Joshua's bookshelf: all en-US Fri, 21 Mar 2014 12:25:25 -0700 60 Joshua's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Villette 31173 Villette, Charlotte Brontë reached the height of her artistic power. First published in 1853, Villette is Brontë's most accomplished and deeply felt work, eclipsing even Jane Eyre in critical acclaim. Her narrator, the autobiographical Lucy Snowe, flees England and a tragic past to become an instructor in a French boarding school in the town of Villette. There she unexpectedly confronts her feelings of love and longing as she witnesses the fitful romance between Dr. John, a handsome young Englishman, and Ginerva Fanshawe, a beautiful coquette. The first pain brings others, and with them comes the heartache Lucy has tried so long to escape. Yet in spite of adversity and disappointment, Lucy Snowe survives to recount the unstinting vision of a turbulent life's journey - a journey that is one of the most insightful fictional studies of a woman's consciousness in English literature.]]> 573 Charlotte Brontë Joshua 5
Still, this book is not for everyone. Lucy sometimes waxes poetic on certain subjects, which makes for harder reading. Also, the story is hinged at many times on some extremely large coincidences. Some people roll their eyes, but I didn't mind, since these chance occurrences only made the love triangles more juicy. Also, the book has many, many cultural and historical references that could only be understood by consulting the notes at the back of the book. A lot of dialogue is in French, as well, so again, you will need to read a version that contains the notes and translations, or you will be lost. The Penguins Classics version is the best in this regard.

"Jane Eyre" is my favorite book, but "Villette" now seems to be on the same level, so maybe I now just have a favorite author!]]> 3.78 1853 Villette
author: Charlotte Brontë
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.78
book published: 1853
rating: 5
read at: 2011/09/14
date added: 2014/03/21
shelves:
review:
I can't believe this has never been made into a film! We have a million adaptations of "Pride and Prejudice" and "Emma", even Bronte's own "Jane Eyre." But not even one film or TV mini-series for "Villette." Knowing that it was considered less of a "crowd-pleaser" than "Jane Eyre", I figured "Villette" would be like an independent film that you see on the Sundance channel: slow, plodding, dreary, and without any real plot. Wrong. Villette is full of all the same stuff found in "Jane Eyre." Lots of romance, a major love triangle with some extremely high moments followed by intense reversals and sadness. Like Jane Eyre, Lucy Snowe doesn't usually get to enjoy her high moments for very long. And if you thought Rochester was crotchety, wait till you meet Paul Immanuel!

Still, this book is not for everyone. Lucy sometimes waxes poetic on certain subjects, which makes for harder reading. Also, the story is hinged at many times on some extremely large coincidences. Some people roll their eyes, but I didn't mind, since these chance occurrences only made the love triangles more juicy. Also, the book has many, many cultural and historical references that could only be understood by consulting the notes at the back of the book. A lot of dialogue is in French, as well, so again, you will need to read a version that contains the notes and translations, or you will be lost. The Penguins Classics version is the best in this regard.

"Jane Eyre" is my favorite book, but "Villette" now seems to be on the same level, so maybe I now just have a favorite author!
]]> <![CDATA[Dolls (Teen & Young Adult Supernatural Thriller)]]> 18716745
It happened during the high school football game, seventeen-year-old Charlotte snatched in the shadows behind the crowded bleachers by a man with no voice and a black soul. Ezra Cabe saw potential in her, a promising addition to his collection of girls, and with Charlotte standing half-naked in the dark of his apartment, Cabe eagerly began his ritual initiation.

A moment later he was dead, stabbed in the throat with a knife secured by Charlotte in a desperate escape. News and media outlets covered the amazing story for weeks, dubbing her “The girl who fought back.�

But for Charlotte the fight is only just beginning, because Ezra Cabe is somehow back, and he’s a shadow person hovering just out of view� watching from the dark corners of the house when Charlotte’s home alone� even invading her mind, corrupting her thoughts. The horrifying truth is that Ezra Cabe never had more power over Charlotte than when he was dead.

"Dolls" is the first installment in the occult noir series "Charlotte Proxy."]]> 348 Jonathan Harrow 0985627778 Joshua 0 to-read 3.71 2013 Dolls (Teen & Young Adult Supernatural Thriller)
author: Jonathan Harrow
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/10/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd]]> 5530930 Ironside) and Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof) have united in geekdom to edit short stories from some of the best selling and most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, John Green, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr.

With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you're a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on!
]]> 403 Holly Black 0316008095 Joshua 4 3.70 2009 Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd
author: Holly Black
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/03/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[V is for Virgin (V is for Virgin, #1)]]> 15703297
After days of ridicule from her peers, Val starts a school-wide campaign to rally support for her cause. She meant to make a statement, but she never dreamed the entire nation would get caught up in the controversy.

As if becoming nationally recognized as “Virgin Val� isn’t enough, Val’s already hectic life starts to spin wildly out of control when bad boy Kyle Hamilton, lead singer for the hit rock band Tralse, decides to take her abstinence as a personal challenge.

How can a girl stay true to herself when this year’s Sexiest Man Alive is doing everything in his power to win her over?]]> 360 Kelly Oram 0985627727 Joshua 5 3.69 2012 V is for Virgin (V is for Virgin, #1)
author: Kelly Oram
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2013/03/19
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Avery Shaw Experiment (Science Squad, #1)]]> 17660979
The state science fair is coming up and Avery decides to use her broken heart as the topic of her experiment. She’s going to find the cure. By forcing herself to experience the seven stages of grief through a series of social tests, she believes she will be able to get over Aiden Kennedy and make herself ready to love again. But she can’t do this experiment alone, and her partner (ex partner!) is the one who broke her heart.

Avery finds the solution to her troubles in the form of Aiden’s older brother Grayson. The gorgeous womanizer is about to be kicked off the school basketball team for failing physics. He’s in need of a good tutor and some serious extra credit. But when Avery recruits the lovable Grayson to be her “objective outside observer,� she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for, because Grayson has a theory of his own: Avery doesn’t need to grieve. She needs to live. And if there’s one thing Grayson Kennedy is good at, it’s living life to the fullest.]]> 303 Kelly Oram 0985627735 Joshua 5 3.98 2013 The Avery Shaw Experiment (Science Squad, #1)
author: Kelly Oram
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2013/03/19
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[More Than Jamie Baker (Jamie Baker, #2)]]> 16162774 Hello, my name is Jamie Baker—and I am not a superhero. I I am not a superhero. Sure, I may have more in common with your friendly neighborhood Spiderman than, say, anyone else on the entire planet, but having superpowers doesn’t make you a hero. Superheroes use their powers for the good of mankind. I only use mine to score excellent takeout and eavesdrop on entertaining conversations. Bestselling young adult romance author Kelly Oram is back with the second book in the Jamie Baker series! Jamie Baker, the only girl in the world with superpowers, has now accepted who she is and learned to control her power. Not to mention she has the best boyfriend on the planet. Life is finally looking good. But the day she witnesses an accident and decides not to save the guy out of fear of being exposed, she realizes that simply being Jamie Baker isn't enough. After seeing Jamie so wrecked with guilt, the ever-helpful Ryan Miller decides it's time to make all of his fantasies about turning his girlfriend into an honest-to-goodness superhero become a reality. Of course, coming up with a decent Super Name and fending off all of Ryan's attempts to get her into spandex aren't the only problems Jamie faces. The more her alter ego starts to make headlines, the harder it becomes for Jamie to hide her extracurricular activities from her best friend, the government, radical scientists, and the mysterious new guy who is determined to steal her from her boyfriend.]]> 342 Kelly Oram 0985627751 Joshua 5 4.15 2013 More Than Jamie Baker (Jamie Baker, #2)
author: Kelly Oram
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2013/03/19
shelves:
review:

]]> Chameleon (Supernaturals, #1) 16047646
As if being kidnapped and expected to save the world isn’t bad enough, an ancient prophecy warns of the Chosen One’s dark nature: “Only the truest love will keep her an agent for good.� The council believes they know who this “true love� is and, unfortunately, that person isn’t Russ. The mysterious, powerful and devastatingly handsome Seer is the last person Dani wants in her life, but when she starts having visions of a horrific future, she has no one else to turn to for help.

