The Wild Zone (Joy Fielding)

I recently picked this book to read for one reason - I didn't want to be bringing "Fifty Shades of Grey" with me to school. Maybe it's just me, but I didn't feel it would be very professional. 

Enjoying some sunshine and reading "The Wild Zone"!

I enjoyed "The Wild Zone" by Joy Fielding because it was an easy read, it kept me guessing, and it left me pleasantly surprised at the end. 

As a whole, I found the book was exciting but lacked a little in the suspenseful "I-Need-To-Keep-Reading-Because-It's-So-Crazy-That-I-Need-To-Know-What-Happens-Next" kind of way.  After reading about 80 pages, I remember saying, "It's good, but I feel like something is about to happen."  That feeling kept up for most of the book, with the most exciting parts happening nearer to the end. (I've read Joy Fielding books before, and this was wasn't as exciting as I remember those ones being.)

To clarify, it's not a mystery book where something crazy happens at the beginning (like a murder) and then the rest of the book is spent trying to figure out what happens.  Instead, it's a book where all of the events and information presented throughout the book are useful in determining what the future holds for each of the characters. 

I thought it was a good, easy read and it would be a great summer book for someone.  There's a bit of suspense and mystery, but there isn't the gore and scary stuff to turn those readers off of it.  I enjoyed it and thought it filled my prep and lunch times at school very well during these last couple of weeks of school. 

School is done and it is officially summer vacation - let's get my "read" on and have some much needed "me" time!

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest (Stieg Larsson)

The day has finally arrived - I've finished "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson.  It took me way too long to read this book and I just need to point out that it wasn't because I didn't enjoy the book.

This was one of my photos for "Photo A Day May"
http://www.fatmumslim.com.au/2012/04/may-photo-day-list.html

"The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest" is the third book in the Millenium trilogy (also known as the Dragon Tattoo books!).  It's definitely a book that must be read as the third book of the trilogy - no skipping ahead!

Without giving too much away about the first two books, this third book starts with Lisbeth Salander (the girl with the dragon tattoo) in critical condition.  The book tries to solve the issues and make sense of everything that occurred in the first two "Millenium" books.  (Sorry, that doesn't give you much to go on...)

The book was good, but I wouldn't say that it was as exciting as the first two books.  While the other books had more "action" (that is, people getting shot or being chased and whatnot), this book really dealt more with the "figuring things out" side.  Lots of information into ongoing investigations and about characters who are somehow related to the events of the book.  It was slow at times (clearly, since it took me almost two months to make it through the 563 pages, I was able to put it down) but it really picked up near the end when real connections are being made.

It was a good ending to the trilogy and I felt like everything was resolved.

My verdict on the Millenium trilogy - it was good.  They were exciting books, though at times I felt like they were really long (because they are).  They're definitely good for a dose of mystery.

I've had my mystery fix for a while, now onto something a little different.

My Kindle Touch has arrived!

Hello again blog world!

I have been thinking a lot lately about how I have been slacking a bit on my blog... And only for the reason that life has been happening and things sure have been busy.  I'm still motoring away on Stieg Larsson's "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest" (and loving it, might I add!), but I just haven't had the time to sit down and make any huge progress.  Now that the weather is nicer and the summer off from teaching is near, I'm hoping it'll get finished soon! 

My exciting news to share today is that my new Amazon Kindle Touch has arrived!  I got home from teaching the kiddies today and found this waiting for me!

I was hesitant to buy this because I really love the feeling of a real book in my hand... That being said, I have a feeling that an eReader will be very convenient at times!  I will keep you posted on my thoughts of moving to a more digital form of reading... 

The Girl Who Played With Fire (Stieg Larsson)

This post won't be a long one because I cannot wait to start the next (and final) book in the Millenium trilogy. 

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson definitely met my reading needs this month!  While the book is a giant one, with 724 pages, it was so worth it.  Lisbeth Salander, who is the girl with the dragon tattoo, is wanted by the police for the murder of three people.  Her fingerprints were found on the murder weapon.  These three murder victims are all linked together by a book and article that were to be written about sex trafficking.  Mikael Blomkvist, who is the other big star in "The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo" books, knows Salander and doesn't believe that she's guilty of these crimes.  He uses the resources and staff available to him to help out Salander, even though she can't be found.  Anywhere. 

I remember when I was a couple hundred pages into the book, saying, "I don't understand why there are so many little stories here.  There is so much going on and I just don't get how it's all linked together.  I feel like they've talked about so much but that it doesn't really mean anything."  I was reassured that it would all come together soon and that the excitement would start.  And did it ever.  (I will admit that at times, I felt that the book was a bit wordy, but I think it just gives you a good description of everything that is going on.)

All of these little stories from journalists, police officers, Salander and Blomkvist come together wonderfully and you just keep saying, "Oh my goodness..." as you start to realize how things are playing out and how different parts of the story are fitting together. 

The ending of the book leaves you wanting more.  Hence the need to start the third book.  Tonight. 

You definitely need to have read the first book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, in order to fully understand this book.  The relationships built between characters in the first book are really important to some of the events that occur in this one. 

