tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65026841856897419432024-03-13T12:52:39.883-05:00Musings of an Anxious BookwormThoughts about books, anxiety, video games, and other explorations in life.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277363624414723297noreply@blogger.comBlogger163125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-17570184653989144302013-02-19T22:45:00.000-06:002013-02-19T22:45:53.961-06:00The Fault in Our Stars Movie: My Thoughts<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85Mnqi-ja7qmPrcV4rzhTqwI4tZ4LVnay7Z7hRvxxPBi0pXyO4-GiXFPoBgbINlWs2YSEzbBJMeRVcOO8zoaJTCbq_hCwieQu7HDXi06TwW5hYhWbP3b1665RffiMEYOb7OKkipEpjTk/s1600/9780525478812_custom-7eb6cc16a8a3f2266865895e1718ac9e9d6232e0-s6-c10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85Mnqi-ja7qmPrcV4rzhTqwI4tZ4LVnay7Z7hRvxxPBi0pXyO4-GiXFPoBgbINlWs2YSEzbBJMeRVcOO8zoaJTCbq_hCwieQu7HDXi06TwW5hYhWbP3b1665RffiMEYOb7OKkipEpjTk/s200/9780525478812_custom-7eb6cc16a8a3f2266865895e1718ac9e9d6232e0-s6-c10.jpg" width="136" /></a>When I read the news tonight that The Fault in Our Stars movie <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fault-stars-movie-lands-director-422485">has officially hired a director</a>, I was at first ecstatic.<br />
<br />
However, after thinking about it for awhile, I got worried.<br />
<br />
I absolutely adore John Green and everything he does. I love his books first and foremost, and I will always be a fan. I adore his and Hank's Youtube channel. I also love Crash Course and his Swoodilypoopers videos. Basically, everything he and his brother do is amazing to me. So I am incredibly happy that The Fault in Our Stars will probably be made into a movie.<br />
<br />
However, I know what happens when books become made into movies, and that's what has me worried.<br />
<br />
The Fault in Our Stars is such a gem, and as a book it really functions to directly touch a readers' soul and inspire them. I know it has helped people through tough times, and people have a connection to that book that goes way deep.<br />
<br />
How is that connection going to be translated into a movie?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJowqFidpL_SoAnopKZLXCKgjG_WeTsVkPRWlfgA7Czd1HfgMBlQmFK7a71p3qhTr9xxl-NscZcZNQyrgujp32xjkSVoKUPWAn2tnJ627bjlC8z_acpKnH8fAs-ovZaBaeQZd2zsbHOQ/s1600/okay_by_drnightflower-d57xo5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJowqFidpL_SoAnopKZLXCKgjG_WeTsVkPRWlfgA7Czd1HfgMBlQmFK7a71p3qhTr9xxl-NscZcZNQyrgujp32xjkSVoKUPWAn2tnJ627bjlC8z_acpKnH8fAs-ovZaBaeQZd2zsbHOQ/s320/okay_by_drnightflower-d57xo5a.jpg" width="320" /></a>Well, only time will tell. John seems thrilled about the director; he thinks that Josh Boone's close and personal connection with the book will translate well into the direction of the movie. However, I can't help but be skeptical.<br />
<br />
I have a firm belief that what makes a good book is not what makes a good movie. I have always believed that, and that is why I am so accepting of movie adaptations that some of my friends might cast off as bad adaptations. However, a book like The Fault in Our Stars- which already has such a huge fan base with such a large amount of the readership having a personal connection with the story- might not translate well onto the big screen. I remain optimistic; I would love for this movie to be a huge success. However, I can't help but remain skeptical.<br />
<br />
Which leads me to ask the question.... how do you feel about The Fault in Our Stars being made into a movie?<br />
<br />
Jane<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-4765429158469077762013-02-18T08:00:00.000-06:002013-02-18T08:00:07.275-06:00Pendragon: The Merchant of Death && The Lost City of Faar<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tFjQ0ZbGdfsse97COYAKOR7gysHiqMZs9S3-cI0xr50fiikG6j4OgLDIw4DfgXDVbI8Hq_Lf7PO7sZcPuinj6H4Rf2jvmb4vnzsewX2mjdIEinqm0V0FtxvPFvudZZpJBc2UQVETNNw/s1600/200px-DJMacHale_TheLostCityOfFaar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tFjQ0ZbGdfsse97COYAKOR7gysHiqMZs9S3-cI0xr50fiikG6j4OgLDIw4DfgXDVbI8Hq_Lf7PO7sZcPuinj6H4Rf2jvmb4vnzsewX2mjdIEinqm0V0FtxvPFvudZZpJBc2UQVETNNw/s200/200px-DJMacHale_TheLostCityOfFaar.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga9ozGGOc696a_E8xWUss6j2J3hMvzyKp2pEMIjn6RNX6E0w9QWcQFR2e3tavKL6jo1iVEvn_0SjSWmk7yc7Vy_HtZteoEutYksXc73ebNzdw2ozNaL5i8ZY-Q0EOSIdAtXaqngUVMDqU/s1600/tumblr_m5w7zv6f9a1qku6w5o1_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga9ozGGOc696a_E8xWUss6j2J3hMvzyKp2pEMIjn6RNX6E0w9QWcQFR2e3tavKL6jo1iVEvn_0SjSWmk7yc7Vy_HtZteoEutYksXc73ebNzdw2ozNaL5i8ZY-Q0EOSIdAtXaqngUVMDqU/s200/tumblr_m5w7zv6f9a1qku6w5o1_400.jpg" width="133" /></a><b>Pendragon</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Book One: <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Merchant-Death-Pendragon-Series/dp/0743437314/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1359420226&sr=8-1">The Merchant of Death</a></b>, 2002</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Book Two: <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lost-City-Faar-Pendragon-Series/dp/0743437322/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y">The Lost City of Faar</a></b>, 2003</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
D.J. MacHale</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Reading Level: Middle Grade-YA</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
When I was younger, I was absolutely obsessed with this series. I compared it to Harry Potter and recommended it to all of my friends. After rereading the first two books in the series, I have to admit, I was wrong for comparing it to Harry Potter-- HP doesn't have the fan base it does for no reason-- but I would continue to recommend this series to my friends regardless.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Pendragon series is not fantastically written. However, that can be explained by the premise of the books: they are written as journal entries from Bobby Pendragon, who is a 14-year-old Traveler. This means that he "flumes" through time and space to different Territories to try to bring peace and stop the nasty Saint Dane from wreaking havoc. That being said, it makes sense that the journal entries aren't high-quality literature. What makes these books wonderful is not that the writing is beautifully crafted, but rather that the story itself is crafted in such a way that pulls a reader in from the very first paragraph.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
As previously stated, these books are told from Bobby's perspective, with chapters thrown in which are written in 3rd person showing what his friends Mark and Courtney are doing with Bobby's journals while he's living his adventures. MacHale does an excellent job of building suspense; the journals will end right when something exciting happens, which will make you read faster through the alternating chapters to get back to his story. The descriptions aren't perfect, but coming from Bobby's perspective you can see through his eyes what he's going through, and through his journals you can feel his frustration, anger, fear, and hurt as he travels.<br />
<br />
I think readers of all ages will be swept away by Bobby's story. I would especially recommend these books to a young, reluctant reader- boys and girls can both find entertainment from them, and I can promise that once you're done with the first you'll be dying to know what happens next. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-52350716804343575532012-11-09T08:00:00.000-06:002012-11-20T16:00:17.352-06:00Island Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9tp__ZMuyqa8Le6vo_XZqw_hlqxn926J5Jxt06WY0-DchZBS9xFtaQ1-cZnESHB0XXMyYMPIpErl-MnDiMeZdRUsiHsiMpgaUrdeC2U_4luuIrvK3GUgKYf7-w0nQIUKp2E3KZ7Su_c/s1600/th_0439918510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9tp__ZMuyqa8Le6vo_XZqw_hlqxn926J5Jxt06WY0-DchZBS9xFtaQ1-cZnESHB0XXMyYMPIpErl-MnDiMeZdRUsiHsiMpgaUrdeC2U_4luuIrvK3GUgKYf7-w0nQIUKp2E3KZ7Su_c/s200/th_0439918510.jpg" width="121" /></a></div>
<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Island-Summer-I-Heart-Bikinis/dp/0439918510/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349814578&sr=8-1&keywords=island+summer">Island Summer</a></b><br />
Jeanine Le Ny<br />
June 2007<br />
Reading Level: YA<br />
<br />
Summary:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText1809401936917615829">Just in time for summer comes the perfect beach read! Humor and romance abound in this fresh, fun take on summer love.<br /><br />Nikki
may spend the school year on the New England mainland at the ritzy
Richfield Academy (on scholarship), but during the summer, she returns
home to the decidedly less-posh Pelican Island. Despite an invite from
her rich friend Blair, Nikki has to spend the summer working at her
parents' sandwich shop. During one of her deliveries to the mainland,
she meets Daniel Babcock, and they begin a whirlwind summer romance. But
when Blair invites Nikki to spend the weekend, Nikki sees her walking
hand in hand...with Daniel! <br />Can summer love survive?</span></blockquote>
<br />
<b><span id="freeText1809401936917615829">Review:</span></b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText1809401936917615829">It's impossible to write a truly insightful and meaningful critique of a book like this, so I'm not even going to try.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText1809401936917615829">This book is exactly what you expect it to be. It's summer-y, fun, cliche, cheesy, easy to read, and cute all in one tiny little paperback. This isn't the book that you take to school and impress your friends with, it's the one you throw in your beach bag at the last minute because you want to take something to the beach that will be quick and easy and you won't care if it gets water damaged, sandy, or greasy from your suntan lotion.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText1809401936917615829">I honestly don't think there's anything to say about it other than that. It's fun and easy and sometimes fun and easy is just what you're looking for!</span></blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-87828544838668034162012-11-05T08:00:00.000-06:002012-11-20T16:00:26.092-06:00How to Hook a Hottie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBwy0ULBF25ew_cX6Jt_WN4hS8jRYWjtz9uPm43Do-k5a21n9EJuLKSZlWxcjzrQGJPypy_yNEthoYjKzBOsFvfPgt-HIBltV4sA6YkeW3_w-gy9U_hnmGaqVSXU0uDDTr5QJU674dII/s1600/how+to+hook+a+hottie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBwy0ULBF25ew_cX6Jt_WN4hS8jRYWjtz9uPm43Do-k5a21n9EJuLKSZlWxcjzrQGJPypy_yNEthoYjKzBOsFvfPgt-HIBltV4sA6YkeW3_w-gy9U_hnmGaqVSXU0uDDTr5QJU674dII/s200/how+to+hook+a+hottie.JPG" width="130" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Hook-Hottie-Tina-Ferraro/dp/0385734387/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349815360&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+hook+a+hottie"><b>How to Hook a Hottie</b></a><br />
Tina Ferraro<br />
January 2008<br />
Reading Level: YA<br />
<br />
<b>Summary:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
At 17, Kate Delvecchio has one goal in life: to become a millionaire
before the age of 20. And as far as she’s concerned, college will only
slow her down. Unfortunately for Kate, the one thing her parents do
agree on is that they totally disagree with her strategy. And so the
deal is born. If Kate can raise five thousand big ones by graduation
day, her parents will hand over the balance of her college account to
invest as she pleases. No college, no degree, and no way she’ll ever be
able to pull it off. But when Kate accidentally agrees to go to the
sports banquet with the hottest guy at school, she stumbles upon a
possible cash cow. The rest of the junior class is amazed that
no-nonsense Kate could hook such a hottie, and one by one they approach
her for help hooking their own. She doesn’t know anything about getting
guys, but for $100 a pop, she’s more than willing to invent a six-step
plan for How to Hook a Hottie. And how could that possibly backfire?</blockquote>
<br />
<b>Review:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
One thing that I love about this book is the main character. Kate is such a goal oriented and motivated person, and I admire her for that completely. She reminds me so much of myself, except for the fact that I am in college and she's dead set against college. However, she knows what she wants out of life, and she's willing to do anything to get it.<br />
<br />
