Goliath: Imagination Inducing

Another mini, syndicated Amazon.com review of mine. Sorry for the mini-ness. . . . it's because I've been busy tired lazy experimenting with the power and simplicity of shorter writings these days. :)

Oh, how I've missed the series! And how I'll miss it forever more!

Goliath is the ultimate conclusion to the thrilling, witty Leviathan Trilogy. All the characters you love - Alex, Deryn (aka Dylan), Dr. Barlow, Bovril, and Newkirk (Yes, he'll become of favorite character of yours in this book) - along with a few new ones mold together with vivid settings to create a imaginative, crisp universe.

Alex and Deryn, still aboard Leviathan, the sky's greatest Darwinist, DNA-mutant "beastie", struggle with their problems. Alex's problems? His parents are dead, his home taken away from him, he's the heir to Austria's throne, and he's a deeply confused Clanker, one of engine and steam upbringings, that is surrounded by a world of Darwinists. And Deryn's problems? She has a "barking" huge crush on Alex, but he's nobility and she's just a low commoner. Oh! And she's also a girl disguised as a boy, who will be kicked off Leviathan, her newfound home, and possible tried for treason if her secret's revealed. No biggie . . .

Already faced with unimaginable obstacles, Alex and Deryn's troubles reach a new level when the Leviathan makes a pit-stop and picks up a new passenger . . . Mr. Nikola Tesla, a complete mad-man, whose ideas of world peace involve great deaths. And with Mr. Tesla comes deception, truths, and more secrets.

Faced with brutal decisions, Alex and Deryn must each decide their own future. Becoming closer than ever before, Alex and Deryn start a "no secret" relationship. But will that be enough to save their friendship from the life-changing, life-destroying war that has already taken one too many victims?

Accented by Keith Thompson's stunning black-and-white illustrations, Goliath is a perfect tale that depicts an alternative past. Scott Westerfeld flawlessly relates Alex and Deryn's problems to the issues of our age. Goliath, abundant in imagery, adventure, humor, and wonder, is not a story to be missed.

Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

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Torn: M.P. Haddix Has Done It Again!

A short note from your reviewer:

Greetings, readers of The Bookshelf! I know earlier I posted a list of reviews that would be published throughout this month, but with the start of school, my personal vacation to Ocean City, Maryland, multiple orientations, and . . . oh, yeah, the EARTHQUAKE, I've fallen a wee bit behind.

Below is a short "mini review" of Torn by Margaret Peterson Haddix. This is a syndicated review from my Amazon account. While this review is shorter and more informal than most, I believe it provides much insight, explanation, and opinion of a fourth book in a historical, mystery, sci fi, thriller time traveling series.

Look for a few more posts before the end of August. Thank you!

And by "done it again", I mean "created another great history/mystery time travel tale".

The fourth installment in The Missing series, Torn by Margaret Peterson Haddix, follows Jonah and Katherine as they travel back in time to the year 1611. The missing child that they must return to history in order to correct time? John Hudson, son of the famous (famously crazy, that is) Henry Hudson. The only problem: JB, Jonah and Katherine's time travel...supervisor, you could say, is unable to find the 21st century boy who is actually John Hudson to send him back to the past. A truly missing child!

But, of course, there are more problems than just a missing (missing) historical figure. Jonah must pretend to be John, mask, wigs, clothing, and all, in hopes of setting history straight. However, after an hour or so aboard the Discovery, Henry Hudson's ship, all time is thrown out of balance. Tracers, ghost-like figures that show what is supposed to happen in history, go missing, Jonah and Katherine lose all connections with JB, and an evil Mr. Prickett threatens the safety of the ship's crew, most significantly Jonah.

Taking matters into their own hands, Jonah (still disguised as John Hudson) and Katherine (who is invisible thanks to the time traveling device, the Elucidator) try to make sense of the odd mishaps in time that keep occurring and attempt to save history and rescue their friends who are still stuck in the year 1600.

Captivating and well-paced, Torn provides a set of loveable characters and rich historical settings to create an enjoyable read. Fans of the previous books in the Missing series will not be disappointed.

Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: Eccentric and Exceptional

Eccentric. With a title that sums up the mood of the book itself, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (a pseudonym, presumably) is a treasure chest of witty characters, unique photographs, and a delightful story. Wonderfully composed, Miss Peregrine tells the tale of Jacob and the stories that were told to him by his grandfather.  Jacob’s grandfather was a Jewish WWII survivor that, as a child, escaped from his native country of Poland to an island off the coast of England. Jacob’s grandfather told him tales of a house for children that he stayed at during the war. He told Jacob about children at the house that had special qualities and abilities. A levitating girl, an invisible boy, a girl who could make fire with her hands, and a boy made of bees were among the children that Jacob’s grandfather insisted were real. As a child, Jacob believed the unbelievable stories, but as he got older doubt began to replace his once wondrous beliefs.

Fast-forward to when Jacob is sixteen-years-old. In a freak accident, Jacob is the last to see his grandfather alive. The police describe his grandfather’s death as an animal attack. Jacob wearily believes the police, but there is a strand of recollection in his memory. Right after his grandfather’s death, Jacob saw a creature, a monstrosity, with tentacles hanging outside its mouth. Making connections, Jacob begins to return to his grandfather’s stories, finding coincidences and patterns. Traveling with his father, Jacob visits England to find his grandfather’s old rescue home, hoping to resolve the many secrets that are wrapped around his mind.

An inside photograph

Jacob becomes determined to figure out if his grandfather was telling the truth or if he was simply crazy. Photographs included in the book of the children described by Jacob’s grandfather, inspire the reader’s creativity levels, while encouraging Jacob to dive deeper into a world unknown.

Exceptional. Fast-paced and detailed, Miss Peregrine leaves you hanging on every word. Definitely one of my top books for this year, it is a refreshing, humorous, different summer read. The inside photographs supplement the book perfectly, adding to the genius of the story and often breaking up the rather long chapters (One was bordering on seventy pages!). Jacob’s adventure is one to be heard and one to be remembered. Miss Peregrine’s sequel cannot possibly arrive soon enough to fulfill the desire that came with the cliff-hanger ending of the first book. A quirky rollercoaster ride of a book, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children allows your mind to explode in an array of creativity, wonder, and imagination.

Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

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Uglies: Glamor or Freedom?

May, Favorite Author Month, is almost over, but that doesn’t mean The Bookshelf doesn’t have enough time for one more post honoring the best of authors! Authors are some of humanity’s finest specimens. Authors take thoughts, actions, dreams, and emotions and put them into a story. They write about what’s around them, what they have suffered, what they have conquered, and what’s ahead of them. Most significantly, authors write about what’s most important to them. A great book can be about any topic and any character because a great book is not determined by those two things. A great book is determined by how much an author is interested in a topic and how much thought and effort they put into that topic. Great authors are ones that put a great deal of research, emotion, and originality into their great books. Scott Westerfeld is one of these authors.

A published author for over ten years, Westerfeld has written for both adult and young adult audiences. Today, his books are mainly targeted towards young adults, but that doesn’t change how he writes his books. I have read seven books and two short stories by Scott Westerfeld, and all of them were about different, but engaging, topics. Scott Westerfeld imagines and creates alternate worlds for his novels, worlds that he has obviously used many years and many words to develop and evolve. 

The new US cover of Uglies

Uglies, first published back in 2005, is the first in a series about a futuristic world where, at the age of sixteen, everyone receives an operation to become a “Pretty.” The title makes this book out to be a seemingly shallow tale, but it’s not. Uglies is a breath-taking, and often horrifying, look at a future Earth. Uglies starts off with Tally Youngblood, the main character for the first three Uglies books, sneaking out of her ugly dorm at night to see her best friend, Peris, who recently became a Pretty. Tally, who’s slated to become a Pretty in five months, is anxious to have her operation and to start living the party-like life of a Pretty. To help make the wait less tortuous, Tally decides to visit Peris, hoping that he will help her become more patient and help her overcome any worries. Unfortunately, reaching Peris is not easy. He is at a party the night that Tally arrives, and Tally must crash the bash to reach him. After a series of disappointing events, including an odd encounter with a now pretty Peris, Tally must escape the party by pulling an alarm and jumping off the building. On her way back over the river to Uglyville, Tally runs into a person. At first, Tally hides, thinking the person is a government official – it’s illegal for an Ugly to be in New Pretty Town – but after closer examination, Tally discovers that the person is not only an official but another Ugly!

