3 books later...

Or was it only two... huh.  Yeah, I don't know but I'm thinking about not doing this blog anymore... I think there are only three followers and I just want to read.  ;)

The Sound and the Fury, by William Faulkner

I attempted to read this, only getting through a small section of the second "chapter".  I was left wondering, "Was William Faulkner on drugs when he wrote this??"

I read "The Catcher in the Rye" cover to cover simply to be able to say I've read it.  It's a classic, right? It was the biggest waste of my time.  This book was right up there with it, so I decided not to finish this one.  I was better able to understand it here, but still didn't have the desire to read the whole thing.  It was boring, confusing (due to the author's "technique known as stream of consciousness"), and didn't have much of a plot.  Again, how did this become a classic?? I should seriously write a book and send it to either of these publishers - apparently they're desperate for writers.  ;)

The Heretic Queen, by Michelle Moran

I cannot get enough of this author! I'm so bummed that I've read all of her books already. 

This book happens after the last book I read of hers, being told my Nefertari, the daughter of Mutny, who's point of view was the focus of the last book.  A lot more of this book was fiction, but still based on a lot of historical facts and characters.  The Pharaoh of this story is Ramsses II, husband to Nefertari.  It tells of his reign, Nefertari's love for him and his love for her, the birth of their first two sons, his other wife's jealousy, his famous war in Kadesh and so much more! There's even a touch of mystery linking everything at the end, creating an unforgettable ending.  I'm thinking this one was slightly better than the last two, but not by much.  The web of plots this author weaves is so well-done and creates quite the page-turner.  It's one of those books that causes you to have a love/hate relationship with the ending in that you love how it ends, but hate that it's over.  She paints such a romantic picture of Egypt and its rulers, and writes so well what very well may have happened.  Her knowledge of the time is impeccable, which is made obvious throughout the book. 

I sincerely hope this author comes out with more books as she has become one of my favorites.  I highly recommend all three that I've come across.

Nefertiti, by Michelle Moran

More applause for Michelle Moran!

This book is so well-written and so informative all wrapped up in intrigue and just a whole bunch of goodness.  I've not known much about anything Egyptian but have become highly fascinated by it because of these books! The way she portrays their customs and mannerisms is amazing!

When I was a kid, I had the opportunity to visit our local history museum while King Tut was on display... I wish I had known then what I know now, I would've felt a higher reverence for him and his life.  Nefertiti was the Queen to King Tut's father, a heretic king who attempts to overthrow Egypt's god and introduce another for worship.  Nefertiti is brought into the marriage in hopes to quell his desires.  Instead, she builds him up and eventually makes herself Pharoah along with him.  The story is told by Nefertiti's sister, who eventually is entrusted in the raising of King Tut because of his mother dying shortly after giving birth.  It's a story of love, herecy, tragedy, power... and so much more! I really enjoy reading her novels and learning more than a bit about the past.  I highly, highly recommend reading them! In fact, my next book is one she wrote, as well.  Love them!

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte

Finally! For some reason, this book takes me forEVER to read! It's a good book but the language is a little intense.  I love it, though.  I've read it before, but it's been a while.  One thing I note in books from this era that I've read is how the women are so ... I don't even know what word I'd use.  They see something they want, but because of unwritten rules of whatever, society or what-have-you, they hold back.  They keep to themselves and prefer suffering in misery.  I hate that.  I do.  I'm a if-you-want-something-do-what-you-can-to-get-it kind of girl.  None of this suffering in silence garbage.  (lol)  It's good this book ends well, I suppose.  ;) It truly is a book for the romantic at heart, though, so if you're one of those type and haven't read it yet, do. 

Cleopatra's Daugher, by Michelle Moran

This book was excellent! I am truly surprised I haven't fallen behind on my laundry because it seems all I've been doing is reading this wonderful, very informative book.

