While I have nothing else to do, I figured I might as well do another book review. After all, I've spent about a month letting a small list accumulate of books that I've read. In fact, my Post-It note list of books I've read this year is sitting right by my bed as I speak.
Speaking of Post-It notes, they truly are more brilliant than I've ever given them credit for. I had my mom pick me up some from the store the other day and already I've found a need to use them for just about everything. I have six stuck to my wall on the side of my bed right now with notes about the different characters and plot ideas from Memories of a Star. I realized that for as well as I think I know my main characters, Morgan and Altair continue to surprise me. I also realized after rereading Sarah Dessen's The Truth About Forever (which, I will review eventually) that I needed to develop my other characters a bit more. For the most part Altair's family (all 8 of the children and his parents) are pretty well developed. It was just Morgan's family that I really needed to work on.
I have also decided to restart my writing for about the millionth time (okay only the 3rd). I really like everything I have in my current version, and so most of it will probably find its way into whatever I write next, but I realized that I wanted the relationship between Morgan and Altair to begin a little bit differently. I had always known that they originally didn't get along very well, but I had yet to actually show that in my book so that's what I am attempting to do now. I'm probably just making things worse for myself by not finishing what I start, but I couldn't keep writing knowing that I needed to make such a big change in my books.
Anyways, here's the book review I promised.
I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
Markus Zusak has been an author I've been meaning to check out for sometime, but didn't until I borrowed this book from the library, and I'm certainly glad I did.
I Am the Messenger is the story of Ed Kennedy. Ed is an ordinary 19-year-old taxi driver who spends his nights playing cards with his best friends.
Until the day he is caught in the middle of a bank robbery. When the entire ordeal is over, Ed receives a card in the mail. Not just any card, but the Ace of Spades. With this card and the ones that follow Ed must help others who need it, all the while not knowing who he is working for.
I'll admit, the premise of the story as I've described it sounds slightly strange, and perhaps a little more mystery-esque than it really is, but trust me when I say that this book is a must read. Perhaps its because Ed is such an ordinary character that his story is so interesting. All I know is that I was thoroughly intrigued whenever Ed went looking for the next person on the list of mysterious addresses that came with each card. Plus the ending to the story was really interesting/unexpected.
Definitely one of the best books I've read in awhile.
Rating: 9.2/10
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Book Reviews etc.
You know, at one point in my life, I made deadlines. Really, I did. Back when I still did my newsletters on Fridays, Josh on another day and Brad on a third day. Ever since junior year started however, this has seemed to go right out the drain. AP US History may very well kill me. This week alone we had 2 outlines do and 3 documents to analyze. Not to mention the million other things I have to do in my spare time (the little time that that is)
Ahh well, I promised you (whoever you are- for all I know, its only me reading what I'm writing) book reviews. Though the main reason I'm doing this, even though I read these books weeks ago, is because I promised myself that I would review every book I read this year (in my spare time- I don't think I'll review books read for school, not that we read any in Murphy's class)
So here goes nothing.
First off, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. There are 5 books in the entire series and I have bought and read all of them. I even went with my father to see the movie. For ease I'm just going to review the entire series as a whole.
The first thing you should know about these books is that they are for younger teens/older children. But that hasn't stopped them from being an interesting and worthwhile read.
Quick summary of the series:
Percy Jackson is a demi-god. His mother is human, his father, one of the Ancient Greek gods. When Percy's life is put into danger, he is brought to Camp Half-Blood, where other children of the gods spend their summers. The 5 books revolve around Percy and his close friends Annabeth and Grover and the various quests they go on. Although each book has its own storyline, there is a bigger storyline involving a prophecy that may or may not be about Percy, which comes to fruition in the 5th and final book.
I was a little skeptical when I first started these books. The main character is 12 in the first one (although he has aged to 16 by the final book) and I wasn't sure if the books were going to be good. They definitely were. The great thing about these books is that they are fast-paced and exciting. I loved the different characters, and through reading these books have learned a ton about the different Greek gods and goddesses. Not only this, but the author Rick Riordan, knows how to keep the reader interested. The series only manages to get better as it goes along, and the fifth book is the best.
I would recommend these books to anyone, as long as they realize that they might not be as long or as sophisticated as other books they've read. Also, Riordan has another new series involving I believe the Ancient Egyptian gods/goddesses coming out this summer and another planned series involving different demi-god characters at Camp Half-Blood.
