Reading With My Eyes Shut

Review: The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan

2013-07-13T16:07:00.001-04:00

This review is part of the Classic Double Challenge, hosted by One Librarian’s Book Reviews.

The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan is the second book in the Kane Chronicles series following The Red Pyramid. The best thing about this book is that doesn’t not suffer from middle book syndrome at all. It had its own storyline and a complete plot within the grander scheme of the trilogy. What’s more, it was action packed and fast paced. I love when the second book in a trilogy is more than just a stepping stone to the third book. And in further good news, the ending still leaves you pretty excited to read the third book (The Serpent’s Shadow).

I felt kind of luke warm about Sadie and Carter in the first book. I like them, but didn’t love them. They really grew on me in this book and now I call them friends. Also, in the first book I was distracted by their dual narration, but in this book it seemed more natural. Or perhaps I just got used to it. Either way, I felt like they were more clever and endearing in this book. I liked their cute semi-romances too (perfectly middle-grade style romances). I also loved some of the additional characters in this book (especially Bes!). On the hole, I enjoyed this book more than I did The Red Pyramid, and I’m excited to read the conclusion in the third book.

This book qualifies for the Classic Double Challenge because it relies heavily on Egyptian mythology. I’m not as familiar with Egyptian mythology as I am with Greek and Roman, or even Norse. I was mostly just familiar with the main figures: Ra, Osiris, Isis, Horus, etc. So, it has been fun to learn a bit more while reading these books. I’ve been able to delve into a better understand of some of the themes within Egyptian mythology: duat, maat, chaos, etc. Riordan does a great job with sticking with the classic portrayal of these things as well as the gods and goddesses. His website even gives you a cursory rundown of Egyptian history and a description of the gods and goddesses he introduces in the book. This is one of the great things about the middle grade books that Riordan writes. He does it because he wants his target audience to learn something. Awesome.

You can read more reviews for this book HERE and HERE.

I give it:

It Take All Kinds

2013-06-29T08:38:00.001-04:00

I’m a day late, but better late than never…

Feature and Follow is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

Hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read.

This week the featured blogs are Paperbook Princess and Got Fiction? Check them out!

If you’re a new follower to my blog (via the social media buttons, GFC, Bloglovin, or Networkedblogs, all found to the right) let me know and I’ll follow ya back! There are rumors that GFC is going the way of all things Google doesn’t care about anymore… so if you’re an older follower on GFC, consider a new method. I’m trying to break the addiction myself. ;-)

Q: What is your preferred reading format? Hardcover, eBooks, paperback etc?

It really just depends, you know? Right now I’m pregnant, and pregnancy totally gives me ADD (I’m pretty sure gestational ADD is a real thing) and I have a hard time focusing on words on pages. On the other hand, I get super sick when pregnant (hyperemsis, for those in the know) and am pretty much on bedrest for the duration. How bored would I be without audio books?!? Audible.com is a lifeline while I’m pregnant.

Otherwise, I really appreciate an ereader because it means I can take my books with me on the go and find moments to read under all kinds of circumstances. And outside of pregnancy, I still enjoy audio books for the same reason—mostly especially I listen to audio books while I run.

BUT, I will never get over the feel of a good book in my hands, and the smell of turning well loved pages. So, I’ll never, ever go all paperless either. I don’t really have a preference between hard or paperback – just whatever is in front of me at the time.

What is your preferred reading format?

Review: And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

2013-06-18T16:49:00.001-04:00

I received a free copy of And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini from Audible.com in exchange for an honest review of both the audio book and Audible’s service in providing it. I won’t otherwise receive any commission for the links you may or may not follow in this post.

I love, love Audible.com and have been a member of the site for years. After I started using it I converted my sister, my mother, my father, and my husband. We all use Audible.com now. I listen to audio books while I’m doing housework, while I’m running, while I’m tending to babies… There are lots of moments that fill the day that you can’t have a book in your hand, but can have earphones in your ears. Audible is affordable, a user friendly site, has a great selection of books, and has THE BEST customer service. Something else I’ve really enjoyed since they’ve teamed up with Amazon.com (I was a member long before that) is the “whispersync” feature that allows you to go back and forth between an audio book and an ebook, if you have a copy of both. SO CONVIENENT!

Remember, the fact that I think Audible.com is freaking awesome is just my honest opinion, despite the fact that they asked me to do this review.

Now, about And the Mountains Echoed: I felt like Hosseini’s other books (The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns) were books that really introduced life and culture in Afghanistan. There were, of course, other themes as well, but a lot of what drew me to those books was an immersion into a culture that is not my own. This book reads a little bit different. It is was more about the people and their lives than the culture. In fact, following the lives of these characters, and how they intersect with one another, takes us to several different cultures. And I must say, I think it is beautifully done. This is a story about humanity, and how none of us lives on an island. (Metaphorically, of course. Because in the book some of the characters actually DO live on an island.) The choices we make will affect not only our children, parents, and siblings, not even our own families in future generations, but also the lives of people that intersect ours in both profound and seemingly benign ways.

I identified more with some of the stories in the book than I did with others. As a result, there were parts of the book I devoured and parts that I didn’t love as much. There was nothing I didn’t like though. Each story was incredibly engaging and heartfelt.

