Left Behind Book Review (Thoughful Thursdays)

This past week I have been experimenting with books that are in third person narrative, usually I both write in first person view or read in first person view, but this book changed everything for me. I know that Horns was a third person but it was Joe Hill, the prodigal son of horror is enough to get me through third person view, but let me tell you that Tim LaHaye and Jerry B Jenkins changed my natural view on all things third person because of how good this book is… let me elaborate.

The book I am referring to is none other than Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B Jenkins. This book was written in the 1970’s, but if you can put your mind to it then it can feel like it takes place in 2014; but that’s beside the point. This book is about the rapture and the tribulation period afterward following three individuals (Ray Steele, Chloe Steele, and Buck Williams) as they face the end times and the challenges that come with it. This book is a thrilling deep and emotional book that will take you on a roller coaster of religious battle and terror.

And to answer your question you don’t have to be religious to like this book; those who have read this before me won’t agree as much, because many believe that this book is nonsense or that such a thing as the rapture will never happen. It may not be your belief but it is mine and I will stand by it but I will respect yours as well. Once you really think about it this book doesn’t need a religious view to be read or be enjoyed. I enjoyed it not just because I am a Christian but because it made me think it made me feel terrified. This is one of few books that will make me question life and sorts. If you don’t mind religious talk then this is a book for you. But if you are also into books that will make you double check your life and make you feel impossibly sacred then go for this book.
Now here’s what pisses me off about this book… it’s a series. Not just any series, but a full-fledged mother ducking series of 16 books! And three of them aren’t even in order!! The last three written is recollection of what lead up to the rapture in the first place; and I started on the fourth book! I only found this out recently after I read Left Behind , AND I AM FURIOUS! Not because I got to pick my lazy ass up and read all 16 but because they are all not even in chronological order (according to Wikipedia not too sure how accurate this info is because I am in the second book and it seems to have picked up from where I left off.) Anywhosles, this book is amazing and the second book: Tribulation Force is doing pretty ok so I guess I’ll deal with it and read all sixteen, simply because it is worth it.

Pick this book up, read it, and stay up till the late hours reading that s**t! and don’t stop reading it until you find out who the Anti-Christ is (SECRET SPOILER ALLERT! MWUAHHAHAHAHHAAHA!)

Sincerely, HR

If I Stay Thoughful Thursdays

Ok, next to TFIOS, If I Stay is possibly one if this generations best tear-jerkers. Much like The Fault In Our Stars, this book makes you cry and gives you feels emanating from nowhere else but the center of your soul. This basically means that this book is like 9 out of 10 one of the greatest books out there. Why not 10 out of 10 you ask? Well, because the book itself was very short and to me was an easy read but however managed to fit an entire person’s life into a 300-something-paged book.

I will however say that it could have been longer and could have done better on the tear department, simply because the movie’s trailer made me ball out crying. (Not exactly ball out; just shed a long tear down my cheek). But I am getting ahead of myself, let me give you guys the rundown:

17 year old Mia is on the verge of dying after a terrible car wreck kills her parents and little brother (I will not give spoilers at this point just so you know), she is now in a ghost form watching as if she was up and about only she is watching as a ghost. As she is in the hospital (both in ghost form and coma-induced human form) she sees the rest of her family and her friends (including her amateur rock star boyfriend: Adam). In small groups they all see her in her coma induced state (she listens in and watches as a ghost) and each of them are telling her that they want her to stay alive because though she has lost her family she still has other family that loves her and needs her.

She finds out soon enough that it is up to her on whether she lives or dies, it is unknown how but she will somehow have to make a choice: will she move on and see her family again? Or will she stay?

This book also gets into her life in small flashbacks and memories that displayed after a symbol before each major paragraph as if it was a cutaway into a memory which is what I predict the movie will be like. But these memories I believe are the real tear-jerker; the creators of the story, it makes you want Mia to stay but also makes you indecisive as to whether it is right or not for her to stay alive. It is like you want her to stay but how will she live with herself? There is so much heart and sadness and joy put into this book by Gayle Forman and I must admit is an absolute masterpiece. The writing is beautiful and she describes the pain of losing a loved one so vividly you would feel as though you have had your heart ripped out and thrown away by such pain. But then that pain diminishes with the heartwarming love that takes place between Mia and her loved ones, including her musically talented boyfriend: Adam.

I won’t get too into it because it is midnight and if I try or even attempt to describe how amazed I am that this book covered so much ground in the relationship of Adam and Mia and of how many sparks flew when they shared their moments, I will have been rambling on a keyboard with no definite point.

So case and point, this book is amazing and the movie itself sound and looks amazing, therefore I shall see it, whilst bringing with me a box of tissues, hopefully I still have some left over from when I went to go see The Fault In Our Stars.

