If you follow me on Twitter (@moniquereads) you know that I have started a new venture. I try not to tweet about it much because I don't want to come off as spammy but in a nutshell, I'm in the process of creating a book box called Our Story Box. Our Story Box has branched out into a review site called Our Story Reviews.
I have thought a lot about the future and what I should do with The Little Reading Nook. The first option was to delete the site and all it's content. But the thought of deleting 8 years of work and love broke my heart. The next option was to continue with The Little Reading Nook but in a limited capacity, only posting reviews and news that do not fit on Our Story Reviews. But I honestly don't have the time to keep up three sites. The last option and the one that I am going to take is to leave The Little Reading Nook as is. There will be no more updates but the reviews and content will stay for the few people that happen to wander by.
If you follow me here and would like to keep up with up I am doing please check out Our Story Reviews. It will have some similarities between The Little Reading Nook but the focus will narrow down to writer of colors (specifically Black writers). I still will be posting all books reviews on Goodreads so you can friend me there if you like.
I want to thank you for your support through out the years and even for putting up with my infrequent book reviews.
Monique
Monday, January 11, 2016
Monday, February 16, 2015
Teaser Tuesday: Marian Anderson
This weeks teasers is from Marian Anderson: A singer's Journey by Allen Keiler
- 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.
Please avoid spoilers!
- 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!
The president had been criticized by blacks during his first term because of his cautious attitude towards civil rights, especially his unwillingness to act against state-imposed segregation after the landmark Brown v Board of Education decision of the Supreme Court. Indeed, a 1955 Gallup poll revealed that Eisenhower's popularity among black voters had declined considerably during his first term.
pg. 281 (hardback edition.
Don't forget to post a link to your teaser!
I want to read it.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Shelved: March
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: Paperback
Publication Date: March 2005
Publisher: Viking Adult
Source: Private Collection
Synopsis (GoodReads):
As the North reels under a series of unexpected defeats during the dark first year of the war, one man leaves behind his family to aid the Union cause. His experiences will utterly change his marriage and challenge his most ardently held beliefs. Riveting and elegant as it is meticulously researched, March is an extraordinary novel woven out of the lore of American history.
From Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic Little Women, Geraldine Brooks has taken the character of the absent father, March, who has gone off to war, leaving his wife and daughters to make do in mean times. To evoke him, Brooks turned to the journals and letters of Bronson Alcott, Louisa May’s father—a friend and confidant of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. In her telling, March emerges as an idealistic chaplain in the little known backwaters of a war that will test his faith in himself and in the Union cause as he learns that his side, too, is capable of acts of barbarism and racism. As he recovers from a near mortal illness, he must reassemble his shattered mind and body and find a way to reconnect with a wife and daughters who have no idea of the ordeals he has been through.
Spanning the vibrant intellectual world of Concord and the sensuous antebellum South, March adds adult resonance to Alcott’s optimistic children’s tale to portray the moral complexity of war, and a marriage tested by the demands of extreme idealism—and by a dangerous and illicit attraction. A lushly written, wholly original tale steeped in the details of another time, March secures Geraldine Brooks’s place as an internationally renowned author of historical fiction..
Why I Shelved It:
I am not abandoning this book, instead, I am going to shelve it for later. I am just not in the right mood to finish it. Which is kind of a bummer, since this seems like a book that I normally would really enjoy. When I could force myself to read it the time flew by and I got lost in the pages. But I had to force myself to read it, I wasn't really enjoying it. I think part of the problem is that I just finished reading something that was serious and I really should have cleansed my reading palette with something lighter. March wasn't it.
So, for now I am shelving it and will try to pick it up in a couple of months.
