Literary Thursday: Carrie Bradshaw Begins Life in New York City

As I was ready to write this blog in the afternoon, I came across some technical issues. Since Facebook has been making a lot of changes to their site, it somehow affected the speed and functionality of my Internet. I got frustrated since I was ready to spend some time writing today. Needless to say, I did not get the chance until I got home from working tonight. Since it's not Midnight yet (as I am typing this), I am still able to publish a Literary Thursday blog for you this week. :-)

"Summer in the City" by Candace Bushnell




In the sequel to The Carrie Diaries, we reunite with Carrie Bradshaw just hours after arriving in New York City, in which she was robbed and had one phone number to call for help... Samantha Jones. As Carrie and Samantha begin their longtime friendship, Carrie falls in love with living in the big city. She attends her writing seminar, experiments with fashion, goes to parties with celebrities, and begins a relationship with Bernard- who is a well known playwright and is recently divorced. Carrie also meets a young, red headed woman named Miranda Hobbes, who found her stolen purse in the garbage. It becomes very clear to Carrie that she was meant to be a New York City girl, but can her writing abilities keep her in the city?

When I read The Carrie Diaries last year, I loved reading about Carrie from her high school days. When I noticed there was a sequel, I bought it immediately. I liked this book so much more than the original, mostly because you see more of the Carrie Bradshaw that we all know from the Sex and the City novel/tv show, especially her sense of humor, her unique fashion style, and how she questions relationships of all kinds.

Samantha is already the sexually charged, strong, work oriented woman that we already know. However, it surprised me to see that she was in a long term relationship in the book. Miranda, upon meeting her, was involved in a protest. That does not surprise me that she would be the type to protest over things she believed in at a young age (you know, before diving into a career in law that consumes a lot of her time). She was very much an independent woman from the start, and it was very evident in the book.

I loved how Candace Bushnell incorporated some minor characters from the series/book into this novel. For instance, Capote Duncan. I recall that he was known as a toxic bachelor from Sex and the City. He was one of the bigger characters in this novel, and it brought some interesting insight to Carrie's lifestyle and to how she interpreted relationships.

For anyone that is a fan of Sex and the City, I highly recommend reading both of the prequel books. They are light reads, very entertaining, and you get to see the naive sides to the women that we fell in love with 10 years ago. Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Literary Thursday: Stephen King Discusses Writing

I am sad.

When I was a senior in high school, a new shopping center opened. In the shopping center was a bookstore, Borders. That store became my "spot," a place where I could spend hours browsing the aisles in peace. It was somewhere I would go when I wanted to enjoy moments of solitude. That store closed its doors for good this week. I will miss it dearly, especially since it was only a few minutes away from my house.

With that said, I have invested in a lot of books. I think I lost count around 60 (if you think I'm kidding, come to my house and look at my bookshelf- and the pile of receipts from the past two months). What does that mean for you? A lot of Literary Thursday blogs in the foreseeable future. I already have six or seven books ready to review, but to not overwhelm my readers, I will post each review one at at time (since I tend to be more descriptive when reviewing books). Enjoy the first of many reviews coming in the next several weeks!


"On Writing" by Stephen King



Stephen King has written a part-biography/ part resourceful novel that explores the art of writing. He divides the novel into many parts: his childhood/early start in writing, struggling to establish himself as a writer, advice/useful tips for any aspiring writer, and how he was able to pick himself back up from a near-fatal car accident in 1999.


Well, I am 27 years old and have never read a novel by Stephen King... until now. I'd say I picked the perfect first novel for me to read. Yes, I am aware that this is not one of his infamous fiction stories, but it was exactly what I needed to read several weeks ago. I became a fan of his writing when I read his columns in Entertainment Weekly. They were funny, well written, and made me realize that I am as much of a pop culture geek as him. I also realized that one of my top 10 favorite movies is based on one of his short stories (The Shawshank Redemption). Anyway, about the novel...

I loved how Mr. King explained certain aspects of his adolescence and how they contributed to his writing (and to future characters). While reading it, I caught myself reminiscing about how my passion for writing developed over the years. Then, when he explained the struggles of raising a family while struggling as a writer, I was able to relate what he went through.

