“Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.” —Article 3, Library Bill

BANNED!

It's the American Library Association's annual Banned Books Week ( September 25-October 2)

Celebrate by reading on of these banned books!
(as compiled by Betsy Towner of AARP magazine!)

Too Political
1) Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1852
2)All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque, 1928
3)A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway,1929
4)The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck, 1939
5)For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingway,1940
6)Animal Farm, George Orwell, 1945
7)1984,George Orwell, 1949
8)Doctor Zhivago,Boris Pasternak,1957
9)Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., 1969
10)In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, Peter Matthiessen, 1983

Too Much Sex
1)Madame Bovary,Gustave Flaubert, 1856
2)Tess of d'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy, 1891
3)Ulysses, James Joyce, 1922
4)The Sun also Rises, Ernest Hemingway, 1926
5)Lady Chatterley's Lover, D.H. Lawrence, 1928
6) Tropic of Cancer, Henry Miller, 1934
7)Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov, 1955
8)Peyton Place, Grace Metalious, 1956
9)Rabbit,Run, John Updike,1960
10)I know why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou, 1969
11) Jaws, Peter Benchley, 1974
12)Forever, Judy Blume, 1975
13)The Prince of Tides, Pat Conroy, 1986
14)Beloved, Toni Morrison, 1987
15)How the Garcia Girls lost their Accents, Julia Alvarez,1991

Irreligious
1) On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin, 1859
2)The Lord of the Rings trilogy,J.R.R Tolkien,1954
3)The Last Temptation of Christ, Nikos Kazantzakis, 1960
4)Bless Me,Ultima, Rudolfo Anaya, 1972
5) Harry Potter Series, J.K. Rowling, 1997-2007

Socially Offensive
1) The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Franklin, 1791
2)The Scarlet Letter, Nathanial Hawthorne, 1850
3)The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain, 1884
4)As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner, 1930
5)Brave New World, Aldous Huxley, 1932
6)Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell, 1936
7) Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck, 1937
8)Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank, 1947
9)The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, 1951
10)Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury, 1953
11)To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee,1960
12)James and the Giant Peach,Roald Dahl,1961
13)Catch-22,Joseph Heller,1961
14) A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess, 1962
15)One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey, 1962
16)In Cold Blood, Truman Capote, 1966
17)Cujo, Stephen King,1981
18)The Color Purple, Alice Walker, 1982
19)Ordinary People, Judith Guest, 1982
20) A Thousand Acres, Jane Smiley, 1991

I'll be posting more on Banned Books this week, So.....
Stay Tuned!

The Tales of Beedle the Bard

The Tales of Beedle the Bard (J.K. Rowling) is suppose to be for the Wizarding World, what Grimm's Fairy Tales or Mother Goose is in the Muggle (non magic folk) world.

They are fictional fairy tales, that Rowling made up to go along with the 7th installment of the Harry Potter Series.

These stories are suppose to be what wizard and witch children were read at bed time.

I really enjoyed the way it went along with the 7th book, especially since I just finished reading it. However, only one of the stories is linked to the Deathly Hallows.

Because it's about the Deathly Hallows; The Tale of the Three Brothers

Basically, it's about 3 brothers who cheat death and are given gifts from death for being so smart. The first brother chooses a wand that is unbeatable, the second a stone that can raise the dead and the third a cloak of invisibility. Though the brother seem to cheat death in the end the first two brothers are taken by death because of their gifts. Only the third brother is able to "hide" from death till old age.

This tale is key to understanding the last in the Harry Potter Series but you don't have to read this book or the other 4 mind numbing stories to get it. The whole of the story is in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

That's just how key it is.

This book wasn't great but it wasn't horrible either. Easy read for any Harry Potter fan.

2 stars

A to Z, Christopher Walken: The Man, The Movies, The Legend

A to Z, Christopher Walken: The Man, The Movies, The Legend by Robert Schnakenberg was one interesting biography.

I liked it, very much so because

1) I'm a Chris Walken fan, I will watch anything he is in despite bad reviews.

2) The format was fantastic. It read like an encyclopedia. (A to Z, get it?)

There was so much information in there that I would have never of thought could be true about an actor.

Like, did you know that Christopher Walken was a nude baby model in cat calenders or that he was a lion tamer one summer?

Who would have thought!

This is a great biography to read if you are interested in learning all there is to know about Christopher Walken. It touches on every part of his life without going into a long, drawn out narrative about the night he was born, who was growing up or any other mundane details that supposedly make a person.

However, the book wasn't perfect. I found some of the "entries" pointless and it left me wondering why certian things were important enough to get recognitions. But hey, I didn't write it so who am I to judge! And as always it could have used.....

MORE COWBELL!

4 stars

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I re-read the 7th installment of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Like most books when you re-read them, it was better this time around. I think it's because when you read a book for the first time most people tend to rush through to get to the end, you gotta know what happens, right?

I find this to more true when it comes to series, especially the end.

You catch details you missed the first time.

At least this is how I read, anyway.

So it was better than the last time I read it but it still comes in second to my favorite.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire!

