My Apologies

My Apologies, I am undergoing some construction with the site and myself.  I apologies for the lack of postings.

Happy Birthday Roald Dahl

Happy Birthday Mr. Roald Dahl!!  Roald Dahl is the author of many beloved children's stories such as The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and so many more.  Many of us may have read something of his as a child or seen movies based from his books.  He influenced so many other authors and made a difference in children literature.  We need more authors like him.

                                                  

Top Books to Read

A List Of Books has complied a list of books that should be read.  They complied top books from various different lists to condense it all into 1 giant master list.  There are 623 books listed and they challenge by asking "can you collect them all?"  (I admit the pokemon theme song just ran through my head with this one).  Now I haven't finished scanning this list of books but there are a good deal on the list that I do own, or have read at some point in my life and probably should re-read such as George Orwell's "1984"  Rereading it now rather than when I was a sophomore in high school, I might have a different viewpoint on it that I did back them.  Of the 623 books on this list I have read roughly 70 of them.  That doesn't really seem like I have read many but there are plenty of books I want to read and are on my list such as War and Peace.

I like looking at different lists of books to read because it always gives me a good idea of books that I can add to my collection, or even books I can pick up at the local library.  They always give me ideas of books that I would like to read, books that I haven't heard of, but that sound crazy interesting.  This list gave me several books that I need to add to my too read list; which is ever growing and never dwindling.  I always want to have books that need to be read.  With a list as long as mine, I think I need to get reading!  I will never end.

What are some books on your to read list or even on your top 10 must read?   Let me know.

Bringing Reading Back

I have a baby shower this weekend and the momma asked that along with the general gift most people get that we would also bring a book.  She would like to start reading to her daughter and have things for her to get interested in reading at an early age.  I simply love this idea.  I think too often parents have neglected the encouragement of reading for various different reasons.  It is part of the parents' job to spark the love of books and literature in all aspects (yes I include comics and graphic novels as literature and would encourage my kid to read comics because hey they are reading).    We can do silly voices or let our kids do the voices to encourage their creativity.

We live in a society were video games, computers, television are the power houses in youth entertainment.  Reading has become something that is looked upon with disgust and things I read as a child are no longer what holds their attention.  I commend authors like J.K Rowling who have sparked a reading frenzy with the Harry Potter series.  Kids, teens, and adults all rushed to read the novels as with Stephanie Myers with "Twilight Sage."  There are others who also are sparking an interest in reading amongst teens, and that is a trend that needs to continue and start younger. 

Rather than bring sexy back...let bring reading back!

Comes a Horseman

I picked this book up on a whim, every time I passed it something about the jacket cover called out to me, telling me  it would be a good read.  It was not 100% of what I was expecting.  Although I am not sure what exactly I was expecting from a book with Comes a Horseman as the title. Regardless, I picked up the book and it took me a few days to really get into the storyline, the beginning parts seems a lot like something else I have read in the past.  Almost right off the bat there seems to be so much going on, there is a murder mystery, a love story, and even a religious aspect and more, could it have possibly had too much going on all at once?


Brad Moore and Alicia Wagner are new detectives assigned to one of the biggest cases for their careers, the Pelletier Killings.  A string of murders that seem to have nothing in common.  As they delve deeper into the case, they realize the connection is something personal and deep rooted, a near death experience.    Now they have an idea of the murder connections they need to no figure out how to predict the killer's next move.  Soon they come to find out they are on his list, and must find him to bring him to justice all while trying to avoid his deadly axe.  While all of this is happening, in Israel Luco Scaramuzzi is working with Father Randall to convince a group of people known as the Watchers that he is the anti-christ.  They try to facilitate things to make sure Luco fits everything the prophecies predict.  He eliminates anyone who opposes him or gets in his way of achieving this goal.


Comes a Horseman merges both ancient prophecies and distorted religious viewpoints to bring about a story that is compelling and thrilling.  It was difficult to really get into the story at times.  This was probably one of the harder books for me to get through.  I was expecting more with the horsemen of the apocalypse, and was surprised with the references to Valhalla in the novel.  I wasn't sure where Robert was taking that story but I was pleasantly surprised.  The images Robert portrayed were well done and pulled the audience into the story.  I could almost see the severed heads of the victims.  Something I did find interesting in this story was the use of the computer equipment to process the crime scenes.  That is an element that I haven't seen in too many mystery novels, so it was a nice change of pace.

