Here's what I've been reading recently.
I am the Messenger
By Markus Zusak
357 Pages
Once I receive the card, I try buttering him up a little to get my hands on all the books. "Thanks, mate. You're doing a hell of a job." He looks up. "You still want all those books, don't you?" "That's right. Basically, I really need them and one way or the other, I'm going to get them. Only in today's sick society can a man be persecuted for reading too many books."
I read this book just before spring break, (In fact, I finished it on the beach) so I'll do my best to remember what I can and give it a fair review.
The reason I read this book it because the author wrote my favorite book. The Book Thief. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. This book is the opposite of The Book Thief, but I still liked it.
The story revolves around a 19 year old... maybe he was 20. Great... I don't have the book with me, so all my facts may be wrong. ANYWAY, he stops a bank robbery, and after that, he gets these cards with hints on them. Each hint is a person. To each person he is required to take a specific message, something that they need to hear or see or be put through, to change their life.
ED... Ed is his name. I remembered that...
I love Zusak's writing style. It paints a picture so clearly, and that's what brings the emotions to life. A lot of times and author with write. "She was sad." And that's ok. What's better is when the author shows you what the character is thinking, and the emotion infallibly follows. Zusak has mastered that.
Another great thing about Zusak's writing, is his characters. Everyone is so human in his books. There's no two people the exact same, and they all have different and realistic flaws and struggles. No character is one sided or shallow. Each gets his or her own developing.
I enjoyed reading this book. It was a great story, and I love the end.
Sherlock Holmes: Study in Scarlet, Sign of the Four, and A Scandal in Bohemia
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
225 large, very small print, Pages
I don't have a quote for these because I don't have the book with me. I read these stories out of The Complete Sherlock Holmes Volume I.
I've always wanted to read the Sherlock Holmes stories, so I started A Study in Scarlet while working on crewing a show at school. Plus I wanted to read about the murderous cult known as the Mormons. (Just kidding :D) I had a very enjoyable time laughing during that story.
I LOVE the show Sherlock, and after reading these books, I love it even more. The ways they take these stories and turn them into modern mysteries is unbelieveable. I read all the stories after I saw the episode, except Scandal in Bohemia, and now I wish I had time to read The Hound of the Baskervilles before the next episode comes out next Sunday.
If you don't know what Sherlock is, it's the Sherlock Holmes stories told in modern day London. They show it on PBS as part of the Masterpiece Mystery. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes Sherlock Holmes (books or movies!).
I love reading these, and there are SO many stories. I know I read two other short ones, but I just wrote the ones I could remember in the title.
Ugh. It's so late and I feel like I'm losing my mind right now. I apologize for my scattered brain, I just don't know when else I'll be able to catch these up before I leave for the summer to Garden Valley. Luckily for me (and maybe you too!) They have a library up there! More to come later (hopefully!)
Read on,
Jamie
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Chapter Two: A Look Back
It's not the end my friends, it's just a new chapter.
Here I've compiled some interesting information about what I've read this summer including my favorite characters and books, and everything from how many main characters died to the total number of love interests!
The Books
(grouped by genera and series)
YA Fiction
Infernal Devices Series
-Clockwork Angel
-Clockwork Prince
Mortal Instruments Series
-City of Glass
-City of Fallen Angels
-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
-Fang
-Evermore
-Radiance
-The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
Dystopian Science Fiction
The Hunger Games Trilogy
-The Hunger Games
-Catching Fire
-Mockingjay
Matched Series
-Matched
-Crossed
-Divergent
Fairytale Retellings
-Beauty
-A Kiss in Time
-The Goose Girl
-Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
The Looking Glass Wars Trilogy
-The Looking Glass Wars
-Seeing Redd
Historical Fiction
-A Northern Light
-The Help
Teen Life Fiction
-Paper Towns
-Deadline
Mystery
-First to Die
Some Interesting Facts
Longest Book = Harry Potter 7
Shortest Book = The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (It wasn't short enough)
Total # of Books = 26
It was my first time reading 20 of them
I reread 6
I borrowed 19 books from the Library
I never read two of them
I didn't have a library card until July, before that I had been using my Mom's (Thanks mom!)
I didn't collect any fines! (Yay!)
