Coraline

by Neil GaimanI haven't seen the movie on purpose, because I wanted to read the book first. Its a really quick read, I think it took me about 3 hours to finish it front to back.

I would recommend this book to mothers, and mature children. As in children who are older than 9 years old. I think children younger than 9 might get nightmares from this book. There isn't anything specifically graphic or violent in it, but its the idea of what is presented that I can see young children taking and letting their imagination run wild with in a really not-good way. That being said, I enjoyed it! I probably won't ever buy this book, but I will recommend my own kids read it when they're old enough to understand it.

Gaiman has written a dark fairytale that centers on a little girl named Coraline. She and her parents move into a new flat, which is essentially an old house subdivided into 4 apartments. 1 apartment is empty, and Coraline discovers a key that opens a door connecting her unit to the vacant one. Surprisingly, the other quirky tenants of the house warn her about danger, and she has some dreams that provide warning or insight to the situation as well. When Coraline's parents go missing it is up to her to not only find them and bring them back to the real world safely, but to rescue other children who have gone missing many years before.

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

Oh. My. Heck. I just finished devouring this book and I'm starving for more. Thankfully, it's part of a trilogy and the second book comes out in a few days. I'm pre-ordering it on Amazon.

Here's the blurb on the book cover:

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

"Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before - and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love."

The book was incredible. It's intense. The characters are so well-developed. Each page begs to be turned. There's adventure, romance, suspense, and societal commentary. It seeps with questions about integrity, freedom, ethics... I recommend this book wholeheartedly.

Tuck Everlasting

by Natalie Babbitt.Tuck Everlasting is a really sweet story. It is. Its a delight to read. If you're typically a fast reader you could probably read it in 2-3 hours. Just short and simple.

I enjoyed it until I got to the end. My issue is that is just ends! The story is flowing along, and then wham! The last chapter takes place a lifetime after the previous one, without any explanation or insight. I was left wondering about everything that had happened in the interim, and why certain characters chose the way they did. The closest thing I can compare it to is a creative writing assignment for a college course---you have an idea, you flesh it out, things are coursing along and suddenly you realize you've almost hit your page limit so you hurriedly wrap things up. That is what the ending reminded me of. I was in a bad mood for 3 days because of it.

I need to learn not to let books bother me so much.

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Winnie Foster meets a family one day who claim to be immortal. She has to decide whether to protect their secret, and whether she would like to join their status or keep her own mortality.