summer reading

What Does Summer Mean? Beach Reads!!

 in Fun by

For bookish types there are 2  times in the year where you mind perpetually focuses on books:

1. Christmas when you just about drive yourself crazy working out which books to give to whom? (or which you would prefer to keep and read yourself!)

2. Summer when you must have the perfect beach read. Or two. Or three. It has to be engaging, transporting, possibly light in weight and works well with sand. And water drops.

Well, it is summer and now is the time to be working out which escape filled book will be your new companion during the long, lazy days. To help you on your way  MLCWO will be sifting through lists and lists of books and coming up with plenty of suggestions to help you find the perfect fit. And today there is the perfect list by way of Pure Wow. This list, click here, contains new suggestions and old favorites.

It is a perfectly constructed list.

And for those of you who prefer car trips, we’ll work on getting some great audible books up for you all as well.

So which of these on the list have you read? Which will you read?

Happy reading and enjoy your reads on the beach.

The Light Between Oceans (A Novel) by M.L. Stedmad

 in Book Reviews / Books / Older Readers by

Summary

“After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as a lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock. To this isolated island, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up carrying a dead man and a living baby. In. M.L. Stedman’s mesmerizing novel we, we are seduced into accommodating Isabel’s decision to keep this “gift from God,” and we are swept into their story.”

-From the back cover

Review

I shall start off by saying that this was a book I would have never read but it was the required book for my school so I didn’t really have a choice. And honestly, I really disliked this book.

It was so damn depressing and on such a sad topic.

I mean come on, you can tell in the summary that it’s going to be sad – miscarriages and a stillbirth.

My school couldn’t have chosen a happier book? -.-

Anyway. The story was pretty good but it was really convoluted. Chapters were broken up into sections and some sections would be in different people points of view and it going confusing fast as to who was speaking and when that actually happened because it would jump between times and such. That annoys me when it does that without telling you when it actually is happening clearly because then you get confused and such.

As I said the story line was quite depressing and with a child being taken from someone (can’t say what exactly as it’s in the story later on) you get extremely stressed over what is occurring and I really dislike that in books. If its sci-fi or action its fine, but not in  a book like this that is based in reality.

There really isn’t a lot to say in this book as there was no character development that I was able to see, and overall I just really didn’t like the book.

I know that many people would be interested in something like this, but personally I wouldn’t recommend it.

But if you have read it and have a different view on it, let me know what you think about it.

Until then, happy reading.

My “To Read” List

 in Books / Young Adult by

Well this is what I just picked up from the library, including NEW books. So feel free to read along with me and expect reviews of these books popping up here and there.

Must Love Dukes by Elizabeth Michels (got to love a good romance novel)

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (for school)

Dangerous by Shannon Hale (New!…and I LOVE the cover.)

The Watch That Ends The Night: Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf (Love the Titanic..so it was a must!)

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (My reach book…I CAN DO THIS!)

Summer Goal Book

 in Fun / Older Readers by

Each summer I try to choose a book which will challenge me and may not be enjoyable to read, but I will finish it just for the experience. A few years ago I started Dracula by Bram Stoker, but it took me like 2 years to finish.

The book I am reaching for this year may take me that long…but I would like to finish it by September.

And my goal book…

Of Summer….

2014….

Is……

>Epic drum roll starts<

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

>Cue mouths gaping open<

Yes I know it is going to be REALLY hard to read and keep interested in…but I want to do it. So wish me luck.

Has anyone read it? What did you think if you have? And do you think I’m nuts for trying this…? I do xD

Happy Reading everyone…I know that I will be happy…ish.

Fever by Robin Cook

 in Book Reviews / Books / Older Readers / Young Adult by

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure here.

Fever by Robin Cook cover via Amazon

Summary

“Charles Martel is a brilliant cancer researcher who discovers that his own daughter is the victim of leukemia. The cause: a chemical plant conspiracy that not only promises to kill her, but will destroy him as a doctor and a man if he tries to fight it…”

-From Amazon.com

Review

Yes, the summary is short, but that really sums the entire book up. This book was a really good book. I would have to say that its content was for more mature readers. There was nothing inappropriate, but it was long, and there were some things which younger people may not understand or pick up.

I chose this as one of my summer reading books for my school. Some people at the school recommended the book and so I decided to try it out. I loved it. The book did start off a little slow but once you got into it, it was much better.

The story was about this researcher, Charles Martel, who was a cancer researcher. His daughter was diagnosed with leukemia and Charles just kind of lost it. He had lost his wife a few years earlier so he was married to Cathyrn, the stepmother. Cathryn was a very supportive character in the book. She would always back him up and she would always be there for Rachel, Charles’ daughter. There were two other big-ish characters in the story. There was Chuck and Jean Paul. They were Charles’ sons. Chuck was about as annoying as you could get, but Jean Paul was more understanding when it came to things. He stood on the sidelines and watched. Yes, he would annoy his sister from time to time, but otherwise he was a gentle soul.

Towards the end of the book Charles started to lose his mind. His mind itself was perfectly fine, but with all the stress he just started to have some weird thoughts – thoughts that were irrational.

The characters in this book were not extremely well described but they did not have to be. You got all of their personalities. You did not really need to know what they looked like. Also there was so much going on, it would have been a bit too confusing. I liked how the characters were not described, because with all that was going on, I got to use my imagination.

The personalities of each character were…

Michelle – loving, caring, has lots of responsibility as she took over the female role after her mother died, cares about everyone else before herself

Charles – a smart researcher, easily angered, sharp tongue, wily, wants Chuck to follow in his foot steps

Cathryn – arbitrator, loving, caring

Chuck – annoying, easily annoyed, quite strong, doesn’t want to follow his fathers footsteps

Jean Paul – loving, brother-like (has the moments when he picks on his sister, but cares too), quiet

I would recommend for you to go and check this book out of the library. It is for older readers like 15 and up, but otherwise this was a really good book.