Non-Fiction 5 Challenge Wrap Up

Phew! I made it just in time and finished my last book for the Non-Fiction 5 challenge yesterday… I’m so glad I took part in this challenge but really hope that I’d be able to read more from the non-fiction genre in the future.

Anyway for this challenge, I managed to read the following books:
 

1. Early American Advertising: A Fabulous Compilation of Advertisements, Honest and Otherwise Large and Small from 1799 to 1924 by Bob Perlongo (May 21)
2. A Child Called ‘It’ by Dave Pelzer (May 25)
3. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace... One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson (June 8)
4. Quotations by David Ogilvy (Sept 15)
5. Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite by Paul Arden (Sept 29)

Thanks to Trish from Trish's Reading Nook for hosting the challenge. I look forward to participating again next year! In the meantime, Happy Reading everybody!

Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite

Author: Paul Arden
Genre: Non-Fiction

Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite is written by the author of It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be, Paul Arden. I’ve actually read Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite a few years back and loved it and thought that I should re-read it again for my non-fiction 5 challenge.

The whole premise of this book is based on how sometimes making a bad decision and taking risks can be so much better than going through a safer route. The lessons are not new but the presentation used to put across the key messages in this book is unique.

Paul Arden who was a former executive director at Saatchi & Saatchi puts his creative skills to good use by including great visual elements in the book to bring his message across. His use of strong visual elements makes it visually appealing and the use of short and concise text makes this book an easy and read.

Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite is a book that I personally keep just to read whenever I need a quick pick me up. It offers inspirational quotes and also insightful stories of individuals who have succeeded by making mistakes in their life.

Note: This book counts as the fifth book read for the Non- Fiction Five Challenge.

What are you Reading on Mondays? - 28 September

Gasp! I have ONLY two days more to meet the deadline for my Non- Fiction 5 Challenge, so I'm picking up a non-fiction book that I hope I can read, review and wrap up in time within the next two days.

So, this week I am reading:

Last week I managed to read Fahrenheit 451 and truly it is an excellent book which I would recommend everyone to read. If you'd like to read my review, please click here.

“What are you reading on Mondays?” is a weekly event held by J.Kaye’s Book Blog.

L.J. Smith Reading Challenge

I’ve decided to join in My Friend Amy’s L.J. Smith Reading Challenge. Amy says that The Vampire Diaries “Changed.My. Life.”. So if it’s changed her life I thought I should maybe give it a try.

Plus, the US started showing the Vampire Diaries TV series a couple of weeks back and there’s been a lot of buzz amongst my book blogger friends on twitterverse about this series. Its probably gonna take a few months before they start showing it in Malaysia but I’m gonna take the time to read the books first before the program arrives.

A quick note to Malaysian TV Broadcasters: Please Mr Broadcaster, bring Vampire Diaries to Malaysia faster! I wanna be able to discuss the series with my friends too… :(

I've actually got the first Vampire Diaries on my TBR pile for sometime now so thanks Amy for hosting the challenge. Hopefully it will make me read the book instead of leaving it on the shelf for far too long.

The challenge begins on September 1 2009 and ends on August 31^st 2010 and following are the books in the series:

The Awakening
The Struggle
The Fury
Dark Reunion
And the ongoing story in
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: The Nightfall

If you’d like to join in the challenge, please visit My Friend Amy’s blog here and if you'd like to find out a bit more about the book, you can visit the official book site here.

Fahrenheit 451

Author: Ray Bradbury
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy

Guy Montag is a fireman but instead of being tasked to kill fires, he starts them with the purpose of destroying books. Fahrenheit 451 is set in an unspecified time and place in the future where books are banned and firemen are the ones responsible to seek and destroy them. In this society strong censorship has taken affect and it is accepted that knowledge is bad.

I didn't exceptionally enjoy reading the book as it does tend to drag at some points but I also think that it is a classic which must be read. Fahrenheit 451 is an excellent book and I loved the message that it presented. The effects of strong censorship and the lost of interest to read and think was something worth pondering upon.

I sympathized with the main character as realization hits him on the state of society that he lives in. Montag who is not the best of heroes often makes rash decisions (which can be frustrating), sometimes easily swayed and often confused. But these are the elements that made the character seemed real and more human to me as a reader. I was also quite intrigued with Captain Beatty’s character who appears to have much hatred towards books but is able to quote the best lines from known literature.

