Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
Allegedly, this is the second book in the series that began with The Giver. I say allegedly because I am having a hard time seeing how the two are related. I read the blurb on the back of the third book, and it relates to this one, but neither seem to relate to the first. Perhaps book four ties it together.
Kira is our heroine in this one. At the beginning of the book, her mother has died. Kira's father died before she was born, thus making her an orphan. In her society, most orphans are given away to others in the village. In Kira's case, no one would take her because she is crippled. That alone shoulf have been a death sentence for her when she was born, but Kira's mother insisted that she live.
There is an awful woman in town who wants Kira's house, but Kira tries to fight for it. It is brought before the town council, and they decide to give Kira's house to the mean woman. Why? Because Kira has a skill. She can sew like no other, and they need her to repair and complete the robe that the Singer wears at their annual gathering. Apparently, they take those with a skill into the council building, and use them as needed. Sometimes, they even dispose of the parents so that they can acquire the child they need.
While Kira is skilled at sewing, she is only just learning to dye her threads. She is sent daily to train with Annabella so that she can learn to dye thread. Annabella is able to teach her how to dye all the colors except blue, and this is only because the plant needed for it is not found nearby. Suddenly, one day, Annabella is taken to the fields, so Kira thinks she's died.
I forgot to mention, Kira has a little friend, and urchin, named Matt. Matt has gone to Annabella's home with Kira, and he remembers where she said, more or less, the plant to make blue dye is. Matt brings the plant, and something else. Something Kira thought she would never see.
Kira realizes she and the other two children who are gifted are basically prisoners, but she decides to stick it out where she is because she thinks she can change things. Can she? I have no idea because it will be revisited in book four, which I have just ordered.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Summer Book #9
The Giver by Lois Lowry
My son has been after me to read this book for ages. Now that is has been made into a movie coming out in August, he said I have no choice but to read it so we can see the movie. I have taught him well!
Written in 1993, it was dystopian before dystopian was cool, much like 1984. Now dystopian is all the rage. In this society, there are no colors, feelings, music, sunshine, weather, anything. Everyone is the same. People apply to marry and a matched to someone. They apply for children, and they can have no more than two. These children are born to birthmothers, spend time being nurtured in a facility, and then, in December, they are named and given to their families. If a baby doesn't thrive, they release it, which means they stick a needle in its head and kill it. Old people go to a home for old people, and then are released. They are killed in much the same way. Parents, after their children are raised, go to a home and never see their children again. Sounds like a pretty screwed up society to me.
Our story is about Jonas. He is about to be 12, and at the ceremony in December, will be given his assignment, or job. He is to be The Receiver, which means he will be burdened with memories of several generations prior to his own. Why? Because the people of the community can't handle them.
Jonas' father is a nurturer, and he has brought home one of the babies because they are concerned that he will not be able to go to a family if he doesn't thrive. Jonas also sees something of himself in this baby.
During his training, Jonas finds out what they do to release people, and he is fed up with life in his community. With the help of the Giver, he makes plans to escape. The night before he plans to leave, he finds out that they are going to release the baby that his family has been taking care of. What would you do in his situation?
My son has been after me to read this book for ages. Now that is has been made into a movie coming out in August, he said I have no choice but to read it so we can see the movie. I have taught him well!
Written in 1993, it was dystopian before dystopian was cool, much like 1984. Now dystopian is all the rage. In this society, there are no colors, feelings, music, sunshine, weather, anything. Everyone is the same. People apply to marry and a matched to someone. They apply for children, and they can have no more than two. These children are born to birthmothers, spend time being nurtured in a facility, and then, in December, they are named and given to their families. If a baby doesn't thrive, they release it, which means they stick a needle in its head and kill it. Old people go to a home for old people, and then are released. They are killed in much the same way. Parents, after their children are raised, go to a home and never see their children again. Sounds like a pretty screwed up society to me.
Our story is about Jonas. He is about to be 12, and at the ceremony in December, will be given his assignment, or job. He is to be The Receiver, which means he will be burdened with memories of several generations prior to his own. Why? Because the people of the community can't handle them.
Jonas' father is a nurturer, and he has brought home one of the babies because they are concerned that he will not be able to go to a family if he doesn't thrive. Jonas also sees something of himself in this baby.
During his training, Jonas finds out what they do to release people, and he is fed up with life in his community. With the help of the Giver, he makes plans to escape. The night before he plans to leave, he finds out that they are going to release the baby that his family has been taking care of. What would you do in his situation?
