Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - Lisa See

Now an old woman, Lily looks back on her life.  She tells of her family, the happiest times of her life and times of her greatest sorrow.  She lives a long life and looking back she has many regrets.  Lily is one of the lucky few girls that are paired with a laotong, "old sames"  which is a lifelong friendship that has the same importance as marriage.  They communicate using a "secret women's language" called  nu shu.  With the arrival of a message written in the language on a silk fan from Snow Flower their bond is sealed and their friendship begins.  They share  a lifetime of memories from when their feet were bound, to their marriage, to the birth of their first sons.  However, as things in their lives begin to change a misunderstanding just may break what is supposed to be an unbreakable bond.

I don't think I would normally pick up this book but my best friend, Toni, picked this one for this month's book club read.  Like a lot of books that I've read recently, I was surprised by how much I liked this one!  It was such a good yet tragic story of two friends.  I thought, because it is set in nineteenth-century China, that I would have a hard time getting through it, but I didn't.  The author did a great job at making it a story that anyone can easily read and understand.  It was great learning about the customs from a different culture and time period.  I feel like I have a new understanding of how the women thought, what they believed, and how they lived their lives.


One of the things I loved most about this  book was Lily's voice.  It reminded me of a grandmother telling the story of her life as the tone was more conversational.  I can honestly say that I was hooked from beginning to end.  I felt connected to Lily and the author did a great job at evoking emotions from the readers.  A lot of the customs were unfamiliar to me and it was clear that a lot of research went into the telling of this story.  Because of my connection with Lily, I was on her side when she found out the lies she had been told from those closest to her.  She should have been angry and hurt but what she does with those feelings left a bad taste in my mouth.  My feelings for both Lily and Snow Flower kind of reverse as the story progresses.  Despite my change of heart, I still liked the way it ended. Lily goes through many changes in her life and we are there every step of the way.  My only complaint is that we were able to get a look into Snow Flower's marriage but not much was mentioned about her own.  I wish that things could have turned out differently but, if it had, I don't think I would feel as strongly as I do about the book.


This story is very well written and dare I say beautifully tragic.  The symbolism, songs, and stories added depth to the story.  Here we have an old woman looking back on her life with regret as I'm sure is the case with a lot of women from many different backgrounds and time periods.  We all have regrets, lost loves, and things that we wish we could've done differently.  I felt like I was transported to this unfamiliar world and gained an understanding of what it must have been like for the women of the time.  I definitely can appreciate my life as a young woman living in today's world much more.  We can all learn from these two friends: forgiveness.  Though it can be a hard lesson to be learned, it's good not to hold grudges.  I recommend this book to women of all walks of life to take a look back in time and be grateful for the lives they have today. 


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Teaser Tuesday


Teaser Tuesday  hosted by Should Be Reading
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two "teaser" sentences from that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away)
  • Share the title and author so other participants in TT can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser!
I feel knives in my heart as I write to you.  We promised each other that we would never be a step apart, that a harsh word would never pass between us.
Page 112, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See 

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Taurus Eyes - Bonnie Hearn Hill

This is the second book in the Star Crossed series. 
Logan has overcome her first set of obstacles and has made it into the writing camp in Monterey.  Now, with the help of her trusty Fearless Astrology, she is ready to boldly face a whole new set of challenges.  She wants needs to impress her instructor, famous writer, Henry Jaffa not only so that she can get her work put in the school's anthology but ultimately she wants him to be her mentor.  As quickly as she arrives to camp, she finds that things are not going to go according to plan.  Already she has an Aries for an enemy and a sexy Taurus to distract her.  She is determined to blow Jaffa away and write the anthology that will get published but at what cost?


I don't remember how I heard about this series but after I finally got my hands on the the first book, Aries Rising, I was definitely intrigued.  Once I finished said book, I hadn't been too eager to go out and get this one.  The author, Bonnie Hearn Hill, had come across my review and sent me this book.  I was very surprised and thrilled to have had the book sent to me and an opportunity to have an e-mail conversation with her.


