"A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe." — Madeleine L'Engle

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Book Blogger Hop (20)

Friday!!
Book Blogger Hop is a fun meme hosted by Crazy For Books. Enter your link and go hop around other blogs that are out there, ready to be discovered!

This week I have been reading and writing more reviews. I've also been going to my golf classes. It's fun except for the part where I got a blister.

The Question: My favorite new-to-me author this year is Alexandra Bracken who wrote Brightly Woven. I just loved that book!

If you're visiting from the hop make sure you leave your link and I'll make sure to visit your blog!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy

Title: Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy
Series Editor: William Irwin
Edited By: Richard Brian Davis
Published: 2010
Pages: 211
Rating: 4/5
Summary: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has fascinated children and adults alike for generations. Why does Lewis Carroll introduce us to such oddities as a blue caterpillar who smokes a hookah, a cat whose grin remains after its head has faded away, and a White Queen  who lives backward and remembers forward? Is it all just nonsense? Was Carroll under the influence? This book probes the deeper underlying meaning in the Alice books and reveals a world rich with philosophical life lessons. Tapping into some of the greatest philosophical minds that ever lived--Arstotle, Hume, Hobbes, and Nietzsche--Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy explores life's ultimate questions through the eyes of perhaps the most endearing heroine in all of literature.

Review: I hadn't read anything like this so I was excited when I got the chance to read it!

It was very interesting to see how others took the story of Alice and thought of it in so many different ways. At some times they got me thinking in ways that I hadn't before and made me realize so many things. At times I had thought of the things that they said but at others they made me think of a whole different possibility.

Throughout the book many of the writers used terms that I may not have understood but then they explained what it was and how they took that and related it to Alice. Some times they made comparisons which I found helped a lot with understanding what they were thinking and trying to write.

Overall, I think this would be a great book to read if you are trying to read something different for a change. I enjoyed some of the sections more than others simply because at times it may seem as if that's the way that I sometimes think. I think it was an interesting read that I would recommend.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

In My Mailbox (22)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. This week I got 2 books!

For Review:

Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure by Allan Richard Shickman
Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country by Allan Richard Shickman
I haven't read anything related to this so I was really excited when I got the chance to review them! I can't wait to see how these books are different to what I have read! Plus, the books were signed!
Thanks to Earthshaker Books!

So what did you get?

Friday, July 23, 2010

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? by Melissa Kantor

Title: If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince?
Author: Melissa Kantor
Published: 2005
Pages: 283
Rating: 2.5/5
Summary: When high school sophomore Lucy Norton's father remarries, Lucy's life is turned upside down. She and her father move from their West Coast home to a suburb on Long Island. With a small bedroom in the unfinished basement, unlimited chores, a blank social calender, and a huge crush on the dashing prince of the varsity basketball team, Lucy's life has has the makings of a Cinderella story--complete with two bratty stepsisters and a wicked stepmother. So isn't she supposed to get the prince? And go to the senior prom?

Review: I didn't know exactly what it was about when I picked it and when I finally read it I wasn't impressed.

The story follows the life of Lucy who lives with her stepmother and her twin stepsisters. At school she isn't well known and eats her lunch at the art classroom. Then the popular kids start noticing her and it seems like her life is getting better, but is it really?

The main character didn't please me and it was one of the reasons that I didn't give it a higher rating. I didn't like the way that she reacted to the things that happened. The way that she looked at things and the way she just took everything that they did to her really bothered. I didn't understand the choice that Lucy made because I didn't know where it came from.

Some of the characters were kind of fun to read about, like Jessica and Madison, though that was about it.They also tried to help her and be there for her. Conner at times was a good character but at other times he wasn't such a great character.

Overall, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I would have liked. The one thing that I did enjoy , or at least liked, was that Lucy talked to her dad and then understood how things were and they all tries to become the family they should have been. Because I didn't like it I wouldn't recommend it though I'm sure there are others that would enjoy it.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Book Blogger Hop (19)

Friday, Finally Friday is here!!
Book Blogger Hop is a fun meme hosted by Crazy For Books. Enter your link and go hop around other blogs that are out there to read! You never know what great blogs you can find!

This week I went to golf and I must say that I'm getting much better with each day that I go! I can finally hit the ball with the driver! And I got more reading done this week which was great!

The Questin: I'm currently reading City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare. I'm not that many pages in but if it's anything of what I've heard it will be good! I'm sure many of you have read it so I'm excited to see how things turn out!

If you're visiting from the hop make sure you leave your link and I'll make sure to visit your blog! Hope you all have a great day and Have Fun! =)

Sunday, July 18, 2010

In My Mailbox (21)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. I know I haven't done an IMM in a long time but I was a bit busy with other things. Anyway here's what I got.

Bought:

I've read the first three books in the series and I really liked them so I decided to also get this one. I'm glad I did because it was such a great book!
Dark Flame by Alyson Noel
I know that most people aren't really happy with how the story is going but I would like to see where it goes. Especially how everything plays out after what happened in the last book.

