Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Ratings:
Ease with which to listen/enjoyable narration style 5.0
Suitable ending 5.0
Personal favoritism 4.75
Poetic language 3.5
Memorable 4.75
Original, creative plot 4.75
Original, well-developed characters 4.5
Probability of recommendation 5.0
Ability to "move" emotionally 3.5
Literary value and/or educational value 3.5
Total: 44.25
Final Rating: 4 stars
4-sentence summary:
Lyra Belacqua is a headstrong 11-year-old orphan growing up in a university full of scholars in an 18th century setting. Her uncle, Lord Asriel, comes to visit her often, and it is on one of these visits that Lyra stumbles upon a great secret that could change the course of human history. She embarks on a journey, accompanied by several unusual but fascinating friends (including an armored polar bear) to find the truth of what she's learned and to save the ones she loves.
Critique:
I will address two aspects of this book. Firstly, the audiobook quality. It is phenomenal. There is a full cast for the voice actors; and they are all cast perfectly. It was like watching a movie while driving; the emotions of the actors were so real and perfectly done that it was extremely difficult to leave the audiobook behind when a journey was over. I would highly recommend to anyone considering this story to get the audiobook (narrated by Philip Pullman himself, who has a deep and lyrical voice). Stephen has a copy if you are interested.
Secondly, the plot itself. The progression of this book is comparable to an avalanche. Although there is a slow start, it soon starts flying toward more and more secrets and plot-twists and climaxes that you are left breathless and wondering. Lyra is an admirable character (truly a mini-heroine), and the other characters in the book are so incredibly realistic (even in this fantasy world) that you feel you could reach out and touch them.
Now. If you've heard anything about the book, it's either that people were disappointed with the movie rendition or you've heard the uproar about the anti-Catholicism themes. I'll tell you this much: Do NOT watch the movie first. It is an accurate account of the book but leaves out the most important part: the ending.
The anti-Catholicism is slight, but it is definitely there. There is a hint of it at the end of this book (which is somewhat confusing until you read the rest of the series) and then more of it throughout the remaining books. As far as a book recommendation for youngsters go, I would still highly recommend this book. The first book has hardly any references to the "evils of the Catholic church" (and they are obscure, at that). If you decide to read "The Subtle Knife" or "The Amber Spyglass" (the two remaining books in the trilogy) you will find more theology than you know what to do with. But the themes of religion are important to the plot (as the villain in this book is the church called the Magisterium) and you can overlook the Catholic references in light of a higher-purpose in the book. Do not be intimidated by these themes or their critiques: truly, they are minimal in comparison to the epic nature of the book.
All in all, this book is amazing. It's a young adult novel, but it's packed full of adult themes like forgiveness, vengeance, and so on. The story is memorable and original, and the ending of this book is breathtaking. Highly recommended!
Friday, September 17, 2010
Prisoner of Tehran by Marina Nemat
Genre: War-time Memoir (nonfiction biography)
Ratings:
Ease with which to read/enjoyable author style 4.0
Suitable ending 3.5
Personal favoritism 3.5
Poetic language 3.5
Memorable 4.75
Original, creative plot 4.75
Original, well-developed characters 4.5
Probability of recommendation 5.0
Ability to "move" emotionally 5.0
Literary value and/or educational value 5.0
Total: 43.5
Final Rating: 4 stars
4-sentence summary:
Marina Nemat, in her striking memoir, was a 16-year-old girl living in Tehran, Iran when the Ayatollah had her arrested and sent to a prison camp named Evin. Marina, struggling through the tortures of the camp and the deaths of her friends, is given a literal "get out of jail free" card, but at a terrible cost. In a combination of both flashbacks, present-day, and Iran in the 1980's, Marina tells her tale with sadness and remorse and leaves you wondering at humanity's capacity for good and evil.
Critique:
I don't know much about Iran, or the Ayatollah, and I'd never heard of Evin before. However, we've all read prison tales (think Holocaust) .... and the themes are the same. The captors try to break the bodies and spirits of their prisoners. It's an intimidating task to read a novel such as this, but I believe it is essential.
This book was not as gruesome as it could have been; Marina refrains from the harsher details. One of my main criticisms of the book is that I personally don't agree with Marina on a moral level. She has a very black-and-white view of morality, good and evil. In my case, though, as shown through this novel, I believe that even "evil people" (torturers, prison guards) have the capacity for good. Marina was a frustrating but very realistic narrator. Her self-questioning keeps you in the moment and second-guessing what will happen next. The novel was written very plainly (with no complicated prose) and was kept to a reasonable length; I read it within 24 hours.
