Guess what? I'm baaaaack! But really. Here I am, continuing my page count. It's a new year, but I don't feel like giving myself a new goal until this one is finished. Luckily the library decided that fifty days is enough to wait for a book and got Crossed just in time for the new semester to start. So here we go.
Crossed ~ 367 pages
"What else should we bring?" Vick asks, looking through some of the books.
"We can find something in the morning," I say. For some reason the neatly ordered and abandoned books make me feel sad. Tired. I wish Cassia were here with me. She's turn each page and read every word. I can picture her in the dim light of the cave with her bright eyes and her smile and I close my eyes. That shadowy memory might be as close as I come to seeing her again.
Crossed is the sequel to Matched, a book I blogged in the summer, so feel free to look back at that. While Matched was about freewill and choice, Crossed is about what you do with that free agency. So since this is a sequel, it might give away some of the first book, so if you don't want to know how Matched ends, skip down past the bold purple 900.
The story starts with Cassia, who has decided to go against her oppressive government and find Ky, who has been taken away. It's against the law for Cassia to love Ky because she has been Matched or paired with Xander, her best friend. (All this means is that she's required by law to marry him.) This book goes back and forth between Cassia and Ky's point of view, each chapter with a different narrator. Ky has been kicked out of the society and deported to the outer provinces, to face sure death, no one lives very long outside of the society. He's also trying to return to Cassia.
This book was different, and even though I think I liked the first one more, the sequel is complimentary to the series. Crossed is like reading poetry. It's really beautiful writing, and it makes it so engaging to read. It's downfall would be that not that much happens. What could've taken half a book to tell became a full book. Not to say that it wasn't interesting, but at the end, I felt as though I didn't get as much story as I wanted.
All in all I enjoyed reading this book. I will read the third one when it comes out. Last time I blogged this series I said it was like Hunger Games, Twilight, and Book Thief combined. I'm going to explain that thought. Hunger Games because of the dystopia government and the futuristic setting of the book. Twilight because it's a romance book, the characters fall in love despite it being super dangerous. Book Thief because of the poetic writing of the author. If that sounds interesting, this is the book series for you.
1,268 - 368 = 900 pages left.
Well, I'll be the first to admit that one book since school started is really sad. I started a book in the semester, but just didn't have to time to read it. I'm going to finish it and I'm waiting for two books from the library (it's been 43 days so....) so you'll for sure be getting new blogs. Once I finish my goal, who knows, maybe I'll set another one. All this info and more, coming when I figure it out myself!
Read on,
Jamie
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Friday, September 9, 2011
Mockingjay, First to Die
Hey friends,
I know that technically school has started, and that would mean summer is over. But I did finish Mockingjay and had fifty pages left in First to Die when school started. I'm going to continue blogging what I'm reading till I finish my goal.
Mockingjay - 390 Pages
"I got the idea from our family's plant book. The place where we recorded those things you cannot trust to memory. In my most careful handwriting, come all those things it would be a crime to forget. Lady licking Prim's cheek. My father's laugh. Peeta's father with the cookies. Rue poised on her toes, arms slightly extended, like a bird about to take flight. On and on. We seal the pages with salt water and promises to live well to make their deaths count."
This is the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy.
Just going to say, READ THEM.
First to Die - 471 pages
"I'm back," announced Cindy to a surprised woman behind the reception desk. "And I brought my documentation."
She eyed us suspiciously. "Who are these, cousins?"
I flashed the clerk my badge and also presented the officially stamped search warrant.
"What's going on with this book?" the woman gasped.
James Patterson is constantly writing. In fact, I was reading this book while waiting for my plane, and in the gift shop right across from me was his most recent book. This book is the first in the Woman's Murder Club series.
When people ask me what my favorite books to read are, I say Historical Fiction and Murder Mysteries. That's because they ARE my favorites. So, it was strange to me that I hadn't read one Murder Mystery all summer. Was it too much Fiction? Did I not look hard enough? I don't know. But when I found out that James Patterson had written a Murder Mystery series, I had to read them.
I really enjoy Law and Order. I don't really know why, I just do. This book was a lot like a Law and Order episode. It's about four women in different occupations of the criminal justice system. A homicide inspector, a medical examiner, a crime reporter, and an assistant district attorney. Together, they try to solve an ongoing case, and stop a serial killer.
This is a really graphic book. Most Murder Mysteries are. But it was a great story. It's for a more mature audience, but if you like Murder Mysteries, I think you'll like this book. I'm going to continue reading this series.
1,268 pages short.
Meaning I blogged 8,732 pages this summer.
I knew 10,000 would be a stretch. And maybe if I had read all summer, I would have made it. But I don't really mind. Near the end, I did the math on how many pages a day I would have to read to catch up and finish on time, and it came to 200. The last week of summer I was at Lake Powell. It just wasn't going to work.
If I add the pages I read here and there in books I didn't finish, I'd be closer, maybe I'll add those when I finish my next book.
Read on,
Jamie
I know that technically school has started, and that would mean summer is over. But I did finish Mockingjay and had fifty pages left in First to Die when school started. I'm going to continue blogging what I'm reading till I finish my goal.
Mockingjay - 390 Pages
"I got the idea from our family's plant book. The place where we recorded those things you cannot trust to memory. In my most careful handwriting, come all those things it would be a crime to forget. Lady licking Prim's cheek. My father's laugh. Peeta's father with the cookies. Rue poised on her toes, arms slightly extended, like a bird about to take flight. On and on. We seal the pages with salt water and promises to live well to make their deaths count."
