The_Hibernator Marches Again

A new thread for a new month...That's my nephew. I had a VERY hard time getting him to do anything but squat-and-hide for those pictures. :p He's shy.

Books Completed in May:

The Testing, by Joelle Charbonneau
How to Train Your Dragon, by Cressida Cowell
Snow White Must Die, by Nele Neuhaus
The Cloud Searchers, by Kazu Kibuishi
On the Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin

Books Purchased in May:

ARC TBR

Tiger Hills, by Sarita Mandanna (LTER)
Trial of Fallen Angels, by James P. Kimmel Jr (LTER)
Some Quiet Place, by Kelsey Sutton (Netgalley)
The Testing, by Joelle Charbonneau (Netgalley) - Complete
Captives: The Safe Lands, by Jill Williamson (Publisher)
Merlin's Blade, by Robert Treskillard (Publisher)

Currently Reading:

Paradise Lost, by John Milton
The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol, by Nikolai Gogol
The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature, by Matt Ridley
Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson
Against the Tide, by Elizabeth Camden

May Stats

Books Purchased:
Books Read: 5
Books off Shelves: 2
Library Books: 1
Audiobooks: 1
ebooks: 2

Young Adult & Children's: 3
Women Authors: 3
New Authors: 4
Non-Fiction: 1
Pearl Ruled:

What are we supposed to post pictures of in this thread??

Pirates?

Oh, I can work with this.

Happy new thread, Rachel! Love the pirate kitty.

Hi Rachel! The interaction between you and your nephew looks strangely familiar...

Really? Did I have to tickle you in order to make you smile at the camera? You'd think I'd remember that. ;)

Happy new thread!

You tickled me with your charming personality!

Sorry, after reading Leah's post about her funny experience on OKcupid I have an uncontrollable urge to say things like that. :P

HAHA! Glad it could inspire.

I actually joined OKcupid last night. It was fun. haha. I don't know if I really want to be looking for a man at this moment, but it's fun to read people's profiles, and I'm not closed to the idea. So Leah has inspired me, too.

Have you found the OK Cupid blog? It's amazingly nerdy and delightful.

Me too. I also signed up on OKCupid. I've lurked on a couple other sites, but haven't taken the plunge.

Well, actually it's a toe dip. I haven't filled out much on my profile, yet.

Wading through hordes of dating-site-men, yeah...that's definitely something I don't envy you ladies for. Hmmm...or is it more like an exciting treasure hunt?

I suppose it's more of a treasure hunt. :) To be honest, I've been on a few internet dating sites over the years, and this one is pretty impressive so far. Of course, I think the nerdy questions help a lot. :)

>14 norabelle414: no I hadn't, but I just did. :D That's pretty funny. I can see how you'd spend hours on it.

>16 Ape: For me, at least, it's like a stereo is playing 1000 songs at once, and you're trying to find one that you like. And some of them start out good and then get really, really weird. But probably most of that is from living in a huge city. I really wish it would let me narrow-down my search radius, but the lowest it can be set is 25 miles. In a big city that's a LONG way.

That sounds...dizzying. I hear they sell instruments to make your own music with. That sounds a lot less complicated.

I really can't do the dating site thing, so I think it's very courageous for anyone who can subject themself to it. That amount of scrutiny and judgement would wear me down pretty quick.

Rachel - good luck with the treasure hunt and take care, didn't Ted Bundy or one of his ilk frequent dating sites? Congratulations on your latest thread.

>18 norabelle414: Nora: Perhaps you're more careful or picky than I am. I'm fine with meeting more than one guy in person, so I don't have to narrow it down quite as much on the internet. It's easier to figure out that you don't click when you talk to them in person. A lot is lost over the internet.

It's probably a lot more difficult in DC than it is in Minneapolis or Columbus though!

>19 Ape: Stephen: Why can't you internet date? The scrutiny would all take place on other people's computers - you wouldn't have to WATCH them scrutinizing you. You never know - flirting on the internet might help you gain confidence.

>20 PaulCranswick: Paul: Ah! Meeting Bundy would be exciting though, wouldn't it? OkCupid even has a blind date feature in which I can meet someone I haven't even spoken to or read the profile of. Maybe I should try it out for a little extra excitement. :) And psychopaths are VERY charming, I hear. So at least I'll be in a good mood when I'm murdered.

Die with a smile on your face, that's the goal now?! Dating in the 21st century is rough all over, man. :-)

21/22 hahaha x 2

Psychpaths are very charming? - so I've been told!

>19 Ape: You don't see the judgement, though. It only tells you what people have rated you if they've rated you 4 or 5. And it's very personality-focused. And everyone else is on the website for the same reason as you. It's really a lot less scrutiny and judgement than other ways of meeting people. It might not be for you, though, since apparently talking to pretty women on the internet for years doesn't make you less anxious ;-)

>21 The_Hibernator: Well, I don't have to just pick out one song :-) But there's a lot of noise to cut through. Today I got two messages that just said some half-hearted pick-up line and "whats ur number?", and two messages that just said "sup" (not even a question mark.)

That email with the map said that the best state for me to find a map is Minnesota :-)

>23 PaulCranswick: Well, I imagine it's only the successful psychopaths that are charming. :) But I'd count Ted Bundy as successful in his endeavors.

>24 norabelle414: Yeah, it sounds like DC is much worse than MN. I've had pretty good luck so far. My cheesy lines so far have ALL included the word "beautiful." :)

heehee norabelle. My map said North Dakota (you know with the fracking boom there, there are lots of guys crammed into little rooms and no entertainment. I'm surprised they don't tell everyone looking for a guy to head to North Dakota.

Egypt was my other hot spot..

My best state was North Dakota as well. Go figure. And Indonesia. MA, CA, and NV are the worse states and UK the worst country. :)

My best states are Minnesota, Massachusetts, Maryland, Idaho, and Oregon. Worst states: Wyoming, Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina (where I went to college), and West Virginia. My best country is Sweden and my worst is Egypt.

Road trip!!!!!

Oh, whoops. Egypt wasn't my hot spot. It's Saudi Arabia. 'Cause they're are especially fond of independant women there, you know?

So is that map by total numbers or percentage? I'm sure it must be weighted somehow. Is it that there are more hibernator-hotties in ND, or is it simply that the percentage of hibernator-hotties is higher there? I might spend forever wandering around ND looking for all the hotties. Or I could just wander onto a fracking site, like Janet suggests. Wearing short skirt..."excuse me gentlemen, but I'm terrified of natural gas, could you escort me to safety?"

ETA: As far as road-trips go, my best states border on my home state. Not too much driving for me.

21: The problem I have debilitating inferiority issues, so the idea of posting on a person's profile who I know is being bombarded by messages from (what I think of as) better men is entirely unappealing.

22: I'm SIGNFICANTLY less anxious about meeting LTers than non-LTers. I was incredibly nervous meeting Rachel in person, but I wasn't completely speechless (just mostly speechless) and I was borderline comfortable...after the first 20 minutes...kind of...

If it helps any Stephen, I tend to often reply to people who seem genuine. Knowing what your picture looked like, and if you upplayed your good points (like the books you like to read, etc.) I would probably have responded to you if you sent me a genuine message. But to seem genuine, you have to say something in reference to my profile and what you think we have in common (or something that shows me you actually looked at something besides my picture).

>31 Ape: But all of the people on the site are actively looking for people to date. If any of those other guys were so great, the women would date them and then get off of the site. If they use the site, then they have not yet found what they're looking for, and there's no reason it can't be you.

You don't have to just message random women. The site tells you when you have a lot in common with someone, and it will tell women when they have a lot in common with you. If you really wanted, you could just make a profile and then sit around and wait to see if someone rates you highly, and then message that person (whom you already know likes you).

>32 The_Hibernator: I agree with all of that.

Feeling better and reading again. Now I'm reading The Communist Manifesto. Here's "Liberty Leading the People - July 28, 1830"

Mmm, potatoes.

Touching, isn't it? Just fills me with patriotic thoughts.

Well, having read The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels, and failing to understand much of that, I have turned to Bernard Mandeville's The Fable of the Bees. That is something I can understand, especially since he explains it before he begins and after he ends. However there is a simpler way to state the moral--be careful what you wish for.

>38 patito-de-hule: The Fable of the Bees looks pretty tough to me. But I understand "be careful what you wish for." That lesson I've learned in the Arabian Nights.

Well, after a full 2 days on OkCupid, I've already agreed to meet someone. Perhaps I'm too easy. :p He seems fun, though. We've been discussing races like The Zombie Run and Tough Mudder. We have stuff in common. He DOES have two daughters from an 8-year marriage, but from what I can see most of the guys on OKCupid seem to have children. Weird. Oh well. I like kids.

2 days!?

>40 Ape: Is that too long? There was someone on day one that I was thinking about meeting, but I like this one better. :) Except that he doesn't read and he's a dog person. :( No one's perfect I guess.

>33 Morphidae: I forgot to say BUNNY PIRATE!!!!

I was feeling so... abandoned. *sniff*

I feel better now.

:) I would never forget you morphy (ok, well, not for long :p )

>41 The_Hibernator: I think "number of messages" is a better indicator of too fast/too slow than number of days you've been talking to them.

>42 Morphidae: I love the bunny pirate! I just forgot to say so :-( I especially like his tiny bird friend.

