The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks - E. Lockhart

Title: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Author: E. Lockhart
Published: 2008 Pages: 342
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Rating: 4.25/5

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is one of those books that I heard about all over the blogosphere and finally grabbed my own copy at Borders Bookstore from one of their bargain shelves. I'm kind of funny when it comes to reading reviews--I don't read a lot of summaries and I have a terrible memory, so I often go into books not knowing very much about them except that others really liked them. The case was the same for this one--and what a delightful surprise!

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks besides having a terribly long title is the story of Frankie Landau-Banks during her sophomore year of high school when she decides to take down the school's secret society. After living in her older sister's footsteps during her freshman year, Frankie finally makes a breakout during her sophomore year and becomes involved with some of the cooler and older kids at school. One of the seniors, Matthew, begins courting her and thus begins a whirlwind romance as well as her secret involvement in the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, the secret male-only society. Upset about the continual lies, deceit, and hypocrisy, Frankie decides to take down the Loyal Order one prank at a time.

Mostly this book was just a lot of fun. Although Frankie is not the narrator, the narration focuses around her thoughts and actions, so we get to know her really well throughout the book. Frankie is a little insecure and eager to be accepted among her peers. Her mother still thinks Frankie is her little "Bunny Rabbit" and is constantly undermining her abilities and intelligence. Even in her involvement with Matthew, Frankie shows how important it is for her to make a name for herself and to be taken seriously.

The meat of the book comes from Frankie's growth and development throughout the book and her desire to become her own person. Frankie shows that she is every bit as clever and quick-witted as her male counterparts, but she must do most of this through a covert cover and the leader of the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, Alpha, quickly takes credit for Frankie's work--even as the pranks become more and more serious. My favorite bit about Frankie, though, is her playfulness with the English language:

"[Matthew] got up from the desk, walked over to the couch on which she sat, and kissed her on the lips. There was nothing else around.

'Mmmm,' she whispered. 'Now I'm gruntled.'

'What?'

'Gruntled. I was disgruntled before.'

'Why?'

'It's drizzling, there's nothing to do but study, the vending machine's broken. You know, disgruntled.'

'And now you're...'

'Gruntled.'" (110).

Frankie is such a likeable character, and while some might be annoyed by her antics, I think Lockhart portrays Frankie as many teenaged girls are--someone who is just looking to become a part. My only regret about the book is the ending when although Frankie has learned a lot and accomplished a lot, she's still the teenaged girl who second guesses herself. This book has received some mixed-reviews, but generally I would recommend it. I certainly really enjoyed it!




On a side note: I'm taking a bit of a blogging break. I'm tired of whining about blogging, so I'm making this announcement kind of quietly. And who knows--maybe in a few days I'll change my mind. Ideally I'd still like to get my pending reviews written and posted, but I fear that otherwise I might be a bit sparse around the blogosphere. I've felt that blogging lately has become a lot of pressure and I'm trying to alleviate some of that pressure (mostly self-induced) and until I can figure that out...I'm in a state of avoidance. :)

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne

Title: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Author: John Boyne
Published: 2006 Pages: 216
Genre: YA Fiction
Rating: 3/5

My poor brother has been asking me to read this book for months now (he's thirteen). I'm always reluctant to borrow books from people because I know my turnaround will never be as quick as if I loan out a book. There's so many I've obligated myself to read for challenges or for authors/publishers, not to mention the giant shelf of TBR books. I promised him I'd read BSP for the readathon and I'm so glad I did. When I texted him that I had finished the book he texted me back "it's about time." Yup, it sure is.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas begins with nine year old Bruno and his family who live in a nice big five story home in Berlin. Bruno's father is a very important person, though, and has been asked by the Fury (Hitler) to take post at a strange camp in a far away place called Out-With (Auschwitz). Bruno is upset because the house is much smaller and his sister Gretel (a Hopeless Case) refuses to play with him. As Bruno begins to explore the new home, he discovers that there is a giant camp across the yard with lots of men and boys all wearing the same striped pyjamas. In his exploration, he meets a boy sitting by the fence of the camp whom Bruno befriends.

What I loved about The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is the simplicity and innocence. Bruno doesn't understand why his parents have moved, he doesn't understand the camp beyond his home's yard, and he doesn't understand why his friend can't come across the fence to play or why Bruno can't go to the other side of the fence. There is something so sweet about Bruno's innocence and refusal to judge those who are a little different from him. I also have a tough time believing, though, that the son of a Commandant who is overseeing one of the largest concentration camps in the world doesn't know what a Jew is and whether he is a Jew or not. That aside, Bruno's innocence came across as genuine.

"What exactly was the difference? [Bruno] wondered to himself. And who decided which people wore the striped pajamas and which people wore uniforms" (100).

This is a short book that can be read within a couple of hours, and while I do recommend it, it isn't as powerful as some of the other books I've read about the Holocaust or World War II. Could this partly be because it was written for young adults? I don't know--I've read some pretty powerful young adult books (The Book Thief is one I highly recommend). I guess the unbelievablity of the story continued to tug away at me. I was shocked by the ending of the book, and even though it's not hard to guess this book would not have a happy ending, it left my heart hollow.

Have you read this book or seen the movie? How did you feel about it?




Join Cym Lowell's Book Review Party Wednesday!

Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson

Title: Speak
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Published: 1999 Pages: 198
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Rating: 5/5

Speak is an incredibly powerful book about a young girl struggling with a truth she cannot possibly tell. As we crawl inside Melinda's thirteen-year-old mind, we slowly learn the secrets that are eating her alive and the thoughts she has but cannot speak.

Extreme warning. This book struck an incredibly resonant chord with me. In many ways it was painful to read, but that's what makes it so important. I cannot review this book as I would normally. To do that would be for me to hold my silence. If this makes you uncomfortable, please kindly skip this post. For those of you who haven't read the book, the "Me" format comes from Melinda. Usually her "Me" entries in conversation or in her own mind are, well, silent.

The following comes from my personal writings--from high school to college. Some complete, some snippets of longer pieces. I have shared this with veryvery few people, but enough time has passed, I think. And while what happened to Melinda did not happen to me, I can certainly hear her voice. In many ways these writings are not my current voice, but they were my voice once upon a time. I haven't looked through these journals since the last time I wrote in 2002.

Me: I want you to hear what I'm saying, not just the words that come out of my mouth. I want you to listen to me, not just assume you know then tell me what I'm speaking. I want you to hear me till I'm through, don't just pretend to hear then tell me what to do. I want you to know the truth, for you to know how I feel, but tell me how the hell I'm supposed to tell you when you won't just let me say what I have to say. To finish what I have to finish. I want you to understand what I am, but you can't comprehend if you don't try. I want you to know what's going on, but you won't stop pushing. Let things be the way they are, let things happen the way they do. It is simple: just stop and listen. 2.6.98

Me: I've lost my voice, the soul from which I cry. My desires run cold and my fears hot. Churning within me, all my emotions grow stale. But I cannot find release, I've lost my voice. 11.1.99

Me: ...And I shout but you ignore my silent bouts. 2.2.01

Me: The years have silenced my voice. Courage I had gained was a false facade put up to barricade the fear... 9.19.02

Melinda: "There is no way they can punish me for not speaking. It isn't fair. What do they know about me? What do they know about the inside of my head? Flashes of lightning, children crying. Caught in an avalanche, pinned by worry, squirming under the weight of doubt, guilt. Fear" (157).

