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Initial Thoughts:

Having never read a J.R.R. Tolkien novel, but being very well acquainted with his work through films, I was very excited to start reading The Hobbit. From the movies I knew Tolkien was a master storyteller, but it was an altogether new, different, and exciting experience to get to read the actual words he wrote.

Spoilers!

I’m definitely a fan of this kind of adventure novel, since some of my favorite books include Graceling (by Kristin Cashore) and Eragon (by Christopher Paolini). What I didn’t expect was for each chapter to feel like a short story.

I’ve been really busy with school work, so it was nice to be able to lie down in bed around one in the morning and read a single chapter of Tolkien’s work. Each chapter was a new adventure for the characters and I never felt rushed while reading. Some books carry me away, and before I know it I’ve spent the whole night reading and the whole next day at school regretting it (and to clarify that’s regretting I’m at school, not regretting having stayed up all night to read). This novel was different in the sense that I was able to put it down and still feel completely satisfied with the story I’d read, even if it was only 15 pages.

The characters were comical and brave but I never felt a deep connection to any one person in particular, but I liked that because I was able to really view the story as an outsider, which is what I think Tolkien was going for. He includes the reader in the novel, which made it feel like a personal experience and like an honest storytelling, not just me sitting alone and reading a story.

Tolkien takes his time with descriptions; however I didn’t feel like there was enough meat to this story overall. I think I set my expectations too high and was expecting an over the top, dramatic, battle and adventure that I’ve come to expect and recognize from the movies. Instead I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed. Biblo’s journey is great, and it was a nice prequel to the real story but other than that I wasn’t really moved and I was left wanting more (and yes I know that contradicts what I just said in the second paragraph…I’m still a bit confused as to how that works, but these are my feelings, I’m just going with it).

What I loved about this book and what I’ll always remember is the feeling I had while reading. As I was reading I kept thinking, wow, I’d love to read this as a bedtime story to my kids one day. This is a perfect story that parents (and no I don’t have children…someday I hope) and their kids can both enjoy.

Conclusion:

This was a light, fun read, with many moral lessons learned along the way. I enjoyed Biblo’s journey, but I don’t think I have the courage to try and read the next three Lord of the Rings books. I really loved Tolkien’s writing style but I did feel like something was missing. I didn’t find that spark that makes me fall head over heels for a book and I didn’t connect with any characters the way I typically do.

There is no denying that this is an instant classic for me, but it’s not one of my all time favorites. I’ll be saving this book to share with my kids one day, and maybe that’s the spark I was missing this time around. Maybe this book reads better with a companion.

Rating: 4/5 stars

You can find the full review on my blog The Dancing Nerd Writes Again .

Initial Thoughts:

As I mentioned above, I won this book from The Book Addict’s Guide. Winning this book has in no way compromised or affected my review and I will not be compensated in any way.

I haven’t been able to read anything other than school related books for a long time now, so I picked what I was going to read next very carefully. I wanted something light, more or less romantic, and set in the real world. This is the first Young Adult Contemporary novel I’ve ever read and I think it was a great gateway into the rising Contemporary genre.

As just a quick little side note: before reading the book I thought the title was cute but I totally did not understand it. It has so much more meaning after reading the book. =]

Spoilers!

What I loved most about this book was the main characters, Amelia and Chris. Amelia is 14, intelligent, struggling at home, and questions everything around her. Chris is 21, charming, sarcastic and self deprecating.

I think this book was so interesting for me because I’ve been a 15 year old girl. I know what that’s like and I think Laura hit the nail on the head. At the same time, I am currently Chris’ age, a college student, struggling to understand life and uncertain about the future. Chris and I are both in that confusing, annoying, and slightly depressing stage of life that involves uncertainties and waiting. Being able to read the book from both of these perspectives was easy for me, because I can relate to both characters individually.