Fast forward a few months later, and Tally is getting prepared for her operation, which is only a few days away. The person she saw in New Pretty Town, Shay, is now her new best friend. Tally and Shay share the same birthday, and they are both scheduled to get the operation on the same day, their sixteenth birthday. However, Shay has other plans. Shay wants to escape town and run away into the wild to live with the Smoke – a group of Uglies that have never received the operation. Shay tries to get Tally to come along, but she won’t budge. Tally looks forward to becoming a Pretty; she, unlike Shay, wants to be like everyone else. Shay ends up running away, to the wild, leaving Tally to receive the operation by herself.

Scott Westerfeld, author of Uglies

When her sixteenth birthday rolls around, instead of being taken to an operating room, Tally is taken to a government official place called Special Circumstances. Tally, confused and scared, is unsure of what is happening, until an evil doctor, Dr. Cable, comes along and explains it to her. Dr. Cable explains to Tally that Special Circumstances has known about the Smoke for a while, and, now that Shay has run away to them, they want Tally to find the Smoke. If Tally chooses not to find the Smoke and its members, she will forever be an Ugly. Tally, not wanting to be ugly forever, starts on an expedition into the wild. Along the way, Tally discovers much about herself and the area outside of her protective city. Eventually, Tally reaches the Smoke and is shocked at what she finds. When she first arrives, she wants to immediately set off her locator, given to her by Special Circumstances, but finds that she cannot do it. Tally learns of what it means to actually become a Pretty and that it does more than just changes your appearance. It alters your brain! Tally questions if the world that she is living in is any better than the world that occurred before hers, a world that was torn by overpopulation, disease, and war. Tally must make a rash decision between what she has wanted all her life and what she just recently discovered. 

Ultimately leading to a thrilling, cliff-hanger ending, Uglies is a phenomenal look into a world gone wrong. Often called the book that revived the dystopian genre, Uglies is in itself a debate about self-image, freedom, and willpower. Scott Westerfeld has received many accolades and positive reviews, from professionals and fans alike, for Uglies, which later spawned a series. Following Uglies is Pretties, Specials, and Extras. All four books incorporate both wonderful and horrific inventions and innovations of this futuristic world. Westerfeld plants multi-layered questions in the reader’s mind, questions that ultimately may not have a definite answer. His Uglies series, and other books that he has written, question modern society, the past, and the future and how things can be extremely different. 

Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

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Dystopian SmackDown!

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages! Welcome to the Dystopian SmackDown! I’m your host, Jacob Hopkins. Today, we are here to witness a possible change in history. The classic novel The Giver has been the Dystopian SmackDown Champion since its publication date in 1993. But two new novels have recently challenged The Giver for its prestigious title of being the best book about a once seemingly utopian society that is viewed differently after an initiating event caused by a young adult, thus causing the said young adult to rebel and view his world differently (try saying that three times fast). And The Giver isn’t happy about the competition. He has called for a Dystopian SmackDown; eager to prove that he’s the best out there. Let the competition begin!

In one corner, weighing in at 208 pages, is The Giver, by Lois Lowry! (Crowd cheers.) The current champ, The Giver is a short, no nonsense guy. His story is about Jonas, an eleven, going on twelve, year-old. Jonas lives in a Community, a protected area of populated land in an unnamed country, in what is believed to be the future. The Committee of Elders controls everything in the Community. They determine who you will marry, the number of children you will receive, and what job, known as an Assignment you will have. The Committee also makes many other decisions for the members of the Community, decisions that are considered too difficult and too dangerous to be made by the people themselves. Everything is regulated, and everything is the same. The Community believes that limiting and destroying choices and individuality will create for a better, more peaceful world.

