Bone #1 to #9 and Prequel

Title:  Bone Series ~ Book #1 to #9 and Prequel Rose
Author:  Jeff Smith
Finished: February 7, 2011
Edition: Paperback
Genre: Graphic Novel

I read this series as part of the  Take a Chance Challenge,  part #2, loved ones choice.  This challenge is being hosted by Life...With Books.

My son (now an older teen) started bugging me to read Bone when he was 9 or 10.  I've spent a long time procrastinating, always giving an excuse.  When I read part two of the challenge I knew exactly what it was I was going to read.  I figured the challenge is to get you to read something you wouldn't normally read and now I had the chance and it would also finally make my son happy.

I read the first book, finished it in a few hours and felt guilty that I would use something so easy for the challenge, so even though there were actually 10 different books, I'm counting this as just one read.

Bone #1 Out From Boneville

From the Publisher
After being run out of Boneville, the three Bone cousins - Fone Bone, Phoney bone, and Smiley Bone - are separated and lost in a vast, uncharted desert.  One by one, they find their way into a deep, forested valley filled with wonderful and terrifying creatures.
Eventually, the cousins are reunited at a farmstead run by tough Gran'ma Ben and her spirited granddaughter, Thorn.  Little do the Bones know, there are dark forces conspiring against them and their adventures are only just the beginning.


Bone #2 The Great Cow Race

From the Publisher
Fone Bone and his cousins plan to return home after visiting the village of Barrelhaven with Thorn and Gran'ma Ben.  Phoney Bone risks everything on one last get-rich-quick scheme for the town's annual Great Cow Race.  As usual, Phoney's plans go disastrously awry, and Boneville seems farther away than ever.
Meanwhile, ominous signs indicate that a war is brewing, and Fone Bone finds himself helping his friends defend their idyllic valley from a formidable enemy.


Bone #3 Eyes of the Storm

From the Publisher
Life in the valley isn't getting any easier for the Bones and their new found friends.  Lucius, Smiley, and Phoney are attacked by the rat creatures and barely make it back to Lucius's tavern.  then it doesn't take long before Phoney is back to his old tricks.
Back at the farm, Fone Bone and Thorn are troubled by strange dreams, and Gran'ma Ben's reaction is stranger still: She reveals long-kept secrets and unexpected dangers.  In fact, they may have to leave the farm forever.


Bone #4 Dragonslayer

From the Publisher
The forces of evil are growing stronger.  Could our heroes' worst enemy be Phoney Bone himself?


Bone #5 Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border

From the Publisher
Fone and Smiley Bone try to return a rat creature cub to the mountains, where they meet yet another adversary: the sly and mighty mountain lion, Rock Jaw.


Bone #6 Old Man's Cave

From the Publisher
The showdown between the Hooded One and they people of the valley begins.  Thorn and Phoney Bone seem to be at the centre of the maelstrom.  Will they survive the Hooded One's sacrificial ceremony by the light of the blood moon?

Bone #7 Ghost Circles

From the Publisher
The Bones, Gran'ma Ben, Thorn, and their loyal rat creature cub venture on a journey through the mysterious ghost circles to Atheia, the old city of the royal family.  One wrong step could change the valley's fate forever . . . .

Bone #8  Treasure Hunters

From the Publisher
The Bone cousins, Gran'ma Ben, and Thorn reach the city of Atheia, where they prepare to battle The Lord of the Locusts.  Meanwhile, Thorn's visions are becoming more threatening and Phoney Bone is conviced Atheia is rich in gold, and he is determined to find it.

Bone #9  Crown of Horns

From the Publisher
It's full-fledged war as Briar, the rat creatures, and the Pawan army storm the city of Atheia where the Bones, Thorn, and Gran'ma Ben are up in arms to defend the royal city.  When Thorn hears a voice urging her to seek the Crown of Horns, Thorn and Fone Bone embark on another dangerous journey as they race to find the one thing that may save them all.


Bone Prequel:  Rose

From the Publisher

When a terrifying dragon attacks the small towns of the Northern Valley, Princess Rose must defeat the bloodthirsty beast, who is possessed by the evil Lord of the Locusts.  While Rose faces the danger with honor, her elder sister, Princess Briar, follows a more sinister path.


My Thoughts

After approximately 8 years of giving my son one excuse after another, I've finished the Bone Series by Jeff Smith.  I went through the first book very quickly, having to ask my son for the next book within hours.  He stated with a sly smile, "you enjoyed the book did you Mom?  I told you".  I had some trouble at first, my eyes would always go to the wrong speech bubble , so my son had to teach me, follow them from top to bottom. 

The artistry in these books is phenomenal, I haven't read a book with pictures, in years, LOL. I think I still like reading novels better, can't ever imagine me picking up a graphic novel again.  Don't get me wrong the story line was fantastic (to my surprise), I found that I was stay awake at night to finish the book I had started earlier, I guess I would then call it a page turner for sure.  I would also class the story as epic, many times I felt I was reminded of The Lord of the Rings.

Would I recommend this series?  Most definitely and have already.

Signing off till next time
L

The Help

Title: The Help
Author:  Kathryn Stockett
Finished: January 28, 2011
Edition: ebook

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Kathryn Stocket was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi,  The help is her debut novel and according to Kathryn's web site soon to be a major motion picture from Dreamworks.  Kathryn currently lives in Atlanta with her husband and daughter.