Rating: (series as a whole) 8/10
Also, quickly I want to talk about the movie. The movie is Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief. My opinion on the movie is slightly split. Although the cast is a little old to be playing 12-year-olds, I am actually a fan of who they cast for the different roles. Also the special effects are really cool. The only thing I didn't like about the movie was their need to change the plot. Its strange, the movie takes a different route than what happened in the first book, but essentially didn't change any of the meaning or screw things up for potential movie sequels. So although the plot did have a lot of changes, none of them hurt the actual storyline at all. I really did like the movie though so I'd give the movie a 7.8/10.
Next book review (I think I'll only do one more for today, but I have more to come)
Dear John, written by Nicholas Sparks
This was the first book by Nicholas Sparks that I've read, although I've seen both The Notebook and A Walk to Remember based off of his novels and enjoyed both of them (especially the latter). I had hoped that I would like this book a lot, just based off of that. Unfortunately, I didn't, at least not as much as I had hoped.
Dear John is the story of John and Savannah. John is a soldier in the army, when the story starts (prior to the 9/11 attacks). John meets Savannah at the beach, where she and others are staying, while they build a house for Habitat for Humanity. They fall in love but are separated when John has to go back to serve in the army.
While this story does a good job portraying what the life of a soldier might have been like, and the decisions they must have had to make regarding their lives and their families when 9/11 occurred, there wasn't much about this story that I really found that great. The romance between Savannah and John was nice, but short. The ending I found a little bit unexpected, although I actually did think it fit the story nicely. All in all, Dear John was an enjoyable read, but definitely not the greatest.
Rating: 6.8/10
Now, as I'm in the writing mood, I think I'm going to go work on my own story. I've recently decided that I need to make a few major changes to some of the character interaction between the main characters Morgan and Altair and slow down the pace of the story a little bit, so I think I will probably be restarting the story. Honestly this book has been in my head since the beginning of freshman year and I just want to finish it so badly. Unlike the many, many other stories that I have started, this is the first story where I know exactly how it is going to end. It is also the first story I've ever started that has a real title "Memories of a Star" and where I know most of the plot. Now I just have to get that plot down on paper, and make it good. Easier said than done.
Also a college student I know is trying to raise money for a film project he is working on (he's a film major, so he has experience) I've seen some of his stuff and its really good. His name is Mattson and the name of the project he's working on is Solomon Grundy. Check out this link here if you want to pledge money to help him fund this project http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wackeychan/bring-solomon-grundy-to-life or become a fan here on facebook- http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Solomon-Grundy-Born-on-a-Monday/311568597447?ref=ts
Ok, well thanks for reading!
Ahh well, I promised you (whoever you are- for all I know, its only me reading what I'm writing) book reviews. Though the main reason I'm doing this, even though I read these books weeks ago, is because I promised myself that I would review every book I read this year (in my spare time- I don't think I'll review books read for school, not that we read any in Murphy's class)
So here goes nothing.
First off, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. There are 5 books in the entire series and I have bought and read all of them. I even went with my father to see the movie. For ease I'm just going to review the entire series as a whole.
The first thing you should know about these books is that they are for younger teens/older children. But that hasn't stopped them from being an interesting and worthwhile read.
Quick summary of the series:
Percy Jackson is a demi-god. His mother is human, his father, one of the Ancient Greek gods. When Percy's life is put into danger, he is brought to Camp Half-Blood, where other children of the gods spend their summers. The 5 books revolve around Percy and his close friends Annabeth and Grover and the various quests they go on. Although each book has its own storyline, there is a bigger storyline involving a prophecy that may or may not be about Percy, which comes to fruition in the 5th and final book.
I was a little skeptical when I first started these books. The main character is 12 in the first one (although he has aged to 16 by the final book) and I wasn't sure if the books were going to be good. They definitely were. The great thing about these books is that they are fast-paced and exciting. I loved the different characters, and through reading these books have learned a ton about the different Greek gods and goddesses. Not only this, but the author Rick Riordan, knows how to keep the reader interested. The series only manages to get better as it goes along, and the fifth book is the best.
I would recommend these books to anyone, as long as they realize that they might not be as long or as sophisticated as other books they've read. Also, Riordan has another new series involving I believe the Ancient Egyptian gods/goddesses coming out this summer and another planned series involving different demi-god characters at Camp Half-Blood.
Rating: (series as a whole) 8/10
Also, quickly I want to talk about the movie. The movie is Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief. My opinion on the movie is slightly split. Although the cast is a little old to be playing 12-year-olds, I am actually a fan of who they cast for the different roles. Also the special effects are really cool. The only thing I didn't like about the movie was their need to change the plot. Its strange, the movie takes a different route than what happened in the first book, but essentially didn't change any of the meaning or screw things up for potential movie sequels. So although the plot did have a lot of changes, none of them hurt the actual storyline at all. I really did like the movie though so I'd give the movie a 7.8/10.