At age twelve, Jonas receives his Assignment, one that is rarely given out or spoken of, the Receiver of Memories. For his Assignment, Jonas must report to the current Receiver, known to Jonas as the Giver. Jonas’s job is to “receive” memories of life before the Community, before Sameness, the process of making everything the same and equal. The Giver, a wise, kind, old man, “gives” these memories to Jonas by pressing his hands to Jonas’s back. It is important that at least one person in the Community knows these memories, so that someone can aide and give guidance to the Committee when they are making important decisions for the Community. Soon, Jonas learns about colors and sunshine and hills – things he never knew about before. He also learns about emotions, and he especially wants to know love. But not all the memories of the best are pleasant and friendly. Jonas receives memories about hunger, war, and pain. Jonas is unsure if Sameness helps or hurt. His world as he knew is turned upside down, and Jonas doesn’t know what to think, what to do. This book ultimately leads to a breath-taking conclusion that leaves readers questioning and imagining.

That’s The Giver, folks! And it looks like his score is pretty good – no, not pretty good, his score is perfect. That’s right, The Giver has received 5.0 out of 5 stars! Looks like the other novels have some tough competition! (Crowd goes wild with delight.)

In another corner, stands Delirium, by Lauren Oliver, weighing in at 448 pages. Delirium is a young competitor – he was only published a few months ago, in February – but a fierce one, too.  (Crowd gives a non-enthusiastic applause. Some taunt.) Delirium’s story has many similarities to that of The Giver’s, but it is overall a different, yet still enthralling, tale.

This story follows Lena, short for Magdalena, based off the name Mary Magdalene, a seventeen-year-old that is eagerly awaiting her eighteenth birthday. Lena lives in a society where, at age eighteen, you have a procedure to cure yourself from Amor Deliria Nervosa, which is what they refer to as love. Love is viewed as a disease in the society, and most people, Lena included, cannot wait to rid themselves of love. Before the procedure, you have an Evaluation, done by people known as the Evaluators, to determine who your spouse will be. Citizens of the society are not allowed to make physical contact, surround themselves with people of the opposite gender, or express feelings of love. Lena begins the book as a strong believer in the cure because it is all she knows. She believes that curing herself of love, and all other feelings and actions that come with it, will allow her to move away from her rocky past. Lena’s father died from cancer when Lena was very young. And, after three failed attempts of being cured, Lena’s mother committed suicide when Lena was only six. Before Lena’s mother left the world, she said the three most dangerous words in the society to Lena, “I love you”.

So you can easily see why Lena wants to leave her former life behind and start a new one as a Cured. However, when Lena accidentally meets an Invalid, an uncured person who lives outside the society, named Alex, her thoughts are changed. She sees how much Alex enjoys life, and how he isn’t sick from being uncured. In fact, Alex is happy and healthy. And Lena finds herself doing what she would have never expected, falling in love.

The results are being collected, and – oh! – it looks like Delirium has received 4.75 out of 5 stars! What an unexpected turn of events! The judges like how at the beginning of the novel, Amor Deliria Nervosa is viewed as a disease that kills, but as the book progresses, Lena discovers that, yes, love may kill but it saves, too. How about that?! (Crowd begins to stir – unsure what to think.) I believe it’s time to present the final book in this surprising event!

Our final contender is Matched, by Allie Condie. Weighing 384 pages, Matched is an unexpected novel that is expected to give the The Giver’s title a run for its money! Once again taking place in a society located in a future America, Matched explores the concept of being “matched” with someone who you will be marrying.

Cassia is a confident, obedient young woman, who, just like Lena and Jonas, believes everything is right in her world and that the society knows best. When Cassia attends her Match Banquet, a dinner ceremony where seventeen-year-olds are given their matches, who they will marry at the age of twenty-one, she arrives with her Xander, her best friend, but leaves with her Xander, her Match. Cassia is ecstatic because usually you are not matched with someone from your area and she is – matched to her best friend! Later that night, at home, Cassia goes to insert her microcard, a card that holds information about Xander and dating in the society, into the family Port, an advanced computer/phone, but when it is inserted, someone else’s face comes up, but for only a second, then flickers away to Xander’s face. Cassia is shaken and scared for two main reasons: 1) it isn’t like the society to make mistakes and 2) she recognizes the face she saw on the screen – it is another friend, Ky.

