WinterHaven Books

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Movie Release and Book Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry

I first read The Giver by Lois Lowry back in 2011 as a reading challenge, so when I saw the movie trailer, I was excited to add it to my watch list.. Well The Giver releases tomorrow, August 15, 2014 in major theaters, so I thought I'd share a bit about the book, my original review, and the movie trailer. Enjoy!

Original Book Cover:

The Giver (The Giver Quartet #1) by Lois Lowry

Published: January 24, 2006

Publisher: Ember (first published 1993)

Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

My Thoughts

Amazing, thought-provoking story that will linger in my thoughts for a long time. This book paints a daunting picture of how unsettling it can be when a society strives to make everything perfect and constant. There’s a lot to think about when it comes to this book and to say it comfortably resides within the dystopic genre is an understatement. The Giver by Lois Lowry is a gem in its own right, but at the same time the themes presented here are the sort of Pleasantville I would hope can never be achieved.

This story takes place sometime in the undetermined future when climate changes and unpredictable weather created a perception that Sameness was needed to achieve order. Things like hippos, elephants, birds, etc. are regarded as imaginary animals and the presence of love, colors and history are hidden from society.

In this story, people have lost the ability of choice. Everything is decided for them from their mate, family unit, job, even down to the loss of ability to experience a Stirring. I won’t dive into that one because it gave me the creeps. By eliminating the option to choose, people can avoid making mistakes, but that perceived value is challenged when Jonas is singled out to receive the memories of true emotion and the pleasures of life. He goes on a quest to seek the truth and a course of events begin to unfold that threaten the balance of constancy this society has worked so hard to achieve.

As I was reading, my purchase receipt slipped out of the book, and I noticed I bought this book back in January 2009. Thank you to my long time reading buddy Flannery for challenging me back in 2011 to dust of this book and give it the attention it deserves. Great choice!

5 Snowflakes

Movie Tie-in Edition Book Cover of The Giver

The Giver Movie Trailer

Movie Release Date: August 15, 2014

Be sure to let me know if you plan to see this movie! :)

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Teaser Tuesday, #72 Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Publisher: Dell Publishing Company
Publication Date: July 26, 2005

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon--when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach--an "outlander"--in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life...and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Quotes from ebook pages: 10

This absurd thought coincided unfortunately with my dawning realization that the young man was not completely exhausted after all. In fact, it was becoming embarrassingly obvious to both of us. I coughed and cleared my throat, wiping my eyes with my sleeve as I slid off his lap.

"Ye need not be scairt of me," he said softly. "Nor of anyone here, so long as I'm with ye." He let go and turned to the fire.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks!

Monday, August 11, 2014

Review: Kiss of Broken Glass by Madeleine Kuderick

Kiss of Broken Glass by Madeleine Kuderick
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 9th, 2014
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and noble

Madeleine Kuderick’s gripping debut is a darkly beautiful and lyrical novel in verse, perfect for fans of Sonya Sones and Laurie Halse Anderson. Kiss of Broken Glass pulses with emotion and lingers long after the last page.

In the next seventy-two hours, Kenna may lose everything—her friends, her freedom, and maybe even herself. One kiss of the blade was all it took to get her sent to the psych ward for seventy-two hours. There she will face her addiction to cutting, though the outcome is far from certain.

When fifteen-year-old Kenna is found cutting herself in the school bathroom, she is sent to a facility for mandatory psychiatric watch. There, Kenna meets other kids like her—her roommate, Donya, who’s there for her fifth time; the birdlike Skylar; and Jag, a boy cute enough to make her forget her problems . . . for a moment.

My Thoughts:
First thing I want to say is that I love books in verse. There is just something about them that is so much more powerful than your typical books in my opinion. Maybe its because since you only have so many words every one has to count or maybe its just that this type of book speaks to me differently. Whatever it is I know I need more of these in my life.

Okay moving on...Kiss of Broken Glass tells the tale of Kenna and what happens when peer pressure turns dangerous. To fit in Kenna has to cut herself and since she doesn't want to be a nobody she decides this is the only alternative. Kenna already feels like the outcast at home so when Rennie tells her this is what she has to do to make friends Kenna doesn't even hesitate because she knows she isn't a cutter and she can quit at any time right? When she is caught at school she is sent to a 72 hour psych eval facility and thus begins her journey.

This wasn't the toughest read I have ever read, but it was powerful in its own way. I felt connected to Kenna and I felt like she needed a hug. I think her story is not the norm since her destructive behavior didn't stem from any type of abusive. She just wanted to fit in and then got trapped in this horrible circle of friends. I sometimes forget how hard it is in high school. I didn't have the easiest time, but I know these days things are much harder for kids and it just breaks my heart. Reading this story makes me think about the future of our kiddos and it sure terrifies me.

