Challenge Update

Happy Halloween!

Alright, it's been quite a while since I've updated you on where I am overall in my book challenge and since I reached my 100th post (yay!) I thought appropriate to do so. I've finished the letters "F", "P", and "X". I've also finished my first word "Elephant"!

Here is what I have for my remaining words:

Angels and Demons

R

M

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Doctor Sleep

I Am Legend

L

L

Once Upon a Prince

Superman on the Couch

  

Boy in the Suitcase (The)

Under the Dome

Confessions of a Mask

K

S

C

O

Book of Lost Things (The)

R

A

S

  

Defending Jacob

Insurgent

N

Graveyard Book (The)

O

S

Ender’s Game

Light Between Oceans (The)

Exhale

Persepolis (The Complete)

Happiness Project (The)

Angel in a Fur Coat

Narrative of Fredrick Douglass

Two Towers (The)

Self-inflicted Wounds: Heartwarming Tales of Epic Humiliation

Funniest Cop Stories Ever

E

N

N

E

Chemist (The)

Fellowship of the Ring (The)

O

X-It

Gone Girl

O

R

Inhale

L

L

Along for the Ride

S

Hobbit (The)

E

Divergent

G

E

Handmaid’s Tale (The)

O

G

S

If I Stay

G

U

A

N

A

S

Just Breathe

And the Mountains Echoed

Child of the Dark: The Diary of Carolina de Jesus

K

Allegiant

L

S

K

Angel Sister

N

G

Among Schoolchildren

R

O

O

S

L

I

O

N

S

M

O

N

K

E

Y

S

N

About a Boy

R

Warriors Don’t Cry

H

A

L

S

O

C

T

O

Palestine

U

Speaker for the Dead

Perks of Being a Wallflower

E

A

C

O

C

K

S

Q

U

A

I

L

S

R

A

V

E

N

S

S

N

A

K

E

S

T

U

R

K

E

Y

S

U

R

C

H

I

N

S

V

U

L

T

U

R

E

S 

Where She Went

H

A

L

E

S

Xenocide

E

N

O

Princess Ever After

S 

Y

A

K

S 

Z

E

B

R

Aunt Jane’s Hero

S

There's quite a few words I haven't started but quite a few I'm almost done with. I shall carry on and keep you posted! I plan on posting a challenge update at the end of every month.

Happy reading!

Mackenzie

My Name is Rapunzel

Hello!

My next review is on My Name is Rapunzel by K.C. Hilton - this was another book club book.

My tale has been told again and again, and I’ve heard each one. Except for my hair, I barely recognize the pitiful renditions. Muddled versions, crafted to entertain laughing children…but the children wouldn’t have laughed if they’d known the real story. It wasn't their fault. They didn't know the truth. Nobody did. My name is Rapunzel. I will tell you my story. I will tell you the truth

I'm still waiting to use the one "M" in my challenge for a special book, so this one won't count for a letter.

Alright, this is the "true" story of Rapunzel. She's heard all the other stories and those are just versions that are fluffed up to make the public want to read them... well it worked. This one was a little more twisted than Tangled but not as twisted as the Grimm's version. But there really wasn't anything special or different about this version except it takes place in present day, which doesn't really matter because she's kind of shut off from society in a castle. Let's start at the very beginning.  The prologue is a scene in the future meant to capture the reader. Okay, got it. But the scene is supposed to be repeated later in the book and the reader is supposed to be given more detail. Hmm... that was missed. It was glossed over and Hilton basically just said, "This happened somewhere between here and here. And it happened." Then Rapunzel mentions random fairy tales, saying she met this character and these ones but only in passing. Why do the fairy tales have to exist all together, why can't it just be Rapunzel's story. A huge chunk of the story is missing. A HUGE chunk! There's also a lot of switching going on. About halfway through the book she switches to letter format, where we get a little more information about the missing pieces of her life from when she moved into the castle until present day. Also, twice they switch to Henry's point of view. It adds nothing to the story because you find out the exact same information in the next chapter and it just makes it confusing. The ending felt rushed and it was a little convoluted with it's weird love triangle and what not. I don't know.... I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

Elephants

Hey there!

