in Alsace, France.
The artist is Matthias Grunewald,
and he painted it around 1506 to 1515.
May His Divine blessings
fill your life with joy and peace!!
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Shelf Candy Saturday #144: Auralia's Colors, by Jeffrey Overstreet
Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!!
This is my weekly feature
showcasing beautiful book covers!
It also provides information,
if available, on their very talented creators!
For more information
about Shelf Candy Saturday,
simply go HERE.
Here's my choice for this week!
Auralia's Colors
(The Auralia Thread #1)
Trade Paperback, 334 pages
Waterbrook Press
September 4, 2007
Christian Fiction, Fantasy
Romance, Science Fiction
My Thoughts About This Cover
This stunning cover actually has a very simple, yet very effective composition, and it derives most of its power from its overall gorgeous tones of blue. Of course, I was immediately pulled in; this color affects me like no other!
This is a very mysterious, moody, and mystical night scene. The glowing moon in the cloud-filled sky, the bands of mist across the landscape, suggesting the contours of a forest, and perhaps, the ocean beyond that, all contribute to the total effect. Furthermore, the faint contours of a city can be seen looming out of the band of very light blue mist in the bottom half of the cover.
I also love the young woman's billowing cloak, which also contributes to the romantic mystery of the scene, strongly reminding me of 19th-century British fiction, such as Jane Eyre and Tess of the D'Urbervilles. The purple color of the gown also contrasts with the predominantly blue tones of the rest of the cover.
The positioning of the young woman at the lower left of the image adds yet another layer of mystery to it. The young woman is looking out over the landscape as if pondering a decision, or whether she will venture out into the night. What thoughts are swirling through her head? Again I am reminded of Jane Eyre....especially as she pondered what to do about her romantic relationship with Mr. Rochester.
Adding to the magic of this cover are the curling, fanciful designs located on each side, at the bottom of the image. Another of these also peeks out from the top right-hand corner.
The final touch is the equally magical treatment of the title itself. The letters of the font glow with light -- especially the word "colors", and the title is enclosed in a box that might be an ancient scroll.
Once again, I have encountered the frustration of not being able to find any information about the creator of this masterpiece of a cover..... As for the Amazon reader, which offers previews of books, it has not been any help at all.
I hope you all enjoy looking at this cover, though, just as much as I do!
Update
Jeffrey Overstreet, the author of
Auralia's Colors, has just given me the
name of the brilliant artist who
created this gorgeous cover.
His name is Kristopher Orr. Below are
some links for him, including
an interview with the author of
this exciting fantasy novel!!
What do you think of my
choice this week?
Please leave a comment
and let me know!
Friday, April 3, 2015
The Book Lover's Den #18: What influences the choice of books to read?
Welcome to my Friday feature!
In each weekly post, I explore
my thoughts on several
book-related topics.
For the longest time now, I've been wondering just what, if anything, influences people's choices of books to read and blog about. There are book bloggers who blog only about a specific genre or type of book. For instance, I've seen a lot of blogs totally dedicated to Young Adult books. Others only cover Christian books, while still others stick with classics, or science fiction and fantasy (these two usually go together), or mostly nonfiction. Then there are others, like me, who tend to be more eclectic, but I've noticed that eclectic bloggers are not as common as those who prefer one particular genre or type of book.
In my case, I've noticed that it's one of two factors that influence what I will most likely read next: either my emotional state, or my preoccupation with certain intellectual or spiritual matters.
The first became very apparent when I fell head over heels in love for the very first time. Not that I hadn't been in love before that, but that particular time, it was particularly strong. How did this affect my choice of books to read? Well, I completely lost interest in the types of books I had read until then -- science fiction, fantasy, classics, and nonfiction. (Hmmm, I guess I've always been a little eclectic.) Instead, I started reading romance novels. Once my appetite was whetted, I began obsessively buying and reading them! I was living in a rosy, romantic haze..... The funny thing is, I had previously looked down my nose at these books. I hate to admit that I even thought that women who read this genre were silly and shallow. How ironic, then, to find myself abandoning my loftier subject matters for this fluffy stuff! The irony hit me even then, but I still couldn't stop myself from reading the genre. I read mostly historical romances back then. I still read a lot of romance novels nowadays, but my preferred sub-genre now is paranormal romance.
