life overload

The Seventh 10

2011-08-15T16:44:00.001-07:00

This group of books was incredible hard to rank because I read 2 books in particular that I loved, but in vastly different ways: East of Eden by John Steinbeck and Bossypants by Tina Fey. In the end, I had to give the Number 1 spot to East of Eden, because as hilarious as Tina Fey is, it's John Steinbeck's writing and characters that have really stuck to me, lacking onto my mind and not letting go. Now please excuse me while I go listen to my best friend Tina Fey read me Bossypants one more time before I have to return the CDs to the library. :)

1 | East of Eden John Steinbeck

2 | Bossypants Tina Fey

3 | A Game of Thrones George R. R. Martin [Book 1 of the A Song of Ice and Fire series]

4 | Skip Beat! Volume 24 Yoshiki Nakamura

5 | A Night to Remember Walter Lord

6 | The Serpent on the Crown Elizabeth Peters [Book 17 of the Amelia Peabody series]

7 | Guardian of the Horizon Elizabeth Peters [Book 16 of the Amelia Peabody series]

8 | Empire State: A Love Story (or Not) Jason Shiga

9 | Dead Reckoning Charlaine Harris [Book 11 of the Sookie Stackhouse series]

10 | Insatiable Meg Cabot [Book 1 of the Insatiable series]

Quilting Bee Round Up

2011-07-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

So, last year I joined quite a few online quilting bees. 3 to be exact. That might not see like many, and at the time, it didn't strike me as that overwhelming, but for some reason, I was always dragging a little behind in sending my blocks back, especially as time went by. Plus, after the first few months, I pretty much gave up on blogging about them. So again, I apologize for my epic laziness! Since I finally sent my last blocks back last month, and I plan on starting to blog more, quilting-wise, I thought I would post one giant update with all the bee blocks I made in the last 18 months. Are you ready? :)

The Modern Tradition Quilt Bee
This is the first bee I joined, and I think the one that lost the most people along the way. :) Oh well! Life happens.

Log Cabin Blocks for Leanne (February)

Grandma's Flower Garden Blocks for Lesly (March)

Arkansas Crossroads Blocks for Greta (April)

Tulip Block for Norma (May)

Starflower Block for Sherri (June)

Star Block for Lydia (July)

Quatrefoil Block for Rebecca aka Reebecki, my RL friend! (August)

Churn Dash Blocks for Heather (September)

Buzz Saw Block for ME! :D (November)

You'll see many more of these! I'm still waiting on a few, but I have received most of them, and have picked out the sashing, and plan to sew them all up at our annual retreat in September.

A Spider Bee
This was the second quilting bee I joined, and we all did the same pattern when it was our turn (for the most part), and just varied the color. I got REALLY good at these blocks, and still love them!

Flowered centers and bright florals for Brioni (February)

Brown centers and foresty colors for Theresa (March)

Purple centers and green and purple batiks for Tracy (April)

Now for something completely different for Becca! :) (May)

White centers and orange and pink strips for Greta (June)

White centers and peach and green strips for Suzy (July)

Surprise blocks for Heidi, who had a baby boy! (September)

Blue centers with white frames and pink and green strips for Sudi-Laura (November)

Maroon Striped centers and rich stripes for ME! :) (December)

Bee Liberated
This is the last bee I joined last year, and we started this one in May. This one was particularly focused on Gwen Marston's Liberated Patchwork, and was a lot of fun to participate in.

Slashed Nine-Patch Blocks for Dena (May)

Liberated Baskets for Kimber (June)

Owly Liberated Log Cabin Blocks for Susan (July)

Liberated Log Cabin Blocks for Jessica (August)

XO Blocks for Jill (September)

Liberated Star and Friends for Joan (November)

Liberated Log Cabin Blocks for ME! :) (January)

Liberated Quarter Log Cabin Blocks for Heidi (March)

Kathy's Blocks for Krista (April)

Free-pieced word block for Wendy (May)

And one more set of blocks...
My friend Rebecca was in another bee last year, and she let me make a few liberated stars for her quilt. :) They were fun!

So that's it! You should be seeing my completed quilts in the next few months hopefully. :)

The Sixth 10

2011-06-26T18:50:00.000-07:00

1 | The Book Thief Markus Zusak

2 | American Born Chinese Gene Luen Yang

3 | American Gods Neil Gaiman

4 | Delirium Lauren Oliver [Book 1 of the Delirium series]

5 | Children of the Storm Elizabeth Peters [Book 15 of the Amelia Peabody series]

6 | Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic Alison Bechdel

7 | A Game of You Neil Gaiman [Volume 5 of the Sandman series]

8 | Mennonite in a Little Black Dress Rhoda Janzen

9 | My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands Chelsea Handler

10 | Citizen 13660 Mine Okubo

The Fifth 10

2011-05-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

1 | The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake Aimee Bender

2 | Something Borrowed Emily Giffin

3 | Looking for Alaska John Green

4 | The Ghost Map: the Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic - and How it Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World Steven Johnson

5 | Persepolis: the Story of a Childhood Marjane Satrapi [Volume 1 of the Persepolis series]

6 | Persepolis: the Story of a Return Marjane Satrapi [Volume 2 of the Persepolis series]

7 | The Golden One Elizabeth Peters [Book 14 of the Amelia Peabody series]

8 | Grayson Lynne Cox

9 | Suite Scarlett Maureen Johnson [Book 1 of the Scarlett series]

10 | Interview with the Vampire Anne Rice [Book 1 of the Vampire Chronicles series]

The Fourth 10

2011-04-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

1 | The Complete Maus Art Spiegelman

2 | Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs Ken Jennings

3 | He Shall Thunder in the Sky Elizabeth Peters [Book 12 of the Amelia Peabody series]

4 | Outlander Diana Gabaldon [Book 1 of the Outlander series]

5 | Lord of the Silent Elizabeth Peters [Book 13 of the Amelia Peabody series]

6 | Skip Beat! Volume 23 Yoshiki Nakamura

7 | PS, I Love You Cecelia Ahern

8 | Season of Mists Neil Gaiman [Volume 4 of the Sandman series]

9 | Dream Country Neil Gaiman [Volume 3 of the Sandman series]

10 | The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group by Catherine Hinks

The Third 10

2011-03-19T17:46:00.000-07:00

OK, since I am a terrible blogger, and since it felt like I was just copying what I was saying in my Goodreads reviews and pasting it over here, I've decided that instead of regurgitating that stuff on my blog, I will simply rank each set of 10 books I read in order from most to least favorite, and then if you are really interested in my thoughts of them, you can jump over to Goodreads and read a full review. Sound fair? Here we go, then!

1 | Jane Eyre Charlotte Brontë

2 | A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages Kristin Chenoweth

3 | Heist Society Ally Carter [Book 1 of the Heist Society series]

4 | The Doll's House Neil Gaiman [Volume 2 of the Sandman series]

5 | Only the Good Spy Young Ally Carter [Book 4 of the Gallagher Girls series]

6 | Preludes and Nocturnes Neil Gaiman [Volume 1 of the Sandman series]

7 | The Falcon at the Portal Elizabeth Peters [Book 11 of the Amelia Peabody series]

8 | Mary Poppins P.L. Travers

9 | Watchmen Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons

10 | Sex, Drugs, Einstein, & Elves: Sushi, Psychedelics, Parallel Universes, and the Quest for Transcendence Clifford A. Pickover

The Second 10

2011-02-23T17:37:00.000-08:00

I've finished 10 more books towards my goal of 100, and in under a month, so I am still ahead of pace to complete my goal! Once again, it is hard to rank books because I liked them all for different reasons, but that's the challenge I've given myself, so here we go!

1 | The Host Stephanie Meyer
I first read this book when it came out in 2008, and just finally got around to re-reading it. I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. It may not be the most well written book of the lot, but it entertained me the most, and made me care about the characters the most. Set in the future, where aliens have taken over Earth, and there are only a few left fighting to survive and avoid capture.

2 | Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art Scott McCloud
My good friend Care teaches a course at Queens College CUNY on Graphic Narratives, and it's a topic I've been interested in for a while, so I've decided to read along with her class this semester. First up was this primer and explanatory guide on what the medium of comics is exactly. Not only was it super-informative, but it was really entertaining as well! I definitely recommend it to anyone who has an interest in comics/graphic novels.

3 | The Ape Who Guards the Balance Elizabeth Peters
I've come to really enjoy listening to these books in the car as I drive - the narrator is excellent, and though I've technically read this one before, it's been so long that it's almost like reading it for the first time! I'm enjoying the addition of Ramses as a part-time narrator, and though Nefret is becoming quite annoying at times, there is an overwhelming amount of emotion and adventure that overcomes and pushes this book to the top of my list.

4 | Before I Fall Lauren Oliver
I'd heard really good things about this book, some calling it one of the best to be published in 2010. It's a really well-written story, with a fascinating twist that I think is executed quite well - a girl dies, and then relives that last day of her life over and over again, until she can figure out the right way for it to go. Definitely a touching book.

5 | The DUFF Kody Keplinger
This one I happened upon while browsing through Borders one weekend. The spine was brightly colored, and the cover intrigued me, so I opened it up to read the first few pages. I was quickly hooked. I couldn't put it down! I ended up reading it in 2 days. The characters were very real and their issues were as well.

6 | Fire Study Maria V. Snyder
This is the third book in a trilogy. So, did I read this immediately following reading the first 2 books in the trilogy, like a normal, sane person? Of course not, I waited a YEAR! I honestly don't know what I was thinking. I had to refresh myself on how the 2nd book ended before I could pick this one up, but I honestly don't think it made *that* much of a difference, except maybe I wasn't as invested in the characters as I might have once been. My issues with this book are the same as with the others - the pacing is off in the beginning, and the plot is a little too winding. But other than that, I like the characters and the world this is set in, and the ending to the trilogy is great! Looks like there is another trilogy set after this in the same world, but with different characters, so maybe I will try to read all 3 of those soonish rather than laterish.

7 | Starship Troopers Robert Heinlein
I'm a fan of Robert Heinlein, and I vaguely remember being amused by the cheesy, campy movie that came out in the 90s that was loosely based on this book, so I've been meaning to read this one for a while. Luckily, it is almost nothing like the movie, which I rewatched after reading the book and is rather terrible, especially in comparison. This book is concise and unapologetic, and really about life as a soldier and at war, about finding a place where you belong and a life that really matters. I really was pleasantly surprised.

8 | Misguided Angel Melissa de la Cruz
This is another one in a series that I began reading several years ago. While I like the characters, and find their history and backstory really interesting, this book also suffers in the pacing department. I feel like every time the story really gets going, and we actually learn something, the book ends, and we are forced to wait another year for a new book to come out. Of course, I still keep reading, but next time I might wait a year or 2, so I can read a few back-to-back. And see, I've been so preoccupied with talking about the things that annoy me, that I'm just now mentioning that the cool elements in this story are the unique vampires, that are actually fallen angels that have been reincarnated over the centuries. Interesting, right? I wish they would capitalize on the awesome concept more.

9 | Matched Ally Condie
There has been so much hype around how great this book is, and I was really looking forward to reading it. I love dystopian teen fiction (hence my Hunger Games obsession), but I really felt rather let down by this one. The romance set up seems to be a little flawed, and I can't say I really care about any of the characters, which is not a good sign. I will keep reading this series, but perhaps with lower expectations.

10 | Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife Mary Roach
This is another one I was really looking forward to, because Roach's book Stiff is still one of my favorite non-fiction books ever. Unfortunately, this one just didn't live up to my expectations. I don't know if that's because there's not enough scientific evidence about the afterlife to say anything definitive, or because it turns out I don't really care what science might say about anyways, but regardless, I just kept waiting for this one to end. I'll still give anything Mary Roach writes a try, because she is an excellent writer, but I also won't be surprised if I end up disappointed again.

The First 10

2011-01-25T11:12:00.000-08:00

If you read my reading goals post from a few weeks ago, you'll know that I'm planning on switching up my reading blogging format for this year. Instead of posting weekly reading updates (which felt rather redundant to my Goodreads reviews), every 10 books I read, I'll write a post, ranking the last 10 books I read. Here are my first 10!

To be honest, it was a little difficult to rank these because I really liked a lot of them, and would say I enjoyed reading all of them. I think they're a particularly interesting mix of Young Adult fiction, "serious" fiction, and non-fiction.

1 | Graceling Kristin Cashore
I've had this book on my list to read since the day I joined Goodreads almost 2 years ago. I'm not sure why it took me so long to get to it - maybe I was afraid of being disappointed? Luckily I had nothing to fear. This is perhaps my favorite kind of book - set in a unknown, magical world, with characters you can love and admire.

2 | Fire Kristin Cashore
After finishing and loving Graceling, I knew I needed to read it's sort-of sequel, Fire. I say "sort-of" because this isn't actually a sequel at all, it's just set in the same general world, though in a different time, and different part. Really, what these 2 books have in common is the same feel of magic and wild. Once again, these characters are so engaging, I can't help but support them and want the best for them.

3 | An Abundance of Katherines John Green
Here is another young adult novel, but one completely different than the first 2 on my list. I loved this book because it was real and witty and surprisingly, sometimes shockingly, funny. I loved how quirky and OCD-ish Colin is, and his cast of friends are all unique and fully themselves, as they try to figure out exactly what that means. On top of all that, though, after reading this book, I discovered the video blog of the author John Green and his brother Hank, who in 2007 challenged themselves to no textual communication (email/texting/IM) for the whole year, communicating almost entirely through daily video blogs back and forth. These guys are so funny and hilarious and warm and real, I feel like we're already good friends, even though I'm only up to April 2007. And apparently, the video blog was such a success that that they still record videos, though not daily anymore. You can check them out at their youtube channel, Vlog Brothers. Can you tell I'm slightly obsessed? :)

4 | The Vanishing of Katharina Linden Helen Grant
This was my friend Heather's pick for our book club this month, and I am happy to report, it's the first book (of the twelve we've read so far) that everyone has liked! Usually, there is at least one dissenting opinion, but for once, we unanimously enjoyed this book. This is a funny yet creepy little mystery set in a small town in Germany, and though the cover describes it as a "modern day fairy tale", I'd say it's less fairy tale and more social commentary from the perspective of a child, ala To Kill a Mockingbird. It's definitely one I would re-read sometime, because I was totally surprised by the ending!

5 | Kitchen Confidential Anthony Bourdain
I used to think Anthony Bourdain was kind of a jerk, based on his appearances on Top Chef, but I had heard his book was really good, and I admit to being curious about the culinary world, so when I saw this one for $1 at a local library sale last fall, I was quick to pick it up. I definitely enjoyed this book - Bourdain is straightforward, descriptive, and honest, both about his checkered past and the restaurant business. I loved hearing all the nitty-gritty details about life as a chef, working at a restaurant, and everything that entails. I have a much better opinion of Bourdain now, to the point where I actually found him charming when he appeared on Top Chef last week. :)

6 | The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Rebecca Skloot
This one is a really fascinating true story and one of my mom's favorite books from last year. Henrietta Lacks, a poor African-American woman who died of cancer in the 1940s, is the woman who, unbeknowst to her or her family, provided the first cells to be grown in culture and the cells that are most widely used for research to this day, HeLa cells. Rebecca Skloot does a great job presenting both sides of the debate on the ethics of cellular research, writing from the perspective of both the medical community and the people whose cells are harvested, often times without their knowledge. The real heart of this story, though, is the effect these cells had on Henrietta's family, especially her youngest daughter, Deborah.

7 | Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer James L. Swanson
Abraham Lincoln is one of my favorite presidents, and after reading a great biography on him last year, I was curious to know more about his assassin, John Wilkes Booth. While you will not find a more detailed and better-written account of Lincoln's murder and the search for his killer, in the end, I was left saddened and disappointed, not in the book itself, but just with the whole situation. While I was curious about Wilkes Booth, to be honest, I don't really want to know more about him, and the more I learned, the more I was frustrated in his audacity and single-minded obsession. Even thinking about him now makes me mad. Some things in life just aren't fair, and one of those things is that Lincoln was murdered on perhaps the happiest day of his life, when the long struggle of the Civil War was finally over.

8 | The Elephant's Journey José Saramago
One of my friends on Goodreads, Lori of the Next Best Book Blog, sent me this book last fall after she ended up with 2 ARCs. The subject matter seemed really fascinating - based on a true story, of how in the 1500s the King of Portugal gifts an elephant to his cousin, the Archduke of Austria, and the subsequent journey that elephant makes, together with his mahout, from Lisbon to Vienna. And don't get me wrong - the story really is fascinating, and the characters are unique. I love elephants, and it was interesting to see how people reacted to him along the journey. But Saramago's writing style can be difficult to absorb, as he writes in solid chunks, also stream-of-conscious style, without pausing to change paragraphs or anything during dialog. It can be a challenge to read, and I have to admit, sometimes when I am reading, I don't want it to be so difficult.

