tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5945025245707051422024-03-05T21:47:28.169-06:00Imagination in FocusAmeliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.comBlogger550125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-23557350716544662832013-12-12T17:58:00.001-06:002013-12-12T17:58:05.362-06:00A CHRISTMAS CAROL 1984<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/JvdMjXhPGd0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-24311145075804351602013-11-18T22:39:00.000-06:002013-11-18T22:39:45.580-06:00Horrible Histories: Victorian England "Shouty Man: Victorian Child" (Chimney Sweeps)
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/eUBPqCa-tiE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
"Shouty Man: Victorian Maid" (maids employed in "posh" houses)
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_7eLoPD700g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
"Victorian Claims Direct" (factory children)
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3GuuTD0i2jU?list=PL899B0B70D7ECE600" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
"Victorian EastEnders" (poor Victorian families & what they did for money)
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/t0GWR5-uS5I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hHdXXwv3f3Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
"Victorian Schools"
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CGSmilO-ah4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
"Victorian Beauty"
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/z6IPjwR1j5w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
"Weird (and Completely True) Victorian Names"
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/QMp_xGeQ2v0?list=PL84C51B8CDA39A964" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
"Victorian Floral Messaging System"
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/QWzrN-hFkdA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
"Rude words in Victorian Society"
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/2u5Bu9BsMgM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
"Wife Swap: Victorian England"
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rJuoZuaLAsg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
"Victorian London Traffic Report"
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_8NPi5RSmI8?list=PL84C51B8CDA39A964" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-82941061542874791412013-10-16T05:59:00.000-05:002013-10-16T05:59:08.755-05:00special features from AUJ: "Hobbit's Tale"<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3Jshdw8TxRU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-74380324855730354982013-06-11T15:12:00.000-05:002013-10-21T22:39:43.948-05:00The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug int'l trailer is HERE!Trailer #1
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/idp6wjqG674" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Trailer #2:
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/KxvEHrVHEKE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-43932900410524591972013-06-10T22:55:00.000-05:002013-06-10T22:55:01.455-05:00trailers and other media for MATILDA THE MUSICALUnless otherwise labeled, all media comes from the West End production...
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ozwz8rGTGV4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2ZsmXBBKvTk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
MATILDA - "Naughty" at the Olivier Awards (London; 2012)
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/P9yyiy7aqiE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
MATILDA medley at the Tony Awards (NYC; 2013)
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Evj1z3l5hco" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-49189963977699167042013-05-30T20:29:00.003-05:002013-05-30T20:29:21.088-05:00HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYONan ode to gifted & creative kiddos everywhere!<br />
<br />
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZVaOOgWyvJM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-15336359322121177922013-04-23T18:22:00.001-05:002013-04-23T18:22:09.157-05:00Frank Capra's "Why We Fight" - "The Nazis Strike"<span style="color: #382110;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Up1ufxvbmbk" width="420"></iframe></span><br />Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-53211187284389530142013-04-23T18:20:00.003-05:002013-04-23T18:20:51.766-05:00Frank Capra's "Why We Fight: Battle of Britain"the 4th of Frank Capra's 7-part series of pro-Allied films meant to inspire American soldiers during WWII.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cSZnFo7JORo" width="420"></iframe><br />Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-14863218313030585982013-04-15T19:01:00.001-05:002013-05-04T12:34:06.873-05:00Review - SHADES OF GREY <div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7739723-shades-of-grey" target="_blank"><i><b>Shades of Grey</b>, volume I: The Road to High Saffron</i></a><b> - Jasper Fforde</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Genre: [adult] speculative fiction/dystopian/satire</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Publisher: Hodder (UK)/Penguin USA</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b># of pages:</b> 403 (UK paperback)</div>
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<b>Recommended for</b>: teen & up</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWclspta4Pl5Rrv1yas2GQkrNljERa7r9isof2rg4kaAgCZYMxYNlpY1cuFbJh0yBwpH-Ls5-CSsblQtJ72DXfz_aK2ngJTRcnYrL36wRuvanKufqSCSVb9YOvR0cjFYgHi9kNeLW__Id/s1600/shades+of+grey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWclspta4Pl5Rrv1yas2GQkrNljERa7r9isof2rg4kaAgCZYMxYNlpY1cuFbJh0yBwpH-Ls5-CSsblQtJ72DXfz_aK2ngJTRcnYrL36wRuvanKufqSCSVb9YOvR0cjFYgHi9kNeLW__Id/s200/shades+of+grey.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<blockquote>
<span id="freeText10873896484333840389">Hundreds of years in
the future, after the Something that Happened, the world is an
alarmingly different place. Life is lived according to The Rulebook and
social hierarchy is determined by your perception of colour. </span><br />
<span id="freeText10873896484333840389">If George Orwell had
tripped over a paint pot or Douglas Adams favoured colour swatches
instead of towels . . . neither of them would have come up with anything
as eccentrically brilliant as Shades of Grey.</span></blockquote>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="reviewTextContainer572597309"><span id="freeTextreview572597309"><b>3.5</b><br /><br />Well,
I stand by my previous comment: Jasper Fforde is such a literary genius
and pretty underrated - at least in America. For those who aren't
really 'sciency' enough for the aliens and space weirdness of Douglas
Adams (love the movie though!) or who find themselves intimidated by the
sheer enormity of Terry Pratchett's <i>Discworld</i> series, Jasper Fforde is a good choice. <br /><br />I mean, here is a guy who invented the <i>Nursery Crime</i>
series, which revolves around a detective dealing with the seedy
underbelly of the nursery-rhyme world. And then there's the acclaimed <i>Thursday Next</i> series, which supposes that book characters truly exist and jump in and out of other stories. <br />And now he has a somewhat-comic dystopian series in which society is stratified by color perception. <br />I
mean, Fforde probably has more genius in his farts than all the spheres
of JK Rowling's cranium combined. The world of Chromatica and the
different social spheres - all according to color perception - was
fascinating. I mean, who would have thought of such a thing? Jasper
Fforde is quite a guy, in my opinion, for constantly creating such
innovative premises. <br /><br />Having said all that, my appreciation for
wholly original and entertaining stories only reaches so far. For a
story laden with exquisite detail, Fforde's characters are surprisingly
simple and basic. And honestly, a bit stereotypical. It doesn't get
more stereotypical than Eddie Russett, the 20-year-old protagonist.
Honestly, the guy seemed much younger and so simpleminded,
with only a handful of saving-grace smart remarks and witty comebacks.
For most of the novel, I waited patiently for him to grow a backbone and
acquire a halfway-intriguing personality. The other characters
populating the Chromotocracy were additionally one-dimensional. The
enlightened heroine with an aggressive streak (and like a nod to the
film noir genre, it's the woman who holds all the answers and the dopey
guy who is basically a tool). There's a scheming, conniving girl who
wants to use the hero to further her own agenda, the wise-cracking,
smooth-talking sidekick who is dynamic but wickedly amoral, the
social-climber bad guys who want to preserve their New World Order.