So the verdict: Fahrenheit 451 is an absolutely must read despite some parts which I thought can drag a bit. So, if you haven't read it yet, read it.

Other than Fahrenheit 451 being a ‘must read’, the history of how Ray Bradbury developed Fahrenheit 451 itself is interesting which is explained as a short afterword at the end of the book. I’ve also stumbled upon some sites that mentioned Fahrenheit 451 was once a banned book but after further research I’m still not able to find out when and where it was exactly banned. If you have this information, please do share it with me as I’m curious as to why it was banned.

Friday Finds, September 25

I generally stay away from books with post-apocalyptic themes. I’ve read The Road but didn’t really like it much but after reading The Forest of Hands & Teeth (must read!) earlier this month, it suddenly created an interest to read other books with the same theme. To read my review of The Forest of Hands & Teeth please click here.

This week, I found another post apocalyptic themed book titled Ariel by Steven R. Boyett from the Book Smugglers blog (I love their blog it’s just so cool). They are also running a contest to win two copies of the book ending on the 26^th of September. The contest is open only in the US and Canada which sadly means I can’t enter the contest… which also means I’m off to the bookstore to get myself a copy this weekend! :)

To enter the contest, please visit the Book Smugglers.

Friday Finds is a weekly event hosted by Should Be Reading.

The Three Shadows

Author: Cyril Pedrosa
Genre: Graphic Novel

The Three Shadows is a graphic novel that tells the story of a family that lives an idyllic and peaceful life until it is disrupted by the appearance of three mysterious figures. The three shadowy figures can’t be approached and lurk around ominously near their home.

Lise, who is worried about the sudden appearance of the three shadows consulted a witch who informed her that the shadows are after their son, Joachim. Upon hearing this Louis runs away with Joachim, literally crossing the ocean to keep his son as far away from the three shadows as possible.

I am very new to graphic novels and stumbled upon The Three Shadows while browsing at the store. I read all 200+ pages in one sitting. It is truly a beautiful story complemented by the black and white artwork which created a dark tone and suspenseful effect to the overall storyline.

The Three Shadows was inspired by the author Cyril Pedrosa’s experience of watching his close friends’ child die at a very young age. Through this experience, Pedrosa manages to bring across the message of how far a parent would go to protect their child. The effect: A heartbreaking and touching tale that is definitely a recommended read.

The Forest of Hands & Teeth

The Forest of Hands & Teeth is a young adult post apocalyptic romance novel surrounding a girl name Mary who lives her life in a village cut off from the world. The village is protected by a fence that keeps the occupants safe from the Forest of Hands & Teeth, where the Unconsecrated dwells. Believing that there is more to life than what is offered in the village Mary has a strong urge to go beyond and explore the world.

What I liked about the book?

The Forest of Hands & Teeth is one of the best post-apocalyptic books that I have ever read. Carrie Ryan’s style of writing transported me to Mary’s world. It was an intense read which manages to bring the character to life. I was literally living her fear, anguish and despair. The Forest of Hands & Teeth also provided an adrenalin rush as the villagers and those who survive try to escape and save themselves from the attacks of the Unconsecrated.

What I didn’t like about the book?

I felt that there were a lot of loose ends in the book that was not resolved so it had an anti-climatic ending. However, I found out from Wikipedia that it is part of a trilogy. Maybe Ryan left many unanswered questions in the first book to tie up the loose ends in the future books to come and I eagerly await the release of the second book to find out how it turns out for Mary as well as closure to some of the loose ends.
 
Verdict: Whilst The Forest of Hands & Teeth left much for me to ponder, it is to me one of the best books I’ve read in 2009. Despite the loose ends, Ryans writing was excellent and successfully brought me into Mary’s world.

If you’d like to read The Forest of Hands & Teeth, here’s a quick preview of the book from YouTube:

Dead as a Doornail

Small town cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is back as the unwilling heroine of the supernatural world in Dead as a Doornail. In the fifth instalment, a sniper is on the loose and attacking the local shape shifting community. Unfortunately, they suspect Jason is the mysterious shooter and Sookie is back to sleuthing to try and save him.

In Dead to the World, there was an introduction of the werewolf/shape shifting community which lead to a more detailed understanding of their social and political culture in Dead as a Doornail.

What did I think of this book?

Well, the werewolf community is a bit more complex and less interesting (for me) though Harris’s style of writing is still easy to read and the mystery surrounding the sniper was not so...mysterious. I unfortunately didn’t enjoy Dead as a Doornail as much as the rest of the other books I’ve read.

