le book review number seventy-four~ the complete tales & poems of winnie-the-pooh

title: The Complete Tales & Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh
(Decorations by Ernest H. Shepard)
author: A.A. Milne
personal star rating: 5/5 stars

from the back cover:
Since their publication some seventy years ago, A.A. Milne's enchanting tales and playful verses have been treasured and adored by generations of children. When We Were Very Young, Milne's first book of poetry for children, appeared in 1924, followed in 1926 by Winnie-the-Pooh, a collection of stories about a slightly rotund Bear of Very Little Brain. These delightful poems and tales - starring Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Christopher Robin, and the others- were an immediate success and firmly established Milne as a major author of children's books. Another volume of poetry, Now We are Six, was published in 1927. In 1928, a second collection of stories, The House at Pooh Corner, continued the adventures of the Hundred Acre Wood and introduced the lovable, bouncy Tigger.
This special volume brings together all of the Pooh stories and all of the poems in one full-color book. The texts are complete and unabridged and each of the original illustrations has been brilliantly recolored.

review:
To begin, I realize this is a children's book. I also realize my personal star rating might be influenced slightly because I had read some of these stories when I was very young and they were really quite wonderful. I also found it on my sister's bookshelf and knew I had to borrow it. I was looking for something light to read and these are truly pleasing. I think these were worth reading and they were filled with beautiful illustrations. I think that this shows the true beginning of Winnie the Pooh for there are so many adaptations and comercialism that it's refreshing to strip it back to where it all started. When I was reading the book I could hear the narrator and the voices from the characters in the television shows and movies. Which I found comforting in a way of childhood memories. However, I can't help but wonder about the voices A.A. Milne and Christopher Robin they used when reading the stories. I think it would be really fun to read these stories aloud with someone you were close to. To sit with hot chocolate nestled in blankets. If I am to be honest and to review the entire book, I will have to comment on the poems as well. I find that when reading children's poems at my age (17) I think I try and find too much meaning and subtle things in them. I especially found that I was very critical. Also being an avid reader of poetry, I found myself looking for techniques and specific elements and such that I over-analyzed to a point where I didn't take it at face value of fun. Which if I read them again would most likely find them more enjoyable. The tales of Winnie the Pooh in the Hundred Acre Woods were very wonderful and if you skip the poetry, at least read the stories.

le book review number seventy-three~ looking for jj

title: looking for jj
author: anne cassidy
series/standalone: standalone
personal star rating: 3.5/5 stars

from the back cover:
Three children walked away from the cottages on the edge of the town  toward the Berwick Waters. Later that day only two of them came back.

Alice Tully knows exactly what happened that spring day six years ago - though it's still hard for her to believe it's real. The images, the sounds and the aftermath are imprinted on her memory. Now she's trying to lead a normal life - she has a job, friends and a boyfriend whom she adores. She's making a go of things, putting her past behind her at last. But Alice's past is dangerous, and violent  and sad - and it's about to rip her new life apart.

first sentence:
"Everyone was looking for Jennifer Jones."

thoughts on the front cover:
The reason I chose this book was because of the cover. I found the paper people chain was intriguing and the fade of blue and font of the title was so perfect. It is one of the more unique covers i've seen and it definitely was the drawing factor.

review:
Looking for jj has a great premise. I was really excited when i saw this in the library a long time ago. The cover picture stuck with me and the title was similar to one of my favourite books that I really thought I'd love this book. The idea for this book is original and captivating. It is unlike other books I've read but i do see similarities to other books i've heard about and plan on reading eventually. Although the idea was different, the main character did not seem real. I separate Jennifer from Alice, Jennifer being the "before" and Alice being the "after". At first, i really didn't like Alice. As we learn her story i began to understand her but overall, she doesn't show a lot of personality. I could picture Jennifer as a kid with her mom, but "Alice" felt like she never knew who she wanted to be. She wanted to be forgotten in the book, and she will be forgotten for me as well. Jennifer was much more memorable and the flashback story was the real captivation. The other characters were interesting enough, but there seemed a lack of relationship between characters. I think that as the book was told, it could have flowed a bit better. The memories seemed a bit discordant to how the events in "real time" were being exposed. At times they felt thrown in. I did enjoy this book but I don't think i'd care to read it again. I think I took away all that I will from this book. I'd recommend it for a bit of a thrill/ suspense/ excitement but there was a lot of sub-layers that didn't really work. Don't expect too much of this book but it is interesting and has a great premise.

