Thursday, December 29, 2011

Christmas Treasures

Ah, Christmas was very rewarding this year. Not only did I get two books, but I got a Kindle! This was very shocking because I didn't even ask for it -- thank goodness my family knows how much I love to read.

Now, I'll admit I'm not a huge fan of electronic reading, but the Kindle always popped out to me because it seemed the most book-like. You can add notes to what you're reading, bookmarks, the works. I'll always be a fan of books themselves though because there's something about being able to hold those words in your hand . . . it's magical. I love books to death, and I always will.

So I'm excited to try my Kindle out, and I'll have to let you all know how it goes!

Feel free to share your comments or opinions on which type of reading you would rather do: electronic or classic.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! :) Keep on reading!

--Sadie

Thursday, December 22, 2011

A Crime to Conquer All Others

So, my mother has kindly *cough cough* informed me that if I bring another book home...none of them will survive.

What can I say? I LOVE TO READ! So good thing it's Christmas Break because I've got to finish every single book in my room that has been loaned out to me (while still managing to do homework, last-minute Christmas gifting, and a whole bunch of other things).

It would kill me inside to return any of the books I've loaned without reading them first. I have a secret fear that if I return a book I haven't read yet, I'll never read it again. I know, it might sound a bit silly, but it's a fact. So I'm determined to read them all!

Wish me luck! And hopefully you all get to read a bunch and enjoy your wonderful holiday break!

Peace Like A River

--Sadie

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Remembered!

Okay, the author of Frankenstein is Mary Shelley! Man, I can't tell you how much I love classical female authors. If we were in the same era, Mary and I definitely would have been good friends. I'm to Chapter IV on this book, and I have loved every minute of it! I especially love the whole story as to why she wrote Frankenstein in the first place! I definitely am going to post a little excerpt about it when I finish it, and you all should definitely read it!

Well, have an enjoyable Saturday afternoon!

As Kelsey would say, "Peace Like A River!"

--Sadie

Friday, November 11, 2011

A Quick Update!

Currently I'm reading a few books for my English class. I find that I am much more inclined to read when it's a book (or several) of my own choosing.

Complications by Atul Gawande - loving it so far!

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - very good so far!

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom - I can tell this one is going to make me cry.

Frankenstein (I can't remember the author's name at the moment...) - haven't started this one quite yet.

Whilst compiling this list I am listening to Mute Math on iTunes, trying to decide which music selections I should put on my iPod. Technically, I should be in bed because I have a huge swim meet all day tomorrow, and then Sadie Hawkins Dance. So tomorrow won't be a great day for reading unfortunately. But I know I'm definitely excited to dive into these books and discover fantastic new worlds I've never imagined before.

I love reading, and I don't know what I would do without it. I honestly can't understand how people don't like to read books -- I LOVE it!! Reading is one of the best things in the world.

So if there's anything you wish to gain from this post, then maybe this will help. I want everyone who's reading this to make a goal for this week or even this month: find a book you would be interested in reading, and read at least half of it. You have to finish it by the end of this year (unless it's some ginormous epic novel). I encourage everyone to find a good book (or even more!) and take some time to relax and delve into a realm different from the one you live in.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Peace Like A River

--Sadie

Saturday, October 22, 2011

The Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum



"The finale of the award-winning Hourglass Door trilogy!

"What is your name?" he asked, but not like he wanted to know. More like it was a test. 

"What kind of question is that?" I laughed. "It's . . ." I started. "My name is . . ." And then my mind went blank. Or rather, it went black, the darkness creeping in from the edges of my consciousness. Terror followed, slipping in behind the shadows. How could I not know my own name? 

The only way to rescue the future is to alter the past.

When Abby stepped through the hourglass door, leaving her beloved Dante blind and bleeding on the other side, it was in full faith that she could find a way to repair the damage to the river or time and restore him -- as well as her family. It was a desperate chance that seemed worth taking.

But Zo had other plans.

Now Abby is trapped in a full-fledged battle for her own mind and life and heart. Even worse, Zo's evil intent reaches beyond simple revenge against her and Dante. The whole world is in danger of collapsing unless Abby can summon her courage and undertake a journey that will lead her beyond the origins of the hourglass door."


I must say, this last book was the perfect ending to a series I will always treasure. Lisa Mangum lives in Utah, and I had the pleasure of meeting her at my school in September, as well as introducing her, having a nice chat with her, and having her sign my books. It was an experience I will never forget.

If you haven't read The Hourglass Door or The Golden Spiral, the first two books in this trilogy, I highly recommend that you do -- even if you're a guy. Yes, it is a romance, but the plot is so intriguing and original that even the male species will enjoy it. I recommend it to everyone, especially if you love to read. So go and pick up a copy at the nearest library or bookstore! You won't regret it.

--Sadie

Rating: 5/5 stars

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

I'm so sorry!!!

I'm so sorry I haven't had the time to post anything for a while :(

But I PROMISE I will post something this weekend even if it kills me!

--Sadie

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

New Post Coming Soon! (The Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum)

Sorry, I don't have time at the moment to post about the best book I just read, or the awesome experience I had of meeting the author! This will all come in a post soon, sorry to make you wait so long, but I don't have enough time right now. Homework, school, the whole enchilada.

--Sadie

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Stolen by Lucy Christopher


Earlier this summer, I read the book Stolen by Lucy Christopher. I need to return it to my English teacher, so I re-read it yesterday, and was reminded just why I loved this book. I really loved the whole idea behind this book; it was original and I've never read anything like it before. The story line was what intrigued me into picking up this book, though.


"Told in a letter to her captor by 16-year-old Gemma, Stolen explores the influence that a really wild and remote space can have on the inner development of a young woman.
Gemma, a British city-living teenager, is kidnapped while on holiday with her parents. Her kidnapper, Ty, takes her to the wild land of outback Australia. To Gemma’s city-eyes, the landscape is harsh and unforgiving and there are no other signs of human life for hundreds of kilometres in every direction. Here, there is no escape. Gemma must learn to deal with her predicament, or die trying to fight it.
Ty, a young man, has other ideas for her. His childhood experience of living in outback Australia has forever changed the way he sees things. But he too has been living in the city; Gemma’s city. Unlike Gemma, however, he has had enough. In outback Australia he sees an opportunity for a new kind of life; a life more connected to the earth. He has been watching and learning about Gemma for many years; when he kidnaps her, his plan finally begins to take shape.
But Ty is not a stereotypical kidnapper and, over time, Gemma comes to see Ty in a new light, a light in which he is something more sensitive. The mysteries of Ty, and the mystery of her new life, start to take hold. She begins to feel something for her kidnapper when he wakes screaming in the night. Over the time spent with her captor, Gemma’s appreciation of him develops …but is this real love, or Stockholm Syndrome?"


This book has caused me to dream about Australia all summer. It's a situation so bizarre, so unheard of, and yet you don't want Gemma to leave, you don't want Ty to go jail. It really makes you think about the mysteries of life; what you treasure and cherish, what you wish to forget, what you wish to escape from. Lucy takes these ideas and weaves it into such a brilliant story. Ty kidnapped Gemma, and yet you like the guy. Why? 

There's very sparse swearing throughout the book, but if swearing offends you, I wouldn't read it. Nothing inappropriate; definitely a young adult novel. A very good read, probably more for entertainment's sake than literature. Although that may be debatable. I loved it, so let me know what you think. 

--Sadie
Rating: 4/5 stars

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Next Book?

Here are pictures of all the books listed on the poll, that you guys want to see posted on here. Hopefully if we get enough followers, maybe we can even start a book club and have a discussion about all the books we read. That would be ultra-cool. :)


1) The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This book was made into a film and recently came out in theaters. I haven't seen it yet, but when I do, I'll let you know if it was worth seeing.


2) The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

This book has also been made into a movie, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.


3) The Princess by Lori Wick

This book is by a Christian author, and that does play into her writing a lot, but I don't think it ruins the plotline or anything. It's definitely worth reading.


4) The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

This book is also a film, and both moved me to tears. I recommend reading the book before watching the movie though, as I always do. The film did the book a fair justice though. It was very well done. If you've seen the movie, I definitely recommend reading the book -- it's even better.


5) A Man Without A Country by Kurt Vonnegut

He also wrote Slaughterhouse Five if any of you read that. I haven't read either of them, but I definitely want to. They're both on my list.


6) Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

Another book recommended to me by my English teacher of last year. It's supposed to be highly entertaining.


7) Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Everyone I know who's read this book has really enjoyed it.


8) Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

A classic I have yet to read.


9) Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Another recommendation.


10) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shafer and Annie Barrows

One of the best books I have ever read, hands down! It was recommended to me by Kelsey, and I loved every minute of it.


11) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Another recommendation from Kelsey.


12) Peace Like A River by Leif Enger

Kelsey gives fabulous book recommendations. 

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly


Last night I read a book given to me by my good friend Kelsey, who I'm glad to say loves reading just as much as I do. Every book she's recommended to me, I've loved, honest to Betsy. I couldn't sleep, so I ended up staying up and reading this book all the way through, that's how good it was. It's A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly.

I really loved this book because it had a really great plot line, the main character's situation was believable, and this story could have been someone's actual life. It's also a completely original idea, not another spin-off of vampires and werewolves (aren't we all sick of that?).

Here's they synopsis from the back of the book, since the one from Amazon gave too much away (at least, I felt like it did):

"The widely acclaimed, award-winning story of a young woman who finds her voice. 

Sixteen-year-old Mattie Gokey has big dreams but little hope of seeing them come true. Desperate for money, she takes a job at the Glenmore, where hotel guest Grace Brown asks her to burn a bundle of secret letters. But when Grace's drowned body is fished from the lake, Mattie discovers the letters reveal the grim truth behind a murder. 

Set in 1906 against the backdrop o f the murder that inspired Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, this astonishing novel weaves romance, history, and a murder mystery into something moving, real, and wholly original."

Now, if you're thinking you don't want to read this book because it's historical fiction, stop right there. This doesn't read like a text book, or like David McCullough's 1776, although that was a good book too. The writing is believable, the plotline is far from laughable, and there are good morals you can learn from this story too. All that aside, if you're just looking for a good read, or something to pass the time, definitely pick this book up. But if you're not into women standing up for themselves and finding themselves a place in this world alongside working men, this book probably isn't for you.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

--Sadie

Rating: 4/5 stars

Saturday, August 27, 2011

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien


A few days ago I read The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. It was recommended to me by my English teacher last year, and I must say, it was an excellent recommendation.

For those of you who haven't heard of this book, it's a novel compiled of a series of short stories. But they all connect with each other, making one big story. It's really a brilliant idea. Tim O'Brien is a Vietnam veteran, and these short stories are all based off his experiences in Vietnam.

Here's a synopsis I pulled off the web:

"One of the first questions people ask about The Things They Carried is this: Is it a novel, or a collection of short stories? The title page refers to the book simply as "a work of fiction," defying the conscientious reader's need to categorize this masterpiece. It is both: a collection of interrelated short pieces which ultimately reads with the dramatic force and tension of a novel. Yet each one of the twenty-two short pieces is written with such care, emotional content, and prosaic precision that it could stand on its own.

The Things They Carried depicts the men of Alpha Company: Jimmy Cross, Henry Dobbins, Rat Kiley, Mitchell Sanders, Norman Bowker, Kiowa, and of course, the character Tim O'Brien who has survived his tour in Vietnam to become a father and writer at the age of forty-three. They battle the enemy (or maybe more the idea of the enemy), and occasionally each other. In their relationships we see their isolation and loneliness, their rage and fear. They miss their families, their girlfriends and buddies; they miss the lives they left back home. Yet they find sympathy and kindness for strangers (the old man who leads them unscathed through the mine field, the girl who grieves while she dances), and love for each other, because in Vietnam they are the only family they have.
 We hear the voices of the men and build images upon their dialogue. The way they tell stories about others, we hear them telling stories about themselves.

With the creative verve of the greatest fiction and the intimacy of a searing autobiography, The Things They Carried  is a testament to the men who risked their lives in America's most controversial war. It is also a mirror held up to the frailty of humanity. Ultimately The Things They Carried and its myriad protagonists call to order the courage, determination, and luck we all need to survive." 


Here's the url if any of you are interested in reading it on your own, or buying it off Amazon: 
http://www.amazon.com/Things-They-Carried-Tim-OBrien/dp/0767902890


I won't give away any spoilers on here, but I will say this. This book can change your life. It moved me to tears, and I was crying -- more like on the verge of bawling -- for a good half hour. You can't put this book down. O'Brien has so many life-lessons in this book, and you can learn so many things from reading it. I recommend it to everyone, honestly. It's not graphic, the only content is a bit of swearing, but nothing extreme. It's not like any other war story I've ever read. 


So read it! And if you like it, let me know. Or if you hated it, let me know. I want to know what you all thought of this book, and if it was worth your time; it was definitely worth mine. 


--Sadie

Rating: 5/5 stars

For All Those Out There Who Love Reading Just as Much as I Do...

Well, this blog is going to be about (can you guess?) books. I'm such a nerd if you haven't gathered that already. I LOVE to read. I read pretty much every single day, every opportunity I get. I also love to write.

I'm taking an AP Language-Composition class this year, and I'm so excited! My teacher seems like she's a nerd just like me: loves words, writing, the art of how a sentence is phrased, reading; I could go on and on.

So this has brought me to create a blog just for books. On here I'll post after I've read a book, what I thought about it, and whether I recommend it or not. Also, if any of you have any book suggestions for me, you can comment or shoot me an email, and hopefully you'll see a post on that book soon.

So I hope you all enjoy reading this, and hopefully you find at least one good book to read.

--Sadie