Tag: Paperback

Book Review | Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

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Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Published by Speak on January 1, 2008

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Paperback

Pages: 352

Source: BookMooch

Goodreads: ★★★★

The weather outside is frightful, but these stories are delightful! When a huge blizzard (that doesn’t show signs of stopping) hits, Gracetown is completely snowed in. But even though it’s cold outside, things are heating up inside, proving that the holiday season is magical when it comes to love. In three wonderfully (and hilariously!) interconnected tales, YA stars John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson create a must-have collection that captures all the spirit of the holiday season.

BOOK REVIEW

While I wouldn’t call myself a seasonal reader, I was very excited to pick up Let it Snow as soon as the holiday season began. There is something magical about Christmas stories, and Let it Snow contains three. I had no idea that the three stories in the book are interconnected, and that was a great surprise for me. Each story takes place in Gracetown, a small town that is experiencing a huge snowstorm on Christmas Eve. In each story we follow a different cast of characters, but, of course, each is a holiday romance. They are sweet, silly, and super enjoyable.

The book begins with Maureen Johnson’s The Jubilee Express. This is my favorite story in the book, and it follows Jubilee as she travels south by train to visit her grandparents in Florida after her parents are thrown in jail on Christmas Eve. I really enjoyed Johnson’s writing – it is snarky and funny, and flows really well. Even though The Jubilee Express features the insta-love trope popular in a lot of young adult fiction, it was enjoyable in this short story.

The second story is by none other than John Green, and is called A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle. I was quite disappointed that Green decided to use a gay slur in his story, and that his characters used the R-word (more information on that HERE). Otherwise, I really enjoyed his story, which follows Tobin and his group of friends attempting to visit the local Waffle House after a bunch of cheerleaders get stranded there. Of course, it is quite outlandish, but it’s a lot of fun, and perfect for the holidays.

Finally, Lauren Myracle’s story is called The Patron Saint of Pigs. It has a very different feel than the other two stories in the book, and is my least favorite simply due to the main character Addie’s negative demeanor. Nonetheless, I still thought it was enjoyable, and I loved how it rounded up the overall story of Let it Snow. 

All in all, Let it Snow is a great book to pick up during Christmastime, and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a holiday-themed read. Keep in mind that it is a little bit corny, but I think it is justified during this time of year. I am definitely going to be rereading this during Christmases to come.

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Book Review | Carrie by Stephen King

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Carrie by Stephen King

Published by Doubleday on April 5, 1974

Genres: Adult, Fiction, Horror, Fantasy

Format: Paperback

Pages: 245

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★★ 1/2

Carrie knew she should not use the terrifying power she possessed… But one night at her senior prom, Carrie was scorned and humiliated just one time too many, and in a fit of uncontrollable fury she turned her clandestine game into a weapon of horror and destruction…

REVIEW

One of my lifelong goals is to read Stephen King’s work in publishing order, and I finally began my quest with Carrie upon finding a vintage and battered copy at a library book sale. While I knew the general story of Carrie already, I was still interested in reading the book. Carrie is a very quick and easy read, as the novel is under 300 pages. The story is immediately captivating. I really liked how the book is written. The story is written in the third person, and follows Carrie and her high school classmates. At the same time, the story is intermixed with fictional books and news articles that look back upon Carrie and her life. It makes the story feel real, and I wished I could go and read more from those fictional secondary sources.

While the writing is intriguing and flows well at the beginning, the story gets a bit jumbled at the end of the novel. The cadence of the book is upset towards the end, which definitely took away from the reading experience for me. That being said, Carrie is a debut novel, and I think it is a solid debut notwithstanding the disorganized writing.

Moreover, Carrie deals with the real life issue of bullying in a way that I’ve never read. It is so sad to see how Carrie’s classmates terrorize her, and it’s also sad to think that this bulling still occurs today over forty years later. Carrie is such a sympathetic character, and it is truly heart-wrenching to see how she is treated by her peers.

In the same way, Carrie’s mother is also a horrifying character. She is a fundamentalist Christian, and abuses Carrie. It is quite thought-provoking that King surrounds Carrie, the supposed monster, with such terrible people. It makes a great statement about what truly makes one good versus evil.

