I decided to take a different approach to this weekend’s Saturday Read. Usually, I try to recommend my readers a great book. But this week, I’m looking to use a book to make a point.

“I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell” is a controversial memoir by Tucker Max. If you read this website as religiously as I do, you know all about our feelings on this guy. If you are a newcomer and or live under a rock somewhere and have never heard of Max, here is his life:

Average guy.
Started a website.
Sleeps with women.
Posts his stories about the horrible things he does to said women.
Published this book and then turned it into a movie.
Guys laugh. Girls laugh.

Now, let me just say this as my disclaimer: I DO NOT AGREE WITH TUCKER MAX. I don’t think that any of the things that he does to women are right and, if they happened to me, I’m sure I would have some psychological damage. However, I have a hard time believing the truth in all of his stories (as 10% of a biography or memoir can be embellished). If you’ve read the book, you know the ridiculous things I’m talking about. And, yes, assuming that his stories are somehow exaggerated does make me feel a bit less guilty while laughing at them.

But, my point… Read More »

When I first saw “Going Bovine” on Amazon.com, to be honest, I was a bit scared of the cover. A creepy cow carrying an equally creepy garden gnome? Needless to say, along with feeling frightened, I was also intrigued.

“Going Bovine” tells the story of Cameron Smith, a 16-year-old loner and somewhat loser at his high school. Cameron starts seeing visions one day of fire giants and other things that clearly aren’t there. His parents think he is “disturbed” and bring him to a therapist, but when that doesn’t work they finally cave and go to the doctor’s office. Cameron is diagnosed with Creutzfeld-Jakob disease. For the majority of you going “huh,” it is also known as Mad Cow Disease.  A terminal illness.

Cameron is immediately admitted to the hospital, where his hallucinations continue, including visits from a punky angel named Dulcie.

One of Cameron’s classmates, a little person named Gonzo is also admitted to the hospital and placed in the same room as Cameron. Shortly after this, Dulcie comes to Cameron and tells him that he must go on a roadtrip to find someone named Dr. X. He has created a time machine and is the one who brought the fire giants and all of Cameron’s hallucinations back to Earth. Dulcie tells Cameron that Dr. X also has the cure for his disease and that when they find him, he will be saved.

Cameron convinces Gonzo to go on this roadtrip and they embark on a journey of a lifetime. Along the way, they pick up Balder, a Norse god in the form of a yard gnome; 3 rowdy college students going to the YA!TV party house; a group of evil Snow Globe makers; a band named after physics principles; and a trumpet-playing hero. Read More »

Considering today is Halloween (finally on a weekend!), I was in the mood for something supernatural this week. Of course, you first think of the blockbusters: Twilight, The Historian, maybe even a classic like Frankenstein. But, I decided to go with something a little less mainstream. Something darker and more of a true horror novel. So I rummaged through my bookshelf and found “The Night Watch” by Sergei Lukyanenko.

I bought “The Night Watch” a while ago, but had yet to pick it up. I remember very clearly seeing it at the bookstore and being intrigued by the critical acclaim on the front. “Harry Potter in Gorky Park” is what it said, which totally hooked me (Gorky Park is a famous amusement park in Moscow, Russia and I REALLY feel compelled by Russia for some odd reason….). Anyways, back to the book.

The story revolves around Anton. In Anton’s Moscow, there is a fight going on between Good and Evil that the humans don’t even see. Only the Others see, special beings who choose to fight for either the Light or the Dark. Anton, our protagonist, is of course of the Light and also a member of the Night Watch. He patrols the streets and subways of Moscow, protecting humans from the agents of the Night (vampires, supernatural beings, etc). I don’t know about you, but that totally reminds me of the opening fight scene in the subway platform from “Underworld,” which is SO badass. Okay, seriously, back to the book. Read More »

I am a HUGE fan of “The Time Traveler’s Wife,” (the book, not the movie) so when I found out that after 6 years, Audrey Niffenegger was releasing another novel, I knew I had to get my paws on it. Luckily, my anniversary with my boyfriend coincided beautifully with the release date, so, needless to say, I received it as a gift (good job, Tyler!).

Anyways, “Her Fearful Symmetry,” as you can imply from the title, focuses on pairs. In the novel, Elspeth Noblin has died from leukemia and left her flat in London and the majority of her belongings to her mirror-image twin nieces, Valentina and Julia, whom she has never met. They are the children of her twin sister, Edie, and right from the beginning you are made aware that they have not spoken to each other in 21 years. Niffenegger hints at the tension between the sisters and that it has something to do with Edie’s husband Jack, but doesn’t reveal the secret until much, much later.

Julia and Valentina are a bit lost living in the US with their parents; they continually enroll and then drop out of post-secondary institutions and have an extremely hard time being apart. They decide to move to London to live in their aunt Elspeth’s flat, but it comes with some conditions, including that they must live together in the flat for a year before they can sell it.

