UnrulySun Jumps Right In: 75 in 2012

"Waiting For True Love"




January:
The Wasp Factory
Rules for Virgins
Matched
Picture the Dead
Crossing
Wool
Room
Hunger
The Scorpio Races
Drought
The Thorn and the Blossom

February:
Half Way Home
A Mango-Shaped Space
Sundered
A Drowned Maiden's Hair

March:
Anathem
The Last Song
Day of the Oprichnik

April:
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac
The Hidden Gallery
The Girl Who Could Fly
The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict
Oddfellow's Orphanage
American Born Chinese
The Recently Deflowered Girl
Deathless
Tales of Terror from the Black Ship
Rapunzel's Revenge
Everworld: Search for Senna

May:
The Wretched of Muirwood
The Fault in Our Stars
The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland-- For a Little While
Amulet: The Stonekeeper
Maus I: A Survivor's Tale
Logicomix
The Burned Tower
Snuff
Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began
Alice Parker's Metamorphosis
The Dirty Parts of the Bible

Currently Reading:


“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”
― Albert Einstein

Welcome to the 75 books challenge group. Hope you find it fun!

Welcome! I have my own pile too. I'll follow your readings, good luck!

Welcome! Glad you decided to join us.

FYI, we've added a couple of wikis to the mix this year. The first is where we keep important threads. The second is the Threadbook where we have a directory to all the members' threads. Both help keep a handle on the chaos! :)

Oh wow, those links are great! Thanks for the warm welcome. Can't wait to get started. :)

Welcome to the group! Good luck with whittling down the TBR pile in 2012!

OK I counted up my TBR pile, and right now I've got 232. I'm sure some of you are thinking, "Is that ALL?!" but at my pace that stack will take me about 4 years. :D

I've just started reading Iain Banks' The Wasp Factory.

I haven't read any of his books before but always wanted to. This one has been on my shelf for several months now so I figured why not!

Not much reading going on in my house during the holidays: Husband and daughter are off from school but I still have to work. I have a bad head cold right now, and they both want me to play games and watch movies. Eh- I'll get back to books in about 3 days when school starts again.

Happy New Year's Eve!

Just for fun, and to encourage some idle chatter, I thought I'd add in what I'm currently listening to and watching, if it strikes me as especially shareable.

I just watched through season one of Downton Abbey, an excellent period drama made for Masterpiece Theater. The story begins with the Titanic sinking, which wipes out the heirs to the Grantham family estate. Lots of family drama, intrigue amongst the house staff, romance, and scandal. Highly recommended, even if you're not that in to historical pieces.

In the US we are just getting season two starting next week, and season 3 is under production.

I need to watch Downton Abbey one of these days. Thanks for the reminder!

Happy New Year!

8: I LOVE Downton Abby and just watched the Christmas special a few days ago. Love it! (I confess I live in the US, and had to find it on-line. I just couldn't wait.)

Hello and welcome! I have heard so many good things about Downton Abbey...I NEED to watch it! I see Maggie Smith in the photo there, and also Jim Carter, I think?

I hear you on whittling down the TBR pile, I've been trying to do that myself.

Sandy K

Yes! Maggie Smith is the Dowager Countess. As always a wonderfully expressive actress. Hugh Bonneville is also fun to watch. The entire cast is immaculate, but my favorites are Brendan Coyle and Joanne Froggatt.

I'll be following your thread this year--we share some interests in science fiction and fantasy.

We certainly do, ronincats! We share 101 books, a quarter of all I have cataloged. I'll be checking out your thread as well.

ETA: Your pottery is lovely! I envy your talent at it. Pottery is one in a long list of things I wanted to be good at but just wasn't.

Hello UnrulySun! I just wanted to see what you were doing and thank you for commenting on my thread. I have you starred and look forward to seeing what you will read. And I agree - Maggie Smith is a glorious actress. I only know her from the Harry Potter movies, but the way she played McGonogall was so wonderful that I am sure she is splendid anywhere else.

Good luck, and I hope you make it to the big 75 this year! :)

1: Finally finished The Wasp Factory. It was... unusual. An oxymoron of a story with some odd bits of humor tossed into the cesspool that is the narrator's life story. At times it felt a bit sarcastic but overall it was well-written and compelling. The ending was a bit of a non-sequitor. I can see how Iain Banks has won fans; his writing style is fluid and he certainly can turn a clever phrase. As a one-off for me it was good, but I don't think I need to find more of his books yet.

1.5: I also finished with Rules for Virgins by Amy Tan. It's a sort of guidebook written to initiate a young new girl into the courtesan house. This little piece was interesting for its ability to immerse you in the time and place described, and its truths about human nature are pretty universal. It is apparently the starting premise of a longer work she has in store for us, and I'm looking forward to the context of a story to give these characters some life.

I added a ticker to my OP but I can't figure out how to change it, lol! I suppose I have to remake it every time it changes?

Thursday is our day to "go into town", which means driving an hour to hit the bank, get dinner, and stop at the book stores. I picked up a few books of course, how can I not? I'd love to hear from anyone who's read these before:

Things Not Seen and Things Hoped For by Andrew Clements
The State Counsellor by Boris Akunin (I started this series years ago, have several of the books, and keep adding to my collection, but never seem to get back to it)
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
Dealing with Dragons and Searching for Dragons by Patricia Wrede

They were all practically free, gotta love that!

On the tv front: I watched the premieres of both Project Runway All Stars and 24 Hour Catwalk. I must say that as much as I enjoy watching Austin Scarlet, PRAS was rather a letdown. As was the other show: it's Chopped for fashion but the designer doesn't even have to do their own construction in the second half. What??

I am consoled and heartened by the fact that Downton Abbey starts on Sunday! Yay!

If you click on a ticker, it will take you to the ticker page. Then enter the passcode you set up for that ticker and it will allow you to modify the numbers.

Dealing with Dragons and Searching for Dragons are delightful, clever YA fantasy, 2 of a quartet with another book of short stories.

I must have done the code wrong then, because I can't click on it. S'okay, I'll just go start over and try again. ETA: Fixed, thanks!

I had read several posts about the series so when I saw them I couldn't pass them up. :)

I like the Wrede Enchanted Forest Chronicles books just as Roni does, so I hope you enjoy Dealing with Dragons and Searching for Dragons.

I echo Stasia and Roni! Dealing with Dragons, Searching for Dragons, and the whole series are wonderful, funny, and unique reads. I can't wait to hear how you like them! :)

I fourth the recommendation on the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. They are a delight.

And yet another recommendation of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles!

I only caught a little bit of Project Runway All Stars. I do love Austin Scarlett. I will probably watch it mainly to see him and Mondo. I know someone who was on the last season. He came off as sort of unlikable, which is a bummer, because he is like that in real life, and yet...not like that at all in real life. Reality tv is odd. Seeing someone that I knew made me rethink quite a bit about what reality tv starts are really like.

Sandy K

Reality tv is so easy to skew and misinterpret. I often find myself thinking "Surely that's not the whole story there" or "They really aired the worst bits of that person's day". You know they edit the footage so heavily, and at the same time the contestants know they're being filmed and alter their personalities to fit how they want to come off.

I'm always curious how much the contestants are paid to be there. I also wonder if the exposure really helps kickstart a designer's fashion line-- I haven't seen anything in person other than the online prize lines from the show, KWIM? Maybe I'm not part of the right fashion circles. ;)

Downton Abbey on tonight!
PBS-- be there or be square! ;)

I have an hour before I go in to watch it, and I'm going to try to finish the book I'm reading.

2.5: Matched by Ally Condie.


Seventeen-year-old Cassia has just been assigned her Match-- Xander-- the boy she will eventually marry, have children with, and live with for the rest of their predictable, predetermined lives. But there's been a glitch: there's another boy's picture on the datacard that is supposed to hold only Xander's information. Of course Cassia becomes insatiably curious about this boy she's known most of her life but never really got to know.

An unusual love triangle ensues, and while the romance is a huge part of the story, there is another story of upset and rebellion brewing which steals the show. There's not much hard action but a whole lot of intriguing character development. It's quite a page-turner, with a more serious, introspective tone than I expected. Cassia learns to question "The Society" who makes all the choices for its citizens, and finds her strength to rebel through keeping secrets, trusting herself and her friends, and learning that her parents are not all that they seem either.

While in some ways Matched is a formulaic YA dystopian story, it also really delivers in having an original voice, compelling world-building, and a satisfying ending even while setting up the rest of the trilogy.

Highly recommended.

I liked Matched a lot, especially about Cassia learning to read, and the romance between her and Ky is thoughtfully done. Glad that you enjoyed it!

Wonderful review of Matched! I liked it a lot as well. Are you going to read Crossed too?

Yes, I want to read Crossed, but I don't yet have a copy of it. It says a lot about how much I liked Matched-- I don't often want to rush out and get the next book in a series, I typically am patient to wait for a bargain or a borrow.

Thanks for dropping by my thread! I'm going to follow along here too.

From another thread, you said you grew up in a rural area like I did. From the long drive into town I'm guessing you still do?

I am actually in a small town now, much larger than where I grew up but still small enough that we don't have many shopping or restaurant choices, much less a branch of the bank we use. So we go into the larger "city" to have our fun.

I see you have a farm and animals... I miss being a part of that world but I never fit into it well. I can't keep anything alive no matter how hard I try! As for plants, I seem to have an aura of Black Death surrounding me. Which is a bit sad, because I'd love to just be able to make flowers grow in the front yard. A backyard garden is the Impossible Dream. :D

I popped in to say, Downton Abbey really had my tears flowing! I'm not a big cryer, but I couldn't keep the sniffles at bay about halfway through. It was really a serious episode, seems like there were more lighthearted moments in season one.

#34 by @UnrulySun> See, I have the exact opposite problem- I can't make things slow down growing long enough to get rid of the weeds! My grandfather keeps trying to give me helpful advice, but he's not totally sold on the idea of organics (even though he grew up when organic was so normal there wasn't a word for it), so his suggestions are "Here's a ton of Round-Up!" I think I just need to rethink my planting style so I can attack everything with a hoe instead of having to hand weed beds with small plants. I spent 17 hours over the course of 3 days hand weeding my carrot bed last summer and it almost killed me! NEVER again.

Wow! That's a lot of weeding. I think you need to bribe some small children with ice cream and cookies. Or find an extremely well-trained goat.

HAHA. I got some geese hoping they would do the work, and they did fine in the rows of corn and beans and such, but carrots were unidentifiable to them and they wiped out a whole row before I caught them. Luckily my niece is getting old enough to start helping a bit... 2 1/2 is old enough for hard labor, right? ;)

Absolutely!

3.5 Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin



When I picked this book up at my daughter's elementary school book fair, I didn't quite know what to expect but was drawn in by the cover art. I figured it would be a middle-grade ghost story about spirit photography, perhaps with a few moody romance scenes.

But Picture the Dead really surprised me! It's actually quite a good gothic paranormal tale, set in a Civil War-era New England town where the death toll rises daily and the citizens are sometimes turning to spiritualism to contact their departed sons and lovers.

The story begins with our heroine-- sixteen-year-old Jenny Lovell-- receiving news that her fiance Will has perished in the Wilderness at the hands of enemy soldiers. Stricken with grief and shunned by the only family she has left, she begins to experience supernatural "visits" from Will. Is it real contact or simply imagination and grief? Is someone trying to drive her mad? If Will's contact is really happening, is his message one of faithful devotion or something more sinister? Jennie finds help in unlikely quarters, and along the way unravels family secrets and betrayals, and uncovers the truth about Will's contact.

While the ending comes as no surprise, it still is captivating and suspenseful. The entire novel is laden with latent horror, atmospheric... even in the scenes of sunshine and romance, the cold, misty Unknown lurks in the corners. The author shows her extensive research in the use of real names, events, and processes; and the illustrator has faithfully reproduced the Civil War ephemera.

The cover claims its aim is 6th grade and above: I'd say that's reasonable but a knowledge of the era and/or gothic sensibility certainly come in handy. Though it is fast-paced and relatively short, I never felt as if I were reading a children's or young reader's book. Recommended.

ETA: the book has a website which exlpains the process of spirit photography and showcases many of the real photographs of people portrayed in the story. Interesting to scroll through, even if fictionalized. There are also book excerpts. :)

http://www.picturethedead.com/

Fascinating! I will have to check this one out, as I have a business-like interest in death and other morbid topics. Good review, by the way!

Nice review of Picture the Dead! I do like to read about ghosts and gothic type stories, but cannot handle anything too scary. No Stephen King for me. But this book sounds like something that I could handle!

