Earlier last month, I mentioned one goal of mine this year was to read more. I took the Goodreads challenge and am planning to read 24 books this year.
The books that were on my list for January were The Hungry Games and The Corner of Bitter and Sweet.
I am happy to report that I did complete The Hungry Games but did not finish The Corner of Bitter and Sweet. I could not even renew my rental because it had a hold on it for another reader. Le Sigh....so, for now, it's back on the "to-read" list. However, it was replaced with Honolulu. Which, I am still finishing off.
The Hunger Games Triology by Suzanne Collins
(Description below from MomAdvice)
This story follows an unlikely heroine, named Katniss, who lives in District 12 with her mother and sister. It is not an easy life as Katniss is responsible for the hunting for her family just to make sure their family has food on the table, especially since the death of her father.
Even tougher for the family though is the annual reaping day where the government chooses two children from each district to compete in a battle to the death, leaving only one winner of their annual Hunger Games. When Katniss’ sister’s name is drawn, Katniss does the only thing she can think of…she volunteers to take her sister’s place to save her life. Paired with the baker’s son, Peeta, whom she has known since she was a child, she is thrown immediately into the ring to begin a battle to the death.
The battle is televised for everyone in the district and it is the stories of those in battle that the audience can find endearing or come to hate. Should they love who is competing, they can gather the proceeds in their district to offer their team’s district team gifts to help sustain them in battle. The coaches for the District 12 team realize that one way that they can make the audience members truly love Peeta & Katniss is by creating a love story between them. It is this story that they must continue to act out throughout the battle as alliances are made, broken, and lives are lost.
Lucky for Katniss, she is strong with a bow and arrow and it is her strength that will help carry her through the battle. The series is written for young adults and young girls will definitely find a lot of love for Katniss as a strong female who can measure up to the men in battle.
I really, really, really enjoyed this book!! I thought it was a rather slow start and a bit confusing at first but by the time I reached about page 30 or so it captured me and I did not want to put it down. Very rivitting and a big page turner!! I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of the second in the trilogy as I currently have it on hold at the library and it's not in yet (after three weeks of waiting! eep!) This book is a definate must read.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
(Description below from MomAdvice)
The book is an endearing story about Henry Lee, a Chinese American living in Seattle, who has just lost his wife to cancer. After he hears that the belongings of Japanese immigrants were found in the basement of the Panama Hotel, the book begins a journey through his life currently and flashing back to his childhood where an unlikely friendship began with a Japanese girl named Keiko that has carried with him through his adulthood.
Henry Lee’s father desires for him to have the “American dream,” and he receives a scholarship to attend an all-white private school where he can get the education he needs to succeed in America. The other students taunt him mercilessly and his only reprieve from the taunting is when he is serving food in the cafeteria. While serving the food, he finds the only other student of minority, a beautiful girl named Keiko, and they develop a fast friendship. Unfortunately, Henry’s father wants nothing to do with the Japanese and his growing love for Keiko has to be kept a secret.
When Keiko is shuffled over to a camp, to protect the Japanese from the anti-Japanese sentiments during WWII, Henry knows that he must find a way to go to her and to be with her. Through the help of the lady on staff in the cafeteria, he scores a position working on Saturdays where he can see and be with Keiko. Their friendship and love grow through their letters and Saturdays together and Henry is forced to choose between his family or the girl that he loves.
As I said, I did not get to finish this book yet but I really enjoyed it thus far and have the other half to finish. I certainly would recommend this one as a must-read also.
Honolulu by Alan Brennert
(Description below from MomAdvice)
This book chronicles the life of Regret, whose name speaks volumes about how her father felt about having a daughter, in 20th century Korea. Regret has a strong desire to read and learn and through some unlikely assistance from her aunt, she makes friends with a prostitute who offers to give Regret lessons in reading. As Regret learns, she begs her family to allow her to go to school, but her father has no desire to have a learned daughter. When he discovers Regret knows how to read, he raises a hand to her and Regret knows that she cannot stay in their home any longer.
