Question: How rewarding is the story?

Before I give my review of this book, I just want to throw it out there that I think the comparison of The Selection to The Hunger Games that some people around the internet are completely uncalled for. This book is nothing like The Hunger Games, except that there's a game people get randomly chosen to participate in. The games are nothing alike, the selection process is nothing alike, and the characters, the world, and the circumstances are completely different. Does anybody get married by the end of The Hunger Games? No. Does anyone die in the process of The Selection? No. Well, not as a direct result of the game at least, there is a war going on so I'm sure someone somewhere did die. But that's besides the point.Now that that is out of the way...This book definitely met all my expectations. It was a fantastic mix of romance, self-discovery, and even enough action thrown in to keep it interesting. Most of the characters, and all of the main had great character development, and nobody stayed stagnant for very long. The unraveling of Maxon's character and personality was done very well, and I found myself pulling for him from the first time America interacts with him.I absolutely loved America's character, and I was very glad that Cass didn't just throw her at the prince. It made America feel more real, and not just like another conniving girl after the crown. Which made it feel less like The Bachelor, and I definitely appreciated that. I don't think I would have been able to handle a book just about a bunch of girls fighting over a crown instead of trying to legitimately win the prince's heart. I also thought that the way America treats her servants in the castle is wonderful. Being from a lower caste, she understands them more than the other girls and treats them like real people.A couple of spoilers from here on out, so proceed with caution if you haven't read the book yet.I loved how America was so reluctant to enter the Selection, but does anyway to please her family and her secret boyfriend. Except that I didn't really like Aspen, and I thought he treated her terribly after their break-up. I wish she hadn't kept that last penny in a jar, but I can see the significance and the purpose. Aspen really didn't impress me much, but I feel like that was what Cass intended. Although I hope he doesn't shape up and win America's heart, part of me still thinks he'll make an effort to in the next book. And then most of me still hope she chooses Maxon.I could rant for a while about how Maxon is so much better for her than Aspen, and how much he clearly cares for her, but I'll let you read the book and make your own decision on that. It's Team Maxon for me all the way though.The history lesson in one of the middle chapters was very interesting, and I'm glad Cass included it. It's always nice to know a little bit about the world and the time period that the novel takes place in, and I think including that chapter was a great way to incorporate the information without it sounding like an actual history lesson. Or without having one of the characters randomly go off about the history of the country and the world.I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel. The ending of The Selection left me wanting so much more, and I hope the rest of the series answers the questions I have and resolves the plot in the way I hope it will. Although I'm sure I'll be happy with the outcome no matter what happens. Cass' descriptive style of writing is enough to make me enjoy the books even if the plot doesn't go how I think it should.A strong 4/5 on this one! If you haven't picked it up yet, I highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind a little less action, great character development, and a strong female protagonist.

Answer: A strong 4/5 on this one! If you haven't picked it up yet, I highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind a little less action

Before I give my review of this book, I just want to throw it out there that I think the comparison of The Selection to The Hunger Games that some people around the internet are completely uncalled for. This book is nothing like The Hunger Games, except that there's a game people get randomly chosen to participate in. The games are nothing alike, the selection process is nothing alike, and the characters, the world, and the circumstances are completely different. Does anybody get married by the end of The Hunger Games? No. Does anyone die in the process of The Selection? No. Well, not as a direct result of the game at least, there is a war going on so I'm sure someone somewhere did die. But that's besides the point. Now that that is out of the way... This book definitely met all my expectations. It was a fantastic mix of romance, self-discovery, and even enough action thrown in to keep it interesting. Most of the characters, and all of the main had great character development, and nobody stayed stagnant for very long. The unraveling of Maxon's character and personality was done very well, and I found myself pulling for him from the first time America interacts with him. I absolutely loved America's character, and I was very glad that Cass didn't just throw her at the prince. It made America feel more real, and not just like another conniving girl after the crown. Which made it feel less like The Bachelor, and I definitely appreciated that. I don't think I would have been able to handle a book just about a bunch of girls fighting over a crown instead of trying to legitimately win the prince's heart. I also thought that the way America treats her servants in the castle is wonderful. Being from a lower caste, she understands them more than the other girls and treats them like real people. A couple of spoilers from here on out, so proceed with caution if you haven't read the book yet. I loved how America was so reluctant to enter the Selection, but does anyway to please her family and her secret boyfriend. Except that I didn't really like Aspen, and I thought he treated her terribly after their break-up. I wish she hadn't kept that last penny in a jar, but I can see the significance and the purpose. Aspen really didn't impress me much, but I feel like that was what Cass intended. Although I hope he doesn't shape up and win America's heart, part of me still thinks he'll make an effort to in the next book. And then most of me still hope she chooses Maxon. I could rant for a while about how Maxon is so much better for her than Aspen, and how much he clearly cares for her, but I'll let you read the book and make your own decision on that. It's Team Maxon for me all the way though. The history lesson in one of the middle chapters was very interesting, and I'm glad Cass included it. It's always nice to know a little bit about the world and the time period that the novel takes place in, and I think including that chapter was a great way to incorporate the information without it sounding like an actual history lesson. Or without having one of the characters randomly go off about the history of the country and the world. I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel. The ending of The Selection left me wanting so much more, and I hope the rest of the series answers the questions I have and resolves the plot in the way I hope it will. Although I'm sure I'll be happy with the outcome no matter what happens. Cass' descriptive style of writing is enough to make me enjoy the books even if the plot doesn't go how I think it should. <hl> A strong 4/5 on this one! If you haven't picked it up yet, I highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind a little less action , great character development, and a strong female protagonist. <hl>

Before I give my review of this book, I just want to throw it out there that I think the comparison of The Selection to The Hunger Games that some people around the internet are completely uncalled for. This book is nothing like The Hunger Games, except that there's a game people get randomly chosen to participate in. The games are nothing alike, the selection process is nothing alike, and the characters, the world, and the circumstances are completely different. Does anybody get married by the end of The Hunger Games? No. Does anyone die in the process of The Selection? No. Well, not as a direct result of the game at least, there is a war going on so I'm sure someone somewhere did die. But that's besides the point.Now that that is out of the way...This book definitely met all my expectations. It was a fantastic mix of romance, self-discovery, and even enough action thrown in to keep it interesting. Most of the characters, and all of the main had great character development, and nobody stayed stagnant for very long. The unraveling of Maxon's character and personality was done very well, and I found myself pulling for him from the first time America interacts with him.I absolutely loved America's character, and I was very glad that Cass didn't just throw her at the prince. It made America feel more real, and not just like another conniving girl after the crown. Which made it feel less like The Bachelor, and I definitely appreciated that. I don't think I would have been able to handle a book just about a bunch of girls fighting over a crown instead of trying to legitimately win the prince's heart. I also thought that the way America treats her servants in the castle is wonderful. Being from a lower caste, she understands them more than the other girls and treats them like real people.A couple of spoilers from here on out, so proceed with caution if you haven't read the book yet.I loved how America was so reluctant to enter the Selection, but does anyway to please her family and her secret boyfriend. Except that I didn't really like Aspen, and I thought he treated her terribly after their break-up. I wish she hadn't kept that last penny in a jar, but I can see the significance and the purpose. Aspen really didn't impress me much, but I feel like that was what Cass intended. Although I hope he doesn't shape up and win America's heart, part of me still thinks he'll make an effort to in the next book. And then most of me still hope she chooses Maxon.I could rant for a while about how Maxon is so much better for her than Aspen, and how much he clearly cares for her, but I'll let you read the book and make your own decision on that. It's Team Maxon for me all the way though.The history lesson in one of the middle chapters was very interesting, and I'm glad Cass included it. It's always nice to know a little bit about the world and the time period that the novel takes place in, and I think including that chapter was a great way to incorporate the information without it sounding like an actual history lesson. Or without having one of the characters randomly go off about the history of the country and the world.I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel. The ending of The Selection left me wanting so much more, and I hope the rest of the series answers the questions I have and resolves the plot in the way I hope it will. Although I'm sure I'll be happy with the outcome no matter what happens. Cass' descriptive style of writing is enough to make me enjoy the books even if the plot doesn't go how I think it should.<hl> A strong 4/5 on this one! If you haven't picked it up yet, I highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind a little less action <hl>, great character development, and a strong female protagonist.

<hl> A strong 4/5 on this one! If you haven't picked it up yet, I highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind a little less action <hl> , great character development, and a strong female protagonist.


Question: How is the emotion invoked was?