Sandy K

>29 UnrulySun:: I've heard that Matched is very enjoyable if you go into it with the right attitude... expecting a calmer, more romance-based story than an action piece. I have a copy sitting around here somewhere that I hope to read soon. Picture the Dead also sounds great!

4.5: Crossing by Andrew Xia Fukuda



This one was heartbreaking. Xing (pronounced "Shing", but he goes by Kris; Xing is also apropos of the title, which refers to his passage from China and his passage into manhood; this is an important word throughout the book) is a highschooler in a small affluent town in New York, one of only two Chinese students in an all-white school. He's an outcast, a misfit-- mostly because he is labelled "different" by the carelessly cruel citizens of the town, but also partly by his own design. As much as he claims to want to be "popular", he doesn't really want to fit in with the people he sees as a shallow and mean.

While this book begins as a fairly straightfoward immigrant-coming-of-age-in-America story, it quickly takes on a more sinister atmosphere. Students are disappearing, people are afraid; strange clues lead Xing to what may be the truth behind the disturbances, and he may be making new friends and enemies in the process. There are red herrings aplenty, but by the end of the book, just when you think things are working out like you expected, BAM! Nothing does.

I enjoyed this book, really liked the ending, but the beginning was a bit cringe-worthy for me. The main characters are supposed to be highschoolers, fifteen to seventeen, but at first I couldn't reconcile the juvenile dialog and attitudes. It felt more like what twelve year olds might do and say. But it evens out midway and becomes more natural. Also, suspension of disbelief is a required skill here: the school play is the top priority, even over sports teams and the disappearance of students. ;) All in all, highly recommended.

As a fun aside, Crossing fulfills several of the January TIOLI challenges (though I'm not going to bother posting over there):

3. Read a book about China or Chinese Immigrants
4. Read a book with a cover which depicts a winter scene
8. Read a book where a word in the title can be used as a verb or another part of speech
20. Read a book which has an Acknowledgements section which is no longer than 6 paragraphs
21. Read an author's first book

I've just plucked The Selected Works of TS Spivet off the shelf. Going to give it a try. I'm also reading a kindle book right now called Wool which is wonderful.

5: Wool by Hugh Howey



Sheriff Halston lives in the Silo, a sheltered, insular capsule community of people who have been told (through history and legend) that their ancestors fled an apocalypse on the Outside, and only survive through the strict rules set forth by their leaders. No one can even think about going Outside without facing ostracism to that very wasteland. On the Outside you will suffocate in the acid winds and the chemicals will eat away at your protective suit, underclothes, and eventually your flesh. But is it really so bad Outside? Or have the citizens been lied to all this time? What really happens when you go Outside, and why do the condemned always wash the windows?

This was very short, but SO good. The ending was a surprise. This bit is the first in a series of short stories which carry on a central plot and theme. But oh how I wish this one part had been a full novel. It's a great premise and even in such a short time, I fell in love with Halston's character. Horrifying in its implications, right to the end.

I just went to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D with my daughter. I had forgotten how much I dislike the story! But it was visually lovely and of course I like the music. I had also never noticed the sign on the asylum's coach: Asylum de Loons. Hehe.

I've been planning with some far-flung friends to meet in New Orleans in March. They will run a marathon, I will root for them from the sidelines. I'm SO not a runner-- I can't go 50 yards without barfing up a lung. But I'm an expert at ordering fancy drinks and lounging in fancy hotels, so I'll still have fun. ;)

Here I go to snuggle into the warm afternoon blankets with my book and my child, hopefully to read for a few hours.

OK TS Spivet is a monster of a book, with all the footnotes and drawings and charts... I simply can't help but to stop and read everything at once. I can only hope it proves as rewarding as I've heard.

I've also started in on another of Hugh Howey's longer works, Half Way Home. Much more sci-fi than I usually pick but he's got a great style that keeps me reading. Almost made me late to the restaurant today because I couldn't put it down. :)
No touchstone for this one, but here's a link to Amz:

Not much reading done today; instead I've been watching Hell on Wheels, another big-budget period drama series. It's spectacular to look at, and pretty intriguing. (I'm halfway through the season now.) Colm Meaney is deliciously evil as railroad tycoon Doc Durant, and Dominique McElligott is beautiful:



Being Human (US) and Lost Girl both premiered tonight, and The Fades last night. Ack!

#47 - Did you get to see Tangled Ever After? If you did don't tell me what happens, though! I still haven't seen it yet, and I can't wait till I do.

I did! It's super cute. :)

Hi, just stumbled across your thread and starred you:). Yea, I'm glad you liked Wool! I finished Wool 2 and just started Wool 3. The 5th (and maybe final?) Wool is due out in February, I heard.

Hi! Yes, I've already kindled the rest of the available Wools, but haven't read them yet. I can't wait to find out what has really happened on the outside.

6: Room by Emma Donoghue



I originally had skipped this one when it came out, driven batty by all the hype surrounding it. But I received it as a gift last holiday, so dug into it last night while taking a break from TS Spivet. It's compelling; the writing style makes it a very quick read. I can't say I really enjoyed the story but I do think the author did a pretty good job of capturing the spirit of the situation (or what I imagine it should be). 5-year-old Jack alternates between being an old-soul precocious kid and a stinking rotten toddler brat... which may be somewhat normal but irritated more than endeared his character to me. Many of the secondary characters were utter nightmares, caricatures of modern stereotypes.

Usually I am left wanting more in a story: what happens after the ends are "tied up"? What does their life look like down the road? In this book you get all that, and it's too much. I get the poignancy of the circumstances but it was about 60 pages too long. I thought it was pretty okay if the 7th 1/8th had been left out. Recommended as a time-filler, or for fans of this bleak and weepy genre.

7: Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler



Lisa is a teenager in denial about her struggle with anorexia. Her best friend is bulimic, her parents are fastidious and demanding but hardly present. Lisa has been tapped by Death (in the form of Kurt Cobain) to become Famine, the Black Rider, a horseman of the apocalypse. She has been charged with finding balance between starvation and gluttony. Along the way she finds her own source of strength, battles her inner demons, yadda yadda yadda. She gets in a fight with War.

This book was not what I expected, and was just okay. It is an extended (the whole book, every page) metaphor of living with an eating disorder. While the writing is fast-paced, fluid, and witty, the story itself lacked a certain charm which could have made it more emotionally powerful. This one could have benefitted from more detail, more flesh to the story. It is left open for the next installment, which is about War.

SPOILER:
It seems fairly obvious from the start that Lisa is imagining or hallucinating the events, perhaps from drug overdose, and I get that this whole book is focused on her fight with anorexia. But, to advertise a book as being about becoming a horseman of the apocalypse, with humor and adventure... and then not deliver on that aspect, was a let down. The ending wraps everything up a little too sweetly.

OK I've started on The Scorpio Races. I hope it's as great as the reviews I've been reading. So far (about to chapter 7) it's just "Meh" but I'm hanging in there. I'm not sure I like Stiefvater's use of the two narrators in this one.

And I've put TS Spivet aside for now. I'd like to keep reading it but I need something with more action. I think I'll just grab it now and then when I'm between books and eventually finish it (some day!).

I'm still reading Half Way Home also, which is getting pretty interesting. There's been a coup by murder, genocide by computer, budding romances both gay and straight, serious philosophical issues ruminated upon, and some laugh-out-loud satire. And I'm only 25% in. :)

I just got home from watching a late showing of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo... OMG! Brilliant movie! I never read the book, and really don't think I would like the books to be honest, but this was the best movie I've seen in quite a long time. They really handled the humanity of it all so well.

I didn't love the books, but they were interesting. I did, however, LOVE, really, really love, the Swedish movies, so I've been hesitant to see the American film. I'm sure I'll see it once it's out on Netflix.

BTW, the books would have been much much better if a) all the financial journalism stuff had been left out or severely shortened or b) if I gave a hoot about such financial journalism stuff, which I don't. But the basic story, as the movie surely attests, is fascinating and all twisty. I had a difficult time with the rape scene, but that's to be expected I guess.

I haven't seen the Swedish version, but now I want to. This one starts out with the financial stuff but just as I'm thinking "This is starting to drag," the rest of the story kicks in. This version is 2.5 hrs long, and it takes the first full hour for the two main characters to even meet. Is it like that in the book?

I thought the rape scenes were handled well, though of course it's hard to watch.

Yeah, it's like that in the book. Although she's all up in his business from pretty early on, which he doesn't know.

It's Thursday, so I hit up the bookstore. I got there at just the right time! It was late and they were moving a bunch of books to the clearance section. They let me pick off the carts (said they'd rather I bought them than them have to shelve so many ;)) and there were so many good books. Several from my wishlist and some I'd been on the fence about. I picked out 15 books, all $1 each!

Here's some of them:
Mr Muo's Travelling Couch by Dai Sijie
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
Drought by Pam Bachorz
Seer of Shadows by Avi
A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb

And I filled in a couple of series too. Makes me so happy to come home with a little bag of books!

Oh, I love Where The Mountain Meets the Moon!

8: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater



Where do I start with this one? It is not at all what I thought it would be. A perfect example of "Don't judge a book by its cover" (or jacket blurb!). Warning: This review may contain some mild spoilers!

If you're thinking of reading this book because it was recommended for people who enjoyed Hunger Games or Stiefvater's other books, you're in for a surprise. It's nothing at all like those. It is not a dystopian; it is not an action-packed adventure; it is not a swoony love story. It's not even about the races. Or the horses. What it is about is family, bravery, wisdom, loyalty, and ferocity of spirit. I think part of my initial disappointment came from reading so many comparisons to The Hunger Games and Divergent, which isn't fair to this book.

Kate "Puck" Connolly is a teenager about to lose her brother to the mainland and her house to the landlord. She is racing to try to keep them both. Sean Kendrick is an old soul, tried and tested from childhood as a respected waterhorse handler. He has won the last 4 races. He is riding to earn his freedom and his horse. During the course of the story, they each figure out that there's more at stake than their own material wishes, and this realization is the heart of the story.

It starts rather slowly, almost to the point where I wanted to throw in the towel. But I persevered and am glad I did. The story never picks up pace but around the halfway point I suddenly decided that these characters were important to me. I had to follow them, find out how they fared; they became family.

I absolutely LOVED the character development. Everyone is genuine, their stories and personalities fleshed out through more than dialog and backstory. My favorite is probably Mr Holly, a horse trader from California. His conversations with Sean are the best bits of the book. I also really liked Puck's younger brother Finn. He would probably be diagnosed on the autism spectrum today, and he has his eccentricities in this story. But instead of playing the petulant younger sibling (as is so prevelant in current teen novels), he is kind and helpful, hardworking, and Puck's greatest ally at home.

I'm not sure we even needed the water horses as monsters. Certainly it is interesting, but the story stands on its own two feet, with or without the fanciful monstrosity of the capaill uisce. The ending is good, solid. It didn't leave me weeping, nor did it make me particularly hopeful, but it is real, which is a nice change of pace.

Stiefvater proves in The Scorpio Races that she is certainly capable of more than her comparably frivolous werewolf romance stories. She's created a book that has the deep and meaningful feel of an award winner, one that will strike a chord with just about anyone who picks it up.

Good review, UnrulySun! The Scorpio Races is one of my favorite YA books, and your review does it justice. I'm glad you hung in with it, and the points that you considered in your review were spot on. The Scorpio Races didn't make me weep (unlike The Book Thief, which had me curled up in a fetal position and sobbing), but the characters were so believable, and you do care about them by the end of the book.

You're right about the award winning status of the book - it just got the Printz Award!

Nice review of The Scorpio Races. I'll look for that one.

9: Drought by Pam Bachorz



OK-- this is a YA book, marketed as a dystopian novel. It is about Ruby-- a girl whose blood is the secret ingredient in the magical Water that keeps her people alive. They have lived for 200 years slaving away in the forests in the foothills of upstate New York, gathering "magical" water from tree leaves and bushes, to fill the cisterns of the evil Overseer so he can in turn sell it to the Visitor once a year. If they don't reach their daily quota of water, they are severely beaten by the overseer guards. If not for the healing powers of the magical water, they would be left broken, bleeding, and probably dead. They are starved, derided, forced to work all hours, in any weather, living in one-room cabins like it is still 1812. They pray to Otto, who is the cult's original founder and Ruby's dad. He apparently abandoned them in 1812 but they keep waiting for him to come save them. Then Ruby meets a kind new overseer, Ford. He tries to convince her to run away with him to the modern world.

Upon finishing this book, I was left with one thought: "Ummmmm... WTH?!"