While I didn't think twice about borrowing this novel from the library, I don't think it will be one that I am adding to my shelves.  While it was an enjoyable book and I enjoyed the novel, it wasn't what i expected nor was it up to par with other Christian thriller authors like Ted Dekker whom he is compared to quite often.


Pros: Unexpected character development, vivid imagry
Cons: Moves along slow, seems like something else I've read
Bottom-line: I would recommend it if you want something good to read, but not if you want something fast paced.

Rating: 35. out of 5 stars

Into the Woods

The cover to this book is what attracted me to it to begin with.  The branch like design made me wonder what it was about and what woods or trees could do with the story I read on the back cover.  I was drawn in based off the cover.  I did not expect the story that I found when I opened the book and began to read.

The story follows Detective Rob Ryan as he works on a case of a murdered child.  The case takes place in a town he grew up in.  He struggles with his own obsessiveness over this case and the possible link to another unsolved case involving 2 missing children, from the same area.  Could the cases be related, could this be a murder of convenience, or is someone trying to get a message across to the leader of a protest group.  There are so many questions that arise with this case including the possibility of cult related sacrifices because she was found placed on an ancient druid alter by an archeologist. 

The story opens up on the background of the missing children case.  Three children go into the woods and don’t return.  Once a search party is assembled they find one of the boys clinging to a tree, with blood in his shoes and brusies, and cuts.  The other 2 children are not found.  The young boy grows up hiding from the media and unable to remember anything that happened that day in the woods.  He grows up and becomes successful as a detective.  He is none other than Detective Ryan.  As our detective investigates the murder in his home town, he begins to remember little things about that day and the days leading up to it.  But he cannot remember what exactly happens.  As he becomes obsessed with the case, he throws himself at various different angles trying to find a solution to the case, even if it means grasping at straws.  Detective Ryan gets swept up into his own world that he makes mistakes and doesn’t pick up on subtle hints about the case.  He makes minor mistakes that come back to bite him in the butt. 

Once the detectives begin their investigation you as the reader find yourself trying to figure out who the murderer is as well.  There are numerous hints throughout the novel, that if you pick up on them you can figure out who committed the crime and why it happened.  Throughout the novel French drops little hints leading to the murderer while also leading away from that person.  The way French describes things is exceptional.  I was able to picture the small Irish towns and the places the detectives visited.  It was a great imagery based novel.  A lot of the time when a novel focuses a lot on images, the story gets lost, but this is not one of those novels.  This is one of those novels that makes you want more from the story, makes you want to know what happens next.

The backstory with the missing children seemed like it would be more important to the story line other than Detective Ryan’s connection to it.  I was a little let down the nothing progressed with it, such as them finding out some more information or even finding out where the children could have gone.  That is the only thing I would have to complain about this novel.  It let loose ends linger.  Maybe she addresses that in another novel, I might have to see.

Pros:Compelling story, great characters and imagery.
Cons: Questions linger on some of the storyline

Bottom Line: I would highly recommend this to anyone who needs a good read

Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Character Profiles

I stumbled upon and interesting blog recently: Creative Writing Now.  It was created by writing teachers as a free service to authors and poets to help hone their skills whether you are just beginning or are a seasoned writer.  There is something for everyone on this site; I found numerous things that are going to be helpful to me in expanding out of my comfort zone with my writing.

One of the posts that I found incredibly interesting and helpful was a questionnaire for writing character profiles.  There are things on the questionnaire that I didn't think about when I have written stories in the past such as "Consideration of other, how he/she views him/herself, how others view him/her"  and other things like temper and strongest/weakest personality traits are things I never really considered when I thought of my characters, but there are things that are incredibly important when developing your characters.  There are so many things that go into writing a character that people would love to read about (or love to hate) everything on this list brings those aspects out and into the character you want to develop.  It makes them more human in a sense.  The additional questions provided at the bottom are a little interesting because they are things that make up the character and who they are even if it doesn't come up in the story at all.

