Abducted by Glow

 Before we get started:

 Don't forget to sign up for my 2012 blog challenge by clicking on the pic

 And check out my new blog HERE

Quite a few months ago, my friend Andrea read an advanced readers copy of the book Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan, and she LOVED it. Basically it was her favorite book she read all year and she can't say enough positive things about it.

So, she loaned it to our friend Tracy, who also loved it!

So, then, she loaned it to me. My reaction was more along the lines of: "Uh...okay"

It took me over a month to finish it, when Andrea and Tracy both read it in a matter of days, and after many weeks of processing the book, I still have no idea how to rate it.

Let's break it down shall we,

To start off, the story Glow is about two ships, the Empyrean and the New Horizon, they have left the Earth we know today behind so that they can travel through deep space (an 80 year journey) to arrive at New Earth. Along the course of the journey problems arise, one that leaves the people on New Horizon unable to conceive children. In order to quaruntee their own survival New Horizon commandeers the Empyrean, taking hostage all the young girls.

Was the book well written?

Yes, absolutely. That is to say at times I couldn't believe how intricately woven the story was. It was throughly detailed and extremely clever. But there were a few times where I felt the dialog was a little on the weaker side.

Was the story original and interesting?

With out a doubt, Yes! The basis of the story is heavily rooted in science fiction and yet I didn't feel that the entire book was a science fiction story. There are so many layers to the story that it is hard to say it fits into one genre. Plus, there are a ton of surprises and twists and turns along the way.

Did I like the characters?

This is the part that I really struggled with. I love books with great characters. Whether or not I love a novel is entirely dependent on there being at least one character that I can connect to. I don't have to love the main character but I need to at least like them, care about them, root for them. I do understand that this criteria isn't as important to other readers, but it is what I need to enjoy a book.
Now, Glow is told through the perspective of two teenagers. A girl named Waverly and a boy named Kieran. Waverly tells the story of what happens to the girls when they are taken aboard the New Horizon, and Kieran tells the story of what happens to those left behind on the Empyrean.
I really liked Waverly. When I was reading her parts of the story I couldn't get through it fast enough. Not just because I liked her, but also because the whole idea of being taken hostage only to be treated like a baby making machine is terrifing!!! Although, towards the end there were things that she did that left me scratching my head, and by the very end I found myself completely frustrated and irritated by her.
Kieran, on the other hand was like a teeter totter through out the whole book. I didn't like him from the beginning, then I felt sorry for him, then he started to get pretentious, but then he became a good leader. He also fought with this other guy, Seth, the whole book. Those scenes became a little too much like Lord of the Flies for my taste. I found it very easy to put the book down and walk away for a couple of days (weeks) when it came around to the boys' perspectives.
By the end of the book I did not like Seth, I wasn't too happy with Waverly, but I was rooting for Kieran.

Would I recommend the book? 

Yes, I would. I would tell someone that the book is clever, unique, intriguing, and surprising. And because I was so perplexed by the book I would want to encourage others to read it just to see if they had the same issues as I did or not. Plus, I do think it is the mark of a truly deserving book to leave me, as the reader, questioning so much. This isn't the kind of book that you are going to forget about as soon as you close it, it lingers with you.

And so, now, what do I rate it...

I'm torn between a 3 or a 4.
4 because I really want others to read it and I do think it was clever.
3 because I didn't love the characters and because it was sooo easy for me to walk away from it at times.

But based on my own definitions given for my rating system, I'm going to have to go with...

Abducted by Nano...and other matters

Well, I have officially given up on Nano this year. 

I just wasn't feeling it. It is a little disappointing and it was really hard to let go of it, but in the end, trust me, there was nothing to be done.

I am going to go back and tie some stuff up and try to get to a full 30K, but then I am definitely calling it quits.

I hope everyone else had a more successful year then I had!

Well, actually, I can’t call this year’s Nano completely “unsuccessful” because during this last month I have come up with an absolutely superb idea for next year! Which is one of the things I wanted to talk to you about today.

Next year, my Nano project will be about a girl and her search for love. And in preparation for this project, I am going to be doing some searching in my own life as well. Starting today, for one year I will be praying for love, for change, for hope, and for the future. And I am inviting you to join me.

I have started a new blog called “Courtney’s 29thYear” and I would love for you to follow me. I will still be writing my book reviews and other stuff for this blog, but my other blog will serve as a place to reflect on the many things I will be learning about myself this next year.

I’m really excited (and yet also completely terrified) so please join me!

Also,

I just want to mention that I have started the sign up for my blog challenge for 2012. The challenge is to read 15,000 pages next year. And if you really sit down and think about it, this is probably something you are going to end up doing anyway, so you might as well sign up and be entered to win some cool prizes!