From there on, Cassia keeps seeing Ky everywhere. She’s intrigued by him and wants to know more about him. Not only that, she wonders more and more about why his face was on the Port. And after a series of encounters with Ky, Cassia begins to question whether Xander is her true Match and maybe if her microcard was correct – that Ky is meant to be her Match.

What is this?! The judges have declared that Matched is to be awarded a perfect score – 5.0 out of 5 stars! (Crowd gasps. Cries of outrage.) This means that we have a tie! This is unheard of! This leaves the judges to decide the ultimate Dystopian SmackDown Champ! The judges stand up, ready to reveal the winner.

(Silence, as the drumroll begins.)

The judge says in a deep, booming voice, “The title of Dystopian SmackDown Champion is to be awarded to...Matched!” Oh, my! What an unexpected surprise! A new champion has been born! “We thought Matched used wonderful imagery and poetic language to create a superficial and thought-provoking world,” the judge continues, “We fell in love with this book, as we are sure you will too!” (Crowd begins a round of applause that gradually turns into a great cheer.) It appears the crowd is satisfied with the new champion! And hopefully Matched, just as The Giver, will be the champion for years to come. Look forward to the sequel to Matched, Crossed, coming in November.

It appears that’s all we have for today! Until next time, this has been Dystopian SmackDown!     

Z for Zachariah: Alone in a Lonely World

Yesterday, I finished reading Z for Zachariah, by Robert C. O’Brien. Published in 1974, during the Cold War, this book takes place during the aftermath of a huge nuclear war that killed thousands of Americans. Told in a diary format, the narrator of this horrifying, yet inspiring, book is sixteen year old Ann Burden. Ann lives in a valley that was unaffected by the war and the tremendous amounts of radiation it gave off. All towns and cities near the valley are brown, wilted, and lifeless. The valley, however, remained intact and alive. Ann is the only person left alive in the valley and, so she thinks, the only person left alive in the whole world. Following the war, Ann’s family, who also survived the war, traveled to a nearby town, with the Kleins, the only other residents in the valley. Ann did not go with her family; she stayed home to tend to the farm. After days, weeks, of waiting, Ann’s family did not return. Ann had to face the difficult truth that when her family and friends traveled outside of the valley, they must have died from the radiation. She had to face the fact that, except for the chickens and cows on the farm, she was all alone. Even the family dog, Faro, ran away, desperately searching for the rest of his family. Ann came to realize that she was probably the only person left alive, living in the only place left alive. Her family always said that the valley had its own weather. Ann came to assume the same went for immunity to radiation, too.

The book begins about a year after the nuclear war that wiped out the country and changed Ann’s life forever. Ann has become a very independent person since she started living by herself; she works in the garden, takes care of the animals, cooks meals for herself, and is resourceful for the future. There is no electricity or gasoline, but she makes the best of things. She goes fishing, creates fires to keep warm, and visits the small store that the Kleins owned when something is needed. However, one day Ann’s routine life is turned upside down. She notices smoke rising in the distance, outside the valley where no one lives. Even stranger, this column of smoke is in a different place every day, as if someone is moving, walking towards the valley and creating a fire when needed. As if someone else is alive. Scared, Ann takes refuge in a hidden cave near her house. She hopes the mysterious person does not see the green of the valley. She has been living alone for a year, and has no idea if this person is a friend or enemy. Unfortunately for Ann, the stranger, a man, finds the valley. He arrives wearing an all green plastic suit, with a gas mask on his face, pulling a big wagon, also covered in green tarp, behind him. Still in hiding, Ann watches as the man rejoices in his new found discovery. She watches him use a Geiger counter, used to measure the amount of ionizing radiation, and how he takes off his suit when he realizes he has found an area unaffected by the war. He, having not been around life for a long time, eagerly jumps into one of two streams in the valley. However, unbeknownst to him, the one stream that he is in contains the only radiation in the valley. The radiation never spread to the rest of the valley, and, thankfully, there is a second stream for a water supply.