9 | Nightlight The Harvard Lampoon
This book was a gift from my friend Heather LAST christmas (as in, 2009!), and though I am slow, I finally picked it up and read it the first weekend of the new year. This is a ridiculous and funny parody of the Twilight books, which I can take for exactly what it is: a humorous over-exaggeration of the flaws found in the popular, overly dramatic teen vampire books. Despite my irrational love of the Twilight books, I still found this book pretty funny, and it's definitely a light, silly and fun read.

10 | Claim to Fame Margaret Peterson Haddix
Although I did eventually enjoying reading this book, it ends up on the bottom of my list because I know it could have been so much more! I still enjoyed Haddix's writing style, but her heroine, Lindsey, was pretty annoying for most of the book, and I didn't feel like her "special talent" of hearing other people's comments about her was very well integrated into the story. I loved the concept, though, which incidentally had a few things in common with Graceling, and a few of the characters stood out as being quite enjoyable, like Roz. I'll continue reading Haddix's books, as I've liked others by her, but maybe my expectations will just be a little lower.

2011 Reading Goals

2011-01-14T16:48:00.000-08:00

After much thought, I present to you my reading goals for this upcoming year. :)

1| Read 100 books.
Since I've met this same goal the last 2 years, part of me feels like I should increase my overall reading goal, but to be honest, I like round, even numbers too much. And though I like pushing myself, I think upping my goal to another round number, like 125 or 150, would be too stressful to sustain. Above all else, I read for enjoyment, and I never want to lose that.

2| Read long books.
There's something thrilling about finally finishing a hefty book, and I want to continue to challenge myself to pick up and read the big books that are only too easy to pass over. I will definitely be reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, as it is one of our book club picks for this year. I also hope to finally read The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne, as well as another epically long Russian tome or two.

3| Read Russian books.
Yes, I failed miserably at this goal last year, but I'm really hoping to do better at it this year. Hopefully, by starting with specific books in mind, I can be more successful. On my list to read are The Winter Queen by Boris Akunin, which I began about 5 years ago and never finished; Demons by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, who is my favorite Russian author; One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who I have only ever read short stories by; and Death and the Penguin by Andrei Kurkov, a modern Russian novel, and one that seems different from any of the others I've read.

4| Blog.
I don't think my Weekly Reading blog posts last year really accomplished what I wanted - a different perspective on my reading. Sure, sometimes what I wrote about each book was different than my Goodreads review, but as the year went on, I found myself copying and pasting more and more. What I've decided to do instead this year is write about my books in sets of 10, ranking and comparing them to one another. Every time I hit 10 books, I'll write a post, talking about each book and ranking them in order of preference, from #1 to #10. Hopefully this will be a unique enough perspective to not grow boring. It will be a challenge, I'm sure, to pick favorites, but a good challenge!

And that's it! Hopefully with only a few specific goals, I'll be able to really focus on them this year.

126 Books Read in 2010!

2011-01-01T17:29:00.000-08:00

Another year has come to an end, and I'm proud to say that I once again met my main reading goal for 2010, reading 100 books. At times this year, it was a challenge. My trip to Israel and Turkey this summer didn't provide me with much reading time, as I was uploading photos and blogging our experience every night. Add to that a major lull in reading in October, and for a bit there, I wasn't sure if I was going to finish! Luckily, I was able to refocus by catching up on my manga, and eventually far surpassed my goal.

As for my other goals for 2010, I was successful in some, and others, not so much.

1| Read 100 books.
Success! :)

2| Read longer books.
I would say I was moderately successful with this goal. I am proud that I finally read Anna Karenina (838 pages), and while I didn't read the rest of the books I had originally planned, I still managed to get through several other "epically long" books: Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln (944 pages), The Children's Book (675 pages), The Lonely Polygamist (602 pages), and a re-read of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (759 pages).

3| Read from the LOST List in January.
This one I can say was a resounding success! Though there are still quite a few books on the Lost List I want to read, I managed to read 6 books from the list in January, and 3 more throughout the year. I liked most of them, but I would say my favorites were probably Haroun and the Sea of Stories and Everything That Rises Must Converge.

4| Read a Russian book every month.
This is the goal I failed miserably at. Yes, I read Anna Karenina, but that was it. I really do what to read more Russian literature, I just couldn't make myself. Hopefully I will do better at this during the coming year.

5| Write weekly reading updates.
If you follow my blog, you'll know that I kept up with my weekly reading updates for most of the year, until my friend John's death in October. After that, I didn't really feel like it, so I lumped the last 3 months together in monthly lists. To be honest, a lot of the time, my weekly reading blog felt really redundant to what I was already writing on Goodreads.

So that's it! I still use Goodreads regularly, and am grateful that I have a spot that I can track all my reading. If you feel like signing up for Goodreads, you can add me as a friend here. You can also check out a list (with links!) of the books I read this year. :)

The Weekly Read: December

2010-12-31T19:32:00.000-08:00

To finish out the year, I read fewer books in December than during most months, but that was because I finally read Anna Karenina! I've been wanting to read it for a while, and reading it in 2010 allowed me to fill 2 of my reading goals for this year - read Russian books, and read big books. I'm so happy I finished it, and just in time! Here are the books I read in December:

The Weekly Read: November

2010-11-30T18:57:00.000-08:00

You could probably sense a theme in the books I read in October: I read A LOT of manga. And I continued to do so into November! There's nothing quite like fun, madcap (at times) storylines, lovable characters, and great illustration to help you forget the crap that is going on in real life. So I caught up with some series I hadn't read in a while, and started a fun new one, and read some other books here and there, too. Here's what I read this month; Remember to click through for my reviews!

The Weekly Read: October

2010-10-31T02:06:00.000-07:00

If anyone out there is still following my blog, you might have noticed that I have been absent from it for a while. Though I regret not keeping up with my weekly posts, I didn't feel up to it for most of October, and after that, I couldn't figure out the right words to explain my absence. It felt disingenuous not to address the reason for my silence, as if by ignoring it I was pretending nothing had happened, and perhaps that is exactly what I wanted.

As many of you know, a good friend of ours passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in mid-October, at the age of 34. John was a remarkably special person, the most kind, friendly, thoughtful person I had ever met, and the best and most loyal friend anyone could ever ask for. The hole that has been left in our lives is enormous, and will never be filled, but we just go on living each day, and remember John in the things we do that we know he would have also loved.

As John was one of the few people who actually read my blog, I don't want to abandon it completely. Instead of going back and making separate posts for every week, I'm going to group all the books I read together by month. I did keep up my reviews on Goodreads, so if you want to know what I thought of any particular book, click on the cover, and you'll be taken to my review on Goodreads.

The Weekly Read: 36

2010-09-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

This week was another good one for reading, despite the fact that I happened to finish all three of these books on Saturday. :)

READ: Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself | Alan Alda

Another truly enjoyable book by Alan Alda, and the audio book of this one has the benefit of being read by the man himself. While Alda's first book definitely falls into the genre of memoir, this one can more accurately be described as inspiration and advice. Every chapter is based around a speech Alda has given, whether it be a public commencement speech or a private conversation with family. This isn't just a transcript of those speeches, though. Alda takes the time to set up the circumstances leading up to each talk, describing his thought-process and reasoning for saying the things he did. And through it all, not only are you indeed inspired to live your life better, you really come to understand his life philosophy as one to be admired and followed. Alda sums up this book best in the last few pages, and I can do no better than to quote him here: "So that's it. I've told you everything I know. Think clearly and think for yourself. Learn to use language to express those thoughts. Love somebody with all your heart. And with everyone, whether you love them or not, find out if you can be helpful. But really, it's even simpler than that... The meaning of life... is life. Not noticing life is what's meaningless, even down to the last second."

READ: Deadly Décisions | Kathy Reichs

This third book in the Bones series is another engaging Temperance Brennan story. The action is quick-paced and the plot is interesting and well-woven together. I have to admit, though, that biker gangs cannot be considered one of my favorite subjects. It's hard to find closure with a closed case when you know it's not really over. Gang killings beget more gang killings, and innocent people get caught up and hurt. I'm as dishearten and disgusted as Brennan at it all. Kit's rebellion was frustrating, and I had to keep reminding myself, "He's just 19. He doesn't realize. He doesn't mean any harm." I was most disappointed by Ryan's journey in the story. Not only was he barely in it, but when he saw, it was in such a sad, anger-inducing way. I never believed he could do anything so bad, and though things are certainly not resolved yet, I have faith they will be. It better had not take long! I am also encouraged by Claudel's slightly improved regard for Brennan. Like her, I can't help but want his approval, and any little nod of respect is received as a great victory. That probably isn't rational, but that's just how it is. :) I look forward to reading the next in the series, which will hopefully feature more Ryan (in a good way) and less bikers.

READ: The Solitude of Prime Numbers | Paolo Giordano

I can't remember the last time that I've thoroughly enjoyed the reading of a book but been so disappointed in the way it ended. While beautiful written and engaging, with specific and special characters, I felt ultimately disappointed in the conclusion of this slim novel. As two "prime numbers", people that don't necessarily fit with anyone else, Alice and Mattia seems meant for one another. Their characters are built so that though they fumble around in life, and mix up their communications so much that they don't realize how much the other one cares, one still believes that eventually, they have to be together. It's inevitable, like two interlocking puzzle pieces, that they will sit beside each other for life, belonging together like no others could. Despite the brevity of the story, seeing only small snippets of their lives throughout the years, I became quickly invested in their lives and relationship. And perhaps that why, when it didn't end up as I expect, I felt deeply disappointed. All those things I felt building, I was wrong about. I felt fooled and foolish, for hoping for things out of reach. I lay in bed last night after finishing this, trying to figure out what happened, how it could possibly have ended so impossibly wrong. Despite my disappointment, I can't regret reading this book, because it truly is effortlessly and beautifully written. It's simple and concise, and every word seems perfectly chosen. So yes, you should read it, too. And maybe, because you are a little forewarned, you won't have your heart broken as mine was.

Up next week: Starting the audio version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which I am reading in preparation for the Part 1 of the last movie which is coming out in November. Other than that, I am not sure. :) Happy reading!

The Weekly Read: 35

2010-09-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

READ: The Color Purple | Alice Walker

This book was my friend Heather's pick for our book club, and I have to admit, it surprised me. Though I haven't seen the movie based on this novel, I had heard a little about the plot, and so I was expecting a depressing read full of sorrow and pain. I would say that the first third of the book matches that description pretty well: Celie is raped and abused by the men in her life, married off to a man she doesn't love and who doesn't love her, and is separated from her beloved sister, Nettie, the only person she really does care for. But then, people start to change, through experience or time or God or something else, and their relationships morph into something different. In the end, this book is about family: not the one you are born with necessarily, where you have to follow some predetermined set of rules, but one where people come together because they genuinely love and care for each other. The relationship that touched me the most was that between Celie and her husband Alfred. Much of the tension in their early relationship was because of who Celie wasn't: she wasn't her sister Nettie, the "pretty sister"; she wasn't Shug, Alfred's beautiful first love. Alfred's disappointment with who Celie wasn't, combined with Celie's hatred of men (thanks in large part to her "father") and inability to stand up for herself meant that their relationship lacked any communication and Celie because a punching bag for Alfred to set loose his disappointment and rage upon. With that as a starting point, it didn't seem possible for them to actually get along at any point, ever. But as they both grew and changed, Celie finding love and happiness with Shug and finally standing up for herself, and Alfred finding God and realizing who Celie really was, they found common ground together. Nettie's story is quite different from Celie's, but it too involves finding a family to belong with, and eventually making her way back to Celie. Overall, I'd recommend this book to everyone to read.

READ: Never Have Your Dog Stuffed and Other Things I've Learned | Alan Alda

Like I mentioned in last week's Weekly Read, M*A*S*H is one of my most treasured TV shows from when I was a kid. To this day, I can turn on an episode and be endlessly entertained by the engaging stories of hilarity and hijinks, sadness and loss. I have great respect for Alan Alda as an actor, and when I heard that he had written a few memoirs, I knew I wanted to read them. What a fascinating life Alan Alda has read. I am intensely jealous of his ability to recall memories from his childhood in such detail, and what interesting detail it is! From his childhood traveling with his father's burlesque show all the way to his life-saving surgery in Chile at the age of 67, Alda chronicles the ups and downs of his life as he tried to figure out what it is to be an actor and a person. Every part of this book is engaging and enjoyable, but I must admit that my favorite part was the behind-the-scenes memories from the set of M*A*S*H, the stories of his relationships with the other actors and how on that set he really became a writer and director. I can't wait to read his second book. :)

READ: Death du Jour | Kathy Reichs

Let me start out by saying I love the TV show Bones. It's one of my favorite shows, one that I can re-watch multiple times and still enjoy. When I heard that this show was based off a series of books by Kathy Reichs, a real forensic anthropologist, I was instantly intrigued. Then I read the first one in the series last year, and was rather disappointed. The book itself wasn't bad, I was just expecting something different. Dr. Temperance Brennan of the books wasn't entirely different from Dr. Brennan of the TV show - she has a different life story, different location, different friends, different temperament. Pretty much the only thing that remained the same was the job and the name. Add to that list of complains the fact that Agent Seeley Booth doesn't exist in the books, and you have a recipe for disappointment. So I waited a while before picking up the second book in the Temperance Brennan series, and my reading experience for this second book was much more positive than the one I had reading the first. I'm fairly certain that this is because my expectations were altered: I didn't expect Brennan in the book to be just like Brennan from the tv show anymore. In my head now, book-Brennan is entirely distinct from tv-Brennan, and knowing this ahead of time made this book so much more enjoyable to read. And I did enjoy reading it, quite a bit! There were nights when I fell asleep reading because I didn't want to put it down. The stories of Brennan's cases are woven together intricately and interestingly, and the writing was active and engaging. The fact that I never guessed who the big bad was might mean I'm a bad detective, but I choose to think it means I was so engrossed in the story, I couldn't figure out anything before Brennan did. I would be remiss if I didn't mention Detective Ryan here, as well. First of all: HOT! In MY head, at least. ;) Second of all, he is a great balance to Brennan, and seems like a caring, generous guy. I hope we get to see more of him throughout the series, and really get to know him. I'm still in the mood for Brennan, so on to the third book, and much quicker than I got to the second. :)

STARTED: Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself | Alan Alda

I wasn't kidding when I said I couldn't wait to read Alda's second book - as soon as I finished listening to the first, this one was in the CD player. I can already tell that the format of this one is slightly different from Never Have Your Dog Stuffed - whereas the first one had more of a linear, memoir feel, this second book features specific segments from Alda's life, revolving around speeches he's given and conversations he's had. So far, it's definitely interesting. And I am loving this audio recording because the narrator this time is Alan Alda himself! It's just like having Hawkeye sitting in the car with me, reading to me. :)

Up next week: more Dr. Brennan, more Dr. Pierce, and who knows what else! :)

The Weekly Read: 34

2010-09-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

After last week's reading feast, I took this week a bit slower for a change.

READ: Sunshine | Robin McKinley

This is one of my all-time favorite books, so I decided to treat myself to a re-read. Way before the whole Twilight phenomena hit, Robin McKinley wrote this quiet tale of a seemingly ordinary girl who gets caught up in a world of vampires. Sunshine isn't ordinary, though. She is, in fact, extraordinarily special. She fights to be normal in an abnormal world, and can't seem to make herself ordinary. Her relationship with the vampire Constantine is unique in her world and ours. She isn't instantly in love with him, isn't obsessed with him. They don't try to stay apart because it's "wrong". Their relationship just is. It exists because it has to. They are drawn together and can't really help it - they need each other to survive. Sunshine is one of my favorite characters because she is blunt, to-the-point, and unromantic in a way that is intriguing and appealing. She is strong and powerful without realizing it, and loves her family and friends deeply without being sappy. Constantine is solid and honest and upright, despite the fact that he is a blood-sucking vampire. You can't help but admire his stoicism, and the way that he has lived his life (unlife? death?) is a testament to how different he is from other vampires. My only wish is for Robin McKinley to eventually write a sequel. She hasn't entirely ruled it out, so I'll just keep my fingers crossed. There seems like there is definitely more to Sunshine and Con's stories waiting to be told, and I would love to hear it.

STARTED: Never Have Your Dog Stuffed and Other Things I've Learned | Alan Alda

M*A*S*H is a TV show that I treasure from my childhood because it is something I watched regularly with my parents. The characters and storylines were blunt and realistic, and no one was more real and appealing than my favorite doctor, Hawkeye Pierce, played on the show by Alan Alda. When I heard he'd written a book, I immediately added it to my reading list, with the assumption that the actor who played so magnificently such a fantastic character would have to be interesting himself. So far, I am right! I've been listening to this one of my way to and from work, and it has been a job. This is another one that I feel like just sitting in my car and listening to because I want to know what happens next. I am looking forward to finishing!

That's it for this week! First up for next week is reading The Color Purple for my book club, and then who knows!

The Weekly Read: 33

2010-08-29T17:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry I am getting so behind with these things. Life seems to run away with me at times. But no worries, I am still reading! :) This was an exciting week for me, as Mockingjay, the third and final book in the Hunger Games trilogy, finally came out!

