The Book of Lost Things

I just finished John Connolly's The Book of Lost things.  And I loved it.  In all honesty, it is exactly the kind of thing I like.  Fairy tales reshaped in all sorts of ways+coming of age story=I'm a happy reader.  I really was interested in the book from the moment I began which is very unlike me.  Even when I read a book I'm super excited about it takes me a little while to get acquainted with it and open myself up to the story.  Not the case with this book.  The protagonist, David was a character that made me feel right away that I needed to love him.  He's perceptive and he's kind and vulnerable yet very capable.

The plot was also a great hold.  In the book, David's mother dies and his father remarries and has a new son.  David is coping with the radical change in his family when he gets lost somewhere that is not like his own world at all.  David goes on a journey to see the king of this new world because he believes that the king's Book of Lost Things has the answers David needs to go home.  Along the journey David is told and experiences stories that are familiar fairy tales.  I know some people do not like "fractured fairy tale novels".  Admittedly, I love them.  However I will say that this novel does not fracture the stories at all.  They retain all of their integrity even when they are adapted to fit the story.

The book really held me captive which hasn't happened in a while (notice my hiatus from blogging. which had to do with more than just that).  I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the slightly darker side of fairy tales or any lover of hero's journeys and coming of age novels.

The Harry Potter Adventure: Future for Harry?

As many of you know, Harry Potter author, JK Rowling, was interviewed on Oprah yesterday (October 1, 2010).  In the interview there was some hinting at the idea of writing more Harry Potter books.  I thought this would be an interesting topic for my Harry Potter Adventure blogs.
JK Rowling told Oprah that she feels she is done, but will not say that she won't write more.  My question is what would the possible new books be?  Personally, I feel that Harry Potter's story is complete.  I would not be particularly thrilled about another book about Harry.  Would I still read it?  Yes.  :)  I have some trepidation on the continuation of Harry Potter because I really believe the series is beautiful and complete, and I do not want it to continue to the point of not being as good as it is now.  But, honestly, I trust JK Rowling as an author.  I don't think she will do more books just for the paycheck(because we know she doesn't need the money).  I feel like if she writes more books it is because she has more story to tell.  She is a skilled writer and I will trust her no matter what she chooses to do at this point.

However, I would enjoy books about some of the other characters.  I am particularly interested in a Dumbledore story or the story of Lily and James Potter at Hogwarts.  I am a huge fan of back story so I love a good prequel.  I also think that Lily and James would give a pretty interesting story including Lily's relationship with Snape and James and the Marauders. 

What are your thoughts?
Would you like to read more Harry Potter books?
What would you like to see in future novels from JK Rowling?

The Harry Potter Adventure: The Pregame

Tomorrow, October 1, 2010, I begin my challenge to read all seven Harry Potter books consecutively.  The goal is to be finished before the theatrical release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 on November 19, 2010.  That gives me exactly 50 days to read a total of 4100 pages.  That comes out to 82 pages a day.  *WHEW*

 My history with Harry Potter isn't really all that exciting.  I never dressed up like a character and went to a midnight release party.  I can't even say I was one of the fans before the movies were made.  In fact I didn't even see The Sorcerer's Stone in the theaters because I was in the middle of reading it at the time and didn't want the ending spoiled.  But I love the series.  I truly believe it will last through time as one of the great works of fantasy along with Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Star Wars, and (one of my favorites) His Dark Materials(aka The Golden Compass).  Last year I had the chance to go to the Harry Potter exhibit when it was at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.  While there I had the chance to be sorted.  yep, I wore the sorting hat and it assigned me to my house.  I am a Slytherin.  The thing about Harry Potter that always gets me is how much I fall in love with the characters.  Even the evil ones.  Voldemort is one of the most brilliant villains of all time!  My favorite characters in the series have never been Harry, Ron, or Hermione because the supporting cast is just as well developed as the leading characters.  

As it stands now, my favorites are....
BOOK: 1. The Half Blood Prince 2. The Prisoner of Azkaban
CHARACTER(s):   1. Luna Lovegood  2. Remus Lupin  3. Tom Riddle
MOVIE: The Sorcerer's Stone (I just love the magic of Hogwarts and everything being so new)
MOMENT: Neville Longbottom winning the house cup for Griffindor


Post in the comments your Harry Potter Favorites Lists!

