Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Anderson

“You’re not dead, but you’re not alive, either. You’re a wintergirl, Lia-Lia, caught in between the worlds. You’re a ghost with a beating heart. Soon you’ll cross the border and be with me. I’m so stoked. I miss you wicked.”  

-Laurie Halse Anderson, Wintergirls

Ever since I read Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak, which is no doubt one of my favorite books, I knew I had to read another one of her books. Granted, it took me longer than expected to find another book by her, but I did in Chapters bookstore and freaked out a very tiny bit. She's that good.

Wintergirls has a very different tone than Speak did. Which is why after a few pages in, I wasn't sure how much I'd actually enjoy the book. Not as much as Speak, I thought. The way its written takes a little while to get used to, however, once it cleared up, Anderson did a fantastic job. She was able to, as she did in Speak, create a character that we get to know completely. If any author gets into the head of their characters, it's Laurie Halse Anderson.

Lia, and her best friend Cassie, are the main characters entangled in a deadly competition to see who can be the thinnest. The book is heart-wrenching, at times difficult to read, but powerful. I believe that every girl, especially those around the age of 13, should read this book. It shows the true effect of an eating disorder. Written in a way that accurately reveals the mind battles and thought process of those with any eating disorder. It shows how starving yourself affects those around you, and it shows the painful road to recovery.

While the tone of Speak was very monotone in a way , Wintergirls is eerie and hauntingly beautiful. I've never witnessed the effects of an eating disorder in anyone's life before. I listened to stories of those who overcame it, and looked into the topic a little out of curiosity. This book, however, centers on everything that happens to someone currently dealing with this deadly illness. It broke my heart.

Once again, Laurie Halse Anderson has left me at a loss for words. This is one of those books that you will have to read for yourself in order to fully comprehend the impact that it can, and will, have.

Love Anthony - Lisa Genova

He died, and for a long time after that worst of all mornings, she replayed his death in her mind, unleashing the massive sorrow that still clings to those images, consuming her in a tsunami of devastated grief every day. She thought she would do this forever. Her grief was her daily duty, her misery a humble tribute to her son."

Love Anthony - Lisa Genova

I get excited whenever I notice a book by Lisa Genova on the shelves of a book store... I get even more excited when it's a good price. Although I heard of this book by Genova before, it had never really piqued my interest. Until, well, I found a good deal on it that I really just couldn't refuse. I don't regret the decision, and if I had to go back and buy the book full price I'd go in a heartbeat.

This was actually quite different from the previous three books I've read by Lisa Genova. In Still Alice, Left Neglected, and Inside the O'Brien's, Genova told the story from the perspective of the person with whatever condition she focused on. She got inside the character's head to reveal what the affected person was really experiencing from the inside out. In Love Anthony, the story centers on the mother of Anthony, an autistic boy. We know from the very beginning of the book (it's in the description on the back cover, no spoilers.) that Anthony died at a very young age. I was at first a little disappointed, I wanted to get inside Anthony's head, but I wasn't disappointed after actually reading the book.

For the entire story, Olivia, Anthony's mother, is plagued by the question of why. Why was Anthony given to her? Why for such a short period of time? What was his purpose? These are questions we ponder after any death of a loved one, but especially when death happens at a young age. However, Lisa's books always leave me feeling at peace by the ending. In short, this book did not fail me.

I loved reading this book. It was wonderfully written, Genova did a phenomenal job telling Anthony's story. Also, after reading any one of her books, I feel as though I better understand the condition she deals with. The same is true about this novel. Although a fictional story, I believe I've really learned something about autism and those affected by it 

I applaud Genova and her writings. I have yet to read one of her books that I don't enjoy, and I doubt I ever will. She is an intelligent author, capable of understanding the topics she writes about. This is a good read for any generation.

The Last Boy and Girl in The World - Siobhan Vivian

When the rain first began to fall, we didn't see the bigger picture. We didn't even want to. The bigger picture was for our parents to worry about. We were sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, and focused on more exciting things, like how many days were left before school let out. And Spring Formal and our dresses. When it started, the only thing I cared about was kissing Jesse Ford.

