A Website

I have found it terribly difficult to continue to do reading now and again because little things kept getting in the way...  like school work, job hunting, oh and moving. 

Anyway,  I did do a little mini-project to share so feel free to visit:

http://publish.uwo.ca/~dbernar5/beachbumsbooks/

If you feel like reading over the summer and those little things in life are keeping you from getting away.

Disneynature African Cats

On Earth Day, I went to theatres to see Disney's new documentary called African Cats.  I went to see this movie because I have a definite appreciation, bordering on obsession, for felines (quite obviously). Besides having breathtaking footage this movie has a captivating plot. The storyline follows a Cheetah mother and her five fuzzy cubs simultaneously as it does a pride of lions, focusing in on one particular aged mother lioness.  Unlike the lions, the cheetah is a solitary cat.  Before I saw this movie I always thought of Cheetahs as predators but now I view them also as prey... especially with cubs around.  The pride of lions has one leader, Fang.  His name comes form the fact that his front "fang" is damaged quite severely with part of it hanging from his mouth.  The lionesses have Fang as their sole protector from other prides that would kill off their young cubs. The strength of the mammalian mothers is beautiful.  African Cats is a must-see on the big screen to truly get the most of the footage.  I recommend this to anyone that enjoys documentaries, cats, or nature films... or wants to just see something a little different!  Click here to watch the trailer. 

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Collins, S. (2008). The Hunger Games. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

"There must have been some mistake. This can't be happening. Prim was one slip of paper in thousands! Her chances of being chosen so remote that I'd not even bothered to worry about her. Hadn't I done everything? Taken the tesserae, refused to let her do the same? One slip. One slip in thousands. The odds had been entirely in her favour. But it hadn't mattered." (Collins, p. 21).

    I would like to say now that I am pretty sure this review is going to be biased. I will try my best to be fair. I read this book in one day which for me is superman fast. This story begins in a world of districts – twelve to be exact with one governing body called the Capitol. The districts are segregated by both physical land mass and electric fence. Each of the districts, while living in poverty, supplies the wealthy and powerful Capitol with every possible need. Kind of similar to developed countries enjoying the spoils of underdeveloped countries. Anyway, to prevent uprising the Capitol invents the Hunger Games where two teenage (11-18 year old) tributes are selected by raffle to participate. There can only be one victor. Essentially, this is a fight to the death in an arena of the Game makers' choosing. Katniss ends up part of this year's 74^th games with fellow district 12 tribute Peeta. Is she prepared? Will she survive with her sense of self? Honestly, I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys action. It is suitable for both adults and teens. It is a tale of survival.

Now to let my enjoyment of this book show I will list some of the reasons I couldn't put this book down:

1. Struggle: There is a constant struggle from beginning to end for survival making the book both captivating and thrilling.
   
2. Importance of Family: It is easy to love Katniss because she loves her family fiercely. The love for her sister can be described as maternal. You want her to survive.
   
3. Role Reversal: Katniss, the eldest daughter of two is the head of the family. She becomes the breadwinner after her father dies in a mine explosion. It's not often that a teenage girl is portrayed as having the means, ability, and self-sufficiency to her family.
   
4. Survival Skills: The ability to create a food source and shelter in the wild is interesting - hence why there are so many "Man vs. Wild" reality shows about this.
   
5. Alternate World: This novel takes place in a different world which allows the reader to step back.
   

Basically, you find yourself rooting for Katniss, hating the Capitol, and unable to wait to find out what's next.

In fact, I will be picking up the second book in this series ASAP....

Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

    Stiefvater, M. (2009). Shiver. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

    "I was close enough to smell the wild odor of his coat and feel the warmth of his breath. Then I did what I had always wanted to – I put a hand to his dense ruff, and when he didn't flinch, I buried both my hands in his fur. His outer coat was not soft as it looked, but beneath the coarse guard hairs was a layer of downy fluff. With a low groan, he pressed his head against me, eyes till closed. I held him as if he were no more than a family dog, though his wild sharp scent wouldn't let me forget what he really was." (Stiefvater, p. 20).

If you consider yourself to be on "Team Jacob" (pardon the overdone reference) then this book is almost certainly for you.

Grace is saved by a yellow-eyed wolf as a young child and becomes emotionally attached to this same wolf. As a result, she becomes obsessed with the wolves that haunt her backyard during the winter months. Sam is the yellow-eyed wolf boy who saved her and is now running out of time. They fall in love despite living in two separate worlds. This novel alternates between the voice of Grace and Sam. Grace is not the stereotypical girl. She is independent and borders on stoic while Sam is the emotional one. The reversal of stereotypical feminine and masculine traits develops the characters in such a way that makes them real and makes the reader fall for them. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys supernatural romances. As well as anyone who is fascinated by wolves...

Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green

Green, J. (2005). Looking for Alaska. New York, NY: Dutton Books.

"That is the fear: I have lost something important, and I cannot find it, and I need it. It is fear like if someone lost his glasses and went to the glasses store and they told him that the world had run out of glasses and he would just have to do without" (p.144).

Miles Halter (A.K.A Pudge) begins this story 136 days before it happened. Inspired by last words he leaves home to attend Culver Creek boarding school, where he hopes to find Simon Bolivar's Great Perhaps.

At Culver Creek he befriends a group of pranksters:                                          Chip (A.K.A Colonel), the roommate with both an extraordinary memory a taste for trouble. Alaska is impulsive, troubled, and beautiful. Takumi and Lara are additional sidekicks.                     

