Note: Like all my other reviews for this series, I will not be writing my own synopsis. However, you can read more about ithere.
The Last Olympian is the final book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and as I have said -- over and over again -- I love this series and I am sad that it is over. This is one of those books that I find it hard to part with. This might sound a bit crazy, but this is a kind of story that showcases characters so believable and realistic, that I feel as if I have been reading about them all their lives. Rick Riordan finds a way to paint them vividly -- and with such great justice. Speaking of Rick Riordan, as usual, he delivers once again. The writing and pace are perfect. The perfect balance of humor, wit, and action are maintained and are still there. The story itself is still as intriguing, exciting, and mind bending as it always has been. And though I'm not usually a fan of battle scenes, -- as I always find it a bit challenging to get into them -- I'd have to make an exception for this one. With this action-packed series, I was pleasantly surprised that I found those to be one of the best and most enjoyable parts. Simply put, The Last Olympian is a great book! It is written just as good as the other four, and maybe even better. This ending, as well as the others, starts off incredibly well, rises on top just right, and ends perfectly. It is now one of my favorites, and again, I will give it 5 stars; highly recommended! Now that I'm done with the whole thing, one thing's for sure; I'm definitely going to miss Seaweed Brain.
Over the past two weeks, I have received three awards! I'm sorry it took so long for me to get this posted, but things have been busy around here. Here goes though!
"A prolific blogger is one who is intellectually productive, keeping up an active blog with enjoyable content. After accepting this award, recipients are asked to pay it forward to seven other deserving blogs." This one was passed by Kim @ Queen Bee. I'm excited for this one for many reasons. One would be because that picture is just so cute! Also, if at least one person thinks my blog can even come close to being 'intellectually productive' and have ' enjoyable content,' well, gosh.. that just makes me super duper, genuinely, happy :) So really, thanks so much, Kim, for even thinking of this little blog right here. If awarded, you are to pass it on to 7 other blogs that you think are fun and informative!
This one was given by book quoter @ a thousand Books with Quotes! By the way, have you seen her header photo yet? My jaw drops every time I see it. For this 'Honest Scrap' award, you are to write ten things about yourself, and then pass it to ten other blogs. So..
Ten Things About Me:
1. I went to an all-girls Catholic school in the Philippines for years until I was 15. 2. When I was five, I had my first pet ever; a little chick. When it died, I cried the whole day. 3. I dislike mint chocolate, but actually love mint chocolate ice cream! 4. Squirrels freak me out! 5. I am the type to watch every horror movie there is, even though I'm probably the biggest scaredy-cat alive. 6. I took many, many piano lessons when I was little. I never learned. However, I picked up a guitar once when I was 14 or so, taught myself, and have been playing it ever since. 7. I have a very small book case. I keep my books -- :'( -- in tubs instead. 8. I check the weather every single day. 9. I never quite got into War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. It actually put me to sleep many times before. 10. I can't dance for my life.
For the third one, it is the 'Beautiful Blogger' award! This one was given to me by THREE awesome book bloggers! To book quoter @ a thousand Books with Quotes, Kim @ Queen Bee, and Heather @ Book Addict's Book Reviews. Thank you! Do check out their blogs now if you haven't already! :) For this one, I pass it on to everyone I listed above as well!
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That's it for the awards! Thanks again everyone, and hope you had a great Saturday!
Before I Fall was released on March 2nd of this year. In just over a month, it has already garnered positive reviews and feedback from both critics and readers alike. Everyone is talking and raving about it, and when I finally got the chance to read this wonderfully written novel, I understood exactly why. This is one of those books I highly recommend; original, haunting, inspiring, and thought-provoking.
Today, I am extremely honored -- and excited! -- to be given the privilege of interviewing the author of this incredible debut novel.
What do you think is the best thing about being a novelist?
The freedom to exist in worlds other than your own, probably, and to commune with imaginary characters, without everyone accusing you of being insane.
Where is your favorite place to write? To read?
I love to write at my kitchen table, about two steps away from the coffee machine; I also do great work at my father’s house on the North Fork of Long Island. It’s just very peaceful there.
My favorite place to read is either in bed or at a nice restaurant, by myself. I love to treat myself to a nice meal and a fabulous book and eat on my own. It’s heaven.
Your main character relives one day in her life; seven times. Once, she mentioned her idea of a perfect day. What would be yours?
There are a few days in my life that I wouldn’t mind reliving, actually. Anyperfect day for me would have to involve sunshine, and warmth; a long run, some good writing, a great meal, and all of my friends and family. Actually, a perfect day for me wouldn’t look that different from my regular days…I guess I’m blessed!
Did you know right away, or had an idea, how you were going to end the story? Or did it come to you asyou were in the process of writing?
I did know how it was going to end, yes. Actually, when I wrote Before I Fall I wrote the prologue and the epilogue first; the rest of the narrative was really an attempt to bridge those bookmarking sections.
If you were to hang out with the girls -- Samantha, Lindsay, Ally or Elody -- who do you think you would have the most fun with?