Melinda: "I unlock the front door and walk straight up to my room, across the rug, and into my closet without even taking off my backpack. When I close the closet door behind me, I bury my face into the clothes on the left side of the rack, clothes that haven't fit for years. I stuff my mouth with old fabric and scream until there are no sounds left under my skin" (162).

Melinda: "Sometimes I think high school is one long hazing activity: if you are tough enough to survive this, they'll let you become an adult. I hope it's worth it" (191).

How many of us hold our silence? And what does it cost us?

September 26-October 3, 2009 is Banned Books Week

Bebelplatz, Berlin
May 10, 1933 over 20,000 books were burned in this square
(enlarge pic to see the empty shelves in memorial)

Speak is commonly banned/challenged

Laurie Halse Anderson on censorship:

"Most of the censorship I see is fear-driven. I respect that. The world is a very scary place. It is a terrifying place in which to raise children, and in particular, teenagers. It is human nature to nurture and protect children as they grow into adulthood. But censoring books that deal with difficult adolescent issues does not protect anybody. Quite the opposite. It leaves kids in darkness and makes them vulnerable."

If you haven't read Speak, please do.

Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer

Title: Eclipse
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Published: 2007 Pages: 629
Genre: YA Fiction
Rating: 4.25/5

"And I pray one prayer-I repeat it till my tongue stiffens-Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living! You said I killed you-haunt me, then! The murdered do hunt their murderers. I believe-I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always-take any form-drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul" (Heathcliff, Wuthering Heights).

Oh the passion! As with my Twilight and New Moon reviews, this review will take form in a mostly self-interview. Many thanks to Jodie and Trisha for providing me with a few questions. I cannot write about this book without spoilers, so consider yourself warned. :)

Hey Trish! :P You were feeling pretty lukewarm towards this series after reading New Moon. How'd you like this one?+

Ugh. New Moon sucked in comparison to this book. I think I even liked this one more than Twilight! I was really in the mood for this one, so I just let myself get wrapped up in the story. Writing wise I'm not sure that this book is any better than the others, but when the mood is right...and boy was my mood right.

Even though you were apprehensive about the whole vampire/werewolf/human love triangle?

Ok, good point. The first third of this book was kind of a groaner, and I hated the whole love triangle. Unfortunately it's a big part of the book, and I wanted to scream at Bella for stringing poor Jacob along. Her whinyness didn't bug me as much as her reluctance to let Jacob go.

So does that mean that you felt Edward is better suited for Bella?+

Who knows. From our past interviews, you know that I have a "thing" for Edward, and that "thing" certainly didn't go away with this book. I was a little irked with his constant forgiveness of Bella's childish behavior, and I don't know how he could stand to have Jacob keep Bella warm in the tent (URG!), but I guess a century of life taught the guy a little patience. Jacob definitely seemed much more immature in comparison.

And you think Bella is mature?? What about her incredible disgust for marrying Edward despite her undying love?+

I can completely sympathize with Bella not wanting to marry Edward so young, but if he's going to change her and she's committing to spending the rest of her life with him, I'm not sure what the big hang-up is. Virtue played such a big part of this book, especially as Bella was continually trying to become more intimate with Edward, and I can't help but think about the underlying message. Even the whole "changing" aspect seemed to be symbolic of Bella losing her virginity. A self-interview seems like a strange place to discuss symbolism, though.

Alright, we'll get on to more superficial questions, then. Your crush for Edward still seems to stand firm, true? Any other characters that you really liked?^+

Oh Edward. Holy cow. Too bad I've got that icky visual of Robert Pattinson stuck in my head! Honestly, I couldn't even begin to tell you why Edward is such an appealing character to me and in many instances he was too patient, too understanding, too perfect. Ick. All in all, though, I really enjoyed getting to know Edward better in this book. I don't feel we really got to know him in Twilight and he was absent in most of New Moon. It was interesting to watch his and Bella's relationship mature and grow. Other characters that I liked? I loved Alice. Even though she's a little too bubbly for my taste, she is so much fun. I love her enthusiasm.

"Icky visual of R. Pattinson" huh? Does that mean that you finally saw the movie?^

Haha! I've seen it twice. I told you that Scott would probably break down and get the movie and I was right. When I was out of town one weekend I returned to find he picked up a used copy. We watched it once and then I watched it with my sister. Cheese city, but I don't know why I would have expected any different. Hopefully New Moon will have a bigger budget and someone will give that poor boy some chapstick--those lips are too ickily red.

Only one more book left! Do you know what to expect?^

It's interesting because I just learned today that it isn't common knowledge that Jacob is a werewolf. I accidentally ruined that for a friend who is about to start New Moon. Knowing that, though, didn't really affect my reading of the book. When Breaking Dawn came out last summer I accidentally read in a review that Edward and Bella get married, but that's all I know. I'm guessing that things will wrap up very nicely. Not really looking forward to hearing Jacob's point of view, though. I've put some space in between all of the books, but I'm going to try and read BD a little sooner--maybe by October.

And vampires? Still hot?

Oh definitely.


+Questions inspired by Trisha
^Questions inspired by Jodie
(Thank you ladies for helping me along)



Resistant towards the series? Why? Which of the Twilight books is your favorite?

The Tales of Beedle the Bard - JK Rowling

Title: The Tales of Beedle the Bard
Author: J.K. Rowling
Published: 2008 Pages: 107
Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale
Rating: 3/5

Has it really been two weeks since I posted about an actual book? Time has gotten away from me, as I suspected it would, ever since the read-a-thon. Or maybe it's just because I'm not keeping with my book a week average since I'm still slogging through Middlemarch and will be for another week or so. Without the pressure of having reviews piling up, I've been taking my time--even though the reviews are piling up anyway. Ah well.

"The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a collection of [five] stories written for younger wizards and witches" (vii). After each story is Dumbledore's commentary on the reception of the tales for the wizarding community or insights into what the tales mean. One of my favorite stories is "The Fountain of Fair Fortune" about a group of ailing witches who make their way to a healing fountain in order to be cured of their pains or losses. Along the way they meet a luckless knight and together they try to decide who is worthy of being healed by the fountain. In the end, they overcome their problems without the aid of magic and lead happy lives. Some of the other stories, such as "The Warlock's Hairy Heart" do not end so happily, but in a way it was refreshing to haves tales that don't always wrap up neatly.

