Between new responsibilities at work, a super-tough online class I was taking, and "life" in general (can you say "STRESS"?!) I hadn't been able to make it to the library, much less read any new books lately.
I had been supplementing my book-reading needs by re-reading the Twilight Saga (which of course is always a good read), and am currently on book #3. Thanks to a necessary trip to the library to get some QUIET time I was able to pick up the latest book in the Bloodlines series by Michelle Read (a spin-off of the Vampire Academy books) , The Golden Lily.
While I admit I haven't cracked the new book yet (I'm almost at the end of Twilight's Eclipse) The Golden Lily is next on my to-read list and waiting for me patiently, and I'll be sure to include my review of it. For my review on the previous Bloodlines novel, check out this link.
So apparently I'm among one of the only YA fans to not have read "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins before it appeared on the silverscreen. Once I kept hearing all the hype, I decided to put my name on the waiting list at my local library. Unfortunately, the list was several hundred people long. When a friend at work heard my dilemma, she graciously allowed me to borrow her copy. It wasn't a long loan though, since I tore through the book in just a few, short days. One of the things I love about "The Hunger Games" was that it detailed enough with the gruesomeness of being a tribute, but it didn't use pervasive foul language or get too graphic. This story has drama, love, mystery and oh-so-much-more. While I still haven't seen the movie, I can tell you I'm in love with the series, and can't wait to read more by this author. I rate this book a very high 4 stars.
In light of my YA fetish (if you can call it that) I was interested to see a recommendation pop up on my Hulu account recently. Not having cable myself, I hadn't heard of the MTV show "Teen Wolf" airing (although I seem to remember reading that the show was in the works several months ago). In my opinion "Teen Wolf" has everything a YA fan could want. Mystery, creatures, a love story, and a hilarious side-kick.
Fora clip of the show, check out the video below. There is a re-cast from the clip to the actual show though, Alissa (the girl's dad) but from what I can see from the clip it was definitely a good call; the "new" dad is much more age appropriate. The entire season is available on Hulu for free for just a few days, so check it out here.
I'm a Nicholas Sparks fan. Not only does he weave a brilliant love story, but he is able to do so without the pervasive language and graphic smut that his contemporaries so often do. With that in mind I was happy to hear about the newest book and movie (starring Zac Effron) by Sparks- The Lucky One.
The basic story line is about Logan Thibault (pronounced T-Bow) who discovers a picture of Beth in the Iraqi desert. With nothing but a few clues in the photograph, he starts on a cross-country trek of self-discovery, determined to help the woman in the photo who has become his lucky charm. As seems to be the M.O. of Sparks, each chapter of the book is written from one character's perspective, and is therefore titled the name of that character to differentiate the narrator.
What I liked about the book:
The characters are likeable but flawed.
I'll say it again, few curse words, and a love story that didn't go into the graphic details.
What I didn't like about the book:
We're introduced to Beth/Elizabethat her best friend's house, but after that the friend is never mentioned. And she never introduced her later boyfriend to the friend.
The ending of the book, where there is a major action scene, is a bit confusing.
I didn't feel like the end of the book had a good enough of a resolution. I know that life continues on for these characters after the last page, but I don't like wondering too much about what happens to them.
With that being said, I give the book 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. I liked the book a lot, I'll likely enjoy the movie too. For more information on the story, check out this trailer/interview with the actors and the writer himself. Based on the trailer the movie is a lot steamier than the book though, so I can't tell you for sure how "clean" it is.
