Movies and Books

One of my favorite authors, Nicholas Sparks has recently put out two books that have become "major motion pictures"! His books, Dear John and The Last Song have been made into movies and I can not wait to see them after completeing the books.

Dear John is an addicting love story about a marine before and after the devastating attack on NYC on 9/11. Home on leave, he meets the southern belle and beauty, Savannah and immediately falls for her. This books follows their love affair over anumber of years and multiple deployments to Iraq. Their love branches across oceans and continents but can it branch the ocean of time? I could not put this book down and I'm dying to see the movie.

The Last Song, while not quite as riveting as the previous one was sitll a great read. This book was definetly directed at a younger audience about a new high school graduate, Ronnie. With no direction to her life she is sent down to North Carolina to spend a summer with a father who has been distant and covering up family secrets. Through meeting a new boy, Will, who is completely not her type and a new found relationship with her father, Ronnie learns how there are so many perspectives and sides to a single story. There were so mahy emotions played through this books and will catch any young woman's attention.

Finally!

So after almost six months I finally finished Bill Buford's Heat. Clearly not my type of books. I soley reccommend this book for someone who must know every small detail there is to know about food preparation namely pasta and butchering. I'm a vegeterian. This was not for me.

Better though, I also finished reading Emil Bronte's Wuthering Heights. This book followed the love affair of Heathcliff and Catherine through two generations with absolutely so solution seemingly in sight throughout the entire book. The reader could not have guessed how it would resolve until the very end but it did end...perfectly!

The Chocolate War

So with my horribly busy semester of the past seven weeks I have finally found time to read a book just for myself and not for school. I chose The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. It takes place in an all boys Catholic school where a secret society entitled "The Vigils" run the school from backstage. This society gives the boys of the school secret missions they must perform in order to force the boys into submission to the school and the herd mentality of conformity. When an assignment to a freshman, Jerry, backfires the society does everything in their power to bring Jerry to his knees. This is a book about adolescents and trials of peer pressure at the absolute worst. It was a very catching read and had I not had hours of studying daily I would not have been able to put it down. But as it is I do so it may be a while before I can write up another review for some time.

Update

I haven't written on here in a while. So, here is an update.

I finished up my Westerfeld summer kick which works out well since summer is officially over. The last book was entitled So Yesterday. It was actually a very funny book about how trends are started and how they spread. For example: Who first wore tight spandex leggings with long t-shirts and actaully thought it was a good look? Find out how trends are started in this mystery satire on "coolness".

I am now reading Stephanie's Meyer's Host although I am not quite sure what it is about. I think there are spirits involved that take over human bodies to fight in some war...I will need to read some more and figure out what exactly is going on. It seems interesting though...

Next Step Complete

Yes! I was right. Last Days by Scott Westerfeld was a much quicker read than his last books I just finished. Not quite the romance vampire story of Twilight but still a good read. The book centers around 5 young adults 2 of which are parasite positive or Peeps (or in other word Vampires) The five make up a band who have a special talent for calling up very old secrets from underground. A definite must read for anyone who likes a thriller.

I am now working on reading more into the book Heat. I feel like I am maybe getting soemwhere with this book. I am out of town for a few days so when I get back I will also complete my last Westerfeld book for the summer. Keep updated!

Finally Done!

Alright, I have finally finished The Killing of Worlds by Scott Westerfeld. That book and The Risen Empire make up the Succeession Books. It was an interesting read overall. It was really slow getting into as I ahve said but by then end I couldn't put it down. I really wanted to know what happened. Unfortunately, by "the end" I mean abotu the last 75 pages. So if you can make it to that last section it's an intriguing read.

Now onto my next Westerfeld book, The Last Days. It is a sequal to his book Peeps which I read quite a while ago. It is a new look on vampire life so for all you Twilight fans out there this is for you. I will keep you updated on how this book goes. It should be a much quicker read!

Catching Up

I had a bit of a break at work (AKA reading at the YMCA with a hundred screaming kids in the other pool) today so I finally got a chance to back in and read Bill Buford's Heat. I learned all about the making of pasta, mostly tortilini which are compared to innie belly-buttons. Who would have thought? Sounds delicious though.

I also have started reading my next Westerfeld book. The Killing of Worlds. It's an exact continuation off The Risen Empire. No time has elapsed between books. It picks up right at the beginning of the space ship's battle. It's actually got me quite intrigued now that I understand the story. I have never been one for a space science fiction story but this one has me hooked. I think this one will be a much quicker read than the first now that the plot and characters ahve already been set up. This is, of course, a good thing as I am looking forward to starting the next read on my list.