I don't normally write alot of reviews, I read alot, I enjoy reading alot and if its a good book once I start I will lose sleep over finishing the book, I will literally stay up and read until I'm done, this is exactly what happened with this book as I finished it at 4:30 a.m. today. I wasn't sure whether to get this book or not due to some of the more negative reviews, but I'm really not sure how anyone could feel anything but positive about this book. It was wonderful, and its still weighing on my mind. An absolutely beautiful love story between two individuals that have endured so much. Some of the reviews made it sound like this book was full of sex and inappropriateness, I didn't find that at all. I could only hope my child would have the same values and morals that this girl did when it came to her body (although the characters stemmed from something much deeper; of course I wouldn't wish for that) I would be proud if she waited to give herself to someone who she loved with every bit of her soul. The story was deep and meaningful and if you are reading this contemplating whether or not to purchase this book, I say do it, don't go into with preconceived negativities posted by others on here, just read and let this book pull you in as it did me. For those of you who reviewed negatively are you sure you read this book? Really? I do know someone commented and quoted parts of how the writer wrote certain aspects of the book, the way I read this it was to simply pull us into the mind of that moment and what they were feeling and experiencing and I'm probably one of the worst critiquers when it comes to things like this, but I didn't take it the same way others have portrayed it here in the reviews. Overall this was worth every bit of the 5 stars I'm giving it and I thoroughly enjoyed this book

Answer: could feel anything but positive about this book

I don't normally write alot of reviews, I read alot, I enjoy reading alot and if its a good book once I start I will lose sleep over finishing the book, I will literally stay up and read until I'm done, this is exactly what happened with this book as I finished it at 4:30 a.m. today. <hl> I wasn't sure whether to get this book or not due to some of the more negative reviews, but I'm really not sure how anyone could feel anything but positive about this book . <hl> It was wonderful, and its still weighing on my mind. An absolutely beautiful love story between two individuals that have endured so much. Some of the reviews made it sound like this book was full of sex and inappropriateness, I didn't find that at all. I could only hope my child would have the same values and morals that this girl did when it came to her body (although the characters stemmed from something much deeper; of course I wouldn't wish for that) I would be proud if she waited to give herself to someone who she loved with every bit of her soul. The story was deep and meaningful and if you are reading this contemplating whether or not to purchase this book, I say do it, don't go into with preconceived negativities posted by others on here, just read and let this book pull you in as it did me. For those of you who reviewed negatively are you sure you read this book? Really? I do know someone commented and quoted parts of how the writer wrote certain aspects of the book, the way I read this it was to simply pull us into the mind of that moment and what they were feeling and experiencing and I'm probably one of the worst critiquers when it comes to things like this, but I didn't take it the same way others have portrayed it here in the reviews. Overall this was worth every bit of the 5 stars I'm giving it and I thoroughly enjoyed this book

I don't normally write alot of reviews, I read alot, I enjoy reading alot and if its a good book once I start I will lose sleep over finishing the book, I will literally stay up and read until I'm done, this is exactly what happened with this book as I finished it at 4:30 a.m. today. I wasn't sure whether to get this book or not due to some of the more negative reviews, but I'm really not sure how anyone <hl> could feel anything but positive about this book <hl>. It was wonderful, and its still weighing on my mind. An absolutely beautiful love story between two individuals that have endured so much. Some of the reviews made it sound like this book was full of sex and inappropriateness, I didn't find that at all. I could only hope my child would have the same values and morals that this girl did when it came to her body (although the characters stemmed from something much deeper; of course I wouldn't wish for that) I would be proud if she waited to give herself to someone who she loved with every bit of her soul. The story was deep and meaningful and if you are reading this contemplating whether or not to purchase this book, I say do it, don't go into with preconceived negativities posted by others on here, just read and let this book pull you in as it did me. For those of you who reviewed negatively are you sure you read this book? Really? I do know someone commented and quoted parts of how the writer wrote certain aspects of the book, the way I read this it was to simply pull us into the mind of that moment and what they were feeling and experiencing and I'm probably one of the worst critiquers when it comes to things like this, but I didn't take it the same way others have portrayed it here in the reviews. Overall this was worth every bit of the 5 stars I'm giving it and I thoroughly enjoyed this book

I wasn't sure whether to get this book or not due to some of the more negative reviews, but I'm really not sure how anyone <hl> could feel anything but positive about this book <hl> .


Question: How was the write?

Words cannot explain my crazy love for Anna and the French Kiss. The story is simple: girl gets shipped off to boarding school in France, makes new friend, meets a hot guy, and falls in lust with him. But there is so much more to it. The characters become real in the course of the 372 pages, as does the incredible Paris setting. I've never been to Paris myself, but after reading this, it's as if I've seen the sights, smelled the city, and tasted the food. Stephanie Perkins brings that much life to Anna's Paris.And to Anna as well. This is one girl I could not only relate to, but who I wholeheartedly loved. I adore Anna. She's funny, insecure, hilarious, flawed, angry, happy, sad, hormonal (obviously, as I list her emotions here...), and a teen girl. She's a character that could easily be any girl I pass on the street. Oh, and I love her. I love Étienne St. Clair too, because I couldn't leave him out. He's as realistic as Anna, with is insecurities, his sweet gestures, and stupid actions. And his British accent and all-around gorgeousness.  That's the reason that Anna and the French Kiss is so easy to enjoy (not the gorgeousness, but a plus!); it's the characters. The characters, both big and small - no offense to the short Étienne - are developed so thoroughly that they all leap off the page.The relationships between Anna and Étienne, between Étienne and Josh, between Anna and Meredith (I could go on, but I'll stop) all evolve throughout the book. Perkins' witty humor comes out on every page and the dialogue is sharp and quick. The book is cute, I can't lie about that, but it's not 'ooey-gooey, poke-out-your-eyeballs' cute. This is `melt into a puddle, I-want-to-live-in-you-forever,' kind of cute. It's a love story that doesn't just focus on the love. There's tension between Anna and Étienne - and it's some yummy tension - but they start as friends and build from there. Not only that, but the two of them have issues outside of their little `I like you, do you like me?' bubble.Anna and the French Kiss is impossible to dislike, unless you are soulless and possibly a kitty murderer. It's sweet and real and fantastically written, with a cast of characters that you'll want to meet, know, and be BFFs with. I smiled a lot while reading it; one of those cheesy grins of pure joy. I read it one sitting because I couldn't put it down, even though I wanted to. Much like a meal in Paris, Anna and the French Kiss is a book to be savored, but is still so easily devoured. As I read the last line, I let out a sigh of pure bliss. A sigh!? That alone should make you pick this book up. Right now. What are you waiting for? GO.

Answer: witty humor comes out on every page

Words cannot explain my crazy love for Anna and the French Kiss. The story is simple: girl gets shipped off to boarding school in France, makes new friend, meets a hot guy, and falls in lust with him. But there is so much more to it. The characters become real in the course of the 372 pages, as does the incredible Paris setting. I've never been to Paris myself, but after reading this, it's as if I've seen the sights, smelled the city, and tasted the food. Stephanie Perkins brings that much life to Anna's Paris. And to Anna as well. This is one girl I could not only relate to, but who I wholeheartedly loved. I adore Anna. She's funny, insecure, hilarious, flawed, angry, happy, sad, hormonal (obviously, as I list her emotions here...), and a teen girl. She's a character that could easily be any girl I pass on the street. Oh, and I love her. I love Étienne St. Clair too, because I couldn't leave him out. He's as realistic as Anna, with is insecurities, his sweet gestures, and stupid actions. And his British accent and all-around gorgeousness. That's the reason that Anna and the French Kiss is so easy to enjoy (not the gorgeousness, but a plus!); it's the characters. The characters, both big and small - no offense to the short Étienne - are developed so thoroughly that they all leap off the page. The relationships between Anna and Étienne, between Étienne and Josh, between Anna and Meredith (I could go on, but I'll stop) all evolve throughout the book. <hl> Perkins' witty humor comes out on every page and the dialogue is sharp and quick. <hl> The book is cute, I can't lie about that, but it's not 'ooey-gooey, poke-out-your-eyeballs' cute. This is `melt into a puddle, I-want-to-live-in-you-forever,' kind of cute. It's a love story that doesn't just focus on the love. There's tension between Anna and Étienne - and it's some yummy tension - but they start as friends and build from there. Not only that, but the two of them have issues outside of their little `I like you, do you like me?' bubble. Anna and the French Kiss is impossible to dislike, unless you are soulless and possibly a kitty murderer. It's sweet and real and fantastically written, with a cast of characters that you'll want to meet, know, and be BFFs with. I smiled a lot while reading it; one of those cheesy grins of pure joy. I read it one sitting because I couldn't put it down, even though I wanted to. Much like a meal in Paris, Anna and the French Kiss is a book to be savored, but is still so easily devoured. As I read the last line, I let out a sigh of pure bliss. A sigh!? That alone should make you pick this book up. Right now. What are you waiting for? GO.

