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“Beauty Queens”~ Libba Bray
Book Description: (from Amazon) Survival. Of the fittest.
The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream Pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea, crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.
What’s a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program – or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan – or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?
Welcome to the heart of non-exfoliated darkness…
Soundtrack: “Survivor”~ Destiny’s Child
Everything about this song is PERFECT for these fiesty young women, who prove that they are far more than pretty faces.
Best Enjoyed With: A Pina Colada. There were none in the book, but damn those ladies could have used one.
My only experience with Libba Bray so far has been the Gemma Doyle trilogy, so imagine my surprise when I opened up Beauty Queens and was laughing out loud within in the first few pages. She skewers practically every aspect of popular culture, from Beauty Products to Bratz dolls, and does it gleefully.
As Army Boy asked, “She doesn’t make fun of the Amish, does she??”
Yes my dear, she certainly does.
I received a copy of this book from the adorable blog The Broke and the Bookish as part of their blogoversary giveaway, and I can’t thank them enough! I’d been wanting to read it for ages, and this was the perfect excuse to pick it up! Thank goodness, they didn’t question my YA street cred. (Not reading Libba Bray is like… not reading the latest Jeffrey Eugenides. Unthinkable!)
Reading this book during training caused a lot of double takes (mostly because of the hilarious cover), and prompted a lot of conversation with my new coworkers. Hopefully at least one or two of them will think to pick it up next time they’re searching for a new author.
As the book description indicates, a plane of contestants for a beauty pageant crashes on a deserted island, and the girls must band together if they want to have any chance of survival. Watching their transformation from pageant princess to friends is an absolute joy, and the characters are wonderfully dimensional. Writing so many distinct personalities, one easily could have gotten lost in the shuffle, but none do. They all have backstories that contribute to their motivation to wanting to be “Miss Teen Dream,” and each has skeletons in her closet that she has to overcome. By the end of the story, I loved each and every one of them (Even the slightly fanatical Miss Texas).
Total side note: this is the second book that I’ve read recently that contains a character that is remarkably similar to a former governor of Alaska. I have to thank the 2008 presidential campaign for that, really. They gave authors a perfect character for use in satire. 
While the girls initially find their pageant programming difficult to overcome (some feel that keeping pageant ready is more important than, oh, survival), it’s a joy to see them putting aside their preconceived notions of who they are and exploring the capable women that they could be. Among their numbers they’re lucky to have some girls familiar with engineering and first aid, along with some who just have a fabulous sense of interior design. Getting away from the pressure of society allows them to explore their actual passions, not the interests that are being dictated to them. They each realize what it truly means to be themselves, not the carefully crafted image that they’ve been projecting to the world.
Of course, everything is not as it seems, and the girls start to realize that their presence on the island is more dangerous than they initially thought. Throw in a corporate conspiracy, some bumbling security agents and a confused dictator, and everything comes together in a delicious romp that’s far more James Bond than Miss Congeniality. Even the structure of the book is entertaining, with the plot interspersed with some “notes” from the Corporation that is bringing the girls’ story to the reader, and even a commercial or two thrown in.
This book quickly insinuated itself onto my favorites bookshelf, a spot it’s sure to hold for many years to come.
Five out of Five Sparkle Ponies. *jazz hands!*
“Shadow of Night”~ Deborah Harkness
Book Description (From Amazon) :
Deborah Harkness exploded onto the literary scene with her debut novel, A Discovery of Witches, Book One of the magical All Souls Trilogy and an international publishing phenomenon. The novel introduced Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, and the handsome geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont; together they found themselves at the center of a supernatural battle over an enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782.
Now, picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies, subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the mysterious School of Night that includes Christopher Marlowe and Walter Raleigh. Here, Diana must locate a witch to tutor her in magic, Matthew is forced to confront a past he thought he had put to rest, and the mystery of Ashmole 782 deepens.
Soundtrack: “I Won’t Give Up”~ Jason Mraz
When we saw Deborah Harkness at her author signing, she made a remarkable point. The first book in the All Souls Trilogy was about the ease with which Diana Bishop and Matthew fell in love, arguably the easiest part in most relationships. The second book is about their life together, and learning to stay in love, which is where the true magic lies.
