The Wonder Reader

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

2010-12-23T14:45:00.002-05:00

I'd seen The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson in bookstores for awhile now. I suppose it was highly profiled because there was a film made of it, and because the third book in the trilogy was being released. I was interested in it, but didn't really know much about it, so I never gave it a try.

A couple of weeks ago, I was lent a copy of it from a friend's mom.

OH MY GOD.

WHAT A GOOD BOOK!

I just finished reading it, right now, and am ITCHING to go buy the sequel. It's a story that takes place in Sweden, and features quite a large cast of characters that at first makes it just a touch confusing until you get to the point where the real plot starts to come into play. Others have said that they found the book dull at first and tough to get into, however I didn't think the same and enjoyed it right from the beginning.

The main characters are instantly likeable. Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist who has been sued for libel and found guilty, is hired by a wealthy man (Henrik Vanger) to solve the mystery of his missing niece -- who disappeared forty years ago, in a case that went unsolved but that was suspected to be a murder. Blomkvist gets wrapped up in the case, which he doesn't expect to solve, and intrigue and suspense carries on from there.

There are twists and turns as you dive deeper into the history of the Vanger family, and into Blomkvist's quest to clear his name following the libel conviction. He teams up with Lisbeth Salander, a young woman with a troubled past and expert investigative skills, who is a character that I think we'll learn even more about in the sequels to this book.

If you haven't read it yet, and you like some mystery and suspense, I highly recommend The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

I'm not sure how the movie is, but I might watch it just to compare it to the book.

----
Edited: Okay, upon some research, I think I understand the movie thing a little more. Looks like there were Swedish movies made about all three books in this series; but in 2011, a Hollywood version is coming out. I really didn't know much about this series before being loaned this book two weeks ago, haha... but I knew some movie was already on TMN. Must be the Swedish version! I'll give it a try.

Way Overdue Reading Update

2010-12-05T15:55:00.000-05:00

I've neglected my reading blog for far too long... partially because, I've been neglecting reading. In September, I had a huge change in my personal life (which, if you read my main blog, you already have heard way too much about, I'm sure), and it really threw me off. The only thing I read after that was a quick re-read of the first Twilight book (I needed something absolutely mindless, and in a way, comforting in its familiarity and easy-readability), and then I took a bit of a break from reading novels. I was also very busy with teaching my new grade one class, and with taking an online course, which has just ended.

I have read 10 books since my last blog post in July though... yes, I made it to 39 books this year. I'm just finishing up book 40. I don't think I would have been able to make it to 100, regardless of what happened in September, but I probably would have made it past 50 had I been my usual self, which would have been pretty cool.

As it is, I scrapped my ENTIRE "101 things to do in 1001 Days" because way too much of it involved the relationship-that-is-no-more, so I scrapped the "read 100 books" goal too. Next year I'll maybe try a new reading goal, 100 books was TOO MUCH. haha.

Anyway, here's what I've read since July, just in list-form, with no reviews:

30) An Ideal Wife by Gemma Townley
31) Second Prize by Chris Manby
32) Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
33) How Nancy Drew Saved My Life by Lauren Barantz-Logsted
34) Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
35) It's About Your Husband by Lauren Lipton
36) Welcome to the Real World by Carole Matthews
37) English as a Second Language by Megan Crane
38) Mini-Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
39) read-read of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

I'm going to document how many books I've read up until New Years Eve... but honestly, what I went through in September really changed things for me. However, no more neglecting this blog, that's for sure!

26, 27, 28, 29) Four Completely Different Books -- just read this.

2010-07-12T23:27:00.000-04:00

Haven't been updating lately, but have done a little reading. Not nearly enough for the challenge I've set for myself, but considering I read about 7 books over the March Break this year I'm hoping I can catch up over these two summer months off from work (well, off from teaching -- I have a nannying job, but I'll still have plenty of time for reading in between my nannying hours). Anyway, here are some of the books I read but didn't blog about!

26) Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
This is the fourth book in Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians YA series. I love this series, A LOT, and really enjoyed reading this installment. Percy and his friends find themselves on a new quest -- into the Labyrinth, to stop Luke from raising Kronos and taking over Camp Halfblood, and eventually Olympus. It's got lots of adventure and fun, and it really sets things up for the conclusion of the series (or, what I'm fairly certain is the conclusion -- book five, The Last Olympian, which Scooter and I haven't bought to read yet). If you haven't given these books a try, but you like books such as Harry Potter, I'd definitely read them.

27) Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse #9) by Charlaine Harris
I am so cheap and refuse to buy these books hardcover, so I only just now finally read the ninth Sookie Stackhouse novel; number ten is already on bookshelves but it's still hardcover itself so I'll be waiting until next spring for that one too. Book 9 was another great Sookie story, and I'm in love with these characters. I also watch the television series, "True Blood" (which is probably what helps me be able to wait to read the new books in soft-cover, it sort of bridges the gap by having a TV Sookie in my life).

28) Angels by Marian Keyes
I am a huge fan of Keyes' Walsh family. I've read these books completely out of order, but have read three of the four books that each feature a different Walsh sister (I read Rachel's Holiday first, then read Is Anybody Out There? which is Anna's story, and then read Angels, which about Maggie Walsh and comes before either of the other two I read -- the only one I haven't read yet is Watermelon, which is Claire's story and is actually the FIRST of the Walsh sister's books). The good thing is? It doesn't really matter TOO much if you read them out of order, as I've found. I'm eagerly waiting for Helen, the youngest of the Walsh sisters, to have a book featured about her soon too (since I'm sure it's inevitable). My favourite of these books is Anna's story (Is Anybody Out There?), but any of them so far have been great.

29) Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA by Ellen Meister
I picked this up off of the 80%-off shelf at Chapters (a frequent place for my book-buying, since $4.99 is a sweet price for a novel). It was actually not bad, a good beside-the-pool read. The characters are all going through some relationship issues, and there are some affairs/potential affairs/weird moments, but it wasn't a bad story and it had nice pacing. The characters were likeable enough -- if a little sex-obsessed at times.

Alrighty, 29 down and ... oh.. hmm.. you know, only 71 books left to read this year. HA. HA HA HA. /crying on the inside.

25) A Hollywood Ending by Robyn Sisman

2010-06-01T21:49:00.000-04:00

I've picked up a bunch of chick-lit books on sale at Chapters recently, in an effort to read some light stuff by my pool and speed up my "number of books read" as much as I can... haha. The first one I tried was called A Hollywood Ending, by author Robyn Sisman.

This story is about Paige Carson, famous movie star, who is dissatisfied with how things are going in Hollywood and with how she's beginning to be viewed as a bratty star. She takes off to London to perform Shakespeare on stage in order to combat her reputation and remember the reason she became an actress in the first place.

Oh, but before you get to that you have page after page of not-so-great-but-also-not-that-exciting things happen to Paige back in Los Angeles.

When the book switches to England, we somethings get the story from the perspective of Ed, Paige's landlord who is trying very hard to be unimpressed with "The Paige Carson" living upstairs -- he thinks she's a snobby Hollywood type, so he sets out to have nothing to do with her.

Things happen, there's a romance, there's a 'misunderstanding that nearly wrecks the whole romance', then next thing you know the book is done.

This wasn't the worst random chick-lit I've ever read. I liked the characters well enough. I did find the ending to be a little short with some stuff left up in the air (such as how her performance in As You Like It actually goes, and whether or not she is well-received again back in L.A.). I felt like the beginning of the book before Paige gets to England dragged on a bit, and my favourite parts of the book were when Ed and Paige were getting to know each other a little and realizing they were wrongly judging one another's behaviours -- but that was only a few scenes, I could have had a little more of that to keep up the romance side of the story.

It wasn't bad, it wasn't fabulous, but it certainly was just the right type of light, lounge-by-the-pool reading that I was searching for.

25 down, 75 to go!

21-24) The Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith

2010-05-24T21:43:00.000-04:00

I have been really enjoying the new TV series "The Vampire Diaries". I knew that the show was based on Young Adult novels of the same name written by LJ Smith, but I hadn't read the books yet. I decided to give them a try, and borrowed the first two novels (which were combined into one volume) from Martin's sister. The first two stories are The Awakening and The Struggle, the second two are The Fury and Dark Reunion.

These books are dramatically different that the TV series. The TV series is also a hundred times better. There are extra characters in the books who aren't on the show, and there are characters on the show who aren't in the books. The first couple of books are sort of boring, and I didn't really understand the motivation behind some of the actions of the characters -- it was too forced with no explanations. The second two stories, once the characters were more established and there was some action, were much better.

At the bookstore the other day I noticed there are more books in this series, which I think were written a little later than these original four stories, and I do feel like I would like to read them too. However, I'm really glad the TV series is what it is -- the characters are much better explained, I love the backstory they provide, and the characters they've added who are not a part of the books are really layered and interesting.

These books are pretty similar to the Twilight books, which were written many years later than these ones, but the Twilight books are actually a much better read.

At least I knocked four books out of the park in a fairly short time span!

24 read, 76 to go! I know I'm way behind where I should be, but have faith...

20) Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

2010-05-24T21:04:00.000-04:00

I teach the first grade and I wanted to read them a novel, as time-filler and to get them used to the idea of not always having pictures to look at in the books they read. I chose the classic story Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. I'm counting this as one of my 100 novels read this year, since I did read it in its entirety and if I didn't count things like this I'd surely never get through this challenge! haha.

It's the classic story of Wilbur the pig, who is rescued by Fern and then raised in Zuckerman's barn. He befriends a spider named Charlotte, who uses her miraculous web-spinning powers to write words in her web to encourage Mr. Zuckerman to view Wilbur as "some pig!" in order to save Wilbur from being turned into bacon. The kids loved the story, and after we finished we watched the 2006 live-action film version of the book starring Dakota Fanning. It was also well-received.

A very classic children's tale, and book 20 in my quest to read 100 books in 2010.

19) Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich

2010-05-09T16:18:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I finally finished catching up on all of the Stephanie Plum novels released so far by Janet Evanovich! Plum Spooky, one of those "between-the-numbers" novels was the last one I had to read. I enjoyed it much better than all of the other between-the-numbers books, but my favourite stories in this series are mostly just the regular numbered Stephanie Plum mysteries. Book 16 comes out this year, so I'll take it out from the library as soon as I can. I plan on staying caught up with each new release, and I'm certainly very glad Janet is continuing to write more stories in this series. I love these characters A LOT.

I'm still reading, just slowly! Ugh!

19 down, 81 to go!

18) The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

2010-04-05T14:54:00.000-04:00

I'm still enjoying the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. I've just finished Book #3, The Titan's Curse. This one was a really great adventure, I liked it better than Book #2 (Sea of Monsters). I know I'm slightly older than the target audience for this series, but I really enjoy the storyline and I highly recommend it. I just liken it to adults enjoying the Harry Potter series when it first came out -- it really is a good story for all ages. Scooter just finished reading Book #4, so I'll soon read that one as well.

18 down, 82 to go!

17) Thanks For The Memories by Cecelia Ahern

2010-04-03T23:46:00.000-04:00

I've read a couple of Cecelia Ahern novels now, and I'm finding I quite enjoy her writing. Thanks for the Memories is about two main characters - Irish Joyce and American Justin. Justin, somewhat against his own will, donates blood during a blood drive at an Irish University where he has been guest lecturing. Joyce, after a terrible accident, receives a blood transfusion.

Along with that, Joyce receives a batch of memories that are not her own.

Joyce and Justin have a strange connection, and randomly see each other at times in the book, not understanding what role they really play in each other's lives. The pacing of the story is good, and Joyce's elderly father adds a nice touch of family and humour to the tale.

If you've enjoyed Cecelia's writing as I have, having additionally read PS, I Love You and Where Rainbows End (alternate title: Love, Rosie), I definitely recommend you read Thanks for the Memories.

17 down! 83 to go!

16) Finger-Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

2010-03-30T22:33:00.000-04:00

I skipped over one of the "between the numbers" books because they didn't have it at my library at the time, but other than that one book, I'm completely caught up on my Stephanie Plum stories! Fortunately the sixteenth book comes out this summer! I love these novels and I'm so glad I read them, and I'll miss spending so much time with Stephanie Plum and her crazy friends and family.

Finger-Lickin' Fifteen was a great story, like all the others. I can't get enough of this series, seriously!

16 down, 84 to go!

15) Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich

2010-03-24T22:13:00.000-04:00

Another Stephanie Plum, I'm nearly caught up on the series. I finished Fearless Fourteen last weekend, but didn't have the time to write it up yet. It was really good, I liked this story a lot and it made me laugh out loud.

Katherine Hiegl is apparently signed on to play Stephanie Plum in the first feature film of these books (so, a film version of the first book "One for the Money"). Not sure how I feel about it, but she's already dyed her hair brown to try to win over fans -- her showing a bit of dedication to the role made me feel a little better about her being cast. I'm just not sure she's who I was picturing as Stephanie.

15 down! 85 to go!

14) The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

2010-03-18T19:12:00.000-04:00

I'm a huge Nicholas Sparks fan, and The Last Song did not disappoint. I was, I will admit, hesitant when it came to starting this one, but once I finally opened it up I read it in a day. I couldn't even get to sleep last night until I turned the final page.

Why was I hesitant? Well. I've been seeing the trailers for the film version, and unfortunately the image of Miley Cyrus as the main character, Ronnie, threw me off. I'm just not a big fan of Miley. Nicholas Sparks actually wrote the screenplay for the film before he wrote this novel, specifically for Miley Cyrus to be in the film. It was just not doing it for me.

Once I got over that though, as I just said - I could. not. put. this. novel. down.

Some people say that Nicholas Sparks is "predictable" -- but I bet those people don't actually read Nicholas Sparks. Sure, he has a bit of a formula with his stories (yes, they will take place in North Carolina, and there will be some sort of love story), but I find that each of his novels has a uniqueness to it as well that makes me love them all for various reasons. His characters are individuals, they aren't cookie-cutter characters. You also never know if his story will have a "and they lived happily ever after" or end in utter tragedy.

I love his writing.

Read The Last Song, especially if you're already a Nicholas Sparks fan. Don't let Miley deter you. ;-)

(Also, I will so see the movie, regardless of Miley. I love Greg Kinnear and I do think the film version will be great).

14 down, 86 to go!

13) Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich

2010-03-17T13:12:00.000-04:00

*giggle* *snort* *hardy-har-har*

Sorry, excuse me, I'm just having a little laugh over the fact that my 13th book of 2010 was one called Plum Lucky. I didn't connect those two things before writing my post title. *giggles again*

Oh! AND, I'm adding it to my blog ON St. Patrick's Day, and it's a St. Patrick's Day related novel!

Ahem.

So! 13 down! This was another Stephanie Plum "between-the-numbers" novel, and it was probably my favourite of the between-the-numbers that I've read so far. It had less of the silly supernatural to it, and more of an interesting case. I'm heading off to the library today to pick up the next three books in the series, which should completely catch me up until new Stephanie Plum books are written by the ever-so-great Janet Evanovich (and I do think 16 is coming out this year, very soon, in fact!).

13 down, 87 to go! This "March Break" thing has been great for my reading challenge... I'm going to keep pushing myself this week, see how far I can get! It is only Wednesday after all!

12) The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

2010-03-17T13:05:00.000-04:00

The Tale of Despereaux is a children's novel, for ages 7-12, but I read it because I'm planning on reading a novel to my grade one class starting after March Break, and this was the novel they voted for.

However, I've decided I'm going to have to overrule their votes, and choose something else.

This story is just a little too "doom and gloom" for grade one kids. It's the story of a little mouse, the only one to survive his litter, to a family who doesn't really believe he'll live long anyway. He can read, and he falls in love with a story of a knight and a princess -- only to later come across Princess Pea who lives in the castle he calls home. He falls in love with Princess Pea, but is banished to the dungeon so the rats can kill him because he broke the number one mouse rule -- do not be seen by the humans.

It continues on gloomily from there. There's a creepy jailer in the dungeon who helps Despereaux, but there are some other characters who are pretty evil -- the rat, Roscuro, and the little girl Miggery Sow with the "cauliflower ears" she developed from years of abuse.

Yeah. So not something I'm going to read to my going-on-seven-years-old students. I thought it was going to be a fun little adventure novel -- nope. It is the winner of the John Newberry Medal for American Literature for Children, but it's just not something I want to read to my class.

I think instead we'll read Charlotte's Web, it has its sad moments but it's a little more appropriate for this grade.

12 down, 88 to go!

The Classics: Which Ones Are Actually Good Reads?

2010-03-15T13:30:00.000-04:00

I've made myself a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days, and as a part of that list I decided that I'd like to read 5 'classic' novels. Novels like Pride & Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre etc. The only thing is -- I'm not sure which classic novels I should try! I'm worried that they'll be very tedious and dull and that I'll take ages to get through them.

So tell me! Which "classic" novels do you actually enjoy? Which ones should I read?

Thanks for any suggestions offered!

11) Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich

2010-03-15T13:12:00.000-04:00

Oh, Stephanie Plum. I will be so sad when I catch up completely and don't have any new adventures of yours to read. Fortunately, Janet Evanovich is still actively writing this series.

Lean Mean Thirteen -- more Stephanie Plum, Bounty Hunter awesomeness. Read this series if you don't already. It. Is. Candy.

11 down, 89 to go!

10) Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich

2010-03-14T10:51:00.000-04:00

I'm still on my Stephanie Plum kick. I've just finished Plum Lovin', which is one of the "Between-the-Numbers" novels, and follows book 12. The Between-the-Numbers books are very short little stories that all seem to be about a particular holiday (the first one was a Christmas story, this one was at Valentine's Day). They seem to follow the theme of a strange guy named Diesel showing up, needing Stephanie's help on a case -- hilarity and trouble ensues.

I don't like them quite as much as the regular Stephanie Plum mysteries (which are all the 'numbered' titles -- "One for the Money", "Two for the Dough", "Three to Get Deadly", etc etc up to "Finger Lickin' Fifteen" so far). They have a supernatural element to them which I think is supposed to be jokey, but it sort of takes away from the fact that the Stephanie Plum books aren't usually quite so silly as to have any supernatural elements. So, I don't know. That part sort of bothers me, but if you just take them for some mindless entertainment and a little extra time with Stephanie Plum, then they're okay.

10 books in 2010 so far! This is my 'March Break' from school, I'm hoping to be a reading machine, otherwise I'll never make it to 100 in a year! 90 more to go!

9) The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

2010-03-14T10:43:00.000-04:00

Having enjoyed the young adult novel, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, I've decided to continue to read the series. My 11-year-old brother is reading the books first, then he passes them to me. It's quite an enjoyable series -- I think anyone who likes Harry Potter or similar would enjoy these stories. They're also full of Greek Mythology references, which I enjoy because I love Greek Mythology.

The film version of The Lightning Thief was also pretty good. I took Scooter to see it last week. It was different than the book -- an example being that Percy and Annabeth were clearly high school aged teenagers in the movie, but in the book they`re only in the sixth grade -- but it had enough details to keep the story on track enough that it didn`t feel overly changed. Sure, there were missing characters and a few different locations of some of the events, but mostly it was pretty good. I`d continue to see the films if they continue to make them.

This second story in the series, The Sea of Monsters, finds Percy and Annabeth on another perilous adventure -- this time to the Sea of Monsters to face a Cyclops and attempt to rescue Grover and obtain the Golden Fleece. It`s a good little adventure. I liked the first book just a bit more than this one, but this one has a great twist ending that should make book three pretty interesting.

It`s a good series, definitely check it out if you were a Harry Potter fan or sometimes like reading some of the novels that are written for the younger crowd, but are still entertaining for adults. If you have a kids in your family, ages 10 or so and up, I definitely recommend these books.

9 down, 91 to go!

8) Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich

2010-03-09T18:53:00.000-05:00

Oh hai -- that's right, I'm back already! I actually finished this book between Saturday night and Sunday afternoon -- like I just said, these books are like candy.