Page Completed: 40
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Audiobook Review: Sold
Narrator: Justine Eyre
Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins
Genre: Young Adult (Fiction)
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: Audiobook
Publication Date: September 2006 (first published)
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Source: Purchase
Synopsis (GoodReads):
Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her family in a small hut on a mountain in Nepal. Though she is desperately poor, her life is full of simple pleasures, like playing hopscotch with her best friend from school and having her mother brush her hair by the light of an oil lamp. But when the harsh Himalayan monsoons wash away all that remains of the family's crops, Lakshmi's stepfather says she must leave home and take a job to support her family. He introduces her to a glamorous stranger who tells her she will find her a job as a maid in the city. Glad to be able to help, Lakshmi journeys to India and arrives at "Happiness House" full of hope. But she soon learns the unthinkable truth: she has been sold into prostitution.
An old woman named Mumtaz rules the brothel with cruelty and cunning. She tells Lakshmi that she is trapped there until she can pay off her family's debt - then cheats Lakshmi of her meager earnings so that she can never leave. Lakshmi's life becomes a nightmare from which she cannot escape. Still, she lives by her mother's words - simply to endure is to triumph - and gradually, she forms friendships with the other girls that enable her to survive in this terrifying new world. Then the day comes when she must make a decision - will she risk everything for a chance to reclaim her life?
Written in spare and evocative vignettes, this powerful novel renders a world that is as unimaginable as it is real, and a girl who not only survives but triumphs.
Review:
Plot: ASold is one of those books that I have had on my shelf for so long that I did not remember what it was about. When it went on sale on audiobook format through Audible I swiped it up. All that I remember about the book was that it took place in India and that the synopsis was interesting enough for me to want to read it despite the fact that it was a young adult book (not that I dislike YA fiction but it is not normally my genre).
I write all that to illustrate the point that I wasn't quite prepared for Sold. As I was walking the halls of my job entertained by the story and the narrator (who was excellent by the way, more on that later) I wasn't expecting the turn. When McCormick got to the part where Lakshmi is about to be sold into prostitution, I naively hoped that what was about to happen wasn't going to happen. That her step-father wasn't really selling her into prostitution and that the "aunt" was really going to take her to be a maid in some families home. I stopped the audio and re-read the synopsis only to find out that my prediction was right. I wanted to stop listening right there but I didn't and I am happy that I stuck with it.
The story is overall not a happy one, but there is hope in the pages (especially towards the end) and the fact that the story was done in first person through the eyes of Lakshmi, really made it shine.
Characters: A
The main character and narrator of the story is Lakshmi. I honestly have nothing bad to say about her, maybe it was because I was sad that a young innocent child was sold into prostitution. Or the fact that McCormick always made sure that reader (or listener in my case) never forgot that she was a child. One of the things that I was worried about was the fact that Lakshmi might give up hope of escape and become complacent in her situation as some of the women and girls in Happiness House were. I didn't have to worry about that even when she was afraid and feeling her worse Lakshmi always held on to the hope of escaping her situation.
There were several other women and girls in the story. I liked that McCormick gave them each a unique back-story and that the reader/listener got to know more about them. None of the characters seem flat to me, all of them were well round.
Narration: A+
Justine Eyre was a great narrator and I had my fears about the narration when I started listening. Fears rooted in the fact that I started listening to one book set in Saudi Arabia (I think) and the narrators accent was generic American broadcaster standard. It through me off, so much so that I had double check the location of the book and the characters to make sure my expectations were unfounded. Maybe I am one of a few people that would rather hear a story narrated by a actor with an accent similar to the ones that I imagine the characters would have.
I can't say if Justine Eyre's accent was right for someone from Nepal since I am not familiar with it but her attempt pulled me more into the story. She sounded like a 13 year old girl and made Lakshmi's story come alive in my mind. She did an excellent job at switching up the voice when she had to sound like other characters.
All in all Eyre is very talented.
Explanation of Rating:
While I liked Sold and the audiobook version. I think it is a story better read then listened too. The subject matter is just too deep and at times I wish I could stop the audio and take it back up later like a book. It's harder to do that with audiobooks because it's harder to judge natural breaks in the story. I will say that the audiobook worked nicely with the vignette style of the book.
