nursenblack

I'm so behind again that I'll just do a brief review of each I've missed. #23 The Here and Now by Ann Brashares. A YA time travel novel that began very well, but failed to grip me through out. Not sure if this is the first of a series, but definitely seemed like there would be a sequel. (3/5) #24 Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. A historical novel set in 19th century England about fossil discoveries and friendship. Not much drama, but a nice blend of fact, fiction and character. (4/5) #25 The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd. I can't say enough about this beautiful and historical novel. Each chapter alternates between Sarah Grimke, an aristocratic slave owner's daughter, and Hettie, the slave that Sarah was given on her eleventh birthday. Heartbreaking and uplifting. (5/5) #26 The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent. If you think human depravity and stupidity is at its worst now, then think back to Salem, Massachusetts during the 17th century. The Heretic's Daughter is a very dark and engaging historical novel about the Salem Witch Trials, told from the perspective of ten year old Sarah Carrier. I won't say much more because I feel myself on the verge of a long rant, but I really really want to hop in a time machine and smack those morons bald-headed. (4/5)

I agree with Athena about Friends. I think it can withstand the test of time better than some of the 90's shows because it was all about the relationships between the friends. Who cares if they didn't have iphones, wifi, etc? It has the same premise as some of the popular shows of today. Speaking of Full House, there is supposedly a reboot of the show in the works with the original cast members (probably not the Olsen twins). Honestly, I can't think of many shows that I loved watching when I was younger that I wouldn't watch now, except some cartoons. I guess nostalgia has a lot to do with that though.

Finished August 29th #22 Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire synopsis from book cover The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand. Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match. my review When I started Beautiful Disaster I became instantly hooked. The will they, wont they relationship had me on pins and needles. Sadly, my enthusiasm waned about halfway through. That's when, for me, the frustrating romance became repetitive and the yo-yoing lost its appeal. If the last half of the book would have been as good as the first half, I would definitely rate it higher. I had this feeling that some big plot point would pull it up by its boot straps, but nothing significant ever happens. I know that it is romance, but with a book cover like that and all the advertisements I've seen, I thought there would be more. So much wasted potential. (2/5)

Finished August 2nd #21 A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick synopsis from amazon.com Rural Wisconsin, 1909. In the bitter cold, Ralph Truitt, a successful businessman, stands alone on a train platform waiting for the woman who answered his newspaper advertisement for "a reliable wife." But when Catherine Land steps off the train from Chicago, she's not the "simple, honest woman" that Ralph is expecting. She is both complex and devious, haunted by a terrible past and motivated by greed. Her plan is simple: she will win this man's devotion, and then, ever so slowly, she will poison him and leave Wisconsin a wealthy widow. What she has not counted on, though, is that Truitt — a passionate man with his own dark secrets —has plans of his own for his new wife. Isolated on a remote estate and imprisoned by relentless snow, the story of Ralph and Catherine unfolds in unimaginable ways. With echoes of Wuthering Heights and Rebecca, Robert Goolrick's intoxicating debut novel delivers a classic tale of suspenseful seduction, set in a world that seems to have gone temporarily off its axis. my review This was a pick from my physical book club and it was not at all what I was expecting. As I've mentioned before sometimes I don't even read the book cover to find out what the book is about. So, based on the cover and the beginning I thought it was a love story. It turned out to be a very dark and twisted love story that was pretty hard to put down. I really reminded me of the movie Original Sin. I also enjoyed the contrast between the cold, snowy terrain of Wisconsin and the passion that ensues in the bedroom. Yes, there are a lot of sex scenes, but I found them to be more intriguing because the author is male. In fact, I don't remember if I've ever read stories this passionate from a male author before. If your looking for a dark and sensual read on a cold night, try this. (4/5)

You've got to watch the series, Frankie. It is one of my favorite shows ever and sooo addictive.

I'm currently reading Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin, and I find it a bit confusing and wordy. I'm on page 82 and some parts are interesting and some are boring and confusing. I hate to put down a book. I'm not sure it's worth the time, it is 770 pages.

Oh, I do hope so! I grieve for all the unwritten Harry Potter books.

