tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89955801937669949692024-01-06T23:08:29.230-08:00Reviews 2 ShareReviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-11563235277029019222013-08-27T15:59:00.001-07:002013-08-28T17:27:35.968-07:00Review: Fly By Night<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> I’m going to take a moment to review one of my favorite books. It's nothing recent, in fact it has been out for some time.... but it is 100% quality. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> It is the kind of book I want to sing the praises of on the roof tops and plug to every person I know. It’s called <i>Fly By Night</i>, and it is by a woman named Francis Hardinge. It is about a young girl named Mosca who lives in a Victorian-inspired world where books and reading have been banned. Mosca is one of the few people who can read, but that is a dangerous skill to have. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>When she runs away from her cruel uncle, she meets the wordy con man, Eponymous Clint, and gets wrapped up in a very different world and has many adventures.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> There is also a cantankerous goose named Saracen, so you know it is going to be a fun ride. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> Hardinge is an author who deserves a lot more recognition. Her writing is wonderfully whimsical, the wordplay out of this world, and extremely funny to boot. Reading this book is a great pleasure not only for the unique characters and interesting premise, but for the fact that every page is steeped in the most colorful, witty language I have read in a long time. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> The story is a good old fashioned rollicking adventure, but it remains clever and multi-faceted, throughout. The world is whimsical but well built. </span>This is a book that, for me, is an essential in any good personal library. </div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> So do yourself a favor. Next time you are longing for a entertaining, smart, all around delightful read, go find <i>Fly By Night</i>. Go on. I'm waiting... </span></div>
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<span class="s1">~Tessa </span></div>
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Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-47086746981521622182013-07-18T15:33:00.001-07:002013-07-18T15:33:23.054-07:00Review--"And The Mountains Echoed"<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> I have long been a fan of author, Khaleed Hosseini, of “Kite Runner” fame, and his latest book, “And The Mountains Echoed” didn’t disappoint. Larger in scope than “Kite Runner”, it follows several interwoven characters through their lives, as they journey across the globe, from Kabul to Paris, to Greece, and America.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> In spite of being at times confusing, with sudden transitions and junctures, Hosseini manages, with his capacious talent for writing, to maintain the story arc throughout. The concept of family becomes intriguing, as does the idea of “home”, and what constitutes one’s cultural heritage. In the modern world, where very few people stay in one place, the lines are becoming blurred, and this idea is explored beautifully, with all the characters impacted, as in real life, by both internal and external forces, that help determine who they become as people.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> Poetic and meditative, with a gentle pace, “And The Mountains Echoed” is the perfect book for a rainy evening, when one is feeling introspective. Poor a cup of tea, put your feet up, and enjoy.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">~Karina</span></div>
Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-6822190394425142482013-07-16T11:53:00.001-07:002013-07-16T11:53:27.254-07:00Review--"Sharp Objects" Fans of Gillian Flynn's popular thriller, "Gone Girl" might have seen "Sharp Objects" on the shelf and wanted to give it a read. Be warned--deeper, darker mysteries await. Less psychological head game than "Gone Girl", and more macabre and disturbing, "Sharp Objects" is not for the prudish or righteous.<br />
Flawed characters abound, and ugly lifestyles loom large, not sparing the heroine, a reporter returning to her small, insular hometown to investigate some child murders. Flynn manages to build characters that seem both real and impossibly imaginary, characters whose foibles and imperfections become normal and acceptable.... a world where if everyone is crazy, then no one is.<br />
Ugly, violent, and warped are all fitting terms for a book where the characters themselves are, metaphorically-speaking, the "sharp objects" in question. Reading the book is kind of like witnessing a terrible accident. You want to look away, but you are compelled to gaze on in horror as circumstances unfold.<br />
Though I don't know if I call myself a fan of Flynn's writing, I can certainly say she bewitches readers with her words, drawing unsuspecting souls into a world where everything is askew and the way out becomes muddy and hidden. Only when she is done with you, does Flynn spit you out, sullied and shaken, yet oddly ready to return for more.<br />
~KarinaReviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-14527538978348781572013-07-12T06:52:00.003-07:002013-07-12T06:52:40.396-07:00Review--Misadventures of a Garden State Yogi<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Laughter, Grace, and Yoga, Oh My!</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Anxiety.... it’s safe to say that every American suffers from it, at least from time to time. Attention Deficit Disorder is an affliction suffered by fewer, but one that is more frequently diagnosed in our modern culture newly fascinated with instantaneous information and governed by shorter attentions spans. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>More often than not, ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) is managed with drugs, joining the ranks of diseases and disorders for which an extremely expensive little pill is the promised cure. Occasionally, though, people try to manage their afflictions in a more holistic way, through diet, exercise, and other alternatives that are attempts to forego the medicated path. These attempts are met with mixed results, depending on the individual, the condition being managed, and the methods used. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Eastern philosophies and practices have gained an increasing foothold in the western world, and meditation, bikram, and lotus position, are no longer merely exotic terms found only inside the boundaries of a bohemian commune in the rolling hills of Northern California. Yoga has hit the mainstream and every YMCA features a myriad of classes, and specialty yoga centers are on every street corner.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>In his belly-achingly funny book, “Adventures of a Garden State Yogi”, author Brian Leaf immerses the reader in the world of yoga as though narrating an episode of <i>Portlandia. </i>Barely two paragraphs into this charming memoir-style self-help book, one’s stomach muscles are aching from laughter as though one has spent the last half hour in plank pose. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Yoga literacy is not necessary to enjoy Leaf’s account of his journey through the discovery of the discipline in 1989, which was, according to the author, “... before many guys did yoga. Men can now hug and cry and do yoga and drink white wine and wear an apron and cook free-range chicken picatta. But in 1989, we were pretty much hemmed in between Al Bundy and Magnum P.I.--limited to watching televised sports, eating large pieces of meat, and drinking cheap beer stored in a small fridge next to the couch.”</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Landing upon a yoga class as an elective at Georgetown University (by-passing the less “exotic” choices of jazz dance, squash, and step aerobics), Leaf quickly discovers that he is exactly where he is meant to be. “Oskar’s yoga class touched the right chord and made my soul sing. I had signed up for yoga on a lark, but even in that first class, I knew what I had found.” </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>What he had found, in addition to an elixir for his blossoming ADD, was a natural remedy for his colitis, which had flared up regularly since high school. Detailed in a humorous and (very) self-deprecating style, the author highlights the travails of his stress-induced gastrointestinal nightmares in a <i>Seinfeld-esque </i>journey to cure his chronic ailments and to, ultimately, find inner peace. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Part road trip memoir, part spiritual guidance manual, “Adventures of a Garden State Yogi” has one “ommmming” right along with Leaf, a humorous guru who does not take himself or the practice of yoga too seriously. He performs “serious” yoga, but he clearly left his ego back in the 80’s with the “very tight spandex, neon sweatbands, leg warmers, and feather hair.” </span></div>
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<span class="s1">~Karina</span></div>
Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-23686282061947807522013-07-05T18:01:00.000-07:002013-07-05T18:01:01.861-07:00Review: Fever<br />
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Typhoid Mary. It's a term that has been used enough in our culture to be familiar, but what is not commonplace is the source of the term, the real woman who bore that infamous title. I'll be the first to admit that I was unaware of the derivation of the phrase. I honestly had never really thought about it. Clearly, though, author Mary Beth Keane did give it some thought, and has written "Fever", her novel based on the tragic circumstance of Irish immigrant, Mary Mallon, who became famous in the early 20th Century for nothing more than not getting sick.</div>
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Typhoid was rampant in the filthy urban environments of the East Coast during the Industrial Revolution. Little was understood about the spreading of disease, and the idea of cleanliness and hygiene had not taken root. Keane's fascinating account of the capture and imprisonment of the young cook, Mary Mallon, reads well and paints a vivid picture of her unfortunate life, in which the public health department of New York determined she was a threat to society, a carrier of Typhoid, putting her in confinement on an island in the East River.</div>
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Mary Mallon emerges as a very tangible character, a strong woman with a talent for cooking and a caring nature. But, her life is turned upside down by the fear of the community, which find it is easier to hide her away as a pariah, convinced she is a health hazard.</div>
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"Fever" brings the streets of New York alive, and reminds one that history is not just names without faces attached. Lessons can be learned by digging a little deeper and discovering the true stories beneath the names. This was a joy to read.</div>
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~Karina</div>
Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-32927428563148612782013-04-30T08:36:00.000-07:002013-04-30T15:25:48.852-07:00Review: The Great Gatsby <br />
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<span class="s1">Is The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, great? </span></div>
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The Great Gatsby is an incredibly well-known book. Practically every high school student is required to read it, and I am no exception.</div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I tried to go into this book with an open mind, seeing as the people I have met and talked to about it seem to either love it and think it is one of the most brilliant books ever to be written--or they hate it. With a passion. So where do I lie on the spectrum? </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>The Great Gatsby is set in the roaring twenties, and the setting feels very rich. It is narrated by Nick Carraway, and it is about the fashionable and careless world of the time, and a very mysterious man: Jay Gatsby.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>The book is written in a rhythmic, decadent style. Fitzgerald must have loved his thesaurus. It has a rather pretentious and over written feel, at least to me, but that almost enhances the tone of the book. I think it works perfectly, and some of the passages are quite beautiful. Considering I have been quoting the book as well (much to the annoyance of my mother) you could say that I liked the writing quite a lot. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>The characters of The Great Gatsby are not very likable. In fact, I did not find a single one of them to be a good person. And yet they are still compelling to read about, and despite their selfish, shallow ways, they feel realistic. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>The book was strangely intriguing to me. I can see why it can be considered boring, but much like with a soap opera, I was fascinated in spite of myself. I loved the dynamics between all these horrible people, and I loved the drama of the story. It was terribly pretentious and yet terribly entertaining. Fitzgerald even manages to interject some great humor into the short novel, and I found myself chuckling throughout the book, which I did not expect to happen. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>That being said, I didn’t love it. It won’t appear on my shelf of favorites, and I do think it is a bit overrated. There was something about America’s famous novella about the American dream that I found difficult to connect with. Perhaps it was the characters, who are not likable. Perhaps it was the plot, or the themes, or even the writing. Whatever the reason, it is never going to end up as something that I recommend to everyone I see, or will herald as one of the greatest books I have read. I liked it, and I think it made some very interesting points, but that is all the impression it made. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Long story short, should you read it? If you want to see what all the fuss is about, sure. You may love it, or you may hate it, or simply be interested like me. But I think considering the impact the book has on pop culture, it is definitely worth reading, and beyond that, it <i>is</i> a good book. </span><br />