In Dead to the World, I thought that the list of suitors who were after Sookie was a tad annoying and unfortunately in Dead as a Doornail it was just too O.T.T.

Verdict: Hmmm… not my favourite in the series. The romance and the mystery was not as exciting and I kinda lost interest. I’m really hoping that Definitely Dead would be a better read.

I’m taking a short break from reading Sookie to catch up with the HBO series as well as my other unattended books in my TBR pile. I think I’m doing okay so far with the Sookie Stackhouse challenge; 5 down 2 more to go!

Note: Book 5 completed for the Sookie Stackhouse challenge. If you’d like to participate, please visit Beth Fish Reads’ blog.

What are you reading on Mondays? - 21 September

This week we are celebrating Hari Raya or more known as Eid is other parts of the world. I actually picked up this book last week on Friday but have been so busy with the celebrations that I haven’t been able to read much.

So, what am I reading on Mondays?

I am currently reading We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver.

What are you reading on Mondays? is a weekly book event held by J.Kaye's Book Blog.

Dead to the World

It’s New Years in Bon Temps and Sookie is trying to keep herself busy at work. Not only is she broke from her last adventure but she’s also trying to keep her mind off her cheating ex-boyfriend Vampire Bill.

On her way back home from work, she almost ran over a half naked man on the street only to find out its Eric who seems to have suffered from amnesia. Apparently, Eric has been cursed by a witch who wants to take over his life and has to take refuge with Sookie whilst they try to solve the problem.

There are two separate storylines in Dead to the World:

1. Eric’s memory loss which is connected to other supernatural elements leading to a huge battle with the witches and…
2. Jason who seems to have gone missing or as Sookie suspects, may have been kidnapped.

What I liked about this book?
Well, there were more supernatural elements that were introduced in the book with more insights on the werewolf community as well as the witches. The war that raged amongst the vampires and the witches was a serious problem in the supernatural world and leads to a (normally unlikely) collaborative effort between the vamps and weres to win the battle. Introducing the new supernatural element kept the book interesting.

In terms of romance, Bill is gone and Eric takes lead in this book. I actually like Eric’s character better while he suffers from amnesia; he’s kinder, gentler and oh so sweet. The chemistry added some pizzazz to the romance but Eric is just not Bill. (Can you tell I'm pro Bill?)

What I didn’t like about this book?

Harris seems to have a style of featuring too many plots in one book which can be a bit convoluted but it was still an easy read. I also felt that there were too many possible suitors for Sookie featured in the book with the introduction of Calvin Norris a shapeshifter from a nearby town. Personally, the male attention for Sookie was getting a tad too much for me.

Verdict: I still prefer Dead until Dark and Living Dead in Dallas. Comparatively, Dead to the World to me is a better read than Club Dead because it introduced further understanding of Harris’s supernatural world which kept it exciting.

Note: Book 4 completed for the Sookie Stackhouse challenge. If you'd like to participate, please visit Beth Fish Reads' blog.

Club Dead

Club Dead is the third installation of the Sookie Stackhouse southern vampire series. I’ve read the first two books and absolutely loved Dead until Dark and Living Dead in Dallas. I love Sookie’s character, I think she’s fun and resourceful and her supernatural adventures make a great weekend read.

In Club Dead, Bill is kidnapped and Sookie seeks out to find him with the help of Alcide Herveaux who happens to be a werewolf. Like the two previous books, Club Dead is an easy and fun read though I found the plot to be a bit more intricate than the previous books. The introduction of new supernatural elements with insights to the world of werewolves and shape shifter adds a bit more excitement and engagement to the reading.

Bill doesn’t appear much in the book and he wasn’t acting like the best boyfriend in the world, so obviously he’s not so hot in Sookie’s books this time around. Eric’s character comes out stronger and I’m kinda starting to like him a bit more compared to the first two books. Alcide is a nice guy who also seems to have fallen for Sookie whilst in their quest to save Bill; so there was some interesting connection happening between the two of them. The list of possible suitors that seem to have fallen for Sookie can be a tad annoying but nevertheless, Club Dead was definitely a fun read.

Definitely an enjoyable read though the first two books are still my favourite.

Note: Book 3 completed for the Sookie Stackhouse challenge. If you’d like to participate, please visit Beth Fish Reads’ blog.

