I'm not the biggest fan of DC Comics, or even Batman (a few of the movies withstanding), but this story gripped me and held me so that I couldn't put...moreI'm not the biggest fan of DC Comics, or even Batman (a few of the movies withstanding), but this story gripped me and held me so that I couldn't put it down. The art is not entirely my cup of tea, but I really enjoyed some of the ways in which it was carried out -- the book requires you to turn it sideways and upside down to follow the story at one point, which I thought reflected that part of the story perfectly. Snyder's story is an exciting reimagining of the Batman mythos, and I can't wait for the next volume to come out!(less)
The Tezuka's series about the life and times of Siddhartha Gautama, the prince that became Gautama Buddha, was originally published between 1972 and 1...moreThe Tezuka's series about the life and times of Siddhartha Gautama, the prince that became Gautama Buddha, was originally published between 1972 and 1983. He had already created the iconic 'big-eyes' style of manga that is so familiar today, and achieved great success with the series Astro Boy. With this venture, he brought manga to a wider audience, encouraging more adults to enjoy the art form.
I really enjoyed the first volume in this series. There were plenty of familiar manga tropes, and it was hard to keep in mind that he was a pioneer in the field because of how influential his style has become. His writing and art style are iconic for a reason, and I enjoyed things like the small cameos he made (and pointed out!) in the story. His is a very interesting take on the story of Buddha, and it's made me interested both in reading the rest of the series, as well as learning more about Gautama Buddha and Buddhism.(less)
I had no idea life was so hard for skinny, attractive girls with boyfriends that come from outrageously wealthy families! This book, despite being "ri...moreI had no idea life was so hard for skinny, attractive girls with boyfriends that come from outrageously wealthy families! This book, despite being "ripe" (they mean rife) with "hoards" (they mean hordes) of proofreading errors, has really opened my eyes to the plight of educated, affluent white girls everywhere: navigating the "awkward" encounters they have with the educated, even more affluent white men that they desperately want to marry.
These vignettes may work in small doses, like a blog, but strung together, they very quickly begin to irritate.(less)
I have book hoarding issues. I bought this book over a year ago, and it's been languishing on my shelf for over a year.* I picked it up to take a brea...moreI have book hoarding issues. I bought this book over a year ago, and it's been languishing on my shelf for over a year.* I picked it up to take a break between epic George R. R. Martin tomes, and I'm glad I did! I love games and I'd say I consider myself a gamer, but I'm not as hardcore as a lot of dyed in the wool gamers. I've loved playing video games since my parents bought me a copy of Jumpman back in the day; I still spend an ungodly amount of time in front of a glowing screen.
Even so, I learned a lot about the history of video games reading this book. It's by no means encyclopaedic, but there were games I hadn't even heard of before described in the pages; I learned new things about the games I already knew and loved, too. Harold Goldberg has a lot of personal, hands-on experience in the gaming world, and his personal anecdotes make the text even more engaging. The only complaint that I have is that his writing style can be a bit jarring at times. His prose is engagingly conversational, then abruptly shifts to a formal tone peppered with obscure words in a heartbeat. The flow would have been improved immensely with a little consistency.
Overall, this was a quick, fun read. It rekindled my interest in creating video games, and I think I might take a few courses (or just read a few books!) on game writing and programming, as a result!
*That's not true. It was on the floor under my computer desk; I tried to class it up with a little white lie.(less)
I'm a big fan of the HBO series, Game of Thrones. I wait with bated breath every week to see what happens to the people of Westeros and beyond, and I...moreI'm a big fan of the HBO series, Game of Thrones. I wait with bated breath every week to see what happens to the people of Westeros and beyond, and I usually want to throw the remote through the television screen when it ends, furious that I have to wait another week to see more. You'd think I would be a huge fan of the books too, right? Well, the first two left me kind of cold; I had a hard time getting past the long-winded descriptions of food, heraldry, family history, clothing... the list, like GRRM's writing style, goes on and on. I was ready to give up on the series and let HBO run with it. I'm glad I didn't. A Storm of Swords is undoubtedly the best of the first three books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. The characters that I've come to love (Dany, Jon, Tyrion, Arya) go through some amazing growth, and the characters that I've come to hate (Cersei, Jaime) or at least dislike (Sansa) do too. By the end of this book, Jaime became one of my favourite characters, because his motivations and feelings were allowed to come to light. There were a lot of unexpected plot twists in this one (The Red Wedding! I'm so glad no one spoiled that for me, so I won't spoil it here), and even the plot twists that were not so unexpected (I won't spoil even the most obvious turns here) were interesting and relevant to the plot. This one ends on such a cliffhanger that I almost threw my Kindle at the wall! Now that the characters have been introduced and fleshed out, I hope the series continues in this vein. I don't mind reading hundreds upon hundreds of pages of meal descriptions, as long as the events surrounding the meal continue to be this exciting!(less)
This one was a clunker. It took me most of the month to get through, because I was completely uninterested in the characters. I didn't even finish it...moreThis one was a clunker. It took me most of the month to get through, because I was completely uninterested in the characters. I didn't even finish it in time to participate in the Vaginal Fantasy hangout. The sex scenes were tepid, the plot was meandering, and if I read the words "Gabriel Ross Sullivan, the XXXXX" again, I'm gonna flip a table.(less)
This book is incredible. I know that it's a classic of modern literature, considered one of the greatest modern novels, and was made into an Acad...moreWow.
