Do I need to insert the synopsis? I think most of this community has heard of this one. But before you put down the awesome book you're probably reading, think, ' Do I need to read this just because everyone else has?' and, ' Do I feel like wasting a day or two of my life reading this?' because I wish I would have ask myself that.
Here is my goodreads review. It does contain a few minor spoilers.
Oh boy. I am still trying to figure out why so many people loved this book. I consider myself pretty open minded when it comes to reading books in genre's I don't particularly like ( chick lit & romance for example) but I just couldn't get into this one. Usually after a book club discussion, I love the books even more than I did whilst reading them, however that's just not the case with Fifty Shades. Although there were parts I did enjoy, it just didn't do it for me.
I had heard a fair bit about this book before I had decided to pick it up. Quite a few people had told me about the twilight comparisons, and the steamy BDSM scenes and the appeal of the main male character, Christian Grey. I think this spoiled it for me actually. Firstly, yes, I did notice the similarities to twilight particularly in the characters mannerisms (i.e Anastasia's clumsiness). I liked this actually because it helped me get a feel for the characters pretty early on. I actually liked Anastasia's character and her friend Kate. However, I felt that the writing of this book was almost geared to young adults. It was mature subject matter for sure, but I felt the writing style was similar to a lot of YA books I have read, like Twilight for example. It made me feel uncomfortable reading the sex scenes because I almost felt like Anastasia was a young Bella instead of a grown up strong woman with the ability to handle herself in these sexy/kind-of-scary situations ( for lack of a better term). The only grown up strong woman in this book was her "Inner Goddess" who was usually contradicting Ana's actions. I would have much like to read a story about Ana's Inner Goddess and Christian Grey as I think that would have "gotten me in the mood" more.
To say something positive, the relationship growth between Ana and Christian, to me, was the best part. I loved the scene where they are out eating oysters and the scene where Christian takes her gliding.
This book just didn't flow too well, I felt like there was quite a few good story lines that just didn't go anywhere, and a few ideas that were just left hanging. I felt like James was giving us too few snippets of the rest of the story besides the sex parts, and I was curious to know more about the other characters and how they played into the story, like their families, Jose ( people who we never really get to know) and their friends, and Taylor, the butler.
Perhaps this is why it was left on a cliff, and two more books are sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. I liked it enough to read the next two but I'm not sure I would recommend this to anyone other than my romance genre-loving friends.
My book club has decided to read the last two books for July. I was hoping my Bday month wouldn't include Christian Grey but alas, I can't just read one book in a series and not finish the others. until the next one my friends!
Here is my goodreads review. It does contain a few minor spoilers.
Oh boy. I am still trying to figure out why so many people loved this book. I consider myself pretty open minded when it comes to reading books in genre's I don't particularly like ( chick lit & romance for example) but I just couldn't get into this one. Usually after a book club discussion, I love the books even more than I did whilst reading them, however that's just not the case with Fifty Shades. Although there were parts I did enjoy, it just didn't do it for me.
I had heard a fair bit about this book before I had decided to pick it up. Quite a few people had told me about the twilight comparisons, and the steamy BDSM scenes and the appeal of the main male character, Christian Grey. I think this spoiled it for me actually. Firstly, yes, I did notice the similarities to twilight particularly in the characters mannerisms (i.e Anastasia's clumsiness). I liked this actually because it helped me get a feel for the characters pretty early on. I actually liked Anastasia's character and her friend Kate. However, I felt that the writing of this book was almost geared to young adults. It was mature subject matter for sure, but I felt the writing style was similar to a lot of YA books I have read, like Twilight for example. It made me feel uncomfortable reading the sex scenes because I almost felt like Anastasia was a young Bella instead of a grown up strong woman with the ability to handle herself in these sexy/kind-of-scary situations ( for lack of a better term). The only grown up strong woman in this book was her "Inner Goddess" who was usually contradicting Ana's actions. I would have much like to read a story about Ana's Inner Goddess and Christian Grey as I think that would have "gotten me in the mood" more.
To say something positive, the relationship growth between Ana and Christian, to me, was the best part. I loved the scene where they are out eating oysters and the scene where Christian takes her gliding.
This book just didn't flow too well, I felt like there was quite a few good story lines that just didn't go anywhere, and a few ideas that were just left hanging. I felt like James was giving us too few snippets of the rest of the story besides the sex parts, and I was curious to know more about the other characters and how they played into the story, like their families, Jose ( people who we never really get to know) and their friends, and Taylor, the butler.
Perhaps this is why it was left on a cliff, and two more books are sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. I liked it enough to read the next two but I'm not sure I would recommend this to anyone other than my romance genre-loving friends.
My book club has decided to read the last two books for July. I was hoping my Bday month wouldn't include Christian Grey but alas, I can't just read one book in a series and not finish the others. until the next one my friends!
The Dud Avocado follows the romantic and comedic adventures of a young American who heads overseas to conquer Paris in the late 1950s. Edith Wharton and Henry James wrote about the American girl abroad, but it was Elaine Dundy’s Sally Jay Gorce who told us what she was really thinking. Charming, sexy, and hilarious, The Dud Avocado gained instant cult status when it was first published and it remains a timeless portrait of a woman hell-bent on living.