My favorite part of the book (which also had a huge impact on me) was his section about the art of writing. I took so many things he discussed to heart and have already applied them toward my writing/lifestyle. The most important thing he said was that if you do not have time to read, then you do not have time to write. Reading is a key element to writing because you constantly see how sentences are structured, how conversations between characters are executed, and it helps with your imagination when it's time to write something. Adverbs will never look the same after reading this book. I promise.

I recommend this book for any writer out there. He has a lot of good advice and he makes it entertaining, unlike reading a textbook on writing skills. It's personal and educational... the best of both worlds. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars


See you guys next week!

Literary Thursday: Mockingjay

I borrowed, I read, I conquered. In less than a month, I read The Hunger Games trilogy. I started the series, knowing it was aimed for young adults, that it might be along the lines of The Twilight Saga... in regards to how it would be portrayed as innocent. Oh, how relieved I was to discover I was very, VERY wrong. Before I get off subject, I'm going to move forward with the review of the final book... Mockingjay.

I need to apologize on the tardiness of this blog post. Between working on the last of the Musical blog challenge, working on my weekly blogs, and developments in my personal life, I just haven't been motivated to finish this entry. Better late than never!

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins



A month after the unexpected end to the Quarter Quell, Katniss Everdeen explores her home in District 12, which was destroyed by the Capitol. She, others from 12, and several rebels have been living in District 13, which was supposedly destroyed 75 years ago. They are becoming accustomed to the military-styled life, under the care of district President Coin. As many of the districts are rebelling against the Capitol, District 13 has taken charge of the ultimate goal: to overthrow the Capitol with Katniss at the symbol of the rebellion... as the Mockingjay.

When I first started reading the series, I read a couple reviews about how their government parallels to our current situation in the United States. I do recognize some of that, but the way these books are written seemed more like a caste system, with social status and occupation playing huge roles in each of the districts. This book is solely focused on rebelling against the government and attempting to overthrow them.

Compared to the first two books, this one has a completely different tone to it, but it transitions very well for the reader. The transition from innocent teen to wise young adult is remarkable with Katniss. Sure, she's still stubborn and acts out impulsively, but she's looking at the big picture with a logical, matured attitude. During the rebellion, Katniss also realizes things about herself... good and bad. Having a lot of periods of solitude contributed to her own self discovery, which has helped her focus on the tasks she will be doing as the Mockingjay. She also works on her trust issues with people in general. She needs to rely on others and work as a team to accomplish their goals during the rebellion... especially those that she felt she betrayed in the past.

One of the biggest things I have learned about trilogies (thanks to the movie Scream) is that in the third one, something is revealed that changes the course of things. Rules change. True colors are shown. This book fits that mold. I'm not going to give any spoiler alerts, but the events that unfold in the last 100 pages were things I never would have predicted... and I liked the element of surprise. It made the end of the book more exciting and interesting than I could have ever imagined. Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

Literary Thursday: Catching Fire

Do you remember in last week's Literary Thursday blog how I said I was almost finished reading Catching Fire? Well, just a few hours after I posted that blog, I finished the book... less than four days after starting it. Then again, I read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince in less than 24 hours, LOL. Anyway, lets move forward and get to my summary and review of the second book in the Hunger Games Series.


Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins



It has been several months since the 74th Hunger Games ended, and Katniss and Peeta are becoming accustomed to their new accommodations at home. As they prepare for the Victory Tour, Katniss encounters an unexpected visitor from the Capitol... President Snow. He informs her that her final act in the games have caused a major disturbance to Panem and threatens her to behave or the people she loves will die.


As they make their first stop in the Victory Tour, to District 11, they realize that their choices in the Hunger Games have made a bigger impact they have anticipated. The people are standing behind them, causing riots from those who want to overthrow the Capitol. In order to prove that they still have control, the Capitol throws in a twist for the 75th Hunger Games, which is also the Quarter Quell (special circumstances happen every 25 years to the games). They decide to have two victors from each district return to the Hunger Games. Since District 12 has only had 3 living victors, two males and one female, Katniss realizes that she will be returning to the Capitol to fight to the death.