le book review number seventy-two~ the end

title: The End
author: Lemony Snicket
series: a series of unfortunate events #13
personal star rating: 4/5 stars

from the back cover:

Dear Reader,

You are presumably looking at the back of this book, or the end of THE END. The end of THE END is the best place to begin THE END, because if you read THE END from the beginning of the beginning of THE END to the end of the end of THE END, you will arrive at the end of the end of your rope.

This book is the last in A Series of Unfortunate Events, and even if you braved the previous twelve volumes, you probably can't stand such unpleasantries as a fearsome storm, a suspicious beverage, a herd of wild sheep, an enormous bird cage, and a truly haunting secret about the Baudelaire parents.

It has been my solemn occupation to complete the history of the Baudelaire orphans, and at last I am finished. You likely have some other occupation, so if I were you I would drop this book at once, so THE END does not finish you.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

first sentence:
"If you have ever peeled an onion, then you know that the first thin, papery layer reveals another thin, papery layer, and that layer reveals another, and another, and before you know it you have hundreds of layers all over the kitchen table and thousands of tears in your eyes, sorry that you ever started peeling in the first place and wishing that  you had left the onion alone to wither away on the shelf of the pantry while you went on with your life, even if that meant never again enjoying the complicated and overwhelming taste of this strange and bitter vegetable."

review:
The End. Where do I begin with The End? This book was the final book in the series so I was a bit hesitant to dive right in. My reluctance stemmed from my fear of disappointment in this final book. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. Fortunately, not extremely so. I was left slightly confused and I felt like it couldn't really be the end because there were so many unanswered questions. I suppose I felt that the end wasn't exactly finished in a "clean cut" sort of way. I do think the series was worth it overall and I do think that the books were interesting and unique enough for the purpose of enjoyment, but the "denouement" was not as final or complete as I would have really liked. Perhaps I missed something integral along the way, some obscure fact hidden in the earlier books that I would have to read the series again to understand. That will have to be determined at a later point because right now, I'm simply happy I read the series but I'm almost apathetic with the way it ended. It could have been better, it could have been worse.

le book review number number seventy-one~ the penultimate peril

title: the penultimate peril
author: lemony snicket
series: a series of unfortunate events #12
personal star rating: 5/5 stars

from the back cover:
Dear Reader,
If this is the first book you found while searching for a book to read next, then the first thing you should know is that this next to last book is what you should put down first. Sadly, this book presents the next-to-last chronicle of the lives of the Baudelaire orphans, and it is next-to-first in its supply of misery, despair, and unpleasantness.
Probably the next-to-last things you would like to read about are a harpoon gun, a rooftop sunbathing salon, two mysterious initials, three unidentified triplets, a notorious villain, and an unsavory curry.
Next-to-last things are the first thing to be avoided, and so allow me to recommend that you put this next-to-last book down first, and find something else to read next at last, such as the next-to-last book in another chronicle, or a chronicle containing other next-to-last things, so that this next-to-last book does not become the last book you will read.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

first sentence:
"Certain people have said that the world is like a calm pond, and that anytime a person does even the smallest thing, it is as if a stone has dropped into the pond, spreading circles of ripples further and further out, until the entire world has been changed by one tiny action."