I think "Twelve Sharp" is one of my favourites in the entire series. It had a great storyline, and just enough of the love triangle (which is a love triangle I actually really enjoy and don't find 'frustrating' like in other novels).

Again: read these novels! They are laugh-out-loud funny, and so quick to read!

8 down, 92 to go!

7) Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich

2010-03-09T18:40:00.000-05:00

Book Seven of "The Insane Reading Goal of 2010" was my next book to read in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, "Eleven on Top". I am loving these novels. I practically read each one in one sitting -- and I'm determined to catch up to book 15, the most current book in the series, over the next few weeks. You'll notice the next few books on my list may all include Stephanie Plum, the unlikely awesome bounty hunter.

Since I'm quite far in the series, I don't want to write a synopsis lest I give you spoilers! All I can say is: read these books! They're like candy, so fun and so funny!

7 down, 93 to go!

6) Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell

2010-03-06T20:18:00.001-05:00

I love the TV series Sex and the City (I also loved the movie and am looking forward to its sequel). I was never an obessed SaTC fan, I didn't even get really into it until the movie version came out prompting me to borrow a friend's DVD sets. I've also never read the book.

Candace Bushnell, the author and creator of the Sex and the City world, is the author of my sixth finished novel in 2010 -- Lipstick Jungle.

I really liked this book.

The story is of three best friends in New York City, who are all powerful ladies in their respective fields, and who are all in their early 40s. They are each dealing with career and personal life problems, which are the thrust of the story. It's a fun, girly read and I liked the characters. It was a short-lived TV series, starring Brooke Shields, Lindsay Price, and Kim Raver as the title characters. I've downloaded it to give it a try, having liked the book, so I'll see how it compares (although I guess it isn't nearly as good as SaTC was, since it was cancelled after only so many episodes).

I definitely recommend this book if you're into SaTC type of stories, and I know I'll be giving Candace Bushnell's other books a try too.

6 down, 94 to go. I'm so far off of achieving 100 if I'm going statistical on it, but whatever, the challenge is on -- who knows what Reading Miracle I can pull off before the clock strikes 12 on December 31st!

5) Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

2010-02-21T15:54:00.000-05:00

My reading progress has been very, very slow. I think it'll start to pick up again though, I have faith, dear Blog readers.

My most recent read was Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. I bought this book (or rather, Martin bought it for me) when I went to Martin's house for the weekend and realized I forgot to bring a novel with me (stooopid me!). I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of "Wicked the Musical" to Toronto -- it comes in June of this year -- so I thought I'd give the book it's based off of a try.

The story is of Elphaba, who later becomes our Wicked Witch of the West. It begins with her birth, then weaves through defining moments in her life that led to her eventual watery demise courtesy of that strange girl from Kansas and her "annoying little dog". It paints an interesting picture with a fresh perspective on the original story.

This book was good, it really was. I love "The Wizard of Oz" (the film, I've never actually read the book), and I love this perspective of that world. My only complaint, though, was how WORDY this book was. It took me so long to read it because it was full of character-after-character, description-after-description, location-after-location -- all with unique names and words to describe it. You were really pushed into the land of Oz as a reader of this story, but I found myself disconnected at times while I sorted through all the WORDS.

I clearly like my novels to be way less "literary masterpiece-ish", so I can read them fast enough to get to 100 in a year, haha. BRING ON TWILIGHT.

So, if you're interested in this world of Oz at all -- or if you're thinking of seeing the musical Wicked live on stage -- I do recommend this story. Just be prepared, it isn't exactly a light read and it may take you awhile to get through it. I did like it a lot though.

95 more... HA. HA. HA.

4) Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

2010-02-01T18:00:00.000-05:00

I finished this last week but didn't have the opportunity to post before today.

BOOK FOUR! FOUR! I read FOUR in January! That's about... half of what I need to read each month, so I will need to play catch up later on. Instead of worrying about that though, let me tell you about this really awesome book.

So, I read Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book One: The Lightning Thief which is by Rick Riordan. I bought this book for my 11-year-old brother for Christmas, knowing that he likes the Harry Potter series (which we've been reading together over the past few years -- yes, years, our schedules don't always line up for reading together, haha) and other adventure stories too. I also knew that a film version was coming out soon, so I figured we could see the movie together if he liked the book.

Needless to say, he LOVED the book. So much so that he read it in a week's time at school (that's pretty fast for him), and he asked me to take him to Chapters to buy Book 2 in the series (with his own money, he's growing up so fast!). This is a kid who likes reading but isn't necessarily the type to ask to go to the book store, so the book definitely left a great impression on him.

He made sure to pass the book to me next, and I also really enjoyed it. I've always liked Greek Mythology, so the subject matter appealed to me from the outset, and it was a good little adventure. The characters are likeable, and I also look forward to reading the rest of the series.

This is a Young Adult series, probably meant for 8-12 year-olds, but like Harry Potter or the Twilight series, it is definitely fun for adults too. I think both young boys and girls will enjoy this book, but especially if you have a son and you're looking for a new series for him to enjoy, I recommend this one. I'm looking forward to taking Scooter to the theatre for the film adaptation, and will review the movie too once I see it.

The Lightning Thief is available online on Amazon.ca .

4 down, 96 to go!

3) Three Bedrooms, One Corpse by Charlaine Harris

2010-01-26T12:13:00.002-05:00

I know exactly what you're thinking -- BOOK THREE! ALREADY?! SHE'S AMAZING!

You'd be right. I am amazing. In so very many ways.

However, I did not quickly whip through an entire book in one night (not that I've never done that before, because I HAVE)(See above -- I can be amazing). In truth, I was already reading this book on the side when I was reading The Lost Symbol and Swapping Lives. Also, it's a small novel.

Book three of my "100 Books in 2010" Challenge is Charlaine Harris' Three Bedrooms, One Corpse. This is the third book in her Aurora Teagarden Mystery series. I've read all of the Sookie Stackhouse books (save for book 9, the newest one, as I'm waiting for it to be in paperback), so I thought I'd give some of Charlaine's other books a go. The first Aurora Teagarden book (Real Murders) was at my local bookstore, so I bought it. Quite liked it, so I moved on to book two (A Bone to Pick). Liked that as well, so I decided to continue with the series.

I have to say though, this particular book was more dull than the first two. The mystery was a good one, yet the middle section of the book dragged on without the mystery really being too prominent. A few more twists and turns would have improved the storyline. I do like the main character, however, and am starting to get into this world, so I am definitely going to continue with the series. I'm just not in that much of a hurry with it, and probably won't read book four for a little while.

If you're looking for light reads with a touch of mystery and murder, I do recommend the Aurora Teagarden series by Charlaine Harris -- although personally I like the Sookie Stackhouse series better (I'm a vampire fiction fan, and I like the TV series "True Blood" which is based off of the Sookie series).

3 down, 97 to go!

What I'm Reading Next (Yes, Two at a Time Again):

Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell -- another book borrowed from Melanie; I've never read any Candace Bushnell books before, but was a fan of the Sex and the City TV series of course.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan -- I gave this to my 11-year-old brother for Christmas, he LOVED IT, so now I'm reading it so that I can take him to the movie when it comes out in February (he said, "Estie!" that's what he's called me from when he was a baby, lol "Estie! Read this book, you'll really like it!", so I'm reading it!)

2) Swapping Lives by Jane Green

2010-01-25T15:09:00.001-05:00

Swapping Lives is the first Jane Green novel I've ever read, and I do think I'd read more of her books (if anyone recommends any particular titles, let me know!). I borrowed this book from my friend Mel. It's a chick-lit, which is what I enjoy (I like the escape they provide). It wasn't the greatest book I've ever read, but if you take it for what it is, it's a fine enough read.

The premise is of a single girl in London named Vicky who works for Poise! magazine swapping lives with a married American woman named Amber -- to see what it's like to be married with children, and to provide a married woman a chance to relive single life. For the title being "Swapping Lives", it wasn't until quite late into the novel that the characters actually swapped; and even then, it didn't go on for too much of the story. Instead, the story focuses more on the situations that lead the girls to swap; and then wraps up with the lessons they learned about appreciating what they had.

The book wasn't thrilling, but it was a nice enough story. In my copy I did find a couple of errors -- a few times where it said "Vicky" but it was clearly "Amber" speaking, so that was a bit distracting (for whatever reason, finding errors in novels happens to me a lot). This is definitely a good one to borrow from a friend or take out from your local library.

2 down, 98 to go! *facepalm*

Movie Review: The Lovely Bones

2010-01-24T19:55:00.000-05:00

I have been waiting for the screen version of The Lovely Bones for YEARS. I read the book about three years ago, I think, and the film had already been announced and I think most of the cast members had been chosen. The original release date for it was a year ago, I believe -- then they kept pushing it back. Finally, finally it came out in theatres en masse as of January 15th. Friday night I was able to convince (didn't take much) Steph2 to accompany me to finally see it myself.

Sometimes when I see a film adaptation of a favourite book, I'm disappointed. Sometimes greatly disappointed, to the point of needing to offer suggetions to filmmakers. With The Lovely Bones, I'm so happy to report, this was not the case for me.

Were there changes from the plot? Yes. There were. Some things happened out-of-order, some things were left out completely. A few main characters became minor, a few characters were non-existent. However, I don't think it detracted from the story. I think the story was told on screen in a way that did still stay true to the story in the book.

***Minor Spoiler Warning: Plot Spoilers Follow***

The main thrust of The Lovely Bones is of Susie's family coping with their loss of Susie, especially her father and sister, Lindsey. It is also mostly about Susie in the 'in-between' as she tries to stay connected to her family back on Earth and help her killer be caught. This is what the movie held true to; Susie and the 'in-between', Susie's father's struggle.

The special effects in the 'in-between' were stunning. I don't think they were too much -- it was supposed to be a fantastical place, Susie's own perfect world -- and at 14, her idea of perfect might be over-the-top. The acting was also great -- I think they cast each character very well, especially Saoirse Ronan as Susie Salmon. Some of the best moments were when Susie is speaking lines directly from Alice Sebold's novel; it was exactly as I imagined Susie speaking it when reading the pages myself. Also, some of the 'missing moments' from the book (especially more about Lindsey as a character, for example) are filled in via Mr. Harvey looking at news clippings.