Soon Dani finds herself torn between two very different boys with two very different opinions of whom she can trust. With the visions getting worse and time running out, Dani is forced to put aside her feelings and work with both the Seer and Russ before an ancient evil is unleashed upon the earth.]]> 356 Kelly Oram Joshua 5 3.84 2013 Chameleon (Supernaturals, #1)
author: Kelly Oram
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/11/21
shelves:
review:

]]> Serial Hottie 13582049 374 Kelly Oram 0985627719 Joshua 5 3.89 2012 Serial Hottie
author: Kelly Oram
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/06/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kissing Jamie Baker (Jamie Baker, #1.5)]]> 13859014 5 Kelly Oram Joshua 5 4.21 2012 Kissing Jamie Baker (Jamie Baker, #1.5)
author: Kelly Oram
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/06/05
shelves:
review:

]]> Demonglass (Hex Hall, #2) 8428064
Turns out, Sophie's a demon, one of only two in the world-the other being her father. What's worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will either destroy her powers for good-or kill her.

But once Sophie arrives, she makes a shocking discovery. Her new housemates? They're demons too. Meaning, someone is raising demons in secret, with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they're using Archer to do it. But it's not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?]]> 359 Rachel Hawkins 1423121317 Joshua 4
Bottom line: Despite that last little rant, I definitely recommend this series to everybody.]]> 4.09 2011 Demonglass (Hex Hall, #2)
author: Rachel Hawkins
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2011/08/29
shelves:
review:
I enjoyed the first half of Demonglass more than Hex Hall - the characters were deeper, less cliche. The overall tone was more adult. The night club scene is amazing; the joint venture with Sophie and Archer is totally awesome, more please! Oh yes, and then in the end! There's that big climactic... oh wait... there is no ending. The first half of Demonglass was pushing me up into the higher four-star range, but by the end of the book, I had dipped down to 3.5 stars. So disappointing. The story literally pauses with nothing resolved, no real climactic moment, no showdown between good and evil. Just a big fat "To Be Continued". We don't have time here to get into the whole debate over the now-common practice of cliffhanger endings in YA books. I just say: "I paid full price, I want a full story." This is only 3/4 of a story, at most. We are purposefully left hanging in order to guarantee sales of the next book. I don't appreciate being yanked out of a great fantasy story by an obvious real-world corporate move. While they're at it, why not leave all the editor's red pencil notes in the book's columns, just to further shatter the illusion of being wrapped up in another world. The missing ending is what could have made Demonglass a five star, amazing ride. As it is, though, you finish with just a "Hey, where's the rest? Really?"

Bottom line: Despite that last little rant, I definitely recommend this series to everybody.
]]> Wuthering Heights 6185 You can find the redesigned cover of this edition HERE.

At the centre of this novel is the passionate love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff - recounted with such emotional intensity that a plain tale of the Yorkshire moors acquires the depth and simplicity of ancient tragedy.

This best-selling Norton Critical Edition is based on the 1847 first edition of the novel. For the Fourth Edition, the editor has collated the 1847 text with several modern editions and has corrected a number of variants, including accidentals. The text is accompanied by entirely new explanatory annotations.

New to the fourth Edition are twelve of Emily Bronte's letters regarding the publication of the 1847 edition of Wuthering Heights as well as the evolution of the 1850 edition, prose and poetry selections by the author, four reviews of the novel, and poetry selections by the author, four reviews of the novel, and Edward Chitham's insightful and informative chronology of the creative process behind the beloved work.

Five major critical interpretations of Wuthering Heights are included, three of them new to the Fourth Edition. A Stuart Daley considers the importance of chronology in the novel. J. Hillis Miller examines Wuthering Heights's problems of genre and critical reputation. Sandra M. Gilbert assesses the role of Victorian Christianity plays in the novel, while Martha Nussbaum traces the novel's romanticism. Finally, Lin Haire-Sargeant scrutinizes the role of Heathcliff in film adaptations of Wuthering Heights.

A Chronology and updated Selected Bibliography are also included.]]> 464 Emily Brontë Joshua 4 3.89 1847 Wuthering Heights
author: Emily Brontë
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.89
book published: 1847
rating: 4
read at: 2011/08/18
date added: 2011/08/18
shelves:
review:
I give this four stars because the writing is great and the characters memorable and interesting, books are definitely not written like this anymore. Minus one star only because of personal taste in stories - this one is too gloomy for me, too much hate and vile, not enough redemption by the end.
]]> Clarity (Clarity, #1) 6963749 This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.

Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.

And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?]]> 246 Kim Harrington 0545230500 Joshua 3 3.84 2011 Clarity (Clarity, #1)
author: Kim Harrington
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2011
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2011/04/27
shelves:
review:

]]> Hex Hall (Hex Hall, #1) 5287473 By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tag-along ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

]]> 323 Rachel Hawkins 1423121309 Joshua 4
Bottom line: this is the book equivalent of comfort food, you just can't go wrong with it, and even if it never reaches Harry Potter-like super blockbuster status, I still can't imagine anybody NOT liking this book. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, nor does it take readers on an epic, nail-biting, world-changing adventure, like The Hunger Games or the Mortal Instruments series (so I hear); this is a much smaller story about a girl coming of age at a new school, dealing with rivals and crushes, while trying to solve a mystery that is putting other students at Hogwar-- er, I mean Hecate Hall -- in danger. The one big advantage Hex Hall has over Harry Potter is that it is written much older. Thankfully, Sophie Mercer is much older than Harry was on his first year in wizarding school, so we get to all the blushing and "snogging" right away!]]> 3.93 2010 Hex Hall (Hex Hall, #1)
author: Rachel Hawkins
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2011/04/27
shelves:
review:
Hex Hall is a solid piece of writing - 4 out of 5 stars. Even if it doesn't really do anything new or take readers to any great heights, this book is extremely well-polished. All the tools of good creative fiction are wielded effortlessly by Rachel Hawkins. The characters are likeable and funny, but nothing new for YA novels (the average girl protagonist, the impossibly hot guy every girl crushes on, the nasty popular girl, the spunky best friend, etc.) The setting is great, and the idea of a reform school for supernatural kids provides the book's one unique spin; rather than some life-changing event or revelation, it is the setting that provides the hook for "Hex Hall", much like the first "Harry Potter" book (in fact, I refer to "Hex Hall" as "Harry Potter for girls" - even though girls love Harry Potter, too, but you know what I mean). The plot is solid, but typical, bordering on cliche. For me, it is the actual writing that puts this book above the line. Like I said, Rachel Hawkins is very polished. She makes telling a good story seem completely effortless - I don't think there's one sentence in this entire book that doesn't either move the story along, provide some bit of great insight into the characters, paint some vivid picture of the atmospheric setting, or make the reader laugh out loud. And many times, it's all of these at once. If you've ever wondered what a critic meant by calling a piece of writing 'crisp', this book is what he/she meant.

Bottom line: this is the book equivalent of comfort food, you just can't go wrong with it, and even if it never reaches Harry Potter-like super blockbuster status, I still can't imagine anybody NOT liking this book. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, nor does it take readers on an epic, nail-biting, world-changing adventure, like The Hunger Games or the Mortal Instruments series (so I hear); this is a much smaller story about a girl coming of age at a new school, dealing with rivals and crushes, while trying to solve a mystery that is putting other students at Hogwar-- er, I mean Hecate Hall -- in danger. The one big advantage Hex Hall has over Harry Potter is that it is written much older. Thankfully, Sophie Mercer is much older than Harry was on his first year in wizarding school, so we get to all the blushing and "snogging" right away!
]]> Jane Eyre 10210 Alternate editions can be found here and here.

A gothic masterpiece of tempestuous passions and dark secrets, Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre is edited with an introduction and notes by Stevie Davis in Penguin Classics.

Charlotte Brontë tells the story of orphaned Jane Eyre, who grows up in the home of her heartless aunt, enduring loneliness and cruelty. This troubled childhood strengthens Jane's natural independence and spirit - which prove necessary when she finds employment as a governess to the young ward of Byronic, brooding Mr Rochester. As her feelings for Rochester develop, Jane gradually uncovers Thornfield Hall's terrible secret, forcing her to make a choice. Should she stay with Rochester and live with the consequences, or follow her convictions - even if it means leaving the man she loves? A novel of intense power and intrigue, Jane Eyre dazzled readers with its passionate depiction of a woman's search for equality and freedom.]]> 532 Charlotte Brontë 0142437204 Joshua 5
The last time I read this was in high school. I remember loving it, calling it my favorite book even back then, when I couldn't have understood half the language, and even less of the complicated emotions and character studies. Now 16 years later, I was finally led back to this book, having forgotten all but the bare essentials of the plot and a darker overall tone than the stories from that "other" famous romantic author, Jane Austen. Having recently discovered (or re-discovered) a love for classic literature, I've spent the last few months making short work of various masterpieces: "Pride and Prejudice," "Lord of the Flies," "Heart of Darkness," "The Red Badge of Courage," "The Scarlet Pimpernel," "The Count of Monte Cristo." After each new read I have sworn to have found "my favorite book." "The Count of Monte Cristo", especially, seemed a work impossible to surpass.

