thebacklistbook's Reviews (304)

review to come pending reread.

A lightly entertaining coming of age story that reflects a universal desire to belong to something.The Percy Jackson series hooks us all in the end by forging strong bonds amongst its characters.Although, if you are the rare fantasy hater don't read this book, it will likely cause you to burn it.

Wow....Not for the first time, the English language has failed me entirely. I just, wow. What will stick with me the most is the courage and faith that it took to write something this intensely personal. 

I think that it takes an incredible amount of strength and self-love to be able to admit to oneself that you have been emotionally abused, and that it doesn't stop you from still hoping that they will change. 

This book should absolutely be required reading at the high school level. I firmly believe that. If you do nothing else for the rest of the year; read this poetry anthology.

Chrissy! You got some splainin' to do. Miss Everstar has been given another extra credit project.  Read; another life to screw up. And, if you think she would learn from the last time......Guess again. Hilarity and mild terror ensue. What would you do to avoid a loveless marriage? Tansy is having none of that, when she and her family get dropped into the middle ages by a wish, many lessons are learned. The moral of this story is; fairies can be cruel, some are vindictive, and others are just idiots. Stay away from them all.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell is a stunningly simple story about a young girl’s struggle to put herself into better circumstances. I found this book to be quite the easy read finishing it off in just under a day. The story itself is painfully slow moving, although this is likely to show us how Park feels constantly within the scope of the story. This book is a very abrupt end; it does not resolve anything between Eleanor and her family, or between herself and Park. Possible triggers for body dysmorphic disorder and for past runaways.

Review to come after a reread.

This essay is a scathing review of the movie industry. I could not get past page 192 if you literally lit a fire under my behind. David Mamet's opinionated nature comes through loud and clear; to the point that it is painfully obvious that he is writing about particular people without ever actually naming them. I just could not read any more of that poor person getting so thoroughly lampooned.

I do however agree with his position on the audition though. A jury cannot decide what an audience will like, only an audience can do that. Which is why the movie industry is so hit and miss. For example The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. There are those who love the movie cast and want none other, and those like me who hated Jonathan Reese-Myers as Valentine and can't wait for the TV reboot. 

While Mr. Mamet does make some valid arguments he gets more than a little preachy, and, at the end of the day, too bombastic for me to bother finishing the essay.

Okay, this one really wasn't for me. Absolutely had to slog through the nearly 60 pages that I did read. Time to move on to greener pastures.