Best Enjoyed With: Something rustic and primitive. A giant turkey leg and a stein of beer, perhaps.
A completely unexpected side effect of being in training is that – get this- the trainer actually ENCOURAGES us to read during the many breaks that we get during the day. With a training class of over 30 people, there are constantly questions and technical difficulties, so I’m suddenly finding myself getting a ridiculous amount of progress made on the books that I’ve chosen to bring. For example, I pounded out roughly 200 pages of Shadow of Night over the course of the day yesterday. Apparently my fears of losing my reading time were totally unfounded. (Thank Gawd!)
Also, there are FOUR girls in the group currently reading the Fifty Shades series. I can’t help but find it adorable.
I feel no reservation in proclaiming this the book of the summer- the anticipation for it was just huge after the ending of “A Discovery of Witches,” and if the turnout for Deborah Harkness’s book tour is any indication, women are craving something a little more sophisticated than Ana Steele to enjoy on their summer vacations. Sophisticated does not mean “less fun,” just “far better written” and “actual steamy sex.”
“Shadow” begins immediately after “A Discovery of Witches” ends, with the result of Diana and Matthew’s timewalk to the past. I loved how Deb Harkness set this up, with an enoromous wink and a *HINT HINT* toward their eventual destination, that had me finishing the book with a huge grin. Rather than feeling like a cliffhanger, it simply built enormous anticipation for the next volume in the trilogy, while still feeling oddly satisfying as a stand-alone novel.
I’m going to try to discuss this one as spoiler-free as possible, because while there are many out there that have finished it already, there are lots of you who are still eagerly awaiting getting your hands on a copy. Unfortunately, most of the book could be considered a spoiler for the ending of ADOW, so if you haven’t read that one please stop now. Otherwise don’t get pissy with me if I ruin your fun.
With the help the Bishop house and various and sundry creatures, Diana and Matthew have decided to timewalk to the past to guarantee their safety from the Congregation and to help Diana explore more of her magical powers. They’re also going to attempt to locate Ashmole 782 intact, before its secrets are disguised by whomever tore out some of the alchemical illustrations and before its donation to the Bodleian library.
One thing that Diana does not anticipate fully is the implications of being married to a vampire who has been around for hundreds of years. She has experienced present-day Matthew, but not Matthew in the context of the 16th century. From the moment they arrive in Elizabethan England, she is rubbing elbows with the members of the School of Night, including Christopher Marlowe (a demon) and Walter Raleigh. She’s also forced to contend with the many differences between modern society and the “normal” of the past. She immediately stands out with her height and her American accent, and it quickly becomes clear how much work she’s going to have to do just to blend in.
The other thing that they didn’t exactly take into account was that they were planning to arrive in a time where witch hunts were just beginning to heat up (pun intended) across the European continent. It is not a safe time to be a witch, much less a witch with Diana’s unique capabilities.
The plot takes off right away, as Matthew is summoned to Sept-Tours by his father Phillipe. From that point on, the action slowed very little as we follow Matthew and Diana on their quest to track down Ashmole 782 and increase Diana’s knowledge of her talent. It’s evident that Deb Harkness is in her element writing about the time period that she studies, and took great pleasure in bringing her scenes to life. Once again the text was full of wonderful sensory allusions of smell and taste, coloring the reader’s impression even further. From the streets of Prague to Matthew’s lodge at Woodstock, the settings are rich and varied, and the cast of new characters introduced is fascinating. Her delight in populating the pages with historical figures shines through in each interaction. The depth and complexity of the plot is greatly satisfying, as the world that was introduced in the first book and the interesting caste system of the three supernatural races is embellished upon. In this case, creating a mixture of historical fact and reference with the fictional world is very successful.
The reader learns a great deal more about Matthew’s role in the past and his motivations, for better or for worse. Much like Diana, we’re forced to see Matthew in a new light, deal with his imperfections and decide whether he’ll continue being the epitome of the perfect man. For the most part, he does not disappoint.
Once again, I’m left impatiently awaiting the next and final installment of the trilogy.
Four and a half Venison Pasties.