Ann, not being able to stand by anymore, comes out hiding and nurses the poor man while he is dreadfully ill. The man, John R. Loomis, whom Ann calls Mr. Loomis, appears to be kind and have good intentions. He tells her that he was once a scientist that specialized in radiation and creating plastics that withstand it, such as the green tarp he was wearing. Ann helps take care of him by making him meals, moving him into her house, and just being there for him. She is so excited to have another person with her, having thought everyone else was dead and that she would be forever alone. She does everything to make sure he lives, and he survives. However, Ann views Mr. Loomis differently after she overhears him talking in his sleep during a nightmare. A different side of Mr. Loomis is revealed when he becomes better, a side that makes Ann think different about having someone else live with her.

Ann realizes that Mr. Loomis is a manipulative controlling man that wants her to be his salve in this new and different world. He takes over every aspect of the valley. Ann, terrified, runs away and lives in her cave again. Mr. Loomis is determined to get her back and to make her be his servant. Even when the family dog miraculously arrives, alive, he takes him in as a weapon against Ann. Ann wishes she still lived by herself, and that Mr. Loomis never came to the valley.

This is an exhilarating book, and the fact that it is written as Ann’s diary makes it so much more personal and heart-wrenching. The reader is taken on the rollercoaster ride of emotions and problems that Ann had to face, and ultimately the results that came with them. This is a fantastic book about how different a world would be with only two people that have two very different ideas.

Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

End of the Week Update

I know. It has been FOREVER since I last posted. I have been über-busy lately with the first two weeks of school, homework, and a fever that I'm getting over. However, just because I haven't been posting on The Bookshelf, doesn't mean I haven't been reading books. Since last posting, I have read two books and have started another. I would write a review for the two books that I have read, but they are both sequels (well, actually one's a companion) to other books, and they would reveal spoilers. I have, however, included ratings for the two books that I read.

Mockingjay

The first book I read was Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. It is the third and final book in The Hunger Games Trilogy. I talked about the first book in the series, The Hunger Games, in a previous post. The first two books in series were phenomenal, and the third was, if possible, even better.

Mockingjay Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

Scumble

I also read Scumble by Ingrid Law. This is the second book in a series about people who get a special power, called a "savvy", when they're thirteen. The first book in the series, Savvy, was one of the best books I read in 2009, and Scumble is one of the best that I have read this year. One reason why I really like this series is because it takes place in a small town in Wyoming. I enjoy reading about the small town cultures and traditions, and how they effect newcomers and tourists.

Scumble Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

Clockwork Angel

I am currently reading Clockwork Angel by Casandra Clare. I have included the publisher's synopsis to explain what the book is about, because I have just started reading it. This book has received many starred reviews and accolades, and I plan to review it myself once I finish it.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Once again, I must apologize for the length of time between posts. Look forward to more reviews, recommendations, and polls in the near future. Thank you.

Back-to-School Reads

It's that time of the year again. Back-to-school time. A time when you spend your weekends shopping for school supplies, clothes, and (hopefully) books. Whether you're excited for the new school, or dreading its return, one thing's for sure: you're going to get books. Of course, you'll receive your textbooks for your classes, but you'll probably need a book for leisure reading, too.

You will probably have to read a book, that you don't want to read, this school year. It will most likely be a classic, filled with metaphors, allegories, and hard-to-decipher sentences. While these books can be good, you wouldn't want to read only them. You would want to read some more relaxed, immersible books.

I have created a list of leisure books that I think would be good to balance out the old, dry, books that you may have to read this year. I have not read all these books, but all of them have received great reviews. For each book (or series), I have included the title, author, and a short blurb. To learn more about the book click on title of the book.

• The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins - Sometime in the future, lies the country Panem, formally known as the United States of America. The Capitol, the city which houses the leaders of Panem, is cruel to the country's citizens. The Capitol does many horrid things, including sending kids and teens on a fight to the death. Worst of all, the fight is televised, and the people at home are forced to watch.

