Book 2: In Progress -- Breaking Dawn By: Stephanie Meyer

Ok, so I won't lie. I thought that New Moon was absolutely AWFUL. I seriously wanted to put it down and start a new book the ENTIRE time. All of my friends encouraged me to read through it, and I still wasn't impressed.

So why did I choose to read the third out of the sequel? Beats the heck out of me, but I did. I'm reading it right now and to be honest, it's MUCH better than New Moon. I fell in love with Twilight last year and thought that the rest of the books were going to be just as exciting. But I won't lie, New Moon was quite the let down.

Anyways, back to Breaking Dawn, such a great book so far! I'm glad Edward is back. I'm glad that Jacob is still in the picture, sort of. But anyways, everything seems like it is supposed to be. I just really do not understand the undying love for a vampire? What is such a big turn-on about cold marbley-ness? I just don't find that attractive. To be honest, I'd probably pick the wolf over the vampire any day. But in reading the book, I do find it very clear that Edward seems to be the better choice as far as man-wise goes. He's such a gentleman and he truly cares about Bella. I just don't see why she is willing to sacrifice everything she has in her life to become a vampire. It's sort of like assisted suicide. Ooh. Never thought of it like that before.

Is that what it is? Is turning Bella into a vampire assisting suicide? She has a crappy life. She moved to Forks to leave her mom and her baseball player boyfriend (husband whatever). Who knows why she left her mom? I wouldn't. Crazy girl. So then she comes to dreary Forks, falls in love with an immortal man, and then wants to die along with him. I think Bella has a serious case of the Blues folks. What do you think? Is it seriously acceptable for a human being to WANT to die at such a young age so that she will live forever at the same age as her love?

I think it's suicide. In my opinion, there has to be someone else out there, alive, for Bella. I don't know, call me crazy. But if what I have to look forward to as a single teenager is a vampire... then Hell, maybe I'd want to die and become a vampire too. But to be honest, that would be my last resort. Is that Bella's? Is she trying to escape the world she hates to be in a world she loves? I guess when you look at it that way it doesn't sound so bad. But when the two "worlds" are inhabiting the same place, what does that do to the situation? It's all a very complex theory. But in my opinion, she's running from life. But what I do not yet know is: is that necessarily a bad thing if she's choosing to run from life to run to love?

What do you think?

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell By: Tucker Max

Perhaps the most repulsive, yet most hilarious book I have ever read.

Just to preface this, I am NOT the kind of person that likes degrading humor. I strongly dislike Napoleon Dynamite and Superbad because I think they are both EXTREMELY insulting movies. Don't ask, it's just how it is. But this book absolutely cracked me up.

So, as a girl (woman, female--whaever) I have this thought about how men think. I mean, I guess I don't to believe that most of them think about sex and women 24-7, but some do. In this book, Tucker Max definitely exposes the truth behind some male minds. All he thinks about is booze, boobs, and sex. Through his adventures, I found myself absolutely DYING. Yes, I laughed out loud, so what?! I thought this book was priceless.

Did I learn anything? No. Do I have some profound message from it? No. But I can tell you this, it is a hoot and a half. Absolutely hilarious. That is all I have to say about it to be honest... Just a funny book.

Fail.

The 2009, 52 in 52 challenge for me was an ultimate FAIL! Sorry Guys...

Guess what?! I'm not going to admit defeat on this one! It's only January 21st, 2010, I'm still in it for 2010. I actually grew a new love for reading last year, so it's on! For anyone out there reading, I'm going to be reading as well! I'm going to be reading 52 books in 52 weeks. I can do this.

Given I am taking 24 units this quarter... it might be difficult, but I will survive. Here it goes. I'm going to start with a book I read over break. I got my tonsils taken out over Christmas break, so all I could do is read. But to be fair, I will only include what I read after the New Year!

Happy Reading!

Slacker

Soooo apparently I'm a slacker with this 52 in 52 challenge thing!! WOW!

Well, I do have to say I'll try to pick up with the reviews a little bit better. But I AM reading... so I guess that helps out a lot!! :-)

Happy Reading!