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Summer Book #8
Gone by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
This is from the Michael Bennett series. He's the New York City cop who has ten children. Anyway, in the previous book in this series, Bennett caught this major Mexican cartel guy. Unfortunately, this guy, Perrine, escaped custody and vowed to take out Bennett and his family. The Bennett clan ended up in witness protection, having to move clear across the country to middle of nowhere California for their safety.
In the meantime, this Perrine guy is settling old scores. Anyone who ever crossed him, he's taking out in the most brutal ways. Bennett gets sucked back into the search for him. Ultimately, good prevails and bad is double tapped in the noggin.
Not the best Patterson book I've read. In fact, I started it months ago, but got all caught up in the TAYSHAS list, so I forgot about it. Still, I was able to pick up where I left off.
This is from the Michael Bennett series. He's the New York City cop who has ten children. Anyway, in the previous book in this series, Bennett caught this major Mexican cartel guy. Unfortunately, this guy, Perrine, escaped custody and vowed to take out Bennett and his family. The Bennett clan ended up in witness protection, having to move clear across the country to middle of nowhere California for their safety.
In the meantime, this Perrine guy is settling old scores. Anyone who ever crossed him, he's taking out in the most brutal ways. Bennett gets sucked back into the search for him. Ultimately, good prevails and bad is double tapped in the noggin.
Not the best Patterson book I've read. In fact, I started it months ago, but got all caught up in the TAYSHAS list, so I forgot about it. Still, I was able to pick up where I left off.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Summer Book #7
About a Boy by Nick Hornby
I bought this because I love the movie, and the movie is very similar to the book. The differences: Will doesn't introduce Marcus to Mystikal in the book. Instead it is Nirvana. We see that Marcus has more of a relationship with his father, other than just Christmas, as it is in the book. Marcus has more of a relationship with Ellie. They actually hang out after school sometimes. Will's relationship with Rachel is not as prominent as it is in the movie. Last, the ending was different. Instead of Marcus singing in the talent show, he takes a train to his father's house with Ellie the day Kurt Cobain dies. Ellie is a huge fan, and sees someone's shop with a cutout of Kurt Cobain in the window. She goes ballistic, and breaks the glass with her shoe. I won't say that it was a better ending, but I would've liked to have seen it played out in a movie.
At any rate, I enjoyed reading this.
I bought this because I love the movie, and the movie is very similar to the book. The differences: Will doesn't introduce Marcus to Mystikal in the book. Instead it is Nirvana. We see that Marcus has more of a relationship with his father, other than just Christmas, as it is in the book. Marcus has more of a relationship with Ellie. They actually hang out after school sometimes. Will's relationship with Rachel is not as prominent as it is in the movie. Last, the ending was different. Instead of Marcus singing in the talent show, he takes a train to his father's house with Ellie the day Kurt Cobain dies. Ellie is a huge fan, and sees someone's shop with a cutout of Kurt Cobain in the window. She goes ballistic, and breaks the glass with her shoe. I won't say that it was a better ending, but I would've liked to have seen it played out in a movie.
At any rate, I enjoyed reading this.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Summer Book #6
Looking for Alaska by John Green
This was my second foray into the world of John Green, and although not quite as poignant as the first of his books that I read, it did speak to me.
First of all, Alaska is a girl. A very hot girl, who also happens to be smart. She reads, she smokes, she drinks Strawberry Hill, and she pulls pranks. All the boys love her, but they know they don't have a chance with her because she is so in love with her boyfriend. Alaska is also damaged. When she was eight, her mother died, and Alaska didn't call 911 because she didn't really know she was dying. She has lived with this guilt for eight years.
The thing is, this book really isn't about Alaska. It's about her friends Miles, aka Pudge, and Chip, aka The Colonel, and how they grow as people, especially Pudge.
Pudge is from Florida, and feels like there is more to life than what he is living, so he asks his parents if he can attend the boarding school his father went to in Alabama. When he gets there, he meets The Colonel, who is his roommate. Their circumstances are very different, but they become fast friends, particularly after a prank is pulled on Pudge that could have killed him. Alaska lives down the hall, and is who they go to to purchase cigarettes. As I indicated previously, all the boys are in love with Alaska in one way or another.
The book is told in two parts: before the incident and after the incident. Before deals with their escapades at school: smoking, getting drunk, planning pranks, studying. Typical teen stuff. After deals with the aftermath, and how Pudge and The Colonel deal with it.
Very touching. Loved it. However, there is substance abuse mentioned, foul language, and some semi-explicit sex. In reading the 1-star reviews on Amazon, that was the biggest complaint about the book. Doesn't bother me. I work with teenagers, and this seems to be in line with how many of their lives are.
This was my second foray into the world of John Green, and although not quite as poignant as the first of his books that I read, it did speak to me.
