Friday, June 29, 2012

Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Book Summary: The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.

Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior - to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.
Liana's Summary: Maycomb, Alabama. Scout Finch and her brother Jem grow up there. The word 'nigger' is loosely used, and a black man always loses against a white in a court case.When Atticus, their father, defends a colored man in a court case, Jem's afraid they might hurt him. The kids at school already call Atticus a 'nigger lover.' In this book, the acts of racism back then compared to the racism today, are severe and unacceptable.  Harper Lee wrote a masterpiece.

Rate(1-10): 9.8

I don't really know how to describe the book, so sorry for the lame summary. Just look at the book summary. Okay, so. At first, I was sure that the kids were white. And then I have a nagging feeling they're black. And then I know for sure they're white. Yep. They're white.

This book was supposed to be read for a school summer assignment. There were questions with it, and I just finished. I think that having questions in it made me pay attention to the story more. That's a good thing. Not like I want to have questions for every book I read.

You know how I'm insistent on putting the cover I read from, instead of the most common cover, even if it's the same book. That didn't make much sense. If you go on the Goodreads link, they'll take you to the one with the black/green/red cover one. I looked for this one because I'm more comfortable with it. And it's prettier. (:

I heard of this book about 4 years ago when my friend said she wanted to read it. I didn't really see why I should read it. But as my love for books increased, and I heard that we would be reading this for the summer assignment, I was actually excited. So I asked my other friend to get it for me at Barnes and Noble. She goes every week. -____-'
This is how it ended up looking, I used those sticky tab things. It's to mark the pages with the answers for the questions are. I think it was pretty fun, yet again I repeat, I do not want to do it for every book I read. Yeah, I first got influenced to do the tab things by Kristin Cashore, since she did it too. If you go on her blog and scroll down, you'll see she marked her book much more than me. Now you know where I get the quote responses from! I'm not flippin' through the whole book to find a part I want to quote. -___-'

So, I think that the most suspenseful chapter was 28. I'm not gonna say anything about it, other than it kept me reading wide-eyed. I was really worried at the end-ish. 29, I think?

So, here are some quotes. I think that this book review wasn't that good. D: My touch is wearing off. NO. Oh yeah. I wonder if this is a movie? I'll search it later. But anyway, here are some quotes.

"Your father does not know how to teach. You can have a seat now."

Omfg. You do not know how to teach. Atticus is the best teacher ever.

"He had asked me earlier in the summer to marry him,.." 

WHAT. But they make a cute couple though. c: But they're like, 7.

" I ain't never heard of a nigger snowman."

:O LANGUAGE, SCOUT. LANGUAGE. But this made me laugh. Not because of the word, because of the situation.

"..,but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

Ahh. It sho' is. Now I see where the title came from. And here I was thinking, what does this title have to do with anything? 

"Old hell-devil, old hell-devil!" he screamed, flinging it down. "Why can't she leave me alone?"

This. Just made me laugh so hard. Oh, Jem.

"It ain't a snake." Jem said. " It's somebody."

:OO WHO WHO WHO?!

"-Scout, let's get us a baby."
.___. omg. I just thought.. and they're 7, and.. especially when you read it with a Southern accent. Oh god. But you get it all in the next few lines. They say that there's this place you can order them. And then they say that God drops them out of the sky. And I'm like, sigh.

"Jem shrieked and tried to catch me,.."

GASP. :O WHAT'S HAPPENIN'?

"He yanked Jem nearly off his feet."

Let him go! *Little girl nagging voice.*

"Don't you touch him!" 

And then she kicks him in the penis. Oh, what a little girl can do. (:

"They've all got blue eyes," Jem explained."and the men can't shave after they marry. Their wives like for 'em to tickle 'em with their beards."

And what did I just read. ._.

"Jem was the one who was getting more like a girl every day, not I."

Oh, Scout, you are a girl.

"The patch itself was turning yellow."

CEMENT CAN TURN YELLOW?

"..There was an ugly mark on the side of his face."

Oh god. D: 

"Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them."

Yep. Favorite line, I think. Atticus is always right, because he's awesome. c:

So, yeah. These are all. I know it seems that the things I bookmarked isn't just this. It isn't actually. I bookmarked some pages for the answers to the questions in the assignment packet. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

I have a few more things to say. First of all, Jem. He's actually a really caring brother. I know his name sounds girly, but it's short for Jeremy. Yeah. Idk how, but it's still Jem. Jem suits him more. 


