Review: To Be Maria

Check out Deanna Proach's Amazon page here: Deanna Proach

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Anya Preschnikov wants to become a famous actress but she's faced with two problems. Her father ignores her and doesn't have any money to support her. At school, she's bullied on a daily basis, yet she believes that she will gain her stepping-stone to stardom if she's accepted by her peers.

All of this changes when Maria Hernandez--an immigrant from Spain--comes to Peach Valley Senior High. Maria knows what it takes to fit in. She's assertive, confident and she dresses suggestively, characteristics that all of the popular kids admire. Yet she sees in Anya what no one else sees: beauty and talent.

When Maria extends her hand of friendship, Anya is elated. Her rise to popularity is about to become a reality, but it ends at a house party when a boy's rude comment sends her into a rage.

Desperate to belong somewhere, Anya and Maria seek new friends outside of school. They meet Alex and Marissa, a young couple who eagerly welcomes them into their world of parties and drugs. Anya and Maria soon find out that Alex is a drug dealer, but they are so lured by his wealth, good looks and aggressive confidence that they can't resist his friendship. They don't know that Alex's gang is at war with a rival gang--one that's run by Anya's older brother, Adrik--until one incident puts their lives in danger's path. To make matters worse, Alex won't let Anya and Maria out of his sight. The two teens are forced to make a decision that's a matter of life or death.

Review:

The best way I can think to describe this book is "that escalated quickly." To Be Maria starts out as a novel about a poor girl trying to make friends with the popular crowd and get started as an actress. It ends...very far from there. I get the point; the book is an after school special-type cautionary tale about getting involved with the wrong people, with a completely unforeseen religious twist at the end. However, it comes across in the same way shows like Degrassi do, trying to fit too many teen problems into one small episode. Add to that the similar naming of two main characters and the unexplained use of present tense, and readers end up a bit...confused.

I saw where the author was trying to go, and I agree that it's an important message. I just think the story could be pared down a bit. There were too many issues, too many points of view. However, if you're an Ellen Hopkins fan, this will be right up your alley. It's a quick, if confusing read and a convoluted story.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Review: The Art of BioShock Infinite

Purchase The Art of BioShock Infinite here.

Synopsis:

In The Art of BioShock Infinite, delve deeper into the city of Columbia—the fabled floating metropolis that serves as a beacon of technology and achievement for the early 1900s!

This deluxe hardcover features production designs and concept illustrations focusing on main characters Booker DeWitt, Elizabeth, and Songbird from the highly anticipated BioShock Infinite video game.

See the evolution of the Heavy Hitters, the populace of Columbia, the Sky-Hook, vigors, airships, and much more!

This deluxe hardcover also features an introduction from BioShock Infinite Creative Director Ken Levine!

Review:

I am terrible at first-person shooters.  I mean, beyond awful, shoot-my-own-foot, make-everyone-motion-sick bad.  I'm great at other games, but an FPS is just not going to happen for me.  However, I make an exception for BioShock games.  The art of the games and the intricate story lines drive me insane, to the point where I will watch hours of walkthroughs while waiting for the game to come out for Mac.

When I got the chance to read through a book entirely about the art of the most recent BioShock game, BioShock Infinite, I couldn't wait.  This book does not disappoint.  Filled with beautiful, full-page illustrations that immerse the reader completely in the world of Columbia, The Art of BioShock Infinite is perfect for any video game or graphic design nerd.  It's also incredible getting to see what baddies and other designs didn't make it into the final game; the reader can see the designers going through completely different moods for the game.  It's also interesting to see them struggle to make a game that sticks to the type of play and design we love in BioShock, but keep from making a villain that is too close to "A Big Daddy with wings."

The book is fairly spoiler-free.  You'll get names of characters and pictures of baddies you haven't encountered in the game and you'll learn a little about Elizabeth's character, but nothing you don't learn in the first hour. This is a beautiful and fascinating book that any fan of the game will love.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Review: Swans & Klons

Purchase Swans & Klons here.

