tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53823848671806831302024-03-13T00:06:26.427-04:00Une ParoleEmidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-63012841737882342962012-01-05T16:34:00.003-05:002012-01-05T16:44:15.009-05:00Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GocVDw8Ky3I/TwYP7OSmoMI/AAAAAAAAA0g/_gONBmT6TzM/s1600/Monsters+of+men+US+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GocVDw8Ky3I/TwYP7OSmoMI/AAAAAAAAA0g/_gONBmT6TzM/s200/Monsters+of+men+US+cover.jpg" width="122" /></a></div>
<b>Published: </b>2010<br />
<b>Format:</b> eBook<br />
<b>Genre:</b> YA fiction<br />
<b>Series:</b> Chaos Walking book 3<br />
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<i>Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there be peace when they’re so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await?. But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge… (patrickness.com)</i><br />
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It's been such a long time since I read the first two books in this series. When I finished The Ask and the Answer, Monsters of Men wasn't even released - and I'm only getting to read it now. If you're familiar with this series, you know that each book pretty much starts off where the previous one left off. It's one continuous, seamless story. If you're able to read all three consecutively this is a really cool experience! If, like me, you wait over a year to continue the adventure, some of the spark is unfortunately lost in the process.<br />
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Everything about this series is marvellous: the characters are deep and genuine, the writing is unlike anything I've come across, and the plot is, to be frank, really cool. A connection is formed with each person in the story, and the book quickly absorbs you into its world. This is what made me fall in love with the first two books, but it sadly contributed to my disappointment with Monsters of Men. I almost feel guilty criticizing the book in this way, because it's partly my fault that I waited this long to read it. I lost the connection with each amazingly complex character. I lost the connection with the frightening world that Ness created. I lost the connection with the series itself, and found myself not caring about the fate of Todd and Viola.<br />
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I must admit: once I got about half way through the book my morale improved a bit, but I don't think I appreciated the book like it deserves to be appreciated. There's a lot of fighting in Monsters of Men, and I totally wasn't following. I couldn't distinguish one fight from the next, and the end goal was totally unimportant to me. Characters died, momentous events happened, yet it didn't seem to matter to me. What a contrast compared to how I felt reading the two first books!<br />
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In the end, I like the conclusion to this epic series. It wasn't too perfect, and it wasn't too depressing. Just the right balance, just the right feeling left with you. Looking back, I won't be able to forgive myself for potentially ruining Monsters of Men! I should have re-read the previous books, but there just isn't enough time in the day. So please, do not let this review scare you away from these book - the series as a whole is absolutely fabulous. Unlike anything I've ever (or will ever) read. Ness touches upon extremely relevant topics and morals while fabrication such unique characters. Despite my disappointment with Monsters of Men, the Chaos Walking trilogy will always hold a special place in my heart.<br />
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<b>Related links:</b><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><a href="http://uneparole.blogspot.com/2010/06/knife-of-never-letting-go-by-patrick.html"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Review: The Knife of Never Letting Go</span></a></span><br />
<a href="http://uneparole.blogspot.com/2010/06/ask-and-answer-by-patrick-ness.html"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Review: The Ask and the Answer</span></a>Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-30671173493974932742011-12-31T15:08:00.000-05:002011-12-31T15:14:21.302-05:00A new year (and a slightly new layout!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HKE6tZmyZp8/Tv9pMT4xt8I/AAAAAAAAA0I/gho3mZWlY3s/s1600/NY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HKE6tZmyZp8/Tv9pMT4xt8I/AAAAAAAAA0I/gho3mZWlY3s/s200/NY.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I'll start by saying happy new year to everyone! Can you believe that it's already 2012? I can't, and I'm a bit scared by how fast time seems to be passing me by. If you've been visiting my blog lately, you would have realised that 2011 was not my brightest year in terms of blogging: I think the grand total of two blog posts (both within the last three days) speak for themselves. Shame on me! Actually, shame on school for keeping me away from books and blogging. Ah well, gotta have priorities I guess!<br />
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I'm really going to make an effort to spend more time reading. I miss always having a book on the go, so that shall be fixed in the upcoming year. Also, you might have noticed that I changed the layout slightly on my blog. A new year means a fresh start, so I think it's pretty fitting!<br />
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I hope you all have a wonderful year - make it count!<br />
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<i>P.S. I'm just over half way through Monsters of Men, so I should have a review ready to be posted soon. It's a miracle!</i>Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-17565190472728015992011-12-30T12:07:00.001-05:002011-12-30T12:08:18.710-05:00That one special book<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QMCXrAyJDQw/Tv3uNa6Id1I/AAAAAAAAAz8/uacXoTkyLHY/s1600/florence-and-giles+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QMCXrAyJDQw/Tv3uNa6Id1I/AAAAAAAAAz8/uacXoTkyLHY/s200/florence-and-giles+%25281%2529.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
Recently I've been giving some thought into books from the past that I really, really enjoyed. One that inevitably keeps coming up is Florence & Giles by John Harding. I read and <span style="color: #b45f06;"><a href="http://uneparole.blogspot.com/2010/06/florence-giles-by-john-harding.html"><span style="color: #b45f06;">reviewed</span></a> </span>this book last year (can you tell that I adored it?) and yesterday I literally went to the book store and purchased a copy for myself. I was considering buying the eBook version, but I <i>needed</i> to own a physical copy! Ever get that feeling?<br />
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Anyways, I'm going to be re-reading Florence & Giles in the near future. Having read the book once already, I'm extremely excited to give it a second shot and see if my adoration has stood the test of time. It's one of those books that leaves this weird feeling inside you - a feeling that has clearly lasted.<br />
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Do you have that one special book that you keep re-reading? A nostalgic book from your childhood, or maybe something more recent? I'd love to discover what book holds a special place for you, and why it has affected you that way. Don't hesitate to leave a comment!Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-12493417813128288482011-12-28T20:05:00.007-05:002011-12-29T07:51:27.225-05:00It's been a whileHelloooo!<br />
Wow, how long has it been since my last post? It feels like centuries, and I hate myself for ignoring you guys & my blog for such a long time. After signing in to my blogger account (for the first time in, like, a million years), I noticed some of the extremely kind comments people left while I was gone. I'd like to thank you all for sticking around - it means so much!<br />