(With relatively little elaboration/commercial interruption from yours truly)
“Unfortunately, the problem is that in America, women in the media are still treated as either Madonnas or whores… the easiest and most predictable way for a lot of men to deal with a strong woman with strong opinions is to automatically call her a slut and immediately call into question her morality and life choices…. I want women in this country to have the opportunity to be three-dimensional human beings. I want women to be accepted as smart, powerful, intelligent and in tune with their sexuality without automatically being labeled “sluts” for having those qualities.” ~ pp 54-55, Meghan
“So many other countries have mandatory military service, which I don’t think we need, but I wonder whether some sort of mandatory national service wouldn’t be a good idea for our country. Whether it’s military or educational or mentoring or park service, the list of needs we have is great and we certainly don’t lack for bored young people. I also worry that our culture is slowly becoming so fragmented that our national identity might get irretrievably diluted along the way.” ~pp 117-118, Michael
“Just as Elvis was probably inevitable, so was Obama… Both Elvis and Obama represent the collision of cultures, which is how America has always marked its own progress, from 1492 on…Both men were charismatic, inspirational figures who energized America and, then, the world…. Both were scorned and both did a lot to earn that scorn; hopefully Obama never makes any movies like Blue Hawaii.” ~p194, Michael
“So, is it fair that he won’t buy health insurance, but the public should pay for his appendectomy?
No. But it’s not fair that the government should tell him what he has to buy, either.” ~p 233, Michael
(Surprisingly, this is the section of the book that got me the MOST fired up. I can’t stand the arrogance of healthy people that refuse to buy insurance because “they’re young and healthy, and understand the risk they’re taking by not doing so.”
I had health insurance when I was getting paid $9.50 an hour as a technician at CVS. I went into the hospital to have my gallbladder removed as an outpatient, and left the hospital 3 weeks later after pancreatitis with a $76,000.00 hospital bill. Should the public have had to pay for that?)
“There’s something I sometimes forget when talking to [Meghan] about Obama. Her father lost the presidency of the United States of America to that guy. That’s got to be a tough pill to swallow… But here’s one of the things I love about Meghan McCain: even though her dad lost the election to Barack Obama, even though she has every reason to buy into the whole “Marxist/Kenyan/Socialist/Saul Alinsky/terrorist-loving crap,” she does not. Meghan McCain is committed to finding the good in her president.”~ p233, Michael
“I love a man in a Ford F-Series pickup truck, so much that my girlfriends and I have a running joke about how all men should just do themselves a favor and buy Ford pickups, because they automatically become more attractive when driving them. Seriously, I will take a man in a Ford any day of the week over a man in a BMW.” ~p244, Meghan
(She gets the Car Question, ladies! It never fails!)
“I think that ended up being the funniest part about our assumed divide. That our roles completely reverse when we step away from how we want our government run and look closer at how we live our own personal lives. Labels are stupid.” ~p308, Meghan
Thank you for joining me on my book club read of America, You Sexy Bitch: A Love Letter to Freedom for Mandy’s Blogger Book Club! If any of the previous posts have intrigued you at all, or if you just want to examine your political leanings before the election in November, I highly recommend you pick up a copy and give it a read.
America, You Sexy Bitch~ Michael Ian Black and Meghan McCain
Plot Summary (from Amazon): She is a single, twentysomething, gun-loving, Christian, Republican writer and blogger, the daughter of a Senator and 2008 Republican presidential nominee. He is a married, forty-year-old, gun-fearing, atheist, Democrat comedian, the son of a lesbian former Social Security employee. Meghan McCain and Michael Ian Black barely know each other. But they are about to change the way politics is discussed in America.
Or at least the way politics are discussed in their crappy RV.
In America, You Sexy Bitch, Meghan and Michael embark on a balls-out, cross-country tour starting in California, the heart of liberal America, and ending in the state of Connecticut, the home of blue-blood Wall Street billionaires. Along the way, they visit such cultural touchstones as Graceland and Branson, party in Las Vegas and New Orleans, pretend to be Mormon in Salt Lake City (only for a second), and go to a mosque in Dearborn, Michigan. They tour the nation’s capital; they fire semiautomatic weapons. But mostly Meghan McCain and Michael Ian Black talk to each other: about their differences, their similarities, and how American politics has gotten so divided.