Book #6: The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

I'm not lying to you when I say that reading the last few pages of this book actually ticked me off!! I was reading through it thinking, "well, that was a good one!" Until I read the last two pages. To be honest, it's pretty easy to predict how Sparks' writings will end, but I was a little shocked with this one! It was very good!

Typical Sparks trait: this book was very spiritual. The reasons for Thibault's journey across the country, the endeavors in Iraq, his best friend Victor, etc. Everything had a very spiritual meaning--nothing was quite just as it seemed. There were a lot of symbolic representations.

I want to say that fate played a large role in this novel... 

I feel like this may be a very touchy/deep subject, but I'm going to go for it anyway...

Here's Logan Thibault, ex-marine that had been to Iraq three times before being discharged. He finds a special pendant that supposedly saves his life through many of the Iraq bombings, attacks, etc. Even though Thibault does not notice these benefits to the pendent, his friend Victor does. Victor constantly brings it to his attention, but Thibault just brushes it off and refuses to believe that the pendant has any supernatural qualities. Until some event in the novel intrigues him to change his mind (I don't wanna ruin the book for anyone, but here's my point...)

My point is that sometimes in faith, individuals can be reluctant to see past the object as just an object. Considering that I'm speaking from a very strong faithful background, I strongly believe that everything happens for a reason and that there is a sacred person that lines things up for us. Now that doesn't mean, necessarily, that everyone has a pre-destination. I truly believe that everyone has a goal in life that a sacred being leads you to. That doesn't mean that a person will always do what they are supposed to, but there are signs out there that direct him/her in the "right" direction. The one thing I want to say is that, if a person makes the "wrong" decision, there is always another chance to make it "right." So that's where I want to make it clear that I don't necessarily believe in predestination. I believe that there are signs. People can interpret signs in any way they want to, but they're out there...

In Thibault's case, he refused to see the sign until his friend Victor made it very clear that the pendant was no normal pendant. Reluctant to believe, Thibault took his friend's advice and clearly thought, "there is a reason I have this. There is a reason I am here, but what it is I'm not quite sure yet..."

This novel had a lot of hidden messages, I think. In my opinion, I think that everyone asks themselves the same exact question... "I'm here, but why am I here?" The "signs" are only little guides that one can choose to take or not. 

On a lighter note!! This book was a great romantic drama. I truly enjoyed it all the way to the last two pages :)

When you wish you had a 2x4...

Ok, so I've just started reading Confessions of a Shopaholic and I'm loving it so far. It's a hilarious novel about this girl who tries so hard to be financially aware, but she fails miserably...

However, while I was reading this I was CRINGING with some of her actions!! I was sitting there like, "what are you doing?!" That just got me thinking about times when you're reading a book or watching a movie and you're inches from jumping out of your seat because you're just like "what are you doing?!" For example, the movie "Family Stone" or "Meet the Parents" or some other movie like that, you're sitting there, almost in pain, thinking "Oh my God... what ARE you doing?" 

Aside from the part of this book that makes me cringe and jump out of my seat, I'm enjoying it! It's definitely a guilty pleasure... sort of like Gossip Girls and such... It's a cute novel and I can't stop reading it so far!!! :)

Book #5: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

This book was interesting... VERY quick. And I really cannot wait to see the movie! But, it was SO short! I don't understand how something this tiny can become a huge motion picture.

Since the book was sort of short, I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what the entire message was behind it? When I hear people talk about the movie, they're like "that's the way life should be..." But, I found it kind of frustrating because here is this man who is 50 years old but looks 16 and he can't get any respect. Is that what the message is? That people don't treat the elderly with respect? 

But then where does the age in birth come from? I mean, why was he born as an old, wise man but as he grew up his knowledge dwindled?

Was there a meaning behind this? 

OR! Was it supposed to be as if younger people THINK they know everything there is to know about life. They think they are older and superior to the rest of society, but they truly don't have adequate respect for their elders.

Another idea I had with him getting younger as the years passed by was that we treat the elderly sometimes as helpless children. If you look at a retirement home, yes, we are helping them live happy lives, but they are also being treated as incompetent individuals, in a way. I'm not trying to talk smack about retirement homes, but I feel like when people visit the elderly they get that certain feeling of necessity with treating these individuals as if they were children. Am I way far off on this? 

