I had my thirty-third birthday this weekend. As I have grown older, I have always been the sort-of person who tries to embrace technology and the changes that come along with it- except when it comes to books. To me, there is nothing greater than the feel of the pages in your hand as you read. There is no greater smell than that of the ink printed on the crisp pages of a book. Before I read anything, I bring the book up to my nose, close my eyes, and inhale the sweet smell of story before I even read. For me, the feeling of that book coupled with its smell is better than the smell of cookies baking in the oven or even the smell of the first Michigan rain in April.
Some women spend a fortune on clothes or purses or shoes. I am not one of these women. I could care less about clothes and shoes. Give me the choice, and I will spend all my money on books. Books never go out of style, and they aren’t usually expensive. I love them like I do my friends and family because for me, my books are great friends too and even better, when I miss my fictional friends, I do not even need to make a call, they are right there at my finger tips.
So, you can understand when I say I was against the idea of getting an electronic reader. How could I like it, without the feeling of freshly inked pages and the non-book smell? Oh, I looked at those electronic readers on several occasions, even admitting to myself that they were in fact, very cool. I even tried downloading a few books to my computer to read them. Oh sure, the instant gratification of wanting to read a book right then and there was great- but I missed taking the trip to the bookstore and the excitement of ordering from Barnes and Noble, my favorite bookstore, on-line. I even had myself convinced that I just could not “Get into the book” unless I held a paper copy in my hands.
When my husband Ben asked me what I wanted for my Birthday and I told him I wanted a Nook, needless to say, he was astounded. “Are you sure?” he asked, uncertainly. What brought on this change of heart? Well, my book collection has gotten a bit out of hand and we were running out of room. In fact, sometimes I feel like the books are crawling off the shelves to get me.
Yet, the real reason I decided to get Nook was because of an article I read. In it, it talked about how electronic texts were the future and by not embracing this new technology we, as book lovers, are hanging on to the past. That got me to thinking. Was I clinging too tightly to the past? Was I becoming the type of person who was unwilling to try new things because they were too much work? Was I clinging those written pages simply to be stubborn?
And that’s when it hit me.
When it came to books, that’s exactly what I was doing.
So I told myself firmly to get a Nook. Now I have the option of getting certain books in the traditional print form to satisfy my love of new paper books, and electronic books for my Nook as well and surprisingly, I love it! Barnes and Noble makes it so easy to order, there are tons of books right at my fingertips, and my Ben even bought me a cover for it that makes me feel like I’m holding a real book.
What does the cover say?
“When I step into this library, I cannot understand why I ever step out of it.” –Marie DeSevigne
Humm…my own portable library. How could I not love it?
Monday, December 6, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets: By J.K. Rowling
Harry is back in this well written sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets! In the first book Harry begins his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he makes new friends, finds a new world and a new home, and keeps the evil Lord Voldemort from returning to human form. In this sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry is awaiting the end of summer vacation. Unusual he wants it to be over so soon, right? Most kids love summer vacation, but not Harry because he is stuck on Privet Drive with the Dursleys- his uncaring and mean family.
Harry is counting down the days until he can return to Hogwarts and is trying to stay out of his horrible families’ way, and almost succeeds- until he is visited by Dobby, a House elf. Dobby warns him that terrible things are about to happen at Hogwarts- and that Harry should not come back to school. And as it turns out, Dobby is right!
Not long before he is back at school, dreadful things start to happen. Kids are being turned to stone! Worse yet, is that everyone thinks Harry is behind all the attacks. Can Harry and his two best friends Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger uncover the truth before it’s too late?
I loved this book. It was even better than Rowling’s first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I could not put it down and zipped through it in record time. However, there are a few things parents should be aware of if they are letting their kids read the series. At its core, this book is about prejudice. Non-magic students, that is, students with muggle parents who have no magic themselves, are referred to as Mudbloods. It is a derogatory name for people with non-magic parents. Hermione is a muggle-born student, and faces being different.