“I had to tell someone how much I enjoyed The Dud Avocado. It made me laugh, scream, and guffaw (which, incidentally, is a great name for a law firm).” –Groucho Marx
I put out a recommendation request, looking for a chick-lit book that actually had a cool female MC in it. I read most of the books that were recommended to me, last being The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy. I was quite disappointed with the other books that were recommended but this one ( although not exactly what I was looking for) definitely got my attention.
This book was exactly like reading some type of Sex and The City movie , only it's set in France in the 1950's and instead of SJP, we have a pink-haired Sally Jay Gorce, who just wants to be young, and wild, and free.
I am NOT a Sex and the City fan, but this was definitely a fun read. It wasn't extremely exciting, definitely not a must read, and it did drag in the middle, but I still found it fun. It was like reading an old movie and it was exiting to picture what the characters looked like and what the night clubs were like and what Paris in the 1950's looked like. Just a good time!
Goodreads Synopsis
This is a book about a brother and a sister. It's a book about secrets and starting over, friendship and family, triumph and tragedy, and everything in between. More than anything, it's a book about love in all its forms.
In a remarkably honest and confident voice, Sarah Winman has written the story of a memorable young heroine, Elly, and her loss of innocence- a magical portrait of growing up and the pull and power of family ties. From Essex and Cornwall to the streets of New York, from 1968 to the events of 9/11, When God Was a Rabbit follows the evolving bond of love and secrets between Elly and her brother Joe, and her increasing concern for an unusual best friend, Jenny Penny, who has secrets of her own. With its wit and humor, engaging characters whose eccentricities are adroitly and sometimes darkly drawn, and its themes of memory and identity, When God Was a Rabbit is a love letter to true friendship and fraternal love.
Funny, utterly compelling, fully of sparkle, and poignant, too, When God Was a Rabbit heralds the start of a remarkable new literary career
At the end of this one, I needed a beer.
This book was a bit strange to me. The first half is about Elly's childhood and all the horrible things that happen in it. The second half is about her in her twenty-somethings and all the terrible things that happen in it. I thought this was supposed to be about the relationship between her and her brother, but really it's about Elly's life and HER relationship to him, and all the other characters in this book. I'm not sure still why the synopsis' make a point to tell you it is a brother/sister story because I didn't really feel that.
It wasn't a bad book at all. In fact, I gave it 4/5 stars. It was a very dark and intriguing book to me. It sort of reminded me of the move Little Miss Sunshine, because of all the dark things that happen sometimes hidden in humour.
In the Author's note, Winman tells us violence is one of the common themes in this book, as well as the "magic" of being about to start fresh when this is entirely impossible in real life, and we carry our past with us no matter how hard we try not to. I think she did a great job in sticking with these themes, and after reading her author's note, I feel like I "got it" because the whole second half of this book lost me. I still couldn't put it down but it went from this weird dark book about a child , to a very heavy, very realistic 9/11 story that almost had me in tears.
So although I do feel this book to be a bit strange, I am definitely glad I took the time to read it. I little out of my comfort zone genre wise but I like doing that from time to time.
This weekend, as I anticipate the arrival of my new kitty,(we get him tomorrow!) I distracted my excitement with John Michael Cummings Ugly to Start With. This book was a really suburb literary piece of work. There is no doubts that Cummings is a talent author with some incredible ideas. However, the short stories featured in this book really didn't connect with me. You get the point of them, how young Jason, an aspiring artist, figures out his fit in the interesting world he lives in, but they seemed lacking in any kind of structure. You would almost get to a climactic point in the story, and then you'd be cut off. This was probably intented, but didn't fulfill me at all. Although we see snippets of Jason's family, I don't really feel like I know or understand them at all, or him for that matter. It was just a bunch of random weird things that happened in his life, that didn't really come from anywhere, go anywhere, or make much sense. It was only 168 pages long, so I was able to enjoy it as a literary piece enough to not be so disappointed by it, but I feel like I definitely missed something.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Jason Stevens is growing up in picturesque, historic Harpers Ferry, West Virginia in the 1970s. Back when the roads are smaller, the cars slower, the people more colorful, and Washington, D.C. is way across the mountains—a winding sixty-five miles away.
Jason dreams of going to art school in the city, but he must first survive his teenage years. He witnesses a street artist from Italy charm his mother from the backseat of the family car. He stands up to an abusive husband—and then feels sorry for the jerk. He puts up with his father’s hard-skulled backwoods ways, his grandfather’s showy younger wife, and the fist-throwing schoolmates and eccentric mountain characters that make up Harpers Ferry—all topped off by a basement art project with a girl from the poor side of town.
Ugly to Start With punctuates the exuberant highs, bewildering midpoints, and painful lows of growing up, and affirms that adolescent dreams and desires are often fulfilled in surprising ways.
Paperback, 168 pages
Published October 1st 2011 by West Virginia University Press
My Rating: 3/5
My Rating: 3/5
I'll be honest and tell you I haven't been reading much ( although it feels like more when I see the last book I blogged about!) due to nicer weather, my xbox, working out, hanging out etc. I just feel like everything I need to be submersed in the book-loving online community can be found on YouTube and GoodReads. Yet here I am aching to tell you about the book I just finished, Everything Was Good-Bye buy Gurjinder Basran. So here I am, back again hopeing to hang on to a shred of the excitement I felt when posting about something I was passionate about!