I've been fascinated by Cleopatra lately and found this book, thinking it would give me some insight to what things were like during that time period.  I was so right! When I read the back cover and some other notes from the author at the end of the book, she says this book is a work of fiction, but is based on a lot of recorded history about what took place.  Most of the characters, their personalities, the places and events, the food they ate, the way they dressed, and even a map that's included at the beginning are all most accurate depictions of what really happened.  I've decided I really love reading historical fiction... it proves to be very informative as well as capturing the reader's attention and not reading like a history book.

This was a story from the point of view of Cleopatra Selene, Queen Cleopatra's daughter.  It tells of her capture by Octavian, soon to be Emperor of Rome, after he concurred Egypt, her mother and father's suicides, her life in Rome, the friends she makes, her brothers' deaths, her marriage to Juba II, her education as an architect and so many other things that happened during her coming-of-age years.  It's a love story, a story of tragic losses, and definitely a story I will always remember.  I'm definitely going to be checking out some of this author's other books.

Emily's Ghost, by Denise Giardina

This was a fun book to read.  Just nice, really.  I'm a big fan of the Bronte sisters, owning and having read all of their books.  It was nice to read a story of what their lives may have been like.  I wonder, as I read this, how much of it was fact, like certain instances that occurred or certain characters they came in contact with...

Although, like most books of theirs, the ending wasn't as one would hope, a bit of happiness tinged with mostly sadness.  But, it was just nice to lose myself in a time period I would've been most happy in.  I love how these girls wanted love, and not just to be married for money or convenience.  I love their strength in character, how they didn't fit what society deemed "proper" and how they embraced that.  I love how they dared to be individuals.

Like Jane Austen or even Louisa May Alcott, the Bronte's are some of my favorite long-since-gone authors.  To see how each of their individual novels may have been inspired just adds to the general romantic feel of their stories.

It really was just a nice book to read.  (Now I want to read Jane Eyre again!)  :) 

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Check out RPE's new book coming out this October!

Now we can have something to look forward to EVERY SIX MONTHS from him! He'll be having book two of his new series coming out in April of 2011!

The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger

So, I read a quick paragraph on Wikipedia about this book, and part of it said, "...it was named by Modern Library and its readers as one of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century.". 

What???

This was by far one of the worst books I have ever read.  Ever.  And I've even read Lord of the Flies.

Wasn't this book supposedly banned once? I can guess why - some of my brain cells jumped ship as I forced my way through it.  They didn't want to add to society's decline in intelligence by exposing its future generations to this book.  Seriously, after reading this, it makes me want to write a book because apparently they'll publish anything these days.

The whole time I was reading it, I kept waiting for this major plot or climax to appear.  The way the author has the guy telling the story talk, it seems like he's always building up to something.  But it never builds up to anything.  Nothing.  It was the most pointless, plotless book I've ever read.

This whole time, this guy who's telling the story, is telling about a period of several days from the point he finds out he's been kicked out of school to the day he decides to go home.  He leaves school, spends a few days in New York, gets drunk a time or two, runs into people he knows, meets up with his sister, then it ends.  That's it.  I'd seriously like to know what the big deal is about this book.  There's swearing all over the place (Normally, I put down a book that has this much swearing without finishing it, but I wanted to say I've read this book.  So not worth it, let me tell ya.), there's a lot of talk about sex but nothing too detailed (thank goodness), and he keeps digressing from the point he's trying to make.  It's funny, he even makes a point to say how the main character likes it when people digress.

If you want waste your time BIG time, read it.  If you want to take my word for it that it's lame, by all means, do yourself a favor and go with this option.

Cleopatra, by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema

I know this is a book for young readers but I found it at the library yesterday and decided I wanted to read it.  It's a brief story of the life of Cleopatra, something I've been interested in as of late.  It gave key details, and listed the source the authors obtained most of their information from.

What I found most interesting is that it's not really known how she committed suicide.  I was always under the impression it was done via the bite of an asp, but there's no proof that this is the case.

It was obviously a super quick read but gave me the quick info I was looking for.  (The pictures were great, too! lol)