Personally, I think it is handled by Rowling. She tackles the subject of prejudice in such a way that it is both realistic and sensitive to the hurt prejudice causes. Unfortunately, prejudice is a way of life and I applaud Rowling for including this in her books. Also, this book is much darker then the first book. Without giving away the story too much, there is a great deal of violence and dread surrounding the story, but I think it makes for great reading. However, it might be something you want to discuss with your kids if they are reading it on their own, or you are reading it to them. It is without a doubt a fantastic book, but it tackles some very grown-up issues.
Harry is counting down the days until he can return to Hogwarts and is trying to stay out of his horrible families’ way, and almost succeeds- until he is visited by Dobby, a House elf. Dobby warns him that terrible things are about to happen at Hogwarts- and that Harry should not come back to school. And as it turns out, Dobby is right!
Not long before he is back at school, dreadful things start to happen. Kids are being turned to stone! Worse yet, is that everyone thinks Harry is behind all the attacks. Can Harry and his two best friends Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger uncover the truth before it’s too late?
I loved this book. It was even better than Rowling’s first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I could not put it down and zipped through it in record time. However, there are a few things parents should be aware of if they are letting their kids read the series. At its core, this book is about prejudice. Non-magic students, that is, students with muggle parents who have no magic themselves, are referred to as Mudbloods. It is a derogatory name for people with non-magic parents. Hermione is a muggle-born student, and faces being different.
Personally, I think it is handled by Rowling. She tackles the subject of prejudice in such a way that it is both realistic and sensitive to the hurt prejudice causes. Unfortunately, prejudice is a way of life and I applaud Rowling for including this in her books. Also, this book is much darker then the first book. Without giving away the story too much, there is a great deal of violence and dread surrounding the story, but I think it makes for great reading. However, it might be something you want to discuss with your kids if they are reading it on their own, or you are reading it to them. It is without a doubt a fantastic book, but it tackles some very grown-up issues.
The City of Ember: By Jeanne DuPrau
It is time for the truth. The truth is I saw the movie, The City of Ember, before I read the books. I think if I had read the books first, I may not have liked the movie very much. However, I loved the movie. I thought it was so good that I raced out and bought all the books in the series.
Now, I know that this series received lots of awards and recommendations but, I did not love it. It was good enough to keep reading, but there were small details in it that stuck out with and made me less than excited to keep on reading. For example, there is a part in the book where they are supposed to have never done things that you or I take for granted, like light a match, and get it right away. It bothered me because it did not seem authentic. I remember saying to myself, “How could they do that so quickly?”
Yet, DuPrau is a really good writer in spite of missing the details I found significant. She has a way for keeping her text clear and uncluttered- a task that I find difficult as a writer. In all honesty, the style in which she writes is a pleasure to read.
The City of Ember is about two kids named Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow. They live in Ember, an underground city that was formed by a group of men and women everyone refers to as The Builders when life on the surface was coming to an end. The Builders thought of everything from electricity, schools, a governmental system, and anything else that the citizens of Ember might need when they founded the city over 200 years ago. Unfortunately, they only expected the citizens to live there 200 years and did not plan for an extended stay, so the city is very nearly falling apart, and the citizens are running out of all life’s essentials like food and electricity.
The story begins on assignment day- the day where each child is given an important job. Doon wants to work underground so he can be near the generator. He is sure he knows a way to fix it and keep the city of Ember from being engulfed in darkness forever. Lina on the other hand has always wanted to be a messenger and deliver messages from person to person. She loves to run- fast! On assignment day, Doon draws messenger- and wants to switch with Lina, who got a job in the pipe works. So they switch, but their adventure does not end there. Lina and Doon stumble upon a map that could lead them and everyone else out of Ember and back onto the surface where they can live free in the light and the air. But can they uncover the exit before it is too late?
This book has all the right things- good story line, adventure, unusual characters, and an interesting plot- but it really did not do it for me. I wish I had not seen the movie first, because if I had not, I might have liked it more. As it is, I read the rest of the series because I bought them, certain I would love them after seeing the movie, but I was disappointed. Had it been the other way around, I would have liked them more…I think.
Now, I know that this series received lots of awards and recommendations but, I did not love it. It was good enough to keep reading, but there were small details in it that stuck out with and made me less than excited to keep on reading. For example, there is a part in the book where they are supposed to have never done things that you or I take for granted, like light a match, and get it right away. It bothered me because it did not seem authentic. I remember saying to myself, “How could they do that so quickly?”