Oh, that does look good. I think I'll put it on my wishlist

Finished July 10th #20 Lucy's Story: Right Choices but Wrongs Still Left by Larry Hamilton synopsis from amazon.com """Lucy, we need courage in this sorry life. It’s all we got,"" Mama said. It’s 1863 during the Civil War, Madison County, Kentucky and Lucy is a slave on the Redmond Plantation where there is little joy to be found. When she is given as a ""gift"" to Massa’s daughter, she learns Mama is right. She needs courage more than ever. When her new master turns threatening, Lucy and her family flee to Camp Nelson, a haven of refuge. Here Lucy learns there is a life aside from oppression. At Camp Nelson, she learns to read and write and discovers others who care about her people in bondage. She forms unbreakable friendships and even falls in love as she grows into womanhood amid the challenges that freedom brings. Will Lucy have the courage and independence to face her unknown future? Based on a true account, this is the engaging story of Lucy, a slave, and of the impact Camp Nelson left on American history." my review This was the pick of my local library's book club that I decided to join. I always am a bit leery of books picked by people I don't know, but I was pleasantly surprised. Lucy's Story is a short, but a beautifully written historic novel about Camp Nelson in Kentucky during the Civil War. From the very first page, I was reeled in, but not just that, I was there too. The dialect was perfect from the first sentence and that made it a very authentic book for me. I kept thinking to myself what a wonderful movie it would make, which in my opinion, means it was very readable.(4.5/5)

Finished July 9th. #19 Messenger (The Giver quartet book 3) by Lois Lowry (via Kindle per library loan) synopsis from amazon.com Strange changes are taking place in Village. Once a utopian community that prided itself on its welcome to new strangers, Village will soon be closed to all outsiders. As one of the few people able to travel through the dangerous Forest, Matty must deliver the message of Village’s closing and try to convince Seer’s daughter to return with him before it’s too late. But Forest has become hostile to Matty as well, and he must risk everything to fight his way through it, armed only with an emerging power he cannot yet explain or understand. my review As with the other The Giver books I have read so far, Messenger kept me engaged and I read through it very quickly. What I have loved is that the characters lives are presented as so simple, at first, but as the stories progress it is evident that a threat is all around them. Many characters are reunited in this third book. And though it makes since to start from the beginning, Messenger could easily stand alone like the other two books. These were the dystopias that were ahead of the game, before dystopian was the trend. Don’t hesitate to read them. (4/5)

I've never seen a cover that has V.C. Andrews first name written. All of the ones here say V.C. That's pretty interesting.

The World Without Us sounds interesting. I watched a documentary just like that a few of years ago on Discovery or National Geographic channel and it was very good and pretty creepy. I don't know if it was based on this book or not though.

Lauren Oliver has a new book coming out, Rooms, that sounds pretty promising. I am also really excited about The Infinite Sea, which is The 5th Wave #2 book.

Well, your probably right about The Vampire Diaries gaining popularity after Twilight because the first book of the series was published in 1991. In fact, the first four books were all published in the early '90's.

Finished July 4th #18 Here on Earth by Alice Hoffman (via Kindle per library loan) synopsis from amazon.com The bestselling author of The Dovekeepers tells her most seductive and mesmerizing tale yet--the story of March Murray, who returns to her small Massachusetts hometown after nineteen years, encountering her childhood sweetheart...and discovering the heartbreaking and complex truth about their reckless and romantic love. my review When I found out that Here on Earth was inspired by Wuthering Heights, I knew I had to read it. Most of the novels I've read by Hoffman have been really enjoyable, and Here on Earth didn't disappoint. Often, retellings are just modern versions of the same exact story that follows the same plot. What this story does, while retaining many similarities to Wuthering Heights, is maintain originality. The plot doesn't run parallel with the classic, which I really appreciated. I enjoyed the characters, even though I wanted to smack a few of them. I found Hollis, the Heathcliff-inspired character, to be even more of a villain, yet March was definitely more subdued than Cathy. At first, I wondered if the passion would be subdued as well, but found it to be dark and destructively passionate as its muse. (4/5)

I agree with Janet's statement. I often wonder how some writers become bestsellers. I guess it is usually some mainstream appeal, and after awhile they build up a large fan base. For me, writers like Danielle Steel, Nora Roberts and Debbie Macomber have just never appealled to me much. The one Nora Roberts book I read was a thriller and loaned by a friend, it was pretty good though. I have bought numerous amounts of Debbie Macomber, but have never read the first one because they are always gifts for my grandmother. Agatha Christie Danielle Steel (have only bought and read one novel by her) Dr. Suess R.L. Stine J.K. Rowling (only read H.P. so far) Dean Koontz Stephen King Nora Roberts(read one novel) James Patterson (read two) Debbie Macomber (gifts for grandmother) Anne Rice (read one) Lewis Carroll Roald Dahl Stan and Jan Berenstain (I read one of these everyday to my daughter) William Shakespeare Stephenie Meyer