When she hears that prosperous Korean men that have moved to Hawaii are looking for mail-order brides, she decides that this will be the best way to get away from her traditional family. She submits her picture and is accepted as a bride, she looks forward to beginning a new chapter in Hawaii.
Prosperous does not begin to describe the men that meet these mail order brides though. Many are much older and much poorer than the pictures led these brides to believe and Regret finds herself with a field worker who has very little and expects no less than a traditional bride.
The reader gets to go on the journey with Regret as she is in a loveless marriage, as she struggles to make ends meet, as she makes friends with unlikely people, as she finds true love, and as she finds that her best friends and allies just happened to be her fellow mail order brides. This is a beautiful tale filled with the politics and history of 20th century Korea, including well-documented research surrounding court battles and politics that were happening during this era.
I am really enjoying reading this story thus far. I'm only into three chapters and am already captivated by the story plot. I cannot wait to continue and finish reading this beautiful story.
Althought I did not meet my two book challenge this month I feel that a book and a half is still a great read for someone getting back into reading. I can't wait to dig my nose into all these books and see where they take me.
If you have a book you're passionate about or just really like and think i'd love to read it, I am always up for recommendations. I also take some of my recommendations from fellow readers over on Goodreads.com. If you are not a member of that site yet and love to read, I highly suggest you register. It's free to join and a valuable resource for any reader. If you like, friend me. I'm under sunshinekathie. Hope to see you over there. I would love to see what is on your list of read, to-read or want to read.
What has been in your book stack this month?
The books that were on my list for January were The Hungry Games and The Corner of Bitter and Sweet.
I am happy to report that I did complete The Hungry Games but did not finish The Corner of Bitter and Sweet. I could not even renew my rental because it had a hold on it for another reader. Le Sigh....so, for now, it's back on the "to-read" list. However, it was replaced with Honolulu. Which, I am still finishing off.
The Hunger Games Triology by Suzanne Collins
(Description below from MomAdvice)
This story follows an unlikely heroine, named Katniss, who lives in District 12 with her mother and sister. It is not an easy life as Katniss is responsible for the hunting for her family just to make sure their family has food on the table, especially since the death of her father.
Even tougher for the family though is the annual reaping day where the government chooses two children from each district to compete in a battle to the death, leaving only one winner of their annual Hunger Games. When Katniss’ sister’s name is drawn, Katniss does the only thing she can think of…she volunteers to take her sister’s place to save her life. Paired with the baker’s son, Peeta, whom she has known since she was a child, she is thrown immediately into the ring to begin a battle to the death.
The battle is televised for everyone in the district and it is the stories of those in battle that the audience can find endearing or come to hate. Should they love who is competing, they can gather the proceeds in their district to offer their team’s district team gifts to help sustain them in battle. The coaches for the District 12 team realize that one way that they can make the audience members truly love Peeta & Katniss is by creating a love story between them. It is this story that they must continue to act out throughout the battle as alliances are made, broken, and lives are lost.
Lucky for Katniss, she is strong with a bow and arrow and it is her strength that will help carry her through the battle. The series is written for young adults and young girls will definitely find a lot of love for Katniss as a strong female who can measure up to the men in battle.
I really, really, really enjoyed this book!! I thought it was a rather slow start and a bit confusing at first but by the time I reached about page 30 or so it captured me and I did not want to put it down. Very rivitting and a big page turner!! I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of the second in the trilogy as I currently have it on hold at the library and it's not in yet (after three weeks of waiting! eep!) This book is a definate must read.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
(Description below from MomAdvice)
The book is an endearing story about Henry Lee, a Chinese American living in Seattle, who has just lost his wife to cancer. After he hears that the belongings of Japanese immigrants were found in the basement of the Panama Hotel, the book begins a journey through his life currently and flashing back to his childhood where an unlikely friendship began with a Japanese girl named Keiko that has carried with him through his adulthood.
