Category: Book Update

Hollywood Through the Eyes of an Honest Alcoholic

On By Clara LIn Book Update4 Comments

In Charles Bukowski’s Hollywood, Henry Chinaski, a 65-year old writer, is writing his first screenplay. Amidst the instability of the movie stars and the continuous drinks that are poured, Chinaki’s screenplay is adapted into a movie. As he navigates the film industry, he witnesses the shallowness of Hollywood and how rare it is to encounter honesty. Despite these surroundings, he is able to maintain his character and not lose sight of his sense of self.

Bukowski’s wit and humor make this narrative very enjoyable to read. His short sentences and blunt commentary showcase how he is above pretentiousness and does not need to prove himself. He was a very talented writer and I look forward to finishing Hollywood and reading more of his works.

Dune Book Update

On By NOAH GEORGEIn Book Update, Highly RecommendedLeave a comment

The book Dune by Frank Herbert is a long and complex book that has an interesting way of writing the different chapters. Throughout the chapters we see the characters through the eyes of a narrator. Not through the perspective of one of the characters. The setting switches usually along with the chapters. At the beginning we are on the planet of Caladan, home world of House Atreides. Then in the second chapter we transition to the home world of the Harkonnen. This switch is disorienting but necessary to get the reader involved in both sides of the story. The main character of the story is the son of Duke Leto, the leader of House Atreides. He was trained by his mother, the Lady Jessica, in the way of the Bene Gesserit, a secret order who seek out a messiah of sorts. Paul seems to be a viable candidate.

Dawn- Reading Update

On By COLE STEWARTIn Book Update, Novels2 Comments

Dawn by Octavia Butler is a story set in a post- apocalyptic world where a nuclear war has nearly wiped out humanity. The few remaining survivors are approached by an alien race called the Oankali. The Protagonist of the story, Lilith Lyapo discovers a new world for her self and the rest of man-kind. This story illustrates a magical and unimaginable world through Butlers amazing storytelling.throughout the course of the story. This story contains complex and multi-dimensional characters.

The Loop Reading Update #4

On By SEAN C.In Book Update, Novels3 Comments

The Loop, by Ben Oliver, takes place in the future where one man and the government control everything about people’s lives. The book follows a 16 year-old named Luka Kane who’s been wrongly imprisoned in a nightmarish prison, called the loop, where the prisoners are tested on horrible experiments, brutally tortured, and in solitude everyday until they die. But shortly after being in the loop for two years, things begin to change, and the daily routine of the prisoners begin to change.

Where I’m at in the book, a lot of action is happening. Luka returns to the facility and frees the 2 A.M. club, a group of people that Wren trusted and would let out at 2 A.M. when the security systems were down. they then debate on whether they should leave or free the other prisoners so that they don’t die. they eventually decide to free the others, but after opening a door with an insanely strong prisoner, they quickly flee and decide to free another prisoner, who is very violent, in order to defeat the strong one. after they free the violent prisoner, Tyco, orders the group to stay and the cell while he fights him off. After a while, Tyco returns but now he wants to kill Luka, we learn that Luka supposedly murdered his younger brother and now wants revenge. The group decides to team up against Tyco and they eventually beat him up and lock him back up in his cell.

The book is amping up the action and it is getting very interesting now, I highly recommend.

Priory of The Orange Tree – Reading Update

On By GRACE F.In Book Update, Novels3 Comments

The most complex character in this book is Ead. She does a lot of things in order to protect the Queen, but she is also against many of her ideals and beliefs. Many of her motivations are unclear so far, but her backstory is slowly being revealed. There are political conflicts and history that also adds to each character’s points of view, as many of them come from different parts of the fantasy world. One example is when Ead is told to tell a story about the founding of their kingdom, and when she decides to tell the story the way she had heard it where she grew up, the Queen becomes offended. The characters different perspectives contribute to the tension building in the story because some of them are pinned against each other, and you never know what to expect from some of the characters.

The Beginning of Everything– Reading Update

On By KATHRYN BIn Book Update3 Comments

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider is from the point of view of Ezra Faulkner, the main character in the book. Ezra is a dynamic character in general because of his new found situation after he was injured in a car accident. So far he is experiencing his new life, without the same activities and sports he used to be able to do, as well as the relationships in his life that are changing and being introduced. One of them is with Cassidy Thorpe, who I think is the most complex character in the book even though we don’t see her point of view. Cassidy and Ezra quickly become friends because she is new to his school- I think because Ezra feels new too, after coming back from his accident. Cassidy has a history of winning countless debates and organizing fun events at the debate competitions. However now shes dropped out of debate all together. I think there is a reason for her decisions and more to her character in general, because she doesn’t really like to say much about herself.

Is it Really Summer Without the Beach or the Boys?

On By nyah tIn Book Update, Characterization, NovelsLeave a comment

Jenny Han’s “It’s Not Summer Without You” has quite complex characters. Following Sussanah’s death in the previous book, titled “The Summer I Turned Pretty“, Conrad, Jeremiah, and Belly must figure out their emotions as their lives go through many changes. It could be argued that Belly is the most complex character, after struggling to find herself after losing so many people, but I would argue that Jeremiah is the most complex character in the series.

Often overlooked, Jeremiah has struggled the most all by himself. Growing up, it was revealed that Conrad was always his father’s favorite child. Of course, he was fine with being his mother’s favorite, but it had always hurt to see Conrad getting more attention regarding sports and creating a real bond with his father. Growing up like this led Jeremiah to respect and even love his dad even more while looking past the neglect he was presented with in his childhood.

Now, Conrad has run away from his problems in order to save the last piece of his mother; the beach house. This led Belly and Jeremiah to follow him up to Cousins and convince him to go back to university and finish the semester. But, with Conrad’s stubbornness and Jeremiah’s persistence, Belly is stuck between the two.

Lord of the Flies (book update)

On By MAX KIn Book Update, Highly Recommended, Novels1 Comment

I have just started reading this novel, yet I can already tell it is going to be good. Aside from it being a classic and well renowned book, the story is very intruding and as long as you can get past the somewhat old writing style, I think it is well worth the read.

In case you are unfamiliar, the book is about the group of English school boys who have just survived a plane crash. This crash leaves them stranded on an island, where they attempt to create a democratic society amongst themselves. This all works out at first, but what happens by the end is a violent and chaotic tale about how laws and rules can come crashing down very quickly without proper morals or intentions.

The Butcher [Reading Update]

On By Andy K.In Book Review, Book Update2 Comments

I just started reading The Butcher by Laura Kat Young, but it caught my attention right from the beginning. The premise is intriguing and horrifying: a world where people are punished for their crimes by having body parts removed. However, that requires somebody to have the job of removing them—and that duty falls upon the shoulders of the Butcher. I’m not super far through this book just yet, but it’s already become one of my favorites.

The plot does set up a lot of violence, but from what I’ve seen so far, there’s also a lot of psychological elements to it. The world is set up in such a way that it makes the reader and the characters question and discover whether punishing bad acts with more suffering is justifiable. I highly recommend this book for people who like stories that make you think deeply about both the fictional world that’s written and the world we live in.

I Know What You Did Last Summer-Characters and Conflicts

On By OLAF A.In Book Update, Characterization1 Comment

I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan is a young-adult suspense/mystery novel about four teenagers who did something last summer, and now are facing the consequences. While this book personally does not induce much fear, it does have great characters and a page-turning mystery to it that never seems to stop going.

The most successful part of this book is certainly the characters, as well as the internal conflicts that they each have. Obviously there is the main conflict of the story, but there are also individual conflicts that are unique to each character, who are all dynamic and round in their own unique ways. One example of these conflicts is with Ray Bronson, a nonathletic, non-popular guy who had big expectations in his life. He moved out of town after the incident, thinking he could get away from it, but it never escaped him and he returned grizzled yet determined to find a way to rid himself of the guilt. Another good example of a rounded character with internal conflicts is Julie James, the first protagonist we meet, who feels the most guilt about the incident, and also is the most impacted by it. She has a weak relationship with a new guy she met, went through a total change of personality after the incident, and has parent issues. All of the characters are very well designed and believable, even if they do fit into certain stereotypes, such as Barry being the Dumb Jock, or Helen being the Pretty Blond Girl. The book is able to make them seem believable and realistic too, not conforming too much into their typical characteristics too much. Overall, the book has great characterization, and every person that we meet feels real and alive. Even if the mystery may seem a bit slow at first, the characters and their own internal conflicts will be able to hook readers right from the beginning.

Rebound Book Update

On By LIAM MIn Book UpdateLeave a comment

Rebound by Kwame Walker is a book that develops through Charlie Bell. Charlie Bell is the main character who travels upstate New York to visit his grandparents. We see many different sides to Charlie. We see how Charlie goes from having a lot of built-up anger due to the loss of his dad but lets off a little of that steam when he talks to his mom for the first time about the loss. We also see his opinion on spending the summer with his grandparents. Charlie is fighting the internal conflict of losing his dad and not being on the best terms with his mom. Charlie was sent to live with his grandparents in the first place because he and his mother needed to spend less time together. There was a lot of heat between him and his mother and kept on developing so Charlie’s mother had no other option but to send him with his grandparents. Charlie and his mother are now on better terms and we see how Charlie changes over time from being a one side-seeing person to calming down and seeing both sides.

Book Update The Electric Kingdom

On By Daniel R.In Book Update1 Comment

The book The Electric Kingdom is a really good book it uses different perspectives for each chapter and that really lets the reader know what is going on and what they are thinking. I am at page 220 and it has gotten really interesting with the characters meeting new people and more action going on. I am really invested and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Book Update: I Fell in Love With Hope

On By CAROLYN R.In Book Update1 Comment

I Fell in Love With Hope by Lancali is a slower paced novel that follows five adolescents living in a hospital. They wish to escape from the grasps of their various diseases. The plot moves quite slowly, but it does not make the book boring at all. There is so much imagery and poetry that the author uses to immerse you into the story that makes it difficult to put down. I am not very far into the book, but I look forward to continuing to read and watching the plot advance.

A Boy’s Duty “Next Year”

On By LIAM MIn Book Update, UncategorizedLeave a comment

It’s been a while since I visited the cafe. I also haven’t seen my old friends since the last day before I left to join the Navy. I have three more years and then I’m off to college. I’ve met so many new people here in the Navy. Mostly People were sent here by their fathers because they weren’t behaving or didn’t have the money to get their kids through college. I’ve still been working on paintings and work. A new opportunity has opened up for me to show my paintings at a show. David a guy I met here says he would be happy to show my work at a show. “Are you ready for the big day? only three weeks left.” He says to me. “Yup, the painting is almost ready for the show,” I respond knowing I am not 3/4 of the way there. I’m hoping the painting sells well that way I can show that I can show my father that there’s more to life than a farm and I also need the money. I continue working on my painting It’s hard finding time to work on it for multiple hours. It’s not easy balancing between working on the painting and being in the Navy.
Three hours until the show and I finished my painting yesterday. I go to check into the show in the lobby of the local Marriot. “Table number 5, 3rd row.” The lady says to me when I walk in. I’m surrounded by art work that glows and sticks out. It is gonna be hard to get mine notice. After the long five hours I spent telling people about my work saying the same 3 lines, they announce whose art work sold for the most. “Congratulations, to all the contestants but now to reveal the biggest earning. The painting that sold for the most is Mr. Zakary in row 3.” I go to collect the money and think about what I will do with it. I know I will save most of it and it is also nice to have this money going into college.

Six of Crows reading update #2

On By MAX KIn Book Update, Highly Recommended, Novels, Uncategorized2 Comments

The book Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is an enthralling adventure that makes you wish you had more time to sit down and read. I almost finished with this fantasy novel and would highly recommend to anyone looking for a new adventure to follow and a new world to be introduced to. The story revolves around six older teenagers, who work as a team for the sole purpose of pulling of a very risky heist. What makes this story even more complicated though, is that each chapter is told by a different one of them and you get to know them and their backstories very well. The author makes this a funny, but also serious adventure that focuses on love, revenge, and greed as they navigate their lives in a magical world.

