Yep, there's going to be a What's In A Name II! To learn more about it, click here. I hope you'll join me! Anyway, here's my list of possibilities:
Buildings:
The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton
The Mystery of the Biltmore House by Carole Marsh
The Ravenmaster's Secret: Escape from the Tower of London by Elvira Woodruff
Time of Day:
Good Night, Maman by Norma Fox Mazer
The Night of Wishes by Michael Ende
Body Part:
Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause
Medical Condition:
The Plague by Philip Wooderson
Relatives:
The Children of Hurin by JRR Tolkein
Profession:
Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
The Empress's Tomb by Kirsten Miller
Witch's Business by Diana Wynne Jones
The Printer's Devil by Paul Bajoria
The Purple Emperor by Herbie Brennan
The World of King Arthur and his Court by Kevin Crossley-Holland
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The Historian (book review)
This book was for the RIP III Challenge and the Chunkster Challenge.
The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova, is actually three stories intertwining to form a complex and fascinating novel. The first story is told from the point of view of a sixteen-year-old girl who is brought up by her father, a historian, and how, when he suddenly disappears, she sets out on a quest to find him...and find out more about the mysterious man/vampire called Vlad Dracula.
The second story is the tale of the girl's father, Paul. Orally and through letters, he tells her how, one night, he received a strange blank book with a woodcut of a dragon holding a flag with one word...Drakulya. He soon discovered that the word meant dragon, and how this related to Vlad the Impaler, the true Dracula, who had belonged to an elite organization called the Order of the Dragon, from his companion Professor Rossi. When Rossi disappeared under mysterious circumstances, Paul had evidence that led him to believe that he had actually been kidnapped by Vlad Dracula himself. Being a vampire, Dracula was still alive...and he had Rossi in his grasp. Paul was determined to get Rossi back, even if it meant facing Dracula himself. Joining him on his quest was a young Hungarian anthropologist named Helen. Together they trailed Dracula to Istanbul, Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria. Eventually they found Rossi, who had his own story to tell.
Rossi's story was one of love and pain. He had fallen in love with a young Hungarian girl, but had found himself separated from her during his own quest to find Dracula. Eventually Rossi had settled down, but he had never forgotten the elusive vampire, and then he found himself stolen away to Dracula's secret crypt...
Now, on one moonlit night, all the stories come together in the climax. Dracula will come face to face with those who have tried so hard to stop him. Who will triumph in the end?
There is SO MUCH MORE involved in the story than this, but I don't want to give away too much!
This book was phenomenal. It was packed full of horror, ancient lore, culture, romance...anything you'd want in a classic vampire story! Any fans of Gothic literature CAN'T miss this book!
I give this book a 5 out of 5. It was great!!!
The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova, is actually three stories intertwining to form a complex and fascinating novel. The first story is told from the point of view of a sixteen-year-old girl who is brought up by her father, a historian, and how, when he suddenly disappears, she sets out on a quest to find him...and find out more about the mysterious man/vampire called Vlad Dracula.
The second story is the tale of the girl's father, Paul. Orally and through letters, he tells her how, one night, he received a strange blank book with a woodcut of a dragon holding a flag with one word...Drakulya. He soon discovered that the word meant dragon, and how this related to Vlad the Impaler, the true Dracula, who had belonged to an elite organization called the Order of the Dragon, from his companion Professor Rossi. When Rossi disappeared under mysterious circumstances, Paul had evidence that led him to believe that he had actually been kidnapped by Vlad Dracula himself. Being a vampire, Dracula was still alive...and he had Rossi in his grasp. Paul was determined to get Rossi back, even if it meant facing Dracula himself. Joining him on his quest was a young Hungarian anthropologist named Helen. Together they trailed Dracula to Istanbul, Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria. Eventually they found Rossi, who had his own story to tell.
Rossi's story was one of love and pain. He had fallen in love with a young Hungarian girl, but had found himself separated from her during his own quest to find Dracula. Eventually Rossi had settled down, but he had never forgotten the elusive vampire, and then he found himself stolen away to Dracula's secret crypt...
Now, on one moonlit night, all the stories come together in the climax. Dracula will come face to face with those who have tried so hard to stop him. Who will triumph in the end?
There is SO MUCH MORE involved in the story than this, but I don't want to give away too much!
This book was phenomenal. It was packed full of horror, ancient lore, culture, romance...anything you'd want in a classic vampire story! Any fans of Gothic literature CAN'T miss this book!
I give this book a 5 out of 5. It was great!!!
Black Beauty (book review)
Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell, is an interesting book. It is a horse story told from the horse's point of view. Black Beauty, as he is called, grows up being sold constantly. Sometimes he belongs to masters who actually care about him, and sometimes he does not. He spends his days as a young horse at a fancy place called Birtwick park, where he makes friends (both human and horse) and is extremely well cared for. Beauty's time at Birtwick park makes up almost half of the book.
