Friday, January 27, 2012
????
So I read a book this summer about twins that were seperated; one was believed to be dead but the other knew that wasn't the case/The Children had been taken to live on spaceships?? Away from their families; that lived in the "underside" of the world. There was a giant wall surrounding the world and this was a great secret b/c most of the people believed that the world had been destroyed and could only live inside this wall. These twins were meant to save the world essentially. Okay - super rambling but I hope that this will help me to find the title (seeing as how a 2 hour Google/Amazon/Everything search has proved completely un-useful)
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever. And I’ve always believed them. Until now. Now everything has changed. Now, I’d rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.
Lena Haloway is content in her safe, government-managed society. She feels (mostly) relaxed about the future in which her husband and career will be decided, and looks forward to turning 18, when she’ll be cured of deliria, a.k.a. love. She tries not to think about her mother’s suicide (her last words to Lena were a forbidden “I love you”) or the supposed “Invalid” community made up of the uncured just beyond her Portland, Maine, border. There’s no real point—she believes her government knows how to best protect its people, and should do so at any cost. But 95 days before her cure, Lena meets Alex, a confident and mysterious young man who makes her heart flutter and her skin turn red-hot. As their romance blossoms, Lena begins to doubt the intentions of those in power, and fears that her world will turn gray should she submit to the procedure. In this powerful and beautifully written novel, Lauren Oliver, the bestselling author of Before I Fall, throws readers into a tightly controlled society where options don’t exist, and shows not only the lengths one will go for a chance at freedom, but also the true meaning of sacrifice. --Jessica Schein
Another Distopian Society book, but so so amazing. Really made me think. I am currently reading another of Oliver's books (which of course will have its own post) and as I am researching I am discovering that this book may be part of a series too!
Lena Haloway is content in her safe, government-managed society. She feels (mostly) relaxed about the future in which her husband and career will be decided, and looks forward to turning 18, when she’ll be cured of deliria, a.k.a. love. She tries not to think about her mother’s suicide (her last words to Lena were a forbidden “I love you”) or the supposed “Invalid” community made up of the uncured just beyond her Portland, Maine, border. There’s no real point—she believes her government knows how to best protect its people, and should do so at any cost. But 95 days before her cure, Lena meets Alex, a confident and mysterious young man who makes her heart flutter and her skin turn red-hot. As their romance blossoms, Lena begins to doubt the intentions of those in power, and fears that her world will turn gray should she submit to the procedure. In this powerful and beautifully written novel, Lauren Oliver, the bestselling author of Before I Fall, throws readers into a tightly controlled society where options don’t exist, and shows not only the lengths one will go for a chance at freedom, but also the true meaning of sacrifice. --Jessica Schein
Another Distopian Society book, but so so amazing. Really made me think. I am currently reading another of Oliver's books (which of course will have its own post) and as I am researching I am discovering that this book may be part of a series too!
UnWind by Neal Shusterman
The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive.
This book made me go, "Nuh-uh!" in a great way. Every time I turned the page I was like, "Oh no he dnd't." Seriously makes you think; Could our world turn into this? And shockingly I believe the answer is yes.
Great News: This book is also the first in a series!! :)
This book made me go, "Nuh-uh!" in a great way. Every time I turned the page I was like, "Oh no he dnd't." Seriously makes you think; Could our world turn into this? And shockingly I believe the answer is yes.
Great News: This book is also the first in a series!! :)
Graceling by Kristen Cashore
Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more. (less)
Apparently this is just the first in a series of 7! yeah!!!! The series is called: The Seven Kingdoms series..looks like I have more books to read - which is okay b/c Katsa was so frakin awesome.
Apparently this is just the first in a series of 7! yeah!!!! The series is called: The Seven Kingdoms series..looks like I have more books to read - which is okay b/c Katsa was so frakin awesome.
The Maze Runner series by James Dashner
Holy Good Book Batman. This series had me ignoring basic needs like food and sleep. I simply had to know how the issues in this book would be resolved and the 3 months I had to wait for the final book were really intense. Luckily I was able to realize the importance of food and sleep and catch up on them before I spent 2 days straight reading the third and (sadly) final book. Great job Mr. Dashner!
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Okay. This is a book that I LOVED! It was written in an easy to read format (diary entries) but the details were so vivid. The story itself is so real, I found myself being haunted by the "what if that really happened to me" question. This is also a trilogy and I am currently in the middle of reading the last two...more thoughts on those to come! :)
Gathering Blue and The Messenger (Books 2 & 3 that complete The Giver Trilogy) by Lois Lowry
So I finally finished this trilogy. I must say at first I was very confused and honestly thought I had read the wrong books. GATHERING BLUE was an entirely different story than THE GIVER and not once was there ever mention of a single character from THE GIVER. That being said, I did enjoy the book. As I began to read THE MESSENGER it became clear that this was indeed the final story of the series; but man oh man, I am not sure if I like how she ended tying up all her loose ends. I can't decide if I just don't like the ending, or if there is still so much more she could say but didn't, or frankly what. All in all: I would for sure recommend reading all three books, just don't be surprised if when you close the last book you find yourself saying, "Huh?" JUST IN:There is scheduled to be a 4th book (!?!?!) titled SON coming in Sept 2012.