Goodreads Synopsis:
This wonderful coming of age story is centered around Meena, a young Indian woman growing up in Vancouver who has a foot in two different worlds -India and Canada. The rich fabric of everyday Indian life is the backdrop to the struggle of young second-generation immigrants on the rocky road to assimilation. Ransacked by doubts, Meena is a self-hating woman who struggles with her heritage and cultural identity. She soon finds there's a price to be paid for following customs instead of her heart, resulting in a loveless marriage and the expectations and demands of her Indian family. She tries to leave the old world behind and establish her own identity by escaping her native culture and its obligations, even though she knows better. In this often painfully honest and original narrative, we witness Meena's painful process of self-discovery and independence.
Paperback, 352 pages
Published March 6th 2012 by Penguin (Group) Canada (first published 2008)
That's riiiight Vancouver~! I LOVE reading books about places I used to live in/live close to, because you just KNOW what kind of setting the author
is describing and that is just fantastic to me.
This book was SO good. Firstly, I would like to mention that, in compliance with FTC guidelines, I disclose that I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads!
Now where to start? The reason I wanted to read this book so bad wasn't because it was listed as a giveaway. I am from Vancouver Island and born in Surrey BC. Meena, our MC lived in North Delta which is close. It's rare that I get to read a coming-of-age fiction novel from Canada, let alone pretty much right next door. The fact that I thought it was awesome just made this the best book I've read in 2012.
This book is definitely a love story. Not in the way I imagine most people would think of a fictional love story though. No, this book was definitely sad. It broke me heart in places and it was so vivid to me that I felt like I was really experiencing who Meena was. It was hard to remember that this book was fictitious even because it seemed so real to me. It had too many unexpected twists and turns to make it not seem like fiction, but the way Basran wrote Meena's story and told us how she felt made me ache it felt so real.
I really hope to see more of Basran in the future. It's been so long since I sat down and finished a book in two days. Had I more time, it would have only been one.
Well now I have plenty of reading to do in catching up on your blogs. That's truly why I came back I think :) See you around!
That's riiiight Vancouver~! I LOVE reading books about places I used to live in/live close to, because you just KNOW what kind of setting the author
is describing and that is just fantastic to me.
This book was SO good. Firstly, I would like to mention that, in compliance with FTC guidelines, I disclose that I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads!
Now where to start? The reason I wanted to read this book so bad wasn't because it was listed as a giveaway. I am from Vancouver Island and born in Surrey BC. Meena, our MC lived in North Delta which is close. It's rare that I get to read a coming-of-age fiction novel from Canada, let alone pretty much right next door. The fact that I thought it was awesome just made this the best book I've read in 2012.
This book is definitely a love story. Not in the way I imagine most people would think of a fictional love story though. No, this book was definitely sad. It broke me heart in places and it was so vivid to me that I felt like I was really experiencing who Meena was. It was hard to remember that this book was fictitious even because it seemed so real to me. It had too many unexpected twists and turns to make it not seem like fiction, but the way Basran wrote Meena's story and told us how she felt made me ache it felt so real.
I really hope to see more of Basran in the future. It's been so long since I sat down and finished a book in two days. Had I more time, it would have only been one.
Well now I have plenty of reading to do in catching up on your blogs. That's truly why I came back I think :) See you around!
(picture from google images)okokokokokokokok. I know.
There is a LOT going on in these books, and i wouldnt necessarily call Meghan Chase the most exciting female MC I've ever read, but I LOVE this series. I just can't help it. These books are so fun to read and I just get so into it.
I love all the characters ( and there are lots). I love how there is constantly something going on. I love Ash. I love how even though there are mushy parts, they somehow fit this series and still make it fun. I love the balance between summer and winter. I love the cover.I love the glamour.
This book was so fun to read. I just really have an actual good time reading them. I agree they are not perfect, and so much is going on Kagawa could have easily slowed parts down, but she didn't, and I dig it.
4/5 and I can't WAIT to read book 3!
Goodreads Synopsis:
Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart
There is a LOT going on in these books, and i wouldnt necessarily call Meghan Chase the most exciting female MC I've ever read, but I LOVE this series. I just can't help it. These books are so fun to read and I just get so into it.
I love all the characters ( and there are lots). I love how there is constantly something going on. I love Ash. I love how even though there are mushy parts, they somehow fit this series and still make it fun. I love the balance between summer and winter. I love the cover.I love the glamour.
This book was so fun to read. I just really have an actual good time reading them. I agree they are not perfect, and so much is going on Kagawa could have easily slowed parts down, but she didn't, and I dig it.
4/5 and I can't WAIT to read book 3!
Goodreads Synopsis:
Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart
I JUST finished reading this FINALLY. I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy! A book about racing dangerous Kelpies!? YES PLEASE! Please note, this post contains some spoilers.
Here is the goodreads synopsis so you get the gist if you didn't already know what this book is about:
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.
Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.
