The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien (again)

Dear Readers,
I haven't posted a review in a very very long time. The last two posts were kinda useless and now I have a feeling this one will be again. I have not read a new book since the beginning of November. I wrote a book, and it turned out pretty well. Then I re-read the Hobbit in preparation for the movie coming out this week.
I really forgot how much I loved this book. It was just as good the second time. I already reviewed this book a few month ago, so I will re-post the review I wrote because it is actually a good one. So here if you didn't read it the first time around enjoy!
"I finally read it! My friend has been telling me all year that I need to read the Lord of the Rings series, and I have started. I read The Hobbit. It was actually an amazing book. I was expecting something a little dry and a little boring, but it turned out to be an exciting book full of life and wit. The writing style is so conversational. It is like Tolkien is sitting with kindly explaining this story to you. There are little phrases and things he says that just make me smile. Here is my favorite quote.

"He was in a dark tunnel floating in icy water, all alone- for you cannot count friends that are all packed in barrels."
     This quote and others like it are what make me like this book so much. All of the little quirky things Tolkien mentions makes me want to read it again.
     Not only is the writing style amazing the plot is fantastic. This story is just a story, which is one of the things that makes it awesome. Tolkien was writing a story for the sake of entertainment, and that is exactly what he did with this book. From the beginning you are instantly draw in to Bilbo Baggin's story. It starts out with a normal day for him flipped upside down when offered a chance to go on a quest with thirteen dwarfs.

     His quest takes interesting twists and turns as they toil threw the mountains, forest, and rivers on their way to their goal. There is never an uninteresting moment in this story. Bilbo gets the gang out of trouble and then right back into trouble a couple minutes later.

     I would highly recommend this book to anyone. I personally love fantasy, but even someone who does not love the genre as much as I do will love this book. It's more then just a fantasy novel. It is a story that will stick to your heart. It conveys a message of courage and strength.

     Let me leave with a quote from the novel that I found to be extremely true.

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

So my friends enjoy life, good books, good food, and good times.

Lindsey"

Some Info

Dear Readers,
I know I just posted a review of a movie which is unlike me. And not matter what anyone says about the movie I still really really loved it. Going to rotten tomatoes and reading the rotten reviews was a bad idea, always remember that. If you like something you don't need other people to validate you liking it.
But besides saying that I forgot to tell you that November along with beside the month of no shaving is also National Novel Writing Month. So for the month of November I am doing a experiment. I am writing my own novel. I have joined the nanowrimo.com and I was sadly not be read for a month as I am going to attempt on finishing the 50k words goal. So wish me luck.
If you are a lover of the written word and have always wanted to try to write your own book I would highly recommend singing up and joining myself and thousands of other crazy people out there.
Here is a link to the site  http://www.nanowrimo.org/en. It will be fun and I would love it if some of my reads did it with me. Sorry I will not have any new posts about books until after November. I am also sorry that my last two posts were kinda a cop out. One about a movie and one about me writing my own novel. Sorry from the bottom of my heart I am sorry, and keep reading dear readers without me until I meet you on the other side of November with a book of my own.

Always, 

Lindsey 

Cloud Atlas

Dear Readers or Watchers,
I normally do not review movies on principle. Who needs to read when there is a movie over the book? That idea is completely false, but the movie is different. This movie nothing like I have ever read or seen before, and at the same time it reminds me of everything I have taken in in these short 18 years. How can that be? I am not really sure either. Some times dear readers you come across a film, book, person, place, etc. that complete changes you. That you connect to, and leaves you crying even after you leave.
What else can be said about this movie besides wow. I don't know how to describe it to you dear readers. It was like some of the best books I have read and better than many of the books I have read. I should have stayed in the theater and watched it all over again. It had great plots, a magnificent theme, and relatable and recurring characters. All of the traits I love in a book some how managed to show up in this movie.
If you read carefully you noticed I said plots. Yes, there are many many plots you have to keep track of in the movie. Six plots to be more exact. They jump from place to place that it almost makes you sick at sometime. The thing is they are all connected. They are all connected to one main plot. They all connect. Which not so coincidentally is also the main theme. It draws lines over time and space connecting the characters in their different eras and worlds. All of the characters end up in the movies sub plots in some way. Again they are all connected. I have seen and read stories with the same thing, but it has never been done quite as well as Cloud Atlas.
I really have nothing more to say then that if left me looking in the mirror after and wondering if someone sometime looked in the mirror and saw the same face and made all of the same mistakes I am making and felling love with all of the same people I love and hated all of the same people I hate. If left me crying even now, an hour after movie was over. It left me wondering what was real. It really left me thinking. Not just about the afterlife, but love and what life is about. What if the world is on a loop and the things happening now have happened before and will happen again? Can anything I do make a difference? Everything I do is essentially a drop in a very large ocean, and that makes all of my actions, accomplishments, and failures seem very small. But we must remember that the ocean is made out of many drops.
Lindsey

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Dear Readers,
I was bad I saw the movie before I read the books. Please forgive me, dear readers. I know that it is not acceptable. It is against every rule I live by. You read the book first then watch the movie and judge the movie because it can never compare with original. Well, I broke my rule. I was lured  by Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and the amazing music in the preview. And let me tell you the movie was great. I loved it!! It was awesome, and because I loved the movie so much I decided to by the book and read it. And I loved the book too!!
Like many other books I like, Perks of Being a Wallflower is told completely in letters. This creates a really good connection with the main character. He is telling what happened. We only hear his thoughts. Charlie the main character of this novel is an interesting person. He is definitely not the normal teenager by any standards. A year before the book starts Charlie's best friend committed suicide. Already having experiences with loved ones dying, Charlie goes off the deep end. He is forced to talk to doctors and was treated different by everyone.
As he is starting High School he like many others stupidly hopes for a restart. He hopes that this year he will fit in. Well, like most high school stories go Charlie doesn't. He isn't automatically inducted into the popular crowd. He really has no friends until "Nothing" a kid from his shop class befriends him. "Nothing" whose real name is Patrick is a senior. Patrick introduces Charlie to new things and people. Including Sam. The first time Charlie see her sparks fly. Sam is now the best person in his meager high school life.
Charlie's first year of high school is full of up and downs. He does way to much drugs, drinks way to much, has his first girl friend, his first kiss, and many many other firsts. He basically see the world. Sounds like a typical high school story right? A unpopular boy who really knows nothing about being cool finds a group of friends becomes happy and then everyone rides off into the sunset in the back of someones beat up pick up listening to some pop music. Hear it all before right?
Well I would be lying if I said The Perks of Being a Wallflower doesn't follow that loosely. It is a high school story. Charlie does meet new friends. They are all happy eventually. But the different thing about it is Charlie. He is not the typical teenager as I have said before. Charlie is different. Charlie thinks differently. Charlie is a wallflower. He sees and he understands.
The letters let the reader see into Charlie's world. The things he wouldn't say. The things he can't say.
I really can't say much else about this book besides read it. I know I should go into some in depth discussion on the language, writing style, and character development, but lie Mr. Chbosky I am going to keep it simple. You don't need to know what I got from the book, you need to read if for yourself and see.
Lindsey