I'm now making a concerted effort to read weightier material. I don't want to stop reading romance novels, though. I came to realize that these books fulfill a need for women, a need that no other type of literature can possibly satisfy, and that it's something uniquely ours. I consider myself an intellectual person, and I still have this need, in common with all other women. it's the need to read beautiful, romantic language, to feel the sexual tension in a new relationship, to immerse myself in the plot twists that seem to separate the lovers, but that will bring them together for that all-important 'happily ever after'. These are feminine emotional needs. However, I do want all of these plot elements to be balanced by others. The female protagonist must be a strong character on her own, not 'a female in distress'. She must be willing to assert herself with the male protagonist. Furthermore, it's great when SHE rescues HIM at times!
On other occasions, I feel the need to read other things like science fiction and fantasy, or nonfiction. These are the times that I've come across something interesting on the Internet, which stimulates my mind, and therefore, I need to delve into it further. For instance, I'm currently preoccupied with certain intellectual/spiritual concerns, such as what to accept or reject from New Age philosophy, researching contradictions I have found in the Bible, and exploring the influence of culture, temperament, genetics, and upbringing on a person's individual moral code.
I'm currently reading The Psychology of Twilight, which some people might scoff at, as this is seemingly not serious reading material. This is not true at all, however. I've found that this book deals with such fascinating things as attachment theory manifesting in the way the main characters in the Twilight books relate to each other. There's also a fascinating discussion of prejudice in this book, and another section, titled "Gestalt and Twilight" goes into depth on this school of psychology, which "...tries to understand the laws of our ability to acquire and maintain meaningful perceptions in an apparently chaotic world." (Gestalt Psychology:Wikipedia)
Interestingly, while reading this book, I've been delving briefly into other books dealing with the concerns I've mentioned above. I'm feeling torn between continuing to read The Psychology of Twilight, and these other books. There's just SO little time to read.....
One of the books I've delved into is titled Myths of the Bible, by Gary Greenberg. Another is titled Awakening Your Inner Light, by Aeoliah. And then there's A Kabbalah for the Modern World, by Migene Gonzalez-Wippler, which is the book that started me wondering about Biblical myths and contradictions. In this book, Gonzalez-Wippler claims that the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Old Testament) contains the stories of Adam, Eve, and the serpent, whereas the original Hebrew version does not. So now I'm researching this topic. In relation to this, I have yet another book somewhere in this condo, titled Biblical Nonsense, by Dr. Jason Long. And then I also want to read The Battlefield of the Mind, by Joyce Meyer, as well as Shattering Your Strongholds, by Liberty Savard. These last two are Christian authors, and they have both inserted a bit of psychology into these books.
Sometimes, I might be in the middle of some exciting novel, only to get pulled away from it because an emotional state demanding some other type of reading interrupts. If I've been having problems at work, for example, I will suddenly want to pick up a book on how to deal with bullying by either bosses or co-workers. If I have an argument with my husband, I will suddenly want to read a book on how to improve communication in marriage. If I'm feeling down, I will suddenly want to pick up a book on dealing with the blues. And, if I'm feeling inadequate, I will suddenly want to pick up a book on bolstering one's self-esteem, or one dealing with positive affirmations.
In short, I look to books for answers to emotional issues, as well as for answers to intellectual and spiritual concerns. Of course, there are times I simply want to be entertained, to escape. Then I will turn to some type of romance. If I want to escape this planet, I will then turn to science fiction, and if it's reality altogether, I will seek out fantasy, although paranormal romance and urban fantasy also serve the purpose quite well.
So it seems that, in my case, as well as most likely in the case of many other readers, it's really moods that drive my selection of reading matter. I would imagine, however, that this is especially true of eclectic readers and book bloggers. We're kind of 'a breed apart', sampling here and there, like hummingbirds flitting from one flower to another. It's not always easy to balance different genres, as well as the constant battle between fiction and nonfiction.
