The Great Gatsby

This week, I finally did something I probably should have done years ago. I read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I know many people may be shocked that I never got around to reading this American classic in high school, but I guess I just missed out on it. (When I was in high school, I didn’t read “classics” unless they were required in my literature classes. I gravitated toward cheesy teen romances, fantasy, and some science fiction. Not much has changed.) Anyway, I wanted to see the movie adaptation this weekend, so, of course, I had to read the book so that I could compare the two.

(For the record, I probably would have seen the movie even if I hadn’t read the book. I’ve been a Leonardo DiCaprio fan since he played Luke Brower on Growing Pains in the early 90s. That is one man who just gets better with age…and he’s a fantastic actor.)

So, I’m not going to tell too much about the book because I figure all of my readers either have read it or will read it the future. I will say, though, that I think The Great Gatsby paints a vivid picture of what life was like in New York in the Roaring Twenties. There were some lavish parties and, at least among the upper echelons of society, a rather casual disregard for propriety and self-control–when it came to wealth, sex, marriage, sobriety, etc. (Goes a long way in explaining how the whole concept of Prohibition came about.)

The Great Gatsby is both a tragic love story and a tale of people who bring out the worst in each other. Told from the perspective of Nick Carraway, who is at once above the drama and a part of it, we delve into the mystery of Jay Gatsby and his love for Daisy Buchanan. It’s often difficult to sort out the truth from all the lies, but the lives of the people in this book intertwine in a beautiful mess, and, in the end, their lives unravel in the blink of an eye.

I enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby, and a big part of me is happy that I waited until I was an adult to experience this book. I honestly don’t think that I could have appreciated it as a teenager. Now, with some knowledge of the time period–I studied the 1920s extensively as an undergrad student–and more life experience myself, I can grasp just why this book is widely considered a must-read American classic.

I can’t wait to see what Baz Luhrmann does with Jay Gatsby’s story. I hope I enjoy it as much as I did Moulin Rouge, especially since The Great Gatsby has the same kind of decadence that was present in that wonderful musical. I have high hopes for this movie, and I am praying that my hopes are not dashed by Hollywood (as they have been so often in the past). So far, reviews are mixed, but I don’t really put too much stock in reviews. (The original Star Wars trilogy was widely panned by reviewers. Those people were made of stupid.) Either way, I’ll get to look at Leo DiCaprio on the big screen, and that’s always fun!

Speaking of fun, here’s a trailer for the movie adaptation of The Great Gatsby to whet our appetites for the movie…which is in theaters today!

City of Lost Souls

Warning!  There may be City of Lost Souls spoilers ahead!

After work on Tuesday, I rushed to the closest Barnes & Noble to pick up a book I waited on for far too long—City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare.  I started reading it as soon as I got home, but, sadly, I wasn’t able to finish it until yesterday.  (Lots of things kept getting in the way—work, my regular TV schedule, meetings, and my need for naps.)  But finish it I did, and I was absolutely blown away.

Like the other books in Clare’s Mortal Instruments series (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, and City of Fallen Angels) and her Infernal Devices series (Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince), City of Lost Souls had me hooked before I even opened the book.  And I think a part of me was reluctant to finish the book, partly because I wanted to prolong the time I spent with my favorite characters, and partly because I knew this book would end on a cliffhanger, and I’d have a long time to worry about how things would be resolved.  How right I was.

I’m not going to tell you much about what happens in City of Lost Souls because I don’t want to spoil things for you.  This series means too much to me to ruin it for other fans.  I will say, however, that I am an emotional wreck after reading this book.  Sacrifices and deals are made—or at least considered—that change the entire fabric of this world.  The relationships between the characters have me tied up in knots, and I’m hoping against hope that things get better for everyone in the next book, City of Heavenly Fire.  I even found myself hoping that there was some way to “fix” Sebastian.  When you read this book, you’ll see why that hope was rather short-lived. 

