The Handmaid's Tale

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now.

This book is disturbing is many ways. On one hand it was written to be an attack against conservative Christianity. The author clearly did not read the New Testament where women are made equal with men, and where many of the American ideas allowing women equality are founded. However, if we look at this book with Islamic religion as the feared religion I can share the fear of the author. Women reduced to property of the men and only valued for the fertility of their bodies is not unusual to this rapidly growing religion. I think Atwood was being anti-religious period. She obviously had a problem with religion and she feed her disdain for all religious beliefs into this novel. The novel is difficult. It is hard to read not because the writing is difficult, although an editor would be nice, but because of the unethical treatment of women in this book. It is painful to know that unethical conditions do exist for women around the world and there is little to nothing we can do about it. As I read this novel I thought of those women who live in similar societies and have no one to turn to. They may not be handmaids but they are the property of males in their culture just the same. 
Read this book to expose yourself to a classic. Read this book for the ethical awakening, but do not read this book if you are looking for an easy read. This book will tear out your heart and stomp on it. It will leave you with more questions than answers. 

I give the Handmaid's Tale 3 out of 5 stars

Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

An airborne Boeing 747 is headed to London when, without any warning, passengers mysteriously disappear from their seats. Terror and chaos slowly spread not only through the plane but also worldwide as unusual events continue to unfold. For those who have been left behind, the apocalypse has just begun...

How does it all unravel? What do those left behind believe has happened? What will happen to those remaining and how will the world respond? This series begins an attempt at answering many of these questions in a narrative format. The characters are realistic and vivid. The setting is well developed, and the plot is riveting. Not all of the information is 100% Biblical, in fact this book is listed as science fiction as well as christian fiction, but the authors have created a realistic story-line intended to make the reader ask the questions, Am I ready, and Will I be left behind?  

I give 4.5 stars to Left Behind

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness. Even so, Montag is unhappy; there is discord in his marriage. Are books hidden in his house? The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department, armed with a lethal hypodermic, escorted by helicopters, is ready to track down those dissidents who defy society to preserve and read books.

This classic dystpoian novel is based on the terrifying premise that books are illegal because they are the source of unrest both politically and socially. Bradbury is dealing with multiple underlying themes. The fun part of being a teacher is having students read this book and after they understand the literal plot, helping them to uncover metaphorical meanings. Students never cease to amaze me. We are all different and the real life applications of this book are innumerable. READ this book, and determine what warnings Bradbury is presenting to you. Burning books, destroying knowledge, limiting what can be passed on, what stands out to us as we read will differ as we observe this book through the lens of our own personal experiences. I have even known students who were so caught up in firemen starting fires rather than putting them out that entire discussions were held on this premise. When you read this book you are reading a story, but you are also reading a metaphor, one that your own personal experiences will mold and shape. Good luck and enjoy. 

I give Fahrenheit 451 5 out of 5 stars for educational use
I give Fahrenheit 451 5 out of 5 stars 
I give the audio performance 5 out of 5 stars 

Brain Web by Douglas E. Richards

Nick Hall, an unwilling recipient of brain implants, can surf the Web with his thoughts and read minds. And while this makes him one of the most formidable men on earth, he is determined to stay off the grid.
But when terrorists seize control of the Academy Awards and vow to butcher the world's most beloved stars, one by one, in front of an international television audience, Hall is forced to reveal his astonishing capabilities.
Now, power players around the world will stop at nothing to capture him. And as the secretive group working with Hall begins to unravel, he is sure of only two things: he has been betrayed by someone close to him. And the stakes he is playing for could not be any higher . . .

This is the second in the "Nick Hall" series and again I enjoyed the book. You CAN read this book without reading Mind's Eye and pretty much follow the entire story line. The author does an excellent job of filling in details without retelling the first story completely. That being said this book is a suspense thriller. Once you open the cover be prepared to be swept into a world of black ops and evil psychopaths. You will not want to put the book down until the last sentence is complete because the plot is constantly twisting and turning leaving you eager to find out what happens next. I found this book exciting and nerve wracking! I l lost sleep finishing this book, but hey that is what we book dragons tend to do. This is my second book in this genre and so far I am liking this field. Any recommendations of other similar books would be appreciated. Just leave them in the comments. Thanks!

I give Brain Web 5 out of 5 Stars!!

Mind's Eye by Douglas E. Richards

When Nick Hall wakes up in a dumpster--bloodied, without a memory, and hearing voices in his head--he knows things are bad. But they're about to get far worse. Because he's being hunted by a team of relentless assassins. Soon Hall discovers that advanced electronics have been implanted in his brain, and he now has two astonishing abilities. He can surf the web using thoughts alone. And he can read minds. But who inserted the implants? And why? And why is someone so desperate to kill him?