<span class="s1">~Tessa </span></div>
Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-55675885916862832772013-04-16T18:01:00.002-07:002013-04-16T18:01:41.721-07:00Review--The Summer of France Who wouldn't like to spend a summer in the hills of Provence? It's the dream of many and the reality of a few. Paulita Kincer's charming escapist novel, "The Summer of France" will appeal to readers who envision themselves escaping to the picturesque environs of Southern France. Seemingly part homage to "Under the Tuscan Sun" and "A Year in Provence types of travel journals, Ms. Kincer's novel goes further, adding in layers of intrigue and family drama, and even a little hanky-panky.... this is France, after all.<br />
Easily read in an afternoon, this is the perfect book to take to the beach or the poolside, as you dream yourself away to the Cote D'Azur, even if you can't get there in person. Escapism, in every sense of the word.<br />
~KarinaReviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-83872888065418963462013-04-16T14:31:00.003-07:002013-04-16T14:31:33.018-07:00Review--Death in the City of Light As everyone knows, WWII certainly has its share of horror stories, and I thought I had heard most of them. Thus, I was intrigued when I came across David King's meticulously researched account of real-world French serial killer, Marcel Petiot, who terrorized Nazi-occupied Paris, taking advantage of the tumultuous atmosphere for his own nefarious intentions. Having been born long after the 1940's, and being unaware of this larger-than-life demonic criminal, I was fascinated. Petiot cleverly exploited the conditions in Paris under Nazi occupation, and he caused the horrific death of many who were already suffering so terribly at the hands of the Germans.<br />
"Death in the City of Light" reads easily, and it is by no means a dry courtroom drama. That sense of being aware that something terrible is happening, yet finding myself unable to look away, is a feeling that builds throughout this compelling book, which includes photographs of the crime scene and of the farcical jury trial that followed. Petiot's disturbing countenance stares out from several of the images, and details of his intelligence and charm reminded me of that fictional counterpart, Hannibal Lechter.<br />
But, knowing that this madman was real makes the story that much more gripping, and his placement in one of the darkest times in modern European history made this read a captivating one. I highly recommend it.<br />
~KarinaReviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-56843812893559765072013-04-05T10:41:00.001-07:002013-04-05T10:41:44.406-07:00Review--"Gone Girl" This book may need no introduction, as it seems to be everywhere and it is all the rage, but I'll throw my 2 cents in anyway. Gillian Flynn's "Gone Girl" has put a pleasant (disturbing) new twist on the world of the suspense/thriller novel. There is no political intrigue or international espionage to flesh out this tale, but rather your average domestic relationship gone terribly awry. <div>
"Gone Girl" is written from the joint persecutive of the two main characters, who seem to share the roles of both protagonist and antagonist, depending on the point of view and the disposition of the reader. And the reader's feelings toward Nick and Amy Dunne definitely flit about, almost as quickly as the shifting viewpoints. What does remain steady throughout this very tightly drawn narrative, is the inkling that something is terribly wrong with these people, and things cannot end well. The "gone" part of "Gone Girl" implies more than just a literal disappearance; it reflects, too, the mental instability of one of the characters as well as the dissolving layers of this young couple's relationship. </div>
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If you are looking for something different, something dark and slightly askew, but thoroughly engrossing, give "Gone Girl" a go!</div>
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~Karina<br /><div>
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Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-69595713889731707182013-03-11T15:21:00.003-07:002013-03-11T15:21:24.750-07:00Books 1&2: The Girl of Fire and Thorns/Crown of Thorns<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I cracked open these books, the first two of a trilogy, with much excitement, and they did not disappoint. The Girl of Fire and Thorns and the second, Crown of Thorns, by Rae Carson, are both richly imagined fantasies set in a world filled with deceit, romance, and fast-paced adventure. Best of all, they sport a complex story arc.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The landscape is grand and sweeping, with terrifying forests, forbidding mountains, and barren deserts. The heroine, Elisa, is refreshing and unexpected, an imperfect, over-eating princess, who sets off to fulfill her destiny, to marry a neighboring land's king to keep peace across the borders.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Expecting her future husband to be old, fat, and unpleasant, she is surprised upon meeting her betrothed, who is equally impressed by the unexpected nature of his mate. But, married life between the two secretive kingdoms is not all comfort and romance, for there is a twist, several twists, in fact.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Elise has something special about her, a faceted magical stone that has been part of her person since birth, but she knows nothing of managing the power pulsing from the Godstone that has the potential to topple kingdoms and turn greedy men to ill deeds. She is challenged at every turn and must dig deeply to find the strength to lead a revolution. Bravo, Ms. Carson--can’t wait for the final adventure!<br />
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~Karina<br />
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Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-43268972012930795212013-02-15T15:41:00.002-08:002013-02-15T15:41:50.776-08:00Review-The Last Unicorn
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<span class="s1"><i>The Last Unicorn</i> by Peter S. Beagle is a fantasy classic, and I am glad I got around to reading the little gem. It tells the simple yet lovely story of a unicorn venturing forth from her woods in search of her missing comrades. </span>A long the way, she meets an assortment of unique characters, from a wizard named Schmendrick to a fiery woman named Molly Grue. Throw in <i>lots </i>of magic, robin hood references, and a insane king, and you have one interesting ride. </div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>The writing is simply amazing. It is lush and poetic, suffused with the exact kind of magic that makes fantasy worthwhile. It is also filled with witty, irreverent jabs of humor that will have you chuckling as you read. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>The story feels very much like a fairytale, and Beagle is skilled enough to draw you effortlessly in. Indeed, it felt very much like an old fable, and I enjoyed every minute of it. All is not fun and games, however, as The Last Unicorn is filled with a beautiful melancholy atmosphere which is truly hard to describe. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>It plays effortlessly with fairytale cliches, managing to spin them into something both amusing and believable. While the pace is slow and almost delicate, it fits perfectly with the overall tone of the novel--though If you are looking for cheap thrills, I suggest you look elsewhere. For the fantasy lover or simply the avid reader, <i>The Last Unicorn</i> is a book that is sure to delight. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">~Tessa</span></div>
