Busy

Hello. Long time no blog... on here anyway.

I've been soooo busy with senior year that I haven't been able to keep up posting on this blog. But let me assure you that I haven't stopped reading.

I've read lots of good books this year, mainly classics for school, but I liked a lot of them. Such as: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Heart of Darkness, Macbeth, Hamlet, and what I've read of Jane Eyre.

But don't worry, I'm going to write a review for a book I recently finished, and I will write one for the book I'm currently reading.

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten. :)

Heat Wave

Okay, I am a huge fan of the ABC show "Castle." I absolutely L.O.V.E it! So when I found out that the book Castle was writing, actually came out, I really wanted to read it, (infact, I'm watching reruns right now). And when we stumbled across it in Barnes and Noble, I waited for my Aunt to finish reading it so I can. Then, I was too busy and didn't get to buckle down and read it until after I finished my terrible summer assignment on "Tortilla Curtain." I don't want to talk about it.

Anyway, I read Heat Wave, which was a fairly good novel, despite a few grammar informalities and false advertising of many crimes (the inside cover advertised all of these different crimes, and then the book only focuses on one case), it was good. NYPD Detective Nikki Heat is saddled with award-winning journalist Jameson Rook for ride-along research. As the crime intensifies, Rook and Heat fight, kid and... flirt. Of course, I liked just reading it for the sake of reading it. However, the mystery did build suspense for me, as a murder-mystery should! If you are a fan of the show, I definitely recommend reading it!

The Da Vinci Code

So, I finally broke down and read the worldwide sensational book, The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown. I cannot believe how much I loved this book. The movie follows the book so closely that I was able to go back to the movie and visualize what was happening in the book while I was reading it. The Da Vinci Code is the story of Harvard professor, Robert Langdon, who is awoken in the middle of the night as a suspect in a famous man's murder. He is soon launched into a full blown search for the Holy Grail. Along with cryptologist Sophie Neveu, they travel all over Europe solving riddles and codes alike, while also running from the police and the Church. This book is the perfect read for those who love danger, conspiracy, and the secret unknowns of religion and faith. I loved this book because of all of the questions it presents about religion and what it means to have faith in a world saturated in lies.

Sea Change

I just finished reading a fairly new realease entitled Sea Change, by Aimee Friedman. A surprising tale about the science based Miranda Merchant whose grandmother's death has brought her to the mysterious Selkie Island. Miranda is not expecting to be caught up in the superstitious legend and lore that surrounds Selkie and its inhabitants. This novel, told from the point of view of Miranda, as she tries to work through the unknowns of her grandmother, Isadora Hawkins, is very well written and is dripping with unexpected twists and turns. I spent about three hours reading it today; I just could not put it down. However, I think that the relationship between Miranda and Leo, a local boy, moves rather quickly and that Friedman could have stretched out the meeting and falling in love stages a little bit. Despite this small down-side in my opinion, this book is a wonderful read that you could curl up with on a stormy night. It made me want to have some family mysteries that need uncovering, or to go somewhere where legends are just waiting to be proven factual.

The De Granville Trilogy

I haven't updated this book list in a while, but I recently read a series of books that were so amazing, I just had to put them on here. The first book in the De Granville Trilogy, titled Blood Red Horse, illustrates the bond that forms between a boy and his horse. Will and his brother, Gavin, and their father, leave their home at Hartslove castle, they leave behind many, no knowing what will happen or if they will return, as they join the crusades alongside King Richard in the name of Christianity. I soon grew to love the De Granvill family and Hosanna, the blood red horse, as they fight for what they believe in.

In the second book, entitled Green Jasper, King Richard is being held for ransom, and his brother and many others are taking advantage of his absence, as our heroes return to Hartslove to try and return to a normal life. But, when Ellie, the center of both Will and Gavin's affections, is kidnapped by someone who we thought was loyal to the De Granvilles, Will and Gavin, and of course, Ellie, are launched into another life-and-death adventure, and Will and Hosanna are tested once again.

In the third and final book in this amazing trilogy, Blaze of Silver, Will and the Hartslove clan are assigned to bring to a large part of the king's ransom money. But an assassin has been ordered to come to kill one of the clan and Will, Ellie, and Hosanna are trapped in an uncertain position, where the outcome of their lives is uncertain. Loyalties are tested and misunderstanding is fueling the story.

The entire trilogy kept me on the edge of my seat; I even had to run out unexpectedly so that I could get Blaze of Silver to finish the series. These books so accurately display the ways of the times of crusades, religion, loyalty, friendship, love, and so much more.

