Andrea's Book Nook

Divergent

2012-01-18T15:28:00.001-05:00

Divergent

By: Veronica Roth

Series: Divergent, Book 1

Challenge: Dystopia Challenge

Published: 2011

# of pages: 487

Official description:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

My opinion: I started this book a little skeptical about how good it would actually be. I knew it was being compared to The Hunger Games, but seriously, how can anything be better than The Hunger Games!? So the beginning of the book seemed very juvenile and took me awhile to enjoy. But I eventually ended up really enjoying this book and can't wait for the next in the trilogy to be released this year!

I enjoyed imagining what faction I would be in if I lived in the world presented in Divergent. There are 5 factions. I'd be in Erudite, along with everyone in my family. Except my sister, she would definitely be "factionless." For awhile I couldn't think of what faction she fit into, but realized she already is basically factionless in this world, so there you have it. My husband read Divergent as well and said he'd want to be in Dauntless, but we figure he'd probably be assigned to Amity. :-)

So, if you've read this and know what I'm talking about, what faction would you be in?

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars: Easy & entertaining to read, good pace, interesting characters, original plot and setting. A little bit too "young adult" for me to fully appreciate, but that just makes it better for people who really are young adults!

Other reviews:
Book Nut
S. Krishna's Books
Bookfoolery and Babble
It's All About Books
Royal Reviews

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Sandalwood Tree

2012-01-14T13:28:00.007-05:00

The Sandalwood Tree

By: Elle Newmark

Published: 2011

# of pages: 357

Quote: "A few months later, we bathed our new son together. We inhaled his innocence, lathered the peach fuzz on his head, marveled at the perfect whorls of his tiny ears, his starfish hands, the tender flush on his round, wet, baby belly. Martin cupped one wee foot and growled, 'Arrgh-arrgh-arrgh. Oooh, I'm gonna eat him.' He kissed each pink toe. 'Oooh, he's delicious.' Afterward, we lay in bed chuckling at our newborn, who lay snoring like an old man. . . . I watched him sleep and wondered how anything could be so sweet. I thought I might die from insulin shock." -Evie, pg. 40

Official description:

A sweeping novel that brings to life two love stories, ninety years apart, set against the rich backdrop of war-torn India.
In 1947, American historian and veteran of WWII, Martin Mitchell, wins a Fulbright Fellowship to document the end of British rule in India. His wife, Evie, convinces him to take her and their young son along, hoping a shared adventure will mend their marriage, which has been strained by war.
But other places, other wars. Martin and Evie find themselves stranded in a colonial bungalow in the Himalayas due to violence surrounding the partition of India between Hindus and Muslims. In that house, hidden behind a brick wall, Evie discovers a packet of old letters, which tell a strange and compelling story of love and war involving two young Englishwomen who lived in the same house in 1857.
Drawn to their story, Evie embarks on a mission to piece together her Victorian mystery. Her search leads her through the bazaars and temples of India as well as the dying society of the British Raj. Along the way, Martin’s dark secret is exposed, unleashing a new wedge between Evie and him. As India struggles toward Independence, Evie struggles to save her marriage, pursuing her Victorian ghosts for answers.
Bursting with lavish detail and vivid imagery of Calcutta and beyond, The Sandalwood Tree is a powerful story about betrayal, forgiveness, fate, and love.

My opinion: I loved this book! I think Newmark did a great job with her descriptions of both the characters and the setting. I was especially impressed with her descriptions of motherhood from the viewpoint of a biological mother and a mother through adoption. Absolutely beautiful!

I was also intrigued with the story and the setting. It was interesting from an historic standpoint (British/Indian conflicts in both 1856 and 1947) and how the two story lines tie together. I definitely recommend to lovers of historical fiction and anyone looking for a well-written novel.

I can't help but post more of my favorite quotes from the book at the bottom of this post...

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Well-written, unique story, good pace, interesting setting.

Other reviews:
S. Krishna's Books
life by candlelight

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

More quotes: "I spent most of the hour cajoling the children into letting me hug them. In the end, shy smiles turned into giggling fits, and eight pairs of enormous black eyes crinkled with mirth. They didn't learn Bs that day; it was much better than that." -pg. 189

"I held him under the kissing ball & when I pecked his tender cheek, he grabbed my hair to pull my face to his. It was the finest Christmas gift I have ever received." -pg. 308

4th Blogiversary

2012-01-04T14:02:00.002-05:00

How times flies! The past few years have been crazy but I'm hoping that I'll be able to read more this year AND blog more. Stick with me because there will be many more years of book blogging to come!

Dystopia 2012 Challenge

2012-01-01T22:20:00.001-05:00

The Dystopia Challenge 2012

What It’s All About

The Dystopia challenge is for those who love it and for those who have never tried it. From negative utopia to plain ol’ totalitarian, there’s much to love about Dystopia and many ways it can be written.

If you’re not sure what it is check out Diva Schuylers’s post and learn all about it, but for a quick run down think of unpleasant living situations, pure dystopia being when an entity or social force is involved, but you can think outside the circle with this one.

Here’s one of our Must Reads lists for some inspiration.

The Deets

Running Dates: 1st of January – 31st of December 2012
When Can I Sign Up: All the way up to the last two weeks of December 2012!
Crossover Genres: Our Dystopia challenge also includes Post-Apocalypse and Ecotopia (environmentally dystopian).
Mr Linky: To use the Mr Linky you’ll need to click on the graphic then enter your link. These will be updated and posted into this page every couple of weeks or so.
Further Details: Crossover challenges are fine, you can change levels at any time, this is eBook, short story, and graphic novel friendly, and you don’t need a blog to join in (read further for details).

Level: Asocial - read 5 books

1. Divergent by: Veronica Roth

2. Fever by: Lauren DeStefano (Chemical Garden Trilogy: Book 2)

3. Fahrenheit 451 by: Ray Bradbury

4. The Maze Runner by: James Dashner

5. ?

2011 Review!

2011-12-31T22:58:00.003-05:00

2011 has been a crazy, but good, year. My biggest accomplishment was having another little boy, Levi! He arrived the end of April, and surprisingly I've been able to read more since he was born. My secret? I read while nursing him! Yes, sometimes my toddler is tearing up the house while this happens, but I need ME time, especially while breastfeeding (it's very depleting!).

In 2012 I look forward to reading even more and participating in more challenges. I think I'll choose 1 or 2 in addition to the R.I.P. challenge in the Fall.

Challenges in which I participated:

R.I.P. VI (finished 4 of 4)

My favorites (in the order I read them):

The Poisonwood Bible by: Barbara Kingsolver (Historical Fiction)

Chime by: Franny Billingsley (Fantasy)

Wither by: Lauren DeStefano (Sci-fi)

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by: Stieg Larsson (Mystery)

Dreams of Joy by: Lisa See (Sisters Pearl and May: Book 2) (Historical Fiction)

A Clash of Kings by: George R.R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 2) (Fantasy)

# of books I read in 2011:

Up from 30 in 2010 and 38 in 2009

Down from 48 in 2008 and 81 in 2007

Least favorite:

Letter Perfect by: Cathy Marie Hake (Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian Romance)

Repeated authors:

Kelley Armstrong (4) (Women of the Underworld series)

Carrie Ryan (3) (The Forest of Hands and Teeth series)

Lisa See (2) (Sisters Pearl and May series)

Patrick Ness (2) (Chaos Walking Trilogy)

Caleb's Crossing

2011-12-13T22:55:00.002-05:00

Caleb's Crossing

By: Geraldine Brooks

Published: 2011

# of pages: 320

Official description:

Once again, Geraldine Brooks takes a remarkable shard of history and brings it to vivid life. In 1665, a young man from Martha's Vineyard became the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. Upon this slender factual scaffold, Brooks has created a luminous tale of love and faith, magic and adventure.

The narrator of Caleb's Crossing is Bethia Mayfield, growing up in the tiny settlement of Great Harbor amid a small band of pioneers and Puritans. Restless and curious, she yearns after an education that is closed to her by her sex. As often as she can, she slips away to explore the island's glistening beaches and observe its native Wampanoag inhabitants. At twelve, she encounters Caleb, the young son of a chieftain, and the two forge a tentative secret friendship that draws each into the alien world of the other. Bethia's minister father tries to convert the Wampanoag, awakening the wrath of the tribe's shaman, against whose magic he must test his own beliefs. One of his projects becomes the education of Caleb, and a year later, Caleb is in Cambridge, studying Latin and Greek among the colonial elite. There, Bethia finds herself reluctantly indentured as a housekeeper and can closely observe Caleb's crossing of cultures.

Like Brooks's beloved narrator Anna in Year of Wonders, Bethia proves an emotionally irresistible guide to the wilds of Martha's Vineyard and the intimate spaces of the human heart. Evocative and utterly absorbing, Caleb's Crossing further establishes Brooks's place as one of our most acclaimed novelists.

My opinion: Excellent read! I'm a fan of Brooks, she writes great historical fiction. So I was excited about this book and it didn't disappoint me. I was impressed with the details that went into the setting, dialogue, and the historical facts. She writes an afterward that includes the research she did and what is fact and what is fiction in the book. It's neat that she used real characters, but changed some of their names. Historical fiction is my favorite genre (okay, so it's tied with fantasy!) and I recommend this to other fans of historical fiction.

All that said, this isn't making it to my favorites list. In order to be on my list, this book has to consume my every waking moment. I have to have a really hard time putting it down and after I do, I have to keep daydreaming about it, imagining myself in it, thinking about it, wanting to talk about it. This book wasn't like that for me. It's hard to completely relate to the characters, but it's supposed to be that way.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Well written, interesting characters, emotionally swaying, unique & original story.

Other reviews:

Book Nut
life by candlelight

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Portobello

2011-12-06T14:05:00.003-05:00

Portobello

By: Ruth Rendell

Published: 2010

# of pages: 290

Official description:

Ruth Rendell is widely considered to be crime fiction’s reigning queen, with a remarkable career spanning more than forty years. Now, in Portobello,she delivers a captivating and intricate tale that weaves together the troubled lives of several people in the gentrified neighborhood of London’s Notting Hill.Walking to the shops one day, fifty-year-old Eugene Wren discovers an envelope on the street bulging with cash. A man plagued by a shameful addiction—and his own good intentions—Wren hatches a plan to find the money’s rightful owner. Instead of going to the police, or taking the cash for himself, he prints a notice and posts it around Portobello Road. This ill-conceived act creates a chain of events that links Wren to other Londoners—people afflicted with their own obsessions and despairs. As these volatile characters come into Wren’s life—and the life of his trusting fiancée—the consequences will change them all.
Portobello is a wonderfully complex tour de force featuring a dazzling depiction of one of London’s most intriguing neighborhoods—and the dangers beneath its newly posh veneer.

My opinion: I found this book on the crime/suspense display at the library and decided to give it a try. I usually don't pick up random books. Since I don't have much time to read, each book is carefully picked and usually recommended by someone before I dive in. So this is the first time I've just randomly picked up a book in a long time. And I'm glad I did, it was something new for me that I wouldn't have experienced otherwise.

Maybe it's because I saw Stephen King's recommendation on the cover, but I could not get it out of my head that this was similar to the 2 King novels I've read in the past. Just the description of the characters and how many of them are slightly exaggerated stereotypes. Or almost comically contradictory. Portobello's cast of characters includes a man who is a slave to his addiction (the object of his addiction is funny, but obviously addiction is never really funny), a crazy schizo, a "low life" who works hard to not work, another "low life" who ends up having the best values out of anyone in the book, and a religious man who thinks of himself as the most upright person in the book although he's actually the worst.

Portobello is by no means my favorite, but it was entertaining and even a little creepy at times. I recommend to fans of Rendell and psychological plots.

Why I gave this book 3/5 stars: Interesting characters, neat plot that all ties together in the end, a little disturbing, hard to really sympathize with the characters

Other reviews:

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Oracle of Stamboul

2011-11-14T22:44:00.002-05:00

The Oracle of Stamboul

By: Michael David Lukas

Published: 2011

# of pages: 320

Official description:

Ushered into the world by a mysterious pair of Tartar midwives late in the summer of 1877 in the town of Constanta on the Black Sea, Eleonora Cohen proves herself an extraordinarily gifted child—a prodigy—at a very young age. When she is eight years old, she stows away aboard a ship, following her carpet merchant father, Yakob, to the teeming and colorful imperial capital of Stamboul where a new life awaits her.
In the narrow streets of this city at the crossroads of the world, intrigue and gossip are currency, and people are not always what they seem. But it is only when she charms the eccentric Sultan Abdulhamid II—beleaguered by friend and foe as his unwieldy realm crumbles—that Eleonora will change the course of an empire.

My opinion: This is a very well written novel as far as the descriptions and settings go, but I'm not quite sure what to make of it. The whole thing seemed pointless. The characters were hard to relate to, which makes it difficult to become immersed in the book. I kept thinking there would be more, but there wasn't. What was the climax? I don't know. The ending was disappointing. Not the actions of the characters, just that there wasn't more before the ending to satisfy me.

However, as I told my grandmother (who also just finished reading it), it was neat to see the references to other works of literature. I only wish that the main "novel" (The Hourglass) that is quoted in the book was real!

Why I gave this book 3/5 stars: Well written as far as wording and grammar, but not as far as the content and character development.

Other reviews:

S. Krishna's Books
Bookfoolery and Babble

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Bossypants

2011-11-13T20:28:00.003-05:00

Bossypants

By: Tina Fey

Published: 2011

# of pages: 288

Quote: "And should she be a mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.
'My mother did this for me once,' she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby's neck. 'My mother did this for me.' And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a mental note to call me. And she will forget. But I'll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes." - "A Mother's Prayer for her Child" - Tina Fey

Official description:

Before Liz Lemon, before "Weekend Update," before "Sarah Palin," Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV.

She has seen both these dreams come true.

At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon -- from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence.

Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.

(Includes Special, Never-Before-Solicited Opinions on Breastfeeding, Princesses, Photoshop, the Electoral Process, and Italian Rum Cake!)

My opinion: I really enjoyed Tina Fey's memoir and I'm glad I did because I was on the waiting list for it at the library for MONTHS. I was surprised to read that she was slashed by a knife-wielding stranger as a child and still has a scar from the attack. At first I thought she was joking when she mentions it early in the book, but she isn't. She talks about it a couple of other times, but I still looked it up just to make sure it was true. It's kind of hard to tell because the whole book is light-hearted, although not all the subjects are light.

A few of the serious topics she discusses include homosexuality, politics, working moms, women in the workplace, and marriage. Let me just say, I don't agree with her on some of these topics but that's okay. It didn't ruin the book for me because she isn't too pushy. Her viewpoint seems to be that everyone is different and what's right for her isn't necessarily right for others.

The only thing that bothered me was I felt she started to ramble while talking about her teen years. It wasn't as interesting and the whole teen life thing seemed immature to me.

I did enjoy hearing what she had to say about her appearances on SNL during the 2008 election. It was great to hear about it from her point of view after having seen the skits 3 years ago.

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars: Humorous, interesting, a little controversial, some parts were rambling.

Other reviews:
S. Krishna's Books
Chrisbookarama

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

RIP VI Summary

2011-11-04T17:26:00.002-04:00

I chose "Peril the First" - read 4 books, "Peril of the Short Story" - read a short story, and "Peril on the Screen" - watch a movie or TV show.

And yeah, I didn't finish Peril of the Short Story or Peril on the Screen. :-( In my defense, I would have completed Peril on the Screen but my bummer of a husband didn't want to stay up late to watch "The Haunting" on Halloween like I had planned. I still plan to watch it someday and also read "The Yellow Wallpaper."

For Peril the First I read:
The Moving Finger by: Agatha Christie
The Woman in Black by: Susan Hill
The Lantern by: Deborah Lawrenson
Handling the Undead by: John Ajvide Lindqvist

I'm proud to say that I finished them all in the required time limit! I actually finished Handling the Undead on Halloween.

Handling the Undead

2011-11-02T22:30:00.002-04:00

Handling the Undead

By: John Ajvide Lindqvist

Published: 2010

# of pages: 384

Challenge: RIP VI

Official description:

Across Stockholm the power grid has gone crazy. In the morgue and in cemeteries, the recently deceased are waking up. One grandfather is alight with hope that his grandson will be returned, but one husband is aghast at what his adored wife has become.
A horror novel that transcends its genre by showing what the return of the dead might really mean to those who loved them.

My opinion: For awhile there I thought this novel may be added to my favorites list. However, it took a weird turn towards the end and so I can't say it's a favorite anymore. I feel funny about the book, I want to say that I enjoyed it, but it was really WEIRD. I feel like it was ruined. I typically have respect for the way an author ends the book. I often hear people complain that the ending wasn't happy enough, or that it was too perfect, or that it ended too suddenly, or that it dragged on. I rarely complain. BUT, I am afraid that I am going to complain about the ending of this book.

This is a book about zombies. Dead people come back to life. There are unexplained reasons behind this crazy phenomenon. And then at the end it was all pointless. I wondered at the reasoning behind developing so many characters to just have it.... be pointless. At first I was afraid the book would be scary or gory. Then I started thinking that it was more of a thought provoking novel. What would you do if the recently dead in your city came back to life? Would you want that to happen to one of your loved ones? Where would they all go, should the government be involved, how would it affect living people, etc.

And then it just got weird! I feel like the ending was rushed. I can't tell if that was on purpose or not. But like I said before, it just made me feel like it was pointless to read so many well thought out details only to have it end the way it did.

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars: Well written, interesting concept, thought-provoking, very...unique.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Woman in Black

2011-10-30T22:01:00.003-04:00

The Woman in Black

By: Susan Hill

Published: 1983

# of pages: 192

Challenge: RIP VI

Official description:

What real reader does not yearn, somewhere in the recesses of his or her heart, for a really literate, first-class thriller - one that chills the body with foreboding of dark deeds to come, but warms the soul with perceptions and language at once astute and vivid? In other words, a ghost story by Jane Austen.

Austen we cannot, alas, give you, but Susan Hill's remarkable Woman In Black comes as close as the late twentieth century is likely to provide. Set on the obligatory English moor, on an isolated causeway, the story has as its hero one Arthur Kipps, an up-and-coming young solicitor who has come north to attend the funeral and settle the estate of Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. The routine formalities he anticipates give way to a tumble of events and secrets more sinister and terrifying than any nightmare: the rocking chair in the nursery of the deserted Eel Marsh House, the eerie sound of pony and trap, a child's scream in the fog, and, most dreadfully, and for Kipps most tragically, the woman in black.

The Woman In Black is both a brilliant exercise in atmosphere and controlled horror and a delicious spine-tingler - proof positive that that neglected genre, the ghost story, isn't dead after all.

My opinion: This is the type of ghost story I enjoy! The Woman in Black is short, but is still a great example of the Gothic genre. The story has the feel of a novel written in the 1800s, so I was surprised that it was written in 1983. I feel like ghost stories nowadays have to be scarier and scarier, just like horror movies. People have become desensitized, which is reflected in literature and film.

