to me, just begging me to send it to another person who can read it. Books like to be read, ya know. They thrive on touch, just like people... (You can read my review of Shut Out here)

SO, if you would like a chance to win Shut Out, just leave me a comment! But please, Make it something interesting! No offense, but I find the — Thanks for the contest! — comments to be boring. So, tell me that you read one of my guest posts, tell me that you think my blog title is too long and/or that the shortened version (Basically Amazing Ashley) is pretentious. Tell me that you loved Melina Marchetta's Jellicoe Road (we can be best friends!) Tell me that you hated Where the Red Fern Grows (actually... don't... That was my absolute favorite book as a child, and I might accidentally delete your comment... ;) )

But, I digress... SO to enter to win an ARC of Shut Out ALL you have to do is leave me a comment. An interesting comment. And, having your email address or Twitter name would be awesome as well, because that will give me a way to get in touch with you if you do happen to win.

The giveaway will last until I draw a winner.;) It will be open for a full week, with the winner being drawn sometime next Sunday, September 18th.

Edit — (sorry!!) This giveaway is open Internationally!:)

I'm hosting a contest as part of
Enna Isilee's Birthday Bash 2011
Presented by Squeaky Books
From August 22nd until September 22nd Enna Isilee at Squeaky Books is having a HUGE bash to celebrate her birthday! There’s a giveaway nearly EVERY DAY, tons of author interviews, and guest posts from a bunch different YA book bloggers. And I get to host a contest!

Dude — You guys, I love Enna! She's one of my favorite bloggers, so when she started asking around for people to host contests as part of her birthday celebration? I was definitely excited. And then, when I found out that Zoe Marriott was one of the authors participating, (who you should definitely know that I adore) and that I could get to have her contest be mine?! Sigh. It's like it was meant to be!

So my giveaway? I get to give away a copy of ANY of Zoe Marriott’s books! Entering is simple, just fill out the form (with optional bonus entries). THIS GIVEAWAY IS INTERNATIONAL! See that right there?! International folks! ANY one can enter my giveaway! Most of the contests this month will be US only, but mine is open anywhere! You have until September 21st at 11:59 MST to enter. All winners will be announced on Enna Isilee's birthday (September 22nd) on Enna Isilee's blog (Squeaky Books) . And today, Ennalee interviewed Zoe at Squeaky Books. You should totally go check it out.

Want to know more about Zoe’s Books ? in my blog!

Without further ado, enter to win! Click below.

in my blog to enter

Starstruck by Cyn Balog is a book that has me pulled in so many different directions, made me feel so many things, and tossed me around so much that everything kind of balanced the other stuff out and I'm left feeling a little more positive than neutral. Does that even make sense? Let me see if I can clarify a little here.

Gwendolyn (Dough) is the main character of the story and she is very overweight. Her younger sister is perfectly pretty, perfectly skinny and while it's clear that she does love her older sister, it's also pretty clear that she's a bit embarrassed by her. (And she feels bad about that too). Dough has no self-esteem. Like, at all. She constantly puts herself down, believes that everyone else is always watching her, just waiting to mock her and put her down as well. It was very hard to read and after a while, it just got plain annoying. I understand why her character was written the way that she was. It cannot be easy to be heavily overweight in high school, and it's got to be even harder when your younger sister is pretty much perfectly sized (and with bigger boobs... Where's the justice in that?!) So yes, it's hard. I get that. And I know that life is never as easy as 'just fix it'. Life doesn't work that way. But there are things you can do. There are things you can do to improve your life, your self image and pick yourself off the floor.

Reading Dough's thoughts over and over and over and over about how she was never good enough, how everyone made fun of her, how she could never be good/pretty/skinny/cool enough got tedious. If it's really that bad, if you really can't stand to be in your own skin, do something about it. Do something to change it. She starts to do that a little later in the book, because of the boyfriend, and she feels great about herself. She's in better clothes, took time on her hair and make-up and is interested in her appearance. But her self-esteem still yo-yos and it seems to be tied into the boyfriend and his friends, the very people who were so recently so rude to her, and it got tiresome to me.

