Review and Update: What I'm Reading Now

First, let me give a review of Twenty-Eight and a half wishes by Denise Swank was a decent read.  I usually do not read mystery books but the main character, Rose, is relatable in many ways.  Innocent and tortured through her childhood.  An easy read for the most part - and just when you think the danger is done - Swank pulls out another twist.

I did not continue the series, partly because it wasn't on kindle unlimited, but also because I wasn't as interested as I could be in it.



Update on what I'm reading now:  The Curse Keeper series also by Denise Swank.

I'm enjoying this particular series as it relates to the spirit world and there are parts of the book that really... get a person going.

Gossamer - Lois Lowry: A Review

Gossamer was an interesting, delicate and tantalizing story with intertwining characters and a plot that left you, for lack of a better word, amused.  The telling of dream-givers begins with a little giver simply named "Littlest One" who is in training on giving dreams.  Her story intertwines with that of an elderly lady, a little boy, and a saddened mother, along with a few other, and older, dream givers.

One of the most interesting parts of this novel was the conflict Lowry creates by using the idea of "delving" too much for a dream giver creates a "Sinisteed".  The conflict between the dream-givers and the nightmare-givers is carefully thought up.

The novel seems to focus on the slow changes life brings about, for both humans and the imaginary dream givers.  The transition from trainee to giver, transition from hurt young boy to a calmer, more loving child and the transition from an abused, unorganized woman to a working mother trying to thrive for her child keeps the reader enthused and emotional while trapping the reader in an emotional connection with the characters.

A quote: "change means leaving things behind, and that's always sad."  

Some great words from the novel:  

Fastidious, Gossamer, Convoluted

Paper Towns - John Green: A Review

Perhaps I was too excited to read Paper Towns because it was written by one of my most favorite authors: John Green.  The quirky, yet highly talented author has stunned me with his more favorite books, such as: Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars.  With that being said, I found that Paper Towns was not what I had sincerely hoped for.

The story, agreeably, is interesting enough.  The two main characters, Quentin ("Q") and Margo share a miscommunicated romance that seems, at least to myself, rather vague and boring.  Furthermore - the teenage angst that occurs within the novel is offputting.  Margo, in my humble opinion, seemed to be a rather spoiled brat that just couldn't sit still long enough to think about her actions. Q, on the other hand, had some very interesting character developments that were a bit exciting.  A runaway girl with a boy who loves her and doesn't feel complete without her.... a teenage love story that made me feel bored.

For me, the book wasn't worth my reading or the money I spent on the digital download.  I think that, maybe, I have outgrown John Green and am ready to sprout into new directions, with more mature characters.  Don't let my review guide you away.  John Green's writing in Paper Towns is spectacular - but I feel that, for a growing young college girl, like myself, Green's 2008 novel is geared towards high schoolers - and high schoolers alone.