Including getting wrapped up in a plot to hook hotties for others in exchange for $100. Sounds smart, huh? Well, any reader can see how this would backfire. And any reader could predict the ending. But the ride is all the fun, and I immensely enjoyed watching Kate get herself into trouble time and time again. The book was short and cute, which makes it a great beach read, but at the same time you still feel connected to the characters in a way that you won't forget instantly. A very cute story, one I would definitely recommend. </blockquote>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-88681708319654207692012-11-01T08:00:00.000-05:002012-11-01T08:00:14.590-05:00Something Borrowed && Something Blue<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEEFxHd1xTrWJWlcZ1-NuKKzB76pdQJDOJn8f1u0Wc2lZy8VmMdoiGT_T-UMOvMNdUzmzgnojU2xR6RNkdLsuFfahlFF-uVUzyhmExJRwntQiyuVRMMBHeM-XhB-cCg4sHo0mtnZhR1Qs/s1600/200px-Somethingborrowed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEEFxHd1xTrWJWlcZ1-NuKKzB76pdQJDOJn8f1u0Wc2lZy8VmMdoiGT_T-UMOvMNdUzmzgnojU2xR6RNkdLsuFfahlFF-uVUzyhmExJRwntQiyuVRMMBHeM-XhB-cCg4sHo0mtnZhR1Qs/s200/200px-Somethingborrowed.JPG" width="136" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Something-Borrowed-Emily-Giffin/dp/031232118X/ref=pd_sim_b_1"><b>Something Borrowed</b></a><br />
June 2004 <br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Something-Blue-Emily-Giffin/dp/0312323859/ref=pd_sim_b_1">Something Blue</a></b><br />
May 2005 <br />
<br />
Emily Giffin<br />
Reading Level: Adult<br />
<br />
<b>Summaries:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Something Borrowed</i> tells the story of Rachel, a young attorney
living and working in Manhattan. Rachel has always been the consummate
good girl---until her thirtieth birthday, when her best friend, Darcy,
throws her a party. That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in
bed with Darcy's fiancé. Although she wakes up determined to put the
one-night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to discover that she has
genuine feelings for the one guy she should run from. As the September
wedding date nears, Rachel knows she has to make a choice. In doing so,
she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry,
endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk all to win
true happiness. <i>Something Borrowed</i> is a phenomenal debut novel that will have you laughing, crying, and calling your best friend. <br /><br /> ------ </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
From the <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>Something Borrowed</i> comes a novel that shows how someone with a ‘perfect life’ can lose it all—and then find everything.<br /> <br />Darcy
Rhone thought she had it all figured out: the more beautiful the girl,
the more charmed her life. Never mind substance. Never mind playing by
the rules. Never mind karma.<br /> <br />But Darcy’s neat, perfect world
turns upside down when her best friend, Rachel, the plain-Jane “good
girl,” steals her fiancé, while Darcy finds herself completely alone for
the first time in her life…with a baby on the way.<br /> <br />Darcy tries
to recover, fleeing to her childhood friend living in London and
resorting to her tried-and-true methods for getting what she wants. But
as she attempts to recreate her glamorous life on a new continent, Darcy
finds that her rules no longer apply. It is only then that Darcy can
begin her journey toward self-awareness, forgiveness, and motherhood.<br /> <br /><i>Something Blue</i>
is a novel about one woman’s surprising discoveries about the true
meaning of friendship, love, and happily-ever-after. It’s a novel for
anyone who has ever, even secretly, wondered if the last thing you want
is really the one thing you need.</blockquote>
<br />
<b>Review:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTrjKAf1D-5IwvNBYIdake8p5c_h5JXqfg_A6M39KFCsm_OwYW40eOjcnKyIPiTMa3S3Rqg25yrYxW25tfLtywN8zJfGFjRiNWcNOlRwDZtIiYGVdXgUvjQb2QCl-mKXlYDh5T2DL6ms/s1600/9780312323868-l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTrjKAf1D-5IwvNBYIdake8p5c_h5JXqfg_A6M39KFCsm_OwYW40eOjcnKyIPiTMa3S3Rqg25yrYxW25tfLtywN8zJfGFjRiNWcNOlRwDZtIiYGVdXgUvjQb2QCl-mKXlYDh5T2DL6ms/s200/9780312323868-l.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
Let's start with Something Borrowed.<br />
<br />
Rachel is somebody that probably 99% of all women can relate to. Most women have probably felt at some point in their life that they are being overshadowed by their best friend. I know I've felt this way, and it sucks.<br />
<br />
The other 1% of the female population is composed of the Darcys. These are the women who live to win and must always be the best at everything.<br />
<br />
Obviously this is not scientifically proven, but you get the idea.<br />
<br />
I would say that most people are somewhere inbetween the two characters. There are times when you are the shining star, and there are times when you're the scruffy friend.<br />
<br />
But what you have in Something Borrowed is a situation where opposites attract- literally. They are the extremes, and it's amazing that it works so well, but it does.<br />
<br />
Rachel is so easy to like, because she is relatable. Darcy just the opposite, she is easy to hate.<br />
<br />
I loved this book because it was so easy to cheer for Rachel to triumph in the end. You knew she was in an impossible situation-- a best friend or boyfriend situation-- and yet you hoped she could keep both.<br />
<br />
Something Borrowed was fluffy and fun, and it explored the intricacies of the adult female relationship. I was happy with it overall. I liked Dex, I liked Rachel, and I loved to hate Darcy.<br />
<br />
Then jump forward to Something Blue, where you're forced to listen to Darcy's side of things. Ugh. I almost didn't bother reading it because I hated Darcy so much, and I'm sure a lot of lovers of the first book felt the same way as I did.<br />
<br />
To those readers, I have a message: read Something Blue!<br />
<br />
The beginning is almost unbearable, because it's impossible to take Darcy seriously, but obviously the point of a book is to show the growth and transformation of the main character, and Something Blue is no exception! I loved seeing her struggle, and seeing her become a better and stronger person.<br />
<br />
While these two books are companions, not necessarily a series, they obviously both focus on the same two characters, and over the course of the two novels you get to love them. I enjoyed seeing them change and grow, and at the same time got swept up into the magic of big city living and an adult world that I have yet to experience. This is chick lit at its finest!</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-91906365924663303142012-10-30T08:00:00.000-05:002012-11-20T16:00:35.224-06:00Waiting for You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8AYbkA1nzHCnCxAFIVOBv_BPdubG84573ly68oJJZnz4GvchfexFPzil_m1hOc02DggwJvvu3lIXDINO7DSQPQqA3IkYdJRcG-ahWPobxVA1JmjRFsSTnzOXBpw-WcvAUyyBjTsVcIA/s1600/waitingforyou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8AYbkA1nzHCnCxAFIVOBv_BPdubG84573ly68oJJZnz4GvchfexFPzil_m1hOc02DggwJvvu3lIXDINO7DSQPQqA3IkYdJRcG-ahWPobxVA1JmjRFsSTnzOXBpw-WcvAUyyBjTsVcIA/s200/waitingforyou.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Waiting-For-You-Susane-Colasanti/dp/B003BVK4IS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349652816&sr=8-1&keywords=waiting+for+you"><b>Waiting for You</b></a><br />
Susane Colasanti<br />
May 2009<br />
Reading Level: YA<br />
<br />
<b>Summary:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
At the beginning of her sophomore year, Marisa is ready for a fresh
start and, more importantly, a boyfriend. So when the handsome and
popular Derek asks her out, Marisa thinks her long wait for happiness is
over. But several bumps in the road—including her parents’ unexpected
separation, a fight with her best friend, and a shocking disappointment
in her relationship with Derek—test Marisa’s ability to maintain her
new outlook. Only the anonymous DJ, whose underground podcasts have
the school’s ear, seems to understand what Marisa is going through. But
she has no idea who he is—or does she? In <i>Waiting For You</i>,
this third romantic novel from Susane Colasanti, Marisa learns how to
“be in the Now” and realizes that the love she’s been waiting for has
been right in front of her all along.</blockquote>
<b>Review:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
One of the things that gets old with young adult romance is the use of stock characters. It seems like every female narrator sounds the same all the time, with little variance from book to book.<br />
<br />
That's why I love this book: Marisa is totally different from all the young adult heroines I read about. First of all, she suffers from depression and she struggles throughout the book to put it behind her and move on. Second, the way she talks and interacts with others is entirely different. She's simply not that stock character; she has layers and that makes me like her that much more.<br />
<br />
That being said, this book is perfect for a lazy summer day because it takes you through her transformation. In the beginning, she just wants a boyfriend, any boyfriend. Throughout the novel, she realizes that she has to be careful what she wishes for. She also goes through some family trouble, and this forces her to see things in a new light. Marisa's transformation is incredible, and best of all, it's totally relate-able. I also suffered from depression, and I have mood swings like Marisa, and I also can see her perspective on most of the decisions she makes.<br />
<br />
I definitely enjoyed this book's depth. Even though it's not the most insightful YA romance, it's definitely got a lot going for it that takes it a step above the rest.</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-10270762632939707432012-10-23T08:00:00.000-05:002012-11-20T16:00:45.872-06:00The Book of Luke<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCyiMXjTTWogUazlp9pYPZSBBWslIEj995-2squM2r9Ek3HScc7rHwwMksrcQD1aLcmVAN6qKCYKkGd2tR6W6cmxUa0NyiOgTMmIvNDNIxOboQ2WytFjCdZqD0XdBs9T-GafH3W-OwKc/s1600/book+of+luke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCyiMXjTTWogUazlp9pYPZSBBWslIEj995-2squM2r9Ek3HScc7rHwwMksrcQD1aLcmVAN6qKCYKkGd2tR6W6cmxUa0NyiOgTMmIvNDNIxOboQ2WytFjCdZqD0XdBs9T-GafH3W-OwKc/s200/book+of+luke.jpg" width="142" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Book-Luke-Jenny-OConnell/dp/1416520406/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1349645731&sr=1-1&keywords=the+book+of+luke"><b>The Book of Luke</b></a><br />
Jenny O'Connell<br />
April 2007<br />
Reading Level: YA<br />
<br />
<b>Summary:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Emily Abbott has always been considered the Girl Most Likely to Be
Nice -- but lately being nice hasn't done her any good. Her parents have
decided to move the family from Chicago back to their hometown of
Boston in the middle of Emily's senior year. Only Emily's first real
boyfriend, Sean, is in Chicago, and so is her shot at class
valedictorian and early admission to the Ivy League. What's a nice girl
to do?<br />
<br />
Then Sean dumps Emily <i>on moving day</i> and her
father announces he's staying behind in Chicago "to tie up loose ends,"
and Emily decides that what a nice girl needs to do is to stop being
nice.<br />
<br />
She reconnects with her best friends in Boston, Josie and
Lucy, only to discover that they too have been on the receiving end of
some glaring Guy Don'ts. So when the girls have to come up with
something to put in the senior class time capsule, they know exactly
what to do. They'll create a not-so-nice reference guide for future
generations of guys -- an instruction book that teaches them the right
way to treat girls.<br />
<br />
But when her friends draft Emily to test
out their tips on Luke Preston -- the hottest, most popular guy in
school, who just broke up with Josie <i>by email</i> -- Emily soon finds
that Luke is the trickiest of test subjects . . . and that even a nice
girl like Emily has a few things to learn about love.</blockquote>
<br />
<b>Review: </b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
This book can be described using two words: fun and flirty!<br />
<br />
You can tell by looking at the cover that this is a quick and fun read. Emily's plan is completely idiotic. Making a reference guide for guys? Obviously this is gonna blow up in her face. This book is completely predictable from beginning to end, from the creation of the book to the huge blow up, finally leading up to the fairytale ending.<br />