Stereotypes, all of them. The one-dimensional characters seemed like
tools to further along the plot. And though <i>Shades</i> is a
plot-driven novel, the sequence of events was like one cliche after
another. One of the most overused plot devices concerns the "I really
love <i>you</i>, but I have to marry <i>that one</i>."<br /><br />It's a
shame, too. I have huge respect for Jasper Fforde. The only interest
provided by this book was the sheer genius of the story world. I
probably will pick up the sequels just to see when/if the "Something
That Happened" is ever explained, but I'll definitely be skimming. <br /><br />With stronger, more dynamic characters, <i>Shades of Grey</i> could have been a real treasure. Would I recommend it? Actually, I would. To other readers not as uptight and picky as I am, <i>Shades of Grey</i> offers a truly unique premise with witty, dry prose. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJdDsN-IEzn-Io_2fYUuTMsSM1GK_vWaLNXEHE2s-u-b71aCS5qApJDm_5So9VFPatcBxnbdkZWPHSLhOS5pQ6JrUX7qTcPVMjbUn4128MmL3npYQErP3YiCnMHaji7hDIi6cxoyF1lgF/s1600/ameliahalf3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJdDsN-IEzn-Io_2fYUuTMsSM1GK_vWaLNXEHE2s-u-b71aCS5qApJDm_5So9VFPatcBxnbdkZWPHSLhOS5pQ6JrUX7qTcPVMjbUn4128MmL3npYQErP3YiCnMHaji7hDIi6cxoyF1lgF/s320/ameliahalf3.png" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.jasperfforde.com/" target="_blank"><b>Jasper Fforde's website</b></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.jasperfforde.com/grey/factoids.html" target="_blank"><b>more FACTS about <i>Shades of Grey</i> </b> </a></div>
Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-49247583249830950752013-03-25T20:21:00.004-05:002013-03-25T20:21:48.372-05:00a very sweet story<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/r8o3fBXjM8U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-41827976467788272402013-03-03T18:54:00.000-06:002013-03-03T18:54:05.099-06:00Project examplesORIGINAL:
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/A7V8XMgltCc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
INSPIRED:
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=jvyxSHwCyTg&start=133&end=187&cid=986809"></param><embed src="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=jvyxSHwCyTg&start=133&end=187&cid=986809" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-64883524940433847012012-12-06T20:47:00.001-06:002012-12-06T20:47:06.468-06:00"Oh Yeah? Says Who?!"<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=_RgCbcT8eEU&start=9&end=16&cid=734349"></param><embed src="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=_RgCbcT8eEU&start=9&end=16&cid=734349" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Whether it's a short-answer response, personal narrative essay or expository essay, remember this clip!
Pretend Schwartz is standing next to you, saying after every fact or claim you make, "Oh yeah? Says who?!" You must provide details and/or examples for what you write!Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-58273955268805647872012-12-06T19:22:00.001-06:002012-12-06T19:22:21.604-06:00HOBBIT 13-minute TV spot<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fC5gk9qFsDE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-74151407631999829022012-11-17T18:49:00.000-06:002013-11-30T10:06:33.456-06:00A Christmas Carol MashupRun time: 1 hour 10 min
<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=mceLlYaC8co&start=88&end=500&cid=678380"></param>
<embed src="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=mceLlYaC8co&start=88&end=500&cid=678380" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=l3-A5GeW61w&start=62&end=0&cid=678427"></param>
<embed src="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=l3-A5GeW61w&start=62&end=0&cid=678427" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wqixPg9IEuw" width="560"></iframe>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/H96mCwTaGto" width="420"></iframe>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jwRWpAMqRqk" width="420"></iframe>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-W-xV6kF16Q" width="420"></iframe>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qKaMEYybSrA" width="420"></iframe>
3rd Scr. clip
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/l12FG_-qm_E" width="420"></iframe>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sf3r5UwY_60" width="420"></iframe>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cwvywTIAypA" width="420"></iframe>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-19330462841719179192012-10-04T22:19:00.002-05:002012-10-04T22:19:54.914-05:00my junior high spine poetry!<div style="text-align: center;">
Greetings all!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Yes, this site is still running!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The
reason for my frequent absences is that I got a full-time teaching job!
I am now the proud teacher of junior high Language Arts (English, for
those of us were in high school ten years ago). </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We
just finished up a unit on poetry, and for their end-of-unit project,
my kiddos created poems using the titles of book spines. It's called
Spine Poetry, and apparently it's the latest rave on pinterest. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here are a few:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdGs2MhFwwceAt5BSbiQtSKfytuhOufDQix5KhVRoq_al68cRQ2iY80_KAUZ2qLlY1WWGGUh2sYE_ywAR70WV_brG-KRKnW9YK_qwBu9FF9RmVmB0rbQBbdCCX5a1OOVegck39enrwSKK/s1600/IMG_2448.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdGs2MhFwwceAt5BSbiQtSKfytuhOufDQix5KhVRoq_al68cRQ2iY80_KAUZ2qLlY1WWGGUh2sYE_ywAR70WV_brG-KRKnW9YK_qwBu9FF9RmVmB0rbQBbdCCX5a1OOVegck39enrwSKK/s200/IMG_2448.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4pzQsPIPTjEodU5ZAg8W_LAX_8Tm5MozzMpNVDHdd-m9olULLkmJu2BZJwIQBseihFw5BrSO6LUBQ1ixnu6lfuJJc5EcAQJELs31gjzd1q5MDIc7VXy7Wahs6zlsDZ1E2KwouUW_qYLP/s1600/IMG_2455.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4pzQsPIPTjEodU5ZAg8W_LAX_8Tm5MozzMpNVDHdd-m9olULLkmJu2BZJwIQBseihFw5BrSO6LUBQ1ixnu6lfuJJc5EcAQJELs31gjzd1q5MDIc7VXy7Wahs6zlsDZ1E2KwouUW_qYLP/s200/IMG_2455.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-65849715633990188252012-09-23T10:03:00.002-05:002012-09-23T10:08:30.349-05:00review - ENSHADOWED (Nevermore #2), or: proof that I am still alive!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441"> <i><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10965391-enshadowed" target="_blank">Enshadowed</a> </b></i><b>(Nevermore, #2) - Kelly Creagh</b></span></span></div>
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<span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441"><b>Genre: YA Paranormal/Speculative</b></span></span></div>
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<span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441"><b># of pages: 429 (hb)</b></span></span></div>
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<span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441"><b>Publisher: Atheneum, Simon & Schuster </b></span></span></div>
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<span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441"><b>Recommended for: Upper MS </b>(you gotta know yo' Poe!) <b>& beyond</b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9Z3Irj42i21yA7pkuecRwUsc9b4aLP1MD25QyR5qv6shv2OPlnmXAq-bEXaQpPNKQCRlpa7DktMmuGddHnQi1-aX-w4wBrcKIZ5c02xSkAdleZTlg5Gv-7T7pxSigzdxo7hjFMiwfRUX/s1600/10965391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9Z3Irj42i21yA7pkuecRwUsc9b4aLP1MD25QyR5qv6shv2OPlnmXAq-bEXaQpPNKQCRlpa7DktMmuGddHnQi1-aX-w4wBrcKIZ5c02xSkAdleZTlg5Gv-7T7pxSigzdxo7hjFMiwfRUX/s200/10965391.jpg" width="132" /></a><span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441">What can I say about <i>Enshadowed</i>, the long-awaited sequel to 2010's sleeper novel, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7129598-nevermore" target="_blank"><i>Nevermore</i></a>?