Anyway, I was happy with the amount of supernatural suspense. There were times I was tensed up, just waiting...waiting... feeling so incredibly creeped out! But it isn't overwhelming, just the perfect amount. I highly recommend this well-written ghost story to lovers of Gothic tales, lovers of suspense, and anyone who wants to try reading a story from this genre. It's a good book to start with because it isn't going to be too much for someone who is sensitive.

Oh yeah, and can I just say that I liked the ending as weird as that may sound? It was unexpected and definitely rounded out the novel.

Look for the movie coming out in February 2012! Looks SO creepy, it gives me goosebumps to watch the trailer.

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars: It was very well-written and a great story. In order for me to give it 5 stars, however, I would want it to absorb me so much that I can't stop thinking about it and imagine myself in the novel alongside the main character. This didn't do that for me, so that's why I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5.

Other reviews:

chrisbookarama

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Lantern

2011-10-29T13:26:00.008-04:00

The Lantern

By: Deborah Lawrenson

Published: 2011

# of pages: 383

Challenge: RIP VI

Official description:

When Eve falls for the secretive, charming Dom, their whirlwind relationship leads them to purchase Les Genevriers, an abandoned house in a rural hamlet in the south of France. As the beautiful Provence summer turns to autumn, Eve finds it impossible to ignore the mysteries that haunt both her lover and the run-down old house, in particular the mysterious disappearance of his beautiful first wife, Rachel. Whilst Eve tries to untangle the secrets surrounding Rachel's last recorded days, Les Genevriers itself seems to come alive. As strange events begin to occur with frightening regularity, Eve's voice becomes intertwined with that of Benedicte Lincel, a girl who lived in the house decades before. As the tangled skeins of the house's history begin to unravel, the tension grows between Dom and Eve. In a page-turning race, Eve must fight to discover the fates of both Benedicte and Rachel, before Les Genevriers' dark history has a chance to repeat itself.

My opinion: The Lantern is creepy and mysterious, but not gruesome, gory, overdone, or stupidly fake suspense novel. It fits in with the Gothic genre nicely. I was a little confused at first about the narrating style. There's 2 first-person narrators and then a few sections that are told in third-person, but just about one of the characters. It all makes sense at the end, but at the very beginning it's very confusing, especially the two separate first-person narratives. So I will just let you know, at the beginning there's 2 different women "speaking!"

I wish I could say that this book was awesome, a page turner that I couldn't stop thinking about. However, I felt like it was disjointed and that perhaps the author became sidetracked. For example, one of the narrators seems to hold back while telling her story. But suddenly discusses in detail the process of making lavender into scented oil. It didn't match with the narrator at all. I feel like the author was interested in that process, probably went to visit a factory and learn about the process, and wanted to use all of the information in the novel, even though it didn't fit in.

Also, I found it interesting that the title's object didn't play a large part in the book. I wish it had a different title actually, that way it wouldn't seem that the author meant for the lantern be such a core part of the story. Also, I didn't appreciate how Lawrenson explicitly mentions the connection of this novel to Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. I think the similarities between the two novels are obvious and it was silly that the narrator Eve was telling the reader this.

Overall, even though some of the things about the story bothered me, I enjoyed the overall plot, the characters, and the amount of suspense and mystery. I recommend this to readers who want a modern day Gothic tale.

Why I gave this book 3/5 stars: Neat plot, unique story, not very well written, a little disjointed.

Other reviews:

chrisbookarama
Life by Candlelight

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Awesome Book Chart!

2011-10-21T20:31:00.001-04:00

Click HERE to see an awesome flow chart that will help you discover what to read next!

The Moving Finger

2011-10-18T17:08:00.005-04:00

The Moving Finger

By: Agatha Christie

Series: Miss Marple Mysteries, Book 4

Published: 1942

# of pages: 240

Challenge: RIP VI

Official description:

The placid village of Lymstock seems the perfect place for Jerry Burton to recuperate from his accident under the care of his sister, Joanna. But soon a series of vicious poison-pen letters destroys the village's quiet charm, eventually causing one recipient to commit suicide. The vicar, the doctor, the servants—all are on the verge of accusing one another when help arrives from an unexpected quarter. The vicar's houseguest happens to be none other than Jane Marple.

My opinion: This was my first Agatha Christie book! I don't know if it was the best to start with, but I do know that I really enjoyed it. I couldn't put it down! I can see why Christie is such an acclaimed author. It was short, but very well written and well structured. Apparently this is part of a series, but it didn't make a difference to me. The Murder at the Vicarage is the first in the Miss Marple Mysteries.

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars: Interesting characters, I liked the plot, well written, short but didn't feel like anything was left out. It didn't leave enough of an impression on me and the characters didn't REALLY pull me in enough for it to be a 5 star read.

Other reviews:

Chrisbookarama

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2011-09-21T20:19:00.005-04:00

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

By: Stieg Larsson

Series: Millennium Trilogy, Book 1

Published: 2005 - English version in 2008

# of pages: 631

Official description:

Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue into a complex and atmospheric novel, with an unpredictable style, intriguing scenes, and giant twists to the plot in many places.
Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of iniquity and corruption.
It also could be described as another thriller with romantic affairs, that Salander cannot cope with.

My opinion: It took awhile for me to become interested in this book. It wasn't until about 80 pages in that I started enjoying it. I think it may be that way with most readers. The first part concentrates on the character Mikael Blomkvist's financial journalism career, so unless the reader is interested in financial affairs, this part won't be interesting. Although as soon as the mystery started unraveling I was hooked! I'm surprised I enjoyed this book so much because it's very violent and graphic. There's a theme of sexual abuse and violence against women.

However, I loved the mystery. It was intricate, but not too complicated. I was able to work out a couple of the pieces, but the whole thing wasn't spoiled. I couldn't put the book down because I just had to know what happened next!

The only thing I disliked is how there's a story within a story. There's the beginning and end which concentrate on Blomkvist's financial journalism career and then there's the middle, which consists of the mystery. Thankfully the mystery makes up most of the novel, but then again, that makes the end feel especially out of place. I felt like the book had already ended, but I still had to read a lot more before the actual end. It didn't tie together very well.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Very well written (and translated since it was originally written in Swedish), good character development, unique and thought provoking subject matter.

Other reviews:
You Can Never Have Too Many Books

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Shanghai Girls

2011-09-12T13:42:00.006-04:00

Shanghai Girls

By: Lisa See

Series: Shanghai Girls (Sisters Pearl and May), Book 1

Published: 2009

# of pages: 309

Quote: "I focus my eyes on my jade bracelet. . . it is an object that ties me to the past, to people and places that are gone forever. Its continued perfection serves as a physical reminder to keep living, to look to the future, to cherish what I have. It reminds me to endure. I'll live one morning after another, one step after another, because my will to continue is so strong." -Pearl pg. 232

Official description:

In 1937 Shanghai—the Paris of Asia—twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having the time of their lives. Both are beautiful, modern, and carefree—until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth. To repay his debts, he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have traveled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides. As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city, Pearl and May set out on the journey of a lifetime, from the Chinese countryside to the shores of America. Though inseparable best friends, the sisters also harbor petty jealousies and rivalries. Along the way they make terrible sacrifices, face impossible choices, and confront a devastating, life-changing secret, but through it all the two heroines of this astounding new novel hold fast to who they are—Shanghai girls.

My opinion: This is a tragic book, a lot of terrible things happen to Pearl and May. However, I still enjoyed it and couldn't put it down. I related to Pearl and her thoughts and feelings. All of the tragedies add up to an adventure that is hard for modern Americans to comprehend, but that's part of what makes it so hard to stop reading.

I was impressed with See's storytelling and the obvious research she did for the historic aspects of the novel. I like reading about this time period (WWII and the surrounding years) from another point of view. A few months ago I read Snow Falling on Cedars, a book that is written from the view point of Japanese Americans. I learned so much from that book and now even more from Shanghai Girls, which taught me about how the war and politics affected Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans.

I also liked how See brings together both Pearl's and May's opinions and ways of interpreting everything that happened to them at the end. I'm glad there's a sequel to the story because otherwise I'd be unhappy with the ending! Dreams of Joy was released in May 2011, I'm on a LONG waiting list for it at the library!

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars: Well written, realistic characters, interesting story & setting. However, very graphic - violence & sex. It may be too much for readers who are sensitive about these subjects or who have been sexually abused.

Other reviews:
Royal Reviews

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Names I loved from the book:
Pearl
Gordon

Literary Names

2011-09-08T13:47:00.003-04:00

My husband and I have already had 2 boys, but before we found out their gender (while I was pregnant) we made a long list that included both boy and girl names. Several of the names on the girl list were literary names. I'm going to start including names I love from each book I post about. I'll put the section under the review & links to other reviews so that it won't distract people who aren't name nerds like I am!

Evangeline (Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow & Uncle Tom's Cabin by: Harriet Beecher Stowe)

Juliet (Romeo & Juliet by: William Shakespeare) - my first son (Evan) would most likely have been given this name if he'd been a girl.

Lorelei - (German mythology)

Lenore (The Raven by: Edgar Allan Poe) - my husband nixed this one pretty quickly, unfortunately.

Eliza (Pygmalion - My Fair Lady! - by: George Bernard Shaw)

Delilah - Biblical

Lydia - Biblical

Clara (The Nutcracker - I know this isn't literature, but the ballet was based on a story)

R.I.P. VI Challenge

2011-09-04T14:34:00.004-04:00

The purpose of the R.I.P. Challenge is to enjoy books that could be classified as:

Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural.

September 1 - October 31

I will be participating in "Peril the First" - read 4 books, "Peril of the Short Story" - read a short story, and "Peril on the Screen" - watch a movie or TV show.

Books:
The Woman in Black by: Susan Hill
Handling the Undead by: John Ajvide Lindqvist
The Moving Finger by: Agatha Christie
The Lantern by: Deborah Lawrenson

Short Story:
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by: Charlotte Perkins Gilman - I read this in my Gothic Lit class in college. Recently I read a fellow blogger's review and it made me want to go back and read this again.

Movie:
Not sure yet! Suggestions would be nice. I noticed a movie is being made of The Woman in Black, but it won't be out in time for me to watch for this year's challenge. My husband and I always watch a scary movie on Halloween. Past movies include: "Psycho," "The Birds," "The Rear Window," "The Oath" (original), and a collection of Hawthorne stories directed by Hitchcock. We do watch modern suspense movies like "Skeleton Key," "The Burbs," "Disturbia," "The Others," "White Noise," etc. Nothing too graphic.

Wither

2011-08-29T16:12:00.009-04:00

Wither

By: Lauren DeStefano

Series: Chemical Garden Trilogy, Book 1

Published: 2011

# of pages: 368

Quote: "I don't know how Cecily has the energy to cry so much. I can barely muster the energy to move. Just being alive feels so arduous that all I want to do is climb under the covers and sleep. It seems impossible that I ever had the strength even to walk." -Rhine pg. 304

Official description:

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.
When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?
Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?

My opinion: I couldn't put this book down! Seriously, I cleaned the house while my kids were awake and then spent their nap time finishing this book. I'm disappointed that the next two books in the trilogy won't be out any time soon seeing as how this one was just published this year. I'll have to wait until February 2012 for the next book, Fever.

I really appreciated the writing style and how the story flowed. It was very natural. The characters are realistic and have conflicting emotions and opinions without seeming flighty or unorganized. The author doesn't force anything on the reader. So many young adult novels are repetitive or have everything spelled out for the reader. Or the main character seems unreasonable. It was refreshing to read a sci-fi novel that is so well written.

It hardly seems like a "young adult" novel. I suppose I need to redefine young adult in my head though. I think it's a great novel for adults to read, the content is mature, but not crude or full of bad language.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Well written, realistic characters, unique setting

Other reviews:

Bookfoolery and Babble
Royal Reviews

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

My Dear I Wanted to Tell You

2011-08-26T10:29:00.005-04:00

My Dear I Wanted to Tell You

By: Louisa Young

Published: 2011

# of pages: 336

Official description:
The lives of two very different couples are irrevocably intertwined and forever changed in this stunning World War I epic of love and war.

From the day in 1907 that eleven-year-old Riley Purefoy meets Nadine Waveney, daughter of a well-known orchestral conductor, he takes in the difference between their two families: his, working-class; hers, "posh" and artistic. Just a few years later, romance and these differences erupt simultaneously with the war in Europe. In a fit of fury and boyish pride, Riley enlists in the army and finds himself involved in the transformative nightmare of the twentieth century.
While Riley and his commanding officer, Peter Locke, fight for their country and their survival in the trenches of Flanders, Peter's lovely and naive wife, Julia, and his cousin Rose eagerly await his return. But the sullen, distant man who arrives home on leave is not the Peter they knew. Worried that her husband is slipping away, Julia is left alone with her fears when Rose joins the nursing corps to work with a pioneering plastic surgeon treating wounded and disfigured soldiers.
Only eighteen at the outbreak of the war, Nadine and Riley want to make promises to each other—but how can they when their future is out of their hands? Youthful passion is on their side, but then their loyalty is tested by terrible injury, and even more so by the necessarily imperfect rehabilitation that follows.
Moving among Ypres, London, and Paris, this emotionally rich and evocative novel is both a powerful exploration of the lasting effects of war on those who fight—and those who don't—and a poignant testament to the power of enduring love.

My opinion:
I was a little disturbed during the first part of this novel. I didn't like it until almost halfway through. I considered putting it down, but stuck with it. I'm glad I did! If you can read through the bad language (did people really use the "f-word" that much in casual conversation during the WWI era??), it turns into a thought provoking story.

I didn't like the characters at first, but when tragedy strikes they all either responded admirably or sympathetically...or both. I found myself really involved and caring whether or not the characters could make it through the war.

I found myself comparing this book to The Gargoyle, which is one of my favorite books. I suppose I like books that really make me think about the importance of physical appearance on relationships. I also liked the fact that one of the major things that happens to Riley at the beginning of the book and that haunts him throughout his military career ends up not being a big deal in the face of near death and the trauma he goes through. And he realizes that.

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars:
Well written, thought provoking story, but not the greatest characters and the story was a little disjointed (plus, the bad language didn't seem necessary).

Other reviews:
Bookfoolery and Babble

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Chime

2011-08-24T16:09:00.007-04:00

Chime

By: Franny Billingsley

Published: 2011

# of pages: 368

Official Description:

Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.

Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.

My opinion: The official description makes this book sound a lot weirder than it actually is. Yes, it is a fantasy with fantasy elements, but that's not what the story revolves around. There's a big mystery for the reader to follow with hints along the way. At first I didn't like Briony at all, but the more I read about her, the more I liked her. And Eldric is great!

The cover does not match the book at all. I'm guessing that's Briony on the cover, but that's not what she's supposed to look like. It doesn't match the author's description of her or her personality.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Well written, great characters, unique, interesting twist to the story

Other reviews:

things mean a lot
Bookfoolery and Babble

Book Nut

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

2010 Review!

2011-01-05T13:10:00.006-05:00

How sad that I haven't updated my blog in 6 months! It's been just over 3 years since I started this blog. I love book blogging, but obviously I'm not able to keep up with it and a one year old (and another on the way!).

I've still been keeping track of my books, just not on here. So here's my 2010 review!

Challenges I participated in:
Young Adult Challenge (finished 2 of 12)
TBR Challenge (finished 1 of 12)
What's in a Name? Challenge (finished 1 of 6)
First in a Series Mini Challenge (finished 5 of 6)
Read Your Name Challenge (finished 2 of 6)

My favorites (in the order I read them):
Five Quarters of the Orange by: Joanne Harris

The Help by: Kathryn Stockett

Gentlemen and Players by: Joanne Harris

Mockingjay by: Suzanne Collins

The Knife of Never Letting Go by: Patrick Ness

# of books I read in 2010:
30 (down from 81 in 2007, 48 in 2008, and 38 in 2009) For the record, there's a possibility I missed some that I read. For awhile I wasn't keeping track and went back and added to my list. But unfortunately this is close enough. :-(

Least favorite:
Thankfully all of the books I read this year weren't so bad. If I had to choose I'd pick On Becoming Babywise II by: Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam. It's a non-fiction book and while not horrible, it was kind of pointless since it doesn't have much to say that the first book doesn't already make clear. Also, it's horribly written (ever heard of hiring a proofreader!?).

Repeated authors:
Joanne Harris (2)

Helen Fielding (2)

Cornelia Funke (2)

Kelley Armstrong (2)

Robert Bucknam/Gary Ezzo (2)

The Heretic's Daughter

2010-07-29T08:09:00.003-04:00

The Heretic's Daughter

by: Kathleen Kent

Published: 2008

# of pages: 352

I've been meaning to read this for awhile now, but was a little afraid to after all of the books I've looked forward to and then been disappointed in. There's so many "book club" books that I wait on hold for months to check out at the library and then I read them and wonder why are they so popular? For example, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. I knew The Heretic's Daughter was on a similar topic (the Salem Witch Trials), so I was even more nervous.

However! I was NOT disappointed! This book is very well written and tells of the Witch Trials from a unique point of view.

The story follows Sarah Carrier, whose life is changed forever when she is 10 years old and her family flees their home because of a small pox outbreak. She goes to live with her uncle, aunt, and cousins for several months while her family is quarantined. When she returns she discovers that nothing is the same. She no longer accepts her quiet, removed father and her strict mother.

The family lives not far from Salem and continues to make a life for themselves as rumors and a foreshadowing of the Witch Trials reach them. Finally the madness of Salem reaches their small town and Sarah's mother (Martha Carrier) is accused of being a witch. Once again, Sarah's life and her perception of her family is turned upside down.

Like I said, this book is very well written and does a great job of placing readers in this horrible time of American history. I want to say that it's one of my all time favorites, but I can't because it was a little too well written. The Salem Witch Trials horrify me for multiple reasons. Maybe it's because I've visited Salem a couple of times, but I think it's just the fact that "normal" "Christians" could cause so much pain and suffering. I suppose it's similar to the Crusades or other times throughout history when people were murdered just because they weren't religious or were simply different.

I recommend this to adults who enjoy historical fiction, are interested in this period of history, who want to read some great literature, or who enjoy books that are thought provoking. This book may be appropriate for high schoolers, but is a little intense for younger ages.

Other Reviews:

book-a-rama

Book Nut

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Bridget Jones's Diary

2010-07-22T20:15:00.005-04:00

Bridget Jones's Diary

by: Helen Fielding

Published: 1996

Once again, a book I picked up at a used book sale to read for fun! I'd never seen the movie either, but was curious about the story. It seemed like it would be an easy read and sure enough, it went quickly.

The story is about Bridget Jones, a single woman who decides to journal her life for a year. She makes up several New Years' resolutions and keeps track of her "progress" in the journal. She wants to drink less, quit smoking, lose weight, and start a serious relationship with a good guy to name a few of the resolutions.

The reader is immediately pulled into the story because of the humorous point of view. Bridget is an independent woman, but also has a need to please people and a hard time saying "no." That puts her in countless awkward situations, but also makes her an endearing character. The book is funny, but there's also a serious undertone. Bridget's life is shaken by family problems as well as personal problems. She very much wants certain things and it's hard for her when they always seem out of reach.