I finished my first animal! ELEPHANTS! My favorite!

Here are the links to the book reviews that make up ELEPHANTS:

Ender’s Game

Light Between Oceans (The)

Exhale

Persepolis (TheComplete)

Happiness Project (The)

Angel in a Fur Coat

Narrative of Fredrick Douglass

Two Towers (The)

Self-inflicted Wounds: Heartwarming Tales of Epic Humiliation

Since there are nine letters in ELEPHANTS I will post nine pictures and facts.

1. 

Elephants are social creatures.They hug wrapping their trunks together in displays of greeting and affection.

2.

 

A baby elephant often sucks on their trunk for comfort.

3.
 

The elephant trunk, a specialized nose, is analogous to an octopus tentacle in terms of dexterity.

4.
 

Elephants are some of the most intelligent animals on Earth. Their brains weigh 5kg, much more than the brain of any other land animal. Their brains have more complex folds than all animals except whales, which is thought to be a major factor in their intellect. They commonly show grief, humor, compassion, cooperation, self-awareness, tool-use, playfulness, and excellent learning abilities.

5.
 

When baby elephants are upset they throw themselves face first in the mud.

6.


Baby elephant Zhuangzhuang cried inconsolably for 5 hours after his mother rejected him and tried to stomp him to death after giving birth to him on Aug. 30th. Zoo keepers at the wild life animal reserve in China first thought it was an accident. They treated the little calf’s injuries and reunited him with his mother, only to see her try and stamp on him again. So they had to separate the two permanently. Tears streamed down his trunk for 5 hours.

7.


Like children, elephants must be disciplined by the members of their collectivity to turn into responsible members of the elephant society. But male elephants that were orphans turned into adult delinquents in a reserve in South Africa, as they had never been kept under control by mature elephants. 

8.


The trunk contains an estimated 100,000 muscles and tendons in the trunk, giving it extreme flexibility and strength.

9.
 

Elephants are afraid of bees.

Sources of facts:
http://listverse.com/2012/03/05/top-10-facts-about-elephants/
http://factsquest.blogspot.com/2013/01/elephant.html

The Light Between Oceans

Hey there!

This is a very exciting post! You'll find out why if you keep reading...

Next up I read The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman. It happened to line up with one of my Goodreads book clubs.

After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel.  Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby. Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a “gift from God,” and against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.

So here comes the exciting part...

Ender’s Game

Light Between Oceans (The)

Exhale

Persepolis (The Complete)

Happiness Project (The)

Angel in a Fur Coat

Narrative of Fredrick Douglass

Two Towers (The)

Self-inflicted Wounds: Heartwarming Tales of Epic Humiliation

I finished my first animal!!! So on Friday expect a post all about elephants!

This book starts in the middle of the story in the prologue and then moves into the past. It soon catches up to the scene that was in the prologue. The main point of this scene is to catch the reader's attention and it did (at least for me). It could be a little confusing though because it jumps around in time, but I think Stedman made it clear enough that the reader would understand, unless they weren't paying attention. This book taught me a lot about lighthouses, which was a little bit boring...not going to lie. There were little details in the book that weren't followed up on and weren't brought up again but should have been. Also, the little girl in the book didn't match her age. She usually acted way beyond her age and being on an island with only your mom and dad, you're not going to develop skills that quickly. I liked how this book was broken down into more than just chapters. It was broken down into nice easy quick sections. The story was great and the characters were well developed. You could feel the emotions pouring off the characters. I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars.

Happy reading!

Mackenzie

This Post is Brought to You by the Letter P

Hello there!

As promised here is your letter "P" post.

Here are all the "P" books and the links to their reviews:

Perks of Being a Wallflower
Palestine
Persepolis (The Complete)
Princess Ever After

Follow this next link for a list of random and unusual "P" words.

