Here they are! The first 12 reads of the year and what items they complete on my list. (In no real particular order.)
Allegiant - Veronica Roth - 526 pgs
10) A book with a one word title
A few of these books will seem very oddly placed for what item they complete, most of the time this is because I already knew I wanted to read this book and just placed it in a requirement it just happened to fit. Allegiant could fit a large number of the requirements (written by a female, made me cry, started but never finished, etc.) but I'm just going to file it under one word title. I don't know how I feel about this book being the end to the Divergent series; there seems to be so much left unresolved. Not to mention I feel like some choices were made to deliberately hurt me, not because they were necessary. The beginning seemed slow compared to the other two books, which is probably why I didn't finish it the first time I checked it out from the library. I won't lie, I didn't fully understand the premise either. It wasn't horrible though, just not what I expected/wanted. But hey, it wasn't worse than the end to the Series of Unfortunate Events books...
Four: A Divergent Collection - Veronica Roth - 285 pgs
5) A book with a number in the title
Does this count? Is it a number, or is it a name? Does it matter? I don't know, but this is my blog so I'm saying it counts.
Remember years back when Stephanie Meyer was going to publish Twilight from Edward's point of view? (Then people stole it and put it on the internet so she changed her mind) This is similar but completely different. Veronica Roth took Tobias/Four's backstory and wrote short stories as well as putting in some scenes in Divergent from Four's point of view. That was a confusing sentence, sorry. Basically, Veronica was writing the Divergent series from Four's POV, but as she wrote she discovered that Tris would be the better narrator. That made it so she had enough material to publish this little book. It's a quick read and really interesting. If you're a Divergent fan, don't miss out on this little treasure.
The Assassin's Blade - Sarah J. Maas - 435 pgs
6) A book written by an author under 30
Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas - 404 pgs
25) A book with a love triangle
Crown of Midnight - Sarah J. Maas - 420 pgs
45) A book told from multiple points of view
Heir of Fire - Sarah J. Maas - 562 pgs
29) A book with magic in it
My goodness. I put the four Sarah J. Maas books in a row next since they're all one story. As much as I wish I could share all my feelings for this series with you, there wouldn't be enough time and you wouldn't have enough patience. I will say this. Many people need educating in the geometry department. A triangle has THREE SIDES. Everyone knows this, yes? So WHY do we call almost every relationship part of a love triangle??? A REAL love triangle should include three people who have some kind of relationship/feelings with the other two people, NOT one person loved by two people or one person who loves two people. Does that make sense? I feel like I should draw a picture. This series is an example of a real love triangle (The infernal devices is the best example though). Two boys who love each other and are like brothers who love the same girl and one girl who loves both the boys. That is what a triangle looks like. Rant done.
If you love high fantasy, you'll love these books. Celaena is one of the best written female characters around. She can hang with Katniss any day of the week. I will say that Throne of Glass is not perfect nor my favorite, but Crown of Midnight is. The Assassin's Blade is a prequel written after the first two books, but can be read first. I will say that I was a little crushed when I found out this isn't a trilogy and I have to wait quite a long time to get the whole story, but that means more adventures with Celaena, so... I'm good.
Red Rising - Pierce Brown - 382 pgs
27) A book with a color in the title
Just when I thought I'd found my new favorite series in Throne of Glass, something very unexpected happens. This is one of the first books I picked up because it fit the description of one of the books on my list. I saw it all over my library website and Goodreads (probably because the second book was about to come out) and thought, "I like Hunger Games and Game of Thrones" (the books it's being compared to) "I'll give it a try". Now, I don't hate them, but I don't particularly enjoy sci-fi books. I don't know why but too much talk of space and futuristic things I don't understand just turn me off to the story so picking this up was a leap of faith. I'm very glad I made that leap. And you know what? It IS a mix of Hunger Games and Game of Thrones. Just let that sink in. Now, this book is REALLY GOOD (the set up takes a while), but the sequel was AMAZING.
Golden Son - Pierce Brown - 442 pgs
26) A book set in the future
Why did I have to discover this book over a year before the last one comes out? This cliffhanger is the most brutal cliffhanger I've had to endure. I NEED to know what's going to happen. YOU HEAR ME PIERCE? I NEED TO KNOW NOW. My first thought after finishing this book was, "I've run right into Pierce Brown's torture chamber and I can't leave." UGH. This book broke me. Obviously I have a hard time making real sentences about it. READ THESE BOOKS. If for no other reason than I'll finally have someone to vent with.
A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini - 370 pgs
28) A book that made you cry
Or as I like to call it A Thousand Splendid Sobs. If you were to look up Khaled Hosseini's books on Amazon, you'd probably find crates of tissues in the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" section. Those of you who read Kite Runner know what I'm talking about. I was still breaking out in tears a week after I finished this book. But not just because sad things happen, because I learned so much from this book. I know some people feel that reading one of Hosseini's books is reading all of them, but that's not how I see it. While Kite Runner was about childhood creativity and friendship, TSS is about women. Females everywhere take note, A Thousand Splendid Suns is an education definitely worth sobbing for.