After Birtwick, Beauty has other masters, including an Earl who doesn't really care about him, and a kind and gentle cab driver. There are ohters who aren't even really worth mentioning because Beauty only finds himself in their care for about one chapter each (and the chapters are short). But eventually, Beauty finds himself sold to a kindly old man and his son on a farm where Beauty discovers an old friend from Birtwick. He lives out the rest of his days well-loved and well cared for. After all the rest of the strain he lived through, it is a happy ending.
This book was good. Sewell had a very clear message, and she pounds it into the readers' heads: don't maltreat horses! I believe that this is a very good message, and that it is wrong to mistreat animals, but Sewell might have made her argument slightly more subtle. It seemed to me as if every two chapters there was a maltreated horse found on the streets by Beauty and his master, and it seemed to get a little repetitive after a while. However, I still enjoyed the book a lot, and I thought it was a great horse story.
I would give this book a 3 out of 5.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Egypt Game (book review)
The Egypt Game, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, is the story of a unique game started by two girls...Melanie Ross and April Hall, when they discover that they have one thing in common...a fascination for all things Egyptian. So, along with Melanie's little brother, they set up their own version of Ancient Egypt in an old store yard. They are soon joined by their new neighbor, Elizabeth, and two boys who think the girls' game is kind of cool.
But soon, the six young "Egyptians" realize that their game may have gone too far. Strange things are starting to happen to the players. Have they stirred up the ancient gods of Egypt, or, even worse, is somebody stalking them...someone with malicious intent?
This book was absolutely impossible to put down!!! I was hooked until the very end. The author is great at building up suspense and leaving her readers hanging. I found it hard not to beg my mom to run to the bookstore and buy the next book, The Gypsy Game!
I know I haven't rated books in a long time, but this one was probably a 5 out of 5.
But soon, the six young "Egyptians" realize that their game may have gone too far. Strange things are starting to happen to the players. Have they stirred up the ancient gods of Egypt, or, even worse, is somebody stalking them...someone with malicious intent?
This book was absolutely impossible to put down!!! I was hooked until the very end. The author is great at building up suspense and leaving her readers hanging. I found it hard not to beg my mom to run to the bookstore and buy the next book, The Gypsy Game!
I know I haven't rated books in a long time, but this one was probably a 5 out of 5.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Two Girls of Gettysburg (book review)
Two Girls of Gettysburg, by Lisa Klein, is the story of two best friends and cousins who are ripped apart by the Civil War. Lizzie Allbaur is a plain girl growing up in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. She is extremely envious of her cousin, Rosanna, a Southern beauty sent to Gettysburg to live with her sister. When Virginia secedes, Rosanna resolves to stay. She has left the South behind, and has come to love the little town, Gettysburg. But when the young man she thinks she loves is killed in the conflict, Rosanna must return home...to a world she would have liked to forget. Her past is filled with treachery and forbidden love, and she feels as if she has to tell someone about it.
So, through letters, Rosanna directs Lizzie to her hidden scrapbook, where she has hidden a horrible secret. Lizzie, shocked and horrified by what her cousin has done, urges her to forget the past and return to Gettysburg. But Rosanna refuses.
Meanwhile, the situation in Gettysburg gets worse and worse. Lizzie must drop out of school to help her mother manage their butcher's shop. Every day she worries more about her father and twin brother, off fighting for the Union cause.
In Richmond, Rosanna marries an old crush. When he joins the Confederate Army, Rosanna follows as a field nurse. When her husband is killed by a fever, she stays with the army anyway, trying to do her best to prevent as many unnecessary deaths as she can.
Soon, the Civil War will bring Lizzie and Rosanna together again when the conflict reaches its turning point as the two armies converge in Gettysburg. But it will take courage and strength from both of them to make it through the battle alive...will they ever see each other again?
This was a great historical novel! Rosanna and Lizzie seem very real, and they have feelings that readers can relate to. In the author's note, she explains how she based her characters on real people who were at the battle, which I thought was very interesting. I am on the lookout for Klein's first novel, a retelling of Shakespeare's play, Ophelia!
So, through letters, Rosanna directs Lizzie to her hidden scrapbook, where she has hidden a horrible secret. Lizzie, shocked and horrified by what her cousin has done, urges her to forget the past and return to Gettysburg. But Rosanna refuses.
Meanwhile, the situation in Gettysburg gets worse and worse. Lizzie must drop out of school to help her mother manage their butcher's shop. Every day she worries more about her father and twin brother, off fighting for the Union cause.
