Book #3 "A Walk in the Park" by Jill Mansell: "She'd learned her lesson; life was here to be lived and risks needed to be taken. It was the only way." page 430
Jill Mansell's "A Walk in the Park" mainly follows the life of Lara. Lara left her home, her boyfriend, and seemingly everything else behind 18 years ago and no one seems to know why but now she is back and it is one thing after the other. She comes face to face once again with her old boyfriend Flynn, and gives him the surprise of his life. Between the drama with Flynn, her best friend Evie, and trying to move back into her old family home that is now her's Lara stays pretty busy.
"A Walk in the Park" was, once again, one of those easy predictable romance novels that I occasionally will pick up just as something dependable to read. One can almost always can have the plot predicted by the end of the first chapter but for some reason that doesn't stop us slightly hopeless romantics/bored people from picking these kinds of books up and enjoying them none the less.
The only thing that I personally didn't really care for was the unnecessary gay relationships that Manell thought would be a good idea to throw into the story when honestly it would have been just fine without it. I just hate that everywhere I go, everything I watch, or read it is there. Constantly. If you are a supporter or you have made the choice to be in a gay relationship yourself I have nothing against it but it doesn't mean that I want to read all about it in the books that I read or the shows that I watch. That is all on the topic.
I will say this however, even though Mansell's novel was at first glance going to be like all the others, and in the end let's be honest it was, but I will give credit where credit is due at times while reading it I honestly had no idea how it was going to work out to get the final classic result that I figured she was going for or even why somethings were being mentioned to begin with. But in the end it did all work out, as always, and all the strange sidetracked stories did end up making sense. 390
Overall good read, don't know if I will be reading anything else anytime soon by Mansell but I guess you never know. On to book #4 we have "The American Heiress" by Daisy Goodwin. I have heard some good things about this book and I splurged and bought it for myself for Christmas so hopefully it will be worth it.
Page Count: 1109 pages
That's all for now,
Michaela Jane
Monday, January 20, 2014
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Book #2 "Peter Pan"...Finished!!
Book #2 "Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie: "All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in the garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs. Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, "Oh, why can't you remain like this for ever!" This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end." page 1.
Well unless you have had a very very sad childhood you have heard the story of 'Peter Pan' at least once at some point in your life. So I'm not gonna spend a bunch of time on an overview of it. Because honestly if you have never heard of Peter Pan go rent the Disney movie or even better yet get the book and educate yourself, please, I beg you.
So for all of you that are familiar with the story lets talk about some of the differences just between the classic Disney movie, that most of us grew up with, and the equally as classic book. Shall we?
First thing I would like to point out is that most people I have talked to and told that I was going to read this book told me that Peter is portrayed as a bad guy. Well folks I am here to tell you that that isn't true. To say that he acts selfishly, putting his own thoughts and actions above everyone else through out the book, would be a bit of an understatement. However, truthfully he acts like a spoiled little kid who has just been getting his way for far to long. Which, let's be honest, that's pretty much the idea of the book. He just acts drastically more so like this in the book then in the movie.
Captain Hook. Dear, dear, Captain Hook. Well for starters he freaked me out a lot more in the book. But the thing that got me the most, for some reason, was the fact that they tell you he died by the crocodile in the book. Sure I get that it was a Disney movie for kids and they didn't want to show death but at the end of the movie when you see Hook practically running on water away from the crocodile, who is fast in pursuit I don't know I guess I always just assumed that the chase went on forever and he never really died. Please tell me I'm not the only one, whoever you are reading this?
Now the thing that just killed me the most. Tinker Bell. You know how she talks and it just sounds like bells? Ya, in the book they are kind enough to translate for the readers enjoyment and it turns out most of the time she is saying, make sure your sitting down I don't know if your ready for this...'You silly ass.' I kid you not. She says maybe 3 other things the whole time. Ya, I can't even talk more about this one.
