Good Reads!!!

hey guys! Have any of you heard of goodreads.com? You really should check it out! You get book reccomendations, reviews, and you can rate things, and keep track of all the books you have read. Please check me out! Thanks! :D
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6136377-abby

The Power of Reading

 I had a assignment in my writing class to free write about a subject.  My subject was reading a novel.   Since my free write ended up being more of my thoughts about reading and the power of the book; I thought I would post it on here as well. Enjoy! And let me know your thoughts on reading a novel!

Isn't it interesting how simple words on simple paper can hold you and your thoughts captive?  That's even more than tv or movies can do.  How you become immersed in your reading is amazing.  And how the book can cause you to feel all kinds of different emotions from giggling to sobbing.  You become a supporter of the hero or heroine and scowl whenever the immoral villains get their way.  You hate it when you get interrupted and you jump for joy when you can return to your book.  No wonder people say "I can't put it down!"  And how fascinating that the book becomes your best friend, even if a series of unfortunate things happen along the way. Your book gets creases in the spine, drinks get spilled on the pages, you drop the book constantly, it gets lost in the car, and you lose your spot numerous times.  And you sit on the edge of your seat when you to to a suspenseful chase scene.  You hold your breath, then sigh with relief.  And when you come to the end you feel happy, but also day.  Its just like saying good bye to old friends.  But that doesn't stop you!  You come back to that same story and re-read it again, but in a different perspective.  You acknowledge how well written it is, and you notice different words you haven't heard of before.  A book can do two things at the same time, bring fun and enjoyment, and teach you something along the way.




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Review: The Luckiest Girl

Book Description:
Falling in Love . . .
Shelly feels as if she's living in a fantasy land. She's spending the school year in southern California, where flowers bloom in November, oranges grow on trees, and lawns are mowed in winter. When the star of the basketball team smiles at her, Shelly feels as if she's been touch by magic. Now she's about to discover the magic of falling in love!
A bittersweet story of first love from one of America's most beloved children's authors.

Shelly Latham has a good life.  Parents who love her, good grades in school, and a "understanding" with a boy she has known forever.  But to her, life is drab and boring.  So when an old friend of her mother's invites Shelly to live with them for a year at their house in California, Shelly quickly agrees. 

 

She wants everything to be different this year and with a new school, new friends, and a new family to be with, she gets pretty much what she asked for.  And it just keeps getting better.  When she meets the star basketball player in school, she gets everything-  his attention, the other boy's attention, and the attention of other girls.  She suddenly becomes the luckiest girl. 

But are they meant to be together?  

I loved this story because it was a quick and easy read.  I also like how Beverly Clearly pictures love as companionship along with the "head over heels" thing.  This was a very enjoyable read and I recommend it. However, if you are looking for a dramatic love story, this is definitely not it.  I thought it was good, but it wasn't epic.  Just keep that in mind.  5.5 stars 

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Review: The Shakespeare Stealer

Book Description:

Steal Shakespeare's play Hamlet .... or else.

That's the order from his fearsome master.  And Widge- a poor orphan with the rare ability to write a unique coded shorthand- has no choice but to follow orders.  So Widge works his way into the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare's troupe rehearses and performs.  The players take him in and treat him as one of their own.  Afraid to disappoint his master, but unwilling to betray his new friends, Widge is torn. Will he secretly copy down the lines?  Until he decides, he must play the part of his life.

This book tells the story of Widge;  an orphan boy who has been taught an unusual shorthand by his master.  This catches the eye of a struggling playwright who "buys" Widge from his old master with the intention of having Widge copy down Hamlet. 


But copying down Hamlet isn't as simple as it seems.  When complications arise, Widge is forced to become a part of the Chamberlain's Men.  Widge fears for himself, that if he does not follow his master's orders, he may be in harms way; but he also doesn't want to desert his new friends and leave the new environment he loves so much.

I think this book was wonderfully written.  The way Gary Blackwood described the events in the book, I  felt like I was right there as it happened.  I also learned a lot about the early theatre.  I 100% recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read.  There is also two amazing sequels that are just as wonderful.