Finished June 28th #17 The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer (via Kindle per library loan) synopsis from amazon.com The summer that Nixon resigns, six teenagers at a summer camp for the arts become inseparable. Decades later the bond remains powerful, but so much else has changed. In The Interestings, Wolitzer follows these characters from the height of youth through middle age, as their talents, fortunes, and degrees of satisfaction diverge. The kind of creativity that is rewarded at age fifteen is not always enough to propel someone through life at age thirty; not everyone can sustain, in adulthood, what seemed so special in adolescence. Jules Jacobson, an aspiring comic actress, eventually resigns herself to a more practical occupation and lifestyle. Her friend Jonah, a gifted musician, stops playing the guitar and becomes an engineer. But Ethan and Ash, Jules’s now-married best friends, become shockingly successful—true to their initial artistic dreams, with the wealth and access that allow those dreams to keep expanding. The friendships endure and even prosper, but also underscore the differences in their fates, in what their talents have become and the shapes their lives have taken. Wide in scope, ambitious, and populated by complex characters who come together and apart in a changing New York City, The Interestings explores the meaning of talent; the nature of envy; the roles of class, art, money, and power; and how all of it can shift and tilt precipitously over the course of a friendship and a life. My review The Interestings spans the lives of six friends from teenagers, who meet at an art camp, to middle aged adults, working to keep their friendships intact. The novel is definitely character driven, with a time changing plot that just works. I think the main ideas are success and friendship, and how one can threaten the other. When I first began this novel, I thought it was a little slow, but shortly I became interested in each character. Though, from the tone, I knew nothing huge - no major plot point or twist- was going to happen, yet I still wanted to find out what happened next. Don't get me wrong, plenty of things happen, just not in the way of more traditionally plotted books. So, was The Interestings interesting? Yes. (4/5)

I read the first Vampire Daries book in the series and it really failed to grip me. I'm a fan of the tv show, at least until recently though. The show really changed the character of Elena, almost polar opposite to the way she is in the books.

I love YA, and based on some of the books you've read I think you will like the Hourglass trilogy by Myra McEnitre, Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay, and Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls) series by Maggie Stiefvater. Hourglass has time travel, some violence and a love triangle. Juliet Immortal is a really modern and paranomal take on Romeo and Juliet (Romeo is a villian). Shiver, Linger, & Forever are supranatural romance about balancing a human life and living as a wolf. Oh, I almost forgot about Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. Happy reading!

Too bad the Zombie Apocalypse books were not great. I love the cool book covers though. Mr. Mercedes sounds good. I like your description "quick read". The sheer size of some of his works scares me, and I have to build myself up to start them.

Yes! I percieved it to be a personal attack because she even mentions how good some YA novels are, yet reading them as an adult makes for a bad reader. Her criticism is clearly aimed at the readers. Agreed. My parents, who are in their mid-sixties, are very much "grown-up" but adore Harry Potter.

Wasn't sure where to put this, but decided that since it deals with readers' preferences it would be okay to put here. Recently, an article written in The Slate titled "Against YA" by Ruth Graham with the tag line, "Read whatever you want. But you should feel embarrassed when what you're reading was written for children", has sparked a big debate among readers. Apparently, there was immediate backlash from readers on Twitter, etc. Below is the link to the original article: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2014/06/against_ya_adults_should_be_embarrassed_to_read_children_s_books.html I first read about this controversy in a magazine and was compelled to read the actual article. As a fan of YA, I was offended, especially after Graham called books like Divergent "transparently trashy". I also found the following quote to be untrue when it comes to great YA fiction: "Most importantly, these books consistently indulge in the kind of endings that teenagers want to see, but which adult readers ought to reject as far too simple." Other YA fans will agree that not all YA novels end picture perfect, but often have shocking or profound endings. Writers all over the web are responding in blogs. I especially like this one I found in a search:http://fightlikeawriter.com/2014/06/11/in-defense-of-adult-readers-of-ya-fiction-or-youre-not-the-boss-of-me-ruth-graham/ Personally, I feel that readers should not be shamed by their reading choices. So, I have negative feelings about Nicholas Sparks' novels, but does that mean I should tell other readers that they should feel embarrassed because they like or love them? It's fine that Graham has her own opinions about what's appropriate reading material, but what I don't like are insults. What are your thoughts, feelings about this article?

This sounds really good. I added it to my wishlist.

Nice topic! I have actually thought about this before and have probably used (and read in reviews across the web) the term "modern classic". My own defenition is any contempary book that is unique or profound, has reached a mass amount of readers, and provokes a lot of discussion. I agree with Athena and Emelee about the Harry Potter books and The Hunger Games, as well. Here are some more that I've read and, in my opinion, are "modern classics" and could possibly be considered classic in 100 or 200 years: The Book Theif by Markus Zusak (2005) The Giver by Lois Lowry (published 1993, but won award in 1994) The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (1998) The Road by Cormac McCarthy(2006) The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold(2009) The Help by Kathryn Stockett(2010) I believe Stephen Kings books are also modern classics, mainly the ones published in 1970's and 1980's.

So far, the best and only book I have rated 5/5, is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Nothing else has really wowd me this year. I must read a lot more!