August Wrap-Up

I did horribly this month. I don't know why. Actually I do, I spent way to much time watching television when I could have been reading. I am going to have to do better this month if I want to complete my reading challenges and personal goals.

Read & Reviewed in August:

The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan

Holes by Louis Sachar

Adulthood Rites by Octavia E. Butler

Imago by Octavia E. Butler

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Read But Not Reviewed in August:

The Vixen Manual by Karrine Steffans

Planned To Read But Did Not:

Hair Story: Untangling The Roots of Black Hair in America by Ayana D. Byrd and Lori L. Thraps

Don't Move: A Novel by Margaret Mazzantini

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

Lolita by Vladmir Naboko

Completed Challenges for 2009:

The Pulitzer Project * - Completed 5 out of 5 Books (100%)

TBR Challenge - Completed 15 out of 12 Books (125%)

Challenges Still in Process:

Round The World - Completed 7 out of 18 Books (39%)

Through The Decades '09 - Completed 7 out of 9 Books (78%)

1% Well Read - Completed 7 out of 10 Books (70%)

Serial Reader - Completed 12 out of 15 Books (80%)

Library Challenge - Completed 23 out of 25 Books (92%)

*I had a goal to read 5 out of the 82 Pulitzer Prize winning books for this year. I still have 77 books to go. But since this is a perpetual challenge, I am not in a rush.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Narrator: Robert Whitfield

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Length: 14 hours and 32 minutes

Genre: Fiction (Classic)

Series: No

Publication Date: 1897

Synopsis (From Amazon.com):

When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula with the purchase of a London house, he makes horrifying discoveries about his client and his castle. Soon afterwards, a number of disturbing incidents unfold in England: an unmanned ship is wrecked at Whitby; strange puncture marks appear on a young woman's neck; and the inmate of a lunatic asylum raves about the imminent arrival of his 'Master'. In the ensuing battle of wits between the sinister Count Dracula and a determined group of adversaries, Bram Stoker created a masterpiece of the horror genre.

Review:

Apparently there is a lot of misrepresentation on what exactly is Bram Stoker's Dracula. I was under the impress that this was a more bloody, horror filled book than it really was. In fact, Dracula is more of a collection of diary entries, newspaper clippings, and letters describing the events in the story. It's not scary or gory.

The narrator Robert Whitfield was great at doing the voices for all the male characters. When Whitfield did the voice of the none English characters, his talent really stood out. It at times seemed that a different person was reading those parts. The female voices were all done in the same manner, where it was hard to distinguish one from the other.

The audiobook version of Dracula was hard to focus to for a large portion of the story. At the end it was easier to focus and get caught up in what was happening but not at the beginning.

Pros: Narrator, plot, characters

Cons: Hard to follow

Overall Recommendation:

I think the audiobook version is a great way to read Dracula. It makes the writing easier to digest.

Challenges:

1% Well Read (7 out of 10 Books)

TBR Challenge (15 out of 12 Books)

Imago by Octavia E. Butler

Rating:3 out of 5 Stars
Pages: 264
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Xenogenesis (Book 3 out of 3)
Publication Date: 1989

Synopsis (From Inside Cover):

The alien Oankali have saved a doomed Earth and dying humanity – as part of a “trade”; because Oankali survival requires constant genetic exchange. We are their new mating stock; and the children are Constructs, trans-species hybrids destined for the stars. Loving, gentle, wise with the legacy of a thousand such trades, the Oankali have anticipated and provided for every objectios, resistance, contingency... except this.

Except Jodahs. One of many construct children born to Lilith Lyapo. But not a son. Nor a daughter. Jodahs is a human-ooloi. Ooloi – the Oankali third gender essential to breed humans and aliens, makes and females. Utter alien, shapeshifting, the essence of Oankali: ooloi sort and mix genes withing their bodies; ooloi heal the sick and repair the maimed. And more. For ooloi can survive with food, water, air... but not with quenching and absolute physical need – to love. To touch. To taste – and to change – all other forms of life.

Yet a single flawed ooloi can endanger a world... cause cancer and sores with every glancing caress... mutate the ground it walks on... breed disease in the very air it breathes... bur in unloved agony... and project that pain on every organism near it.

Nor daring to risk the trade the Oankali want Jodahs to return to their ship and face eternity as a quarantined biology experiment. Unless he – unless it – can control the change to ooloi adulthood, live as a genderless human, and master powers and passion beyond even alien comprehension.