The audio of this book was read by the author Khaled Hosseini, an actor Navid Negahban (you might recognize him from the series Homeland or 24) and the actress Shohreh Aghdashloo (whose voice I love, and she was also in 24). None of these are professional narrators, and you could tell; it wasn’t the most fluid of readings. BUT, they all emoted well and it was awesome having the different voices. Since the story is told from so many different perspectives, it was really neat to have the narrators change throughout the story. And it is always fun to hear an author read his or her own work.

You can get the And the Mountains Echoed audiobook at Audible.com (just click the link).

You can read other reviews for this book HERE and HERE.

I give it:

Just as a reminder, other than receiving the book for free (and one other, they gave me an extra credit for another book) I’m getting nothing else out of this post. No commission on the links or anything of the sort. Click away at your hearts content without worrying about me.

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

2013-06-08T18:20:00.001-04:00

Everneath by Brodi Ashton is a retelling, of sorts, of the Hades/Persephone series. I hesitate to say “retelling” though. It really reads more like a clarification. As though Ashton were saying, I’m sure you’re familiar with this myth, but let me explain what really happened. Other myths are also incorporated into the story, most especially Orpheus and Eurydice. I really like the way this is done because it is such a unique interpretation.

The book starts in media res. And not just kind of. It starts so “in the middle of things” that it almost feels like you’ve picked up a book and are reading the ending. I like how it unfolds, though. The whole story—the big picture—is told both through what comes next in the story and a series of flashbacks. The flashbacks were announced with time increments – distinguished between “Now” and “Last Year” or by how much time Nikki had left in the present (“Five and a half months of my return left”) and how far before she’d entered the Everneath the first time (“Six months before I went under”). I thought this was mostly clever, but was annoyed when one time increment from the present would lead to another that was just about five minutes after the first. There came a point when that was over played. (If you read my review for Bree Despain’s The Savage Grace, you might remember that this kind of thing irritates me.)

I’m not sure that I really cared for Nikki as a protagonist. A bit too “woe is me” for my tastes. BUT, I think the development of her character shows a lot of promise. Especially because I was more irritated with her behavior in the flashbacks than I was in the present telling of the story. She gains some strength and the story moves on. I think Jack is a great character—a real hero for a mythological story retelling. Cole… I’m unsure about Cole. I think he is generally deplorable, but there is something I think we’re missing there. I really am looking forward to seeing what happens next with these characters. (And a few others, Jack’s brother shows a lot of promise.)

All in all I enjoyed the book, and will definitely read the next one in the series, Everbound. However, apparently there is a novella I should read first, Neverfall.

You can read other reviews for this book HERE and HERE.

I was initially going to give this book 3 stacks, maybe 3.5. But the more I’ve thought about it, the more I like it. It is such a clever handling of some classic myths, that I think it deserves some credit for that. Also, I listened to the book on audio and listened to the whole thing in less than 24 hours. That’s got to say something. I give it:

It’s not me. It’s you.

2013-06-07T11:01:00.001-04:00

Feature and Follow is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

Hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read.

This week the featured blogs are Rainy Day Reads and Read. Sleep. Reapeat. Check them out!

Q: Have you broken up with a series? If so which one and why?

Yeah, I’ve laid off a few series in my time. One is the Hannah Swenson series. I’m not sure if it is because I’m just not feeling the cozy mysteries, or if it is because Joanne Fluke just didn’t do it for me. But, I couldn’t help but wonder how many unconnected murders one small town could experience before I got bored. When the storyline feels super repetitive after book 2, that is a good sign the relationship is going no where. Good recipes though. It is possible I’ll revisit this series one day, but I don’t see myself going on a bender. I think I could only hack it reading one book every couple of years, so as to not keep the storyline fresh in my mind.

Another series I broke up with is Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series. I think I made it to book 4 or 5? It was a long time ago, so I’m not sure. That series really had a lot going for it – I do love some good epic fantasy. But I also remember getting to a point where the graphic nature of Goodkind’s storytelling got less enthralling and more distracting. There is only so much gore I can handle. I was a lot younger when I read this series though. I wonder if a more mature me would be into it. I just haven’t been motivated enough to find out.

There is another series that I’m behind on, but I wouldn’t say we’ve broken up. We’re just on a break. It is the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. There is a lot that I like about this series. The world Clare has created, interesting characters, engaging plotlines… all good things. But what gets me about it is that Clare is, like, really into the cliff hanger. Every book has some book secret or reveal at the end of it. It got kind of old for me. I think I’ll probably wait the series is finished before picking it up again, so I can just read straight through to the conclusion. I think I made it through book 4.

The only other series that I haven’t seen all the way to the end that I can think of that I didn’t see to the end is the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. That relationship was over before it began. I didn’t even finish the first book. I felt like the storyline and characters were all super flat. My guess is that it is mostly popular because it is sexy, but that doesn’t do it for me.

Have you broken up with a series?

Review: Cooked, by Michael Pollan

2013-06-04T19:06:00.001-04:00

Reading In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan totally changed the way I eat. And Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual went right along with that (it is like a companion novel—a bit repetitive) and kept me in line. So, I was really interested to read Cooked, A Natural History of Transformation, Pollan’s latest book. It seemed to be a different approach than the other two, and I was interested to see if I would learn anything new.