Friday Finds, 18 September

It’s been a while since I participated in Friday Finds. It’s been a good week this week; the clients behaved, the bosses were away, work load was acceptable and the long holiday for Eid celebrations is just one day away. Yippeeee! So, I’m taking the opportunity to take part in Friday Finds.

This week on Twitter, I noticed Nely and Julie reading The Hunger Games, a YA Science Fiction novel by Suzanne Collins. Sounds like an interesting read cause Nely seems to be losing sleep trying to finish the book! LOL.

For more information on The Hunger Games click here.

Friday Finds is hosted by Should Be Reading.

BBAW: Setting Goals

Today's BBAW asks us to: Write in 50 words or less…what do you like best about your blog right now and where would you like your blog to be a year from now?

What I love…

I get to make new friends & exchange ideas with people regardless of religion, race & nationality.

One year from now…
I’d like to feature more posts on city living. KL has a lot to offer & I’d like to highlight that to the world!

BBAW: Thanks for introducing me to the book!

BBAW Activity for today: Today we encourage you to blog about a book you read only because you discovered it on another book blog. Preferably, this will be a book you loved! You might also write a bit about the blog you discovered it on!

Sometime earlier this year, I read Book Nook Club’s review of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The minute I read the review, I knew it’ll be a fun book to read. True enough, I enjoyed reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies tremendously. My review of the book is here.

So thank you Book Nook Club for recommending Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It truly was one of the best books I’ve read this year.

BBAW: My TBR Pile

Ok. My camera is broken and my blackberry is going bonkers so I’m not able to post up the latest picture for my TBR pile (I’ve been trying to load the latest pix for the last two hours to no avail. Am almost pulling my hair out here!) . Anyway, I have a picture from about 2 months ago for my TBR shelf.

I keep all my books in my study/reading room. I have a separate shelf for all the books I’ve read and the shelf below houses my TBR books though not all are unread. Maybe about 20% of the books on the shelf I’ve read through already. Obviously in the past two months I’ve piled on more books but won’t be able to share the latest picture until I figure out why I can’t upload pictures. :)

BBAW: Book Meme

Okay. I know I’m a day late for all the activities so I hope the powers that be at BBAW are forgiving. :) 

The Book Blogger Appreciation Week continues with a fabulous reading meme. Here are my answers to the questions:

Do you snack while you read?

No.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

I don’t write notes but I do use highlighters to indicate quotes that I love so that its easier to refer to once I’m done reading.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?

Gawd….No to dog-ears! Bookmarks puhleeeez!

Fiction, non-fiction or both?

Both

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of the chapters, or are you able to put the book down at any time?

Depends on the book.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up straight away?

Nope. Read first, check later.

What are you currently reading?

We need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver.

What is the last book you bought?

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?

One book at a time.

Do you have a favourite time of day and/or place to read?

Anytime, preferably in bed or my favourite sofa at home.

Do you prefer series books or standalone books?

Both are ok as long as they are good.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?

Neil Gaiman, Stephenie Meyers and Dale Carnegie.

How do you organize your books?

With great difficulty :).

BBAW: Interview Swap with Bookworming in the 21st Century

For the Book Blogger Appreciation Week, I’ve been given the privilege to interview Kristen from Bookworming in the 21^st Century. Kristen’s blog reviews mostly young adult fiction so if you have a thing for YA, then head on over to her site. She’s already on my Google Reader!

I also found out through the interview that both Kristen and I are getting married on the same date! How cool is that! LOL...

Kristen, thanks for taking the first step to initiate the interview. It was truly a pleasure to 'meet' you. I’m so glad we managed to do the interview swap despite the fact that we did it last minute! :) … Plus, good luck on your wedding preparations.

What’s your name?
Kristen

Do you use an alias?
Bookgoil

What’s your blog name?
Bookworming in the 21^st Century

Your blog URL?
http://www.bookworminginthe21stcentury.com/ 

Can you give a quick bio about yourself?
I’m a 24 year old elementary school librarian. I just started that job this year and I really love it. I love reading and especially reading Young Adult books. I’ve worked in a public library and a college library before as well- can you tell I like being surrounded by books? I’m getting married on October 24^th this year to the man I love. He also likes to read- but mainly adult sci-fi and fantasy. (I’m trying to convince him to do some guest reviews on my blog right now.) No pets, but we want a dog eventually.

