I alluded to it in my previous post, but I have decided to have some sort of personal reading challenge for 2010. I'm trying to decide what sort of challenge it should be. Should I have a set number of books I'm trying to read? Or should I have to work through a specific reading list? Decisions, decisions!
What do you suggest?
Also, I'm always looking for recommendations for what to read next, so leave me some recommendations of Books Everyone Must Read! Thank you!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
What I'm Reading Right Now: December 2009 Edition
Hi Friends!
I'm reading, albeit a little slowly right now. I don't want this Blog forgotten, so here's a little update on what I'm currently reading, with some pre-reading thoughts rather than reviews, haha.
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
My boyfriend just finished this book, and I'm eager and excited to read it myself! I've loved all of Dan Brown's books so far -- although I will admit that The Da Vinci Code was my least favourite of the bunch, even though it's so damn famous. It was so much slower of a read than his other books for me -- but I do have to add that I still LIKED it, it just wasn't MY favourite of his novels. I actually really loved Digital Fortress and Deception Point, and if you have only read Dan Brown's Robert Langdon books, then you NEED to read his other stand-alone stories -- they are fantastic and fun. I'm hoping The Lost Symbol will engage me the way Angels & Demons did, and won't be slow to get into like The Da Vinci Code.
To The Nines & Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich
I finally have books 9 and 10 in the Stephanie Plum Series from my local library. I had to request them, and they both came in this week! I got book 10 first, so I was waiting for book 9, which I was able to pick up today! Hurrah! I have definitely blocked the person who read book 9 from getting their book 10, but OH WELL, I had to wait and now it's their turn (luckily for them I always return these books before the three week borrowing period anyway, I'm reading this series so quickly!). I may even read these before I read The Lost Symbol since they are from the library, and Martin owns the other (I requested these before I knew I'd be getting Dan Brown's book from Martin so soon). I am loving this series, LOVING IT. Do read and enjoy it if you haven't before.
So these are the three books I plan to read to cap off 2009. Maybe I'll think of some sort of Personal Reading Challenge for 2010. If I was to make a list of "Books I Must Read" what should I include? Tell me what your FAVOURITE books are -- regardless of genre, just whatever you couldn't put down. What books do you think EVERYONE needs to give a chance to?
I'm reading, albeit a little slowly right now. I don't want this Blog forgotten, so here's a little update on what I'm currently reading, with some pre-reading thoughts rather than reviews, haha.
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
My boyfriend just finished this book, and I'm eager and excited to read it myself! I've loved all of Dan Brown's books so far -- although I will admit that The Da Vinci Code was my least favourite of the bunch, even though it's so damn famous. It was so much slower of a read than his other books for me -- but I do have to add that I still LIKED it, it just wasn't MY favourite of his novels. I actually really loved Digital Fortress and Deception Point, and if you have only read Dan Brown's Robert Langdon books, then you NEED to read his other stand-alone stories -- they are fantastic and fun. I'm hoping The Lost Symbol will engage me the way Angels & Demons did, and won't be slow to get into like The Da Vinci Code.
To The Nines & Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich
I finally have books 9 and 10 in the Stephanie Plum Series from my local library. I had to request them, and they both came in this week! I got book 10 first, so I was waiting for book 9, which I was able to pick up today! Hurrah! I have definitely blocked the person who read book 9 from getting their book 10, but OH WELL, I had to wait and now it's their turn (luckily for them I always return these books before the three week borrowing period anyway, I'm reading this series so quickly!). I may even read these before I read The Lost Symbol since they are from the library, and Martin owns the other (I requested these before I knew I'd be getting Dan Brown's book from Martin so soon). I am loving this series, LOVING IT. Do read and enjoy it if you haven't before.
So these are the three books I plan to read to cap off 2009. Maybe I'll think of some sort of Personal Reading Challenge for 2010. If I was to make a list of "Books I Must Read" what should I include? Tell me what your FAVOURITE books are -- regardless of genre, just whatever you couldn't put down. What books do you think EVERYONE needs to give a chance to?
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner
I had never read a Jennifer Weiner book before, but I was hearing her name come up on the Interwebz, so when I was at the library recently I decided to give her a try. The book I chose was called Goodnight Nobody, and I chose it because I liked the synopsis.
Without giving away major spoilers, the story is about a woman named Kate who moves to the suburbs with her husband after having been born and raised a New York City gal. She's a mother of three, and doesn't fit in with the upper-class neighbourhood Mommies. After one of these mothers is murdered, Kate dives in to solving the seemingly unsolveable mystery.