While reading City of Lost Souls, I was always for clues about what might happen in Clockwork Princess.  (For those that don’t know, Clockwork Princess is the third book in the Infernal Devices, the prequel trilogy to Mortal Instruments.)  I think I may have found at least one clue, but it’s so out there that I don’t want to say anything in case I’m wrong (but I don’t think I am).  I also looked for things we might see in the next Shadowhunter series, Dark Artifices, which will take place a few years in the future at the Los Angeles Institute.  Based on things I’ve heard from Cassie Clare and the YA blogging community, I encountered a few characters that I know I’ll see again.

In short, I LOVED this book just as much as everything else Cassandra Clare has written.  I am totally invested in what happens to these characters that I’ve come to love and think of as my friends.  (Most of my best friends are fictional characters.)  I am eagerly anticipating the final book in the Mortal Instruments saga, City of Heavenly Fire, which won’t be released until March of 2014.  (Yep.  You read that right.  Nearly two years away.  Let the temper tantrum begin.)  Clockwork Princess will tide me over for a bit, but it won’t be out until March 19th of next year, so I’ve still got about ten months to stew.  Curses!

There is, however, something I’m looking forward to that will ease the pain of waiting.  Cassie Clare is coming to South Carolinain November!!!!  I got to meet her late last year during her Clockwork Prince tour (and she’s as awesome as you’d think she would be), and I was thrilled this week when I heard she’d be coming back to my fair state.  She, along with dozens of other bestselling authors—including Holly Black, Stephanie Perkins, Gayle Forman,  Margaret Stohl, Andrea Cremer, Kim Derting, and too many others to name—will be coming to Charleston for YALLFest (
http://yallfest.org/
), the Charleston Young Adult Book Festival.  The event will be November 9-10, and I am so there!  I’m so excited about this that I can barely contain my joy!

So, while the wait to find out what happens to Jace, Clary, Simon, Alec, Magnus, Isabelle, and even Sebastian, is way too long for me, there’s plenty going on that will tide me over (including hearing more about the middle-grade series by Cassie Clare and Holly Black that’s currently in the works). 

If you’d like more information about all of Cassandra Clare’s amazing books, check out her website (
http://www.cassandraclare.com/
), her tumblr site (
http://cassandraclare.tumblr.com/
), Twitter (
https://twitter.com/#!/cassieclare
), and Facebook (
http://www.facebook.com/Cassandraclare
).  You may also want to check out my favorite fansite, Mundie Moms (
http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/
).  Also, if you haven’t seen it already (I’ve watched it about five thousand times), here’s the official City of Lost Souls book trailer.  If this video doesn’t make you want to read this outstanding book, nothing will.  Enjoy!

Timeless

This post is going to be a short one.  Why, you ask?  Well, because it’s my birthday, and I want to spend the rest of it having a Big Bang Theory marathon.  Anyway…I finished reading Timeless by Alexandra Monir earlier today.  If you follow this blog at all, you probably know that I’m not a huge fan of time travel fiction.  That hasn’t changed, but I will say that I enjoyed this story.  I also enjoyed the glimpses I received of New York City life throughout the past century.  So much has changed while so much has remained the same…

After a horrible tragedy turns Michele Windsor’s whole world upside down, she is sent to live with her wealthy, estranged grandparents in their Fifth Avenue mansion in New York City. Michele is not sure why her mother chose these people–who’ve never shown an interest in Michele or her mother–as her guardians. Michele just knows she’s not ready for this huge change in her life. Well, an even bigger change is on the horizon…

After Michele receives an mysterious key and finds an old diary, she is somehow transported from 2010 to 1910. Michele can only be seen by certain people in her travels through time…and one of them will totally capture her heart.

Philip Walker is just as enraptured by Michele as she is by him. But how can their love exist when neither belongs in the other’s time? Is there a way? And what force is allowing Michele to travel through time anyway? What family secrets will Michele uncover on her journeys, and can she find a way to stay with the love of her life? Read Timeless by Alexandra Monir to discover that real love can cross all boundaries…even time itself.

I truly enjoyed this book (and I honestly didn’t think I would). I was pleasantly surprised by how the timelines in the story connected, and I appreciated the discussion of Albert Einstein’s theories of time travel contained within the book. As I said previously, I loved the glimpses of old New York, and I also liked how history and music played into how events unfolded for Michele and Philip. (I was a music major for a while in college, and I started my career in education as a history teacher, so this was even more awesome for me.)