Now I could obviously got on and on and on about the differences in the book but instead let's go ahead and skip to the end. In the end not only does Wendy, John, and Michael all go back home but so do all the 'lost boys', whom end up getting adopted into the Darling family. Mrs. Darling and Peter have a conversation and end up agreeing to Wendy going back to Neverland later in life for a week at a time, and she does go back 2 or 3 times.
Overall it pretty much just really messed with everything I use to believe in as far as this story goes. So go read it and have your mind blown as well.
Next book up for #3 is "A Walk in the Park" by Jill Mansell.
PAGE COUNT: 678
That's all for now,
Michaela Jane
Well unless you have had a very very sad childhood you have heard the story of 'Peter Pan' at least once at some point in your life. So I'm not gonna spend a bunch of time on an overview of it. Because honestly if you have never heard of Peter Pan go rent the Disney movie or even better yet get the book and educate yourself, please, I beg you.
So for all of you that are familiar with the story lets talk about some of the differences just between the classic Disney movie, that most of us grew up with, and the equally as classic book. Shall we?
First thing I would like to point out is that most people I have talked to and told that I was going to read this book told me that Peter is portrayed as a bad guy. Well folks I am here to tell you that that isn't true. To say that he acts selfishly, putting his own thoughts and actions above everyone else through out the book, would be a bit of an understatement. However, truthfully he acts like a spoiled little kid who has just been getting his way for far to long. Which, let's be honest, that's pretty much the idea of the book. He just acts drastically more so like this in the book then in the movie.
Captain Hook. Dear, dear, Captain Hook. Well for starters he freaked me out a lot more in the book. But the thing that got me the most, for some reason, was the fact that they tell you he died by the crocodile in the book. Sure I get that it was a Disney movie for kids and they didn't want to show death but at the end of the movie when you see Hook practically running on water away from the crocodile, who is fast in pursuit I don't know I guess I always just assumed that the chase went on forever and he never really died. Please tell me I'm not the only one, whoever you are reading this?
Now the thing that just killed me the most. Tinker Bell. You know how she talks and it just sounds like bells? Ya, in the book they are kind enough to translate for the readers enjoyment and it turns out most of the time she is saying, make sure your sitting down I don't know if your ready for this...'You silly ass.' I kid you not. She says maybe 3 other things the whole time. Ya, I can't even talk more about this one.
Now I could obviously got on and on and on about the differences in the book but instead let's go ahead and skip to the end. In the end not only does Wendy, John, and Michael all go back home but so do all the 'lost boys', whom end up getting adopted into the Darling family. Mrs. Darling and Peter have a conversation and end up agreeing to Wendy going back to Neverland later in life for a week at a time, and she does go back 2 or 3 times.
Overall it pretty much just really messed with everything I use to believe in as far as this story goes. So go read it and have your mind blown as well.
Next book up for #3 is "A Walk in the Park" by Jill Mansell.
PAGE COUNT: 678
That's all for now,
Michaela Jane
Friday, January 3, 2014
Book #1: "Divergent"... Finished!!
Book #1 "Divergent" by Veronica Roth: "That is all I need: to remember who I am. And I am someone who does not let inconsequential things like boys and near-death experiences stop her." page 346
"Divergent" is about our world in the future, no it doesn't give an idea of just how far into the future it is, and how things are different. In the world, or at least in the city of Chicago where the book takes place, according to "Divergent" everyone is split up into one of 5 different 'factions' or groups which are based on different human characteristics; Abnegation is the selfless, Amity the peaceful, Candor the honest, Erudite the intelligent, and Dauntless the brave.
The story follows the life of Beatrice, or Tris as she starts to be referred to in the book, as she goes through the choosing ceremony and then the initiation process that will ultimately pick which faction she will spend the rest of her life in.
On the crazy off chance that you have not seen any of the trailers for the "Divergent" movie that is due to come out in March 2014 I will not ruin anything by telling you which faction she picks.
