Thursday Three (2)

1) This week I have been re-reading a book I read a long time ago. I don't re-read books often because there are always so many great ones I haven't read yet. But I do re-read occasionally. It is interesting to me what a new experience a book can be each time you return to it.

Do you find you like books more or less with a re-read?

For me it is a mix. Sometimes I relate to things or see things I didn't before, and that's exciting. Other times I am more critical of the author's style etc. because I have grown, learned more about writing etc.

2) Do you book club? I book club. One of my favorite things about book club is reading books I wouldn't have picked up. Not necisarrily because I think it's a bad book, but just because it's not on my immediate to read list. I also love book club discussions. It reminds me of being back in school in English classes.

What are some of your favorite book club books?

3) Who's excited for the Hunger Games Movie!? I sure am! I am working on getting an early showing (Thursday night) theater with a ton of friends. Right now we're up to 134 people! I cry every time I see the trailer. "I Volunteer!" Be still my heart! Just because I am so excited about it, here's the trailer for your viewing pleasure.



Happy Reading.

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The Movie vs. The Book: The Help

The other night, I watched the movie version of the book The Help by Kathryn Stockett. It really was very good, and I enjoyed watching the characters come to life.

The cast consisted of the following:

Emma Stone - Skeeter Phelan
Viola Davis - Aibileen Clark
Bryce Dallas Howard - Hilly Holbrook
*Octavia Spencer - Minny Jackson
Jessica Chastain - Celia Foote
Ahna O'Reilly - Elizabeth Leefolt

Although the movie is a little over two hours long, don't let that turn you away. Considering the novel is 451 pages, even two hours did not cover every scene. I do believe the main story line was well portrayed and engaging.

Some negatives of the movie for me were that Celia Foote's story/plot line was not fully described, and Skeeter and Stewart's relationship was brief and undeveloped. Revising each of these parts would have made the movie easier to understand for someone who had not read the book.

Overall, the movie was enjoyable and fun to watch. This movie should definitely be on your "To Watch" list!

*Won a Golden Globe Award for The Help as best supporting actress in a motion picture

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Book Launch Tonight!

Hey folks!

I want to advertise for all local peeps and distant peeps that today is the book launch for my FAVORITE read of last year (but it comes out today!), EVERNEAT by Brodi Ashton!

You can read my review HERE and my interview with the awesome Brodi HERE.

I unfortunately will not be making it to the book launch so I can't do one of my super fun book signing posts. But hopefully I will catch her another time. And can share that with you. But for your viewing pleasure here is the book trailer.



So local peeps go to The King's English tonight at 7 for an awesome launch, and everyone go to your local bookstore and get this book!

Congrats on your launch Brodi!

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New Feature: Thursday Three (1)

Hey all!

So one of my goals this year is to get this blog more active again. One way I want to do that is by doing a Thursday Three! Lots of blogs do Friday Fives, but I thought this was more doable for me. So I'll post 3 things going on with me in relation to reading/writing. I'd love your thoughts and responses!

1) I have been thinking a lot about why I read YA so much more than any other genre. And I think in the end for me, it's cause it's just good stuff. For me I like to read to escape into a world that is not my own. Whether that's contemporary and someone else's experiences that open my world view, or a fantasy world that I can just jump into wholeheartedly. I love YA because I can always count on a great story.

Why do you love YA?

2) Some books read fast for me, some read slow. It doesn't make one better than the other. Sometimes I just need more time away from a story to process it. Other times I just want to find out what happens so I can't put it down. Which do I like better? Depends on my mood.