If you haven't read this series, stop what you are doing and go to the library or the bookstore and start now! You will thank me for it, they really are good books. You will be on the edge of your seat from beginning to end!

5 stars! DUH!

Harry Potter, Christopher Walken, Michael Oher and Jackie Kennedy

To try and make up for my lack of reading and posts in July,

I fail, I know, I'm sorry,

I'm currently reading FIVE books!

1. Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

2. The Blind Side by Michael Lewis
*Facebook Monthly Reading Group Book for August!*

3. Letters to Jackie: Condolences from a Grieving Nation by Ellen Fitzpatrick

4.The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

5. A to Z, Christopher Walken: The Man, The Movies, The Legend by Robert Schnakenberg

"Book your Trip"

I found this in the September Issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray and just had to share!!
*Note: I'm copying the article as written in issue*

Bring classic children's books to life with a family get-away!


Read Charlotte's Web by E.B.White

Live it @ Liberty Hill Farm Inn in Rochester, VT

Guest Stay in farmhouse rooms on a dairy farm. Kids will love searching the henhouse for eggs, bottle-feeding the calves[just like Fern did with Wilbur] and swimming in the White River. Included are hearty breakfast and dinners using farm-raised produce, with all the fresh milk you can drink!
www.libertyhillfarm.com





Read Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Live it @ De Smet, SD!
The Ingalls family, as chronicled in the Little House books, migrated across the upper Midwest, stopping over several states. Many towns claim a connection, but the family settled in De Smet, SD, home to two artifact-filled Ingalls homes and the school Laura attended with her nemesis, Nellie. Also, a summer pageant reenacts family life on the prairie. Date are July 8-10,15-17,22-24, 2o11.
liwms.com





Read any or all of the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

See it!

If you are feeling flush, fly to England, where Lynott Tours offers a six-day self guided tour of sites that inspired the books. lynotttours.com

Can't afford transatlantic trip?

Stay local and visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort.
Shop for wands and send postcards via owl.

Wish you were here, Muggles! universalorlando.com



Read Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry

See it!
The story of a wild pony-turned-child's pet was based on the horse roundups that still happen on Assateague and Chincoteague islands off the coasts of Virgina and Maryland. On Pony Penning day
(July 27,2011), wild horses are herded across the saltwater channel to auction on Chincoteague, and thousands of people come to watch. If you can't make it on the big day, don't fear. Head offshore to Assateague Island National Seashore to witness the animals grazing in the wild anytime. nps.gov/asis

Water for Elephants

The story, Water for Elephants (by Sara Gruen) is told as a series of memories by Jacob Jankowski, a ninety-three year-old man who lives in a nursing home.

He tells his tale as a 23 year old, almost college grad, whose life is turned upside down by the tragic death of his parents.

With his life all planned the tragic death of his parents sent Jacob on downward sprial that lands him in the employ of , The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth,a traveling circus.

Based on somewhat true events, this historical fiction, tells of the day to day life for those who lived and worked on a traveling train circus in the 1930s. There are handful of unforgettable characters that make this novel really work.

I mean really, how can you have a traveling circus without the world's fattest woman, a tyrannical ring master, a beautiful showgirl and a temperamental yet lovable elephants?

One thing I really loved about this book was that at the beginning of each chapter (save a few) there were pictures from the real traveling circuses of the 1930's. Makes me want to go out and do some research on them. Pretty interesting subject, I think.

There is a movie coming out at some point, hopefully the screenwriters won't totally screw it up. You can go here to find the full list of cast and crew, Which includes Robert Pattinson, Resse Witherspoon and Christoper Waltz.

I really enjoyed this book and will probably read it again one day. It was a fairly quick and easy read. However, if you are the modest type, I should warn you..... there are some fairly sexual themes throughout the story.

You've been warned!!!

All in All, I thought it was fantastic!

5 stars!!

Finally Finished....BONE

I finally finished the Bone Series by Jeff Smith!!! The last took novels in the Series, Treasure Hunters and the Crown of Thorns, were just as wonderful and awesome as the others!

I was so excited to finally finish, I couldn't put them down!!!

It was simple, it was perfect!

If you haven't read my other post about this graphic novel series, let me catch you up.....

Once upon a time in a far distant land there were 3 bone cousins. They were run out of Boneville because of one of the cousin's greed.

They got lost, very lost. Then separated ! They really weren't having any luck. Until.....
They meet Grandma Ben and Thorn. After that there was no going back and OH! how the adventures began.

"What kind of adventures?" you may ask....

I'm not telling, you gotta go read.

I promise you'll love it!!! And if you don't, well then I can't really help you.

You are un-help-able!

No, but seriously go read these graphic novels. They are easy to read, fast reads, classic good vs. evil dilemma, funny, cute and charming.

Just do it! Now!

5 stars don't lie!

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

I finally found the time to read the Eclipse Novella The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer.

All I can say is I'm so glad that I opted to read the free version rather than buy a copy. You can still read the free version here until July 5.

But unless you are super bored, I wouldn't recommend it. It was dry and plot-less. I got about half way and I didn't understand why I was reading it.

