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Thursday, July 30, 2015

Smoke + Mirrors Tour

Tour Details:
Album: Smoke + Mirrors
Artist: Imagine Dragons
Genre: Alternative



Concert Details:
Date: July 25, 2015
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: US Airways Center in Phoenix, AZ
Opening Acts: Metric and Halsey


Review of the location:

   Compared to some other concert venues in the Phoenix area, US Airways Center was pretty great. You might be more familiar with this as home to the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury basketball teams as well as the arena football team, Arizona Rattlers. The concessions were more varied than other places I have been to, though beware the prices are a little high. The only con in this respect was that at the beginning of the concert the fountain soda machines were not working. I only noticed this because I am crazy addicted to Diet Coke. One major pro, especially because this is Phoenix in the summer, is that this location has AC! This is a huge deal and made the performance far more enjoyable. Bathrooms were clean and lines were never too long. This is practically unheard of for women's restrooms. All of the ushers were extremely friendly and helpful. Overall, it was a very clean and well maintained facility. I would absolutely consider seeing another concert here.

Review of the musical performance:

   Metric was the first on stage. Before the concert I had actually never heard of this band. Some background on them is that they are a Canadian alternative band that formed in 1998. I would recommend listening to a few of their songs before attending a concert. Individuals that knew their songs were very excited to see the performance and were jumping around singing along. Most people around me had never heard their songs before though. The instrumental aspect of the performance was great with a lot of energy. This was probably an issue with the sound system in use, but the singer's voice was very difficult to understand and was almost like humming. I even noticed this when she was speaking to the crowd.
    I believe Halsey was meant to perform next but she was absent from this concert. This was definitely a bummer.
    Finally, Imagine Dragons took the stage. The performance was musically fantastic. There were quite a few epic guitar solos and I liked that there was a lot of movement and energy on the stage from the performers. The coordination of lyrics, music intensity, and lights was absolutely perfect and created an awesome atmosphere. Everyone was dancing, jumping, and singing along. Since I am not huge on ballads, I especially enjoyed the higher energy "I'm So Sorry", "Friction", and "Radioactive". The camaraderie present on stage was great to see as well. Some shows it feels like the various musicians are competing for attention. This was more like a group of friends that respected each other and were willing to share the spotlight. The band did a great job musically as well as creating a visually awesome show. Many families, parents and children aged around 10-14, came to the concert together. There was not much alcohol consumption that I noticed either. This kept the atmosphere family friendly. Be warned though that the lights used in the performance make it nearly impossible to get a great picture and if you're sensitive to flashing or strobe lights this could be a problem.

Review of the show:

   For several reasons this was not the smoothest show I have ever been to. Metric came on after 8:00PM and Imagine Dragons started playing after 9:00 with an intermission of about an hour between acts. Many people became restless and one couple near me even left. This sounds odd but was later explained by the fact that the show was nearly cancelled. It was announced that a virus was affecting several members of the tour and that Imagine Dragon's lead singer, Dan, and one of the opening acts, Halsey, were ill. Halsey did not perform at all. I believe this is the reason for Metric playing for so long and the awkwardly long intermission.

Overall experience:

   This was a great concert, even with the few snafus, and everyone there seemed to be really enjoying themselves. Facebook was full of friends that had attended and everyone agreed that it was amazing. I was beyond ecstatic to have gone to this concert. I've mentioned before that they are my absolute favorite band. For two years I tried seeing Imagine Dragons in concert but I was away at college and every time they came to Phoenix it was one or two days after I had had to return to campus. It was everything I was hoping it would be.

Friday, July 24, 2015

Because it's the weekend

Who doesn't like to dance? It might not actually be in front of other human beings or in public, but dancing is always a fun stress reliever. Feeling cranky? Tired of sitting still? Bored? Get up and move! Or at least bob your head. That works too. Here are five songs that I've been dancing to lately. Turn up the volume and dance around!

1)

      Song: Problem
      Artist: Natalia Kills
      Album: Trouble
      Genre: Pop
      Video: Problem 

2)

      Song: Stranger
      Artist: Skrillex
      Album: Divergent Soundtrack or Recess
      Genre: Dance
      Video: Stranger

3)
  
       Song: Worth It (feat. Kid Ink)
       Artist: Fifth Harmony
       Album: Reflection
       Genre: Pop
       Video: Worth It

4)

       Song: Overdrive
       Artist: Calvin Harris & Ummet Ozcan
       Album: Motion
       Genre: Dance
       Video: Overdrive

5)

       Song: Slow Acid
       Artist: Calvin Harris
       Album: Motion
       Genre: Dance
       Video: Slow Acid


I hope you enjoy! Just a couple of things about the above songs before I wrap this up. First, the song and video for "Problem" are labeled explicit. Content may not be super appropriate for very young listeners and viewers. Second, "Overdrive" and "Slow Acid" do not have lyrics. Have an amazing weekend!

Creepy Singles

   Sometimes you need a song that isn't quite ordinary. Not a love song. Not a breakup song. Not a screaming song. Not a crying song. And not even a happy song. But perhaps a creepy song. Creepy in a cool way not in a hiding out, terrified way...


Title: Pity Party
Artist: Melanie Martinez
Album: Pity Party Single
Genre: Alternative
Video: Pity Party

Review:

This one is not as eerie as the song below. It is definitely more the video that has a creepy vibe than the song itself. The premise of the video is a girl who is throwing a party and no one shows up. Martinez is dressed like a much younger girl and her settings are that of a party for little girls. She does end up pretty much losing it (crazy hair, clown makeup, shredding stuffed animals...) by the end of the video. This song is a twist on the older "It's My Party" by Lesley Gore, but not a full remake. Rather than a man leaving, this song is about no one showing up to a girl's party. If you like funny videos that have a touch of crazy then check this one out. It is fun and weird in the best way possible.