What I actually really found fascinating about this book was the economy of the Island. You spend so much time waiting and anticipating the actual race ( which i didn't like really but that's what really keeps you reading!), that you learn so much more than just about the characters and the horses. I loved reading about the shops and when it was quiet and then busy when tourists came, and the bakery dynamic, and who can afford what, and which roles they play in the community, what jobs people had, etc etc. SO interesting how she wrote this well enough to spark my own aging imagination in a YA fantasy novel. I'm impressed.
Setting, Setting, Setting. I can just picture this being read in a middle grade English class, and the prof asking for a diorama of the island. It left a lot up to the imagination.
I thought the whole fictional island idea first of all was pretty rad on Stiefvater's part, and I love how she takes a story about water horse legend and makes it her own, but still sticks to some basic characteristics of the mythical creature she writes about.
I also really liked her female MC "Puck". Definitely a strong female character, and the world can never have enough of those. Sean wasn't my favourite male MC of all time ( I liked Finn & Gabe much better!) but I thought they were a nice pairing and I like how the focus of this book was not the love between the MC's as much as it was about the love of horses. We all need a good horse-loving book from time to time.
This actually wasn't a book that I can say I fell in utter love with. I'm giving it a 3/5, but I appreciated how Stiefvater told this story and I think for the YA fans out there- it's worth the read!
Here is the goodreads synopsis so you get the gist if you didn't already know what this book is about:
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.
Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.
What I actually really found fascinating about this book was the economy of the Island. You spend so much time waiting and anticipating the actual race ( which i didn't like really but that's what really keeps you reading!), that you learn so much more than just about the characters and the horses. I loved reading about the shops and when it was quiet and then busy when tourists came, and the bakery dynamic, and who can afford what, and which roles they play in the community, what jobs people had, etc etc. SO interesting how she wrote this well enough to spark my own aging imagination in a YA fantasy novel. I'm impressed.
Setting, Setting, Setting. I can just picture this being read in a middle grade English class, and the prof asking for a diorama of the island. It left a lot up to the imagination.
I thought the whole fictional island idea first of all was pretty rad on Stiefvater's part, and I love how she takes a story about water horse legend and makes it her own, but still sticks to some basic characteristics of the mythical creature she writes about.
I also really liked her female MC "Puck". Definitely a strong female character, and the world can never have enough of those. Sean wasn't my favourite male MC of all time ( I liked Finn & Gabe much better!) but I thought they were a nice pairing and I like how the focus of this book was not the love between the MC's as much as it was about the love of horses. We all need a good horse-loving book from time to time.
This actually wasn't a book that I can say I fell in utter love with. I'm giving it a 3/5, but I appreciated how Stiefvater told this story and I think for the YA fans out there- it's worth the read!
For the month of February, my book club is reading Angela's Ashes. This very popular novel has been on my TBR list for what seems like ever. I've picked it up SO many times but just never cracked it open and actually seen what it was about.
I absolutely loved this book. It is for sure a Modern Classic, and a MUST read in my opinion. I found an interview McCourt did with Allan Greigg and I wanted to post it. It is a little long, and contains spoilers but It was very well done. I hope to post more about this book after we have our book club meeting ( as I find I have many more thoughts and things to say after we talk about it), but for now if anyone is interested, I'll leave you with the interview.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAr6fCwBA_g&feature=related
And wow, I have 12 books in a big stack beside me that I'm trying to burn through ASAP, so hopefully you'll be hearing from me soon!
I absolutely loved this book. It is for sure a Modern Classic, and a MUST read in my opinion. I found an interview McCourt did with Allan Greigg and I wanted to post it. It is a little long, and contains spoilers but It was very well done. I hope to post more about this book after we have our book club meeting ( as I find I have many more thoughts and things to say after we talk about it), but for now if anyone is interested, I'll leave you with the interview.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAr6fCwBA_g&feature=related
And wow, I have 12 books in a big stack beside me that I'm trying to burn through ASAP, so hopefully you'll be hearing from me soon!
My book club book is sure kept me busy and this stack of tbr books beside the couch is growing at an alarming rate!
Fortunately, I was able to quickly burn though Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban! I really wanted to read all the HP books and have been buying the movie after I finish each one. I have seen all of the movies but I definitely want them on my DVD shelf!
Fortunately, I was able to quickly burn though Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban! I really wanted to read all the HP books and have been buying the movie after I finish each one. I have seen all of the movies but I definitely want them on my DVD shelf!
I must say that although this has been my favourite book in the series, I found it this movie least like the book. In fact, I was confused in the movie at some parts, thinking it didnt make sense because they skipped parts of the book. During the movie I have often pointed out little things to Shaun ( who watches them with me as he hasnt seen the movies) that were different in the book, but I felt like after the Prisoner of Azkaban, by side notes turned into more of a re-telling.
These books sure are wonderful though and I am excited to read The Goblet of Fire, as that was probably my favourite movie!
I also can't wait to read and share with you some of the other books I am reading, but man is life sure trying to mess with my reading time!
As for the Prisoner of Azkaban, I gave it a 5/5. Love that HP!