Turns out this book was fascinating. Each section of the book focuses on the four elements—fire, water, air, and earth—and each imparts some interesting perspectives of food and the preparation of it. From the very beginning, where we learn that it isn’t just fire that changed the course of humanity and created civilization, but the discovery that fire cooked food, to the end where we learn that the loss of fermented foods in modern society may be doing serious damage to our health… there is so much to learn about food, its origins, and its preparation.

If I have any complaints about this book, is that many of the themes were the same as In Defense of Food and the other books Pollan as written. He is definitely capitalizing on his food politics niche. BUT, this book expands beyond what he has talked about before and has a more hands on discussion of how making our own food plays a role in our lives. I think it is a very worthwhile read.

This book will really make you think about what you put into your mouth. And it will definitely make you rethink what you’re doing the next time you reach for a frozen dinner at the super market. If you eat food, you’ll learn something interesting in this book. If you’re a foodie like me, you’ll really enjoy learning it.

I give it:

Summer Time

2013-05-17T16:22:00.001-04:00

Feature and Follow is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

Hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read.

This week the featured blogs are The Bookish Confections and Picture Me Reading. Check them out!

Q: School is out! What is your favorite Summer Reading book??

Well… I haven’t been in school for quite some time now. But! For me, “school is out” means my professor husband will be around more, which inevitably means I DO find more time for reading as he helps with the kids and around the house. I don’t know if any of my reading changes, per se. When I was still in school—especially in college—I found myself gravitating towards fantasy in the summer (The Wheel of Time series was a find from my college days and I hit those hard over the summer). It was a nice break from the reading material required for school. I *definitely* would not have been caught dead with anything nonfiction in my hands over summer break. That’s not so much the case anymore (I’m reading a nonfiction right now, in fact. Cooked, by Michael Pollan).

I do have “vacation” books. I like light, fluffy books when I’m on vacation. I feel like anything too intense takes me out of relaxation mode. Sometimes you just gotta turn it off, ya know?

What is your summer reading?

Review: Crossed by Ally Condie

2013-05-15T20:21:00.001-04:00

Crossed by Ally Condie is the second book in the Matched series, following Matched. I really enjoyed the journey in Matched, even though it wasn’t a fast paced, super action-y type book. Well, Crossed isn’t fast paced or super action-y either… and also suffers quite a bit from what we like to call “middle book syndrome”.

Don’t get me wrong, there was lots that I liked. I liked the way Cassia’s character developed as she grew up and started deciding the person she wants to be, and the type of person she wants to be with. I liked the chapters from Ky’s point of view and appreciated getting to know him more… even if I feel like his character remained kind of flat, and had little development. Indeed, I’d argue that Xander’s character was more developed in this book, and he was only in one scene (but, to be fair, was discussed much more than that). I liked the new characters, and hope to see more of them in the next book. I still enjoy the themes in the overarching story of the book, and how in Matched we were asking the question, “What would you give up for a completely comfortable life?” and in Crossed we’re starting to see that there are prices that are much too high.

And I liked where the story is going. The main problem, of course, is that it *barely* goes there. There is stuff that happens in this book, but it is all baby steps. And when you get to the end of of the book, you’re kinda left with a “stayed tuned, something big will happen in the next book, I swear” feeling. I believe it, though. I enjoyed Matched enough, and Crossed wasn’t so much of a disappointment, that I’ll read Reached. Indeed, I’m still looking forward to it.

You can read other reviews for Crossed HERE and HERE.

I give it:

Happy Mother’s Day

2013-05-10T14:31:00.001-04:00

Feature and Follow is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

Hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read.

This week the featured blogs are The NerdHerd and Counting in Bookcases. Check them out!

If you’re a new follower to my blog (via the social media buttons, GFC, Bloglovin, or Networkedblogs, all found to the right) let me know and I’ll follow ya back!

Q: Happy Mother’s Day! Who is your favorite mom from fiction?

I think the thing that strikes me about this question is the lack of mothers found in fiction. Good ones, anyway. There are a lot of absent mothers (either through fault or death), flaky mothers, evil step mothers… but loving mothers? Especially ones that play major roles in the stories? Not so common. The feminist in me wants to go on a long tangent about why that is, but I’ll spare you that.

One of the first that comes to mind is Molly Weasley from the Harry Potter series. Of course! She is both loving and fierce.

Another mother I think deserves some major credit is Fantine from Les Miserables. Technically, she is one of the absent mothers I spoke of before. But, since we know her story as part of that book, we know that she died for the love her daughter.

I’m gonna go ahead and say that my FAVORITE (since this was the question asked) is Margaret March from Little Women. She is intelligent, kind, protective, and loving and teaches her daughters to be the same. There are few characters that are more the epitome of all things motherly than Marmee.

Who is your favorite mother in fiction?

Review: The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett

2013-05-08T17:56:00.001-04:00

The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett was recently recommended to me by a friend, and I was excited to start it because it is the beginning to a somewhat lengthy series and I was in the mood for a journey. Also, Terry Pratchett is often referred to as the “Douglas Adams” of fantasy, and since I finally read “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” last year and really enjoyed it, I was looking forward to being amused.

