Booking Through Thursday

Here's today's Booking Through Thursday question:

What’s the most informative book you’ve read recently?

I would have to say that the most informative book I've read recently is Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. It's about why certain people are more (or less) successful than others. It was a very interesting book. I learned why most professional hockey players were born in January, February and March. I also found out why Asian people tend to be better at math. I really enjoyed the book, and so did my mom and brother. I've been thinking about picking up one of his other books, but I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Don't read this review if you haven't read the first book in this series, as it may contain spoilers!

Catching Fire is the sequel to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It's the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy. Here's a synopsis from Amazon:

"Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge."

This book was AMAZING!!! I'm so in love with this series! I already want to reread both books. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading Catching Fire. I actually had to put it down for a second so I could take a breath and calm down a bit. I was so caught up in the book, I read it in one day. I finished at 1:30 in the morning! I'm even more in love with Peeta now. He's my new book boyfriend. Just don't tell Eric Northman! LOL I don't really understand why some people like Gale more than Peeta. We don't even know that much about Gale; he hasn't had much "face time" in the books.

I can't wait for the third book to come out, but I have to wait an entire year! *le sigh* I don't know what I'll do until then. I'm using this book for the "read a book with a verb in the title" category for the Summer Book Challenge.

5 out of 5 stars

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

I know it's weird that I read a book about Christmas in September, but it's one of the tasks for the Summer Book Challenge. Here's a synopsis of Skipping Christmas by John Grisham from Amazon:

"Luther and Nora Krank are fed up with the chaos of Christmas. The endless shopping lists, the frenzied dashes through the mall, the hassle of decorating the tree... where has all the joy gone? This year, celebrating seems like too much effort. With their only child off in Peru, they decide that just this once, they'll skip the holidays. They spend their Christmas budget on a Caribbean cruise set to sail on December 25, and happily settle in for a restful holiday season free of rooftop snowmen and festive parties.

But the Kranks soon learn that their vacation from Christmas isn't much of a vacation at all, and that skipping the holidays has consequences they didn't bargain for..."

I decided to read this book for the "read a book that takes place during Christmas" task for the Summer Book Challenge. I really liked the movie version - Christmas with the Kranks - so I decided to give the book a try. I thought it was really cute! They really stayed true to the book when they made the movie. This book was very short and such a quick read. I read it in one day! Now I just wish it was closer to the holidays. I would never skip Christmas because it's my favorite time of year. I can't wait! Maybe I'll go watch Christmas with the Kranks now...

4 out of 5 stars

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

Don't read this review if you haven't read the first books in this series, as it may contain spoilers!

Dead and Gone is the ninth book in the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries series by Charlaine Harris. Here's a synopsis from Amazon:

"The Louisiana town of Bon Temps—along with the rest of the world—is about to be rocked with some big supernatural news: like the vampires before them, the Were people—humans with the ability to change into animals—are about to reveal themselves to humanity. Psychic barmaid Sookie Stackhouse is apprehensive about the revelation, given the way some people in the small town revile anyone with extraordinary powers, including Sookie herself. While the initial announcement seems to go over smoothly with most people, tragedy strikes when Sookie’s brother Jason’s estranged wife, a werepanther, is found murdered and nailed up on a cross. Jason is the prime suspect, but Sookie has even bigger problems to deal with when she learns that a vicious fairy prince is determined to kill her."

I'm sad that I'm finished with all of the books that have been released. I have to wait until next May for the next book! Plus, True Blood is ending next week and I'll have to wait until next summer for the third season. I'm going to suffer from Sookie withdrawal! Dead and Gone was such a great book. I'm definitely sad about some parts, but I loved every minute of it. I kind of want to go back and reread the entire series now, but I have too many books on my TBR shelf. I haven't read all of the short stories yet, so I'm excited for the book of short stories that is coming out next month. I haven't figured out how to fit this into the Summer Book Challenge yet. I only have a little over 3 weeks left in the challenge!

5 out of 5 stars

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

From Dead to Worse is the eighth book in the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries series by Charlaine Harris. Here's a synopsis from Amazon:

"After the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the manmade explosion at the vampire summit, everyone—human and otherwise—is stressed, including Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who is trying to cope with the fact that her boyfriend Quinn has gone missing. It’s clear that things are changing—whether the weres and vamps of her corner of Louisiana like it or not. And Sookie—Friend to the Pack and blood-bonded to Eric Northman, leader of the local vampire community—is caught up in the changes."

This book was full of "WTF?!" moments. It was great! Some moments made me very happy, while others just left me stunned. I think this was one of the better books of the series. I'm still completely in love with Eric, and I will be pissed if Sookie ends up with Bill again! I will probably use this for the "cook a meal inspired by a book" category of the Summer Book Challenge. I can't wait to read the last book so I can be all caught up. Then I will just need to track down all of the short stories...

5 out of 5 stars

Booking Through Thursday

Here is today's Booking Through Thursday question:

What’s the biggest book you’ve read recently?

(Feel free to think “big” as size, or as popularity, or in any other way you care to interpret.)

The "biggest" book, in terms of page numbers, that I've read recently (the last year or so) is Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I enjoyed the book very much, and the sequel is currently sitting on my TBR shelf. I haven't picked it up yet because it's a bit daunting. Both books are about 1000 pages.

The "biggest" book, in terms of popularity, that I've read recently is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I had no idea this book was so popular when I picked it up. One of the tasks in the Summer Book Challenge is to read a book that an author you enjoy has recommended. Apparently, Stephenie Meyer really liked The Hunger Games, so I used it for the task. I'm so glad I did, as it's an amazing book! Stephenie Meyer may not be the best writer in the world, but she has some good taste in books! (Well, I actually have no idea what kind of books she likes aside from The Hunger Games, so I'm just assuming she has good taste based on the fact that she liked The Hunger Games.) I can't wait to read Catching Fire! I'm waiting for my Dad to finish it so that I can borrow it.