starkillereads-blog

[starkillereads-blog]

25 posts!

bahahahaha...

[starkillereads-blog]

The Rosie Project

Quick Synopsis: Don, a socially stifled 40 year old genetics professor, decides that he wants a wife. Thus leading to a new experiment, "The Wife Project". Along the way he reaches some difficulties and gains a few other side projects. (an itty-bitty bit of spoilers up ahead, obvs)

Don Tillman seems eerily familiar, like, seriously. If you've ever seen The Big Bang Theory, Don is pretty much Sheldon Cooper. Sheldon never really admits to having any disorder other than being a genius but Don, on the other hand, realizes that he may share a few common attributes to the people with aspberger's that he researched. So pretty much, in short, he cant' really read sarcasm or peoples emotions/facial reactions.

By the end though, he's so adorable, that he almost makes a complete turn around. He tries to be "socially accepted" and learns to be more social all because of a very special girl, Rosie, who walked into his life almost completely on accident.

Rosie and Don's story is so relate able, in the sense, that you could totally meet someone and be so sure that they are nothing more than a friend. But the more you get to know them, the more you realize, "hey, this person, this person who you spend all my days with, they aren't too bad" and that's pretty much what happens, just obviously way sweeter/cuter/and much more well-written.

I got this as a sale e-book from the amazon kindle book store for $1.99 and I can honestly say: I would spend full price on the physical book if I could easily find it. Maybe it's not that possible in the states as it is in Australia but it definitely should be.

It's well-written and relate able. It's a bit of comedy (with legit "lol" moments) and a bit drama (with legit feels and tears) that comes together and makes a truly romantic story.

If I were you, I'd read the shit out of this.

[starkillereads-blog]

Booktacular To-Read List

FICTION 1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

2. The Mist by Stephen King

New York Times bestselling author Stephen King suspends a small town in a haze of terror-as humanity makes its last stand against unholy destruction...

3. William Shakespeare's Star Wars Return once more to a galaxy far, far away with this sublime retelling of George Lucas’s epic Star Wars in the style of the immortal Bard of Avon. The saga of a wise (Jedi) knight and an evil (Sith) lord, of a beautiful princess held captive and a young hero coming of age, Star Wars abounds with all the valor and villainy of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. ’Tis a tale told by fretful droids, full of faithful Wookiees and fearstome Stormtroopers, signifying...pretty much everything.

4. One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by BJ Novak

A boy wins a $100,000 prize in a box of Frosted Flakes—only to discover that claiming the winnings might unravel his family. A woman sets out to seduce motivational speaker Tony Robbins—turning for help to the famed motivator himself. A new arrival in Heaven, overwhelmed with options, procrastinates over a long-ago promise to visit his grandmother. We meet Sophia, the first artificially intelligent being capable of love, who falls for a man who might not be ready for it himself; a vengeance-minded hare, obsessed with scoring a rematch against the tortoise who ruined his life; and post-college friends who try to figure out how to host an intervention in the era of Facebook.  Along the way, we learn why wearing a red T-shirt every day is the key to finding love, how February got its name, and why the stock market is sometimes just . . . down.

Young Adult Fiction

1. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

After Mara survives the traumatizing accident at the old asylum, it makes sense that she has issues. She lost her best friend, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s sister, and as if that weren’t enough to cope with, her family moves to a new state in order to give her a fresh start. But that fresh start is quickly filled with hallucinations—or are they premonitions?—and then corpses, and the boundary between reality and nightmare is wavering. At school, there’s Noah, a devastatingly handsome charmer who seems determined to help Mara piece together what’s real, what’s imagined—and what’s very, very dangerous.

2. It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

At his new school, Craig realizes that he isn't brilliant compared to the other kids; he's just average, and maybe not even that. He soon sees his once-perfect future crumbling away. The stress becomes unbearable and Craig stops eating and sleeping-until, one night, he nearly kills himself.

Craig's suicidal episode gets him checked into a mental hospital, where his new neighbors include a transsexual sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio. There, isolated from the crushing pressures of school and friends, Craig is finally able to confront the sources of his anxiety.