Sincerly,

HR

If I Stay Thoughful Thursdays

Ok, next to TFIOS, If I Stay is possibly one if this generations best tear-jerkers. Much like The Fault In Our Stars, this book makes you cry and gives you feels emanating from nowhere else but the center of your soul. This basically means that this book is like 9 out of 10 one of the greatest books out there. Why not 10 out of 10 you ask? Well, because the book itself was very short and to me was an easy read but however managed to fit an entire person’s life into a 300-something-paged book.

I will however say that it could have been longer and could have done better on the tear department, simply because the movie’s trailer made me ball out crying. (Not exactly ball out; just shed a long tear down my cheek). But I am getting ahead of myself, let me give you guys the rundown:

17 year old Mia is on the verge of dying after a terrible car wreck kills her parents and little brother (I will not give spoilers at this point just so you know), she is now in a ghost form watching as if she was up and about only she is watching as a ghost. As she is in the hospital (both in ghost form and coma-induced human form) she sees the rest of her family and her friends (including her amateur rock star boyfriend: Adam). In small groups they all see her in her coma induced state (she listens in and watches as a ghost) and each of them are telling her that they want her to stay alive because though she has lost her family she still has other family that loves her and needs her.

She finds out soon enough that it is up to her on whether she lives or dies, it is unknown how but she will somehow have to make a choice: will she move on and see her family again? Or will she stay?

This book also gets into her life in small flashbacks and memories that displayed after a symbol before each major paragraph as if it was a cutaway into a memory which is what I predict the movie will be like. But these memories I believe are the real tear-jerker; the creators of the story, it makes you want Mia to stay but also makes you indecisive as to whether it is right or not for her to stay alive. It is like you want her to stay but how will she live with herself? There is so much heart and sadness and joy put into this book by Gayle Forman and I must admit is an absolute masterpiece. The writing is beautiful and she describes the pain of losing a loved one so vividly you would feel as though you have had your heart ripped out and thrown away by such pain. But then that pain diminishes with the heartwarming love that takes place between Mia and her loved ones, including her musically talented boyfriend: Adam.

I won’t get too into it because it is midnight and if I try or even attempt to describe how amazed I am that this book covered so much ground in the relationship of Adam and Mia and of how many sparks flew when they shared their moments, I will have been rambling on a keyboard with no definite point.

So case and point, this book is amazing and the movie itself sound and looks amazing, therefore I shall see it, whilst bringing with me a box of tissues, hopefully I still have some left over from when I went to go see The Fault In Our Stars.

Sincerly,

HR

Horns: Book Review (Thoughful Thursdays)

Do the words: Joe Hill, Daniel Radcliff, or Satan tickle your fancy? Then this is the book for you!

For those of you that don’t know, Horns is the bestselling Novel by the
spawn of Stephen King: Joe Hill. This book tells the tale of Ignatius Perrish, a man wrongfully accused for the rape/murder of his girlfriend: Merrin Williams. But here’s the thing, overnight all evidence that would have cleared him of all charges was destroyed. So he didn’t have a trial, a sentencing, hell he wasn’t even cleared. Therefore in the eyes of the public he will always be guilty… only he didn’t do it.

One morning Ig wakes up with horns sprouting from his forehead; these little devils (no pun intended) have the power to reveal the inner demons of everyone he encounters. With this new found power he sets out to find Merrin’s killer and take revenge. Side-note: These Horns make the book super fucked up and hilarious.
Now this book gets really twisted yet totally amazing at the same time. It basically is just one of those novels that make you say out loud: What the fuck? That was basically my reaction, along with a dropped jaw and a newfound love for Joe Hill’s dark humor.

When I read it certain parts did catch my eye, for instance when he is out and about and fully aware of his demonic powers he goes all out by surrounding himself with snakes and he gets a hold of a pitchfork… a fucking pitchfork! Talk about embracing your destiny!

Plus there are like, numerous satanic references in this book that were meant as dark humor, obviously if you are going to write a book about a man slowly becoming the devil, hell, might as well have fun with it.

But what irks me is the villain of the book, I won’t spoil it but the fucker in this book that is responsible for Merrin’s death, is the sickest most twisted bastard I have ever read about. He done pulled some Jafarr shit on Ig! (Like for Lion King reference) And there is just so much to this story that blows your mind and for some reason I get attached to it and it makes me feel the pain Ig feels but at the same time I don’t because I have never been in Ig’s position. It just, it’s sad, what happened to him because he had lost his girlfriend in the worst way possible and now has the most shittiest life ever, because people made a bad judgment call on Ig and almost all the people he encounters (including his own family) despise him because they think he killed Merrin. If you are the reader you will find yourself turning into the dark side as you see how truly fucked up Ig’s life is, Not to mention the horns, which is half the reason why this book is so friggin amazing!