Even though I know this is a contemporary novel and it is supposed to be realistic, I was still shocked at just how realistic it was. Laura seemed to know her characters so well and was able to highlight the traits in the personalities that showed their differences in age while also showing how compatible they are as human beings, despite them being in such drastically different stages in life.

Something I was a little confused about and thought was weird, but still thought provoking, was the fact that a lot of the conversations between Amelia and Chris focused on feminism. I didn’t fully understand why this topic was so important and discussed at such length, but I’m assuming it was there for a reason. That’s not to say that I don’t think feminism isn’t important in general, I just didn’t pick up on why it was so important to these characters. I kept thinking, Laura could’ve picked any topic to elaborate on and to use as a catalyst to get these characters talking and thinking, why would she choose this one?

Other than that I have no real complaints with this book. It was a lovely, quick read (I read it in one day) and just what I needed to break up the mundane work I’ve been doing for school. I was a little surprised by the ending, but not really upset. I think it ended where the characters needed it to end but it could easily be left for the reader’s imagination to fill in the rest.

Conclusion:

I really liked this book and loved the characters. Reading it gave me the opportunity to look back on my life as a 15 year old and to contrast it to the place I’m at now. I especially loved that both characters loved English and Literature so much, and would like to sit down one day and make a list of all the books mentioned and read them.

I am so happy and thankful that I won this book and I know I’ll pick it up in the future if I need a quick pick me up. Thanks again to Brittany and The Book Addict’s Guide!

Ratings:

4/5 Stars

You can see my full review, as well as many others on my blog The Dancing Nerd Writes Again.

*I was required to read this book for my Literature and War class.

Initial Thoughts:

This was my second time reading The Hunger Games and after seeing the movie multiple times. I was very familiar with the work, but when I read it this time, through the eyes of a critical reader, the experience was extremely different. As a novel to read for pleasure, I found that I enjoyed the story much more than I did when I was required to read it for class and dissect the literary aspects of the characters and plot.

Spoilers!

I’m assuming anyone who wanted to read this book already has or has seen the movie so this section isn’t going to discuss spoilers as much it is going to discuss the differences in the way I interpreted the novel the second time around.

One of the main things I disliked when reading the novel this time, was Katniss and Peeta’s relationship. To be clear, I wasn’t annoyed with how their relationship progresses in this novel, but having read the entire series I’m simply frustrated with the way I know their relationship will turn out. Throughout The Hunger Games Katniss repeatedly mentions that she doesn’t want kids, doesn’t want a relationship with Peeta or anyone, and yet it is forced upon her. I also think their relationship takes away from the overall message of the book, and depletes the integrity of the story. I felt like the relationship was only added to appease the targeted, young adult audience.

We discussed this aspect of the novel many times in class, and even though a few students argued for the relationship, saying that it was an interesting challenge Katniss had to overcome and deal with in order to survive, it still doesn’t sit well with me. Again, I’m not as upset by the relationship displayed in this novel as I am with the ones in the later novels, but I’ll leave that for another review.

Another thing that annoyed me while reading this time was realizing how much Collins ‘told’ the reader instead of ‘showing’ us. I felt like the book was dumbed down in some ways and that the author or publisher assumed the audience wouldn’t be able to interpret or comprehend Katniss’ actions, so she told us everything that was happening, instead of letting us come to our own conclusions.

I didn’t mean for this review to turn into a rant, so I’ll try and turn it around. The things I really enjoyed about the novel is the fact that I hate that I enjoyed it. By liking this book, I’m playing right into Collins trap and becoming no better than a member of the Capitol. I think it’s amazing that this book, while showing us the horrors of the Capitol and of the Hunger Games, pulls us in and reverses the situation, making us, the consumers and readers and everyone who saw the movie, observers and willing audience members of…well, the Hunger Games. It’s such a brilliant and existential concept that I’m having a hard time adequately explaining it, but hopefully you get what I’m hinting at.