Overall, I enjoyed Carrie and am glad I decided to read King’s work in publishing order. It will be great to see the evolution of his writing over time. If you haven’t read Carrie I definitely recommend it despite the lackluster writing at the end of the novel. It is, of course, a well-known novel, and the bullying theme is an important one. I look forward to continuing on with King’s novels, and will be sure to share my thoughts on each in the future!

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Book Review | Horns by Joe Hill

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Horns by Joe Hill

Published by William Morrow on February 16, 2010

Genres: Adult, Fiction, Horror, Fantasy

Format: Paperback

Pages: 397

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★★ 1/2

At first Ig thought the horns were a hallucination, the product of a mind damaged by rage and grief. He had spent the last year in a lonely, private purgatory, following the death of his beloved, Merrin Williams, who was raped and murdered under inexplicable circumstances. A mental breakdown would have been the most natural thing in the world. But there was nothing natural about the horns, which were all too real.

Once the righteous Ig had enjoyed the life of the blessed: born into privilege, the second son of a renowned musician and younger brother of a rising late-night TV star, he had security, wealth, and a place in his community. Ig had it all, and more—he had Merrin and a love founded on shared daydreams, mutual daring, and unlikely midsummer magic.

But Merrin’s death damned all that. The only suspect in the crime, Ig was never charged or tried. And he was never cleared. In the court of public opinion in Gideon, New Hampshire, Ig is and always will be guilty because his rich and connected parents pulled strings to make the investigation go away. Nothing Ig can do, nothing he can say, matters. Everyone, it seems, including God, has abandoned him. Everyone, that is, but the devil inside. . . .

Now Ig is possessed of a terrible new power to go with his terrible new look—a macabre talent he intends to use to find the monster who killed Merrin and destroyed his life. Being good and praying for the best got him nowhere. It’s time for a little revenge. . . . It’s time the devil had his due. . . .

REVIEW

Horns has been on my to read list for about a year now, and when I found a copy at an antique store for just $4.00 I decided to pick it up. I was instantly drawn in by this creepy story. Horns follows twenty-something Ig Perrish a year after his longtime girlfriend Merrin was murdered. Ig wakes up one day with horns on his head that give him devilish powers. He decides to use his new powers to find out who murdered his girlfriend and finally clear his name after being accused of the crime.

Horns is written in a nonlinear fashion. The book begins in the present day, but often flashes back to different times in both Ig’s life and the lives of other characters. While this means the writing was extremely well crafted, it also made the reading process very, very slow. I did really enjoy the flashbacks because they were integral to the story and allowed me as a reader to understand each character’s motives, but I had a very difficult time finishing this book! It was a very weird feeling, because while I was enjoying the book, I felt like it never ended. I really had to push through it.

In the same way, I wish we got to see more of Ig’s new powers in action. The fantastical elements of the story are really cool, and they are interwoven well with an otherwise contemporary setting. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning of Horns, where Ig was just starting to use his powers. I really would have liked more of Ig in the present day using his powers because they were so intriguing!

Moreover, Horns features a good discussion of what makes someone good or evil. It is very interesting that out of all the characters in the book, Ig is the one that wakes up with devil horns. Similarly, Horns makes me wonder about my own life, and what the horns would reveal for me. I think these elements of the book make Horns the perfect book club pick, as there is a lot to discuss!

Overall, while I think Horns is exceptionally written, I’m left a bit underwhelmed because of its slow pace. I also wasn’t a big fan of the ending, which I won’t discuss further as to avoid spoilers. I definitely want to pick up Joe Hill’s other books, especially NOS4A2. If you enjoy creepy and somewhat disturbing books, I do recommend giving Horns a chance. It’s perfect during Halloween, or anytime you’re in the mood for something in the horror genre!

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Book Review | Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris

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Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris

Published by Crown Archetype on October 14, 2014

Genres: Nonfiction, Autobiography, Memoir, Humor

Format: Paperback

Pages: 291

Source: Blogging for Books

Goodreads: ★★★★

Tired of memoirs that only tell you what really happened?

