tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052606267638739032024-02-06T23:00:32.792-05:00Two Canadian ReadersBook talk from a mother and daughter who are passionate about reading.Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-64901556248101702612013-05-13T21:07:00.000-04:002013-05-13T21:07:03.678-04:00White Pine Reviews<i>Reviews written by Kate.</i><br />
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In two days, we will be attending the annual Festival of Trees event again at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre. Here are some short reviews from Kate for nine of the books on the <a href="http://www.accessola.org/OLAWEB/Forest_of_Reading/Awards_Nominees/White_Pine_Fiction_Nominees.aspx">White Pine</a> list.<br />
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<b>The Taming - </b>9/10<br />
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought it portrayed relationship abuse in a believable and realistic light. This book was written to make a point, not for pleasant, light reading, however, so the plot line is not as complex or captivating as other books. Overall, it is a very good book and worth reading.<br />
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<b>Way To Go -</b> 8.5/10<br />
I was surprised by this book. At first, it seemed like a typical teenage book (and to be honest, it seemed kind of trashy). However, it was far from that. It is goes through the struggle of how a teenage boy, living in a mostly homophobic community, figures out who he is, what he wants to do with his life, and what his sexual orientation is. My favorite thing about this book is how the author made the main character homosexual as opposed to a supporting character - something that almost never happens in YA novels.<br />
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<b>Getting Over Garrett Delaney - </b>8.5/10<br />
This book sounded interesting from the start. Most teen novels, these days, are about a romance that turns out perfect and everyone lives happily ever after. However, this book was about heartbreak and that, although the romance didn't turn out perfectly, everyone can still live happily ever after.<br />
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<b>The Opposite of Tidy</b> - 8/10<br />
After a year-long project and writing a 50-page essay on obsessive compulsive hoarding disorder, this book was incredibly interesting. It focused on how the life of a teenage girl is affected by her mother's hoarding and how it is solved. Not only did the author accurately portray hoarding, she also managed to fit a romance into the story. Overall, it was very well written and had an interesting plot line.<br />
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<b>All Good Children - </b>7.5/10<br />
<i>All Good Children </i>was very good and had a original story line. I also found the characters to be very likable and realistic. My only problem with this book is that I would have liked to see more character development.<br />
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<b>Karma - </b>7/10<br />
I actually thought this was a well-thought out story. It was fairly suspenseful and well-written. However, the romance in this book killed my enjoyment of it. The quickness and intensity of the romance seemed unnatural, unrealistic, and unbelievable. The first two-thirds of the book were quite good; however the last third ruined it for me.<br />
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<b>The Way We Fall - 7</b>/10<br />
This book has a very interesting plot to it. The description of it even pushed me to read this one first! My only complaint is that throughout the story, the author mentions things that leave you wanting to know more (like a name or event from the character's past) but doesn't elaborate on it until later. I don't mind this (and it actually creates more suspense which I like) but I felt like the author waited <i>too </i>long to elaborate on them, and I ended up forgetting what the author had said before.<br />
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<b>Witchlanders - 7</b>/10<br />
I'm usually into fantasy novels. However, I couldn't seem to get into this book. It was most likely the characters. They were realistic but could have had more depth and didn't seem unique. Overall, it was fairly good but lacking some depth that I would have enjoyed.<br />
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<b>Last Day on Earth - </b>5/10<br />
I did not enjoy this book as much as the others. I felt like the plot line could have had a lot of potential. However, I would have liked to see <i>a lot</i> more character development and overall development of the plot. I couldn't get into this story because I felt like the characters seemed fake and unrealistic. I especially would have liked to see more of Posey and Hooper.<br />
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<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414182419579537530noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-50886569738080854432013-04-28T12:06:00.000-04:002013-05-13T18:17:09.095-04:00Dewey's Read-a-thon: Summary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I couldn't stay awake much past the time of my last post but got up early enough to do a little bit more reading. I managed another hour of reading with a new book, Feed by Mira Grant, about bloggers following a presidential campaign in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. It's quite interesting reading this after having just finished <i>The Influencing Machine</i>.<br />
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Here are my final totals:<br />
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Hours of reading: 7<br />
Hours of audiobook listening: 1.5<br />
Total pages read: 563<br />
Books finished: 2<br />
Other books started: 1<br />
Mini-challenges done: 3 (Hour 1 end-of-event meme, Hour 11 Picture-it challenge, Hour 12 end-of-event meme)<br />
Cheerleading hours: 3<br />
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Here are Kate's totals:<br />
Hours of reading: 2<br />
Total pages read: 200<br />
Books finished: 0<br />
Other books started: 1<i> </i>(a re-read of <i>Fear</i> by Michael Grant)<br />
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Kate and I spent 13.5 hours participating (reading and cheerleading) in the read-a-thon, so as promised, we've donated $27 to <a href="http://www.freethechildren.com/">Free the Children</a>, Kate's favourite charity.<br />
