The Mysterious Re-Appearance!

So this blog has been on unexpected hiatus for quite a while. The reason being is that I didn't have a reliable source of internet at home for the last few months until I moved. Moving itself is a huge expense not to mention that when you decide to move to one of the most expensive Metropolis' in Canada, that doesn't really help your cause.

Despite what you may think, I did live in a time where there wasn't any internet, and somehow, despite having it most of my life, I survived four months without it - bringing my laptop often to a friend's or to cafe's in the area. I mostly browsed Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and read e-mails on my mobile. In a day and age where data plans and public wifi are available, living without internet actually isn't so bad… but I'm glad to be back.

So what do I do in a lot of spare time when I'm at home, not at work and I've finished checking up on the world of social media on my phone? I read of course! Over the last little while, I admit that some of the books I read were sub-par at best but I did read, and I did read quite a bit. I have a few reviews on the back burner and an even greater reading list to tackle.

I hope those few of you who read this humble blog didn’t mind my absence too much, but coming in the New Year are more reviews and thoughts. I plan on trying to make this blog the best it can be and to read and write as humanly possible. I hope you all had an amazing, warm and safe holiday and can’t wait to catch up with you all soon!

Review: This Book is Full of Spiders

This Book is Full of Spiders:Seriously Dude, Don't Touch It by David Wong 

October 2, 2013 by St. Martin's Press

[Goodreads][Amazon][Chapters Indigo]

Summary:

"WARNING: You may have a huge, invisible spider living in your skull. THIS IS NOT A METAPHOR.

You will dismiss this as ridiculous fearmongering. Dismissing things as ridiculous fearmongering is, in fact, the first symptom of parasitic spider infection-the creature secretes a chemical into the brain to stimulate skepticism, in order to prevent you from seeking a cure. That's just as well, since the "cure" involves learning what a chain saw tastes like.

You can't feel the spider, because it controls your nerve endings. You can't see it, because it decides what you see. You won't even feel it when it breeds. And it will breed. So what happens when your family, friends, and neighbors get mind-controlling skull spiders? We're all about to find out.

Just stay calm, and remember that telling you about the spider situation is not the same as having caused it. I'm just the messenger. Even if I did sort of cause it.

Either way, I won't hold it against you if you're upset. I know that's just the spider talking."

Review:

Okay, so my last real post was about the movie/book comparison of John Dies at the End, which I genuinely enjoyed -- it was fun! This provoked me to actually buckle down and read This Book is Full of Spiders (finally) and get back to whatever shenanigans John and Dave would be up to.

At the beginning of the book, the narrator, author and protagonist, David Wong introduces himself and tells us straight-up that you didn't need to read the previous book to understand this particular story. It's true, you don't, but I think you should read it anyways. Not because you'll understand the references made but more so because it was a fun read.

Anyways.

What did I think of Spiders? It was the enjoyable clusterfuck of "what the hell did I just read?" that I felt about John Dies. That's right, I said enjoyable and clusterfuck consecutively after the other. That's pretty much the best description I have. On another hand, this book is full of some intelligent ideas, and thought-provoking, heavy subject matter that makes it's way through the chaos and jokes about human excrement (or excrement in general.) Obviously, this is a book for a much more mature audience who's into some…darker humour. Any strong social commentary will give you a moment of thought before being replaced by an image of eyeball-spiders. I'm just saying.

Something I really liked in John Dies was the constant action but I really felt that Spiders moved at a slower pace for several reasons. Firstly, the characters in the story find themselves stuck in places, barricaded and with stuff like that, there seems to just be a lot of…waiting. Secondly, the narration constantly changes from first person to third person and goes back and forth in time. I'll even admit that I didn't find Spiders to be quite as funny as John Dies however, I did feel that it was a lot more refined and polished. I admit that I kind of miss the juvenile toilet humour of John Dies.

So although this book was good, I didn't find it as enjoyable as I found it's previous counterpart. Would I still recommend it? If you're into zombie outbreaks mixed with paranormal, inter-dimensial invasions, and government conspiracy theories, I definitely suggest this for a casual read.

Rating: 3.5/5 Bookworms

Review: Ready Player One

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

August 16, 2011 by Random House

[Goodreads][Amazon][Chapters Indigo]

Synopsis:

"It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved--that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt--among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life--and love--in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

A world at stake.

A quest for the ultimate prize.

Are you ready?"