When I started reading this book, I was expecting to see Katniss and Peeta embark on a journey across all the districts, leading to their new duties at the Capitol as mentors to future tributes in the Hunger Games. What I didn't expect (or Katniss, for that matter) was that the berries incident was something that sparked a rebellion in many of the districts. It is first recognized when they head to District 11, which was the first stop in the Victory Tour. After witnessing the Peacekeepers (the law enforcement in Panem) kill someone for starting a symbolic tribute to Katniss, they are rushed back onto the train with very little answers. As time goes on, Katniss and Peeta piece things together and prepare to be seen as symbols for the rebellion.

When it is time for the 75th Hunger Games, aka. the Quarter Quell, I sensed a completely different vibe than the last one. For one, many of the past victors have been friends over the years and to find themselves in the situation that they will have to fight each other is hard to bear. Katniss, who trusts very few people, goes by her intuition to find allies to team up with during the games while others seem to be forced on her by her mentor and partner.

When the games begin and the arena is described, I am in awe. Imagine a pie divided into 12 even pieces, with the center resembling a wheel with spokes. In between the spokes are bodies of water and the cornucopia of supplies are in the very center of the arena. Compared to the last book, I imagine more of a jungle than a forest. Now, I don't want to spoil anything, but the unexpected elements of the games are executed in a "timely" manner and each element is particularly dangerous for the tributes, physically and emotionally.

The book ends with (at least to me) a very unexpected twist. The fact that it came so abruptly made me grab Mockingjay immediately and start reading it. Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars


See you guys next week when I review Mockingjay, the final book in the Hunger Games series!!!

Literary Thursday: The Hunger Games

After a long absence, I am finally able to blog about books again!!! I started reading a biography book on Hunter S. Thompson, but it was taking me so long that I stopped reading it (for now) when I was 2/3 finished. Then about a week and a half ago, I started reading a Stephen King novel- my very first one. I was really getting into it, but then a coworker of mine offered me to borrow a book series that I have been interested in. So I delayed Mr. King's novel. Less than a week later, I finished the first book of The Hunger Games series.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins




It is sometime in the future, and what used to be North America is now a nation called Panem. Panem has a Capitol that is surrounded by thirteen districts (one was obliterated 74 years ago) that specialize in certain trades, like agriculture, textiles, or weapons. Every year The Hunger Games is held, where a boy and a girl (between the ages of 12 and 18) from each district are sent to the Capitol to train and fight one another to the death until only one person is left standing.

In District 12, Katniss Everdeen and her sister Prim head to the name drawing ceremonies. As Prim's name is called, Katniss does the unthinkable. She steps in to participate in the Hunger Games herself. Before she knows it, she is on her way to the Capitol with Peeta, the male district representative, and the rest of the team to begin what could be the finals days of her life.

When I first heard about this series, I was intrigued. The target audience is young adults and there is a lot of violence. Once I started reading, I knew I was in for a great adventure.

The first thing I loved about the book was that my mental images of the districts were a mix of modern day and medieval times. It is supposed to take place in the future, but the way the Capitol has taken over the people, they have used a lot of measures seen from the past. For example, the districts are enclosed in chain link fencing, with electricity coursing through it. When someone publicly speaks ill of the Capitol or does something illegal (like hunting), they can be publicly humiliated in the square by the Peacekeepers (law enforcement) or killed.

When Katniss, Peeta, and the rest of District 12 get to the Capitol, I am imagining a world similar to The Wizard of Oz/ The Wiz. What I mean by this is that all the districts surrounding the Capitol are very drab, dark, and simple. The Capitol stands out with it looking flawlessly new, well maintained, and technologically advanced. Katniss and Peeta, who are accustomed to small amounts of food, are amazed at the selection and richness of the meals provided to them. It takes them a little time to get accustomed to their new diet, but they enjoy it heartily. When Katniss is working with Cinna, her fashion designer for the ceremonies in the Capitol, I am imagining that the dresses and outfits she wears are very similar to what Lady Gaga wears today. Some of the clothes involve optical illusions and light fixtures, so to think Gaga is not far fetched at all.