Synopsis:

What does it take to survive in a world built on lies?

Sixteen-year-old Rubric loves her pampered life in the Academy dormitory. She’s dating Salmon Jo, a brilliant and unpredictable girl. In their all-female world, non-human slaves called Klons do all the work. But when Rubric and Salmon Jo break into the laboratory where human and Klon babies are grown in vats, they uncover a terrifying secret that tears their idyllic world apart.

Their friends won’t believe them, and their teachers won’t help them. The Doctors who rule Society want to silence Rubric and Salmon Jo. The two girls must flee for their lives. As they face the unthinkable, the only thing they have left to believe in is their love for each other.      

Review:

The premise of this novel is incredible. As an English major who takes a lot of classes about gender in literature, a dystopian society comprised entirely of women was too good a storyline to pass up. I was not disappointed. Themes of individuality, humanity, gender, and consent dominate this novel, backed by a unique dystopian storyline. I also love that Swans & Klons includes a sweet romantic storyline that doesn't overpower the story. The love is believable because so many different kinds of love are so integral to the storyline. The idea of the Cretinous Males is fascinating (I was wondering how the novel would explain an all-female society, and they actually did fairly well), and I sincerely hope a sequel is in the works. The ending was a bit rushed for me, but that may just be because I didn't want it to end... All in all, a super fun read.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Review: This is a Book

Purchase This Is a Book here.

Synopsis:

From the renowned comedian, creator and star of Comedy Central's Important Things with Demetri Martin comes the paperback debut of his bold, original, New York Times best-selling humor book.

THIS IS A BOOK was an instant and long-lasting New York Times best seller, and is the renowned comedian's hilarious foray into prose comedy. In these pages, Martin expands on the sensibility he's developed on stage as an award-winning stand-up comedian and on television as a writer-performer on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and his own Comedy Central series, Important Things with Demetri Martin.

Featuring narrative essays, short stories, and conceptual pieces (such as "Protagonists' Hospital," where doctors treat only the shoulder wounds of Hollywood action heroes) as well as Martin's signature drawings, absurdities, and one-liners, THIS IS A BOOK delivers sharp jokes, colorful characters, and interesting surprises.

Martin takes readers to places as far-off as Ancient Greece ("Socrates's Publicist") and the distant future ("Robot Test," where everyone must take a test to prove that they are not robots). He recounts a lonely man's visit to a strip club in the form of a five-hundred-word palindrome ("Palindromes for Specific Occasions"). And he examines the human condition ("Human Cannonball Occupational Hazards") and the competing world-views of divergent groups ("Optimist, Pessimist, Contortionist").

Martin's material is varied, but his unique voice and brilliant mind will keep readers in stitches from beginning to end.

Review:

I love Demetri Martin's stand-up.  I giggle every single time; I think he's hilarious.  So when I heard he was coming out with a book, I was overjoyed and couldn't wait to purchase it.  However, this book did not live up to my expectations in the slightest.  So many of the jokes were overdrawn or just plain not funny, which was extremely disappointing.  Many of the drawings were very similar to his trademark doodles during his stand-up routines, but others just missed their mark.  Overall, there were a few very funny bits, but not enough to make the book worth it.

Until next time, happy reading!
 -Amanda

Review: John Dies at the End

Purchase John Dies at the End here.

Synopsis:

STOP.
You should not have touched this book with your bare hands.
NO, don’t put it down. It’s too late.
They’re watching you.
My name is David Wong. My best friend is John. Those names are fake. You might want to change yours.
You may not want to know about the things you’ll read on these pages, about the sauce, about Korrok, about the invasion, and the future. But it’s too late. You touched the book. You’re in the game. You’re under the eye.
The only defense is knowledge. You need to read this book, to the end. Even the part with the bratwurst. Why? You just have to trust me.