Conclusion:

I’ll openly admit that I enjoyed this book much more the first time, when I was 17 years old and reading it for fun. Picking it up again and reading it critically and analyzing every sentence, every plot twist or character motivation, has definitely given me a new and drastically different perspective.

I think what Collins was able to accomplish with this novel, and through the movie, is an amazing feat that leaves audience members and readers alike examining the world we live in and contemplating what could happen. I’m excited to go and reread the second and third book in the series before the movies come out, and wondering what I’ll like or dislike about those novels after I’ve read them more critically.

Rating:4/5 stars

You can see the full review on my blog The Dancing Nerd Writes Again .

Initial Thoughts:

I am a huge fan of the T.V. series The Walking Dead so I was excited to read my second Zombie novel. The first zombie novel I read was Generation Dead (you can read my review here) and I had a lot of recommendations to read Warm Bodies.

I won this book right around the same time the movie trailers where coming out so I thought I knew what to expect. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but let’s just say I seriously misjudged the trailers.

Spoilers!

So we all know zombies are…well, gross. I was not prepared, however, for Marion’s extremely vivid and explicit descriptions of the way the zombies looked and how or what they ate. It was masterfully done and I was sufficiently grossed out. I had to make sure I didn’t eat too soon before or after reading because I apparently have a weak stomach.

The thing that stood out to me the most about this novel, besides the unique story line, was the writing itself. It was elegant, thoughtful, and beautiful, all the adjectives I never expected to associate with a zombie novel. I was very taken aback, surprised, as well as pleased to come across a novel that was so well written that I really took my time and savored reading it.

I also found the story line to be very moving. In normal zombie shows or books, you root for the humans…most of the time. This novel however focused primarily on team zombie and later mixing in team human until the conclusion when both teams are bound together. The way R, the protagonist, is guided by those he’s eaten was so touching and necessary for the story to progress.

I think Marion did a wonderful job describing everything, but especially describing the stadium and the run down city surrounding it. I was able to picture the dismantled and disheveled areas as if I had experienced it firsthand. I also loved the reoccurring theme and emphasis on the airplanes. Marion would add subtle details that to us as humans living in a pre-dystopian world we take for granted on a daily basis, but for his characters they were symbols and beacons of hope.

The message of this book was thought provoking and very interesting. I think it forces the readers to be introspective and think about how we can apply that message to our daily lives, before any fictional dystopian worlds seemingly come to life.

Conclusion:

If you couldn’t tell from the above section, I loved this book. I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did and I was fascinated by Marion’s absolutely brilliant writing. My first thought when finishing this book was that I can’t wait to read it again. I know the more times I read it, the more meaning I will gather from it.

I cannot thank Nova (My Seryniti blog) enough for holding this contest and for allowing me to win such an incredible book. I recommend this book even to people who aren’t particularly fans of zombies, because the message is so universal and versatile.

If you’ve read the book AND seen the movie, please leave a comment below: What did you think of the movie? Did it do the book justice or am I better off just relishing in Marion’s wonderful words and writing?

Rating: 5/5 Stars

You can find my full review on my blog The Dancing Nerd Writes Again

Initial Thoughts:

This is the first novel I’ve ever won from Goodreads First Reads and I was so excited to see that the author had signed it! It was also the first romance novel I’d ever read and I was a little wary in the beginning and unsure what to expect.

Disclaimer: This book does contain mature content including explicit language and sexual situations. Due to the content of the book, this review may not be appropriate for those under the age of 17.

Spoilers!

Although I’ve included a disclaimer, I was still a little nervous about posting and writing this review. I’ll just remind myself that we’re all adults here, and carry on.

This book was amazing. I finished it in one sitting and could not believe how accurate it was. I thought Miss Kendall was able to portray both her characters so well that I was living vicariously through the text. Nothing about this novel seemed fictional to me and it could easily pass as a memoir, although not written in that style. It was an honest depiction of two college students trying to find their way through life and the constant struggles that arise in any relationship.