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Now for the end-of-event meme:<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">Which hour was most daunting for you?</span><br />Hour 17. I really needed sleep at that point.</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?</span><br />I tried a graphic non-fiction book this time, and it worked well.</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?</span><br />I was a cheerleader again and really enjoyed it. I would love to see more people signing up as cheerleaders!</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?</span><br />Everything ran very smoothly, as usual! Many thanks to the organizers.</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">How many books did you read?</span><br />I finished two books and started a third. Kate read half of one book.</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">What were the names of the books you read?</span><br />For me: <span style="font-style: italic;">No Time for Goodbye</span> by Linwood Barclay and <span style="font-style: italic;">The Influencing Machine </span>by Brooke Gladstone<br />For Kate: <i>Fear </i>by Michael Grant</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">Which book did you enjoy most?</span><br />I really enjoyed <i>No Time for Goodbye</i>.</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">Which did you enjoy least?</span><br />I enjoyed everything I read!</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?</span><br />I kept a spreadsheet of all the blogs my team (Team Tiger) was covering and tried to visit each at least once. I would have loved to pay multiple visits to each blog, but there just wasn't enough time to cheer and read too.</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?</span><br />Kate and I will definitely participate again. I will try to do even more cheerleading next time.</li>
</ol>
Thanks again to the organizers for another terrific event!Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-72094115766983249632013-04-27T23:33:00.000-04:002013-04-27T23:33:52.236-04:00Dewey's Read-a-thon: Hour 16 Update<br />
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It's Hour 16 and my eyes are starting to glaze over. I've just finished reading <i>The Influencing Machine</i> by Brooke Gladstone. This is a graphic non-fiction book describing and analyzing the media throughout history, with many examples taken from American politics. Graphic non-fiction in which the narrator is a cartoon character is not so unusual in children's books but is rather unexpected for this topic. It works surprisingly well, though, and I enjoyed the illustrations by Josh Neufeld.<br />
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I thought I'd be able to whip through a graphic book but this took longer than I expected, partly because there was a lot of text on most pages and partly because of the thought-provoking subject material. I don't think I'll be able to manage much more reading tonight. I'll visit a few blogs and then it's off to bed. I'm definitely not an all-night read-a-thoner, but I do hope to get up early enough to squeeze in another hour of reading before the event is over.<br />
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<b>Paulina's progress:</b><br />
Books finished: 2<br />
Pages read: 495<br />
Hours of reading: 6<br />
Hours listening to an audiobook: 1.5<br />
Hours of cheerleading: 3<br />
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<b>Kate's progress:</b><br />
Books finished: 0<br />
Pages read: 200<br />
Hours of reading: 2Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-66435568815350686592013-04-27T19:27:00.000-04:002013-05-13T18:17:21.798-04:00Dewey's Read-a-thon: Hour 12 Update<br />
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We're at the halfway point, and I've lost my partner in reading to her other social commitments. Before she had to abandon the read-a-thon, Kate read for another hour, which makes 2 for the day. It's not as good as her 7-hour total from last year, but better than no reading at all!<br />
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I considered doing <a href="http://www.thebookmonsters.com/deweys-readathon-mini-challenge-picture-it/">Kirsten's Picture-It mini-challenge</a> but figured that my reading spot was not exciting enough to photograph. Just as I was having this thought, my wonderful husband and older daughter Julia showed up at home with a lovely spring bouquet, with a card attached that said, "Congratulations on your read-a-thon." Even though they don't understand why I'd want to spend the entire day reading, they're quite indulgent about my read-a-thon activities. So now I have a reading spot worth photographing for the mini-challenge!<br />
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Since my last update, I finished Linwood Barclay's <i>No Time for Goodbye</i>, an excellent thriller that was very hard to put down. I also did some house chores while listening to the final 1.5 hours of an audiobook version of <i>Jane Eyre</i>. I'm having a hard time deciding which of my books to read next, but I think I'll go enjoy the excellent supper my husband had prepared before making my selection.<br />
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<b>Paulina's progress:</b><br />
Books finished: 1<br />
Pages read: 339<br />
Hours of reading: 4<br />
Hours listening to an audiobook: 1.5<br />
Hours of cheerleading: 2<br />
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<b>Kate's progress:</b><br />
Books finished: 0<br />
Pages read: 200<br />
Hours of reading: 2Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-16331049556290406022013-04-27T13:54:00.000-04:002013-04-27T14:05:25.715-04:00Dewey's Read-a-thon: Hour 6 Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We're almost finished with Hour 6 of <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/">Dewey's Read-a-thon</a>, and I'm halfway through my first book, Linwood Barclay's <i>No Time for Goodbye</i>. Despite this being a great page-turner (Barclay is great at creating suspense from the very first scene), I've only read 2 hours, partly because I'm having a great time visiting other participants' blogs. It's great to see readers from all over the world and I'm getting some good reading recommendations, not that I need any more books on my shelf!<br />
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Kate had a violin lesson this morning but managed to do one hour of reading. She has Michael Grant's <i>Light</i>, the final book in the <i>Hunger</i> series, on hold at the library. In anticipation of its arrival, she is rereading the previous book in the series, <i>Fear</i>.<br />