The important thing is this:
The drug is called Soy Sauce and it gives users a window into another dimension. 
John and I never had the chance to say no. 
You still do.
Unfortunately for us, if you make the right choice, we’ll have a much harder time explaining how to fight off the otherworldly invasion currently threatening to enslave humanity.
            I’m sorry to have involved you in this, I really am. But as you read about these terrible events and the very dark epoch the world is about to enter as a result, it is crucial you keep one thing in mind:

None of this is was my fault.

Review:

What to even say about this book?  I picked it up a while ago, then decided it was time to review as the movie was recently released here in the US.  Enticed by the severed hand on the cover and the spoilerific title, I thought it would be an interesting read.  What followed was a dark and convoluted (and more than occasionally sickening) tale that I assume is comparable to an acid trip.  Especially if you're ill and tired and dizzy while reading the book.

Favorable reviews of John Dies at the End cite a laugh-out-loud and horror-filled novel.  Less favorable ones call it juvenile.  I fall somewhere in between; I have to admit that I giggled and read some of the lines of the novel aloud to my mother or friends while I was reading.  However, the humor of the novel is juvenile in most places, consisting mainly of poorly-timed penis and diarrhea jokes (although the line "SHIT THE BOMB" will never stop being funny to me, I think). 

All in all, this book is right in the middle to me.  There are a very select few people I would recommend it to, based on content and writing style.  However, it was certainly different than anything I've read before, and it did have its moments of humor.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Review: The After Girls

Purchase The After Girls here.

Synopsis:

Ella, Astrid, and Sydney were planning the perfect summer after high school graduation. But when Astrid commits suicide in a lonely cabin, the other girls' worlds are shattered. How could their best friend have done this--to herself and to them? They knew everything about Astrid. Shouldn't they have seen this coming? Couldn't they have saved her?

As Ella hunts for the truth, and Sydney tries to dull the pain, a chilling message from Astrid leaves them wondering whether their beloved friend is communicating from the after life. The girls embark on a journey to uncover Astrid's dark secrets. The answers to those questions--questions they never dreamed of asking--will change their lives forever.

Review:

Pretty Little Liars was, is, and always will be my favourite guilty pleasure.  I read the entire book series from the time I got a free ebook copy of the first book, pretty much devouring all the fun drama and twists.  The After Girls brings that same kind of drama and mystery and town secrets back.  However, in this book, the main character has committed suicide rather than been murdered, and her friends are left to pick up the pieces and attempt to find out what happened, all with the aid of some crazy adults and yummy boys.  This book is a quick read.  It's interesting and dramatic, with the right amount of respect for what happens when a girl commits suicide.  What happens After.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Review: After the Witch Hunt

Purchase After the Witch Hunt here.

Synopsis:

As if she discovered a small army of silenced women captive in her pen, Megan Falley releases them in the spilled ink that is her most brilliant collection of poems, After the Witch Hunt. Demanding "if you really love a writer, bury her in all your awful and watch as she scrawls her way out,” her book does exactly that. An incessant digging, a journey in building escape routes, armed with both humor and a brazen darkness, each poem in this book of bloodletting is another swing of the pick and axe in this young woman's labor, insistent upon light.

Review:

I've seen Megan Falley perform.  I've watched her videos on YouTube for years now.  And yet, I'm still shocked by how hard and deep many of her poems hit with me.  Megan is a brilliant and versatile writer, and this collection is just another example of her talents.  I first read After the Witch Hunt nearly a year ago, and I just keep going back to it because the poems keep resonating.  This is definitely a book to borrow and re-read until the cover is tattered and the pages well-loved.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Review: Drunks and Other Poems of Recovery

Purchase Drunks and Other Poems of Recovery here.

Synopsis:

There are rock stars of the slam-poetry world; poets who not only sell thousands of books but travel the country and perform for hundreds of fans at a time. Poets like the late Jack McCarthy, writer of eight books of poetry and whose newest work, Drunks and other poems of recovery, is a masterful collection for those who have made and are making the thorny journey through addiction.

In Drunks and other poems of recovery, McCarthy likens an AA meeting to an island of shipwrecked survivors. “Every night we gather around the fire and tell our stories. And the more we tell our stories, the clearer it becomes: it isn’t many stories we’re telling, it’s The Story,” says McCarthy.  That’s what he was unparalleled at doing: telling his story while at the same time telling the tale of thousands.