I picked this little book up because I loved the Harry Potter series and I was excited to dive into more magical stories. I have to be honest that I was a little disappointed in this book, mostly because of its length. It is a quick read--will only take an hour or so--and in the end I wanted more. I would have been thrilled if the book contained a few more stories, but maybe/hopefully there will be more in the future. I enjoyed the stories, but everything people have said about Dumbledore's commentary is true--it really does add a lot of depth to the stories and really made this collection fun. Dumbledore's commentary is also humorous and I found myself chuckling aloud at statements such as, "A simple and heartwarming fable, one might think - in which case, one would reveal oneself to be an innocent nincompoop" (11).

I think this book would be great to read to younger audiences and I will hold on to it for when I have kiddos of my own. The stories, while not always ending in "happily ever after," do have a magical and fairy tale feel to them but they stay true to the feel of the Harry Potter books in keeping with the wizarding themes. The tales teach us lessons about being kind to others, lessons about not succumbing to foolishness, and lessons of finding happiness from within. In the end, though, I felt like Rowling teased her readers with hopes of more Harry Potter. I'd recommend this book with a little bit of reservation. Probably not for those who haven't fallen in love with the Harry Potter series, and for those who have,just keep in mind that this is a short little book that will probably leave you wanting more.

On personal note, my grandfather passed away on Sunday night. I went to Salt Lake two weekends ago to visit my grandparents and I feel lucky and blessed to have had that time with them, especially my grandpa, before he passed away. My grandpa was an amazing man and a true fighter. He had a stroke 12 years ago that left him greatly weakened and partially paralyzed. As heartbroken as I am, especially for my mom and grandma, I know that he'll finally find peace. I'll be flying back to Salt Lake at the end of the week for the funeral, so I'll be a little absent from the blogging world yet again this week.

The Outsiders and Sam's Letters to Jennifer (2 mini-reviews)

After every read-a-thon I get a little case of blog/book burnout. I'm trying not to go there this time, so I'm keeping these two reviews short. I have a book tour review for Thursday and will probably post "regular" reviews on the other read-a-thon books over the next few weeks. Is everyone else all caught up on sleep yet?

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Title: The Outsiders
Author: S.E. Hinton
Published: 1967 Pages: 180
Genre: YA Fiction

At first glance Ponyboy Curtis might seem like any other teenage boy, but he and his brothers belong to the Greaser gang who is at constant odds with the Soc gang. The Greasers are poorer or lower class kids whose parents mostly don't care what they're up to or in Ponyboy's case an orphan whose older brothers are raising him. The Socs are wealthier and seem to have everything going for them. When the two gangs fight together, they fight to the death. What happens, though, when young Ponyboy gets mixed up in one of these vicious fights?

Man, when I get to rambling about a book I get to rambling (well, I'm rambling in my head and my hands are fighting to keep this brief). I liked this book, but I think I would have liked it better if I read it when I was in high school. Seems to be a cult classic, and I can certainly see why. There is a lot of emotion and depth found in the story and it is impossible not to like Ponyboy and to cheer him on. One of my favorite quotes from the book (and a theme running throughout--Cherry is a Soc who befriends Ponyboy):

Maybe Cherry stood still and watched the sun set while she was supposed to be taking the garbage out. Stood there and watched and forgot everything else until her big brother screamed at her to hurry up. I shook my head. It seemed funny to me that the sunset she saw from her patio and the one I saw from the back steps was the same one. Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren't so different. We saw the same sunset (41).

See...I can keep it short! By the way, how did I not know that the movie was so star-studded?

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Title: Sam's Letters to Jennifer
Author: James Patterson
Published: 2004 Pages: 263
Genre: Fiction

Other than listening to one of his audiobooks, this is my first taste of James Patterson. It was perfect for the read-a-thon as the pages just flew by. If I were to be really honest (which I will be), I've gotta say that this book wasn't my cup of tea and I won't be rushing out for more Patterson. Let those tomatoes fly this way; I'm ready.

When Jennifer's grandmother, Sam, is hospitalized, Jennifer discovers a bundle of letters that Sam has written to her. Within these letters is Sam's story of heartache and love, of finding and living her life. The letters are a type of parallel to Jennifer's own life and they teach her that she must heal and move forward with her life. Of course there is a lovely neighbor, Brendan, who is willing to help her live a little.

I realize that nothing I say is going to please anyone, so I'm just going to get on with it. This is the type of book for me that is complete brain candy--a harmless read but with very little mental stimulation. Great for comfort, but I can only handle a few of these a year. Curiously enough, it's the type of movie I would probably eat up. I'm a sucker for a great romance movie.

The end. :)

New Moon - Stephenie Meyer

Title: New Moon
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Published: 2006 Pages: 563
Rating: 3/5

Since this one has been around so many times, I'm skipping the usual review format for the self-interview format I used for Twilight. I can't/won't talk about this book without spoilers--so be warned. :)

What kind of place was this? Could a world really exist where ancient legends went wandering around the borders of tiny, insignificant towns, facing down mythical monsters? Did this mean every impossible fairy tale was grounded somewhere in absolute truth? Was there anything sane or normal at all, or was everything just magic and ghost stories? (293-4).

Trish, you read Twilight back in January and had to admit that you actually liked it--why did you wait so long to pick up New Moon?
Since I refuse to purchase copies of these books, I had to wait until I could borrow a copy from a friend. I may have squealed a little with glee when I finally got my hands on this one.

So...what did you think? Was it as enthralling as Twilight?
No! I read the first hundred pages with relative ease, but then Edward left and there was this whole side story with Jacob. I like Jacob well enough, but let's face it--he's no Edward. I actually put the book down for a few days to read my bookclub book (The Glass Castle), and didn't even really think about it at all. It wasn't until Edward came back in the last third of the book that I found that itch to keep turning the pages.

You would consider yourself "Team Edward" then rather than "Team Jacob"?
Yes--my crush on Edward has not subsided at all. I admit that Jacob's body warmth does sound incredibly appealing compared to Edward's coldness, but other than that I was bored with the storyline. It felt like Meyer was trying to stretch out the story--forcing the parallel between this book and Romeo and Juliet. Mostly, though, the werewolf storyline seemed heavy handed and contrived. I was glad when she switched the focus back to the vampires, but then all that work she did creating the werewolf plot just disappeared. I'm guessing it will be more prevalent in the next book.

And Bella? You mentioned not being really annoyed with her in the first--did you see a change with this edition?
Bella still didn't get on my nerves like I suspected she might or like others suggested she would. Yes she is whiny. And the whole "hole in my chest" bit was obnoxious. I think it is dangerous to present this kind of obsession with a boy to teenaged readers, but that's a whole other enchilada. I didn't like that Bella was putting herself into danger all of the time just to hear Edward's "voice," and I hated how consumed she was with becoming a vampire. It irked me that Alice, who I really like, gave in so easily to Bella's pleas. Hmm--from that answer it does sound like I was annoyed, huh?