Second of all, she seemed really smart, but that was all because of Atticus being a good teacher. c: I sort of changed my mind when she asked what a nigger lover was. And then she asked what rape was. And I was like, you know that much words and you don't know rape. -_-' I guess it shows one more thing: Her family is really pure and doesn't teach her those words. Yep. c:  She's such a tough tomboy! Harper Lee introduces a new kind of character. (: It's fabulous!

That's it! A really good tip is to do as I do. The tab thingies. On a book that has a good plot. That has a lot of things that happen. c: There.

-Liana.

PS: There are guys in white uniforms spraying the house with water. They're here to paint, but what's the point of spraying the house when they're just gonna paint it? Jeez. So much noise. 




Monday, June 25, 2012

Book Review: The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks.

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks.
Book Summary:Seventeen year-old Veronica “Ronnie” Miller’s life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, especially her father… until her mother decides it would be in everyone’s best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie’s father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church. The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story about love in its myriad forms – first love, the love between parents and children – that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that deeply felt relationships can break our hearts… and heal them.
Liana's Summary: When Ronnie Miller reluctantly moves to her dad's house for the summer, she complains endlessly to her mom. Why does she have to see HIM when he left them for no good reason? But when she stays for the whole summer, she realizes something that changes her view about her dad forever.


Rate(1-10): 9.8


It is so sad. Oh my god. All Nicholas Sparks books are sad, I think, besides The Notebook. Idk. That's what I heard. I'm not obsessed enough to know. YET.
This novel. Is like, omg. Sad. Sad, sad, you wanna cry. Not because that someone's gonna die, it's that the little boy is about to lose someone important after they had so much fun together. Well, here are some of my reactions:( I actually bothered to buy sticky tabs to mark the epic moments, so there's gonna be a lot.) Oh yeah. And the following quotes are non-spoilers. Just so you know. Unless you care about every single thing. I'm not even putting who said it! Well, here:


"..but that was enough to make him wonder again what she'd be like in bed."


Omg, Marcus. Please, please, please go away. You're scary.


"..he definitely wanted to get to know her a little better, and..."

Ooou, Will, go for it. 

" Without warning, he took a step toward her..."

OMG. WILL.

"You tried to kiss him!"

Ew. Who would kiss Marcus.

"You didn't tell me your name."
" I suppose I didn't."


Ooh, spicy comebacks! I needa learn that from her.

" I was thinking we could be..friends."

EW. MARCUS. GUH AWAY.

"My house, my turtles."

FANCCCCYYYY COMEBACKS.

" They bought me a pony and everything when I did a book report on Cat in the Hat."

OMFG. WILL. READ MORE.

"One second he was standing three feet away from her, and in the next he had a hand on her hip and was pulling her close."

Will, careful now. :O

" We were in a garage, you had grease on your hands, and your buddy was gawking."
" A perfect setting."

Will, you are so romantic. -_-'

"...skipped off around the corner.. directly into the arms of Marcus."

Oh, Veronica. Did you have to be so careless? The scene looks stupid with your ice cream. You made me scared nonetheless.
"What aren't you telling me?"

GAWD WILL. WHAT IS THERE TO HIDE. TELL HER.

"She felt her own breath catch in her throat."

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

" A moment later, her hands were on fire as well..."

GALADRIEL! ARE YOU OKAY?! D:

"But this time he didn't stop there. Instead, he smashed Marcus with his fist..."

YES! GO WILL! YES! GO GO GOG GOGOGOGOGOOG YESSSSSSS!

"Ronnie was suddenly frozen in place, suddenly more scared than she'd ever been."

NO! IT CAN'T BE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEAAAASEEEEE NOOOOO.

"You pretended it was him, when it was you all along!"

Okay, now I just feel even worse about what's happening right now.

See guys? It's a lot. I basically stopped bookmarking since I was reading in the car for the last 100 pages.(No, I never get carsick. It's such a gift.) Anyway, you can get to know me over my reactions. Nicholas Sparks's novels changed my views about things. Really.

So guys, that's all! This is a huge recommendation!


Sunday, June 17, 2012

July 17th, 2012

Hey all, day 1 of blogging! Just so you guys know: around 1/3 of the books that I've ever read do not have a review on this blog. However, if you ever feel the need to know what books I've read, go ahead and look at my goodreads list. http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/9090266-liana?shelf=read Hope you enjoy my reviews!