Title: Secret
Artist: The Pierces
Album: Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge
Genre: Pop
Video: Secret

Review:

Creepy, creepy, creepy circus freak show. This song is the descent into madness and creeps me out every time I hear it. Years ago it was featured on ABC Family's Pretty Little Liars. The first time I heard it was without the video...this makes it infinitely creepier (if you choose to just listen, here is a video). The entire premise of the song is that "two can keep a secret if one of them is dead" and the music definitely has a circus/carnival feel to it. Singing is done in an almost monotonous tone with a high pitched sweet voice. Even the spoken sections between the sisters gets pretty creepy. If you're looking for an eerie song, this is it.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Coming Soon: Light Up the Dark

Album Title: Light Up the Dark
Artist: Gabrielle Aplin
Genre: Singer/Songwriter
Release Date: September 18, 2015

Teaser Video of "Don't Break Your Heart On Me"- here
Official Video for "Light Up the Dark"- here
Official Video for "Heavy Heart"- here

 Super Exciting Music Release! Yay!

   Gabrielle Aplin is an English singer and songwriter who is freaking fantastic. I absolutely loved her album English Rain with such stunners as "Panic Cord" and "Please Don't Say You Love Me". If you are a fan of the show Outlander then you may have heard her song "Salvation" playing in this fan made video for Jaime and Claire. Her voice is haunting and dreamy. It is never overpowering and keeps a soft quality in every song. Her guitar playing is flawless. Her lyrics are always beautiful and weave captivating tales of love, fear, and loss. Perfect for fans of more mellow, soulful music. If you like Norah Jones, James Bay, or Ed Sheeran then I would definitely check out her music.
   For her American listeners, Aplin's newest album will be released on September 18, 2015. If you have iTunes then I would suggest checking out the deluxe edition of the album. It is only one dollar more and you get six more songs. This includes "Don't Break Your Heart On Me", the song I am most excited to hear. Aplin teased the song on her YouTube channel back in January and I have been wanting to hear it so much ever since. "Heavy Heart" and "Light Up the Dark" seem to be a little different from what I have heard from her before, but I think the change will be interesting.
   Above are details to the album as well as links to three videos, all songs that are featured on the newest album. Check it out and enjoy the music!

Monday, July 20, 2015

Paper Towns by John Green

   With the movie coming out this Friday I figured it was about time I post a review for my absolute favorite John Green book! I loved The Fault in Our Stars and I'm getting into Looking for Alaska but Paper Towns is just so uniquely fantastic that it has to be my favorite. I read it about a year ago during finals week in college when I really needed something fun and fast to read, not horribly depressing and slow. I do not recommend taking 19 credits at a time. Even 18...though I got really bored when I only had 15...so do whatever works for you! What was I saying??? Oh, yeah! This was just what I needed! Below you can check out the book details and a review I wrote right after I finished reading. Sorry it is a bit shorter than my normal review. I blame 19 year old me ;)

Movie Release Date: July 24, 2015

Title: Paper Towns
Author: John Green
Page Count: 305
Rating: A
Keywords: Senior Year, Mystery, Crush, the one that got away, male POV
Genre: Contemporary YA
Younger Readers: some crude language but should be fine for younger readers

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew...

Review:

    The great and wonderful Margo was probably my least favorite character in this entire book! She came across as shallow and toxic but this doesn't mean that I did not absolutely love this book. Once the story was just Radar, Ben, Lacey, and Quentin I was obsessed. There were sentimental moments but what I really enjoyed was the humor. Not many books make me laugh out loud, but this one certainly did. You will understand this if you have read it: black Santas and the road trip crash. These are two of my absolute favorite moments. Yes, I was angry at Margo for most of the book and still was not a huge fan of hers by the end but the mystery element she introduced was entertaining and kept the story moving and gave it greater depth than if it had simply been a funny book. An added bonus? This book had a good ending and wrapped up nicely. I hate when a book ends in a frustrating way.
   I recommend this to everyone! Check it out!

Thursday, July 16, 2015

The Breakup Singles

   These are those songs for when your heart has been broken. Whether it's that special someone just wasn't that into you, you broke up, you were cheated on, etc. But don't worry! These are not the sob fest songs. Both are on the more upbeat side of heartbreak...if there is such a thing. Cry only if you want to and remember that heartbreak sucks at first but it will eventually get better. Even if it seems like the end of the world (especially if it is your first heartbreak), it will get better. Trust me! ;)


Title: Body Talk
Artist: Foxes
Album: Body Talk Single
Genre: Pop
Video: Body Talk

Review:

The video and song are both giving serious 80s vibes. This one is all about realizing that for some reason the relationship just wasn't right and you have to accept it. Let the past go. I like that the song acknowledges this realizing the situation may have been wrong but it still is going to hurt. You're going to feel a little lost and cry. Honesty in lyrics is always a plus. So listen and take the song's advice, "just let it go" and "let your body talk" (aka dance)! This is a great song for if you don't want something horribly depressing (sob fest song) but are not quite ready for the crazy upbeat, bubblegum pop either. Dance away the heartbreak.


Title: Should've Been Us
Artist: Tori Kelly
Album: Unbreakable Smile
Genre: Pop
Video: Should've Been Us

Review:

You may have heard this one on the radio recently. This is all about reminiscing and wondering what could have been. Everything about this is the eternal "what if?". The lyrics talk about how everything should have been, about how everything was crazy before but if things had been given a shot they would have worked out and been perfect. Maybe not realistic in every situation but a lot of people have certainly had this thought after something has ended, that idealized image of possibilities. More honest lyrics! Tori is more traditional pop and her tempo is faster and the video has some fun moments, especially the concert scenes. Check it out.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

New Awesome Singles


Two great new songs I would recommend checking out this summer!