The twins move to London and soon meet the other characters in the novel, all of whom seem to function in pairs: Robert Fanshaw, Elspeth’s much younger lover and neighbor, Martin, who has severe OCD and his (literally) absent wife Marijke. Elspeth also continues to be a major player in the novel, only as a ghost. She is able to communicate with anyone in her flat and, eventually, Valentina starts to see Elspeth. Now, Valentina appears to have always struggled with her existence being tied to Julia; she wants to break free and finally do something on her own. She formulates a plan with Elspeth and Robert… and I think that’s all I’m going to say for plot….. Read More »

Anyone who reads the Saturday Read knows that I am a closet teen fiction reader. It’s so honest and spirited that I can’t help but devour teen fiction after teen fiction. And, as I have said before, a teen read is a nice way to take your mind off of your school textbooks. I have read books where I’ve needed a dictionary beside me the entire time just to comprehend what’s going on. Those books are experiences, but can also be work, and with a course overload right now, I can’t afford to be working in my relaxation time.

So, I’ll say it again – I turn to teen fiction.

John Green is definitely one of my favorite authors of teen fiction. He always creates smart, funny, likable “heroes” and “heroines.” (I put it in quotes because even though they don’t really contribute a ton as a result of the plot of the novel, they undergo heroic transformations!) The hero of “Paper Towns” is Quentin Jacobson. He is very normal, very smart and, as he says, very well-adjusted, thanks to his therapist parents. His neighbor Margo Roth Spiegelman is pretty much the exact opposite: rebellious, popular, desired. Quentin and Margo were childhood friends, but clearly, their paths have since divided and Quentin has spent a good deal of time pining over Margo. One night, Margo appears at Quentin’s window and takes him on a life-changing ride, pranking everyone who has done her wrong. And then she disappears.

Quentin is the last one to see Margo and also seems to be the only one who wants to find her.

Of course, this is only in the first few pages. Margo leaves Quentin clues, including a worn copy of “Leaves of Grass” by Walt Whitman (one of my favorite poets!) and paper towns, which are unfinished subdivisions and apparently, very popular in central Florida. Completing the book (and aiding Quentin on his journey) is Quentin’s sidekick and best friend, Radar, who runs an online encyclopedia and helps deduce the mystery that is Margo. Read More »

I’m not sure about your neck of the woods, but for Northern Ontario, September means dreary. No sun, high humidity – you know what I’m talking about. And so I like to make my soundtrack fit that mold by switching over to some grungy, dark music. Naturally, I’m spinning Nirvana non-stop and have turned to re-read one of my absolute favorites: “Heavier Than Heaven” by Charles Cross, the bio of Nirvana frontman, Kurt Cobain.

Back when I was about 15, I fell hard for a bad boy named Jack. He was a plaid-sporting, guitar-toting grunge god and, of course, worshiped at the Nirvana altar. Yes, I admit it – the discovery of my favorite band for about 5 years stemmed from a schoolgirl crush. But that doesn’t make it any less legitimate, in my opinion. Just like a I fell for Jack, I fell for Kurt. When you’re 15 and everything that is pumped through the radios and mall speakers is top 4o, discovering alternative music is like someone pulling the wool OFF your eyes. I couldn’t believe that there was all this amazing music out there that I had never even heard of!

Okay, back on track. So I as I hankered to learn everything I could about Nirvana and impress Jack, I stumbled upon a book called “Heavier Than Heaven”. I figured a biography would be a treasure trove of knowledge! And I was right, it was! But it was so much more, too!

Kurt Cobain is revered as a god in most music circles. He knocked Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, off the #1 spot in the Billboard Chart for god’s sake! Even if grunge is not your thing, you still respect him for revolutionizing the music scene. However, “Heavier Than Heaven” brings Kurt Cobain back to earth and knocks him off his pedestal so to speak. And that’s my favorite part. Read More »

After plowing through “The Lost Symbol” last week, I was looking for something a tad shorter to read. Scanning my bookshelf, my eyes fell on a tiny sliver of a novel that my mom gave me years ago. She and many others have praised the book to me, so I decided that I would give it a go.

“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho is already considered a classic. Despite the fact that it was only published in 1988 (1994 in English!), many readers have been captivated by “The Alchemist” and it has somewhat of a cult following. You don’t know how many times I have heard “Everyone should read this!” when a customer stumbles upon it at my bookstore. And you know what? They are absolutely right.

Similarly to “The Little Prince” (one of my favs!), “The Alchemist” is a short, simple story with a deep, profound lesson. It begins with the main character, who is only ever referred to as “the boy” in Andalusia. He is a modest shepherd, but through a course of strange events, he decides to travel to Egypt to find treasure that he believes is buried at the pyramids. Along the way, this boy meets several people who influence his journey, including, but not limited to, a gypsy woman, a crystal salesman, a woman of the desert and, of course, an alchemist. The boy is also taught to listen to omens, which speak to him and help guide him to his treasure.