This is the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy.
Just going to say, READ THEM.
First to Die - 471 pages
"I'm back," announced Cindy to a surprised woman behind the reception desk. "And I brought my documentation."
She eyed us suspiciously. "Who are these, cousins?"
I flashed the clerk my badge and also presented the officially stamped search warrant.
"What's going on with this book?" the woman gasped.
James Patterson is constantly writing. In fact, I was reading this book while waiting for my plane, and in the gift shop right across from me was his most recent book. This book is the first in the Woman's Murder Club series.
When people ask me what my favorite books to read are, I say Historical Fiction and Murder Mysteries. That's because they ARE my favorites. So, it was strange to me that I hadn't read one Murder Mystery all summer. Was it too much Fiction? Did I not look hard enough? I don't know. But when I found out that James Patterson had written a Murder Mystery series, I had to read them.
I really enjoy Law and Order. I don't really know why, I just do. This book was a lot like a Law and Order episode. It's about four women in different occupations of the criminal justice system. A homicide inspector, a medical examiner, a crime reporter, and an assistant district attorney. Together, they try to solve an ongoing case, and stop a serial killer.
This is a really graphic book. Most Murder Mysteries are. But it was a great story. It's for a more mature audience, but if you like Murder Mysteries, I think you'll like this book. I'm going to continue reading this series.
1,268 pages short.
Meaning I blogged 8,732 pages this summer.
I knew 10,000 would be a stretch. And maybe if I had read all summer, I would have made it. But I don't really mind. Near the end, I did the math on how many pages a day I would have to read to catch up and finish on time, and it came to 200. The last week of summer I was at Lake Powell. It just wasn't going to work.
If I add the pages I read here and there in books I didn't finish, I'd be closer, maybe I'll add those when I finish my next book.
Read on,
Jamie
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Catching Fire, Evermore, TSSLOBT
Catching Fire ~ 391 Pages
I twist the polished brass knob and step inside. My nose registers the conflicting scents of roses and blood. A small, white-haired man who seems vaguely familiar is reading a book. He holds up a finger as if to say, "Give me a moment." Then he turns and my heart skips a beat. I'm staring into the snakelike eyes of President Snow.
My rant for this series is over. At least for today. This is book two of the Hunger Games Trilogy.
I think I can hesitantly say that this is my favorite book in the series. Which is weird because it's the second book, and I usually dislike the second book in comparison to the first. But Catching Fire continues the story in such a flawless way, it's hard to believe it's a sequel for me.
Saying anything about this book in summary would give everything away. So I'm going to settle by letting this be a very short entry.
I'll just say that this whole series is such a fast paced page turner, it's really a joy to read. I stick by my original statement when I say that I think anyone would enjoy this series.
Evermore ~ 302 Pages
"Ah, but it happens to be a label worth arguing over, as there is a big difference. You see, a vampire is a fictional, made-up creature that exists only in books, and movies, and, in your case, overactive imaginations." He smiles. "Whereas I am an immortal. Though, contrary to the fantasy you've conjured in your head, my immortality is not reliant on bloodsucking, human sacrifice, or whatever unsavory acts you've imagined."
This book is not about vampires.
Evermore, titled after the main character, Ever, is the first book in the Immortals series. I stumbled upon it as I was looking for my books I put on hold to be ready (no dice). It got raving review, was on the best seller list, and looked mildly interesting (because it was a young adult book not about vampires).
It's about a teenager who's family died in a car crash and... wait... am I having deja vu? Oh, no. I wrote about the prequel to this series, Radiance, a while back. Well, this story isn't about Riley, this book, and series is about her sister, Ever, the only family member to survive the car crash that killed her whole family.
After Ever's near death experience, she is left with basically psychic powers. She can see a colored aura around each person that reflects their mood, and she can hear people's thoughts. Whenever she happens to make physical contact with someone, she sees their whole life story. Everyone, that is, except the new kid in town.
Now, I didn't really hate this book. At parts, it was really good. But there were a few things that just kinda, turned me off. One being that it was A LOT like twilight as some parts. The mind reading, the eternal love, the cover, the sequels title is Blue Moon, the fast movement, the mysterious boyfriend. It goes on. But what made Twilight a really crappy book, is actually not included here.
1. The main girl actually makes sense, i. e. she acts like a normal person. She freaks out when a normal person would, not like Bella. "Oh, you're a vampire... cool! Will you make me a vampire too? I wanna be pretty and live forever and have powers!" 2. When violence is promised, it actually happens, you actually get to read that part instead of the main character just blacking out.
The other thing that turned me off to the book was that, the happy warm filled ending of explanations didn't happen at the end. It happened at the climax, during the big fight. Then the big fight resumes after the heart to heart. It just didn't make sense, and ruined the big dramatic finish.
Anyway, speaking of Twilight...
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner ~ 178 pages
I snapped the lock on the roof access hatch and let us in. The store was empty, the only alarms on the windows and doors. I went straight to the H's, while Diego headed to the music section in the back. I'd just finished with Hale. I took the next dozen books in line; that would keep me a couple days.
Yeah, minus that you never actually read in this whole book...
Okay. So, I flew off the handle last week about Twilight. And I got called out for not reading the whole series. So guess what. I read this stupid short book, and now I can say whatever I want about Twilight. (I stand by what I said last week.)