3) I've been trying to write more and that's a kinda scary thing for me. I love books and the book world, and I LOVE writing and the writing community around me. But I don't have super thick skin, and I felt a little hurt once. So it's taken me a long time to get back into it. It was absolutely no fault of anyone other than me needing to take time away from my writing. Maybe someday a blogger will be reviewing my stuff! I doubt it. I'm not dedicated enough to the process of writing and editing...I kinda hate editing. But it's a cool thought. ;)

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Mockingjay: The Final Book of The Hunger Games

Mockingjay
Suzanne Collins
390 pages

Katniss and Peeta have survived the Hunger Games twice, but just barely. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol, and Katniss, her family, Haymitch and Gale have found refuge in District 13, which until recently everyone thought did not exist. Inspired by Katniss's golden pin, the rebels of District 13, have asked her to become their "Mockingjay" and symbol of the revolt against the Capitol. Katniss has accepted the job, but has gotten herself into something more than she can handle. The country of Panem is a full-blown war zone, and amongst the battles, she must make some of the most important decisions of her life.

The third installment of the Hunger Games books is riveting and thought-provoking, but unfortunately, it was my least favorite of the trilogy. Throughout the book, Katniss drifts in and out of consciousness and is classified by the doctors of District 13 as "mentally disoriented". This foggy atmosphere in which she lives is confusing for the reader, and not really very effective.

I was also disappointed in how the author ended the book. It ended very quickly, with little explanation and description. Like it was chopped off.  Although an epilogue is included, for me, it wasn't really enough.

I especially love the cover of this book, the mockingjay is taking flight, with the fragments of the circles floating loosely around it; it is breaking free.

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Review: SILENCE by Becca Fitzpatrick

SILENCE
by Becca Fitzpatrick

Hardcover, 438 pages

Published October 4th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Placement in the Pile: Reaching New Heights

Summary:
The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.

Review:
First I have to say that's not a very good summary of the book that was on Goodreads, but there it is... Here's my summary:

Nora finds herself alone and unsure of herself when she is told that she not only has amnesia that goes back 5 months, but has been gone, abducted for the last 11 weeks of her life. Desperate to remember who she is, she becomes tangled in a world that she no longer remembers exists, all while trying to figure out who she can trust, who is lying, and why she keeps having dreams about a boy with black eyes.

Can Nora and Patch's love survive her not remembering? Will she find out who abducted her and why?

Okay, that sounds better. Gives you a little but of understanding of what this book is about without giving anything away.

That being said, many of you know how much I enjoy these books. I like the bad boy nature of Patch, and I like the overall plotlines. There's characters you love, and characters you love to hate.

Even better the plot of this book and Becca's smooth writing kept me reading. I read this book in about 4 sessions of sitting down and reading -- I just couldn't put it down and it flowed so well it went fast. It's exactly what I needed. Intrigue a good plot, some awesome romance thrown in.

Now that being said there is a possessive nature about Patch and the things he says to Nora. I understand some readers criticize this and say "what a horrible message to teenage girls." But here's my view: I am not reading and reviewing for what a teenage girl might think of a book. I am reading and reviewing for ME. How did I like the book? How did it affect me? Am I smart enough to know that when Patch says, "You're mine Angel." that it's not an abusive I'm going to lock you up and abuse you sort of love? Well, yes, I am. So he doesn't bug me at all, in fact I like that he loves Nora so much that he feels not only possessive of her, but that he belongs to and with her.

If you like this series and haven't read this one yet, do! If you need a good read, pick up the series. For fans of paranormal romance, these will definitely become a fave.

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Catching Fire: The Second Book of the Hunger Games

Catching Fire
Suzanne Collins
391 pages

The 74th Hunger Games victors, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have won by defying the rules and are about to embark on a journey across Panem on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour. When they return to their home of District 12, they find it not as they left it. A new Head Peacekeeper has been issued, and he has made it is top priority to tighten the security of their district. This includes keeping the electric fence charged at all times. From painful bruises to broken bones, injuries are not scare, making Katniss's mother and her medical practice the busiest in town. Conflicts arise between Katniss and Gale - one wants to stay, the other to run - and Peeta floats somewhere in between. And just when they think the worst is behind them, the entire country of Panem gets their biggest surprise yet.