Drunks and other poems of recovery will be McCarthy’s last book. He left this world earlier this year at age 73. His life was a full one; 40 years sober, a touring poet who traveled much of the United States and Canada, Ireland, Germany and Spain and an innovative writer of poetry and recovery. McCarthy is gone but due to his poetry and recorded performances, the essences of him will always be here.

Review:

I read this book while at the College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational.  What better place to delve into a book of poetry when surrounded by some of the best poets I've ever met?  Write Bloody Publishing continues to publish authors with so much to offer, this time showcasing a man who shows incredible versatility, even in a book based around one subject.  Yes, most of these poems focus on Alcoholics Anonymous and other parts of the author's life being an alcoholic, but they echo sentiments that anyone in recovery feels.  Whether you are recovering from alcoholism, drug addiction, self harm, or an eating disorder, or if you are close with someone who is, you will find pieces of yourself in these poems, along with something that seems scarce in the recovery community: hope.  This is a beautiful final connection that, if I have anything to say about it, will be read long after people have forgotten Aliens.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Review: The Bane

Purchase The Bane (The Eden Trilogy) here.

Synopsis:

Before the Evolution there was TorBane: technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter. It had the ability to grow new organs and limbs, to heal the world. Until it evolved out of control and spread like the common cold. The machine took over, the soul vanished, and the Bane were born. The Bane won't stop until every last person has been infected. With less than two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction. Eve knows the stories of the Evolution, the time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. But she doesn't need memories to know this world is her reality. This is a world that is quickly losing its humanity, one Bane at a time. Fighting to keep one of the last remaining human colonies alive, Eve finds herself torn between her dedication to the colony, and the discovery of love. There is Avian and West – one a soldier, one a keeper of secrets. And in the end, Eve will make a choice that will change the future of mankind. The Bane is The Terminator meets The Walking Dead with a heart-twisting romance.

Review:

Anyone who read my last post or who has talked to me within the past month knows that I've been dying to find new dystopian/post-apocalyptic books to read lately.  Divergent set me off on a kick that I haven't been able to shake since, so when I stumbled across The Bane, I thought it would be the perfect answer to what I was looking for.  Keary Taylor's idea is so innovative, treating the traditional science fiction idea of cyborgs as a virus - a disease that one human can spread to another.  Reading this story was a treat, telling the same kind of story I was looking for in a post-apocalyptic story, but in a surprisingly refreshing way.

The romantic aspect of the book, I was not a huge fan of for the majority of the novel.  Specifically West's parts were excruciatingly uncomfortable, feeling closer to sexual assault than to romance.  In addition, parts of the plot felt too rushed, as if Taylor was trying to fit too much into one volume.  I'm left wondering what could possibly happen in the two remaining volumes of the Eden Trilogy.

However, I enjoyed The Bane.  It was a fun read and a great adventure story.  If you are looking for a good post-apocalyptic novel that manages to maintain a sense of lightness despite the heaviness of the subject matter, The Bane is a perfect option.  I look forward to reading the remainder of the trilogy.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Reviews: Divergent and Insurgent

Purchase Divergent and Insurgent here.

Divergent Synopsis:

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Insurgent Synopsis:

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

Review:

I am currently trying to figure out what to do with my life after finishing what has been published of this series so far.  I am in book shock - it's been hard to read anything else because these two books are so great that I don't know what will measure up.  I have my desktop set to a fan-created Divergent image.  I will not stop talking about this series to basically anyone who will listen; I've downloaded both books to my boyfriend's Kindle, I semi-attacked my friend David in the dining hall today over the series, and I swear my mother will hang up on me the next time I bring the books up.  To say I enjoyed the series is an understatement; I've needed a series into which I can completely escape lately, and the Divergent universe gladly delivers. 

