~Once Upon a Read-a-Thon - Update#4~

 

"Once Upon a Read-a-Thon" is hosted by Angela at Reading Angel, Lori at Pure Imagination, Candace at Candace's Book Blog. It runs from 12:01 AM on July 11 to 11:59 PM on July 13th.

Book I'm Currently Reading: "Divergent" by Veronica Roth

  

# of Pages Read (of book currently reading): 413 pages (out of 487 pages)

  

Total # Pages Read:  1,358 pages

Total # of Books Read (completed during Read-a-Thon): 3

Names of Books Completed: "The Human Race" by O.C. Heaton, "The Mistress's Revenge" bt Tamar Cohen and "The Peach Keeper" by Sarah Addison Allen. (for pictures/book-covers check out the Update#3).

Comments/Concerns (about the book currently reading): When I made my last update, I'd stated that I was a little underwhelmed by the action in the book, and that although I liked the writing, it hadn't "gripped" me yet. Boy, was I wrong. Moving just a little forward, the action hit me LIKE A TON OF BRICKS - and I'm not even complaining. This book totally sucked me in! I know a book is worth it, when every bone in my body is aching (yesterday was a super-busy day), and my eyes are heavy with sleep, yet all I keep doing is telling myself, "just one more page...just one more!" LOL :P

Book I Plan To Read Next: "What You See In The Dark" by Manuel Muñoz.(Although, since it's the last day, I really want to challenge myself to pick up "Iron House" by John Hart and try to finsih it!).

Mini Challenge#1

Ok, well, the challenge is to play MATCHMAKER to characters that would otherwise not land together in a romantic tryst. I'm terrible at matchmaking (which is why I'm single, see!? LoL) but the following characters that I have picked, I think would work really well with each other. So, I'm pairing together:

Peter Pevensie (or High King, Peter the Magnificent) of The Chronicles of Narnia series  

 

❤  

 

Luna Lovegood of The Harry Potter series.

Why? : Well, Luna and Peter are, inadvertently, the same person. Inherently good, always looking out for their loved ones, always trying to do the right thing, and unfazed by the world to change who and how they are. Peter is good at making decisions, and Luna is excellent at sticking to her decisions. Plus, with Luna's beautiful eyes, and Peter's unruly crop of hair...can you imagine the offspring of this couple? lol =P I think they'd make an excellent couple, don't you? 

A big thank you to Nikki from Wicked Awesome Books for hosting this amazing Mini-Challenge. Make sure to check it out here. 

Mini-Challenge#2

Book Recommendations:

1) Any Book of Choice: Have you ever picked up a book completely unaware as to how it is going to be instrumental in changing your life, and then being truly and inexplicably bamboozled and overwhelmed by it's beauty? "19 Minutes" by Jodi Picoult was just such a book, for me. If you're looking for a contemporary read that incorporates real life, family drama, pivotal social issues, mystery, crime and even courtroom drama into one absolutely heartrending and gut-wrenching novel, "19 Minutes" is the book to pick up. Mind you, Jodi Picoult does not sugar-coat the subjects that she writes about, and as it is, the subjects she chooses are heavy-hitting ones - so this is not a book for you, if you're looking for a light, summery read. However, if you want to read a book on an important social issue such as teen-hazing, bullying, and teenage frustrations and the consequences of such actions, presented in an unbiased, multi-perspective and multi-faceted manner, then I highly doubt you'll find a better book than "19 Minutes" by Jodi Picoult out there. Full of rich characters, both beautiful and flawed, and a storyline that will break your heart and mend it, leaving you full of wonder and amazement, but ultimately this book is sure to change your life.

2) Favorite Book from Read-a-Thon Pile: You have definitely heard about this book before if you're a book lover. You've heard book-lovers gush about it's awesomeness, you've seen bloggers write reviews full of praises for it, and you've heard critics are duped to find fault with it. And believe me when I say, all of that hype, was not for nothing. "Divergent" by Veronica Roth is the kind of book that absolutely transports you from reality into a dystopian world full of action and drama. In this dark, and stark, time the society has been divided into five factions. Each faction is dedicated to the cultivation and edification of a certain virtue; Abnegation are the selfless ones, Candor value honesty above all, Erudite spend their life in the pursuit of knowledge and intelligence, Amity are dedicated to perpetuating peace and the Dauntless are the brave ones. When you reach a certain age, you take a test that tells you which faction your nature is best suited for. For Beatrice, this choice is harder than others, because she is a "divergent", someone who fits into more than one group - but this secret can be life-threatening for Beatrice. But Beatrice makes her choice; a choice that surprises everyone and changes her entire life. What follows next, is an action-packed, thrilling-ride that keeps the reader wanting more.