In Richmond, Rosanna marries an old crush. When he joins the Confederate Army, Rosanna follows as a field nurse. When her husband is killed by a fever, she stays with the army anyway, trying to do her best to prevent as many unnecessary deaths as she can.
Soon, the Civil War will bring Lizzie and Rosanna together again when the conflict reaches its turning point as the two armies converge in Gettysburg. But it will take courage and strength from both of them to make it through the battle alive...will they ever see each other again?
This was a great historical novel! Rosanna and Lizzie seem very real, and they have feelings that readers can relate to. In the author's note, she explains how she based her characters on real people who were at the battle, which I thought was very interesting. I am on the lookout for Klein's first novel, a retelling of Shakespeare's play, Ophelia!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
School's Out--Forever (book review)
In School's Out--Forever, the second installment in James Patterson's bestselling Maximum Ride series, fourteen year old Max and her friends are on the run from the Erasers, ghastly wolf-human creatures spawned in a lab. The catch? Max and her friends, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel, aren't exactly normal either. They grew up in the same lab that the Erasers did, only they weren't given wolf DNA...they were given bird DNA! After escaping the horrible lab they grew up in, Max and the rest of the winged children found themselves constantly attacked by Erasers. But when an FBI agent discovers their secret and takes them in, the bird-kids have to face their worst nightmare--school! Their social life is progressing fairly well despite the fact that they are winged mutants on the run. That is, until the flock uncovers a stunning betrayal and finds themselves without anyone to trust once again.
Now, with the children discovering startling new abilities that are getting more and more powerful, they have to survive on their own while learning how to take down a whole new threat...one that doesn't just want to kill them, but destroy the whole world.
I thought this book was just as good as the first, if not better. It was filled with action, and it was a very fast read. Just like the first one, this book was full of mystery and left me wanting to immediately go out and get the next book!
Now, with the children discovering startling new abilities that are getting more and more powerful, they have to survive on their own while learning how to take down a whole new threat...one that doesn't just want to kill them, but destroy the whole world.
I thought this book was just as good as the first, if not better. It was filled with action, and it was a very fast read. Just like the first one, this book was full of mystery and left me wanting to immediately go out and get the next book!
Wrapup To the Read-a-thon
I'm so glad that I participated in this read-a-thon! Here is my final posting.
Start: 6:15
End: 7:10
Minutes: 55
Total Pages: 1432
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game, Two Girls of Gettysburg, The Graveyard Book
Reading now: Into the Land of the Unicorns
Start: 6:15
End: 7:10
Minutes: 55
Total Pages: 1432
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game, Two Girls of Gettysburg, The Graveyard Book
Reading now: Into the Land of the Unicorns
End of Event Meme
1. Which hour was most daunting for you? Between 1:00 and 2:00
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? The Graveyard Book, Maximum Ride, Coraline (even though I didn't read this for the read-a-thon)
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? No, I thought this year was great.
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? All of the mini-challenges...they were very good distractions.
5. How many books did you read? I finished Black Beauty and totally read four books.
6. What were the names of the books you read? Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game, Two Girls of Gettysburg, The Graveyard Book
7. Which book did you enjoy most? They were all great books.
8. Which did you enjoy least? I liked them all equally, even though they were all very different!
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? I wasn't a Cheerleader.
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? It is highly likely that I will participate again! I will probably just be a Reader.
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? The Graveyard Book, Maximum Ride, Coraline (even though I didn't read this for the read-a-thon)
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? No, I thought this year was great.
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? All of the mini-challenges...they were very good distractions.
5. How many books did you read? I finished Black Beauty and totally read four books.
6. What were the names of the books you read? Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game, Two Girls of Gettysburg, The Graveyard Book
7. Which book did you enjoy most? They were all great books.
8. Which did you enjoy least? I liked them all equally, even though they were all very different!
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? I wasn't a Cheerleader.
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? It is highly likely that I will participate again! I will probably just be a Reader.
Yet Another Read-a-thon Update
I have now finished The Graveyard Book, which was very good, although extremely creepy, and my word count is up to 1,390.
Read-a-thon Post 12
Start: 1:20
End: 4:15
Minutes: 175
Total Pages Read: 1317
Books finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game, Two Girls of Gettysburg
Currently Reading: The Graveyard Book (for Carl's mini-challenge)
End: 4:15
Minutes: 175
Total Pages Read: 1317
Books finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game, Two Girls of Gettysburg
Currently Reading: The Graveyard Book (for Carl's mini-challenge)
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Read-a-thon Post 11
Start: 10:15
End: 11:30
Minutes: 75
Total Pages: 1,083
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game, Two Girls of Gettysburg
Currently Reading: The Castle in the Attic
End: 11:30
Minutes: 75
Total Pages: 1,083
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game, Two Girls of Gettysburg
Currently Reading: The Castle in the Attic
Another Mini Challenge
I've decided to participate in Sharon's mini-challenge. Here are my answers:
1. Go to this website. Find on the map a library cat that lives/lived closest to you (there are library cats in Canada). What is the cats name? What library is/was it located in?