My favorite times with Dough were when she was talking Christian, the new boy her mom hired to work in their bakery. He was such an interesting character, someone that I personally found to be far more interesting than Wish — the actual boyfriend — and he didn't tiptoe around Dough either. He called it like he saw it, acknowledged her weight, said — so what, who cares — and moved on. He treated her like a real person, not like a caricature or a stereotype and so when she was around him, she acted more like a regular person.

Wish, the boyfriend kind of bored my, to be honest. I never really felt much of anything for or about him. I know I should have, but I didn't. And I hated how Dough put herself down extra hard around him, always waiting for him to dump her, say that he didn't really want to or just really couldn't be with her. And she preempted that a few times too. She jumped in with the — I know you are going to dump me so let's just get it over with — comments on a regular basis, and I don't really know too many guys who aren't eventually going to say — to heck with it, I'm tired of dealing with this every time we try to talk.

Although I really struggled finding a connection to Dough, especially in the beginning, I did really enjoy the story and I do believe that Dough grew and changed a lot of the course of the book. She starts to learn more about herself and build up her confidence. Ya, it's pretty slow, but it is there, and it is happening. And I liked it. I liked watching her come more into her own, learn a little more about herself and accept that she really can be happy as she is.

I also really enjoyed the supernatural element to the story. I knew it was coming (which is usually essential for me — nothing worse than having magic or something pop-up in the middle of what I thought was my good old fashioned contemporary!) and while I didn't know exactly what the magic was going to be, or how it would work out, I liked watching Dough figure it out. The magical element brings up a lot of questions and thoughts about what it means to be beautiful and just how far we, as a society and as individuals are willing to go to get it. (I don't think that's a spoiler... I had figured out the gist of that from the blurb on the back.)

The moments of self discover in this book are really what make it worth reading are what make it a strong novel rather than just a fun read. There were also a lot of thoughts, a lot of quotes that I really enjoyed while reading. Just phrases here and there that make you think, make you wonder, makes you question how you are living and if it's really what you want from life.

*Disclaimer — I won a copy of this book from a contest the author hosted on her blog. Thanks Cyn!:)

So, I'm actually doing a winners post!! I know, right?! I'm terrible at actually getting these things up.: P

First, I had a giveaway from Jill Alexander for a signed copy of her book The Sweetheart of Prosper County. I read and (mostly) enjoyed Paradise, so I'm jealous of this winner! And — it is:

MARY!!
I've already heard back from Mary and will get her book mailed as soon as I hear back from the read-a-thon winners! (So be fast peeps!)

Alright — So... This contest was WAY harder to judge than I thought! I thought I was being all awesome, deciding to pick my favorite recommendation as a winner, but it was hard!! Like, really hard!! So... I'm really sorry if I didn't pick you. There were just WAY too many!

Also, I think random.org is MAGICAL!! I SWEAR!! Because while I was struggling to pick one favorite, random.org picked the recommendation that had my favorite line. That's pretty awesome!

So — The random winner is: UPDATED

Nikki @ Wicked Awesome Books actually already owns each of the books I was offering, so the new random winner is:

Raelena @ Through the Haze She has been emailed!:)

My favorite rec winner is:

Momo @ Books Over Boys
Why did I pick this one? Because Momo took two books that I didn't previously have any interest in reading and made me WANT to read them. Which is unusual for me. And, really, isn't that the point of a book recommendation?! To match a reader with something they might have overlooked? So, yay for Momo! I'll have to see about finding copies soon!:)
Rather than put full recommendations in this post, I do want to give a shout-out to some of my favorites by including my favorite lines from their recs so here are my top favorite lines: All names will link to their posts.

Nikki @ Wicked Awesome Books said of The Near Witch:

It's like a bedtime story come to life... Ya'll know how I feel about fairy tales, yes?

Usagi @ Birth of a New Witch said of Wasteland:

I emotionally connected with the characters and I’m sure you will, too. And I have the heart of a Vulcan. Or maybe no heart at all, I’m not sure. But I felt like I had one while reading this book. Hahaha! This seriously had me laughing. And it made me want to give Francesca Lia Block another try even though I was so not impressed with the one I've read.

Jenna @ Jenna's Blog said of The Book Thief, regarding Death (the narrator):

Any author who can make me feel emotion for a personified abstract noun writes extremely well. Umm. This is truth. Plus I also just really love that book!