A big thank you to Ashley from Bleh to Basically Amazing Books for hosting this amazing Mini-Challenge. Make sure to check it out here. 

~Once Upon a Read-a-Thon - Update #3~

 "Once Upon a Read-a-Thon" is hosted by Angela at Reading Angel, Lori at Pure Imagination, Candace at Candace's Book Blog. It runs from 12:01 AM on July 11 to 11:59 PM on July 13th.

Book I'm Currently Reading: "Divergent" by Veronica Roth

  

# of Pages Read (of book currently reading): 59 pages (out of 487 pages)

  

Total # Pages Read:  1004 pages

Total # of Books Read (completed during Read-a-Thon): 3

Names of Books Completed: "The Human Race" by O.C. Heaton, "The Mistress's Revenge" bt Tamar Cohen and "The Peach Keeper" by Sarah Addison Allen.

Comments/Concerns (about the book currently reading): I had planned on reading "What You See In The Dark" by Manuel Muñoz next, however, "Divergent" kept calling to me from amidst the pile of books I'd planned. I just couldn't help but pick it up. In all honesty, it hasn't totally "gripped" me yet...but that's only because I'm about 60 pages in. It seems to be in an intriguing concept, and I suppose all the "action" is yet to arrive in the book; I am really looking forward to it! :)

Book I Plan To Read Next: "What You See In The Dark" by Manuel Muñoz.

Mini Challenge#1

Love Triangles

1) Edward Cullen vs. Jacob Black from the Twilight Series

2) Bill Compton vs. Eric Northman from the Southern Vampire (Sookie Stackhouse) Series

3) Linden vs. Gabriel from The Chemical Garden Trilogy

A big thank you to Sabrina from YA Bliss for hosting this amazing Mini-Challenge. Make sure to check it out here. 

Mini-Challenge#2

Synopsis (Fake): 

 

"The pace of evolution is murder..." in The Human Race. All those notions that we had about the planet and the universe have all been wrong; Mother Earth is, in fact, Daddy Earth and he's NOT a happy camper. He has slowly begun to devour the world, and has threatened extinction of the human race until they do as Daddy Earth desires. Money is no longer the currency of the world, leaves are. If you have maple leaves, good...if you have redwood leaves, even better. Animals are no longer fit for consumption and have all been marked with a virus that results in the growing of horns on the head of anyone who consumes their flesh. Cars are banned, and even the mention of an airplane results in an earthquake! 

 

Humans are absolutely mortified at the difficulties that they're facing, and cannot fathom why Daddy Earth is being so callous towards the human race. Until one of their political leaders, Captain Prince Sir Hump-A-Lot comes across the secret that Daddy Earth's beloved wife Gaia has threatened to leave him for not having run a tight-ship, for allowing Earth to come to disarray and harm her beauty, and for generally being a sloth. When humans come to find this, they suddenly realize that they've not only brought this upon themselves but have committed a grave injustice in the process. Can they redeem themselves, beautify the Earth, change slovenly and slothful Daddy Earth and please Gaia so that her love can become the emollient for Daddy Earth's wrath? You must read...to find out! 

 

A big thank you to Casey of The Bookish Type for hosting this amazing Mini-Challenge. Make sure to check it out here.

~Once Upon a Read-a-Thon - Update #2~

  "Once Upon a Read-a-Thon" is hosted by Angela at Reading Angel, Lori at Pure Imagination, Candace at Candace's Book Blog. It runs from 12:01 AM on July 11 to 11:59 PM on July 13th.

Book I'm Currently Reading: "The Peach Keeper" by Sarah Addison Allen

  

# of Pages Read (of book currently reading): 193 pages (out of 273 pages)

  

Total # Pages Read: 865 pages

Total # of Books Read (completed during Read-a-Thon): 2 

Names of Books Completed: "The Human Race" by O.C. Heaton and "The Mistress's Revenge" bt Tamar Cohen.