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

Dear Readers,
This book is the third book in the wonderful Heroes of Olympus series by Mr. Riordan. The series follows the characters of the Percy Jackson series after the defeated Kronos. Let me just say it pretty AWESOME!!! I feel in love with the characters, story, and writing style of the Percy Jackson series and I was extremely excited when Mr. Riordan decided to continue their story. Some character have been added and some of my favorite characters from the previous series do not show up except for mention, but you lose some you win some.
You really can't understand this book with out first reading the other two in the series. It would be best if you read the original Percy Jackson series first, but if you find it to kiddish you would no be completely lost starting with this series. The first two books in the series are The Lost Hero and The Son of Neptune.
To understand my review I will give a very brief synopsis of the series. Two camps. One Roman. One Greek. Many Demi-Gods. Need to Cooperate to Fight Giants. Percy and Jason Switch. Make Sense?
No, not really? Okay I can go a little more in depth. Buckle your seats and be prepared for a mini history lesson. When the Romans took over Greece they adopted many of their major gods. They did however change their names and some aspects of the gods. Many people are more familiar with the Greek gods and goddess. For example Zesus, Hera, Athena, Hercules, Hades, Aphrodite, and Poseidon. Countless retelling of their stories are made into movies and books. Their names are common and so are many of the attributes. Roman gods however are not as commonly known. Roman gods? How are these Roman gods you speak of? I have never heard of them. Well yes you have you just didn't know they were the names of gods. Jupiter, Venus, Pluto, Neptune, Saturn, Juno, Mercury, and Vulcan. Those aren't gods, those are the names of planets, capitals, elements, and something from the geeky show StarTrek, you says. Yup. You are correctly, but all of those things were conveniently named after Roman gods. See Greek and Roman gods are still part of our culture even today.
These gods also come with many legends. They each have their own story, although many of them are connected. It was said the gods would occasionally appear in human form and have relationships with humans. When these relationships happened demi-gods were born. A demi-god is someone who is half god half human. They usually have some sort of special power. If you know anything about mythology you know what I am talking about. Since each god has two aspects, Roman and Greek, there are two separate camps (at least in the books there are, we are know branching into the fiction part of this review). Romans and Greeks don't get along, so the different demi-gods have been separated.The first two books take place in each of the camps. A war is coming and both camps need to work together the keep the mortal world from being destroyed. Hera decides to take matters into her own hands and get these demi-gods to unite. She takes one hero from each camp, erases their memory and drops them in the opposite camp. Percy Jackson, a Greek demi-god in dropped into New Rome. Jason Grace, a Roman demi-god, is dropped in Camp Half-Blood. After their memory slowly comes back Jason and Percy are able to unite the camps, or so they think.
A flying ship from Camp Half-Blood flies to New Rome to discuss and pick up the other members of their crew for the quest. A prophesy of old said seven demi-gods from both camps would be needed to help defeat the earth goddess Geae. While the Greek ship hovers above New Rome the two camps meet and discuss the quest. unexpectedly missiles rain down from the ship. The two camps, which were at peace for a few hours, are now again at war. The three members destined of New Rome make it on to the ship with the Greek demi-gods and get out in enough time. The seven are now assembled. Percy, Jason, Annabeth, Piper, Leo, Hazel, and Frank. This hodge-podge group of demi-gods set out to save the world.
I will not tell you the twists and turns of this book because then it would be no fun for you to read. I will tell you that it is really fun to read. Riordan not only has a wonderful plot, but amazing voice. Each chapter is narrated by a different character. They all have their different voices and quirks, but all of the chapters flow seamlessly. Another part I enjoyed was the use of popular culture. A younger reader may not be able to pick it out, but Riordan includes popular phrases and well known things into the book to make it more modern day.
This series is not only a wonderful piece of fiction, it also works great as a history lesson. You will learn more about Greek and Roman gods then ever wanted to, and have fun doing it! So pick it up and read it!!
Lindsey

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

Dear Readers,
My past few weeks have been as close to hell on earth as my life has gotten. I won't go into to many details, but it was not fun. Because of that shit I haven't been reading much. I started reading Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes before the shit started, and I read it sporadically over the past three weeks. It was a very good escape. It was exactly the book I needed to read. Another great one by Chris Crutcher. It is really one of those books that makes you realize how wonderful your life is, and how hard some people have it.
The main man of the novel Eric, also called Moby, struggled with weight all of his life. He has never been the skinniest kid. He was really never accepted by anyone but Sarah Byrnes. Sarah Byrnes is a breed all her own. When she was younger a pot of boiling pasta supposedly fell onto to her face and left her horribly disfigured. Eric always felt comfortable around Sarah Byrnes. They both were rejected by the normal kids at school.
One day Sarah Byrnes stop talking in class. When the bell rings she doesn't move, doesn't said a word. She is sent to the hospital because no one knows what is wrong. Eric feels alone and confused without his partner in crime. As Eric visits his friend in the hospital he flashes back to better times. The Crispy Pork Rinds articles, the other mischief they got in to, and trying to stay fat for Sarah Byrnes.
It is basically a book about friendship, helping others, and confronting your troubles. It was a very consoling    book in my shitty weeks. It is bad to say the book showed me that others are worse off then me, but it really did. I am not a huge heifer, my face isn't burned, I have never had an abortion, and my parents really don't pressure me into anything. But along with showing me that I have it pretty good, it showed me not to underestimate other peoples problems. What I might not think is bad, might cause someone else to break. Everybody has problems. Everybody deserves kindness. Treating someone like crap because you don't like how they look, act, smell, think, or speak is not okay. So remember, dear readers, that you have it pretty good and that what you might think is okay might be hell to someone else.
Pick up this book. I liked it, so see for yourself. It is an easy read, but it isn't meaningless. The book like the other Chris Crutcher books I have read brings up very good points. So read it.
Lindsey

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Dear Readers,
So if you pay attention to when I post these reviews you would notice that I am posting this review only two days after the last one. Yep that's right. It only took me one day to finish this book, and one day to get around writing the review. I checked it out from the library the other morning and picked it up Friday night. I read until eleven thirty and then work up this Saturday and read for two hours and I was done. It really wasn't a hard read. In fact it was a very very very easy read. I posted in my last review that Brave New World was an easy read, and compared to Brave New World this book is children's play. Honestly this book is really easy.
But don't get me wrong! Just because it was easy doesn't mean it wasn't good! I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was an easy read that took you away from where you were. It was like a tinny vacation in a book.
Ginny receives a letter from her aunt, who ran away two years ago. Her family hasn't heard a word from her, and then one day out of the blue a little blue envelope comes in the mail. It tells Ginny to go to New York and there she will receive more instructions. Once in New York she is given a thick manila envelope with 12 little blue envelopes. Each letter contains a task from her aunt to complete. The letters lead Ginny on a wild adventure around Europe. A colorful parade of characters marches through out the rest of the book. Ginny breaks out of her bubble and meets new people. And of course like most teen novels, actually just novels in general, there is a love story. It is just another stereotypical teen book.
Something is to be said about those teen novel though. Most teen novels that are published today are honestly excrement. Paranormal Teen Romance? Fantasy up the wazoo? Really is that what the future leaders of this country should be reading? No not at all. Now don't get me wrong this book and many others are proof that I often pick up teen lit for a little light reading, but please steer clear of all the awful out there.
I have already said this but it is so true. This book was like a vacation. It was written well enough that I was taken somewhere else and allowed to live in someone else's shoes for a while. The book took me on a clear trip to some of Europe's major cities. The romance wasn't weird. The story line wasn't weird. The characters although corky were not weird. This book is a good teen lit. This book is the kind of book that future leaders of the world should be reading, not the gawd awful other stuff. So if you need to indulge yourself and go on a vacation without actually leaving your bed I would recommend picking up this book. If you like cute, happy ends, and characters who figure out their lives in a few short weeks then crack it open. If you want something more challenging then this might not be the book for you, but remember the title and save it for a rainy day.
Lindsey

