I have finished another of my bargain book finds and figured I would share it with you. The book is called Of Beast and Beauty, by Stacey Jay. The book is a fractured fairy tale, retelling Beauty and the Beast, with some very major twists.
The story is science fiction, mixed with a fairy tale. The story takes place on a world that is not Earth, in fact, Earth was abandoned when it became uninhabitable and the human race moved to a new world. Once they reached a new world, the spirit of the world tried to help them survive, but in doing so, mutated people at an accelerated rate. The mutation terrified some of the population, so they fought the gift of the new world and created domed cities to protect themselves. The story starts with a curse that is designed to reunite the two groups.
The story is different than the traditional Beauty and the Beast story, as there is no clear Beauty or Beast, insstead Isra and Gem, the two main characters, contain elements of both, as all people do. Both characters have the opportunity to grow and embrace their better natures as the story goes on. Isra, the princess in the story also grows from someone who is very childlike and naive to someone who is strong, curious and thoughtful. Gem, the prince in the story grows from someone who is angry and focused only on his own people to someone who cares for the bigger world, is gentle and caring.
the story is told from three different perspectives, Isra's, Gem's and Bo's. Bo is the second suitor in the story, who is determined to have Isra for himself, even though she comes to love another. The story is also a lot darker than many people may think Beauty and the Beast should be, but it a story that draws you in. The story contains mystery, romance, self-discovery and a dsytopian world.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a read that a spin on a familar story, as well as a rich story with vibrant characters, a rich setting and world and many elements of classic fairytales.
Thursday, 11 June 2015
Tuesday, 26 May 2015
All the Truth That's in Me
A couple weeks ago I went to the bookstore, and for anyone who knows me the next line is: How many books did you buy this time?
I will confess I bought a few books, with a majority of them coming from the bargain book section, so a hardcover book cost $5-6. I have just finished reading my first bargain book from that bookstore run, so I figured I would tell you a little bit about it.
The book is called All the Truth That's in Me, by Julie Berry.
When I first read the book jacket it left me with a lot of questions, and I was definitely curious. What I could not tell is that the book is a historical fiction, and is told in a second person narrative, with the main character Judith talking to her childhood friend Lucas. The book is also not written in a "traditional manner" with set chapters. Instead the book is written in small little sections 1/3 to 1/2 a page long, for the most part. The story also does not reveal all the details in the beginning, in fact the story starts out, like you are looking at a single panel in a cartoon, and as the story moves you can see more of what came both before and after the panel.
The story itself is fascinating, as the main character, Judith, tells her story, both the story of her best friends murder, her own kidnapping and mutilation at the hands of her kidnapper and then the story set several years later, of adjusting to life in a town where she it shunned. Judith is shunned for her inability to speak and defend herself about the kidnapping. The story pushes Judith, as her town and way of life are threatened by invaders, and she is forced to seek help in the last place she would ever want to return to. By dredging up the past, and a person thought dead, she exposes herself to ridicule, scrutiny and persecution. Throughout the story, with the help of her few dear friends, Judith learns to speak again, and to speak up for herself, as through her time as a silent outcast, she was able to observe and learn more than anyone could imagine.
I found the book a very interesting read, as it started slowly, leaving me with a lot of questions and opportunities to make assumptions. As I continued reading, the book drew me in, until I did not want to put it down. The overlapping events of the story, mixing the past and the present keep the story moving at a good pace and draw you in with the complexity. The further I went into the book, the stronger my assumptions became and then in a twist at the end, many of them proved to be false and I was actually happy about that (this story does not follow a predictable, tired plot line).
The book also has strong characters, both in Judith, the protagonist and in the supporting cast of characters. Judith is a character who has had the world turn against her, including her own mother, but she does not let this turn her hard and bitter, instead she grows strong. Her strength is quite literally a quiet strength, but there is no denying that she is the hero of her own story. She also offers a lot of interesting observations as the story progresses, form her role as an observer of everything, without truly being a part of her community. The supporting characters offer Judith a quiet support, her provide her with very believable opportunities to grow and be strong.
This book is described as a romance, but really that is a secondary story line to the growth, strength and changes in Judith. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking to read something a little different, a little challenging and something that will make you think and feel.
Note: This book is most definitely a teen book, and I would not recommend it for students under Grade 9/10, based on both the reading level of the book and the content of the book.
We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. - Veronica Roth
I will confess I bought a few books, with a majority of them coming from the bargain book section, so a hardcover book cost $5-6. I have just finished reading my first bargain book from that bookstore run, so I figured I would tell you a little bit about it.