This novella is about Bree Tanner, the vampire that the Volturi kill in, well, in the whole series, but specifically, the third book, Eclipse. It's about her "short second life" as a vampire, in which she falls in love, then dies.
We all know how her story ends (if you read Eclipse anyway) we all know she has to die. But for heaven sakes! She can't know that! Where is the suspense? The wondering if she is really going to make it? When a reader already knows the end, you can't soften the blow by saying every third paragraph, "I knew I was going to die, and I was alright with it." NO! That's not what makes a good book! If you promise us a certain end early in the book, you need to make us believe that there is a way of getting around that end, that all isn't lost, then rip it out of our hands. THAT is what makes a death tragic. THAT is what makes me feel bad for the character. Not, "They were talking like they would save me but I knew they couldn't, they knew they couldn't, we all knew I was going to die." Wow, even that was more tragic than what it actually says in the book...
Well, I hated this book and I don't think anyone but Twi-hards would like it. It's not even funny, or amusing, it's just boring. In fact, when she finally meets the Cullens, it just sounds like fan fiction. And even as she is about to die, it's not about Bree, it's about how you should like Bella and Edward because they at least tried to help her, when in actuality, they didn't so anything.
If all I could rant about this book was written down, it would be longer than the 178 pages that it was, and more worth my time.
Catching Fire 391
+
Evermore 302
+
Short Second Life 178
=
871 pages total
2,129 pages to go.
This is going to be a tight one my friends.
Read on,
Jamie
I twist the polished brass knob and step inside. My nose registers the conflicting scents of roses and blood. A small, white-haired man who seems vaguely familiar is reading a book. He holds up a finger as if to say, "Give me a moment." Then he turns and my heart skips a beat. I'm staring into the snakelike eyes of President Snow.
My rant for this series is over. At least for today. This is book two of the Hunger Games Trilogy.
I think I can hesitantly say that this is my favorite book in the series. Which is weird because it's the second book, and I usually dislike the second book in comparison to the first. But Catching Fire continues the story in such a flawless way, it's hard to believe it's a sequel for me.
Saying anything about this book in summary would give everything away. So I'm going to settle by letting this be a very short entry.
I'll just say that this whole series is such a fast paced page turner, it's really a joy to read. I stick by my original statement when I say that I think anyone would enjoy this series.
Evermore ~ 302 Pages
"Ah, but it happens to be a label worth arguing over, as there is a big difference. You see, a vampire is a fictional, made-up creature that exists only in books, and movies, and, in your case, overactive imaginations." He smiles. "Whereas I am an immortal. Though, contrary to the fantasy you've conjured in your head, my immortality is not reliant on bloodsucking, human sacrifice, or whatever unsavory acts you've imagined."
This book is not about vampires.
Evermore, titled after the main character, Ever, is the first book in the Immortals series. I stumbled upon it as I was looking for my books I put on hold to be ready (no dice). It got raving review, was on the best seller list, and looked mildly interesting (because it was a young adult book not about vampires).
It's about a teenager who's family died in a car crash and... wait... am I having deja vu? Oh, no. I wrote about the prequel to this series, Radiance, a while back. Well, this story isn't about Riley, this book, and series is about her sister, Ever, the only family member to survive the car crash that killed her whole family.
After Ever's near death experience, she is left with basically psychic powers. She can see a colored aura around each person that reflects their mood, and she can hear people's thoughts. Whenever she happens to make physical contact with someone, she sees their whole life story. Everyone, that is, except the new kid in town.
Now, I didn't really hate this book. At parts, it was really good. But there were a few things that just kinda, turned me off. One being that it was A LOT like twilight as some parts. The mind reading, the eternal love, the cover, the sequels title is Blue Moon, the fast movement, the mysterious boyfriend. It goes on. But what made Twilight a really crappy book, is actually not included here.
1. The main girl actually makes sense, i. e. she acts like a normal person. She freaks out when a normal person would, not like Bella. "Oh, you're a vampire... cool! Will you make me a vampire too? I wanna be pretty and live forever and have powers!" 2. When violence is promised, it actually happens, you actually get to read that part instead of the main character just blacking out.
The other thing that turned me off to the book was that, the happy warm filled ending of explanations didn't happen at the end. It happened at the climax, during the big fight. Then the big fight resumes after the heart to heart. It just didn't make sense, and ruined the big dramatic finish.
Anyway, speaking of Twilight...
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner ~ 178 pages
I snapped the lock on the roof access hatch and let us in. The store was empty, the only alarms on the windows and doors. I went straight to the H's, while Diego headed to the music section in the back. I'd just finished with Hale. I took the next dozen books in line; that would keep me a couple days.
Yeah, minus that you never actually read in this whole book...
Okay. So, I flew off the handle last week about Twilight. And I got called out for not reading the whole series. So guess what. I read this stupid short book, and now I can say whatever I want about Twilight. (I stand by what I said last week.)
This novella is about Bree Tanner, the vampire that the Volturi kill in, well, in the whole series, but specifically, the third book, Eclipse. It's about her "short second life" as a vampire, in which she falls in love, then dies.
We all know how her story ends (if you read Eclipse anyway) we all know she has to die. But for heaven sakes! She can't know that! Where is the suspense? The wondering if she is really going to make it? When a reader already knows the end, you can't soften the blow by saying every third paragraph, "I knew I was going to die, and I was alright with it." NO! That's not what makes a good book! If you promise us a certain end early in the book, you need to make us believe that there is a way of getting around that end, that all isn't lost, then rip it out of our hands. THAT is what makes a death tragic. THAT is what makes me feel bad for the character. Not, "They were talking like they would save me but I knew they couldn't, they knew they couldn't, we all knew I was going to die." Wow, even that was more tragic than what it actually says in the book...
