Saturday, December 21, 2013

I Love Controversy... A Very Bookish Post!

Please don't be scared away from the title. This post may be controversial, but not in a bad way :) So I say...
Anyways, I hope you all are doing good! Ian is visiting from  college, so i may be absent for longer than usual! And Christmas... 4 days!!!!!!!!
Soooooo...
         TO THE CONTROVERSY:

I READ HARRY POTTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND... LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!! AND... THINK EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT!!!!!   

So, DO NOT KILL ME. I realize Harry potter is supposed to support "witchcraft." Or "encourage children to practice magic." IT DOESN'T! First things first, i will explain why everyone should read these, then explain how THEY ARE NOT BAD NOR DO THEY SUPPORT WITCHCRAFT.

               THE GREATNESS: 

    Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4)Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)                        


Oh wait...

                     THE GREATNESS: 

CHARACTERS: 
Harry Potter are some of the best-peopled books i have read- EVER.
They are greatly varied, realistic, three dimensional, well-developed and every other compliment you can think to heap on them.

HARRY POTTER:
eh, is it a crime to say, i am not particularly fond of Harry.  There was nothing about him that stood out to me. He is also very well-developed; though. He definitely went through a change in The Order of the Phoenix, and i wanted to hit him over the head half of the book, but it keeps up these books sense of realistic-ness.

HERMIONE GRANGER:
*does a little happy dance*
Hermione is my absolute favorite. She is very smart, sassy, and, well, i  like her even more since i took a quiz and i was her. i must like myself... ;)
However, in book 4 specifically, i wanted to scream  at her; "OH MY GOODNESS HERMIONE, STAY AWAY FROM VIKTOR KRUM- HE IS RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!! GO TO RON!!!!!!!!! YOU KNOW, YOUR FRIEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Er, yeah... but Hermione us still the absolute best :) :) :) Just like me : )

RON WEASLEY: Yes, moi like Ron. He has a very, um, humorous sense of humor (don't ask) and is just very awesome. And his rat... I love how he like hates Hermione at first. :) But RON, WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU THINKING!!!!! JUST TRYING TO MAKE HERMIONE ANGRY, WERE YOU???? LAVENDER IS PLAIN STUPID!!!!!!! See, I have serious issues with these characters... but they are still over-all awesome.

MINOR CHARACTERS: i love them all! From Fred and George, to Dumbledore, to Dobby, to Luna (Loony) Lovegood, to ginny, to Mrs. Weasley, to Sirius black... they are all amazing.

THE WRITING: Rowling writes very elegantly. And very accurately. And very awesomely. And it is FUNNY.

THE PLOT: Magic. In a literal and figurative way. How on earth these books could have been plotted out- I don't know... but I love it. There is something special. How Harry and Hermione are friends. They are more free together than Ron and Hermione. How every little plot end is weaved seamlessly into this tapestry. I almost cried in the last book, by the way. There is a reason these books are bestsellers. Not just like *shudders* Twilight, these books will live on. And honestly, though I rarely use this term, they are modern classics.

SOOOOOOO, HOW THESE BOOKS ARE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF WITCHCRAFT, NOR DO THEY DESCRIBE IT:

Just because there is time travel in a book, not scientifically explained, does that make people think that time travel is possible?  I DON'T THINK SO. Harry Potter lives in a world of magic. but the magic is just there. They say a few random words and move their wands. OH NO. BIG DEAL.
MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, a six year old might think it actually works. MAYBE. I doubt it.
These books have less magic than most fantasy books I have read. no joke.
And by the way, the rumor that the author actually practiced witchcraft- is just that, a rumor. Whoever created it probably wanted a reason to tell their kids they couldn't read these books because they didn't think their children were wise enough.
THESE BOOKS DO NOT SUPPORT WITCHCRAFT IN ANY WAY- THEY ARE CLEAN, AND NOT BAD. END OF STORY.


ANY COMMENTS WOULD BE MORE THAN APPRECIATED!

 

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

I, Layla AM ALIVE!!!!!!!!! book and writing insanity linkup!