Soundtrack: “American Woman” ~ Lenny Kravitz
This was an obvious choice, since it’s Meghan’s karaoke song and a fitting track to the mental image of their RV rolling across the country during a summer heat wave. Something about sweaty car seats just screams Lenny Kravitz to me.
Best Enjoyed With: Anything Alcoholic. Preferably a Bourbon Slush, because those sounded delish.
Let me start off by specifying that there will be more than one post on this book, because I flagged waaaaay too many quotes to be contained in one blog post. That said, this post is solely intended as a review of the book as a whole.
One night, Michael Ian Black decided to check Twitter after taking an Ambien. While not the most common recreational activity, this enabled him to pitch a book idea to Meghan McCain: Let’s take a cross country road trip to talk to Real Americans about politics and the state of our country. To his surprise she accepted, and this book was born. Spawned. Created… whatev.
A great deal of this book challenged my perceptions of the main political parties in this country, though I can’t say that I will necessarily change the way that I perceive my own affiliation. I certainly understand more what the two parties’ ideals are, and I found the juxtaposition in the last chapter to be fascinating- Meghan McCain, Republican, heading off to a new life in the city, and Michael Ian Black settling back into his lovely home in the suburbs. It just emphasized that certain people are drawn to particular lifestyles, regardless of what the stereotypical “affiliation” of that lifestyle may be (ie the wandering free-spirited Democrat or the nuclear family-centered Republican).
I greatly admire Meghan McCain for what she is trying to do for the Republican Party, moving them away from the radical and updating their image to appeal to a wider range of people. She’s an ardent patriot, staunch in her belief that the United States of America is the greatest country in the world. She’s also a woman in her 20s, dealing with the scrutiny of being in the public eye from a very young age. She’s also brassy, sassy, and lays it ALL out there. She’s a walking contradiction- a voice of the young Republican party who is a supporter of gay marriage and believes the government should stay out of women’s girlybits. But why should that make her a contradiction? She states multiple times that she sees the world in shades of grey, not black and white, and that is EXACTLY what we need in politics right now. I also desperately want to put on some slutty heels, drink some whiskey and listen to country music with her. (Only if she keeps her hands off my girlcrush, Jennifer Nettles.)
(Hear that, Meghan? Call me! *wink)
Michael Ian Black comes off as being a bit more distant, at least to me. He is the cynical observer, making note of the reactions of those around him. To that point, when he does experience a strong emotional response, the reader pauses and takes note. He is actually extremely responsible and respectful of what they’re trying to accomplish, making him the surprising “straight guy” among the RV crew.
They definitely accomplished a trip through an interesting cross-section of America- trekking through the southern US and hitting such notable destinations as Memphis, Nashville, Austin and NOLA. They made a point of travelling both to Salt Lake City and the Muslim capitol of the US, Dearborn, Michigan. Their journey concludes in Washington, DC over dinner with Senator John McCain himself, and provides a unique look at the current emotional climate on Capitol Hill. My only gripe with their journey was that I actually felt that some of the more liberal states were under-represented. That’s entirely a personal opinion, but I would have liked to see a visit to the Pacific Northwest, or perhaps to New England (which traditionally swings more liberal and where gay marriage is legal in a number of states).
I’ve read some criticism of this book as being an overblown road trip, just a series of vignettes mostly taking place in bars. However, I do think that Michael and Meghan set out and accomplished exactly what they were aiming for- they proved that two polar opposites could spend an extended period of time together and foster an open, honest dialogue about the state of American politics right now. No, they’re not going to save the world or fix global warming. That’s not what they set out to do.
I admit, I found myself wondering toward the end if the book would get to the point, and Michael knocked it out of the park for me on page 295:
“My cynical view on our nation is simple: we’re fucked. Before leaving for the trip, I thought our current fuckedness was a temporary aberration… But after diving deeper into our problems, I realized that America has some serious, perhaps fundamental, troubles.
If you start to talk about healthcare, for example, you have to talk about the poor. If you talk about the poor, you have to talk about jobs. If you talk about jobs, you have to talk about globalization….and pretty soon you’re not talking about anything because you’re talking about everything. Each issue is so hopelessly entwined with every other that they’re like a ball of yarn the cat’s gotten into.”
