Quote of the Week Wednesday!

Hannah: "Oh, Lily," He says shaking his head. "I know about love. About wanting and dreaming and wishing with every part of your soul. I know enough to recognize the parts that are real and the parts that are only in my fantasy." - Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Emily: "I'm not playing Scrabble against against Singleton. God, if I want to be reminded of how dumb I am, I'll just consult my verbal SAT scores, thanks." - An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Jessica: "'I want the men to be gentle and courteous as they gather the chickens. Under no circumstances do I want anyone to show disrespect to any of the chickens.' 'Disrepect,' Kahlan repeated. 'To a chicken.' 'That's right.'" -Soul of the Fire by Terry Goodkind

Book Discussion #1: Series vs. Stand Alone novels

When it comes to deciding which book to read next, whether it's a stand alone or in a series can affect your decision. So, what do you prefer: series or stand alone novels? Also, what is your favorite series and your favorite stand alone novel?

Hannah: This question is always tricky for me to answer. I want to say straight forward that I dislike series, but this isn't always the case. Although, I have noticed a new trend in series. Today it seems that all new book releases are either a book already a part of a series out or is the first book in a new series. The negatives to series is that once you start the first, there's no going back. Even if I don't like the book, I'll ultimately have to discover how the story ends. Some books I believe need to be involved in a series, particularly fantasy or dystopian novels. These two specific genres entail world building, so by having the first book to set up the premise and details of a society it will allow for a greater story line. In other cases, such as contemporary fiction, there is no need for a series. I personally don't mind trilogies, but more than 3 books irks me. My favorite series is a tie between The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling, and my favorite stand alone novel is Looking for Alaska by John Green.

Emily: Oh man... the answer to this question is mighty complicated for me seeing as how what I think is completely opposite from the evidence on my Shelfari. I would much rather prefer a stand alone novel, but I do agreee with what Hannah said as to specific genres needing to be in a series, such as fantasy and dystopian. If the author is building a world or introducing a new and extremely complicated concept, a series is the best option so the author doesn't have to rush things in one book. Now, if I take a look as to what my favorite books are, I can honestly say that about 90% of them are in series. Those series are THAT good. I feel that books today are all becoming series because of the series that were so amazing and successful. This is sad to me. I would love to pick up a book knowing that the book will end. Let me go off on a tangent here... YES. Things HAVE to END at some point!!! Don't have a book series go on for more than 5 books. It gets old. (Unless you are Ms. Rowling. Then, by all means, write a hundred books!!!!) Also, it is nice to know the planned amount of books that will be in a series so that you know what you are signing up for by book one. For example: Although the Inheritance Cycle is one of my favorite books series, I was honestly angry at the end of Brisingr (Book 3). It was supposed to be the last one, and it clearly wasn't. And then we find out that we have to wait YEARS for the last one to be released! Sense my frustration? Anyways, in conclusion, if the series is epic, it is completely worth it, but I do like my novels here and there. Favorite Series: Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling (Duh) and The Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind; Favorite Stand Alone: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Jessica: Whether the book is a stand alone or part of a series does not usually affect my initial decision to read a book. The problem that most people have with series is that if the first book is bad, they still feel the need to read the rest of the series, but in my case, this isn't true. I've always been able to pick up the first book in a series and not finish the series if I didn't like the first book. If the first book in the series is really good, then I prefer series because I don't want the story to end. Sometimes with stand alone novels I feel like the story got over with too quickly. Favorite Series: The Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind; Favorite Stand Alone: Entwined by Heather Dixon

Looking For Alaska by John Green

Looking For Alaska by John Green

Dutton Books, 221 pages
Borrowed

"Miles 'Pudge' Halter is abandoning his safe-okay, boring-life. Fascinated by the last words of famous people, Pudge leaves for boarding school to seek what a dying Rabelais called the 'Great Perhaps.' Pudge becomes encircled by friends whose lives are everything but safe and boring. Their nucleus is razor-sharp, sexy, and self -destructive Alaska, who has perfected the arts of pranking and evading school rules. Pudge falls impossibly in love. When tragedy strike the close-knit group, it is only in coming face-to- face with death that Pudge discovers the value of living and loving unconditionally. John Green's stunning debut marks the arrival of a stand-out new voice in young adult fiction. "

Now, let me start from the beginning. My other fellow bloggers (hint: Emily and Hannah) kept saying to me over the summer that I had to read this book called Looking For Alaska. Finally, I said to just give me the book already before both of them spoiled the whole thing. So, I sat down for my nightly reading ritual and opened this little black novel.

The next time I talked to Emily, she asked what I thought of the book so far, with much enthusiasm I might add. But my reaction was that I was only fifty pages in and I really didn't understand why she had been so insistent that I read it. She told me just to keep reading and you'll understand why.

While they found this book laugh out loud funny (there was only one part that I honestly giggled), I think that I took something different from this book than they did (Or they just told me the humorous moments over the more in-depth ones to get me to read it. I have been in a major historical fiction phase lately.) What I received from this book was a consistent thought throughout that touches the mind of every teenager, or person for that matter, at a certain point in their lives. Besides Pudge's "Great Perhaps", life's labyrinth and how we escape it is the other main objective that is discussed. Perhaps in writing this novel, John Green was trying to convey that we all have to decide how to get along in life.

Along with the religious class that Pudge and his classmates are required to take (Which, after reading about, I believe that every high school student should take.), and the mindset that everyone needs to choose what path they are to lead, this book simply makes you think. Thinking is not a common use of time anymore, but it can enrich our lives and this novel has certainly enriched mine.

Rating: 4 stars- I really liked it. Worth borrowing.