BookNotes

My latest "book note" what do you think? Are you having fun with this project? I know I am. 

Happy Reading! 

Wool Book Review by Mitch Gerich

My friend Mitch, who is the writer for his own blog Gerich Gardens, shared this book on his Facebook page and between the description of this book, and Mitch's  phenomenal  recommendation of the book itself I knew I wanted to read it. And since I have not had the opportunity to have this in my stack of Library books waiting to be read, I asked him if he would not mind writing a review of this book for all of you. So without any further words from me, here is Mitch's words on Wool by Hugh Howey

“Wool Review (And I know there are a lot of Wool books and pieces out there but I read the one in the link with the reddish cover)

Sometimes it is hard to write a review for a book when potentially anything you discuss could be a spoiler or plot reveal. That is exactly the kind of book Hugh Howey has written when he created the world of Wool, a sort of dystopian (though you may not know it right away) society set in a silo buried underground. The people inside the silo are all alone in their world. You see, the air above ground is poison and no one is permitted to leave on their own. To do so is seen as a crime punishable by death. The form of death comes as being sent on a suicide mission out of the silo in what are known as "cleanings." The people of the silo are put in suits and essentially shipped out to die. The air is so poisonous that it eats through the suit while others inside the silo watch on a screen.

The silo itself is separated into levels and classes with the farmers and mechanicals in the lower third, the information-technology folks in the heart of the structure and the professional class in the upper level. The workers even have color coated uniforms so you know exactly who they are, where they work and where they live and belong. Interesting why we as humans would do this when we have a chance to start with a clean slate inside of an isolated silo. But, inside the silo, they have their reasons. Well, at least some people do.

Speaking of the actual people and characters in Wool, we meet a good many of them throughout this book. I won't be getting into specifics with each character because I think that is part of the fun of this book is meeting each person for the first time and being able to dig into their past and current situations. I will say that the main personalities are well rounded and complete in the first 2/3rds of the book. By the last 1/3rd, some of the people introduced feel rushed and incomplete and therefore I end up not caring as much about what happens to them. BUT I don't think this takes away from the overall arc of the book.

This is a sci-fi type of novel but one that you could give to someone who isn't generally a fan of that genre. There are more Wool books out there, supposedly one set before the silo came to be and one set after this particular book. I'm excited to get my hands on them and I highly recommend you get your hands on this book.”

What Do You Look For...?

I have a lot of tactics when I look for a book. Typically I will admit I am going off of someones suggestion, because sometimes I feel better going off knowing how the book was perceived before I crack the cover. Though sometimes I will still read a book that has not received good reviews from my friends because we all read the same book differently. 

If I am lucky to not have a list of books to read that have been recommended for me to check out. I tend to walk the aisles and wait for something to speak to me...I clearly do not mean for a book to literally speak to me, but first the title and cover must reach out to me then the book description must match the initial intrigue. It is like dating, you may like what you see but of there is no real connection then there cannot be a relationship. 

 When you walk into the Library, a bookstore, or look up book on your e-reader, what do you look for in a book? Do you browse the most popular? Employees picks of the month? walk around until a cover strikes your fancy? Or do you wait to get a book until someone has told you about it? 

Encouraging words in Library Books

I posted about starting this on Wednesday, and here are the 2 notes I left in 2 different Library books for the next readers to find them. I hope they help in making someone smile. Even if it is the Librarian who may see it before it is placed back on to the shelf. Have you started this project yet? I would love to hear about it! 

Happy Reading!

 

Happy Friday!

Has anyone done this? I think it would be a great "pay it forward" project. I do believe I will start to leave notes on my Library books with inspiring quotes and lovely messages to the next reader.

I challenge you, will you do this with me? Leave comments below and pictures of your notes that you have left in the books and I will do the same. I think this could be a start of an uplifting movement. Could be fun!!

Happy Reading!

J.K. Rowling's New Book!!

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith is J.K Rowlings new book, do not let the author name fool you. This is her under her pseudonym name. According to Barnesandnoble.com this books description is as follows;

"A brilliant debut mystery in a classic vein: Detective Cormoran Strike investigates a supermodel's suicide.   

After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, and creditors are calling. He has also just broken up with his longtime girlfriend and is living in his office.

Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: His sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as the Cuckoo, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man.

You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this." 


What do you think? Are you as intrigued as I am? I have added this to my list of books to read. Are you adding it to yours?

 

Beautiful Creatures

Once I finished The History of Love, I immediately started into my stack of borrowed Library books, starting with this little number, Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl 

The book intrigued me first when I heard about the movie that came out a few months ago. Once I watched the trailer I knew I had to read the book, and before I saw the movie. I am always captivated by the stories of the supernatural it seems. I enjoy a good witches, vampires, and werewolf story. I start to believe that we live in a world that is surrounded by the unknowns. Makes me happy to think this world is not what it seems and there is something magical left in this mundane world. Even though my realistic adult brain explains to me that my imagination is getting away with me and I need to reel it back in...but oh well I would rather believe there is mystery in the world than believe what I see is all there is. 

Anyways end small rant, This book is set in Gatlin South Carolina and follows the lives of a Caster (witch) named Lena Duchannes and a mortal named Ethan Wate. Lena has just moved to town to live with her Uncle Macon Ravenwood, the small towns version of Boo Radley, Once she crosses paths with Ethan he is drawn to her like he has known her forever, and there is a connection between them that is more powerful than anyone can imagine. Lena just wants to fit in and be normal but with her powers starting to appear the closer she gets to her 16th birthday, the harder it is for her to keep them secret. In a small town that despises change and fights it at every turn, life as they know it is about to get thrown a heck curve ball, and hopefully it will be left standing in the end.