In reading this I fell in love with Joe Hill’s writing and he is truly the spawn of Stephen King, he totes inherited his father’s ability to write.

Oh and to make things more interesting, the movie for Horns comes out this
Halloween (Honestly, this is such perfect timing). The movie- staring Daniel Radcliff as Ig- looks amazing, the trailer really caught my eye and I am so glad that Daniel Radcliff has gotten out of the role of Harry Potter because he needed more roles to make his career really get out there and he has successfully done that with Horns (as said by critics). I honestly can’t wait for the movie, although it looks a little bit different compared to the book, I was still ok with it because I am always more than willing to see the movie adaptions after I read the book and thank God I read it. (Ironic isn’t it?) The coolest thing is that good ol’ Daniel Radcliff adjusted his accent to sound more American rather than English he sounds cool and he totally pulls it off in the trailer.

But I want to see this movie not just because Daniel Radcliff sounds differently but because this book coming to life is better than trick-or-treating. So go see the movie on October 31st and read the book as well.

Out of 10 I give Horns a nine. It is a well-written, dark-humored, rollercoaster that will put you at the edge of your seat.

Thank you for reading and please leave a like or a comment and tell me what you think of Horns once you’ve read it.
Sincerely,
Hells Reject

The Fault In Our Stars (Book Review)

Let me just start out by saying that The Fault in our really does define a generation of teenagers that want nothing more than to be treated like everyone else. We are all different but that doesn’t mean we have to treat each other differently.

The Fault in Our Stars is breath-taking and amazing and there really is nothing like it. I know I should be reviewing a horror book or something because of my blog and I know this post feels so out of place but I must say that this book was, wait…nix that, IS amazing.

TFIOS (the fault in our stars) is a story about Hazel Grace Lancaster, a young teen with stage IV lung cancer and an impeccably smart and humorous attitude. She is forced to go to support group and there meets Augustus Waters, another young teen with cancer and a unique fear of oblivion. Together (throughout the book) they become close friends and eventually fall in love.

Like every teen/adult that saw the movie or read the book by the awesomeness that is John Greene, I cried. Literally at every twist or turn of this great novel I cried and at every happy unique little moment of Hazel and Augustus’ tale I had giggled like a school girl. Honest to God I did that as a man and I hold no shame because this book is worth that. Of course I am paraphrasing here (there was a little more than tears shed and girly giggles going on then).

However, what really got me was the uniqueness of it all. John Greene had managed to take concepts we had never even thought of in everyday life and put them into one of the most heart-warming tales of our generation. From metaphors about smoking to the crazy but interesting obsession with An Imperial Affliction (and Sargent Mayhem of course) this book really gives you the sort of perspective that no other book or movie has been able to grasp.

Over all there is one quote or two that are my favorite within this book, both are from Augustus Waters:

“I never lit one. It’s a metaphor; you see you put the thing that does the killing between your teeth, [puts cigarette in mouth] – but you don’t give it the power to kill you… a metaphor.” – Augustus Waters/John Greene (T.F.I.O.S) 2011

This was from when he first talked to hazel and since then I have had high hopes that smoking in this country will be brought down to a simple concept of just having an un-lit metaphor between your teeth with confidence that it will NOT kill you unless you give it the power to.

Here’s the second favorite quote from Augustus:

“I’m in love with you, and I’m not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I’m in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we’re all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we’ll ever have, and I am in love with you.” – Augustus Waters/John Greene (T.F.I.O.S) 2011

AHHH! (Little girl giggles activate!) seriously I know some of my guy followers won’t understand but guys remember it doesn’t kill to have a bit of a feminine side. 😉

This quote took place in a place of which I shall not tell you, mainly because I hate spoiler alerts. But yeah he was telling Hazel how much he loved her so yeah; I did in fact feel the warm fuzziness consume me at that point. The rest is for you to read though.

John Greene wrote this amazing book and taught us all that some infinities are bigger than other infinities and that we should appreciate what we have because Hazel and Augustus (though they are fictional but feel so real) went through this hell and had proven to us that someone with a short life can make that into a long one.

For all those who read the book you are awesome and I feel what you went through while reading this; and for those who haven’t… then go friggin read it! (lol)

And I promise you; that every time you shed a small tear or giggle like a little school girl you will remember this book. You will be happy to have read this book. And more importantly, you will have been happy to have peeked into the lives of Hazel and Augustus.

When I read the ending of this book I cried and even toward the end when Hazel didn’t even say it, I found myself saying only one word. One word that would eventually mean an infinity to many, and that word was: “Okay”.

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Like this book review and follow me on my blog; sorry I may have trailed off on my schedule but I just had to write this.

If there is however anything you actually want me to review comment below and if not I will find the time to review something more my style later.

Thanks for reading and have an awesome day!

– Orlando Chacon of “Orlando S.C. : The Burned Chronicles and Horror Fiction”