Review:

I. Couldn't. Put. This. Book. Down. 

I honestly spent the bulk of a day reading this and had to force myself to sleep and when I woke up, I immediately rolled over and picked up from where I left off. This book was so good that I was sure I was addicted to it. I mean, of course I'd be addicted… Ernest Cline wrote it. I loved Fanboys so it was only obvious that of course, I'd love this piece of work that would ignite the fire that is my absolute geek.

I wasn't sure what I was feeling towards this read, however. Not in the terms of feeling turn between liking it or not; I loved this book more than I can possibly express but I wasn't sure whether I was having a lot of fun or whether or not I was terrified. The world that Ernest Cline wrote, the real world, is entirely plausible and that just blows my mind about how bad things could possibly get. Even more so, the game-world of OASIS blows my mind -- an entire existence within another reality and where education, politics and economy are of higher value than in the real world. Then you wonder whether you spend too much time in the digital world; socializing on Facebook, watching things on Netflix and YouTube, playing games, connecting with people on the other side of your planet. You order pizza online, and there are even alcohol and grocery services that deliver to your door. You honestly don't need to step outside. Except for maybe some Vitamin D stimulation. Thinking about this makes me suddenly need to go outside and breathe (so now I'm actually typing this outside on my balcony instead of inside my house…it's a start?)

This book was unbelievably exciting and I recommend it to anyone with an interest in video games, internet culture, sci-fi, fantasy and even if you aren't, I would still recommend it. It's action-packed, had really good pacing, a bit of romance and would be excellent for anyone who reads dystopian fiction as well as YA. Even if you don't catch the game or pop culture references, there's always a little something exciting if you're a younger reader and suddenly you read the words "quidditch" and of course, Doctor Who is pretty much a household name now. I'm not sure what it is about reading books and seeing things that you're familiar with in your everyday life, but it gets my heart racing and a smile draws across my face. 

If you pick this one up, I recommend that maybe you read it on a day off, or over a course of a weekend because you won't be able to pull yourself away from this read. Going to the washroom, eating food and sleeping? Not as important as this book.

Rating: 5/5 Bookworms

Review: Water for Elephants

Note: I apologize for the long wait between posts -- It's been a difficult time for me in the real world, and I needed the time to sort a lot of things out. Don't worry; I'm okay! Sometimes life gets the best of us, but there's always a good book around to set things right!

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill May 26, 2006 

[Goodreads][Amazon][Chapters Indigo]

Synopsis:

"Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.

Jacob was there because his luck had run out—orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive "ship of fools." It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act—in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

Surprising, poignant, and funny, Water for Elephants is that rare novel with a story so engrossing, one is reluctant to put it down; with characters so engaging, they continue to live long after the last page has been turned; with a world built of wonder, a world so real, one starts to breathe its air."

Review:

Childhood imagination is what comes to mind when you think about running away to join a circus. This book is exactly the reason why a childhood dream can only be a dream as it portrays the story of adults with their struggles and their relationships. This book had a lot of elements to it that made it a rather enjoyable read - it had a sense of playfulness, romance, drama, heartache and soul. I absolutely loved the portrayal of both past and present Jacob; the main character who's story alternates between his life in the circus during the Great Depression and present day, when he's a crotchety old man who hates life in a nursing home. 

The different characters, with all their faults, strangeness and personalities were all very-well portrayed, each one having their own story or difficulty. The only problem, however, was that there were quite an array of characters and although it wasn't a problem to keep track of who was who, it was unsettling only knowing them so briefly. Even the animals portrayed in the book had character and I wanted to know absolutely more about them, especially Rosie the elephant who had a rather prominent role.

The themes in this book suggest present themselves as personal struggles; mental illness, abuse, money, social, racial and religious tensions, and one that I feel like it would be overlooked is the care for our elderly despite the theme being rather prominent; it's one of those things that carry the story but you may or may not think about. This one theme suggests that with age, the world supposedly forgets about you despite the fact that you lived the history. I honestly think that's beautiful.

So what did I think of this book, really? I liked it, but I didn't fall in love with it. Was it enjoyable? Yes, absolutely! But I really wanted to know more about the history of some of the other characters, I wanted to know what happened to some of the circus animals that we were introduced to, I wanted to know more about the lives of Jacob's children travelling with the circus. I felt like there were some holes that I wish could have been filled.I thought this book was a bit uneven too as I sometimes wanted to know more about the elderly Jacob as opposed to the young one. I think I quite like cranky old Jacob better… much more endearing. Readability was decent, but I felt like there was a desire that was met unsatisfied.