Words cannot explain my crazy love for Anna and the French Kiss. The story is simple: girl gets shipped off to boarding school in France, makes new friend, meets a hot guy, and falls in lust with him. But there is so much more to it. The characters become real in the course of the 372 pages, as does the incredible Paris setting. I've never been to Paris myself, but after reading this, it's as if I've seen the sights, smelled the city, and tasted the food. Stephanie Perkins brings that much life to Anna's Paris.And to Anna as well. This is one girl I could not only relate to, but who I wholeheartedly loved. I adore Anna. She's funny, insecure, hilarious, flawed, angry, happy, sad, hormonal (obviously, as I list her emotions here...), and a teen girl. She's a character that could easily be any girl I pass on the street. Oh, and I love her. I love Étienne St. Clair too, because I couldn't leave him out. He's as realistic as Anna, with is insecurities, his sweet gestures, and stupid actions. And his British accent and all-around gorgeousness. That's the reason that Anna and the French Kiss is so easy to enjoy (not the gorgeousness, but a plus!); it's the characters. The characters, both big and small - no offense to the short Étienne - are developed so thoroughly that they all leap off the page.The relationships between Anna and Étienne, between Étienne and Josh, between Anna and Meredith (I could go on, but I'll stop) all evolve throughout the book. Perkins' <hl> witty humor comes out on every page <hl> and the dialogue is sharp and quick. The book is cute, I can't lie about that, but it's not 'ooey-gooey, poke-out-your-eyeballs' cute. This is `melt into a puddle, I-want-to-live-in-you-forever,' kind of cute. It's a love story that doesn't just focus on the love. There's tension between Anna and Étienne - and it's some yummy tension - but they start as friends and build from there. Not only that, but the two of them have issues outside of their little `I like you, do you like me?' bubble.Anna and the French Kiss is impossible to dislike, unless you are soulless and possibly a kitty murderer. It's sweet and real and fantastically written, with a cast of characters that you'll want to meet, know, and be BFFs with. I smiled a lot while reading it; one of those cheesy grins of pure joy. I read it one sitting because I couldn't put it down, even though I wanted to. Much like a meal in Paris, Anna and the French Kiss is a book to be savored, but is still so easily devoured. As I read the last line, I let out a sigh of pure bliss. A sigh!? That alone should make you pick this book up. Right now. What are you waiting for? GO.


Question: How was the twist of the story?

I loved this story! The plot was intense, romantic, and violent. The writing was well done, if a bit sappy, and through the violence, there was a great message. The protagonist was brave, and amazing. The story was filled with plot twists, battle scenes, and exciting dramatic moments. Over all, it was amazing and I can't wait for the sequel!

Answer: The story was filled with plot twists

I loved this story! The plot was intense, romantic, and violent. The writing was well done, if a bit sappy, and through the violence, there was a great message. The protagonist was brave, and amazing. <hl> The story was filled with plot twists , battle scenes, and exciting dramatic moments. <hl> Over all, it was amazing and I can't wait for the sequel!

I loved this story! The plot was intense, romantic, and violent. The writing was well done, if a bit sappy, and through the violence, there was a great message. The protagonist was brave, and amazing. <hl> The story was filled with plot twists <hl>, battle scenes, and exciting dramatic moments. Over all, it was amazing and I can't wait for the sequel!

<hl> The story was filled with plot twists <hl> , battle scenes, and exciting dramatic moments.


Question: Why were the people angry at the release of the novel by Martin?

The third and final book in Suzanne Collins'sThe Hunger Gamestrilogy completes Katniss's story by taking her experiences to the next logical (and inevitable) step. In hindsight, the progression of the three-book storyline is obvious: Katniss goes from a tribute in a gladiatorial death-match, to getting caught up in the revolution that follows, to this: her participation in a full-scale war.Rescued from the arena at the conclusion ofCatching Fire, Katniss now finds herself recovering in District 13, a place long thought to have been destroyed by the Capitol, but in actuality existing as a vast underground complex. Her teammate and would-be love interest Peeta was not so lucky, for he was captured by the Capitol and is now being used as an instrument of propaganda by the sinister President Snow. Due to their home in District 12 being bombed, Katniss and other survivors/refugees from the mining community have joined forces with District 13's resistance fighters, though it would seem that their every act of kindness is hedged with self-interest.Katniss, her mother and sister, and her childhood friend Gale are moderately safe in the extensive underground bunkers of District 13, where schedules are tattooed in impermanent ink on everyone's arm each day and wasting food or other resources is tantamount to a criminal offense. Naturally, Katniss chaffs under the imposition of these strict rules, but luckily for her, she's got some leverage. Having made herself infamous through her actions in the Hunger Games, the resistance wants her to become a symbol of the uprising, using her status as the Mockingjay to unite the remaining eleven districts.She agrees, but not before laying down a few conditions of her own. It's at this point that we see Katniss finally become more aware of her own power as well as (paradoxically) her inherent helplessness. On the one hand, she's a valuable asset and thus has a certain amount of say in District 13's decision-making; on the other, District 13 is just as capable of manipulation, cruelty and exploitation as the Capitol, and Katniss sees firsthand the lengths to which they'll go to in order to destroy the totalitarian regime of President Snow and the Capitol. Can she be a part of it without compromising herself?Once again she finds herself in the Hunger Games - though of a slightly different sort this time. Now the cameras are trained on her as she visits hospitals, rallies the districts, and consoles her wounded compatriots. She's become a part of the propaganda machine, and struggles to maintain her own agency and personality in the progress. Clearly suffering from the first signs of PTSD (complete with concussions, drug-use, on-going injuries and nightmares) Katniss also struggles with the knowledge that everything she does to rile the Capitol may be putting the captive Peeta into danger.It all comes to a head in a nail-biting game of cat and mouse with in the streets of the Capitol itself, and in the climactic final gambit played out by Katniss.It was with interest that I read some of the other reviews for "Mockingjay", particularly the ones that gave it a lower rating. Notably, there seems to be a definite disconnect between what people were expecting, and what Collins delivered. Is this a dark but ultimately uplifting story about a girl who becomes a hero and leads a rebellion to victory at a large but ultimately necessary cost? Or is it a story about the effect that war and death have on young people, how both sides of the conflict can be morally grey, and how people have only so much strength in them before they break? It's the latter, but lot of people wanted the former, and it's clear that they're judging "Mockingjay" not on what it is, but what they wanted it to be. Naturally everyone will have a series of expectations whenever they crack open any book (especially one as anticipated as this one), but I also think that Collins had a specific message to impart, and ignoring it is to miss the very point of the trilogy.For example, Collins makes some very interesting storytelling decisions throughout. For the last two books President Snow has been set up as Katniss's primary antagonist; the ultimate foe that she will one day face (it's even foreshadowed in their names: Snow versus the Girl on Fire). Yet without giving too much away, their confrontation is not what you'd expect. Likewise, there is a rather unconventional resolution to the love triangle that many may not find satisfactory. Personally, I was never in any doubt as to which of the two boys Katniss would chose, but the way in which is occurs is hardly what you'd call a "fairytale ending."However, there are some parts of "Mockingjay" where I can understand why readers were a bit disgruntled. The death toll is extremely high; I wasn't keeping count, but there's a good chance that more named characters (I'm including the minor ones in this) end up dead than the living. In this case, Collins's gift is also her curse: by creating characters that you care about so quickly and so deeply, it is gut-wrenching when several of them not only die, but do so in a swift and anti-climactic manner. Sure, she's trying to make a statement about the randomness of war, but it's hard not to think that some characters deserved more - if not their lives, than at least a meaningful death.Although the writing is still as strong as ever in terms of its pacing and clarity, there are times in which Collins trips up. About halfway through the book, Katniss sings a haunting (and highly symbolic) song called "The Hanging Tree". Instead of Collins simply leaving the reader to interpret its meaning, she has Katniss internally analysis it for the benefit of the reader (taking up two pages!), thus robbing it of all its mystery. There are a couple of times in which she breaks the "show, don't tell" rule, breaking down various situations instead of letting the reader figure it out for themselves. (Though ironically, the most crucial gambit that Katniss plays toward the end of the novel seems to have been *too* subtle, given that many readers have expressed confusion over it. Or maybe most readers are used to being spoon-fed answers, thus justifying Collins's early attempts to spell things out. Who knows). Yet Collins's strength in writing is still apparent: her ability to maintain a riveting pace, in which everything flows smoothly from chapter to chapter, and suspense builds as the story goes on.Having a dig around some of the other reviews, I was disappointed (though hardly surprised) at the criticisms leveled at Katniss's characterization. Generally speaking, it's immensely difficult to write female characters, especially protagonists, as they will always be held to a higher standard than male characters. If she's too competent, too loved, too successful, she'll be deemed a Mary Sue. If she's too flawed, too fallible, or makes too many mistakes, then she's a bad role model and an affront to feminism.It feels as though that's what happened here. Many wanted her to step up as a hero and take control of every situation. Others dismiss her as "fickle" or "selfish" due to her interactions with Peeta and Gale (claims that baffle me considering her devotion to her sister and willingness to die for others). Others think she spent too much time under sedation, or gunning people down, or making the wrong decisions; and of course, with so much attention placed on the love triangle (not so much in the book, but certainly in on-line fan discussions - one can't help but feel that Stephenie Meyer's endorsements drew in the Twilight crowd) there were inevitably going to be disappointed shippers who would accuse Katniss of making "the wrong choice" no matter what boy she chose. So what was she: too good to be true, or a disappointing female character?Actually, she was neither. She was a seventeen year old girl who goes through a devastating ordeal, and the crux of this trilogy is that the reader shares in her terror, her self-loathing, her mental collapse, and her gradual crawl back to some degree of normality. It's a grueling experience, but one that's unflinching in revealing the true cost of war.So thank you Suzanne Collins for giving me Katniss: a three-dimensional, fully developed character who was nothing like me, and yet who I could relate to completely. Sometimes she failed, sometimes she succeeded, but she's embroiled in a story that is complex without being convoluted, and which raises difficult questions about the world without providing any sort of simplistic answer. The character development reflects this, for Collins doesn't make it easy: not for Katniss and not for the reader, and in my opinion, this uncompromising storytelling makes the complete trilogy stronger as a result. Will it be a classic? Only time will tell, but were I to place money on it, my bet would be yes.