The book is called All the Truth That's in Me, by Julie Berry.
When I first read the book jacket it left me with a lot of questions, and I was definitely curious. What I could not tell is that the book is a historical fiction, and is told in a second person narrative, with the main character Judith talking to her childhood friend Lucas. The book is also not written in a "traditional manner" with set chapters. Instead the book is written in small little sections 1/3 to 1/2 a page long, for the most part. The story also does not reveal all the details in the beginning, in fact the story starts out, like you are looking at a single panel in a cartoon, and as the story moves you can see more of what came both before and after the panel.
The story itself is fascinating, as the main character, Judith, tells her story, both the story of her best friends murder, her own kidnapping and mutilation at the hands of her kidnapper and then the story set several years later, of adjusting to life in a town where she it shunned. Judith is shunned for her inability to speak and defend herself about the kidnapping. The story pushes Judith, as her town and way of life are threatened by invaders, and she is forced to seek help in the last place she would ever want to return to. By dredging up the past, and a person thought dead, she exposes herself to ridicule, scrutiny and persecution. Throughout the story, with the help of her few dear friends, Judith learns to speak again, and to speak up for herself, as through her time as a silent outcast, she was able to observe and learn more than anyone could imagine.
I found the book a very interesting read, as it started slowly, leaving me with a lot of questions and opportunities to make assumptions. As I continued reading, the book drew me in, until I did not want to put it down. The overlapping events of the story, mixing the past and the present keep the story moving at a good pace and draw you in with the complexity. The further I went into the book, the stronger my assumptions became and then in a twist at the end, many of them proved to be false and I was actually happy about that (this story does not follow a predictable, tired plot line).
The book also has strong characters, both in Judith, the protagonist and in the supporting cast of characters. Judith is a character who has had the world turn against her, including her own mother, but she does not let this turn her hard and bitter, instead she grows strong. Her strength is quite literally a quiet strength, but there is no denying that she is the hero of her own story. She also offers a lot of interesting observations as the story progresses, form her role as an observer of everything, without truly being a part of her community. The supporting characters offer Judith a quiet support, her provide her with very believable opportunities to grow and be strong.
This book is described as a romance, but really that is a secondary story line to the growth, strength and changes in Judith. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking to read something a little different, a little challenging and something that will make you think and feel.
Note: This book is most definitely a teen book, and I would not recommend it for students under Grade 9/10, based on both the reading level of the book and the content of the book.
We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. - Veronica Roth
Friday, 22 May 2015
Jumping Back In
Well, I have graduated from university and have settled into a new apartment. Now it is time to start blogging again.
To start I think I want to talk about a project that I have had on the go since I was in Grade 12. My project is a set of books that I have called "Dragon Clan." These books, so far there are four, are the story of an ancient race of beings that have the ability to change back and forth between a human form and a dragon form. They can also stop the change at any point they choose.
In the story, this race was the last ones left standing in a fight against an ancient evil, and they did not win the fight, but at the same time they did not lose.
The members have Dragon Clan have the ability to stop their transformation at any time, leaving them half human and half dragon. This might mean claws, scales, wings or fangs. It is very easy to recognize a member of Dragon Clan, as when they are human they have reptile eyes and when they are dragons they have human eyes.
More to come...
To start I think I want to talk about a project that I have had on the go since I was in Grade 12. My project is a set of books that I have called "Dragon Clan." These books, so far there are four, are the story of an ancient race of beings that have the ability to change back and forth between a human form and a dragon form. They can also stop the change at any point they choose.
In the story, this race was the last ones left standing in a fight against an ancient evil, and they did not win the fight, but at the same time they did not lose.
The members have Dragon Clan have the ability to stop their transformation at any time, leaving them half human and half dragon. This might mean claws, scales, wings or fangs. It is very easy to recognize a member of Dragon Clan, as when they are human they have reptile eyes and when they are dragons they have human eyes.
More to come...
Thursday, 6 March 2014
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow
Sitting here watching it snow, all I can think about are some of my favourite nasty weather activities:
- Curling up with a good book
- Have a nap
- Watching a movie or a TV show
- Cooking or baking, as long I don't have to do a supply run
- A warm bubble bath
- Have a nap
- Doing laundry
- Working on a craft project
- HOT CHOCOLATE
- Writing a story
- Have a nap
- Talk with friends and family
- Work on a puzzle
- Game nights
- Have a nap
Thursday, 13 February 2014
Life in Snow...