Title: Here
Artist: Alessia Cara
Album: Here Single
Genre: Pop
Video: Here

Review:

Introverts unite! This entire song is about not being into parties and the video shows a girl (Alessia) looking completely fed up with a party straight from Clueless. She keeps repeating the lines "what am I doing here?" and "tell my friends I'll be over here". This is pretty much me at a party. I love the sassy quality of the lyrics mixed with Cara's smooth vocals. Most songs are about letting loose and going crazy at a party. I liked that this one was from the perspective of someone that does not enjoy partying. If you're an introvert you will at least find this song amusing. "Antisocial pessimist" was my favorite line. It isn't a song that inspires me to break out dancing but I definitely start bobbing my head every time I hear it. Check it out!

Title: Adore
Artist: Jasmine Thompson
Album: Adore Single
Genre: Pop
Video: Adore

Review:

I loved this song! It has a dreamy quality to it but not in a boring way. It is labeled as "pop" but it almost has a really upbeat "alternative" side to it. When I was listening to it I just kept getting this really fun, cute vibe from it. It is the non bubbly, very chill version of having a crush in the summer. The video is definitely reminiscent of Taylor Swift's "Style" video at certain points but I enjoyed the unique qualities of it as well. Jasmine has a great voice and does quite a few covers. Check out her cover of Wiz Khalifa's "See You Again" here.

Monday, July 13, 2015

Interested in WWII History?

   Many people are most familiar with the roles of Britain and the United States in WWII. Considerably fewer people are familiar with Eastern Europe's role in the war. Here I have listed five books that give an introduction to this side of the war. Each is an important work and many have caused controversy. I would absolutely recommend reading them all, but know that there has been controversy (especially in the cases of Neighbors: The Destruction of the Jewish Community in Jedwabne, Poland and Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland). Each author touches on the opposing views but to form your own opinion strongly it would be beneficial to do some extra research. I have listed the books in the order that I found easiest to read and in one case added a film that will aid in understanding the material. Enjoy the knowledge but be prepared for the horrors of war!


Title: Neighbors
Author: Jan T. Gross
Page Count: 153

Synopsis from Goodreads:

On a summer day in 1941 in Nazi-occupied Poland, half of the town of Jedwabne brutally murdered the other half: 1,600 men, women, and children-all but seven of the town's Jews. In this shocking and compelling study, historian Jan Gross pieces together eyewitness accounts as well as physical evidence into a comprehensive reconstruction of the horrific July day remembered well by locals but hidden to history. Revealing wider truths about Jewish-Polish relations, the Holocaust, and human responses to occupation and totalitarianism, Gross's investigation sheds light on how Jedwabne's Jews came to be murdered-not by faceless Nazis, but by people who knew them well.

Thoughts:

This was a controversial one because there are still people who deny that the massacre at Jedwabne ever occurred. I had not heard of this before reading Neighbors but it is a fascinating look into what people did and how they changed under WWII.

Title: Eyewitness Auschwitz
Author Filip Muller
Page Count: 171

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Filip Muller came to Auschwitz with one of the earliest transports from Slovakia in April 1942 and began working in the gassing installations and crematoria in May. He was still alive when the gassings ceased in November 1944. He saw millions come and disappear; by sheer luck he survived. Muller is neither a historian nor a psychologist; he is a source one of the few prisoners who saw the Jewish people die and lived to tell about it. Eyewitness Auschwitz is one of the key documents of the Holocaust. Published in association with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "A shattering, centrally important testimony." from the Foreword by Yehuda Bauer. "A very detailed description of day-to-day life, if we can call it that, in Hell s inmost circle...Having read other books of this kind, I had expected to read this one straight through. But no, Eyewitness Auschwitz is jammed with infernal information too terrible to be taken all at once." Terrence Des Pres, New Republic. "Riveting...It is a tale of unprecedented, incomparable horror. Profoundly, intensely painful; but it is essential reading." Jewish Press Features."

Thoughts:

This one raises the question of what exactly someone would be willing to do to survive. I liked that this was not just an account of someone that went to the concentration camps but someone that had to work closely with Nazi soldiers and worked in the gas chambers and crematoriums. Like some of these other works, it raises the questions of "Are these men evil?" and "What would you do to survive?".

Title: The Diary of Dawid Sierakowiak
Contributors: Kamil Turowski (translator), Alan Adelson (editor)
Page Count: 271

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"In the evening I had to prepare food and cook supper, which exhausted me totally. In politics there's absolutely nothing new. Again, out of impatience I feel myself beginning to fall into melancholy. There is really no way out of this for us." This is Dawid Sierakowiak's final diary entry. Soon after writing it, the young author died of tuberculosis, exhaustion, and starvation - the Holocaust syndrome known as "ghetto disease." After the liberation of the Lodz Ghetto, his notebooks were found stacked on a cookstove, ready to be burned for heat. Young Sierakowiak was one of more than 60,000 Jews who perished in that notorious urban slave camp, a man-made hell which was the longest surviving concentration of Jews in Nazi Europe. The diary comprises a remarkable legacy left to humanity by its teenage author. It is one of the most fastidiously detailed accounts ever rendered of modern life in human bondage. Off mountain climbing and studying in southern Poland during the summer of 1939, Dawid begins his diary with a heady enthusiasm to experience life, learn languages, and read great literature. He returns home under the quickly gathering clouds of war. Abruptly Lodz is occupied by the Nazis, and the Sierakowiak family is among the city's 200,000 Jews who are soon forced into a sealed ghetto, cut off from the outside world. The wonder of the diary is that every bit of hardship yields wisdom from Dawid's remarkable intellect. Reading it, you become a prisoner with him in the ghetto, and with disconcerting intimacy you begin to experience the incredible process by which the vast majority of the Jews of Europe were annihilated in World War II. Significantly, the youth has no doubt about theconsequence of deportation out of the ghetto: "Deportation into scrap metal, " he calls it. A committed communist and the unit leader of an underground organization, he crusades for more food for the ghetto's school children. But when invited to pledge his life to a suicide resista.