Carpe Diem

So this book, is going up there with Scribbler of Dreams, Twilight, and This Lullaby. I L.O.V.E this book. Carpe Diem is about Vassar Spore, a very bright girl who goes to a private school and plans every single second of every single day. She knows what she wants to do with her life and her parents expect everything and more of her. But when an impromptu, surprise trip to Malaysia, Laos and Cambodia with her crazy grandmother is brought to light, Vassar has no choice but to take every single health precaution, and pack every new device and go take a leap of faith. I wish i could say more, but that would give away the entire story. This book is good light reading, but also has so many things going on you can't help but fantasize what the relics on the temples look like, and daydream about traveling to these places, without the inconvenience Vassar experiences with toilets. The story is amazingly well written and pans out to truly live up to it's title. Reccomended to everyone.
Carpe Diem! :)

The House of Night Series (Marked, Betrayed, Chosen)

Okay, so it's been a while since i have posted to this blog, and i have been reading like crazy. So, after i read the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, i picked up yet another vampire book. Marked was the first book in the House of Night Series, and i'm sorry my pictures are screwed up, but i absolutely fell in love with it. If you have read the Twilight series, i seriously reccomend this series. You will see some similarities, and some of the same concepts just twisted around a little, and it's highly interesting to compare the two series if you ask me. In a world where vampires have always existed, Zoey Redbird leads a normal teenage girl's life. She has a boyfriend, a best friend, and drives a lime green volkswagon bug. But when she is marked by one of the vampires from the House of Night, her world is turned completely upside down, and she is forced to go live at the House of Night, a bording school for vampires "in training". Her she finds a wonderful mentor, real friends, and a goddess who understands her and takes her under her metophorical wing when Zoey is confronted with a problem and an affinity for all 5 elements. (earth, fire, air, water, and spirit). But she also meets Aphrodite, another fledgeling who is bad to the bone, as the saying goes, or so we think.
In Betrayed, we see the first sightings of a mentor gone bad and loveable friend lost. I won't give away too much, but i will just say this, OMG.
As for the third book, Chosen, i have no words. You're just going to have to read it. And i know you will because you will be hooked on mark before the first chapter even ends.

As you may or not already know, the fourth book, Untamed has just come out, but i have not read it yet. So when i do, I will do a seperate review.

the curious incident of the dog in the night-time

This amazing New York Times notable book by Mark Haddon is the heartwarming story of Christopher Boone and how his quest to find out who killed Wellington turns into more than just "doing detecting" to bring who killed the poodle, to justice. Soon Christopher's safe world of maths and computer games is turned upside down when he finds out almost everything his father has told him was a lie. I originally picked this book up at the volunteer party and after i finished Breaking Dawn, i picked it up and haven't put it down until 20 minutes ago when i finished. I loved and it doesn't take long for the reader to love Christopher because he tells it like it is with pure honesty, even when he knows he would be in trouble. The silly rituals and suspicions make the story and i reccomend it to everyone who loves unsuspected suprises, mystery and a happy ending. :)

Breaking Dawn

The fourth book in the amazing Twilight series, Breaking Dawn was released on August 2 at 12:02 am, and i was there! later that day, i started reading it and it just kept getting better and better. There are so many unexpected things happening in every chapter. And I thought it was great. Bella and Edward are get married. But when they go on their honeymoon is when the real trouble begins. I am actually at a loss for words that aren't horribly cliche for how great it is. A perfect ending to the series. Stephanie Meyer is a wonderful writer and made the story so exciting that it is hard to put any of the books down. Kudos to Stephanie and i can't wait to read her other book the Host. :)

Eclipse

So, I just finished Eclipse, the third book in the Twilight Series. I had to read it fast because tomorrow the fourth book comes out, Breaking Dawn. It was amazing. Another chronicle of Bella and Edward's love while fighting against enemies. But also of Bella fighting her love for Jacob. It was fantastic and Stephenie Meyer is an amazing writer and does a great job of portraying all the feelings that come with being in love, even when you're in love with a vampire. There is:
1 day
3 hours
&
52 minutes

until Breaking Dawn is released at 12:01am on August 2!!!!

The Crucible

I have to say, this is probably my favorite play of all time. This is a play by Arthur Miller, about the Salem witch trials. It's about John Proctor and an important trial. I absolutely love it. The play starts with Reverend Parris's daughter who has been supposedly bewitched by a few girls and her servant who were dancing and "brewing" in the forest. The play goes on to see that the judges and people in town accusing each other of being witches. It talks about love, life, religion, loyalty and so much more. the ending was the best and it actually made me tear up. I love it. :)

The End of Forever

Another amazing book from Lurlene McDaniel. This volume, containing the first and second book of the story, follows the story of Erin and Amy. When Amy runs out for extra sodas for the cast party, she is in a tragic accident, and lies in Neuro-ICU, somewhere between life and death. This is two books in one. The first is Somewhere between Life and Death and Time to Let Go. They are both amazing books, but I wont tell you about Time to Let Go or it will ruin the story. It's amazing and i reccomend it to everyone who likes romance books.

Sahara Special

Sahara Special is the story of Sahara Jones and her journey through school, and the fifth grade. She is sent to special education, and her mother won't have it. She gets her taken out of special ed. and she has to repeat the fifth grade. But when a crazy new teacher with eggplant color lipstick comes to teach the class, Sahara finds herself and faces her problems. A very good book for young readers. :)

Inside Out: Portrait of an Eating Disorder

So, tonight, I thought i was supposed to work at the library, but i wasn't. My friend was, and i was her ride home. so i had to hang out, while i waited for her shift to end, i read the much praised Inside Out. Inside Out is the written and illustrated journey of Nadia Shivack as she battles bulimia, anorexia, and depression. As she was in recovery treatments, she illustrated her feelings, and is still recovering today. I think it is a wonderful chronicle of how people with eating disorders really feel and what they are thinking. It is very good and i reccomend it to everyone.

Castle Waiting

I absolutely love this book. Castle Waiting is the story of what happens to the castle and its inhabitants after sleeping beauty leaves with prince charming. Linda Medley has created the story of Jane who is escaping from her abusive husband and seeking refuge in Castle Waiting. When Jane arrives at the castle, she encounters many characters who become her fast friends as she births her abnormal baby and hides from her husband and her past. We discover the quirky happenings of the castle and the inhabitants. Told in cartoon form i absolutely love this book, it's the time era that i love and it's light reading which makes it fun. It would be just as good if it wasn't in cartoon form, (but it wouldn't be as fun;) ).

Enjoy!

Fifteen Love

Fifteen Love is the story of Mia Foley and Will Hollander. Mia is part of the "in" crowd, always with her two friends, Vanessa and Renata, unless she is practicing her viola or wondering about Will. Even though she does think that boys only think about cars and sports, and only think about sex once every 15 seconds. Will on the other hand, is a tennis star. He really wants to know what girls talk about, and has a major crush on Mia. "Fifteen love is the story of a boy, a girl, a viola, and a tennis racket. A story of family, friends, flirting, and true love". This was a very good book, and the way it is written keeps it interesting. I have heard that it is hard to read, because another character's life seems more interesting, but i had no trouble sticking with Will and Mia. I reccomend this book to anyone looking for a light read with little drama, comedy, and lots of love. :)

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things is written by Carolyn Mackler, and is a great story of how to cope with your body. Virginia Shreeves has a larger-than-average body, scarfs junk food, and has a boy trying to get up her shirt. Not to mention next to perfect siblings, parents with high expectations, and popular girls. The Earth... is about Virginia dealing with her body and her peers. Her parents want her to slim down and her best friend has just moved to Walla Walla Washington. Ginny has to do this on her own, cold turkey. But when her brother is accussed of something horrible, her diet goes down the drain, and for Virginia, it's about being different in her family, standing out, and showing her independence. Soon, Ginny is running off to Seattle to visit her bff, getting an eyebrow peircing, taking up kickboxing, and dying her hair purple. But will happen to her and Froggy Welsh the Fourth(a.k.a. the guy trying to get up her shirt)? Amazingly well written and pretty much sums up the trials and tribulations that us larger-than-average girls go through. But also chronicles the importance of individuality and independence. :)

Cupidity

Cupidity is the masterful book written by Caroline Goode. It's Laura Sweeny's senior year in highschool, and she's looking for romance. She's a quiet "nerd" with glasses and lost in her Greco- Roman Mythology. When she asks Jupiter to send her a boyfriend, she never thought the gods would take her seriously. Now she's made a new friend, who is the hot new girl on the block, intent on finding Laura a boyfriend, who is actually Cupid in disguise. Soon Laura finds herself in a pickle, but in the end, turns out to be the next to perfect senior year. Very funny and the way Goode incorporates the greek gods into modern day is very admirable. Awesome book for someone who is looking for a little romance and some light reading. The really funny thing is when Cupid, a.k.a. Cupidity, shoots and matches up unlikely pairs. Nerds with queen bees and gangsters with nerds. :) LOVE IT!

Night

Oh my goodness. This is one of the best written accounts of Holocaust happenings, that i have ever read. the rawness and truth of it all is unbelievable. Written by Elie Wiesel, a survivor, it shows us what really happened in concentration camps such as Aushwitz. what really happened between the jewish prisoners, and the SS officers. The feelings and changes that happened to the prisoners as everyday they realized that the end was almost there, but not quite. As Eliezer was seperated from his mother the day they arrived at berkinau, he immediately attached to his father. The goal was to not get seperated. As the jewish are tourtured and made to suffer, Elie starts to get angry with his father and loses faith in god and the values of the jewish people. A very well written book, keeps you on the edge of your seat and wanting to know what will happen next. A depressing yet truthful record of the holocaust, someone looking for a happy book, would not want to read this book. We had to read this for English, which i didn't mind at all. Infact i was done before anyone else.

Of Mice and Men

In English we are finishing up reading Of Mice and Men, but John Steinbeck, which is a very good book in my opinion. Of Mice and Men tells the story of George and Lennie who have just been run out of their recent place of work, Weed. George is small, smart, and quick. Lennie on the other hand is large, muscular, and child- like. The story depicts their move to Soledad, wherer they work on a ranch. But trouble soon starts to brew as we find out that a lot of things that Lennie touches, dies. I can't say much else without giving away the plot. This book is very well written, even though the ending leaves you unsatisfied, it is a good story. I reccomend it to everyone.