I finished Estrella's Quinceanera in a couple of days (and a couple of months ago)but am barely writing about it now. I liked the book as I read it but I can't say that it was the best book I've ever read or anything like that. It is about a girl of Mexican descent, Estrella and her family. Estrella is a smart girl who gets a scholarship to go to an upscale prep school so that changes the dynamics between herself and her family and old friends. Then Estrella is facing her 15th birthday which is celebrated in a big way in the Mexican culture with a rite of passage known as a "quinceanera" and Estrella doesn't want one.
It is the typical dilemma of a Mexican girl trying to fit into a "white" world without losing her Mexican side. Why does every book about Mexican girls have to deal with that (i.e. The Tequila Worm). Why can't there be a book with a strong Mexican girl that faces other issues besides that? Suggestions, thoughts, please. :)
Monday, May 26, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
School Year...Almost Done!
Well, it is the end of the school year and things have been crazy. The seniors at my school are now graduated!!! HOORAY THEM!!! Boo, for us still in the library! They helped us out a lot and we miss them tons. We are currently doing inventory which means that I can not check out any books...:( and I am currently too poor to buy any from a bookstore.
I know, you are thinking, "Why don't you just go to the public library?" Well, the answer is simple. I have a big fine and I am being bad and just not paying it yet.
FOR SHAME!!!!!!! I will pay it soon...scout's honor and get back to reading soon too.
What are you all reading?
I know, you are thinking, "Why don't you just go to the public library?" Well, the answer is simple. I have a big fine and I am being bad and just not paying it yet.
FOR SHAME!!!!!!! I will pay it soon...scout's honor and get back to reading soon too.
What are you all reading?
Saturday, April 26, 2008
I know this isn't about reading books but I had a really cool student tell me about Voki. It is a way to create a character and then have it talk. Good times.
So here is my Voki! :) Enjoy!!! :)
Get a Voki now!
So here is my Voki! :) Enjoy!!! :)
Get a Voki now!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
A hairy situation
A few weeks ago I finished A Drowned Maiden’s Hair and I am barely writing about it now. I know; I know I am bad. Anyway, I didn’t think I would like the book because it is historical and I generally don’t go for historical fiction. It was a pretty good book though. It made me realize (again) that I should be willing to try different genres.
Well, to get to the book. It is about a girl, Maud who lives in an orphanage until she gets adopted by a pair of sisters. The sisters are really nice to her at first but something seems wrong. It turns out that the sisters are crooks (they perform séances and trick people) and they want Maud to be a part of the business. They convince Maud to help them and she finds herself in many “hairy” situations (i.e. wearing wigs and costumes) to make the séances more real. Everything goes well until one of the séances put Maud in real danger…
To find out if Maud makes it to safety, read the book. It is a quick read and worth checking out.
Well, to get to the book. It is about a girl, Maud who lives in an orphanage until she gets adopted by a pair of sisters. The sisters are really nice to her at first but something seems wrong. It turns out that the sisters are crooks (they perform séances and trick people) and they want Maud to be a part of the business. They convince Maud to help them and she finds herself in many “hairy” situations (i.e. wearing wigs and costumes) to make the séances more real. Everything goes well until one of the séances put Maud in real danger…
To find out if Maud makes it to safety, read the book. It is a quick read and worth checking out.
Friday, April 4, 2008
What is in a name; annoyance that is what.
I just finished Stardust by Neil Gaiman. It is a fantasy novel that takes place in England back in the day (1800s?). Here is the synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
“In the sleepy English countryside of decades past, there is a town that has stood on a jut of granite for six hundred years. And immediately to the east stands a high stone wall, for which the village is named. Here in the town of Wall, Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the hauntingly beautiful Victoria Forester. One crisp October night, as they watch, a star falls from the sky, and Victoria promises to marry Tristran if he'll retrieve that star and bring it back for her. It is this promise that sends Tristran through the only gap in the wall, across the meadow, and into the most unforgettable adventure of his life.”
After reading it, I feel the book is just okay, bordering on bad. I like the descriptions and I think the plot is inventive. However, there are lots of things I do not like. One thing I do not like is the love scenes (not altogether graphic, and there are only two, but…ewww). Also, there is some bad language that really does not add to the book at all. I guess it is just there to try and appeal to some readers? Another thing I do not like is all of the violence. Lots and lots of violence in this book. I know, I know, it is fantasy…BUT STILL. Finally, a last thing I do not like the use of SO MANY NAMES! I am not a huge fan of fantasy and I think a lot of it comes down to the names. Why must all fantasy books use such crazy names? Why must there be so many characters, humans and otherwise? All those characters, all those names make it hard for me to stay with the plot and really get into the story.
Maybe I need to try a different fantasy book? I don’t know but this one really did not do much for me. I have heard from multiple people that the movie is actually better than the book in this case. I am going to check out the movie soon and blog about that too! :)
“In the sleepy English countryside of decades past, there is a town that has stood on a jut of granite for six hundred years. And immediately to the east stands a high stone wall, for which the village is named. Here in the town of Wall, Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the hauntingly beautiful Victoria Forester. One crisp October night, as they watch, a star falls from the sky, and Victoria promises to marry Tristran if he'll retrieve that star and bring it back for her. It is this promise that sends Tristran through the only gap in the wall, across the meadow, and into the most unforgettable adventure of his life.”
After reading it, I feel the book is just okay, bordering on bad. I like the descriptions and I think the plot is inventive. However, there are lots of things I do not like. One thing I do not like is the love scenes (not altogether graphic, and there are only two, but…ewww). Also, there is some bad language that really does not add to the book at all. I guess it is just there to try and appeal to some readers? Another thing I do not like is all of the violence. Lots and lots of violence in this book. I know, I know, it is fantasy…BUT STILL. Finally, a last thing I do not like the use of SO MANY NAMES! I am not a huge fan of fantasy and I think a lot of it comes down to the names. Why must all fantasy books use such crazy names? Why must there be so many characters, humans and otherwise? All those characters, all those names make it hard for me to stay with the plot and really get into the story.
Maybe I need to try a different fantasy book? I don’t know but this one really did not do much for me. I have heard from multiple people that the movie is actually better than the book in this case. I am going to check out the movie soon and blog about that too! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