What I found most pleased me was the overall feeling I got as I watched the film. Sometimes when I was a film adaptation of a novel I've enjoyed, I have a sort of "empty" feeling inside -- I can really feel those missing parts, and I don't connect to the characters/story as well as I think I should. With this film, I didn't have that feeling. I was engaged throughout the entire movie, and felt it told its story in a very full way, even if slightly differently from the original story (it's really not that different, as per usual some of the details are left out, but not enough to ruin it as a film).

I've read that some people were not fans of this film, but I found it to be an excellent adaptation, and no less than I would have expected from Peter Jackson -- the man certainly knows how to adapt books into movies; and I'm not even much of a Lord of the Rings fan.

So I recommend The Lovely Bones, but with a word of caution: although I did enjoy it a lot, I have heard from others who did not like it. I think it is a film you should judge for yourself. I definitely recommend this novel to those who have not read it (although it is deeply sad at times, and I think parents would definitely find it a hard read -- it is beautifully written nontheless).

1) The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

2010-01-15T13:18:00.000-05:00

I did it! I've finished ONE BOOK in 2010! Onward to the next 99! (OY VEY).

Funny/cute story -- Martin's adorable Polish 'Babcia' (grandmother) constantly said, "Oy yay! Oy yay!" in like, a really sad sort of tone when she was waxing poetic about the great sadnesses and such (all in Polish, Martin had to translate and sometimes he just looked at me and shrugged). Anyway! So now Martin and I are always like, "Oy yay, oy yay" when we're feeling 'great sadness' OR when we're reminiscing about visiting Babcia.

100 books in a year! OY YAY!, OY YAY!

The first book I read was The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. I'm a Dan Brown fan, I am. However, my favourite books of his are his more stand-alone novels - Digital Fortress and Deception Point. Angels & Demons is still my favourite Robert Langdon story. With The Lost Symbol, I found myself feeling how I did when I was reading The Da Vinci Code. It took me a long time to get into it, some of the way-too-many-details-about-this-and-that-and-this-person distracted me too much from feeling any suspense, and I just didn't get so into it (his other books I'd gobble up in a couple days, flat, however and felt much more captivated and shocked by the twists and turns).

Was it a good book? Yes. He's a great writer, there's no doubt. However, even with a fairly alright twist near the end, it still doesn't rank as my favourite of his stories. Also, it's very religion-based as most of his Robert Langdon books are, and I just wasn't feeling it. The big ending was very anti-climactic in my, very humble, opinion.

It wasn't horrible, so if you've previously liked Dan Brown's novels, then definitely give it a read and see for yourself how you feel. I'm filing this one under "Library It", because that's sort of my middle-of-the-road option (otherwise I just 'recommend' a book or say 'avoid'). I just wasn't personally gripped by this one. I'd love some more stand-alone thrillers like Digital Fortress or Deception Point from Dan Brown in the future.

One down, ninety-nine to go!

100 Books in 2010 - Status Update

2010-01-11T13:43:00.000-05:00

To read 100 books in 1 year, I need to read 8.3 books per month.

EIGHT books per month at the very least. Approximately 2 books per week.

I figure that in July and August I'll hit that number no problem, and maybe be able to catch up a bit on any missed months. I don't want to leave this until the second half of the year and suddenly freak out that I didn't keep up with my goal, so I need to take a very firm approach -- and yet, I still want to enjoy reading.

It's January 11th, and I've yet to add one book to my Read list. However, I'm about halfway through two books -- so if I can get them both finished this week; and make some headway into a third, at least I'll be somewhere.

I'm not sure I'll make the 8.3 for January, but I'll push myself a bit to see how much I can read before the month is over.

My Personal Reading Challenge 2010

2010-01-04T12:22:00.000-05:00

Okay, I don't get a lot of readers to this Blog, so I didn't have much input about my Reading Challenge (not surprising at all). Perhaps one day this site will grow, but no worries, I also keep this Blog for me and for my own record of what I'm reading and my opinions. Thanks to Brandie though for her input, I really appreciate it!

Brandie mentioned that she has tried the "Read 100 Books" challenge, and that it WAS a challenge. I imagine it is, considering how much that pesky thing called "life" gets in the way of reading (TSK! TSK! Isn't that SO disappointing?!). However, I'm mulling it over and you know what? I'm going to try it. I might not be able to accomplish it, but I've never given it a shot before. Also, if there was ever a year to try to read 100 books, 2010 might be it. I'm not in school anymore and my course is finishing this week, which means there's no homework in my way. I don't currently have a full-time teaching job, and supply work doesn't leave you with planning and such in the evenings, I also don't have a husband or children yet and still live separately from Martin... I just think it might be the right time to take on this particular challenge. I may have even read close to 100 books in 2009; I didn't keep track in a strict enough way to know for sure.

So without further ado, I introduce my first ever Reading Challenge: "Read 100 Books in 2010".

I'll update my Blog with each book I read. My first book in the challenge will be The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, as I've really only just started it. Let's see if I can hit the magic 100 -- and if I can't, at least I gave it my all!

My two personal rules for my challenge:

1) I can count ANY novel-type book I read in full; this can include any genre, fiction or non-fiction (so a professional text will count if read in full).

2) I can include any re-reads of novels from the past. I tend to re-read favourite novels now and then, and I don't want to have to go through a whole year without doing this because of trying to reach my quota of 100 "New" Books. It's just 100 Books, whatever they are.

Thanks, Brandie, for the idea!

My 2010 Reading Challenge

2009-12-28T19:27:00.000-05:00

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!

What I'm Reading Right Now: December 2009 Edition

2009-12-17T23:56:00.000-05:00

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?

Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner

2009-12-08T17:56:00.000-05:00

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.

Twilight Saga: New Moon Movie Review (non-spoilery)

2009-12-06T20:19:00.001-05:00

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.

Christmas Gift Ideas Continued: Kid Books

2009-11-30T16:22:00.000-05:00

Looking for some great stories for the young ones in your life? Here are some of my favourite children's book authors and a few recommended titles -- these are all well-loved by the kids I've taught and baby-sat for! (The pictures are nabbed off Amazon, my favourite site for ordering books online).

1) Melanie Watt (*Canadian Author):

My grade two practice teaching placement taught me all about Melanie Watt's characters Scaredy Squirrel and Chester. I recieved two Scaredy Squirrel books as a parting gift from the class, and I'm hoping to collect more of the set. These books are great because there are teaching points in them about types of text, there's also lots of humour, and kids are enthralled by these loveable, kooky characters.

2) Kevin Henkes:

My personal favourite is the classic, Chrysanthemum, about the little mouse with the BIG, UNIQUE name. Kevin Henkes writes as well as illustrates his books, and his books are beautiful and classic. They have a nice message, and they're enjoyable stories.

3) Jane O'Connor:

Fancy Nancy stories are so amusing to read ("amusing is a fancy word for fun"). Little girls LOVE the sparkley illustrations, and all of the "fancy" words that Nancy uses. These stories are also great for teaching children about Word Choice and being descriptive as Nancy uses many of those "million dollar words" that make the writing more descriptive and interesting.

4) The Classics
Just because I can't leave them off a list, don't forget these classic storytellers!

Robert Munsch -- my personal faves are The Paperbag Princess, Mortimer, Stephanie's Ponytail, and Pigs, but you can't go wrong with any Munsch story!

Paulette Bourgeois -- I personally want to collect the entire Franklin the turtle series, don't you?

Mercer Mayer -- I love the Little Critter series.

Stan & Jan Berenstain-- I grew up with The Berenstain Bears, and I hope kid's today are still reading and enjoying these stories; I know I cherish my large collection and will be reading them to my own kids one day!

Don't Kiss The Frog: Princess Stories With Attitude

2009-11-23T21:17:00.000-05:00

This will be the first in a string of "Christmas Gifts Ideas" posts. I also recommended these kid's books last Christmas, check them out too! I think books make fabulous Christmas gifts, don't you?

I'm currently baby-sitting a family of three, the oldest child is a five-year-old girl who is very GIRLY, but is also a leader type. I was looking to get her and her brothers each a little Christmas present, and I found THE MOST AWESOME BOOK at my local Chapters store. I've never heard of this one before.

It's called, "Don't Kiss The Frog: Princess Stories With Attitude" and it's an anthology of stories chosen by Fiona Waters. The inside of the book jacket describes it as follows:

This collection of six stories about princesses with attitude turns fairy-tale traditions upside down. Meet princesses who tame dragons, rescue princes, win prizes, and have hidden talents. Spells don't always work as expected, happy endings come with a twist, and life as a princess isn't always all it's cracked up to be. Full of humour, charm, and lots of sass, each enchanting story is enhanced by beautiful illustrations. This sparkling anthology is essential reading for modern little girls who love their tiaras but want something more than "happily ever after".

I couldn't help but read through the book myself tonight. The illustrations grab you first, even within the text itself the words are written in various fancy fonts. It's very fun to look at, let alone read. The stories themselves are cute and funny. Mom's and Dad's alike would share a laugh with their daughters as they read about these Princesses with Attitude.

I think this would make a really cute Christmas gift for that little Princess on your list, who you still want to assure can be the girl who tames the dragons, who chooses her own prince, and who can compete alongside knights and win.

Available Online Here:
Amazon (Canadian)
Amazon (American)
Chapters Indigo.ca

The Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich

2009-11-17T17:43:00.002-05:00

I have finished up to Book Seven in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I am LOVING this series, and cannot believe I hadn't heard of them until last winter. Janet has written FOURTEEN (* I apologize, last summer the FIFTEENTH book came out actually!) stories so far in the "numbers" series, and a few other Stephanie Plum books called "between the numbers" stories - so I still have a long way to go to catch up on everything she's written.