Thoughts:

If like many students you have read The Diary of Anne Frank then this work will have a similar feel and give you an inside look into what it meant to be a child in these terrifying times. It really grounds the situation by seeing this boy worrying about his own safety and his family because of the war but also to see his worries about things such as school.

Title: The Wannsee Conference and The Final Solution
Author: Mark Roseman
Page Count: 156

Synopsis from Goodreads:

On January 20, 1942, in a grand villa on the shore of Berlin’s Lake Wannsee, a conference of Nazi officers produced a paper known as the “Wannsee Protocol,” which laid the groundwork for a “final solution to the Jewish Question.” This Protocol has always mystified us. How should we understand this calm, business-like discussion of holocaust? And why was the meeting necessary? Hundreds of thousands of Jews had already been shot by squads in Russia or gassed in the camp at Chelmno. Mark Roseman seeks to unravel this double mystery and explain how it was that on a snowy day, fifteen well-educated young men met to talk murder.

Film to watch with this work:

Conspiracy (2001) directed by Frank Pierson and written by Loring Mandel. This TV movie cleared up a lot of the confusion I felt when reading the book and made the circumstances that I had read about easier to grasp. An added bonus to this movie is that you get to see a very brief glimpse of a very young Tom Hiddleston as the phone operator.

Title: Ordinary Men
Author: Christopher Browning
Page Count: 223

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The shocking account of how a unit of average middle-aged Germans became the cold-blooded murderers of tens of thousands of Jews.

Thoughts:

This definitely presents a much needed perspective on the mindset of a soldier. The look into what goes on in someone's mind so that they can commit murder in the name of nationalism and war is an important one. The question "Were these men evil?" is asked and I believe it is an important one. Many people have argued against Browning and research into these creates a wider picture of the issue.

Sunday, July 12, 2015

New Music 7/9

Why no books?
  
   If you are a person that enjoys art then you probably enjoy more than just one form. I love the structuring of words into stories but I'm also fascinated by other art forms. I did ballroom dancing focusing on tango, cha cha, and merengue. I play the piano, viola, and guitar. Singing is great. I paint and draw. My class notes have always contained more doodles than words. I love photography. Cinema is a fascination. All of these arts, and many others, use your imagination and can be enjoyed equally. With this in mind I decided to not only share what I am reading but also what I am listening to. Below are two songs that I have been listening to this week and in the future I will be posting reviews for albums, EPs, and singles as well as some playlists. Enjoy!
   The videos for these two songs were released on July 9, 2015 on YouTube. Both are more on the mellow side but there is something beautiful about each.

Onto the music!

Title: New Americana
Artist: Halsey
Album: Badlands (will be available 8/28/2015)
Genre: Alternative
Mood: Mellow tones with rebellious lyrics
Video: Halsey-New Americana (Audio)

Review:

One of my current favorite bands is Imagine Dragons. Their Smoke + Mirrors tour is going on right now and Halsey is one of their opening acts. The two are clearly different (Imagine Dragons brings a bit more energy and angst while Halsey has a laid back tone and a soothing voice) but they definitely compliment one another. They have the same sense of a unique sound that doesn't go so far as to be unlistenable. Her sound is a bit similar to the classic dreamy quality present in Lana Del Rey's songs. Check it out for sure if you enjoy Imagine Dragons and Lana Del Rey. This song is for the millennial generation and plays on many American pop culture references such as Rockefeller, Nirvana, and James Dean but it never crosses the line into gimmicky name dropping. These titles seem to ground the lyrics into the culture more. The video is just an audio, allowing the listener to focus more on the lyrics and appreciate what is being said. If you liked Halsey's sound then check out her song "Ghost" here. It is a bit faster paced than this one but I really enjoyed it.

Title: Like I'm Gonna Lose You (feat. John Legend)
Artist: Meghan Trainor
Album: Title
Genre: Pop
Mood: Mellow, Love Song
Video: Meghan Trainor-Like I'm Gonna Lose You ft. John Legend

Review:

This is certainly not what I was expecting when I heard it was Meghan Trainor. Usually her songs come across with a touch of humor and have a faster tempo. Some people have complained that her three singles ("Dear Future Husband", "Lips Are Movin", and "All About That Bass") sound exactly the same. I can hear that they are similar but I listen to lyrics a lot more and I enjoy all three as their own individual accomplishments. This one reminds me much more of John Legend's work ("All of Me" comes to mind). The tempo is slower and there is no sass. This does not make it a bad song by any means. It is one of those songs that is easy to turn up in the car and sing super loudly to. It is easy to listen to and the message is to love everyone like you could lose them at any moment. Love them fully. It is a sweet sentiment, to love someone openly and honestly. I enjoyed that it was shown as not just having to be romantic love for a significant other but also love for family and friends. The video displays this well. Even if you are not a fan of Meghan Trainor's previous popular songs I would give this one a listen. This reminds me a bit of Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud", Sam Smith's "Stay With Me", and John Legend's "All of Me". All great songs that are easy to sing along with.

