Beyond Books (#1): Reading More Than Once?

Beyond books will be a random posting on my blog about anything beyond reviewing a book. I'll post a question and answer it. And this week its about reading a book more than once.

*Photo by Celeste
I rarely do this. Why? Because once I've read a book, especially if it is one that I love, I tend to remember 80-85% of what had happened. When I was a kid, it was a different story. There wasn't many books out there to choose from, so I just read the books over an over again.

But as I've gotten older, I do not do this with books, unless its for school. The only way I've come to the potential of doing this is with Harry Potter. Reasons being I haven't read The Sorcerers Stone in about 11-12 years. I vaguely remember the story, plus I haven't read the last two in the series.

I think its cool though for others that do re-read a book. More power to you. It's just for myself, my memory is pretty outstanding for reading something for enjoyment.

Then there is the flip side to all this. Waiting. If the book is in a series and I've read the first or the second, I can't wait and re-read. I've got to go dive into another world or get distracted with something else. So it kind of sets me up like a kid on christmas, waiting for that special book to come in the mail.

But then there is the other good part about all this: I can save my money. That's right... I get to be a little frugal, which helps with this economy at the moment.

So in the end, not re-reading a book has its benefits, but also it's cons. Maybe when I'm much older, I'll have to re-read some books haha, till then my memory is awesome :)

So what about you readers, do you re-read the books you love? Or do you have the same perdicament as myself? Let me know what you do by commenting below!

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Sneak Peak: 'The Indigo Spell'

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Penguin Teen Sampler: Comic Con Edition!

If you haven't been to Comic Con San Diego, just like myself, than it's something everyone needs to do. I'm hoping to attend next summer (kind of broke *boo!*). Even though it's pasted the event, here is a sneak peak into a Penguin Teen Sampler! Enjoy readers!

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Book Review: 'Across the Universe'

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming. - Goodreads

Title: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: January 11th 2011
Finished Reading: May 29th 2012
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 416
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Sci-Fi
Sub-Genre(s): Mystery
Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Where to Buy: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

Across the Universe, is a fascinating sci-fi journey that explores the haunting question: what would mankind become if isolated on a spaceship?

Amy is the only original survivor from Earth (aka: Sol-Earth) aboard Godspeed. Along with Elder and the secrets surrounding random reanimated cryogenic murders, what is the real truth that keeps the voyage going and everyone acting like the movie characters from "Pleasentville".

First off I like to say that I love the cover of the book! Duelside = awesome! I adore the architectural design of Godspeed and fascinated by the amount of time and energy that went into making the blueprint. That alone made me want to read the novel even more.

The opening chapter. It is intensely detailed and not for the faint of heart. From the preparation, to the vulnerability from Amy and her parents, it is a scary scenario, yet leaves the reader dying to know how it turns out for those aboard the ship.

The parts of the book that really shocked me was what they call "the season". The gripping moment when amy is fighting for her survival against another young man on the ship. It left me distrurbed for awhile and it was a little to real, because most women/young girls know their attacker.

But what made it really fearful was the way everyone but those in the hospital were behaving. The drone like thinking to the pattenrs of behavior it reminded me of such horror classics as, "Children of the Corn" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", those horrowing empty eyes say it all with the people on the ship.

As for the characters, I really enjoyed the unraveling of Amy and Elder. It was odd, yet intriguing at the same time. Sort of like she was the yin to his yang as they say. For every new age moment that was placed in the book, really made for conversation with Amy and Elder. She was always confused and a little freaked out by how much had changed in 300 or more years since she was frozen.

Beyond the book, I'm a big fan of sci-fi stories and this one is surely amazing. I can see why the hype of the novel existed.

Overall, this spine-tingling adventure in a futuristic environment is a read not to be missed.

(FYI: It had the vibe of the movie "Alien" written all over the beginning chapter of the book.)

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Tune in Tuesday (#15)

A weekly meme by Ginger of GReads! In the meme I'll talk about music and showcase it here each week. And this week, I'm going to talk about... Summerland Tour 2012!