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<b>Paulina's progress:</b><br />
Books finished: 0<br />
Pages read: 172<br />
Hours of reading: 2<br />
Hours of cheerleading: 1<br />
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<b>Kate's progress:</b><br />
Books finished: 0<br />
Pages read: 100<br />
Hours of reading: 1Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-1635789359382014582013-04-27T08:18:00.002-04:002013-04-27T08:19:09.549-04:00Dewey's Read-a-thon: the Starting Line<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The read-a-thon has started! Here is Kate's and my pile of books, along with our favourite Penguin mugs. We're also hoping that Julia, my older daughter and Kate's sister, will join us for part of the day. Here are our answers to the <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/2013/04/27/hour-1-lets-get-ready-to-rumble/">Hour 1 Introductory Questionnaire</a>.<br />
<ol>
<li><i>What fine part of the world are you reading from today?</i><br />We're in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, and it's a bright sunny day here today!</li>
<li><i>Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?</i><br />I'm looking forward to <i>No Time for Goodbye</i> by Linwood Barclay. Kate's still undecided about what she's going to read.</li>
<li><i>Which snack are you most looking forward to?</i><br />Our favourite junk food for read-a-thons: salt-and-vinegar chips and Orangina. I've also stocked up on lots of fruits and vegetables to snack on.</li>
<li><i>Tell us a little something about yourself!</i><br />Kate spends almost all of her spare time playing music or singing. I'm a software developer and avid knitter.</li>
<li><i>If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?</i><br />Kate and I have been doing this read-a-thon for several years now. I hope to do some more cheerleading today.</li>
</ol>
Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-35074943854092756782013-04-24T22:43:00.000-04:002013-04-26T19:00:41.743-04:00<a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="http://24hourreadathon.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/lg-new-readathonbutton-border.jpg" style="float: left; height: 253px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 183px;" width="150" /></a><br />
It's time for <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/">Dewey's Read-a-thon</a> again, on Saturday, April 26! Kate and I will attempt to read for as many hours as we can in the 24-hour period starting 8am EDT, and we'll donate a toonie to <a href="http://www.freethechildren.com/">Free the Children</a> for every hour that either of us reads. I'm especially excited because I've managed to convince my sister-in-law Jill to join the fun.<br />
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Our <a href="http://twocanadianreaders.blogspot.ca/2012/10/deweys-read-thon-summary.html">last attempt</a> in October went well, with each of us reading 7 hours. I hope to do more this year (including an hour or two of cheerleading again), and I've kept my Saturday mostly free. Unfortunately, Kate has a number of commitments that day but will try to participate for at least an hour or two.<br />
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So what to read? From experience, I've learned to stay away from any long or heavy books for read-a-thons. Here are some candidates from my shelves that I'm considering, and I'll choose two or three of them for Saturday.<br />
<ul>
<li><i>Feed</i> by Mira Grant -- a post-apocalyptic zombie novel.</li>
<li><i>No Time for Goodbye</i> by Linwood Barclay -- Barclay is good for read-a-thons because I can't seem to put his books down once I pick them up.</li>
<li><i>The Throne of the Crescent Moon</i> by Saladin Ahmed -- fantasy novel nominated for this year's Hugo best-novel award.</li>
<li><i>Mr. Wilson's Cabinet of Wonders</i> by Lawrence Weschler -- a book about The Museum of Jurassic Technology and museums in general.</li>
<li><i>Gathering Blue</i> by Lois Lowry -- next book in the highly acclaimed <i>The Giver</i> series.</li>
<li><i>The Winter Palace</i> by Eva Stachniak -- historical fiction about Catherine the Great, and on this year's OLA Evergreen list.</li>
<li><i>The Circle</i> by Sara B. Elfgren and Mats Strandberg -- Swedish YA horror/supernatural novel.</li>
<li><i>Forty Words for Sorrow</i> by Giles Blunt -- mystery set in Northern Ontario, first in the Detective Cardinal series.</li>
<li><i>Twilight is not Good for Maidens</i> by Lou Allin -- another Canadian mystery, an ARC I just received today.</li>
</ul>
Please consider joining Kate and me for this year's read-a-thon! You can <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/2012/09/05/october-2012-read-a-thon-date-is-here/">sign up as a reader</a> and/or as a <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/2012/09/17/cheerleader-signups/">cheerleader</a>. Cheerleading involves visiting other readers' blogs and leaving encouraging comments. It's a great way to discover new book blogs and get book recommendations.Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-59272830067397636242013-04-22T21:25:00.000-04:002013-04-22T21:25:02.946-04:00Requiem by Frances Itani<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Frances Itani's <i>Requiem</i> is the seventh book from the <a href="http://twocanadianreaders.blogspot.ca/2012/04/2012-evergreen-list.html">2012 Ontario Library Association's Evergreen list</a> of ten nominees that I've read. I may get around to reading the remaining three but the new <a href="http://www.accessola.org/OLAWEB/Forest_of_Reading/Awards_Nominees/Evergreen_Nominees.aspx">2013 list</a> beckons. I'm glad I did manage to include this one, as it turned out to be one of my favourites (the other being <a href="http://twocanadianreaders.blogspot.ca/2012/10/natural-order-by-brian-francis.html"><i>Natural Order</i></a> by Brian Francis).<br />
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The main subject matter of <i>Requiem</i> is the internment of Canadian Japanese during World War II. One source of Itani's material was her husband, who had spent part of his own childhood in such a camp. The novel alternates between the main character Bin's journey across Canada and his recollections of the camp in which he had spent his youth. Reading this book was eye-opening for me. It is hard to believe that such atrocities could have been committed by the Canadian government against its own citizens. (The government did finally issue a formal apology in 1988.) Another aspect of the novel that I loved is the treatment of Beethoven's music, which figures largely in the protagonist's life. <i>Requiem</i> is a beautifully written historical novel that explores loss, the meaning of family, and the power of music.Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-63184104659481761902013-04-04T20:31:00.000-04:002013-04-04T20:31:59.013-04:00Highlights of the Past Few MonthsHi everyone!<br />