Veronica Roth's faction system creates such an interesting set up for this series.  The books are engaging, fast-paced, heart-wrenching, and mind-bending.  One word of warning; this series is not for the faint of heart.  The series takes place in war time, and Roth is certainly not shy of character death.  As someone who seems to only watch shows that involve intense emotional trauma (hello, Fringe, Season Four), this is not an issue for me.  Veronica Roth really delivers: you have a badass heroine with a group of fleshed-out and interesting characters, a complex political system, insane plot twists, a complicated romance that doesn't hinder the story line.  I also love that Tris isn't inhuman, and neither are any of the other characters.  Even the basic training that Dauntless members have to go through is incredibly emotionally traumatizing, and dealing with that is an integral part of the storyline.  When a character dies, it isn't just dealt with, accepted, and then out of the storyline; you see how it affects each character.

All in all, this was an amazing series and I cannot wait until book three is released.

Until next time, happy (or in this case, incredibly emotional) reading!
-Amanda

Review: Slaughterhouse-Five

Purchase Slaughterhouse-Five here.

Synopsis:

Slaughterhouse-Five, an American classic, is one of the world’s great antiwar books. Centering on the infamous firebombing of Dresden, Billy Pilgrim’s odyssey through time reflects the mythic journey of our own fractured lives as we search for meaning in what we fear most.

Review:

This one has been sitting in my to-read pile for a while; I'd occasionally read a few pages, then get distracted by schoolwork.  However, I think I finally got to Slaughterhouse-Five at exactly the right time.  I'm currently in a course on Science Fiction, so the mixture of Trafalmadore with a brilliant antiwar novel was intriguing to me.  First of all, I love the discussion of time as something all happening simultaneously, and that Billy Pilgrim has just become "unstuck".  In addition, Billy is incredibly interesting as an unreliable narrator.  Is he a time traveler, a crazy old man, or just suffering from PTSD, using his favourite novels to cope with unspeakable atrocities?  Either way, this was an interesting read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Review: Fahrenheit 451

Purchase Fahrenheit 451 here.

Synopsis:

Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden.
Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But then he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television.
When Mildred attempts suicide and Clarisse suddenly disappears, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known. He starts hiding books in his home, and when his pilfering is discovered, the fireman has to run for his life.

Review:

I've been kind of devouring dystopian novels lately (many more reviews to come, so brace yourselves), and I thought it high time to read one of the classics.  I've been told I would enjoy Fahrenheit 451 multiple times, and I've owned a copy for some time now.  The set-up for this book is intriguing, and it's recently become more and more of a cautionary tale as authors battle censorship and book bans for the smallest of reasons.  In addition,  as someone who's often absorbed in Tumblr and has spent the majority of the past 6 or so years immersed in social media, Mildred's character is incredibly relevant.  In addition, this novel had some of the most poetic prose out of any dystopians I've ever read.  To be fair, I did occasionally get lost in it, and I was left hoping for much more at the end of the novel.  And Clarisse!  I was expecting her to be such a big character, and I wanted her to be so badly!  Despite a few misgivings, this is an incredibly important book and I'm glad I included it in my list of dystopian novels to read.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Review: I, Robot

Purchase I, Robot here.

Synopsis:

The three laws of Robotics:
1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm
2) A robot must obey orders givein to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

With these three, simple directives, Isaac Asimov changed our perception of robots forever when he formulated the laws governing their behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot through a series of interlinked stories: from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future--a future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete.

Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-read robots, and robots with a sense of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world--all told with the dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction that has become Asmiov's trademark.

(from the hardcover edition)

Review:

This book manages to set up intriguing stories that stand as brilliant logical puzzles on their own, then seamlessly weaves them together into one overarching tale commenting on technology, culture, and human nature as a whole.  Each story on its own presents a different case that challenges the Three Laws in a unique, innovative way, with unexpected solutions.  Asimov asks readers to reconsider what we consider human nature, as well as to challenge our preconceived notions of robotics.  The stories are interesting and challenging, but their episodic nature makes the book a quick read.  This was my first foray into Asimov's writing style, and I will definitely be coming back for more.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Fifty Shades of Cray

My experience with Fifty Shades of Grey was very similar to what I went through reading Twilight.  I picked the first book up out of morbid curiosity, then continued to read with the kind of shocked awe one experiences when staring at a horrific car wreck.  It is sort of appropriate with the book's origins as an AU Twilight smut fic.

