First Three Down!

So I've already read 3 books since we've started and I am extremely excited to read the others!

Perfect Cut- (4 stars) This was the first book that I had read and it was amazing! I thought the main character was extremely diverse and how the story was told about him was fantastic. It was such an interesting book to read because you learn so much throughout the book about the end, and when it finally the ends, you are thoroughly impressed! I finished it in 2 or 3 nights because I just could not put it down! Although it was depressing in some parts, it was heartfelt and you really wanted everything to work out for the characters and their situations. Everyone should definitely try to get around to reading it, it is my favourite up to this point!

Cracked Up to Be- (3 stars) I will be honest, I had extremely high hopes for this book, having been told for months before White Pine that it was very good but once I read it I was a little disappointed. It was surely a good book, funny characters, interesting storyline and there was suspense throughout the book, describing the major event that caused all the... issues but I was just very frustrated with the end. I was expecting a huge happy ending and felt that I was left hanging. If you were to choose between The Perfect Cut and this, I would definitely take The Perfect Cut.

last but not least...
Sister Wife- (3 1/2 stars) I had no idea what to expect from this book. Normally when I pick out books for recreational reading, this would be one I would automatically ignore, and dispose of. When I picked this one up I was expecting something a bit boring, something I wouldn't be able to get through but I was genuinely surprised at how riveting and intriguing it was! I read it very fast, and it was just a great book. It's a topic I had never really read about in fictional stories but I am very glad I chose this one. It had some slow and awkward parts, no doubt (Nanette and Mr Neillson...) but overall, I think it was an interesting read, and a well written novel!

Cracked Up To Be

Alright, I'm going to start this out with a personal problem that has been affecting my reading lately, and almost caused me to abandon this book completely...
I will shamefully admit that I am a judge.
Of course I don't judge a book by it's cover, but what about page format, fonts, sizes, titles and page texture??
The colour of the pages and the coarse-ness of them made my skin crawl.
Fortunately, I got over it...

'Cracked Up To Be' is your typical angsty-teenage story... If you couldn't already tell by the back (which was HORRIBLE--'but something terrible has happened and it may be her fault...'--it's so cheesey you could grate it on spagetti). But what kept me reading was the fact that you don't figure out what the terrible thing is. You really don't. You can't even guess. Or at least I couldn't. You get little pieces of it, which was pretty nice. A very pretty puzzle, which of course comes together at the end, with such a heightened climax it still kind of haunts me. Although I wanted to put the book down multiple times throughout the story, I'm glad I didn't. The ending really brings it all together.
This ones really unforgetable. The ending, at least.

Cheers,
Chelsea Dagger

The Book of Michael - Wow!

Hi! I just finished reading The Book of Michael and it sure wasn’t what I thought it would be… It’s deep, I’ll say that. And raw. And there’s way more to it than the back cover suggests. Michael’s character is expertly drawn – you learn more and more about him as he tries to deal with his own grief and everyone’s reaction to his presence. Louis, a garage mechanic and Phyllis, Michael’s grandmother, both help him come to terms with his situation and provide a sort of spiritual guidance.
As much as I like and respect Michael though, I sure didn’t expect him to choose the path he does in the end. But I get it, sort of…

Half World

So, for the third White Pine book I've read this year, I chose Half World.
This book has some extreme fantasy, I tell you. A little too much for my liking, but it was ok. It reminded me of the movie 'Spirited Away'... the same kind of weird situations and characters. If you've heard of the movie and liked it, you'll probably like Half World.
I enjoyed it, and all, but it definately wasn't my favourite, or a signifigant book that I've read. In all honesty, I probably won't remember this book in a few months, but hey, that's just me. If you like fantasy, go for it.
I also LOVE the drawings. Very Brett Helquist-esque.
Cheers,
Chelsea Dagger

Hello, again ... the ranter is back!

OK, so, just to establish and - for many of you - confirm that I am (indeed) completely out of my mind, I've read 4 of the White Pine selection this year and am working on my 5th.

Book thoughts thus far:

The Perfect Cut - emotionally wracking, disturbing, and yet so powerful. it's absolutely gripping, and grants insight into the destructive world of self-mutilators. I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. (Warning - relentless tearjerker)

Wondrous Strange - There are no words. Really - none. To describe how amazing this novel was. (But be warned - if you dont have at least a tolerance for Shakespeare, you might want to consider another novel. I, however, would gladly and giddily read dear old Will every day, hence this novel was paradise.)

