The deep new-found love I have for my Nook continues. I am still happily downloading books at any time, in any place. The instant gratification still tickles me too. I’ve got a mobile library right at my finger tips- and I love it.
What could make this better?
I can lend books out! My sister has a Nook too and now I am able to send books I like her way if she’s interested in reading, and vice versa. Actually, I can lend out the books I have purchased to anyone with an on-line Barnes and Noble e-book account, which as I understand it, is free. Plus, my sister-in-law is getting a Nook and her sister already has one. So now I have a growing number of people to trade with and I am very excited. The only problem? Not all books are lendable. I don’t know if it is the author or Barnes and Noble who decided which books I can lend and which ones I cannot but, there you go.
I find this completely annoying. If I had the book in paperback, I’d gladly share it with whoever wanted to read it, provided I get it back. Unless I didn’t like it, in which case, I could care less if I ever see it again. You see, I am a re-reader. If I like a book, I will read it dozens of times and never grow tired of it. So Barnes and Noble, I beg you, please let me lend a larger variety of books. I’ve already paid for the darn thing, so why not?
Also, I am finding out that some authors I love don’t even offer their books via e-book. Take Jenny Nimmo for example. You can’t get a single one of her books online, which bums me out. You see, I have the entire Charlie Bone collection in hardback. I love these books. I think Jenny Nimmo is a wonderful story teller and creates the most unusual and incredible characters. I tried to get another set of her books called The Snow Spider Series (also called the Magician Trilogy) and that was not available either.
It. Drove. Me. Nuts.
Officially, I have become a Nook junkie. I just can’t get enough of it. Thankfully, I was able to track down the Nimmo books on my other favorite book site paperbackswap.com. I was so excited to find all three books in the series, so no biggie in the end- Which leads me to my next topic.
Really good, reliable used book websites. If you are trying to find inexpensive used books, two other great sites to check out are thriftbooks.com and seashellbooks.com. They both have great selections for people who love to read and don’t want to break the bank to get their fix. The shipping is affordable too, so you are not spending a fortune on that either.
Happy reading everyone and if you get a Nook- let’s swap books.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: By J.K. Rowling
As I am sure have realized by now, I love the Harry Potter series. This series is the reason I started writing children’s books in the first place and it’s also the reason I continue to forge ahead with my writing. It may take me a very long time before I get something published, but I have no intention of quitting, that’s for sure. This is the final book in the Harry Potter series, and in my opinion, the very best book.
Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger are on a secret journey that only the three of them know about. They are attempting to track down Horcrux’s in hopes of finishing off Voldemort for good. The very second this book begins, it is filled with action. We travel with the three friends during the most difficult time in any of their lives thus far. Their search to destroy Horcrux’s (No, I’m not telling you what one is, you’ll have to just read!) is dire, bleak, and feels sometimes hopeless. Yet, their mission can put a stop to Voldemort for good.
The magic in this novel is far more dangerous, far more evil, and far more horrible than any of them can even imagine. This journey tests their strengths, their skills, and most of all, their friendships. In all honestly, this is a book I go to over and over. I’ve read it over a dozen times, and I will continue to do so. I have serious doubts that it will ever ‘get old.’
To me, the measure of a good book is whether or not you want to read it over and over again. This book is one that people will want to keep in their library, and never pass on. Voldemort is a seriously evil and horrible adversary, Harry Potter is the hero everyone looks for in an epic tale, and the rest of the characters are so well developed that they enhance the story immeasurably. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will not be able to put this book down. Nice work J.K. Rowling!
Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger are on a secret journey that only the three of them know about. They are attempting to track down Horcrux’s in hopes of finishing off Voldemort for good. The very second this book begins, it is filled with action. We travel with the three friends during the most difficult time in any of their lives thus far. Their search to destroy Horcrux’s (No, I’m not telling you what one is, you’ll have to just read!) is dire, bleak, and feels sometimes hopeless. Yet, their mission can put a stop to Voldemort for good.
