The Death Cure by James Dashner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Goodreads Summary:
Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.
What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.
The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.
Will anyone survive the Death Cure?
My Review:
At first, I wasn't sure if I was completely on board with this series. Dystopian and zombies, I've been there before.
But after reading the first book in the series, THE MAZE RUNNER, and then starting the second - THE SCORCH TRIALS - I became totally hooked. Unlike other dystopian / zombie books, this series is the WHY behind the way things are. You're not left to wonder how the Earth fell to shambles. Or how the human race suddenly has a strong desire to eat one another. You read how it all happened, how the characters are trying to find a cure, and how ultimately, they triggered it all to begin with.
I thought the third and final book was fantastic. It isn't always the case that the final book in a series wraps up every loose end and ties everything off with a nice and tidy bow, making the reader feel a sense of a finality when they turned the last page. Sure it was a little tough to get used to some of the new language in the very beginning - but halfway through the first book, it completely made sense.
And now that the series is over? I will say I was 100% entertained. Loved every twist and turn - some predictable, but only there, to completely throw the reader off guard for the next one, that would then make me ask - what the hell just happened? No way. And I really enjoyed that it was almost puzzle-like, leaving me to piece together the bread crumbs along the way, only to come to the end and see if I was right. I love books like that.
Very well written, great cast of characters, and a purely unique setting the entire way through all three books. It only leaves me to wonder, what will James Dashner comes up with next? I can't wait to find out.
View all my reviews
Happy Halloween!!!
Yeah! My favorite holiday is upon us!
Wait, you don't think Halloween is a holiday? Oh, pa-lease.
It's only the best one out there. I mean, when else do you have the opportunity to dress up as a creepy zombie, slutty nurse, or scary witch? Unless of course, you're into that kind of thing and you don't need Halloween?
Anywho.
I love everything about this day - the crazy costumes, the decorations, the parties, the kids, handing out candy (although I do miss going trick-or-treating myself), and of course, the pumpkins. Oh, do I LOVE the pumkins!!!
Photo courtesy of Ray Villafane via The Today ShowSeriously, what some people can do with these wonderful gourds is downright crazy. And if you don't believe me, you've so got to check out this fab site: Ray Villafane. This man can carve a pumpkin like none other!
Photo courtesy of Ray Villafane via The Today ShowHe was even invited to the White House last year to carve the pumkins for the Obama family - and this year is in Vegas, carving the lot for Heidi Klum's big Halloween par-tay.
Not too shabby, I'd say.
And with all this excitment, I actually don't mind being in the office today. Because I know I get to go home and get the house ready - and I'm excited for my super easy, but yum-o dinner, which even that, is pumkin inspired (courtesy of Everyday Food, November Winter 2007, with a little doctoring on my part):
Penne with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce
Canned pumpkin puree isn't only good for pie; here, it becomes a creamy sauce for penne, topped with deliciously crunchy fried sage leaves.
I've changed up this recipe by adding ground chicken and changing it from Rosemary to Sage leaves (as I think sage tastes so much better with pumpkin!).
- Prep Time10 minutes
- Total Time30 minutes
- YieldServes 4
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne rigate (ridged), or other short pasta
- Coarse salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves
- 1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for garnish (optional)
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and set aside.
- In a separate saute pan, brown ground chicken with salt & pepper to taste (I like to add some of the red-pepper flakes here).
- In pasta pot, heat oil over medium. Add sage leaves and fry, stirring, until starting to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sage leaves to a paper towel, leaving oil in pot.
- Carefully (oil is hot and will spatter) add pumpkin puree, garlic, half-and-half (you'll want to warm this first, to avoid curddling the cream), Parmesan, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, and 1 cup reserved pasta water to pot. Stir sauce until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add pasta to sauce, and toss to coat. If sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water. Season generously with salt. Serve pasta sprinkled with fried sage leaves and, if desired, more red-pepper flakes.
Cook's Note
Frying sage leaves in olive oil not only turns the herb into a crispy garnish -- it also infuses the oil to create a tasty base for the pumpkin sauce.
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And what is everyone else doing today? Stuck at work? Dressed up? Taking the kids out? Going to a party?
Whatever it is, I hope everyone has a wonderful Halloween, stays safe, and gets pillow-cases full of candy! Because after all, there's nothing scarier than the day after Halloween...that means Christmas is only 55 days away. Yikes.
Friday Fives: Five Book or Movie Worlds I'd Love To Live In
Wow, it's been quite awhile since I've done a Friday Fives posting (um, August? Yikes) - but I had a little free time to write and thought this one looked like fun!
Today's topic: What are the FIVE (book or movie) worlds you would love to live in?
1. From the amazing imagination of the woman who started it all: J.K. Rowling and the world of Harry Potter.
Who didn't read those books or watch the movies and dream about what it would be like to fly on a broom and chase the golden snitch or wave a wand and change into an entirely different person?
2. The creative genius of my all-time most favorite author: Roald Dahl.
For years when I was little, I imagined what it would be like to cross through the old wraught iron gates and into everything that was so amazing about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
3. Avatar and the world of Pandora.
I loved how everything was so luminescent - and to fly on one of those winged creatures would be so cool (I must have a thing about being able to fly...)!
4. Star Wars.
Oh, I wore my hair in side buns like the best of them (but was never in love with my own brother). And show me one person that can't swing an imaginary light saber without making that "wohhhhhhh" noise. You know you have the app on your phone, admit it.
5. The Matrix.
Who doesn't look bad-ass in all black leather (okay, that's a rhetorical question)? And to be able to bend like that? Yup, sold.
So - what worlds would love to live in if you could?
Happy Friday everyone!