Well, I hated this book and I don't think anyone but Twi-hards would like it. It's not even funny, or amusing, it's just boring. In fact, when she finally meets the Cullens, it just sounds like fan fiction. And even as she is about to die, it's not about Bree, it's about how you should like Bella and Edward because they at least tried to help her, when in actuality, they didn't so anything.
If all I could rant about this book was written down, it would be longer than the 178 pages that it was, and more worth my time.
Catching Fire 391
+
Evermore 302
+
Short Second Life 178
=
871 pages total
2,129 pages to go.
This is going to be a tight one my friends.
Read on,
Jamie
Sunday, August 7, 2011
The Hunger Games, Fang
The Hunger Games ~ 374 Pages
Even though he brightens a bit when I come in, it's clear he feels miserable. I put cool cloths on his head, but they warm up almost as soon as they touch his skin.
"Do you want anything?" I ask.
"No," he says. "Thank you. Wait, yes. Tell me a story."
"A story? What about?" I say. I'm not much for story-telling. It's kind of like singing. But once in a while, Prim wheedles one out of me.
"Something happy. Tell me about the happiest day you can remember," says Peeta.
Something between a sigh and a huff os exasperation leaves my mouth. A happy story? This will require a lot more effort than the soup.
We all knew it was coming. And here goes my rant.
I absolutely love this book series. I think they are beautifully written. But I cannot deal with the fact that they are making a movie.
Nothing in the movie is going to live up to the promise of the book. It's not like Harry Potter. They can't possibly recreate this book without blacking out critical parts. It's about kids killing each other because they are forced to. This whole thing is just going to end up like Twilight, maybe even worse. Some books (most books) are supposed to stay books. Get your own freaking ideas Hollywood! You think every book that sells well will make a good movie. It's not even close to true.
Let's face it. Twilight ruined everything good in this world. Twilight is the reason no one is afraid of Vampires anymore. Twilight is the reason all young adult books that sell even remotely well will be made into movies. Twilight is the reason why people think they are so smart because they read lots of books but all they've ever read is Twilight! Twilight is the reason I can't sleep at night. Twilight is the reason young girls IQs are dropping at an alarming rate. Twilight is the reason I hate young adult novels that come out now, it's all Vampire this and Werewolf that. Twilight is the reason kids think it's cool to dress in dark clothes that look all emo but have Edward's face on the front. Twilight is the reason I can't go into hot topic. Twilight is the reason for all the people that think they are amazing actors but really just suck. Twilight is the reason The Hunger Games is being made into a movie.
I'm not going to really tell you what happens in this book, you just need to read it. (and boycott the movie when it comes out) I think anyone and everyone in the whole world should read this book, before they ruin everything with the movie.
374 pages down with 3,327 to go... oh I'm just so mad right now...
Fang ~ 327 pages
I was so mortified I was speechless for a second. Then I stamped my foot and said, "Get back to your books!" Which was, of course, a huge mistake.
They just stared at me for a moment, then Iggy's face contorted into anger. He yanked off his iPod earphones and threw the whole thing across the room. "I can't take it anymore!"
"Hey!" I said sharply. "Those are expensive!"
"I can't help it!" He shouted. "I've been listening to how the Roman Empire fell, and all I can say is, it didn't fall nearly fast enough!"
I know what your thinking. "You JUST chewed out Twilight and other young adult books for being all about Vampires and Werewolfs, but here you are reading one." To this I say, "Fang is the name of a character, and he is not a Vampire, a werewolf, a fairy, or a wizard. He is simply a boy who had bird DNA injected into him and happens to have wings...
This book is number six in the Maximum Ride series. I was so into this series when the first two came out. The first three books are so amazing. Number four? Well, lets just say I hated it so much, I stopped reading them, until now. I will admit, I missed book number five, but I guessing very little happened because I wasn't confused at all.
I am wishing though, that the books had stopped after three. The first three made sense together. The third book wrapped everything up. The fourth? It was just so different. Just so... awful. This book is okay. I think James Patterson is an awesome writer and I loved the first three books so I though I'd give it another go. There is another book out right now in the series, book seven titled Angel (another character), but I'm still unsure about reading it. Instead, I've put other James Patterson books on hold.
I'd say read the first three, then stop. Unless you are just so crazy in love with the books you can't contain yourself. You know? Like, when you love the characters so much there could be a book about them doing nothing and you would love it. (Harry Potter is that way for me, and The Hunger Games)
327 pages down, 3,000 to go!
Excuse my rants. And expect more.
Read on,
Jamie
Even though he brightens a bit when I come in, it's clear he feels miserable. I put cool cloths on his head, but they warm up almost as soon as they touch his skin.
"Do you want anything?" I ask.
"No," he says. "Thank you. Wait, yes. Tell me a story."
"A story? What about?" I say. I'm not much for story-telling. It's kind of like singing. But once in a while, Prim wheedles one out of me.
"Something happy. Tell me about the happiest day you can remember," says Peeta.
Something between a sigh and a huff os exasperation leaves my mouth. A happy story? This will require a lot more effort than the soup.
We all knew it was coming. And here goes my rant.
I absolutely love this book series. I think they are beautifully written. But I cannot deal with the fact that they are making a movie.
