Book of the Week 11/18/13

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Algernon

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILER ALERT

It should be obvious, but it a spoiler alert is necessary.

What struck me the most about Flowers for Algernon is the fact that everyone else was completely in denial about the ending. We all knew it was coming. Algernon was clearly going to die; with "Flowers for Algernon" as the title, what else could possibly happen? Algernon dies. Obviously. And everything that happens to Algernon happens to Charlie. I think - no, I know Charlie is a dead man. Dead. The question is, what would have happened if he hadn't had the mental decline?

Book of the Week 11/11/13

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

This might just be fan-art or a banner or something, but I like it.

I think Flowers for Algernon includes an incredible amount of symbolism in Algernon, mainly because even to the scientists, he represents the experiment, and therefore Charlie. What happens to Algernon happens to Charlie, which isn't a good sign when Algernon starts "deteriorating." Even though Charlie notices this, he acts unafraid as if he's trying to ignore it or like he doesn't even care about his own life anymore. Maybe he wants to go back to being the old Charlie?
By the way, I think you all have been in denial since the beginning. The book is titled, "Flowers for Algernon." And what kind of person do you give flowers to? Either a lover or a dead person. And considering that Algernon isn't exactly in a relationship with Charlie, but the two are certainly linked, this doesn't bode well for Charlie. Flowers for Algernon - dead Algernon. Dead Algernon = dead Charlie. If you weren't expecting this, you're kidding yourself.
Don't get me wrong - Charlie may be doomed, but that doesn't mean it's a bad book. An author willing to kill the main character shows bravery.



And that brings me to you, my dear Veronica Roth. Oh boy.

Book of the Week 11/4/13

Vampire Kisses: Dance with a Vampire by Ellen Schreiber

Dance with a Vampire is the fourth book in the Vampire Kisses series. I've always really liked the main character's personality throughout the whole series and her attitude is funny and spunky. Most of the series, she faces more serious, large-scale problems, so it's fun to focus on her own life a bit. I guess it's another dumb vampire love story, but it has interesting characters and it's fun to read.
It's fantasy or semi-realistic fiction. I liked it, but I doubt any of you guys will. *lol*
Here's a pic:

Pretty!

WARNING: Don't Read It              lol

Book of the Week 10/28/13

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
"You can't stop the future. You can't rewind the past. The only way to learn the secret is to press play."

 Thirteen Reasons Why is a really powerful book. Hannah Baker is much more than just a girl who commits suicide. She comes alive in her stories, and a lot of the story takes place before she died, even though her death occurred before the book begins. I didn't really like the last scene, but the rest of the book is really good. Hannah makes you think about life and what people do when they're giving up.
 

 

Book of the Week 10/21/13

ALLEGIANT by Veronica Roth
Holy crap, guys! Allegiant was, like, insane. Just freaking insane. First, Tobias actually gets himself a personality. So, if you weren't so into Tris and Tobias, you will be now!

I can't believe what Veronica Roth did! Damn that brilliant author! I hate her! She's incredible!

Book of the Week 10/14/13

House of Hades by Rick Riordan
Genre: Fantasy Adventure (yay!)
Review: The second-to-last book in the Heroes of Olympus series!

Q: Guess who's awesome?
A: LEO!

If you don't understand, the answer is simple: READ THE FRICKIN BOOK!

(yay!)

Book of the Week 9/30/13

Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fantasy Adventure Drama - lots of fun stuff! :-)
Review: This has probably been recommended to you many many times already, but I'll do it again, because trust me, this book is good. And beware - don't take anything for granted; nothing is what it seems.
Read it!!

Book of the Week 9/16/13

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

The Adults Want to Kill You!

The Enemy is a thick sci-fi book of nearly 450 pages. Some of the main characters are very young, and some of them are slightly older, but they are all portrayed well as mature, thoughtful characters. I am only partway through, and the youngest main character is Small Sam, who is probably about six or seven, although it is still interesting to be inside his head. Some of the other perspectives - Arran and Maxie - are slightly more engaging, but so far, their story as a whole calls for a lot of big decisions and mature thoughts necessary for even the young children. I liked the writing style; it seems like the author is really able to get inside these kid's thoughts and he displays them well for the reader.
Next week, I'll continue reading The Enemy, as it's a two-week book.
It's good!