READ: Catching Fire | Suzanne Collins

I have been putting off re-reading Catching Fire until this week, so I could have an almost-uninterrupted reading segue into Mockingjay when my pre-order arrived on Tuesday. Imagine my surprise when I got home from work on Monday and there was my box from Amazon, at my house a day early! :o I was thrown into a whirlwind - what do I do? Mockingjay is here, and I need to read it RIGHT NOW, but I still hadn't re-read Catching Fire yet, that was my plan for Monday night. What do I do? WHAT DO I DO??? After I calmed myself down, I set Mockingjay aside and sat down for my Catching Fire re-read, like a sensible person. And yes, it only took me one night (with very little sleep) before I finished and dove into the new book. So, do you want to hear about Catching Fire? Since this blurb is supposed to be about that particular book? It sucked me in all over again, made me cry again. When you truly come to love these characters, it is hard to see them in pain, even when you know exactly what is going to come. And I do love Katniss, and Peeta, and Gale. I want to see them happy, and I know that probably isn't likely. This book is thrilling, though, and full of exciting action, as well as emotional moments. Now onto the third! :D

READ: Mockingjay | Suzanne Collins

This is the #1 book I have been waiting for this year. You could characterize the height of my anticipation by calling it Harry-Potter-sized. It's always hard to write about the last book of a series, because no matter how awesome, there will be disappointment, if only because you are hearing the last about characters you have grown to love. This third book in the Hunger Games trilogy is somehow even more violent and real than the first two, because we get a glimpse of the true story of civil war: people die, on both sides, who don't deserve it, and others have to make excruciating, no-win decisions. Katniss is in a horrible position - she knows that she needs to step up to help the rebels, but in doing so, she keeps the people she loves on the front line with her. Much has been built up about the love triangle of Katniss-Peeta-Gale in this series, but to be honest, I feel like any romantic love they have for one another comes secondary to the absolute need of maintaining their friendships. It's hard to believe that their relationships could degenerate to the point that friendship is being questioned, but there it is. My heart ached for Peeta, who was made to endure the biggest turnaround character-wise, because most of the time, if he could see himself, he would have been shocked and ashamed. For the most part, I think events unravelled in the only possible way they could. The action was fast-paced and realistic, and characters, both new and old, were engaging and real, to the point that their deaths were truly horrific and painful to read. I think they can be compared with the deaths in the last Harry Potter book - they are significant, yet matter-of-fact and unromanticized. In most ways, I find the ending satisfying. There are a few estrangements that I don't necessarily believe, but with all that Katniss and the others went through, they are not that surprising. Such traumatic events really change a person, and as much as we would like to see relationships as unbreakable and unchanging, that's just not the case. I'm not going to talk about the people who died, because honestly, I don't want to spoil anything for anyone that happens upon this review. Also, I am tired of crying. Despite the short epilogue, there is much about their futures we don't know, and will never know. I, for one, am OK with that. Most of the time.

READ: The Lonely Polygamist | Brady Udall

After one more marathon session at the bookstore, I finally finished this book this week. For the most part, I enjoyed this book, much more than I expected to. Writing that makes me think, why didn't I expect to like this book, and why, if I had such low expectations, did I go to such effort to read it? I think my main concern was the subject matter - would it be ok to come to care about characters who are polygamists? To like them, despite their strange and awkward way of life? As to why I read it, despite these concerns, part of it was stubbornness - I'd placed a hold on this at the library when I first hear about it, and had waited months for it to come in, so by golly, I was going to read it. And then, I HAD to finish it. Plus, there is just something about books that make your brain stretch, think, and form opinions. I don't always want that, but I do need it at times. As for my concerns about liking the characters, in some ways, didn't have too much to worry about. Golden Richards is a hard man to like. Not only does he have 4 wives and 28 children, who he barely sees, but he seems sort of confused as to how he ended up here. Add to that his recent infatuation with a married woman and his snowballing lies to the rest of his family about his job situation, and you come up with a guy you just want to yell at for about an hour straight. Slowly, though, we get to know Golden - his sad and lonely childhood, his confusing entrance into the world of plural marriage, his overwhelming grief at the death of a beloved daughter, and his desire to be happy. In the end, I still can't say that I really liked Golden, but I certainly sympathized with him, wanted him to turn his life around and be happy, and rejoiced when he started taking control of his life and responsibility for his own actions. Despite the overwhelming number of characters, this book really centered on Golden, his 4th wife, Trish, and one of his many sons, 11-year-old Rusty. Like Golden, Trish and Rusty both struggle with the seemingly impossible feeling of loneliness in the midst of a large, polygamist family. Trish is the most isolated of the wives, living by herself in a tiny house with her one daughter, mourning the stillborn death of her most recent son. What Trish wants more than anything is to really be a part of this large, loud, overwhelming family, to be loved and treasured by her husband, and to have more children, and after pursuing what she wants, she gets it. Rusty. Poor, confused, unloved, desperate Rusty. Despite being kind of a jerky kid, Rusty comes out as the most likable character in the book for me. He is one of those kids that can't figure out the "right" way to act to get what he wants. Yes, he wants attention, but not the kind he's getting. What Rusty wants to just to be remembered and loved, but he'd settle for just being remembered. Instead of being accepted, Rusty becomes the butt of everyone's jokes, the family punching bag, and experiment in the effects of punishment. So it's no surprise that Rusty ends up acting out the way he does. And it's a fitting end that it is Rusty, the seemingly least-lovable son, who brings the family together. In the end, all of the many characters in this book are well-written and realistic, which is truly a feat with a novel and cast list this size. The prose is engaging and enjoyable to read, and at times I had to fight to put it down. I think the enduring message everyone can take away from this one is treasure your family, whether it's chosen or otherwise. Enjoy and love everyone while you still can. And maybe one more thing: don't be a polygamist, because it's just too hard.

READ: Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don't Float: Classic Lit Signs on to Facebook | Sarah Schmelling

When I first heard of this book, I found the concept really amusing: characters from classic novels interacting in a modern, internet-focused setting. It was fairly inexpensive on Amazon, so I ordered a copy, figuring I could pass it amongst my friends once I'd finished it. And it is pretty darn funny at times, especially if you've read the books and authors parodied inside. And are a facebook user, of course. Some, of course were funnier than others. I think my favorites were Romeo and Juliet with its teen over-exaggeration and angst ("Juliet OMG hooked up with random guy! Don't even know his NAME"), Alice's Adventures in Wonderland with its differing font sizes and comments from a wide range of characters and authors (Morpheus and Neo from the Matrix, Charlie, Jack, Kate and Sawyer from Lost, Dorothy Gale, Harry Potter, Gregor Samsa, Dr. Jekyll, Peter Pan, James Joyce), and Lord of the Flies with its 20th Reunion page (Jack still pisses me off, for the record). It definitely got slow in places, though, and I would say this is more of a book to leave around the house and flip through every once in a while instead of reading straight through. But overall, it was a good bit of amusement, and hopefully my friends will think so, too.

READ: Wildwood Dancing | Juliet Marillier

When I started reading this, I was pleased to discover that not only was this a fairy tale retelling of sorts, but it combined several fairy tales, and quite well. The best sort of retellings are like this - themes and aspects of the story are borrowed, but not just regurgitated. The re-imagined setting was also wonderfully built - a mountainous area of Transylvania, complete with fairy lore and roaming vampires! Jena is a compelling heroine - she is strong and independent, passionate and loyal to her family. I agree with the advice everyone gave her throughout the book, however - what she needed was to look after herself, and not worry about her sisters. I loved Gogu, and am so glad that he also got the ending he deserved. I couldn't bring myself to hate Jena's cousin, Cezar. Mostly, I felt sorry for him. He was clearly jealous of his brother, and guilty about the life/death he wished on him. In the end, though I hated the way he was treating Jena and her sisters, trying to take over their lives, all I could do was pity him. I could just see him as a sad little boy, who wanted to be loved and be the favorite for once. The other characters were interesting as well, though they could have used a little more character development past their initial descriptors. I'm glad this is a series, so we can hear more about Paula and the other girls. In the end, I enjoyed reading this one quite a bit, and had a hard time putting it down, and even feel like re-reading the ending. And what better can I say?

What's up for next week? Finishing up a last book or two for the Summer reading challenge, possibly a book for bookclub, maybe a little reading break. We shall see!

The Weekly Read: 32

2010-08-22T12:50:00.000-07:00

READ: The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America | Erik Larson

This book is a prime example of why I always stick with a book, even if it starts out slow. This was really dragged on for me during the first 20% or so, but I'm so glad that I kept reading, because the pace soon quickened and I ended up not only learning a lot, but enjoying it quite a bit. This book is really like 2-1/2 stories woven together. The beginning was so hard for me because I was having a hard time keeping track of who was who, and the story jumping back and forth was confusing. Suddenly, though, it all clicked in to place, and I couldn't put it down. I find fairs inherently fascinating, so reading about such a seminal fair was really interesting. I love Ferris Wheels, and to be honest, I had never even wondered who first thought of suspending people in carriages on a movable wheel. I really wanted Burnham and the fair to be a success, and despite the tragic end of the expedition, I feel like in the end, he was. The story of Holmes' many lives and lies was equally intriguing, and it is amazing to think how close he came to never being caught. The thought that someone could actually be so cruel and heartless is almost unbelievable, but there it is. It is true, which makes it even more sad.

READ: The Wordy Shipmates | Sarah Vowell

Before reading this book, I was aware it was about Puritans, but for some reason, I had in my head that it was going to be about the Pilgrims somehow. Sarah Vowell would not be surprised to hear this, I am sure, because she is too well aware that most of our popular knowledge about the Puritans comes from elementary school plays and, brief references in TV shows and movies. I was pleasantly surprised, then, to find a detailed and full history of the group of non-separatist Pilgrims that traveled to the New World starting in 1630 with the Massachusetts Bay Company. This group eventually founded Boston, Salem, and much of Rhode Island. This group is influential not only in the history of politics, but also in religion. These historical characters came to life, and through their journals, letters, and published works, we truly get to know what they thought and felt living in such a new and drastically different land. I think my favorite person was Anne Hutchinson, whose radical religious views got her exiled from Boston, but who would actually fit in quite well with today's evangelical Christians. It's a testament to her strength of will and spirit that she didn't bow to pressure to stay silent about her beliefs, but always spoke her mind. Vowell has a wry sense of humor, and at every point, shines a light on the past to show it's relevance to our current events. Overall, this one was quite enjoyable to read.

STILL READING: The Lonely Polygamist | Brady Udall

In the week after returning from Israel but before leaving for Disney-Wedding-Con in Anaheim/San Diego last month, I finally got this book from the library. Try as I might, I just didn't have time to finish it, and so had to return it to the library only half read. It has been intriguing so far, though, so I definitely wanted to finish it sooner rather than later. The hold line at the library is still super long, though, and I didn't want to buy it, so this week I have retreated to my old stand-by - sit at the book store for hours and read there. :) I made it through about 100 pages this week, and I will hopefully finish up the last 200 pages next week!

This coming week, I will be focusing on finishing up the books I am currently reading, as this month and the summer challenge are quickly coming to a close. Hopefully I will be able to finish both The Lonely Polygamist and Lamb. But also, Mockingjay FINALLY comes out on Tuesday, and I've had it pre-ordered for months! So I also plan on re-reading Catching Fire (the 2nd book in the Hunger Games trilogy), and then diving right in to Mockingjay! I'm so excited! :D Hope you all have a great reading week!

The Weekly Read: 31

2010-08-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

Back to normal again this week!

READ: Letters to Juliet | Lise Friedman & Ceil Friedman

I requested this book from the local library after seeing the movie Letters to Juliet with my mom, and was not disappointed. Rather than being a novel similar to the movie, this book is more about the history that we know of the "real" Juliet and Romeo, and the history of the character's relationships to the city of Verona. Included in that is the history of the Secretaries of Juliet, the Club of Juliet, and the phenomenon of letters written to Juliet. I enjoyed reading a sampling of actual letters written to Juliet, and this definitely inspires me to travel to Verona. Of course, I wish we could know more facts about who the real Juliet really was, and if she truly existed, but it's reached the point in history where we most likely will never know any more. The world will have to be satisfied with the fantasy of Juliet and the everlasting love that she represents.

READ: Wintergirls | Laurie Halse Anderson

This one is a truly sad story about a girl trapped in her body and her mind by a horrible disease - anorexia. I listened to the audio version of the book, and if felt most of the time like Lia was talking directly to me, letting me into her thoughts. And her mind was a scary place a lot of the time. You could tell she loved her little sister, that she missed her best friend, who had recently passed away due to complications from bulimia. You could tell she was angry at her parents, who she blamed to an extent for her disease. It wasn't until she hit the bottom, near death, that she finally realized that yes, she wanted to live, have a future, and be happy. This book is unbelievable sad, but definitely an interesting one to read, and a must-read if you know anyone suffering from an eating disorder.

STILL READING: The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America | Erik Larson

I'm still picking away at this one, and it's still going really slow. I think that is because I'm not really invested in any of the characters, so I'm not really feeling pushed to know what happens. Hopefully as the fair approaches, the pace will pick up.

Up next week: Hopefully I'll have finished The Devil in the White City, and I want to finish several others as well, e.g. The Lonely Polygamist, Lamb, and Practical Magic. Happy reading!

The Weekly Read: 30

2010-08-08T16:05:00.000-07:00

I feel like I'm finally starting to get back to normal with my reading, at least a little bit. I don't know why the summer always does this to me. Maybe it's too pretty outside to focus, or there's too much to do?

READ: Meanwhile | Jason Shiga

One of my only purchases at Comic-Con was this awesome choose-your-own-adventure graphic novel. My friend Anne picked this book up one day, and I was so fascinated by it, I had to go get one for myself! And we lucked out, because the day we went back to the booth to get me one was the day Jason Shiga was there, signed his books and chatting. He is a cool, friendly guy, with a crazy-smart brain in his head. He has my new favorite collection - vintage choose-your-own-adventure books! This collection was clearly his inspiration for this book, which just so happens to be coolest choose-your-own-adventure book I've ever seen. What sets this book apart from others is not only the clever and seemingly infinite plots, but the mind-bendingly complicated and awesome style. I love the tabs on each page, and the way you follow pipes through the tabs to continue your story, sometimes only pausing on a page for a quick pipe loop before moving onto another tab. This is a book you don't just sit down and read once. This is a book you buy, leave in a high traffic area of your home, and read through a different story every time you pass it. It's definitely not to be missed! :) Plus, contemplating the ramifications of time travel is always fun.

READ: Belle: a Retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" | Cameron Dokey

I love fairy tale retellings, and this Once Upon a Time series is one of my particular favorites. I enjoy the light-hearted happiness of this series because it is so easy and unstressful to read. The characters in this particular book, Belle and the Beast, were both likable, and had good chemistry together. The support cast was interesting and fully developed as well. My only complaint is I felt like the author spent a lot of time building up interesting characters, and getting them in the same location, and then the pace suddenly sped up and it was "happily ever after" before you could blink. I wish there had been more time with Belle and the Beast at the castle, and I wish more time was spent with the interesting side characters as well. I feel like Belle's sisters were what set this story apart from other retellings of the same tale, and it would have been nice to have more consideration given them at the end. To be honest, though, I feel like this complaint cannot be directed at the author, Dokey, but at the publishing company to an extent. It seems like they give a standard number of pages to the books in this series, and the books have to fit into that number. If instead they were allowed to develop to whatever length they needed to be, then yes, you would have some longer books, but they would be more full and complete.

READ: Wild Orchid: a Retelling of "The Ballad of Mulan" | Cameron Dokey

Much like Belle, this was a fun, feel-good tale that is comfortable to read. Mulan is one of my favorite Disney characters, so I found it really fascinating to get a different glimpse of her story. I liked Mulan's strength and courage, her determination to protect her family. Her relationship with Jian developed rather quickly, but that is not surprising in a book like this. They did truly feel connected, and I was happy to see their story end the way it did: happy. I just wish these books were longer, because I am always left wanting to know more of the story, of their continued adventures together. Because of this, I would really rate this one 4.5 stars. Altogether enjoyable, though.

READ: Stargirl | Jerry Spinelli

I was a big fan of Jerry Spinelli when I was growing up, specifically of his books Maniac McGee and There's a Girl in My Hammerlock, which came out when I was 9 and 10 respectively. Because of this, I've been wanting to read some of his later books for a while. Stargirl was hard to read at times. Kids can be mean. I think all of us know this, regardless of whether we grew up in a small town like Mica or a big city. The high school that I went to in the suburbs of Seattle was certainly more diverse than Mica, but that doesn't mean that kids didn't get picked on in similar ways. Stargirl is a unique person and to see people trying to change her was painful. The traits that the others kids shun her for will eventually be celebrated as she gets older. I had mixed feelings about Leo - he was endearing and likable, but I resented that he made Stargirl feel like she had to change, and then, when she reverted to her true self, abandoned her. Though I did like the open-ended ending, I'm still not sure if he really deserves a second chance with her. Overall, though, it was entertaining, and I plan to read the sequel, eventually. I am looking forward to reading Stargirl's perspective of the whole situation.