What's the point of reading the story of someone who was dead before the story starts. And I don't mean dead as in undead. If you have already read Eclipse you know she dies. What was the point?

Why did Stephenie Meyer see the need to write this story but refuse to finish Midnight Sun despite the urging of her fans?

Needless to say I didn't like this story, if you wanna know more about it you can read my first post about it here.

1 of 5 stars :(

Long time no see......

Have you missed me?

I know I've been slightly absent lately but don't worry I'm still reading!

I currently finishing The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck and the Bone Series by Jeff Smith.

I have two more books in the Bone series. Then I will review them all!

I know, I know you can't wait to read all about it, but you are just gonna have to contain your excitement!

FB Monthly Reading Group

Last night I decided that I wanted to join a book club. They don't have one here, not one I can find anyway.

So I went to facebook and created one. Anyone ( with FB account ) is free to join. I will pick a book each month, members are encouraged to suggested one, and post discussion questions about book. I will also continue to blog about what is read and try to link the two pages together.

For now you can go here to join or just check it out.

The Book we are reading during June is The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck.

3 novels, 2 days

May has clearly been a month of graphic novels. I have read 6, 4 of them in the pass 5 days!

I think I'm addicted.

I mean in the past 24 hours I have read 3!


I started with this....

Bone: Eyes of the Storm by Jeff Smith

Which lead to this.....
Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi

And ended with this.....

Twilight: The Graphic Novel Volume 1 by Stephenie Meyer, Art and Adaptation by Young Kim

First of all I would like to say,

Hi my name is Elizabeth and I am a twilight fan. [now you say "Hi Elizabeth"]
( I will not be ashamed!)

Anywho, I really like all three of these graphic novels. Obviously, I couldn't put them down.
I was excited to read the next installment of Bone and like it just as much, if not better, as the first two volumes. In fact I would like to give it half a star more than the others because I find the more I read the better I like it. Once I have finished all nine volumes I will go into more detail but for now Bone: Eyes of the Storm gets 3.5 of 5 stars.

Persepolis 2 : The Story of a Return is the continuation of Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, both by Marjane Satrapi. I first learned of the books in my young adult fiction class and was entranced from the very first page. Persepolis is a story of young Marjane dealing with growing up in war-torn Iran. At 14, her parents decided it is to dangerous for her to continue living there and send her to school in Austria.

That is where Persepolis 2 picks up. She shows of her life in Austria and the hardships she had to face there while in high school. It also tells of here return to Iran at age 18 and how she felt about the country she left and the country she returned to.

These graphic novels are a wonderful coming of age tale for any young girl. Despite being set in war-torn Iran and the European Culture of the 1980-90s, I really think any teen girl can relate to Marjane. I think what I loved best about these novels is that , like Maus I & II, they are based on a true story, in this case autobiographical. In addition to being relatable, I found it really taught me more about the politics in Iran ( for that time), I learned things that I thought I'd never really know or understand. 5 of 5 stars!

Now for Twilight: The Graphic Novel.
I read it in an hour. It's only half the story of Twilight the novel but there is a volume 2. The story is exactly the same. Except there are pictures.

And let me say the pictures were weird. When you read a book, you always get an image of the characters in your head ( at least I do!) and then you see the movie and then one of two things happens.

1) The actors are exactly how you pictured the characters.

2) The casting directors got it all wrong. WHAT were they thinking?

This graphic novel just added a third look into the mix. The artist is from Korea, she did a phenomenal job on the artwork but have you ever pictured the Twilight Characters in Manga?
If that's even what it's called.....
It wasn't bad, it was just weird.

This book wasn't really that big a deal, I read it cause I'm currently addicted to graphic novels and I really just wanted to read another one.
If you are like me and addicted to graphic novels read it, the pictures ( thought not my idea of the characters) are amazing!

If you are a twilight fan and need a new fix, read it. It will satisfy your craving.

If you can't stand twilight and wish Edward Cullen would die, I don't suggest you read it. It's not gonna be your cup of tea.

But I liked it, it was alright. Not a 5 of 5 stars great but it still gets 3!

Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere

Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere was originally a novel by.... you guessed it,

Neil Gaiman!

I'm betting most of you don't know who Neil Gaiman is but I'm also betting that you actually do. In addition to writing Neverwhere, he also wrote Coraline, Stardust and The Graveyard Book.

He didn't, however, write Neverwhere, the graphic novel.
Mike Carey and Glenn Fabry did. They just took his novel and added pictures.

At first I was unsure whether or not to read the graphic novel because I have the novel sitting on the book shelf just waiting to be read. But it was the last week of May and I had only read 2 books and I can read graphic novels in one day. So I read it.

I didn't really like it. I don't know if it was the gruesome pictures or the somewhat confusing story line. Either way, I didn't like it.

Which makes me nervous about reading the actually novel. Which I was excited about...
now I'm just nervous and slightly scared.

I guess I'll just have to read it and see.

2 of 5 stars!

FAIL.

So I failed you.

or me.

Both?

Or maybe it just feels that way with all the disappointment on Vader's face......ha ha!

All I have to say is you can't read 'em all.

The past couple of weeks I have attempted to read two books that I just can't find ( more like want to find) the motivation to finish them.