Only that I was just as absorbed and captivated as the last time I
delved into this rich world - this rich *reality*- that Kelly has
created. I read this 429-page tome (which is interestingly shorter than <i>Nevermore</i>)
in two sittings: 48 pages on Friday, because as a new teacher in a new
subject, I am often utterly exhausted, and the remaining 381 pages
Saturday night. Let me tell you something: if you had an easy time
reading <i>Nevermore</i> (and didn't think it dragged in parts like I've read in other reviews), you will most likely be very pleased. For me, <i>Nevermore</i>'s
pace wasn't "slow," it was "steady," building up beautifully and eerily
until the last third of the novel. Since I'd say about 80% of the YA
books I've read previously have characters going from complete strangers
to gettin' all kissy in 100 pages or less, it was nice to see a budding
romance that, well, <i>budded</i>. The pace was perfect for me.<br /></span></span><span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441">So why am I writing so much about <i>Nevermore</i> when I already wrote a review for it back in 2010? Well, because I think the key to devouring <i>Enshadowed</i>
and appreciating it as the next installment is to keep in mind exactly
what worked with the previous book. Yes, it is true what the other
reviews say: there isn't much Varen. In fact, in the interest of full
disclosure (to use a family phrase: "If you don't wanna be fartin' in
the dark...") I will say that although we get glimpses of him here and
there throughout the story (but are they real, or are they figments?),
Varen doesn't actually appear until the last chapter. Believe me, that
was not a spoiler. It's what happens next...ohhh, what happens next! If
not for the fact that I am LESS THAN THREE MONTHS away from the new <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1SJ7yaa7cI" rel="nofollow">HOBBIT</a>
movie, I would seriously be crawling up the walls in nervous
anticipation for this time next year, when (HOPEFULLY) the final book in
the trilogy will be released. HOPEFULLY! </span></span><br /><br /><span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441">BUT... there is the
search for him, and yes, much of the cool-but-confusing aspects of the
dreamworld are further explored and explained. Most of the story is
Isobel's search for a way into Baltimore and a reunion with
Reynolds...while also being haunted by the nefarious Nocs. Isobel is
aided in her quest by the wholly entertaining Gwen, who puts the
"stereotypical weird best friend" cliche to utter shame. Let me just
say: there is absolutely nothing cliche about Gwen's character. Yeah,
she marches to the beat of a different drummer. Yeah, she has a kind of
"outsider" reputation. But she is absolutely hilarious and can also be
sensitive without being overdone. I'm going to need to drop some Gwen
quotes in this review to illustrate my point. :)</span></span><br /><br /><span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441">Look, I've been
at this review-writin' thing for over nearly four years. I am
very much aware that reading and reviewing books (or any kind of
artistic/creative outlet, for that matter) is a very subjective
business. I get that opinions can vary widely on any book. And while I
don't outright *disagree* with other reviewers (because in all honesty,
nothing hacks me off more than when I get comments on my reviews telling
me that my opinion is 'wrong'), I will say this: if you like to read
reviews before diving in (as I do)...just take what is said with a grain
of salt. When the first reviews for <i>Enshadowed</i> started pouring in sometime in late July, I felt a little underwhelmed. <i>Wow...it sounds like 'middle-book syndrome' has struck again...</i> Maybe because I paid too much attention to those reviews, I went into <i>Enshadowed</i> with slightly lowered expectations. </span></span><br /><span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441">Well, that was a good thing, because when I was utterly blown away, it was a pleasant surprise. So if you enjoyed <i>Nevermore</i>, I'm happy to say that you will more than likely be entertained (or absolutely CONSUMED) by this next offering.</span></span><br /><br /><span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441">In the meanwhile, I'm just hear waiting on pins and needles (or rather, Pinfeathers and needles) waiting for next August...</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.kellycreagh.com/" target="_blank"><span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441"><b>Kelly Creagh's website</b></span></span></a><br />
<span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Enshadowed-Nevermore-Kelly-Creagh/dp/1442402040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348412538&sr=8-1&keywords=enshadowed" target="_blank"><i>Enshadowed </i>on Amazon </a></b></span></span><br />
<span id="reviewTextContainer120950441"><span id="freeTextreview120950441"><b> </b> </span></span>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-62508253322215022642012-06-25T21:04:00.001-05:002012-06-25T21:05:05.560-05:00review - SUCH WICKED INTENT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13063098-such-wicked-intent" target="_blank">Such Wicked Intent </a>(Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, #2)</i> - Kenneth Oppel</b></div>
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<b>Genre: YA historical fantasy/gothic horror</b></div>
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<b>Publisher: Simon & Schuster</b></div>
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<b>Source: ALA Midwinter </b></div>
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<b>Recommended for: High school & up</b></div>
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<b>Release date: August 21, 2012</b></div>
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<blockquote>
<i>When does obsession
become madness? Tragedy has forced sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein
to swear off alchemy forever. He burns the Dark Library. He vows he will
never dabble in the dark sciences again ? just as he vows he will no
longer covet Elizabeth, his brother's betrothed. If only these things
were not so tempting. When he and Elizabeth discover a portal into the
spirit world, they cannot resist. Together with Victor's twin, Konrad,
and their friend Henry, the four venture into a place of infinite
possibilities where power and passion reign. But as they search for the
knowledge to raise the dead, they unknowingly unlock a darkness from
which they may never return.</i></blockquote>
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<b>This review was designed to be spoiler-free; however, spoilers from the first book might be revealed...</b><b> </b></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview238276226"><i>Such Wicked Intent</i> was one of the ARCs I was fortunate to get at ALA Midwinter, and after being completely captivated by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9779094-this-dark-endeavor" target="_blank"><i>This Dark Endeavor</i></a>, I had to know what was going to happen next.<br /><br />This second installment in the Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein picks up almost immediately where <i>Endeavor</i>
left off. If you've read that novel, you know what I'm talking about.
And while Oppel's writing style was just as strong, I'm not sure the
story captivated me as much. The main area of study in <i>This Dark Endeavor</i>
was alchemy (I don't think that's a spoiler), and Victor tried to use
alchemical means to save his brother's life. Now the area of study has
shifted to what I can only think to call paranormal mysticism - spirit
boards and attempts to reach "the great beyond" or whatever. And
whenever one encounters spirits, one also encounters commentary about
life after death and so forth. That's one of the things I don't like to
see even in a fictional novel, because even in a fictional story, I
can't help but think that any type of spirit world (and all its rules
and workings) is just bass-ackwards. As a result, I was never as
engrossed in the story as I was with <i>This Dark Endeavor</i>, mainly because in <i>SWI</i> I spent a great deal of my reading experience being confused, highly skeptical, or just downright uncomfortable.<br />The
characters weren't as likeable as I remembered, either. I mentioned
Victor's megalomaniac personality and his intense need for approval
dueling with his sensitive, well intentioned and sometimes compassionate
nature. Those were the qualities that endeared me to him. But here,
Victor was mainly just a bully and a narcissist who sauntered through
the novel getting his way by forcing his will on everyone else.
Likewise, Elizabeth wasn't near as likeable as in the first installment.
Between perfect Konrad and brooding Victor, Elizabeth was presented as
the voice of reason - she was spiritual to their scientific,
level-headed to their impulsive. But in this installment, Elizabeth took
on an obsessive and borderline crazy personality. I'm serious - even
Bellatrix Lestrange would think Elizabeth was one weird chick. <br />But even for all its shortcomings (and I'm being honest - that's what they were), <i>Such Wicked Intent</i>'s saving grace was in its commentary. I've said before in reviews that what gets me going is not so much the <i>content</i> in a book, but the <i>message behind the content</i>, or the approving or disapproving way in which it's portrayed. What made <i>SWI</i>
so brilliant was the feeling of watching an impending trainwreck in
slow-motion. Any reader who knows more than a little about Frankenstein
ultimately knows what grand finale we're moving towards. And as bummed
out as I was that Victor lost a lot of his likeability with me, I loved
seeing the intensity give way to madness. I may not necessarily like
Victor any more, but I still understand him. </span></span></div>
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The previous book in the series, <i>This Dark Endeavor</i>, will be one of the Texas Lone Star books for the 2012-2013 year. Good choice, TX librarians! </div>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-15748775444440472442012-06-09T20:45:00.003-05:002012-06-11T16:02:25.454-05:00REVIEW - Deadweather & Sunrise (Chronicles of Egg)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview266396889"><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12849210-deadweather-and-sunrise"><i><b>Deadweather & Sunrise </b></i>(Chronicles of Egg, #1</a>) - Geoff Rodkey</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview266396889"><i>Source: ALA Midwinter</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview266396889"><i># of pages: 295 (ARC) </i></span></span></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview266396889"><i>Recommended for: 11 & up</i></span></span></div>
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<blockquote>
<i>Deadweather and Sunrise</i>,
the first installment in the new "Chronicles of Egg" series, is exactly
the kind of book I had been desperate to read: exciting and
action-packed, witty, heartfelt, and rather sophisticated. After being
disappointed and underwhelmed by novels in the older, "teen fiction," I
decided to go back to the younger end of the YA spectrum (a la <i>Artemis Fowl</i>, <i>Percy Jackson</i>
and the like). The book reminded me of what I consider to be the
"Golden Age" of Young Adult fiction, from 2001-2008, a time in which
similarly well-written, exciting and authentic novels were being
published. I think that author Geoff Rodkey really has a winner with
this one, and I definitely think he's in the same company as Eoin
Colfer, Michael Scott, Jonathan Stroud and Rick Riordan as far as style.