Like I said, I wasn't in any rush to go out and read this book.  Logan is a little older in this book and one of my complaints from the first one was that I felt she was too young for me to relate to her.  Because she has matured in this book, I did not have that same feeling.  In fact, I really enjoyed this follow-up.  There are several reasons why I liked this book.  Again, the author does a great job at infusing astrology into the plot! I have always been interested in astrology and this has deepened that interest.  I loved getting to know a little more about each sign.  "The sun definitely is not the sum."  


Logan came across differently in this book.  She seems more confident and sure of herself, which is a wonderful thing.  She is more willing to take chances and stand up for what she believes without backing down.  For example, I loved the way she took on that Aries and even that Taurus!  I also really liked how things developed between her and Jeremy.  He was a lot more likable than her previous boy interest Nathan.  I didn't really care for Nathan and I'm glad that Logan is over that.  The way she deals with her crush on Jeremy is much different from the way she dealt with Nathan.  She is more guarded despite the fast pump of her heart and she doesn't let his gorgeous eyes fool her more than once.  The only negative thing I can say is that once she and Jeremy finally get past their issues, it seems like their relationship develops a little too quickly.  I still want see him in the next book though.  


Despite her relationship with Jeremy, she is focused more on her writing than on what guy she is dating which is such a good thing.   As with the first book, there is a mystery, only this time it surrounds the ghost of a singer who died in the late 60s.  This ghost also happens to be the subject of Logan's paper.  This aspect has to be one of my favorite.  I liked how Logan has to again do some investigating and the story is deeper than the mystery from the first book.  It seemed to have more layers and I liked trying to guess how it was going to end.  It gets Logan into a lot of dangerous and sticky situations.  She handles all her challenges very well and I look forward to seeing her grow even more.


This is a short fun read.  I read this whole book in only one evening.  There was mystery, boy issues, and of course astrology! There is no doubt about it, I am definitely going to read the next book in the series entitled Gemini Night.  And, this time, I'm excited to.


★★★★☆

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The Giver - Lois Lowry

Jonas lives in a world that is perfect by most standards.  The people live in peaceful, controlled communities without worrying about fear, pain, or war.  When they turn Twelve, The Elders give each person their assigned jobs and they begin their training.  For Jonas, this is a much anticipated event because turning twelve is the last age that is celebrated and acknowledged.  This ceremony is different and Jonas is given the honor of becoming the new Receiver of Memories.  The old Receiver, now called The Giver, for his task is to pass along the memories of generations past of true love and happiness, sadness and pain to the new Receiver.  The new knowledge helps open his eyes to the truth about the world of Sameness around him.  It is his honor and duty to accept this challenge and his world is changed forever.  How will he handle this new truth?

I was at one of my best friend's house talking about books. (hhmm imagine that!)  She pulled out The Giver and asked me if I'd read it.  I had heard of it and that for some people it was a required reading for school.  I groaned and told her that I had not read it.  She then gave it to me and told me that I must read it, that it was good.  Obediently, I took the book and put it at the bottom of my TBR pile.  Needless to say, I wasn't too eager to read a book that was required reading for some.  Finally, I picked it up, especially since it's not very long at 179 pages, and discovered that it is AMAZING!  I really should have picked it up sooner. 


This book is brilliant from beginning to end!  For such a short, quick read it raises a lot of thought provoking questions.  I know I'm guilty, as are most people, of taking my life for granted, wishing that things were more like Jonas' world.  There positives and negatives to every situation.  Nothing is perfect even if you are ignorant to the negatives.  In the society described in the book, things seems perfect on the surface but when you learn the truth you understand how sad it all is.  There may not be any war but they know nothing of true love and the freedom to live as you like, choose your own mate, and things as simple as colors, snow, nature, and sunshine.  As Jonas slowly is able to understand these things and more including pain, he grows as a person and wants to help others see but that is forbidden.  This book has given me a new sense of appreciation for being able to live my life the way I want and being allowed to make my own choices.  


The ending did not disappoint and it is left open.  Normally open-ended ending irritate me but this time I was glad for it.  It gave me a sense of hope and optimism about Jonas' future.  I highly recommend this book to people of all ages and walks of life.  I didn't think I would like this book at all but I was thoroughly surprised.  It's an easy and quick read that won't leave you disappointed. 


