Saturday, August 30

Book Review: Dark Aemilia by Sally O'Reilly

Author: Sally O'Reilly
Title: Dark Aemilia
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Drama, and Fantasy
Pages: 448
First Published: May 2014
Where I Got It: On my shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

"The daughter of a Venetian musician, Aemilia Bassano came of age in Queen Elizabeth’s royal court. The Queen’s favorite, she develops a love of poetry and learning, maturing into a young woman known not only for her beauty but also her sharp mind and quick tongue. Aemilia becomes the mistress of Lord Hunsdon, but her position is precarious. Then she crosses paths with an impetuous playwright named William Shakespeare and begins an impassioned but ill-fated affair.

A decade later, the Queen is dead, and Aemilia Bassano is now Aemilia Lanyer, fallen from favor and married to a fool. Like the rest of London, she fears the plague. And when her young son Henry takes ill, Aemilia resolves to do anything to save him, even if it means seeking help from her estranged lover, Will—or worse, making a pact with the Devil himself."


Like earlier stated, I was given this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Ohhhhh! I totally did not expect the fantasy intertwined in the story - totally took me by surprise! It's not over the top, which I was worried about when the first "supernatural" thing occurred. I was rather surprised when it appeared! The way that the author presents these supernatural elements makes it seem realistic and questionable. The story is told through Aemilia's POV and she sees/talks to these beings. The way its told makes you wonder if it really exists or if Aemilia is imagining it. Honestly....I think she was imagining it due to grief, stress, and anger. The "fantasy" aspect doesn't really make a huge appearance until about halfway through when things escalate. Fantastic!

Poor Aemilia. :/ She had a hell of a time after she meets William Shakespeare. Yes, it is love of a sorts, but it comes back and bites her in the ass. It brings up the question: is love really worth it? This question is battled throughout the book. Just...sighs...I feel so bad for her. William was a butt-cheek at one point and that made me upset. It had to happen, because this is not a Historical Romance by any means, so yeah....and for those that know of Aemilia and/or Willie then yeah.....:(

The beginning was a wee bit slow, but after the first couple of chapters I could NOT put this down. I just really had to know what was happening next. There is some crudeness here and there, which fits the time period well. A few people (I had read some other reviews - like I normally do) really were "offended" and they thought it was "unnecessary", but it honestly fit. Plus, it was not everywhere only in certain moments that seemed like a time Aemilia would really think, say, and feel that way, so it worked. 

Honestly...I could ramble on about this book for a bit, so I shall end it now.

In the end, this was a book worthwhile to read, especially if one loves the time period. It was an interesting look on who could have been William's "dark lady". The author did a good job bringing the world and the people to life. The beginning was a wee bit slow, but it was totally worth it. I shall stamp this with 4 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Aemilia, William (even though he was a poopstain at one point), Henry (even though he is a brat sometimes), and Hunsdon.
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Alfonso and Tom (I don't know why, but he irked me) 



Thursday, August 28

Book Review: Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

Author: Kelley Armstrong
Title: Bitten (Women of the Otherworld #1)
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Fiction, Romance, and Urban Fiction  
Pages: 436
First Published: September 25th, 2001
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

"Elena Michaels is the world’s only female werewolf. And she’s tired of it. Tired of a life spent hiding and protecting, a life where her most important job is hunting down rogue werewolves. Tired of a world that not only accepts the worst in her–her temper, her violence–but requires it. Worst of all, she realizes she’s growing content with that life, with being that person.

So she left the Pack and returned to Toronto where she’s trying to live as a human. When the Pack leader calls asking for her help fighting a sudden uprising, she only agrees because she owes him. Once this is over, she’ll be squared with the Pack and free to live life as a human. Which is what she wants. Really"


I've been meaning to read this book for a while now, but I've been putting this on the back burner for so long now. Lucky for me, this was August's book. 

Honestly, I am so glad that this was a realistic sounding supernatural book. I hate when they make werewolves over the top strong or badass. Yes, it can be cool if done right, but I like it be realistic. They are strong, but not over-the-top...like they can't lift a bus and chuck it at you. That is too strong and cheesy. I loved that the Change was not a pleasant experience all the time and it takes work. If you don't do it for a while, like Elena, then you have to focus more and force it. 