Binti Home- reading update

On By COLE STEWARTIn Book UpdateLeave a comment

I am still reading Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor, and so far it has great potential to be a great and profound book. Binti is a sci-fi afrofuturism trilogy about Binti and her Meduse friend Okwu. Binti is going back home from where she is currently staying, Oomza University. So far I believe that Okwu is the most complex character because they can very mean and cold hearted but also compassionate and empathetic. A internal conflict Binti is experiencing is her worry’s about how her family will think of her. Ever sense she left her family secretly to go to Oomza Uni, she was worried how her family would treat and think of her because she left so abruptly. I think that the book builds tension by creating new conflicts which leads to her having to accomplish something to solve the problem. So far I think its going to be a good and exiting book.

One Of Us Is Lying– independent reading update

On By KATHRYN BIn Book Update1 Comment

I am still reading One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus, and so far I really like it. It follows a mystery from the perspective of a group of high schoolers who were all in detention when their classmate had an allergic reaction and died. I’m kind of at a calm point of the story where nothing big is happening because of the investigation, but it still stays interesting throughout the whole story.

Rebound Reading Update

On By Matthew HIn Book Update1 Comment

In Rebound by Kwame Alexander Charlie is trying to figure out his life with his father died and his mom being over protective. In the summer his mom decides to send him to his grandparents house for the whole summer to keep him out of trouble.

The most complex character so far is Charlie, even though he hasn’t completely matured in the novel he is showing signs of getting better. In Rebound there are external conflicts but also internal. The external being Charlie vs his mom and how she is making him leave all his friend and go to his grandparents house for the summer. But it is also internal by Charlie trying to deal with his dad being dead and not being able to cope with that and confused why it happened.

The Loop Reading Update #2

On By SEAN C.In Book Update1 Comment

The Loop, by Ben Oliver, takes place in the future where one man and the government control everything about people’s lives. The book follows a 16 year-old named Luka Kane who’s been wrongly imprisoned in a nightmarish prison, called the loop, where the prisoners are tested on horrible experiments, brutally tortured, and in solitude everyday until they die. But shortly after being in the loop for two years, things begin to change, and the daily routine of the prisoners begin to change

So far in the book, I have still not found out why the main character, Luka, was put into the loop in the first place. What makes the book so compelling is that now the story is starting to progress more and the everyday activities that the inmates do in the loop are disrupted. All the inmates are sent to a new area that little is known about. But thanks to a guard that Luka is friends with, we learn that it has made the inmates going inside of it crazy. The author builds suspense by slowly giving the reader little details about the loop and the outside world to not only progress the story, but to keep the reader engaged in the story as well. The most complex character in the story, right now, is Tyco Roth. Every day since Luka has been locked in the loop he says that he is going to kill him. They have never met before their time in the loop and Tyco has been saying it for, seemingly, no reason. But when the inmates are about to go into the new area, instead of just yelling about killing him, he asks Luka what he thinks is going to happen to them. Confusing the reader and building even more suspense about the new place.

Overall, I am really investing into this book and would highly recommend it if you are into the sci-fi genre.

Book review of Monster by Walter Dean Myers

On By ADAM DIn Book Review, Book Update, Race3 Comments

Monster, A novel by Walter Dean Myers, is an enthralling book about a young man’s struggle with the American Judicial society. Steve Harmon, 16, was mixed up in a robbery of a drugstore in which the owner was shot and killed. No one knows who actually pulled the trigger, or even who exactly was involved. Steve is on trial for first degree murder, but in the meantime is locked away in the county prison. The story is told from two different perspectives; the diary in which Steve keeps as a record of his life and time in prison, and as a movie script. The diary and movie script is a very interesting way to quickly shift modes, and to give the reader a chance to speculate as to what is going to happen. With plenty of strong evidence from both sides of the story, and a relentless prosecutor hell-bent on proving Steve guilty, this story is sure to leave you breathless. As the story progresses, the tension builds, and one burning question is stuck bouncing around Steve’s mind: Am I guilty? Read Monster to find out for yourself.