I think it's safe to say that this is based off of the novel Pride and Prejudice (including a character named Mr. Darcy!). I liked this modern twist and recommend it to adults who want an easy read, something funny and (for the most part) lighthearted, fans of chick lit, and those who enjoyed the movie. Which, by the way, is almost as good as the book.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Peony in Love

2010-07-12T15:54:00.003-04:00

Peony in Love

by: Lisa See

Published: 2008

# of pages: 297

I read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan many years ago and remember enjoying it. I was eager to read Peony in Love after finding it at a used book sale. The first part of this novel is s.l.o.w. Once I was past the first section (which is, unfortunately, quite long) it really picked up and I enjoyed it a lot. It was very different from Snow Flower, but I liked it!

Peony is a young girl growing up in 17th century China. She is betrothed to a young man that she has never met and will soon turn 16 and begin preparations for her wedding. Her father is a scholar and is putting on a play, "The Peony Pavilion," in their home. Peony is excited that she will be permitted to listen (and catch glimpses of) the play from behind a screen along with her female family members and friends.

She attends the play, which is a love story about a maiden who dies from love sickness and who is destined to roam the earth as a "hungry ghost." She finds her true love (whom she recognizes from a dream) and appears to him as a ghost. They fall in love and she reveals to him that she's a ghost. He takes the necessary actions to bring her back to life and they fall in love in the real world and live happily ever after.

On the first night of the play (which is told over 3 nights), Peony accidentally runs into a strange young man. She has never before seen a man who wasn't a family member and is mortified. But he's handsome and wants her company, so she talks to him and agrees to meet him on the remaining 2 nights of the play. They fall in love, but there's one problem. Both of them are engaged. After they are separated by the end of the play and the departure of the family's guests, Peony becomes obsessed with "The Peony Pavilion." She sees it as a way to connect to the young man she fell in love with because he was also fascinated with the play. Little does she know, her life will soon make very close parallels with the play. Her real life love story doesn't turn out the way she wants it to, but she is closer the the play than she ever imagined she would be.

The first section deals with Peony's obsession with the play. It is slow because of all the references to the play and other literature. I felt that it was a little choppy and that Peony's thoughts don't always flow naturally. She sounds so immature, but perhaps that's what See was trying to convey. In the remaining two sections, she seems more natural and the action picks up since she is no longer confined to her family's estate and doing nothing but pine for her lost love.

Overall this is a unique love story that is also an interesting historical fiction. I recommend it to adults who are interested in Chinese history, historical fiction, Gothic/ghost tales, and See's other novels.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Baby Books

2010-06-21T14:52:00.008-04:00

My mom buys Evan books for every holiday (so far). I love all of these books, especially now that he's grown older and participates in reading time more. So I want to

share her choices...

Birth -

Welcome, Little One

by: Sandra Magsamen

Christmas -

Who is Coming to Our House? by: Joseph Slate

Valentine's Day -

Peek-a-Boo, I Love You! by: Sandra Magsamen

Easter -

Baby Touch and Feel Easter Bunny by: Roger Priddy

Peter Rabbit: Show Me Your Ears! by: Beatrix Potter

It's hard to pick favorites, but probably Peek-a-Boo, I Love You is the most fun (Evan grins the entire time we read it to him) and my favorite illustrations are in Peter Rabbit: Show Me Your Ears. BEAUTIFUL illustrations!

Eat Pray Love

2010-06-07T21:09:00.005-04:00

Eat Pray Love

by: Elizabeth Gilbert

Published: 2006

# of pages: 334

Quote: "And the 'highways' are horrible, made surreally dangerous by the dense, mad prevalence of Bali's version of the American family minivan - a small motorcycle with five people crowded on it, the father driving with one hand while holding the newborn infant with the other (football-like) while Mom sits sidesaddle behind him in her tight sarong with a basket balanced on her head, encouraging her twin toddlers not to fall off the speeding motorbike, which is probably traveling on the wrong side of the road and has no headlight." -p. 289 (thanks Elizabeth Gilbert for describing so perfectly what I always try to tell people about my travels to Indonesia!)

I've been hearing about this book for about a year now and have always been intrigued. Mainly by the title and the cover, but I sort of knew what the book was about and it sounded interesting too. I went to a used book sale a couple of months ago at the school my mom teaches at (it was a fund raiser). I saw this book and immediately grabbed it because it's one I've been meaning to read, but haven't felt motivated enough to check it out at the library and really get around to it. We just went on a vacation to New Orleans and I was unable to make it to the library before the trip. So I went to the pile of books I bought and this one called out to be read first.

This is a memoir by a woman who left her husband, her home, and her country behind to "find herself." Finding herself meant finding her place (physically, emotionally, and mentally), what she enjoys, and how she connects to God. After her divorce she travels to Italy (eat), India (pray), and Indonesia (love).

In Italy, Gilbert...eats. It's her pursuit of pleasure and as most of us would do if we wanted to solely pursue pleasure, she ate and relaxed. She made lots of friends, did some traveling, and ATE. It makes me want to go to Italy and eat too!! I also admire how she was able to put aside the guilt that often accompanies American women while eating. She does say that she was underweight before she arrived in Italy, but she also admits that she more than made up for it and even had to buy more jeans because she grew out of her regular pairs! I think she did a great job in Italy.

In India, Gilbert goes to an ashram (a place of Yogic devotion) where she spends the entire 4 months learning to pray and meditate. She does make some friends, but her conversations with those friends mainly consist of discussions of prayer and meditation. Although she does discuss more of her past... and how it is getting in the way of prayer and meditation. Blah. I wish I could say I enjoyed this part or admire Gilbert for her accomplishments, but I mostly found it boring. I was also a little annoyed that although she claims to believe that all paths and religions lead to God (they just all go about it in different ways according to her), she seems to be condescending about Western Christianity at times. If it's equal to Yoga or Hinduism or whatever other religion, then why seem to sneer at it? I noticed that Gilbert seemed to scoff at several things American in the book though. Part of me understands this, sometimes I feel that Americans don't have the same grasp of reality that the rest of the world has, but then again, I don't think I'd go around claiming that all things are equal and have God in them and then do that. I am an open minded person and although I don't believe that all religions and spiritual paths lead to God, I do understand why other people believe what they believe and I don't expect them to be the same as I am.

In Indonesia (Bali), Gilbert tries to find a balance of pleasure and the discipline of meditation. I think she does a great job. She spends part of each day in prayer and meditation, but doesn't let it consume her life the way she did at the ashram. She's secure enough that she can also make friends and spend a lot of time hanging out with them or relaxing with a book or traveling around town. She connects to people a lot more in Bali, making two friends in particular, Wayan and Felipe. Because she's so secure in who she is at this point, she's able to give to these friends without getting lost in them. I found the descriptions of Bali to be fascinating!!! Their culture and the way they live...it's so unique. I've been to Java before (Jakarta and a coastal town) and expected Bali to be like Carita, the beach town I visited. However, Bali is not predominantly Islamic and it has its own customs and traditions.

Overall I was disappointed in the book after hearing all of the hype. Gilbert's writing style seemed almost juvenile at times. Sometimes it seemed pointless how selfish she was being. But I guess that was the path she HAD to take (although she didn't really HAVE to, but she felt like she did, so same thing I guess). I'm just glad that not everyone needs to do that. It kind of makes me sad that she felt she had to do all of that stuff just to find happiness and contentment and her place in the world. Also that she had to do so much WORK to find God. But she did have an amazing adventure and met so many great friends, so even if she went out of her way to find God and happiness, at least it was worth it just for the friends she made.

When I was almost done with the book I saw the preview for the movie. I had no clue there was a movie in production!! I was watching it and suddenly realized why it seemed familiar...."I'm reading that book!" I'm actually really excited about the movie, I think it's going to be better than the book. Of course, I'm a Julia fan, so that helps. But I think that the movie will take the best of each section of the book. Hopefully it won't go into so much detail with the meditation...after all, they don't want the audience to be bored watching someone chant and meditate. Anyway, definitely looking forward to that.

I recommend this to adults who enjoy memoirs and the contemporary non-fiction "finding yourself" genre. I also recommend this to people who love traveling/other cultures and enjoy reading about other people's travels.

Other Reviews:

Royal Reviews

Bold. Blue. Adventure.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Under the Dome

2010-05-24T14:07:00.003-04:00

Under the Dome
by: Stephen King

Published: 2009

# of pages: 1072

Quote: "'Cinnamon graham crackers rock,' Aidan said. 'I love you, Caro.'
Carolyn smiled. She thought no poem she'd ever read had been so beautiful. Not even the Williams one about the cold plums." -p. 851

I have to admit, this is only the second Stephen King book I've read. A few years ago I read Cell. My mom was reading this a couple of months ago and I was intrigued and had to check it out. I'm glad I did, but it was disturbing, more so than Cell.

The story is about a small town in Maine that is suddenly and mysteriously covered by a impenetrable dome. As anyone can imagine, the appearance of the dome causes many tragic accidents which are followed by confusion and speculation. There's a myriad of characters in the town, including a corrupted power hungry "second town selectman," his psycho son, an ex-military lieutenant working as a cook in the town's diner, a determined newspaper woman, a caring physician's assistant, a twisted preacher, a confused preacher, and a cool geek genius teenager as well as many others.

As you can tell from the presence of two preachers in the list of main characters, religion plays a big (and not so great) part in the book. I think it's a motif of King's to use twisted religious characters (??). They claim to be great Christians, but often they end up being horrible bad guys who use religion as a cover up or even as an excuse to do wrong. It kind of bothered me since I'm a Christian. Most of the time this use of religion in stories and movies doesn't bother me because I think it can be more original and, unfortunately, it is often true that bad people claim to be Christians and even quote the Bible while doing terrible things. However, something about this book did kind of bother me. I felt that King went out of his way to convey bitter personal opinions. Of course, this is the only book I've read that has that, I'm just basing this speculation from watching "The Shawshank Redemption." lol

Anyway, after the town accepts the presence of the dome, the second town selectman, Rennie, uses the citizens' confusion to take control and create a police presence (controlled by him) in the town. A few people decide to stand up to him and to try to find the source of the dome and hopefully discover how to make it disappear. Barbie is the ex-military lieutenant who got on Rennie's bad side after fighting with the selectman's son, Junior. He leads the resistance along with Julia, the newspaper woman who stands up to Rennie and pays the price. Rusty is a physician's assistant at the local hospital who suddenly becomes a leader in many ways after the dome appears. He tries his best to help everyone and still be a good husband and father. These characters join up with other characters trying to help and solve the town's problems and they all face dangers together in the days following the dome's appearance.

Not only is Rennie trying to take over the town, but there's a crazy drug addict, The Chef, living on the edge of town who feels it is his job to punish everyone for their sins. He's a hidden threat that people only slightly understand, which makes him even more dangerous. There's also a band of thugs roaming the towns streets and hurting anyone who gets in their way. Add to the mix the bad air, lack of rain, and other environmental hardships and you have a pretty miserable town.

Overall the book is very depressing and graphically violent. It's very detailed and a lot of terrible things happen to innocent people. There's also a lot of nasty language. I don't really know why I kept reading it, but it is a very fascinating story that keeps you hooked. There's some great characters and there were a few characters I was rooting for and wanted to find out what happened to them. There was one character in particular that I found myself attached to. I told myself that if that character died I would put the book down and never pick it up again, even if I only had a few pages left. I'll go into more details below so that I don't spoil the book for those interested in reading it! Needless to say, I finished the book. :-)

Anyway, I only give this book three stars because there wasn't quite enough in there to make up for the violence and language. There was also one thing about the plot that bothered me. I will also go into details below so I don't spoil it. This is a sci-fi book that might be a little too "out there" for some, but I recommend it to fans of the sci-fi genre, fans of King's novels and stories, and those who like an action packed (but LONG) book!

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

*SPOILER ALERT*
The character I became attached to was that of Little Walter Bushey, an 18 month old boy. He doesn't play a major part, but I just couldn't stand the thought that anything would happen to him. There's several times in the book that he's in a dangerous situation, but thankfully he survives!!! lol I don't know why I felt so strongly about his safety that I'd actually stop reading if he didn't make it, but I did.

Also, the part of the plot that I thought should have been slightly changed was when Rusty finds the box generating the dome and then makes the connection shortly after that the "leatherheads" are children "playing" with the town. He didn't seem to have any concrete feeling about it, it was just an idea. Then another character sees the leatherheads and confirms that they are children. I felt like it would have been more natural if Rusty discovered the leatherheads, but then another character had a strong feeling that they were children. THEN Rusty could have made the connection to his past friend who would torture ants. Anyway, not a big deal, but I just felt like their discovery was rushed and a little too convenient.

Five Quarters of the Orange

2010-05-04T15:12:00.004-04:00

Five Quarters of the Orange
by: Joanne Harris

Challenges: What's in a Name?

Published: 2001

# of pages: 307

I randomly chose this from a recommended books list on librarything.com because it has a food in its title and works for the What's in a Name? 3 challenges. It wasn't until I started reading it that I noticed it's by the "New York Times bestselling author of Chocolat." I read Chocolat a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. Once I noticed Five Quarters of the Orange is by the same author, I saw the similarities between this novel and Chocolat. The similarities are very obvious at the beginning (single mother who loves to cook - especially desserts, opens her own cafe in a small French town, is mysterious, befriends an "outcast" man....). However, the story quickly becomes its own and the reader is soon wrapped up in the mystery that the main character, Framboise, tells.

The story is about Framboise, a woman in her 60s who returns to the town of her childhood. The only thing is - no one knows its her. She keeps her identity a secret as she lives in the house she grew up in, restores the farm, and opens her own cafe in town. Framboise tells the story of her childhood and the story of her more recent past after she returns to her childhood home. The reader begins to see how the two time lines connect and exactly why Framboise is keeping her name and personal history a secret.

Framboise grew up with her widowed mother (Framboise's father was killed in WWII), her brother Cassis, and her sister Reine-Claude. Framboise's mother loves cooking. And that may just be the only thing she loves in Framboise's childish eyes. The mother suffers debilitating headaches that are preceded by the smell of oranges. Oranges are the one thing she fears and Framboise picks up on this and uses it against her mother at the age of 9.

The child Framboise is feisty, wild, confused, and bitter. She's starting to grow up and doesn't have any help. She turns to a German man, one of many soldiers occupying the town. She is influenced and guided by him to help spy on the residents of the town. She receives gifts for her work (such as oranges), but the most valuable gift he gives her is what she perceives as friendship.

The woman Framboise is hard working and open minded. She is afraid the past will take over, but is determined to stay in control. Her daughters no longer live with her and she wants more than anything to protect them from the dark secrets of her past. One of the things later in the book that is similar to Chocolat is the threat of her cafe's business being taken away. Not because she is a "heathen," but because someone has found out her secret...

I didn't think I'd enjoy this at first, even though it seemed similar to Chocolat. It actually frustrates me to read books that are really similar. However, this had more "action" in it. More mystery. It's darker than Chocolat. I recommend this to adults who are fans of Harris' other novels, who enjoy "dramatic mysteries," WWII novels, historical fiction.... There's some bad language, so it may not be appropriate for young adults, but it isn't enough to ruin the novel and make it unenjoyable for adults.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Mystic and Rider

2010-05-01T22:36:00.004-04:00

Mystic and Rider
by: Sharon Shinn

Series: The Twelve Houses Series, Book 1

Challenges: Once Upon a Time

Published: 2005

# of pages: 421

First of all, I'm sorry to say that the cover of this book is BLAH. It's a picture of the main character, Senneth. I always hate it when cover illustrations of characters don't match up with the descriptions or with the way I imagine them to be. I especially hate ugly character illustrations. Sorry whoever drew that!!

This is the first in a series and boy, what a beginning! The story follows several characters, but the point of view alternates between two characters, Senneth and Tayse. Senneth is a "mystic," someone with magical powers who lives in the kingdom of the Twelve Houses (twelve districts governed by houses of nobility and overall ruled over by the king). She has a variety of powers, but her main power is the gift of fire/heat. Tayse is a king's rider who was commanded by the king to follow Senneth and offer his protection as she carries out the king's mission, as mysterious as that is. Senneth is just as mysterious as her mission, and Tayse finds it hard to trust her although they spend day in and day out together.

Along with Senneth and Tayse, the king's mission is being carried out by Senneth's friend Kirra, a noble lady who is also a mystic and can transform objects into other things and transform herself into different shapes. Donnal is Kirra's bodyguard/boyfriend who is also a mystic and can transform into animal shapes. Justin is another king's rider who was commanded to protect Senneth and her friends. They are belated joined by Cammon, a mystic boy who can sense people's emotions/thoughts that they rescue from slavery in one of the towns they visit.

Mystics are treated with suspicion and sometimes violence in the kingdom and things are getting worse as worshipers of the moon goddess spread lies and malevolence against mystics in the southern houses. The group runs into trouble almost everywhere they go, mainly because of their large number of mystics.

Senneth is an interesting character. She's strong and intelligent and Shinn does a great job of making that come across in her writing. Senneth is a mysterious lady and everything the reader learns about her makes us like her more and more.

My only complaint about this novel is that it is a little too much to be in one book. I would have liked to see a more clear cut rising action/climax/falling action structure. I think the fact that the group was constantly traveling had a lot to do with this. There was either action or nothing because all the characters did between conflicts was travel. I think it would have worked better to leave out some of the conflicts or make this into 2 books.

And last of all, I couldn't help but notice the theme of double letters in names!!! Here's just a few that I noticed and can remember:
Character names:
Senneth
Donnal
Kirra
Cammon
Casserah
Place names/Houses:
Gillengaria
Brassenthwaite
Lirrens
Gisseltess
Rappengrass
Coravann
Merrenstow

And that's just a SMALL portion! lol

Anyway, I recommend this to lovers of fantasy and those who are already fans of Shinn's novels (I reviewed The Truth-Teller's Tale a year ago). I think this will appeal more to adults, but don't remember anything particularly unfit for young adults to read.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Ender's Game

2010-04-08T14:47:00.006-04:00

Ender's Game
by: Orson Scott Card

Series: Ender's Game Series, Book 1

Challenges: First in a Series

Published: 1977

# of pages: 324

Quote: "'Why is it called Dr. Device?'
'When it was developed, it was called a Molecular Detachment Device. M.D. Device.'
Ender still didn't understand.
'M.D. The initials stand for Medical Doctor, too. M.D. Device, therefore Dr. Device. It was a joke.' Ender didn't see what was funny about it." -Ender & Graff pg. 273

I read this years ago when I was in jr high or high school. Yeah, I've been re-reading books lately. I was disappointed the second time I read Sunshine, but thankfully I wasn't disappointed when I read Ender's Game again!

