The Library

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Hello, Friends!

I've just finished editing my posts from 2007 and editing them for the book for my Grandma.
Which just shows how much school is getting in the way of that.

BTW: I love being an English major, but it has SERIOUSLY taken a toll on my reading (i.e. the recent Shakespeare and old Epic reads) and so I've been slacking on my updates for Bookfriendly.
Hopefully, soon, around the middle of October, I will be able to catch up and I think by then I'll have plenty of catching up to do.

So, there may not be many posts in the next few weeks as I try to keep up with all the reading I have for school. But, like I said, October will definitely give me more time to update.
Also, my TBR pile is starting to look very ominous, but hopefully by December I'll be able to tackle it.

Hope everyone is doing well!
Happy Fall!

Henry the Fifth - William Shakespeare

 *

*Kenneth Branaugh is my new favorite person.
But anyway, I really liked Henry V mostly because the little bursts of comedy that it had. I love Shakespeare's immature boy humor. My theory: Shakespeare was a little punk of a teenage kid living in 16th century England. That's why I love him.

8.5/10

The First Part of Henry the Fourth - William Shakespeare



I didn't like this one, I feel like it was kind of light compared to Richard. Henry IV is a pansy, but at least his son is BA.

6/10

The Tragedy of Richard the Third - William Shakespeare



This was my first play for Shakespeare. I actually really liked it. I'd never read it completely, but I thought it was fairly easy to get through and entertaining. But I always find play more fun to watch rather than trying to play them out in my head.

8/10

Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman



Back Cover:
Richard Mayhew is a plain man with a good heart -- and an ordinary life that is changed forever on a day he stops to help a girl he finds bleeding on a London sidewalk. From that moment forward he is propelled into a world he never dreamed existed -- a dark subculture flourish in abandoned subway stations and sewer tunnels below the city -- a world far stranger and more dangerous than the only one he has ever known...

My Thoughts: I've read a lot of reviews lately on this book, many of them told me it was not a good summer read, because it was so dismal and dark. And then of course many people think Gaiman is overrated.
I have to disagree. This book may be dark, but it's the kind of adventure story like when I'm sitting home on a hot summer night or when I'm not at school. Plus, I thought it was kind of funny at times. Granted, it was dark and kind of sadistic humor, but it still had the element of being funny.
And as for Neil Gaiman being overrated, I don't really care what the critics are saying about him or what other people are saying about him; Gaiman is a great writer! This book was so clever and fantasically written. However, my first Gaiman read, American Gods, got a lot of attention that I don't think it deserved, so I can see why many could think he is an overrated author. But I'm just glad that I didn't stop reading his work. Gaiman has added so much to the literary world.
Ever since I read How to Read Lit Like a Professor... I've been looking for those story signs. Like biblical and mythological references and themes and stuff like that. And don't let me be the first to tell you that this book is chalk full of all that great magic that makes a story.
I really love Gaiman's continual use of the power of dreams with his characters. I think it adds such great depth that a lot of modern authors fail to give to their characters.
Overall, I great read for any time of the year.

10/10

I only brought six, so it was a really difficult elimination process for me




If you can't see the titles they are:
How to Read Novels Like a Professor - Thomas C. Foster
Mythology - Edith Hamilton
Webster's Dictionary and Thesaurus
Shakespeare: The Invention of Human - Harold Bloom
World Religions: From Ancient History to the Present - edt: Geoffrey Parrinder
Anne Leibovitz at Work - Anne Leibovitz

So there you have it. Also brought the books I was currently reading.

Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman
Three Cups of Tea.... - Mortenson/Relin (I don't really know how well this one is going... we'll see.)

I'm writing a book! Well... sort of.

Here's the story:
My grandmother, who is technologically challenged, has it in her mind that I'm going to be a writer. (Okay, I don't know about that.) But I was telling her about all the books I was reading and about my goal to read 50 books in a year.

I told her the book blog and told her she should go look at it. Well, lacking a computer she made excuses that she wouldn't be able to see it online.
My mom and my aunt also know about my blog and I said to my grandmother that she could get one of them to show her.

Then my grandmother asked me if there was a way a could compile them and record them. I said: "Duh, grandma! That's what the internet is for!"
She said: "no, like a book. "

So to make a long story short; I making her a book of all my reviews from 2007 to now and giving it to her for Christmas.
I'll be revising the blog while undertaking the book blog book so I can have it done by Christmas.