Zoe @ A Corner of My Bookshelf said of One Night that Changes Everything:
It was a quick, fun read that was cute and catchy. (Kinda like a Disney movie, but who's asking anyway;) ) Because who doesn't love Disney movies!?: P

Rachel @ Endless Reading said of Les Miserables and The Counte of Monte Cristo:
Les Mis is all about redemption and love and war. Just phenomenal. Monte Cristo is about betrayal and revenge being best served cold. These are two of my very favorite classics and I love that her recs for them are short, to the point and definitely peak my interest.

There were SO many more that I could have chosen quotes from and tons that came close to be favorites! I have tons of new books to add to my tbr now! Thank you to everyone who participated!!: D

ALRIGHT — The contest is now over! It's going to take me a while to go through all the entrants, so I'm hoping to have the winners listed by Sunday! Good luck to everyone!

Today is my mini-challenge for the Once Upon a Time Read-a-thon!! I'm hoping to make this one easy for you.:)

Anyone who talks to me on Twitter knows that I simply live for book recommendations and getting someone to read a book I recommend is awesome. Even better though, is having that someone turn around and tell me how much they loved it.:)

Because I'm such a fan of book recommendations, I want you to recommend books to me. I want you to recommend 2 books to me.

The first is any book of your choice. Pick any book you want and tell me and the world why it should be read and loved.

The second is what you would pick as your favorite of the read-a-thon. You can chose to answer this question now, during the third day, or I'll give you one extra day to give that book just waiting to be picked up a chance.:)

How to enter — write your recommendation pitches into your read-a-thon update posts and then come back here and leave a link in the comments. IF you do not have a blog, you may leave your recs in the comments as well, but I would prefer you to link me to a post if possible.

This giveaway is only open to participants of the Read-a-thon. It will be open from now (the time of posting) until Friday around noon MST. That should give you plenty of time to pick those favorites and pitch them to me.

There will be two winners — One winner will be chosen from Random.org. The second winner will be whoever manages to write the most convincing and compelling pitch. If your recommendation manages to instill that happy giddy feeling I get when I hear about an upcoming book I just know I'm going love, you win. (Which, in case you didn't guess, means that this winner will be a completely subjective choice)

:) I'll contact both winners via email, and on Friday, I will also announce the winners on the blog, along with their winning recommendations!:)

*Note — These recommendations are designed to get someone knew to read a book you love. Which means I do not want to see any "Read Book X because it totes rox!" But I also don't want to see a 4 pg review of the book. So, convince me in a standard sized paragraph.:)

*PRIZES:
The winner(s) will have their choice between a copy of
The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott (PB)
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (PB)
If I Stay by Gayle Forman (PB)
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (HC)
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (HC)

If they both pick the same book, whoever emails me back first will get their first pick.

Bonnie from A Backwards Story is with us again today, bringing us another fantastic interview — this time with Carolyn Turgeon!

Carolyn Turgeon is the author of three novels, Rain Village, Godmother, and Mermaid. Her next novel, The Next Full Moon, is scheduled to come out in August/September 2011. Based on Te Swan Maiden, this will be Turgeon’s debut novel for young readers. Her novels tend to be twisted versions of fairy tales you’ve never seen before, such as The Little Mermaid from the princess’ perspective in addition to the mermaid’s or a version of Cinderella where the godmother is banished from the fairy realm when something goes horribly wrong... For a review of Turgeon’s work, please visit the above links. Reviews of her other titles will come to A Backwards Story later this year. Godmother and Mermaid are also featured in a FTF guest post titled FRACTURED FAIRY TALES.

1) What were your favorite fairy tales growing up? What drew you to them?
I can recall loving all kinds of stories, such as Thumbelina and The Princess and the Pea, with all their strange and wonderful images—the tiny girl floating along in an acorn, the princess with her stack of mattresses. I think my favorite fairy tales were by Oscar Wilde: The Happy Prince, The Nightingale and the Rose… but my favorite was The Selfish Giant. It’s very sad and strange and beautiful—the ghostly little boy, the lush garden, the endless snow and frost, the giant who gets struck down, covered in white blossoms… I’ve always tended to like stories that are very sad.