I think this book would be an excellent choice for a high school library or in any high school English or Social Studies class; our students need to know what is happening around the world so they can learn from the past. I would definitely pair this book with "Stolen Lives" (by Malika Oufkir). Both are tales of revolutions in countries that I've never paid much attention to (Morocco and Iran), and the degradation of beautiful, healthy countries into miserable dictatorships. Both are tales of women coming-of-age inside a prison cell. And both tell of the capacity for human beings to survive against all odds. This book will be staying on my shelf.
Ratings:
Ease with which to read/enjoyable author style 4.0
Suitable ending 3.5
Personal favoritism 3.5
Poetic language 3.5
Memorable 4.75
Original, creative plot 4.75
Original, well-developed characters 4.5
Probability of recommendation 5.0
Ability to "move" emotionally 5.0
Literary value and/or educational value 5.0
Total: 43.5
Final Rating: 4 stars
4-sentence summary:
Marina Nemat, in her striking memoir, was a 16-year-old girl living in Tehran, Iran when the Ayatollah had her arrested and sent to a prison camp named Evin. Marina, struggling through the tortures of the camp and the deaths of her friends, is given a literal "get out of jail free" card, but at a terrible cost. In a combination of both flashbacks, present-day, and Iran in the 1980's, Marina tells her tale with sadness and remorse and leaves you wondering at humanity's capacity for good and evil.
Critique:
I don't know much about Iran, or the Ayatollah, and I'd never heard of Evin before. However, we've all read prison tales (think Holocaust) .... and the themes are the same. The captors try to break the bodies and spirits of their prisoners. It's an intimidating task to read a novel such as this, but I believe it is essential.
This book was not as gruesome as it could have been; Marina refrains from the harsher details. One of my main criticisms of the book is that I personally don't agree with Marina on a moral level. She has a very black-and-white view of morality, good and evil. In my case, though, as shown through this novel, I believe that even "evil people" (torturers, prison guards) have the capacity for good. Marina was a frustrating but very realistic narrator. Her self-questioning keeps you in the moment and second-guessing what will happen next. The novel was written very plainly (with no complicated prose) and was kept to a reasonable length; I read it within 24 hours.
I think this book would be an excellent choice for a high school library or in any high school English or Social Studies class; our students need to know what is happening around the world so they can learn from the past. I would definitely pair this book with "Stolen Lives" (by Malika Oufkir). Both are tales of revolutions in countries that I've never paid much attention to (Morocco and Iran), and the degradation of beautiful, healthy countries into miserable dictatorships. Both are tales of women coming-of-age inside a prison cell. And both tell of the capacity for human beings to survive against all odds. This book will be staying on my shelf.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
Genre: Fiction
Ratings:
Ease with which to read/enjoyable author style 2.5
Suitable ending 1.75
Personal favoritism 1.75
Poetic language 2.0
Memorable 2.0
Original, creative plot 3.5
Original, well-developed characters 2.75
Probability of recommendation 1.5
Ability to "move" emotionally 2.0
Literary value and/or educational value 1.5
Total: 21.25
Final Rating: 2 stars
4-sentence summary:
Edgar Sawtelle's family raises a fictional breed of dogs, known as the "Sawtelle Dogs", whose companionship and clear-focus is idealized by Almondine, Edgar's best friend. Edgar, having been born mute, relies heavily on his parents and the dogs for his daily life. But when Edgar's father is murdered, Edgar is forced to flee into the wilderness with some of the dogs and fend for himself.
Critique:
This book had so much promise, and was highly recommended not just by Oprah but by Target and reviewers. I generally enjoy books with such high reviews; but this time, I did not.
The first 150 pages could be eliminated. Dry, overly-flourished prose about the idyllic family make the plot unbearable and stagnant. It is only when Edgar is forced into the wild that the author truly comes into a beautiful writing style: a sort of new "Hatchet". But it has such self-importance that it is difficult to take seriously. A sample: "All around, fireflies glowed their radium bellies" (page 331). The prose is too fancy for the plot, which is stagnant and unoriginal. Instead of feeling inspired, it feels heavy and misplaced.
