false 54 795 653 true 5756509 read 0 true 2209497 currently-reading 142 true 2209496 to-read 6 false 2462503 half-read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65134685 The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance (Paperback) by Trisha Telep
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]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65134518 The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire (Paperback) by Trisha Telep
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]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/60957634 Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress, #1) by Jeaniene Frost
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]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19835003 to: Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods, #1) by Melissa de la Cruz
Colonial Virginia, Vogue Headquarters, Heaven, Hell, and Italy. Okay, so what’s the connection? Listed above are just a few of the settings thorough the book series Blue Bloods, a time-traveling, mythological, high fashion tale of age old love, betrayal, and endless perils. Constantly switching the focus keeps the story interesting and allows for the characters to deal with their numerous affairs and put their master plans into motion.
This is an obvious pick for any mythology lover. Packed to the gills with angelic/demonic references, it makes for a fascinating storyline. It takes place in modern-day New York, but all of the drama, fights, and problems are based decades, or even centuries, before the actual tale takes place. Every character is actually has more than one name, their present name and the ‘angelic’ one they were born with. Mimi, one of the main characters, also goes by the name Azrael, the name she had when she was an angel in heaven lifetimes ago.
Huge chunks of the story take place away from the present. Sometimes readers are sent back to a scene from the characters’ past lives. Varying the point of view helps to clarify certain aspects of the tensions between characters and also reveals the truth behind the motives of the characters when they start to stir up trouble for everyone again. Readers will also be switched between the players throughout the book in order to cover up anything that may give away the secrets that keep the plot going.
Question: what’s the best part of any really amazing novel? Answer: the complexity of the relationships and plot. Blue Bloods holds so many interlocking knots of former lovers and family members. For example, Mimi is Jack’s twin bother, Jack is in love with Schylar, who is his father’s sister’s daughter, who is his former lover, and Jack and Mimi were married. Got it? No? Don’t stress too much, it only gets more confusing. Imagine all that on top of the idea of age-old, long-extinct demons come back to life and a new ‘soul’ being added to the group and promised couples breaking up, which has never happened before.
Quite the story, don’t you think? Really makes you want to jump up and run to the nearest book store and buy your own copy. What’s not to like? High school worthy relationship drama, myths out the wah zu, and jumping across time and space, all in just three, soon to be four, small books. This is one of the greatest accomplishment in modern teen lit. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/50177701 to: Grendel (Paperback) by John Champlin Gardner Jr.
September is banned books month. Banned books are banned by schools, libraries, cites, and countries for numerous reasons. This is one of the most heinous crimes to be committed. When books are banned, people are denied the rights of free choice, thought, and opinion. People can not become individuals unless they are different from everyone else, and this can only be accomplished through exposure to different ideas, opinions, environments, and experiences. No one can make an informed decision about a topic without proper knowledge. Some books are banned on the basis of sexual content, questioning religion, and disobeying authority.
Portnoy’s Complaint, written by Philip Roth, was banned in Australia based on the sexually explicit thoughts and experiences of the main character. Sexual activities are a normal, natural part of life. All creatures use this process to create more of their species and keep the world population going. Our modern culture places a huge emphasis on the pleasures of sexual intercourse. Most children are exposed to sex or situations where sex is implied by the time they enter grade school. If we are so concerned about keeping our children’s’ minds pure of sexual thoughts, what good do you think banning a book that most kids wouldn’t even take a second glance at instead of trying to sensor television shows and music videos?
Slowly, but surely, many parents are choosing to send their children to public schools over a religiously focused school. Religion has lost the priority it held in families’ lives for hundreds of years. According to a recent poll, roughly sixteen percent of the world’s population does not follow any form of religion. Islamic religion is called into question in Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses. Rushdie considers religion belief to be nothing more than a person talking to air, not to a Supreme Being or power. With so many differing views and so many adamant believers, religion has been considered the base cause of many of the worst conflicts throughout history.
From the time people are little, they are taught to look at police, firefighters, and government officials are good people who should be shown respect and obeyed at all times. If that’s true, than why do we fire officers and impeach presidents? They are supposed to be right and just all the time. Not just these powerful figures in society, but our own parents. Lessons like that are probably why most child abusers aren’t arrested; their child is too afraid of disobeying them and the repercussions to turn to someone who can help them. Marion Dane Bauer’s book, On My Honor, is a story about a boy whose friend dies by accident and doesn’t tell his parents because he wasn’t supposed to go there in the first place. Commonly accepted rules of society aren’t always meant to be followed.
Generally, there will always be at least one reason for a person not to like a book and get them trying to convince people to not read it, which the worst thing that will happen is someone will miss out on a good read or the author will lose a few bucks. Only the worst, most ignorant fools would ban a book, not matter the reason. Yes, some material may be too mature for a grade school student, too inappropriate for a school setting, or whatever. But, wouldn’t it be safer for someone to experience something through a book than in real life? That way they get an inside look without getting trouble with their family, the law, or their health. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52342637 Blood Promise (Vampire Academy, #4) by Richelle Mead
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]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52342385 Power Study (Study Novella) by Maria V. Snyder
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]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52342267 Sea Glass (Glass, #2) by Maria V. Snyder
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