<i>D&S</i> is also a prime example of why I wish there was a
better term for novels that are marketed to the younger-than-teenagers
crowd - "middle grade" doesn't seem to cut it. It's been my experience
that a lot of readers pass over such books because of a misconception
that they're somehow "juvenile," and in fact, lately I've gotten the
impression that when it comes to publishers and [adult] readers, the
"middle grade" label has a sort of stepchild status. I have to say, <i>D&S</i>
is one of the most original, authentic and well-written BOOKS that I've
read in months. Even though I get why Putnam labeled it grades 3-5 for
marketing reasons, I would definitely categorize this novel as perfect
for the middle school/preteen crowd <i>and beyond</i>. In my opinion, this novel is too mature to warrant an elementary grade leveling. <br />
The
novel centers around the young Egbert (called "Egg"), who lives a
thankless life on his quasi-negligent father's ugly fruit plantation on
the pitiful island of Deadweather (which reminded me of Houston in the
summer). By chance, Egg winds up on the beautiful but treacherous island
of Sunrise, where he draws the attention of a ruthless tycoon, meets
and becomes infatuated with said tycoon's daughter (a delightful
character with a not-so-delightful name of "Millicent"), is wrongly
accused of murder (it's a bit complicated) and soon finds himself caught
up in the dangerous world of rival pirate gangs. I appreciated that the
pirates in question weren't portrayed as harmless, goofy caricatures
(like that silly stop-motion flick <i>The Pirates</i> or that even sillier live-action flick, <i>Hook</i>) but as actually mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Even the pirates of <i>Pirates of the Caribbean</i> were more mild than the ones presented here. And I liked that. Like I said, <i>D&S</i>
had a sort of sophistication to it that I don't see in a lot of novels
nowadays. This wasn't just an "oh-how-cute" book. I found myself
absolutely absorbed in the story and felt a connection to the main
characters. Also, there were several times throughout the novel when
Rodkey completely had me guessing what would happen next. After the slew
of predictable and formulaic teen-fiction novels I'd read recently,
that was a welcome change. <br />
What I want prospective readers to know about <i>Deadweather and Sunrise</i>
is how fun and authentic it is. Please don't let the illustrated cover
design fool you - this book has way more going for it than you may
assume. I don't think it's premature in the least to say that the
"Chronicles of Egg" looks to be one of the most promising new series
I've seen in the last 2-3 years. Like I said, <i>D&S</i> has a
very authentic feel to it, but it also has a sophistication and a sort
of maturity to it that I can't quite describe. There were several times
when I was absolutely <i>nervous</i> for the characters and the
situation they were in. And I think that's the mark of a truly gifted
author: someone who's able to get the reader to really feel for the
characters and what's going on in the story. They also skillfully employ
allusions and innuendos in order to create an emotional reaction,
rather than pander to the audience by resorting to edgy or TMI
scenarios. Hats off to Geoff Rodkey! <br />
I have no idea how I'm going to quell the need for the next installment! What I do know is that I've found a real winner with <i>Deadweather and Sunrise</i>, and I will definitely be recommending this novel to my students.<i></i></blockquote>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview266396889"><i> </i></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgZ61hgtePPi3sYunRy-jIeWP4046rZ5mHB9ARA9EkvWc5loaUNLsfsmye4oMeyt4mOWa2ngWjWL66MCHqP7iWNl5o1c9uchTo-xS0cikY6HfdqvvxpJoMtjZEB2BKiSDSZ_41jw-FrlM/s1600/amelia5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgZ61hgtePPi3sYunRy-jIeWP4046rZ5mHB9ARA9EkvWc5loaUNLsfsmye4oMeyt4mOWa2ngWjWL66MCHqP7iWNl5o1c9uchTo-xS0cikY6HfdqvvxpJoMtjZEB2BKiSDSZ_41jw-FrlM/s320/amelia5.png" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.chroniclesofegg.com/#" target="_blank">series website</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Deadweather-Sunrise-The-Chronicles-Book/dp/0399257853/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339292693&sr=8-1" target="_blank">buy on Amazon </a></div>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-65665768543456517332012-04-01T20:30:00.001-05:002012-04-01T20:30:25.529-05:00Review - MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12924275-masque-of-the-red-death"><i><b>Masque of the Red Death</b></i></a><b> - Bethany Griffin</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b>Genre: YA Horror/Paranormal/?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b>Publisher: Harper Collins</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b>Recommended for: HS & Up</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b>Source: ARC from Trade</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9pavgNY5CO1OdT78LGf9pGPok5DXp8pKFi1NtFxNMpO5djidyfug3DO4e36xuXug3ueN2VcceDT7IU7CmwH0vsRPUwGcFFK2G_bg-CvVWu_GImpssaHnjKyukWEP2v2OiNjNrUY-zAsi/s1600/masque.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9pavgNY5CO1OdT78LGf9pGPok5DXp8pKFi1NtFxNMpO5djidyfug3DO4e36xuXug3ueN2VcceDT7IU7CmwH0vsRPUwGcFFK2G_bg-CvVWu_GImpssaHnjKyukWEP2v2OiNjNrUY-zAsi/s200/masque.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b> </b></span><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview278710588"><i>--</i><i><br />
</i></span></span><br />
<blockquote><i>Everything is in ruins. <br />
<br />
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them. <br />
<br />
So what does Araby Worth have to live for? <br />
<br />
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all. <br />
<br />
But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does. <br />
<br />
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.</i></blockquote><br />
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview278710588"> <br />
Pretty intriguing synopsis, huh? <b>It's not what it seems! </b>The synopsis makes it seem loads more interesting than it actually is - believe me.I tried <b>so hard</b> to like this book. And on the surface, there's nothing really wrong with it and nothing that would keep me from liking it. I want to point out that for a story that has a "Debauchery Club," it was pretty tame. Surprisingly tame. But <i>Masque</i> ended up thoroughly confusing me on many levels. I don't even know what to call this book: it's not a dystopian, it's not really a paranormal, and frankly, one airship and a bunch of corsets doesn't qualify as a steampunk in my eyes. So what is this, exactly? A neo-Gothic horror story? There wasn't enough 'horror,' though, because halfway through the novel the focus shifts away from decay and despair to seeds of revolution. To be honest, it read like a story with no clear direction, like it couldn't make up its mind if it was going to be character-driven, or plot driven. And so (for me), it basically failed at both. By contrast, one of the powerful elements of Poe's works is his dark and melancholy mood. Dark, but with just a hint of suspense, of something big that's about to happen. That mood did not carry over into <i>Masque of the Red Death</i> the way it did in <i>Nevermore</i>. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview278710588">But for me, the biggest "thing" about <i>Masque</i> was the characters' sheer lack of motivation and the way they related to each other. I actually get why Araby would want to waste away her days in the Debauchery Club. What I don't get is why she gets involved in a plot to overthrow the Prince, or why other characters did what they did, if that makes sense. The other big "thing" about this book was the stark contrast between character descriptions and character actions. None of the characters had any clearly-defined personalities and as a result, everybody seemed pretty schizophrenic. In one chapter, a girl would be a complete airhead and quintessential 'mean girl' - a few chapters later, the same girl would be giving orders and plotting to overthrow the Prince. And that would have been near genius (the whole 'appearance vs. reality' motif) if I got the feeling that the author did it on purpose. But I didn't get that feeling. The feeling I got is that <i>Masque of the Red Death</i> is populated by characters that lack any defining personalities or motivations. They just do and say whatever suits the current mood. The whole thing was rather bizarre. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview278710588"> </span></span><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview278710588">And much like <i>Daughter of Smoke and Bone</i>, there was a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. Also like <i>Daughter of Smoke and Bone</i>, I did not care for the twist, and thought it was actually handled in a very sloppy manner. I genuinely believe that <i>having a major twist at the end ONLY WORKS if it makes SENSE. Otherwise, it's just useless and confusing. And this twist, like I said, was one of the sloppiest-written twists I've ever read.</i> <br />