There was a full out war spoken of and seen in 10 of the 26 books
66 Main Characters died! (So this one was interesting, the count would have been MUCH higher, but I didn't count all of the tributes from Hunger Games and Catching Fire, I only counted the REALLY important deaths in that series. In other series, Main Character means they have a name and are referred to often.) That's almost three per book!
3 of the books were written by a man, 23 by women.
9 of the book's main characters were male, 17 were female.
There are 24 romantic interests in 20 books or series (so all the Mortal Instruments books and such were counted as one here) No main character was without at least one love interest.
4 of the books made me cry
Favorite Characters
So, I tried to use a formula to determine who the best characters were. I factored in things like how funny they were, and how brave. (The formula looked like this - F(2)+B(3)+R+C(2)+S/1+A See I learned something in Math) With this tool, I came up with this order for the list.
1. Peeta (Hunger Games)
2. Katniss (Hunger Games)
3. Jem (Infernal Devices)
4. Harry (Potter) and Skeeter (The Help) Tied
6. Simon (Mortal Instruments)
7. Iris (Ugly Stepsister) and Minnie (The Help) Tied
9. Will (Infernal Devices)
Well, my formula did a pretty good job, because it came close to my REAL list:
1. Jem (Infernal Devices) - The perfect gentleman, and a fierce fighter. I just want to be his best friend.
2. Katniss (Hunger Games) - Tough as nails and deadly smart. I wish I was her sometimes.
3. Peeta (Hunger Games) - He's really vulnerable, which makes him stand out in such horrific circumstances.
4. Skeeter (The Help) - One of the most relatable characters. She's every woman who's ever felt held down and fought to escape the circumstances of her life.
5. Iris (Ugly Stepsister) - Also super relatable. I love the way she looks at the world around her.
6. Harry (Potter) - Who can deny the greatness of the Boy Who Lived? He's definitely a Gryffindor.
7. Simon (Mortal Instruments) - Really just a teenaged boy. Nice in a series about people who are anything but. He rated second of all characters for brave acts, and they're usually for others.
8. Minnie (The Help) - I want to hang out with her and just let her talk. She that sarcastic friend we all have and love.
9. Will (Invernal Devices) - I love the witty funny things he says. But that's about it. Everything else he does annoys me to death. That shows you how witty he is to make this list regardless.
And now, the moment you've all be waiting for...
Favorite Books
(countdown style)
To qualify here, the book has to be something I had not read before this summer. So Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and others are out of the running for this.
6. Matched - By Ally Condie
This book is here because of the poetry. Ally Condie has such a poetic way of writing. It's also on this list because of the amazing character progression. I could see the world becoming this one day. It's a scary thought, being forced to do "right".
5. First to Die - By James Patterson
I love murder mysteries. And one written by James Patterson about women who solve cases together? It was super entertaining. One thing with Patterson is that you can never guess the end. Even if you know who the killer is, chances are you don't know half the story.
4. Divergent - By Veronica Roth
What's better than a book you don't want to put down? A book you can't put down. I just wanted to keep reading. I always wanted to know what was next. I enjoyed the mix of characters and the ever present danger Tris was in. I REALLY appreciated that the book didn't end on a cliff hanger in the middle of an important moment.
3. The Help - By Kathryn Stockett
The world fell in love with this book over the summer, at least that's what it felt like. And it was rightly deserved. The story is just so full of moments that make you want to stand and cheer or cry or laugh, all with the characters. The message of the book is touching as well. It's not a high action book like I've been reading a lot of in this page count, but it certainly holds it's ground.
2. A Northern Light - By Jennifer Donnelly
Even now I don't know what it is about this book. Maybe it's that it's so applicable in my life right now. As I'm coming of age and I'm realizing what this world is about, I know it's going to take courage, and that is what this book is about for me. We accept things that should be questioned all the time. We "go with the flow" when it's not what we want. A Northern Light tied several genres into one, and did it very successfully. There's only one reason it's not number one...
1. Clockwork Prince - By Cassandra Clare
And that reason is fan girl giggles. Will and Jem. Basically Sherlock and Watson. (If they were teenagers and killed demons for a living.) Even though I couldn't really stand Tessa in this book, Will and Jem made up for it. Ok, Jem made up for it. It's a fast paced roller coaster ride. And while I could have used just a tad more fighting adventure, this book was almost everything I need for my perfect book. This is another book I just couldn't put down. And when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. I believe this is Clare's best work by far.
