May The_Hibernator Catch Up on her Reviews

For all those of you who didn't know - This is my new Nook HD+, which I'm enjoying immensely. :)

I've gotten WAY behind in my reviews this year - I've got 15 books that I've read and haven't reviewed yet! My goal this month (a little late, I guess, since it's already the 11th) is to catch up on those reviews. I'll try not to take any more extended vacations into real life people!

*chants* No more real life! No more real life!

Books Completed in June:

Merlin's Blade, by Robert Treskillard
Out of Boneville, by Jeff Smith
My New Teacher and Me!, by Al Yankovic
The Red Queen, by Matt Ridley

Books Purchased in June:

Wool, by Hugh Howey
My New Teacher and Me!, by Al Yankovic

ARC TBR

Tiger Hills, by Sarita Mandanna (LTER)
Trial of Fallen Angels, by James P. Kimmel Jr (LTER)
Captives: The Safe Lands, by Jill Williamson (Publisher)
Merlin's Blade, by Robert Treskillard (Publisher) - Complete
Hero's Lot, by Patrick W. Carr (Netgalley) - IN PROGRESS

Currently Reading:

Genetics: Analysis and Principles, by Robert J. Brooker
Lean In, by Sheryl Sandberg
Wool, by Hugh Howey
Hero's Lot, by Patrick W. Carr
NOS4A2, by Joe Hill

May Stats

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

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

2013 Book 36: How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization

Written by Thomas E. Woods, Narrated by Barrett Whitener

Reason for Reading: I have an interest in Church history and history of religion.

Review
How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization is an apologetics treatise about how the Catholic Church contributed to the development of science, philosophy, art, and culture. For someone who has not read a lot of books on the subject - who wishes to be disabused of the belief that the Catholic Church shunned science and tried to halt the progression of culture - this book is an excellent introduction. It covers a wide variety of topics in a superficial survey of how the Church changed and promoted civilization. On the other hand, if you're like myself and are well-read on the subject, this book lacks depth. Although there was a wide variety of information discussed, there was very little that it discussed in greater detail than I already knew. Therefore, I would highly recommend this text to someone who'd like an introduction to the topic - it's well-written, well-researched, and interesting. But if you're looking for depth and detail, this may be worth just a quick read.

This audiobook was well-narrated by Barrett Whitener. No complaints there!

Hiiiii Rachel! Lovely thread opener. :)

Happy new thread! *glitter*

Happy new thread!

Hi Rachel, love the new thread and the new Nook HD+!

Nice shiny new thread AND Nook!

Hiiii Stephen, Es, Leah, Lori, and Terri!

2013 Book 37: The Testing, by Joelle Charbonneau

Reason for Reading: This book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book will be released in June 2013.

Genre: Young Adult Dystopia

Review
Cia wishes more than anything that she will be chosen for the testing procedure - leading to a university education. But the testing procedure turns out to be more than she'd bargained for. The other kids are literally cut-throat competitors, and the testing officials are cruel and calculating. Will Cia be able to hang on to the person she is and still pass the test? Does she even want to pass the test anymore? What dire consequences really do follow failure?

This book was a fantastic addition to the popular young adult dystopia genre. It took me a little while to get in to the story because there was little to distinguish it from all the other YA dystopias I've read lately, but after about 50 pages I was really sucked in and wanted to know where Charbaonneau was taking the story. I had an inkling what might happen in the end - sort of a "wow, I hope it goes in this direction, because that would make the next two books really interesting." And it DID go in that direction. So, the ending wasn't unpredictable, but it was unique, and I was in suspense for the entire book which way it would go. I hope she really works that aspect in the second and third books. To me, that's the aspect that will make this trilogy stand out from the crowd. Another thing I liked is that although there's potential for a love triangle, that aspect wasn't focused on. As I'm really tired of the triangle, the lack thereof was very refreshing. I hope the trilogy stays that way. The violence might be a bit off-putting to some young readers, but I'd say it's about the same as The Hunger Games - maybe a little less.

Overall, a fun quick read. I hope this trilogy is popular.

Woops. This was an accidental post. Please ignore me.

HI EVERYBODY!

Hi Rachel - I'm terribly behind, but here's a new thread!

I'm sorry so hear of the death of your Nook, but it seems this new one is helping you get past the pain, so that's good.