Goodreads Synopsis:
. K. Rowling continues to bewitch readers everywhere with the third book in her magical Potter series, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Harry's ongoing exploits, along with those of his contemporaries, teachers, and relatives, are as imaginative, entertaining, and mysterious as ever. For during Harry's third year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he must face his greatest challenge yet: a confrontation with Sirius Black, an escaped convict and madman who is rumored to be in cahoots with Harry's archenemy, the Dark Wizard Lord Voldemort. This alone would be daunting enough, but Harry's task is made even more trying when he discovers that Sirius is suspected of being the one who killed Harry's parents.
For Harry, the Hogwarts campus has always been a sanctuary, but when Black escapes from the horrifying clutches of Azkaban Prison, all clues suggest the madman is headed for Hogwarts and Harry himself. As a result, the school starts to feel more like a prison than a sanctuary as Harry finds himself constantly watched and under guard. What's more, the terrifying Dementors - the horrifying creatures who guard Azkaban Prison - are lurking about the campus looking for Black. And their effect on Harry is a devastating one.
Still, life at school offers plenty of distractions. Harry really likes the new teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Lupin, who might be able to teach Harry how to defend himself against the Dementors. But Professor Snape's behavior toward Lupin has Harry wondering what secrets the two men are hiding. Harry's friend Hermione is also acting very strangely. And, of course, there is the tension caused by the ongoing Quidditch competition between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins and the never-ending bullying of the Slytherin leader, Draco Malfoy.
One of Rowling's greatest strengths is her ability to stack mystery upon mystery in a way that keeps the pages turning without frustrating the reader. Her clues are always fair and bountiful, but it's easy to lose track of them in the midst of all the high suspense, spell-casting action, and unexpected plot twists. That's okay, because Rowling ties it all neatly together at the end in a way that will leave readers snapping their fingers and muttering, "Oh yeah. Forgot about that one. How clever!"
Harcover 435 pages
Published May 1st 2004 by Scholastic Inc. (first published 1999)
These books sure are wonderful though and I am excited to read The Goblet of Fire, as that was probably my favourite movie!
I also can't wait to read and share with you some of the other books I am reading, but man is life sure trying to mess with my reading time!
As for the Prisoner of Azkaban, I gave it a 5/5. Love that HP!
Goodreads Synopsis:
. K. Rowling continues to bewitch readers everywhere with the third book in her magical Potter series, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Harry's ongoing exploits, along with those of his contemporaries, teachers, and relatives, are as imaginative, entertaining, and mysterious as ever. For during Harry's third year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he must face his greatest challenge yet: a confrontation with Sirius Black, an escaped convict and madman who is rumored to be in cahoots with Harry's archenemy, the Dark Wizard Lord Voldemort. This alone would be daunting enough, but Harry's task is made even more trying when he discovers that Sirius is suspected of being the one who killed Harry's parents.
For Harry, the Hogwarts campus has always been a sanctuary, but when Black escapes from the horrifying clutches of Azkaban Prison, all clues suggest the madman is headed for Hogwarts and Harry himself. As a result, the school starts to feel more like a prison than a sanctuary as Harry finds himself constantly watched and under guard. What's more, the terrifying Dementors - the horrifying creatures who guard Azkaban Prison - are lurking about the campus looking for Black. And their effect on Harry is a devastating one.
Still, life at school offers plenty of distractions. Harry really likes the new teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Lupin, who might be able to teach Harry how to defend himself against the Dementors. But Professor Snape's behavior toward Lupin has Harry wondering what secrets the two men are hiding. Harry's friend Hermione is also acting very strangely. And, of course, there is the tension caused by the ongoing Quidditch competition between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins and the never-ending bullying of the Slytherin leader, Draco Malfoy.
One of Rowling's greatest strengths is her ability to stack mystery upon mystery in a way that keeps the pages turning without frustrating the reader. Her clues are always fair and bountiful, but it's easy to lose track of them in the midst of all the high suspense, spell-casting action, and unexpected plot twists. That's okay, because Rowling ties it all neatly together at the end in a way that will leave readers snapping their fingers and muttering, "Oh yeah. Forgot about that one. How clever!"
Harcover 435 pages
Published May 1st 2004 by Scholastic Inc. (first published 1999)
Thank you so much to Petra over at Hazel The Witch for the Versatile Blogger award!
Here are the rules that go along with this
award:
1. In a post on your blog,
present at least 5 fellow bloggers with the Versatile Blogger
Award.
2. In the same post, add the
Versatile Blogger Award.
3. In the same
post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back to their
blog.
4. In the same post, share 7
completely random pieces of information about yourself.
5. In the same post, include this set of
rules.
6. Inform each nominated blogger
of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.
The Blogs I Chose:
Little Book Owl
Epic Chocolate Fantasy
Book Reaper
Carabosse's Library
I Heart Books
7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
1. I work out everyday
2. my favourite foods are sushi and popcorn ( hence why i work out everyday)
3. my birthday is in July
4. I love storms
5. I played the trombone in high school band class
6. I'm planning a trip to Argentina
7. I dont own a pair of heels
Here are the rules that go along with this
award:
1. In a post on your blog,
present at least 5 fellow bloggers with the Versatile Blogger
Award.
2. In the same post, add the
Versatile Blogger Award.
