Cold Sassy Tree and Summer Reading

Cold Sassy Tree was an.... interesting book to say the least. It offers a look into a small southern town through the eyes of a 15 year old teenage boy, whose grandmother passes away. Shortly after, three weeks to be exact, his grandfather marries a young woman named Love Simpson, totally turning the small town of Cold Sassy on its head. As the book continues you are given a lot of different opinions on the big subjects: love, death, and religion. All of them vary, but each has their own good points. One thing that struck me was the death of Uncle Camp. A thoroughly insignificant character, who I couldn't help but extremely dislike. His death makes you actually feel bad that you didn't like the character.

Over-all the book was good. Sure the whole grandfather liking the young lady was creepy. And the whole grandson also liking the young lady was a bit creepy, but you kinda got used to it. This book was different than what I am used to for sure. I had more than a little trouble relating at all to the main character. Oh, and this book is so chock full of southern drawl that I had to read it section by section a bit at a time. Otherwise I would go crazy. Either that or wake up speaking like a southern belle.

But reading this book, as required by my high school, made me think about the pure silliness of some summer reading assignments. I go to an all girls high school, and naturally combined with the small-town and southern atmosphere, the just over-all strangeness of the book itself, and the main characters I couldn't relate at all to it. The next big thing is to go through it and manage to write an essay on the thing.

But thats an entirely different problem. Of all the coming of age books we had to be given, I sort of regret we were given this one. ><

Just my thoughts,
Owl Student

Song of the Lioness and Why I Love Genderbenders

Okay. I have to get it out now. I love genderbenders! What do I mean by genderbenders? The books where girls dress up like boys to get past social norms and kick some ass. I love those kind of books. Of course cross-dressing is all fun and games until somebody uses and abuses it. Its good in moderation, in times and instances where it makes sense, in books with strong female leads who can pull it off. There is nothing more annoying though when you read a book with a girl lying and dressing up as a boy who just can't do anything.

Though I must say I am glad that Alanna by Tamora Pierce isn't one of those books. This is by far one of the strongest heroines I have ever read about. She isn't perfect though. With a believable, natural talent, she actually gets this, has to work hard to make up for her weaknesses, AND SHE HAS THEM! For example, in the book when faced with an older bully, who was both bigger and stronger than her, rather than letting others fight her battles or giving in to him, she worked hard and learned to fight. She was beaten up a lot for not giving in, and it took her a while, but she worked hard and met her goals. 

She's stubborn and hot-headed, but she works hard for her goals, which is refreshing when you're faced with heroines who are just "lawl look how good at this I am". Yes, she has the whole "powerful magic" stuff, but instead of wielding it with ease, shes actually scared of using it. And when she does use it, she struggles with it and its only when shes desperate.

I was sort of relieved too that the first book isn't all about the romance. I enjoy romance, and I enjoy fantasy adventure, but I hate it when one overshadows the other.  This book gives you plenty of time to get to know the character and set up for what will be a great love triangle >:). Its refreshing. There are three more books ahead where they can get into the romance, so I'm happy one was set aside just to focus on the journey to how she gets there. 

Well anyways, I'd give this about 4 stars out of 5. The storyline is just a bit predictable, but other than that, its a great read. :]