Next book review (I think I'll only do one more for today, but I have more to come)
Dear John, written by Nicholas Sparks
This was the first book by Nicholas Sparks that I've read, although I've seen both The Notebook and A Walk to Remember based off of his novels and enjoyed both of them (especially the latter). I had hoped that I would like this book a lot, just based off of that. Unfortunately, I didn't, at least not as much as I had hoped.
Dear John is the story of John and Savannah. John is a soldier in the army, when the story starts (prior to the 9/11 attacks). John meets Savannah at the beach, where she and others are staying, while they build a house for Habitat for Humanity. They fall in love but are separated when John has to go back to serve in the army.
While this story does a good job portraying what the life of a soldier might have been like, and the decisions they must have had to make regarding their lives and their families when 9/11 occurred, there wasn't much about this story that I really found that great. The romance between Savannah and John was nice, but short. The ending I found a little bit unexpected, although I actually did think it fit the story nicely. All in all, Dear John was an enjoyable read, but definitely not the greatest.
Rating: 6.8/10
Now, as I'm in the writing mood, I think I'm going to go work on my own story. I've recently decided that I need to make a few major changes to some of the character interaction between the main characters Morgan and Altair and slow down the pace of the story a little bit, so I think I will probably be restarting the story. Honestly this book has been in my head since the beginning of freshman year and I just want to finish it so badly. Unlike the many, many other stories that I have started, this is the first story where I know exactly how it is going to end. It is also the first story I've ever started that has a real title "Memories of a Star" and where I know most of the plot. Now I just have to get that plot down on paper, and make it good. Easier said than done.
Also a college student I know is trying to raise money for a film project he is working on (he's a film major, so he has experience) I've seen some of his stuff and its really good. His name is Mattson and the name of the project he's working on is Solomon Grundy. Check out this link here if you want to pledge money to help him fund this project http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wackeychan/bring-solomon-grundy-to-life or become a fan here on facebook- http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Solomon-Grundy-Born-on-a-Monday/311568597447?ref=ts
Ok, well thanks for reading!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Stuff
I've been lazy. Well not really. I've actually read likes 7 books in the past week. Of those 7 books, I've reviewed 1 of them. Whoops.
To my defense however, 5 of those books comprise the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, which I wanted to completely finish before I did a review of them. I think for those I'll just do a general overview of the entire series and tell you whether or not I would recommend them. I also read Dear John, by Nicholas Sparks, so watch out for that review soon as well. If I don't do them this week, I'll definitely do both next week during vacation.
In other news, I saw the Harry Potter exhibit at the Boston Science Museum this past Friday and it was sooooooo awesome. I even got chosen to be one of the people who was "sorted" into a house. Basically you were put into whichever house you said was your favorite. The guy asked me mine and I didn't really know so I was like "uhhh Ravenclaw?" and he was like "Are you sure not Slytherin?" And I shrugged and said I didn't know. So the sorting hat put me in Slytherin. Which I was okay with because Slytherin is for the wise and cunning and whatnot and I can totally be those things...sometimes. haha. But the exhibit was definitely really cool. There were the costumes from the Triwizard dance, and the Triwizard cup, and Death Eater outfits, and centaurs, and Dobby and Kreacher, and you could even throw Quaffles into hoops... and there was a ton more stuff. So if you haven't seen it yet, I definitely suggest going before it leaves Boston in a few weeks.
Anyways, I'll write later this week or next week with my book reviews. So definitely look out for those!
To my defense however, 5 of those books comprise the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, which I wanted to completely finish before I did a review of them. I think for those I'll just do a general overview of the entire series and tell you whether or not I would recommend them. I also read Dear John, by Nicholas Sparks, so watch out for that review soon as well. If I don't do them this week, I'll definitely do both next week during vacation.
In other news, I saw the Harry Potter exhibit at the Boston Science Museum this past Friday and it was sooooooo awesome. I even got chosen to be one of the people who was "sorted" into a house. Basically you were put into whichever house you said was your favorite. The guy asked me mine and I didn't really know so I was like "uhhh Ravenclaw?" and he was like "Are you sure not Slytherin?" And I shrugged and said I didn't know. So the sorting hat put me in Slytherin. Which I was okay with because Slytherin is for the wise and cunning and whatnot and I can totally be those things...sometimes. haha. But the exhibit was definitely really cool. There were the costumes from the Triwizard dance, and the Triwizard cup, and Death Eater outfits, and centaurs, and Dobby and Kreacher, and you could even throw Quaffles into hoops... and there was a ton more stuff. So if you haven't seen it yet, I definitely suggest going before it leaves Boston in a few weeks.