The book tells the story of a young boy named Ender, who is the last of 3 children who live on futuristic Earth. Humans were once attacked by aliens called buggers and although that was 80 years before this novel takes place, the world isn't about to let that happen again. Worldwide searches are conducted to find the most intelligent children and raise them to be future fighters in case of another war with the buggers. Although population laws are in effect (2 children per family), some families whose children were accepted or considered for the military were asked to have more children. So Ender is a "third," an undesired child whose sole purpose for being alive was to join the military school and hopefully become a great military leader.

Sure enough, Ender is accepted into the school at the age of 6. He leaves his mom and dad (who live in NC!), his cruel older brother, Peter, and his gentle, loving older sister, Valentine. Once at school he becomes involved in several games, of which only a few are official. He has to maneuver the politics of the other students, fend for himself against bigger and tougher kids, and hold his own against the teachers at the school. He also plays video games on the computer and plays the war games that the teachers organize amongst the students.

We follow Ender until he is 12 years old as he excels at all of the games. There's also a side story that concentrates on Ender's siblings, Peter and Valentine, as they grow up and create their own game.

This is one of my favorite books even though I typically don't love books with young boys as the main characters. There isn't enough romance. ;-) However, I couldn't help but love Ender both times I read the book. He's a strong character is many ways, but my favorite thing about him is his empathy and open mindedness. Another thing I like about this book is that it is a good read for guys as well as ladies. My brother has read this twice and my husband will be reading it when he finishes the series he is currently reading.

It's hard to classify this for a recommendation. It's a very well written book so I think it appeals to a wide variety of readers. I definitely think fans of the sci-fi genre will enjoy this. I think it's a good one for guys to read (guys that aren't big readers too). Young adults will also enjoy it, however, there is some language, name calling, and violent descriptions. Nothing too over the top, but perhaps not appropriate for all young readers.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.
things mean a lot
Bold. Blue. Adventure.

Once Upon a Time IV Challenge

2010-03-28T13:45:00.002-04:00

I told myself I wouldn't enter any other challenges this year (except the R.I.P. in the Fall), but I couldn't resist this one!

Quest the Third: Fulfill the requirements for Quest the First (at least 5 books that fit somewhere within the criteria) or AND top it off with a June reading of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream OR a viewing of one of the many theatrical versions of the play.

1. Wildwood Dancing by: Juliet Marillier
2. The Blue Sword by: Robin McKinley
3. The Hero and the Crown by: Robin McKinley
4.
5.

I plan to watch A Midsummer Night's Dream on DVD since I own THIS version already.

Sunshine

2010-03-23T19:34:00.005-04:00

Sunshine by: Robin McKinley

Published: 2003

# of pages: 416

I read this in 2007 and it became one of my all time favorite books. I put it on my Christmas list this past year and someone gave it to me. I decided it was about time to re-read it!

Unfortunately, I was disappointed the second time around. I remember the first time I read it it took me awhile to get into it. I was a little confused about the world it was set in since it differs so much from the other books I read by McKinley. But I loved it by the time it was over. The second time I read it it seemed to drag so much. Like Chalice, there was so much rambling and little dialogue. I can't think why I didn't notice that the first time I read it. To be fair, I don't read so much these days and when I do read it's in bits and pieces. I read while I nurse Evan, during commercials, in the bathroom, and maybe (just maybe) I will sit and actually give my attention to a book for awhile in the evenings. So it's really hard to "get into" a novel and I think that Sunshine is one of those that you have to read all at once to really appreciate the characters and story.

What's good about this book??? There's a lot of great stuff! I can still see why I loved this book so much the first time I read it. It's a great story that has flavoring from one of my favorite fairy tales (and, I suspect, one of McKinley's favorites as well), "Beauty and the Beast." It's about a human (well, we think she's human anyway) who meets a vampire, the most feared creature of the Others.

The world is an alternate Earth which has been transformed by the Voodoo Wars and in which magic and "Others" (vampires, weres, demons, etc) exist. Sunshine is the main character and she works at a coffee shop that is owned by her stepfather. She is abducted by vampires at the beginning of the novel and ends up meeting Constantine (Con), a different kind of vampire. The two form an alliance, one that forms a lasting bond between them. Sunshine spends the novel trying to balance her life as a low key baker with her family and boyfriend, Mel, and as a friend to a vampire and a magic handler.

Con and Sunshine form a plan to strike back at the vampire who abducted Sunshine and although she is scared, she makes preparations and strengthens her relationship with Con before they take action. The last part of the novel is my favorite part. Even after not enjoying the book the second time around, I still loved this last part! Con is one of my favorite characters, I just love him! He actually reminds me a lot of the master in Chalice and from what I can remember, the beast in Beauty. I guess I just all around love McKinley's male characters!

Anyway, I definitely recommend this to lovers of fantasy and fans of McKinley! I wish I could say I loved this book just as much as I did before, but that wouldn't be the truth. However, I hope it's because of my bad reading habits these days. There's some bad language and sexual content, but it doesn't overwhelm the novel. However, I wouldn't say it's appropriate for young adults.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Libraries

2010-03-19T15:22:00.002-04:00

The county has announced that 12 branches of our local library system will be closing in a couple of weeks. That's half of the total number of branches we have in our county!! I'm shocked that this is happening. Not only will 12 branches be closing, but 148 employees will be laid off.

Now I'm thankful that the branch I visit regularly will remain open, but I'm still upset about the other closings. I have joined the library's facebook fan group and read some of the discussions about the closings. Someone made the point that the branches that are closing are in lower income sections of the city. They pointed out that the branches in the most affluent sections of the city are ALL safe.

People are trying to raise awareness and hopefully receive enough money in donations to save the branches. However, I don't think it's organized enough and I'm afraid it won't help in such a short amount of time. I wish that they could post "if this much money is raised, this branch will be saved" and let people see where the money is going and that they are making a difference. I feel that people could donate and donate and then the county could claim it wasn't enough to save the branches or the employees' jobs and then where would the money go?

HERE is a link to our library's announcement about the closings. I actually wrote an email to the Board of County Commissioners!! I never do things like that, but I feel very strongly about this. Charlotte is a city that has progressed so much the past several years. We experienced growth even in the midst of an economic recession. People have been pouring into the county from all over the nation. The closing of so many libraries seems like the opposite of positive progression.

Last Light

2010-03-09T18:48:00.003-05:00

Last Light
by: Terri Blackstock

Series: Restoration Series, Book 1

Challenges: 1st in a Series Challenge

Published: 2005

# of pages: 381

My grandma gave me this series when I visited her for Christmas. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I rarely read Christian fiction these days. However, this series looked like it would be easy to read, so I decided to give it a try.

However, I wasn't terribly impressed with the first book. I'll go ahead and mention what bothered me about the book and then what I liked. Last Light follows a family of 6 who live in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama. I can't remember all of their names, but the mom is Kay and the 21 year old daughter (the oldest of the 4 kids) is named Deni. The story begins with a city-wide electrical and power outage. Planes fall from the sky, cars stall, watches stop, and mayhem ensues. The family struggles to survive as they realize that the power won't be returning anytime soon.

What I didn't like was the repetitive sermons that are (unfortunately) all too common in many Christian fiction novels. Also, the characters aren't well written. They aren't consistent or realistic. The parents are Christians and yet they are unwilling to help their neighbor, a young single mom of 3 toddlers. Seriously, what kind of "good" people (people who wouldn't automatically prey on others in these circumstances) would be that selfish that they couldn't even spend a little time helping out or spare something that they weren't even using to begin with? I mean, I can see that some people would act like that in a life threatening situation, but I don't know too many people who would behave that way in the situation this family is in. I believe Blackstock was going a little too far with the selfish stereotype and that she should have either found another downfall for the family to be involved in, should have made the progression to selfishness more natural, or had the situations be more dire (like the family having to give up their last bottle of medicine or the rest of their food, etc). She wants to show that the family changes for the better and so makes them unnaturally selfish to begin with.

The thing I liked about this novel - the concept of the storyline. It was neat to think about what I would do if put in that situation. How would the world be if all of our power went out? Also, the story was very suspenseful. I kept reading to find out what would happen next. I plan on reading the next book in the series. Even if I didn't already own it, I'd probably go out of my way to get it because I am interested to see how the story continues.

I recommend this to Christian readers or people who don't mind Christian fiction. I would like to say this is a book non-Christians could enjoy, but I think there are too many sermons and vague Christian phrases.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Makeover

2010-03-05T09:03:00.003-05:00

As you have probably noticed if you regularly read the Book Nook, I'm making yet another change to the template! I changed from the first template because the images were having problems. Then the last template I chose had a lot of Spanish in the code which made it hard for me to edit (but it was 3 columns!). So this is a different version of the first template, which seems to "go" with this blog. Hopefully the images won't have problems.

So bear with me as the blog is under construction, hopefully I'll have it good as new in a few days!

A Game of Thrones

2010-03-03T14:42:00.003-05:00

A Game of Thrones
by: George R.R. Martin

Series: A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1

Challenges: Read Your Name Challenge, 1st in a Series Challenge

Published: 1996

# of pages: 835

If you haven't already discovered this from reading my blog - I love fantasy! For the past couple of years I've been meaning to start the series "A Song of Ice and Fire," which I've heard is a classic for fantasy lovers. The first book in the series is A Game of Thrones. And what a beginning it is!

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. For some reason I was thinking this would be one of those fantasy books. It's hard to describe, but it seems like so many fantasy series out there aren't written very well. It's like the authors just wanted to crank out a series to make money. Either that or the series is SO detailed and the world is so unfamiliar that it loses me. Anyway, I figured this book would be the first of one of those types of series. However, I was wrong. This was a very well written book and although the world Martin created is intricate, it's not too "out there" for me to follow. It is similar to medieval Europe actually.

The chapters alternate between different narrators. Ned and his wife Catelyn, who live in a castle in the northern part of the kingdom; their children Bran, Arya, and Sansa; Ned's illegitimate son Jon; Tyrion, the king's brother-in-law; and Daenerys, who used to be the princess of the kingdom and is now an outcast on an eastern island.

Ned is chosen to be the "Hand of the King" and has to move south to live in the capital of the kingdom. He takes his daughters Arya and Sansa with him so they can experience court life. Bran was going to go along, but an "accident" prevents him from leaving his home. Catelyn ends up following her husband and daughters to warn them of treachery as Jon heads farther north to help defend the kingdom's border from otherworldly darkness. Tyrion is a sarcastic dwarf who is caught up in his family's plots to overthrow the kingdom. And Daenerys (the most fascinating character) is married to an eastern lord and goes from being a timid girl to a confident queen who has her own ambitions.

There are so many storylines, but this gives you an idea of what goes on in the book. There's another story about the wolves that are found at the beginning of the book. Each of Ned's children receives a wolf for a pet. They all play a part in the story, but not a major part. However, I feel as if they must still be significant. Wolves and dragons are two major symbols in A Game of Thrones and it will be interesting to see if that continues in the following books.

The only negative to the book is that it is SO LONG. It's very detailed and interesting, but it wasn't easy for me to take the time to read it at this point in my life. I think it would be a great vacation book, something to read when I have large chunks of time. So it will be awhile before I pick up the second book in the series, A Clash of Kings. Yeah...I really do wish it was shorter because I think this is a book my husband and brother would enjoy, but I know neither one will be able to stick with it because of its length!

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Swap

2010-02-24T09:29:00.006-05:00

is a fun site! I check books out from the library (and I hoard books, they are my most precious possessions) so I thought I wouldn't use this site very much, but it's coming in handy to fill in my series that have books missing, to get large books that I typically have to renew multiple times from the library (and still end up having to pay a late fine), and to get books that my husband and brother will also enjoy so that I can pass it on to them. And I managed to clean off my shelves a little, as hard as it was.

I just discovered that the site has a map that shows you where you've shipped books to and where you've received books from. Very cool! Of course, I am a geography major, so I guess I'm kind of geeky like that. ;-)

Her Fearful Symmetry

2010-02-15T22:51:00.005-05:00

Her Fearful Symmetry
by: Audrey Niffenegger

Challenges: TBR 2010

Published: 2009

# of pages: 416

What a unique and interesting book! Niffenegger also wrote The Time Traveler's Wife and while Her Fearful Symmetry isn't as good (in my opinion), it is still a great read.

The story follows twins Valentina and Julia as they travel from their home in America to London, to move into their deceased aunt's home. Their aunt leaves mysterious instructions, which adds to the mystery of the London flat that overlooks Highgate Cemetery. The girls meet some interesting characters as they settle in: a man who was the lover of their aunt and an OCD man who hasn't left his flat in years. The twins have always been inseparable, but they start to drift apart in their new home after being drawn to different men and discovering that there's a reason why Valentina often feels like she's being watched in the apartment.

The story is creepy, but not scary. It's definitely a Gothic tale, but I felt that it flowed well unlike many Gothic stories I've read in the past that seem disjointed in parts. I liked the connections Niffenegger made between Valentina and Julia and Elspeth and Edie. The ending was a complete surprise, I have to admit I didn't see it coming at all. There were actually several surprises throughout the novel, but the actions of Valentina and Elspeth shocked me.

This would be a great book club choice. It's interesting that I often think that books that don't have happy endings or go the way I want them to go make good book club reads. I think it's because they are thought provoking. After I finished this story I told my husband about it because it's a little frustrating...it made me want to tell someone just so they could say, "weird," haha. It's not that I didn't enjoy the book, I thought it was great, but it is definitely not at all like The Time Traveler's Wife. I want to read it again now that I know how it turns out because it's one of those books you can read multiple times and continuously discover new things.

I recommend this to lovers of the Gothic genre or anyone looking for a book that is full of surprises.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.
book-a-rama

Blog Luv Fest: Unique Love Stories

2010-02-08T17:30:00.008-05:00

In order to take part in the Blog Luv Fest, I wanted to list a few books that contain some of my favorite love stories. They aren't technically romance books, but they are still great love stories.

Daughter of the Forest by: Juliet Marillier

The story of Sorcha and Red is one of my all time favorite romances! This book is the first in the Sevenwaters Trilogy, which is a great fantasy series. This book is my favorite of the three for several reasons, but mainly because of the romance.

I haven't reviewed it, but HERE is a review by Nymeth from things mean a lot.

The Gargoyle by: Andrew Davidson

This is a unique love story because it doesn't contain your typical romance. The main characters experience true love that goes beyond physical attraction. I think it's very touching and shows how strong love can be...it survives all else.

The Host by: Stephenie Meyer

The Twilight books by Meyer get all of the attention, especially as far as romance novels go. And rightly so! But The Host is not only a cool sci-fi novel, it also has one of my favorite romance storylines. I can't talk about that part too much without giving something away, but it's worth getting through the first few chapters (which I admit, are slow moving).

The Zion Covenant Series by: Bodie and Brock Thoene

One of my favorite series of all time which contains one of my favorite love storylines of all time. This is a Christian historical fiction series that takes place in Europe just before the outbreak of WWII. Elisa and Murphy cross paths and start a crazy relationship in spite of (well, because of, really) Hitler's restrictions and the groups that form to save those he is persecuting. Murphy is one of my favorite characters of all time: funny, smart, brave... what I wouldn't give to be Elisa. ;-)

The Mark of the Lion Series by: Francine Rivers

Once again, one of my favorite series...mainly because of the love storyline. It's Christian historical fiction that takes place in the Roman Empire. I can't go into many details, but although there are several storylines in the series, my favorite follows Haddassah, a slave. I have to admit, I loved this series so much that I wanted to name a future daughter Haddassah (my husband talked me out of it, lol).

I'm sure I could think of more, but this is it for now!

In Search of Eden

2010-02-08T14:44:00.003-05:00

In Search of Eden
by: Linda Nichols

Published: 2007

# of pages: 443

First of all, I thought the cover of this book was really cute. :-)

I received this book for Christmas from my grandmother. When I was in jr high and early high school I used to read Christian romance novels all the time. That and Christian historical fiction were my favorites. There's a lot of great Christian fiction out there, but it got to a point where I felt like I had exhausted the well written Christian novels and series (except that a couple years later I discovered Ted Dekker, who wrote some great books!). Now I rarely take the time to read Christian fiction, but my grandma gave me this book and a few others for Christmas, so I'm reading and reviewing them along with the books I normally choose for myself. Anyway, I have to admit this book is nothing special as far as the writing quality, but it was an easy, nice read.

The story follows Miranda as she moves from place to place in search of home. Her life has been rough so far: her father left, her mother is overbearing and critical, and she has a baby at 16 years old and is forced to give it up for adoption. 11 years later she is still wondering about her baby: if it was a boy or girl, if it is happy, if she should try to find it. A series of events happens and she decides to track down her child...even though she still hardly has any information about it.

She ends up in a small Virginia town and everything (miraculously) comes together. She learns about her parents' past (which explains a lot about her own past), meets a nice family (including a certain 11 year old girl named Eden), meets a great guy (of course!), and finds a home.

To be honest, a lot of times Christian fiction frustrates me because of all the sermons that take up so much of the text. I feel like those sermons shouldn't be there. If you are a Christian, the last thing you should want to read is the same repeat sermon that is in every other Christian fiction novel. If you aren't a Christian you don't want to read a stuffy sounding sermon full of words and phrases that aren't familiar and that takes up an entire page. Either way, you skip it. The secret to writing good Christian fiction is to put encouraging and informative things about Christianity in there without having to make it in a sermon form. Just talk about a Christian character living their life. You don't have to use specific Christian terms and you don't have to make it a sermon. It can be simple, which is what people in this day and age need!

Anyway, I think I only skipped a few paragraphs of this novel, so it really isn't that bad. Would a non-Christian enjoy this novel? I think so if you are interested in the story. Like I just said, it isn't overwhelming and the story is interesting. I recommend this to all adults who like a good sentimental story or who enjoy the Christian romance genre.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Fire

2010-01-31T18:34:00.002-05:00

Fire
by: Kristen Cashore

Published: 2009

# of pages: 480

Fire is the prequel to Graceling. A prequel that I thoroughly enjoyed, much more than Graceling. You don't need to read Graceling in order to read Fire. As a matter of fact, I think I recommend reading Fire first. In my review of Graceling, I mentioned how annoyed I was at the weird similarities between that book and The Hunger Games. Now I am a little annoyed at the similarity of the titles in this book and the second book by Collins, Catching Fire. It's weird!

However, I found Fire to be a unique story about a girl named Fire. She is a monster, but not in the way we think of monsters. In her world, monsters are the most beautiful creatures on earth...and the most dangerous. There's only one human monster left and so mostly Fire leads a lonely life although she does have a few close friends when the story begins.

The book follows Fire as she struggles to accept her own existence and fulfills duties that only she can perform while making sure that she upholds her values along the way. I liked the character of Fire and her strength. She is such a compassionate person and I felt like she was a more likable character than Katsa in Graceling. I also related to some of the desires she has that she feels will not happen in her life. Of course there is a little bit of romance which I also liked much more than the romance in Graceling.

Anyway, I highly recommend this book to older young adults (haha, that sounds funny) and adults who enjoy the fantasy genre. Also, if you liked Graceling, I have a strong feeling you will like Fire even more!