Stephanie Plum (who has a lovely first name, don't you think?) is a girl from New Jersey who loses her job and turns to her shady cousin Vinnie for help. In "One For the Money" (book one; the book titles have numbers in them which definitely helps you remember the order of the series!), Stephanie goes to Vinnie's office to ask about a filing job, but finds out the job has been filled. Instead she finds herself accepting a job as a Bounty Hunter to look for vice cop Joe Morelli, a guy she has a history with since childhood. The stories unfold from there, Stephanie ends up sticking to her job as a Bounty Hunter (or, Apprehension Agent for "FTA's" or "Failure to Appears"), but she's not particularly great at her job. She gets lucky a lot, and she has a whole slew of sidekicks from ho-turned-friend-and-coworker Lula, to her energetic and sassy Grandma Mazur. She has love affairs with hunky Joe Morelli, but also with Ranger -- the elusive, sexy, and actually-good-at-being-a-Bounty-Hunter Bounty Hunter who also works for Vinnie.

Each book finds Stephanie chasing after a new FTA, and she usually winds up in some pretty crazy situations. It has humour, a touch of romance, a touch of mystery and mostly it's just a good read.

I highly recommend checking out the Stephanie Plum series, I'm sure you'll enjoy them as much as I have been. I'm really looking forward to diving into Book Eight, which I just checked out of the library today!

Summer Reading

2009-11-15T23:26:00.000-05:00

Hello, friends. I began the following post in August, and never returned to finish it/post it! Oh Em Gee! Time has flown and I've just been so busy. I really do mean to keep up with this blog, and WILL be making a better effort going forward. For now, enjoy this post from August!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
*tap, tap, tap*

Hello?

Oh hai, Reading Blog. I'm so sorry you've been neglected. I've been reading, albeit not as much as I usually do (sad), but I took this pesky trip to Poland for the month of July and I just haven't been so diligent with the posting.

But I have returned!

So, what have I read this summer, and how do I feel about it? Let's see...

The Shack by W.M. Paul Young

This was a very inspiring book. While it starts off with a tragic event, what the main character experiences is beautiful and spiritual in a refreshing way. I'm not an overly religious person, but I am a spiritual person, and I found this story worked well with how I'd really like to believe God is. It was absolutely a beautiful book, and gives the reader something to think about.

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

A favourite book of mine is The Secret Life of Bees, so I have been wanting to read The Mermaid Chair for awhile - and it does not disappoint. Sue Monk Kidd is a lovely writer, and I highly recommend her stories.

Where Rainbows End (or: Love, Rosie) by Cecelia Ahern

This book is written completely in correspondence letters, emails, etc between two best friends who have to move away from each other as young teens. It is one of those "will they or won't they" end up together type of stories. It's a very good story, and I was gripped by the characters and what they were going through. I'm not sure I like the style of reading an entire story as emails, etc but it was a nice little reading experience change. My only complaint was that the book started to feel a bit long, and I was getting a little frustrated with the constant back-and-forth and drama between the main characters. Generally a good book, though.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

Oh Sophie Kinsella, how I do love your books. Another hit right here. I will admit, this doesn't jump to "My Favourite Sophie Kinsella Novel Ever" (I found it a little slow to get into - my most favourite is Remember Me if you're wondering), but I loved and read it just as quickly as I have every other books of hers. Totally recommend this to chick-lit lovers everywhere, and Sophie fans of course!

Acting Up (or: Pride, Prejudice & Jasmin Field) by Melissa Nathan

I'm a sucker for Pride & Prejudice remakes, so in that regard this book did not fail. However, I wasn't drawn into this story as much as I have been with Melissa Nathan's other books. It was almost like the Pride & Prejudice parallels were the entire thrust of the book, so unless you really enjoy P&P remakes, I'd stick to Melissa's other books, which are much better.

Other Books I Read In Summer 2009 (but did not get a chance to expand on, and now it's been too many months so this is all you're getting):

A Wild Affair by Gemma Townley (this is a sequel to The Importance of Being Married, and there will also be a third book to this series)

The Chocolate Lover's Club by Carole Matthews and its sequel The Chocolate Lover's Diet by Carole Matthews

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Since August, I've read a ton more books, so be prepared for more updates soon! Sorry for this long hiatus, ai yi yi!!

Fifteen Books in Fifteen Minutes

2009-06-13T00:48:00.004-04:00

Nabbed this from Brandie, and thought it looked like fun!

This can be a quick one. Don’t take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you’ve read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.

1. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

2. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

3. The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks

4. Confessions of a Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella

5. Twilight Saga (all four) - Stephenie Meyer

6. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

7. Harry Potter (whole series) - J.K. Rowling

8. The Deep End of the Ocean - Jacquelyn Mitchard

9. Dead Until Dark (and the entire Sookie Stackhouse series!) - Charlaine Harris

10. Remember Me? - Sophie Kinsella

11. A Bend in the Road - Nicholas Sparks

12. Little White Lies - Gemma Townley

13. Everyone Worth Knowing - Lauren Weisberger

14. Something Borrowed / Something Blue - Emily Giffin

15. A Walk To Remember - Nicholas Sparks

Okay, there may not be many "classics" on the list or anything, but these are the books I came up with in under fifteen minutes - ones I've just really enjoyed, and have read more than once (or want to read again if I haven't yet!).

With or Without You - Carole Matthews

2009-05-30T16:59:00.004-04:00

Many years ago I read my first Carole Matthews book. It was called Let's Meet On Platform 8, and frankly, I didn't really enjoy it. I was bored by the characters and the storyline didn't grip me. Mind you, I was still in high school at the time so I think I might have been too young to understand the characters and their love affair. Over the years as I have been on my quest to read all the chick-lit there is out there (or so it seems!), I avoided Carole Matthews like the plague because I didn't want to waste my time again.

Then last year, I picked up The Sweetest Taboo from the cheap rack at Chapters, and decided to give her a go again because I thought the story sounded cute. AND I LOVED IT.

So, Carole Matthews has been added to my "want to read" book list, and I started with With or Without You.

Without any real spoilers, let me give a brief synopsis:

This story is about Lyssa, who wants nothing more than to have a baby with long-term boyfriend, Jake. But Jake has other plans for himself, which he quickly realises are the wrong plans. As Lyssa tries to cope in a life without Jake at her side, while he figures a few things out for himself, she heads off on an out-of-character adventure trek in Nepal. By the end of the story Jake and Lyssa have learned a lot about themselves and each other, and they see that in just a month people can really change.

This book was pretty good. I like the characters, they were pretty witty. Jake's best friend Pip and Lyssa's sister Edie provide good comic relief as well. It was a fast read for me, and was pretty enjoyable.

My next Carole Matthew's adventures will be reading The Chocolate Lover's Club and its sequel, The Chocolate Lover's Diet; I bought these books a little while back but I'm saving them for my big trip to Poland this July.

I'm quite glad I've given Carole Matthews another shot, and look forward to reading more.

Murder Unleashed: A Dead-End Job Mystery - Elaine Viets

2009-05-26T20:30:00.004-04:00

Thanks to GoodReads.com I am discovering so many book series' that I had never heard about before! Also thanks to GoodReads.com I've started up a "want to read" list that's nearly 100 books long.

It's a good thing I read at least two novels a week, three when I'm really in my prime.

A book series I wanted to check out was the "Dead-End Job Mystery" series by Elaine Viets. At my local library, where I've been trying to take out some books in an effort to conserve my precious few dollars, they did not have the first book in the series. I decided to go ahead and take out a later book, because I read on Elaine's website that you didn't necessarily need to read the books in order.

The series follows a woman named Helen Hawthorne who is on the run from her ex-husband and St. Louis police. She's forced to take dead-end jobs that pay her cash under the table so that she can pay her living expenses. Each book follows Helen working in a different dead-end job, and includes some sort of mystery that she gets wrapped up in. The book I took out was called Murder Unleashed, in which Helen was working at a dog grooming/pampered pet boutique, and gets involved in a murder investigation.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Helen is a great character. I agree, judging by this book (which is the fifth book in the dead-end job series, I believe) I don't think they have to necessarily be read in order. I do hope to go back though and read the first four in order, just to get the full effect of Helen's backstory... but each novel has it's unique case in it, and I didn't truly feel "lost" while reading this book having not read the others.

This was a fun change to my typical chick-lit romance fare (although Helen does have a love interest, so it's still there), and I definitely can't wait to read the others. Now if only my local library would have the whole set!

Glamour - Louise Bagshawe

2009-05-19T18:24:00.003-04:00

Apologies for the hiatus in posting; I have been reading, but I've started a new job and have been quite busy tutoring in the evenings, so my blogging had fallen to the wayside for a little while. However, I am back!

I took a copy of Glamour by Louise Bagshawe out from my local library a few weeks ago, as it was one of the Books of the Month on Goodreads.com, and I'd read another Louise Bagshawe book last summer and quite enjoyed it.

With Glamour, however, I had quite the experience.

I must have had an original copy of this book, because it was RIPE with ERRORS! There were characters with different last names on different pages (or sometimes, a character had a different last name in two spots on the SAME PAGE of the book). There were missing capitals, poor punctuation, and overall confusion with the names of characters. It was really difficult to read around the mistakes.

The story itself was pretty good, but by the end of the book I had grown pretty tired of the characters and started to get bored. At one point I told my boyfriend that I just wanted to finish the damn book; I had lost a lot of interest. I did not feel like this when I was reading Sparkles, but I think that's because Sparkles had a mystery element to it, and when you reached the end you were itching for the exciting conclusion. This story felt like it went on for a bit too long, with much of the same conversations happening over and over.

I know that in updated versions of the book, the errors were fixed, as other readers on Goodreads.com did not encounter what I did with this story.

The most surreal thing that happened when I was reading this book? I had twittered about all the errors in the story... and then the next day, Louise Bagshawe herself started "following" me on Twitter.

How much do you want to bet she's the type who Googles her own name too?

I'm torn about recommending this one. I'll just recommend Sparkles, the other Louise Bagshawe book I've read, and then I'll say you might enjoy this one (I did for a good majority of the book), but just be prepared that the ending sort of drags in my very humble opinion. I'll file this one under "library it".

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

2009-04-13T16:58:00.003-04:00

Yesterday afternoon I had a nice, long bubble bath. When I have my bubbles baths, I have to spend a chunk of that time enjoying a good book. Rather than starting a new book, I picked up Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me? which I had read when it first came out, and was wanting to read for a second time.