While writing this post, I remembered a book I bought some years ago, and haven't gotten around to reading. It's titled Reading To Heal: How To Use Bibliotherapy To Improve Your Life. The author's name is Jacqueline D. Stanley. This book actually recommends certain books to read, based on emotional issues one needs to heal. Some of these books are fiction, while others are nonfiction. I'm not sure where I put this book (perhaps it's in storage), but I want to get it and discover the books recommended by the author. Unfortunately, Amazon does not offer a preview of the book.
Another such book I want to read is titled Bibliotherapy: The Girl's Guide to Books for Every Phase of Our Lives, by Beverly West and Nancy Peske. A preview of this particular book is available on Amazon, so I was able to take a look at the Table of Contents. Some of the chapter titles are actually hilarious! Here are some samples: Chapter 3: When You Still Think You Can Change Him - Bad Boy Books, Chapter 4: When You're Ready To Make Your Own Kind of Music -- Hearing-Your-Inner-Voice Books, Chapter 5: When You're Wallowing In A Sullen Perennial Adolescence -- Coming-of-Age Books, Chapter 9: When Your Biological Alarm Clock Is Ringing and You Can't Find the Snooze Button -- Midlife Crisis Books, and so on.
I'm feeling a very strong need to order these books from Amazon right this very minute! I have to reign in this impulse, though.....I might be able to find the first book, Reading to Heal, somewhere on my shelves, which I haven't quite managed to get organized yet (it's been a month since we moved in already......WOW!) As for the second one, I'll have to grit my teeth and get it as a Kindle edition, since I can't fill our new apartment with books....That's the reason I had to put so many in storage when we moved.
Wrapping up.....I'm feeling the need to read something right now, as of this writing (it's already 12:06 AM on Friday, April 3rd, here in Miami, Florida). And what book will I be picking up? Since it's already Good Friday, I might very well select a reading from a Lent devotional, or maybe I'll read some chapters from The Robe, by Lloyd C. Douglas, a great classic I've been meaning to re-read.
And then, sometime late tomorrow, I just might be able to return to The Psychology of Twilight!
NOTE: All of the books mentioned in this post are available on Amazon, and are listed by Goodreads and Shelfari.
In my case, I've noticed that it's one of two factors that influence what I will most likely read next: either my emotional state, or my preoccupation with certain intellectual or spiritual matters.
The first became very apparent when I fell head over heels in love for the very first time. Not that I hadn't been in love before that, but that particular time, it was particularly strong. How did this affect my choice of books to read? Well, I completely lost interest in the types of books I had read until then -- science fiction, fantasy, classics, and nonfiction. (Hmmm, I guess I've always been a little eclectic.) Instead, I started reading romance novels. Once my appetite was whetted, I began obsessively buying and reading them! I was living in a rosy, romantic haze..... The funny thing is, I had previously looked down my nose at these books. I hate to admit that I even thought that women who read this genre were silly and shallow. How ironic, then, to find myself abandoning my loftier subject matters for this fluffy stuff! The irony hit me even then, but I still couldn't stop myself from reading the genre. I read mostly historical romances back then. I still read a lot of romance novels nowadays, but my preferred sub-genre now is paranormal romance.
I'm now making a concerted effort to read weightier material. I don't want to stop reading romance novels, though. I came to realize that these books fulfill a need for women, a need that no other type of literature can possibly satisfy, and that it's something uniquely ours. I consider myself an intellectual person, and I still have this need, in common with all other women. it's the need to read beautiful, romantic language, to feel the sexual tension in a new relationship, to immerse myself in the plot twists that seem to separate the lovers, but that will bring them together for that all-important 'happily ever after'. These are feminine emotional needs. However, I do want all of these plot elements to be balanced by others. The female protagonist must be a strong character on her own, not 'a female in distress'. She must be willing to assert herself with the male protagonist. Furthermore, it's great when SHE rescues HIM at times!
On other occasions, I feel the need to read other things like science fiction and fantasy, or nonfiction. These are the times that I've come across something interesting on the Internet, which stimulates my mind, and therefore, I need to delve into it further. For instance, I'm currently preoccupied with certain intellectual/spiritual concerns, such as what to accept or reject from New Age philosophy, researching contradictions I have found in the Bible, and exploring the influence of culture, temperament, genetics, and upbringing on a person's individual moral code.