Amazon.com Review
Lois Lowry's magnificent novel of the distant future, The Giver, is set in a highly technical and emotionally repressed society. This eagerly awaited companion volume, by contrast, takes place in a village with only the most rudimentary technology, where anger, greed, envy, and casual cruelty make ordinary people's lives short and brutish. This society, like the one portrayed in The Giver, is controlled by merciless authorities with their own complex agendas and secrets. And at the center of both stories there is a young person who is given the responsibility of preserving the memory of the culture--and who finds the vision to transform it.
Kira, newly orphaned and lame from birth, is taken from the turmoil of the village to live in the grand Council Edifice because of her skill at embroidery. There she is given the task of restoring the historical pictures sewn on the robe worn at the annual Ruin Song Gathering, a solemn day-long performance of the story of their world's past. Down the hall lives Thomas the Carver, a young boy who works on the intricate symbols carved on the Singer's staff, and a tiny girl who is being trained as the next Singer. Over the three artists hovers the menace of authority, seemingly kind but suffocating to their creativity, and the dark secret at the heart of the Ruin Song.
With the help of a cheerful waif called Matt and his little dog, Kira at last finds the way to the plant that will allow her to create the missing color--blue--and, symbolically, to find the courage to shape the future by following her art wherever it may lead. With astonishing originality, Lowry has again created a vivid and unforgettable setting for this thrilling story that raises profound questions about the mystery of art, the importance of memory, and the centrality of love. (Ages 10 and older) --Patty Campbell
From Publishers Weekly
After conjuring the pitfalls of a technologically advanced society in The Giver, Lowry looks toward a different type of future to create this dark, prophetic tale with a strong medieval flavor. Having suffered numerous unnamed disasters (aka, the Ruin), civilization has regressed to a primitive, technology-free state; an opening author's note describes a society in which "disorder, savagery, and self-interest" rule. Kira, a crippled young weaver, has been raised and taught her craft by her mother, after her father was allegedly killed by "beasts." When her mother dies, Kira fears that she will be cast out of the village. Instead, the society's Council of Guardians installs her as caretaker of the Singer's robe, a precious ceremonial garment depicting the history of the world and used at the annual Gathering. She moves to the Council Edifice, a gothic-style structure, one of the few to survive the Ruin. The edifice and other settings, such as the FenAthe village ghettoAand the small plot where Annabella (an elder weaver who mentors Kira after her mother's death) lives are especially well drawn, and the characterizations of Kira and the other artists who cohabit the stone residence are the novel's greatest strength. But the narrative hammers at the theme of the imprisoned artist. And readers may well predict where several important plot threads are headed (e.g., the role of Kira's Guardian, Jamison; her father's disappearance), while larger issues, such as the society's downfall, are left to readers' imaginations. Ages 10-up. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (September 25, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0618055819
ASIN: B006TQWWMS
Amazon.com Review
Lois Lowry's magnificent novel of the distant future, The Giver, is set in a highly technical and emotionally repressed society. This eagerly awaited companion volume, by contrast, takes place in a village with only the most rudimentary technology, where anger, greed, envy, and casual cruelty make ordinary people's lives short and brutish. This society, like the one portrayed in The Giver, is controlled by merciless authorities with their own complex agendas and secrets. And at the center of both stories there is a young person who is given the responsibility of preserving the memory of the culture--and who finds the vision to transform it.
Kira, newly orphaned and lame from birth, is taken from the turmoil of the village to live in the grand Council Edifice because of her skill at embroidery. There she is given the task of restoring the historical pictures sewn on the robe worn at the annual Ruin Song Gathering, a solemn day-long performance of the story of their world's past. Down the hall lives Thomas the Carver, a young boy who works on the intricate symbols carved on the Singer's staff, and a tiny girl who is being trained as the next Singer. Over the three artists hovers the menace of authority, seemingly kind but suffocating to their creativity, and the dark secret at the heart of the Ruin Song.
With the help of a cheerful waif called Matt and his little dog, Kira at last finds the way to the plant that will allow her to create the missing color--blue--and, symbolically, to find the courage to shape the future by following her art wherever it may lead. With astonishing originality, Lowry has again created a vivid and unforgettable setting for this thrilling story that raises profound questions about the mystery of art, the importance of memory, and the centrality of love. (Ages 10 and older) --Patty Campbell
From Publishers Weekly
After conjuring the pitfalls of a technologically advanced society in The Giver, Lowry looks toward a different type of future to create this dark, prophetic tale with a strong medieval flavor. Having suffered numerous unnamed disasters (aka, the Ruin), civilization has regressed to a primitive, technology-free state; an opening author's note describes a society in which "disorder, savagery, and self-interest" rule. Kira, a crippled young weaver, has been raised and taught her craft by her mother, after her father was allegedly killed by "beasts." When her mother dies, Kira fears that she will be cast out of the village. Instead, the society's Council of Guardians installs her as caretaker of the Singer's robe, a precious ceremonial garment depicting the history of the world and used at the annual Gathering. She moves to the Council Edifice, a gothic-style structure, one of the few to survive the Ruin. The edifice and other settings, such as the FenAthe village ghettoAand the small plot where Annabella (an elder weaver who mentors Kira after her mother's death) lives are especially well drawn, and the characterizations of Kira and the other artists who cohabit the stone residence are the novel's greatest strength. But the narrative hammers at the theme of the imprisoned artist. And readers may well predict where several important plot threads are headed (e.g., the role of Kira's Guardian, Jamison; her father's disappearance), while larger issues, such as the society's downfall, are left to readers' imaginations. Ages 10-up. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (September 25, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0618055819
ASIN: B006TQWWMS
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