Graphic Novel Review: The Lost Boy by Greg Ruth

Book Title: The Lost Boy

Author: Greg Ruth

Publish Date: August 27, 2013

Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel

Plot (from Goodreads):  

Some mysteries are too dangerous to leave alone . . .

Nate's not happy about his family moving to a new house in a new town. After all, nobody asked him if he wanted to move in the first place. But when he discovers a tape recorder and note addressed to him under the floorboards of his bedroom, Nate is thrust into a dark mystery about a boy who went missing many, many years ago. Now, as strange happenings and weird creatures begin to track Nate, he must partner with Tabitha, a local girl, to find out what they want with him. But time is running out, for a powerful force is gathering strength in the woods at the edge of town, and before long Nate and Tabitha will be forced to confront a terrifying foe, and uncover the truth about the Lost Boy.

Why I Read this Book: I loaned this book from the library.  I have seen positive reviews about the book around the blog-o-sphere.

 

Review

Overall, this book was decent and worth the read.  The book was not really my cup of tea, but others may really enjoy this book.  I got this book from the library because I was looking online for clean graphic novels that others have loved.  I found a lot of positive reviews of this book, so I decided to read it myself.

My main complaint about this book was that it was hard to follow the storyline.  I loved the illustrations of the book, but I felt like the story line needed a little more work.  It was difficult to tell when the story was a flashback or not.

The Lost Boy did have a unique and exciting storyline.  I would recommend this book to anyone who likes ghost stories.
 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any Age, some "scary" content

Overall Rating: 3/5

Book Review: Hide and Watch by Jill Hicks Lawson

Book Title: Hide and Watch

Author: Jill Hicks Lawson

Publish Date: January 21, 2010

Genre: Christian Nonfiction

Plot (from Goodreads):  

Have you noticed that it is easy to speak of God's faithfulness in times of prosperity, but that in times of suffering, such praise becomes lost? In Hide and Watch, a true tale of sorrow and distress, of hope and triumph, Jill Hicks Lawson shares how she was spiritually transformed by overcoming her doubt in God during times of struggle. From enduring her battle with weight, her mother's kidney disease; to experiencing debilitating infertility and painful divorce; and eventually to becoming her mother's only hope for life, Lawson's personal accounts speak to the universal human experience of suffering, both physical and emotional, providing firsthand proof that, regardless of circumstance, God is in the business of giving hope.

By recounting moments of pain and progress, Lawson demonstrates that anguish is the only pathway to experiencing the dramatic joy and peace that result from God's intervention and healing, assuring those amid the battle that, in the end, what does not kill your faith makes it stronger.

Why I Read this Book: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.  This in no way influenced my review.

 

Review

Hide and Watch is Jill Hicks Lawson's testimony about how God has helped her through rough times.  Jill tells how she was able to deal with her mother's declining health and her own declining health due to stress eating.  Hide and Watch is not only a beautifully crafted story but it is also filled with wonderful advise on what to do when your life seems to be going down hill without any hope in sight.

I would recommend this book to anyone who feels like life is out of control and does not know what to do.  Honestly, I believe that we all feel like that sometimes.  At 61 pages, this is a quick and inspirational read!

 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any

Overall Rating: 5/5

Bout of Books Wrapup and Day 7

On the last day of Bout of Books 11, here is the progress that I made:

• I read the last 122 pages of Amity of the Angelmen and finished this book.
• I read all of Asher of the Angelmen by T.C. Slonaker.  This book was 226 pages.

 As for my wrapup, let us look at my goals and whether I accomplished those:

1. Read at least 1 book that I have received for review

• Amity of the Angelmen by T.C. Slonaker
• Asher of the Angelmen by T.C. Slonaker

2. Finish at least 3 books throughout the week

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
• Amity of the Angelmen by T.C. Slonaker
• Asher of the Angelmen by T.C. Slonaker

3. Participate in all 3 Twitter chats

• I participated in 1.5 of the Twitter chats

4. Participate in at least 5 Daily Challenges

• Participated and hosted the Create a Sentence Challenge
• Participated in the Like This, Try This Challenge
• Participated in the 5 Books Challenge

5. Chat on Twitter everyday using the #boutofbooks

• I did do this goal! :)

Now let's look at the details of what I have read this week:

Books finished: 3

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
• Amity of the Angelmen by T.C. Slonaker
• Asher of the Angelmen by T.C. Slonaker

Pages read:801

Personal Goals Completed: 3/5

Bout of Books Challenge: 5 Books

Today is the last day of Bout of Books 11 :(

Today, I am doing a challenge hosted by Falling Down the Book Hole.  I am doing a challenge in which you have to choose 5 books that you would take with you in a post-apocalyptic situation.  Here is the situation:

It is 11:00 PM on a Sunday night. You are laying in bed thinking about all of the things you must do the next day. Tasks of the coming days consume your thoughts and while your mind is somewhere else you are caught off guard by a flash in the sky that is followed by a large wailing screech that pierces the air and shatters your bedroom window. Slowly you move to the window and what you see catches your breathe and causes you to stumble back a few steps. The aliens (at least you think they are aliens) have began to enter the city and destroy everything that is in their path. Through the window your view is consumed with destruction, screaming people and large flames that are dancing across the city at a fast pace. You notice that the creatures are heading in your direction and you realize you probably have about fifteen minutes before they reach your home. That means you have only about ten minutes to gather your belongings and escape before you are caught in the attack from the aliens invading the city.

 The 5 books that I would take with me in this situation are:

1. The Bible- This is the most important book that I own.  God can speak to me through the Bible and give me advise on what to do.
2. The Reason by William Sirls- This is one of my favorite contemporary Christian novels.  This book would remind me of how much God truly loves me and would comfort me in my times of trouble.
3. The Sinner's Garden by William Sirls- Seriously, William Sirls is an amazing author.  I would also take this book because it would remind me of how God can speak to us through a variety of ways.
4. Appaloosa Summer by Tudor Robins- This has to be one of my favorite contemporary novels.  It would give me that warm fuzzy feeling that I would need in order to not stress and to think clearly.
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling-  I love all of the Harry Potter novels, but seeing as this is a battle between the aliens and us, I would want to keep my book carrying weight to a minimal so I chose the lightest book in this series.

This was a really fun challenge!  I hope that you will also participate in it.  What books would you bring with you?

Bout of Books Updates Days 5 and 6 (Friday and Saturday)

I started another book on Friday and also got some more reading done for college.  Yay!  Here is my progress:

• I read the first 37 pages of Amity of the Angelmen by T.C. Slonaker.  I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review and I am loving this book so far.
• I read 16 pages of of my microbiology textbook, Brock Biology of Microorganisms (14th edition).

Today (Saturday), I read some more of Amity of the Angelmen and read some textbooks and scientific papers for college.  Here is my progress:

• I read 10 pages of a scientific paper (The Timing of Injuries and Manner of Death: Distinguishing among Antemortem, Perimortem and Postmortem Injuries by Norman J. Sauer).
• I read 25 pages of a text book for class (Questions and Answers: A Guide to Fitness and Wellness by Liguori and Carroll-Cobb).
• I read 80 pages of Amity of the Angelmen.

Book Review: 12 Titanic Lessons for Christians by Charles C. Hagan, Jr.

Book Title: 12 Titanic Lessons for Christians

Author: Charles C. Hagan, Jr.

Publish Date: May 1, 2014

Genre: Christian Nonfiction

Plot (from Goodreads):  

The Titanic disaster of April 15, 1912 has been described as one of the most fascinating single events in human history. The sinking of the Titanic has left an indelible impression and vast psychological impact on the world. Titanic has spawned books, plays, poems, films, drama films, songs, concerts, musicals, novels, video games, newsreels, slideshows, multimedia works, and works of art. It has been noted that Titanic spawned the largest number of songs regarding any disaster or event in American history. The event became a popular theme for balladeers, blues, bluegrass and country singers in the Southern United States. British songwriters commemorated the disaster with appeals religious, chauvinistic, and heroic sentiments. One person has suggested that the reaction to the Titanic can only be compared to the assassinations of Lincoln and Kennedy. The three most written about subjects since April 1912 are Jesus, the American Civil War, and Titanic. The story of the RMS Titanic has been interpreted in numerous ways-as a symbol of technological hubris, a classic disaster tale, an indictment regarding class divisions of the society at that time, a kind of morality play, a romantic tragedy, and somewhere between a Greek and Elizabethan tragedy. There have been so many books written about the Titanic that there are very few that will tell you anything new, but every now and then you find an absolute gem. Charles Hagan's book adds to the Titanic story with his 12 Titanic Lessons for Christians! There are danger lessons, time lessons, and motivational lessons all culled from the disaster that was Titanic!