Sister Wife - I was hesitant, but the author really came through on this one. My only real criticism is that I read half, and knew how the end would play out. No real surprises. However, it is fascinatingly horrifying for the singular reason that its true - crap like that DOES happen, and IS happening - right now.

Cracked Up To Be - This novel was not all its cracked up to be. (I apologize for the play on words, buts fun). Quite frankly, I was mildly disappointed. It's a very typical, predictable story - teenage girl has problems, teenage girls' life spins out of control, loved ones reach outh to help her, ends on a note of healing. For all that, though, it IS well-writen, very direct and to the point, not a bad read overall. Most original and therefore, most interesting feature - personality of Parker Fadley, the main character.

Well, until I've read some more, (quite possibly the rest of them), I leave you to enjoy the White Pine selection. Oh, and please post. I want to know what other people thought of the novels.

~Capt. Holly Short~

Mostly Happy

Mostly Happy was a great story focused on the life of a girl named Bean. Her adventures go from sexual abuse, physical abuse, school fights, unwanted pregnancies and her internal battle with God. Pieces of her life, souveniers from the good times and bad, are kept in a red suitcase that she carries everywhere she goes.
I really liked this book. The descriptions were very clear; I could picture everything going on in my mind like an old movie. It had great character developement as well. You truly hate the bad guys and love the good guys, inside and out. Unless you're wacked. Who couldn't love her best friend Goose? Nobody, that's who.
Another great read. I like this list better than last year's.
Cheers,
Chelsea Dagger

The Perfect Cut

When I got this book, I was expecting another 'Gravity Journal', where they have a great message but the plot jumps around from one thing to another. It's okay to do that if it's written well, but I wasn't convinced with Gravity Journal.
Perfect Cut was different. Bryan's story is told so vividly, so sincerely, you know it isn't someone giving it half of their effort. This is a full out piece of work. You can feel the authours enthusiasm and pain seeping through the spaces in-between the words. Beautiful.
Not everybody cuts themselves, but we all feel that same pain inside. Reading 'The Perfect Cut', I could feel that pain. He's done his research, folks.
Great read. A sad one, but a great one all the same.
Cheers,
Chelsea Dagger

Mostly Happy by Pam Bustin

This book's title is a misnomer... Mostly Happy? Mostly Abuse would be a better title.
The story jumps mostly from one incident (of sexual and or physical abuse) to another in Bean's life. I did not like it because of the subject matter, the constant cycle of pain or the fact that it suggests only lower levels of society are capable of abuse. That said, it pretty much tells the truth of abuse and how it is passed down from generation to generation and depicts the fact that many endure instead of run. Sad.

WHITE PINE 2009/2010

Well, hello everyone! Welcome back!
And welcome new members!
We have a whole new list of novels to read this year, and I think you're gonna LIKE 'em!
Check out the link on the right to see a description of each one, come on down to the library to sign one out, and start blogging your views.

NEWS FLASH!

The winner of the

WHITE PINE AWARD

has been announced!

It is....drum roll please....

Little Brother

by Cory Doctorow.

Go to the OLA site

www.accessola

to read all about it!

Gravity Journal

I just finished reading the Gravity Journal and it was really good.

I was surprised how graphic it got and how much information was included about disorders.

Near the end I did feel sad for the main character, how she tried to overcome so many problems.

I felt that the beginning was not very catchy and the end just fell through.

But the middle was really well written.

I also liked how they gave the girls point of view from her journals.

I'd recommend it to girls more than boys, because at certian points it becomes hard to understand.

But DO read it.

Tweaked and Dooley Takes the Fall

Well, I've read two more books! Feeling quite proud of myself, actually. I love recreational reading and I don't usually get much done during the semester with so much else to do. You know how it is. I tend to save my book lists for summer. Anyhow...

Overall, I thought Dooley Takes the Fall was really well written. Liked the protagonist a lot and was really buying in but I felt like the ending was a bit weak. I expected more from the author - it sort of left me hanging.

Tweaked was also good - and I was torn. I wanted more hope for the protagonist - I really wanted things to improve in his situation but it just wasn't happening. The rational part of my brain understands how difficult it is to live with a meth addict and how unlikely it is that addicts will reform, however, I would have liked something good to happen in the middle of the book. I have been to Vancouver (and seen the East Hastings neighbourhood that is described in the novel) and that made the novel more meaningful and realistic for me. What did anyone else think?