I'm currently reading The Psychology of Twilight, which some people might scoff at, as this is seemingly not serious reading material. This is not true at all, however. I've found that this book deals with such fascinating things as attachment theory manifesting in the way the main characters in the Twilight books relate to each other. There's also a fascinating discussion of prejudice in this book, and another section, titled "Gestalt and Twilight" goes into depth on this school of psychology, which "...tries to understand the laws of our ability to acquire and maintain meaningful perceptions in an apparently chaotic world." (Gestalt Psychology:Wikipedia)
Interestingly, while reading this book, I've been delving briefly into other books dealing with the concerns I've mentioned above. I'm feeling torn between continuing to read The Psychology of Twilight, and these other books. There's just SO little time to read.....
One of the books I've delved into is titled Myths of the Bible, by Gary Greenberg. Another is titled Awakening Your Inner Light, by Aeoliah. And then there's A Kabbalah for the Modern World, by Migene Gonzalez-Wippler, which is the book that started me wondering about Biblical myths and contradictions. In this book, Gonzalez-Wippler claims that the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Old Testament) contains the stories of Adam, Eve, and the serpent, whereas the original Hebrew version does not. So now I'm researching this topic. In relation to this, I have yet another book somewhere in this condo, titled Biblical Nonsense, by Dr. Jason Long. And then I also want to read The Battlefield of the Mind, by Joyce Meyer, as well as Shattering Your Strongholds, by Liberty Savard. These last two are Christian authors, and they have both inserted a bit of psychology into these books.
Sometimes, I might be in the middle of some exciting novel, only to get pulled away from it because an emotional state demanding some other type of reading interrupts. If I've been having problems at work, for example, I will suddenly want to pick up a book on how to deal with bullying by either bosses or co-workers. If I have an argument with my husband, I will suddenly want to read a book on how to improve communication in marriage. If I'm feeling down, I will suddenly want to pick up a book on dealing with the blues. And, if I'm feeling inadequate, I will suddenly want to pick up a book on bolstering one's self-esteem, or one dealing with positive affirmations.
In short, I look to books for answers to emotional issues, as well as for answers to intellectual and spiritual concerns. Of course, there are times I simply want to be entertained, to escape. Then I will turn to some type of romance. If I want to escape this planet, I will then turn to science fiction, and if it's reality altogether, I will seek out fantasy, although paranormal romance and urban fantasy also serve the purpose quite well.
So it seems that, in my case, as well as most likely in the case of many other readers, it's really moods that drive my selection of reading matter. I would imagine, however, that this is especially true of eclectic readers and book bloggers. We're kind of 'a breed apart', sampling here and there, like hummingbirds flitting from one flower to another. It's not always easy to balance different genres, as well as the constant battle between fiction and nonfiction.
While writing this post, I remembered a book I bought some years ago, and haven't gotten around to reading. It's titled Reading To Heal: How To Use Bibliotherapy To Improve Your Life. The author's name is Jacqueline D. Stanley. This book actually recommends certain books to read, based on emotional issues one needs to heal. Some of these books are fiction, while others are nonfiction. I'm not sure where I put this book (perhaps it's in storage), but I want to get it and discover the books recommended by the author. Unfortunately, Amazon does not offer a preview of the book.
Another such book I want to read is titled Bibliotherapy: The Girl's Guide to Books for Every Phase of Our Lives, by Beverly West and Nancy Peske. A preview of this particular book is available on Amazon, so I was able to take a look at the Table of Contents. Some of the chapter titles are actually hilarious! Here are some samples: Chapter 3: When You Still Think You Can Change Him - Bad Boy Books, Chapter 4: When You're Ready To Make Your Own Kind of Music -- Hearing-Your-Inner-Voice Books, Chapter 5: When You're Wallowing In A Sullen Perennial Adolescence -- Coming-of-Age Books, Chapter 9: When Your Biological Alarm Clock Is Ringing and You Can't Find the Snooze Button -- Midlife Crisis Books, and so on.
I'm feeling a very strong need to order these books from Amazon right this very minute! I have to reign in this impulse, though.....I might be able to find the first book, Reading to Heal, somewhere on my shelves, which I haven't quite managed to get organized yet (it's been a month since we moved in already......WOW!) As for the second one, I'll have to grit my teeth and get it as a Kindle edition, since I can't fill our new apartment with books....That's the reason I had to put so many in storage when we moved.