★★★★★

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The Optimist's Daughter - Eudora Welty

Laurell McKelva Hand has to return to her home in the south to see about her father who has to get surgery.  Tragedy comes in the form of death and she is the only person in her family left besides her father's new, younger wife.  She must deal with the death of her father, revisit the death of her mother, and accept her father's wife.  


I read this book because of The Take a Chance Challenge.  This is definitely nothing like the type of books I normally like to read.  It was a short but long 180 pages.  I read this in only a couple of hours but it was very boring.  This isn't a bad book if you want to read a sad story.  I hated Judge McKelva's wife Fay.  She was very insensitive, selfish, and rude to Laurell.  Then the people that live in the town are very annoying.  I had a hard time keeping up with who was saying what.  There was a point in the book where they were going back and forth talking about Fay, Laurell's mother, and her father that I thought was completely unnecessary.  In fact, they were insensitive as well to Laurell's feelings.  I feel bad for Laurell and all that she has to endure.  For a woman in her early forties, it has to be hard to have lost a mother, father, and husband.  There were parts that was interesting, like finding out how she lost her mother and husband.  I suppose I'm glad that she came to a point where she had to accept her losses and move on with her life.  


This story is one of death and loss and I found it depressing.  I do not suggest this book to anyone who likes books with action.  I kept waiting for something exciting to happen and it never did.  I really wanted to like this book but unfortunately it just wasn't my cup of tea.  



★★☆☆☆

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Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

Playing Time: 11 hours 37 mins
Read By: Caroline McCormick


This is the second book in The Hunger Games series and this review contains spoilers.  Both Katniss and Peeta have achieved the impossible: they both survived The Hunger Games.  Once you are declared the winner, there's no going back.  However, the incident that lead to both of them winning is seen by President Snow and some of the districts as an act of rebellion against The Capitol instead of an act of love. Without even knowing it, Katniss has become a symbol for hope and a target for The Capitol.  They get the biggest surprise of their lives when they are thrown back into the games for the Quarter Quell and the results are much different from the first time they went in.  Can they both come out alive, again? 


I have really enjoyed listening to these books.  I loved learning more about the world they live in.  I anticipated the love triangle that would play out between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale.  I was looking forward to learning more about Gale since he wasn't really a presence in the first book after she went off to the games.  I like Gale but I still feel like I want to know more about him.  It's obvious that he loves Katniss and I think she's leaning more towards him because of their history. However, I am Team Peeta all the way!  I can't help but love him and I found myself wanting to scream at Katniss.  I don't understand how she can be so clueless and it's borderline annoying.  Their "fake" relationship was kind of painful knowing that she doesn't love Peeta back.  The only thing she can think of to convince President Snow that she is in love is to kiss him a lot.  She doesn't seem to really love either guy, in fact, it seems like she's confused because she feels sorry for both of them for liking her.  So, I was disappointed in that aspect of the book.


I have to admit I liked the first book a lot more than this one.  For a middle book, it delivers.  There is action but not as much as the first book.  We learn a lot more about the districts and what's been going on outside of District 12, which is nice but some of it was a little unnecessary.    Katniss was ignorant to how much her performance at the games affected the world as she knew it.  Also, I didn't like how she was left out of some key bits of information though I understand the reasoning behind it.  Katniss is still a likable character but can be annoying at times especially when it comes to Peeta and Gale.  The plot twists are a little far fetched.  Like, first they have to get married because of President Snow, then they are already married, and then Katniss is pregnant?  Lies on top of lies on top of more lies.  Despite my gripes I still really enjoyed the book.  There was more I needed to look past in the book though. 

Since Caroline McCormick also read the first book, I knew what to expect going in.  Still, it did bother me that Katniss sounded much older than I would have imagined her sounding.  It wasn't too bad listening to her this time around and she does an okay job.  


Catching Fire does a good job at setting up the final book Mockingjay and I can't wait to read it.  The book ended with a cliffhanger but no type of wrap up.  It just stops which I didn't like too much.  If you're going to read this one I suggest having the next book handy.   