This novel had a bit of a Romeo and Juliet aesthetic to it, which I thought would end up cliché, but actually worked quite well. The descriptions, although very well done, were sometimes too repetitive. The scenes that had any sort of explicit or sexual content were handled in a way that could have easily been too vulgar, but were instead very tasteful. The language was appropriate for the characters and the setting and felt very natural.

I was admittedly worried about reading a romance novel after the fiasco and drama surrounding 50 Shades of Grey, but I was so pleasantly surprised by Kendall’s work. It was a beautiful romance about two people who were clearly meant to be together. She let their relationship marinate, instead of creating that insta-love that has been circulating around the young adult world. Both of the characters were genuine and endearing and had very noble qualities about them that readers can look up to.

The only thing I didn’t like as much about this novel was the fact that the main characters were the most beautiful girl in class and the hottest quarterback in school. I felt a little disconnect from them sometimes because of their wealth or beauty, but the life struggles and personal hardships where real and universal. I also think it was good that the characters were portrayed in that way because it showed that even the ‘perfect’ or ‘popular’ kids have real problems to deal with behind closed doors.

Even though I haven’t discussed it at length in my review, there is sex in this novel as well as many sexual scenarios and descriptive scenes. I would only recommend this novel to someone of the appropriate age who is comfortable reading about these situations. Although sex is at the forefront of the genre and theme of this novel, I still thought it was a good and insightful read.

Conclusion:

I really enjoyed this book even though I had no idea what to expect. This book made me happy and hopeful and at times furious and sad. I’m so thankful that I won this novel and even happier, now that I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed it, that Miss Kendall signed my copy. I’ll definitely be checking out more of her books, since this was only the first in the series.

I’d like to reiterate that although the sexual nature of the novel is not vulgar, but tastefully done, that young readers should choose wisely before picking it up. I’m by no means trying to lecture anyone here, but I do believe that 17+ is the appropriate age limit for this novel.

It’s becoming clear to me that I’m a hopeless romantic (I think most avid readers are) and I’m excited to explore this genre more, beginning with Kendall’s next book.

Rating:4.5/5 Stars

You can see my full review on my blog The Dancing Nerd Writes Again .

Initial Thoughts:

I knew that at some point during this year I would be reading this book because it was on the list for the Debut Author’s Challenge for 2013. If you haven’t already, you can sign up to participate in the challenge by clicking here.

I was lucky enough to win this book from Pitch Dark Days, a sub group of Epic Reads and Harper Collins Teen, and could not wait to start reading! I didn’t have many details on the premise of the book, but loved the cover and had heard enough positive buzz surrounding it that I couldn’t wait to get started.

Spoilers!

As I mentioned earlier, I wasn’t sure what to expect with this novel and was a little dismayed that it started off with insta-love. Now the relationship wasn’t poorly done, I could see the chemistry between the characters, but it came out of nowhere, literally. Honestly, I still don’t trust the male love interest, but hopefully my fears are just an overactive imagination and will be put to rest as the series continues.

Once Hunter (the male love interest) was out of the picture, the action, drama, and suspense really began. The fight sequences had really great detail and allowed me to visualize what was happening in the scenes. As the story progresses, Mila begins to uncover the truth, and with it she learns more about who what she truly is.

I thought it was such an interesting concept to be inside Mila’s head because she isn’t entirely human. Driza was able to make me feel all the emotions Mila felt, the heartbreak, realization, concern, fear, every emotion Mila struggled with I struggle with too. I thought it was incredible to be inside the head of a (SPOILER ALRET) android and really liked seeing the world through the eyes of something that was part machine and part human.

When Mila gets ‘taken’ to where she was created the story got even more intense. Mila starts having vivid yet incomplete flashbacks and we meet her ‘twins’. From here it was plot twist after plot twist, trying to figure out what was the truth, what was going to happen next, and whose team we should be on.