If you think you’d enjoy Timeless as much as I did, I invite you to check it out. You can also look forward to more of Michele’s story in the sequel, Timekeeper, due out in December 2012. To learn more about Timeless and author Alexandra Monir, visit
http://www.alexandramonir.com/
. You can even download some of the music featured in Timeless! Pretty cool!

Wonderstruck

After reading the wonder that is The Invention of Hugo Cabret, I knew I had to read the latest work of art by Brian Selznick, Wonderstruck.  I finally got around to it this week (at the urging of some of my students), and I was immediately captivated by this amazing story.  Although the book is over 600 pages long, it took me less than two days to read it.  (Of course, it helps that over half of the pages were pictures.)  Wonderstruck brings together two seemingly independent stories–one told in words and the other in illustrations–that take readers on an emotional journey that will leave them…well…wonderstruck!

Ben, a boy living in Minnesota in the 1970s, and Rose, a girl living in New Jersey in the 1920s, are searching for the same thing–a place to belong. Both of them long for the parents that seem (and often really are) out of their reach. As both young people go on a quest to find their places in the world, their stories intertwine, and both of them end up in a museum at the heart of New York City. What connection does this museum have to Ben and Rose? And can it help them to find the sense of belonging that they’ve always wanted? Read Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick and join Ben and Rose as they discover the truth about their pasts and the connections that will lead them into the future.

Wonderstruck is an absolutely beautiful story that will resonate with readers from ages 10 to 100.  The symmetry with which Brian Selznick wove the two seemingly independent tales of Ben and Rose is truly remarkable, and the similarities between the characters will appeal to many, as will the connections that bridges the gap between the fifty years that separate them.  

The pencil drawings in Wonderstruck, like all of the illustrations I’ve seen by Brian Selznick, are gorgeous.  It’s amazing to me–an admitted non-artist–how someone can convey a character’s emotions simply by drawing their eyes.  No words were needed.  I knew exactly what the character was feeling, and I experienced those emotions as well.  Brian Selznick proves that his pictures truly are worth a thousand words.

If you’re looking for your next great read, I highly recommend Wonderstruck.  You won’t be disappointed.

For more information on Wonderstruck and author Brian Selznick, visit
http://www.wonderstruckthebook.com/
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If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince?

The title and cover sort of say it all, don’t they? If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? is definitely a “chick” book. It might as well have a pink cover.  (It’s lavender.  Close enough.)  If you’re looking for a quick, extremely light, somewhat predictable read, this is the book for you.  It’s a nice bit of brain candy after you’ve read something really heavy.  (Think of it as the dessert after a huge meal.) 

Lucy Norton’s life is a lot like Cinderella’s.  Her father’s remarriage has uprooted her from everything she’s ever known.  She has a new home where she feels like a guest…if not the hired help.  She has a stepmother and two stepsisters who only acknowledge her to criticize something.  Her father is largely absent from her life.  She has no friends.  (At least Cinderella had some furry woodland creatures to keep her company.)  And she’s got a crush on the most popular guy in school (the handsome prince, if you will).  How can her fairy tale ever become reality when her life sucks so much?

As you’ve probably guessed, things turn around for Lucy pretty quickly.  Two girls befriend her after it becomes obvious that Lucy’s dream guy might just see her as his dream girl.  All of a sudden, Lucy is the popular girl she’s always wanted to be.  Sure, her life at home is still total crap, but at least her social life is booming, right?  Right?  She’ll just ignore the little voices in her head that tell her that the perfect guy may not be the perfect guy for her.  Join Lucy as she learns that the fairy tale isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  After all, what would Cinderella have done if Prince Charming turned out to be kind of a butthead?

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? may not be the greatest thing to hit YA literature, but female readers, particularly those in grades 7 to 10, will enjoy this light read.  The book was released in 2005, so I’m betting that a lot of teen girls have already picked this one up.  If not…well, maybe I’ve done a little to get one or two people to escape into this story. 

