TGIF! (16)

TGIF is brought to us by Ginger at GReads!

It's a way for bloggers to celebrate the end of the week with a nice re-cap of their weekly posts and to answer a random question.

Making a Difference: Which book(s) would you put in the hands of today's teenagers in hopes of making a difference in their lives?

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.

I really think that would be my number one choice. I'm not sure anything could top that. It may not be "classic" literature, but it's powerful nonetheless. It's not just a teen read. It's so much more than that. To play off of the title, let the book speak for itself. It's got a strong message, and gets it across in the most relatable way.

This is a must-read.

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Waiting on Wednesday
REVIEW! The Day Before

Bout of Books read-a-thon: end!

In My Mailbox 

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Authors I'd Die to Meet.

Top Ten Tuesday is brought to us by The Broke and the Bookish.

TOP TEN AUTHORS I'D DIE TO MEET

1. J.K. Rowling

2. Charles de Lint

3. Melissa Marr

4. Lisa Schroeder

5. Vladimir Nabokov

6. Laurie Halse Anderson

7. Natalie Babbitt

8. Julie Kagawa

9. William Shakespeare*

10. J.M. Barrie


*He'll probably always be my favorite.

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday (19).

I came across the Hop and Follow Friday while I was blog hopping - how appropriate! - and decided to join in on the fun.

The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly thing going on over at Crazy-for-Books. Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Parajunkee. If you're a new blogger like I am, or have been blogging for a while, stop by the sites and get involved!

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Weekly question: What book influenced or changed your life? How did it influence/change you?

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I'm not sure how old I was when I first read this, but I was young. I already knew I liked to read, but Speak made me realize I LOVED reading and couldn't get enough. It was beautifully written and had such a captivating story and I thought, I want to write something just as compelling, I want to use my voice to talk to everyone. I decided I wanted to become a writer, and nothing got in my way after that.

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REVIEW! Catalyst.

Catalyst
Laurie Halse Anderson



FROM THE COVER:

Meet Kate Malone – straight-A science and math geek, minister’s daughter, ace long-distance runner, new girlfriend (to Mitchell “Early Decision Harvard” Pangborn III), unwilling family caretaker, and emotional avoidance champion. Kate manages her life by organizing it, as logically as the periodic table. She can handle it all – or so she thinks. Then, things happen like a string of chemical reactions: first, the Malones’ neighbors get burned out of their own home and move in. Kate has to share her room with her nemesis, Teri Litch, and Teri’s little brother. The days are ticking by and she’s still waiting to hear from the only college where she’s applied: MIT. Kate feels that her life is spinning out of control – and then, something occurs that truly blows it all apart.


My rating: 4 stars.


MY THOUGHTS:

Catalyst is full of blunt, raw emotion.

The plot is rough-going, and at times, the same goes for the characters. For most of the story, Kate is detached from both her life and the reader – but that’s her purpose. When you think you know her, another layer reveals itself. Teri is readable, although not as strong of a character as Kate.

Throughout the course of the book the writing remains simple, but plaintive. The dialogue is slow. Anderson creates the tone through narration instead. But it’s this narration – Kate’s personal voice – that encompasses the story and keeps it alive.

Depressing but hopeful, Catalyst offers emotional insight that other novels lack.