Ready Player One

Ready Player One By Ernest Cline Rating	Published [2011] First Sentence "Everyone my age remembers where they were and what they were doing when they first heard about the contest."
Publisher's Description: In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines—puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.    But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.
Dear Reader, This book is one of my top ten favorites. I listened to it on Audible. It was narrated by Will Wheaton who played Wesley Crusher on the 1980s-90s Star Trek: The Next Generation. This book is a geek-fest for anyone who relished and rolled around in their youthful obsessions. Most interestingly the plot surrounds the history of video gaming. It also takes place in a future dystopian version of the world. I like that Cline make the destruction of the eco-system as the reason why the world is so messed up. Plausible and important to continue to bring the fore-front of readers minds'. I also love that he has virtual reality as the world in which everyone chooses to live their life. With the way that our current world is so engrossed in our technology it makes evolutionary sense that we will end up inside the technology. Those who have ended up on the outskirts of the cool crowd and who played (or still play D&D) and embraced their nerdiness, can completely relate to the main character, Wade Watts/Parzival. I learned so much about how video games evolved since Cline used-semi-historical fiction to build the world of Ready Player One. I also enjoyed the love story between Parzival and Art3mis. Teenage love with the high stakes of the contest. Art3mis is also an equal on this playing field with her knowledge and dedication to what may seem nerdy, I can relate and admire that with my own store of Star Trek, World of Warcraft and Buffy knowledge. I appreciated that the author had the protagonist, Wade utilize his new found money from sponsorship move into the city and set up his studio apartment with security and tech to allow him to maintain his quest. I like that they have a system in which a pizza can be delivered to you through a door slot without ever having to have human contact (if so desired.) Without going into to spoilers, because the movie version is quite different than the book version, I like the undercover lengths that Wade undergoes to achieve his goals and eventually win the contest. Commentary on Movie vs Book. I enjoyed watching the movie in the theater. The trailers had really painted an amazing job on the amount of pop-culture references and Easter eggs and music choices to represent the world of James Halliday. I was disappointed in something such as how quickly Wade and Art3mis meet IRL in the movie since that was really the last 10 pages of the book. Shoto and Daito - uhhh he's not 11 year old kid, why do they speak English so fluently and the consequences are a little more depressing that what happened in the movie. Odgen Morrow's role in helping the kids towards the end of the movie was much more believable than what they had his character do in the movie. Overall I liked the book more than the movie- but isn't that usually the case? Yours, Marsha

Support Shelf Notes! Purchase your copy of this book here:

The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner James Dashner 2 / 5	Published 2009 First Sentence "He began his new life standing up, surrounded by cold darkness and stale, dusty air."
Publisher's Description: When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he's not alone. When the lift's doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade - a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they've closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift. Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up - the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.
Dear Reader, Ehhh. I don't even know what to write about this one... I really have no desire to read further in the series, and I was thinking that for my own edification I might want to read a plot synopsis of the other books, but...I am not even sure I am interested in doing that. I honestly don't think I care what happens to boring Thomas and his compatriots. Maybe this is a book I would have really enjoyed as a teenager, but as an adult, I just didn't. I don't know why. The story was interesting enough, I suppose, and full enough of mystery. Maybe it was just that to me it was just so unbelievable. I could believe what happened to Katniss Everdeen as being a possibility, even when things did lean a little too on the side of magic - when nature the was too easily controlled by the game makers, for instance. But there was just too much of that with Thomas and his maze-running friends - creatures that couldn't possibly be real ended up just annoying me. And knowing there was some real reasoning behind their situation just made me frustrated, not curious. I think I also hated that the book was titled as it was: Thomas never even really got to BE a maze runner. And why, then, is it just named after ONE of them? And, are the boys who try to figure out the maze really the most important of the group? What about the leaders, what about those who feed and take care of the others? This was a group of boys, all of whom contributed in their own ways. Hmm, maybe another reason I didn't like the book was because it reminded me of The Lord of the Flies. It just felt like a "modern" retelling of that story, in a way. Even though I know the stranding of the boys in The Lord of the Flies wasn't planned. Actually, it felt like a blend of that and Battle Royale, come to think of it. But both of those books were better, to me. In my vague recollections, anyway. I guess just what I am trying to say is that if you want to spend your time reading dystopian YA literature, there is so much out there already. This isn't doing anything new, in my mind. Perhaps it is, in the future books? But not now, and this first book was where it needed to get me hooked. I just didn't care enough. (Maybe if it had been females...you know I love my feminist YA books, haha.) Yours, Arianna