Anyway. That's it.
Hope everyone is doing well and sucking out the last bits of summer left!

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines - Thomas C. Foster



( Back Cover Description )This book took me almost 2 years to read. And I have no one to blame, but myself. I was just stop and go with this book for awhile. It's is on no accounts a bad book! I actually really liked it and frequently found that many of the techniques were useful in my reading, especially in college.
Although, I will say his writing got to be a little exhausting for me. I'm used to people getting to the point of their argument and I felt that he may have been beating a dead horse for some of the chapters. (Which could've added to my stop and go attitude.)
But most of the time I found myself saying aloud,"Oh! I get that!" or "Yes, I understand that piece of literary criticism!" So, at least I was comforted that I'm not completely dim-witted when it comes to literature.
I will definitely read his next book How to Read Novels... etc. Hopefully, this time, it won't take me another 2 years.

8/10

Just a BTW: I'm re-reading the Hitchhiker's Series and do intend to write a review, but I've decided that when I finish all of them, I'll do them in bulk. Just to save space and whatever... I love Douglas Adams! He makes my life.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - Newt Scamander [J.K. Rowling]
Quidditch: Through the Ages - Kennilworthy Whisp [J.K. Rowling]

  

I found both of the books when Deathly Hallows came out at a used book store and knew the only way to ease the pain of losing my favorite series was to buy them.
They definitely kept me cozy at night! It was so great to see my favorite characters' handwriting defacing their textbooks. And I loved jumping into these books and learning more about the World I've adored for more than 7 years.
What I really wanted to know more about was the other books that these books referenced. I instantly Googled some of the titles only to find a dead end or some fanfiction.
But I shall cling to these "wizarding classics" like gold. I really loved them.

8.5/10

Here are a list of books that I'm selling!

Please contact me by email if you are interested! I'll be willing to sell most of them for $4 or $5.

Prayer of Jabez for Teens – Bruce Wilkison

Bible Answer Book – Hank Hanegraaff

Wild Magic – Tamora Pierce

Fruits Basket:2 – Natsuki Takaya

Fruits Basket:3 – Natsuki Takaya

Fruits Basket:4 – Natsuki Takaya

Eye of the Needle – Ken Follett

How NOT to Spend Your Senior Year – Cameron Dokey

Goosebumps: Choose your own Adventure #18 – R.L Stine

The Host – Stephenie Meyer

Howliday Inn – James Howe

Dr. Dredd’s Wagon of Wonders – Bill Brittain

Peter Rabbit and Eleven other Tales – Beatrix Potter

Dorm Room Feng Shui – Katherine Olaksen

Royally Jacked – Niki Burnham

Spin Control – Niki Burnham

The Good Times are Killing Me – Lynda Barky

Lost: Endangered Species – Cathy Hapka

Lost: Secret Identity – Cathy Hapka

The Christmas Box – Richard Paul Evans

The History of White People in America – Martin Mull and Allan Rucker

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter – Kim Edwards

Colors of the Mountain – Da Chen

Are You There God, It’s Me Margret – Judy Blume

Soul Searching: A Girl’s Guide to Finding Herself – Sarah Stillman

Astrology Rules – Debra Levere

Heart of Darkness -  Joseph Conrad

The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien

Stars and Planets – Ian Ridpath

Questions to Bring You Closer to Dad: 100+ Conversation Starters For Fathers and Children of Any Age – Stuart Gustafson and Robyn Freedman Spizman

Sharing Sam – Katherine Applegate

1984 – George Orwell

212: The Extra Degree – Sam Parker

Areas of My Expertise – John Hodgman

The Secret of Lost Things – Sheridan Hay

The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown

Email me at: brenley1883@verizon.net
Thanks!

PS: Anyone know any good websites to sell used books?
 