Gorgeous Cover

    Stephen King's The Bazaar of Bad Dreams: Stories will be released on November 3, 2015 and goodness gracious does it have a gorgeous cover! King is one of my all time favorite authors (I totally recommend checking out The Shining and Bag of Bones!!!) and I cannot wait to check out his newest release. Check out the details below and take a look at that hauntingly magnificent cover!

Title: The Bazaar of Bad Dreams
Author: Stephen King
Release Date: November 3, 2015
Page Count: 512
Genre: Horror, Short Stories

Details Found on the Amazon webpage:

A master storyteller at his best—the O. Henry Prize winner Stephen King delivers a generous collection of stories, several of them brand-new, featuring revelatory autobiographical comments on when, why, and how he came to write (or rewrite) each story.

Since his first collection, Nightshift, published thirty-five years ago, Stephen King has dazzled readers with his genius as a writer of short fiction. In this new collection he assembles, for the first time, recent stories that have never been published in a book. He introduces each with a passage about its origins or his motivations for writing it.

There are thrilling connections between stories; themes of morality, the afterlife, guilt, what we would do differently if we could see into the future or correct the mistakes of the past. “Afterlife” is about a man who died of colon cancer and keeps reliving the same life, repeating his mistakes over and over again. Several stories feature characters at the end of life, revisiting their crimes and misdemeanors. Other stories address what happens when someone discovers that he has supernatural powers—the columnist who kills people by writing their obituaries in “Obits;” the old judge in “The Dune” who, as a boy, canoed to a deserted island and saw names written in the sand, the names of people who then died in freak accidents. In “Morality,” King looks at how a marriage and two lives fall apart after the wife and husband enter into what seems, at first, a devil’s pact they can win.

Magnificent, eerie, utterly compelling, these stories comprise one of King’s finest gifts to his constant reader—“I made them especially for you,” says King. “Feel free to examine them, but please be careful. The best of them have teeth.”

Click here for the book's Amazon page

Friday, July 10, 2015

If You Liked The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, then...

    I read Stieg Larsson's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo when I was in high school and loved it. Mysteries have always been a love of mine, starting with my obsession with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo definitely leans towards the realm of twisted and sometimes ventures all the way to messed up and by no means is this appropriate for children (foul language, sex, rape, etc.). However, it is a great read that keeps you guessing up until the very end. I am about half way through The Girl Who Played With Fire and it is presenting as similar to the first installment.
   Larsson's book inspired me to look further into Swedish culture and inspired both my reading list and desire to start learning the Swedish language. Below I will introduce the Swedish mystery writing couple Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril, who publish under the pen name Lars Kepler. Their mystery series that follows Detective Joona Linna is one of my all time favorites and I am constantly recommending it to friends. It has a similar feel to Larsson's series but the books are shorter and have an increased readability. I am never bored when I am reading these books and nothing is dragged out.
   This series was originally published in Swedish but the first three books have been translated to English. I can't wait for the rest of the series to be translated because my Swedish is not quite at that level yet. Check these books out! You will not regret it.

Lars Kepler Bio from Goodreads:

Lars Kepler is a pseudonym used by Swedish writer couple Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril. Both previously published authors, together they have written five crime novels so far, all concerning the investigations of police inspector Joona Linna.

Title: The Hypnotist (Joona Linna #1)
Author: Lars Kepler
Page Count: 503
Genre: Mystery

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In the frigid clime of Tumba, Sweden, a gruesome triple homicide attracts the interest of Detective

It’s the sort of work that Bark has sworn he would never do again—ethically dubious and psychically scarring. When he breaks his promise and hypnotizes the victim, a long and terrifying chain of events begins to unfurl.

An international sensation, The Hypnotist is set to appear in thirty-seven countries, and it has landed at the top of bestseller lists wherever it’s been published—in France, Holland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Denmark. Now it’s America’s turn. Combining the addictive power of the Stieg Larsson trilogy with the storytelling drive of The Silence of the Lambs, this adrenaline-drenched thriller is spellbinding from its very first page.
Inspector Joona Linna, who demands to investigate the murders. The killer is still at large, and there’s only one surviving witness—the boy whose family was killed before his eyes. Whoever committed the crimes wanted this boy to die: he’s suffered more than one hundred knife wounds and lapsed into a state of shock. Desperate for information, Linna sees only one option: hypnotism. He enlists Dr. Erik Maria Bark to mesmerize the boy, hoping to discover the killer through his eyes.

Title: The Nightmare (Joona Linna #2)
Author: Lars Kepler
Page Count: 528
Genre: Mystery

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A drowned young woman is discovered on an abandoned pleasure boat drifting by the Stockholm archipelago---strangely, her clothes are dry. The next day in Stockholm, a man turns up dead, hanging from a lamp hook inside his completely bare apartment---but how could he have hung himself with no furniture to climb upon? As Detective Inspector Joona Linna begins to piece together the two mysteries, he discovers that they are a mere prelude to a dizzying and dangerous course of events. From the internationally bestselling author of The Hypnotist comes The Nightmare, another spellbinding tale of Nordic crime.

Title: The Fire Witness (Joona Linna #3)
Author: Lars Kepler
Page Count: 512
Genre: Mystery

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Flora Hansen calls herself a medium and makes a living by pretending to commune with the dead. But after a gruesome murder at a rural home for wayward girls, Hansen begins to suffer visions that are all too real. She calls the police, claiming to have seen a ghost, but only one detective puts aside his skepticism long enough to listen: Joona Linna.

