Monday, October 15, 2012

Adaptation review

Description: Reese can’t remember anything from the time between the accident and the day she woke up almost a month later. She only knows one thing: She’s different now.

Across North America, flocks of birds hurl themselves into airplanes, causing at least a dozen to crash. Thousands of people die. Fearing terrorism, the United States government grounds all flights, and millions of travelers are stranded.

Reese and her debate team partner and longtime crush David are in Arizona when it happens. Everyone knows the world will never be the same. On their drive home to San Francisco, along a stretch of empty highway at night in the middle of Nevada, a bird flies into their headlights. The car flips over. When they wake up in a military hospital, the doctor won’t tell them what happened, where they are—or how they’ve been miraculously healed.

Things become even stranger when Reese returns home. San Francisco feels like a different place with police enforcing curfew, hazmat teams collecting dead birds, and a strange presence that seems to be following her. When Reese unexpectedly collides with the beautiful Amber Gray, her search for the truth is forced in an entirely new direction—and threatens to expose a vast global conspiracy that the government has worked for decades to keep secret.


My thoughts: It wasn’t until I started reading this that I realized this was my first book I’ve reviewed that dealt with area 51 related controversies/we are not alone related topics. Which excited me.


In Adaptation we have a big problem that has to do with birds. Then we have a seemingly small problem (but it’s actually pretty big too) involving Reese and David. As you continue to read, assumptions and theories of what happened to them are proven (or disproved). 

And although there were parts of this story where I needed to really suspend disbelief, there were various aspects of it that seemed hauntingly real. Like the birds. The birds freaked me out because it reminded me of how it felt when that was actually happening in real life. And I was almost as freaked out during the occurrences in the book as when it was really happening.


It’s not that Adaptation is scary, like Halloween movie scary (actually some of those are just funny). But some passages did make me feel uneasy.  For instance, I could relate to a lot of Reese's inner dialogue right after she starts discovering things (she's not supposed to) because I know what it feels like to be watched but not know who is actually watching me. It’s freaky! But these are the kind of books I like to read in October. Plus I was sick (still am) while reading this; so it reminded me of when I’d be in bed with a box of tissues, chicken noddle soup, and goldfish watching the X-files. Good times (except for the sick part).

As for the rest of the story, it was an easy read with an interesting plot. I just feel like I really didn’t get to know the characters that well. In fact, even though a lot happens in the story, it felt like it was just touching the surface as far as what was in this peculiar world. Which is why I’m hoping we’ll get to know everyone/thing better in the sequel.

My only real issue that kept bugging me was that Adaptation ended in a way that had me wondering where book two would start.  I think it’s a pacing issue. It felt like I was being led to expect more, then dropped at a not quit random but not quite expected place. Other than that one issue, the book was very entertaining. And I’ll definitely read the next book when it comes out… Now all I need to do is find some episodes of X-files online.



Sunday, October 14, 2012

What are you reading on Mondays?

Book(s) read last week:
Adaptation by Malinda Lo

Currently reading:
 I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Upcoming read(s)
The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore
The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore

In My Mailbox 84

I've heard good things about both books. Hopefully I'll get to them both this week!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Top Ten Favorite Books I've Read Since I Started Blogging

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 This list isn't in any particular order:

1.     Wicked lovely
This is still my favorite series I've read since I started blogging. It's dark and twisted. And I love how intricate the story is between each book.
2.     John Green books
Paper Towns is my favorite book ever! And The Fault In Our Stars and Looking for Alaska made me cry. I just love all things John Green.
3.     The Summer I Turned Pretty series
This feels like a simple story. But as I'm learning in my screenwriting class, have a simple plot and complex characters.
4.     The Ghosts of Ashbury High
This is one of the first books that stood out as different to me. I'm astounded, because I still haven't read anything like it. 
5.     The Hundred Thousands
I don't really read adult books, so I was very unsure about this book. But then I basically inhaled the book, it definitely helped me be open to reading other genres.
6.     Allison Hewitt Is Trapped
People say this book confused them but I LOVE it. So much happens! And whether good or bad things were happening in a particular scene, it was all wrapped in mixture of comedy and action.
7.     Daughter of Smoke and Bone
The writing is sooooo beautiful, and the story is mysterious and entrancing.
8.     Under the Never Sky
This book basically had all the plot devices that I love in this genre. And the writer used them all very well.
9.     The Scorpio Races
THIS is the book I'd been waiting for from Maggie Stiefvater! It was harsh and real. I just couldn't put the book down.
10.  The Song of Achilles
Read my review!

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

The Song of Achilles review

Description: Greece in the age of Heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia. Here he is nobody, just another unwanted boy living in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles.

Achilles, 'best of all the Greeks', is everything Patroclus is not — strong, beautiful, the child of a goddess — and by all rights their paths should never cross. Yet one day, Achilles takes the shamed prince under his wing and soon their tentative companionship gives way to a steadfast friendship. As they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something far deeper — despite the displeasure of Achilles's mother Thetis, a cruel and deathly pale sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.

Fate is never far from the heels of Achilles. When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows Achilles into war, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they have learned, everything they hold dear. And that, before he is ready, he will be forced to surrender his friend to the hands of Fate.

Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.



My thoughts: I’m still struggling to explain how I feel about this book. I really haven’t read a story this stunning since The Fault in Our Stars came out. It reminds me that there are two ways I read a book. One way or one type of book causes me to feel my head with questions. What’s going to happen? Why would he/she do that? How did they pull that off? In this case I’m trying to be a part of the world. And these types of questions come from anticipation or frustration. I’m either excited about what’s going to happen, or annoyed about what’s already happened (or not happened) and confused about what’s going to happen.

The Song of Achilles isn’t in this category. It’s one of those books that I just let immerse me. I have no questions (or at least no questions I really need answered), and nothing specifically stands out because none of the aspects of the book are lacking. The writing is exquisite yet harsh, the story vivid. And the characters are multifaceted (except for Agamemnon, he’s just a straight up jerk). And this book also made me look at a lot of characters (especially Achilles) differently. Except for the first time I saw the trailer for Troy (with Brad Pitt), I’d really never given him too much thought. Not to mention Patroclus.

In fact, this book has made me want to give other characters from Greek mythology another look, because everyone has a story to tell. We might not get to hear it, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important or that the person wasn’t (once) important to someone at some point. The world is filled with people like Achilles and Patroclus, and only time will tell who will be remembered and uplifted, and who will be unappreciated and misunderstood.

Also, JUST GO READ IT!... Thanks.

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