And then a whole slew of ponderings and questions (at this point, there will be spoilers. But I don't think it matters, because I wouldn't recommend you read this one anyway!):
First, this isn't really a dystopian story, since it seems to be set in present-day America. Unless it's an alternate present-day America in which most people live like we do but there is a seedy Water Underworld crime syndicate that no one knows about... except the people who know about it. And if only some people have this magical water that makes you nearly immortal, wouldn't the "regular" people have started to notice over the course of 200 years?

Second, who is the Visitor? Is he kind? Is he the most evil of them all? Is he a snake-like superfast alien? Who knows!

And then-- why doesn't anyone run away? Sure, they are reliant on the water to keep them from aging, and sure, they are threatened with harm to the rest of the congregation if they try... but even when given a prime chance for revolution, handed to them on a silver platter, with the proverbial ice cream and cherry soda, they refuse! They like being slaves. Whaa?? Then why you been complainin'??

And, maybe I'm being too cynical or "old" for the book's target audience, but for all the innuendo the elder women throw out about girls keeping their virtue intact... there is surprisingly little sexual violence. I think if I were a young girl being held captive by evil horrible beer-swilling burly ex-con men with guns and no restrictions, I'd expect at least a few catcalls. Not that I wished for that kind of violence, but there is a part of the story which simply must have it and it doesn't. Implausible, even in a YA book.

Which brings me to my next point: If these people have lived for 200 years, very slowly growing a bit older, how come Ruby still acts like a teenage brat? Sure, she looks young and her biological gene map or whatever functions like a teenager, but she's been alive for 200 years! Shouldn't she have picked up a few tidbits of knowledge and some basic human interaction skills?

Ford is supposed to be the love interest. HE SUCKS. He's mean and selfish most of the time, with no backbone. The one boy with some inkling of pride and bravery, Ruby finds repulsive and "smelly".

This cult prays to Otto and waits for him to come back and "deliver" them from slavery (Holy biblical allusion, Batman!) but he never comes. Ruby questions her faith but never comes to any conclusion. The rest just follow the mantra of "Wait, endure, praise Otto" and go along with the horrible backbreaking work and lack of food. I kept waiting for the allegory to come full circle but it never does. In the middle of the book the two MCs debate Jesus v Otto but it's just filler. In the end I couldn't figure out if the author was trying to make any point about religion at all.

The ending stinks.

I feel silly for having written such a huge rant about a bad book. I think it's because I'm just so disappointed that I had this one on my wishlist for so long, having heard it was pretty good, and was so glad to have finally picked it up. I'm glad I only paid $1 for it. Bleh.

Wow. That sounds like it really sucked. I'm sorry you had to endure that!

On to better things! I've just finished a short little book (review to follow) and started in on yet another. I've never run right through so many books at once, I'm loving it.

Pretty sure I'll be starting Anathem next week, so my frivolous frolicking may grind to a screeching halt. I'm determined to get through Anathem though.

Does anyone else watch Being Human (Syfy version)? I have a question about the baby.

10: The Thorn and the Blossom by Theodora Goss



This was one I placed on my wishlist a while back when it was offered as an ER book here. I finally picked up a copy. It's a neat, condensed little star-crossed love story with some magical bits tossed in. It's in accordion format, so you can read from one side to get Evelyn's story, and the other to get Brendan's. (I suggest you read Evelyn's first, but it's not supposed to matter.)

Evelyn is a scholar who meets Brendan on a vacation to the countryside. They fall in love quickly, but she has a startling magical vision and leaves him behind. They meet again years later and are still in love. But there are obstacles, of course!

The whole story is tied together by their shared passion for the tale of Gawain/The Green Knight. We are left thinking perhaps their story is one of many in which the star-crossed lovers of the ancient tale are reunited over the centuries.

It's very short, told in what I like to call "campfire style" (condensed, pithy, emphasis on emotion) but it's well written and it was easy for my imagination to fill in the blanks.

I won that through ER but it still hasn't arrived... Look forward to reading it if it ever comes in.

11: Half Way Home by Hugh Howey



In the far distant future, Earth is sending up colonizing pods to find inhabitable planets and establish new life in the universe. The AI (which is so close to human reasoning and learning it's only lacking some flesh and bone) has sole discretion over whether the planet they land on will ultimately be able to sustain life and also be lucrative for the Senate back on Earth. If the AI-- aka "Colony"-- deems the planet safe, a growth sequence is initiated in the vats, which are each holding a blastocyst designed to develop into a specific type of person. If the planet is deemed unviable, the entire contents of the vats are destroyed.

In this story, Colony made a mistake. The growth sequence was initiated, the embryos developed, they were virtually taught and trained and nurtured into human beings, each with a purpose and a specialty. There should have been 500 fully grown adults "born" into the new world on this new planet. But then something happened that made Colony change her mind. The abort sequence initiates, killing all but about 60 of the colonists... who at this point are only 15 years old and halfway trained.

The story is ultimately a study in human nature, genetics vs training. Even though all the colonists have had the same virtual "childhood", there are still examples of psychosis, egoism, timidity, homosexuality, sexual aggression, prejudice and exclusion, heroism, etc.

I can't give away too much in this review but can say I really enjoyed this one. It is science fiction, and has some standard sci/fi elements, but it's also the chronicle of survival for these newly formed young humans who have to figure out right from wrong, and search for their own brand of freedom.

The ending is great, and there are some moments throughout of brilliant humor and insight. Here's a quote I found rather nice:

I felt alone, just as Colony-- and my founding country-- had programmed me to be. And as an expectant hush fell over the crowd, I realized I had it backwards... There wasn't anything wrong with me; there just weren't enough of me... If anyone was cursed, it was those limited by their programming. Those with hate in their hearts, unwilling to love anyone not like themselves... I realized, right then, that I wasn't broken.

Highly recommended.

Oh, I like the sound of that one. Thanks for the review. Onto the wishlist it goes............

Lunacat> I'll be picking up Hugh Howey's other works too. I have the rest of the Wool pieces already, but his Molly Fyde series looks interesting. I'm usually not into hard sci/fi but I like his writing style. (His stuff is pretty inexpensive on Kindle, too, which is nice!)

Not a lot for me on the ER batch this month. Looks like an unusual number of religious works. I am excited to see that Andrew Xia Fukuda has a new book coming. This one is fantasy rather than the realistic Crossing which I reviewed above.

My silly small town theater opted to show One for the Money rather than The Woman in Black so I'll have to wait another week to see it. Don't know if I can stand waiting! I want to be scared; it's been quite a long time since I've seen an "intelligent" horror movie (aka not relying on guts and shock value).

That is a really cute picture of the cat in your first post! I'm curious what you think of A Mango-Shaped Space, I've been wanting to read that. I'm interested in lots of the books you've read, in fact!

I have to say that is not my cat up there, just a cute picture I found. I love cats, grew up with them, and had a kitty in my home until I was about 23 when I became suddenly and violently allergic to them. :(

12: A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass



This is a little book, a sweet story aimed at younger teens and preteens, about an 8th grader named Mia who is a synesthete. She sees colors for every letter, number, and sound. And though she contends with many of the normal trials for her age-- noticing boys, gym class, a pesky little brother and a new-age older sister, odd parents, growing apart from her best friend-- they are made all the more difficult for her because she thinks her colors mean she's crazy, or diseased. She keeps it a secret for most of her life, until she finally decides it's time to deal with it. Her cat is named Mango for the color his purring and wheezing makes to Mia. Throughout the story he is her little confidante and keeping him happy and healthy is Mia's job.

By the end of the book she's made new friends, learned more about her special synesthetic abilities, and learned to deal with some of the curveballs life has thrown her. All-in-all a nice middle-grade read, sweet and poingant enough for adults to enjoy as well.

I watched the premiere of The Voice tonight... It's not great art, but I'm a sucker for the talent shows. When Tony Lucca came on (he was the last one-- the former Mouseketeer) I thought "Wait a minute, I already have his album!" And I do. He's a good singer, and will probably do well on the show, but I'm not sure I like established recording artists in competitions like this. (I know it happens; Dia from last year had albums out also.) Eh-- we'll see.

Looking forward to tonight's Downton Abbey episode but I won't get to it until tomorrow at least. Also recorded the special on the history behind the "downstairs" structure and heirarchy, which should be neat.

I missed that special. Was it on after Downton?

Yes, right after. I haven't watched it yet. The description has changed from being about the downstairs to about the whole estate structure (heirs and staff alike, I guess).

Damn, I missed that. I've been looking for it to see if it's being repeated, but I can't find anything. What was it called? (Sorry to ask so many questions, I just hate missing great things like that)

Secrets of the Manor House

No worries, I hate missing the good stuff too! EW really should do a better job of keeping me up to speed on PBS documentaries. hehe!

Lovely Google image today:

Oh, is it Charles Dickens' birthday, today? What a coincidence! I just started Bleak House today, and I had no idea it was the man's birthday. :)

Yes it is!

I just watched Hanna. AMAZING! It's made the list of my favorite movies ever. I'm sorry I missed it in theaters.

And in a neat coincidence, Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary in Downton Abbey) had a small bit near the beginning. :)

So, I went to my dance class this evening (a recreational musical theater/aerobic amalgam) and afterward was invited to stay for the dress rehearsal of the theatre's currently running show, Billy Bishop Goes to War. It was BRILLIANT!! It's a two-man show, a pianist and the main actor, who does all the voices, all the bits. They sing, he dances, he tells the story of Billy Bishop-- a Canadian scoundrel who ended up the most decorated pilot of WWI. The actor was absolutely amazing.

Starting on Anathem! Hope I can keep going with it! Eek!

I saw a production of Billy Bishop Goes to War in the fall of 2010 and it was fantastic, I agree. It also helped that one of my favourite local actors played Billy Bishop. Glad you enjoyed the dress rehearsal. :)

Well, I got to see The Woman in Black...

Meh.

The reviews were all so excited about how scary and eerie it's supposed to be, but I didn't get it at all. There were a couple of "boo" moments but no real build-up, and the ending was a true WTF. Not in a blow-your-mind way, but in a That's IT?! way. Daniel Radcliffe was pretty good, but I have a hard time not thinking of him as Harry Potter. Even when talking with my husband after the show, I called him Harry every time.

It's beautiful to look at, and heavy on the gothic atmosphere, but as a horror movie, it doesn't deliver.

13: Sundered by Shannon Mayer



This is a novella-length book I picked up free on Kindle. I liked it, but it ends with a huge cliffhanger. And then you get a "sneak peek" at book two which starts at that cliffhanger, and ends with another. So I still have no idea what's up next.

In this zombie book, the "Nevermores" are created from a reaction to an injection. People are promised a miracle drug which will basically solve all their problems, but instead it melts away parts of their brains and turns them into animals with a pack-like mentality. Only those who didn't get the injection are spared, and must fight for survival against these ravenous creatures. Unlike most zombies, the Nevermores are able to think (somewhat), execute pack maneuvers to take down prey, and even procreate. It's a fresh take on the genre, which I enjoyed. The writing style is natural and flows nicely, but there is a shocking lack of comma usage.

14: A Drowned Maiden's Hair by Laura Amy Schlitz



This was one I picked up on sale for Kindle, then didn't look at until another LTer wrote a good review for it. I wish I'd gotten to it sooner!

It's a rather nice story, focusing on a young girl named Maud who is rescued from a draconian orphanage by a set of sisters who practice a spiritualist scam. They want Maud to be their "spirit" girl, and she just wants a nice home with people who will love her and buy her books and not make her do chores. But will Maud find her home here, or in the place she leasts expects?

There aren't many surprises in the story, but the writing is so beautifully done that you are submerged in the time and place with such wonderful characters, it doesn't really matter that you know what will happen next. There's enough suspense for the target reading audience (ages 9-12) and enough between the lines for adult readers, that I think everyone can enjoy it. I particularly liked the ending, which was bittersweet but very real.

This book, above all, is a study in character building. The author has a good grasp of human nature, and we can see that in each of her characters. Muffet the deaf housemaid and Mrs Lambert the grieving mother are quite well drawn, perhaps some of the best I've read in children's literature lately.

I'm still plugging away at Anathem. There isn't much plot yet, mostly world-building and philosophical debates, but it's oddly compelling so I can't stop myself from picking it back up. I'll be reading other stuff around it though, to give my eyes a break. The paperback version of Anathem is 1,000 pages of itsy bitsy print with small margins. Can you say eye strain?!

Last Thursday I hit up my bookstore and found some goodies in the bargain bin... again! Several literary mysteries and The Faery Reel, which I'm excited to thumb through. I know the rest of you understand my compulsion to buy books but I feel pretty silly when I bring home another bag of books to add to the ever-growing Mount TBR.

