Josiah Smallwood's Blog: Rimigafob's Ramblings - Posts Tagged "countdowns"

2024 turned out to be one of my most important years. Publishing my first books, making breakthroughs in my mental health, and reading many works of fantastic literature, it was a treasure trove of experiences.

Hoping to make the best of '25, but before that, I'd like to make a list of all the books I read in 2024!

I've got a few rules before I start: first, only one book per series, or I'd end up repeating myself too often, and there wouldn't be enough room for variety.

Second, I can only include a book if it's part of my 2024 year in books: https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_i...
If I didn't record it on Goodreads, then I can't include it!

And third, no re-reads. Sorry, Hunger Games, you know I love you, but I'm looking for the new kids on the block.

And as always, all of this is my opinion, so feel free to disagree! Now let's go!

#10: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: In the city of Verona, Italy, a fierce feud between two families, the Montagues and the Capulets, has been raging. When two young people, one from each family, fall madly in love with one another, tensions start to rise, but the two lovers are determined to be together no matter what the cost.
Shakespeare's classic tale still holds up, and thanks to the No Fear Shakespeare edition, even modern-day casual audiences can enjoy it!

#9: Hot Mess by Jeff Kinney: When Greg's family goes on vacation with a group of relatives from his mom's side, they're hoping for a relaxing stay at a vacation house from his mother's and aunts' childhoods. But when family drama, trip hijinks, and more come into play, it's apparent that this trip might not be memorable for all the reasons they were hoping for.
After I finished No Brainer, I was worried about where the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series was headed, but the most recent entry in the series gave me hope! It's super fun and very re-readable!

#8: Call of the Crow by Jessica Khoury: In the Clandoms, everyone is born with wings, but not everyone is treated the same. This society faces many issues, such as racism, classism, and of course, the fearsome gargols that make the skies unsafe. The second book expands the world greatly and furthers the engaging story, raising questions concerning whether the inhabitants of this world are meant to live on the surface.
One of my most recent favorite series! While I intended the read the final book, Phoenix Flight, earlier this year, my plans ended up changing. But sometime soon, I hope to finish this trilogy!

#7: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank: After the Frank family went into hiding for fear of persecution by the Nazis, thirteen-year-old Anne, the youngest member, started keeping a diary that she hoped would be read one day around the world.
In Anne's writings, we find a tale of growth and discover that she became wise beyond her years while in hiding. While she may not be around today, this extraordinary girl lives on her book, which remains essential World War 2 literature.

#6: A Whale of the Wild by Rosanne Parry: When orca whale Vega is separated from her pod after two fierce natural disasters, she must brave the unrecognizable ocean to return home with her brother, Deneb.
One of the few authors who has brought me to tears, Parry's second novel in her series, A Voice for the Wilderness, tells us a stand-alone (Though perhaps loosely connected?) story containing themes of bonds, familial struggle, and protecting the world we live in. Melancholic and heart-touching.

#5: Avatar: The Last Airbender: Legacy of The Fire Nation by Joshua Pruett: With the war over, Uncle Iroh shares his memories with his nephew, Fire Lord Zuko, revealing secrets and providing insight of their nation's past and future.
A fantastic companion to the iconic tv series! This book contains a lot of fascinating and heartfelt commentary delivered by Uncle Iroh and the cast of the Avatar universe!

#4: Flamer by Mike Curato: Aiden Navarro is on his last camping trip before high school, and he's hoping to make the most of it. But before long, the changes he's facing start to take a toll on him, and before he knows it, he's on a path of self-discovery and identity that could define his future.
A title that's faced a disturbing amount of bans and challenges. While I won't be sharing any spoilers for the story, I will say that this book is one of the best ones I've read that deals with how hurtful bullying and discrimination can be. So please, leave this book on the shelves where teens can find it. I know I would have enjoyed it in my late teens.

#3: Superman: Birthright by Mark Waid: Hoping to no longer conceal his special abilities from those around him, Clark Kent heads to Metropolis to introduce his new identity to the world: Superman.
Perhaps the definitive gateway story to the Man of Steel, Birthright shows us why Superman, though a man without limits, is one we can relate to, as we see his struggles with his identity, his desire to be accepted, and like many adopted children, his curiosity about where he came from.