But the next book I read was "Jane Eyre." Again I say, and determined now to let the case rest: "Jane Eyre IS my favorite book." The most amazing and real characters, the original and eccentric plot, the deepest love story of all time. After reading the book in high school, I remember being unsatisfied with the ending, because (spoiler alert!!!) how could a happy ending have Mr. Rochester blind and maimed and living in a crusty old cottage? Even though he finally has his "Janet" back at his side, that's not how fairy tales end! But after finishing the book tonight - seeing it and understanding it fully, both in language and emotion, with the experience of 9 happily married years behind me - this ending is so perfect, so real, genuine and moving.

"Jane Eyre" is my favorite book! ]]> 4.14 1847 Jane Eyre
author: Charlotte Brontë
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.14
book published: 1847
rating: 5
read at: 2010/12/02
date added: 2010/12/03
shelves:
review:
"Jane Eyre" is my favorite book.

The last time I read this was in high school. I remember loving it, calling it my favorite book even back then, when I couldn't have understood half the language, and even less of the complicated emotions and character studies. Now 16 years later, I was finally led back to this book, having forgotten all but the bare essentials of the plot and a darker overall tone than the stories from that "other" famous romantic author, Jane Austen. Having recently discovered (or re-discovered) a love for classic literature, I've spent the last few months making short work of various masterpieces: "Pride and Prejudice," "Lord of the Flies," "Heart of Darkness," "The Red Badge of Courage," "The Scarlet Pimpernel," "The Count of Monte Cristo." After each new read I have sworn to have found "my favorite book." "The Count of Monte Cristo", especially, seemed a work impossible to surpass.

But the next book I read was "Jane Eyre." Again I say, and determined now to let the case rest: "Jane Eyre IS my favorite book." The most amazing and real characters, the original and eccentric plot, the deepest love story of all time. After reading the book in high school, I remember being unsatisfied with the ending, because (spoiler alert!!!) how could a happy ending have Mr. Rochester blind and maimed and living in a crusty old cottage? Even though he finally has his "Janet" back at his side, that's not how fairy tales end! But after finishing the book tonight - seeing it and understanding it fully, both in language and emotion, with the experience of 9 happily married years behind me - this ending is so perfect, so real, genuine and moving.

"Jane Eyre" is my favorite book!
]]> The Count of Monte Cristo 7126 The epic tale of wrongful imprisonment, adventure and revenge, in its definitive translation

Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantès is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape, but also to use the treasure to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration. Dumas� epic tale of suffering and retribution, inspired by a real-life case of wrongful imprisonment, was a huge popular success when it was first serialized in the 1840s.

Translated with an Introduction by Robin Buss

An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here]]> 1276 Alexandre Dumas 0140449264 Joshua 5 4.29 1846 The Count of Monte Cristo
author: Alexandre Dumas
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.29
book published: 1846
rating: 5
read at: 2010/11/15
date added: 2010/11/15
shelves:
review:
EPIC. 1300 pages, three affluent Parisian families spanning generations, handfuls of secondary characters coming and going, criss-crossing a dozen storylines, and all coming together with the super-human guidance of the agent of Providence himself, the Count of Monte Cristo. Might be the best book I've ever read.
]]> The Scarlet Pimpernel 136116 182 Emmuska Orczy 1576469239 Joshua 5
I was so glad that I came into this experience without even one detail of knowledge about the story. For a while I was just sure that "Sally" from "The Fisherman's Rest" was the main character! Haha. The author kept describing how pretty she was, so I thought, "Oh, nice, pretty young bar wench, she's gonna fall for some rich aristocrat. Cool." Then the Blakeneys show up and you don't like them at first. What a bunch of silly, stuck up rich people! Imagine my surprise and delight, then, to gradually find the Blakeneys at the center of this story, and before long the author has peeled back the foppish outer layers of these characters to reveal deep, flawed, romantic personalities that simply put on masks of indifference when in public! I found the love story to be gripping and heartbreaking (but in a good way, if that makes sense). I think that one hundred years ago people in general understood much more about love and relationships than we do now. With all our technological advancements, we seem to have taken a few steps backward with relationship know-how. It seems to me that love stories used to deal with real human issues, like pride, arrogance, honor, committment, prejudice, and other flawed personalities we all struggle to keep in check. But now days the typical love story just shows two young people who think each other is especially hot, or else there is just some weird connection they feel, but can't explain (because the author can't explain it either!). "The Scarlet Pimpernel" may be considered a fluffy, B-movie type story compared to the likes of, say, "Pride and Prejudice" or "Gone With The Wind" (btw, Marguerite Blakeney reminds me a LOT of Scarlett Ohara), but it is still head and shoulders above most adventure/romances that come out today, especially from Hollywood. It's true, they really don't make them like they used to.]]> 4.07 1905 The Scarlet Pimpernel
author: Emmuska Orczy
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.07
book published: 1905
rating: 5
read at: 2010/10/22
date added: 2010/10/22
shelves:
review:
An excellent adventure/romance that seems way ahead of its time. Several times while reading I would stop and think, "Wait, are you sure this was written over a hundred years ago?" Much of the adventure/spy plot feels very modern, not to mention the amazing lead female role.

I was so glad that I came into this experience without even one detail of knowledge about the story. For a while I was just sure that "Sally" from "The Fisherman's Rest" was the main character! Haha. The author kept describing how pretty she was, so I thought, "Oh, nice, pretty young bar wench, she's gonna fall for some rich aristocrat. Cool." Then the Blakeneys show up and you don't like them at first. What a bunch of silly, stuck up rich people! Imagine my surprise and delight, then, to gradually find the Blakeneys at the center of this story, and before long the author has peeled back the foppish outer layers of these characters to reveal deep, flawed, romantic personalities that simply put on masks of indifference when in public! I found the love story to be gripping and heartbreaking (but in a good way, if that makes sense). I think that one hundred years ago people in general understood much more about love and relationships than we do now. With all our technological advancements, we seem to have taken a few steps backward with relationship know-how. It seems to me that love stories used to deal with real human issues, like pride, arrogance, honor, committment, prejudice, and other flawed personalities we all struggle to keep in check. But now days the typical love story just shows two young people who think each other is especially hot, or else there is just some weird connection they feel, but can't explain (because the author can't explain it either!). "The Scarlet Pimpernel" may be considered a fluffy, B-movie type story compared to the likes of, say, "Pride and Prejudice" or "Gone With The Wind" (btw, Marguerite Blakeney reminds me a LOT of Scarlett Ohara), but it is still head and shoulders above most adventure/romances that come out today, especially from Hollywood. It's true, they really don't make them like they used to.
]]> <![CDATA[The Reckoning (Darkest Powers, #3)]]> 6468666
As if that's not enough, Chloe is struggling with her feelings for Simon, a sweet-tempered sorcerer, and his brother Derek, a not so sweet-tempered werewolf. And she has a horrible feeling she's leaning towards the werewolf...

Definitely not normal.]]> 391 Kelley Armstrong 1841497126 Joshua 4
So why four stars instead of five? I guess I just felt it all a teeny bit anticlimactic. We don't really get to see all the characters let loose with their powers and really show the world who's boss. Like I said, this felt like just another episode, rather than a finale. Many new things were set up right at the end, and loose ends were left wide open for further adventures.

But I definitely will be reading those further adventures. Looking forward to "The Gathering"!]]> 4.18 2010 The Reckoning (Darkest Powers, #3)
author: Kelley Armstrong
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2010/10/20
shelves:
review:
Awesome series, and a satisfying conclusion, even if this one still felt like an episode in a still-going series, rather than the epic finale I hoped for. Kelley Armstrong is definitely consistent in her writing. If you like the first two books, you will feel right at home with this one. The truth is, these three books are meant to be read all the way through as one big book. By the end of the third book, still only a few weeks have passed since the beginning of the first book! The characters and pacing are all spot on, once again.

So why four stars instead of five? I guess I just felt it all a teeny bit anticlimactic. We don't really get to see all the characters let loose with their powers and really show the world who's boss. Like I said, this felt like just another episode, rather than a finale. Many new things were set up right at the end, and loose ends were left wide open for further adventures.

