Frankenstein

Frankenstein

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Mary Shelley

Classic Literature/Fiction/Horror

*****

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"I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind? You, my creator, would tear me to pieces, and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me?" - Monster

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Teaser

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Few creatures of horror have seized readers' imaginations and held them for so long as the anguished monster of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The story of Victor Frankenstein's terrible creation and the havoc it caused has enthralled generations of readers an inspired countless writers of horror and suspense. Considering the novel's enduring success, it is remarkable that it began merely as a whim of Lord Byron's.

"We will each write a ghost story," Byron announced to his next-door neighbors, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin and her lover Percy Bysshe Shelley. The friends were summering on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland in 1816, Shelley still unknown as a poet, Byron writing the third canto to Childe Harold. When continual rains kept them confines indoors, all agreed to Byron's proposal.

The illustrious poets failed to complete their ghost stories. But Mary Shelley rose supremely to the challenge. With Frankenstein, she succeeded admirably in the task she set for herself: to create a story that, in her own words, "would speak to the mysterious fears of our nature and awaken thrilling horror - one to make the reader dread to look round, to curdle the blood, and quicken the beating of the heart."

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Review

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This is very possibly the best written book that I have ever read. It's definitely one of my absolute favorites. Mary Shelley does a superb job with details. You can imagine ever character perfectly, and her descriptions of the monster leave nothing to be desired. Her descriptions of nature are so exact that you can picture the scenery down to the last speck of dirt or blade of grass. She also manages to tie up every loose end. Nothing goes unexplained, and at the end of the novel you feel as though you have really witnessed this terrible atrocity. Shelley has a unique way of playing with the reader's emotions. At times you feel such incredible pity for the monster that it is nearly overwhelming. And yet still, at other times, you feel such hatred for him that you hope and pray for his demise. This novel is a very "dark romantic" styled writing. The elegant phrasing also adds to the emotional level of this piece. I loved everything about this book. I highly recommend it for advanced young readers interested in classic literature, or adults.

Sherlock Holmes

The Complete Sherlock Holmes

By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Mystery

****

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"Elementary, my dear Watson."

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Teaser

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Eccentric, arrogant, and ingenious, Sherlock Holmes remains the world's most popular and influential fictional detective. In four novels and fifty-six short stories, Holmes, with his trusted friend Dr. Watson, steps from his comfortable quarters at 221B Baker Street into the swirling fog of London. Combining detailed observation with brilliant deduction, Homes rescues the innocent, confounds the guilty, and solves the most perplexing puzzles crime has to offer.

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Review

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I enjoyed Sherlock Holmes, and I found that it was a really good break from extremely singular genres such as romance or science fiction. I liked the short story format because I could just browse through the book at my leisure. I also enjoyed the novels, they provided more elaborate stories. Holmes is a character that is impossible not to like, either for his wit or his cunning. The crimes are also interesting because you can try to solve them as the story goes, like most mysteries. Over all, Sherlock Holmes was a very well rounded book, and for people who enjoy adventure, mystery, and reading late into the night, this is a great book.

Upcoming Event: Breaking Dawn Release

Upcoming Event: Breaking Dawn Release

Breaking Dawn is the fourth installment in the Twilight Saga, an incredibaly popular series by Stephanie Myer. It is set to be released on August 6th. Here is the Breaking Dawn page on Stephanie Meyer's website. The first chapter can be found in the back of Eclipse Special Edition, and here.


I am very excited for this book, and I hope that Meyer will tie everything up well, which seems to be what many authors writing a series struggle with. We'll have to see!

Twilight

Twilight

Stephenie Meyer

Fiction / Romance

*****

""Bella." His fingers lightly traced the shape of my lips. "I will stay with you - isn't that enough?" I smiled under his fingertips. "Enough for now."

He frowned at my tenacity. No one was going to surrender tonight. He exhaled, and the sound was practically a growl.

I touched his face. "Look," I said. "I love you more than everything else in the world combined. Isn't that enough?"

"Yes, it is enough," he answered smiling. "Enough for forever." And he leaned down to press his cold lips once more to my throat.

Teaser

About three things I was absolutely positve.

First, Edward was a vampire.

Second, there was a part of him - and I didn't know how potent that part might be - that thirsted for my blood.

And Third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him...

Review

Let me start out by saying that this is the best book ever written. Actually, no... I enjoyed Eclipse (the third novel in the series) even more, but thats beside the point. Twilight is perfect combination of action, romance, and fiction. The characters are so amazingly well developed that I found myself lost in their emotions every time I picked this book up. Many people are turned off of this book because of it's steryotype as a "vampire-love-story", but these are no regular vampires. These ones have morals. They care enough for humanity to curve their malicious appetites and live a more "vegatarian lifestyle", as they put it.