The Kiss of Deception - Mary E. Pearson - 486 pgs
8) A book written by a female author
This book isn't terrible. This book isn't profound. In fact, it felt quite strange to read it after TSS, like it was superficial and shallow. Perhaps it really is. Honestly, I found this on Goodreads and just went for it. Apparently I missed the fact that you're not supposed to know who is the Prince and who is the Assassin until the official reveal a little past the halfway point. That went right over my head. Somewhere along the line I just made an assumption. And I was wrong. I had to look back through the book to get the plot twist through my head. That was exciting. The sequel will be at the bottom of my reading list when it comes out later this year. I hate becoming THAT guy, but I feel like I'm too old for this sort of writing.
We Were Liars - E. Lockhart - 225 pgs
20) A book you can read in one day
Kiss of Deception is going to look so dumb sandwiched between TSS and We Were Liars. I ranted to my mom about this book. I told her the whole story just so someone could sympathize with me. When that wasn't enough, I told my dad, and my sister, and my brother. I'm tempted to tell you. You'll find little information of what exactly We Were Liars is about. It's better to just read it and freak out about it later I suppose. The only thing I'm going to comment on is the description of emotional and physical pain being very poetic in this book. The main character suffers migraines, a pain I know all too well and have struggled with my whole life. The descriptions may seem like too much and overly poetic, but I can tell you first hand, that is EXACTLY what it feels like. It's a quick and enjoyable read.
Half a King - Joe Abercrombie - 333 pgs
22) A trilogy (This is the first book)
Lucky me, the last two books of this series both come out this year. If only Pierce Brown could do that...
I have a rule in which I require myself to read 100 pages before I give up on a book. Not going to lie, this book took 130. It's not that the beginning wasn't interesting and action-packed, but, I didn't really CARE. I already knew that stuff was going to happen, you told me on the cover and inside flap! But dude. Once this book got rolling, it REALLY got moving. The characters finally got interesting and I finally cared. I'm excited to read the next two.
I touched on this earlier when talking about the Throne of Glass series, but trilogies are funny things to me. I get to spend more time with the characters, but I have to wait years for the whole story.
Usually, the second book is my favorite. You are familiar with the characters and (hopefully) care about them, more questions are being answered but you don't feel the impending end lurking over you, and the author can just jump right into the action without too much set up. Win, win, win.
It'll be interesting to see how this trilogy plays out.
Well, hopefully I'll have a book tomorrow!
Read on,
Jamie
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
2015 Reading list
Hey there.
Yes, I got lost for a little while. I was a little bit busy graduating and Studying Abroad and living at Disney World... But I promised you another Book v. Movie post. It was going to be about The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Maybe the reason I never wrote it was because, once again, I liked the movie and the book equally.
Anyway. Instead of trying to review a book I read two years ago, I'm going to blog the books I've read this year.
This year has been an amazing one for the bookworm in me. From the discovery of Goodreads to the discovery of my lost bookshelf (I know, how do you lose a bookshelf??) this year has been one to blog.
But what spurred my spontaneous return is actually a lack of these things. Guys, I haven't had a book to read for two full days. 8 books on hold and not one has come in. I was starting to lose my mind. That's when I remembered this blog and the reading challenge I was (kind of) following.
It's a simple list of 50 things to read this year, some as random as "a book written by an Author with the same initials as you" (JU? Anyone??). Between that and Goodreads constantly asking me how many books I want to read this year, I've decided it is time for me to keep a reading goal again.
The last challenge was in pages, this time it'll be in books. I want to read 50 books this year. I know it's not shooting for the stars, but it's doable. I'm going to take most of the suggestions from published reading challenges and make up some of my own to replace the dumb ones. So here goes!
1) A book with 800+ pages
2) A classic romance
3) A book that became a movie
4) A book published this year
5) A book with a number in the title
6) A book from an author under 30
7) A funny book
8) A book with a Female author (This is a dumb one, a lot of authors are women, but I can't cut ALL of the suggestions)
9) A Mystery or Thriller
10) A book with a one word title
11) A book set in a different country
12) A popular Author's first book
13) A book you haven't read yet from an author you love
14) A book your friend recommends
15) A Pulitzer-Prize winning book
16) A book at the bottom of your to-read list
17) A book that scares you
18) A book 100+ years old
19) A book you choose based entirely on it's cover (I'm excited for this one)
20) A book you can read in one day
21) A book with antonyms in the title (You just want me to read War and Peace, huh?)
22, 23, 24) A trilogy
25) A book with a love triangle
26) A book set in the future
27) A book with a color in the title
28) A book that made you cry
29) A book with magic in it
30) A graphic novel
31) A book from an author you've never read before
32) A book you own but have never read
33) A play
34) A banned book
35) A book you started but never finished
36) A book everybody had read but you
37) A non-fiction book
38) A book a family member loves
39) A book with bad reviews (I don't know about this...)
40) A book with non-human characters
41) A book set during a holiday
42) Your old favorite book
43) A biography
44) A book of short stories
45) A book told from multiple points of view
46) A book written by two authors
47) A Goodreads suggestion
48) Reader's choice
49) Reader's choice
50) Reader's choice (aka whatever I want)
(Edited Jan 2016 to remove cross out of completed items)
Ideally, I'll come back to blog the books as I read them (probably two at a time), but I've got to catch up with the books I've already read for now.