Will they make it through the labyrinth of life and discover the Great Perhaps?

***Recommended to anyone and everyone who enjoys realistic fiction. It will stick with you. This is a great book!

   As promised and with no adieu I have attached the link to my YA steampunk pathfinder.  After quite a substantive sampling of steampunk works I have selected some of my favourites. This is for the beginner steampunk enthusiast. 

Enjoi!


Click Me For a Steampunk Adventure!

Just a little something to brighten the snowy day....

A Steampunk Video

Coming soon...  A steampunk pathfinder!


P.S.  This is a great site to check out...http://steampunkscholar.blogspot.com/

For more on The Hunchback Assignments..

Click Me

Coming Up...

Hello! I realize that it has been a long time since I've updated this blog. That will be changing very, very shortly! I will be posting a booktalk on The Hunchback Assignments this week.
(P.S. I  heart  Steampunk)

Thoughts on Doing It... By Melvin Burgess

First off, I really think that this book would make a great TV Show.  I liked that it was in the perspective of boy/men.  Besides the obvious of focusing on doing it (and for those that don't know- "it" is sex) -it really also demonstrates the insecurities of boys becoming men.  For Dino he realizes he is not untouchable. Ben decides what he wants and acts upon it and shows strength by saying "No" in a sticky situation, or at least saying "No" in his own way.  Jon dates a girl with everyone's disapproval (or at least that's what he percieves).  All in all, this was a juicy read.  I love gossip and this book was full of it. 

P.S. I added all the covers I could find for your viewing pleasure.

The Catcher in the Rye Digested

     So... I finished reading the YA classic by J.D. Salinger last week. I thought after a week of contemplation I might be able to find some merit to the novel. I must say nothing has changed from my original impression. Holden Caulfield is whiny and like many other reviewers I find him extremely hard to like.                                                                                                

     The language is completely recycled with the words goddamn and phony appearing hundreds of times. You know when you play a video game so much that you dream you are in it? Well that's happened to me and I feel that the words goddamn and phony were in my dreams from that goddamn book with all those phony characters.

     I also found that Holden reacted the same way to most people. His response to most people is that they were unlikeable because they were phony. The only two people that were alive that he seemed to have a different response too were Old Phoebe and his Ex. It's sad that he has such a negative outlook on life. Perhaps, that is why I disliked the book so much.

      Also, did anyone reach the end of the book and think... "So that's it?, So what?!?" I think I missed something maybe I will reread it sometime... or go through Chinese water torture. You know whatever is more appealing.

Oh yeah and Lily-Katt gives this book five claws right through the front cover for being ridiculously emo.

REVIEW: Fishtailing

Phillips, Wendy. Fishtailing. Coteau Books, 2010.
Pages [196p.] Price [$14.95.] ISBN[978-1-55050-411-8].

         

       This winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award follows the experiences of four teens- Natalie, Tricia, Kyle and Miguel written in their own free verse.  Natalie is a newcomer to Tricia, Kyle and Miguel’s high school with a notorious record for trouble.  She attracts the attention and curiosity of Tricia leading to what appears to be friendship.                                                                

         Both Natalie and Miguel have seriously disturbing histories that are revealed throughout their poetry.  They have both been damaged by their own tragedies and become entangled.  Similarly, Tricia catches Kyle’s attention. All four of the teens struggle with their own unique set of issues.                                                                    

        The use of free verse is effective as it reveals characters internal emotion and intention.  A warning to the faint of heart, Phillips does not gloss over serious teenage issues but delves into them.  Two words that best describe this four-part piece are: real and raw.  The work is aptly named Fishtailing as the characters become dangerously reckless throughout the novel.  I would recommend this book to ages 14 and up based on content that deals with “mature subject matter”. 

Lily-Katt gives it Five Claws out of Five for a gripping and emotional portrayal of teenage experience through verse.

Thoughts on the Teen Section at a Popular Bookstore

     The last time I went to the bookstore with the purpose of visiting the young adult section (often labelled the teen section) was much too long ago.  I remember not being able to drive as my visits were also with mom.  Also,  I don't ever remember buying a book myself.  The books I chose every time (after much contemplation) were from the same series called Sweep by Cate Tiernan. The series is about a young girl who finds out she was adopted and comes from a long line of persecuted witches. The books are about her discovery of her family's past and her resulting adventures.                                                                                                                                                              

I visited the bookstore as a much changed reader but with the purpose of exploring the teen section.  At first glance, it appeared many of my old favourites had died.  Upon further investigation, I found that what I remembered reading in my youth is available and some of it is still being featured.  These classics are now cleverly disguised.  The Outsiders cover had been revamped and Harry Potter was virtually unrecognizable.  The background of Harry Potter is now white with only one colour outline illustration.  To be honest, I liked the old cover much better.  Many memories of beloved books came back to me and their aspects such as the series books that never seem to end and themes of 'puppy love'.  The prevalence of vampire characters seems to be a trend-commercialized to the point of T-shirts, pins, diaries, pencils, etc.etc.etc.                                                                                                                                                                   

In hindsight, many of the books displayed in this section target to teen girls.  The covers depicting trendy girls and the titles hinting at gossip and boys.  Where is the fiction appealing to young men?  I seriously doubt my younger brother was or is interested in many of the books displayed.  He was much more likely to be in the humour section looking at The Simpsons comics or The Zombie Survival Guide when he was younger.  Now he has moved on to how-to books and survival guides.  This leads me to the question of where is the teen boy section??