<br />
So why bother reading? Well, it's the fun and flirty aspect I mentioned earlier. This is the perfect beach read, and the characters really make the book. Emily is a snob who thinks she knows everything, so you hope and hope that the wonderful and sexy Luke will teach her a lesson and that she'll stop being so self-centered. <br />
<br />
Really, if it weren't for the characters, this book wouldn't be half as fun. But in the end you start to like Emily, and Luke is sexy throughout so it's a win-win situation for everybody.</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-48863000737289389052012-10-20T08:00:00.000-05:002012-10-20T08:00:03.619-05:00The Replacement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIoxvhNs4VJgGdLw0t3FYYXlHjXyXh78tYQHKb56F7U5J8MlGiG5PNZhfEsZOABlLefiwE2MDm1eyk1dv8RfP542IpzhQd6sHQBrxb9IGmXGlONJUsx3AGvtTadoJlZ5soKBxD8TUHYo/s1600/thereplacement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIoxvhNs4VJgGdLw0t3FYYXlHjXyXh78tYQHKb56F7U5J8MlGiG5PNZhfEsZOABlLefiwE2MDm1eyk1dv8RfP542IpzhQd6sHQBrxb9IGmXGlONJUsx3AGvtTadoJlZ5soKBxD8TUHYo/s200/thereplacement.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Replacement-Brenna-Yovanoff/dp/1595143378/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1349646751&sr=8-1"><b>The Replacement</b></a><br />
Brenna Yovanoff<br />
September 2010<br />
Reading Level: YA<br />
<br />
<b>Summary:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of
Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world
of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a
Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now,
because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground,
Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.<br /><br /> Mackie
would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend
time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing,
Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as
Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his
rightful place, in our world, or theirs.</blockquote>
<br />
<b>Review:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I've gotta admit: I didn't like this book very much.<br />
<br />
The problem is that it's hard to articulate what I feel about it. The whole thing just doesn't sit right with me. I didn't particularly like Mackie, and I didn't particularly like Tate, so the characters didn't quite do it for me. I also wasn't particularly intrigued by the story. Which odd, considering I've been dying to read this since it came out.<br />
<br />
Overall, this book just left no impression on me. The characters fell flat, the story was dull, and it was just overall an unmemorable book. I tried so hard to like it; I really did. And it was kind of interesting, and definitely unique, but it will rest next to books like The Forest of Hands and Teeth (which I also found to be dull and uninteresting) in my heart. Was it inherently bad? Not at all. Just not my cup of tea.</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-70469136000682762282012-10-17T08:00:00.000-05:002012-10-17T08:00:01.734-05:00The Host<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFjhKPru-un8_4XoS4gnQ4kG1L8GMicEww_oGeftUcn9nS24fFyiFncyD3osN2EGAR7aulVqdeH4GST0FZ5RzehhamQloAFS1tb0LEq5fBrftru9GZxreWyKEu0fTyMUJDb2WMo2mc5Y/s1600/200px-The_Host.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFjhKPru-un8_4XoS4gnQ4kG1L8GMicEww_oGeftUcn9nS24fFyiFncyD3osN2EGAR7aulVqdeH4GST0FZ5RzehhamQloAFS1tb0LEq5fBrftru9GZxreWyKEu0fTyMUJDb2WMo2mc5Y/s200/200px-The_Host.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Host-Novel-Stephenie-Meyer/dp/B004VD3XE2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349645388&sr=8-1&keywords=the+host"><b>The Host</b></a><br />
Stephenie Meyer<br />
May 2008<br />
Reading Level: Adult<br />
<br />
<b>Summary:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText15300873665095352308">Melanie Stryder refuses
to fade away. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans
become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their
bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most
of humanity has succumbed.<br /><br />When Melanie, one of the few
remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end.
Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was
warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming
emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one
difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body
refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.<br /><br />Wanderer probes
Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining
human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of
the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding.
Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to
yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces
make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous
and uncertain search for the man they both love.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<b>Review:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I have to say this first and foremost:<br />
<br />
THE HOST IS NOT TWILIGHT.<br />
<br />
Just
in case anyone out there says, "Oh, Twilight sucks so I'm not even
going to bother reading The Host, because I'm sure that sucks just as
bad."<br />
<br />
The Host totally blows Twilight out of the water.
Where Twilight is all fluff and bad writing, The Host is intellectual
and captivating and thoughtful.<br />
<br />
I read it when it first
came out in 2008, and I loved it then. I read it again recently, and
once again I was struck by how wonderful this novel is. <br />
<br />
The
uniqueness of it really strikes me. You would expect someone who
started the whole vampire craze to lack imagination and stick to
preapproved subjects, but Meyer does something completely different.
While it is dystopian, it is not like other dystopian novels.<br />
<br />
The
relationships in the novel are so powerful, and that's the main reason I
love this book so much.. Nothing is black and white.. With two "people"
inhabiting one body and one mind, it's impossible to draw clear and
distinct lines, especially when it comes to strong emotions such as love
and hate.<br />
<br />
This book also takes a good look at what it
takes to be human. One of my favorite parts is when a character states
that The Wanderer (who is not human) is more human than other actual
humans. It shows that being human is more than skin deep. This is
something that's hard to articulate, and yet Meyer shows it clearly
through The Wanderer's interactions with the humans she lives with.<br />
<br />
While
I'll admit the book has a slow start, I would highly encourage anyone
to push a little harder if they are struggling. The book picks up so
suddenly, and it's impossible to put down once you get into it. </blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-62090326728153085562012-10-15T08:00:00.001-05:002012-11-20T16:01:01.112-06:00The Lost Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIbP_uoWLDHlzcqqIF5g2QInFiO37BHdbcHJIDsH2D2r1Y0WHz68ishYn7X9uBJstTzkTfOr2yC8lRsOymazD6XBRiLazESX98IcxY5JuaDCIPscmuTm3qVwGF7A3px2DuRA0I5olizI/s1600/5421995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIbP_uoWLDHlzcqqIF5g2QInFiO37BHdbcHJIDsH2D2r1Y0WHz68ishYn7X9uBJstTzkTfOr2yC8lRsOymazD6XBRiLazESX98IcxY5JuaDCIPscmuTm3qVwGF7A3px2DuRA0I5olizI/s200/5421995.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Lost-Summer-Kathryn-Williams/dp/1423101294/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1349637191&sr=8-1"><b>The Lost Summer</b></a><br />
Kathryn Williams<br />
July 2009<br />
Reading Level: YA<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Summary:
</b><br />
<div id="outer_postBodyPS" style="height: auto; overflow: hidden; z-index: 1;">
<div id="postBodyPS" style="overflow: hidden;">
<blockquote>
"I died one summer, or I almost did. Part of me did. I don't say that to be dramatic, only because it's true." </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<div>
</div>
<div>
For
the past nine years, Helena Waite has been returning to summer camp at
Southpoint. Every year the camp and its familiar routines, landmarks,
and people have welcomed her back like a long-lost family member. But
this year she is returning not as a camper, but as a counselor, while
her best friend, Katie Bell remains behind. All too quickly, Helena
discovers that the innocent world of campfires, singalongs, and field
days have been pushed aside for late night pranks on the boys' camp,
skinny dipping in the lake, and stolen kisses in the hayloft. As she
struggles to define herself in this new world, Helena begins to lose
sight of what made camp special and the friendships that have sustained
her for so many years. And when Ransome, her longtime crush, becomes a
romantic reality, life gets even more confusing. <br />
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Told
with honesty and heart, Kathryn Williams' second novel tackles the
timeless theme of growing up, set at a camp where innocence is created
and lost.</div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<b>Review:</b></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div>
In order to review this book, I have to give you an idea about what I was expecting. First of all, the title: The Lost Summer. Okay, a summer book. Secondly, the publisher: Disney. Yes, this book is published by Disney. And Disney is the King of the Happy Ending. So I knew it was going to have a cheesy ending. Third, the cover and the genre. A girl standing on a dock? Okay, that goes with the summer theme. YA? Obviously this is going to be some cheesy book about a girl getting her fairytale ending.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The one redeeming quality that I found at first was the summary. I love tales of camp, and the story seemed interesting, at least. <br />
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
As you've probably already guessed, I was completely wrong and learned my lesson about judging books based on little evidence.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
I was actually surprised to find a book published by Disney that doesn't fit nicely into the mold of What to Expect from Disney.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Obviously, it is a summer book. I was right about that aspect. However, I wasn't really accurate in thinking that everything was going to be happy-go-lucky and turn out happily ever after. The ending was bittersweet and totally unexpected, which is a definite plus. <br />
<br />
I was also pleasantly surprised to find that the relationship between Helena and Katie took precedence over the relationship between Helena and her camp sweetheart. While both were important, I'm glad that each got their fair share of attention and both were shown in a realistic way.</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div>
Overall, this is still a tale of summer. But it's also something much more than that. It's a coming of age tale, first and foremost. Helena goes through milestones this summer, and you can see the change in her as she grows as a person. It's also a tale of how relationships between people change as you age. Her relationship with her camp sweetheart and her relationship with Katie both define her for awhile, and in the end she realizes what's important in life.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This is still a short and sweet summer book, but it's got an extra layer of depth that isn't found in a lot of the books classified as "beach reads." I'd definitely recommend this as a book to read for any season.</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-68722003995720613562012-10-14T13:18:00.002-05:002012-10-14T13:18:48.082-05:00Read-a-thon End of Event Meme: The Final Update
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxgZ7ReOyLdgBmPuBPlR1eqYHkAFXfub44GH8BPxu5bzG0a_IGdwRhOwQxRs9KVVyizsD1L0JlBAH64sK83fmCe2sgozZq7unDhc0VT-rmtanoaCMgtoj-2P6BeFMmXtGCrFvYZptEpw/s1600/readathon_edited-1-300x193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxgZ7ReOyLdgBmPuBPlR1eqYHkAFXfub44GH8BPxu5bzG0a_IGdwRhOwQxRs9KVVyizsD1L0JlBAH64sK83fmCe2sgozZq7unDhc0VT-rmtanoaCMgtoj-2P6BeFMmXtGCrFvYZptEpw/s1600/readathon_edited-1-300x193.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>End of Event Meme</b></span></span></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="color: purple;"><b>Which hour was most daunting for you?</b></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
