Yep, still love this book! I had forgotten how ANGRY Cezar makes me though--ugh! And yet, he's still a complex character, and his motivations make senYep, still love this book! I had forgotten how ANGRY Cezar makes me though--ugh! And yet, he's still a complex character, and his motivations make sense--he's not just a cardboard cut-out bad guy, you know?
It took me a little while to get used to the narrator, but once I did I actually thought she was fantastic--she really put a lot of emotion into this!
I'm still loving this series--the art is just really beautiful, and I love the slow, dreamy way the story is progressing, while it's also gradually grI'm still loving this series--the art is just really beautiful, and I love the slow, dreamy way the story is progressing, while it's also gradually growing darker. Also, I used to imagine that I should have been a sea mammal, so this series feels a little like home. Hopefully we get the final three volumes in at the library soon so I can find out what happens with Sora and Umi and Ruka--thanks, Kelly! ...more
Lots of people have complained about nothing really happening in this first volume, but sometimes I really kind of love stories that move slowly and tLots of people have complained about nothing really happening in this first volume, but sometimes I really kind of love stories that move slowly and take time to unfold. Already in this one there are several really intriguing characters, an interesting mystery, lots of sea life, the ocean, and a really dreamy kind of fantasy that all have me hooked. And the art! It's really gorgeous. We only have the first two volumes at the library, but if I can't convince the selectors to order the last three volumes (pretty pleeeeease?) I'll probably just buy them myself because I can't imagine not loving the rest of the series just as much!...more
Oh, man, this totally made me cry a couple of times! Great story of a wildlife preserve in Zululand and of Lawrence Anthony's work in taking in a herdOh, man, this totally made me cry a couple of times! Great story of a wildlife preserve in Zululand and of Lawrence Anthony's work in taking in a herd of traumatized elephants and rehabilitating them. He does a fantastic job of describing the elephants and their personalities and by the end I really felt like I actually know them. It's also narrated by Simon Vance, so duh, he did a great job as always! Definitely recommended for wildlife lovers....more
So good and so sad and so beautiful! The whole story takes place in some sort of treatment center for alcohol and drug addicts where they receive lotsSo good and so sad and so beautiful! The whole story takes place in some sort of treatment center for alcohol and drug addicts where they receive lots of counseling and group therapy to try to come to terms with the things that the drugs and alcohol help them to forget. 18-year-old Zach has no memory of why or how he ended up there, but he knows it's something he doesn't want to remember, and so he works hard at keeping it that way. The entire rest of the story is about him eventually realizing that there's an open road ahead of him and that his past doesn't have to hold him in place forever. There are some really great characters, most especially Rafael, Sharkey and Amit, and while others have said they found all the adult characters "creepy," I really didn't. And yeah, there are certain words and phrases Zach uses over and over again that can be annoying to some, but those didn't bother me; that repetition felt authentic. Kids (and adults) do that. And as the story goes on, a lot of those phrases slip away as Zach finds new words to hold onto.
This book is gigantic (about 12 x 14"), and absolutely gorgeous! The photography is really, really excellent, and the large format almost feels necessThis book is gigantic (about 12 x 14"), and absolutely gorgeous! The photography is really, really excellent, and the large format almost feels necessary for showing the scale of some of the landscapes. The book also includes a timeline of photography in the Antarctic and short summaries of the expeditions that took photographers with them. It's huge and expensive, but is well worth the price if you're as obsessed with Antarctica as I am!
I've owned this book for years and while I've flipped through and looked at the photographs a few times, I only just now sat down to read all the textI've owned this book for years and while I've flipped through and looked at the photographs a few times, I only just now sat down to read all the text and view the photos in context.
We saw Paul Nicklen speak a number of years ago at the Perot Museum and a lot of the stories he told that night are included here, and reading them after hearing him describe these encounters in person made them that much more powerful--the story of the leopard seal repeatedly trying to feed him a penguin especially, as he actually teared up during his lecture. I also remember him talking a lot about his friend Göran Ehlme, who sounds like he's kind of hilarious and a lot of fun, so it was entertaining to encounter him again here.