Oh. Good. Because we were at 26 messages before I gave him my phone number for texting. :)

Oh, and, by Nora's (joking) request, here's a thread for OKCupid discussions

http://www.librarything.com/topic/151302

2013 Book 17: Mountains Beyond Mountains

Written by Tracy Kidder, Narrated by Paul Michael

Reason for Reading: This was meant to be read for my Social Justice Theme in February, but things didn't work out quite as I'd planned. I finished the book in January, and haven't had the time to review it until now. Better late than never!

Review

In this moving biography of Paul Farmer, Tracy Kidder takes us on a world tour of medical missionary work. Farmer started his mission to save the world from tuberculosis one patient at a time in the slums of Haiti. Practically from scratch, he developed a clinic that would treat the poor. But Farmer not only treated his patients, he listened to them, he cared about each one with individual interest, and he provided food and supplies so that his patients wouldn't be saved from tuberculosis only to die of starvation.

As his mission in Haiti gained more and more momentum, Farmer's expertise on tuberculosis (especially antibiotic-resistant strains) became world-renowned. He was asked to help set up clinics in Peru. He worked with the health systems of prisons in Russia, where antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis was rampant. And he loved each and every patient, regardless of who they were.

While describing the incredible non-stop work of Farmer, Kidder managed to make the doctor more human. I could imagine Farmer, cheerful despite sleep-deprivation shadows under his eyes, flying from one country to another in a worn-down suit that he would never have time to replace. From the book, it seemed that Farmer might pause for hours to have a heart-felt conversation with a patient, even while a room-full of self-important Harvard doctors awaited his arrival. I could empathize with Olivia, Farmer's old flame, who once felt a twinge of satisfaction to realize that Farmer was only human - she could annoy him. Being around someone like that must be exhausting. Kidder painted a brilliant man with limitless energy, unimpeachable morals, and the charisma to make his dreams a reality. I felt overwhelmed just listening to the book. I can't imagine what it must be like to work for him (or date/marry him). And yet, it's impossible for me to not admire him.

I found this book fascinating not only because it was a description of an amazing man with a daring love for humanity, but also because I enjoyed learning more about the social/economic conditions of Haiti. The narrative flowed smoothly between Kidder's personal impressions of Farmer and Haiti to well-researched narratives of Farmer's life outside his work.

I enjoyed Paul Micheal's narration of the book - though I have little to comment on his style of reading. It was one of those audiobooks that I was so absorbed in the story that I forget to be distracted by the narrator - which means Micheal must have done a good job.

I love Paul Farmer. A deep, wholehearted love. If only there were more of him in the world. If cloning humans wasn't weird and morally yucky- and if I believed more in nature than I do in nurture-, I would want to clone Paul Farmer.

:) I believe in nature and nurture equally.

2013 Book 18: Unnatural Issue

Written by Mersedes Lackey, Narrated by Kate Reading

Reason for Reading: This was meant to be included in a fairy tale challenge in the blogoverse in February, but that didn't work out for me too well. But I'm still going to finish up my Donkeyskin books, regardless!

Review
When Earth Master Richard Whitestone's wife dies in childbirth, he discards their newborn daughter Suzanne in a fit of rage. Suzanne is raised as a servant of the household, while her father wastes away in his chambers. After many years, Whitestone develops a new passion - necromancy. When he sees his daughter wandering his lands, he realizes she is the perfect vessel in which to trap his dead wife's spirit. Suzanne must flee her father, and hide in the guise of a servant in another household. But her skill in Earth magic is difficult to hide...

This is a non-canonical retelling of the fairy tale Donkeyskin, and is part of Lakey's Elemental Master series. Although it certainly has charm and originality, it is not my favorite of the Donkeyskin retellings, nor of the Elemental Master series. I felt the premise of the book - a necromantic father, Elemental Masters fighting in WWI, with a touch of romance - had promise. Unfortunately, it just wasn't delivered as well as it could have been. The romance seemed forced, and the war sections uninteresting. Not that it was a terrible book, but it could have been so much better. Lackey is better than this.

But, if you're looking for a fluffy-quick read, or an original fairy tale retelling, this book will certainly deliver that. The narration by Kate Reading was quite good. She did the voices well, and had good timing.

Yeah. I was kind of "meh" on Unnatural Issue as well. Let's see, what did I have to say about it...

Warning. Might be considered spoilerish.

I was very intent on reading this book until I got tired of Suzanne's crush on Charles about half way through. Then it wasn't as much fun. He barely interacts with her and she goes to the extremes to be close to him. It isn't until the last page that she finally snaps out of it and it's only to change her attentions from one man to another. Otherwise a decent book and shows a little bit about what it what like at the beginning of World War I.

Phew. No way I'm going to catch up totally, so I'm just browsing and waving at you :)

Ha Morphy! You made me double check. It was WWI not WWII. :) That's what I get reviewing books that I finished over a month ago. ;)

Hi Es!

52... Ditto'ing Es... But I have enjoyed the OKCupid discussions :)

Hi Tina!

2013 Book 19: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

Reason for Reading: This was one of my planned reads for the social justice theme read in February.

Review
When Arnold "Junior" Spirit accidentally breaks his rez-teacher's nose, he gets a piece of unexpected advice: get off the rez before you lose your spirit. Junior decides to go to the all-white high school in a farm town 20 miles away from the reservation. He consequently deals with racism from the whites and hatred from his reservation friends, while fighting the usual teen problems of making friends, succeeding in sports, hiding his poverty, and impressing the girls. This book is hilarious and tragic at the same time. I loved the cartoons drawn by Junior...and I loved his dry, sarcastic humor. The characterization was fantastic - I really felt for Junior during his troubles. But you can't read this book and expect some fuzzy-happy picture to be painted of reservation life. This book is gritty and realistic. Even rather depressing at times. I was really touched at Alexie's honest portrayal of the life of a reservation kid. I look forward to reading more of Alexie's books in the future.

2013 Book 20: Warm Bodies, by Isaac Marion

Reason for Reading: Loved the movie and trying to kill reading slump.

Review
R is an above-average-intelligence zombie (he can speak 4-6 syllable sentences!) who is living a doll-drum life in an abandoned airplane - but his un-life gets a sharp slap in the face when he meets Julie, who by all rights he should have eaten. Instead, he takes Julie home and tries to communicate with her. This small act of curiosity on R's part ignites a chain event of new perceptions. The world must crawl out of it's stagnant existence and remember what it was to live.

I admit that I watched the movie first. I generally don't do that, but it just happened that way. I LOVED the movie and had to rush out to get the book. This is one example where I'd say I liked the movie and the book equally. Warm Bodies is unquestionably a retelling of Romeo and Juliet (right down to the balcony scene), but it was certainly the most unique retelling I've read. Additionally, I interpreted the book as a parody of YA paranormal romance - I took it very tounge-in-cheek. So I got a LOT of laughs while reading it. But what I thought was most interesting was the allegory. The zombies symbolized passionless people who have simply accepted life as directed by the ruling body (Bonies, in this case). And R was a zombie who just couldn't quite conform. I loved the idea that a renewal of passion (and I don't just mean romantic passion) could revive R's potential as an individual. One simple act of individuality could change the course of history. On the other hand, I got a little tired at the end of the book of the cheesy internal dialog (and I DO mean internal dialog and not monologue). I think Marion was laying on his philosophy a little too thick. It would have been much more elegant to leave these philosophical discussions out - anybody who was willing to see Marion's philosophy would be able to do so without cheesy dialog. But that was my only complaint about this funny, quirky, and delightful story.

I'm so pleased everyone is enjoying Warm Bodies!

Stopping by for a quick visit Rachel! Great reviews of both the Alexie and Marion books. I am impatiently waiting for my turn for a copy of Warm Bodies from the library.

I didn't even know it was a book! The movie is on my Netflix list and I recently heard the director give an interview on NPR. Thanks for the review!

>58 norabelle414: Yeah, everyone really seems to love Warm Bodies :)

>59 lkernagh: Hi Lori! I hope you enjoy it!

>60 mstrust: Hi Jennifer! I hope you enjoy it, too. I loved the movie. :)

2013 Book 21: Sharp Objects, by Gillian Flynn

Reason for Reading: Real life bookclub

Review
Camille Preaker is a troubled young woman and a mediocre journalist. When her editor sends her to her home-town in Missouri for investigative reporting on a possible serial killer, she must stay with her emotionally-destructive mother and wild half-sister. As Camille struggles with ghosts from her past, including her own self-destructive behavior and memories of a dead sister, she discovers that the murders are darker and more complex than she'd originally suspected.

Although this book certainly had a good deal of mystery to it, it wasn't really for me. Although I generally liked Camille's character, there were several times when I groaned inwardly at her choices. She was weak and self-destructive. Such characters are really difficult to write well, and Sharp Objects had a bit of a debut-novel feel to it - perhaps Camille's character should have been created by a more seasoned author. Another issue I had with the book is it was simply too dark for my tastes. There was so much ugliness in the book. Violence, self-loathing, sexual exploitation, and more. On the other hand, I DO understand why some people like this book. The key question to ask is - how much ugliness can you deal with? If you like reading about emotionally troubled characters, then this book would be attractive to you. There was a slight redemptive feel to the story at the end. A ray of hope for Camille. I appreciate that I was given that much.

Phew *clean sweat from forehead* well, finally I managed to read my way through your new thread and your previous one.
Great to hear that your dad is doing better and that he enjoys his reading time.