Click on the pic above to learn more about the challenge and sign up

I think that is all for today, I’m hoping to get my post up for my review on the book Glow by the end of the week, so I’ll be seeing you soon!

Abducted by 2012 Challenge

I'm officially announcing that I will be hosting a challenge in 2012!

The challenge is to read 15,000 pages in 2012!

Basically, in the year 2011 a lot of my reading centered around reading graphic novels and listening to audio books. So when I was thinking about how I wanted to challenge myself in 2012, I decided to challenge myself on how many pages I read.

It will break down like this...

read 41 pages a day

read 100 books of 150 pages 

read 75 books of 200 pages

read 50 books of 300 pages

read 30 books of 500 pages

read 15 books of 1000 pages

Do you see how easy this will be?

THE RULES:

1. You have to actually read the pages, i.e. no audio books but I will include e-books since you are actually reading the words. Just look up the book on goodreads or amazon to get a page count number and I trust you to be fair.

2. Graphic Novels are not including because a majority of this genre is centered around the graphics and not the text.

3. You can only include the pages you read between January 1st, 2012 and December 31st, 2012.

4. You can only include the pages you actually read, so if the book has appendixes but you choose not to read them, don't include them in your final tally.

A lot of the rules I will have to trust you and your conscience on whether or not you actually follow them. But I figure, this is a book challenge for avid readers and it is meant to be fun. So I don't really expect a lot of cheating to be going on.

THE PRIZES:

One prize will be given out at the end of the challenge to the person who reads 15,000 pages using the least amount of books.

Another prize will be given out to the person who reads 15,000 pages using the most amount of books.

And if enough people sign up, I'll even give away a prize to whomever has read the most amount of pages by June 30th. 

All you have to do is fill out your information below with your name, email address, url, and let me know how you will be keeping track of your page counts.

ENTER THE CHALLENGE

So blow the dust off your TBR pile and get ready because 2012 is just around the corner!

Abducted by Nostalgia

A long long time ago (three and a half years to be exact) my friend Kate and I started an online book club. It really only consisted of myself, Kate, and our friend Amanda, but the idea was for others to join in. These days Kate and I are both in our own seperately successful book clubs. However, Kate has recently decided to restart our online book club called The Midnight Book Club. We'll each post about the books are clubs are reading that month and hopefully start some good online discussions about them.

But that is not all I wanted to share today!

What I really wanted to share is that, all those years ago, Kate and I had two completely different blogs then the ones we present to you today! Kate was able to find the links to them and sent me mine and I've had so much fun looking over my old blog posts that I felt I just had to share them! So for the next couple of weeks I'm randomly going to re-post some of the highlights from that first blog of mine. Starting today!

The summer that all of this was going on was also the summer that I moved into my first solo apartment. I had moved out with roommates before, but now it is just me, myself, and my dog Riley. And in that first summer I didn't have cable or internet or anything, so I had to rely on dvds to make up my entertainment. Which isn't so different from how I live now, if I'm totally honest.

Anyway, so Kate loaned me the entire series of Felicity on dvd to help pass the time. And one of my first posts was about the tragedy that was the relationship of Julie and Zach in the first season...

"the Pink Guy" and the Pink Power Ranger

• Mood:heartbroken betrayed dissapointed hurt
• Music:No music this time, just season one of Felicity episodes 7&8

Why Zach, Why!?!

Zach just raped Julie!! I can't believe it! I mean how could he? He was perfect, I loved him, I was rooting for him!! He was so adorable being all shy and cute. He was a film geek, I love film geeks!! I mean really Zach you couldn't have taken it slow? That's all Julie wanted. I mean hell, that girl sat through Solaris TWICE for you. Granted the first time she watched it in parts and the second time she fell asleep but hey, the effort was made. You guys were so cute together.

Okay I know I know, I have got to get a grip. I can't completely fall apart over a show that aired a decade ago. And Julie and Zach weren't even the main couple of the show (for that we turn towards the tortured triangle of Felicity, Ben, and Noel) but I loved Zach! And may I point out that in the first SIX episodes of the first season of Felicity, the start of the Zach and Julie disaster, the only abusive thing Zach does is aggressivly handing her her popcorn after she got done ripping his movie apart. So how could those #%$*&^~ writers turn my sweet adorable lovable Zach, into a rapist!?! It's just not fair. NOT FAIR I TELL YOU!!! I DEMAND a re-write.

Alright to be honest, I knew it was coming. I was 15 when Felicity first was on tV. The thing was though that Felicity just kept really pissing me off. She kept crossing the line with all her friends and breaking promises and telling secrets. So after the first half of the first season I just gave up on her. I had seen enough to know that this would happen to Julie. And when I first saw Zach with his pink laundry I suspected that he would be the one. I hoped that I was wrong. But alas, nothing can be done. It is over, they are over. But thanks to my friend Kate, I can now watch Felicity, the whole series, from start to finish. And maybe by the end of it, I will have forgiven Felicity for all her faults and watch as Julie finds another love."