Final Grade: B+
Overall Recommendation:
Highly recommended. I think I might re-visit this one (in a couple of years) in the print format and see if my impression of the book changes any with time and format.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Teaser Tuesdays: If Beale Street Could Talk
This weeks teasers is from If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin. (again, a
- 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.
Please avoid spoilers!
- 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!
"I know I can't help you very much right now-Gold knows what I wouldn't give if I could. But I know about suffering; if it helps. I know that is ends. I aint't going to tell you no lies, like it always ends for the better. Sometimes it ends for the worse. You can suffer so bad that you can be driven to a place where you can't even suffer gain: and that's the worse."
-page 112 (paperback)
Don't forget to post a link to your teaser!
I want to read it.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Stacking The Shelves #1
From Tynga's Reviews:
We are all book lovers and the need to share our enthusiasm is sometimes overwhelming. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
If you’re anything like me, you are probably hoarding books and even though you are excited about your latest book arrival, it might be a while before you get to review it and Stacking The Shelves is a good way to express your undying enthusiasm for those titles!
This week has been a bit busy with adding books to my virtual TBR shelf and my eReader (Nook and Kindle). I have added a total of 13 books all together. Most of purchases were free downloads.
Virtual TBR Shelf:
(books that I don't own but want to read)
 |  |
 |  |
 |
Purchased:
(or free)
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
What did you add to your shelves this week?
Friday, January 9, 2015
Review: The New Mrs. Collins
Pages: 191
Genre: Fiction (Supernatural)
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: eBook
Publication Date: October 2014
Publisher: Self-Published
Source: Author provided me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis (GoodReads):
In the small town of Carolville, Louisiana, no one knows that Adira Collins inherited mystic powers from her great grandmother. All they know is that she’s beautiful, poised, graceful, and ruthless—especially when it comes to love. And no one knows that more than Leena Williams, who was all set to marry the man of her dreams until Adira swooped into town and stole the man’s heart.
Being left at the altar is bad enough, but Leena and her ex share custody of their son, so she has to see the new Mrs. Collins on a regular basis.
And it burns every time she does.
But soon, Leena starts to suspect that there is more to Adira Collins than meets the eye. And it’s not because she owns some kinky lingerie shop or allegedly insulted the pastor’s wife—it’s the strange way she can make a door close without touching it, or take one look at something and make it drop dead at her feet.
Leena starts digging for answers and soon discovers that, unlike her public persona, Adira’s true nature is somewhere on the other side of grace. She also learns, a little too late, that some secrets are better left buried.
Review:
Cover: A+Let's just say that I love the cover of The New Mrs. Collins. I think that it complements the story very well. It's dark and mysterious. Yet the woman on the cover is glamours. Everything about the cover hits elements in the story perfectly.
Plot: B
What I Liked: When the Quanie Miller first asked me to review The New Mrs. Collins. I was a bit hesitant. Miller's email mentioned that it was a paranormal story and while she knew my review policy states that I don't review paranormal she hoped I would give her book a chance. I hoped over to GoodReads to read more about it. The blurb doesn't really read fantasy/paranormal to me. I had the feeling that the book (based on the blurb) was more contemporary fiction with a supernatural twist.
I was right.
The overall plot of The New Mrs. Collins is something that has been done in books/television before. The stolen romantic partner angle, that leaves the brokenhearted looked for answers to why. I loved the supernatural twist that Miller put on the story.
What I Didn't Like: I wanted Miller to take the supernatural twist one step forward.
The plot reads that Johnny leaves Leena at the alter (after being together for years and having a child together) because he fell in love with Adira (after knowing each-other for 6 months, affair included). I was hoping for some supernatural reason as why Johnny would leave Leena high and dry like that but there wasn't, other than all men seemed to be drawn to Adira. There wasn't even a reason as to why Adira wanted Johnny, there didn't seem to be anything special about him at all, especially since it seemed that Adira could have any man that she wanted.