What’s on your nightstand right now?
Right now, Willow by Julia Hoban and Anastasia’s Secret by Susanne Dunlap are sitting on my nightstand.

When did you start your blog?
I started my blog on June 9^th of this year. So I’ve only been blogging about 3 months now.

What is your favourite genre and/or genres?
I love Young Adult books and really tend to read fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal, and historical fiction.

Who is your favourite author?
I have a ton.. but Francesca Lia Block really can’t be beat. I’ve read every single one of her books.

What’s your favourite book of all time?

That’s a tough one. Probably Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens- the ultimate action-adventure book.

What book do you wish you could read all over again for the first time?

The Hunger Games- it was such a stunning read.

Have you ever “Faked It”? As in pretending to have read a book but not? For school possibly?

Definitely.. for school mostly. I never got through Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and I gave up on Into the Wild.

Name & describe your blog features:

Well, I review books first off. I participate in a ton of memes, a few of which I created. What are you reading Mondays, Teaser Tuesdays, Waiting on Wednesday, Link a Contest Thursday (created myself!), Friday Finds, and Saturday and Sunday Spotlights (created by myself as well..).

My Link a Contest Thursday are a great way to find out about contests as well as letting other bloggers give their contest some promotion. It’s also easy to manage because I use Mr. Linky.

I started Saturday and Sunday Spotlights because I LOVE finding new blogs. Especially less known ones. So, I figured I’d start with Saturday Spotlights and then it exploded into a ton of interedted bloggers and I made it a weekend special- Saturday AND Sunday Spotlights.

Describe your review system:

I actually need to revise my review system a bit. I have a 5 rose system, but I rarely get down to 3. Right now, it’s basically running like this:
5 Roses: Loved or enjoyed the book, highly recommended.
4 Roses: Some flaws, but good read.
3 Roses: I didn’t like it, but someone else might.
2 Roses: Not sure how I got through that book- *cough*Skimming*cough*
1 Rose: Gave up. Completely.

How is your blog unique from other blogs?
I am an update-a-holic. I love posting and I love getting the word out there about other things going on in the blogging community- such as contests, cool sites, and more. I try to read and review promptly and I’m always trying to “fix-up” my blog. I like to show my enthusiasm on my blog and hope that shows through on my posts. I’m probably the calmest person around, so I don’t get worked up about much and there’s rarely anything negative written on my blog.

How do you market your blog?
Well, I run a lot of contests and I sue twitter a TON. I also love being interviewed, note yet another interview… I finally created a button that people can use. But, I really think my main marketing strategy is friendliness. I try to get chatting with other bloggers, authors, etc. and so far it seems to have worked. (Note the crazy amount of followers I have…still don’t know where they all came from *swears blogger is broken*)

Can you give us 3 tips about content?

1. Be honest when reviewing, but make sure you add something good in there as well.
2. Proofread- I know, I hate doing it too – but typos are painful to read and will make people less likely to follow you.
3. Make sure you’re saying something meaningful- not just “it was good”.
   

Can you give us 3 tips about blog promotion?

1. If you can, run a contest. It can be for homemade bookmarks or something small if you can’t afford books or types of giveaways.
2. Put yourself out there- find some blog lists like the YA Blogosphere and get yourself listed so people can find your blog.
3. Comment, comment, comment. I know whenever I see a new name, I have to check out who it is. So keep commenting and you’ll find some new blogging friends following you.

Quotations of David Ogilvy

Anyone who is in marketing or advertising would have heard of David Ogilvy. When I first started as a junior ‘suit’ in an international advertising agency about maybe ten years or so ago, a lot of the senior staff recommended us to read books by Ogilvy.

Though long gone, he is still known as the guru in the advertising industry and Ogilvy’s ideals are still relevant in today’s world. He has written books like Ogilvy on Advertising and Confessions of an Advertising Man.

I happened to stumble upon a book on my colleague’s desk called Quotations of David Ogilvy. The book featured quotes by Ogilvy himself compiled from the many notes and books that he has written. This book is not available in the market and is apparently provided as a starter kit for those who have just been employed by Ogilvy & Mather. (I’m wondering why I never got a copy when I was in Ogilvy…)

I of course loaned the book from my colleague to read some of the quotes. The book covers all aspects of advertising from creatives to account management to branding and even other quotes related to leadership and excellence.

