Friday, July 27, 2012

The Immortal Rules

What I’m listening to right now: My fan blowing hot air around
What mood I’m in today: I’m Not Sure


Eeeeeeeeeee! I know, it’s not a word, but it’s what I said when I found out about this book. Of course, there was a big part of me that sighed and went, “Another vampire book? Really?” So although I was super excited for the new novel from one of my favorite authors, I was hesitant to find myself in another vampire story.

Vampires Suck (parody movie)

What the book is about:

Allison Sekemoto lives in an altered futuristic universe (I guess you could take out “altered.” Who knows? Vampires may someday rule the world). She’s a survivor, mixed up with a gang of other teenagers who are also parentless because they’ve all been killed, either by vampires or rabids (a subspecies of vampire, as you’ll find out in this book).
While making a daring attempt to gather food one night, most of Allison’s gang is killed by rabids. Even she is ready to die when Kanin, a vampire master (or something like that), asks her if she wants to live. The bad news, she’ll be a vampire forever. Her survival instincts kick in, and she’ll take being a bloodsucker over death, so she agrees.

Kanin Turns her, then trains her on how to live as a vampire. He tells her that she can only survive on human blood, and that one day, she’ll kill another human being. He assures her that she’s a monster, just like him, but that she has a choice of what kind of monster she’ll become. Though she doesn’t know what this means at first, she begins to figure it out.
After Kanin is captured by vampires, Allison runs for it. She’s on her own until she runs into a band of humans making their way toward a place called Eden, which may or may not exist. She meets Jeb, a hardened man who will do anything to get to this place, and Zeke, a seventeen year old boy who takes an interest in her. What the rest of the band doesn’t know is that something is trying to kill them.


What I liked about this book:
Great story line! A fantastic break from lovesick vampires and general smushiness, this book was a little more gritty and true to life. People are selfish, rotten and unpredictable, but it’s the fight Allison makes to prove she’s better than a blood-thirsty vampire that makes the story. Aren’t we all fighting our own little (or big) demons? I want to be good! I hope to be good, and to fight the natural demons that want to get out of me.

I love the connection between Zeke and Allison. It’s realistic, and it gives people a sense of hope throughout the book. I read a review that said the middle of the story was slow, but I didn’t think so because the middle of the book is where Zeke and Allie become acquainted. Yes, much of it is a back story, but a needed back story, kind of like the first Harry Potter.
What I didn’t like about this book:

Again, it’s too much foul language for me. That being said, it’s not like there was a lot of it. I’ve read books with much more. And Kagawa refrains from using the “eff” word in most of her books. It does appear in the beginning of The Iron King, to show the seriousness of the situation I think.
It was also a little lengthy for me. Not that I’m complaining; it was like reading two books. But it did take me an extra-long time to finish. I’m not a fast reader, and I’m a mother of three and a part-time business woman, so it leaves me with not a lot of free time.

Worth it though? Definitely.
Until next time, grab a good spooky book on this fabulously cloudy day (if it’s cloudy where you are), maybe one about vampires.

The Immortal Rules Official Website 
Thanks to Goodreads for the Cover pic
Thanks to http://2or3thingsiknowaboutfilm.blogspot.com/2011_11_01_archive.html for the Vampires Suck pic
Thanks to http://kristina-worldofbooks.blogspot.com/2012/04/immortal-rules-review.html for the wicked pic of Allie and her Katana blade (where you will also find another review of this book :)

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Holes


What I’m listening to right now: Hallelujah, Rufus Wainwright

What mood I’m in today: Reading 


I can’t believe it took me so long to read this book. I saw the movie first, and loved it. And I loved the book too. The movie hardly strays from the book at all, with two differences I noticed: Stanley Yelnats starts out overweight in the book, and there is one scene from the book (lady in slippers) that wasn’t in the movie.

The first thing I loved about this book is the main character, Stanley. His first name is just his last name spelled backward. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and getting mixed up in a crime he didn’t commit, was sent to Camp Greenlake, a juvenile detention center for boys.

Here we meet Armpit, Squid, X-Ray, and most importantly, Zero. Every day they have to dig holes, five feet wide and five feet tall, all to build character, or at least that’s what they’re told. It doesn’t take long for Stanley to realize the warden is looking for something.

Louis Sachar does an excellent job with his flashbacks. They are timed right, and you begin to understand how all the stories are connected. It might take a couple of reads, and a little bit of movie watching, to really understand and get everything that’s going on. From the onions to the yellow-spotted lizards, the story keeps you intrigued to the end.

One of my favorite lines – from the book and the movie – is “I can fix that.” Sam is such a great character, and good man who falls in love with Katherine Barlow, the school teacher. This is a long time ago, of course. Back when Greenlake was actually a lake, and not a dessert. When Sam kisses Katherine, it’s such a beautiful moment, ruined by the peeking townspeople, who kill Sam for what he did. Why? Because he’s black, and Katherine’s white.

If you haven’t read this, or seen it, do it! It is a can’t miss opportunity to work your brain and enjoy at the same time. Clean and fun for the whole family. The “Aha!” moments never end, up until the very last lines.
Until next time! Enjoy your summer, and keep reading!