Speaking of Elena....lets have a look at the Pack:
Jeremy: I liked him. He was a good Alpha. 
Nick: hahaha, I loved him too.
Antonio: I wish he had more spotlight, but he seemed legit and loyal. A big papa wolf.
Peter: Liked him; I felt so bad for him though.
Logan: I really wanted to learn more about him! :(
Clay: Asshole. Meh. >___> He pissed me off for biting Elena without even asking. 
Elena: Sighs...I wish I liked her more, but I didn't. At first I really liked her, but she pulled a Bella Swann. Poor Phillip.

Sometimes the characters where a little bit one dimensional, but there are a lot of characters running about, so it is hard to give them the attention they need. Especially Daniel. I wish I could have gotten to know him better too, but when he was finally introduced the author didn't have much time to give him an abundance of attention. She focused too much on Clay and it annoyed me. She placed so many stereotypes on Clay it was hard to really picture him. Meh. Perhaps I am biased, because I did not like him. Elena was alright, ultimately, but she annoyed me because sometimes I seen Bella Swann pop up. It wasn't the whole time, just a couple of instances. Kuddos to Marsten for not falling in love with Elena like every other male in the book!

By the way...I think its crap Elena is the only female werewolf. I mean its a cool concept and all that, but why only her? Mmmmm...

Once the story really gets rolling it is hard to put down. I flew by 300 pages within just a few hours. I especially wanted to know who the Baddie was! There were so many suspects and so many theories on what was happening. I pretty much guessed it 3/4 of the way through, but it was still a little bit scary, because I had no idea how they were going to beat them. Even though I don't like Clay, I worried about him for a moment. I cannot say why, but there was a moment of fear! 

Overall, I did like this book. I'm glad I pulled it from the back burner. I love the Anita Blake series and this defiantly had a flavor of Laurell K. Hamilton in it. If you love Anita and werewolves, then this is the book for you! I may venture onto the next in the series, because it sounds interesting and waaaay different then this one. I do plan on watching the TV series based on this book, because it looks good. Out of five stars, I grant this one 3 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Nick, Phillip, Logan, Marsten, and Jeremy
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Clay (ass), Daniel, and LeBlanc (grrr). 


Tuesday, August 26

Book Review: Faust Part 1

Author: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Title: Faust (Part 1)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Classic, and play 
Pages: 432
First Published: 1787
Where I Got It: In school textbook

" Faust has made the legendary German alchemist one of the central myths of the Western world. Here indeed is a monumental Faust, an audacious man boldly wagering with the devil, Mephistopheles, that no magic, sensuality, experience, or knowledge can lead him to a moment he would wish to last forever. Here, in Faust, Part I, the tremendous versatility of Goethe’s genius creates some of the most beautiful passages in literature. Here too we experience Goethe’s characteristic humor, the excitement and eroticism of the witches’ Walpurgis Night, and the moving emotion of Gretchen’s tragic fate."

I've heard such good things about this book, so I was a wee bit excited that I had to read this in my World Literature class this semester. 

The first few pages I was actually really into the story and the characters, but soon...well....I fell out of love. I could barely pay attention and I had to set the book aside and return later to push myself through. The thing is that is wasn't "boring" or lacking action. It was actually a fast pace story with deep philosophical meaning and "entertaining". I...well...just didn't care. 

Dr. Faust was a blooming idiot and a perve and honestly deserved future damnation for his sins. What he did to Gretchen and her family was horrible. My teacher and her lecture tried to convince me that he falls into the "tragic hero" category. No. To be a hero you have to be good of heart and try to do good even though you ultimately fail due to your flaws. The only good part about him was his intelligence and the want of more knowledge. However, that is not what he gets. People debate that he gained life knowledge instead of text knowledge. I can see that point, but he was a horrible, horrible man. With every turn of page I couldn't help but shake my head at him and be annoyed. 



Like many other novels, I would have preferred to read this in the original language, but alas it is not available to me and I do not speak a lick of German, so it would do me no good anyways. Sighs. However, I doubt it would change how I feel.

The ending was pretty good I might admit. I certainly did NOT expect what happened. It was a little cliff-hanger-ish, but it was done in a way that you don't have to continue onto the second part. I doubt I will read the second part, because it was not assigned. haha. I'm a horrible person and I am content with what I have read. I do not care what happens to Dr. Faust. I'm done with him.




