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Ordinary Hazards
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If These Wings Could Fly
We Are Not Free
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All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team
The Companion
Punching the Air
Show Me a Sign
Land of the Cranes
Furia
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When Stars Are Scattered
Snapdragon
The Radium Girls: The Scary But True Story of the Poison That Made People Glow in the Dark
American as Paneer Pie
Tune It Out
The Gilded Ones
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Monday, January 9, 2012

Beauty Queens vs Draw the Dark




Van said “ Both books has pros and cons and I am delighted to say I liked both more than I didn’t like them. Draw the Dark seemed like it had such great potential. It was a real-life story with a slight fantasy-like twist. The problem was that I would read some, enjoy it, put it down then have no desire to pick it up again. The story was good but not deep but it was more like a nice, light snack. I ate it, it tasted OK, I forgot about it. Beauty Queens grabbed me from the beginning. I loved the idea of teenage beauty queens stranded on an island and how the new society would play out. It was light and funny and Libba Bray went after the jocks, the pretties and the nerds equally. The problem I found was the end of the book. It needed some serious editing which is a typical problem in many Libba Bray books. That being said, I still loved it. It is Beauty Queens for me!”

Jaylene said, “While both of these are higher level than Junior High due to language and content, they are very different reads. Draw the Dark was an awesome read until about half way and then it failed to keep my interest. Beauty Queens is full of fun (pirates included) and unusual twists (who owns the island?), yet there was the impression of trying to include absolutely every possible element to the point of being over the top. In the end, Beauty Queens was simply cooler.

Beauty Queens to the next round!

7 comments:

  1. I'm glad Beauty Queens is moving on but I wanted to add that I think it goes well beyond just a fun read because there is a ton on the roles of women in our society and the media. Of course it all comes with the kitchen sink but the reader of this book gets more than just a light and tasty snack.

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  2. I'm glad Beauty Queens is moving on but I wanted to add that I think it goes well beyond just a fun read because there is a ton on the roles of women in our society and the media. Of course it all comes with the kitchen sink but the reader of this book gets more than just a light and tasty snack.

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  3. I knew you would like this book Dia. For me it was like Terry and the Pirates all over again.

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  4. Terry and Pirates indeed! This book is a lot of stuff....maybe too much but I stick to my original point Bray takes a stick to media (Come on the donkeys Kim and Khloe!)gives some pep about girl power all while leaving a food tray firmly in one girl's forehead. I'm in....Bray for the win.

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  5. I'm still waiting for my eyes to roll back to the front of my head. My mother told me they might stay like that one day!

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  6. Imagine starting with Beethoven's 9th symphony... Just as the music starts to make a meaningful statement add a clap track (hooked on classics fans will understand). But wait, why stop there? Insert disco dancers, then a rap artist, accordian polka band and Swiss yodellers. Hip hop, Inuit throat singers and Africian drums. Now you have Beauty Queens.

    Beauty Queens had a wonderful start but lost focus... Too bad it moved forward

    Andrew

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  7. Too bad it moved forward? Sheesh, there were flaws sure, but so much good! It's just like our students and I know you haven't voted them out! Have you....I'm going upstairs to check.

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