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury



( Summary No Spoilers )Most of my friends in high school read this for our third year English course. The general consenus was "Boring!" So I didn't bother. Until recently when my dad gave me a copy.
This book was so beautiful. Not to mention some great quotes for book lovers. I wish I could get words to do for me what they did for Bradbury.
The only thing to make me question the story line was the complete disappearence of Clarisse. I was hoping that she would reappear, actually I thought the description hinted to it. But Bradbury already anwered my problem. In the play based on this book, Clarisse re-enters and gives Montag his happy ending. It satisfied me.
I don't know if I would have liked as much if I were forced to read it in high school, but I can safely assume that I would have liked it more than other things my teacher had me reading.
I read the afterword by the author and he has some pretty straight forword philosophies, but he is honest. Which is very refreshing (Although, this book is quite old.) For example, somethings he said about critics of his work:

                         " For it is a mad world and it will get madder if we allow the minorities, be dwarf or giant, orangutan or dolphin, nuclear-head or water-conversationalist [yes that's right], pro-computerologist or Neo-Luddite, simpleton or sage to interfere with aesthetics. The real world is playing ground for each and every group, to make or unmake laws. But the tip fo the nose of my book or stories or poems is where their rights end and my territorial imperatives begin, run and rule. If Mormons don not like my plays, let them write their own. If the Irish hate my Dublin stories, let them rent typewriters. If teachers and grammar school editors find my jawbreaker sentences shatter their mushmilk teeth, let them eat stale cake dunked in weak tea of their own ungodly manufacture. If the Chicano intellectuals wish to re-cut my "Wonderful Ice Cream Suit" so it shapes "Zoot," may the belt unravel and the pants fall. "

Highly Reccomended

10/10

Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones



 

( Summary )

 

9.5/10
 

</div>This story was very beautifully written. I absolutely loved this adventureous tale! I saw the animated movie first, by Hayao Miyazaki and I really loved it.
Although, the book is quite different from the movie, they were still very similar. I would like to describe them as being parallel universes of each other. Same quirky characters, striving for the same goal just different ways of getting there.

My favorite thing about this book was definitely the characters! If I were to imagine Howl as an actual person, I saw him as Johnny Depp. I feel like it would be a character that Depp would play.

Overall, I LOVED this book. It was such a fun read. A great book to end the summer.
Highly Reccomended.

So I just got enough money to get a paid account.
And the thing I love the most about a paid account is the extra iconage.

I <3 Icons.

And as it says in my profile, I'm an icon thief. I take what I like. So If I've stolen some of your icons or something that you've made, let me know so... you know... I'm not in trouble or anything.
Thanks.

And I hope to be posting more since I've got so many new icons to use!!! :D

Currently Reading: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. So far, it's beautiful. Can't wait to read the ending!

First of all, I'd like to welcome my new friend, Saramaile! (She's actually my friend in real life and it bothers me because now I have to re-check my entries to make sure there are no grammatical errors.)

Secondly, I would like to address the vampire craze that seems to have hit the nation, while also updating about a book that I recently dropped from my TBR list.

Okay, I've never read any other vampire based stories other than Twilight. I know there was Ann Rice (she's brilliant, although, I have never read her stuff.) But what seems to be the catalyst of all this sickening "I heart Vampires" shit - is Twilight.

As most of my long time readers know, I've read the entire Twilight series. My little innocent, romantic, 18 year old heart couldn't resist the ooey-gooey love that was happening between Edward and Bella. It was literary crack for me. And now, that it's over and the movies suck. I'm done. No more literary crack for me. I haven't even the slightest inclination to re-read the series.

...OR, for that matter, start another useless vampire series. Can we just get over vampires already? Was it this bad when Harry Potter came out? I can hardly believe that! Vampires are fucking everywhere! Go away! I don't want your blood-sucking love/lust anymore.

On another similar note, I've come to the realization that I'm an ex-twilight fan.
A few entries ago, I mentioned that I had started reading The Host by Stephanie Meyer. I thought that this book was geared more toward the adult age ranged. Oh vampire-aliens! Was I ever wrong! The main character is 17. She's still a teenager. For some reason this pissed me off.
And the book was really annoying. I tried it. And for everyone's 411 - I put it down. Not to be picked up again. Off to Goodwill you go.
This makes me depressed.
Harry Potter has probably tainted me.

That is all for today.

Edit: I re-read this entry 3 times, and I'm sure there are still errors.

2001: A Space Odyssey - Arthur C. Clarke



When an enigmatic monolith is found buried on the moon, scientists are amazed to discover that it's at least 3 million years old. Even more amazing, after it's unearthed the artifact releases a powerful signal aimed at Saturn. What sort of alarm has been triggered? To find out, a manned spacecraft, the Discovery, is sent to investigate. Its crew is highly trained--the best--and they are assisted by a self-aware computer, the ultra-capable HAL 9000. But HAL's programming has been patterned after the human mind a little too well. He is capable of guilt, neurosis, even murder, and he controls every single one of Discovery's components. The crew must overthrow this digital psychotic if they hope to make their rendezvous with the entities that are responsible not just for the monolith, but maybe even for human civilization.

