The Declaration

It's the year 2140 and Longevity drugs have made the world a wonderful place- for some. Taking Longevity means that you can live forever, but there's a catch, of course: you must first sign the Declaration and, when doing so, you agree not to have children. Bleak and foreboding Grange Hall is a facility full of boys and girls whose parents chose to have kids, despite signing the Declaration. These children are called Surpluses, and are raised as servants by their severe headmistress, Mrs. Pincent. Among these kids is Anna, who has been at Grange Hall so long that even she believes that she must pay back society for her very existence, along with the other children she lives with at Grange Hall, called Surpluses. In the pages of a coveted diary, Anna secretly pours out her heart, her hopes, and her many, many fears. 
Then one day a boy named Peter appears at the Hall, bringing with him news of the world outside, a place where people are starting to say that Longevity is bad, and that people shouldn't live forever- that nobody should be considered a Surplus. Peter begs Anna to escape with him, but Anna's not sure who to trust: the strange new boy whose version of life sounds like a dangerous fairy tale, or the familiar walls of Grange Hall and the head mistress who has controlled her every waking thought? Chilling, poignant, and endlessly though-provoking, The Declaration is a powerful debut that will have readers agonizing over Anna's fate until the very last page.

Book 1: The Declaration
Book 2: The Resistance
Book 3: The Legacy

The Hunger Games ♥

*Now, readers, listen carefully*: please take note that I HAVE READ THE HUNGER GAMES (and am a huge fan of all of the books and the first movie), and that I blogged the following only to allow readers, such as yourself, to laugh as obnoxiously as I did (it was quite embarrassing) when you read this post from Sparknotes:

I have not read The Hunger Games. I may read it one day, but that day is not today. Today I'm reading other things. I have a very vague idea of what The Hunger Games is about, simply by hearing and reading the tiny nuggets of information that are popping up all over. It's hard to avoid the hype. It's everywhere, from the Internet to magazine covers. If you step outside right now, you will even hear a small voice whisper, "The third book isn't as good." And that voice belongs to a gossipy, well-read squirrel.

So I am not completely Hunger Games ignorant. But I may be severely misinformed. Without Googling a thing, here is what I know about The Hunger Games:

1. It’s a book.
2. It’s also a movie.
3. The main character is named Katniss, which sounds like a car component.
4. Katniss is a young women who is presumably hungry. Maybe poor. Probably both.
5. The story takes place in the future.
6. Or maybe it doesn’t.
7. According to the cover, one of the characters is a bird who carries arrows. I hope his name is Jonah. Jonah is a good bird name.
8. The bird has no feet. Perhaps Katniss, in a hungry rage, ate the feet.
9. Without feet, I assume the bird is carrying the arrow thanks to magnets located in its butt.
10. Katniss will be played by Jennifer Lawrence.
11. Jennifer Lawrence was great in Winter’s Bone.
12. She was OK in X-Men: First Class, but that movie had many problems, most of which were not her fault.
13. X-Men: First Class needed a better story. There needed to be a reason for the characters to do what they did. Sadly, such motivation does not exist in the film. Don’t look at me like that. You know I’m right.
14. The second Hunger Games book is called something. Not sure what. Maybe "Hunger Games: Game On!" or "Thirsty Contest."
15. The third book is Mockingjay, which sounds cruel, but maybe Jay deserves it.
16. Katniss is a strong character, because someone told me that she is, and she has a ponytail.
17. I’ll bet every tooth in my mouth that one or both of Katniss’ parents is dead.
18. I hope I’m right about that. I enjoy my teeth.
19. I think Katniss has to hunt people as part of a game show. Sounds like Battle Royale to me.
20. Battle Royale is awesome.
21. It’d be funny if the third book was just jokes about Jay. Such as, “Jay, you’re so fat that you jumped into the air and got stuck.”
22. I bet there’s kissing.
23. People keep saying The Hunger Games is amazing, but they never explain why it’s amazing. As if I’m just supposed to know.
24. I hope one of the Hunger Games is a water balloon toss. Those are freaking tense. Or an egg on the spoon relay race.
25. And maybe one of the games is Heads Up, Seven Up. That game is great. The trick is to look at the person’s shoes.
26. There is a forest.
27. Katniss wins the game by performing in a rap battle…maybe.
28. Katniss has a jazz-singing cousin named Scat-niss. (Hopefully.)
29. Katniss is not the girl with the dragon tattoo, though I bet they’re friends and hang out and watch movies and stuff.
30. Katniss’ nickname is probably Kat, or Tniss.
31. Using her wits and courage, Katniss will make it through to the end and show the evil people that they underestimated her.
32. The evil people are probably wealthy and male. And white. And older. And say things like, “My, my, my…look what the Kat dragged in.”
33. Katniss is good at some things, but has much to learn regarding other things.
34. There’s probably a waterfall scene.
35. The movie will be a letdown.
36. People need to stop saying, “It’s the next Twilight!” There never needs to be a “next” Twilight. One was enough, thank you.
37. There is probably a very tense scene on a rickety bridge. Seems like that kind of story.
38. Someone is already regretting a Hunger Games tattoo.
39. Friendship.
40. My favorite hunger game is Hungry Hungry Hippos.