Comments/Concerns (about "The Mistress's Revenge"): "The Mistress's Revenge" seemed like a book I wouldn't enjoy much, given that I rarely read about jealous lovers and romance and such. But surprisingly, I'm liking this book so far. I find the cover absolutely intriguing. One cannot help but be engrossed in it, there's something about it. You can check out "The Mistress's Revenge" by Tamar Cohen on Goodreads in case you'd like to pick it up.

Comments/Concerns (about the book currently reading): I didn't realize that magical realism (think: The Time Traveler's Wife or The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake) were a theme in Sarah Addison Allen's "The Peach Keeper" but apparently such is the case. The book is well written, and the characterization is slow and methodical, like getting to know real people. There's a certain mysterious charm that keeps you invested in  finding out more about the history of the town of Walls of Water, and it's people. I'm definitely intrigued, and like it so

Book I Plan To Read Next: "What You See In The Dark" by Manuel Muñoz.

Mini-Challenge

Mini Challenge Question 1: What is your favorite type of myth (Greek, Roman, Egyptian etc)?

Answer:  Although all types of Mythology, be it Roman, Greek or Egyptian, is absolutely fascinating to read about, for me, Greek Mythology is absolutely enchanting. Especially given that there are so many character in Greek Mythology, each with it's unique set of traits and characteristics, and many of them intertwine to create a beautiful picture of power, romance, war and life. My love for Greek Mythology solidified as a sophomore in high school when I researched an argumentative essay about how women have been deemed inferior throughout history, incorporating the mythological stories of Persephone, Pandora and Psyche into my argument. Needless to say, I've loved Greek Mythology since.

Mini Challenge Question 2: What is your favorite book with some type of mythology in it?

Answer: I love "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" by Homer, but as for contemporary fiction, I absolutely fell in love with "Starcrossed (Starcrossed, #1)" by Josephine Angelini (click on the title for review). As I state in my review, "Also, this book includes a lot of info on Greek Mythology, but author Josephine Angelini has done the subject justice, and the myths and legends are seamlessly incorporated into the storyline." She provided enough pertinent details about the myth and the story behind the characters so as to not overwhelm or bore the reader, but was informative and provided a sturdy and sound foundation for each particular character inspired by a Greek God/myth. I cannot wait to read the next installment in this fast paced and riveting trilogy/saga.

A big thank you to Bailey of IB Book Blogging for hosting this amazing Mini-Challenge. Make sure to check it out here.

~Once Upon A Read-a-Thon - Update#1~

 

 "Once Upon a Read-a-Thon" is hosted by Angela at Reading Angel, Lori at Pure Imagination, Candace at Candace's Book Blog. It runs from 12:01 AM on July 11 to 11:59 PM on July 13th.

 

Book I'm Currently Reading: "The Human Race" by O.C. Heaton 

  

# of Pages Read (of book currently reading): 387 pages (out of 448 pages)

  

Total # Pages Read: 387 pages 

Total # of Books Read (completed during Read-a-Thon): 0

Comments/Concerns (about the book currently reading): The Human Race by O.C. Heaton is a pretty interesting book - it gripped me from the get-go, allowing me to really immerse myself into the story. I began reading it at night, and it kept me awake despite my sleepiness because I wanted to know "what next?".  You can click on the picture above, and it will take you to the Goodreads page for "The Human Race" by O.C. Heaton.

Book I Plan To Read Next: "The Mistress's Revenge" by Tamar Cohen

~Sunday Stew - July10th, 2011~

Sunday Stew is a Weekly Meme hosted Here at Books Devoured

Bookmark of the Week

I was recently cleaning my bookshelf, and organizing some things, and I found this postcard for an art exhibition that took place in 2009, called "Collective Aesthetics" over at the Santee Court Gallery. I was barely at the exhibition for more than five minutes, but I did grab this postcard, and am absolutely in love with it. I've always found the Los Angeles River Bridge fascinating. Crossing over it seems like a rite of passage, a gateway to the inner-labyrinth of the city of Los Angeles. Plus, the architecture of the bridge is absolutely remarkable, and anyone who's ever seen it knows it has a personality of it's own. It has also been featured in many Hollywood movies, including "The Mask" and "Biker Boyz".  This black and white picture of the bridge really intrigued me, because I think it highlights the structure and architecture of the bridge really well - so does this next beautiful picture that I found online (click on it to see it's source). Anyhow, upon finding it, I fell in love with it, and since have been using it for my bookmark all of this week. 