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Dear Readers,
"O brave new world that has such people in it."
What is there to be said about Brave New World that has already not been said?
It was amazing. It is one of those books everyone needs to read. It is a classic. Wow! Thank you Aldous Huxley. Loved it! Read it! Must read. Fantastic. Have all already been said, so what more can I say. Can I say anything else that will convince you to read this book? Probably not, so I am going to explain to you why I loved it. Maybe, just maybe that will convince you.
I picked up this book not really knowing what to expect. I knew it was a classic. I knew it was one of those books that would screw with your mind and your ideas. But I had a vague idea that it was going to be hard to understand and completely out of reach. 
Well, I was wrong.
I read my fair share of classics, and some are hard, labor intensive, and very disappointing. Brave New World was nothing like that. This book was well written while still be accessible. It wasn't an easy read, but it wasn't extremely difficult. Now you know that it isn't to hard and you will be able to make it through without getting bored, but you  still don't know if you want to read. What is it about you ask? Why will it mean anything to me?
I am not even sure if I can accurately put into words what this book taught me. It was one of those books that made sense to me; that completely clicked with my brain and way of thinking. What I got from the book may not be what Huxley intended. What I got may not be what you get from it, but I will try to describe it.
In the Brave New World people are not born. Mothers and Fathers are a thing of the past. The family is no more. People are produced in test tubes. Conditioned from the moment the sperm meets the eggs. Their future is chosen for them, and they are brain washed into blindly accepting this future. Soft voices whisper while they are sleeping; telling them what class they are, what they are to do, and that they need to be okay with it. Everyone works for everyone else. Everyone is happy. Everyone.
In this futuristic society when you want something you get it. When you want someone you have it. There are no boundaries. There are strong bonds between people. There are really no problems. And everyone is lead to believe that. There is no God. There is no unhappiness. There is no anger. There are no reasons to be unhappy. You have everything you could ever want.
It is chilling. While reading I could not help but compare this book to other dystopia novels I have read. Particularly 1984. In 1984 the people are denied sex and happiness. There are controlled by fear, which is drastically different from Brave New World. The people in Brave New World have everything they could want and they do not want it taken from them. They want to stay happy, so they don't question things. They don't try to know more. They blindly accept the "facts" that where imprinted on their brains as children. Why would they need anything more then what they have?  Why would they need freedom to think and act when they are already so happy? Why would they need God when they already have Ford?
That was one of the things that really got me about this book. God was non-existent. The people did not believe in God. No need to when they already had everything they could ever want. No need when they were already happy. No need for God. Religion is really there to fill in the parts we are missing. Religion explains the unexplained. These people had no questions. All of their needs were met, so there was no need for religion.  It started me thinking about my reasons for believing. I cannot say I have all of the answers yet, but this book made me think more about religion than any Christian book I have ever read.
At one point some of the characters have the choice of going to a place where they can be different and thinking different things then the rest of society, and staying civilized and happy. Ignorance can really be bliss, and they had to choose between that bliss or the freedom to think for themselves.
The book has a lot to say about happiness, society, human kind, religion, and freedom. It does not answer question so much as bring up ideas for pondering. And even though it has already been said I will say it again. READ IT!!
Lindsey

Lost by Jacqueline Daveis

Dear Readers,

A friend of mine has been telling me how amazing this books is for years. She continually told me that I MUST read it. I finally picked it up, and I was not disappointed. For anyone who loves a good historical fiction that waves together fact and fiction in a manner that leaves you wonder which is which this book is a MUST!
While reading the book to story comes in two parts. Each chapter switches between the past and present. Esther, affectionately called Essie, works for the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory is main character of the book. At the age of 16 she has experienced more than many adults. At a young age her father died, and that same year her younger sister was born. Her mother hardly raised her sister, so the task fell to Essie. Zelda, which means luck, was a little ball of energy that kept Essie very busy.
The one event that separates the past from present in the novel is Zelda's death. At the age of 6 Zelda ran out into the street and was ran over by a cart. Esther refuses to face the fact the Zelda is dead, and she believes Zelda is just hiding and will come out soon. She lives her life around Zelda. The part of the novel before Zelda's death is filled with Esther's happy memories and stories of her times with Zelda. The part after is filled with Esther denying the truth. They weave in and out and you never know the whole story till the end of the novel.
Lost contains more then Esther and Zelda though. A new girl comes to work at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory with Esther. The new girl is quiet and hardly says more than two words to a person. But she seems lost. She seems as if she has something to hide. Esther befriends the new girl, Harriet. As her and Harriet become friends they both have a past they seem to be hiding. Esther continually refuses to acknowledge Zelda's death, and Harriet is build lies upon lies to cover up her past. There is also Jimmy. The attractive neighbor who has know Esther since she was young. Esther has grown up loving him. Saulie is Esther younger brother, who continually causes trouble. And Esther's mother, a stern strong women, is always in the background of Essie's mind. The characters are one of the amazing threads woven together to create this amazing story.
As with most historical fiction the theme was not really the main point of the book. That would go to a creative retelling of a few historical events messed together. As with many books, there is a section at the end of the book telling you what is fact and what is fiction. Fact vs. Fiction actually seemed to be one of the driving points of the novel. Many of the characters are forced to decide what is the truth and what is not. The battle between truth and not was more then just the historical fiction of the book.
I loved it, and I would highly recommend Lost to anyone looking for a good book. It is wonderfully written. It is one of the best historical fiction books I have ever read, so read it!!
Lindsey  

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

Dear Readers, 

An interesting title for an interesting book. Don't get me wrong, I loved it! It was just interesting. Not really what I expected. A friend recommended it (although I can't remember which friend) because it is about food and it is widely known that I am a food lover. And although I know you aren't suppose to judge a book by its cover I could not help looking at the cake on the cover and wanting to dive right in. It did not leave me hungry or disappointed! 

It starts out with Rose, the main character, as a young girl of 8. She was getting home from school and her mother decided to make a delicious lemon cake. She watched as her mother mixed together the eggs, butter, flour, and additional ingredients. She waited with anticipation as the lemony smelled filled the kitchen while the cake baked. Once out of the oven she couldn't wait, so she stole a chunk from the corner and smothered it with creamy chocolate frosting. As she hurriedly ate the bit of cake Rose tasted something more then just lemon and chocolate. She tasted sadness. From that day on she was able to taste the emotion of the cook who made her food. 

The rest of the novel follows Rose through the years. Most of the story happens in her peak years where remembers being especially afraid to eat food and taste peoples emotions. Those years were full of vending machine snacks and heavily processed food. She demonstrated courage when faced with cakes, cookies, and pies that I could never in a million years have. 

I really don't want to say to much more about the book because I really want you to read it and discover everything in the manner I did. All I can say is read it. It is amazing. It turns out a little unexpected, but you really get to understand why some people make the choices they do. Everyone has difficult choices and you need to learn not the judge people who have to make choices. What is good for them is not always good for you, and as Rose starts to realize this you are taken on an exciting and wonderful adventure filled with emotions cleverly portrayed as flavors. Then end of the book will leave you with a sweet taste in your mouth and a full stomach. So read it!!!! 

Lindsey 

P.S. There are amazing chapters in which Ms. Aimee very accurately portrays the passion I have for food. If you like eating at all this book is wonderful!! 

 

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Dear Readers,
Truth be told this is not my typical book. I do not really like the scary, dark, depressing books. It's just not my style. I don't like horror, and this book could almost fall into that category. It is one of those books you don't want to read when you are alone at home during the night.
Somehow though this book is good. I didn't hate it. I actually looked forward to reading it when I had the chance, and I thought about it in between readings. It wasn't to dark. It was more gray then black. The poetic nature of the writing helped mask the scary subject of the book. McCarthy really knew what he was doing when he wrote this creepy post-apocalyptic novel.
I have told you it is creepy, scary, not something you read at night, written about the end of civilization, and you are wondering why would I want to read this book. Well, hold your horses and don't judge a book by the cover. Let me get into the good parts!
You start out simple (truthfully you end simple too). All you know is there is a man and a boy traveling down the road. They need to get south before the winter. Where they start you don't know, where they end up you don't know. Their names you don't know. Their background you don't know. Really you know nothing. The simplicity of the plot allows McCarthy to focus on the amazing wording and descriptions in the novel.
My brother described this book to me a poetic, and I believe that description fits. All of the wording have a soothing, calming poetic nature to them. Even at the points where burned dead bodies are being described you still feel calm (the scariness comes after putting the book down and realizing that it might happen some day). The dialogue has the same repetition of a lot of poetry. The coloring, even though mostly gray tones, felt very poetic. It over all was kind of like reading free verse poetry, calming, distracting, and wonderful.
It was one of those books that after I finished it I wasn't really sure how I felt. I didn't really connect with characters because there wasn't much to connect with. I did enjoy the book as a whole, and I would recommend it to anyone. It wasn't to scary until after you stopped for the night. It has meaning and purpose if you are willing to think. It definitely is a chilling shot of what the future could look like.
Lindsey

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Dear Readers,

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is one of the few books I have re-read. I read this book about two years ago and instantly feel in love. When  I saw it on the buy two get one free book stand at Barnes and Nobles I could not help myself, I had to buy it. After re-reading I am sure that was one of the best purchases I have ever made. I could not survive with out this book. It is amazing!!
I read it the first time because a friend recommended it. I was gushing about a wonderful World War II fiction book I had just finished, and she told me that I might like this one. It does not take place in the war, but right after and deals with the affects of the war on the people of the small Channel Island of Guernsey. She even went as far as to lend me her book. If the description did not make me want to read the first page sealed the deal. The cover opens up to a page with a quote from the book, "I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers". That made me want to dig into the book even more.
Reading this book a second time was like coming home, or snuggling up it in the familiar pair of pajama pants. It was familiar. I knew the story. I knew I would love it. I did not remember every detail, but I knew the outcome. I rediscovered the reasons I love this book so much.
The book itself has a different set up from many of the other books I have read. The book is written entirely in letter and telegrams and notes. You learn everything you know about the characters from their communication. There is never any actually dialogue, just in the stories the characters tell each other. Most of the letters in the novel are written by or to the main character Juliet.
Juliet is a spunky 32 year old English writer. During the war she wrote a column called Izzy Goes to War. She took a light hearted view on the war, and made people laugh which is what they needed in the difficult time. After the war Juliet is looking for a subject for a book she wants to write. As her and her publisher, Sidney, who is also a close friend, correspond you learn she has no idea what to do. She is lost.
Inspiration comes in the form of a letter. Juliet receives a letter from Dawsey Adams. A man who lives on the small island of Guernsey. He came across a book that used to be Juliet's, and thoroughly enjoyed it. He writes to ask her if there were more books by that author. Juliet writes back and they begin corresponding, not only about the author but also about the island, the Occupation, and the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a group that was created during the Occupation of the island during the war. One night some islanders found a pig to roast and decided to have a supper party with proper food that they had not seen for months. The supper was great and so was the conversation, so great infact that they stayed out an hour after curfew talking. While trying to sneak back home they were stopped by some German soldiers. Elizabeth, one of the party guest and later a Society member, was quick on her feet and told the officers that they were at the Guernsey Literary Society meeting and they got out very late. The officers believed her, and the club was created. At first was to just keep their story, but after a while the members went because they liked the meetings. The reading distracted them from the horribleness of their situation.
Juliet finds this society very intriguing and decides to use it in an article she is writing about the affects of reading. She begins to write letters with more society members than just Dawsey. She quickly becomes friends with islanders. The rest of the story is the wonderful journey of their friendship. If I tell you more then it would just ruin the book for you, so you will just have to read it.
And when I say read it I mean drop everything you are reading now and pick up this book. It is amazing. It will take you away from real and bring you somewhere new. Somewhere with good people, wonderful books, good food, and wonderful scenery. I can not give a higher recommendation to any other book. This book is a readers book. It perfectly encompasses my feelings on reading. Reading is an escape when needed, it bring revelations, and most importantly it brings people together. It can bridge gaps other things can't. It can bridge the English Channel or the entire Pacific ocean. Books brought together the people on Guernsey and it kept them from going insane in a time that made absolutely no sense. Reading made these people strong. Reading gave them something to live for. Reading ended up saving their lives.
I am going to leave you with my favorite quote from this book. After reading this book you will find this quote extremely true. "Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad books."
Keep on reading, dear readers!!
Lindsey

Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

Dear Readers,

A friend once told me that Jodi Picoult is one of authors that you can only read one of their books at a time. The problem with that is Jodi Picoult writes so well that after one book I feel like I need more.
I have read many Jodi Picoult books in the past. Her books are almost a forbidden fruit for a teenage girl. They are definitely adult fiction. Many of her novels contain a court case, a love story, and an unexpected ending. Which all add up to amazing books.
If you have not read a Jodi Picoult book I would recommend picking on up. Everyone has their favorite, but personally I like Second Glance. Each book is wonderfully woven with different characters, plots, and sub-plots crossing in unexpected was. Most of her books are written from many different perspectives that add to the richness and depth of her novels. Vanishing Acts fits into the model of her typical books.
You start out the story with Delia. She is the main focus of the book. She is also the main focus of the many other characters lives. Besides Delia you hear the story from her father Andrew, her fiance Eric, her friend Fritz, and her mother Elise. Many other character parade in and out of the story. Delia has lived in New Hampshire with her father Andrew for as long as she can remember. Eric and Fritz have always been by her side. She has always been surrounded by people who love her and look out for her. But something has always been missing in Delia's life, her mother.
At the age of five her mother died in a car crash. Delia always hoped that the hospital was wrong and her mother was still alive. She always hoped that one day her mother would be the one on the other side of the door when someone knocked. She always hoped that she was on the other end of the line.
Delia starts having  flashbacks. Flashbacks of a life she thinks was not hers. She remembers a lemon tree in a hot dessert, but she only remembers living on the east coast with her father. Her question all seem to be answered when a police officer shows up at her door with a warrant for her father's arrest, but this actually turns into the beginning of new journal for Delia in which she will question everything about her past.
Vanishing Acts centers around its stunning characters. All of the acts to commit are so human, that is hard no to relate. Everything they do is a natural reaction to their situation. Many of the difficult situations in this book involve parenting. Delia's father lied to her for 28 years, but everything he has taught her has made her the parent she is to her five year old, Sophie. Elise, Delia's mother, had the unthinkable happen to her daughter. Delia must put everything aside to parent her daughter right. Parenthood, especially the hard parts, is one of the main focuses of this novel.
Jodi Picoult wonderful pieces together this story that keeps you reading. You never really know what is going to come on the next page. If you have not read a Jodi Picoult book before this novel is a stunning example of what she can do.
Lindsey

Spinning Out by David Stahler Jr.

Dear Readers,

It has been a few weeks since I have finished a book. For a while there I was on a role, but then college came... Moving and getting ready took a lot of time. But now that I am settled and have lots of free time in the mornings before class I have started reading again.
I wanted something light and easy. More for entertainment. I received this book for free from the Battle of the Books Grand Battle. I thought "hey its free, I will read it sometime". And I finally have.
This book incorporates one of my favorite musicals, Then Man of La Mancha. I discovered this musical a few years ago on the movie channels. I insistently fell in love with the characters, music, and plot. Spinning Out had the same affect.
Frenchy and his close friend Stewart decide to try out for their schools musical, which happens to be The Man of La Mancha. Frenchy assumes that it will be another one of their various pranks they have pulled over the four years of high school, but Stewart is serious this time.
As practice starts and the preformance comes closer Stewart become more and more serious. Frenchy starts to notice a change in his friend. He tries to convince Stewart to get help, but Stewart refusing says Don (Stewart's part in the play) is all he needs.
Frenchy is faced with many more things besides Stewarts craziness. He has found a girl, his mother who was recently widowed started dating a douche bag, he has to memorize his lines, and he has to deal with his grief over his fathers death. It seems as if his life is spinning out of control.
Telling you the end of the book would break the 12th commandment, so I guess if you want to find out you have to read the book!
Spinning Out takes in interesting look at the life of the sidekick. Stewart lands the lead role in the play Don Quixote, the crazy old man who charges windmills. Frenchy naturally takes the role of his sidekick best friend Sancho. As Stewart starts taking his role off stage and into real life, Frenchy must take up the responsibility of watching over his "master". Most books have a lovable, best friend character. Like Sam in Lord of the Rings or Ron in  Harry Potter. These character often offer backup to the main character, act extremely loyal, and end up providing comic relief threw their silly actions or stupid mistakes. Unlike most book or stories however this book is about the sidekick. Frenchy is suppose to have Stewarts back. He is suppose to stand up for him. He is suppose to be there for him whenever Stewart needs it. But who stands up for Frenchy?
Besides it interesting its interesting look at the sidekick, this book offers relatiable, funny characters, an intriguing plot, and wonderful references to one of my favorite musicals. If you are look for a fun, but interesting book I would definitely recommend picking this one up.
Lindsey

1984 by George Orwell

Dear Readers,

Mr. Orwell is a genius. I thought that Animal Farm was a good book, but boy was I blown away by 1984. Animal Farm and 1984 had many similarities. They both compared humans and animals, used the many of the same words like comrades and food stuff, and had corrupt governments which kept their people in the dark with fake statistics and dirty tricks. I cannot say which one I enjoyed more because they are very equal; however, 1984 contained some themes, symbols, and plot twists that I loved.
Let's start with a basic plot overview without giving to much away! Winston Smith. Our main man. A committed Party member. A worker in the Ministry of True. A typical man. Or so you think. Winston however has some things hidden under the surface. Things that the telescreen cannot see. Winston is harboring unsafe thoughts. He hates the Party. He hates Big Brother. He wants to be free. He wants to be able to carry on life in the manner he sees fit.
Why does Winston hate the Party you ask? What did they ever do to him?
Well the Party is the government of Oceania, a future state the encompasses like a third of the world. The Party has three basic principles.

WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

The main goal of the Party is power. They want to be in power and remain there till the end of time. The Party is immortal. Individuals are expendable. To control the future and the present the Party controls the past. Events that happened in the past are not set in stone. If they do not fit what the Party wants they will be changed. All records the defy what the Party says are changed and the originals are demolished. "Who controls the past controls the future, who controls the present controls the past." On top of destroying the past the Party preforms many other atrocities. 

Now that you have some information on the Party let us dive into themes. It is my strong belief that themes are the main purpose of books, not symbols. Symbols are merely as vehicle by which the author conveys their themes. The themes in this book are golden, as are the symbols that transmit them. 

One of the most poignant themes is the destruction of self. Besides destroying the past the Party is slowly destroying the English language. The Party developed a new language called Newspeak. This language slowly decreases in the amount of words. They combine words and get rid of words with the sole purpose of restricting what people think. They are making it so the citizens cannot revolt or have thoughts against the Party because there are no words to describe how the feel. People's ability to think for themselves is slowly taken away. The Party is destroying the individual. By taking away language the Party is reducing humans to their primal instincts. They are slowly turning them into animals. (Which is interestingly the opposite of what happens in Animal Farm.) 

To show the slow demises to primal instincts Orwell uses many interesting symbols and literary deceives. One of the most interesting ways he communicates the theme is by comparing human to different animals. He compares Goldstein, the supposed leader of the Botherhood an anti-party organization, multiple times to a sheep. He compares one Party work to a beetle. Another member he compares to duck. This passage in particular shows the change from human thought to animal instinct, "It was not the man's brain that was speaking; it was his larynx. The stuff that was coming out of him consisted of words, but it was not speech in the true sense: it was a noise uttered in unconsciousness, like the quaking of a duck." The man did not think about the words he said anymore. The man did not need to think. There was no need. Winston listened to the man in curious observation. He was seeing the future the Party wanted. Not only does Orwell compare individuals to animals, he compares an entire social group to animals. The "Proles" are the lowest class of humans. Slaves are below them, but the slaves are more property that passes between conquers than human being. Proles are not Party member. Proles are the people deemed not intelligent enough. Proles are said to be like animals. They are dumb. They have no real purpose. The Party seems to think that are like animals, but in fact the are completely wrong. The Party is full of animals. The Party is the group that is returning back to basic instincts. The Proles retain their humanness. They work. They have relationships. They love. The Proles actually live. To compare them to animals is showing how much the Party is wrong. 

Another theme that is sometimes over used, but also very prevalent is standing up for what you believe. The problem with the Party is that they break down anyone and everyone who stands in their way. They do not let people think for themselves. Winston is one out so many who sticks up for what he believe in. He remembers that the past is not just the crap the Party is feed them. He remembers, and he stands by his memory. Winston decided that "Being in a minority, even a minority of one did not make you mad. There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world you were not mad." Winston clings to this truth. He clings to the truth in the face of death. He knows what is right and what is wrong. Somehow in this world of animals Winston manages to remain human by clinging onto the truth. 

Mr. Orwell provides us with depths of knowledge in this novel. He gives us a guide of how to remain human while facing our primal instincts. We need to cling to the truth. "Truism are true, hold onto that! The solid world exists, its laws do not change. Stones are hard, water is wet, objects unsupported fall toward the earth's center." Cling to the truth. Cling to the human identity. 

"Freedom is the the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows." 

Lindsey 

The Fuck Up by Arthur Nersesian

Dear Readers,

This was one of those books that I bought and read because I knew that my parents would disapprove and I needed to be a little rebellious. I will not lie the title is what drew me to the book, but after I read a few chapters I started to like the story as well.
I found this book to be rather similar to The Catcher In the Rye. It was about a man, so young he is almost a kid, wandering around New York basically fucking up his life. The difference was I did not completely hate the main character and he also found sort of redemption and meaning at the end of the story.
This review would be a lot easier if I could remember the name of the main character, but for the life of I cannot. Its not that I wasn't paying attention; the book is told wonderfully in first person. The main characters name is seldom mentioned. So I will just refer to him as he or him.
When the book starts out he has an okay life, but after some poor decisions that all goes down the tube. He loses his girlfriends and therefor his place to live because he was "dating" (more like going on walks in the cold and not getting any) with a girl from the movie theater where he worked. He gets fired from his job, so he has no money.
He ends up on his friends couch. Still torn up from his break up he doesn't do anything, he doesn't shower, he doesn't eat, he just lays there. Eventually Helmsley, his friends, get him up, showered, feed and sends him out into the world. He tries hard to look for a job, but with no qualification and no degree (he dropped out of college right before graduating) he can't find one.
Eventually he finds work at a gay porno theater (don't worry there is no pornographic descriptions in the book). This job brings in a colorful cast of characters and a messed up set of events. He drifts between women, houses, and sexuality.
After losing his job at the porno theater for stealing money, getting attacked twice and sent to the hospital, meeting two women and losing them in a matter of days, getting a poem published in a magazine, having a friend die, and getting seriously drunk multiple times, he ends up at a men's shelter.
This was my favorite part of the book. It is sad. He suffers. He finds him self in the same place with the bag men he has always sneered at. He realizes that people are not just in this situation because they can't find a job. After starving, freezing, and peeing in doorways he is finally picked up out of the gutter by the most unlikely person. I don't want to spoil the surprise if you read it, but it kinda makes you reconsider you first impressions of people.
I read this book mostly to be rebellious, but I ended up learning a few things. People are not always who we think they are. Bag men are not always lazy people who don't want to find a job. Sluts from the Broncs are not always awful people. It would do us all good to look beneath first appearances, and remember that sometimes we all fuck up. 
Lindsey

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Dear Readers,
If you noticed I did post the review of Animal Farm on the same day as this one. It read these books is rapid succession. They both took me about a day. And all I can say is wow. After reading over 900 pages of fantasy in the past to week, the 350ish pages of these two books seemed so much more important.
The Catcher in the Rye also has the unapproachable feel of a classic. You think it is going to be high and lofty and over you head. Well, you thought wrong. The Catcher in the Rye is rather simple. It is just the story of a teenage boy. It is just three days of his life. Three days in which you learn all about his life philosophies, his family, his "friends", his likes, his dislikes. Basically you learn everything about this kid. Holden Caulfeild is his name.
Holden is one of those characters that was written to be hated, and after you realize that the book is rather enjoyable. After you realize what a phony this kid is, you can laugh at his haughty comments and crude mind. He tries so hard not to be corny or phony, but in the end he turns out to be the biggest phony of all. For all of his hard work he is rewarded with nothing. He continually calls everyone else fake, but he can't look in the mirror and see how fake and empty he is. That really irritated me. It made me want to chuck the book across the room sometimes. Holden thinks he is all that and a bag of chips, and it can kinda get annoying. When talking to anyone his first thought is that they are phonies. I want to know how this 16 year old boy can know so much about life.
I truthfully cannot tell you what you are suppose to get out of this book. I can tell you what I got out of it, but I doubt that it is exactly what Salinger intended. I found that after hating Holden I was motivated to never act like him. At the age of 16 he acts like a three year old. He never considers the consequences his actions have. He never stops to think about how other people feel. They are all phonies and fakes and he doesn't give a damn. By trying so hard not to be fake he becomes exactly what he hates. He pushes everyone away. Holden is the perfect example of what I do not want to be.
Maybe there is something different, something deeper that Salinger was writing about, and maybe I am just to shallow and corny to understand. But I feel that it is sort of refreshing to have a main character who you hate and whose sole purpose it to show you how not to live.
So if you ever find out what the ducks go in the winter please tell me.
Lindsey

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Dear Readers,
After the awful, awful fantasy I decided it was time for some real literature. Animal Farm was a very good idea.
I finished this book in less than 24 hours. It is like 114 pages or something really close to that. It is really short, and it goes by really fast. This book is a really unintimidating classic Classic come with the reputation. They are suppose to be hard to read and hard to understand, but Animal Farm defied those stereotypes. It was a very quick read, and you didn't have to understand all of the symbols to enjoy and understand the book.
So the jist of the plot is animals on a farm in England overthrowing their master. It is not a very hard plot to follow. There are not many twist and turns, characters with hard names, or far off places that make no sense. It is a rather simple book to read.
But what makes it extraordinary is the symbols. Now if you have kept up with me from the beginning you know I am not a big symbol girl. I absolutely hate it when other people tell me what to get from a book, so I will keep this brief.
Besides being about animals who learn to talk, read, walk, and run a farm, the book is about the corruptive forces of power. Once a  person or pig has a taste of power they long for more. They want all they can get. After Farmer Jones is over thrown there are promises of a wonderful life with full bellies and backs that are not over worked. Plans are made for happiness and easy lives. The pigs start to take charge, but after they start they can't stop. The easy and peaceful life the animals wishes for is a distant dream over shadowed by the harsh reality of the power hungry pigs.
This book is not just shinning a light on how awful pigs can be. The pigs are meant to represent humans, as a matter of fact every animal on the farm is. I am not going to make a worksheet so you can clearly identify each different part of society represented by the animals, I believe that you can figure it out. I do find it strange how Mr. Orwell decided the represent society with animals. Is he saying something about the human race? Is he using pigs as leader, horse as the mindless workers, donkey as wise but stubborn for a reason? I cannot pretend to know everything Mr. Orwell had in mind for this book, but as you read you can clearly see a statement being made. I will not tell you everything he is trying to say; go read the book and find out for yourself. Hopefully you find as much meaning and wisdom in this short simple book as I did.
Lindsey

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Dear Readers,

Wow what can I say?
I normally like the books I read, but this one was a struggle and not in the good way. It was almost painful to read. It just really wasn't good at all. I normally don't like to trash authors or their books, but this book kinda deserves it. After making it through the first four books in the series I should have at least been rewarded by something good. After the long wait for this book it wasn't even worth it.
Let me plunge into my criticism of this book by starting out with a comparison to the rest of the series. The first four books were pretty good. The first three I loved. They were enticing. They were exciting. They were different. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them. The fourth one was sub-par, and I was hoping that the fifth one would get better. But it didn't. I believe there is a direct connection between the covers of the books.  The first three books had bodies but you couldn't see their faces, but on the fourth book Cassandra got cocky and the cover art starting including the faces. It left less up to imagination. It also just pissed me off.
The prequel series is rather good. Maybe because the main character isn't the dumbest person ever. The Clockwork Prince which I blogged about before is a pretty good. The plot isn't muddled with stupid actions by stupid characters. But City of Lost Souls definitely is.
Okay lets start out by bashing the character. I don't think I have read a stupider character than Clary. At first she seemed adventurous and fun, but as the series continued she started to take unnecessary risks and make very very stupid mistakes. She acts like she knows things, but everything she thinks she knows ends up being wrong. At first I thought that her relationship with Jace was cute, but that also faded as the series went on. As Clary's mother pointed out in this book, her and Jace are just not meant to be together. They have gone through so much. First they couldn't love each other because they weren't the same race. Then they didn't know that they liked each other. Then after confessing their love they found out they might be siblings. Then after that found out they weren't related Jace was possessed by a Greater Demon. Then Jace was connected to Clary's evil sick mined brother. And here is the kicker this all happened in the first six months of their relationship. So clearly they just need to stop, but they don't get the hint. Clary is willing to risk everything, every innocent human life on earth, for her lover Jace. That is not healthy. The relationship is just weird.
Jace is also a very annoying character. He is soooooooooo full of himself. He believes he is the best thing since sliced bread. I just can't stand him.
Basically every other character in the novel runs around like a chicken with their head cut off. They make plans that make no sense and have about a .0001% chance of working. All of this up to do is about Jace, who has on multiple occasions been a complete asshole to everyone. But lets not forget that Shadowhunters make stronger bonds with each other than humans, so their unreasonable and retarded actions are completely called for.
The only redeemable character in the book is Simon. Not only his he hilarious, he is the only person with sense in the book. He lets Clary go, but agrees to take the ring as a life line because he realizes, unlike Clary's mother, that he cannot stop her. When everyone is freaking out about how they are going to find a weapon, Simon puts on his big boy pants and takes action. Simon is really the only person who makes sense in the books. He is also the best comic relief. He is a nerd who makes many references to comics, movies, and t.v. shows. He is way better than Jace, but Clary should not have ended up with him because she doesn't deserve him. Cassandra said that she had thought about leaving the series with book 4 and making a graphic novel about Simon. I have one question for you Cassandra, WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THAT???? It would have been infinite times better than the shit you ended up writing.
The plot is basically all of the retarded characters running around doing retarded things. Nothing they do really makes any sense. They all act on impulse without thinking about the consequences. Not much more needs to be said about the plot.
This is just a really bad example of fantasy. It makes me want to throw up. I am sorry that this book is out there for the public to read. So don't pick this one up. Just leave it on the shelf in the Paranormal Teen Romance section because that is where is belongs.
Lindsey

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Dear Readers,

After finishing Lord of the Rings, I felt I deserved some mindless teen fantasy, so I read Bitterblue. Just because it is mindless doesn't mean it isn't good though.
Bitterblue is the third book in a wonderful series by Kristin Cashore. It is the sequel to the book Graceling and the companion to Fire. Both of those books are also wonderful. The have a different story that I have not read in many other fantasy books.
I will give you a brief over view of the other two books and some background info before I tell you about Bitterblue.
Graceling centers around a girl named Katsa. She is "graced". In the Seven Kingdoms there are people who are born with two different colored eyes. These people are born with special gifts like not having to sleep, mind reading, baking, reading, being strong, and many many many other things. Katsa is said to have the grace of killing people. The first book follows her story and near the end you met the main character of Bitterblue, Bitterblue. Katsa returns in Bitterblue.

Fire is a completely different story. This story takes place in a different kingdom on the other side of a impassible mountain range. This story centers around Fire, who is what they call a monster. The monsters have the ability to control peoples minds. Monsters are not only human there are also monster animals. They are known by their strange colors. Fire's hair is a mix of brilliant orange, red, and pink, hence the name fire. She also makes an appearance in Bitterblue. 
Bitterblue takes place in one of the Seven Kingdoms. Bitterblue become queen after her horrible father's reign of 35 years. The kingdom she takes control of is in shambles. King Leck, her father, was graced with the ability to control peoples mind. He did many many horrors as king, and the kingdom is taking a long time to come out of his shadow. At first the task of bring her kingdom out of Leck's fog seems impossible to Bitterblue. She herself does not remember much about her father and her time with him. To bring peace to her kingdom Bitterblue must look into the past to figure out what is happening in the present. Of course she does not complete this task alone. There is a wonderful parade of characters some new and some familiar from the other books.
If you need a quick and easy but wonderful read I would recommend picking up this book.
Read on, dear readers.
Lindsey

Lord of the Rings The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

It is finished!!!!
There you go Julie! I did it, and I loved mostly every minute of it.
I say mostly ever minute because there were some minutes that I actually considered dropping the book.
I will start out telling you about the things I disliked. Well disliked might be to strong of  word. I will start out telling you about the things that I didn't not appreciate.
Number One: Tom Bombadli. Someone told me that you either love him or you hate him. I have no strong feelings towards this man. He was just kinda of a distraction. When I wanted some real action he kept popping up, and clouding the story line with useless problems. I do not understand why Tolkien decided to add this character in the book. I am glad they left that part out in the movie because otherwise the movie would be super long. Oh wait the movies are long anyway...
Number Two: The first 300 pages of the book. Besides Tom Bombadli there were many other problems that drug down the hobbits from their quest and the plot line. I like description, but sometimes Tolkien had a little to much.
Okay so I really only have two complaints about this book.
Now to the things I liked.
This book is the closest to the perfect fantasy book that I have ever read. First I must talk about the characters.
The characters are one of the things that make a fantasy book or movie a flop or a success. Fantasy needs relatable characters to make up for the strangeness in the book. Many of the characters in this book fill that roll. If you have read The Hobbit, Bilbo feels like an old friend, and it almost comforting to have him at the start of the book. Likewise with Gandalf. The kind wizard has already gained our trust in the previous novel, so now it is easy to like him even though he is a little strange. The new Hobbits you meet come onto the scene and steal the show. Frodo the main hero in the book has fears, dreams, hopes, and hunger pains just like everyone else. Sam who turns out to be another hero in the end shows the character true loyalty. Sam is the most loyal character I have ever read. He is willing to embark on a journey with his master that he knows he will most likely not come back from. Even when the rest of the Fellowship considers leaving Sam stays true. Mary and Pippin are comic relief. They too possess loyalty to Frodo and the quest, but their curious and humorous sides often break the tension in tight moments. The rest of the fellowship is made up of very different characters. There is a dwarf, elf, and two men. The dwarf Gimli is like an old uncle who loves you and would go to great lengths to protect you. The elf Legolas is a graceful, clever helper on the journey. Boromir one of the men, goes forth with courage, but also acts as the needed weak link later. And the last member Aragorn has many rules. He is the person who gets the Hobbits back on track after the excursion in the forest with Tom, he provides wisdom on the fate of the ring, he backs up Gandalf and eventually takes over the roll of guide. So over all the characters are awesome!
The plot line has no equal. Okay, the first part is really boring, but when the plot picks up it has no equal. This is the perfect journey story. Each character has their own motives and yet they are untied by the common goal of destroying the ring. This goal keeps the plot line moving. Plot line great!
Even though the descriptions can be a little lengthy, the writing style is amazing. I really started to enjoy how much was on each page. I would read for what felt like hours, and I would only have read about 30 pages. That could get annoying, but each page was filled with so much wonderfulness that I wanted to keep reading. The way to story is woven together keeps each page interesting and new.
So overall this book is great. I have a few complaints, but they are definitely out weighed by the positives. What ever genre you like, you will love this story. Don't get discouraged by the semi boring beginning. Keep going and you will be rewarded!
Lindsey

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Dear Readers,

Wow. All I can say is wow.
We are reading this book for my book club, and we have yet to discuss but I have finished the book. And it is amazing! I flew threw this book. It was so good I could not put it down.
This book falls under the Sci-Fi genre, but it is not all futuristic and unrelatable. It is in the future, but it is not the distant future. The chilling thing about this book is that it is the all to near future.
The novel takes place about after the "Heart-land War". This was the second civil war in the United States. As with the first civil war it dealt with social issues. This war dealt with abortion. One side said it was right the other said it was wrong. To stop the fighting a Bill of Life was purposed that supposedly worked for both sides. Unwinding.
Unwinding is a process that can be done on unwanted children between the age of 13 and 18. This process takes apart the body and uses every part in a transplant, so that all of the parts are living and therefore the person is still alive.
Unwinding was created to solve the problem of abortion, but with this solution came different problems. By the age of 13 the unwanted children did not want to die. They did not want to be unwound. This novel follows the stories of three unwinds on their journeys to safety.
Connor was unruly and disrespectful, and his parents were tired of dealing with him. They decided to have him unwound. After finding the slip his parents signed his life away on, he decides to skip town and escape his impending doom.
Risa is a ward of the state. At the age of 13 the state decides that she has not done enough in her short life to show promise for a rewarding future. As a result of budget cuts and over crowding Risa is going to be unwound.
Lev is a tithe. His parents adhere strictly to the belief of giving 10 percent of what you own back to the Lord. Lev their tenth child, is to be tithed to the Lord, and sent away to a harvesting camp to be unwound.
Their paths cross in a rather unexpected way. Connor who is running from the police causes an accident that stop Risa's bus. Lev's car, which is on the way to the harvest camps, is also stopped by Connor. After saving Lev from death by JuveyCops, Connor, Risa, and Lev run into the forest. They escaped their unwinding or so they think. Now they only have to survive until they turn 18, but this task proves harder than it appears.
As different character weave in and out of the book the goal of the three main characters remains the same, escape the horrible fate they were once destined to. They grow and change on their journey, and in the end they hardly resemble the people they started out as.
While following the exciting story of the unwinds, the book brings up many social issues.
In the beginning unwinding is mentioned, but not clearly explained. Through the characters stories you start to understand the inhumanity in this practice. They say that by unwinding a child they are not technically dead, but is that really true? Is it really human to take away a child's future? Their parts are still technically alive, but they have no life. They do not have a chance to contribute to society. They do not have a chance to grow up, to get married, to have kids, to have grandchildren, to live their lives. They really do not have the chance to die either. Everything that should be their's is taken away from them.
This is sickly close to abortion. An aborted child has no chance to live the life they could. All of the things that come with being born are taken away from them. There should not be a discussion of when life really starts. Conception or birth? Does it matter? At either stage they still have potential. They will have things to contribute to the world.
Unwinding was such "a great solution" because by the age of 13 it was said that they could tell whether or not the child would contribute. That is completely untrue. People change, and with that change comes influence. As the main characters travel to safety this becomes very clear. The characters change. They evolve. They become kinder, smarter, important, and needed.
During one part of the novel someone mentions the fact that before the Heartland Wars people started to pick the leaders of the country not because they could leader, but because they had similar beliefs on one subject. This is obviously happening in our society. We are becoming to narrow minded and only seeing the world through our own little view. We put to much importance in topics that will not make a difference to our countries safety or well being. If continue on this path our future may be a kin to Unwind.
By writing this novel Neal Shusterman was making a clear statement on abortion and many more topics, which you will have to read the book to find out. It is a chilling book, that shows the all to near future. The future of our world in which human life becomes disposable, people become immune to inhumanity, and potential is determined to quickly. This book is a must read for everyone. It doesn't matter if you say that you like Sci-Fi or not you should pick up this book. 
Lindsey 

The Ranger's Apprentice (Books 8-10) by John Flanagan

Dear Readers,

I finished it!! All ten books are done!! And I am very pleased. I enjoyed this series. Fantasy definitely has to be one of my favorite genres. There is nothing I enjoy more than being sucked into a story and forgetting that I am reading. This series did not let me down. The characters were interesting and relatable, the plot was fast paced and gripping, and the fantasy land was fantastically made.

The main reason I love these books is the characters. From the beginning of the series you relate to the main character Will. You want him to succeed. When he meets new friends you become to like the friends. When become romantically involved with his childhood sweat heart you are rooting for him all the way.
I really did enjoy the relationships that form between the characters. In the last three books the characters are older. I would say they are mid-twenties. During the seventh book Halt gets married to Lady Pauline. This made me smile sooooooo much. I was rooting for them too. After that Will and Alyss's relationship develops. I really enjoy when the are subtle love stories in books. I do not need to read a flat out romance book because I can get all of the cuteness I need from the small romances in fantasy novel. Another romance springs up but I will let you find that one out for yourself.
I found that plot to be semi-repetitive, but that fit. (I didn't care to much about the plot because I was caught up with the characters.) The plot of every book seemed to take the same pattern. A problem would arise Halt, Will, and Horace would run off the solve it. Some unexpected, unplanned thing would happen and the rangers would stick there heads together and come up with something. In the end everything would turn out fine, their friends would hug them, then everything would turn back to normal. Or atleast until the next book when the same thing would happen again. It seemed as if the young Will had way too much happen in his short life. As I said before though I did not really care about the plot.
I would highly recommend this series!!!! Really!! I know that I said this before, but after finishing I think that my recommendation comes a little higher. So just Read It!!
Lindsey

The Ranger's Apprentice Series Books 2 to 7 by John Flanagan

Dear Readers,

 My last post was about the first book in this amazing fantasy series. Well, since then I have finished the next seven books. (I am waiting for the eighth book to come in at the library so I can finish the last three.) I read these books in such rapid succession. It can only be compared to the manner in which the Rangers shoot their arrows.
I read about a book a day for a week. So now I have up through Erak's Ransom completed, and I enjoyed every page that I read! You can really tell when I fantasy book is well written. John Flanagan switches between the major conflicts in the book with such ease. Just when you are into one part of the plot he switches to the other conflict. This technique keeps you from getting bored, and it kept me turning the pages!

Not only does Mr. Flanagan use very techniques, he also has very original ideas. I have read many many many fantasy books, so when I read a fantasy series I really look for originality. This story is one that I have not heard before. The conflicts and plot lines are different from most of the fantasy books I have read. The world these books take place is also very interesting. The world has different names, but you can tell that this new world is based on the map of Europe and surrounding countries. The main country is obviously England, the neighboring country Gallica is of course France, and all of the other places have strong geographical and ethnic similarities to real countries.  I really appreciated this creative take on Europe's map. Just because it is a fantasy book there does not have to be a new, strange world.
Besides being original and well written, the books are full of interesting characters

and wonderful conflicts.
Will, the Ranger's Apprentice, leads a very interesting life. At the age of 15 he is already fighting against strange creatures, making plans, and riding across the country with his teacher, Halt. As the books go on Will of course ages and takes on new challenges and tasks. He grows from the shy young apprentice to a strong and trust worthy young man who can solve almost any conflict. Halt and Will develop a special relationship that will leave you smiling. Will, an orphan who never had a father, now has a strong male figure in his life the exemplify. Halt who is normally serious, aloof, and lonely now has a bright spot in his days. The two characters have witty exchanges and touching moments. Besides the two main characters there is a parade of interesting and new characters in each book. Some turn out to be friends that will reappear through out the whole series, and some turn out to be enemies that cause the friends to bond. Personally I enjoy a little romance in every book I read, and the later books in this series do not fall short of the expectation. The romances aren't mushy or cheesy, but as the young Will and his friends grow they find new roles in each others' lives. Also some of the older characters rekindle old sparks.
Each conflict shows the characters strengths. This group of characters has crazy amount of courage and strength. They travel all of the known world to complete missions, save their friends, and find out secret information. The books show how friendship can be more binding then any contract written on paper. The friendship that the characters develop are something the we need exemplify in our own lives.They make promises and stick to them. They would do anything to keep their friends out of trouble. So not only do the books take you to other places, the provide a very good example to young readers out there of what true friendship looks like.
I really like this series. It is uncommon for me to not like fantasy, but there are few series that I would reread and this is one of them. For some reason the character, plot, and writing style really appeal to me. I would recommend this series to anyone. It may be written for a young audience, but anybody would enjoy the fast paced, fun, adventurous nature of this series. So if you are bored pick them up and I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. I will post about the rest of the series once I have finished with it! (Which will probably be in a few days.) So until then keep reading my friends!
Lindsey