Anyways, I'll write later this week or next week with my book reviews. So definitely look out for those!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Emma
Ok, so it's been over a month. What can I say? I'm lazy and I tend to procrastinate everything. Just ask anyone who has talked to me the night before an AP outline is due.
So last week my family switched from Direct TV to Comcast. BEST DECISION EVER. Except for one minor detail, which actually turned out to be better than I thought. Our internet routers took like a week to come in, which meant that I didn't get any internet in my bedroom. I had to go into my mom's room and plug in my computer to the box thingy to get internet. Inconvenient, especially when I am so used to sitting on my bed as I am doing now and going online. It did however give me the opportunity to read, something I haven't been doing very recently. I know I said I'd do a book review for every book I read, and so far I've kept that promise. The last book review I posted was honestly the last book I'd read- until this week. So far I've read three and am almost done my fourth. Unfortunately, none of those books has been Boneshaker, the steampunk book I was really excited to read. I'm about halfway done that one and so far it hasn't been as exciting as I had hoped, which is why I've taken a temporary hiatus from that one.
I think I'm going to do a separate post for each book I review. I may or may not do multiple ones today since I'm 3 book reviews behind. The first book I'm going to review was the first one I read this new year- Emma by Jane Austen. Before Emma the only Jane Austen book I had read was Pride and Prejudice, but honestly I fell in love with it. Jane Austen may be one of the best writers that ever lived, which is why its a shame she had such a short writing career before she died. I had heard that Emma, the Masterpiece Classics mini-series was going to be coming on over a period of three weeks (the past 2 weeks and then this week) and so I started watching it. I watched the first two hours and had to know what happened next, so obviously I needed to actually read the book, which I'm now going to review for you all. (And by you all, I mean the approximately 2 people who may read this. Regardless, I'm going to review this at least for my own records).
Emma, like Jane Austen's other books, is a romance, although really it is so much more than that. The thing about Austen's writing, regardless of the book, is that she just writes so well. Perhaps it is a product of having been born in the 1700s that leaves her with a much richer vocabulary than most people I've come across today, but Austen just seems to have a way with words. And characters.
Before I go any further, I will quickly summarize the general plot of Emma.
Emma is a rich, educated girl who lives alone with her father since her mother died when she was young and both her older sister and her governess got married. Emma believes herself to be a matchmaker of sorts, claiming to have set up her sister and governess with their current husbands.
During the story, Emma vows not to fall in love whilst also attempting to set up her friend Harriet with Mr. Elton. That plan however doesn't always work as planned as Mr. Churchill and Mr. Knightly complicate things. There is also the story of another girl, Jane, and her mysterious suitor.
That was just a quick summary that does not at all do the story justice. The thing I love about this book, and Jane Austen's other books is that her books focus on the lives of characters. All of her characters have their own personalities and quirks, and her heroines aren't damsels in distress, but rather, smart, educated girls who have their own views and generally aren't afraid to show them. Emma is one such character- quick, witty, educated and perhaps overconfident in her own abilities to a fault. It is for that reason that Mr. Knightley, her close friend since her childhood, is able to provide a more rational, collected approach to life.
The only thing I could wish to ever change about Jane Austen's novels, is that I want a little more of the main romance and a bit less of the side romances and goings-on. But I guess that's just what makes her books so great is that they focus on many characters and make the story come to life. Either way, I can't wait to read the rest of Austen's works.
Rating: 8.75/10
So last week my family switched from Direct TV to Comcast. BEST DECISION EVER. Except for one minor detail, which actually turned out to be better than I thought. Our internet routers took like a week to come in, which meant that I didn't get any internet in my bedroom. I had to go into my mom's room and plug in my computer to the box thingy to get internet. Inconvenient, especially when I am so used to sitting on my bed as I am doing now and going online. It did however give me the opportunity to read, something I haven't been doing very recently. I know I said I'd do a book review for every book I read, and so far I've kept that promise. The last book review I posted was honestly the last book I'd read- until this week. So far I've read three and am almost done my fourth. Unfortunately, none of those books has been Boneshaker, the steampunk book I was really excited to read. I'm about halfway done that one and so far it hasn't been as exciting as I had hoped, which is why I've taken a temporary hiatus from that one.