You have done some interesting reading over the past few weeks and I see that you liked Warm Bodies as well. I have seen the movie after I read the book and really enjoyed it, but for some reason Alex was extremely dissapointed - apparently I didn't laugh as much as I did whilst reading the book. First my two sisters and Alex threatened me before we entered the Cinema (that I PLEASE don't get uncontrolled laughing fits again) and they placed my youngest sister next to me, so that she would be able to punch me where necessary. Well, and then everyone complained that I DIDN'T laugh enough. *grin*

I love your pirate theme and the pics with your nephew at the top. I can't help it but you very often remind me of my younger sister they way you laugh and make fun.

I read that you are going to take part in the Zombie Run in MS in July and when I checked it out I saw they do them in the UK as well. I hope I can get my sister to participate in one as it looks like quite a bit of fun.

okcupid? Of course, I had to look it up. I went on to the UK side and have to say most of the posts there are just about sex, nothing sophisticated and nerdy as mentioned in one of your earlier posts in the UK :( .

Ahem, looking for a man Rachel? I have got a lovely brother who loves to read :)

Haha! Are you going to set me up with your brother Bianca? got pictures? ;)

Yep, of course I have got pictures :) Yeah, my sister and I would love to set him up with someone *sigh* but he doesn't let us. However, IMO he is very charming, tall, has got a brilliant sense of humor. You DON'T want to play any kind of knowledge games with him (eg Trivial Pursuit) he allways wins *growl*.

I've never been the type of person to memorize random facts, so I don't do too well at Trivial Pursuit anyway. I think a lot of men don't like to be set up by their sisters...not sure why. :)

I am absolutely atrocious at memory-oriented games. At least I think I am, I can't seem to recall the last time I played one...

>66 The_Hibernator: Not just men :) My family has been trying to set me up for several years now - including my brother, who has got always the most entertaining arguments WHY I should meet a particular person LOL.
My brother is a very broad reader, very much like yourself. He is like a sponge and just sucks everything up what passes him.

> 67 Stephen, don't believe you. I mean that you are atrocious *smile*

Just stopping by to catch up. Good reviews!

>69 tymfos: Hi Terri! :)

2013 Book 22: Skellig, written and narrated by David Almond

Reason for Reading: It was there

Review
Soon after Micheal's family moves to a new home, his sister is born prematurely. While his parents are ferrying the newborn back and forth to the hospital, Michael deals with his stress by exploring their dilapidated garage. There, he finds a strange owl-like man. As Michael and the girl-next-door nurse the winged man back to health, he learns a lesson about love. This was a sweet little book. It was quite short, so there wasn't a lot of plot, but the characters and premise was quite adorable. This book would be appropriate for 7-9 year olds who enjoy reading magical realism.

Almond did a fantastic job of narrating his own book. He has an engaging reading voice and had all the rhythms and intonations flowing well.

I love your reasons for reading it :)

Well, sometimes that's the only reason I have. :)

2013 Book 23: A Cast of Stones, by Patrick W. Carr

Reason for Reading: Review copy was provided by publisher through Net Galley for an honest review.

Review
Errol Stone has grown to manhood as the town-drunk in an out-of-the way village. When a messenger from the capital city comes for a reclusive monk, Errol offers to help deliver the message in exchange for enough money to keep him in drink for a week. But he is attacked while trying to deliver the message, and is consequently swept up into an intrigue that he'd rather ignore. He and the monk must travel to the capital city, for it appears that the childless King might soon be on his deathbed, and corrupt politicians are vying for the throne. This story also throws hints about an evil force more powerful than man which might overthrow the land if the King dies without an heir.

I really enjoyed this story. I was sucked in from the beginning, and I could easily empathize to poor Errol's feelings that events were circling outside of his control. He was a very real character to me, which is rare in YA fantasy. The world-building was also impressive in this book. The world was built upon foundations expected for Christian Fiction, but it had the right ratio of realistic to fantastical elements to make it a fun and easy read. My one complaint is that the book ended in a cliff-hanger. The basic quest that was begun in this book was completed, thankfully, but it left many threads dangling for the next book. Luckily, that book will be published later this year. This story is suitable for young teens and up.

Agree with Es, the first thing I look at is your reason for reading something :) and again two very interesting reviews - write down on my wishlist.
Just stopping by to wish you an early enjoyable weekend.

Hi, Rachel. I enjoyed Skellig when I read it a number of years ago, although I'd put the reading age a little higher than you. And A Cast of Stones sounds interesting.

Hi Bianca! Glad to hear that people are interested in why I read the books. :)

Hi Roni! You're probably right about the reading level - I'm not very good at gauging the books for younger kids. I try to think of interest level and complexity of story instead of the words that are used - and I don't think it works that way.

2013 Book 24: Let the Circle be Unbroken, by Mildred D. Taylor

Reason for Reading: This was one of the books that I planned on reading in my February Social Justice Theme Read and decided I would have to read later this year. (I really WILL read them all, I'm determined!)

Review
Cassie and her brothers are sent reeling by a shockingly racist trial - the culmination of events from the first book in the series, Roar of Thunder Hear My Cry. In addition, Cassie's growing up, so she learns a lot about inter-race relations and the often humiliating effects. This is a heart-rending (though sometimes slow-moving) children's historical fiction. The story deals with complex issues and is character-driven, so even though the reading level is approximately 5th-7th grade, this is not a book for reluctant readers unless they have a particular interest in race relations. It's a book for children who love to read - and to absorb ideas. It's definitely a good addition to the Roll of Thunder Series, and I find myself curious to follow the family's saga to the end.

I read Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry last year and enjoyed it. I've been meaning to get around to the follow-up.

Wonder if anyone is going to set up a group read of a Chinua Achebe book to celebrate his life? I'll have to look for one...

Good idea, maybe you would like to set up a thread? I have got his book Things Fall Apart on my TBR. At least I have got a reason to dig it out and finally read it. Since being in this group I constantly get distracted by other books and end up putting books on the side.

Hmmm, yeah, I wouldn't mind re-reading Things Fall Apart and then finishing up the trilogy. I am also interested in Achebe's personal history of Biafra There was a Country, which I thought would be interesting since I found Half of a Yellow Sun so powerful.

There are far too many people on the cover of that book.

But not very many of them are looking towards us, doesn't that count?

Not really, no. :P

2013 Book 25: Kira-Kira,

Written by Cynthia Kadohata, Narrated by Elaina Erika Davis

Reason for Reading: This book won the Newbery Medal in 2005

Review
In this endearing book, the Takeshima family moves to Georgia so that Katie's parents can work in the chicken factory. There, young Katie learns about Southern racism and the practically-slave-labor conditions of factory workers. But when Katie's older sister Lynn becomes sick, Katie learns the hardest lesson of all...This is a sweet story - and pretty typical for Newbery winners. (Newbery judges certainly like bereavement, racism, and Southern settings!) The character in the book ranges from about 5-7, I'd say, but I think the subject and reading level is more appropriate for a 10-12 year old.

Hi Rachel, I have a copy of Kira-Kira that I want to read before passing it on to my granddaughters. Way upthread...I adored Mountains Beyond Mountains. Tracy Kidder is usually an observer when he undertakes a new assignment. I like how he got caught up in the cause with Paul Farmer.

Going even further upthread, I thought I would share that a good friend of mine found her wonderful husband through an Internet dating service. They have been happily married for over 15 years now after both of them had disastrous first marriages.

2013 Book 26: Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention

Written by Manning Marable, Narrated by G. Valmont Thomas

Reason for Reading: This was one of the books I'd listed as potential reading for my Social Justice Theme Read in February. I chose it because it won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 2012 and was a finalist in the National Book Award.

Review
In Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, Manning Marable set out to honestly portray a man and to humanize an icon. Marable intended on filling in holes left by truth-bending and necessary lack-of-future-knowledge in The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Since I am not an expert on the subject, I have to say that Marable's book seemed very thorough and well-researched. It was also an engrossing narrative. I feel it well-deserves its Pulitzer Prize. My only complaint was towards the beginning of the novel, Marable inserted some innuendo about Malcolm X's sexuality - which was unnecessary and rather rude since he didn't have any hard evidence to support his claims. That innuendo was referenced obliquely a few times in the first quarter of the book. Luckily, those references stopped for the last three quarters of the book, or I would have been left with a very bad taste in my mouth.

The only reason I bring up that complaint is because I was looking for hints to why there's a controversy about this book. I was wondering if there was anything I, personally, could pick up. I'm not very familiar with what the controversy is about - and I haven't seen any controversial reference to the innuendo that bothered me. Mostly, the controversy seems to be about Marable's lack of respect for the impact Malcolm X had on the Black Liberation Movement. If you're interested, here's an interesting article on the topic. There's also a book entitled A Lie of Reinvention: Correcting Manning Marable's Malcolm X, if you really want to delve into the issue. However, I am satisfied that Marable did a lot of really good research, and wrote an interesting and informative book. The issue of exactly what long-term impact Malcolm X had on the Civil Rights Movement and the country as a whole is an opinion, in my opinion.

Hi Donna! Good to see you! I know that lots of people met their husbands/wives on the internet - nothing wrong with that. The internet is a place where you can meet lots and lots of people, the more people you meet, the more duds you find...but the more people you meet, the more gems you find too. I think people who criticize the internet as a place for crazies are crazy themselves. ;)

Huh. I just finished the Marable book yesterday! I too wondered about the innuendo.

I think the internet is like a friend that itnroduces you to potential partners. It is NOT a good place to 'meet' people because I whole-heartedly believe that people behave completely different on the internet than they do in person. I am a perfect example of that, in fact, being shy and quiet in person and...well, not-so-much here on the internet. However, it still works as a way to introduce yourself to people. It's not a magical match-maker, but it opens the door to a room full of people you would never have come into contact with without it.

People act differently when they're trying to "meet" people, regardless. You need to start somewhere.

That's true, I mean, a person aproaching you in a bar is hardly going to behave like their 'everyday self.' There is no true way to know someone until you KNOW them, so introducing yourself to new people online is hardly a bad thing.

Now, I would speak against those who belive they are 'in love' with people they've never met in person, but that's something entirely different.

Well, when I said "trying to 'meet' people" I was referring more to social mixers and stuff like that. I'm going to act differently if I'm specifically looking for a person to impress than if I'm simply hanging out with my friends.

A bar is another case altogether. 1) People you meet in bars are often drunk and not acting like themselves (unless they're always drunk - then they're not for me, anyway). 2) When I am in a bar, I'm probably drinking, which means I'm not likely to have the best judgement. 3) When I'm drinking, I probably not going to act like me, which gives the other person the wrong impression. 4) Bars are often dark and loud, which changes the way people act - irregardless of alcohol.

ETA: I don't think I will ever fancy myself in love with someone I've never met. However, I DO think it's possible to fall in love over the internet. My grandparents met as pen pals, after all. And so did my aunt and uncle - they'd lived on different continents when they started writing. They'd only met twice before the proposal, but they are happy.

We need to separate "in love" from the deep feelings of attachment you feel towards someone that you've known and loved for a long time. They are TOTALLY not the same feelings. "In love" is a less deep but more passionate/violent feeling. It borders on obsession - and in fact the same hormones that cause OCD are elevated in people when they're "in love." "In love" does not require people to have met.

Oh, I was going to make the point that people have fallen in love as pen pals in the past! I remember stories of women and soldiers oversears during war being 'assigned' as pen pals and then falling in love through their correspondence. It seems weird to me, but then it seems weird that I should say that, considering I value intellecutal and emotional connections more than, uhhhh, bodily ones, and so I can't imagine what would be wrong with a relationship that is strictly of the mind.

2013 Book 27: Lamb

Written by Bonnie Nadzam and Narrated by Tavia Gilbert

Reason for Reading: This was long-listed for the Prize Formerly Known as Orange.

Review
Lamb hits a mid-life crisis when his wife divorces him for infidelity and his father passes away. Just after his father's funeral, he meets Tommie - an 11-year-old girl who desperately needs guidance. Lamb is strangely attracted to the girl - he wants to help her seize life, he wants to buy her presents and make her happy. Then, with Tommie's consent, he abducts her.

I had a really hard time deciding how to rate Lamb. The narrative was intriguing - almost addictive - but the subject matter was very disturbing. I hard a hard time putting it down because I wanted to know how it would end. I felt compelled to keep reading despite a deepening sense of unease. From the subject, I should have known it would make me feel that way, but I thought it would be a book with more hope in it. I respect the way Nadzam kept the details subtle. There were no highly disturbing scenes (well, there was ONE scene that was a bit disturbing, but it could have been much, much worse). My recommendation - read this book if you would enjoy looking at pedophilia from another perspective, but avoid it if this is a sensitive topic for you.

Spoiler Discussion

Before deciding how to rate the book, I took a look at what other people had said about it. There are, predictably, people who loved the book and people who hated it. In the interest of proving to myself that I'm not narrow-minded, I want to have a spoilerish discussion to address some issues that came up in the positive reviews.

First of all, one review pointed out that it was unclear who the narrator of this book was. To me, it seemed that the book was in the third person subjective, focusing on Lamb. There were a few scenes where it seemed to be from the POV of Tommie, but even that could have been in Lamb's head. So that's how I'm interpreting the book - our narrator is telling us what Lamb is thinking, and sometimes Lamb thinks about what Tommie is thinking, and sometimes he thinks about what might be happening back in Chicago as Tommie's parents look for her, but we're always inside Lamb's head. That is very important for how I interpreted the book.

Another thing that affects the way I perceive Lamb - I despised him from the beginning. Even before he abducted Tommie. Even when his intentions seemed kind. I despised him because of how he treated his girlfriend. He was manipulative and creepy and a liar. All he wanted was sex, and although he claimed to have qualms of conscience about his behavior, that's ALL he had. Small qualms. These qualms didn't stop him from manipulating her, did they? Qualms of conscience don't make someone a "good" person. Listening to qualms makes a person "good." Behavior is what I'm interested in, not whether a person feels guilt or not. The fact that he feels guilt proves that he's not a sociopath, but he's still a jerk. Just because he rationalizes his behavior, does not mean his rationalizations are justification. We need to interpret his rationalizations with skepticism.

Yes, he rationalized his original interest in Tommie as helpfulness. But let's think about it. The very first time he met Tommie, he grabbed her arm and threw her in his truck so hard that her head hit the window. She was terrified. Yes, he rationalized that he was helping her to see what could have happened. She shouldn't have approached him - a stranger - because he could have been dangerous. He rationalized that he taught her a lesson. But the fact that he was willing to frighten her like that was the first hint that his behavior towards her was driven by darker urges. Yes, perhaps this time around his rationalization had some grain of truth in it. Perhaps she did learn a lesson. But was that lesson his to teach?

Lamb's rationalizations continued throughout the entire book. I never interpreted them as anything but rationalizations. So I was rather surprised when I read in some reviews that they interpreted his intentions as good. Let's think about this.

Rationalization 1) Abducting her in front of her friends taught her a lesson about approaching strangers and about shallow friends. - We discussed this above.

Rationalization 2) Encouraging her to skip school and lie to her parents in order to hang out with him didn't corrupt her, because she was already doing those things. - Well, if he really cared, he wouldn't encourage her to skip school and keep secrets. That's sleazy, creepy behavior.

Rationalization 3) Abducting her and teaching her to be a woman was helpful, because she needed that experience...it would help her break out of that awkward phase in life and burst into the world with new confidence. She'd look back with fondness on him. - Now this is where the rationalization gets sticky. I interpreted these flash-forwards to be rationalizations taking place in Lamb's head. BUT, if you interpret these flash-forwards to be accurate or from the point of view of Tommie, I can see where you might (as some people apparently do!) think that Lamb helped Tommie. In the interest of not being narrow-minded, I tried to look at it from that point of view. But, no. The story simply makes more sense to me if I interpret these flash-forwards as rationalizations in the head of Lamb. And Lamb is rationalizing because he knows he's hurting her. In fact, it's clear he knows he's hurting her, because there are other scenes in which he's crying and telling Tommie that if she ever hates him, she should kick his balls in. Doesn't that show us that he knows he's doing wrong?

Some reviews actually suggested that Lamb loved Tommie, and that his intentions were good. But he knew he was hurting her (or else he wouldn't break down into tears and tell her to kick his balls in, and he wouldn't rationalize). He was consciously lying and manipulating her. (It's clear that these were conscious acts, because in one scene he pointed out to his girlfriend that he makes people say and do things.) So, I'm convinced that Lamb knew he was hurting her - why would he act that way if he loved her? That's not love. Love is selfless. That's a darker sort of obsession. That's acting on urges. Love can be an obsession, but we shouldn't assume that obsession is love.

Finally, some people questioned whether Lamb had actually slept with Tommie. There was nothing that directly said he did, but I felt it was implied. He definitely kissed her, saw her naked, and slept in the same bed as her. Furthermore he got kicks out of letting Tommie watch him having sex with his girlfriend, which is a form of molestation in itself. So, yes, how far he went is still a question, and I'm glad I didn't have to read that one last detail. But I made my own conclusion about the issue - and it wasn't good.

So far, my long-list ratings for the Prize Formerly Known as Orange go thusly:
1. Bring up the Bodies
2. Lamb

That's an excellent review and I appreciated your spoiler discussion. Thumb up from me, Rachel. I think the book sounds really creepy. I don't think I could read it in light of what you have written, so thanks for that!

Really good review Rachel. I so appreciate the time and thought you put into it and am glad that you went on further into discussing the rationalizations. I have Lamb waiting on my TBR but don't know if I want to go there. Anyway thanks for an awesome review. (thumb up)

What an interesting discussion you're having, Stephen and The. I'm not quite ready to jump in, but I'm enjoying your comments.

Excellent review of Lamb. I want to take a shower after just reading your review, so I won't be reading this one!

Hi Rachel - Wonderful analysis of Lamb. I read the spoiler section, as I probably won't read the book. I will admit that, with a few exceptions, I'm a bit underwhelmed by the long list this year.

2013 Book 28: Wanted! by Caroline B. Cooney

Reason for Reading: This book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Review
When Ally gets a phone call from her dad asking her to grab a couple of discs and drive (without a license!) in his corvette to "the place where she gets ice cream," she knows something is wrong. But when someone breaks into the house while she's in it, Ally makes a run for it - only to find out that her dad has been murdered and she's the prime suspect. Will she be able to evade the police AND prove her innocence?

This was a fun, fluffy, and clean teen thriller published back in the late '90s and recently re-released. I read it practically in one sitting. There are certain aspects of the book that didn't translate well to the 21st century. For example, this was written in a day when most people didn't have a cellphone - is that something today's teenager can even fathom? Ally made some stupid choices in this book (let's face it, it's hard to prove you're innocent when you're running away!), but in the end she managed to stay true to herself. This book would be appropriate for 11-14 year olds, and could be enjoyed by either boys or girls (i.e. it's high on suspense and low on romance). In fact, it made me miss the day in which the love triangle wasn't a required plot device for YA. Oh, those were the days!

Thanks Deborah, Belva, Joyce, and Kerri! It's nice to know that people enjoy the spoiler discussion. :) I was concerned no one would read it since it contained spoilers. But I really wanted to explain WHY I didn't like the book while showing that I DID think about it.

