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Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Announcements
Sadly, there is no official book review post today because I'm still currently reading about three books and doing tons of homework (I know it sucks) but there are some announcement to be said:
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Cartoon Books
Recently I realized that I have never read a comic book in my life but I have read cartoon books. Thus I decided to look upon the two cartoon books that I have read. (Just a heads up I read both of these books for school yet they were enjoyable)
Description Provided by Goodreads: A tour-de-force by rising indy comics star Gene Yang, American Born Chinese tells the story of three apparently unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family only to discover that he’s the only Chinese-American student at his new school; the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables; and Chin-Kee, a personification of the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who is ruining his cousin Danny’s life with his yearly visits. Their lives and stories come together with an unexpected twist in this action-packed modern fable. American Born Chinese is an amazing ride, all the way up to the astonishing climax.
I had to read this book for school and I read it in an hour to an hour and a half. It was a really easy read but it was interesting too. I especially loved the ending because it just all came together that makes you want to flip back to the stories and to see if there were any clues to the ending. Mr. Yang actually came to talk to us at my school and he was very fun and great spirited. He told us about the process of creating a cartoon but and his inspiration for writing the book. Overall this was a book that I didn't dread reading for school because it was fun, quick, and well thought out.
Description Provided by Goodreads: If you think a negative charge is something that shows up on your credit card bill -- if you imagine that Ohm's Law dictates how long to meditate -- if you believe that Newtonian mechanics will fix your car -- you need The Cartoon Guide to Physics to set you straight. You don't have to be a scientist to grasp these and many other complex ideas, because The Cartoon Guide to Physics explains them all: velocity, acceleration, explosions, electricity and magnetism, circuits -- even a taste of relativity theory -- and much more, in simple, clear, and, yes, funny illustrations. Physics will never be the same!
When I first learned that I had to read TWO books for honors physics I was completely overwhelmed until I saw that the second book was The Cartoon Guide to Physics. The book was really easy to follow along with and the concepts were broken down and multiple examples were given. I recommend this book for physic fanatics out there, those who just want to know the basic concept of physics, or those who will take physics.
Description Provided by Goodreads: A tour-de-force by rising indy comics star Gene Yang, American Born Chinese tells the story of three apparently unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family only to discover that he’s the only Chinese-American student at his new school; the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables; and Chin-Kee, a personification of the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who is ruining his cousin Danny’s life with his yearly visits. Their lives and stories come together with an unexpected twist in this action-packed modern fable. American Born Chinese is an amazing ride, all the way up to the astonishing climax.
I had to read this book for school and I read it in an hour to an hour and a half. It was a really easy read but it was interesting too. I especially loved the ending because it just all came together that makes you want to flip back to the stories and to see if there were any clues to the ending. Mr. Yang actually came to talk to us at my school and he was very fun and great spirited. He told us about the process of creating a cartoon but and his inspiration for writing the book. Overall this was a book that I didn't dread reading for school because it was fun, quick, and well thought out.
When I first learned that I had to read TWO books for honors physics I was completely overwhelmed until I saw that the second book was The Cartoon Guide to Physics. The book was really easy to follow along with and the concepts were broken down and multiple examples were given. I recommend this book for physic fanatics out there, those who just want to know the basic concept of physics, or those who will take physics.
Monday, August 5, 2013
On the Scent
Which would be awesome if it hadn’t made her the target of every wacko in the metro Atlanta area. Now Hannah and her famous pets need protecting and there’s only one man who can help them…
Enter Zachary Collins: ex-TV star of ‘The Psychic Detective’ and street-wise private investigator – all 6 foot blue-eyed gorgeousness!
Only Zach’s got secrets of his own – not least that he finds his new client irresistibly hot. The more time he spends keeping Hannah out of harm’s way, the more he’s tempted to give in to the attraction… even if it means breaking all his own rules.
I was first attracted to this book, as I am to most other books, by the gorgeous looking guy on the cover. He is just so good looking and he's wearing a tux! How could I resist?!?!?
Story Line: I really enjoyed this book because while I was reading it I could picture it as a movie and it was as if I had a movie playing in my head. I loved that instead of going the traditional route of the girl being in direct danger, Angela Campbell decided to put the animals in danger. This is different from other books and the refreshing new story line made the book more interesting. I also loved that the book had both Hannah's and Zach's perspectives. I loved all the mystery in the book, it's as if the movie playing in my head had a hint of a treasure hunt in it that made it more interesting. I also loved the curveball with Zach after he is injured and the other twist at the end of the book, both of which I did not expect and both of which kept me on my toes and wanting to read more.
