= Excellent
= Good/Very Good
= Not recommended
= Ugh! Don't waste your time.
Archive for August 2nd, 2008
Saturday, August 2nd, 2008July Book Blowout
July 1 - 31, 2008
Well this one was a no-brainer…Mrs. S. is hosting the July Book Blowout which challenges readers to read vast quantities of books in the month of July. We are supposed to push ourselves, so I am shooting to read nine books (one more book than my typical eight average). Just to add to the fun, there will also be mini-challenges posted throughout the month, and an Amazon giveaway for those readers who sign up by July 14th. Below is a list of potential books for me to choose from throughout the month:
- The Island of Eternal Love, by Daina Chaviano (DNF; unrated; read my thoughts)
- The 19th Wife, by David Ebershoff (COMPLETED July 28. 2008; rated 3.5/5 ; read my review)
- The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver (COMPLETED July 12, 2008; rated 5/5; read my review)
- People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks (COMPLETED July 4, 2008; rated 5/5; read my review)
- Hotel Du Lac, by Anita Brookner (COMPLETED July 22, 2008; rated 4.5/5; read my review)
- The White Mary, by Kira Salak (COMPLETED July 16, 2008; rated 4/5; read my review)
- Leftovers, by Laura Weiss (COMPLETED July 31, 2008; rated 3/5; read my review)
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (COMPLETED July 31, 2008; rated 5/5; read my review)
JULY BOOK BLOWOUT - WRAP UP
July is through - and so is the July Book Blowout. I didn’t exactly reach my goal of 9 books, but I made a valiant effort despite being out of town for five days in this month! Mrs. S has asked us to complete her survey regarding the challenge. Here are my answers:
- How many books did you challenge yourself to read? 9
- How many books did you actually read? 7.5
- Did taking part in the challenge get you to read more? Um, no. I read what I would have read regardless of the challenge!
- Did you take part in the mini-challenges? I did 1 out of 2 of the mini-challenges.
- Would you like to take part in another book blowout? Sure!
- What was your favorite book read during the challenge? I had three which tied for my favorite: The People of the Book, The Poisonwood Bible, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
- Did you discover a new author? I discovered 7 new authors! Except for Geraldine Brooks, they were all new to me.
- Where was the most unusual place you found yourself reading? I don’t know if it was unusual, but it was the most interesting: The Sylvia Beach Hotel in Newport, Oregon.
- If you won the Amazon voucher, what would you spend it on? Well I have over 500 books on my wish list…so it would be one of those!
Thank you to Mrs. S. for hosting this fun challenge!
Saturday, August 2nd, 2008Leftovers - Book Review
See, guys freak out. They hit critical mass and blast nuclear, white-hot anger out over the world like walking flame throwers. But girls freak in. They absorb the pain and bitterness and keep right on sponging it up until they drown. Maybe that’s why nobody’s real worried about girls going off and wreaking havoc. It’s not that the seething hatred and need for revenge isn’t there, hell no. It’s just that instead of erupting and annihilating our tormentors, we destroy ourselves instead. -From Leftovers, Blair’s voice-
Leftovers is the story of two teenage girls - Blair and Ardith - who are mostly social outcasts and have only each other to lean on.
Blair’s mother is a rising star defense attorney who has traded her family for the career she wants. Blair’s father is having a not so subtle affair with his secretary. Both parents have seemingly ripped up their parent cards to pursue their own needs while emotionally abandoning Blair - a soft-spoken 14 year old who loves animals.
Ardith’s family comes from a different social strata. Her parents are alcoholics who allow her brother to rule the house along with his sexually aggressive friends. Ardith’s father gropes the young girls and makes inappropriate jokes, while his wife stands by and blames the girls for dressing provocatively. It’s no wonder we find Ardith bolting her bedroom door at night.
The novel opens by suggesting something horrible has happened. The girls are telling their stories, from the beginning, to an unnamed person in a hospital bed. They reveal their sadness, anger, fear and show the reader what brought them together as the story builds to its conclusion.
This book is written for young adults, and I can see how it would appeal to that age bracket. Weiss seems to understand teenage angst and emotion well, and both Blair and Ardith’s voices are real. Despite this, the novel is overwritten at times. The dysfunction in the story feels over-the-top and not always believable. And when the end finally comes, it underwhelmed me.
Credit should be given to Weiss for tackling issues relevent to young adults and exposing the double standards which effect young girls. The difficult topics of sex, underage drinking, smoking, and sexual identity are all explored in this slim novel. This is a book which would stimulate great discussion between parents and teens.