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I started university this fall and that leaves little time for me to stay up to date with blogging, let alone reading books! However, the good news is that I purchased two new books for my eReader (oh ya, I have one of those now!) literally minutes ago: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Monsters of Men</span> by Patrick Ness and <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Night Circus</span> by Erin Morgenstern. Super excited about starting Monsters of Men, because I read the two previous books in this series and have been dying to read the last installment! I'm hoping to have the time to review them, but I don't want to make any promises I can't keep.<br />
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Moral of the story is: I haven't forgotten you guys. Yes, I know I've been saying this in every "update" post thus far, but it's true! I wish I could blog as often as I used to, however now isn't the best time. Once the school year is done it'll be a different story. Until then, happy reading!<br />
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<i>P.S. I don't know if it's just me, but can anyone else see the weird "-->" on the top of this page? I'm wondering if there's something going on with my Google Chrome browser which I've recently switched to. Please let me know what you see!</i>Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-64849648387684770622010-09-16T17:07:00.004-04:002010-09-16T17:18:41.370-04:00Just stopping by...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBFcDijtP7eNHSEe9gIslxbpjjl85ckqQULwuSpcfr5VSLtfzKApplTfTb1oM906uluud0YbVYxA7LYRm8Aiw77_RaQT388Y4-KrGGTlAiN1-yto7AkB-Y4aVQzLiOF1DSyCzXN0e4EWN/s1600/chem.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 134px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517621427425702178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBFcDijtP7eNHSEe9gIslxbpjjl85ckqQULwuSpcfr5VSLtfzKApplTfTb1oM906uluud0YbVYxA7LYRm8Aiw77_RaQT388Y4-KrGGTlAiN1-yto7AkB-Y4aVQzLiOF1DSyCzXN0e4EWN/s200/chem.jpg" /></a>Hey guys! I know, I've been a terrible blogger lately. As I said before, school is keeping me very, very occupied. I miss being able to visit you all, review books, and, believe it or not, actually have time to read! It kills me to say this, but I haven't read a single page of a non-textbook in, like, a week. That barely ever happens. And it feels so weird.<br /><br />Anyways, I'm checking in right now. Partly to thank you all for sticking around while I've been gone, and partly to remind you that I haven't forgotten about the blogging world! I <i>hope</i> to have a review ready in the near future, but that is slightly unlikely. The Blind Assassin, which I'm reading right now, is pretty immense. Normally I wouldn't consider it to be a large book, but judging by the time I'm spending with it I'll be done in a few decades. Nevertheless, we are supposed to read a couple of nice, meaty classics in English class so I can review those when the time comes. But until next time, farewell for now! I love you all for your unconditional loyalty, and I'll be checking in again soon.Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-63823512899355761562010-09-10T23:28:00.005-04:002012-01-06T11:59:22.511-05:00The Almond Picker by Simonetta Agnello Hornby<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoqA9DphDgNskCUOSOY5tyhi8FH2lk-SKD8WCOZQaNCxwiBSXTWj5mFFZmAiC87CmjEBxabTzUZU9j_76XjpYtPG5gNaLkaBc_YqW-70uuXeGaL3G0qw2LLxpKd8iKo8UFJf7x_YLxwyv/s1600/Almondpicker.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515493004804726018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoqA9DphDgNskCUOSOY5tyhi8FH2lk-SKD8WCOZQaNCxwiBSXTWj5mFFZmAiC87CmjEBxabTzUZU9j_76XjpYtPG5gNaLkaBc_YqW-70uuXeGaL3G0qw2LLxpKd8iKo8UFJf7x_YLxwyv/s200/Almondpicker.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 142px;" /></a><b>Published:</b> 2002<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 315<br />
<b>Genre:</b> Adult fiction<br />
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<i>Who was Mennulara? As the servant of the wealthy Alfallipe family, she made many impressions on people during her life. But was she simply the servant, or did she have deeper connections? Why was the mafia leader at her funeral? Why was she so wealthy? Why did she have such a high status in the family that she served?</i></blockquote>
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This is an especially hard book to review for a couple of reasons. First of all, I haven't had the chance to devote a lot of time time to reading it. The book was a bit spaced out, and I feel like my enjoyment suffered because of it. Second, the nature of the book is so strange, and I'm not used to reading material like this! Let me elaborate on that.<br />
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The Almond Picker was translated from Italian in 2005 (which leads me to wonder how it would be possible to translate an entire book and not twist the author's meaning - that has always fascinated me). The story takes place during the course of the two or so weeks following the death of Mennulara. We are thrown into the past as each character remembers their experiences with this mysterious woman, some of which are horrifying and totally unexpected. The way the book is written is really cool, because Mennulara feels like the main character even though she's not alive. There's no way we can trust the memories of the various people, and that makes it all so exciting!<br />
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This book's strength clearly lies in its characters. And were they ever abundant! Like a big, fictional Italian family. The dynamics were there, the emotions were there, and the feuds were <em>certainly</em> there. Mimicking real life, certain people had issues that were long buried in the past and forgotten. It's only because of the present circumstances that we get to be spectators in this scandalous, mysterious, and slightly disturbing showcase of personal demons. It was a complex web of characters, but Hornby is an expert at making it make sense.<br />
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Despite a rather dry plot, The Almond Picker is a true gem. I don't know if it's because of the Italian-ness, but the book felt like a whole new level of literature. The ending is <em>extremely</em> open-ended, but there's no way to figure out the truths if the person involved is dead. Isn't that cool? I love unreliability in books, and was totally entranced by this one. I suggest you try it out of you aren't dependent on a fast-paced plot. Enjoy!Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-18823772364672496742010-09-06T17:44:00.005-04:002010-09-06T17:58:56.995-04:00A bit of an update<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fQYRNPAagx4F34ab82MNqFlCpZJbzKmZ8kxTlJ-3GWMp-rT8nL4I5WLUEXKXoE2jsm1HMoIOdZcgXzxZOp_cD4a87k4HlfpY7y22uXZ1wAiO1cV9l36XB4iBxW8fwLcOmLHXLf09ENYF/s1600/textbooks2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 172px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513920497399704434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fQYRNPAagx4F34ab82MNqFlCpZJbzKmZ8kxTlJ-3GWMp-rT8nL4I5WLUEXKXoE2jsm1HMoIOdZcgXzxZOp_cD4a87k4HlfpY7y22uXZ1wAiO1cV9l36XB4iBxW8fwLcOmLHXLf09ENYF/s200/textbooks2.jpg" /></a>You know, I feel like I've been neglecting my blog a bit lately. I was gone for almost three days, and I haven't posted a review in a while. Believe it or not, there is a reason! Over the weekend, I didn't get the chance to read a lot because I was doing stuff all day. Terrible, I know. Hopefully I'll be done The Almond Picker today or tomorrow, and I'll be able to review it and move on to some new books. (Speaking of which, I have absolutely no unread books at home. Isn't that amazing?)<br /><br />On top of that, school is starting tomorrow. I cannot contain my enthusiasm. My first semester is very heavy, and that brings along certain implications. First of all, I'll be focusing on a whole different genre of book - textbooks, yay! Because of that, I'll probably be reading less and posting less reviews. This kills me, but blogging sadly isn't my priority right now. Oh, how I wish it was!<br /><br />I make it sound like I'm leaving you all forever, but I'm not. I'll still try to visit most of you every day, read whenever I can, and blog when I get the chance. My schedule will be tight, but I'm still here!Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-41874921170213461392010-09-03T00:06:00.005-04:002010-09-03T00:22:29.961-04:00It's finally FridayI say this every single week, but I truly cannot believe that it's Friday! Why does time go by so fast? Please tell me. Anyways, let's move on to some more important stuff, in the form of a message: <b>I'm going to be away this weekend so you won't see any posts from me! When I get back on Monday, I should have a review ready.</b><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZDo681ANUE_pYDZxUd3I0P6mmJReIYd1u5QSwV7gYvfmPaqSpol43zMITSJbyMXXMgfLPfPbQ882y9nzQhzABp8BJZqK71HlWPerEIID9GFrEnblz6oElPzEkLsZSnez-EevbnvuKTwh/s1600/BBH.png"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 176px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512534977609164178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZDo681ANUE_pYDZxUd3I0P6mmJReIYd1u5QSwV7gYvfmPaqSpol43zMITSJbyMXXMgfLPfPbQ882y9nzQhzABp8BJZqK71HlWPerEIID9GFrEnblz6oElPzEkLsZSnez-EevbnvuKTwh/s200/BBH.png" /></a>The Book Blogger Hop has come around once more! I love to network and discover some great book blogs. This event is perfect for doing that. So, join in! This week's question is: <blockquote><b><span style="font-size:130%;">Do you judge a book by its cover?</span></b></blockquote>Kind of. If I'm browsing the bookstore or a library, a book's cover is the very first thing that makes me pick it off the shelf. I wouldn't say that I'm judging the book itself, but it is a definite factor when I choose ones that I know nothing about. I'm sure I've ignored many fantastic books thanks to my ignorance, but when there are hundreds around me, how else am I supposed to decide? Now, if someone has recommended a certain book to me or I found out about it on my own and wanted to read it, the cover is the least of my worries. In conclusion, I judge (or, rather, select) a book by its cover when I'm casually browsing by myself, but not when searching for something specific. The summary plays a bigger factor, but the cover is the hook that draws me in!<br /><br /><strong>Visting from the Hop? Thanks so much for spending some time here! Feel free to leave a link to your own blog in the comments so I can come visit.</strong>Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-19780650100869602312010-09-02T10:57:00.006-04:002010-09-02T11:26:25.213-04:00What's your preference?One thing I love about reading a variety of books is that they give me many things to think about. Both about the actual book, and not! Ever since I began The Almond Picker, I started wondering why I was liking it so much. I realised that it was because of the strong, interesting, and diverse people that were presented in the novel, and the strong family ties that resulted.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidj8gpsETuJfLy4Mq4o5zAgAogHOzYJ17XvGyeayC9977DRytTBFHvz1IeJZfoMfYuzF_u5MCCF35p3KrKUIA4u3JUgiBeYvnj-hpiZzJjaJusUeJATcJxereN49In8UmpZRnscjNU1tbS/s1600/Bookpages.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidj8gpsETuJfLy4Mq4o5zAgAogHOzYJ17XvGyeayC9977DRytTBFHvz1IeJZfoMfYuzF_u5MCCF35p3KrKUIA4u3JUgiBeYvnj-hpiZzJjaJusUeJATcJxereN49In8UmpZRnscjNU1tbS/s200/Bookpages.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512333203167097906" /></a>I also noticed, though, that there wasn't much action in terms of the plot. There wasn't any adventure, there wasn't any boldness! It didn't matter, because the characters and dialog were already at the forefront of the book. This is what is making me love the book so far, even with the absence of the classic, entertaining storyline.<br /><br />That's not to say that I don't appreciate an addictive plot - no way! If books like that didn't exist, reading would likely become very monotonous. Plus, there's an endless selection of books that include both realistic characters and a great plot. An example that comes to mind is The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. The books in that series are practically pure perfection with respect to what I've been talking about. Since we're all so unique and different as readers, I'd love to know your opinion on this topic!<br /><br /><b>Would you be able to enjoy a book without an engaging story if the characters made up for it? Is an exciting plot essential to you? What are some books you've read that include both these elements?</b>Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-19388325637484794082010-08-31T10:37:00.006-04:002010-08-31T10:47:51.418-04:00Teaser Tuesdays (25)<blockquote><strong>Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of</strong><span style="color:#cc6600;"> </span><a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Should Be Reading</strong></span></a><strong><em>.</em> Anyone can play along! Just do the following:</strong></blockquote>- Grab your current read<br />- Open to a random page<br />- Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page<br />Be careful not to include spoilers!<br />- Share the title and author, too.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlC33eKo3jKC5xPnPrKKIB2djxrOgdSoZfcAIFHTKN5RrJ-kl70XHWf-Wyn2DsYPZujIvlk3zrJbtihrHuv2yQkljU64ow_8PE7J1SZqPTcD_AIcFJQUMwtl28nORf_ZJCjX5B6cfvfxx9/s1600/Almondpicker.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlC33eKo3jKC5xPnPrKKIB2djxrOgdSoZfcAIFHTKN5RrJ-kl70XHWf-Wyn2DsYPZujIvlk3zrJbtihrHuv2yQkljU64ow_8PE7J1SZqPTcD_AIcFJQUMwtl28nORf_ZJCjX5B6cfvfxx9/s200/Almondpicker.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511583245156506754" /></a><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">The Almond Picker <br />by Simonetta Agnello Hornby</span></strong><br /><br /><blockquote>Massimo was standing, his hands clutching the back of a chair as if he were trying to break it. In a loud voice, as if he needed everyone in the building to hear, he said, "All she ever wanted to do was mortify us. This document is dripping with poison."</blockquote><br />It's interesting, because this book has been translated from Italian. I'm only a few chapters in, and I can't wait to get deeper into the book. I sense some scandal coming along... exciting!Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-69668284836061437912010-08-30T13:07:00.007-04:002012-01-06T12:17:26.080-05:00The Russian Dreambook of Color and Flight by Gina Ochsner<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAiSB1Lq85lOR1HrNxPRLeCsvewI9Wp2GFF8Wo4cv37j5O7dCvyHd-WKlV3ArhuWRdjKvSzTWraIiuHpz8eezfaitqFOijjL_vWu7uABUzYLAa3SdXUFTEVB5GCoveOX1dvg-Mx35B41eQ/s1600/russiandreambook.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511251144758248850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAiSB1Lq85lOR1HrNxPRLeCsvewI9Wp2GFF8Wo4cv37j5O7dCvyHd-WKlV3ArhuWRdjKvSzTWraIiuHpz8eezfaitqFOijjL_vWu7uABUzYLAa3SdXUFTEVB5GCoveOX1dvg-Mx35B41eQ/s200/russiandreambook.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 132px;" /></a><b>Published:</b> 2009<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 370<br />
<b>Genre:</b> Fantasy? <br />
<blockquote>
<i>Tanya carries a notebook wherever she goes, recording her observations and her dreams of finding love and escaping her job at the All-Russia All-Cosmopolitan Museum, a place which holds a fantastic and terrible collection of art knockoffs created using the tools at hand. When the museum’s director hears of a mysterious American group seeking to fund art in Russia, it looks like she might get her chance at a better life, if she can only convince them of the collection’s worth. With the help of her grandmother, friends and the ghost of a man who committed suicide, Tanya tries to turn her life around (from Goodreads).</i></blockquote>
I hate to say it, but I don't know what to think of this book. I really don't. There were moments of confusion, moments of disgust, moments of appreciation, and moments where I wanted to give up and never think of the book again. I made it to the end, though! My opinion of The Russian Dreambook did miraculously improve during the course of reading it, but I still cannot say that this is a book that will go down in history for me.<br />
<br />
The book is written in a format where we alternate point of views. This was a likely source of confusion for me, because all of the characters are somehow related - but their stories stand alone. Even though it was a neat experience to live post-Soviet Russian in the shoes of different people, some of it seemed irrelevant. A waste of time. The characterization was phenomenal, but what good does that serve when it doesn't really matter in the end? At least, that's what it felt like to me. On top of that, there were moments in The Russian Dreambook where I had no idea if the character was in a dream or in real life - the whole book has an atmosphere of darkness, whimsy, and fantasy that was somewhat misleading.<br />