Jodahs' family flee into jungle exile, a small, caring band of humans, aliens, and hybrids on a desperate quest of self-discovery. Here they must raise the child who will either become the final link between all that is human and all that is not... or grow into a mad, living pestilence. And beyond strength, beyond will, beyond endurance, Jodahs himself must find something the Oankali's wondrous science can never provide...

A miracle.

Review:

Imago is the last book in the Xenogenesis series and the most disappointing. While reading the book, the thought kept occurring that the series could have ended at book two and been perfectly complete. Imago at times feels like an afterthought, a way to keep things going.

There is nothing wrong with the writing style. Butler is an excellent writer, quickly engrossing the reader in the world that she has created. She was able to keep that up in Imago, the pages just seemed to fly by. The first difference that the reader will notice is that this story is told through the perspective of Jodahs, the genderless hybrid. It seems forced and the feelings that Jodahs' express are flat.

Unfortunately, the characters lacked the same feel as they did in the first two books (Dawn and Adulthood Rites). There was a loss of connection between what Jodah was feeling and the response that I felt. I didn't really care. I just wanted to see what the outcome was. Jodahs observation about his able to shapeshift were interesting, but his observation about humans not. The observation about humans and there nature were part of the beauty of the first two books, a beauty that was not continued in the final book of the series.

Another problem with this books is that the ending was bland. It was just sort of a quick wrap up, something to conclude the story. But it opened the possibility to another book, and as this is the end of the series, it was satisfying at all.

Pros: Writing, Theme
Cons: Characters, Conclusion

Overall Recommendation:

Personally, I think that readers can stop at book two and be done with the series and still be satisfied. Book 3 is more of an afterthought and could be skipped. But it is a quick read and Butler writing is always engaging.

Challenges:
Series Challenge (12 out of 15 books)
Library Challenge (23 out of 25 books)

If you have a review of this book or any other book reviewed on my site. Post a link to that review in the comment section so, I can link back to you.

Teaser Tuesday: August 18

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
  Let the book fall open to a random page.
  Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
  You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
  Please avoid spoilers!

This week I am actually reading two books and listening to a third (Dracula). So, I am going to post teasers from the two books that I am reading and the one that I am listening to.

The Well and The Mine by Gin Phillips: page 191

"Baked apple," he said, and held it up. The juice running down his fingers, and I could smell it. My biscuits weren't quite as tasty then.

The Vixen Manual by Karrine Steffans: page 141

I can just hear it now: "That's it? That's all your gonna give us?" Yes, girls, that's all I can give you, and here's a great example as to way.

Dracula by Bram Stoker: page 198

"Can you tell me why the tortoise lives more long than generations of men; why the elephant goes on and on till he have seen dynasties; and why the parrot never die only of bite of cat or dog or other complaint? Can you tell me why men believe in all ages and places that there are some few who live on always if they be permit; that there are men and women who cannot die?"

My favorite of the three is, of course, the Dracula quote. Isn't that lovely. I haven't gotten to that section in the audiobook yet. But I can't wait to hear it with the accent.

Adulthood Rites by Octavia E. Butler

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

Pages: 277

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Xenogensis Series (Book 2 of 3)

Publication Date: 1988

Synopsis (From back of book) Contains Spoilers:

The Oankali aliens have saved Earth. For a price. Oankali survival requires constant genetic exchange...and we are their new mating stock. The resisters reject the Oankali to live free in the wilds, a last generation of sterile humans sinking into savagery and suicide, stealing and mutilating half-alien hybrid babies to claim as their own. Akin is a hybrid, an Oankali construct infant, his body a bridge between worlds. He looks human, but can remember the womb, taste molecular structure, and kill with a toxic touch...

Kidnapped from his Oankali home, Akin is thrust into a resisters' society of desperation, violence, need – pride. He can understand his captors only by becoming less alien. He can help the resisters only by becoming more alien. Akin can defend human beings only by becoming Oankali.

And if Akin tries to save humanity, the humans will kill him.

Review:

Note: It is impossible to review this book with spoiling some of the first book. Be aware this review may and does contain what spoilers. But if you have already read the synopsis than some of the first books is already spoiled. On to the review.

In Adulthood Rites, Butler picks what where she left off. It is about 30 years after Dawn and Lilith has bore and contains to have alien hybrid (constructs) children. Adulthood Rites is the story of one of those children. Told in a limited third person narrative, Adulthood Rites is the look into the struggles that the Akin (Lilith's only human born constructs male child) and the humans resisters that now inhibit the earth. As in the first book (Dawn), Butler contains to explore the theme of what it means to be human and the contradictions that are inherent in humanity. Even though the story is in third person, the reader only gets to see the world through Akin's senses. This position allows readers not only to connect with the human resisters but also evaluate aspects of humanity that lead the Oankali make humans resist sterile. Through Akin, readers get to see how humans make choices that lead to violence, rage, despair, and sorrow. But they also get to see that for most people the idea of the future and progress, mainly through children, is what makes up want to achieve greater heights. Butler is able to do all this expertly in a simple narrative that is less than three hundred pages.