I ended up finishing it by the time I went to bed last night.

And I just wanted to say, as I've said before, I love Sophie Kinsella stories.

So, just recommending Remember Me? and everything else Sophie Kinsella once more.

I think I might re-read The Undomestic Goddess next...

Chasing Harry Winston

2009-03-29T16:24:00.004-04:00

I recently finished reading Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger.

I very muched enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada and Everyone Worth Knowing so I was excited to read this next book and I took it out from the library a week or two ago, eager to dive in.

The story is of three best friends, all of very different personalities, who live in New York and make a pact to change their love lives in a year. The slutty/sexy friend vows to look for a husband, the serial-monogomist friend vows to start having a few more flings and one-night stands, and the third friend doesn't know what her resolution will be (as her life seems near-perfect to everyone but her), but it's the third friend who discovers that more will change for her in the year than she necessarily expected.

And the verdict? I liked it, I really did.

But I didn't love it. It was a good chick-lit read, and the characters were enjoyable, but it wasn't an amazing-omgz(!!!) story that I'd necessarily rush to recommend to people.

I say, if you're looking for a new chick-lit book to read, then go for it. Her writing style is definitely better than some authors out there, and it is a good enough story. But, I wouldn't necessarily rush to read this one, as it's nothing out of the ordinary, in my very humble opinion of course. I prefered her other two books to this one.

I'm filing this review under a new tag called "library it", because I say, give it a read... but maybe don't waste money buying it. The tag "recommendation" will be for something I'm sure of, and "avoid" is pretty self-explanatory.

Currently Reading:
One for the Money: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich

Full of It - Wendy French

2009-03-16T22:53:00.002-04:00

This book was okay for a very light read... but not great.

We're constantly told that the main character has this flaw where she "blurts" what she's thinking... and she keeps getting in trouble for it... but I don't really see actual evidence of HUGE! AMOUNTS! OF! BLURTING! that cause the getting into trouble. It's very contrived.

Also, the main characters friends are so whiney. Her best friend is constantly ticked at the main character for being "selfish"... but really? The best friend just comes off as selfish and rude. I don't think that's what the author meant to do, but I just didn't get why the friend was being such a biatch... there wasn't enough evidence provided of the main character really having issues for the best friend to get like that.

So... meh. Not that impressed, but if you need a light read, it's alright I suppose.

Same review as posted at GoodReads.com

PS, I Love You

2009-02-22T10:30:00.002-05:00

At GoodReads.com (awesome, awesome website), a group I've joined of Chick-Lit fans had chosen to read PS, I Love You by Cecelia Ahern as our February Valentine's Book.

When the movie version of PS, I Love You came out, I didn't see it in theatres, but later lovingly forced martin to rent it with me (isn't he a sweetheart for giving in?). Needless to say, he really hated the film. And frankly, I didn't enjoy it either. I felt disconnected from the story, the movie was really missing something.

So, when this book was chosen for one of our Book of the Month, I was willing to give it a go (because of a favourite mantra - don't judge a book by its movie!), but I was feeling unsure as to whether or not I'd enjoy it.

Well, it was true again in this case. Do not judge a book by its movie version. I really enjoyed this story. The reason the movie felt like it was lacking something? Was because it was lacking the actual story it was based off of. The movie was missing characters, had new characters not from the book, was not completely set in Ireland as the book is, and generally lacked the overall feeling of the book because of these changes. (I've complained about book to movie adaptations before, this is yet another shining example).

For Chick-Lit lovers, I definitely recommend you give this one a go. Whether you enjoyed the film version, or not.

Find PS, I Love You online here...

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

Chasing Fireflies: A Novel of Discovery

2009-01-31T20:28:00.003-05:00

Last week I finished reading Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin. This was a book that my aunt gave my grandma for Christmas, and having read the back cover, I decided to borrow it.

It was fabulous!!! It was a 2008 Christy Award winner as well, if anyone who reads this cares to know that. :-) This was the first time I've ever read a Chris Martin novel, but I really enjoyed it and his style reminds me of Nicholas Sparks (and I've made it pretty well known on here that I love Nicholas Sparks).

It wasn't a chick-lit romance like my usual books are, it was a story of family and the search for identity and connection. It was really well-written, with a twist ending that I wasn't expecting at all.

Very good book, highly recommended!

Find it online here:

Amazon.ca
Amazon.com

January Reading Update

2009-01-19T21:06:00.002-05:00

I need to post more here, so I'm just going to restructure my posts to less elaborate info about the books I've read... in order to entice me to keep posting.

Books Read In December/January:

By Nicholas Sparks
The Choice
The Lucky One

Both highly recommended (The Lucky One especially). More fantastic books by Mr. Sparks. LOVE HIM.

By Charlaine Harris
Dead Until Dark (book 1, Sookie Stackhouse series)
Living Dead In Dallas (book 2, Sookie Stackhouse series)
Club Dead (book 3, Sookie Stackhouse series)
Dead to the World (book 4, Sookie Stackhouse series)

I am absolutely in love with this book series, and am going through them like CANDY. Read them. READ THEM NOW. (Here's a link to the box set that I purchased on Amazon)

Currently Reading:
Dead as a Doornail (book 5, Sookie Stackhouse Series) by Charlaine Harris
Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin

I just joined GoodReads.com and I am addicted to this website now. You can find a link on my sidebar for my profile!

Great Novels For The Younger Crowd

2008-12-10T16:40:00.005-05:00

With Christmas coming up, I thought I'd share some great series' of books that were quite popular with students in my recent Teacher's College placement (which was in a grade four classroom). I encountered some different younger reader novels that I want to highlight in case some of you out there haven't heard of these. I am a huge advocate for literacy and reading as a hobby for all children - even the "reluctant readers". Find them the right books, and they'll catch onto it I promise you!

The following work for grade two to grade four students; think about your child's reading skills and interests because that will make the difference in whether or not they enjoy these books, but this might give you an idea for some books to check out.

1) Geronimo Stilton

This series is about a mouse detective named Geronimo Stilton. Students love these stories, because there are illustrations and within the pages, the font changes size and colour at times, making it a visually pleasing novel for younger readers (the link above has some sample pages you can read for a few of the stories). The stories are little mini-mysteries. Very enjoyable, I would say the reading level is targeted towards grade 2 and 3 students, but the grade fours were still enjoying these stories immensely.

Amazon (Canada)

Amazon (USA)

2) Magic Tree House

In this series, main characters Jack and Annie, travel through time and around the world via their magic tree house. They encounter many interesting characters in their adventures, including real people from various historical time periods. The stories are entertaining as well as educational. I have seen boxed sets of this series in various book stores, and recently at Costco.

Teachers - Random House also has a link for a Magic Treehouse Classroom Club, to explain how to use the books in the classroom setting.

Amazon (Canada)

Amazon (USA)

3) And Then It Happened

This book series is especially well loved by Grade 4 and Grade 5 boys (but also good for grade 3 and 6)! If they like adventures and think the bathroom is the funniest room in the house, they will LIKE this book series. Each chapter is a miniature story, told in the first person by a boy whose name you don't learn until book 7. It's the story of the main character, and his two best friends, and the hijinks they get into. Very good for getting boys who "just aren't that into books" into them.

The only issue is, it's hard to find these online! But you can order directly from the link above (if you are in Canada or the U.S.), OR just look in your local bookstore (I did end up finding some copies in my local Chapters book store).

Sookie Stackhouse

2008-12-07T00:03:00.003-05:00

During all of the Twilight hype, I started hearing about the HBO series "True Blood". We have digital cable at home, including The Movie Network on Demand, which includes the HBO Canada series on demand as well. I saw that "True Blood" was on there, so I decided to give it a go.

It's an odd sort of series, but something about it has sucked me in (see what I did there?). I've really started enjoying it, in fact.

What I can't believe I didn't know was that it's also based off of a book series! A book series that already has EIGHT books out!

So now I'm all giddy and totally drooling over this Sookie Stackhouse Boxed Set.

I can't even describe how excited I get when I find a solid series of novels to read. And I did, conveniently, receive a $40 Chapters gift card from my students on the last day of my placement - just the exact right amount for the boxed set of these books.

Ah. Reader's fate.

Book to Movie Adaptations: Let Me Get This Out There

2008-12-01T20:10:00.009-05:00

A group of books I read in my hiatus from this blog were the AWESOME Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. I've actually read them all twice through since first purchasing them in September. I think you'd have to be living in an igloo with your ears plugged and your back turned to not be aware of this book series right now.

On opening night, my amazingly sweet boyfriend took me to see the Twilight film. You can read my non-spoiler review on my other blog here.

This post is NOT Twilight-specific, but in discussing the film with a few friends recently, my general gripe with film adaptations of my favourite books has been a prominent discussion topic and I feel I need to get my thoughts down in one place. Twilight will be my example movie, since it was the one I most recently saw. So I now present:

"The Wonder Worrier's Issues With Movies Based On Books That She Really Loved"

Issue #1: Um, Why Isn't The Book The Script?

What I never understand about film adaptations is WHY the book doesn't become the script. The book has extra details that can be used for setting and character-appearances, and books have lots of dialogue right at the screenwriter's fingertips that can be used for what the actors need to say. If they've acquired rights to a book in order to create the film, why doesn't the screenwriter go page by page and turn the written words into script form? I'm sure the author will only appreciate their words being preserved this way. And then, when cuts need to be made as they invariably will due to time constraints, at least what you're left with is still the novel on screen. Readers make a movie with their minds as they read a novel, so when they go to the theatre to see a film based on their favourite books, it's obvious that what they'd like to see are their much-loved pages in live-action form.

This especially bothers me when key scenes from a book are missing in the film version, but in other films similar scenes have been shot... which tells me that it's entirely possible for filmmakers to create these scenes. When I'm making my movie in my mind as I read, I highly doubt a big budget is even needed to create what I'm picturing. So I propose to screenwriter's that they sit with the book in front of them, and begin their script by just turning the novel into a screenplay format. It just makes good sense.

