Valiant by Holly Black

"Did you think you were a hero?" [Spoiler] asked, her voice full of mock pity, pitched loud enough for the crowd.
"No," Val said. "I think you're a villain." 

[Click here to read my review of book 1: Tithe.]

After reading Tithe a few weeks ago, I was eagerly looking forward to reading the next in the series. I really appreciate Holly Black's fantastical imagination and the way she creates faerie worlds, so I was clearly excited when I snagged this book and started reading it. It didn't disappoint.

Valiant is the story of Val, a seventeen year-old girl who has just discovered that her boyfriend is sleeping with her mother. How's that for a shocking way to get the reader hooked? Distraught and angry that she could have allowed herself to be so blatantly lied to, she runs away and meets Lolli, Dave, and Luis, three teenagers living on the streets and making deliveries for faeries.

At first, Val assumes that her new friends are either crazy or creating an elaborate lie just to see if she'll believe them. But it isn't long before things start happening that Val can't just wave away. The shadows dance of their own volition, people with strange features and eerie warnings start cropping up, andVal begins sticking her nose into things that are better left alone. When Val finds herself forced into the service of a troll named Ravus, she can no longer deny the existence of faeries; but as soon as she has discovered this new reality, she is thrust into a new problem. Someone is poisoning members of the faerie community and Ravus has been implicated, putting she and her friends in grave danger as well.

This enchanting sequel to Tithe was every bit as good as I expected it to be. The characters were all interesting and well-rounded; the romance was sweet and progressed at a slow but steady pace. I was a little disappointed that we only caught a glimpse of Kaye (the heroine from the first book), but the story and it's fabulous journey was worth it.

Val is an interesting and very well-written heroine. Black really went out of her way in making Val as believable a character as possible by showing the reader her struggles and the reasons behind her actions and, most especially, her mistakes.

A dark fantasy that pulls you in from page one, Valiant was a wonderful addition to a great series written by an author whose great imagination has captured the hearts and minds of readers from the day her first book was published. I greatly look forward to reading the third and final book in this series. If the past two books have been any indication, it's going to be one hell of a good ride.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

"I know you're very brave," he said
"Or stupid." 
"And stupid. Brave and stupid." Ravus smiled, but then his smile sagged. "But nothing can stop you from being terrible once you've learned how." 

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

The wolf opened his wide, long jaws, rows of teeth and bloodstained tongue stretching for her. A thought locked itself in Scarlett's mind, and she repeated it over and over until it became a chant, a prayer: I am the only one left to fight, so now I must kill you.

I picked up Sisters Red after hearing a pretty great review of it on another book reviewing blog. I bought it a few weeks ago and just now got around to reading it. My reaction? I love almost everything about this book.

You'll often hear avid readers getting "book hangovers," meaning basically that after they've finished the book, they have trouble starting a new one or thinking about anything besides the book they have just finished because they're still in that world. As many good books as I read, I don't usually experience that as much anymore. I still often find my mind going back to a good story or book that I really enjoyed, but I don't often have trouble breaking away from thinking only about a particular story for a day or two after I've finished it. But I definitely experienced that with Sisters Red. Long after I'd finished it, I was still poring over the tale and everything that had happened within it.

Sisters Red is the shared story of Rosie and Scarlett March. When they were children a werewolf (or Fenris, as they're called by those who are familiar with them) attacked them, killing the grandmother who raised them as well as taking Scarlett's eye and leaving scars all over her body. To save herself and her sister, Scarlett killed the beast; and ever since, she has had an all-consuming passion to hunt Fenris so that no one else has to suffer the way she and her sister have.

When a good friend of the sisters and an excellent woodsman and Fenris hunter, Silas, returns from a long family visit in California, things start changing. Not only does Rosie suddenly find herself drawn to the woodsman, she also begins to guiltily dream of a life where she isn't constantly fighting Fenris. But, more immediately, something is changing about the Fenris. They're getting bolder and more numerous, drifting into territory they had long abandoned. As more and more lives come in contact with the murderous creatures, the three are going to have to come up with a plan to take them on and fast. Otherwise, they could lose a lot more than they already have.