Elody is fun, and really a sweetheart deep down, I think. But of course, Lindsay would be the wildest to hang out with—she’s the kind of girl who just lives bigger than everybody else, if that makes sense. And I do like that kind of expansiveness in people.
Do you have any advice for writers wanting to get published?
Take the time to submit well and carefully to agents. A lot of writers spend all this time working on a novel, and then they just send it out to whomever with these terrible cover letters full of typos and stuff. You should put almost as much effort into presenting the book to agents and publishers as you do into writing it. Otherwise, what’s the point?
What is the best advice about writing that you have received? About life in general?
Hands-down, the best piece of writing advice I have ever received is to write every day.
As for life advice…I’ve gotten so much amazing advice from people over the years. I try to learn as much as I can from the people I come into contact with. My sister once told me not to let other people frighten me out of doing things that seemed challenging. I think that’s great advice. People will always try and define what is “reasonable” for you to do, or expect, or desire, but to a certain extent you have to live on your own terms.
What is the best thing a reader has ever said to you about your novel?
A reader told me that my book made her appreciate the small things in life. I get that a decent amount, actually, and it never ceases to amaze me, and make me so happy. Incidentally, what you told me, Jillian—that my book inspired you to be a better person—ranks up there! :)
You are to be stranded on a deserted island with five companions. If you could choose five fictional characters to accompany you, who would they be and why?
Well, if I’m going to be stranded on a deserted island, I’m going to pick Robinson Crusoe, since he seems handy. I’d like Elizabeth Bennett to be there, as she strikes me as a lively companion, and Matilda, because the power of telekinesis could come in handy. I would also pick Bruce Wayne/Batman, who isn’t a fictional character per se, but with whom I would actively like to be stranded on a deserted island. Seriously, swoon. Also Marmee, from the Little Women, as I would no doubt be freaking out and she is, like, the most comforting character ever written into fiction.
Do you have any messages to your readers and fans?
Be nice to each other! And keep reading, of course. :)
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Thank you so much to Ms. Lauren Oliver for taking the time to do this with us! For more from the author herself, follow her on her blog and website! If you'd like also, you can check out the awesome book trailer of this highly recommended novel!To purchase Before I Fall, go here.
Welcome to my blog! If you came here from the hopover at Crazy-for-Books, thanks for visiting! I'd love to check your blog out as well, so please leave your link here if you can :) I try to check out as many book blogs as I can from the hop, but of course, it's almost impossible to do this as there are so many wonderful ones! By the way, I still have a contest going on, and you check it out over here if you'd like! Thanks everyone, and happy friday :)
Warning: This might come off as a very narcissistic post (lol!), please bear with me.
This has been a bit of an incredibly 'blah'week so far for me, and it's only Wednesday. Blah here meaning not boring, rather frustrating and stressful. It's due to a mixture of many things; work, school, and stability-related issues, personal little things.. but let's not go there.. I won't clarify much, but the thing is, I just have this constant worry of getting left behind -- figuratively. There is this constant pressure that asks me, "Where am I going to end up?" "Will I be what I want to be 5 years later?" Then of course, there is the fear of disappointing people that I care for & love, and vice versa. I feel as if I am locked in a room with bombs ticking around, and time is running out. Have you ever felt this way before?
The last few weeks have been one of the hardest times for me, and last night, I felt completely overwhelmed with everything. For hours, I didn't know what to do. I tried to sleep at midnight but could not. By 2am, I was still up. I had to get some sleep, because I had to wake up at 6:30 in the morning. By 3:00, I finally decided to just let it go; this was when I picked up a book and started to read. The next thing I know, it was already 5am. My reading time lasted for just a few hours, but for that amount of time, I actually stopped thinking about all the problems and the circumstances I had to face. The worrier in me 'vanished' for a bit, and took a much-needed break. When I was done reading, I finally slept, completely relaxed. The best part? Today, I don't even feel bad/upset anymore.
These are the times that reading becomes more than just a hobby; when pages are no longer just pages anymore, and when I realize how much genuine love I have for books and reading. They become a form of escapism -- the kind that takes away the fears, doubts, stress, and the occassional sadness -- even for just a little while. It is, in a way, a solace. A refuge.
How about you? Do you ever feel this way? Do books and reading ever 'save' you? I know for me, they have the ability to keep me sane. I truly can not imagine life without them.
Apparently, Rick Riordan has confirmed that there will be a sequel based on the Camp Half-Blood and Greek mythology universe. It will be set on release on October 12, 2010. The series is called The Heroes of Olympus and the first book is called The Lost Hero.
At the end of The Last Olympian on his Acknowledgments page, he also said, "As the first Camp Half-Blood series draws to a close..." Hmmm... Does anyone know the link to the author's statement about the new series? Will anyone pleaasee confirm this? That's all, thanks ;)
In this feature, there will be a different and specific topic given each week. I will then choose 10 of my favorites from that given category, create the list, and post them up here! For this week, the topic will indeed be on 'Books That Made You Cry.' I thought this was an interesting and an easy topic for me, because it's really not that difficult at all for books and stories to make me shed a tear -- or should I say buckets of them? For me, there are just two basic -- and very simple -- levels to make a book qualify:
1st - Made me tear up a little 2nd - Made me tear up a lot
The books that belong in this list all belong on the 2nd level. Again, in no particular order..