4★s


Side note: After thinking about it, this series reminds me of  The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld which isn't a bad thing.  District 13 = The New Smoke, The Capitol = Special Circumstances, secret rebellions and people/animals being genetically altered.  

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Follow Friday


To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules
  1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
  2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://missiontoread.blogspot.com
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
  5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
  6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!  
  8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!
Today's Question: If you are a fan of science fiction, what is your favorite book? If you haven't read Science Fiction before any inkling to? Anything catch your eye?
I can't say I'm a big fan of Science Fiction.  Of all the books I've read, Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld and I have to say it was pretty good.


I recently finished The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and  I absolutely LOVED it! 



I really don't think there are any other ones that I have my eye on but hopefully the blog hop will change that! I am about to start reading the last book of The Hunger Games series ... Mockingjay. 


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Snowmegeddon came and went and left me sick.

Almost everyone I know has been sick this winter, except me, until now!  Being sick has to be one of the worse feelings in the world.  I'm not a sickly type of person so when I do catch something, it hits me HARD.  There was a time, in the not so long ago past, when I could proudly say "I haven't been sick in years."  Well, today, I am eating those words.  


These colds really can sneak up on you!  On Saturday, I was fine, even went out and celebrated a friend's birthday.  Oh!  It was fun but I'm sure bar hopping and drinking all night then ending up at a Coney devouring chili cheese fries, didn't help my situation.  By the early hours of Sunday, I couldn't move.  I thought, well I'm just sore from all that dancing.  Denial. Isn't it lovely?  Shortly after that thought the coughing began.  Follow that with a fever, sore throat, stuffy/runny nose, cold sweats, and a headache and that just about covers all my symptoms. The worse is not being able to stay warm.  I had a heavy blanket, on top of flannel pajamas (don't laugh they're warm), with the heater going and still feeling cold to the core despite being soaked in sweat.  This was an ordeal folks!!  Now, after three days of being bedridden, I am able to sit up somewhat comfortably and communicate with the world.  


Some of you may ask, "Sunshine, did you take medicine?"  Normally, I don't take meds unless it is absolutely necessary.  Headaches, I usually sleep off.  This, I definitely couldn't just sleep off.  So, I forced myself to take some NyQuil, which has to be some of the most disgusting stuff ever! I also took a muscle relaxer, a prescription I still had from the car accident. (oohhh .... I guess I shouldn't have done that but they weren't expired and they helped a bit)  The real star of this story is a home remedy.  It's called a hottie tottie.   I owe you one KR-H!  I will share it with you all: a shot of brandy, tea, honey, and lemon.  Drink while hot, get under the covers and sweat it out.  I did this last night and lo and behold I am coherent today!

At first, I thought I could use this time off work confined to my bed and read to my heart's content.   Yeah, that's didn't happen.  I wish I could insert something spectacular here but alas it would not be true.  Truth: I slept for the better part of three days and when I wasn't sleep I was coughing or listening to music in what felt like a drunken stupor.  I guess the moral of this tale of mine is get a flu shot if you haven't already.  There, I said it, my good deed for the day is done.  As for now, I'm going back to bed. 

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Follow Friday


To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:
  1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
  2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://missiontoread.blogspot.com
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
  5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
  6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!  
  8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!
This week's question: What is your favorite romance hero-type? Stereotype wise. Do you like the strong silent type or the brute macho man?

I like the brute macho man.  I like for him to be confident and somewhat aggressive.  Stories where he will say the sweetest things but if a fight breaks out he will kick some butt. 

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Stylish Blogger Award

WOW!  I am completely surprised by this award!! People actually visit my blog?  When did that happen? LOL  I would like to thank Laugh Love Write and A Bird's Eye View for giving me this award. I was just talking to my friend the other day about changing the look of my blog, but I think I leave it be for a while longer.  