They aren't bad books or ill written, they are just not for me. And you think I would LOVE a book titled So Many Books, So Little Time ( Sara Nelson). It's basically a book written in 2002-03 that follows the same format and idea as this blog. She reads a book a week for a year. I just couldn't get into it.

I tried.

I failed.

The other was Love Comes Softly ( Janette Oke), which I was super excited to read this book as well as the rest of the Love Saga Series. I love the movies, how could I not love the books?
It was the language, it was written in that old timey, redneckish/hickish, bad grammer english and I just couldn't take it. I think I really just had trouble understand it as a whole. It was a period piece and I'm sure that's closer to how they talked then and there. Just wasn't my cup of tea.

Now, I'm not here to judge. At least I"m trying not too!

Before I failed on Sara Nelson's novel I did read here method of what to do about books she just can't finish. As a reviewer she would tell her editor to find someone else to read it. She wouldn't review a novel she didn't complete and neither will I.

And that's that for now.

Summer Reading Programs for Kids

I've already told you about Borders Triple Dog Dare ( read about it here) but there are a few more opportunities for summer reading programs and free books! Unfortunately for me, they are all for kids, boo!

Other Summer Reading Programs to Check out.....

Barnes & Noble -
Get your child (grades 1-6) to read 8 books and record them in the Passport to Summer Reading; turn them in for a free book!

Pizza Hut's Book It
From June 15 - August 15, any kid who is in K-6 and reads five books has a chance to win a summer prize package!

You can also check local libriaries, bookstores or schools for more!

When I was a kid, I remeber participating in Book It and a program at my local library. Wish I could do it now!

Ahhhhhhhh, to be a kid again!

How many have you read?

"From the moment I picked up your book until I laid it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Someday I intend reading it." -- Groucho Marx

100 Books People should have Read

The BBC believes most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here. How do your reading habits stack up?

1. Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen
2.The Lord of the Rings-JRR Tolkien
3.Jane Eyre- Charlotte Bronte
4.Harry Potter Series- JK Rowling
5.To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee
6.The Bible
7.Wuthering Heights- Emily Bronte
8.Nineteen Eighty-Four- George Orwell
9.His Dark Materials- Philip Pullman
10.Great Expectations- Charles Dickens
11.Little Woman- Louis M. Alcott
12.Tess of the D'Urbervilles- Thomas Hardy
13.Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare ( This really should be it's own list!)
15. Rebecca- Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit- JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong- Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye- J.D. Salinger
19. The Time Traveler's Wife- Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch- George Eliot
21.Gone with the Wind- Margaret Mitchel
22. The Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald
23.Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace- Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy- Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited- Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment- Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath- John Steinback
29. Alice in Wonderland- Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows- Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina- Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield- Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia- C.S. Lewis
34. Emma- Jane Austen
35.Persuasion- Jane Austen
36. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe- C.S. Lewis (Why is this not included with number 33?)
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hossein
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin- Louis De Bernieres
39.Memoirs of a Geisha- Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh- A.A. Milne
41. Animal Farm- George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code- Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude- Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney- John Irving
45. The Woman in White- Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables- L.M. Montgomery
47. Far From the Madding Crowd- Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale- Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies- William Golding
50. Atonement- Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi- Yann Martel
52. Dune- Frank Herbert
53. Cold Comfort Farm- Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility- Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy- Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind- Carlos Ruiz Zafo
57. A Tale of Two Cities- Charles Dickens
58. Brave New World- Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time- Mark Haddon
60. Love in the Time of Cholera- Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men- John Steinback
62. Lolita- Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History- Donna Tratt
64. The Lovely Bones- Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo- Alexandre Dumas
66. On the Road- Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure- Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jone's Diary- Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick- Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist- Charles Dickens
72. Dracula- Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden- Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes from a Small Island- Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses- James Joyce
76. The Inferno- Dante
77. Swallows and Amazons- Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal- Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair- William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession- A.S. Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol- Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas- David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple- Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day- Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary- Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance- Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte's Web- E.B. White
88. The Five People You Meet in Heaven- Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90.The Faraway Tree Collection- Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness- Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince- Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93.The Wasp Factory- Iain Banks
94.Watership Down- Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces- John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town like Alice- Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers- Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet- William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables- Victor Hugo


The number I have read = 14 ( shown in bold)
The number I have sitting on shelf waiting to be read = 7

How many have you read?

Bone, Out from Boneville and The Great Cow Race

Bone by Jeff Smith is a series of graphic novels (9 in all) about 3 bone cousins. Fone Bone, Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone have all been run out of Boneville. These graphic novels tell the story of the cousin's misadventures and attempt to get back to Boneville.

Along the way the get stuck in a deep forest valley filled with wonderful and terrifying creatures.

Rat Creatures, Dragons and Opossums! OH MY!!!

I read the first two of the series, Out from Boneville and The Great Cow Race. Now you might be asking yourself, why did she read those?




Two Reasons:

1) They were recommended by one of my favorite professors
(Julie Stepp, you are the best!!!)

2) I found them at a yard sale for $0.25 each!!!