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As I said before, these are some of the most honest, raw characters ever. Living in such hard times and poverty, we get to see the most inner and suppressed human emotions and feelings which are so very accurate. I was disgusted by their often crude and brutal behaviours towards each other, but what else can be expected from people living in such a world? Despite all this, I questioned why some of the characters even existed. Many of them felt like mere distractions.<br />
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The Russian Dreambook of Color and Flight is one of those books that is probably better the second time around (I hope, at least). In the end I was relatively satisfied with my "literary journey", but I still feel like I missed what Ochsner was trying to accomplish. To me, this was more of a showcase of brilliant characterization rather than a poignant and meaningful book. Looking at it now, it feels as if there's some sort of magical aura surrounding, making me want to love and understand it. Regretfully, that didn't happen.Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-40961839434938509282010-08-28T13:51:00.003-04:002010-08-28T14:17:05.653-04:00Slow down, take it easy!Reading too fast is one of my biggest habits, and one of my biggest faults as a reader. I can't control it! It's feels natural for me to flip through the pages at high speed. But sometimes I wonder if I'm truly grasping everything from a book. Am I getting all the messages? Is everything sinking in?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmXYJWxn-D0l2xhp5I2YqAIQaebo1jHmXVj8OTl4kH4ctWhJmyc78AJ4B8zDsUHOBbyeKbLI0Cc9Z6SbV83gKoLoX0v4sbGI3qK6Nx2gqAXeHAt0A3KsedF9X1zBLdmSFnxksNeo3Emm1/s1600/reading.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmXYJWxn-D0l2xhp5I2YqAIQaebo1jHmXVj8OTl4kH4ctWhJmyc78AJ4B8zDsUHOBbyeKbLI0Cc9Z6SbV83gKoLoX0v4sbGI3qK6Nx2gqAXeHAt0A3KsedF9X1zBLdmSFnxksNeo3Emm1/s200/reading.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510521945525458530" /></a>I don't know why it is, but I feel a small sense of victory when I finish a book or even complete a chapter. It's not that I don't like the book, it just feels like I've accomplished something and I'm advancing at a good pace. It's a shame, though, because I'm sure this has a negative effect on my reading sometimes. I often wonder if I would have had a deeper connection with the characters if I spent more time truly understanding them. Some books, though, are just begging to be read quickly! Take mysteries, for example. So many of these books are too addctive to put down. Why do they do this to us?<br /><br />A lot of readers have huge, huge TBR piles. Especially when you have books from publishers that are waiting to be reviewed, speed reading is probably your best friend. It worries me that the subtle aspects of books, the metaphors, the themes, might be getting lost. I can't speak for us all, but I feel like that sometimes. So, as of today, my goal is to take time while reading. I want to fully immerse myself in the book and not be concerned with time. I want to savour it!<br /><br /><b>Do you find yourself reading too fast sometimes? Do you feel pressured to finish books quickly? Are you getting the most out of every book?</b>Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-44517953718801653422010-08-27T00:02:00.003-04:002010-08-27T00:19:38.027-04:00It's finally FridayHey guys! Friday is here again. I cannot believe how fast this summer is going... it's a bit scary, to be honest. But enough about that! What have you got planned this weekend? I've got to work (ugh), but I'm also hoping to do some reading. I just started a new book, The Russion Dreambook of Color and Flight. At this point, I'm a bit confused with the story! I hope it picks up.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5hVPQRBK4EgZ11p4jP9nS9BhGJom6uxp1IcmCo7d2kuuVEZfRP9EI-q1Zi-MuHn8DfIR2gwYvqQOP1OLPFg_yoVq0pArVpD5fsRXHUdjxt_kpGyouSj1JDYQSEVjJI5p4jiFZu8Qu2Em/s1600/BBH.png"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 176px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509936259161471202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5hVPQRBK4EgZ11p4jP9nS9BhGJom6uxp1IcmCo7d2kuuVEZfRP9EI-q1Zi-MuHn8DfIR2gwYvqQOP1OLPFg_yoVq0pArVpD5fsRXHUdjxt_kpGyouSj1JDYQSEVjJI5p4jiFZu8Qu2Em/s200/BBH.png" /></a>Friday also means that it's the <a href="http://www.crazy-for-books.com/2010/08/book-blogger-hop-august-27-30-2010.html"><em><span style="color:#000000;">Book Blogger Hop</span></em></a>! There are so many good book blogs out there that I've discovered through this event. Join in! On to this week's question: <blockquote><b><span style="font-size:130%;">Do you have a rating system? If so, what is it and why do you have it?</span></b></blockquote>I've thought about implementing a rating system, but I've decided against it. First of all, I can't see myself being consistent with the criteria. I'm afraid that the ratings would become irrelevant that way! Also, I want to keep my reviews as more of a "discussion" type thing, as opposed to a review for the sake of rating a book. That's not to say that I don't like ratings on other blogs - I do! I just don't think it would work for me.<br /><br /><b>Are you here from the Hop? Feel free to leave a link to your blog so I can come visit. I will, I promise!</b>Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-76173453018602153062010-08-26T10:18:00.002-04:002012-01-06T12:10:55.388-05:00Family Sold Separately by Kate Long<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2r3Ka3lpSe_RIio7D2Uea2iO0BGnr_9iIDQgzaaAOeP7DDCL58WCglrpZxbaP2pf41U_1ZNHZ3GTwfXYdZPXXPinpGs2M99METQaCQ4UD4rPneAwKKhpC2JzJ4WO5JeMhIqI-8K5VyuN/s1600/familysoldseparately.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509722995806993074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2r3Ka3lpSe_RIio7D2Uea2iO0BGnr_9iIDQgzaaAOeP7DDCL58WCglrpZxbaP2pf41U_1ZNHZ3GTwfXYdZPXXPinpGs2M99METQaCQ4UD4rPneAwKKhpC2JzJ4WO5JeMhIqI-8K5VyuN/s200/familysoldseparately.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 130px;" /></a><b>Published:</b> 2005<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 326<br />
<b>Genre:</b> YA fiction<br />
<blockquote>
<i>Katherine is on the verge of turning eighteen and is living with her grandmother. Friendless, loveless and overweight, she does not have high hopes for her future. Will a chance to study at Oxford convince her grandmother to let her leave? Or, even better, when a mysterious boy shows up and claims to be her cousin, will Katherine finally learn more about her parents?</i></blockquote>
<br />
Ah, such British fun. Family Sold Separately is witty, sarcastic and smart. Despite the various laugh-out-loud moments and the absolutely wonderful main character, I kind of stopped caring plot-wise at around the half way mark. I don't know what caused this, now that I think back. Was it because I was getting lost in the slang? I couldn't tell you. But I <i>can</i> tell you this - Family Sold Separately has a loose (maybe even weak) plot, but the dialogue and authentic characters will make you fall in love.<br />
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I've read another book by Kate Long in the past, and one thing is certain: she seems to be consistent in creating real, tangible characters. They all have their faults, strengths, and problems that don't feel far-fetched in the least. It's refreshing to read about an overweight girl who's living with her grandmother, and is unsure about her future. At the age that she is, it's natural to questions your purpose in life. It's natural to be debating what university you want to go to. It's natural to want to leave your old, boring life behind. Nothing is masked in Family Sold Separately, and that's something that I appreciated. After all, real life isn't as easy as many books make it out to be.<br />