Plus, this wednesday is our local FOL sale! Squee! I haven't been to this one yet, since they don't advertise much and the last two years I've missed it by a day, only learning of it when someone mentions it in passing the day after. I was determined not to let that happen this year so I've had it marked on my calendar for 11 months! Hopefully it will be worth the wait.

Just got home from playing hockey, no goals this time but I did pick up two very yucky-looking bruises. :( One was from my own DH pelting me with a slapshot. Thanks dear!

And thanks to all the presidents who had the courtesy to be born around this time, I have the day off tomorrow! Unfortunately for my "me" time, so does my daughter. But I think we'll make a day of it and go to the big mall so she can spend her Christmas money and we'll go see Arietty.

And to stay on the subject of books... I picked up a series for free on kindle, which has good reviews: The Wretched of Muirwood. Anyone read this yet? Looks like a dystopia set in an Arthurian-type castle. I'm glad I picked them up last night, they aren't free anymore!

We saw Arietty this afternoon! It was wonderful. It's a quiet movie, and some of the smallest children fell asleep or got restless, but my 8yo was entharalled, and I absolutely loved it. I'm not the biggest fan of anime, but I do love Hayao Miyazaki's work. Kids may not like the ending, which doesn't wrap everything up nicely, although I thought it was rather nice. My only small complaint is that the mother's character was too frenetic for me! She's a nervous little worrywart which is irritating to me, but my dd actually really liked her.

I saw a trailer for it when I went to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D and it seemed like a sweet movie! I'll have to look out for it on DVD, because I remember watching "Spirited Away" when I was a youngster and enjoying it a great deal.

Have you read The Borrowers? I've been meaning to read it and then saw this movie adaptation, so I'm wondering if anyone has experience with both. It does look fun.

I haven't read The Borrowers but... I just snagged an entire box set from the FOL sale! Perfect for my dd and I'll read them too. I remember the tv show The Littles, and I think I may have had The Borrowers read aloud to me as a child, but it'll be nice to sit and read them myself.

The FOL sale was ultimately rather disappointing-- I'd say about 30% of the books were non-fiction (and not interesting n-f, more like handyman guides and self-help or chicken soup type books) and another 50% were mm paperbacks of Crichton and Evanovich types. Not my thing at all.

But they did have a small YA section and a trade pb section in which I found some good picks, including the 3 books of Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking, Freaky Green Eyes, Red Spikes by Margo Lanagan, Specials (the one book I was lacking in the set), Alas, Babylon, and some junky adult books that looked fun. Spent less than $20 including admission and some little chapter books for dd, so not too bad!

Watching Auntie Mame this evening... Rosalind Russell is so fabulous, and I LOVE this movie! I remember watching it as a wee person and not understanding most of it, but it's always been a favorite.

Love the movie Auntie Mame! It is one of my 'go to' comfort movies to watch when I am feeling under the weather.

Still reading Anathem. It's really quite intriguing, but it moves at a glacial pace. I sit and read for an hour, and it feels like I've only turned a dozen pages. I'm about halfway through now, though, so it'll feel better having the back half be smaller. :)

I'm also reading The Wretched of Muirwood on Kindle, and enjoying it. Turns out it isn't a dystopia, just an alternate history sort of thing with magic, set in a knights-and-horses/castle setting. Even with the several typos that are common to ebooks, the writing is fluid and pretty well done. I'm so glad I picked up all three books while they were free.

One of my favorite timekillers on the intrawebs is to browse etsy's print artists. I stumbled across this little shop full of wonderfully sweet art! Her take on the Hunger Games characters is pretty funny and cute.

Slovly!

I've been planning on reading a Neal Stephenson book for quite a while now. I never get around to it because they all seem to be so long!

I know!! I'm STILL reading Anathem! It's so incredibly compelling but it seems to take forever to get through a chapter! I flew to New Orleans last weekend, and read in the airport (2 hour wait on either end!), on the plane (another 2 hours), and each night before sleeping (Probably another hour all told)... and I got through about 150 pages. I probably sound like a slug! It just really is a TOME of a book. I still can't figure out how it may end, or even what's really going on yet, but that's part of what makes it so great.

Haven't made time for much of anything else entertainment-wise lately-- not books, not tv, not movies... I feel disjointed. I can't wait to get back into my routine and get "plugged in" again.

But we had a BLAST in NOLA! My friends ran their marathon, and I am kicking myself for not joining them in it. I think I could have stumbled through the half, and maybe even done okay timewise. It's sparked a determination in me to get myself in shape for the next one in November. I'm scouring the innerwebs for 5ks to start on locally. Besides the run though, we hit up Bourbon Street and the French Market, and ate some incredible food. :)

I just had to pop in to share this little gem:

A Yo Momma Throwdown, Hogwarts Style

HAHAHA! that was pretty funny.

15: Anathem by Neal Stephenson



I am finally finished with this one!! It was very slow for me; I think I have gotten so used to reading light material that this academic tome took more effort than I was prepared to expend. But in the end, I'm so glad I persevered! Anathem has taken its rightful place on my list of the Greatest Books I Never Want to Read Again!

A quick description (anything too long necessarily means spoilers):
In the far distant future, on a far distant planet called Arbre, the population is divided into two distinct groups: the avout, who live apart from society in order to cultivate mathematics, philosophy, science, and technology; and the saecular, which is everyone else. Saecular society on Arbre is structured like, and functions as, society on Earth right now. The mathic concents are the Arbre equivalents of Catholic monasteries, although nearly completely non-religious. The avout who live in the concents are dedicated to expanding and propagating the theorems of science in order to counterblance the decay of regular society and protect that knowledge for future generations.

Fraa Erasmus is a young avout. He and several of his friends and colleagues are drawn into a cosmic crisis which threatens to destroy Arbre.

That's about all I can tell you without ruining the rest of the story! But suffice to say, the book has a little bit of everything: intricate and vastly detailed world building, incredibly realistic and likeable characters, humor both laugh-out-loud slapstick and gut-wrenchingly satirical, kick-ass ninja fights, arctic adventure, space travel, advanced tactical maneuvering both military and political, passionate first love and the heartbreak of loss, and 101 conversations on math, philosophy, and the meaning of life. No wonder it's 1,000 pages long.

I recently watched a Youtube video in which the author tells us why Anathem could never be made into a movie: It's too damn long! He allows for the possibility of a miniseries, but I think it would have to be several seasons long to encompass the entire plot arc. I would be the first in line to watch it though!

Even though it took several false starts and quite a long time to get through, it goes down in my book as one amazing feat of literature. It's totally entertaining, engrossing, informative... if a bit long-winded. I highly recommend it to anyone not utterly repelled by speculative fiction. It's accessible (once you get the hang of the new vocabulary) and a lot of fun. :)

Wow. Congrats on getting through and VERY glad you liked it since it's sooooo long. This one doesn't sound like something I'm dying to read (especially at 1000 pages) but it does sound interesting and I would most likely watch that mini (or not so mini) series.

Ahhhhhh... Spring is officially here! The peach tree is blooming, the house martins have come home to nest, and the bluebonnets are everywhere. Best time of year!

Almost finished with The Last Song... probably this evening.

Once again I was treated to a dress rehearsal, this time for Last Train to Nibroc, a sweet and emotional vingette of a chance meeting that leads to true love. Wonderful of course! Our little local theater is great at casting; these two were absolutely brilliant. Next month will be The Fantasticks!

16: The Last Song by Eva Wiseman



This is the story of young Isabel, daughter to the royal physician in the time of Ferdinand and Isabel of Spain. This is also the time of the Inquisition, a purge of all non-Catholics, dissenters, and political enemies. Isabel is a Converso, a New Christian-- her ancestors were Jewish, and her family still practices the old religion in secret. Torquemada the Grand Inquisitor gets wind of this, and Isabel has to figure out a way to save her friends and family.

This is a very direct, short book, written at what seems to be a 3rd-4th grade level, yet touching on some more adult themes and with some advanced vocabulary (particularly historical and religious terms). I don't mind challenging young readers, but the writing style seemed at odds with some of the graphic scenes. The premise and plot are interesting, but there isn't much substance or detail to really flesh out the story. (For instance, as an adult reader, I can draw from experience to imagine what a large, crowded, medieval Spanish marketplace must look and sound like, but young people will probably struggle with the lack of description and detail.) I think reluctant middle-grade readers may enjoy the tension and historical grit, but this one doesn't cross over well into an older YA market.

It's Thursday! Bookstore day! I came home with some goodies today...

The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear and The Alchemaster's Apprentice by Walter Moers

The first 3 books of Everworld

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (which I will probably shelve for quite some time)

Red Dwarf by Grant Naylor

and
Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater (I need to get to Lament first)

I started in on Bluebear on the ride home, and it's really cute. Silly, along the lines of Pratchett or Douglas Adams.

The Scorpio Races is part of the Kindle Daily Deal-- $1.99 today!

They posted it as part of the "YA Dystopian" group, which isn't where it belongs, but it's still a great ebook deal. :)

There are a couple other books on this deal, Ashes, Ashes and The Eleventh Plague that are not dystopian either, but I've noticed that lately the term has become almost interchangeable with "post-apocalyptic", especially in the YA market. This irritates me, as they are completely different ideas!

#110 -- I know what you mean about dystopian/post-apocalyptic. I think it's because there are several well-known cases (The Giver springs to mind) where a dystopian society arose in a post-apocalyptic era, and so people start to think that the two terms are synonomous. There was a discussion on somebody's thread (can't remember whose; aren't I helpful?) about books that were post-apocalyptic but not dystopian and vice-versa. On the other hand, The Scorpio Races isn't either, so who knows what they were thinking on that one!

@108 - I haven't read The Last Song

My first read in YA fiction was Incantation by Alice Hoffman and has a very similar premise. I was wow'd by Incantation and it really inspired me to try some other YA novels.

I read it because I love Alice Hoffman and I learned here on LT that adults can read YA. Have you read Incantation? I thought it was beautiful.

I'm reading The Dovekeepers now and I'm enjoying it very much

No I haven't read Incantation, though it does sound similar! But obviously fleshed out into a full novel. I have known of Alice Hoffman for years, hear a lot about her, but I haven't read any of her work yet. I'm not typically drawn to that type of book.

I started out reading The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear aloud to my family in the car, and it is so much fun that we're going to continue it that way! It's 700 pages long, so it will take several trips to town to get to the end, but that's okay with us. :)

And so, in need of some private reading, I began Day of the Oprichnik by Vladimir Sorokin. My first Sorokin, and I'm hoping to be wowed.

I'm a happy person tonight! I've just read confirmation that both Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and The Book Thief have been picked up and slated for movie production! No cast news as of yet, but squeeee!!

Miss Peregrine wasn't my favorite book but I think it'll make a great movie. Apparently Tim Burton will be directing. It's a visual book, and needs a nice creepy ambiance to make it come alive. I actually think an animation a la Coraline or Nightmare before Christmas would be neat.

As for The Book Thief... they'll need to be VERY careful with casting and production since it's such a beloved book already. I can't wait to see what they do with it.

Maybe if I just assume they will be terrible movies I can see them and not be too disappointed...

Tim Burton will be directing?!?!?!? SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAL!!!!!!!!!! Yes! Bring on the weird, Mr. Burton, and I will be happy! That is SO awesome!

And they have to be careful with "The Book Thief," but hey - if they do it at least half the way Schindler's List was done, it should turn out pretty good.

Amazon recommended to me a book called The Mongoliad which, when I clicked on it, I saw it was written in part by Neal Stephenson (hence the rec). It's coauthored by several other guys, one of which has the most awesome name-- Cooper Moo (makes me smile!). It seems to be a typical Stephenson-type history-meets-present adventure with a lot of martial arts and blades and stuff.

What was more interesting was that it led me to Railsea, an upcoming release by China Mieville, inspired by Moby Dick. I've only read one other Mieville, but this one sounds intriguing.

Also, I had no idea that the Ladies' #1 Detective Agency series was up to 13 books already! I read about 5 of them many years ago but then lost track. I really wish HBO had continued the series; it was one of my favorite shows.

Yay, I won a copy of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry! I'm excited about getting this one.

Has anyone here ever won a book through Goodreads? How many and how often? I've been requesting for a few months now and not won a single thing. There seem to be so many more people there, and so many YOUNG people! I almost can't bear to read the forums, it's so full of textspeak and poor spelling. But I love the recommendations feature-- it keeps my wishlist quite full!

Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking trilogy is the Kindle daily deal, 99 cents for each book.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kdd_kbhp_title?ie=UTF8&docId=10007...

