Lately, it feels like the majority of my posts on here are about how busy I am, and not about books and writing. Here is another update on my very busy summer! :)
I haven't been posting a lot lately, but I have lots of half written blog posts waiting to be finished. I have numerous book reviews coming with in the next month or two, so look for that. I have a partially written post about the teen writing conference I attended last month, and another about the John Mayer concert I attended last week.
I have some other posts coming too. I have a few more to write about the books and authors that made me a reader, and a more serious one prompted by the death of the actor Cory Montieth. I also have one planned about some of the blogs I've been reading, and websites I've been frequenting.
Also, I'm going to restart Homeschool Friday Posts on August 2nd with a 2012-2013 school year review. I'm not sure if I'm going to post weekly or biweekly yet, but we'll find out soon. :)
And, just for fun, here are some of the songs I've thumbed up on Pandora today:
1. Collide by Howie Day
2. How to Save a Life by The Fray
3. Wonderwall by Oasis
4. If You Could Only See by Tonic
5. All For You by Sister Hazel
6. Roll to Me by Del Amitri
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Sunday, July 14, 2013
The Books that Made Me a Reader
I have read many, many books, but there are only a few that I can really say have made a big impact on me as a person, or as a reader, or even as a writer.
The first author I want to mention is Tamora Pierce. I distinctly remember being eight years old, and picking up Lady Knight from the paperback section of the Bellingham Public Library's children's section. While I didn't love that book (and it's the only book of her's I've never read since), I was interested enough to pick up Alanna: The First Adventure a week later. I was suddenly in love in a way I had never been before, and have rarely been since. Tamora Pierce's books (particularly the Alanna books, but her other ones too) had characters I could identify with. These books, unlike most books written for kids my age, were interesting. They had mystery, and danger. They had romance and death. Suddenly, reading wasn't a boring chore my mom made me do each day. It was suddenly my favorite part of each day.
Before long, I had read every book Tamora Pierce had ever written, so I started over again at the beginning. This was about the point at which I starting getting braver at the library and reading other books, but it was the start of a pattern for me. That was seven years ago now, and I've read hundreds and hundreds of books, but I always go back to Alanna. I've probably read Alanna: The First Adventure, and In The Hands of The Goddess a good twenty times a piece, and the rest her books (excluding Lady Knight, which I have only read that one time) at lease seven or eight times.
Sometimes I wonder where I would be if I had never found that book that Saturday afternoon at the library. Would I still be a big reader? So much good in my life comes from reading. Would any of that exist? Because of my love of reading and the library, I have a great volunteer position in that same children's library, and I have terrific relationships with many of the librarians who work there. My love of reading has also lead to a love of writing, which has lead me to participate in NaNoWriMo twice, and eventually start this blog. Where would I be without Tamora Pierce and the Bellingham Public Library?
The first author I want to mention is Tamora Pierce. I distinctly remember being eight years old, and picking up Lady Knight from the paperback section of the Bellingham Public Library's children's section. While I didn't love that book (and it's the only book of her's I've never read since), I was interested enough to pick up Alanna: The First Adventure a week later. I was suddenly in love in a way I had never been before, and have rarely been since. Tamora Pierce's books (particularly the Alanna books, but her other ones too) had characters I could identify with. These books, unlike most books written for kids my age, were interesting. They had mystery, and danger. They had romance and death. Suddenly, reading wasn't a boring chore my mom made me do each day. It was suddenly my favorite part of each day.
Before long, I had read every book Tamora Pierce had ever written, so I started over again at the beginning. This was about the point at which I starting getting braver at the library and reading other books, but it was the start of a pattern for me. That was seven years ago now, and I've read hundreds and hundreds of books, but I always go back to Alanna. I've probably read Alanna: The First Adventure, and In The Hands of The Goddess a good twenty times a piece, and the rest her books (excluding Lady Knight, which I have only read that one time) at lease seven or eight times.
Sometimes I wonder where I would be if I had never found that book that Saturday afternoon at the library. Would I still be a big reader? So much good in my life comes from reading. Would any of that exist? Because of my love of reading and the library, I have a great volunteer position in that same children's library, and I have terrific relationships with many of the librarians who work there. My love of reading has also lead to a love of writing, which has lead me to participate in NaNoWriMo twice, and eventually start this blog. Where would I be without Tamora Pierce and the Bellingham Public Library?
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Reading Goals
With a little less then half of 2013 left, I have decided to make some goals for the remainder of the year. The first of those is to read every book that I own that I have never read (there are far too many of those). The next is to read all the books that I own that I have not read in many years, or that I have never read my copy of (I have lots of books that I saw at a library sale and bought because I already liked it, and have never read it since). This post is mainly going to be a list of the books I hope to read in those two categories.I'm going to make another tab on the top of the page for this book list, though it will be arranged in the order in which I intend to read them. I'll cross them off the list as I finish them. I'll try to review as many as I have time for.