Any writer wants to have a character that appeals to their readers and some of the most memorable novels/stories I have read all include powerful characters in one way for another.  The helpful questionnaire provided by Creative Writing Now, helps make you think of the character you want to create and aspect of that character that are portrayed through their dialogue and actions.  It is important to have those characteristics in mind even if readers don't see it as blatantly as they would other aspects; its part of what makes reading so enjoyable.  I am definitely going to be using this questionnaire for my characters and see how that changes my writing.

Book Discussion

Not too long ago I had dinner with some old friends and had a great time catching up on life and things.  We talked about books we have been reading and discussed a few things about them.  But there were moments it felt like awkward as the book discussions got more in depth and "intellectual," and felt there was small judgment for some of the book I have read such as Harry Potter series.  A question was posed of "What is there that you can discuss about Harry Potter?"  There are plenty of things one can discuss about this novel and more.  I think you can make any novel into an intellectual discussion if you wanted to not just novels like "Atlas Shrugged."

It felt like regardless of the book you read, if it wasn't able to be discussed it didn't count as something intellectual.  Which I don't think is the case.  You can find things to discuss about any kind of book including "Hop on Pop" if you so desire.  If you put your mind to it you can find something in any book that can be applied to life or says something about society.  And that is what my friends wanted to book discussions to be, highly in depth and intellectual.  Where as I am content at reading my books for the shear fun of it.  The need for an in depth intellectual conversation tends to take away from the joy of reading, although sometimes having that is nice, but not with every single book we read.

We can't make everything we discuss or do intellectual and in depth.  There needs to be something to take our minds off of things, something to relax, distress, and just allow our minds to escape.  Reading tends to do that, but when we try to force discussion topics into our reading it tends to take away from that effect and turn reading into something completely different. A book discussion should be fun and enjoyable, not always highly intellectual and in depth.  Enjoy the book and time with friends.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintence

I have to admit when I first started to read this book I had a very difficult time getting past the first few chapters and when I did, I was beyond glad I stuck with it.  Robert Pirsig explores how we live, and meditates on how to make our lives better while pursuing our passions.  The novel is through the eyes of a father on a cross country motorcycle ride with his son.  The novel become a personal exploration and a journey through philosophical questions.    Pirsig delves into the question of what is Quality, and what gives our live Quality?

This novel is perfect for anyone to read because of Pirsig's use of something personal and fundamentally universal.   This novel won't  have you debating Kierkegaard or Nietzsche, but provides you with questions and something to reflect on and question yourself.  Never have I read a book more thought provoking and rises questions about my own life I have never thought to ask or investigate.  Pirsig address the idea that we live in a world of both Romantic and Classical, or simply put, form and function.  One of the problems with the world that Pirsig presents is that function is essential to life, but it is form that is emphasized.   When form and function work together equally then the desired Quality is obtained.

Pirsig does an excellent job presenting his thoughts and ideas to his readers.   He draws them in with a very personal story of a father and son trying to reconnect.  Through his story we see an imperfect father striving to be perfect, to discover Quality for both their lives.  It is beautifully written and a novel should be read.

Pros: Thought provoking and compelling insight
Cons::It can be difficult to begin the novel
Bottom Line: Incredibly thought provoking and interesting.

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

Shadow of The Wind

I picked this book up on a whim, I read the synopsis online and decided to check it out.  From the first page I fell in love with the story and the characters.  It is a story of a young boy who gets wrapped up in a book while mourning the loss of his mother.  After reading this forgotten book, he goes on a quest to find out more about the author Julian Carax, only to find himself in a web of mystery surrounding this author.  He surprisingly finds out that someone has been looking for the books as well, but not to collect and read them, but to destroy them all.  He goes around talking to people who have been in contact with the author in his past.  The more he finds out the deeper he gets and the more trouble arises for him.  He learns more people are intertwined with this author than he expected.  Along the way he realizes he is in love with his best friend’s sister, which is more of a side story than a part of the bigger story.   There are several other love stories mixed in this novel as well, which takes the story off course sometimes, but at the same time adds to the beauty.