Rating: 3/5 Bookworms

Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

May 22, 2007 by Riverhead Books

[Goodreads][Amazon][Chapters Indigo]

Synopsis:

"Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.

A stunning accomplishment, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love."

Review:

I don't know why it took me so long to pick up anything written by Khaled Hosseini. Reading A Thousand Splendid Suns was an incredibly humbling experience; both heartbreaking and heartwarming but absolutely moving. It's not often my eyes want to water, something which I had to prevent as I didn't want to embarrassingly start bawling in the middle of a busy cafe.

It's now that I understand why this book is often praised and loved and it only makes me so excited to read Hosseini's new book; And The Mountains Echoed. A Thousand Splendid Suns is not just a heavy read, but an experience -- this is something you read to learn about being really, truly human. This is something you read and suddenly you've been given an intense life lesson about what love is. I'm not just talking about romantic love, but love for your mothers, your children, and of course, love for yourself. This book is heavy. This book is hopeful. This book is beautiful. You finish this story, close the book and you spend time in the silence of thought. By finishing this book, you're rewarded with a greater appreciation for your own life. The roof over your head, your full belly, the running water and just how precious your friends and family are.

I learned absolutely so much in this book; especially about the historical events in Afghanistan in the last few decades and about the experience of war. I learned about how much the human spirit could take, and I learned enormously about motherhood and companionship. I learned about the power of faith, too. 

I highly recommend this book to…anyone, maybe everyone. There are some definite mature subjects such as domestic violence and yes, war, but you'll take away so much from this book and won't regret ever picking it up.

Rating: 5/5 Bookworms

What I'm Reading This Month: May 2013

I love the new start in a fresh month, especially when it starts with beautiful, sunny weather! You can expect me to be reading and writing on a park bench outside, my pages lit up by the warm sunlight! You may even see me reading my May reads on a patio with a lovely iced coffee or maybe a pint of beer! What? Don't judge me!

I'm starting off the month by reading a great book by a great Canadian author, Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. I'm incredibly excited about the release of MaddAddam and I've made a mission to read the first two of the trilogy (the second being Year of the Flood) before I go out and get the new book! If you see me at the book store on the release date, there's a good change you might hear me squeal a tiny, tiny bit. You can, of course, expect me to have a review posted of the series as soon as I'm finished with it! 

The next three books come from my library haul the other day! I love libraries, but I wish the one closest to me had a bigger selection. Not that it's impossible to find some great things out there, but there's definitely books that are on my To-Be-Read that I'm surprised aren't in that local library. Then again, it also serves as a school library for the local high-school kids, so I guess it's to be expected. 

First up in Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore. I've read several of Moore's books before and although not my favourite author, he has definite consistency and I can fall back on him to lighten up my mood. I'm definitely excited about reading this for several reasons: 

1. I studied art and this book revolves around Vincent van Gogh. 
2. Set in Paris, France in the late nineteenth-century. 
3. My life has been sucking hard lately and I'm looking forward to having a good laugh.

White Teeth is a book I picked up on whim. I've never read any of Zadie Smith's work, but the cover really captured my eye. Do I judge a book by it's cover? Well, I'm an art fiend, so a cover that stands out makes me want to pick it up more. The cover design is by tattoo artist Lynn Akura and it's definitely reflective of that style of work. Reading the summary, a description about different cultures, war, family and love are involved. This novel is apparently a debut novel for Zadie Smith and is described to be big-hearted. So really, what can go wrong?

Last book I have on my list is Water for Elephants. I've never read this book, but I know plenty of people who have. In fact, they had three copies in the library, is a #1 New York Times Bestseller and it's about running away into a circus. This book has potential written all over it. Oh, did I mention that once again, Sara Gruen, the author is Canadian? This book is already getting pretty massive points from me!

As it stands, these are my current TBR but the list never truly ends. With that being said, more books to come, and I'm open to suggestions for a great book to read on my travels to Vegas in a few weeks! Assuming I don't just spend my time boozing and being mesmerized by the bright lights!

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Words or Topics That Make Me Pick Up a Book

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely people over at The Broke and the Bookish. As it is, this is my first Top Ten and am glad to be contributing!

These are my top ten words:

Quirky

I enjoy unique story - something with a bit of flair and personality that isn't really seen in the norm of writing. If I see this in a summary, or in a review, or as a praise on the cover, I'll probably pick it up and  read the crap out of it. 

Zombies

I really like zombie movies, novels, and dressing up like a zombie. No, really, I even plan on going to a 5k Obstacle course where I get chased by zombies. No, really.