2) What made you decide to write alternative versions of fairytales from unique perspectives?
I didn’t really start out intending to write alternative versions of fairy tales. When I started Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story, I just wanted to tell the Cinderella story straight, with lots of wonderful, lush detail and full, fleshed-out characters and all kinds of weirdness and darkness, etc. That’s what I love about fairytales, by the way—that strange combination of beauty and darkness you find in all of them. After my first book, Rain Village, which took forever to write, I wanted to do something that I thought would be a lot of fun, something that I would really love writing. I only decided to tell the story through the perspective of the fairy godmother when I realized how limited Cinderella’s perspective was—back then I only ever wrote in first person—so I figured that if the fairy godmother was narrating she could be pretty omniscient, tell you what was going on with Cinderella and the other characters. Plus, she could tell you her own story, too, which I thought might be interesting. Later, I decided to set the book in contemporary New York City and only have the godmother remembering everything that had happened in the other world. The book is set half in New York and half in the fairy tale world (in flashbacks). I only decided to do that after joining a writing workshop and seeing that the people in the workshop didn’t seem to be responding to the straight-out fairy tale I was writing. I wanted to win them over and I thought maybe I could lure them in with a present-day story set in the city, win them over that way, and then plunge them into the fairy tale.
So the book only slowly evolved into this alternative version. Once I put the fairy tale in via flashbacks, I knew something had to have gone terribly wrong. Why else would the fairy godmother be an old woman in New York?
After writing the book, though, I felt there was something really powerful in taking a story as well known as Cinderella, a story that’s in our blood and bones, and telling the “real” story from a perspective you never think or care about.

3) Can you tell us more about your upcoming book, The Next Full Moon?
The Next Full Moon is my first children’s book, a middle-grade novel about a 12-year-old girl who’s being raised alone by her father in Pennsylvania and who starts growing feathers, which is totally mortifying and confusing for her of course. She then comes to discover that her mother, whom she thought died when she was an infant, was (and is) a swan maiden. The story’s based on the old tales in which a man steals a swan maiden’s feathered robe when she’s in her human form, takes her home, marries her and has children with her. One day she discovers the robe and flies away—there are various reasons for this, depending on the version you read. I wondered: what happens when those kids she leaves behind hit puberty? In my book, the man and woman had only one child, and now here’s the kid ten years later with feathers appearing on her arms and back, having no idea that her mother is still alive and, of course, no idea that she’s a swan maiden.
I like the idea of a 12-year-old girl, full of shame and embarrassment, slowly discovering that she’s magical and amazing.

4) What other ideas are you working on right now?
Well, I’m working on a few things right now. Because of Mermaid, I started this blog, I Am a Mermaid, where I talk to all kinds of people about mermaids. I’ve realized that there’s this whole mermaid culture out there that’s really fascinating and lovely. So I’m writing my first non-fiction (but still quite fantastical!) book. And I’m working on a new novel that has to do with Weeki Wachee and a YA novel about a drowning pool, and I have this half-done thriller that I hope to finish this year…

5) Was it hard coming up with your own lore when you began world-building? How did you bring everything together?
It was challenging for me to write about magical worlds, I think, in that I was afraid of making them too Disney-ish or corny. So with Godmother, at first I was very vague when talking about the fairy world; in fact in the first draft, the flashbacks start with the godmother meeting Cinderella and we don’t really see her in her own world at all. It was only after the book sold that my editors pushed me to make the fairy world more defined and vivid, to explain the rules of that world and the landscape of it and so on. So I added in the first couple of flashback chapters that are in the book now, and they were probably the hardest chapters for me to write, even though they’re probably the lightest ones in the whole book.
With Mermaid, I mainly had to explain the rules we see in the original Hans Christian Andersen story… like why the mermaids can only visit the human world once, on their birthdays, and so on. It was more like putting together a puzzle than anything else, trying to create the worlds in that book and make them adhere to specific points from the original story.