A modern and incredibly well-done spin on the old Red Riding Hood tale, Sisters Red was a compelling read from the very start. Not once did I lose interest or feel the tale was moving either too slow or too fast. Pearce did a fantastic job at pacing her story just right, as well as creating characters that the reader can identify and empathize with.

In particular, the relationships Pearce portrays really struck a cord with me. The loyalty between Rosie, Scarlett, and Silas was beautiful and the fierce love that each portrayed for the others was absolutely stunning. Their love for each other was probably the thing I loved most about this book. No matter how much fighting there was or how high the tension got, you never once doubted that each would do anything to protect the others and I cannot say enough how beautiful that is to me.

I would definitely suggest this to everyone, particularly lovers of fairy tales. It was an all-around wonderful book and I will definitely be snatching up the next Jackson Pearce novel I see. I'm thinking her Hansel and Gretel retelling looks like just the right book to be the next addition to my bookshelf.

Rating: ~ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ~

[Click here for my review of book 2: Sweetly]

The plan forms in my mind slowly, more like a tide coming in than a wave crashing over me. I am confident, I am capable, and I will not wait to be rescued by a woodsman or a hunter. I will escape.

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

The Thief leaned closer to the queen to speak almost into her ear. "From shadow queen to puppet queen in one rule," he whispered. "That's very impressive. When he rules your country and tells you he loves you, I hope you believe him."

[Click here for my review of book 1: The Thief]

I was really looking forward to reading The Queen of Attolia, especially after how much I enjoyed the first book in the series. Turner didn't disappoint. The Queen of Attolia was well-written and incredibly original. I was impressed by how different it was from the first book in the series, since it's rather easy for authors to repeat the basic outline of the previous story when it comes to sequels.

The country of Eddis is a mountainous region that sits between Sounis and Attolia, two larger countries who would like nothing more than to add her lands to their own territory. In the first book, Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, managed to save his queen from an unwilling union with Sounis in the nick of time.

Now, however, the stakes are higher. Attolia seems to have reached an arrangement with the Medes, a large country offshore that would dominate all three countries if given the chance. With this partnership, they could become more dangerous than ever before.

Eugenides, suffering from a loss that has left him blindsided and vulnerable, is Eddis's only hope. He is tasked with the wellbeing of his country and his queen. He will have to look past his trauma if he is going to manage it. And he's going to have to be more clever than ever before, because this is no trinket he is tasked with stealing. This time his task is to steal a queen.

I really enjoyed The Queen of Attolia. Megan Whalen Turner takes the reader on an entirely new adventure filled with danger that keeps you turning page after page, dying to know what happens next.

Instead of telling the story strictly from Eugenides' point of view, she lets us see through the eyes of the queen of Attolia, the queen of Eddis, and a few others. This was a nice change of pace and really supplemented the story in ways I hadn't expected it would.

Once again, Turner's Pantheon intrigued me. They had a lesser role than in the previous book, but still showed up more than once. As a huge fan of Greek mythology, from which she pulled a great deal of inspiration, I soaked in every word of it.

Overall, this book was a lovely addition to the series. It was all-around wonderful and I can't wait to see how Turner will top herself in the next work. I will definitely be checking the next book out from the library as soon as I can manage it.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
[Click here to see my review of book 3: The King of Attolia.]

The Thief stopped in the doorway. He looked from her to the chair beside her. He was puzzled only for a moment. He looked back at her but cried out to the patron God of Thieves, "God, no," and threw himself backward. The guards caught at him. He sank through their arms, then stood again to drive the heel of his hand up under one guard's nose. The guard dropped as if he'd been hit with an ax, but it was all the strength the Thief had in him. He grabbed for the doorway, but they pulled his fingers free one by one and carried him thrashing to the chair.