#2: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl: In this memoir, Frankl, a Holocaust survivor, shares his experiences in the concentration camps as well as what he learned to survive spiritually, including, but not limited to, finding meaning in suffering.
A must-read survivor's tale, and a testament to how meaning can carry an individual through even the worst of times.

And before I get to the number one pick, here's a few honorable mentions!

Animal Farm by George Orwell: After driving out the corrupt farmer that had made their lives miserable, the animals of Animal farm hope to create a brighter future for themselves. But before long, the pigs take charge with some ideas of their own that could lead to the kind of change none of the animals ever expected...
Orwell's timeless tale about the decline of a society after a revolution, having become the exact thing it once sought to overthrow thanks to the manipulation of those in charge.

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei: When Takei was four years old, he found his father's country at war with his family's own, and in this graphic novel, he shares with us his family's struggles in American internment camps.
This is one of the first books I've read on this part of my country's history, and I hope to read more about it in the future.

I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967 by Lauren Tarshis: When Melody and her family arrive in Glacier National Park, she doesn't expect to have a good time on account of her memories there of her recently deceased mother. But when she encounters a grizzly bear, the trip takes a terrifying turn.
A quick but engaging bit of historical fiction. While many would at first assume the grizzlies to be vicious beasts, the story shows us that in truth, they are beautiful creatures whose homes are under threat from pollution, and that they ultimately cannot be held responsible for the events the book is based on.

#1: Gateway to the Stoics: Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, Epictetus's Enchiridion, and Selections from Seneca's Letters by Marcus Aurelius and others: A collection for newcomers to Stoicism, containing works from the three most famous stoics in history, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca.
Stoicism, the philosophy that has changed my life, has been around for thousands of years, but my personal introduction to it was this book. With these writings, I think a lot of people can find a path to peace in life no matter their circumstances, and I expect it's going to be a lot of help for me in the coming years.

Thank you guys so much for reading this, and I hope to see you again in the future! Got some plans for my first book's one-year anniversary!

2024 turned out to be one of my most important years. Publishing my first books, making breakthroughs in my mental health, and reading many works of fantastic literature, it was a treasure trove of experiences.

Hoping to make the best of '25, but before that, I'd like to make a list of all the best books I read in 2024!

I've got a few rules before I start: first, only one book per series, or I'd end up repeating myself too often, and there wouldn't be enough room for variety.

Second, I can only include a book if it's part of my 2024 year in books: https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_i... If I didn't record it on Goodreads, then I can't include it!

And third, no re-reads. Sorry, Hunger Games, you know I love you, but I'm looking for the new kids on the block.

And as always, all of this is my opinion, so feel free to disagree! Now let's go!

#10: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: In the city of Verona, Italy, a fierce feud between two families, the Montagues and the Capulets, has been raging. When two young people, one from each family, fall madly in love with one another, tensions start to rise, but the two lovers are determined to be together no matter what the cost.
Shakespeare's classic tale still holds up, and thanks to the No Fear Shakespeare books, even modern-day casual audiences can enjoy them!

#9: Hot Mess by Jeff Kinney: When Greg's family goes on vacation with a group of relatives from his mom's side, they're hoping for a relaxing stay at a vacation house from his mother's and aunts' childhoods. But when family drama, trip hijinks, and more come into play, it's apparent that this trip might not be memorable for all the reasons they were hoping for.
After I finished No Brainer, I was worried about where the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series was headed, but the most recent entry in the series gave me hope! It's super fun and very re-readable!

#8: ??? by Jessica Khoury

#7: ??? by Anne Frank

#6: ??? by Rosanne Parry

#5: ???

#4: ???

#3: ???

#2: ???

#1: ???

Ever since stories have been written, we humans have come across stories so good that we don't even remember reading them, we just remember the movies we pictured in our minds while we read. With the invention of film and other visual media, putting these movies out into the world became possible, and we've gotten many great film adaptations of books, such as The Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, The Wild Robot, and more! Today, I'm here to rank my top five books I want made into movies!

But before we start, a few rules are in order: first, only books I've read. Second, no books that already have movies. And third, no books that are confirmed to be getting movies or any other adaptation to screen.

And as always, all of this is my opinion, so feel free to disagree.

Now, let's go!