Post-Apocalyptic

I'm not sure what it is about a good chunk of the population suddenly dying off, but it intrigues me and makes for a good story. Especially if there are zombies.

Fantasy

When I was in middle school, the fantasy section of the school's library pretty much owned my soul. I distinctly remember reading a good chunk of that small section and the school's librarian making a list of suggestions specifically for me. That big Fantasy and Sci-Fi sign still gets me every time.

Comedy/Satire

I love a good book that makes me laugh so I love it when a summary explains "a comedic blah blah blah." Then I pick it up and hope that I'm not drinking anything while I'm reading it lest I blow liquid out of my nose from snortling laughter.

Sacrilege

Have I ever told you all about how much i love writers who test religion? Remember when The Golden Compass made a big hullaballoo from being written by an Atheist author? Oh man, I love controversy and I love religious controversy. If anything so much as touches on the subject of breaking religious boundaries, I'm all over that like a fat kid on cake.

Books

Does anyone else love reading books about books? If it involves being trapped in a book world, a bookstore, or even banning books, I love to read about it. I love it when my books are about books.

WWII/Holocaust

When I look for something that makes me think on life for a while, I pick up a book about WWII or the Holocaust. Sometimes I need a good slap in the face to put me back to what hardship is. At the same time, I'm inspired and moved by the need for survival and life. 

Dystopian

Okay, so when people think dystopia, they think of YA novels like The Hunger Games. I think of Brave New World, 1984 and Fahrenheit 451. I mean, nothing against YA novels, at all, but when I think of 1984, I'm scared out of my willies, where Hunger Games didn't emotionally impact me quite as well. However... this work of dystopia still makes me want to pick up the book, even if it's just to read the first few pages.

Strange/Weird

I like it when things are described as strange or weird, and every other related word in a title. It means there's going to be a very............ special kind of character setting the motions of the story.

Books Vs. Movies: Something to Think About

 I love it when people shame movies because they aren't better than the books. It's going to happen with The Great Gatsby and those of us who've read F. Scott Fitzgerald's legendary piece is going to be extremely critical about it. It's not a bad thing, really. Many people are going to complain about why they're making this movie like it's an insult to this piece of American literature and I honestly think that they should be grateful.

That's right, you heard me. Grateful.

Why?

This movie celebrates an amazing literary piece which educates us on an era of American culture; the Roaring Twenties where subjects such as love, money, economical gaps, and trying to stabilize into a life after war are prevalent. The movie may only touch lightly on these subjects, I admit. It's hard to tell with Hollywood, however, just having a grand title, billboards and movie posters, commercials and advertisements in bold letters screaming out LEONARDO DICAPRIO is going to be great for the publishing industry. Not only are we going to shell out on over-priced box office tickets, popcorn and soda but I'm willing to say that a good portion of people are going to pick up the book from their local bookstore. Everyone's a critic, as they say, and the best way to be a critic is to get the source material.

There are people who read The Hunger Games, loved it, and they made a movie… and guess what? More people purchased the books after they were released. The same goes for Twilight. I'm sure you can guess how I feel about Twilight, but it doesn't distract from the point that it actually got so many people into reading. Sometimes, horrible books come out and they make horrible movies but you know what? People who were previously non-readers; who thought books were boring or a chore, are actually putting their noses in these pages and they're picking up better books later on because they want to find that next best thing.

Fun fact: I named my ukulele
Gatsby.

I honestly wouldn't have picked up the first Song of Ice and Fire book if it weren't for the fact that Game of Thrones, the television series, came into existence. This method. It's working.

Even with great books, or even books that make you question what the publishers were thinking, people are being advertised to read something. That's worth something, right?

So finally, I'm glad they're making a movie on a classic novel. I'm glad that they're going to light up a book in a way that will make people excited to read it. Of course I don't expect it to be the same. I expect the book to be better… but I'm excited to see how many people I can spot on the train with a copy of Gatsby in their hands.

Review: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

I took this at the bookstore...
I want a hard copy so bad :/

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloane

Published October 2nd 2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Synopsis: 

"The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone—and serendipity, sheer curiosity, and the ability to climb a ladder like a monkey has landed him a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But after just a few days on the job, Clay begins to realize that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything, instead “checking out” impossibly obscure volumes from strange corners of the store, all according to some elaborate, long-standing arrangement with the gnomic Mr. Penumbra. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he’s embarked on a complex analysis of the customers’ behavior and roped his friends into helping to figure out just what’s going on. But once they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, it turns out the secrets extend far outside the walls of the bookstore."