Unusual "P" Words

Finally, the moment you've all been waiting for:

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

Princess Ever After

Hey there!

This post is brought to you by the letter "P" because I actually finished the letter "P". Now for something kind of different. I read Princess Ever After by Rachel Hauck which is the sequel to Once Upon a Prince. 

Regina Beswick never dreamed of faraway places. She’s happy with her life as a classic car mechanic and owner of a restoration shop. But an unexpected visitor and the discovery of a fairytale, drawn by her great-grandma, causes Regina to wonder if she might be destined for something more. Tanner Burkhardt, Minister of Culture for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg, must convince the strong-willed Southerner, Miss Beswick, that she is his country’s long-lost princess. Failure could destroy his reputation and change his nation forever. As Regina and Tanner face the challenges before them, neither are prepared for love to invade their hearts and change every thing they believe about themselves. However, when a royal opponent nearly destroys Regina’s future, she must lean into God and trust He has sovereignly brought her to her true and final destiny

Xenocide

E

N

O

Princess Ever After

S 

Expect a video of the letter "P" sometime this week!

If you missed the review for Once Upon a Prince check out the link below:

Once Upon a Prince Review

I had originally thought that this book would be completely separate from Once Upon a Prince and there would be no connection between the two...I was wrong. They had a connection but it wasn't a total continuation from the first book, but it isn't necessary to read the first book to understand this one. This book reminded me of a mix of Princess Diaries and Sound of Music. Like the first book, it was very, very predictable. At points the book was very religious, which to some people could be a turn off. The characters were cute and just as likeable as the characters from the first book. The ending felt very rushed. Like the first book the story was somewhat far-fetched but that's what these fairy tale romances are. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars because it was a cute book.

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

Protagonists

Hey there!

So Monday's review was on Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire. As the title states it is narrated by an ugly stepsister. My question for you this week is:

What is the importance of reading children stories where the protagonist isn't perfect and pretty or handsome?

Let me know what you think!

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

Hey everyone!

The next book on my list is Confession of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire.

We have all heard the story of Cinderella, the beautiful child cast out to slave among the ashes. But what of her stepsisters, the homely pair exiled into ignominy by the fame of their lovely sibling? What fate befell those untouched by beauty ... and what curses accompanied Cinderella's looks? Set against the backdrop of seventeenth-century Holland, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister tells the story of Iris, an unlikely heroine who finds herself swept from the lowly streets of Haarlem to a strange world of wealth, artifice, and ambition. Iris's path quickly becomes intertwined with that of Clara, the mysterious and unnaturally beautiful girl destined to become her sister. While Clara retreats to the cinders of the family hearth, Iris seeks out the shadowy secrets of her new household -- and the treacherous truth of her former life.

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

O

Book of Lost Things (The)

R

A

S

I love the concepts of Gregory Maguire's books. I've read the Wicked Years series ( I highly recommend) by Maguire as well. This book is a take on Cinderella, it's the "other perspective this is how it really happened" story. Let's start at the very beginning. The beginning was so confusing, specifically the prologue. Maguire has a tendency of using very "fluffy" language. I find myself having to use a dictionary to read the book. That kind of adds to the confusion. Maguire is very blunt in his books and very harsh to some of his characters. I love this! We don't need beautiful, perfect protagonist all the time. This book isn't 100% Cinderella either. It has hints of Cinderella, so you're not getting the same jaded story you've heard time and time before. Or its alternative version that you've also heard so many versions of. Like I mentioned earlier I love the concepts that Gregory Maguire creates, but he doesn't always execute it properly. This story was executed somewhat poorly but I still really enjoyed the story. I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars.

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

Superheros

Hello everybody!

This weeks review was about Superman on the Couch,  which was suggested by a friend of mine. Along with the book he suggested a question of the week as well. I am going to give you his question for this week.

Do superheros provide an image of friendly fascism?

Please leave your comments below. Or email them to me. Don't forget to subscribe to get updates on when I post. =================================================================>

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

P.S. If there is a book you want me to read please also comment with that.