Reading week: a break for sanity's sake and updates

Reading week has finally arrived and it could not have come at a more perfect time.
School work is piling up-I'm way behind on creative writing, falling behind on Science Concepts, Philosophy, Industrial Psychology, and my Senior Research Seminar--I'm so behind on that class I am going to attempt to write a passable Annotated Bibliography tomorrow, in preparation for the 25 page paper I need to write for that class.

Yes, life at school is oh-so-very stressful. And I'll be honest, I feel like I'm drowning. So this break is so welcome.

While I've been struggling with school and stress and disabledness, I have still found time to read. I don't think you understand--that that is more a matter of keeping my sanity. In the last two months I've been reading quite a bit.

A few of the titles being Bitten by Kelley Armstrong, Guide to Adulhood by Grace Heilberg (which was not what I thought it would be), Gameboard of the Gods (still unfinished) by Richelle Mead, and the final installment of (what is perhaps my favorite book series right now and has been since last year) The Ruby Circle.

The very last installment of the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead.


All I will say about this book series is that it is incredible--sure it has its faults...I can't think of any right now (unless you count ending as a fault), but it is incredible and that last book...well, it is surprising and so good. Like, it is incredible. You guys just don't understand. It is just amazing.

And, my heart is broken...I just don't want it to be over.

Which is how the spur of the moment decision to reread the series came about.

Whether or not I'll follow through with it is to be decided but I just need more-ya know?

Just Deserts 

Eric Walters and Ray Zahab

"Dear Ethan: I know you must be terribly confused, a little bit scared and thinking, hoping, praying, that the plane will return. It will not."

Ethan can barely believe it. Until now, his biggest problems have been trying to stay in one school without getting expelled and finding his next drink. But after Ethan's drunken imitation of the current headmaster goes up on YouTube, his father steps in with a shockingly drastic measure. Now Ethan is sprawled in the sand. In the Sahara desert. Alone.

According to his father's letter, Ethan is to trek 200 km across the desert to the city of Tunis, with the help of a guide and three other young people.

Confused, hungover, and-if he is truthful-more than a little scared, Ethan has no choice. He will face sandstorms, vipers, and agonizingly painful blisters ... but, most painful of all, he will face his inner demons and come to a true realization of who he really is.

You'll really dislike this Ethan at times, he's obnoxious and sometimes fairly insufferable; you don't really hate him, you just dislike him, strongly.

Ethan can barely believe it.
He's expelled, on his way home and then lying in dirt watching the plane disappear, slowly into the distance.

Until now, his biggest problem had been finding his next drink and trying to get up the next morning. After one bad decision, a regular occurrence for Ethan, his drunken imitation of his school's headmaster goes viral. And after that, his father steps in.
The next thing Ethan knows is he's sprawled out, laying in the middle of a desert with only Le Orange for a companion.



The more I think about this book the more I feel that it was a really half hearted effort, it was good, I liked it, but felt the emotions were only touched upon, each realization came quick in bursts and then everything was okay. The story wasn't bad--in fact it had potential to be a real, true adventure story, one that makes you look inside yourself and examine what's really important, like Before I Fall does, I think this book would be best suited for boys aged 12+.

Ethan is a detestable, identifiable character I felt for. I really liked him sometimes, and felt really bad for him. A lot of bad breaks, bad decisions, a floundering father and he's basically a party boy--all before the age of seventeen.

I found the progression towards all these self revelations, his and his fathers--*see his fathers letter*-- to be too rushed, a tad unrealistic.

As for his father's letter, yes, that had to be done quickly, as in his father obviously had to realize his mistakes in order to get over them and help his son understand everything. But the letter seemed too excessive. His father realized every little thing that he did wrong--unrealistic, as in the smallest things to the largest. If it had been shorter and less expressive, it would have made more of an impact. Because generally men don't really seem to be that in tune with their emotions, at least not to that degree, and if they are, they don't talk about it.

Ethan's story is slightly cliched, but most stories are, what matters is what is in between the pages, the way the character gets through it and the way he owns his life. I think for that, Ethan's would be a good story to share with any young guys in your life who may be helped or changed by his story.