However, it is not the story that is of importance in “The Alchemist.” It is the beautiful lesson that Coelho teaches through this story. Coelho proclaims that everyone on Earth has a Personal Legend, but few ever discover what this legend is and fewer fulfill it. He urges readers to be aware and passionate, living life to the fullest, while working towards their Personal Legend. A charming twist at the end teaches yet another lesson (but I won’t spoil it!). Read More »

I have been anticipating the release of “The Lost Symbol” since Dan Brown announced it right after “The Da Vinci Code” rose to fame. Years later, I finally have a copy in my hands. I ran out Sunday morning to Wal-mart to pick it up (and got it for 45% off!) and eagerly dug in.

I admit, it took a bit to get going, but once it did, I wasn’t TOTALLY disappointed.

Dan Brown is under a lot of pressure. With the unprecedented success of “The Da Vinci Code” and “Angels and Demons” Brown has to live up to the standards set by himself. The two first books in the Robert Langdon series captivated the world and turned into a multi-billion dollar franchise, complete with their own movies. When Brown first announced a third book in the series, originally titled “The Solomon Key,” people began counting down the days. And then Brown delayed the release. And then delayed it again. Now critics predict that Brown may have delayed the release TOO long, as reactions to the book are less than stellar. With anything else, you have to strike while the iron is hot, and Brown’s iron has slightly, well, cooled.

Fortunately, “The Lost Symbol” is written as a typical Robert Langdon novel and hopefully, that is good enough for his fans. The formula is the same: Robert Langdon is involved in an action sequence, he spots a mystery symbol, he explains the symbol to the general public (usually involving a shocking revelation) and then moves on to the next chapter, complete with another mysterious symbol and action sequence. And then another chapter. And another… Read More »

As Summer comes to a close, I read furiously. I have to finish all the frivolous, indulgent books I’ve picked up over the warm months that will soon be abandoned in favor of heavy textbooks. And that includes my Teen Fiction collection. I’ve mentioned it before and I will say it again: I’m not ashamed of my little fascination with Teen Reads. However, when I’m reading on a break from classes at my university, I’m too embarassed to be caught with a fluffy teen read in my hand. Being somewhat of a book snob myself, I know people will judge me based on what I’m reading and I would like to maintain some shred of dignity around this institution. Therefore, I reached for “Towelhead” by Alicia Erian.

I discovered this little gem in the Teen Fiction section a couple months ago, but it’s sat on my shelf, just waiting to be read. I was attracted to the cover more than anything and the fact that it was being made into a movie enticed me further.

“Towelhead” is set in the early 90’s in Texas, with tensions high due to the war in the Middle East. 13-year-old Jasira moves to live with her strict Lebanese father after her mother’s boyfriend started paying more attention to Jasira than her mother. As a well-developed 13-year-old, Jasira struggles with the transition from childhood to young adulthood with a body superior to her peers. She attracts attention from all sorts of people; strangers classmates, her much-older, married neighbor (Mr. Vuoso), everyone except her parents it seems. Read More »

I know, I know. I’m a little bit slow on the uptake. “My Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult has been a favorite read for a couple years now, and despite hearing nothing but good things, it never really interested me. Being a bookstore employee, you develop a bit of a superiority complex and when a book becomes “mainstream” you turn your nose at it.

So I turned my nose at “My Sister’s Keeper” and, quite honestly, missed out.

This past weekend, I went to my boyfriend’s camp and found a copy of “My Sister’s Keeper” kicking around. One rainy afternoon, I picked it up and flipped through the first couple pages. I was instantly hooked. I read all 423 pages of that book in about 4 hours in a single afternoon.

It was that addictive.

For those of you who haven’t heard about the book (or haven’t seen the insanely popular trailer for the film), the novel revolves around a family whose eldest daughter, Kate, has been battling a rare form of leukemia (cancer of the blood) since she was 2 years old. Because Kate required donations of blood to survive almost immediately and their son, Jesse, was not a donor match, they decided to conceive a child, Anna, whose sole purpose was to save her sister’s life. When Anna is 13, after numerous blood and bone marrow donations throughout her life, she is asked to donate an entire kidney to Kate. Anna has finally had enough and decides to sue her parents for the rights to her own body.

Besides having an interesting and controversial subject, “My Sister’s Keeper” features beautiful characters and a skilled writer. Picoult is seasoned and knows what will hit her readers hardest and really make an impact. No detail goes overlooked; from how Kate’s sickness rips her parents apart, to the feelings of the forgotten sibling, Jesse. The book is written from multiple points of view, so the reader really gets to know what each character truly thinks and feels. Read More »