Yet, DuPrau is a really good writer in spite of missing the details I found significant. She has a way for keeping her text clear and uncluttered- a task that I find difficult as a writer. In all honesty, the style in which she writes is a pleasure to read.
The City of Ember is about two kids named Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow. They live in Ember, an underground city that was formed by a group of men and women everyone refers to as The Builders when life on the surface was coming to an end. The Builders thought of everything from electricity, schools, a governmental system, and anything else that the citizens of Ember might need when they founded the city over 200 years ago. Unfortunately, they only expected the citizens to live there 200 years and did not plan for an extended stay, so the city is very nearly falling apart, and the citizens are running out of all life’s essentials like food and electricity.
The story begins on assignment day- the day where each child is given an important job. Doon wants to work underground so he can be near the generator. He is sure he knows a way to fix it and keep the city of Ember from being engulfed in darkness forever. Lina on the other hand has always wanted to be a messenger and deliver messages from person to person. She loves to run- fast! On assignment day, Doon draws messenger- and wants to switch with Lina, who got a job in the pipe works. So they switch, but their adventure does not end there. Lina and Doon stumble upon a map that could lead them and everyone else out of Ember and back onto the surface where they can live free in the light and the air. But can they uncover the exit before it is too late?
This book has all the right things- good story line, adventure, unusual characters, and an interesting plot- but it really did not do it for me. I wish I had not seen the movie first, because if I had not, I might have liked it more. As it is, I read the rest of the series because I bought them, certain I would love them after seeing the movie, but I was disappointed. Had it been the other way around, I would have liked them more…I think.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Paper Back Swap
I thought I would take a second to tell you all about Paper Back Swap. It is this fantastic website out there where you post old books that you no longer want. When someone is interested in the book, they simply request that book from you and you in turn, mail that book to their home address. Once they receive the book, you earn a credit that you can use to request a book from another member.
Like a lot of people out there, I am always looking for a more eco-friendly and money-saving way to get my hands on books. I often visit garage sales or used book stores in an attempt to satisfy my need to read and keep extra money in my pocket book during the process. I was so excited when I found out about Paper Back Swap because it has already saved me a fortune, and I have found a few books that are out of print I wanted to read.
Paper Back Swap even offers a part on your personal page where you can make up a wish list for books you would like to get when they become available if you really want something and it has not yet made its way to Paper Back Swap yet. It is great!
If you have a chance, you can check it out at paperbackswap.com!
Like a lot of people out there, I am always looking for a more eco-friendly and money-saving way to get my hands on books. I often visit garage sales or used book stores in an attempt to satisfy my need to read and keep extra money in my pocket book during the process. I was so excited when I found out about Paper Back Swap because it has already saved me a fortune, and I have found a few books that are out of print I wanted to read.
Paper Back Swap even offers a part on your personal page where you can make up a wish list for books you would like to get when they become available if you really want something and it has not yet made its way to Paper Back Swap yet. It is great!
If you have a chance, you can check it out at paperbackswap.com!
Secret of Dripping Fang, Book One, The Onts: By Dan Greenburg
This was a fun book! The Secrets of Dripping Fang, Book One, and The Onts is a great book for any eight year old who is learning to read. The book is short, moves quickly and has some really funny parts. The writing is not that difficult and the book is short enough for kids who have just started to take an interest in chapter books to want to continue reading. However, I do not know that I would recommend it for adults who read children’s books, because unlike some children’s book series, this is clearly written for a much younger audience. But, it would be a great book to have your child read to you because it is funny, the characters are unusual, and the story moves along quickly.
The Onts is the first in The Dripping Fang series and it is about two orphan twins named Wally and Cheyenne Shluffmuffin who live in the Jolly Days Orphanage. No one wants to adopt Wally or Cheyenne because Wally has very stinky feet and Cheyenne is allergic to absolutely everything. So, when the Mandible sisters, a pair of old maids, show up at the Jolly Time Orphanage and want to adopt the twins, they cannot help but be suspicious!