I honestly didn't expect to get into this series, but I did! This graphic novels ( like most graphic novels) were very quick and easy reads but they are to be continued.....

Which means I have to find the other 7 and I bet I won't find them at a yard sale for a quarter. : (

Anyway, I would recommend these novels if you are under 15 years old, just like to read, need something quick or colorful to read or you trust my judgment wholly and completely ( Ha Ha, I know I'm funny!).

But seriously, these are really good graphic novels for kids ( my guess would be about 8 & up).

Cute little endearing story that I'm completely addicted to, probably will never be on school reading list or considered a classic but I liked it pretty well. 3 of 5 stars!

Borders Double Dog Dares Ya!

Do you love to read?

Do you want to earn a free book?

Are you under 12 years old or know someone under 12 years old?

If you answered yes to all of these questions then you have been Double Dog Dared by Borders books stores!

Anyone under 12 years who fills out the form and reads 10 books can come to the store to recive a FREE book!!!!

You can find out more information and the form here.

Are you up to the challenge?

My favorite travel book.....500 Places to take your kids before they grow up

So I've been kinda lazy and busy lately so I haven't read as much as I would like, so instead of just not writing anything, I'm going to start sharing some of my favorite books, last week I showed you my favorite cupcake book and this week it's travel. Look for more to come, as well as reviews!

This has been one of my favorite travel books for a long time, even though I don't have children I still want to take myself to all these places. Although, that didn't stop me from trying to convience my mother that she should take me to all these places before I grow up, it was a losing battle from the start! :(

Like 1000 places to see before you die, I think this book is slightly better and more attainable. I can barely imagine being able to go to 500 places, forget about 1000.

The best part of this book though is that is all KID friendly! Duh, you get it right?

One of the best features of the book is at the end of each place it has a space to that says, "Why they'll thank you...." Bascially why you should take your kids there and why they'll love it!

So far in my short 26.5 years I have only been to 20ish of these sites, I hope to experience all of these places on day! Oh yeah, it's includes sites from all of the world!

My New Favorite Baking Book....."Hello, Cupcake!"

This is my absolute favorites baking/cupcake book, just look at the pictures...how could it not be? And not only do all the designs look professional and amazing and cute but it's easy.

Or at least it seems easy, I haven't actually had the time to test them out. But I've read the directions for each creations and the only one that seems hard is Van Gogh's Starry Night! (See picture below, it's amazing looking!) Another great thing about these cupcakes is that you don't have to have any special equipment or ingredients. Everything used can be found in average kitchen or grocery store!

Don't they just look good enough to eat?!

There is also a 2nd Edition called What's new Cupcake! I can't wait to look through and try that one!

Lucky Man

We all know him as Alex P. Keaton or Marty McFly. I, myself and my friends grew up watching him. We loved him and I'll admit I still do. I honestly think that he is one of my favorite people. Well of the people I don't actually know. Although after reading this book I feel I know him that much better.

Michael J. Fox's memoir Lucky Man, is exactly that. A memoir. He writes about his childhood, his career and his diagnoses of Parkinson's Disease in 1990/91. He tells of the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful and the wonderful. He talks about life. His life.

Like I mentioned before he is one of my favorite people. That's one reason I was so excited to read this book (and his other two as well....reviews will follow later!) and of course I read it with his voice in my head. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone and you should go read it right now! It's not a particularly fast read but once you get going you won't want to stop, no matter how long it takes you.

Despite the feeling I've had of late of being to generous with my "stars" I still give this one 5 of 5!

Also, I think autobiographies are becoming my favorite genre for reading. I love to look into the lives of others, guess I'm just a little too nosy sometimes!

The Last Song

Ok, Ok, I know I said I would be reading Lucky Man next but in my defense I didn't lie completely. I am reading it I'm about half way through and hope to post on it by Friday, but I got distracted.
I got distracted by Nicholas Sparks and all his heartache. I finally read The Last Song and I have to say I was slightly disappointed. And this is why......

After reading author's notes in the back of the book I learned that Sparks custom wrote the novel and screenplay for Miley Cyrus. He wrote the screenplay so filming could begin before he started the novel. Is it just me or does that seem unfair?

Despite that though the novel wasn't too bad, not his best writing though. There always seemed to be something off about the story, that something I still haven't figured out. Unlike most of his novels this one was rather hard to get through, I can usually read a Sparks novel in about 3-6 hours. The Last Song took me about a week! : (

Like all of his novel's their is death and heartbreak in the end and it's pretty obvious who will die by the first half of the novel but it's not the typical type of character he "kills" off. One thing I did love about the novel thought was the focus on a father's relationship with his children rather than a romantic one, that he typically writes about.

Though I will probably never read this book again and would recommend it to someone only if there were 1( nothing else to read , 2) the biggest Nicholas Sparks fan in the world, 3) in love with Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana or 4) like me they simple can't resist reading about romance for lack of their own love life, I will still give this novel 3 of 5 stars.

Now to finish Lucky Man and continue my current obsession Michael J. Fox!