#5: The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis: After Diggory's uncle sends him and his friend Polly to another world, the two decide to visit various other dimensions and eventually come across Narnia just as its being created by the lion, Aslan.
Getting kind of close to breaking my third rule, as the Narnia franchise is confirmed to be getting new adaptations on Netflix, but since the first chronological book in this series hasn't yet been confirmed to be getting its own adaptation, I feel comfortable putting it here. I hope the Netflix films turn out to be successful, as I think the first adventure in this series is one of its best!

#4: Realm of the Blue Mist by Amy Kim: After her father dies while researching a mysterious tree, Tabby Simon is led to the magical world of Rema, a fantastical world burdened by regular invasions from a nearby planet.
A promising start to a new fantasy graphic novel series with rich lore and gorgeous illustrations! If this series takes off, I want an animated adaptation of all the books, or a tv show if that turns out to be the better option!

#3: A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen: After the rise of the Berlin Wall, Gerta finds her family separated, her half on the eastern side while her father and brother are left on the western, unable to return home. After seeing her father on a viewing platform performing a familiar dance, she begins to suspect that he wants her and her half of the family to cross the wall...
A fascinating piece of historical fiction that does an excellent job of showcasing the difficulties of living in the German Democratic Republic. Great for newcomers studying this period in history!

#2: Flamer by Mike Curato: On a week-long summer camp trip — his last one before he enters high school — Aiden Navarro is hoping to enjoy himself. But after his differences start to eat at him more and more, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery and identity.
This is a bit of a personal entry for me, but even with that in mind, I think lots of people would benefit from engaging with this story, whether in book or in film. A film adaptation would also help with exposure, especially since this title has faced many bans and challenges.

Before I get to my number one pick, I have one honorable mention!

Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand: Whenever she struggles with her mental health, Finley Hart finds solace in the Everwood, a fictional world she writes about in her notebook. But the Everwood is in danger, and to save it, Finley realizes she has to face her demons, or else her world will be lost forever.
Another personal entry, kept in the honorable mentions since I don't think has as much of a mass appeal as Curato's book. Still a beautiful story, though. Highly recommended to anyone who's struggling with their mental health.

#1: Displacement by Kiku Hughes: Seemingly out of nowhere, Kiku starts travelling back in time — no, being displaced — to her grandmother's teenage years, during the time of the Internment of Japanese Americans. Fearing that she may never return to her own time, Kiku begins to form bonds and build community with her fellow prisoners and makes new discoveries about her community and how the past affects the modern day.
A very recent read of mine, but also a very good one. I think many people would benefit from seeing an animated adaptation of it, both to learn more about the past and to better understand the present.

So, I was originally going to rank all of the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels for this month's bookish ranking, but I changed my mind for a couple reasons, one of them being that next month's ranking, which has been decided for a while now, is also going to be focused on a single series, and I didn't want to have two lists in a row focused on single franchises.

Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope to see you guys again soon!

Books and video games are two very different mediums of entertainment, but they both share two elements: worlds. While books introduced us to places unlike our own, video games allowed us to experience them in a way like never before by putting us in the driver's seat of where we go and what we see. And today, I'll be ranking the top five book worlds I want to experience or explore in a video game.

A few rules before we start: first, only worlds of books I've read. And second, no fictional worlds that, to my knowledge, can be explored in existing games. Therefore, you won't find Middle-Earth on this list, as it's got at least a few games such as Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor and LEGO The Lord of the Rings, as well as the fact that I haven't read any of Tolkien's books.

(That last part is old information. I started on The Hobbit last night!)

Also, I want to stay away from graphic novels in this ranking, as they're a more visual medium. Books that started as novels and later got graphic novel adaptations are still considered, though.

And lastly, all of this is my opinion, so feel free to disagree!

#5: The Island (From The Wild Robot by Peter Brown): The island where the main character, Roz, activates and makes her home, filled with various creatures to befriend.

When I was first reading this book, I pictured it as a visual novel with a narrator. But I actually think it would be better as an open-world survival game where the player controls a different robot and has to shelter themselves and befriend the animals to make sure they and everyone survives the winter. The game could even include options to adopt certain animals like how Roz adopts Brightbill.

#4: Stain'd-by-the-Sea (From the All the Wrong Questions series by Lemony Snicket): An abandoned seaside town that's long past its heyday, filled with curious crimes and odd individuals.