The magic in this novel is far more dangerous, far more evil, and far more horrible than any of them can even imagine. This journey tests their strengths, their skills, and most of all, their friendships. In all honestly, this is a book I go to over and over. I’ve read it over a dozen times, and I will continue to do so. I have serious doubts that it will ever ‘get old.’
To me, the measure of a good book is whether or not you want to read it over and over again. This book is one that people will want to keep in their library, and never pass on. Voldemort is a seriously evil and horrible adversary, Harry Potter is the hero everyone looks for in an epic tale, and the rest of the characters are so well developed that they enhance the story immeasurably. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will not be able to put this book down. Nice work J.K. Rowling!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
DVD review- Ledgend of the Guardians:The Owls of Ga'Hoole
Well, this is my first DVD review, but it seemed like a good idea since last week I did a review of the first book in the Guardian’s of Ga’Hoole series. I will start by saying, this DVD is visually stunning! It was done by Disney, which in my opinion, generally does good work. It is a cartoon of course and I believe it was originally done in 3-D which, after watching the movie, would have been great. My husband and I bought it on blue-ray and it looked so incredible! The detail the animators gave to the owls from their facial expressions, to the color of their feathers was so detailed that they could have been real owls! Soren and Gylfie really came to life on screen, and in just the way I imagined them. The scenery was so incredible too! I mean, the different landscapes were truly breathtaking. At more than one point I said aloud, “Wow! This looks incredible!”
Now on to the bad news. This movie, although well done, is very different from the book. Kludd (Soren’s brother) has a very different role in the movie than he does in the book, that’s for sure. The relationship between Soren and Gylfie (which is central to the plot in the book) is much less emphasized in the movie as well. In the book, it is their friendship that keeps them going, but in the DVD it is the Guardians and the hope that they really exist. Also, the introduction of Twilight and Digger is very different in the books than it is in the DVD, but I did not find this difference to be a bad one.
Also, this movie includes several of the books- I don’t yet know how many, as I have not read them all. I can understand that though, because clumping several of the books together to make the film made it easier to keep the action going in the film.
I enjoyed the movie a lot actually. It was so visually appealing that it was hard not to. If you are a fan of the books, I would most certainly recommend that you see the film and draw your own conclusions. Just remember that it is very different from the books and I think you will like it too: 0)
Now on to the bad news. This movie, although well done, is very different from the book. Kludd (Soren’s brother) has a very different role in the movie than he does in the book, that’s for sure. The relationship between Soren and Gylfie (which is central to the plot in the book) is much less emphasized in the movie as well. In the book, it is their friendship that keeps them going, but in the DVD it is the Guardians and the hope that they really exist. Also, the introduction of Twilight and Digger is very different in the books than it is in the DVD, but I did not find this difference to be a bad one.
Also, this movie includes several of the books- I don’t yet know how many, as I have not read them all. I can understand that though, because clumping several of the books together to make the film made it easier to keep the action going in the film.
I enjoyed the movie a lot actually. It was so visually appealing that it was hard not to. If you are a fan of the books, I would most certainly recommend that you see the film and draw your own conclusions. Just remember that it is very different from the books and I think you will like it too: 0)
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
The Westing Game: By Ellen Raskin
The first time I read The Westing Game I was in fifth or sixth grade. I absolutely loved it! I love to read, so I was thrilled to get the assignment back in the day. Clearly, this makes me a bit of a geek, but I could care less. To further cement me into the geek category, some of my favorite movies include Star Wars, Jurassic Park, anything with Jackie Chan, and Big Trouble in Little China, which I got for Christmas on blue-ray- score! I also still watch cartoons, and my current favorites are Avatar: The Last Airbender and Phineas and Ferb. But I digress.
The Westing Game first introduced me to the who-done-it genre, which later led me to Agatha Christie, whom I adore and still read to this day. So, whoever the teacher was that made me read The Westing Game, I thank you.
When I was re-reading this book, I started to remember bits and pieces of it. It made me a bit nostalgic, and I loved every second of it.
