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Faery Tales And Nightmares

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Book: Faery Tales And Nightmares by Melissa Marr

Book Info: Published by HarperCollins; 418 pages; Hardcover; Source: library book

Goodreads Summary: Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments dark and light by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr. Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from beneath the seas, or manifest from seasonal storms to pursue the objects of their attention—with amorous or sinister intent—relentlessly. 

From the gentle tones of a storyteller’s cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favorite characters from Marr’s Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with…or to fear. 

Lush, seductive, and chilling, Melissa Marr’s stories revel in the unseen magic that infuses the world as we know it. 

I generally don’t read short stories, but this year, it really does feel like I’m reading more of them.

I’m not sure what to think of this collection of short stories, all written by Melissa Marr.  Overall, it was just okay.  Nothing really stood out, and the ones that are related to her Wicked Lovely series were somewhat confusing, and I felt like I was missing things.  As I haven’t read the Wicked Lovely series, it’s no wonder I was confused.  But I’m not really sure if I want to read it now, because if I’m confused reading short stories, how confused would I be if I were to read the series?

The other ones didn’t have a lot of resolution and were either boring or lame.  It was well-written, and she seems to be really good at world-building, but unfortunately, this book didn’t do anything for me.  I wanted to like it, but I couldn’t.

Rating short stories is a little hard, but overall, I would have to give it a 2 out of 5.  I think fans of her Wicked Lovely series might enjoy the book.

The Iron Daughter

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Book: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Book Info: Published by Harlequin Teen; 359 Pages; Paperback

Source: Library Book

Goodreads Summary: Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan’s own fey powers have been cut off. She’s stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can’t help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

This is the 2nd book in The Iron Fey series, which I’ve recently decided to finish.  I really liked it, and I liked it a lot more than I thought.  It seems like I have really low expectations for sequels, but I was pleasantly surprised with it.

I really liked Meghan in this book, but Ash and Puck were annoying.  I could understand Ash being a jerk, and while I felt *a little* bad for Puck…I don’t know.  I just couldn’t like him.  Iron Horse, though, was awesome!  And I’m glad Grimalkin made random appearances throughout the book.

I loved seeing the Winter Court in more detail, and the Briars was equally cool. And the mansion of the Queen of Exiles was cool too, especially since Meghan comes across her mom’s 1st husband.  The Between was certainly interesting, and I hope we get to see more of it.

This is such a creative series, and I can’t wait to read the next one.  Especially with the way the book ended- it wasn’t what I was expecting, and I’m curious as to how the rest of the series will play out.

I give it a 4 out of 5.  I love the idea of the Iron Fay, and that notable fairies are fairly integral to the story.

Good Fairies, Bad Fairies

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Book: Good Fairies, Bad Fairies by Brian Froud

Book Info: Published by Simon & Schuster; 192 pages; hardcover; Source: From the library

Goodreads Summary: Returning the to magical realm of his beloved bestseller “Faeries”, illustrator extraordinaire Brian Froud introduces readers to all manner of fairies–those vibrant creatures who guide, enchant, and disrupt our lives while putting us in touch with out inner natures. 215 illustrations, 200 in color.

I wasn’t sure if I would like this book, but I really liked it!  In fact, I liked it a lot more than Fairies, also by the same author.

I loved the artwork, and it’s absolutely beautiful!  Froud has a talent for drawing fairies, and I’m so glad he’s sharing it with the world.  I loved seeing so many different fairies and Froud’s vision of what they looked like.  As for the text, it wasn’t overwhelming, and it complemented the art rather nicely.  I was expecting huge blocks of text, but much to my delight, there were small paragraphs to go with a lot of the pictures.

I liked that he divided the fairies into good fairies and bad fairies.  A lot of them weren’t familiar to me, so it was cool to see a lot of different fairies.  And for the ones I have heard of…I liked seeing his version of them, and his thoughts on those fairies.

Overall, it gets a 4 out of 5.  Beautiful artwork, and interesting information about fairies.  But I didn’t completely love it.