Snicket's world is filled with intriguing and bizarre traits, such as a secret organization dedicated to putting out the fires of the world, both literally and metaphorically. I imagine a game where the player can accept missions from a variety of individuals, leading to several endings including siding with V.F.D., assisting criminals such as Hangfire, or forging their own path in all the calamity.

#3: Oceania (From 1984 by George Orwell): The brutal totalitarian state where the slightest hint of disloyalty to the ruling party will get you erased from the public life.

This may seem like an odd pick to some, as video games are usually meant to be a comforting and/or fun escape from the troubles of reality. But ever since I finished Orwell's frightening cautionary tale, I had an idea in my head of a Telltale-style game that takes place after the events of the story, where the player controls someone who can make choices to either sabotage and bring down the Party or rise to become their leader. All the while, they'd have to evade detection from anyone who'd want to turn them in. Could be cool!

#2: The United States mixed with Greek Mythology (From the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan): Just as it sounds. Our world filled with monsters from Greek Myths as well as other strange and fantastical creatures invisible to
normal humans.

Players can take control of a demigod staying at Camp Half-Blood, taking quests to serve the gods and slay monsters. A Monster Hunter-style game in the Riordanverse! That sounds awesome!

(I've barely played any Monster Hunter. But I'm sure it's good.)

I'm bending the rules here a bit because the Percy Jackson movie got a tie-in video game, but 1: that movie definitely doesn't exist and 2: the game is a far cry from what I'd want to see from a game set in this universe.

Before I get to my top pick, here's a few honorable mentions!

Solace (From The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson): A world combining magic with industrial-age elements! It's been a long time since I've read this book, but its world is still stuck in my memory.

The World of the Clandoms (From the Skyborn series by Jessica Khoury): A world with various cultures and classes, and best of all: everyone is born with wings! What could be better than that?

Being a dragon, that's what!

#1: Pyrrhia (From the Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland): A continent where Seven different tribes of dragons dominate the land. At the start of the series, the tribes have been locked in a fierce war that's lasted twenty years, with three queens all fighting for the throne of the Sandwings.

The player could assume the role of a dragon from any tribe, carrying out quests to help their tribe win the war, sabotage it from within, or assist the Dragonets of Destiny in fulfilling the prophecy.

And that's my list!

Did you know when I first wanted to make stories, I wanted to do so in games? I eventually switched to books, but if I ever get the chance, I think I'd like to try my hand at creating a story for a video game! It'd be a nice way to branch out!

There's a lot of components that make a good book. Plot, characters, ending, dialogue, and all sorts of other things that make telling stories exhausting, but rewarding.

But for me, one of the biggest parts of a book is the atmosphere.

By that, I mean the feeling I get when I engage with a story and its world. If the world is foreboding, I want to feel intimidated. If the world is a paradise, I want to feel at peace. Through the use of vivid description and the viewpoint character's senses, authors can achieve a fantastic atmosphere, and that contributes a lot to the reader's experience! So today, I'm ranking my top 10 atmospheres from books!

Of course, only books I've read! And as always, all of this is my opinion, so feel free to disagree! And don't worry, I'll avoid major spoilers for the books and series I cover.

#10: The Ga'Hoole Universe (From the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series by Kathryn Lasky): A world where four of the author's series take place in, each filled with animals such and owls and wolves who have complex societies and social lives.

Starting out this list with the only book series on it that I don't really care for. I really wanted to enjoy it, but in my experience, it's weighed down by too many problems like the pacing and poor plot points. But one thing the books (and also the movie) succeed in is the atmosphere, which is especially enchanting.

#9: Narnia (From the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis): The world created by the lion deity Aslan populated by magical creatures, talking animals, and heroes.

My favorite iterations of Lewis' world are from the first two books in the chronological order, The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The former for showing Narnia at its creation and the start of its society, and the latter for its wintry setting caused by Queen Jadis' rule.

#8: Panem (From The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins): A dystopian United States which has become a brutal nation where the elite class forces the children of the twelve Districts to fight to the death.

This world's atmosphere of struggle and fight for hope is best conveyed through the soundtrack of the movies, in my opinion. If you're new to the series and starting with the books, I recommend giving the soundtrack a listen!

#7: The United States mixed with Greek Mythology (From the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan): Our world enhanced with beautifying elements from Greek Myths, filled with places as the safe but competitive Camp Half-Blood, the magically-enhanced nature of Polyphemus' Island, and of course, Mount Olympus, the heaven-like home of the gods.