Thanks Kerri! I'm sure my HD will soothe my pain. :)

2013 Book 38: Airman, by Eoin Colfer

Reason for Reading: Seemed like a good idea

Genre: YA Steampunk

Review
Conor Broekhart has grown up as the best friend of the princess of the Saltee kingdom (an imaginary kingdom off of Ireland). But when he discovers a conspiracy to kill the king, the real traitor captures him and sends him to a prison camp to mine diamonds in obscurity. Conor must use his genius for flight to escape the prison and rescue the princess. Conor is much like a 19th century steampunk Artemis Fowl. Colfer delivers his usual book - fun, delightful, and humorous. Definitely a treat for fans of non-dystopia non-paranormal-romance YA. (YAY! for something different!) I'd say this book is appropriate for 5th - 8th graders.

I love the Artemis Fowl series to this one is going on the list! Thanks for the review.

Is it too late to wish you a Happy New Thread? Anyway, I'm glad you were able to replace your Nook so quickly. You look pretty happy with it!

Hi Jennifer and Julia! nice to see you on my thread! :)

2013 Book 39: Against the Tide, by Elizabeth Camden

Reason for Reading: I'm leading the discussion of Against the Tide for the ACFW Bookclub on 5/27 - 5/31. If you would like to join the discussion (or see what else the bookclub is doing) you can join the Yahoo Group. There's still time to read this fantastic book!

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Review
Lydia Pallas grew up surrounded with instability, but she is finally content with her comforting home and rewarding job as a translator for the U. S. Navy. She meticulously organizes her surroundings so that, for the first time in her life, she feels she's in control of her life. However, her landlords are now threatening to throw her out of the only stable home she's ever had. She needs to raise several hundred dollars to buy her home by December. Seemingly fortuitously, Alexander Banebridge (Bane), a friend of her boss, offers to pay her a lot of money for some free-lance translation work. Even though Lydia begins to question the odd requests of Bane, she finds herself attracted to his cleverness, charm, and sense of humor. Soon, she is swept up into a dangerous world of opium smuggling.

I have a lot of good things to say about this book. I loved the late 1800's Boston setting - it's a time which lends itself easily to romance. Although there were a few moments that I wondered if the language was historically accurate, I felt Camden did an excellent job with her research into opium trade. Despite (or possibly because of) Lydia's OCD quirks, she was very lovable. I really found myself empathizing with her pain - losing her family, the stress of raising money to buy the only home she's ever felt safe in, and her feelings for Bane. On the other hand, I inwardly groaned at her devotion to Bane and his cause. I totally understood WHY she was in love, but cringed at the foolishness of loving a man who claims he has no interest in marriage, but doesn't mind a bit of flirting. But love is foolish, often, isn't it? I was sort of torn - I empathized with her frustrations with Bane, but I also wished she would find herself a nice dedicated man. This is a similar conundrum I felt while reading Jane Eyre - I wanted her to live happily ever after with the man she loved, but I thought she was risking too much by loving him. I guess that makes it more romantic, in some ways?

The other thing that I really appreciated about this book (though my attention was only drawn to it because I'm about to lead a book discussion): the questions that Camden provided at the end of the book were really deep! I didn't realize how many sticky philosophical and spiritual questions were brought up in the story until I read the discussion questions. And they're not spiritual questions that have an obvious "right-if-you're-REALLY-a-Christian" answer, which is what a lot of end-of-book discussion questions in Christian Fiction seem to be. Personally, I don't see the world in black and white, so I love the opportunity to discuss grey.

Hmm, that cover seems strangely menstrual to me.

>19 Ape:: *blink* That is a bizarre comment.

>19 Ape: Is it the red dress?

Cool review of Airman. Looks about Icarusy.

21: And the title.

>20 Esquiress: That is Stephen, you know. Bizarre is his middle name.

I wonder why menstruation is so front-of-the-mind for Stephen, though? Is it that time of month?

>22 cammykitty: Katie - Yeah, that's exactly what my dad said when he saw the cover. :)

2013 Book 39: John Dies at the End

Written by David Wong, Narrated by Stephen R. Thorne

Reason for Reading: Real Life bookclub

Genre: Quirky adult horror

Review
This book is the king of unreliable narration. Presumably, this book is about David and John, two friends in a Midwestern town who need to fight off evil forces when a new drug (soy sauce) opens a door to a parallel universe. Although it's clear that David exaggerates a good deal for the sake of story-telling, it is up to interpretation whether David and John are really kicking the EF from PU butt, or if they're hallucinating. Either way, it's a wild, crazy, and very humorous ride. The humor is very dark, dry, and sometimes witty. It was my favorite part of the book. The plot was fairly non-existent, though. The book was more about action and weirdness - the story was just too wild to actually have a coherent plot. During the middle of the book, I was starting to regret that it was so long because I'm more of a plot-driven than situational-driven reader. But I'm glad I hung in there, because I got some great laughs and may view the world a tiny bit differently after listening to this book.

You wouldn't think this book would lend itself well to audio format, but Stephen R. Thorne did an amazing job. His delivery of the dry humor and action was spot on. I'm happy that I took the risk on audio.

25: I don't know, I don't really pay much attention to lunar cycles. :P

Sooo... a book of dark, dry and sometimes witty humor, told in an unreliable narration, filled with weirdness.... Yup, sounds about right. ;-)

The movie trailer for John Dies at the End sold me on the movie, which I haven't seen yet, but I have to say I am enticed to give the book a try after reading your review. I have made a special note of the audio by Stephen R. Thorne. Thanks Rachel!

I thought John Dies at the End was really fun, mostly because it's totally different from anything I normally read.

The movie is on Netflix instant streaming, if anyone is interested. It's in my queue to watch as soon as I'm done with the 277 movies/tv shows ahead of it (ha!)

2013 Book 41: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Written by Roald Dahl and Narrated by Eric Idle

Reason for Reading: I'd watched the two movies with my nephew, who'd just read the book, and I decided that I wanted to know which one was more true to the book.

Genre: Children's Fantasy / Humor / Adventure

Review
When Willie Wonka announces that he's hidden 5 golden tickets to his fantasticly famous, but very mysterious, chocolate factory, Charlie Bucket wishes more than anything that he could be one of the lucky 5 winners. But Charlie is very poor and can not afford to buy any of the chocolate bars that conceal the tickets. Luck knocks unexpectedly, though, and he's up for the adventure of a life-time with 4 other kids - each of whom has at least one huge personality flaw. Violet Beauregarde is uber-competitive and has a nasty chewing-gum habit, Veruca Salt is spoiled rotten, Mike Teavee is a know-it-all who watches too much TV, and Augustus Gloop is grossly overweight and incredibly greedy. As the eccentric Willie Wonka takes the kids on a wild tour of his factory, each of the kids suffers dire consequences of their flaws.

This is my FAVORITE Roald Dahl book. Hilarious and fun - and it has a classic movie that makes me even fonder of it. I really enjoyed listening to Idle's fantastic narration of the story - though I wish he'd sung the Oompa Loompa songs instead of just reading them. But no one's perfect. I think I enjoyed this book just as much as an adult as I had as a child.

My nephew and I compared the two film adaptations. The first was the Gene Wilder version from 1971 and the second was the Johnny Depp version from 2005. I hadn't seen the classic movie for many years, but I had watched the newer one when it came out. I remember being disappointed in the newer version, but this time around I rather enjoyed it. Yes. It was different than the classic movie, but they were both very interesting interpretations. They both took some artistic license - and each had some stronger points and weaker points. The 1971 version, of course, inserted all that stuff about Arthur Slugworth (not to be confused with Horace Slughorn) and the 2005 version inserted all that stuff about Wonka's father. Other than that, there were only minor tweaks to the story in either one, and I was surprised to realize that they both were equally true to the book, in their own way.



So, who's my favorite Willie Wonka? I don't know! That's really hard to decide. The character was acted QUITE well both by Wilder and by Depp, though in very different ways. Wilder's was eccentric in a crazy-scary sort of way. Depp was eccentric in a wacky-vulnerable-creepy sort of way. These were very different interpretations but I was surprised to realize that they were more similar to each other in some ways than they were to the book character (as read by Idle). Both of Depp and Wilder (especially Wilder) seemed almost to encourage the nasty little kids to misbehave. Willie Wonka of the book seemed mostly unconcerned with the consequences of misbehavior, but seemed to genuinely warn them not to misbehave.



Charlie Bucket was cute in both movies, and the interpretations of the actors was fairly similar. I think Peter Gardner, of the 1971 version, sparkled just a tab bit more. Look at that cute expression when he finds the ticket.