That, my friends, is it in a nutshell. That’s what makes it so difficult for us to have a civil political dialogue at this point in American history- everything is so interrelated that it’s difficult to choice one point of discussion without inevitably offending someone’s view on a related topic. YES. Michael and Meghan proved through their trip that it CAN be done, as long as we all seek to dig deep for understanding and turn off our egos.
Perhaps most striking to me was the book’s (perhaps unintentional) comparison of Meghan McCain to America. Sometimes they’re both a sexy bitch. Sometime’s they’re both a hot mess. But America has always been one to go her own way, and nobody is a better example of that than someone who is attempting to blaze a new political trail. Meghan is a die-hard patriot, and America needs someone like that in her corner for future generations.
This book certainly made me laugh, made me think, and made me dog-ear more pages than I’m proud to admit.
Four and a half out of Five Stinky RVs.
*Disclosure: I received this book from in exchange for an honest review and participation in Mandy’s Blogger Book Club. Many Thanks to Mandy for this experience!*
Book Description (From Amazon):
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
Soundtrack: “Eyes Open”~ Taylor Swift
Again with the “Hunger Games” soundtrack, but it’s not surprising to me that songs inspired by one dystopian story are so easily transferred to others.
I stayed up WAY too late last night finishing this book, and when I turned the last page I sat there , whispering “YES!” into the darkness of my bedroom. That’s really all that was left to do. I am SO excited by the new group of YA writers right now- they are publishing some amazing work, and it’s exhilarating to be reading along as the stories unfold.
**Warning: If you haven’t read “Divergent,” please stop here. It’s impossible to discuss “Insurgent” without being spoilery.**
“Insurgent” picks up immediately where “Divergent” ended, in the aftermath of Erudite’s traitorous attack on Abnegation. Tris, Four, Tris’ Brother Caleb and Four’s assy father Marcus are fleeing to Amity, hoping for some asylum after watching those they loved being butchered by their faction-mates while under a simulation. They need to warn the other factions of Erudites betrayal, and hopefully gain support for the inevitable conflict that will occur as a result.
Veronica Roth managed to keep this book a non-stop race, and we run along with Tris as she is not only forced into the role of an Insurgent, but given very little time to grieve the extreme changes in her life. Watching both her parents die, and being forced to kill one of her best friends has understandably affected her, and she has a great deal of trouble coming to terms with the new reality the factions have been forced into. She doesn’t know who to trust, and throughout the story tends to place her trust in questionable people. Sometimes this works out for her, sometimes it backfires. OR DOES IT?!
There is so much going on at all times, that when you reach the final climax, your mind is well and truly blown. Multiple times over. As in “Wow, I can’t believe he was right! Good call, Tris! Wait, she’s doing WHAT?! OH NO FREAKIN WAY.”
I really enjoyed getting to travel with the main characters to the different factions. In the sake of thorough research (and not because I’m a huge nerd! Seriously. Stop looking at me like that.)(Ok I am, whatever. Moving on.), I devoured the bonus material in the back of Divergent and showed a definite aptitude for Amity, so it was interesting to finally see what they were all about. Some levity was definitely needed in the book, and Roth picked the right time to inject (haha, literally) some humor into the plot. We’re also whisked along to Candor, as they also need to be made aware of Erudite’s plans.
The ooooonly flaw I found in this book was the “second book slump” in Tris and Four’s relationship. There were so many reasons for it, including Tris’ emotional state, but it was the only plotline that I felt was predictable. Yay! They got together at the end of “Divergent!” Let’s mess with them a little bit so that they have some emotional distance and start questioning loyalties and trust and… *yawn*
I’ve read a lot of criticism of Tris’ actions in this book, and to me they seemed pretty natural. Her Divergent abilities allow her to picture scenarios from more than one perspective, so she’s going to see the angles that people accustomed to thinking a certain way might miss. Throw on a scoop of PTSD and a heap of guilt, and she’s not going to be Princess Predictable. Yes, she was reckless, and YES she lied to Four repeatedly. I’d rather have my heroine be ballsy and trust her gut, especially if those instincts turn out repeatedly to be right. Equal blame can be placed on Four for involving Tris in certain decisions, and then ignoring her input.
