A Shore Thing

A Shore Thing
By Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi

Yes, I actually read this book. Don't judge me.
At the same time, don't expect much from this "book" either. Not that you probably did anyway, if you even planned on reading it. The good news though is that, because I didn't expect a tale told by a literary genius, I wasn't that disappointed by it.
I read a lot of trashy books to begin with, and this one pretty much fits the mold of the rest. The main character is very obviously based on Snooki and most of it is just ramblings about how she's awesome because she's tons of fun and doesn't care what anyone thinks.
The problem with this is that it might actually do the entire cast of Jersey Shore some good to care what other people think... even if its only for a minute. That being said, I know support they're stupidity, obnoxiousness, complete lack of self-respect, "lifestyle" by obsessively watching their show every week, so I don't really have much room to be lecturing. But I can't help it, its entertaining. And hey, if entertainment has gotten this low-brow, whatever. It gives me something to look forward to on Thursday, which would otherwise be a completely depressing, worthless day.
The point is: The book is all right, I guess. The whole thing is pretty much about how awesome Gia/Snooki is and its pretty poorly written, but I bought it, right? So whose the asshole now? And anyway, I read it during finals week and it made for a nice temporary escape.
The question you should really be worried about, though, is: "WHERE'S THE BEACH?!" It's obviously not in Pittsburgh, because its still snowing here!

Also, the Lady Gaga pics/videos are coming soon, I swear.
Also, also, the picture I used of the book isn't a picture I took. Again, so suing, please!

The Host

The Host
By Stephenie Meyer

Okay, I'm just going to say it and get it over with: I was not a big Twilight fan. I know this offends almost everyone. But I can't help it. Twlight just wasn't my cup of tea.. I felt too old for it. I felt like it was something my sister would love, (and she does.) Clearly, it's not just a teeny-bopper fad like I thought it would be. People my age (and older...) love it too, despite the fact that it's themes are childish, immature, ...not my style.
ANYWAY.
That being said, the fact that I wasn't a "Twi-hard," does not reflect my general opinion of Stephenie Meyer. I think she's a great writer, and I loved The Host.
Obviously, I had my doubts. But I was proven wrong, and I couldn't put it down. Its a long one, but its a quick read. The Host is Stephenie Meyer for big people. The story is original and addicting. Now that Twlight is over, (kind of...), I hope Stephenie Meyer sticks to this format/genre/age group and continues writing, because I love her, and she is way more than just the Twlight series.

Next up - (This is embarassing) "A Shore Thing" by..Snooki. Yes, I'm actually reading it. Yes I should be ashamed to admit that. Yes, my Jersey Shore addiction is disgusting. I know all this, you don't have to tell me.

Also - I obviously did not take the picture I used for this post. Being that I'm writing this in the library at school and obviously don't have my camera, I got it off of Google Images. Please don't sue me if I infringed on your copyright.

A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens

This is the second Christmas that I've read A Christmas Carol. Not much can really be said, other than that you should make it a Christmas tradition, too. Its not an easy read. Meaning, its wordy and at times hard to follow. The writing style isn't very modern... obviously. But its stil a great book, and it will remind you why you're really celebrating the season.

Right now I'm reading The Host by Stephenie Meyer. It's pretty long, so I was originally expecting it to take me awhile to finish. But so far, I'm loving it and I'm finding time that I may not necessarily have to get through it. It proves that Stephenie Meyer is way more than just Twilight. But I'll let you know more about it when I finish!

L.A. Candy

L.A. Candy
By Lauren Conrad

I know I said I would be reading The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest next, but... I didn't.
Anyway, this book was actually better than I thought it would be. It was a fun, quick, easy read. It would probably make for a great beach read. However, I read it in December and it was still just as much fun.
Also, I know that I've been pretty absent on here lately, but finals are this week and then I have a whole two weeks of no school! I promise to give you a good update soon.
Hope everyone is enjoying the snow! I know I am... but I feel like the people in Minnesota aren't...

Columbine

Columbine
By Dave Cullen

Columbine by Dave Cullen is the first account of the Columbine tragedy that took place on April 20th, 1999. Its a unique perspective that will have you crying for everyone involved - including the killers.
Columbine reveals the truth about the massacres. It will change all of your opinions about the tragedy. It was not caused by bullies, video games, or violent television; it was caused by something that until now, no one understood.
I can't say much without telling the whole story, but I can tell you this: Its worth the read. I know I say that about every book, but this one will really change your perspective. Everything you thought about Columbine is wrong. Everything you thought about the killers is wrong. And everyone involved deserves your sympathy, especially the families of the killers.
A note on the publisher:
Twelve is a publishing company with a unique goal: to publish one book every month. But not just any book. They stive to publish only "Works that explain our culture; that illuminate, inspire, provoke, and entertain." I promise you they have done just that with Columbine, and I hope to find that every book they have produced is as powerful as this one.

Next up: The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest.

And also... nose:

The Girl Who Played With Fire

The Girl Who Played With Fire
By Stieg Larsson

So, I finished the second book in the Millenium series awhile ago, but things have been so busy, I haven't had any time to share my thoughts on it!
Anyway, like The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, this was an awesome book. I wish I could have had the time to finish it faster, but unfortunately my summer ended quicker than I had hoped.
But this book it definately a page turner, and its such a shame tht Stieg Larsson passed away so suddenly, because he really was a great writer. Who knows other worlds he could have created for us.
In short, everyone everywhere should read Steig Larsson's books. They are amazing and his death was a profound loss to the literary world.

