Anna Begins

Ya I noticed that, it will probably change soon though, when you read some of your own books? Maybe that doorstopper Sanderson and then I will read World Without End at the same time Hopefully the Sanderson will be like 1500 pages ha ha ha I think it is 1088 also.

Ya this was only my second full length novel of his, but I have read SO many of his short stories. I think The Shell Collector was better written than I, Zombie but I, Zombie seemed to be written early in his career. I can see a lot of growth in his writing just between TSC and IZ.

I'd pick April 10th, 11th and 12th, if we do March 28th, 29th and 30th, it seems to close to this one.

That's some awesome reading there! I was just going to say the other day "ooohhhh- tough read a thon with the Winter's Night a Traveller Good for you, not letting it ruin your read a thon! Wow- that's totally amazing! I don't know about Easter, I will be off of school the 3rd through the 10th (we get "Spring Break", a week off), but during the read a thon, on Easter, I know I will be busy most of the day, so that knocks me out a day. I know, I do too, yesterday was quite agreeable. I loved finishing I, Zombie.

Started Marilynne Robinson's Gilead tonight, and have about 70 pages left in Matt Haig's Reasons to Stay Alive.

Title: I, Zombie Author: Hugh Howey Genre: Horror, Science Fiction Age: Adult Pages: 306 Dates: 3/3- 3/8 Despite a usual PG rating, Hugh Howey switches to horror in I, Zombie. And it is messy, sticky and gross. But you find yourself sympathizing with the humanistic part of the zombie. For example, when Michael finds survivors and longs to be one of the living, not the monster he has become. Or when Gloria inwardly prays, believing she is paying for her past sins by becoming one of the living dead. This humanistic element is classic Howey and I am sorry to say that I doubted him on this one. It took a while to get into the rhythm of it, but once the brilliance was shown (see Michael and Gloria moment above), I could see the simmering Howey underneath. Unfortunately, it took 20% of the book to find, but alas, this isn’t the usual instant gratification of normal Howey, it isn’t a 5,000 word short story. It is however, told in short chapters or short stories. By 30%, I was completely sucked in. By 65%, it had taken over my other read of Matt Haig’s Reasons to Stay Alive. Just know, it is horror and is pretty graphic. The graphicness highlights the point Howey is trying to make about humanity, so in the end, it is artistic . Synopsis, From Amazon: ***WARNING: NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION*** This book contains foul language and fouler descriptions of life as a zombie. It will offend most anyone, so proceed with caution or not at all. And be forewarned: This is not a zombie book. This is a different sort of tale. It is a story about the unfortunate, about those who did not get away. It is a human story at its rotten heart. It is the reason we can't stop obsessing about these creatures, in whom we see all too much of ourselves.

Right on! I have yet to explore his other works but hope to read Total Recall and Minority Report, if they don't prove to be too far out there for me lol

Friday Reasons to Stay Alive- Matt Haig (70 pages) I, Zombie- Hugh Howey (70 pages) Total= 140 pages Saturday Reasons to Stay Alive (60 pages) Total= 60 pages Sunday Reasons to Stay Alive (30 pages) I, Zombie (100 pages pages) Total= 130 pages Total for read a thon= 330 pages

Aw! I'm sure there is no biting of nails necessary! And once they find that stuff out- its all over lol I am getting new furniture today! I purchased it in January but its taken this long to arrive So glad to finally get it here- the couch and loveseat are a modern style and a slate grey. My accents are blue and off white. Unfortunately, the guy who was supposed to collect the old furniture did not come, so I will have a lot of furniture for a few days until have can make it. The past few days have been spent hand cleaning and steam cleaning the floors. Whew!

Whew- good luck with A Time to Kill, that one was rough for me, I didn't make it through... I tried it in December. Feel free to PM me some spoilers if you read it lol I don't even want to see the movie! But I'd love to know what happens! I was exactly 50% in. I thought I'd come back to it, but never have. *rambly, sorry* The idea of a state separating from the US is one of the biggest jokes in the US. ESPECIALLY with California, the country is always joking about how it should because we are such liberals here and so different. There is also a economic theory that California should be split into six smaller states, to be more equal to other states. Neither of these scenarios are given credence. The truth is, each state is very dependent on the federal government and California, while it might eventually be "one of the most powerful nation- states in the world", succeeding, is not even feasible. California is so dependent on the federal government, with funding for social programs, subsidies in basic necessities like water and oil, plus taxes to do business in CA has driven countless major businesses out of state- especially frustrating are innovative businesses that have moved like Tesla. California is a very irresponsible state, fiscally. That does not begin to address the extremely serious issue that CA has with illegal immigration or the fact that all of the country wants to and has a desire to remain, united.

When I read it, I had you in mind, I think you'd find it intriguing, especially since you know history and are interested in politics, plus are good at symbolism

The trailers for it look...interesting. I wasn't a big fan of the movie, but my mom was and she is really looking forward to Insurgent so we will probably see it in theaters. But I agree, it is a treat to go, it is pricey here too.