3. In the same
post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back to their
blog.
4. In the same post, share 7
completely random pieces of information about yourself.
5. In the same post, include this set of
rules.
6. Inform each nominated blogger
of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.
The Blogs I Chose:
Little Book Owl
Epic Chocolate Fantasy
Book Reaper
Carabosse's Library
I Heart Books
7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
1. I work out everyday
2. my favourite foods are sushi and popcorn ( hence why i work out everyday)
3. my birthday is in July
4. I love storms
5. I played the trombone in high school band class
6. I'm planning a trip to Argentina
7. I dont own a pair of heels
So much to say! I've been putting off this post until AFTER we had book club so I could tell you about it.
Being in a book club was seriously on my bucket list. I crave talking to people about books. It is one of my one true passions in life. Obviously you guys share the same passions as well or else you wouldn't be reading this. I love blogging, and having this online community who understands my love for books and participates in that, so to sit with a group of people face-to-face and do it is really a dream come true for me.
We read Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants. I didn't particularly LOVE the book ( 3/5 id say) so I was a bit nervous about our discussion. I had a hard time believing in the love between Marlena and Jacob and found the characters to be lacking. To be honest, after reading The Night Circus, no circus will ever be able to compare. And, if you're looking for an Elephant fix, the movieOng Bak 2tops my list. So really, after reading Water for Elephants, I found it only sub-par.
The women at the book club however seemed to just LOVE it. I didn't want to be the Negative Nancy of the club, especially on my first meeting.
Once we got to talking about the book I was SO into it. We didn't just say who liked it/didn't, we actually talked about certain aspects of the characters, and themes of the books. Hearing the ladies thoughts and perspectives was fascinating to me. It didn't end up being a question of whether the book was good or not, but more of the whole picture.
This didn't really change my initial opinion of the book itself. It's still not really my style of a read, but it definitely helped me to appreciate the book more, and also to gain a bit more perspective. I was so satisfied just to be able to discuss a book, good or not!
And with that, I'll leave you with the Goodreads synopsis for Sara Gruen's Water For Elephants.
Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.
Jacob was there because his luck had run out - orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive 'ship of fools'. It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act - in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival
Paperback, 335 pages
Published April 9th 2006 by Algonquin Books
Being in a book club was seriously on my bucket list. I crave talking to people about books. It is one of my one true passions in life. Obviously you guys share the same passions as well or else you wouldn't be reading this. I love blogging, and having this online community who understands my love for books and participates in that, so to sit with a group of people face-to-face and do it is really a dream come true for me.
We read Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants. I didn't particularly LOVE the book ( 3/5 id say) so I was a bit nervous about our discussion. I had a hard time believing in the love between Marlena and Jacob and found the characters to be lacking. To be honest, after reading The Night Circus, no circus will ever be able to compare. And, if you're looking for an Elephant fix, the movieOng Bak 2tops my list. So really, after reading Water for Elephants, I found it only sub-par.
The women at the book club however seemed to just LOVE it. I didn't want to be the Negative Nancy of the club, especially on my first meeting.
Once we got to talking about the book I was SO into it. We didn't just say who liked it/didn't, we actually talked about certain aspects of the characters, and themes of the books. Hearing the ladies thoughts and perspectives was fascinating to me. It didn't end up being a question of whether the book was good or not, but more of the whole picture.
This didn't really change my initial opinion of the book itself. It's still not really my style of a read, but it definitely helped me to appreciate the book more, and also to gain a bit more perspective. I was so satisfied just to be able to discuss a book, good or not!
And with that, I'll leave you with the Goodreads synopsis for Sara Gruen's Water For Elephants.
Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.
Jacob was there because his luck had run out - orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive 'ship of fools'. It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act - in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival
Paperback, 335 pages
Published April 9th 2006 by Algonquin Books
Sparkling Giveaway!
Labels: awesome giveaways
Just wanted to quickly mention the most F(bleep)ing AWESOME giveaway that Sparkling reviews is having for 2000 followers ( incredible).Check out Sparkling Reviews at http://www.sparklingreviews.com/Funny that I'm saving up for a new TV and Xbox... this is right up my alley!
Sorry about the lack of posting lately. It's coming, I'm reading a lot, I have just been really busy this week. I wish I wasn't so busy, but somethings you just can't help.
I had a question for you all however! I love my little list of blogs that I read dearly, but I was wondering if you guys know of any good non-YA or not all YA review blogs? Since my little blogging circle seems to be all YA. Like to be in the know about some other books too! If you have any good suggestions, please share!
I had a question for you all however! I love my little list of blogs that I read dearly, but I was wondering if you guys know of any good non-YA or not all YA review blogs? Since my little blogging circle seems to be all YA. Like to be in the know about some other books too! If you have any good suggestions, please share!
The Help by Kathryn StockettHardcover, 451 pages
Published February 10th 2009 by Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam
Goodreads Synopsis:
Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone. Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken. Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own. Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed. In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women - mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends - view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and un
iversal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.I honestly didn't hear about this book until the movie was out ( helllooo where was I?), but as soon as I saw Emma Stone's face, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. I love that girl!