As a reader I was hoping for some supernatural explanation to why Adira and Johnny were together and why Leena was left at the alter to become a part of town gossip. There was no satisfying explanation as to why and giving the rest of the details in the story, that left me wanting.
Characters: B
What I Liked: The New Mrs. Collins has a great cast of characters, each unique and different. Some of them are a bit superficial but they all have a purpose in the story and drive the plot forward nicely. I loved the comedic element that the towns people provided, they help make a story that could have been dark more lighthearted when need.
The other character that was well done for the most part was Adira who ended up being the star of The New Mrs. Collins, when the last page is turned we learn a lot about her and what motivates her to do what she does. Even in that there was still a lot of contradictions in her character that I found it hard to explain. One instance is when she is mad at the pastor for cheating on his wife, even though Johnny cheated on Leena with her. There is also a chapter that is written from Adira 'viewpoint' that I wish had been taken out.
What I Didn't Like: My feelings towards Leena Williams, is a bit meh because I thought she was underdeveloped. I wanted her to be more well rounded and fleshed out like Adira. I was hoping for a battle of good and evil, two strong women characters. Not necessarily fighting over the same man, but having some conflict, and being equally matched. Maybe it was because Adira story was so fleshed out and took up a number of chapters in the book but she seemed the stronger character. In the end I don't feel that Leena changed that much.
Writing: B-
What I Liked: I enjoyed Quanie Miller writing, it is very engaging and an I found myself losing track of the time as I was reading (almost missed my stop while riding the train). Miller is a very good storyteller and I enjoyed her writing very much. It was prefect for the story she told and she added a lot of different elements. There was humor, darkness, love, romance, and fear. Never once did the story seemed forced and all the elements worked well together.
What I like about Miller's writing and The New Mrs. Collins, all together that it was sort of magical realism without being too literary. I could enjoy the story without having to worry about the symbolism in each sentence. The story flowed nicely and I found myself searching the book out and feeling disappointed as I got closer to the end.
What I Didn't Like: I have mentioned several times that I am not a fan of pop culture references because I feel that they date a story. There were a few in here, there weren't a lot in The New Mrs. Collins, but there were some terms that I did find dated and had me scratching my head. For example:
- mamajama
- jalopy
- jazzy
There were also times when I was confused about the time frame. There was a lot of jumping around and it was hard to track at times. Especially, as the story progresses and the conflict between Leena and Adira comes to head. A couple of times I found myself finishing a chapter and having to flip back to the last chapter trying to figure out the time frame.
Explanation of Rating:
The New Mrs. Collins could have been a solid "B" I wanted it to be a solid "B" but the uneveness of the two main characters as well as time frame issues held it back. I was looking for a story with two strong characters. I got one strong character (Adira) and one with potential (Leena). Since Leena's potential was never fully realized for me, it was hard to find the ending as satisfying as I would have liked it to be. I was left feeling like "Wait there has to be more? Leena's story can't end like this with her being the same person she started out as?".
Final Grade: B-
Overall Recommendation: Read
If you are looking for something with a bit of range The New Mrs. Collins is prefect. It's funny and dark at the same time. It has a great cast of characters and is a unique take on a common plot. I enjoyed reading it and if it hadn't been for a few flaws it would have gotten a solid B.Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Wondrous Word Wednesday #1
Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Bermudaonion, where you can share new words that you’ve encountered or spotlight words you love. Feel free to get creative! If you want to play along, grab the button, write a post and come back and add your link to Mr. Linky!