3. Monster by Walter Dean Myers

FADE IN: INTERIOR: Early morning in CELL BLOCK D, MANHATTAN DETENTION CENTER.

Steve (Voice-Over) Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. Maybe I can make my own movie. The film will be the story of my life. No, not my life, but of this experience. I'll call it what the lady prosecutor called me ... Monster.

Non-Fiction

1. Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

With a career, a boyfriend, and a loving family, Piper Kerman barely resembles the reckless young woman who delivered a suitcase of drug money ten years ago. But that past has caught up with her. Convicted and sentenced to fifteen months at the infamous federal correctional facility in Danbury, Connecticut, the well-heeled Smith College alumna is now inmate #11187-424—one of the millions of women who disappear "down the rabbit hole" of the American penal system. From her first strip search to her final release, Kerman learns to navigate this strange world with its strictly enforced codes of behavior and arbitrary rules, where the uneasy relationship between prisoner and jailer is constantly and unpredictably recalibrated. She meets women from all walks of life, who surprise her with small tokens of generosity, hard words of wisdom, and simple acts of acceptance. Heartbreaking, hilarious, and at times enraging, Orange Is the New Black offers a rare look into the lives of women in prison, why it is we lock so many away, and what happens to them when they're there.

2. Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three by Mara Leveritt

For weeks in 1993, after the murders of three eight-year-old boys, police in West Memphis, Arkansas seemed stymied. Then suddenly, detectives charged three teenagers—alleged members of a satanic cult—with the killings. Despite the witch-hunt atmosphere of the trials, and a case which included stunning investigative blunders, a confession riddled with errors, and an absence of physical evidence linking any of the accused to the crime, the teenagers were convicted. Jurors sentenced Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley to life in prison and Damien Echols, the accused ringleader, to death. The guilty verdicts were popular in their home state—even upheld on appeal—and all three remained in prison until their unprecedented release in August 2011.

3. Life After Death by Damien Echols

The New York Times bestselling memoir by Damien Echols of the West Memphis Three, who was falsely convicted of three murders and spent nearly eighteen years on Death Row—Life After Death is destined to be a classic of explosive, riveting prison literature.

[starkillereads-blog]

The fault in our stars: book quotes.

[starkillereads-blog]

The To-Read List (2/19/2014)

As of February 19th, 2014, I have these books in my possession and plan on reading them, ASAP.

The Rosie Project

It's Kind of a Funny Story

The Silver Linings Playbook

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Hollow Fields

Fruits Basket 1-3

Game of Thrones

And I still want to get more books. What's wrong with me? I have started The Rosie Project, at least, and plan on not buying anymore books until I have finished at least two. So like, every two books, I'll replace with...two more books? Yeah. That sounds fine to me!

[starkillereads-blog]

The Fault in Our Stars

By John Green

Quick Synopsis: Hazel Grace Lancaster has cancer meets Augustus Waters, who, at one point, had cancer himself. Love/feels/tears ensue.

It's kind of at that crazy point now where if you haven't read the book yet, then what the heck is wrong with you and your life, ya' know. So of course, working at Barnes and Noble, and have a trillion of these in the store, I had to read it. Funny thing is, I didn't even get it from work, I got it last week from my local Target: signed, WITH the DVD. Whoop whoop!

Anyway, back to what you came here for. Yes. This is by far the cutest love story I've had the pleasure of reading. Much cuter than Katniss and her Beau (leaving his name out, in case you haven't read it ;]) and much more raw and real than Bella and Edward. And like these YA novels, there isn't quite the same type of love triangle. It's more of a third wheel situation. (That third wheel being cancer) And it's what you'd expect of it. A lot of love, a lot of tears, and dagnabit, a LOT of feelings.

I don't know how John Green did it but he turned me around. At the beginning, I had absolutely no pity, no anything for either character, but by the end,well, I was sitting alone and bawling in my living room.

