The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Review

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

Written by: C.S Lewis
# of pages: 206

Average Rating: 4.14/5
My Rating: 2/5

Read in September 2013

Summary according to goodreads

When Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy took their first steps into the world behind the magic wardrobe, little do they realize what adventures are about to unfold. And as the story of Narnia begins to unfold, so does a classic tale that has enchanted readers of all ages for over half a century.

My Thoughts

I listened to this as an audiobook because I was bored trying to read it. Sadly, the audiobook was even harder to get through, and it felt like a very long four hours. I didn't find this plot to be interesting, at all, and many times I thought I was going to fall asleep while listening to it.

I had seen the movie adaptation many years ago, and I enjoyed it so I am not sure why it is so hard for me to get through the books. The main reasons that I am pushing myself to finish this bindup is because I have owned it for a long time, and I want to read all of the books I own. I will more than likely continue getting these stories as audiobooks, because the only positive thing is that I can multitask while listening.

I am fairly sure that this was a middle-grade series, but there seemed to be a lot of violence in this story. Hopefully the next books are interested!

The Silver Linings Playbook Review

The Silver Linings Playbook

Written by Matthew Quick
# of pages: 289

Average Rating: 4.02/5
My Rating: 4/5

Read in September 2013

Summary according to Goodreads

Meet Pat. Pat has a theory: his life is a movie produced by God. And his God-given mission is to become physically fit and emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure a happy ending for him - the return of his estranged wife Nikki. (It might not come as a surprise to learn that Pat has spent time in a mental health facility.) The problem is, Pat's now home, and everything feels off. No one will talk to him about Nikki; his beloved Philadelphia Eagles keep losing; he's being pursured by the deeply odd Tiffany; his new therapist seems to recommend adultery as a form of therapy. Plus, he's being hunted by Kenny G!

My Thoughts

Since this book is about different mental illnesses that I have experienced personally, I was able to relate to the characters. Being able to relate to what was going on, and how the characters reacted made the story better in my eyes, and seemed more realistic. There were times when I felt bad for Pat and his mother, times when I was frustrated with Pat's father,  and other times when I thought Tiffany needed to calm down - but they're personality traits are what made the book special.

When I first started reading this book, I had made assumptions about Nikki and what had happened. I was wrong about what I predicted, but I was happy about what had actually happened - within reason. Both outcomes were not "silver linings", but I am happy with what played out with Pat.

This is a book that I have been wanting to read for a long time, and finally got my hands on it from the library. Sadly, I thought that I would like this book a lot more than I actually did. 

Casting Call Saturday - To Be Perfectly Honest by Sonya Sones

So this is the most amazing idea that I have ever heard. My friend Alyssa (all of her links will be below) came up with the idea of doing a "casting call" for some of our favourite books! I loved this so much that I knew I had to join in.

For this weeks Casting Call Saturday, I decided to choose a book I recently read and enjoyed. I chose to pick my dream cast for To Be Perfectly Honest by Sonya Sones.

Summary according to goodreads

Her friends 
have a joke about her:
How can you tell if Colette is lying?
Her mouth is open.

Fifteen-year-old Colette is addicted to lying. Her shrink says this is because she’s got a very bad case of Daughter-of-a-famous-movie-star Disorder—so she lies to escape out from under her mother’s massive shadow. But Colette doesn’t see it that way. She says she lies because it’s the most fun she can have with her clothes on. Not that she’s had that much fun with her clothes off. At least not yet, anyway. When her mother drags her away from Hollywood to spend the entire summer on location in a boring little town in the middle of nowhere, Colette is less than thrilled. But then she meets a sexy biker named Connor. He’s older, gorgeous, funny, and totally into her. So what if she lies to him about her age, and about who her mother is? I mean, she has to keep her mother’s identity a secret from him. If he finds out who she really is, he’ll forget all about Colette, and start panting and drooling and asking her for her mother’s autograph. Just like everyone always does. But what Colette doesn’t know is that Connor is keeping a secret of his own…


Colette (main character) - Andrea Russett

What a shocker, I chose another YouTuber. Andrea Russet is a popular teenager on YouTube, who vlogs and talks about funny topics. Andrea is so funny, pretty, and witty that I think she would be perfect for playing Colette. Colette's character can lie her butt off and get away with it, she's fun, but can also be an emotional and sensitive teenager. Just from watching Andrea's videos and reading her tweets, I could envision her being in the story.