Nothing in the movie is going to live up to the promise of the book. It's not like Harry Potter. They can't possibly recreate this book without blacking out critical parts. It's about kids killing each other because they are forced to. This whole thing is just going to end up like Twilight, maybe even worse. Some books (most books) are supposed to stay books. Get your own freaking ideas Hollywood! You think every book that sells well will make a good movie. It's not even close to true.
Let's face it. Twilight ruined everything good in this world. Twilight is the reason no one is afraid of Vampires anymore. Twilight is the reason all young adult books that sell even remotely well will be made into movies. Twilight is the reason why people think they are so smart because they read lots of books but all they've ever read is Twilight! Twilight is the reason I can't sleep at night. Twilight is the reason young girls IQs are dropping at an alarming rate. Twilight is the reason I hate young adult novels that come out now, it's all Vampire this and Werewolf that. Twilight is the reason kids think it's cool to dress in dark clothes that look all emo but have Edward's face on the front. Twilight is the reason I can't go into hot topic. Twilight is the reason for all the people that think they are amazing actors but really just suck. Twilight is the reason The Hunger Games is being made into a movie.
I'm not going to really tell you what happens in this book, you just need to read it. (and boycott the movie when it comes out) I think anyone and everyone in the whole world should read this book, before they ruin everything with the movie.
374 pages down with 3,327 to go... oh I'm just so mad right now...
Fang ~ 327 pages
I was so mortified I was speechless for a second. Then I stamped my foot and said, "Get back to your books!" Which was, of course, a huge mistake.
They just stared at me for a moment, then Iggy's face contorted into anger. He yanked off his iPod earphones and threw the whole thing across the room. "I can't take it anymore!"
"Hey!" I said sharply. "Those are expensive!"
"I can't help it!" He shouted. "I've been listening to how the Roman Empire fell, and all I can say is, it didn't fall nearly fast enough!"
I know what your thinking. "You JUST chewed out Twilight and other young adult books for being all about Vampires and Werewolfs, but here you are reading one." To this I say, "Fang is the name of a character, and he is not a Vampire, a werewolf, a fairy, or a wizard. He is simply a boy who had bird DNA injected into him and happens to have wings...
This book is number six in the Maximum Ride series. I was so into this series when the first two came out. The first three books are so amazing. Number four? Well, lets just say I hated it so much, I stopped reading them, until now. I will admit, I missed book number five, but I guessing very little happened because I wasn't confused at all.
I am wishing though, that the books had stopped after three. The first three made sense together. The third book wrapped everything up. The fourth? It was just so different. Just so... awful. This book is okay. I think James Patterson is an awesome writer and I loved the first three books so I though I'd give it another go. There is another book out right now in the series, book seven titled Angel (another character), but I'm still unsure about reading it. Instead, I've put other James Patterson books on hold.
I'd say read the first three, then stop. Unless you are just so crazy in love with the books you can't contain yourself. You know? Like, when you love the characters so much there could be a book about them doing nothing and you would love it. (Harry Potter is that way for me, and The Hunger Games)
327 pages down, 3,000 to go!
Excuse my rants. And expect more.
Read on,
Jamie
Monday, August 1, 2011
The Help, Matched, Radiance
The Help ~ 451 Pages
"Wasn't that the point of the book? For women to realize, We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought."
This book is sensational. I had a lot of people ask me if I liked it while I was reading it, but I don't really judge how I liked a book until I'm done with it. I'm telling you now. I loved it.
Most people recognize the book because the movie is coming out. I can honestly say that I am SO excited to see it, mostly because I think it's a book that can translate into a screen play. Not like say... The Hunger Games...
The Help is historical fiction, based in Jackson Mississippi in the early 1960s. It's told from the point of view of three different women of the time. Skeeter, a white lady who wants to be a writer, Aibileen, a black older woman who has taken care of lots of children, but leaves when they grow up, and Minny, a black woman who has a hard time controlling her temper and finds herself fired quite often.
Basically, Miss Skeeter wants to write a book about the black help in Mississippi, their stories working for the white women of the town.
I think that the movie trailer and the Wikipedia page explain it better than I just did. Sorry.
I just think that anyone who likes historical fiction should read this book.
Matched ~ 366 Pages
"The books' backs are broken; their bones, thin and delicate, fall out. The workers shove them toward the incineration tube; they step on them... my father laments the waste... But the higher officials say somethings are not worth saving. Sometimes it's faster and more efficient to destroy."
So, apparently August is romance awareness month (or something like that) at the library. They have this whole little set up where you can look at the most popular romance novels. I guess this book and post will be my celebration of that...
Matched is a dystopian novel. If you don't know what that means, I would love to copy and paste this part of the Wikipedia page to help you...
"Note that there is no one definition of dystopia that is agreed upon by all, as the term is usually used to refer to something much more specific than simply a nightmare world or unpleasant future."
Helpful isn't it? (Sarcasm hand)
Well in the case of the book, the dystopia is a government that controls where you live, who you love, what your job is, and when you will die. The time is far in the future, based in Utah even. (Probably because the author is from St. George) It is centered around a young girl named Cassia, who has just been "Matched" with her best friend Xander. (Meaning they can now date and will marry when they are 21) But through a whole set of complicated events, she has now fallen in love with a different boy, Ky.
So she loves them both and has to choose between doing what the government is forcing her to do, and doing what she wants to do/what her heart tells her. It's Xander vs. Ky.