This book gets enthusiastic approval from me as a whole, and as a continuation of the first book. Veronica Roth continues her world building, introduces new vital characters, and somehow manages to blow the door off an amazing direction for the next book. The hardest thing will be waiting for another year to read how the story ends.
Four and a half pieces of Amity Bread.
“Divergent”- Veronica Roth
Plot Summary (From Amazon)- In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
Soundtrack: “Headstrong”- Trapt
Ok, I know the song is from, like, 2003. I make no claims about being “hip” and “current”. I once saw a martial arts demonstration performed to this song, and the calculated, controlled power that they exhibited kept coming to mind while I was reading about the Dauntless.
The best books, in my opinion, are the books that take up residence in your head so vividly that you can’t help but think about them when you put them down. They’ve got insane world-building, characters and conflicts that hook you, and all you can do is think about when you’ll have time to read next and advance further into the story. They’re the books that make you release a breath you didn’t even realize you were holding. “Divergent” is one of those books.
Beatrice has lived in Abnegation all her life, but has never quite felt like she fit in. She’s not selfless enough to spend the rest of her life putting others’ needs before her own, but she’s terrified that the consequences of choosing a new faction might mean losing her own family forever.
Once she makes the choice to join the Dauntless (and becomes Tris), she’s immediately swept up in their reckless, adrenaline junkie lifestyle. She’s faced with both terror and exhilaration on a daily basis, and realizes that she feels more alive than she ever has. Nobody promised that the initiation process would be easy, but she didn’t expect the danger that she faces from all sides- from her fellow initiates, from the young and volatile Dauntless leader Eric, and for being who she is- Divergent.
It’s the exploration of the concept of Divergence that gives this story its real kick. How can a person be neatly pigeonholed into one faction based on a certain aspect of their personality? Each person has it within himself to be Intelligent, Honest, Brave, Peaceful AND Selfless. Those who don’t fall neatly within black and white cannot be as easily controlled, and thus represent a threat to the enforced order of society.
Tris and Four have taken a high spot in my recent esteem of literary couples. It could be that they seem so NORMAL after reading about Ana and Christian in the Fifty Shades Trilogy. Tris takes brave to the extreme, both in being forced to face her fears and always being willing to step up to protect those she cares about. She’s half Lisbeth Salander and half Katniss Everdeen, but with a certain light-heartedness that’s all her own.
The first person perspective of the novel is extremely effective, especially through Tris’ training experience as you’re in her head and “feeling” what she is. Veronica Roth’s vision of a dystopian Chicago is fascinating, and it’s fun to add another layer to where other authors have chosen to place their societies. (Notably Suzanne Collins’ Districs of Panem and Lauren Oliver’s New England-based “Delirium” trilogy) The writing is sparse but effective, and the pacing is pitch perfect.
The only good thing about my delay in reading this book for the first time is that “Insurgent” has already been released, so I’m able to run right out and continue the story.
Five out of Five Raven Tattoos
“Fifty Shades of Grey”~ E.L. James
Plot Summary (From Amazon): When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.
Soundtrack: “The Ruler and The Killer” ~Kid Cudi
Yes, I’ve been listening to the “Hunger Games” soundtrack a lot… This has great gritty guitar, a constant drumbeat and lyrics that just knock it out of the park,
“When I talk you should listen
All of you belong to me
Come on would you get it going?
What I want is specific
Respect what I have done for thee…”
AMIRITE? Something tells me that when he’s not listening to classical, Christian is playing the shit out of this song in the Red Room of Pain.
I don’t even know where to start with this book. Maybe I’ll start with the biggest surprise to me: I LIKED IT. I had low expectations going in, especially after seeing that the ladies at Forever Young Adult, whose opinions I hugely value, gave it a “did not finish.”
However, the book’s origin as a piece of Twilight fan-fiction, coupled with the sudden mass publicity it got perked my interest and I knew that I was willing to “take one for the team” and give it a read. You’re WELCOME, Internet.