George lives in Tompkins County Public Library in Ithaca.
2. Which library does Dewey live in?
Dewey lived in Seymour Public Library in Auburn.
3. What is the name of the library cat documentary film that Dewey was in?
Dewey was in the documentary Puss in Books: Adventures of the Library Cat.
4. What is Dewey's full name?
Dewey's full name is Dewey Readmore Books.
1. Go to this website. Find on the map a library cat that lives/lived closest to you (there are library cats in Canada). What is the cats name? What library is/was it located in?
George lives in Tompkins County Public Library in Ithaca.
2. Which library does Dewey live in?
Dewey lived in Seymour Public Library in Auburn.
3. What is the name of the library cat documentary film that Dewey was in?
Dewey was in the documentary Puss in Books: Adventures of the Library Cat.
4. What is Dewey's full name?
Dewey's full name is Dewey Readmore Books.
Read-a-thon Post 10
Start: 7:50
End: 9:25
Minutes: 95
Total Pages: 944
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game
Currently Reading: Two Girls of Gettysburg
End: 9:25
Minutes: 95
Total Pages: 944
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game
Currently Reading: Two Girls of Gettysburg
Read-a-thon Post 9
Start: 6:40
End: 7:40
Minutes Read: 60
Total Pages Read: 835
Books Finished So Far: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game
Currently Reading: Two Girls of Gettysburg
End: 7:40
Minutes Read: 60
Total Pages Read: 835
Books Finished So Far: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game
Currently Reading: Two Girls of Gettysburg
Read-a-thon Post 8
Start: 5:45
End: 6:15
Minutes: 30
Total Pages Read: 785
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game
Currently Reading: Two Girls of Gettysburg
End: 6:15
Minutes: 30
Total Pages Read: 785
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game
Currently Reading: Two Girls of Gettysburg
Read-a-thon Post 7
Start: 4:10
End: 5:10
Minutes: 60
Total Pages Read: 751
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game
Currently Reading: Two Girls of Gettysburg
End: 5:10
Minutes: 60
Total Pages Read: 751
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game
Currently Reading: Two Girls of Gettysburg
Read-a-thon Post 6
Start: 2:30
End: 3:30
Min: 70
Total Pages Read: 693
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game
Currently Reading: Two Girls of Gettysburg
End: 3:30
Min: 70
Total Pages Read: 693
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, The Egypt Game
Currently Reading: Two Girls of Gettysburg
Read-a-thon Post 5
Start: 1:15
End: 2:15
Minutes: 60
Total Pages: 562
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever
Currently Reading: The Egypt Game
End: 2:15
Minutes: 60
Total Pages: 562
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever
Currently Reading: The Egypt Game
Read-a-thon Update
I switched books from Eleven to The Egypt Game thirty-two pages into Eleven because I wasn't enjoying it. My page count is now 487.
Read-a-thon Post 4
Start: 12:10
End: 12:35
Minutes: 25
Total Pages: 446
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever
Currently Reading: Eleven
End: 12:35
Minutes: 25
Total Pages: 446
Books Finished: Black Beauty, Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever
Currently Reading: Eleven
Read-a-thon Post 3
Start: 10:40
End: 12:00
Minutes: 80
Total Pages Read: 377
Books Finished: Black Beauty
Currently Reading: Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever
End: 12:00
Minutes: 80
Total Pages Read: 377
Books Finished: Black Beauty
Currently Reading: Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever
Read-a-thon Post 2
Start time: 9:40
End Time: 10:20
Minutes: 45
Total Pages: 190
Books Finished: Black Beauty
Currently Reading: Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever
End Time: 10:20
Minutes: 45
Total Pages: 190
Books Finished: Black Beauty
Currently Reading: Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever
Mini-Challenge 1
Where are you reading from today? My house.
3 facts about me … I'm a vegetarian, I play the flute, and my favorite subject in school is history.
How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? 23 books and one short story.
Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)? I want to read more than seven books, which is how many I finished last time. And I want to stay up the whole time!
If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time? Not really--just have fun and read a lot!
3 facts about me … I'm a vegetarian, I play the flute, and my favorite subject in school is history.
How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? 23 books and one short story.
Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)? I want to read more than seven books, which is how many I finished last time. And I want to stay up the whole time!
If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time? Not really--just have fun and read a lot!