If you’d like more information about this book or others by author Melissa Kantor, you can visit her website at
http://www.melissakantor.com/
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Heist Society

Before I begin writing about my latest read, I’d like to wish everyone who takes the time to read this blog a happy Thanksgiving.  I am thankful for all of you, and I appreciate each and every comment posted (and even those of you who’ve never made a comment but still, for some reason, care what I think about books).  Knight Reader started as a way for me to keep track of what I’ve read, but it’s quickly grown into a passion, and my readers definitely help to make this more than a hobby.

Now, on with the show…

I just finished reading Heist Society by Ally Carter.  I’ve been meaning to read this one for a while, and I finally picked it up this weekend when I was in the mood for something kind of light. While this was a light, fast read, Heist Society was also engaging, fun, and suspenseful.  The story is kind of a blend of Gossip Girl and Ocean’s Eleven, and, even though I’m adamantly against crime of any kind (except the occasional breaking of the speed limit), Heist Society makes art thief seem glamorous and terrifying at the same time.  I would be a horrible thief—I get very nervous when things don’t go according to plan—but the teens in this book make it seem so effortless, much the way Danny Ocean and his crew did in Ocean’s Eleven (and Twelve and Thirteen).  But things weren’t so smooth at the beginning…

 

All Katarina Bishop wanted to do was leave her old life as a thief behind.  To do that, however, she had to pull off one more con—scam her way into the best boarding school in the country.  Well, she did, and Kat’s life was boring normal for a while…until circumstances pulled her back into the life and family she left behind.

Kat’s father, a master thief himself, has been accused of stealing a very valuable private art collection.  But the cops aren’t the ones after him.  No, a more sinister character is after Kat’s father.  This bad guy wants his paintings back, and he wants Kat to bring them to him.  There’s just one problem…Kat’s dad didn’t steal the paintings.  But who did?  And can Kat find out and clear her father’s not-so-good name?

As Kat and her motley crew, including the handsome, rich, and enigmatic Hale, travel the world, it becomes clear that to prove her father didn’t steal the paintings, they will have to find out who did…and steal the paintings back.  Can Kat pull off the biggest theft in her family’s history with a teenage crew?  Does she even want to?  Will she be able to leave everything behind again when/if she completes this job?  And is there more to these paintings than meets the eye?  Dive into the mystery when you read Heist Society by Ally Carter.

I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to further adventures of Kat and crew in the sequel, Uncommon Criminals, which is already out.  Even though I did wonder where most of the parents were throughout this entire book, the story was still thought-provoking and entertaining.  Male and female readers from middle school on up will enjoy this one.

For more information on Heist Society and other books by Ally Carter, visit
http://allycarter.com/
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Haven

Last week, I finished a book that was sort of a hybrid of X-Men and The Hunger Games (Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi).  Purely by chance, this week, I finished Haven by Kristi Cook, a book that’s a bit like X-Men meets Twilight.  (Maybe the universe is telling me that I need to have an X-Men movie marathon this weekend.  I’m okay with that.)  In any case, one of these books was new and different.  The other…well, the other was extremely predictable and easy to put down.  If you’ve read my review for Shatter Me, you can probably guess which of these two books was my favorite.

In Haven, readers are introduced to Violet, a teen girl with strange abilities.  She’s always been an outcast, but she has a good feeling about her new boarding school, Winterhaven.  She’s drawn to the place, and she soon learns the reason why.  Winterhaven is a school for others like her, students with special “gifts,” psychic and supernatural abilities that mark them as different from those outside the school.  Inside the school grounds, they are safe and can learn to hone and control their talents.  Violet can finally share her ability–disturbing visions of the future–with others, but she doesn’t see how she can control these visions…or stop them from coming true.

As Violet adjusts to life at Winterhaven, she encounters the most intriguing guy she’s ever met.  (Of course she does).  There’s something about Aidan Gray that draws Violet in, and it appears he feels the same way about her.  But his emotions seem to run hot and cold.  One minute, he’s completely crazy about her.  The next minute, he’s doing his best to push her away.  How does he really feel about her, and why is he so determined that Violet keep her distance?