Pros: Writing, Characters, Plot

Cons: N/A

Overall Recommendation:

This book in my opinion is better than Dawn. It could just be because I like the outcome more in this book than the other. But I would recommend this book to anyone that has read the first. But it is important that the books are read in order, so of the important themes and events are needed to make the story make flow accurately.

Challenges:

TBR Challenge (14 out of 12 Books)

Series Challenge (11 out of 15 Books)

If you have a review of this book or any other book reviewed on my site. Post a link to that review in the comment section.

Mailbox Monday: August 17

The last two weeks have been kind of slow with the amount of books coming in. Which is good, since I have so many books that I have no yet started or completed.

The first book I received has been getting a lot of attention and great reviews. I was lucky enough to win a copy (sorry forgot which site I won it from). The second is an ARC, the author requested that I do a review.

On to the books:

The Sunday Salon: Back Again

What is the Sunday Salon? Imagine some university library's vast reading room. It's filled with people--students and faculty and strangers who've wandered in. They're seated at great oaken desks, books piled all around them, and they're all feverishly reading and jotting notes in their leather-bound journals as they go. Later they'll mill around the open dictionaries and compare their thoughts on the afternoon's literary intake....

After being gone for about a week I am back. I didn't go anywhere but took a week away from blogging. I ave been reading. In fact I have read three books. Two of which I still need to review. I have never had books lined up to be read. I think this will be the last time this happens.

The Pulitzer Project: One of the perpetual challenges that I am doing is reading the Pulitzer's. I have only read five of them but since this challenge has no official start and stop date, I am going to take it easy. As I have stated in a previous Sunday Salon, I have become a list person. In the spirit of making list I have created a spreadsheet for this challenge. It is based and works just like the 1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list. In fact I borrowed most all of the formulas from it. You can get it from Google Documents, here.

Hosted Challenge: I have announced that I am hosting a Toni Morrison Mini Challenge. The challenge starts in September and last til the end of the year. I haven't even started to plan what books I am going to read. But I still have a few weeks. You can sign up here.

Staying Opened Minded: I won a copy of The Vixen Manual: How To Find, Seduce & Keep The Man You Want by Karrine Steffans a couple of weeks ago from Books Soulmate. If you don't know who Karrine Steffans is her is a brief introduction. She use to be a video model for mostly rap/hip hop videos. She has slept with numerous men in both music and spots. She wrote a book about her exploits and named names. Anyways, once upon a time I tried to read her first book Confessions of a Video Vixen but the writing was bad and atmosphere of the book was bad, so I abandoned it about halfway through and vowed to never pick up another one of her books. Then she came out with this and it perked my interest. Why? Because I wanted to know what she has to say about finding a man and if her advice is good and sound. I am trying to be opened minded but knowing her background it is hard. I am only on the second chapter and so far it's okay but I am only on page 11. I have find something that I disagree with but I'll save that for the review or another post. It's hard to stay open minded when reading a relationship advice book by a woman whose nickname use to be Superhead, sex advice maybe, relationship advice I don't know.

Coming Up This Week (Reviews Scheduled):

Adulthood Rites by Octavia E. Butler

Imago Octavia E. Butler

The Vixen Manual by Karrine Steffans

The Well and The Mine by Gin Phillips

Hair Story by Ayana D. Byrd

Holes by Louis Sachar

Rating: 3 stars

Pages: 231

Genre: Fiction (Juvenille)

Series: No

Publication Date: 1988

Synopsis (From back of book):

Stanley Yelnats is under a curs. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnatses. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention cent, Camp Green Lake, where the boys build character by spending all day, every day, digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. But there are an awful lot of holes.

It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. But what could be buried under a dried-up lake? Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment - and redemption.

Review:

Holes is a great tale about a boy who is going through a bad situation growing, finding inner strength, and friendship. The main character Stanley Yelnats, is the perfect material for bullies and has been unlucky most of his life. Yet, while serving a sentence at Camp Green Lake he is able to make a group of friends, kind of. The group of friends aren't really friends they are boys who he shares a tent with. They all develop an understanding and a sort of ranking system. Each one knows their place. Stanley is able to bond with one boy, Zero, they learn how to share their strength for mutual benefit. Stanley is an interesting character because he is so much so like the normal average everyday kid. Zeros character on the other hand is more mysterious. He is different, quite and reserved. All the characters primary characters of the story are well develop.