This book is incredible. I know that it's a classic of modern literature, considered one of the greatest modern novels, and was made into an Academy Award winning film starring Jack Nicholson, but honestly, I didn't know much about it until I read it. Now, I'm not sure why I waited so long. It's a poignant and heart-wrenching look at mental health institutions that asks fundamental questions about the nature of perception, psychology, and the human condition.
Kesey's hero, McMurphy, is a swaggering, self-actualized gambler with the most symbolic pair of boxer shorts I've ever encountered in literary studies. The view of his character as seen through the eyes of the Chief as he relearns to inhabit his own form is an incredible ride. I really enjoyed the lyrical nature of the text, which was well-developed to walk the line between sense and insanity. It's questionable whether or not some of the patients are truly mentally ill — especially the Chief, who reveals through the story that he has a greater grasp of the situation than anyone around him.
It's disturbing, it's tragic, it's terrifying, but it gives you hope for the future. It was hard to put this one down, and I missed out on a lot of lunchtime chat with my coworkers in favour of laying out in the sun with Kesey's text. This is an incredible, sensitive piece of literature and it deserves all of the accolades it is given. I highly recommend investing the time in this one if, like me, you've somehow avoided it this long. Hell, if you've read it before, I recommend giving it another go — it's really that good. I was really glad to find out that the movie is on Netflix, because if the movie is half as good as the book, it's going to be a sight to see.(less)
I'm not going to lie. I cried like a baby while reading this book, and even when I wasn't bawling, my eyes misted over several times. The story that Sara Gruen weaves here is very good, but the strongest emotional connection I had with this book came with the intermediary chapters where Jacob Janowski is struggling with his day-to-day life as a ninety-or-ninety-three-year-old man in an 'assisted living' home. I came to dread and relish each one of these short, connective chapters as the book progressed, because they hit very close to home. It has been over a year and a half since my grandfather passed away in the same type of facility, but Gruen's portrayal of the human condition as we age was so sensitive and honest that it consistently broke my heart in the most beautiful way.
The circus story was almost as satisfying, and I thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of historical accuracy the story gave. I've been interested in circuses and sideshows in a glancing way for years, and everything about this story rang true.
Once I picked the book up, I found I didn't want to put it down. I stayed up long into the night, and burned through it in two days. This book is highly recommended to fans of historical fiction, romance, or just anyone who is interested in the human condition as we age; really, that should be everyone! I can't believe I didn't read this book before now.
Now, the question is could I ever stand to watch the movie? Sight unseen, I can't fathom the casting choices. I think the Jacob and Marlena in my mind are better left unsullied by R. Pattz and Reese Witherspoon...
I finished Nalini Singh’s Slave to Sensation in a weekend. It’s the type of book that you could read in one sitting, if you have the time; it’s a very...moreI finished Nalini Singh’s Slave to Sensation in a weekend. It’s the type of book that you could read in one sitting, if you have the time; it’s a very easy read, and not particularly long. It reminded me of a Harlequin romance, but the fantasy world of the future that it’s set in made it a lot more entertaining to me. I’m not the type of girl who typically enjoys reading romance novels, but I do like psychic powers and shape-shifting, so this was the type of romance for me. The sex scenes were suitably raunchy, the romance was powerful and overblown, and there were actually a few passages that turned me on, made me go “awwwww!”, or both. I was surprised at how invested I became in the world and the characters, during the short time I spent with the book.(less)
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