Weirder still is that the sisters live in Dripping Fang Forrest, where zombies and glowing slugs call home and want to make the Shluffmuffin twins their very next meal. Prepare to be afraid, laugh out loud and enjoy these unique twins, the characters they meet on their travels, and most of all, their adventures in the Secrets of Dripping Fang Series.
This book was very affordable and the illustrations, which were done by Scott M. Fisher, were incredible! Fisher really brings to life the characters in this book, which I always enjoy, especially when how I imagine a character looks is almost exactly like the illustration. I think any kid who likes silly, outrageous, and sometimes bizarre books would enjoy this series.
The Onts is the first in The Dripping Fang series and it is about two orphan twins named Wally and Cheyenne Shluffmuffin who live in the Jolly Days Orphanage. No one wants to adopt Wally or Cheyenne because Wally has very stinky feet and Cheyenne is allergic to absolutely everything. So, when the Mandible sisters, a pair of old maids, show up at the Jolly Time Orphanage and want to adopt the twins, they cannot help but be suspicious!
Weirder still is that the sisters live in Dripping Fang Forrest, where zombies and glowing slugs call home and want to make the Shluffmuffin twins their very next meal. Prepare to be afraid, laugh out loud and enjoy these unique twins, the characters they meet on their travels, and most of all, their adventures in the Secrets of Dripping Fang Series.
This book was very affordable and the illustrations, which were done by Scott M. Fisher, were incredible! Fisher really brings to life the characters in this book, which I always enjoy, especially when how I imagine a character looks is almost exactly like the illustration. I think any kid who likes silly, outrageous, and sometimes bizarre books would enjoy this series.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Lost Hero: By Rick Riordan
The Lost Hero picks up after the final book in the Percy Jackson series, The Last Olympian, has concluded. This book is about the Greek Gods- with a whole new twist and a whole new set of characters. I was not sure if I would like this book because there were new characters, but Rick Riordan cleverly brings back the old characters and mixes them in with all the new ones in such a way that you find yourself glad you decided to read.
There are three main characters in this book- Jason, who wakes up on a bus, can’t remember who he is or even how he got there. Weirder still is that he’s sitting next to a pretty girl who appears to be his girlfriend, and he can’t remember who she is. The girl’s name is Piper and she can tell Jason is upset, and can’t stand to see him struggling to remember who he is. Even worse, her Dad, a famous actor, has been missing for three days, and she has been having horrible nightmares about him being in trouble. On the seat behind him is Leo, Jason’s supposed best friend and he can’t decide if Jason is joking or not about his memory loss. They are best friends after all- or are they? Yet Leo has bigger problems, because he is seeing ghosts.
The three friends are on a school field trip when chaos ensues and strange creatures attack them. Luckily, they are able to hold them off- that’s when two strange people arrive and insist on taking them to some place safe called Camp Half-blood. That’s when the three friends discover that one of their parents is really a Greek God- but which God is their Dad or Mom? Plus, camp half-blood is in disarray and these new heroes may be the only ones who can set it to rights.
This book is excellent. I think it is Riordan’s best book yet. I read it in less than two days and was very sad when it was over because the new book does not come out until fall of 2011, which means I’ve got to wait to see what happens next. Boo! At any rate, if you start with Percy Jackson and read your way up to this one, I very much doubt you will be disappointed. Rick Riordan is so great at mixing fact and fiction, and changing the characters of Greek Mythology to give them a clever, sometimes funny, modern day personas. These books are great and I think people of any age would enjoy them!
There are three main characters in this book- Jason, who wakes up on a bus, can’t remember who he is or even how he got there. Weirder still is that he’s sitting next to a pretty girl who appears to be his girlfriend, and he can’t remember who she is. The girl’s name is Piper and she can tell Jason is upset, and can’t stand to see him struggling to remember who he is. Even worse, her Dad, a famous actor, has been missing for three days, and she has been having horrible nightmares about him being in trouble. On the seat behind him is Leo, Jason’s supposed best friend and he can’t decide if Jason is joking or not about his memory loss. They are best friends after all- or are they? Yet Leo has bigger problems, because he is seeing ghosts.