The villain of the book, Claude, has no real motivation for his villainous actions. Occasionally, the author uses a chapter to tell another character's point of view other than Edgar's: his mother's, his dog's, and Claude's. But these chapters do not provide any additional insights into the characters or the plot at all and serve as filler for this lengthy book. The book is 560 pages long; the story could be told in 200.
Finally, the ultimate point of the book: "Why are the Sawtelle dogs so important" is lost on the reader, as Edgar never reveals the secret. The story ends from the perspective of Essay, a Sawtelle dog who has run away. ... What?! This incoherent plot, bizarre obsession with training dogs, and incredibly useless length of the flowery prose is a sure sign that this book is going up for sale at my next yard sale.
Ratings:
Ease with which to read/enjoyable author style 2.5
Suitable ending 1.75
Personal favoritism 1.75
Poetic language 2.0
Memorable 2.0
Original, creative plot 3.5
Original, well-developed characters 2.75
Probability of recommendation 1.5
Ability to "move" emotionally 2.0
Literary value and/or educational value 1.5
Total: 21.25
Final Rating: 2 stars
4-sentence summary:
Edgar Sawtelle's family raises a fictional breed of dogs, known as the "Sawtelle Dogs", whose companionship and clear-focus is idealized by Almondine, Edgar's best friend. Edgar, having been born mute, relies heavily on his parents and the dogs for his daily life. But when Edgar's father is murdered, Edgar is forced to flee into the wilderness with some of the dogs and fend for himself.
Critique:
This book had so much promise, and was highly recommended not just by Oprah but by Target and reviewers. I generally enjoy books with such high reviews; but this time, I did not.
The first 150 pages could be eliminated. Dry, overly-flourished prose about the idyllic family make the plot unbearable and stagnant. It is only when Edgar is forced into the wild that the author truly comes into a beautiful writing style: a sort of new "Hatchet". But it has such self-importance that it is difficult to take seriously. A sample: "All around, fireflies glowed their radium bellies" (page 331). The prose is too fancy for the plot, which is stagnant and unoriginal. Instead of feeling inspired, it feels heavy and misplaced.
The villain of the book, Claude, has no real motivation for his villainous actions. Occasionally, the author uses a chapter to tell another character's point of view other than Edgar's: his mother's, his dog's, and Claude's. But these chapters do not provide any additional insights into the characters or the plot at all and serve as filler for this lengthy book. The book is 560 pages long; the story could be told in 200.
Finally, the ultimate point of the book: "Why are the Sawtelle dogs so important" is lost on the reader, as Edgar never reveals the secret. The story ends from the perspective of Essay, a Sawtelle dog who has run away. ... What?! This incoherent plot, bizarre obsession with training dogs, and incredibly useless length of the flowery prose is a sure sign that this book is going up for sale at my next yard sale.
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Ratings:
Ease with which to read/enjoyable author style 4.0
Suitable ending 3.5
Personal favoritism 2.75
Poetic language 2.0
Memorable 4.5
Original, creative plot 4.0
Original, well-developed characters 3.5
Probability of recommendation 3.0
Ability to "move" emotionally 3.5
Literary value and/or educational value 2.5
Total: 33.25
Final Rating: 3 1/2 stars
4-sentence summary:
Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games- twice- and has been rescued by the mysterious District 13. She is left to mourn Peeta's fate and help the rebellion by being their "Mockingjay"- the symbol of the rebellion. District 13 rallies the other Colonies to fight against the Capitol, and the world changes forever.
Critique:
I read a review on Amazon.com that really stuck with me, and really sticks to the point: "I lost count how many times she woke up in the hospital while the story unfolded around her but always without her." The problem with this story is not Katniss' 15-page-long lamentations about how she has failed everyone around her, but how she fails to act at all. There are moments in this book where the plot is moving forward, moving forward, about to climax, and then Katniss gets knocked out and the plot moves forward without her. It is as though the author couldn't figure out how to get Katniss to act the way she wanted, so just wrote the plot without her in it. Katniss was a likable character in The Hunger Games- she is no longer likable. She spends this whole book whining about how she is too numb to go on, somehow gets the credit for everything good that happens, and then causes the deaths of thousands of people without any blame or repercussion.