But I definitely will be reading those further adventures. Looking forward to "The Gathering"!
]]> Gone with the Wind 18405 1037 Margaret Mitchell 0446365386 Joshua 0 4.30 1936 Gone with the Wind
author: Margaret Mitchell
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.30
book published: 1936
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2010/10/20
shelves:
review:

]]> The Scarlet Letter 12296 279 Nathaniel Hawthorne 0142437263 Joshua 5
Great writing, fascinating characters, and an intriguing study of many aspects of human character. I think that anybody who is actively religious in life (as I am) can sympathize with many of Dimmsdale's inner tumult, especially the rationalizations he uses to justify keeping his sins secret. Nathaniel Hawthorne definitely understands the constant, relentless gnawing of guilt on the heart and mind of a hypocrite. ]]> 3.43 1850 The Scarlet Letter
author: Nathaniel Hawthorne
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.43
book published: 1850
rating: 5
read at: 2010/10/09
date added: 2010/10/09
shelves:
review:
Amazing characters! This isn't really a plot-based book. All the twists and revelations come as character moments or secrets that are revealed in dark places. I felt really bad for Dimmsdale, but I took some evil delight in watching Chillingworth do his work. For me the best scenes were between these two men. The scene in the woods, though, when Dimmsdale and Hester finally get an hour of "freedom", is as good as it gets, as far as romance stories go. I couldn't remember (from having read the book in high school) if the story would have a happy ending, but somehow I could feel that things weren't going to work out as the two lovers planned in those woods.

Great writing, fascinating characters, and an intriguing study of many aspects of human character. I think that anybody who is actively religious in life (as I am) can sympathize with many of Dimmsdale's inner tumult, especially the rationalizations he uses to justify keeping his sins secret. Nathaniel Hawthorne definitely understands the constant, relentless gnawing of guilt on the heart and mind of a hypocrite.
]]> <![CDATA[Monster High (Monster High, #1)]]> 7823524 New York Times bestselling author of The Clique and Alphas, comes a new series with a fresh twist on high school, romance, and the horrors of trying to fit in.

They prefer to call themselves RAD (Regular Attribute Dodgers), but some call them monsters. So far, the "monster" community has kept a low profile in Salem, but this year two new girls enroll at Master High School, and the town will never be the same.

Created just fifteen days ago, Frankie Stein is psyched to trade her father's formaldehyde-smelling basement lab for parties and cheerleading. But with a student body totally freaked out by rumors of monsters who might be stalking the halls, Frankie finds that life in the "normi" world can be rough for a chic freak like her.

She thinks she finds a friend in fellow new student Melody Carver--but can a normi be trusted with her big secret?

]]> 255 Lisi Harrison 031609918X Joshua 3
I enjoyed "Monster High" the same way I enjoy watching great teen-friendly family movies with our kids (or without them!). The Disney films "Hocus Pocus" and "Sky High" come to mind. Fun, creative, silly, and yet there's enough heart to keep it all from feeling too shallow. I would love to see Disney make a big budget production of "Monster High" and release it just in time for Halloween so we could all go to the theatre dressed up as famous monsters and buy frosted sugar cookies shaped like bats and pumpkins from the lobby.

What impressed me most about "Monster High" was how much better it was than it SHOULD have been. I mean, this book was commissioned from Hasbro toys, based on their new line of dolls. That is, the dolls came first, and this book was written to boost sales, not the other way around. It's like when "Pirates of the Caribbean" came out. Everybody's like, "Wait, they made a movie based on an amusement park ride? Laaaaaame." But then we were all surprised to find that it was actually pretty good (although I didn't really like it myself). "Monster High" could easily have been something that felt like a rushed Saturday morning cartoon adaptation, but instead Lisi Harrison elevated the material into a fun and heart-felt story dealing with themes of personal identity, friendship, and tolerance. I was definitely left hanging at the end with a very juicy cliffhanger that guarantees I'll be reading the sequel. This book feels like just the tip of the iceberg for a campy fun Halloween world just waiting to be explored.]]> 3.71 2010 Monster High (Monster High, #1)
author: Lisi Harrison
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2010/09/27
date added: 2010/09/28
shelves:
review:
An enthusiastic 3 stars. But like "Paranormalcy" I would give this a 4 or maybe even a 5 if we're just recommending to younger teens or tweens. Obviously the book was not meant for thirty-somethings. I don't know any lyrics to Ludacris songs and I can't picture most of the wardrobe because I don't know what half of the fashion terms mean!

I enjoyed "Monster High" the same way I enjoy watching great teen-friendly family movies with our kids (or without them!). The Disney films "Hocus Pocus" and "Sky High" come to mind. Fun, creative, silly, and yet there's enough heart to keep it all from feeling too shallow. I would love to see Disney make a big budget production of "Monster High" and release it just in time for Halloween so we could all go to the theatre dressed up as famous monsters and buy frosted sugar cookies shaped like bats and pumpkins from the lobby.

What impressed me most about "Monster High" was how much better it was than it SHOULD have been. I mean, this book was commissioned from Hasbro toys, based on their new line of dolls. That is, the dolls came first, and this book was written to boost sales, not the other way around. It's like when "Pirates of the Caribbean" came out. Everybody's like, "Wait, they made a movie based on an amusement park ride? Laaaaaame." But then we were all surprised to find that it was actually pretty good (although I didn't really like it myself). "Monster High" could easily have been something that felt like a rushed Saturday morning cartoon adaptation, but instead Lisi Harrison elevated the material into a fun and heart-felt story dealing with themes of personal identity, friendship, and tolerance. I was definitely left hanging at the end with a very juicy cliffhanger that guarantees I'll be reading the sequel. This book feels like just the tip of the iceberg for a campy fun Halloween world just waiting to be explored.
]]> <![CDATA[The Awakening (Darkest Powers, #2)]]> 5391115
Now I’m running for my life with three of my supernatural friends - a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch - and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.]]> 360 Kelley Armstrong 0061662763 Joshua 5
Also, one more big shout out to Kelley Armstrong and her amazing handle on PLOT PACING. While reading "The Summoning" I commented on the great pacing, and the same skill is on display in the sequel. Good pacing doesn't mean lots of stuff happening quickly. Fast and full of action does NOT always equal INTERESTING. Scenes need time to breathe. Ideas need to play out to maturity before moving on to new set pieces. I remember one point in "The Summoning" when I literally said to myself, "Okay, I got it, she sees ghosts and is freaked out. We've explored a lot of that idea and theme, I'm ready to move on to the next big idea..." And in the very next chapter the story moved on with a major new development that spun the story in a new direction. It's like Kelley Armstrong is reading our minds and knows exactly when we've had enough time to soak things in before moving on.

In contrast, just before reading "The Awakening", I read "Mockingjay" and "Paranormalcy", which both suffer (imho) from the same pacing problem: way too much, way too quickly. "Mockingjay" offends the worst. Pacing? What's that? Throw it out the window! We get a string of a few HUNDRED scenes that are all crammed into a 400 page novel. It's enough material for three more books, but all smashed together in an attempt to feel "epic". I never felt like I was being taken by the hand and led through a STORY. Instead, I was just talked at. "And then this happened, and then THIS happened, and THEN, and THEN!" "Paranormalcy" does this, too (see my review), but is much less offensive, since it's just supposed to be a light and fun story anyway, nothing deep.

Anyway, it was interesting to read those two books, then to start "The Awakening". After ONE CHAPTER I literally exhaled loudly: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh." Like I could breathe again. Like somebody was giving me a back rub after a long and difficult hike. I remember a FOUR PAGE (at least) dialogue scene between Davidoff and Chloe near the opening of the book. Another "Ahhhhhhhh" moment. A real conversation! The give and take, cat and mouse, ebb and flow of a real conversation between protagonist and villain! Something you do not get in "Mockingjay."

I'm expecting more great "Ahhhhhhhhh" in "The Reckoning."

]]> 4.14 2009 The Awakening (Darkest Powers, #2)
author: Kelley Armstrong
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2010/09/24
shelves:
review:
This book takes all the elements of the first book and improves on them. Characters develop more and relationships ebb and flow, the action is more intense, there is more at stake. But through all of the action and suspense and supernatural intrigue, it is the complex relationship between Chloe and Derek that really stands out. I can't think of any other book that features such a fascinating friendship/romance (I haven't read the third book yet, so I'm not sure it will become a romance, but I definitely hope so!).