Well... What now? The answer is in the sign off.
Read On,
Jamie
Here I've compiled some interesting information about what I've read this summer including my favorite characters and books, and everything from how many main characters died to the total number of love interests!
The Books
(grouped by genera and series)
YA Fiction
Infernal Devices Series
-Clockwork Angel
-Clockwork Prince
Mortal Instruments Series
-City of Glass
-City of Fallen Angels
-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
-Fang
-Evermore
-Radiance
-The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
Dystopian Science Fiction
The Hunger Games Trilogy
-The Hunger Games
-Catching Fire
-Mockingjay
Matched Series
-Matched
-Crossed
-Divergent
Fairytale Retellings
-Beauty
-A Kiss in Time
-The Goose Girl
-Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
The Looking Glass Wars Trilogy
-The Looking Glass Wars
-Seeing Redd
Historical Fiction
-A Northern Light
-The Help
Teen Life Fiction
-Paper Towns
-Deadline
Mystery
-First to Die
Some Interesting Facts
Longest Book = Harry Potter 7
Shortest Book = The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (It wasn't short enough)
Total # of Books = 26
It was my first time reading 20 of them
I reread 6
I borrowed 19 books from the Library
I never read two of them
I didn't have a library card until July, before that I had been using my Mom's (Thanks mom!)
I didn't collect any fines! (Yay!)
There was a full out war spoken of and seen in 10 of the 26 books
66 Main Characters died! (So this one was interesting, the count would have been MUCH higher, but I didn't count all of the tributes from Hunger Games and Catching Fire, I only counted the REALLY important deaths in that series. In other series, Main Character means they have a name and are referred to often.) That's almost three per book!
3 of the books were written by a man, 23 by women.
9 of the book's main characters were male, 17 were female.
There are 24 romantic interests in 20 books or series (so all the Mortal Instruments books and such were counted as one here) No main character was without at least one love interest.
4 of the books made me cry
Favorite Characters
So, I tried to use a formula to determine who the best characters were. I factored in things like how funny they were, and how brave. (The formula looked like this - F(2)+B(3)+R+C(2)+S/1+A See I learned something in Math) With this tool, I came up with this order for the list.
1. Peeta (Hunger Games)
2. Katniss (Hunger Games)
3. Jem (Infernal Devices)
4. Harry (Potter) and Skeeter (The Help) Tied
6. Simon (Mortal Instruments)
7. Iris (Ugly Stepsister) and Minnie (The Help) Tied
9. Will (Infernal Devices)
Well, my formula did a pretty good job, because it came close to my REAL list:
1. Jem (Infernal Devices) - The perfect gentleman, and a fierce fighter. I just want to be his best friend.
2. Katniss (Hunger Games) - Tough as nails and deadly smart. I wish I was her sometimes.
3. Peeta (Hunger Games) - He's really vulnerable, which makes him stand out in such horrific circumstances.
4. Skeeter (The Help) - One of the most relatable characters. She's every woman who's ever felt held down and fought to escape the circumstances of her life.
5. Iris (Ugly Stepsister) - Also super relatable. I love the way she looks at the world around her.
6. Harry (Potter) - Who can deny the greatness of the Boy Who Lived? He's definitely a Gryffindor.
7. Simon (Mortal Instruments) - Really just a teenaged boy. Nice in a series about people who are anything but. He rated second of all characters for brave acts, and they're usually for others.
8. Minnie (The Help) - I want to hang out with her and just let her talk. She that sarcastic friend we all have and love.
9. Will (Invernal Devices) - I love the witty funny things he says. But that's about it. Everything else he does annoys me to death. That shows you how witty he is to make this list regardless.
And now, the moment you've all be waiting for...
Favorite Books
(countdown style)
To qualify here, the book has to be something I had not read before this summer. So Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and others are out of the running for this.
6. Matched - By Ally Condie
This book is here because of the poetry. Ally Condie has such a poetic way of writing. It's also on this list because of the amazing character progression. I could see the world becoming this one day. It's a scary thought, being forced to do "right".
5. First to Die - By James Patterson
I love murder mysteries. And one written by James Patterson about women who solve cases together? It was super entertaining. One thing with Patterson is that you can never guess the end. Even if you know who the killer is, chances are you don't know half the story.