First of all, Alaska is a girl. A very hot girl, who also happens to be smart. She reads, she smokes, she drinks Strawberry Hill, and she pulls pranks. All the boys love her, but they know they don't have a chance with her because she is so in love with her boyfriend. Alaska is also damaged. When she was eight, her mother died, and Alaska didn't call 911 because she didn't really know she was dying. She has lived with this guilt for eight years.
The thing is, this book really isn't about Alaska. It's about her friends Miles, aka Pudge, and Chip, aka The Colonel, and how they grow as people, especially Pudge.
Pudge is from Florida, and feels like there is more to life than what he is living, so he asks his parents if he can attend the boarding school his father went to in Alabama. When he gets there, he meets The Colonel, who is his roommate. Their circumstances are very different, but they become fast friends, particularly after a prank is pulled on Pudge that could have killed him. Alaska lives down the hall, and is who they go to to purchase cigarettes. As I indicated previously, all the boys are in love with Alaska in one way or another.
The book is told in two parts: before the incident and after the incident. Before deals with their escapades at school: smoking, getting drunk, planning pranks, studying. Typical teen stuff. After deals with the aftermath, and how Pudge and The Colonel deal with it.
Very touching. Loved it. However, there is substance abuse mentioned, foul language, and some semi-explicit sex. In reading the 1-star reviews on Amazon, that was the biggest complaint about the book. Doesn't bother me. I work with teenagers, and this seems to be in line with how many of their lives are.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Summer Book #5
Reached by Ally Condie
The last book in a dystopian trilogy, this was different than most books in that genre. Why? Usually, there's a revolution to overthrow the bad government, but not here. No, they use the plague to overthrow the government. The whole book is about this plague, and finding a cure for it because the cure they thought they had doesn't work. Kinda boring.
The Cassia, Xander, Ky love triangle is on the boring side too. Cassia makes her choice, and the one she doesn't choose is cool with it because he found someone else.
This series had such potential. The first book was great, which is why, months later, I read the others. The second started getting boring, but I thought the third would redeem it. Sadly, that was not the case.
The last book in a dystopian trilogy, this was different than most books in that genre. Why? Usually, there's a revolution to overthrow the bad government, but not here. No, they use the plague to overthrow the government. The whole book is about this plague, and finding a cure for it because the cure they thought they had doesn't work. Kinda boring.
The Cassia, Xander, Ky love triangle is on the boring side too. Cassia makes her choice, and the one she doesn't choose is cool with it because he found someone else.
This series had such potential. The first book was great, which is why, months later, I read the others. The second started getting boring, but I thought the third would redeem it. Sadly, that was not the case.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Summer Book #4
Crossed by Ally Condie
This is the second book in the Matched trilogy I began ages ago, before the TAYSHAS list consumed my reading list.
This book is told from two points of view: Ky and Cassia. If you'll recall, Cassia is a citizen, who was matched to two different boys at her matching ceremony: Ky and Xander. Because Ky is an aberration, and therefore unworthy of a citizen, Xander is most likely Cassia's match. However, she loves them both.
Ky has been banished to the Outer Regions, but he tries to make his way back to Cassia. Cassia, on the other hand, gets herself assigned to a work detail that causes her to end up in the Outer Regions. She finds a friends, Indie, and they cross the Carving to find Ky. This is based on information they receive from a reliable source. Cassia and Ky end up finding each other, but disagree on whether to join the Rising, a rebellion against the Society. Cassia wants to, Ky doesn't.
This was not the most interesting book, but it was an easy read. I knocked it out in a few days' time. I am looking forward to the last book in the series. I am hoping Cassia ends up with Xander. They are more alike, and I feel he is more worthy of her. They have the same goals.
This is the second book in the Matched trilogy I began ages ago, before the TAYSHAS list consumed my reading list.
This book is told from two points of view: Ky and Cassia. If you'll recall, Cassia is a citizen, who was matched to two different boys at her matching ceremony: Ky and Xander. Because Ky is an aberration, and therefore unworthy of a citizen, Xander is most likely Cassia's match. However, she loves them both.
Ky has been banished to the Outer Regions, but he tries to make his way back to Cassia. Cassia, on the other hand, gets herself assigned to a work detail that causes her to end up in the Outer Regions. She finds a friends, Indie, and they cross the Carving to find Ky. This is based on information they receive from a reliable source. Cassia and Ky end up finding each other, but disagree on whether to join the Rising, a rebellion against the Society. Cassia wants to, Ky doesn't.