Yes, I am sure you have heard the marvelous news- I am not dead!!!!!!!!!!!! But there is a super awesome reason for this post and I am very excited!!!!!!!!!


                                                                                        http://www.notebooksisters.com/2013/12/book-and-writing-insanity-linkup.html?showComment=1386722938209#c3106505611804700659

So, though i am a writer, I will be answering their reading questions!!!!!!! Let the fun commence!!!!

1. What was your overall favourite book this year? (Yes. Pick one.)




EXCUSE ME, CAIT, WHAT ON EARTH WERE YOU THINKING!!!!!!!!!!!????????  but, let me try to compose myself. Not counting classics, i have got to go with:




The Book Thief  It destroyed my soul, yet lifted it up too. That's top marks from me!!!!



2. Favourite debut(s)? (Author must have been first published in 2013.)

I haven't actually read any yet, but I am currently reading These Broken Stars, which counts.

 
These Broken Stars (Starbound, #1) This book is so great so far!!!!!!! 

3. Which books did you reread this year?

A lot...

Read For The Heart
The Dragon's Tooth
The Drowned Vault
100 Cupboards
Dandelion Fire
The Chestnut King
(Twice this year)
Ender's Game
The Mysterious Benedict Society

4. Favourite cover(s) this year!

Ooo... lots...

 Insurgent (Divergent, #2)  These Broken Stars (Starbound, #1)  The Dark is Rising (The Dark is Rising, #2)  What's Left of Me (The Hybrid Chronicles, #1) Fearless  Code Name Verity
And many more...

5. Worst cover(s)?

 The House of the Scorpion Despite all the awesome awards, I just don't like it. A bit boring...

6. What self-published books did you read this year?

Only 1,
Sew, It's A Quest 

7. Which book(s) gave you a massive hangover?

OH MY STUPID FEELS

 Allegiant (Divergent, #3)  SOBS SOBS SOBS... YOU DESTROYED ME. ACTUALLY, YOU MIGHT BE MY FAVORITE/ LEAST FAVORITE BOOK OF THE YEAR...

8. Best standalone you read?

Since I have already nominated The Book Thief, 

Code Name Verity  Oh, my, goodness... just read it!

9. Biggest book(s) you've read this year?

 David Copperfield 1001 pages is pretty long...

10. Book(s) you followed the hype for and then loved!

 Divergent (Divergent, #1) OH YES!

11. Most disappointing book(s) you read this year?

 The Neverending Story I loved the beginning, disliked the middle, HATED the ending...

12. Favourite leading-female character?

Either Tris from Divergent (Divergent, #1)  Or Deryn Sharp from Leviathan (Leviathan, #1) OR Hermione from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)

13. Favourite leading-male character?

FOUR!!!!!!!!! FOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FOUR!!!!!!!!! 

Divergent (Divergent, #1)  Insurgent (Divergent, #2)  Allegiant (Divergent, #3)

14. Best romance(s)?

Four & Tris:  Divergent (Divergent, #1)  Rudy and Liesel: The Book Thief  and in my dreams Param and Umbo:
Pathfinder (Pathfinder, #1)

15. What book(s) hit the DNF list? (Did not finish.)

 The Golden Acorn (The Adventures of Jack Brenin, #1) Ugh, ugh, ugh, DO NOT READ!

16. What book(s) did you read out of your comfort-zone?

hmm...  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine, #1) ... it delivered... the sequel comes out in February!!!!!!!!!

17. Which author did you read the most from?

T. A. Barron ... his books are really good.

18. Top 5 books you'd recommend from all the books you've read this year?

WHAT?????????? ok...

 The Book Thief  Divergent (Divergent, #1)  Code Name Verity  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)   Ender's Game (The Ender Quintet, #1)



19. How many books did you read this year all up?

251, and I am still counting!!!!!!!! 

20. What's a book you're hugely excited for coming out in 2014?!

                                         Cress (Lunar Chronicles, #3) 

I CAN'T WAIT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, have a good day. You should go linkup, they are awesome!!!!!!!!!!! See ya later.