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Blog posts of '2014' 'June'

The Fault in Our Stars Latest book by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars Latest by John Green

the fault in our stars

The story is about Hazel a 16 year old teenager who has been sick and terminal with Cancer, her parents insists she attends Cancer for kids support group. While there she meets a guy, Augustus who is there to support his friend Isaac who has cancer and has had to have an eye removed. Augustus himself had a leg amputated but is now cancer free.

Hazel and Augustus get talking, there is a spark between them; they discuss their favourite books and decide to read each other’s favourite novels before meeting up again.

 Hazel and Augustus become good friends they both like each other a lot, they are plotting how to find out what happens to one of the characters mothers in Hazels favourite book and Augustus has been in touch with the author and is trying to organise a trip so that Hazel meets the author in person and will find out what happens the mother. But as she is deliberating she has a serious episode and she is taken to ICU.

After she gets home she finds out that Augustus never left the waiting room the whole time she was in ICU and they decide to go to meet this author with the support of one of the doctors.

While on this trip romance blossoms, they share a kiss and things go from there. While they are away Augustus confides in Hazel that he had a body scan recently and his cancer has returned and spread everywhere.

They return home to Indianapolis where his condition deteriorates and his form isn’t what it used to be and he is vulnerable and scared but Hazel still loves him as before.

Augustus plans a pre funeral for himself in his final days and Hazel and Isaac give eulogies, she says how much she loves him and how she wouldn’t trade any of the short time they have had together for anything in the world.

Augustus dies 8 days later and at his funeral as requested by Augustus is the author of the novel Hazel was looking for answers from.

This book is beautifully written, a friendship and relationship between two teenagers with a different outlook on life. The fault in our stars is an amazing book, beautiful and heart breaking at the same time. It’s not easy to read about sick children who are dying but the story between to two characters Hazel and Augustus is beautiful it will have you laughing and crying, and the same again.

The Fault in Our Stars is now a major movie too

Children’s Books Ireland current Popular Reads

Popular Books for Children in IrelandJust a quick blog on what is popular at the moment in children’s books. What childrens books are selling well in Ireland and if you are looking for inspiration for some holidays reads for your children’s, this article would be a good place to start.
The most popular book at the moment is the fault in our stars. It's a great book, number one in Children's books at the moment, as they are launching a summer movie based on the book. You may have seen the trailers, check them out here. The basic storyline is around Hazel and Gus two teenagers with a disdain for the conventional. The story is a love story between the two characters. Their relationship is against the odds as Hazel's other constant companion is an oxygen tank. The two characters meet and a cancer support group and then fall in love.


The other popular children’s book is the City of Heavenly Fire. A lot different to the book above, the story centres on the Shadow Hunter world. The main characters are Clary, Jace and Simon. These main characters band come together to fight evil. The evil coming in the form of Clary's brother. Lives will be lost, love sacrificed, and the whole world will change. Who will survive the explosive sixth and final instalment of the Mortal Instruments series?


Divergent is still as popular as ever, and is currently our number three best seller. The book is based on a sixteen year old girl called Tris. Tris is venturing out alone, to find her true place in the world, leaving her family behind. The world that Tris lives in is divided by factions based on virtues, Tris learns she's Divergent and won't fit in. She then discovers a plan to destroy allDivergents, Tris and the mysterious Four must find out what makes Divergents dangerous before it's too late. A great read, definitely for the older children.

The Official Beginner's Handbook is trending around number four, for popular childrens books.
I blogged about Minecraft for Dummies last week, check it out. This book is aimed at a similar standard of Minecraft user.
Learn how to make a shelter, find resources, craft tools, armour and weapons, and protect yourself from monsters. With tips from Minecraft experts, as well as creator Notch himself, this is the definitive guide to how to survive your first few days in Minecraft.

diamond aka hetty feather by jacqueline wilson - 9780857531087

Diamond 9780857531087Diamond is another fantastic book by Jacqueline Wilson. This book is based on the other Wilson books relating to the Hetty Feather Trilogy. It had a lot to live up to, as the other three books were excellent and personally I think Diamond did live up to expectations. This really is an excellent book.

Diamond was not always a circus performer. Before she joined the circus, she ws born into a very poor family. Before she was born, here parents hoped for a son, but instead Diamond a small fragile little girl was born into the family. Her  for parents were not very happy about this.

Anyway moving swiftly on, as she grew up Diamond discovered she had an amazing talent for gynastics and arcrobatics. Something which her mean father profited on, when she was seen doing her act at a local fair, he sold poor Diamon to a traveling circus guy for five guineas. shame !!!!

Anyway she became an acrobat at  the Tanglefields Travelling Circus. The crowds loved Diamond, but life behind the velvet curtains is far from glamorous. Her master kept pushing Diamond, making her try ever more daring and dangerous tricks. She was pushed so much she was scared to step into the ring.

But the good side of things true friends to be found at the circus, too: the kind and trusting Mister Marvel; the very kind Madame Adeline; and the excellent friend which she made Emerald Star, Tanglefields brand-new ringmaster, and Diamonds saviour. When life at the circus becomes too dangerous to bear any longer, what is the future for Diamond? And will her beloved Emerald be a part of it?

 

Diamond (9780857531087) is a great book, my daughter loved it, great book to start getting into reading.

Minecraft for Dummies - Create your own world

As a parent I wanted to know what all the fuss was about with the Minecraft game. The last time I came across something as big as Minecraft, it was Second life. I didn't know anything about that either, so this time I wanted to get a bit of knowledge.

Minecraft for Dummies - For a DummieI was looking for a book which would give the basic knowledge without going into too much detail, because I'm not sure if it's my cup of tea. Minecraft for Dummies is that book, maybe not for the hard-core player, the Redstone handbook might be a better place to start.

Anyway as with all the dummies books, the text is nice and clear, the author goes to great lengths to explain all the Minecraft terminology and abbreviations etc.

Over the last few months I’ve been dipping in and out of the game without getting anywhere or progressing, with this book I have learned more in the last 3-4 days , which is how long it took to read it, that I have in those first couple of months. I have to admit with the knowledge gleaned over the last I have started to enjoy the game, not only a bit of fun in the evening but from a parents perspective I think it would benefit any teenagers out there, as it`s educational and also involves some good problem solving.

Anyway the point of the blog is to review the Minecraft for Dummies book, not the game Minecraft itself. So to recap, as with all Dummies books, its excellent got getting up to speed really fast, it will teach you fairly advanced techniques in a short space of time. You could, potentially be building mansions, crafting new items and exploring strong holds in a short space of time. This all helps to increase the enjoyment of your playing experience. That the pro’s.

The cons are pretty much the same as the pros, in that the amount of time to “grow” out of the text would be fairly fast. At the same time, if you haven’t been using the game for a few weeks, it’s a great reference guide for getting up to speed again.

 It's a must have for new Minecraft players, I would highly recommend it. The Redstone handbook might be a better option for those with a couple of months playing experience under your belt.

So get out there and recommend it to all the Minecraft players. I've a suspicion that older (younger people, playing the game longer) players will fly through the book, but as a relatively inexperienced "Minecrafter"  , it will help to bridge that gap.