(all definitions are courtesy of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
- zydeco (noun) - popular music of southern Louisiana that combines tunes of French origin with elements of Caribbean music and the blues and that features guitar, washboard, and accordion
- "They swung out, zydecoed, hollered and got in line with everyone else when the band did a rendition of the 'Cupid Shuffle" ~pg. 51
- I am familiar with the Cupid Shuffle by zydeco is new to me. Apparently, it is not only music but also a form of dance. I couldn't find any good clips (that I liked) of zydeco dance but here is the Cupid Shuffle.
- chasm (noun) - a major division, separation, or difference between two people, groups, etc.
- "A chasm had sprung up between them that would probably never close, and for that, Leena wept." ~ pg. 68
- tantamount (adjective) - equal to something in value, meaning, or effect
- It was tantamount to asking for a straitjacket. ~154
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Teaser Tuesday: The New Mrs. Collins
- 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.
Please avoid spoilers!
- 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!
This weeks teasers is from The New Mrs. Collins by Quanie Miller (a little more than two sentences)"I threw them away"
"Why?"
"I thought they were junk."
Malaisia's look could have turned her mother into stone. She left the room and Augustina sat at the table feeling sick.
- page 144 (eBook)
Don't forget to post a link to your teaser!
I want to read it.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Sunday Shorts: The Shadows Gallery (The Track)
Sunday Shorts is a new feature that I am adding to The Little Reading Nook. I have seen on several other blogs where reviewers feature short stories.
Sunday Shorts is my version. Where I review short stories that I have read.
For the next couple of Sunday's I will be featuring shorts from The Shadows Gallery by L.R. Giles (sorry no link I'm getting a security warning from Chrome about Goodreads).
I got this for free a long time ago from Amazon and never picked it up because 1) I didn't have a Kindle and 2) I hate reading on my phone (backlighting). Now that I have a Kindle I don't have to worry about backlighting and can read all the books that I have collected from Amazon.
The Track:
The Track is about a former track star that is none to happy about the "Resolutionists" invading the track that he runs on.I read this while on a plane from South Florida to The Bay Area while visiting my family for Christmas. L.R. Giles is a new to me author so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. That's the beauty of short stories. The give you a scene of the authors style without having to invest in a longer story.
I was surprised by Giles, in a good way. The Track had a "Twilight Zone" feel to me. This could be because I just found a great audio re-enactment of old "Twilight Zone" stories and had listened to one a couple of days ago. But as I read the story, the "Twilight Zone" was the first thing that came to mind.
The main character Nash Blanding was not likable at all. He was really condescending and less than halfway through the story I was praying that something bad happen to him. I'm sure that was what Giles was going for when he created Nash, an unsympathetic character that the reader did not mind something unpleasant happening to.
That's where the twist come in. I don't want to give away the story but I wasn't expecting that. I had an idea in my mind where he was going with it, especially as The Track got closer to the end. But Giles veered off slightly in a more creative manor instead going the usually route that readers are use too when encountering this type of story.
Verdict: I am looking forward to reading the other stories in this collection.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Sunday Post: First of the New Year
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
~this meme was inspired in part by - In My Mailbox~
It's a chance to share News.
A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.
This is your news post, so personalize it. Include as much as you want or as little.
Be creative, it can be a vlog or just a showcase of your goodies.
What Happened Last Week:
- Thursday:
What's Happening This Week:
- Monday: Late Sunday Short Post
- Tuesday: Teaser Tuesday
- Wednesday: Wondrous Words Wednesday
- Thursday: Review - The New Mrs. Collins by Quanie Miller
- Friday: ???? (Friday Reads)
- Saturday: ????
Happy Reading,
MoniqueReads
Thursday, January 1, 2015
2015 Audiobook Challnge
hosted by The Book Nympho and Hot Listens
I have listened to several audiobooks in the past and enjoyed them. Because of the new job and such, I have had more time to listen to audiobooks. As a result, I listened to about 3 or 4 last year and really enjoyed them. The experience is different from reading a book but I enjoy the verbal storytelling. Maybe I have been lucky so far and have just picked awesome books with awesome narrators.