Part of me just can't help cringing, not because the book is sexually explicit, but rather because it's often so misinformed.  Part of my summer reading assignment for my volunteer job is a several hundred page manual called The Guide to Getting It On, which is a huge, awesome information resource on sex and sexuality.  The whole time I was reading, I wanted to yell at Christian "Oi, that could cut off her circulation!" or "That material is NOT body safe, you moron" (this is the reason my friends don't bring me with them if they're going into Spencer's anymore).

It also brings up a lot of the same issues that I have with Twilight regarding controlling and abusive relationships.  On one hand, I do appreciate that Fifty Shades is way more up-front about how abnormal Christian's behaviour is.  I appreciate that Ana realizes Christian is a control freak and feels threatened by it at times, whereas Bella sees Edward dictating her every move as sweet and a sign of how much he cares.  However, the way Christian's controlling tendencies are taken as a joke by Ana rather than how seriously they should be taken makes me uncomfortable.

This is not, by the way, a reflection of my feelings on regarding the BDSM community.  As long as both partners' needs are met and there is no serious danger involved, everything is fine and dancy.  However, in Fifty Shades, neither partners' needs are met.  Christian desires dominance over a true submissive, which Ana is not.  There are many people in the community who receive satisfaction from obeying a dominant, but Ana is not and probably never will be one of them.  Ana desires a more traditional relationship, which Christian cannot provide.  So Ana gets pressured into this contract just because she doesn't want to lose any chance of a relationship with Christian.  On the other hand, the relationship that she's so desperately fighting to keep makes her uncomfortable and horribly sad, not to mention the detrimental effects it has on Christian.  This is one of the most self-destructive pairings I've ever seen.

And don't even get me started on the fetishization of virginity in this book.  Ugh.

That being said, is the sex hot?  Sometimes.  Is it amusing?  Often.  Is it hilarious in its awkwardness?  Always.  Will I continue reading?  Yep.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Once Upon a Blog

Hello!

I am finally back. Sorry for the long absences recently, but I've spent a lot of time being ridiculously ill. One of my favourite pastimes when sick is go through all released episodes of a TV show ridiculously quickly. This time, Once Upon a Time was my show of choice, and after the Season One finale, I, as my friend Juliette would say, "just have a lot of feels."  There's something so endlessly fascinating about the way the characters are so familiar and yet completely alien when they are thrust into a magic-free world and a different side to their character is revealed.  It's especially odd to me after taking a class called Adolescent Literature and writing a thesis paper on how differences in similar fairytales reflect differences and similarities in their countries of origin.  What does Once Upon a Time's portrayal of Snow White, the home-wrecker, say about the United States?

I've noticed a huge trend lately in film and television of re-telling and re-purposing old fairy tales.  There are the two vastly different new Snow White movies, Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman.\  Maleficent, which will be out in 2014, continues with Once Upon a Time's MO of turning the stories we know so well inside-out, making the good guys questionable and the bad guys more complicated.  Joining Once Upon a Time on TV is Grimm, also thrusting story book characters into the harsh light of modern day America.

I love these newer retellings because they're so much more detailed.  They ask why the evil characters are evil, then go on to question whether they're really evil at all.  If these newer versions interest you, try reading the original Grimm's Fairy Tales.  The contrast between the original and the newer versions is stark; the bad characters hardly ever have a reason for being bad.  They simply are.  What has spurred this need to know the reason, to blur the line?

What do you think?

Until next time, happy reading!

The Triumphant Return

Ladies and, well, according to Insight, you're pretty much all ladies, I am back!  If any of you are gentlemen (or gentleboys), I am back for you too, I promise.  I missed you.  How's your aunt doing?  Is that a new haircut?  You look good.  SOrry I went on an unannounced hiatus, but I have returned!  Let's talk books.