Why I Read this Book: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.  This in no way influenced my review.

 

Review

12 Titanic Lessons for Christians uses the tragic incident of the sinking of the Titanic to give strength and instruction to Christians.  Relying on personal anecdotes and scripture, Hagan does exactly as he intends in this book: motivates challenges and empowers.

I enjoyed the use of personal stories as this added clarity to the lessons that were presented.  I also enjoyed Hagan's use of scripture.  I found some of the points overstated and redundant and the book lacked fluidity in some places.

I not only learned spiritual lessons from this book, but I also learned historical facts about the sinking f the Titanic.  Hagan definitely did his research before writing 12 Titanic Lessons for Christians.  Throughout the book, facts and statistics were presented that both strengthened the interest of the book and also strengthened the points that Hagan sought to make.

Overall, I really enjoyed this inspirational book.  The links between certain aspects that surrounded the sinking of the Titanic with modern day lessons for Christians was brilliant.  I would recommend this to any Christian and/or anyone who wants to learn more about history.

 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any

Overall Rating: 4/5

Bout of Books Day 4 Update (Thursday, August 21)

I finished a book today!  Finally!  I am proud to say that I am making some progress on re-reading the Harry Potter series.  Here is all I accomplished today:

• I read 73 pages of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling, completing the book.
• I completed a challenge (Like This, Try This)
• I emailed the winner's of the challenge that I hosted; please check your email, Mandy Zani.

Bout of Books Challenge: Like This, Try This

Today's Bout of Books Challenge is "Like This, Try This" and it is hosted by Writing My Own Fairy Tale.  Basically, all you have to do is recommend a book based on a TV show, movie, another book, or book genre.

Here is my recommendation:

If you like Clean YA Contemporaries, try: 

Book Blast: Princess Nevaeh

Tour Hosted by:

WNL Book Tours

Title: Princess Nevaeh: Lesson on Self Discovery

Genre: Children 4-7

ISBN: 978-0-9899691-4-7

Format: Paperback

Release date: September 2, 2014

Publisher: Thy Word Publishing

 






About The Book

Six year old Nevaeh wants to be something she already is. She will soon learn that her wish to be

a princess takes a little more than just asking. Lessons on self-discovery are taught by her Mimi

who makes her understand that being a princess takes work.


About The Author

Paulette Harper is an award-winning and best-selling author. She is the owner of Write Now

Literary Virtual Book Tours and is passionate about helping authors succeed in publishing and

marketing their books. Paulette has been writing and publishing books since 2008. Paulette is

the author of That Was Then, This is Now, Completely Whole, Living Separate Lives and The

Sanctuary. She resides in Northern, CA.

 



Social Links

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Website

Tour Hosted by: WNL Book Tours

Author Tour Schedule

The author is giving away a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card and an Autograph copy of the book. This giveaway is only open to US citizens. 

a Raffle copter giveaway

Bout of Books Day 3 Update (Wednesday, August 20)

I had a pretty great day of reading today.  I read a total of 118 pages today giving me a total of 212 pages for the week. Here is what I accomplished today:

• I read 44 pages of one text book (Skeletal Trauma by Kimmerle and Baraybar).
• I also read 8 pages from another text book (The 14th edition of Microorganisms by Madigan, Martinko, Bender, Buckley, and Stahl).
• I read 66 pages of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling (almost done!).
• I hosted a challenge :)
• I participated in a Twitter chat.  Here is my favorite conversation from that chat:

Q4. You’re being written into a book as a character. What type of character would you be and why? #boutofbooks
— Kelly Rubidoux (@soulswallo) August 21, 2014

#boutofbooks A4: A dragon, I would be the dragon
— Jessica Bradley (@blog_gal) August 21, 2014

@jljaina haha we can both be dragons! but I call using the humans as a toothpick! #boutofbooks
— Jessica Bradley (@blog_gal) August 21, 2014

@blog_gal Go get those humans! #boutofbooks
— Jay Riv (@jljaina) August 21, 2014

Bout of Books 11 Create a Sentence Challenge and Giveaway

Bout of Books 11 is going great so far.  I have seen on twitter that there has been a lot of fabulous books read so far this week and we are not even half way through the week.  So it is time to take a short break from reading and have some book related fun!