The Hour I First Believed

The Hour I First Believed
By Wally Lamb

The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb may very well be the saddest book ever. The story spans several hundreds of years and several generations. There's times where you will hate each character and love each character, but by the end you wish them all better than what they've got.
The story begins at Columbine highschool just before the deadly shootings. It explores how a couple involved copes with the tragedy and the effects of chronic PTSD. While Columbine may be where the story starts, it continues to explore hundreds of years of family legacy and betrayal.
The Hour I First Believed is a heartwrenching story that can't be summarized in a few paragraphs. It will make you laugh, cry, and most importantly, believe.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
By Stieg Larsson

I have to admit that I put off reading this book just because of all the hype surrounding it. The last time I fell for the "everyonelovesthisbookyouhavetoreadit!" thing, I was sorely disappointed. (cough, Twlight.) But when I finally broke down and read this book, I understood. The hype for the "Millenium Series" is very, very well deserved. Its got romance, mystery, and a touch of humor.
Though I have to admit that I figured out the ending before I got to it, but that didn't make me like it any less. The characters are original and compelling and the story is one of a kind. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the following two books in the series definately deserve all the raves they've recieved.

The Accidental Billionaires

The Accidental Billionaires
By Ben Mezrich

The Accidental Billionaires is the story of Facebook... well, everyone's story but Mark Zuckerburg's. It's subtitled as "A Story of Sex, Lies, Money, and Betrayel," and that's exactly what it is. It was a good story, but unfortunately without the input of the most important person in Facebook. It's basically the story from the point of view of his college buddies that he screwed out of billions of dollars. While that may very well be true, I don't entirely believe it because well... some people will say anything for a buck. Still, it's interesting to read about how a college dorm room project became one of the biggest things ever. However, I'm more looking forward to the upcoming "Facebook Project," which is the story as Zuckerberg remembers it. It will be interesting to compare the two supposed "true stories."

Dead In The Family

Dead In The Family
By Charlaine Harris

Before I even start I have to tell you how much I love, love, love Charliane Harris. I love, love, love these books and definately plan on reading her other series whenever I get around to it. Anyway, the "Southern Vampire Series" as it's called is the series of novels that the HBO show "True Blood" is (very loosely) based on. "Dead In The Family" is the tenth book in the series and it is just as wonderful as all the rest. I think that I read this book faster than any other book I've read recently. I love these books because they're funny, they're sexy, and the storylines are great. At the end of every chapter you just want to keep reading because you want to know what happens next. Even if you're not into anything supernatural, you would probably love this series. But hey, what do I know? I read books about zombies.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
By Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

I know, I know, from the title this sounds stupid. And honestly, it is a little silly. But I guess that's what makes it fun. Basically, Seth Grahame-Smith took Jane Austen's classic and added.. you guessed it, zombies! Unfortunately, he kept the old-world writing style, which makes it a not-so-easy read. It's also a little on the gross side. As in, blood, guts, and eating of hearts. Oh, and it has lovely illustrations to go with the lovely descriptions. All in all, the book isn't bad. It's definately original. But the way I judge how much I like a book is by how long it takes me to read it, and this one took me a little.. while to read. So basically, it wasn't my cup of tea, but that doesn't make it bad. If you like zombies and guts, it will make your day!

Half The Sky

Half the Sky
by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

Since I love to read but barely ever have anyone to discuss the books I read with, I decided to write my thoughts about them on my blog!
Half The Sky is a nonfiction book about the oppression that women face worldwide. I picked this up out of curiosity at a Border's sale because I recognized the title as one of the books Angelina Jolie recommended in an interview.
Some of the issues addressed in this books are things I had never heard of and can't imagine living through. I can't imagine living in a world where I am treated like property, unable to go to school or have a job. While I may complain about both of those things, this book brings to light many things that we take for granted as American women.
I found the beginning chapters most disturbing. The first few chapters are dedicated soley to the stories of prostitutes around the world, most of them just children. I was disgusted by the fact that women actually sell their own daughters to brothels and that it is considered normal behavior in some countries.
My automatic reaction to these sort of things is, "Why doesn't the government stop them?" The book goes on to explain why making laws does not help many of these girls. Citizens don't listen, police take bribes, and making laws truley effective is expensive for countries who already do not have enough money.
Lately, all I've heard is people complaining about the healthcare bill. If you would like to put everything into perspective I would suggest reading this book. At least in America we have hospitals to go to. There are many villages around the world where people just die because there is no where to go for help, particularly women.
Salt may seem like the simplest commodity in our country, but we really don't realize the impact it has on the health of our children. Salt in America and many other developed countries is iodized, and while most people don't even know what that means, it has a huge impact on our culture. Iron is necessary to prevent certain birth defects and everyday healthy children are born because as Americans we get enough iron. This is not the case in the third world. Something as simple as iodized salt could change the lives of so many people.
Half The Sky will definately make you grateful for the life you have as an American whether you are a man or a woman. It is not a particularly easy read, especially for someone like myself who is not a fan of the non-fiction genre, but I am very happy that I read it. It made me aware of many problems that women all over the world face that I had never even heard of. It may be a bit depressing, but it offers solutions and hope for these suffering women.

Next up on the reading list: "Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies." Definately a change of pace after this book. Does it really deserve all of the hype it has recieved. I'll let you know!