Answer: this uncompromising storytelling makes the complete trilogy stronger as a result

The third and final book in Suzanne Collins'sThe Hunger Gamestrilogy completes Katniss's story by taking her experiences to the next logical (and inevitable) step. In hindsight, the progression of the three-book storyline is obvious: Katniss goes from a tribute in a gladiatorial death-match, to getting caught up in the revolution that follows, to this: her participation in a full-scale war. Rescued from the arena at the conclusion ofCatching Fire, Katniss now finds herself recovering in District 13, a place long thought to have been destroyed by the Capitol, but in actuality existing as a vast underground complex. Her teammate and would-be love interest Peeta was not so lucky, for he was captured by the Capitol and is now being used as an instrument of propaganda by the sinister President Snow. Due to their home in District 12 being bombed, Katniss and other survivors/refugees from the mining community have joined forces with District 13's resistance fighters, though it would seem that their every act of kindness is hedged with self-interest. Katniss, her mother and sister, and her childhood friend Gale are moderately safe in the extensive underground bunkers of District 13, where schedules are tattooed in impermanent ink on everyone's arm each day and wasting food or other resources is tantamount to a criminal offense. Naturally, Katniss chaffs under the imposition of these strict rules, but luckily for her, she's got some leverage. Having made herself infamous through her actions in the Hunger Games, the resistance wants her to become a symbol of the uprising, using her status as the Mockingjay to unite the remaining eleven districts. She agrees, but not before laying down a few conditions of her own. It's at this point that we see Katniss finally become more aware of her own power as well as (paradoxically) her inherent helplessness. On the one hand, she's a valuable asset and thus has a certain amount of say in District 13's decision-making; on the other, District 13 is just as capable of manipulation, cruelty and exploitation as the Capitol, and Katniss sees firsthand the lengths to which they'll go to in order to destroy the totalitarian regime of President Snow and the Capitol. Can she be a part of it without compromising herself?Once again she finds herself in the Hunger Games - though of a slightly different sort this time. Now the cameras are trained on her as she visits hospitals, rallies the districts, and consoles her wounded compatriots. She's become a part of the propaganda machine, and struggles to maintain her own agency and personality in the progress. Clearly suffering from the first signs of PTSD (complete with concussions, drug-use, on-going injuries and nightmares) Katniss also struggles with the knowledge that everything she does to rile the Capitol may be putting the captive Peeta into danger. It all comes to a head in a nail-biting game of cat and mouse with in the streets of the Capitol itself, and in the climactic final gambit played out by Katniss. It was with interest that I read some of the other reviews for "Mockingjay", particularly the ones that gave it a lower rating. Notably, there seems to be a definite disconnect between what people were expecting, and what Collins delivered. Is this a dark but ultimately uplifting story about a girl who becomes a hero and leads a rebellion to victory at a large but ultimately necessary cost? Or is it a story about the effect that war and death have on young people, how both sides of the conflict can be morally grey, and how people have only so much strength in them before they break? It's the latter, but lot of people wanted the former, and it's clear that they're judging "Mockingjay" not on what it is, but what they wanted it to be. Naturally everyone will have a series of expectations whenever they crack open any book (especially one as anticipated as this one), but I also think that Collins had a specific message to impart, and ignoring it is to miss the very point of the trilogy. For example, Collins makes some very interesting storytelling decisions throughout. For the last two books President Snow has been set up as Katniss's primary antagonist; the ultimate foe that she will one day face (it's even foreshadowed in their names: Snow versus the Girl on Fire). Yet without giving too much away, their confrontation is not what you'd expect. Likewise, there is a rather unconventional resolution to the love triangle that many may not find satisfactory. Personally, I was never in any doubt as to which of the two boys Katniss would chose, but the way in which is occurs is hardly what you'd call a "fairytale ending. "However, there are some parts of "Mockingjay" where I can understand why readers were a bit disgruntled. The death toll is extremely high; I wasn't keeping count, but there's a good chance that more named characters (I'm including the minor ones in this) end up dead than the living. In this case, Collins's gift is also her curse: by creating characters that you care about so quickly and so deeply, it is gut-wrenching when several of them not only die, but do so in a swift and anti-climactic manner. Sure, she's trying to make a statement about the randomness of war, but it's hard not to think that some characters deserved more - if not their lives, than at least a meaningful death. Although the writing is still as strong as ever in terms of its pacing and clarity, there are times in which Collins trips up. About halfway through the book, Katniss sings a haunting (and highly symbolic) song called "The Hanging Tree". Instead of Collins simply leaving the reader to interpret its meaning, she has Katniss internally analysis it for the benefit of the reader (taking up two pages!), thus robbing it of all its mystery. There are a couple of times in which she breaks the "show, don't tell" rule, breaking down various situations instead of letting the reader figure it out for themselves. (Though ironically, the most crucial gambit that Katniss plays toward the end of the novel seems to have been *too* subtle, given that many readers have expressed confusion over it. Or maybe most readers are used to being spoon-fed answers, thus justifying Collins's early attempts to spell things out. Who knows). Yet Collins's strength in writing is still apparent: her ability to maintain a riveting pace, in which everything flows smoothly from chapter to chapter, and suspense builds as the story goes on. Having a dig around some of the other reviews, I was disappointed (though hardly surprised) at the criticisms leveled at Katniss's characterization. Generally speaking, it's immensely difficult to write female characters, especially protagonists, as they will always be held to a higher standard than male characters. If she's too competent, too loved, too successful, she'll be deemed a Mary Sue. If she's too flawed, too fallible, or makes too many mistakes, then she's a bad role model and an affront to feminism. It feels as though that's what happened here. Many wanted her to step up as a hero and take control of every situation. Others dismiss her as "fickle" or "selfish" due to her interactions with Peeta and Gale (claims that baffle me considering her devotion to her sister and willingness to die for others). Others think she spent too much time under sedation, or gunning people down, or making the wrong decisions; and of course, with so much attention placed on the love triangle (not so much in the book, but certainly in on-line fan discussions - one can't help but feel that Stephenie Meyer's endorsements drew in the Twilight crowd) there were inevitably going to be disappointed shippers who would accuse Katniss of making "the wrong choice" no matter what boy she chose. So what was she: too good to be true, or a disappointing female character?Actually, she was neither. She was a seventeen year old girl who goes through a devastating ordeal, and the crux of this trilogy is that the reader shares in her terror, her self-loathing, her mental collapse, and her gradual crawl back to some degree of normality. It's a grueling experience, but one that's unflinching in revealing the true cost of war. So thank you Suzanne Collins for giving me Katniss: a three-dimensional, fully developed character who was nothing like me, and yet who I could relate to completely. Sometimes she failed, sometimes she succeeded, but she's embroiled in a story that is complex without being convoluted, and which raises difficult questions about the world without providing any sort of simplistic answer. <hl> The character development reflects this, for Collins doesn't make it easy: not for Katniss and not for the reader, and in my opinion, this uncompromising storytelling makes the complete trilogy stronger as a result . <hl> Will it be a classic? Only time will tell, but were I to place money on it, my bet would be yes.