This novel took me away from my normal fantasy and paranormal reads, but I really enjoyed the sci-fi and action adventure story. It was a constant action adventure that kept me guessing and really had me enamored with the characters. The book was suspenseful and had edge of your seat drama throughout the book, with just enough science based fact to keep this biology major interested. (I really hate unrealistic, flowery science lets keep it within the realm of reasonable). There were some pretty cool tech ideas and of course a military chase. As Nick is running for his life he decides to determine what happened to him, who did it to him, and how to get even. Awesome book!! My first in this genre but I will read more. As a matter of fact I read the sequel and it was amazing too. Watch for its review to post soon. 

I give Mind's Eye 5 out of 5 stars!!!

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. What she does not expect is to fall in love with the handsome prince Po.

This book is one of my favorite high fantasy books. Katsa has a lot of self-loathing in the beginning of the novel, but as the book progresses, she begins to find out more about herself and her grace. There is so much more to her and her gift than she originally gave herself credit for. Watching as the heroine grows and blooms into a stronger and more independent woman was an exciting experience. Enter the handsome Prince, the fun romance, and the very well developed magical system and you have the recipe for an enchanting magical experience. 

The world building for Graceling was excellent, Characters were very well developed and complex. If you ever want to enjoy a really excellent audio book this novel is read by several actors, with multiple voices for the various characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book. 

Spoiler Alert :....................My only negative about this book was that personally I wish Katsa had been willing to marry Prince Po. I am very traditional and I like happy marriages. Even if they had to travel and be apart at times, I think the book could have been better if the brave heroine had not been so afraid of the permanence associated with actual marriage. They both determined they wanted a relationship, and that relationship is beautiful, so why not make it legitimate?  Guess I am old fashioned.

4 out of 5 stars for Graceling
5 out of 5 stars for the audio book

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

This book has its benefits in that middle school boys enjoy reading it. I would not recommend it for classroom use. It has a morbid background and can lead to religious debates that can make students and the teacher uncomfortable. As a piece of literature, and as a fantasy reader I enjoyed the book. It was not one of my favorite reads, but it was not distasteful. I would not let my son read this until he is older just because it deals with themes such as murder and of course death. You would not want an elementary student reading this book. I do not believe my daughters would read this book at all, unless forced to read it. My experience with girls is they usually shy away from the morbidity contained within these pages. Please do not think this is a book about evil and ghosts. This book has a well defined plot and the characters are expertly crafted in Neil Gaiman style. However after years in education, and parenting I believe this book is best directed at 7-8th grade boys as a pleasure read.

Educational Content 2 out of 5 stars
I give The Graveyard Book 3 out of 5 stars

The Martian by Andy Weir

I read The Martian after reading Artemis by Andy Weir, so I was not expecting much. Boy was I wrong. This book was so much better than Artemis. I absolutely lost track of everything I was supposed to be doing and read this entire novel in a single afternoon!! I so wanted, no needed to know what was going to happen next. It had me hooked from page 1. If you like science fiction or even just science at all this book is amazing. If you do not care about science, you will still enjoy the survival aspects and human condition aspects of this book. I held my breath so many times as I was reading it, and when I finished it I purchased the audio version, just so I could hear it all over again and wow do yourself a favor and splurge! Get them both! Read the words while listening to this audio. Hear the reader evoke the emotions Mark must be feeling as he is stranded on Mars, wondering if he will ever see another human again. This book was fantastic and the plot was astounding. The main character was realistic and deep. No flat stereotype here. As for the world building, what can I say, life on Mars? I do not like to read critic reviews until after I read the book, but I have to agree with all the positive reviews out there, Weir created a masterpiece with this one.

 5 out of 5 stars for The Martian
5 out of 5 stars for the Audiobook

Artemis by Andy Weir

Ok, I am all over the place with my opinions of this book. I have lots of likes and lots of dislikes within the pages of this book. First the likes. I love the science fiction concept of a city on the moon. I like the way the Weir has built the setting of this book. He has set rules and a society structure. Nothing is thrown together or half-baked. He put a lot of thought into the hierarchy of this society and where the characters would fit into the book. The characters themselves were a bit of a problem for me. Some were well written, some were two dimensional, and some were thrown in, it seemed, just because they were a bridge to get from one point in the plot to the next. It was painfully obvious the female character was written by a male author. Things no female would think or say about herself were commented on or by the protagonist. Also, the flow of the plot was sketchy. sometimes you think you understand exactly what the goal of the novel is, and then everything does a 180. What is the main conflict in this story? I could list several conflicts. Really would a 26 year old woman make this many bad decisions in a row? Again, I like the world and some of the characters, I was even taken in by some aspects of the plot, but for me this was not Weir's best work. I hope he sticks with male protagonists in the future. I did purchase the audio format of this novel as well and the reader does an excellent job of making the story more interesting. The sound added dimension to this story. If you are interested in this book, I advise the audio version.