I think I'm going to do a separate post for each book I review. I may or may not do multiple ones today since I'm 3 book reviews behind. The first book I'm going to review was the first one I read this new year- Emma by Jane Austen. Before Emma the only Jane Austen book I had read was Pride and Prejudice, but honestly I fell in love with it. Jane Austen may be one of the best writers that ever lived, which is why its a shame she had such a short writing career before she died. I had heard that Emma, the Masterpiece Classics mini-series was going to be coming on over a period of three weeks (the past 2 weeks and then this week) and so I started watching it. I watched the first two hours and had to know what happened next, so obviously I needed to actually read the book, which I'm now going to review for you all. (And by you all, I mean the approximately 2 people who may read this. Regardless, I'm going to review this at least for my own records).
Emma, like Jane Austen's other books, is a romance, although really it is so much more than that. The thing about Austen's writing, regardless of the book, is that she just writes so well. Perhaps it is a product of having been born in the 1700s that leaves her with a much richer vocabulary than most people I've come across today, but Austen just seems to have a way with words. And characters.
Before I go any further, I will quickly summarize the general plot of Emma.
Emma is a rich, educated girl who lives alone with her father since her mother died when she was young and both her older sister and her governess got married. Emma believes herself to be a matchmaker of sorts, claiming to have set up her sister and governess with their current husbands.
During the story, Emma vows not to fall in love whilst also attempting to set up her friend Harriet with Mr. Elton. That plan however doesn't always work as planned as Mr. Churchill and Mr. Knightly complicate things. There is also the story of another girl, Jane, and her mysterious suitor.
That was just a quick summary that does not at all do the story justice. The thing I love about this book, and Jane Austen's other books is that her books focus on the lives of characters. All of her characters have their own personalities and quirks, and her heroines aren't damsels in distress, but rather, smart, educated girls who have their own views and generally aren't afraid to show them. Emma is one such character- quick, witty, educated and perhaps overconfident in her own abilities to a fault. It is for that reason that Mr. Knightley, her close friend since her childhood, is able to provide a more rational, collected approach to life.
The only thing I could wish to ever change about Jane Austen's novels, is that I want a little more of the main romance and a bit less of the side romances and goings-on. But I guess that's just what makes her books so great is that they focus on many characters and make the story come to life. Either way, I can't wait to read the rest of Austen's works.
Rating: 8.75/10
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
VACATION!!!!!
Happy Festivus everybody! And for those of you who don't celebrate that, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, Happy Holidays, umm I'm probably forgetting some but whatever. I think you all get the drift.
Seriously, I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think I've ever been this excited for vacation. Except perhaps April vacation of last year after we lost our February vacation. (Stupid ice storm).
Despite my excitement, I'm almost unsure of what to do with myself. The first 2 seasons of Torchwood that I ordered came in today and despite the fact that I've seen them already, I'm debating watching the bonus features that came with them. I'm also considering reading, though which book I'm unsure. I still need to finish Boneshaker, but I also got a book from the library today, have another holiday book I want to reread just so I can review it before the holiday season is over plus I kind of promised Nick Mag that the next book I'd read would be Eldest, which I started a couple of years ago but never finished.
I also of course have the options of watching any of the movies I checked out from the library or writing in one of my stories. I have a few new ideas for short stories as well as longer stories, plus I've kind of neglected my NaNoWriMo novel the past month. Not to mention the other books I was working on before November came around.
Seriously there's just too many things to do and not enough time. What I really need is summer vacation. Right now.
I can't wait until Christmas day though. The excitement of opening gifts in the morning, and then of course my family is having a Yankee Swap that night, which will be nice. Then on Saturday I'm wicked excited because I'm seeing that new movie Avatar in IMAX with Ben, Nick, my dad, my sister and her 2 friends.
Anyways, I should probably go actually do something and stop thinking about it. Have a good Christmas everyone!
Seriously, I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think I've ever been this excited for vacation. Except perhaps April vacation of last year after we lost our February vacation. (Stupid ice storm).
Despite my excitement, I'm almost unsure of what to do with myself. The first 2 seasons of Torchwood that I ordered came in today and despite the fact that I've seen them already, I'm debating watching the bonus features that came with them. I'm also considering reading, though which book I'm unsure. I still need to finish Boneshaker, but I also got a book from the library today, have another holiday book I want to reread just so I can review it before the holiday season is over plus I kind of promised Nick Mag that the next book I'd read would be Eldest, which I started a couple of years ago but never finished.