• Uglies by Scott Westerfeld - I have not read this one, but I have heard great things from people who have. This book also takes place in the future, where everyone undergoes a surgery at the age of sixteen to become "pretty". The title makes this book seem kind of...shallow, but it actually isn't. Also, despite the title, this book can be read by boys and girls. It is written by a male author, Scott Westerfeld. Westerfeld is a great author, and I will have to give this book a try.

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling - First book in the series. Everybody's probably already heard of this one. :)
  

• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - A great WWII Holocaust book about a young orphaned girl, who steals books to help get through the challenges in her life. This is a great read for book lovers, and it has won tons of awards.

• The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer - Surely you've heard of it. If you haven't, you must be living under a rock. :) The series is not my first choice, but if can get you to read, it can't be so bad. Blurb: Love and love triangles between humans, vampires, and werewolves.

• Eragon by Christopher Paolini - First book in the Inheritance Cycle, a series about dragons and their riders. This book has many similarities to The Lord of the Rings, so if you liked LOTR, you may want to check this series out. However, if you like LOTR, you may not want to check this series out. Many readers claim that the book is just a rip-off off Tolkien's classic.

That's enough books to get you started for this school year. My new school year begins on the 24th-only ten days away! Hopefully, this book list will help you as you head into a new school year.

End of the Week Update

The "Books Ends" book club has decided on the next book we'll be reading, and it's The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

I have already read this book (I was the one who recommended it), and it's one of the best books I've ever read. Here's the publisher's synopsis:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlaying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one girl and one boy between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has also resolved to outwit the creators of the games. To do that she will have to be the last person standing at the end of the deadly ordeal, and that will take every ounce of strength and cunning she has.

The sequel, Catching Fire, is also excellent. And one of the summer's most anticipated books of the summer is the last book in the trilogy, Mockingjay.

On another note: I took a break from Three Cups of Tea. Maybe it's because this book is nonfiction, but I found it very dull, and hard to immerse myself in the text. So, I've been reading The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party (I know, it's a looooonnnnng title). I just finished it (about three hours ago), and will write a review for it tomorrow or Monday.

I think that's all I have to say in this End of the Week update. I plan to write these updates on weeks when I don't have enough time, or simply, forget, to update.

Look forward to a review, and possibly a poll coming soon!

Long Time, No Post

Hi everyone,
I'm sorry that it has been so long since the last post, but I have been very busy, and very tired the past five days. Since it has been so long since the last post, I have decided to make one big post with everything I've been meaning to tell you. I will number each new topic:

1. My trip to Europe:
As I mentioned in previous posts, I was on a school trip to France and Spain from the 19th to the 28th. While in France, I traveled to Paris and Provence. Provence is located in south France, and is known as a region or department (these are similar to states). Our group then traveled to Barcelona, Spain. I enjoyed visiting all of these places in Europe, and will talk about them more (and add more pictures! :D) in later posts.

2. What I read in Europe:
Nothing. Of course, I read signs, menus, and price tags, but I did not have any time to enjoy a book. Two posts ago, I told you about two books that I was going to read on the trip. Unfortunately, I never picked one of them up, because we were waking up at 6am, and going to sleep at 11pm. With this busy schedule, we were happy if our feet didn't have blisters. We wouldn't know what to do if our tour director told us to take an one-hour break. I'm not saying that we didn't have fun, but there was never a moment when our group had nothing to do.

3. What I've been reading:
Since getting home, I've read Android Karenina, one of the two books mentioned two posts ago. It's the same as Anna Karenina, but with added robots. It's published by the same people who created the Jane Austen mash-ups (remember Pride and Prejudice and Zombies?). I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys sci fi, and anyone who is skeptical to read the 800+ page, soap opera-like original by Leo Tolstoy.

4. Book Ends:
Recently, my gifted teacher has started a summer enrichment program. One of the options to choose from this program is a book club, called Book Ends. I was unable to attend the first meeting, because I was on my trip, but I plan to attend the next on Tuesday, the 6th. The first book that the club will be reading is His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik. Click the link to learn more about the book. While I don't think that I'll be able to finish the book by Tuesday (since I only have three days, one of which is a holiday), I will certainly start it, so I know what my classmates are talking about. I will publish another post on Tuesday, after the meeting.