<br />
Overall, <i>Masque of the Red Death</i> didn't hold up for me. Like I said, I tried very hard to like this book (harder than I've tried for any other book in a long time) and I compliment Bethany Griffin on taking one of Edgar Allan Poe's best-known stories and giving it a unique spin. I know that there will be many who will love this book, and in this case, I would say judge it for yourself. For me, though, it takes a special book to hold up Poe's dynamic legacy, and this just wasn't it.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview278710588"><b>FINAL RATING: </b> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-I6G3WW3swlY1zgtjU57jZ-gAgtWlDJtbA7fqWtatpQHZXerlMcw4PH9KY4UqdTeqE_CtuMz8L21hLc8fYK1IPIa9KqjsYkZVHtRLR2tVoefYOf8TiDXOWZAKSmi4RSS0cEppxCFWR42/s1600/amelia3wordless.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-I6G3WW3swlY1zgtjU57jZ-gAgtWlDJtbA7fqWtatpQHZXerlMcw4PH9KY4UqdTeqE_CtuMz8L21hLc8fYK1IPIa9KqjsYkZVHtRLR2tVoefYOf8TiDXOWZAKSmi4RSS0cEppxCFWR42/s1600/amelia3wordless.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-1619115429063582182012-03-21T18:42:00.001-05:002012-03-21T18:42:42.504-05:00review - FROI OF THE EXILES<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZX3xpjv9iE2HyDp7iy2FCUXHFyaVdc9wC0xPIMvkwOzvJxBQ8rTy5UYpQXH0mpfSFl6i34UW41NKxGmJm2pxYoH4hzi99Wx0OWvcM5OxXQXGeUYBcKUk87qupP7vpQMa10l7yvnbkti0/s1600/stupidass+froi.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZX3xpjv9iE2HyDp7iy2FCUXHFyaVdc9wC0xPIMvkwOzvJxBQ8rTy5UYpQXH0mpfSFl6i34UW41NKxGmJm2pxYoH4hzi99Wx0OWvcM5OxXQXGeUYBcKUk87qupP7vpQMa10l7yvnbkti0/s200/stupidass+froi.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="color: #382110;"><i><b> </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #382110;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_487517513"><i><b>Froi of the Exiles</b></i></a><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12154330-froi-of-the-exiles"> </a>(Lumatere, #2) - Melina Marchetta</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b>Genre: Fantasy</b> <b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b>Publisher: Candlewick </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b>Source: ALA Midwinter </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/froi-exiles"><span style="color: #382110;"><b><i>Froi of the Exiles </i>@ Common Sense Media</b></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;">(note: the reviewer is way more enthusiastic than I am in in this post, and while I do not agree at all with her opinion of the novel or its 'educational value' and 'characters as role models,' I do agree that her content assessments are accurate)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This review is written to be a continuation of the previous post, which was a review of </i><i><a href="http://leaveyoureyesbehind.blogspot.com/2012/03/review-finnikin-of-rock-or-why-i-wont_17.html"><b>Finnikin of the Rock</b></a>, the previous novel in this series. I wasn't even going to post this "review" on my site, because I don't usually take the tone that I'm about to take, but I do want to go on the record and not beat around the bush about my feelings...</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="reviewTextContainer250270299"><span id="freeTextreview250270299">Admission: I only read the first 100 or so pages when I wrote this review. That is all I needed to read in order to fully decide how I felt about this particular installment, given that I already trudged through the first book, and <i>Froi of the Exiles</i> is nothing but the second verse of the same old song. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="reviewTextContainer250270299"><span id="freeTextreview250270299">I don't think I will ever finish this, and it's because I don't want to join the ranks of all the other delusional readers out there who think that characters like this are okay. Maybe I just have a problem with this book existing. After all, the "beloved" main character is a guy who tried to force himself on someone in the first book. How dare we try and tell teenagers that that behavior is acceptable, or even redeemable. I want no part of it. I don't have to answer for anyone's behavior but my own, and I don't want to be "enlightened" enough to ever think that these characters - most of whom are absolutely scum-of-the-earth disgusting, are good or heroic. It's too bad that this is what fantasy has become - there's no goodness, integrity, or decency anymore. All characters are soot-stained and all feed into this concept of moral relativism that our society just loves to perpetuate. Literature ought to build us up and inspire us to be better than what we are, not remind us all how flawed and mediocre we all are.<br />
<br />
And as weird as it sounds, considering that <i>Jellicoe Road</i> WAS the closest thing to a favorite novel that I have, I will not likely be picking up any more of Melina Marchetta's books. As I said in my <i>Finnikin</i> review, I just don't have any energy to spend on any more characters either as 1. seriously broken or 2. morally ambiguous as she likes to write. It's my perception that there's this feeling among YA readers that if a book isn't seriously complicated or morally ambiguous, it's not worth reading. As far as literature goes, it makes me wish that I could go back in time and read <i>The Hobbit</i>, <i>Lord of the Rings</i>, <i>The Chronicles of Prydain</i> and the <i>Redwall</i> books again for the first time, because they have yet to be matched by anything modern literature has produced. As skilled a writer as Marchetta is (and she definitely has a way with words), her characters Finnikin and Froi are utterly laughable when placed next to such others as Aragorn, Faramir, Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper, and a host of swashbuckling, sword-wielding mice. That's my disappointment with Marchetta's novels: the characters she creates. Forget Froi. Give me more Reepicheep. And as popular as this modern fantasy series is, it'll never outsell the <i>Lord of the Rings</i> series. Ever. <br />
<br />
Anyway...what else can I say? I like my fantasy stories more in the tradition of Tolkien, Lewis and Alexander. I like my characters to have integrity and act with honor, and therefore I guess this is where Marchetta and I part ways. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="reviewTextContainer250270299"><span id="freeTextreview250270299"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="reviewTextContainer250270299"><span id="freeTextreview250270299">In short, I do not recommend the <i>Lumatere Chronicles</i> to anyone but adult fantasy buffs. I would never, <i>ever</i> suggest these books to young adults - I'd be concerned that it would look like I was condoning or dismissing the behavior of the "heroes" in this series. </span></span></div></div>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-64731415894684150882012-03-17T17:18:00.003-05:002012-03-17T17:18:56.498-05:00review: FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK, or why I won't read Melina Marchetta anymore<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6719736-finnikin-of-the-rock"><i><b>Finnikin of the Rock</b></i></a><b> (Lumatere #1) - Melina Marchetta</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Publisher: Candlewick</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>hardback</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Recommended for: Adults Only</b> (in what I can only describe as a complete travesty, this book is marketed to Young Adults. I severely object to this book - and its sequel - being labeled 'YA' anywhere or by anyone)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqylbrGheCb2UkjsrhCyZGXWkeTI8MYljVON5U19yKt3WZJt56Ds-45gps92-kFkkQlgBTvk_NFuUwFVisUqDltjkjeW7eFksMNEYkiiHD-32rIDlSojXbj2giSZDKHCOBT7drSakfcKfy/s1600/lumatere.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqylbrGheCb2UkjsrhCyZGXWkeTI8MYljVON5U19yKt3WZJt56Ds-45gps92-kFkkQlgBTvk_NFuUwFVisUqDltjkjeW7eFksMNEYkiiHD-32rIDlSojXbj2giSZDKHCOBT7drSakfcKfy/s200/lumatere.jpg" width="132" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote><i><span id="freeText5498864825874167352">At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom. He stands on the rock of the three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to safeguard Lumatere. </span></i><br />
<i><span id="freeText5498864825874167352"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span id="freeText5498864825874167352">But all safety is shattered during the five days of the unspeakable, when the king and queen and their children are brutally murdered in the palace. An impostor seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere's walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps. </span></i><br />