Catching Fire is suspenseful, intriguing and overall, amazing. Katniss Everdeen is just as daring, and the Capitol just as cruel. Suzanne Collins has fulfilled the difficult task of making the sequel better than the first. With new characters introduced and a cliffhanger that will leave you craving for the third, you might as well just give in and read it now.

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The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins
374 pages

The country of Panem, is currently the only country residing in a futuristic North America. The cruel and harsh Capital rules over twelve poor, and small districts. To remind the districts of the rebellion some years ago, the Capital forces each district to send one girl and one boy tribute to participate in the annual Hunger Games. The Games are then a mandatory TV viewing for all other citizens. When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place in the 74th Games, she knows it will be her death because only one tribute can survive.

Through first person, Collins takes on Katniss's voice; exposing her thoughts, feelings and struggles. She is daring, resourceful, and engaging - the perfect recipe for immediate suspense. Although this book's setting is in future times, I find myself clearly picturing the dark stuffy coal mines of District 12, the vibrant colors of the Capitol, and the haunted and enclosed quarters of the Training Center.

This book holds extreme action and is written with such clarity, beware, you might just think you're a tribute in the Games yourself.

Following The Hunger Games are two sequels: Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

The Hunger Games is a New York Times Best Seller and is currently being made into a movie coming to theaters March 23rd, 2012. Click here to watch the official trailer.

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Poll: What Should I read Next?

One of my goals this year is to be more on top of reading the books I already own. That might not make for the best reviews, but hey, I will read new ones too! Here is what is on my list right now, and I thought I'd ask your opinions! What should I read Next?

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Review: CROSSED by Ally Condie

CROSSED
by Ally Condie

Hardcover, 367 pages

Published November 1st 2011 by Dutton Juvenile

Placement in the Pile: Middle of the Stack

Summary:
In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Review:
I really wanted to love this one, because as you all know by now I loved MATCHED and I love Ally to death. I felt that there were some gems of greatness in this book, moments and information that I found fascinating and exciting, but it was surrounded by everything else that I unfortunately did not love.

One of my biggest issue was for a book that is supposed to be a journey of literally crossing over from one life to another there was a lot of lingering, leaving one location, and coming back. Leaving it again, and coming back. It felt more stagnant than it should have.

One of the more widespread criticisms I've read was one that was bugging me as well while I was reading. Ky is a narrator as well as Cassia, and their voices were too similar. They were beautifully written, well thought out etc. But when I had to flip back to the chapter heading to remember who was speaking, that was a problem.

All in all I think this book just suffered from middle book syndrome. Instead of being a journey in and of itself, it was a spacer to get the characters from point A to point B so that they can move on to the climax, but in and of itself, it didn't have much climax or story.

What I loved? Indie -- She's a great character and truly kept me guessing. Xander -- he isn't in the book much, but there is some big stuff revealed about him. I am liking where his story is going.

In the end. I am very much looking forward to the third book still. The way it left off I think that book is going to have a ton going on and be super interesting! I just wished this one had had more. It's worth reading to get you up to date for the next one.

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What Happened to Me Last Year/What I Plan This Year!

Well, as many of you know the biggest thing that happened to me last year was having a baby. That resulted in the loss of desire/time/brain power to read as much and thus review as much. Which then resulted in losing a lot of my publisher contacts. The year being crazy also resulted in my co-bloggers being busy and not posting as much as before. So again less posts on here.

So that's why things have been slower on here on both the review and give away front.

But, here is my New Year's promise/resolution to you.

I am still here. I may take longer to read books, be giving away not as much, but I am still here. I still want to share my love of books and what I am reading with you. So if you'll stick with me, I will bring you reviews as they come.

I am doing a bit of writing and wanting to get back into that more. So I'd really like to add some of that experience to this blog as well. Bring on the conversations! When people actually comment it encourages me to be on here more and to be a better blogger for you. Just sayin. ;)

Thanks to those of you who do follow me regularly and have stuck it out with me this year. Happy New Year to you all!

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