STARTED: The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America | Erik Larson

I picked this book up at least 6 or 7 years ago because it sounded so interesting. I love fairs, and true stories, and it seemed like an interesting mix of fair history and true crime. For some reason or another, though, it kept being shunted to the bottom of the read pile. I finally picked it up to read this week. So far, it's going really slow. There are three stories going on, one involving the planning of the World's Fair, one involving a murderous psychopath, and one involving another guy, though I'm not sure how he fits in. Hopefully this one will pick up steam, because so far, it's slow going.

Up next week: keeping on track with my reading goals, and hopefully finishing some books up.

The Weekly Read: 29

2010-08-01T23:56:00.000-07:00

This week was solely focused on finishing my book for book club. Hopefully next week I can start to focus on getting some other reading done.

READ: Travels | Michael Crichton

I've read quite a few books by Michael Crichton, and quite enjoy his writing style, so it is no surprise to me that I enjoyed his style in writing a memoir. His style is engaging and his plots are interesting. What did surprise me, however, was that this book was not just about traveling. The first section, devoted to stories from his med school days, was unexpected but quite interesting, and you can see how E.R. was spawned from these experiences. Also unexpected were sections on Crichton's mystical "travels" with psychics, astral projection, seeing auras, and the like. Honestly, as hard as Crichton is trying to convince me that all of these experiences were real and true, I just can't believe him, and that leads me to the conclusion that he himself was a little off his rocker. It's funny, too, because these types of events are some that I enjoy quite a bit in fiction, but when you try to say that this stuff really happens, I am kind of dumbfounded. Perhaps I am just too skeptical. I was amused and entertained by his stories of talking to cactuses and visiting the aural plane, but in my mind, all this stuff happened in his head. Besides that stuff, though. there are parts of this book that I really liked. I especially liked the sections where he travels to exotic locales and experiences things I likely never will myself, such as climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and walking into the middle of a ground of mountain gorillas. Overall, I'm taking away from this book a couple of things. First of all, Crichton's main thesis seems to me that we need to step outside our selves and take a look at the world around us, and never take anything for granted. Secondly, Michael Crichton was quite a bit loonier than I ever would have imagined. Oh well! He was still a great writer, and hopefully no one is offended by my views on this stuff.

Next week will involved more time spent reading! Hopefully. :) I am ever hopeful!

The Weekly Read: 27 & 28

2010-07-25T18:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am combining 2 weeks together again. How sad is that? This is mostly because I spent one of those weeks in California with friends, at Disneyland, a wedding, and then Comic Con. So my focus wasn't on reading, it was on spending time with people I only get to see a few times a year. That's it for this week's excuses. :)

STARTED: The Lonely Polygamist | Brady Udall

I read a review for this recently published book in Entertainment Weekly and thought it sounded good, so I added it to my library holds list a few months ago, thinking it would be a while before I could get it. Unfortunately, it came in while I was in Turkey, and because it's new, I could only have it for 2 weeks, which meant it was due while I was in California, so I pretty much just had a week. To read 600 pages. Yeah. I tried, I really did. But you add to that the fact that I worked 50 hours that week, trying to get all my work done before I left again, and there just wasn't enough time, so instead, I read half of it, returned it, and requested it again, and hopefully it won't take too long to get it again. So far, it's pretty interesting, and definitely well-written. If you've seen the show "Big Love", it feels a lot like that, and not only because the main character is a man with multiple wives and countless children. I think the loneliness the title refers to is a state you find yourself in when you have so much you can never be satisfied. As wives and children increase, there is less of a husband and father to go around, and nothing left for the man himself. This is one of those books that is hard to describe, but just kind of sucks you in. So far, the only thing I wish is that we got to know more of the kids, some of which are still unnamed, as if they are faceless members of a crowd.

Up next week: I have my book club meeting on Sunday, so I WILL finish a book! I promise! :)

The Weekly Read: 25 & 26

2010-07-11T18:34:00.000-07:00

Once again, I have over-estimated the time I will actually spend reading while traveling. PLUS, sometime during the trip, my Kindle broke. :( The e-ink layer behind the screen shattered, and now it is unusable. Luckily, I was able to download the Kindle for Android app to my phone while at the Tel Aviv airport on our way to Turkey, so I was able to do some reading, but it's definitely not the same. I did not finish a single book these past 2 weeks.

STARTED: Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal | Christopher Moore

Before heading to Israel, I picked out some books that were set there that I might like to read. This book, by humor novelist Christopher Moore, might seem like an odd choice to take on a religious pilgrimage, but for me, it has been perfect. I don't get offending easily, so talking about Jesus in such a loose manor didn't really bother me as it might have bothered others. What I take from this book is like a honest (though modern and funny) look at what Jesus might have been like as a kid. Would he have known he was special since birth? Probably. Maybe. Would he have had friends growing up, people he confided in? Positively. Obviously I don't take this as actual Gospel, but I don't think that means it's any less worth reading, just because the subject is a Holy one. I'm looking forward to seeing how this one plays out. If anything, Biff is a funny, cool character, and I know if Jesus truly had known him, he would have welcomed him with open arms.

That's it for the past 2 weeks. Yep, really. Coming up: Hopefully actually spending time reading.

The Weekly Read: 24

2010-06-27T18:14:00.000-07:00

Forgive me for being so far behind on my weekly reads - being out of town for 3 weeks out of 4 means it's hard to get back in the swing of things. I'm going to go back and make sure I didn't miss anything. This week was mostly for finishing up books, and then leaving for Israel. I always assume I'm going to have lots of time to read while on vacation, but when you go places like Egypt or Israel, it never really works out that way.

READ: An Education | Lynn Barber
I went into this book having enjoyed the film based upon it and expecting to read something similar. That is not what this book is about. And that's not a bad thing. The chapter that the movie version was based on is rather short and does feel quite cinematic in that it truly is quite an interesting, to-the-point story. But to be honest, I think this chapter on her "educational" experience with Simon was probably my least favorite, if only because it still remains incomprehensible. Why would her parents even allow this sort of thing? Also, she is clear in the book that she wasn't really in love with Simon, and wasn't that broken up about their destroyed relationship, and therefore, the whole experience for her was sort of clinical. What she learned from their time together was people can't be trusted. Period. Also, don't bother hiding anything, because it will come out. What was more fascinating than her brief time with Simon the liar was the chapters on her writing career and her relationship with her husband, David. Barber's writing is honest and clear, concise and descriptive. Not only has she led an interesting life, but she has the ability to look back at it and be objective. The last chapter, about her husband's failing health, is compelling and quite touching, without being mushy or overdramatic. Overall, I would describe this book as a simple portrait of life and death, with a side of journalism, and recommend it to most everyone.

READ: Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln | Doris Kearns Goodwin

It is hard to review a book that is this long because there is just so much it in. I've always found Abraham Lincoln interesting, but I pretty much knew just the basic US History class facts about him. While reading this book, though, I came to a much greater appreciation for not only the many things Lincoln accomplished during his life and presidency, but for the incredible person he was. I am convinced that the Civil War would have turned out very differently had Lincoln not become president in 1861, and Reconstruction in the South would have gone both smoother and better if he had lived to oversee it. Goodwin's central thesis of the book is that Lincoln's greatest strength was his inability to hold a grudge and willingness to work with and support those who had formerly worked against him. The key to the strong cabinet he built during his first term was skillfully bringing in all of his former opponents for the Republican presidential nomination in 1960 and making them work together as a balanced team. It was rather gratifying to see these men come to know and respect Lincoln, especially Seward, who was perhaps his biggest rival at that convention, and who had the most right of all of them to hold a grunge. Lincoln had the uncanny ability to see which way he had to maneuver politically to accomplish the tasks he desired - that in itself is how he overcame seemingly stronger opponents to actually be nominated for president. It was fascinating to not just see Lincoln and his actions, but to see him set beside his friends, enemies and colleagues, to hear in their own words what they thought about him and their actions. Some, I grew to enjoy (Seward & Stanton), others I wanted to yell at repeatedly and loudly (Chase & McClellan). All of them, though, had remarkable reactions to both Lincoln the man and Lincoln the president. Of course, we know about the heartaches Lincoln experiences throughout his life - the deaths of his mother, first love, and 2 of his boys. And we know how this story ends, too. That doesn't make Goodwin's descriptions of the events less powerful or heartbreaking. Perhaps the saddest part of the whole story was that Lincoln only had a few days to enjoy his big victory. He was finally happier than he had ever been in his life, and then it was all over. I was sad to be finished with this book, and I'm so glad I made the time to read/listen to it.

STARTED: Practical Magic | Alice Hoffman

I left for Israel last Thursday with my Kindle loaded full of books, and the first one I picked was this one by Alice Hoffman. I've been meaning to read this book for a while, mostly because I really like the movie that is based off of it. So far, the book does have the same general feel as the movie did - slightly mysterious, with characters you like and want to see happy. The book is a bit darker than the movie, though that only serves to deepen it, I think. The sisters' relationship is more hashed out, as are those of the daughters, who we actually see and feel grow up. I've reached a point where the book and the movie greatly diverge, though, so it will be interesting to see how different/similar they end up being in the end.

Next up: more vacation reading!

The Weekly Read: 23

2010-06-20T14:43:00.000-07:00

Not much reading going on this week, but at least I got through a few! :)

READ: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner | Stephenie Meyer

I've enjoyed the whole Twilight series for the most part, so when I saw Stephenie Meyer had written a "novella" based on a minor character from Eclipse, I was definitely interested in reading it. And it is an interesting story, a glimpse into the life of a normal newborn vamp. I ended up having a lot of sympathy for Bree - Her story is a sad one because we can see that she is different, that she really could have learned to be a "vegetarian", and yet we know that her story doesn't end well. I like her relationship with Fred, who seems like a cool guy. The only part I felt could have used more was I wish Bree and Diego had more time together to really build their relationship. It just seemed really deep very suddenly, and her devotion to him seemed rather out of place, especially considering the previous three months. Overall, I'd recommend this one to those who have read the whole Twilight series, but wouldn't call it amazing, and I doubt it's ability to stand alone as a story.

READ: Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players | Stefan Fatsis

I want to go play some SCRABBLE now, but deep down, I know would just be frustrated with how little I know. For now, I will make do with dreaming of how great of a SCRABBLE player I could be, if I wanted to. Much like the documentary "Word Wars", which I saw a few years ago, this book delves deep into the sometimes-strange world of competitive SCRABBLE. The similarity is not surprising - both filmmaker Eric Chaikin and author Stefan Fatsis become friends with and follow the same interesting "characters", and also appear in each other's work. There is only so much you can cover in a documentary, however, without it turning into an epic of History-Channel-mini-series proportions. The book delves much deeper, getting into the fascinating history of games, SCRABBLE in particular, and covering more players than one movie can focus on. The book also benefits from Stephen's own story of growing obsession with SCRABBLE as a competitive sport and all consuming lifestyle. I really felt like I was taking a journey with him - I wanted him to study hard, remember words, calm down, win, succeed in the highest level. As his rating grew, and his confidence along with it, I just hoped he would stay strong, stay confident, and trust in himself. I have to admit, I was slightly disappointed right along with Fatsis that he barely missed out on competing at Level 1 at Nationals, but at least he did well, and at least his rating finally made it over 1700, to expert. Of course, as soon as I was done reading, I hopped online to see what his rating was today, almost 10 years later. All along, Fatsis had said he started researching and writing the book just because it sounded like a good story, but really got sucked in to the world of Scrabble. I was disappointed to see that although he occasionally played in tournaments, he obviously stopped studying as much as he had, because his rating has suck into the 1500s. Obviously, this is better than I could ever hope to achieve, but still. He made me want him to be the best, and now it's almost as if he's let me down. Overall, I found this book to be fascinating and engaging, with lively characters that are too real and funny and quirky to be made up.

STARTED: An Education | Lynn Barber

I saw the film based on this memoir last February, during our 2-day marathon of Oscar nominees, and really enjoyed it. Immediately after seeing the movie, I went to my library's website and requested a copy. Finally, this past week, it came! It's hard to believe it took 4 months to get to me, but there it is. So far, it's an interesting read, but certainly different than I expected. I assumed that the book was going to cover the same part of Barber's life as the movie, and while that part is indeed included in her memoir, it's only about a 30-page chapter, and fairly close to the beginning. After finishing the chapter, on page 49, I thought, "Well, what in the world is she going to fill up the next 100 pages with?" In actually, the rest of Barber's life is far more fascinating than her 2-year relationship with the married Simon, thought it wouldn't make quite as good of a movie. This book is fairly short, though, so I'll hopefully finish it up in the next day or two.

STILL READING: Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln | Doris Kearns Goodwin

I can hardly believe I am almost done with this book! Today I've been listening to Disc 34 of 36, and I have to admit, I will be sad when this one is finished. Lincoln truly is a remarkable man, and when I think about the impact his life and actions made on our country, it's mindboggling. I also can't help but think how many more wonderful things he would have accomplished had he had been murdered before his time.

Next week: Finishing the Lincoln biography for sure, as well as An Education. Then, who knows! I've loaded up my Kindle and leave for my trip to Israel and Turkey on Thursday! I'll hopefully be able to update my blog on the road, but if not, I'll do it all when I get back in July. Happy reading in the meantime!

The Weekly Read: 22

2010-06-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

Not too much reading going on this week, but lots of listening!

READ: This Lullaby | Sarah Dessen

I can't say this is my favorite book by Sarah Dessen, but it's certainly not my least favorite, and I enjoyed reading it. If you've read any of her other books, you'll know what I mean when I say I can use just the phrase "A Sarah Dessen Book" to describe this one, too. The characters are interesting and well-developed, engaging and likable (for the most part). I'm happy with the way it ended, even if it was mostly expected, because it would have been sad and frustrating if it had ended any other way.

STARTED: Word Freak | Stefan Fatsis

I've never been very good at Scrabble. There's something about thinking of words off the top of my head that I just can't do very quickly. Then I get frustrated, and just stop playing. But I find the fanatical way people follow any obsession to be fascinating, and this story of the history of scrabble and the slightly-off-kilter people who play it professionally are no different. I watched and enjoyed a documentary on the same topic a few years ago (Word Wars), so when I saw this book, I thought it would be interesting to hear more about this strange world. Interestingly enough, the same people that are featured in the documentary are also prominently featured in the book, because the filmmaker and the book's author because part of the same group of scrabble friends/competitors. I would call this book part history/documentary and part memoir, as the author himself gets sucked into the Scrabble obsession. I'll hopefully be able to finish this book up in the next day or two, but I am enjoying it for sure.

STILL READING: Finding Lost | Nikki Stafford

So far I am enjoying this book, but I haven't had much time to read it, because I have it on my computer at work. The insights into the show episodes have been intriguing, though, and I can see how it would be really enjoyable to follow along with this book as you are watching. I'm also really enjoying the extra articles - book synopses for those seen in Lost, which commentary on how they relate to the show, and short bios on the different philosophers whose names are referenced by the character names on the show. I don't know much about philosophers, so I am enjoying hearing about them.

STILL READING: Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln | Doris Kearns Goodwin

After a trip down to Olympia and back, plus listening some at work, I am now about 2/3 of the way through this book. Man, it is fascinating! I loved hearing about the machinations of the nomination and election, and I now know more about how governments function at war then I ever thought I would. Every Union loss is hard to read about, and I find myself endlessly frustrated, along with Lincoln, but the inadequacies of many of the Generals who lead the army early in the war, particularly McClellan. I wish I could have a time machine to go back in time and say to all of Lincoln's nay-sayers, "Neener, neener! Guess who is famous instead of you?" :) Of course, if I really had a time machine, I should probably swing by Lincoln's to say, "Don't go to Ford's Theater on April 15th. Also, arrest a guy named John Wilkes Booth, please."

Next week: Hopefully finishing some books, maybe even the Lincoln one! And then some library books, so I can return them before my trip. :)

The Weekly Read: 21

2010-06-06T23:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to summer! I figured since it was June, it has to be summer, right? The weather here doesn't agree with me, though, and it's been pretty rainy all week, other than yesterday. Fortunately, that means more time for reading. :)

READ: Mr. Darcy, Vampyre | Amanda Grange

This is our book this month for our book club, and normally I would wait until the week before to read it so that the details stick in my head more, but I checked this one out from the library and needed to get it back. Plus, I wanted to claim some points for it in the spring challenge, so that meant reading it all on Monday. :) Luckily, it's a pretty quick read, and I enjoyed it for the most part. The main thing I would have changed is that I wish it had been paced differently. I wish Elizabeth had figured out/been told about Darcy's "curse" sooner, and they had spent more time on the action after that - evading evil relatives/vampires, finding out how to cure Darcy, etc. There was too much foreboding and angst going on at the beginning of the book, and it just didn't feel in-character for Darcy or Elizabeth to be acting that way. I liked the scenes in Venice, and the idea of a masquerade ball is so fun! I'd recommend this one to fans of Jane Austen and fans of vampire fiction, but probably not a general reader.

