Book Review: JUST DON'T FALL

Author: Josh Sundquist
Number of Pages: 336
Publisher: Penguin Books
Release Date: December 17, 2009

Just Don't Fall is the true story of Josh Sundquist, who at age nine was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a cancer strain that eventually led to the amputation of his left leg. Who would have thought that this boy from Virginia would someday grow up to be an award-winning Paralympic skier and motivational speaker? Written from his own perspective, Sundquist recounts his life in a way that will make you laugh and cry at the same time.

I have watched Josh Sundquist's videos on Youtube for quite some time now, and I have always wanted to read his book. However, it was only recently that I have finally gotten around to reading it. How I wish I had read it sooner! I have not read many autobiographies or memoirs, but after completing this book I certainly will. Josh Sundquist writes with an excellent voice. I loved the way he changed his writing style as the book progressed, because it started when he was young and ended more towards the present. His writing keeps you engaged throughout the entire story.

Usually I can handle sad books, because I know that they are fictional. However, this was a different case, because these things actually happened to someone. It was heartbreaking, to say the least. But it was also inspiring. If Josh could endure all of these awful things, especially at such a young age, and still achieve amazing things with his life then there is no reason why everyone else can't do the same thing.

Overall, I loved this book. If you have never heard of Josh Sundquist, I encourage you to look him up on Youtube and watch some of his videos. You won't be disappointed!

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

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Absolutely!

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Quote: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

This week's quote is:

"That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it."

- John Watson talking about Sherlock Holmes in A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

 

 

This is why I love the Sherlock Holmes stories. You think that they are going to be stuffy, boring books, when in reality they are full of humor and entertainment. Seriously, read them! :)

 

Always,

NutFreeNerd

Book Review: THE RISE OF NINE

Author: Pittacus Lore
Number of Pages: 360
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: August 21, 2012

The members of the Garde who are still living are still running and fighting for their lives. In America Numbers Four and Nine are on the run together, trying to make it to the west coast in order to find their friends. Six is off to Spain, where she hopes to rally together some more Loriens. Three are dead and the ones who remain alive could die at any moment. Who will be next?

With this being the third novel in the I Am Number Four series, I had high hopes for it. I am happy to say that those high expectations were more than met. These books never cease to impress me, with their constant action and plot twists that keep me on the very edge of my seat. I love this series.

With the addition of more members of the guard into play, this book really came to life. The author does such a good job incorporating not only their Legacies (their powers) but most importantly their personalities. The endings of these novels are always especially suspenseful and action-packed. I love reading them, because you never know what is going to happen- and most often you can never predict what will happen, either.

My favorite character is probably Six. She has that tough-girl personality that many female main characters possess, yet she doesn't come off as stereotypical in any way. None of the characters do, because they have so much depth to them. The author does a great job at not only keeping everything fast paced, but at knowing when to slow down a bit and focus on the characters.

Overall, this book was excellent. I can't wait for the next addition to the series to come out!

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

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Absolutely! But read the rest of the series first.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

More Books!

So I took a trip to the bookstore yesterday and returned with a stack of awesomeness.

 

This wonderful pile includes:

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle

Josh Don't Fall by Josh Sundquist

Geek Wisdom by Stephen H. Segal

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Betwixt by Tara Bray Smiths

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

 

I can't wait to read them all!!!!

 

Yours,

NutFreeNerd

 

 

Book Review: THE GIVER

Author: Lois Lowry
Number of Pages: 179
Publisher: Ember
Release Date: April 26, 1993

Jonas lives in world in which everything is under control. No one has to make important life decisions because they are all made for them. No one has to decide who to marry, what career to pursue, whether or not they should tell their friend an uncomfortable truth- everything is decided for them. So when Jonas is chosen at the Ceremony of Twelve that he will be the new keeper of memories for the Community, he literally has no choice- or does he? In this dystopian future that isn't so far away, Jonas has to decide whether living cautiously or living fully is the right path to take.

It seemed as though everyone had read this book except for me, so I finally decided to pick it up and dive in head-first. This book isn't long at all, so it didn't take long to read. I have to say, for a short book it was very, very good. The Community that Jonas lives in really makes you question how we live today. Is not having to making any life-changing choices the better route for human civilization to take? Is it better to know pain or live entirely without any memory or knowledge of it at all? These are the types of questions you will be constantly asking in your head as you read this novel.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was the ending. It seemed very rushed to me. I won't go into detail about it (Spoilers!) but if you read the book you'll probably understand what I mean. When I flipped to the last page of the book I actually didn't believe that it had ended at first. I thought that there had to be more to it, but it really was the end. But other than that, I really enjoyed this book.

Overall, this was a very good book. I will be reading the rest of this series in the future, hopefully soon.

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

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes.

Always,
NutFreeNerd

Quote: Albert Camus

This week's quote is:

 

"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth."

- Albert Camus

 

I really like this quote because it is simple but strong. It's also true- in every story or book or novel there is at least one truth, even though the plot or the characters themselves may be created by the author.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER: The Book vs The Movie

So about a week ago I went to go see The Perks of Being A Wallflower movie with some friends. We've been meaning to go see it forever (it came out sometime in September) but we have been so busy that we just haven't had a chance. Let me tell you that I am so glad I went to see it!

Usually when I watch a movie that is based off of a book, I am a bit disappointed. Certain characters aren't how I pictured them, or important scenes are for some reason completely left out- whatever the reason, there is some level of unsatisfaction within me. Surprisingly, that was not the case with this movie. The portrayal of characters was spot on, and the scenes that were left out were not ones that were majorly significant to the theme of the story. Most importantly, the theme of the book was transferred excellently into the movie. A lot of the time, when a book is made into a movie the producers focus on different aspects of the story- most of the time they focus on the romantic relationships between the characters. However, I felt that the theme of the book was not lost in translation while creating the movie at all.

Emma Watson plays Sam, one of the main characters. This had me worried, because I had never seen Emma Watson play a role in a movie when she wasn't Hermione. Would I look at Sam and think of Harry Potter the entire time, or would I be engulfed in the story like I should be? Not once during the movie did I think of Hermione- that's how good of an actress Emma Watson is.

This is one of the only movies that I can say with confidence that I liked it as much- if not more- than the book it is based off of.

Go see The Perks of Being a Wallflower- you won't be disappointed!

Always,
NutFreeNerd