'Books That Made Me Cry'
1. Atonement by Ian Mcewan
Simply put, this book is good. The movie is good as well. Period. I love both so much, to the point that I can not even pick which one I prefer more. I think it goes to show that it doesn't matter what version it is, as long as the story itself -- the plot, the characters, the ending, etc -- are well-done. This is a story that will stay with you long after you're done with it. It will not be easily forgotten.
2. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
To be honest, I don't remember which specific scene in the book made me cry. All I know is, there were quite a few scenarios and situations that were difficult to read. In fact, I have to say this is one of the most difficult novels for me to digest. I also think that the overall 'feel' of the book -- what it is about, and what happens to the characters -- was what truly did it for me.
3. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
This was probably the first book that made me cry when I was little. I have not read it in a while, but have recently seen the movie. Of course, that made me cry too. Hmm, go figure.
4. Where The Red Fern Growsby Wilson Rawls
Yes, this one's on one of my lists again. Well, I think it goes to show this is truly something special to me. I think everyone should definitely read this heart warming (and heart wrenching) story about a boy and his two hunting dogs. Seriously, if this book does not make you cry, I really, really don't know what's wrong with you. Sorry, but it's true.
5.The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
This has most definitely become one of my favorite books of all time. It is a beautiful story that is beautifully told by this talented author. The way it's written -- all the foreshadowing and the scenes leading up to its conclusion -- was actually just enough for me to tear up. As if that wasn't enough, there are the incredible, believable, and memorable characters like Liesel, Rudy, Max, and even 'Death' himself. This literally made me sob like a little girl.
6. The Roadby Cormac McCarthy
To be honest, I am still a little indifferent about this one. Actually, if I would have to give this book a rating, it would only be a 'generous' 3/5. However, I put this is here because the story itself and its conclusion broke my heart to bits.
7. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
This is not only one of my favorite love stories of all time, but it is one that made me bawl, again, like a little girl. To me, the uplifting and heart breaking story of Henry and Clare is timeless, romantic, but still very believable. Most of the lines here have hit me hard -- making them some of my best-loved quotes as well. Also, the wife, Clare Abshire, as I have mentioned before, has become one of my favorite fictional characters. To me, she is the epitome of how a wife and a woman should be; patient, loving, independent, perfectly flawed but strong-willed, who takes chances and does not fear failure. Even when hurt, she gets back up, learns from the experience, and lives again. I strive to be someone like her. Her story -- with a time traveler for a husband -- makes me ache everytime I recall it.
8.Still Aliceby Lisa Genova
For my explanation as to why this made me cry, look here.
9. Marley & Me by John Grogan (non-fiction)
I honestly don't think you have to be a dog lover for the story of Marley to touch you and break your heart. However, I do believe that if you have (or ever had) a pet, this will hit so very close to home. When I read this, I didn't even have our dog yet -- 1 1/2 year old Maltese named Kobe -- but I have always had a soft spot for animals ever since I was a kid. This non-fiction book reminded me of my love for them. At the same time, it also reminded me how fragile life is, and how easy it is for us to lose things we love. I realized again though, that despite this fact, what still holds true is this valuable lesson; Life is not about the time alotted, but how we use it.
10. A Walk to Rememberby Nicholas Sparks
I was fourteen when I first read this. That was when I discovered one of my favorite couples of all time; Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan. In my opinion, their story to me was one of the most believable -- not to mention one of the sweetest, cutest, adorable-est, swoon-worthy.. err.. umm.. sorry. Anyway.. the truth is, it still amazes me how these two people, um, characters -- who are only seventeen and still fairly young -- are able to have what I think is one of the most genuine love stories. Ever. Until now, I still read this every now and then. Surprise, surprise -- and I am not making this up -- I still cry every single time.
If you were wondering if I have seen the movie, yes I have, and I feel very indifferent about it. To me, it did not at all capture what the book is about, and I remember being truly disappointed by it. I have to say though, I will always have respect for Shane West as an actor, as he portrayed the role of Landon Carter so well! I do wish people would take the time to read this book because it truly is special. It doesn't matter what I think of Sparks' books -- and his writing -- anymore; I will always credit him for writing this.
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There you have it for my picks for this week!
Again, if you would like to join in, all you have to do is: 1. Do a post similar to this, listing all your answers. The books for this topic does not necessarily have to be a favorite of yours, just as long as it made you cry. You do not have to include pictures or descriptions, but if you would like to do so, feel free! 2. Please sign the Mr. Linky box below with the specific URL of your post.
Important: Your last day to answer this topic is on April 20. On April 21st, which is a Wednesday, the topic will change again. The day changed to a Wednesday because I posted this one a bit late. It is now 9PM (Pacific) here in California, and I figured it will be 12AM somewhere else.. so I think it's just fair to move the day.
Note: Like all my other reviews for this series, I will not be writing my own synopsis. However, you can read more about it here.