YES, this book does contain sex. A lot of it. Some of which is a bit more unusual that what I’ve come across in my typical romance novel reading. If you think that might be a deal-breaker for you, I’d recommend staying away from this one. Was it as shockingly filthy as I expected based on the hype? Aw, hell no. I agree that the writing isn’t technically the best, but I certainly didn’t go into it expecting something award-worthy.
However, and this is what came as a surprise to me, it’s also very funny at times. Ana is learning about Christian and his tastes along with the reader, and her character lets us know it’s ok to be a little weirded out. We’re not simply asked to accept that he’s a complicated kinkster, and Ana doesn’t immediately lose her mind and get on board with his plan to make her his Submissive. She’s conflicted, and the occasional notes from her prudish Subconscious and free-spirited Inner Goddess provide amusing commentary.
This probably comes as a surprise to nobody, but I was a HUGE “Twilight” fan back as the books were coming out. To this day, I have no logical explanation for my obsession, other than that there MUST have been subliminal drugs between the lines of Stephenie Meyer’s story. I looked forward to analyzing this from the perspective of someone intimately acquainted with the Twilight books, as that isn’t exactly the audience that this book has attracted.
YES, there are some very thinly veiled character changes. Jacob, Charlie, and Renee are barely disguised, while a few others are trickier to guess at. Ana’s roommate Kate is supposed to be based on Rosalie, but she seems much more like Alice personality-wise. Ana shares many quirks with Bella, down to fussing with her unmanageable hair and biting her lip. However, Ana seems to have much more personality than I remember from Bella, as well as her drive to succeed independently of Christian’s influence. Bella had no ambition apart from marrying Eddy-bear and living happily ever after, forever and ever.
The one person who truly bothered me at first was Christian. He is NOT Edward Cullen, and that’s where I firmly stand. He takes Edward’s initial protectiveness to the extreme, and is far more volatile than the character that supposedly inspired him ever was. In fact, he’s kind of an asshole. Edward’s deep dark secret was that he was a vampire, and couldn’t be with Bella without potentially killing her. Removing that element and making Christian a predator of a different kind IS an original idea. Edward’s chivalry and old-fashioned morals have been replaced by the guidelines of the contract drawn up between Ana and Christian.
Between the escapism of Ana’s exposure to Christian’s seemingly endless wealth, to the steamy sexual exploits, I raced through this book and have preordered the other two installments in the series. While I might not necessarily recommend it to my mom, I’m definitely passing on the word to some of my friends.
To borrow from the witty and creative Jess, who is one of my partners in crime at The Readers Café: This one gets Four out of Five grey silk ties.
Of course, that wasn’t the original purpose of our vacation, but it proved to be an interesting bonus.
Army Boy and I travelled to Long Island over Easter weekend to “celebrate” our six-month anniversary as a married couple. I know, it seems a little excessive, but I felt the need to make up to him a bit that he was hampered by my hobbling during our visit to Ireland. When a Groupon for Oheka Castle came up before Christmas, I quickly jumped on it.
Side note: Yes, I’d recommend using Groupon Getaways if you can travel within the time window assigned to each deal. Oheka was wonderful to work with, and it was a great opportunity we might not have a: been aware of, or b: been able to afford otherwise.
I know, it seems like we have a bit of a fascination with castles. Honestly, can you blame us?
As we did in Ireland, I picked out a few potential activities within a short driving distance of the hotel, and figured that we’d play it by ear when we arrived. This seems to work really well for us. Rather than committing to a full “day trip,” we can take in the sights and still be back and ready to relax without too much additional travel. It allowed us to keep things really low-key, which made the weekend seem more indulgent.
With a bathroom like this, how can it be anything but?
We took a tour of the castle and its grounds on Easter Sunday, which was a gloriously gorgeous day. It was intriguing to learn more about the original owner of the castle, Otto Kahn (ie the inspiration for “Mr Moneybags” from Monopoly). The gardens were perfectly landscaped, and Huntington harbor was just visible from our vantage point. I HAD to ask our tour-guide about the castle’s claims of being haunted, and she verified that they’d had a paranormal research team come in and do an investigation. Considering my recent preoccupation with “Ghost Hunters: International” on Netflix, it was a fun coincidence.