Anyway, I signed up for Audible last year and have 5 credits sitting in my account waiting to be used. They have accumulated because my library has a decent amount of audiobooks in it's collection thanks to Overdrive. In order not to waste money and take advantage of valuable resources I decided to take the join the Audiobook Challenge.
Level: Newbie (5 books)
My List:
- Saint Monkey by Jacinda Townsend
- Home by Toni Morrison
- The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty
- The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino
- Sold by Patricia McCormick
Challenge Details (Quoted from Hot Listens)
Runs January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015. You can join at anytime.
The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2015 than you did in 2014.
Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.)
ANY genres count.
Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, Shelfari, Facebook, LibraryThing, etc.
If you’re a blogger grab the button and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. If you’re not a blogger you can help by posting on Facebook or Tweeting about the challenge.
January Goals
Since I am just getting back into the swing of things I plan to keep January simple. All the books (with the exception of one) should be lighter/shorter reads.
Reading Plans for January:
- If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin (MR Book Club Selection)
- The New Mrs. Collins by Quanie Miller (Review Request)
- March by Geraldine Brooks
- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
- Sold by Patricia McCormick
- Are You There God, It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume
I am going to start the month off with The New Mrs. Collins by Quanie Miller. Ms. Miller contacted me several months ago via email about reviewing her request. I was very impressed by the fact that she did not send a form request. Instead, her email showed that she had in fact read my review policy and even though her book is paranormal she wondered if I would consider reading it and reviewing it on the blog. Very Professional. And the blurb grabbed my attention so win-win.
If things are slow at the place that pays me I plan to start it as everyone else is partying the night away.
What are your reading plans for the month?
Please comment or post a link in the comment section.
It's a New Year
Happy New Year Everyone.
Every New Year I make resolutions reading and personal life stuff. 2015 is no different.
My reading resolution will be higher this year than last. Since I miss the reading in general and the book blogging community, I am aiming higher.
This year I plan to read 50 books (last year it was 35).
See Ya Soon,
Monique
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
2015 EBook Reading Challenge
Like many book lovers out there I have a lot of books and the advent of cheap (fairly) accessible eReaders has only made my problem worse. I think I have over 100 eBooks on my Kindle and over 300 eBooks on my Nook along. That's where the eBook Reading Challenge comes along.
Level 2: Bytes (10 ebooks)
My List (11 Total):
- Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
- Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
- Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bonte
- Jane Erye by Charlotte Bonte
- Native Son by Richard Wright
- Creatures Here Below by Oscar H. Bennett
- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
- Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
- Waking Lazarus by T.L. Hines
This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2015 – Dec 31, 2015.
Anyone can join, you don’t need to be a blogger. If you don’t have a blog, feel free to sign-up in the comments. You can post reviews to any book site (i.e. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Goodreads, etc).
Any genre or length of book counts, as long as it is in ebook format.
You can plan your books in advance or as you read them.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
1% Well-Read Challenge
2015 List
- Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
- Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
- Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
- Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
- Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bonte
- Jane Erye by Charlotte Bonte
- Native Son by Richard Wright
- Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desia
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Pulitzer Project 2015
One of the perpetual challenges that I participate in is The Pulitzer Project. Basically my goal is to read all the books that have won a Pulitzer Prize in fiction. My goal is to read 4 Pulitzer Prize winning books a year.
2015 List:
- March by Geraldine Brooks
- His Family by Ernest Poole
- Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
- Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2015
Hosted by My Reader's Block
It's always a good time to tackle Mount TBR and mine has gotten out of control. While the convince of my Nook (I have a Kindle on the way) and my love for still purchasing physical books, I have a lot to choice from.
What I like about this challenge is that it restricts you to books that you have already purchased in 2014. You just can't pick books from your TBR list, that you want to read someday but don't yet own. Most of the books on my list are physical books because I have a small space and my bookcases are almost overflowing. I could just buy more but that is not helping the problem.
