Review: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Synopsis: Three brothers struggle to stay together after their parents' death, as they search for an identity among the conflicting values of their adolescent society in which they find themselves "outsiders."

When my daughter had to read The Outsiders for her 7^th grade English class I pulled out my copy and decided to re read it! The Outsiders is one of my all time favorite books. I have not read this in a long time though I have read it more times than I can count. When I had to read it for school I read it over and over and over. I read it at least four or five times in the time allotted to read it for class. My copy is old and trashed but I love this book! Re-reading it with the soft silky worn pages fitting in my hand I have to wonder why I have not re-read this for so long.

I love hearing Ponyboy’s voice in my head. Of course as I re-read this now I have the luxury of visualizing the characters from the movie in my mind. (This story is one of the times I really do not mind the movie!) The movie (1983) has Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez and Ralph Macchio. I remember when the movie came out and as a tween girl with a huge crush on Matt Dillon The Outsiders became my favorite movie (and still is). I absolutely stand behind the statement the book is always better! (though I am grateful Francis Ford Coppola did not cast a blond for Dally) In the book the characters are much deeper. I love how it captures that the tough guy greaser can be sensitive and to me that truly is touching. Their loyalty is something to desire. It tells us while sometimes we cannot change our circumstances, we certainly can affect the outcome. If you have not read this you should and if you have you should re-read it.

I give this 5 out of 5 stars!

Review: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince

By: Cassandra Clare

Hardcover: 502 pages

Published: December 6th 2011

Synopsis: In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.-Goodreads.com

 

So I just finished my Christmas present Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. I loved this book it was definitely a great book to start the new year with.  

First you must know this is book two of the Infernal Devices series and you have to read book one Clockwork Angel first. The series author Cassandra Clare suggests reading them in publication order as the two series intertwine. So if you have not read any of her books you should read them in this order:

City of Bones (Book 1 Mortal Instruments)

City of Ashes (Book 2 Mortal Instruments)

City of Glass (Book 3 Mortal Instruments)

Clockwork Angel (Book 1 Infernal Devices)

City of Fallen Angels (Book 4 Mortal Instruments)

Clockwork Prince (Book 1 Infernal Devices)

City of Lost Souls (Book 5 Mortal Instruments) May 8, 2012 

Clockwork Princess: (Book 3 Infernal Devices) NO SET RELEASE DATE

City of Heavenly Fire: (Book 6 Mortal Instruments) NO SET RELEASE DATE

Now that I have increased your “to be read” pile you’ll need to get crackin’ to catch up by the next release date of May 2012. Clockwork Prince is my favorite of the entire Shadowhunter series so far. So no need to worry, all this reading will not disappoint! The Infernal Devices series is set in Victorian London with a steampunk-ish setting.  It serves as a prequel series to the Mortal Instruments series that is set in Modern day New York City.  Believe it or not as the stories progress they get better.  I love the character of Will Herondale. Oh… Will Herondale closed hart, quotes Shakespeare, constantly tending to the walls he has built around his heart. He reminds me in a way of my true literary crush the brooding Edward Cullen. It is sooo hard to talk about this book without spoilers for the series.  If you are looking for a something new to delve into I highly recommend these!

4 out of 5 stars

Review: The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

The Woman in Black
by Susan Hill
Paperback, 176 pages
Published: 1983
Synopsis: The classic ghost story by Susan Hill: a chilling tale about a menacing spectre haunting a small English town.

Arthur Kipps is an up-and-coming London solicitor who is sent to Crythin Gifford—a faraway town in the windswept salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway—to attend the funeral and settle the affairs of a client, Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. Mrs. Drablow’s house stands at the end of the causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but Kipps is unaware of the tragic secrets that lie hidden behind its sheltered windows. The routine business trip he anticipated quickly takes a horrifying turn when he finds himself haunted by a series of mysterious sounds and images—a rocking chair in a deserted nursery, the eerie sound of a pony and trap, a child’s scream in the fog, and, most terrifying of all, a ghostly woman dressed all in black. Psychologically terrifying and deliciously eerie, The Woman in Black is a remarkable thriller of the first rate. - goodreads.com

Keeping my pledge to read it 1st, I promptly got my grubby fingers on this book after seeing the movie trailer.  On, February 3, 2012 the movie adaptation of this book is being released starring Daniel Radcliffe. The book is 176 pages long so I think you guys can read this in two months.