This semester, I am taking a course entitled "Adolescent Literature."  I was psyched about the course.  I mean, it is pretty much being graded for what I do every day.  Much to my dismay, the class does not contain much of what I would consider current YA novels.  The most recent book on the syllabus is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (not complaining about getting to analyze HP, by the way).  The more I get into the class and the books, though, the more I like our reading material.  While I'm not sure that every book in the literary canon fully deserves to keep its spot and many contemporary novels deserve a lot more recognition, some classics are classics for a reason.

We started out the year reading Grimm's Fairy Tales.  Now, if you think you know your fairy tales and you haven't read this collection, I urge you to do so.  The version above even has other versions of the tales in the back of the book.  Did you know that, in one version of the story, Red Riding Hood strips for the wolf?  There's way more gore in Cinderella than you might think, and the Virgin Mary is apparently a kidnapper in her spare time.  Enjoy!

Speaking of fantasy tales you thought we read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass next.  I love these books because, while we were reading them, I was going through a particularly stressful time.  One of my favourite things about these books is that it's nearly impossible to worry about real life while reading them.  These topsy-turvy, completely illogical adventures are a form of pure escapism.

The most recent novel we finished was Treasure Island, a high seas adventure story.  I have mixed feelings about the book, but if you like pirate stories, this book is mandatory.  I remember a girl in the class complaining that the pirates in Treasure Island were too stereotypical.  What she didn't realize was that this book is where the stereotypes come from.  It's interesting, it's action- and gore-filled, and it's worth a read.

I hope you enjoy these, and I'll talk to you all next time!

Happy Reading!

Holiday Reading

A friend and I were stirring our stubbornly not boiling solutions of hydrochloric acid and iron in chemistry laboratory the other day when we got started talking about books.  She told me she wanted to read a lot over the upcoming holiday break, but didn't know where to start.  She told me she liked emotional books with bittersweet endings, and I told her I'd make her a list.  So here it is: Amanda's Holiday Reading Guide.  Well, for one person, at least.  I'll put up a post of my favourite holiday books later in the month.  Happy reading!

Wintergirls

Laurie Halse Anderson

Lia and Cassie have been best friends since grade school, sharing everything, including one promise: “I promise to be the skinniest girl in school.  Thinner even than you.”  But when Cassie dies and Lia is haunted by her memory, will Lia wake up, or will she become a Wintergirl, too?

http://dft.ba/-1bNl

Speak

Laurie Halse Anderson

If something terrible happened, what would you do?  What if you decided not to speak at all rather than give voice to what happened to you?  What if you started high school as an outcast?

http://dft.ba/-1bNQ

Want To Go Private?

Sarah Darer Littman

Abby and Luke chat online, but they haven’t met in real life.  Yet.  Abby feels alone when she starts high school, until her best friend introduces her to Chez Teen.  In Chez Teen, Abby has a completely new life with different friends and, yes, Luke.  But when she goes to meet Luke in real life, he isn’t who he said he was, and Abby’s in for a lot more than she bargained for.

http://dft.ba/-1bO4

How I Live Now

Meg Rosoff

Daisy is 15 when she leaves Manhattan to stay in England with her aunt and four cousins.  Soon after, her aunt leaves to give a talk about The War and whether or not it will happen.  The next day, the bombs begin.  For a while, Daisy and her cousins are fine living on their own.  But as the war continues and things get worse, it is all Daisy can do to keep them from falling apart.

http://dft.ba/-1bOg

Before I Fall

Lauren Oliver

What if you knew today was your last day?  What if you only had one day to live?  What would you do?  Who would you kiss?  Would you save yourself?  Samantha Kingston dies in a car crash on Friday, February 12^th.  And then wakes up the next morning.  Only it’s the same morning.  Samantha returns for seven days, for a full week of her last day on earth, repeating the day over and over until she gets it right.

http://dft.ba/-1bOn