<i><span id="freeText5498864825874167352"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span id="freeText5498864825874167352">Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock—to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive. This arrogant young woman claims she'll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the prince. Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home. Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united? Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin's faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.</span></i></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">--</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I originally wasn't going to put this review here, because it is less of a 'review' and more of a rant. But I'm trying to move all my reviews from Goodreads over to my blog, so here it goes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview144729778">Even though she wrote one of my favorite novels, <a href="http://leaveyoureyesbehind.blogspot.com/2011/01/if-you-read-this-whole-review-of.html"><i>Jellicoe Road</i></a>, I really don't care for Melina Marchetta. And it's because of this series, the <i>Lumatere Chronicles</i>, the foray of a mostly contemporary Australian author into epic fantasy. Readers, if this is what constitutes a modern fantasy, then I really need a time machine so I can go back to the '50s and hang out with <i>men</i> who really know how to write fantasies: Tolkien, Alexander, and Lewis. Even Philip Pullman (whose <i>His Dark Materials</i> are not exactly 'fantasies') seems decent compared to this. <br />
And once again, it's frustrating because I'm definitely in the minority on this one. If you know me, you can probably guess why I didn't like this book. I'll be brief and just sum it up in one word: protagonist. Yes, the main character, Finnikin, that everybody loves to drool over, was the worst part of the book for me. I mean, he was just a disgusting character. <i>I really would like to know how readers (especially girls) can get through this book and rate it 5 stars. It completely escapes me.</i> I guess I like my heroes to respect women. And when I say 'respect women,' I mean not seeing them as objects of gratification. Without dropping a spoiler, and without wanting to get into it, because it's just downright <i>disgusting</i>, I will say that what Finnikin does in this novel is something you would never EVER see a character in Tolkien's universe commit. And frankly, I don't think young readers ought to be subjected to such behavior on part of the hero. I think it might confuse them or give off the message (as Marchetta no doubt gave off to me, a grown woman) that the behavior in question is no big deal and something that ought not warrant any thought. But hey, as long as girls are okay with it, and continue to excuse it, I guess it's not really a big deal, right? <br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview144729778">And reading an advance copy of <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10165727.Froi_of_the_Exiles_Lumatere_Chronicles_2_" title="Froi of the Exiles (Lumatere Chronicles, #2) by Melina Marchetta">Froi of the Exiles</a> has made me realize...it's not just Finnikin. I didn't like <i>anybody</i> in this novel, except for Evanjalin, and even she annoyed me at times. Girls in fantasies fall into usual tropes: either they're damsels in distress, old crones, or scheming, conniving shrews (Evanjalin!) I hate to say it, but I'm noticing a pattern with Marchetta's books: broken characters can always be redeemed, so she seems to say. And call me what you will <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=594502524570705142&postID=925759483680550126" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(view spoiler)</a>, but I don't agree with that philosophy - at least, not in books. To me, there is such a thing as making characters too 'screwed up' to the point of being past redemption. Finnikin and Froi were too 'icky' for my taste. <br />
And yes, having a character (the illustrious and heroic 'Froi') attempt to rape a character in one novel, only to wind up as the misunderstood but no less heroic protagonist in the sequel, is what I would call 'icky.' It's the kind of characterization I expect to see in a George R.R. Martin novel; Martin can get away with it, though, because he's not shoving his work at kids.<br />
So...how can I say that <i>Jellicoe Road</i> is the closest thing I have to a favorite novel, when I'm not even sure that I like Melina Marchetta? Don't get me wrong, she's a fabulous writer with an incredible and thoughtful eye for detail, but as far as a storyteller, I'm finding that the more of her novels I read, the more dissatisfied I become. Why does everything have to be so complex? Why do all her characters have to be so depressingly broken? <br />
I've already severed all reading ties with Cinda Williams Chima, and I might have to do the same with Melina Marchetta... <br />
<br />
Mostly, I just don't think modern authors know how to write good fantasies. The two most popular YA fantasies - at least on Goodreads - seems to be this book and <i>Graceling</i>, both of which are products of modern authors with highly worldly and progressive messages set in completely nihilistic universes with characters that Nietzsche himself might like. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview144729778">In the fantasy genre, there is something to be said for traditional-style storytelling. Look at C.S. Lewis, Lloyd Alexander, and J.R.R. Tolkien. All of their fantasy novels featured characters with <i>integrity</i> and a moral code. It's disillusioning to me that integrity is no longer required in a fantasy hero or heroine... </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQo0Y9iW32Me7A1mVQ-Eu9hQtOgVAUq75NWoKPw2t__VuTXoNy4-q4e-2PWrjww7QViphuR8YEwE-pbAdLtd9SHdgwiFIhStHZ2FAysUb2HI8HZwhqcVGOgDrRIR5saT2yECHl7qtYnLW5/s1600/amelia2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQo0Y9iW32Me7A1mVQ-Eu9hQtOgVAUq75NWoKPw2t__VuTXoNy4-q4e-2PWrjww7QViphuR8YEwE-pbAdLtd9SHdgwiFIhStHZ2FAysUb2HI8HZwhqcVGOgDrRIR5saT2yECHl7qtYnLW5/s320/amelia2.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is one such book that I recommend to no one, but I think that some adults might be impressed with Marchetta's fantasy universe, doom-and-gloom as it is. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-2728668057549303172012-03-15T18:01:00.001-05:002012-03-15T18:02:16.640-05:00Review - THIS DARK ENDEAVOR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11992460-this-dark-endeavour"><i><span id="freeText18005485451673920073"><b>This Dark Endeavor</b></span></i></a><span id="freeText18005485451673920073"><b> - Kenneth Oppel</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="freeText18005485451673920073"><b>Genre: YA Historical Fiction/Gothic Horror</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="freeText18005485451673920073"><b>Publisher: Simon & Schuster</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="freeText18005485451673920073"><b># of pages: 298 </b>(hb)<b> </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="freeText18005485451673920073"><b>Recommended for: High School & Beyond </b></span><i><span id="freeText18005485451673920073"> </span></i></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYCgVHnnKG6ZEw0_U98Bwm_6ACKjYp6uJH7pFgztvGdo8jWEnzopDcvI1mG6RAo2ITX2EMupUv7x73KFE8cVXxYpcvM2F2Ebt-Ttx1IrJo95t8hUc8M0VoURAYuWRcJtFjnzJ6ZhP1CJBW/s1600/this+dark+endeavor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYCgVHnnKG6ZEw0_U98Bwm_6ACKjYp6uJH7pFgztvGdo8jWEnzopDcvI1mG6RAo2ITX2EMupUv7x73KFE8cVXxYpcvM2F2Ebt-Ttx1IrJo95t8hUc8M0VoURAYuWRcJtFjnzJ6ZhP1CJBW/s320/this+dark+endeavor.jpg" width="217" /></a><i><span id="freeText18005485451673920073"> </span><span id="freeText18005485451673920073"></span></i></div><blockquote><i>In this prequel to Mary Shelley's gothic classic, Frankenstein, sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein begins a dark journey that will change his life forever. Victor's twin, Konrad, has fallen ill, and no doctor can cure him. Unwilling to give up on his brother, Victor enlists his beautiful cousin Elizabeth and his best friend, Henry, on a treacherous search for the ingredients to create the forbidden Elixir of Life. Impossible odds, dangerous alchemy, and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn.Victor knows he must not fail. But his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science, and love ? and how much he is willing to sacrifice?</i></blockquote><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This Dark Endeavor</i> is an incredible book! I don't know where Kenneth Oppel got the idea to write a prequel to Mary Shelley's <i>Frankenstein</i> starring a teenage version of the eponymous character, but what an ingenious idea! <br />
<br />
Truth be told, I never had read <i>Frankenstein</i> in school. My class was on a different track and I had a teacher who made the famous declaration to our class that he'd rather teach 'that Dumas man' than teach <i>Frankenstein</i>. Basically, my knowledge of the source material has come from Kenneth Branagh's film version, and Mel Brooks. <br />
<br />