Read on,
Jamie
Yes, I got lost for a little while. I was a little bit busy graduating and Studying Abroad and living at Disney World... But I promised you another Book v. Movie post. It was going to be about The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Maybe the reason I never wrote it was because, once again, I liked the movie and the book equally.
Anyway. Instead of trying to review a book I read two years ago, I'm going to blog the books I've read this year.
This year has been an amazing one for the bookworm in me. From the discovery of Goodreads to the discovery of my lost bookshelf (I know, how do you lose a bookshelf??) this year has been one to blog.
But what spurred my spontaneous return is actually a lack of these things. Guys, I haven't had a book to read for two full days. 8 books on hold and not one has come in. I was starting to lose my mind. That's when I remembered this blog and the reading challenge I was (kind of) following.
It's a simple list of 50 things to read this year, some as random as "a book written by an Author with the same initials as you" (JU? Anyone??). Between that and Goodreads constantly asking me how many books I want to read this year, I've decided it is time for me to keep a reading goal again.
The last challenge was in pages, this time it'll be in books. I want to read 50 books this year. I know it's not shooting for the stars, but it's doable. I'm going to take most of the suggestions from published reading challenges and make up some of my own to replace the dumb ones. So here goes!
1) A book with 800+ pages
2) A classic romance
3) A book that became a movie
4) A book published this year
5) A book with a number in the title
6) A book from an author under 30
7) A funny book
8) A book with a Female author (This is a dumb one, a lot of authors are women, but I can't cut ALL of the suggestions)
9) A Mystery or Thriller
10) A book with a one word title
11) A book set in a different country
12) A popular Author's first book
13) A book you haven't read yet from an author you love
14) A book your friend recommends
15) A Pulitzer-Prize winning book
16) A book at the bottom of your to-read list
17) A book that scares you
18) A book 100+ years old
19) A book you choose based entirely on it's cover (I'm excited for this one)
20) A book you can read in one day
21) A book with antonyms in the title (You just want me to read War and Peace, huh?)
22, 23, 24) A trilogy
25) A book with a love triangle
26) A book set in the future
27) A book with a color in the title
28) A book that made you cry
29) A book with magic in it
30) A graphic novel
31) A book from an author you've never read before
32) A book you own but have never read
33) A play
34) A banned book
35) A book you started but never finished
36) A book everybody had read but you
37) A non-fiction book
38) A book a family member loves
39) A book with bad reviews (I don't know about this...)
40) A book with non-human characters
41) A book set during a holiday
42) Your old favorite book
43) A biography
44) A book of short stories
45) A book told from multiple points of view
46) A book written by two authors
47) A Goodreads suggestion
48) Reader's choice
49) Reader's choice
50) Reader's choice (aka whatever I want)
(Edited Jan 2016 to remove cross out of completed items)
Ideally, I'll come back to blog the books as I read them (probably two at a time), but I've got to catch up with the books I've already read for now.
Read on,
Jamie
Friday, February 15, 2013
Books vs. Movies: Warm Bodies
"Oh my gosh I love ____!"
"Me TOO! Can you even believe they made it into a movie?"
"What?"
"Yeah, they left out the best parts in the writing too!"
"You mean there's a book?"
"Oh, you're one of THOSE PEOPLE."
"What do you mean? Just because I didn't read the book doesn't mean I can't like it!"
"No, it just means you don't appreciate or even know anything about it."
"The book was probably long and boring anyway. Don't be jealous just because I didn't have to sleep through six hundred pages."
It's a struggle that will go on for ages. The Book vs. The Movie version. No matter where you stand on this issue, I'm hoping that you all can agree that both have their moments. I believe there are movies that totally do the book justice, and both are equal in awesomness. I believe there are movies that are so incredible, they outdo the book on every front. I believe there are movies that are so awful, they create "haters" for a book that was spectacular.
I'll throw out a few notorious Book/Movies
-Lord of the Rings
-Twilight
-Chronicles of Narnia
-Princess Bride
-Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
-To Kill A Mockingbird
These and many others like it carry a large debate, which version was better? The Print? Or the Reel?
Since I'm the author of this piece, you might find it helpful to know that my prejudice in this debate is towards that of the Book, however, I have no agenda in convincing you to agree.
I've recently read two books, and then went to see their movie counterparts in the theaters. In round one we will be discussing...
Warm Bodies
By: Isaac Marion 256 Pages
"I shake my head apologetically, but I wince at her use of the word "human." I've never liked that differentiation. She is Living and I'm Dead, but I'd like to believe we're both human. Call me and idealist."
Warm Bodies is about R, a zombie in an apocalyptic world. He can't remember what his life was before he died, heck, he can't even remember his name. His life is a meaningless shuffle around the zombie infested airport and hunting the living in the city. That is, until he meets Julie, a living girl whose boyfriend he just ate. Whatever is going on between Julie and R, is changing the dead into... not quite so dead. But do they have enough time to save humanity? And will anyone understand? Probably not. That's why this book is funny, scary, and thought provoking.
In this world, the dead can be changed back into the living, if they receive and give LOVE. Love is the cure to the zombie apocalypse. (Wish it was that easy in Walking Dead...)