I also of course have the options of watching any of the movies I checked out from the library or writing in one of my stories. I have a few new ideas for short stories as well as longer stories, plus I've kind of neglected my NaNoWriMo novel the past month. Not to mention the other books I was working on before November came around.
Seriously there's just too many things to do and not enough time. What I really need is summer vacation. Right now.
I can't wait until Christmas day though. The excitement of opening gifts in the morning, and then of course my family is having a Yankee Swap that night, which will be nice. Then on Saturday I'm wicked excited because I'm seeing that new movie Avatar in IMAX with Ben, Nick, my dad, my sister and her 2 friends.
Anyways, I should probably go actually do something and stop thinking about it. Have a good Christmas everyone!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
The Lovely Bones
Having just finished another book, I thought I'd do another book review. I was actually in the middle of reading a different book when I went to Walmart yesterday with my family and bought The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I had heard a lot about the book in the past and had been meaning to read it for awhile, so now seemed as good a time as any.
The Lovely Bones is a story about a girl who was raped and murdered. The story is told from the view of the girl- Susie Salmon- from her heaven. The story follows the lives of her sister, brother, parents, friends and her murderer in the years that follow her murder.
Its almost hard to describe how I felt reading this story. Unlike most of the stories I've read in the past, this book was real. A little too real at points. Alice Sebold doesn't hold back in this novel at all. All the pain, the broken relationships, the friendships made and lost after Susie's death are all things I can imagine happening in real life.
This book made me think in a lot of ways. It made me think of all the people who have been raped or murdered and how they must've felt in their last moments. It made me think about the families and friends they left behind and how hard coping with such a loss must have been, especially since most times the killer isn't caught. It also made me think about the effect one person can have on so many lives.
This book is a very poignant story but by the end there seems to be a lot more hope than at the beginning. The only warning I would have to anyone who wants to read this book is that the beginning is really sad, though things do become more uplifting as the story moves along.
This book is out as a movie right now, though I think it is still playing only in select theaters. I would like to see it, if only to see how it compares to the book itself.
Rating: 7/10 stars
The Lovely Bones is a story about a girl who was raped and murdered. The story is told from the view of the girl- Susie Salmon- from her heaven. The story follows the lives of her sister, brother, parents, friends and her murderer in the years that follow her murder.
Its almost hard to describe how I felt reading this story. Unlike most of the stories I've read in the past, this book was real. A little too real at points. Alice Sebold doesn't hold back in this novel at all. All the pain, the broken relationships, the friendships made and lost after Susie's death are all things I can imagine happening in real life.
This book made me think in a lot of ways. It made me think of all the people who have been raped or murdered and how they must've felt in their last moments. It made me think about the families and friends they left behind and how hard coping with such a loss must have been, especially since most times the killer isn't caught. It also made me think about the effect one person can have on so many lives.
This book is a very poignant story but by the end there seems to be a lot more hope than at the beginning. The only warning I would have to anyone who wants to read this book is that the beginning is really sad, though things do become more uplifting as the story moves along.
This book is out as a movie right now, though I think it is still playing only in select theaters. I would like to see it, if only to see how it compares to the book itself.
Rating: 7/10 stars
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Cirque du Soleil
This past Wednesday night, my dad and I went to see Cirque du Soleil: Alegria in Worcester. I had won 2 tickets to opening night through 104.5 WXLO radio station. Now, for the record, I absolutely love the circus. I've wanted to go since I was little and I have already stated multiple times that when I die, I don't want a funeral, I want a circus (although a fair/carnival will suffice as well). This was my first time actually going to the circus, unless you count the small one that came to Gardner a few years ago, which was pretty cool considering it was held at the national guard armory.
The show was amazing. Seriously, all the acts were incredible and the music was great too. I bought the cd for the show and have been listening to it almost nonstop since then (including as I type this). Seeing the circus made me decide that I want to join the circus some day. Yes, I realize, I have no circus worthy talents. That can be remedied, eventually. There's a trapeze school thing in NY. I'll go there, lol.
As this, (despite my desperate wishes), is unlikely to happen, I may have to suffice with writing a story in which the main characters are in the circus. I already have one in mind, and I stole the main male character from another one of my stories. The other story he is in has him as a 4 year old, the younger brother of the main character. I decided that when said character grows up he will leave his family and join the circus. Since I seem to have very little control over how my characters act in my stories (and no, this is not as weird as it sounds. Characters have a way of taking on their own lives, quite frequently in fact), the character, Sanders, decided that he is also kind of a punk when he gets older. Strange facial piercings and all. It should be an interesting story to write, however I should probably first finish the many other things I am working on, mainly the story about his older brother Altair, my NaNoWriMo novel and the short story I am working on now.