Probably hour... 16? Or so? The time I went to bed.</blockquote>
</li>
<li><span style="color: purple;"><b>Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?</b></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
All of the books I read were really good and kept my interest. <b>Wintergirls</b> by Laurie Halse Anderson,<b> Dash and Lily's Book of Dares</b> by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (and the other two collaborations by them would also be awesome for the readathon), and <b>The Lovely Bones</b> by Alice Sebold, which I'm sure everyone else has read by now.</blockquote>
</li>
<li><span style="color: purple;"><b>Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?</b></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
More cheerleaders? I was excited to have people commenting on my posts and cheering me on, but didn't see a lot of that happening. More than usual, definitely, but I'd want to see each blog getting a good amount of attention, no matter how big or small. </blockquote>
</li>
<li><span style="color: purple;"><b>What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?</b></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
Twitter! Twitter support was so great! </blockquote>
</li>
<li><span style="color: purple;"><b>How many books did you read?</b></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
2.5</blockquote>
</li>
<li><span style="color: purple;"><b>What were the names of the books you read?</b></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
Wintergirls, Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, and half of The Lovely Bones</blockquote>
</li>
<li><span style="color: purple;"><b>Which book did you enjoy most?</b></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
Dash and Lily. Super cute :)<span style="color: purple;"></span><br /><span style="color: purple;"></span></blockquote>
</li>
<li><span style="color: purple;"><b>Which did you enjoy least?</b></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
I loved them all but if I were to pick I'd say... Wintergirls. But that's holding it up to some high standards, so please don't take that to mean that I disliked the book in any significant way.</blockquote>
</li>
<li><span style="color: purple;"><b>If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?</b></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
Just what I said before... get around more. But I understand that there were too many readers and not enough cheerleaders.</blockquote>
</li>
<li><span style="color: purple;"><b>How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?</b></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
100% likely. I'll be half cheerleader half reader next time.</blockquote>
<br />And I'm going to add a few of my own questions...<br /></li>
<li><span style="color: purple;"><b>How many pages did you read?</b></span> <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
752</blockquote>
</li>
<li><span style="color: purple;"><b>How much time did you spend reading?</b></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
Approximately 10 hours. Woo!</blockquote>
</li>
</ol>
Readathon was super great, and I want to thank everyone who stopped by my blog, commented on my posts, and supported me via Twitter! I'm definitely looking forward to April and I hope to be even more involved!<br />
<br />
Jane<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-40218538747710390362012-10-13T20:14:00.000-05:002012-10-13T20:14:21.249-05:00Picturrific Mini Challenge: The Lovely BonesThis was an easy picture to choose:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbY-Embq9xBWWVnQEKUqem9PES2NkPGDim2I-jpLwoIiQNYbHMtuH9dkYY9dtu07F-7eh1yAHnyxp2C3QOKhgxwi1n0317PXHltmMTMxxDhHlQiCzbfOQOCRsTFVANiF_UHrK3KH8OLL8/s1600/20121005_090807_JessicaRidgeway_200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbY-Embq9xBWWVnQEKUqem9PES2NkPGDim2I-jpLwoIiQNYbHMtuH9dkYY9dtu07F-7eh1yAHnyxp2C3QOKhgxwi1n0317PXHltmMTMxxDhHlQiCzbfOQOCRsTFVANiF_UHrK3KH8OLL8/s1600/20121005_090807_JessicaRidgeway_200.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
This is Jessica Ridgeway. She was a ten year old girl from Colorado, and she disappeared on October 5th and her body was later discovered in pieces. <br />
<br />
Hearing this story brought tears to my eyes. It disturbs me greatly that there are people that exist in this world that would harm an innocent girl.<br />
<br />
The resemblance to The Lovely Bones is uncanny: both cases involve a girl disappearing close to her home, objects being found before the bodies, and pieces of the bodies being found. In both cases, the murderer has yet to be identified.<br />
<br />
Jessica's story really moved me to the point that I wanted to put The Lovely Bones down and read something that didn't remind me of the horrors that continue to exist on this planet. But I continue to read in the hopes that both Susie and Jessica's killers are found and brought to justice.<br />
<br />
JaneUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-30108073093192643292012-10-13T20:04:00.000-05:002012-10-13T20:04:07.090-05:00Read-a-Thon Mid-Event Survey!I really apologize for all of my Read-a-Thon posts... I'm just so swept up by the awesomeness of this idea, that I'm trying to participate in as much of it as I can!<br /><br />Which brings me to...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxgZ7ReOyLdgBmPuBPlR1eqYHkAFXfub44GH8BPxu5bzG0a_IGdwRhOwQxRs9KVVyizsD1L0JlBAH64sK83fmCe2sgozZq7unDhc0VT-rmtanoaCMgtoj-2P6BeFMmXtGCrFvYZptEpw/s1600/readathon_edited-1-300x193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxgZ7ReOyLdgBmPuBPlR1eqYHkAFXfub44GH8BPxu5bzG0a_IGdwRhOwQxRs9KVVyizsD1L0JlBAH64sK83fmCe2sgozZq7unDhc0VT-rmtanoaCMgtoj-2P6BeFMmXtGCrFvYZptEpw/s1600/readathon_edited-1-300x193.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: purple;">The Mid-Event Survey</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><b>1) How are you doing? Sleepy? Are your eyes tired?</b></span><br />
Unfortunately, yes. But my goal is 12 hours, and I've done 8... I only have 4 more to do in the next 11 hours, which means that even if I have to sleep for a few hours I can still accomplish my goal (plus some if I'm feeling really ambitious!)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><b>2) What have you finished reading?</b></span><br />
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, and am about a quarter way through The Lovely Bones.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><b>3) What is your favorite read so far?</b></span><br />
Dash and Lily's Book of Dares. I love Rachel Cohn and David Levithan's collaboration books; they are funny, sweet, and insightful.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><b>4) What about your favorite snacks?</b></span><br />
Haven't really snacked a whole lot. The best "snack" is one I haven't even mentioned yet: double mocha cappuccino. Unfortunately the powdered kind, but it's perfect for when my hands get cold!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><b>5) Have you found any new blogs through the readathon? If so, give them some love!</b></span><br />
I've been focusing mainly on my reading and participating in my own challenges, so sadly I have not looked at any blogs. However, I do plan on going back and looking at blogs tomorrow, after the challenge is over!<br />
<br />
Jane Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-41297849437651018002012-10-13T18:30:00.000-05:002012-10-13T18:30:00.594-05:00Read-a-Thon Update #3<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tr__E4mKFHKnoqqnr67W4aJvHvEIfseUncjQXOP-Xxs-1oyBpGdAyUaPr3mi1NEYLUmEsxC7-UrWMvzQ0dbDCXSprfNLGkFbLgFkMiSzRTbXQ49Fa6cseVsO3f1LRFM3-8SNx6-8Cfo/s1600/read-a-thon3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tr__E4mKFHKnoqqnr67W4aJvHvEIfseUncjQXOP-Xxs-1oyBpGdAyUaPr3mi1NEYLUmEsxC7-UrWMvzQ0dbDCXSprfNLGkFbLgFkMiSzRTbXQ49Fa6cseVsO3f1LRFM3-8SNx6-8Cfo/s1600/read-a-thon3.png" /></a></div>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="color: purple;">Read-a-thon Update: 12 PM to 6 PM</span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(click <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/">here</a> for info!)</span></span></h3>
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</div>
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Title of book(s) read: </span></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by
Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (only read the last 16 pages, so
it doesn't count)</li>
<li>Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (finished)</li>
<li> Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (finished!)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thoughts on current read:</span></span><br />
Just finished Dash and Lily and loved it! Although it was kind of funny how Lily was talking about Fiji and how she didn't want to live there, and I lived in Fiji for 4 and a half months and would happily go back!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Number of books read since you started</span></span><span style="color: #ff9966;"><span style="color: purple;">:</span> </span>2<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ff9966; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: purple;">Pages read since last update: </span></span><span style="color: #ff9966;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span>235<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ff9966; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: purple;">Running total of pages read since you started: </span></span><span style="color: #ff9966;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="color: black;">554</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #ff9966; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: purple;"> </span> </span>
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amount of time spent reading since last update:</span></span> 2.5 hours<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Running total of time spent reading since you started:</span></span> 6.5 hours<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mini-challenges completed:</span></span><br />
<a href="http://aliteraryodyssey.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-oldies-but-goodies-mini-challenge.html">Oldies but Goodies</a><br />
<a href="http://uniflamecreates.blogspot.com/2012/10/readathon-mini-challenge-readathon.html">Snacks</a><br />
<a href="http://www.reflectionsofabookaholic.com/2012/10/readathon-mini-challenge-turn-to-page.html">Turn to Page</a><br />
<a href="http://nisababepraised.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/read-a-thon-mini-challenge-hour-10-marking-books/">Marking Books</a><br />
<a href="http://www.iheartmonster.com/2012/10/day-break-mini-challenge-readathon.html">Day Break</a><br />
<a href="http://virginiebarbeau.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/deweys-24-hours-read-a-thon-hour-7-read-a-thon-a-crostic/">Read-a-Thon Acrostic</a> <br />