Also, one more big shout out to Kelley Armstrong and her amazing handle on PLOT PACING. While reading "The Summoning" I commented on the great pacing, and the same skill is on display in the sequel. Good pacing doesn't mean lots of stuff happening quickly. Fast and full of action does NOT always equal INTERESTING. Scenes need time to breathe. Ideas need to play out to maturity before moving on to new set pieces. I remember one point in "The Summoning" when I literally said to myself, "Okay, I got it, she sees ghosts and is freaked out. We've explored a lot of that idea and theme, I'm ready to move on to the next big idea..." And in the very next chapter the story moved on with a major new development that spun the story in a new direction. It's like Kelley Armstrong is reading our minds and knows exactly when we've had enough time to soak things in before moving on.

In contrast, just before reading "The Awakening", I read "Mockingjay" and "Paranormalcy", which both suffer (imho) from the same pacing problem: way too much, way too quickly. "Mockingjay" offends the worst. Pacing? What's that? Throw it out the window! We get a string of a few HUNDRED scenes that are all crammed into a 400 page novel. It's enough material for three more books, but all smashed together in an attempt to feel "epic". I never felt like I was being taken by the hand and led through a STORY. Instead, I was just talked at. "And then this happened, and then THIS happened, and THEN, and THEN!" "Paranormalcy" does this, too (see my review), but is much less offensive, since it's just supposed to be a light and fun story anyway, nothing deep.

Anyway, it was interesting to read those two books, then to start "The Awakening". After ONE CHAPTER I literally exhaled loudly: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh." Like I could breathe again. Like somebody was giving me a back rub after a long and difficult hike. I remember a FOUR PAGE (at least) dialogue scene between Davidoff and Chloe near the opening of the book. Another "Ahhhhhhhh" moment. A real conversation! The give and take, cat and mouse, ebb and flow of a real conversation between protagonist and villain! Something you do not get in "Mockingjay."

I'm expecting more great "Ahhhhhhhhh" in "The Reckoning."


]]> The Red Badge of Courage 35220 Enriched Classics offer readers accessible editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and commentary. Each book includes educational tools alongside the text, enabling students and readers alike to gain a deeper and more developed understanding of the writer and their work.

Henry Fleming has joined the Union army because of his romantic ideas of military life, but soon finds himself in the middle of a battle against a regiment of Confederate soldiers. Terrified, Henry deserts his comrades. Upon returning to his regiment, he struggles with his shame as he tries to redeem himself and prove his courage.

The Red Badge of Courage is Stephen Crane’s second book, notable for its realism and the fact that Crane had never personally experienced battle. Crane drew heavy inspiration from Century Magazine, a periodical known for its articles about the American Civil War. However, he criticized the articles for their lack of emotional depth and decided to write a war novel of his own. The manuscript was first serialized in December 1894 by The Philadelphia Press and quickly won Crane international acclaim before he died in June 1900 at the age of 28.]]> 149 Stephen Crane 1580495869 Joshua 5
The prose in this book is amazing. "Hauntingly beautiful" is an over-used description these days, but it really does apply to Stephen Crane's work here. His writing reminds me a lot of Tolkien's when it comes to describing battles and war. Crane, however, is definitely more graphic (example: the visceral depiction of a man's jaw being shot off, exposing his tongue and raw, pulsating throat - nasty).

But what really impressed me about this book was the exploration of Henry's psyche. The transformation from a naive, immature youth to a humble, pragmatic man (in just two days!) is flawless. Henry is sometimes ridiculous, sometimes pathetic, but also sometimes selfless and heroic. By the time we've reached the climactic battle scene, Henry is more of a war hero than he ever could have dreamed, but we are more impressed by his matured outlook on life. By the time he actually earns the hero's credit, he is wise enough to know how empty such achievements can be. He has become a real man.

Okay, but I do understand how some people hate this book because of the dialogue. There is not much of it, but for some reason all dialogue is written in slang and horrible spelling that emphasizes the accents of the soldiers. All the men come out sounding the same: like campy, ridiculous parodies of gap-toothed hillbillies. It's hard to take them seriously whenever they open their mouths. But this book's prose is so smart and sophisticated, and it wasn't written that long after the war, so why such a huge difference between the way Crane speaks and the way these men speak? Men who would have been Crane's contemporaries? I haven't read any commentaries on the book, so maybe there's a reason for it, I don't know.

This is a quick read and was emotionally gripping from start to finish. If you want an action film, a few scenes will fit the bill, but otherwise this is not for you. But if you enjoy playing voyeur to the moral debates that rage inside a man's head during the supreme trial of war, this is a must-read. I will definitely be coming back to it on occasion. ]]> 3.28 1895 The Red Badge of Courage
author: Stephen Crane
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.28
book published: 1895
rating: 5
read at: 2010/09/23
date added: 2010/09/24
shelves:
review:
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. I read this book in high school, but I couldn't really remember any details, except for the bit about his "retreat" from battle. Somehow in my mind I had remembered this book all wrong. I thought it was about a cowardly kid who runs away from battle and then journeys back home to his mother and has various adventures along the way. Huh? I don't know where that came from. Anyway, I was shocked to find that while Henry "the youth" Fleming does indeed run from battle early on in the book, he eventually finds his way back to the fighting and even becomes a real war hero by the end! How did I not remember any of that? LOL.

The prose in this book is amazing. "Hauntingly beautiful" is an over-used description these days, but it really does apply to Stephen Crane's work here. His writing reminds me a lot of Tolkien's when it comes to describing battles and war. Crane, however, is definitely more graphic (example: the visceral depiction of a man's jaw being shot off, exposing his tongue and raw, pulsating throat - nasty).

But what really impressed me about this book was the exploration of Henry's psyche. The transformation from a naive, immature youth to a humble, pragmatic man (in just two days!) is flawless. Henry is sometimes ridiculous, sometimes pathetic, but also sometimes selfless and heroic. By the time we've reached the climactic battle scene, Henry is more of a war hero than he ever could have dreamed, but we are more impressed by his matured outlook on life. By the time he actually earns the hero's credit, he is wise enough to know how empty such achievements can be. He has become a real man.

Okay, but I do understand how some people hate this book because of the dialogue. There is not much of it, but for some reason all dialogue is written in slang and horrible spelling that emphasizes the accents of the soldiers. All the men come out sounding the same: like campy, ridiculous parodies of gap-toothed hillbillies. It's hard to take them seriously whenever they open their mouths. But this book's prose is so smart and sophisticated, and it wasn't written that long after the war, so why such a huge difference between the way Crane speaks and the way these men speak? Men who would have been Crane's contemporaries? I haven't read any commentaries on the book, so maybe there's a reason for it, I don't know.

This is a quick read and was emotionally gripping from start to finish. If you want an action film, a few scenes will fit the bill, but otherwise this is not for you. But if you enjoy playing voyeur to the moral debates that rage inside a man's head during the supreme trial of war, this is a must-read. I will definitely be coming back to it on occasion.
]]> <![CDATA[Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1)]]> 7719245
She’s also about to find out that she may be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.]]> 335 Kiersten White 0061985848 Joshua 3
I liked Paranormalcy. I expected to love it, especially after reading the first preview chapter online, but I knew about halfway through the book that it wouldn’t be able to inspire much more than a shrug and a “Cool, I liked it.� I liked the characters, liked the creative setting, liked the romance. But I couldn’t LOVE any of those elements due to the shallow style of writing. It’s barely more fleshed out than a movie screenplay. For those who don’t know, a screenplay features nothing but dialogue and a few broad strokes of description about what actions are happening in each scene. You can fit two or three scenes on one page. That’s how “Paranormalcy� reads to me. And if you hadn’t noticed, screenplays are not best-sellers in bookstores, because it’s very hard to connect emotionally with what is essentially just a skeleton of a story. The plot is great and all the twists and turns are working, but the pacing and the depth of the narrative don’t rise to the occasion. It doesn’t feel fleshed out or intimate.

I completely understand that this book was not written for me. I totally get that. It’s for younger readers, who will definitely love Evie and Lend. For teenage readers, “Paranormalcy� will be dynamite.

