Winter Break Books

So remember how I went to go see Princess and the Frog? Yeah, I saw it again within twenty-four hours. I'm basically going to blow my last month's wages on a Disney movie. Cool. Because I'm seeing it again when I get home with my friends possibly twice. That is so how good it is. The best thing since The Lion King. Some of my friends might disagree, but I think Tiana is a better princess than Belle. I'm a sucker for a hard-working princess who doesn't sit around waiting for her prince to come. Also, I have a GIGANTIC CRUSH small infatuation with Prince Naveen. It is totally feeding horrible ideas to little girls about how lazy-ass playboys will change for YOU (have yet to see THAT happen in real life), but you guys, his accent is so adorable. Plus, he says the most romantic things. There is seriously nothing sexier than a guy who will support your dreams. Again, damn you, Disney, for another generation of girls having unrealistic expectations for men. Ah, whatever. You know I'm going to buy this movie and watch it over and over until every last moment is permanently embedded in my brain. Also, THE MUSIC! It's fantastic. Love that jazz and gospel.

I'm supposed to be studying nuclear physics and the English Civil War because HA I have a final in less than nine hours, but WHO CARES. I have hit that point. That point when you no longer care if you get sleep or if you're blasting music and singing. It is the point of crazy. I am there.

The real point of this post:

1) Chalice by Robin McKinley

2) Alligator Bayou by Donna Jo Napoli

3) His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

4) Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marilliet (retelling of Twelve Dancing Princesses)

5) Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George (retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon)

6) Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz (I swear, this is the last vampire series I will ever EVER read)

7) Magic or Madness by Justine Larbalestier

8) The White Queen by Philippa Gregory (PLANTAGENETS, FTW, DORK HISTORY MAJOR)

9) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (will explain this in a later post)

The theme for my break is "fantasy." So I am reading a lot of fantasy books. I kept meaning on reading His Dark Materials (it's kind of a classic; you can only avoid it for so long). I'm leaving for China on December 31, so I won't finish this list. My goal is a book a day. It's always good to have overhang rather than underhang. More books for later, after all. The exception on this list, of course, is Alligator Bayou, but I ain't missing my favorite author's books, fantasy or not.

Later, if I emerge alive from Monday (8 am final, 1:30 pm final, 5:00 pm paper due, 7:30 pm working my last shift for the semester at the newspaper), I will do a post on Reading Like A Writer by Francine Prose.

So I'm going to study now, really. I always go into panic mode around finals, but for some reason, I am epicly convinced that I have somehow ruined all of my grades and my GPA is going to go down the toilet. I blame Three (the fan fiction). Did I mention I wrote 5,000 words yesterday? I think it's a personal record. Unfortunately, it was during finals week. That is a personal record of NOT PUTTING PRIORITIES IN ORDER.

Study. Right. Pray/hope/wish on stars/burn incense for me.