Once Upon a Time by Max Lüthi

The fairy tale takes its heroes from the remotest branches of society: the prince and the young swine herd, the despised youngest son or the clumsy boy; and the girl who watches the hearth or tends the geese and the princess. The fairy tale is also fond of other extremes and contrasts: dreadful punishments and splendid rewards, giants and dwarfs, mangy skull and golden hair, good and evil, handsome and ugly, black and white. Thus the fairy tale portrays a clearly and neatly fashioned world.

I went up to Texas Tech to visit my brother this weekend and one of the first places we stopped was the library (of course). Texas Tech has a rather large library, which was quite exciting for me. I immediately grabbed about six books off the shelves, but this was the one I begged my brother to check out for me. He did and I managed to finish it before the end of the weekend.

Once Upon a Time: On the Nature of Fairy Tales was quite an interesting read. Published in the early seventies, it is a lovely text concerning what constitutes a fairy tale and why they are so important to us now.

Each chapter takes aside one or more fairy tales with similar thematic content and analyzes what sets it apart from other stories, such as local legend and saints' stories. This book covered everything from Sleeping Beauty to Repunzel, including plenty of stories I hadn't heard of before and even uncovering alternate versions that surfaces before the Grimm brothers or others like them.

I found every bit of this book fascinating. I will definitely be adding my brother's collection of Grimm fairy tales to my list of books to read and can hardly wait to get my hands on it. Fairy tales are timeless and classic. I would suggest this book to anyone who would like to see a little bit more into the creation of a fairy tale and the lessons we can learn through these stories.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

But what, one may ask, does a child learn from being told such fairy tales? Should one really fill their minds with stories about witches? Yes, indeed, one must. The witches, devils, and villains of fairy tales are for children symbols of evil, and the child experiences through them the danger of evil but also learns that evil can be conquered or perhaps even transformed.

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish People I Would Like to Meet

Over at The Broke and the Bookish, they have this thing called Top Ten Tuesday. Each Tuesday they give other bloggers a chance to participate in making a top ten list with them. This week's topic is "Bookish People I Would Like to Meet."

1. J.K. Rowling
Author of the Harry Potter books, as well as an adult book coming out at the end of the month, The Casual Vacancy. It would be so interesting to have the chance to sit down with her and find out more about both her work and her life. She seems like an incredibly interesting person and one I would really enjoy getting to know.

2. John Green
Author of one of my favorite books, Paper Towns, along with a number of others, John Green also started vlogbrothers along with his brother, Hank Green, a vlogging channel on YouTube where the two of them discuss a plethora of different topics.
Technically, I have already met him, but it was at a book signing and therefore lasted all of six seconds. I would really love to sit down and get the chance to talk with him about the things that inspire him as well as his passion for being proud of his own nerdiness.

3. Ray Bradbury
Though I have, so far, only read one of his books (I do intend to read more of his work in the near future), I definitely look up to this man and wish I could have had the opportunity to meet him. As many of you are probably well aware, Ray Bradbury passed on a few months ago. 
I especially appreciate the fact that most of Bradbury's "training" in becoming an author was self-taught. He taught himself to be a great writer by reading and studying in his own right. I can definitely respect that in a person.

4. C.S. Lewis
This is another author I will never get the chance to meet (in this life) because he is deceased. However, that hasn't stopped him from making a huge impact on my life. I was raised on the Chronicles of Narnia and have since read many of his other works in apologetics. I can hardly begin to explain the genius of this one man, but he has profoundly impacted my life and my faith, for that I am eternally indebted. If I could have coffee with one person in history, nine out of ten times, I would choose Lewis.

5. J.R.R. Tolkien
Though I have to once again admit to not having read all of this author's works, that doesn't stop me from being a huge fan of Tolkien. I have seen the movies at least ten times and haven't yet grown tired of them, I adored The Hobbit, and he was also the man who brought C.S. Lewis to Christ. The two of them were close friends, which I think is amazing, though I do hold a grudge against Tolkien for nearly talking Lewis out of writing the Chronicles of Narnia (Tolkien hated them).  All in all, though, Tolkien managed to create a fantastical world and iconic characters that still profoundly impact the work of many authors today. (Also, I promise I will read the Lord of the Rings trilogy soon! Don't shun me. They're sitting in my TBR pile, I swear.)

6. Orson Scott Card
After reading both Ender's Game and How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, I couldn't refrain from adding Card to the list. His brilliance in the field of science fiction is well-known and I'm simply dying to read more of his works. He is a fascinating person and I would love to have the opportunity to pick his brain on more than one matter. 

7. Maureen Johnson
I met Maureen Johnson seconds after John Green, but this was, once again, a six second meeting. It lasted long enough for her to sign my cell phone and that was all. Not only are her books both lovely and exceedingly witty (I've read most, though not all of them), but she is a hilarious person and has quite a personality. If you don't follow her on Twitter, I suggest you amend that immediately. You won't be sorry. She is hysterical and incredibly interesting. Getting to sit down and talk with her would be a dream come true, and would probably involve some sort of crazy adventure.

8. Robin Wasserman
A close friend of Maureen Johnson (and probably of John Green, seeing as Maureen Johnson is a close friend of his), Robin Wasserman is a fabulous author in her own right. Her Cold Awakening trilogy is stunning and really makes you sit back and take another look at all the things you think you know. I really appreciate that in a story. I would love to have a chat with her about what inspired her to write what she did and how she managed to create such a complex, yet entirely engaging plot line. There are still more of her books that I would love to read, but haven't managed to yet. \

9. Ted Dekker

This man is pure genius. Honestly, the man cranks out novels at a pace I could never imagine emulating, yet each has a richness and texture to it that blows me away every time. Each new story is original and filled with twists and turns I could never have imagined. I think I would be a little scared to take a peek into this man's brilliant mind, but I wouldn't pass up the opportunity if my life depended on it. His works are amazing and I look forward to reading more from him. 


10. Megan Whalen Turner
I am in the middle of her "Queen's Thief" series and already I'm dying to pick her brain. I am a huge fan of Greek mythology and the like (from which she draws a great deal, in this series). Her characters are both relatable and believable, her stories exciting and filled with adventure. Sitting down and talking to her about what went into creating such a rich world and story would be simply wonderful. I can think of few things I would enjoy more.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Then, to Dink's surprise, Ender began to cry. Lying on his back, still soaking wet with sweat and water, he gasped his sobs, tears seeping out of his closed eyelids and disappearing in the water on his face.
"Are you alright?"
"I didn't want to hurt him!" Ender cried. "Why didn't he just leave me alone?"

I have heard the title, Ender's Game, tossed around for a couple of years now, but it didn't really show up on my radar until I read How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, which was also written by Orson Scott Card. I immediately put it on my list of books to be read. It wasn't long before I was hearing even more accolades thrown in its direction and I purchased it as soon as I got the chance.

I am so glad I did. And let me just go ahead and inform you: it deserved every award and every note of praise it received.

Ender's Game is the story of Ender Wiggin, third child in a futuristic society in which two children are the usual and third children are only permitted by the state when necessity begs it. And necessity did beg for Ender Wiggin, because he just might be the only hope Earth has against the buggers--an alien enemy that were only just beaten in the two skirmishes humanity in which humanity has encountered them.

At six years old, Ender is a born and bred genius. Much like his older siblings Peter, his arch nemesis, and Valentine, the person whom he adores more than anyone else in the world, he is carefully monitored by the International Fleet and is taken to Battle School on a ship in space in order to train for his future fighting buggers. As he quickly rises in the ranks much faster than most of the other kids, Ender's limits are tested along with his ability to toe the line between being a good person and becoming a monster.

As you have likely already deduced, I absolutely adored this book. Already a fan of science fiction and and any story that has at least one good fight (trust me, this book has plenty of those), I fell in love with little Ender and his story immediately. Everything about it was beautifully crafted and well-written. I wasn't let down or disappointed in any way when I reached the end. This was an all-around spectacular book.

Once again, I've accidentally started reading a series because I assumed this was a stand alone story, but I have no regrets. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to recommending it to anyone who is looking for a wholly wonderful read.

Rating: ~ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ~

There was no doubt now in Ender's mind. There was no help for him. Whatever he faced, now and forever, no one would save him from it. Peter might be scum, but Peter had been right, always right; the power to cause pain is the only power that matters, the power to kill and destroy, because if you can't kill then you are always subject to those who can, and nothing and no one will ever save you.

Top Ten Tuesday: Thought Provoking Books

Over at The Broke and the Bookish, they have this thing called Top Ten Tuesday. Each Tuesday they give other bloggers a chance to participate in making a top ten list with them. This week's topic is thought provoking books! I only chose seven this time around, though I'm sure there are plenty more I could add. Here are the ones I decided to highlight:

1) Paper Towns by John Green
Paper Towns is a personal favorite of mine for many good reasons, but one of the most important of those reasons is the fact that this book really makes you look at the way you perceive others. Throughout this book, the main character (Quentin) realizes that we tend to romanticize our friends and most especially the people we admire and look at them through those rose colored glasses instead of seeing them for who they really are. This is a discredit both to them and to ourselves. I loved that this book challenged me in the way I view others and encouraged me to accept them for who they are instead of who I want them to be.

2)The Cold Awakening Trilogy by Robin Wasserman
I think the Cold Awakening Trilogy easily qualifies for this list. The trilogy's main question permeates each of the books and begs the question: "What constitutes humanity?" Each of the books explores this question and really makes you stop and consider what it means while bringing up multiple other deep questions of morality along the way. 

3) My Secret: A PostSecret Book by Frank Warren
The PostSecret books are essentially collections of secrets that were sent in to Frank Warren anonymously, first as an art project and now as a worldwide community. Each of the books hold a plethora of secrets that allow you to see into the lives and hearts of people all around the world. It reminds you that everyone has a secret and that everyone's hurting.

4) Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
In hearing the story of a girl who underwent a major traumatic experience in the middle her most impressionable formative years, this book lets the reader see into her head and her heart. It allows them to see how earth-shattering that traumatization can be for its victims and causes the reader to reevaluate how they treat others, because it reminds us that you can't always see what's hurting someone but that doesn't mean they aren't in need of rescuing.

5) The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
One of the things that makes the Harry Potter series so memorable and life-changing to its readers is the plethora of questions it asks its readers. As we read these books, we walk alongside Harry and his friends as they discover that the world isn't as lovely or fair a place as we perceive it at first. We see what drives them as they choose how far they are willing to go to reach an end and what means justify those ends. We are given the chance to see them fight for what they believe and lobby for the rights of those who are beaten down by others who are stronger and more outspoken. Rowling invites the reader to make these decisions along with Harry and therefore analyze the way we think and the decisions we make.

6) The Help by Kathryn Stockett
I think that nowadays it is easy to downplay the offensiveness and overall nastiness of racism, especially for those who haven't personally experienced racism or that type of stigmatism. It's also easy to believe that the issue of racism is outdated and no longer applicable to our time. Both of these assumptions are very, very wrong. This book reminds us that racism was beyond rampant less than fifty years ago. In fact, it was a household prejudice and widely considered acceptable. The Help reminds those of us who might have forgotten that this is still an evil to be fought against and one we ought to stomp out entirely.


5) Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
I am almost to the end of this book (the actual review ought to be up by the end of the week) and I am definitely loving it. One of the reasons I love it so much is the fact that it reevaluates the meaning of childhood and adulthood, as well as deciphering where the line is between being a good person and a monster. 

My Secret: A Postsecret Book by Frank Warren

"Let me tread my own path. Don't worry, I will be fine." 


PostSecret started out as an online art project by Frank Warren. He asked people to send in their secrets on artfully made postcards anonymously and he posted many of them online for others. It wasn't long before he was receiving more postcards than he knew what to do with. He still receives hundreds of postcards a day!

Since this project started, Warren still runs his website, which is updated every Sunday with new secrets, and has published multiple books with these secrets as the content. I've been wanted to read one for a while and finally bought My Secret on Amazon.