Other than the younger writing style, there was only one other thing I didn’t like in the book. What’s the first thing people say when describing this book: “Oh man! It’s about this kick-butt teenage girl who bags-and-tags paranormal creatures with a pink taser. She’s totally tough, but also really girly (and obsessed with pink!).� Sounds awesome! That’s all I needed to hear to put this on the top of my reading list. The first chapters did not disappoint. It’s just what you’d expect. But after the first act, this whole part of Evie’s life is dropped. In fact, she not only gives up the bag-and-tag hunter life, but she becomes an anti-hunter! Evie even describes it herself as a vampire helps her get her makeup ready for the prom. She recoils at the touch of a vamp, who used to be her #1 enemy. Then she says, “…things were a lot more complicated than they used to be. It was no longer see vamp, stun vamp, tag vamp. Now it was ponder the philosophical implications of people who had immortality forced upon them, doomed to hang onto the coattails of humanity while having almost none left themselves.�

Okay, I appreciate that the author is trying to get some deeper undertones into a teen novel, but raise your hand if you read this book to see some kick-butt paranomal hunter girl take down a bunch of monsters. Okay, now raise your hand if you’d rather see pondering of philosophical implications. Yeah, me neither.

I loved the romance that happened in the second half of the book, but was disappointed that the butt-kicking Evie had been neutered.

So what did I like about it: Evie is awesome, and even when she is not kicking butt she is very likeable, in a “Legally Blonde� way. Lend is cool, maybe even too perfect, c’mon. Reth is a great villain-who-is-not-really-a-villain-but-kinda-is-a-villain. Very creative and fun. I look forward to Kiersten White’s next book, for sure.]]> 3.89 2010 Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1)
author: Kiersten White
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2010/09/06
date added: 2010/09/08
shelves:
review:
Below is a portion of my review. For the full text of my review, go to , where I discuss YA books with my wife, Kelly.

I liked Paranormalcy. I expected to love it, especially after reading the first preview chapter online, but I knew about halfway through the book that it wouldn’t be able to inspire much more than a shrug and a “Cool, I liked it.� I liked the characters, liked the creative setting, liked the romance. But I couldn’t LOVE any of those elements due to the shallow style of writing. It’s barely more fleshed out than a movie screenplay. For those who don’t know, a screenplay features nothing but dialogue and a few broad strokes of description about what actions are happening in each scene. You can fit two or three scenes on one page. That’s how “Paranormalcy� reads to me. And if you hadn’t noticed, screenplays are not best-sellers in bookstores, because it’s very hard to connect emotionally with what is essentially just a skeleton of a story. The plot is great and all the twists and turns are working, but the pacing and the depth of the narrative don’t rise to the occasion. It doesn’t feel fleshed out or intimate.

I completely understand that this book was not written for me. I totally get that. It’s for younger readers, who will definitely love Evie and Lend. For teenage readers, “Paranormalcy� will be dynamite.

Other than the younger writing style, there was only one other thing I didn’t like in the book. What’s the first thing people say when describing this book: “Oh man! It’s about this kick-butt teenage girl who bags-and-tags paranormal creatures with a pink taser. She’s totally tough, but also really girly (and obsessed with pink!).� Sounds awesome! That’s all I needed to hear to put this on the top of my reading list. The first chapters did not disappoint. It’s just what you’d expect. But after the first act, this whole part of Evie’s life is dropped. In fact, she not only gives up the bag-and-tag hunter life, but she becomes an anti-hunter! Evie even describes it herself as a vampire helps her get her makeup ready for the prom. She recoils at the touch of a vamp, who used to be her #1 enemy. Then she says, “…things were a lot more complicated than they used to be. It was no longer see vamp, stun vamp, tag vamp. Now it was ponder the philosophical implications of people who had immortality forced upon them, doomed to hang onto the coattails of humanity while having almost none left themselves.�

Okay, I appreciate that the author is trying to get some deeper undertones into a teen novel, but raise your hand if you read this book to see some kick-butt paranomal hunter girl take down a bunch of monsters. Okay, now raise your hand if you’d rather see pondering of philosophical implications. Yeah, me neither.

I loved the romance that happened in the second half of the book, but was disappointed that the butt-kicking Evie had been neutered.

So what did I like about it: Evie is awesome, and even when she is not kicking butt she is very likeable, in a “Legally Blonde� way. Lend is cool, maybe even too perfect, c’mon. Reth is a great villain-who-is-not-really-a-villain-but-kinda-is-a-villain. Very creative and fun. I look forward to Kiersten White’s next book, for sure.
]]> Heart of Darkness 4900
A reflection on corruptive European colonialism and a journey into the nightmare psyche of one of the corrupted, Heart of Darkness is considered one of the most influential works ever written.]]> 188 Joseph Conrad 1892295490 Joshua 4 3.43 1899 Heart of Darkness
author: Joseph Conrad
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.43
book published: 1899
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2010/08/24
shelves:
review:

]]> Lord of the Flies 7624 182 William Golding 0140283331 Joshua 5
Anyway, beyond the message or symbolism, the story is well-crafted and well-written. Lord of the Flies was obviously a great inspiration for Suzanne Collins and "The Hunger Games" (she said in an interview that she can't count the number of times she has read this book, it is one of her favorites). But while "The Hunger Games" brought some of the same revulsion and horror, it doesn't take the story to that next level of truth and symbolism and deeper meaning that "Lord of Flies" does.

Great book, and especially affecting since I had just finished "Pride and Prejudice", which displays a much more positive view of human nature! In hindsight, I wish I had swapped the reading order so as to be left on the happy note of a double marriage at Pemberley, rather than the funk of rotted, smiling pig heads and sticks sharpened at both ends. ]]> 3.70 1954 Lord of the Flies
author: William Golding
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.70
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at: 2010/08/23
date added: 2010/08/23
shelves:
review:
Just as searing and intense as I remembered from high school reading. Back then I probably only followed the physical adventure/chase plot, though, and didn't really feel any of the deeper meanings. This time around... what a horrible thing is human nature, the "natural man". Though I tend to think that people in general are better than this, there is certainly much truth to be seen in the actions of the boys on the island. Decisions, though on a smaller scale, that I see in people every day, and not just from reading the news. I think too many people, in general, are self-centered and completely ignorant of the things that bring true happiness in life.

Anyway, beyond the message or symbolism, the story is well-crafted and well-written. Lord of the Flies was obviously a great inspiration for Suzanne Collins and "The Hunger Games" (she said in an interview that she can't count the number of times she has read this book, it is one of her favorites). But while "The Hunger Games" brought some of the same revulsion and horror, it doesn't take the story to that next level of truth and symbolism and deeper meaning that "Lord of Flies" does.

Great book, and especially affecting since I had just finished "Pride and Prejudice", which displays a much more positive view of human nature! In hindsight, I wish I had swapped the reading order so as to be left on the happy note of a double marriage at Pemberley, rather than the funk of rotted, smiling pig heads and sticks sharpened at both ends.
]]> Pride and Prejudice 1885 Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work "her own darling child" and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, "as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print." The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen's radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England.

Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780679783268]]> 279 Jane Austen 1441341706 Joshua 5 4.28 1813 Pride and Prejudice
author: Jane Austen
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.28
book published: 1813
rating: 5
read at: 2010/08/17
date added: 2010/08/21
shelves:
review:
All the hype about Jane Austin is legit. For over a hundred years, movies and books have tried to copy this love story plot, but nobody has been able to do it better than she did. I would post some of my favorite lines from the book, but Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ only allows 20,000 characters in a review.
]]> <![CDATA[The Summoning (Darkest Powers, #1)]]> 2800905 Chloe Saunders used to have a relatively normal life.

But now she finds herself in the middle of some really strange situations because:
~She suddenly starts seeing dead people.
~She gets locked up in a group home for unstable teens.
~The group home isn't what it seems.

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House... before its skeletons come back to haunt me.]]> 390 Kelley Armstrong 0061662690 Joshua 4
I really liked this book. This was a solid read for me. 'Solid' means I enjoyed it, I thought the writing and plotting and characters were all handled well and with ease from a confident writer. At times I was eager to get back to the book after work, but I didn't find myself having to put off other daily duties just to keep reading (like with "The Hunger Games"). So it gets a "solid" recommendation instead of a "drop everything and read this now".

I agree with other reviewers who have said that there is much more to this book than just "a girl version of 'The Sixth Sense'." There are many similarities for the first part of the book, but as we learn more about Chloe and her 'ability', Haley Joel Osment gets left far behind. The story is moody and creepy and the pacing is just about perfect. Several times I would be right on the edge of saying "Okay, I get it, move on to the next phase of the story," and within the next chapter there would be a major event that spun everything in a new direction. Well done.