I'd have to say that the two most atmospheric books for me were The Sea of Monsters and The Battle of the Labyrinth, but if you're new to the series and want a taste of its fantastical tone with a hip edge, I recommend you listen to the first song of the musical, The Day I Got Expelled.

#6: Middle-Earth (From The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien): Tolkien's world in its earliest published incarnation, containing the peaceful Shire, the dangerous but scenic Misty Mountains, the dark forest of Mirkwood, and the tense Lonely Mountain, home of the dragon Smaug.

To this day, the Hobbit remains the second-biggest landmark work of fantasy, outclassed only by its sequel! I hope I get to that one soon...

#5: The World of the Clandoms (From the Skyborn series by Jessica Khoury): A world where everyone is born with wings. But despite this, its inhabitants don't fly freely, as every cloud in the sky brings the threat of the fearsome creatures made of stone, the Gargols...

Although I've yet to finish this trilogy, it and its world are some of my recent favorites, and its got great thematic elements as well!

#4: The African Plains (From the Bravelands series by Erin Hunter) A stunning setting filled with forests, grasslands, and kopjes as well as a variety of animals who live by only one rule: Only kill to survive.

Although the majority of their works I've read are from the Warrior Cats franchise, my favorite books from the Erin Hunter team are the first three entries in their lesser known Bravelands series!

#3: Vallen (From the Elementals series by Amie Kaufman): The setting of a conflict between two warring clans of shapeshifters — the titular Ice Wolves and Scorch Dragons — containing cities and academies alive with characters and conspiracy.

I really hope I can re-read this series soon, but all my books are at my old house. Here's to hope I can get my own apartment soon.

#2: Finley's Grandparent's House and the Everwood (From Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand): The house where protagonist Finley Hart stays over the summer as she works through her mental health as well as the fictional world she created to find escape.

In this fantastic story about depression and anxiety, the main character experiences her imaginary world in her grandparents' backyard, eventually coming across a mystery involving an abandoned house and her family's ties to it.

Before I get to my number one pick, I have an honorable mention with a brief story to share about it!

The Mountain Home (Moonrise by Erin Hunter): The dwelling of the mountain cats, the Tribe of Rushing Water, that the main group comes across during their journey back home.

Story time! When I was reading this book, I had started listening to video game music while reading and remember listening to one of Donkey Kong Country 2's best tracks, In a Snow-Bound Land, while reading parts of the book taking place in the Tribe's cave home in the snowy mountain. I didn't really enjoy Warriors: The New Prophecy overall, but at least I got a great memory out of it.

#1: Pyrhhia and Pantala (From the Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland): Two continents ruled by a total of ten tribes of dragons, each with its own struggles including fierce wars, monarchs rising and falling, and secret plots.

I want to give a special mention to the first two books in this series. In the first, The Dragonet Prophecy, the characters are thrust into dark and brutal situations that effectively convey the sense of danger to the reader, while in the second, The Lost Heir, the characters find themselves in a peaceful aquatic kingdom, though not without its dangers lurking beneath the surface. A contrast, but I think it works well!

Man, Wings of Fire has topped a good few of my lists. I need to pick a subject that shakes things up soon. Anyway, thanks to you all for reading, and tell me what book's atmosphere you enjoy the most!

I've done a lot of "Best of-" type lists for the books I've read, but this month, I'd like to get a bit more critical. You see, while there's a lot of good stories to read out there, there's also a lot that are...too put it lightly, less enjoyable. Or outright bad. And part of being a reader is going through books you're not fond of, sometimes to the point of finishing them, as I did for every book I've included here. So today, I'm going through the top five fiction book I didn't enjoy.

A few disclaimers before I start. First, just because a book ends up on this list doesn't necessarily mean I consider it bad – number five certainly isn't – just that I didn't enjoy reading it. If you like any of these, that's great! Second, while I expect to be more snarkier than usual for this list, none of this should be taken as mockery of the authors, just criticism toward their works. No one sets out to write a bad story, and these people should get credit for doing their best.

All of this is my opinion, so feel free to disagree! Oh, and spoilers for the works of:

Robert Louis Stevenson

*Erin Hunter*

Kathryn Lasky

*Bernard Palmer*

*Charles M. Sheldon*

The ones in asterisks have the heaviest spoilers! Oh, and snark warning from here on out. Let's go!