I really enjoyed the authors writing as well. She really captured Kenna's voice and made her someone that we have all had in our class at one point or another. I definitely want to keep a watch on this authors future books.

I wish these types of books were required reading for kids in high school and middle school. They aren't pretty and they aren't hopeful sometimes but they are true life and eye opening. I was moved by this story and I really think given to the right people it could make a difference.

The part I wasn't too interested in was the romanceishthing. It wasn't developed but it was there and it just felt weird. I don't think it was needed and I would have preferred to focus on Kenna's other friends in the facility. Or rather just make the boy a friend and nothing more.

My favorite part was the butterfly part. It was such a great symbol and I know I'll be on the lookout for butterflies the next time I go out in the hope that someone is keeping theirs alive.

3.5 snowflakes

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Review: Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil

Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil

Publisher- Month9Books

Released- Sept 9th 2014

Pre-Order- Amazon/ Kobo

Thyra Winther's seventeen, the Snow Queen, and immortal, but if she can't reassemble a shattered enchanted mirror by her eighteenth birthday she's doomed to spend eternity as a wraith.Armed with magic granted by a ruthless wizard, Thyra schemes to survive with her mind and body intact. Unencumbered by kindness, she kidnaps local boy Kai Thorsen, whose mathematical skills rival her own. Two logical minds, Thyra calculates, are better than one. With time rapidly melting away she needs all the help she can steal.A cruel lie ensnares Kai in her plan, but three missing mirror shards and Kai's childhood friend, Gerda, present more formidable obstacles. Thyra's willing to do anything – venture into uncharted lands, outwit sorcerers, or battle enchanted beasts -- to reconstruct the mirror, yet her most dangerous adversary lies within her breast. Touched by the warmth of a wolf pup's devotion and the fire of a young man's desire, the thawing of Thyra's frozen heart could be her ultimate undoing.

My Thoughts:

Crown of Ice, is a luscious and fantastical retelling of the Snow Queen. In this version, a master mage wizard named Mael Voss conjured the winds and started the avalanche that killed Thyra Winther parents, leaving her orphaned, but he spared her for a purpose. He wants Thrya to be -what many were before her- his Snow Queen, but her magical existence comes at a price, for Voss demands each of his Queens to piece back a magical mirror before her eighteenth birthday.With only five months left, Thyra is desperate and will do anything to find the missing shards and piece back the mirror before she lingers as a ghostly wraith for the rest of her days.

This was a really fun book! I really enjoyed Weavil's writing style. The story itself is a classic tale, but I liked the unique twist and turns that Weavil included to keep the story moving at a determined pace. I also thought it was quite smart to apply mathematics logic to solve the puzzling equation. I've never seen that particular element before and it intrigued me. I also loved the rich setting that made me shiver, the enchanting spells and all the animated animals and characters that brought this book to stunning life and wild entertainment.

Thrya is a rather conflicting character, one I can easily sympathize with but can't help be disappointed by her actions at the same time. To be fair, she doesn't really mean to be this cold, selfish, unflinching jaded girl and we see clearly through her memories and back-story that she wasn't always this way, but the fear of a fate worse then death prompts her to do unforgivable things if she wants to survive. Still, behind every wrong, I can still feel the struggle in her throughout the length of the novel, which always made me hopeful.

Kai is a very easy character to love from the start. He has a genuine goodness and enthusiasm about him that is infectious. He's warm and caring and thoughtful, but what I found so refreshing about him the most is his intelligence and his love for knowledge and travel. He doesn't believe in marriage before education, which I find an extreme rarity in fictional male characters. I also can't forget to mention Luki and Bae! They were the perfect touch to this already moving and magical story.

I really enjoyed the romance, it was slow building and tender rather then the swoon-worthy I'm use to. It was never really about that all consuming powerful love, but a steady connection and challenge throughout the story. Still, I thought it was kinda perfect. It really fits the tone of the story and made the sweeter moments stand-out more. Plus, it was really comforting to be able to sink into the fantasy and not be absorbed by the romance for a change.

All in all, I rather enjoyed myself with this one. Crown of Ice, is a clever and solid enchanting adventure filled with magic, love, friendship and self-discovery that was perfectly paced and wonderfully written and I look forward to reading what Weavil has in store next! A fun escape!

Find the author:

Goodreads /Website 4 Snowflakes