Then, the Hunger Games begin. The setting of the games itself have that unique mix of future and past. The scene is in a wooden forest, full of creatures, deadly insects, and natural vegetation. However, there are hidden cameras to document all the tributes while fighting to the death. The Capitol also has control over the weather. They can make it rain or have excruciating heat as they please. They also have control of the water and wildlife (which toward the end of the games, the water supply "dries up," forcing the remaining tributes to come together in the center of the arena. The fights and deaths of the tributes are very real, graphic, and barbaric. The author does an excellent job with detail that I was able to get a very clear image of how each person dies. It was exciting, yet disturbing.

Although I was hooked from the first chapter, it took me a few more chapters to really get into it. I finished this book in less than a week. I was impressed beyond my own expectations for this book and have already started on the second book, Catching Fire (actually, I am almost done reading that one). I recommend this to my fellow bookworms and anyone that is looking for a great read that will be hard to put down once you start. I also recommend this to anyone that has seen the movie The Condemned... the "fight to the death while being filmed" concept is essentially the same thing. Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars




Oh, yes... this pic of a recent issue of Entertainment Weekly. Yes, the book series is in the process of becoming movies. The first book is currently being filmed. They plan to make four films (excellent idea) and now that I've read the books, I am excited to see how it will look visually!

See you guys next Thursday, when I review Catching Fire!!!

Literary Thursday: The Lucky One

Oh, happy day... I was able to finish reading another book this month!

For my second Literary Thursday review, I picked a book from an author that I absolutely love, Nicholas Sparks. I loved seeing the movie adaptations but never read any of the novels until last year. I have read eight of his novels so far: The Last Song, The Choice, The Notebook, The Wedding, Message in a Bottle, The Guardian, A Bend in the Road, and the one that I am about to review.

The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks



Before I started reading the book, I came across a tweet on Nicholas Sparks Twitter account that was discussing his latest novel to film adaptation, which turned out to be this novel. He was sharing character stills of Logan aka. Zac Efron. I immediately realized that I was going to do the same thing that I did with Miley Cyrus for The Last Song, picture the actor as I am reading the book... and that's exactly what I did.


Logan Thibault is a U.S. Marine that is on a quest to find a women in a photograph. He found the photo while on a tour of duty in Iraq and somehow it presented itself as a lucky charm, between winning poker games and surviving several combats (over three different tours). After a fishing trip with his best friend Victor, Logan and his dog Zeus decide to journey to North Carolina (from Colorado) by foot in search of this mystery women. He ends up finding Elizabeth, a divorced mother who lives with her son and grandmother. Logan takes a job at the dog kennel that Elizabeth's grandmother runs (which is on the same land as their home). While Logan and Elizabeth develop feelings for one another (then fall in love), someone is trying to break them apart... Elizabeth's ex-husband, Clayton. Logan tries to keep the secret of the photograph from everyone, which eventually threatens to tear them apart.

As with all of the novels I read by Nicholas Sparks, the book proves how well he can write a great love story with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing (and sometimes you won't be able to predict what will happen next). The story of Logan and Elizabeth was predictable, but the other people involved in their lives made things complicated for the two of them, especially Clayton and his schemes that were always under the radar (until Logan came around). You could just feel the hatrid festering in Clayton's head, then escalating as the book went forward.

I really liked Ben, Elizabeth's son. He was a sweet kid that preferred other activities (like reading and playing chess) over sports. The way Ben was described, at times, reminded me of my own son. Somehow I imagined Ben looking like an older version of my kid. Elizabeth's grandmother, Nana, was another character I liked. She was stubborn in the fact that nothing would stop her from working at the kennel, even after suffering a stroke. She also had some of the most oddball advice lines, but they made her character unique and very likable.

There is a scene in particular that I enjoyed a lot... when Logan and Elizabeth go on their first date (not really a spoiler alert). Elizabeth decides on the place, which was called Shagging for Crabs. It's a unique restaurant, frequented by locals, where there are only two things on the menu: crab and beer. You dine at picnic tables and eat from buckets of crab (with your hands). While dining, there were certain lines that had to be expressed so the servers knew if you wanted more crab or not. This reminded Logan of being a virgin to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, where your first time is to learn the lines the regulars were shouting (yes, I totally geeked out when I read that part... RHPS love). I have to remember to dine in a place like this if I ever travel to North Carolina.

