Top Ten Tuesday (3)

The Book Nook's Top Ten Books That:

Would Be Awesome Movies

 

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. Go check out their blog because it is awesome! There you will find many great reviews and some pretty cool people.

 

Let the list begin!

 

Part I: 2011 Reading Challenge
1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
2. Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
3. Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
4. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
5. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Part II: Past Reads
6. Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (this one was technically already made but I'd like a new one)
7. The Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer (one of my favorite MG series)
8. The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky (Same situation as number 6)
9. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
10. The Pendragon Series by D.J. McHale

What movies do you want to see on the big screen?

Theresa
The Book Nook

The Lost Symbol- Dan Brown

Title: The Lost Symbol
Author: Dan Brown
Publisher: Double Day
Synopsis: Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to give a lecture at the United States Capitol, with the invitation apparently from his mentor, a 33rd degree Mason named Peter Solomon, who is the head of the Smithsonian Institution. Solomon has also asked him to bring a small, sealed package which he had entrusted to Langdon years earlier. When Langdon arrives at the Capitol, however, he learns that the invitation he received was not from Solomon, but from Solomon's kidnapper, Mal'akh, who has left Solomon's severed right hand in the middle of the Capitol Rotunda in a recreation of the Hand of Mysteries. Mal'akh then contacts Langdon, charging him with finding both the Mason's Pyramid, which Masons believe is hidden somewhere underground in Washington D.C., and the Lost Word, lest Solomon be executed.

     Like many other Archaeology majors, I have a condition called Indian Jones Syndrome (IJS). I was first afflicted at the age of ten when, after visiting the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (The Museum), I taught myself to read hieroglyphics in the event that I found myself on an adventure in which I needed to decode ancient texts to find the lost artifact before some great calamity befell the earth. Since then, I have calmed down a bit and began focusing more seriously on my studies so that I can do legitimate research on the lost cities of our past. But, every once in a while, I skip over the more academic works on archaeology/anthropology and pick up a good 'ol thriller where an Indianesque lead goes on a secret quest and needs to uncover the truth. This is the book I chose when I was overcome with a recent bout of IJS.

     Robert Langdon is back, and if I may say, as crushworthy as ever. In The Lost Symbol, he must decode an ancient Masonic text to save his long time mentor. I must say that I really enjoyed this novel. It was exactly what I needed to get me out of my reading rut. It is fast paced and full of actions. Plus, it is a really quick read because the chapters are really short. Normally, this annoys me. But it really works with the action pact storyline. The chapters propel the story along and each one leaves the reader with a thrilling final line that promotes a book-long desire to keep reading. As usual, the writing is awesome and the storyline as intriguing as ever. I also liked how Dan Brown uses his characters as vessel through which to provide information but I felt sometimes it seemed that the characters were reading verbatim from an encyclopedia. If you're a fan of his other works, you won't be dissappointed. If you've never read his work, this is a great one with which to start. The previous two novels that feature Robert Langdon are companion novels, so you won't miss anything by reading them out of order.

Look out for a book haul in the coming days!
Thanks for reading and welcome to my new followers!
Theresa
The Book Nook

Top Ten Tuesday (2)

The Book Nook's Top Ten Things That:

Annoy me about books! 

 

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. Go check out their blog because it is awesome! There you will find many great reviews and some pretty cool people.

 

1. Stickers- Especially the ones that don't come off or leave behind adhesive residue.

 

2. Long paragraphs- I'm talking about the ones that sometimes go on for pages.

 

3. Unresolved sub-plots- I'm often peeved when an author starts to explore something in the book but never finishes it.

 

4. Obvious ending/plots- If I can guess where the story is going, I'm more like to get bored with it.

 

5. New books with used looks- I don't mind for my books to have wear and tear, if they're used or I've read them multiple times. But if I buy a book new, I would for it to look new for a little while.

 

6. Cover changes- I hate when a series gets a cover change, especially when it's in the middle of the series. I like to have an entire series with the same cover or cover theme.

 

7. Long series- I'm not a fan of series that are too long because I usually lose interest in them. But I feel obligated to finish the series and usually end up reading books that I wouldn't have otherwise.

 

8. Trite story lines- This ties in with number four. If the story line is overused, I won't enjoy the story.

 

9. (Too) Short series- I am not a fan of too short series. I strongly dislike finishing a book but feeling like it was unresolved.

 

10. Cop-out endings/resolutions

 

Thanks,

Theresa

Atlas Shrugged Readalong: Part One Response

    This post is on part one (the first 330 pages) of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged and is for a readalong I am doing. The readalong is hosted by A Literary Odyssey, an amazing book review site based on 250 of the classics. You should definitely check out that site for some interesting insights into the classics. On to my thoughts on the first part of Atlas Shrugged!

    With the state of the economy in the past two years being as dismal as it is, it is not hard to imagine the world that Ayn Rand created. Failing businesses, unemployed workers, and people struggling to afford essential items isn't fictional, it's something that I see everyday. People are losing hope in our world, as in Rand's and some are plagued with thoughts that they will not be able to survive. (See the constant remarks as to "Who is John Galt?"). Because of this, I felt a lot more connected to the background of the story and could really relate to the setting. Even though it is a dystopian world, it was something that I could see happening in the future if the economy does not correct itself. With that being said, there is definitely a disconnect between me and the characters.