If you have either watched or read any of the "Hunger Games" that will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect when starting in on "Divergent". Now that being said, and I really don't want to spend to much time comparing the two because I really do think they are both quite good on their own, I don't want to give you the impression that they are both the same much more to emphasize that they have the same feel to them. (If that makes any sense at all)
The book was very well written and just a really good read overall. It is the first in a trilogy so I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the next one as soon as possible.
The next book up for #2 is a bit more of a classic, it's "Peter Pan" by J.M.Barrie. I've been wanting to read this for awhile and I finally got my own copy of it for Christmas. However, I've been warned that Peter is kind of a villain in the book so hopefully that doesn't mess with everything I've been taught in my childhood to much.
Oh before I forget, Page Count for 2014: 487 pages.
That's all for now,
Michaela Jane
"Divergent" is about our world in the future, no it doesn't give an idea of just how far into the future it is, and how things are different. In the world, or at least in the city of Chicago where the book takes place, according to "Divergent" everyone is split up into one of 5 different 'factions' or groups which are based on different human characteristics; Abnegation is the selfless, Amity the peaceful, Candor the honest, Erudite the intelligent, and Dauntless the brave.
The story follows the life of Beatrice, or Tris as she starts to be referred to in the book, as she goes through the choosing ceremony and then the initiation process that will ultimately pick which faction she will spend the rest of her life in.
On the crazy off chance that you have not seen any of the trailers for the "Divergent" movie that is due to come out in March 2014 I will not ruin anything by telling you which faction she picks.
If you have either watched or read any of the "Hunger Games" that will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect when starting in on "Divergent". Now that being said, and I really don't want to spend to much time comparing the two because I really do think they are both quite good on their own, I don't want to give you the impression that they are both the same much more to emphasize that they have the same feel to them. (If that makes any sense at all)
The book was very well written and just a really good read overall. It is the first in a trilogy so I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the next one as soon as possible.
The next book up for #2 is a bit more of a classic, it's "Peter Pan" by J.M.Barrie. I've been wanting to read this for awhile and I finally got my own copy of it for Christmas. However, I've been warned that Peter is kind of a villain in the book so hopefully that doesn't mess with everything I've been taught in my childhood to much.
Oh before I forget, Page Count for 2014: 487 pages.
That's all for now,
Michaela Jane
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
New Name, New Plan, New Year
The Plan: So as you all know I only was able to read 25 books this last year, so for this year I will be stepping it up a little and (attempting) to go for (at least) 50 books this year. Wish me luck ;P
The Name: As I'm sure you might have noticed the blog also has a new name. I don't promise to be reading 100 books any time soon but at least I am going to keep trying until I get it, which yes that might be pathetic and take FOREVER. So it is in the 'Take 2' phase of the blog.
The Next Book: The first book of the year is going to be "Divergent" by Veronica Roth. Trying not to get stuck in the mindset that it is going to be like the "Hunger Games" as everyone has been telling me it is. Don't want to get my hopes up to high and expecting to much.
New Features: Something else kind of cool that I will be doing is going to be keeping a running page count from every book that I read. :)
Looking forward to this next year and all the wonderful stories and fictional lives that I will get to be apart of.
That's all for now,
Michaela Jane
The Name: As I'm sure you might have noticed the blog also has a new name. I don't promise to be reading 100 books any time soon but at least I am going to keep trying until I get it, which yes that might be pathetic and take FOREVER. So it is in the 'Take 2' phase of the blog.
The Next Book: The first book of the year is going to be "Divergent" by Veronica Roth. Trying not to get stuck in the mindset that it is going to be like the "Hunger Games" as everyone has been telling me it is. Don't want to get my hopes up to high and expecting to much.
New Features: Something else kind of cool that I will be doing is going to be keeping a running page count from every book that I read. :)
Looking forward to this next year and all the wonderful stories and fictional lives that I will get to be apart of.
That's all for now,
Michaela Jane
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