The villain, President Snow, is so poorly developed it's laughable. Though he is involved in several plot twists at the end of the book, the plot was so heavily focused on "war is bad" that the "evil government" took a back seat for the majority of the book: missing the point of the first book entirely. The singular goal of "Kill Snow" misses the point as well- where is believable motivation in this book? President Coin, the other President, is also so poorly developed you have no idea at all who she is. Both characters could have been eliminated from the book and nothing would really be missing.
Finally, the real bummer about this book, is the love triangle between Peeta, Gale, and Katniss. Twilight, anyone? In case you're wondering- yes, the love triangle is resolved on the last page of the book. And it makes no sense at all! The plot would have been better served if Katniss fell in love with Buttercup, the cat, for all the reason and emotion behind her final choice. So the one resolution that I actually looked forward to in this book fell very flat.
Overall, I would heartily recommend The Hunger Games. That book is a 5/5 stars in my mind. But Mockingjay does not even come close to the passion, excitement, and innovative plot of the original. This novel falls flat of every hope and expectation, or even of any reasonable plot line or likable character. A true shame; this plot could have been fabulous.
I choose to rewrite this plot in my head so that it ends with a bang: something this plot and these characters truly deserved. Feel free to read this book out of curiosity- but then come to me and we can rewrite this story based on its epic foundations and make sure it truly comes to life.
Ratings:
Ease with which to read/enjoyable author style 4.0
Suitable ending 3.5
Personal favoritism 2.75
Poetic language 2.0
Memorable 4.5
Original, creative plot 4.0
Original, well-developed characters 3.5
Probability of recommendation 3.0
Ability to "move" emotionally 3.5
Literary value and/or educational value 2.5
Total: 33.25
Final Rating: 3 1/2 stars
4-sentence summary:
Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games- twice- and has been rescued by the mysterious District 13. She is left to mourn Peeta's fate and help the rebellion by being their "Mockingjay"- the symbol of the rebellion. District 13 rallies the other Colonies to fight against the Capitol, and the world changes forever.
Critique:
I read a review on Amazon.com that really stuck with me, and really sticks to the point: "I lost count how many times she woke up in the hospital while the story unfolded around her but always without her." The problem with this story is not Katniss' 15-page-long lamentations about how she has failed everyone around her, but how she fails to act at all. There are moments in this book where the plot is moving forward, moving forward, about to climax, and then Katniss gets knocked out and the plot moves forward without her. It is as though the author couldn't figure out how to get Katniss to act the way she wanted, so just wrote the plot without her in it. Katniss was a likable character in The Hunger Games- she is no longer likable. She spends this whole book whining about how she is too numb to go on, somehow gets the credit for everything good that happens, and then causes the deaths of thousands of people without any blame or repercussion.
The villain, President Snow, is so poorly developed it's laughable. Though he is involved in several plot twists at the end of the book, the plot was so heavily focused on "war is bad" that the "evil government" took a back seat for the majority of the book: missing the point of the first book entirely. The singular goal of "Kill Snow" misses the point as well- where is believable motivation in this book? President Coin, the other President, is also so poorly developed you have no idea at all who she is. Both characters could have been eliminated from the book and nothing would really be missing.
Finally, the real bummer about this book, is the love triangle between Peeta, Gale, and Katniss. Twilight, anyone? In case you're wondering- yes, the love triangle is resolved on the last page of the book. And it makes no sense at all! The plot would have been better served if Katniss fell in love with Buttercup, the cat, for all the reason and emotion behind her final choice. So the one resolution that I actually looked forward to in this book fell very flat.
Overall, I would heartily recommend The Hunger Games. That book is a 5/5 stars in my mind. But Mockingjay does not even come close to the passion, excitement, and innovative plot of the original. This novel falls flat of every hope and expectation, or even of any reasonable plot line or likable character. A true shame; this plot could have been fabulous.
I choose to rewrite this plot in my head so that it ends with a bang: something this plot and these characters truly deserved. Feel free to read this book out of curiosity- but then come to me and we can rewrite this story based on its epic foundations and make sure it truly comes to life.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
"When things come too easy, we're suspect. Do they have to get complicated before we believe they're for real? We're raised to believe that the course of true love never runs smoothly. There always has to be obstacles in Act Two before you can live happily ever after in Act Three. But what happens when the obstacles aren't there? Does that mean there's something missing? Do we need drama to make a relationship work?"
