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Showing posts from January 24, 2010

2010 Dystopian Challenge

Get your Dystopian Fiction Reading on! Time Constraints: Jan 1 2010 to Aug 24 2010 Deets: 1. Open to everyone (if you do not have a blog, just state in the comments section that you read the book and on what date) 2. Any book format 3. Books can be chosen throughout the year, but must have been read within the timeline. 4.Sign-up 5.Post your reviews in the comments area 6.Three Levels: •Level 1 - Experimental - 5 books •Level 2 - Addict - 10 books •Level 3 - Junkee - 20 books Does anyone even need to ask what level I am joining on?? 20 books by August should be a breeze. (Did I just go and jinx myself?) 1. A Wrinkle in Time (completed) 2. Lost Bullet (completed) 3. Off the Road (audio) (completed) 4. The City of Gold and Lead (2nd in Tripod series) (completed) 5. Cherry Heaven (currently reading) 6. Candor (soon to read) 7. Genesis (out from library) 8. 1984 (soon to read, out from library, book club pick, audio) 9. Fahrenheit 451 10. Parable of the Sower 11. The Iron Heel 12. This lis

The Declaration by Gemma Malley

In a world where people are so obsessed with immortality new inhabitants are banned from creation. Children are not allowed to be born for fear of overpopulation. The title comes from the piece of paper 16 year old signed when the population laws first came about. At 16 a teen much decide if they want to sign the declaration and agree never to have children. Once it is signed the declaration cannot be reversed. Years later, people regret their decision and begin having children in secret. If they are found these children, classified as surplus, are put into a sort of orphanage or servant training camp where any sense of entitlement to life is beat out of them. This world has a rigid class system based, in part, on the population laws. The rich are served by the children who unlawfully exist but are given the privilege of life through their submission and servitude to the rich. The are trained not to ask questions and not to think for themselves. The lives of adults are indefinitely ex

Hush, Hush

So, this is how it goes. I read Hush, Hush for two reasons: Because Chelsea wanted me too. Because it was listed on the Cybils long list for science fiction and fantasy. I am going to say up front that I liked the book. Are you listening? I LIKED THE BOOK. But....that doesn't mean I only have positive things to say about it. Patch, we can infer, is some sort of wingless angel. We met him through the eyes of Nora Grey. She is always telling us what a bad boy he is and how dangerous he can be. But he never ACTUALLY does anything dangerous besides throw pouty looks around. Well, the books says it another way, but you get the idea. Hush, Hush falls victim to the age old writing rule. Becca Fitzpatrick tells us Patch is a bad boy, tells us Nora's reaction to him, but doesn't show us very much in the text on the page. Just because a boy struts around, acts mysterious, wears "bad boy" clothing and smiles when he talks he is not automatically a bad boy. Also, Patch

Library Loot - January Week 4

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr.Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries! Checked Out Going Bovine by Libba Bray The Waters and the Wild by Francesca Lia Block Firebirds Soaring: An Anthology of Original Speculative Fiction Renewed 1984 by George Orwell 1984 by George Orwell (audio) Returned The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson Flight of the Pheonix by R.L. LaFevers When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

PoC Challenge

I was thrilled when this challenge was announced and it is going to be exciting to take part of. I am joining on Level 3 . For this challenge all you need to do is grab the button from the side bar and add it to a post saying you are committed to reading POC authors and characters in this coming year. You do not have to pick your books now but you have to sign up to a level of how many you will read. Leave a comment to your post stating how many books you will read this year and tada automagically you are done. Level 1: Read 1-3 POC books Level 2. Read 4-6 POC books Level 3. Read 7-9 POC books Level 4. Read 10-15 POC books Level 5. Read 16-25 POC books Please consider joining this challenge!! 1. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (currently reading)

How Will We Age In The Future?

As a society we are obsessed by many things; two of them being immortality and youth. We want a legacy, a way to leave our mark on the world, so that even if our bodies can't live forever then possibly our names will. We are also obsessed with looking "ten years younger." Sorry, but appearing to be 18 doesn't really appeal to me. We firm, tighten, iron, color, and camouflage . If people assume we are younger we are flattered, if they assume we are older we're insulted. Youth are not taken seriously but our obsession with a ppearing youthful is a noble pursuit . Instead of being encouraged to enjoy our life at whatever age we happen to be living it, we are told to grow up or stop being an old fogie . We are given a 10-20 year span of optimal living experiences when society has accepted one as old enough to be mature yet young enough to avoid senility . Wisdom is underrated unless it is perfectly paired with beauty. And if you are nodding your head trying to agr