Will you continue with the series, or have you had enough?
I have the next two books sitting in my car, so I don't really have to wait. But, I'm in no big hurry to continue with the next chapter. I'm guessing I'll give it a few more months and then pick up Eclipse. It is a little promising now that Edward is back in the picture, but I'm not eager to start in with a icky werewolf/vampire/human love triangle.

Have you rented the movie yet?
No--but it's only a matter of time before it finds its way into my house. I think Scott is itching to rent it, although he would never admit it. I'm still boycotting Robert Pattinson as Edward. Big Fat Ick!! :)

Any final words?
Vampires--HOT. Not people/subjects I normally read about, but oooh man! Even if I do have to endure reading the description "marble" twenty million times.

Date Finished: April 12, 2009 #18

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie

Title: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Author: Sherman Alexie
Date Finished: Jan 27, 2009 #5
Published: 2007 Pages: 230
Rating: 3.75/5

I can't remember the first time that I read a review for this book, but it had been on my wishlist for quite a while. Everytime I went to the used bookstore, I searched and searched, but I finally broke down and purchased a shiny new copy. I don't know what I expected from this book, but overall it was a really enjoyable read.

Absolutely True Diary is the story of Junior (or Arnold) who is in many ways a normal fourteen year-old kid. Except he is Spokane and lives on a reservation. His family is poor, his father is an alcoholic, his sister a recluse who hides in the basement, and Junior himself was born with hydrocephalus--or as he describes it, his brain is drowning in grease. It seems that all the odds are against Junior. Especially when he decides to go against his family's wishes and travel 25 miles each way to the "white" school outside of the reservation.

This diary, then, is Junior's story of trying to fit into a world where in many ways he is completely different from everyone else. But in the end, Junior is just a regular kid who has a crush on the beautiful Penelope, loves to play basketball, and dreams of one day becoming someone. Junior's writing is funny yet sarcastic and his diary is enhanced by really great cartoons.

While I didn't love this book as much as I had hoped, I find the reading greatly entertaining. If there was a sequel, I'd certainly pick it up. Junior, despite the fact that there are so many things going against him, gives hope that we can look past our skin colors and differences to come together. And if you're wondering--while this is YA fiction and one bookseller tried to tell me it is 7th or 8th grade, I'd recommend this one for older teens. I don't think I'll be passing this one on to my 13 yo brother just yet...

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Yes, I finished this book a week ago. I think this is the longest I've gone after finishing a book and posting my thoughts. So, what have I been doing with my time? I've been reading The Woman in White, and while it is slow going, I'm loving the book. In addition, I've been doing non-book type things. My sister is having her first baby in 3 weeks, and I'm making baby Emma a quilt. The pinwheel design is maybe a little ambitious for my second quilt, but I'm loving trying to figure everything out. I've got quilting on the brain and hope to make Scott a new quilt to replace his cat-hair infested fleece Texas Tech blanket I made him a few years ago (the other quilt I made was a queen size Texas A&M-pattern quilt).




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In addition to everything else that I'm behind in, I was tagged by Rebecca and Melody for this little meme. My apologies, ladies, for taking SO long to complete it:

6 Things That Make Me Happy

1. A Perfectly Sunny Day (warm makes me even happier!)

2. Hearing a song I love on the radio that I haven't heard in a while (even better when sunny outside)

3. Unexpected hugs and love from hubby

4. Finishing a book that makes me think for days after I've closed the cover

5. A really great cup of coffee (yes, I prefer my own)

6. A freshly made bed--I LOVE a freshly made bed...with no wrinkles

So, what makes YOU happy??

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

Title: Twilight
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Date Finished: Jan 25, 2009 #4
Published: 2005 Pages: 497
Rating: 4/5

Well, I certainly didn’t think that this day would come so soon. If I’m honest with myself, it was always inevitable that I was going to read Twilight, but my friend Theresa gave me the violent gentle push I needed. I’ve been torn on how to review this book since so many others have already done so. If you don’t know who Bella and Edward are, you truly have been living under a rock (although when I confided in my sister that I devoured the book over the weekend, she said, “what’s that?”). A rock…a very dark one. Teenaged girl falls in love with vampire and they have all the expected human/vampire problems. There--let's move on.

How to review, how to review? I thought about asking for questions that you’d like me to answer. But then I was afraid that no one would ask any questions. So, I’ve come up with my own questions. I can’t pretend to be as witty as Bookfool when she interviews herself, but here’s what I imagine you would ask if I asked you to ask me. :)

Trish, what’s the deal? Why so resistant towards Twilight and the rest of the series?
It’s funny because once upon a time I was pretty interested in the series. I had seen the books at the store and was pretty curious, especially after a friend raved about them in the same way that I rave about Harry Potter. But I waited to read them, and the longer I waited, the bigger these books got. So big that I was finally a little turned off. I tend to stay away from hysteria, but I knew it was only a matter of time before I eventually got to them. My best friend, Theresa, made me promise over Christmas break that I would at least try Twilight by the end of January. So, here we are. I couldn’t resist my very dear friend.

So now that you’ve read it, will you admit that you liked it. Even just a little bit?
Fine. I admit it. :) I read the first 40 pages or so before work and felt pretty apprehensive about it. I felt the plot was heavily contrived and soooooooo high school. But by the end of my lunch break, I had finished a fifth of the book and couldn’t wait to read more. It’s been a long time since I’ve read for hours at a time because I didn’t want to put the book down.

You’ve read a lot of negative things about the characters, especially Bella being a whining little brat. D’you agree?
Everyone thinks that Bella is incredibly obnoxious, but I didn’t mind her. Maybe because I have a 16 year old step-sister and a 12 year old brother and am used to teenaged whining? Bella is unsure of herself, a little self-conscious, she has a gorgeous and intimidating boy sweep her off her feet. Of course she’s going to be a little whiny. All the teenaged love thing kind of got on my nerves because I know what it is to be a teenager “in love,” but I tried to just read past it all.

I see you blushing a little bit…what's on your mind?
Nothing. Really--nothing!

Are you sure, Trish? Nothing at all?
Uh uh.

C’mon…
FINE. I have a huge gigantic crush on Edward. Yes, it was certainly annoying to read about his marble body and his modelish good looks and his t-shirt clinging to his muscular chest, etc etc. But what can I say? He’s totally the guy I would have gone for in high school. You know you feel the same way…! Enough about my crush…back to the book!

I know, I know, you’re not a book critic. But what did you think about the writing?
Yup, you’re right. Not a book critic. I read this book for pleasure—I didn’t think the writing was fantastic, but I wasn’t really bothered by it either. I was expecting to see the description alabaster a million times, but I think it might have come up twice. Really, my biggest complaint would be with the action sequences. I had a really difficult time visualizing what was happening, but most of the time Bella (the narrator) was passed out anyway, so I guess that’s why the descriptions are so foggy!

Now that you’ve finished the book, will you see the movie?
Nope. Not unless hubby picks it up from Blockbuster—he won’t admit it, but he loves teenage dramas (or comedies). But Robert Pattinson? Really? Have you seen those sideburns? No thanks.