I think what makes a self-discovery story, such as this one, bad is when it feels rushed and fake, I felt that Ethan was a realistic character but I felt that the rest of the story was too hurried. It was as if the story was trying to move on without him.

I think for Ethan the real turning point had to be becoming lost in the desert and spinning like a lighthouse, barely conscious; his lowest point, and then seeing 'Terminator' and his guide finding him was a sort of realization on just how much of a jerk he was being.

I think the ending of this book was almost poetic, I loved that he wanted to go through it all again for himself this time, not because he was forced to and motivated by money. The bond between the characters grew strongly, touching you. And the authors notes at the back of the book were really great, I did love hearing about the story behind it.

Though I liked this book okay I wouldn't say it is the best survival, coming of age stories I've ever read. It did stick with me for a little while, I loved that I actually learned about long distance running, funny enough I read this book pretty fast, in about three or so days, and mainly at the gym.

I would suggest you get this for any young boys in your family, Ethan really turns out to come into himself. I'd love to know what you thought of it, so feel free to share.

You have to admit that the relationship between Ethan and Le Orange was pretty awesome, though did it remind anyone else vaguely of Tom Hanks and Wilson? Just curious.

Shiver, The Wolves of Mercy Falls

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house.

One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. This wolf haunts her, and her him.

Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets Sam as he bleeds on her porch, hiding from men with guns, no longer a wolf. This yellow-eyed boy's presence is just as haunting as the wolfs, his familiarity takes her breath away.
It's her wolf.
As months pass on Grace and Sam grow closer, in love with each other. As winter nears, Sam and Grace have to face the past. Sam has to fight to stay human--because once he's a wolf, he looses himself.

A haunting love story between Grace and Sam, with beautiful writing and leaves you thinking. 

Shiver is a great read for a cold night.

My thoughts on this book are simple, I truly loved it.

It was lyrical and beautiful, descriptive and so haunting. 

I may have found the idea of her being in love with a wolf a little strange, as the werewolves in this book are so much like real wolves, I love this authors style of writing.

It was just such a unique book. Kind of feels like a long lost memory, that is the feeling this book gives you. If this book were a sound it would echo.

I've read that some people found the love story a little unnerving, because she is basically in love with a wolf. Okay, yes that is weird. 

But she isn't. 

Not at first at least, she is fascinated by them but she isn't sexually attracted to them. 

So you don't have to worry about that. 

I found that I really did enjoy it--though reading it in the rain while waiting for the bus in the freezing cold was not fun, and I wouldn't suggest that, I really loved Grace, I thought she was an awesome character so much more independent then most teen heroines which I really loved.

I couldn't believe how oblivious her parents were throughout this entire book--it was mind blowing. I really felt sorry for Grace in that respect, no matter what she did, her parents were just too wrapped up within their own worlds to notice their daughter.

Reading this was like reading about a dream.

And the company who published this and whoever designed this book, deserve a highfive. They made the whole book encompass the feeling of what was inside the book. The whole book was divided into chapters  in a series of temperatures. The werewolf life and culture is so much different then most I've read, a million times better than Twilight. I think what gives this book such a feeling of 'dreaming' is that the human in wolves eventually fades away--which is so sad but so thought provoking. 

I thought Isabelle's transformation throughout book was interesting to see. 

The book switches between Grace's and Sam's POV. And Sam's narration doesn't stop when he's a wolf--imagine that for a second. Sam is a fascinating character. He was really cute. I absolutely adored the relationship between him and Beck. I loved being able to see inside his head when he was a wolf, Maggie did such a great job with this book. 

I could (and would) probably go on and on about how creative this book is, and how I love it because of that. The font was perfect, the appearance of it was a dark blue, not black. The look of it, the feel of it and the creative writing in it, was all superb..

I loved the chemistry between Grace and Sam, and oh my gosh, the surprise ending was so good. 

I did find this book easy to predict, but it was still a great read. 

I  thought at times it was a little strange, her fascination with the wolves--I actually found normal, but the whole idea is strange and fantastic.

I would suggest this to anyone who likes love stories, slightly sad stories that will surprise you, and anyone who wants a strong female lead. It would be a great Christmas present as the whole feel of the book has that winter-y feeling.