Read-a-thon Post 1
Time started: 8:10
Time ended: 9:30
Total Minutes: 80
Total Pages Read: 112
Books Finished: Black Beauty
Currently Reading: Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever
Time ended: 9:30
Total Minutes: 80
Total Pages Read: 112
Books Finished: Black Beauty
Currently Reading: Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever
Friday, October 17, 2008
Pre-readathon posting
Thank you all for doing my read-a-thon game...I just wanted to let you know that I'm wrapping it up now. Here are the books that you picked...
The Betrayal by R.L. Stine
Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt Harlow
Firegirl by Tony Abbot
Julie's Wolf Pack by Jean Craighead George
The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Mystery of the Ivory Charm by Carolyn Keene
The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop
Into the Land of the Unicorns by Bruce Coville
Kiki Strike: The Empress's Tomb by Kirsten Miller
Escaping the Giant Wave by Peg Kehret
Harriet Tubman by Laurie Calkhoven
Eleven by Lauren Myracle
Sign of the Raven by Julie Hearn
Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
The Night of Wishes by Michael Ende
Two Girls of Gettysburg by Lisa Klein
Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi
Bobcat by Hope Ryden
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Even though you didn't pick them, I've chosen these as well--the short story "Jerusalem's Lot" by Stephen King and the novel Maximum Ride-School's Out--Forever by James Patterson.
Again, thanks for doing this! I'm soooo excited for the Read-a-thon!
The Betrayal by R.L. Stine
Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt Harlow
Firegirl by Tony Abbot
Julie's Wolf Pack by Jean Craighead George
The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Mystery of the Ivory Charm by Carolyn Keene
The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop
Into the Land of the Unicorns by Bruce Coville
Kiki Strike: The Empress's Tomb by Kirsten Miller
Escaping the Giant Wave by Peg Kehret
Harriet Tubman by Laurie Calkhoven
Eleven by Lauren Myracle
Sign of the Raven by Julie Hearn
Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
The Night of Wishes by Michael Ende
Two Girls of Gettysburg by Lisa Klein
Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi
Bobcat by Hope Ryden
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Even though you didn't pick them, I've chosen these as well--the short story "Jerusalem's Lot" by Stephen King and the novel Maximum Ride-School's Out--Forever by James Patterson.
Again, thanks for doing this! I'm soooo excited for the Read-a-thon!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Read-a-thon pile
I've decided to borrow my mom's idea and weed down my read-a-thon pile by playing a game. I'm going to post the first sentence from each book on my read-a-thon list, and then you're going to pick the ones that sound the most interesting to you. Even if you know what books they're from, judge from the sentences alone. Here they are:
1. The fire roared like thunder.
2. On Monday afternoon, Mrs. Philips was waiting for William at the kitchen door.
3. "Gramma, is that man following us?"
4. Ben Arnold was not a remarkable-looking boy.
5. Frank and Jess thought Own Back Ltd. was an excellent idea when they first invented it.
6. Pitch blackness had settled much earlier than usual over this, the last afternoon of the year.
7. If you are tired, keep going; if you are scared, keep going; if you are hungry, keep going; if you want to taste freedom, keep going.
8. The wolves of the Avalik River ran in and out among the musk oxen.
9. "Dad! Ma! McKinley! Guess what I saw!"
10. Sweeping, swooping, soaring, air-current thrill-rides--there's nothing better.
11. This notebook is the property of Hershey Hollenback.
12. It wasn't much, really, the whole Jessica Feeney thing.
13. The thing about birthdays is that everything should go just right, at least on that one day.
14. "If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?"
15. Not long ago, in a large university town in California, on a street called Orchard Avenue, a strange old man ran a dusty, shabby store.
16. Thunder rumbled overhead.
17. Nancy sat in her father's law office, waiting for him to finish a long-distance call.
18. The whispers began the day she arrived on horseback at the gates of the Emperor's palace.
19. A flock of huge black birds soared, gathered, then landed one after another in the trees near Maggie.
20. I used to be someone.
21. When the Spook arrived, the light was already beginning to fail.
22. The ageless sky was waiting above, crisp, snow-dusted, landscape.
23. It was the stench, seeping in through the car windows, that bothered Tom the most.
24. Hador Goldenhead was a lord of the Edain and well-beloved by the Eldar.
25. Alex was in trouble.
26. For the first fifteen years of my life nothing remarkable happened to me, Lizzie Allbauer, a shy, plain girl growing up in the ordinary town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
27. The day after my mother died, the priest and I wrapped her body in a gray shroud and carried her to the village church.
28. In North America there lives a wildcat that is barely seen.
29. When the explosion rocked the Griffin, young Samuel Higgins knew instantly that the boat was doomed.
30. Gripping handholds among the rocks, Erika scrambled to the crest of the ravine.
31. The gift arrived for Alfredo's seventh name-day.
32. The girl was late getting home for supper.
33. There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.
So, which ones sound most interesting to you?