Violet isn’t sure what’s going on, but she is certain of one thing:  Aidan is playing a starring role in her visions, and the future doesn’t look good.  Why is Aidan covered in blood?  Who is threatening her friends?  Why does she see herself killing the boy she’s come to love?  What do these visions mean, and can Violet find a way to stop them before it’s too late?  Read Haven by Kristi Cook to find out.

I must admit that Haven was not a top read for me.  It was simply too much like Twilight for my tastes (even though Violet was a bit less needy than Bella Swan).  There was always this push-pull between Violet and Aidan that, in many ways, mirrored the Bella-Edward relationship.  Can he suppress the urge to bite her?  (Oops.  Kind of gave it away that Aidan’s a vampire.  My bad.)  Will the kissing go too far?  It’s been done.  I did like Aidan’s interests in science and possibly finding a cure for his “disease,” but, all in all, the story was very predictable, and the resolution was a bit anticlimactic. 

If you’re set on reading about boarding schools for teens with special abilities–and X-Men is not your thing–I would go with Rachel Hawkins’ Hex Hall books (Hex Hall and DemonGlass) over this one.  If, however, you decide that Haven is the book for you, be prepared for a sequel as well.  The second book, Mirage, is set for a summer 2012 release.  For more information, go to
http://kristi-cook.com/
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Imaginary Girls

It is rare that I find a book that I do not like.  Most books have at least some redeeming quality (except Great Expectations and Moby Dick…I loathed everything about those books).  Well, I may have found one more book to add to the short list of books that I don’t like…Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma.  (This is another case when choosing a book based on its cover has gotten me into trouble.)  It took me a while to get into this book, and, when I finally did (mainly so I could finish it and move on to something else), I was confused as to what was really going on in the story.  I’m still not sure what was happening.  I don’t handle being confused very well, and this book nearly sent me over the edge.

Chloe has always lived in the shadow of her older sister, Ruby, but she’s okay with it.  Ruby has a way of making everything go her way, and Chloe is the only person in the world who Ruby really loves.  The two sisters are inseparable until a night when things happen that change their worlds forever.  When Chloe discovers a dead body in the local reservoir, she is sent away to live with her father.  Away from the only home she’s known, away from her school, away from Ruby.  How can she deal with being separated from the most important person in her life?

Two years pass, and Ruby has decided that it’s time for Chloe to return home to her.  And when Ruby decides something, that’s just the way it’s going to be.  So Chloe returns to her hometown, but things are not exactly as she left them.  Ruby warns Chloe to never leave the town limits, stay away from the reservoir, and avoid contact with certain people.  Chloe tries to adhere to Ruby’s rules, but things have a way of just happening when you’re a sixteen-year-old girl in a small town.  It doesn’t help that Ruby is getting more and more unstable.  What is going on with Ruby and her strange ties to the nearby reservoir?  Why does everyone in town do everything that Ruby wants?  What is so special about her, and can Chloe figure things out before she loses everything–her mind, her sister, and even her life?  Try to uncover the truth when you read Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma.

If you decide to read this book, please let me know what you think of it.  Maybe you see something in this story that I missed.  I’m sure this book will appeal to some readers, but I was not one of them.

If you’d like more information about Imaginary Girls or author Nova Ren Suma, please visit
http://novaren.com/
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Always a Witch

Spoilers ahead!  If you haven’t read Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough, stop right there.  Read that book before you continue with this post.  Always a Witch will make absolutely no sense if you read it without the background provided in the first book.  Seriously.  No sense at all.

Well, I’ve finally finished the sequel to Once a Witch (which I read way back in March).  Always a Witch continues the story of Tamsin and her newly discovered Talent.  (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you obviously didn’t heed my warning above.  Shame on you.)  Tamsin and her family are getting ready for a very special celebration when things get weird…and that’s really saying something in a family full of witches.

Just days before Tamsin’s sister, Rowena is to be married, an enemy returns to wreak havoc on the Greene family.  The evil Alistair Knight warns that he will stop at nothing to restore his family’s power…and he means it.  When Tamsin learns that Alistair has Traveled back to 1887 New York, she knows she must follow him.  She must warn her family (ancestors, really) of what is to come so that they can prevent the dismal future that could await them.  But things aren’t really that easy.  Then again, they never are when it comes to Tamsin.