and am about to complete this one:<br /><a href="http://joystory.blogspot.com.br/2012/10/literacy-mini-challenge-deweys-24-hour.html">Celebrating the Reading Child</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Reading Child</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I first discovered my love of reading as a first grader. I honestly don't know<span style="font-size: small;"> exactly how it came about, but all of my memories lead <span style="font-size: small;">me to believe it was because of a teacher: M<span style="font-size: small;">rs. Lonegra.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Somehow, I connected with her. I remember being put into a <span style="font-size: small;">special grou<span style="font-size: small;">p tha<span style="font-size: small;">t specialized in writ<span style="font-size: small;">ing and<span style="font-size: small;"> (I think) r<span style="font-size: small;">eading. I remember admiring her in all the ways a young child ca<span style="font-size: small;">n admi<span style="font-size: small;">re her. I also remember, upon hearing<span style="font-size: small;"> that I was moving to Wisconsin <span style="font-size: small;">and would <span style="font-size: small;">never see her in the hallways ag<span style="font-size: small;">ain, I was upset. But <span style="font-size: small;">the <span style="font-size: small;">be<span style="font-size: small;">st part of our relatio<span style="font-size: small;">nship was yet to<span style="font-size: small;"> come: she gave all of her students her address, so we could write her over the summer if we wanted.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I wrote to her, and this led to more than ten years of co<span style="font-size: small;">rresp<span style="font-size: small;">ondence. It was usually on<span style="font-size: small;">ly one or two letters a year, but <span style="font-size: small;">it was something that I treasured. We tal<span style="font-size: small;">ked of life, books, and family. And she came to my high school graduation, fo<span style="font-size: small;">ur ho<span style="font-size: small;">urs away, even though she hadn't seen me <span style="font-size: small;">in twelve years.<br /><br />This woman <span style="font-size: small;">was not only a teacher; she was a friend. A<span style="font-size: small;">nd it is because of her that my love of reading blossomed.<span style="font-size: small;"> So every time someone asks me, "Why do you like to read so<span style="font-size: small;"> much?" I always pinpoint it back to my first grade year, where <span style="font-size: small;">I met one of my good friends who inspired me to open myself to new worlds, and to<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">make the most of the world I live in. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-36581709410766217292012-10-13T12:12:00.001-05:002012-10-13T12:13:08.056-05:00Read-a-Thon Update #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDttNnw_FbloJrZpRQKbXJMephGt_dJeHlCJ9iT9aI4by2GzqG9eOrVA508PVqHOXhnZKWeIYxgfFXqxQT2Ya-AXr9WBVXdQWkm8UfHts49ea8uYfcQDO7x-CANAEwdafLnhYu5HgxopU/s1600/readathon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDttNnw_FbloJrZpRQKbXJMephGt_dJeHlCJ9iT9aI4by2GzqG9eOrVA508PVqHOXhnZKWeIYxgfFXqxQT2Ya-AXr9WBVXdQWkm8UfHts49ea8uYfcQDO7x-CANAEwdafLnhYu5HgxopU/s320/readathon.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="color: purple;">Read-a-thon Update: 9 AM to 12 PM</span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(click <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/">here</a> for info!)</span></span></h3>
<div class="post-header">
</div>
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Title of book(s) read: </span></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by
Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (only read the last 16 pages, so
it doesn't count)</li>
<li>Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (finished)</li>
<li> Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (in progress)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thoughts on current read:</span></span><br />
I am only on page 25 but I am really enjoying it! I'm sure it'll go by very quickly!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Number of books read since you started</span></span><span style="color: #ff9966;"><span style="color: purple;">:</span> </span>1<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ff9966; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: purple;">Pages read since last update: </span></span><span style="color: #ff9966;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="color: black;">179</span></span></span><span style="color: #ff9966; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: purple;"></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ff9966; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: purple;">Running total of pages read since you started: </span></span><span style="color: #ff9966;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="color: black;">319</span></span></span><span style="color: #ff9966; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: purple;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #ff9966; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: purple;"> </span> </span>
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amount of time spent reading since last update:</span></span> 2 hours <br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Running total of time spent reading since you started:</span></span> 4 hours<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mini-challenges completed:</span></span><br />
<a href="http://aliteraryodyssey.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-oldies-but-goodies-mini-challenge.html">Oldies but Goodies</a><br />
<a href="http://uniflamecreates.blogspot.com/2012/10/readathon-mini-challenge-readathon.html">Snacks</a><br />
<a href="http://www.reflectionsofabookaholic.com/2012/10/readathon-mini-challenge-turn-to-page.html">Turn to Page</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-23333623167678295862012-10-13T09:38:00.000-05:002012-10-13T09:38:31.315-05:00Read-a-Thon Update #1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuniRuAMHv7uK7lYcLia-4xGkM2e1DrsUuNibMlRKjuAus9fVKf6qjGv3Zs2z1YbX5h4jwX64QTkfi9koNfaIGx0b248Dsgrxj0fCcmak0Eqp_CuKQKjda96dLO_qrueoORJ-IRrPFj70/s1600/deweyread_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuniRuAMHv7uK7lYcLia-4xGkM2e1DrsUuNibMlRKjuAus9fVKf6qjGv3Zs2z1YbX5h4jwX64QTkfi9koNfaIGx0b248Dsgrxj0fCcmak0Eqp_CuKQKjda96dLO_qrueoORJ-IRrPFj70/s320/deweyread_edited-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="color: purple;">Read-a-thon Update: 7 to 9 AM</span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(click <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/">here</a> for info!)</span></span></h3>
<div class="post-header">
</div>
<a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/read-a-thon-faq/"></a><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Title of book(s) read since last update: </span></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (only read the last 16 pages, so it doesn't count)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (in progress)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thoughts on current read:</span></span><br />
This book is wonderful. I know there's a lot of thought I could put into it, but since I'm focusing on the Read-a-thon I'm just making mental notes of what to think about, and then I'll think a little deeper once the Read-a-thon is done!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Number of books read since you started</span></span><span style="color: #ff9966;"><span style="color: purple;">:</span> </span>0 complete books, but finished 1<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ff9966; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: purple;">Pages read since last update: </span></span><span style="color: #ff9966;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="color: black;">140</span></span></span><span style="color: #ff9966; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ff9966; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: purple;">Running total of pages read since you started: </span></span><span style="color: #ff9966;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="color: black;">140</span></span></span><span style="color: #ff9966; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: purple;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #ff9966; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: purple;"> </span> </span>140<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amount of time spent reading since last update:</span></span> 2 hours <br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Running total of time spent reading since you started:</span></span>
2 hours<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mini-challenges completed:</span></span><br />About to complete one right now... <br />
<br />
<br />
Snacks!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgcow-9fiPjQfVCGyNeZBh26i9jbtZx6jO5T20ATEgylt8b7dYoQojzBG_I36WzUDHXVnYr-VYmY0Dw_2MyDptI9EU-GZrwjfvHsd0WpObCEYHaWxi-MZrQ1NpE8mzD1LTe97iq-VQPA/s1600/041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgcow-9fiPjQfVCGyNeZBh26i9jbtZx6jO5T20ATEgylt8b7dYoQojzBG_I36WzUDHXVnYr-VYmY0Dw_2MyDptI9EU-GZrwjfvHsd0WpObCEYHaWxi-MZrQ1NpE8mzD1LTe97iq-VQPA/s320/041.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;"><b>1. Water for hydration.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;"><b>2. Coke for flavor (it's always my drink of choice!)</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;"><b>3. Granola bars for a quick fix.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;"><b>4. Sour cream and onion potato chips for the fun of it.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;"><b>5. Cheese crackers for yumminess.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;"><b>6. Apples for energy. Which I'm about to eat one now to get me through the rest of Wintergirls.</b></span></div>
<br />
Things are going good so far, but I'm just waiting for a crash!<br />
<br />
Jane<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-19820730871706618822012-10-13T08:13:00.000-05:002012-10-13T08:13:40.292-05:00Read-a-Thon Opening Meme!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFXOFFvcyEuXGmlBCOZNsl8_KE8WB4X5QnDsy0jrG_Pt5Tv-tkppkOXzqdc3RaiLKmoetYwVnk8Z9_j8KSzF2rkTdKmQetddsf5XuBb-x9e3u_zWkoq40sOvYmnmBKtoPibBYACZg8_M/s1600/dewey1-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFXOFFvcyEuXGmlBCOZNsl8_KE8WB4X5QnDsy0jrG_Pt5Tv-tkppkOXzqdc3RaiLKmoetYwVnk8Z9_j8KSzF2rkTdKmQetddsf5XuBb-x9e3u_zWkoq40sOvYmnmBKtoPibBYACZg8_M/s320/dewey1-1024x1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
So happy to be off to a good start with <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/">my first Read-a-Thon! </a>An official update will come in an hour or so! (I apologize to those followers who don't really care- but I'll try to keep the updates short and interesting!)<br />
<br />
And without further adieu, I will now be answering the questions from the opening meme!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><b>1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?</b></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Chicago, IL.</blockquote>
<b><span style="color: purple;">2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?</span></b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I've had this book for years and haven't read it... it's definitely time to remedy that.</blockquote>
<span style="color: purple;"><b>3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?</b></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Sour cream and onion potato chips.</blockquote>
<span style="color: purple;"><b>4) Tell us a little something about yourself!</b></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I am a college student, 20 years old, and reading is my only real hobby. However I also enjoy writing on occasion, traveling, and meeting new people :)</blockquote>
<span style="color: purple;"><b>5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll
do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most
looking forward to?</b></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I'm looking forward to seeing how much I can push myself. It'll be interesting to see how long I'll last!</blockquote>
<br />
Now I'm off to read some more! Good luck to everyone else participating!<br />
<br />
Jane Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-56034281382453343182012-10-13T07:00:00.000-05:002012-10-13T07:00:04.555-05:00Dewey's Read-a-Thon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tr__E4mKFHKnoqqnr67W4aJvHvEIfseUncjQXOP-Xxs-1oyBpGdAyUaPr3mi1NEYLUmEsxC7-UrWMvzQ0dbDCXSprfNLGkFbLgFkMiSzRTbXQ49Fa6cseVsO3f1LRFM3-8SNx6-8Cfo/s1600/read-a-thon3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tr__E4mKFHKnoqqnr67W4aJvHvEIfseUncjQXOP-Xxs-1oyBpGdAyUaPr3mi1NEYLUmEsxC7-UrWMvzQ0dbDCXSprfNLGkFbLgFkMiSzRTbXQ49Fa6cseVsO3f1LRFM3-8SNx6-8Cfo/s1600/read-a-thon3.png" /></a></div>
Since I have nothing going on today, I decided (very last-minute) to participate in the 24 Hour Read-a-Thon. (Click <a href="http://janestoryblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/across-universe-million-suns.html">here</a> for info!) <br />
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It begins RIGHT NOW! So in an ideal world, I will currently be sitting in my comfy chair and reading one of the following books:<br />
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<span style="color: purple;">1. <b>Wintergirls</b> by Laurie Halse Anderson</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">2. <b>Looking for Alaska</b> by John Green</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">3. <b>The Last Battle</b> by C. S. Lewis</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">4. <b>The Lovely Bones</b> by Alice Sebold</span></div>