The story was not as humorous as described. There were moments that caused a laugh and some that caused a smile. Since this book is more juvenile fiction, those reaction were expected. While the story was not humorous it was entertaining. Sachar did a good job with developing not only the characters but the background story. The background story of Stanely's no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather is entertaining. The way that story later ties in with other background stories makes the book complete. So, while the reader gets to a glimpse into Stanley's time at Camp Green Lake, they also get to know a little bit of his history and the history of the area where the camp is located. The history of the camps location is the most interesting story of the book. At times it is better and more attention getting than Stanley's story.

Sachar writing is very appreciate for the genre. For advance readers the book is rather quick to read but it is a page turner.

Pros: History, Characters, Plot,

Cons: Not that funny

Overall Recommendation:

Great book for juvenile readers probably wouldn't recommend for adults.

Challenges:

TBR Challenge (13 out of 12 Books)

Library Challenge (22 out of 25 Books)

Other Reviews:

Passion For The Pages

If you have a review of this book or any other book reviewed on my site. Post a link to that review in the comment section so, I can link back to you.

Friday Finds: August 7

This Friday I will spotlight books that I have books that I have came across while browsing The Happy Nappy Bookseller. The Happy Nappy Bookseller is a great place to find books contain people as color as the main character. The site is mostly young adult books. But it is a great place to too if you are looking for something to read.

Because I have so many books starred from THe Happy Nappy Bookseller I used random.org to decided how many books to include in this Friday Find. It didn't help much because it chose 7 books.

Marcelo In the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

Tales From Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan

The Fold by An Na

Leaving Glorytown: One Boy's Struggle Under Castro by Eduardo F. Calcines

Gringolandia by Lyn Miller-Lachmann

A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie "Peanut" Johnson by Michelle Y. Green

Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins

TBR Challenge Completed

I am excited to say that I have completed the TBR Challenge. I did sort of cheat a little and change some of my books. But all the books that I read were on my virtual TBR pile. So, it works it self out. I plan to continue with the challenge but I won't update my list.

It feels nice to have one more challenge completed.

The Top 3 Books:

1) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

2) Beloved by Toni Morrison

3) Thirteen Reason Why by Jay Asher

Worse Book:

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Complete List:The Awakening by LA Banks (Review)
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (Review)Beloved by Toni Morrison (Review)To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Review)Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston (Review)
When Chickhenheads Come Home to Roost by Joan Morgan (Review)
New Moon By Stephenie Meyer (Review)The Hunted by LA Banks (Review)
Dawn by Octavia Butler (Review)The Bonesetter's Daughter (Review)Chocolat by Joanne Harris (Review)
Thirteen Reason Why by Jay Asher (Review)

Mailbox Monday: August 3

I didn't realize how long it has been since I have done a Mailbox Monday. I have had 6 books come in since the last time I did this meme.

The books that I received are:

From Bookmooch

From Librarything Early Reviewer Program

From Author (ARC):

From Giveaway:

The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan

Rating: 3.5 stars

Pages: 368

Genre: Fiction (Chinese-American)

Series: No

Publication Date: 2001

Synopsis (From Google Books):

Ruth Young and her widowed mother, LuLing, have always had a tumultuous relationship. Now, before she succumbs to forgetfulness, LuLing gives Ruth some of her writings, which reveal a side of LuLing that Ruth has never known. . . .

In a remote mountain village where ghosts and tradition rule, LuLing grows up in the care of her mute Precious Auntie as the family endures a curse laid upon a relative known as the bonesetter. When headstrong LuLing rejects the marriage proposal of the coffinmaker, a shocking series of events are set in motion–all of which lead back to Ruth and LuLing in modern San Francisco. The truth that Ruth learns from her mother’s past will forever change her perception of family, love, and forgiveness.

Review:

Amy Tan has a gift of writing about the mother and daughter experience. One that transcends race or culture. The Bonesetter's Daughter is about the experience of a daughter coming to terms with her mother's illness and past. Just like the characters in The Joy Luck Club Ruth and her mother LuLing have a difficult relationship. Mostly do to the fact that the mother grow up in China and her daughter was raised in America. It is also a story of a daughter learning to appreciate her mother and culture a little more.

The Bonesetter's Daughter is a lot like The Joy Luck Club. It has fewer main characters. But Ruth and LuLing's relationship is almost exactly like that between the mothers and daughters featured in The Joy Luck Club. There is friction because Ruth does not understand her mother. Her mother is from China and after moving to America held on to a lot of her Chinese Culture. LuLing has been in the United States for almost 50 years yet doesn't speak or understand English that well. LuLing is also secretive of her past. All these situations lead to a very strained relationship that leave both Ruth and LuLing feeling unappreciated and misunderstood by one another.