I really enjoyed the suspense in this novel and could not turn the pages fast enough. I thought the ending was held out a little too long but it does set up nicely for the sequel. Overall I was impressed with this novel and happy that it turned from typical, cliché girl meets boy, to tough, dangerous and suspenseful, android meets her maker.

Conclusion:

It’s hard to believe that this is Debra Driza’s first YA novel! It was put together so well, flowed with equal parts suspense and action, and left me ultimately wanting more of this world (and I’ll admit, I’m a little intrigued about the relationship and how that will turn out)! There are so many places this story could go and I cannot wait to see what will happen next. This book had a nice blend of normal teenage girl just trying to find her place in life, and sci-fi android on the run from the government.

I am so pleased that I got the opportunity to win this novel from Pitch Dark Days and can’t wait to see where Driza’s story and writing will develop in her upcoming novels.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Such a fantastic read. Must go out and by the next book in the series IMMEDIATELY!
Full review below or on my blog The Dancing Nerd Writes Again

Initial thoughts:

So all I knew about this book was that it was about fairies, and I don’t have much against fairies…okay I have nothing against fairies but I imagined them to be like Tinker Bell. However I had heard from numerous reviews that this faery book, was nothing like Tinker Bell, and that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Spoilers!

Okay. How to start. Well, the book started out a little…whiny, immature teenager for my taste. I felt like the protagonist, who was supposed to be a 16 year old girl was portrayed with emotional outbursts more like a 6 year old. This did continue through the novel, but thankfully many of the other characters that were brought into the story were much more mature and wise, so I was more equipped to deal with a little whining and unnecessary crying every once in awhile.

The world as well as the details and descriptions of the creatures and characters in this novel blew me away. I could so vividly imagine all of these things around me and was constantly envisioning how fantastic this book would be if it was a movie (and you know, done right). The author took my knowledge and understanding of what it meant to be a faery or a fey to a whole new level. Most of the creatures encountered were truly terrifying, which gave the book an edge I hadn’t expected.

I did notice a lot of elements from other classic stories. At times I was vividly reminded of Narnia and traveling through the wardrobe, as well as Alice in Wonderland and falling down rabbit holes while being guided through a mysterious world by a sarcastic feline friend. Towards the end of the novel I also got a creeping sensation that I’d heard this plot before and realized I was thinking of Wall-E. Don’t get me wrong, I still think The Iron King is a very original story, but if you look hard enough it was pretty easy to make connections to other long running themes throughout the fictional world.

This book was action packed, descriptive, full of monsters, and of course, some romance. I was happy with the romance between the characters, but a little put off by the love triangle. I mean really, why is a love triangle necessary in every YA novel? However, this love triangle does work well for these characters, as well as the history between Puck and Ash, so I didn’t mind it too terribly much. It will be very interesting to see how the competition for Meghan’s affection heats up in the next novels, although at this point it’s pretty clear who she wants.

Another part of the book I loved was that amid all the action, there were some really great lessons for the reader. They may have been a little cheesy at times, but they were genuine messages that everyone can relate to and learn from, so bravo for creating a story with a strong sense of morality.

Conclusion:

I could hardly believe how much I loved this book. The world was just, such a clear image in my head that I’m having a hard time escaping it and moving onto my next novel! Speaking of, the minute I come within a 5 mile radius of a bookstore, I’m stopping in and getting the next book in this series. The Iron King was so fantastic and refreshing, I cannot wait to see how Meghan handles the cliff hanger.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Feel free to check out some of my other reviews on my blog The Dancing Nerd Writes Again. or click here to see my full review of As They Slip Away .

Initial Thoughts:

I made the mistake of trying to read this while watching the Superbowl I had no idea what was going on (in the novella) but then I started over from the beginning yesterday and everything made sense. Note to self, stop trying to multitask during the Superbowl.

Spoilers!

This novella was SHORT! I mean 48 pages, come on that’s not even 1/8th of Across The Universe. What I found remarkable about this novella was that despite its length, it still had a very prominent story arc. This story follows Selene, a patient in the hospital ward. We get an exclusive look at my favorite character Harley and his girlfriend and other characters in the hospital ward, most memorable (for all the wrong reasons) is Luther.