Now if you haven't been i the loop of the music world, than you missed some big news about 5 bands from the 90's (Everclear, Sugar Ray, Gin Blossoms, Lit, & Marcy Playground) all went on tour this summer, across the United States, and played to sold out venues all thei hit songs and more. I was fortune enough to attened with my best friend, her mother, and my boyfriend on July 20th up at Bethel Woods.

Underneath are some photos from the concert.

And below are five songs, all from the five bands, I believe everyone will recognize each one of them. Enjoy readers!

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Book Review: 'Juliet Immortal'

Fans of Maggie Stiefvater's "Shiver" and Becca Fitzpatrick's "Hush" will relish this intense paranormal love story featuring Romeo and Juliet, literary history's most tragic couple, who meet again, not as true lovers, but truly as enemies.

The most tragic love story in history . . .

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

"These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume."--Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare - Goodreads

Title: Juliet Immortal
Author: Stacey Jay
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: August 9th 2011
Finished Reading: May 20th 2012
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 307
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Sub-Genre(s): Romance
Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Where to Buy: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

Juliet Immortal, is a new take on a classic piece of literature there has ever been known for over 500 years. The forbiden love, the sacrifice, the death, everyone and their grandparents knows this tale. But this novel, it begs the question: what really happened to the two love birds?

Something Stacy Jay decidely answers for her readers...

Decite, lies, heartbreak, and immortality... the ingredients that make up the backbone of the story with its main characters, Juliet Capulet and Romeo Montegue. 700 years and the two hate each other; well Juliet has a loathsome anger towards Romeo, but who can blame her. She is still made about the way she died, for how Romeo betrayed her, and the twisted way he took their suppose "love story" to Shakespeare and changed the outcome of it's original ending. Changing the beloved tale and painting it to be this heart stopping tragedy of love, is one piece of the puzzle in Juliet's anger towards Romeo.

I adore the very jouney of this tale. The backstory alone is rivetimng and left me mezmerized by the details. It even had me believing a 'what if' scenario for the actual story that we all know and love.

Now for the chacracters...

Juliet Capulet, everyone knows her; everyone loves her. Yet does anyone truly know this protagonist? That's what the story does, makes the reader really question the original story. I do have to say though that I enjoyed how it played out for Juliet. It was a little insane at first, the way it flooded in the emotions of Romeo with Juliet, but it worked. It had me hooked on her side of the story.

Now as for Romeo Montague, a real antagonist for the story. You just wanted to dispise this fellow and his ways. But then as I read further, I started to realize Romeo's motives and his side of the story every so often. It really made me understand the level of anger and such from this young man.

Then we have Ariel Dragland, who is a timid girl. 75% of her life, she has lived feeling like a freak show due to her face having scar tissue from being burned as a little girl. Then one day everything changes Juliet's soul takes over Ariel's body and finds a way to mend fences with Ariel's friends and family. She also helps Ariel learn to stand up for herself and fall in love too.

Beyond the characters, the details of the landscape and the atmosphere that Stacey Jay had written was superb! I loved every ounce of it and made it feel more real. I could picture the old world of Italy and the delicacies of it's time.

But besides all the historial aspects of the story and the love struck teens, it's truly a great piece of literature that really puts a new spin on the classic tale. I recomment this book to anyone that wishes to read about the timeless piece but in a modern way that is sure to make the reader wonder, "Hmmm, did this happen? Could it happen? I wonder..."

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Almost Home Readers!

So as I type this, I'm using my father's computer. I still don't have 100% access to blogging, but I've at least set up a handful of posts to be published within the next 4-5 days. So keep an eye out.

On a lighter note...

My summer has been a little eventful. From reading really good books to making changes in my personal life. I can safetly say that things are looking up and going full speed ahead.

Hopefully I'll be back in September and blogging as much as humanly possible along side getting a college education.

So till then, stay cool, drink lots of fluids, wear sunblock, and happy reading everyone!

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