Hmm...Gravity Journal.

I just finished reading "Gravity Journal". I thought it was pretty good. I didn't really like some of the language used in the story, and I found some parts to be a bit graphic, but I felt that overall it was good. It shows how people with these types of disorders feel, live, and think, and also shows change for the better. We see Anise at her worst in the beginning, but she slowly heals and becomes a better person with more self-esteem and confidence with the help of so many trusted friends and examples. I think that really brings out the message "You are never alone", "There's always hope", and "Every cloud has a silver lining". Those are pretty strong messages that I think most of us need at some point or another. The author showed these messages so effectively and well. I also liked how the narration switched from 1st person to 3rd person, and how some of Anise's writing was shown. This book may be one of my considerations for my vote.

2 Down, More to go!

Hey. I'm new to White Pine, and I've just read Gotcha! and Daughter of War. Those books were pretty good.

I found Gotcha! was interesting, and somewhat predictable. It did have alot of twists that I wasn't expecting though, which is what I like. I also liked how some of the story was told in email format, and how some main details in the plot weren't introduced right of the bat. I found that made me want to read on, and find out what was happenning. It did keep me guessing through most of it. I did like the message of how little things that you think don't mean anything can turn into something very unexpected, and in so doing we learn more about people, places, and stuff around us.

I liked Daughter of War a bit more than Gotcha! because of the way the story was told, and of the deeper meaning to it. I liked how the different characters were separate in their stories, but yet their different situations connect into one main story. I also liked the how the story showed how different people survive things, and how if we make it through, things will get much better. I did find the story to be very sad in some parts, but I felt it was good, and so that's why I liked it a little bit more than Gotcha!

I'm looking forward to reading some of the other books, like After River! I'll keep you posted on that. :)

New Favourite Book Alert :)

After River <3
This was AMAZING.
New. Favourite. Book. :D
The twists were amazing (some I saw coming, some I didnt), and it was just one of those books you couldn't put down. I've recommended it to sooo many people, and I say that if you havent read it, READ IT. Its great.
Generally, those books give you that "feel-good-family moment" at the end. This one wasn't your generic one. I thought it was a very nice change.
This one is deffinately my favourite so far.

The Ranting Continues ...

OK, so I've figured out by now that nobody really wants to hear me ranting about the books, but please allow me to point out that this blog exists specifically for book thoughts, and I cant really help it if I happen to have really strong opinions about what I read. Thus far, I have now read every book except Chanda's Wars, and thats because Im working on it currently. Honestly though, what is going on this year? I understand that books need conflict and darkness and misery and death to create interest and make the book good, but this is going too far. I understand that the authors have made great strides and its hard work to write a book and be published, and I have nothing against giving credit where credit is due ... its just ... these books all take the reader and catapult them headfirst into the bottom of the pits of human misery. I'm a teenager ... theres enough drama and misery in my life to keep me plenty depressed without reading ten depressing books additionally. I did think that Little Brother was quite good ... but I also found it kinda scary becasue that world is not so great a leap from our own. I found After River to be really, really, REALLY predictable, and I prefer a book to keep me guessing ... its more fun that way. Tweaked was just plain tragic. If I had to vote today, Im thinking that I would probably go with either Little Brother, Daughter of War, or Gravity Journal.

~Capt. Holly Short~

PS - Courtcandy --> Would you drop it with the elf thing? Its beyond old already.

The Corps of the Bare-Boned Plane

I just finished the corps of the bare-boned plane over the exam break. I admit at first that i thought this book would be lousy because of the way it looked and the title. But theres much more to the story. It was a pretty good story line, and the way the author wrote it using the different perspectives of the charchers, made it a unique read. I personally really enjoyed it, it was nothing of what i expected it to be, and i'm glad, cause it was good. Its a story about theses 2 girls who get shipped off to an island to live with their uncle, who are later joined by others. Thats all i'm gonna say about it haha...i'm not a fan of spoilers.

Four down...

Well, I intended to post prior to this but ... better late than never!

I have read four of the selections for this year, After River, Gotcha!, Little Brother, and Gravity Journal. I have enjoyed all of them, despite their clear differences in style, characterization and plot.

I think After River was my favourite so far - it has a great plot and excellent character development. I really empathised with the protagonist and enjoyed the twists in the storyline - it even made me a little weepy near the end (I`m a softie when it comes to emotional stories!).

