Little Thoughts About Books and Stuff

Tea and a Book: Palisades Park by Alan Brennert My rating: 5 of 5 stars Tea and a Book didn't meet, because no one showed up. I loved the book and was so happy I picked it as our June book.  I became invested in the characters and would get angry when my lunch breaks would end or it got so late I couldn't keep my eyes open to read even one more page. Mercer County Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot My rating: 4 of 5 stars We had a great discussion with this book, a lot of talk about ethical and moral standings with regard to science.  We also talked about how much has and hasn't changed since Henrietta's life in regards to medical coverage. We can't wait to see the movie (whenever it gets made). Forever YA: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater My rating: 1 of 5 stars DNF I just couldn't get into this story. It felt like I was dropped into the middle of the story and I just couldn't get ...

Black City by Elizabeth  Richards My rating: 4 of 5 stars wow...that was some end to the book! That was my review when I read this book back in December of 2012. I read the book in two days and just loved how it ended. I recommended this book but sadly was not able to make the book club meeting. I was really looking forward to discussing the book but was hosting the Mercer County Girls Book Club that night. Description: A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war. In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-old Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other,...

I just haven't been motivated to write reviews. I wrote a really brief one for CNJ JASNA and feel kinda bad about it. Here's what I read and a brief review of the books. First up Forever YA: The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C. Carleson My rating: 5 of 5 stars I wasn't 100% sure about this book since I wasn't there when they picked the book. I have to say it was a great book, one that has the reader asking a lot of questions.  I liked that we got to see her life, it's a life that most of us question a person living. We ask "How does (the person) not know what's going on around them?". This book shows us that even though Laila's father was a tyrant, she was brought up with lies and to her they were the truth.  Until she comes to the U.S. she lives in a carefully constructed world. While Laila is trying to fit in with a life that is so very foreign to her, her mother is trying desperately to find a way to fix their lives. For her, that's ...

Since I fell behind in my posts for March I missed posts for my various book clubs. Here's what I read and a brief review of the books. First up here are February and March's books for Forever YA: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell My rating: 5 of 5 stars I really loved this book. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of Rainbow Rowell's work. The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson My rating: 4 of 5 stars I enjoy Laurie Halse Anderson's books, I think she writes some of the best YA fiction.  I enjoyed this book, but struggled a bit some of the plot. For our last Winter Book Club* meeting in March we read: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern My rating: 2 of 5 stars I could not get into this book.  I thought the plot was a great idea, but I just felt like everything dragged. For Tea & A Book** we read: Suite Francaise by Irène Némirovsky My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book is in two parts with the author originally pl...

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green My rating: 5 of 5 stars I loved this book.  We had a great discussion (is it a discussion when it's only 2.5 people?). I say 2.5 because one woman had only read part of the book and was only there for part of the meeting. I have the Exclusive Collector's Edition from B&N that features a Q&A with John Green.  This really added to our discussion to have his answer to some of our discussion topics. We also used the questions to facilitate our discussion. For example in discussing the way Augustus misuses big words and how Hazel is wrong about infinite sets. I'm really excited for the movie too! View all my reviews