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

My Sister's Keeper

2010-01-30T17:16:00.004-05:00

My Sister's Keeper
by: Jodi Picoult

Published: 2004

# of pages: 448

I enjoyed this Picoult novel much better than Plain Truth! It was very well written and the story was unique and thought provoking.

The story follows several characters and, similar to Plain Truth, narrated by the different characters. The main character is Anna, a 13 year old girl who sues her parents for medical emancipation. You see, Anna was specifically conceived to be a donor for her older sister Kate, who is 3 years older than she is. She has donated to her sister several times and finally sues her parents when she is asked to donate a kidney.

Anna hires a lawyer, Campbell Alexander, to help with her case. He's intrigued by the girl and says yes, not realizing how much he would be sucked into Anna's personal life, not just her case. I enjoyed his character a lot. He's mysterious and funny and I couldn't help but like him. He meets an old love (sounds a lot like Plain Truth) and has to analyze his feelings for her and overcome his personal fears.

It was interesting to see how this book was similar to and different from Plain Truth. I couldn't help but compare them. They were so different but then again...so alike. I read multiple books by the same authors all the time, but for some reason I had to directly compare these books. I guess because they did have so much in common. It makes me want to read more of hers. I plan to read Nineteen Minutes next since I started reading it at my mom's a few months ago, but had to put it down because I had so many other books on my list to read.

There's a movie that just came out on DVD a couple of months ago. I really want to watch it now that I've read the book, although I heard that they changed the ending and that it isn't as good. It makes me wonder just how they changed it. If you've seen the movie, did you like it? As much as the book? If you didn't like it, why not? Try not to completely spoil the movie for me though, since I haven't seen it yet!

Anyway, I recommend this to adults although with the same warning I gave in my review of Plain Truth, it's not for the very sensitive person. This one wasn't as hard for me to read since it didn't involve infant death, but it was still a touchy subject and still hard for a mother to read. I couldn't help but place myself in the shoes of Sara, Anna and Kate's mother. Oh yeah, this would be a great book club book!

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

2010-01-07T19:35:00.003-05:00

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane
by: Katherine Howe

Published: 2009

# of pages: 384

I have to admit, I was disappointed in this book. I waited on it to become available in the library system for months. I had skimmed through some reviews and seen it on several TBR lists and it was obviously a popular book at the library! However, there were a few things I didn't like about the book in spite of how original the storyline was and the interesting content (Salem Witch Trials).

The book's main character is Connie, a graduate student who spends the summer cleaning out her grandmother's abandoned house while she should be searching for the perfect thesis subject. While in Salem, she discovers clues about a physick book that belonged to a woman named Deliverance Dane. Connie also discovers romance and evil and it all jumbles together and Connie has to sort it all out. Obviously the book becomes the subject of her thesis...she just has to find it first!

The story alternates between Connie in modern Salem and other characters from the past, including the years surrounding the Salem Witch Trials. It's interesting how it all ties together, although it sure takes Connie long enough to connect all the dots!

So the story is neat! However, Connie's character annoyed the heck out of me. Seriously, how is that I know more about the history of colonial America than she does, a grad student studying that period of history!? The girl acts clueless about what I am pretty sure is common knowledge among anyone interested in history. I know about that stuff and I haven't even studied American history in depth. Also, at the end there's a pretty important job she performs and yet she completely neglects a major part of the preparation until it's too late. Then she's like, "oh, whoops. I forgot about that part." I mean, there was a lot at stake, how could you miss such a major part?? You'd think it would have at least crossed her mind at some point. She was pretty ditsy several times throughout the novel as she investigates the clues to the physick book's whereabouts. And a lot of it was common sense.

I suppose the story is very predictable as well. That didn't bother me as much, but Connie's lack of perception made it worse. I did enjoy the historic flashbacks that occurred. I thought those characters and their actions were cleverly written. It's just too bad that the same can't be said for the main character.

So, I recommend this to adults who are interested in historical fiction and/or the Witch Trials. This is a unique view on that event, whether or not you like the character of Connie.

Other reviews:
Bookfoolery and Babble
book-a-rama
Dolce Bellezza

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Plain Truth

2010-01-04T22:56:00.003-05:00

Plain Truth
by: Jodi Picoult

Published: 2007

# of pages: 432

My first Picoult book and it was.... kind of disturbing. I have to admit, one reason I felt this way was because I have an infant son. If you are a new mother, you may want to save this book for later if you are a sensitive person.

The story is about an 18 year old Amish girl, Katie, who is accused of hiding her pregnancy, delivering her baby in secret, and then killing him. Katie denies all of these charges although there is evidence against her. Ellie is a big city lawyer who is caught up in the drama while visiting her aunt who is related to Katie and her family. Ellie ends up living the Amish life, connects with Katie, and runs into a long lost lover.

I felt annoyed with Katie and thought that the story was very repetitive and didn't flow because of her character. It was also hard for me to read about an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy that ended so horribly. I don't believe in not reading a book just because it contains sensitive content or is upsetting in some way. I think it's good to be educated and read things that are thought provoking. However, while I'm glad I read the book, I couldn't enjoy it or even say that I like it.

I think that this is a common tone in Picoult's novels though. I just finished My Sister's Keeper and will be reviewing that soon. It seems like Picoult addresses sensitive issues in her novels and doesn't gloss over the bad things.

Interesting note: the only other books I've read that take place in an Amish setting were Christian novels (by Beverly Lewis). There were several times I was reading Plain Truth and was suddenly reminded that it was not a Christian novel. Haha! It was easy for me to think it was a typical Christian book, so the occasional curse word or sexual reference would come as a surprise.

So, I recommend this to adults who are not afraid to read such a sensitive story. I assume that if you are a fan of Picoult you would also like this read.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

2010 Challenges

2010-01-04T21:15:00.013-05:00

I've compiled all of my challenge lists into one post this year. So keep scrolling if you don't see the challenge list you are looking for! The books I've completed are linked to my review.

TBR Challenge
-------------
1. My Name is Asher Lev by: Chaim Potok
2. The Terror by: Dan Simmons
3. The Great Gatsby by: F. Scott Fitzgerald
4. The Pillars of the Earth by: Ken Follett
5. Adam by: Ted Dekker
6. Kiss by: Ted Dekker
7. Cloud Mountain by: Aimee E. Liu
8. Middlesex by: Jeffrey Eugenides
9. The Angel's Game by: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
10. Her Fearful Symmetry by: Audrey Niffenegger
11. 84, Charing Cross Road by: Helene Hanff
12. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by: David Wroblewski

YA Challenge
------------
1. Inkheart by: Cornelia Funke
2. Inkspell by: Cornelia Funke
3. Inkdeath by: Cornelia Funke
4. Eragon by: Christopher Paolini
5. Eldest by: Christopher Paolini
6. Brisingr by: Christopher Paolini
7. The Two Princesses of Bamarre by: Gail Carson Levine
8. Deenie by: Judy Blume
9. The Subtle Knife by: Philip Pullman
10. The Amber Spyglass by: Philip Pullman
11. River Secrets by: Shannon Hale
12.

What's in a Name? 3 challenge
-----------------------------
A book with a food in the title: Five Quarters of the Orange by: Joanne Harris
A book with a body of water in the title: River Secrets by: Shannon Hale
A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Two Princesses of Bamarre by: Gail Carson Levine
A book with a plant in the title: Girl in Hyacinth Blue by: Susan Vreeland
A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Shanghai Girls by: Lisa See
A book with a music term in the title: Music for Chameleons by: Truman Capote

Read Your Name Challenge
------------------------
A - Adam by: Ted Dekker
N - Nineteen Minutes by: Jodi Picoult
D - Dead Until Dark by: Charlaine Harris
R - River Secrets by: Shannon Hale
E - Eragon by: Christopher Paolini
A - A Game of Thrones by: George R.R. Martin

First in a Series Challenge
---------------------------
1. Inkheart by: Cornelia Funke (Inkworld Trilogy)
2. Eragon by: Christopher Paolini (The Inheritance Cycle)
3. A Game of Thrones by: George R.R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire)
4. Dead Until Dark by: Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse Series)
5. Last Light by: Terri Blackstock (Restoration Series)
6.

2009 Review!

2010-01-02T17:33:00.003-05:00

Today is my 2nd blogiversery! It feels like it was just yesterday that I started this blog although so much has happened since then. 2008 and 2009 were both crazy years...2008 in a bad way and 2009 in the best way. So I wasn't able to read as much as I would have liked either year, but hopefully I'll pick back up in 2010.

Challenges I participated in:
Young Adult Challenge (finished 9 of 12)
TBR Challenge (finished 8 of 12)
What's in a Name? Challenge (finished 5 of 6)
First in a Series Challenge (finished 6 of 12)
R.I.P. IV (finished 1 of 1)

My favorites (in the order I read them):
The Gargoyle by: Andrew Davidson
The Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by: Suzanne Collins
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by: Ann Brashares
The Historian by: Elizabeth Kostova

# of books I read in 2009:
38 (down from 81 in 2007 and 48 in 2008)

Least favorite:
The Last Days of Dogtown by: Anita Diamant (I didn't review it)

Repeated authors:
Garth Nix (3)
Shannon Hale (2)
Suzanne Collins (2)
Kristen Cashore (2)
Jodi Picoult (2)

I hope you all had a happy New Year! Let me know what challenges you're doing this year, what your favorite books were, leave me a link to your end of year review, and tell me what you think about my review. :-)

The Historian

2009-12-18T21:44:00.005-05:00

The Historian
by: Elizabeth Kostova

Published: 2005

# of pages: 720

I didn't know what to expect from this book, but I was pleased with what I discovered. This is a great classic vampire book. It isn't filled with sexuality and bad language, it's just a good suspense novel that is also a unique historical fiction book.

The story is crazy with the many different characters and how the time line jumps back and forth. However, the main character and narrator is a 16 year old girl who discovers a strange book in her father's library. After that, her life is never the same as she learns about her father's strange past that includes mystery, love, adventure, and vampires.

The book centers around Dracula and includes a lot of historical facts about the man the character Dracula is based on. The book has several settings - including America, Amsterdam, Britain, Istanbul, Romania, and Bulgaria. I wonder how many of the things mentioned in the book are true (like about the search for Dracula's tomb, historical events, etc). I also wonder how many of the places are real. Maybe they are all real, I'll have to do more research to figure it out.

The book refers to the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker regularly, so that may be worth reading before picking up this novel, but isn't necessary to read first. I also thought it was interesting that the novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy was briefly referred to, but once again, it isn't necessary to read that to understand the reference.

This is a very long book, but it mostly held my attention. I have to admit, in the 3rd quarter of the book I became a little bogged down. However, it may have been because I only had time to read it in short spurts. Maybe it wouldn't have dragged if I could have devoted longer periods of time to reading it. It was definitely worth continuing to read it though and I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and/or the vampire genre.

Other reviews:
book-a-rama

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Golden Compass

2009-12-10T16:38:00.005-05:00

The Golden Compass
by: Philip Pullman

Series: His Dark Materials Trilogy, Book 1

Challenges: YA Challenge, 1st in a Series Challenge

Published: 2001

# of pages: 368

I read this years ago, when I was in high school, but I had mostly forgot about it until I watched the movie last year. I wasn't all that impressed with the film, but I remembered how much I enjoyed the book, so I decided to re-read it. I thought it was just as good the second time around!

The story follows Lyra, a young orphan who is raised at Oxford until she stumbles upon an adventure that takes her to distant lands. Although Lyra lives in a world that is similar to ours (similar place names, etc), it has several large differences, including the fact that all humans have daemons...their souls living outside their bodies in animal forms. Lyra and her daemon, Pantalaimon, venture out on a quest to save their best friend from the child stealing Gobblers. They come into contact with a variety of characters including an evil golden monkey, a talking bear, witches, a fiery balloon flying Texan, and a band of gypsies.

When the movie came out, it was very controversial in the Christian community. I don't recall why exactly, except that the author has publicly claimed to be an atheist. I don't know why that in itself is upsetting since the majority of books published now are written by atheists. I haven't re-read the next 2 books in the series, so maybe there is something worthy of controversy in those. As far as this one goes, the creation story in Genesis is twisted to include mention of daemons for the story's purposes. The church in the story is also corrupted. Unfortunately, it reminds me of the real world's church history, but I can't be sure that's what the author was basing the fictional church on. Anyway, it's a fantasy, so keep that in mind while reading.

I think this is a great book for adult lovers of fantasy. I don't really feel like this is a great children's book. I don't think it's appropriate for younger young adults because it has some bad language and is kind of dark and intense. Also, it seems like it could be hard for younger readers to follow. Anyway, this is a young adult book that many adults would enjoy, so go check it out!

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Graceling

2009-11-18T14:46:00.005-05:00

Graceling
by: Kristen Cashore

Challenges: 1st in a Series Challenge

Published: 2008

# of pages: 471

For some reason I had The Hunger Games in mind when I started to read this. It must be because in my LibraryThing account it always shows this as a recommendation right next to The Hunger Games. Anyway, I couldn't help but compare the two for the first few chapters, but eventually I separated them in my mind and then enjoyed this book more. I did find the similarity in the main characters' names annoying. Katniss is the heroine of The Hunger Games and Katsa is the heroine of Graceling.

Katsa lives in a world where certain people are born with a grace. It could be the grace of cooking, the grace of fighting, the grace of drawing...or the grace of killing. The last is Katsa's grace. The people with graces are called Gracelings and they are the property of the land's many rulers. Katsa may be able to kill without effort, but it doesn't mean she enjoys it. She finds ways to rebel against her uncle the king, but until she meets another Graceling one fateful night, she doesn't do anything to change her situation.

Katsa's world is turned around when she meets a handsome Graceling who invades her world. He's mysterious and is on a mission, one in which Katsa is soon caught up in. The two Gracelings seem unstoppable, but can they survive traveling across the country's rugged terrain and becoming involved in a horrifyingly evil plot?

Like I said, I had a hard time enjoying the novel at first because I kept comparing it to one of my all time favorite books, but after awhile it seemed more individual and unique. I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have if Katsa was a little more open to love. I think her romantic decisions made the book less romantic. That's not necessarily bad, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had a little more traditional romance. :-)

This is appropriate for adult lovers of fantasy and possibly some young adults as well. There's mild sex scenes and maybe some mild language (I can't remember for sure). There's obviously some violence since Katsa is skilled in killing, but it isn't descriptive or overwhelming. Overall this was a unique and interesting read, I can't wait to read the sequel (Fire).

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Haunting Bombay

2009-11-02T13:24:00.004-05:00

Haunting Bombay
by: Shilpa Agarwal

Challenge: R.I.P. IV

Published: 2009

# of pages: 368

It's past the due date for the R.I.P. IV challenge, but I finished this book October 28, so I completed it within the time frame. I was just too lazy to write a review before today!

The story follows the Mittal family living in Bombay in 1960. The main character, Pinky, is a 13 year old girl who lives with her grandmother, uncle, aunt, and cousins in a bungalow that is haunted by the ghost of an infant. One night the ghost is released from the room it has been confined in for 13 years and the Mittal family is never the same.

This is a "scary" book, but it is really horrifying because of the nature of the ghost and the family's secrets. There were a few times, especially at the beginning before much is revealed, where I felt a little creeped out. However, after learning more about the family, I just felt so sad for all of them, but especially Savira. I suppose this wasn't the best book to read as the mother of an infant.

Anyway, in spite of the sadness, it was a good mystery that I kept wanting to read to find out what happened. However, I felt like it was a little choppy. The scenes kept jumping from one thing to another and there were a few parts I felt could have been left out. I found it interesting that the women in the book were all connected, but in a way that was what was a little confusing.

And I just have to say...part of the reason I enjoy reading books that take place in India or have Indian characters is because of the beautiful names! I loved the names Savira, Maji, Jaginder, Avni, Parvati.... so pretty. Haha, I just noticed several of them have Vs in them, and that's obviously something I'm drawn too (my son's name is Evan).

Anyway, I recommend this to adult readers who enjoy the Gothic genre, Indian history, or ghost stories/mysteries that are more suspense filled than scary.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.
book-a-rama

Chalice

2009-10-23T13:17:00.004-04:00

Chalice
by: Robin McKinley

Published: 2008

# of pages: 272

First of all I have to say, I love the cover illustration on this book! It's hard to see in the picture, but it really is gorgeous! THIS LINK takes you to the artists' website.

Other than that, I was disappointed in the book. McKinley is one of my favorite authors of all time. The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown are the 2 books that drew me into the world of fantasy. Before then I had never had a desire to read fantasy and the few fantasy books I had read I didn't enjoy because they were too unrealistic. haha! Beauty and Sunshine are 2 of my all time favorite books as well. So I had high expectations for Chalice, but I thought the narration style of the book was boring and confusing.

The story is told from the point of view of the main character, Marisol. The narrative is mainly her thoughts that ramble on and are repetitive. There isn't nearly as much dialogue in this novel as there is in most books. I felt like this really hindered my enjoyment of the story. The plot is interesting, but the narrative took away from it.

The story is about Marisol, an orphaned young woman whose world is turned upside down when the master of the estate she lives and works on as a beekeeper dies. She is chosen to be the new Chalice, cup bearer, of the new master. She is part of a circle of people who help keep the land intact with magic, otherwise it will fall apart and be destroyed.

If it isn't enough that Marisol has been thrown into this position, the new master is in an identical predicament. Both the master and Marisol work hard to keep the land together and keep the people satisfied. Everything seems to be going fine until the overlord of the lands gets involved and chooses an heir for the master to train. Things quickly go downhill and it's up to Marisol to save the day.

I appreciated the story and the magical world that McKinley created. However, I just couldn't get over the repetitiveness of the narration and the lack of dialogue. I felt that I couldn't really get to know the characters.

This book is classified as a young adult book, but I feel like it is more of an adult book. Not because the content is mature, it just isn't your typical young adult book. Even the main character is an adult, she isn't a teenager. I recommend this book to people who really love fantasy. I think the redeeming factor is the unique magic structure that is in the story, something that will appeal to lovers of the fantasy genre.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

R.I.P. IV

2009-10-22T18:47:00.003-04:00

I'm starting late! However, since I'm just about to start reading a book that qualifies, I might as well join. I always mean to do this every year, but I always remember too late! Next year I'm determined to participate more.

The "rules":

"There are two simple goals to the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril Challenge:

1. Have fun reading.
2. Share that fun with others.

As I do each and every year, there are multiple levels of participation that allow you to be a part of R.I.P. IV without adding the burden of another commitment to your already busy lives.

R.I.P. IV officially runs from September 1st through October 31st.

Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural."

I'm doing Peril the Third: one book.

Haunting Bombay by: Shilpa Agarwal

However, I do have some other books on my TBR list that qualify for this challenge, I just won't have enough time to finish them for the challenge.

Her Fearful Symmetry by: Audrey Niffenegger
The Historian by: Elizabeth Kostova
The Terror by: Dan Simmons

and countless others...I'm too lazy to go find my list!

