Friday, November 29, 2013

Hunger Games












The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins fits Science Fiction on Literary Exploration hallenge and Dystopian on Eclectic Reader Challenge. I wish to note that I have not seen either of the Hunger Game Movies.

The society has survived a war.  There are twelve districts and each year, 2 younger people from each district are chosen by lot to compete in the Hunger Games, one male and one female.  The games are held in an arena and only one can survive and be declared the winner.There are great perks for the winner, their family and the district from which they came.  Katniss Everdine and her friend Gale have been hunting for years together in a part of their district that is beyond the fense.  Kat is a good archer.  When the time for selection comes, her sister, Primrose's name is called.  Being a good sister, Kat volunteers to go instead.
The young man chosen is Peeta who is the son of the baker.  It turns out that Peeta has had a crush on Kat for a long time and their mentor decides to use this romance as a way to get them sponsos.

I was surprised that I loved the story and the way it is told.  I am not sure if I want to see the movies or not as the descriptions are wonderful and seeing them on screen may spoil my enjoyment of the books should I decide to read the others.

I certainly would recommend that a parent should decide if their child is mature enough for the violence that has to be described in such a game situation.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Almost A Christmas Bride













Almost a Christmas Bride by Susan Crosby was read for the Christmas Spirit Challenge.  It is a 2011 Harlequin Special Edition that was among my books.

Shana Callahan is a single mother who has been working for a temp agency called At Your Service doing clerical or domestic jobs.  She is offered a full time job back home by Lance Kincaid.  The job is live in and she is afraid people with get the wrong idea.   Kincaid is good looking and single and has a large house.  he lets Shana select which bedrooms she will occupy.

They try their best to keep the relationship strictly business but they do wind up sleeping together and she could have become pregnant.  The test is negative and they feel they have bitten the bullet, until a friend suggests that the test was taken at the wrong time of day.  When she takes another test, it is positive.  Kincaid asks her out to dinner and she choose this time to tell him that she is pregnant.  He had prepared a surprise for her, he had a ring ready and he asks her to marry him.  She says yes.  He had even arranged with her father to buy his business on Christmas Eve.

I liked the way this book progressed their relationship.  They started off not fully liking each other and wind up in love.  It is a very easy book to read.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

The Little Prince














The Little Prince is a classic book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery which was translated from the original French to English.  It is also by book for L in A-Z Challenge.

I had never read this book before even though I had heard about it.  I loved reading the story and enjoyed the illustrations.  I know scientifically that if someone is in the desert that they can hallucinate.  But, was this one or could the events really have happened?  Part of me would like to believe that such an event is really possible.  The other part says that the story can from someone with a wonderful imagination.

You should go read this book and make up your own mind as to which you think is true.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Chistmas Spirit Read-a-Thon 2013

It's time! The 5th year of the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge! Like last year, there are multiple levels for participation, like children's books and watching Christmas movies...and I have an extra special twist this year...so read on!
Details and sign up:
  • challenge will run from Friday, November 22, 2013 through Monday, January 6, 2014 (Twelfth Night or Epiphany).
  • cross over with other challenges is totally permitted AND encouraged!
  • These must be Christmas novels, books about Christmas lore, a book of Christmas short stories or poems, books about Christmas crafts, and for the first time...a children's Christmas books level!
  • Levels:
            --Candy Cane:  read 1 book
            --Mistletoe:  read 2-4 books

            --Christmas Tree:  read 5 or 6 books (this is the fanatic level...LOL!)
          Additional levels:
            --Fa La La La Films:  watch a bunch or a few Christmas movies...it's up to you!
            --Visions of Sugar Plums:  read books with your children this season and share what you read
          *the additional levels are optional, you still must complete one of the main reading levels above
  • the most important rule?  Have fun!!!   
  • I will start with Candy Cane and hope to watch at least one movie.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Sentence Starters

Each year, Pop Culture Nerd provides a dozen or so sentence starters which you then use to tell others about yourself using the titles of books you have read during the current calender year.
Here are my responses for 2013

My to-do list looks likeA Novel Way to Die by Ali Brandon
If a peeping Tom peeked into my bedroom, he’d: [see] Cat Spitting Mad by Shirley Murphy Rousseau
If Martians meet me, they’d think: (I was) Hidden in Plain View by Diane Burke
My doctor is always telling me: [that I should make) Dangerous Alterations by Elizabeth Lynn Casey
The weirdest thing that happened this past week: (I saw on Halloween) Ella the Rose Fairy by Daisy Meadows
I often daydream about: (being) Enslaved by Shoshanna Evers
The government shutdown makes me: [think there is] Murder on the Mind  by Jeff Resnick
If I win the lottery, I’d: (have) One Hex of a Wedding by Yasmine Galenorn
My superpower isKiss of Fire by Rebecca Ethington
I knew I was a book lover when: [I was] Out of Circulation by Miranda James 
My blogging experience has beenRead and Buried by Erika Chase

*This post is sponsored by Grammarly.com*
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