The third and final book in Suzanne Collins'sThe Hunger Gamestrilogy completes Katniss's story by taking her experiences to the next logical (and inevitable) step. In hindsight, the progression of the three-book storyline is obvious: Katniss goes from a tribute in a gladiatorial death-match, to getting caught up in the revolution that follows, to this: her participation in a full-scale war.Rescued from the arena at the conclusion ofCatching Fire, Katniss now finds herself recovering in District 13, a place long thought to have been destroyed by the Capitol, but in actuality existing as a vast underground complex. Her teammate and would-be love interest Peeta was not so lucky, for he was captured by the Capitol and is now being used as an instrument of propaganda by the sinister President Snow. Due to their home in District 12 being bombed, Katniss and other survivors/refugees from the mining community have joined forces with District 13's resistance fighters, though it would seem that their every act of kindness is hedged with self-interest.Katniss, her mother and sister, and her childhood friend Gale are moderately safe in the extensive underground bunkers of District 13, where schedules are tattooed in impermanent ink on everyone's arm each day and wasting food or other resources is tantamount to a criminal offense. Naturally, Katniss chaffs under the imposition of these strict rules, but luckily for her, she's got some leverage. Having made herself infamous through her actions in the Hunger Games, the resistance wants her to become a symbol of the uprising, using her status as the Mockingjay to unite the remaining eleven districts.She agrees, but not before laying down a few conditions of her own. It's at this point that we see Katniss finally become more aware of her own power as well as (paradoxically) her inherent helplessness. On the one hand, she's a valuable asset and thus has a certain amount of say in District 13's decision-making; on the other, District 13 is just as capable of manipulation, cruelty and exploitation as the Capitol, and Katniss sees firsthand the lengths to which they'll go to in order to destroy the totalitarian regime of President Snow and the Capitol. Can she be a part of it without compromising herself?Once again she finds herself in the Hunger Games - though of a slightly different sort this time. Now the cameras are trained on her as she visits hospitals, rallies the districts, and consoles her wounded compatriots. She's become a part of the propaganda machine, and struggles to maintain her own agency and personality in the progress. Clearly suffering from the first signs of PTSD (complete with concussions, drug-use, on-going injuries and nightmares) Katniss also struggles with the knowledge that everything she does to rile the Capitol may be putting the captive Peeta into danger.It all comes to a head in a nail-biting game of cat and mouse with in the streets of the Capitol itself, and in the climactic final gambit played out by Katniss.It was with interest that I read some of the other reviews for "Mockingjay", particularly the ones that gave it a lower rating. Notably, there seems to be a definite disconnect between what people were expecting, and what Collins delivered. Is this a dark but ultimately uplifting story about a girl who becomes a hero and leads a rebellion to victory at a large but ultimately necessary cost? Or is it a story about the effect that war and death have on young people, how both sides of the conflict can be morally grey, and how people have only so much strength in them before they break? It's the latter, but lot of people wanted the former, and it's clear that they're judging "Mockingjay" not on what it is, but what they wanted it to be. Naturally everyone will have a series of expectations whenever they crack open any book (especially one as anticipated as this one), but I also think that Collins had a specific message to impart, and ignoring it is to miss the very point of the trilogy.For example, Collins makes some very interesting storytelling decisions throughout. For the last two books President Snow has been set up as Katniss's primary antagonist; the ultimate foe that she will one day face (it's even foreshadowed in their names: Snow versus the Girl on Fire). Yet without giving too much away, their confrontation is not what you'd expect. Likewise, there is a rather unconventional resolution to the love triangle that many may not find satisfactory. Personally, I was never in any doubt as to which of the two boys Katniss would chose, but the way in which is occurs is hardly what you'd call a "fairytale ending."However, there are some parts of "Mockingjay" where I can understand why readers were a bit disgruntled. The death toll is extremely high; I wasn't keeping count, but there's a good chance that more named characters (I'm including the minor ones in this) end up dead than the living. In this case, Collins's gift is also her curse: by creating characters that you care about so quickly and so deeply, it is gut-wrenching when several of them not only die, but do so in a swift and anti-climactic manner. Sure, she's trying to make a statement about the randomness of war, but it's hard not to think that some characters deserved more - if not their lives, than at least a meaningful death.Although the writing is still as strong as ever in terms of its pacing and clarity, there are times in which Collins trips up. About halfway through the book, Katniss sings a haunting (and highly symbolic) song called "The Hanging Tree". Instead of Collins simply leaving the reader to interpret its meaning, she has Katniss internally analysis it for the benefit of the reader (taking up two pages!), thus robbing it of all its mystery. There are a couple of times in which she breaks the "show, don't tell" rule, breaking down various situations instead of letting the reader figure it out for themselves. (Though ironically, the most crucial gambit that Katniss plays toward the end of the novel seems to have been *too* subtle, given that many readers have expressed confusion over it. Or maybe most readers are used to being spoon-fed answers, thus justifying Collins's early attempts to spell things out. Who knows). Yet Collins's strength in writing is still apparent: her ability to maintain a riveting pace, in which everything flows smoothly from chapter to chapter, and suspense builds as the story goes on.Having a dig around some of the other reviews, I was disappointed (though hardly surprised) at the criticisms leveled at Katniss's characterization. Generally speaking, it's immensely difficult to write female characters, especially protagonists, as they will always be held to a higher standard than male characters. If she's too competent, too loved, too successful, she'll be deemed a Mary Sue. If she's too flawed, too fallible, or makes too many mistakes, then she's a bad role model and an affront to feminism.It feels as though that's what happened here. Many wanted her to step up as a hero and take control of every situation. Others dismiss her as "fickle" or "selfish" due to her interactions with Peeta and Gale (claims that baffle me considering her devotion to her sister and willingness to die for others). Others think she spent too much time under sedation, or gunning people down, or making the wrong decisions; and of course, with so much attention placed on the love triangle (not so much in the book, but certainly in on-line fan discussions - one can't help but feel that Stephenie Meyer's endorsements drew in the Twilight crowd) there were inevitably going to be disappointed shippers who would accuse Katniss of making "the wrong choice" no matter what boy she chose. So what was she: too good to be true, or a disappointing female character?Actually, she was neither. She was a seventeen year old girl who goes through a devastating ordeal, and the crux of this trilogy is that the reader shares in her terror, her self-loathing, her mental collapse, and her gradual crawl back to some degree of normality. It's a grueling experience, but one that's unflinching in revealing the true cost of war.So thank you Suzanne Collins for giving me Katniss: a three-dimensional, fully developed character who was nothing like me, and yet who I could relate to completely. Sometimes she failed, sometimes she succeeded, but she's embroiled in a story that is complex without being convoluted, and which raises difficult questions about the world without providing any sort of simplistic answer. The character development reflects this, for Collins doesn't make it easy: not for Katniss and not for the reader, and in my opinion, <hl> this uncompromising storytelling makes the complete trilogy stronger as a result <hl>. Will it be a classic? Only time will tell, but were I to place money on it, my bet would be yes.

The character development reflects this, for Collins doesn't make it easy: not for Katniss and not for the reader, and in my opinion, <hl> this uncompromising storytelling makes the complete trilogy stronger as a result <hl> .


Question: What about action?

This was a fun, dark, action filled urban fantasy post-apocalyptic thriller. Not for the faint of heart, lots of bloody gore, ripped body parts, cannibalism etc. A plot fueled with high octane, once you start reading it's hard to put down. I would not call this a YA book, because of the violence, older teens yes. The writing is amazing, excellent editing and an extremely engaging plot.Fantastic book!

Answer: action filled urban fantasy post

<hl> This was a fun, dark, action filled urban fantasy post -apocalyptic thriller. <hl> Not for the faint of heart, lots of bloody gore, ripped body parts, cannibalism etc. A plot fueled with high octane, once you start reading it's hard to put down. I would not call this a YA book, because of the violence, older teens yes. The writing is amazing, excellent editing and an extremely engaging plot. Fantastic book!

This was a fun, dark, <hl> action filled urban fantasy post <hl>-apocalyptic thriller. Not for the faint of heart, lots of bloody gore, ripped body parts, cannibalism etc. A plot fueled with high octane, once you start reading it's hard to put down. I would not call this a YA book, because of the violence, older teens yes. The writing is amazing, excellent editing and an extremely engaging plot.Fantastic book!

This was a fun, dark, <hl> action filled urban fantasy post <hl> -apocalyptic thriller.


Question: What is the overall quality of the book?

A fast-paced, yet intricate and disturbing read, that's almost impossible to put down. (I read it in one setting.) "Dark Places" will resonate, and possibly give you nightmares, long after you're done reading it.This novel works on many levels: as a psychological drama, whodunit (the ending is highly unpredictable and there are a lot of red herrings) and grisly (emphasis on the "gris") crime thriller.The main character, Libby, is at once almost completely unlikable and highly empathetic. The survivor/witness (though she remembers nothing) of a violent rampage that wiped out her family when she was young, adult Libby meets up with a group that thinks the man convicted, based on Libby's (coached) testimony, is innocent. To complicate matters further, the convicted man is Libby's older brother, Ben, a teenager at the time of the crime. And the memories Libby does have of him are confused, at best.The story ricochets from violent, in-depth descriptions (there is a LOT of gore; not a story for the faint of heart) of the almost unthinkable crime and the quiet, tortured thoughts in Libby's own head.This very well written story is scarier than any horror novel. Because, as in reality, there is nothing supernatural that is as creepy, or gruesome, as what people do to one another.

Answer: This novel works on many levels

A fast-paced, yet intricate and disturbing read, that's almost impossible to put down. (I read it in one setting.) "Dark Places" will resonate, and possibly give you nightmares, long after you're done reading it. <hl> This novel works on many levels : as a psychological drama, whodunit (the ending is highly unpredictable and there are a lot of red herrings) and grisly (emphasis on the "gris") crime thriller. <hl> The main character, Libby, is at once almost completely unlikable and highly empathetic. The survivor/witness (though she remembers nothing) of a violent rampage that wiped out her family when she was young, adult Libby meets up with a group that thinks the man convicted, based on Libby's (coached) testimony, is innocent. To complicate matters further, the convicted man is Libby's older brother, Ben, a teenager at the time of the crime. And the memories Libby does have of him are confused, at best. The story ricochets from violent, in-depth descriptions (there is a LOT of gore; not a story for the faint of heart) of the almost unthinkable crime and the quiet, tortured thoughts in Libby's own head. This very well written story is scarier than any horror novel. Because, as in reality, there is nothing supernatural that is as creepy, or gruesome, as what people do to one another.

A fast-paced, yet intricate and disturbing read, that's almost impossible to put down. (I read it in one setting.) "Dark Places" will resonate, and possibly give you nightmares, long after you're done reading it.<hl> This novel works on many levels <hl>: as a psychological drama, whodunit (the ending is highly unpredictable and there are a lot of red herrings) and grisly (emphasis on the "gris") crime thriller.The main character, Libby, is at once almost completely unlikable and highly empathetic. The survivor/witness (though she remembers nothing) of a violent rampage that wiped out her family when she was young, adult Libby meets up with a group that thinks the man convicted, based on Libby's (coached) testimony, is innocent. To complicate matters further, the convicted man is Libby's older brother, Ben, a teenager at the time of the crime. And the memories Libby does have of him are confused, at best.The story ricochets from violent, in-depth descriptions (there is a LOT of gore; not a story for the faint of heart) of the almost unthinkable crime and the quiet, tortured thoughts in Libby's own head.This very well written story is scarier than any horror novel. Because, as in reality, there is nothing supernatural that is as creepy, or gruesome, as what people do to one another.