The Hunger Games: The Movie

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I saw The Hunger Games Monday night, so I thought I’d share my thoughts about the movie.  I wasn’t sure how tired I’d be Monday night after seeing it, so I decided it would be best to wait a day to gather my thoughts.  And as it turned out, I was utterly exhausted by the time I got home.  There’s no way I could have written anything resembling coherence.

There will be spoilers, so if you haven’t seen it, and don’t want to have the spoiled, you have been warned.  

I really liked it!  I thought it was a good adaptation, and was pleasantly surprised to see that it followed the book pretty well.

I loved seeing the scenes where they show the commentators for the Hunger Games as well as the scenes between Seneca Crane and President Snow.  And the scenes in the Game Room were a nice addition too.  And the districts watching the games!  Seeing a different side of things was a good idea, because you never really thought about the other side in the book.  At least, I didn’t.

It really made it feel like I was watching reality t.v., and when you think about it, the Hunger Games is the ultimate reality t.v. show.  For me, it really showed how ridiculuous reality t.v. can be.

Rue!  I cried, and I really wish I had some Kleenex with me.  Overall, a lot of the deaths were harder to take than I thought.  Rue’s especially, but also Cato’s.  And the initial bloodbath at the Cornucopia…reading it, I was all “whatever.”  But there’s a difference between reading and seeing.  Rue’s death was the saddest, and her death really brought to life the horror and the unfairness of the Games.  It’s really too bad they didn’t show the parachute from District 11.  I would have liked that.

Here’s what surprised me: the romance wasn’t as played up as much as I thought.  Which is good, because the books were never about the romance for me.  But there was a point where they didn’t play it up as much as it should have.  The point did get across though, so all in all, I think it worked out.

Other thoughts: Effie was unexpectedly hilarious.  The Capitol was cool, and reminded me of Star Wars.  The people who live in the Capitol looked ridiculous but not as ridiculous as I thought.  What was with Prim freaking out?  It’s like she doesn’t know what’s going on, but standing on the sidelines and actually having to participate are 2 very different things.  Still, she has to have some idea what’s going on.  Their mom was more irritating than I expected.  Haymitch was less of an ass than I expected…and also less drunk than I expected.

Is it just me or did the berry scene at the end of the film seem a lot longer in the book?  I thought the scene with Snow when he’s standing in the gameroom and then leaves was really creepy.  Lenny Kravitz as Cinna: loved it!  And why isn’t there a version of Rue’s Lullaby on the soundtrack?  Speaking of the soundtrack: after seeing the movie, I love the song selection even more.

All in all, I was pretty happy with it, and I really want to see it again!

The Coming Of The Third Reich

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Book: The Coming Of The Third Reich by Richard J. Evans

Book Info: Published by Penguin Books; 656 pages; hardcover; Source: the library

Goodreads Summary: From one of the world’s most distinguished historians, a magisterial new reckoning with Hitler’s rise to power and the collapse of civilization in Nazi Germany. 

In 1900 Germany was the most progressive and dynamic nation in Europe, the only country whose rapid technological and social growth and change challenged that of the United States. Its political culture was less authoritarian than Russia’s and less anti-Semitic than France’s; representative institutions were thriving, and competing political parties and elections were a central part of life. How then can we explain the fact that in little more than a generation this stable modern country would be in the hands of a violent, racist, extremist political movement that would lead it and all of Europe into utter moral, physical, and cultural ruin? There is no story in twentieth-century history more important to understand, and Richard Evans has written the definitive account for our time. A masterful synthesis of a vast body of scholarly work integrated with important new research and interpretations, Evans’s history restores drama and contingency to the rise to power of Hitler and the Nazis, even as he shows how ready Germany was by the early 1930s for such a takeover to occur. With many people angry and embittered by military defeat and economic ruin; a state undermined by a civil service, an army, and a law enforcement system deeply alienated from the democratic order introduced in 1918; beset by the growing extremism of voters prey to panic about the increasing popularity of communism; home to a tiny but quite successful Jewish community subject to widespread suspicion and resentment, Germany proved to be fertile ground in which Nazism’s ideology of hatred could take root. 

The first book of what will ultimately be a complete three-volume history of Nazi Germany, The Coming of the Third Reich is a masterwork of the historian’s art and the book by which all others on this subject will be judged.