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Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-67374813701425389192013-01-10T15:00:00.001-08:002013-01-10T15:00:54.825-08:00Review: Paper Towns
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<span class="s1"> <i>Paper Towns</i> is my second John Green book, and if I didn’t already love the author for his being one of the awesome Vlogbrothers, his books have sealed the deal. While I still liked<i> The Fault in Our Stars</i> a bit more than <i>Paper Towns</i>, it is an excellent book that I thoroughly enjoyed. </span></div>
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It follows the story of Quentin Jacobsen, a senior in high school who is madly in love with the absolutely fascinating Margo Roth Spiegelman. He has been content with watching her exploits from afar, until one day she shows up at his window in full ninja garb, and takes him on the one night adventure of a lifetime. And then, as soon as she came, she is gone, leaving a trail of clues that only Quentin can decipher. </div>
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<i>Paper Towns</i> is definitely a page turner as the mystery rushes to an unsure climax, leaving you unable to do anything but hold on for the ride. The characters feel like real people with real feelings, not merely cardboard cut-outs, which is a good thing in any book and refreshing to find in the YA scene lately. Also, like <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i>, <i>Paper Towns</i> manages to be really funny, adding to the enjoyment tenfold. </div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> I can easily see why John Green’s books are so popular, as they are great--funny, poignant, and honest. I am looking forward to reading more. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">~Tessa </span></div>
Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-78334534652620997962013-01-07T06:38:00.001-08:002013-01-07T06:38:45.376-08:00Review--Anything Worth Doing<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lifestyle choices say a lot about a person. One can be defined as a couch potato, a daredevil, or a wallflower, for example. The couch potato’s lofty goals include navigating the TV Guide each night and seeking adventure no further than a flat screen HD, 48 inch. A daredevil looks for thrills anywhere he or she can get them, often with no particular interest in the journey, the rewarding adrenaline rush being the only goal. The wallflower makes an art out of fading into the woodwork and floating through social settings on the periphery. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Then, there are those people who do what they do in life for the simple reason that they can live life no other way--a calling, a yearning, a passion... it all comes down to the same thing; a need to live life to the fullest, no matter the risks. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>Anything Worth Doing</i>, by Jo Deurbrouck is a story of one such life, a life lived on a river--all rivers, really, but one river, in particular, one river that tempted, rewarded, and eventually punished Clancy Reese. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Anything worth doing is worth overdoing” is a maxim common to adventurers, whether it is climbing the highest mountain--without supplemental oxygen, or diving the deepest blue hole, or traversing a frigid Pole, alone. This motto became the driving force for two experienced professional rafting guides, Jon Barker and Clancy Reese, as they embarked on an epic journey, 900 miles of the tumbling, churning, and meandering white waters of the Salmon, Snake, and Columbia Rivers, from their shared source to their final bow at the Pacific Ocean.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Securing the 2012 National Outdoor Book Award, Jo Deurbrouck has landed herself in good company, alongside such masters of adventure literature as Farley Mowat, Greg Child, Joe Simpson, and Henry David Thoreau. While the author’s narrative succeeds in bringing to life a larger-than-life individual, Clancy Reese, the main character is the river, itself, which lives powerfully on every page, through each triumph and up to the ultimate tragedy. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A lovingly built dory, a speed-record goal, and two devoted men of the river, all help make <i>Anything Worth Doing </i>a gripping account of a rapidly disappearing world, where rivers spill uninhibited and eddy through one of the last remaining expanses of wilderness of the Western United States. Clancy Reese spent a decade in a romance with the mighty Idaho headwaters, and Jo Deubrouck’s homage to his adventurous spirit is a book most definitely “worth doing”.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">~Karina</span></div>
Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-37259695570989053702012-11-15T09:14:00.000-08:002012-11-15T09:16:31.321-08:00The Chronicles of Chrestomanci Review So the book I’m going to review today is not really a recent book--nor is it a YA book, my usual reviewing stock. I really liked the book though, and I thought it would be nice to pay tribute to my favorite fantasy author, Diana Wynne Jones.<br />
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span><i>The Chronicles of Chrestomanci</i> is one of Diana Wynne Jones most well known series, and though it has sat on my shelf for years, I haven’t given it a good go before now. My volume is an omnibus compilation of the first two books in the children’s series,<i> Charmed Life</i> and <i>The Lives of Christopher</i> <i>Chant</i>. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> <i>Charmed Life</i> stars Cat (which is somehow a nickname for Eric) Chant, a young boy who is convinced he has no magical talents at all. This is rather disappointing for Cat, because his sister Gwendolyn is quite a powerful and ambitious witch. Things become interesting when Cat and Gwendolyn go to live at the castle of a powerful enchanter, Chrestomanci. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span><i>The Lives of Christopher Chant</i> takes place twenty five years before <i>Charmed Life</i> and follows Christopher, the boy who will one day become the Chrestomanci in <i>Charmed Life</i>. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> Both books are quite delightful. This is not surprising. Jones has always had the ability to charm. Her books are witty, funny, and a little scatterbrained, but ultimately incredibly endearing. I really liked the characters in the book, they all felt well thought out. Though Cat very timid, I found myself immediately rooting for him. As for Christopher, he ranks up there with Howl. Diana Wynne Jones also does a good job of making adult Christopher and child Christopher seem like the same person. The lives of Christopher Chant also introduces some of my favorite characters, Tacroy and Throgmorten. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> The magic system in the world of Chrestomanci can be a little confusing, but the parallel world concept adds for some amusing hijinks. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> The book is not perfect, tending at times to be rather confusing and inconsistent, but it was so entertaining that I really didn’t mind. I probably am a little biased, though. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Overall, <i>The Chronicles of Chrestomanci</i> is a book that I would give to anybody who enjoyed the Harry Potter books. Both feature your classic wizardry type magic, and lots of humor. Anybody who is fond of Diana Wynne Jones should also check this series out. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Now I just need to pick up the next book! </span><br />