The Woman in Black totally solidifies that I am most certainly a city girl! Seriously! When I started reading this I could not help but think, what a cool place, it sounds so beautiful and serene, I wonder if there is a real place like this, maybe a bed and breakfast, It would be a wonderful weekend getaway.

Towards the end of this book I am totally thinking I would much rather find a getaway deal in the heart of NYC.

Like I said, I am a city girl. I need to be somewhere someone would hear me scream. I am horrified of rural places. Mostly from my own paranoia and overactive imagination. For instance, I have worked myself into a fearful frenzy of the thought of this crazy dude from around where my brother in law lives (I call him the Sasquatch of the Hollow) Whenever I am driving up my Brother-in-laws long wooded driveway, secluded in the Virginia mountains I am convinced I will see the Sasquatch of the Hollow winding through the trees at twilight mingling with the shadows amid the horrendous sounds of screech owls. AHHHH! Silence also horrifies me. I need honking horns and sirens to lull me to sleep. So this story set around a house that is situated on the marsh only accessible at low tide with creepy “frets” (thick fogs) rolling in at a moments notice scares me out of my wits. Now add some creepy wasted face ghost with a malevolent essence around her. Heck No! This is a ghost story! A classic ghost story! Of course this ghost story is only as scary as your imagination. This one clicked with mine it fed on my fear of being trapped on the marshes with a wasted face malevolent ghost and no way to leave AHHHHHH it gives me goosebumps thinking about it. If you are looking for something to read during a dark night, grab a blanket and cup of tea. You won’t be disappointed.

The book I am most thankful for.

The book I am most thankful for. 

 

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

 

This post is to qualify for the 19-YA-Book Giveaway by author Beth Revis. I think this is the greatest idea and cannot wait to see what books people are most thankful for.

OK! Let me explain!

I have always been a reader! I love to read! After my daughter was born, I slowed down and really didn’t read much new, except for picture books! (Which are awesome!) As she began reading I started finding all of my favorites to share with her and began re-reading these. When at the bookstore I was always looking for a specific book knowing if she liked this, she certainly would like that. Classics. 

I never paid attention other books on the shelves or to the Young Adult section at all until Twilight.

Seriously! I reluctantly picked up Twilight to see what the fuss was about. The movie had just come out and as a mother to a tween girl whose friends were reading it; I felt I needed to read it too. I devoured this book and immediately went out and bought the rest in the series. When finished, I didn’t know what to do! So I read them again, and again, and again. My daughter started worrying about me and suggested that I find something else to read. The bookstore was overwhelming; browsing through the young adult section the covers shout at you, you cannot help but pick up the book to see what is about. I wanted to read them all! I decided as a parent I would try to read at least the first of all these new young adult series to be informed. So I read Shiver, preordered Linger and read Lament and Ballad. I read City of Bones and immediately got the rest of the series and pre-ordered Clockwork Prince. I read Paper Towns and bought everything that John Green wrote. I read Hunger Games, Catching Fire and thought I would die waiting for Mockingjay. I have found so many new authors that I love! Last year I read 66 books. This year I have read 85 so far (almost all young adult books) I “say” I read them to know what my daughter is reading, to enrich our discussions. But really I am just a book junkie that is hooked on young adult. I read book blogs, (I have a book blog-ish) I listen to podcasts about books. I have made most of my family stand in lines to get books autographed. I follow my favorite authors on Facebook, Twitter & Tumblr. (I actually joined Twitter & Tumblr to follow authors & bloggers) Twilight introduced me to the incredible world of young adult fiction. I just needed something else to read to fill that hole after Twilight. Today, I am willing to read out of my genre comfort zone and because of that have found some amazing books and authors. Thank you Twilight!