Still, even I could recognize the level of detail, skill and panache that Kenneth Oppel put into this fascinating novel. And for those of you who did read <i>Frankenstein</i>, have you ever wondered what might have happened to make Victor Frankenstein the man who actually dared to create life? Here, it's simple: Victor has a brilliant, charismatic and practically perfect twin brother, Konrad. Light to his shadow, and all that. I think this may be the only major divergence between the real <i>Frankenstein</i> and this adaptation - I don't recall a twin character in the original novel, but then again, I never read the original. When Konrad falls ill with a rare condition, Victor takes it upon himself to find a cure, believing that practical science has failed. His course of study is the dark arts of alchemy - the first of many such introductions into dark and creepy arts. Joining him in his "studies" are his cousin, Elizabeth Lavenza (yes, *the* Elizabeth Lavenza and best friend Henry Clerval (and don't we know what fate eventually has in store for them!) <br />
I loved the way Oppel chose to portray Victor. It must have been hard to try and make one of literature's most megalomaniac characters into a sympathetic boy, eager-to-please and desperate for attention. <i>I</i> actually liked the guy! It was easy to root for him in his endeavors (dark and twisty as they were) and I found myself even making excuses for him on several occasions. Even though you know, ultimately, that Victor Frankenstein is a completely doomed character, I still wanted him to succeed. Let me clarify that at this point in Victor's life, he's only interested in successfully making an Elixir of Life for his sick brother - not creating the Boris Karloff creature... <br />
Hats off to Kenneth Oppel for making me care about a character I never thought I could admire. And I loved seeing Victor gradually become more and more twisted, more aggressive, more desperate, and *still* remain sympathetic. I guess I'm drawn to characters with delusions of grandeur who want to prove their worth. Those must be the characters that leave an impression on me. :) <br />
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<i>This Dark Endeavor</i> was simply unputdownable, and I rarely say that. My little ADD-self can put down the most thoroughly interesting of books, too, so that should say something to this novel's overwhelming power of intrigue. If you haven't yet, I highly recommend picking up this novel. It clocks in at slightly under 300 pages, so it would be a quick read. And like I said, it's practically unputdownable!</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrvRoAWWrD73hVBW6zVVPvSBz85H2v1hKNeOXEWEnzG3gtsdxpUMYus9-TiDYx9REFQwXSI_BGmGzmItV4cfY1PtwWLepsiHTXAp9rYaSalSKlrN8mZeMS2fZb99TXRT6bPz-YGecCXGn/s1600/amelia5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrvRoAWWrD73hVBW6zVVPvSBz85H2v1hKNeOXEWEnzG3gtsdxpUMYus9-TiDYx9REFQwXSI_BGmGzmItV4cfY1PtwWLepsiHTXAp9rYaSalSKlrN8mZeMS2fZb99TXRT6bPz-YGecCXGn/s320/amelia5.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-44667934382298309872012-03-12T21:53:00.001-05:002012-03-12T21:53:44.728-05:00an update<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;">Greetings, fellow padawans! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;">(okay, okay, so that is <i>totally </i>geeky, but I couldn't resist)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">So...the job is going really well and so far I've been able to keep up with my reading.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7GfWDPmlV-tkL8Lemk_RTofsGCbkic8jqKerD4wSvJKPstgYr4uQeVQ25ulq8_1_Dozks50t5xrRz9Ya6j0C68a2e3eNWWNfVgtT9YigPs5vMHR0KhPcC88BVCoKsEGphx5aoQMjF2kQ/s1600/bookart2.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7GfWDPmlV-tkL8Lemk_RTofsGCbkic8jqKerD4wSvJKPstgYr4uQeVQ25ulq8_1_Dozks50t5xrRz9Ya6j0C68a2e3eNWWNfVgtT9YigPs5vMHR0KhPcC88BVCoKsEGphx5aoQMjF2kQ/s320/bookart2.jpg" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a cute random bookish picture </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">I haven't posted any of my reviews on here because the majority of books I've read recently have been ARCs, and I'm not sure if there would be any interest in reading my ARC reviews before the books are actually out. I've read <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12180248-enchanted"><i>Enchanted</i></a> (Kontis), <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10194157-shadow-and-bone"><i>Shadow and Bone</i></a> (Bardugo), <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12924275-masque-of-the-red-death"><i>Masque of the Red Death</i> </a>(Griffin), <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11388429-when-the-sea-is-rising-red"><i>When the Sea is Rising Red</i></a> (Hellison - but I skimmed through this one) and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11992460-this-dark-endeavour"><i>This Dark Endeavor</i> </a>(Oppel). Unfortunately, with the exception of <i>This Dark Endeavor</i> (which I absolutely <b>loved</b>), I disliked all the others and when I finally do get around to posting the reviews, they won't be all that praise-worthy. Wanted to just get that confession out of the way. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Due to these less-than-stellar experiences, I've dubbed 2012 the Year of the Re-Reads. I'm going through some of my favorite books, as well as books I haven't read for years, and reading them again. I'm giving myself all year to get through <i>Lord of the Rings</i>, and I've already finished reading through the five books of the <i>Chronicles of Prydain</i> series. </div><div style="text-align: center;">What's next? Probably re-read the <i>Harry Potter</i> series at some point (it's been since 2009 since I've read those) and...I want to re-read <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/375802.Ender_s_Game"><i>Ender's Game</i></a> by Orson Scott Card. Have any of you all read that? </div><div style="text-align: center;">It was part of our required reading in middle school, and at the time I thought it was 'okay.' But now that a movie version is in production, I'd like to read through it again and figure out who's who. All I remember is that Peter is a sick SOB and Mazer is cool. And something about xenocide. Anyhoo.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In other news, I've decided that I'm interested in sci-fi. I'm about to start <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8235178-across-the-universe"><i>Across the Universe</i></a> and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10345927-a-million-suns"><i>A Million Suns</i> </a>by Beth Revis, whom I hear is the newest popular YA sci-fi author. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8YRB94uLARaU_5Psp6g8n6_bR53dpp8CcQAUJt7iLHu55oJADsPI783GUolWW5EYB1_BWXhUliRdJYQgeUE0RYRnVUg3Zh2v9a4f4mS_ZQ4aDuqcc8Jg8M8rSIrcz06MhQq0cSgJB0GD/s1600/hugo-movie-poster-02.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8YRB94uLARaU_5Psp6g8n6_bR53dpp8CcQAUJt7iLHu55oJADsPI783GUolWW5EYB1_BWXhUliRdJYQgeUE0RYRnVUg3Zh2v9a4f4mS_ZQ4aDuqcc8Jg8M8rSIrcz06MhQq0cSgJB0GD/s200/hugo-movie-poster-02.jpg" width="135" /></a>And by the way...has anybody seen Martin Scorsese's <i>Hugo</i>, adapted from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9673436-the-invention-of-hugo-cabret"><i>The Invention of Hugo Cabret</i></a> by Brian Selznick? I don't even remember this movie being marketed back in the fall (unlike the frickin headache that is <i>The Hunger Games - </i>I see that stupid preview multiple times a day!). </div><div style="text-align: center;">But when I watched the Academy Awards a few weeks ago, they said that this was the most nominated film of the year. Naturally, a Martin Scorsese movie that does <i>not </i>contain the 'F' word piqued my curiosity. And let me tell you, this is now my #1 favorite movie <i>ever</i>, tied with the <i>Lord of the Rings</i> films. IT IS THAT GOOD! The only thing I would've liked is for them to keep the whole title - calling it "Hugo" made me think it was a biopic for Victor Hugo or something. LOL - would've still seen that movie, too!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7GfWDPmlV-tkL8Lemk_RTofsGCbkic8jqKerD4wSvJKPstgYr4uQeVQ25ulq8_1_Dozks50t5xrRz9Ya6j0C68a2e3eNWWNfVgtT9YigPs5vMHR0KhPcC88BVCoKsEGphx5aoQMjF2kQ/s1600/bookart2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I gotta tell you, set aside whatever book you're reading right now and watch this movie! It is AH-MAZING!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Peace out padawans,</div></div>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-14717161912660184202012-03-05T19:04:00.000-06:002012-03-05T19:04:28.141-06:00Review - BRUISER<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_32390222"><i><b>Bruiser</b></i></a><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1931915.Bruiser"> </a>- Neal Shusterman</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b>Genre: YA Contemporary plus Paranormal</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b># of pages:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b>Publisher:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b>Recommended for: Everyone</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/parentalbookreviews/shadow/bruiser-by-neal-shusterman"><span style="color: #382110;"><b> <i>Bruiser</i> @ Parental Book Reviews</b></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictyifV2R5JJ8PinxE5TvOt4Yq52i0mpPJyDhwkVsJLXDIYtBZRIBChfVaJEk6gHBMjtOiNmD7sCMPUTLT_xq9FgVKrvFVwVIUP0917wUz54QxETpO47MtdC6hjT7MIHJV9A6DyEI-iaPz/s1600/bruiser.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictyifV2R5JJ8PinxE5TvOt4Yq52i0mpPJyDhwkVsJLXDIYtBZRIBChfVaJEk6gHBMjtOiNmD7sCMPUTLT_xq9FgVKrvFVwVIUP0917wUz54QxETpO47MtdC6hjT7MIHJV9A6DyEI-iaPz/s200/bruiser.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="freeText1667895727992120042"><em>"There’s a reason why Brewster can’t have friends – why he can’t care about too many people. Because when he cares about you, things start to happen. Impossible things that can’t be explained. I know, because they're happening to me."</em> <br />
