Title: The Bar Code Rebellion
Author: Suzanne Weyn
Publisher: Scholastic Inc. (Point)
Date of Publication: August 2006
Genera: Science Fiction

From the Back of the Book:
Kayla has resisted getting the bar code tattoo, even though it's meant forfeiting a "normal" life. Without the tattoo, she's an exile. But she can't stay an exile for long...

For reasons she doesn't completely understand - but will soon discover - Kayla is at the center of a lethal conspiracy that will soon threaten the very notion of freedom. Kayla can either give in to the bar code or she can join the resistance and fight it. The choice, to her is clear;

It's time to fight.

They want your identity.
They want your freedom.
They can't have them.

The bar code rebellion.


My Take:
Kayla's story picks up mostly where it was left off, only now the plot thickens as Mfumbe, Kayla's boyfriend, has been captured and forced to get the bar code. As she is forced to leave him in his parents care she knows she must fight along side the resistance to free him from their plans.

I found this book to be quite the let down from the previous book. It skips ahead in places, doesn't fully explore the complications it sets itself up for, and throws a cliche into the mix just to make it more of a scifi story. Over all I found it an okay read. Would I read this one again NO would I recommend this to my friends and readers, YES everyone should at least see the story to the end. Besides we all have different tastes so maybe someone else will enjoy it far more then I did.

Let me know what you thought of the book!

Cheers,
~ Missy

I very rarely buy a new book these days. My budget is so tight that I have to go to consignment shops and second hand stores. And of course I've found bookmooch, though I consider BM to be a privilege to be a part of. However there are times when I just have to have that NEW JUST RELEASED book in my hands and in my collection.

So tonight my sister and I went out to Chapters (Canada's answer to Barns and Nobel) and she was sweet enough to buy me a copy of A Wizard of Mars by Diane Duane.

The one thing I always do when I do manage to venture into a Chapters is go to the bargain section. I know that sometimes a great find is just lurking. And since I've been telling myself that I need to open my mind to other scifi and fantasy novels I've begun the hunt for a challenge something I've never read directly before.

And so I've come across a book called Werewolf Rising by R.L. LaFevers. I've never read a werewolf story before, I've read stories that included werewolf characters but never one that centered specifically on a werewolf. I look forward to reading it.


I'm still trying to find space for all the books I do have but I still add more it is driving my father and sister nuts.

CORRECTION: In my last post I mentioned that the last House of Night book that I read was Hunted when in fact it was Tempted.

Cheers,
~ Missy

I was so disappointed yesterday to learn that once again I had missed a release date for a book I really wanted to read.

I began following the House of Night series at christmas time when I was gifted the books for christmas. To be honest I had wanted to read a "vampire" story but not one that had all the cliches. I was working for a bookstore at the time and had to do a display on vamp novels because Twilight is so popular. The idea seemed cool so I threw it onto my wish list and got all of the books to that point for christmas from my sister. When I got to the end of Hunted I felt so annoyed that I'd have to wait for the next one. When I checked it did not have a release date listed so I was shocked to see it in a big box store yesterday.

This is the THIRD release date I've missed on a book I was waiting for. The first happened last year in April with Jane Yolen's latest addition to the Pit Dragon books, Dragon's Heart, then earlier this year I missed Diane Duane's A Wizard of Mars. Unlike the other two, which i still don't have a copy of, I now have a copy of Burned as my mother was so kind as to buy it for me for no real reason.

Now I have to find the money to buy the other two books and I don't know where I'm going to get them. I'm excited to know that there are new books from my favorite authors being released. Although I wish Diane Duane would go ahead and "self" publish The Big Meow as I paid for my copy almost three years ago now. I'd like to have the book already. But that is a rant better left for another time...

For now I just need to start looking up my favorite authors every week and make notations on when the next book is coming on a calender. Wish me luck on that one...

Cheers,
~ Missy

WARNING MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Title: The Bar Code Tattoo
Author: Suzanne Weyn
Publisher: Scholastic Inc. (Point)
Date of Publication: September 2004
Genera: Science Fiction

From the back of the book:
The bar code tattoo. Everybody's getting it. It will make your life easier, they say. It will hook you in. It will become your identity.
But what if you say no? What if you don't want to become a code? For Kayla, this on choice changes everything. She becomes an outcast in her high school. Dangerous things happen to her family. There's no option but to run...for her life.