This book was really enjoyable to read. I liked the mystery, it wasn't predictable. The characters, Kate's best friend Janie in particular, are enjoyable and well-developed. It mixes Kate's earlier life in with her current predicament well too.
After reading this, I will definitely be giving Jennifer Weiner another shot. I recommend you check out Goodnight Nobody if you're looking for something to read next.
Without giving away major spoilers, the story is about a woman named Kate who moves to the suburbs with her husband after having been born and raised a New York City gal. She's a mother of three, and doesn't fit in with the upper-class neighbourhood Mommies. After one of these mothers is murdered, Kate dives in to solving the seemingly unsolveable mystery.
This book was really enjoyable to read. I liked the mystery, it wasn't predictable. The characters, Kate's best friend Janie in particular, are enjoyable and well-developed. It mixes Kate's earlier life in with her current predicament well too.
After reading this, I will definitely be giving Jennifer Weiner another shot. I recommend you check out Goodnight Nobody if you're looking for something to read next.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Twilight Saga: New Moon Movie Review (non-spoilery)
On Friday night, my two best friends came to visit. We went out for dinner, and then caught at showing of The Twilight Saga: New Moon. I read the Twilight series in the fall of 2008, and re-read them a few times since. It's light and fluffy and I can't help but enjoy those stories. I wasn't so impressed with the first Twilight film, though (it prompted this post, in which I lament about book-to-movie adaptations). I decided I'd give New Moon a try anyway, because I did feel that the cast was right, and so maybe with a new director things would improve.
In general, I was much happier with this second film. The acting at times leaves something to be desired (especially Robert Pattinson (Edward) and Kristen Stewart (Bella), a.k.a The Leads! -- they can be so blah when they're together, and when they kiss it is AWK), but Taylor Lautner (Jacob) actually did a pretty good job, and I find Kristen to be more enjoyable/animated when she's acting alongside Taylor, so that made up for some of the other scenes. The Volturi were AMAZING. I want Breaking Dawn made into a movie JUST to see more of the Volturi -- they were entertaining, and they acted exactly how I pictured them when I was reading the novels.
As for the story, I was much more impressed with this screenplay based on how it followed the book. Were there some cuts and changes? Yes. However, they worked and the major scenes still played out how they should. I know the story is going to be changed, because Stephenie Meyer's novels are long, but this one did a much better job at putting the book onto the screen than Twilight did -- especially in the area of character development. Twilight very much relied on subtext, and I think it lost a lot in the way of character development. New Moon had actual dialogue between the characters and it was much better -- less "independent film"-like. Also, the wolves were great -- not nearly as corny/awful as they potentially could have been.
There were of course changes I would have made, and there were many "cheesy" parts that are a little painful to sit through, but overall I was much happier with New Moon than I was with the first film, and now I'm looking forward to Eclipse in June 2010. Especially to get a little more of the Cullen family, as I really like those actors and how they portray their characters.
In sum, New Moon: not the greatest film in the history of cinema (like, duh!), but an improvement on the first Twilight film, and more enjoyable to a fan of the books than what I was expecting. I took it for what it was, and I wasn't so disappointed this time around.
In general, I was much happier with this second film. The acting at times leaves something to be desired (especially Robert Pattinson (Edward) and Kristen Stewart (Bella), a.k.a The Leads! -- they can be so blah when they're together, and when they kiss it is AWK), but Taylor Lautner (Jacob) actually did a pretty good job, and I find Kristen to be more enjoyable/animated when she's acting alongside Taylor, so that made up for some of the other scenes. The Volturi were AMAZING. I want Breaking Dawn made into a movie JUST to see more of the Volturi -- they were entertaining, and they acted exactly how I pictured them when I was reading the novels.
As for the story, I was much more impressed with this screenplay based on how it followed the book. Were there some cuts and changes? Yes. However, they worked and the major scenes still played out how they should. I know the story is going to be changed, because Stephenie Meyer's novels are long, but this one did a much better job at putting the book onto the screen than Twilight did -- especially in the area of character development. Twilight very much relied on subtext, and I think it lost a lot in the way of character development. New Moon had actual dialogue between the characters and it was much better -- less "independent film"-like. Also, the wolves were great -- not nearly as corny/awful as they potentially could have been.
There were of course changes I would have made, and there were many "cheesy" parts that are a little painful to sit through, but overall I was much happier with New Moon than I was with the first film, and now I'm looking forward to Eclipse in June 2010. Especially to get a little more of the Cullen family, as I really like those actors and how they portray their characters.
In sum, New Moon: not the greatest film in the history of cinema (like, duh!), but an improvement on the first Twilight film, and more enjoyable to a fan of the books than what I was expecting. I took it for what it was, and I wasn't so disappointed this time around.
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