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<span class="s1">~Tessa</span></div>
Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-12889286220463019712012-10-21T04:47:00.001-07:002012-10-21T04:47:15.144-07:00Review--Wild <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">Since human civilization began, people have ventured into the wild to challenge themselves, whether to confront some inner demons, or to prove a point to the world, or simply, as in George Mallory’s famous words about his attempt on Mt. Everest, “because it’s there.” Countless stories have been told of such adventures, many of them dreary documentaries of endless days of monotony and routine.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Occasionally, though, a book comes along that makes the day-to-day trials and tribulations seem worthy of note, and even a chuckle or two. <i>Wild,</i> by Cheryl Strayed, is one such narrative. Self-deprecating and humorous, this Oprah Book Club pick has taken the arm chair adventurer-world by storm. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What Bill Bryson’s popular travel narrative, <i>A Walk in the Woods, </i>did for the Appalachian Trail, Strayed’s blow-by-blow account does for the longer and higher Pacific Crest Trail. Sitting at home, one can feel the heat, hear the rattlesnakes threatening, feel the dirt and grime of weeks on the trail, and soak up the joys of that unique solitude found only in nature.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What leads this young woman onto the 2,663 mile long trail in the first place, though, is part of the appeal of her story. Barely in her 20’s, Cheryl Strayed is faced with her mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis and subsequent death. Blindsided by the suddenness of her grief, and unable to cope with the tragic loss of her anchor and the crumbling of her family, the author’s world spirals into a tailspin, as heavy drugs and promiscuities take hold and her own short marriage dissolves.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Living dangerously comes in many forms, and Cheryl Strayed takes the prize for sheer audacity and variety. From shooting up heroin with her latest fling to setting off, alone and ill-prepared, on an extreme athletic endeavor is the height of contrasts, and therein lies the primary attraction of <i>Wild.</i> Strayed (not her real name, but an aptly suited and prophetic one chosen after her divorce) is an immediately fascinating narrator, as she clearly identifies and calls herself out on her many demons, naming them, and acknowledging them, not an easy feat for many people.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>With plenty of journal-type descriptives, <i>Wild</i>’s allure comes primarily from Strayed’s competent writing, which flows up hill and over dale, as the landscape unfolds beneath her weary feet. Characters met along the journey take on distinct personalities, and the Pacific Crest Trail, itself, becomes the most developed character of them all, cradling the author’s every step, as she sheds her tattered skin, and matures, with every painful mile logged.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Learning lessons both mundane and profound, Strayed manages to complete her task, healing her damaged soul in the bargain. Nature has an overwhelming tendency to force one to confront priorities, peeling away the the layers of remorse, pride, convention, and foolishness. The “why” of it all had to do, in Strayed’s words, with, “how it felt to be in the wild. With what it was like to walk for miles for no reason other than to witness the accumulation of trees and meadows, mountains and deserts, streams and rocks, rivers and grasses, sunrises and sunsets. The experience was powerful and fundamental. It seemed to me that it had always felt this way to be a human in the wild, and as long as the wild existed it would always feel this way.” </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Through humor, honesty, and a well-written narrative, Strayed is an endearing guide through her personal journey of discovery, which is made even more enticing because it reflects the overall pilgrimage called life, confirming Henry David Thoreau’s famous words, “Not until we are lost, do we begin to understand ourselves.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">~Karina</span></div>
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Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-56719514625296386222012-10-14T06:57:00.001-07:002012-10-14T06:57:29.015-07:00Review: Raven's Seal<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Clearly, author Andrei Baltakmens is a fan of Charles Dickens, as his scholarly credentials support, and his writing style exudes, and readers are the better for it. For fans of Victorian and Revolutionary era classics, The Raven's Seal will be right up your alley... as long as it is a dark, seedy, Airenchester alley. Intelligent and richly woven, this novel will bring to mind Hugo, Dumas, and of course, Dickens, as the author drives the narrative deep into the heart of a fictional British city's Victorian underbelly, with its cutpurses, prostitutes, and the fallen upperclass hero, whose fortunes turn when he is wrongfully accused of a ghastly murder. Bellstrom Gaol, which no man, woman, or child ever wants to enter, becomes the backdrop for this vivid portrayal of 18th Century England's urban landscape. </span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> This book hits shelves on November 1st, so if well-written period drama is your style, add The Raven's Seal to your list.</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">~Karina</span></b>Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-45891186849875847372012-09-26T17:39:00.002-07:002012-09-26T17:39:36.091-07:00Review--Under This Unbroken Sky Occasionally, a book crosses my path that leaves me breathless<i> </i>with wonderment and awe, as well as filled with deep respect for the author.<i> Under This Unbroken Sky,</i> by Shandi Mitchell is one such book. Heartbreaking and intense, delicately crafted, and stunning in its simplicity, this telling of a Depression-era immigrant family, battling the challenges of their new life upon the vast Canadian prairie, where the sky is immense and unforgiving and the winters are harsh, is unforgettable.<br />