Review:

I want to start off by saying that I was so heartbroken by this book. Not that there's extremely sad subject matter. In fact, this was SO fun to read. It broke my tender little heart because every good book has to come to it's conclusion. I finished this book. I held my breath on the last page before finally closing the cover and exhaling. I wasn't sure what to do with myself after that. I think this is what love feels like. 

This book is the man I want in my life. Appeals to my geeky side; the girl who laughs at cat memes on reddit, the artsy side; the side that studied typography in her first year of college and of course, since this book is about a bookstore, the bookish side of me. That one is self-explanatory. There are all these humble little elements that give this book such a vibrant and youthful personality. The flow of the writing and language is quirky and uplifting. This book almost made me shout in the middle of a coffee shop: "WAS THAT A STAR WARS REFERENCE?! THAT WAS A STAR WARS REFERENCE. OHMYGODITWASASTARWARSREFERENCE!" In fact, this book, being only released last year is laced with the loveliest of pop culture references and odes to the most prolific technological empires of our time (Google, Apple.)

I think one of the best parts about Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore was how the characters were really easily relatable. In fact, I'm pretty sure I know my real-life equivalent to Mat.

Something to note about this book is how subtle the themes are. You don't really notice as you might be having too much fun trying to figure out things about mysterious books and symbols. You're trying to think of who the heck some of these characters are. But the themes are there. How do we immortalize ourselves? The purpose of design and language. Is technology and our internet overlords making our old crafts, like printing and publishing, obsolete? Or are we working the old and the new into something bigger, better and more harmonious? Don't think too deeply on these subjects, however, as this book is about having fun; it's about having a great adventure, solving mysteries and doing it with our oddball friends.

I want to make mention that the cover was designed by my favourite cover designer, Rodrigo Corral, who you might know for designing the covers for a

uthors like John Green and Chuck Palahniuk. Apparently this particular cover... it glows in the dark. Apparently I was an idiot and bought this book for my Kobo - I think I'll need to get my hands on a hard copy of this book. I wish I had more money.

If I would recommend this to anyone I feel as if it would be a great read for anyone interested in design and who are interested in the direction technology is growing. It's a great casual read for those who are more prone to sticking to the Teen/YA section of the bookstore and who want to dive into something that's still youthful but maybe not entirely focused on a coming-of-age story. This book is so lighthearted and an absolute joy to read and it would make a great companion if you're up in the air or on the road.

Last but not least, on my personal Twitter account, I posted about how upset I was about finishing such a lovely book - so much so I almost could cry. Robin Sloan tweeted me back. I might have been hyperventilating as it was the most unexpected thing to read and it made my experience with this book even more fulfilling. I didn't even think that was possible!

Rating: 5/5 Bookworms

It's Not About the "HOW"

Welcome, Ladies and Gentlemen! To where? Where isn't important, but when is. That when is right now --  The Era of Information and Technology. 

"i"

If you haven't noticed, but the title for my blog is "i Live Literary" which, as you can see, the 'i' isn't capitalized. There's a reason for this; it's an ode to how I'm connecting with all of you. It's an ode to the internet, to information and to individuality. It's also and obvious ode to Apple, to whom I must thank for providing me the tools to which I can continue reaching, connecting, and writing. And here comes the product war.

Look, I don't care whether you're Mac or a PC. I don't have to justify myself for using a Mac, but, just for the sake of it, I did study art. 

Which brings us to this product war topic:

So, Rose, I see you read from an eReader -- I really like physical books myself. What do you prefer?

I don't care how you read. I care about if you even read at all.

I own a lot of books and most of them are across the country, in my parent's basement, in storage. I moved to my current location by hauling three suitcases, a backpack and a purse on the plane with only a few books in my possession. Books are heavy and shipping all those books? Maybe when I have a means to do, I'll reunite my library. Meanwhile, I have this Kobo of mine to keep me company with a small library's worth of books for when I'm on the road. I feel like I'm on the road a lot.

I like to keep reading and I devour book after book; each one after the next. Carrying a small library isn't the most viable of options. For years I would try and find some solution to bring a small library with me without the baggage limit being insanely overweight and finally, finally my prayers were answered! I love new technology and how it can evolve and change our lifestyles. Well, it didn't change my lifestyle; just helped in it's improvement.

That fact is, having this eReader is great for me. It may not be for everyone but I don't really care anyways. The only thing that matters is that I'm still reading. I'm still processing information, analyzing and educating myself. I'm constantly trying to improve my literacy and improve upon myself as a human being.

