Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
This is the sequel to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, which I loved and couldn't put down two years ago. The premise of it was neat. Weird pictures from the past provided the ideas for the story, and it was brilliant. This one, not so much. I feel like the author tried to hard to make the story work around the pictures, and it felt contrived.
It took forever to read this one too. I started it one weekend when I ran out of TAYSHAS books, and I had a hard time staying focused. Then, nearly a month ago, my ginormous puppy thought it would be a good idea to eat the hardcover off of the book because he didn't get enough attention from my husband one night. Just this week, I met with my librarian friends, and, using the dust cover, turned this damaged hardback into a paperback. I was finally able to read it again a few days ago. Still, it was hard to stay focused, and I felt like I was forcing myself to read this. We were in the car for roughly six hours today, and it was the perfect opportunity to finish.
This book picks up right where the first one leaves off. The peculiar children are having to escape their island with their injured ynebryne to try to find someone who can help her back into her human shape. Along the way, they meet some interesting animals, gypsies, and other peculiars. Not to mention that they have to go through several loops to accomplish their task. Will they manage to get Miss Peregrine back?
Hated the last twenty or so pages of the book, and it was left wide open for a third installment. I dearly hope it is better than this was. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Percy Jackson #1
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
I started this book before Christmas. It was one I would read when I ran out of TAYSHAS books at home, and needed something to read. I wanted to read it because it is one of the few books that held my daughter's attention, plus, I like the movie. Good thing I can keep books separate from their movie counterparts.
There were so many differences between the book and the movie. First, in the movie, Percy is 16-17 years old. In the book, he's 12. Mr. D was not in the movie, nor was Clarisse, but they figure in somewhat when Percy is at Camp Half Blood. Percy goes on a mini quest for Ares, and that wasn't in the movie.
I enjoyed this first book in the Olympians series. How could I not? It deals with Greek mythology, but told in a more modern way. I can see why my daughter was interested, and hope we can talk about this series more as we read it. Sadly, it will be a bit before I move onto the next one in the series, since there is a stack of books on my end table to be read.
I started this book before Christmas. It was one I would read when I ran out of TAYSHAS books at home, and needed something to read. I wanted to read it because it is one of the few books that held my daughter's attention, plus, I like the movie. Good thing I can keep books separate from their movie counterparts.
There were so many differences between the book and the movie. First, in the movie, Percy is 16-17 years old. In the book, he's 12. Mr. D was not in the movie, nor was Clarisse, but they figure in somewhat when Percy is at Camp Half Blood. Percy goes on a mini quest for Ares, and that wasn't in the movie.
I enjoyed this first book in the Olympians series. How could I not? It deals with Greek mythology, but told in a more modern way. I can see why my daughter was interested, and hope we can talk about this series more as we read it. Sadly, it will be a bit before I move onto the next one in the series, since there is a stack of books on my end table to be read.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Heavenly Communication
The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom
As you may have noticed over the course of this blog, I enjoy Mitch Albom's books. The things he writes about heaven can be thought provoking and emotional. With that said, there are a couple of books, this one and For One More Day, that I am not sure I could deal with if they occurred in my life.
The premise of this book is that people in one Michigan town are receiving phone calls from loved ones who have passed on. Presumably, they are calling from heaven. Sounds great, right? The town is inundated with people hoping that, just by being in the proximity, they too will receive a phone call from a dearly departed loved one. So many people believe. There is, however, one who doesn't. Sully Harding. He has made it his mission to prove that these calls are fakes. He has his reasons.
This was a good book, but it made me think that I wouldn't want to receive a phone call from heaven. Crazy, I know. While I would love to hear from my grandpa, I think it would just be re-opening a wound. I still have a hard time listening to my grandma's answering machine message because it is my grandpa's voice. I can't imagine having an actual conversation from beyond with him. One part of me would love it, I think, but the other would be heartbroken all over again. Not sure I can do that.
As you may have noticed over the course of this blog, I enjoy Mitch Albom's books. The things he writes about heaven can be thought provoking and emotional. With that said, there are a couple of books, this one and For One More Day, that I am not sure I could deal with if they occurred in my life.
The premise of this book is that people in one Michigan town are receiving phone calls from loved ones who have passed on. Presumably, they are calling from heaven. Sounds great, right? The town is inundated with people hoping that, just by being in the proximity, they too will receive a phone call from a dearly departed loved one. So many people believe. There is, however, one who doesn't. Sully Harding. He has made it his mission to prove that these calls are fakes. He has his reasons.
This was a good book, but it made me think that I wouldn't want to receive a phone call from heaven. Crazy, I know. While I would love to hear from my grandpa, I think it would just be re-opening a wound. I still have a hard time listening to my grandma's answering machine message because it is my grandpa's voice. I can't imagine having an actual conversation from beyond with him. One part of me would love it, I think, but the other would be heartbroken all over again. Not sure I can do that.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
A Companion Book
Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers
Five years ago, I was in my methods classes. We were on location in a high school, and I was assigned to a freshman and a senior class. My senior mentor was getting ready to begin a novel with her class, and asked me to create a lesson to introduce the characters to the class. That novel was Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. I enjoyed the book, which surprised me.
A couple of weeks ago, I was in the school library, and a coworker was checking out Fallen Angels. We began to talk about what a good book it was, and the librarian mentioned that there was a companion book, told by the nephew of the narrator. I was sold. I checked it out, and now, nearly two weeks later (I know!), I finished. Sadly, it wasn't as captivating to me as the first book was.
Birdy is shipped to Iraq at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He sees some horrific sights, learns firsthand about IED's, and remote detonation. He makes friends with some of his comrades, and sees some die.
I don't know why I wasn't as taken with this one as I was its predecessor. I have to wonder if it is because I don't know much about the Vietnam war, whereas I was living during the time of Iraqi Freedom. All the media coverage, I think, has taken away from the book for me.
Five years ago, I was in my methods classes. We were on location in a high school, and I was assigned to a freshman and a senior class. My senior mentor was getting ready to begin a novel with her class, and asked me to create a lesson to introduce the characters to the class. That novel was Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. I enjoyed the book, which surprised me.
A couple of weeks ago, I was in the school library, and a coworker was checking out Fallen Angels. We began to talk about what a good book it was, and the librarian mentioned that there was a companion book, told by the nephew of the narrator. I was sold. I checked it out, and now, nearly two weeks later (I know!), I finished. Sadly, it wasn't as captivating to me as the first book was.
Birdy is shipped to Iraq at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He sees some horrific sights, learns firsthand about IED's, and remote detonation. He makes friends with some of his comrades, and sees some die.
I don't know why I wasn't as taken with this one as I was its predecessor. I have to wonder if it is because I don't know much about the Vietnam war, whereas I was living during the time of Iraqi Freedom. All the media coverage, I think, has taken away from the book for me.
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