The best part of the book was the characters. Each one is so different and interesting, and Kelley Armstrong goes to great lengths to make each kid... um... not the average good-looking semi-popular kid at school. For example, Chloe stutters and has "no curves", Derek has greasy hair and horrible acne all over his face, Rae is overweight, etc. This is not the cast of "Vampire Diaries" or "Smallville" (But you know Hollywood would still just cast all the same Zac Ephrons and Kristen Stewarts in the roles! Hollywood doesn't do 'ugly'. Wait, what happened with Edward Cullen then? Zing! No, seriously, though...)

So I liked everything, then why not 5 stars? Halfway through the book I told Kelly I would give it 5 stars. But by the end I knocked it down one star. Because this story is not complete. Yes, I get that it is part of a series, but each book still needs to feel like it's own self-contained story in some way. It's not enough just to cut the book off mid-story and call it "Book One". Even in a TV series like "Supernatural" each episode has its own story that gets resolved (a "bad guy of the week") while still keeping the bigger questions up in the air for sequels. "The Summoning" doesn't really do that. It's literally just an Act One to a bigger story. I don't get upset about cliffhangers, really, but it keeps me from giving 5 stars until I have read the whole story.

Bottom line: a fast read and a great diversion from the real world. I was on a location film shoot in LA when I read this and I found myself waiting for the director to yell "Cut!" so I could go back to my tent and exchange sunny LA for the dark and creepy Lyle House. I have a few other books to get to next, but then I'll definitely be returning for "The Awakening."


]]> 4.03 2008 The Summoning (Darkest Powers, #1)
author: Kelley Armstrong
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 2010/08/12
date added: 2010/08/13
shelves:
review:
After being disappointed by "Shiver" I asked Kelly (my wife) to point me in the direction of a book that "felt like Halloween." Dark and moody, with romance (but not sappiness) and creepiness, but that had more of a straight-forward writing style, as opposed to the distracting prose of "Shiver." Think my needs were specific enough? LOL. But surprisingly, Kelly knew exactly what book to recommend. She said to read "The Summoning."

I really liked this book. This was a solid read for me. 'Solid' means I enjoyed it, I thought the writing and plotting and characters were all handled well and with ease from a confident writer. At times I was eager to get back to the book after work, but I didn't find myself having to put off other daily duties just to keep reading (like with "The Hunger Games"). So it gets a "solid" recommendation instead of a "drop everything and read this now".

I agree with other reviewers who have said that there is much more to this book than just "a girl version of 'The Sixth Sense'." There are many similarities for the first part of the book, but as we learn more about Chloe and her 'ability', Haley Joel Osment gets left far behind. The story is moody and creepy and the pacing is just about perfect. Several times I would be right on the edge of saying "Okay, I get it, move on to the next phase of the story," and within the next chapter there would be a major event that spun everything in a new direction. Well done.

The best part of the book was the characters. Each one is so different and interesting, and Kelley Armstrong goes to great lengths to make each kid... um... not the average good-looking semi-popular kid at school. For example, Chloe stutters and has "no curves", Derek has greasy hair and horrible acne all over his face, Rae is overweight, etc. This is not the cast of "Vampire Diaries" or "Smallville" (But you know Hollywood would still just cast all the same Zac Ephrons and Kristen Stewarts in the roles! Hollywood doesn't do 'ugly'. Wait, what happened with Edward Cullen then? Zing! No, seriously, though...)

So I liked everything, then why not 5 stars? Halfway through the book I told Kelly I would give it 5 stars. But by the end I knocked it down one star. Because this story is not complete. Yes, I get that it is part of a series, but each book still needs to feel like it's own self-contained story in some way. It's not enough just to cut the book off mid-story and call it "Book One". Even in a TV series like "Supernatural" each episode has its own story that gets resolved (a "bad guy of the week") while still keeping the bigger questions up in the air for sequels. "The Summoning" doesn't really do that. It's literally just an Act One to a bigger story. I don't get upset about cliffhangers, really, but it keeps me from giving 5 stars until I have read the whole story.

Bottom line: a fast read and a great diversion from the real world. I was on a location film shoot in LA when I read this and I found myself waiting for the director to yell "Cut!" so I could go back to my tent and exchange sunny LA for the dark and creepy Lyle House. I have a few other books to get to next, but then I'll definitely be returning for "The Awakening."



]]> Lips Touch: Three Times 6369113
Goblin Fruit
In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today's savvy girls?

Spicy Little Curses
A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

Hatchling
Six days before Esme's fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons?]]> 272 Laini Taylor 0545055857 Joshua 5
For those who care one way or the other, the narrative voice is very lyrical, but that seems more acceptable with short stories. For my taste, it's right on the border: lyrical enough that you feel it is almost a classic fairy tale, but not so much that it becomes poetry. An entire novel in this style might get annoying, but these stories are handled just right. The character dialogue, however, is what really shines. Pages of dialogue zip by in seconds and you find yourself laughing out loud more than once. Laini Taylor has a special gift for fresh, "snappy" conversations.

I liked all the stories, but the third and final story is a masterpiece of horror and romance and dark fantasy. It gets stuck in your head and stays there for days. Very well done. ]]> 3.88 2009 Lips Touch: Three Times
author: Laini Taylor
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2010/07/26
shelves:
review:
So imaginative and diverse, with all three stories set in completely different times and locations. One's modern, one's a period piece in India, one's a future/fantasy setting.

For those who care one way or the other, the narrative voice is very lyrical, but that seems more acceptable with short stories. For my taste, it's right on the border: lyrical enough that you feel it is almost a classic fairy tale, but not so much that it becomes poetry. An entire novel in this style might get annoying, but these stories are handled just right. The character dialogue, however, is what really shines. Pages of dialogue zip by in seconds and you find yourself laughing out loud more than once. Laini Taylor has a special gift for fresh, "snappy" conversations.

I liked all the stories, but the third and final story is a masterpiece of horror and romance and dark fantasy. It gets stuck in your head and stays there for days. Very well done.
]]> <![CDATA[Being Jamie Baker (Jamie Baker, #1)]]> 7238737 353 Kelly Oram 0615377548 Joshua 5
"Being Jamie Baker" is the kind of romance plot that I really enjoy. Plenty of blushes, flirty banter, stolen glances, and those "oh-my-gosh-he-just-showed-up-at-her-door-he-totally-LUVS-her-I-knew-it" moments. But what I love about this story is that this isn't the overly-done, now cliche match-up between a plain Jane (but with hidden beauty, of course, *eye-roll*) middle class wallflower girl who secretly crushes on the gorgeous popular boy and miraculously one day attracts his affection. No, in Jamie Baker both boy and girl are alpha dog types, the hottest and most popular. Granted, Jamie Baker is new in school and is purposefully making herself an outcast and loner, but at her previous school she was the top of the food chain cheerleader popular girl. So from the very first chapter these two are equals and the banter is always at full speed. These two definitely deserve each other and it's enjoyable to watch the fireworks each time they get together.

THE STORY (this discussion goes beyond the story summary, but in vague terms, so no real spoilers...)

There are two major plots here, and like "Twilight" the main plot is the emerging romance between Jamie and Ryan Miller, which quickly gets very complicated due to Jamie's huge secret (uh, she has superpowers, in case you didn't read the summary yet). But there is also the action plot involving the danger of Jamie being discovered by the media and/or the government (which one is worse, I don't know).

The intertwining of these two plots is where Jamie Baker really succeeds (and where "Twilight" faltered, in my opinion). In Jamie Baker, both of these plot lines feed each other. Jamie can never be with Ryan (or anybody) because her powers make her unstable and dangerous. So she constantly pushes him away, no matter how much she wishes she could do the opposite. Sucks to be her. But when the media comes snooping around, threatening to expose her to the world, Jamie has no choice but to learn to control her powers.

Sounds like a win/win, right? Learning to control her powers would allow her to avoid public display AND be with Ryan Miller, correct? Well, of course it's not that easy, especially since (and I'll be vague to avoid spoilers) Jamie faces a catch-22: she needs Ryan's help to control her powers, and yet the closer she gets with Ryan, the more potent and unstable her powers become, which in turn attracts more attention from bad dudes. Now add to all this the unfolding mystery behind the night Jamie actually got her superhuman abilities (which directly affects Jamie's outlook on love and relationships with guys like Ryan) and you've got a tightly-woven story with a romance plot that builds out of the action plot, rather than as an aside to it. I contrast this to "Twilight", in which you have an amazing romance story, and suddenly for the last third of the book it's like, "Oh yeah, and suddenly there are other bad vampires who want to eat you. Plus, they totally ruined our baseball game, so now there's going to be a lot of fighting and snarling." But Stephenie Meyer is still great, I love her.