Book of the Week 9/9/13

Darth Plagueis by James Luceno

Once again, the genre is probably fantasy or sci-fi. There are 279 pages, and the reading level isn't particularly difficult, but is still complex enough to hold my attention. Also, some of the sentences were annoyingly long, but maybe not ridiculously so.

Darth Plagueis's closest relevance to the Star Wars movies is the fact that he was Darth Sidious's master. But aside from having Sidious as an apprentice, Plagueis was an interesting Sith Lord on his own. He tried to use midi-chlorians, the creators of the Force and all life beside, so that he could live forever. This attempt at immortality, however, diverts him from keeping a weary eye on his apprentice. Never dying would directly defy Darth Bane's Rule of Two, and Sidious takes advantage of his master's distraction and destroys his master, sustaining the Rule of Two.

I liked Darth Plagueis as a story, but not as a book. Although it was an interesting tale of a Sith Lord, Luceno didn't write it particularly well. The vocabulary was medium to high, but I had some issues with the grammar and formatting. The physical book itself also smelled bad, but it was from the public library, so I'll forgive. Additionally, there were some pretty cool conversations between Sidious and Maul, which is something I enjoy about Sith books. The master is always teaching valuable lessons to the apprentice, some of which aren't fantasy/Sith at all and can actually be applied in my life.

The next book I plan to read is The Enemy by Charlie Higson. Yay reading! Yay fantasy! Yay sci-fi!

Bye, people.

Book of the Week 9/2/13

Darth Bane: A Dynasty of Evil
by Drew Karpyshyn

This was a fairly interesting sci-fi/fantasy book about Darth Bane, a Sith Lord of Star Wars. He is known as the inventor of the Rule of Two, which refocused the dark side of the Force two only two Sith: Master and Apprentice, so as to give the Sith more power. However, A Dynasty of Evil deals with Bane's attempt to find information that will allow him to extend his life when his plan backfires on him and it seems that his apprentice Zannah is not fit to become a Sith Master. Read it, there's a cool assassin! She does backflips and blows people up!
Darth Bane: A Dynasty of Evil is well-written and has interesting sentence structure, if you're like me and enjoy reading cool syntax. It's similar to... well, I don't know, other Star Wars books, I guess.
WARNING: If you're not a big Star Wars fan, you probably shouldn't read this. Just don't even try, you'll die trying to understand everything.

Next Week: Darth Plagueis

^^^That's Darth Bane. That's Zannah.^^^

My Tuby Red list is as follows:
 - The Mortal Instruments series
 - Darth Plagueis
 - Night Circus
 - See You at Harry's
 - Forgive Me Leonard Peacock
 - Animal Farm
 - The Other Side of the Island
 - Spoiled
 - Life of Pi
 - A Mango Shaped Space
 - Many Many Many Many More!!
OF COURSE, HOUSE OF HADES AND ALLEGIANT WILL BYPASS EVERYTHING

This week, I'll read Darth Plagueis, but it could be a two-week book. Probably not. But possibly.

Just watch Star Wars, my friends, and everything will make sense.

Six Great Books

My Top Three Favorite Books
These are my top three favorites, but since I think you all have already heard of them, I made another list below.

   1. Divergent - This book is amazing! It's not as well known as Hunger Games, but with the movie coming out, it's climbing fast. Another dystopian novel about a teenage girl, but Divergent's better than the Hunger Games!
   2.The Hunger Games - Hunger Games rocks, but I know most of you already have read it. It's still awesome.
   3. Harry Potter - What a surprise. I think almost everyone has read or seen Harry Potter, so I don't think this really is very helpful at all.


Alternate Top Three Favorite Books
Just to comply with the assignment, because I'm pretty sure Hunger Games and Harry Potter are no use to anyone at all.

   1. Throat - A vampire book that deals with better things than glittering in the sun. Actually, the main character is less of a classic vampire and more of a superhuman. Read it, it's good.
   2. Anna Dressed in Blood - Get over the dramatic title, I know it's kinda cheesy. However, the book is pretty cool. It's told from a male point of view for once, because I know most everything I'm recommending is from the perspective of a girl. There's some pretty graphic violence, but it's awesome.
   3. Love You, Hate You, Miss You - Okay, this is a seriously depressing book that deals with a lot of older themes. There's not a ton of action, just a bunch of moping and flashbacks and really mulling over thoughts about life. A girl drinks a lot and her friend just died in a car accident. There's a lot of pretty mature stuff, but it makes you rethink a lot about life and what you take for granted.

Introducing Me

I love Star Wars!!