Publisher: Ballantine Books Page Count: 304 Nonfiction Genre: Reference, How To, Self-Help, Adult, Trivia Dates Read: December 30-31, 2015 Reading Challenge: 2016 Topic Discard Challenge Topic: A book that inspires you Series: N/A Good Reads Summary A HANDY GUIDE FULL OF HOW-TO TIPS AND SAGE ADVICE FROM GRANDFATHERS As members of the Greatest Generation, our grandfathers were not only defined by the Depression but also by their heroic service to the country in World War II. Courageous, responsible, and involved, they understand sacrifice, hard work, and how to do whatever is necessary to take care of their loved ones. They also know how to have a rollicking good time. Sensible, fun, and inspiring, How to Build a Fire offers a rare glimpse into the hearts and minds of grandfathers near and far by sharing their practical skills and sweet stories on how to be stronger, smarter, richer, and happier. Inside are more than one hundred essential step-by-step tips for fixing, leading, prospering, playing, and hosting, including how to • buck up and be brave in the face of adversity • play hard and break in a baseball mitt • bait a hook and catch a big fish • look dapper and tie a perfect tie • get a raise and earn more • write a love letter and kindle romance • change a flat tire and save the day • stand up and give a sparkling toast • play the harmonica and make your own music Loaded with charming illustrations, good humor, and warm nostalgia, How to Build a Fire is the perfect handbook for guys or gals of any age. The first of its kind, this collection of our grandfathers’ hard-earned wisdom will help you build confidence and get back to what’s really important in life. Review I have always been a tomboy, playing in the dirt, climbing corn cribs, and running through the pastures. Growing up, I was happy to hang out with father and grandfather in the fields or in the tractors. Following them around as they did chores and helping them out however I could. I also played with my Barbies, and they helped out on the farm as well. Some days, my dolls came home dirtier than I did. My mom wasn't as thrilled about this as I was, but I think she handled it pretty well. I went into this book not knowing what to expect. I thought the two most important men in my life had taught me everything I would ever need to know, that my mother, grandmother, and instructors could not tech me. There were a lot of things in this book I am grateful for already knowing how to do, like how to build a fire, how to change a tire, and how to bait a hook, but there are things that nobody ever taught me, and I never even thought about it before, like how to negotiate a raise. I semi-successfully navigated that for the first time a few months before reading the book. I say semi-successfully because while I did not get exactly what I walked in wanting, I did not walk away empty handed. After reading the book, I learned where my pitfalls were, and what I can do differently next time. For me, there were several things in this book that I will most likely never need to know how to do, like how to shave my face (I really hope I never need to know how to do that!), or how to look dapper in a tie, though I think it would be slightly romantic to be able to tie a man's tie for him. Even the things that I realized I would probably never need to know how to do, I was fascinated to read about how to do them. What I really enjoyed about this book was how it was written. There were several grandfatherly men who wrote each advice article and instilled his years of wisdom into the reader. It was like reading a journal from my own grandfather who had left me instructions for life. It wasn't until I was older, a senior in college not too long ago, that I realized how much my father and grandfather taught me out in those fields, and how much I still have left to learn from them. Unfortunately this was just two years after my grandfather had passed away, but fortunately I still have my father around. While this book didn't have a lot of new information for me, I still really enjoyed every aspect of it, even the bits I felt were not as relevant to my life. This is an all around handy little guide that I plan to keep in my personal library. It is a book that I would give out to any young teen, male or female, in a life skills class, and tell them they will learn more from this book than they will learn from baking cookies in HomeEc. Ratings (based on a 10 point scale) Quality of Writing - 9 Pace - 5 Plot Development - N/A Characters - N/A Enjoyability - 9 Insightfulness - 8 Ease of Reading - 8 Photos/Illustrations - N/A Overall Rating - 4 out of 5 stars
0 Comments