Soundtrack of the month :)

Finally updated (along with the 'Music' page) comes the Soundtrack of the Month! Jam out with Nikki+News during your holiday vaca:

♪♫ TOP 11 MUSIC ♫♪

(NOT IN ORDER)

11. Young, Wild, and Free - Wiz Khalifa ft. Snoop Dog

10. Fire to the Rain- Adele

9. Beautiful Lasers- Lupe Fiasco 

8. Good Life- OneRepublic

7. She Will- Lil Wayne Feat. Drake 

6. Strange Clouds- BoB ft. Lil Wayne

5. Secrets- OneRepublic

4. I Hate College Remix- Sam Adams

3. Work Out- J. Cole

2. A Dream- Common ft. will.i.am

1. Headlines- Drake

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

What if your parents unwound you?
Connor's parents want to get rid of him because he is a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth,as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive untill their eighteenth birthday they can't be harmed- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen might just not come in time.

Populazzi

What would you do if you had the chance to reinvent yourself as the person you've always wanted to be?

Cara has never been one of those girls: confident, self-possessed, and always ready for the perfect thing to say. A girl at the very top of the popularity tower. One of the Populazzi.

Now, junior year could change everything. Cara's moving to a new school, and her best friend urges her to seize the opportunity and change her life with the help of The Ladder. Its rungs are relationships, and if Cara transforms herself into the perfect girlfriend for guys higher and higher on the Popularity Tower, she can reach the ultimate goal: Supreme Populazzi, the most popular girl in school.

The Ladder seems like a lighthearted social experiment — a straight climb up — but it quickly becomes gnarled and twisted. And when everything goes wrong, only the most audacious act Cara can think of has a chance of setting things even a little bit right.

4th of JULY

Happy 4th of July!!!

DoN't Be CaUgHt

DoN't Be CaUgHt...Out of Style

Although SOME of these styles might still be in, these new Spring/Summer 2011 fashion trends might just have replaced them...

Leopard/Cheetah print: Replaced by Snake Skin prints

Wild Nail art: Replaced by bright summer nail colors- corals, oranges, blues, citrus, etc.

Dresses: Replaced by stylish and flattering Rompers

Aviator sunglasses: Replaced by Bug-eyed/Cat-eyed sunglasses

Ruffles/Fringe(throw em out): Replaced by -colorful- pleats

High-heels: Replaced by Cork Wedges

DoN't Be CaUgHt Out of Style this summer.



FAW- India

Yes, this is a dressed up camel.

 



Who says trees have to be made of leaves? Why not, for example, wind chimes? Hmmmm.



Yours Truly,
From Around the World: FAW

p.s. If you want your around the world pictures to be exhibited on Nikki+News, send them to blumunky101@aol.com.

The Lipstick Laws

At Penford High School, Britney Taylor is the queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyone's life with a snap of perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her. For April Bowers, Britney is also the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids don't even know she exists. But one lunch spent at Britney's table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity. But Britney's friendship comes with a high price tag. How much is April willing to pay?

LOVE SUMMER!!!

Status: In <3 with white shorts

(Ahhh. Summer is calling:D)

For more styles, colors, or apparel go to:
Pac Sun Official Page