Now, I guess I need to tell you 7 random facts about me:

  1. I never was the girly type, in fact I hung out with boys most my life, but I LOVE getting my nails and feet done.  Especially pedicures, there is nothing like it!! 
  2. I LOVE tattoos on guys, of course it depends on the tattoo. I can't bring a guy home with a spider web on his face. 
  3. I LOVE piercings!! I have 4 not including my ears.  2 studs in my nose, a lip ring, and a belly ring.
  4. I'm going to school for nursing --- so eventually I'll have to say goodbye to #3. 
  5. I adopted a cat named Daisy and even though I'm supposed to be allergic to cats, she doesn't make me sneeze! 
  6. I like mustard!! Don't say eeewww!  I like it the way most people like ketchup.  I like to dip my potato chips and french fries in it. YUM! 
  7. I can sleep any place, anywhere!  I kid you not I have been known to sleep through A LOT of noise and I don't snore either. LOL 
There you have it 7 things about me.  I hope you liked getting to know more about me! Now my final task is to award 15 other bloggers with this award! Here goes: 
  1. Bookworm Bookeater My little sister's blog.  I remember when she was the only one who read my blog.  Besides reading, school takes up most of her time. Though she doesn't update as much as she'd like I still LOVE her blog.
  2. Preternatural Primer Carissa's blog is so amazing!! She has the best Teaser Tuesday  ever and I have added a lot books to my TBR from her site.
  3. The Little Bookworm I love this blog! I love reading Andrea's reviews and her site inspired me to try more book challenges this year than I expected. 
  4. The Book Worms Such a cute blog! I love Cover Crazy!
  5. The Unread Reader I do enjoy visiting this one.  One of my favorite memes (though I have yet to participate) is My Book Boyfriend.  I love all the ones I've seen so far!
  6. The Small Town Book Blog I recently discovered this blog and I have to say I have really liked what I've seen! 
  7. Geeky Blogger's Book Blog I really love the design of this blog very stylish! Love how the rating system uses wine glasses! 
  8. Reading Lark One of the cutest blogs I follow.  I really enjoy reading this blog!
  9. Between The Covers This blog is very cute and purple is my favorite color! I like the background and the button so very much. The contents don't disappoint either!
  10. All Things Urban Fantasy This is a great blog ... very nice!  I am also a fan of urban fantasy so this is the perfect blog to get new book ideas. The bat rating is awesome!
  11. The Story Siren I love the simplicity of the background of this blog! Very nice! 
  12. Steam Punkery & Book Reviews I am also a book addict. My apartment has books everywhere too.  I really like this blog! One of the most unique blogs I've seen. 
  13. Alison Can Read This blog is sooo adorable. I think we are interested in many of the same books.  I also think it's AMAZING that she likes manga!
  14. The Book Vixen I can't say what a great site this is! I really heart everything about his blog, especially the frogs :) I also love reading her reviews
  15. Life As We Read It Another blog I have recently discovered and I'm excited to see what the future holds. 

Here's what needs to be done if you receive this award:

  • Thank the awesome person who gave you the award
  • Post 7 random things about yourself
  • Give the award to 15 other blogs
  • Contact the blogger and let them know they have won!

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One Day - David Nicholls


Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew have been friends for almost their whole lives, since they met that fateful day after graduating from university.   Unbeknowst to them, their lives will forever be intertwined. Written from both perspectives, nearly twenty years pass from beginning to end.  The reader gets a peek into the lives of Em and Dex for a day.  One day, July 15th.

 Honestly, I probably would have never picked up this book had it not been for the Take A Chance Challenge.  Right off, I really liked the cover.  I heard some rave reviews about this book and I was expecting to be blown away!  Sadly, I was not.  Instead, I had to force myself to read through it in its entirety.  At the beginning, I wanted to bang my head on the wall, scream, and throw this book in the oven.  It started off so boring that any little, tiny thing would easily distract me from reading on.  I found myself daydreaming and reading through the words so quickly that unfortunately I had to re-read over paragraphs.  I was dying waiting for something exciting to happen.  I had a very difficult time getting into this book and it started off excruciatingly slow.

There is a bright side.  If you can get through the beginning, it picks up toward the middle. Changes begin to take place in the lives of the two main character and to my relief the book actually became interesting.  Before I go any further, I want to point out that I loved all the names for all the characters in this story.  Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew are great names that sound good.  Em is by far my favorite character.  I love that she is intelligent and witty but Dex, on the other hand, is cocky and obnoxious.  However, the banter between the two of them is one of my favorite things about the book.  The author did a great job showing that they had chemistry from the very first time they met.  As their friendship/relationship develops, I wasn't really pulling for them to be together.  In fact I think the song Grenade by Bruno Mars perfectly describes the way Emma feels for Dex.  However, I do think their story played out rather realistically although there were some parts that got a little predictable.  