<hl> This novel works on many levels <hl> : as a psychological drama, whodunit (the ending is highly unpredictable and there are a lot of red herrings) and grisly (emphasis on the "gris") crime thriller.


Question: How is book?

I'm not a laugh out loud kinda person, more of a chuckler. I have a great sense of humor but it's a bit narrow, admittedly. I read in bed a lot. My husband actually kicked me out of the bedroom because I kept waking him up while I was reading this book. The guys dad is insane and insanely funny.

Answer: I was reading this book

I'm not a laugh out loud kinda person, more of a chuckler. I have a great sense of humor but it's a bit narrow, admittedly. I read in bed a lot. <hl> My husband actually kicked me out of the bedroom because I kept waking him up while I was reading this book . <hl> The guys dad is insane and insanely funny.

I'm not a laugh out loud kinda person, more of a chuckler. I have a great sense of humor but it's a bit narrow, admittedly. I read in bed a lot. My husband actually kicked me out of the bedroom because I kept waking him up while <hl> I was reading this book <hl>. The guys dad is insane and insanely funny.

My husband actually kicked me out of the bedroom because I kept waking him up while <hl> I was reading this book <hl> .


Question: How is the write on the book?

Mr. Ferguson has undertaken to tackle some pretty weighty subjects and yet made them thoroughly interesting and easy to understand. He is a joy to read as his writing is clear, precise and informative - all at same time. I recommend him to one and all!

Answer: He is a joy to read as his writing is clear, precise and informative - all at same time

Mr. Ferguson has undertaken to tackle some pretty weighty subjects and yet made them thoroughly interesting and easy to understand. <hl> He is a joy to read as his writing is clear, precise and informative - all at same time . <hl> I recommend him to one and all!

Mr. Ferguson has undertaken to tackle some pretty weighty subjects and yet made them thoroughly interesting and easy to understand. <hl> He is a joy to read as his writing is clear, precise and informative - all at same time <hl>. I recommend him to one and all!

<hl> He is a joy to read as his writing is clear, precise and informative - all at same time <hl> .


Question: How good was cathy glass book?

This book is so well written. I was hooked from page 1. I highly recommend this for anyone who likes a dark fairy tale type of book. Magickal realism maybe? Hard to describe but the book was lush, descriptive and pulled you right in. If you've read Ms. Peregrine Home For Peculiar Children and liked it, then you will love this book.

Answer: This book is so well written

This book is so well written .

<hl> This book is so well written . <hl> I was hooked from page 1. I highly recommend this for anyone who likes a dark fairy tale type of book. Magickal realism maybe? Hard to describe but the book was lush, descriptive and pulled you right in. If you've read Ms. Peregrine Home For Peculiar Children and liked it, then you will love this book.

<hl> This book is so well written <hl>. I was hooked from page 1. I highly recommend this for anyone who likes a dark fairy tale type of book. Magickal realism maybe? Hard to describe but the book was lush, descriptive and pulled you right in. If you've read Ms. Peregrine Home For Peculiar Children and liked it, then you will love this book.

<hl> This book is so well written <hl> .


Question: How is the foundation?

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change was first published in 1990.  I first read it around 1991 and recently reread it as part of a series of corporate training sessions I'm currently enrolled in.  I had some pretty strong impressions about the book when I first read it and this recent reread gave me the opportunity to refresh my mind as to the books specifics (I remember the main points in general), look at the work with a few years more experience and maturity behind me, thus providing me an opportunity to rethink my impressions and opinions.On the whole, my assessment of the book hasn't changed much.  I was disappointed with the book back then and remain so today.This disappointment has little to do with the validity of the premise of the book or the relevance of the "7 Habits" it outlines.  Covey has some good points to make and the book has some useful insights into what one could reasonably call a "balanced life".My problem is that all too often-well, really, almost continually-the book imposes major impediments to getting at, fully understanding and implementing its major premises.The problems include (1) unbelievable verbosity (Covey seems to think there's no reason to use one word when 7 will do), (2) linguistic pomposity (purportedly this is a book for "your family and business lives" but I ask you, how often do terms like paradigm,  intra-this or intra-that, globally, leveraged, matrix and so on, and on, and on get used in your family?), (3) excessive jargonistic gymnastics (see {2} previously) and (4) the hard sell for Covey Enterprise accouterments (order our "helpful" calendar, notebook, pamphlets, and so on, and so on and so on....).In the end, all of the major points could have been made much more clearly and concisely in half the space with much better overall understanding and usability than is available here.The bottom line is this is a book written to be used as a "warm and fuzzy" business-training tool.  There's nothing wrong with that as long as it's aimed at the right audience.  Unfortunately this is a book aimed at-and written for-executives and all too often imposed on the rank and file. In the end, I doubt either group ever gets what is should out of the excellent ideas and premises that underline the whole effort.In the final analysis, both ten years ago and just recently, I couldn't help but wonder if the book really was written so much as to help the reader or simply a clever device to enrich the author.  I'd like to think it's not the latter-there's too much substance here and, in an obscure way, Covey comes across as a good sort-but the simple fact you think about those sort of things virtually automatically renders the book a failure of a sort, which is as sad as it is unfortunate.

Answer: Habits

<hl> The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change was first published in 1990. <hl> I first read it around 1991 and recently reread it as part of a series of corporate training sessions I'm currently enrolled in. I had some pretty strong impressions about the book when I first read it and this recent reread gave me the opportunity to refresh my mind as to the books specifics (I remember the main points in general), look at the work with a few years more experience and maturity behind me, thus providing me an opportunity to rethink my impressions and opinions. On the whole, my assessment of the book hasn't changed much. I was disappointed with the book back then and remain so today. This disappointment has little to do with the validity of the premise of the book or the relevance of the "7 Habits" it outlines. Covey has some good points to make and the book has some useful insights into what one could reasonably call a "balanced life". My problem is that all too often-well, really, almost continually-the book imposes major impediments to getting at, fully understanding and implementing its major premises. The problems include (1) unbelievable verbosity (Covey seems to think there's no reason to use one word when 7 will do), (2) linguistic pomposity (purportedly this is a book for "your family and business lives" but I ask you, how often do terms like paradigm, intra-this or intra-that, globally, leveraged, matrix and so on, and on, and on get used in your family?), (3) excessive jargonistic gymnastics (see {2} previously) and (4) the hard sell for Covey Enterprise accouterments (order our "helpful" calendar, notebook, pamphlets, and so on, and so on and so on....).In the end, all of the major points could have been made much more clearly and concisely in half the space with much better overall understanding and usability than is available here. The bottom line is this is a book written to be used as a "warm and fuzzy" business-training tool. There's nothing wrong with that as long as it's aimed at the right audience. Unfortunately this is a book aimed at-and written for-executives and all too often imposed on the rank and file. In the end, I doubt either group ever gets what is should out of the excellent ideas and premises that underline the whole effort. In the final analysis, both ten years ago and just recently, I couldn't help but wonder if the book really was written so much as to help the reader or simply a clever device to enrich the author. I'd like to think it's not the latter-there's too much substance here and, in an obscure way, Covey comes across as a good sort-but the simple fact you think about those sort of things virtually automatically renders the book a failure of a sort, which is as sad as it is unfortunate.

The 7 <hl> Habits <hl> of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change was first published in 1990. I first read it around 1991 and recently reread it as part of a series of corporate training sessions I'm currently enrolled in. I had some pretty strong impressions about the book when I first read it and this recent reread gave me the opportunity to refresh my mind as to the books specifics (I remember the main points in general), look at the work with a few years more experience and maturity behind me, thus providing me an opportunity to rethink my impressions and opinions.On the whole, my assessment of the book hasn't changed much. I was disappointed with the book back then and remain so today.This disappointment has little to do with the validity of the premise of the book or the relevance of the "7 Habits" it outlines. Covey has some good points to make and the book has some useful insights into what one could reasonably call a "balanced life".My problem is that all too often-well, really, almost continually-the book imposes major impediments to getting at, fully understanding and implementing its major premises.The problems include (1) unbelievable verbosity (Covey seems to think there's no reason to use one word when 7 will do), (2) linguistic pomposity (purportedly this is a book for "your family and business lives" but I ask you, how often do terms like paradigm, intra-this or intra-that, globally, leveraged, matrix and so on, and on, and on get used in your family?), (3) excessive jargonistic gymnastics (see {2} previously) and (4) the hard sell for Covey Enterprise accouterments (order our "helpful" calendar, notebook, pamphlets, and so on, and so on and so on....).In the end, all of the major points could have been made much more clearly and concisely in half the space with much better overall understanding and usability than is available here.The bottom line is this is a book written to be used as a "warm and fuzzy" business-training tool. There's nothing wrong with that as long as it's aimed at the right audience. Unfortunately this is a book aimed at-and written for-executives and all too often imposed on the rank and file. In the end, I doubt either group ever gets what is should out of the excellent ideas and premises that underline the whole effort.In the final analysis, both ten years ago and just recently, I couldn't help but wonder if the book really was written so much as to help the reader or simply a clever device to enrich the author. I'd like to think it's not the latter-there's too much substance here and, in an obscure way, Covey comes across as a good sort-but the simple fact you think about those sort of things virtually automatically renders the book a failure of a sort, which is as sad as it is unfortunate.


