Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday - September 30


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My "can't-wait-to-read" selection for this week is:

Under the Dome by Stephen King

Release: November 10, 2009


I have read Stephen King since I was a teenager and this sounds really good. It's going to be a big one too - goodreads says 1120 pages! Wow. I absolutely cannot wait.








About the book:

On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when -- or if -- it will go away.

Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens -- town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing -- even murder -- to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.

So what are you waiting on this week?

Book Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher


My rating: 5.0/5.0
This is a completely engrossing book.





About the book:

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers 13 cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

My Review:

I sat down really unsure if I wanted to read this book. At it's core is a teen suicide and I didn't think I would like a book that sounded that depressing. But it has lots of great reviews so I checked it out from the library and then sat down to read it. I'm glad I did because this book is wonderful.

At the heart of this wonderful young adult novel is a set of tapes that is going around between the people that Hannah Baker thinks was responsible for her giving up on life. The book begins when Clay Jensen receives the tapes and starts listening to them. Through the tapes we learn about the big and little things that caused Hannah to make the decision to commit suicide.

It's very eye-opening and I think all ages (teenager and above) can get something out of this. I think it shows so well that even the little things we do matter to someone else. I know I was moved by this book and it's message and story will stay with me for a long time to come.


Challenges:
Support Your Local Library Challenge
100+ Book Challenge

CymLowell

Review Copy Arrival: The Church of Facebook by Jesse Rice

The Church of Facebook: How the Wireless Generation Is Redefining Community

The Church of Facebook by Jesse Rice

This timely release explores the community-altering phenomenon of social networking sites and what it reveals about friendship, God, and our own hearts.

With hundreds of millions of users, social networks are changing how we form relationships, perceive others, and shape our identity. Yet at its core, this movement reflects our need for community. Our longing for intimacy, connection, and a place to belong has never been a secret, but social networking offers us a new perspective on the way we engage our community. How do these networks impact our relationships? In what ways are they shaping the way we think of ourselves? And how might this phenomenon subtly reflect a God who longs to connect with each one of us?

The Church of Facebook explores these ideas and much more, offering a revealing look at the wildly popular world of online social networking.