Don't Like to Read? IMPOSSIBLE!

**previous wrote this in my Introductory Computing class as we were creating our own blogs.*

There are a few things that get me really riled up:

1)A really great book.
2)A really awful book.
3)When someone says they don't like to read.


I have always had a love for books. For as long as I can remember I've always had my nose in a book, inhaling the characters, settings, and/or plots; either falling in love or in hate. Whether it is fiction, science fiction or fantasy, I simply take it all in. My passion for books and reading is so strong that I just have to share it. It's the reason why I've decided to become an English teacher. I can share my passion with students and hope that they also fall in love. I believe that I have the ability to get more kids interested in reading. Nothing annoys me more when someone says, "I can't find any books that interest me, hence I don't like to read". I consider that bull! There are countless millions of thousands of books that it is IMPOSSIBLE not to find a couple hundred that you'll really enjoy.

[Rant] Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Book 1 of The Vampire Academy Series: Vampire Academy

Richelle Mead

Young Adult - Paranormal/Vampires

Rant:

My best friend has been going on and  on about how good this series is and how much she thinks I would like it. I can see why she thought I would. For one, there's vampires. That's usually a huge plus for me.There are also cute guys and kick-ass female leads. More pluses.

In the world of Vampire Academy, there are humans, mortal vampires called Moroi, their guardians, who are half human/half vampire, called Dhampir, and evil immortal vampires called Strigoi. We begin the story with Lissa, a Moroi princess and her guardian Rose in Portland hiding out on a college campus (they're high schoolers). But then they're found and returned back to the St. Vladimir Academy, a school for Moroi and Guardians, that they'd run from.

I finished this book in a day, but about half-way through I was contemplating abandoning it. Everything that was happening seemed so trivial. They kept hinting at bigger issues, but ignoring them. There were too many silly mini-conflicts that hid the larger one. While I believe this was Mead's point so that the climax, could be, well climatic, I was bored. I couldn't connect with the characters. In truth, both Lissa and Rose annoyed me. As did most of the secondary characters, especially that Mia girl (what was her deal? Even after I learned what is was about I didn't care). Lissa was just too wimpy and a little too much "oh woe is me" and Rose was just so full of herself and not a very good person. Yes, she obviously cares for Lissa and protects her, but there were just as many times where she was the one causing her pain. Also, Rose didn't seem to have much respect for herself (or for anyone else for that matter) in the novel. Either she was fully aware and didn't give a shit, or she knew perfectly well and still didn't give a shit. I think it was the latter and I didn't like how manipulative she was to everyone. Strangely enough, Christian and Dimitri I liked and I liked Lissa and Rose a little better when they were with their respective guys.

So, anyway, I pushed myself and finished the book. Overall, I feel kind of "MEH" about it. I didn't hate it, but I definitely didn't love it either. If you've been following my blog or know me even a little, you know that characters are almost the most important thing for me in a book. Give me good characterization or nothing at all. I can't forgive almost anything in a work if I love (or even like) the characters. Even though this book should be up my alley (there are vampires for godssake!), it's not because Rose sucks!.  Also, usually when I finish a (good) book that is part of a series, I'm almost frantic with the need to read the next one. However, everything was wrapped up a little too neatly at the end of the novel.

I didn't love or connect with the characters; the plot wasn't very exciting; and the ending wasn't as much of a cliff-hanger as one expects from the first book in a six-book series. In the end, I'm not too excited to read the rest of the series and I probably won't.

[Currently Reading] Brain Rules by John Medina

After doing laundry today, I decided to start reading John Medina's seemingly popular (at least according to Amazon reviews) Brain Rules.

This is not the kind of book I would pick up on my own, so the story behind how I ended up with it in my hands is a bit interesting (maybe).

It was a dark and stormy night and I was sitting in the back of the classroom with the other delinquents in my Honor's course: The Divine Comedy of Dante. I was participating in typical delinquent behavior by playing "Zombies Smashed" and "Family Feud" on my Asus Transformer Tablet (Product placement. You're welcome, Asus.) instead of paying attention. I was bored out of my skull because the Prof. (who has an amazing radio-host voice by the way) had spent the last 45 minutes reviewing everything we did in the previous class. I wanted to shoot myself, but instead I decided to share my misery with the world via Facebook (Thank you, FB for saving my life). And I get a comment from someone on my friends list--a teacher at my former high school, who I don't really remember, but ended up being FB friends with somehow--recommending a book that my Prof. might benefit from reading. That book was ... you guessed it--Brain Rules by John Medina.

I was interested in the book after reading the details on Amazon, but I'm a poor college student and my Books-for-Pleasure budget was a bit depleted at the time. That was part one of Operation Acquire Brain Rules.

For the next step, you need to know that I'm a member of the Teacher Opportunity Corps program at my school, TOC for short. Get more info here if you're interested:http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/resteachers/toc.html Being the nerd that I am, I emailed the coordinator (who is a rockin' cool lady named Pat) to suggest that Brain Rules might be a good addition to our developing teacher library. Next thing I know she's suggesting that I read it and possibly lead a discussion for the other corps members. My first thoughts? Ahh, Pat, why? You know how busy I am and you give me additional homework. You mean, mean woman! Just kidding. In the end, I agreed to do so as soon as I was able to buy the book. Faster than I can say YOLO, she's offering to purchase the book for me and sending me an email telling me that it's ready to pick up whenever I have time to drop by.

And with that my friends, Operation Acquire Brain Rules (for free) was accomplished.

So, what is Brain Rules actually about? I'm so glad you asked that question. The book is organized around twelve "brain rules," or twelve facts about the brain and how it works that scientists have essentially all agreed to be true. After explaining each brain rule, Medina offers some suggestions for us to utilize those principles at work, home, and school. I expected a very dry read because of the very sciency subject matter. However, Medina has done an amazing job of keeping the language very reader-friendly. You don't have to be a fellow scientist (because I am clearly not) to enjoy reading the book (which I currently am). Medina also has a sense of humor, which is expressed throughout the whole book. Never thought I would see the day where I would be thoroughly amused while learning about the structure of the brain.

Below are two quotes from the second chapter that I found exceptionally funny and that may give you a glance of Medina's brand of humor:

"In short this region [prefrontal cortex] controls many of the behaviors that seperate us from other animals. And teenagers." (p. 40)

"Most of its [Paleomammalian brain] functions involve what some researchers call the "four F's": fighting, feeding, fleeing, and ... reproductive behavior." (p. 40)

See! Nerdy humor is the best kind of humor. I love it. Can't wait to keep reading. 

Intellectually Yours,

Fatuma, Book Rants

The Rantings and Ravings of a Crazy Book Lady