Linna has spent more time at the scene of the crime than any other detective would. The case seems obvious on the face of it: One of the girls at the home escaped in the middle of the night, leaving behind a bloody bed with a hammer under the pillow. But why does Hansen insist that the murder instrument was a stone, not a hammer? And what’s the story behind the dark red grain of sand, almost like a splinter from a ruby, stuck beneath the dead girl’s fingernail? As Linna refuses to accept easy answers, his search leads him into darker, more violent territory, and finally to a shocking confrontation with a figure from his past.

Just as Lars Kepler’s The Hypnotist and The Nightmare did, The Fire Witness has spent months at number one on the Swedish bestseller lists. As the newspaper Dagens Nyheter put it, you start the thriller “on the subway home, keep reading at the dinner table, and then don’t stop until well into the wee hours.” Kepler writes with the force of Stieg Larsson and the plotting of Jo Nesbø. The Fire Witness is an unflinching page-turner, sure to join the ranks of its predecessors as an international sensation.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger (Book and Movie Review)

Title: The Duff
Author: Kody Keplinger
Page Count: 277
Rating: B+
Keywords: High School, Beauty, Relationships, Senior Year, Acceptance
Genre: YA
Younger Readers: DO NOT BASE READABILITY ON MOVIE, this book does have an abundance of teen sex including scenes with oral, domestic violence and alcoholism also present, may not be appropriate for preteens

Movie Synopsis from IMDb:

A high school senior instigates a social pecking order revolution after finding out that she has been labeled the DUFF - Designated Ugly Fat Friend - by her prettier, more popular counterparts.

Book Synopsis from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper may not be the prettiest girl in her high school, but she has a loyal group of friends, a biting wit, and a spot-on BS detector. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. But things aren't so great at home and Bianca, desperate for a distraction, ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him. Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Review of Movie:

   I wanted to start off by talking about the movie. It was amazing! I have absolutely no clue why this movie was not more popular when it came out. It was funny, cute, and even ended with a moral (don't judge people because bad things can happen to anyone and you don't always know their circumstances). Anyone that has ever felt like a misfit can relate to Bianca and her struggles to function in the high school setting as well as accept herself for who she really is. I think that this is a really important lesson for everyone. I was lucky to have the kind of parents that encouraged this my entire life but I also have known people that did not learn this until much later, or not at all. It is okay to be who you are. Don't pretend to be someone you're not to fit into what others expect. You'll just make yourself miserable. I'm a clumsy nerd who gets really excited about bookstores and is an introvert who can be selectively outgoing if necessary. Some people think that's weird and others think it's really cool. Guess who I hang out with? Find the people that you can be yourself around and keep them. Don't waste your time on people who won't accept the real you.
   The love story was adorable. Girl realizes that her super cute guitar playing crush is not as perfect as she thought he was (hasn't everyone been there at some point?) and notices that she has developed serious feelings for her best guy friend. Pretty much the ideal cute situation for a hopeless romantic like me.
    I watched this with my mother and a friend. All agreed that it was fantastic and hilarious! It was not exactly like a an 80s movie but it certainly had a similar feeling to a classic John Hughes film for me. Like Breakfast Club. It wasn't exactly storyline but a feeling it gave. Check it out!

Review of Book:

     I just wanted to start by saying that I did enjoy this book in the end and I would recommend it overall. If you do choose to read it just know that it is not like the movie. There is the same overall message in the end and the same cast of characters (in name only) but the storyline is very different as well as the actions of the characters.
    This was certainly not what I was expecting after watching the cute movie. Before page 100 Bianca and Wesley have had a one night stand. Not just making out. Nope. It was a sex scene. And then she continues to use him as a "distraction" in this way for much of the rest of the book. There is even a much more detailed oral sex scene than I was expecting. Especially since this was written by a girl in high school and is classified as a YA novel. This is why I would not recommend it for the younger readers of YA.
   The book is much more serious and explicit than the movie was but I did not hate it. Certainly I did not enjoy the first quarter of the book because I was longing for the cuteness of the movie and was getting a story about a girl with a seriously messed up life and a casual hookup relationship. Bianca is looser than most YA main characters and for some this will be refreshing. For others it could be a total turn off for the whole story.
    Family violence is addressed briefly in this novel and it is not sugarcoated. I enjoyed this aspect because it is such an important topic to be exposed to. Often times people avoid family violence, also known as domestic violence, because it is an uncomfortable topic but addressing it in the world of fiction is certainly a good starting point to addressing it and learning about the complexities of such a topic.
    I recommend it because in the end it was a good book with a good moral. Everyone is unique and it is best not to judge because you never know what someone is going through. That is great to teach young people. However, I just want the reader to be aware that the content is not as light as the movie and may be inappropriate for much younger readers. It also depends on the reader's morals and comfort level with certain content. Some people are okay with crude language and casual sex. Some people are not. It really depends on the individual. If these things don't bother you and you're interested, check it out! It is short and will fly by.


July Currently Reading

     Summer time is a time of boredom for many students. No classes, far from friends, routine has been upended. And the lack of schedule leads to horrible boredom. Boredom leads to some interesting consequences for most people. Some people binge on Netflix. Some eat. Some take up crafts. I tried all of these but my boredom was not alleviated. Video games are usually a cure but as entertaining as The Evil Within was, there are only so many hours you can stare at the screen. So I was led to randomly choosing to begin the workout routine P90X and am now actively reading FIVE books. Not one, not two, not three. FIVE. My boredom has led to abs that hurt even when I laugh and random facts floating around my head.
    Here is my reading list for July! Enjoy the random list and my thoughts so far :)

Title: Cleopatra
Author: Stacy Schiff
Page Count: 302
Genre: Biography

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt.

Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnet, and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. Above all else, Cleopatra was a shrewd strategist and an ingenious negotiator. Though her life spanned fewer than forty years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world.