Characters: I love the animals' personalities in this book, if you read the book you'll know what I'm talking about. I really enjoyed reading about Hannah's story because she's a strong character that got over a humiliating and dreaded experience; plus, she was so sweet and loyal to her pets. It was inspiring to read about a character that didn't let anything stop her from getting what she wanted, including a reluctant but also willing Zach. What can I really say about Zach's character? He was amazing and guilt ridden but he overcame all that, plus he's gorgeous too!!
Overall: I loved the humor, suspense, mystery, action, lies, and romance in this book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone, plus it's only about $8 on amazon. You'll have a great time reading this book or you can always just stare at the guy on the cover.
Rating: Overall I would rank this book an 8.
About the Author:
Angela Campbell is an overachiever with a soft spot for men who dress funny. Superman, Charlie Chaplin, Dracula, Doctor Who, Elvis - those are her kind of heroes. An eclectic reader who loves almost every genre, Angela read her first romance novel at 16 and immediately endeavored to write one, too. Many offbeat attempts (and a couple of decades) later, she published her first novel through Carina Press and has since sold a three-book series to Harper Impulse. With every story she pens, Angela aims to build in a paranormal element to a contemporary and recognizable world with characters who find love in oftentimes humorous and extraordinary situations. A mild-mannered reporter with almost 15 years experience as a general assignment reporter, features editor and graphic designer, Angela has also worked as a production assistant in TV and film. An advocate of animal rescue, she loves all animals, especially her sidekick-in-fur, Dusti.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
New Reads #1
If you didn't see my Field Trip post, I can tell you that I got tons of new books for that trip to the main library. So, for today's post it'll be the first post in weekly posts for new books I have to read and review:
Description Provided by Goodreads: Schuyler Van Alen is running out of time. The Dark Prince of Hell is storming the Gates of Paradise, intent on winning the heavenly throne for good. This time he has his greatest angels by his side, Abbadon and Azrael—Jack and Mimi Force, as they are known in the Coven. Or so he thinks. Even as Lucifer assigns Jack and Mimi the tasks of killing their true loves, the Force twins secretly vow to defeat the Dark Prince once and for all. But how far will Mimi and Jack go to conceal their real loyalties?...Lucifer seeks the key to the Gate of Promise, and when Schuyler is taken captive and delivered straight to Hell, she must make an unthinkable choice—the same one the archangel Michael was forced to make during the Crisis in Rome. Will Schuyler find the strength to do what he could not?
Gates of Paradise: This is the last book in the Blue Bloods series by Melissa De la Cruz and I can't wait to read it. There are so many questions that have to be answered in this book, sacrifices to be made, and there will definitely have to be a fight in the end part of the book. Plus, will Schuyler's mom come back and will Charles come back as well? Look forward to the review, hopefully, soon.
Description Provided by Goodreads: As Cole begins to accept her new life as Akhet, someone who can remember flashes of her past lives, every new vision from her past lives helps explain who she is in this life. As her passion for Griffon grows, she learns to identify other Akhet around her, including Drew, the young self-made millionaire who reveals his startling connection to Cole-he was her husband in Elizabethan England and gave her the ankh necklace that has been returned to her after centuries in hiding. Drew's attentions are overwhelming as he insists that their connection in the past signals their future destiny together, but before she can decide who she truly loves, Cole must learn to harness her unique Akhet abilities if she is to ever understand her role in this strange new world.
Intuition: This is the sequel to Transcendence by C.J. Omololu. I was so enraptured by the first book because 1) It started in London, 2) There were secrets, lies, betrayals, and suspense 3) There was past lives and remembering of those past lives 4) The attraction between Griffon and Cole was sweet and it made me fall in love with Griffon as well. When I saw it in the library I knew I had to borrow it. Look for the review coming soon.
Description Provided by Goodreads: He's days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone's obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect - everyone except for Madison Montgomery. Maddy's the one girl in Angel City who doesn't breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn't recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love. Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson's scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi - and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels' wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat & and this time it's up to Maddy to save Jackson.
Immortal City: While looking through the shelves of the library I came upon Immortal City by Scott Speer and I was immediately attracted to the cover, yes I'll double look at a book that has a nice cover especially one with a good looking angel on it. After reading the synopsis to make sure it was a good read, I decided to check it out. It almost seemed to me that it resembled The Collector by Victoria Scott, but maybe it's just me associating angel books together. Hopefully it turns out to be a good book!
