Publisher: Delacorte Publisher Page Count: 384 Fiction Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Dystopian, YA, Adventure Dates Read: October 10-11, 2015 Summary Thomas has just woken up in a metal box. It's moving, but he doesn't know where it's going or where it came from. In fact, the only thing Thomas can remember is his name. He's been delivered to The Glade, and a large group of boys are there to meet him. He quickly learns that they only way to get out of The Glade is through the maze, where the walls change patterns each night, and it's filled with creatures set of killing the boys. But everything is changing, and it becomes obvious when the first and only girl shows up with a message; she is the last. Review This was much better than I expected it to be. I don't know what exactly I was expecting, but it was not good; maybe I am getting burnt out on predictable YA novels. The Maze Runner though is really good. Well written and full of suspense. I loved that I was unable to predict what 100% of the story, partially do to being so engrossed in the story. Dasher is a great story teller who is very skilled at character development and setting a good pace. That ending though! Oh my! Tears, hope, relief, and shock. I am looking forward to reading The Scorch Trials. As a side note, I was hella disappointed with the move. It was such a bad adaption that bastardized a good book. Ratings (based on a 10 point scale) Quality of Writing - 8 Pace - 7 Plot Development - 7 Characters - 7 Enjoyability - 8 Insightfulness - 5 Ease of Reading - 7 Photos/Illustrations - N/A Overall Rating - 4 out of 5 stars
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Book 80 (an obnoxious font): All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum10/11/2015 Publisher: Ballantine Books Page Count: 240 Nonfiction Genre: Humor, Self-Help, Philosophical, Essays Dates Read: October 11, 2015 Summary Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some. Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the styrofoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that. Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we. And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK Robert Fulghum takes you through 25 personal essays that revolve around the topics of love, life, death, loss, wisdom, acceptance, and various other topics. Review I really loved the idea of this book a lot more than I actually enjoyed it. I felt like he was actually writing this book for kindergartners. Maybe I am not his target audience, but I just felt like this did not reveal some profound secret that everyone has been missing out on except for him. I wasn't exactly looking for that, but it's the impression I got from reading his synopsis. His writing style is very simplistic and juvenile, as though he is talking down to his readers. This book can be summed up by just stating: Be a good human. If all we really needed to know we learned in Kindergarten than I have some college degrees I want a refund on. Nice try, Mr. Fulghum, but I'm not buying it (though unfortunately I did buy this book). Ratings (based on a 10 point scale)
Quality of Writing - 7 Pace - 5 Plot Development - 2 Characters - N/A Enjoyability - 2 Insightfulness - 1 Ease of Reading - 5 Photos/Illustrations - N/A Overall Rating - 1 out of 5 stars Book 83 (that teaches you something): Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach10/10/2015 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Page Count: 320 Nonfiction Genre: Science, Humor, Medical, Death, History Dates Read: October 4-10, 2015 Summary So you want to donate your body to science? That's cool. But what does your flesh-bag have to look forward to after you die? Mary Roach examines the history of autopsies and medical training on cadavers, and takes a first hand look at how bodies are used postmortem. Review Mary Roach is like that science teacher you had in school that made learning fun and entertaining. She's not the kind of person to recite information from a textbook, but brings a humorous honesty into her story telling that keeps you engaged and wanting to know more. Well written with great detail, but not so much that you find yourself cringing with unease. I think this is a great book for everyone to read, especially those that are considering donating themselves after death. Do you really know what you are signing up for? Ratings (based on a 10 point scale) Quality of Writing - 7 Pace - 5 Plot Development - 5 Characters - N/A Enjoyability - 5 Insightfulness - 7 Ease of Reading - 6 Photos/Illustrations - N/A Overall Rating - 3 out of 5 stars Krampus: The Yule Lord by Brom Publisher: Harper Voyager Page Count: 357 Fiction Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Horror, Supernatural Dates Read: October 4-9, 2015 Summary Santa Clause isn't who we think he is. After spending centuries locked in a cave, the old lord, Krampus is ready to make his move. Now that he has