The three friends are on a school field trip when chaos ensues and strange creatures attack them. Luckily, they are able to hold them off- that’s when two strange people arrive and insist on taking them to some place safe called Camp Half-blood. That’s when the three friends discover that one of their parents is really a Greek God- but which God is their Dad or Mom? Plus, camp half-blood is in disarray and these new heroes may be the only ones who can set it to rights.
This book is excellent. I think it is Riordan’s best book yet. I read it in less than two days and was very sad when it was over because the new book does not come out until fall of 2011, which means I’ve got to wait to see what happens next. Boo! At any rate, if you start with Percy Jackson and read your way up to this one, I very much doubt you will be disappointed. Rick Riordan is so great at mixing fact and fiction, and changing the characters of Greek Mythology to give them a clever, sometimes funny, modern day personas. These books are great and I think people of any age would enjoy them!
Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief: By Rick Riordan
Of all of Rick Riordan’s books, this one is my least favorite- but having said that, this is still a good book. I picked this up because like so many books out on the shelves these days it had the typical, “If you like Harry Potter- you will love this series” disclaimer you see all over the place now. I did not expect to like it as much as I did, but the concept was just so cool that I just had to give it a try.
Percy Jackson is tweleve year old kid who has been kicked out of one school after another. He has been diagnosed with ADHD and struggles with school, with making friends, and most especially with strange things happening to him. Strange things like his Algebra teacher turning into a real life monster. When this happens, Percy has to defend himself- or die. It is shortly after this that Percy discovers his best friend is not really a human, he is not who he thinks he is, and he’s in big trouble. The only safe place for Percy is a place called Camp Half-blood, but in order to get there, he will have to defeat a Minotaur.
Suddenly, Percy is thrown into a new world where monsters really do exist, and the characters of Greek Mythology are not only real, they are angry with him because they think he has stolen Zeus’s master lightning Bolt. It is up to Percy and his new found friends to find the lightening blot and take it back to Zeus before a war begins- and he only has ten days to do it. Percy and his friends embark on an action-filled quest filled with strange creatures, danger and excitement as they travel to Mount Olympus to return the lightning bolt to its rightful owner.
Sounds good, right? It is. Percy is a great character- he is funny and charming and awkward all at the same time. Plus the friends he makes are really cool, and the talents these half-blood kids have are just incredible. So, why did I say this was my least favorite of all Rick Riordan’s books? It is because as the series goes on, the books get better and better. I just re-read this so I could remember what happens, and I have to say, Percy Jackson is not as well developed in this book as he is in the others. As the series goes on, the books get more and more incredible. So I guess my advice is, read this, and even if you think the book was just ok, keep reading the series. You will be so glad that you did! The monsters get bigger and bader, the stories get more complex and the adventures just keep coming.
Percy Jackson is tweleve year old kid who has been kicked out of one school after another. He has been diagnosed with ADHD and struggles with school, with making friends, and most especially with strange things happening to him. Strange things like his Algebra teacher turning into a real life monster. When this happens, Percy has to defend himself- or die. It is shortly after this that Percy discovers his best friend is not really a human, he is not who he thinks he is, and he’s in big trouble. The only safe place for Percy is a place called Camp Half-blood, but in order to get there, he will have to defeat a Minotaur.
Suddenly, Percy is thrown into a new world where monsters really do exist, and the characters of Greek Mythology are not only real, they are angry with him because they think he has stolen Zeus’s master lightning Bolt. It is up to Percy and his new found friends to find the lightening blot and take it back to Zeus before a war begins- and he only has ten days to do it. Percy and his friends embark on an action-filled quest filled with strange creatures, danger and excitement as they travel to Mount Olympus to return the lightning bolt to its rightful owner.
Sounds good, right? It is. Percy is a great character- he is funny and charming and awkward all at the same time. Plus the friends he makes are really cool, and the talents these half-blood kids have are just incredible. So, why did I say this was my least favorite of all Rick Riordan’s books? It is because as the series goes on, the books get better and better. I just re-read this so I could remember what happens, and I have to say, Percy Jackson is not as well developed in this book as he is in the others. As the series goes on, the books get more and more incredible. So I guess my advice is, read this, and even if you think the book was just ok, keep reading the series. You will be so glad that you did! The monsters get bigger and bader, the stories get more complex and the adventures just keep coming.
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