4. Divergent - By Veronica Roth
What's better than a book you don't want to put down? A book you can't put down. I just wanted to keep reading. I always wanted to know what was next. I enjoyed the mix of characters and the ever present danger Tris was in. I REALLY appreciated that the book didn't end on a cliff hanger in the middle of an important moment.
3. The Help - By Kathryn Stockett
The world fell in love with this book over the summer, at least that's what it felt like. And it was rightly deserved. The story is just so full of moments that make you want to stand and cheer or cry or laugh, all with the characters. The message of the book is touching as well. It's not a high action book like I've been reading a lot of in this page count, but it certainly holds it's ground.
2. A Northern Light - By Jennifer Donnelly
Even now I don't know what it is about this book. Maybe it's that it's so applicable in my life right now. As I'm coming of age and I'm realizing what this world is about, I know it's going to take courage, and that is what this book is about for me. We accept things that should be questioned all the time. We "go with the flow" when it's not what we want. A Northern Light tied several genres into one, and did it very successfully. There's only one reason it's not number one...
1. Clockwork Prince - By Cassandra Clare
And that reason is fan girl giggles. Will and Jem. Basically Sherlock and Watson. (If they were teenagers and killed demons for a living.) Even though I couldn't really stand Tessa in this book, Will and Jem made up for it. Ok, Jem made up for it. It's a fast paced roller coaster ride. And while I could have used just a tad more fighting adventure, this book was almost everything I need for my perfect book. This is another book I just couldn't put down. And when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. I believe this is Clare's best work by far.
Well... What now? The answer is in the sign off.
Read On,
Jamie
Monday, January 30, 2012
Divergent
Divergent - 487 pages
"Beatrice?" a voice behind me says.
I turn, and Caleb stands behind me, a book in his hand. His hair has grown out so it flips at his ears, and he wears a blue T-shirt and a pair of rectangle glasses.
"What are you doing here?" he says.
"I wanted to go home," I say, "and you were the closest thing I could think of."
He presses his lips together.
"Don't look so pleased to see me." I add.
"Hey," he says, setting his hands on my shoulders. "I'm thrilled to see you, okay? It's just that this isn't allowed. There are rules."
"I don't care," I say. "I don't care, okay?"
"Maybe you should." His voice is gentle; he wears his look of disapproval. "If it were me, I wouldn't want to get in trouble with your faction."
So, I've found a new favorite genera through this page count, dystopian science fiction. It all started with Hunger Games, but this summer (slash winter...) I've read Matched and now Divergent. On my last blog I wrote that if you like Hunger Games you'd like Clockwork Prince, but really, Divergent is much more similar.
It takes place in future Chicago. The people of the world decided that there were specific reasons why the world was all messed up, so they each created their own faction based on a virtue. There are five: Candor, who believe in honesty, Abnegation, who believe in selflessness, Dauntless, who believe in courage, Amity, who believe in peace, and Erudite, who believe in knowledge.
When children reach sixteen, they must choose which faction they want to live in, even if it isn't where their family lives. The factions have very little interaction, so if you leave your family it's likely that may never see them again. "Faction over blood." Your new faction is your family.
But what happens if you don't fit into just one group? Well, that's Beatrice's problem. She fits into three, she's what they call Divergent. But it's not a good thing. In fact, it can get you killed. Beatrice must find out who she can trust, and where she fits in with a world that wants her dead.
The story follows Beatrice from before her aptitude test, (where they tell her what faction she should choose) far past her initiation into the faction she chooses. I loved that the book told a good portion of a story, that it didn't end in a cliff hanger, or before the current problems were solved. The problem I had with Crossed was just the opposite, that I didn't feel like I got enough of a story. There is plenty in this book.
I loved this book. The sequel comes out in May. I can't wait. While I didn't get the fan girl giggles like I did with Clockwork Prince, it takes intriguing twists and keeps you on your toes. Beatrice, who decides to change her name to Tris (thank goodness) is a likable and strong character. I almost like her as much as Katniss (Hunger Games). And I like her a whole lot more than Tessa (Infernal Devices), so that's good.
It's scary to think that the world could end up like the world in this book, and it reminds us that we must be Courageous, Honest, Selfless, Knowledgeable, and Kind, not just one. You see the corruption in each system or faction, and you realize there's no way each can stand on it's own.