My only, criticism (I guess?): Hazel's reactions to so many things along with various aspects of her personality were just so relate-able.While, Augustus, on the other hand, was a tad too cheesy. At some points even being a little less than realistic. But, honestly, who cares, right? This story is one to tell the kids. It was beautifully written, gorgeously orchestrated, and just overall a pleasure to read.

[starkillereads-blog]

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

By Ransom Riggs.

So, here's the quick synopsis: Jacob's a teenage boy who's grandfather told him wacky stories about crazy kids who could do..peculiar things. The older Jacob got though, the more he thought his grandfather was just blatantly lying to him. After his grandfather passes, he realizes that he may be going insane...or is he?

This story started out so crazy interesting. The imagery was well-written and creepy. Just how I like it. Jacob, the main character, was introduced well too. I felt like I got to know the type of person he was, fairly quickly. There were certain aspects of the story that caused actual physical reactions. For example, in chapter two, Jacob gets a  letter "from the grave" and boy, did it make my stomach churn. One of my favorite parts of the story, by far, was the origin of the Hollowgasts and the Wights. It was almost absolutely believable, I mean, for being totally fiction..

Overall, this book allows readers to grow an attachment to the characters. It keeps one guessing and makes for some eerie pictures to be painted in the reader's head. It is considered a Young Adult/Teen novel but can absolutely pass as a children's book as well. It is not written harshly. It does not portray anything too scary, although it is action packed.

[starkillereads-blog]

[starkillereads-blog]

My Balls

Disclaimer: You all are going to think I'm a giant pervert for reading this, but you know what? Whatever man. I ain't afraid to read NSFW mangas. Also, of course, I go into a little detail about the NSFW subject matter.

Alright. Synopsis. Here goes. SO, a Demon gets trapped in a 19 year old virgin's...balls (Kohta).

[starkillereads-blog]

Sankarea Undying Love Vol. I

Most of the synopsis is in the picture. It's about a boy, Furuya, who loves all things zombie. After his beloved little kitty dies, he finds a book of potions, and decides to use one of these (a reanimation potion) to bring his pet back to life. Furuya found a secret place to do this but unknowingly stumbled unto the very spot that Miss Popular, Sankarea, would vent her anger towards her overbearing, kind of pervy dad.

(SPOILERS BELOW..OBVS)

Sankarea is a super rich and privileged teenager who just wants to be normal. I mean, we can all relate to that, can't we? Not. But we can all relate to wanting to be free from our parents rules and just live life. That's her biggest fault (if you could call it that). Well almost all of us could also relate to liking someone unconventional (to a certain extent) and let's face it, Sankarea, totally digs Furuya. She sneaks away from all the money, and everything she could have wanted to continue hanging out with this..this..commoner. Needles to say, her dad is furious.

Not being a huge fan of zombie culture, I didn't know what to expect. But, Sankarea was  way funnier than I would have originally expected. Art-wise, they have adorable little chibi versions of Furuya running around that are enough to keep you giggling for more. Overall, I've got to say it really surprised me. I loved this book. From beginning to end. It was funny, at points, made me uncomfortable, and creeped me out for a bit too. This book was exactly what I was looking for! Oh, I also forgot to mention, it has a kick of sexy too. Because, duh. Have you seeeen what Sankarea looks like? Babe Alert.

[starkillereads-blog]

Sherlock Bones

Sherlock Bones. You may be thinking, "hm, that name sounds quite familiar..." Well, yes. It's exactly what you think. Sherlock Bones is the reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes.

Takeru Wajima is a 16 year old second year at London Academy High School. After class one day he decides to visit the local pound and find a new member for his family. He looks over a few dogs and stumbles upon a dog that bites and barks non-stop. For some reason, though, he is drawn to this dog. One his way home, his new family member helps Takeru and his Police Officer Father solve a crime. But this goes rather unnoticed. Well, Takeru takes him home and once he reaches the living room, his new dog finds a pipe that his grandfather said once belonged to Sherlock Holmes. He finds it to be true because when the dog (who he names Sherdog) has the pipe in his mouth, he can speak directly to Takeru, who is found to be the reincarnation of Watson, himself. A tragic crime happens at school, leading Takeru and Sherdog to solve it on their own.