I give "Being Jamie Baker" five stars for having everything I like in a story: great romance, great banter, strong female protagonist (but she still is very vulnerable and insecure at the same time, which is refreshing), a cool guy as the love interest, and great action scenes using superpowers and stuff blowing up.

Oh, and can I just say: FINALLY a superpowers story with no COSTUMES! START RANT: I hate comic book heroes with their stupid tight leather brightly colored outfits. Oh, you're so tough and cool, tell me, why are you dressed like a giant BAT? Why do you have red underwear OUTSIDE your pants? Oh sorry, they're TIGHTS. Oh wow, you're name is Daredevil, so your costume is red and has horns, how very CUTE. STOOPID. Jamie Baker has all your powers and none of your stupid costumes. Unless being extremely HOT is a costume, in which case I don't mind at all. END RANT.]]> 4.00 2010 Being Jamie Baker (Jamie Baker, #1)
author: Kelly Oram
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2010/07/21
shelves:
review:
Okay, yes, I'm a guy and this book is very pink, so let me give you a quick frame of reference: I like romance/relationship stories, and I can get just as excited about a good chick flick as I can about the next James Bond film. I enjoy all forms of "Pride & Prejudice", Sandra Bullock rom/coms, and I really enjoyed reading "Twilight" until the end, when it tried to become an action flick (I didn't even read the last fifty pages). As for YA books, "The Hunger Games" is my favorite (I don't have a 'team', but I wish Peetah would get the girl in the end).

"Being Jamie Baker" is the kind of romance plot that I really enjoy. Plenty of blushes, flirty banter, stolen glances, and those "oh-my-gosh-he-just-showed-up-at-her-door-he-totally-LUVS-her-I-knew-it" moments. But what I love about this story is that this isn't the overly-done, now cliche match-up between a plain Jane (but with hidden beauty, of course, *eye-roll*) middle class wallflower girl who secretly crushes on the gorgeous popular boy and miraculously one day attracts his affection. No, in Jamie Baker both boy and girl are alpha dog types, the hottest and most popular. Granted, Jamie Baker is new in school and is purposefully making herself an outcast and loner, but at her previous school she was the top of the food chain cheerleader popular girl. So from the very first chapter these two are equals and the banter is always at full speed. These two definitely deserve each other and it's enjoyable to watch the fireworks each time they get together.

THE STORY (this discussion goes beyond the story summary, but in vague terms, so no real spoilers...)

There are two major plots here, and like "Twilight" the main plot is the emerging romance between Jamie and Ryan Miller, which quickly gets very complicated due to Jamie's huge secret (uh, she has superpowers, in case you didn't read the summary yet). But there is also the action plot involving the danger of Jamie being discovered by the media and/or the government (which one is worse, I don't know).

The intertwining of these two plots is where Jamie Baker really succeeds (and where "Twilight" faltered, in my opinion). In Jamie Baker, both of these plot lines feed each other. Jamie can never be with Ryan (or anybody) because her powers make her unstable and dangerous. So she constantly pushes him away, no matter how much she wishes she could do the opposite. Sucks to be her. But when the media comes snooping around, threatening to expose her to the world, Jamie has no choice but to learn to control her powers.

Sounds like a win/win, right? Learning to control her powers would allow her to avoid public display AND be with Ryan Miller, correct? Well, of course it's not that easy, especially since (and I'll be vague to avoid spoilers) Jamie faces a catch-22: she needs Ryan's help to control her powers, and yet the closer she gets with Ryan, the more potent and unstable her powers become, which in turn attracts more attention from bad dudes. Now add to all this the unfolding mystery behind the night Jamie actually got her superhuman abilities (which directly affects Jamie's outlook on love and relationships with guys like Ryan) and you've got a tightly-woven story with a romance plot that builds out of the action plot, rather than as an aside to it. I contrast this to "Twilight", in which you have an amazing romance story, and suddenly for the last third of the book it's like, "Oh yeah, and suddenly there are other bad vampires who want to eat you. Plus, they totally ruined our baseball game, so now there's going to be a lot of fighting and snarling." But Stephenie Meyer is still great, I love her.

I give "Being Jamie Baker" five stars for having everything I like in a story: great romance, great banter, strong female protagonist (but she still is very vulnerable and insecure at the same time, which is refreshing), a cool guy as the love interest, and great action scenes using superpowers and stuff blowing up.

Oh, and can I just say: FINALLY a superpowers story with no COSTUMES! START RANT: I hate comic book heroes with their stupid tight leather brightly colored outfits. Oh, you're so tough and cool, tell me, why are you dressed like a giant BAT? Why do you have red underwear OUTSIDE your pants? Oh sorry, they're TIGHTS. Oh wow, you're name is Daredevil, so your costume is red and has horns, how very CUTE. STOOPID. Jamie Baker has all your powers and none of your stupid costumes. Unless being extremely HOT is a costume, in which case I don't mind at all. END RANT.
]]> Zombie Blondes 2470680 A lot of houses were for sale, and the town seemed infected by an unearthly quiet. And then, on Hannah’s first day of classes, she ran into a group of cheerleaders—the most popular girls in school.
The odd thing was that they were nearly identical in blonde, beautiful, and deathly pale.
But Hannah wants desperately to fit in—regardless of what her friend Lukas is telling if she doesn’t watch her back, she’s going to be blonde and popular and dead—just like all the other zombies in this town. . . .]]> 232 Brian James 0312372981 Joshua 3 3.07 2008 Zombie Blondes
author: Brian James
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.07
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2010/07/14
shelves:
review:

]]> The Princess Bride 21787
As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad's recitation, and only the "good parts" reached his ears.

Now Goldman does Dad one better. He's reconstructed the "Good Parts Version" to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere.

What's it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex.

In short, it's about everything.]]> 429 William Goldman 0345418263 Joshua 5 4.27 1973 The Princess Bride
author: William Goldman
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1973
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2010/07/14
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Twilight (The Twilight Saga, #1)]]> 41865
First, Edward was a vampire.

Second, there was a part of him - and I didn't know how dominant that part might be - that thirsted for my blood.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

Deeply seductive and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight is a love story with bite.]]> 498 Stephenie Meyer 0316015849 Joshua 3 3.66 2005 Twilight (The Twilight Saga, #1)
author: Stephenie Meyer
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2005
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2010/07/14
shelves:
review:

]]> Sphere 455373 371 Michael Crichton Joshua 5 3.83 1987 Sphere
author: Michael Crichton
name: Joshua
average rating: 3.83
book published: 1987
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2010/07/14
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)]]> 18512 here.

The Companions of the Ring have become involved in separate adventures as the quest continues. Aragorn, revealed as the hidden heir of the ancient Kings of the West, joined with the Riders of Rohan against the forces of Isengard, and took part in the desperate victory of the Hornburg. Merry and Pippin, captured by Orcs, escaped into Fangorn Forest and there encountered the Ents. Gandalf returned, miraculously, and defeated the evil wizard, Saruman. Meanwhile, Sam and Frodo progressed towards Mordor to destroy the Ring, accompanied by SmEagol--Gollum, still obsessed by his 'precious'. After a battle with the giant spider, Shelob, Sam left his master for dead; but Frodo is still alive--in the hands of the Orcs. And all the time the armies of the Dark Lord are massing. J.R.R. Tolkien's great work of imaginative fiction has been labeled both a heroic romance and a classic fantasy fiction. By turns comic and homely, epic and diabolic, the narrative moves through countless changes of scene and character in an imaginary world which is totally convincing in its detail.]]> 404 J.R.R. Tolkien Joshua 5 4.53 1955 The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.53
book published: 1955
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2010/07/14
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)]]> 15241
Frodo and his Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. They have lost the wizard, Gandalf, in a battle in the Mines of Moria. And Boromir, seduced by the power of the Ring, tried to seize it by force. While Frodo and Sam made their escape, the rest of the company was attacked by Orcs.

Now they continue the journey alone down the great River Anduin -- alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.]]> 322 J.R.R. Tolkien 0618346260 Joshua 5 4.45 1954 The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.45
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2010/07/14
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)]]> 34
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkeness bind them

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit.

In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.
--back cover]]> 398 J.R.R. Tolkien 0618346252 Joshua 5 4.36 1954 The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.36
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2010/07/14
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)]]> 2767052
Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun. . . .

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl 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 regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.]]> 374 Suzanne Collins 0439023483 Joshua 5 4.34 2008 The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: Joshua
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2010/07/14
shelves:
review:

]]>