Yes. This book is about an age-less vampire who is desperately smitten with a human. But this book is also a beautifully woven tale of true love and the struggles we are willing to endure to make sure that it lasts... in this case, quite literally... Forever.

I highly recommend this book for people of all ages. It's an incredible page turner. I finished it in a day.

Book Slam

Book Slam:

Maximum Ride: The Final Warning

By James Patterson
Science Fiction
272 pages
*1/2

Teaser

First she was watched.

In this breathtaking new story from the astonishing imagination of James Patterson, a girl has to save herself from an army assembled just to capture her-and maybe save the planet while she's at it.

Then she was threatened.

Maximum Ride is a perfectly normal teenager who just happens to be able to fly, the result of an out-of-control genetic experiment. Max and the other members of the the flock-five kids who share her remarkable ability-have been asked to aid a group of environmental scientists studying the effects of global warming. The expedition seems like a perfect combination of adventure, activism-and escape from the government forces that are watching the flock all the time...

This is her final warning.

But even in Antarctica, enduring the harshest weather on the planet, Maximum Ride is an irresistible target in constant danger. Whoever controls her powers could also control the world...

Slam

I absolutely loved that first three Maximum Ride books. However, I was disappointed in the fourth one. It lacked what made the first three books so good. They were all action packed, full or sarcasm and witty "Max moments", and it seemed to be one of the few series in which the author really knew what they were doing. The Final Warning was very different from that. There wasn't as much action, Max lost some of her character, and it really seemed like James Patterson wasn't sure where he was going with the plot. Overall, I was extremely dissapointed, and I hope he has enough sense to make the possible fifth book better.

Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

By James Patterson

Science Fiction

****

"There is one bright side to this." said Fang.

"Yeah, what's that?" The new and improved Erasers would mutilate us before they killed us?

He grinned at me so unexpectedly I forgot to flap for a second and dropped several feet. "You looove me," he crooned smugly. Holding his arms out wide, he added,

"You love me this much."

Teaser

There's one last chance to save the world... and it's in the hands of six extraordinary kids who can fly. Only they, led by the valiant Max, can stop a deadly plot to annihilate half the human population even as they're being hunted by nightmarish enemies. With mankind on the brink of destruction, Max must fight to protect those she loves, identify a traitor in the flock, and uncover a startling secret that will change her future...if there is a future.

Review

This book keeps the adventure rolling without a break, but it also makes you experience many other aspects of a teenage girl's life, and the strong love for her family. The characters continue to draw you in, and the book raises new questions, both for yourself and the author. It makes you understand how the simplicity of a child's view can alter the world. This book continues to be unique and creates an almost sense of family with the characters. This book is a great read.

The Host

The Host

Stephanie Myer

Science Fiction

****1/2

Teaser

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans have become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remainng human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves-Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, the set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.

Review

I have read Twilight, so I was worried this book would be too much like Meyer's other books, and it would be a disappointment. I was wrong. This book started out strange, but with great character development. This book doesn't focus on the science fiction part of the story, but the characters. You find yourself wound up in the reality of Wanderer's world, crying her tears, and smiling for her happiness. This is one of those books that you put down, and it takes you a couple days to break out of the haze. It was fascinating, and it drew the reader into the book, and occasionally had me reading into the night. I recommend this book for anyone who liked Twilight, and/or Maximum Ride. There were moments where I was reminded of both books, but The Host still has an eerie uniqueness that I loved.

Bookarazzi Through E-mail

Alright, from now on there is a cool new feature on Bookarazzi. Do you sometimes forget our URL? Do you not always have time to check our site? Well now we have something totally cool for you. Now you can get all of our Bookarazzi posts THROUGH YOUR E-MAIL!!! How cool is that? If you want to get Bookarazzi through mail, look on the bottom of the column to the left, and click the link that says Click Here to Get Bookarazzi Posts Through E-mail! Or you could just click here.

Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever

Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever

By James Patterson

Science Fiction

399 Pages

****

Teaser

Brace yourself for the #1 bestselling suspense series about your best dream-and worst nightmare: to have wings and be able to fly. For six amazing kids -lab escapes engineered with this incredible gift-it means living and breathing the adrenaline of freedom and fear as they flee from ruthless predators...in search of their parents, their purpose, and survival. The prize is worth everything: Max, Fang Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel just might save the world. Or maybe not.

Review

Okay, this book was a perfect continuation of the first book in the Maximum Ride series. It's full of action as the flock continues to discover more about themselves, and this book really makes you want to go out and do something to save the world, or just kick someones butt. When reading, James Patterson really makes you feel the amazing sensation of flying, of moving your wings up and down a thousand feet from the Earth. This book is breathtaking, and leaves you waiting for more.

