I was a little disappointed in these books...especially after a few very trusted relatives and friends said they weren't very scary or like other Vampire stories. THEY were scary and all Broken Books. I don't know if they were like other vampire stories because I try to avoid such things. What were you all thinking? I am a delicate person. These books gave me nightmares...but it didn't stop me from reading the second book or the third one...I am still a bit creeped out though. The author does have a compelling way of writing where I couldn't wait to see what would happen next...not exactly predictable because of the "catchy" Vampire theme, I think.
What really scares me more then Vampires and Werewolves is the fact that teenagers are so stupid. The mentality of these "scary romance" novels was so sappy and dripping with, she loves him, he loves her but then oh does he still love me if I threaten to leave or die or if I look at him wrong... gag! AND knowing that other teenagers are reading these and thinking they are real life, that is scary. If you don't believe me well then I am going to kill myself and then you will be sorry, boo whoo! Unbelievable, since when does threatening to kill yourself ever work? (I haven't tried it maybe they have something here).
*Spoiler alert*
Would you really want your teenager to be like the main girl in the story? Lying, sneaking out, having a boy sleep in her room every night, doing dangerous things behind your back like riding motorcycles without helmets and jumping off cliffs. Drinking cough syrup to help you sleep even though you don't have a cough. What kind of promotion for self medicating is that? The book portrays her as the sweet weird type special girl that just wants to be left alone, yet she can't seem to make friends and when she does all of them are so shallow she could care less about them. She falls in love with a Vampire and then almost dies a billion times. Then falls in love with a werewolf. Her life is such an addictive soap opera. Everything is turned around so that Good is bad and bad is good, the story twists it so you are cheering her on. In her world the Vampires are portrayed in a way so they seem like the underdogs stuck in our world just trying to be good despite the fact they have to kill animals to quench their thirst for blood. (poor mountain lions and bears) They have to lie, they are good at stealing cars (it was necessary for the greater good), they are sneaky and some read other peoples personal thoughts all the time (would you want him in your head?)
I know it is FICTION. The writer sucked me in too...like most broken books do. I was rooting for the Vampire the whole time, the werewolf never really had a chance...until the end of the 3rd book when the oh so innocent human has to decide between the two of them...one which she is trying to manipulate into killing her and having premarital sex, the other trying to get her to choose him because he hates the vampire...doing anything he can to win her kiss, even taking it by force...little to close to a rape victim to me...The vampire wants her to marry him, he doesn't even care if they elope.
Will I read the fourth book coming out in Aug.? well to be honest, yes. I really need to know if she becomes a Vampire too and how she deals with the whole bloody mess she has got herself into. Do I want my children to read these books and idolize the main girl or the other teenagers in this story. Not on your life!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
This was an interesting view into the life of a Geisha in Japan during the Depression and WWII. The book insists that Geisha were not prostitutes but what else would you call it?
Here is the definition for prostitution: the act or practice of engaging in promiscuous sexual relations especially for money.
Well, hello that is what a Geisha does. I guess there can be different levels of promiscuous sex for money but Geisha's still get a lot of money for doing it even if it isn't with many many men but limited to 1 or 2 their whole life.
What I liked from this book was how a young girl sold into slavery and treated badly for so many years...really with no real future. She wouldn't ever have a family of her own or live by herself or get an education. YET she could still find hope in life and going on. She used her talents and resources to do the best she could to get where she "needed" to be. She had a goal and never let go of that despite obstacles in her way all along the way. She won in the end.
What I didn't like was that a society in general would have such a twisted view of what is wrong and right. Mistresses, Geisha entertainment, tea houses, drinking were like a normal in this time and in the life of wealthy men. What about family? What about honoring a marriage covenant and whole eternal perspective? It is very different then my view. The Japanese view seems to be missing some key points in the Saviors plan of happiness. I feel so sad for this traditional group of people so determined to earn a living through the breaking of so many commandments.
Sadly this book, though very well written and quite entertaining is BROKEN but also falls in to the HEALING category.
It portrays the Geisha in the story as the heroin in the end. She was the good person all along. BUT in reality she was sadly misled by her circumstances and living in a very small world surrounded by evil. AND what she did to the guy that loved her but she didn't love back was bad bad bad, the book makes it seem like it was the only choice she had and she was justified. I don't know what I would have done if faced with the same predicament but I hope I would do the honorable thing as best I knew how and not result to sneaky manipulations for my own gains.
Now, should I see the Movie (2005) or skip it? What do you think? Oh and I loved the funny part about the EEL and the cave, is that in the movie?
Here is the definition for prostitution: the act or practice of engaging in promiscuous sexual relations especially for money.
Well, hello that is what a Geisha does. I guess there can be different levels of promiscuous sex for money but Geisha's still get a lot of money for doing it even if it isn't with many many men but limited to 1 or 2 their whole life.
What I liked from this book was how a young girl sold into slavery and treated badly for so many years...really with no real future. She wouldn't ever have a family of her own or live by herself or get an education. YET she could still find hope in life and going on. She used her talents and resources to do the best she could to get where she "needed" to be. She had a goal and never let go of that despite obstacles in her way all along the way. She won in the end.
What I didn't like was that a society in general would have such a twisted view of what is wrong and right. Mistresses, Geisha entertainment, tea houses, drinking were like a normal in this time and in the life of wealthy men. What about family? What about honoring a marriage covenant and whole eternal perspective? It is very different then my view. The Japanese view seems to be missing some key points in the Saviors plan of happiness. I feel so sad for this traditional group of people so determined to earn a living through the breaking of so many commandments.
Sadly this book, though very well written and quite entertaining is BROKEN but also falls in to the HEALING category.
It portrays the Geisha in the story as the heroin in the end. She was the good person all along. BUT in reality she was sadly misled by her circumstances and living in a very small world surrounded by evil. AND what she did to the guy that loved her but she didn't love back was bad bad bad, the book makes it seem like it was the only choice she had and she was justified. I don't know what I would have done if faced with the same predicament but I hope I would do the honorable thing as best I knew how and not result to sneaky manipulations for my own gains.
Now, should I see the Movie (2005) or skip it? What do you think? Oh and I loved the funny part about the EEL and the cave, is that in the movie?
Monday, February 11, 2008
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
Classic...this is a re-read because to my surprise the kids didn't remember listening to it. I guess they were too young when we last listened to it. This time they had so many questions and listened so intensly. I like the part where she sees her little brother being left behind and she jumps off the boat to stay with him, sacraficing all to make sure he was okay. But the sad part is when he dies.
It was great re-read and now we are re-reading Number the Stars. Kind of weird to jump from Island girl to Europe when the Nazi's are taking over.
Whole Book
It was great re-read and now we are re-reading Number the Stars. Kind of weird to jump from Island girl to Europe when the Nazi's are taking over.
Whole Book
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Out of Nowhere by Ouida Sebestyen
This Book just doesn't quite do it for me...in fact I don't even feel like writing a review. It was tedious and predictable...yep that is it. Don't read it unless you are out of classics and have nothing else to do for 4 hours.
Healing Book
Healing Book
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