    Atlas Shrugged, for me, has been more like reading Ayn Rand's manifesto than a novel. Throughout part one, I've basically seen her use the characters as symbols or caricatures for ideas that see whats to express. Dagny, my favorite character so far, is an exaggerated view of capitalism and bases her choices on facts and what will yield the best results. As such, she isn't afraid to take a risk on an otherwise unknown company if research shows that it has the best product. Her brother, on the other hand, represents socialist views of doing things for the good of the whole community and helping out the "little guy." With the characters being so exaggerated to fit the type, it was difficult at times to relate to them.

    Despite this, I am looking forward to continuing the novel and seeing where it will go. I am also intrigued with the hint of something greater underlying the events that we've seen thus far. Something big is definitley going on, and I am looking forward to finding out more about what it might be.

To find out more about this readalong and others, visit A Literary Odyssey.
Happy reading,
Theresa
The Book Nook

Tricks- Ellen Hopkins

Title: Tricks
Author: Ellen Hopkins
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Synopsis: Five teenagers from different parts of the country. Three girls. Two guys. Four straight. One gay. Some rich. Some poor. Some from great families. Some with no one at all. All living their lives as best they can, but all searching for freedom, safety, community, family, love. What they don’t expect, though, is all that can happen when those powerful little words, “I love you,” are said for all the wrong reasons.

 Tricks
A Review

To say I enjoyed this novel,
would be weird. And somewhat
wrong. It is not a novel that a
person enjoys or has fun while
reading.Nevertheless, it is a poignant tale
that is worth reading.

The story begins with five separate tales.
Five teens from different areas, socioeconomic
status, and values. Their stories are slowly
and artfully woven together until they become
one larger story, a tapestry of sadness and desp-
eration.

Each person details their life and what
led them to the worst time of it- living
on the streets of Las Vegas, turning
tricks to subsist. It is more than that
however, because they also detail
their redemption and salvation.

This novel is a heart-wrenching tale
of what happens when we lose con-
trol of our own bodies and how to
begin to gain it back.

I highly recommend this moving story
and hope that if you find yourself in
this situation, you have the chance to
escape.

There's my attempt  at free verse writing. This will be my last review for a while because this is the last novel I finished. I am a quarter of the way through Frankenstein and will have a review for that as soon as I finish it.

Happy reading!
Theresa
The Book Nook

The Forest of Hands and Teeth- Carrie Ryan

Title: The Forest of Hands and Teeth
Author: Carrie Ryan
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Synopsis: In Mary's world, there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?

    Since a very young age, I have been fascinated with the living dead. Corpses reanimated through various means; such as, a mad scientist or a viral infection received from a hungry sewer rat. Zombies, in short, are amazing. So, when I learned that there was an entire YA series set in the world post-zombie apocalypse, I quickly added it to my wishlist. I've just finished the first in the series and I LOVED IT!
     From the first line, the book took hold of me. I found every excuse to read and put off important stuff so that  I could curl up with the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Carrie Ryan has done a wonderful job crafting a great novel that introduces us to what I'm sure will be an amazing series. She writes with a power and control over her words usually seen in the works of veteran authors and her ability to manipulate prose astounds me. The story she created is both action packed and filled with the tribulations of first love. Her description of the budding romance between Mary and Travis is truly beautiful.
    The story is very unique and lays a path for more novels in the future without leaving the reader with a cliffhanger. Most action in the first book is resolved, but the greater theme of surviving in a world with the Unconsecrated remains present at the close of TFHT. My favorite aspect, aside from the style, was the characterization. Mary and Travis, along with the other characters, are relatable even though they live in a village surrounded by the undead. Their questions, longings, thoughts, and fears are relevant to people living in 2011. This was another one of my favorite reads of the year, so far. I am looking forward to picking up The Dead-Tossed Waves. Now, I will leave you with some examples of Ryan's amazing writing style-my favorite quotes from TFHT:

"Travis's hand slips away from mine. I feel its absence the way it must feel to lose a limb. Desperate, the ghost of its presence still taunting me."

"I am filled with emptiness as I nod my head because I cannot bare to tell him the truth. Even as he reads my mind, as he proves to me how well he knows me. Even though he already knows my answer. Because I am still hoping that he can fill the emptiness and longing and that tomorrow morning I can wake up in his arms and it will be enough

I don't own those words, though I wish I did. They are the genius of Carrie Ryan.

Thanks for reading and until next time,

I'm Theresa with
The Book Nook

Dystopian Challenge

Hello book lovers,

This is my official post stating that I am participating in the Dystopian Challenge hosted at Bookish Ardour. I am committing to the Contagion level, which is 15 books, but I have a feeling that I will eventually jump to the next level. My most anticipated read in Dystopian this year is Wither by Lauren DeStefano.


Keep checking back for reveiws!
Theresa
The Book Nook