The story is told from two points of view. The first person point of view is told by LuLing when she is describing her experience in China. The third person point of view in current times. It is the first person point of view that is the most catching. LuLing voice is powerful. The imagery and language that Tan uses to describe what she (LuLing) went through was fantastic. It expressed not only what the character was going through but the myths and beliefs that are part of Chinese culture. The strength in the story lies in the first person narrative of LuLings story.

The one major draw back with the story is that there are a lot of similarities between The Joy Luck Club and The Bonesetter's Daughter. Ruth and LuLing's characters and circumstances could have been switched with any of the mother-daughter pairs in The Joy Luck Club and they would not have been out of place. It makes theme and relationship between them appear recycled and therefore the outcome is not a surprise.

Also, there has been criticism online that Tan has a tendency to use stereotypes in her writing. I noticed that in this novel but that could be because I was looking for it.

Pros: Imagery, Storyline, Characters

Cons: Formula, Stereotypes, Predictable

Overall Recommendation:

Highly recommended with a precaution: If you have read The Joy Luck Club (or maybe any of her others works) the style and formula are easy noticeable and takes away some of the impact of the story.

Challenges:

TBR Challenge (12 out of 12 Books)

Other Reviews:

Katrina Reads

If you have a review of this book or any other book reviewed on my site. Post a link to that review in the comment section so, I can link back to you.

Toni Morrison Mini Challenge

I have decided to host my very first challenge. Since this is my first challenge, I have decided to get a feel of hosting a challenge by doing a mini challenge.

Hello and Welcome to the Toni Morrison Mini Challenge. This is a short term mini-challenge that last only four months (September 2009 - December 2009). That focuses is to read four fictional novels written by Toni Morrison.

Guidelines:

1) Anyone can join you don't have to have a website to participate.

2) Sign up for the mini-challenge using Mr. Linky below.

3) You can use books that are being used other challenges (see rules 4 and 7)

3) Read 4 novels writen by Toni Morrison

4) You also have the option of listening using audiobooks. But only 2 audiobooks count.

5) Only adult (or young adult) fiction novels count (non of her non-fiction or children's fiction count)

6) All 4 novels have to be new to you novels (no re-reads).

7) Challenge begins September 1, 2009 and end December 31, 2009

8) You can join anytime now and December 31, 2009.

9) Only books read between September 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009 count (once again no

re-reads)

List of Novels (from Wiki):

• The Bluest Eye (1970, ISBN 0-452-28706-5)
• Sula (1974, ISBN 1-4000-3343-8)
• Song of Solomon (1977, ISBN 1-4000-3342-x)
• Tar Baby (1981, ISBN 1-4000-3344-6)
• Beloved (1987, ISBN 1-4000-3341-1)
• Jazz (1992, ISBN 1-4000-7621-8)
• Paradise (1999, ISBN 0-679-43374-0)
• Love (2003, ISBN 0-375-40944-0)
• A Mercy (2008, ISBN 978-0-307-2463-7)

Smaller Challenge Badge:

August Forcast

Since actually setting goal and announcing them here worked so well in the month of July. I am going to keep this up. August promises to be packed. I set down and loot a really good look at my reading this year and so far I am falling way behind. I set a goal for myself to read 60 books and so far I have only read 26 of the ones on my list. I figure I would have to read 8 books a month to get through all the books that I set out to read this year. Not counting the ones ARC copies, books won, or books read for PBT. So, much reading so little time.

Read in July but need to Review:

None

Reading Now:

The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan

Plan to Read In July(in Order, from goal reading list):

Adulthood Rites by Octavia E. Butler

Imago by Octavia E. Butler

Hair Story: Untangling The Roots of Black Hair in America by Ayana D. Byrd and Lori L. Thraps

Don't Move: A Novel by Margaret Mazzantini

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

Lolita by Vladmir Nabokov

Dracula by Bram Stoker

ACR Books:

The Well and the Mine: A Novel by Gin Phillips

Books Won:

Vixen Manual by Karinne Stephens

PBT (Group at Shelfari):

The Bonesetter's by Amy Tan

Q&A by Vikas Swarup

A Long Way Gone: Memoir of a Boy Solider by Ishmael Beah

The Girl with no Shadow by Joanne Harris

When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson

Yes, folks that is 14 books this month. I don't think I have ever read 14 books in one month in my life. That averages out to 3.5 books per week. Wish me luck.