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

2009-10-20T14:59:00.005-04:00

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
by: Ann Brashares

Series: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Book 1

Challenges: YA Challenge, First in a Series Challenge

Published: 2001

# of pages: 352

Quote: "As the fluffy plot progressed, Margaret looked over at them so many times, checking excitedly for their reactions, that Tibby wondered, with a swelling sadness in her throat, how many of the ten thousand movies Margaret had watched with another person." -Tibby p. 167

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I expected it to be very shallow and nothing special as far as the writing quality. However, I thought it was a pretty deep book for being a modern young adult novel that is geared towards teenage girls. I was also impressed with the quality of writing. It still wasn't anything special, just better than I thought. I liked how every once in awhile something would stick out at me. Brashares included small but significant insights throughout the novel.

The story follows 4 teenage girls, best friends, who spend their first summer apart. Each of the girls has a unique personality. Lena is shy and quiet, Bridget is outgoing, Camren is forceful and outspoken, while Tibby is moody. I related to Lena and Tibby more than I thought I would. Their personalities and their thoughts match up to mine so much. That was part of the reason I enjoyed the book as much as I did.

I watched the movie years ago when it was in theatres and enjoyed that as well. The movie closely follows the book, but I didn't feel bored while reading the book. The movie doesn't capture much of the "deep" insights that are in the book. Also, I'm surprised that the movie doesn't include the scene with Lena's and Kostos' grandfathers. I think that would have been a funny thing to see in the movie. I suppose that the movie makes Lena's and Kostos' "relationship" more romantic than the book, but I think the book is more realistic.

Another thing I enjoyed about the book is the humorous quotes included before each chapter. I found myself looking forward to a new chapter to see what it would be. I didn't always see a connection between the quote and the events in the chapter, but it was fun nonetheless.

This is a fun read for both young adults and adults alike. Even if you aren't always a fan of modern young adult fiction, I encourage you to try it if it seems at all like something you could handle reading. You just might be surprised like I was.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours.

Catching Fire

2009-10-05T13:34:00.003-04:00

Catching Fire
by: Suzanne Collins

Series: The Hunger Games Trilogy, Book 2

Published: 2009

# of pages: 400

This is the sequel to The Hunger Games. So often I don't enjoy sequels or subsequent books in a series as much as the first book, but this is an exception. I found this book to be just as engrossing as the first!

The story continues to follow Katniss as she returns home from the Hunger Games. Collins does an amazing job with further character development in Catching Fire. Although the first part of this novel is just bringing the reader up to date on Katniss, Gale, Peeta, and the other characters, it's still action packed and keeps you hooked. The story is completely unpredictable and you won't be able to put this book down! And just to warn you... you will be left hanging at the end. I can't wait for the third book to come out!!!! Which I read it will be another year...in fall 2010. :-(

I find the whole concept of these books to be fascinating. Thinking of reality TV ever going so far as it does in this series is chilling. Also, the Capitol strongly reminds me of modern America. The waste, the preoccupation with appearances and material possessions, the lack of concern for other people... These books are not only entertaining, they also make me stop and think about what I take for granted, what entertainment is to me, and how am I like the people from the Capitol that Katniss comes into contact with?

Overall I highly recommend this to all young adults and adults.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.
Bloggin' 'bout Books
Framed and Booked

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

2009-09-27T18:20:00.006-04:00

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
by: John Berendt

Challenges: What's in a Name?

Published: 1994

# of pages: 400

This is a fascinating and engrossing book that I was amazed to discover is non-fiction! Berendt describes Savannah, Georgia as it was in the 1980s, including a large variety of eccentric characters. Jim Williams is the man who ties the book together. He keeps cropping up in the first part, at the end of which he is accused of murder, and the second part concentrates on his murder trial.

I remained interested throughout the entire book. The first part doesn't have a steady storyline, it jumps around and doesn't have a concrete theme. However, I still remained interested. I enjoyed hearing about the many people Berendt came into contact with while living in Savannah. The second part has a different atmosphere. I was eager to see what the outcome of Williams' trial would be and was also interested in the legal procedures that are described.

There was one chapter that concentrated on a woman named Chablis that I did not like. It was very crude. Her language and choice of topics didn't appeal to me whatsoever. Other than that chapter, I highly recommend this book to all adults, but especially those interested in Southern literature.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Introducing...

2009-09-06T18:46:00.002-04:00

my son, Evan! He arrived 2 and a half weeks early on August 23, 2009 at 4:03 PM. 7 lbs, 2 oz. 19.5 inches. Perfect.

I'm still finding some time to read, but I know things on here will slow down a bit, so have patience. This time I have a good reason for slacking off on my book blog!

Young Adult Book Meme

2009-08-20T15:48:00.003-04:00

Instructions:
Put an “X” next to the books you’ve read (I am linking the Xs by the books that I've reviewed)
Put a “+” next to the books you LOVE
Put a “#” next to the books you plan on reading

1. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy / Douglas Adams X
2. Kit’s Wilderness / David Almond
3. Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian / Sherman Alexie
4. Speak / Laurie Halse Anderson #
5. Feed / M.T. Anderson
6. Flowers in the Attic / V.C. Andrews X
7. 13 Reasons Why / Jay Asher
8. Am I Blue? / Marion Dane Bauer (editor)
9. Audrey Wait! / Robin Benway
10. Weetzie Bat / Francesca Lia Block
11. Tangerine / Edward Bloor
12. Forever / Judy Blume
13. What I Saw and How I Lied / Judy Blundell
14. Tyrell / Coe Booth
15. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants / Ann Brashares #
16. A Great and Terrible Beauty / Libba Bray X
17. The Princess Diaries / Meg Cabot
18. The Stranger / Albert Camus X
19. Ender’s Game / Orson Scott Card X
20. Postcards from No Man’s Land / Aidan Chambers
21. Perks of Being a Wallflower / Stephen Chbosky
22. And Then There Were None / Agatha Christie
23. Gingerbread / Rachel Cohn
24. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist / Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
25. Artemis Fowl (series) / Eoin Colfer
26. The Hunger Games / Suzanne Collins X +
27. The Midwife’s Apprentice / Karen Cushman X
28. The Truth About Forever / Sarah Dessen
29. Little Brother / Cory Doctorow
30. A Northern Light / Jennifer Donnelly X
31. Tears of a Tiger / Sharon Draper
32. The House of the Scorpion / Nancy Farmer
33. Breathing Underwater / Alex Flinn
34. Stardust / Neil Gaiman X +
35. Annie on My Mind / Nancy Garden
36. What Happened to Cass McBride / Gail Giles
37. Fat Kid Rules the World / K.L. Going
38. Lord of the Flies / William Golding X
39. Looking for Alaska / John Green
40. Bronx Masquerade / Nikki Grimes
41. Out of the Dust / Karen Hesse X
42. Hoot / Carl Hiaasen
43. The Outsiders / S.E. Hinton
44. Crank / Ellen Hopkins
45. The First Part Last / Angela Johnson
46. Blood and Chocolate / Annette Curtis Klause
47. Arrow’s Flight / Mercedes Lackey
48. Hattie Big Sky / Kirby Larson
49. To Kill a Mockingbird / Harper Lee X +
50. Boy Meets Boy / David Levithan
51. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks / E. Lockhart X
52. The Giver / Lois Lowry X
53. Number the Stars / Lois Lowry X
54. Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie / David Lubar
55. Inexcusable / Chris Lynch
56. The Earth, My Butt and Other Big, Round Things / Carolyn Mackler
57. Dragonsong / Anne McCaffrey X
58. White Darkness / Geraldine McCaughrean
59. Sold / Patricia McCormick
60. Jellicoe Road / Melina Marchetta
61. Wicked Lovely / Melissa Marr
62. Twilight / Stephenie Meyer X +
63. Dairy Queen / Catherine Murdock
64. Fallen Angels / Walter Dean Myers
65. Monster / Walter Dean Myers
66. Step From Heaven / An Na
67. Mama Day / Gloria Naylor
68. The Keys to the Kingdom (series) / Garth Nix
69. Sabriel / Garth Nix X
70. Airborn / Kenneth Oppel
71. Eragon / Christopher Paolini X
72. Hatchet / Gary Paulsen X
73. Life As We Knew It / Susan Beth Pfeffer
74. The Golden Compass / Phillip Pullman X
75. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging / Louise Rennison X
76. The Lightning Thief / Rick Riordan
77. Always Running: La Vida Loca / Luis Rodriguez
78. How I Live Now / Meg Rosoff
79. Harry Potter (series) / J.K. Rowling X +
80. Holes / Louis Sachar X +
81. Catcher in the Rye / J. D. Salinger
82. Push / Sapphire
83. Persepolis / Marjane Satrapi
84. Unwind / Neil Shusterman
85. Coldest Winter Ever / Sister Souljah
86. Stargirl / Jerry Spinelli
87. Chanda’s Secrets / Allan Stratton
88. Tale of One Bad Rat / Brian Talbot
89. Rats Saw God / Rob Thomas
90. Lord of the Rings / J.R.R. Tolkien X
91. Stuck in Neutral / Terry Trueman
92. Gossip Girl / Cecily Von Ziegesar
93. Uglies / Scott Westerfeld
94. Every Time a Rainbow Dies / Rita Williams-Garcia
95. Pedro and Me / Judd Winick
96. Hard Love / Ellen Wittlinger
97. American Born Chinese / Gene Luen Yang
98. Elsewhere / Gabrielle Zevin
99. I am the Messenger / Markus Zusak #
100. The Book Thief / Markus Zusak X +

I've read 26, loved 7, and plan to read 3.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

2009-08-19T11:34:00.004-04:00

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
by: E. Lockhart

Challenges: YA Challenge

Published: 2008

# of pages: 352

It's hard for me to review this book. It was a mixture of what I typically think of as shallow young adult reading material and deep, well written young adult reading material. Frankie is a typical 15 year old girl entering her sophomore year at a private boarding school. She's concerned about her appearance, she's interested in boys, and she feels a bit lost without her older sister. What makes Frankie different is that she forces herself to leave her comfort zone and not be the typical 15 year old girl. It almost seems like it isn't quite natural for her to do, which is understandable. Most people want to fit in and Frankie feels the same way, but the part of her that wants to be different ends up winning.

Frankie changed a lot over the summer between her freshman and sophomore year. The changes are mainly physical, but she is also forced to become her own person after her sister goes to college across the country. Frankie discovers that her appearance changes her status at school in ways she never dreamed of. She grabs the attention of her biggest crush, but her quick thinking also plays a part in that. That's one thing about Frankie, she's constantly thinking. Thoughts go through her mind with lightening speed, she analyzes everything and chooses what to say or do in each situation. I greatly admire her character for this trait!

Frankie also discovers that she isn't content to sit in the background and let the seniors she hangs out with walk all over her. If she can't come right out and be a part of their secret society, she decides to take a less obvious approach. She ends up leading an all male secret society while keeping her identity a secret. She's clever, witty, and funny. I was interested to see what she would come up with next and where she was going with her thoughts and plans.

I very much enjoyed this book, in spite of the inevitable modern teenage situations that arise. Thankfully that wasn't overdone, it just made me shake my head at their word choices ("dog," "grodie," "nimrod") and the boy obsession that all the girls have. Frankie's thoughts and her play on words kept me entertained and made me genuinely like her. She's a strong female character (oh yeah, this is a girl power book!) and I thought the feminist ideas presented throughout the novel were appropriate and fit with the theme without being overdone.

I recommend this book to young adults and adults (who enjoy the YA genre) alike. It's appropriate and Frankie's personality and decision making skills are thought provoking.

Other Reviews:
Books Lists Life
Bold. Blue. Adventure.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

2009-08-03T13:22:00.003-04:00

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Published: 2008

# of pages: 274

Quote: "I knew that all children were gruesome, but I don't know whether I'm supposed to encourage them in it. I'm afraid to ask Sophie if Dead Bride is too morbid a game for a four-year-old. If she says yes, we'll have to stop playing, and I don't want to stop. I love Dead Bride.
So many questions arise when you are spending your days with a child. For instance, if one likes to cross one's eyes a lot, might they get stuck that way forever - or is that a rumor?" -Juliet to Sidney pg. 175

Great book! It's very well written and interesting, especially for lovers of literature and writing. What stuck out the most to me was how unique this book is. I've never read anything like it. I had never heard of the island of Guernsey and never heard of the Channel Islands and what life was like there during the German occupation during WWII. The entire book was an interesting view of WWII, one that is made even better by the variety of characters and their different experiences.

The book is completely written in the form of letters. Most of the letters are from or to Juliet Ashton. She is a writer in London in the 1940s who receives a letter from a random man on the island of Guernsey. Little does she know, but that is the beginning of multiple correspondences and friendships that she forms with an entire group of people on Guernsey. This group of friends accidentally started a literary society during the German occupation. While most of the members had never read books for pleasure before, they all discovered a love of literature that reflected their personalities. Juliet is intrigued and decides to learn more.

It took me a little while to really get into the book, mainly because I'm not usually fond of the letter format in novels. However, the second half of the book grabbed my attention and I fell in love with the characters. Juliet's letters are full of humor, there were several times where I laughed out loud. The novel has a little of everything - adventure, mystery, romance, humor... I definitely recommend it to all adults, especially if you are interested in the WWII era, literature, or historical fiction in general. Some older young adults may also enjoy this, but it may be a little intense, plus there is some mild bad language.

Let me know what you thought of this book if you've read it! And I can imagine that this may be made into a movie someday...what would you think about that?

Other Reviews:
Booknotes by Lisa
Dolce Bellezza
BookBound

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Amaranth Enchantment

2009-07-25T16:45:00.004-04:00

The Amaranth Enchantment
by: Julie Berry

Published: 2009

# of pages: 306

This cute young adult fairy tale fantasy is about a 15 year old girl named Lucinda whose life is changed forever when two strangers enter her uncle's goldsmith shop one day. From then on, one thing after another happens and Lucinda is forced into the adventure of her life. The book has everything from a "witch," a nasty aunt, a mischievous thief, an evil lord, and (of course!) a handsome prince.

I enjoyed the book and read it in less than a day because it was so fast. However, I felt like the story was very disjointed, especially towards the end (after page 250). After that it really didn't flow very well. Also, it was confusing how Lucinda sometimes jumped from one conclusion to another and contradicted herself. However, I've found that to be a common trait in many young adult books. I think YA authors try to be simple and so don't always explain the process the character goes through to make decisions.

All in all, this is a unique retelling of a fairy tale (based on Cinderella), if not a little strange in parts. It's definitely geared towards young adults, not all adults will be able to enjoy it. I recommend this to young adults and fans of young adult fantasy.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to list yours on this post.

The Shack

2009-07-24T11:50:00.005-04:00

The Shack
by: William P. Young

Challenges: TBR Challenge, What's in a Name?

Published: 2007

# of pages: 248

Quote: "Trying to keep the law is actually a declaration of independence, a way of keeping control."
"Is that why we like the law so much - to give us some control?" asked Mack.
"It is much worse than that," resumed Sarayu. "It grants you the power to judge others and feel superior to them. You believe you are living to a higher standard than those you judge. Enforcing rules, especially in its more subtle expressions like responsibility and expectation, is a vain attempt to create certainty out of uncertainty. And contrary to what you might think, I have a great fondness for uncertainty. Rules cannot bring freedom; they only have the power to accuse." -Sarayu & Mack pg. 203

Well I finally read the very famous novel, The Shack. Emphasis on novel. After reading it, I have a hard time seeing what the controversy among Christians is about. It's a fiction novel, a man's opinion on how a weekend with God might go. I don't think he's claiming that anything in it is gospel, I think several of the statements that "God" makes in the book are ones that can be interpreted in different ways. I'm conducting this review from a Christian viewpoint since that's what I read it with and how I think of it, even though it is just a novel.

That being said, I didn't enjoy reading the book, it wasn't fun or even terribly interesting to me. It was a lot like going to hear a sermon, minus the jokes that the pastor at my church throws in. However, I'm glad I read it because at least now I can participate in the conversations about the book and know what all the hype is about.

I'm sure most of you know what the novel is about, but here's a brief plot summary. Mack's daughter, Missy, is abducted and evidence of her murder is found in a shack in the middle of the wilderness. Several years later Mack receives a note from God inviting him to spend a weekend at the shack with him. Mack arrives and meets God. God has taken the form of a black woman for Mack at first. Jesus is there and so is the Holy Spirit in the form of an Asian woman named Sarayu. The 4 spend the weekend together and Mack learns about God's true nature.

Unfortunately, I imagine that some people find this book controversial just because God takes the form of a black woman and the Holy Spirit takes the form of an Asian woman. Too many people I grew up with would probably find this "wrong." However, God is not a black woman, he's taking the form of a black woman because at that point in time, that's what Mack needs in order to accept God and what he has to teach. As a matter of fact, God asks Mack to call him "Papa," even while he's in the form of a woman. Same with the Holy Spirit, it's just a form that is comforting to Mack, it doesn't mean the Holy Spirit has a set form or really is an Asian woman.

There were a few things here and there that I thought, "Ah ha! I don't think that's Biblical!" but then after thinking about it for awhile realized that it could be interpreted differently and therefore not contradict the Bible. For example, at one point God talks about hierarchy within human institutions and relationships and how it's not what he wants for us. My immediate thought was if God doesn't agree with hierarchy among the human race, why does he assign different people different levels of authority within the church in books such as Ephesians (ch 4) and 1 Timothy (ch 3)? However, one interpretation of the novel is that God's original plan for humans (before the garden of Eden) didn't include any kind of hierarchy. But our sin and the evil that followed makes some sort of accountability structure necessary, even within the church. Unfortunately, humans will never allow equality in any system, including the church, but I'm sure God would prefer us to all be equal and not have to be forced into institutional structures. Also, in a church the pastor has the gift of being able to lead, but that doesn't give him more power. He's still accountable to the entire congregation. We are all different parts of the same body, we're all supposed to be working together, no one is more important than another because one part cannot function without the help of all the other parts (Ephesians). Also, I think many parts of the modern church have taken church structure, rules, and traditions too far, forgetting that a relationship with God really doesn't take that much work to maintain and that the church body should be more equal than they allow it to be. That's just my way of interpreting it, but Young could very well have meant something else. I just think there's no reason to get too upset or defensive when it could mean anything.

Anyway, I haven't done all the research and I'm not going to. It's just a book to me, I only thought deeper about some sections because I've known some people who have claimed it's very contradictory to the Bible and I wondered how exactly. Some things can be interpreted in different ways, so how can we feel strongly that it means just one? I don't know exactly what Young was thinking, but does it really matter? It's all fiction and his opinion anyway, even if it does contradict the Bible. I think the book is great for people who are struggling with loss. Different people need to hear and believe different things during times of deep loss, and this could be just what some need. I think it really brings home the fact that following Jesus isn't work, we can all do it. If you aren't familiar with a true relationship with God then this book can be very inspirational and share new concepts (and will be more interesting than if you already know or understand this relationship).

Other reviews:
Booknotes by Lisa

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Daughter of Time

2009-07-14T22:49:00.003-04:00

The Daughter of Time
by: Josephine Tey

Challenges: What's in a Name?