Wrapping up.....I'm feeling the need to read something right now, as of this writing (it's already 12:06 AM on Friday, April 3rd, here in Miami, Florida). And what book will I be picking up? Since it's already Good Friday, I might very well select a reading from a Lent devotional, or maybe I'll read some chapters from The Robe, by Lloyd C. Douglas, a great classic I've been meaning to re-read.
And then, sometime late tomorrow, I just might be able to return to The Psychology of Twilight!
NOTE: All of the books mentioned in this post are available on Amazon, and are listed by Goodreads and Shelfari.
What are your thoughts on
this subject?
What factors influence
your own choice of books
to read at any given moment?
this subject?
What factors influence
your own choice of books
to read at any given moment?
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Book Review: A Thousand Pieces of You, by Claudia Gray
(Firebird, #1)
Claudia Gray
Hardcover, 368 pages
Harper Teen, Nov. 4, 2014
Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
Source: Won in a giveaway @ Feminist Reflections blog
Book Synopsis: Every Day meets
Cloud Atlas in this heart-racing, space- and time-bending, epic new
trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray.
Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.
Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.
A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.
Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.
Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.
A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.
My overwhelming reaction to this terrific novel is indescribable. It's just such a wonderful addition to the Young Adult and science fiction genres! I can do nothing but rave about it! The plot is unique, although it's based on the concept of parallel universes, which is not a new idea in science fiction (or in science fact, for that matter). The characters are wonderful, and totally unforgettable. I can honestly say there was nothing about this novel I disliked! Well, I really shouldn't be that surprised, since I've read one other Claudia Gray novel -- Spellcaster, which had me feverishly turning pages. That was my introduction to this author, and she is now one of my favorites!
The first thing I loved about this novel was that Marguerite's Russian mother, Dr. Sophia Kovalenka, is a physics genius. Kudos to Gray for presenting a woman scientist! You really don't see many of these in ANY kind of fiction, to my knowledge. I could be wrong, since obviously, I haven't read all of the fiction in this corner of the universe.
Marguerite's father, Dr. Henry Caine, is an English oceanographer/physicist/mathematician, also a genius, who met and fell madly in love with the Russian physicist, after they became research partners for her project on parallel universes.
Both of Marguerite's parents are, in spite of their intellectual achievements, very down-to-earth, easygoing people who have given their daughters (Meg, as she is known, has an older sister, named Josie) a lot of leeway in their own education. The girls' upbringing has therefore been an unconventional one. Meg's parents are also not believers in any type of corporal punishment for children, and they have never "talked down" to their daughters in any way. This makes them automatic heroes, in my book!
Meg herself has, ironically enough, turned out to be an artist. This made me love the book even more, as I was an Art Major in college, and am a very visual person. Fortunately, Mom and Dad have actively encouraged Meg in her artistic pursuits, and accept her totally for who she is. Another plus for this novel and its author!
Aside from her artistic talent, I think Meg is a great character, and I immediately related to her. She is bold, courageous, tenacious, resourceful. Furthermore, her feelings for her family run deep, and she's very close to her father. Her love for him drives her desire to avenge his death.
Meg's close relationship with her father is especially poignant in one of the parallel universes she jumps to, in which she meets him as the tutor to the Tsar's children. This was actually my favorite part of the book, and not only because of the relationship between Meg and her dad. I cannot reveal more at this point, so as not to spoil things for other readers.
Gray has made the concept of parallel universes all her own with her unique take on it: Meg decides to use her parents' invention, the Firebird (an allusion to the Russian fairy tale), to hunt down and kill the man she believes is her father's murderer -- Paul Markov, a graduate physics student who has not only worked closely with her parents, but who has also become like a member of her family. And so she pursues Paul through several dimensions, but he is somehow always one step ahead of her.
Helping Meg in her pursuit of Paul is Theo (his last name escapes me at the moment), another graduate physics student who has also worked closely with her family. The description of their travels, and how they manage to contact each other in different dimensions, is riveting and exciting.