If you’ve read the Across The Universe Series you already know the fate of poor Selene. This novella follows her life leading up to the tragic events that take place.

I’m not sure how many feelings I have towards this novella, simply because it was so short. Was it nice to get a background look at the secondary characters, yes of course, but could I have lived without it and still loved the series as much as I already do? Sadly the answer is yes. This novella was ‘okay’ and ‘I liked it’ (Goodreads rating standards for 2 or 3 stars) but beyond that, I’ve got nothing.

Conclusion:

I think fans of the series will no doubt enjoy this novella, because don’t get me wrong I did enjoy it. However, I didn’t enjoy it on the same level that I enjoyed the books. I do hope that we will see more novella’s from Beth Revis in the future, especially if they contain Amy and Elder on the new earth!

Rating:3/5 Stars

You can check out some of my other reviews on my blog The Dancing Nerd Writes Again or see my full review of My War by clicking here .

Initial Thoughts:

I read this book for my Literature and War class.

I was excited, perhaps the more correct term is intrigued, to start reading a first hand account on the war in Iraq. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know much about the war in Iraq and still don’t claim to be any sort of expert. It was a subject I decided to stay blissfully ignorant of but I am happy I got the chance to read this story and get a better understanding of what American soldiers went through and are still going through in Iraq.

Parts of this story were actual blog post written while Colby was in Iraq, others are diary entries, and in between Colby added extra anecdotes and information to help the narrative flow more naturally. I should also mention that this book contains a lot of explicit language. If it was made into a movie it would definitely get an ‘R’ rating for language, violence, and some drug use.

Spoilers!

I think it is appropriate to start off this review by re-quoting myself from a comment I left on Goodreads immediately after I had finished this book. “I found myself reading this and after ever page thinking, wow. It was really insightful and at times highly amusing.”

I will say that I’m a bit disappointed in myself and the fact that I waited so long to write this review. But life (aka midterms) got in the way, so I’ll try my best to accurately convey my feelings for this book.

I learned a lot about a soldier’s experiences over in Iraq, many of which left me in awe of the men and women fighting for our country. Some of the accounts were inspiring while others were a bit disheartening. These reactions were understandable when you consider how honest Colby is in his retelling of the events. At times I was laughing, bored, and scared to death and experiencing many of the same emotions Colby had lived through. There is no way I can ever understand what it feels like to be shot at or what it feels like to have sweat running down into my eyes and be unable to move, but through reading this, I feel more knowledgeable and empathetic.

As the novel progresses Colby discusses his love of music, art and books. He is a very intelligent human being which came in stark contrast to the beginning of the novel’s image of Colby which was a hometown stoner. One of the books mentioned is Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. I read this book almost two years ago for a Humanities class and fell in love with it. I’ve highlighted all my favorite passages and keep this book on my desk at all times. I flip through it almost every day when I feel like I need a reality check or a little motivation. I think everyone should read this book at least once and I highly recommend it.

Colby is an amazing writer and his descriptions made me feel like I was in the middle of the action, or in some cases non action. It was a really unique perspective and I’m very appreciative of him for writing this account for the world to read.

Conclusion:

I really did enjoy reading this book and had so many wow moments while reading. I have a million little sticky notes highlight my favorite parts or the things I found to be the most interesting.

I would recommend this book to someone who wants (for the most part) an unbiased, non partisan account of his life and journey to becoming a soldier.

If my review hasn’t convinced you to read this book, my apologies. Like I said earlier I should’ve reviewed this book when it was fresh in my mind because since then I’ve taken midterms and had to read many other novels and textbooks and everything has started to blend together. You’ll just have to take my word for it. Colby Buzzell is a really unique, funny, and honest individual whose work and life deserves an audience.

Rating: 4/5 Stars