In the end, I wish I had liked this more...but I hated Dr. Faust. The other characters where more entertaining then him. Hell, I liked the demon, Mephistopheles, more then I did him. Even though this isn't my favorite book of the year, I'm glad I read this, but was an interesting concept. I would recommend this to those that like the classics. This shall be stamped with 2 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): No one really....I did get a kick out of Mephistopheles...he was an interesting character. 
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Dr. Faust (*sighs*) 



Saturday, August 23

Movie Review: Frozen (2013)

Length: 1 hr and 42 mins
Released: 2013
Genre: Fantasy, Musical, Animation, Adventure, Comedy, and Kids/Family
Rating: PG
Directed By: Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee

Where I Got It: Borrowed it from friend

SUMMARY:

"Frozen" is the coolest comedy-adventure ever to hit the big screen. When a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, Anna, a fearless optimist, teams up with extreme mountain man Kristoff and his sidekick reindeer Sven on an epic journey to find Anna's sister Elsa, the Snow Queen, and put an end to her icy spell. Encountering mystical trolls, a funny snowman named Olaf, Everest-like extremes and magic at every turn, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom from destruction.

TRAILER:




CAST:
Anna - Kristen Bell
Elsa - Idina Menzel
Kristoff - Jonathan Groff
Olaf - Josh Gad
Hans - Santino Fontana
Duke - Alan Tudyk
Pabbie/Grandpa - Ciaran Hinds
Oaken - Chris Williams
Kai - Stephen J. Anderson
Bulda - Maia Wilson
Bishop - Robert Pine
King - Maurice LaMarche

REVIEW: 
Been dying to see this movie since I first heard about it! I've neglected some of the new Disney movies like Brave and some others, but I really wanted to see this, because I had always enjoyed the story of the Snow Queen. I got my hands on it and made Boyfriend watch it with me. I simply love Disney movies and this did not disappoint!

Granted...just like all the other Disney movies, it is a complete remake of the original story. The original story of the Snow Queen is darker and she is a wee bit more evil. However, this is for children, so they lighten it up and she wasn't really a bad guy; just misunderstood. Plus, she didn't know she put a curse on the town. It was an accident when she ran off to the mountains. Poor Elsa. :/ She nearly killed her sister, because of her cursed powers. It's sad, because she can't control her powers and whenever she has the smallest bit of emotion her hands emit ice and snow. A great power, but it would really stink if one is not able to control it.

HOWEVER! It drove me nuts that she was not honest with her sister Anna. She completely shut her out in fear of hurting her, but in the end it made things worse. If she had JUST been honest and if their parents had been honest, nothing like this would have happened. GAH! But we would not have a story unfortunately. Sighs. 

I loved Anna...she is me in a nutshell. hahaha. I was a lonely child as well (I was a single child, not a sister of someone hiding in her room because of magical powers - which would be cool) and I'm dreamer like her. It is so funny because Kristoff is JUST like Boyfriend - a negative/cynical kid, who all he does is want to work. During Olaf's (the cute snowman) singing bit about summer and how he can't wait to enjoy it, Kristoff says, "I'm gonna tell him." Then Anna says, "Don't you dare!" About a minute before that little dialogue, Bofriend and I had the same conversation:

Boyfriend: I hope they tell him. I would.
Me: They better not! Let the poor snowman dream.

Hahahaha. Too uncanny.

Anyways....

I loved the music. Especially "Let It Go", which is everyone's favorite!! It's a good song with a good meaning. I hate when people say crap about the song. Granted, it is a little overplayed, but still...I don't care....I like it. The other songs were cute too especially Olaf's song. I wish he had another one. Maybe a duet with the reindeer. xD That would've been fun. The one song was ruined for me though, because of the ending. :/ I won't say, but the twist at the end ruined one of the songs, because someone was lying. *SPOILER ALERT*Anna and Hans have a love song with each other, but it turns out Hans is a baddie and only pretended to love Anna, because he wanted the throne. >____> I was pissed!!!! *SPOILER ENDED* Granted, the ending was okay, but it made me mad. :/ I kind of wished that Hans and Elsa got together, BUT the story is about Elsa finding herself and Anna getting the love of her life and her sister back. Sighs. I'm a hopeless romantic, I cannot help but be disappointed when someone doesn't get her "true love".