The Last Boy and Girl in The World - Siobhan Vivian

This book started out seemingly very predictable. I was pretty sure I could tell what was going to happen. It was the classic love story of a girl achieving the boy of her dreams. Despite the fact I thought I knew what would happen in the end, I kept reading. And I'm glad I did. The book takes a turn throughout a series of events... and everything that was supposed to happen according to my predictions, didn't. I was flipping through pages long past midnight, and excitedly texting my best friend, who read the book at the same time as me. Even though an easy-to-guess ending would've been good, too, the ending to this book was more than just good, it was incredibly satisfying.

The story centers around Keeley Hewitt, a senior in high school with an almost obsessive crush on Jesse Ford. Telling you that she ends up with Jesse will not spoil the story, to my surprise this happened quite early-on in the book. The rest of the story is their relationship as they try to savour their last days in their beloved hometown of Aberdeen, which is at risk of being completely submerged under water. There's definitely a plot-twist, but what I love is that part of this plot-twist would've been predictable if I had only paid to seemingly minor characters.

Siobhan's writing style was unique in this book. Something about it made me keep reading, even though, like I said, I thought I knew what was coming up. It almost feels like she has that mystique about her that she shares through her writing. I believe there is are so very subtly hints that there will  be more to the story than a simple love story. I hope to read more of her books in the future.

I think my favorite part of this book was the characters. For some reason I really "connected" with the characters, and enjoyed seeing their intertwining relationships, whether good or bad. Siobhan created characters that are personable, relatable, and quirky. They were not perfect, complete with flaws, struggles and deep emotions, making the characters on the pages come to life in my mind.

All in all, this book may have been the most satisfying summer read I've completed. I'd love to see it as a movie. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good, atypical love story.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson

“With every day, and from both sides of my intelligence, the moral and the intellectual, I thus drew steadily nearer to the truth, by whose partial discovery I have been doomed to such a dreadful shipwreck: that man is not truly one, but truly two.”

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson

I'll admit that I went into this book with some doubts. I doubted that I would enjoy it very much after reading another one of Robert Louis Stevenson's books with disappointing results. Yet this book surpassed my expectations, although they weren't very high to begin with, and the book  genuinely impress me.

I think my favorite genre of books is mystery, so this book already was already something I'd likely find intriguing. I did find the language was a little mundane or hard to comprehend at times, and therefore it was harder to immerse myself completely into the story. Due to this slight barrier, it did require a little more effort in reading to understand and grasp the complete story. Regardless, the novel and story in itself was thrilling and exciting. I was continually wondering and curious about the next page until the very satisfactory end.

The book was shorter than what I'm used to reading, but a good size, so it was a relatively quick read for me. One thing I noticed about the overall structure of the book is that it was very well organized and every bit of the story fit into a larger story. No information in the book seemed worthless. I greatly enjoyed knowing that all the information I received in the book was relevant and I was never left wondering why the author was telling me certain bits of information.

Despite my doubts, I really did enjoy this book. Small complaints against the novel could be made, but like any good piece of literature, the good overrides the bad.

How to Read a Book - Mortimer J. Adler

"A piece of writing, however, is a complex object. It can be received more or less completely, all the way from very little of what the writer intended to the whole of it. The amount the reader "catches"

will usually depend on the amount of activity he puts into the process."

How to Read a Book - Mortimer J. Alder

This book was very well-written and relatively informative. Since the revised and updated version, which I read, was intended for an audience in the 1970s, I do feel that the style of writing was quite outdated and could have been improved once again. I could tell that the author's thoughts were clear and organized, however, I am sure I did not gain as much as I could've from this book due to the language and tone of this book.

In the beginning chapters of this book, Adler spends a considerable amount of time explaining his purpose of writing this book. He emphasizes that although most people are unable to read for understanding instead of solely pleasure, that he all human beings are capable.

Despite the few setbacks, How to Read a Book did offer some wise and insightful ways to read a book in order to gain the most out of the text. It discussed "active reading", analytical reading as well as syntopical reading. The various types of readings he discussed were all useful depending on what type of literature was being read.

My favorite chapters of this book were some of the final chapters where Mortimer Adler focused on specific types of literature and the best ways to approach them. He discussed genres such as Mathematic, Scientific, plays and philosophical works. It is here where I feel I gained the most knowledge from his book because of the specific genres and specialized methods he recommended for reading them.

