Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos

So you know how they say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover?” Seriously. Don’t.
So I’ve had a lot of time lately to kind of kick back and do the thing I love the most – read.
AM I GLAD I DID! So it started out by me looking at this book and saying, “This book really can’t be that interesting, but hey, what have I got to lose? I have to keep an open mind, right?” Right. I picked up this book and right away I was in love with the character. I wanted to shelter him and tell him things would be ok, I wanted to be able to guide him, but at the same time I wanted him to make his own mistakes and learn.
This book relates to everyone in one way or another because of what he goes through or how he might be feeling, someone can honestly say, “I know just how he feels.” It was amazing to watch the character grow in so many different aspects and to realize when he thought things have hit rock bottom there was something there to turn it around.
Oscar Hijuelos did an amazing job with this story and the character. He makes you feel as if you are sitting right there with the boys just listening into the conversation, giving you insight of what Rico may really be thinking at the time.
I feel this book is geared to the young adult, but it is also a good read for people of certain ages (teens and up) because it deals with the harsh reality of life and what it might be like to live on the streets. There is no sugar coating in this story; you take it for what it’s worth.
I will happily pass this one along and encourage the mature young adults to read it and hope there will be a part two telling us where Rico is and what happened because the book was definitely left open for interpretation.

Monday, January 5, 2009

How I got here...

Honestly? It kind of came from left field but I welcomed the challenge. What challenge might that be, one would ask. You guessed it, I'll tell you. =) To help a good friend make her dream of owning a bookstore on Main Street in a small quiet town a reality. So you'll very quickly I'm a bit on the sarcastic side and enjoy giving my opinion. Which actually works out well.

When I took on the challenge of helping Taniya (the owner of Reading Chair Bookstore) create this dream into a reality I was stoked. I love helping out where I can and most of all I love reading and sharing my knowledge with others, whether it's suggesting a book or having a conversation with someone about a certain book.

I have to admit I'm fairly new at this blogging thing, so bare with me. =) I'll try and keep it updated as much as possible and post any new reviews I might have on books. If you have any questions about books that are posted please by no means ever hesitate to email me (christina@readingchairbooks.com) or comment back! Taniya and I welcome everyone to visit or website, and take a gander at what we have to offer. At the moment we are strictly an online store and can arrange for special orders if need be. So until then I encourage you to become a part of our bookstore and share our excitement!

Christina Killough
Assistant Manager
The Reading Chair Bookstore