There's a lot of action in this book, so don't think it's all about politics, because it's not. It's equivalent to Hunger Games. I recommend Divergent to anyone who likes Hunger Games. (For real this time)
398-487=(-89)!!!
Well folk, that's 10,089 pages! Sure it took me a while longer than I planned... okay, five months more... but I made it before the next summer right? Don't worry, I'm not done yet. I don't have any books to read right now, and midterms are coming up, but I have a few more things up my sleeve before I officially close the 2011 summer page count. So stay tuned. (If there's even anyone there...)
Read on,
Jamie
"Beatrice?" a voice behind me says.
I turn, and Caleb stands behind me, a book in his hand. His hair has grown out so it flips at his ears, and he wears a blue T-shirt and a pair of rectangle glasses.
"What are you doing here?" he says.
"I wanted to go home," I say, "and you were the closest thing I could think of."
He presses his lips together.
"Don't look so pleased to see me." I add.
"Hey," he says, setting his hands on my shoulders. "I'm thrilled to see you, okay? It's just that this isn't allowed. There are rules."
"I don't care," I say. "I don't care, okay?"
"Maybe you should." His voice is gentle; he wears his look of disapproval. "If it were me, I wouldn't want to get in trouble with your faction."
So, I've found a new favorite genera through this page count, dystopian science fiction. It all started with Hunger Games, but this summer (slash winter...) I've read Matched and now Divergent. On my last blog I wrote that if you like Hunger Games you'd like Clockwork Prince, but really, Divergent is much more similar.
It takes place in future Chicago. The people of the world decided that there were specific reasons why the world was all messed up, so they each created their own faction based on a virtue. There are five: Candor, who believe in honesty, Abnegation, who believe in selflessness, Dauntless, who believe in courage, Amity, who believe in peace, and Erudite, who believe in knowledge.
When children reach sixteen, they must choose which faction they want to live in, even if it isn't where their family lives. The factions have very little interaction, so if you leave your family it's likely that may never see them again. "Faction over blood." Your new faction is your family.
But what happens if you don't fit into just one group? Well, that's Beatrice's problem. She fits into three, she's what they call Divergent. But it's not a good thing. In fact, it can get you killed. Beatrice must find out who she can trust, and where she fits in with a world that wants her dead.
The story follows Beatrice from before her aptitude test, (where they tell her what faction she should choose) far past her initiation into the faction she chooses. I loved that the book told a good portion of a story, that it didn't end in a cliff hanger, or before the current problems were solved. The problem I had with Crossed was just the opposite, that I didn't feel like I got enough of a story. There is plenty in this book.
I loved this book. The sequel comes out in May. I can't wait. While I didn't get the fan girl giggles like I did with Clockwork Prince, it takes intriguing twists and keeps you on your toes. Beatrice, who decides to change her name to Tris (thank goodness) is a likable and strong character. I almost like her as much as Katniss (Hunger Games). And I like her a whole lot more than Tessa (Infernal Devices), so that's good.
It's scary to think that the world could end up like the world in this book, and it reminds us that we must be Courageous, Honest, Selfless, Knowledgeable, and Kind, not just one. You see the corruption in each system or faction, and you realize there's no way each can stand on it's own.
There's a lot of action in this book, so don't think it's all about politics, because it's not. It's equivalent to Hunger Games. I recommend Divergent to anyone who likes Hunger Games. (For real this time)
398-487=(-89)!!!
Well folk, that's 10,089 pages! Sure it took me a while longer than I planned... okay, five months more... but I made it before the next summer right? Don't worry, I'm not done yet. I don't have any books to read right now, and midterms are coming up, but I have a few more things up my sleeve before I officially close the 2011 summer page count. So stay tuned. (If there's even anyone there...)
Read on,
Jamie
Monday, January 23, 2012
Clockwork Prince
Clockwork Prince ~ 502 pages
"I know we are in a hurry to get to the council meeting," said Jem, "but I wanted you to see this." He gestured around them. "Poet's Corner."
She smiled at him. "How did you know just what I'd want to see?"
"How could I not?" He said. "When I think of you, and you are not there, I see you in my mind's eye always with a book in your hand."
Clockwork Prince is the sequel to Clockwork Angel, and the second book in the Infernal Devices series which is the prequel to the Mortal Instrument series. Got it? I broke it all down in a previous blog (in fact, it was my first blog).