Issue #2: "Almost" Getting It Right

My second issue is this. Why, and this happened a few times in Twilight, why would the scene look perfect and the actors all be in place for a scene directly off the pages of the book... and then the scene plays out differently and ends up shorter, and all the good dialogue that worked so very well in the novel is moved to a random other place in the film?

Why ALMOST do a scene straight from the book? It seems ridiculous. You're not going to waste any extra budget; you have the setting and the characters in place, just have them discuss the right things as they're there. Fans would be so much happier. Any time something happens in a movie that is right from the pages of the novel, fans go crazy for it (in a good way!). Give the fans what they want: if you're ALMOST doing a scene from the novel, then just go for it - do the scene as it was written originally. Authors have spent a lot of time having their novels edited to ensure flow and character development; perhaps having the scenes in the movie play out their way will allow for better flow and character development in the film (hint hint to Twilight makers, this was a huge flaw! Not enough character development due to choppy and short scenes!)

Issue #3: Do You Think We're Stupid?

Before a film adapation of a popular book gets released, in a lot of the interviews the filmmakers make comments like, "Well, just remember that the film is always a little different than the novel, but we've still tried to stay true to the story". Multiple times I heard, "Remember, it's Twilight the Movie, NOT Twilight The Book The Movie". Except... it IS Twilight The Book The Movie because without the book, there'd be no movie, so I propose everyone stops saying douchey things like this.

I mean seriously, how condescending and rude. Guess what, filmmakers? If you're going to adapt a book to film, start consciously making the decision to keep it the same as the book (see issue #1). I never understand why they "prep" fans for the changes they've made. Why don't they just... oh, I don't know, stop making pointless changes! The books work for a reason, we don't need random extra scenes (*cough*diner scenes in Twilight *cough*) or (issue #2) well-loved scenes changed around. It doesn't add action or make the film more interesting, it just ticks fans off. I'd like filmmakers to stop preparing us for changes, and to start keeping films more similar to the book. We're the ones paying to see the movie, we're the ones buying into the franchise, make the films for us. This brings us to issue #4...

Issue #4: Why Aren't You Listening To The Fans?

Google... powerful tool. Do you know how easy it is to find out the SuperFans opinions about their favourite books that are soon to be released as films? From the nanosecond that a film is announced, there are a billion blog posts and websites started up devoted to the film. As I said before, it's the fans who buy into the franchise. It's the fans money that determines if there will be sequels made or not (in the case of the Twilight saga, this was absolutely true). The fan's opinions are quick and easy to get, and if you make your film the way the fans want it ... which means, making your film closely match what happens in their beloved book... just think of the billions of dollars extra you will make. Because the moment an amazing book-to-film adapation is made, fans will see it multiple times in the theatre and rush to buy the DVDs and merchandise. Fans will hook other people into the franchise over their excitement that "FINALLY! A movie was made that put my novel onto the screen!". Fans are waiting for this "FINALLY!" moment to happen... and I'll never understand why filmmakers aren't giving in.

Books draw people in emotionally. They are most often read alone, they are more intimate than a film. When people read, they form a deep connection with the story and fall in love with the characters. When a beloved novel is being turned into a film, a reader cannot help but feel excited to see their passion on the big screen. If the movie adapation is done right, this fan will re-watch the film many times, because the bond felt as they turned the well-worn pages of their beloved novel will be felt with the live-action version. I feel that filmmakers are forgetting the intimacy of the novel-and-reader relationship, and I am too often disappointed when I see "my novel" played out completely wrong.

I understand that filmmakers feel that by making some changes in the adapation, they will appeal to a broader fanbase than just the novel readers... but for the most part they don't or won't. The changes are unnecessary because the majority of those who flock to see the film will already be readers of the novel regardless of how they market the movie, and if the adaptation is done right, anyone who does see the movie having not read the book should want to read the novel seeing it. The audience of the film will be those who've enjoyed the novel or will enjoy the novel, regardless of what filmmakers want to believe. They were not going to turn my boyfriend into a Twilight fan, regardless of any extra little so-called "action" sequences they threw in there.

Listen to the fans. These stories are theirs, and they need to be done right. And we really don't mind if you pop into our blogs and websites to find out "what we really think". Seriously... do it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Book-To-Movie That I Loved: The Notebook, Bridget Jones' Diary

The Notebook was incredibly well done. Yes, there are some minor changes, but they made the film better, not worse. I am absolutely fine with a few changes, if they actually do enhance the story. In this case, more detail was added to Allie and Noah's early romance, which just lends to better character development. The characters and the setting was spot-on to what I pictured as I read this novel. Absolutely wonderful, a cinematic gift to Nicholas Sparks fans everywhere.

For Bridget Jones it was well done for all the reasons that Confessions of a Shopaholic will not be well done (see below for more about Shopaholic). The characters were spot-on, the setting was perfect, and the story kept the same rhythm as the book (including the voice-overs and her recording her weight, etc). Very entertaining and close to the novel in all of the important ways.

Book-To-Movie That I Am "Okay" With: A Walk To Remember

While this film was ... well, nothing like the book because the time period of the book would have made this and The Notebook be very similar... I enjoyed this movie because it flowed nicely and I was able to enjoy it for what it was. I don't consider it the same as Nicholas Sparks' A Walk To Remember because other than the character's being similar in personality and a general similar storyline, it's just way too different from the book. But I don't dislike it, because I liked the film (mind you I was a teen when this came out, so I might not have been as critical as I am now).

Book-To-Movie That Ticked Me Off: Twilight, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Confessions of a Shopaholic

My gripe with Twilight has been discussed in enough detail on my other blog. It was the cinematography that bothered me, and the random extra scenes that I felt were pointless. I feel that if fans are heard, the rest of the series of these films could be extremely well-done. The cast was fantastic and the setting was great; they just need to follow the books a little more closely and allow for some scenes to flow better in order to create character development, and then they've got a good film.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban bothered me for a similar reason as Twilight. I was quite a fan of the third book in the Harry Potter series, and there was just enough missing detail in this movie to really bother me. Key scenes and characters were cut down too much. The rest of the Harry Potter films I've enjoyed much more; but something about this third one really irked me.

Confessions of a Shopaholic has yet to be released (it comes out in February of 2009), but I was pissed off about this one the moment I read the details on IMDB.com . They've butchered it. This comes from a series of fantastic novels from one of my most favourite authors (Sophie Kinsella). They've changed the characters and the settings too much, and combined storylines from multiple books, thus ruining any chances for this to become a series of films like it very well could have been. I mean, Becky is going to be AMERICAN, for crying out loud. I actually love Isla Fisher for the role, but honestly... British films are made all the time, why is this film not British? Isla Fisher could very easily play Becky British. I'm appalled by everything I read about it. I'm a die-hard Shopaholic fan, but I'm not interested in this film adaptation at all. Total let-down before I even have to see it. Perhaps I will be able to enjoy it like I did A Walk To Remember... but that means enjoying it as completely seperate from my favourite novels. Disappointing. I don't understand why Sophie Kinsella agreed to this, and why she didn't hold out for a screenwriter who would do justice to her fantastic books.

Book-To-Movie That I'm Hoping Will Be Done Right: The Lovely Bones and The Time Traveler's Wife

These are two books that I really enjoyed, and from what I've read about the movies so far, I do hope they'll fare better than some adaptations have. Peter Jackson has made The Lovely Bones, and I have faith in his abilities since The Lord of The Rings really was well-done as far as adaptation goes (I just wasn't a LoTR fan in general, but I can appreciate Peter Jackson's talent). The casting is so well done for this film, I'm very eager to see it and hopefully walk away satisfied.

I haven't heard as much information about The Time Traveler's Wife, but I'm simply holding out hope because the casting is quite well done and the screen captures I've seen so far look perfect. Perhaps I'll be in for disappointment again, but I sincerely hope not.

Will Get Back Into It

2008-11-30T22:45:00.002-05:00

Reasons Why This Blog Has Been Neglected:

1. I started teacher's college in September, and have been crazy-busy!

2. See reason "1".

I have still been reading like a fiend, and will return with proper, regular updates when I have a moment to breath...

The Wonder Worrier (and Wonder Reader!),
Stephanie

Dear John

2008-08-31T19:34:00.005-04:00

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Publication Year: 2006

Synopsis: (courtesy of Nicholas Sparks online)

An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who has captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read...and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love—and face the hardest decision of his life.

Thoughts:

Very soon after writing my previous post about my love for all books by Nicholas Sparks, a co-worker loaned me this novel. I nearly read the entire thing in one evening. Having already recently gushed about Nicholas Sparks in general, I will just say -- READ THIS BOOK. The calibre of this love story, and the way it draws you in, is very reminiscent of The Notebook. I was engrossed by the characters and the story, and even found myself crying throughout the ending of the book.

Dear John is available for purchase online here:

Amazon (Can.)

Amazon (U.S.)

------------

Note from The Wonder Worrier: I apologize for my previous lack of updates on this blog; I am trying to update more steadily now. I have read a good batch of novels recently, so I'm updating frequently this week with novels that I didn't get a chance to update as soon as I finished reading them. The end of my office job and beginning of teacher's college had me distracted for the past couple of weeks. Keep checking in, and happy reading!!!

The Importance of Being Married

2008-08-29T19:17:00.004-04:00

Author: Gemma Townley

Publication Year: 2008

Synopsis: Jessica Wild always had a sensible head on her shoulders. Raised by her no-nonsense grandmother, Jessica didn't have time for relationships and frivolity. However, after creating a less-than-thruthful story of her romantic life for an elderly friend, she finds herself in a mess of a situation after finding out she was left a massive inheritence by said elderly friend -- made out to a Mrs. Jessica Milton. Hilarity ensues as Jessica tries to figure out how to collect the inheritence -- by trying to marry the CEO of her company in 50 days.