This was not the most interesting book, but it was an easy read. I knocked it out in a few days' time. I am looking forward to the last book in the series. I am hoping Cassia ends up with Xander. They are more alike, and I feel he is more worthy of her. They have the same goals.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Summer Book #3
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
What took me so long to read this?! I have been hearing good things about this book for a while, it's about to be coming out in theaters, and I just bought it last weekend. Impulse buy, but so glad I did.
This is the tale of Nick and Amy Dunne. On the surface, they seem to be very happy people. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Amy remembers every little slight, and ultimately uses them to get back at Nick. Including faking her death, and making sure he gets framed for it.
The book was a wild ride. Did Nick really kill Amy? Why? Then you find out that Amy isn't dead, so you have to wonder why she did this to Nick. Sure, he was a cheater pants, but framing him for murder? That seems a bit mental to me. And I am totally right about the mental thing. Amy definitely has issues.
I did watch the trailer for the movie, and they have Ben Affleck playing Nick. Bad choice. Ben is too much of a pansy to carry out the Nick I read about in the book. Plus, his acting sucks. I'll still go see the movie though because that's what I do.
What took me so long to read this?! I have been hearing good things about this book for a while, it's about to be coming out in theaters, and I just bought it last weekend. Impulse buy, but so glad I did.
This is the tale of Nick and Amy Dunne. On the surface, they seem to be very happy people. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Amy remembers every little slight, and ultimately uses them to get back at Nick. Including faking her death, and making sure he gets framed for it.
The book was a wild ride. Did Nick really kill Amy? Why? Then you find out that Amy isn't dead, so you have to wonder why she did this to Nick. Sure, he was a cheater pants, but framing him for murder? That seems a bit mental to me. And I am totally right about the mental thing. Amy definitely has issues.
I did watch the trailer for the movie, and they have Ben Affleck playing Nick. Bad choice. Ben is too much of a pansy to carry out the Nick I read about in the book. Plus, his acting sucks. I'll still go see the movie though because that's what I do.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Summer Book #2
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
On Saturday, I almost bought this book. I have almost bought this book on multiple occasions. What finally made me buy it and read it? I saw the trailer for the movie that they made from this book.
Mia is a cellist. She is a senior in high school, and recently applied and auditioned for Julliard. One morning, there is a snow day, so her family decides to go visit friends. On the way there, their car is hit. Mia's parents both died at the scene, but Mia and her brother, Teddy, are both alive, though barely.
The story is told by Mia, although it's her conscious, I guess, and not actually physical Mia. She sees herself with all the tubes and wires, but she is unconscious. Anyway, Mia has to decide whether to join her family in death or live without them. She reflects on her life, her best friend, her boyfriend, her family, and uses these memories to determine whether to live or die.
This pulled at my heartstrings, and made me nearly cry several times. So worth the read.
On Saturday, I almost bought this book. I have almost bought this book on multiple occasions. What finally made me buy it and read it? I saw the trailer for the movie that they made from this book.
Mia is a cellist. She is a senior in high school, and recently applied and auditioned for Julliard. One morning, there is a snow day, so her family decides to go visit friends. On the way there, their car is hit. Mia's parents both died at the scene, but Mia and her brother, Teddy, are both alive, though barely.
The story is told by Mia, although it's her conscious, I guess, and not actually physical Mia. She sees herself with all the tubes and wires, but she is unconscious. Anyway, Mia has to decide whether to join her family in death or live without them. She reflects on her life, her best friend, her boyfriend, her family, and uses these memories to determine whether to live or die.
This pulled at my heartstrings, and made me nearly cry several times. So worth the read.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Summer 2014 Book 1
The Mortal Instruments: The City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clay
This is the last book in the series, which, I guess, is good. I am not sure where else the author can go with these characters.
This book picks up where book 5 left off: Sebastian is still a douche-bag, wreaking havoc wherever he goes. His plan is to get the Shadowhunters and Downworlders in a war against each other, so that he can rule the world. He has a weird crush on his sister, and wants her to rule with him.
As always, good wins over evil. The epilogue was nice. It wasn't a happily ever after, like one series I could name. No beloved main characters died, like another series I could name.
The book itself was not as good as it's predecessors. I couldn't stay focused. I do have high hopes for the new series coming out next year though.
This is the last book in the series, which, I guess, is good. I am not sure where else the author can go with these characters.
This book picks up where book 5 left off: Sebastian is still a douche-bag, wreaking havoc wherever he goes. His plan is to get the Shadowhunters and Downworlders in a war against each other, so that he can rule the world. He has a weird crush on his sister, and wants her to rule with him.
As always, good wins over evil. The epilogue was nice. It wasn't a happily ever after, like one series I could name. No beloved main characters died, like another series I could name.
The book itself was not as good as it's predecessors. I couldn't stay focused. I do have high hopes for the new series coming out next year though.
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