Es - haha, feel free to jump in any time you feel like it!

Rachel, I usually skip reviews that have spoilers (and I so appreciate writers who mark them as clearly as you did), but something made me go back and read the whole review of ''Lamb". I thought you did a really fine job of explaining why the book discomfited you but still managed to remain objective enough to consider that other people might interpret some of the ambiguous events differently. Overall, I'm glad I read your review and suspect that I would be much more in your camp but it was good to read such a well-considered review.

>80 The_Hibernator: Wonder if anyone is going to set up a group read of a Chinua Achebe book to celebrate his life? I'll have to look for one...

Rachel, my TIOLI challenge for April is to read a book by Chinua Achebe. I'm planning to re-read Things Fall Apart next month, along with There Was a Country and Anthills of the Savannah. I'll be pretty busy next month at work, so I have only a mild interest in setting up a group read, although I would certainly participate if anyone else does.

Julia Yeah, I generally avoid spoilers too - which is why I'm careful to label them for other people. I think this particular book needed to have that discussion though. Thanks for reading! :)

Hi Darryl! I thought about setting up a thread, but I'm not certain I'll have enough time to pay attention to it. I want to read some Achebe books, and recent events have reminded me that I should celebrate his life. But I don't want to commit myself to reading any of the books I want to read in April, anyway. I'll get to them as soon as I can!

2013 Book 29: Something Rotten

Written by Alan M. Gratz, narrated by Erik Davies

Reason for Reading: I plan on reading a few Hamlet retellings, and this is the first I picked up. (Now if only I would pick Hamlet up again - what's with me?! I still have two more acts!)

Review
In this hard-boiled teen retelling of Hamlet, Horatio Wilkes spends a summer in the small-town home of his buddy Hamilton Prince. The Prince family runs a paper plant which is currently undergoing scrutiny for pollution. On top of that controversy, Hamilton's father has just passed away, and his mother just married her dead husband's brother. When Hamilton gets a video from his dead father claiming that he'd been poisoned, Horatio promises to root out the murderer. Something is rotten in the town of Denmark, Tennessee.

This little mystery was funny (though neo-noir isn't my usual type of humor, I still got a few chuckles). The plot is pretty straight-forward if you already know the story of Hamlet, so I felt very little suspense - on the other hand, it was interesting to see how Gratz played around with the story to make it more appropriate to younger audiences. He managed to stay true to the events in the play, but made it more realistic and less tragic. There are a few Shakespeare quotes thrown in which made me roll my eyes and groan, but in a "good" way. I'd say this book is appropriate for 11-15 year olds.

#107 - that sounds pretty clever.

Hi Rachel,
Something Rotten sounds quite interesting.

However, just stopping by to wish you and your family a wonderful Easter. How do you celebrate your Easter?

Rachel, have you read any of Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next books? His Something Rotten is the fourth book in that series and Hamlet is a great character in it. (Thursday is a literary detective who works to protect works of literature from being molested, and interacts with the Bookworld and its characters--including Hamlet in this book.) Anyhow, recommended as part of your Hamlet immersion.j

Hi Joyce, Bianca, and Roni! It was a bit clever, though there were some rather cliched quotes, and it was predictable. I guess that's what happens when you retell Shakespeare. :)

Bianca, we'll have a pretty laid back Easter. My sister and I take turns cooking for holiday dinners, and this one's mine. I'll make a turkey dinner since we had a 4:1 vote turkey:ham. (Poor mom lost out on that one. But I told her she's welcome to cook the dinner if she wants ham. ;) ) Johnny will probably get an Easter basket, and we'll probably be painting eggs at some point. We've never been the type of family to hide real eggs all over the house and hunt for them. That's just a rotten egg waiting to happen. :) How about you? Are you having a big Easter celebration? I guess I should go look at your thread and see what's going on over there. :)

Roni, I read the first two of the series and then took a break. I can't read too many books with that sense of humor all in a row because it becomes less funny after a while. I think my system is sufficiently cleared enough to greatly enjoy the next couple of books though. I'll move them up on my queue. :)

Well, your Easter celebration looks very relaxing indeed. We never used to hide eggs around the house, only in the garden - so one rotten egg, well a little more compost to have.

However, no Easter celebrations here. I am on nightshift all of Easter so it will be working and sleeping :) However, on Monday afternoon my sister and Alex and his dad are coming over with some cake for a relaxing afternoon. :)

We're just going over to MrMorphy's parents in Golden Valley. We aren't going over for Easter dinner. It's just that we arranged to go over for dinner and it happened to be on Easter! Funny how that works. We, however, are having ham.

Well I hope you have a fantastic dinner with your in-laws Morphy! :)

And I hope you have a lovely visit with your family on Monday Bianca! :)

Happy Easter to everyone!

I hope you had a nice Easter, Rachel. :)

Thanks Stephen! I certainly did!

Everyone, I started threads for group reads:

Courtesy of Autism Awareness month The Sound and the Fury http://www.librarything.com/topic/152293

Courtesy of Science Religion and History group The Great Transformation http://www.librarything.com/topic/152294

Everyone is welcome to join.

2013 Book 30: The Fairest Beauty, by Melanie Dickerson

Reason for Reading: I led the book discussion for ACFW this month.

Review
When Gabe Gerstenberg learns that his brother's fiance - who everyone thought had died - was very much alive and being held hostage by an evil duchess. Gabe's brother is down with a broken leg, and his father is busy, so he decides to rescue her himself. He bites off more than he can chew with this rash act, and ends up running desperately from the duchesses men - with a woman that he finds very attractive and very unavailable.

This sweet Christian historical fiction retelling of Snow White, has all the recognizable elements of the fairy tale, but is set in a realistic world. There were a few really creative twists - like the "seven dwarves" that made this story a fun creation. There were a lot of ethical questions brought to light - the main theme was: when do you know you're following God's wishes rather than your own? This is a good book for readers of fluffy/sweet romance, fairy tale retellings, or Christian historical fiction. Personally, I found Sophie's character to be just a little too sweet and perfect, but I think that's the nature of the snow white fairy tale. As far as I'm concerned, that was the only flaw in this cute retelling.

Books Completed in March:

A Cast of Stones, by Patrick W. Carr
Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, by Manning Marable
Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata
Something Rotten, by Alan Gratz
The Fairest Beauty, by Melanie Dickerson
Lamb, by Bonnie Nadzam
The Aviary, by Kathleen O'Dell
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J. K. Rowling
Wanted!, by Caroline B. Cooney
The Stonekeeper (Amulet Book 1), by Kazu Kibuishi
How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization, by Thomas E. Woods

Books Purchased in March:

Bunnicula, by Deborah Howe - paperback, for my nephew
Life after Life, by Kate Atkinson - audiobook, LL for the Prize Formerly Known as Orange
Oblomov, by Ivan Goncharov - audiobook, it was cheap and I wanted to read it some day

March Stats

Books Purchased: 3
Books Read: 11
Books off Shelves: 1
Library Books: 7
Audiobooks: 6
ebooks: 2

Young Adult & Children's: 8
Women Authors: 6
New Authors: 9
Non-Fiction: 2
Pearl Ruled: 1

Year-to-date Stats

Books Purchased: 14
Books Read: 34
Books off Shelves: 6
Library Books: 18
Audiobooks: 14
ebooks: 7

Young Adult & Children's: 25
Women Authors: 17
New Authors: 22
Non-Fiction: 4
Pearl Ruled: 2

2013 Book 31: The Aviary, by Kathleen O'Dell

Reason for Reading: Real life book club

Review
Clara Dooley has lived her whole life in the decrepit Glendoveer mansion, where her mother is the care-taker of the elderly Mrs Glendoveer. Clara's mother keeps her hidden away from the outside world, claiming that Clara's health is fragile. At 12, Clara has come to an age where she wants to test her boundaries - and just such an opportunity arrives when her elderly patron passes away, a new girl moves into the neighborhood, and the birds in the aviary begin to speak to her. With her new friend, Clara must discover the secrets of the Glendoveer mansion, and decide whether the birds are friends or foes.

This was a cute little ghost story / mystery for children (probably girls) ages 9-12. It used the basic adults-don't-want-to-share-secrets format, while keeping the adults likable and intelligent. The two little girls were adorable and fun. And the birds, once they started developing characters, were a very interesting twist. I found this book an engaging and quick read. Highly recommended for lovers of middle-grade ghost stories / mysteries.

Oooh pretty cover

The cover is beautiful and the story sounds interesting-on the list!

Yeah, I've seen that one around a bit and my first thought is "Ooooh, that's a pretty cover."

I will say, however, that I'm ashamed at your list of book purchases, Rachel. 3? THREE!? That's the best you can do? *Shakes head*

Hi Nora and Jennifer! Yeah, I like the cover. I hope you like it when your read it Jennifer!

Stephen, notice that my number of books purchased is still quite a bit higher than my off the shelves count. My goal is to read more books off the shelves than I purchased.

So we are agreed, you should buy more books and read books off the shelf more-er.

>124 Ape:: My, aren't we feisty today, Stephen. :) I love the word "more-er."

Hi, Rachel! That was a really helpful review you wrote of Lamb. Sounds thoroughly creepy, but not the kind of creepy that I want to read. Thanks!

2013 Book 32: Deadly Offer, by Caroline B. Cooney

Reason for Reading: This book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. When I was a teenager, I read the second book in this trilogy, and I was curious what I would think of the first.

