Book Review: ROMEO AND JULIET

Written by: William Shakespeare

"Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young "star-cross'd lovers" whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families.

It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet and Macbeth, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers."
                                           - Goodreads.com

I read this play with my English class recently. It was my first Shakespeare experience, and I have to say that I was sadly disappointed. *WARNING: SPOILER ALERT* I am about to rant about this play, so if you do not want to know what happens, do not read any further.

Okay, so first off, it annoyed me how stupid Romeo and Juliet were. Romeo was like, "I have a feeling something will happen at this party that will ultimately lead to my death. Oh well! I'll go anyways!" And then he goes from being depressed about one girl to being totally in love with Juliet all in a day... that's a little quick, don't you think? And then Juliet was like, "I'm not going to marry Paris, a nice guy that my family adores! No! I'll marry Romeo, some strange dude that I met at a party! He's perfect for me, even though I know nothing about him other than that he's a Montague!" The whole thing was unrealistic and fake to me, and it just got so irritating after a while.

I know that they were supposed to be blinded by love or whatever, but honestly, Romeo and Juliet were total idiots. Romeo went and got himself banished from Verona for fighting in the streets, and then cried about it to the Friar. He didn't even realize that if it weren't for the mercy of the Prince he would be dead! Then Juliet was ready to kill herself over a guy she just met not even a week ago, and then she did, which was a horribly rash thing to do. Seriously, what relationship is like this?

However, this play wasn't all bad. I liked the language and the use of clever puns throughout the play. I also liked how when Romeo and Juliet first met, their conversation took the form of a sonnet.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) 3 out of 5 smileys

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Honestly? It's hard to say. I might, depending on who it was.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

the HUNGER GAMES movie

So, I haven't gone to see the Hunger Games movie yet, but I will soon. I've been hearing mixed reviews on it, and I was wondering what you guys think if you have seen it. Did you like it? Did they stick to the plot of the book? Let me know what you think in the comments!!!

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: GRACELING

Author: Kristin Cashore
Number of Pages: 471
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Release Date: October 1, 2008

Katsa is a Graceling- one of the few people graced with the ability to do one specific task really, really well. For Katsa, it is killing. She killed her first man when she was eight years old. (Sure, it was on accident, but still.) The king of the kingdom she lives in uses her as his personal thug, forcing Katsa to harm and sometimes murder people he dislikes.

One day she meets Po- prince of another kingdom, graced with combat skills- and something about him grabs her attention. Po has a secret, one that could destroy or save the seven kingdoms. Which one will it be?

I really liked this book. Katsa is portrayed as such a strong, independent character in the beginning, and it's interesting to see her softer side when she's with Po. The whole idea of Gracelings and graces is really neat in itself, as well. All of the details in this book build up on top of one another until eventually there's a moment when you're like, "Oh! So that's why that happened!" I thought that this was a great fantasy novel without being totally out there. Overall, this was an excellent book. I have no complaints!

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) :0) 5 out of 5 smileys

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes, but probably only if they were a fan of fantasy. If not, this most likely would not be a very enjoyable book to read.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: HOUSE RULES

Author: Jodi Picoult
Number of Pages: 532
Publisher: Atria
Release Date: March 2, 2010

Jacob Hunt is a senior in high school with Asperger's, a type of autism that makes him obsessed with following rules and crime scene investigations. His mother, Emma, is single after her husband left her nearly fifteen years ago. Theo, Jacob's younger brother, does not have Asperger's, and is constantly living in the shadow of his sibling. When Jacob's tutor/counselor is declared missing and is then found dead, there are a few subjects. That is, until the police find startling evidence that Jacob Hunt himself could be behind this murder. Will Jacob spend the next portion of his life locked behind bars, or will the judge declare him not guilty? And beneath it all lurks the most important question: Did Jacob really commit murder???

This is the first book I have read by Jodi Picoult, and I am very impressed. I loved how the writing showed perspectives of many characters, and that all of their lives eventually intertwined with each other's. I liked how it kept you on your toes until the very last page, and how the trial scenes were witty and often very clever. The ending pleased me, surprisingly (because endings usually have a way of leaving me unsatisfied) and even though it was sort of vague, I think it complimented the novel. Overall, this was a very good book. I can't wait to read another book by Jodi Picoult!

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) :0) 5 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Definitely.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: DRACULA

Author: Bram Stoker
Number of Pages: 492 
Release Date: 1897

The aristocratic vampire that haunts the Transylvanian countryside has captivated readers' imaginations since it was first published in 1897. Hindle asserts that Dracula depicts an embattled man's struggle to recover his "deepest sense of himself as a man", making it the "ultimate terror myth".
                                            - Goodreads.com

Personally, I enjoyed the first four chapters of this book the most. It was fantasy and suspense rolled into one and I actually couldn't put it down. Then I read further, and it just wasn't the same. There were parts that caught my attention, but nothing was as good as the beginning. Overall, this was one of the better classics I have read.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes.

Hugs,
NutFreeNerd