It happens a lot in books. The heroine has two perfect but very different guys that she likes, or like her, or maybe you just like them and they have nothing to do with the story... Anyway... when it comes up in conversation, it instantly becomes, who do you like more? Are you Team friend or Team mystery guy? So, I'm going to go out there right now and let you know where I stand on these controversial (but not really) issues.
Edward v. Jacob (From Twilight)
When I was reading the books, I was so Team Edward, it was disgusting. I just loved how much respect he showed her, not to mention he was quite dashing. When the movies came out, (and I realized how much I hated Edward,) I turned to Team Jacob. He's just a ton more awesome. (A certain blogger may have influenced my views as well)
Peeta v. Gale (From The Hunger Games)
Peeta. Peeta, Peeta, Peeta. Since day one and forever. This point of view will never change. Even if the movies suck like Twilight. (By the way, have I told you how UNexcited I am for those? That's a blog for another day) The things he says don't make me want to punch him in the face like Gale.
Colonel Brandon v. Willoughby (From Sense and Sensibility)
So, John Willoughby is so freaking charming, it's hard not to love him. I mean, the man has his own Wikipedia page. But Colonel Brandon always wins my heart. He's so honorable and good, and he's charming in his own way. The scene when he first sees Marianne is my one of my favorites ever.
Will v. Jem (From Clockwork Angel)
Oh dear, where do I start? It's Jem. I guess I'll start there. Will is just too much for me. Everyone loves him because he's so unpredictable and erratic. It's for those reasons that I can't stand him. Although, this series hasn't been finished, so I might get an explanation for his behavior, but I'm pretty sure Jem will still win. (Even though I predict that he dies before the end of the series)
and how could we exclude,
Xander v. Ky (From Matched)
Xander has nothing on Ky. But I think the author wanted it that way. Wanted it to be almost obvious that Ky is the (bear with me) right guy. Xander hardly does anything charming or interesting in the whole book, but Ky does a million. So naturally, I'm going to choose Ky.
There you have it. The book is good, I was having a hard time with it at the very beginning because it came off as very shallow, but then I realized, it's part of the progression of the book. By the end Cassia sees the truth of her world, it's supposed to start shallow. The character progression is amazing (even Xander, who doesn't so much) When I was reading it, I kept thinking, "This is like Hunger Games, Twilight, and The Book Thief all mixed in one."So if your interested in how those books mix, read it. It's a fast fun read.
Radiance ~ 183 Pages
"Shaking and trembling, he struggled to consume all her pain. While I whispered to myself, over and over again, that it would all be all right. That the light always wins in the end. In all my favorite books, movies, and shows on TV - Thats just the way it always goes.
Only, this was all too real."
Once upon a time I was getting a book at the library and I saw this row of colorful books on a shelf. I liked the look of the books, so I picked up the prequel. That's how I ended up with this tiny book.
I had never heard of the series before, even though it was a "best seller", but I put the first book of the series on hold anyway. So we'll see how that goes.
This book is about a girl who dies in a car accident. Or more so, about what happens when she gets to heaven or, "Here" as they call it. She is assigned to be a soul collector, to go out and help the ghosts who are stuck on the earth plane to find the bridge to "Here".
It was a fun little read for a few hours, but I think I would suggest it to my sister who is in 6th grade. Or someone in middle school.
So, the coolest thing happened. When I totaled up the page count from these three books, I couldn't believe it, (I did it three times to make sure it wasn't a mistake) but they add up to a perfect 1,000 pages. So, with that down, I've got 3,701 pages to go. Will I make my deadline? Stay tuned! (Because I really don't know)
Read on,
Jamie
"Wasn't that the point of the book? For women to realize, We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought."
This book is sensational. I had a lot of people ask me if I liked it while I was reading it, but I don't really judge how I liked a book until I'm done with it. I'm telling you now. I loved it.
Most people recognize the book because the movie is coming out. I can honestly say that I am SO excited to see it, mostly because I think it's a book that can translate into a screen play. Not like say... The Hunger Games...
The Help is historical fiction, based in Jackson Mississippi in the early 1960s. It's told from the point of view of three different women of the time. Skeeter, a white lady who wants to be a writer, Aibileen, a black older woman who has taken care of lots of children, but leaves when they grow up, and Minny, a black woman who has a hard time controlling her temper and finds herself fired quite often.
Basically, Miss Skeeter wants to write a book about the black help in Mississippi, their stories working for the white women of the town.
I think that the movie trailer and the Wikipedia page explain it better than I just did. Sorry.
I just think that anyone who likes historical fiction should read this book.
Matched ~ 366 Pages
"The books' backs are broken; their bones, thin and delicate, fall out. The workers shove them toward the incineration tube; they step on them... my father laments the waste... But the higher officials say somethings are not worth saving. Sometimes it's faster and more efficient to destroy."
So, apparently August is romance awareness month (or something like that) at the library. They have this whole little set up where you can look at the most popular romance novels. I guess this book and post will be my celebration of that...
Matched is a dystopian novel. If you don't know what that means, I would love to copy and paste this part of the Wikipedia page to help you...
"Note that there is no one definition of dystopia that is agreed upon by all, as the term is usually used to refer to something much more specific than simply a nightmare world or unpleasant future."
Helpful isn't it? (Sarcasm hand)
Well in the case of the book, the dystopia is a government that controls where you live, who you love, what your job is, and when you will die. The time is far in the future, based in Utah even. (Probably because the author is from St. George) It is centered around a young girl named Cassia, who has just been "Matched" with her best friend Xander. (Meaning they can now date and will marry when they are 21) But through a whole set of complicated events, she has now fallen in love with a different boy, Ky.