6) Which of the books you've written is your favorite so far? What makes it the most special to you?
Hmmm. I think that would always tend to be the latest one. Right now I’m very excited about The Next Full Moon and writing for this younger age group. I found it surprisingly easy to write as a twelve-year-old, which is possibly a little worrisome, and was able to draw on my own memories and experiences more than I have for any other book. Like the characters all go to the lake in their town, where there’s an old carousel and people sell lemonade and they can all go swimming or lie out on the beach. And I was just directly describing the lake my friends and I used to go to in East Lansing, Michigan, where I lived from when I was twelve to fourteen, and I hadn’t thought about that lake in years. We moved around a lot when I was growing up, and so I’m really distanced from some of those memories and places. It was kind of nostalgic and wonderful, writing that book and slipping into those memories and this old self. Also, I have to say, I think the trauma and awkwardness of being twelve mixes really well with the fairy tale elements in the book, and I like the idea that something magical is happening to you as you hit puberty and you just have to figure that out.

7) What are some of your favorite fairy tale inspired novels and/or authors?
I love Angela Carter and her weird, gorgeous visions. I love Alice Hoffman, Francesca Lia Block, Joanne Harris, Isabel Allende, Jeanette Winterson, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Italo Calvino... They’re not all fairy tale writers and I don’t know to what extent they’ve all been inspired by fairy tales, but they all write in that vein I think, lush and magical. I really enjoyed Erzebet Yellowboy’s Sleeping Helena. And I also, by the way, really loved the way the Pied Piper story is used in the movie The Sweet Hereafter. It’s pretty brilliant.

8) If you could live out any fairy tale, what would it be and why?
Oh, I think maybe Thumbelina. I mean, who wouldn’t want to ride around in an acorn? For the most part, I think fairy tales are not the stories I would like to live out. Though I wouldn’t mind being the little mermaid for a day, before she goes and sees the sea witch and ruins her life…

9) What's your favorite Disney rendition of a fairy tale? What makes it so special?
I’m going to have to defer to my childhood self, who loved all those movies quite passionately. As an adult, I could barely even get through The Little Mermaid, which I was totally swept away by as a teenager. Probably my favorite, though, is Snow White. The old versions of that tale are really very shockingly weird and violent, and even the Disney version is incredibly creepy, with our semi-dead heroine lying gorgeously in a glass coffin in the forest and our hot prince having a thing for dead chicks.

FUN AND CRAZY ROUND!

~Best fairy tale villain and why?
Oh, the stepmother from Snow White. She’s a gorgeous witch with a magic mirror who has her stepdaughter murdered in the forest and then eats her heart (or lungs or what have you). Even though she’s betrayed by her huntsman and actually eats a stag’s heart, she believes she’s eating Snow White’s. It’s hard to think of a more perverse female villain! And I love the image of her skulking through the forest with her cloak and her basket full of poisoned apples.

~Rapunzel is named after lettuce; what odd thing would you be named after if you were in a fairy tale?
Oh, I love Rapunzel and the lettuce that is so delicious and addictive that Rapunzel’s mother craves it above all else and even makes her husband climb into a witch’s garden to get more for her. I mean, who pines for lettuce? Now I totally want some lettuce, now that I’m thinking about it...
I’d like to be something equally un-chocolate-y, if you know what I mean, some other pedestrian, unsexy vegetable with hidden powers of seduction. Like a rutabaga or a turnip. Turnip is kind of a cute word, not too far off from the delightful “tulip.” I’d like some fairytale character to be sitting in a room wasting away from a mad desire for turnips.

~ Using that name, give us a line from your life as a fairy tale:
She stared out the window at the impossibly lush turnips growing outside just beyond reach, their leaves shooting into the air like hands, their bodies dense and purple, as round as breasts. Her mouth watered as she watched the turnip leaves undulating in the breeze. As if they were bellydancing, she thought.

Meanwhile, Turnip was enjoying a large slice of chocolate cake at Jean Georges.

~Would you rather:

- — eat magic beans or golden eggs? Golden eggs. Don’t those sound delectable? A magic bean is just wrong.

- — style 50ft long hair or polish 100 pairs of glass slippers? I think polishing the glass slippers would be much more manageable. And I love things made out of glass, especially slippers and dresses. Are you aware of Karen LaMonte’s glass dresses? Look:

- — have a fairy godmother or a Prince Charming? Oh, a fairy godmother. Who wouldn’t want an endless supply of dresses and carriages? And let’s face it: Prince Charming isn’t all he’s cracked up to be.
Come to think of it, though… if we’re talking about the fairy godmother from my own book, then I’d really have to go for the hot prince, or even one of the coachman or mice. Anyone but the godmother, please!