Are you dying to get your hands on New Moon?
Ahhhh…the moment of truth. Yes, I’ll be reading New Moon. But not today. Maybe tomorrow. Haha! Just kidding. I think I’ll try to squeeze it in next month. If I can, great! If not, the book isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

So what confessions do you have to make about the Twilight series? Love it? Hate it? Crush on Edward???

Coraline - Neil Gaiman

Title: Coraline
Author: Neil Gaiman
Date Finished: Oct 19, 2008 #62
Pages: 161
Published: 2002
Rating: 4/5

What a deliciously creepy book! This was my last for the read-a-thon, and even when my eyes were growing increasingly droopy, I was still thoroughly frightened! This is my third Gaiman book this year, and though I liked Stardust better, I think this is Gaiman at his best.

Coraline is the story of a curious girl who yearns to explore her new home and its surroundings, but during a particular rainy day her mother insists she must stay indoors. So she explores her home once more and finds a peculiar door that does not go anywhere. When her mother unlocks the door for her, she sees that it has been bricked shut--once upon a time her flat and the empty one next door were joined by this doorway.

The next day, Coraline is once again bored and itching to do something to occupy her time. Her mother has left to run errands, so Coraline takes the key to the door and opens it. Instead of finding a brick wall like she expected, she finds a dark hallway. She enters the hallway and discovers that it leads to a flat just like her own--except that it is better than her flat. And in the kitchen she finds a woman who is just like her mother--just like her mother except for the buttons sewed onto her eyes. She has discovered her Other Mother.

At first glance Other Mother is wonderful. She cooks the food that Coraline loves, she pays her lots of attention, and she promises to love her forever and ever. After spending some time there, Coraline goes back to her own home, but her parents aren't there. And they don't come back that night. When Coraline is awakened by the strange neighborhood cat, she begins searching for her parents. She finally sees their reflection in the hallway mirror--as if they are stuck within and cannot get out. Upon seeing her trapped parents, Coraline knows she must go to the Other House to rescue them from Other Mother. But will Coraline be able to escape the clenches of her soul hungry Other Mother and save herself and her parents?

First--kids must have a higher tolerance for scary stuff than I do because this book plain and simple freaked me out! I don't do scary, and I'm a little embarrassed to report that while reading this book at 3 am I had to cover the illustrations with my hand so I wouldn't have nightmares when I finally crawled into bed. Even now when flipping through a book I landed on a particularly scary picture Other Mother that made my heart skip a beat.

But the illustrations are only a small part of what makes this book so bonechilling. Gaiman does a wonderful job of creating the other world where our fears feed upon more fear until they become out of control and consume our beings. I know that the more I think about how frightened I am, the worse the situation becomes and the smallest sound will send me right out of my skin. But Coraline is such a brave girl and she must separate her fears from what she believes to be good in order to make sense of the other world and her world so she can make things right.

I would recommend this little book--especially as a Halloween spook, but I can't imagine reading it when I was younger! (of course I am the supreme wimp!) Do you get scared while reading books? Do you enjoy being frightened?

They also read it: (let me know if I've missed you--I have trouble catching them all when the book is so widely read...)
Biblioaddict, Chris (Book-a-Rama), Rhinoa, Kim L., Stephanie, Joy, 3M, Terri B, Raidergirl3, Eva, Nymeth, Valentina

Farworld: Water Keep - J. Scott Savage; Q and A AND Giveaway

Title: Water Keep
Author: J. Scott Savage
Date Finished: July 27, 2008 #43
Pages: 413 (ARC)
Rating: 4.5/5

After I signed up for J. Scott Savage's Farworld Blogtour I almost started to regret my decision--what happens if I don't like the book? What do I say then? Well, lucky for me (and the author), me not liking this book wasn't a problem--not even in the slightest. What a fun and exciting read!! And a breath of fresh air after finishing Tess.

This is going to be a long post--I can feel it. But keep reading to the end for the Q&A and giveaway portion of this post--where I will be giving away (OK...Scott will be giving away) a signed copy of Farworld: Water Keep!!

My Thoughts
When we think of a hero, someone who will save the world and the fate of mankind, we think of one who is strong and brave. Probably someone with some killer muscles. In Water Keep, however, we are immediately introduced to Marcus--an orphaned, wheelchair-bound thirteen-year-old who is about to get butt kicked by a bunch of school bullies. Although he miraculously escapes the bullies, he soon meets a strange man who claims to have come to the school to reunite Marcus with his parents. Something doesn't feel right about the man--something a little nightmarish; Marcus decides he doesn't trust the man or believe his story, so he tries to escape from the situation. But all of a sudden--whooosh--Marcus finds himself in an unfamiliar world. A place of his dreams--and strangely enough with a girl from his dreams. During her magic lesson, Kyja saw Marcus and his plight and brought him to Farworld. Farworld, as we learn, is the sister world of Earth.

Sounds a little crazy, I know. But Marcus and Kyja, although from different worlds, share a deep connection and destiny. A terrible force, the Dark Circle, is gaining control of Farworld, and has been since Marcus and Kyja were born thirteen years ago. As the wizard Master Therapass explains to the two children, together they must find the four elements, water, fire, land, and air, and bring them together to help create a drift between Earth and Farworld to help save the fate of both worlds.

Water Keep, the first book in the Farworld series, is the story of Marcus and Kyja's journey to seek out the water elements for the first piece of the alliance that will help save the two worlds. The story is absolutely magical--there are enchanted forests, mythical creatures and monsters, good characters and evil characters, humor, suspense, and of course the idea that magic is within us all. We simply need to find the magic inside of us to use it. And while the series has a lot of room for development, the groundwork was nicely laid in this book. I got to know a lot about Marcus and Kyja and their different insecurities (particularly Marcus and his disability and Kyja and her inability to perform magic), but Marcus and Kyja also learn a lot about themselves throughout their journeys. I really look forward to the next chapter of the series to find out what happens to Marcus and Kyja next--and whether or not they can continue to fight the Dark Circle.

Q&A with J. Scott Savage
After finishing the book (which I devoured!), I thought up a few questions to ask Scott about this book, his writing, and also the Farworld series. He was kind enough to meet me for an ice cream as we strolled down the Santa Monica boardwalk (alright--I was dying of heat in Texas and he was probably dying of heat in Utah, but a girl can wish, right??).

Trish: Just finished the book and have one immediate question--when is the next one coming out?? :)

Scott: Thank you! I’m glad you liked it. I’m hard at work on book two now.

Trish: I'm dying of heat here in Texas, so I thought we could go somewhere with an ocean breeze--maybe throw in some ice cream. So, I was thinking we could have our little Q&A session on the Santa Monica boardwalk.

Scott: I love Santa Monica. Do they ever have bad days here? It’s like, “the worst day in Santa Monica is better the best day wherever else you might be.” Not completely true. But it is a great place.

Trish: To get this started off--first and most important: what is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Scott: Definitely mint chocolate chip in either the green or white-colored variety. Although I am also very partial to chocolate-dipped soft serve vanilla cones.