This novel is full of all kinds of twists and turns that you don’t expect are coming.  Once you think you have something figured out, such as who the person destroying the books is, you find out you are totally wrong.  There is nothing that is predictable within this novel.  You can try, but you soon find out you are wrong.  Ruiz does a wonderful job describing the character’s appearances as they change as well as their surroundings.  He pulls you into the story and setting with his words and captivates you throughout the story, never letting go.  There are aspects throughout the novel that make you wonder what importance does it have to the story, then you read father and realize those minor elements are critical to the plot line.

Ruiz creates characters you grow to love and admire.  Characters you can relate to and grow attached to and want to know more about.  The villain character is exactly that, the villain, even though he is disguised as a man of the law.  Even the minor characters are ones that you want to see more of within the novel, characters you want to have a more active role in the story.  But then again maybe some become a major player in the story.  There are certain parts in the book that don’t seem to fit the story, but they fit the character background.  It is an interesting thing for Ruiz to do, but it fits and makes the story even more enjoyable.  This novel will keep you in suspense in wondering what is going to happen next.  When will the book destroyer be revealed?  What happened to Penelope?  What is hidden in Julian Carax’ past that everyone wants to hide?

If you like mysterious and suspenseful novels, then this is a good one to pick up.  I recommend it to anyone who wants a good read, they cannot put down.  This is NOT a book that  you can finish in one day, it takes several to get through the almost 500 page novel.

Pros: Not a storyline I've read before, unique and interesting
Cons:  There are moments in the story that don't seem to fit but doesn't take from the story.

Bottom Line: This is a definite book that needs to be read.
Rating 5 out of 5

Last Unicorn

I found this novel through finding the movie.  I wanted to read the novel before I watched the movie, to see what the author intended.  It is a beautiful tale about the journey of a mystical unicorn who desires to find other unicorns.  She finds it hard to believe that she is the last of her kind.  Along the way she runs into trouble with humans wanting to tame her as an ordinary white mare.  The while she tries to sleep a witch traps her for a circus show relating to creatures of the magical arts such as dragons, harpies and of course a young wizard who can see the unicorn for what she truly is, unlike other humans.  The young Wizard helps free the unicorn for her cage and the go off together to complete her quest.

 As they journey on, the companions come across a band of bandits who wish to be like Robin Hood.  As Schmendrick fools the band, the unicorn and himself are able to escape, only to obtain one more traveler: Molly.  Molly can see the unicorn for what she is, because she’s been waiting for her all her life.  Throughout their journey they learn more about what could have happened to the other unicorns and come across a village with a mysterious prophecy.  A village haunted by the castle and the king that rules them, the king has a being that serves him, the Red Bull.  From here the unicorn and her companions try to make it to the castle only to be attacked by none other than the Red Bull.  In order to save the unicorn from being killed by the bull, Schmendrick turns her into a human.  After this happens the unicorn and her friends make it to the castle, and enter the service of the king.  They spend countless months trying to figure the riddle out and find the unicorns.  Does the unicorn find her own kind?  Can Schmendrick find his own magic to turn the unicorn back into a unicorn?  Does the village’s prophecy come true?  All these are answered in the end of the story which I don’t want to spoil for all you fine folks.

 This was a marvelous story, I am happy I picked it up.  The images of the creatures and surrounds were very well done and I can almost picture them as I was reading.  The way the author tells the story, the reader just gets lost in his world.  He weaves a fantastic tale of friendship, courage, and the desire to know one’s own self.   One of the things I loved most about this story was the author didn’t take us into the mind of a human character, sure there are humans as a part of the story, but we get the insight from one of the most beloved magical creatures.  I also enjoyed that Schmendrick’s magical talents weren’t automatic; he needed to search within himself to find his power.   There was a lot in the story about searching within yourself for what you are looking for.  I enjoyed that aspect of the story.

 The only thing I was sad about was that I didn’t find this book before now.  Everything about it was wonderful.  Peter Beagle does an excellent job at describing everything as it happens.  You can picture the white mane of the unicorn, the frightening stature of the Red Bull, even the magic Schemdrick tries to cast throughout the story.  This is the perfect for a bedtime story for children who enjoy the fantasy and magical realm.  I will be looking for other books by Mr. Beagle.  This is a book you should pick up and read, then watch the movie.

Pros: Great story; good moral
Cons: Descriptions tend to take away from the story
Bottom Line: Great story!  I recommend this to anyone who loves a good heartwarming story.

Rating 4 out of 5 stars