I enjoyed reading this book on my kindle, because I was free to highlight and mark pages as well as make notes. I highlighted so many wonderful quotes. And the best part is that they range from laugh out loud funny, to sit and ponder thought provoking. I feel like I have to share some more, because the writing is so beautiful, and if my wonderful synopsis didn't get you interested, I think the poetry of the writing will.
"I long for exclamation marks, but I'm drowning in ellipses."
"What's wrong with people?" She says, almost too quiet for me to hear. "Were they born with parts missing or did it all fall out somewhere along the way?"
"I feel like a toddler caught finger-painting the walls. Or killing dozens of people."
"Can the Dark Ages' doctors be blamed for their methods? The blood-letting, the leeches, the holes in the skulls? They were feeling their way blind, grasping at mysteries in a world without science, but the plague was upon them; they had to do something..."
"I am thinking about death. I'm thinking how brief life is compared to it."
I mean, really, just lyric, beautiful, engaging writing all the way through the book. I was never bored and always wondering what would happen next. It's a quick read and well worth your time to pick up.
THEN. I saw the movie.
And you know what? I loved it.
When it was true to the book, it was dead on. When they had to make changes, they were practical and most of the time for realism's sake or to cut down on time. They left everything important in while adding a bit more exposition which is fine by me.
I thought that the fact that R doesn't talk in the book, but has a running monologue of wonderful thoughts in his head, would be a hindrance, and wouldn't work on screen (think Hunger Games), but I was happily wrong. The narrative goes throughout the movie, this is what lets us think of this story as funny. The fact that a Zombie can have thoughts and feelings that it cannot express is a new thought, and in a world where almost every zombie plot possible has been written this is a nice change.
I even favored a few cuts. R's "family" in the book, was a confusing and random thing for me, and it would've been even harder to play out on screen.
I was only disappointed with one cut. For those familiar with either book or movie, my issue is with how R gets into the living's encampment in the movie. I think the scene from the book would've been cinematic gold. It's funny, and pretty realistic in terms of breaking in that fortified camp.
There is one HUGE change from the print to the screen, and that is Julie's relationship with her father. I'm not sure which version of this I liked better, but they were SO different. I think the book goes along with the theme in the writing which is that love changes people, and if a person is unwilling to love, they are less human than the zombies. The movie goes along with the, we need a happy and completely resolved ending to this movie! (Which is too bad, because there WILL one day be a sequel to Warm Bodies, and they kind of made it so they can't make another movie.)
So, I've thrown you the facts and the numbers, what do I think? I think the book and the movie are equal. They serve different purposes. The book is there to make you think and feel. The movie is there to entertain you. Both of them do extremely well at their tasks, so I just can't call a definite winner on this one. I will recommend, that if you love the movie, you should read the book. And if you love the book, you should see the movie. I don't believe either party will be disappointed!
TIE!
Read On,
Jamie
"Me TOO! Can you even believe they made it into a movie?"
"What?"
"Yeah, they left out the best parts in the writing too!"
"You mean there's a book?"
"Oh, you're one of THOSE PEOPLE."
"What do you mean? Just because I didn't read the book doesn't mean I can't like it!"
"No, it just means you don't appreciate or even know anything about it."
"The book was probably long and boring anyway. Don't be jealous just because I didn't have to sleep through six hundred pages."
It's a struggle that will go on for ages. The Book vs. The Movie version. No matter where you stand on this issue, I'm hoping that you all can agree that both have their moments. I believe there are movies that totally do the book justice, and both are equal in awesomness. I believe there are movies that are so incredible, they outdo the book on every front. I believe there are movies that are so awful, they create "haters" for a book that was spectacular.
I'll throw out a few notorious Book/Movies
-Lord of the Rings
-Twilight
-Chronicles of Narnia
-Princess Bride
-Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
-To Kill A Mockingbird
These and many others like it carry a large debate, which version was better? The Print? Or the Reel?
Since I'm the author of this piece, you might find it helpful to know that my prejudice in this debate is towards that of the Book, however, I have no agenda in convincing you to agree.
I've recently read two books, and then went to see their movie counterparts in the theaters. In round one we will be discussing...
Warm Bodies
By: Isaac Marion 256 Pages
"I shake my head apologetically, but I wince at her use of the word "human." I've never liked that differentiation. She is Living and I'm Dead, but I'd like to believe we're both human. Call me and idealist."
Warm Bodies is about R, a zombie in an apocalyptic world. He can't remember what his life was before he died, heck, he can't even remember his name. His life is a meaningless shuffle around the zombie infested airport and hunting the living in the city. That is, until he meets Julie, a living girl whose boyfriend he just ate. Whatever is going on between Julie and R, is changing the dead into... not quite so dead. But do they have enough time to save humanity? And will anyone understand? Probably not. That's why this book is funny, scary, and thought provoking.
In this world, the dead can be changed back into the living, if they receive and give LOVE. Love is the cure to the zombie apocalypse. (Wish it was that easy in Walking Dead...)
I enjoyed reading this book on my kindle, because I was free to highlight and mark pages as well as make notes. I highlighted so many wonderful quotes. And the best part is that they range from laugh out loud funny, to sit and ponder thought provoking. I feel like I have to share some more, because the writing is so beautiful, and if my wonderful synopsis didn't get you interested, I think the poetry of the writing will.
"I long for exclamation marks, but I'm drowning in ellipses."