I don't want to be categorized in the 16% of the human population who can't read, 84% of which are adults (aged 25 and over) and two-thirds of which are women. I'm extremely privileged to have been educated in Canada where literacy rates are around 97% but...does that mean that Canadians learned to read or do they read to learn?

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why I care about if you do read as opposed to how you read.

Your literacy isn't based upon just knowing how to read but based one your ability to think critically. It's important to know how to use the symbolism and metaphors in a story to decipher the relevancy of what you're reading, but why?

We often forget why we read, or why it's important; some of us just know that it is. The importance of it is that written and spoken language depend on it. It's the basis of where we begin to coherently understand how to make informed decisions, create, and communicate. It's how we begin to improve economic, social and political impact, how we begin to decrease mortality rates and increase health, and it's a foundation to where we start education. Reading is a beautiful thing that can lead to great things, amazing changes, and evolve our communities and culture.

"Live Literary"

Live Literary, in my blog title, is a celebration that I share with all of you. It's a celebration for literature, for reading, for books. Whether you read from an eReader, your tablet or phone, from a paperback or hardback, or listen to audiobooks - "Live Literary" is my hope for a brighter, better future in reading, education and for the betterment of ourselves and our society.

Read. Think Critically. Think Creatively.

For now, Literates,

Fare Thee Well.

Review: The Magicians

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Published 2009 Viking/Penguin Books

Synopsis: "Quentin Coldwater is brillant but miserable. He's a senior in high school, and a certifiable genius, but he's still secretly obsessed with a series of fantasy novels he read as a kid, about the adventures of five children in a magical land called Fillory. Compared to that, anything in his real life just seems gray and colorless. 

Everything changes when Quentin finds himself unexpectedly admitted to a very secret, very exclusive college of magic in upstate New York, where he receives a thorough and rigorous education in the practice of modern sorcery. He also discovers all the other things people learn in college: friendship, love, sex, booze, and boredom. But something is still missing. Magic doesn't bring Quentin the happiness and adventure he though it would.

Then, after graduation, he and his friends make a stunning discovery: Fillory is real."

Review: I admit it. I didn't finish this book. I think I made it through about 30 pages before I shook my head, disgruntled, and abandoned trying to read this.

I actually went looking for this book at my local library, was excited to pick it up as I had researched into it. John Green, writer of The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska actually commented on this book in a Vlogbrothers video, saying that if we enjoyed Harry Potter then this would be an interesting take on the magic school genre. Not that this book is any of John Green's fault but I had heard that this book has been called the "Harry Potter for adults." Well, everyone, I'm sorry to say, but whoever said that originally is a liar, liar pants on fire.

Harry Potter has this charming, quirky quality to it. From the get-go you're engaged with Harry's character, the strange things that happen to him and how he interacts with the world. I think the important thing is that in that first book, you really like Harry. He's humble and genuine - he has good intent.

The Magicians is meant for an older audience (16+, I would say) and no, it's not Harry Potter. I get that.  But if you're going to compare it to that; don't. Even if it's to make a crude comparison. I would have been happy with it just being categorized in the likes of "magic school kind of story."

I feel like Quentin is a poor protagonist. I feel like the writer was trying too hard to make him out to be a horny teenager. In the pages I did read, he whined about how a girl didn't like him and tried to not look down the blouses of two other female characters. Was it necessary to mention it multiple times? Probably not. I get it. He's a young and filled with hormones and I really don't care. I can barely stand people whine about how they can't get the girl/guy in real life, let alone in the beginning of my novel when I'm trying to just get to know the character.

Also, something I really dislike is when writers make "genius" characters and make them extremely pretentious. I also especially questions the logitics of Quentin's characters when he's writing an exam and claims that the stuff happening on his paper was "hi-tech paper" and that it was "hi-res." Hey, genius, have you... I dunno, questioned your whereabouts and what's happening around you or anything? Oh right, you didn't because you're still pretentious.

Does this book get any better? I don't know, and I don't care to find out. Maybe it does get better, maybe the character develops into something more likeable... maybe this read wasn't for me.

Rating: 1/5 Bookworms 

I Need to Perform a Ritual -- Hold That Page!

French press, homemade gluten-free peanut butter cookies,
and The Song of Achilles

I never really thought of myself as a ritualistic person. I don't need to go through the same motions every day to get me through my day. In fact, I enjoy having my days work in a spur-of-the-moment and I enjoy the days I get to sleep in, even though other days I have to wake up early. In my life, I don't like the mundane feeling of sameness. So I don't know when exactly this started...