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The dialogue in this book was <i>fantastic</i>. There were sprinkles of sarcasm here and there, bits of comedy thrown in for good measure, and smart little comments that made me smile. Katherine's grandmother, Poll, is cruel and harsh. Seeing those two people collide was so, so entertaining! Then you have "Dogman", a semi-perverted man who is a friend of Poll's and is a regular visitor of the house. The comments that Katherine directs towards him under her breath are too funny! I would write some of them down for you to see, but they would be out of context and I'm afraid their full effects wouldn't be shown.<br />
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As I said before, the plot kind of slipped away at a certain point in the book. It became a backdrop to the lovable, funny characters that truly brought Family Sold Separately to life. I will admit - I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get more involved in the "meat" of the book, but I had so much fun along the way! Pure charm.Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-22329888550386599422010-08-24T09:45:00.000-04:002010-08-24T09:45:00.339-04:00Teaser Tuesdays (24)<blockquote><strong>Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of</strong><span style="color:#cc6600;"> </span><a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Should Be Reading</strong></span></a><strong><em>.</em> Anyone can play along! Just do the following:</strong></blockquote>- Grab your current read<br />- Open to a random page<br />- Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page<br />Be careful not to include spoilers!<br />- Share the title and author, too.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4AVmHX99u1t4gOQMikhNQHfDR4P8TmPFQRUD8m7wL9kMKH7WRdw41hiWMQoSwpcOONJRQf8rex39r378u1VeDcz3iWPhX0G-3Am63L7_37GCKWfu7vlXBIyKLQRoJ9Kswn3-CTZvB6fo/s1600/familysoldseparately.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4AVmHX99u1t4gOQMikhNQHfDR4P8TmPFQRUD8m7wL9kMKH7WRdw41hiWMQoSwpcOONJRQf8rex39r378u1VeDcz3iWPhX0G-3Am63L7_37GCKWfu7vlXBIyKLQRoJ9Kswn3-CTZvB6fo/s200/familysoldseparately.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508819615176369810" /></a><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Family Sold Separately <br />by Kate Long</span></strong><br /><blockquote>"I've been thinking about things, Poll, and I want you to call me Kat." I said it quite loudly, partly because there was a bouncy theme tune to contend with, and partly because I wanted her to understand right from the word go that I was serious about it. Poll's frowning face appeared around the door. "You want me to call you a cat?" "No," said Dogman's voice from behind her. "Don't be daft. She wants you to call her a cab."</blockquote>This book is a riot! It's so British and it's so funny. This is one of my favourite moments so far in the book. It's a perfect example of how Katherine's life at home is both frustrating and comical. Review coming soon!Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-17545912957549786512010-08-23T11:22:00.002-04:002012-01-06T11:51:42.869-05:00A Good and Happy Child by Justin Evans<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8AFXiuVbupw2R723CIzg-dfIvylT4H3hs1vzXmjZgYxe5XpW677csSaGIjAmgo4wS0FH4siPQdNNPUz9bK9IGCVKcJWyJlT0Q8Er8vJd5bgtjLOlMyPce23gJwn1ePfIt6c8IMZRwfEv/s1600/agoodandhappychild.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508626292890665106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8AFXiuVbupw2R723CIzg-dfIvylT4H3hs1vzXmjZgYxe5XpW677csSaGIjAmgo4wS0FH4siPQdNNPUz9bK9IGCVKcJWyJlT0Q8Er8vJd5bgtjLOlMyPce23gJwn1ePfIt6c8IMZRwfEv/s200/agoodandhappychild.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 132px;" /></a><b>Published:</b> 2007<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 320<br />
<b>Genre:</b> Thriller<br />
<blockquote>
<i>As an adult, George Davies can't bring himself to hold or be around his child. His fed-up wife sends him to a therapist, and together they delve into his disturbed childhood. George believed he was possessed by a demon, and this served as the link to his late father. But was this really the issue? Were the hallucinations and visions real?</i></blockquote>
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Wow, what a weird/disturbing/thought-provoking book. To be honest, I had no previous knowledge of what this book was <i>actually</i> about. Sure, I knew it involved a man who was severely affected by his experiences as a child. Sure, I knew his father died mysteriously. But demons? Exorcisms? I didn't see that coming. All of it was surprisingly interesting, and it even scared me a bit.<br />
<br />
This is a psychological thriller at its finest. The book isn't action packed by any means, and I wouldn't consider it a classic, fast-paced thriller. A Good and Happy Child is more of a subtle thriller - one that slowly creeps up on you. One thing that I really, really liked was how you couldn't fully trust the point of view of the narrator. George was truly a messed up child, and was having serious hallucinations that (might) have caused him to injure many people in many ways. As the reader, how could I be sure that he was mentally ill? Or was it the demon? I loved being unsure. The episodes that George was having of his "friend", and when his "friend" was telling him to do things, were so frightening. I'm telling you now - reading this book at midnight was not a comforting experience!<br />
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As for the writing, I wasn't overly impressed. I mean, Evans' style was a tad dry, but it fit perfectly with the book. There were the occasional moments when I savoured his descriptions and really got what he was saying, but they weren't happening all the time. It didn't matter, though, because I was so caught-up in the story that I barely noticed how his writing affected me. He did manage to invent some pretty interesting characters, especially in George. I loved his character, despite its strangeness. I kept forgetting how he was only eleven years old, because his intelligence and maturity was beyond his years. His thoughts and experiences were so haunting.<br />
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Don't worry - you don't have to be religious or believe in demons to take this book seriously. I can't tell you what happens, but there are so many events that got my heart beating faster. Nothing is settled in this book, nothing is finalized. It's all open to interpretation, and the ending is totally up to you.Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-23453138207007685852010-08-21T17:22:00.004-04:002010-08-21T17:37:51.752-04:00Oh, I wish time could be paused!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGl867uwpQhF2MRrOhbKyExgwzXCnMx3rUc6Wcx7AzFeGM9otEX8tV6ksj_ra-TfLIJgM1vtXyzwVBrJKSNM3N8B-YFLBNFlNmeFzaK8GPLTblrA4Ga043H9G1m1goQHWFg80sCDZc-UeW/s1600/Time"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGl867uwpQhF2MRrOhbKyExgwzXCnMx3rUc6Wcx7AzFeGM9otEX8tV6ksj_ra-TfLIJgM1vtXyzwVBrJKSNM3N8B-YFLBNFlNmeFzaK8GPLTblrA4Ga043H9G1m1goQHWFg80sCDZc-UeW/s200/Time" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507977126509513362" /></a>I know everyone says it, but there truly is not enough time in a day! I say now this because I haven't had the chance to have a hardcore reading "session" lately. It's a few minutes here, half an hour before bed, ten minutes while eating breakfast, five minutes while on my break at work... nothing solid. Recently, I haven't had the chance to just sit down and devote a good couple of hours to reading. That's something I love, love, love to do. I love to just ignore the world, ignore my responsibilities, and read. What could be better?<br /><br />The book I'm reading right now is A Good and Happy Child. It's one of those deep, substantial books that requires you to read uninterrupted. I feel like I'm not doing it justice with my sporadic reading habits lately. It's terrible! Tonight, though, I will hopefully have the chance to sit down and spend time with it. It needs some love and attention.<br /><br /><strong>Anyways, how do you make time to read? Do you have a certain time of day when you read for a while, or are you more random? Do you feel like you're interrupting the flow of the book in any way?</strong>Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-57416872843430403492010-08-20T00:02:00.006-04:002010-08-20T00:32:04.146-04:00It's finally FridayHello hello hello! Ah, Friday's here again. The whole weekend is waiting, waiting for me to fill it with some reading. I just started a new book today, A Good and Happy Child. It's a bit depressing right now, but it's <em>supposed</em> to get interesting! I can tell it's going to get good, though. Let's hope.