The rest of the day was spent walking through Huntington, which was a charming little town close by. There weren’t too many shops open due to the holiday, but we hit the highlights- an amazing indie bookstore and CRUMBS cupcakes. Because DUH. We then proceeded to enjoy an Easter meal of the best sushi we’d ever had. I have to give Huntington props for food- there were TONS of restaurants, with three choices for sushi alone.
We arrived home after a drive that was somehow TWO HOURS longer than the trip up, to some exciting packages in the mail. First was my copy of Fifty Shades of Grey, which I oh-so-generously agreed to review for my own smutty curiosity The Readers Café.
Secondly was CJHannas’s recently finished manuscript. I volunteered to read it, and was completely flattered when he offered me a copy. I admit, I was a bit intimidated (what if his writing was faaaaaarrrrr too smart for me?!), but quickly got into his writing style and have been tearing through it over the past few days. It’s been a blast to be part of the writing process in this way.
Finally, I’m appealing to any of the other book lovers who may visit this blog: Do YOU want to join a book review site with some fun, smart, and snarky people that love books as much as you do? The Readers Café is looking for some more reviewers, and we’d love for you to join us! You read what you can, at your pace, and post a review when you’re done. It’s an absolute breeze, and we’re having a blast so far. We all have different tastes, so no genre will go unnoticed! Send an email to thereaderscafe1@gmail.com and let us know you’re interested!
Last week was such an amazingly fun week for me, and I hope that the rest of you enjoyed getting to know Erika Mitchell. She’s so incredibly fun and nice, and when she makes it BIG, I hope she remembers our first fireside chat/author interview. Because trust me, the Making it Big is coming.
First, thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway! I know it wasn’t your typical, “leave a comment and we’ll pick you out of a hat,” type deal, and the entries we got were phenomenal. Since I couldn’t trust myself to judge objectively, I turned to our dear friends at Random.org and let them pick one of my commenters.
And now, the moment that we’ve all been waiting for…
Our winner is… CJHANNAS!!
To be totally fair, he did win with this doozy of an escape plot:
I won’t give you my Plan A (just in case…) but I think Plan B is just as promising.
First, I would put on a clown costume with full makeup. Not sure yet if I’m going sad clown or happy clown, but that may be a spur of the moment choice. The costume would not only obscure my face to lower the chances that someone recognizes me from a flyer, but would also give me a sort of natural cover since people are either indifferent to clowns or really terrified of them. Whatever the case, they’re taking at most a quick peek, then looking away.
Next, I climb on a moped and make for one of the borders, which would be decided by whichever I was closest to at the time. I think the plan works for either Mexico or Canada, and really, who wants to be mopeding for longer than they have to? The moped is so small the border inspection would be very quick, thus getting me out of the country that much faster.
In this age of social media and people taking pics/video of everything, the last thing a border guard wants is an extensive flow of posts showing them frisking a clown, so I would definitely get only a cursory examination. Plus as someone who has been described as able to come up with “extremely credible nonsense,” I dare the guards to challenge me to take off the face makeup and see how long I can argue it’s necessary to wear on religious grounds. Long story short, clown = no questions, no heroes, quick exit.
AMIRITE? It’s practically fool-proof. Though if that was Plan B, I WISH I knew what Plan A was. Perhaps it’s plot material for one of his future novels.
Congratulations, Sihrc!! (Ok, I tried… it doesn’t work quite as well as “Ben”) Send me a message with your mailing address, and Erika will get your very own shiny copy of PWNED out to you. I promise, we won’t send you any porn Taco Bell coupons junk mail.
Just a quick reminder that my PWNED giveaway closes Monday evening! To gain major credit with the gamer in your life, enter to win!
To win your own copy of PWNED, straight from the super-hot Author:
PWNED gets really exciting when Sean decides travel to GSL despite being on the FBI watch list. How would YOU flee the country if the government was after you? Leave your super-secret scheme in the comments of this post, and I’ll post a winner on Tuesday!
For a second bonus entry, stop by and “like” Erika’s author page on Facebook, for updates on her latest writing endeavors. Leave a comment and let me know that you did.
Good Luck everyone!