READ: Dead in the Family | Charlaine Harris

I love the Sookie Stackhouse series, and every time a new book comes out, I am excited to get it and read it right away! This one was just as fun as the others, and of course I love that Eric and Sookie are together, finally. FINALLY. :) They are surprisingly sweet together other. I thought it was interesting that for perhaps the first time, Sookie considered what her life would be like if Eric made her into a vampire, and she didn't necessarily see them staying together forever, like so many vampire romance books out there. Like anyone could break up with Eric, though! :P It was also nice to see a vulnerable and almost human side to Eric. Pretty much the only part of this I didn't like was all the vampire politics, like all the stuff with Victor. I agree with Sookie, it would be much more convenient if someone just killed him. Perhaps I am being heartless and desensitized to death along with Sookie. I'm already looking forward to book #11! Incidentally, I'd like to point out that this book is #50 of the year for me, so I am officially half-way done with my 100 book goal, yay! :)

READ: Fool | Christopher Moore

I've read a few books by Christopher Moore now and so far, they have all been hilarious. Guess what - this one is no different. It was so funny and bawdy and perhaps a bit more shaggalicious than I expected, but at least such things are used for humor, and to great effect. Pocket's story is both hilarious and heart-breaking, and he has perhaps become one of my favorite characters ever. It takes a pretty awesome guy to go through that crappy of a life and still come out on the other side full of humor and good will. The concept is really pretty interesting, too - a retelling of Shakespeare's King Lear, told from the perspective of the King's Fool. Overall, this was a throughly entertaining and enjoyable read.

STARTED: Finding Lost | Nikki Stafford

I first heard of this episode guide/commentary to Lost from my friend Cait, who also loves the show. I tend to be kind of skeptical about the usefulness of books about TV shows for some reason, but to be honest, the Lost universe is so rich and deep, there are endless things to discover by examining the episodes over and over. So far, this book has been pretty interesting, point out moments in the first few episodes that I had never noticed as significant. And you know, maybe some things were incidental, but maybe not. :)

STILL READING: Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln | Doris Kearns Goodwin

This book has been really enjoyable to listen to so far. I'm about a quarter through the book and right before the 1860 Republican convention were Lincoln is nominated instead of the front runners, Seward, Chase, and Bates, the "rivals" mentioned in the book title. I can't wait to hear exactly how the voting went during the convention, and how Lincoln actually managed to secure the nomination.

Up next week: I'll keep listening to Team of Rivals, and keep plugging my way through Finding Lost, and we'll see what else. I haven't really decided for sure. :)

The Weekly Read: 21

2010-05-30T19:23:00.000-07:00

Lots of reading done this week as I tried to finish up some tasks for the Spring Challenge, which ends Monday!

READ: If I Stay | Gayle Forman

Wow....... Seriously, WOW. This book was so powerful and emotionally gripping. It's heartbreakingly sad and beautiful, and so, so real. It's hard to explain how amazing this book is. It's so simple in it's premise, and somehow still gentle through both it's quiet and disturbing moments. A loving, happy family leaves for a day of fun, which quickly turns disastrous. Mia, a 17-year-old girl, is left watching from above the aftermath of what could be aptly called the worst day of her life. In the end, only she can make the decision if she will stay and fight to live. I wasn't sure how this book would effect me listening to it rather than reading it, but I was crying within 20 minutes. The story and words are both so powerful, you can't help but be instantly connected to Mia's family, and share their pain, grief, and ultimate hope as the book progresses. The intricacies of life and death are handled with care and respect, and the joys of Mia's life and family are brought alive through flashbacks and reminiscences. It's the story of tragedy, true, but's also a testament to love and life. I would recommend this book to anyone. Seriously.

READ: Water For Elephants | Sara Gruen

Another winner this week! I really enjoyed reading this book, not only because the writing was excellent, but because I find the topic of circuses in the 1920s fascinating. It's such a different world, it almost seems make-believe. And yet, it is true. This book is about family, about home, about finding a place to belong. It's about the humanity we can see in animals that makes them true and loyal friends. And it's also about the demise of one of those small traveling circuses, which was entirely brought about by the ruthlessness of the management. Jacob is someone it is easy to sympathize with. He is out of his element when he finds himself in the middle of a circus, but quickly finds a place to belong, and people to belong with. He is caring and upright, and he and Marlena just belong together. I most felt for Jacob as a 90-something, though. I immediately wanted to defend him, to get after his family for abandoning him in a home, to support him in his arguments against the nursing staff. I will just say that I am happy with the way this ended up, both in his youth and old age. If there is anything I would say about this one, the characters perhaps could have been more developed, and the central theme more solidified. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one and had a hard time putting it down. Also, they are making a movie of it! Starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson! So yay!

READ: The Code of the Woosters | P.B. Wodehouse

I'd been wanting to read a Wodehouse book for a while because I kept hearing how funny and clever his books are, how witty the language he uses is, and they always seems sort of like F. Scott Fitzgerald's books in my mind. Unfortunately, it just didn't live up to the hype for me, and I wanted to like it more than I actually did. I wanted to find this book hilarious. Unfortunately, the most I can call it is amusing. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood for it, and thus just felt like getting through it rather than savoring it. But still, I didn't want to savor it. I found Bertie kind of annoying, and thus, didn't really care if he went to jail or not. It is a clever story, and the writing is smart and witty. I think overall, it's just not my cup of tea. Oh well! Another one crossed off my giant list at least.

STARTED: Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln | Doris Kearns Goodwin

I first heard of this biography of Lincoln last summer, and had added it to my ever-growing to-be-read list at the time. At 975 pages, though, I kept pushing off reading it. After reading Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter earlier this year, though, I wanted to learn the truth about Lincoln, and so I checked out the audio version of this book. 42 hours. On 36 discs. Yeah, this is going to take a while to listen to. But you know what? It's really interesting so far, and I already feel like I have a new perspective on Lincoln. And it was going to take me forever if I actually read it, anyways, so I might as well listen. :)

Up next week: one final book for the spring challenge, and then jumping in to the summer one! :) Happy reading!

The Weekly Read: 20

2010-05-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

Once again, I didn't feel like I had all that much time to read this week, but somehow, it looks like a got a lot of reading does. Who knew?

READ: Haroun and the Sea of Stories | Salman Rushdie

I've been wanting to read this book since I saw Desmond reading it on the plane during the first flash-sideways of season 6 of Lost. I found it enchanting, delightful, full of fun and intrigue. Haroun is a boy who finds his way to Kahani and the Ocean of the Streams of Story, where all of the world's stories comes from. There he not only saves the Ocean and all the stories, but his father, mother, town, and self from sadness. There were so many wonderful parts to this book: the P2C2E (aren't many things that way?), Mr. Butt and Iff, the blending and renewal of stories in the ocean. It is a fascinating narrative, full of a sort-of-dream, of the Alice-in-Wonderland did it or didn't it happen variety. I felt like this was quite similar to Alice in many ways, except the writing was more engaging and the characters more sympathetic and relatable. I enjoyed this much more than Alice, and am so happy to have read it. Since the season finale of Lost is tonight, I'll have to think more about how this book relates to show once I've seen it. It seems like it has been signifiant so far this season, and I can only imagine that it will continue to be so.

READ: The Truth About Forever | Sarah Dessen

This is the book people are talking about when they say how amazing Sarah Dessen is as a writer. This book is full of great characters to love and sympathize with, and despite the feeling of sadness that floats along in the book, it really was a joy to read. Macy's journey throughout the book is both brave and heartbreaking, and the changes in both her, her family, and her friends at the end is so happy and necessary. Wes and Macy's relationship grows naturally and organically, and we see it all unfold. Not only do they belong together, but they need one another - they understand and help each other like no one else could. I was sad when this one came to an end, because I could use more imperfect happiness in my life. :)

READ: Someone Like You | Sarah Dessen

After reading The Truth About Forever, this book felt more like an after-school special or movie of the week. Don't get me wrong - it was enjoyable to read, but it can't be termed fun in any way. To be honest, I wanted this to be more about Halley and Scarlet's friendship than it was. Sure, Halley was always there for Scarlet, and you could tell they cared about each other, but much of the book was taken up by Halley's relationship with Macon, and her subsequent growing up. We never have any resolution over Michael or Macon - did they really love Scarlet and Halley? With Michael, there is no way to know - once he died, there was no going back, and there were always people around, hinting around. But maybe that was just Elizabeth being mean-spirited and jealous, unhappy with her own life. I wish they had concluded Halley's story with Macon more, though - did he really love her? Did he deserve her forgiveness? Could she forgive him? Did they belong or end up together? So many questions, not many answers. And in the end, there is Halley by herself, talking to a baby. Overall, it was well written and a good story, but definitely not my favorite from Sarah Dessen.

READ: Early Bird: A Memoir of Premature Retirement | Rodney Rothman

I originally added this book to my to-be-read list because Nick Hornby seemed to like it in one of his columns. I'm not sure I can trust Nick Hornby anymore, though, after our fight. I found this book funny and facinating at times. Rothman decided to take a break from his normal life and get an early glimpse of retired life. For the most part, Rothman's observations are witty and wry. Unfortunately, they are mostly anecdotal - a string of unrelated stories that, while amusing, don't really provide one with a narrative. Clearly learning something from his experiences wasn't Rothman's goal - he says so himself - but I think the book lacks a unifying theme, something we can all take away from it. I would say that the point is that you can find common ground with people of any age, become friends with them and stay friends, and I think Rothman's epilogue testifies to that, despite his assertations that he regularly got sick of spending day after day with old people. In the end, I just wish this had dug a little deeper. The whole situation seemed rather artificially set up, and I wanted to feel more sincerity from him.

STARTED: If I Stay | Gayle Forman

This book made me cry. During the first 20 minutes of listening to it. I had a hunch picking it up that it would, just based on the premise, and the fact that I cry rather easily. I was only uncertain as to whether I would be so emotionally affected while listening to it being read rather than reading the words myself. Yeah, that's not a problem. This book is heartbreakingly sad and beautiful already, and I'm barely in to it. I can't imagine how it will end, but am hopeful. Sigh. So far, the only thing I don't like is the blurb on the cover: "Will appeal to fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight." Ugh. It's nothing like Twilight - it is much more sweet and real and meaningful.

STARTED: Water for Elephants | Sara Gruen

If there is one book that almost all of my friends on Goodreads have read, it is this one. Perhaps that is why I have felt resistant to read it over the past year - if I never read it, it always has the potential to be amazing. What if I read it, and I don't like it nearly as much as my friends? In the end, you have to get passed that, trust in your friends' opinions, and give it a shot. 30 pages in, and so far, so good. Here's hoping the next 300 are just as intriguing!

Next week, I'm planning on finishing If I Stay and Water for Elephants, then finishing off the rest of the tasks I have in progress for the Spring Challenge by reading Mr. Darcy, Vampyre (also our next book club read!) and The Code of the Woosters, and starting the epic audiobook of Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. :) Yay!

The Weekly Read: 19

2010-05-16T15:08:00.000-07:00

I've been staying at my sister-in-law's for the last few weeks as my brother is out of town, so I haven't had an overwhelming amount of time to read. Luckily, there is always listening in the car and at work, plus the ones I actually read were pretty short. ;)

READ: Whip It | Shauna Cross

I enjoyed this quick, fun book just as much as I enjoyed the movie it spawned. It's not so surprising that the book feels a lot like the movie, as apparently the author adapted the screenplay herself. The story flows well and the characters are entertaining and engaging. If anything, they are a little shallow, especially the other roller girls - we don't really get to know any of them as well as we do Bliss. The movie does a better job of introducing us to the girls and making us feel invested in their lives. Pash is much more likable in the movie as well, mostly because we get to know her more. Overall, though, I really enjoyed reading it, and I'm sure other fans of the movie will, too.

READ: The Vampire Diaries: The Fury | L.J. Smith

This is the third book in the Vampire Diaries trilogy, and much like the first two, it is difficult to review on it's own. I can only say that it is just as fun as the first two, with a side of angst and sadness. I think this was originally going to be the end of the series, as it doesn't particularly have a cliff-hanger ending like the others, but if I remember right, the fourth one in the series was written pretty quickly after. The main thing I am not fond of from this particular volume is the sudden flopping Elena makes between Damon and Stephen once she "remembers" who she is. If you're going to like the bad boy, just like the bad boy! I love that Katherine is reintroduced, and I'd love to see something similar in the show. I also like how in the show, they weave Alaric into the story in a somewhat similar role, but tweaked to fit their storyline better. Overall, it doesn't necessarily have a happy ending, but the ending is fitting.

READ: The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion | L.J. Smith

I decided to review this fourth book in the series separate from the third because I truly feel she should have ended the series at the third. The book has an entirely different tone with Bonnie as the narrator, and I really missed Elena. It was a little slow in parts, and there was definitely too much Tyler and not enough Damon. Overall, though, it's pretty similar to the first three in the series and it is a fun little adventure, even if its not quite as fun as where the tv show has gone. :) Apparently there is a recently written fifth book in the series. I'm sure I'll read it eventually, but I am not inspired, as I heard it was pretty bad. We'll see.

READ: Tender Morsels | Margo Lanagan

This one is probably the deepest book I read this week, and definitely didn't turn out the way I expected. Tender Morsels is a rich and complex reimagining of the classic story of Snow White and Rose Red. Throughout this book, I was in turns sadden and disheartened by the unimaginable cruelty and enchanted and surprised by the twisting of fate as it first separated Liga and her family from the real world and then suddenly brought her back. And then, finally, I was begrudgingly happy-ish but actually heartbroken by the ending. This book is full of rich imagery and a world that is so utterly unlike my own that it felt magical. The characters, especially Liga and her daughters, were deep and full of strong emotions. Liga's struggle throughout the book was with both her haunting and terrifying past and her disbelief that she could possibly deserve some sort of happiness. The fact that she actually begins to feel she might build a happy, true life for herself makes it even more devastating when her hopes are dashed, and she is suddenly back to only existing to support her daughters. And for some reason, I can't bring myself to forgive Margo Lanagan for doing this to Liga, for building her dreams and expectations up along with my own, and then crushing them again, perhaps beyond repair. And we never know if she opens up again, because suddenly, shockingly, anti-climatically, the book is finished. There are many things to love in this book: it's creative, well-written, full of thought-provoking ideas on a wide range of topics such as gender equality, ethics, and the importance of Truth. The characters are special and enjoyable. I would recommend it to many to read. But I don't think it's one I could read again, as enjoyable as it was. I am strangely and irrationally drive by emotions. Oh well. :)

Up next week: More Sarah Dessen on audio, plus finishing up some books for the Spring Reading Challenge.

The Weekly Read: 18

2010-05-09T23:24:00.000-07:00

Another good week for reading, helped along by a couple of re-reads and a book on CD. I'm happy to say I am back on track for my 100-book goal.

READ: The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening | L.J. Smith
READ: The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle | L.J. Smith

It makes more sense to talk about these two together rather than apart. Not only are the from the same series, they don't really stand by themselves as novels, to be honest - each one is connected to the next with lovely cliffhangers. I first read these books multiple times as a teenager, when L.J. Smith was one of my favorite authors. I then read them again about 2 years ago, when the vampire craze hit and they were reissued with hip covers and packaged in sets of 2. I recently decided to read them again because I have been slightly obsessed with the TV show that has been adapted from them. I remembered that events in the book didn't quite happen the way they were in the TV show, but to be honest, the TV show is completely different from the books. Pretty much the only things they have in common are the names of the main characters and their basic relationships: human girl, torn between two vampire brothers. However different they are, there are things to like in both the show and the books, and I enjoy them both. Elena is a strong and competent girl, and Stephen is brooding and self-sacrificing. There is a lot of tension in the book between Stephen and Damon, even more so than in the show. Damon is hard to like, but also hard to not like - we feel all of the magnetism that Elena does pulling as towards him, and don't really have the connection with Stephen to stop us. It's hard to resist a bad boy, because you can't help but want him to change. :) The main difference between the first and second book is that we get to know Damon much better through the second one - and we actually start to get glimpses toward the end of it that maybe he isn't as bad as we always thought. Yay! Also, the end of the 2nd book takes us someplace I'm pretty sure the TV show will never go. Since these books always end in such cliffhangers, I really need to find the 3rd and 4th ones in the series, so I can finish my refresher course. And of course, I can't wait for the end of the season of the Vampire Diaries TV show. :P

READ: Lock and Key | Sarah Dessen

As I mentioned in last week's Weekly Read, I previously felt very resistant to reading anything by Sarah Dessen, but only because it was something I would have picked when I was in my teen-fiction-reading-rut. It was more of a mental block than anything, and I'm happy to have busted out of that, because how silly! This is a book about family. What Ruby learns throughout the book is true: family means different things to different people; family is ever-changing, and we have many throughout our lives; sometimes a family is flesh and blood, people you've spent your whole life with. But sometimes a family is the people who support you, who appreciate you for who you are and love you unconditionally. This book is also about learning to trust people when all you've ever know is hurt, loss, and abandonment. It's about the importance of friends, whether you think you need them or not. And it's about trusting and believing in yourself, and never selling yourself short. Ruby is a hard person to get to know, both as a person and a character, but the further along the novel gets, the more Ruby opens up both to her family and friends and to us, the readers. It doesn't take long until you love her so much, you just want her to be happy. Nate is not just a nice guy, but a guy who is still nice, despite having a surprisingly crappy life. The rest of the characters are just as real and lovable, and they become a family you just want to belong to. I'm not ashamed to admit I was crying while listening to this on my way to work one day. I'll just say this - it was when Cora was talking to Ruby about her wedding. Yeah. Overall, I really liked it. I'm wondering if maybe I would have loved it even more if I had read it instead of listening, but we'll never know I suppose. Also, since it was taking too long to listen to in the car, I brought it in to work and listened while I worked Thursday and Friday, which made it go by almost too fast! But it worked out really well, actually.