Mitchell's skills as a screenwriter served her well in this, her first novel. Every word is placed deliberately, with nothing wasted, and the tale she spins is one that pulls you in, as the home-steading family battles the daily challenges of the life of a farmer during the difficult years of the mid-20th century. The story itself is engaging, but what really captivates is the author's word-craft, which has moments of profound beauty.<br />
Reminiscent of Steinbeck and Hardy, two of my favorite writers, Mitchell left me wanting to know more, as I savored every last word.<br />
Put this one at the top of your list! Excellent read.<br />
~KarinaReviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-67958498679573072232012-09-15T15:17:00.002-07:002012-09-15T15:17:31.768-07:00Review--The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Ok, I know I am late coming to the game on this one, and not sure why I never got around to reading it, but now that I have, I don't see what all the fuss is about.... really. Sorry, to all you "Hitchhiker" loyalists, but I found "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" boring, disjointed, and just silly... and not Monty Python/Camelot silly, which is brilliant, but "Airplane" or "Naked Gun" silly, but in book form, which brings in the "boring" aspect.<br />
Maybe if I had read "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" as a teenager, I would have chuckled more, or at least I would have been closer in time to the era in which it was written, which possibly might have helped.... but, alas, it was not the book for me... now, or, I expect, even back then.<br />
So, perhaps I need to attempt the reverse experiment.... instead of delaying on reading a classic, I will try to reread one I really didn't like at a younger age--maybe I'll find it magnificent now. Who knows. That book is "The Great Gatsby", another one that, in my mind, failed to live up to all the fuss. Rereading classics and discovering ones I missed is one of my favorite pastimes. Here's to new discoveries.<br />
~KarinaReviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-70087465214368527922012-07-26T11:47:00.000-07:002012-07-26T11:47:25.813-07:00Review--The Man Who Quit Money<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In the modern age, where success is often measured by one’s bank account and financial portfolio, the story of a man who walked away from that version of the American Dream might not resonate fully.... unless that story revolves around Daniel Suelo, whose transition from an average, comfortable existence to a life freed from the restraints of financial burdens reads like a hero’s quest, a quest for redemption, for self-discovery, and ultimately for his own soul. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Daniel Suelo’s life is eloquently documented in the recent book, <i>The Man Who Quit Money, </i>by Mark Sundeen, whose own fascination with Suelo has spanned 20 years. Daniel resurfaced in Sundeen’s mind shortly after the financial collapse of 2008, when money, and the increasing struggle to manage without it, were on everyone’s minds. In no way a social outcast, Suelo was a presence on the internet, with his own blog, maintained from regular visits to libraries and friends’ homes, and Sundeen found himself captivated once more by this man who had bucked the system in a big way, and who had come out the other side with a life, in Suelo’s terms, of “abundance”.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Determined to explore this alternative version of abundance, which by any modern measure is the antithesis of the definition of “having plenty”, the author convinced Suelo that the story of his life had resonance in this world of over-consumption and stress. Suelo allowed Sundeen into his world for several months, agreeing to the book project in a manner reflective of his all-or-nothing approach to life... not a thing would be held back, all the chapters of his life would be wide open, including the painful ones. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Struggling with faith in a deeply religious family, and reluctantly coming to terms with being gay, Suelo fought the conventional world, always feeling unfulfilled and incomplete, until one day he reached the breaking point, and drove his car off a cliff on the road to Mt. Evans. Having searched throughout the world for his spiritual “center” and failing in his attempt to end his life, Suelo made the very conscious choice to end his dependence on money, meticulously paying off all debts, until, in the ultimate terminal act, he left his final thirty dollars in a phone booth and headed out into the deserts of Moab, Utah.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Like Jon Krakauer’s <i>Into the Wild,</i> which details Chris McCandless’s own journey of enlightenment, <i>The Man Who Quit Money </i>deftly integrates the before-and-after aspects of Daniel Suelo’s life, clarifying a trajectory that seems inevitable. Living each moment consciously, guided by self-imposed rules of conduct--refusing charity, owning nothing but the clothes on his back and items found while dumpster-diving--Suelo thrives on what the rest of humanity discards. The basic process of living becomes deliberate and meaningful, something many modern people have lost. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Whether admiring of or critical of Suelo’s chosen lifestyle, one cannot help but be fascinated by the conscious nature of his decision to live without money. <i>The Man Who Quit Money </i>is not just about a life without cash to purchase creature comforts, rather it is a respectful homage to a culture that used to be the norm. Like Chris McCandless before him, Daniel Suelo has managed to live life close to the bone, but unlike the unlucky youth documented in Krakauer’s book, Daniel Suelo continues the experiment, with no signs of giving up. Taking even a page from his well-worn book might just save us all from ourselves in this rat race we call life.</span></div>
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~Karina</div>Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-1000378900550997342012-07-16T11:37:00.001-07:002012-07-16T11:37:13.614-07:00Review: Seraphina<i> Seraphina</i>, a YA fantasy novel by Rachel Hartman was a book I
had been looking forward to for months, one that I might have done
anything to get. Of course I bought it the moment it came out. Because
of my hype, if Seraphina turned out to be even a hair below
expectations... well, the result would not be pretty. Thankfully, Rachel
Hartman did not fail me. The book was very, very good, and thank
goodness, or I might have broken something. <br />
<i> Seraphina</i>
follows a talented musician named Seraphina Dombegh, a girl with a
secret. In a world where dragons take human shape, and live with humans
in uneasy truce, Seraphina has a foot in both worlds, and no one can
know.<br />
The world-building in this book is fantastic. The
dragons were unique and amazing, the city felt alive and the history was
believable. However, what really stuck out about this book was Phina
herself. I loved her. I really did. She was smart, brave and talented.