17: Day of the Oprichnik by Vladimir Sorokin



The story (if you can call it that-- there is no real plot) follows Komiaga, an Oprichnik agent in Moscow in 2028. The breakup of the Soviet Union was subverted, leaving Russia's political state an admixture of Tsarist self-indulgent aristocracy, Chinese infiltration, and Soviet-era social tyrrany... now with ray guns! Agents are assigned to "exterminate" enemies of His Majesty, and they do so with orgiastic enthusiasm. They will flush out a house, torture the occupants and servants, and then blast the house to bits with their ray guns. Komiaga is one of these agents, a high-ranking right-hand man to the head of the secret police. He takes great delight in his work, making sure he gets the prime opportunities for debauchery and brutality.

The entire book consists of one day in the life of Komiaga, as he takes out political enemies, sits in on artistic performances (to critique the subject matter of course), takes a bribe in the form of psychotropic fish, manipulates a trainful of Chinese imports, and has a late-night breakfast with the Queen followed by an orgy in the bathhouse. All in a day's work.

Sorokin takes the classic Russian idea of the superfluous man, and applies it to an entire nation of people: anyone of any import is apart and above the writhing masses of peasant "worms". The nation is cut off from the rest of the world, literally, which allows them to become steeped in debauchery, excess, and ostentation. The book delivers a sharp satire on the progression of the communist ideal into the reality of exclusionary hedonism, but it fails to engage the reader in any way that matters.

Prior experience with Soviet/post-Soviet satire is probably the only way you'll connect with the story at all.

18: Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin



Naomi has fallen and hit her head, causing her to lose all her memories past the 6th grade. That's 4 years of her life, inaccessible to her. She awakes in the hospital and is told her parents are divorced, her mother remarried with a new family, her father engaged, her boyfriend away at camp, the new boy in her life is intriguing to her but disliked by others, and her best friend is distant. But she doesn't remember any of this, or know why it's happened.

This story is about Naomi rediscovering and reassessing her relationships with everyone she knows. It's about second chances and forgiveness, and it's about Naomi deciding what sort of person she wants to become.

I really enjoyed this one. Its plot is minimal, and yet the writing style is fast-paced and fluid. Zevin's characterizations of both the teenagers and adults is spot-on. I love the fact that we get all the angst and emotional conflict without the whiny self-indulgence that usually accompanies it. These kids are real, their problems are real, and the adults in their lives are real people. It's a thouroughly absorbing story told by an accomplished writer.

I have another of Zevin's books on the TBR shelf, Elsewhere, which also deals with memory and loss, and while I want to pick it up right now (a testament to how much I enjoyed Zevin's writing), I want to distance myself from Memoirs first so the stories don't mingle.

I enjoyed both Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac and Elsewhere. Her writing is thoughtful and engaging, even if it isn't deep in plot. :)

No, there's not a lot of "action" but somehow a lot is going on anyway. :)

I am SOOOOO excited today! Amazon has finally set up streaming through PS3! I can finally get my videos on my home tv, where I used to have to watch at work or on my tiny pc screen. I know, I know... I'm behind the tech times. But this gets me one step closer to completely connected.

It makes a huge difference to be able to watch on the TV screen! When we set up our Xbox360 through the network to stream shows right onto the TV, it was glorious. Now I have Netflix so that's right on the TV anyway, but it's so much better than having to watch things on the computer! Now you can snuggle down on the couch, get a blanket, a snack, and settle in for the night. Haha.

So right! Unfortunately, my connection isn't as fast as it could be, so about once every 15-20 mins it rebuffers. Not fun, but it could be worse. I'll have to call to upgrade my connection now. :)

19: The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book II: The Hidden Gallery by Mayrose Wood



I'll recap briefly for those who haven't read the first book: Young governess Penelope Lumley has been called in to manage three young children who have been found in the deep woods, and who appear to have been raised by wolves. They are sweet children, if prone to howling and chewing on shoes. Miss Lumley does a fine job of smoothing out their manners, until the evening of the Holiday Ball at Ashton Place, when the children resort to chasing an ill-placed squirrel through the house.

In the second book, that same squirrel is now their pet Nutsawoo, and the family is retiring to London to wait out the repairs necessary on the house after the Holiday Ball incident. Penelope and the children embark on several intertwining adventures involving a mysterious book, a pickpocket, a nearly toothless soothsayer, a velocipede, and a curiously-moon-obsessed Lord Ashton. Who sent her the strange book? Why will her former headmistress not answer Penelope's questions? Why are the children "in danger"? Why did Lady Constance have to wear such a dreadful getup to the theatre?

This series is so incredibly sweet! The second book, at 310 pages is a good bit longer than the first, and a good bit more involved as well. But it retains the same childlike charm and goodnaturedness which make the series distinctive. It seems lifted from another, more innocent time, and yet the humor is first rate and modern. I would highly recommend reading the books in order, as explanations of past events are minimal, and indeed many ends are left untied at the conclusion of Book II. I look forward to Book III!

I've been meaning to pick this series up but hadn't really heard any opinions on it. Glad to hear that you found them charming. Must get around to them sooner rather than later.

>122 UnrulySun: I was quite fond of Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac but the premise of Elsewhere just didn't work for me so I ditched it. Hopefully you appreciate it much more.

I saw on FB today the video of Greg Laswell's song "Back to You" with Elizabeth Ziman... Lovely. The video is a sweet little stop-motion that made me smile. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBLS5b3VCgM&list=UU2LUSsa69zifXIE_HrC4GSA&amp...

I really like his music, and his new album is a collaboration with other artists I like as well. I'm excited for its release! Elizabeth Ziman is the lead singer from Elizabeth and the Catapult (the album Taller Children is a fave of mine too), and there are also songs with Ingrid Michaelson, Sia, and Sara Bareilles. A happy little album.

What do you guys like to listen to? I'm such a stimulation junkie, I have to have music playing most all the time, even while reading or working. I'm always on the lookout for new or new-to-me bands. I'd love some suggestions.

20: The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester



Piper McCloud is a little girl growing up in a small farming town, the only child of older parents-- provincial people who don't understand why their child had to be afflicted with the ability to fly. Yes, Piper can take off into the sky and fly among the clouds, doing loop-de-loops and soaring over the neighbors' houses and cavorting with birds. After an incident at a local picnic, Piper is sent away to I.N.S.A.N.E., a secret facility for housing "unusual" species, everything from plants to people. There, Piper meets other children with extraordinary abilities and stories both inspiring and heartbreaking. But soon the children realize that all is not well at the facility and formulate a plan to set things right.

This book surprised me! I picked it up on a whim from the bargain bin, and the cover told me it should be a typical children's story, probably a bit juvenile. But this is a perfect example of "don't judge a book by the cover". It is an incredibly well-wrought, emotionally intelligent tale of misfit children who find their own voices and ways in a world that doesn't seem to want them. And while some character development is a bit strained at times, overall it's done well. Most of the conflicts and issues are wrapped up by the end, and while there is enough left unanswered to leave room for a sequel, I don't think one is necessary.

The blurb on the front cover is from Stephenie Meyer (of Twilight), and says "It's the oddest/sweetest mix of Little House on the Prairie and X-Men. I was smiling the whole time (except for the part where I cried)... Prepare to have your heart warmed." At first I thought that was a bit hokey, but it really proved to be true.

sounds quite lovely. Isn't it so great when you discover a book like that? I'm glad you enjoyed it.

The Titanic miniseries started this evening... have it recording. I think it replays late tonight also!

I've been on a roll in my preorders lately. So many fun things coming out on paperback, as well as a few new releases I just *have* to have. Somebody stop me from shopping!

#130 - I meant to comment on your music question earlier, but my post started rattling on for far too long... let's just say that I listen to far too much music! I love symphonic metal, which is basically metal mixed with classical music and some opera thrown in there to make it even more beautiful. Some of my favorite bands are Within Temptation, Delain, Xandria, Sirenia, and Nightwish. This song is cool, and my favorite so far from Nightwish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3JPpIc8634 It's about stories which makes it even better!

And this song is great - Tarja's voice is so operatically gorgeous: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85o7cEsb4ug

There is so much more that I love, but symphonic metal is my favorite genre. And soundtrack music, too. Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman are geniuses, particularly Danny: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_jhzJEiqcY (great movie by the way)

Weirded out yet? :D

No, not weirded out! I used to listen to much harder music in my youth. The closest I get to rock opera now is The Hazards of Love. I sometimes listen to Joe Satriani, does that count? :D

The ones you posted: I love the music; it sounds like a movie soundtrack or a guitar metal album, and then the voice takes it somewhere else entirely.

I'm a child of the grunge era, and I'll always love that music, but my tastes are so much more varied now. The only types of music I don't really care for are modern (non-crossover) country and hard-core rap.

Now I like listening to other people's taste in music! For such a long time I labored over finding new music to enjoy, and for a while in the late 90's to early 00's it seemed like nothing new was "good". Then I figured out the online music sites and my world opened up. I'm willing to give just about anything a chance, but when it's got melody and I can sing along, I'm a happy camper.

I watched the first 1.5 hours of Titanic last night... It's not growing on me the way Downton Abbey or some other period pieces have. I'm not invested in any of the characters; indeed I can hardly tell some of them apart still. We haven't gotten any backstory on any of them yet, and they all sound exactly like the characters in Downton Abbey so my aural memory superimposes Lady Sybill and Mister Moseley over their faces.

It's also got a strange format so far. The ship hits the iceberg within the first hour, and I thought, "Really? There are five more hours of show left!" And then it takes us back even farther in time, to the ship being built. New characters introduced, still no development of the people we just watched fight for their lives.

I will finish it out, unless it simply doesn't get any better soon, but I was so hoping for Julian Fellowes' masterful character development and we haven't gotten it yet. It's beautiful to look at anyway.

I went to watch a little more of Titanic this morning, and what's happening is we're getting the same story over and over, but from different perspectives. So, I can see now how the story is building and things are coming together. But I still don't find it as compelling in this format. We haven't a chance to get involved with the characters before it switches to some more.

I thought I had set that to record but I don't think it did... I better double check it cause my mom was super excited. Hope it lives up (and improves from what you've seen).

Continuing the meme from Morphy/Leah:

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?

I will pick up anything that interests me in whatever format I find it in. I prefer the look of a hardback on my shelves, but prefer the feel of a trade pb in my hands.

Amazon or brick and mortar?

I tend to buy a LOT from Amazon, because it's generally less expensive and I can have it in my hands almost immediately. I live in the sticks (retailary speaking) and have just one local small bookstore. I try to support them when possible, but they deal in mostly used mmps. The girl who owns the shop makes lovely jewelry and trinkets though, so I end up buying more "stuff" than books from her!

Barnes & Noble or Borders?

No more Borders. I despise B&N for various reasons. I will browse in there when others want to go in but I don't buy from them. We go to Hastings (love them) and I can spend hours there looking through the vast clearance and used sections. They have movies and music also. Plus, we have a teacher discount there! I also love to go to Half-Price (teacher card there too) where I can find more obscure and OOP things sometimes.

Bookmark or dogear?

NEVER FOLD! No dogears, no marks, no spine breaking when I can help it. Always a bookmark. I tend to use whatever scrap of paper I can find but recently picked up an Edward Gorey bookmark that makes me smile.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?

Neither. There is method to my madness but only I can see it. My shelves are stacked 2 and 3 deep, vertical and horizontal, and stacks upon stacks sit on top of the half-shelves. They are arranged roughly by genre (or at least country of origin), and by the time in my life I read them, and by TBR v read v want to reread... It looks a chaotic mess but I can find just about any title you ask of me.

Keep, throw away, or sell?

I keep nearly EVERYthing. About once a year I go through both my and my daughter's shelves and pick out the dreck to donate. I used to sell on Amz until they instituted policies which drove "real" people out of business.

Keep dust jacket or toss it?

KEEP! Are you kidding?

Read with dust jacket or remove it?

Remove it. It's slippy and rippy and foldy.

Short story or novel?

99% novels. I like a good short story once in a while.

Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)?

Anthology.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?

Harry Potter fo sho. Although I appreciate the droll humor in Lemony Snicket's books.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

Whenever I absolutely MUST stop, I try to find a chapter break. When I read at night, I just go until I fall asleep.

"It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time"?

Dark and stormy night sounds more intriguing...

Buy or Borrow?

Buy. The local library stinks and I rarely have anyone to trade books with or borrow from. People tend to borrow books from me, though, since I have almost anything they might ask for. I work with a lot of high school and college students, who borrow from me instead of buying new.

New or used?

Whichever is cheaper! There are very few authors that I am willing to pay new retail for, but I am picky about the used books I bring home. It can't have any obvious pet hair or smoke smells, and I won't pick up anything crusty. ;)

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?

Mostly browse.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?

Somewhere in between I guess. I don't mind either way, but a cliffhanger needs to come at the end of a great story or I'll get frustrated.

Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading?

Whenever I can find the time. I do most of my reading at night or in the car (my husband is my chauffeur). But I also have about 15 mins every morning and afternoon to read, while at work. I carry my phone everywhere, and it has the Kindle app, so I can read while waiting in lines or out to dinner, etc.

Stand-alone or series?

Either. Both. But a series has to be GREAT to draw me in. There are countless series I've only read Book 1 of.

Favorite series?

Number 1: The Monster Blood Tattoo books by DM Cornish. I also really like Rick Yancey's Montrumologist series, Terry Pratchett's Discworld books (for both young and old), the May Bird trilogy by Jodi Lynn Anderson, the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley, Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next books, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and the Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart.

Favorite children's book?

Number 1: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Otherwise: The Westing Game, From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler, The Secret Garden, Matilda, anything by Sandra Boynton.

Favorite book of which "nobody" else has heard?

Brave Story by Miyuki Miyabe

Favorite books read last year?

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making, Wintersmith, Princess Academy, Child 44, Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls, Lamplighter, The Angel Maker, Soulless, Tender Morsels

Favorite books of all time?

Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman, The Phantom Tollbooth, The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, War with the Newts by Karel Capek, The Twelve Chairs by Ilf& Petrov, Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut, and The Fur Hat by Vladimir Voinovich

Least favorite book you finished last year?

I read a lot of dreck last year it seems. The worst were probably the teen ebooks.

What are you reading right now?

13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear-- aloud to my family, The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict, and The Wretched of Muirwood (kindle)

What are you reading next?

Who knows?! I pick up a book in the moment and go from there. But, I am anxious to read Book 3 of the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, or perhaps The Book of Heroes by Miyuki Miyabe.

recently picked up an Edward Gorey bookmark that makes me smile

YAY! I got a great Gorey bookmark from a publisher when they sent me the ER of The Treehorn Trilogy and it is so great that I put it on a shelf to be displayed instead of used!

Can't wait to hear how The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict is. I've read the others- loved the first and appreciated the other two- and am very intrigued by this prequel.

I absolutely love Edward Gorey. My childhood was rather defined by his Gnashlycrumb Tinies (along with Mark Twain's Mysterious Stranger). I found a copy of his Red Riding Hood, which just delights me to no end!

Whenever I come across something Gorey I try to pick it up. HPB stores usually have a lot of ephemera.

So far Extraordinary Education is great. A little more mature, a little darker. It's begun rather heartbreaking, but it's got the same humor.

We had a slow day at the restaurant today so to cure boredom we spent the day baking. Lots and lots of goodies! We made brownie cakes, peanut butter bars, and banana nut crumble muffins, to name a few. Methinks I sampled a bit too much. :D

Waiting for me at home today were two packages, both books I've been waiting for! I received Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente who wrote The Girl Who Circumnavigated... and Oddfellow's Orphanage by Emily Martin! I cannot WAIT to dive into Oddfellows.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm. Muffins... :)

By the way, kudos for keeping your pages pristine from dog ears. I DESPISE dog ears. They make me go crazy whenever I help sort donated books at my library's used book sale, because I'm the one who has to unfold and try to flatten all the folded ends. Infuriating. *fumes* I'm happy that most people favor bookmarks, though!

How did I miss the fact that you run a restaurant/bakery? Maybe I knew it and forgot it... I do that a lot recently. Anyway, HOW COOL! I would love to open a the farmhouse up for weekend meals with a few family style tables... but I think that's one step too many right now.

Can't wait to hear who Deathless turns out, as I'm looking forward to reading more Valente.

I don't own the restaurant, thank goodness! I manage it though. All the responsibility, none of the financial burden. The owners are always present, and we have a great staff of highschool and college students, so we have a lot of fun and make lots of "taste-tester" goodies on slow days. It's really like a big family and we share in each other's triumphs and tragedies. I also love that we're mostly only open during school hours which makes it easy for those of us with kids. ♥

Eris, I despise dogears, notes, and highlights too! I try to keep my books as neat and clean as possible. Sometimes that means having to hold one with two hands, not letting it open all the way, lol! Some people tell me I should just USE the books; they're just paper and easy to replace. But I sort of view them as my booky family, each with a personality, and MY copy is irreplaceable.

Our baby house martins have emerged! Their little heads are peeking over the top of the nest now. I count 3, one less than has been normal for the last several years. It's too dark to get a picture this evening, but maybe I can soon. The babies are always so sweet when they begin to get feathers. :)

Excitement! Can barely contain it! Eeee!

Terry Pratchett has a new book coming out in June, The Long Earth, and it's NOT Discworld. He's one of the few authors I will gladly pay HB retail for, so I've already preordered it!

21: The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart



The fourth installment in the Mysterious Benedict Society series, this is actually a prequel of sorts. It tells the story of an important chapter in the Society's founder's childhood, in which Nicholas discovers his purpose in life, and sets a foundation for the rest of the books.

If you've read any of the other books, you know that Mr Benedict grew up as an orphan, is extremely clever, and loves children. You'll also know that he has narcolepsy, and is prone to falling asleep at times of extreme emotion, particularly delight or excitement. In this book, he is aged nine and still growing accustomed to dealing with his condition. Nicholas has been shipped off to a different orphanage because the directors at the previous one deemed his genius-level reasoning impertinent and annoying, and they didn't want to deal with his horrific night terrors.

He arrives at his destination-- a dilapidated country manor house that has been converted into an orphanage and subsequently run into the ground by careless and greedy staff. Immediately he assesses the situation here: bullies intimidate the children, the current staff are distracted and silly, but not unkind, and there is treasure to be found.

Nicholas sets himself the task of uncovering the treasure, which would solve a great number of problems for himself and his friends. Along the way there are adventures and misadventures, clever deductions and manipulations, and a good bit of humor.

Any reader who has read the other books will recognize Stewart's voice, but this book is different than the others in a couple of ways. It is more mature in both its cynicism and optimism, and the story is more realistic. The subjects of adoption and acceptance of children are obviously important to the author, and can plainly be seen here. In fact, the central theme of the story revolves around the dichotomy between a child's mind and its adult counterpart. What sort of adults do clever children turn into if they are nurtured and encouraged? What happens when they are not? Of course this plays out in the other books as well, albeit in a more black-and-white way.

I enjoyed the book, and recommend it as a companion to the others. However, I think this one stands alone well, and is not necessary to understand the rest; indeed, the Nicholas we see here bears little resemblance to the Mr Benedict we see in the rest of the series, except for his underlying purpose: to find, save, and encourage clever children who need someone to call family and a place to call home. I think young readers who enjoyed the previous books will find this one a welcome progression in tone and subject matter to match their own growth as readers.

Now reading Oddfellow's Orphanage by Emily Winfield Martin, an artist I originally found on etsy, many years ago. I absolutely adore her artwork! You can find it here: theblackapple
and on her lovely blog here: http://www.theblackapple.typepad.com/
She draws a lot of inspiration from bookish things, which makes it all the more delightful to me. :)

A favorite of mine:


I've kept an eye on her meteoric rise in popularity over the last few years. She published a book of paperdolls in 2010 but this is her first foray into fiction. Fingers crossed it lives up to my high hopes. The book was based on her original Oddfellow's Orphanage postcard collection, seen here:

22: Oddfellow's Orphanage by Emily Winfield Martin



This is a charming little story about a houseful of orphaned children, each with an equally odd or tragic history. We are treated to a series of gentle vingettes in which the children have a small adventure, celebrate a holiday, or just generally enjoy a happy day among their kind adult caregivers.

This is a pretty little cupcake of a book: quite quaint, sqishably adorable, and sugary sweet. It's not great literature, and you won't find a complicated plot or any deeper meaning, but as a story for the very young, it is delightful. It's a slender volume, chock full of lovely illustrations and descriptions of the characters.

My favorite line? From the description of Hugo the hedgehog:
"Hugo, the little hedgehog, was orphaned at a very early age. Consequently, he became quite attached to a coarse-bristled scrubbing brush."

23: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang



Graphic novel with 3 parallel stories involving Chinese-American boys and The Monkey King. This book won a Printz award, and I was expecting a bit more from it. It was poignant but ultimately disappointing. Perhaps if I had a stronger connection to the subject matter, I could have enjoyed it more.

#149 by @UnrulySun> Glad to see good reviews of this as I'm looking forward to it. Great to hear that it's a little less black and white than the others (especially the last two).

#151 by @UnrulySun> I LOVE The Black Apple stuff from Martin so I'm thrilled to hear this was fun. She's so artistically talented, so good to know she could parlay that into a book.

I used her freebie paper doll set for Christmas gift decorations and tags and they were ADORABLE!

Yes, I love that she gives away freebies! She has a set on the book's website right now, are they the same?

They must be different, as they are the book characters this time.

http://www.oddfellowsorphanage.com/diversions.html

Here's another artist I came across on etsy (she's no longer there that I can find). It's similar at first glance but with more macabre whimsy.

http://www.annejulie-art.com/gallery.html

Here's the ones I used: http://theblackapple.typepad.com/inside_a_black_apple/2011/12/wintery-paper-doll....

But those Oddfellow ones are adorable. Black Apple got me ridiculously obsessed with cloth dolls... like, if they weren't all very expensive because they are handmade I would own 100. No, more. If you look at my Kids Toys pinboard, there are tons... I put them there so other people don't realize I want them for myself. ;)

Here's the one I'm DYING to have

Oh he's a clever fellow! And the details on the blog page are amazing! Your board is wonderful. I fell in love with stuffies on etsy as well, and thank goodness I can't afford a collection or I'd the be crazy lady with a room dedicated to her stuffies.

24: The Recently Deflowered Girl by Edward Gorey & Mel Juffe



I picked this little book up as part of a gift to a girlfriend of mine who just had a baby. Of course I had to read through it before giving it away! It's a checklist of scenarios in which a girl may be deflowered... and some helpful advice on what do say or do to maintain one's dignity. Obviously, it is all tongue-in-cheek, dated, and quite bawdy, but very very funny. Gorey's drawings are delicious as well.

One example:

Deflowerment in Doctor's Office

Suffering from a mild headache, you visit doctor's office. After deflowerment, you say, "Gee, doctor, my headache is gone."

He says, "The doctor is out. I'm just another patient."

You say (shrewdly): "Then, I take it, there will be no fee."

Thrift is a virtue men like to find in a woman.

Oh LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! I'm going to go order this right away. Gorey is wonderful and a whole book on deflowerments is AWESOME! Thank you for the book bullet!

25: Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente



Marya Morevna is a young girl living in Petrograd in a time of shifting politics and an ominous future. She witnesses the "naked world" of magic and fairytales, when three birds shapeshift into men and carry her three sisters away. She longs for a bird to come for her as well, but when he does, she is unprepared. Her bird, of course, is Koschei the Deathless, Tsar of Life. He takes Marya to his thriving, visceral world where everything is (literally) full of life and vitality. Marya learns to be comfortable in this world-- learns what it is to be a mistress, a wife, in control and yet subjected to tyrrany, cruelty, unfathomable love, and crushing devotion.

Koschei is locked in an eternal war with his brother Viy, Tsar of Death, who takes everyone and everything that has died and perverts them into his own marching army to conquer the realm of Life. This battle is juxtaposed against the real-world struggles of Russia in WWII.

It is said that all stories are already written; we are but players doomed to repeat the patterns and plotlines already laid out by eons of telling the same story over and over. We may try to resist, but we always, always play the story out to its inevitable end. Marya is resolved to break this pattern, and when her chance comes, she seizes it. But despite her struggles, and while details may vary from teller to teller, perhaps a story is fated to end the same way every time.

I really really love this book. In fact, after only a few chapters, I decided it was going on my list of all-time favorites. It is masterfully written, lyrical and fluid and steeped in a perfect blend of history and fairyland magic. Valente obviously did her research on Slavic folklore. She was also able to infuse a wonderfully sly sense of humor and whimsy into an otherwise heartbreaking tale. Don't get me wrong, however, it is not a depressing book. It is full of romance and childhood hopes and dreams, friendship, and life lessons. But at its heart is a dark and terrible tale of love and loss, as can only be set in the cold, bleak, greyness of Russia at war.

There is Magic in this book. A casual reader who picks this book up randomly at the airport will probably be thinking "Wait... What?!" after every chapter. It's told in classic fairytale structure: the rule of three, repetition, full-circle resolutions. A sense of Slavic folklore, and a smidge of Russian history would help a reader understand things tremendously. There are numerous puns in the character names and allusions to historical and mythological figures. I found Google quite helpful. :)

Haha! The Gorey book really is a delight. YW!