In the end, this was a really cute Disney movie. It's the best one in quite a while and I'm so glad they tackled the Snow Queen story. I liked the lightening of it and making it kid appropriate. It was a good variation of the original story. The songs where good and the voice acting was good. I wish the ending was a little different for many reasons, but alas, I cannot control it. I would recommend this for those that love Disney movies. In the end, I shall stamp this with 4 stars. 

Re-watch?: Yup. :D 
Favorite Character(s): Olaf, Anna, Kristoff, and Elsa
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Hans (>____>) and the Duke. 



Thursday, August 21

Book Review: The Way the World Is

Author: Yael Politis
Title: The Way the World Is (Olivia #2)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: ebook
First Published: November 30th, 2013
Where I Got It: On my shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

"Detroit Michigan, 1842
After the devastating trauma she suffered in Olivia, Mourning and finally knowing the reality with which she must deal, Olivia strives to rebuild herself – emotionally, socially, and financially.
She starts a new life in Detroit, the young and exciting city on a river where she has come to feel at home. New friends help the healing process, while she continues her search for the two people she loves, who have disappeared from her life. She finds the greatest solace in helping fugitive slaves escape over the river to Canada. She believes, as one of her new friends says, “In this time and place it is the most worthy thing a person can do.”
Olivia remains a compelling protagonist on a journey to find a way to do the right thing in a world in which so much is wrong."

Like earlier stated, I was given this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This is the second book of the Olivia series, however, it could be read as a stand alone - kind of. There are a lot of references that one would miss, so I highly suggest reading the first one (which was really good by the way). 

Poor Olivia. :( She has had a hell of a time over the last two books. However, she keeps being her sweet self and trying to be a better person and make the world a better place. I just feel soooooooooooo bad for her. I'm so happy things do seem to get better when she goes back to Michigan and decides to make her life there - not as a farmer, but she finds something else (I will not say). She is so ahead of her time, it's tragic. The world is a shitty place sometimes, but with people like her there is hope. 

The author is eviiiiiil. All I wanted was a reunion between Olivia and Mourning. She kept teasing me, because Olivia and Mourning would pretty much JUST miss each other. She would leave Five Rocks and a day later he would arrive. They do finally get their reunion, but it broke my heart, because it was not as I expected it to go. :( I will say no more for it will spoil it.

UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH! The ENDING! It wasn't long enough! I need to know more!!!!!!!! EVIL, but brilliant author. Honestly, a part of me knew what was going to happen, but I denied it and I was hopeful and begging for it to end a certain way. HOWEVER, that is not the way the world is (haha, see what I did there?). The author is amazing, yet again, because she does not shy away from the truth of the era. Life is not simple and full of rainbows; bad things happen and not everyone get a happily ever after. 

I really liked this book. The beginning was a little choppy, but once Olivia got out of her head and began her journey back to Michigan, things got better and more flowy and smooth. I think I liked it, but I liked the first one more. Mainly because Mourning was there and I really liked the two together. This one was still really good, but I was left empty without him. I cannot wait to read the third one to find out more about what happened to Olivia and Mourning. I would recommend this one to historical fiction lovers out there. :) Out of five stars, I grant this one 4 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Olivia, Michelle, Jettie, Mr. Abraham, and Jeremy (yayy! My wish was kinda sorta granted).
 Not-so Favorite Character(s): The slave hunter (I can't remember his name tho)



Wednesday, August 20

Top Ten Tuesday: Books People Suggest Me to Read

To learn more about Top Ten Tuesday or see the list of future topics click here.

Well....I swore I put this on a scheduled post for yesterday. Sighs. Oh well.  This week's topic is: Top Ten Books People Have Been Telling You That You MUST Read.

There is no order to my list:

-Fifty Shades of Grey (and the rest of the series) by EL James Everyone has been trying to get me to read, especially my friend Anee. Now that one of my favorite actors is playing the man characters, I feel inclined to read it. Sighs. I just can't get myself to read it. :/



-The Hunger Games (All the rest of the series) by Suzanne Collins. My cousin had given me all the ebooks for Christmas. Plus I've seen the movie. I just can't get myself to read it. Someday.


-Bitten by Kelly Armstrong. I will be reading this soon for my book club, but I've had a hard time getting myself to read this. haha. 

-Pet Sematary by Stephen King. Everyone looooooooooooooooooves Stephen King, but I've never been a huge fan. Maybe someday. 