Henry Lee’s father desires for him to have the “American dream,” and he receives a scholarship to attend an all-white private school where he can get the education he needs to succeed in America. The other students taunt him mercilessly and his only reprieve from the taunting is when he is serving food in the cafeteria. While serving the food, he finds the only other student of minority, a beautiful girl named Keiko, and they develop a fast friendship. Unfortunately, Henry’s father wants nothing to do with the Japanese and his growing love for Keiko has to be kept a secret.
When Keiko is shuffled over to a camp, to protect the Japanese from the anti-Japanese sentiments during WWII, Henry knows that he must find a way to go to her and to be with her. Through the help of the lady on staff in the cafeteria, he scores a position working on Saturdays where he can see and be with Keiko. Their friendship and love grow through their letters and Saturdays together and Henry is forced to choose between his family or the girl that he loves.
As I said, I did not get to finish this book yet but I really enjoyed it thus far and have the other half to finish. I certainly would recommend this one as a must-read also.
Honolulu by Alan Brennert
(Description below from MomAdvice)
This book chronicles the life of Regret, whose name speaks volumes about how her father felt about having a daughter, in 20th century Korea. Regret has a strong desire to read and learn and through some unlikely assistance from her aunt, she makes friends with a prostitute who offers to give Regret lessons in reading. As Regret learns, she begs her family to allow her to go to school, but her father has no desire to have a learned daughter. When he discovers Regret knows how to read, he raises a hand to her and Regret knows that she cannot stay in their home any longer.
When she hears that prosperous Korean men that have moved to Hawaii are looking for mail-order brides, she decides that this will be the best way to get away from her traditional family. She submits her picture and is accepted as a bride, she looks forward to beginning a new chapter in Hawaii.
Prosperous does not begin to describe the men that meet these mail order brides though. Many are much older and much poorer than the pictures led these brides to believe and Regret finds herself with a field worker who has very little and expects no less than a traditional bride.
The reader gets to go on the journey with Regret as she is in a loveless marriage, as she struggles to make ends meet, as she makes friends with unlikely people, as she finds true love, and as she finds that her best friends and allies just happened to be her fellow mail order brides. This is a beautiful tale filled with the politics and history of 20th century Korea, including well-documented research surrounding court battles and politics that were happening during this era.
I am really enjoying reading this story thus far. I'm only into three chapters and am already captivated by the story plot. I cannot wait to continue and finish reading this beautiful story.
Althought I did not meet my two book challenge this month I feel that a book and a half is still a great read for someone getting back into reading. I can't wait to dig my nose into all these books and see where they take me.
If you have a book you're passionate about or just really like and think i'd love to read it, I am always up for recommendations. I also take some of my recommendations from fellow readers over on Goodreads.com. If you are not a member of that site yet and love to read, I highly suggest you register. It's free to join and a valuable resource for any reader. If you like, friend me. I'm under sunshinekathie. Hope to see you over there. I would love to see what is on your list of read, to-read or want to read.
What has been in your book stack this month?
My son is reading The Hunger Games in gr. 8 for Language arts. He loves it. I may have to get a copy and read it too! (he has just informed me he wants the rest of the trilogy☺)
I will check out your other reads too! one of my Challenges is to read a Classic book each month (Alices Adventures in Wonderland -- DONE... now onto the Portrait Of Dorian Gray☺)
I love reading, I even have a book club page on my bloggie. I want to read Hunger Games!
I hope to read the Hunger Games soon! It's on my list of books to read!
Oh, i like your reading goals, Jodi. that's agreat idea!
Ashley - you do?! i have to visit your bloggy again today and see....
Girls, you MUST read Hungry Games!! SOoo good AND I JUST picked up the 2nd in the triology at lunch! They library called this AM and said it was in..after three weeks of waiting..WAHOO!!!!!