Book #4 The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Ok, so I thought that this book was really really really good! I seriously couldn't put it down! 

The description McCarthy used throughout his novel was so detailed, it felt like you were there. However, he kept it vague enough where you were guessing about what had actually led up to "burning of the Earth" that led to everyone's disappearance and their wandering homelessness. You also wondered if they were actually human or if the other "bad creatures" were actually human. It was a very interesting book that I couldn't put down.

However -- don't read this if you want to read the book and haven't yet!!--

what was the point? Someone wanna help me out? I mean they walk around this desolate Earth, which we NEVER find out what actually happened to, and try to survive off of each other. The boy pisses me off sometimes because he's just a selfish child that thinks he knows what he's talking about but he really has no clue. The father has a great disposition when it comes to this novel. He's VERY noble to his son and he does everything in his power to push him on. However, his care lessens more and more as they get closer to the shore. I wonder if this is supposed to show the child's maturity and the fact that the father can rest at ease after a certain point of raising his son. 

However, back to my main question... what the--- haha! I mean I was SO intrigued by this book and I finished reading it like, "wait a sec, there has to be a section missing." I mean, what happened to the Earth? Where is EVERYONE? Why are there "bad creatures." How long have they been wandering? What does it mean that they are the ones that "carry the fire"? I mean i have SO many unanswered questions that it's kind of ridiculous!! haha..

Other than those few things... I truly enjoyed the book. I thought it was very interesting and very intriguing... just slightly disappointing...

Philosophy or Art History

Public question:

I have to pick a "western cultures" class for next term because its part of the university's core academic program. So I can either do Philosophy (Classical) or Art History (1-3). The thing is once, I start the sequences I can't interrupt them and I have to take 3 of them. For example I can't take 2 art history classes and 1 philosophy class, or some other combo like that...

So what do you think?

Philosophy or Art History??? 

Book #3: Lifeguard by James Patterson

This was a good book. It kept me wanting to read to the end. However, it was a typical James Patterson, murder-mystery. I enjoyed it particularly because it was set in a place in Florida where I have a timeshare. So, when the author was referring to certain roads to landmarks, I knew what he was referring to. It was kind of entertaining. I also found it interesting because the FBI agent in the novel was an art major, and I'm currently contemplating whether to take a Philosophy or Art History class next term...and I'm leaning toward the Art History... but it was just interesting to hear about these missing pieces of art in the novel and how they were cherished, and blah blah blah...

But, this book was nothing special... just a regular James Patterson...

Family

The book the lifeguard brought up an interesting quote that I kind of wanted to reflect upon. He said, "You cannot choose your family, but you can choose who decide to make your family."

Now, I'm not saying that it's right or wrong, but I find it interesting. Because that's true, you can't choose your family. But why wouldn't you want to make your family, your family? Sometimes friends become as close to you as a family member would, but what makes that a family-like relationship? Obviously something in the present family has characteristics that cause an individual to associate a friendship or relationship to that of their family. Right? Because if a person was never introduced to a great family relationship, then how can they make a strong friendship into a "family relationship."

SO

Does this mean that if you have a sucky family, then you have sucky family-like friends?

_________

I'm confusing myself, so I think I'll stop here. But I can't imagine having a relationship stronger or close to equal than that of my family. Yeah, they're annoying sometimes. Yeah, sometimes I wanna deck some of them. But they're my family and I love them TONS. Sometimes I don't think people realize how much family means until they leave them...

Coming to school in California and leaving my family that far back has definitely given me a different viewpoint on family (same thing happened in Switzerland). I think that's why I like going distances... so that I can realize the things that I had but didn't bother to realize HOW MUCH they meant to me because they were always there. When you go somewhere far away and realize that you can't have that thing that was always there. It makes you appreciate the little things I think... Just a little food for thought...

When You Know Your Life Sucks...

So, I started reading the Lifeguard by James Patterson the other day. And I couldn't help but shake my head and chuckle at this poor kid's terrible luck. 