I give Artemis 2.5 out of 5 stars
I give the audio presentation 5 out of 5 stars

Book 3 in the Red Rising Trilogy is another breath-taker. This author is cruel and a genius. I have a rule about reading books that make me cry, but I get so absorbed in this book, I feel everything along with Darrow, His excitement, fear, losses, disappointments, and hopes all hit me hard. Did I mention Pierce Brown is a genius? No, this was not an emotional, mushy book; however the action and the honest openness of the protagonist  make it impossible not to get emotionally involved. Like all the books in this series this book has awesome world building and the characters are crafted  so realistically that you feel like you actually know them. I have people in my life I can associate with each one. They are in no way stereotypical, but complex and deep  and ever evolving, the way real real life people are. Hands down this is one of the absolute best books I have ever read. The book ended well tied up and could have easily ended the series, but imagine my surprise when Iron Gold was announced.  Have not read it yet, but i have already purchased it. I did purchase the audio version of Morning Star and like its predecessors it is amazing.

I give 5 out of 5 stars for Morning Star
I give 5 out of 5 stars for the audio rendition of Morning Star. 

Golden Son by Pierce Brown, Book #2 in Red Rising Series

Like Red Rising, Golden Son is an epic Science Fiction Novel. Darrow has grown in this book, but again he still has much to learn. I like the effort the author makes in this book to fill in additional details about lesser characters. I also enjoyed the banter between Darrow and his "crew". Stakes are rising and the dynamics are playing out. The complexity of the plot really begins to shine in this second installment as we see Darrow meeting with more intellectual and physical conflicts than ever before. As with many sequels this book moved a bit slower than the first, but was in no way a disappointment. Again the audio-book was awesomely rendered. Same reader as the initial novel, so if you liked the first book in audio, go ahead and spring for this one too.

I give Golden Son 4 out of 5 Stars

I give the Audio 5 out of 5 stars 

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Move over Star Trek and Star Wars fans, The Red Rising series may be the next big thing in Science Fiction. I read this book when it first released, and reread it each time a sequel was released. I love the dynamics and creativity held within the pages of this book. It is amazing to watch the lowly red "climb so high" and watch the protagonist evolve. Characters in this book are well developed. They have so many issues, political, family, physical, and emotional to contend with and it is all handled cohesively and seamlessly. I found myself weeping with Darrow, cheering for him, and even angry with him at times. I always get caught up in the moment when I am reading but this book, and series, sucked me in and I did not want to be released. I loved the audio version of this book. The reader's intonations perfectly mirrored the emotional state of the characters making the performance one of the best I have ever enjoyed.

I give Red Rising 5++ out of 5 stars
I give the audio 5++ out of 5 stars as well

Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

Let me begin by addressing the element of racism everyone is talking about in this book. Was there prejudice between the different races? Yes! Was this the only conflict in this book? No! Race alone, or should I say skin color did not cause these groups to hate each other, It was their cultural differences, their belief structures that made them enemies. For that reason Ms. Roth has again created a stunning literary world  with skill and grace. We did not hear this outcry when the obvious prejudice was so obviously evident in Divergent. Factions isolating themselves because of differing beliefs and talents did not bother anyone, so what reason do we have for allowing this to hurt our feelings? Literary content in this book was grade A. The author did not just build a world, she created a universe! The characters had depth and yes conflict was a part of their depth, but already we are seeing these characters evolve. Too bad we are often too petty to grow ourselves. I detest racism, but this book does not embody that deplorable state of mind. If anything it does hi-light the injustices judging people by their births alone can cause. 

I purchased this book in hard copy and audio format. I highly recommend the audio. It was beautifully read. 

I give the book 4 out of 5 stars. 

I give the audio performance a 5 out of 5 stars

ARC Review of The Immortal Gene by Jonas Saul

Awesome, edge of your seat suspense.  Also, very original science fiction.  This book was outside my normal comfort zone.  The author deals with controversial topics and repercussions.  At first, the point of view changes were disorienting, but as the book progressed, I liked the insight provided by the alternating first person POV.  A satisfying ending, but still left questions unanswered.  I cannot wait until the next book.

I gave this book 5 out of 5 Stars!