I’m glad I finished this book.  It took a while, but I finally managed it!

We all know about the Nazi’s- it’s hard not to know about them.  What I didn’t know was the specifics about how they came to power.  It certainly didn’t happen overnight, and it was nice to see the author go back several decades and talk about the events that led to the rise of the Nazi Party.

One thing I thought was interesting was that Evans didn’t focus solely on Hitler.  Evans was very impartial, and I couldn’t really detect any sort of bias.  It was also very detailed.  And considering the amount of detail and research, it was a fairly easy read.  It was dry, and dense, but all things considered, it wasn’t terribly hard to get through.

I liked how it was organized into 6 different sections; and each section was divided into even more sections.  He did jump around a little, mostly at the beginning, but for the most part, it was a pretty linear book.  It was nice to learn about all of the different factors that played a role in the Nazi’s rise to power.

As for a rating, I would give it a 3 out of 5.  It was a little overwhelming at times, but overall, I liked it.

The Hunger Games Soundtrack

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The Hunger Games soundtrack came out last week, so I thought I’d review it.  I’ll talking about each song on the soundtrack, so let’s get started!

  1. Abraham’s Daughter by Arcade Fire: This goes so well with the movie, and I think it’s a good choice for the soundtrack.  Not only that, but it’s a great song to start off the soundtrack.
  2. Tomorrow Will Be Kinder by The Secret Sisters: This is a pretty good song, and it’s very folksy.  I have an inkling that “this is a good fit for The Hunger Games” will become overused in this post.
  3. Nothing To Remember by Neko Case: I like it.  That is all.
  4. Safe And Sound by Taylor Swift (and featuring The Civil Wars): This is the 1st Taylor Swift song on the soundtrack, and it fits The Hunger Games so well.  The video is also very haunting.
  5. The Ruler And The Killer by Kid Cudi: This is an interesting choice for the soundtrack, but at the same time…I think it’s another good choice.
  6. Dark Days by Punch Brothers: I love this song, and I think it’s one of my new favorites!
  7. One Engine by The Decemberists: This is another song that fits the soundtrack very well.  It’s a great song, and it makes me think of Katniss heading off to the Games.
  8. Daughter’s Lament by The Carolina Chocolate Drops: Can I just say that I love the name of the band?  Because I do.  As for the song, it’s another good choice.  It makes me think of Katniss hunting in the woods.
  9. Kingdom Come by The Civil Wars: I am not surprised to see the Civil Wars on The Hunger Games soundtrack.  They are such a good fit, and it’s surprising they only get one song…2 if you count the one with Taylor Swift.
  10. Take The Heartland by Glen Hansard: This is yet another good choice.  I really like that there’s a good mix of songs, and this one is no exception to that.
  11. Come Away To The Water (featuring Rozzi Crane) by Maroon 5: I think I was most suprised by the inclusion of Maroon 5.  If there’s anyone who doesn’t fit (at first glance), it’s them.  But I was pleasantly surprised, and it was a pretty good choice.
  12. Run Daddy Run (featuring the Pistol Annies) by Miranda Lambert: I love that Miranda Lambert is on the soundtrack!  And I love that she’s singing this song.
  13. Rules by Jaymee Dee: I like it.  And it is a very good fit for The Hunger Games.  I like that it’s on the soundtrack, because it makes me think of Katniss hunting…again.  But I think it also says a lot about Katniss and Peeta rebelling against the Capitol.
  14. Eyes Open by Taylor Swift: The second of 2 Taylor Swift songs, and it’s another good choice.  It’s a wonderful song, and I think it sums up the entire series perfectly.
  15. Lover Is Childlike by The Low Anthem: This is another interesting choice for the soundtrack.  I think it might be my least favorite song, but it is a good song for the soundtrack.  It makes me think of the end of the book.
  16. Just A Game by Birdy: And the last song on the soundtrack!  It’s a great choice for the soundtrack, and especially as the last song.  The music was a little overpowering, but overall, I like this song!

I was surprised by some of the huge names on the soundtrack.  I figured most, if not all, of the songs would be done by artists no one has heard of.