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I haven't posted for a while, although I can assure you that I've been avidly reading. My mom jokes that we should rename the blog <i>Two Canadian Readers; Only One Writer</i>.<br />
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While I've been "away", I've read some great books. Here are some suggested young adult books that I've enjoyed, as well as some of the disappointments<br />
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<b>The Good:</b><br />
<u><i>Divergent </i>series by Veronica Roth</u><br />
I had heard this was a good book and quite suspenseful and it was exactly that. It was captivating and action-packed. My only complaints, and I've heard these from others too, are that there is a lot of gun violence and it is very similar to the <i>Hunger Games</i>.<br />
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<u><i>BZRK </i>by Michael Grant</u><br />
If you love the <i>Gone </i>series, you'll also highly enjoy this new series. It still has the same excitement and suspense as <i>Gone</i> but brings in a fresh new plot line and realistic and inventive characters. I've no complaints about this one and can't wait until the next book comes out.<br />
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<u><i>Adam and Eve</i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate</u><br />
This book is very good, although I preferred <i>BZRK</i>. However, this is perfect for you if you want the same style as Michael Grant's other works but don't want to commit to a series.<br />
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<u><i>Infernal Devices </i>(first book is <i>Clockwork Angel) </i>by Cassandra Clare</u><br />
I really enjoyed this series and can't wait until the last book comes out. I personally found this (prequel) series to be better than the original series (Mortal Instruments) as it had a more original plot line and the characters were more developed and not as shallow. Clare's writing has clearly progressed since she wrote the original series and she has brought new strengths to the prequel series. (I hope to write a more in-depth review later.)<br />
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<u><i>I Am Number Four </i>by Pittacus Lore</u><br />
<i>I Am Number Four </i>is captivating, action-packed and suspenseful. It also has very likable characters and a creative plot line My only difficulty was keeping track of the characters and their powers. Overall, a very good series.<br />
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<u><i>Grave Mercy </i>by R.L. LaFevers</u><br />
This book is quite original in the fact that it is the first book I've ever read that has Sassanian nuns! Clearly, the plot line is very inventive. It is also very interesting how the author manages to make this series historical, yet fantasy at the same time.<br />
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<b>The Disappointments:</b><br />
<u><i>Matched</i> by Ally Condie</u><br />
I'm sure many people disagree with me on this one, but I still believe in what I'm about to say. This book was captivating, suspenseful, and yet there seemed something vaguely familiar about everything in this book. I realized later that this book was just a mix of popular dystopian novels, such as <i>The Giver</i>, <i>The Hunger Games, </i>and <i>Divergent. </i>Although it was well written, the ideas and plot line seemed unoriginal and cliche. There wasn't anything in this book that I felt that I hadn't already seen.<br />
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<u><i>Mortal Instruments</i> by Cassandra Clare</u><br />
I read the prequel series before I read this one, and I must be honest: this one was a let-down. It was a very good series, but frankly, <i>Infernal Devices</i> was written better by a long shot. The characters in the <i>Mortal Instruments </i>series seemed shallow in comparison. The first three books were worth reading, but at the fourth book, the series just went downhill.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414182419579537530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-13690556502005464612013-03-31T22:29:00.000-04:002013-03-31T22:33:13.426-04:00The Organic Home Garden by Patrick Lima<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last year, I'd received an advance copy of this book from <a href="http://www.fiveriverspublishing.com/">Five Rivers Publishing</a>, an independent Canadian publisher, and I enjoyed it very much. I just realized that I'd neglected to post a review then, but now seems an opportune time, as I'm hoping to start work on my garden again, as soon as the piles of snow melt away!<br />
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I’ve kept a small vegetable garden in my backyard for the past 20 years. Some years are better than others, but I feel I could do more to have a more consistently successful garden. That's why I was excited to receive this book from LibaryThing's Early Reviewers program. Also, the author Patrick Lima used to write for Harrowsmith Country Life magazine, which I often turned to for recipes and gardening tips before publication ceased in the 90's.<br />
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The first thing I noticed was that this book is not like the other gardening books I own which I use as reference books. This one reads more like a memoir with plenty of useful advice. Reading it is like having a cosy chat with an enthusiastic gardening guru brimming with knowledge that he wants to share.
At first I found the book disappointing because of the lack of diagrams, checklists and the like that I normally see in gardening reference books. (I must note that I had received an electronic copy of the book; it's possible that the print copy contains more of these elements.) Then, I just decided to accept it for what it is: an inspirational account of one person’s gardening experiences that, in the end, gave me a lot of information and ideas to ponder over when I start my vegetable garden this spring.