"What's wrong with people?" She says, almost too quiet for me to hear. "Were they born with parts missing or did it all fall out somewhere along the way?"
"I feel like a toddler caught finger-painting the walls. Or killing dozens of people."
"Can the Dark Ages' doctors be blamed for their methods? The blood-letting, the leeches, the holes in the skulls? They were feeling their way blind, grasping at mysteries in a world without science, but the plague was upon them; they had to do something..."
"I am thinking about death. I'm thinking how brief life is compared to it."
I mean, really, just lyric, beautiful, engaging writing all the way through the book. I was never bored and always wondering what would happen next. It's a quick read and well worth your time to pick up.
THEN. I saw the movie.
And you know what? I loved it.
When it was true to the book, it was dead on. When they had to make changes, they were practical and most of the time for realism's sake or to cut down on time. They left everything important in while adding a bit more exposition which is fine by me.
I thought that the fact that R doesn't talk in the book, but has a running monologue of wonderful thoughts in his head, would be a hindrance, and wouldn't work on screen (think Hunger Games), but I was happily wrong. The narrative goes throughout the movie, this is what lets us think of this story as funny. The fact that a Zombie can have thoughts and feelings that it cannot express is a new thought, and in a world where almost every zombie plot possible has been written this is a nice change.
I even favored a few cuts. R's "family" in the book, was a confusing and random thing for me, and it would've been even harder to play out on screen.
I was only disappointed with one cut. For those familiar with either book or movie, my issue is with how R gets into the living's encampment in the movie. I think the scene from the book would've been cinematic gold. It's funny, and pretty realistic in terms of breaking in that fortified camp.
There is one HUGE change from the print to the screen, and that is Julie's relationship with her father. I'm not sure which version of this I liked better, but they were SO different. I think the book goes along with the theme in the writing which is that love changes people, and if a person is unwilling to love, they are less human than the zombies. The movie goes along with the, we need a happy and completely resolved ending to this movie! (Which is too bad, because there WILL one day be a sequel to Warm Bodies, and they kind of made it so they can't make another movie.)
So, I've thrown you the facts and the numbers, what do I think? I think the book and the movie are equal. They serve different purposes. The book is there to make you think and feel. The movie is there to entertain you. Both of them do extremely well at their tasks, so I just can't call a definite winner on this one. I will recommend, that if you love the movie, you should read the book. And if you love the book, you should see the movie. I don't believe either party will be disappointed!
TIE!
Read On,
Jamie
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
A Christmas Beginning, Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
Merry Christmas! My favorite time of year, with all the family, food, friends, food, and music, how can you go wrong? I'll just take a moment to review and recommend a couple of Christmas themed books, then get back to my food obsession.
Dash and Lily's Book of Dares
By Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
272 Pages
“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”
I won't lie, I read this book either two years ago, or last year (it's been a while either way), so my memory may be a bit fuzzy. Either way, I really enjoyed reading this book during the Christmas break. It's about a girl who leaves a little book in her favorite section of a bookstore full of clues, designed to introduce her to the boy of her dreams, and the boy who finds the book and follows the clues to her. There's only one problem, Lily LOVES Christmas, and Dash hates it.
This book switches between the two characters by chapter, with Rachel Cohn writing for Lily, while David Levithan writes for Dash. It provides an awesome switch of character since the voice of the writing is so different. It's a super cute story and a very fun Christmas read. (Sometimes I think that what Lily does is a perfect way to find a man! Then I realize, yeah probably not...) I'd recommend it to anyone who likes teenage coming of age novels and those who enjoy witty, fun, Christmas stories.
A Christmas Beginning
By Anne Perry
190 Pages
"It was not even twenty-four hours since the murder, and panic was already rising, fear cold and dark, wakening like the wind rattling at the windows. Except that the wind could be shut out, and fear entered in spite of all the locks and bars in the world."
I know what you're thinking. Are you sure that quote is from a book called A Christmas Beginning? Here's the answer. Yes. A Christmas Beginning is a short story, where a young girl in Victorian England is killed, but it's about the Detective who is on Holiday in the town. Mr. Runcorn. This story is about him, and how this case opens his eyes to the way he has lived his 50 years of life thus far. It's about how he plans to change his life. But it's also a who-done-it story. It's a bunch of genres mixed into one short story, and it was fun to read. The book I read it from also had another Christmas story by this author, but I didn't get through all of it in time.
Merry Christmas Everyone! I got a kindle fire from "Santa", and I've already bought two books! I'm pretty excited! Also, I CANNOT wait for Clockwork Princess to come out (84 days!) and now I believe I can get it at midnight the day it comes out! Wow, I'm a nerd. I mean, I got up SO early to buy Mockingjay the day it came out, because it was also my first day of College and my first class was at 7:30. Good times. Anywho, may you have a peaceful and merry holiday season!
Read On,
Jamie
Monday, December 3, 2012
Chapter 3: Summer after Summer Reading
Once Upon a Time, Jamie had a summer long adventure. This is the story of my relationship with books during that adventure, interspersed with my reviews of the books I mention.