Review
Althea craves popularity. She wants to be a cheerleader - swooned over by all the jocks and the envy of all the girls. When, against custom, she opens the shuttered tower room in her house, she releases a vampire who makes a deal with her: If she brings him victims, he will give her popularity. Althea finds herself spiraling out of control as the vampire asks for more and more - and she feels she has to give it to him or suffer public humiliation.

Looked at from a superficial point of view, there's really not much to this book. It's barely 200 pages long, and has little plot or character development. It's pretty standard for those Point Horror books that were being pumped out in the '90s. Teen readers should be wary - this is a quick, fluffy read with a (how dare Ms. Cooney?!) BAD vampire. Yes. That's right. His skin looks and smells like soggy mushrooms. He feeds on the weakness of teenagers. And he doesn't sparkle. He is in no way, shape, or form romantic. It was SUCH a wonderful change. As long as bad vampires don't insult your intelligence, you'll enjoy this book if you're 11-14ish. Or you might enjoy it if you're older and enjoy exploring ideas.

What I liked about this book was that it was more meaningful on a deeper level. There were hints all along that Althea could have made herself popular on her own - that her own attitude ensured her unpopularity. She assumed no one knew she existed, so she hid from everyone. Result - nobody paid her any attention. This is also a story about how far some people are willing to go in order to gain what they want. She sacrificed her morals and trampled on other people in order to achieve her goals - and then she was dissatisfied with the results. It's a story about being true to yourself and how your goals will be more lasting when you achieve them through hard work instead of back-stabbing. Any book that makes me think earns points with me!

Another thing that made me think: where the heck were her parents through all of this?! They weren't mentioned even once! Did Cooney mean to do that? I read the second book in the trilogy many years ago, and I remember THAT protagonist had parents...

Woops! I've been gone for a while, haven't I?

>Es, Yeah, I agree. "more-er" is a great word. :)

>Hi Terri! I don't think Lamb will be most people's cup of tea. I think you have to REALLY like character explorations and be very open minded in order to like a book like that.

I think I can definitely pass over that last book!

Bad vampires are good vampires. ...if that makes any sense...

I agree Stephen. I didn't mind empathy-towards-vampires back in the day when it was Anne Rice, but the concept has gotten out of control now!

Yeah, I like my vampires gruesome! I don't mind empathetic vampires that stay true to the morbid nature of vampirism so much, did you ever see the movie Let Me In? That sort of portrayal doesn't bother me, but it's the charming ab-ridden vampires hunks (and the sultry vampire seductresses) that aren't consistent with my person view of what vampires are.

I think it's similar to the 'zombie' debate, where people say that it doesn't count as a zombie if the person is merely infected with a disease and become mindless. Death is necessary for it to count as a zombie, and I guess some amount of grotesqueness is required for me to find a vampire 'believable.' That's just my personal opinion, of course, vampire smut is popular because a lot of people like it, apparently. *Shrug* :)

I haven't seen the movie Let Me In, but I really want to read the book. :)

MmmMmm, I love me some vampire smut porn...

I think I know what I'm going to recommend next for our little book club.

Bwhahaha!

>134 Morphidae: haha As long as you remember my rule - the book can have sex, but it shouldn't be about sex. :p

What if it's a sex self-help book written by a vampire?

Then I'd read it and say I hadn't.

Ah, I see! Perhaps I will too, I'm ever curious how erections happen without a heartbeat.

In the Hamilton books, the vampires have to suck down some blood before they can get a boner. Not enough blood pressure otherwise.

Ah. Remind me not to read the Hamilton books. I've been tempted at times. ;)

vampires have to suck down some blood before they can get a boner.

Ah, I see. I think a similar activity is pretty common in non-vampire smut porn, so maybe it's not so different afterall. *Shrug*

Well, if you stick with the first four to five Anita Blake books, you'll be fine. But other wise, no. Not a good idea if you want to avoid books that are all about sex!

2013 Book 33: Song of the Vikings: Snorri and the Making of Norse Myths

Written by Nancy Marie Brown

Reason for Reading: This book was provided by the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.

Review
This engaging biography describes the life of Snorri Sturluson, a powerful 12th-century Icelandic chieftain and the author of the poetic Edda - one of the oldest surviving documents of Norse mythology. As a novice of Viking history, I found this book fascinating and informative - though I suspect that there is much speculation and Brown isn't always clear when she is speculating and when she has hard evidence for her claims. As such, I think this biography would be enjoyed by people who are interested in learning a bit about the Vikings, but not experts on the subject.

Brown started each chapter out with a legend out of Snorri's Edda. Often, she told how this legend differs from other known versions and/or how it has effected modern culture. The rest of the book describes Snorri's life - his youth in the household of "the uncrowned King of Iceland," his marriage, his rise to political power, and his downfall. She seemed to get most of her hard evidence from a few primary documents and an outwardly biased biography written by Snorri's nephew, so often she had to fill in the gaps by saying "it's possible it happened more like this, since his nephew's story doesn't really jive with Snorri's personality." Of course, that makes me wonder if she had just as much positive bias towards Snorri as his nephew had negative bias. Overall, though, I'd say this biography was a success. When there is so little information available, and when the book is intended for a popular crowd rather than an academic one, such speculation is necessary - it makes the book more fun.

Wow. I can't believe I just wrote "how this effected other cultures." Sad, sad day Rachel. That it should come to this!

Ha, yeah, I do stuff like that all the time. I mostly blame it on the way my brain works while typing, which is to say...not very well. If it makes you feel any better, I rarely catch that sort of thing while reading (and I didn't in this case) and, besides, most people would know what you meant when reading that. Only a simple-minded imbecile incapable of complex thought (See: Grammar Nazi) would be confused by it. Personally, I find stressing out in an effor to please such unpleasant people to be entirely exhausting and ultimately unrewarding, I'd much rather just throw rocks at them. :)

I am offended by your description of us grammar Nazis. I am perfectly capable of complex thought, and I am *not* an imbecile, thank you very much. Nor am I unpleasant.

I suspect now I shall have to dodge rocks too. Great.

*pouting*

If you correct people's grammar on the internet, then you are defintiely all those things. Fortunately, I haven't seen you do that, so I don't think you are a Grammar Nazi in the first place. :)

I did it to you on your thread, but only because I could then make a crack at you about "eluding" calling me on the phone... :)

Ah, I see. You can pick on me all you want when it comes to spelling and typos, just promise me you won't tell me that "an history" is gramatically correct and we'll be okay. :)

Oh, I hate the use of "an history." It bugs me. But deep down, unfortunately, I really am a grammar Nazi :( I'm sorry to disappoint.

I cringe at bad grammar sometimes...and sometimes I don't. I don't usually correct people. Unless I think they want help with their English.

I cringe at all the problems I see. I just can't help it. I try not to correct people, but sometimes it just slips.

Esquiress: Hmmmm, no, I don't think you are a gammar NAZI. You are too polite about it, you have to be condescending I think, so you are several levels below grammar nazi. *Pencils Hitler 'stache on Es.* There, now you are two levels closer.

Rachel: Hmmmm, I think I would peg you at 'Grammar Nazi sympathizer!'

>144 The_Hibernator: Don't feel bad. The other day I was watching a presentation at a high-level government conference and one of the slides said "apposed" instead of "opposed". For shame.

>152 Esquiress: I've learned to stop cringing on the internet unless it's really terrible. When I first started participating on internet discussions, I would spend a LOT of time carefully re-reading everything I wrote...after a while, I realized that was a waste of time. Just type something up, skim it, and go with it. Otherwise, the internet is too much of a time sink. We need to keep our priorities straight - which is more important: getting my thoughts out there or having perfect grammar and spelling? I can't get annoyed at other people's mistakes now that I am more likely to make my own.

>153 Ape: It sounds more like Es is a Grammar Nazi Sympathizer. ;) I just like communicating with intelligent people...And most intelligent people have good grammar, except some who don't speak English as a first language. And many of those ASK people to point out errors so that they can learn. Even with those people, I only point something out when it's clearly a systematic error and not an occasional slip.

>154 norabelle414: wow. When I'm making presentations I'm MUCH more careful about checking what I wrote. I'm not very careful on the internet. How embarrassing!

I used to be the same way, when I was a teenager. I would scrutinize every single post I made on every single website, even huge ones that were multiple paragraphs. That's obviously no longer the case, which I'm mostly happy about. I do cringe a lot though, when I re-read old posts I've made. I can't believe some of the ridiculous errors I make on a regular basis, and I can't believe you guys don't make fun of me more often. :P

I wouldn't make fun of you, Stephen. ;)

2013 Book 34: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Written by J. K. Rowling, Narrated by Jim Dale

Reason for Reading: Re-reading the Harry Potter series in audio format.

Review

(Contains spoilers from earlier books in series)

The Ministry of Magic has finally admitted that Voldemort has returned, and Dumbledore has returned as Hogwarts Headmaster. Furthermore, Dumbledore has realized that it was a huge mistake to leave Harry in the dark for so long. He and Harry become much closer in Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts, as Dumbledore reveals much of what he knows of Voldemort's history and motivations to Harry. Harry is also kept busy with his new obsession that Draco Malfoy is up to new levels of "no good." Ron and Hermione poo-poo his suspicions and keep themselves busy with escalating romantic tension.

Altogether, this book has a LOT going on, yet it's more compact than the previous two books. Overall, I think this is Rowling's best written book in the series, even if my favorites are the first four. I really enjoyed this re-read of the 6th book in the Harry Potter series - it's only my second time reading this book, and I had forgotten a lot of it. The romantic tension between Ron and Hermione is my favorite part of the book, since it'd been building for SO long and was finally let loose terrifically. :)

Jim Dale's reading, as usual, is excellent. It took some getting used to, but after the first or second book it really grew on me. I know all his voices for the characters, and that really ads to my enjoyment of the story.

Grammar Nazi Sympathizer. I'll take that.

You should've seen me with my red pencil of doom when I was a teacher though. Whew. I try to be impeccable in my speech too, and that's hard.

I have a t-shirt that says "Grammar Police," and it has a little policeman whose whistle is a comma and nightstick is an exclamation point!

>158 The_Hibernator:: For a second there, I forgot this was your thread :D Nice review!

Former grammar police woman here. Reformation happened when a work friend told me that it was annoying & that no one understood the words I used so they thought I was being snobby. Now I bite my tongue until it bleeds ;)

*waving* at Rachel

>160 TinaV95:: I'm going to have to learn to sheath my red pencil of doom...

>160 TinaV95: Tina, I had a friend once who corrected people's grammar ALL THE TIME. It was SO irritating. Especially because he corrected them based upon what he'd learned-by-hearing instead of based upon actual rules. So every once in a while he was wrong. I would break out the big words to explain to him why he was wrong, but he didn't know what any of them meant. haha. :) I'm sorry, sir, but the object of your preposition should not be in the nominative.

>161 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! Your wave reminds me how horrible I've been about getting around to everyone else's threads. Must spend some time on internet. Must spend some time on internet.

>162 Esquiress: Sheathed-but-ready is best.

>163 The_Hibernator:: Uh... in multiple senses? :P

>164 Esquiress: Prexactly! :D

2013 Book 35: The Stonekeeper (Amulet Book 1), by Kazu Kibuishi

Reason for Reading: Helping my nephew with his book report.

Review
When their father dies, Emily and Navin must move with their mother to a run-down house in the middle of nowhere - an inheritance from a great uncle they've never met. On their first night in the disturbing old house, their mother is kidnapped by a gigantic squid-thing and the kids must rescue her with the help of a talking amulet that they've found in a dusty room.

I read this because my nephew really loved it, and he's a very reluctant reader. I can see why he liked it - there's lots of pretty pictures and very few words. It's a book appropriate for middle-graders both in vocabulary and in plot. It was a cute, fast read, and I'm sure I'll read the rest in the series. However, it's not a book that would appeal to me for any other reason than bonding with my nephew. The premise and plot are simply too unsophisticated to be of much interest to most older kids or adults. On the other hand, the book seems to be VERY popular with the younger crowd, and I highly recommend The Stonekeeper for reluctant readers.

Hi Rachel - love the reviews of all the YA-fiction you have read lately. Will try to follow your Hamlet-versions-quest - sounds like a fun idea, although it includes a lot of murders :)

I'll recommend The Stonekeeper to my school librarian, Rachel.

Hi Carsten! The Hamlet retellings will probably be spread out quite a bit - I'm not very good on focusing on one type of book at a time. But I've got them all on my reading list (even including The Klingon Hamlet), and I'm looking forward to most of them!

Hi Roni! It's likely that your school librarian has heard of the Amulet series, since it seems quite popular. But it is certainly a good idea to recommend it in case she (or he!) hasn't. I've seen quite a few kids reading it lately, and all of Johnny's friends got really excited when he got copies of the 2-5 books in the series. :)

On a side note, I was trying to answer the Classics Club meme (in the blogoverse) this month. I had a really hard time. The question was:

“Who is hands-down the best literary hero, in your opinion? Likewise, who is the best heroine?”



The question about the best hero was easy - Jean Valjean is probably the most powerful hero I'll ever come across. The reason he resonates with me is because he overcomes adversity and becomes the man he wants to be - and not the man that the world wants to make of him. And let's face it...the man he wants to be is a very good man.



I spent the entire month trying to come up with a heroine that resonated with me as much as Jean Valjean...Turns out that none of the heroines of my favorite classics (Austen!) elicit the powerful emotions of Jean Valjean. So I had to start thinking about books that I've never before considered favorites. And I realized - I think the most powerful heroine I've read is Jane Eyre. Like Jean Valjean, Jane struggles against a world that tries to tear her down. But she doesn't let that world break her - even when it breaks her heart. She doesn't sacrifice her values in order to remain with the man she passionately loves. Nor does she sacrifice her passion when she finds a man who fits her values. She remains true to what she is - a passionate but self-restrained woman.

This answer is a bit of a revelation for me. I realize now that I really should read Jane Eyre again - through the eyes of an adult. Not that I didn't like the book the first time around...I simply never thought of it as a favorite.

What do all of you think? Who would you choose?

I asked around to see if I could get any ideas for the heroine. My friend Liz (eeblue) chose Alice, of Wonderland. My mom chose Anne Shirley. And my dad said that women simply aren't interesting enough to be heroic. Though he might choose one from a Greek Tragedy like Hippolyta if he had to choose. :)

What do all of you think? Who would you choose?

I don't know about Jane Eyre . . . I mean, there's that whole part where she runs away and loses her money in what? 6 hours? And then she rolls around on the moors and in no time is at death's door, and is only saved by fortuitously rolling into her (unknown) cousins' door. Really, I love Jane Eyre. Read it for the first time in my 30s and then studied it at university. But I still think she has her silly moments. Also, don't like Rochester and think she could have done better (don't ask me how, but something). Other than that, I agree, she's a great character.

and then the only fair question is . . . who instead? That is a good question, and one I'm not sure about. Off to think about it . . . (love the questions though).

edited to add: well, I'm partial to Elizabeth Bennet, but mostly because she ends up with Colin Firth.

>170 Nickelini: and then the only fair question is . . . who instead?

Aye. There's the rub. I know Jane had her silly moments. And I pondered that when I picked her. And I agree about Mr. Rochester. But, in the end, she could have picked worse, too. :)

I couldn't get myself to pick Elizabeth Bennet, despite the fact that she's the heroine in one of my favorite books (I'm actually more partial to Sense and Sensibility, to be honest). The reason I said no to Elizabeth is because one of her defining characteristics is a pet peeve of mine - she's judgmental. She makes snap decisions about people, and then pridefully believes in them even as evidence piles up to the contrary. On the flip side, when she finally DID realize the error of her ways, she admitted her fault and learned a lesson. :) And, of course I prefer Mr. Darcy to Mr. Rochester as a love interest. :)

Hmmm, this is indeed a very good question. I looked quickly through my books and was starting to think that maybe it's me (and may it is . . . ). I just don't identify with any fictional characters that strongly, as much as I enjoy reading about them. You're right about Jane. Let's just look at her night of losing all her money and rolling around on the moors as one bad mistake and the rest of her is all pretty good (except allowing all those people to preach at her face, but it was 1840-something, so that's what one did).

I was always sort of partial to Eve in the Bible. And Ophelia from Hamlet was also appealing . . . I liked her unpredictability. And then there's Laura Brown from the Hours, who leaves her perfect 1950s family to go to Canada! and become a librarian! Shocking.

Ophelia is certainly very unpredictable and complex. But on the other hand, she went insane because her boyfriend killed her dad and then she drowned herself. She's a well-written character, but I don't really admire her.

Rachel, I love that your thread is spider-free.

If you go into genre literature, Bujold has written two excellent ones--Cordelia in her Vorkosigan series and Ista in Paladin of Souls. Cordelia is really one of the great all-time woman characters, though (Cordelia's Honor and on...)

I just read Jane Eyre recently, it's wonderful! I don't know if I would consider her the strongeest heroine though. For me, I was just felt terribly sympathetic for her, and desperately wanted to see her happy (even if it was with Mr. Rochester.)

I have no idea who I would pick instead, though, I'd need to think about it. I'm tempted to say Mina Harker, from Dracula, but she had her weak moments too. Then again, what hero/heroine doesn't? I think few things make a character stronger than an occassional moment of vulnerability.

EBT1002: haha! It WAS only one spider thread, you know! Of all my threads, apparently that's the most memorable. ;)

Roni: I haven't read anything by Bujold, though I really ought to. Especially her Paladin of Souls series, which I've heard a lot about. Perhaps that's why it was so difficult for me to come up with one...I was trying to think of the classics, which are MOSTLY written by men.

Stephen: Yeah, a lot of people are making the complaint "com'on! she picked Mr. Rochester! she's not strong!" He's certainly not my type, but I DO think she loved him. And he wasn't all THAT bad. They were kindred spirits, I think. They understood each other. (I'm doing an awful lot of defending of Mr. Rochester and Jane Eyre recently, which is funny because I felt a little iffy about Mr. Rochester when I read the book as a teen.) :p

Not feeling the Mina Harker thing, either. She was pretty kick-ass, of course, but she lacked depth. I was trying to find a very deep character, with a lot of powerful character development.

A person on my blog suggested Hester Pryne. I haven't read that book, but I think she has a lot of potential.

Ophelia is certainly very unpredictable and complex. But on the other hand, she went insane because her boyfriend killed her dad and then she drowned herself. She's a well-written character, but I don't really admire her.

When I studied Hamlet, we looked at different angles of Ophelia's insanity. I think the one you give is the most common, but it's not the only reading. However, I would agree with you completely that she doesn't offer much to admire. I just like her. Which brings me around to saying that the search for the admirable heroine is a tough quest!