Even though the author tries to give general time frames for gardening activities, the book seems best for the cooler parts of North America. A bonus is the collection of recipes that use the bounty from the garden.Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-19756093560115000782012-10-14T14:26:00.001-04:002012-10-14T14:26:36.978-04:00Dewey's Read-a-thon: Summary<br />
Another successful Dewey's Read-a-thon event is over! Kate read some of Cassandra Clare's <i>City of Ashes</i> late last night and early this morning, and I managed to finish Jan Costin Wagner's <i>Ice Moon</i>.<br />
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Here are Kate's final totals:<br />
Hours of reading: 7<br />
Total pages read: 565<br />
Books finished: 1<br />
Other books started: 1<br />
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My totals:<br />
Hours of reading: 7<br />
Total pages read: 593<br />
Books finished: 2<br />
Other books started: 0<br />
Mini-challenges done: 1<br />
Cheerleading hours: 3<br />
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Kate and I spent 17 hours participating (reading and cheerleading) in the read-a-thon, so as promised, we've donated $34 to <a href="http://www.freethechildren.com/">Free the Children</a>.<br />
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Now for the end-of-event meme:<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">Which hour was most daunting for you?</span><br />I started feeling very sleepy around Hour 16. Kate was eager to read more, though.</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?</span><br />I love mysteries, and Kate had a hard time putting <i>City of Bones</i> down.</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?</span><br />It would be great to encourage more people to do cheerleading, as there are so many participants and so few cheerleaders. Maybe if it were advertised that cheerleaders get special prizes too, more people would sign up.</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?</span><br />Everything went smoothly, as usual.</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">How many books did you read?</span><br />I finished two. Kate finished one and started a second.</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">What were the names of the books you read?</span><br />For me: <span style="font-style: italic;">Redshirts</span> by John Scalzi and <i>Ice Moon</i><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>by Jan Costin Wagner. For Kate: <span style="font-style: italic;">City of Bones</span> and <i>City of Ashes</i> by Cassandra Clare.</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">Which book did you enjoy most?</span><br />We liked them all!</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">Which did you enjoy least?</span><br />We liked them all!</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?</span><br />Cheerleading doesn't have to happen just on the day of the event. You can visit the blogs and provide encouragement (including encouragement to participate in the next event) before and after the actual read-a-thon date.</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?</span><br />Kate and I will both participate again, and I hope to do even more cheerleading then.</li>
</ol>
Many thanks to the organizers for another excellent event!<br />
Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-44584001399869959992012-10-13T22:39:00.000-04:002012-10-13T22:39:13.247-04:00Dewey's Read-a-thon: Update #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Kate finished <i>City of Bones</i> by Cassandra Clare and then had to turn to her homework. She was so engrossed in the book that there was no way I could get her to do her homework before she finished it. She is hoping to read a little bit of the next book, <i>City of Ashes</i>, before it's time to turn the lights out.<br />
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I'm partway through <i>Ice Moon</i> by Jan Costin Wagner and hope to finish it before I fall asleep. I'm not getting as much reading done as I did in the last read-a-thon, but that's partly because I'm spending more time visiting other participants' blogs, which is just as enjoyable as reading!<br />
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<b>Paulina's progress:</b><br />
Books finished: 1<br />
Pages read: 455<br />
Hours of reading: 5.5<br />
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<b>Kate's progress:</b><br />
Books finished: 1<br />
Pages read: 485<br />
Hours of reading: 6Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-42684014228804866502012-10-13T15:59:00.001-04:002012-10-13T15:59:37.136-04:00Dewey's Read-a-thon: Update #1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We're entering Hour 8 of <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/">Dewey's Read-a-thon</a>, and I've finished my first book, John Scalzi's <i>Redshirts</i>. This is an interesting take on the Star Trek concept, with some unexpected twists. I greatly enjoyed Scalzi's <i>Old Man's War</i> trilogy and found this did not quite live up to my expectations but it was definitely an entertaining read.<br />
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Kate is more than halfway through <i>City of Bones</i> by Cassandra Clare. She had violin and voice lessons this morning so couldn't manage too many hours of reading, but apart from an hour or two of homework, she has the rest of the day free. Yes, I'm being a mean Mom and making her do her homework, even though I've been neglecting housework shamefully myself.<br />
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I've also been spending some time visiting the blogs of other participants. It's great that there are so many readers from different parts of the world.<br />
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<b>Paulina's progress:</b><br />
Books finished: 1<br />
Pages read: 317<br />
Hours of reading: 3.5<br />
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<b>Kate's progress:</b><br />
Books finished: 0<br />
Pages read: 260<br />
Hours of reading: 3Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-74753710303940530192012-10-13T08:52:00.000-04:002012-10-13T16:07:39.572-04:00Dewey's Read-a-thon: The Starting Line<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Kate and I have our stack of books in front of us and we're ready to go! Here are our answers to the <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/2012/10/13/hour-1-4/">Hour 1 Introductory Questionnaire</a>.<br />
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<ol>
<li><i>What fine part of the world are you reading from today?</i><br />We're in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, and it's a lovely sunny but chilly day here today!</li>
<li><i>Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?</i><br />Kate has been dying to read Cassandra Clare's <i>City of Bones</i> for ages. I'm looking forward to Jan Costin Wagner's <i>Ice Moon</i>, but I might leave it for later in the day, when energy is getting lower.</li>
<li><i>Which snack are you most looking forward to?</i><br />We have the traditional read-a-thon snack (Kate's favourite): salt-and-vinegar chips. I also have tortilla chips with a new burn-your-mouth-off green salsa I'd discovered, perfect for waking me up when I start getting drowsy late in the day.</li>
<li><i>Tell us a little something about yourself!</i><br />Kate reads the daily comics in the newspaper every morning and plays lots of different musical instruments. I'm a software developer, and if I'm not reading in my spare time, I'm probably knitting.</li>