So she loves them both and has to choose between doing what the government is forcing her to do, and doing what she wants to do/what her heart tells her. It's Xander vs. Ky.
It happens a lot in books. The heroine has two perfect but very different guys that she likes, or like her, or maybe you just like them and they have nothing to do with the story... Anyway... when it comes up in conversation, it instantly becomes, who do you like more? Are you Team friend or Team mystery guy? So, I'm going to go out there right now and let you know where I stand on these controversial (but not really) issues.
Edward v. Jacob (From Twilight)
When I was reading the books, I was so Team Edward, it was disgusting. I just loved how much respect he showed her, not to mention he was quite dashing. When the movies came out, (and I realized how much I hated Edward,) I turned to Team Jacob. He's just a ton more awesome. (A certain blogger may have influenced my views as well)
Peeta v. Gale (From The Hunger Games)
Peeta. Peeta, Peeta, Peeta. Since day one and forever. This point of view will never change. Even if the movies suck like Twilight. (By the way, have I told you how UNexcited I am for those? That's a blog for another day) The things he says don't make me want to punch him in the face like Gale.
Colonel Brandon v. Willoughby (From Sense and Sensibility)
So, John Willoughby is so freaking charming, it's hard not to love him. I mean, the man has his own Wikipedia page. But Colonel Brandon always wins my heart. He's so honorable and good, and he's charming in his own way. The scene when he first sees Marianne is my one of my favorites ever.
Will v. Jem (From Clockwork Angel)
Oh dear, where do I start? It's Jem. I guess I'll start there. Will is just too much for me. Everyone loves him because he's so unpredictable and erratic. It's for those reasons that I can't stand him. Although, this series hasn't been finished, so I might get an explanation for his behavior, but I'm pretty sure Jem will still win. (Even though I predict that he dies before the end of the series)
and how could we exclude,
Xander v. Ky (From Matched)
Xander has nothing on Ky. But I think the author wanted it that way. Wanted it to be almost obvious that Ky is the (bear with me) right guy. Xander hardly does anything charming or interesting in the whole book, but Ky does a million. So naturally, I'm going to choose Ky.
There you have it. The book is good, I was having a hard time with it at the very beginning because it came off as very shallow, but then I realized, it's part of the progression of the book. By the end Cassia sees the truth of her world, it's supposed to start shallow. The character progression is amazing (even Xander, who doesn't so much) When I was reading it, I kept thinking, "This is like Hunger Games, Twilight, and The Book Thief all mixed in one."So if your interested in how those books mix, read it. It's a fast fun read.
Radiance ~ 183 Pages
"Shaking and trembling, he struggled to consume all her pain. While I whispered to myself, over and over again, that it would all be all right. That the light always wins in the end. In all my favorite books, movies, and shows on TV - Thats just the way it always goes.
Only, this was all too real."
Once upon a time I was getting a book at the library and I saw this row of colorful books on a shelf. I liked the look of the books, so I picked up the prequel. That's how I ended up with this tiny book.
I had never heard of the series before, even though it was a "best seller", but I put the first book of the series on hold anyway. So we'll see how that goes.
This book is about a girl who dies in a car accident. Or more so, about what happens when she gets to heaven or, "Here" as they call it. She is assigned to be a soul collector, to go out and help the ghosts who are stuck on the earth plane to find the bridge to "Here".
It was a fun little read for a few hours, but I think I would suggest it to my sister who is in 6th grade. Or someone in middle school.
So, the coolest thing happened. When I totaled up the page count from these three books, I couldn't believe it, (I did it three times to make sure it wasn't a mistake) but they add up to a perfect 1,000 pages. So, with that down, I've got 3,701 pages to go. Will I make my deadline? Stay tuned! (Because I really don't know)
Read on,
Jamie
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter ~ 759 Pages
"So does it say how to destroy Horcruxes in that book?"
"Yes," said Hermione, now turning the fragile pages as if examining rotting entrails, "because it warns Dark wizards how strong they have to make the enchantments on them. From all that I've read, what Harry did to Riddle's diary was one of the few really fool proof ways of destroying a Horcrux."
"What, stabbing it with a basilisk fang?" asked Harry.
"Oh well, lucky we've got such a large supply of basilisk fangs, then," said Ron. "I was wondering what we were going to do with them."
How do you blog your very life and soul? Okay I won't be that dramatic, but the harry Potter books were, in fact, my childhood. I can remember reading Harry Potter books as early as third grade. (Harry's birthday also happens to be the same week as mine, and however old he was in the book that had just come out, that's how old I was.) Can you blame me for forming such a strong attachment?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is book number seven, the last book in the series. I decided to read the whole book before the last movie came out. It's been very interesting (event though I did this before the last movie as well) to see how true the movie stayed, and yet how far it strayed. Little scenes that help you know the characters more had to be cut for time, small things that turn out to be huge the last half of the book were kind of left out, I'm wondering how they are going to make up for these things.
I definitely pity whoever had not read this book series. If you've only seen the movies, and love them, or even like them, or even endure them, you will love the books.
I always thought that the third book would be my favorite, that is, until the seventh one came out. It wraps up the series so perfectly, and I must admit that I cry every time I read the scene SPOILER ALERT where Harry is going to die, and he's talking to his parents, Lupin and Sirius.
This book is a freaking masterpiece. I've read it three times now, and I'm still not sick of it. It's also 759 pages, which brings my countdown past the halfway mark (finally) to 4,701.