review:
This next-to-last book in the series really shows how intertwined and connected the stories from earlier on in the series are coming to one epic finale. I'm super excited to almost be completed these miserable books because i really cannot anticipate what will happen in conclusion. As the series progressed, I'm really most fascinated by the cleverness of certain things and the philosophical feel in simpler terms. I've actually learned new things while reading this series and I'm extremely happy that I decided to finish these books, once and for all. Despite my impatience of finally getting to the last book, I almost want to prolong it so i can keep the journey going. I'm always a bit fearful when finishing a series from when i was quite young since they obviously have meant something to me all these years that i've kept the series in mind. I do know that the past few "book reviews" haven't really been much of reviews, more me saying how much i like these books and just accepting them for what they are and how i am excited to be finishing the series. But twelve books into the series, i'm basically repeating myself. Anyway, if you've made a reading goal, these books will help you get ahead. Aimed at a younger audience, these books are relatively quick to read. So, READ THIS SERIES DURING A SNOWY/RAINY WEEKEND SOMETIME.

le book review number seventy~ the grim grotto

title: the grim grotto
author: lemony snicket
series: a series of unfortunate events (#11)
personal star rating: 5/5 stars

from the back cover:
Dear Reader,
Unless you are a slug, a sea anemone, or mildew, you probably prefer not to be damp. You might also prefer not to read this book, in which the Baudelaire siblings encounter an unpleasant amount of dampness as they descend into the depths of despair, underwater.
In fact, the horrors they encounter are too numerous to list, and you wouldn't want me even to mention the worst of it, which includes mushrooms, a desperate search for something lost, a mechanical monster, a distressing message from a lost friend, and tap dancing.
As a dedicated author who has pledged to keep recording the depressing story of the Baudelaires, I must continue to delve deep into the cavernous depths of the orphans' lives. You, on the other hand, may delve into some happier book in order to keep your eyes and your spirits from being dampened.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket   

first sentence:
"After a great deal of time examining oceans, investigating rainstorms, and staring very hard at several drinking fountains, the scientists of the world developed a theory regarding how water is distributed around our planet, which they have named "the water cycle."

review:
you may wonder why my ratings for this series is so high. I think it's that these books are informative, eventful, captivating and the characters are really interesting. and also perhaps because i started the series a long time ago and they just have this special spot that means a lot to me. I am also really excited to see how this series ends after all this time. I would say more but the basis of the story is the same. It is building towards the end however.

le book review number sixty-nine~ the slippery slope

title: the slippery slope
author: lemony snicket
series: a series of unfortunate events (#10)
personal star rating: 5/5 stars

from the back cover:
Dear Reader,
Like handshakes, house pets, or raw carrots, many things are preferable when not slippery. Unfortunately, in this miserable volume, I am afraid that Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire run into more than their fair share of slipperiness during their harrowing journey up - and down - a range of strange and distressing mountains.
In order to spare you any further repulsion, it would be best not to mention any of the unpleasant details of this story, particularly a secret message, a toboggan, a deceitful trap, a swarm of snow gnats, a scheming villain, a troupe of organized youngsters, a casserole dish, and a surprising survivor of a terrible fire.
Unfortunately, I have dedicated my life to researching and recording the sad tale of the Baudelaire Orphans. There is no reason for you to dedicate yourself to such things, and you might instead dedicate yourself to letting this slippery book slip from your hands into a nearby trash receptacle, or deep pit.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

review:
This book brought a new face, a friendly face. The Baudelaire's make it to V.F.D. headquarters. Or what remains at least. The story continues and I want to see how it ends desperately. One specific thing that I really like about this series is that even though it's geared towards a younger audience, it continues to build and grow in terms of characters and the events and even the book length. I really like this series okay.

my shelf this monday~ (14/1/2013)

Resurrection of a dead feature? Perhaps. Nearing the time I stopped this feature, I felt it was boring for the readers. However, it's a new year and I really would like to read more. Perhaps this little post every week (however insignificant it seems to the blog as a whole), will be a spark to something.

So once again, we begin.

Image found through google on this website.