Question: How would you rate the book?

I have to start out by saying that this book was AWESOME!! I honestly do not understand how anyone could rate this book any less than 5 stars. Real had more than everything that I love in a book and I am EAGERLY awaiting the next book! You rocked it Katy Evans <3 Remy <3

Answer: I honestly do not understand how anyone could rate this book any less than 5 stars

<hl> I have to start out by saying that this book was AWESOME!! I honestly do not understand how anyone could rate this book any less than 5 stars . <hl> Real had more than everything that I love in a book and I am EAGERLY awaiting the next book! You rocked it Katy Evans <3 Remy <3

I have to start out by saying that this book was AWESOME!! <hl> I honestly do not understand how anyone could rate this book any less than 5 stars <hl>. Real had more than everything that I love in a book and I am EAGERLY awaiting the next book! You rocked it Katy Evans <3 Remy <3

I have to start out by saying that this book was AWESOME!! <hl> I honestly do not understand how anyone could rate this book any less than 5 stars <hl> .


Question: How is read?

If you read the "Author's Note"at the end of this book you will see why this book is so lame.  The book was fine for the first half and went rapidly downhill afterward.

Answer: Author's Note"at

<hl> If you read the " Author's Note"at the end of this book you will see why this book is so lame. <hl> The book was fine for the first half and went rapidly downhill afterward.

If you read the "<hl> Author's Note"at <hl> the end of this book you will see why this book is so lame. The book was fine for the first half and went rapidly downhill afterward.

If you read the " <hl> Author's Note"at <hl> the end of this book you will see why this book is so lame.


Question: What is the time they use to read the book?

Unlike some readers, I had the pleasure of meeting this book after I saw the movie. And I have not read the 2 other books. Usually before I write a review, I make a point of reading all of the previous reviews of the book on this site. Unfortunately the sheer mass of these makes this impractical. So I might be stating views already given, but here goes.The most interesting aspect of what reviews I did read were those by people negative. Like KMR, who suggested that "the premise ... lacks authenticity" and "the people of Panem are so resigned ... they never question it" and "in 74 years, not even one tribute has questioned the mandate". But look at our own unlamented North Korea. Under a stifling and near absolute dictatorship that harks back to 1945 when World War 2 ended 67 years ago. Where in the last 20 years a famine killed over a million people. Yet no rebellion. The 67 year Korean rule is not so far from the 74 years of the Hunger Games. Perhaps the reviewer should be more cognisant of actual history.Then there is the reviewer Pseudotriakis, who opined that "the book is boring". Here the overwhelming mass of readers would absolutely disagree. As you can see by trolling the reviews, most found it gripping. And that is the verdict of the marketplace, based on the book's success. Plus, the movie was a faithful rendition of the book, as stated by the author herself. The movie was a smash for 2012. Which goes to show that the book was not boring.Further, Pseudotriakis ventures that "Even when she is forced to kill, she feels little or no remorse"... "The author never lets her kill pre-emptively, only allowing her to act in self defense". The reviewer lacks enough introspection to see that he is largely answering his own question. The reason that Katniss feels no remorse is basically because she killed in self defense. Though I suggest that the author did this precisely to avoid the harder issue of how to depict the character if she had indeed killed several opponents, especially if this was done deliberately. If you read the book and think back slowly over the tournament events, you might get an extra appreciation for what Collins did and her skill as a writer. For all of the action and deaths, Katniss manages to segue aside. This lets her emerge at the end not as a hardened stone cold killer, and much easier for the reader to identify with.I suggest that overall the critical comments about the society or societies in the book inadvertently show the author's constraint. She built this out into 2 more books where she fleshed out those facets. Including from what I can gather in the blurbs, where indeed people rebel against Panem. If she had put these into the current book, it would have made for a far longer text. Keep in mind one practical factor. This first book was market speculation by the author, as it really is for any author. She did not know how well it would be received. Investing too much time in a huge tome that was all 3 novels would have been a big risk of her time. Likely too that the publisher would have baulked at backing it.Hey, if you liked this novel, there is another story about a death match that starts with 64 gladiators in a future world. Each paired with an opponent and in every round half the players die, until only 1 is left. Berserker's Planet by Fred Saberhagen. Not as successful in the marketplace. Mostly perhaps because the characters in that book exhibit far less empathy than Hunger Games. The biggest differences with Hunger Games are that those fighters enter the contest willingly and can be of any age. If the combat premise of Collins was interesting and you want more, try that book. It is also a reminder that Collins certainly did not invent the idea of a death match with only one winner. Surely there are other books of death matches, but the Saberhagen text is what I've read.Another book recommendation that will be more germane to some readers is the companion text about the filming of the movie, The Hunger Games: Official Illustrated Movie Companion. Well composed and gives a cool backstory about the travails of filming in the forests of North Carolina.

Answer: I had the pleasure of meeting this book after I saw the movie

<hl> Unlike some readers, I had the pleasure of meeting this book after I saw the movie . <hl> And I have not read the 2 other books. Usually before I write a review, I make a point of reading all of the previous reviews of the book on this site. Unfortunately the sheer mass of these makes this impractical. So I might be stating views already given, but here goes. The most interesting aspect of what reviews I did read were those by people negative. Like KMR, who suggested that "the premise ... lacks authenticity" and "the people of Panem are so resigned ... they never question it" and "in 74 years, not even one tribute has questioned the mandate". But look at our own unlamented North Korea. Under a stifling and near absolute dictatorship that harks back to 1945 when World War 2 ended 67 years ago. Where in the last 20 years a famine killed over a million people. Yet no rebellion. The 67 year Korean rule is not so far from the 74 years of the Hunger Games. Perhaps the reviewer should be more cognisant of actual history. Then there is the reviewer Pseudotriakis, who opined that "the book is boring". Here the overwhelming mass of readers would absolutely disagree. As you can see by trolling the reviews, most found it gripping. And that is the verdict of the marketplace, based on the book's success. Plus, the movie was a faithful rendition of the book, as stated by the author herself. The movie was a smash for 2012. Which goes to show that the book was not boring. Further, Pseudotriakis ventures that "Even when she is forced to kill, she feels little or no remorse"... "The author never lets her kill pre-emptively, only allowing her to act in self defense". The reviewer lacks enough introspection to see that he is largely answering his own question. The reason that Katniss feels no remorse is basically because she killed in self defense. Though I suggest that the author did this precisely to avoid the harder issue of how to depict the character if she had indeed killed several opponents, especially if this was done deliberately. If you read the book and think back slowly over the tournament events, you might get an extra appreciation for what Collins did and her skill as a writer. For all of the action and deaths, Katniss manages to segue aside. This lets her emerge at the end not as a hardened stone cold killer, and much easier for the reader to identify with. I suggest that overall the critical comments about the society or societies in the book inadvertently show the author's constraint. She built this out into 2 more books where she fleshed out those facets. Including from what I can gather in the blurbs, where indeed people rebel against Panem. If she had put these into the current book, it would have made for a far longer text. Keep in mind one practical factor. This first book was market speculation by the author, as it really is for any author. She did not know how well it would be received. Investing too much time in a huge tome that was all 3 novels would have been a big risk of her time. Likely too that the publisher would have baulked at backing it. Hey, if you liked this novel, there is another story about a death match that starts with 64 gladiators in a future world. Each paired with an opponent and in every round half the players die, until only 1 is left. Berserker's Planet by Fred Saberhagen. Not as successful in the marketplace. Mostly perhaps because the characters in that book exhibit far less empathy than Hunger Games. The biggest differences with Hunger Games are that those fighters enter the contest willingly and can be of any age. If the combat premise of Collins was interesting and you want more, try that book. It is also a reminder that Collins certainly did not invent the idea of a death match with only one winner. Surely there are other books of death matches, but the Saberhagen text is what I've read. Another book recommendation that will be more germane to some readers is the companion text about the filming of the movie, The Hunger Games: Official Illustrated Movie Companion. Well composed and gives a cool backstory about the travails of filming in the forests of North Carolina.