Nice, right? Does it sound like me? I think so! I was really torn up about all that drama! 

Just wait, later this week I will re-post the letter I wrote to J.J. Abrams discussing the ending of the show. 

Abducted by NaNo part 3

Dear Mother Nature,


I wanted to write you a letter to let you know that I really appreciate all that you have done to keep me motivated lately. I mean the simple fact that you would send all of those natural disasters my way, means more to me then you can know!
I mean the flash flood warnings weren't much of a big deal. That happens pretty much every time their is moisture in the air in my neighborhood. 
Nonetheless, the tornado coming through Oklahoma in NOVEMBER! Now, that was pretty incredible.
But I must say, the pièce de résistance has been all of the earthquakes you've been sending me. Now those have been a real nice touch!
Each time the ground started rumbling was a moment when I was on my computer and not working on my NaNo. How, you have come to know me so well, is beyond me! 
And as much as I love how much you care, I must say that it is starting to make some people around here a little nervous. 
That is why, I'm writing you now. I wanted to inform you that all of those motivation techniques of negative reinforcement are no longer needed! Yesterday I wrote 10,000 words in ONE DAY! Can you believe it? It was incredible! I couldn't have done it without you!
Perhaps if you would consider sending some "positive reinforcement" my way, I would really love to see some little white snow flakes falling down around me soon! You know, just a suggestion!
Anyway, thank you for all you've done. And it comforts me to know that you will be there, watching over my shoulder, ready with a volcanic eruption or something, should I fall behind again.


Yours affectionately,


Courtney!


P.S. I'm trusting that if the whole "2012" thing is going to happen, you'll let me know. 


...Right?


Now, in other news! I want to send a shout out to Lori of Imagination Designs! Those of you who are reading my post in your Google Reader may not have noticed, but Lori has completely redesigned my blog! Does it not look fantastic!?! The final look that she created for me goes so far above and beyond what I originally had in mind that I can't even believe it!

Thank you, Lori, it looks amazing!

Abducted by NaNo part 2

Well, let us just say that my participation in the Epic Write-a-thon was an EPIC failure!

I think in total I only wrote like 1500 words!

I went in to work for "just a quick trip" and ended up staying there 3 HOURS!

However, I'm not worried. If there is one thing I have learned from the few episodes of Top Chef I've been sucked into, it is that the only win that matters is the last one.

So, yeah, I wasn't successful today, but as long as I complete NaNo in the end...well then, I'm still a winner.


But I do want to send a big shout out to Steph for being such a great hostess! She puts a lot of work into running that blog and she does a great job

Thanks Steph!

I think when New Years comes around my resolution for the next year is going to be to get better at my time management skills.

Abducted by Nano part 1

So today is Day 5 of NaNoWriMo and so far I'm not doing so well.

I only have 264 words! And those words are completely made up of the title of my novel, the lyrics to the song I titled my novel after, and then 25 pages that provide my 25 chapters with titles.

However, even though I'm only 264 words into my novel, I have already earned myself FOUR of my NaNo badges!

The first one is for NaNo socializing, #3 in the pic above. I went to the kick off party on the 30th, then I posted in a forum for us to meet at Panera Bread on Wednesday night and 8 people ended up coming!

The second badge is for procrastination, #2. I think the simple fact that it is day 5 and I have 264 words should explain why I gave myself that badge!

The third is for padding my novel, #8. I earned that one by including the lyrics to the song I used to title my novel.

And the last one is for having that Eureka moment, #6! Even though I haven't actually started the whole writing process, I have figured out some key moments to the story. Now if only I could get them down on the page!

I took a picture of the badges on my computer but my stupid phone wouldn't let me save the image, so I threw it across the room.

Now for those of you who are curious, I'm using the song Another Day by Paul McCartney as the inspiration for my novel.

I love that when you read the lyrics it is actually a really sad song, but the melody provides this overwhelming  feeling of resiliency and hope.

So, anyway, today is Steph's Epic Write-a-Thon! As of now, they are in the middle of hour 4. I have been on board for participating since the date was first set. However, I woke up this morning at 7 to let the dogs out and I had the worst headache! After I put all the dogs outside I went back to bed for another 2 and a half hours. But now I'm up again, and coffee is made. I still feel pretty...off, like I could come down with a cold in the next day or two. But I plan on getting to work now so I don't waist the entire day.

My goal for the day is 10K words. If I could somehow manage to squeeze out 15K I'll be thrilled! But 10K will be perfectly acceptable. Anything less will be dismal, only because I'm so far behind.

Okay, I'm getting to work now. I'll be back to update you on my progress later in the day.