Description Provided by Goodreads: St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue. An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.
The Gathering Storm: The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges caught my attention because of the necromancy, which means that the person who has this power can control the dead. I read another book that the main character had this power and I loved the book, so I thought why not give this book a chance. Plus, add Russian aristocracy, secrets, a possible murder, and possible love triangle and I was hooked. So, I really hope this will be a good read and I look forward to reading and reviewing it.
Gates of Paradise: This is the last book in the Blue Bloods series by Melissa De la Cruz and I can't wait to read it. There are so many questions that have to be answered in this book, sacrifices to be made, and there will definitely have to be a fight in the end part of the book. Plus, will Schuyler's mom come back and will Charles come back as well? Look forward to the review, hopefully, soon.
Intuition: This is the sequel to Transcendence by C.J. Omololu. I was so enraptured by the first book because 1) It started in London, 2) There were secrets, lies, betrayals, and suspense 3) There was past lives and remembering of those past lives 4) The attraction between Griffon and Cole was sweet and it made me fall in love with Griffon as well. When I saw it in the library I knew I had to borrow it. Look for the review coming soon.
Immortal City: While looking through the shelves of the library I came upon Immortal City by Scott Speer and I was immediately attracted to the cover, yes I'll double look at a book that has a nice cover especially one with a good looking angel on it. After reading the synopsis to make sure it was a good read, I decided to check it out. It almost seemed to me that it resembled The Collector by Victoria Scott, but maybe it's just me associating angel books together. Hopefully it turns out to be a good book!
The Gathering Storm: The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges caught my attention because of the necromancy, which means that the person who has this power can control the dead. I read another book that the main character had this power and I loved the book, so I thought why not give this book a chance. Plus, add Russian aristocracy, secrets, a possible murder, and possible love triangle and I was hooked. So, I really hope this will be a good read and I look forward to reading and reviewing it.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Field Trip
Today, I took a field trip to the main library that we have here in San Francisco. What am I getting all worked about about you may ask? Well for starters it was my first time actually going to the main 
library and it was HUGE!! Take a look!! I got to the library and I kind of just walked around to get myself associated with the library. I went to the second floor and I saw the kids section and I was amazed!!! It all had so much color and life that I wished I had gone there before because I may have loved to read sooner. When I was first arriving at the teen section, on the third floor, I saw a display for teen fiction books and I was already in heaven, they had books that I absolutely love, such as Blue Bloods. My sister picked up some magazines and sat at a table while I went on to explore the stacks. Boy, when I first saw all the books and aisle I was overwhelmed with happiness, as my mom described it I was like a kid in a candy store. I mean look at all the books and aisles filled with books!!! I must have looked delusional to people when I was looking at all the books while I ran my hand down the spines and read the titles. Sadly, I could only stay there for about an hour and a half, which meant that I only look through two aisles of books fully. Overall, I checked out about 5 essential books that I wanted and I put about 10 books on hold. |
| (Kid in a Candy Store!!!!!) |
Friday, August 2, 2013
The Keepers: Archer
For this blog post I decided to do things differently, so while I saw reading the book I kept a journal of my reactions after each day of reading. Now without further adieu prepare for the awesomeness of The Keepers: Archer.
Description Provided by Goodreads: ‘Don’t ever look for me again, Archer.’
His mouth curled into a smile. ‘Game on.’
Central Park. Sienna Beckham is out jogging in the autumn sun, feeling almost ordinary. Trouble is, she'll never be. She's on the run from her life as a powerful witch and the three Keepers blood-bound to protect her.
Evil is hot on Sienna's tail and Archer Bennett is searching for her, desperate to find her before they do. As one of her Keepers, he will fight to his death to defend her.
Sienna must return and defend her hometown, Rapid Falls – but she has to face the past and master her powers. And as forbidden feelings blossom between Sienna and Archer, will their love survive the ultimate war?
Well, let's just say that these three gorgeous, six-packed abs, and lovable guys are definitely keepers, oh and did I mention that they wear black tailored suits (insert fangirl squeal). Although I love all three brothers, Declan, Archer, and Ethan, I have to admit that Archer is my favorite.
August.1.2013: For the first couple of pages I thought I was reading the second book in a series because they hinted at her running away from something and her already knowing she was a witch and other things such as her having a deep connection with Archer. This had me confused because I felt as if the character were saying inside jokes and I didn't know what was going on but I kept reading and as the story goes along we get more glimpses into her past and Archer's past. That's when things started to make sense and I could actually star enjoying the book without thinking I had missed a whole book before this one. Once I was able to enjoy it completely I fell in love with the characters. I don't think that's ever happened before, me falling in love with the characters so quickly. I love archer's protective qualities and his charm.