Now I'm ready for the midnight premiere! Well, almost... I still need to get my costume together.
Read on,
Jamie
"So does it say how to destroy Horcruxes in that book?"
"Yes," said Hermione, now turning the fragile pages as if examining rotting entrails, "because it warns Dark wizards how strong they have to make the enchantments on them. From all that I've read, what Harry did to Riddle's diary was one of the few really fool proof ways of destroying a Horcrux."
"What, stabbing it with a basilisk fang?" asked Harry.
"Oh well, lucky we've got such a large supply of basilisk fangs, then," said Ron. "I was wondering what we were going to do with them."
How do you blog your very life and soul? Okay I won't be that dramatic, but the harry Potter books were, in fact, my childhood. I can remember reading Harry Potter books as early as third grade. (Harry's birthday also happens to be the same week as mine, and however old he was in the book that had just come out, that's how old I was.) Can you blame me for forming such a strong attachment?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is book number seven, the last book in the series. I decided to read the whole book before the last movie came out. It's been very interesting (event though I did this before the last movie as well) to see how true the movie stayed, and yet how far it strayed. Little scenes that help you know the characters more had to be cut for time, small things that turn out to be huge the last half of the book were kind of left out, I'm wondering how they are going to make up for these things.
I definitely pity whoever had not read this book series. If you've only seen the movies, and love them, or even like them, or even endure them, you will love the books.
I always thought that the third book would be my favorite, that is, until the seventh one came out. It wraps up the series so perfectly, and I must admit that I cry every time I read the scene SPOILER ALERT where Harry is going to die, and he's talking to his parents, Lupin and Sirius.
This book is a freaking masterpiece. I've read it three times now, and I'm still not sick of it. It's also 759 pages, which brings my countdown past the halfway mark (finally) to 4,701.
Now I'm ready for the midnight premiere! Well, almost... I still need to get my costume together.
Read on,
Jamie
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Seeing Redd
Seeing Redd ~ 371 Pages
She let the book fall open in her hand. She Riffled through its pages from first to last with her imagination. To think that Alyss had been immortilized by some earth scribbler! She slammed the book shut. She tapped a long finger against its cover, under the author's name. "Find me this Lewis Carroll and bring him here!"
Why do I do things I say I'll never do?
Seeing Redd is the second book in the Looking Glass Wars Trilogy, and I said I wasn't going to read it. But I led myself to believe that I'd enjoy it a whole lot more now that I know the characters and there seems to be more conflict outside of just battles. Well, I was wrong. I thought I could finish this book at Lake Powell, but I found myself not even wanting to pick it up at all.
Since I was little, I've been going to Lake Powell, and usually, the Harry Potter Book would come out right before we left. Lake Powell had always been a place I find it easy to read. But this year, I didn't take a Harry Potter book like I always do. I took this book. And I'm upset I did.
This book is A LOT like the previous book. Lots of battles, not a lot of character development. It took me two weeks to even bring myself to finish it. Once again, I'm not sure why. It's not slow, it's not a bad plot, it's not even poorly written. I just have next to no patience reading it.
When I was at Lake Powell, one of the girls we were boating with saw I was reading Seeing Redd, and she pretty much said the exact same thing. No patience. Even she couldn't say why exactly. I still stick to my proposal that it might be that the characters are great but they are always fighting, so I never get to know anything about them other than what side they are fighting for and how well they fight in battle. I just didn't get to love the characters like I wanted to.
It took so long for me to get into this book that it's the only one I have to blog for now, and find myself slightly behind schedule. Luckily I'm starting the 7th Harry Potter today.
So with these 371 pages behind me, I have 5,460 pages to go. Time to get crackin.
Read on,
Jamie
She let the book fall open in her hand. She Riffled through its pages from first to last with her imagination. To think that Alyss had been immortilized by some earth scribbler! She slammed the book shut. She tapped a long finger against its cover, under the author's name. "Find me this Lewis Carroll and bring him here!"
Why do I do things I say I'll never do?
Seeing Redd is the second book in the Looking Glass Wars Trilogy, and I said I wasn't going to read it. But I led myself to believe that I'd enjoy it a whole lot more now that I know the characters and there seems to be more conflict outside of just battles. Well, I was wrong. I thought I could finish this book at Lake Powell, but I found myself not even wanting to pick it up at all.
Since I was little, I've been going to Lake Powell, and usually, the Harry Potter Book would come out right before we left. Lake Powell had always been a place I find it easy to read. But this year, I didn't take a Harry Potter book like I always do. I took this book. And I'm upset I did.
This book is A LOT like the previous book. Lots of battles, not a lot of character development. It took me two weeks to even bring myself to finish it. Once again, I'm not sure why. It's not slow, it's not a bad plot, it's not even poorly written. I just have next to no patience reading it.
When I was at Lake Powell, one of the girls we were boating with saw I was reading Seeing Redd, and she pretty much said the exact same thing. No patience. Even she couldn't say why exactly. I still stick to my proposal that it might be that the characters are great but they are always fighting, so I never get to know anything about them other than what side they are fighting for and how well they fight in battle. I just didn't get to love the characters like I wanted to.
It took so long for me to get into this book that it's the only one I have to blog for now, and find myself slightly behind schedule. Luckily I'm starting the 7th Harry Potter today.
So with these 371 pages behind me, I have 5,460 pages to go. Time to get crackin.
Read on,
Jamie
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