Monthly Archives: June 2012

Tennis: Poetry Friday

I have tennis on the brain this week. My two boys, Gearbox (11) and Pickles (8), have suddenly discovered a passion for tennis. I signed them up for a week of lessons because the weather promised rain and the lessons … Continue reading

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Moominland Midwinter

Moominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson My rating: 5 of 5 stars Lyrical, philosophical, beautiful. I have re-read this book aloud to my boys almost every winter since the oldest was 4. This book never fails to capture the mood of … Continue reading

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Please Come Flying: Poetry Friday

My husband and I hosted four 11 year old boys this week. My son and his three friends saw New York, boated by the Statue of Liberty and under the Brooklyn Bridge, swam in icy pools, hunted for bullfrogs, played … Continue reading

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The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner, #2)The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

More dark and gruesome than Maze Runner, I almost put down Scorch Trials several times. The book starts off faster but then the pacing slows down and the middle of this books feels unnecessarily long. Luckily, Dashner tells a gripping story, I speed read, and I really wanted to find out the secrets. Why would Tom and Theresa subject themselves and other children to these horrible trials? How much of what we are learning is real vs lies vs fabricated memories? Is WICKED really good? What is really happening in the outside world? Unfortunately for me, this book provided very few answers

Like Maze Runner, Scorch Trials is plot-driven at the expense of character development. While we learn more of Tom and Theresa’s backstory, Tom still hasn’t changed or grown much and neither have the rest of the crew. It is hard to to connect to the characters and, therefor, root for them. When minor characters died, I didn’t feel sad, only horrified by their grizzly deaths. And the book still has a lot of telling, more showing would help the reader connect emotionally to Tom.

In writing this review, I realized that the difference (for me) between a 4 and 5 star book is whether I will reread it. I’m glad I read this book but I don’t think it is a book I will reread.

If you loved the first book, you will probably love this book. I though it wasn’t as strong as the first book, but I will read book three because there are still so many questions I want answered. (Please don’t let me down, Mr. Dashner)

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Dickinson & Dashner – Poetry Friday

Yesterday, I reread Emily Dickison’s ‘Split the lark’: SPLIT the lark and you’ll find the music, Bulb after bulb, in silver rolled, Scantily dealt to the summer morning, Saved for your ear when lutes be old. Loose the flood, you … Continue reading

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Mother Reader 48 Hr Book Challenge, Finish Line

I’ve reached the Mother Reader 48 Hour Challenge Finish Line. Books Read The Maze Runner by James Dashner (400 pgs, 3.5hrs) The Emperor of Nihon-Ja by John Flanagan (200 pages finished, 2 hrs) Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan (368 pgs, … Continue reading

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Mother Reader 48hr Book Challenge, Day 2

**** 7:45 AM Update — 2.25 hrs today, 14 hrs total**** When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (2.5 hrs reading, 208 pgs, 15 mins reviewing) What I really loved about this book is how beautifully all of the plot … Continue reading

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Mother Reader 48hr Book Challenge, Day 1

Woo hoo! The starting line is here… I’m starting off with Dashner’s The Maze Runner. **** 1st Update, ~4 hours **** The Maze Runner (3.5hr reading, 15 min reviewing) Maze Runner was great. It started a little slowly but after … Continue reading

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WIP Wednesday: A post-ful of excuses

Excuses. Yup. That’s all I’ve got for you today. Between being wrapped up revising one novel and starting a new one, having run out of pages in my sketchbook and not having gotten to the art supply store, and having … Continue reading

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MotherReader 48 Hour Book Challenge 2012

I’ve wanted to do the MotherReader 48 Hour Book Challenge since it was launched 7 years ago but I’ve always had significant conflicts. This year the stars have finally aligned and I am so, so excited. If you don’t know … Continue reading

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