When Tamsin Travels back in time, she almost immediately finds herself employed…by the Knight family.  She is to be lady’s maid to young Jessica Knight.  But Tamsin may just be able to use this unexpected circumstance to her advantage.  She uses her position to learn more about her enemy, and she’s truly horrified by what she discovers.  The Knight family is the epitome of evil, and they must be stopped.  But can Tamsin convince her family to stop them when it could mean the loss of their powers and even their lives?

With or without help, Tamsin is determined to do what she must to ensure that the Knights lose their power.  But is she really willing to make the hard choices?  Choices that could impact the past as well as the future?  What will she do when she realizes that the future of her entire family rests on her shoulders?  What would you do?  Read Always a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough to discover how far one will go in the name of family.

Even though this book was heavy on the time travel (which I believe I have mentioned seriously messes with my head), I think Always a Witch was even better than its predecessor.  I was (figuratively) on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book.  Tamsin grew up and began to really think about how her choices would impact not only herself but also everyone around her.  I also kind of like that the villains of the book were the Knights.  That’s just awesome.  I’ve kind of always wanted to be a villain (but a good, misunderstood one like Darth Vader).  Even though the Knights in this book were pure evil, I still think it’s pretty cool that we share the same last name.  I know that’s incredibly juvenile of me, but, let’s face it, sometimes I am incredibly juvenile.

If you’d like more information on Once a Witch, Always a Witch, or other books by author Carolyn MacCullough, visit her website at 
http://www.carolynmaccullough.com/index.html
.  As for me, I must get ready for the first day of school tomorrow.  Wish me luck!

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to get around to reading this book.  It’s been out for nearly eight years now, but I kept putting it off.  I think it’s because I knew this would be a somewhat uncomfortable read.  Don’t let the title fool you.  I know a title like The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things might lead one to believe that this is a lighthearted book about being a chubby girl, and, while some parts of the book are lighthearted, this book deals with some pretty heavy (pun intended) issues.  Yes, weight and body image play into that, but this book also shines a light on things like self-perception, disappointment in those closest to you, and breaking out of one’s shell.  It was a very enlightenting and, yes, uncomfortable read for me as I’m still dealing with many of the issues addressed in this book (and I’m well out of my teen years), but I think this book is an important one, especially for teen girls who struggle with body image and those who really have no clue what that’s like.

Virginia Shreves does not fit in with her perfect family.  They’re all thin, athletic, and, well, perfect.  Virginia, meanwhile, struggles with her weight on a daily basis.  Her mother is an adolescent psychologist who won’t communicate with her own family and seems to be trying to mold Virginia into her image of the perfect daughter.  Her father and brother are not much better.  (Her sister is in the Peace Corps, so at least she’s safe on that front.)  Virginia also deals with comments about her weight at school.  It’s not easy being the fat girl, especially when Virginia’s best (and only) friend has just moved to Washington.

Virginia tries to diet and even agrees to see a nutritionist, but she always goes back to the comfort of food.  She knows she needs to treat herself better, but if the people around her don’t seem to care about her, why should she care about herself?

When something happens in her family that shakes Virginia to her very core, she begins to reexamine her life, the choices she’s making, how she views herself, and how other people see her.  Virginia is breaking out of her shell, and the people around her, particularly her family, are in for a shock.  The new, improved Virginia is here to stay, and she’s not taking crap from anybody anymore.  How will her parents react to the new Virginia?  Will Virginia finally find the acceptance she’s always longed for?  Will she and others see her as more than just a fat girl?  Read The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler to find out!

I must say that this book was a very inspiring read for me.  I now have the urge to take up kickboxing, dye my hair purple, and get my eyebrow pierced.  (Well, maybe not that last one.)  Who knows?  I might just break out of my shell, too.  Stranger things have happened.

For more information on this book and others by Carolyn Mackler, visit
http://carolynmackler.com/Carolyn-Mackler-Home-Page.asp
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