"I think it's time to read..." I tell myself as I start filling the kettle with water and setting it to boil. I'll either grind some coffee to put into my french press or start picking out my tea to put in my teapot. The water clicks off as it's done boiling and I wait a minute or two for it to cool down with the lid off before I begin to pour it into the appropriate vessel. I'll stir the coffee around in the water to agitate the grounds, set the timer on my phone for 4 minutes or do the same with my tea. While I'm waiting, I decide how sinful I'm feeling that day and maybe prepare a snack -- usually something sweet. The timer goes off, I pour myself a cup and settle down and begin reading my book.

If I'm feeling stir-crazy, you'll often find me in a local cafe drinking a soy latte, still, with my book.

Before you ask; Yes. I am a coffee snob.

Wherever there's a delicious hot, caffeinated beverage involved, I'm there with a book and ready to snuggle into a cozy spot to read while the stimulants of my drink are coursing through my veins. I love this. I feel like I'm almost setting up the mood for a particularly hot date; except instead of dinner, wine and candles, my hot date is a bunch of words, my wine is coffee and my candles are non-existent for fear of accidentally burning such a precious possession.

I wonder if I'm the only one who needs to go through a ritual before settling down to read.

Or maybe, it's not a ritual at all, and an excuse for me to have more coffee and tea. I think I may have a problem.

Review: John Dies At The End

Lo and behold, my first review!

Let's start off the synopsis, shall we?:

"STOP. You should not have touched this flyer with your bare hands. NO, don't put it down. It's too late. They're watching you. My name is David Wong. My best friend is John. Those names are fake. You might want to change yours. You may not want to know about the things you'll read on these pages, about the sauce, about Korrok, about the invasion, and the future. But it's too late. You touched the book. You're in the game. You're under the eye. The only defense is knowledge. You need to read this book, to the end. Even the part with the bratwurst. Why? You just have to trust me.

The important thing is this: The drug is called Soy Sauce and it gives users a window into another dimension. John and I never had the chance to say no. You still do. I'm sorry to have involved you in this, I really am. But as you read about these terrible events and the very dark epoch the world is about to enter as a result, it is crucial you keep one thing in mind: None of this was my fault."

And now for the review:

This is a very strange book with strange things and strange people. I loved this book for being so strange and so absolutely vulgar. I guess in the world of a comic horror, no subject is really taboo. Considering horror is monsters and gore and comedy is...well, have you seen stand-up comedians? Anything is game.

This book is written by Cracked.com's Senior Editor, Jason Pargin who writes this under the pseudonym David Wong. David Wong is not only the writer but also the protagonist and narrator; a Jack of All Trades, he is. Dave brings us into an adventure with his friend John that's mortifying, delightful and fantastical that's made up of weird little wig-creatures and confusing questions.

If there's anything I have to say about this book it's that it's damn fun. Like watching a Michael Bay movie - not because the movie is good but because your brain wants to see things explode and because Megan Fox is pretty easy on the eyes. Fortunately books aren't like movies where you need visual effects to keep you happy. Books need be actually good for you even to have fun reading it. It may not be a creative masterpiece. There isn't metaphor or symbolism for you to decipher or a deep meaning that you need to carry with you. This book isn't going to change your life and that's the beauty of this book. It's simply fun and sometimes you just want something ridiculous to read and this is that book. It's so fun in fact that I had issues trying to put it down and over the course of two days, it took me about five hours to read. John Dies is full of unexpected things, hilarious characters, vulgarity, and goes great with a pint of beer.

I can't wait to get my hands on This Book is Full of Spiders.

Rating: 4/5 Bookworms

April: What I'm Reading Cont.

This month seems to be a very prolific reading month. Of course, seeing as I'm still in between jobs, I've really spend the bulk of it doing sending cover letters, doing yoga and of couse, reading. Because I really can't do much else when I can't spare the change to do it, obviously.

I posted a few days ago what I had read and what I'm reading this month. Well... as it turns out, I finished all those books and then I went ahead and read Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, who, if you didn't know, is currently one of my favourite writers. I was introduced to Gaiman's stories, originally through graphic novels but upon a suggestion from my friend, Coles, I ended up picking up both Neverwhere and American Gods and I absolutely loved them. Anansi Boys is a great in so many ways; it's often said that this book is a sequel to American Gods but I'm going to ahead and politely disagree. Although Gaiman takes this world and continues with it, Anansi Boys is it's own story - you honestly don't need to read American Gods to understand the story. However, American Gods makes a great compliment to any questions regarding the fantastical world Gaiman has created; so although you don't have to read it, I really recommend you do because it's so very, very good.