Gotcha did a great job of dealing with the pressures of being a teenager (Yes- I still have some vague recollection of that time in my life - however long ago it may seem!) including trouble relating to parents, peer pressure, relationships with friends and budding romance. It was a quick read and had lots of action!

I found Little Brother a little hard to get into at first (being a technologically inept thirty-something English teacher) but it was worth the effort! The content was current and relevant for our post 9/11 world - and a little bit scary! The author is a technological genius and explains the workings of computers and their trappings really clearly (so that even I got it!)

The most recent book I finished was Gravity Journal - a serious novel about a young woman with an eating disorder who self- mutilates - but strangely hopeful at the end. I enjoyed the author`s style - her poetry and word-play was clever and engaging. It was sort of disturbing but very interesting to get a glimpse into the psyche of an individual with these problems that seem to affect so many young people today.

Generally, I am really pleased with this year`s selections - I am looking forward to Dooley Takes the Fall!

Well its a start...

So, this is my first year reading with the White Pine Book Club, but so far, I’ve had a good time doing so. I’m starting to wonder why I’ve never done this before actually.
Anyways, my thoughts on the books I’ve read so far….

The first book I read was After River, which I actually really enjoyed. It was quite climatic and really absorbed me into the life of Natalie (the main character). For most of the book you learn about her childhood and experiences growing up and how is affects her as an adult. It’s about the journey we all struggle through in life, connecting with your family and recovering from an emotional train wreck in life. She describes that something has happened which scars her so much from her childhood, however never exactly what it is until you come to a breaking point of your curiousity. In addition, it is shocking, yet realistic. It’s not like its just one shock either; it’s more like a series of electric jolts then what happen afterwards. I’ve heard some complaints that the white pine selection does not have enough hope and too much depression; however, Natalie finally overcomes all her hidden emotional cuts and moves beyond. The hope is secure and inspiring. I actually cried a bit too at one point. Now to me, crying means that it is one good book.

The next book I’ve finished was Gravity Journal. Now this one had some potential, with a great topic of anorexia and self-mutilation, no matter how dark it may seem. However, I would have liked to read a bit more of her life before she checked into the mental ward, to understand more fully why she chooses to destroy her self in these ways. I think it would explain a lot more and a deeper connection with Anise. Although I did think it was a good look at the lives of those who are easily overlooked by our society by shame, ignorance or doubt.

Now I am moving on to Chanda’s Wars, which so far looks like a completely different book from the first two I’ve read. And looks amazing so far!

(Oh and Capt. Holly Short shouldn’t complain about being an elf when she actually is one – and not a vampire as she might wish =P And stop being so pesstimistic too. I mean, give the books SOME credit they deserve for actually being published and all.)

7 down...

Alright, so having just finished my 7th book, I have a good idea of who I'm voting for (based on what i've previously read).

In the winner's circle is Gravity Journal, Dooley Takes The Fall, and Gotcha!.

Gravity Journal dealt with real issues in a manner that was fully believable, with no super happy ending, but satisfies while leaving enough vagueness to hope for a sequel.

Dooley Takes The Fall is a McClintock, and I've favoured her mysteries for years. This book is a nice escape from the Chloe and Levesque series McClintock had been writing for sometime, and surprised me not with just it's depth, but the twists and turns that tie tightly together (alliteration noted and intended) by the end.

Gotcha! I've already discussed, so I won't go into detail, but it's from an interesting perspective.

My bottom of the barrel consists of Daughter of War, which seemed like a huge plea for a forgotten horror in mankind's history. It would have been good, if it hadn't kept repeating how devastating the scenes around them were. I got it the first ten times, no need to feed me with twenty different examples of how well you can describe the chaos around you.

Another bottom barrel bookclub member is Tweaked, which I already described my frustration with the main character, and how he handled his situations. As I already said, the storyline just seemed too easy to get riled up about.

Over and out.
Linkus

P.S. I hear Chanda's War is amazing, looking forward to Little Brother, and unsure as to what to anticipate from After River

I finished Gotcha! over the holiday, and thought it was an amazing read. Not only does it deal with teenage issues such as friendship, cliques, bullying and parent break-ups, it also depicts the pitfalls of a gambling addiction. The whole concept of a game which has been banned, for good reason, by school administration, is very interesting. All in all it was a realistic portrayal of the problems that ensued when the game quickly became out of control. Highly recommended!