Trish: Love chocolate-dipped vanilla! Although, good ole chocolate chip cookie dough is probably my favorite. Got a favorite amusement park ride? I love a good roller coaster, but nothing that spins (queasy stomach).

Scott: I am so with you. I can handle any drop. But not spinning. Not even the teacups. I really like the Tower of Terror, especially the one at Disneyworld. Now that is a drop.

Trish: Oh the Tower of Terror is a great ride--someone needs to build a Disney-park in Texas! In all seriousness onto the questions: 1. What was your inspiration for Water Keep and the Farworld series? How did the idea first come about?

Scott: I’m not sure there is one inspiration. But it’s more like lots of little pieces suddenly coming together. I’ve always like that idea that magic is all around us, we just don’t know it. Everybody has to find their own magic.

Actually, I didn’t choose to write fantasy. It chose me. I started writing this book at 2:00 AM one morning to get rid of a story that wouldn’t leave my head. I knew I couldn’t write fantasy, and yet I kept seeing these characters and hearing their dialog. I figured if I rolled out of bed and proved to myself that I couldn’t write it, the story would go away. That has actually worked for other projects in the past. But this time I found myself still writing five hours and five thousand words later. So I went with it. And I’ve actually enjoyed writing this more than anything I’ve ever written.

Trish: I think we know, now, that you can write fantasy! The story comes out as being very natural, so it's interesting that you didn't necessarily choose the genre. What are your favorite authors/books? How, if at all, did these help influence your writing?

Scott: Stephen R. Donaldson, Tolkien, and Terry Brooks were big influences from the fantasy side of things. I was just blown away by how fertile their imaginations were. Their books really typified entering another world through the pages of a book. As far as authors in general, I like a lot of authors for different reasons. I like Steinbeck’s ability to create a scene. I like Card’s ability to build worlds. I like how JK Rowling can make you care about even the most minor characters in her stories. I love Peter Straub’s amazing way with the English language. I think Stephen King is probably one of the greatest story tellers of the last two centuries. I love reading a good author and being inspired by what they do. I’m reading the Percy Jackson series right now and I love the mix of humor and action.

Trish: Marcus is an unusual hero. On page 336 he tells Kyja, "Who would choose a kid in a wheelchair to save their world?" I think we know the who (You), but why did you choose Marcus as our hero? What can we expect from Marcus as the hero of Farworld?

Scott: I really don’t feel like I choose my heroes. I know that sounds weird, but most writers will tell you they are learning about their characters right along with the reader. I know what Marcus will face in the future, but I really don’t know how he will react or what he will do until I am writing that scene.

Trish: What can your reader look forward to in the next books in the Farworld series? There was an awkward kiss at the end of Water Keep--will there be a romance between Kyja and Marcus? ;)

Scott: Well they’re only 13, so I don’t know if “romance” is the right word necessarily. But they are definitely a team. And occasionally they remember that they are boy and girl.

Trish: Kids nowaways do grow up fast, though! What was the writing process like for this book? Do you know how the series will end or are you taking it one book at a time?

Scott: I definitely know how the series will end. There are things I had to set up from book one, so it’s good SM let me commit to 5 books coming out of the gates. (Trish's note: SM=publisher Shadow Mountain)

Trish: Do you ever suffer from writer's block? What do you do to get past those moments?

Scott: Absolutely. I firmly believe that writers block is your mind’s way of telling you that something isn’t working right. Rather than trying to force my way through it, I try to look back over the story and see where I took a wrong turn.

Trish: What was one of the most frustrating parts of publishing this book? What advice can you give aspiring writers?

Scott: At one point I received a letter for Shadow Mountain stating that they would be unable to consider my novel, as I was under contract with another publisher. This was at a key point in getting my book accepted. And worst of all, I got the letter late on a Friday so I couldn’t do anything but worry all weekend. Turns out it was all a misunderstanding, but for two days I was in a serious funk. I would tell aspiring writers that if they believe in themselves, they should never give up. There are always going to be roadblocks thrown up in your way, but if you persevere you will get past them.

Trish: There are several themes in Water Keep. What would you like your readers to take away from Water Keep and the rest of the Farworld series?

Scott: My number 1 goal is to have the reader come away from reading my book with a feeling that their time was well spent. I think that has to be the goal of any writer worth his or her salt. Secondly, I want to reader to be fulfilled with the story in book one, but also to be anxious to see what happens next. As far as themes, different people are going to get different things out of the story. You may have a person who has been struggling with something in her life, who comes away with a feeling that she can accomplish what she needs to. You may have another person vows to look at the world around him in a different way. I don’t try to “insert” themes in my stories, but I do believe that any good story will create its own themes if that makes sense.

Trish: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions--knowing a little bit about the author certainly helps enhance the reading experience. And thanks for sharing a cone of virtual ice cream with me. :)

Scott: It was great! I think we need to go back for another scoop.

GIVEAWAY
While Water Keep doesn't hit the bookstores until mid-September, Scott has kindly agreed to give away a copy of the book before then to one of YOU! I will draw a winner on Wednesday August 27. All you need to do is leave me a comment here expressing your interest in being entered for the drawing. I'll enter your name twice if you mention this post and the giveaway on your blog (*please leave me the link to your post as I am going out of town next week and don't want to accidentally miss your mention). You don't need to have a blog to enter the giveaway, but you will need to leave me a way to contact you in case you are the winner. *Giveaway open to US and Canadian residents only.

Al Capone Does My Shirts - Gennifer Choldenko

Title: Al Capone Does My Shirts
Author: Gennifer Choldenko
Date Finished: June 29, 2008
Pages: 225
Rating: 4/5

I picked this book up at a sale a few weeks ago with my brother in mind (he just turned 12), and in the wee hours of the morning during the read-a-thon it was the perfect book to indulge in.

Moose is a pretty ordinary kid--he is 12, loves to play baseball, is pestered by a girl Piper, and tries to fit in with the cool crowd at school. Moose, however, lives on Alcatraz--the prison that houses such criminals as Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly. It is 1935 and his family has just moved from Santa Monica to Alcatraz where his dad is a guard.

Al Capone Does My Shirts is the story of Moose as he tries to fit in at his new school, tries to avoid Piper's schemes to get the other school kids to pay for cons to launder their clothes, and spends his free time searching for a baseball hit over the fence by the prisoners who have their own ball league. Moose's life comes to a halt, however, when he is put in charge of tending to his sister, Natalie, who is a little different from the other kids. In fact, his family moved to Alcatraz so that Natalie could attend a special school--one that her parents are having trouble enrolling her in.

This book was a lot of fun to read--imagining what life would be living on Alcatraz next-door to the prisoners, seeing Moose handle his first few days at his new school, and the interaction between all of the different kids. But it was also a touching story of a young boy's struggle to come to terms with his sister's condition (she is autisitc although that isn't specifically mentioned in the novel until the appendix since autism wasn't identified during the time period of the book). While Moose doesn't always understand his sister and they fight, he is tender with her and loves her and deep down has her best interests in mind--sometimes he seems to be the only one.

