Bibliophile Support Group

Daria Snadowsky's first novel is about a goal-oriented, hopeful med-student, high school senior, Dominique. Despite her best friend being boy-crazy, she hasn't been all that tempted to enter the dating world. She has heard enough vulgar and/or idiotic things out of guys mouths to detract far too much from their attractive appearance to really ever become interested (haven't we all?). But during an eventful (and not in a good way) trip to the port-a-potty during a school event she meets Wes, a boy with the brightest blue eyes she's ever seen and a shy smile that wins her over in an instant. For the first time ever, Dominique is interested. Daria's story is an in-depth look at a girl's first serious relationship - the ups, the downs, and the mistakes. She really shows the way we of the female persuasion can (we don't have to) lose ourselves, desperately melding into the guy's identity and maybe going too far too fast. But she never makes it glamorous or pr...

Robin Benway's first novel has been, so far, a critics darling. I was super excited to read it because it sounded like such an interesting premise - Audrey breaks up with her wannabe rocker boyfriend who then writes a great song about the breakup, becomes a huge superstar and ends up pulling her into the spotlight in the meantime - and it is. But (you knew that was coming, right?) I wasn't sold. Well, not right off anyway. Audrey's character was neither likable, nor relatable to me personally. In fact, I kind of felt that if I knew Audrey personally - we wouldn't really mesh. Not that I'd hate her, I just wouldn't be in her group. She declares early on that if you you don't like your music so loud the neighbors move out and the speakers blow that you probably won't be her friend. See, I don't like the neighbors moving out (living in an apartment I know how stressful and horrible it can be to have a neighbor that plays their music too loud) and the sp...

Okay, did it take me long enough? The Book Vault's Dominique tagged me in the comments of my review for The Shining and I'm just NOW getting to it. Oops. Here goes: What was I doing 10 years ago? Getting my first-year Hogwarts supplies in Diagon Alley and taking a roam through Eelops Owl Emporium. Okay, for real? Well, it was the end of the summer before 5th grade (if that's the grade I was in when I was 10 - I'm not willing to take out the calculator right now), so probably devouring more Babysitter's Club, Nancy Drew, and Girl Talk books in my room. What are five things on my to-do list today? Degnome the garden and visit my old celebrity crush Gilderoy Lockhart at St. Mungos. Do you really want the honest truth? It's actually my day off today (whoo-hoo!) so nothing on my to do list today but my favorite things. Watch my recorded TV shows (yay Burn Notice! yay The Closer!), the Olympics later (which can be a chore with all those commercials, even fast-forward...

What does every fellow bibliophile love? A contest of course! This is the next leg of The Book Vault’s birthday book riddle contest! Don’t even try to tell me that you don’t want a free book! For more information on the contest, go here: http://the-book-vault.blogspot.com/2008/08/birthday-contest.html . Each correct answer counts as an entry into the drawing on August 29th! Here ya go, for your therapeutic usage: Riddle: A community of genetically blind (they chose to be that way) exists harmoniously—or so it seems. Not long after a young boy in the community turns 13, he realizes that for some miraculous reason, has regained his sight. The community is not as peaceful as it seems—there are thieves, hypocrites, and other wrong doers. Now he must decide what to do, now that he has a gift that separates himself from the rest of his community. Which book is this? Know the answer? Send Dominique an email at bookvault@yahoo.com with: “BDAY CONTEST” in the subject line and: Name : The Rid...

As someone who has watched the movie adaption of this Stephen King novel, The Shining , well, I admit I wasn't gung-ho about reading the book. Why? Well, the movie always kind of freaked me out. I was kind of worried how much more the book would freak me out. But for all of you who have watched the movie, I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say that it just didn't make any sense. At all. The end is a head scratcher that never seems to be resolved. A puzzle piece trying to be shoved into a puzzle that still has way too many pieces missing. So - I wanted to read the book. To see if it made more sense. Maybe answer my questions. I took a deep breath and went for it. For those of you who haven't watched the movie (you should, it's a classic), the general synopsis of the story is that Jack Torrance, a recovering alcoholic who has recently lost his job, is hired as the caretaker for a huge hotel up in the mountains of Colorado. The hotel has to be shut down every win...