Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Rachel: #3 The Help
I started The Help last Sunday, it was such a great book that I finished this morning. Set in Jackson, Mississippi 1962 the story follows 3 women. At times I felt very angry and can not believe that people acted the way they did just a short time ago, segregation is such a terrible thing. I feel like this book has opened my eyes about a lot of things. You should read this book! Now I can't wait to see the movie.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Kristen: 13 of 15
Title: The Help
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Pages: 464
I'm sure you've heard about it, or seen the movie already, so I won't spend a lot of time going over it here. The book is great! If you've seen the movie or if you want to see the move, either way, if you enjoy reading a great story go and pick the one up. Once you do, you won't be able to put it down. There are many characters to keep it interesting at all times and the story line never lags. In fact, once I reached the end I really wished it would keep going.
So if you are looking for a good read, give this one a shot!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Kristen: 10, 11 & 12 of 15
Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages: 384
I read this on another blog in reference to this series: "You are not prepared."
This series took me on quite a roller coaster over the weekend. Unable to fall asleep in the wee hours of Saturday morning, I happened to see a Facebook conversation steaming from a friend who mentioned the book. All of the responses seems favorably strong, and I couldn't sleep, so I bought it right then and there and dove in.
The premise of book one:
In a not-too-distant future, North America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the rich and powerful Capitol and 12 weakened districts. As punishment for a past rebellion against the Capitol, each year, two young representatives between the ages of 12 - 17 from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss' young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against not only each other, but bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives.
At the risk of giving anything away, I won't give any of my personal commentary or say anything about the next two books other than this:
From the moment I started book one, I had a hard time stepping away from these characters. Even though at times I wanted it to all be over, or moments when I hated the author, as I set it down at the end of book three I felt my self wanting to go back and do it all over again.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Rachel: #2 Water for Elephants
I know, I know...finally.
I'm not sure what to write first other than this book is outstanding. If you have not read it, please do so. I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book reason 1: I think the circus is wrong because of the cruelty to animals 2: Clowns freak me out, big time.
The author did such a great job of making you love the characters it was hard to put this book down. The first four or five pages have you hooked, it jumps back and fourth between Jacobs life from when he was young to present time when he is about 90 something. I haven't seen the movie but I am very excited for it to come out on dvd.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I'm not sure what to write first other than this book is outstanding. If you have not read it, please do so. I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book reason 1: I think the circus is wrong because of the cruelty to animals 2: Clowns freak me out, big time.
The author did such a great job of making you love the characters it was hard to put this book down. The first four or five pages have you hooked, it jumps back and fourth between Jacobs life from when he was young to present time when he is about 90 something. I haven't seen the movie but I am very excited for it to come out on dvd.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Kristen: 8 & 9 of 15
Title: Torn
Author: Amanda Hocking
Pages: 356
Title: Ascend
Author: Amanda Hocking
Pages: 294
So these are the final 2 books in the Thrylle trilogy. When I picked the first one at random off the Amazon top 10 book list I just thought the cover was eye catching and it sounded like an interesting story. I didn't realize I was picking a book out of the Young Adult section. OK, so I just read 3 books that were written for teenagers and up... no biggie. It's not like I was going to stop once I found out, they were too darn good. I'll admit it. I enjoyed them. I'll still recommend them. They were enthralling books. I mean you've gotta be captivating to get a teeni-boppers attention for 3 books in a row, right? Hello, I'm the girl who started out this blog with a review about Harry Potter & I've read every book in the Twilight series (the final one twice). I'm not too grown up for any books, as long as they have a good story.
It does seem that these books may have been rushed a bit into print, the second one especially, as it's chock full of errors. But if you can get past that, you'll probably really enjoy theses.
I can't say that I personally cared for the way the final book ended, but I wont give too much away. I guess we can't always have our way when there's a love triangle. I liked the main character and pretty much all of the supporting cast. And I've found myself doing a fair amount of research on the series since I finished it, so apparently it stuck with me.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Kristen: 7 of 15
Title: Switched
Author: Amanda Hocking
Pages: 330
Description (from Amazon.com)
Switched - the first book in the Trylle Trilogy...
When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right.
With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it.
My Thoughts:
This is the first book I purchased to read on the Kindle for iPad app. I choose this one off of a Kindle top sellers list when I decided I'd give reading on the iPad a try, even though I was against the idea before.
Pros: You can get your book right away. HUGE plus, especially when you get to the end of a book of a series and you want the next one. No waiting for it to be shipped, or having to drive to the store. Also, I rather enjoyed propping the iPad up in a pillow next to me as I lounged in bed and just tapping the screen to turn the page, plus no need for a book mark, it's always open to where you left it.
Cons: There's the battery life to think about. While the battery life really lasts a LONG time. I got through this book and halfway through the next before I had to plug it in, its still something you have to think about. There's the fact that you are reading on an electronic device... as if my eyes don't spend enough time staring at a computer screen or a television. Then there's the lack of a physical book to hold. I realize this was also part of my "pros" but there's just something about holding a book that is nice. Feeling how far you are into it, how far you've got to go. (granted there is a percentage bar at the bottom, it just doesn't quite feel the same).
All in all, I'll never give up the paper book it's definitely my favorite, but I'll keep the e book around too. Anyhoo, on to the book review...
This book was different and familiar all at the same time. In a way it kind of had a Twilight feel to it, but not really. Wendy finds out that everything she thought about life is basically false, and that the stuff of myths is reality. She was switched at birth by her real family to live with a human family and is now supposed to take her rightful place on the throne as the Trylle Princess. Trylle are trolls, but not in the way that we imagine them; they are beautiful and powerful. She has to learn her place in her new world.
It's an interesting story and a quick easy read. I really enjoyed it and would recomend it to someone looking for something a little out of the ordinary.
When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right.
With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it.
My Thoughts:
This is the first book I purchased to read on the Kindle for iPad app. I choose this one off of a Kindle top sellers list when I decided I'd give reading on the iPad a try, even though I was against the idea before.
Pros: You can get your book right away. HUGE plus, especially when you get to the end of a book of a series and you want the next one. No waiting for it to be shipped, or having to drive to the store. Also, I rather enjoyed propping the iPad up in a pillow next to me as I lounged in bed and just tapping the screen to turn the page, plus no need for a book mark, it's always open to where you left it.
Cons: There's the battery life to think about. While the battery life really lasts a LONG time. I got through this book and halfway through the next before I had to plug it in, its still something you have to think about. There's the fact that you are reading on an electronic device... as if my eyes don't spend enough time staring at a computer screen or a television. Then there's the lack of a physical book to hold. I realize this was also part of my "pros" but there's just something about holding a book that is nice. Feeling how far you are into it, how far you've got to go. (granted there is a percentage bar at the bottom, it just doesn't quite feel the same).
All in all, I'll never give up the paper book it's definitely my favorite, but I'll keep the e book around too. Anyhoo, on to the book review...
This book was different and familiar all at the same time. In a way it kind of had a Twilight feel to it, but not really. Wendy finds out that everything she thought about life is basically false, and that the stuff of myths is reality. She was switched at birth by her real family to live with a human family and is now supposed to take her rightful place on the throne as the Trylle Princess. Trylle are trolls, but not in the way that we imagine them; they are beautiful and powerful. She has to learn her place in her new world.
It's an interesting story and a quick easy read. I really enjoyed it and would recomend it to someone looking for something a little out of the ordinary.
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