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
"Seize the Dawn" by Shannon Drake
Genre: Historical Romance
Ease with which to read/enjoyable author style 3.0
Suitable ending 2.5
Personal favoritism 2.0
Poetic language 1.5
Memorable 1.5
Original, creative plot 1.5
Original, well-developed characters 1.5
Probability of recommendation 1.5
Ability to "move" emotionally 2.0
Literary value and/or educational value 1.0
Total: 18
Final Rating: 1 1/2 stars
4-sentence summary:
Critique:
This book is laughable, and not even in the usual romance novel sort of way. I'm pretty certain there was no editor of this novel, as I found upwards of 50 grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors within. The plot is terribly contrived, and there is one major character who, even though this is a historical fiction novel, is completely absurd: William Wallace. That's right, the main character from "Braveheart" plays a major role in this novel. This novel is about breaking stereotypes of certain localities (the Scottish can read? How absurd!) in ridiculous ways and the characters actions are very rarely justified: "You're my captor? Okay, let's have sex!" Now, I enjoy romance novels for their cheap thrills and easy love stories, but this one is too much of a stretch. Perhaps it was the constant mention of tartans and kilts, but I couldn't keep a straight face. The author even throws a pompous chronology at the end of the novel (starting, outrageously enough, at 6000BC), as though she is an expert on the history of the world as well as an expert at how best to describe sex with steamy vocabulary. In this case, I recommend neither vocation for this author, and I would hesitate to give her another shot.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall
Genre: Fiction
Ease with which to read/enjoyable author style 4.0
Suitable ending 3.5
Personal favoritism 3.75
Poetic language 3.0
Memorable 4.0
Original, creative plot 4.5
Original, well-developed characters 4.0
Probability of recommendation 4.0
Ability to "move" emotionally 3.0
Literary value and/or educational value 2.5
Total: 36.25
Final Rating: 3 1/2 stars
4-sentence summary:
Critique:
This 604-page-long book has a slow beginning but soon comes to a satisfying and comfortable flow. I've always been fascinated by polygamist culture: I've read "Escape", the polygamist wife Carolyn Jessop's escape from her nightmarish polygamist household... I've watched "Big Love", the Showtime drama about a man who breaks free of the traditional polygamist lifestyle to raise his family (complete with 3 wives) in his own way. But "The Lonely Polygamist" doesn't take a dramatic look at polygamy the way these other stories do. Instead, it looks at all the potential disasters that can come about in a polygamist household, and tells the story with a slap-stick humor. It is, as Publisher's Weekly noted in it's review of the novel, very similar to "The Corrections" (Jonathan Franzen) in that it takes a family and dissects it with both humor and tender care. This novel is, simply put, a fascinating read. There are enough plot twists and unusual (but thoroughly and realistically detailed) characters in this novel to keep the story fresh and exciting throughout the length of it. Brady Udall's witty and sharp writing style is enough to make me add his first novel, "The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint" to my "Must Read" list.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The Last Summer (of You & Me) by Ann Brashares
Brashares, Ann. "The Last Summer (of You & Me)". 2007.
Ease with which to read/enjoyable author style 4.5
Suitable ending 3.5 (The ending could have gone either way; this was a mite contrived, though satisfying)
Personal favoritism 4.25
Poetic language 4
Memorable 3.5
Original, creative plot 2.5
Original, well-developed characters 2.5
Probability of recommendation 3.75
Ability to "move" emotionally 4.75
Literary value and/or educational value 2
Total: 35.25
Final Rating: 3 1/2 stars
4-sentence summary:
Critique:
The book is poignant and fiercely romantic, but has some obvious flaws. As the author of the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" books, the author has some obvious desire to tell the tale of what happens after you're a teenager; a "coming of age" tale. Unfortunately, the author forces the coming of age tale by inserting lack of communication, illness, and separation in order to do so. And although Ann Brashares got her fame in the young adult genre, this book has some sensual scenes that are not appropriate for younger audiences. All in all, however, the book's cliches and well-worn characters are still lovable, even if contrived. The book was impossible to put down, and, as it is set on the beach, would be a perfect beach read. Remember to bring tissues, though; it's a real tear-jerker. I could easily see this as a movie. It was very Nicholas Sparks-esque.
Post- Script:
Corrections/Addendums
As I fell asleep at 3 AM last night, I decided that I am still unhappy with my criteria.
Here are some proposed changes.
So here is my final evaluation criteria:
--
Here are some proposed changes.