Support Shelf Notes! Purchase your copy of this book here:

Paperback:

Kindle:

California

California Edan Lepucki 4.5/5	Published 2014 First Sentence "On the map, their destination had been a stretch of green, as if they would be living on a golf course."
Publisher's Description: The world Cal and Frida have always known is gone, and they've left the crumbling city of Los Angeles far behind them. They now live in a shack in the wilderness, working side-by-side to make their days tolerable despite the isolation and hardships they face. Consumed by fear of the future and mourning for a past they can't reclaim, they seek comfort and solace in one other. But the tentative existence they've built for themselves is thrown into doubt when Frida finds out she's pregnant. Terrified of the unknown but unsure of their ability to raise a child alone, Cal and Frida set out for the nearest settlement, a guarded and paranoid community with dark secrets. These people can offer them security, but Cal and Frida soon realize this community poses its own dangers. In this unfamiliar world, where everything and everyone can be perceived as a threat, the couple must quickly decide whom to trust. A gripping and provocative debut novel by a stunning new talent, California imagines a frighteningly realistic near future, in which clashes between mankind's dark nature and irrepressible resilience force us to question how far we will go to protect the ones we love.
Dear Reader, If you've been following my letters to you, I'm sure you haven't missed my excitement for this book. I'll admit it, this was brought to my radar through the great Mr. Colbert. For those of you living under a rock or who don't follow all book related news religiously (Like ME!) I'll give you a short breakdown of what has probably made Edan Lepucki a very happy debut Author. I love these kinds of stories and so this book gave me all sorts of warm fuzzy feelings, knowing that a deserving Author has been given this incredible "bump" that is usually unheard of for an unknown. Do you know about the dispute between Hachette and Amazon? If not, just read this. That should give you a nice background on what's been going on. I don't have a particular side I'm standing on here, I think these are two giant companies disputing a contract and I find the whole thing a little overdone. However, while watching Colbert one night with my boyfriend, he had Sherman Alexie on and started talking about this dispute. Obviously Colbert is going to side with Hachette (he has books published with them), so he decided to take a stand on his show and asked Sherman Alexie to pick an upcoming Hachette book to promote, claiming HE could sell more books than Amazon. Sherman selected "California" and Colbert went with it, asking the audience and viewers to go BUY the book from Powell's Books (a larger but independent bookseller that has a fantastic online site). So what happened next? California became Powell's Books number one seller and surpassed "The Silkworm"! Can't get any better than that. Yours truly bought the book from Powell's online and was surprised when it came SIGNED in the mail. I guess, Lepucki decided to give all those supporters a surprise and a thank you, and I was thrilled. Thank you Edan Lepucki, you have made a forever fan out of me. Let's get back to the important part of all of this... the BOOK! Yes, this is a truly heartwarming story which pushed "California" into the hands of many who might not have picked it up. I'm certainly glad I did because this is MY kind of book. I had such high expectations (due to the hype) and this book lived up to them, which is hard to do. I sprinted through this book, wanting to find out what happens, totally engrossed with the characters and their surroundings. I want this to be turned into a TV Show, a series, I want more, more, more! Just when you thought Dystopian books were getting old and stale, Lepucki comes from left field and hits you in the face with a totally refreshing dystopian story. I say refreshing, but I also have to stress how ADULT this book is, you won't find any youngsters here... nope, the characters are full of adult angst (not teenage). I don't have any problem with teenage angst per se, but I do find myself missing those adult problems in many of the latest genre books. I'm not sure if this is a genre book or a literary book, maybe both? What did everyone label "The Road" as? Again, digressing... let me rewind and give you a little more background about the story. "California" starts with Cal and Frida living in the woods after L.A. has completely broken down (not to mention the rest of the world). The reader isn't told much about what went down to cause Cal and Frida to flee to the woods, but we do know that things must have been pretty bad. At first, the story is really more of a psychological one, trying to get into the heads of this couple and understand them. We get asked really hard questions from Lepucki, we are lead to think about how we would react in a situation like that. The start is slow, unnerving but somewhat calm, almost like Lepucki wants you to feel comfort and get to know the characters before she throws them into the whirlwind that comes next. The next half of the book is all about the excitement and has a little more edge of your seat-ness to it. Just when you thought things couldn't get any better, they do! I don't want to go into this part of the book much because you discover many surprises along the way, which was part of the beauty of the book. I'd hate to spoil anything for you, I knew very little about the book myself before I read it and I have to say the experience was fantastic. I want you to have that same experience when you read it. I just hope the hype of the book doesn't start giving away all those little gems. Don't look at the shiny things, turn away... you'll be thankful you did. The one thing I will comment on is the connection I felt to these characters, I found myself loving their relationship... cheering them on. I wanted them to succeed in the wilderness, I wanted them to break free from all the crap and be one with nature. But can you REALLY live with only one person without getting on their nerves? That struggle between Cal and Frida was heartbreaking, you felt pangs for them when they kept a secret or when they got into a little spat. I wanted them to have that happy ending (I'm NOT telling you if that happened or not) but I just felt so connected to them. I have to admit, the love scenes had me blushing, I'm not really used to that since I don't read romance. I like that they made me realize how lovey dovey these characters are, how they aren't that married couple that loses interest. They have a very strong bond and again, I found myself in their corner cheering them on. Lepucki did an excellent job with this debut novel. I'm actually going to see her at RJ Julia later this month and I look forward to hearing what she has to say. Stay tuned, I'm sure we'll do a follow up post with all that Lepucki insight after the event! Can't wait! Happy Reading, AmberBug