August.2.2013: One curveball after another in the middle of the story line and near the end was just so unexpected. I didn't think this would ever happen. What's going to happen next? Can it be taken back? I loved how Sienna grew into her powers because at the beginning she was afraid to use her powers, had run away because of all the power she had, and hadn't used her powers in two years. I especially love when she goes to Warrick's house the second time, she reminded me of Evie from Poison Princess. After the first and second twists in the plot, I thought I knew how the book was going to end and how the rest of the series would probably play out but boy was I wrong. There were more twists and turns and unexpected events. Lets just say that at no point in this book was I ever bored with it or did I want to put it down. And the secrecy. I can probably say that I will die of cursory just like the cat so not knowing what this big secret is, is killing me and it keeps me reading.
Overall: The book is high paced and in the first three chapters Rae Rivers drew me into this world of witches, forbidden love, and regrets. The way the story line is set made me more curious and it made me want to read the book more because I really wanted to know the details of Archer and Sienna's relationship, the full extent of what happened when Sarah was murdered, and the importance of Sienna and her powers to Warrick. The twists and turns, the action, the suspense!!! This books was amazing!!!
Ranking: I would rank this book a 9.
His mouth curled into a smile. ‘Game on.’
Central Park. Sienna Beckham is out jogging in the autumn sun, feeling almost ordinary. Trouble is, she'll never be. She's on the run from her life as a powerful witch and the three Keepers blood-bound to protect her.
Evil is hot on Sienna's tail and Archer Bennett is searching for her, desperate to find her before they do. As one of her Keepers, he will fight to his death to defend her.
Sienna must return and defend her hometown, Rapid Falls – but she has to face the past and master her powers. And as forbidden feelings blossom between Sienna and Archer, will their love survive the ultimate war?
Well, let's just say that these three gorgeous, six-packed abs, and lovable guys are definitely keepers, oh and did I mention that they wear black tailored suits (insert fangirl squeal). Although I love all three brothers, Declan, Archer, and Ethan, I have to admit that Archer is my favorite.
August.1.2013: For the first couple of pages I thought I was reading the second book in a series because they hinted at her running away from something and her already knowing she was a witch and other things such as her having a deep connection with Archer. This had me confused because I felt as if the character were saying inside jokes and I didn't know what was going on but I kept reading and as the story goes along we get more glimpses into her past and Archer's past. That's when things started to make sense and I could actually star enjoying the book without thinking I had missed a whole book before this one. Once I was able to enjoy it completely I fell in love with the characters. I don't think that's ever happened before, me falling in love with the characters so quickly. I love archer's protective qualities and his charm.
August.2.2013: One curveball after another in the middle of the story line and near the end was just so unexpected. I didn't think this would ever happen. What's going to happen next? Can it be taken back? I loved how Sienna grew into her powers because at the beginning she was afraid to use her powers, had run away because of all the power she had, and hadn't used her powers in two years. I especially love when she goes to Warrick's house the second time, she reminded me of Evie from Poison Princess. After the first and second twists in the plot, I thought I knew how the book was going to end and how the rest of the series would probably play out but boy was I wrong. There were more twists and turns and unexpected events. Lets just say that at no point in this book was I ever bored with it or did I want to put it down. And the secrecy. I can probably say that I will die of cursory just like the cat so not knowing what this big secret is, is killing me and it keeps me reading.
Overall: The book is high paced and in the first three chapters Rae Rivers drew me into this world of witches, forbidden love, and regrets. The way the story line is set made me more curious and it made me want to read the book more because I really wanted to know the details of Archer and Sienna's relationship, the full extent of what happened when Sarah was murdered, and the importance of Sienna and her powers to Warrick. The twists and turns, the action, the suspense!!! This books was amazing!!!
Ranking: I would rank this book a 9.
About the Author:
Mom on the move working part
time and mothering two small children. I love all things romance, enjoy
watching movies and TV series, and I'm an avid reader and writer. Amongst writing
juicy romance novels, I have fun with writing for a few of my favorite TV Shows
for various online TV sites. The more opportunities to write, the better!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
The Poisonwood Bible
I know this book is different from what I usually would blog about but for my AP Literature class I had to read The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver over the summer and after procrastinating for about two months I finally got around to reading it.