Individuality vs. conformity
Identity vs. access
Freedom vs. control

The bar code tattoo.

My Take:

This is a story about Kayla, a young girl who feels as though everything in her life is falling apart after her father takes his own life. She joins a group at school of people who oppose the "bar code tattoo" because they feel it is a form of control the government is trying to enforce on the people of the world. In this novel Kayla learns about love, betrayal and loyalty. She learns to trust her instincts and how to survive. Being science fiction this story has some basis in reality even more scary is the notion that in a post 9/11 world this could become a fight that people may have to undertake. The idea that this could happen is one that is truly uncomfortable but one that must be considered. Because it is in this ability to believe that this could happen that the reader will find themselves engaged and thinking. At point the plot is weak there were points where it was just a little too predictable but that helps the reader find comfort in what is essentially an unknown. If there is one thing about the book that I didn't like it was the ending. It felt to abrupt as though the story had really just begun. Had I not known there was a sequel I would have been upset that there was something missing. In the end I have and do recommend the book to anyone who likes a good read...This is a book that will make you think about the what ifs of science, technology and the ethics involved and just how much control should the government have over the people.

Personally I give this book 4 out of 5.

I decided yesterday that I've been wanting to read The Bar Code Tattoo so I might as well. I have started it so when I finish it I will post a review.

I still haven't figured out how to organize my bookshelf to fit all my books but seeing as how I've not been home much this week I'm not to concerned about it yet.

I want to take a moment and talk about BookMooch. About a year ago I was reading on my favorite Harry Potter fan site (Immeritus: The Sirius Black Fan Club) about book trading sites such as Paperback Swap and BookMooch and I started to look into them. I found that PBS and almost all other sites were for Americans only. Then I found BM. I studied it for about two or three weeks checking and rechecking the rules and then finally I signed up.

I've had so many great experiences with BM, like the times I've met geophile. and of course all the books I've received in the mail, it is like Christmas or a birthday every time a package arrives. Through BM I've been introduced to LibraryThing. But LT is for another post.

Cheers,
~ Missy

As I mentioned yesterday I went into my room, the only place I'm allowed to keep books, and tried to start putting my books away in some sort of order. I found I was unable to do so... I had piles of books in the office, the living room and of course my bedroom and they no longer fit on my tiny little book cabinet. I have a shelf specifically for books I plan to list on BM but I think I may have to turn it into another bookshelf. I wish I was able to put up shelves on the walls for my soft covers at least. I do not want my hard covers to get too much sun or wear as they are my collectors items.

I haven't begun a new book as of yet, I'm trying to decide if I should re-read some of my favorite novels or start something new. I got the Bar Code Tattoo a while back and the sequel, maybe I should read those next. I've also got the Maximum Ride Series to read but I don't have all of the books just yet and I'd like to read straight through on the older series.

Today's LJ question is one that I think is interesting: Is there a book you really loved that was subsequently turned into a movie? Did it live up to your expectations? Why or why not?

There are several books I loved that were turned into a movie: Harry Potter Series, Eragon, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, The Narnia Books, and T*Witches just to name a few.

I think the thing we all have to remember about an adaptation is the word adapt; to make suitable to requirements or conditions; adjust or modify fittingly (Dictionary.com). For a book to become a movie content has to be cut sometimes it becomes a different plot all together. Take for example The third Harry Potter movie: The Prisoner of Azkaban, by movie fan standards it is the best movie of the franchise, however by book fan standards this was the beginning of the franchise's downward slide. They cut important parts of the book out and added in scenes that don't belong. The same can be said for all most all the movie conversions listed above. Eragon the movie was so far removed from the book it fell well below my expectations. I understand in a movie like that they have to worry about budget on special effects, but really, at least try to stick close to main and important plot points. T*Witches was by far the worst adaptation period, both movies had absolutely nothing to do with the plot of the books. And with the Percy Jackson movie they changed so much of the plot points I don't understand how they will manage to make a second movie never mind the four that were suppose to be made. Over all now a days I try to see the movie before reading the books for fear that they movie will never match up to my expectations.