And this book didn’t disappoint. You have to go in with an open mind (and an appreciation for British humor) about what you are dealing with, because most of the characters are pretty flat and much of the story just doesn’t make sense. But that is really part of the charm. Overall I loved the quirky world that Pratchett has created and I adored our two main characters, Twoflower and Rincewind. Their dynamic is so delightfully… British. The humor of it all took my back to my high school days when I used to stay up late watching Fawlty Towers and Are You Being Served on public television.

I also loved that the ending was a cliff hanger, in the truest sense of the word. So iconicly so, that it is just as comical as it is suspenseful. I’m excited to continue with this series, as well as all the other books Pratchett has written (and there are many!).

You can read other reviews for this book HERE and HERE.

I give it:

Theme Songs

2013-04-26T11:31:00.002-04:00

Feature and Follow is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

Hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read.

This week the featured blogs are I'll Tumble for YA and Beauty but a Funny Girl. Check them out!

If you’re a new follower to my blog (via the social media buttons, GFC, Bloglovin, or Networkedblogs, all found to the right) let me know and I’ll follow ya back!

Q: Is there a song that reminds you of a book? Or vice versa? What is the song & the book?

Funny you should ask! No, seriously, a song came on the radio just yesterday that is undividedly connected to a book in my head, and I thought about how funny that such a thing happens.

The book was Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. And I was reading this book when there was a certain song gaining popularity last year, so it was always in my head. And has I finished reading Rebecca, I realized that said song was actually kind of the perfect theme song for the book. And now I can't think of one without thinking of the other.

Enjoy:

Do you have a song and book combo?

Shannon Hale, will you be my new BFF?

2013-04-19T14:59:00.001-04:00

Feature and Follow is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

Hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read.

This week Alison Can Read is featuring Words Fueled by Love. Parajunkee’s internet is down (boo! that’s the worst!) so we don’t know who she is featuring yet.

If you’re a new follower to my blog (via the social media buttons, GFC, Bloglovin, or Networkedblogs, all found to the right) let me know and I’ll follow ya back!

Q: If you could hang out with any author (living) who would it be and what would you want to do?

The author that came to mind first was Shannon Hale. And, honestly, not just because of her books (which I love) but because of her blog. She not only blogs about books and reading related things—but sometimes delves into current event-ish stuff. I’ve seen her discuss bullying, gender issues (especially related to literature), and most recently rape culture. And she always has interesting thoughts on these issues. That rape culture post has been on my mind, which is why I think I thought of her first. I think she’s the kind of gal I could really get along with.

Which author would you want to sit down with?

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

2013-04-17T17:10:00.001-04:00

So, I’m on a little kick right now. It is a “finally read all the books that friends and family have been recommending for years” kick. Which is what led me to finally pick up Matched by Ally Condie. I’m happy to report, that this is a book that I’m glad I read. Also, I’m pretty pleased that I’ve waited until the next two books are in print before I started. Now I won’t have to wait to read the rest of the series.

Matched is another one of the dystopian young adult novels that are so popular these days. What I like about this one, is that the dystopian tone is a bit different. There is still the 1984 having-all-of-our-choices-taken-away feel to it, only the government is less menacing. In fact, there are many who relish in the simplicity and goodness of the their lives, and thank the establishment for it. As our main character, Cassia, is coming to terms with her choices (or lack thereof), she encounters both people who wish to rebel and people who would never dream of it. What I like about the people who would never dream of it, is that some of them have their eyes wide open about it. They aren’t compliant out of fear or ignorance or brainwashing or general weakness. They are compliant because their lives are good and they are happy and they know that is because of what “The Society” has created.

The problem, of course, is that not everyone is happy. And while “The Society” is not overtly evil (there are no reality TV shows involving a fight to the death among children, for example) Cassia starts to learn that it may not be all it is cracked up to be… and that they walk a fine line between benevolence and violence.

Overall, the book was a very enjoyable read. I wasn’t even bothered by the love triangle, because really it wasn’t a choice about who Cassia loves at all. The choice she makes is about whether or not she will “go gentle into that good night” or “rage, rage against the dying of the light”. (Hats off to Condie, for using a fabulous poem as her central theme in this book.)

I give it:

Convention Season

2013-04-12T16:39:00.001-04:00

Feature and Follow is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

Hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read.

This week the featured blogs are Mab is Mab and Dear, Restless Reader. Check them out!

If you’re a new follower to my blog (via the social media buttons, GFC, Bloglovin, or Networkedblogs, all found to the right) let me know and I’ll follow ya back!

Q: We are about to see a lot of posts & tweets about reader conventions, RT, BEA, ALA and many more are starting soon. Which one would you love to attend and why?

I long to attend both RT and BEA conventions. For one, the locations. BEA is New York City and I so love the Big Apple. And then this year RT is in Kansas City, MO which isn’t bad either. Of course, beyond that… just to be surrounded by all the authors and readers and BOOKS. To spend days—all of the day—just talking to and about authors and readers and books. That kind of sounds like the best vacation ever.

It is not in the cards for me this year, but one day…

Is a book convention something you can get excited about? Have you gone or would you like to?