Thoughts: I really enjoy Gemma Townley novels. In real life, she is sisters with my favourite Chick-Lit author, Sophie Kinsella. Her books are of a very similar calibre to her sister's writings. This is Gemma Townley's most recent book, and I gobbled it up in two days. I was pleasantly surprised to read on the back cover that this is the FIRST in a "Jessica Wild Trilogy"; so I'm eagerly anticipating the next two books in this series. For Sophie Kinsella fans, I see the Jessica Wild character as Gemma Townley's "Becky Bloomwood". A must-read for Chick-Lit lovers!

You Can Find The Importance of Being Married online here:

Amazon (Can.)

Amazon (USA)

The Guardian

2008-08-11T00:01:00.011-04:00

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Publication Year: 2003

Synopsis:

Young widow Julie Barenson was left a special gift when her husband passed away, a Great Dane puppy with a special note that said he'd always watch out for her. A few years after his death, Julie begins dating again. She finds herself choosing between suave, rich and handsome Richard Franklin and her husband's best friend and nice guy, Mike Harris. As Julie chooses to accept the love of another man into her life once again, she's thrown into a nightmare ordeal caused by a jealous rage that finds her, and the people she cares about, fighting for their lives and sanity.

Thoughts:

I've read quite a few Nicholas Sparks novels. For those of you who don't feel familar with his written work, have you seen The Notebook? A Walk to Remember? Message In A Bottle? All three of those movies were based on Nicholas Sparks books (three books I've read). Something I like about Nicholas Sparks is that he is in the romance genre, however he's different than what I classify as "chick-lit". I like to alternate between my usual funny, light chick-lit reads and a Nicholas Sparks story. Perhaps it's because his books often involve more mature characters, and not as quirky comedic plotlines as the other books I tend to read. Another positive side to Nicholas Sparks: even though he's written quite a few novels already, so far his writing has never been "cookie-cutter" as some other author's have been after they start coming out with a whole slew of novels (Danielle Steele for example, pure cookie-cutter storylines that are obviously written just to release more and more novels). Each Nicholas Sparks story, all taking place in some part of North Carolina, have a unique storyline and characters you can easily fall in love with.

After all this gushing about Nicholas Sparks in general, you can obviously tell by now that I enjoyed The Guardian. It was greatly different than his other books, in that it included an element from the thriller genre that adds a little more "spark" (no pun intended!) to this romantic tale. The romantic relationship in this story, while still important, is not a fairy tale romance like his other work and almost sits on the backburner for a good part of the storyline. I think that this is a novel that can be enjoyed by a wider range of female readers because of that extra element -- it's not just for the hopeless romantics like me!

I will admit, I found the beginning of the book a little slow. But in the end it was an enjoyable read, so I do say stick with it and you won't be disappointed!

The Guardian is available to purchase through Amazon here:

Amazon (Can)

Amazon (US)

If you've enjoyed Nicholas Sparks in the past as I have, make sure to check out some of his other titles! The following are Nicholas Sparks I've read so far:

The Notebook (classic, wonderful, I can read this one in a two-hour sitting!).
The Wedding (sequel to The Notebook in that its the son-in-law of Noah & Allie as the main character! Sweet, short romantic tale with a twist ending!).
A Walk To Remember (similar length to The Notebook, and similar type of story. The movie was dramatically different from the book, and I highly recommend you read this book!).
A Bend in the Road (one of my favourite Nicholas Sparks' stories so far! Connected very well to the characters, excellent story line).
True Believer (another more current read for me, and I really enjoyed it. Found the characters easy to get attached to, liked the story line a lot).
Nights in Rodanthe (this is coming out as a feature film this September; it wasn't my favourite of his stories but that's because I read it as a teenager and its about a middle-age couple so I just didn't connect too well to the characters)
Message In A Bottle (I read this one quite awhile ago; I remember liking the story, but I wasn't a huge fan of the ending. I never saw the film version of this book).

Brady Brady

2008-07-22T23:36:00.004-04:00

Ever heard of Brady Brady? The kid so wrapped up in hockey that his family has to call his name twice to get his attention?

This is one of my most favourite kids' series. My youngest brother (Scottie Scottie; he's as hockey obsessed as Brady!) owns 7 of the 11 hockey-themed stories written by Mary Shaw and Illustrated by Chuck Temple.

These stories are bright and colourful, and are fun to read. Kids love them from my experience (I read them to a kindergarten class I was working with last year, and to a foster child I was recently providing support services for)! If you read the stories in order you are introduced to some of the main characters, and the storylines do sometimes build upon what was read in the earlier books.

Now that I see there four more books that my little brother doesn't own, I'll be on the hunt to complete his collection - even though he's getting a tad old for children's books, it's a nice collection to have. I've also noticed on the website that there's a baseball themed Brady Brady and a football themed one; so perhaps this is a new direction the author is going in. These books are great for little boys (the recommended ages are grades 1 -3, but children younger than 6 can enjoy them too), who love sports and as an added bonus for parents or educators: they have a positive message in them too!

You just can't go wrong with Brady Brady!

Where can they be found online?

Brady Brady Official Website

Amazon (Can.)

Amazon (U.S)

P.S. As is now a little more clear, this blog isn't just for novels; I'm going to review kids' books, non-fiction, anything I read and think I should share!

Agent Provocateur

2008-07-21T21:51:00.005-04:00

Author: Faith Bleasdale

Publication Year: 2004

Synopsis:

Betty writes for Modern Woman magazine. Grace works for a detective agency that specializes in infidelity through "honey trapping"-- that is, tempting men whose wives hire her because they believe their husbands are unfaithful. When Betty's boss (Fiona) sends her on an assignment to profile Grace's unusual job the women clash. They seem to clash because they are incredibly similar -- that is, incredibly insecure, and bitchy.

Grace and Betty end up entering into a completely pointless bet that neither wants to do. They bet that Grace cannot trap Betty's perfect husband, Johnny. Betty's boss (Fiona) puts her up to it (after already enticing Grace to take part). Then Fiona regrets the bet. Then Fiona "has her reasons" for the bet. Then Fiona regrets the bet again. And at the same time Grace and Betty regret the bet. But they also feel they have to fight to win the bet. Then they regret it again... and.. CONFUSED ARE YOU? Me too.

Thoughts:

This book was pointless. Do not waste your time and money.

Okay, I'll elaborate...

I'd never read Faith Bleasdale before, but when I was perusing the reduced fiction at Chapters (my favourite way to buy books - I get them cheaper than at the used bookstore!), I thought I'd give her a shot. The cover of the book and the synopsis on the back sounded alright, so why not?

I'll now tell you why not.

Horrible, horrible, utter crap writing style.

Even Dawson's Creek had less pointless "character feelings" exposition than this book. Every time a character spoke, the author wrote out their feelings and oh-so-important inner-thoughts. Often repeating things A BILLION TIMES. I get it, Nicole is very maternal. Nicole has maternal feelings towards Grace. Nicole is weirdly maternal. GOT IT, Faith. GOT IT.

The characters came across as the following:

a) Drunks

b) Idiots

c) Stupidheads

On the back cover of the book Cosmopolitan reviews it as, "A sharp, funny read that will make you fight for the cause of love".

You know what, Cosmo? Stick to what you know. What's he REALLY thinking about your moves in the bedroom? is not enough to qualify you for reviewing pieces of literature. Otherwise you might recognize that this book is CRAP.

Sadly I bought two Faith Bleasdale books at Chapters that day (from now on I'm going back to my old routine; start with ONE book by a new author and if I love it then read everything they ever wrote). I'll probably give the other book I bought a chance, but first I need to get back to some skilled writers before my brain melts out of my ears from lack of quality stimulation.

I'm not even going to give you links for where you can buy this book. If you're willing to waste your time reading this book, you can waste even more time by first finding it on Amazon all by yourself. So there.

Love The One You're With

2008-07-19T20:02:00.006-04:00

Author: Emily Giffin

Publication Year: 2008

Synopsis:

Ellen Dempsey is a photographer in New York City. She's happily newly-wed to Andy, yet an unexpected run-in with her first-love (Leo) years after their intense relationship came to an end makes her question her past and the choices she's making in her present. Ellen finds herself at a crossroads as she must choose between her stable life with her husband - or finally finding closure between her and Leo.

Thoughts:

This is Emily Giffin's fourth novel. I've read all four, in order, and each one is as good as the last. Giffin writes in the first-person narrative, meaning that the main character narrates the story. Giffin artfully weaves her character's pasts and presents together, creating an emotional connection between the main character and the reader. I highly recommend this to all chick-lit lovers, but also to any woman looking for a page-turner.

I mentioned the first three Emily Giffin Novels here on my other blog. Briefly they are:

Something Borrowed
Something Blue
Baby Proof

I highly recommend that her books are read in order. The first two stories are a series, and while Baby Proof and Love The One You're With each have new main characters all four stories take place in New York City and as a little treat to faithful readers Emily Giffin's New York City is an interwoven place in which some characters from her other books are very briefly mentioned in the other novels.

Emily Giffin is a favourite author of mine, and definitely worth checking out!

Love The One You're With is available for purchase through Amazon here:

Amazon (Canada)
Amazon (U.S.)

This Nose Right Here? It's Always In A Book

2008-07-15T20:59:00.004-04:00

It's The Wonder Worrier here! Welcome to my new blog, The Wonder Reader.

Lately I've been gobbling up books like a reading fiend, and the grand idea to start a Book Review and Reading blog was born!

What To Expect At The Wonder Reader:

Every time I finish a book, I'll post a quick description of the book and write a brief review (no spoilers, scouts honour!)
Open comments -- if anyone else out there has read the book and would like to discuss it, feel free! Comments are extremely welcome and appreciated!
A blog to come to when you're looking for new reading material and need some ideas!

Here are a few notable reading-related links from my other blog, just to get the ball rolling (since I most likely won't mention these books for a second time here!).

Chick-Lit Recommendations Post # 1 (Reviews of many of my favourite Chick-Lit authors)

Chick-Lit Recommendations Post #2 (Reviews of more of my favourite Chick-Lit authors)

A Post In Which I Perform an Amazing Feat (The Time Traveler's Wife & The Memory Keeper's Daughter)

Read something good lately yourself that you think I might like? Leave me a comment or email me at wonderworrier@gmail.com and I'll check it out! Recommendations are ALWAYS welcome!