Currently reading
Carrie
Eona: The Last Dragoneye
The Gods of Mars
The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer
The Stand
Soul Survivor: How My Faith Survived the Church
James Potter and the Hall of Elders' Crossing (James Potter, #1)
04/08/13: Downloaded it onto my Kindle this morning after stumbling across it quite by accident.It's been a long while since I've read any Harry Potter fanfiction, but the arrangement is stunning, and the premise seems very promising.
First read from February 13 to 20, 2011. Second read from July 8 to August 4, 2013.Ready for [b:MaddAddam|17262203|MaddAddam (MaddAddam Trilogy #3)|Margaret Atwood|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1366394020s/17262203.jpg|17613051]!
3.5 stars.I picked up this e-book as a free Kindle read from Amazon.com. It has some informative and entertaining articles (originally published as blog posts) from numerous working authors who know their way well around the writing biz. Many of the passages provide interesting autobiographical details about how the authors broke into their fields. Like most anthologies, the articles can be hit or miss in usefulness; your mileage may vary on which of these articles will be most personally helpful to you. Additionally, the section on e-publishing is quickly becoming outdated. Regardless, these selections are diverse and each contribute to provide another perspective on different areas of the writer's life.
This book works as a nice primer for new(er) writers looking to break into the profession, as it covers a variety of topics, from the art and craft of one's writing to the business and financial end of the industry. As well, there are some inspiring articles in the mix that deal with how writers can cultivate discipline, dispel misconceptions, and pursue their passions that I will return to read again and again.
I highly recommend it to aspiring writers who wish to become serious about their craft.
I was hooked on this right away before I lost speed around page 106; recently, I needed to return my copy.I may return to this someday, but I might not -- I read a few reviews that made me think it might not really be worth it for me. So many books to read, so little time!
I would give it a high two-star rating. The characters, humor, and storyline didn't quite pull me in like those in other John Green books have, but the anagrams and mathematics (in particular, the observations about "dumpees" vs. "dumpers") provided an entertaining read. As with prior novels, I appreciate Green's authorial voice; once again, I find I can depend on him to deliver an intelligent (if occasionally crass) YA novel.
Make Room Make Room
2011 seems to have been the year of the dystopian novel for me. Along with parsing through the deluge of new YA arrivals, I decided to check out a few of the classics as a palate cleanser.The first part of the book hooked me with its vivid detail of major city plagued by overpopulation. In my opinion, Harrison did a great job of making me feel the grittiness of summer sweat and the sticky press of too many bodies. I was even curious to see where the murder investigation would end up, but it fizzled out midway into the story to end up an almost an afterthought.
The second half read like a novelized pamphlet for birth control; the dialogue between Shirl and Sol sounded forced and exposition-heavy. The squatter family, the Belichers, was nauseating (the point, I'm sure) and, by and large, unsympathetic. I couldn't help but feel propagandized by Harrison's description as I realized how much he made me detest the parents and their seven (number eight on the way!) bratty children. The way Harrison lingered on their filth dehumanized them in a way that made me feel greatly uncomfortable (in a negative way), but it was the last strong emotion I experienced during the novel. The ending of the book arrived and left with, largely, indifference on my part.
I had started reading the book already knowing the pop culture phrase "Soylent Green is people!" so I was greatly looking forward to the big reveal -- only to find that there wasn't one. Turns out Soylent Green in Make Room! Make Room! is, honestly, just kelp crackers. GASP! Could this be the rare case where the movie was actually better than the book?
Earth Abides
02/23/13: Spontaneously picked up a classic copy (yellowed pages, crumbling binding, the whole shebang!) from the used bookstore in town today. Delicious!
It might not have been a groundbreaking work of classic literature, but as an actual Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, it would be pretty epic. :)