Sick of deeply personal accounts written in the first person? Seeking an exciting, interactive read that puts the “u” back in “aUtobiography”? Then look no further than Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography! In this revolutionary, Joycean experiment in light celebrity narrative, actor/personality/carbon-based life-form Neil Patrick Harris lets you, the reader, live his life. You will be born in New Mexico. You will get your big break at an acting camp. You will get into a bizarre confrontation outside a nightclub with actor Scott Caan. Even better, at each critical juncture of your life, you will choose how to proceed. You will decide whether to try out for Doogie Howser, M.D. You will decide whether to spend years struggling with your sexuality. You will decide what kind of caviar you want to eat on board Elton John’s yacht.

Choose correctly and you’ll find fame, fortune, and true love. Choose incorrectly and you’ll find misery, heartbreak, and a hideous death by piranhas. All this, plus magic tricks, cocktail recipes, embarrassing pictures from your time as a child actor, and even a closing song. Yes, if you buy one book this year, congratulations on being above the American average, but make that book Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography!

REVIEW

I’ll admit it – I’m a sucker for the celebrity memoir. I even have a separate space on my bookshelves where I keep celebrity books because it makes me laugh to see my pop culture obsession physically stacked in one place. That being said, I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t expect much out of the celebrity memoir in terms of quality writing. I’m excited to share my thoughts on Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography, as NPH proved that not all celebrity books are created equal.

Of course, Choose Your Own Autobiography is written in its classic style, allowing readers to control the story’s order by choosing to which pages they turn at the end of each chapter. This allows the book to be read in a variety of ways, making each reader’s experience different. I chose to read the book chronologically from cover to cover, and while that may be breaking the rules a bit, I found that my reading experience was still logical and enjoyable. Thus, no matter how you choose to live NPH’s life, the book is organized so that your adventure is always a great one. 

Similarly, NPH’s writing voice is extremely well done (and I say that recognizing he’s not the only person credited as author). His writing is witty, and I was laughing at his cleverly inserted one-liners throughout the entirety of the book. He mixed fact with fiction so seamlessly that sometimes I couldn’t even differentiate between the two. At the same time, NPH shared a great deal about his life, including many intimate moments. Despite not following his career closely before, I feel like I know him personally after reading his book.

Moreover, I have a few minor critiques. While the experimental writing style works well for the majority of the book, there is one lone chapter that fell flat for me. Choose Your Own Autobiography is written in the second person, placing the reader into the role of NPH. However, one chapter is written in How I Met Your Mother style, with NPH speaking in the first person to his children Gideon and Harper. I can appreciate how he’s using the familiar trope in the book, but I felt like the switch in perspective was unnecessary and detracted from the otherwise uniform writing.

Finally, Choose Your Own Adventure needs more page numbers! The entire premise of this book is allowing the reader to flip to the pages of her choice to continue the story, but each new chapter of the book does not contain a page number. Many chapters are only a couple pages long, so there can be a few pages in a row without a page number. That makes flipping to the correct page number a bit annoying and time-consuming, and takes away from the enjoyment of reading when one has to stop and find the proper page before continuing. If this book is printed again, I highly recommend the publisher include a page number on each and every page.

Those small critiques aside, I truly enjoyed Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography. It is a fun and thoughtful read, and great whether you’re a huge NPH fan or simply looking to learn a bit more about him. Plus, the book includes recipes, magic tricks, and even a chunk of photos in the middle. It truly has something for everyone.

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Book Review | The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordon (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1)

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The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1) by Rick Riordan

Published by Disney Hyperion on July 1, 2005

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Adventure

Pages: 375

Format: Paperback

Source: Giveaway

Goodreads: ★★★


Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse-Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy’s mom finds out, she knows it’s time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he’ll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends — one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena — Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

REVIEW

I was unfamiliar with Percy Jackson until last year, and was excited when I won a full set of the series in a giveaway. I don’t often read middle grade unless it is a reread, but I was interested to give this a try because it has such a huge fanbase. After reading the first book, I can definitely understand why this series is so loved, but I did have some issues with it.