Review: Life of Pi by Yann Martel

2013-04-03T13:21:00.001-04:00

Life of Pi by Yann Martel was not really what I expected it to be. I’m not sure what I was expecting… I knew this book was about a boy adrift at sea with a tiger, but that’s about it. Which is probably why it took me so long to pick it up, even though it was wildly popular. Turns out it is just as much a book about religion and philosophy than it is anything else.

I like the way this book begins, with an intro into the character of Pi Patel and his life in India. Pi’s approach to religion is the most interesting part of the first third of the book, and from a theological standpoint is enough fodder for a pretty heady discussion on truth and religion. The author also cross sections these religious ideas with those of science and philosophy. The intersection is interesting, especially because of Pi’s ability to blend the different religions and philosophies.

As the story takes Pi adrift at sea, I have to admit that I felt like the plot really started to drag. And I then I had this epiphany where I was like, “I’m reading about a boy lost at sea for months. It would be weird if the story didn’t drag.” The author seems to intentionally include quite a bit of minutia in order to paint the never-ending-ness that you’d have to feel in this part of the story. There were punctuations, though, that kept it interesting. Interactions with the tiger and the environment create an overlay to the philosophy and religion discussed in the first part of the book.

And then came the end, which actually left me feeling dissatisfied. I know I’m supposed to revel in the philosophy and comes to terms with the ambiguity of it by reaching my own conclusions. To that I say balderdash. I want to know the truth. It is funny, because this quote comes from the end of the story, “It's important in life to conclude things properly. Only then can you let go. Otherwise you are left with words you should have said but never did, and your heart is heavy with remorse.” And, for real, I just don’t feel like the story was concluded properly, and I am a bit heavy with remorse about it.

You can read other reviews for this book HERE and HERE.

I kept going back and forth on the rating I would give this book. It went up and down throughout my reading of it. In the end, I give it:

Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

2013-03-25T15:33:00.001-04:00

I’ve wanted to read A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini since I read The Kite Runner several years ago. I didn’t right away, and kept putting it off, because The Kite Runner was such an emotional, heavy (albeit profound and valuable) read that I just kept waiting until I felt ready to start another Hosseini book. The good news is that A Thousand Splendid Suns wasn't quite so heavy on the heart as The Kite Runner was. Don’t let me mislead you, however, it was still a heart wrenching read.

One of the things I loved about this (beautifully written) book was the “insider” perspective on the last few decades of Afghan history. From an American perspective, this book actually reads a bit like a dystopian novel. Only… it is actually historical fiction. Many of us just can’t even comprehend what mankind faces in other parts of the world. So much injustice! It was interesting and eye opening to read about the rise and fall of both communism and the Taliban (including the events leading up to, and after, Sept 11th 2001) through the eyes of Afghanis. And this book wasn’t overtly political. It examined the social and cultural elements in Afghanistan (especially Kabul) during that time period as well.

But the real heart of this novel is the two leading ladies, Miriam and Laila. These two women were raised in dramatically different circumstances, but find themselves united in fighting the same battle—not just battle against any one person (although certainly focused on one person) but a battle against a way of life that was crushing them. To see their strength and courage in the midst of all of the devastating darkness that surrounded them was beyond inspiring. It allowed me to take a good, hard look at the challenges I face in my own life, and consider how to handle it all with dignity. I finished this book not only feeling like I had more of an awareness of the life of a woman in Afghanistan, but also feeling hopeful and feeling grateful for my own life.

You can read more reviews for this book HERE and HERE.

I give it:

2013-03-23T18:01:00.001-04:00

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Review: Growing up Beautiful by Lori Jones

2013-03-18T16:27:00.001-04:00

I received an e-copy of Growing Up Beautiful from the author, Lori Jones, in exchange for this honest review.

I was pretty excited about reading a book set in the 80s. It was so fun to escape into a world before internet and cellphones, and one that includes references to Kool and the Gang. As the book began, it was very reminiscent to me of the Sweet Valley High books I read in the 80s. Except, of course, this book is not nearly so innocent. There is some language, some sex (including a rape), and some pretty casual drug use. Indeed, I think my biggest issue I have with the book is that it includes some heavy stuff, like rape and drugs, but treats it all in a too casual way. So casual with the rape, that it is almost offensive. My second biggest issue is that the author, who was a model, uses some industry specific language without really clarifying the terms. For example, I only have a vague idea of what a “tear sheet” is and that term is used quite frequently in the book.

The characters are cliché—and I don’t mean that in a negative way. They were delightfully cliché. You’ve got your tough and sassy blonde, your rich and up tight brunette, and your young and naïve ginger. I liked the characters for the most part. The tough blonde, Star, was grating by the end up of book. And she was the source for most of the swearing, which would’ve been fine in moderation, but that became so over the top it was distracting. The naïve ginger, Casey, was also a bit overly naïve, and was so taken advantage of in the book that it was frustrating when she *didn’t* get more irate. Her story also comes to a pretty unsatisfactory end, since she experiences some life altering (damaging) things in the book that she never fully addresses. I believe that Jones is planning a sequel to this book, so there is hope for more catharsis there. I liked Casey’s character otherwise.