In the end, Adler gives a list of suggested reads with a challenge to read books that intimidate us and seem over our head. I conclude with his words; 

"There is no limit to the amount of growth and development that the mind can sustain." 

The Naked Truth - Lakita Garth

"Teaching abstinence isn't just shaking your finger and telling someone to "just say no." Teaching abstinence is a mastery of the arts of self-control, self-discipline, and delayed gratifications." 

The Naked Truth - Lakita Garth

The message throughout this book was clear: abstinence. It was quite refreshing, honestly, to read a positive message that was contradictory to what the media is saying. It was also comforting that there are other people in the world that believe in abstinence. 

So I didn't buy this book. Honestly, I don't really care "about love, sex and relationships." My mom bought it for me, of course. But as hard as it is to admit it, I enjoyed the book. It was really informative and even entertaining to read. I definitely came away from this book with knowledge that I didn't have before.

Lakita Garth is humorously blunt and very outspoken. If anyone "tells it like it is", it's her. Although her stories were generally comical to read, sometimes I found her to be too outspoken and too nosy. That's just my opinion though, I do believe she meant well. I enjoyed her style of writing because it wasn't trying to scare me into an abstinent lifestyle. "Don't have sex before marriage or you'll die" wasn't the message. She gave a grounded, informative, and realistic perspective on both views. It is a book I would highly recommend in high school classrooms, although I believe that decision wouldn't be too popular among a young generation today. 

Lakita Garth presented in her book a message that needs to be heard today. It was told beautifully, simply and in a way that didn't make us feel that she was any better than us. I enjoyed reading this book and think it should be passed on to many in my generation. 

All Quiet On The Western Front - Erich Remarque

"Our life alternates between billets and the front. We have almost grown accustomed to it; war is a cause of death like cancer and tuberculosis, like influenza and dysentery. The deaths are merely more frequent, more varied and terrible."

All Quiet On The Western Front - Erich Remarque

While reading this book, I felt like I was reading the journal of a soldier. Its pages gave an up-close look at World War I, revealing the horrors and emotions behind the battlefield. 

The book flowed nicely, and every event seemed to have some sort of purpose. The book was detailed, but not too gory. Enjoyable, and realistic. I thoroughly felt that the author accurately captured the reality of any war. It was almost difficult to read at times. To read of how the soldiers were trained to think and behave, to the way they interacted with family gave us an all-around perspective of war. It made history come alive and presented World War I in a touching, personal way. 

I loved the way the book was written. It was truly like reading a diary of a soldier. Told from the first-person type of view it was a good read and easy to follow. The ending was satisfying, and yet there was no true "happy ending", in a sense. It made sense with the rest of theme of this book and concluded the book nicely. 

Although this book was good, I would only recommend it to an older audience. Certainly sensitive people should take extra caution, as the facts of war in general was presented in a shockingly personal way. Yet anyone who feels they are old enough should read this book to understand and appreciate what many soldiers, even today, go through. 

The War To End All Wars - Russell Freedman

"Those who lived through World War I called it the Great War because of its massive scale"

The War To End All Wars - Russell Freedman

This past week I have studied World War I and found out what a true horror it was. Volunteer soldiers, caught by a romanticized idea of war, willingly laying their lives down. The brutal mentality towards Germans. The innocent lives of civilians. Millions of casualties. And scars that would last a lifetime. Only a little over a century ago did this war begin, yet it shaped the world in unimaginable ways. 

This book was an amazing resource of information. It covered the events from before the war until after. The information was presented in an easy to understand way and I have certainly acquired more knowledge of this historic war because of this book. The pages of this book were filled with actual photos of soldiers, the battles or affected families. It truly made the words on the page jump out, and it forced the reader to realize that World War I is more than just something learned about in history class. It was a very real event, and an awful four years of the twentieth century. 

The information in the book was very in-depth and accurate. Although it is a large book, somehow it did not feel overwhelming. I enjoyed learning and understanding more about this war from beginning to end. Indeed this book was full of information, yet everything seemed important and placed in the text for a reason. Clearly, this book was very well thought out. 

I would recommend this book to everyone living in today's society. Whether interested in war or not, this book will be a beneficial read. It's important for us, who have not lived to see World War 1, to educate ourselves on such a huge event in the past. 

The Sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemingway

“You can't get away from yourself by moving from one place to another.”  

The Sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemingway

This book was so incredibly awful that I don't know what to say about it. The only part I did like about this nearly 300-page book was the 13 words in the quote above. Other than that, the book was boring and seemingly pointless. I don't even know why this book is titled "The Sun Also Rises". That was not cleared up in the pages. It must have some vague meaning that I didn't catch because I was so bored.

Generally, I go into any book with optimism, and this one was no different. In fact, I was really excited to read this book. I thought it would be good. I thought it would be a new favorite. But I was wrong, oh so very wrong. Instead, this book has officially become the most boring book that I have ever been assigned to read, and I've been assigned some boring books. If it hadn't been assigned, I wouldn't have finished it. I probably would have stopped reading it after the first or maybe second chapter. I may have preferred to have read an encyclopedia, for at least then I would have gained some sort of knowledge about something, anything.

There are other reasons why I did not enjoy this book, other than its utter boringness. Primarily, this book involved the use of alcohol and occasionally cigarettes. However, alcohol was frequently mentioned. Actually, more than frequently, like on every page. To me, alcohol is a waste of time and money, and it gives no meaning or purpose to someone's life. Maybe I did not enjoy this book because the characters lives seemed too low and worthless. It appeared to me that they had no goals or wishes or desires, they just drank a whole lot and went around and did average stuff that no one cares about. And the frequent talk and use of alcohol in this book was not even considered as a problem.

For some reason, my first impression of Ernest Hemingway, before reading this book, was that he was some sort of poet. Well, this book proved me wrong. The language in this book was awful, not only in word choice but also in swearing! As with the alcohol, this book used cuss a lot. It is very unpleasant to read a book with cuss words in nearly every chapter.

Throughout the book, Ernest Hemingway, for some reason, thought it necessary to describe the character's every day life. This is essentially why I was bored to death with this book. It was like reading a 10-year old's journal that consisted of the days most mundane events and details no one cares to know.

I do not recommend this book to anyone. Go ahead and read it if you so desire to be drained of energy and experience nothing but boredom, as well as constant wonder of "why am I being told this?". I think the world would be better if this book had not been published.

Around The World In 80 Days - Jules Verne

“He was so exact that he was never in a hurry, was always ready, and was economical alike of his steps and his motions.”

Around The World in Eighty Days - Jules Verne

I found this book was a very entertaining and light read. It was a joy to read the adventures that Phileas Fogg went through during his traveling.

The story starts by introducing Phileas Fogg as a very routine-orientated man. His life seems simple and boring. In actuality, I was wondering how the author was going to take such a dull character on such an exciting journey. Yet when he is challenged by his peers, Phileas Fogg cannot refuse. He bets with his friends that he can travel the world in eighty days. Throughout many strange and thrilling events, Phileas Fogg astounds his friends, as well as his fellow citizens of Europe, by the end of his journey.

I liked that this book was continually changing the scenery and events. On every page and every chapter, something new, and possibly dangerous, was going on. The book certainly managed to hold my attention until the very last page!

After finishing the book, I realized that there were certain clues as to what was going to happen softly embedded within the chapters. It was like an "A-ha!" moment when the ending finally came together. The ending seemed to be disappointing, yet amazingly things worked out for the better.

I admired how the journey around the world changed Phileas Fogg. He seemed to have a Stoic personality, where he refused to show too much emotion. By the ending, however, it was as though his heart softened and he found much joy in life. His transformation, although somewhat subtle, was a large factor that made this book so great.

Jules Verne certainly had a wild imagination. Some events in this book may have been a little overdone and extremely exaggerated, but it was fun to read. Reading this book was like sliding down a hill at a rapid pace, hitting jumps and almost crashing a few times, but coming out of it alive and ready to do it again.

Inside the O'Brien's - Lisa Genova

Gratitude and love. Joe replays the memory, and he sees his mother again and anew. Unable to walk or feed herself, unable to defend her reputation from the rumors that she was a drunk and a sinner and a bad mother, unable to live at home or hug her kids or tuck them into bed at night, she's smiling with her eyes at Joe.