First and foremost, I was beyond annoyed with the Harry Potter parallels in this story. Our protagonist Percy is a 12-year-old boy who has experienced strange occurrences throughout his childhood that he cannot explain. As it turns out, he’s a half-blood, which means he is the son of a human and a Greek god. Percy goes to Camp Half Blood in Long Island, New York (aka Hogwarts), where he learns more about his special powers and is trained to kill monsters.

Percy becomes part of a trio that goes out on an epic quest in order to prevent a war between the gods of Olympus. He is joined by Annabeth, a very bright young girl, and Grover, a satyr who is a bit of a doofus, but a great friend to Percy. Oh, and did I mention there is a security guard at Camp Half Blood named Argus? I mean, come on, this is truly inspired by Harry Potter, and with every detail that paralleled Harry’s story I wanted to throw the book across the room. I’m sure author Rick Riordon was influenced by Rowling’s work, but whether he intended the similarities or not, I couldn’t believe how replete they were throughout The Lightening Thief.

Moreover, another huge drawback in the story for me was the predictability. I understand this is a middle grade novel that I am reading as an adult, but I was easily able to figure out most of the action by the plethora of hints Riordon drops throughout the novel. With that being said, I was quite frustrated with the ending of the book because it did not flow logically from the story’s set-up. Instead, it felt like Riordon wanted to shock the readers, and he did so with an unexpected twist that was a bit disjointed. That definitely took away some credibility from the book.

Putting those issues aside, however, I really did enjoy The Lightning Thief. The writing style was very well done, and I really liked Percy as a first-person narrator. Percy was a very relatable character, as he was quite imperfect but still incredible at the same time. If I was reading this as a middle schooler, I’d definitely want to be friends with Percy and his gang.

In addition, I loved the road-trip adventure that Percy goes on in this book, and how he needs to fight a variety of monsters along the way. It was really fun how Riordon included Greek mythology in an American setting, and adapted the gods and monsters for the 21st Century. While it took me about 130 pages to really become invested in the world, once I was hooked I couldn’t put the book down and finished the remainder in one day. I’m really looking forward to continuing on in the series and seeing where Percy ends up next!

Thus, if you are looking for a fun, middle grade fantasy, I think Percy Jackson is a great place to start. I know that kids will really enjoy it, but adults who grew up with Harry Potter as I did will need to read this with a grain of salt. I’m hopeful that as the series continues the books will divulge from Harry Potter and take on its own unique identity.

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Book Review | Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

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Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Published by Aladdin on September 1, 2000

Genres: Middle Grade, Historial Fiction, Survival

Pages: 272

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★★★★

It’s late summer 1793, and the streets of Philadelphia are abuzz with mosquitoes and rumors of fever. Down near the docks, many have taken ill, and the fatalities are mounting. Now they include Polly, the serving girl at the Cook Coffeehouse. But fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook doesn’t get a moment to mourn the passing of her childhood playmate. New customers have overrun her family’s coffee shop, located far from the mosquito-infested river, and Mattie’s concerns of fever are all but overshadowed by dreams of growing her family’s small business into a thriving enterprise. But when the fever begins to strike closer to home, Mattie’s struggle to build a new life must give way to a new fight-the fight to stay alive.

REVIEW

Growing up I was a regular at my local library, and one book that I specifically remember checking out on more than one occasion is Fever 1793. It wasn’t until recent years that I discovered it is written by the same author of the acclaimed young adult contemporary Speak – a book I didn’t love despite the hype surrounding it. I’ve been wanting to reread Fever 1793 ever since that discovery, and when I found a used copy at the Strand for $1 I just had to pick it up.

Fever 1793 is the story of young Mattie Cook, a teenager growing up in Philadelphia and helping her widowed mother run a coffeehouse. The story opens with one of Mattie’s childhood friends suddenly dying from the yellow fever, which erupts into a full epidemic throughout her city. Readers follow Mattie as she attempts to escape the disease by leaving Philadelphia for the countryside with her beloved grandfather. Of course, things do not go as planned.