Today I am hosting a challenge for Bout of Books participants.  The challenge is my twist on the book spine sentence challenge.  For this challenge, I want you to pick some awesome books out and make a sentence with the first two words from each of your books.  I have tried this myself and it can be a little tricky because the lack of verbs in the first two words of the book.  Therefore, you can add another word that is not from the first two words of the books if you wish.  The more ridiculous, the better.

I will be doing a giveaway for this challenge.  I am giving away a $15 Amazon gift card or the equivalent of books of your choice from The Book Depository.  For an entry in the giveaway post your sentences on Twitter (using #boutofbooks), on Facebook, on your blog, or in the comments below then fill out the rafflecopter form below.  In order to be eligible for this giveaway, you must be an official participant of Bout of Books and 18 years of age or older.  The giveaway will be open all day on Wednesday August 19, 2014 starting at midnight CST.

Here is my sentence:

I wait for not one minute and Mr. Danielle falls.

For this sentence, I used the following books:

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
• Gone by Michael Grant
• Saving Max by Antoinette van Heugten
• Wither by Lauren Destafano

I hope you have fun with this challenge and good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bout of Books Days 1 and 2 Updates (Monday and Tuesday)

Bout of Books has been a bust for me so far this week.  I have read some, but not as much as I would like to have read because I just started my first week of my senior year of college.

Day 1

• I read 70 pages of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.  
• I participated in part of a Twitter chat.

Day 2

• I read about 10 pages of my text book for college, Skeletal Trauma by Erin H. Kimmerle and Jose Pablo Bataybar.
• I also read 14 pages of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Book Review: Fourmile by Watt Key

Book Title: Fourmile

Author: Watt Key

Publish Date: September 18, 2012

Genre: Middle Grade/YA, Coming of Age

Plot (from Goodreads):  

Twelve-year-old Foster knows in his gut that Dax Ganey, the man dating his widowed mother, is a bad seed. Then a mysterious stranger arrives at their Alabama farm, a former Army Ranger in Iraq rambling across the country, and Foster believes he has found an ally against Dax. The stranger proves a fascinating mentor, full of wisdom and secrets. And Dax soon has reason to resent not just him and Foster but also Foster’s mother. A spurned Dax will be a dangerous enemy, but Foster is increasingly aware that the stranger is just as dangerous, if not more so.

From the author of one of the most highly acclaimed children's survival adventures of the last decade comes this tautly wound new novel reminiscent of classic westerns, about a boy caught in the middle of a clash that may turn out to be his own battle to fight.

Why I Read this Book: My library just got this book and I wanted to check it out.

 

Review

This is a wonderful coming of age novel about a boy dealing with the grief of his deceased father while also dealing with Dax, the wretched man whom his mother is dating.  Foster does not like the way that Dax treats his mother, but his mother is too frightened to get rid of him.  Everything changes when a mysterious man comes to town.

This book was an emotional roller coaster.  I was moved by the troubles that Foster was having in his life.  I was hoping that things would get better for Foster.  The writing style of Fourmile was amazing.  I was gripped by the story and I fell in love with the characters (all except Dax and his friends of course).  The story was realistic and believable.  I cannot wait to read more from Watt Key.
 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 13+ for some violence and foul language

Overall Rating: 5/5

Bout of Books Readathon TBR and Goals

The Bout of Books read-a-thon begins on Monday.  For those of you who may not know what this is, here is the official blurb:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 18th and runs through Sunday, August 24th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 11 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

In this post, I will be discussing my goals for the read-a-thon.  First off, let us discuss my TBR.  I am super excited about all the books that are on my list.  My TBR list is just a list of the books that I will pull from for this read-a-thon.

