Classics: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Widely considered The Great American Novel, and often remembered for its epic film version, Gone with the Wind explores the depth of human passions with an intesnsity as bold as its setting in the red hills of Georgia. A superb piece of storytelling, it vividly depicts the drama of the Civil War and Reconstruction

This is the tale of Scarlett O'Hara, the spoiled, manipulative daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, who arrives at young womanhood just in time to see the Civil War forever change her way of life. A sweeping story of tangled passion and courage, in the pages of Gone With the Wind, Margaret Mitchell brings to life the unforgettable characters that have captured readers for over seventy years.

Buy this book here: Gone With the Wind  

Title: Gone With the Wind
Author: Margaret Mitchell
Pages: 1024
Publisher: Warner Books

I'm going to come right out and say this. This is my favorite book of all time, and I will likely go to my grave absolutely in love with the characters, the atmosphere, and the feelings that reading this book first gave me. It is an adventure that every single person should have the opportunity to go on!

Scarlett O'Hara is spunky, sassy, and opinionated. Yet despite her faults and seemingly difficult attitude, she is courageous, smart, and hard working. She enters into young adulthood, right as the Civil War breaks out in the South. As an entire civilization and way of life is destroyed, Scarlett O'Hara must learn to live in a totally different world than the one she grew up in.

This is the first book I've ever read that made me sad that the South didn't win the Civil War. Mitchell weaves a magnificent story of heartache, love, struggles, and war. It is a great book to read, and although the page count can be disheartening to some, the overall story is so worth it! Don't get intimidated!

As far as classics go, this one is one of the best. It is a fairly easy read as the story moves quickly! Please go out and buy this book. It should be a staple in every household! I give this book 5 arrows, so get it quickly!

 

Throwback Thursday: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

How can a fairy's blessing be such a curse?

At her birth, Ella of Frell was given a foolish fairy's gift - the "gift" of obedience. Ella must obey an order given to her, whether it's hopping on one foot for a day or chopping off her own head!

But strong-willed Ella does not tamely accept her fate. She goes on a quest, encountering ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, fairy godmothers, and handsome princes, determined to break the curse - and live happily ever after.

Buy this book here:Ella Enchanted  

Title: Ella Enchanted

Author: Gail Carson Levine

Pages: 240

Publisher: HarperCollins 

This was another one of my favorites from childhood, although I guess that makes sense since I probably won't post many Throwback Thursdays about books I hated. I also think as a kid, its easier to love everything you read. I read so much, and there are very few books I can remember disliking from those days.

Ella Enchanted is a fun book about a girl who must do anything that anyone asks of her. This gets her in some very sticky situations, especially when the evil bad-guy uses this to hurt the people Ella loves most! Its similar to Cinderella in the fact that she has two obnoxious step-sisters and a step-mom who is quite the piece of work.

It is a funny, quick read, and is recommend for kids age 8 - 12. And once your kids have read the book, you can sit down with them and watch the movie with Anne Hathaway! Both are fun and energetic!! They are sure to be hits all around!

Book Review: The Algorithm by Jason Ford

James Heart is a fresh talented programmer who has taken his first job with a multibillion dollar tech company in the middle of silicon valley. He is paid well, drives an expensive car, and is loved by a beautiful fiancé. All is going well in James life, until his morale conscience is used against him. James is catapulted into a complex web of plots that will ultimately threaten his life and the well being of millions of others.

Get this book here: The Algorithm

Title: The Algorithm

Author: Jason Ford

Pages: 202

Publisher: Self-published

This is the first book I have ever read on my iBook app for iPad. I thought I wasn't going to like reading on my iPad, but it was actually really nice. A lot of times I'll lay in bed at night playing some sort of a game, and when I got bored it was super convenient to just switch over to a book. 

The Algorithm is an extremely fast paced book. Once you start, it is pretty easy to get sucked in. The pages go by quickly, and before you know it the book is over! I thought this was a great feat for a first time writer. The first page was intriguing, and I found myself sucked in. 

The story revolves around James, a college graduate who has landed his first job at what he thinks to be a software company. James is extremely good at seeing patterns where normal people would not, and because of this he advances quickly through the company. He sees binary code in the alignment of train cars and codes in the way tail lights flash on the freeway.  These codes end up helping him in his job and allow him to advance. It was intriguing elements like these that made me keep reading the book. 

In the end, it turns out that James is not working for the company he thought he was. The company he is really working for is much more powerful and unescapable than he could ever imagine. 