...Means staying inside with music. So here is my winter playlist:
- Hakuna Matata - The Lion King
- Waiting for Superman - Daughtry
- Trashing the Camp - Phil Collins and N'Sync
- Best Days of my Life - American Authors
- We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift
- Royal - Walk Off the Earth or Pentatonix covers
- Loser of the Year - Simple Plan
- Wake Me Up - Avicii
- Toy Soldiers - Marianas Trench
- Stutter - Marianas Trench
- B Team - Marianas Trench
- Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles
- Anything by the Beach Boys
- Anything by Simon and Garfunkle
Hopefully, if you are like me, snowed in, you can curl up with some good music, a cup of tea or hot chocolate and a great book.
Stay warm, and I will do the same.
Tuesday, 28 January 2014
My Thoughts on Winter
You can’t know the prairies,
If you don’t know the winter.
Biting cold and roaring wind,
Realizing minus thirty is chilly
But minus forty-eight,
Now that is cold.
Wading through snow,
Hip deep snow
And loving every minute.
Sitting at a roaring fire, too.
You can’t know the prairies,
If you don’t know the storms.
Watching lightening light up the
whole sky,
Waiting for the thunder’s reply
While listening to the rain
pound.
The days of storms that last
forever,
Leaving chaos in their wake,
A sheen of solid ice,
The fallen trees and power lines.
The new rivers through the fields.
By Liz
Tuesday, 7 January 2014
A very good place to start...
While, today is a big day for me, as I have decided to start writing this blog, my second attempt for blogging, the first time just for me.
My name is Liz and I can be described as many things, student, university graduate, writer, crafter and human being. I plan on using this blog as a sounding board for me and my interests. That means that some days this might be about a DIY project and other days it might be about my writing that I do.
Today, I want to talk about what I've been reading lately, since I have been raiding my father's bookshelf. From him I steal a few authors to read on a regular basis, Tanya Huff, Mercedes Lackey and a few others.
Mercedes Lackey has this great book series called Bedlam's Bard that is a mix of magic, music, and fairies/elves. The series combines older, traditional magic with the modern world, as magical horses can turn into motorcycles, and elven knights can do battle in Central Park. The books are written at a fast pace, with good humour and great, fun characters that are so realistic you feel like you could bump into them on the street. Lackey has also written another series called the Tales of the 500 Kingdoms, books with a more romantic focus. These books are very fun in their concept, as they take traditional stories, Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, and more, and turn them on their heads, adding dragons, fairy godmothers and a large dose of humour. These are both book series that I found to be entertaining, engaging and a great way to stay up way too late, just wanting to finish the book.
Tanya Huff's books are a little different, as they are set a little more close to home for me, since they take place in Canada. One of my favourite book series by Huff is the Blood Books Series. This is a set of mystery books that have the added twist of the supernatural, since one of the investigators just happens to be a vampire, alive for several centuries. These books feature a spunky, female PI who is facing losing a big piece of herself, who is a funny, intriguing and inspiring character.
So welcome to my crazy life everyone, grab a good book and enjoy the ride.
"A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read" Mark Twain.
My name is Liz and I can be described as many things, student, university graduate, writer, crafter and human being. I plan on using this blog as a sounding board for me and my interests. That means that some days this might be about a DIY project and other days it might be about my writing that I do.
Today, I want to talk about what I've been reading lately, since I have been raiding my father's bookshelf. From him I steal a few authors to read on a regular basis, Tanya Huff, Mercedes Lackey and a few others.
Mercedes Lackey has this great book series called Bedlam's Bard that is a mix of magic, music, and fairies/elves. The series combines older, traditional magic with the modern world, as magical horses can turn into motorcycles, and elven knights can do battle in Central Park. The books are written at a fast pace, with good humour and great, fun characters that are so realistic you feel like you could bump into them on the street. Lackey has also written another series called the Tales of the 500 Kingdoms, books with a more romantic focus. These books are very fun in their concept, as they take traditional stories, Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, and more, and turn them on their heads, adding dragons, fairy godmothers and a large dose of humour. These are both book series that I found to be entertaining, engaging and a great way to stay up way too late, just wanting to finish the book.
Tanya Huff's books are a little different, as they are set a little more close to home for me, since they take place in Canada. One of my favourite book series by Huff is the Blood Books Series. This is a set of mystery books that have the added twist of the supernatural, since one of the investigators just happens to be a vampire, alive for several centuries. These books feature a spunky, female PI who is facing losing a big piece of herself, who is a funny, intriguing and inspiring character.
So welcome to my crazy life everyone, grab a good book and enjoy the ride.
"A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read" Mark Twain.
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