Anyways, I think I am going to go work on one of those now since tonight I'm going with my friends to watch the Geminid meteor shower. Hopefully we get to see some stuff because its going to be absolutely freezing outside!
The show was amazing. Seriously, all the acts were incredible and the music was great too. I bought the cd for the show and have been listening to it almost nonstop since then (including as I type this). Seeing the circus made me decide that I want to join the circus some day. Yes, I realize, I have no circus worthy talents. That can be remedied, eventually. There's a trapeze school thing in NY. I'll go there, lol.
As this, (despite my desperate wishes), is unlikely to happen, I may have to suffice with writing a story in which the main characters are in the circus. I already have one in mind, and I stole the main male character from another one of my stories. The other story he is in has him as a 4 year old, the younger brother of the main character. I decided that when said character grows up he will leave his family and join the circus. Since I seem to have very little control over how my characters act in my stories (and no, this is not as weird as it sounds. Characters have a way of taking on their own lives, quite frequently in fact), the character, Sanders, decided that he is also kind of a punk when he gets older. Strange facial piercings and all. It should be an interesting story to write, however I should probably first finish the many other things I am working on, mainly the story about his older brother Altair, my NaNoWriMo novel and the short story I am working on now.
Anyways, I think I am going to go work on one of those now since tonight I'm going with my friends to watch the Geminid meteor shower. Hopefully we get to see some stuff because its going to be absolutely freezing outside!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Life After NaNoWriMo
With November over, and NaNoWriMo (that's National Novel Writing Month) passed, I find myself trying to find things to occupy my time. Its not that I don't have things to do, because I definitely do. I have books to read, TV shows taped to be watched, the entire Chronicles of Narnia on cd to listen to, the rest of my NaNoWriMo novel and various other projects to finish writing and other things I could be doing. Instead, I find myself reverting to my pre-NaNoWriMo lazy ways, spending my time on the internet thinking about doing these things instead of doing them. For example, me writing this right now. I'm procrastinating. I doubt anyone other than myself will even read this, and if they do, it will probably bore someone to death. What I need is like NaNoWriYe- National Novel Writing Year or something. I wrote 50,000 words during November because I had a goal I wanted to reach, and a deadline to reach it. More importantly, other people were doing this too and I had something tangible to work for. Everything seems so much easier to put off when I don't have a word count meter to fill up like I did on the NaNoWriMo website.
Okay, I'm ending this post with a goal. Within 15 minutes I will go and do something. I'm still torn between continuing to read the Steampunk novel Boneshaker that I am in the midst of now, or working on one of my own stories. I will do one of these two things in the next 15 minutes.
Seriously this time.
Okay, I'm ending this post with a goal. Within 15 minutes I will go and do something. I'm still torn between continuing to read the Steampunk novel Boneshaker that I am in the midst of now, or working on one of my own stories. I will do one of these two things in the next 15 minutes.
Seriously this time.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
First Post and The Maze Runner
Ok, so I've had this blog for awhile, but I haven't really done much with that. Now that NaNoWriMo has ended (successfully for me! 50,000 words in one month!), I want to start doing some blogging. Let's see if I can follow through with this. I'd also like to get back to writing newsletters, for any of you out there who read them (and I'll try and get Josh and Brad back doing them too if I can.)
Something I've wanted to do for awhile is write book reviews. I like to read. I own a lot of books (over 400 at my last count) and I liked to read book reviews. I also am very forgetful. I don't remember what happened in books or movies generally. I remember if I liked said book or movie, but details escape me so hopefully reviewing the books I've read will allow me to reread my own reviews and remember why I liked a book I liked.
Anyways, I just finished a book yesterday actually so I thought that it would be a good starting place for a book review.
The name of the book I'm going to review today is "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner.
Review:
When Thomas wakes up, he finds that he can't remember anything save his first name. All memories of his past have been wiped away.
Thomas isn't alone.
A group of about 50 other boys, perhaps more, have also found themselves in this same situation before. All of them now, including Thomas, the newest addition to the group, live in the Glade. The glade is a giant area, encompassed by a giant maze that, despite years of investigation by boys called "runners" seems to have no escape.
Every month without fail, a new boy is sent up into the glade to live.
Every week without fail, supplies are sent up to the glade.