First of all, he's a graduate from BU on an academic scholarship. Great right? Turns out he was actually going on a sports scholarship, but he injured himself and there went his scholarship. Anyways, the school gave him a chance to get good grades and keep a scholarship of the same value and he did. Good. So he gets his degree. Goes into teaching.

He's this great history teacher at a high school for students that have played with the wrong crowd. Sort of like he did. He helped them out, gave them good grades for their efforts and became an inspiration friend to many of his students. One in particular, a female, he took interest in. She had the dreams that he had, but she never thought she could achieve them because of where she grew up. He was her inspiration. Until she said something that went down the social chain and turned into him assaulting her. Bam! There goes his teaching career regardless of the fact that the girl eventually came forth and said it wasn't true. Tell me that doesn't suck. But it doesn't stop there.

Since that little incident is on his permanent record, he becomes a lifeguard.

While he's lifeguarding he meets this beautiful woman that he probably wouldn't have a chance with, except this one time. Tess was her name and she was a knock out. He went on a few dates with her and really thought his luck was changing.

BAM! Tess is murdered. Tell me that doesn't suck. But he doesn't know this yet...

His friends (he calls them his family) are plotting this amazing robbing scheme to steal 3 paintings from a rich man and sell them for 5 million dollars. Great plan. It's going well. Ned is doing everything he's supposed to be doing. BAM! They were set up and BAM! His whole family is killed on a murder spree by an inside job. Tell me that doesn't suck. And after he finds this whole thing out, he drives by Tess' house only to find that she was murdered as well.

Now he's lost his family and his lover. The only thing he has left is his mother, brother, and father. (By the way, his older brother was murdered in a shoot out by a job set up by his father... tell me that's not messed up!) He goes to Boston to get away from the FBI... and to get a hold of his dad who probably set up the inside job for his best friends that ended up killing them all.

Tell me that doesn't suck.

Book #2: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

This book was O.K. Considering it took me about twice as long as the first Twilight novel because I was just not that into it, I was slightly disappointed. The first Twilight book was so exciting and so adventurous that it took me about 3 days to finish it...which is remarkable for a slow reader like me! 

If you like the Twilight Series, I'm sorry if I have offended you all, but I'm shying away from Twilight books. :(

This book was just too slow for me, and not as adventurous as the first...

New Book(s)

Ok, so here's the deal. I have this thing where I buy two books at a time and read them simultaneously. Kind of out of the ordinary, but it's because I read one "easy" novel on the elliptical every day and one "more-dense" novel before I go to bed. It's just how it goes...

So last night, I finished the Twilight Novel: New Moon and The Shack because of my awesome little workout/relax routine :).

Right now, I'm reading the Lifeguard by James Patterson (that's my elliptical book) haha! And The Road by Cormac McCarthy. 

Book #1: The Shack by William Paul Young

I started this book on my plane ride back to school because it was a book my mom gave to me. She said it was one of the best books she read in a long time, and her friend had also told me about the book. Considering I'm not much of a reader (ironic that I'm doing this challenge) I was kind of thinking, "yeah, ok, whatever," but I'm so glad I chose to read this book.

Being the slow reader that I am (irony 52 in 52 ha!), it took me a while to finish it, but I think it's because I really didn't want it to end!

The book starts out extremely depressing and it got to the point where I wasn't sure if I wanted to finish it. The novel addresses religious questions about the Christian religion that one thinks about, but never wants to ask. They're the types of questions that, if brought to a public discussion would cause discomfort among many. However, Young has an extreme gift when it comes to answering these questions. It may be difficult for some readers to see the overall message as powerfully as I had. However, this is just because of my ping pong relationship with religion. Despite my strong spiritual faith, I never knew/know where I fall worship/religion-wise. However, Young answered just about every burning question.

I have so much more to say about the book, but I don't want to ruin it for people that may want to read it as well. If you've read it, let's chat! If not, READ IT! It's unbelievably good. 

Introduction

Hello! I'm Kate Fideler aka Fids, and I started this blog because of the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge! I've been trying for a long time to get into reading, and I figured this challenge was a good place to start! On here I will be posting my reading progress as well as maybe a list of books I'm interested in. I'll probably put up summaries and reviews, etc. We'll see! I'm excited :)