-----------------------------------------
Okay, okay, here’s the part you’re all waiting for: The giveaway! Carolyn has generously agreed to give away three—yes, THREE—autographed copies of Mermaid as well as some fun mermaid tattoos! You know you want to win this contest and read this fantastic book.

To enter,. In addition, please leave a comment answering this question: What would you do if you could be a mermaid for a day? Also, what would you be willing to sacrifice in order to become a mermaid?

Entries must be received by MAY 5th. May 8th This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL!
Good luck and I can’t wait to see your responses!

PS from Misty: I love this picture! ----->

Hey guys! I have got a very special guest poster today! Cassie, the main character from A Closer Look by Karen DelleCava is sharing with us what her first ever blog post would look like if she were to start a blog! It's pretty awesome! AND at the bottom of the post, after Cassie shares with us some of her experiences of what it's like being a teen who discovers they are losing all their hair, there is information from Karen about how you could win a seriously awesome prize pack! So, here's Cassie!
_____________________________________________

Okay, queue the intro music to Lady GaGa’s Born This Way. Now, drum roll please... today is my first blog post on: baldteensrock.blogspot.com

If you’re visiting here today (I will check my stats later) you’ve probably figured out that I’m a teen without hair. My name is Cassie and I’m 14 years old. I have alopecia areata and over the passed six months, I lost all of my long hair. And the truth? It was the WORST, most suckful thing that ever happened to me and I cried-A LOT. I felt like I lost who I was, my entire identity.

But ya know what else? I’m still here and I ROCK! Yeah, I said it. I ROCK! I just want YOU to know that you rock, too, with or without hair. It might take time but I guarantee you’ll figure it out. Sometimes I’ll go out with my wig but other times I’m like who cares and I march around all day au naturale! I’m just as cute wig on as wig off. Check out my pics taken by my BFF.

Speaking of my best friend, Tara (I don’t think she’ll mind if I use her real name) is the most awesome friend a person could have. She always believed in me no matter what. Do you have a BF like that? I’d love to know. If not, that’s what I’m here for. Whatever you’re feeling, I’ve felt it, too, so ask me anything. Or tell me a funny story. I’ll be posting some of those, too.

This blog is a place for bald teens who rock (like me) and their friends to hang out, have fun and even try and make you feel better if you’re having a particularly sucky day.

Comment 1 posted by TSpez: Love you too, Cass! Great first post! XOXO

Comment 2 posted by ME: See what I mean about my best friend? Thanks for being my first stat, Tara! I’m loving the temporary tattoos we bought for my head. Too cute. I’m deciding on which butterfly to apply for tomorrow.
___________________________________________________

CONTEST INFORMATION:

Visit www.karendellecava.com to read the first chapter AND for details on how to win a signed copy of A Closer Look plus a surprise gift but “Do not open it until page 153.”

A Closer Look Book Signing Friday, April 13th 6:30-8pm
Teens will receive a surprise gift but “Do not open it until page 153.” (While supplies last.)
Well Read (New & Used) Bookstore
425 Lafayette Ave
Hawthorne NJ 07506
973-949-3440

I'd like to say a huge thank you to both Karen and Cassie for taking the time to visit with me and being so awesome to work with! AND if you want to hear more amazing things about this book, be sure to check out the rest of the teen book scene tour, going on now! (In fact, I'm post #1!:) )

VIA Meet some of Frøken Norge 2011 contestants

VIA Miss World Canada 2011 will be crowned on May 19th 2011 in Vancouver, BC. - Meet the 23 contestants of Miss World Canada 2011