But also terribly lonely and distrustful (for good reason!). She was
believable and lovable, and I would have followed her to the ends of the
earth.<br />
Wonderful side characters abound, some of my
favorites being Orma, Lars and Glisselda, and no one is in the slightest
way one dimensional, friend or foe.<br />
There is an adorable
and clean romance between Seraphina and Lucian Kiggs, captain of the guard, which was very believable and sweet. It was also refreshing that
the romance was not the only point of the book, merely a wonderful sort
of side plot, because so many YA books fall into the sappy romance trap,
foregoing all aspects of plot.<br />
Ultimately, <i>Seraphina</i>
is a book that celebrates love. Love for family, a craft, friends, a
country, the kind of love that is pure and overpowering. Love is not a
disease.<br />
<i>Seraphina</i> was a five star of book for me. Combine
awesome world building, wit and humor, powerful characters and concepts
and some good old fashioned intrigue, and you have one awesome book on
your hands. Thank you, Rachel Hartman. <br />
~Tessa <br />
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<br />Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-38792665446120247362012-07-15T15:20:00.004-07:002012-07-15T15:20:59.307-07:00Review--Violence 101 What makes some people violent and others not? Is it nature or nurture that determines the tendency to inflict pain on others? Interesting topic, certainly, and one that could form the backbone for a fascinating novel--or NOT--in the case of <i>Violence 101, </i>New Zealand author, Denis Wright's take on the subject of violence in youth.<br />
Presented as a series of journal entries by rebellious, smart, and yes, violent teen, Hamish Graham, <i>Violence 101</i> is a shallow attempt to study a youngster who has chosen a path of violence... and in some cases extremely graphic and disturbing violence. With rare moments of complexity, the story revolves around a boy who is completely aware of his violent tendencies, and who revels in them, making the journal entries a narcissistic romp through the kid's self-centered imaginings.<br />
The boy, Hamish Graham glorifies war, finds everyone else around him to be stupid, and has delusions of grandeur that are lamely destroyed as the story comes to a climax. The resolution of the narrative is flat and uninspiring, and I felt no compulsion to pity or even to understand the boy, which I think was the intended point. I disliked him at the beginning and I disliked him at the end. Final word--I disliked the book!<br />
~KarinaReviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-9659907053413237292012-07-09T06:56:00.001-07:002012-07-09T06:56:09.465-07:00Review--The Challenge of Rainier<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> Living in and around mountains, as we do in Summit County, we learn to have an appreciation and a respect for the high limits of our peaks. This fondness for the alpine experience is a sentiment shared by renowned mountaineer, Dee Molenaar, whose career has spanned many decades, and whose book, <i>The Challenge of Rainier,</i> recently marked its 40th Anniversary in 2011, with the release of the updated 4th Edition, including a new Foreword by legendary climber, Ed Viesturs. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Dee Molenaar’s name was already familiar to me from <i>K2-The Savage Mountain, </i>Charles Houston’s account of the infamous and epic 1953 attempt on the world’s second highest peak. Molenaar’s experience on that Karakoram giant was shared by Summit County’s own legendary sportsman, Robert Craig, founder of the Keystone Science School and The Keystone Center.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What I did not know, until reading the dense, but engaging pages of Molenaar’s <i>The Challenge of Rainier,</i> was that he and Bob Craig had met before, sharing a climbing rope for their own adventure on Mount Rainier. “Dee and I did the first direct ascent of the Nisqually Icefall in 1947,” Craig said about his collaboration with Molenaar. “In 1953, we were teammates on the memorable American K2 Expedition. Dee was the ideal companion in high places - - steady, courageous, unselfish, and above all, humorous.” </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Aware that the 14,410 foot volcano is unique in the annals of mountaineering lore, I was prepared for a thorough documentary, but Molenaar’s deep knowledge of the mountain’s history impressed me. Unlike many authors who have documented historic climbs, Molenaar goes far beyond describing his own many years of experiences on the peak’s ridges and faces, choosing, instead, to detail Rainier’s mystical status throughout history, beginning well before the Europeans first spotted the massive peak rising above the waters of the Puget Sound.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Carefully documenting the volcano’s geologic birth, and the resulting distinct features that make the mountain such a coveted prize for mountaineers, Molenaar proceeds to “climb” the many routes on the mountain, as they were conquered, one by one since the first adventurers climbed up in their wool jackets and hob-nailed boots, often carrying nothing more than an alpenstock and a pocketful of prunes. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The precision of Molenaar’s descriptions often tended toward tedium, but being an “arm chair” fan of mountaineering literature for many years, and thus having become familiar with much of the terminology, I persevered, gaining a true feel of the mountain’s challenging contours, which clearly should never be underestimated. Many casual climbers have journeyed up its slopes, confident of their abilities to master the mountain, but the unpredictable nature of Rainier’s location in the Cascade Range, which can receive immense amounts of heavy snowfall, and the dynamic array of glaciers, steam caves, and avalanche-prone slopes, all conspire to keep Rainier’s upper summits (3 named--Columbia Crest, Point Success, and Liberty Cap) unattainable for all but the most capable of people. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Clearly, Molenaar was himself perfectly capable of navigating the many summit approaches, having studied the details from below and meticulously recording his beloved mountain through painstaking drawings from every angle. <i>The Challenge of Rainier </i>is filled with these sketches, exhibiting the author’s passion for the mountain upon which he honed the craft of mountaineering and guiding.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Countless lifelong climbing careers began on the slopes of Rainier, and Molenaar covers many of them, detailing the transitions ambitious youths made from eager beginners, diligently toe-kicking their way up the snowy inclines to the ranks of mature and highly-trained guides, rangers, or high-altitude expedition leaders. Numerous climbers, with their sights set on the most coveted of trophies, Mount Everest, sharpened their skills on Rainier, where weather patterns and the varied terrain mimic much of what is found on the highest peak in the world. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Of course, chronicles of mountaineering feats would not be complete without an examination of the tragedies that are inherent to the sport. Rainier has seen its share of fatal missteps and accidents, but rather than making them the main feature of the narrative, as in many other similar chronicles, Molenaar allowed first-hand accounts from witnesses to speak for the deceased and for their places in the mountain’s fabled history.