I must say, I was a little skeptical about this book to begin with. Like. Seriously. A book about a dog that's the reincarnation of  Sherlock Holmes? No. That just screamed, "lame idea". When I found this at my local Barnes and Noble. But boy. Was I all kinds of terribly wrong. It's silly, yes, because it's about "Sherdog" who still tries to go to the bathroom like a human, and who sometimes gets a little snooty with Takeru. But it is also adorable, funny, and in certain cases, pretty creepy.

Sherlock Bones started off serialized on a weekly Shonen Magazine but, I believe, it's fairly new to the U.S. So if you're looking for something new to dig into. This one's definitely got the Starkiller Stamp of Approval.

[starkillereads-blog]

Well...

I know I've been neglecting this blog. I'm sorry. I've just been all kinds of busy. I started school full-time again and actually got a job that's been giving me outrageous hours. I have continued my writing but it hasn't been about the books I read. They've been more creative. With that being said, here's a little something I wrote in my English class after a meditation exercise:

As she ran through the field, the gentle breeze scraping against her rosy cheeks. She cursed everyone and everything that had happened to her; everything that had hurt her and caused her so much pain. The breeze continued to blow past her, guiding her in a direction she's never been. Each step allowed the damp grass to graze her ankles, exposed in her sun dress and flats. She looked at the vibrant colors of the flowerbeds she was running past. Blue birds were flying by, singing beautiful songs, causing her to pause for a second, tilt her head up, and listen. Snapping back into reality, with a slight shake of her head, she continued on her way, not only following the wind, but following the birds in the same direction until she arrived at an old beaten path. Heading South, she stepped onto the path and continued on. The further she ran, the more she noticed the sound of running water. The birds no longer flew with her, her breath getting harder. She kept running, further and further, deeper and deeper into the forest until she came to a river. The water, ever so clear, fish of all different colors raced with one another along the current. She slowed down and began to walk along the river until she came across an arched cobblestone bridge. Overflowing with pure curiosity, she went over the bridge and found herself face to face with someone's home. This quint cabin was made of logs with a stone pathway to the front door. This pathway was surrounded with all her favorite flowers. Everything from daisies to roses. The windows were boarded up, as if nobody had visited this home in quite some time. A chimney stood on the left side, made of the same stone as the pathway. A circular fountain stood out front, flowing with water from the river. When she looked inside it, she could have sworn the fish inside were the very fish she saw racing down the river. As she inched closer to the front door, she had an incredible urge to go inside. It didn't matter to her that she didn't know what she would find inside. She finally reached the front door and stepped in. Much to her surprise, an intoxicating fragrance overran her nose. It smelled of coffee. Before her was a table, set for one, with an empty mug sitting in front of a lonely chair. She began to look around, admiring the inside of this beautifully foreign place. She found a hallway and began to walk down it, gently running her hands across the walls as she continued further down. When she reached a spiral stair case, she had an overwhelming feeling that she had to go up there. Slow to the start, she headed up. An intense fear began to take over. Everything she had ever feared flashed before her eyes. All the times, she had been beaten and abused for fun, began to invade her mind. Tears begin to form as she forced herself to continue up, she couldn't handle it, but she knew that she had to make it up there. She had to see what pulled her here. The staircase began to disappear from beneath her with each step; the walls began to cave in on themselves and she felt like madness was invading her every hope, her every desire. Her last step up, hands begin to rip at her soul, trying to take her away from this Earth, until she reached the top, entered the room, and there he was. The darkness faded away. There was nothing but light at the sight of the most gorgeous man she had ever had the pleasure of laying her eyes on. There he was. He was what was pulling her to this place. He was everything she was missing in life. He smiled at her and suddenly she knew he was the one; she knew he had saved her. She ran to him and he picked her up, planting a gentle, loving kiss on her lips. In his arms, she felt peaceful. She felt free. She felt like nothing could ever hurt her again or ever cause her any harm. She knew he would protect her, forever. Just like that, in his arms, all the pain melted away and she finally realized that everything would be okay, that everything was perfect. Their lips pulled away from each others, he looked into her eyes and whispered, "Welcome home."