The text is honestly just okay...Nicklen may not be the most eloquent of writers, but that's fine because the photographs really do kind of speak for themselves, although the added background info in the text does add to their appeal. I also found it a little weird how in the Svalbard section he tells a story about a polar bear following him home and sticking her head though his window and how he managed to capture his photograph of the moment, only the photo itself is nowhere to be found until the very end of the book, in a small image during the interview section--it would have been nice to have a reference to where to locate the image he's describing since it's nowhere nearby. So there's stuff like that that could have been done better.
Even so, you can really feel Nicklen's passion for his work and for Arctic and Antarctic wildlife, as well as his desire to bring the love and wonder he feels to others in hopes of inspiring commitment to protect these animals and their environment.
And then...the photographs. They're really gorgeous, and up close, and raw, and powerful. You guys know I love my polar bears, and there are some beautiful images of walrus and narwhal and other Arctic wildlife, but it was the Antarctic section that really hit me. I mean, these photographs are just...transcendent. And some of my favorites of his Antarctic photographs are not even included here!
Honestly, the only reason it took me so long to read this thing cover to cover is because it's freaking huge. Not thick huge, like, two feet wide huge. Which is awesome for the photographs, but makes it incredibly awkward to hold and is definitely best perused while seated at a table (not my usual favored position for book perusal).
In any case, I'm very glad I finally took the time to give it my full attention. If you ever run across it, I definitely recommend taking a peek. And definitely go hear Nicklen speak if you ever get a chance (TED talk here for a preview)!...more
Of course this book gets five stars, but it's not without it's issues; the writing is really the main thing I had a problem with. David Hempleman-AdamOf course this book gets five stars, but it's not without it's issues; the writing is really the main thing I had a problem with. David Hempleman-Adams' introduction and his comments on various photographs are like something out of a high school art or English class; he's not really saying much that's meaningful and it all feels a little too informal next to the sections by Sophie Gordon and Emma Stuart, whose essays are solid, but uninspired. No matter--the photographs more than make up for it, and the last couple of sections on the photographic processes used at the time and explaining various non-photoghraphic memorabilia related to Scott's Terra Nova expedition and Shackleton's Trans-Antarctic expedition were really great additions. A must-have for anyone interested in Antarctic history and exploration, as well as for folks interested in photographic history. Beautiful, beautiful work by Herbert Ponting and Frank Hurley....more
I reeeally enjoyed this one. I thought Faye did a fantastic job of getting Holmes and Watson down right, including the perfect amount of humor and witI reeeally enjoyed this one. I thought Faye did a fantastic job of getting Holmes and Watson down right, including the perfect amount of humor and wit. I must admit that I was skeptical at first--I mean, Sherlock Holmes + Jack the Ripper has been done sooooo many times at this point, and honestly, I'm a little bored of it. But this one is just beautifully done--historically accurate, a couple of great twists, and...I don't know. I fell in love with Holmes and Watson all over again. I'm going home to rewatch the recent BBC show again.
And also? I might have said it once or twice or ten or a hundred times before, but can I once again proclaim my absolute adoration for Simon Vance? He is the audiobook narrator love of my life. I mean it. ...more
This book was exactly what I was looking for--so many books on gemstones seem to be focused on the jewelry industry, which, you know, makes sense, butThis book was exactly what I was looking for--so many books on gemstones seem to be focused on the jewelry industry, which, you know, makes sense, but that wasn't really the side I was most interested in learning about. This one also definitely talks about the jewelry side of things, but I felt like it took a much more scientific approach to the subject. It's organized into different sections: classification systems, the gemstones themselves by type, how they are mined, ethics, mythology, birthstones, the history of the collection and the Grainger Hall of Gems (in Chicago's Field Museum)...very, very informative. Each gemstone's section includes information on chemical composition, where it's found, hardness and other physical properties, how it's cut, general popularity, history...not to mention fantastic photographs of the stone in various states--original crystal form, cut, and included in a piece of jewelry. I believe all the photographs are of pieces that are actually exhibited at the Grainger Hall of Gems, and they have some truly incredible pieces--I'm totally dying to go visit now! Definitely worth a read if this is the sort of thing you're interested in....more
Andrew Smith. I seriously don't know how this guy does it.