I don't (and can't) have a Facebook, but wow- it sounds like the trip of a lifetime. It is one of my mothers only wishes, to see the Northern Lights, I'd love to take her to Alaska some day. Is it true they make a sound?

Ok, first, that is just ridiculous! lol I easily pegged you for a college freshman or sophomore, aren't you taking college courses though? If so, that is amazing, you are totally brilliant and I definitely admire your mind and intellect. I hope you have the best time at prom!

Oh goody. How long has it been since you read Divergent? Have you seen the movie and do you plan on seeing Insurgent? It's out here on the 20th. for free stuff! That is way cool that there is a Book Week celebration! I hope the autobiographical pieces will be interesting!

OMGosh!! First of all Congratulations! First Devi and then you, the forum will need full updates, you understand Second, that is an awesome book and you like history, so I don't see why wouldn't get along with it. It definitely wasn't a book I had to push myself to read, its that good. I believe it took me 10 days, so.

Ya I really like the movie too (I saw it when it came out as Maze Runner had been on my TBR for awhile and I decided to take the plunge and see the movie before reading the book). I wasn't all that impressed with the movie, but once I read the book, I really liked it. I was surprised how much they had changed the movie for the adaptation. It was practically a different movie, if you think about it. But I was constantly comparing the movie and the book while reading. Anyway, rambly lol glad you liked it! I saw Frida with Selma Hayek for the 3rd time. I love that movie. Then I watched Saturday Night Live 2010's last night.

Friday I, Zombie- Hugh Howey 70 pages Reasons to Stay Alive- Matt Haig 70 pages Total= 140 pages

Great question, I can't wait for the answer Just thought I'd post in your thread- why on earth are you prom dress shopping? Also, I am glad you enjoyed The Kite Runner. I can highly recommend his others too, I'd be hard pressed to say which is my favorite, although I found A Thousand Splendid Suns (got so tired of typing that while reading it lol) and And the Mountains Echoed better than The Kite Runner.

Matt Haig's new book is out today, I pre-ordered it and its already on my Kindle. Might start it today.

Have you ever heard of Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore? It was written in the 50's about the Confederacy winning the Civil War? I never have read it, but it randomly comes up now and then for me. Anyway, I was just reading that it inspired The Man in the High Castle. I hope you enjoy it if you get to it

Abandon Hope... ...and bash in her skull before you go. I, Zombie/ Hugh Howey

Being locked in a body you can't control... the flip side of zombie horror is my next read with Hugh Howey's I, Zombie. Pretty gross so far

Title: The Man in the High Castle Author: Phillip K Dick Genre: Dystopian/ Speculative Fiction Age: Adult Pages: 274 Dates: 2/28-3/3 I’ve never read a dystopian that takes place in a city so close to where I live! Phillip K Dick mentions sites and streets in San Francisco such as Geary and The Haight (Ashbury) and the Tenderloin. But that’s pretty much where things stop being similar. WWII has been won by Germany, Japan and Italy. Some fifteen years after WWII, the United States (and beyond) is settled and divided between Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. I picked this up in the middle of the read a thon, mostly because the synopsis (Amazon): It's America in 1962. Slavery is legal once again. The few Jews who still survive hide under assumed names. In San Francisco, the I Ching is as common as the Yellow Pages. All because some twenty years earlier the United States lost a war—and is now occupied by Nazi Germany and Japan. made me think it might be another dystopian I could whip through. Then I read what else Amazon had to say: This harrowing, Hugo Award-winning novel is the work that established Philip K. Dick as an innovator in science fiction while breaking the barrier between science fiction and the serious novel of ideas. In it Dick offers a haunting vision of history as a nightmare from which it may just be possible to wake. And that’s when my read a thon pretty much ended because this is the same author who wrote the intricate sounding Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, plus the short stories of Total Recall, and Minority Report and the mystifying Ubik and A Scanner Darkly. Perhaps most disturbingly, this United States is not a Nineteen- Eighty Four type place. That is what is really terrifying- and frankly, also edgy- about The Man in the High Castle, is that it is a functioning world. More Rand than Atwood, more philosophical than dystopian, the more you know about history and politics, the more you will “get” The Man in the High Castle. Despite a rushed and unexplained ending, there is a lot of hidden meanings, underlying subjects and symbolism throughout. I could probably read this book 10 times just to catch everything. My favorite line: Body of yin, soul of yang. Metal and fire united. The outer and inner; microcosmos in my palm.

Your Hunter shelf and my Hunter shelf should get together I spent a lot of time in my teens reading him and cried quite a bit over his suicide, even though it was so very Thompson. I always loved hearing Johnny Depp talk about the time he spent with Hunter for the movie Fear and Loathing... Hunter shaved Depp's head for the role in his basement with his headlamp and goggles on