Recently, I read some reviews from first time readers that had me cracking up. Those who were given The Westing Game as a gift or bought it on their own loved it. Those who were forced to read it for a classroom assignment as a whole really didn’t like it. So, I guess my advice is, read it quick! Before some teacher forces you to.
The Westing game involves sixteen people who are invited to the reading of Samuel W. Westing’s will. Depending on how well they play the Westing Game, which is this very complex game that involves all sorts of high stake, wild and sometimes dangerous situations, will inherit 200 million dollars. The sixteen people are paired off into sets of two- and given clues to try and discover if Westing was killed…or died of natural causes. It is up to the teams to figure this out- and up to you, the reader.
This book reminded me of the movie, Clue (another one of my favorites). The characters are so incredibly diverse and full of oddities that you find yourself second guessing and accusing everyone of committing the crime. And the end of the book just makes it. I think this book is clever, interesting and after reading it the second time around, good enough to read over and over. I highly recommend!
The Westing Game first introduced me to the who-done-it genre, which later led me to Agatha Christie, whom I adore and still read to this day. So, whoever the teacher was that made me read The Westing Game, I thank you.
When I was re-reading this book, I started to remember bits and pieces of it. It made me a bit nostalgic, and I loved every second of it.
Recently, I read some reviews from first time readers that had me cracking up. Those who were given The Westing Game as a gift or bought it on their own loved it. Those who were forced to read it for a classroom assignment as a whole really didn’t like it. So, I guess my advice is, read it quick! Before some teacher forces you to.
The Westing game involves sixteen people who are invited to the reading of Samuel W. Westing’s will. Depending on how well they play the Westing Game, which is this very complex game that involves all sorts of high stake, wild and sometimes dangerous situations, will inherit 200 million dollars. The sixteen people are paired off into sets of two- and given clues to try and discover if Westing was killed…or died of natural causes. It is up to the teams to figure this out- and up to you, the reader.
This book reminded me of the movie, Clue (another one of my favorites). The characters are so incredibly diverse and full of oddities that you find yourself second guessing and accusing everyone of committing the crime. And the end of the book just makes it. I think this book is clever, interesting and after reading it the second time around, good enough to read over and over. I highly recommend!
The Guardians of Ga'Hoole (Book 1): By Kathryn Lasky
I would like to begin by apologizing. It has been three weeks since my last post. Despite my vow to write something at least once a week when I started this blog, I let the holiday festivities get the better of me. Yet, the promise of a new year, fresh with no mistakes in it yet, gives me hope that I can and will be blogging at least once a week this year.
On to the Guadrian’s of Ga’Hoole. I have very mixed feelings about the first book in this series. The Guardian’s is the very first book I got on my Nook, so I was excited to dig in. In the first few chapters, we learn about Soren, a young owlet who is not yet old enough to fly. In these chapters, we discover Soren is a Barn owl who lives in his nest with his Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, and a snake called Mrs. Plithiver who is a blind snake that acts as a nest maid to the family.
These first chapters are interesting because of how detailed the author, Kathryn Lasky, describes the owls from the way they live, to how they hunt, to how they care for one another. The detail is amazing! I have such an amazingly clear picture of this little family in my head and their cozy little nest. It is in this safe haven that Soren first hears the tales of the Guardian’s of Ga’Hoole (from his Father), the owls who fight for truth and injustice for their kind. Needless to say, this description is delightful and I enjoyed it very much.
The action begins when Soren falls from the nest and is taken away from his family. He is spirited away by a pair of very cruel owls who take him to a place called St. Aegolius. In St. Aggies, he quickly finds out that this place is nothing like home. It is filled with owls of all races that have been snatched from their families and treated cruelly. The owls are divided into groups and forced to do certain jobs that are chosen for them by a set of owls that run St. Aggies. It is in this terrible place that he meets an Elf Owl named Gylfie. Gylfie and Soren become close friends and use that friendship to try and discover a way to escape St. Aggies, and find the Guardian’s of Ga’Hoole so they can put a stop to the terrible things that go on here.