Connor (love interest) - Mark Salling

Lately, I have been watching a lot of Glee, and I have become a fan of Mark, who plays Noah "Puck" Puckerman. There is an age difference between these two characters, but Mark can play a younger man convincingly. Mark gives off a vibe of mystery, as well as being playful and sexy, which is how connor acts in the story. 

Will (Colette's younger brother) - Max Charles

I am not extremely familiar with Max, but I did see him in The Amazing Spider-Man. I picked Max because he's within the same age, is adorable, and I see Will when I look at him. 

Marissa Shawn (Colette's mother) - Dolly Parton

Marissa Shawn is a blonde, perky celebrity who can charm anyone. Who does that remind you of? Dolly Parton. Based on the acting that I have seen done by Dolly, she and Marissa would handle situations in the same way - dealing with her kids, fans swarming, trying to be postitive, etc.





Alyssa
http://acreads.blogspot.ca
http://www.youtube.com/user/acreadsblog
https://twitter.com/AlyssaLunz

Recently Read: Graphic Novels #2

So I have been reading a lot of graphic novels lately, but I feel like they aren't long enough to write a full review on. My plan was to start pairing them, so you guys can still know my thoughts on these books!

Paying For It by Chester Brown
# of pages: 292
Average Rating: 3.6/5 vs My Rating: 1/5

Summary
Chester Brown has never shied away from tackling controversial subjects in his work. In his 1992 book, The Playboy, he explored his personal history with pornography. His bestselling 2003 graphic novel, Louis Riel, was a biographical examination of an extreme political figure. The book won wide acclaim and cemented Brown’s reputation as a true innovator. Paying for It is a natural progression for Brown as it combines the personal and sexual aspects of his autobiographical work with the polemical drive of Louis Riel. Brown calmly lays out the facts of how he became not only a willing participant in but a vocal proponent of one of the world’s most hot-button topics—prostitution. While this may appear overly sensational and just plain implausible to some, Brown’s story stands for itself. Paying for It offers an entirely contemporary exploration of sex work—from the timid john who rides his bike to his escorts, wonders how to tip so as not to offend, and reads Dan Savage for advice, to the modern-day transactions complete with online reviews, seemingly willing participants, and clean apartments devoid of clichéd street corners, drugs, or pimps. 

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10108380-paying-for-it

My Thoughts
This is the first book that I have ever given one star. Before starting this, I didn't know what it was about - but I wish I had. If I had known what this book was about or known what pictures were included, I would not have read it. There was no character development, and it didn't have a very good story line. Overall, there was nothing that I enjoyed about this book.

Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel
# of pages: 267
Average Rating: 3.96/5 vs My Rating: 4/5

Summary
A page-turning adventure of a boy's journey to the land of ghosts and back. Imagine Garth Hale's surprise when he's accidentally zapped to the spirit world by Frank Gallows, a washed-out ghost wrangler. Suddenly Garth finds he has powers the ghosts don't have, and he's stuck in a world run by the evil ruler of Ghostopolis, who would use Garth's newfound abilities to rule the ghostly kingdom. When Garth meets Cecil, his grandfather's ghost, the two search for a way to get Garth back home, and nearly lose hope until Frank Gallows shows up to fix his mistake.

My Thoughts
This might be one of my favourite graphic novel that I have read! The pictures were so well done and beautiful, they made the story very enjoyable. I was so caught up and interested in this story that I couldn't put it down - I read it in a two hour sitting!

* Both of these books I read from the library *

Recently Read: Graphic Novels #1

So I have been reading a lot of graphic novels lately, but I feel like they aren't long enough to write a full review on. My thoughts we to start pairing them, so you guys can still know my thoughts on these books!