<br />
When Brontë starts dating Brewster “Bruiser” Rawlins – the guy voted “Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty” her twin brother, Tennyson, isn’t surprised. But then strange things begin to occur. Tennyson and Brontë’s scrapes heal unnaturally fast, and cuts disappear before their eyes. What at first seems like their good fortune turns out to be more than they bargained for…much more.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="freeText1667895727992120042">--</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="freeText1667895727992120042"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="freeText1667895727992120042"> </span><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview223432454"><em>Bruiser</em> is the second Neal Shusterman book I've read, and I enjoyed it just as much as when I read <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/764347.Unwind"><em>Unwind</em></a> this past summer. I think the main thing about Neal Shusterman that I like is his writing style. He has a way of saying everything that needs to be said in a quick, simple and efficient way. I always knew just enough about the characters' thoughts and motives to get me through what was happening, but he didn't let me in on <em>everything</em>, if that makes sense. Just like with real people, you can't always know what they're thinking or what makes them tick. Shusterman gives just enough to help readers navigate the story, but there's always an enigmatic quality that I think is special. <br />
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And while <em>Unwind</em> was a solid dystopian, I don't really know that <em>Bruiser</em> fits into an easily-defined category. I guess magical realism wouldn't be a completely accurate label, but the whole premise revolves around something definitely supernatural and wholly thought-provoking: a boy who literally takes on the pains of people close to him. And so the story is told from the points-of-view of multiple characters, including Brewster - called "Bruiser," and the siblings Tennyson and Bronte, who literally invite themselves into Brewster's powerful but complicated world. As an aside, I'm normally very distracted by weird names, but in this book they seemed to have a real purpose. I have to say that Shusterman has a gift for creating lovable but complex characters who reveal themselves to be more than what they seem. However, I didn't always like Bronte, Brewster's girlfriend. She's the kind of character who's outwardly perfect and upright but who harbors the ability to be extremely egotistical. As the novel grew more complex, I found myself very put-off by some of her actions. I was appalled, but I also figured that Shusterman was angling for that reaction. And to be honest, I kind of <em>liked</em> that part of the story. I liked how easy it was to place one person's happiness above the welfare of another. I liked seeing that kind of tension and I liked seeing the characters realize the magnitude of what they'd done. Now THAT is how to create tension in a novel! My favorite character, though, would have to be Tennyson. In my opinion, he seemed to be the most misunderstood character and underwent the greatest character evolution. <br />
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I could go on an on about the brilliant qualities of this book. Not a single sentence was out of place (though I still don't like the present-tense writing style or the multiple shifts in narration) and every scene built up to an explosive finale. And the ending was satisfying but also open-ended. <br />
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I'm definitely proud of our Texas librarians who picked <em>Bruiser</em> to be a Lone Star book for this year. It's the perfect book I'd recommend to teen readers because it has all the elements needed in a true winner: there's action, there's suspense and sometimes even extreme tension, there's a sweet, simple romance, there's manipulation, there's heartache, and there's just a little bit of the unexplainable. Ahh, <em>Bruiser</em> is without a doubt one of the most memorable novels I've ever read. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictyifV2R5JJ8PinxE5TvOt4Yq52i0mpPJyDhwkVsJLXDIYtBZRIBChfVaJEk6gHBMjtOiNmD7sCMPUTLT_xq9FgVKrvFVwVIUP0917wUz54QxETpO47MtdC6hjT7MIHJV9A6DyEI-iaPz/s1600/bruiser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="freeText1667895727992120042"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzjtA-6Juz3ocqYFqzgnFJiGt46vdwwuSVJHdhXFW7wrNh1MO0zxwqZ0P-rtN22OeKhs-r9-du87IDTYD7Ns3lyxPQHf4WRF1BJKLqAPJgkEwS2i5TGEMk7wXduc35YpKxlNTDdaXlGJa/s1600/amelia5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzjtA-6Juz3ocqYFqzgnFJiGt46vdwwuSVJHdhXFW7wrNh1MO0zxwqZ0P-rtN22OeKhs-r9-du87IDTYD7Ns3lyxPQHf4WRF1BJKLqAPJgkEwS2i5TGEMk7wXduc35YpKxlNTDdaXlGJa/s320/amelia5.png" width="320" /></a></div>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-594502524570705142.post-4587084381313156132012-02-25T16:46:00.000-06:002012-02-25T16:46:57.067-06:00My mailbox this week!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;">This was a busy, busy week for my mailbox and me!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5Jna9GpwrdWT7dXUeja5IsI5BP-MD1SjNNTZ8oCNTCGsArzJwv3d_mafRFKXwwOqi956P-FALOn31fQnouau6cvN19Ft1uhRXfnKrn923htr1JFhwLi01ArQ7K3SrjtzIDwi4NhSdGoc/s1600/IMG_1604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5Jna9GpwrdWT7dXUeja5IsI5BP-MD1SjNNTZ8oCNTCGsArzJwv3d_mafRFKXwwOqi956P-FALOn31fQnouau6cvN19Ft1uhRXfnKrn923htr1JFhwLi01ArQ7K3SrjtzIDwi4NhSdGoc/s320/IMG_1604.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;">I received a big box of books from Hachette (Little Brown) from a request I made at ALA. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;">I was absolutely ecstatic when it showed up this past week, because I've never gotten a box of books from a publisher and it was a really special feeling!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b>FOR REVIEW </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12681233-revived"><i>Revived</i></a> - Cat Patrick</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9268789-purity"><i>Purity</i></a> - Jackson Pearce</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12814582-ghost-knight"><i>Ghost Knight</i></a> - Cornelia Funke</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12814540-the-last-princess"><i>The Last Princess</i></a> - Galaxy Craze</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13152282-the-extraordinary-education-of-nicholas-benedict"><i>The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict </i></a>- Trenton Lee Stewart</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b>TRADE</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13060608-the-girl-in-the-clockwork-collar"><i>Girl in the Clockwork Collar</i></a> (Steampunk Chronicles #2) - Kady Cross</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8235178-across-the-universe"><i>Across the Universe</i></a> - Beth Revis</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/963508.Cybele_s_Secret"><i>Cybele's Secret</i> </a>(Wildwood #2) - Juliet Marillier</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7824322-between-shades-of-gray"><i>Between Shades of Gray</i></a> - Ruta Sepetys</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10339809-steampunk"><span style="color: #382110;"><b><i>Steampunk Poe</i></b></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b><i> </i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b><i> </i> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b> </b>Also, I found out of a bit of exciting news on Friday - there was a job I'd been offered that I really wanted, and I got it! I'm so excited to start this professional chapter of my life, but I may not be able to update as often as I have been. Please hang in there with me and keep me on your blog roll. I'm not entirely gone, and I'll be posting when I can! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"><b> </b> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #382110;"> </span></div>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.com11