If I stay

It has been a while since my last review. Now that I have began reading again I hope to reestablish my book review blog.

I recently read the novel If I stay by Gayle Forman.

I was pleasatly surprised by the storytelling in this novel. Many novels for young readers lately have been superficial and full of predictable dialouge however this book projects a sense beauty and in depth thought into life and it's hard choices.

Seventeen year old Mia is a talented celist. The last thing she remembers is being in the car with her family. The next thing she knows she is watching her own body being carried away on a stretcher. She is not sure if she is a ghost or in some in between world. The novel continues with Mia remembering various parts of her life and watching her family members and friends wait, contemplating whether or not she will wake up or not. Mia is very intelligent and wise for her age. The reader senses her struggle and empathizes with it as well. It is an intensely moving novel. It will leave you accessing your own life and wondering what choices will you make if you were to ever be in such a situation. Mia does not know if she has control over waking up and if she does gave control does she truly even want to sustain the pain and emptiness that could become her life once she is awake. Will she be miserable? Will she pull through? Is it worth it to stay???

What Chu Readin'

I have been in a reading funk. I cannot seem to engage myself in any of the books from the library so I am going to take them back Monday. I have had them for 3 weeks. Next I hope to read two books I purchased this week.

Queene of Light (Lightworld/Darkworld Series #1) by Jennifer Armintrout

I am on chapter 3 and it seems promising lol





and

Bram Stroker's Dracula

I don't think you can call yourself a vampire novel fan until you have read this.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

I hugely enjoyed this novel and read it in a short time. I cannot say that I loved it as others have. The writing was poetic and flowed in a natural manner that allowed for easy reading. Each chapter switches between the perspective of the two main characters Sam and Grace. Typically I loath this style of writing, however I believe it was necessary for the flow of the story. I enjoyed Sam's perspective much much more than Grace. He was a wonderful boy full of intelligent and sometimes deeply beautiful thoughts. The werewolf mythology is different than what readers are used to. These wolves change when it is cold. The older they get the harder it becomes to shift back to humanity. Soon they never shift into human form again. I found this aspect of the novel profoundly sad and imaginative. My only issue is the ending. It seemed so awkwardly undone. I have learned that a sequel is due out next year. I guess I am fed up with such deep cliffhangers. I truly do not understand why the author did not just end the book with closure. This could have been a standalone novel. A series seems far fetched. I do not see where the story can go from here besides explaining what the hell happened. I do recommend this novel for romance fans. It was a light easy read and much better than a lot of the young adult books being released.

At The Movies

Apparently,Hollywood loves Stephenie Meyer. There are reports that the screen rights to the non-Twilight book, The Host, have been bought. Gattaca writer/director Andrew Niccol has been hired to write and direct. I was skeptical about a film at first however I loved Gattaca. It was an awesome film all around so I am pleased with the writer/director choice.




http://www.mania.com/meyers-host-invasion-planned_article_117779.html

Fans of The Host novel should be excited to know that there will be a series. There are two more books to be released. The Seeker should be released sometime next year and The Soul will be released in 2012.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event hosted by Marg and Eva. Bloggers share the books they’ve checked out from the library.


This week I finally got my hands on Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. I hope I can get into this one. I only read two of the 15 books I checked out last week. Nothing is sucking me in right now. I love the cover and I love that the writing is blue.

The U.K. cover is interesting however I find it boring and predictable. Every supernatural teen book these days has a color scheme with red, black, and white.



Wish me luck.

New Moon Soundtrack

I don't know about you but I love movie soundtracks. It is a great way to discover new music. The New moon soundtrack will be released October 20th . I like this line up more so than Twilight. The album has more indie artists than the previous soundtrack, which featured Paramore, Collective Soul, and Linkin Park.


Here is the official tracklist for the "New Moon" soundtrack:

Death Cab for Cutie, "Meet Me on the Equinox"

Band of Skulls, "Friends"

Thom Yorke, "Hearing Damage"

Lykke Li, "Possibility"

The Killers, "A White Demon Love Song"

Anya Marina, "Satellite Heart"

Muse, "I Belong to You (New Moon)"

Bon Iver & St. Vincent, "Roslyn"

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, "Done All Wrong"

Hurricane Bells, "Monsters"

Sea Wolf, "The Violet Hour"

OK Go, "Shooting the Moon"

Grizzly Bear, "Slow Life"

Editors, "No Sound but the Wind"

Alexandre Desplat, "New Moon (The Meadow)"

I will most definitely be reading New Moon again before I see the film. I think I will read the movie tie in version released on September 15th.

Hush Hush Winner!!!!

First I will tell you how I came to a conclusion. I took all of the emails and entered them into a list randomizer at random.org

Using the release date of the book the 13th as a guide I randomized the list 13 times and chose the 13th name on the list. Very simple.

And so the winner is APRIL!!! from Good Books and Good Wine

Thank you all so very much for participating. I appreciate all of the new followers. Come back and see us!!!!

LAST DAY FOR ENTRY!!!!!!

TODAY is the last day to enter the HUSH HUSH Giveaway . I will except entries until midnight tonight!!!!!!! The winner will be announced tomorrow morning at 11 am. Get those extra entries in for your chance to win.

GOOD LUCK!!!