I've started on Legend by Marie Lu, hoping for some lighter reading. It certainly is, so far. It feels like a screenplay. Hope it gets better.

Facebook told me this morning that Gotye didn't like the Glee rendition of his song done on the show. Which made me wonder: Don't the artists have any say over their material? I always thought the show would have to have rights approved by the artist/label, and perhaps they could request a sample of the proposed usage. No?

Gotye's album is wonderful, btw. I've had it on a continual loop for a few weeks now, along with Alex Clare's album. Thank you, television!

I wasn't really impressed with Legend... hope you enjoy it better.

Because I live under a rock, I had never heard the Gotye song until Glee, so that's something. Cause now I love the song! Must listen to more by him. Glee is constantly introducing me to new songs... which probably wouldn't be new to me if I listened to something other than oldies radio.

Glee is pretty good at using current and up-and-coming hits, which is nice for spreading the word and gaining popularity for the artists. I was surprised recently when they used a Givers song that I love, and of course on the suicide episode they used Young the Giant that I love as well. Suddenly "everyone" was talking about them.

I gave up on Legend. It wasn't going anywhere; lots of urban noir and unexplained angst. Why are we not told what happened to the country? WTH is going on? All I could picture were teenagers striking Captain Morgan poses, hair tousled by a raging storm...

Bookstore day today, and I came home with a copy of The Fault in Our Stars which I had been avoiding, but how could I pass up a brand-newish copy for $2?

I've heard bad things about Legend in other reviews - sounds to me like yet another dystopian book trying to catch the The Hunger Games wave.

And yesterday I just got The Fault in Our Stars from the library. I've read a couple of chapters and so far I'm not engrossed, but this is probably just due to my general disinterest in romance (no fault of the book). I've heard incredible things about the book, so I will definitely keep with it.

My biggest complaint about Legend was that I could see the romance brewing between the 2 main characters, and the boy is a horrible criminal. Not in a "fight the machine" kind way, either. Not my thing.

26: Tales of Terror from the Black Ship by Chris Priestley



This clever little book is a series of stories, told within the story of Ethan and Cathy, two children left to tend the family's seaside inn during a terrible storm. A mysterious stranger knocks upon the door, and the children let him inside. He regales them with eerie, scary, terrifying tales of pirates, ghosts, curses, monsters, murder, and mayhem. But Ethan begins to notice something is not quite right about their guest...

The stories included in this collection are much better than I expected. Genuinely creepy, even scary. Exactly the sort of thing you'd want to hear around a campfire or when the lights go out in a storm. I can definitely see young people having nightmares from these stories!

In a happy coincidence to previous posts in this thread, the illustrations (by David Roberts) bear an uncanny similarity to Edward Gorey's style, which is a delight in itself.

Have you read Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror? I have that one on my TBR list and saw that these were a series. I wondered if they needed to be read in order or if they were just connected.

I don't think they need to be read in order. I have the other two on my wishlist but this is the first I've read.

Just finished Rapunzel's Revenge. Review to follow!

27: Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale, et al



Graphic novel rework of the classic Rapunzel story, set in the American Old West. Its words are quite sparse, and action moves extremely briskly, but you still get a quality story out of the book. I enjoyed the facial expressions on all the characters and the banter is witty. It's definitely geared toward middle-grade readers, structured as a series of quests and nearly instant results, but overall it's a fun way to wile away an hour on a lazy afternoon. :)

Well my baby birds have flown the nest. Oddly, one of the babies is colored like a swallow rather than a martin, with a bright rusty red head and yellow belly. The other two are the traditional grey and white. I tried again to get a picture on my cell but it's very blurry. I can't get up close enough from down below.

And the peach tree has baby peaches on it! Little fuzzy green lumps all over. In a few weeks we'll have peach pits in the yard and peach jam on our toast. :)

We always have people stop and knock to ask if they can pick a peach. And we always say yes. Our neighbors know they are welcome to the peaches as well (one of whom makes the jam for everyone). And yet we still end up with just a ton of peaches left over!!

Yum! I love fruit trees. My greatgrandparents yard was full of old apple trees and my sister and I would gorge ourselves on them even though they were the little hard sour ones, which are totally gross and give you stomach ache. Peach tress would have been much better!

I found some google images that match my birdies almost exactly.

Our martins look like this (aren't they adorable??):


grown up:


and then the one bird looks like this except the red goes up much further on his face and head:


I wonder if it's common to have such anomalies (seeing as how they are so close in species), or if he's an interloper's egg?

Oh Leah, we had so many fruit trees growing up, it's wonderful!! We had plums, pears, apples, peaches, and at one time a cherry tree that didn't like our climate very well. We also had walnuts, pecans, and blueberries. And then the wild blackberries that grew all over... This would be the perfect time of year when we could just pick and eat.

My go-to gal for all animal knowledge just informed me that it's quite common for swallows to try to steal nests, and this little guy is probably an interloper's egg that didn't get pushed out by the martins. What's not so common is that the martins would feed the baby swallow, but obviously they did! I think that's kind of cool. :)

ETA: she also thinks it could be that the nest was originally a swallow's, but got usurped by martins, until this year when a swallow tried to take it back. Oh the bird drama!!

28: Everworld: Search for Senna by K A Applegate



The first in a long YA series about a group of teenagers who are sucked into a vortex while trying to save their friend from a massive otherworldly wolf. In the other world-- Everworld-- they encounter Vikings, Norse gods, Aztecs, aliens, and various other mythological creatures and gods. They are looking for their friend Senna but get embroiled in a war between the Norse and the Aztecs. It ends in a huge cliffhanger, as I'm sure each book in the series does, so of course I want to pick up the next one.

It's a surprisingly well-done little book. It reminds me of some of the books I read as a preteen, ones by authors like Christopher Pike and Richie Tankersly Cusick, except more well-written. I have the next 2 books ready to read, but we'll wait and see if I want to go any further.

BIRDIES!!!!!!!!!! I love birds so much, so thank you for posting those pictures. Your little martins are so cute. ^_^

It's MAY! Already!! That means summer is right around the corner, yay!

My copies of Insurgent and The Serpent's Shadow arrived today. I have some catching up to do and then I can start in on Insurgent. I'm not as psyched to read it now as when I put it on preorder, but I will probably pick it up soon anyway.

29: The Wretched of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler



This is the first in a trilogy surrounding Lia Cook, a young girl left in an abbey as a baby, who appears to have inherited the gift of channeling great and powerful magic. When a rebel army forms to depose the usurper king and restore the rightful family to the throne, Lia is thrust into the thick of things. She takes it upon herself to use her magic to save a knight so he can ride into battle, and she alone can turn the tide of war. She learns some secrets about her own history, and perhaps her future as well.

Even though it turned out to be a different sort of story than the blurbs promised, I ended up liking it a lot. I don't typically read pure medeival fantasy like this, since I'm not much into swordplay and battle tactics and the games of thrones. But Muirwood is more than these things; it's coming-of-age, it's girl-power, it's a sweet romance. Overall quite enjoyable. It took me much longer than expected to finish it on Kindle, so I'm not sure if I'll dive right into the next installment, but I know I will eventually.

These are so CUTE!! They're featured on etsy right now.

I would love to have a box full of little flossy creatures for my hardanger flosses! (If I still took the time to do hardanger, that is.)



The seller (sugarcookie) has a unicorn, a doxie, a deer, a giraffe... squee!

So cute! Officially pinned now. (Whatever did I do before pinterest?)

Very cute :)

30: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green



Well well well, where to start on this one? It has been getting a TON of hype, I've read a TON of great reviews from people who loved the book, some even claiming it changed their lives. So of course I was skeptical when I started reading it, which, admittedly, probably has influenced my feelings toward the story.

As a bittersweet teen romance, I give it 4 stars. Green certainly knows how to jerk a tear and pluck a heartstring. Augustus is the very model of a dashing, charming, witty, philosophically-inclined hipster kid that many a girl wishes would sweep into her life and make it interesting.

As a deeper-meaning, life-changing (or at least life-affirming) piece of literature... I give it 3 stars. It didn't do it for me. I could totally see what Green wanted us to feel, or come away feeling about these kids and their situation, but most of the poignant moments felt pretentious and forced, overwrought. There were moments of brilliance-- in the wit and sarcasm-- but the irony was not lost on me that while telling us the problems with most "cancer kid" books, Green's story follows the same format his characters despise. Is that supposed to be part of the profundity? Perhaps, but instead of being original, it reminded me of Dying Young at every turn.

I did like the very end. It was the only moment that managed to deliver on the ideas Green only plays at in the beginning.

TFioS was not life-changing for me, but I don't mean to sound harsh. I enjoyed it for the sweet romance, the witty banter (as improbable as it may be), and especially Hazel's interaction with Van Houten.

30.5: The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland-- For a Little While by Catherynne M. Valente



This is a very short little Kindle piece that tells us a bit more about Mallow, who featured as the almost-evil Marquess in The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. We meet Mallow as a seventeen-year-old woman, amateur magician, who wants only to live quietly and simply in her own home away from town and the bustle of everyday life. She is not a recluse, however, as she likes to trade in books with the locals. The King calls for mandatory attendance to a sort of Fairyland World's Fair, where he intends to extract a tithe from his citizens. We are also introduced to the Green Wind, Imogen, and some of the other characters from the longer book.

This was a very sweet piece, with the same voice and style as The Girl Who... and I really wish it were longer. There is still a large gap between the events in this piece and the book, and I want to know more! For instance, how she came to make the soap golem, and how she actually became the Marquess. I enjoy Valente's prose so much I am looking forward to her next book being released. From wiki:

"An upcoming sequel to The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland, to be published by Macmillan's Feiwel & Friends, is titled The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There.

I'm trying to remember where I read a list of good graphic novels. I'm searching through some of my starred posts but that is tedious! Anyone remember seeing it too, maybe? Or can you recommend some here?

#184 - I totally agree. The philosophy is very pretentious to me, and the depth of the characters musings can only fill a teacup compared to what I hear daily from my mom. The romance was okay, but Hazel lost me from the first page with some of her inner thoughts, so it was hard for me to get into the romance.

#185 - Cool! I have no kindle so I won't be able to check it out, but I'm glad it stacked up to "The Girl Who Circumnavigated..." I am also looking forward to the sequel!

Instantly bought The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland- For A Little While, so THANKS SO MUCH for the book bullet. Can't wait to start in tonight. And I'm soooo excited to hear there is a sequel coming. Wonderful!

I recommend Fables, Y: The Last Man, Maus, Persepolis... I enjoyed the first view issues of Runaways but I didn't keep up with them.

I've already wishlisted several from your thread, Leah! Thanks to you too!

I just got so overwhelmed at the bookstore the other day. I thought "Oh, I know, I'll go look at the graphic novels and see if anything looks interesting." Err... it's a chaotic mess of gory zombiepocalypse, masochistic porn, and Japanese melancholic teenage superheroes. I couldn't recall any titles or authors to look for. So, next time I take a list. :)

I have been browsing through online and bulleted several, but I want to wait until I can see them and flip through to make a decision.

Yeah, there is a TON of crap to wade through in graphic novels, especially if you are a woman who doesn't want to read superhero revamp or gore. But there are some gems, you just need to be willing to dig. Which I'm not always up for.

I just finally won a book from GoodReads! One I had asked for many weeks ago! Inconceivable!

It reminded me to go over and check out what's what over there, and of course I ended up browsing through the ARCs. My wishlist grows immensely every time I do that. So many new books to look forward to, some the next in a series, or a follow-up to a book I loved but never thought there would be another. Exciting stuff.

I finished The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland today and I'm totally with you: it's wonderful but INSANELY too short. Like you, there were many bits of Mallow's history from The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland that I wanted to know more about and this one just made that need greater. Most importantly, I want to know about her life after she was magicked out of Fairyland the first time and how she got back... because that was heartbreaking and powerful in the first one but there weren't enough details. Can't wait for the next one!

31.5: Amulet: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi



This is a little graphic novel meant for younger readers. Emily and Navin are children who have just lost their father in an auto accident. Their mother moves them to the country, to her family's old estate house. It's run down, and appropriately eerie. When the three go to inspect a mysterious noise in the basement, the mother is captured and taken underground. The two children follow, hoping to save their mother. They meet some interesting characters, learn a bit about their background, and have an adventure.

I think the description above is nearly longer than the actual text in the book, but the pictures were quite fun. I liked the premise, and was hoping for more from the story. I think young readers (perhaps ages 6-10) will find it just the right length and just the right amount of action and suspense, but as an adult I was underwhelmed.

It is book one in a longer series, so it may get more interesting as it progresses, but buying all the books is a hefty investment.