-The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. This has been on my TBR list for a long time, because a couple friends of mine really want me to read this. Someday!!



-To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Teachers, fellow book people, and friends have been telling me how good this book is, but I still have yet to read it. >__<


-Angels and Demons (And the others in the series) by Dan Brown. A friend of mine who found out I haven't read this yet acted soooo offended that I haven't read the books. Maybe someday. 


-The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. So many people have told me to read this and I bought it at a Used Book Store a while back. It is still unread by me, but someday. 


-The Help by Kathryn Stockett. This has been one of the most recommended books from friends and other people. It is even a future book in my book club, so I'll be reading it sooner or later. 


-Choke by Chuck Palahniuk. A couple of my friends have highly suggested reading this. Someday I will, it sounds sooooooo good. 


Any books you guys suggest for me? 






Sunday, August 17

Book Review: Devil's Return by Sandra Schwab

Author: Sandra Schwab
Title: Devil's Return (Allan's Miscellany #4) 1847
Genre: Short story, Historical Romance
Pages: ebook
First Published: August 15th, 2014
Where I Got It: On my shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

"Seven years ago Fran and Alex were very much in love. Yet because Alex was only a younger son with no prospects to speak of, Fran’s family pressured her into breaking the engagement and marrying a rich, titled man instead. Filled with bitterness, Alex left England for the New World.

Now he is back, more dangerous and more cynical than ever before. He has found fame and fortune as an adventurer, traveling the world from America to the Near East and writing about his travels for Allan’s Miscellany. He has come to London to drum up interest for his friend’s archeological excavations. Soon, he finds himself the darling of London society, admired by men, wooed by women.

Fate has not been so kind to Fran. After a disastrous marriage, which has left her with deep emotional and physical scars, she is widowed and now lives in genteel poverty.

By chance, Alex and Fran’s paths cross again. They have both changed so much, and past betrayals and past hurts still divide them. So surely there can be no second chance for their love…"


Like earlier stated, I was given this for my honest and unbiased opinion. 

Oooooooooooooooooooooh silly families breaking up love matches JUST because they don't think the boy has any prospects. And then after they break up the couple, years later the man comes back richer then ever and the family drools all over him (like Fran's bitchy sister Victoria). Ugh. Victoria...what a snot. How did she manage to marry such a good guy? >__> I hope he leaves her and finds someone better and nicer.

Poor Fran. She was forced to leave her true love and forced to marry an old man who is abusive and mean. Then something bad happens to her and she is physically scarred for life. I cannot say what happens, but its big and it almost cost her her life. I didn't expect it honestly, so it was a twist when the truth came out. Poor girl. Stupid Alex for leaving the country over a hurt pride. I wished he had stayed, so at least ONE person would have cared for her. Hell, the sweet Dr. Grant was the only one who cared about her throughout her ordeal. 

Honestly, I think this is my favorite out of the series so far (I still need to read #2)! I loved the 'Persuasion' mix to the story. That was my favorite book, so when a story mirrors it, even just a little, it makes me happy. Alex reminded me a little of Captain Wentworth, but not as bitter and he got over his hurt pride quicker. He also decided to not write a letter and hope his love forgives him and takes him back, he ran to her and made her understand and make her take him back. It was romantic and made me happy, because she needed a good kick in the arse to get out of her I-hate-myself-and-Alex-could-never-love-me-again-because-I'm-ugly-now. Psh. He is no Prince Charming now either, a bear smacked him across the chest and he has an ugly scar! 

Anyways....

I can't wait to read more! I cannot wait for Mac to get his own story. I simply adore the man even though he is cynical and a grump; he totally reminds me of my own love, so I can't help but like him. haha. 

In the end, this is the best out of the series so far. I can't wait to see what is next for the poor men of the magazine! Especially for Mr. Mac. I wish these were not short shorties, but I'll take what I can get. ^.^ Out of five stars, I stamp this one with 5. 

Favorite Character(s): Alex, Fran, Dr. Grant, Beaton, and Mac
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Victoria (I wanted to punch her in the face)


Wednesday, August 13

Book Review: Before Versailles by Karleen Koen

Author: Karleen Koen
Title: Before Versailles
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Pages: 460
First Published: June 28th, 2011 
Where I Got It: On my shelf (Bought at Dollar Tree)

"Louis XIV is one of the best-known monarchs ever to grace the French throne. But what was he like as a young man—the man before Versailles?
 