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTGf2ZB4KOoM4iVzHxrXA7dZER_Am0RqvfPb2U0OevJiVc4xNAXzQWXAyK0EL0LAYLBn4FLBtcOgvTKfMdS3YtV17SqIhHBXefW1MhPj6rrEKWpdTz3oJHtuXjNs0OEBwAtdpjsGC38kW/s1600/BBH.png"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 176px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507338078494750226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTGf2ZB4KOoM4iVzHxrXA7dZER_Am0RqvfPb2U0OevJiVc4xNAXzQWXAyK0EL0LAYLBn4FLBtcOgvTKfMdS3YtV17SqIhHBXefW1MhPj6rrEKWpdTz3oJHtuXjNs0OEBwAtdpjsGC38kW/s200/BBH.png" /></a>This goes without saying, but it's also time for <a href="http://www.crazy-for-books.com/2010/08/book-blogger-hop-august-20-23-2010.html"><em>The Book Blogger Hop!</em></a> This is a weekly event that allows you to network your blog and discover some other book blogs. How could you <i>not</i> participate in this? This week's question:<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size:130%;">How many blogs do you follow?</span></b><br />I'm sure it's in the hundreds by now. Well, maybe not that high yet, but I do follow quite a few. And I'm proud to say that, for most, I do comment and visit regularly. The way I see it is like this - why would I bother following a blog if I couldn't picture myself coming back and getting involved? I'd much rather follow a select few and be a quality follower than simply click that button and never come back. That would be such a shame. Anyways...<br /><br /><b>Are you visiting from the Hop? Don't be shy - feel free to leave a comment with your blog link. I'd love to return the visit!</b>Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-36811692026007677922010-08-19T11:25:00.002-04:002012-01-06T11:49:41.519-05:00The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbiMDRIr3Wwb1K5WbHAwGaaXZgsWdO_0uGDOmYBTMwErmoIc-4Y64i22M3RHsCOkCXgMdbPyFF8hyDiT-sGmIiOBc9I55f7BRoP_CSlp3rBFODigA6YojBuCb2whQtir8Nm_83bBcqD-O/s1600/girlsheusedtobe.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506960490051027570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbiMDRIr3Wwb1K5WbHAwGaaXZgsWdO_0uGDOmYBTMwErmoIc-4Y64i22M3RHsCOkCXgMdbPyFF8hyDiT-sGmIiOBc9I55f7BRoP_CSlp3rBFODigA6YojBuCb2whQtir8Nm_83bBcqD-O/s200/girlsheusedtobe.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><b>Published:</b> 2009<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 241<br />
<b>Genre:</b> Fiction<br />
<blockquote>
<i>Melody can never live a normal life. At six years old, she witnessed a violent crime along with her mother and father, and her family becomes a target due to what they saw. Twenty years later, she's an orphan, constantly changing names, constantly moving, and constantly re-inventing her life. As part of the Witness Protection Program, her safety is never guaranteed. But when a man appears and promises her safety and truth, how can she not trust him?</i></blockquote>
Gorgeous book. Gorgeous, gorgeous book. And what a great library find! Truthfully, I enjoyed almost every moment of The Girl She Used to Be. Despite the scattered cheesy moments, it offers such a unique, interesting twist on those classic "self-discovery" books. It has action, it has adventure, it has intrigue, mystery, romance, substance, and honesty.<br />
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The fact that Melody literally <i>doesn't know who she's supposed to be</i> scares me so much. I mean, imagine not being able to stay in a certain town long enough to get an education, get a steady job, meet someone, and live your life? It's an utter mess. And it's depressing. It's weird. Strange. But Melody has to live this lie all the time, and it was so easy to empathize with her. I've never read a book where someone was so deeply lost in life - her anguish was contagious. And then, much to my happiness, we were presented with an adventure of sorts! I don't want to say much, but it felt oh so risky and a tad rebellious. Fun!<br />
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One thing that really made this book was Cristofano's writing. It was like velvet. Not necessarily in the beautiful-and-elegant-description-on-every-page kind of way, but in the way that makes you say "yes, this feels right". I loved the sarcasm, I loved the spunk, and it was great being inside Melody's intelligent yet wild head! Of course, there were the classic movie romance scenes. But even these were relatively sparse and it didn't feel like they ruined the story in a noticeable way. I could do without them, though.<br />
<br />
The characters were, all in all, good. Melody was the most realistic, and the secondary character could have used a bit more personality in my opinion. I <i>did</i> find it a bit odd how they fell for each other so quickly, though! Don't worry - this isn't a spoiler at all. I'm pretty sure every person will be able to see it coming. Still, it's so sudden! I literally turned the page and there they were, gazing into each other's eyes. I thought they were enemies? I thought they had a history?<br />
<br />
I'm being <i>really</i> picky here, but that's only because I liked this book so much. I feel the need to be critical! The Girl She Used to Be was a wild ride, and it was so much fun. Short and sweet. The way it should be.Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-38402686483973100462010-08-18T11:20:00.000-04:002012-01-06T12:13:59.036-05:00The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspfMXbh9j1Gtc54KKl6NrXgACqNVV_dm1swj9EtZj2wd38J1GraDHbbou3QzYmLfsheuB_03iEItL04njgbVA-2YmMr_1uR9yUDyvFY90YyrE6z0pZz-at7THAu8FNXIvbYA2PZxYkSj1/s1600/Forgotten+Garden.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506512194976931874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspfMXbh9j1Gtc54KKl6NrXgACqNVV_dm1swj9EtZj2wd38J1GraDHbbou3QzYmLfsheuB_03iEItL04njgbVA-2YmMr_1uR9yUDyvFY90YyrE6z0pZz-at7THAu8FNXIvbYA2PZxYkSj1/s200/Forgotten+Garden.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 132px;" /></a><b>Published:</b> 2008<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 549<br />
<b>Genre:</b> Fiction<br />
<blockquote>
<i>A tiny girl is abandoned on a ship headed for Australia in 1913. She arrives completely alone with nothing but a small suitcase containing a few clothes and a single book - a beautiful volume of fairytales. She is taken in by the dockmaster and his wife and raised as their own. On her twenty-first birthday, they tell her the truth, and with her sense of self shattered and very little to go on, "Nell" sets out to trace her real identity. But it's not until her granddaughter, Cassandra, takes up the search after Nell's death that all the pieces of the puzzle are assembled. (from back of book)</i></blockquote>
This is one of those books that I've been considering for a long time. I first saw it at the book store, picked it up, read the back, and decided not to get it. I saw it for a second time at the <i>used</i> book store and splurged! (Well, not really. It was cheap.) While The Forgotten Garden wasn't a mind-blowing masterpiece, it kept me involved, invested and interested!<br />
<br />
We all know that I adore mysteries. So when the mystery in The Forgotten Garden started picking up, it was great to be a part of it. I loved how the point of view was constantly switching, and rotating between three different time periods. It was neat, actually, because we sometimes had knowledge that other characters didn't have at that point. Don't you just love feeling sneaky like that? I did. Being thrown back in time for a few chapters, and then being transported to the future for a couple more, was oh so fun.<br />
<br />
Morton's writing had its ups and downs for sure. At times I loved her exquisite imagery and flowy (not sure if that's a word...), smooth descriptions. But at other times, it simply felt repetitive! I noticed that she tends to use some of the same words over and over again. Once I clued into this, her writing sadly lost some of its luster for me. It was still beautiful, but there were no more surprises. I don't know if it's just me, but I also felt that Morton <i>over</i> described certain scenes. There's a fine line between a delicate, perfectly described scene and one that feels <i>too</i> stressed. I think this line was crossed at a few instances during The Forgotten Garden, but for the most part I loved Morton's writing. I soaked it up!<br />