The ending definitely redeemed itself.  I read that some people thought the ending to this book was awful and "sucked."  However, I vehemently  disagree.  I think the ending to this book was beautiful and tragic.  It surprised me and by that point I was thoroughly engaged.  It wasn't until I reached the end that I realized how deeply connected I felt to their lives.  I actually loved Em and Dex had grown on me too.  By the end, the events of the story felt very believable though it is highly doubtful that everything would happen coincidentally on one particular day of the year.  

Overall, I am glad that I gave this book a try.  I have been trying to read books that are outside my comfort zone and this definitely qualifies.  I don't know if I would recommend this to any of my friends even though in hindsight it really isn't a bad book.  In fact, there is a good quality to the writing and I'll go as far to say the story is good.  It just wasn't executed as well as I would have liked.  In my opinion, it was okay.  If you want to read it, I suggest getting it from the library.

3 ★s

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The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

Playing Time: 11 hours 11 mins
Read By: Carolyn McCormick
Published in December 2008


Enter the futuristic world of Panem.  What used to be America is now twelve districts that surround The Capitol.  Each of the districts are forced to give up a randomly selected male and female (age 12 - 18) to participate in the hunger games, a fight to the death that is broadcast live across Panem.  The hunger games is punishment to the already poor and famished citizens of the districts for a failed uprising attempt that happened years ago.  In district twelve,  Prim is selected to be their district's "tribute" but her older sister Katniss decides to volunteer to take her place.  The games are brutal and it's either kill or be killed.  


I always tell myself that I'm not going to feed into the hype and read a book that everyone says is good.  It never works.  I wasn't supposed to read Harry Potter and I did and I loved it.  I wasn't supposed to read Twilight and I did and I loved it.  I wasn't supposed to read Vampire Academy but I did and I loved it.  Which brings me to The Hunger Games, I wasn't going to read it but I did and I have to agree with a lot of people out there.  It was amazing and I loved it!


Once I started listening to this book I didn't want to stop.  I think that Carolyn McCormick did an excellent job narrating the story.  At first her voice seemed a little mature for it to belong to a sixteen year old girl, once I was able to look past that, her narration helped make the story come alive.  Katniss is a great, strong female lead character.  She was very easy to understand and relate to.  I really admire her courage and cleverness.  She always seemed very aware that an audience was watching her every move and was able to make smart decisions because of it.  I am a sucker for strong female characters she is the best one I've read since Rose in VA.  I also couldn't help but fall in love with Peeta, the male tribute from district twelve.  He came across as a genuinely honest and likable guy.  The more I learned about them both, the more I wanted them both to win. 


Everything about this world seems real.  The thought of reading a book in which 23 people are supposed to die really didn't excite me.  I felt sympathy for these people being used in such a way and I wanted nothing more than to see justice served against The Capitol.   It turned out to be much different than I expected it to be.  It wasn't as gory or brutal as I had imagined.  I'm surprised by the connections that Katniss is able to make with the reader and other tributes.  In some ways, this book reminded me of a reality television show.  It got very intense as the story progressed and the number of tributes slowly begin to dwindle.  I was at the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next.  The ending was nothing short of amazing.  Katniss is a strong girl with a good heart that shine through.


This story had me hooked from beginning to end.  There were nice little touches and details that made the story strong.   I would definitely recommend this book to fans of young adult and dystopian fantasy.  I am very anxious to get my hands on the second book and I have already put the audio version on hold.  


5★s

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Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday  hosted by Should Be Reading

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two "teaser" sentences from that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away)
  • Share the title and author so other participants in TT can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser!

Would it really be the worse thing to stay here, to have some warmth, affection, intimacy for a change?  Or did she really want to be one of those girls she saw sometimes on the tube: hungover, pale and fretful in last night's party dress?
Page 153, One Day by David Nicholls 

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