It seems to me that I've read some really amazing books this month and the month isn't even close to being done. Of course seeing as I've read some incredible things, there has to be some books that I'm particularly not sure about.

One of these books is The Night Circus but Erin Morgenstern. I saw this book literally everywhere. I would see it recommended to me on the Kobo application, I would see it displayed in every book store I walked into, I would see it being read on the trains and the list continues. So finally, I caved, I liked the idea of the story. I enjoy a bit of mystification and a story with a circus? The quirkiness of it is quite my cup of tea. So I purchased it for my Kobo (I've been using my Kobo a lot lately since I have many unread stories to bury into and because, as a non-productive member of society at the moment, it's much more affordable for me.) I'm about 15% of the way through the book and I admit that this is a book that I can lift my head up from. A great read you can barely tear me away from and I have to remind myself that I should probably go to the washroom and use the facilities or perhaps make myself a meal. I'm in fact debating whether I should power through the story or not. As of now, all I can think of is the overuse of flowery imagery and how this might have been a better movie than a story. Am I the only one not impressed? Should I continue with it? Is it worth my time?

On top of that, upon first judgement, I flipped through the first few pages of The Magicians and already dislike pretty much all the characters. I watched a few YouTube reviews and some of the readers really enjoyed this book. Reviews seem to be mixed, it seems, as Goodreads members really don't care for The Magicians in the slightest. I have no idea what it is with remarkably intelligent characters always being so damn pretentious but it needs to stop. It's really not likeable at all and I honestly want nothing more than to punch Quentin (the protagonist) in the nose. I don't think this is my book and I think I'm going to unfortunately take the venture back to the library to return it for something more suitable to my liking. Sigh... 

If anyone happens to have any suggestions for anything that I may be interested in for the rest of the month, or even, to begin reading for the next month please leave a comment or email! I know for the next month I'm on the search for a non-fiction read (Escape from Camp 14) and pick up Lullaby by Chuck Pahalniuk as it's been sitting on my shelf being unread. The Great Gatsby is going to be read next month as well, definitely before the new movie comes out and that, I'll make it's own glorious post. Hopefully the next little while will see the death of this "meh" book slump and instead bring me some most amazing things to read.

Fare thee well, Literates!

Education and Book Banning

I've been well out of high school for a few years now and I really don't know what goes on in high schools these days. As far as I remember during my grade school years, no parent has ever complained about any assigned reading that I have ever had the privilege of picking apart. I never understood book bans, or people who go out and complain that the books being picked apart in the classroom are inappropriate for children.

Grade 12 English was where I was given the gift of a study in Elie Wiesel's Night. The book itself is a telling about Eliezer's (slightly fictionalized version of Elie, himself) own reflections on the struggle to survive the Holocaust inside an Auschwitz concentration camp. At the beginning of the novel, a man, Moishe the Beadle speaks of witnessing babies being thrown into the air and used as targets for machine gunners. I always reflect back on reading this novel and discussing it in class and that very image to me was disturbing but so important to my education. Why is learning about the Holocaust from this book, so important?

Because we see people struggle with their humanity and faith in this book. We see Eliezer's relationship with his father strengthen, falter, and personal conflicts. We see fragility in these characters but really, it's not the characters we see these things in. We relate to them because the themes portrayed in this book are timeless. The Holocaust has happened once, ever and hopefully, never again; but that isn't to say that genocide, war, and torture aren't happening in the world. That isn't to say that we, ourselves, will never be put in a position where the strength of our relationships will be put to the test in such a terrifying way. Or where our beliefs, faith and humanity are challenged for a scrap of bread.

In my neighbouring country of America, the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) banned this book in 2001-2002. It was challenged in Texas for it's use of profanity, horror and violence which as a result, only select students were permitted to read this book. 

To say that teenagers should not read this book is an insult to the intelligence of young minds. The minds that we often call our "future" and the minds that will bring us into advancement and innovation. Night is the truth -- horror, violence and all. It is not worth banning and doing so would be absolutely insulting to Elie, to so many other Holocaust survivors and to those we tragically lost. 

It's amazing, however, that so many amazing books, meant to impact us as a society have been banned/are banned/challenged into being banned. Literature should be celebrated and should be open to everyone unless, in a sort of ironic fashion, the dystopian futures of 1984 or Fahrenheit 451 should happen. The censorship of books is incredibly, mind-bogglingly frustrating.