Columbine

Like the Kennedy assassination, September 11 or any other American tragedy, the massacre at Columbine High School will never be forgotten. Most remember where they were when they heard or at least something about that day. I don't remember when I excatly heard about the event but I remember coming home from school and my mom had decided she was pulling my brother and I out of school. If you ask her she will deny this but it happened just the same. At the time I don't think I realized the gravity of the situation, being a selfish, naive high school freshman I was worried more about my mom's decision than what had occurred.
As with most things, I grew up and became less selfish and naive. I knew what most everyone knew about that day, what the media speculated and reported, I had seen the interviews with victim's family, witnesses and survivors. I knew nothing.

This novel is a haunting look into that fateful day, the years that lead up to it and the years following. Dave Cullen gives an in-depth look into the lives and minds of Eric Harris and Dylan Kelbold. As well as the effect the event had on the town of Littleton, the families of the 13 victims, the survivors and their families and the school with it's returning students and teachers.

When I say "I knew nothing" , it's because it's true. According to Cullen and the facts he uncovered, through countless interviews and tons of paperwork, the media had most of the facts wrong. I won't go into details but after reading this novel I realized that day was more tragic for those involved than anyone could have guess. I wouldn't recommend this book for the faint of heart, it tells it like it is. If you do read it prepare to be extra emotional by the end, I didn't cry but I was emotionally upset by all I had learned.To be honest, I really didn't know what to say about it here and I have decided that it wouldn't be respectful for me to rate this book on any scale. If you are interested in the subject then read it but if you aren't then don't. For those of you who do read it or just want a little information Dave Cullen has several supplements on his site to this book.

Up next Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox.

Marley and Me

"I laughed, I cried, It moved me Bob."
--Larry the Cucumber



I have fallen in love with this story! John Grogan has a way of simple bringing you in and making you feel like you were actually there. This story is heartwarming, heartbreaking, wonderful, rolling on the floor funny and balling your eyes out sad. It will take you through every emotion know to man but it will be worth it.

Like Julia and Julia, I watched the movie first, so through out the entire novel I had Owen Wilson in my head. And I have to say Owen Wilson in my head isn't so bad, he can be pretty funny! If you are an animal lover, especially a dog lover, you will love this book.

I'm sure you have heard by now, unless you live under a rock and if you are living on a rock you probably aren't reading something on internet so let's just safely assume you aren't under a rock, you know this story has a somewhat sad ending. But read it anyway, I wasn't sure I would be able to handle it and in some ways I wasn't. Reading about the end of Marley's long and happy life I couldn't help but think of my own puppy and hoping that last day with him with be a long way off. I bawled like a big fat baby!!! But it was worth it, this is one of the greatest stories I have ever read and will read it again and again.

If you haven't seen this movie or read the book I suggest you do both. If you have seen the movie but not read the book, the screen play stays pretty true to the story. All Marley's antics actually happened and there are tons more just like them!

5 of 5 stars!!!

OH Yeah, if you are interested in reading more about Marley or seeing photos check out John Grogan's page, there are also links to other Marley Books.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

Stephenie Meyer has a new book coming out. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is an Eclipse novella. If you are unfamiliar with Eclipse it's the third installation in the Twilight Saga. In this novel Bella and Edward along with the rest of the Cullens and the Wolf Pack must fight an army of newborn Vampires, Bree Tanner is one of those newborns.

This novella is set to relase on June 5. If you are interested in having a hard copy with a pretty cover you can pre-order here. They will even donate $1 for every book sold in first publication.
However, Stephenie and her publisher will be offering it to fans for FREE online from June 5 till July 7! You can get the that copy here.

You can read Stephenie's original post here.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

"One time, there this this lake and uh, it was right outside of town. We used to go fishin' and swimmin' and canoein' in it, and uh this one November this flock o'ducks came in and landed on that lake, and uh the tempurature dropped so fast that the lake froze right there and then the ducks, they flew off ya see and took the lake with them and uh, now they say that lake is over in Georgia..." Idgie Threadgoode


Never have a read a story with the most interesting and charming characters like this novel. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg is one of the most heartwarming novels I have read in a long time. I have loved this movie for years and never realized it was a book until a random viewing to the Simpsons. That's right I said the Simpsons! Who would have thought I would ever read a book that I discovered because of the Simpsons?



Apu: Quick, name your favorite movie, book and food.
Manjula: The answer to all three is Fried Green Tomatoes!


Like the movie, this books leaves you with a happy feeling. One of the appeals for me was reading about another time, a small town family as they grow through the good and the bad and the changing world around them. The characters are so easy to sympathizes with and you can't help but cheer for Evelyn as she learns of the Threadgoode family and learns more about herself than ever thought possible. If you haven't read this book or seen the movie, they are a must!!! Go to your locale library or movie rental place now! You will thank me later. You can also find the movie on Netflix instant streaming right now, so go watch it! I know I will!

I give this book a big 5 of 5 stars and I"m already planning to read it again one day!!!!
Are you reading yet?

Up Next, Marley & Me by John Grogan and Walk Away the Pounds: The Breakthrough 6-week program that helps you burn fat, tone muscle and feel great without Dieting By Leslie Sansone.
I hope to start the Walk Away the Pounds program tomorrow, if you haven't discovered her walking dvd/videos you should, they are great for anyone wanting to get fit or stay fit.