5: Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson: Starting with the one book on this list that is definitely good, just not for me. While this story, focused on a young man in the 1750s who is – you guessed it – kidnapped, is considered one of the author's best works, I don't have fond memories of reading it.

I read it for school, which usually got me off on a bad foot, as I was reading a book out of obligation rather than a genuine desire to read it. Then again, that applied to To Kill a Mockingbird, and I enjoyed it, so maybe it would be the same here. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

As with certain classics I've read, like A Tale of Two Cities, I remember a lot of it being very wordy and hard to follow, which didn't gel well with my then-undiagnosed autism. I had to read a chapter per day, which usually took me over an hour, and once I got to the book report, I looked up the plot online to help me write it. As I've realized over time, if I'm trudging through a book I'm not enjoying, I usually can't recall the story details afterward.

A classic, but not for a brain of my frequency.

4: Shifting Shadows by Erin Hunter: While the first three books in the Bravelands series are my favorites from the Erin Hunter team, the fourth book turned me off from the rest of the series. The third book finished with the death of a fantastic villain, and once he was gone, I was worried about where the series would go. Unfortunately, it wasn't in a good direction.

The stories of the three main characters went off the rails. For the elephant Sky, one of her friends is revealed out of nowhere to have a dark past. For the lion Fearless, he leaves his pride because he's intimidated by his sister's mate and distraught over the recent revelation of his real father. For the baboon Thorn, he's destined to become the next leader and guide for Bravelands. These aren't bad premises on paper, but they're not handled well. The past of Sky's friend comes out of nowhere even though he's been around for two previous entries, and Fearless leaving his pride is very out of character considering all he did to get one in the first three books. But Thorn's story was the most disappointing.

There's a lot of interesting angles it could have been approached. Thorn could've been hesitant because the previous leader – also a baboon – was a tyrant and the animals would see another one in a tainted light because of that. But no, he doesn't bring that up, and he's in the wrong because he's supposed to take up the role because...because...B-CUZ DESTINYYYYY! While it'd be interesting to see any character from an Erin Hunter book challenge the path they're supposedly supposed to take, that wasn't done here, and that's a real missed opportunity considering there's two more books after this that could benefit from that sort of drama.

And for the overarching plot, a new group of villains are revealed out of nowhere, the Spirit-Eaters, who devour the souls of any animal they meet. While they're kinda scary, they don't hold a candle to the previous villain. He was a manipulative tyrant who rose to power over the dead bodies of the leaders who came before him and had all the animals wrapped around his finger, while the new villains are basically...running around and offing people. Not an upgrade.

The later Bravelands arcs have had three books instead of six, and from my experience with the series, I can see why.

3: The Journey by Kathryn Lasky: If you read my post about my history with the Guardians of Ga'Hoole franchise, this one won't be a shocker to you. If you haven't read it, then first of all, please do (https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...), but I'll give you the short version here.

I have a bit of a history with the Ga'Hoole franchise involving both the movie and the books. While I wanted to enjoy them, they ended up as more of a mixed bag for me, with positive aspects (The atmosphere!) and negative (The pacing...). But when I got the the second published book in the series, I took a long break from it before I picked it back up, feeling obligated to finish it. I forced myself to read until the end, which would be the last time I ever did that sort of thing. I didn't enjoy the book at all after I resumed reading it, and to this day, I can't remember much about it.

Sorry for the rather short entry after the meaty one above, but the thing about these sort of books is that I can't recall the specific aspects I didn't enjoy, just that the experience in general was drab. To avoid that, I have a policy for books I send to the DNF zone: The page I stop reading at is 100 - my age. I like this method because it stops younger readers from being too impulsive, while older readers don't spend too much time on works they don't like.

2: Danny Orlis and the Ordeal at Camp by Bernard Palmer: A book you haven't heard of from a Christian Fiction series you also probably haven't heard of that was published from the 1950s to the late 80s. This series is filled with adventure/mystery stories centered around the title character, which sounded similar to me to The Boxcar Children, so when I came across a few early editions of these books, I wanted to know what they'd be like.