Around The Web:

That's right, if you live anywhere on the face of this planet, and remotely browse the world wide web, you know that the new Google+ Project has taken the internet by storm. Google+ is a social network launched by Google, that makes sharing content (video, links, photos, etc) with other internet presences easier, and one that makes "sharing on the web seem like sharing in real life."

So what does Google+ really mean? Why the bizarre name? Because Google wants to assure its users that using this product will not be very different from using all the other products that Google offers, such as search and Gmail; they added the smallest moniker possible to signify that they have not meandered far from their original approach - easy, streamlined sharing capabilities. Google+, which is still in its Beta Field Testing stages, is also signifies Google + You - incorporating YOU into the matrix of the Google world. It (eventually) will become your companion, your +1 for all internet events, allowing you to share with one click, anything and everything (basically) that your little heart desires with people in your "Circles". Or, you can have "Hangouts" with any of your friends who are available and free to chat - with multi-user chat feature available too.  Or perhaps you can create "Sparks" - basically a stream of stuff that you love, which you can then choose to share with different (or all of your) circles within Google+. 

I think it's a nifty product, and will soon become a tool used worldwide for social interactions, and for sharing your life via the internet with friends/family. Google+ is the surreal amalgamation of real life, and digital life - sharing in real time, chatting with friends face-to-face (via webchat), and mixing different circle of friends (if you so desire) all serve to marry the digital world with your real world. If you want to learn more about Google+ - just click on the Google+ icon above, and check it out! :) 

Also, a reminder, the "Once Upon a Readathon" begins tomorrow Monday, July 11th and ends on July 13th. If you'd like to participate or just check it out, just click on the link below! Hope to see ya there, reading with us! 

Around Me: 

Okay, well, since I've basically been MIA from the blogging world for about 2 weeks now, I guess there's a lot that took place around me. The final, grand memorial for my Uncle Paul took place on June 25th, 2011 for which I traveled up to San Francisco yet again, and was so my blogging was neglected for that week. Then came the July 4th weekend, and since this was the 1st weekend of my mama's summer vacations (she's a teacher), I basically spent a whole bunch of time with her. 4th of July brought with it a BBQ with immediate family, and then going to the local park later on in the evening with the family to listen to a live jazz band and watch some fireworks. It was a fine evening, but it really made me miss my uncle that much more. I think we all have vices, and mine is that when I am stressed or emotional, I tend to recede into the corners of my own self. For the most part this means I talk a lot more (because if I keep talking, I don't have time to think), I bite my nails (a nasty habit!), I tend to be overtly emotional, and (as I've now discovered) I tend to ignore updating my blog!  

It didn't change much of anything for me, but I wanted to apologize to Shannon of Books Devoured for not participating in the past two editions of Sunday Stew. Shannon has put a lot of love and effort into the Sunday Stew, and when I signed up to take part in this meme, I absolutely planned on a post every Sunday. I've steered clear of all other memes, but I really loved this one because it felt so personalized and interesting - I absolutely did not plan on life becoming so complicated, and skipping out on my responsibilities. I know that Shannon might be on vacation currently, but either way, whenever she gets back or has a chance to read this post, I just wanted to say I'm sorry, and thank you for not giving up on me or "The Stew" :D

What else, what else? Wait, how can I leave you with a ~Sunday Stew~ post with no fun pictures!? Here are a few of the fireworks show we attended on the 4th of July :)

It began with a wall of fireworks sprouting from the bottom, and the sky getting lit up with fireworks - needless to say I was completely starry-eyed the entire night.

Followed not too much later by an explosion of red across the sky - I love red...weee! 

Another explosion of white, with beautiful sparks flying all four directions! :D

Another great display, these were huge, and literally lit up the whole sky! 

Smiley face fireworks - I mean, how FREAKIN' AWESOME is that!?!? :D

By now, the "Red White & Blue" fireworks had begun coloring the sky, and we knew the grand finale was soon going to take place - but these were HUGE fireworks, absolutely regal!

The absolutely beautiful "Red, White & Blue" - God Bless America :D

Also, here's a video I took of the Grand Finale of the Fireworks display. Please excuse my crazy hooting and hollerin' behind the camera, and the excessive whistlin' (yes, that's me too!). 

Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed this week's ~Sunday Stew~, I definitely enjoyed writing it. With this, I conclude this week's Sunday Stew post! Thank you for reading, feel free to leave me any comments/feedback you may like. I wish you a blessed rest of the week, and that you'll continue to visit! :)