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I do have a few other books with me (unfortunately my glorious bookshelf is back home, so I have to settle with a small selection). I also have a library right down the street, so if there are problems with motivation or boredom, I can walk down there, grab a latte, and pick up a different book that gets me more excited.<br /><br />I will try my best to update every hour to two hours. And I will also try my best to actually participate for the majority of the 24 hours.<br />
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Wish me luck!<br />
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JaneUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-83080368854634071432012-10-12T08:00:00.000-05:002012-10-12T08:00:02.043-05:00Across the Universe + A Million Suns<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqeoKZ75nUSkyw_1O2MElhyfRN8axbjmkhgxNgZ3uS6eUdgsOR3YmIceDMO6AK9bAkHV8istwEk_lwVzJ_8hyybpqUyTlzg38kO678gY0kVNblTuXW3lP92v1boQr8d4-VPAHS1mi1dXM/s1600/across-universe-beth-revis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqeoKZ75nUSkyw_1O2MElhyfRN8axbjmkhgxNgZ3uS6eUdgsOR3YmIceDMO6AK9bAkHV8istwEk_lwVzJ_8hyybpqUyTlzg38kO678gY0kVNblTuXW3lP92v1boQr8d4-VPAHS1mi1dXM/s320/across-universe-beth-revis.jpg" width="209" /></a><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Across-Universe-Beth-Revis/dp/1595143971/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1349628312&sr=8-3">Across the Universe</a> && <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Million-Suns-Across-Universe-Novel/dp/159514398X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y">A Million Suns</a></b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Million-Suns-Across-Universe-Novel/dp/159514398X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y"> </a><br />
Beth Revis<br />
January 2011; January 2012<br />
Reading Level: YA<br />
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<b>Summary:</b><br />
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Summary is for Across the Universe:</blockquote>
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A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder. <br />
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Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the
vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three
hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen
slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be
thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own
rules.<br />
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Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere
computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the
spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her
parents will be next.<br />
<br />
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's
hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one
who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she
could never have seen coming.</blockquote>
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<b><span id="freeText3482350177463915679">Review:</span></b><span id="freeText3482350177463915679"></span><span id="freeText3482350177463915679"> </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText3482350177463915679">The first two books in the Across the Universe trilogy are perfect examples of what I love to see in a young adult book. I will demonstrate this by making a list of the aspects of the novels that make them so wonderful and unique:</span></blockquote>
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1. There is love and romance. I include this first because it is one of the things that I find the least important in a novel. However, the relationship between Amy and Elder is one that is incredibly difficult and complex, and that's what I love about it. As in real life, love and attraction is not clear cut or simple. In these novels it's clear that there is a mixture of love, obsession, fascination, and also confusion in their relationship. Despite what these characters may hope for, this is not a fairytale story, and whether there will be a fairytale ending remains to be seen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQlO18GIGl4_xJbb2jdL4grxP0jPXMmi5MI6_AYUa4ESCFd8SQf5z2yxR6S-5IzC5j72eYmiK-7OpZL4br_OcRPUC580VOGxc0BtuCMZ-iPzou5mwvzT9UVDbGHldHyScAIJX0PYVbeo/s1600/h_a-million-suns-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQlO18GIGl4_xJbb2jdL4grxP0jPXMmi5MI6_AYUa4ESCFd8SQf5z2yxR6S-5IzC5j72eYmiK-7OpZL4br_OcRPUC580VOGxc0BtuCMZ-iPzou5mwvzT9UVDbGHldHyScAIJX0PYVbeo/s320/h_a-million-suns-cover.jpg" width="211" /></a>2. The situation is hopeless. I LOVE when characters find themselves in situations that are completely out of their comfort zones. I hate when authors provide quick and easy solutions to truly difficult and impossible situations just for the sake of a happy ending. The problems of Amy and Elder are both impossible, and there are no easy solutions. Therefore, the ending is entirely unpredictable. So even though this is a dystopian story, the situations are as realistic as they can possibly be.<br />
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3. The story itself is unique. I'm sure there are plenty of books out there that are Star Wars or Star Trek related that regale the stories of Han Solo or Captain Kirk or whoever, but this is the first time I've seen a story set on a spaceship that is intended for a general young adult audience, as opposed to the audience for a Star Wars or Star Trek type story. I wasn't sure what to expect from this, which left me pleasantly surprised when I found something completely enjoyable and unique.<br />
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4. Both books were addicting. When I can't put down a book, I know it's good. This is a combination of all the above factors as well as the intrigue and suspense provided by the author.<br />
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Based on the above factors, these were both excellent books. I would definitely recommend them to young adult readers, and if you're still feeling skeptical, then let me just say that I was too when I started, but your concerns will quickly be eased once you get started and become wrapped up in the story.</blockquote>
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Note: Look for the third and final installment to this incredible trilogy, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shades-Earth-Across-Universe-Novel/dp/1595143998/ref=pd_sim_b_4"><b>Shades of Earth</b></a>, available January 15, 2013! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-3218535321690252802012-10-09T08:00:00.000-05:002012-10-09T08:00:05.626-05:00Top Ten Books That Make You Think<div style="text-align: justify;">
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TTT is hosted by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/">The Broke </a><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/">and the B</a><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/">ookish</a>. It's a lot of fun so stop by if you get the chance :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bu-xPLbEMl8j38655gjwEzHxrKjk-BmKkX2cPvsszNgOSMyDY96CVlBN4DgDTRuMzOvXd6m2FhtvVlhzVzs9jqfFiA_cjZ7gRnN6N8fTXdJGMfoheWc3ug33RPM9K1G3grM15q_sCvk/s1600/top+ten+tuesday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bu-xPLbEMl8j38655gjwEzHxrKjk-BmKkX2cPvsszNgOSMyDY96CVlBN4DgDTRuMzOvXd6m2FhtvVlhzVzs9jqfFiA_cjZ7gRnN6N8fTXdJGMfoheWc3ug33RPM9K1G3grM15q_sCvk/s1600/top+ten+tuesday.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Top Ten (erm, Twelve) Books that Make You Think</span></span></div>
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Another rewind week, and I came up with tons of books that made me think about a variety of topics. </div>
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I couldn't narrow it down to just 10, so here's 12:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUsnmLx2PxNPZxVulmZM8gTry70jsnUYZAN5ZMUBJFm_XFaPDCRDUrZsqiasDvwF-3LLGe_ciyfw7k21SqP54AIGdCSsNnR9HE46_DqkfSq7qvldRv9S7n5uwrwiWkc-LW4Ag79Umt5k/s1600/hard+love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUsnmLx2PxNPZxVulmZM8gTry70jsnUYZAN5ZMUBJFm_XFaPDCRDUrZsqiasDvwF-3LLGe_ciyfw7k21SqP54AIGdCSsNnR9HE46_DqkfSq7qvldRv9S7n5uwrwiWkc-LW4Ag79Umt5k/s200/hard+love.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJ3YTbQ-ggl2jXirK-2Cm4LVu1lpH7WzcZxJIbOqoueJm2F5NXZU9CGhiOEcQ72bl7XfZHF3ph99qTxdb8glLv5lEm_x1RzjhKsX1CpSez3JKMAG5ai7Nj8jpyPIe6nwSjgimJjm6kiI/s1600/19+minutes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>1. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Hard Love</span> by Ellen Wittlinger. I
read this awhile ago, but I remember I was blown away when thinking
about the main character's relationship to his lesbian friend (I don't
even remember either of their names, that's how long it's been). This is
one of those few young adult books that says, "Hey, first love is not
always easy, and there's not always a happy ending." </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJ3YTbQ-ggl2jXirK-2Cm4LVu1lpH7WzcZxJIbOqoueJm2F5NXZU9CGhiOEcQ72bl7XfZHF3ph99qTxdb8glLv5lEm_x1RzjhKsX1CpSez3JKMAG5ai7Nj8jpyPIe6nwSjgimJjm6kiI/s1600/19+minutes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJ3YTbQ-ggl2jXirK-2Cm4LVu1lpH7WzcZxJIbOqoueJm2F5NXZU9CGhiOEcQ72bl7XfZHF3ph99qTxdb8glLv5lEm_x1RzjhKsX1CpSez3JKMAG5ai7Nj8jpyPIe6nwSjgimJjm6kiI/s200/19+minutes.jpg" width="131" /></a>2. <b>Nineteen Minutes</b> by Jodi Picoult.<br />Now,
this applies to all (well, most... The Tenth Circle is the exception,
as I hated that book) of Jodi Picoult's books that I've read. While I
know a lot of people get sick of the repetition of her books, I love how
each one takes an important issue and looks at it from a number of
different perspectives. It always makes me think outside the box.<br /><br /> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyhln9iJ_pfrRLUHJX2nfRFUHNS58TjimXlr7bNMeoEPuLNbaLKB-CUdlZ7PZ_JGOYBzB26xVgrmsVCjqxfJEBzczlhu-nDVaX3FozAgFpSQ9vIyzKAuiJvP2jHmrDRDmDTRSYrmOsu4/s1600/ThirteenReasonsWhy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyhln9iJ_pfrRLUHJX2nfRFUHNS58TjimXlr7bNMeoEPuLNbaLKB-CUdlZ7PZ_JGOYBzB26xVgrmsVCjqxfJEBzczlhu-nDVaX3FozAgFpSQ9vIyzKAuiJvP2jHmrDRDmDTRSYrmOsu4/s200/ThirteenReasonsWhy.jpg" width="133" /></a>3.<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> <b>Thirteen Reasons Why</b> by Jay Asher.</div>
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This book was awesome because it got me thinking about how my interactions with others really have an impact on others. Something I take as being completely innocent and unimportant could have huge repercussions on the way other people feel about themselves.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0sZ226XhznNv1anOoaJbHnsZNHDZu1QHseT2Xt6LaoFsPGDAU2JbdAO5zbGCrG_twkFhmCzO8fUtiSmlxQOu7O_hQN6y-91VcHQmk-Wm6VVccTAyY3pzYPNxIKHNS3qWAHp2BM4iaDc/s1600/200px-Hunger_games.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>4. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Stargirl</span> by Jerry Spinelli.<br />Every young person should read this book, because it looks at someone who is seemingly weird and different and shows you her perspective. I relate to her because I was always weird or different growing up, and I always felt like I was judged unfairly. I also know that even though I was judged unfairly, I also have judged others in the same way, and this book helped me see that and made me take a closer look at myself and how I could improve.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0sZ226XhznNv1anOoaJbHnsZNHDZu1QHseT2Xt6LaoFsPGDAU2JbdAO5zbGCrG_twkFhmCzO8fUtiSmlxQOu7O_hQN6y-91VcHQmk-Wm6VVccTAyY3pzYPNxIKHNS3qWAHp2BM4iaDc/s1600/200px-Hunger_games.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0sZ226XhznNv1anOoaJbHnsZNHDZu1QHseT2Xt6LaoFsPGDAU2JbdAO5zbGCrG_twkFhmCzO8fUtiSmlxQOu7O_hQN6y-91VcHQmk-Wm6VVccTAyY3pzYPNxIKHNS3qWAHp2BM4iaDc/s200/200px-Hunger_games.jpg" width="132" /></a> </div>
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5. <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Hunger Games</span> by Suzanne Collins.<br />Feminism, capitalism, materialism, etc. etc. I can't say that I'm consciously thinking about these things when I'm reading, but I see that they're there and I am able to recognize it when I'm reflecting. <br /><br /> </div>