 The story is told from the  perspective of Ethan, which was a change but a welcome one. It was nice to be in the mind of the boy for a change, being a woman and already going through my teen years and because of that knowing how a teen girl thinks all too well. It was refreshing to hear the inside workings of a teen boy. Grabted I do realize this is a fictional book and not all teenage boys have this kind of depth, if any at all, but still it was nice.

I do recommend this series, it is an easy and captivating read. I am currently awaiting the next book, Beautiful Darkness to be mine off of the hold list at the Library sometime this next week. 

If you know me, and have followed this blog for a little bit, you already know I am a HUGE fan of Cecelia Ahern as a writer. I enjoy her imagination and I applaud her stepping out in a different ways to tell a story. 

Some of you may know her as the author of P.S. I Love You, I will say this is the first time I saw a movie before I read the book, and it honestly made the book a little more enjoyable because I got to picture Gerald Butler as Gerry and Geofrey Dean Morgan as Daniel (even though he Played William in the movie and Harry Connick Jr played Daniel, a girl has to use her imagination right? ;)). So that was a wonderful experience. 

I picked up If You Could See Me Now on my nook because I liked the way it sounded, I enjoy books that have imagination. Ones that make you think like a child, believing in the unbelievable. Makes me feel like the world is a different place, and don't we all need that. This book is about an imaginary friend, who is not so imaginary. Such a great twist to the every day love story. I want to tell you all about it, but I am afraid to spill the beans on the turns this story takes and ruin the surprises. But take my word for it, this is worth the time.

Thank you Pinterest for once again helping me to discover new books to read!! I pinned this list the other day because it is not only 1 list, but MULTIPLE lists of the Best Book Lists of 2012 and let me tell you it is extensive but I always find reviews of books helpful. I am all about not judging a book by its cover...but lets be honest when in the Library that's all I do. I will not pick up a book if it does not look remotely interesting. Am I alone in this? Anyways check out these lists and tell me what you think of it! Try not to be too overwhelmed, there are duplicate books listed of course, but overall I believe this to be helpful when I enter the doors to the Library and bookstore. Helps lessen the search time, which is a good thing when searching with an almost 3 year old. 
Happy Reading!!

If you happen to be finished...

So I know a few of our fellow readers have finished The History of Love, myself being one of them, and I am sure you are like me and are dying to talk about it. In order to avoid any spoilers for the rest of the group post your comments and questions on the Book of the Month page or message me on our Facebook page. I am looking forward to discussing this book. 

I will have some discussion stimulating questions ready for us by the end of the week. If you have any please feel free to share them on the B.O.T.M. page!

Happy Reading!
   E

The Diviners by Libba Bray

While on Vacation I decided to check this book out, Since we were driving straight through the night on our way to Michigan I opted to grab up a few audio books to help keep my mind awake while driving. I was ecstatic that this tactic not only worked but that I was able to drive until 3am, and I could have kept going but since I knew I wanted to get some sleep at some point I opted to stop. But enough with my boasting and on to the book.

The Diviners by Libba Bray is a fascinating tale that deals with the supernatural in a way that I am unaccustomed to reading. Set in the 1920's in New York this story follows Evie (Evangeline) O'Neill, of the Zenith (Ohio) O'Neills. Evie has a secret that she loves to share while at gatherings where she wants to be the center of attention. She can read objects and tell peoples secrets from the objects. Because of this gift she has been sent away from her home town to her Uncle Dr. William Fitzgerald, who owns the Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the occult (AKA the Museum of the Creepy Crawlies) in New York City, though she knows this is supposed to be a punishment, Evie is delighted to be away from Ohio and in the beautiful and full of life city of New York.

When murders start appearing that appear to have something to do with the occult, William is called on to consult and Evie becomes an indispensable part of the investigation process, along with the help of 2 teenage boys who also possess special abilities and are both pining for the attention of Evie.  Will they be able to solve the mystery of the murders before the murderer finds them?

When I started this book I did not realize it was a start of an unfinished series, the second book has yet to debut, but as I got closer to the end I began to realize that Bray was setting the characters up for an even bigger event that was clearly not to be touched in this book. So I am now patiently awaiting the second book. Will you wait with me?

Happy Reading!
           E 

Fault in our Stars

Good Morning bookworms! I am officially back from vacation!! It was a great time, though we are all happy to be home and to sleep in our own beds. I hope you are all enjoying reading The History of Love! I know I am, I am over half way finished!! I will start to post some discussion questions a little bit later this evening through tomorrow. 

Happy Reading!!
 Elizabeth

Quick "Hello" from Vacation Land

Hello fellow Bookworms!
 I hope you are all as excited as I am to FINALLY crack open The History of Love, by Nicole Krauss. It has been taunting me since I picked it up from the Library before I went on Vacation. And I am thrilled to know that today is the day I can open it and begin reading! So Happy reading and I am looking forward to hearing how you all like or hate this book and author!

Vacation!!

Hello Bookworms!
 I wanted you all to know that for the next 2 weeks you will not be hearing from me as often, if at all, because I will be on vacation with my family! We always look forward to a week with my husbands family in up-north Michigan. This will be 2 weeks full of fun in the sun and lots of reading. So I will come back refreshed and hopefully with more books to share with you. Remember we will start The History of Love on Sunday July 7. I am very excited for this book I hope you all are as well!

Happy Reading!