1. The fire roared like thunder.
2. On Monday afternoon, Mrs. Philips was waiting for William at the kitchen door.
3. "Gramma, is that man following us?"
4. Ben Arnold was not a remarkable-looking boy.
5. Frank and Jess thought Own Back Ltd. was an excellent idea when they first invented it.
6. Pitch blackness had settled much earlier than usual over this, the last afternoon of the year.
7. If you are tired, keep going; if you are scared, keep going; if you are hungry, keep going; if you want to taste freedom, keep going.
8. The wolves of the Avalik River ran in and out among the musk oxen.
9. "Dad! Ma! McKinley! Guess what I saw!"
10. Sweeping, swooping, soaring, air-current thrill-rides--there's nothing better.
11. This notebook is the property of Hershey Hollenback.
12. It wasn't much, really, the whole Jessica Feeney thing.
13. The thing about birthdays is that everything should go just right, at least on that one day.
14. "If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?"
15. Not long ago, in a large university town in California, on a street called Orchard Avenue, a strange old man ran a dusty, shabby store.
16. Thunder rumbled overhead.
17. Nancy sat in her father's law office, waiting for him to finish a long-distance call.
18. The whispers began the day she arrived on horseback at the gates of the Emperor's palace.
19. A flock of huge black birds soared, gathered, then landed one after another in the trees near Maggie.
20. I used to be someone.
21. When the Spook arrived, the light was already beginning to fail.
22. The ageless sky was waiting above, crisp, snow-dusted, landscape.
23. It was the stench, seeping in through the car windows, that bothered Tom the most.
24. Hador Goldenhead was a lord of the Edain and well-beloved by the Eldar.
25. Alex was in trouble.
26. For the first fifteen years of my life nothing remarkable happened to me, Lizzie Allbauer, a shy, plain girl growing up in the ordinary town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
27. The day after my mother died, the priest and I wrapped her body in a gray shroud and carried her to the village church.
28. In North America there lives a wildcat that is barely seen.
29. When the explosion rocked the Griffin, young Samuel Higgins knew instantly that the boat was doomed.
30. Gripping handholds among the rocks, Erika scrambled to the crest of the ravine.
31. The gift arrived for Alfredo's seventh name-day.
32. The girl was late getting home for supper.
33. There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.
So, which ones sound most interesting to you?
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Coraline (book review)
Coraline, by Neil Gaiman, is certainly a special book. But my copy is even more special than most--it was signed by the author! Jean stood four hours in the pouring rain to get this book signed for me! You can read the story here. P.S.--I've read this story before, but I HAD to read it again after Jean did this for me!
Anyway, Coraline is the story of a young girl who is bored with the world around her. She has explored every inch of her flat and the surrounding area...or so she thinks. Then, on a rainy day, she finds an old, locked door. When her mother opens it with a strange black key, Coraline and her mother find that it leads to nothing. But one day, when her parents are out, Coraline steals the key and unlocks the door herself. The bricks are gone. Instead there is a dark, musty hallway that leads to a flat that seems similar to hers...until she sees the copies of her parents who inhabit the place. They are tall and pale, with buttons where their eyes should be. They embrace Coraline as their own daughter, and offer her anything she wants. But Coraline soon finds out that this world isn't perfect...the other parents want to sew buttons into her eyes, too!
After this disturbing discovery, Coraline hurries back to her own world, only to find that her parents have disappeared. The police don't believe her story about the world beyond the door, and Coraline finds herself on her own...except for a strange companion, a talking black cat. She doesn't know where her parents are, but she has a hunch. Perhaps the other parents stole her real parents to lure her back. Coraline has no choice but to return to the other flat. When she arrives there, things have changed a great deal. Coraline can now see the "people" who she used to think bore even a slight resemblance to her neighbors and parents, and they are horrible gruesome, maimed creatures who aren't so friendly to her now that she knows their true nature. And the ghosts of three dead children soon warn her that the other mother will suck her soul out if she doesn't hurry and find her parents. Moved by their speech, Coraline sets out on a quest not only to find her parents, but also to find the children's souls. The search for the souls is dangerous enough, but it all leads up to the final question...can Coraline find her parents and destroy the other mother's evil for good?
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Robert E. Lee (book review)
Robert E. Lee, by James I. Robertson Jr., is a biography of one of the most respected American figures in history. Robert E. Lee grew up in fancy Virginian society, and he associated himself with Virginia from the start. When Lee was only four, he was forced to leave his family's mansion due to his father's bad business dealings. However, he did have a good childhood, and became the chief servant for his mother, whose health was rapidly declining. Lee had as good a formal education as existed in Virginia during those times. But what to do next? He had no inheritance, and he didn't want to become a businessman. Young R.E. Lee decided to become a soldier.