Well, I was really excited about reading this book. My dad is a HUGE fan of the movie and this book/ series is based off of the popular movie. The beginning is a little slow.... okay it's really slow. Around the 140-150 mark is when things start to get interesting.

I was suprised to find that Hal, the super computer, played such a small role in the context of the book. I feel like he wasn't there for that much of the action. But from what I can tell he plays a bigger role in the movie, which, I think, makes the plot so much more interesting.

So much of this book is description. Very little dialogue. In my opinion, it read more like a non-fiction or documentary than a Sci-Fi novel. Because Clarke was so indepth with his description it felt like he was trying to put every aspect of the movie on page. Everything was described, even how characters went to the bathroom. I thought it was too much.

----SPOILER WARNING-----

By the time I got to the interesting part I was half way to giving up. But soon the epical climax of destroying Hal super-computer was upon me... and it was... anti climatic.
But the plot doesn't stop there! Bowman reaches the monolith  and goes through a mega-super-awesome-time travel/acid trip and becomes the child of the universe.... needless to say... I didn't get it.

So it turns from being a Science Fiction to a Documentary back to Sci Fi and then to a Spiritual Renewal Drug Trip.

----End Spoiler---

So I may not read the rest of the series. Glad I didn't buy it.
I guess I'll just try the movie version next time.

6.5/10

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling



And so it ends. The first time I read this book, I finished it in 24 hours; believing that if I left the house or turned on the computer or talked to anyone before reading it, it would be spoiled for me, (Technically, I had already been spoiled... but still I NEEDED TO FINISH IT!) So I really didn't remember much, save a few important, life-altering moments, from the book. I'm glad I read this one a little slower and had the chance to comprehend more.

So now, that I have a full understanding of the story, I can decide whether I liked it or not. I'm glad to say I really loved it! Although, I do have to say I could have read for at least 100 more pages. The Epilogue, in my opinion, was not that good. I could've done with a little more than a scene at Hogwarts Station. But all in all, I great ending to a great series. I miss you already.

But onward to more, though not as exciting, series that await my eyes.

9/10

So I have a pretty sizable stack of books that is just so annoying. And I'm pretty sure it gets bigger everyday.
Anyway, I thought I would tell you about it.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - - J.K. Rowling
You know, I'm really surprised how much I don't remember from this book. It's like reading for the first time again. Which is great. I'm trying to take it slow, you know one paragraph at a time, but before I know it I'm already on page 250! UGH! Thankfully, I have other (lighter) books to occupy my time, while I'm picking my way through Number 7.

2001: A Space Odyssey - - Arthur C. Clarke
I've never seen the movie, but I realized the other day that there was like a whole series of these. Granted, I'm only through the first few chapters, which are kind of overkill boring. But Clarke certainly has a way with words. Which I really like.

The Host - - Stephiene Meyer
Now, I'm an ex-Twilight fan, but my friend got this for me over a year ago and I figure I might as well get it over with and read it. So, far I'm quite bored. I just seems like so many other things out there today. And, you know, I did the whole Twilight thing. I liked it. I finished it. It was literary crack. But now it's over. The movies suck and I'm done with it. I guess my taste for this has kind of stuff has gone away since I had my heart broken in my first year of college. What a shame.

Bone - - Jeff Smith
This is a GIANT graphic novel that I borrowed from one of my friends. I'm very intrigued so far. It seems more the type of book I'll read continuously for awhile. But I like the artist's work and I will definitely keep updating about it.

Onion Girl - - Charles de Lint
This is a Sci-fi/Fantasy...? I think. My mom got it for me when she went to an old bookstore and she thought I would like it. I think I will, although I've never heard of the author. It looks interesting. If you known anything about the book or the author, gimme a comment. I'd like to hear what other people think.

Labyrinth - - Kate Mosse
This is the one about the two women who go looking for the Holy Grail or something. My friend was selling it to make some extra money and I've been wanting to read it since I saw her reading it, so I jumped at the chance! I'm very excited to start it, though, many of these are ventures I'll probably start post-Harry and the DH.