Dear Blog,

So I promised to read and review Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan for you.  However, I just started a new job and have been getting into more rehearsals for the production of Hairspray that I'm doing so that reading hasn't been happening.  I'm still going to read it, but it will be postponed until after I finish my next project.

Next Project?  What, pray tell, could that be???   I'll tell you!

I will be embarking on a journey through all seven Harry Potters!  Yes, I have already read them all.  Some of them multiple times.  However, I thought it would be fun if Jim and I re-read them all together before the next movie.  The question is this: Do I blog about a series of books I assume most of my readers has read?  I could write about things I never really noticed or appreciated about the books until reading them all in succession.  No summaries, no reviewing.  I LOVE these books.  Five Stars(times seven books is 35 stars).  There is the review.  Maybe i'll do short daily updates on the progress since this is a challenge with a deadline.

So how about it bloggers?  would you like to follow me through the Harry Potter Adventure?  Let me know in the comments if this would be at all interesting to you.

Other Posts?

So I've been thinking about adding different kinds of posts to the blog other than just reading reviews.  It's mostly because I am a slow reader and there's no way I can read two books a week(especially when they are 4000+ pages!).  I know a few blogs write about what has been recently released or literary events.  I'm wondering what I can blog about in between reviews.  My one idea was "Reading Memories" in which I would post a blog about books I remember fondly.  This would give me the chance to blog about books I love but that I read before I started blogging.  It would also give me the chance to include non YA titles such as picture books and plays I love. 


What do you think?  Do you like this idea?  Any other brilliant blog ideas that I cannot think up on my own?  This blog is still a baby and I think it has a lot of room to grow.

The Order of Odd Fish by James Kennedy

When she was a baby, orphaned Jo was left on Aunt Lily’s doorstep with a note: “This is Jo.  Please take care of her.  But beware.  This is a Dangerous baby.”  For thirteen years Jo couldn’t find anything remotely dangerous about herself until one day she meets a Russian Colonel who takes advice from his digestive track and his butler, Sefino the cockroach.  Together they go on a rather inconvenient adventure to Eldritch City, the home of The Order of Odd Fish, an order of knights whose purpose is to research pointless subjects.  It is here that Jo finds out that her birth was connected to a mysterious cult and was the cause of the near destruction of Eldritch City.  Jo finally feels like she has found a place where she belongs, but she has to keep her true identity a secret.  This book has some amazing adventures like riding giant squids through underground rivers, cockroaches who find themselves the topic of the gossip columnists, and a millionaire who is trying to become a super villain. 

I do not remember ever laughing more at any book than this one.  I’m not usually one to laugh out loud at books.  It’s probably my catholic school library time that taught me not to make a sound when you are reading.  This book though, had me cracking up.  Much to my embarrassment, I was giggling in my dentist’s office waiting room!  This book just has a flair for the ridiculous that you cannot help but laugh at.  I’ve heard this book being compared to Roald Dahl and even Monty Python.  I can see both of those influences in this novel, but I really think James Kennedy’s first novel has a humor and a charm all its own.  On top of the humor, James Kennedy has a knack for describing things.  There are settings, animals and characters in this book that only exist in the imagination, but they are described so well that the reader has no difficulty understanding the fantastic world of Eldritch City.  I could picture everything so well, that I often felt like I was watching the book happen.  I think this is a great book for those who enjoy adventure and a lot of silliness.  This is James Kennedy’s first novel, but I look forward to more from him in the future!

Update

I've been a slow reader lately so I don't have a review for today.  So Today's post is more of an update.

News: I now have a Twitter!  I'm still confused on how to work it, but I'm trying.  You should follow me at username BkwrmAdventure

Right now I'm reading James Kennedy's The Order of Odd Fish.  So far I'm really enjoying it, and I plan to have the review on it up sometime this weekend!  Check out James Kennedy's website and see for yourself how funny he is!

After that, I am so so so excited to read Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan.  It's my first Westerfeld book and my first adventure into the Steampunk genre.  Check out this video trailer for the book Here!

In other news, one of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman is going to make an appearance on the PBS kids show Arthur!!!!  I think he makes an awesome animated cat.  Yay Neil!  Check it out October 25!

Thanks for reading!  Let me know in the comments if there's any books you'd like to see me read in the future!