<li><i>If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?</i><br />Kate and I are read-a-thon veterans, but I'm not sure we'll do anything different today. We'll just read ... and read ... and read. Actually, I'll also be visiting other blogs and doing the cheerleading thing. That's one of my favourite parts of this event. </li>
</ol>
Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-60244970937067836132012-10-11T22:08:00.000-04:002012-10-13T16:07:51.683-04:00Dewey's Read-a-thon<a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="http://24hourreadathon.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/lg-new-readathonbutton-border.jpg" style="float: left; height: 253px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 183px;" width="150" /></a><br />
Kate and I will be participating once again in <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/">Dewey's Read-a-thon</a> on Saturday, October 13. We'll attempt to read for as many hours as we can in the 24-hour period starting 8am EDT, and we'll donate a toonie to <a href="http://www.freethechildren.com/">Free the Children</a> for every hour that either of us reads.<br />
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In <a href="http://twocanadianreaders.blogspot.ca/2012/04/deweys-read-thon-summary.html">our last attempt</a>, Kate managed only 5 hours as she was busy with rehearsals for part of the day, but she has managed to keep most of this Saturday free and has a stack of books waiting to be read, with Cassandra Clare's <i>City of Bones</i> at the very top of the pile.<br />
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I don't think I'll be able to match my 9 hours this time around, but I'll do my best. After a couple of hectic weeks, I'm looking forward to spending the day reading. I'm not sure what I'll be reading yet. It'll depend on my mood on Saturday morning, but I've got some candidates on the to-be-read list, including <i>Redshirts</i> by John Scalzi, <i>Becoming Holmes</i> by Shane Peacock, <i>Ice Moon</i> by Jan Costin Wagner and <i>The Far Side of the Sky</i> by Daniel Kalla.<br />
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Please consider joining us! You can <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/2012/09/05/october-2012-read-a-thon-date-is-here/">sign up as a reader</a> and/or as a <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/2012/09/17/cheerleader-signups/">cheerleader</a>. Cheerleading involves visiting other readers' blogs and leaving encouraging comments. It's a great way to discover new book blogs and get book recommendations.Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-18593720504682722912012-10-10T23:00:00.000-04:002012-10-10T23:00:58.338-04:00Natural Order by Brian Francis<a href="http://www.accessola.org/images/OLA/Forest/BookCovers/evergreen/2012/NaturalOrder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.accessola.org/images/OLA/Forest/BookCovers/evergreen/2012/NaturalOrder.jpg" width="123" /></a>I'm continuing to read from the <a href="http://www.accessola.org/OLAWEB/Forest_of_Reading/Awards_Nominees/Evergreen_Nominees.aspx">2012 Evergreen list</a> and hope to finish at least another book from the list before the voting period ends on October 30.<br />
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<i>Natural Order</i> is the second novel by Brian Francis, whose first novel <i>Fruit</i> was a Canada Reads runner-up. In this novel, an elderly woman Joyce looks back on episodes from her life. She sees how her homophobia and that of others had devastated people she had loved. The narrator is unreliable and the story jumps among several time periods, but somehow it all works and makes for a very readable and moving story.<br />
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This novel provides a thoughtful examination of both the process of aging and the changing views of homosexuality over the past half-century in Canada. It features vividly drawn characters and a good amount of small-town-Ontario humour. When Fern says, in reply to Joyce's question about an upcoming potluck lunch, "I'm a woman of the United Church of Canada. I can make a salmon loaf standing on my head in thirty seconds," I could immediately picture a few women of my own acquaintance!<br />
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<i>Natural Order</i> is my favourite of the six Evergreen books I've read so far, and I look forward to reading more from this very skilled writer.<br />
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<br />Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-88383939975388845922012-09-08T15:51:00.001-04:002012-09-08T15:58:47.012-04:00North by 2000+ by H.A. Hargreaves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been participating in <a href="http://www.librarything.com/">LibraryThing's</a> Early Reviewers program for several years now. Most of the time, I choose books from authors or publishers whose names I recognize, but once in a while, I select a book that is totally new to me. Frequently, I've ended up disappointed but the odd time that I hit upon a real gem, it's a great feeling.<br />
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Recently, I won <i>North by 2000+</i>, a collection of science-fiction stories originally published over several decades by author H. A. Hargreaves. Given how much I enjoy both sci-fi and Canadian literature, I really ought to have heard of Hargreaves before now, but his output has been relatively small compared to other better-known sci-fi writers. An earlier version of this collection, entitled <i>North by 2000</i>, had been published in 1975, and this new anthology, containing 5 additional stories and an introduction and afterword by Robert Runte, was recently released by a small independent publisher, <a href="http://www.fiveriverspublishing.com/">Five Rivers Publishing</a>.<br />
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I enjoyed the stories very much, particularly "Dead to the World", "Cainn", "Tee Vee Man" and "More Things in Heaven and Earth". Alhough these stories were written many years ago and there are some discrepancies between the future as Hargreaves had envisioned it and the reality as it is today, the stories do not feel dated. It is Hargreaves's exploration of human relationships, to one another and to the environment, in an imagined setting that makes the stories memorable. I also found Runte's commentary on "Canadian science-fiction" and how it differs from that of the British and American tradition thought-provoking.<br />
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Having experienced hits and misses with small publishers, I was genuinely surprised by the quality of the writing. I recently finished all the short stories and novelettes nominated for this year's Hugo awards, and certainly, Hargreaves's stories would not suffer in comparison. I'm glad that Five Rivers Publishing has chosen to reprint his work, as it deserves a wider audience.Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-91394086170594492252012-08-30T17:24:00.000-04:002012-08-30T17:24:14.009-04:00Here Lies Arthurby Philip Reeve<br />
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<i>Here Lies Arthur </i>follows the life of a young girl named Gwyna after an attack on her village. When no one else survives, she is left all alone and escapes into the woods. There, she meets Myrddin, a bard rumoured to have magic, who saves her. Gwyna finds out the Myrddin is trying to unite Britain, which after being attacked by the Saxons, is now split up into many small kingdoms and villages. Only under the rule of Arthur, the leader of a fierce war-band, does Myrddin think this can be achieved. However, several obstacles stand in their way.<br />
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One of these, Gwyna finds out, is convincing some people that the gods are on Arthur's side. To do this, Myrddin has Gwyna rise out of the lake as a goddess of water and give Arthur a sword named Caliburn in front of the non-followers. After successfully tricking them, Myrddin disguises Gwyna as a boy and takes her to be his servant.<br />
<i><br /></i>When I first picked up this book and saw who had written it I wasn't eager to start it. After being unimpressed by Reeve's <i>Fever Crumb</i> series (though my Mom and co-author of this blog liked it very much) and finding the <i>Hunger City Chronicles</i> only OK, I wasn't expecting much from this book. However, this book didn't win the <i>2008 Carnegie Medal in Literature </i>for nothing.<br />
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This book ended up being quite a page-turner with an interesting mix of fast-paced moments and funny ones. I found it shorter than most books of the same genre; however, after reading it, the length seemed just right. It is not a stay-up-all-night-reading-under-the-covers book, but one that I enjoyed reading for fun because the plot and the general idea was so clever and interesting.<br />
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I also found this book so appealing because it took the myths and put history behind them. This made me think about whether there actually was an Arthur and if there was one, how close the real one could have been to the Arthur portrayed in the legends and myths.<br />
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I would recommend it for teens who love historical fiction, but especially ones who know the King Arthur legend and would understand how cleverly the book is written. Because I know the legend myself, I'm not sure if people who do not know it would find <i>Here Lies Arthur</i> confusing or not.<br />
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Overall, I am very satisfied with the book and hope to keep a more open mind about Philip Reeve's books.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414182419579537530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-31489099834695764452012-08-14T21:34:00.001-04:002012-08-14T21:34:53.339-04:00Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom by Susin Nielsen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Susin Nielsen’s first book, <i>Word Nerd</i>, is one of my favourite young-adult novels of the past few years, and it had won a number of Canadian book awards. I looked forward to reading this second novel but I did wonder if it would live up to expectations, and I'm happy to report that I enjoyed it just as much as the first.<br />
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The story centres around twelve-year-old Violet who is trying to cope with her parents' separation, especially the fact that her father is now living with his young and beautiful second wife in a luxurious home in Los Angeles. Dismayed with the string of losers that her mother had found through dating services and worried about her most recent romantic interest, Violet attempts to set her mother up with the ideal man, George Clooney.<br />
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Like <i>Word Nerd</i>, this novel features hilarious situations, heartwarming moments, and quirky memorable characters. A few of the characters from the first book reappear in this one in more minor roles, and I was more than pleased to encounter them again, as I particularly love Nielsen's portrayal of her characters. She has a way of making each person unique, no matter how "ordinary" he or she is.Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-67375976410337876912012-07-30T22:18:00.000-04:002012-07-30T22:18:15.985-04:00In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination by Margaret Atwood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination</i> is a collection of essays by Margaret Atwood based loosely on the theme of science-fiction. Because they cover a broad variety of subjects and are taken from her writings and lectures over the past several decades, they are rather disjointed, and occasionally, there is some repetition of ideas.<br />
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I enjoyed in particular Atwood’s reflections on her own novel <i>The Handmaid’s Tale</i> and the controversy it has spawned since its publication in 1985, as well as her thoughts on <i>1984</i>, <i>Brave New World</i> and <i>Never Let Me Go</i>. I also liked her sentimental yet analytical look at comic books, which made up a large part of her childhood reading, as they did my own.<br />
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People I know seem to either love or hate Atwood’s work. I belong in the former category, and I frequently find her observations clever and thought-provoking. If you’re not an Atwood fan already, I’d suggest giving this collection a miss, as there may be too many personal reminiscences to be of interest. However, if you’ve enjoyed her novels and essays, then this book is worth a read.Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-72094631558835544592012-07-03T08:57:00.000-04:002012-08-14T21:35:30.586-04:00Among Others by Jo Walton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;">For the first time ever, I joined <a href="http://www.worldcon.org/">WorldCon</a> as a supporting member and consequently got access to their Voter Packet. An amazingly good deal for only $50, the packet includes downloads of almost all the nominated works. Included was Jo Walton’s <i>Among Others</i>,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"> a nominee in the best-novel category. Walton is a Welsh-Canadian author who makes her home in Montreal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;">I liked this book very much but thought that it was an unusual choice for a Hugo nomination. First, it is not in any way a science-fiction novel; rather it is </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;">about</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"> science fiction. Throughout the book, the main character Mor comments on the novels (mostly but not all from the sci-fi and fantasy genres) she has read and is reading. Indeed, the novel seems very much Walton’s fond and nostalgic inventory of all the novels she herself had read as a youth. This may all be too much for readers who are not fans of sci-fi, but given that I’d also spent many hours as a teenager devouring many of the same books, I found the commentary quite enjoyable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;">It’s also questionable whether this could be called a fantasy novel. Certainly, Mor talks about fairies and magic, and she calls her mother a witch. However, it is not always clear what is real in the context of the novel and what is a product of Mor’s imagination. She even wonders herself if certain events that had happened were caused by magic or simply events that would have occurred in any case.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;">However you want to classify this book, it is a lovely coming-of-age story. Through her passion for sci-fi and fantasy, Mor, who had always felt like she did not fit into the world, finds like-minded people who care about what she has to say. She also starts to build a bond with her estranged father through their shared interest in books. In addition, this novel pays tribute to libraries and librarians, and as a lifelong user of libraries, how could I not love that?</span>
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<br />Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-8503526214654248682012-06-20T19:47:00.000-04:002012-06-20T19:47:00.664-04:00Red Maple Mini Reviews - 4# No Safe Place<div id="previewbody" style="display: block;">
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by Deborah Ellis<br />
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<i>No Safe Place</i> focuses on three teenagers, all from different but troubled pasts, and their journey to England where they hope to finally be safe and free. There is a mystery surrounding the main character, Abdul, who comes from Kurdistan and has a mission, with a purpose yet undisclosed, to reach Penny Lane. The two other characters also add much to the story with their unique personalities -- Rosalia, a gypsy from Czechoslovakia who is forced to go to Germany to become a prostitute, and Cheslav, a musician who ran away from socialist Russia. <br />
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In <i>No Safe Place, </i>Deborah Ellis writes in a straightforward way that not only adds tension and suspense, but also enhances the plot and character development. I like the feeling of urgency in her writing when the tension is high. Overall, compared to her other books such as <i>Looking for X</i> and <i>The Breadwinner</i> <i>Trilogy</i>, this book is more action-packed. Ellis also brings to light social injustices in areas of the world that are not always frequently mentioned in the news, by telling us Cheslav's story. She also makes us take an inward look at possible injustices in our own countries, by telling us Rosalia's story. However, the main character's, Abdul's, story was set in the Middle East, similar to many of her other books. I hope, in future books, that Ellis might consider exploring the stories of teenagers in other parts of the world.</div>
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</div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414182419579537530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-75358132438794263502012-06-17T09:38:00.000-04:002012-06-17T09:44:06.568-04:00I Am Number Fourby Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes)<br />
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This is a review for a book I read during the 48-Hour Book Challenge.<br />
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<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0061969559.01._SX140_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0061969559.01._SX140_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" width="126" /></a><i>I Am Number Four </i>is centered around John Smith, an alien from the planet Lorien. When the Mogadorians, another alien race, came and destroyed the Lorien race, only nine Lorien children managed to survive, along with nine guardian "Cêpan" to protect them. They were sent to Earth to one day come back and revive the deserted planet of Lorien. However, the Mogadorians continue trying to eliminate the Lorien race by killing the remaining eighteen Loriens on Earth. <span style="line-height: 19px;">Luckily</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">, when the Loriens left, a charm was placed upon the nine children which made it so that they could only be killed in order of their given numbers. In </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">I Am Number Four, </i><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">One, Two, and Three have all been killed. John Smith is Number Four and is being tracked by the Mogadorians.<br />
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This book was highly entertaining and its plot was very captivating. One complaint I had was that the authors tried to squeeze too much action and description into one battle scene which ended up overwhelming and confusing me. I also thought that the characters' personalities seemed typical and unoriginal. However, this was overall a very good book and I would definitely recommend it to any young adult who likes romance, science-fiction, and action.<br />
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<i style="font-style: italic;">The second book in the series is </i>The Power of Six<i> and the third book </i>The Rise of Nine<i> will be coming out in August 2012.</i></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414182419579537530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-32677585375315586002012-06-12T21:27:00.000-04:002012-06-12T21:27:43.870-04:00The Lake Como Girls by E. Y. Chypchar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.5667396765202284" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm very excited to review this book, the first of a new young-adult mystery series, as it is written by a friend of mine. The series is about the adventures of 14-year-old Summer, her cousin Francesca, and her friend Arabella. In this story, Summer is spending July and August at Lake Como in Italy, where her mother is restoring a painting. There, the girls encounter a boy who is falsely accused of a crime, and they work together to prove his innocence. In the meantime, Summer has struggles of her own as she deals with bad news from her mother.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The series is reminiscent of the Nancy Drew series that I loved as a child. One difference is that the mystery element is only one aspect of the story. The trials of adolescence and the bonds among families and friends are also explored. The exotic setting is an additional attraction of this book, as are interesting details about scuba diving and Italian art. Another detail I particularly liked are the photographs placed at the beginning of each chapter, as they help the reader visualize each scene.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More information about the series and how to purchase the first book is available at the <a href="http://lakecomogirls.blogspot.ca/">Lake Como Girls blog</a>.</span></b>Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905260626763873903.post-9696898378351276412012-06-10T21:13:00.001-04:002012-06-10T21:13:55.418-04:0048-Hour Book Challenge -- Final Summary<br />
My update:<br />
Total hours spent on the challenge: 10<br />
Hours of reading: 7.5<br />
Hours of listening to an audiobook: 1.5<br />
Hours blogging/reviewing: 1<br />
Books finished: 4<br />
Books started: 1<br />
Pages read: 855<br />
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Kate's update:<br />
Hours of reading: 9<br />
Books finished: 2<br />
Books started: 1<br />
Pages read: 945<br />
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The challenge is over! Kate was not able to do any more reading but I did finish <i>Lake Como Girls</i>, which I will review in a separate post. Together, we participated for a total of 19 hours! As promised, I've donated $40 ($2 per hour, plus a bit to round up) to <a href="http://www.rif.org/">Reading Is Fundamental</a>.<br />
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I did not manage to participate for as many hours as I had in past years, but I was really glad that Kate was able to find so many hours to read and that my sister-in-law Jill spontaneously joined us from Singapore to do some reading of her own with my two nephews. I envy and admire those participants who can read for 20+ hours and hope to achieve that myself one year.<br />
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I wish to express my thanks to <a href="http://www.motherreader.com/">MotherReader</a> for once again organizing this fun and well-run event! I hope to spend the next couple of days catching up with other participants' blogs and reading their thoughts on the books that they had read over the weekend.<br />Paulinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005551976092069923noreply@blogger.com5