READ: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls | Steve Hockensmith

When I read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies last year, the first book in this "series", I was really disappointed. My hopes were high, and perhaps there was no way it could have ever matched them, but regardless of that eventually, the book fell surprisingly short. When I heard about the plan for this "prequel", however, I was intrigued by the possibilities of learning how Elizabeth and her sisters turned into zombie slayers, about the motivation behind their training and about the rise of the zombies. This book definitely benefits from the fact that there are no actual words for the book to be based off of, and is thus more unique than the first one. It was interesting, fast-paced, fun, and throughly enjoyable to read. The style as accurate as could be when combining Austen's world with that of zombies. My only complaint is that the new characters - Lord Lumpley, Master Hawksworth, and Dr. Keckilpenny in particular - were pretty one-dimensional and unrealistic. I had a hard time imagining either Elizabeth or Jane being truly interested in them, even if they were 4 years younger than in the original Pride and Prejudice. They were just too overly comedic and quite ridiculously obvious. Other than that, I would recommend it as a quick, fun read, for both fans of Austen and zombies alike.

STARTED: Tender Morsels | Margo Lanagan

I picked this one up while browsing the audio shelves at the library last week, but it's actually been on my to-be-read list for almost a year. I am a sucker for fairy tale retellings, and the reviews I heard of this one were excellent: a deep and dark reimagining of the classic Snow White and Rose Red. So far, it was been more of a challenge listening to this one than the previous audio books I've listened to. Add together narrators with accents, characters who speak an old english sort of slang, and a point of view that hops around, and you have a confused Rachel, sitting in her car, trying to figure out what's going on. After a few discs, though, the narrative sort-of settled down, and I was able to keep track of the characters and the action. And it's starting to get exciting! There's a bear! Who's really a man! And he's made friends with the girls! Anyways, I am quite looking forward to my commute and working this week, because it means I get to listen more. :)

STARTED: Whip It | Shauna Cross

Earlier this year, I finally got from Netflix the movie Whip It, which I had been meaning to watch for a while. I really enjoyed both the action and story and ended up watching it quite a few times, mostly while sewing and doing stuff on the computer (and by stuff, I mean mostly playing games on Facebook, with a side of editing photos). I remember reading when the movie first came out that it was based on a book, so after actually seeing the movie, I looked the book up and got it from the library. So far, it is a fun, quick-moving read, and has pretty much the same feeling as the movie. That's not so surprising, as apparently the author adapted the screenplay herself. Regardless, I am enjoying reading it, and should probably finish it up tomorrow.

That's it for this week! Up on deck next week: finishing up the Vampire Diaries series by reading The Fury and Dark Reunion, and then Haroun and the Sea of Stories, which is due back to the library sometime soon. Also, listening to more Sarah Dessen books! :) Happy reading, whether it be with your eyes or your ears.

Lauren pitching

2010-05-07T22:28:00.000-07:00

My niece got to pitch at her softball game Friday night, and she did a fantastic job! She struck out 2 batters, and they ended up winning 17 to 7. Here's a video of her pitching, then fielding a ball hit right to her and throwing the runner out at first.

Also, please excuse my very loud yelling. :)

Instax!

2010-05-04T16:46:00.000-07:00

There is something about an instant camera that is just so delicious! It's hard to know how it's going to come out, true. And frustrating when it doesn't go your way. But when it does, OH! The perfection! I have been resisting getting a Instax Mini for a while now, and right before I went to California a few weeks ago, I decided I could resist no longer! :) Here are a few of my first shots!

The Weekly Read: 17

2010-05-02T22:08:00.000-07:00

This week, I continue my newfound obsession with audio books. Also, bookclub!

READ: Fly on the Wall: How One Girl Saw Everything | E. Lockhart

After listening to Abraham Lincoln in my car for over 2 weeks, once it was over, it felt strange to switch back to music. So, when dropping that one off at the library, I went in and picked a couple others to listen to. This is the first! This was a quick, fun story about a girl getting to hear what goes on behind closed doors of the boys locker room. Believe it or not, she ends up realizing that her life isn't as horrible as she thought it was, and everyone else isn't as perfect as she thought they were. Gretchen is a sympathetic character who is likable despite having a woe-is-me attitude in the beginning. Her life isn't perfect, but neither is anyone else's. What's important is you go for what you want and stay open to change. The slang the kids used was kind of annoying and unrealistic, but you get used to it. I was surprised at how graphic it got for a teen novel. I do wish there had been a little more resolution to some of the storylines - whatever happened with Gunther? Did he get in trouble for beating up Carlo and his friend? Who knows. In the end, I thought there were some realistic and honest moments, and it was a fun read - or rather, listen.

READ: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks | E. Lockhart

After listening to Fly on the Wall, I went back to the library AGAIN and hit the teen section of audiobooks. Luckily, they had another one by Lockhart. This one was longer, and harder to listen to if only for the fact that I kept wanting to know what happened next! I got through about half the discs, and then had some free time on Thursday, so I went to the bookstore and just read the rest. :) One of the reasons I like fluffy teen fiction is that the books generally have happy endings, like fairy tales in a way. I can say this is one of those books, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. I expected this to be one of those books where the girl stands up for gender equality, stands up for what's right, and gets everything she wants in the end. I revelled in Frankie's masterful behind-the-scenes takeover of her boyfriend's all-boy society because I believed, like Frankie herself did, that when they found out, they would applaused and accept her, impressed with her cleverness. But this book is more honest and true-to-life, and I was as surprised and hurt as Frankie when the boys ignored her, and Matthew rejected her. It doesn't seem fair, but thus is life, I suppose. I loved Frankie as a character, as well as Alpha, even though he was a jerk a lot of the time. What is it about those bad boys that is so attractive - at least in fiction? Overall, I liked the book, but I still wish Frankie had gotten her happy ending.

READ: The Lost Symbol | Dan Brown

This was our book club pick for this month, and I had been looking forward to reading it for months. I can pretty much sum my feelings up for this book in one sentence: "It was ok, but I liked it better when it was called National Treasure." For the most part, I liked this book, but I felt a little let down after reading it. It seems like the secret history of Masons was pretty well covered by those movies. Maybe it's just that I didn't find the mystery or storyline as compelling. So, the world is going to end if the secret mysteries of the Masons get out? Seriously, it's a matter of national security? I don't buy that. The history and information about the capital was interesting, but it felt too spread out - I wanted more! It's true, the plot was secondary to the history info, but I was ok with that because, to be honest, it was way more interesting. So maybe what I really wanted was a more interesting plot? I would have loved to hear more about the Smithsonian, and taking courses from either Robert Langdon or Peter Solomon would be awesome. :) I'm glad I read it, but it didn't live up to Angels and Demons for me.

STARTED: Lock and Key | Sarah Dessen

I've been hearing about what a great writer Sarah Dessen is ever since I joined Goodreads, but had never really jumped on the bandwagon before. Not for any particular reason, mostly because I've been trying to diversify my reading, and it seemed like something I would have picked while browsing the YA section as I used to do. Luckily, I came across this one while picking through the audiobook section of the library, and have been listening to it while driving since Thursday (aka, the day I couldn't wait to finish The Disreputable History and went to the bookstore). So far, it's good! Already I'm fighting myself not to find a copy and read it through. We'll see how far I get before it comes to that. :)

Coming up next week: I need to read a few library books that I have to return in a few weeks - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls and Haroun and the Sea of Stories. But I'll probably sneak in a Vampire Diaries re-read, too. :)

The Weekly Read: 16

2010-04-25T22:25:00.000-07:00

To celebrate actually finishing The Island, I managed to finish 3 books this week! Yay! Hopefully that means I am back on track. :).

READ: The Island | Aldous Huxley

This one was really hard to read. If it wasn't on the Lost Lit List, and I wasn't so stubborn, I would have given it up weeks ago. The main reason this book is even on the Lost List is the reason I was initially so excited to read it: "Lying there like a corpse in the dead leaves, his hair matted, his face grotesquely smudged and bruised, his clothes in rags and muggy, Will Farnaby awoke with a start." This is almost exactly how we first view Jack on Lost. Unfortunately the rest of the book doesn't live up to it's promising and dramatic beginning. The plot was sparse and every time something interesting happened, it was bogged down again by the author's overwhelming philosophical treatise. There were a few good ideas here and there, but if I had wanted to read a philosophy book, I would have picked one up. Instead, I got a philosophy book disguised as a novel. The characters were secondary to the descriptions of the ideal society of Pala, and I didn't really get to know any of them. It was disappointing.

READ: How to Train Your Dragon | Cressida Cowell

A few weeks ago, I went to see the movie based on this book and loved it! I immediately wanted to read the book, as I was sure it would be just as great. After reading it, sure, it is cute - the book has a great design, with funky, engaging fonts, sketches, and info pages about dragons. But other than the main character, it didn't really have much in common with the movie. Not only was the plot entirely different, but the world they lived in and how they interacted with dragons was entirely different as well. I was most disappointed in the differences between the movie and book versions of Toothless, Hiccup's dragon. I doubt that the order I met them plays a part in my preference for the movie version, because the book-Toothless is really whiny and obnoxious, without any of the movie-Toothless' lovable quirks and mannerisms. Pretty much the only likable thing he does in the book is save Hiccup at the end, and even that is rather begrudgingly. Overall, it was a cute, fun read, and would be great for kids (provided they know that it's not really like the movie). I'll probably pick up the rest in the series from the library eventually, but certainly not with as much enthusiasm.

READ: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter | Seth Grahame-Smith

This was delightfully interesting and fun to read - and by read, I mean listen to in my car on my way to and from work. :) I've tried listening to audio books before, but haven't had much luck in the past. This time was completely different, and I very much enjoyed listening to it - it made my commute a much-anticipated part of my day. The book itself was a surprisingly well-mixed history of both Abraham Lincoln and the rise (and fall) of vampires in America. In this book, Grahame-Smith had none of the monster-integration problems that plagued his first book, probably because all of the writing was his own work. The interweaving fact and fiction felt real, accurate, and natural, especially the details about the disappearing Roanoke settlement and Lincoln's motivations behind the Civil War and abolition of slavery. I didn't necessarily like the beginning - a vampire gives Grahame-Smith Lincoln's lost journals - mostly because it was an awkward transition, and set up a strange shift between first and third person that persisted throughout the novel, as we switched from biography to "excerpts" from the journals. This part probably would have been easier to follow had I been actually reading instead of listening, but I eventually got used to it. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book, and can't wait to read a proper Lincoln biography!

STARTED: The Lost Symbol | Dan Brown

I really enjoyed both Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code when I read them about 6 years ago, so I was very excited when I saw Dan Brown had a new novel coming out. The only reason I've waited so long to read it is because we picked it for our book club, and I wanted to wait to read it until right before the meeting, as I can be forgetful. That meeting was initially scheduled for today, but luckily we pushed it back a week, as I didn't have enough time to finish the book this past week, and now I can savor it. :)

Up next week: Finishing The Lost Symbol, and then reading whatever I feel like. I'm sort-of straying from the Spring Challenge plan I set up, mostly because The Island put me in a weird state. Right now, I just want to read happy, fluffy stuff. Happy reading to all of you, too!

The Weekly Read: 15

2010-04-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

STILL READING: The Island | Aldous Huxley

I'm embarrassed to admit that I still haven't finished this book. There just hasn't been that much time for reading this week. Gah. I will say, though, that I only have about 75 pages left to go, so if I don't finish it next week, there is something seriously wrong with me. And then I can go on to everything else that I mentioned in my last post. That is all. :)

The Weekly Read: 14

2010-04-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

I am sad to report that this is the first week I have failed to finish a book. :( I blame it on The Island.

STILL READING: The Island | Aldous Huxley

I just don't feel inspired to read this one. It's taking a massive effort, and I can't seem to let myself read any other book, because I feel like I would never pick this one up again. Ugh. I'll try again this next week, but I might have to abandon it. :( I hope it doesn't come to that.

STARTED: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter | Seth Grahame-Smith

When I heard about this book, I was instant interested in reading it. I was reluctant to buy it, though, because I had been really disappointed after reading Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which didn't live up to my expectations. I requested it from the library, and when it finally came in on Saturday, I swung by to pick it up. To my surprise, I had accidentally requested the audiobook version! Rather than return it and wait for the actual book, I checked it out anyways, and popped the first CD right into my car's CD player. So far, it has been great! A fun mix between vampire lore and Abraham Lincoln biography. I'm definitely going to have to read an actual biography when I'm done, to separate fact from fiction. I'm on disc 3 of 9 right now, and so hopefully will be able to finish this one up in about a week on my way to and from work. Turns out getting the audiobook was a blessing in disguise. :)

Next week: I WILL finish The Island, or stop reading it. Oh, and I just got How to Train Your Dragon, which I am very excited to read as I loved the movie. That is all.

The Weekly Read: 13

2010-04-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

Another week of not reading as much as I wanted. When did my life get so busy?

READ: The Betrayal of the Blood Lily | Lauren Willig

This one was pretty easy to read. :) The Pink Carnation series is my favorite kind of fluffy fiction because it involves happily-ever-after romances and history. This story had a lot of potential with the added benefit of being set in India, but I felt like parts of it were really slow. I wish that the Marigold had been more central to the plot, as in the end, I didn't really care who he was or really get what was so bad about him. The characters were enjoyable, but I wanted more from them. Also, about this title - where does the Blood Lily come in at all? I read in the front of the book that it was suggested by a reader, but it doesn't have any relation to the actual book it seems. If they wanted to go with that for the title, they should have changed the name of the spy to the Blood Lily instead of the Marigold. I'm glad I read it, and will read the next, but it just wasn't as good as I expected.

READ: The Diaries of Adam and Eve | Mark Twain

I love reading retellings of Biblical stories, and this one was recommended to me as both funny and a quick read. In this little tale of Adam and Eve, we get to look into their lives and see what life might have been like for them, told in short, first-person accounts. This was sweet and lighthearted, though I'm not sure I love how Adam originally viewed Eve, and why she never explained to him where babies come from. I just wish that this book was longer - we didn't get to hear nearly enough from Eve. I especially was looking forward to hearing the bits about the snake and the fall, as well as the babies being born from her perspective. The biggest drawback for me, though, was I didn't really feel God. One of the major aspects of the Bible story is God's relationship with Adam and Eve in the beginning, and that is completely absent from Twain's story. I enjoyed reading it and laughed quite a bit, but it left me wanting more, both in content and spiritual depth.

STILL READING: Island | Aldous Huxley

Yep, that's right. I'm STILL reading this one. It's just moving SO slow, and I don't feel motivated to read it. Normally, I would have just stopped reading it altogether, but I really don't want to give up on it, not just for my challenge, but because it's on the Lost List. Humph.

Next week, I am really hoping I finally finish Island. And then, who knows. My sister-in-law is in town, so I don't anticipate getting too much reading done. Here's hoping you have been luck than me! :)

The Weekly Read: 12

2010-03-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

Not much reading done this week, either, but I at least got my book finished for book club, so yay! I need to pick up the pace, though, before I fall too far behind.

READ: Stardust | Neil Gaiman

This was my pick for our local book club, and I put off reading it for six months so I could have it fresh in my mind when we discussed it. I was very much looking forward to this book because the basic premise was interesting, and then I could watch the movie afterwards. I was therefore slightly disappointed when I started reading and realized I HAD seen the movie, and just hadn't know what it was. I don't know why this bugged me so much, but it did. Luckily the book is quite different from the movie, and it becomes more and more different as it progresses. This book was easy to read - it flowed well, and sort-of skimmed along the surface. The characters were interesting and likable, and I enjoyed the slow, natural way that Tristran and Yvaine's relationship developed. I just wanted to know more about them. You could feel all these details simmering below the surface, but Gaiman just wouldn't tell us. He could fill up several more books with their adventures, as well as the history and workings of the whole Castle group, and I would happily read them (so get to it, Neil Gaiman!). In the end, I liked the story and the writing, and would gladly recommend this book. Just for me personally, it was tough to shake the disappointment.

STARTED: The Betrayal of the Blood Lily | Lauren Willig

This is the 6th book in the Pink Carnation series, which I've been reading for about 4 years. This is my favorite kind of fluffy fiction because it involves happily-ever-after romances and history. This particular series is sort of a story embedded into a story: About 15% of each book is about Eloise and her quest to research and write her dissertation on English spies from the nobility during the Napoleon War. The bulk of each book, though, is a story involving one of the spies she is researching. The characters are all interconnected, so you see them popping up in each other's stories, which I love, because it feels like you are checking in on old friends. This story has been as entertaining as the previous ones so far, with the added benefit of being set in India.

