48 Hour Reading Challenge: Saturday Summary

After finishing Anna and the French Kiss (at 8:30am....crazy I know) I slept until 2:30 then watched some tv, ate food, showered, then headed off to Starbucks at around 3:30.  I was there until 5:30 then I headed to Barnes and Noble and read at the Starbucks there until 8:00.  I hit up a half price books, found a bunch of Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom series (I just need books #1 and #7 yay!) then I headed home.  I read straight from 9:30pm to 1:30 am, then took a Jersey Shore/wash the dishes break.  It's now 4:00am, and I think I'm gonna read for an hour or so then head to bed.

Finished Books


Shine by Lauren Myracle

This book was very good.  I was really impressed with the storyline and how the author handled heavy topics of hate crimes, teen drug use, and sexual assault.  Shine reminded me of Matthew Shepard, and it brought my mind a new focus on GLBT issues that are still very relevant in today's society.  Shine focuses on bullying and peer pressure that can escalate when left unchecked, and how prejudice, ignorance, and intolerance are unhealthy mindsets that lead to a communities destruction.

The Wall Street Journal recently did an article (found here) about young adult literature being too dark for today's teens and it specifically calls out Shine, questioning the subject material and language used in the novel.  I think that the material is something that teens need to be aware of, because it HAPPENS.  OFTEN.  All across the world, and in many places even worse than what is experienced in Shine.  I was rather offended by this article, because it seemed like the author was trying to say that teens shouldn't be exposed to darker subjects such as drug use, abuse, or self mutilation.  Their main argument is that 30 or 40 years ago books that were racey are now considered very tame.  I don't think that this is a reflection of society becoming increasingly more morally corrupt, but rather a society that is beginning to have more open dialogue about issues that have always existed.  If anything I think that today's young adult literature is beneficial because it can help teens who have been a victim of hate, abuse, or neglect find something to which they can relate. This is the same argument against video games.  I think that parents need to be willing to have open conversations with their children to discuss the issues presented in media.

ok, end rant.

Currently Reading

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

I haven't started this puppy yet.  My friends on twitter picked it for me, so I'm planning to read for about an hour then finish it tomorrow.

Total Time: 16 Hours

Total Pages: 822