I'm sure I'll read lots of books not on this list, and I likely won't get to all the ones here, but I'm going to try to read as many as I can.
Check out that page for links to the Amazon.com pages for each book, and to check on my progress. I'll also put the date by each book I finish.
Books I Own But Have Never Read
1. Rosemount by Mary E. Trimble
2. McClellan's Bluff by Mary E. Trimble
3. The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery
4. Ruth Fielding At Silver Ranch by Alice B. Emerson
5. Jason's Gold by Will Hobbs
6. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
7. The Earth is My Mother by Bev Doolittle
8. Dorothy Dale: A Girl of Today by Margaret Penrose
9. The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester
10. Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor
11. Barnes and Noble's Great American Short Stories
12. Tales From the Arabian Nights translated by Sir Richard Francis Burton
13. The Greatest Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Aruthur Canan Doyle
Books I Own I Want To Reread
1. Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
2. Down the Rabit Hole by Peter Abrahams
3. The Arm of the Starfish by Madeline L'Engle
4. The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman
5. Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
6. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
7. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
8. Dewey by Vicki Myron
9. Troubling a Star by Madeline L'Engle
10. Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff
11. No Promises in the Wind by Irene Hunt
12. Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars
13. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
While making these lists, I also found that I need to make a third list, a list of books that I have not read in a long time, and that I do not own, that I want to read. Many of them are in some way related to books that I own. Some of the books I do own, but I put on this list to keep them with the rest of it's series. This list may grow as time goes on.
Books to Read that I Don't Own
1. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
2. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart
3. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma
I'm sure I'll read lots of books not on this list, and I likely won't get to all the ones here, but I'm going to try to read as many as I can.
Check out that page for links to the Amazon.com pages for each book, and to check on my progress. I'll also put the date by each book I finish.
Books I Own But Have Never Read
1. Rosemount by Mary E. Trimble
2. McClellan's Bluff by Mary E. Trimble
3. The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery
4. Ruth Fielding At Silver Ranch by Alice B. Emerson
5. Jason's Gold by Will Hobbs
6. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
7. The Earth is My Mother by Bev Doolittle
8. Dorothy Dale: A Girl of Today by Margaret Penrose
9. The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester
10. Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor
11. Barnes and Noble's Great American Short Stories
12. Tales From the Arabian Nights translated by Sir Richard Francis Burton
13. The Greatest Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Aruthur Canan Doyle
Books I Own I Want To Reread
1. Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
2. Down the Rabit Hole by Peter Abrahams
3. The Arm of the Starfish by Madeline L'Engle
4. The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman
5. Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
6. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
7. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
8. Dewey by Vicki Myron
9. Troubling a Star by Madeline L'Engle
10. Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff
11. No Promises in the Wind by Irene Hunt
12. Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars
13. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
While making these lists, I also found that I need to make a third list, a list of books that I have not read in a long time, and that I do not own, that I want to read. Many of them are in some way related to books that I own. Some of the books I do own, but I put on this list to keep them with the rest of it's series. This list may grow as time goes on.
Books to Read that I Don't Own
1. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
2. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart
3. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma
Friday, July 12, 2013
The Eight - Katherine Neville
Today I am reviewing The Eight by Katherine Neville
, a book I absolutely loved. As usual, I'll try to avoid spoilers, but be warned, their may be some minor ones. I'm going to stick with the format I tried out in my last post, since I really liked it. Please remember that these are my opinions as a reader, and that they are based on my experience reading this and other books.
The South of France, 1790—Mireille de Remy and her cousin Valentine are young novices at the fortresslike Montglane Abbey. With France aflame in revolution, the two girls burn to rebel against constricted convent life—and their means of escape is at hand. Buried deep within the abbey are pieces of the Montglane Chess Service, once owned by Charlemagne. Whoever reassembles the pieces can play a game of unlimited power. But to keep the Game a secret from those who would abuse it, the two young women must scatter the pieces throughout the world. . . .
About the plot... This is a big one. The plot is really quite complex and enjoyable. With that said, (and some minor spoilers ahead for those worried about that sort of thing), the ending was a bit of a let down for me. The build up was impressive, and keeping track of all the players got a bit complicated at times, but I was a bit disapointed by the ending. That's all I'll say on that for now.
The writing was enjoyable, and I don't have any complaints about it, but I also don't have any other real comments about her style. My mom and I were reading this at the same time, and there are some things that almost became jokes that it can be fun to look out for when reading. The first is references to the number eight. Many of them don't even directly influence the plot, which is fun. To get you started, one is that Cat works for a Big Eight accounting firm. The second thing is the number of famous people in this book. I mean, any famous person who MIGHT have been passing through Paris in the late 1700's is there. The third thing is the "stories." Whenever another character is telling their story to another character, it is headed with the words "The Abbess's Tale" or "Lily's Tale" and so on. The last thing is the way she uses phrases like "little did she know how different her life would be in just three short hours." Or "She had no idea how much that one simple phrase would change her life." Watch out for those as you read.
What about you? Have you read this book? If so let me know what you think. Do you agree with my comments? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
*This page contains affiliate links.
, a book I absolutely loved. As usual, I'll try to avoid spoilers, but be warned, their may be some minor ones. I'm going to stick with the format I tried out in my last post, since I really liked it. Please remember that these are my opinions as a reader, and that they are based on my experience reading this and other books. Summary (From Amazon.com)
New York City, 1972—A dabbler in mathematics and chess, Catherine Velis is also a computer expert for a Big Eight accounting firm. Before heading off to a new assignment in Algeria, Cat has her palm read by a fortune-teller. The woman warns Cat of danger. Then an antiques dealer approaches Cat with a mysterious offer: He has an anonymous client who is trying to collect the pieces of an ancient chess service, purported to be in Algeria. If Cat can bring the pieces back, there will be a generous reward.The South of France, 1790—Mireille de Remy and her cousin Valentine are young novices at the fortresslike Montglane Abbey. With France aflame in revolution, the two girls burn to rebel against constricted convent life—and their means of escape is at hand. Buried deep within the abbey are pieces of the Montglane Chess Service, once owned by Charlemagne. Whoever reassembles the pieces can play a game of unlimited power. But to keep the Game a secret from those who would abuse it, the two young women must scatter the pieces throughout the world. . . .
My Review
Let's start with characters. I really liked the characters in this book. I felt like they were really well fleshed out, and they all had unique personalities. This pretty impressive considering the sheer number of characters in this book, considering both timelines. I felt pretty connected to both Mireille and Cat, as well as many of the other characters including Talirand, Lily, and the Abbess.About the plot... This is a big one. The plot is really quite complex and enjoyable. With that said, (and some minor spoilers ahead for those worried about that sort of thing), the ending was a bit of a let down for me. The build up was impressive, and keeping track of all the players got a bit complicated at times, but I was a bit disapointed by the ending. That's all I'll say on that for now.
The writing was enjoyable, and I don't have any complaints about it, but I also don't have any other real comments about her style. My mom and I were reading this at the same time, and there are some things that almost became jokes that it can be fun to look out for when reading. The first is references to the number eight. Many of them don't even directly influence the plot, which is fun. To get you started, one is that Cat works for a Big Eight accounting firm. The second thing is the number of famous people in this book. I mean, any famous person who MIGHT have been passing through Paris in the late 1700's is there. The third thing is the "stories." Whenever another character is telling their story to another character, it is headed with the words "The Abbess's Tale" or "Lily's Tale" and so on. The last thing is the way she uses phrases like "little did she know how different her life would be in just three short hours." Or "She had no idea how much that one simple phrase would change her life." Watch out for those as you read.
Who Should Read It?
I think people who like chess would like this book. I'm not into chess and I loved it, but I think you would get even more out of it if you got all the chess references. People who like mystery and intreuge would like this book as well. It's not a short book, so be prepared to be in it for the long haul.What about you? Have you read this book? If so let me know what you think. Do you agree with my comments? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
*This page contains affiliate links.
Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars - Nick James
Today I am reviewing Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars 
by Nick James. I have decided to do something a little different today in my review format. Along with my typical characters-plot-writing review, I am going to add a brief summary (probably just the one on the Amazon page), plus section about who I recommend (or don't recommend) this book for. Warning: some parts of this review are slightly spoilery, though nothing too big is revealed.
Jesse Fisher, a Skyship slacker, and Cassius Stevenson, a young Surface operative, cross paths when they both venture into forbidden territory in pursuit of Pearls. Their chance encounter triggers an unexpected reaction, endowing each boy with remarkable—and dangerous—abilities that their respective governments would stop at nothing to possess.
Enemies thrust together with a common goal, Jesse and Cassius make their way to the ruins of Seattle to uncover the truth about their new powers, the past they didn't know they shared, and a shocking secret about the Pearls.
I liked the plot more than I thought I would. The ending was almost cheesy, but somehow managed to avoid that title. I don't have a whole lot else to say about the plot other then that it flowed pretty well, and kept up with the characters well (expect a post on this topic sometime in the future).
On to writing. For the most part, the writing is strictly middle rating. It was pretty good, and I often stopped noticing it altogether. The one thing that I disliked about the writing was that it often shifted back and forth between first and third person, and between present and past tense. When I had the opprotunity to talk a little with the author at a teen writing conference I was at (expect a post later this week), he mentioned that choice he made. He said that he did it to help created unique identities for Jesse and Cassius. When Jesse is narrating, it is in first person present, but Cassius's chapters are third person past. As I thought more about it, I realized that this aspect I did not like was a huge factor in my favorite aspect (the unique qualities of the main characters).
*This post contains affiliate links.
by Nick James. I have decided to do something a little different today in my review format. Along with my typical characters-plot-writing review, I am going to add a brief summary (probably just the one on the Amazon page), plus section about who I recommend (or don't recommend) this book for. Warning: some parts of this review are slightly spoilery, though nothing too big is revealed. Summary (from Amazon.com)
A devastated Earth's last hope is found in Pearls: small, mysterious orbs that fall from space and are capable of supplying enough energy to power entire cities. Battling to control the Pearls are the Skyship dwellers—political dissidents who live in massive ships in the Earth's stratosphere—and the corrupt Surface government.Jesse Fisher, a Skyship slacker, and Cassius Stevenson, a young Surface operative, cross paths when they both venture into forbidden territory in pursuit of Pearls. Their chance encounter triggers an unexpected reaction, endowing each boy with remarkable—and dangerous—abilities that their respective governments would stop at nothing to possess.
Enemies thrust together with a common goal, Jesse and Cassius make their way to the ruins of Seattle to uncover the truth about their new powers, the past they didn't know they shared, and a shocking secret about the Pearls.
My Review
As usual, let's start with characters. There were not really any characters that I loved in this book. The two main characters (Jesse and Cassius) were both well developed, unique characters, whom I just did not like. It is important to note, however, that they can still be terrific characters if they are unlikable. My problem lies with all the other characters. I felt that none of the other characters were that well fleshed out, even the villains, and the supporting characters who were important parts of the story.I liked the plot more than I thought I would. The ending was almost cheesy, but somehow managed to avoid that title. I don't have a whole lot else to say about the plot other then that it flowed pretty well, and kept up with the characters well (expect a post on this topic sometime in the future).
On to writing. For the most part, the writing is strictly middle rating. It was pretty good, and I often stopped noticing it altogether. The one thing that I disliked about the writing was that it often shifted back and forth between first and third person, and between present and past tense. When I had the opprotunity to talk a little with the author at a teen writing conference I was at (expect a post later this week), he mentioned that choice he made. He said that he did it to help created unique identities for Jesse and Cassius. When Jesse is narrating, it is in first person present, but Cassius's chapters are third person past. As I thought more about it, I realized that this aspect I did not like was a huge factor in my favorite aspect (the unique qualities of the main characters).
Who Should Read It?
This is a good "boy book" more then most YA books, so I would recommend it to most preteen and maybe teen boys. If you are looking for a fun, quick, interesting summer read, I highly recommend checking this book out. Don't go into it with super high expectations and you won't be disappointed.*This post contains affiliate links.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Summer Update #1
It's been a bit quite here lately, but I have been busy. I have been updating the Summer Reading 2013 page regularly, so if you want to know what I've been up to, check that out. :)
I'm finishing up the school year right now, and getting ready to spend a week on the Oregon coast. This week will be busy with school and of course the 4th, and then we will be in Oregon from the 6th to the 11th. Hopefully I'll have some time to blog while on vacation, but if not, this will be it for a while. I know I have been getting behind on posting book reviews, but I hope to get caught up on those over the next week or two.
If you check out my Summer Reading 2013 page, you'll see that some reviews have a note that says: (review coming soon!). These mean exactly what they look like. Hopefully reviews of all those books will be up quite soon.
If I have time when I'm done with school, I'll start back up with Homeschool Fridays, which will be talking about this past school year, though I'm not promising anything yet about when that will happen. September at the very latest.
I've got to go now and hide from the heat wave we're having right now. I'm not sure exactly how hot it is right now, but it got close to 90 yesterday!
What are you doing this summer?
I'm finishing up the school year right now, and getting ready to spend a week on the Oregon coast. This week will be busy with school and of course the 4th, and then we will be in Oregon from the 6th to the 11th. Hopefully I'll have some time to blog while on vacation, but if not, this will be it for a while. I know I have been getting behind on posting book reviews, but I hope to get caught up on those over the next week or two.
If you check out my Summer Reading 2013 page, you'll see that some reviews have a note that says: (review coming soon!). These mean exactly what they look like. Hopefully reviews of all those books will be up quite soon.
If I have time when I'm done with school, I'll start back up with Homeschool Fridays, which will be talking about this past school year, though I'm not promising anything yet about when that will happen. September at the very latest.
I've got to go now and hide from the heat wave we're having right now. I'm not sure exactly how hot it is right now, but it got close to 90 yesterday!
What are you doing this summer?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)