This coming week I will hopefully finish both Betrayal of the Blood Lily and Island, which I started last week. After that, who knows? I have a busy weekend coming up yet again, so it all depends on how much free time I end up with.

The Weekly Read: 11

2010-03-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

I didn't find much time to read this week. The fact that I watched a whole season of Angel on DVD probably didn't help. :) Also, I just wasn't as in to the ones I was reading this week.

READ: The Book of Samson | David Maine

This was an interesting and innovative retelling of the Biblical story of Samson, but something about the style rubbed me the wrong way. I'm not a fan of the "If I knew then what I know now" style of flashback storytelling - it feels so depressing, and doesn't let you live in the moment and really experience the story. I also didn't feel like I really got to know Samson as well as I did Noah from The Preservationist. He remained fairly one-dimensional throughout the story; though we heard about his life, his battles, his women, we didn't hear enough about who he was or what he felt. There were certainly entertaining moments, but overall, I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. It could be that I just don't like the story of Samson as much as the story of Noah.

STARTED: Island | Aldous Huxley

This is another book from the Lost Lit List. I was looking forward to reading it, and the first chapter or so has a very Lost feel to it, but it's moving pretty slowly, and I'm not quite sure what the point is yet. I'll keep reading though.

Next week, I'm hoping to finish Island, and then I finally get to read Stardust, my pick for our book club. The meeting is next Sunday, but I shouldn't have any problem getting it read. :) Happy reading!

The Weekly Read: 10

2010-03-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

Another week, and two more books read. I still don't feel like I'm reading enough, though. I'm not sure why exactly, but maybe my ever-growing to-read list has something to do with it.

READ: The Preservationist | David Maine

I grew up going to church, and stories from the Bible have been woven into my memory since birth. Perhaps because of this, I love reading reinterpretations of Biblical stories, where you can get to know the characters a bit more, and see them in their historical context. I've been wanting to read this particular book about Noah and the Flood since I first heard of it a year ago. The Flood is one of my favorite stories in the Bible, but so many of the particularities of it, what makes it so incredible and miraculous, seem to be glossed over. The animals came, but how? It rained for 40 days, and then they floated for 150 days, but how did they survive? Noah lived HOW LONG? The Preservationist is a realistic and practical account of the Biblical Flood story. Maine brings all the facts into focus: these are real people, who somehow, through faith and determination, built a floating barn in the middle of the desert, collected animals from over the world, and did it all without knowing why or how or what to expect. Characters, even those unnamed, are given shape and feelings and opinions, and we truly come to know them. The flood is given a sense of scale: you can feel each of those 150 days of just floating, and can see the destruction of the whole earth, everything except what was in that boat. One thing that all of the characters wrestled with was WHY God sent the flood, and they never come to a consensus. I like what Mirn says at the end, though: "Did Papa say God reigns over everything or did he say God rains over everything and does it matter? Because I'm pretty sure it does. It seems like one of them says, God is in charge, so watch your step. And the others days, God can take away everything but he'll give back everything too, so it's up to us what to make of the sun and rain and all the animals and whatever else we find." I think Mirn is right. Mirn was my favorite character - so matter-of-fact, calm, simple, hard-working, and deceptively smart. Overall, I very much enjoyed this book, and would definitely recommend it.

READ: The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game | Michael Lewis

After seeing the movie The Blind Side, which is based on this book, I knew I wanted to read this one. It was a great movie, and I was convinced this would be an equally great book. Luckily, I was not disappointed! I knew going into the book that this was not just the story of Michael Oher, like the movie was. Perhaps because of that, I was happily surprised at how much of the book was taken up by Michael's story. It is truly a fascinating tale, one that is hardly believable as fact, but you can see the truth of it in front of you, when you look up pictures of the Tuohy family and see Oher playing for the Ravens. Intertwined with Michael's engrossing life story is not just a brief history football, but an impeccably researched history of how the game has changed in the last 30 years. Before reading this book, I could have named maybe 4 or 5 positions in football, and the left tackle was not one of them. I could have told you that Walter Jones was an important part of the Seahawks football team (because I'm from Seattle), but I couldn't have told you what he actually did that was so important. I had heard the term "west coast offense" throw around for ages, but never knew what it meant. I couldn't imagine a team without a passing game. But now, I finally feel like I could hold an intelligent conversation about the sport of football. And not only was I educated about football while reading this book, I enjoyed it! Lewis' writing is full of wit and intelligence, and there was not a slow moment. Now if only he could sit down and explain what the rest of the football team does to me. This is one book that I didn't want to end.

STARTED: The Book of Samson | David Maine

After reading The Preservationist, I immediately wanted to start Maine's book about Samson. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have the same flow as The Preservationist - it seems a lot of the action is told flashback-style, set apart by phrases like, "I didn't know this at the time but..." and "If I had known then that..." For some reason, these always kind of bug me. Anyway, I was easily distracted from this one and ended up reading The Blind Side instead. :)

Up for this week: finishing The Book of Samson. Then I'll maybe spend some more time with the Lost Lit List and read Island by Aldous Huxley and The Diaries of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain. Happy reading!

The Weekly Read: 9

2010-03-07T23:40:00.000-08:00

Another week, and two more books read. I'm happy to say that I am on track to read 100 books this year, yay! Hopefully I can keep it up.

READ: Bonk | Mary Roach

My expectations were too high for this one. Last spring, I read Mary Roach's first book, Stiff, and loved it. Unfortunately, Bonk just doesn't live up. It was a much drier and slower read, and overall, I just wasn't as entertained. There were, of course, interesting parts, and Roach certainly goes all out in pursuit of her subject, but in the end, there just wasn't enough to say. This book probably would have benefited from having more studies to talk about, but the problem is, there just isn't that much serious research going on about sex. And despite Roach's claims that it's just as important as other medical research, I remain unconvinced.

READ: Watership Down | Richard Adams

This is a book that under my previous reading system, I never would have finished. If I got bored with a book, I would stop reading it for a while, and never pick it up again. And I would have missed out, because this truly is a great book. The first 20% was slow, and I was afraid the only plot was going to be bunnies hopping from field to field. Guess what? I was wrong. As soon as the group of rabbit refugees reach Cowslip's mysterious warren, things start to get exciting, and the following 400 pages are filled with as much conflict and tension as any action movie. You grow to love these characters as you would any other, human or not. Each one brings different skills and personalities to the group; without each one, the group as a whole might not have survived. This book is not just about rabbits; it's about surviving adversity through perseverance, cleverness, and sheer heart. It's about not compromising on what you know you deserve out of life. The is one of the books on the Lost List: Sawyer is seen reading it on the beach during a couple of episodes in season 1, and Boone later claims that he brought it with him to read in Australia. The book's thematic connection to Lost is especially strong during the first few seasons, when a lot of the survivors' time was spent doing just that: surviving. As in the book, the group is full of unique characters that each bring something different to the table, and they must band together to face adversaries that seem at times both mysterious and other-worldly strong. I would definitely recommend this book, and not just to fans of Lost.

That's it for this week. I'm not exactly sure what I'll read in the next week, but I'm thinking of reading a couple of books by David Maine that I've been looking forward to: The Preservationist and The Book of Samson. Happy Reading!

The Weekly Read: 8

2010-02-28T22:31:00.000-08:00

I feel like I got a lot of reading done this week, but since I still didn't finish everything I wanted to before the end of the month, I am slightly disappointed. Oh well.

READ: The Children's Book | A.S. Byatt

I'm very excited to have finished this one! I feel like it took SO long to read, mostly because the prose was so dense, I think. Once I got to know all of the characters, it was pretty simple to follow their storylines. What made it more of a dry read at times were the sections of pure history, when the characters were forgotten and instead we were given accounts of the current events of the time, of the movements in art, of the history women's suffrage, politics, and so on. To be honest, I didn't really care about all that - I wanted to know what was happening with the characters! I feel like this info, if it was essential to the story, could have been integrated more smoothly into the narrative. This book covers such a wide range of time, it is difficult to summarize what it is about. The importance of finding your true purpose in life and not giving up. The necessity of balance between fairy tales and reality in one's life. And in the end, your family is those you care about and who support you, no matter what. What I will remember most from this novel, though, is the rich, deep characters. My favorites were those who evolved and grew to be better than they knew they could be: Philip, Dorothy, Charles/Karl, Griselda, Elsie, Basil, Katharina. I most felt sorry for those who were broken, who couldn't adapt, and subsequently lost themselves. And the few I despised (Methley, I'm looking at you), I am relieved to say fade into oblivion, with no enduring legacy. I'm very happy with how this one ended. And yes, it made me cry. :)

READ: Magic Study | Maria V. Snyder

I was looking forward to reading this one as it the second in a series following Poison Study, which I loved. This one was quite similar in style, naturally - another fast-paced story, filled with exciting action sequences. I enjoyed learning more about Yelena's past and family along with her. It was perhaps not quite as enjoyable to read as the first because it didn't have the uniqueness that made the first one so special. There were a few villains thrown in at the end that seemed extra and unnecessary. that probably could have been weeded out. Overall, though, this was a fun, quick read and a nice break after some serious reading. I'm looking forward to the third and final book in the series.

READ: The Doomsday Key | James Rollins

This one was for my bookclub, picked by my friend Montine. I wasn't sure how I would like it, as it is actually the 5th or so in a series, of which I have read none. In the end, the only negative impact that this made was I didn't care about the characters at much. There was background info on all of them that I was clearly missing, and as a result, they just weren't very deep, and for that reason, I do think it would be good to go back and read the first books in the series. Overall, though, I did like this one. It was fun and interesting to read, very DaVinci-Code like. The history aspects of this story definitely made me want to read more about them, and it was easy to get wrapped up in the fast-paced story line. The ecological information in this book was interesting, too, as well as the facts on hunger and overpopulation. One thing that remains with me is that the amount of corn it takes to fill an SUV with one tank of ethanol would feed a starving person for a year. A YEAR. That is just ridiculous! This one ended up being a fun one to discuss, and I think we all had a great time at the meeting. :) Also, we need to take a group trip to Wales.

STILL READING: Bonk | Mary Roach

I was really hoping to finish this one for the Winter challenge, but it just didn't happen. And I'm not enjoying it as much as I did her first book, Stiff, which I LOVED. Perhaps my expectations were just too high. Or maybe there just isn't enough interesting to say about sex and reproductive organs. Oh well. I'm just under half-way through, and will hopefully finish it up on Monday, and be done with it.

Monday starts the new Spring challenge, with a new set of books to read. First up is finishing Bonk and Watership Down. Then, maybe The Monsters of Templeton. Happy Reading!

The Weekly Read: 7

2010-02-21T23:26:00.000-08:00

I've been at my brother's since Friday, so although I got a lot of reading done on the plane, I still didn't get as much done as I would have liked.

READ: Boys Over Flowers, Volume 35 | Yoko Kamio
READ: Boys Over Flowers, Volume 36 | Yoko Kamio

This series is one of the first mangas I read, and the tv adaptation was one of the first anime series I watched. That being said, I can't say that this is one of my favorites. Every once in a while, I would "check in" with the characters by reading a volume in the store, but I never felt compelled to buy them and take home for rereading. When I saw the series was ending, I knew I wsnted to find out how it all ended. This is an entertaining enough manga, but my issues with these two volumes is the same reason I was never obsessed with it - the action and relationships move too slowly. Volume 35 had almost nothing happen in it - it felt like it only existed to set up the same conflict as always to solve in the last volume - "Will they be together?" In the end, I am glad the characters are happy, and glad to know what happens, but I just don't feel satisfied, perhaps because I was never very invested in the characters.

READ: The Lovely Bones | Alice Sebold

I'd been wanting to read this one for a while, especially when I started seeing commercials for the movie based on it. it's hard to quantify enjoyment of a book with such a disturbing initial set up, and so I find myself at a loss for words when it comes time to talk about it. Certainly, what happens to Suzie is tragic and sad and disgusting, but the real heartbreak of this book is the various reactions of her family. They fall apart in varying ways, and their only hope is to somehow pull themselves back together again. Susie can see everything that is going on, knows who killed her, knows what her family is going through, and yet can do nothing to change anything. Her only ability is observation, and we as readers are essentially in the same boat. The concept of heaven presented here is interesting- you can have anything you want, expect go back to earth (maybe). And there is a sort-of intermediary heaven that people exist in until they are ready to let go of their earthly connections and head up to the "real" heaven. It doesn't all quite make sense, but it's entertaining none-the-less. I certainly found it compelling to read - I couldn't put it down and read until I finished it at 3:30 AM

STILL READING: The Children's Book | A.S. Byatt

As I am nearly done with this book (finally!), I am going to hold most of my thoughts for next week's weekly read. I will say, though, that I definitely have favorite characters, and it is interesting to see how favorites change as the book progresses. <3 Dorothy, Phillip, Karl. Also, there are definitely a few characters that I despise, and hope meet untimely ends before the end of the book.

STARTED: Bonk | Mary Roach
I've been wanting to read this one since I read Roach's book Stiff last spring and loved it. I picked it up from the library, though, so it's solely a read-at-home book. Hopefully it won't take too long to get through when I get home.

Next week, I need to finish some tasks for the Winter Challenge, so I'm planning on finishing up The Children's Book and Bonk, as well as reading P.S., I Love You, Magic Study, and The Doomsday Key, which I need to read by Sunday for my book club! Eek! I hope I have enough time for all this reading... Wednesday-Friday will be super-busy at work as I try to catch up and get everything done for our Missions convention starting Sunday. Saturday I am headed to the Best Picture Showcase at the AMC. I'll just have to make time, I suppose.

The Weekly Read: 6

2010-02-14T22:22:00.000-08:00

My reading this week didn't exactly go as planned, mostly because I realized at the last minute that Alice I Have Been was due back at the library on Thursday, and I really wanted to read it before returning it. :)

READ: Housekeeping vs. the Dirt | Nick Hornby

I am relieved to have finally finished this one. Don't get me wrong; for the most part, it is just as well-written and entertaining as the first in the series. After the whole sci-fi debacle, though, and our subsequent fight, there is still a lingering bad taste in my mouth. I am still able to accept Hornby's reading recommendations (for the most part), but I still don't know if I'll ever fully respect him again. Not that he cares, but still. Oh well. Here are some other books that made it on to my TBR list based on his recs: The Wonder Spot, Gilead, Housekeeping, Citizen Vince, Death and the Penguin, Ghosting. For links to these books and others, see my Nick-Hornby-Recommends shelf on Goodreads.

READ: Alice I Have Been | Melanie Benjamin

This book has been on my to-be-read list since November, when I first heard about it. I love reading novels based on read people, and the fact that this one was based on a real person who already had a novel created for her made this one even more enticing. This novel is based on the life of Alice Liddell, for whom Alice in Wonderland was written. I feel very torn about this book. On the one had, it is beautifully written: the characters are lively, the action is well-paced, and I was really drawn in to the story and these people's lives. On the other hand, I found large chunks of this book to be disturbing. The first section of the book details Alice's childhood relationship with Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll). It is this section that creeped me out, and to be honest, has forever changed the way I view Lewis Carroll, not only as a person but as an author. The thought of a 10 year-old and a 30 year-old viewing each other romantically is inappropriate and just wrong. Alice's infatuation with Dodgson is something she probably would have grown out of, and would have been merely a footnote in her life, if not for the "event" which separated Dodgson from the Liddell family; This event became a closely-guarded family secret, which even we as readers are in the dark about until the very end of the book. It did cross my mind during this first part to put the book down and not finish it; I'm glad I didn't, though, because my favorite section, and the part that redeemed the book for me, was the second part, detailing Alice's relationship with Prince Leopold. Yes, it was heartbreaking, and certainly made me cry, but seeing Alice and Leopold together made me hopeful. Alice still had the capacity to love, and I was hopeful that she would find happiness eventually. The third section, about the rest of Alice's life, is also quite sad, but in the end, when she embraces who she is, the true Alice in Wonderland, she truly finds happiness. I'm glad I read this one, but probably the main thing I will remember about it is my disappointment and disgust for Charles Dodgson. And that truly is sad.

READ: The Egypt Game | Zilpha Keatley Snyder

I'm pretty surprised I never read this book as a kid. I read quite a few Newbery medal winners and nominees, but I'm guessing that this one from 1968 just wasn't recent enough when I hit the right age for it in the late 80s. I'm sad I didn't read it when I was younger, though, because I'm sure I would have adored it: the characters are fun kids, with fantastic imaginations, and their fascination with Egypt is one I certainly share. I don't recall playing such great imagination games when I was their age, but maybe it's been too long, and I just don't remember them any more. Unfortunately, reading this for the first time as an adult meant that for me, it wasn't as magical as it could have been. The excitement and tension didn't really transfer, and I never really felt as though anyone was in danger, even though I realized I should. I am glad to see they are rebranding good books like this, though, so more kids will want to buy and read it. A good cover goes a long way!