The way I explain the story above makes it all sound very exciting, but in all honestly, the part of the story that takes place in St. Aggies is really slow in spots. There were times I wondered to myself why I kept reading. The part in the beginning when Soren was in the nest was so interesting! I am a big fan of animals, and I watch Animal Planet all the time. I love learning about them. I even like books where animals can speak because I think in their own way; they speak to one another, so giving them a human voice is not too big a stretch. Yet, in St Aggies, oh man! It is very slow in spots. I understand that the author did this to show how slow time goes by for Gylfie and Soren, but I kept losing interest. Until the end that is.
The last several chapters are about Soren and Gylfie trying to escape. Without giving away the details, the end is quick moving, action packed, and excellent! So excellent in fact, that my earlier desire to give up on the book altogether and not bother reading the next two I’d purchased went out the window. I’ve already started the second book and love it so far. Who knows? Maybe to you this first book in the series went quickly. What one person finds interesting versus another is always different.
All I can say is, although it moved very slowly, I was pleasantly surprised in the end. I can wait to finish the first three books, and then watch the movie that just came out on DVD. I’ll be glad to let you know what I think of that too! So if you have enough patience, like Owls, and are willing to stick this book through to the end, I’m sure you will love it just as I did.
On to the Guadrian’s of Ga’Hoole. I have very mixed feelings about the first book in this series. The Guardian’s is the very first book I got on my Nook, so I was excited to dig in. In the first few chapters, we learn about Soren, a young owlet who is not yet old enough to fly. In these chapters, we discover Soren is a Barn owl who lives in his nest with his Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, and a snake called Mrs. Plithiver who is a blind snake that acts as a nest maid to the family.
These first chapters are interesting because of how detailed the author, Kathryn Lasky, describes the owls from the way they live, to how they hunt, to how they care for one another. The detail is amazing! I have such an amazingly clear picture of this little family in my head and their cozy little nest. It is in this safe haven that Soren first hears the tales of the Guardian’s of Ga’Hoole (from his Father), the owls who fight for truth and injustice for their kind. Needless to say, this description is delightful and I enjoyed it very much.
The action begins when Soren falls from the nest and is taken away from his family. He is spirited away by a pair of very cruel owls who take him to a place called St. Aegolius. In St. Aggies, he quickly finds out that this place is nothing like home. It is filled with owls of all races that have been snatched from their families and treated cruelly. The owls are divided into groups and forced to do certain jobs that are chosen for them by a set of owls that run St. Aggies. It is in this terrible place that he meets an Elf Owl named Gylfie. Gylfie and Soren become close friends and use that friendship to try and discover a way to escape St. Aggies, and find the Guardian’s of Ga’Hoole so they can put a stop to the terrible things that go on here.
The way I explain the story above makes it all sound very exciting, but in all honestly, the part of the story that takes place in St. Aggies is really slow in spots. There were times I wondered to myself why I kept reading. The part in the beginning when Soren was in the nest was so interesting! I am a big fan of animals, and I watch Animal Planet all the time. I love learning about them. I even like books where animals can speak because I think in their own way; they speak to one another, so giving them a human voice is not too big a stretch. Yet, in St Aggies, oh man! It is very slow in spots. I understand that the author did this to show how slow time goes by for Gylfie and Soren, but I kept losing interest. Until the end that is.
The last several chapters are about Soren and Gylfie trying to escape. Without giving away the details, the end is quick moving, action packed, and excellent! So excellent in fact, that my earlier desire to give up on the book altogether and not bother reading the next two I’d purchased went out the window. I’ve already started the second book and love it so far. Who knows? Maybe to you this first book in the series went quickly. What one person finds interesting versus another is always different.
All I can say is, although it moved very slowly, I was pleasantly surprised in the end. I can wait to finish the first three books, and then watch the movie that just came out on DVD. I’ll be glad to let you know what I think of that too! So if you have enough patience, like Owls, and are willing to stick this book through to the end, I’m sure you will love it just as I did.
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