Level (2): Mount Blanc: Read 24 books from your TBR pile/s
My List:
1. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
2. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
3. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
4. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bonte
5. Jane Erye by Charlotte Bonte
6. Song Yet Sung by James McBride (2009)
7. Conception: A Novel by Kalisha Buckhanon
8. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (2011)
9. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (2009)
10. Push by Sapphire (2012)
11. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (2011)
12. Mississippi in Africa By Alan Huffman
13. Zulu Heart by Steven Barnes
14. Nappily in Bloom by Trisha R. Thomas
15. Creatures Here Below by Oscar H. Bennett
16. Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
17. Waking Lazarus by T.L. Hines
18. Becoming Americana by Lara Rios
19. Gathering of Waters by Bernice L. McFadden
20. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
21. Sold by Patricia McCormick
22. The Color of Family by Patricia Jones
23. Saint Monkey by Jacinda Townsend
24. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin
Rules Quoted From My Reader's Block
*Once you choose your challenge level, you are locked in for at least that many books. If you find that you're on a mountain-climbing roll and want to tackle a taller mountain, then you are certainly welcome to upgrade. All books counted for lower mountains may carry over towards the new peak.
*Challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2015.
*You may sign up anytime from now until November 4th, 2015.
*Books must be owned by you prior to January 1, 2015. No ARCs (none), no library books. No rereads. [To clarify--based on a question raised last year--the intention is to reduce the stack of books that you have bought for yourself or received as presents {birthday, Christmas, "just because," etc.}. Audiobooks and E-books may count if they are yours and they are one of your primary sources of backlogged books.]
*You may count any "currently reading" book that you begin prior to January 1--provided that you had 50% or more of the book left to finish in 2014. I will trust you all on that.
*Books may be used to count for other challenges as well.
*Feel free to submit your list in advance (as incentive to really get those books taken care of) or to tally them as you climb.
*There will be quarterly check-ins and prize drawings!
*A blog and reviews are not necessary to participate. If you have a blog, then please post a challenge sign up and link THAT post (not your home page) into the linky below. Non-bloggers, please leave a comment declaring your challenge level--OR, if you are a member of Goodreads, I will once again put together a group for the challenge there. Feel free to sign up HERE. At the beginning of the year, I will once again have a sidebar link for called Mount TBR Review Headquarters for 2015 reviews and progress updates.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Read It Again, Sam 2015
I always tell myself that I am going to go back and read some of the books that I loved from my pre-high school days. I wondered if those books would still have the same feel to me now that they did back then. I remember my first read of Little Women and how emotional it made me, the second time around it did not have that same impact. In fact, I felt it a bit preachy.
That is a long way of saying that I have to re-read some of my childhood favorites. I am going to take it easy on myself with this one since I have some lofty reading goals for 2015 to make up for 2014.
Level:
Déjà vu (re-read 4 books)
Books:
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- Black Girl, Lost by Donald Goines
- Are You There God, It's Me Margaret by Judy Blum
- The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Rules for the challenge can be found below (copied from original post at My Reader's Block)
Rules:
*Once you choose your challenge level, you are locked in for at least that many books. If you find that you're lost in a nostalgic haze and want to tackle a higher level, then you are certainly welcome to upgrade. You cannot change down, however.
*Challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2015.
*You may sign up anytime from now until November 3rd, 2015. Any book read from January 1 through December 31, 2015 will count no matter when you sign up.
*Books may be used to count for other challenges as well.
*Everyone who completes their challenge level will be entered in a year-end drawing for a book-related prize package.
*Please post about the challenge on your blog.
*Please sign up using the Linky below. Use a direct link to your challenge post as your url. Please don't connect to just your home page. Links to a list on GoodReads or other social media sites are also acceptable. Please post about the challenge on your blog if you have one .