She was married twice, each time to a brother. She waged a brutal civil war against the first when both were teenagers. She poisoned the second. Ultimately she dispensed with an ambitious sister as well; incest and assassination were family specialties. Cleopatra appears to have had sex with only two men. They happen, however, to have been Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, among the most prominent Romans of the day. Both were married to other women. Cleopatra had a child with Caesar and--after his murder--three more with his protégé. Already she was the wealthiest ruler in the Mediterranean; the relationship with Antony confirmed her status as the most influential woman of the age. The two would together attempt to forge a new empire, in an alliance that spelled their ends. Cleopatra has lodged herself in our imaginations ever since.

Famous long before she was notorious, Cleopatra has gone down in history for all the wrong reasons. Shakespeare and Shaw put words in her mouth. Michelangelo, Tiepolo, and Elizabeth Taylor put a face to her name. Along the way, Cleopatra's supple personality and the drama of her circumstances have been lost. In a masterly return to the classical sources, Stacy Schiff here boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death ushered in a new world order. Rich in detail, epic in scope, Schiff's is a luminous, deeply original reconstruction of a dazzling life.
  

Thoughts so far:

I love the casual tone of this biography. Sometimes biographies can come across as condescending and talk down to the reader. This feels more like a conversation with a helpful teacher. It is an easy read that I think most people could get into. The information is laid out in an easy to absorb way and there have not been any lulls so far. I am only on page 30 so far and I am having so much fun and learning so much about the legendary queen. Did you know she is actually of Greek descent? I would absolutely recommend this one.

Title: The Bone Clocks
Author: David Mitchell
Page Count: 624
Genre: Fiction

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Following a scalding row with her mother, fifteen-year-old Holly Sykes slams the door on her old life. But Holly is no typical teenage runaway: a sensitive child once contacted by voices she knew only as “the radio people,” Holly is a lightning rod for psychic phenomena. Now, as she wanders deeper into the English countryside, visions and coincidences reorder her reality until they assume the aura of a nightmare brought to life.

For Holly has caught the attention of a cabal of dangerous mystics—and their enemies. But her lost weekend is merely the prelude to a shocking disappearance that leaves her family irrevocably scarred. This unsolved mystery will echo through every decade of Holly’s life, affecting all the people Holly loves—even the ones who are not yet born.

A Cambridge scholarship boy grooming himself for wealth and influence, a conflicted father who feels alive only while reporting from occupied Iraq, a middle-aged writer mourning his exile from the bestseller list—all have a part to play in this surreal, invisible war on the margins of our world. From the medieval Swiss Alps to the nineteenth-century Australian bush, from a hotel in Shanghai to a Manhattan townhouse in the near future, their stories come together in moments of everyday grace and extraordinary wonder.

Thoughts so far:

The unique voice of this novel is fun and memorable. There seems to be a bit of a paranormal spin on the story so far. It is on the slower side. I am 50 pages in and have not figured out what is going on. Holly, our main character, seems to be a bit immature and naïve but I could see her growing into a much more powerful later in the novel. Her youth does not venture into the realm of annoying though. I look forward to figuring out what is going on and would recommend it to people that enjoy British literature (the author lives in Ireland) and mysteries.

Title: Alan Turing: The Enigma
Author: Andrew Hodges
Page Count: 664
Genre: Biography

Synopsis from Goodreads:

It is only a slight exaggeration to say that the British mathematician Alan Turing (1912-1954) saved the Allies from the Nazis, invented the computer and artificial intelligence, and anticipated gay liberation by decades--all before his suicide at age forty-one. This acclaimed biography of the founder of computer science, with a new preface by the author that addresses Turing's royal pardon in 2013, is the definitive account of an extraordinary mind and life.

Capturing both the inner and outer drama of Turing's life, Andrew Hodges tells how Turing's revolutionary idea of 1936--the concept of a universal machine--laid the foundation for the modern computer and how Turing brought the idea to practical realization in 1945 with his electronic design. The book also tells how this work was directly related to Turing's leading role in breaking the German Enigma ciphers during World War II, a scientific triumph that was critical to Allied victory in the Atlantic. At the same time, this is the tragic account of a man who, despite his wartime service, was eventually arrested, stripped of his security clearance, and forced to undergo a humiliating treatment program--all for trying to live honestly in a society that defined homosexuality as a crime.

The inspiration for a major motion picture starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley, "The Imitation Game" is a gripping story of mathematics, computers, cryptography, and homosexual persecution.
  

Thoughts so far:

The movie inspired by this biography is one of my all time favorites. It introduced me to the incredibly complex and inspiring Alan Turing. That being said, I am enjoying the biography. BUT I probably would not recommend it for absolutely every reader. Alan Turing was a mathematician. Andrew Hodges is also a mathematician. Both are incredibly intelligent men. If you are maybe a slower reader or have trouble with more difficult works you might not enjoy this biography. If you have at least a high school graduate reading level you should be fine. If you have a college undergraduate reading level it will probably be easier. I would recommend it to those that are interested in math, science, and history. Casual readers looking for a light read? Probably not.

Title: A Storm of Swords
Author: George R. R. Martin
Page Count: 1,128
Genre: Fantasy

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Here is the third volume in George R.R. Martin's magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. Together, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, victim of the sorceress who holds him in her thrall. Young Robb still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. And as opposing forces manoeuver for the final showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost limits of civilization, accompanied by a horde of mythical Others—a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords...


