The Picture of Dorian Gray

I just finished reading the classic gothic novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray this afternoon and, while I ignorantly went into the novel thinking that it would be horror, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's not as if I was wanting something that would keep me up at night in fear. I wanted something that fit in with Halloween and this book fit in perfectly. The creepy thought of the story is enough to keep you thinking and I enjoyed most of the book. There was a long chapter in the middle that I found myself wishing to be over, but apart from that, I greatly enjoyed the book. It's not too long and it captivates you so it's hard to put down.


***1/2

The GreatTrain Robbery

I just finished reading the critically acclaimed Crichton novel, the Great Train Robbery. To say the least, it was an entertaining book. I did have a problem with it, though. A lot of the information that was given in the book was completely pointless. Now there were times that some of the facts that were given in the story were very interesting and I liked learning, but when there is four pages on how people during that time felt about being buried alive, I feel that it is unneccesary. I think that a lot if the information given could be taken out and the book would be just as good, if not better. Maybe it was all just for filler. Maybe otherwise it would be too short, whatever the reason I didn't think it was worth it.

***

Bossypants

I know that it isn't "fiction" but I am going to review it anyway.
Yesterday I finished reading Tina Fey's book and I found it absolutely hilarious.
I especially loved the parts with 30 Rock because I love that show and connect with it.


Once again, sorry for a short and not very intellectual post. Hopefully I can do a good one later!


****

The Alchemist

Finished the Alchemist last Friday.
I liked it and the thoughts behind it. The second half kind of went down hill though.


*** 1/2

The Maze Runner

I finally read it. After a few years of having people suggest it, I have finally gotten around to reading it.
It's not to say that this isn't the first time I picked up the book, I read the first chapter when it first came out, but I was in the book store and I didn't particularly like it.
Now that I finally did read it, I wish I would have stuck with it a little bit longer because I did really enjoy this book.
I did feel that there were some parts of it that were a little strange. The ending, though it left me hanging enough to make me want to read the next book, for some reason didn't sit well with me.

Anyway, I did enjoy this book when I finished it yesterday.

****

The Enchantress

The end. The end of one of my favorite series.
I believe it was my school librarian that got me started on the first book many years ago, and never before have I found a book that gets me so engrossed and so eager to learn more about history and the characters than The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel.
And now it has ended.
And my guess of who Marethyu was was right. That made me so happy. That made me spend an entire day reading a book (while I was on the beach) in order to see if I was right.
And that made me so happy.
The one thing that I am critical about of the series is that I don't really like Sophie and Josh. They never just struck me as normal. I guess that is because they weren't normal, but they didn't seem natural, like how twins would be, or siblings would be.

But other than that, great book. I finished it Wednesday and haven't stopped thinking of it.

*****

Insurgent

It finally came, or, as I should say, I finally finished reading it. The sad thing is that I have had the book since it came out. I went to the book store at nine in the morning and started reading it. But with the crazy month that I have been having, I only now just finished it. Let me tell you, it satisfied my year and a half-long wait from when I read the ARC of Divergent.
Insurgent follows the events of Divergent, the factions falling apart, war taking place, all that good stuff. Then there's my secret love of governmental failure and rebirth which looms in the distance.
Insurgent is one of those books that you don't have to struggle through every page. I could sit down and get some much reading done in such a short time. That does go against the fact that it took me eighteen days to read, but I just didn't have as much time.
My one criticism that I would have for this book is that at times I felt that the language in there was strange. Sometimes I felt that it was too casual, sometimes I felt that it was too formal.
Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed it and it left me hanging, but satisfied what I needed to hear. And what a great last page it was!

****1/2
Nominated for JK Fiction Award

Romeo and Juliet

Sorry for the short post, especially with it being five in the morning. I finished Romeo and Juliet on Tuesday. I enjoyed it!
****

Jim the Boy

Today I finished reading the Depression-esque childhood journey novel focusing on Jim Glass growing up fatherless and in a time of change.
Let me begin by saying that I did enjoy this book. There doesn't seem to be a plot, but there doesn't have to be this one. It's a collection of stories from Jim's tenth birthday to his eleventh.
The one critical thing that I would have to say is that I did feel like, because there was no plot, there was no excitement and nothing engrossing the reader in the book. I felt like suddenly the book ended and there wasn't anything that made me worried or feel any emotion whatsoever. But that was only at the end of the book, for the rest of the book I found it as a light-hearted novel. It's an easy read and you could easily sit down and read it in a day if you wanted to.

***

Huck Finn

Hemingway was correct when he said that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is classic American literature until a certain  point. I completely agree with him. Huck by himself is a moral genius and Twain does a great job of portraying the lives of a young boy and a runaway slave.

****1/2

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave

A great historical account on the harmful cruelty of slavery.
****

Great expectations

Sorry for the short post ***

Jack K Fiction Award

The winner of the Jack K Fiction Award 2011 is DIVERGENT BY VERONICA ROTH!

Congratulations to all of the nominees.

The Odyssey

I finally finished reading the Odyssey today. It's been a while.
I figured that I wouldn't like it because of my reading a classic, but I found it actually sort of enjoyable. it's not the best but it was pretty good.

***

Alice in Wonderland

Sorry that it has been a while since I've last posted but I haven't had that much time. I recently finished reading Alice and Wonderland, though, and I thought that it wouldn't be that great, but I was wrong. Usually I'm not a fan of the classics that everyone reads, but every once in a while there is one that is really good. This is one of them. It doesn't seem like the kind of book that I would like, really, but when I started reading it, I really got into it and I enjoyed it! Until the end... There's something about the end that makes me feel like Carrol was just stuck for an ending so he made one up on the spot, but other than that, I love the insanity and the strangeness of it! ****

The Dead

I recently finished reading The Dead by Charlie Higson. The sequel to The Enemy, this takes place in London a month after the disease started. It follows a group of boys at their school, eventually heading into London. They meet new people and learn new things about the disease, giving us, the reader, a lot more information, making everything a lot clearer.
I found this book a lot better than the first one. I liked that we learn a bit about how the disease works, and there are things that connect with the first book.
The first book was enjoyable, but this book really drew me into the series. I think that this will be a new favorite.

My Rating:
★★★★★

People of Darkness

Quick Summary: People of Darkness is about Sergeant Jim Chee who is tasked with finding out what is the cause behind a box of stolen rocks, strange murders, and a bombing. At the same time, he fears for his life.

My review: In this mystery I found myself at first extremely bored. If there is one point in a book where you should not have a reader bored, it is at the beginning, because that is right when a reader is possibly wanting to buy it, and they may easily go spend their money somewhere else. But then it picked up a bit. I still didn't like it as much, but it wasn't exactly my kind of book. The characters were kind of annoying and there were times where I was left very confused, and never did fully understand what happened. I felt that there was a bit of trouble the author had explaining everything. I did find it interesting that it was also following one of the antagonists throughout the book. I liked knowing part of what is happening, but there was enough left out that I was still "surprised" at the end, even though parts of it were predictable. Anyway, it did get a bit better and I enjoyed it at times, though it was not my favorite read.

My review:

***

The Enemy

Brief Summary: The Enemy is a book set in future London where all people over the age of 16 have turned into zombie-like creatures that have a craving for the children. It follows a group of kids and their struggle to find safety.

Quick Review: I have said this before, I think, but the first thing that comes to mind with this is that I like it but at times it sounds forced. Like they had to write this and didn't enjoy it. I don't know why but sometimes this just really bothers me, maybe because I know the feeling. Overall, though, I enjoyed it!

My rating:

****

The Warlock

Quick Summary: The Warlock is the fifth book in the series by Michael Scott and we find Sophie and Josh divided. According to the prophecy, one will save the world, and one will destroy it, but which one is which? Josh is with Dr. John Dee, a man who used to be his enemy, and Virginia Dare in San Francisco. Scathach, Palamedes, Shakespeare and Joan of Arc and her husband are trapped in the past on Danu Talis with death. Sophie is with the Alchemist and his wife, but Nicholas is very close to death, and Perry is right behind him. There is too little time left before the world, undoubtedly, ends.

My review: I, like all other books in this series, very much enjoyed it. It left me confused but I do like being confused and having everything straighten out in the end, it makes me think about it. It is so complex and I feel the need to research every character. I love this series!

My rating:

*****

This book is nominated for the Jack K Fiction Award for 2011!

Blood Red Road

Quick Synopsis: Blood Red Road is the story of Saba by Silverlake who has lived her entire life by a small lake with her father, sister, and twin brother, Lugh. Then the storm hits. Then a few men come by and take Lugh and Saba has to find her brother and travel through strange lands before it's too late.

My Review: I really enjoyed this book. There was a little bit of everything in it. Excitement, romance, anger, hatred, sadness...whatever you can think of, that's what this book has. At first I was a bit skeptical because the author writes with the accent pronunciations and also because there are no quotations, but I soon got over that fact and continued on with an unforgettable book.

My Rating:

*****

(This book is nominated for the Jack K Fiction Award for 2011)