When I was a kid I wanted to be Irish. Mostly because they talked so freaking awesome. I did all this research and everything and asked my parents where our family came from. My Mom told me that it was mostly England but there was some Scottish. I was bitterly disappointed, but set my eyes on Scottland. I still wish I could speak in an Irish Brogue. Speaking of which, did you know they have a translator on Google for an Irish Brogue? Dia Dhuit this Saint Patricks!
Did you Know?
Saint Patrick wasn't Irish at all? He was born in Scottland.
During St. Patrick's time, Ireland's color wasn't green but blue? (Maybe we should wear blue on Saturday)
Ireland was the first country in Europe to grow potatoes on a large scale (I now love Ireland even more!)
The color green in Ireland stands for Nature and Hope.
You can thank the Irish for your oatmeal breakfasts- they brought it to America.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Cinder
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
Shout out to Ms. Meyer: You are my hero for writing this book. I fell in love with the story almost immediately. I mean, it's got everything! It's dystopian, with some cyborg sci-fi going on, along with fantasy glamours, romance, fairy tale goodness, and adventure with awesome characters! The only bad part is, I keep trying to get people to read this and as soon as I say, "Oh it's so cool, it's like a future cinderella, but not, and she's a cyborg that lives in China..." they kinda look at me like, 'are you serious?' And then I respond, "Do you have a Kindle?" And I proceed to tell them what I'm telling you, go get the sampler, the first 5 chapters free, and you'll be hooked just like I was. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed in Cinder or her story. I thought I might be able to tell where Meyers would go since it was based loosely on Cinderella, but she kept me guessing as to how she would tweak things. I have just been geeking out about this book ever since I read it, and can't wait for Scarlett (The next book in the quartet!)
4 1/4 out of 5! Yes I loved it that much.
Everlost
Nick and Allie don’t survive the car accident, but their souls don’t exactly get where they’re supposed to go either. Instead, they’re caught halfway between life and death, in a sort of limbo known as Everlost: a shadow of the living world, filled with all the things and places that no longer exist. It’s a magical, yet dangerous place where bands of lost kids run wild and anyone who stands in the same place too long sinks to the center of the Earth.
When they find Mary, the self-proclaimed queen of lost souls, Nick feels like he’s found a home, but Allie isn’t satisfied spending eternity between worlds. Against all warnings, Allie begins learning the “Criminal Art” of haunting, and ventures into dangerous territory, where a monster called the McGill threatens all the souls of Everlost.
In this imaginative novel, Neal Shusterman explores questions of life, death, and what just might lie in between.
So I've always been a sucker for ghost stories, and I really enjoyed Neal Shusterman's version of 'limbo' for kids. In the world of Everlost, it's only full of kids because, well, kids aren't really sure of things yet so they can get knocked off course before they "get where they are going". This is a really creative ghost world ruled and managed by kids who are just trying to figure out how to survive their afterlife. There is a lot questioned about death and purpose in his books and it's fun to go along with the protagonists Nick and Allie. Allie is more impulsive and adventurous, questioning everything. Nick is a lot more reserved but ends up being a very courageous and right-minded sort of kid. This book is the first in a series, the Skinjacker trilogy. I really enjoyed this first one and have the second in my possession, so I'll let you know how the next books stack up.
4 out of 5
Midnight in Austenland
When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests' Austen fantasies.
Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn't sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside's mysterious ailment? Was that an actual dead body in the secret attic room? And-perhaps of the most lasting importance-could the stirrings in Charlotte's heart be a sign of real-life love?
Bwahahahaha! I just felt the urge to do an evil laugh before I review this one...it just makes me smile and go all giddy. I didn't love Austenland, but this one was so much more my speed. Instead of an obsessed Coling Firth fan visiting a weird regency amusement park, it's poor Charlotte Kinder. Divorced, and trying to find a way to trust another man. I thought I'd have a hard time sympathizing with the character, but Charlotte is awesome. She is a lady who is not just a mom and a businesswoman, but a woman who is lonely and in desperate need of a Jane Austen hopeful ending. The great thing about this novel was that it wasn't just a romance, it was a mystery too. How cool is that? While Charlotte is trying her best to fall in love, she's also trying to solve a murder that no one believes happened. This was a great feel-good novel to read and giggle at and even pull your heart-strings. Full of Hale's wit and humor, you'll be satisfied you took the time to read this one. There is a few instances of language and some inuendo. Just as a warning. Uncomfortable at times for sensitive me, but really mild.
3 3/4 out of 5
Jane
Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, a world-famous rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance.
But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is soon tested by an agonizing secret from his past. Torn between her feelings for Nico and his fateful secret, Jane must decide: Does being true to herself mean giving up on true love?
What if Jane Eyre fell in love with a rock star? You get pure trash. Oh woe is me, I took a risk and wanted to scream when I finished this book. I thought, "hey, this doesn't sound too bad for a modern re-telling of Jane Eyre, it might even be good." WRONG. Okay, I admit, I did like it at first. I was enjoying it until bam, bedroom scene. I was apalled. One of the greatest things aobut the story of Jane Eyre, the reason that she runs from Rochester is because she knows that if she stays she'll get into trouble and she doesn't want to go against her own morality and Gods. It's one of my favorite scenes; and I guess if you want to tell it modern you can forget about morals, but I was ticked that she ruined Jane Eyre by doing it. After that the story lost all interest for me and I had to force myself to read the rest. I can't really give an unbiased review because I was so disappointed and disgusted. It also threw around the f-bomb which was disconcerting. My addage usually is to stop reading once they put that word in because it will only get worse. I ignored it and got burned. Yuck. Yuck. Blech.
1 out of 5 (Only because the writing was okay.)
Farewell My Lovely
Philip Marlowe is about to give up on a completely routine case when he finds himself in the wrong place at the right time to get caught up in a murder that leads to a ring of jewel thieves, another murder, a fortune-teller, a couple more murders, and more corruption than your average graveyard.
Hardboiled fiction; just makes you smile thinking of the mob bosses, the sarcastic PIs, and the dangerous dames. This was my first walk through the park with a hardboiled mystery book instead of a movie. I gotta say, while it makes me laugh to read the sarcastic remarks of Marlowe, I was asking myself why I finished this book. It felt so incredibly disconnected and fantastical. Basically it's Marlowe gets beat up to an inch of his life, barely makes it out alive, drinks, goes back for more, gets his gun taken, drinks some more, gets knocked out, drinks some more...etc. I was not engaged at all, and didn't really care who did it, I just wanted out of that mess. This genre has it's charms, sure, but I doubt I'll ever traverse it again.
2 out of 5
Murder in Mesopotamia
When Nurse Amy Leatheran agrees to look after American archaeologist Dr Leidner’s wife Louise at a dig near Hassanieh she finds herself taking on more than just nursing duties – she also has to help solve murders. Fortunately for Amy, Hercule Poirot is visiting the excavation site but will the great detective be in time to prevent a multiple murderer from striking again?
Have you ever read an Agatha Christie novel? Grew up watching Poirot like I did? She is a master of the "Whodunnit". I absolutely love how she allows the reader to try and put things together as she feeds you the clues. I love even more that I can almost never completely figure it out. This was a lot of fun for me to read, but I was a little surprised at the lack of depth in the characters. They were all there to move the plot forward and get you to the main point: who killed Louise. Not to say that this is a drawback, just was giving fair warning for the people who like character developement over plotline. Didn't bother this character-crazy reader at all. Just wallowed in the joy of figuring out a grusome murder. :)
3 1/2 out of 5 (because it's Agatha, and I had it almost pegged!)
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