Howl's Moving Castle - - Diana Wynne Jones
So I saw the Miyazaki animated film and LOVED IT! I also harbor a love for Diana Wynne Jones that I've had since 6th grade when I read a few of her books. This book was on sale and I thought: Why not? I'm really looking forward to reading it. I have a feeling it may become one of my favorites.

Mythology - - Edith Hamilton
For the longest time I never knew I had this book because the book came in a few different editions. Honestly, I wish I had a different edition, the copy I have is so small and old and hard to read. But whatever. I think this is another book that I'll read on and off for a while. At least until I have time to devote to it.

So that's it. Wish me luck!

So I went to see Harry Potter and the Hald Blood Prince at midnight.

Here are my thoughts: If you care to hear them. (If you have not read the books, I'm warning you now that this post is going to spoil you.)

I really liked it as a movie. I thought it was very well done and for the most part I believed it to be quite accurate. Out of all the movies (excluding the first two) this one, I thought was the MOST accurate.

I did have a few disappointments though. I mean it would be a Harry Potter movie adaption if there wasn't disappointments. Here they are.
#1 - I'm a big Harry and Ginny fan and I thought that their whole relationship was just kind of skipped over. The kiss was soooo serious! The whole bloody movie was serious! The Harry/Ginny kiss should at least should have been lighter and happier and less fleeting. The whole point of Ginny is that she is the beacon of light in Harry's dark world. I'm sorry, their love scene was too short and hardly even recognized.

#2 - The Battle at the end was absent. I mean, after Dumbledore died I was expecting there to be more chaos, frantic-ness, confusion, angry sadness. I'll be honest. My buzz went down. I realized it was 2am and I was sleepy. I understand that most of it was explained in the book, but they should have showed at least some of it. I mean it's how Voldemort infiltrates Hogwarts; it's the beginning of the end.

#3 - This is the one I'm actually kind of concerned about. The Burrow Burning scene. I know that this was a scene that J.K actually wrote and cut from the book. And now that I've seen it, I can't help but think there must be a reason that she cut it. The scene was very confusing and didn't really fit. There was no explanation of whether they were able to salvage the Weasley's home or if they had to move. Which brings me to my final concern:

#4 - Bill and Fleur. Where were they? What about their wedding? I mean that whole part in the 7th book is an influential point. That's when Harry Ron and Hermione start going on their journey. That's how they are able to get away from the adults. I mean, seeing as they already started filming the last two movies (That's right TWO!) I guess they must've already figured it out, but do they acknowlegde Bill and Fleur? How do they sneak them into the plot? Questions... Questions...

So those are my thoughts. All in all though, I enjoyed my first midnight showing experience. It was very exciting and nerdy. Glad I was there.

:)
 

The Neverending Story - Michael Ende (Ralph Manheim - translation)



It's different than the movie, from what I remember. But I really enjoyed it. The plot kept me reading and my favorite aspect of the book was that the chapters were in alphabetic order. So the first letter in the first chapter was A all the way to the last chapter which began with Z. I thought that was especially interesting. It is a great summer read, mostly light and adventurous. I loved it.
Reccomended.

8/10

Just thought I would share a picture of my true love with everyone.



Like I said I'm waiting to finish the series until after HBP comes out in theaters.
Right now I'm reading The Neverending Story. Which is surprisingly very entertaining for my little escapist heart.

Go Ask Alice - Anonymous


Well, I know it's one of those books everyone reads when they're 13, but I never got the chance. So, I got myself a copy and finished it in a day. And though, I could tell it was geared toward teenage kids it was still spooky to me, as an adult. I probably would have been tramatized if I read it earlier in life. I really didn't like the Epilogue though. It was completely worthless. Epilogues should not be written unless they are atleast a page long and detailed with information about the main character's life after the book.
Otherwise: reccomended!

8/10


Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling (re-read)



I really tried not to read to fast on this one, but I'm just not patient enough. Although, I did procrastinate turning the page on a certain character's timely demise. But now I have less than ten days til the movie and I refuse to start the 7th book before I see the movie. So, I have a week to fiddle around in some other books I've been meaning to read. I think what I will do, is quickly skim the chapters before I go to the midnight showing on tuesday night. Should be AMAZING!!!

9/10