Publisher: Penguin Roc Page Count: 294 Fiction Genre: YA, Fantasy, Classic, Sci-Fi, Romance, Magic Dates Read: December 26-30, 2015 Reading Challenge: 2016 Topic Discard Challenge Topic: A book your parent(s) read as a teenager Series: The Last Unicorn, 1 Good Reads Summary She was magical, beautiful beyond belief -- and completely alone... The unicorn had lived since before memory in a forest where death could touch nothing. Maidens who caught a glimpse of her glory were blessed by enchantment they would never forget. But outside her wondrous realm, dark whispers and rumours carried a message she could not ignore: "Unicorns are gone from the world." Aided by a bumbling magician and an indomitable spinster, she set out to learn the truth. but she feared even her immortal wisdom meant nothing in a world where a mad king's curse and terror incarnate lived only to stalk the last unicorn to her doom... Review From a childhood favorite movie to an adulthood favorite book. How could I not love this as much as I do. This book is full of so much symbolism that I don't think I would have recognized if I had read it when I was younger and not as world-wise. #ShelteredChildhood Beagle is a talented and classic author who has given us one of the greatest gifts we never asked for. This book. His story is beautiful, and if you're a non-crier like me, you will ugly cry in parts of this book, mostly towards the end. Beware of the Red Bull. When I was a young girl watching the movie ... With the awesome soundtrack ... I really connected, or at least wanted to connect with The Unicorn. I think that has a lot to do with the special snowflake syndrome of my generation. But now as a 20-something I feel a fond connection to Molly and her connection to The Unicorn. There''s kind of an ironic beauty to it. Molly saw so much hope, beauty, and innocence in the unicorn, and she wanted to hold onto those things for as long as possible. Here I am holding onto Molly as she holds on to The Unicorn. What really gets me about this book is the lack of happy anything. This book is down right gritty and all throughout the book you feel this looming sense of despair and hopelessness. You're not sure this is going to be a Disney story where "happily eve rafter" is guaranteed. "It cannot be an ill fortune to have loved a unicorn. Surely it must be the dearest luck of all, though the hardest earned". Ratings (based on a 10 point scale) Quality of Writing - 9 Pace - 8 Plot Development - 8 Characters - 9 Enjoyability - 9 Insightfulness - 7 Ease of Reading - 8 Photos/Illustrations - N/A Overall Rating - 5 out of 5 stars Publisher: Quercus Page Count: 513 Fiction Genre: Horror, supernatural, Paranormal, Thriller, Mystery Dates Read: December 22-29, 2015 Reading Challenge: 2016 Topic Discard Challenge Topic: A child as the main character Series: N/A Good Reads Summary It is autumn 1981 when the inconceivable comes to Blackeberg, a suburb in Sweden. The body of a teenage boy is found, emptied of blood, the murder rumored to be part of a ritual killing. Twelve-year-old Oskar is personally hoping that revenge has come at long last—revenge for the bullying he endures at school, day after day.But the murder is not the most important thing on his mind. A new girl has moved in next door—a girl who has never seen a Rubik’s Cube before, but who can solve it at once. There is something wrong with her, though, something odd. And she only comes out at night.... Review This book has a good story, but it took me awhile to get into it. The changing perspective between the older man and young boy was very confusing for me in the beginning; the changes in perspective felt clumsy. However, Lingvist built such amazing characters that you just want to pull out of the book and love them. The story as a whole and a wonderfully crafted piece of art. I found the ending of the story a little heartbreaking, but I could not picture it ending any other way. Wait! Wait! There Are Movies?!?! There are two movies based on this book. One move shares the title of the book, whereas the second movie is titled Let Me In. Let Me In is the English version of the book and Let the Right One In is the original Slavish version of the film, which stays more true to the book than the English remake. In my personal, and not so humble opinion, while I like both movies, they are pretty much the same thing. They have almost the same cinematography, but with different actors. Though I do enjoy them both, I will aways recommend Let The Right One In over the English speaking remake. My primary reason for this is that in the original film (LTR1I), the movie follows the mystery of the book and slowly pieces the story together. In LMI, the movie starts in the middle of the mystery and you're pretty much told everything right away. Ratings (based on a 10 point scale) Quality of Writing - 9 Pace - 6 Plot Development - 7 Characters - 9 Enjoyability - 6 Insightfulness - 6 Ease of Reading - 7 Photos/Illustrations - N/A Overall Rating - 3 out of 5 stars Publisher: IDW Publishing
Page Count: 168 & 160 Fiction Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror, Fantasy, Comic, Sci-Fi Dates Read: December 25-26, 2015 & March 7, 2016 Reading Challenge: 2016 Topic Discard Challenge & 2016 PopSugar Challenge Topic: A graphic novel everyone is talking about (TDC) & A graphic novel (PSC) Series: Locke & Key, Volumes 1 & 2 Good Reads Summary Welcome to Lovecraft: Locke & Key tells of Keyhouse, an unlikely New England mansion, with fantastic doors that transform all who dare to walk through them. Home to a hate-filled and relentless creature that will not rest until it forces open the most terrible door of them all... Head Games: Following a shocking death that dredges up memories of their father's murder, Kinsey and Tyler Locke are thrown into choppy emotional waters, and turn to their new friend, Zack Wells, for support, little suspecting Zack's dark secret. Meanwhile, six-year-old Bode Locke tries to puzzle out the secret of the head key, and Uncle Duncan is jarred into the past by a disturbingly familiar face. Open your mind - the head games are just getting started Review Joe Hill has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I have really enjoyed everything of his I have encountered. Entering into the world of Keyhouse has been no different for me. Hill manages to tell a captivating story of a family trying to pull itself together after facing the gruesome and tragic loss of their father/husband. While grieving and try to embrace their new live, The Locke family starts to discover the mysteries that are hidden within Keyhouse. Not all of the mysteries are going to be friendly, but they will be life changing, and at times very helpful. Along with building a strong story and a great cast of characters, Hill has a decent artist by his side. While Rodriguez's style is not one of my favorites; it's too computerized for my liking. I cannot deny its beauty. Even in some of the darkest scenes in the story I can't help but just stare at the art for minutes on end, just appreciating what has been created on the page. There is a grand mystery in Keyhouse and I've just started to scratch the surface of what is going on. What Hill has already revealed has proven to be a bit of a dozy, and I am excited to see where he continues to take this story. While I felt myself more drawn into the story that was the first volume (5 stars), I had just as much excitement after finishing volume 2 (4 stars) even though I saw it as more of a bridge in the story arc for volume 3 (to be read). Ratings (based on a 10 point scale) Quality of Writing - 9 Pace - 8 Plot Development - 8 Characters - 9 Enjoyability - 8 Insightfulness - 7 Ease of Reading - 8 Photos/Illustrations - 8 Overall Rating - 4.5 out of 5 stars Publisher: Dramatists Play Service Page Count: 79 Fiction Genre: Plays, Drama, Gender, Feminism Dates Read: December 24-25, 2015 Reading Challenge: Mega Challenge Topic: A play Series: N/A Good Reads Summary A dark comedy about the timeless quest for beauty-and its cost. Three women from different centuries meet in a modern doctor's waiting room. Forgiveness From Heaven is an eighteenth-century Chinese woman whose bound feet are causing her to lose her toes. Victoria is a nineteenth-century tightly corsetted English woman suffering from what is commonly known as "hysteria." Then there is Wanda, a modern gal from New Jersey who is having problems with her silicone breasts. Husbands, doctors, Freud, the drug industry and the FDA all come under examination. The play is a wild ride through medical and sexual politics, including the politics of the ever-present battle with breast cancer. Review Wow! Thinking back to this play still gives me chills. I wish I could find someplace near me that was putting this on. This play is powerful! It's amazing the things we as women will do to make ourselves feel beautiful and to try to attract the attention or to appease our mate. And, let's be honest, the mate we're talking about here is more often than not, male. In the year 2016 there are very few taboo subjects in America. there are few subjects we will not talk about with our girlfriends or in public, but rewind to 100, 200, or even 300 years ago, and everything was private. You barely talked to your doctor about private things, let alone your partner, and definitely your not your girlfriends. These were the days where the majority of our "lady issues" could be solved by "filling our uterus" (having a baby). This play is messed up. It's messed up because the history of women is messed up. Read this! Plays can be a bit difficult to read, but this one is well worth it, even if you're not used to reading plays. If you have the chance, go and see the play. There are a few good ones on YouTube, but I have a feeling it's better live. Ratings (based on a 10 point scale) Quality of Writing - 9 Pace - 6 Plot Development - 7 Characters - 7 Enjoyability - 8 Insightfulness - 7 Ease of Reading - 6 Photos/Illustrations - N/A Overall Rating - 3 out of 5 stars Publisher: Simone Pulse, Turtleback Books, and Pocket Books
Page Count: 216, 196, and 198 Fiction Genre: YA, Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Dates Read: December 24-25, 2015 Reading Challenge: 2016 Topic Discard Challenge Topic: A book that takes place during the holiday Reread a favorite A novel that is part of a series you are reading Series: Silent Night Saga: 1-3, Super Chiller Series: 2, 5, 11 Good Reads Summary Silent Night: Welcome to Fear Street. Don’t listen to the stories they tell you about Fear Street. Wouldn’t you rather explore it yourself…and see if its dark terrors and unexplained mysteries are true? You’re not afraid, are you? Don’t open that present! If only Reva Dalby had listened to that warning. But beautiful, cold Reva won’t listen to anyone. Reva thinks she can have whatever—and whoever—she wants. After all, her daddy owns Dalby Department Stores. Now, someone has some surprises instore for her. Robbery? Terror? Even murder? Someone wants to treat Reva to a holiday she’ll never forget. Holiday cheer quickly turns to holiday chills for Reva. Someone is stalking her, someone is trying to get to her. Her money can’t help her. No one can. After all, who can you turn to when murder comes gift-wrapped? Silent Night 2: Sure, she promised to be nicer after last year's horrors. But a rich, spoiled girl like Reva Dalby always things she can have anything—or anyone—she wants, and never, never pay. But now it's payback time. Someone is out to kidnap Reva. This year, Santa is bringing Reva a little holiday fear. And just around the corner is the biggest, most gruesome Christmas present of all—murder. And it's all hers! Silent Night 3: Rich, snobby Reva Dalby wants a little fame or Christmas. And since her daddy owns Dalby's Department Store, she can have whatever she wants. Someone else will always pay. Except this year Reva goes too far. Now someone is watching her. When she's sleeping, and when she's awake--until she's dead. Review This is yet another series I read and reread probably hundreds of times as a teen. I was obsessed with just about everything R.L. Stine, and the Silent Night Saga really got to me. I really related to Pam when I was younger, but I really hated the way she let herself be manipulated by her cousin Reva. When I was younger I really disliked Reva, but I could never name that dislike. Now that I'm older, I have no troubles with that. Reva is a BITCH. I feel no need to censor that either. SorryNotSorry. The thing I felt so disappointed in is that the character of Reva does not evolve in the series. She doesn't learn from her bitchy stupidness. She continues with her antics with the constant promise that she will do better next time. Bitch, next time I hope you die. Stine should have killed your character. However, Reva is the character you love to loathe. You don't want to see her survive, but secretly you do. Secretly you are team Reva. As always, Stine's writing is on point. He provides a well mapped out and shocking (though sometimes obvious) plot twists. It keeps you wanting more. Much like The Fear Street Saga, I am very happy that I was able to reread these after so many years after putting them away, but I don't think I will be revisiting them. It was nice to read them at least once as a "full fledged adult" and they will always have a special place in my library, but I have finally aged out of Stine. If I ever have children, I will count down the days until I can introduce them to the magical world of Goosebumps and Fear Street! Ratings (based on a 10 point scale) Quality of Writing - 5 Pace - 5 Plot Development - 6 Characters - 5 Enjoyability - 5 Insightfulness - 5 Ease of Reading - 7 Photos/Illustrations - N/A Overall Rating - 3 out of 5 stars Publisher: Dial Books Page Count: 48 Fiction Genre: Children, Picture, Humor Dates Read: December 23, 2015 Reading Challenge: Mega Challenge Topic: A picture book Series: N/A Good Reads Summary A book with no pictures? What could be fun about that? After all, if a book has no pictures, there's nothing to look at but the words on the page. Words that might make you say silly sounds... In ridiculous voices... Hey, what kind of book is this, anyway? Review I'll admit it. I laughed. I probably laughed harder than a 20-something should at a children's book, but I could not help myself. I loved B.J. Novak's portrayal of Ryan the Intern on The Office, and I could really see his humor shine through his in his book. The beauty of this book is that it gives the reader the power to make this book hilarious for children. Instead of filling the book with delightful illustrations, Novak has created fun and silly words that are just as fun to say as they are to hear. I HIGHLY recommend watching Novak's video of him reading this book to a group of young children. Their laughter is purely contagious! There is no better recommendation than those children. Ratings (based on a 10 point scale) Quality of Writing - 10 Pace - 9 Plot Development - 8 Characters - N/A Enjoyability - 9 Insightfulness - 5 Ease of Reading - 9 Photos/Illustrations - N/A Overall Rating - 5 out of 5 stars |
Blog Contents:Alaska Stuff Archives
September 2016
Categories |