Hello everyone!! Sorry I've been gone so long, I started my medical externship and have been spending long hours at the hospital. When I'm not at the hospital, I'm spending my time researching therapeutic strategies for my clients, and finally when I have any spare moment, I'm studying to pass my national exam so that I can get certified in my profession. Phew, that's a lot going on!! And here I thought externship would be easier than classes! Anyway, after my bad experience with JK Rowling's newest book, I have kind of been sporadically reading for a while.
I've been filling my time with some of my favorite shows like Downton Abbey (Can you
believe all the characters that have been killed off this season?) and Hart of Dixie, and Vampire Diaries. I'm super excited for a new History Channel show called Vikings, which premier's March 3rd. Yes, I'm nerdy...no I don't care.
Anyway, onto the books!!
The Caged Virgin by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
This muslim woman fled her home country for the Netherlands to escape an arranged marriage. The turning point in her life was after the violent murder of Theo van Gogh in 2004, with whom the author had written a film with about women and Islam called "Submission". She was threatened by the same group of people that killed him, but will not stop speaking out about the oppression that Islamic women face, and the attempts of Islamic governments to silence any questioning of their faith. She also wants western civilization to know just what is happening to women in this faith, such as genital mutilation and forced marriages of female minors.
That was my own summary because the Goodreads one was just too long. In the past year I became some friends with Saudi Arabian women who were at my graduate school. While they did mention cultural differences from there to the US, they never mentioned anything horrific like this author is saying. So, I guess you could call this an eye opener for me. I was really shocked that some cultures deny what I consider to be basic human rights. It's hard for me to imagine people actually mutilating female genitalia. Living in the US all my life, never leaving to visit other countries, I guess you could call me sheltered. Nevertheless, I liked this book. Sometimes it felt a little disorganized, but to my understanding the author has an even better book that is the story of her life called
Infidel. I would highly recommend these books if you are interested in learning more about women's role in Islam.
Stuff White People Like by Christian Lander
This is a stereotypical, sarcastic book of the things white people like. The whole point of the book is that "white people" like to go to extreme lengths to feel important and unique but are all basically doing the same thing. From my understanding the author has a blog from 2008 that many people visited and this book is a result of that. Basically, the author has many different chapters devoted to things white people like such as eating organic food, apple products, brunch on the weekends, wine, etc. In each chapter he describes what white people like about the item and how to use that item to become accepted in white culture. It's meant to be funny, but it didn't really make me laugh, and the book got boring halfway through because it followed the same format. In my opinion, they should change white people to hipsters, because that's what most of the book describes.
Victoria and the Rogue by Meg Cabot
Ah yes, one of my favorite YA authors. Sometimes a girl just needs to read mindless, comical fiction to forget about all the stress in her life :)
The year is 1810. Victoria is a wealthy, 16 year old British girl from India who moved to Britain to find a husband. She becomes betrothed to Lord Malfrey before she even gets off the ship from India. But, Captain Jacob Carstairs has a few things to say about this engagement, and not all of them nice. Yes, this book follows a somewhat predictable romantic plot. But I enjoy Meg Cabot's works because she's funny and there are usually some unexpected twists in the plot that make you appreciate her creativity. This book cheered up my mood and made me smile.
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Sometimes you just need to go with a familiar re-read right? After a bad day, or even a long week, you can come home to a book that has an awesome plot and beloved characters.
City of Bones is one of my favorite YA books. Clary Fray enters into a nightclub one night with her friend to find that she is witness to a bizarre murder that only she can see. After this event, things get stranger still as one of the murderers keeps showing up at places she goes. Her life gets turned upside down when her mom is taken and Clary is attacked by a demon. Clary only wants to get her mother back, but as she is entangled deeper into the world of Shadowhunters (men and women sworn to protect the earth from demons) she discovers that getting her mother back might be harder than she thought and there are a few secrets about herself she discovers along the way.
The first time I read this book, I fell in love with the characters. It is hard to find an author who can write such a suspenseful, well thought out plot and still manage romantic tension and comedy. This book is a page turner, the type you would not want to put down. Also, as a side note, this book is currently becoming a movie and is set to premier August 2013. So like so many young adult books that turn into movies, this book series is probably going to blow up soon.
