Happiness & Matching

Well! One week & 3 tons of homework later, I finished one book and am now halfway through another.

I finished Hector and the Search for Happiness by François Lelord.

Photo Credit : Steph the Bookworm

Okay, I loved this book. It tells the story of Hector, an unhappy psychiatrist who goes on a journey around the world to try to understand what makes people happy and how happiness can be defined. He experiences a range of events contributing to his list of what makes people happy. This short and sweet book combines heartbreak, comedy, love, happiness (of course), and a very realistic factor that gives you an insight to human nature. I found myself questioning how Hector's list could apply to different people, but it does! His observations are based on his specific experiences, but they are observations that can be applied to people internationally. 

This book is a modern-day fairytale that will definitely leave you happy once you finish it (at least it did for me (: ). 

The only con I can see people pointing out is the simplistic sentence structure. This is originally a French book, so it has been translated and the style of the book is very simple and general. I personally really enjoyed this author's style, it was very refreshing and original! 

This book would make a great gift for a friend, be a great topic for a book club, or just be a good book to read yourself and enjoy.

Now my next book is Matched by Ally Condie.

Photo Credit : Amazon

This book will be released in hardcover November 30, 2010. I'm halfway through it, and I honestly think this book should be on your pre-order list. I'm reading the book earlier, because I have an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) of it. The ARC actually didn't have the cover on it, it had this cover:

Photo Credit : Me (:

It's basically quotes from other authors and publishing companies about how good the book is. I agree.

So far, I'll just set the book up for you.

The reader is transported to a futuristic society and can almost be described as communistic, basically everyone is the same. There are very strict rules (not too bad) that everyone lives by and everyone lives for the exact same length of time. Even though it's futuristic and the society plays by different rules, it's still somewhat relatable (the main character is a teenager), I just think it's a really neat idea for a future society. This book has a really interesting perspective and at first I was completely lost! However, I'm on Chapter 12 and now I'm really into it. BTW, I started this book Friday night. Yeah, I read a lot.

So! This book is released a month before Christmas, *wink to the parents*, it would be a very good gift for a kid who likes futuristic books and books about teenagers, *wink to the kids*, put it on your wishlist. Or just buy it  yourself. 

So far my opinion of this book is very high, that could change, although I hope it doesn't.

For now, I'm just really enjoying it. 

Till next week!

Untitled

So I guess I'm going to be limited to weekly posting with my busy schedule, but I've kept it up for three weeks in a row! Let's see how long I can last!

So I was supposed to be reading Hector and the Search for Happiness, which I sort of am... Last week I got an order from Doubleday Book Club or Quality Paperbacks club or something and it was filled with books that I really want to read! So I temporarily got distracted by 'Dead By Day' a book composing the 4th and 5th books in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. I absolutely loved the 4th book which is normally called Dead to the World.

Photo Credit : Amazon

What I really liked about this book was the focus was primarily on Eric for a change instead of Bill. The plot line was also very thrilling and I literally could not put it down! I really don't want to give away too much in case you have read the series (in which case you should) or if you aren't at the 4th book yet. I can honestly say, though, it is my favorite book in the series so far!

Now redirecting the attention to Hector. I am reading that full time now, because I really want to read it! haha. So far it's succeeded in being very interesting and providing interesting insights on what it means to be happy. Something a teenage girl questions often. Probably all teenagers. Probably every living human being. So I really like the point of view of this character.
The only thing I could see lots of people not liking is that the sentences are not very complex...you could almost describe it as plain, but it really isn't plain, because it's still descriptive, original, and interesting, so maybe simple? It is this way because it was originally French and it has been translated. I'm very glad it was too, but I probably still would have tried to get through it in French. I'm a bit of a francophile. Which is part of the reason I chose the book in the first place, besides the adorable cover.
You aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover, how about it's language?

So hopefully next week I'll have this book finished and will be able to tell you more about and hopefully praise it a lot more!

And just as a preview, here are some books that I hope to read after this and review for you:

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Matched by Allie Condie (come out Nov. 30) <-- I actually will probably do this next, or definitely before it comes out.
• Wicked Company by Ciji Ware
• Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (I think I'm the last person on Earth to read this)

And I should stop there otherwise I'll think of twenty books that I want to read.
Which reminds me!
If you want to keep up with what books I'm reading, read, and will read... add me on shelfari.com! If you haven't joined, join! It's a great reading community!
Here's the link to my profile:
http://www.shelfari.com/timelessradiance

Since this post has been a lot of text, I'll add a cute little animation :D

Till next week!

One week later...

One week later... with four books to add!

So Friday (Sept. 10) I finished two books. The second in the 'Blue Bloods' series and the fourth in the 'Private' series.

                        
Photo Credit : Masquerade                                                    Photo Credit : Random Buzzers

BTW, If you are also a fan of the 'Private' series, be sure to check out the web series!
You can watch online or buy the dvd at Amazon! You should watch it, it's soo good!

So I finished Blue Bloods Friday after starting it like Wednesday or Thursday or something... then I started and finished Private right after Blue Bloods on Friday. I read it in one day.
It was sooooo good! haha (:

And since then, I've started Hector and the Search for Happiness by Francis Lelord.
It's very cute and I like it so far!

And I had to mention one more book that I finally took the time to sit down and read/skim through today.
Debt-Free U by Zac Bissonnette.

Photo Credit : Amazon

It's so insightful! Zac has a great writing style and really seems to know the ins and outs of going to college.

This is the ultimate college guide! (for paying for college). 