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6. <b>The Host</b> by Stephenie Meyer.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBt2S_EGEC1QnFNJ5EM_ReQaIOZyt8n107U4qruev0fKlfSDTMEKj4wgYbCVpXN_FRs0Thf5ek4-6UuSELzrKZCxOJhOXm3YoP4w7o_UHPvRnBPwMSErhwwlmT1eyuS-YxYvQRZfl3qo/s1600/looking+for+alaska.jpg"></a><br />I recently re-read this, and for the second time I was blown away by the beauty of it. The Host takes a look at what it really means to be human, which is something I will always be thinking about since reading it.<br /><br /> </div>
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7. <b>How I Live Now</b> by Meg Rosoff.<br />Such an amazing book! It definitely makes you think about how war affects the innocent bystanders, especially children, and how it can change lives forever. <br /><br /> </div>
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8. <b>Sold</b> by Patricia McCormick.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LxrG6VvIg06lCqUJik0wX8ViueXulAvEjUWPYrsEU9fRAU0zlLpiu8rmS793JCI9OkQgdje_Er3_iA3DZpr1ld3yi-ZAZH6JQjq69ShHMK0QTLErJtd8s6Ok9wwuYhVfOBS8X6H9nJY/s1600/40577411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LxrG6VvIg06lCqUJik0wX8ViueXulAvEjUWPYrsEU9fRAU0zlLpiu8rmS793JCI9OkQgdje_Er3_iA3DZpr1ld3yi-ZAZH6JQjq69ShHMK0QTLErJtd8s6Ok9wwuYhVfOBS8X6H9nJY/s200/40577411.jpg" width="133" /></a>This book about a young girl sold into prostitution was sooo painful to read. I couldn't imagine if I wasn't able to live the cozy life I live now. Most Americans are so blessed to not have this sort of oppression in our lives, and I can't believe that more people aren't aware of how common sex trafficking is in developing countries. Read this! </div>
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<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Z4FRWBefpcilRuDVvgvtwMNNIpFhM4_g_z4_O-Wo0IHz49kTt_D4PZUrRkw0_n38GHPIPs9OiOQdDeGk5oDCROkvfYZqswtVLuRSLMXxK_qnLneKZvLBF4mxFLQHcAZiIyQw_egrs1I/s1600/shine_coconut_moon_final_cover_y53d1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Z4FRWBefpcilRuDVvgvtwMNNIpFhM4_g_z4_O-Wo0IHz49kTt_D4PZUrRkw0_n38GHPIPs9OiOQdDeGk5oDCROkvfYZqswtVLuRSLMXxK_qnLneKZvLBF4mxFLQHcAZiIyQw_egrs1I/s200/shine_coconut_moon_final_cover_y53d1.jpg" width="132" /></a>9. <b>Shine, Coconut Moon</b> by Neesha Meminger.<br />While I remember I wasn't blown away by this book itself, I know that I was shocked about how limited my reading is. I rarely read young adult books about teens who are of a different race/religion/heritage/etc. It was surprising to read this and it made me want to read other novels that feature characters who grew up different than myself.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Z4FRWBefpcilRuDVvgvtwMNNIpFhM4_g_z4_O-Wo0IHz49kTt_D4PZUrRkw0_n38GHPIPs9OiOQdDeGk5oDCROkvfYZqswtVLuRSLMXxK_qnLneKZvLBF4mxFLQHcAZiIyQw_egrs1I/s1600/shine_coconut_moon_final_cover_y53d1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhnONnnr3cNW-hW3n69nZWDGhqIUVy5HD4VcXcBZ5aq4ulbkrcmTp2-qaB3VH8WElMzobs0MTzM_TOVxLhtv01Fy1V_7Hpyv0PfKXFPYPktDNzI4h5PXGvzsKZK6MM9yVub5CK2e6iLo/s1600/the+book+thief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhnONnnr3cNW-hW3n69nZWDGhqIUVy5HD4VcXcBZ5aq4ulbkrcmTp2-qaB3VH8WElMzobs0MTzM_TOVxLhtv01Fy1V_7Hpyv0PfKXFPYPktDNzI4h5PXGvzsKZK6MM9yVub5CK2e6iLo/s200/the+book+thief.jpg" width="129" /></a>10. <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Book Thief </span>by Markus Zusak.</div>
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This was another book that made me think about war and children. Most people think about World War II and think about Hitler and concentration camps, but this book shows the behind the scenes, everyday life of people living in Hitler's Germany.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCvtvrmLr8dmPgEPHyUPGc6B3EQZpvBOHn6xZ8VCf74GVsdV87rOS4n3VoNRtYACHwnEtBZPwdJ1GXvstpXh7W2GAdMLarQ9V9taJl-Uk7ZPyBq3xLQEHhVWksksSSNDZ-sC1ExHHR4c/s1600/things-fall-apart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCvtvrmLr8dmPgEPHyUPGc6B3EQZpvBOHn6xZ8VCf74GVsdV87rOS4n3VoNRtYACHwnEtBZPwdJ1GXvstpXh7W2GAdMLarQ9V9taJl-Uk7ZPyBq3xLQEHhVWksksSSNDZ-sC1ExHHR4c/s200/things-fall-apart.jpg" width="127" /></a></div>
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11. <b>Things Fall Apart</b> by Chinua Achebe.</div>
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Awesome book that shows a different culture and how colonization affects the lives of indigenous people. While this book is set in Africa, it could easily be describing the colonization of any other country out there. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3fiqHQ9MWEjCIyRdlzYPG0DuoOZKfCrGVyyTR8aM44xxhRaJI79tH_jmNI-DUMNZ0RxKAC0TkVbRGGZEl2iBT4HKHUJg35MWt-TwQFPbt9ien6QPqJAqFJTRKEMrTVeL7CKR6h4RKBI/s1600/n68076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3fiqHQ9MWEjCIyRdlzYPG0DuoOZKfCrGVyyTR8aM44xxhRaJI79tH_jmNI-DUMNZ0RxKAC0TkVbRGGZEl2iBT4HKHUJg35MWt-TwQFPbt9ien6QPqJAqFJTRKEMrTVeL7CKR6h4RKBI/s200/n68076.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
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12. <b>The Mill on the Floss</b> by George Eliot. </div>
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I've thought about this book a lot since reading it earlier this year, and what really gets me is how society pushes people to behave one way, while natural instinct pushes people to behave the way they want. It's unfortunate that girls like Maggie Tulliver were so oppressed up until fairly recently, and this book made me also think about oppression today and how it affects my life as a woman. </div>
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I hope you enjoyed my list! What are some of your favorite thought-provoking books?</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-57223801952125306572012-07-11T08:00:00.000-05:002012-07-11T08:00:17.509-05:00Going Bovine<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzEjhmVafmB227dmHf9Ey1esdo2HhvqfJQcuEfHzyd-N27gteqnohKZetnCqBhTPYyClsxThpF3KauqfSuv4Zw30jymZHjl0YmiT6zY4ypMuRuIcGWNv1motit7Rx7Ow5cevSn6q-amQ/s1600/goingbovine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzEjhmVafmB227dmHf9Ey1esdo2HhvqfJQcuEfHzyd-N27gteqnohKZetnCqBhTPYyClsxThpF3KauqfSuv4Zw30jymZHjl0YmiT6zY4ypMuRuIcGWNv1motit7Rx7Ow5cevSn6q-amQ/s320/goingbovine.jpg" width="212" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385733976/ref=dp_proddesc_1?ie=UTF8&n=283155"><b>Going Bovine</b></a><br />
Libba Bray<br />
September 2009<br />
Reading Level: YA<br />
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<b>Summary:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText3482350177463915679"><em>Can Cameron find what he’s looking for?<br /></em>All
16-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school—and life in
general—with a minimum of effort. It’s not a lot to ask. But that’s
before he’s given some bad news: he’s sick and he’s going to die. Which
totally sucks. Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk
angel/possible hallucination with a bad sugar habit. She tells Cam there
is a cure—if he’s willing to go in search of it. With the help of a
death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the
mother of all road trips through a twisted America into the heart of
what matters most.</span></blockquote>
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<b><span id="freeText3482350177463915679">Review:</span></b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText3482350177463915679">Libba Bray is an amazing author, as she proved with The Gemma Doyle Trilogy. However, I think that the events in Going Bovine were just a little too different for me.</span><br />
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<span id="freeText3482350177463915679">This book is filled with crazy circumstances. The whole book focuses on Cameron, who has mad cow disease, and his adventures trying to find a cure for his disease. The adventures he has are totally wacky, for lack of a better word, but something kept me turning the pages. The question that kept me going is whether or not Cameron was hallucinating or not, and it became clearer and clearer as the book went on. </span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText3482350177463915679">I will say this, the writing itself is impeccable. I wouldn't have read a book this wacky if the writing was bad, but Libba Bray knows how to draw a reader in.</span><br />
<span id="freeText3482350177463915679"><br /></span><br />
<span id="freeText3482350177463915679">Lastly, the message of the book was definitely a good one, even if the story itself was weird. It was a tale of love, friendship, and most of all finding yourself. While the content of the book wasn't my cup of tea, the message was great, and the writing was great, and so I'd say there's definitely a reason that this book won the Printz Award, even if I didn't love it the way I wanted it to.</span></blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-84543808729376436982012-07-04T08:00:00.000-05:002012-07-04T08:00:14.670-05:00Angels and Demons<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94FLokh4lx60l4h_pHlMDIN_TEb5hPfdrvjkzbRwn0rL1Atu4F8ASncc61fNrOzSA5imrVkQHHby58cUj6jyTggdTEreT3AC18A7CpC3k8Pn0b1NPa-HTTnEMBrJ7iBqbQ6-f4gRSzMY/s1600/AngelsDemonsDanBrown10664_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94FLokh4lx60l4h_pHlMDIN_TEb5hPfdrvjkzbRwn0rL1Atu4F8ASncc61fNrOzSA5imrVkQHHby58cUj6jyTggdTEreT3AC18A7CpC3k8Pn0b1NPa-HTTnEMBrJ7iBqbQ6-f4gRSzMY/s1600/AngelsDemonsDanBrown10664_f.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Angels-Demons-Novel-Dan-Brown/dp/B000V5WIF4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1340753873&sr=8-2&keywords=angels+and+demons"><b>Angels and Demons</b></a><br />
Dan Brown<br />
2000<br />
Reading Level: Adult<br />
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<b>Summary:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
World-renowned Harvard symboligist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss
research facility to analyze a cryptic symbol seared into the chest of a
murdered physicist. What he discovers is unimaginable: a deadly
vendetta against the Catholic Church by a centuries-old underground
organization - the Illuminati. Desperate to save the Vatican from a
powerful time bomb, Langdon joins forces in Rome with the beautiful and
mysterious scientist Vittoria Vetra. Together they embark on a frantic
hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals,
and the most secretive vault on earth . . . the long-forgotten
Illuminati lair.</blockquote>
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<b>Review:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Having read Deception Point last year and loving it, I had to give Dan Brown another try. However, I am sad to say that I don't think I'll be reading any more of his books.<br />
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The one thing that I think really ruined my opinion of the book is something I did to myself: I went online and I looked at reviews. And all of the negative reviews said that there are inaccuracies in the book, and so I looked at a list of inaccuracies and it just made the book seem so ridiculous, because apparently Dan Brown doesn't do his research. However, as a work of fiction I can kind of overlook that. Kind of. It's hard to respect a book when the author doesn't do his research.<br />
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If I hadn't read any reviews, and if I had just gone and read the book, I probably would have still thought it was just alright. My main problem is that the main character, Robert Langdon, gets out of EVERY sticky situation with hardly a scratch, it seems. This whole book takes place over the course of a day, and I know that if I had a day like he did I would be scarred for life. But everything is peachy. The book goes like this: impossible situation, repeat x 1,000,000, throw in some sexual tension, then end with a twist, and then some love making. Voila, that's Angels and Demons. But of course there's the religious aspect, but I'm ignoring that because it doesn't matter to me. All that matters is that the story was a little exciting, but predictable because by now I've learned how Dan Brown operates, and I'm sure all of his other books are remarkably similar.<br />
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Overall: it was okay. But I wouldn't recommend going on a Dan Brown reading spree, because they'll start to blur together and get boring after 2 or 3. </blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-48727785998605189992012-06-27T08:00:00.000-05:002012-06-27T08:00:02.746-05:00Emma && The Mill on the FlossIf you're anything like I was 6 months ago, you're probably reading the title and thinking, "Oh, I know Jane Austen... but who the heck is this George Eliot person? And why are they being grouped together?"<br />