I did have a few problems with the book. There are a fair amount of grammatical and spelling errors, which at times can detract from the story. At least they can for me, because I tend to be kind of OCD about that. But, all considering, that is a fairly easy fix and it didn't take away from the storyline or character development at all.

The ending was also problematic for me. I felt like everything came crashing down quickly (I hope this makes sense, since I don't want to give away the plot or anything, especially the ending!). The entire story was a build up to the end, and then once the climax hit there were only a few pages until the story was over. Also, the ending was a bit confusing for me. It got pretty high-tech sounding, and was a little big difficult for me to follow. 

Overall I would give this book a 3 arrow rating. It was quick to read and intriguing, but I found the ending difficult to follow and out of place. 

Book Review: Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson

Kate Worthington knows her heart and she knows she will never marry. Her plan is to travel to India instead if only to find peace for her restless spirit and to escape the family she abhors. But Kate s meddlesome mother has other plans. She makes a bargain with Kate: India, yes, but only after Kate has secured and rejected three marriage proposals.

Kate journeys to the stately manor of Blackmoore determined to fulfill her end of the bargain sooner rather than later and enlists the help of her dearest childhood friend, Henry Delafield. But when it comes to matters of love, bargains are meaningless and plans are changeable. There on the wild lands of Blackmoore, Kate must face the truth that has kept her heart captive. Will the proposal she is determined to reject actually be the one thing that will set her heart free?

Buy this book here: Blackmoore

Title: Blackmoore

Author: Julianne Donaldson

Pages: 320

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

I just finished reading this book, although by the time I actually post this review it might have been a few days ago or longer. Reading this book right after The Winter Sea, I'm realizing I'm totally on a Historical Fiction kick, and I'm loving them! I totally into the olden-day love story, so this book fit in perfectly with my mood!

I really enjoyed reading Blackmoore. It was a fun, light, enjoyable read that kept me entertained. It was a super quick read that only took me a day or two to get through. I had read Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson, but the books are in no way related or necessary to read in a certain order. 

I was shockingly surprised while reading this book when Kate actually ended up in India, although that was only a very small portion of the book. I feel like so many times these types of books end with love curing all. And, obviously (it is a romance novel) this book definitely did end that way, it was pretty nice to see a strong female character who went on a major adventure first. I do wish that Donaldson had maybe written more on that part of the story, but I totally understand that as a romance novel it wasn't important to the genre or story being told.

Overall I thought this was a fun, simple, romance novel. There is nothing risque about the story at all, and so would be appropriate for just about any age. Here are a few sweet quotes from Blackmoore.

“You are not The Giver of My Heart’s Desire.” I took a deep breath and smiled. “You are my heart’s desire.”

“You are brave and loyal and true. You have such a good heart." He held my hand close to his chest and covered it with his other hand. "It is only afraid. But I would take such good care of it, love, if you would give it to me.”

Overall I would give this book a 4 arrow rating. Sweet, simple, quick to read, and fun; everything that a good historical fiction ought to be!

Book Review: The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

History has all but forgotten...In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown.

Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel. Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors and starts to write.

But when she discovers her novel is more fact than fiction, Carrie wonders if she might be dealing with ancestral memory, making her the only living person who knows the truth-the ultimate betrayal-that happened all those years ago, and that knowledge comes very close to destroying her...

Buy this book here: The Winter Sea  

Title: The Winter Sea

Author: Susanna Kearsley

Pages: 544

Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.

I really really enjoyed this book. So much so that I am planning on buying another book by Susanna Kearsley sometime in the near future.The book felt unique from anything else I have ever read. It was elegantly written and the story was charming. I really enjoyed the experience!

The beginning of the novel took me a little while to get into. Its not that it was boring, it just didn't immediately draw me in like some books I have read. You know how there is usually a point in a book where you realize that it is really good and you can't wait to recommend it to someone?!? Well, that point didn't come, for me at least, until the very end. All through the book I thought, oh this is good, but it was really the ending that I was like 'this is awesome'!! 

The book focuses on Carrie McClelland, who is writing a novel set in 1708 Scotland. Every other chapter throughout the book switches between Carrie's life and then a chapter from Carrie's novel. It was a really interesting way to read a book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt that it kept the book moving quickly, because no matter which setting I was currently reading about, I was curious about the opposite one. 

The only thing that I didn't really like about the book was the explanation given for the 'ancestral memories' that Carrie was experiencing. Kearsley tried to give a scientific explanation for it, but I felt that it was inadequate in making it seem believable. I think I would have been more comfortable with a more magical explanation than trying to bring in DNA and the inheritance of genes. It just seemed out of place.