Published: 1951

# of pages: 206

Don't ask me how this ended up on my TBR list. It's been on it for years though, I can't remember what made me put it on there. I have to say, I was disappointed when I finally read it!

The story is about Inspector Grant of Scotland Yard, who was injured during a case and is in the hospital...bored out of his mind. One of his friends decides to help him find something to do to pass the time and gives him a stack of portraits since he likes to analyze faces so much. Grant is immediately drawn to a portrait of Richard III, ruler of England in the 1400s. Richard was known as being a "monster," but Grant is struck by the fact that he looks so respectable in his portrait. Convinced that he isn't seeing the face of a murderer, he decides to discover what really happened over 400 years ago that left Richard with a grisly reputation.

What I didn't like about this book was the fact that the reader doesn't get to know the characters, even Grant, very well. However, I discovered that Tey wrote several other books that feature Inspector Grant before The Daughter of Time. This is a stand alone novel, but I think that by the time Tey wrote this novel she no longer had to introduce the characters as much. So perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I read her other books first.

Also, while the historical facts are very interesting, I felt like they could have been conveyed even better. The majority of the book is dialogue about history. There's so much information in so few pages. I would read and feel like I had read so much, only to realize that it was only 3 pages worth. I think that there could have been a better way to present the information. Maybe spread it out more, only put what was really relevant to the mystery, or just make it more interesting by putting more of the modern day story about Grant in between to break it up.

Anyway, the good thing about this book was that it does cover an interesting subject that I didn't know anything about before picking it up. Now I'm interested in Richard III and have even done a little bit of extra research to find out more about him and what people in our modern time think of him (Wikipedia counts as research, right?). It was neat how history is presented in a mystery form and that Inspector Grant goes about solving it just as he would a crime case assigned to him by the Scotland Yard. I was also interested to read on Wiki that Richard III was actually given a modern day "trial" in 1997 to formally decide whether or not he was guilty of the crimes attributed to him. Apparently Inspector Grant wasn't the only one who wondered more about this mysterious historical figure.

Overall I don't rate this very high because I feel like it could have been written in a more agreeable and interesting way. I recommend this to lovers of history, especially medieval history.

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post your review!

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

2009-07-10T11:36:00.007-04:00

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
by: John Boyne

Challenges: YA Challenge

Published: 2006

# of pages: 216

Quote: "And were they really so different? All the people in the camp wore the same clothes, those pajamas and their striped cloth caps too; and all the people who wandered through his house . . . wore uniforms of varying quality and decoration and caps and helmets with bright red-and-black armbands and carried guns and always looked terribly stern, as if it was all very important really and no one should think otherwise.
What exactly was the difference? he wondered to himself. And who decided which people wore the striped pajamas and which people wore the uniforms?" -Bruno pg. 100

If I had to describe this book in one word it would be: powerful. The descriptions of the Holocaust are vague and the reader doesn't really get involved, and yet, I can't stop thinking about this book. It doesn't have to be detailed and we don't have to connect to the main character to still be affected by the story.

The story takes place in Nazi Germany. Bruno is the main character and the story begins with his family being transferred to "Out-With" so that his dad, a high ranking Nazi officer, can run the camp after receiving a visit from "the Fury." Bruno finds the move a hard adjustment, one that is made even more confusing by the fact that he doesn't understand where he is and what's going on. One day he meets a boy the same age as him and they start up a friendship unlike any Bruno has ever had before. The boys can't play together because they are separated by a huge fence. So instead they talk, and as they talk, they discover how much they have in common...and how much they don't have in common.

It's fascinating how Boyne made this book so innocent when it is discussing a topic that is so NOT innocent. It's eerie to see everything through a child's eyes. Bruno mispronounces and doesn't understand words and so comes up with the terms "Out-With" and "Fury" instead of their proper pronunciations. I knew what "Out-With" was right away, but for some weird reason, it took me awhile to realize what "the Fury" was. However, in both cases I couldn't help but see how Bruno's versions of these words are actually more appropriate than the true pronunciations.

My copy of the novel has an interview with Boyne at the end and I was pleased with what he had to say. He's very aware not only of the injustices of the Holocaust, but of the countless genocides that have taken place since then. The reason why I would recommend this book to ALL people, regardless of age, is because I feel like it still applies to our lives today. And that's exactly what Boyne wrote it the way he did. We can learn lessons from the novel, lessons that are important for adults and children to learn. So although the subject of the Holocaust can be touchy because of the violence, I still think that children should learn about it at a young age to learn about injustice so that they will recognize it if it ever comes up in their lifetime. This book can be a tool in teaching them this lesson because of it's young adult style. However, although the story is simple, it's also one that adults can relate to, no matter how many other books they have read on the subject.

Other Reviews:
Booknotes by Lisa
Bloggin' 'bout Books

Have you reviewed this too? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Blind Assassin

2009-07-08T13:42:00.002-04:00

The Blind Assassin
by: Margaret Atwood

Challenges: What's in a Name?

Published: 2000

# of pages: 521

I don't really know what to say about this book. I didn't really like it most of the way through. For awhile in the middle I was interested, then it seemed slow again, but after reading the very last part I kind of liked it. I think that reading it in bits and pieces over a long period of time was not the way to go. However, I just couldn't motivate myself to read more and when I received the opportunity to read The Hunger Games, I took time off to read that. So perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I read it all at once. That's definitely what I recommend others do!

The story is told by Iris Chase Griffin, an old lady who is looking back over her life at the age of about 82. She remembers her family and the tragedies that occurred when she and her sister were young. It's all very tangled because she tells about her current life and her past while there are also articles from the local paper and chapters from the book (a book within a book) The Blind Assassin. Everything comes together at the end and I was pleased that I solved all of the mysteries ahead of time. That's one reason why I liked it at the end. I finally completely understood everything and my suspicions were all correct!

The novel is very dark and it made me sad that so many of the characters in the book go through life without ever experiencing true love. Not just romantic love - true love in general. A couple of the characters think they are in love...or maybe they are really in love, but it's just not what love should be. Not only is the story dark in this way, there are many other disturbing things that crop up such as suicide, death, manipulation, lies, insane asylums (this seems to be a theme in many books I've read recently - The Woman in White & The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox), affairs, incest, etc.

I recommend this book to fans of Atwood (I don't think I am a fan...I liked The Handmaid's Tale, but didn't care for Cat's Eye) and "deep" thought provoking novels. I only recommend this for adults, there's a fair amount of bad language and sexual descriptions.

Other reviews:
things mean a lot

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Hunger Games

2009-06-30T20:06:00.006-04:00

The Hunger Games
by: Suzanne Collins

Series: The Hunger Games Trilogy, Book 1

Published: 2008

# of pages: 374

I expected this book to be more young adult than it really was. I don't know why I thought this, but I figured a book about teens being forced to kill each other couldn't really be about teens killing each other. I was wrong and although it sounds horrible, I'm glad I was. The story is violent, but I still recommend it. It's thought provoking and reminds me of what our society could very well have turned into or could possibly turn into in the future.

The story is about two teens forced to take part in lethal "games" as punishment for a decades old uprising and for the entertainment of the wealthy in a future society that broadcasts the violence on TV. Katniss and Peeta are chosen to participate in the games out of all the other teenagers in their region. There can only be one winner of the Hunger Games so although Katniss and Peeta get along very well, Katniss is determined to remain as distant as possible because she knows very well she may have to kill - or be killed by - Peeta.

The entire story is fast paced and full of excitement. Collins does an amazing job with character development and the descriptions of the futuristic world she created. I enjoyed the character of Katniss because she isn't your typical female protagonist. She's aloof and tough, but has a soft and compassionate side as well. Her reactions to situations and the other characters are perfect for who she is supposed to be.

The sequel to the novel is being released in September - I'll definitely be reading it! I've also heard that this is going to be made into a movie which will be released in 2011. I recommend this to all young adults 15 & up (I think it's too violent for younger young adults) and all adults, especially if you enjoy books with a sci-fi twist. I was also pleased to see that this is a book that guys can enjoy just as much as girls will.

Other reviews:
Framed and Booked
Tripping Toward Lucidity
Escape in a Book

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Gargoyle

2009-06-14T20:22:00.004-04:00

The Gargoyle
by: Andrew Davidson

Challenges: TBR

Published: 2008

# of pages: 465

Quote: "You are mine, I am yours; you may be sure of this. You've been locked inside my heart, the key has been thrown away; within it, you must always stay." -pg. 461

This is a hard book to review because I loved it so much. I want to convey the tone of the book and the feelings I had while reading it, but I know I won't be able to do that. It took a few chapters to get into the book. The main character isn't a good person, as a matter of fact, I was disgusted by him. He reminded me of Florentino in Love in the Time of Cholera, a perverted man who may have seemed successful in the eyes of the world, but was really alone and unfulfilled. Thankfully he changes in a wonderful way.

The narrator, who remains unnamed (it's fascinating, I didn't notice that he is unnamed until page 419, almost the end of the book...I normally always noticed an unnamed narrator) begins his story with his hospital stay after he's been in a horrifying car accident that leaves him burned beyond recognition. Such an accident would be bad enough for anyone, but it's devastating for him because of who he was before the accident - an incredibly handsome porn star. He's left without a career and without friends. He plans to kill himself after being discharged from the hospital, but an unexpected visit from a woman named Marianne Engel changes everything.

Marianne Engel claims that they were lovers in 14th century Germany. He brushes her off as crazy, but continues to humor her visits and slowly comes to look forward to them so that he can spend time talking to her about any and everything and to hear her stories about their "past life" and the other people she claims to have known from many different places and times throughout history. She also reads Dante's Inferno to the narrator, a piece of literature that is entwined throughout The Gargoyle.

Not only is the present day story of the narrator and Marianne fascinating, Marianne's stories of the past are also captivating. They all have a common theme - true love that requires great sacrifice and lasts beyond death. The historic details are incredible, it's obvious that Davidson did a lot of research while writing this novel and it sure pays off. The stories all come together towards the end of the book and now that I've finished they are sticking in my mind. This would be a great book to read for a book club and then discuss. For example, it's interesting that the narrator remains unnamed, but Marianne Engel is referred to by her first and last name almost every time she is mentioned. Also, how does the story of Siguror fit in at the very end of the novel, with the narrator and Marianne's story?

This is now one of my all time favorite books and I recommend it to all adults. The novel is graphic in the descriptions of the narrator's burns and his sexual past and contains some language, so I don't recommend it to young adults.

Other reviews:
book-a-rama
Tripping Toward Lucidity
Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Alchemist

2009-06-08T16:01:00.003-04:00

The Alchemist
by: Paulo Coelho

Published: 1988

# of pages: 177

Quote: "When he looked into her dark eyes, and saw that her lips were poised between a laugh and silence, he learned the most important part of the language that all the world spoke - the language that everyone on earth was capable of understanding in their heart. It was love. Something older than humanity, more ancient than the desert." -Santiago & Fatima pg. 97

This novel was short, but it didn't lack for substance! I was amazed that every other page had such insightful descriptions and observations about life. I wouldn't say that it really taught me anything, but it did make me think about things more and I was amazed that Coelho obviously thought more about the "little" everyday things than I ever have!

The story follows "the boy" Santiago. He dreams a dream that changes his life. From then on he's on a quest to fulfill his destiny by following omens and listening to his heart. In the process, he travels the world and meets many friends...and enemies. I liked Santiago and was interested in his quest and the outcome. There's twists and turns on his journey that made it more interesting and made me wonder more than once what exactly he was going to find at the end.

All of the deep thoughts he has were very repetitive and sometimes seemed contradictory. That as well as his conversations with some of the other characters. I was very interested how all of the new agey sounding concepts mixed with religious concepts. I don't really get how they go together even after finishing the book. This book does mix many different religions and world views though. Christianity, Islam, and what I felt was a magical or kind of new age spiritualism.

If you decide to read this book I definitely recommend trying to read it in a short amount of time in as few readings as possible. Every time I picked up the book I would feel a moment of frustration at how repetitive and unnecessarily philosophical it was. However, after getting into it for awhile I was able to look past the parts that were full of cliches and pick out the parts that interested me and the core story of Santiago's adventures. At first I was also concerned about whether or not I was fully understanding the book or if I was missing important symbols, etc. But I think that it was fine to just read it for what it was. It did make me think more about life in general, but I didn't feel like it was truly any deeper than what was written on the page. The only thing I would be interesting in reading more about was the whole religious aspect of the book and what other people think about that.

That being said, I think this is a good book for the story and it is quite inspiring (although very unrealistic!). It's appropriate for young adults and adults alike. Let me know what you thought of it.

The Onion Girl

2009-06-07T13:48:00.007-04:00

The Onion Girl
by: Charles de Lint

Challenges: TBR Challenge

Published: 2001

# of pages: 508

I've heard so much about Charles de Lint, mostly about The Onion Girl. So it's been on my TBR list for the longest time. I also heard about Dreams Underfoot, which I believe is a collection of short stories. Now I realize that I should have read the stories before The Onion Girl, a novel. The stories and the novel take place in Newford, a city where magic and reality mix. I think that the stories introduce you to the characters and the world better than the book. Too late, I read some reviews that said not to start out the Newford books with The Onion Girl because it can be confusing. I wouldn't say that I was confused, but I did feel like something was missing. I felt like I didn't have a connection that the author assumed his readers had.

There are a lot of characters, but I didn't find them hard to keep track of. There are a few characters that are mentioned over and over, but never make an appearance. It's as if the reader is already supposed to know them. So I definitely recommend reading de Lint's other stories first, but The Onion Girl can definitely be read alone and still be understood and enjoyed.

The book concentrates on the character of Jilly. Jilly is in an accident that leaves her paralyzed, not a great experience for anyone, but especially not for an artist. She is also forced to confront her horrible past as she attempts to heal physically. She has the support of many, many friends who live in Newford and who are all involved in the artsy scene. I found it a little annoying that almost ALL of the characters are artsy. Can't a housewife, waitress, or business woman recognize and appreciate magic as much as poets, painters, and musicians?

Jilly's accident physically affects her in many ways, one of which she is suddenly able to visit the magic parallel world in her dreams. Many of her friends go there in her dreams or physically go there and her one comfort after the accident is that she can travel there. Although she visits there in a dream state, it's a real world that exists at the same time as "The World As It Is," the normal world. When she visits the magical world she meets many interesting creatures and characters. I enjoyed reading of her visits and thought that de Lint did a great job in creating an entire world that is original and unique.

I recommend this to adult lovers of fairytales and fantasy. There are many disturbing scenes about the abuse Jilly and other characters suffered as children. There's also several sexual scenes and bad language, so I don't recommend this to young adults or people who are sensitive about such things. However, even though there's so many disturbing things, the book is still full of hope and Jilly's strength is even more apparent. I'm giving the book three stars because although it was good, I don't think I'll ever read it again. It didn't hook me although I suspect it's because I wasn't properly introduced to the Newford characters. I'm definitely planning on reading Dreams Underfoot and maybe I'll change my mind after that. Anyone here read these books? What do you recommend I read next?

Other reviews:
things mean a lot

The Whiskey Rebels

2009-05-16T18:41:00.005-04:00

The Whiskey Rebels
by: David Liss

Published: 2008

# of pages: 519

I started out loving this book, and I did enjoy it more than most the whole way through, but the last half of the book didn't grab my attention the same way as the first half did. I was thinking this would go on my favorite book list, but it didn't quite make it after all. It's a historical fiction (a genre I always enjoy) and I liked the two main characters, Captain Saunders and Joan, a lot. I ended up a little lost in some parts. I mainly understood what was going on, but sometimes I was confused as to how the characters jumped from one conclusion to another. I'm typically not easily confused while reading, so I don't particularly think it was me, but maybe I'm just out of practice reading intricate novels. ;-)

The story takes place in Philadelphia and New York City about a decade after the end of the Revolutionary War. There's two points of view, that of Captain Saunders, a spy for the patriots in the war who was accused of being a traitor and therefore ruined, and Joan, an ambitious woman who plans to write the first great American novel. Circumstances occur in their lives that lead them both to the same place at the same time. They are both true patriots who love America and want to see it blossom after the sacrifices they've both made. However, they have different ideas on the good of the nation.

I loved both characters. Captain Saunders is a Captain Jack Sparrow type character. A "scoundrel," but a lovable scoundrel. He's full of witty quips and comments, even in the midst of danger. Joan is outgoing and sharp, she's not afraid to take chances and experience new things, often in the name of gaining knowledge for her novel. She endures the worst things in the world, but comes out strong.

It was hard for me to have an opinion on who I thought was right and wrong in the book. I could see both points of view, but I couldn't say who I was rooting for. I also found this novel very interesting because it made me see that even after the Revolutionary War, things weren't perfect in America. There were still threats to true freedom and there were still patriots who weren't treated right and who felt like they fought for nothing, just like in every war since then. I guess I never thought about the fact that just because America won independence, didn't mean everything fell into place. People were just as unhappy with the government in the late 1700s as they are now. I suppose that's just the way of things, but I guess I have this textbook image in my mind of George Washington and the patriots making everything perfect after the war. Any problems with the government must have sprung up at a later time.

Liss based the story off of true historic events, but made his own twist with the main characters and the exact conspiracy that they are caught up in. But the national financial problems and whiskey rebellions really did happen. Also, many of the characters in the book were also real. So anyway, it's very fascinating for lovers of history and historical fiction. I recommend this to all adults who enjoy this genre!

Other Reviews:
BookBound
Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Austenland

2009-05-13T14:49:00.005-04:00

Austenland
by: Shannon Hale

Challenges: TBR Challenge

Published: 2007

# of pages: 208

A very fun book! The main character, Jane, can't find a man that begins to compare to Mr. Darcy. More specifically, Mr. Darcy as played by Colin Firth in the BBC movie production. She's ready to give up on men when she's given a surprise change to visit what she calls Austenland, an estate in England that reenacts Austen novels. It's filled with actors and the customers must also dress, speak, and act as if they are really living in an Austen novel. It's a chance to see what P&P love is like in "real life."

The only thing I didn't like about this book was that I felt so awkward for Jane as she's acting in the pretend life. I could never do something like that, I'd feel so stupid. So I was reading and imagining how I would feel and act in her situation and just couldn't fathom it. However, other than that, I enjoyed it and I don't think everyone would feel the same. I admire Jane and how she has standards and sticks with them. I think it was a great concept that she continues to have standards, but also realizes that she doesn't need a man (Mr. Darcy) to make her happy or complete.

I recommend this novel to adults who enjoy a good romance, are Austen fans, or like an easy, quick read.

Other Reviews:
Bookfoolery and Babble
Have you reviewed this too? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Woman in White

2009-05-12T16:11:00.004-04:00

The Woman in White
by: Wilkie Collins

Challenges: TBR Challenge

Published: 1860

# of pages: 528

I was disappointed that it took me so long to read this book. I was reading some non-fiction books at the time and had a lot going on, but I think that affected my opinion of the book. I loved the first part and thought it was very well written and I was thoroughly hooked on the mystery. However, there comes a time in the novel where it feels like it should end...but it doesn't. After that it dragged for me. Although like I said, it may have been because I was already taking awhile to read it. But I think I would have been more motivated to pick it up and read if it hadn't been so slow.