Now let's see what you got.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Book Blogger Hop (18)

Friday, It's Friday!! Aren't you happy?!
Book Blogger Hop is a fun meme hosted by Crazy For Books. Enter your link and go hop around other blogs that are out there to read! You never know what great blogs you can find!

This week I tried to adjust back to my normal days. Also, I started going my golf classes and I must say that I'm getting better! Hopefullu I can do much more so I get better each day!

The Question: The book that I'm dying to get my hands on is Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick. I'm picking that one because it comes out before Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead or else I would have chosen that one.

If you're visiting from the hop make sure you leave your link and I'll make sure to visit your blog! Hope you all have a great day and Have Fun! =)

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The Battle for Skandia by John Flangan

Title: The Battle Skandia
Author: John Flanagan
Published: 2006
Pages: 294
Rating: 5/5
Summary: Still far from home after escaping slavery in the icebound land of Skandia, young Will and Evanlyn's plans to return to Araluen are spoiled when Evanlyn is taken captive. Though still weak, Will employs his Ranger training to locate his friend but soon finds himself fatally outnumbered. Will is certain death is close at hand, until Halt and Horace make a daring last-minute rescue. But their reunion is cut short by the horrifying discovery that Skandia's borders have been breached by the Temujai army-and Araluen is next in their sights. Only an unlikely union can save the two kingdoms, but can it hold long enough to vanquish a ruthless new enemy?

Review: So far I´ve really enjoyed this series and it has made a true fan out of me.

The story picks up were the last book ended. Will is much better now but then Evelyn is taken by others and he sets out to rescue her. He finds her and wants to rescue her but then halt and Horace appear and help him. They soon find out that something big is happening and have to help because it´s not only Skandia but Araluen that is in danger.

I was glad to see that Will was weak and didn´t magically become well like so many character do. He had difficulties that he  had to overcome if he wanted to save Evanlyn. Over the time he started to be the same old self that he had been and it was the time that it took that I really liked. i greatly enjoyed the role that he took during the book and that he kept trying to be better at his job.

All the other characters were great to read about. Especially the person that helped Will and his friends so that Skandia wouldn´t be defeated. Every character had something different that made it possible for them to win what would have seemed impossible.

I enjoyed the book and everything that it had in store for the reader. It was exciting to read and it sure kept me up past midnight just because it was so good that I wanted to know what happened. It´s a book that has lots of action that many others don´t.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Once Upon a Read-a-Thon

I decided to participate in Once Upon a Read-a-Thon. This is hosted by Reading Angel, Candace's Book Blog, and Pure Imagination. Today is the start of the Read-a-Thon and the mini challenges.

The first one is hosted by The Eager Reader and you have to name your favorite fictional couple and a great crossover couple. My favorite fictional couples are:

Rose and Dimitri from the Vampire Academy series
Fire and Brigan from Fire
Nora and Patch from Hush Hush

I have many more but these are some of my favorites. And for the crossover couple it would be:

Katsa from Graceling and Jace from the Mortal Instruments series

So there you have it. What do you think?

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Book Blogger Hop (17)

It´s that fun day of the week, Friday!
Book Blogger Hop is a fun meme hosted by Crazy For Books. Enter your link and go hop around other blogs that are out there to read! You never know what great blogs you can find!

I´ve been doing so many great things this whole week which is why I haven´t been updating as much this whole week. I´ll do some post next week and explain what I´ve been up to.

Now the question: Some of my favorite authors are J.K. Rowling, Richelle Mead, and Ally Carter. J.K.Roeling because she wrote the Harry Series and because I thinkshe a great person. Richelle Mead because I just think that she´s a great author and I love how she writes her books. Ally Carter because she writes great books and they´re small.

If you're visiting from the hop make sure you leave your link and I'll make sure to visit your blog! Hope you all have a great day and Have Fun! =)

Friday, July 2, 2010

Where will I be?

I'll be in Mexico!!! I haven't been there in a long time and I'm eager to go back and see my family that lives there. I will be leaving on Friday the 2nd of July and I'll be coming back on Saturday the 10th of July. My sister is having her birthday party over there and she's really excited. There's a lot of nice places to go and even though they've taken me before I want to go again, especially the castle! I will try to use the computer and post things while I'm over there. So if you don't hear much from me then you know why! =)

Book Blogger Hop (16)

Friday!! Yes it's Friday!!
Book Blogger Hop is a fun meme hosted by Crazy For Books. Enter your link and go hop around other blogs that are out there to read! You never know what great blogs you can find!

This week I've been extremely busy. I started going to this camp of golf and for those who say it's easy, it's not. You actually have to do it a certain way so you hit the ball. Anyway, it was pretty fun even though I got a blister. Also, I was trying to get all my stuff ready for today because I'm going to Mexico! I'll do a post about it later.

Now for the question: My name is Diana and I started blogging because none of my friends are into reading as much as me. So I decided I needed a way to let all that I want to say about a book because no one really wanted to hear me talk on and on about a certain book. So there you have it!

If you're visiting from the hop make sure you leave your link and I'll make sure to visit your blog! Hope you all have a great day and Have Fun! =)