RTW #102: Best Book(s) for October
Similar to Friday Fives, Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ hosted by the fabulous ladies over at YA Highway. Each Wednesday, they post a weekly writing - or reading - related question, and I'll blog about my answer here!
And this week's topic:
What was the best book you read in October?
October has been an awfully quiet month for me in the blog-o-sphere, mostly because I've been crazy-busy doing major revisions on my current manuscript, for an amazing agent (one that shall remane nameless at the moment, but believe me, he's nothing but pure awesome!). It's been a tad bit hectic, but in the end, I know it will so be worth it.
But that also means it may stay a little quiet around these here parts for awhile. I'm still here, it's just my head is buried behind my computer screen, revising away!
I was also fortunate to spend the first part of the month, down in Cabo San Lucas with my husband, for our anniversary. We did absolutely nothing but lay in the sun, eat amazing food, go to the spa (ahhhhhh...), lay in the sun some more, and of course, read.
Which leads us to today's RTW - what was my favorite book this month? Well, I've got two:
LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Stephanie Perkins
Sequel to ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, I couldn't wait to get my hands on Lola (huh, that sounded so much better in my head). In fact, it actually was my very first eBook purchase for my iPad. Still not sure if I'm convinced about reading on an e-reader but Lola on the other hand, did not disappoint!
Goodreads Summary:
Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.
When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.
THE POWER OF SIX by Pitticus Lore
Sequel to I AM NUMBER FOUR - this was also a highly anticipated title for me. I really enjoyed the first book in the Lorien Legacy series and this second installment, was equally entertaining.
Goodreads Summary:
I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.
Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.
I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.
And I'm ready to fight.
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So with that, what great books did you read this October? Would love to add some new titles to my TBR pile!
Banned Books Week Hop: And The Winners Are...
Thanks for being a part of such a fantastic book hop! Wonderful to see how many people out there are passionate about banned books (or, just really want free stuff...) - I hope you all continue to support the idea of allowing all books a rightful home on the shelves and leaving the decision to choose up to everyone!
Random.org has selected my three winners and they are:
1st Place: Yen
Prize: Yen gets to pick from either $20 in banned / challenged books from The Book Deposity prize or the $15 Amazon gift certificate.
2nd Place: Donna Smith (The Happy Booker)
Prize: Doninique will choose second, after Yen.
3rd Place: Antane Armstrong
Prize: Will receive whichever prize remains, after the first two have selected.
Please email me at elschneider@hotmail.com on which prize you've selected. As well, if you've selected to receive the $20 in banned / challenged books from The Book Depository, please send along your top 5 book choices (just in case a title isn't available), your full name and mailing address.
Thanks again to everyone who stopped by to support such a great cause!
Giveaway: Banned Books Week (International Giveaway)
As posted on the American Library Associations website, Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read, and the importance of the First Amendment - something that is all too near and dear to my heart.
The list of banned books is long - and grows longer every year. And we all know some of the classics on it:
- THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK by Anne Frank: Challenged in the Culpeper County, VA. public schools because it was believed to include sexual material and homosexual themes.
- THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger: Challenged (but retained) in the Martin County, Florida school district because of a parent's concern over inappropriate language.
- SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE by Kurt Vonnegut: Challenged in Republic, MO. schools because it was considered "soft-pornography" and contained "glorified drinking, cursing, and premarital sex."
But in recent years, several new books (and many of my favorites!) have been challenged:
THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins: The Goffstown, N.H. school board challenged this title last year, because a parent claimed it gave her eleven-year-old nightmares and could numb other students to the effects of violence.
TWENTY BOY SUMMER by Sarah Ockler: Challenged in the Republic, MO. school district for the exact same reasons they challenged SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE.
THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART TIME INDIAN by Sherman Alexie: National Book Award Winnter, banned in Stockton, MO. school district last year because of violence, language, and some sexual content.
In an effort to recognize Banned Books week, the lovely ladies over at I Read Banned Books and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer are hosting a Banned Books Giveaway Hop, which I've decided to particpate in this year!
The giveaway will run from Saturday, September 24th - Saturday, October 1st and I'll be announcing my winners on Sunday, October 2nd.
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And what's up for grabs? I'll be giving away 3 prizes!
#1 and #2: TWO lucky winners will receive:
$20 in banned or challenged books from The Book Depository. Each of the two winners will select $20 worth of books off the banned or challenged lists - you can find some of the titles here, here, here, and here.
#3: One lucky winner will receive:
A $15 Amazon.com gift card to use towards a banned or challenged book.
A few housekeeping rules:
PLEASE be honest with the boxes you're checking! Don't check BOTH the old and new follower boxes - you're either one or the other! And if you check that you've left a comment - then do so! You won't get extra points by checking boxes that aren't accurate!
- Giveaway is International. Note: Giveaway is open to anywhere the Book Depository or Amazon ships to. It is your responsibility to make sure the Book Depository or Amazon ships to your country.
- Winners must be 13 years or older (sorry, can't be getting into trouble with any parents!).
- You need to be a follower of my blog via Google Friend Connect to enter this contest.
- Only ONE entry per person (please don't use alternative email addresses to enter!).
- Fill out the form to be officially entered!
- Winners will be chosen via Random.org on Sunday, October 2, 2011 and announced here on my blog.
- For old followers, max number of entries is 10 (that means you follow me on Twitter, too!). For new followers (welcome!), max number of entries is 8.
- Winners will be ranked in first, second, and third place - first place winner will have their choice of which prize they want, then second place, then third will get whichever prize is left.
And don't forget: Please visit I Read Banned Books and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer to see all 257 participants - there are tons of great prizes up for grabs!!