The story is mainly told by Walter, an art instructor. Just before he goes to live on a private estate to tutor two women, he meets a mysterious woman dressed all in white on a dark road in the middle of the night. He helps the woman to town and finds her a carriage, but soon discovers that there are men from an asylum looking for her. The occurrence haunts him even after he goes to the beautiful estate to teach young ladies art skills.

Of course he falls in love with the beautiful, perfect, feminine Laura. Her half sister, Marian, is the opposite of Laura. Not so good looking, outspoken, outgoing, and more "masculine," but still very nice and considerate. These characters are a very interesting part of the novel. I found Laura's character to be very dull and washed out. She's the perfect woman for the time the novel was written, but she's treated like a child throughout the entire novel. Walter and Marian spend all of their time protecting her. Marian is a character that is full of life. So why the heck does Walter fall in love with Laura instead? I guess it's just because of her looks, or maybe he's really intimidated by Marian. It's awful because Marian is obviously not marriage material according to any of the men in the book. They admire her, but that's as far as it goes. I thought it was interesting that Collins wrote a character like Marian and I can't figure out if he's still sexist for making Laura the most "desirable" female or if he was trying to make a point that Laura was the dull, stupid one and Marian the smart one that actually thinks for herself. So maybe he wanted people to think that Laura shouldn't really be the attractive one???

Anyway, Walter soon discovers that he can't get away from the woman in white, even in his new situation. The woman becomes entangled with Laura and Marian and he soon finds himself investigating crimes and trying to save Laura from Sir Percival Glyde. There's a neat plot twist and I was impressed at the intricacy of the novel. However, like I said before, I became a little tired when Walter changes tactics from trying to save Laura to revenge on Sir Percival.

So I'm not really sure what I thought about this book. I liked it, but also found some of it to be very boring. I am also still frustrated at how Walter and Marian treated Laura and at Laura's character for being so weak. However, I still recommend this to lovers of the classics, Gothic tales, and mysteries.

The Secret Life of Bees

2009-05-12T15:52:00.007-04:00

The Secret Life of Bees
by: Sue Monk Kidd

Challenges: TBR Challenge

Published: 2002

# of pages: 320

It's been a long time since I read this, but I'm going to go ahead and attempt to review it anyway. Overall I liked this book, but I was disappointed in the ending. I felt like Kidd tried to make it deeper than it really was. Also, there were parts of the book that I found plain weird, but it wasn't until the end that I thought it was unnecessary.

The story is about 14 year old Lily, who lives alone with her father after her mother's horrifying death. Her father hires a woman down the road, Rosaleen, to help out around the house and be a nanny for Lily. Rosaleen's dream is to have the right to vote, and when black people are given this right, she goes into town with Lily to register. Along the way she is cornered by a group of white men and is put in jail after she fights back. Thus begins Rosaleen and Lily's adventure as they follow a clue on the back of a picture of a black Madonna that is all Lily has left of her mother. Rosaleen and Lily meet 3 sisters who live in a big pink house and make honey to sell. As Lily lives there over a summer she learns more about her mother, the truth about her past, and the hard reality of racism.

Although it has its depressing moments, the book is overall uplifting and empowering. Like I said, I almost felt that too much of an effort was made at the end to give readers this emotion. I recommend this to adults who enjoy Southern literature or contemporary fiction.

The Truth-Teller's Tale

2009-05-12T14:56:00.005-04:00

The Truth-Teller's Tale
by: Sharon Shinn

Challenges: YA Challenge, TBR Challenge

Published: 2007

# of pages: 304

Loved this book! It was more romantic than I expected a young adult book to be, but it was such a refreshing romance. I admit that I wasn't pulled into the story right away, I was actually a little put off by the characters and the way the story was being told, but soon I was very into the story and I really enjoyed the characters of Eleda and Gregory.

Eleda and Adele are twin sisters who find out that they are special in the world they live in. Eleda is a truth-teller, meaning she can't tell a lie or hide anything. Adele is a safe-keeper, meaning she can't tell secrets and keeps things to herself. Although the girls are opposites in many ways, they are very close to each other. The summer they are 17 a dancing master and his apprentice come to stay at the inn Eleda and Adele's parents own. They brings secrets with them and the girls must deal with these as well as the problem of their best friend, Roelynn, being forced to marry against her will.

Although the story is told in a way that is almost too young adult at times, I loved the romance and the world Shinn created. The story has a very interesting twist and it was neat to see how things come together. I recommend this to young adults and adults alike, especially if you enjoy a good, clean romance or a creative fairytale-like fantasy. There's a prequel to this book called The Safe-Keeper's Secret that I'm going to get around to reading one of these days, but The Truth-Teller's Tale is a standalone novel and it isn't necessary to continue reading or read the other book first.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox

2009-05-12T14:39:00.005-04:00

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox
by: Maggie O'Farrell

Published: 2008

# of pages: 256

Fascinating book! It's disturbing at times, but I learned a lot and I enjoyed the way it was written. Word of advice: try to read this as quickly as you can. It won't be hard, it's a book that you can't put down once you start to read, but it's told by different narrators, one of which is in a journal form that is in fragments. It's hard to understand, but it all comes together and it's easier if you read it all at once or within a couple of days so that you can remember the different parts.

The story is about a few different women, but it hinges on Esme, who in the present time of the story is being released from a psychiatric hospital. Esme's great-niece, Iris, has power of attorney over Esme and must pick her up from the hospital and is responsible for finding the older woman a place to live. As the two women meet for the first time, family secrets start to unfold and the story of how Esme Lennox disappeared from the world forever is told.

I've learned about the psychiatric hospitals of the past in one of my college literature classes, but this taught me even more about the status of women in the early to mid 1900s. It's shocking that even in a more modern time like that, women were still treated terribly. I think it's important for everyone to remember that part of history, which is one reason why I recommend this book. Not long after reading the book I watched the movie "The Changeling." Which I also recommend watching after reading this book. It was a neat coincidence that I came into contact with two related stories so close together, but I'm glad I read and watched them.

There are disturbing images in the book and some adult situations although those are not very graphic or detailed. I recommend this to all adults, especially those interested in Gothic stories, the history of women, or just a good read.

Other Reviews:
BookBound
Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Princess Academy

2009-05-12T14:22:00.004-04:00

Princess Academy
by: Shannon Hale

Challenges: YA Challenge

Published: 2007

# of pages: 336

I have to say, Shannon Hale is one of my favorite young adult authors. Princess Academy was original, fun, and definitely kept me hooked. I loved the world that Hale created for this novel and the character Miri was great.

Miri lives in a small mountain village that exists only to mine a special type of rock, linden. That's how all of the villagers make their living although it is a hard one. They are very poor, they work as long as the weather allows and then trade the rocks for supplies twice a year. Miri isn't allowed to work in the mines. Her father won't allow her to and she doesn't know why. Her mother died giving birth to her and her sister isn't too much older and also doesn't know the reason Miri can't even step foot into the rock quarry.

One day the villagers receive news that the prince is going to marry a girl...from their village. The astronomers read the signs that a girl from the small mountain town would be the princess. They must follow tradition and all the girls in the proper age range must go to a princess academy for a year to learn how to be a princess. Miri and her friends travel to the academy where a whole new world opens up to them. Miri does her best to excel at her studies since it's one thing she can do to feel useful to the village. She's torn between the desire to be chosen by the prince and to continue living with her family in the place she's always loved.

Miri shows a strength of character as she leads the other girls as disaster falls upon the academy. She's a great role model for young girls who read this novel. The story has a great pace and is filled with neat details and plenty of action. I definitely recommend this to all young adults and also to any adults who are interested in young adult books, especially the fantasy genre.

Practical Magic

2009-05-12T14:01:00.003-04:00

Practical Magic
by: Alice Hoffman

Published: 2003

# of pages: 304

Whew! It's been forever since I've posted! I haven't read a whole lot of interesting books since February, but now I'm starting to pick up the pace again so I'm back to blogging. I read this one a long time ago, but I'm going to go ahead and do a short review.

I honestly didn't care for this book. I like the whole magical realism genre, I think it's very interesting. However, I thought that Practical Magic had too much unnecessary crudeness and language in it. The overall story is fun though. I remember enjoying the movie, I think that if you are interested in this book you might as well just watch the movie. It's different, but I think it's different in a good way.

That being said, the story is very girl power. It's about two sisters who grew up with their two aunts, who are known to be witches. The two sisters go their separate ways as they grow up and one has two daughters. When the daughters are teenagers an event happens that brings the other sister into town. The 4 women become close as they live together over a summer. The daughters start becoming women, all of them start to find their place in the world as they confront their pasts, and they all start falling in love with four different men. Of course, the two old aunts have to come and be a part of all of this bonding so they come along at the end of the summer and everyone is happy.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

2009-02-17T14:09:00.007-05:00

The Memory Keeper's Daughter
by: Kim Edwards

Challenges: TBR Challenge, What's in a Name?

Published: 2005

# of pages: 432

Quote: "'I had twins, Bree,' Norah said quietly, conscious of her dream, the empty, frozen landscape, her frantic searching. 'No one else will say a word about her. They act like since I have Paul, I ought to be satisfied. Like lives are interchangeable. But I had twins. I had a daughter too --'" -Norah to Bree p. 43

My overall impression of this book is that it is hard to read. It touches such intimate subjects like grief, marital problems, Down's Syndrome, out of control teenagers, and the most intimate subject of all: secrets. I found myself relating to some of the characters in parts of the books and then being annoyed and confused with others. The novel covers a wide range of time as well as a wide range of subjects, making it easier to relate at some points and harder during others.

The story follows David Henry and his wife Norah. Norah delivers twins during a blizzard, so only David (a doctor) and one nurse are present to witness that one of the twins has Down's Syndrome. It's 1964 and this condition was not as understood and accepted as it is now. David gives the affected twin to the nurse to take to a special facility for children with Down's. After visiting the facility and seeing how the patients are treated badly, the nurse, Caroline, decides to keep the baby. Instead of telling his wife the truth about the baby, he tells her that her little girl died during birth. It's a secret he must live with the rest of his life, even as Caroline sends him letters and pictures of his daughter's progress over the years and he realizes that his family could have had a much better life if he had kept the girl.

He struggles with keeping the secret from his family although it is tearing them apart. He also struggles with the memories of his sister, who died at a young age because of a heart defect. Norah develops depression after learning of the "death" of her daughter. She's all alone with almost no support. In the 60s, depression was also a condition that was not as understood and treated as it is today. It was heartbreaking to read about Norah's grief and how she felt so alone. It also made me realize that there are so many types of grief that are still not properly recognized, even in 2009. I can imagine this "same" situation occurring today, one twin surviving and another dying, and how people would still avoid Norah and even say rude things about being grateful for one child at least. Not only do David and Norah struggle, their son, Paul, is also affected by David's secret and Norah's depression. He grows up feeling alone and turns to bad friends and situations in his teen years.

The whole story about the Henry family is very depressing. In some ways I understood David's actions, I understood Norah's grief, but I also disagreed with the way they handled it in the long run. At the end of the story it's hard to know who to blame, or if anyone should be blamed, but obviously David should have included Norah in his decision. If he had respected her intelligence and abilities, he could have explained the risk of raising a child with Down's Syndrome and told her what happened to his own mother when his sister died and then let her help decide whether or not to give the child away. If only he had done that, the whole story would have been different, but probably not worth reading.

On a positive note, Caroline and her adopted daughter, Phoebe, have lives the exact opposite. While they struggle, it is with hope and they have joyous lives filled with milestones and achievements. It is interesting to see how Caroline and Norah's lives parallel each other, but are completely different. While Norah's life is superficial and she always hides her emotions, Caroline is open and meets many new friends. Norah and Paul drift apart while Caroline and Phoebe remain close throughout the book.

At the end of the book there is hope, which made it hard for me to decide...did I like this book or not? Overall, I think it was too depressing for me. Others may not agree, but even with the hope and joy in the book, I thought the depressing situations were overbearing. What I enjoyed overall: learning more about Down's Syndrome and seeing the progress that was made in the acceptance of this condition in this country over time. The quality of writing was great and I thought the story was a good pace and easy to follow, especially since it spanned almost 30 years. So, I recommend this book to those who enjoy deep stories that are thought provoking and who can handle the depressing aspects.

I'm interested to hear what you thought about this book! If you have reviewed it, please include a link to your review because I want to link to it and read more myself.

Lirael & Abhorsen

2009-02-02T16:16:00.007-05:00

Lirael
and
Abhorsen
by: Garth Nix

Challenges: 2009 YA Challenge

Series: The Abhorsen Trilogy

Published: 2001 & 2003

# of pages: 705 & 518

I'm behind on posts! My dad gave me a National Geographic subscription for Christmas and I've spent a lot of my reading time on those!

These are the last 2 books of the Abhorsen Trilogy. It's fitting to review them together since they flow into each other with no time interruption between the books, unlike the first and second books. Lirael starts 14 years after the end of the first book, Sabriel. It started out a little slow, following the story of Lirael, a daughter of the Clayr, a group of women who can see the future. Lirael isn't a typical Clayr woman and struggles to find a place among all of her cousins and aunts. She finally discovers a companion, the Disreputable Dog. Together, the Dog and Lirael find many adventures in the Clayr's glacier.

The book also follows Sam, prince of the Old Kingdom. He's similar to Lirael, he knows what he should be, but struggles with fitting into that position. Adventure finds him as the Old Kingdom begins to fall to an evil force. He is forced to leave the castle. Mogget, one of the characters from the first book (and my favorite character in the series), joins him. So we have a girl and a dog and a boy and a cat. Needless to say, they bump into each other on their separate journeys.

The only reason I thought it was a little slow was because it seemed like Nix was dragging it out on purpose. As if he knew he couldn't put everything into one book, but had to have filler to make the second book as complete as the first and third. Lirael is the longest book, but not much really happens in it. However, I still felt like this was a great book and I enjoyed the characters just as much as I did in Sabriel. There is a little more "adult" content in this book, but it is still appropriate for the average young adult.

Abhorsen is a worthy ending to the series! It's action packed and I was even getting worried that the end would be rushed as I read closer and closer to the end. However, I thought the very end was great! It didn't seem rushed at all. The book follows the same characters as Lirael and is in the same time frame, beginning where the other left off. Now that the reader knows the characters, the story moves quickly and it is easy to forget you are reading a different book than the first. It all kind of blends together.

All in all, I thought this was an excellent fantasy series for young adults and adults alike! It was very original and worth reading. I'm always looking for good series that aren't too long and time consuming, and these were perfect. I hope you enjoy them as well!

Sabriel

2009-01-12T16:29:00.010-05:00

Sabriel
by: Garth Nix

Challenges: First in a Series, 2009 YA Challenge

Series: The Abhorsen Trilogy

Published: 1995

# of pages: 491

My sister-in-law loaned me this series and I'm so glad she did! It was refreshing to read such a great young adult fantasy. After seeing the cover and glancing at the print inside, I expected it to be a little too young adult, but no worries, this is a book adults can enjoy just as much. I don't know why I expected it to be too juevenile. I suppose the print is a little larger than in some books, but the writing style and vocabulary were advanced.

Sabriel is a young woman who is about to graduate from her boarding school when she receives a disturbing message from her father, Abhorsen. She believes his spirit is trapped in Death, but his body is still alive and trapped in the Old Kingdom, the land beside the one in which she resides. She immediately starts off on a journey to rescue him...and rescue the Old Kingdom in the process. On the way, she meets many interesting people (and things). She learns about the Old Kingdom's history and magic and more about her father.

The worlds Nix created are fascinating and unique. I like that the world Sabriel was raised in is more like our modern world in the early 1900s. They have cars, airplanes, electricity, and guns. Magic is not officially recognized or well known, except near the border of the Old Kingdom. The Old Kingdom is a land of magic that is the typical fantasy world. There aren't any modern conveniences, only magical inventions. I thought this was original on Nix's part and helps the reader relate to Sabriel's confusion at entering a magical kingdom, but still gives us what we typically expect from a fantasy novel.

I also loved the characters. I don't see how anyone can dislike Sabriel. She's brave, but not unnaturally so. She's compassionate and strong, but still shows annoyance, fear, and weakness. The "cat," Mogget, was one of my favorite characters, if not my favorite. Although he's a spirit in a cat's body, he still has feline qualities. I love cat characters in fantasy books that can speak. I find it interesting that in many books they are guiding and wise characters, while being aloof and distant, of course! And Touchstone is a mysterious character that I still want to know more about. I hope he is explained a little more in the next book of the series, Lirael.

Overall, I recommend this book to young adults and adults who enjoy fantasy. The beginning of the book took me a little while to get into. The whole Death and Charter magic and necromancy were a little confusing and topics I didn't expect to read about in this unique book. However, I'm glad that this book is different from other fantasy novels and so try to give it a chance even if you don't enjoy the first few chapters.

Hood

2009-01-10T15:39:00.009-05:00

Hood
by: Stephen R. Lawhead

Challenge: First in a Series

Series: King Raven Trilogy, Book 1

Published: 2006

# of pages: 496

Hood is a retelling of Robin Hood, a legend that typically takes place in Sherwood Forest in England. Lawhead changes the story in several ways, but without taking away from the quality and excitement of the typical tale. Lawhead has a talent for retelling famous legends, such as the story of King Arthur in his Pendragon Cycle. He changes the stories to make them unique, but keeps the core values and overall feeling so that we still love them just as much.

Bran is a prince whose father is killed by Norman invaders. His land, located in Wales, is also taken and his people are forced into slavery. Bran, his large friend Iwan, and a tubby friar join forces to "earn" the money to buy back Bran's inheritated land. They find that the only way to acquire the money is to take it from the very Normans who are ruining the kingdom. Sound familiar?

I thought this book was well written and enjoyed the historical contexts (I found the author's defense of placing "Robin Hood" in Wales fascinating!). I still can't figure out if it's technically a Christian novel or not, because while there is mention of God (mainly by the clergy that are in the story), there are other parts that aren't your typical Christian novel material. I was glad to see that there isn't a preachy tone and that the religious parts are short, to the point, and fit in naturally with the story. The main characters aren't goody goody or even very religious. I can hear sermons at church on Sunday, I don't need to read them in books too! So I think this novel is appropriate for Christians and people who aren't religious. The book is violent, but clean, making this appropriate for older teens and adults alike.

The book seemed a little slow in some parts. I think that since Lawhead knew he would turn this into a series, he took his time drawing the story out. It wasn't slow enough to bore me, but I think it could have been improved with a faster pace. However, this was worth reading and I'm already looking forward to reading the next in the series, Scarlet.

Win The Time Traveler's Wife

2009-01-06T17:26:00.004-05:00

I entered a giveaway at Literary Menagerie to win a copy of The Time Traveler's Wife, one of my favorite books! It's so easy to enter, click on the link above and then just post about your favorite book.