Bloody Jack- L.A. Meyer

"Bloody Jack" by L.A. Meyer is the story of Mary "Jacky" Faber, a feisty orphan turned ship's boy. When her family dies from a disease, Little Mary is taken in and taught by a gang of orphans who teach her how to survive on the streets of London. When Rooster Charlie, the leader of her small group, dies, Mary decides to take her chances on the ocean. She takes Charlie's clothes, cuts her hair, and assumes the name "Jack". Jacky soon gets herself a job as ship's boy on the HMS Dolphin. There, she learns the workings of the ship, gains the affections of the sailors, and has numerous adventures on the high seas (like finding pirate treasure), all while maintaining "The Deception". However, Jacky also has to be wary of her changing body, which might give her away, and to be careful of the malicious people who want to hurt her, like Blifil and Sloane. During all of this, Jacky begins to understand her very confusing feelings for one of her fellow ship's boys, Jaimy Fletcher.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly. Jacky is a delightful heroine, and she is always getting into amusing situations. The nautical terms are explained very well, and Jacky's language is humorous. This book offers a very realistic portrayal of life on the streets during Jacky's time and a good view of life on the sea. However, the writing and plot may be a little basic for older readers while the content may be a bit mature for younger readers. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good adventure.

<3 Angela

Bloody Jack can be bought here:
http://www.amazon.com/Bloody-Jack-Account-Curious-Adventures/dp/015205085X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225410061&sr=8-2

*The Bloody Jack Series is on the NSCG's List of Favorite Books
**LA Meyer has been added to the NSCG's List of Favorite Authors

Revealing Angela Doyle

“Hey! I’m Angela Doyle, a Not-So-Closet-Geek. Obviously, I love to read. My favorite book series are the Twilight, Harry Potter, Pendragon, and Jacky Faber book series, and my favorite book is The Hobbit (I enjoy when Gollum acts tricksy). Of course I have many other favorites, too, but you should check out the official NSCG list on our main profile. When I am not reading a good book, I am either swimming or playing with my fat cat, Smokie, or my destructive dog, Riley. I am also a little obsessed with the color purple. Additionally, I am a huge Gossip Girl fan (the TV show) and have recently become hooked to Burn Notice. CSI (the Las Vegas one) is one of my favorites as well. Forrest Gump, Benchwarmers, and National Treasure (I <3 Riley!) are the best movies ever! That’s about it, and I hope you enjoy our site.”

Songs
NOTE: Since there are no songs I know of that accurately describe my life (swimming, reading, and/or boringness), I present to you a list of songs that I find inspiring/amazing:
Just Fine- Mary J. Blige
Everything- Lifehouse
Any Rob Thomas/Matchbox Twenty song

<3 Angela

P.S. Go VT!

The Liesel Explanation

"Hi, I'm Liesel Weasley! I'm a junior in high school, so that's relatively exciting. I was born and raised in Long Island, New York, but I have somewhat adjusted to the southern ways of life. I have made distinctions between sketchballs, creepers, and lurkers because awkward situations are the best kind of situations! In my spare time, I run, read, write, and sleep… and eat, of course. I am extremely sarcastic and take things seriously, but I am quiet. I have an extremely calm mindset, and it is just about impossible to get me upset. I enjoy a good guffaw every now and then, and I guarantee that I'll be able to put a smile on your face. Questions, comments, and concerns can be directed to my agent. ;)

songs:

1) All You Wanted – Michelle Branch

I wanted to be like youI wanted everything
So I tried to be like you
And I got swept away

This song speaks of a girl who is clearly overwhelmed. She is looking for the feeling of being loved from the perfect person in the midst of her hectic life. Though an older song, it captures the exact feeling I often have – one of someone looking for the smaller things tangled into the confusion of the bigger picture of life.

2) Set Sail – Scary Kids Scaring Kids
Through a stranger's eyes
I take a good look at my life
Only to find that I'm not living
I'm not alive

This song puts things into perspective and vocalizes exactly how I feel about living. You should make every day one that you will remember, because you never know when it will be your last. Stay positive about changes in your life and embrace them before deciding whether they are better or worse. Essentially, we should all keep living life to its fullest in order to find ourselves along the way.

3) Remember the Name – Fort Minor
Nobody really knows how or why he works so hardIt seems like he's never got timeBecause he writes every note and he writes every lineAnd I've seen him at work when that light goes on in his mindIt's like a design is written in his head every timeA little out of the usual genre – a rap song to which I can relate my life? Yes.Sometimes, all you need is a push in the right direction; a little hard work and dedication will always leave a legacy - or, as so clearly stated, 100% reason to remember the name."

Scribbler of Dreams- Mary E. Pearson

Scribbler of Dreams by Mary E. Pearson is an enticing tale of family hate that changes with one generation. Kaitlin Malone's life turned rocky when her father was accused of killing one of the Crutchfield's. Her family knew it was just an accident, but their family thought otherwise. Forced to move to the Crutchfield school and leave her friends behind, Kaitlin harbors huge amounts of animosity.

While sitting in an empty courtyard she notices she isn't alone, but is accompanied by aspiring artist Bram. Sooner or later she finds out that he is a Crutchfield, but it is too late- she has alreay fallen for him.

This romantic mystery novel showed the amazing struggle between family commitment and love. I would reccomend it to anyone who enjoys a great novel about a young girl struggling to do the right thing for both her family and herself.
-Halley Desinn-

Scribbler of Dreams can be bought from Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.com/Scribbler-Dreams-Mary-E-Pearson/dp/0152045694/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225410177&sr=1-1

Introducing Halley Desinn

"Hi, my name is Halley Desinn. I'll be a junior this year. My family is from the north so I don't really have the "southern" accent and I'm proud to admit it. I'm pretty tall, my eyes are hazel but change to green some days, and I have really long, dirty blonde hair that I've been growing out for forever. I'm kind of tan and hopefully tennis practice will make me even tanner.

I'm definitely unique, opinionated, weird, and goofy, but there's also a really shy side of me. I love to laugh, and I usually end up crying from laughing so much. You could say that I'm addicted to texting, which is why I now have a limit on the amount I text. When I'm bored I usually hang around, listen to music, sit at my computer or talk on the phone.

I absolutely love reading and writing. I really only enjoy reading Young Adult Romance novels. I love reading books by Meg Cabot and Sarah Dessen. My favorite book is the most recent one by Sarah Dessen, Lock and Key. I've written a novel and am hoping to get it published sometime this year. My friends and family are what matter to me most in life and I have no idea what I would do without them. If you have any more questions about me then ask me them, I'm surprisingly open about my life."

And here are her favorite three songs:

Hot N Cold- Katy Perry
This song is about a guy who keeps switching up his mind, which is like the guy I like in a way. "You're hot then you're cold, you're yes then you're no, you're in then you're out, you're up then your down... etc." It's like him telling me he wants to meet me but then never does. "We fight we break up, we kiss we make up" refers to my always forgiving him for not calling me back and stuff, because I don't find a point in holding grudges for such small things.

Clumsy- Fergie
This song is about feeling ditzy around a crush, and I often act "blonde" when I talk to my crushes. But the song says that once one guy stops liking her she moves to the next. This relates to me because if a guy stopped liking me then I could just find another guy to like.

Say it Again- Marie Digby
This song is about a guy telling a girl that he loves her. The girl wants him to keep telling her because "its like the whole world stops to listen". This relates to me because whenever the guy I like tells me he likes me I feel the same way. I want him to "say it again". I think any girl can relate to the feeling this song shows...

Unveiling Nora Green

"Hey there, I just your typical over-excited, friendly (bordering on creepy) teenager. I love reading (you couldn't have guessed without me telling you), baking/cooking, crocheting, and parties. There's a lot to be said about domestic qualities, and there's no reason why they and fun can't go hand in hand. Just ask my Latin teacher, and my friends. I'm down with God, although I don't know how much He likes me. Music is cool, so are movies. I love laughing, giggling, and in some cases even chortling. But not guffawing. That's just for losers. And Nora's OUT (I've always wanted to be ghetto, but sadly that's not a characteristic you're born with. But don't worry, I'll be at heart)."

And here are her three favorite songs:
"Mushaboom"- Feist
First off, I love the artist's voice; it sounds smothery-motherly, plus, her name sounds like "heist", which somehow fits into all her songs. But Mushaboom is such a lovely song. It's mysterious, hopeful, and reminiscent. And if that doesn't just melt your heart, I know that Peaches (the artist, not the fruit) will. Who doesn't want a sexually oriented music artist whispering "Mushaboom" in the background? Oh, and by the way, Mushaboom is small fishing community off the cost of Nova Scotia .

"New Way Out" – Lemon Demon
You know that Beatle's song, "I Am The Walrus". It has a great literary reference about Lewis Carol's "The Walrus and Carpenter", even though everyone thought it was just an acid trip song. This song is so like it. It could be just random thoughts written down, or there could be some genius allusion. You know those kids, the ones who drink and party, but are smart in not just the school-sense, but have almost a more perceptive view on life, greatness, and the works? This song makes me want to have that perception.

"Moving to New York " – Wombats
Yes, finally we have come to the Brits. This song is almost like a mantra that you repeat over and over again. It's such a pun and paradox of a song that I heart it. I always hear this song in high end, cultured places, but I think its hilarious that this song makes fun of that lifestyle. It's just the how and why of this song are hard to explain, which is why I probably the reason I like it. And how sexy is that accent, come on?