Instead of supporting Self Notes, this time...  go buy the book from Powell's Books OR your local bookstore.

Atlas Shrugged (Review by Marsha Gaylord)

Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand 3 out of 5	Published 1957 First Sentence "Who is John Galt?"
Publisher's Description: This is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world—and did. Was he a destroyer or the greatest of liberators? Why did he have to fight his battle, not against his enemies, but against those who needed him most, and his hardest battle against the woman he loved? What is the world’s motor—and the motive power of every man? You will know the answer to these questions when you discover the reason behind the baffling events that play havoc with the lives of the characters in this story..
Dear Reader, (I listened as an audio-book. Thanks Amber!) This book is similar from what I remember of Ayn Rand's Fountainhead. The premise is the same: a few exemplary individuals in some kind of industry, dealing with a world of small minded idiots and few evil opportunists. The story is slow; for example a scene about a party lasted too long. Atlas shrugged is not a riveting story but there are a lot of interesting social, global, economic and culture observations worth considering. I've been told that this book is a favorite to tea-party people. I do not share that kind of political view. It was good to see it from their side to gain perspective, but I want to point out that the government has put regulations on business, and does help out people in need ( welfare, social security etc) and we haven't gone to hell the way Ayn Rand sets up her dystopia. Good God! this book is long. I'm coming to the opinion it is drawn out which is why I'm giving it 3 stars. Especially the three hour speech that John Galt gives towards the end of the book. I couldn't help mentally tune out as it went on and on. I can only imagine how tedious it is to read it. I had to re-listen to the last section of the book. What happens after John Galt speaks. This has the most continuous action which I appreciated but I was confused as to what happened to Eddie Willers and how long the men of the mind decided to hang out in Galt's Gulch. I also have to smirk at Any Rand's imagination of a world where 3 men who all loved one exceptional woman [ Dagney Taggart ] could be so cool about losing her to Galt in the end. People, I don't care how enlighten they are, still get jealous. Yours, Marsha

Support Shelf Notes! Purchase your copy of this book here:

Oryx & Crake (MaddAddam Trilogy #1)

