The Challenge

Hello, everyone! Alexia here. I'm currently at the wonderful place called school, which as we all know is about as fun as being dipped in boiling hot lava while being forced to solve complex math equations.

Okay, I'm being a tad melodramatic. It's in my nature.

Anyway, this post is not about Day of Silence (which I'm doing right now) or Kony2012 (which I feel is a solid example of propaganda at its finest despite good motives). No, this post is a love story of two ex lovers coming back together to give it another go.

These lovers? YA fiction and I.

It's a true love story, folks.

Okay, so what happened with YA fiction and I? Well, it's hard to say. Perhaps it was the Twilight phase the flooded (and still is ) the market with stories of romance. Perhaps it was the list of MC's that were weaker and flatter than a piece of newsprint. Or maybe it was the fact I entered junior year and lost all free time.

Either way, it was a messy breakup. I don't read much YA anymore, even though I usually write it. In short, I'm behind on the learning curve.

After seeing all these book blogs (sommies, my friends) I've caved. Reading was how I got started. So I proposed a challenge. 

A stack of books. One girl. A review for each book. A lack of sanity. 

Each week I plan on publishing a book review for each book I go through. Cool beans! Each will be rated with small/no spoilers on character, plot, setting, writing, ect. It's like the Hunger Games except the books I don't like won't die, they'll just be returned to the library.

I will be the victor of the 74th YA Games!

The winner? They earn my undying praise. Also, I may buy a copy to give away if I get enough followers so huzzah! 

First up? Forgotten by Cat Patrick. Here's the information.

 Each night at precisely 4:33 am, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can "remember" are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you'd easily forget, yet try as she might, London can't find him in her memories of things to come. 

When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it's time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Wish me luck!

Where I Argue Aganist Bad Journalism

So I was having a fine day, everything was nice and dandy until I came home to find this wonderful piece of bullcrap in my mailbox.

Here’s an online link if you want to ragequit as well:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/04/15/working-women-s-fantasies.html

If you can’t tell that is the combo of my “Da fauq’ face and ‘judging you face”

Don’t get me wrong, let me state a few things up front.

a. Not a fan of all that submission stuff, but whatever if it floats your boat.

b. That is not why I am pissed.

Okay, dude, let me just make a rough list of things wrong here. 

1. The cover- okay, wow, that isn’t a grab for horny men to pick up your magazine. Clearly. 

2. The content.

Okay, keeping in mind that I’m a seventeen year old high school student who had to struggle to filter any of this language into plain old language (I have never seen so many colloquialisms in my life) I managed to filter it down into this (which is a little off I’m sure).

-Women, as a result of free will and power wish to be submissive to men in the bedroom. 

Now here are the problems with that thesis.

1. For one, this comes off as an absolute. Uh man, some women may like that in the bedroom, but that’s some. Not all. There is a difference. For those who like it, okay, do what you want. But don’t put that label on EVERYONE.

2. That suggests women can’t handle power, which is a load of crap.

3. The fact it doesn’t mention men who want to be submissive as well. I may not be into BMSD, but I do use the internet. You stumble on these kinds of things. I call your bullshit and point you in the direction of a quick google search. (I shall not google this myself, but considering there is such a thing as bible fanfiction (another thing I stumbled onto) I doubt it’s hard to find.

4. I see no interviews and very little evidence to back this up. Also by calling it a fantasy life you make it seem like these kinds of women want it all the time (which is also a load of bull proven by a quick google search). Yeah, that’s going to help get rid of  rape culture. 

In short, even my tiny mind can smell the ‘hell no’ here. I’m sure others could do it much better.

Shame on you Newsweek.  If you’re going to write a story on the sudden obsession with 50 shades of Gray (I shall never pick that thing up), would it kill you to at least fact check as half as much as I do for my high school newspaper.

(I know I have mistakes in reasoning here so feel free to point them out.)

Constructive Criticism- What to do and why.

Sorry I poofed for a long time guys, but I've been a little busy as of late. As a reward here is my face talking about editing. Enjoy.

A Warning To Begin

I'm going to start this plain and simple.

I am a terrible blogger.

It's the truth. This, if we're keeping track, is around my forth blog. The other three died in a fiery blaze better known as forgetting to post. It's a problem, that I will admit. Perhaps it's because I'm not all the interesting. Perhaps, it's because I can't keep a regular blogging schedule.

I'm going to put my money on my tendency to ramble.

In short, anyone who decides to follow this, well don't expect moments of literary blogging glory. If anything, expect the ramblings of a girl who can't manage a blog besides a Tumblr.

So I'm going to give the warning a rest. I should get started on who the hell I am.

My pen name is Alexia, Alex for short. I'm better known as A.K.A101 in Inkpop, Becca to my friends, and that strange girl in the back of history who keeps talking about zombies during a lesson on Henry Clay. I'm a young writer, a novelist, and a journalist. I have one finished book that needs editing, and one in progress.

This blog, if all goes to plan which it never does, should be about writing, books, television, and fun stories about my life. So it should be a dull ride.

Just remember- blogging is an art. Writing is an art.

Mistakes are bound to happen.