[starkillereads-blog]

Cuba: My Revolution

First off, let's start with a little back-story on how I even found this little gem. So you know how on the 7th day, God rested? Well, that's a lie. On the 7th day, God created this magnificent place in the City of Industry in Southern California that sells the most amazing collectibles from any fandom you may ever wish to have. It's essentially a slice of Heaven on Earth. Or a Nerd Swap Meet. Whatever you want to call it. I found this book located in a super discounted $5 box of Trades and Hardcovers. Got it on a whim and boy-howdy, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

It's about the Cuban Revolution (surprise). To be completely honest, I'm an absolute sucker for memoirs or stories of rebellion and history. I can't explain why, because I'm not sure why myself but it's my weakness. This is a story of a woman who lived through the revolution. But she is not what you'd assume she is. I guess at first glance, I thought it would be about a girl getting her voice to fight against Fidel Castro and his plans to turn Cuba into a communist state but it's not. It's actually quite the opposite. She supports Fidel and is so blinded by his initial promises that sometimes I found myself mad at her. I couldn't help but feel..betrayed by her in a way. I'm not Cuban, nor was I even remotely alive when this stuff took place (neither was my mom, yikes) but I wished I could jump into the pages, smack her, and smuggle her into Florida. I could not, for the life of me, comprehend why she stuck around even after everything she went through. Let me tell you, she went through HELL following Fidel, absolute Hell. 

Now, that makes good writing. When you, yourself, want to jump in and interact. When you're so absolutely enthralled in the story and in the characters that you can't help but to feel for them and feel with them? Yeah, that is what good writing is like. I feel like this book was underrated. In fact, it's so underrated nobody knows about it and I found it in a final sale discount box.

I don't think I've recommended a book on here yet but I'm going to recommend this one. I don't, however, recommend it to younger readers as some of the images and some language are definitely not for children. If you don't know a lick about the Cuban revolution and Fidel Castro or you just want to get a first-hand account from one of the people who lived it, you should read this book.

[starkillereads-blog]

Now Reading: The Mental Floss History of the United States: The (Almost) Complete and (Entirely) Entertaining Story of America

[starkillereads-blog]

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Titan's Curse

The third installment to the Percy Jackson series has yet to be green lit for a film but I'm quite certain it will. The Lightning Thief did not do too well in the box-office but The Sea of Monsters seems to be looking up. From the character lists, actors, and photos going around on the web, they seem to be trying to more closely follow the book. That's a very good thing because Rick Riordan does a wonderful job at writing really fun books about Greek Mythology.

This book makes me so happy that they decided to age the kids in the first Percy Jackson movie. Because teenage love is always so much more relate-able and entertaining than kid love. Let's face it, Annabeth and Percy are definitely going to end up together, right? Totally rhetorical, I haven't read all the books. Please don't tell me. But I stand by it. Percy has dreams about Annabeth talking to Luke and how he tricked her into taking the weight of the world from him. Even from book one, Annabeth always got googly-eyed over Luke. I don't think Percy cared as much when they were younger but now that they're getting older and puberty is setting in, he's definitely getting jealous. Let us not forget how the whole book is about Percy trying to save Annabeth. I know loyalty to friends is a big deal, I'm loyal to my friends, but Percy fought Gods and Titans for her. If that doesn't scream "secret undying love" then I don't know what does.

I know more went on in this book, like ancient creatures threatening to destroy the Gods, Kronos gaining more and more power by the second, but I think we touched base on the most important thing: Annabeth and Percy love. But let me just mention something else that was on my mind after reading this book, Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Thalia says something about certain kids being able to see through the mist. What's that all about? Why can they do that? Are they some form of Half Blood? Probably not, but I need more of an explanation on that. I don't like that whole, "they're just special 'cause they are" stuff. Like Bella in Twilight. Edward can't read her mind,  "oh my Gods (heh), she's such a big deaaaal"... Man, don't even get me started on Twilight.