After the death of his prime minister, Cardinal Mazarin, twenty-two-year-old Louis steps into governing France. He’s still a young man, but one who, as king, willfully takes everything he can get—including his brother’s wife. As the love affair between Louis and Princess Henriette burns, it sets the kingdom on the road toward unmistakable scandal and conflict with the Vatican. Every woman wants him. He must face what he is willing to sacrifice for love.

But there are other problems lurking outside the chateau of Fontainebleau: a boy in an iron mask has been seen in the woods, and the king’s finance minister, Nicolas Fouquet, has proven to be more powerful than Louis ever thought—a man who could make a great ally or become a dangerous foe . . .

Meticulously researched and vividly brought to life by the gorgeous prose of Karleen Koen, Before Versailles dares to explore the forces that shaped an iconic king and determined the fate of an empire."

This book not only centers around Louis XIV, but some of the people around him like Princess Henriette, Phillipe, Louise, D'Artagnan, Queen Anne, Maria Theresa, and etc. The story takes place over a few months during the summer or Louis' first year as complete ruler of France. He is still young, he's my age 22, but he has the whole world in his hands. With a young king and a fresh new court things are bound to happen...of course.

Well, there are a lot of POVs running around in this story. At first the POV would change sporadically and it drove me bananas. However, after a few chapters the author calmed herself and the POV changes were more announced. Either at the beginning of a new chapter or she would use "~" when once was about to happen. Thank goodness, because I was up to give up! I'm certainly glad I didn't, because the story gets really, really good once we find out who the boy in the iron mask is. I guessed his identity, but it was still a little bit of a shocker when I realized I was right.

Poor Louise...
Poor Henriette....
Poor Phillipe....
Poor Guy....
Poor Maria Theresa....

 Being a king can be a real pain in the butt, especially when you think you can do what you want. I get it: power corrupts. But still it always annoys me how kings can do what they please and screw the feelings of those around them. Like the brief relationship between Henriette and Louis. Henriette is your sister-in-law for crying out loud; did you think Phillipe would not find out? Granted, Phillipe is bisexual, but leans more towards the male side of things, but he still adores his wife. Then there is Guy who is Phillipe's best friend and supposed ex-lover who has fallen head over heals for Henriette. It's sad, especially when Louis falls out of love and uses Henriette to woo Miss Louise, who is an innocent and simple girl. 

Later on (not in the book) Louise just like Henriette is tossed to the wayside for another girl. Yes, the king as the power, but should he use it like that? Breaking hearts and taking names? While the whole time of all his affairs I feel so bad for his wife. His wife barely speaks the language and is love with Louis wholeheartedly. The whole time she is suffering through pregnancy. 

It was a good story with good characters. I wish that the author cut out a couple POVs to give more time to the more "main" characters. I'm glad as the story went on, she calmed down and actually gave some sort of warning to when a POV was about to change. I highly recommend this to Historical Fiction lovers; its a good one by a good author. Out of five stars, I shall stamp this one with 4. 

Favorite Character(s): Louise, Cinq Mars, Louis (I mainly like his POV the best; it was interesting), and Henriette. 
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Queen Anne 
 

Monday, August 11

Book Review: Don Quixote

Author: Cervantes
Title: Don Quixote 
Genre: Classic, Adventure, Historical Fiction, and Comedy
Pages: ebook
First Published: 1605
Where I Got It: On my shelf (Free ebook)

"Don Quixote has become so entranced by reading chivalric romances, that he determines to become a knight-errant himself. In the company of his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, his exploits blossom in all sorts of wonderful ways. While Quixote's fancy often leads him astray -- he tilts at windmills, imagining them to be giants -- Sancho acquires cunning and a certain sagacity. Sane madman and wise fool, they roam the world together."



I've been meaning to read this for quite sometime, but I kept putting it off. However, thanks to my LIT class I finally got the push I needed to begin this journey. Well....mmmm...for this review, I think I shall divide and conquer:

The Good
-I liked the Don. He was a madman and crazy, but he honestly had good intentions.
-I loved how the author showed the reality of what happens to wannabe heroes. 
-The windmill part was hilarious. hahaha 
Don: Sancho. Hold my horse!
Sancho: What...why?
Don: Don't you see that huge giant over there!?
Sancho: Errrrr....
Don: It has many arms and is growling at me!
Sancho: My lord...that's a windmill.
Don: Bah! It is a giant and needs to be destroyed! *grabs sword and has epic battle*
Sanch: I hate my life. 
-The ending through me for a loop.