I haven't read a whole lot of young adult fiction in the past (well, since I was a young adult anyway) and I'm always surprised at how much I enjoy the stories. They aren't superficial like I might have once thought--the themes are ones of humanity and this story was no different. Plus, as a bonus, it is a fun and delightful read. I love new discoveries!

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card

Title: Ender's Game
Author: Orson Scott Card
Date Finished: June 12, 2008 #31
Pages: 226
Rating: 4.25/5

*Note: this post does contain my thoughts on the book, but I'm taking the scenic route to get there:

I heard of this book through blogging--I'm not sure that I had heard of it before then. But then my sister read it this year for her sophomore English class and a coworker listened to it and I realized I needed to pick it up soon--even given my apprehension of science fiction novels.

While at the bookstore with hubby, he expressed some interest in this one and I jumped at his interest since he hates reading. I've mentioned before that he is dyslexic and struggles with the difficulty and frustration of reading. Harry Potter was actually his first book--one that I loaned to him when we were next-door-neighbors in college.

So, we got the book and when we were driving to my dad's over Memorial Day weekend (a one a and a half hour drive each way), he suggested that I read it to him instead of reading my book to myself. Last summer I read Harry Potter 6 to him while on our various cartrips--a re-read for both of us before the new one was released--and even though reading aloud is exhausting, it makes the trip go much faster for each of us.

During that weekend and then this past weekend on our three hour cartrip to his parents house, I read much of the book to him. My mouth gets tired and I get tongue-tied, but I love love love reading to him. Because this is a part of my life that I rarely get to share with him, I revel in the moments when we can discuss the book and get excited over the same parts in the novel--speculating what will happen and exploring the themes presented. I was sad when we got home on Sunday with 40 pages left in the book, especially when he decided to finish the book without me.

The bottom line is that because I read most of this book aloud, my experience was very different from if I had read the book to myself, by myself. We got to know the characters together, I got to explore the voice of each character when trying to bring each alive. My favorite parts were when the characters were in heated discussions or when little Ender was having personal moments of crisis and both of us were able to hear the passion that comes out of the text. Although I have found that my mind wanders too much for listening to audiobooks, I have fallen in love with the experience of reading aloud.

Thanks for indulging me. :)

Ender's Game is the story of Andrew "Ender" Wiggin, a young child of six who is taken away from his family in order to attend Battle School. There he will learn the skills he needs in order to fight the Buggers who are threatening earth with destruction. He leaves behind an abusive brother and a loving sister to join a world he knows nothing about--one where he will have to grow up rather quickly.

At the Battle School, Ender is pushed to his limits, but his brilliance shines through and he quickly excels through school leading groups of other children in battle simulation--or games--and shows the adults his promise as the one who could save the human race from the Buggers. Back at home, tensions are building in the world as the Russians and the countries of the Warsaw Pact are putting pressure on the other nations. Ender has a lot resting on his shoulders--will he be The One that can save the world and defeat the Buggers? If so, will peace between the worldly nations hold or will hell break loose without the common fear of the Buggers holding the different factions together? And will it ultimately cost him his childhood?

As I mentioned before, the characters come alive in the novel. It is difficult not to fall in love with little Ender (who doesn't seem very little after he stops acting like the child he truly is)--he is vulnerable and afraid, he loves and is passionate, he feels and has hope. And while we don't get to see too much of his brother, Peter, and sister, Valentine, these characters develop throughout the novel providing a strong foil to Ender. There is also a wide cast of other characters that I loved getting to know through their interaction with Ender. Hubby and I had some great laughs over the dialogue--and we were reminded often that first and foremost, these characters were children when they called each other names such as fart eater. :)

I have two qualms with the novel. First, because I am not a visual person I had a tough time imagining some of the battle or game scenes in the novel. This is where hubby came in because he is incredibly visual. I would stop reading and he would explain to me what the students looked like while in battle. If I hadn't read these parts aloud--having to read every single word--I probably would have done a lot of skimming. I found myself doing this while reading the remainder by myself and didn't get quite as much enjoyment. Second, I was a little disappointed with the almost ending. Hubby was telling me about the huge twist, but when I got to it I wasn't surprised by it. However, a few pages later my twist came and I was rewarded with chills. We didn't agree on liking the ending, but I loved it. The ending is beautiful and hopeful (sort of) as it brought everything full circle.

So, thanks to those who reviewed it before me:

Nymeth from Things Mean a Lot
Kim from Bold.Blue.Adventure
Debi from Nothing of Importance
Raidergirl3 from An Adventure in Reading
Jeane from Dog Ear Diary

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

Title: The Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak
Date Finished: Jan 19,2008
Yearly Count: 4
Pages: 550
Rating: 5/5

I've been putting off this post for a while because I'm not quite sure how to approach this book. So many have read it and reviewed it, but for whatever reason I haven't been able to get ahold of my thoughts. But...times a tickin' so its time to get on with it.

The Book Thief is the story of a young girl, Liesel, in Nazi Germany told through Death’s narration. Yes, Death personified. Death becomes interested in Liesel’s story when he comes to pick up her brother after he dies; Death, against his better judgment, goes to the funeral and sees little Liesel picking up a book from the snow—her first act of book thievery. Shortly after Liesel’s brother dies, her mother moves her to a foster home on Himmel Street where her world is quickly turned upside down. Her world and everyone else’s. (While I don’t think I can possibly cut this short, I will not give spoilers).

Liesel’s new living situation is not easy. Her new Mama is slightly abusive and walks all over her and her new Papa. Papa, though, takes Liesel under his wing as he comforts her during her nightmares and teaches her to read her stolen book. Liesel also finds sanctuary when chumming around with her new friend Rudy as well as in the mayor’s wife’s library where she retreats after she delivers and picks up the laundry for Mama.

But everything changes when one day a strange man shows up at the house looking for Liesel’s Papa. Max is a Jew. He has left his family, gone into hiding, and is barely surviving. Papa has made a promise to help Max, so it is agreed that Max can live in the basement. At first Liesel is a little frightened of Max, but soon they grow to be good friends—especially when Liesel realizes that Max also has nightmares. But, keeping a Jew in the basement is dangerous. Just as giving bread to Jews as they march to the concentration camp, as Papa does, is dangerous. Everything in Nazi Germany has its consequences.

After reading stellar reviews about this book in the blogosphere for the past six months, I was finally able to get my hands on a copy. I devoured the 550 pages in a few short days (don’t let the label of YA fool you—this is a rich novel). While sometimes I flew through the chapters, there were others where I was so overcome by emotion that every word took effort to absorb. But what I found so fitting in this novel, so perfect, was that it is about words. The power of words and what we are with them—and without them. How words can bring an unlikely person into power and consequently change the world as we know it.