I would recommend this book to everyone! It is a good, fun read! It is light and airy, the plot is interesting, and the characters are likable. Overall I would give the book a 4 arrow rating!

Movie Mondays: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Welcome to:

Mondays here at Found in the Fiction are devoted to comparing books and the movies that were based on them! We are going to be looking at which was better, and why I thought so!!! So stick around, comment and let me know which you liked better, and enjoy!

Lets get started!!

Aibileen Clark is a black maid in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, raising her seventeenth white child. She's always taken orders quietly, but lately it leaves her with a bitterness she can no longer bite back. Her friend Minny Jackson has certainly never held her tongue, or held on to a job for very long, but now she's working for a newcomer with secrets that leave her speechless. And white socialite Skeeter Phelan has just returned from college with ambition and a degree but, to her mother's lament, no husband. Normally Skeeter would find solace in Constantine, the beloved maid who raiser her, but Constantine has inexplicably disappeared.

Together, these seemingly different women join to work on a project that could forever alter their destinies and the life of a smal town - to write, in secret, a tell-all book about what it's relaly like to work as a black maid in the white homes of the South. Despite the terrible risks they will have to take, and teh sometimes humorous boundaries they will have to cross, these three women unite with one intention; hope for a better day.

Buy this book here: The Help

Title: The Help

Author: Kathryn Stockett

Pages: 522

Publisher: The Penguin Group 

This book is amazing. If you haven't read it, STOP! Stop right now!! Whatever you are doing at this very minute, cut it out! And then run as fast as you can to your nearest bookstore and buy it! I'm not kidding, this book was an amazing evaluation of human morals and social structures. 

The book is set in 1960's Mississippi and examines the relationships of black maids and their white female bosses. It definitely pulls at the heartstrings as it looks at the daily struggles that the black women go through while being looked down upon by much of society. Despite the fact that they clean the homes, raise the children, and cook the meals, the white women look at them as if they were from another planet.

Kathryn Stockett really hit a home run with this book. I can not recommend it enough. Stockett's style of writing is sophisticated yet simple to read. The book flows smoothly from page to page. She masterfully intertwines humor and joy into what otherwise could have been an overly serious storyline. The characters in the book are lovable and Stockett effortlessly transports the reader back into a different time and place. 

As I turned the pages of The Help I was totally sucked into the world that Stockett created. It was so much fun to read and I'm sure I will read it again and again! This is the first book that I can firmly give 5 arrows to. Not only did I enjoy reading it, but I feel like it changed me in the process.

And now, time for the movie comparison, which you can by here if you'd like: The Help  

First things first, I will always love the book version of The Help better than the movie. But the reason why is pretty simple. Both were absolutely amazing in my opinion. When there is that close of a tie, the book will win by default in my books. Its just the way I tick. I guess thats why Found in the Fiction is a book review blog, not a movie blog :)

The movie version of The Help was a wonderful follow-up to a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. With these types of books I always get nervous to watch the movie. A book so full of raw human emotion and drama like this one is can sometimes get lost on the big screen. However, I felt like they did an amazing job. This was the first movie I saw Emma Stone in that I absolutely loved her!

When it comes to The Help I would strongly recommend seeing both the movie and reading the book! Read the book first, that way you get to enjoy all the surprises and twists in the book that are revealed too quickly in a movie format!!

After you've read this one (or if you already have) please come back and tell me what you thought and which you liked better!! Your comments are appreciated!

Movie:                     Book:                      Kindle Edition: 

Book Review: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father's servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destoryed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons - their love, their sacrifices, their lies.

A sweeping story of family, love and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic.

Get this book here: The Kite Runner

Title: The Kite Runner

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Pages: 384

Publisher: Riverhead Books

I really enjoyed this book because it made me think, and it made me think hard. About who I am, the choices I make everyday, and the people those choices affect. That is probably why I loved this book. When you find a book that alters the way you think, than you know its a good one!

The Kite Runner is a book set in tumultuous Afghanistan. It follows the stories of young boys Amir and Hassan. Hosseini develops the political turmoil very well as he examines the life of Amir, son of a wealthy businessman, and Hassan, the son of a servant. While best friends in the beginning, when Amir stands by as other boys beat and harass Hassan, their friendship is changed forever.

Amir and his father escape to America, while Hassan remains in Afghanistan as the Taliban takes over. While the novel has political undertones, when all is said and done it is a book about people and their human emotions. After Amir acts cowardly in the streets of Kabul as a young boy, he spends the rest of the book trying to atone for that mistake. 