I am very impressed with how deep and emotional Fever 1793 is, especially for a middle grade novel. I grew to love each and every character, and found myself reaching for the tissues on more than one occasion. Mattie is an excellent first-person narrator, and while some of the dialogue in the book can be considered corny by today’s standards, the language stays true to the time period.

In the same way, it is clear the author did substantial research on yellow fever in order to write a historical fiction novel quite focused on the history.  I really liked how each chapter opened with a quotation from primary source material, whether it be a book from the 18th century or a letter from a politician of the time. It added a lot of credibility to the story, and also made the fictional characters seem more real. I also thought it was smart that the novel concluded with a few pages describing the history of the yellow fever. It’s always nice to know precisely what parts of historical fiction are true to history versus created by the author.

All in all, I have nothing but praise for Fever 1793. While my opinion may be biased due to me loving this book as a child, I’m so happy I still enjoyed it as an adult. If you’re looking for a great historical fiction novel, I highly recommend this one. Whether you’re at the middle grade reading level or not, Fever 1793 is bound to be a great read for you.

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Book Review | The Martian by Andy Weir

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The Martian by Andy Weir

Published by Crown Publishing on February 11, 2014

Genres: Adult, Science Fiction, Survival

Pages: 369

Format: Paperback

Source: Giveaway

Goodreads: ★★★★


Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—& a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

REVIEW

I was beyond excited when a won a giveaway for a copy of The Martian by Andy Weir. This science fiction novel has quickly been gaining recognition and gathering hype in the book community. If you haven’t heard of it yet, you will soon. A movie starring Matt Damon is set to be released in November of this year. I knew I had to read this as soon as possible to avoid spoilers, and to be prepared for the film adaptation’s release.

First of all, how awesome is the premise of this book? Astronaut Mark Watney is stranded on Mars. Everyone thinks he’s dead, he has no contact with Earth, and he has to figure out if there is any way possible to survive on the red planet. I was instantly sucked into this survival story, and truly amazed at Watney’s ability to stay calm under dire circumstances. Plus, the guy is extremely hilarious and a lovable character. I was rooting for him from page one. Suffice it to say The Martian is an inventive and captivating story.

The writing style, however, was a bit too inventive for me. Much of the book is written by Watney in log entries detailing his days and his plans. The book starts out this way, and suddenly after fifty pages, the reader is provided with a third person narrative overlooking NASA and how they discover Watney is still alive. This jump was a bit surprising, but quite manageable. Then, things get even more unique – there are random passages that don’t fit with either point-of-view. They are thrown in sporadically, and as a reader it was jarring to the cadence of the book. At times, I had to reread passages to even understand their purpose. While I can see how this experimental writing could work for some readers, I was not a fan of the passages that didn’t fit within the book’s writing pattern.

In the same way, the pacing of The Martian was a bit off for me as well. At first, readers follow Watney at a steady pace. Then, all of a sudden, the story has skipped forward 150 Sols (Martian days). It was almost as if a huge chunk of the story was edited out so the publisher could shorten the book. The author does explain this time jump through Watney’s log entries, but it took a bit of credibility away from the story for me – are we supposed to believe that Watney just doesn’t log anything for half a year when he wrote regularly before?

My last critique is difficult for me to even believe – I got bored. Yeah, Watney was stranded on Mars figuring out how to live and I got bored! Somewhere around the 250 page mark I was wishing the story would pick up again. I’m not sure how this happened, but for some reason the action died down in the middle. Luckily, the ending started picking up, and I raced through the last hundred pages.

Putting those gripes aside, The Martian really is a remarkable novel. It sparks a great discussion on how far humans will go to remain alive even when things look hopeless, and how the cost of one human life is truly priceless. I loved the sappy moments throughout the story to show Watney’s emotional struggle that he often tries to hide in his log entries. I also thought the ending was perfect, but you’ll have to read it to see if you agree.

In the end, I do highly recommend The Martian. Don’t be afraid to pick this up if you’re not a science fiction fan. I know absolutely nothing about science and found the story easy to follow even with all the technical jargon involved. In fact, I felt as if I was learning a lot while reading an entertaining book – that’s a win-win right there. I look forward to more work by Weir in the future (another Watney novel would be great!).

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