My favorite character is the up tight brunette, Joanne. And she is my favorite because she is the only one who makes any movement towards a successful happy life in this book. She is the only character who, you know, shows growth and development. It is not that I expect much of the profound from a book like this (it is a light, fluffy read) but it is nice to see a bit of introspection amid an otherwise shallow plot. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not mad at the shallow plot. I don’t think it is trying to be something it is not. It delivers on being a book about budding models exploring life in Milan in the 80s.

In the end, I think this is the kind of book that is perfect for vacation, especially perfect for the flight on your way to vacation. It is a quick read (I had it done in half a day) and is fine if you are looking for something fun to fill some time.

I give it:

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

2013-03-10T14:10:00.001-04:00

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is another one of those books that have sat on my “to be read” list for too long, and every time I saw it I though, “Ack, why I haven’t I read that yet?” But, unlike some of the other more hyped up books I’ve read recently (like The Help), this one really didn’t live up to the hype for me. Which is a big disappointment because I have friends who really, really loved this book and I wanted to really, really love it too.

I’ve struggled to voice why I didn’t love it. I think it comes down to what I perceive as emotional manipulation. Possibly borderline emotional blackmail. “This story is about cancer kids who suffer terribly and sometimes die. It is sad and you will cry.” Listen, I don’t mind cancer/disease/illness related stories. I don’t even mind death in those stories. It is just the intent of the journey that matters to me. This is why I LOVED the movie Phenomenon and HATED the movie A Walk to Remember. Phenomenon is so. much. more. than a movie about a man who dies of a brain tumor. Indeed, that is barely what the movie is about at all. I wept in the end, but I actually wept because I’d felt something for the characters and about the story long before I even knew anyone was sick. The sickness wasn’t a catalyst or a tool used to get me invested in the story. A Walk to Remember was all about a teenage boy trying to help a teenage girl fit in a lifetime of experiences before she dies from something or other (I don’t remember what her ailment was). Which is, of course, impossible and mostly just came across as trite and clearly was made with the intent of making the audience weepy. I knew I was supposed to feel sad, but mostly I just felt like it was all kind of pointless. I was only supposed to feel something for this teenage couple because one of them had a terminal illness. The death march was not enough character development for me.

And, sadly, I feel like The Fault in Our Stars was more in the A Walk to Remember category. I think I was supposed to feel for these characters because of their illness. I don’t feel like I was ever introduced to the characters beyond their sickness. I was never given a reason to identify with them outside that frame. At one point the characters are actually even talking about their desire to not live a life entirely framed by cancer. I couldn’t help but think that this story would actually be so much better if it weren’t entirely framed by cancer. And, heaven help me, when Augustus was first introduced I said to myself, “If Green has chosen the most obvious plot twist with this character I am going to hate this book.” Of course, that is exactly the road Green took us down.

I will say this, I didn’t end up entirely hating the book. After thinking about it for a few days (I couldn’t bring myself to write up the review right away) I decided it is not entirely without merit. I appreciated the insight into how people approach their own mortality. When you face something like cancer, that is often fatal, it IS going to force you to view the world, and your life, more existentially. And if you’ve never been sick, and you’ve never had to think in those terms, I think it can be very beneficial to examine that frame of mind. So, I appreciated that this book took us down that path and spent a lot of time examining that facet of getting sick. I just think we could have gotten to the same destination without all of the emotional blackmail.

I will say this, though: the characters were funny. I may not have been super emotionally invested in them, but they made me laugh a lot. I appreciate some clever banter.

You can read other reviews for this book HERE and HERE.

I give it:

Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2013-03-09T15:02:00.001-05:00

The Help by Kathryn Stockett is one of those books that rests on my “to be read” list for years. And every time I come across it I think, “I really, really want to read that.” The danger in that is that the expectation of loving the book builds up, and this often ends in disappointment. I’m happy to say, that is NOT the case this time. This book totally lives up to the hype that surrounded it.

I think one of the best things this book has going for it is that the main three characters—Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter—are so. very. likeable. (And not just likable, but distinct. It was easy to tell whose voice you were in, even with the multiple viewpoints going from chapter to chapter.) And there were likable because they were so human. Flawed and scared, yet still so very brave and willing to sacrifice so much to be a part of something important.

And then the characters that are irritants—that act as catalysts that inspire our heroines to be bold—are so very deplorable. Although, I have to say that when it comes down to it, Stockett does a good job at fleshing out her antagonists as well. We even see Miss Hilly as a good and loving mother. (Truth be told, I didn’t think she was the biggest offender anyway. I thought Elizabeth was the most offensive because she was so weak when pressured by Hilly to do things she knew were wrong.)

There is, of course, a lot more to the awesomeness of this book than just that. For one, I think Stockett does a really good job of dealing with something ugly and traumatic in a way that lets us see beyond it. Racism in the deep south, especially during the advent of the Civil Right Movement, was horrific and gruesome. You could dwell on the violence and injustice and pain of it, and find yourself in a deep dark place. And while Stockett does bring some of that heart wrenching material into the book (oh. so. heart wrenching… at points I was just so very angry), she does it in a way that doesn’t leave you in that dark place.