A Pile of Books Awaits....Thanks to my obsession with paperbackswap.com

A while ago I made a post about the book swapping network, paperbookswap.com, since then I have become obsessed! So far I have traded 15+ books! This is great except for the pile of books sitting in the living room floor yelling "Read ME! Read ME!!" And every time I get a new one in the mail the screams gets louder........I promise you I'm not crazy, at least not totally crazy.

With all that being said I now have plenty to keep me reading in the next few months. But I would still love book suggestions. Currently I'm reading Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg and hopefully will be finished and have my review posted by the end of this week.

The Lonely Hearts Club

Have you ever been sick of boys or dating, I know I have! Ha Ha Ha! This is story is about Penny Lane ( noticed the Beatles references yet?) , who is just plain feed up with the whole romance thing and decided to nix it all together at least until she is out of high school ( if only most high school girls were that smart!) Along with her friends and of course the Fab Four ( the only guys allowed) Penny begins the Lonely Hearts Club but love finds her anyway!!!!

I actually really liked this book, it was heartwarming, fun and there wasn't too much drama. I don't like teen novels where it's drama drama drama, it makes me nervous. I also felt it was easy to relate to, what girl do you know that doesn't love to love love or love to hate it? (say that 5 times fast, I dare ya! ) Plus, it was a very fast and easy read! In case you haven't noticed this is my 3rd book in two days!!! I originally picked this book up because of the review from Stephenie Meyer, if you don't know her all I can say is Twilight. She highly recommended it on her website in December 2009 and there was a review from her on the book's dust jacket. I read it because of what she had to say, "A must read for anyone who's ever fallen in love-or sworn it off completely. A funny, fantastic debut!" Oh yeah did I mention this is Elizabeth Eulberg's first novel?

My favorite part of this novel though was all the Beatles references, who doesn't like the Beatles! I was singing through the whole thing! I'm singing now....
"...... We're Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,
We hope you will enjoy the show,
We're Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,
Sit back and let the evening go.
Sgt. Pepper's lonely, Sgt. Pepper's lonely,
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band....."

Beatles + story I can relate too = 4.5 stars!

Maus II and Cook This Not That: Kitchen Survival Guide

After spending way to much time reading The Sweet Far Thing, it hasn't taken much time for me to catch up and be right on track for March. Since my post last night I have read TWO books!!!! They were easy and fast reads but it still counts! First, I read Maus II this is an autobiographical/biographical graphic novel by Art Spiegelman. This is the second in a set ( the first being Maus) focusing on Spiegelman's relationship with his elderly father and him interviewing his father about his time in Nazi Germany, before, during and after the war. He was a Jewish. He tells the story thorough the face of animals; Jews=Mice, Germans=Cats, American=Dogs and French=Frogs. How very Fitting.

I liked the way he told this story, there are so many holocaust survivor stories out there and because it's a graphic novel it's different. You don't just visualize the story but you see it through the panels. I have include an example to the left, this page is showing what his father when through when first arriving at Auschwitz, did I mention that he was a survivor of Auschwitz? This book as well as the first in the collection are, I think, good ways of reading about the Holocaust and what people really went through. I wouldn't recommending it for anyone younger than 12-13 because it can be graphic and doesn't hold back. It's also not for the faint of heart! However, I still like it and plan on reading both stories again one day. These books get 5 stars of 5!




On a Lighter note, I also read Cook This, Not That: Kitchen Survival Guide by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding. This book was a real eye opener about what you might be eating and not really knowing what's in it. This is mostly a cook book and shows you how to get the most out of your food without all the calories. One of my favorite features of this book is how it compares the restaurant food with with a similar recipes that you can cook at home. In most cases it saves you over 500 calories!!! Whoa! This is one of a series and I plan on reading the others as well including Eat This, Not That ( the original), Eat This, Not That:Supermarket Survival Guide and Drink This, Not That. Hopefully, these will be just as informative and helpful. I plan to buy this book and use it often. 5 of 5 stars.

The Sweet Far Thing and Reading list for March

So I FINALLY finished The Sweet Far Thing!!!!! Much like the other two books in this trilogy this book was really really slow and dry. There was only one thing that kept me reading, Gemma's love interest Kartik. I just really wanted to know where those two ended up, for most of this book thought they were at odds, very much love/hate relationship. So even that couldn't hold my interest enough to read faster. As far as a good or bad ending to the story, it was both. I found the book way to long and full of mindless detail, there was much that could be left out of this 75 chapter book! But the conclusion of the story itself was rather decent. I ended the story, I wasn't wanting more. This series had the potential to be amazing but the author's need for drama brought it down. I wouldn't really recommend this book or the series, it wasn't nearly that good. I should have just stopped at the first book, I really liked the first book. The book gets 2 of 5 stars and the series gets 3 of 5 stars.

So I can finally get to my reading list for March. I have gone to library and checked out these books: The Lonely Hearts Club (Elizabeth Eulberg), Maus II: A Survivor's Tale (Art Spiegelman), Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (Fannie Flagg) and Cook This, Not That: Kitchen Survival Guide ( David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding). Tune in to find out which one I'll read first....