I also love books written in this time period about this subject. As hard as it is to read about it's not only an important part of history, but a topic that needs to be talked about.
I loved Stockett's characters in this book. I felt a real connection with Skeeter, thinking differently than her friends. I loved Minny the most and her whit. I also loved to hate Hilly Holbrook and what she stood for, and I was hoping someone would punch her in the face, but the 'Terrible Awful' was pretty sweet too.
The book isn't terribly fast-paced, but having three POV's to follow makes it move along quite smoothly. I highly recommend this book , and I am excited to watch the movie because from what I've seen in the trailer, it follows pretty close to the book. it took me MONTHS for my turn to borrow it in the library but I'm so glad I got the chance to read it. I really enjoyed it.
4.5/5
I also love books written in this time period about this subject. As hard as it is to read about it's not only an important part of history, but a topic that needs to be talked about.
I loved Stockett's characters in this book. I felt a real connection with Skeeter, thinking differently than her friends. I loved Minny the most and her whit. I also loved to hate Hilly Holbrook and what she stood for, and I was hoping someone would punch her in the face, but the 'Terrible Awful' was pretty sweet too.
The book isn't terribly fast-paced, but having three POV's to follow makes it move along quite smoothly. I highly recommend this book , and I am excited to watch the movie because from what I've seen in the trailer, it follows pretty close to the book. it took me MONTHS for my turn to borrow it in the library but I'm so glad I got the chance to read it. I really enjoyed it.
4.5/5
So I just finished reading Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa. The 1.5th book in her series which is only available as and e-read.
I do NOT have an e-reader yet, and although I kinda want one ( because everyone else has one) I can't see myself spending money on one. See, I read in the bath, while I eat, at the beach etc, and those are all places very dangerous to the e-reader. I like to read library books where you can see where someone spilled their coffee, or stopped reading and turned down the corner. I like to briefly imagine what was going on/why someone else did those things, and I also just love knowing I'm reading something that some other pair of eyes have seen. Especially when it's a really good book.
That's my e-reader rant. I still do really want one.
So then Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey 1.5 was only available as a PDF from the library and I had to wait FOREVER to get it, but I got and read it all in one very quick sitting. I love this series so much. The characters are all interesting ( and there are a lot) and I'm in love with Ash also, so that helps along with the liking of the book.
This 59 page novella was great for someone like me who has to wait a while for the library to obtain me a copy of the book. I can't read straight through a series unless I buy it, and with all of the 'in between' books sometimes you just need a little 59 pager to get you back into the swing of things. It brings you back to book one, has a little mini adventure and leads into book two all in 59 pages. Brilliant!
I was contemplating skipping these ".5" e-reads but I definitely think ( as a fan of the series so far) it's worth it to read them. I tell you for sure after I read the official book 2!
4/5
I do NOT have an e-reader yet, and although I kinda want one ( because everyone else has one) I can't see myself spending money on one. See, I read in the bath, while I eat, at the beach etc, and those are all places very dangerous to the e-reader. I like to read library books where you can see where someone spilled their coffee, or stopped reading and turned down the corner. I like to briefly imagine what was going on/why someone else did those things, and I also just love knowing I'm reading something that some other pair of eyes have seen. Especially when it's a really good book.
That's my e-reader rant. I still do really want one.
So then Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey 1.5 was only available as a PDF from the library and I had to wait FOREVER to get it, but I got and read it all in one very quick sitting. I love this series so much. The characters are all interesting ( and there are a lot) and I'm in love with Ash also, so that helps along with the liking of the book.
This 59 page novella was great for someone like me who has to wait a while for the library to obtain me a copy of the book. I can't read straight through a s
eries unless I buy it, and with all of the 'in between' books sometimes you just need a little 59 pager to get you back into the swing of things. It brings you back to book one, has a little mini adventure and leads into book two all in 59 pages. Brilliant!I was contemplating skipping these ".5" e-reads but I definitely think ( as a fan of the series so far) it's worth it to read them. I tell you for sure after I read the official book 2!
4/5
Winter's Passage
ebook, 59 pages
Published June 1st 2010 by Harlequin(first published May 20th 2010)
Goodreads Synopsis:
Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....
Secret Chambers, Elephants, and Horrible Movies.
Labels: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Water for Elephants
Another one of my resolutions was to FINALLY read all of Harry Potter! I just finished book two! I can't believe it has taken me so long to read these books. They truly are wonderful and magical, and even though the second book isn't as exciting as the rest of them, I was still flipping pages like a mad fool to finish it. It's has been a while since I've even seen the Chamber of Secrets movie and I had completely forgotten what was in the chamber of secrets. Well I know partly was was there of course, but I don't want to spoil anything so I will stop there. So now we sit and wait for book three to show up at the library. Harry is pretty hard to get hold of in these parts. Actually ordering anything in to the library seems to take much longer these days. Which brings me to why I bought Water for Elephants.
At the top of my mental bucket list sat" Join/Start a book club" and about a month ago, one of my good friends and I just started a facebook group. Were reading Water for Elephants this month. I have no idea how to run a book club but the members seem to be really excited about it. I particularly don't care to much for the subject matter of the club, just to be around other people who have read the same book I have, to drink a few glasses ( or bottles!) of wine, and to talk about what we liked and didn't like about the book are just fine and dandy to me. I am SO excited. It's finally a bridge between my online life, my free time life and my social life. I couldn't be happier.