In Spring of 1825, Lee was accepted into West Point. He became one of the most successful cadets at the academy. In his senior year, he held the highest status a West Point student could earn--he had no demerits. Lee graduated second in his class in the year 1829. He joined the Engineer Corps, the elite branch of the army.
In August 1846, Lee received orders to head to Texas to fight in the Mexican-American War. He became close friends with General Winfield Scott there, and they developed a kind of father-son relationship. Lee proved an excellent soldier, with his courage and determination, which helped the Americans to win major battles in Mexico.
But soon the war was over. In 1852, Lee became the superintendent of West Point. While he held this office, Lee was known for kindness. He did not enjoy disciplining students, and when a cadet was to be expelled, Lee always gave them a chance to resign first.
In March of 1861, Lee was asked to lead the U.S. Army against the secessionist Southerners. Lee politely refused the offer. He could never go against his native Virginia. After Virginia seceded, Lee was asked to command the "military and naval forces" of the state. Lee accepted the offer. Now he had to prepare his state for civil war. This proved a difficult job for Lee, but not impossible. When the Union attacked, his army drove them back.
For the majority of the next few years, it seemed that the South was winning. They had stunning victories at Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Second Bull Run, and Chancellorsville. The turning point occurred at a sleepy town in Pennsylvania--Gettysburg. Here Lee was badly defeated by a former West Point comrade, George Gordon Meade. And after Ulysses Grant assumed command of the entire Union army, there began a game of deadly hide-and-seek. Eventually Lee was driven out into the open, where Grant besieged him at Petersburg. Finally, in spring of 1865, Lee surrendered his army at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. The Civil War was over.
Although this book mainly contains information about Lee's war years, it has one final chapter, about Lee as a national symbol. And that is what he remains to this day, despite the fact that his spectacular military genius was used against the Union. Maybe it is the fact that Lee was such a formal, kindly man. No matter what, we can all agree that Lee remains a great figure in American history, and he always will be.
In Spring of 1825, Lee was accepted into West Point. He became one of the most successful cadets at the academy. In his senior year, he held the highest status a West Point student could earn--he had no demerits. Lee graduated second in his class in the year 1829. He joined the Engineer Corps, the elite branch of the army.
In August 1846, Lee received orders to head to Texas to fight in the Mexican-American War. He became close friends with General Winfield Scott there, and they developed a kind of father-son relationship. Lee proved an excellent soldier, with his courage and determination, which helped the Americans to win major battles in Mexico.
But soon the war was over. In 1852, Lee became the superintendent of West Point. While he held this office, Lee was known for kindness. He did not enjoy disciplining students, and when a cadet was to be expelled, Lee always gave them a chance to resign first.
In March of 1861, Lee was asked to lead the U.S. Army against the secessionist Southerners. Lee politely refused the offer. He could never go against his native Virginia. After Virginia seceded, Lee was asked to command the "military and naval forces" of the state. Lee accepted the offer. Now he had to prepare his state for civil war. This proved a difficult job for Lee, but not impossible. When the Union attacked, his army drove them back.
For the majority of the next few years, it seemed that the South was winning. They had stunning victories at Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Second Bull Run, and Chancellorsville. The turning point occurred at a sleepy town in Pennsylvania--Gettysburg. Here Lee was badly defeated by a former West Point comrade, George Gordon Meade. And after Ulysses Grant assumed command of the entire Union army, there began a game of deadly hide-and-seek. Eventually Lee was driven out into the open, where Grant besieged him at Petersburg. Finally, in spring of 1865, Lee surrendered his army at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. The Civil War was over.
Although this book mainly contains information about Lee's war years, it has one final chapter, about Lee as a national symbol. And that is what he remains to this day, despite the fact that his spectacular military genius was used against the Union. Maybe it is the fact that Lee was such a formal, kindly man. No matter what, we can all agree that Lee remains a great figure in American history, and he always will be.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Six Random Things about Myself
I was tagged by The Dynamic Uno. Here's the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag sixish people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
Six random things about me:
1. I play the flute.
2. My favorite animals are wolves and ravens.
3. I have a dog, two cats, seven mice, a tarantula, and a tank full of guppies and snails.
4. I'll read almost anything, but my favorite genres are fantasy, nonfiction, and mystery.
5. I am homeschooled and I am taking an advanced composition class at the local community college.
6. I am a vegetarian.
I tag:
Mom
Dad
Jean
Nymeth
Carl
Kara
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag sixish people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
Six random things about me:
1. I play the flute.
2. My favorite animals are wolves and ravens.
3. I have a dog, two cats, seven mice, a tarantula, and a tank full of guppies and snails.
4. I'll read almost anything, but my favorite genres are fantasy, nonfiction, and mystery.
5. I am homeschooled and I am taking an advanced composition class at the local community college.
6. I am a vegetarian.
I tag:
Mom
Dad
Jean
Nymeth
Carl
Kara
Ulysses S. Grant (book review)
Ulysses S. Grant, by Steven O'Brien, is a biography of one of the most interesting figures in American history. Grant has a reputation as an alcoholic general, but does he deserve that reputation? In fact, most of Grant's drinking took place before the Civil War, when he was a failed businessman deep in debt. This interesting book discusses why Grant failed in business yet still made a great general. There was one incident that took place during his childhood which caught my eye. As a child, Grant was great with horses, but not so great with people. His father lent him $25 to buy a horse from a neighbor. Jesse Grant told his son to offer $20 at first, then $22.50 if the seller refused, and finally $25. Young Grant walked up to the man and proudly informed him,
Business may have been one thing, but war was another. Grant, during the Mexican-American war, showed traits that would make him a great general later on--he stayed calm in the face of danger, was incredibly brave, and willing to take great risks for victory. The soldier's life agreed with him; he gained weight and a healthy complexion. But when the war was over, Grant found that his next army assignments were anything but pleasant--he was sent to California to oversee the Gold Rush. It was here, during the long and dreary months at the army outpost in California, that Grant took up drinking. He returned home an alcoholic. Grant took up business to support his wife and children, who were about the only things that gave him joy during these times. It was an endless cycle of failed jobs and debt.
But when news came that a civil war was approaching, Grant lightened up a bit. Here was another chance to do what he was good at! Grant eagerly sided with the Union, and during the course of the first few years, won the Union victories at Fort Donelson, Fort Henry, and Vicksburg. In early 1864, Grant assumed duties as the lieutenant general--a rank that hadn't been occupied since the time of George Washington. Grant started on a campaign to crush the Confederate general Robert E. Lee and his elusive Army of Northern Virginia. On April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. The Civil War was over.
Now a new chapter in Grant's life was starting. He returned home a hero. Everyone loved him and wanted him to run for president. After Andrew Johnson's presidency, Grant was elected to office. His family loved it at the White House, and so did Grant, but the famous general made a very bad president. He was involved in countless scandals. However, Grant was still elected to a second term. After his presidency was up, Grant didn't know what to do. During these years, he had no real home, but moved from house to house, staying with fans and relatives. But Grant still didn't know what to do with himself. Then, he had an idea. He started working on memoirs of his time fighting in the Civil War. Grant worked on this project until he died. They were published after his death to great acclaim. While working on the project, Grant felt himself slowly dying, and on July 28, 1885, the great commander of the Union army passed away.
"My father says I am to offer $20 for the colt, but if you will not take that, I am to offer $22.50, and if you won't take that, I am to give you $25."Not only did the man take Grant's 25 dollars, he also told Jesse about his son's blunder. Jesse then spread the news around, perhaps to teach Grant a lesson. But Grant never did learn; his overly trusting nature combined with his lack of business sense would be his downfall later on during his life as a businessman.
Business may have been one thing, but war was another. Grant, during the Mexican-American war, showed traits that would make him a great general later on--he stayed calm in the face of danger, was incredibly brave, and willing to take great risks for victory. The soldier's life agreed with him; he gained weight and a healthy complexion. But when the war was over, Grant found that his next army assignments were anything but pleasant--he was sent to California to oversee the Gold Rush. It was here, during the long and dreary months at the army outpost in California, that Grant took up drinking. He returned home an alcoholic. Grant took up business to support his wife and children, who were about the only things that gave him joy during these times. It was an endless cycle of failed jobs and debt.
But when news came that a civil war was approaching, Grant lightened up a bit. Here was another chance to do what he was good at! Grant eagerly sided with the Union, and during the course of the first few years, won the Union victories at Fort Donelson, Fort Henry, and Vicksburg. In early 1864, Grant assumed duties as the lieutenant general--a rank that hadn't been occupied since the time of George Washington. Grant started on a campaign to crush the Confederate general Robert E. Lee and his elusive Army of Northern Virginia. On April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. The Civil War was over.
Now a new chapter in Grant's life was starting. He returned home a hero. Everyone loved him and wanted him to run for president. After Andrew Johnson's presidency, Grant was elected to office. His family loved it at the White House, and so did Grant, but the famous general made a very bad president. He was involved in countless scandals. However, Grant was still elected to a second term. After his presidency was up, Grant didn't know what to do. During these years, he had no real home, but moved from house to house, staying with fans and relatives. But Grant still didn't know what to do with himself. Then, he had an idea. He started working on memoirs of his time fighting in the Civil War. Grant worked on this project until he died. They were published after his death to great acclaim. While working on the project, Grant felt himself slowly dying, and on July 28, 1885, the great commander of the Union army passed away.
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