Hosseini's writing style is honest and compelling. He does not leave out the unpleasant details, instead he lays them out for all to read. This honesty makes the book that much more heart-wrenching and painful, yet beautiful at the same time.

I would easily recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Read it. It is an amazing examination on the human soul. What is forgiveness, and how do we obtain it? I, hands down, give this book 5 arrows. It should be read by everyone!

Book Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself - and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Buy this book here: The Selection

Title: The Selection

Author: Kiera Cass

Pages: 352

Publisher: HarperTeen

With the third book in this series having just come out a few days ago, I thought I would share my thoughts on the previous two books, and ultimately why I won't be buying or reading the third installment anytime soon. 

For me, this book felt like ABC's The Bachelor, only held in ancient times. 35 girls are chosen to compete for the hand of the Prince. At anytime they can be sent home, its all up to Prince Maxon. Starting to sound similar to anyone else? There is lots of drama, girl-girl drama, girl-boy drama, and ultimately the book finishes with no real resolution.

I understand the book is the first in a trilogy, but I was surprised when the second book picked up immediately where the first one left off. Like word for word?!? Since when did that become a thing? I noticed the same thing happened in the Divergent books. And honestly, I wasn't really a fan of that style. I think its because I felt like Cass was simply stretching out the storyline in order to sell more books and convince people they needed to read the next one.

I really felt like the whole "Selection" process could have been resolved in a single book, and then Cass could have looked at different story lines and developed those in future books. Instead she dragged out a single plot into three different novels. By the time the second one finished I was no longer interested, and so I won't be reading the third book. I'll ask my friends to see what the ultimate conclusion was, but I just can't bring myself to read it.

The characters seemed immature and unfinished. America (yes, her name is really America) lacked substance and background. And I hated the fact that her name was America. I understand why Cass chose it, to show her fighting nature. In the end though, it fell short of that.

If you are looking for a quick easy read, then this is a book for you. There was very little substance, but at least the first book kept me interested enough to finish. If, however, you are looking for something with depth, with characters that excite and enthrall you, and a great adventure that you can dive into, this is probably not the book for you. I give this book a 2 arrow rating. Don't waste your time unless all you are looking for is something to waste your time with.

Book Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

"How does it feel, anyway?"

"How does what feel?"

"When you take one of those books?"

At that moment, she chose to keep still. If he wanted an answer, he'd have to come back, and he did. "Well?" he asked, but again, it was the boy who replied, before Liesel could even open her mouth. "It feels good, doesn't it? To steal something back"

Buy this book here: The Book Thief

Title: The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak

Pages: 550

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

It makes me nervous to post this review, because I don't think a lot of people are going to agree. But, I have to be true to my thoughts and feelings about a book. So if you think I'm totally crazy after reading this, I apologize and beg you to stick around for more reviews!!! 

So, here is the truth. I didn't love this book. Maybe I had too high of expectations going into it, maybe I was expecting something totally different, but I didn't really enjoy The Book Thief. I can hear you all gasping... but it's true. And hopefully after this review, you'll understand why.

First off, there are a few things about this novel that I absolutely loved! Lets start with those. The narrator in this book is awesome! I personally think it was a stroke of genius to have Death narrate the book. I really loved the remorse and distress that Death experienced at certain times in the books when he had to go collect souls. Zusak uses this to his advantage, to create a unique rhythm and flow to his book that I haven't seen anywhere else.

This leads into the next thing I really enjoyed about the book. Frequently throughout the book Death interjects with his own thoughts or ideas, aside from the typical storyline. These are usually just short (two or three lines) interruptions where Death gives background knowledge, comments on whats happening, or foreshadows something to come. There were a lot of complaints about this from some readers because it makes the reading more choppy. Personally, I really liked it.

The greatest downfall of this book is that nothing really ever happens. The storyline dragged on. I spent most of the book expecting something exciting to happen, to reach the climax of the story, but I never did. The book just finally ended. It was too slow for me, and because it was slow it took me awhile to read it. I just didn't have a lot of motivation to keep picking it up.

While I love historical fiction, The Book Thief just wasn't for me. I loved the stylistic aspects of the novel, but the storyline dragged. Because of this I could only give it two and a half arrows. Amazing originality in writing style, but poor execution of plot and story.

Movie Mondays: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Welcome to Movie Mondays! Here at Found in the Fiction posts on Mondays will be devoted to reviewing books and the movies that followed them! I'll be looking at the differences between the two, and ultimately deciding which one was better. So, if you've read a book and are wondering if the movie is worth it, check back on Mondays! Also, if you've got any suggestions of books-turned-movie, feel free to comment below! I'd love to check them out and possibly review them here!

So, without further blabbing on my part, the first installment of Movie Mondays:

In dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five faction, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue - Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is - she can't have both.

Title: Divergent

Author: Veronica Roth

Pages: 427

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

But this book here: Divergent  

I first heard of this book in the movie theater actually, as I waited for Catching Fire to start. They had an advertisement for the upcoming movie, and I knew I had to read the book first. I'm a firm believer that a book should be read before you watch the movie that is based on it. Maybe I'm just a purist, but I think there is something more authentic about the experience that way.

When I dove into Divergent, I didn't have a lot of expectations. I didn't know a lot about it, and I didn't know many other people who had read it either. I was pleasantly surprised by the world that Veronica Roth created. It had more depth than I expected, yet was easy to follow.

While the dystopian-society-book-drama is becoming overdone, I felt like the first installment of this series was worth reading. Tris is a relatable character that I feel girls anywhere from 9 to 25 could relate to. She comes from Abnegation, seems timid, shy, and unsure of herself. Yet, as the novel progresses the faction Dauntless helps her to gain courage and strength that she didn't know she had.

This book is a fast read that will keep you entertained. I finished the book in under a day, I couldn't put it down. I really liked that Roth focused on Tris' initiation into Dauntless so thoroughly. She made me felt like I was right there, not missing a single step. I really liked the book, but at the end of the day I can only give it 4/5 arrows. Don't get me wrong, its a great read, I just don't think that it was life changing in anyway. It is simply a well written fun piece of Young Adult Fiction.

. . . . . . . . But what about the movie you say? . . . . . . . .

Lets take a look!!

I really enjoyed the movie version of Divergent. My biggest complaint about it is that I'm not a huge of Shailene Woodley, the actress who played Tris. This is probably because of the few times I watched The Secret Life of the American Teenager and I was not impressed. I feel like she was missing some of the emotion, the excitement, fear, anger, that Tris needed to have. Tris was much more volatile in the book then the screen version conveyed. I was however very pleased the casting of Four. For me his character was exactly spot one!! 

I know the movie did take some liberties when it came to plot choices and character to include from the book, but overall I felt like it had a similar feel to the book. My husband watched it with me, and he had not read the book. With book-made-movies I always wonder if they are understandable if you haven't read them before. My husband liked the movie and didn't have very many questions, so as far as that goes it gets my stamp of approval!

The only downfall of the movie was the deletion of Uriah. He was by far one of my favorite characters from the book, and to be completely missing was sad. I'm really hoping that he makes a grandiose appearance in the next movie!!

Book v. Movie :  For me the book definitely wins here, but the movie was close behind. I think the book mainly wins out because I simply love to read more than I love to watch movies! What can I say, I'm a nerd :)

Book Review: Beauty by Robin McKinley

A strange imprisonment.

Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in looks, she can perhaps make up for in courage. 

When her father comes home with the tale of an enchanted castle in the forest and the terrible promise he had to make to the Beast who lives there, Beauty knows she must go to the castle, a prisoner of her own free will. Her father protests that he will not let her go, but she answers, "Cannot a Beast be tamed?"

Robin Mckinley's beloved telling illuminates the unusual love story of a most unlikely couple: Beauty and the Beast.

Buy this book here: Beauty

Title: Beauty

Author: Robin McKinley

Pages: 325

Publisher: HarperTeen 2005

I don't usually like retellings of fairytales or any story made popular by Disney. They are too well known, there aren't any surprises, and they don't usually hold my interest for long. Beauty by Robin McKinley had something that most fairy tales don't, and I fell in love with the novel. 

I first read the book when I was 13 years old and I was fascinated by the world McKinley created. I still have found memories of the first time I read this book, and because of that it will always be a favorite of mine. McKinley did a fantastic job taking a traditional fairy tale that most girls know back to front by the time they are 5, and creating a new world with unexpected twists and turns.

I've also always felt a kinships with Beauty and her love of books. This may have somewhat tainted by feelings about the book. But, despite that, I still would strongly recommend anyone age 11-17 to pick up this novel and read it. And even if you are a little older and wiser ;) you will still feel the magic as you dive into the book.

Robin McKinley is an excellent writer of fairytales. If you liked Ella Enchanted or any books along those lines, this book will be right up your alley! Overall I could give this book a 4/5. I found it interesting, easy to read, and quite enjoyable. The book brings back found memories of childhood and the magic I believed in.