STILL READING: The Children's Book | A.S. Byatt

I'm still chugging away on this one. It is enjoyable to read, but there are just so many characters and storylines to keep track of, it's not one I can read quickly. I'm about a third of the way through, and about 6-8 years have passed since the beginning of the book. I'll slowing starting to figure out what is it about. There is a lot about the arts at the turn of the century, as well as politics and the socialist agenda, but in the end, it's really all about relationships. How do people relate? Who has the power in a relationship? What causes people to care about each other? So far, my favorite character is Phillip, a poor runaway who is a genius at ceramics.

I'm hopeful I'll finish The Children's Book this week, mostly because I'm headed back east to my brother's this weekend, and most of Friday will be spent travelling. That means a lot of reading time, yay! :) I am glad yet again that I got that one for my Kindle, so I can take it when I travel. I think this week before I go, though, I might take a break from it and read a couple manga books, the last two in Boys Over Flowers. I might also read The Lovely Bones, which I picked up on my bookspedition. :) Should be a good week overall.

Book Splurge!

2010-02-09T18:52:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I headed down to Olympia to meet up with my friend Cait and to hit up the big library sales at both the Lacey and Olympia Libraries, as well as check out Cait's favorite Goodwill and used book store. Not only did we have a blast, but we got some fantastic books for super cheap! At the library sales, all books, including hardbacks, were only $1 each. So yes, I did spend a bit of cash on books this weekend. But if you add up what I would have spent, the savings is enormous!

Here are the books I picked up, with links to their pages on Goodreads.

FICTION
Eight Cousins - Louisa May Alcott
Time's Arrow - Martin Amis
The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy - Sara Angelini
Case Histories - Kate Atkinson
The Wonder Spot - Melissa Bank
Beat the Reaper - Josh Bazell
Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife: Pride and Prejudice Continues - Linda Berdoll
Darcy & Elizabeth: Nights and Days at Pemberley - Linda Berdoll
Midwives - Christ Bohjalian
Before You Know Kindness - Chris Bohjalian
March - Geraldine Brooks
Year of Wonders - Geraldine Brooks
The Good Earth - Pearl S. Buck
Still Life - A.S. Byatt
The Stranger - Albert Camus
Don Quixote - Cervantes
Being Dead - Jim Crace
The Hours - Michael Cunningham
More Letters from Pemberley - Jane Dawkins
Best Know Works - Daniel Defoe (an old copy which includes Robinson Crusoe, The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, and A Journal of the Plague Year)
The Pirates! In An Adventure with Ahab & The Pirates! In An Adventure with Scientists - Gideon Defoe
The Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai
Geek Love - Katherine Dunn
The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd - Jim Fergus
The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde
Offshore - Penelope Fitzgerald
Everything Is Illuminated - Jonathan Safran Foer
The Corrections - Jonathan Franzen
The Thief Lord - Cornelia Funke
The Tesseract - Alex Garland
The Portable Nineteenth-Century Russian Reader - George Gibian
The White Bone - Barbara Gowdy
The Monsters of Templeton - Lauren Groff
Codex - Lev Grossman
Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
The Autobiography of Santa Claus - Jeff Guinn
Running Out of Time - Margaret Peterson Haddix
Between Sisters - Kristin Hannah
Notes on a Scandal - Zoë Heller
The Widow of the South - Robert Hicks
Until I Find You - John Irving
The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
A Pale View of Hills - Kazuo Ishiguro
Anthology of Japanese Literature: From the Earliest Era to the Mid-Nineteenth Century - Donald Keene
The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova
The History of Love - Nicole Krauss
The Unbearable Lightness of Being - Milan Kundera
The Namesake - Jhumpa Lahiri
Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri
Hood - Stephen R. Lawhead
Giraffe - J.M. Ledgard
Shutter Island - Dennis Lehane
The Spellman Files - Lisa Lutz
Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
Must Love Black - Kelly McClymer
Amsterdam - Ian McEwan
The Cement Garden - Ian McEwan
By the Lake - John McGahern
Lost in Translation - Nicole Mones
Dancing to "Almendra" - Mayra Montero
Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings - Christopher Moore
Suite Française - Irène Némirovsky
Dead is the New Black - Marlene Perez
Sarah's Key - Tatiana de Rosnay
The Plot Against America - Philip Roth
The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy
Empress - Shan Sa
The Passion of Mary-Margaret - Lisa Samson
Blindness - José Saramago
The Reader -Bernhard Schlink
The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
Four Comedies - William Shakespeare
American Wife - Curtis Sittenfeld
The Sunday Philosophy Club - Alexander McCall Smith
River God: A Novel of Ancient Egypt - Wilber Smith
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Eggs - Jerry Spinelli
East of Eden - John Steinbeck
Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer - Neal Stephenson
The Little Friend - Donna Tartt
The Death of Ivan Ilych - Leo Tolstoy
Mary Poppins - Pamela L. Travers
Timequake - Kurt Vonnegut
Revolutionary Road - Richard Yates

NON-FICTION
The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story - Diane Ackerman
Paula - Isabel Allende
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt
The Pooh Perplex - Frederick C. Crews
Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire - Amanda Foreman
Marie Antoinette: The Journey - Antonia Fraser
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia - Elizabeth Gilbert
The New Kings of Nonfiction - Ira Glass
The Boys of Summer - Roger Kahn
Dear Bunny, Dear Volodya: The Nabokov-Wilson Letters, 1940-1971 - Simon Karlinsky
A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland Indiana - Haven Kimmel
The Children's Blizzard - David Laskin
Fern Seed and Elephants - C.S. Lewis
Daughter of the Queen of Sheba - Jacki Lyden
Voices of the Faithful - Beth Moore
Mark Twain on Travel - Terry Mort
Writers on Writing: Collected Essays from The New York Times - The New York TimesIn the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex - Nathaniel Philbrick
Early Bird: A Memoir of Premature Retirement - Rodney Rothman
Jesus Land - Julia Scheeres

Naked - David Sedaris

Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris

Chalked Up: Inside Elite Gymnastics' Merciless Coaching, Overzealous Parents, Eating Disorders, and Elusive Olympic Dreams - Jennifer Sey

The Weekly Read: 5

2010-02-07T23:08:00.000-08:00

I didn't get as much reading done this week as I originally wanted, but some weeks are just like that. That's the problem with going out and doing things, I suppose. :)

READ: FLOW: The Cultural Story of Menstruation | Elissa Stein & Susan Kim

When I first saw this book on Goodreads, I was immediately interested in it, both because the cover was so cute, and because it's a topic that I don't know much about as far as the science of it goes. This book is beautifully designed and illustrated, full of ads from as far back as the 1800s and as recent as the 2000s. I loved seeing not only the ads, but also what women had to go through "back in the day" before tampons, pads, and underwear! Shocking, right? ;) While full of interesting and entertaining information, this book was often wordy and overly repetitive. The authors' style was too conversational at times, and a good editing would have cut this book down by at least 50 pages and have still gotten all in all the necessary info. Also, I found the authors to be too aggressively feminist in their opinions, especially in relation to what they call the "femcare" industry. While it is true that perhaps we shouldn't leave education on this topic to companies just trying to sell their products, we shouldn't be mad that these said companies saw that something was lacking and provided the resources to educate women about their bodies? Overall, I did enjoy this book, and would recommend it to all women to read. Men might get a little squeamish, but I'm sure they'd learn a lot, too. :P

READ: Poison Study | Maria V. Snyder

This is one I hadn't heard of before I went looking for a book to fit a task in the Season Reading Challenge (Read a book with a weapon in the title: poison). I'm so glad I picked it up, though - a ya (young adult) fantasy/romance, and the first in what looks to be a fun series, too! This was an emotional and exciting story that definitely lived up to its exciting premise: a girl, sentenced to die, is given the option to study poisons and live as the commander's food taster. To keep her from running, though, she is given a poison, and must receive the antidote every day in order to survive. Yelena is a fantastic heroine to root for, and Valek a great counterpoint to her character. This is an intriguing world, with what seems to be a rich history to explore, as well as a supporting cast of characters that are entertaining and lovable. I'll be the first to admit that I am biased to these sorts of books, but I couldn't put it down! I had to stop myself from reading in order to go to sleep, and the next night, I read until it was finished. I'm hoping to pick up the second one in the series in the next few weeks. :)

STARTED: The Children's Book | A. S. Byatt

This is the 3rd book that was due back to the library on Friday, and clearly I didn't finish in time. At 675 pages, I was not going to get through this one in 2 days unless I read 24 hours a day, and I just didn't have the time. So I returned the book to the library, and bought it for my Kindle. :) I think it will be worth it, though, because I think I will like it, and now my mom and sister can read it, too. I'm about 10% in; so far, so good. This is not a fast-paced-action-thriller type of good, so not much has actually happened so far, but I feel as though I've made some new friends, and gotten to know the characters fairly well. One of the hardest parts of large novels is that there are often lots of characters, and they all blend together; Not so in this one! I think that is definitely a good thing. P.S: I LOVE this cover! It's so rich and velvety-feeling.

So, this next week will be a finish up week, I think. I want to finish The Children's Book and Watership Down, and hopefully fit in The Egypt Game to finish off the Newbery Medal task for the Winter Challenge. Also, I want to post a list for you tomorrow of all the awesome books I got this weekend during my used-book-buying-fest (aka Bookspedition, or Bookapalooza, or Bookfest) with my friend Cait. Muahaha! :D

The Weekly Read: 4

2010-01-31T21:11:00.000-08:00

This is my last week reading exclusively from the Lost Lit List, but there are still a few I didn't get to. Hopefully in February, I will have time!

READ: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass | Lewis Carroll

I'm surprised it took me this long to read these books: they would have been right up my alley as a kid. There are several episodes of Lost which reference these books, most notably two episodes titles: "White Rabbit" and "Through the Looking Glass". Also, the underwater station is called "The Looking Glass", possibly a reference to how to is a sort of gateway to the Island. I found Alice to be both strange and fanciful. It was funny, because while most of the scenes from the Disney movie were taken exactly from these books, the inherent nature of animation makes them more whimsical and less ridiculous. Playing croquet with flamingos and hedgehogs seems cute and silly when animated; On the other hand, reading the same scene in the book seems outrageous and bizarre. Overall, though, I did really enjoy reading this one. Alice is a funny little girl, with a fascinatingly diverse imagination. I enjoyed Looking Glass a bit more than Alice, if only because it had more structure and seemed to have more of a connection to Lost. Like the Looking-Glass world, the Island seems to exist in a place where strange and fantastical things can happen, where explanations for mysterious things tend to only bring more questions.

READ: Slaughterhouse-Five | Kurt Vonnegut

Slaughterhouse-Five has never appeared in any episode of Lost, but owes its place on the Lost Lit List due to the distinct similarities between Billy's moments of being "unstuck" in time to those Desmond experiences throughout Season 3. The main difference between their time travelling moments is that Billy accepted the Tralfamadorian view of time, that you can see all past and future events but cannot change them, while Desmond was intent on changing his visions of the future. This book differed greatly from my expectations - I assumed it was entirely about war. That is true, it is about war - the inhumanity of sending children off to die, the ridiculously arbitrary unfairness of who lives and who dies - but in the end, it is about way more than just war. Simultaneously funny, sad, and shocking, Billy's travels through time become a coping mechanism to help him deal with the tragedy and injustice of his wartime experiences. And it's not just in his head - how could he has predicted his own death otherwise? The ability to see all the events in your life and choose to live in the happy ones is a vitally important part of Billy's psychologically well-being, and is a good lesson to all of us on how to survive through difficult times. This is a frankly truthful tale of war, but the uniqueness of the telling seems to cushion the sharp edges of the actuality of war, life, and death.

STARTED: Watership Down | Richard Adams

Bunnies! I'm sure if someone had told me that this book starred rabbits, I would have read it as a kid. :) I'm only about 20% in to this one, but so far, it is interesting. This is another one from the Lost Lit List: Sawyer is seen reading this one on the beach several times; Apparently, Boone brought it with him to read in Australia.

I'm happy that I was able to read so many books from the Lost Lit List this month! Other than The Strain for my book club, they were all from the List. :) There are still a few more from the List that I want to read soon, but I will have to put those on hold for the next week, including finishing Watership Down, because I have to read some books that are due back to the library on Saturday! So on the schedule for this week are The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt, Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder, and Flow by Elissa Stein and Susan Kim. Happy reading! :)

Play With Your Blocks: Watermelon!

2010-01-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I went with my mom & aunt to a class by Sandy Bonsib, a friend and fantastic quilt teacher. This is from her brand new series of classes/patterns called Play With Your Blocks. The concept is this: before every class, Sandy sends you a black and white layout diagram of the blocks and setting for the quilt, and you get to color in and design, but with value and color, your own quilt using those blocks. Each quilt will only have 1 kind of block in it, which will really showcase the versatility of block - quilts will look different based on the color and value placement. For this first class, Sandy used a quarter square triangle block. Ahead of time, she sent us a picture of her top, and told us she used 2 different colors of mediums (grey and gold) and a light (light grey/cream). For mine, I decided to use greens and pinks along with some white background cute prints. :) It reminds me of watermelon candy.

I could set them any way I like - into stars, square, lines, zig-zags. I decided to stick with the layout Sandy used with these, as I thought it was fun and whimsical - there will be multiple rows of pinwheels. In the column on the left, you can see the pinwheels in the contrast between pinks and greens. In the middle column, you can see a white pinwheel on a medium value background, and then in the right column, you can see a pink and green pinwheel on the light background. This isn't the whole quilt - in the end, it will be 10 blocks by 12 blocks - but you can see the concept, I hope!

In other exciting news, I have some new additions to my fabric stash - Munki Munki pajamas by Heather Ross! I finally broke down a few weeks ago and bought some of these adorable fabrics on Etsy. I had been to so many TJ Maxx and Marshall's stores looking for them, and hadn't had any luck.

Wouldn't you know, the SAME DAY I got these in the mail, I decided to head up and check a Marshall's north of my work, and not only did I find the sushi print pants, but a whole pajama set of the aliens, my favorite print of the whole line!!

I was so excited, I literally gasped, and had to contain myself from jumping around the store and squealing in delight! My only dilemma now is that these are actually in my size. I will definitely cut up the top to use in quilts, but I am tempted to use the bottoms as actual pajamas. Hmm... we shall see!

The Weekly Read: 3

2010-01-24T19:21:00.000-08:00

This week: more from the Lost Lit List! :)

READ: A Brief History of Time | Stephen Hawking
A Brief History of Time took a surprisingly long time to read (5 days!), despite it's short length, but only because the subject matter is so complex. I'm still not sure I really understand particles, quarks, and all that stuff - I think I would need to re-read this 10 or more times for it really to sink in. My favorite parts were the ones about time travel, worm holes, and black holes. It makes me wonder what sort of time travel exists in the Lost universe - one that they current have a theory for, or something completely different. It seems as though Daniel Faraday was at first operating under the consistent histories approach - if time travel into the past is possible, you could not go back in time unless history showed you had already been there, and while there, had not committed any acts that would conflict with your current situation in the present (aka, kill your grandfather). You also wouldn't be able to change recorded history. Although he changed his mind about that possibility, I don't think he meant that the alternate history hypothesis was true - that by going back in time, they entered a history that differed from recorded history - an altered history, ala Back to the Future. But maybe he did. Maybe when the bomb went off, all of those that were in the past will be suddenly transported to the 2009 time of an alternate history, where the plane never crashed on the island? :D I could talk about Lost theories forever, though, so I'll stop that here. If you are a fan of science fiction, whether it be books, tv, or movies, you need to read this book. That is all.

READ: Everything That Rises Must Converge | Flannery O'Connor
Everything That Rises Must Converge is the newest addition to the Lost List. At the end of season 5, this is the book that you see Jacob reading right before Locke falls 8 stories at the hands of his father, the event that puts him in a wheelchair. The dysfunction of family relationships is a major theme throughout Lost, in part demonstrated through Locke's perpetually disappointing relationship with his birth father. This theme is echoed through all of the stories in this collection - what we expect from our family and what we get are often very different things. Each story is beautifully written and compelling, full of sorrow and unexpectedly mundane despair. None of them felt truncated, probably because they all revolved around a specific theme, and therefore, you could feel the relationship between them as you turned the page. In addition to family relations, each story also deals with the convergence of classes - racial, social, economical. Normally, I don't like short stories, but clearly, I have been reading the wrong kind of short stories. I can't wait to read more of O'Connor's work. I would definitely recommend this to anyone, not just fans of Lost.

STARTED: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass | Lewis Carroll

There are quite a few Alice references in Lost, and so this one is a must-read from the Lost List. Surprisingly enough, I never read this one as a child, so I am excited to finally read it, and see if it really is as strange as people say. :) Plus, I want to be all prepared for the new movie coming out this spring! :D

That is it for this week. Next week: finishing Alice, and then Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut and Watership Down by Richard Adams, both also from the Lost Lit List. Happy reading!