Wicked

Wicked

by Gregory Maguire

Fiction

406 pages

****

"You're my soul come scavenging for me, I can feel it." said the Witch. "I won't have it, I won't have it. I won't have a soul; with a soul there is everlastingness, and life has tortured me enough."

Teaser

When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we only heard her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious Witch? Where did she come from? how did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil?

Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkindlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability, and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to become the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly, and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.

Review

I found this book very interesting. It started out a little strange, but the book is well written, and the discussion and internal conflict of Elphaba are amazing. What is waiting for us in the afterlife? Why do we do the things we do? Does everyone possess a soul? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? This book is great, and a book that really makes you think. All Elphaba wants is to be forgiven. But by who? Herself, the Unnamed God(from the story), or her peers? This book was great, and it had one of the best endings I have ever read. But then again, I have a thing for unhappy endings. This book was a whole new experience, and I hope if you read it you enjoy it as much as i did.

This Lullaby

This Lullaby

by Sarah Dessen

Contemporary Realism

345 pages

****

"I knew that there were no guarantees. No way of knowing what came next for me, or him, or anybody. Some things don't last forever, but somethings do. Like a good song, or a good book, or a good memory you can take out and unfold in your darkest times, pressing down the corners and peering in close, hoping you still recognize the person you see there."

Teaser

Remy always knew when to give a guy "the speech" - right after the initial romantic rush, but before anything gets too serious. She's had her fair share of boyfriends, and she's learned all there is to learn from her mother, who's currently working on husband number five. so why is it that Rmey can't seem to dump Dexter? It can't be his name. It can't be that he's messy and disorganized. And it certainly isn't that he's a musician - just like Remy's father, a man she never knew because he left before she was born. Could it be that Remy's romantic rules to live by don't apply anymore?

Review

I loved this book. It's very well written and the characters are all easy to relate to. Their emotions are expressed very well and I often found myself completely submerged in the novel. Remy is a very strong girl who knows what's best and always sticks to "the rules". While Dexter, completely her foil, is a free-thinking, wild and crazy, lives with his maruading wedding band kinda guy. Their romance is unlikely, and ultimately it surprises both of them. I couldn't put this book down... I finished it in a day.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray

by Oscar Wilde

Classic Literature

229 pages

***

"I have grown to love secrecy. It seems to be the one thing that can make modern life mysterious and marvelous to us."

"If a man is a gentleman, he knows quite enough, and if he is not a gentleman, whatever he knows is bad for him."

"There are many things that we would throw away if we were not afraid that others might pick them up."

"I am what I am. There is nothing more to be said."

"But the picture? what was he to say to that? It held the secret of his life and told his story. It had taught him to love his own beauty. Would it teach him to loathe his own soul?"

Teaser

Oscar Wilde brings his enormous gifts for astute social observation and sparkling prose to The Picture of Dorian Gray, his dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. This dandy, who remains forever unchanged - petulant, hedonistic, vain, and amoral - while a painting of him ages and grows increasingly hideous with the years, has been horrifying, enchanting, obsessing, even corrupting readers for more than a hundred years.

Taking the reader in and out of London drawing rooms, to the heights of aestheticism, and to the depths of decadence, The Picture of Dorian Gray is not only a melodrama about moral corruption. Laced with vivid depictions of upper-class refinement, it is also a fascinating look at the milieu of Wilde's manifesto of the creed "Art for Art's Sake."

Review

This book is incredibly fascinating, but also exceptionally dull at times. It provides an excellent look at the internal struggle between what is right, and what is fun. Another central conflict in this book was that of the importance of beauty over intelligence. Men with education were next to worthless, for anything except their selected area of skill, in these times. Vanity is a huge part of this piece also. All of these things are masterfully blended together to create some very enthralling conversations. This book is very well written in the respect that it flows well, however, I did notice that the action seemed to come in spurts, followed by some down time that tended to be boring. Overall I enjoyed this book. It had parts that I absolutely loved and the ending is totally worth pushing through the dull parts for.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

By James Patterson

Science Fiction
413 Pages

*****

"The funny thing about facing imminent death is that it really snaps everything into perspective. Take right now, for instance."

Teaser

Six unforgettable kids-with no families, no homes- are running for their lives. Max Ride and her best friends are products of an experiment: they were engineered to fly. And that's just the beginning of their amazing powers. Now they've escaped, and they need to know who made them, who's hunting them, and why they were designed to be superior to all other humans. James Patterson calls Maximum Ride: "My favorite story, and probably my best."

Review

This book was great. I really liked it because it had lots of action that kept you at the edge of your seat, and all the characters were very well developed and had good humor. It was like nothing I have ever read before, and I occasionally really felt like I was right there, flying with Max. This book was great and an excellent read for book lovers of all ages.