Dear John - Nicholas Sparks - 4 Stars

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Tug at your heartstrings kind of books are not my typical cuppa tea. I usually go for fantasy, sci-fi, or even the occasional contemporary fiction.

Give me blood, guts, chilling humanoid or even nonhumanoid creatures that threaten the common good or societies constructs. Give me blood oozing out of crypts, 30 foot poisonous spiders waiting in anticipation around the corner, vile war lords that oppress, plot, and scheme. Anyone that knows me will also attest that I am a sucker for the underdog and the unexpected.

I need an escape. I deal with enough "real world" stuff to fill my day (and even beyond). Needless to say, the drama and heartbrake that I encounter as I help others leaves me drained and desiring to go far far away.

So far I have ranted for 3 paragraphs about why I should not like/typically would not chose to pick up a book like Dear John. The story came into my possession through a book giveaway on one of my fellow book worshipers blogs. Having won an audio version, I figured it wouldn't hurt to pop it into my cd player on my hour and a half trip (each way) to grad school.

I have never listened to a book on tape/cd (elementary school doesn't count). I wasn't sure what to expect, but thought I could at least listen to the first disc and go from there. My initial thought was that they should have gotten a female to portray Savanah. That was my only grip.

I was easily dragged into the story. Wanting to hate it and chalk it up to the evil, despised "chic lit," I was left with wanting to know how it was all going to work out.

While some of the story line was transparent, it was interesting. Like I said, I made it through all 8 cd's not just the first one. And yes, I admit...I cried on multiple occasions towards the end. That is precisely the reason why I tend to avoid these types of situations.

Overall, I was treated with a good story line and found out that I really like books on cd.

Happy Reading!

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Princep's Fury - Jim Butcher - only 3 this time...for some really good reasons!

Princeps' Fury by Jim Butcher


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Let me just start of by saying that I am a huge supporter of Jim Butcher. I have devoured all of the Dresden files (all eleven with in 3 weeks). So when I say the Captain's Fury and the Princep's Fury sitting their on the library shelf I was grinning ear to ear.

However a sad reality of my beyond humanly possible high expectations is that every one is human and tries to please the masses by what is known and comfortable. This is a good summation of about 75-100 pages of the story. One of my worst pet peeves in a series is when the formulation behind the writing to so obvious.

Don't get me wrong I love the book. I love the series. I would recommend all of them in a heart beat and I am super geeked to get the First Lord's Fury (knowing that they are gonna kick some serious butt.

The comfort of staying with the main sympathetic characters was a bit flat this time around. I would have liked to seen further insight into some of the more perverse characters. Like answering what made them so whacked up.

There were so many more characters that would have stirred up the intrigue during the chapters that were used to describe "how they got to where they are." I'm cool with a chapter ended with and they sailed for their destination" and then the very first line of the next chapter "As they pulled up to the shore line."

Of course I am simplifying my point.

Butcher's ability and adaptability to produce such satisfying and complex tales of Dresden and Alera is a testament to his genius and craft of story telling.

Although he only received a 3 this go'round - God Bless Jim Butcher!!!

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One For The Money - Janey Evanovich - 4 Stars

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book and will definitely pursue the next one later tonight.

But what kept it from a 5 is that while the characters were believable and interesting the plot line was a bit predictable. Within the last 150 pages I knew who did it and how it would all work out. With that being said though, it still held my interest and was really entertaining!

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Gathering Blue - Lois Lowery - 4 Stars

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Set in the distant future there is a community where the deformed or the sick are taken to "the fields" to await "the beasts" and certain death. The Singer, The Carver, and The Weaver play vital roles in the community's history and future. While surrounded in luxury like nothing she has ever experienced, Kira learns that she is one of the few that can make a difference...

While not a sequel to The Giver, it is set in the same type of distant future that is removed from what we know of civilization. This is a great quick read into a world that is not too much of an impossibility and shows the delicate nature of one's perceived reality.

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The Giver by Lois Lowry - 5 Stars

The Giver by Lois Lowry


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wonderful Young-Adult/Sci-Fi

The Receiver is a living receptacle for the communities memories and emotions both new and old. With the Receiver there is no sense of pain, loss, love, or joy.

As the new Receiver begins his training and along with it the accumulation of memories past, he realizes that it is up to him to do something about it.


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Shades of Grey - Jasper Fforde - 5 Stars

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I debated between a 4 and 5 star review, so if you are on the edge look at it as a 5. The reason that I went for a 4 is that I didn't realize that it was the first book in a series and that there were so many questions brought up in the book and not enough answers for my liking.

With that being said, I stayed up to the weee hours of the morning turning the pages. The concepts presented in the book are very clever and unique. I have read a ton of sci-fi and this one definitely sets it's self apart from the formulated/calculated story line and developments of your typical sci-fi book.

Set in a corrupt post apocalyptic world that takes place after "The Something That Happened," Shades of Grey provides intrigue and novel concepts that trigger the imagination and opens up countless opportunities. Just what a great Sci-Fi should be. Ah heck, I'll give it 5 stars!

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Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
2 Stars -Dropped it after 100 pages

I went back and forth, back and forth in terms of what I should do with this book. All of the hype of Dan Brown that went along with the DaVinci Code just did not meet my expectations.

The premise is a good one. The ancient battle of science over creation. One that has led to many deaths during the Enlightenment Period. I was intrigued with the philosophy of the Illuminati. Well that's about as much as the book has to offer.

Sure the insights into the history of Catholicism is interesting. Having been born and raised as Catholic, I could relate to the rigidity of the church. However, I feel that many of the ideals and beliefs shared during the first 100 pages were extremely anti-Catholic, glaringly so...which was annoying.

When does one know when to call it quits? When one is eyeballing their every growing stash of to-be-read books. Usually I like to read a book before I watch the movie, but in this case I think I will just rent the DVD.

Happy Reading!
Heather

Ceremony

Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have never read a book like this. This book is intense in that you have no idea what is going on in the first 75 pages. There are so many flash backs and flash forwards. The author grabs the reader and immerses them into the book. They are forced to participate.

Just as the main character has PTSD (unknown at the time)from WWII, so does the reader. Effectively and engagingly done. As the central character Tayo reconnects with his heritage and begins to heal so does the flow of the story. It finishes with a balance of harmony of the present and hope for the future.

Definitely a recommended book, but not for the faint of heart. It will challenge your mind come away with a new outlook on the balance between heritage and adapting to the current hegemony.

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The above review is taken from my goodreads review. I so love goodreads! It's a facebook for book lovers. Need I say more?

Anyway, this is the book that I have selected to write my major essay on in my Native American Lit course. I'm trying to flush out the wording for my thesis statement, but it's going to be about Tayo's emotional healing as he moves closer balance and harmony with his heritage and beliefs. In need to wrap my mind around it a bit. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them.

Happy Reading!
-Heather

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If you claim to enjoy Young Adult Fiction, this is a must read! The acclaim awarded to Farmer's futuristic science fiction work, The House of the Scorpion, is well earned.

Set not too far off in the conceivable future is a new land rightfully named Opium. The new country lies in between what was formally known as Mexico and the United States. The new country and it's independence was granted to a few drug lords in a treaty to end the mass influx of drugs into the United States.

While rounding up illegal immigrants like cattle and turning them into mindless drones could be rich enough for it's own separate book, Farmer only uses that as a subplot to the struggles of the Drug Lord's clone...

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Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I absolutely loved this book. I picked it up and just plowed through it. The characters are so lively and the pace of the book is fast and intriguing.

Taking a glimpse into the life of a traveling circus during the depression, this book offers readers a fresh story line. Striking a harmony between plot development and sound character development Sara Gruen pulls you in for a great read!

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