I speculated that Garden Valley would have a library, and it does! A very nice one too. Unfortunately, when they know that you aren't going to be there for very long (four months!), they won't let you get a library card. Crazy, I know. My heart seemed doomed to break into a million pieces. How could I ever live a whole summer without books one summer after reading ten thousand pages??!?!! Fortunately for me, I had purchased two sequels just before I left Salt Lake. A note about me; I don't buy books unless I've already read them, and love them, so that I can read them again later. So this was a strange thing for me to do. To buy two books, one of which I subconsciously knew I wasn't going to love, but I did it anyway.
Insurgent
By Veronica Roth
525 Pages
His eyes are wild with new information. Not all the Erudite are power hungry and devoid of conscience, like their leader, Jeanine Matthews. Some of them are like Caleb: fascinated by everything, dissatisfied until they find out how it works. I am glad he has found something to distract him from his grief.
"Don't you remember from our Faction History Book?" He says. "It called them the 'essential factions'-without them, we would be incapable of survival."
What a wonderful gift last summer gave me. I started all sorts of trilogies and series last summer that I get to continue as the are released. The first book in this series was Divergent. (go ahead, click on it!) I just read what I wrote for Divergent, and I think it's still right on. This being the sequel, it's hard to write anything without giving the first book away, and I don't want to do that if you haven't read these books because they are wonderful.
So instead, I'll tell you my relationship with this book. I read this book about the beginning of Fiddler on the Roof, just one of the four shows I did this summer. I played Yente, the old matchmaker. The best part about playing Yente was that I carried a large basket with me. Large enough to store snacks and books under all the cloth and still go undetected. I would read this book right up until I went on, then stored it in my basket. One time, I was so engrossed in the story and what was happening, I almost yelled out loud backstage, another time I almost missed an entrance. Luckily neither happened. But it's a testament to the (grippingness? engrossingment?) marvelous writing and plot progression. Once this book starts to roll, it really rolls. It's very hard to put down.
As I said in my review of Divergent, true fans of the Hunger Games will enjoy these books.
City of Lost Souls
By Cassandra Clare
534 Pages
Who dares to summon me? The Angel spoke in Simon's mind, in a voice like great bells sounding.
Tricky question, Simon thought, If he were Jace, he could say "one of the Nephilim," and if he were Magnus, he could say he was on of Lilith's children and a High Warlock. But he was Simon, without any titles to his name or any great deeds in his past. "Simon Lewis," he said finally, setting the spell book down and straightening up.
Where to start... This is the fifth book in the Mortal Instruments Series, so it's hard to say.
Well, here, I suppose this would be a good place to start. (City of Fallen Angels)
Followed by here. (City of Glass and Clockwork Angel)
And maybe you want to look at this one too. (Clockwork Prince)
Fhheeewwww! I don't know how I'm going to blog the last two books in these series! This is hard enough.
If you've read the Mortal Instrument Series, you should have read this book already. If you haven't, you need to start with City of Bones, the first book. If you're curious about how I reacted to this book, please, read on.
In a word, boring. In a made up word, angsty. In a sentence, the battle at the end was cool. If you like these characters, and you'd follow them no matter what they're doing, then by all means, read this book and City of Fallen Angels. If you like the first three books in the series as they are, like me, stop after City of Glass. I can't say I didn't know I was going to regret buying it, but I had higher hopes since some of her books are so good, while others fall flat. The last one fell flat, so I had hoped this one would be an upper. I suppose I'm tired of Clary and Jace at this point, and Jace isn't even really in this one. There's just too much angst in all the characters to be relatable, so I sure don't feel sorry for them. As the King once said, "A little less conversation a little more action please."
So, I was entertained for a while. (Longer than I thought for only having two books since I was in rehearsal all day and evening. By the time I got home at night, I was so tired, reading put me to sleep, so only very slow progress was made.) But that point came, as it always does, when you finish a book, and don't have another one to reach for. (Unless you're extremely fortunate and always have another book you want to read AND have access to.) One day, a new found friend saw me finishing my last book, and became very excited, apparently the library hadn't gotten this sequel in yet. I loaned it to her, asking if in exchange, she might get me a book from the library (she is a resident of Garden Valley), she agreed, and a beautiful friendship was born over books.
The Maze Runner
By James Dashner
374 Pages
No quote for this one, since it was a library book long since returned.
The maze Runner has been a popular book for quite a while now, and it seemed like it was everywhere I looked. I kept saying, "Later, I'll read that after this." So, it was the first book I asked my friend for.
The Maze runner is about teenaged boys who are stuck in a labyrinth like maze. They don't know how they got there, they don't remember their lives before the maze, and they're only hope is to solve the maze. The problem, it that there are terrible monsters in the maze at night, so during the day, runners are sent out of their safe zone they call "the glen" and try to find an exit, or a pattern, since the walls change every night.
The story revolves around Thomas, who has just woken up in the maze. He knows as much about the place as you do, so you discover it all at the same rate. He says things like, I didn't understand it, or it didn't make sense, or I was confused, A WHOLE LOT. It becomes a little frustrating after a while. We know you don't know, but we don't know either! Besides that little pet peeve of mine, this was a great book. Lots of suspense. I'd recommend it to action, fantasy, and mystery lovers.