Joyce - interesting that you would say that about Ophelia. I just finished reading the Arden Shakespeare version of Hamlet (even though I still have to finish reviewing it!)...and I was rather surprised at Harold Jenkins' interpretation of Ophelia...that she had NOT had relations with Hamlet. And I could see his point. Jenkins takes a very literal approach to Shakespeare interpretation, and they never LITERALLY said that Hamlet and Ophelia had had relations...they just used bawdy wordplay. But he certainly didn't give any other interpretations of Ophelia's madness. Of course, as a literalist, he would assume she literally went mad.

What are the other interpretations?

What are the other interpretations?

I remember the class and the discussion, but I don't remember any of the details. What I have remembered is liking Ophelia because of all the questions she raises and the ambiguity around her. (which is one of the reasons I find Shakespeare fun over all). I watched an old BBC production of Hamlet with Patrick Stewart as Claudius, and by their actions it suggested that Claudius had been sexually harassing her for some time and it was really bothering her. My teacher didn't think much about that approach as it was completely unsupported in the text and just the production's choice.

According to Shmoop.com, Ophelia's insanity comes from the pressures of the patriarchal system she lives under. They contrast her real insanity with Hamlet's feigned insanity. http://www.shmoop.com/hamlet/ophelia.html (have you seen this Shmoop website? I'm loving it). And reading their description of her reminds me that I really do like Ophelia. Not too admirable still though.

And now you have me wanting to pull out my old notes and see what else we said . . . .

Books Completed in April:

Airman, by Eoin Colfer
Song of the Vikings, by Nancy Marie Brown
John Dies at the End, by David Wong
Deadly Offer, by Caroline B Cooney
The Ghost Map, by Steven Johnson
Anna Dressed in Blood, by Kendare Blake
Maisie Dobbs, by Jacqueline Winspear
James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl
Hamlet, by William Shakespeare
Lone Wolf, by Kathryn Lasky
Chasing the Prophecy, by Brandon Mull
The Stonekeeper's Curse, by Kazu Kabuishi

Books Purchased in April:

Fantastic Mr. Fox, by Roald Dahl - for my nephew
The Witches, by Roald Dahl - for my nephew

ARCs

Song of the Vikings, by Nancy Marie Brown (LTER) - Complete!
Deadly Offer, by Caroline B Cooney (Netgalley) - Complete!

April Stats

Books Purchased: 2
Books Read: 12
Books off Shelves: 4
Library Books: 6
Audiobooks: 5
ebooks: 1

Young Adult & Children's: 7
Women Authors: 5
New Authors: 5
Non-Fiction: 2
Pearl Ruled:

Year-to-date Stats

Books Purchased: 16
Books Read: 46
Books off Shelves: 10
Library Books: 24
Audiobooks: 19
ebooks: 8

Young Adult & Children's: 32
Women Authors: 22
New Authors: 27
Non-Fiction: 6
Pearl Ruled: 2

TRAGEDY has stricken! My Nook has died! :(

RIP, dear first gen, RIP

Condolences.

It's a sad, sad day. :(

Oh no!

Oh, dear. The first gen was a good one. May it rest in peace.

*plays Taps*

*sings Taps*

Day is done,
Gone the sun
From the lake,
From the hills,
From the sky;
All is well,
Safely rest,
God is nigh.

Knew all those years as a Girl Scout would come in handy some day.

*sniffle* Well, thanks for all the condolences and support everyone!

At least dead-tree books don't die.

#190 by Ape> Except that the tree died. And then was resurrected, so I guess that's better. Except now I think books are tree zombies, which is why they've been consuming my brain for so long...

>191 norabelle414: LOL Sorry to hear that your Nook died Rachel. That's bad news indeed.

Some interesting reading for April. I just started Ghost Map as part of my work related group read - ahem, we are a "mini" book club with three gals :) and Ghost Map was our choice for May and a brilliant excuse to go out for a lovely meal *big grin*.

Well, in regards to the best heroine - that's a difficult one. In general I do like female characters which are strong, maybe a little feisty - and nasty - but ignore social conventions. First coming to mind for me would be Sarlett O'Hara. Yep, that would fit. Although, when going into the direction of fantasy I would say that I did like quite a few of the strong female characters in The Game of Thrones.

Hey, as your poor Nook died - that's your chance - now you can pull the Mary Doria Russell books off your shelves.

BTW: How is your dad doing? Best wishes from my end of the world :).

Knew all those years as a Girl Scout would come in handy some day.

Me too! I have sung along with you. Perhaps we were in harmony.

Thanks everyone....I got a new HD+ today, because I was in the middle of an ebook that I'd really like to finish - I think I'll be happy with my purchase. Even if I'll miss my old friend.

Binaca...I'll try to move the Russell books up on my TBR pile. :) My TBR pile is on a point-system, and I can always add a few extra points for "recommended by..." and "really want to read." I know it sounds complicated, but it's really helps me to keep my priorities straight.

My dad is doing well. In fact, he's pretty much up to his old self again. :)

Woah, a new Nook AND HD? *grin*

Great to hear that your dad is back to his old self again. So, that means he is causing a lot of trouble around the house?

What kind of point system are you using. Maybe, something like that could help me to get on top of my mountain TBR :( Which appears to grow more and more since I have been a member on LT.

So, what are you currently reading?

Holy crap, you have a ridiculously convincing sad face.

I have the Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight.

Also, I agree with Stephen.

Bianca (198): I have all my books listed in an excel spreadsheet (though it's possible such a thing could be done on LT as well, I haven't tried because I keep other info on the spreadsheet as well). I thought about all my reasons for wanting to read a book: Was it recommended? Am I just REALLY interested? Is it the next in the series? A favorite author? An interesting theme? A classic? A winner of a prize that I'm following? etc.

I assign one or more points to each of these categories. Generally, I assign one point each category. But I assign 2 if I really want to read a book, if the book is already owned and sitting on my shelf, or if it's part of an already-started series. Then, I keep track of how many categories each book fits into and add up the points. I sort my books based on the highest number of points to determine which books I ought to move to the top of my TBR pile.

Because I tend to need light books sometimes (as seems the case recently) I can also sort by light vs. heavy reading and fiction vs. non-fiction. :)

It seems complex and a pain to set up...but once I had the system working, upkeep was easy and I really enjoyed being able to prioritize.

199 & 200 Holy crap, you have a ridiculously convincing sad face.

That's because I really AM sad my Nook died. :p

Bad planning on my part. I should have started a new thread with the picture of my new Nook. Now I'm going to have to think of something else.

ETA: Es - I thought about buying the glowlight, but I don't own a tablet and I thought it would have some functions that would help me out. I think I can read textbooks on the HD+ :)

I'm delighted that you have a new Nook HD!!! Fabulous! Just as well the old one died! :) The Ghost Map sounds interesting! Let me know what you think about it. I'm currently reading Fever by Mary Beth Keane. It's the story about so - called Typhoid Mary who immigrated from Ireland to New York and was apparently responsible for spreading typhoid fever. Interesting story. Hmmm - I may need to put The Ghost Map on my wish list...Thanks a lot! :)

Go ahead and start a new thread with the picture of your new Nook. I promise we'll all pretend we haven't seen it before.

Is that a photo of Rachel with a corpse? {{{{shudder}}}}

Your point system sounds really interesting! I'd love to see more of your spreadsheet. I do something like that mentally, but that's kind of like mentally counting calories or mentally balancing my budget. Some times I'm right on, but other times, it's way off.

I wonder if a version of that would keep me from impulsively buying books to keep adding to Planet TBR. Hmmm again. I'm already adding book bullets to a spread sheet- a few more columns for points wouldn't be that hard to add in.

Congrats on the new Nook!

I've long been a Jane Eyre fan. I even wrote a paper about her for my college English class, regarding (what the modern world would call) feminist themes in the book. The professor did not quite "get it" -- I think his understanding of feminism was much too limited.

#205 Yeah, Jane Eyre is a great Sci-Fi, with the female Cyborg and all!

Rachel I am terrified that if I switched to e-books firstly SWMBO would take over my reading room and secondly if the bloody thing crashed I know I would lose everything.
Glad to see the smile back on your face in the second photo. Have a lovely Sunday.

Actually, Piyush, it's been done! Jenna Starborn by Sharon Shinn is a retelling of Jane Eyre, with all the interesting things that technology could do in such a situation. Not bad at all!

Congratulations on the new Nook. I am dreading the day when my first gen Nook bites the dust.

Well, the Nooks HD's are currently on sale for $50 off and the HD plus for $90 off, so it's a really good time to buy a Nook. The sale ends on Saturday, I think.

Are you specifically after heroines from classic literature?

By the by.... Yay on your new Nook!! Great pictures... The sad face made me giggle, but only after I saw the happy face one!

#208 Wow! So someone did follow up from the Friends episode where Phoebe tells Rachel how Jane Eyre was a Cyborg and stuff, I just checked, that episode was aired in 1999 and the book was published in 2002. Pretty cool though!

Sara Harding from The Lost World was pretty kick-butt.

>211 TinaV95: Well, I guess any fantastic heroine would do at this point. I was originally trying to come up with one from Classic literature. But the problem is that MOST classics were written by men! There are fewer women authors to choose from - and therefore we're less likely to find a fantastic female character than a fantastic male character in classic lit!

>212 PiyushC: To be honest, when you originally made the comment, I thought you were referring to the cyborg Jane Eyre book. I haven't read it, but I'm sure it's very amusing. :)

>213 Ape: True! :) I think by today's standards of fantastic female character, we might very well HAVE to choose a modern character, right?

NEW THREAD PEOPLE! http://www.librarything.com/topic/154108 (If I build it, they will come.)