I like the Infernal Devices series more than Mortal Instruments, which is saying something because I liked Mortal Instruments a lot. The characters in this series are so interesting, it's hard to put it down once you get into it. I found myself having to allow specific time slots to read because I would've just read it all the way through and forgot about all my homework. It's just so gripping. I also found that I couldn't read it in public places because the reactions it drew out of me were so erratic and even as I looked up from the book it took me a couple of seconds to pull myself to reality.
So to tell you a little bit about this book...
It continues to tell the story of Tessa, and her experiences now that she's living in the institute with the "shadowhunters". It takes a long time to explain all of this world, and I attempted to do that in the City of Fallen Angels blog. (so go read that if you feel so inclined) Luckily, this book was more of a romance than an action. Yes there are still battles, (including one particularly bloody one) but the real foundation of the book was, "What the heck is Will's deal?"
You find out a lot about Will in this book, explanations for his really strange behavior and such, but the thing was... I didn't really care. In my Matched blog, I wrote out which "team" I am for several books and series. (For example, Team Jacob or Team Edward) I am Team Jem forever and always after this book. I was team Jem after the first book, but this book made it even more clear. I still stand by everything I said in my defense of Team Jem, but now I have so much more to add...
I guess the biggest problem was that I just wanted to punch Tessa in the face. She's supposedly really smart, but she does a lot of stupid stuff for a smart person. But I guess that's good writing. The fact that I was so freaking involved with this book speaks volumes to it's writing.
If you like Hunger Games, or fantasy action romance, this series might be for you. The only hesitation I have in recommending it, is that I don't know which book you should read first, City of Bones or Clockwork Angel. I don't know if you have to read the Mortal Instruments series to fully appreciate the Infernal Devices series. I think I liked reading City of Bones first, because it all ties together, and you get better explanations in City of Bones because it was written first.
Anyway. 900-502= 398 Pages left
Read on,
Jamie
"I know we are in a hurry to get to the council meeting," said Jem, "but I wanted you to see this." He gestured around them. "Poet's Corner."
She smiled at him. "How did you know just what I'd want to see?"
"How could I not?" He said. "When I think of you, and you are not there, I see you in my mind's eye always with a book in your hand."
Clockwork Prince is the sequel to Clockwork Angel, and the second book in the Infernal Devices series which is the prequel to the Mortal Instrument series. Got it? I broke it all down in a previous blog (in fact, it was my first blog).
I like the Infernal Devices series more than Mortal Instruments, which is saying something because I liked Mortal Instruments a lot. The characters in this series are so interesting, it's hard to put it down once you get into it. I found myself having to allow specific time slots to read because I would've just read it all the way through and forgot about all my homework. It's just so gripping. I also found that I couldn't read it in public places because the reactions it drew out of me were so erratic and even as I looked up from the book it took me a couple of seconds to pull myself to reality.
So to tell you a little bit about this book...
It continues to tell the story of Tessa, and her experiences now that she's living in the institute with the "shadowhunters". It takes a long time to explain all of this world, and I attempted to do that in the City of Fallen Angels blog. (so go read that if you feel so inclined) Luckily, this book was more of a romance than an action. Yes there are still battles, (including one particularly bloody one) but the real foundation of the book was, "What the heck is Will's deal?"
You find out a lot about Will in this book, explanations for his really strange behavior and such, but the thing was... I didn't really care. In my Matched blog, I wrote out which "team" I am for several books and series. (For example, Team Jacob or Team Edward) I am Team Jem forever and always after this book. I was team Jem after the first book, but this book made it even more clear. I still stand by everything I said in my defense of Team Jem, but now I have so much more to add...
I guess the biggest problem was that I just wanted to punch Tessa in the face. She's supposedly really smart, but she does a lot of stupid stuff for a smart person. But I guess that's good writing. The fact that I was so freaking involved with this book speaks volumes to it's writing.
If you like Hunger Games, or fantasy action romance, this series might be for you. The only hesitation I have in recommending it, is that I don't know which book you should read first, City of Bones or Clockwork Angel. I don't know if you have to read the Mortal Instruments series to fully appreciate the Infernal Devices series. I think I liked reading City of Bones first, because it all ties together, and you get better explanations in City of Bones because it was written first.
Anyway. 900-502= 398 Pages left
Read on,
Jamie
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Crossed
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
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
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
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