The Scorch Trials
By James Dashner
? pages
This book opens on an attack on some kids while they are sleeping in a room. That's all I know, because that is as far as I got. I'd recommend it to myself, to finish. (Maybe someday)
Ironically, I only took two books from the library with her card, one of which I actually read. Mostly because, about this time, it was my birthday. My birthday present to myself was a day at Barnes and Noble in Boise. I bought myself a book and a strawberries and cream frappuccino, sat down, and just enjoyed myself.
The Kite Runner
By Khaled Hosseini
371 Pages
One day, in July 1973, played another little trick on Hassan. I was reading to him, and suddenly I strayed from the written story. I pretended I was reading from the book, flipping pages regularly, but I had abandoned the text altogether, taken over the story, and made up my own. Hassan, of course, was oblivious to this. To him, the words on the page were a scramble of codes, indecipherable, mysterious. Words were secret doorways and I held the keys. After, I started to ask him if he'd liked the story, a giggle rising in my throat, when Hassan began to clap.
"What are you doing?" I said.
"That was the best story you've read me in a long time," he said, still clapping.
The Kite Runner follows the life of Amir, from his childhood in Kabul, to his escape to America. But it's not about his refugee years so much as it is about his childhood.
I struggle with my thoughts for this book. I could gush for hours and days about why this book is now in my top five for sure. I could attempt to tell you every line that made my heart wrench in unexpected ways. I could try to convince you that even though it's the saddest book I've ever read, it's also the happiest. But really I just want to thank Khaled Hosseini for this masterpiece.
The reason The Book Thief is my favorite book, is because I will never forget the way it made me feel the first time I read it. The inexplicable sobbing mixed with just as strange laughter. The Kite Runner took me to that place again. It feels SO GOOD to read a book that has such deeper meaning beneath ever line, every word. Every paragraph is expertly crafted to create a beautiful story. Everything ties together, just as we as people, and these characters, are connected by some kind of tether, so are the words. The words flow so beautifully, I'd swear it's poetry.
Someday, I may write a whole blog about Kite Runner and Book Thief. For now, I hope everyone High School and above will pick up this book. Unless of course you are very very sensitive. It's not a book for the faint of heart, that's for sure. It's a cruel and horrifying ride in search of Amir's redemption, so hold on tight.
The same week, my family came up from Utah and, at my request, brought a couple of books from my house.
Gone With the Wind
By Margaret Mitchell
Pages... how many have I read or how many are there?
I have enjoyed every time I've gotten to sit down and actually read this book. But those moments are few and far between. I had misplaced the book when I came home, but recently located it again, so here's to take two!
Happy Holiday Season!
Read on,
Jamie
I speculated that Garden Valley would have a library, and it does! A very nice one too. Unfortunately, when they know that you aren't going to be there for very long (four months!), they won't let you get a library card. Crazy, I know. My heart seemed doomed to break into a million pieces. How could I ever live a whole summer without books one summer after reading ten thousand pages??!?!! Fortunately for me, I had purchased two sequels just before I left Salt Lake. A note about me; I don't buy books unless I've already read them, and love them, so that I can read them again later. So this was a strange thing for me to do. To buy two books, one of which I subconsciously knew I wasn't going to love, but I did it anyway.
Insurgent
By Veronica Roth
525 Pages
His eyes are wild with new information. Not all the Erudite are power hungry and devoid of conscience, like their leader, Jeanine Matthews. Some of them are like Caleb: fascinated by everything, dissatisfied until they find out how it works. I am glad he has found something to distract him from his grief.
"Don't you remember from our Faction History Book?" He says. "It called them the 'essential factions'-without them, we would be incapable of survival."
What a wonderful gift last summer gave me. I started all sorts of trilogies and series last summer that I get to continue as the are released. The first book in this series was Divergent. (go ahead, click on it!) I just read what I wrote for Divergent, and I think it's still right on. This being the sequel, it's hard to write anything without giving the first book away, and I don't want to do that if you haven't read these books because they are wonderful.
So instead, I'll tell you my relationship with this book. I read this book about the beginning of Fiddler on the Roof, just one of the four shows I did this summer. I played Yente, the old matchmaker. The best part about playing Yente was that I carried a large basket with me. Large enough to store snacks and books under all the cloth and still go undetected. I would read this book right up until I went on, then stored it in my basket. One time, I was so engrossed in the story and what was happening, I almost yelled out loud backstage, another time I almost missed an entrance. Luckily neither happened. But it's a testament to the (grippingness? engrossingment?) marvelous writing and plot progression. Once this book starts to roll, it really rolls. It's very hard to put down.
As I said in my review of Divergent, true fans of the Hunger Games will enjoy these books.
City of Lost Souls
By Cassandra Clare
534 Pages
Who dares to summon me? The Angel spoke in Simon's mind, in a voice like great bells sounding.
Tricky question, Simon thought, If he were Jace, he could say "one of the Nephilim," and if he were Magnus, he could say he was on of Lilith's children and a High Warlock. But he was Simon, without any titles to his name or any great deeds in his past. "Simon Lewis," he said finally, setting the spell book down and straightening up.
Where to start... This is the fifth book in the Mortal Instruments Series, so it's hard to say.
Well, here, I suppose this would be a good place to start. (City of Fallen Angels)
Followed by here. (City of Glass and Clockwork Angel)
And maybe you want to look at this one too. (Clockwork Prince)
Fhheeewwww! I don't know how I'm going to blog the last two books in these series! This is hard enough.