The plot is very tightly-knit and complex, yet easy to follow, paradoxically enough. Gray's meticulous physics research, which is obvious in her descriptions of parallel universes theory and other arcane scientific matters, has really paid off. Also, she has really exploited this material in very creative ways. Needless to say, this novel is never boring, nor does the reader ever feel as if they were sitting in on a college science lecture.
All of the characters in the book are compelling and interesting, although not all are thoroughly developed. Gray concentrates on Meg, Paul, Dr. Caine, and Theo. I would have liked more character development for Dr. Kovalenka, but this was not to be.... I think Gray more than compensates for this with the close relationship between Meg and her father. Still, it would have been nice to have gotten more background on Meg's brilliant mother.
The relationship between Meg and Paul is a very unusual, yet absolutely fascinating one. She goes from wanting to kill him to falling in love with him, and he ends up reciprocating her feelings. Gray handles this transformation in a very believable manner, too. I had absolutely no trouble following along; at no time did I question the development of this relationship.
There are, of course, hints of a love triangle, but there's no "insta-love" here, so anyone who detests this type of thing (I don't....sigh....) will not be disappointed.
To sum up, A Thousand Pieces of You is yet another great novel released by the formidably talented Gray. Although it's a YA story, there's plenty to engage older readers as well. Besides, the romance is not a huge part of the story, for those who prefer more action instead. I highly recommend this book to any science fiction fan!
MY RATING:
The first thing I loved about this novel was that Marguerite's Russian mother, Dr. Sophia Kovalenka, is a physics genius. Kudos to Gray for presenting a woman scientist! You really don't see many of these in ANY kind of fiction, to my knowledge. I could be wrong, since obviously, I haven't read all of the fiction in this corner of the universe.
Marguerite's father, Dr. Henry Caine, is an English oceanographer/physicist/mathematician, also a genius, who met and fell madly in love with the Russian physicist, after they became research partners for her project on parallel universes.
Both of Marguerite's parents are, in spite of their intellectual achievements, very down-to-earth, easygoing people who have given their daughters (Meg, as she is known, has an older sister, named Josie) a lot of leeway in their own education. The girls' upbringing has therefore been an unconventional one. Meg's parents are also not believers in any type of corporal punishment for children, and they have never "talked down" to their daughters in any way. This makes them automatic heroes, in my book!
Meg herself has, ironically enough, turned out to be an artist. This made me love the book even more, as I was an Art Major in college, and am a very visual person. Fortunately, Mom and Dad have actively encouraged Meg in her artistic pursuits, and accept her totally for who she is. Another plus for this novel and its author!
Aside from her artistic talent, I think Meg is a great character, and I immediately related to her. She is bold, courageous, tenacious, resourceful. Furthermore, her feelings for her family run deep, and she's very close to her father. Her love for him drives her desire to avenge his death.
Meg's close relationship with her father is especially poignant in one of the parallel universes she jumps to, in which she meets him as the tutor to the Tsar's children. This was actually my favorite part of the book, and not only because of the relationship between Meg and her dad. I cannot reveal more at this point, so as not to spoil things for other readers.
Gray has made the concept of parallel universes all her own with her unique take on it: Meg decides to use her parents' invention, the Firebird (an allusion to the Russian fairy tale), to hunt down and kill the man she believes is her father's murderer -- Paul Markov, a graduate physics student who has not only worked closely with her parents, but who has also become like a member of her family. And so she pursues Paul through several dimensions, but he is somehow always one step ahead of her.
Helping Meg in her pursuit of Paul is Theo (his last name escapes me at the moment), another graduate physics student who has also worked closely with her family. The description of their travels, and how they manage to contact each other in different dimensions, is riveting and exciting.
The plot is very tightly-knit and complex, yet easy to follow, paradoxically enough. Gray's meticulous physics research, which is obvious in her descriptions of parallel universes theory and other arcane scientific matters, has really paid off. Also, she has really exploited this material in very creative ways. Needless to say, this novel is never boring, nor does the reader ever feel as if they were sitting in on a college science lecture.