Inside the O'Brien's, Lisa Genova 

If I'm completely honest, I almost cried reading this chapter. And you must know that I never cry for anything fictional.  Lisa Genova has done it once again, entangling a story of pain and love into my heart. Awakening a new realization of Huntington's Disease and the horrors of it.

I love Lisa Genova's books because they showcase, if you will, atypical diseases that are oftentimes ignored in today's society. Huntington's Disease is an incurable, fatal and hereditary disease. It causes it's victims to gradually lose all voluntary control. It was at times painful to read this book. Huntington's has been called the cruelest disease known to man, and Lisa captured every fear and horror of this disease through her words. I do find it personally frustrating that people with diseases like Huntington's, or even Alzheimer's, are often considered outcasts in society. Yet they cannot control their "weird" behaviors. I agree that cancer is also a terrible disease, but why is it that cancer patients are hailed as heroes in their death or victory, and everyone roots for them, runs marathons in their honor and... yet the family who suffers from Huntington's Disease, or Alzheimer's is pushed aside into a dark corner? Lisa explores the gruesome journey of having Huntington's, and it broke my heart. She is demonstrating that cancer is not the only disease that haunt's the human race. 

Despite the shadow cast over this book due to such a serious disease, the O'Brien family managed to find hope. And then the rest of the book seems to only be the dark before the dawn. Huntington's is real, but Lisa Genova proved that so is hope. It was an inspiring story, and I encourage you to read this book sometime this year. I could not put it down and I feel that the book has had such an impact on me, that I just want to leave it out for a bit before placing it back on the shelves. 

The ending of the book was probably the most confusingly satisfying. Some things may be left unsaid, yet it gives the book a final sense of hope and peace. The message throughout the book was attempting to live every moment of life. Since the symptoms of Huntington's generally begin in the late thirties, the victims are almost sure to die a young death. One of Joe's daughter's worried about her future constantly, as the child of a parent with Huntington's Disease has a 50/50 chance of inheriting the disease. She is faced with the  hard choice of finding out if she will develop the disease through a genetic test or of leaving her gene status unknown.

Although I loved this book dearly and would highly recommend it, it did have one flaw: The language. I do understand that rage and anger are typically symptoms of Huntington's, yet this book used unpleasant words quite often. As a person who doesn't swear, I did find the language a bit disturbing and distracting from the main focus of the book.

In the end, however, this book had a profound impact on me. For some reason, I dived completely into this book and it left its mark. Lisa Genova has once again created a masterpiece. 

To see Lisa Genova talk about this book, click here

Promises to Keep - Ann Tatlock

I patted my jeans pocket, not the one I'd taken the candy wrappers from but the other one. Tucked deep inside was the necklace Daddy had given to me for Christmas. That, I was going to keep. Not for any sentimental reason, but as a reminder. If I was going to survive in this world, I  had to understand that not everything I wanted to be true was true, and not everything that looked good was good. 

-Promises to Keep, Ann Tatlock

New year... same authors. Ann Tatlock has remained my favorite author ever since Every Secret Thing, and Promises to Keep book was no disappointment. I literally could not put it down, it was in my hand every day of my winter break until I finished it. 

This book was written in a different style than the first book I read by Ann. It had a little more of a charming, cozy and humorous theme to it. It had a lighthearted tone and I found the style of writing as well as certain topics reminded me greatly of To Kill A Mockingbird. 

The story centers on eleven year old Rosalind (Roz) Anthony and her family. Her mother was forced to leave the young girl's father due his alcoholism and anger issues. Throughout the story, we catch glimpses of what Alan Anthony (her father) was like, and we see that it wasn't safe to be with him. However, he soon finds and meets Roz and mends their relationship, but in secret. He has promised to change and restore their family when the time is right,

and Roz is very excited to be seeing her father again.

It is very difficult to write about this book without spoiling the ending. Roz definitely matured by the end. She learned that trust is something that is demonstrated by someone's actions rather than their words, and old habits die hard. My eyes were glued to the page during the last few chapters from excitement, and shock.

In typical Ann Tatlock style, the last two chapters were a curve-ball from the rest of the story. Somehow, she created a beautiful story, while disrupting the happy-go-lucky personality of the book. 

I really don't want to say much more, this book left me surprised, yet pleased. It was a masterpiece in my eyes... and another Ann Tatlock book will soon be in my hands.