If you've read the Mortal Instrument Series, you should have read this book already. If you haven't, you need to start with City of Bones, the first book. If you're curious about how I reacted to this book, please, read on.
In a word, boring. In a made up word, angsty. In a sentence, the battle at the end was cool. If you like these characters, and you'd follow them no matter what they're doing, then by all means, read this book and City of Fallen Angels. If you like the first three books in the series as they are, like me, stop after City of Glass. I can't say I didn't know I was going to regret buying it, but I had higher hopes since some of her books are so good, while others fall flat. The last one fell flat, so I had hoped this one would be an upper. I suppose I'm tired of Clary and Jace at this point, and Jace isn't even really in this one. There's just too much angst in all the characters to be relatable, so I sure don't feel sorry for them. As the King once said, "A little less conversation a little more action please."
So, I was entertained for a while. (Longer than I thought for only having two books since I was in rehearsal all day and evening. By the time I got home at night, I was so tired, reading put me to sleep, so only very slow progress was made.) But that point came, as it always does, when you finish a book, and don't have another one to reach for. (Unless you're extremely fortunate and always have another book you want to read AND have access to.) One day, a new found friend saw me finishing my last book, and became very excited, apparently the library hadn't gotten this sequel in yet. I loaned it to her, asking if in exchange, she might get me a book from the library (she is a resident of Garden Valley), she agreed, and a beautiful friendship was born over books.
The Maze Runner
By James Dashner
374 Pages
No quote for this one, since it was a library book long since returned.
The maze Runner has been a popular book for quite a while now, and it seemed like it was everywhere I looked. I kept saying, "Later, I'll read that after this." So, it was the first book I asked my friend for.
The Maze runner is about teenaged boys who are stuck in a labyrinth like maze. They don't know how they got there, they don't remember their lives before the maze, and they're only hope is to solve the maze. The problem, it that there are terrible monsters in the maze at night, so during the day, runners are sent out of their safe zone they call "the glen" and try to find an exit, or a pattern, since the walls change every night.
The story revolves around Thomas, who has just woken up in the maze. He knows as much about the place as you do, so you discover it all at the same rate. He says things like, I didn't understand it, or it didn't make sense, or I was confused, A WHOLE LOT. It becomes a little frustrating after a while. We know you don't know, but we don't know either! Besides that little pet peeve of mine, this was a great book. Lots of suspense. I'd recommend it to action, fantasy, and mystery lovers.
The Scorch Trials
By James Dashner
? pages
This book opens on an attack on some kids while they are sleeping in a room. That's all I know, because that is as far as I got. I'd recommend it to myself, to finish. (Maybe someday)
Ironically, I only took two books from the library with her card, one of which I actually read. Mostly because, about this time, it was my birthday. My birthday present to myself was a day at Barnes and Noble in Boise. I bought myself a book and a strawberries and cream frappuccino, sat down, and just enjoyed myself.
The Kite Runner
By Khaled Hosseini
371 Pages
One day, in July 1973, played another little trick on Hassan. I was reading to him, and suddenly I strayed from the written story. I pretended I was reading from the book, flipping pages regularly, but I had abandoned the text altogether, taken over the story, and made up my own. Hassan, of course, was oblivious to this. To him, the words on the page were a scramble of codes, indecipherable, mysterious. Words were secret doorways and I held the keys. After, I started to ask him if he'd liked the story, a giggle rising in my throat, when Hassan began to clap.
"What are you doing?" I said.
"That was the best story you've read me in a long time," he said, still clapping.
The Kite Runner follows the life of Amir, from his childhood in Kabul, to his escape to America. But it's not about his refugee years so much as it is about his childhood.
I struggle with my thoughts for this book. I could gush for hours and days about why this book is now in my top five for sure. I could attempt to tell you every line that made my heart wrench in unexpected ways. I could try to convince you that even though it's the saddest book I've ever read, it's also the happiest. But really I just want to thank Khaled Hosseini for this masterpiece.
The reason The Book Thief is my favorite book, is because I will never forget the way it made me feel the first time I read it. The inexplicable sobbing mixed with just as strange laughter. The Kite Runner took me to that place again. It feels SO GOOD to read a book that has such deeper meaning beneath ever line, every word. Every paragraph is expertly crafted to create a beautiful story. Everything ties together, just as we as people, and these characters, are connected by some kind of tether, so are the words. The words flow so beautifully, I'd swear it's poetry.
Someday, I may write a whole blog about Kite Runner and Book Thief. For now, I hope everyone High School and above will pick up this book. Unless of course you are very very sensitive. It's not a book for the faint of heart, that's for sure. It's a cruel and horrifying ride in search of Amir's redemption, so hold on tight.
The same week, my family came up from Utah and, at my request, brought a couple of books from my house.
Gone With the Wind
By Margaret Mitchell
Pages... how many have I read or how many are there?
I have enjoyed every time I've gotten to sit down and actually read this book. But those moments are few and far between. I had misplaced the book when I came home, but recently located it again, so here's to take two!
Happy Holiday Season!
Read on,
Jamie
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
I am the Messenger, Sherlock Holmes
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
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
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
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