5. What I'm reading next:
A little bit of His Majesty's Dragon, the next Book Ends book, and Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.

6. Three Cups of Tea:
Published in 2006, this book became a worldwide phenomenon. It tells the story of Greg Mortenson, and how after he made a failed attempt to climb K2 (second highest mountain in the world), found his way into a Pakistan village. He made a promise to come back to that village and build a school for the villagers. After completing that school, Greg went on to build 54 more schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, many for girls. I plan to write a review for this book once I finish it.

7. My messed-up sleeping and eating schedule:
There's a six hour time difference between here and France/Spain. Since returning to the States my sleep and appetite have been very strange. On the first day that I arrived home, I went to sleep at my normal time (10pm,) and woke up at 11am! On the following day I went to sleep at 7pm, and woke up at 3:45am! Since I woke up at 3:45am, that meant I was hungry for breakfast then, and wanted dinner at about 3:30pm. Luckily, after five days, my sleeping and eating schedules are becoming more normal. There still not normal, just more normal. :)

8. Poll results:
You can see them under the "about me" section. There not exactly accurate (read previous post), but they're close enough. Remember that's only the results from "part 2" of Poll #2.

I think that is all I have to say for right now. I'm sure I'm probably forgetting something, but I'll just have to put that in another post. Wow, this is probably the longest post I've ever wrote (2nd being Enter the World of eReaders)! Be on the lookout for posts about my trip to Europe, the Books Ends book club, and Three Cups of Tea.

Thank you for your patience on the length of time between posts!

Vacation Reads

It's always good to bring reading material with you on a vacation. But, it's especially good when you're vacationing in a foreign country, where all the bookstores sell books that appear to be in gibberish. For my trip, I'm bringing two books: 1 long (600+ pgs.), 1 short (just shy of 200 pgs.).

The long one, Android Karenina, is a mash-up of the original Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, but with added robots. It's from the same series with the mashed-up Jane Austen books. Here's the publisher's synopsis:

As in the original novel, our story follows two relationships: the tragic adulterous romance of Anna Karenina and Count Alexei Vronsky, and the much more hopeful marriage of Konstantin Levin and Kitty Shcherbatskaya. These four, yearning for true love, live in a steampunk-inspired 19th century of mechanical butlers, extraterrestrial-worshiping cults, and airborne debutante balls. Their passions alone would be enough to consume them-but when a secret cabal of radical scientific revolutionaries launches an attack on Russian high society's high-tech lifestyle, our heroes must fight back with all their courage, all their gadgets, and all the power of a sleek new cyborg model like nothing the world has ever seen.

The short one, The Prince of Mist, is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning book. This book was originally published in 1993 by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. However, it was not published in the U.S. until this past May, due to many legal issues between the author and publisher. Publisher's synopsis:

It's war time, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village where they've recently bought a home. But from the minute they cross the threshold, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners' son, who died by drowning.

With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the strange circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called the Prince of Mist--a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden--an adventure that will change their lives forever.

When I get back from my trip (28th), I will write reviews/recommendations for these two books (If I get a chance to read them-I don't know how much reading time I will have.).

This will probably be last post before I leave for my vacation to France and Spain. So, au revoir and adios!

What I'm Reading (05/18/10)

Happy Tuesday!



I'm currently reading a book called Incarceron by Catherine Fisher. It's a young adult, alternate future, dystopia book. I have been very interested in these genres lately, and I hope I will like this book. Here's a synopsis from the publisher:

Incarceron is a prison so vast that it contains not only cells, but also metal forests, dilapidated cities, and vast wilderness. Finn, a seventeen-year-old prisoner, has no memory of his childhood and is sure that he came from Outside Incarceron. Very few prisoners believe that there is an Outside, however, which makes escape seems impossible.
And then Finn finds a crystal key that allows him to communicate with a girl named Claudia. She claims to live Outside- she is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, and doomed to an arranged marriage. Finn is determined to escape the prison, and Claudia believes she can help him. But they don't realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eye. Escape will take their greatest courage and cost more than they know.

I will write a review of Incarceron when I am finished.