This is a beautiful book and it will stick with me for a long time. I loved Death’s narration; his style is effortlessly engaging—sometimes witty, sometimes unbearably true. And while I’m not quite sure what I will do with what I took away from this book, I will continue to pass this book on to others. I hope you’ll read it, too.

The Giver - Lois Lowry

Title: The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry
Date Finished: January 13, 2008
Pages: 179
Rating: 4/5

The past couple of books I've read, including The Book Thief which I'm currently reading, have all come as recommendations from other bloggers (see my new tag below "BloggerRec"). When I was in fourth grade I read Number the Stars and loved it, so I was particularly interested in reading this book. I finally picked it up last weekend (despite my book ban) and read it on our trip to Oregon--mostly in one day on the plane.

I liked this book a lot, but something is keeping me from loving it--perhaps the ending (no--I won't give anything away). The book was a very quick read, but unlike some recent YA lit that I've read, the ideas were pretty complex and the writing more developed.

The Giver is the story of a young 12-year-old boy, Jonas, who is about to receive his community calling (in other words his occupation). At first the community Jonas lives in seems like a perfect one--one with little pain and great happiness, but at a closer glance it becomes apparent that the society is greatly manipulated so that everything is the same (Sameness). There are strict rules and regulations, and if these are broken, the offender will be "released" from the society.

When Jonas is given his calling, he is selected to become the "Receiver of Memory" - a role that means he will hold not only the community's memories, but the memories of all time. Because Jonas will hold these memories, the community does not need to. For example, instead of the community having memories--whether actual or learned--of things like war, only Jonas will carry these memories--and the pain that goes along with such memories. In addition to bad memories, though, some of the good things have also gone away such as colors, music, sunshine.

During Jonas's training to become the next Receiver of Memories, and as he learns more about how is community is compared to how it once was, he starts asking questions about whether or not Sameness is the best way to live life. Will Jonas be able to make a change in the community? The Giver is a touching story and I would recommend it. Now if I can just get my little brother to pick it up (I haven't had any luck interesting him in any of the YA lit I've read recently...).

Johnny Tremain - Esther Forbes: A Novel

Title: Johnny Tremain
Author: Ester Forbes
Date Finished: December 21, 2007
Pages: 256
Rating: 3.5/5

This is my desperate move to finish the Decades Challenge since I obviously was not going to finish All The King's Men (and probably never will--urg!). It could also qualify for the Book Awards Challenge since it won the Newbery quite some time ago, but I still have a few months to finish that one. Ohh, challenges challenges.

Johnny Tremain is the story of a fourteen year-0ld silversmith apprentice in pre-revolutionary New England. He is bossy and proud, but also very talented; one day, though, he disfigures his hand after another apprentice purposely gives him faulty equipment. He cannot craft silver anymore, but he finds another job as a rider for the Boston Observer. During this time he meets many of the key revolutionary figures in Boston, including Paul Revere, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams; Johnny is key in keeping these figures abreast of the revolutionary situation in Boston--especially as the fighting begins.

I liked this book, but I didn't think it was anything spectacular. I would recommend it--as I tried doing to my 11 year-old brother--but the plot isn't very exciting. I think perhaps its just the style of writing because of the history of what was happening at the time is very exciting. Easy and light--a story of forbidden love, fighting for what one believes in, discovering one's heritage, and growing into the responsibilities of adulthood.

Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Paterson: A Review

Title: Bridge to Terabithia
Author: Katherine Paterson
Date Finished: August 26, 2007
Pages: 128
Rating: 3/5

This is the story of Jess, who is determined to be the fastest runner in his 5th grade class. In between his duties both to the farm and his family (due to being the only boy), he practices and practices. This is all fine and well until Leslie, a new student who moved next door to Jess, runs in the race as well...and beats all of the boys for first place.

And unlikely friendship sparks between Jess and Leslie, especially given their very different upbringings and lifestyles, and one day they create a world all their own: Terabithia. Throughout their discovery of what Terabithia contains, they also discover themselves and how each has helped the other grow and challenge fears.

While I really liked the story and relationship of Jess and Leslie, I was disappointed with this book due to the previews I had seen for the movie (which I didn't see). I expected adventure and magical creatures and fantasy, but these things were contained *only* within the imaginations of Jess and Leslie. Yes yes, that is what an imaginary world is, but this did not translate well on the page for me. There is virtually no description of Terabithia, nor what happens there (other than a few isolated events). I'm still going to make my brother (he's 11) read this book though. :)

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott: A Review

Title: Little Women
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Pages: 388
Date Finished: July 27, 2007
Rating: 3.5

I haven't been this glad to be rid of finished with a book in a long time--probably since I was reading The Portrait of a Lady. In retrospect, I liked the first part of the book, but I think that is just in comparison to the second part of the book because while reading the beginning I was often annoyed. Urg!

Little Women, as many of us know, is the story of the March girls: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. I think the book spans roughly fifteen years, so the reader gets to know the four very different girls and how they have grown and matured. One of the qualms I have with the book is the pedantic nature. That's fine and good and all, but it was just too damn sweet. Every chapter (at least in the beginning and again in the middle of the second half) seemed self-contained and formulaic. One of the girls has a folly that is corrected at the end of the chapter. The parts that did flow together and weren't quite so preachy, though, were wonderful. I enjoyed reading about the girls and seeing their characters develop. Despite this horrid review, I did really like elements of the book and as a whole.

Recommendation: I think I am an anomaly here. I could only take one chapter at a time and sometimes it was a struggle just to make it through the chapter. The same thing happened, though, when I read Anne of Green Gables a few years ago. My guess is that I just loved these movies/specials so much when I was little that the story was so etched into my brain that I was impatient with the heavy language. *SPOILER* Besides, it pisses me off every single time that Jo and Laurie don't get together. Yes, I get it, but whatever. :)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Author: J.K. Rowling

Date Finished: July 23, 2007

Pages: 759

Rating: 5/5

I think in a few weeks or so I'll write a proper review, but right now all I want to say is Beautifully done. I couldn't expect any more (and wouldn't expect any less) from this book.

That's all for now--I just don't want to limit myself on what I can say without providing spoilers...

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling: A Review

Title: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Author: J.K. Rowling
Pages: 652
Date Finished: July 19, 2007 (re-read)
Rating: 4.5/5

I had fun with this one. If you've read my complaining posts recently, you know that I've been taking a lot of road trips with hubby. A few months ago I read to him for a few hours while we were driving and have since then made it a habit. It took many many hours (and 4? different trips) to finally finish this monster of a book, but we did!

This HP is not my favorite. My favorite is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (book 5). Regardless, this one certainly works to propel the adventure forward. What I like about these latter books is how heavily they rely upon one another. Maybe its just because its been so long since I've read the others, though, but these all seem a little more connected. But also what I really like about the latter books is the deeper look into the characters and the development of good and evil. Rowling has created a magical series, and I will be sad when the 7th book is finished (only 200 pages left!!). Not much of a review, but what else can really be said at this point? I'm sure there will be lots to say about book 7...