 

• Amity of Angelmen by T.C. Slonaker (YA Christian Fantasy, Review Copy)
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Middle Grade/YA Fantasy)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (Middle Grade/YA Fantasy)
• Saving Max by Antoinette van Heugten (Adult Mystery)
• Gone by Michael Grant (YA Dystopian)
• The Reckoning by Teyla Branton (YA Urban Fantasy, Review Copy)
  
• The Dress Lodger by Sheri Holman (Adult Historical Fiction)
• The Girl Who Never Was by Skylar Dorset (YA Fantasy, Review Copy)
• Wither by Lauren DeStefano (YA Dystopian Fantasy)
• Insurgent by Veronica Roth (YA Dystopian)

 

 

 

As I stated before, this TBR pile is just a list of books that I am planning on pulling from for this read-a-thon.  I do not plan on reading all the books on the list.  So what are my goals for this read-a-thon?

• Read at least 1 book that I have received for review
• Finish at least 3 books throughout the week
• Participate in all three twitter chats (schedule below)
• Participate in at least 5 daily challenges (schedule below)
• Chat on Twitter everyday using the hashtag #boutofbooks

 

 

 

Here is a list of the scheduled events for the Bout of Books Readathon:

Challenges/Giveaways

Monday 8/18
Book Scavenger Hunt -- The Book Monsters
Playlist -- LuLo FanGirl

Tuesday 8/19
One True Pairing -- Infinite Ink
Book Spine Poetry -- My Little Pocketbooks

Wednesday 8/20
Create a Sentence -- Book Reviews from Christian Gal

Thursday 8/21
Like This, Try This -- Writing My Own Fairy Tale

Friday 8/22
Recreate a Book Cover -- Spines and Covers
Book Chain -- Christian Bookshelf Reviews

Saturday 8/23
Spell It Out -- Kimberly Faye Reads

Sunday 8/24
5 Books -- Falling Down the Book Hole


Twitter Chats
(chats last approximately one hour)
TZC = Time Zone Conversion

Monday: 1pm CST (TZC)
Wednesday: 8pm CST (TZC)
Saturday: 10am CST (TZC)

 

Are you participating in Bout of Books 11? What are your goals?

Have you read any of the books in my TBR?  What do you think of them?  Which should I read first?

Top 5 Qualities that I Look for in a Book: World Building (Part 1/5)

While reading other blogs, I have realized that a great book review blog does not just review books but has original book related discussion.  I enjoy discussing books with others.  I am going to start having more original, discussion based posts.  The first of which is discussing the qualities that I find in great, memorable books, which will be presented in weekly segments.

One of the main reasons that I enjoy reading fantasy and science fiction novels is the world building aspects.  World building shows creativity.  It sets the book apart from other books.  It makes the book memorable.

One of my biggest pet peeves about world building is when a book has a really complex world and throws all the information at you all at once.  It becomes confusing and hard to keep up with.  This was my biggest problem with the Queen of the Realm of Faerie series by Heidi Garrett.  Don't get me wrong, I loved this book but it was hard to keep up with the complex world.  There were many different fantasy races with unique abilities and grudges with other races.  There were also many different characters and it was hard to keep everything straight.  After I was accustomed to the world and understood the many facets, I was able to really enjoy the series.  Another example of this is the Lord of the Rings series.  I have problems staying interested in the books due to the complex world.





I enjoy unique nuances in a dystopian society that seeks to disclose a flaw in society.  Unwind by Neal Shusterman is a great example of this.  In Unwind, at the age of 13 parents have the right to "unwind" their children.  When a child is unwound, there body parts are used to replace malfunctioning body parts in others in order to save lives.  For instance, if someone was blind they could get eyes from an unwind.  Although this is really cruel, I feel like this shows how cruel abortion can be as it is also destroying the life of a child.  It also adds an incredibly unique twist to a book.






The Exile by Eric Buffington is another example of wonderful world building.  In The Exile, men are sent outside of the city to survive on their own for a year as part of a coming of age ceremony.  If they return, they are then considered men.  Additionally, each person is born with unique abilities.  Each person is marked with his or her ability.  For example, some people have marks on their ear and are incredible listeners.  Others have marks above their eyes and have incredible vision.  Stones of Power can increase these abilities and are incredibly rare.  What I enjoy about this world building is the complexity and uniqueness.  It creates the foundation for incredible plots for books.  I will discuss this a little more next week in my post about complex plots.





A few other books that have remarkable world building are pictured below:

What qualities are most important to you in a book?  How important is world building?  What books do you think have great world building?  Please leave your comments below.