The Bad and the Ugly
-Dry.
-Super dry
-There were only a couple parts that made me chuckle, but the rest was well...not at all funny
-A little bit sad, because this guy has serious issues and people (near the end) began by playing tricks on him. Not nice tricks; mean tricks that caused him bodily harm.
-Really, really long. Don't get me wrong...I like long books, but this shouldn't have had been so long. 
-I skimmed a lot. 0.0

Conclusion
This is labeled as "the best book ever" in a few articles I read. It was alright, but "best book ever"? Absolutely not. Too each their own, but I didn't like this as much as I hoped I would. A couple parts made me chuckle, but the rest fell flat. It was either drier then dust or it was actually kind of sad. I felt so bad for Don, because he had something wrong with him and people played horrid tricks on him. Like having him lash himself to try and remove a curse off some girl. So rude and not funny at all. 

This was not my cup of tea, but I do recommend highly that people who like the classics read this. It is worth reading the first "real novel" written. Out of five stars, I grant this one 2 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Don and Sancho
Not-so Favorite Character(s): The Duke and Duchess (assholes)


Sunday, August 10

Please Forgive Me

It's been a crazy few weeks and as you can see, I have been posting limited posts. School and work and personal life is bogging me down. I only have 3 weeks left of my Summer semester (which I took this year to help me catch up) and I'll be back to my normal rate of posting. For now please, please forgive me for my limited postings. 

Tuesday, August 5

Book/Play Review: The Odyssey by Homer

Author: Homer
Title: The Odyssey
Genre: Classic, Play, Adventure, and Fantasy
Pages: ebook
First Published: 800 BC
Where I Got It: On my shelf (Free ebook)

"The poem mainly centers on the Greek hero Odysseus and his journey home after the fall of Troy. It takes Odysseus ten years to reach Ithaca after the ten-year Trojan War. In his absence, it is assumed he has died, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must deal with a group of unruly suitors, the Mnesteres or Proci, who compete for Penelope's hand in marriage."





This is my second time reading this play/book. The first time was in High School and I had been blessed to be able to read this with the teacher and other students (it was a joint effort). It was a fun time and I loved the book! This time, though, I was left on my own to read it for my Lit class in college. 

It's a much different experience reading it on your own compared to reading it together with a whole bunch of people. It was still good, but it was harder to get through. Yes, I struggled to get through it the second time, especially because I decided to read ALL of it (my teacher did just give us selected parts to read, but I wanted to be a cool kid). Sighs. Lesson to me...just listen to my teacher. haha. 

Again...I still hate Odysseus. >___> I get being gone for 10 years during the Trojan War, but it taking 10 years to find your way home? PAH-lease. Maybe if you stayed a loyal and stayed on course then you wouldn't have had issues getting the homes. I'm glad the Gods gave you a hell of time (especially Poseidon), because you are an ass and Penelope should have married someone else. Meh. If I was Penelope and found out that I waited 20 years for a man who had cheated on me while I stayed loyal and pure for him, I would be sooooooo angry. She probably never finds out, because it is no biggy for a man to cheat on his wife. Meh.

ANYWAYS!

Sorry for my rant up there. haha

It is a little slow in some parts, but it was definitely an adventure that adheres to all readers. I'm glad that they showed Penelope's story as well as Odysseus'. It showed that the battle is not only fought on the battlefield, but also at home. It's hard being the one left behind especially with men pounding at your door wanting your hand in marriage and your husbands throne. It's tough. 

In the end, I still enjoyed this story even though it was harder not skipping some of the boring parts that teachers usually have students skip. I'm glad I did it, though, because I feel I have a deeper connection to the book and the characters. This would be super awesome to see performed live! I recommend this to those that love classics and adventures! Out of five stars, I shall keep this stamped at 5 stars. It is more like 4.5, but since I don't give decimals, I rounded. 

Favorite Character(s): Penelope, Achilles (just because I always envision Brad Pitt), and Telemachus.
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Helen of Troy, Odysseus, and the Cyclops.