Music:
I have been a fan of Jimmy Eat World for almost a decade now. (Dedication, I know.) When I heard they were coming out with a new album, I was excited, because it has been awhile. The album is entitled “Invented”. In my opinion is a bit harder than their more recent albums. It has some great Jimmy tunes, but I would say it is mediocre when it comes to Jimmy Eat World albums. It isn’t their worst, but isn’t their best. (My personal favorites are “Bleed American” and “Clarity”. Those were the days. ) There wasn’t as much variety in the songs, as I would prefer. In the past, I feel Jimmy Eat World would experiment more to create an array of tunes. This one, while the songs had different tempos, didn’t have the same feel of creative juices flowing. So I wouldn’t say I was blown away or anything, but there were some great tunes as I mentioned before. “My Best Theory” and “Cut” are my personal favorites.
Jan's Rating:
Literature:
Seems everyone is reading The Hunger Games Trilogy. These books have been recommended to me by a few people now. I read the first book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It is very fast paced, definitely a page turner. I also really liked the main character in it, Katniss. She’s tough but has a good heart. Who doesn’t like that?
The story takes place in the future in the nation of Panem. (It resides where North America used to.) The nation is made up of a Capitol, surrounded by twelve districts. The Capitol, to keep control of the districts, holds the Hunger Games every year. Each district must send one teenage boy and one teenage girl to the Hunger Games. All of the teens are put in an arena and it is a battle to the death on live television with only one survivor.
Katniss’s younger sister Prim is chosen, but 16-year-old Katniss takes her place. Katniss is sent to the worldly and wealthy world of the Capitol to train for the Games. Katniss has spent her life in poverty just fighting to find a way to feed her family, so fighting for survival is something she has done before making her a strong contestant for the Games.
Overall, I liked this book. It is creative and well-written, but I wouldn't say a masterpiece, if you will. (If you are wondering what I consider a masterpiece, read The Book Thief.) However, some parts are pretty violent. I think violence bothers me more than others, but I had a hard time with the whole kids killing kids aspect of the book. One thing I did like is that the main character Katniss also despises the violence and doesn’t want to kill either. It is a suspenseful book with a twist of a love story.
I want to read the rest of the trilogy, because I feel this sense of justice must be served. I want those in the Capitol ruling Panem to get what they deserve. If that isn’t how the trilogy ends, than I’m going to be mad. (Don’t tell me if you already know.)
Jan's Rating:
PS I also thought about doing a review on the new Harry Potter movie, but I feel like everyone has seen it. In short, it is intense and in England, which I liked. Also rather dark (literally, meaning all the camera shots) and Ron, Harry and Hermione wandering around in desolate places for half of the movie, which I didn't like.
I have been a fan of Jimmy Eat World for almost a decade now. (Dedication, I know.) When I heard they were coming out with a new album, I was excited, because it has been awhile. The album is entitled “Invented”. In my opinion is a bit harder than their more recent albums. It has some great Jimmy tunes, but I would say it is mediocre when it comes to Jimmy Eat World albums. It isn’t their worst, but isn’t their best. (My personal favorites are “Bleed American” and “Clarity”. Those were the days. ) There wasn’t as much variety in the songs, as I would prefer. In the past, I feel Jimmy Eat World would experiment more to create an array of tunes. This one, while the songs had different tempos, didn’t have the same feel of creative juices flowing. So I wouldn’t say I was blown away or anything, but there were some great tunes as I mentioned before. “My Best Theory” and “Cut” are my personal favorites. Jan's Rating:
Literature:
Seems everyone is reading The Hunger Games Trilogy. These books have been recommended to me by a few people now. I read the first book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It is very fast paced, definitely a page turner. I also really liked the main character in it, Katniss. She’s tough but has a good heart. Who doesn’t like that? The story takes place in the future in the nation of Panem. (It resides where North America used to.) The nation is made up of a Capitol, surrounded by twelve districts. The Capitol, to keep control of the districts, holds the Hunger Games every year. Each district must send one teenage boy and one teenage girl to the Hunger Games. All of the teens are put in an arena and it is a battle to the death on live television with only one survivor.
Katniss’s younger sister Prim is chosen, but 16-year-old Katniss takes her place. Katniss is sent to the worldly and wealthy world of the Capitol to train for the Games. Katniss has spent her life in poverty just fighting to find a way to feed her family, so fighting for survival is something she has done before making her a strong contestant for the Games.
Overall, I liked this book. It is creative and well-written, but I wouldn't say a masterpiece, if you will. (If you are wondering what I consider a masterpiece, read The Book Thief.) However, some parts are pretty violent. I think violence bothers me more than others, but I had a hard time with the whole kids killing kids aspect of the book. One thing I did like is that the main character Katniss also despises the violence and doesn’t want to kill either. It is a suspenseful book with a twist of a love story.
I want to read the rest of the trilogy, because I feel this sense of justice must be served. I want those in the Capitol ruling Panem to get what they deserve. If that isn’t how the trilogy ends, than I’m going to be mad. (Don’t tell me if you already know.)
Jan's Rating:
PS I also thought about doing a review on the new Harry Potter movie, but I feel like everyone has seen it. In short, it is intense and in England, which I liked. Also rather dark (literally, meaning all the camera shots) and Ron, Harry and Hermione wandering around in desolate places for half of the movie, which I didn't like.
I'm in the middle of The Book Thief right now! Reassure me, does it pick up a bit? I feel the beginning is kind of slow.
ReplyDeleteI felt liked it picked up as I got into it, but part of it was because I started really caring about the characters. For me, there didn't seem like there was one main climax, but there were a few parts that were intense. I just thought it was so beautifully written.
ReplyDelete