#193 by @UnrulySun> but buying all the books is a hefty investment.

Which is my biggest complaint about comics/graphics. I have all the trade paperbacks of Fables (plus the supplemental stuff) and it seriously adds up. That's 19 TPB, a novella length book, and a novel. At around $10 for each TPB and $15-20 for the books... ugh, that's a lot. Not that I think the authors and artists involved don't deserve the money, because of course they do, but it's a big commitment.

Especially if the series is aimed at kids.

Well I won't be paying retail for them! I can't justify $6-10 for a half-hour of picture-booking, no matter how pretty the pictures. I'm reading through Maus right now... whole 'nother level. ;)

So I started watching Lark Rise to Candleford on streaming tv, and I really like it! I'm into these masterpiece/historical dramas lately. It's got Brendan Coyle and John Dagleish in it, and Ben Miles, who plays Sir Timothy, does a masterful job of being dapper.

32.5: Maus 1: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman



Book 1 in the two-part set. A story of a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe and his son, a cartoonist who tries to come to terms with his father's story and history itself.

This is an incredibly detailed and immersive graphic/comic book. It's one I didn't want to put down, even when I got frustrated with present-day Vladek. It seems highly accessible, even to those not as familiar with the history it covers. After a small break I'll be picking up Book 2 to finish the story.

It's Howard Carter's 138th birthday today. Growing up I wanted to be an archaelogist, so I could discover something as extraordinary as Tut's tomb. The Tut exhibit recently passed through here, but tickets were exorbitant so I (sadly, and very reluctantly) had to miss it. I saw it once as a child, and fell in love with the whole idea.

Now my own child is obsessed with mummies! As she says, "both live one and dead ones". She made me a promise that she'd never let me be mummified; she's going to let me dry out naturally. :)

I'm sooo glad that you are enjoying Maus! I just loved it- the artistic style and the way Spiegleman balances his more modern story of detachment and a little bit of survivor's guilt with his father's Holocaust story. It's just amazing and touching and sad and hopeful.

Funny thing: I am currently reading Snuff and listening to Unseen Academicals. I got an email from Goodreads asking if I had any questions for Terry Pratchett to be included in their upcoming Q&A with him. I ♥ his works, every one, but I can't think of a thing I'd want to ask him!

33.5: Logicomix by Apostolos Doxiadis et al



This 300+ page graphic novel explores the history of some of the founding principles of logic, through the story of Bertrand Russell's life from boyhood, to logician, professor, and pacifist. We are introduced to Set Theory, Types, Russell's Paradox, and many other concepts in the field of logic. Wittgenstein, Godel, Whitehead, Hilbert, Frege, and some members of the Vienna Circle are represented.

I have to say, I am no student of mathematics, logic, or philosophy, so I'm not really sure why I was drawn to this book. But I'm so glad I read through it. It's easily accessible, quite fun, and I learned a lot about the philosophies of the time period (including DaDaism (and Duchamp's Fountain)).

Recommended for anyone with an interest in history, philosophy, or dipping their toes into Logic.

I've heard Maus is pretty amazing...

I also enjoyed Logicomix but so much of the theory was out of my reach that I couldn't love it. It was a very interesting approach though, like Maus.

34: The Burned Tower by Sergey and Marina Dyachenko



This is a short story in the tradition of dark fairytales. Guy is a man who just wants to transport his truck full of beavers and get paid. No one else wants to take his route, which leads him through the Empty Village and over rough road and along dangerous cliffs. But this time, one of the beavers falls out and escapes. To recover the beaver, Guy accepts help from a mysterious stranger, and thus sets himself on an ominous course into the Empty Village, which is said to be cursed.

Can't tell you much about it without giving away everything, but this is really great. Part horror story, part folktale, part allegory... all in all quite creepy and thought-provoking. The ending has a chilling twist. Free on Kindle.

Had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day at work today. It's amazing how in one single day, every mean-spirited person within 50 miles can find you!

But now I'm home, catching up on LT, watching Cupcake Wars, and having takeout (which my lovely husband was kind enough to go and get for me, without my asking). :)

Hope tomorrow (today, I suppose) is better!

Your husband is so sweet! I'm glad you have a goodie. :)

Yes I do! He is a very goodie. :)

Today was much nicer. I made lots of pies and cookies, and baking yummy things always makes me happy.

35: Snuff by Terry Pratchett



I absolutely adore Terry Pratchett's books. If you've never read one, you're missing out! Even for people who don't think fantasy is their thing, I would bet money they'd find the humor and social commentary appealing. This recent addiction to the canon is another gem. I can't say it's my favorite of all the Discworld books, but it's certainly up there.

Commander Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork Watch is on vacation in the countryside with his wife Sybil and young son, Sam. All Sybil wants is some quiet family time, and all Sam wants is to expand his animal poo collection. But Vimes longs for a crime to solve. He is, after all, a copper through and through. Very quickly, he gets his wish. Someone has killed a goblin, and he's going to find out who.

With Pterry's signature wit and a cast of new and familiar characters (ahhh, Willikins!), Vimes gets to the bottom of the case, stamps out species-ism, and spreads the joy of proper coppering around the disc.

After all the Sherlock talk around here, I've been watching the show on PBS (amazing), and I just noticed that CBS has a Sherlock/Watson show slated for fall, called Elementary. Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu are the title characters. It looks quirky, potentially entertaining, quite similar in premise to the BBC version, but obviously it needs to find its own personality or it won't measure up.

http://www.cbs.com/shows/new_season_central/video/2235558229/elementary-2012-fal...

There are a number of fall premieres that have caught my eye so far, among them The New Normal (drama) and Revolution (post-apocalyptic).

I've not seen many previews for new fall shows. I did see the one for The New Normal, but it looks too much like a Modern Family competitor so I probably won't be overly concerned with catching it. Revolution sounds interesting though, and I will definitely have to check out Elementary.

I think New Normal will be more like Glee (and indeed has some of the same names behind it). Funny, silly, but ultimately a drama with deeper themes and arching plotlines. Modern Family is a genius comedy.

I checked out "Elementary" and my reaction is negative, not just because of my avowed loyalty to "Sherlock." The deductions from the preview were a little childish, and I didn't like how Joan Watson and Holmes were making goo-goo eyes at each other at the end. I'm also dissapointed that they are not going to be true to Watson's mililtary background. I know a lot of women in the military and they are seriously awesome, so that would've been a cool angle for the show to play with. I'll see what other Sherlockians think of it when it comes out, so I'll withhold my final judgement - I doubt it'll be as good as "Sherlock," though.

36: Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman



This is the second half of the story, which picks up when Vladek is sent to Auschwitz. His plight is familiar to me through the many stories I've read or heard about the camps, but still it's moving and horrifying.

It's interesting how Vladek, in the context of the history the book portrays, is a confident, cunning, intelligent hero figure, but in his old age in America, as a wealthy and free man, he is a tragic and pathetic figure.

Just finished up Season 2 of Sherlock. WOW!

First off, I found it highly amusing that they cast Russell Tovey in the Hounds of Baskerville episode. Wonderful idea.

But I don't really understand the very end. HOW? Try to avoid spoilers here, but PLEASE someone pm me with an explanation. I'm sure I've missed something simple but... ack!

Nobody knows for sure. There has been an overflow of theories and speculation from the UK, but Steven Moffat has gleefully stated that everyone is missing an important clue. And he's not giving out hints. I'll PM my personal theory to you, just from what I've decided from watching clips of the incident on YouTube.

Wow indeed. The last episode was pretty intense! When's the next series start again? :)

Thanks Eris! I'm sure you've got it, at least mostly. You did indeed catch some things I missed or simply skimmed over while watching.

I think we have to wait till Jan 2013, right?

Yep, sometime in 2013. When, in that year, I have no clue. Shooting for the new season will begin later this year, but Moffat is taking his time. All I know is that the first episode of the third season will be based off The Empty House. Which means that the villain will be Colonel Sebastian Moran! This is going to be EPIC!

In the meantime, I can't wait to watch the whole season tomorrow. My mom and I (avid "Sherlock" fans that we are) will be heading to Barnes & Noble first thing to pick it up.

37: Alice Parker's Metamorphosis by Nicola Palmer



This is a little kindle book I saw on giveaways (both LT and GR), but when I saw it for free on AMZ I snatched it up. It's definitely a children's book, probably best for ages 9-12. The main characters are a 13yo girl, her brother, and her best friend. The story begins with the title character, Alice, having back pain and an obsessive fondness for sweet things like fruit and cake. She can't sleep, can't pay attention to her schoolwork, and can't stand her family's attentions. Yet she still manages to get perfect marks at school.

When her annoying (but mostly absent) brother turns up and begins taking an interest in Alice, she knows something's up. Little does she know, her brother already knows what's happening to her! Alice is drawn into a world of magic and secrets, along with her best friend Sarah. The fate of a special member of this world rests on the shoulders of these two young girls.

I enjoyed the story much more at the beginning, getting to know Alice and her friend Sarah. (Indeed, I like Sarah far more than Alice!) It felt like a YA novel being set up. But by the middle I was getting a little impatient, and then the ending flew by. It seems like the author perhaps started out the book with full intention of adding in detail and thoughtful dialog, but then hastily wrapped things up a bit amateurishly. Alice is a PILL much of the time, and at the end, Sarah-- previously so calm and rational-- became obsessed with her pretty dress. A hit for the target audience perhaps, but for an adult reader it's a miss.

It's a neat premise, and I did really like the fact that the "superpowers" the magical creatures acheive are commendable: intelligence, creativity, helpfulness... even crafts such as cooking, planting, and sewing are lauded in their world. This book was cute for the younger set, and sets up a series likely to amuse little girls.

Just finished up the House finale. I wasn't impressed until the last 5 minutes... then I smiled because they got it right. :)

This week's EW issue has a little piece about Hugh Howey in their "Must Books" section! I'm so glad to see him getting some recognition. His Wool compendium has been picked up for production in Hollywood (no definitive dates or really anything yet) but Ridley Scott is on board!

Makes me want to go read more of his stuff. I have it all on Kindle but haven't gotten to Molly Fyde or the last Wool yet.

Also: Late this summer BBCA is airing its first scripted show, Copper, about Civil-War era New York detectives; and another interesting-looking show, Ripper Street, about Scotland Yard operatives during the time of Jack the Ripper.

38: The Dirty Parts of the Bible by Sam Torode



This is the story of Tobias Henry from Michigan, the only son of a teetotaling Baptist preacher. Tobias's father has gotten drunk, injured, and fired from the pulpit. Now it's up to Tobias to travel to Texas to find a long-hidden stash of money his father hid away during his frivolous youth.

Tobias's journey leads him away from the family he grew up with (and always hated), and right into a new sort of family-- the people he chooses to follow, and admire, and love. Along the way he reexamines his faith in the Bible, his father, and himself.

It's picaresque, it's romantic, it's philosophical, it's irreverent, and it's really quite funny. The ending is a little "out there" but it works, and you leave the book smiling. :)

That one sounds good. I just picked up The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta, about the people in a small town who are left after the rapture. The two might make a good double feature on our church retreat next weekend!

I also get EW and saw the bit about Copper - one i'll be watching. Loved Sherlock!

I'm smiling at the idea of reading those at a church retreat! Love it.

I haven't had much time for reading lately. I started having intense jaw pain on Friday, and had to wait the whole holiday weekend to get to the dentist! Turns out I have to have all 4 wisdom teeth removed. I'm SO not looking forward to that! I'm far too old for wisdom teeth. :(

Anyway, I try to lay down and read but between feeling oogy from the anitbiotics and hurting from the teeth, all I want to do is sleep. At least it makes for a good diet, right?

From my experience, it's best just to get them all done at once. It's a really not fun few days, but it's done and you never have to think about it again. My brother had 2 done and then had to go back and do the other 2 later and he was MISERABLE. Best advice I can give, which I learned from having my tonsils out and later my wisdom teeth, is to buy a lot of grapes and bananas, peaches might work too, cut the bananas and peaches into small bite sizes and put them in the freezer. The grapes are especially helpful because they get mushy/slushy almost as soon as you put them in your mouth but the cold helps with swelling and pain. They were a GODSEND. Just no seeds. ;)

Oh I will be doing them all at once. It's going to suck but it has to be done. They are growing in at all the wrong angles and hitting the roots of my other molars. I wasn't "supposed" to get them at all, and as little as six years ago they weren't even on my xrays. So they're especially hateful little buggers for popping up so suddenly.

That's a great idea about the frozen fruit. I'm sure I won't want to eat at all for a while but that already sounds soothing.

I'm just not looking forward to paying for all this... ack!! June is just never a good time for us. It seems like all the large bills come in June. *sigh*