I think the way that Stockett handles humanity in this book reminds us that both good and bad people are capable of doing awful things. And then reminds us that good people are also capable of doing amazing and brave things. This left me feeling inspired, and wanting to be the later type of good person. Which is perfect, because they other thing that struck me about this book is that many of its themes are still relevant today, all these years after the Civil Rights Movement. The world still requires good people with a strong voice.

This is a “you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll leave it a better person” type of book.

You can read more reviews for this book HERE and HERE.

I give it:

Outlying Opinions

2013-03-08T17:13:00.001-05:00

Feature and Follow is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

Hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read.

This week the featured blogs are Gone Bookserk and Readiculously Peachy. Check them out!

If you’re a new follower to my blog (via the social media buttons, or GFC or Networkedblogs, all found to the right) let me know and I’ll follow ya back!

Q: What is a book you didn’t like that all your friends raved about or what book did you love that wasn’t popular?

I’m sure I’ve loved many a book that weren’t that widely popular. I wouldn’t even know where to start with that part of the question. Perhaps a good example would be Dan Brown books? But… some of his books are best sellers, so I’m clearly not the only that likes them.

As far as books that everyone else raved about, but I didn’t love? The first book that came to mind was Savage Grace by Bree Despain. When that book was released, all fans of the Dark Devine series were raving about it. I was left feeling very unsatisfied by it. Not just the way the series wrapped up, but the writing on the last book as well. It was a bummer for me.

There is another from just this week. I recently finished The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. People have been telling me to read this book for a long time now. And everyone is so over the moon about it. I was left with some really vague and slightly disappointed feelings. I haven’t even written up the review yet for this one, and am not looking forward to it. I know I have friends that will be disappointed that I didn’t love it.

Do you have any widely popular books that fell short for you?

Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer vs. Little Red Riding Hood

2013-03-03T16:58:00.001-05:00

This review is part of the Classic Double Challenge, hosted by One Librarian’s Book Reviews.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer is the second book in the Lunar Chronicles series, following Cinder. Since I used Cinder last year in the Classic Double Challenge, I thought it would be super fun to do it with the sequel this year. But first, let’s do the real review:

Scarlet Benoit is a pretty great character. She’s sassy, she’s strong, she’s a redhead (gingers rule!). Whereas Cinder starts off with an unsure, shy character, who is still learning to come into her own in this book, Scarlet begins with a fierce heroine who doesn’t have the time or interest to come into anything. She’s got a problem (the disappearance of her grandmother) and she has a single focus on fixing it.

The fun thing about this book is how Scarlet’s and Cinder’s stories were told side by side. And at the beginning they seem separate, but as the plot moves you begin to see Meyer’s grand plan, and understand why these two characters are sharing this book. As far as the plot goes, this is a bit of a “transition book.” Some people call it “middle book syndrome.” I felt like this book had a pretty good pace, and was even action packed. However, as far as the arching plot of the series goes, it definitely moved in baby steps. It was, at least, a fun enough read that this didn’t bother me a whole lot.

As far as the romance goes, Kai and Cinder are at a stalemate, and that is frustrating. The romance between Scarlet and Wolf made up for it. There is just something about the damaged, sensitive guy that gets me every time.

After you’ve read this book, I’d recommend the prequel chapter, The Queen’s Army. It is not a prequel that is meant to be read before you’ve read the book. Read it after for maximum enjoyment of both the book and the prequel chapter.

The third book in the series, Cress, comes out next year. Rumor has it that it will take us down a Rapunzel-esque path, and I’m pretty excited about it.

I give it:

Now, for some Classic Double comparison: I’ll start this off the same way I did the Cinder comparison last year, by reviewing a bit of the history of Little Red Riding Hood. The first we see this story in writing is in France, and by Charles Perrault (famous for his Tales of Mother Goose, which included versions of Cinderella, Sleepy Beauty, and Puss in Boots). This was an oral tale told to children long before then, generally to scare them into doing as they are told and “staying on the path.” There is evidence of early versions of this story in Germany, France, Italy, and even parts of Asia. The earliest written versions (both Perrault and Grimm, but more so with Grimm) were pretty dark, with both grandma and Little Red being swallowed by the wolf, and then saved by a huntsman who opens the wolf’s stomach with an axe. In the Grimm’s version, there is a part two, which shows the lessoned learned. In a second trip grandma’s house, Little Red avoids the wolf, makes it safely there, and then grandma and Little Red are able to defeat the wolf when he comes calling. Over the years there have been lots of versions, some light and fluffy with no one being eaten, some even more dark. The themes they carry range from “obey your parents” to exploring the budding sexuality of young women (in these the red cloak or hood have special meaning). I thought that was interesting, since in Scarlet, Scarlet takes her first foray into romance.

As far as what Meyer has done with the story, it really is quite a departure. Not just because of the futuristic setting, but because Scarlet isn’t so much off to grandmother’s house, as she is leaving their shared home in search of her grandmother. All of the identifying markers are there, though. For one, Scarlet is never without her red hoodie. Her grandmother is in danger, although not so much from one wolf, but from a pack wolves. And whether or not the character name Wolf can be trusted? And who exactly is the rescuer in the end? Ah well, you’ll just have to read and see.

I will say this: the whole “what big hands you have” scene was rock solid awesome.

Review: The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

2013-02-25T18:14:00.001-05:00

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead is the third book in the Bloodlines Series, following The Golden Lily.