his handy sack back, he can find the tools he needs to unlock the chains that have imprisoned him. With the help of his minions and a mortal named Jesss, Krampus is ready to make his revenge against Santa Clause a reality. Review *fan girls so hard* AMAZING! A beautiful story of old gods hanging on to mankind's faith. This reminded me a lot of Neil Gaiman's American Gods, had Gaiman focused on just one deity, instead of a larger number of them. Wonderfully written with great and beautiful illustrations. I loved that Brom made this story equally about Krampus and the gods, as well as focused on Jesse and his life. A man who has always been a fuck-up is now seeking redemption to make up with her wife and bring joy to his young daughter. Brom has brought Yuletide back to life. Ratings (based on a 10 point scale) Quality of Writing - 8 Pace - 8 Plot Development - 9 Characters - 10 Enjoyability - 10 Insightfulness - 8 Ease of Reading - 9 Photos/Illustrations - 10 Overall Rating - 5 out of 5 stars Publisher: Grove Press Page Count: 304 Nonfiction Genre: Memoir, Biography, American Lit. Dates Read: October 2-4, 2015 Summary Toby Wolff was just a boy when he and his mother left Florida for Utah in search of plutonium riches. By this point Toby insists on being called Jack because of his love of the author Jack London. This starts his story of a turbulent childhood, of his mothers cycle of bad boyfriends, and new starts. Once her mother meets and marries Dwight, Jack's life changes, and not for the best. Review This book was outstanding and worthy of all the feels. Wolff is a skilled writer, and makes every word count. It is sad to accept that this was Wolff's childhood and not some story he just made up. Though some people have it worse off, nobody should have to endear what he did while living with Dwight. Wolff uses such clear imagery that I felt like I was there in the room with him as he details yet another encounter with his step-father. I wish his mother could have been a stronger woman for his sake, but I know it could not have been easy for her, understanding that she was in a horrible situation as well. The book was adapted well into a movie, though some of the details are a bit jumbled and mixed around. It does not take away from Wolff's story or experiences. Ratings (based on a 10 point scale) Quality of Writing - 9 Pace - 8 Plot Development - 8 Characters - 8 Enjoyability - 9 Insightfulness - 10 Ease of Reading - 10 Photos/Illustrations - N/A Overall Rating - 5 out of 5 stars Publisher: Viking Page Count: 496 Fiction Genre: Classics, Historical, American Lit. Dates Read: September 26-October 3, 2015 Summary Young Tom Joad was just released from prison. He killed a man in a fight. His time has been served, and now he has probation. He returns home to find that his family has been forced out their home because their farm is no longer making money. Knowing that he is breaking his probation, Tom decides to travel from Oklahoma to California with his family in hopes that they will find jobs and a way to survive. Set during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. Review This book is amazing! I understand why it is a classic and why people still talk about it. It's gritty and emotional. You feel a connection with all of the characters, and fall in love with Young Tom Joad. To clique it, Tom is a bad boy with a golden heart. Steinbeck does nothing special to cover up the crime in Tom's past, but makes it a part of who he is and how that has changed him. He will do anything for the survival and betterment of his family. Admittedly, I enjoyed the moves more than the book, but I blame Henry Fonda for that. Both mediums are great. I liked that the book gave you both Young Tom's perspective as well as a general narrative perspective (a way to fill in the holes from Tom POV while he was separated from his family). Ratings (based on a 10 point scale) Quality of Writing - 8 Pace - 6 Plot Development - 7 Characters - 9 Enjoyability - 10 Insightfulness - 9 Ease of Reading - 9 Photos/Illustrations - N/A Overall Rating - 5 out of 5 stars Publisher: Green Integer Page Count: 200 Fiction Genre: Classics, Short Stories, War, Banned Dates Read: October 2, 2015 Summary Take a trip down the Congo river with a mysterious man who Controls the wild locals. Be ready for a psychological thriller. Review This was just okay. I wanted to love this; it seemed like my kind of story. Somewhere I missed that boat and found myself sitting here wondering what happened. It was really creepy, in an awesome way, but sometimes that was negated by Conrad's use of flowery language. It was such a weird combination. I'm still trying to process it all. Ratings (based on a 10 point scale) Quality of Writing - 5 Pace - 4 Plot Development - 4 Characters - 5 Enjoyability - 6 Insightfulness - 5 Ease of Reading - 6 Photos/Illustrations - N/A Overall Rating - 3 out of 5 stars |
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