He explains the loopholes of the FAFSA and basically how to budget for school so you can emerge debt-free! What a great idea, right? 

So be sure to check out this book, you will learn a lot from a guy who was on the inside!

So that's my post for this week. School and other activities are keeping me busy, but I will still try to update lots! (:

Till next time! 

It's been awhile!

Summer is winding down :( and I haven't posted a lot because last week I worked 902834029384 hours and now we have some family friends here!

But I did manage to finish a book in two days so I'll blog about that!

I finished It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han. 

Photo Credit : Borders

It was a good book, much better than the first in my opinion. The problem I had with the first was it kept on leading up to something, and then it never happened! And then the ending just ended... I had no idea there was going to be a second book so I was just upset haha. 

I liked this book because you actually got to know more about the characters and they did more dramatic actions which I think makes a book easier to read (sometimes).

I did have some problems with it though (I'm so nit-picky.)

It did switch between Belly & Jeremiah a lot and I was always confused when I started reading it because I forgot to see who's point of view it was from and it wasn't consistent. 

Then the first half-3/4 of the book was just talking about what happened between the first book and this one, there could have been a whole other book on just that because a lot happened!! (I won't tell you what because it's a huge spoiler). 

And I think there is going to be a 3rd book which is good, because the epilogue to this one was cute and nice but really vague and left me with a lot of questions.

I did like the book though.

The series so far is an entertaining summer read. 

P.S. I just really want to go to a place like Cousins' Beach. :P

Now I'm reading the second book in the Blue Bloods series! :O

new posttt

It's been a few days!

I said I would get back, and I didn't. :(

I have been working SO MUCH, but I work in a bookstore so that makes up for it right? ;)

Anyways, I didn't start either of those books (& magazine). I started (on Mon.) an advanced reader's copy of Party Girl by Sabrina James and it doesn't come out until Jan. 11, 2011 I believe?

Photo Credit : me (:

So anyways I started it Mon. & finished it Mon. haha, it was an easy read. It was that light fun chick lit filled with the drama of highschool and I just couldn't put it down. Sometimes between really deep books or after a HUGE book (*cough* Wideacre) you need a fun little light read to take your mind to a different place.

My only really "con" about this book was that it wasn't deep. I mean I didn't expect it to be really deep and intuitive, but I didn't feel that there was a lot of character development or complex sentences haha... I don't want to be mean, but it seemed too simple. And that's kind of what I wanted to read, but it was just really simple.

To compare it to Lisi Harrison's The Clique, she provides a lot of detail and you really get to know the characters even though it's a light fun read. Maybe Party Girl was just lacking a lot of detail pertaining to the characters and setting and maybe that's the author's style which is perfectly fine!

It was a breath of fresh air which is what I was looking for.

And today I got another advanced reader's copy thanks to a publisher representative and it's called Matched by Ally Condie.

Photo Credit : Amazon

So this looks interesting! I don't know if I'll start it just yet or keep it and read it later... It comes out Nov. 30, 2010 so I'll probably read it before then.

I also think some of books came in from the library so I may preoccupy myself with those...

Well I am going to take a well-deserved (I think) break from work and homework (even though I should really finish it) and play Harvest Moon Tree of Tranquility.

It's a fun game.

Don't judge. (:

Till next time!

Review: Wideacre

Finished Wideacre last night, all 678 pages!

I really don't have a strong opinion about the book, as in whether I really liked it or not, it was a little of both.

I think what made me so uncomfortable about the book (besides numerous scenes) was that since it was so long, I knew the characters too well and they were just, not real, but too realistic for me. It was like a black hole sucking me in.

That is probably the weirdest description you'll ever read, but after the first few hundred pages the events hit you personally, because it's like you're right there with all the characters.

Which should be a good thing though right?

But some events I'd rather not witness so I skipped over them.

If you read the book, you know what I mean.

But I'll probably read the second and third in a few months when I've had some separation from Wideacre.

I do think it was a good story, drawn out in some parts (I basically skimmed the last 5 chapters to find out what happend :P )

But I've heard Philippa has better work and I'm interested to read other things she's done for a change.

But now, I haven't decided on what to read next.

I ordered a few books from the library and I just got Juliet by Anne Fortier, it's supposed to be a girl's Davinci Code, so we'll see. Although I never read the Davinci Code (sad confession) but I saw the movie (doubly sad confession).

Image Credit : Bookfinds Blog

So maybe I'll begin this book!

I also had the pleasure of recieving something else in the mail (Wideacre persuades me to talk in formal English)... *drumroll*

Image credit : Vogue

That's right all you booklovers (of which I am a part), I also love fashion! (:

I haven't decided what to read yet, but I'll let you know!

I'll probably read some of both. (:

Review: The Scorch Trials

Let's just start off by saying, I started The Scorch Trials Thursday evening (8/19) and finished it Saturday night (8/21). It was that good. I had to control myself so I didn't finish it too quickly, because I really wanted to enjoy it, but in the end I just couldn't help myself haha.

Well the whole gang is back for the second book and the Gladers are thrown into more horrifying challenges providing many thrills for the reader.

Many new characters are introduced and some are taken away.

There are so many twists and turns that you keep going back and forth from who you can trust to who you can't. This is the book version of a rollercoaster!

I don't want to give too much away... it's hard to talk in depth about it without giving away what happens so I won't. haha

James Dashner does not disappoint in this book and he will leave you super excited for the third book!!

Now I'm going to start on Philippa Gregory's "Wideacre" series--a trilogy. A bit of a change from kids fighting for survival.