The book was easy to read and the quotes pretty insightful and I feel still relevant in today’s working world not just advertising. Here are some of my favourite quotes from the book:

On leadership:

“Do not summon people to your office- it frightens them. Instead go to see them in their offices. This makes you visible throughout the agency. A chairman who never wanders about his agency becomes a hermit, out of touch with his staff’- Principles of Management

On work:

“I believe in the Scottish proverb: “Hard work never killed a man.” Men die of boredom, psychological conflict and disease. They do not die of hard work.”- Principles of Management

On efficiency:

“In the best establishments, promises are often kept, whatever it may cost in agony and overtime” – Confessions of an Advertising Man

By the way, many thanks to Creative Ramblings for loaning me the book.

Note: This book counts as the fourth book read for the Non-Fiction Five Challenge.

Living Dead in Dallas

I have to agree with Chick Loves Lit, after reading the first book Dead until Dark I was completely obsessed and was impatient to read the next one, Living Dead in Dallas. The second instalment finds Sookie in Dallas helping the undead to look for a missing vampire. Her adventures however did not end there as there were two mysteries entwined in the book and she finds herself solving another mystery when she arrives back in Bon Temps.

I absolutely love Living Dead in Dallas. It was a good read, even better than the first book Dead until Dark. I find the two separate mysteries and the relationship between Sookie and the vampire community very entertaining to read. Harris’s introduction of the supernatural is very unique and the pace and suspense surrounding Sookie was addictive and exciting.

Coming soon: my review on Club Dead. (I read all 5 books in a row within two weeks that’s how obsessed I am with Sookie’s adventures!)

Note: Book 2 completed for the Sookie Stackhouse challenge. If you'd like to participate, please visit Beth Fish Reads blog.

BBAW: Thank you book bloggers!

It’s been a while since I participated in activities related to blogging since I’ve been so busy trying to balance the wedding preparations and the crazy hours at work. But this week, I am going to dedicate time for BBAW to pay tribute to other book review bloggers who have inspired me to read more than the norm and have taught me so many new things.

Coincidentally, September marks my one year blogiversary… yes it’s been a year! So I think it’s timely to mention a few of the blogs that I love to read since I started:

J. Kaye’s Book Blog: One of the first book review blogs that I stumbled upon is of course J.Kaye’s Book Blog and I found reading her blog to be inspiring. How anyone can read as many books as she does within a week is beyond me which I just find completely amazing.

All About {n}: Nely is one of the first book review bloggers I made friends with when I first started blogging. Her reading selection is almost similar to mine and we’ve exchanged views and thoughts on books we’ve read. Unfortunately, since I haven’t been active with my blog, I haven’t been able to catch up much with not just Nely but also updates from the rest of the book blogging community. I hope to be more active once the wedding frenzy is over in October.

Hello, My Name is Alice and Betty’s Books: The only other Malaysian book review bloggers that I constantly keep in contact with. Alice provides great book reviews and has an eye for photography. As for Betty, we both share a love for music and she reads all sorts of books and has inspired me to read books that I don’t normally read… yes! I blame you for all my new book purchases! LOL!

Beth Fish Reads: I blame Beth for getting me hooked on Sookie!... :) plus I just love the variety of books that she reads and reviews on her blog.

I have so many more blogs that I follow through Google Reader and I wish I could mention them all. Thanks to the book review bloggers community, I now read books other than those that are featured on the best sellers list which would normally be my selection criteria (I use to play it safe and never read anything else other than general fiction... I was so boring!) Anyways, I look forward to reading more from other book reviewers in the future to expand my reading experience and I’m glad to be part of such a diverse community of readers. Peace!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Rodrick Rules

I stumbled upon the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid sometime back at the bookstore and it was so hilarious it left me in stitches. The second book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Rodrick Rules is equally a good read.

This book mostly features sibling rivalry between Greg and Rodrick, always clashing over little things like house chores etc.

Greg’s frustration with his brother was funny to read but yet it felt realistic. Though there was sibling rivalry there was also a show of brotherly love amongst the three siblings which was quite sweet in a way.

I enjoyed Greg’s antics of playing pranks on friends but the main event that I could relate to was the cover up of Rodrick’s house party while the parents were away.

I love Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It takes me back to when I was about Greg and Rodrick’s age. Though I never played pranks on friends and never had a house party without my parents knowledge (…IT’S THE TRUTH MUM!) I completely related to their experiences.

I love this book and already have the third book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid the Last Straw in my TBR pile.