What if?????

After reading so many wonderful things about this book, I choose to read Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (337 pgs, Harcourt) for the It's the End of the World as We Know it Challenge.

For Miranda, your typical 16 year-old-problems exist: changes in her best friends, too much homework, an annoying little brother, will she get asked to the prom. So the whole "moon" thing was never really an issue to her. An asteroid was going to hit the moon, and all it was causing Miranda was a lot of homework!!

But the astronomers predictions were wrong, and when the asteroid hits, it causes the moon to shift closer into our orbit. Miranda's thoughts undergo a radical change. Since the moon causes tidal changes, great tsunamis occur almost instantly, wiping out most of both coasts in the US. But it's more than that. Volcanoes become active, earthquakes occur and shifts in the weather patterns start to happen. All of this instantly changes Miranda's life. Instead of worrying about a date for the prom, Miranda is now forced to concentrate on survival in a world gone mad.

Told in journal form, the changes that Miranda goes through are subtle at first. She thinks her mom is crazy to have gone to the stores and bought out all the canned food, batteries and candles she could find. Surely things would get back to normal soon. But Miranda goes along with it, in the beginning just to not make waves. But as the months progress, and the situation gets worse, and it's obvious that things WON'T be getting back to normal soon. Family quickly becomes the only thing in Miranda's life.

This book is actually quite scary. I thought the actual plot was a little contrived, mostly because I'd like to think our scientists would have known the possibility that complete climate changes could occur and we would be a little better prepared. But overall, this book isn't so much about the conditions the world are in, but about the after-effects of a tragedy on this family. The way Miranda's mom holds her family together is honestly stuff heroes are made of. I kept thinking each time she did something, "Would I be smart enough to think of that?" It shows that family is truly the most important thing in the world.

This book is about love, family, and self-sacrifice. There are no fairy-tale endings with this one. But maybe a little sliver of hope. A very good, thought-provoking book. I just wished I had read it at a different time. Coming off such a high with The Host, I'm kind of afraid I didn't give this book it's due. Have you ever felt that the TIMING of reading a book affects the way you feel about it? For me, this was a very good book, but I wasn't completely blown away in the way I had hoped I would be. Still, this book is definitely worth reading. 4/5

One Fantastic Book for your Heart AND Soul

Not having read any of the Twilight Series (yes, I heard the collective gasp from the crowd!), I didn't have any expectations coming into reading The Host by Stephenie Meyer (624 pgs, Little, Brown and Company). I don't have any of the bias that a lot of readers will have. I didn't expect to find a book that I would fall head over heels in love with. But that is exactly what happened!! If it's any indication on how wonderful this book is, I read over 600 pages in 2 short days....hardly pausing for sleep!! I read The Host for The End of the World Challenge, The Stephenie Meyer Mini-Challenge (see...I'm PLANNING on reading the Twilight series!), and The Pub '08 Challenge.

In a time when Earth has been almost completely taken over by aliens, there were a few rebel Humans left in existence. The aliens, or Souls, have done a systematic take-over of this planet. They are a parasitic creature that can not live without a Host body. When they are inserted in a human body, their "soul" takes over. You can tell by the silver that shines in their eyes.

Wanderer is unlike most souls. She has lived on 8 other planets in 8 other host bodies. And yet, she has never found a place that she could truly envision herself at home. Hence, the name Wanderer.

Melanie was a rebel human. Along with her little brother Jamie, and her true-love Jared, she was carving out a small existence for herself. But when she saw on the news a person that looked like her cousin Sharon, she knew she had to find her and see if she was still human. That's why she went to Chicago in the first place. But when she was caught by the Seekers, the souls that were scouring the planet for the last of the humans, she knew she would rather die than become one of THEM. Unfortunately for her, the attempt of suicide failed. Her body was healed, and Wanderer was inserted into her body.

But unlike all the other Hosts that Wanderer had taken over, she couldn't lose Melanie. Melanie was such a strong human, she refused to let Wanderer completely take over. Mel was still there with her, talking to her and making her miserable. Wanderer knew all of Mel's memories and feelings. As much as Mel tried to block her thoughts, Wanderer would dream of Jared and Jamie. Soon, Wanderer finds herself longing to find the Humans that meant so much to Mel. On a trip to Tuscon, Mel remembers a map that her Uncle Jeb had drawn for her, and the two of them set off to find out if Jared and Jamie have survived.

But when Wanderer is found by the group of rebel Humans that include her family and friends, it isn't pretty. No one is sure what to do. They want to hate the alien that has taken over Mel. But things are not always as it seems. And Wanderer isn't the typical soul.

Can I tell you now how much I LOVED this book?? Although sci-fi in nature, it is so much more than that. It's a story of love and understanding, acceptance and humanity. This book is so deep and so beautiful that I'm having a hard time putting down in words my feelings for it. Melanie is such a strong human, but there were times that I just wanted to throttle her. She had become jaded and pessimistic during the occupation....and rightfully so. But she didn't think things through very well. Wanderer was such a beautiful and kind soul. Altruistic was a word that was used frequently, and for good reason. She would rather die than cause pain to other person or soul.

The cast of characters in this book is large, but my favorite would have to be Ian. He was one of the rebels that initially wanted to kill Wanderer. But spending time with the soul, he realized that to be human didn't always mean being a body without an alien presence. Stephenie Meyer has put together a brilliant novel. Her focus is more on relationships than on the alien presence, and is amazing to read. And the relationships are complex. There is a really weird triangle with Melanie/Wanda/Jared. Then you thrown Ian into the mix and it gets weirder yet. There are some seriously hard scenes to read. And as the end nears, as a reader you can see how difficult it is going to be to end this story well. You come to love the soul as much as the human. In fact, they come to love each as much as they do themselves.

If you are a fan of the Twilight series, I beg you to give this book a chance. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed in this story. I can't remember the last time a book completely left me so emotionally drained. I laughed, I cried, I cringed at times. But I wouldn't take back a second of it! This book was Freakin' Fantastic....and I'm telling you: GO READ THE HOST!! 5/5

It's the End of the World as We Know It.....

Becky, Becky, Becky. I hope you know you are KILLING me with all your challenge ideas!! This one, however, is one that I just can't pass up. It's the End of the World Challenge, and it's hosted by Becky from Becky's Book Reviews. And although I have been using these challenges to try to broaden my reading, this one goes right back to my roots! Rules are easy. Read 3 novels from May 2008 - Sept. 15, all dealing with end-of-the world or post-apocalyptic subject matter.

Well...I love this stuff. The Stand by Stephen King has been one of my favorite books since I first read it....YEARS ago. It's actually one of the few novels that has ever garnered a re-read from me. I've read it 3 times!! Not many books compare to it, but I guess I'm going to have to try!!

Here is my challenge list. Yes, I know. Longer than 3, but I just can't help myself. It's a sickness, you know.

• Life as We Knew It by Sarah Beth Pfeffer
• The Road by Cormac McCarthy
• Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
• A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller, Jr.
• The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld (Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Extras)
• The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Oh yeah...this is going to be fun!! And since I know you are all singing REM in your head (and yes, I know every word to this song!):

Coming soon: My list for Darla's Irresistable Review Challenge!! At this point, it's hopeless to resist!!