Wow! This compilation of secrets was just as good as I expected. There's something inherently soothing about reading other peoples' secrets and being able to identify with some or wonder about others; just as its soothing to send in a secret anonymously and know that someone else knows your secret, you don't have to bear it alone--you aren't the only one who's been through that.

This book is addicting and it won't take you long to finish. You'll want to keep flipping through, reading each new secret, until you reach the end. I have no doubt that I'll still be flipping through these pages, reading particular ones over and over again in the future. And maybe I'll send in a secret of my own.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

"I lied to fit in and now feel more alone than ever before."

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts . . . he's at Hogwarts.' Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead."

[Click here to see my review of book 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]

Now in his third year at Hogwarts, we rejoin Harry in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in the midst of his summer vacation. He is still living with the Dursleys and very unhappy about it when his Aunt Marge goes too far in insulting Harry's deceased father and ends up being blown up like a balloon from the force of Harry's anger.

Panicking over his accidental used of magic outside of school (which is strictly prohibited), he runs out of the house and soon catches a fleeting glimpse of a large, black dog just before leaving for the Leaky Cauldron.

As the school year begins, Harry continues to catch fleeting glimpses of what he soon finds out may be a Grimm, a death omen. Nearly every time he has seen this apparition, he seems to have a near death experience. And now his Divination teacher is even predicting his death.

To make matters worse, Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban. Black was placed in the high-security wizard prison twelve years ago for the murder of thirteen Muggles and one wizard not long after the defeat of Voldemort. The clues all point to his return to Hogwarts where he intends to finish the job he started so many years ago: He's coming to kill Harry Potter.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is my second favorite book in the entire series, topped only by Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. J.K. Rowling never falters in her masterful storytelling. Her magic with words is equal in strength to the magic in the story, it draws you in from the first page to the last.

Walking along with Harry as he discovers more about his parents and more about himself is always a treat and this book is so riveting that you simply have to find out what happens next. Rowling brings back the characters you've already fallen in love with, only to make you love them even more and introduce even more wonderful people you won't soon forget.

This book was absolutely wonderful and I so enjoyed rereading it. I suggest it to anyone who wants a magical story, great characters, and a journey that will last with you long after you've finished the series itself.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

[Click here to see my reviews of book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, book 5:Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.]

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who his best friend was?"
"Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here--ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"

Nerds by David Anderegg, Ph.D.

One of the things that makes kids kids is their lack of self-consciousness, and one of the things that most distinguishes nerdy kids from non nerdy kids is exactly this quality, as we shall see later on.


Nerds: Who They Are and Why We Need More of Them was written by David Anderegg, Ph.D., a child psychologist who was upset by the marginalization of "nerdy" kids and chose to do a study on what constitutes a nerd and why there is such a stigmatism associated with that particular stereotype.

This book was incredibly interesting. I love doing research on the topic of nerd stereotypes and especially enjoy the fact that researching nerd stereotypes is a quintessentially nerdy thing to do. Anderegg covers everything from the treatment of those considered nerds in elementary school vs. nerds in high school to  the tendency of the overzealous to incorrectly diagnose nerds with Aspergers without knowing what it actually means.

I didn't agree with everything Aderegg had to say, but most of it was both insightful and made you really take a step back and think about the way we condition our children through media and careless comments that we honestly ought to know better than to do. I know I was convicted about the way I use "nerd" as an insult at times, even though I mean it as a joke. I don't personally consider it an insult, but by using it as such, I perpetuate the negative connotation associated with the word and that's really not okay.

Overall, this was a wonderful book and I will very likely be reading it again in the next few years. I really enjoyed it and everything Anderegg had to say on the matter. I would suggest this to nearly everyone, but particularly parents of all types. Whether your kid is naturally popular or starting to operate under the label of nerd, you probably need to hear what this book has to say.

Lastly, no matter who you are--don't forget to own your nerdiness! Don't let anyone tell you who to be. You are amazing just the way you are. Nerds are awesome and we need more of them!

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

As we have seen, the nerd/geek stereotype is not immediately comprehensible to our kids, and they need a fair amount of indoctrination to get it at all. But when they begin to be indoctrinated, they get messages that are awfully confusing.