All of the characters in the book are compelling and interesting, although not all are thoroughly developed. Gray concentrates on Meg, Paul, Dr. Caine, and Theo. I would have liked more character development for Dr. Kovalenka, but this was not to be.... I think Gray more than compensates for this with the close relationship between Meg and her father. Still, it would have been nice to have gotten more background on Meg's brilliant mother.
The relationship between Meg and Paul is a very unusual, yet absolutely fascinating one. She goes from wanting to kill him to falling in love with him, and he ends up reciprocating her feelings. Gray handles this transformation in a very believable manner, too. I had absolutely no trouble following along; at no time did I question the development of this relationship.
There are, of course, hints of a love triangle, but there's no "insta-love" here, so anyone who detests this type of thing (I don't....sigh....) will not be disappointed.
To sum up, A Thousand Pieces of You is yet another great novel released by the formidably talented Gray. Although it's a YA story, there's plenty to engage older readers as well. Besides, the romance is not a huge part of the story, for those who prefer more action instead. I highly recommend this book to any science fiction fan!
MY RATING:
Waiting On Wednesday #126: Armada, by Ernest Cline
This is a weekly event hosted by
Jill @ Breaking the Spine!!
It showcases future releases which
we book bloggers
are eagerly anticipating!!
Here's my choice for this week!
Armada
Hardcover, 368 pages
Crown
July 14, 2015
Dystopian Fiction,
Science Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
THE NEW NOVEL FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF READY PLAYER ONE
It’s just another day of high school for Zack Lightman. He's daydreaming through another boring math class, with just one more month to go until graduation and freedom—if he can make it that long without getting suspended again.
Then he glances out his classroom window and spots the flying saucer.
At first, Zack thinks he’s going crazy.
A minute later, he’s sure of it. Because the UFO he’s staring at is straight out of the videogame he plays every night, a hugely popular online flight simulator called Armada—in which gamers just happen to be protecting the earth from alien invaders.
But what Zack’s seeing is all too real. And his skills—as well as those of millions of gamers across the world—are going to be needed to save the earth from what’s about to befall it.
Yet even as he and his new comrades scramble to prepare for the alien onslaught, Zack can’t help thinking of all the science-fiction books, TV shows, and movies he grew up reading and watching, and wonder: Doesn’t something about this scenario seem a little too… familiar?
Armada is at once a rollicking, surprising thriller, a classic coming of age adventure, and an alien-invasion tale like nothing you’ve ever read before—one whose every page is infused with author Ernest Cline’s trademark pop-culture savvy.
It’s just another day of high school for Zack Lightman. He's daydreaming through another boring math class, with just one more month to go until graduation and freedom—if he can make it that long without getting suspended again.
Then he glances out his classroom window and spots the flying saucer.
At first, Zack thinks he’s going crazy.
A minute later, he’s sure of it. Because the UFO he’s staring at is straight out of the videogame he plays every night, a hugely popular online flight simulator called Armada—in which gamers just happen to be protecting the earth from alien invaders.
But what Zack’s seeing is all too real. And his skills—as well as those of millions of gamers across the world—are going to be needed to save the earth from what’s about to befall it.
Yet even as he and his new comrades scramble to prepare for the alien onslaught, Zack can’t help thinking of all the science-fiction books, TV shows, and movies he grew up reading and watching, and wonder: Doesn’t something about this scenario seem a little too… familiar?
Armada is at once a rollicking, surprising thriller, a classic coming of age adventure, and an alien-invasion tale like nothing you’ve ever read before—one whose every page is infused with author Ernest Cline’s trademark pop-culture savvy.
Why I'm waiting on this one!!
This book has been a while in being released,
but I think it's well worth the wait!
I love all of the plot elements involved,
and especially the fact that it's
a Young Adult novel!
Besides, I SO wish that a UFO had decided
to land right next to my high school
classroom as I was dozing off in my own
math class.....I especially HATED Algebra!
So this book is right up my alley!!
but I think it's well worth the wait!
I love all of the plot elements involved,
and especially the fact that it's
a Young Adult novel!
Besides, I SO wish that a UFO had decided
to land right next to my high school
classroom as I was dozing off in my own
math class.....I especially HATED Algebra!
So this book is right up my alley!!
What do you think of my choice?
What fascinating book(s) are
you longing for this week?
you longing for this week?
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