<br />
I'd like to discuss the plot of the book in more detail, because this was the main strength of the novel for me. There were so many connections between characters, so much history, so many secrets, so many emotions long buried in the past. Being able to uncover all this along with Cassandra was so great! But it wasn't only with her that we got to learn about things - as I mentioned before, going back in time to see things as they truly happened was such an interesting way to get involved in the story. Through three generations, I was there when everything happened. What a cool feeling!<br />
<br />
The Forgotten Garden was, for me, a solid read. It had its faults and wasn't perfect by any means, but the story was just so entertaining! I loved the format, I loved the book's style, and I loved the characters.<br />
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<b>Recommendation:</b> Give this one a try! Especially if you're one who loves family mysteries and historical stuff like that.Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-10801530411747068152010-08-17T13:00:00.002-04:002010-08-17T20:52:05.499-04:00Teaser Tuesdays (23)<blockquote><strong>Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of</strong><span style="color:#cc6600;"> </span><a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Should Be Reading</strong></span></a><strong><em>.</em> Anyone can play along! Just do the following:</strong></blockquote>- Grab your current read<br />- Open to a random page<br />- Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page<br />Be careful not to include spoilers!<br />- Share the title and author, too.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEKyAJzixd2-fNs4kCAJlTsOqmwf1hJQGRP2f68y3yrYdYD5MT_83_SYUyVweHl1A5k4fjcQQkAEvdjf4utgtpB9PMDRSu9ntjwlQaJe0qUf4d8pp6bXCU7J2vvXlwqSc5pPoF5DBSSwV/s1600/girlsheusedtobe.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 130px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506385370054403378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEKyAJzixd2-fNs4kCAJlTsOqmwf1hJQGRP2f68y3yrYdYD5MT_83_SYUyVweHl1A5k4fjcQQkAEvdjf4utgtpB9PMDRSu9ntjwlQaJe0qUf4d8pp6bXCU7J2vvXlwqSc5pPoF5DBSSwV/s200/girlsheusedtobe.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">The Girl She Used to Be by<br />David Cristofano</span></strong><br /><br /><blockquote>Name me. Gaze into my eyes, study my smile and my dimples and tell me who you see. I look like an Emma. I look like an Amy. I look like a Katherine.</blockquote><br /><br />I'm a few moments away from starting The Girl She Used to Be. The teaser is actually the first few sentences from the book. Isn't it a cool way to start?Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-78156192072129986182010-08-16T18:44:00.009-04:002010-08-16T19:37:13.860-04:00In My Mailbox (20)<blockquote><b>Hosted by Kristi at <a href="http://thestorysiren.com/"><span style="color:black;">The Story Siren</span></a>, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.</b></blockquote>Yaaay! I just got back from the library, which was mysteriously closed yesterday. Anyways, I have tons of cool books to show you all. Feast your eyes.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5h2458YiTR9XGFGJP2rkW3shGPng0X97XiEB2AjdNxE27wi_z_J4XGMkECcIHUsTEkwT1cuavdHQfoyeMTh0SuxfpGZY-jjgegoJ5TFQCLPxhZThcJV_4yuSCfxn0F8noWR26CpEPcJp3/s1600/agoodandhappychild.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 132px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506142796561861218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5h2458YiTR9XGFGJP2rkW3shGPng0X97XiEB2AjdNxE27wi_z_J4XGMkECcIHUsTEkwT1cuavdHQfoyeMTh0SuxfpGZY-jjgegoJ5TFQCLPxhZThcJV_4yuSCfxn0F8noWR26CpEPcJp3/s200/agoodandhappychild.jpg" /></a><b><span style="font-size:130%;">A Good And Happy Child by Justin Evans</span></b><br />George Davies can't bring himself to hold his newborn son. After months of accepting his lame excuses and strange behaviour, his wife has had enough. She demands that he see a therapist, and George, desperate to save his unraveling marriage and redeem himself as a father and husband, reluctantly agrees. As he delves into his childhood memories, he begins to recall things he hasn't thought of in twenty years. Events, people, and strange situations come rushing back. The odd, rambling letters his father sent home before he died. A boy who appeared one night when George was lonely, then told him secrets he didn't want to know. But when a mysterious murder is revealed, remembering the past becomes the only way George can protect himself - and his young family. <i>- From back cover</i><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi20nDtI1QLwuv3Jamq2bZ1hMkpsYt8Yc8YTVoAYwK4bNQeDlmjWbI-AtplABys5VemekWcSVoOBZiOh68pDstB7oTO_5jSunDIJZtCqJ_HqjcTlNY9F1xi14P5r9WM8pzpGqcIsRJgUyk/s1600/familysoldseparately.jpg"><span style="font-size:130%;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 130px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506150598920478722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi20nDtI1QLwuv3Jamq2bZ1hMkpsYt8Yc8YTVoAYwK4bNQeDlmjWbI-AtplABys5VemekWcSVoOBZiOh68pDstB7oTO_5jSunDIJZtCqJ_HqjcTlNY9F1xi14P5r9WM8pzpGqcIsRJgUyk/s200/familysoldseparately.jpg" /></span></a><b><span style="font-size:130%;">Family Sold Separately by Kate Long</span></b><br />On the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Katherine has a complete lack of friends, a pudgy figure, and one extremely eccentric, nearly blind grandmother name Poll. Since Katherine's father died and her mother disappeared, Poll is Katherine's only family. And not only does Poll buy all of Katherine's clothes, but she forbids her to leave the house unless it's <i>absolutely</i> necessary. Would a chance to go to Oxford count? But the bigger question is: How can Katherine abandon her grandma?<br /><i>- From back cover</i><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNy9Aj3-ao8wutFPlAZEip_GR4y3hIMfZOU_-80LZiGa3I4DtgSm9tYjgP_gahYyKkZHkU6EcYYdrmA_Ki5Ea19DtcgRs4aNM2wAjpCoCHQjFkSE4vVlpfgCs-Gv551-0MKmVCzCYXm5E-/s1600/Almondpicker.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 142px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506152370613570098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNy9Aj3-ao8wutFPlAZEip_GR4y3hIMfZOU_-80LZiGa3I4DtgSm9tYjgP_gahYyKkZHkU6EcYYdrmA_Ki5Ea19DtcgRs4aNM2wAjpCoCHQjFkSE4vVlpfgCs-Gv551-0MKmVCzCYXm5E-/s200/Almondpicker.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><b>The Almond Picker by Simonetta Agnello Hornby</b><br /></span>The child of poor farmers, La Mennulara became a maid for a well-to-do local family when she was only a girl; by dint of hard work and intelligence, she became the indispensable administrator of the family’s affairs. Still, she was a mere servant, and now (as this story begins) she is dead. As the details unfold about this mysterious woman, The Almond Picker assumes the witty suspense of a thriller, the emotional power of a love story, and the evocative atmosphere of a historical novel. Set in Sicily in the 1960s, a violent, complicated society in the midst of tumultuous change, The Almond Picker is the story of a woman who negotiated for her freedom as no one else dared. <i>- From Goodreads</i><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiff4K8PHxMWxgNFqz3fhymJOzdGXdyXHK4gkHUJIsJkciSwd3JiJBbp7Fh8kCwXKFPKyqCaWVpj1P0tyzTu3_g-fO7-ZZ4F_GGZwsGjPwhoAgf9zcJY34JjE-VUU4IAwZzojTMo76efqdM/s1600/girlsheusedtobe.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 130px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506153126708821714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiff4K8PHxMWxgNFqz3fhymJOzdGXdyXHK4gkHUJIsJkciSwd3JiJBbp7Fh8kCwXKFPKyqCaWVpj1P0tyzTu3_g-fO7-ZZ4F_GGZwsGjPwhoAgf9zcJY34JjE-VUU4IAwZzojTMo76efqdM/s200/girlsheusedtobe.jpg" /></a><b><span style="font-size:130%;">The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano</span></b><br />After 20 years in the Federal Witness Protection Program (WITSEC) and eight aliases, Melody Grace McCartney hardly knows who she is. On the run since she and her parents stumbled on a gruesome murder by mobster Tony Bovaro when she was six years old, Grace saw WITSEC’s promised protection fail her mother and father when they were killed 12 years later. Now she feigns personal danger to be relocated just because she’s bored and wants a change. But before her new case officer can move her from suburban Maryland to rural Wisconsin, Tony’s son, Jonathan, tracks her down to present an alternative: protection from his family and a life of more safety and freedom than she has ever known. While federal officials pressure her to stay in WITSEC and show her Jonathan’s violent side, her attraction to him grows, and she must decide a course for the rest of her life. <i>-From Goodreads</i><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_a6IUBYEXIGy0_brr0D4Q8T4V9XgcvBMOVU4BHwFoM5KW3dhnngKstJd9F1ZEGHYe7yAgYMCIFgJ9y09ITSs98Z_GG_jzShWdTqSEFyLsTu77BSc6oNNUSB6hhNA7nbTFqTetPvg_uXN/s1600/russiandreambook.