Everything changes the day after Thomas arrives, when the first girl is sent up to the glade. Although the girl starts off her role in the story in a coma, she has a large role to play eventually.
When I read the inside cover of this novel, I immediately picked it up. I'll admit it- I'm a sucker for dystopian fiction. Probably a good 60% of my favorite books fall into this category.
The maze runner, while it shares many things in common with other young adult dystopian literature (children forced to do some type of survival on their own, a group of mysterious "Creators", similar to many other "evil" adult forces in other dystopian series) still has a lot of new and unique twists that kept me reading this book straight through without feeling like I'd seen this or read this before.
Most of the story revolves around Thomas, trying to remember who he is, or why another boy Gally claimed to have seen him during "the changing", fighting to become a runner because he somehow feels pulled to the dangerous job (strange blubbery/spiked/motorized creatures roam the maze at night and even occasionally during the day, killing any children they come in contact with), and finally trying to survive and even escape from this maze the children have been trying to solve for two years.
This book has a cast of believable characters. There's Gally- the "villain" of the children, who hasn't been the same since a Griever (one of those monster like creatures) stung him and he underwent "the changing", Chuck- a loveable if not a little bit annoying character who becomes friends with Thomas, Alby- the leader of the children who's attitude changes throughout the story, Newt and Minho- the two children whom Thomas becomes the closest to during the novel and finally the mysterious girl who has a connection to Thomas that neither of them can understand nor remember.
This novel certainly has plenty of excitement in it, ranging from when Thomas, Alby and Minho find themselves trapped in the maze at night, to the ending of the book when things become do or die for the children when they realize the "Creators" are about to put them to the ultimate test.
This book is the first in a planned trilogy by James Dashner, with the second entitled "The Scorch Trials" due out sometime next October.
Rating: 8.5/10 stars
Something I've wanted to do for awhile is write book reviews. I like to read. I own a lot of books (over 400 at my last count) and I liked to read book reviews. I also am very forgetful. I don't remember what happened in books or movies generally. I remember if I liked said book or movie, but details escape me so hopefully reviewing the books I've read will allow me to reread my own reviews and remember why I liked a book I liked.
Anyways, I just finished a book yesterday actually so I thought that it would be a good starting place for a book review.
The name of the book I'm going to review today is "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner.
Review:
When Thomas wakes up, he finds that he can't remember anything save his first name. All memories of his past have been wiped away.
Thomas isn't alone.
A group of about 50 other boys, perhaps more, have also found themselves in this same situation before. All of them now, including Thomas, the newest addition to the group, live in the Glade. The glade is a giant area, encompassed by a giant maze that, despite years of investigation by boys called "runners" seems to have no escape.
Every month without fail, a new boy is sent up into the glade to live.
Every week without fail, supplies are sent up to the glade.
Everything changes the day after Thomas arrives, when the first girl is sent up to the glade. Although the girl starts off her role in the story in a coma, she has a large role to play eventually.
When I read the inside cover of this novel, I immediately picked it up. I'll admit it- I'm a sucker for dystopian fiction. Probably a good 60% of my favorite books fall into this category.
The maze runner, while it shares many things in common with other young adult dystopian literature (children forced to do some type of survival on their own, a group of mysterious "Creators", similar to many other "evil" adult forces in other dystopian series) still has a lot of new and unique twists that kept me reading this book straight through without feeling like I'd seen this or read this before.
Most of the story revolves around Thomas, trying to remember who he is, or why another boy Gally claimed to have seen him during "the changing", fighting to become a runner because he somehow feels pulled to the dangerous job (strange blubbery/spiked/motorized creatures roam the maze at night and even occasionally during the day, killing any children they come in contact with), and finally trying to survive and even escape from this maze the children have been trying to solve for two years.
This book has a cast of believable characters. There's Gally- the "villain" of the children, who hasn't been the same since a Griever (one of those monster like creatures) stung him and he underwent "the changing", Chuck- a loveable if not a little bit annoying character who becomes friends with Thomas, Alby- the leader of the children who's attitude changes throughout the story, Newt and Minho- the two children whom Thomas becomes the closest to during the novel and finally the mysterious girl who has a connection to Thomas that neither of them can understand nor remember.
This novel certainly has plenty of excitement in it, ranging from when Thomas, Alby and Minho find themselves trapped in the maze at night, to the ending of the book when things become do or die for the children when they realize the "Creators" are about to put them to the ultimate test.
This book is the first in a planned trilogy by James Dashner, with the second entitled "The Scorch Trials" due out sometime next October.
Rating: 8.5/10 stars
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