Romancing Miss Bronte and Paperback Swap

Love the Bronte Sisters? How about a novel written about their own love lives? Be on of the first to get a FREE copy of Juliet Gael new novel Romancing Miss Bronte. Random House Publishers is offering a limited quantity of free copies to anyone who signs up! I found this deal on the blog southernsavers.com, follow this link and it will tell you how to get to the Random House site to sign up.
http://www.southernsavers.com/2010/03/free-novel-romancing-miss-bronte/

Also, My cousin has shared a website in which you can trade books.

"The website is called "Paperback Swap". You sign up for free, and you post books that you are willing to part with. If someone "orders" your book, you send your book to them. They don't pay you. After they receive the book you get a credit to your account. For each credit you earn, you can "order" any book. For free! They say postage on a typical paperback runs about $2.35. So, for each book you send for under $3, you get a free book. Basically you are paying postage for your books. Yay!

To ship the book, you print postage on a piece of paper, and wrap it around the book (like a present) and drop it in the mail. You don't need to buy an envelope or box or anything!"

Here is that site http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php They also have DVD swap and CD swap.

What to do in March....

Thought I'm still not done with The Sweet Far Thing ( I assure you I will get there! ), I'm already thinking about what to read next. And frankly, I haven't got a clue. I have a pile of books on the shelf that need, no WANT, to be read but not sure if I'm ready for those books. So I want to know, is there anybody out there that has a super awesome book that I HAVE to read? Tell me, I really want to know!

Roadblock

I'm having a really hard time getting through The Sweet Far Thing. At this point I"m not sure if it's the book or if I'm burnt out from reading so much, I just simple have no motivation to read right now. But I have 5 days left for Feb, so hopfully I can reach my goal. Wish me luck I know I'll need it :/

Dear John, Another Distraction

I still haven't finish A Sweet Far Thing, that book is very long and difficult to read but I will prevail and finish it this week! It will be my 4th book for February, keeping me right on track! On Friday night out of boredom of watching Josh start and finish Modern Warfare 2 video game I started reading Dear John by Nicholas Sparks. I don't know what I was thinking, thought I like Sparks writing and it's easy to read; his books make me cry and remind me even further of the love I want by don't have. Don't worry I'm not gonna get all depressed on you, that's just how his stories make me feel! But I"m glad to report that this is the first Sparks novel I've read that a main character didn't die!!!!!! If you have never read a Sparks novel, someone always dies. I think it's his go to when he needs to end it!

Any who, despite the crying I liked this book. I think it's actually my favorite Sparks novel ( I've only read two others, The Notebook and A Walk to Remember) so far, though I 'm not sure how many others I will read, I'm not a fan of the crying and dying thing. I think another reason I liked this novel more than his other is because it's set in modern time, made it so much easier to relate to. It's set in 2000-2006 and goes into the war on Iraq and the events of 9/11. Knowing that these things are still affecting our everyday and reading Sparks view on it hit close to home in a way that reminded me that it's still very real. Like I said, it's much easier to relate too.

As far a my star rating I'm gonna give this book 4 of 5 stars but only because I cried so much, I don't like the crying! Just like The Time Traveler's Wife, I will eventually watch the film and give my review on it as well. If you were considering reading this book but still weren't sure I hope this post helps.

Kansas City Library

Central Library Parking Garage Community Bookshelf
The Community Bookshelf is a striking feature of Kansas City's downtown. It runs along the south wall of the Central Library's parking garage on 10th Street between Wyandotte Street and Baltimore Avenue. The book spines, which measure approximately 25 feet by 9 feet, are made of signboard mylar. The shelf showcases 22 titles reflecting a wide variety of reading interests as suggested by Kansas City readers and then selected by The Kansas City Public Library Board of Trustees.

History of Alice in Wonderland and Lewis Carroll

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice%27s_Adventures_in_Wonderland
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Carroll

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

I was really excited to finally be reading the actually story of Alice in Wonderland but I've found that I've know the real story all along. All the movie adaptations of this novel are pretty close if not completely accurate! Except the singing, of course. However, I couldn't help but sing along in my head to "Painting the Roses Red"!!!!!! This was a very easy and fast read, I started reading it around midnight on Saturday and finished literally minutes ago.... and I only devoted maybe 3 hours to it in total! Not bad at all! Classic story, everyone will love and enjoy. As long as you don't know the circumstances in which Carroll wrote it..... I'll post some info for those who are interested......read at your own risk! Being such a delightful little tale this is the first book I will be giving 5 STARS!!!! Everyone really should read of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland!

Slight Change....Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

I'm still reading The Sweet Far Thing but in hopes of helping a friend with homework I will be reading Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland aka Alice in Wonderland! I should be done with it tomorrow night or early Monday Morning! As always my review will follow!

The Time Traveler's Wife: THE MOVIE

Step away from the DVD player, DO NOT watch this movie. It completely ruins the story. It's awful, awful, awful!!!! Even if you haven't read the book this movie is bad. I knew the story understood what was going on and I was still confused!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!! Don't say I didn't tell you....