This week I want to try and finish the series of unfortunate events series:

• The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snicket
• The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket
• The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket
• The End by Lemony Snicket

What are you currently reading/ planning on reading this week?

le book review number sixty-eight~ the carnivorous carnival

title: the carnivorous carnival
author: lemony snicket
series: a series of unfortunate events (#9)
personal star rating: 5/5 stars

from the back cover:
Dear Reader,
The word, "carnivorous," which appears in the title of this book, means "meat-eating," and once you have read such a bloodthirsty word, there is no reason to read any further. This carnivorous volume contains such a distressing story that consuming any of its contents would be far more stomach-turning than even the most imbalanced meal.
To avoid causing discomfort, it would be best if I didn't mention any of the unnerving ingredients of the story, particularly a confusing map, an ambidextrous person, an unruly crowd, a wooden plank, and Chabo the Wolf Baby.
Sadly for me, my time is filled with researching and recording the displeasing and disenchanting lives of the Baudelaire orphans. But your time might be better filled with something more palatable, such as eating your vegetables, or feeding them to someone else.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

first sentence:
"When my workday is over, and I have closed my notebook, hidden my pen, and sawed holes in my rented canoe so that it cannot be found, I often like to spend the evening in conversation with my few surviving friends."

review:
As the Baudelaire orphans fool the "master of disguise", they begin work as freaks at the carnival. Uncovering more and more secrets, the mystery continues. We see how the children are growing, especially Sunny, and I'm just really excited over these books.

le book review number sixty-seven~ the hostile hospital

title: the hostile hospital
author: lemony snicket
series: a series of unfortunate events (#8)
personal star rating: 5/5 stars

from the back cover
Dear Reader,
Before you throw this awful book to the ground and run as far away from it as possible, you should probably know why. This book is the only one which describes every last detail of the Baudelaire children's miserable stay at Heimlich Hospital, which makes it one of the most dreadful books in the world.
There are many pleasant things to read about, but this book contains none of them. Within its pages are such burdensome details as a suspicious shopkeeper, unnecessary surgery, an intercom system, anesthesia  heart-shaped balloons, and some very startling news about a fire. Clearly you do not want to read about such things.
I have sworn to research this story, and to write it down as best as I can, so I should know that this book is something best left on the ground, where you undoubtedly found it.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

first sentence:
"There are two reasons why a writer would end a sentence with the word "stop" written entirely in capital letters STOP."

review:
In this book, Violet, Klaus and Sunny seem to be fending for themselves. Being accused of crimes they didn't commit, they are forced to live in an unfinished ward in a "hostile hospital". Even in these dire circumstances, the three orphans try to solve the mystery of V.F.D. and the fire while avoiding the clutches of Count Olaf. This series has so much going, I can't wait to finish reading it. I would love to say more, but that would keep me from the next book so the brevity of this review should show how I can't stop reading.

le book review number sixty-six~ the vile village

title: the vile village
author: Lemony Snicket
series: a series of unfortunate events (#7)
personal star rating: 5/5 stars

from the back cover:
Dear Reader, 
You have undoubtedly picked up this book by mistake, so please put it down. Nobody in their right mind would read this particular book about the lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire on purpose, because each dismal moment of their stay in the village of V.F.D. has been faithfully and dreadfully recorded in these pages.
I can think of no single reason why anyone would ever want to open a book containing such unpleasant matters as migrating crows, an angry mob, a newspaper headline, the arrest of innocent people, the Deluxe Cell, and some very strange hats.
It is my solemn and sacred occupation to research each detail of the Baudelaire children's lives and write them all down, but you may prefer to do some other solemn and sacred thing, such as reading another book instead.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

first sentence:
"No matter who you are, no matter where you live, and no matter how many people are chasing you, what you don't read is often as important as what you do read."

review:
Once again, the Baudelaire orphans are subject to unfortunate ordeals. This was one of my favourite in the entire series. There was much to it and I enjoyed it immensely. There is not much to say except that this series is superlative and I look forward to finding out how the series ends. I think I'm going to go to the library and get the rest of these books and have a lovely day of reading.