So here is my final evaluation criteria:
--
Ease with which to read/enjoyable author style (5)
Suitable ending (5)
Personal favoritism (5)
Poetic language (5)
Memorable (5)
Original, creative plot (5)
Original, well-developed characters (5)
Probability of recommendation (5)
Ability to "move" emotionally (5)
Literary value and/or educational value (5)
____
(50)
+ 4 sentence summary
I think I'll leave it at that for now.
Of course, the assumption is that there is no "0", the scale is simply 1-5. A book may receive a rating of 5 with the confidence that it is utmost perfect in that category, and a rating of 1 if it is abominably wretched. The lowest score a book can get is a "1" all around.
I'd like to take this time to point out that sometimes I don't always like the classic books, and I tend to favor light-hearted, girlish tales. I'm not saying the classics don't have literary value or aren't worth reading. But as far as Lori-enjoyability, this is my scale.
Scoring Criteria
I have decided on a new criteria list with which to review books that I've read. Mostly because I read a lot of books and aside from putting a "*" next to them on my "Book List", I can't remember what I liked or disliked.
Brr, it's really cold in here. Stephen can only sleep when there are icicles forming on the ceiling. Blerg.
So here is my final evaluation criteria:
--
Brr, it's really cold in here. Stephen can only sleep when there are icicles forming on the ceiling. Blerg.
So here is my final evaluation criteria:
--
Ease with which to read/author style (5)
Suitable ending (5)
Personal favoritism (5)
Poetic language (5)
Memorable (5)
Original, creative plot (5)
Flowing, non-predictable plot movement (5)
Probability of recommendation (5)
Ability to "move" emotionally (5)
Literary value (5)
____
(50)
+ 4 sentence summary
And I will cut the scoring down to a "1 to 5" scale. So a final book review may come out to a "4.1" (41) etc.
I don't anticipate many books making it past a 4, but I've read some good ones lately. So we'll see. I may have to tweak the criteria to be more harsh.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Reading and the Approach of Summer
Well I finished "The Lovely Bones". Aside from being disturbing, it wasn't written poorly as I suspected. Well then. Since I've already finished "The Book Thief" it looks like my next books will be "The Hunger Games", "Life as we Knew it" and "Unwind" for 3/23-3/30. Phew, that's only 10 days away! Time to get crackin....
All I can say is, at least these migraines have subsided... I know I certainly couldn't be doing all this reading if I still had them every day. It feel so good to be in a reading swing again. I admit, sometimes it's fun to take a break from reading and watch a whole TV series (like I did with BSG), but there's nothing more amazing than reading several good books in succession and giving your time to the pursuit of more.
Also, I'm really happy because on this gloomy, rainy, miserable day, I bought bright yellow flowers and a gorgeous vase to brighten up this gloom. Hurry up, summer!!!
All I can say is, at least these migraines have subsided... I know I certainly couldn't be doing all this reading if I still had them every day. It feel so good to be in a reading swing again. I admit, sometimes it's fun to take a break from reading and watch a whole TV series (like I did with BSG), but there's nothing more amazing than reading several good books in succession and giving your time to the pursuit of more.
Also, I'm really happy because on this gloomy, rainy, miserable day, I bought bright yellow flowers and a gorgeous vase to brighten up this gloom. Hurry up, summer!!!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Everything I'm not made me everything I am
I can tell who-is-who of my guinea pigs by the sounds of their voices. Easily.
I often do not form my own opinions of controversial topics- instead I enjoy listening to both sides and appreciating them both. It's always hard for me to make decisions in debates, especially on NPR.
My favorite quote is "If you're going through hell, keep going", as said by Winston Churchill.
I have a fascination and collection of antique keys.
My pet peeve is condescension. (No, not condensation.) Treat me like a peer, not an inferior. I look twelve, but I have a lot of things to say, and I'm smart. Too often these days (daily) I am in a position where I am treated as though I'm ignorant. If only I had the authority to prove them wrong. Someday, I will.
There are only two books I have ever not finished- "Catcher in the Rye" and "The Lovely Bones". CITR is absolutely horrid to me, and TLB was horrifying. Though I'd tried to read both of these in high school, I have now been asked to read them for a "Young Adults Resources" class that I'm taking. And I'm hoping to give them a second chance.
I don't like cake. Unless it's in a bowl of milk.
I have made many, many mistakes in my life. But the worst one was not having faith in myself to do what was necessary.