SUMMARY

The Help takes place in Jackson, Mississippi, "The South", Kennedy is President and coloured folk just aren't as good as the whites.

This story is about three women:

Miss Skeeter, a white woman, has just graduated from college, and wants to be a writer.   Miss Skeeter is a daring young woman who chooses to question the black people are treated. Miss Skeeter has lived a sheltered life and doesn't quite realize how dangerous it is in the south at this perilous time of "change", but she does know that there is something wrong when the black woman who raised her and loved her and who Miss Skeeter loves back, cannot even use the same bathroom as her.

Aibileen, is a black maid who works for Miss Skeeter's friend Elizabeth Leefolt.  Aibileen's son died in a work related accident while his white boss stood by and did nothing to help him.  Aibileen is tired of the "white ways".  There is something boiling inside her since her son died but she never lets it out.  Aibileen is raising the white child Mae Mobley Leefolt, Mae is the 17th white child Aibileen has raised and knows the clean, pure feelings the child has for her will change once her mother's bigoted seeds are planted in the child's mind.

Minni, is Aibileen's best friend, she took care of Aibileen after her son passed away.  Came every day to ensure that she was still breathing and brought her dinner.  Minni is also a maid who works for Miss Hilly's mother.  Miss Hilly is another friend of Miss Skeeter's.  Minni works hard but just doesn't seem to know her place and has a sassy mouth that gets her into trouble according to Aibileen.  Miss Hilly fires Minni and spreads a lie through town so no one will hire her again.  Thanks to Aibileen, Minni gets a new job working for a white woman who is too new in town, to know about Minni.  Minni soon realizes that her new employer doesn't seem to know the "white rules", and that her new employer has a secret of her own.

Miss Skeeter wants to be a journalist, wants people to read her written work, and has come up with an idea for a project that would shock anyone she knows.  To complete this project Aibileen and Minni must help her, something that just isn't done in Jackson, Mississippi, putting them all at risk.


MY THOUGHTS

I read The Help for the Take a Chance Challenge.
Even though I was in the middle of reading A Dangerous Fortune, I'd joined the Take a Chance Challenge and was quite anxious to know which book I would be reading first.  Last Friday after work I took a trip to the local Chapters, walked down to the very back of the store, that is where the Staff Pick section is.  It didn't take me long to make my decision, it was so quick I cannot even tell you what else was on the shelf in that section.  I saw The Help, liked the look of the cover, picked it up read the back and I knew I had my book.  Headed home to download my new book for my Kobo.

Now reading on my Kobo I don't really have a good sense of when my book is coming to an end. What does she mean you ask?  Well my machine told me I had two more chapters to go, I flipped the page and found the Acknowledgements and was heart broken that I couldn't spend more time with Aibileen, Minni and Skeeter.  I did not want this book to end.  I cannot tell you enough how much I loved The Help.
The Help is definitely a keeper and will be listed as a to be read again.  Oh can I start now. ;)

My Rating:  5/5

Signing off till next time
L

Take a Chance Challenge 2011



The Take A Chance Challenge is hosted by Jenners at Life...With Books

The 2011 Challenges

1: Staff Member’s Choice: Go to a bookstore or library that has a “Staff Picks” section. Read one of the picks from that section.

2: Loved One’s Choice: Ask a loved one to pick a book for you to read. (If you can convince them to buy it for you, that is even better!)

3: Blogger’s Choice: Find a “Best Books Read” post from a favorite blogger. Read a book from their list.

4: Critic’s Choice: Find a “Best of the Year” list from a magazine, newspaper or professional critic. Read a book from their Top 10 list.

5: Blurb Book: Find a book that has a blurb on it from another author. Read a book by the author that wrote the blurb.

6: Book Seer Pick: Go to The Book Seer and follow the instructions there. Read a book from the list it generates for you.

7: What Should I Read Next Pick : Go to What Should I Read Next and follow the instructions there. Read a book from the list it generates for you.

8: Which Book Pick: Go to Which Book and use the software to generate a list of books. Read a book from that list.

9: LibraryThing Pick: Go to LibraryThing’s Zeitgeist page. Look at the lists for 25 Most Reviewed Books or Top Books and pick a book you’ve never read. Read the book. (Yes … you can click on MORE if you have to.)

10: Pick A Method: Pick a method for finding a book from the choices listed below (used in previous versions of the challenge).

•Random Book Selection. Go to the library. Position yourself in a section such as Fiction, Non-Fiction, Mystery, Children (whatever section you want). Then write down random directions for yourself (for example, third row, second shelf, fifth book from right). Follow your directions and see what book you find. Check that book out of the library, read it and then write about it. (If you prefer, you can do the same at a bookstore and buy the book!)

•Public Spying. Find someone who is reading a book in public. Find out what book they are reading and then read the same book. Write about it.

•Random Bestseller. Go to Random.org and, using the True Random Number Generator, enter the number 1950 for the min. and 2010 for the max. and then hit generate. Then go to this site and find the year that Random.org generated for you and click on it. Then find the bestseller list for the week that would contain your birthday for that year. Choose one of the bestsellers from the list that comes up, read it and write about it.


1: Staff Member’s Choice:  The Help by Kathryn Stockett
2: Loved One's Choice:  Bone Series

Signing off till next time
L