I've now read every book of his that's been published so far, and I've been forced to rate Andrew Smith. I seriously don't know how this guy does it.
I've now read every book of his that's been published so far, and I've been forced to rate every one of them five stars. I might as well just go ahead and rate all the books he hasn't published yet five stars as well, cause it's kind of inevitable.
Anyway, what to say about this one... I mean, the tagline (Two brothers. One road trip from hell.) will definitely give you a hint, but makes it sound like some sort of slapstick buddy-com like, I dunno, Tommy Boy or something. I probably haven't seen any movies that this book is actually closer to (Natural Born Killers? Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? I don't know because all I watch are slapstick buddy-coms, ha!), but it involves things like murder and theft and underage drinking and sex and drugs and guns and the Vietnam War and all sorts of fun stuff like that. So...yeah.
It's really violent and disturbing and full of fear and sadness and desperation and insanity. And yet, it's also full of beauty and hope. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but really rewarding if you have the fortitude to stick it out.
Smith's books are just like that. I honestly don't know why I love them as much as I do, since I generally like to stick to the fluffy, happy, ridiculous stuff, but I always make an exception in his case.
I put off reading this one for a long time (I had to recheck it out from the library I waited so long!) before I finally forced myself to quit judgingI put off reading this one for a long time (I had to recheck it out from the library I waited so long!) before I finally forced myself to quit judging the book by its cover and give it a chance. And now I'm kind of dying to read the second book and find out what happens with Raisa and Amon and Han--I had to go and order myself a copy of The Exiled Queen the second I finished The Demon King.
So, this is mostly traditional fantasy fare--you know, magicians and court politics and a fiesty, gold-hearted princess and a super-hot soldier/childhood friend and a reformed street gang leader. Nothing all that surprising or unique. And yet...I don't know. Somehow I still got completely caught up in it. I really liked the characters, and I thought Chima did an absolutely incredible job of keeping two separate story lines with two separate main characters interesting--I must admit that nine times out of ten when a writer pulls this trick, I am fascinated by one part and bored to tears by the other and end up skimming half the book to get back to the character I actually care about. The way it's handled here is pretty masterful in my opinion, so bravo for that, Chima! I also did not feel resentful at all at the way the book ended--with the beginning of a journey for both characters instead of some sort of crappy cliffhanger. I really hope that is the case with the second book too.
But anyway, yeah, this one kinda took me by surprise. I'm so glad I finally pushed myself into it! :)...more
Absolutely heartbreaking. I bawled my eyes out in this volume. It's especially sad knowing that due to Yazawa's illness, this may be the last one. NotAbsolutely heartbreaking. I bawled my eyes out in this volume. It's especially sad knowing that due to Yazawa's illness, this may be the last one. Not quite the finale I was hoping for... :(...more
Loved this! I wasn't sure I would enjoy it much, because Un Lun Dun just really didn't do a whole lot for me. The two books have some similar conceptsLoved this! I wasn't sure I would enjoy it much, because Un Lun Dun just really didn't do a whole lot for me. The two books have some similar concepts, but The City and The City was just done far, far better, in my opinion--more intricate, less obvious, more believable. Granted, Un Lun Dun is aimed at kids/young adults, but still. Anyway, great characters, an interesting mystery, and fascinating setting(s) made this one really difficult for me to put down. It actually reminded me somewhat of Sergei Lukyanenko's Night Watch series, I think mostly just because Miéville does such a fantastic job of making Beszel and Ul Qoma feel so other, and yet so realistic, and also because the sentence structure he uses here often makes it seem as though the book were actually translated into English from another language, which I loved--sort of another layer of authenticity for me. Anyway, I most definitely plan on reading Miéville's other books now. Hurrah!...more
Wow. This...was not really like anything I've read before. And not anything at ALL like what I was expecting. I went into it thinking, "okay, another Wow. This...was not really like anything I've read before. And not anything at ALL like what I was expecting. I went into it thinking, "okay, another broody teen love story...with GHOSTS, blah, blah!" And I was prepared to be underwhelmed, even in the face of all the other mostly very positive reviews. But having just finished it (three hours after I climbed into bed, dying of exhaustion and planning to only read a little bit more, only then getting to the dramatic conclusion and FORCING my eyes to stay open because I felt I HAD to know how it ended TONIGHT), I found I was not underwhelmed in the slightest. I love being so pleasantly surprised!