I've never had problem connecting with the characters from any of Nicholas Sparks novels. For some reason, I couldn't quite get there with Logan. Maybe it was because of his periods of silence, like when he was thinking about Victor or going over Clayton's antics in his head. It kind of bugged me that I couldn't get that connection. I know some of my friends who are in the military (or have spouses serving) enjoy this one because of Logan's story lines while serving as a marine. I like that Nicholas Sparks did another with military connections after writing Dear John. This novel wasn't my favorite, but I still enjoyed it a lot. Rating 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Literary Thursday: The Almost Moon

Yay! I finally finished reading a book since I declared doing Literary Thursday blogs! I apologize for those who were anxiously waiting for me to do a book review, but the book I read took me longer to read than I thought.

The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold



Helen Knightly is a middle aged woman who is taking care of her ailing mother. They have had one of the strangest bonds as mother and daughter, but a strong one. Helen soon finds herself doing the unthinkable. In a moment of anger, she suffocates her mother, leaving her dead. Helen then finds herself doing a lot of unthinkable things for the following twenty-four hours while reflecting on the past with both of her parents.

When I first read The Lovely Bones in 2004, I was amazed at how brilliant Alice Sebold had written the story. I wanted to read more of her works. The Almost Moon came out in 2007 and I read a couple reviews that portrayed that it wasn't very good. As it turns out... the reviews were right.

I normally enjoy all the books I've read, so to finally find one that disappointed me makes me a little sad. The most prominent reason for my disappointment was how the present day to past events were just all over the place. You'll read about how Helen is driving from her mother's to her house and you suddenly are reading about two to three past scenarios that she's reflecting on. I mean, I know that's how the mind works sometimes, but to try to represent that kind of thinking into words were not executed well. There were a few instances where I didn't realize the story transitioned and had to reread parts.

Helen did a lot of things in the 24 hours after killing her mom. She cleans and hides her mother's body, she has sex with Hamish (the adult son of her best friend), she gets her ex-husband to come in town to help her, and other things (hey... I can't spoil all the details of the book to others that want to read it). If I were in that situation (which I don't see that ever happening, murder is one of those things I'd never put on a to-do list), I don't think I would be able to keep my composure, let alone do a bunch of activities.

With all the characters in the story, my favorite was Mr. Forrest. He was the neighbor of Helen and her family while growing up. He was extremely cultured in the arts and photography and Helen was fascinated with his lifestyle. To be honest, I wish the book was about him because that would have been a more interesting and exciting read.

Overall... this was not worth the read. I'm glad I only paid two dollars for the book (at a Borders that was closing their doors). I might give it another try in 10 years or so and see if I connect to it as an older woman. Hey, you never know!

Rating: 1 1/2 out of 5 stars

Literary Thursdays: The Introduction

As many of you have noticed, I have started weekly topics for my blog. What I plan to do on Thursdays is to review books that I have read. To me, reading a book takes time. Sometimes I can read a book in a matter of days; other books require a couple months from start to finish. It can depend on how much the book keeps my attention (or in the case of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, I was done reading it 18 hours after purchasing it at the Midnight release). Life's daily things can also keep me from reading a book in a timely manner.



I started reading The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo (by Stieg Larsson) a few weeks ago. I was getting into it. But a week later, I was browsing a Borders that was closing and found a book that I had been interested in reading for only two dollars. So I've stopped reading Larsson's book, for now. I am going to read it all the way through as soon as I'm done with my current book.

Now, the book I am currently reading is The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold. I loved reading The Lovely Bones so I hope this new book will turn out just as good. I have noted that many critics had mixed feelings over The Almost Moon so I will see if I agree with them or not.



Don't expect a weekly blog on books, but expect that they will be posted on Thursdays. Over the past couple years, I have counted how many books I've read and it averages to at least 20 or more per year. Including the one I'm reading, I have a little over a dozen books on my bookshelf that I have yet to read. Some are classics (Pride and Prejudice, Les Liasons Dangereuses), some are biographies (Gonzo: The Life of Hunter S. Thompson, Truman) and others are more modern fiction (Digital Fortress by Dan Brown). So in the future, look forward to several book blogs!!! Until then, I'll be enjoying my book!