[starkillereads-blog]

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Sea of Monsters

Book Two of the series of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is being made into a feature film. Well, what am I saying? It already has been. It is currently in post production and is expected to release in theaters during August of 2013. Many actors from the first movie are coming back for the sequel but they also added new actors to their star-studded cast. Such wonderful actors like Stanley Tucci as Dionysus and Nathan Fillion as Hermes.

No movie poster has been released yet but many fans are creating their own spin on the poster. A few pictures of production have been released and it looks like they listened. It appears that Annabeth is a blonde in this movie. Yay! The Sea of Monsters is actually a wonderful second installment in this series.

Camp Half-Blood is under some sort of biological attack and is slowly dying. After Percy and Annabeth find out (through dreams) that Grover is in deep trouble and that he may have the key (the Golden Fleece) to saving the Camp, Clarisse (from the Ares house) is set to embark on a quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. During the summer, Percy befriends a "nerdy" type boy from school but upon his arrival at Camp Half-Blood he finds out that not only is this Tyson fellow not a boy, he's actually a Cyclops, making him Percy's half brother. The three of them (Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson) go out to tag along on Clarisse's quest (with the help of Hermes) so that they can find the Golden Fleece, and save Grover from an incredible monster within the Bermuda Triangle.

Now doesn't that sound like fun? Good, because it really is. If you remember your Greek Mythology, this book will hit close to home yet again. It has even more allusions to Perseus' journey.

[starkillereads-blog]

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Disclaimer: analysis of this adaptation won't be very good or well-written for that matter. I've only seen the movie once, when it came out on DVD. I don't own it, nor do I know anyone who does so comparisons will be based off memory and my memory isn't what it used to be.

What I do remember from the Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightening Thief (movie) were the decision to age the characters a bit and the interesting casting choices. In The Lightening Thief, 12 year old Percy finds out that he is a Demigod (Half Blood), the son of Poseidon, and has to embark on this cross-country quest to ease a forthcoming war amongst The Big Three Gods (Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon). In my opinion, making Percy, Annabeth (Half Blood daughter of Athena), and Grover (Satyr) into teenagers makes their fantastical voyage more believable. I know, you're probably thinking something along the lines of, "Are you kidding me, what's the difference? It's Mythology, it isn't supposed to be believable!" First of all, how dare you yell at me on my own blog. Second, I see your point but giving them age does actually give it a more believable vibe. The difference in ages might not be altogether very significant to some but there's something a little silly about a 12 year old boy, girl, and goat-boy traveling from New York to Los Angeles and fighting the God of War himself, Ares, and actually causing him pain. Maybe it's the "adult" me coming out but if I were a God, I wouldn't feel threatened by a child. I'd have smashed that puny half-mortal to bits. Now add a few years to his life and voila, slightly more threatening (almost) man. I know, I know. It was probably Rick Riordan's (author) whole point to empower children and whatnot but I'm closer in age to a teenager than I am a preteen. It makes me feel less weird about wishing I was a Demigod teen at Camp Half Blood.

As for the casting, I guess I just pictured Percy to be well less...attractive. I did picture him to be 12 though, so with making Percy a teen, I think Logan Lerman accurately represents the older version of the preteen I pictured. As for Annabeth, with taking age out of the equation, I imagined Annabeth so much different. The first difference being her hair color. She's described as a blonde in the book. Alexandra Daddario was a good choice though, even if she was nowhere near what I had imagined, she comes off really tough and strong. Now let me just get to Pierce Brosnon as Chiron. No, I don't agree with that whatsoever. I genuinely pictured Brosnon as Poseidon but just because I don't agree with it, doesn't mean it's a bad choice. Brosnon, however, won't be back as Chiron for the sequel. My two favorite casting choices were Brandon T. Jackson as Grover and Rosario Dawson as Persephone based mostly on the fact that I pictured most of the characters in the book to be of a lighter skin tone. Not because Riordan described them that way, but because of their names. I'm always happy to see more color in film adaptations. Maybe it's the minority in me that just loves when other ethnicities are cast as recurring characters...but I digress.