Miss Mun. of Alabat Gabrielle Marie Cabrera	Miss Antipolo City Klaudine Palma	Miss Baguio City Christine Kate Adi
Miss Mun. of Balagtas Beverlyn Alquiros	Miss Balanga City Dindi Joy Pajares	Miss Mun. of Baliwag Vivienne Andrea Gulla
Miss Bayugan City Alyssa Mae Canizares	Miss Cagayan de Oro City Catherine Almirante	Miss Mun. of Cainta Christianne Ramos
Miss Calamba City Mardie Rose Enriquez	Miss Calapan City Mary Sheila Rosales	Miss Caloocan City Clarizze Angelica Barrameda
Miss Fil Canada Imelda Gaborno	Miss Mun. of Capalonga Mercy Malaluan	Miss Mun. of Casiguran Athena Mae Imperial
Miss Cotabato City Edan Dafilmoto	Miss Cebu City Murielle Adrienne Orais	Miss Davao City Honey Claire Arranguez
Miss Gen. Santos City Catrine Rosary Ocampo	Miss Mun. of Imus Angela Patricia Medina	Miss Mun. of Labo Rhizsa Jerrika Bravo
Miss Las Pinas City Michelle Gavagan	Miss Mun. of Libungan Crista Juanico	Miss Lipa City Czshevinah Hae Alejandro
Miss Mun. of Loay Renee Soraya Hassani

Miss Mun. of Loboc Aileene Ella Dango	Miss Makati City Tarhata Clio Shari Rico	Miss Malolos City Mary Denisse Toribio
Miss Manila City Margo Katherine Midwinter	Miss Mun. of Midsayap Mary Grace Jedaver Opingo	Miss Mun. of Milaor Jaine Hidalgo
Miss Mun. of Narvacan Ralph Lauren Asuncion	Miss Pagadian City Ma. Alicia Elena Ariosa	Miss Paranaque City Zhaniethia Villanueva
Miss Mun. of Parang Joti Babrah	Miss Passi City Diana Angelie Jainga	Miss Puerto Princesa Jonavi Raisa Quiray
Miss San Fernando City Erika Marie Syhongpan	Miss Mun. of San Isidro Leslie Ching	Miss San Juan City Ana Ma. Gracia Baladad
Miss San Pedro City Princess Jennifer Inosa	Miss Mun. of Sto Tomas Norella Nacis	Miss Santiago City Jaymie Lou Pagulayan
Miss Mun. of Sapi-an Caraleigh Ico	Miss Tanauan City Diane Carmela Querrer	Miss Fil Central USA Cari-Dawn Conejero Campbell
Miss Fil East Coast USA Brenna Cassandra Gamboa	Miss Vigan City Diana Rose Santos	Miss Mun. of Virac Anna Amalia Brillante

VIA Miss Philippines Earth 2011 Batch 1 & 2 Contestants - The winner will represent the Philippines in Miss Earth 2011 on December 3, 2011

Shirtless frolick: Simon took off his shirt and revealed his well-defined six pack as she chased Maria around the park
The Eurovision hopeful, who will join his Blue boy band mates in Saturday’s grand final, has even convinced Kouka and her Greek friends and family to vote for him.
Simon, 32, told the Daily Star Sunday: ‘Maria and I have been together since February and she’s been really supportive since I’ve been busy preparing with Blue for this Saturday’s competition.
New love: Simon and Maria have been dating since February and she he has convinced her and her Greek friends and family to vote for Blue in the Eurovision contest
‘She’s even asked her friends and family back home in Greece to vote as they are eligible to vote for our UK entry from over there.’
And by the looks of their park affection, there’s no doubt that Maria will be voting for her new beau.
The pair were even wearing matching outfits of jeans and army-green vests on their day out, alongside Simon’s British bulldog.
The ex files: Simon Webbe with his former girlfriend of six years Layla Manoochenri (left), who dumped him last year and Maria Kouka with Jersey Shore star Pauly D (right)

Rehearsals: Boy band Blue have been practising their routine to represent the UK in the Eurovsion Song Contest this Saturday night
He will join his band mates Lee Ryan, Antony Costa and Duncan James on stage to represent the UK this week in Eurovision’s Song Contest.
source :dailymail

VIA Take your shirt off and kiss me! Simon Webbe gets a good luck

Second chance: The cute youngsters were stopped, but had more success with their rendition of All My Life
But their ambition to 'be big stars, recording, on tours, number ones' was put in jeopardy when halfway through their audition number, Bruno Mars’ Just The Way You Are, was halted by Amanda Holden.
The judges were shown wincing as the boys' harmonies came across out of tune.
Amanda held up her hand to stop them and asked if they had another song.
New Bounce's second attempt, All My Life by K-C and JoJo, was received with cheers and wild applause by the audience.
Try again: The judges said they were 'frustrated' by the out-of-tune performance but put the boys through