On to book number three!

Page Corner Bookmarks - Too Cool Not To Share...

Another cool find!

This time, using StumbleUpon, I found these cool page corner bookmarks! 

Using the corner of an envelope (or the template shown with some cardstock paper), you can create these cute little monster bookmarks. 

This image is from the Oh! Crafts website.

For complete instructions, see http://tallystreasury.com/2011/02/corner-page-bookmarks-3/.

Personally, I am a huge fan of magnetic bookmarks.  I use magnetic bookmarks to ensure I never lose my page (because how annoying is it to try to locate your page once your "normal" bookmark falls out?!).  I think this "page corner bookmark" craft is super neat and creative (and you can personalize it!).  In addition to making the cute bookmark, I would probably add some magnets to the inside! 

The Book of Awesome (Neil Pasricha)

Let's start this post with something that is NOT SO AWESOME: Being sick.  Which is exactly what I am today.  I decided to brighten up my day today by finishing off "The Book of AWESOME." 
"The Book of AWESOME" by Neil Pasricha has been my bathroom book for the past month or so.  (Embarrassing, right?  The reality of my life with Crohn's, since I do spend a little more time than the average person in the washroom!)  This book has been perfect because what better way is there to start a day than reading about things that are AWESOME.  (The answer is: There is no better way to start the day.)

Seriously, it was in the bathroom!

Reading through  "The Book of AWESOME," I was reminded of so many things that are AWESOME, like nailing a parallel parking attempt on the first try, getting gas just before the price goes up, finding your keys after looking forever, and returning to your warm and comfy bed after getting up to pee in the middle of the night.  (They're all from the book, FYI.)  

At one point, I felt like I should document all of these AWESOME things in a scrapbook since they honestly are all AWESOME and I've personally experienced most of them.  We just forget to think about them.  A few weeks ago I was sending an email to a few friends I went to university with.  I had had a pretty quiet week, so I thought instead that I would tell them another piece of information: the fact that I was able to successfully peel an orange in one piece.   It made all of them smile.  (AWESOME, right?  A couple days before, I had read this one in The Book of AWESOME.)

There's just something about flipping through a book like this one that makes your day seem a little bit better.
A month ago I was in the hospital waiting room, waiting to go for yet another colonoscopy for my Crohn's Disease and I decided that I would bring "The Book of AWESOME" with me.  At a time when I was not in the happiest of moods, it was great to be reminded that my colon is actually pretty AWESOME, despite what I was going through at the time!

So, while I haven't spent an hour of my "sick day" today watching The Price is Right (it's in the book), I have spent it finishing this book and thinking about things that have made my day a little bit more
AWESOME.
 
Thank you, Neil Pasricha, for reminding me of the simple things in life and making me smile.  
Your book is AWESOME.

Check out the video of Neil Pasricha at TEDxToronto.

The Scorch Trials (James Dashner)

I have had a great week supply teaching and some of my days even included a bit of prep time (or at least a quiet lunch break) that were ideal reading times.  I also think it's important to add in this post that in the elementary classes I was in this week, I saw "The Maze Runner" (the first book of this series) in the hands of at least three students.

I discovered this series of books by James Dashner after reading The Hunger Games.  I enjoyed The Hunger Games so much that I wanted to find another series that was similar. The first book in this series was The Maze Runner, which I had said I enjoyed, just not as much as The Hunger Games!  (I think the key here is to not compare it to The Hunger Games, since they are about entirely different things.)  I started The Scorch Trials, not entirely sure what to expect out of it after the ending of book one, but I really enjoyed it.  

Thomas and the rest of the 'shanks' who survived from his life in the Maze (see description of The Maze Runner!) are in a new facility.  While they think that they are finally free of this life of chaos, they are forced again to take part in a trial for WICKED (the World in Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department).  In this book, the boys have a new member thrown on them (Aris) and in two weeks, they must make it 100 miles north through this desert.  Along the way, they meet (and must fight) Cranks, people who have the "Flare" and are basically crazy in the head, as well as a second group of girls who have been going through similar experiments and trials.  There are a variety of "variables" in this trial, so different individuals have different motives throughout the journey.

It sounds weird, but it was really exciting.  The descriptions are wonderful and you can picture everything that is happening along the journey.  Along with 'seeing' the landscapes and the people, Dashner does a great job of making you really feel the emotions that Thomas is feeling throughout the book. 

This is the second book in a series that currently has 4 books, one of which is to be released this summer.  I've been trying to decide if this book could be a standalone book, or if it should be read after the first book.  I think this book is better read in the order it was intended.  While there are some reminders in this book of things that occurred in The Maze Runner, I think a lot of the terminology and experiences that happened in the first book would make you enjoy The Scorch Trials that much more.  

Similar to the last book, it leaves you satisfied at the end, but more so this time, I just want to pick up the third book, The Death Cure, and start it right away.  I would recommend this book, especially for the Young Adult and teen audience.  (And I'll add that after talking to a student at one school this week, the teens are enjoying this series as well!)