Unlike some readers, <hl> I had the pleasure of meeting this book after I saw the movie <hl>. And I have not read the 2 other books. Usually before I write a review, I make a point of reading all of the previous reviews of the book on this site. Unfortunately the sheer mass of these makes this impractical. So I might be stating views already given, but here goes.The most interesting aspect of what reviews I did read were those by people negative. Like KMR, who suggested that "the premise ... lacks authenticity" and "the people of Panem are so resigned ... they never question it" and "in 74 years, not even one tribute has questioned the mandate". But look at our own unlamented North Korea. Under a stifling and near absolute dictatorship that harks back to 1945 when World War 2 ended 67 years ago. Where in the last 20 years a famine killed over a million people. Yet no rebellion. The 67 year Korean rule is not so far from the 74 years of the Hunger Games. Perhaps the reviewer should be more cognisant of actual history.Then there is the reviewer Pseudotriakis, who opined that "the book is boring". Here the overwhelming mass of readers would absolutely disagree. As you can see by trolling the reviews, most found it gripping. And that is the verdict of the marketplace, based on the book's success. Plus, the movie was a faithful rendition of the book, as stated by the author herself. The movie was a smash for 2012. Which goes to show that the book was not boring.Further, Pseudotriakis ventures that "Even when she is forced to kill, she feels little or no remorse"... "The author never lets her kill pre-emptively, only allowing her to act in self defense". The reviewer lacks enough introspection to see that he is largely answering his own question. The reason that Katniss feels no remorse is basically because she killed in self defense. Though I suggest that the author did this precisely to avoid the harder issue of how to depict the character if she had indeed killed several opponents, especially if this was done deliberately. If you read the book and think back slowly over the tournament events, you might get an extra appreciation for what Collins did and her skill as a writer. For all of the action and deaths, Katniss manages to segue aside. This lets her emerge at the end not as a hardened stone cold killer, and much easier for the reader to identify with.I suggest that overall the critical comments about the society or societies in the book inadvertently show the author's constraint. She built this out into 2 more books where she fleshed out those facets. Including from what I can gather in the blurbs, where indeed people rebel against Panem. If she had put these into the current book, it would have made for a far longer text. Keep in mind one practical factor. This first book was market speculation by the author, as it really is for any author. She did not know how well it would be received. Investing too much time in a huge tome that was all 3 novels would have been a big risk of her time. Likely too that the publisher would have baulked at backing it.Hey, if you liked this novel, there is another story about a death match that starts with 64 gladiators in a future world. Each paired with an opponent and in every round half the players die, until only 1 is left. Berserker's Planet by Fred Saberhagen. Not as successful in the marketplace. Mostly perhaps because the characters in that book exhibit far less empathy than Hunger Games. The biggest differences with Hunger Games are that those fighters enter the contest willingly and can be of any age. If the combat premise of Collins was interesting and you want more, try that book. It is also a reminder that Collins certainly did not invent the idea of a death match with only one winner. Surely there are other books of death matches, but the Saberhagen text is what I've read.Another book recommendation that will be more germane to some readers is the companion text about the filming of the movie, The Hunger Games: Official Illustrated Movie Companion. Well composed and gives a cool backstory about the travails of filming in the forests of North Carolina.

Unlike some readers, <hl> I had the pleasure of meeting this book after I saw the movie <hl> .


Question: How is the quality of book?

Any of you who have become acquainted with Moore's novels know that he has a quirky sense of life in general, but "Lamb" takes the cake. As the little known "true story" of Jesus' missing years (from 2-30), his best friend Biff tells what actually happened during the missing years--quirky, irreverent, yet tender, this is a terrific novel.

Answer: irreverent

Any of you who have become acquainted with Moore's novels know that he has a quirky sense of life in general, but "Lamb" takes the cake. <hl> As the little known "true story" of Jesus' missing years (from 2-30), his best friend Biff tells what actually happened during the missing years--quirky, irreverent , yet tender, this is a terrific novel. <hl>

Any of you who have become acquainted with Moore's novels know that he has a quirky sense of life in general, but "Lamb" takes the cake. As the little known "true story" of Jesus' missing years (from 2-30), his best friend Biff tells what actually happened during the missing years--quirky, <hl> irreverent <hl>, yet tender, this is a terrific novel.

As the little known "true story" of Jesus' missing years (from 2-30), his best friend Biff tells what actually happened during the missing years--quirky, <hl> irreverent <hl> , yet tender, this is a terrific novel.


Question: How do you value reality?

Blue Shoes and Happiness is the seventh installment of Alexander McCall Smith's successful No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series. Not typical mysteries, the books meander gracefully to their conclusion rather than proceeding with page-turning thrills. As Assistant Detective Grace Makutsi says, "Mma Ramotswe [proprietor of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency] does not solve crimes. She deals with very small things. [...] But [...] these small things are important for people" (53).Set in Botswana, the books are full of full of wisdom and humanity as well as sympathetic and subtly drawn characters. Smith writes in such a way to emphasize the different pace of life in Botswana. Just reading one of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency books forces the reader to slow done and relax, making them the perfect fare for a weekday evening.In Blue Shoes and Happiness, Precious Ramotswe and her detective agency take on a number of new cases; her new assistant-assistant detective gets a chance to prove his detecting skills; and a new character appears in the form of Aunty Emang, the local newspaper's agony aunt. Additionally, Grace Makutsi's relationship with her new fiance is on rocky ground after she admits to being a feminist. The novel's most shocking thread, however, concerns Precious Ramotswe's decision to go on a diet. Yes, there's blackmail, and a home intruder, and a cobra in the office, but none of these things is nearly as significant as Ramotswe, a champion of the rights of the "traditionally-built," deciding that she needs to lose weight.While the books do stand alone--each begins with a little summary of what has happened in the previous books--people new to the series should probably start with a different book. Blue Shoes and Happiness, while continuing in the same vein as the earlier books, may be slightly less accessible to neophytes. Readers familiar with Ramotswe and the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency novels will appreciate the mysterious pumpkin that threads its way through the book and Smith's exploration of gender issues. To others, these things may feel just a bit too foreign.Armchair Interviews says: While Blue Shoes and Happiness may not be the best book way for new readers to be introduced to the series, however, fans of Precious Ramotswe and the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency will find it enchanting.

Answer: Not typical mysteries

Blue Shoes and Happiness is the seventh installment of Alexander McCall Smith's successful No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series. <hl> Not typical mysteries , the books meander gracefully to their conclusion rather than proceeding with page-turning thrills. <hl> As Assistant Detective Grace Makutsi says, "Mma Ramotswe [proprietor of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency] does not solve crimes. She deals with very small things. [...] But [...] these small things are important for people" (53).Set in Botswana, the books are full of full of wisdom and humanity as well as sympathetic and subtly drawn characters. Smith writes in such a way to emphasize the different pace of life in Botswana. Just reading one of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency books forces the reader to slow done and relax, making them the perfect fare for a weekday evening. In Blue Shoes and Happiness, Precious Ramotswe and her detective agency take on a number of new cases; her new assistant-assistant detective gets a chance to prove his detecting skills; and a new character appears in the form of Aunty Emang, the local newspaper's agony aunt. Additionally, Grace Makutsi's relationship with her new fiance is on rocky ground after she admits to being a feminist. The novel's most shocking thread, however, concerns Precious Ramotswe's decision to go on a diet. Yes, there's blackmail, and a home intruder, and a cobra in the office, but none of these things is nearly as significant as Ramotswe, a champion of the rights of the "traditionally-built," deciding that she needs to lose weight. While the books do stand alone--each begins with a little summary of what has happened in the previous books--people new to the series should probably start with a different book. Blue Shoes and Happiness, while continuing in the same vein as the earlier books, may be slightly less accessible to neophytes. Readers familiar with Ramotswe and the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency novels will appreciate the mysterious pumpkin that threads its way through the book and Smith's exploration of gender issues. To others, these things may feel just a bit too foreign. Armchair Interviews says: While Blue Shoes and Happiness may not be the best book way for new readers to be introduced to the series, however, fans of Precious Ramotswe and the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency will find it enchanting.

Blue Shoes and Happiness is the seventh installment of Alexander McCall Smith's successful No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series. <hl> Not typical mysteries <hl>, the books meander gracefully to their conclusion rather than proceeding with page-turning thrills. As Assistant Detective Grace Makutsi says, "Mma Ramotswe [proprietor of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency] does not solve crimes. She deals with very small things. [...] But [...] these small things are important for people" (53).Set in Botswana, the books are full of full of wisdom and humanity as well as sympathetic and subtly drawn characters. Smith writes in such a way to emphasize the different pace of life in Botswana. Just reading one of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency books forces the reader to slow done and relax, making them the perfect fare for a weekday evening.In Blue Shoes and Happiness, Precious Ramotswe and her detective agency take on a number of new cases; her new assistant-assistant detective gets a chance to prove his detecting skills; and a new character appears in the form of Aunty Emang, the local newspaper's agony aunt. Additionally, Grace Makutsi's relationship with her new fiance is on rocky ground after she admits to being a feminist. The novel's most shocking thread, however, concerns Precious Ramotswe's decision to go on a diet. Yes, there's blackmail, and a home intruder, and a cobra in the office, but none of these things is nearly as significant as Ramotswe, a champion of the rights of the "traditionally-built," deciding that she needs to lose weight.While the books do stand alone--each begins with a little summary of what has happened in the previous books--people new to the series should probably start with a different book. Blue Shoes and Happiness, while continuing in the same vein as the earlier books, may be slightly less accessible to neophytes. Readers familiar with Ramotswe and the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency novels will appreciate the mysterious pumpkin that threads its way through the book and Smith's exploration of gender issues. To others, these things may feel just a bit too foreign.Armchair Interviews says: While Blue Shoes and Happiness may not be the best book way for new readers to be introduced to the series, however, fans of Precious Ramotswe and the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency will find it enchanting.

<hl> Not typical mysteries <hl> , the books meander gracefully to their conclusion rather than proceeding with page-turning thrills.