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Kindle vs. Nook?

Amazon Kindle 3

Nook Color

So when we explore the world of e-readers, there are tons of different features.  From reading magazines, to reading a captivating novel, e-readers make reading more convenient and portable.  It's just  like a whole library in your hand!

Though it is wonderful to have so many different options for choosing the perfect e-reader, it can be very confusing.  Certain questions will be popping up in your mind- "Should I get e-ink?" "What about a touchscreen?"  "Is it being backlight a problem?"  "How about the prices of the units themselves?"
You will find yourself wanting to just choose an e-reader and get it over with!  So which one do you really want?

I have a Kindle 3.  I'm a Kindle freak.  Yes, I realize that the Kindle is not a very "frilly" device.  But that's what I love about my Kindle.  It's plain and simple; with no frills attached.  But with me, that's exactly what I wanted.  I have a ipod touch, my dad has an ipad, and my mom has a Mac.  I really don't need the extras that the Nook Color offers.  I just really wanted an e-reader plain and simple, and that's what I got with the Kindle.

Now, I have a friend who has a Nook Color.  And for her, the Nook Color works better.  Because she reads magazines, she doesn't have a ipod, and she doesn't have her own computer.  So for her, the Nook Color works best, because she wants the extras.

But for me, I just wanted a simple e-reader, and that's what I got when I bought the Amazon Kindle.

So this whole post is basically me saying that in my opinion, there isn't a good or bad e-reader out there.  I have the Kindle because it works better for me.  Others have the Nook Color because it works best for them.
There shouldn't be a war between these two e-readers.

Let me know which e-reader you prefer, and why.

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Review: Love on a Dime

Book Description:
In an age of elegance and excess, Lilly Westbrook longs for a love both true and eternal.
Newport, Rhode Island, 1899, is a place of shimmering waves, sleek yachts, and ladies of leisure. Of opulent mansions that serve as summer cottages for the rich and famous. Home of railroad magnates and banking tycoons--dashing young men and the women who aspire to marry them.

But it's not the place for lady novelists. Especially not those who pen disreputable dime novels. This poses a problem for Lilly Westbrook, because that's exactly what she does.

No one in Lilly's social set knows she pens fiction under the nom de plume Fannie Cole. Not her family or the wealthy young man about to propose to her. And especially not Jackson Grail, the long-lost beau who just bought her publishing company...and who stirs her heart more than she cares to admit.

But Lilly must put aside her feelings and follow the path that will maintain her family's social stature and provide the financial security that everyone is depending on.

Now Lilly faces a double dilemma. Can she continue to protect her secret identity? And will she have the courage to choose the man who will risk it all just to win her heart?


This story is about a beautiful society girl who secretly writes dime novels under a nom de plume. 
And if anyone in society found out about it; she and her family would be publicly disgraced.  Lilly also deals with troubles when Jack Grail, an old beau, returns from the past; as the new owner of the publishing house that Fannie Cole (aka Lilly Westbrook) is under contract with.  Lilly has no intention of letting Jack Grail discover her secret, nor disrupt her safe and secure relationship to Harlan Santerre; a prosperous railroad owner.
But when a trashy gossip magazine threatens to reveal Fannie Cole's true identity, Lilly has no choice but to do the magazine's bidding to keep her name hidden.  In the meantime, Jack tries to find Fannie Cole and hopefully help her.  Lilly, however, not wanting any loans or bonds to her old beau, discourages Jack.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  Cara Lynn James has a true talent for writing.  She described everything with such beauty and light.  I couldn't help but smile when she described the party sequences.
This is a Christian novel though, but I found the religious parts to be comforting and they blended wonderfully with the story.
I did want to scream near the end, as Lilly's stubbornness began to annoy me.  However the book ended on a high note, and I couldn't help but smile at the end.

I truly enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more books by Cara Lynn James.
I give this book five stars!! :^)

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