I occasionally enjoy really trashy media. Pop music, smut magazines (Life & Style, OK!, etc), HBO shows (Tudors, Big Love). At least it's not reality TV!
My biggest fears are losing the ones I love and death. Being alone comes in a close third.
I have to give my guinea pig "Robitussin" for an inner ear infection twice a day. It's absolutely absurd, but I would do anything for her.
I have a subscription to the online gaming community, "POGO", so that I can play with my mom and accumulate "badges".
I have a baby box set aside of things that I'd like to give to my own children. It's like a Hope Chest, but for children. Baby clothes and books and booty socks- I just can't wait to have children!
I have inadvertently, without knowing it, purchased/rescued 3 pregnant animals (mouse, hamster, guinea pig) in my lifetime. That's a lot of babies.
My heart bleeds for anything- wounded animals, pets on TV, sad children, misplaced books... I feel things too deeply for my own good. (Especially because this often inadvertently leads to me adopting pregnant animals).
On Friday nights I like to catch up on sleep!! zzzzzz....
I often do not form my own opinions of controversial topics- instead I enjoy listening to both sides and appreciating them both. It's always hard for me to make decisions in debates, especially on NPR.
My favorite quote is "If you're going through hell, keep going", as said by Winston Churchill.
I have a fascination and collection of antique keys.
My pet peeve is condescension. (No, not condensation.) Treat me like a peer, not an inferior. I look twelve, but I have a lot of things to say, and I'm smart. Too often these days (daily) I am in a position where I am treated as though I'm ignorant. If only I had the authority to prove them wrong. Someday, I will.
There are only two books I have ever not finished- "Catcher in the Rye" and "The Lovely Bones". CITR is absolutely horrid to me, and TLB was horrifying. Though I'd tried to read both of these in high school, I have now been asked to read them for a "Young Adults Resources" class that I'm taking. And I'm hoping to give them a second chance.
I don't like cake. Unless it's in a bowl of milk.
I have made many, many mistakes in my life. But the worst one was not having faith in myself to do what was necessary.
I occasionally enjoy really trashy media. Pop music, smut magazines (Life & Style, OK!, etc), HBO shows (Tudors, Big Love). At least it's not reality TV!
My biggest fears are losing the ones I love and death. Being alone comes in a close third.
I have to give my guinea pig "Robitussin" for an inner ear infection twice a day. It's absolutely absurd, but I would do anything for her.
I have a subscription to the online gaming community, "POGO", so that I can play with my mom and accumulate "badges".
I have a baby box set aside of things that I'd like to give to my own children. It's like a Hope Chest, but for children. Baby clothes and books and booty socks- I just can't wait to have children!
I have inadvertently, without knowing it, purchased/rescued 3 pregnant animals (mouse, hamster, guinea pig) in my lifetime. That's a lot of babies.
My heart bleeds for anything- wounded animals, pets on TV, sad children, misplaced books... I feel things too deeply for my own good. (Especially because this often inadvertently leads to me adopting pregnant animals).
On Friday nights I like to catch up on sleep!! zzzzzz....
Apparently, I'm only Aspiring
According to an "Are you a Librarian" quiz that I took online:
"You're getting there - you know more than most people about libraries. Maybe you're starting Library School and getting yourself ready to take over the profession. Or maybe you already work in a library but just don't know some of the history and details. But, you're more of an aspiring librarian than a full-fledged librarian."
I found this quiz from Apryl....
"You're getting there - you know more than most people about libraries. Maybe you're starting Library School and getting yourself ready to take over the profession. Or maybe you already work in a library but just don't know some of the history and details. But, you're more of an aspiring librarian than a full-fledged librarian."
I found this quiz from Apryl....
Take this fun quiz at: http://tinyurl.com/e3t94
“So do you like to say you're secretly a librarian? Or is that just what you are? Now is the time to testify. Actually, to test your knowledge of library science and library history. It's a brief quiz, but not an easy one. It's meant to separate the real librarians from the wannabees. Or maybe you just want a glimpse at what you might aspire to. Caveats: the author's perspective is prominent in this quiz, as you'll see. Also, it's been pointed out that the test has a U.S. bias, which is embarrassing but true. Most importantly, be aware that it's a test of knowledge rather than aptitude. You can get a low score and still have the potential to be a really great librarian.” -- From OkCupid.com
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