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As my reading of <i>The Challenge of Rainier </i>came to a close, I marveled at how much I had learned about this spectacular mountain, whose grandeur is often overlooked because it has the good fortune of being on our own continent, in close proximity to a major U.S. city, rather than in some far-off exotic land. Dee Molenaar is a convincing advocate for this nation’s own “mountaineer’s mountain”. Mount Rainier is worthy of attention and reverence, and his finely-crafted book is a testament to that. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-32468062618600767712012-05-11T15:06:00.003-07:002012-05-11T15:08:02.208-07:00Review--The Apothecary Maile Meloy's clever and magical novel, <i>The Apothecary,</i> is the author's first foray into the realm of children's literature, and what a charming read it is. Sophisticated, but not overly mature, as so many books for young people are these days, <i>The Apothecary</i> retained an innocence throughout, in spite of the very heavy subject matter... The Cold War and nuclear proliferation.<br />
Transplanted to London, Janie, the heroine, is a teenager from California, coming to terms, like the rest of the world, with the new post WWII reality. Now, the terms Nazi, the Axis, and the Allies, have been replaced by the Soviets, Communism, atomic bombs, and Oppenheimer. But, this story is not all dark and ominous, even with the serious topic, for there are potions and magic books to give the tale a fun twist.<br />
There is romance, too, do not fear, but it is not the sappy, slutty variety, but rather sweet and age appropriate. And, the magic... what fun! It is presented in a playful manner, with elixirs that provide all sorts of excitement.... truth serums, invisibility, and transformations.<br />
Still, even though the story is light-hearted, there is tension and violence, but there is also an overarching theme of anti-war and nuclear non-proliferation, which makes it a good read for the 21st Century.<br />
~KarinaReviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-36191518104501467552012-05-08T10:46:00.001-07:002012-05-08T10:46:12.054-07:00Review--The Seamstress If you are feint of heart or would rather turn a blind eye to the uglier parts of human history, then this book might not be for you. But, if, like me, you feel the best way to touch the past is through the chronicles of real experiences, then <i>The Seamstress</i> is a perfect choice... perfect, not because of the topic, which is anything but, but rather because only through facing the deepest and darkest corners of man's nature can we ever become enlightened.<br />
Having myself written--on behalf of my father--a World War II memoir, I was eager to read this one, though I knew that it would cause great sadness... as it should. Countless Holocaust books have been written, but then again, countless Holocaust tragedies were experienced.<br />
Seren Tuvel Bernstein's memoir is striking, like Elie Wiesel's classic, <i>Night, </i> in that this particular survivor speaks in a clear voice, untainted by anger, bitterness, or enmity. Digging deeply into her painful memories, Ms. Bernstein recounts the joys of her pre-war life, and contrasts it with the downward spiral into war, and the horrors of the time she spent in Ravensbrück, one of Hitler's most notorious labor/death camps. Ravensbrück was unique in that it housed only women... tens of thousands of women... many of whom endured unspeakable experiments, and certainly terrifying and inhumane conditions.<br />
Ms. Bernstein chronicles the experience of surviving not only one camp, but two, the second being the infamous Dachau, which I have visited, and it is a place that will never leave me. Ms. Bernstein survived that camp's liberation weighing only 44 pounds; it is hard to imagine that life can be maintained at such a level, but man's resiliency is astounding, and Ms. Bernstein was lucky enough to be more hardy--both physically and emotionally--than many.<br />
Having been a part of my own father's revisiting of the war, I can relate very well to the experience Louise Loots Thorton and Marlene Bernstein Samuels, the "writers/interviewers" of Ms. Bernstein's memories, so I read this book with that in mind, remembering the difficulties I had getting my father to open up about particularly painful experiences.<br />
Some stories should be shared far and wide, the better to remind us of the scope of human suffering... and of the capacity for human compassion and love. <i>The Seamstress </i>is just such a book, a gift to us all, and it is with respect for all those who suffered, that I share it.<br />
~KarinaReviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995580193766994969.post-44822002171733686092012-05-01T20:32:00.001-07:002012-10-21T04:48:20.357-07:00Review: Sabriel <style>
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</style> <i>Sabriel</i>, by Garth Nix is a unique fantasy led by a strong,
capable young woman. <i>Sabriel</i> is set in an interesting world—a
sort of mix between WW2 level technology and classic Tolkien
swords and magic. The magic system is clever and well thought out. I
loved that bells were an integral part of the magic of the Abhorsen… whose job
it is to bind the dead.
<br />
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The book follows an 18 year old
woman named Sabriel, on a journey to bring back her father, the Abhorsen. But
all is not well in the Old Kingdom… the dead are rising, and it is up to
Sabriel to take her father’s place and put a stop to it. Along the way, she
meets some memorable characters: the guard, Touchstone, and my personal
favorite, Moggot, her guide. Sabriel herself is a wonderful character. She is
strong and smart, but wholly human and vulnerable, too. It was a delight to
follow her as she found her path. Touchstone is very likable, and Moggot
is full of win—he is sarcastic and amusing but at the same time, incredibly
intimidating. </div>
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I guess that the dead in this book could be considered zombies
(well, yes, they are zombies in the simplest sense of the word) but they
read very differently, though they are no less menacing. The underworld that Nix created is fantastic, and the influence from mythology is clear (and appreciated). </div>
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The pace is extremely fast, never
letting up for a second, which makes it hard to put down, and it’s a deliciously
dark and scary romp. The constant state of danger and shadowy monsters lurking
in every corner was enough to make me shiver. I will definitely be picking up the next book of the trilogy, <i>Lireal. </i></div>
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<i>Sabriel</i> is a
perfect read for those looking for an excellent dark fantasy adventure—but not
those afraid of the dark. </div>
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~Tessa<br />
<br />
Note: Here is an excellent rendition of Sabriel I found on DeviantArt... Check it out:<br />
http://rinian.deviantart.com/art/Sabriel-129221595 </div>
Reviews 2 Sharehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368061809590259787noreply@blogger.com0