Overall, it’s really good.  I feel like all of the songs (and artists) were carefully selected for the soundtrack.  On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 5!

The Forest Of Hands And Teeth

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Book: The Forest Of Hands And Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Book Info: Published by Delacorte Books For Young Readers; 310 pages; Hardcover; checked out from the library

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

One of the things I kept thinking was that this book is zombie apocalypse meets M. Night Shyamalan.  It was an interesting book, and I liked that there’s this secluded village that the world has forgotten about.

I liked the world Ryan built- there’s a clear hierarchy.  While she doesn’t completely explain everything that’s happened, it is pretty easy to figure out.

The characters, though, fell flat.  They were all really annoying, and it seems like this book is much more plot-driven than character-driven.  And as much as I liked the plot, there were too many things going on.  Keeping zombies at bay, romance, staying safe…her obsession with the ocean.  She finally gets to the ocean, but it felt really lame and forced.

I give it a 2 out of 5.  It reminded me too much of The Village by M. Night Shyamalan for me to really get into it.

Oodles of Books!

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It’s no secret that I read a lot.  With 115 books last year, and 50 for this year, it shouldn’t be a surprise.

So today, I thought I would talk about why I choose the books I do.

Mostly, I go off of my 599-books-long to-read list on goodreads.  More than a few are series, and sometimes I decide to continue with the series.  Sometimes I don’t.  Or sometimes, I decide to finish it, but not right away.

It’s hard to not add books, but I add some to the list every once in a while.  Thankfully, I’ve added most everything to shelves as best I can, so at least I can go to specific shelves if I’m in the mood for American history, or Tudor England or a biography.  But sometimes, I just go straight down the list.

I usually check out the “popular” shelf at the library.  Basically, it has quite a few books that are super-popular, and once in a while, I manage to find something I want to read on it.  I also like to see what books they have on display throughout the library.

But one of my favorite things to do is to pick backs based on the title and/or cover.  It’s fun to do every once in a while, especially when I want to read something that’s not on my TBR pile.  Sometimes I manage to pick up something that is on my TBR list, but mostly, it’s cool to see what catches my eye.

My general thought on reading is that it’s important to read different genres.  There are so many books out there, and I don’t want to limit myself by reading a handful of things.  I do prefer young adult and anything Tudor England, but at the same time, expanding my horizons a little is also really important.  Reading is not only an escape (which is only sometimes) but a way for me to learn something new.  At some point, I’d like to read more classics, more non-fiction and to re-read some of the books on my shelves.

I’m currently reading 4 books, plus a stack of books that I checked out from the library.  And more on the way!  Not many- currently 4, with a bunch that I’m on the waiting list for.

That wraps up the rambling for today, but I’ll be back tomorrow with something random…or not.

Candor

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Book: Candor by Pam Bachorz

Book Info: Published by EgmontUSA; 249 pages; Hardcover; checked out from library

Goodreads Summary: In the model community of Candor, Florida, every teen wants to be like Oscar Banks. The son of the town’s founder, Oscar earns straight As, is student-body president, and is in demand for every club and cause.  But Oscar has a secret. He knows that parents bring their teens to Candor to make them respectful, compliant–perfect–through subliminal Messages that carefully correct and control their behavior. And Oscar’ s built a business sabotaging his father’s scheme with Messages of his own, getting his clients out before they’re turned. After all, who would ever suspect the perfect Oscar Banks? Then he meets Nia, the girl he can’t stand to see changed. Saving Nia means losing her forever. Keeping her in Candor, Oscar risks exposure . . . and more.

This was interesting.  It’s another book where I liked the premise, but didn’t really care for the book.

None of the characters were particularly interesting, except for Nia, but even she got to be boring at the end.  The idea of brainwashing troubled kids is interesting, and Bachorz could have done so much with it.

I didn’t like the ending, and thought it didn’t fit too well with the rest of the book.  It was almost like she was going for shock value with it.  I was surprised that there aren’t any sequels, because it kind of seemed like she was setting it up to be the first of a series.  It was pretty repetitive, with some points coming up in every single chapter.  And overall, it was pretty basic.

I would give it a 2 out of 5.  It was just okay for me, but the premise of it was really interesting.