Description Provided by Goodreads: The Poisonwood Bible is a story told by the wife and four daughters of Nathan Price, a fierce, evangelical Baptist who takes his family and mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959. They carry with them everything they believe they will need from home, but soon find that all of it—from garden seeds to Scripture—is calamitously transformed on African soil. What follows is a suspenseful epic of one family's tragic undoing and remarkable reconstruction over the course of three decades in postcolonial Africa.
(The story of the Price family is fiction but the events that take place in the Congo are very real)
Story Line: The story was told in five different perspectives but mostly focused on the daughters' points of view. I enjoyed the different vantage points because it gave me a great insight into what was going on and how everybody handled things differently. The story line was definitely unpredictable, especially near the end. I found that Adah's point of view was the most unique because of the diction used in it, sometimes things were not directly stated, but rather they were implied. However, I found Rachel's point of view, while in the Congo, the interesting because I found it to be the most relatable. I mean if you stick me in the Congo jungle with my family and no modern technology or cities, I would rant and throw fits too. As the story line progresses we see different sides of the characters, especially the father. At the beginning he is painted as a flawless and holy man but near the end we start to see that he is anything but.
Characters: I found Rachel, the eldest daughter, to be to most relatable, as mentioned about. I enjoyed reading about Adah's transformation and about how she always felt left behind because of her disability. I found that for a while I could relate to Leah, the twin of Adah, because I believe in justice and I used to try and make my father proud and be under his good graces, without him ever really taking notice. However, I enjoyed the refreshing point of view of Ruth May. She's the youngest of all the sisters and is curious about everything, I didn't like how her story ended because I really liked her character. At first I didn't like the character of the mother, Orleanna, because she was weak and didn't stand up for herself or her children. As the story progress, however, we start to see her change and not until tragedy strikes does she finally, as I would say, 'put some pants on'.
Overall: The beginning and the end of this book were not the best and I think some extra information could have been eliminated, seeing as how the book is over 500 pages. In my opinion the books was the most interesting in the middle, when all the action was happening. I would recommend it because it really gets you thinking about how you would behave if you were in their situation but at the same time I wouldn't recommend it because the beginning and end are dry, uneventful, and in my opinion dragged out.
Rating: Overall I would rank this book a 4.
(The story of the Price family is fiction but the events that take place in the Congo are very real)
Story Line: The story was told in five different perspectives but mostly focused on the daughters' points of view. I enjoyed the different vantage points because it gave me a great insight into what was going on and how everybody handled things differently. The story line was definitely unpredictable, especially near the end. I found that Adah's point of view was the most unique because of the diction used in it, sometimes things were not directly stated, but rather they were implied. However, I found Rachel's point of view, while in the Congo, the interesting because I found it to be the most relatable. I mean if you stick me in the Congo jungle with my family and no modern technology or cities, I would rant and throw fits too. As the story line progresses we see different sides of the characters, especially the father. At the beginning he is painted as a flawless and holy man but near the end we start to see that he is anything but.
Characters: I found Rachel, the eldest daughter, to be to most relatable, as mentioned about. I enjoyed reading about Adah's transformation and about how she always felt left behind because of her disability. I found that for a while I could relate to Leah, the twin of Adah, because I believe in justice and I used to try and make my father proud and be under his good graces, without him ever really taking notice. However, I enjoyed the refreshing point of view of Ruth May. She's the youngest of all the sisters and is curious about everything, I didn't like how her story ended because I really liked her character. At first I didn't like the character of the mother, Orleanna, because she was weak and didn't stand up for herself or her children. As the story progress, however, we start to see her change and not until tragedy strikes does she finally, as I would say, 'put some pants on'.
Overall: The beginning and the end of this book were not the best and I think some extra information could have been eliminated, seeing as how the book is over 500 pages. In my opinion the books was the most interesting in the middle, when all the action was happening. I would recommend it because it really gets you thinking about how you would behave if you were in their situation but at the same time I wouldn't recommend it because the beginning and end are dry, uneventful, and in my opinion dragged out.
Rating: Overall I would rank this book a 4.
About the Author:
Barbara Kingsolver was born in 1955, and grew up in rural Kentucky. She earned degrees in biology from DePauw University and the University of Arizona, and has worked as a freelance writer and author since 1985. At various times in her adult life she has lived in England, France, and the Canary Islands, and has worked in Europe, Africa, Asia, Mexico, and South America. She spent two decades in Tucson, Arizona, before moving to southwestern Virginia where she currently resides. Kingsolver was named one the most important writers of the 20th Century by Writers Digest. In 2000 she received the National Humanities Medal, the country’s highest honor for service through the arts.
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