In the start, the title character and his friend decide to take two kids they're watching over to a Bible Camp in Canada for the entire summer. One of them, Linda Penner (More on her later), doesn't want to go, but they make her go anyway. She goes to camp and finds some other kids to hang out with. They get lost, one gets attacked by a large bird after messing with her nest, he gets injured, and the group are taken in by a group of Natives who tend to his wounds before the group is found by their caretakers. Once all of that is over, they go home.

The plot structure was off, to say the least. There wasn't really a sense of rising action or tension, and there wasn't a climax either. And when the group are taken in by the Natives, the characters emphasize that these people have never heard of Jesus. Is the point of this book just to raise awareness about certain tribes who've never heard of Christianity? If so, you can do that by making some pamphlets and handing them out to inform people. The only reason to put that message to a book is to tell a good story, which wasn't done here.

But when I think back to why I didn't like this book, the biggest reason has to be how the character Linda Penner is treated. She's made out to be a brat for not wanting to spend her entire summer at a Bible Camp, and one of her caretakers says the reason she's so upset is because she hasn't converted to Christianity.

(Judging from what I've seen from another book in this series, Danny Orlis Goes to School, it seems atheists and unbelievers tend to be portrayed as jerks. Yo, God's Not Dead movies, I found your grandpa.)

But really, I sympathize a lot with Linda. I didn't enjoy a lot of my time at church camps, and she said that she had miserable experiences at camps too. Why would she want to spend her entire summer at one? Summer break should be a time to do a variety of fun things, like going to the movies, hanging out with your friends, nights at the skating rink, and swimming. But for this girl, all of that was taken away by her guardians without giving her a say. And when she gets upset, they go and lecture her about not adopting their faith, which just comes off as self-righteous to anyone outside of this book's narrow demographic.

But as much as I didn't enjoy this book, there's one more that's a fair bit more deserving of the number one spot.

1: In His Steps by Charles Monroe Sheldon: If you haven't heard of this book, you still might have heard of the phrase it coined, "What would Jesus do?" In it, a group of people decide to live as Jesus lives.

While I do think this book's message is one worth exploring (Though I'm not the biggest fan of how it was explored in the story – more on that later), I'll say it again: The only reason to put it to a book, rather than making it the subject of a sermon or church study course, is to tell a good story. While this book may have been wildly popular in the past and still sees some success today, it's more read for its message rather than its literary merit.

In my opinion, it doesn't have any.

The plot hardly ever has any tension, but rather alternates through a variety of characters with bland stories. At one point, the story switches settings, but then it just goes on with the same stuff as before with a different cast. It's not very influential to the overall plot, which is about the main characters trying to shut down a saloon in their town.

The reasons I didn't enjoy it are a mix of all the reasons I didn't enjoy any of the books above. Overtly wordy? Yes. Required to read for school? Yes. Weak villains? Yes. Lack of tension? Yes. Bad plot structure? Yes. Message before story? Absolutely yes. And character I wasn't supposed to sympathize with? Jasper Chase.

I was interested in the writer Jasper's story, as when I was reading the book, I was starting my writing efforts for the first time. But he wasn't given a lot of attention, and when he did, I wasn't satisfied. He was treated as wrong for deciding to publish his next book despite it not having any religious messaging to it, and I've got a fair bit to say about that.

Just because a piece of media isn't explicitly Christian doesn't mean it bad by Biblical standards. Just look at the parable of The Good Samaritan; it doesn't mention God at all, it's just about a man getting help from someone who was labeled as an enemy by his culture. It's message – that doing good should transcend race and class – isn't even one espoused solely by Christianity, but it's still a godly story not because it's explicitly religious, but because of its virtuous message. So when Jasper decides to go forward publishing his book – which the story mentions isn't in conflict with Christian teachings – he shouldn't be treated like the bad guy for it!

But even though there were specific parts of this book that stood out to me, it still ended up in my memory on the same level as Kidnapped and The Journey. That meaning, my experience reading it was so draining that I ended up with no memory of how the overall story went. It was that bad. And for that, it's my number one pick.

*****

I've been working on the first draft of a new project recently, and I've been struggling through a lot of it. But as I was revising this, editing out the crummy parts and revising what I could, it reminded me just how much the first draft isn't about getting it right, but getting it written. The real magic comes in the revising phases, and that feeling you get when you type up something great is what makes it all worth it!

(Some of these books really could've used another draft, too. You agree?)