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 132px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506153977753274802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_a6IUBYEXIGy0_brr0D4Q8T4V9XgcvBMOVU4BHwFoM5KW3dhnngKstJd9F1ZEGHYe7yAgYMCIFgJ9y09ITSs98Z_GG_jzShWdTqSEFyLsTu77BSc6oNNUSB6hhNA7nbTFqTetPvg_uXN/s200/russiandreambook.jpg" /></a><b><span style="font-size:130%;">The Russian Dreambook of Color and Flight by Gina Ochsner</span></b><br />In a crumbling apartment building in post-Soviet Russia, there’s a ghost who won’t keep quiet. Mircha fell from the roof and was never properly buried, so he sticks around to heckle the living: his wife, Azade; Olga, a disillusioned translator/censor for a military newspaper; Yuri, an army veteran who always wears an aviator’s helmet; and Tanya. Tanya carries a notebook wherever she goes, recording her observations and her dreams of finding love and escaping her job at the All-Russia All-Cosmopolitan Museum, a place which holds a fantastic and terrible collection of art knockoffs created using the tools at hand, from foam to chewing gum, Popsicle sticks to tomato juice. When the museum’s director hears of a mysterious American group seeking to fund art in Russia, it looks like she might get her chance at a better life, if she can only convince them of the collection’s worth.<br /><i>-From Goodreads</i><br /><br /><b>Don't these sound fantastic? And they were all random finds, too. I tried to take out some of the books you guys suggested to me in Sunday's post, but couldn't find them. Oh well - these will keep me entertained!</b>Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-39336295085274622822010-08-15T14:47:00.009-04:002010-08-15T14:58:10.054-04:00No books for me...I had it all planned out - I was going to go to the library this afternoon, take out a pile of books, and write my IMM post! But it seems both of the libraries I usually visit are closed this Sunday. So terrible!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21Z83cvpB43uJv7Omz3qMsiNzmeFQelkIxxIwFFJfktWQ34r7C7x9Yd9kJcDVH8a73flqp4ZzGpZPhJ3QrVhaxCJkbhSzt31NdU33Y_2_tlEzJNzEPFBoFHRE6350tfTybxZdEE4xkgCf/s1600/library_shelves.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21Z83cvpB43uJv7Omz3qMsiNzmeFQelkIxxIwFFJfktWQ34r7C7x9Yd9kJcDVH8a73flqp4ZzGpZPhJ3QrVhaxCJkbhSzt31NdU33Y_2_tlEzJNzEPFBoFHRE6350tfTybxZdEE4xkgCf/s200/library_shelves.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505712276567943794" /></a><br />So, I'll have to wait another day to satisfy my craving. While we're on this topic, are there any books you'd recommend that come to mind right now? I never know what books to take out while I'm at the library. I know that sounds kind of silly, but there are obviously so many choices, and I guess it's a bit overwhelming. If you have any books that you'd like to see me read, please don't hold back! I need some suggestions so I can at least <i>pretend</i> to have a purpose while I'm there. Fire away!Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-28501143330278269182010-08-13T09:31:00.003-04:002010-08-13T09:42:19.820-04:00It's finally FridayHellow everyone! Yes, it's that day of the week again - Friday. Any plans for the weekend? Me, I need to work on my physics summative for school. But I do plan on having some fun! I'm about a quarter of the way through The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton and am enjoying it so far. The mystery is just starting to pick up, so I can't wait to get deeper into the book.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUPWJ4PP7e-tYX74gSbyxPprNjlznW3dwTjcUlbBZwiMRQW-qiP9iku4WSOCplzudXgqAOHO5sVvgK9ajY8G_kJLjnFA3dMNWYBpToGe56WLBGF-iOTsv87Cp1CEeA-NbQILgwCwhChCa/s1600/BBH.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 176px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUPWJ4PP7e-tYX74gSbyxPprNjlznW3dwTjcUlbBZwiMRQW-qiP9iku4WSOCplzudXgqAOHO5sVvgK9ajY8G_kJLjnFA3dMNWYBpToGe56WLBGF-iOTsv87Cp1CEeA-NbQILgwCwhChCa/s200/BBH.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504887727935921986" /></a>Friday also means that it's <a href="http://www.crazy-for-books.com/2010/08/book-blogger-hop-august-13-16-2010.html"><i>The Book Blogger Hop!</i></a> This is such a good way to network your blog and make some new book blogger friends. This week, we have to talk about how large our TBR shelf (or shelves!) is.<br /><br />To be honest, I don't actually have a shelf of books waiting to be read. I normally take one trip to the library, take out a pile of books, read those, review them, return them, and get some more. But just because I don't have a physical TBR pile doesn't mean there aren't tons of books I want to read! Quite the opposite. With all the blogs I follow, I'm constantly finding out about new books. I try to store those titles in the back of my mind somewhere, and hope that I get to read them someday.<br /><br /><b>Are you here from the Hop? Welcome! Feel free to leave a link to your own blog in the comments so I can come visit you.</b>Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382384867180683130.post-53274501050324668842010-08-12T13:19:00.003-04:002010-08-12T13:41:31.079-04:00That's so touching!It's a common word to use when describing a book. In fact, it's not a rare word in my vocabulary at all. But what makes a book touching? What makes it have such an effect on its readers? Why does it make us feel certain emotions while other book do nothing of the sort?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-5vx9su7cOU4RwsZj9bQRg6P0DAxHYy_qclGpV2X9tuRzv15E35GvNCIAs4hVLKsZ9Mao4CeOMuWZsU4pToeWauneGeSlBTSsg4MuVGECOe6gskWw4Qgibesq-8RcgsTpyeovh8oKXVY/s1600/crying.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-5vx9su7cOU4RwsZj9bQRg6P0DAxHYy_qclGpV2X9tuRzv15E35GvNCIAs4hVLKsZ9Mao4CeOMuWZsU4pToeWauneGeSlBTSsg4MuVGECOe6gskWw4Qgibesq-8RcgsTpyeovh8oKXVY/s200/crying.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504576398641002706" /></a>I'm not one of those people who cry very easily, but there have been a few books in the past where I couldn't contain myself. The most recent I can think of was The Kite Runner. I don't think I've ever felt that sad while reading a book before. I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, so I'll only say this: one character was <i>so, so</i> loyal to someone who mistreated him, and it was so hearbreaking to read.<br /><br />The author's talent has a huge role to play in this. Some people have the ability to, with so few words, make you feel emotions that are so complex and so real that you cannot identify them - you only know they're there. Khaled Hosseini, the author of The Kite Runner, had this power on me. I'm sure not everyone would be as strongly affected as I was, but the fact remains. When you think about it, it's unbelievable! All there is in front of you is a page with some two-dimensional words on it, yet the things that you are capable of feeling are so true, and are triggered by what you read.<br /><br />Whether it's the words, the plot, the characters, or something else, many books have the ability to touch us and change us. I think this is one of the most interesting and important aspects of reading - feelings something that wasn't there before. And it supports the common thought that authors can be some of the most talented people on earth!<br /><br /><b>What makes a book touching for you? Is it the sheer power of the language, or is it something else? What are some books you've read that have made a lasting impression on you?</b>Emidy @ Une Parolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424121360029235229noreply@blogger.com20