The Ghosts of Ashbury High is an intricate tangle of characters and stories and past and present and the real and the imagined. And it's told entirely in the format of essay tests, blog entries, committee meeting minutes, letters, poems, and various other official reports. Which I think is pretty difficult to pull off well. Sometimes I wasn't sure about it in this case--I got about half way through and felt that it was getting to be a little tedious. But by the end of the book, things had been tied up so nicely, and I'd grown to love the characters so much--ALL OF THEM (except for maybe Constance)--that I can't really imagine what the book would have been better without.
And the overall story is so sad and beautiful and funny and mysterious and...just satisfying. Even though I struggled through parts, looking back at it as a whole? Fantastic. I'm definitely looking forward to reading Moriarty's other books (although I think I'll continue to just bask in this one for a little while first).
It's definitely not your typical broody teen love story. It requires some patience and some openness about what's going on and why. But it's so, so rewarding!
The ending to this book is freaking adorable! I didn't love this one as much as I did Skybreaker...I am starting to see why a few folks have complaineThe ending to this book is freaking adorable! I didn't love this one as much as I did Skybreaker...I am starting to see why a few folks have complained about how fomulaic these sometimes are. Even so, I very much enjoyed Starclimber, and I very much liked the new characters (except for Haiku--call me crazy, but I'm just really not all that into monkeys). I'm really hoping that Oppel writes at least one more of these books; I'm not tired of Matt and Kate and their world yet! More, more!...more
Well. I kind of loved this one! I don't know why so many people have given it meh or bad marks. I thought the story was really original, and the charaWell. I kind of loved this one! I don't know why so many people have given it meh or bad marks. I thought the story was really original, and the characters well developed and likable, and there's action and magic and romance and politics...I very much enjoyed it! ...more
I'm thinking 4.5 stars would be more accurate, but it's so rare that I get as emotionally involved in a book as I did in this one that I'm going to goI'm thinking 4.5 stars would be more accurate, but it's so rare that I get as emotionally involved in a book as I did in this one that I'm going to go ahead and bump it up to 5 anyway. This one held all the horror and suspense for me that The Hunger Games did--towards the middle it had me completely stressed out and absolutely dying to find out what happened next. Which, I must admit, was weird! I mean, this book takes place almost entirely inside a prison, and there is not even one single girl in the entire book, other than the main character's mom, who really only makes one brief appearance, and we never get any real answers as to who the people in charge are, or what they want, or why they're doing the things they're doing, or HOW they're doing the things they're doing. And yet, I was totally hooked, and was even completely satisfied with the cliff-hanger ending. This probably isn't one of those books that I'll read over and over again, but it sure was fun the first time through. And who knows? There are still two more books in the series (of course) to make me fall that extra half star in love......more
When I read Everlost, I didn't realize it was the first book in a trilogy; I thought it was a stand-alone. And I loved it that way. So I had really miWhen I read Everlost, I didn't realize it was the first book in a trilogy; I thought it was a stand-alone. And I loved it that way. So I had really mixed feelings when I first stumbled across this second part in a book store not too long ago. I felt almost resentful, because I didn't feel like there NEEDED to be more to the story. But I cared about the characters, and Shusterman has never let me down before, so eventually I talked myself into giving it a try, figuring I could always just ignore it later if I didn't like it. Well, I DIDN'T like it. I LOVED it. Everwild is a darker, more complex, more emotional book than Everlost, and the story goes in directions I certainly wasn't expecting it to go, especially with Mary (yikes, she's WAY scarier than I thought she was!). And now I am reeeally looking forward to the third book when it comes out! Neal Shusterman is my hero......more
I had a really hard time connecting with Marcelo at first, but once I got into it, I was completely hooked. I actually felt physically anxious for a lI had a really hard time connecting with Marcelo at first, but once I got into it, I was completely hooked. I actually felt physically anxious for a large part of the book, wondering what choices he would make and how things would play out. It turns out really beautifully in the end, and I was really glad I stuck with it....more
Loading...