Close bond: The four friends describe themselves as 'brothers from other mothers'
But even though the audience was won over, David Hasselhoff remained unconvinced.
'You, the lead singer, you were singing flat the whole time and the harmonies worked okay…when you came back with the last song, you guys were great.'
Amanda retorted: 'I didn’t think that you were that flat, you worked really, really well together and you can sing.'
Michael McIntyre said: 'I agree with David…I did think when you were singing that first song it was flat, I felt it really was…in the second song it was better.'
Raunch factor: Sexy dance troupe Girls Roc had David Hasselhoff hot under the collar
Too sexy for the Queen? Michael was concerned about their raunchy routine but Amanda and David loved it
The sweet-faced boys were left nervous after Michael told them no, while Amanda put them through.
It was left to David, who decided: 'You gotta work on your stuff, you were flat today…but I’m glad you sang that second son. Yes.'
Other acts who were left on the edge of their seat with indecisive judges were raunchy dance act Girls Roc.
The sexy girls gyrated with snakes and swallowed fire as part of their routine, which they performed in skimpy leotards.
Big moment: The violinist gets her chance to impress the judges on tonight's show
Talent: French dancer Michael stuns the dancers (and his translator, right) with his moves

Moves: David Hasselhoff said Michael was 'the best dancer we've seen on this show'
Moving: Dancer James, who revealed he was home-schooled after suffering autism, had Amanda close to tears with his emotional routine
Another raunchy auditionee is classically-trained musician Alexandra Parker, 22, who wows the judges in her skintight leather as she plays the violin.
The ex-busker from Doncaster struts out onto the stage in round four of the auditions round - and before she's said her name, comedian Michael, 35, jokes: 'You’re through.'
Former Baywatch smoothie David Hasselhoff, 58, - himself a fan of leather trousers - almost seems to lose his cool, and all he can think to say is 'You have a lovely string section.'
Amanda meanwhile attempts to keep the boys in check with some withering looks, and says: 'You are a very good violinist, I'm just trying to keep it real here.'
All over the world: An extremely flexible contestant shows off her skills and received three yes votes from the judges after David said she 'had gone around the world in 80 moves'
Tasty: fine art student Nathan thrilled Michael with his Marmite portrait
Glamorous Alex said afterwards: 'Michael just concentrated on the fact I didn’t have many clothes on and The Hoff just sat there with his mouth open. But Amanda said she needed to know if I could play!'
Unsurprisingly, she gets a standing ovation from David, as well as show hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.
Also on the show are an 11-year-old Billy Elliot in the making, autistic ballet dancer James.
Clever canine: Angela and her dog teddy show off their skills on the BGT stage
Full of surprises: Robert Fulford's soprano voice stunned the judges, while Rachel takes a strange approach to musical talent with her loo-roll trumpet
There's also a burlesque dancer, Teddy the dancing dog, a body popper called Michael, 21, and student Nathan, 21, who makes a picture of Michael out of pieces of toast and Marmite.
Other acts include the rather improbable Sailor Pig .
Show four sees Britain’s Got Talent roll into Cardiff, Manchester and Birmingham with judges Michael McIntyre, Amanda Holden and David Hasselhoff.
Britains got talent - New Bounce audition

Britain's Got Talent 2011 Audition - Girls Roc ep4



Angela and Teddy - Britain's Got Talent 2011 Audition ep4

Michael Moral on Britain's Got Talent 2011 Week 4

Robert (Bobby) Fulford - Hey There Lonely Girl - Britain's Got Talent

Britains got talent - Big Mama Funk audition

Michael Moral - Britain's Got Talent 2011 audition

source: dailymail

VIA Teen four-piece New Bounce melt audience's hearts but divide the judges on Britain's Got Talent

VIA Miss Universe Canada 2011 Contestant - Rana Khaled's Photo & Profile/Biography

VIA Miss Universe Canada 2011 Contestant - Sheri Cuillerier's Photo & Profile/Biography

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