Smile by Raina Telgemeir
# of pages: 214
Average Rating: 4.14/5 vs. My Rating: 3/5

Summary
FAMILY, FRIENDS, BOYS...DENTAL DRAMA?! A true story. Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girls Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth. What follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached(!). And on top of all that, there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly. Raina's story takes us from middle school to high school, where she discovers her artistic voice, finds out what true friendship really means, and where she can finally...smile.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6764756-smile

My Thoughts
I thought that this was a really quick and cute book that any one in middle grade or higher could relate to. I, personally, have had braces so I understand what the main character was dealing with to a certain level. It took me a couple of hours to read this book, so I am happier that I saved money by getting it from the library instead of buying it.

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang

# of pages: 160

Average Rating: 3.69/5 vs. My Rating: 4/5

Summary

Dennis Ouyang has always struggled in the shadow of his parents' expectations. His path is laid out for him: stay focused in high school, become a gastroenterologist. It may be hard work, but it isn't complicated...Until suddenly it is. Between his father's death, his academic burnout, and his deep (and distracting) love of video games, Dennis is nowhere near where his family wanted him to be. In fact, he's just been kicked out of college. And that's when things get...weird. Four adorable--and bossy--angels, straight out of a sappy greeting card, appear and take charge of Dennis's life. And so Dennis finds himself herded back onto the straight and narrow: the path to gastroenterology. But nothing is ever what it seems when life, magic and video games collide.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9630403-level-up

My Thoughts

I thought that this book had a solid plot that kept the story entertaining the whole way through. I don't usually read books related to video games, because I never know if I will understand the references, as I don't play a lot of games. This graphic novel made references to old games such as Super Mario, the Legend of Zelda, and Pac-Man, making it a very enjoyable story.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Review

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Written by J.K Rowling
# of pages: 223

Average Rating: 4.36/5
My Rating: 4/5

Read in August 2013

Summary according to goodreads

Harry Potter has never played a sport while flying on a broomstick. He's never worn a Cloak of Invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon. All Harry knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry's room is a tiny cupboard under the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in ten years. But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed. There he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/72193.Harry_Potter_and_the_Philosopher_s_Stone

My Thoughts

I haven't read these books for years, in fact I remember being in the fourth grade laying on a blue couch under my family's mounted TV, reading this book. I was very excited to reread this book (and this series). Even after all these years filled with other books, I was not disappointed. 

What I enjoyed this most about this book was the way it was very fast aced. I sat down and finished this book in a day, even while doing many other things in that time. In this story, something is always happening which leaves no moments for the reader to get bored. Even though I have previously read this book and seen the movie adaptation, I still found myself captivated with the plot. The author was also very descriptive, which is important when creating a world such as this one. A reader wants to be able to imagine the world and feel like it's real. While reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, I wanted to be living in this world!

The only reason that I didn't give this novel five stars is because I know that the other books in the series are much better. My rating of four stars gives the rest of the series room to improve, as well as for me to pick my favourites. If this was my first time reading it, however, I would have given it five out of five stars, as I wouldn't know what to expect. 

Overall, I think that this book is a great introduction to the series. I would recommend these books/movies to anyone because I think a reader of any age group could enjoy it, and they are great books to get into.

September Book Haul!

Hey all! So I know I usually post my monthly book haul on my YouTube channel on the first day of every month, but I figured I could also post it on my blog! Sometimes my videos can get kind of long, so for those who just want to know what books I got, you can read this post!

So for the month of September, these are the books I have gotten my hands on ...

FOR REVIEW

The Bone Season
by Samantha Shannon











PURCHASED

Guardian at the Gate
by Michelle Zink

The Forsaken 

by Lisa M. Stasse

Envy
by Elizabeth Miles

Starstruck 

by Cyn Balog

Our Mutual Friend
by Charles Dickens

The Cuckoo's Calling

by Robert Galbraith

Ender's Game
by Orson Scott Card

The End Games

by T. Michael Martin