Thoughts so far:

I am over half way through this one! All of the Game of Thrones books take me forever to read. I started this one in January. I love them all but they are crazy long and I find taking breaks to read other works can make it easier to get through. I probably would have been further into this one but I took a couple month break when the person I was reading it with and I stopped talking. Now I'm back and I just read the Red Wedding scene (I will not explain further as to not spoil those surely very few people who do not know what that is...it would be much better to be surprised). George R. R. Martin certainly is a cheery fellow. I would recommend this series for fans of the HBO show, high fantasy, and individuals with great levels of dedication and patience. It is great fun! Not appropriate for very young readers. I often hide it from my young cousin who enthusiastically refers to it as "that dragon book".

Title: Red Victory: A History of the Russian Civil War
Author: W. Bruce Lincoln
Page Count: 526
Genre: Russian History

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Shortly after withdrawing from World War I, Russia descended into a bitter civil war unprecedented for its savagery: epidemics, battles, mass executions, forced labor, and famine claimed millions of lives. From 1918 to 1921, through great cities and tiny villages, across untouched forests and vast frozen wasteland, the Bolshevik "Reds" fought the anti-Communist Whites and their Allies (fourteen foreign countries contributed weapons, money, and troops—including 20,000 American soldiers). This landmark history re-creates the epic conflict that transformed Russia from the Empire of the Tsars into the Empire of the Commissars, while never losing sight of the horrifying human cost.

Thoughts so far:

I am not very far into this one (only a couple of pages) but I am excited to get further into this one. It is kind of interesting because the book was published in 1989 and refers to the Soviet Union in the present tense. That is going to take some getting used to. I chose this one based on my general interest in Russia. My second language is Russian and I took several Russian culture and history classes in college. In grad school I will be taking more Russian classes. It has been a fascination of mine for a long time. Should be fun to continue on with!


*I am also reading Zibaldone by Giacomo Leopardi but I am nowhere near far enough into the massive tome to give a good opinion. I'll put an update up soon though!

Random July History Book Haul

When you end up spending an hour in the used bookstore's world history section you cannot leave without at least one book. I left with three! And no one is surprised. Enjoy perusing these wonderful titles!

Title: Cleopatra
Author: Stacy Schiff
Page Count: 302
Genre: Biography, Egypt

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt.

Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnet, and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. Above all else, Cleopatra was a shrewd strategist and an ingenious negotiator. Though her life spanned fewer than forty years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world.

She was married twice, each time to a brother. She waged a brutal civil war against the first when both were teenagers. She poisoned the second. Ultimately she dispensed with an ambitious sister as well; incest and assassination were family specialties. Cleopatra appears to have had sex with only two men. They happen, however, to have been Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, among the most prominent Romans of the day. Both were married to other women. Cleopatra had a child with Caesar and--after his murder--three more with his protégé. Already she was the wealthiest ruler in the Mediterranean; the relationship with Antony confirmed her status as the most influential woman of the age. The two would together attempt to forge a new empire, in an alliance that spelled their ends. Cleopatra has lodged herself in our imaginations ever since.

Famous long before she was notorious, Cleopatra has gone down in history for all the wrong reasons. Shakespeare and Shaw put words in her mouth. Michelangelo, Tiepolo, and Elizabeth Taylor put a face to her name. Along the way, Cleopatra's supple personality and the drama of her circumstances have been lost. In a masterly return to the classical sources, Stacy Schiff here boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death ushered in a new world order. Rich in detail, epic in scope, Schiff's is a luminous, deeply original reconstruction of a dazzling life.
  

Title: The Romanov Sisters
Author: Helen Rappaport
Page Count: 381
Genre: Russian History, Biography

Synopsis from Goodreads:

They were the Princess Dianas of their day—perhaps the most photographed and talked about young royals of the early twentieth century. The four captivating Russian Grand Duchesses—Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia Romanov—were much admired for their happy dispositions, their looks, the clothes they wore and their privileged lifestyle.

Over the years, the story of the four Romanov sisters and their tragic end in a basement at Ekaterinburg in 1918 has clouded our view of them, leading to a mass of sentimental and idealized hagiography. With this treasure trove of diaries and letters from the grand duchesses to their friends and family, we learn that they were intelligent, sensitive and perceptive witnesses to the dark turmoil within their immediate family and the ominous approach of the Russian Revolution, the nightmare that would sweep their world away, and them along with it.

The Romanov Sisters sets out to capture the joy as well as the insecurities and poignancy of those young lives against the backdrop of the dying days of late Imperial Russia, World War I and the Russian Revolution. Rappaort aims to present a new and challenging take on the story, drawing extensively on previously unseen or unpublished letters, diaries and archival sources, as well as private collections. It is a book that will surprise people, even aficionados.


Title: From Splendor to Revolution: The Romanov Women 1847-1928
Author: Julia P. Gelardi
Page Count: 389
Genre: Russian History, Biography

Synopsis from Goodreads:

This sweeping saga recreates the extraordinary opulence and violence of Tsarist Russia as the shadow of revolution fell over the land, and destroyed a way of life for these Imperial women

The early 1850s until the late 1920s marked a turbulent and significant era for Russia. During that time the country underwent a massive transformation, taking it from days of grandeur under the tsars to the chaos of revolution and the beginnings of the Soviet Union.

At the center of all this tumult were four women of the Romanov dynasty. Marie Alexandrovna and Olga Constantinovna were born into the family, Russian Grand Duchesses at birth. Marie Feodorovna and Marie Pavlovna married into the dynasty, the former born a Princess of Denmark, the latter a Duchess of the German duchy of Mecklendburg-Schwerin.

In From Splendor to Revolution, we watch these pampered aristocratic women fight for their lives as the cataclysm of war engulfs them. In a matter of a few short years, they fell from the pinnacle of wealth and power to the depths of danger, poverty, and exile. It is an unforgettable epic story.