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Well, I'll tell you this: George Eliot (AKA Mary Ann Evans) wrote novels in the 1800s. And whatya know, so did Jane Austen. And also, remarkably enough, there are some incredible similarities between the two novels mentioned in the title. Since I had to read both novels for my English class this past semester, and since I wrote a compare and contrast essay on them for part of my final exam, I feel like I should write my reviews in a similar way.<br />
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So, without further adieu, please let me introduce:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4PFo6BFjROvVgbhHSLrIhFyhyphenhyphensl3yywfOQJFIUd5chflW5_h0bvjd2L1gIbVaf62F6OPgK1lXUNHY2cGRs81bg2VtYJv1d_Ab8kOww2CBVqbaXTDNq0Z3qUER5cOkrgZC5kyu4VZxwlE/s1600/n68076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4PFo6BFjROvVgbhHSLrIhFyhyphenhyphensl3yywfOQJFIUd5chflW5_h0bvjd2L1gIbVaf62F6OPgK1lXUNHY2cGRs81bg2VtYJv1d_Ab8kOww2CBVqbaXTDNq0Z3qUER5cOkrgZC5kyu4VZxwlE/s320/n68076.jpg" width="208" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuDK2SpeQyQAvLHjbmK3N-zaXV9VbeLZ75EEVNTIRzNDqITW4Whx_dzOsnIWApj0sVWpAhQVB6BjwSmTPKZFDz-A_Pq49ZRGNjZpe__OxR-LckezbnVDAqcRxZRj4qQ1ygKP-g1xh5rg/s1600/Emma_Jane_Austen_book_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuDK2SpeQyQAvLHjbmK3N-zaXV9VbeLZ75EEVNTIRzNDqITW4Whx_dzOsnIWApj0sVWpAhQVB6BjwSmTPKZFDz-A_Pq49ZRGNjZpe__OxR-LckezbnVDAqcRxZRj4qQ1ygKP-g1xh5rg/s320/Emma_Jane_Austen_book_cover.jpg" width="184" /></a><b>EMMA VS. THE MILL ON THE FLOSS</b></div>
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It's only fair that I start with the similarities between the two novels. Both feature strong female leads living in 19th century England, and both females come from prominent families. Both characters are stuck living a life that does not suit them. Emma tries to overcome this by playing with her friends and making matches to add a little entertainment to her life. Maggie Tulliver (the protagonist in The Mill on the Floss) wants desperately to be loved by her brother, but at the same time she wants to be something more than the obedient and, well, boring woman that she is expected by her family to be. </div>
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The two novels are also remarkably similar in writing style. The narrator in both novels is constantly critiquing the events of the novel. In Emma, the situations are always laughable, and the narrator makes sure that the reader sees the humor clearly. In The Mill on the Floss, the narrator is a bit more scolding, almost like it wants to make sure the reader doesn't jump to silly conclusions. The narrator's commentary really makes both of the books memorable.</div>
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However, there are a number of differences between the two novels that are important to keep in mind. First: Emma is a comedy. You are meant to laugh at the events, and you are meant to read the book knowing that it will end happily, with a marriage of some sort where two happy people ride off into the sunset, or whatever it is that newlyweds did back in the 19th century.</div>
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The Mill on the Floss is not a comedy, or at least not predominantly. It is a tragedy, from beginning to end. You see Maggie's impossible situation from the first page, where you learn what is expected from the spirited little girl. You know the only possible outcomes would be for her to either succumb to societies expectations of her, which will crush her spirits and leave her unhappy, or to live her life as an outcast from her own family, which would make her unhappy because of her extreme desire to please her brother Tom. You know that there is no fairytale ending.</div>
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Okay, so that's the end of my analysis. Even though there are similarities and differences between the two novels, they are both really good in their own ways. Emma is hilarious if you let yourself get lost in the ridiculousness of the characters, and it's really just a fun novel that you can't help but love in the end. The Mill on the Floss is also amazing. There is a bit of humor, but it's mostly heart-wrenching and tear-jerking and you find yourself rooting for Maggie the whole way. It's a long book, I'll give it that, and at times it can be difficult to read it, but once you get through it you can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment.</div>
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I would recommend BOTH of these novels to anyone looking to expand their literary pursuits. I loved them both, although I have to say The Mill on the Floss has a truly special place in my heart. You should definitely give it a try. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-70818652881404135642012-06-20T08:00:00.000-05:002012-06-20T08:00:07.734-05:00The Time Traveler's Wife<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjav99cUCDQeqb5i8ht4YzXjgLdwfMYrTf1qglxgAevsptz0-GSTPcCXIajynvJmklwebQBbNrq4XLTf1QVkbXIzseMQ-cWcSqnNxx9kJzMBzwuN5P83Rx0KND8cGJswb7digKML1Kthrc/s1600/200px-TimeTravellersWife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjav99cUCDQeqb5i8ht4YzXjgLdwfMYrTf1qglxgAevsptz0-GSTPcCXIajynvJmklwebQBbNrq4XLTf1QVkbXIzseMQ-cWcSqnNxx9kJzMBzwuN5P83Rx0KND8cGJswb7digKML1Kthrc/s320/200px-TimeTravellersWife.jpg" width="198" /></a><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Time-Travelers-Wife-Audrey-Niffenegger/dp/0547119798/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1340138892&sr=8-2&keywords=the+time+traveler%27s+wife" target="">The Time Traveler's Wife</a></b><br />
Audrey Niffenegger<br />
September 2003<br />
Reading Level: Adult<br />
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<b>Summary:</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Audrey Niffenegger's innovative debut, <b>The Time Traveler's Wife</b>,
is the story of Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an
adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since Clare was six
and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-three
and Henry thirty-one. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself
periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity
from his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his
experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing.<br /><br /><b>The Time Traveler's Wife</b><i> </i>depicts
the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's marriage and their
passionate love for each other, as the story unfolds from both points of
view. Clare and Henry attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar
goals -- steady jobs, good friends, children of their own. All of this
is threatened by something they can neither prevent nor control, making
their story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.</blockquote>
<br />
<b>Review:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Time Traveler's Wife is a book that is hard to describe. It's different than any other love story I've ever read, and for that reason I completely love it.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Clare has known Henry since she was a little girl, and she knew almost from the beginning that she would end up married to him. It is this detail that makes the novel so interesting and the love so different: as a reader, I was constantly wondering how Clare could handle such a life, because she could never be sure that her love is true, or if it was simply an obligation to be fulfilled. While it's clear that Henry and Clare's love was strong, there was always something more behind it.<br />
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The story itself is a different take on time travel as well; instead of seeing it as something supernatural, it's simply a fact of life that must be worked around and suffered through. And personally, I've always loved time travel stories, so this love story was right up my alley.<br />
<br />
While I feel the book got off to a slow start- too much dialogue, I would say- it definitely picked up and rocked my world. I was so into the story that it was impossible to give up, even after I'd turned the last page. I'd definitely recommend it to someone who's looking for a good, solid romance. </blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502684185689741943.post-28052267385719445992012-03-24T08:00:00.000-05:002012-10-07T19:01:03.370-05:00Every Other Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfLXYQ57Y5eQsFoX_-mUOMsC4iZa9UdnsFlrFmEoAAfEzEsQFKGnLBBO1gL0feUZNDjhug6mX4wQunQBaY5wVrQwTQfUbVlmiAj8ZMAWRUY9_oWssXGqhPxBsdC3p9jLklCmUqf61JmAs/s1600/everydrop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfLXYQ57Y5eQsFoX_-mUOMsC4iZa9UdnsFlrFmEoAAfEzEsQFKGnLBBO1gL0feUZNDjhug6mX4wQunQBaY5wVrQwTQfUbVlmiAj8ZMAWRUY9_oWssXGqhPxBsdC3p9jLklCmUqf61JmAs/s200/everydrop.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1606841696/ref=cm_cr_error" target="">Every Other Day</a></b><br />
Jennifer Lynn Barnes<br />
December 2011<br />
Reading Level: YA<br />
<br />
<b>Summary:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText6489884185983089607">Every other day, Kali
D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high
school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.
<br />
<br />And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely.
<br />
<br />Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours
predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter
with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds,
and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way
she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government
considers it environmental terrorism.
<br />
<br />When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at
school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of
these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and,
unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few
new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. .
.and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<b>Review:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I've heard nothing but good things about Jennifer Lynn Barnes' books,
and so when I picked up Every Other Day I was beyond excited to read it.<br />
<br />
I
was a little put off by the idea behind it, to tell you the truth. The
book is targeted toward Buffy fans, and since I'm kind of indifferent to
Buffy I wasn't sure what to expect. I also wasn't totally drawn in by
the description on the back cover.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, I took the leap
and gave it a try. Fortunately, I found the book to be very enjoyable.
My only minor problem is that it seemed really, really far-fetched. I
understand that that's the point with supernatural books like this, but
with this book it just seemed a little bit contrived. This alternate
world that Barnes was creating just didn't feel effortless to me.<br />
<br />
Other
than that, I was completely drawn into the story. I loved Kali's
character. She's strong, independent, and yet she feels completely
alone. Up until this point in her life, she's been happy with being
alone, but now that she's been given a good dose of friendship she
realizes just how lonely she really is. Her emotional and physical
journeys throughout the book are both believable and give the reader a
true sense of understanding and compassion for her.<br />
<br />
I also loved
the eccentricity of Skylar, one of Kali's new friends. Bethany showed
some, but not a lot, of the same sort of depth of character that Kali
showed, and I think without their depth the story would have lost a lot
of its power and meaning. As it is, the characters and their struggles
really brought the story together.<br />
<br />
The conclusion of the story
was satisfying and unsatisfying all at once. I can see where the story
could end here, because Kali's life has sort of fallen into place, but I
can also see where the story could easily be built upon into a series.
That being said, Every Other Day is meant to be a standalone, and so
readers may have to use their imagination for some aspects that may not
have been tied up as neatly as they could have been.
</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0