And lastly for this post- one more thing I MUST tell you. As you may have read in my last post- I read and loved Snow Flower and the Secret fan by Linda See. I recommend that book to all women, I love it THAT much. I was skeptical to see the movie but last night I had the chance to rent it. It was the worst book-to-movie translation I have ever seen in my life. A totally abomination of the book. Yes,it focused on friendship- the main theme of the book, but the book had so much deep,and dark,and beautiful cultural aspects that the movie didn't even glance upon. I was SO appalled. I would be furious if I was Linda See. Even as a stand alone film, it was bad. I still cant get over how bad it was. I'm almost hurt that this beautiful book was totally destroyed in the movie. Ruined my Night
So that's my rant of the day. I havent had much time to write a quality blog post in a while but I just want to stay connected!
Love.
At the top of my mental bucket list sat" Join/Start a book club" and about a month ago, one of my good friends and I just started a facebook group. Were reading Water for Elephants this month. I have no idea how to run a book club but the members seem to be really excited about it. I particularly don't care to much for the subject matter of the club, just to be around other people who have read the same book I have, to drink a few glasses ( or bottles!) of wine, and to talk about what we liked and didn't like about the book are just fine and dandy to me. I am SO excited. It's finally a bridge between my online life, my free time life and my social life. I couldn't be happier.
And lastly for this post- one more thing I MUST tell you. As you may have read in my last post- I read and loved Snow Flower and the Secret fan by Linda See. I recommend that book to all women, I love it THAT much. I was skeptical to see the movie but last night I had the chance to rent it. It was the worst book-to-movie translation I have ever seen in my life. A totally abomination of the book. Yes,it focused on friendship- the main theme of the book, but the book had so much deep,and dark,and beautiful cultural aspects that the movie didn't even glance upon. I was SO appalled. I would be furious if I was Linda See. Even as a stand alone film, it was bad. I still cant get over how bad it was. I'm almost hurt that this beautiful book was totally destroyed in the movie. Ruined my Night
So that's my rant of the day. I havent had much time to write a quality blog post in a while but I just want to stay connected!
Love.
Happy New Year! Although there has been nothing but soaring winds and drenching rains, I just know this year is going to be a great one- because the last one sucked! Anyways I hope you all had a WONDERFUL and safe new years. Here's a great picture of Shaun and I earlier in the night of ringing in the new near. The end of the night pics werent so pretty haha.
This year I definitely made a few resolutions/goals for a happy 2012.
1. To exercise in some way at least once a day. To keep fit.
2. To read 50 books this year. ( I have never made a book goal before so we'll see how this goes)
3. To try and not let my shyness get in the way of me having fun!
4. To save money. I am great at paying all my bills and I'm never behind, but I have a terrible time saving. So this is a big one.
5. Take LOTS of pictures
And now, to my first book of the year:
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan- by Linda See
Hardcover, 258 pages
Published June 28th 2005 by Random House (first published January 1st 2005)
Goodreads Synopsis:
Lily is haunted by memories–of who she once was, and of a person, long gone, who defined her existence. She has nothing but time now, as she recounts the tale of Snow Flower, and asks the gods for forgiveness.In nineteenth-century China, when wives and daughters were foot-bound and lived in almost total seclusion, the women in one remote Hunan county developed their own secret code for communication: nu shu (“women’s writing”). Some girls were paired with laotongs, “old sames,” in emotional matches that lasted throughout their lives. They painted letters on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments.With the arrival of a silk fan on which Snow Flower has composed for Lily a poem of introduction in nu shu, their friendship is sealed and they become “old sames” at the tender age of seven. As the years pass, through famine and rebellion, they reflect upon their arranged marriages, loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their lifelong friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a brilliantly realistic journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. With the period detail and deep resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel delves into one of the most mysterious of human relationships: female friendship
What I Thought:
Man this book was heaaavvvyyy. I am glad I am not a wife or mother because I think this book would have brought actual tears to my eyes.
It took me quite I while to plunder through this one, not because it was bad, but because I found it pretty emotionally draining.
It was so interesting to see a glimpse of what it was like to be a girl/wife/mother/grandmother in 19th century China. I cant even begin to imagine myself in this situation, as I live in a much different world where men and women are ( for the most part/in general) treated equally. This book was extremely powerful in the way it told Lily's life story and her relationships through Lily herself. This book up will stir up the deepest part of you and as a women, I can tell you it will definitely make you feel thankful and proud that we are not treated the same way now, but that we can still learn these important values of friendship and being true to yourself through great books like this one.
I had no idea this book was a movie until I was actually in the middle of reading it. However the trailer looks like they've sugar-coated the book A LOT. So I'd highly recommend reading the book first to get the story straight, or skipping the movie all together.
I had no idea this book was a movie until I was actually in the middle of reading it. However the trailer looks like they've sugar-coated the book A LOT. So I'd highly recommend reading the book first to get the story straight, or skipping the movie all together.
4/5
Groovy
Book Blog Directory