Oryx & Crake (MaddAddam Trilogy #1) Margaret Atwood 5/5	Published 2003 First Sentence "Snowman wakes before dawn."
Publisher's Description: Oryx and Crake is at once an unforgettable love story and a compelling vision of the future. Snowman, known as Jimmy before mankind was overwhelmed by a plague, is struggling to survive in a world where he may be the last human, and mourning the loss of his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful and elusive Oryx whom they both loved. In search of answers, Snowman embarks on a journey with the help of the green-eyed Children of Crake through the lush wilderness that was so recently a great city, until powerful corporations took mankind on an uncontrolled genetic engineering ride. Margaret Atwood projects us into a near future that is both all too familiar and beyond our imagining.
Dear Reader, I loved this book. I stayed up way too late every night reading this book. Lack of sleep didn't stop me from picking up the second book The Year of the Flood the same night I finished Oryx & Crake. Not many books can keep me up like that, let alone wanting me to pick up the sequel directly after. Usually, I'm the type of person that likes to let it digest and even wait a few months to pick up the second book (if at all). Books with series (3 or more) get me anxious (mostly because of the invested time required), I find that I don't usually finish a complete series unless the book rates 4 stars or higher for me. There is just too many books and too little time!  Let me rewind a bit though, I haven't even told you anything about the book yet. Meet Snowman (a.k.a Jimmy), a self absorbed and somewhat dis-likable character who somehow survives this crazy Apocalypse. No, I didn't give anything away that wasn't already given to you by the books description. There are quite a bit of plot twists and surprises and I promise I won't divulge any of those delectable secrets. Atwood brings us back and forward through time using Snowman/Jimmy's eyes. Through Jimmy, we see as he reflects back upon everything that has happened and we meet all the characters that play the part from his perspective. Everything he goes through plays a small part of the impending changes of the future. Since I don't want to give anything away, I think I'll leave it at that.  I like the genre "speculative fiction" and this novel fits perfectly under that category. I really wish I had read this when it came out in 2003. Atwood has taken some scary ideas (most of them could very likely be true) and given us a novel that could very well be the next 1984. I predict that this novel will be looked back upon as a reference for future generations, almost like a warning that wasn't heard (hopefully I'm wrong about this). Wasn't that the same feeling Orwell's 1984 gave us? I obviously wasn't alive when 1984 was published, so I can't say personally but the book has that stigma of predicting the future.  Some of the creepy things we come across in Oryx & Crake include, animal splicing (the Rakunk which is a combination of raccoon and skunk), genetic alterations (chemically injecting food so it won't rot or attract bugs), voyeuristic programming (watching the most taboo of topics on the internet and becoming desensitized by it, like kiddie porn and suicide). Does any of this sound familiar? Atwood definitely gets her inspiration from our own technological advances, she brings the current inventions to a new scary futuristic level. This is a world that you can imagine, a world that could be our future... now THAT is scary! SPOILER!!! Don't Read Below This If You Haven't Read The Book ... (ALSO contains Battlestar Galactica Spoilers, if you've never seen or finished that show *and SHAME on you if you haven't seen the show!!*) I just wanted to talk about the main theme of the book, the Apocalypse. I think what I loved about this book reminded me why I loved Battlestar Galactica so much. Both give us a decaying world filled with crime, overuse of technology, morals gone wrong and pretty much complete disrespect of the land we call home (again, doesn't this sound a bit too familiar!) Also, both BSG and Oryx & Crake reset the world, taking away everything that was destroying it (including the mass population). Neither this book or the show gives us the aftermath but one can only imagine how the world will be rebuilt with the remaining survivors. BSG went one step further pushing the idea that humanity will just make the same mistakes over and over again. To quote from the show "All of this has happened before and will happen again".  I think the idea of resetting and starting anew, making the survivors live with the earth and nothing else, is SO fascinating. I've often thought of what we would do without all the technology we have, would we be able to survive? Would we be able to reset our own way of thinking and go back to scavenging for food and shelter? I actually think it would be kind of wonderful to get a second chance, but I think the same problems would arrive and like BSG showed us... humanity would be in an endless loop, making the same mistakes over and over again.  SPOILER DONE!!! I have nothing else to say but READ this book.  Yours, AmberBug

Support Shelf Notes! Purchase your copy of Oryx & Crake here: