Hamlet

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Of the Shakespeare plays I have read, this is one of my favorites. There is so much emotional, philosophical, and theological conflict which makes this interesting to read. I recommend watching the Kenneth Branagh film while or after reading.



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Please (Don't) Ignore Vera Deitz

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I read this book for part of a Community Reads project and really enjoyed it. King is in touch with what it means to be a teenager and her writing reflects this understanding. I definitely recommend this book to all who like high-stakes and suspensful reads.



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Clarity is a Clear Hit

Clarity by Kim Harrington

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a fantastic read. I love a good mystery and this book definitely exceeds my criteria for a good mystery. It's fast-paced, has a great mood, and will keep you puzzling until the very end. Also, the Fern family's abilities are really intriguing and add a lot to the excitement of the book. I highly recommend it to anybody looking for an interesting, thrilling, and chilling novel.



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Photo and review from Goodreads

Fast Facts: Recent Writer Updates

I have a few writer related updates at the moment:

-Misadventures in Filgersville is now available on Amazon's Kindle store for devices supporting Kindle programs. It can be viewed through this link. Filgersville on Amazon

-With that said, a new edition has been added to Goodreads of Misadventures in Filgersville for the Kindle edition. Feel free to review/rate that edition if you so please.Kindle Edition

Author Andrew Clements signing books at Tatnuck.

-The last Local Author Extravaganza on Black Friday went great. Thanks to everybody who came. It was nice to see some familiar faces and meet new authors from the area and reconnect with old friends from last time. I will also be attending the same event on December 26th at Borders from 1-4/5.

-Finally, I attended Andrew Clement's book signing at Tatnuck recently. It was really great to meet an author who I read and enjoyed through my childhood. He was very friendly and I was amazed by his timeline of book covers which was so long that it needed to be held up by multiple people. That's impressive!

An A+ for The Alphabets

Wow! Cecelia In Lee's The Alphabets is quite the read. This story follows ten different seniors in high school. The reader realizes how they relate to each other and is left hanging with suspenseful twists and serious issues like divorce, drug addictions, and secretive scandals with this rich young adult group in the city called The Alphabets. As this group goes through several parties and hangovers they realize how important they are to each other.

This book has very dynamic characters. They really pop off of the page and each deal with their own issue in a distinct way that reflects their strong personalities. I felt like I was among them when I read and I really cared about the people. Cecelia also creates a clear image of their relationships with each other with both comical and serious scenes. I definitely recommend this book to somebody who is looking for a fast-paced, action-filled read.

To purchase, visit the book's website. See http://www.authorhouse.com/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=72671

Pay it Forward: Random Act of Publicity Week

We've always been told that it's better to give than receive, to pay it forward, and to essentially be generous to others. So why don't we do this in the writing world? Author Darcy Pattinson has addressed this issue with Random Acts of Publicity Week. From September 7-10, writers can participate in this "holiday" by reviewing friends' books on Goodreads, posting to their blogs, buying books, or doing generous things to promote others' works. September is always a productive month what with returning to school and work, so why shouldn't we all try to read a good book and post something nice about it somewhere, suggest it to a friend, or write a positive review on  Goodreads. So take some time now to read a book and prepare to pay it forward.

More details can be read on Darcy Pattinson's website. (Note, the banner displayed is Darcy's and does not belong to me.)

The Last Olympian= Gold Medal Success

Although it doesn't have to do with the Olympics, Rick Riordan's The Last Olympian is an outstanding book.
This book may have been a quick read, but I loved it. Rick Riordan describes his characters so well that they became clear people and images in my brain. Quite often when I read books I picture the characters looking like somebody I have seen before but with his series, I have always had a clear illustration of who the people are. They really pop off of the page and make the reader care about them and their multi-faceted personality. One character who I particularly liked was Hestia. She came off as a sweet girl but with great wisdom and values.


The ending was not in the least disappointing either. I was curious as to how Riordan would end his series. I was afraid that Percy was going to end up being the hero and somehow work the Great Prophecy so he is not defeated by Kronos. But I was more than happy with the twists in the ending, between Sliena's valiant death (another scene which was vivid in my mind) and Luke's ultimate sacrifice in the end when he realized that he had made a big mistake. The ending to this series is not at all cliché but still has a happy resolution that left me smiling. 5 out 5 stars!

(This is a link to my Goodreads account where you can find this review and others.)
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/118400964