This book was fabulous!! We finally get to see a lot of Sydney’s prejudices break down, and the struggles she goes through in that process make her character growth more dynamic. And this plot gives us some mystery about why Sydney has the prejudices she has, and if they even really belong to her. Our new character, Marcus Finch, helps her to realize that the Alchemists have a lot of rather scary secrets. And Sydney has to deal with that at the same time she has to deal with the fact that her new found abilities with magic have made her a target among witches.

And, of course, the romance between Adrian and Sydney heats up. We were all hoping for that, and this book didn’t disappoint. In fact, if I had any critiques about this book, it would be that the story SO focused on Adrian and Sydney, that I missed the other characters a bit. I am hoping the next book gives us some more about Jill, Eddie, and Angeline. Especially poor Eddie. Someone needs to give that kid a break.

The Fiery Heart is set to come out later this year, and I can’t wait. The end of this book was almost tied up into a nice little bow, when Mead introduced something new that turned everything on its head. I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

I know they’re working on a movie for the Vampire Academy series, for which the Bloodlines series is the spin off. I’m excited about that, because I liked the series. But now? Mostly I’m just hoping it does well enough to continue with movies for Bloodlines too. I’m loving this series so much more than Vampire Academy. Seeing it on screen would be fangirl awesome.

I give it:

Review: A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

2013-02-18T15:11:00.001-05:00

“There are no endings, and never will be endings, to the turning of the Wheel of Time.

But it was an ending.”

A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson is the 14th (15th if you count the prequel) book in the Wheel of Time Series, following Towers of Midnight. It is also the final book in this epic fantasy series. As the synopsis above says, this series began in 1990 (I started reading it 15 years ago) and so spans decades of fandom. The complete series is nearly 12,000 pages and over 4 million words of reading. And it. is. so. worth it.

I feel a mix of satisfaction and sadness having come to the end of it. I’ve waited so long for the culmination of the story, that I’m going to have to get used to the idea that it’s over. I’m working on it. As far as this book goes, I will say that it is thrilling. It is epic. I laughed, I cried, I held my breath, I sighed big deep sighs of sadness and relief. To read this story is to live it, y’all.

To discuss the ending of such an epic series is difficult without spoilers. If you haven’t read this book, or this series at all, stop reading here. You need to read it, and I don’t want to ruin it for you.

Spoilers:

I knew that there would be deaths when it came down to last battle, but I was so sad about lost characters anyway. I was so sad about Egwene, but even more so about Gawyn. To me he was one of the more heartbreaking characters because he so deserved to be a hero. Instead his attempts at saving the day just became a reason for the enemy to taunt us more. And, oh, Gareth Bryne and Siuan. I just can’t.

I was so please that our three boys survived though, and the loves of their lives. Indeed, one of my favorite moments at the end of the book was when Perrin found Faile. So, so sweet.

The only thing that left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied was Tuon and the Seanchan. I wanted her to face the fact that she can channel. I wanted them to face the lies they’d been telling themselves about women (and men!) who can channel. I was so frustrated that the injustice of that continued. Although, I’m not going to lie, seeing Moghedien in an a’dam at the end of all things was pretty awesome.

Really, I feel pretty content with how things ended up. It was such a long time coming, I’m glad this book about the last battle did not disappoint!

I give it:

Review: Hera, Queen of the Gods, by T.D. Thomas

2013-02-13T19:55:00.001-05:00

Hera, Queen of the Gods, by T.D. Thomas is the first book in the Goddess Unbound series. The author gave me an e-copy of this book in exchange for a review. A review that I’ve actually had a hard time writing. Not because I didn’t like the book, I actually did quite a bit. But with I liked it only as long as I set some (probably unfair) reservations aside. Let me see if I can explain myself:

Hera, Queen of the Gods is a fun modern twist on Greek mythology. I really enjoyed the way Thomas introduced these ancient gods into the modern world, with a lot of their legends coming out in quirky banter or Hera’s inner dialogue – which was delightfully snarky. Given the ancientness of these legends and how many times these stories have been retold, it is pretty awesome to be able to say that Thomas came up with a really original plot. It was a really fun read, because of that originality. Along with ancient characters and their legends, were some new facets and rules in the worlds of gods, mortals, and monsters.

My reservations come in mostly because of my history in studying Greek mythology. I think maybe it has made me kind of a snob. And it’s not that Thomas gets anything wrong—I actually thought the historical interpretations were accurate enough for the story—it is that this story is SO original that by the end of the book, the world of Olympus has completely changed forever. Changed, as in, you can’t go back from that. I feel like if you’re going to write a new myth for the Gods of Olympus, there are certain constants you just have to abide, certain conditions that should never change. And I kept waiting for the plot to take us back to those standards, but instead it just kept getting farther away.

And again I have to say that I enjoyed the book and I enjoyed the plot. There was just this underlying discomfort with all of the change. But this book leaves you really feeling ready for the next book, which has a lot of promise. Maybe some of those constants will come back to me. Maybe there will be even more change. And maybe that is okay and I just need to embrace the newness of it. I don’t know, but I am looking forward to reading it either way.

I kept going back and forth between 3 stacks and 4, and finally decided to give it: