Entwined

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Book: Entwined by Heather Dixon

Pages: 480, Hardcover

Entwined is about Azalea and her 11 sisters.  Everynight, they go through a magical portal and dance the night away.  They come across the Keeper, and Azalea, the oldest sister, becomes entangled in the Keeper’s web, realizing too late what she has gotten herself into.

I liked it, and it was an interesting take on the 12 Dancing Princesses.  But while it was a very enjoyable read, there was something missing.  There was mention of magic, but not a lot of magic, and it pretty much focused on Azalea.  I know all 12 sisters couldn’t be focused on, and it would be focused on Azalea, as the oldest princess.  I honestly couldn’t keep up with all 12 princesses.  Both the beginning and the ending were pretty interesting, but the middle was boring, and it was the same thing every chapter.  The princesses hate their father, they don’t want to be in mourning and so they go through the portal to dance every night, and very little happens.  They did whine (a lot) about how they couldn’t dance, and they all seemed to be rather self-absorbed.

Most of the sisters seemed to blend together, but I found the Keeper to be interesting for most of the book.  Until he got all cartoon-ish.  Come to think of it, I’m not quite sure why I like the book, but the whole idea of the Entwine dance was interesting.  There wasn’t a lot of description about the palace or what the girls wore, which was somewhat nice.  But I think it would have added something to the book as well, just to have an idea of what the author thought the palace looked like.  It wasn’t a particularly interesting re-telling of the 12 Dancing Princesses.  There were a couple romances thrown in, and it felt like they were there…just to be there.

Overall, it gets a 3 out of 5.  It was enjoyable, and I did like it, but there was just something missing.  It’s apparently supposed to be a fantasy, but the whole fantasy element didn’t seem to be there.  It was a good effort, and I did like the idea, plus the cover is really pretty.  But not something I’d read again anytime soon.

The Night Circus

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Book: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Pages: 387, Hardcover

The Night Circus is a very magical book.  It’s a fun book.  There is something very enchanting about The Night Circus.

When I had requested it from the library, I was on a very long waiting list.  200 out of just over 200 people.  But imagine my surprise and delight when happened to see a copy of it at the library.  I totally decided that a week was more than enough time to read it, and that was certainly preferable to waiting for a while to get it.

It’s definitely a slow-paced novel, but I got sucked in.  With a magic competition, romance waiting to happen, and being able to visit the circus, I often felt like I was at the circus and I didn’t want to leave.  I didn’t want anything to happen to the circus and was so relieved that everything worked out okay.

There is something very special about this book, and I definitely think it needs at least another reading to really get everything that’s going on.  There are time jumps and different perspectives, and it’s hard to connect the dots.  By the time you figure everything out, the book is over and you’re left wondering what just happened!

There is something very beautiful about The Night Circus, and all the hype surrounding it is very much deserved.  After finishing it, I am completely in awe, and was speechless afterwards.  I want to read it again so much that I’m seriously considering requesting it.  I’ll wait it out, it’s that good!  It’s so imaginative, and so hard to believe that it originally started out as a NaNo novel!

There is something very dream-like about it, and I want it to be real.

It gets a 4 out of 5.  There really isn’t a whole lot of plot going on, but there’s something so special about it.

Mockingjay

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Book: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Pages: 390 (Hardcover)

Mockingjay is the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, since a few reviews I saw for The Hunger Games and Catching Fire said that Mockingjay was a big letdown.

I didn’t find that at all.  It is a lot different than the other 2 books, especially since Katniss and several other characters from the 1st two books are now living in District 13.  Katniss is very different than she was in the first 2 books.  She definitely seemed to be more reflective, and things seemed to weigh more heavily on her, at least a little, and mostly towards the end.  It’s much more emotional, because we see the things that have been set in motion come to fruition.

I knew there wasn’t going to be a traditional happy ending.  How could there be, when the trilogy has been about the government knowing how fragile they really are, and sending kids to fight each other to the death to keep the entire country in line?  There is definitely a lot to think about, not just with this book, but with the entire series.  I think Mockingjay, more than either of the previous books, has a lot of questions to be answered.  Where do you draw the line in war?  It’s can be an awfully thin line between justice and vengeance.  Do you give back what you received?  Do you show mercy to people who you know wouldn’t return the favor?  Do you kill innocent people on the other side because those leaders killed innocent people on your side?

It is a heavy book, but I thought it was a fitting end to the trilogy.  The death of certain characters, like Prim and Finnick, were sad.  Katniss didn’t dwell on those 2 particular deaths, but maybe she shouldn’t at the time.  Death is hard, especially when you feel like it was your fault that they died.  There was a little happiness at the very end, but then again, this series isn’t meant to be a happy one.

In the end, I’m glad Peeta and Katniss ended up together.  I’m certainly glad there were only hints of romance in the series, and in the end, I think it was always supposed to be Katniss and Peeta.  Who else could understand what the other went through since the start of The Hunger Games?

All in all, it gets a 5 out of 5.  The Hunger Games is a great trilogy, and Mockingjay was a great ending to a great series.

Christmas Music!

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I’ve been putting off a post about Christmas music.  I figured I had more than enough time, but with Christmas being in less than a week, this is my last chance to talk about it.  Oh, sure, I could do it on a day that is not Monday.  I could even do it the Monday after Christmas.  But: I don’t have any other music-related things to talk about.  And talking about Christmas music after Christmas is over?  That’s a little weird. 

There’s something fun about Christmas.  You have the traditional favorites, like Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Winter Wonderland, White Christmas and Jingle Bells.  You have everyone and their mother coming out with Christmas albums (cough*justinbieber*cough).  And you have the novelty songs.  The 12 Days Of Redneck Christmas, anyone? 

That’s right, dear readers, I actually felt the need to buy The 12 Days Of Redneck Christmas.  I don’t have much Christmas music.  Because who doesn’t have All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey? 

I am willing to bet that not a lot of people have Wrock Christmas Songs though.  But really, how could you not like the 12 Days Of Wizard Christmas, Christmastime At Hogwarts, and Have Yourself A Harry Little Christmas?  I definitely like the 12 Wizard Days of Christmas, and I’ve listened to it so many times that I’ve prettty much forgotten the lyrics to the original song.  Honestly, though, what better way to confuse people than to go around singing the lyrics to a song they’ve never heard of because they’re not crazy, obsessed Harry Potter fans? 

There’s something fun about Christmas music, and I think it’s the overall novelty of it.  Music that you pretty much listen to once a year?  I’m in!  Granted, you could listen to it anytime of the year, but there’s just something about listening to Christmas music for one month out of the year.

There’s this whole image in my head of listening to christmas music while drinking some cider and decorating the tree.  Christmas music is magic!

Apparently, The T.V. Is Not Gone

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Remember last week, when I was talking about how t.v. was going to be gone for a few weeks because of the holidays?

I was wrong.  A few shows went on their break last week, but there were a few that fooled me!  Apparently, they were talking a week off so they could air an episode before signing off for the year.  So I will now be trying to catch up on Revenge and Person Of Interest, and try to find something to watch.

I’ve decided to not do Writing Wednesday.  You know, the day I was supposed to talk about writing?  Well, I’m not writing, and rather than talk about how I’m not working on any of my novels once a week, I’ve decided to temporarily drop it.  If/when I start that up again, it’ll make an appearance, but until then, I’ll be talking about other stuff.  I currently have an astounding 8 books that are either being read, will be read, or are finished, so expect quite a few book reviews.  That’s partly why I’m not talking about writing, because I have too many books to get through!  Although once things settle down, I may have to start doing writing prompts or something.  I’ll definitely have to recap my book reading at some point.

I’m done baking my mom’s cookies and now I just need to finish my grandma’s scarf.  Plus, I need to bake some brownies, more cookies, and some gingerbread men for Christmas.  My multi-tasking will definitely be put to the test!

Shantaram

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Book: Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

Pages: 936, Paperback

Shantaram is one of my favorite books of all time.  It’s been a long time since I’ve read it, so I decided to give it another read.

I found that I didn’t like it as much as I had the first few times I read it.  Don’t get me wrong, I still like the book (a lot) and it’s still one of my favorite books of all time.

But this time, it seemed to go on forever.  Granted, the book is over 900 pages long but at times, the narrator, Lin, rambled on for a little too long.  Here’s a quick summary of the book: Lin escapes from a prison in Australia, escapes to India, and starts a new life there, working as a member of the mafia in Bombay and establishing a medical clinic for the people in one of the slums.

The book was (very loosely) inspired by real life events- Roberts escaped from a prison in Australia and escaped to Bombay, where…he was a street soldier for the Bombay mafia.  It’s a super-fictionalized version of his own life and while certain events have ended up in the novel (and quite possibly some of the people he met), it is by no means a memoir or an autobiography.

I did love the characters, especially Prabaker.  I think Prabaker is my favorite character in the whole book; however, I think Lin is my least favorite character.  He offers more than his fair share of wisdom, and it got very tiresome after a while.

It’s obvious Roberts loves India, and I felt like I knew what it was really like to live in the slums and villages after finishing the book.  There is a lot of detail, but I could have done without most of the descriptions of Karla and how beautiful she is.  And it would have been nice if it were a tad bit shorter: while I appreciate the fact that he loves India and his time there, it would have been nice if he had left out a few details and some of the descriptions.

While it is a good book, I think it would be better suited as a movie.  As for a rating, I would have to give it a 3 out of 5.  I liked it, and there was a good balance between interesting characters, adventure and romance.  But condensing it would have been nice.

Fast Food Nation

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Book: Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

Pages: 399 (Paperback)

Fast Food Nation is an interesting book.  I first read it for a sociology class years ago, and I decided to read it again. 

It’s about the fast food industry, and how it’s changed over since World War 2.  He also talk about marketing to kids and what it’s like working in the slaughterhouses. 

The part about the meat-packing industry was interesting and yet disturbing.  He describes what it’s like working there and what happens to the animals.  The workers work in terrible conditions, with injuries not being reported.  If they are, then a lot of them are falsified so the slaughterhouses don’t get into trouble.  And the workers that keep working no matter how sick they felt and no matter how bad any injuries were sustained.

I’ve had my copy for several years now, so I’m sure some of the statistics are out-dated.  And while I loved the book the first time I read it, this time, it was just okay.  We all know fast food is bad for us, but the book felt like a one-sided argument on why fast food is evil.  It’s definitely implied that fast food is the reason for all of society’s problems.   

It is fairly well-researched, though, and it did make me think about where my food comes from and how it’s processed.

I would give it a 2 out of 5.  It felt one-sided, and not terribly focused, but it does get points for making you think.

Killer

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Book: Killer by Sara Shepard

Pages: 343 in hardcover

The tales of the Pretty Little Liars continue in book #6 of the series.  The girls learn that Ian, the man they thought was responsible for killing their childhood best friend Ali, was framed.  Emily has sex with her boyfriend Isaac, and it leads to their break-up because his mom finds out and tells Emily that she can no longer visit.  Aria falls in love with Ali’s brother Jason but he becomes cold and distant.  Spencer meets Olivia Caldwell, who she thinks is her biological mom.  Spencer attempts to move to New York, but finds out it was a scam and loses all of her college money.

There is an opening party at the Radley hotel, which was a former haven for “troubled youth” and Emily finds out that Jason used to be a patient there.  All of the girls come to believe that Jason had something to do with Ali’s death, and Ian confirmed their suspicions that Jason and Officer Wilden had something to do with Ali’s murder.  Someone sets the woods behind Spencer’s house on fire and the girls see someone they believe to be Ali running away.

For a book that’s only a few hundred pages long, a lot happens in this book!  I liked it a lot better than the previous book, and I should have known it really wasn’t Ian.  Who is A and why are they only sending texts to Emily?  What is Wilden up to?  And most importantly, if Ian didn’t kill Alison, who did?  And Ali died, so how on earth did they manage to see her?

The mystery definitely continues, and I honestly don’t see any of the revelations coming.  Just when you think you know who the killer is, or what’s going on, it turns out that you’re wrong.  It’s been a fun read, though, and I want to know what happens!  Is Ian really alive and hiding or is it all a ruse by the police because they screwed up and don’t want anyone to know?  I have the feeling that Officer Wilden may not have been involved, but then again, he could be.

It gets a 4 out of 5.  It’s fun and Shepard is pretty good at keeping the mystery alive!

Ella Fitzgerald

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After listening to the most recent episode of The History Chicks, I decided I needed to listen to Ella Fitzgerald.  I’ve heard of her before this, but had only heard A-Tisket, A-Tasket.  Which I have.

So on Friday, I went to the library to see if they had anything.  I was in luck, since they had 1 CD, called Pure Ella.  A quick search of the library catalog proved somewhat useful, in that they have quite a few of her cd’s.

Her life story is pretty interesting, but not only that, I found I love her music.  I instantly felt calm and relaxed when I was listening to Pure Ella, and I’m impressed with how amazing she sounds!  I really can’t wait until those cd’s I requested are ready for pick-up because I can’t wait to hear some of her music.

I don’t know if I can pick a favorite out of the songs I’ve listened to but I really like They Can’t Take That Away From Me,  Love Is Here To Stay, Night and Day, and Misty.  Oh, and My Funny Valentine is a really good song too!  So far, I like her slower stuff as opposed to some of her more upbeat/faster songs, but I still like her all the same.

I can honestly say that I am now an Ella Fitzgerald fan, and I can’t believe I didn’t start listening to some of her other stuff until now!  She has a lot more music than I ever imagined, so it’ll be a while before I can listen to everything she has out there!  I definitely am glad I gave her the chance.

The Luxe

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Book: The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Pages: 433 (Hardcover)

The Luxe is about the Holland family in Manhattan during 1899.  The Holland sisters, Elizabeth and Diana, discover that their family is poor after the death of their father.  Elizabeth has to choose between true love and an obligation to help her family by marrying Henry Schoonmaker.  However, Elizabeth is believed to be dead after her carriage overturns near the East River and her younger sister Diana is left to pick up where her sister left off.

It was okay, and it only got interesting the last 3 or 4 chapters.  I loved the idea of a novel set during the Gilded Age, on a time when appearances and the social structure and code rule all.  But good lord, this book was boring!  It really didn’t feel like it was set in 1899- like the characters were pretending that they had gone back in time, instead of actually living during the Gilded Age.  It felt fairly shallow, and the characters had no depth- Diana does get some points for having a little more depth than everyone else, but the characters overall didn’t feel too developed.  Godbersen seemed to rely on stereotypes and cliches- it was pretty predictable, and Elizabeth certainly didn’t turn out to be the nice girl that was portrayed in the prologue.

I love the idea of the novel, and the cover was absolutely beautiful, but it didn’t grab my attention at all.  The only reason why it’s getting a 2 out of 5 is because I liked the cover and the fact that each chapter was preceeded by a short blurb of how people were supposed to act or a piece from the local (and fictional) newspapers.