*Please use the Review Page [coming at the beginning of the year] to post review links and a final wrap-up post when you finish the challenge. Reviews are not required--but I would love to see what you think about the books that you've read if you do review.
*No blog or GoodReads site? That's okay. Post a comment here to announce your entry into the challenge and when you have completed the challenge just post a comment at the review site with a list of your books.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Review: Futureland
Author: Walter Mosley
Pages: 356
Genre: Science Fiction
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: Hardcore
Publication Date: 2001
Publisher: Mysterious Press
Source: Public Library
Synopsis (GoodReads):
The citizenry of America struggles for survival in a dangerous, twisted future
In “Whispers in the Dark,” an ex-con sells his organs to ensure his brilliant nephew’s future. The boy will grow up to have the highest IQ ever recorded, but the uncle, who sold his eyes, won’t be able to see it. In “Voices,” a history professor becomes addicted to a drug called pulse, which gives him access to a world of vivid fantasy while tearing his brain to shreds. By the time the professor qualifies for a brain transplant, he’s no longer sure what’s real and what’s imagined. And in “Angel’s Island,” a convict in the world’s largest private prison reveals the facility’s chilling secrets. In this critically acclaimed collection of stories, noir legend Walter Mosley takes his unique vision of American society into the future. As the nation descends into chaos, its citizens wonder, Is the world ending, or has the apocalypse already come and gone?
Review:
Plot: DOne of my main issues with Futureland was the plot. It seemed that Mosley had a great idea about where he wanted to go with these short stories and how to connect them but was not able to deliver. When the collection opened with "Whispers in the Dark" I was excited it showed so much potential. I wanted to know how the other eight stories would later to connect to the first. I kept reading and reading, one story after another. Waiting for the connections to happen. There were little glimpse of connection and then finally I reached the end and was like "WHAT?... Whatever." The ending was just out of place and I couldn't see where it came from, it was abrupt and seemed like it was just place at the end to close the book. I think several more stories scattered through was really needed to glue the whole thing together.
Also, the timeline seemed a bit off. The stories take place somewhere around 2023 and the society he picks seems why to advance, especially for a book written in 2001.
Characters: B
I didn't have any issues with the characters in Futureland as individuals. At times it was hard to keep track of them and when one would show up in a different story I would find myself searching my brain for where that character first showed up.
Overall, the characters in this book was probably Mosley's second greatest strength. They were all so different and after each story, it felt like I knew just enough about the main character to move on. Mosley did falter in that some of the stories hinted that the character would return in a major way and it didn't happen. For example in "The Greatest" we are introduced to the only main female character in the collection Fera Jones. Her storyline is quite unique and I was hoping that I would see more of her, there was a hint that she would be a major player. But when we next see mention of her, it's just a mention and that's it. If her story and the one involving her father's "Voice" were removed from the book, I don't think it would have made much of a difference.
Writing: A
This is the first time I have ever read anything by Mosley, but I am very familiar with his name and his other works (mainly mysteries). Mosley is clearly a talent writer and his writing kept me engaged enough that I finished the book quickly without a problem. Each story was well written and I enjoyed Mosley's style.
I was excited when I read the first story because it gave me a "Twilight Zone" feel and I was hoping that he would keep that theme up throughout the book. While the mood of the other stories in the collection was dark, the first story was the only had "Twilight Zone"ish feel.
I honestly have no complaints about his writing and enjoyed it enough that I would pick up (and plan to) another one of his books and read them without hesitation. I just probably wouldn't read anymore SciFi written by Walter Mosley.
Explanation of Rating:
There were too many plot problems and too many missed opportunities to bring the nine stories in this collection for me to give Furtureland a higher grade. Mosley is clearly an excellent writer with a great talent, but Futureland did not live up to my expectations.
Final Grade: C-
Overall Recommendation:
I can't honestly say that I would recommend this book to anyone. It's just such an odd book and I am not quite sure how I would recommend it to given the issues that it had.
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