I'll have to remember to talk about BookMooch (BM) and Librarything (LT) sometime in the future. For now I'm going to go try to clean up my books some more.

Cheers,
~ Missy

Hello,

I've decided to go back and change everything. I've been out of this game for quite a while but after reading many blogs I've decided to give it a shot once more. In the spirit of starting over I've deleted all but one of my reviews. I left Swimming in the Monsoon Sea up for several reasons.

1. I can't really relive reading it for the first time, and the emotions you feel after first reading a book are important to me.

2. I had an opportunity to see the author speak not long after he first released the book and I liked him he was such a nice person and a professor at my University.

Finally, 3. This book brings out some very important issues and I don't usually read books of this genera, I was "forced" into reading it for a class assignment. I never would have picked it up on my own but I would have been less a person for having not read it.

I also plan on changing how I had originally formatted this blog. To begin with I won't be strictly reviews on books. I now intend to incorporate my struggles to find good quality used books both online and in person at stores, and my daily reading habits and my daily life. With all that in mind...

On Saturday my darling boyfriend, (whom will remain nameless until I, A. get his permission to use his name or B. come up with a good nickname) suggested that we head over to ValueVillage. This consignment shop offers everything from electronics and clothes to of course books. Usually "children's" books are .99 cents, however with the thicker books like Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Eldest they charge a fraction of the cover price. I was then of course shocked and amazed to come across a Advanced Reader Copy or ARC of Eldest by Christopher Paolini. I didn't have more then 5 dollars which I mentioned to the cashier. She mentioned that she used to work for a publisher and understood my need of the ARC and being a sweetheart, knowing it was a Young Adult novel, only charged me the .99 cents. I was and still am ecstatic. I have a first edition in hardcover, I love to collect them but an ARC is so rare it is nice to have that available to me.

I'm beginning to research my novel that I've had running around in my head for ages. I will say that it will be based on Wicca and leave it at that for now. I'm beginning by get research material, I'm using BookMooch and Librarything to help me. I've fallen in love with both of those websites. Having been a member of both for almost a year now, I've found the communities delightful and welcoming. I enjoy the thrill of receiving a book in the mail.

I just finished re-reading Tamora Pierce's The Will of the Empress which I won't be reviewing this time, maybe another time. I'll have to pick another book to read, maybe I'll go through my entire collection one book at a time and review them all. I've a few in my To Be Read (TBR) pile that I could begin as well. Mostly I need to re-organize my book shelf as I have far too many books in piles all over the place and my father is getting upset, not to mention my sister who has been stealing my romance novels. (The romance novels are my guilty pleasure, I follow a few authors and when ever I finish a heavy read I turn to a "trashy" book to clam me down.)

I don't believe I used to have any followers, this was kind of not a great blog. However I hope to have some now. Please leave a comment and tell me where you think I should go from here. If you have suggestions about features or books you think I should try, post them. Also I want my followers to know I'm a huge lover of Sci-fi and Fantasy though I've read classics and such.

Cheers,
~ Missy

This novel was assigned to me for University reading. Swimming in the Monsoon Sea by Shyam Selvadurai is a gripping emotional tale that gets to the heart of a young boys journey into adulthood. Here is the book synopsis:

It is 1980 and the season of the monsoons in Sri Lanka. Fourteen-year-old Amrith faces an uneventful summer in the cheerful, well-to-do household in which he is being raised by vibrant Aunty Bundle and kindly Uncle Lucky. He tries not to think of his life “before”, when his loving mother was still alive. Amrith’s holiday plans seem unpromising until, like an unexpected monsoon, his cousin arrives from Canada. Amrith’s ordered life becomes storm-tossed as he falls in love with the boy. Shakespeare’s Othello, with its powerful theme of disastrous jealousy, is the backdrop to the drama in which Amrith finds himself immersed.

( Review of Swimming in the Monsoon Sea cut for possible spoiler content )

I recommend this book for teens and young adults and hope to see this book embraced by the world for the truly brilliant work that it is.