Violet Beauregarde was modernized in the 2005 version. She was still the over-competitive gum-chewing brat written by Dahl, but she was the daughter of a win-or-die beauty queen and was totally kick-butt in a losing-isn't-an-option-because-you're-better-than-them sort of way. Basically, it's making fun of a certain stereotype of over-competitive girls that didn't exist when Dahl wrote the book. So, the Violet of the 1971 version was more true to the kid in the book, but I could better relate to the stereotype portrayed in the 2005 version - and I think this modernization was spot-on with the message Dahl portrayed in his book.



Veruca Salt was cuter in the 2005 version, but she had SO much more attitude in the 1971 version. Look at that "I want it NOW!" face. Definitely a bad egg.



Mike Teavee was obnoxious in both versions. He was modernized a bit in the 2005 version - he was addicted to video games rather than TV - but their interpretations of the character were pretty similar and I don't see any reason to think one did a better job than the other.



The first thing my nephew said when he saw Augustus Gloop in the 2005 version is "he's even fatter in this one!" Indeed, the only character trait Augustus had in the 2005 version is that he was severely obese. To the point of it being a little too much, I feel. Augustus Gloop in the 1971 version is quite fat enough to get the point across, and he has a lot more personality.

Which movie did you like better, and why?

>28 lkernagh: hi Lori! I hope you like it whenever you get around to it!

>29 norabelle414: I haven't tried the movie yet, I'm a little scared. :)

2013 Book 42: Some Quiet Place, by Kelsey Sutton

Reason for Reading: A free copy of the ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Genre: Teen paranormal romance

Review
Elizabeth Caldwell doesn't remember a time when she felt emotions - her whole life has been blocked by a wall of nothingness where her feelings should be. Instead, she is able to see the personifications of Emotions all around her - Anger touches her former friend Sophia. Longing touching Joshua, the boy who has a crush on her. And Fear touches her mother, who claims Elizabeth is not her child - but perhaps a changeling that has taken the place of her daughter after a tragic accident at the age of 4. With the help of Fear, who has formed an obsession with the untouchable Elizabeth, she searches for answers to the questions that haunt her dreams. How did she become this way? Who is she? Is she in danger?

In some ways, this was an amazing book. I really loved the idea. I enjoyed thinking about Emotions as external personifications - powers that influence us by their touch or mere presence. I enjoyed the allegory of hiding your emotions in an abusive relationship - whether that be the result of an abusive parent or cruel bullies at school. I felt that this was a refreshing change from the dystopias, vampires, and werewolves that are popular these days. In this way, Sutton deserves 5 stars, and she has a lot of potential as a writer.

On the other hand, this book does have the earmark of a debut novelist. Some things could have been done with more subtlety or finesse. The ending felt a bit long and clunky, for instance. And I sat through the entire book feeling that Elizabeth was an incredibly empathetic person considering she didn't feel emotion. Was that intentional? Maybe. In fact, I'm inclined to give Sutton the benefit of the doubt and say that it was quite intentional. This was a very difficult character to develop, and Sutton did an amazing job of writing a character that had no emotions - but who I could relate to and like.

I'm sad to say, this book DID have the dreaded love triangle. *sigh* I DO feel love triangles have a place in literature - my favorite Shakespeare play, Twelfth Night, features one - but lately (ever since the Twilight series, I think) it seems to be the basic romantic cop-out. Story doesn't have enough romantic tension? Put in a love triangle! I wish more writers would take the time to think of a different technique to create tension. Isn't there enough tension created just by the fact that she doesn't acknowledge emotion?

So, yes, I have a few quips about this book...but overall I think it was really creative and unique and I certainly hope Sutton continues writing. I have no doubt her debut-novel style will quickly vanish as she develops her career as a novelist.

Awwww, I think it's awesome that you watched both of those movies together! I watched the 2005 version with my mom and sister, so I think the experience was tainted by the way my mom constantly grumbled and complained it wasn't as good as the original, but I really liked it. Maybe not as much as the 1971 version, which I've watched countless time and is an integral part of my childhood, much like The Wizard of Oz, but I'm convinced Johnny Depp can do no wrong, and I really liked his portrayal of Willy Wonka. :)

The children in the original were lightyears beyond the more modern ones though, in my opinion. That seems to be true for most children in movies today for me, though, I'm not sure if the quality of child actors has declined or if it's a weird generational thing, where I have trouble relating or understanding the attitudes of children today, but it seems the cut-off point is somewhere in the mid- to late- 90's. After that, they just become obnoxious. Is that just me?

My memory fails me to be honest. I know I watched the 2005 version but I just don't remember it. I'd need to watch it again. I gave it four out of five stars at Netflix so I know I really liked it at least!

I loved the original and have watched it many times. I'll have to get back to you on a comparison!

I took J to see a charity showing of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in Leicester Square in London on the same day as the UK premiere was held on the other side of the square. They'd turned the central part of the square into the inside of Willy Wonka's factory. We kept a good look out for Johnny Depp, but no such luck!

Good comparison of the two movies. The Wilder version of Wonka seemed to occasionally get a thrill from the kids behavior, like when Augustus gets sucked into the tube and Wonka says something like, "The suspense is killing me. I hope it will last."

I read a "making of the movie" book several years ago written by the director that said the Augustus from the '71 movie didn't speak English at all and had to be taught his lines phonetically.
I've always loved when the interviewer sticks the microphone into Mr Gloop's face as he's eating and he simply bites the head off the microphone.

Love your Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie comparison, Rachel! I cannot seem to remember seeing the version with Gene Wilder.... actually, my memory of the Johnny Depp version is a little sketchy as well. May be time for a mini movie marathon!

I've not seen the 2005 version, but the 71 version is an old favorite of mine!

I have to say, I really enjoyed your review of The Testing. I've given it a thumbs up AND added it to my library list!!

>33 Ape: Stephen, I agree it can be difficult watching a movie with someone who only wants to point out all the ways this movie doesn't compare to nostalgic memories of an original movie or book. My mom does that too. She's simply incapable of liking a new version of a movie when an older one exists. :)

As for children actors, the child-acting was probably much better in the first movie than in the second. But I was also including the interpretation of the characters in my analysis, not just quality of acting. :) I think the actress who played Violet was better in the original, but I just really preferred the newer interpretation. :)

>34 Morphidae: Morphi, Yeah, let me know if you watch them both again!

>35 SandDune: Rhian, sounds like fun even without Depp! :)

>36 mstrust: Jennifer, haha! I would never have guessed that the actor for Augustus didn't speak any English! He did a really good job, considering that. :) I agree that Wilder's Wonka got a thrill from the kids' troubles.

>37 lkernagh: Lori, it's really hard to compare a movie you've seen many times YEARS ago to a movie you're watching today. Nostalgia changes things. I hadn't remembered how dark the Wilder movie was until I watched it again, for instance.

>38 TinaV95: Thanks Tina! You should watch the new one sometime if you don't mind new interpretations. Personally, I LOVE comparing interpretations - I don't think a story is better just because it was written this way, or acted that way originally. Every new interpretation is a new experience in my eyes. :) Hope you enjoy The Testing

2013 Book 43: The Ghost Map

Written by Steven Johnson, Narrated by Alan Sklar

Reason for Reading: Science, Religion, and History group read

Genre: Non-fiction - Medicine and History

Review
The Ghost Map follows Dr. John Snow on his quest to discover the cause of a terrible cholera outbreak in Victorian England. Johnson makes investigative epidemiology so interesting that I could almost see it dramatized (and fictionalized) into a TV show - people DO love their investigative TV! :) But that's beside the point, I guess. At the time of this outbreak in 1854, the popular theory for the spread of cholera was miasma - deathly air that carried disease. After a LOT of investigative footwork, Snow drew a map of the cholera outbreak, demonstrating that the pattern followed streets that led to a particular well (the Broad Street pump) rather than following a circular pattern you'd expect with the spread of bad air. This map, and the investigation leading up to its creation, revolutionized epidemiology. In fact, many consider Snow the "first epidemiologist."

I really enjoyed this book. The writing was engaging (it had a few boring parts in the end when Johnson was describing the map in great detail - I think that may be a problem with listening to the audio book rather than actually reading it, though). The subject was fascinating. Sklar did a good job of narrating the book, and except for the very end with the description of the map, I was quite pleased with the book's audio version. If you have any interest in epidemiology, or the history of medicine, I highly recommend this book.

2013 Book 43: Anna Dressed in Blood

Written by Kendare Blake, Narrated by August Ross

Reason for Reading: I wanted to check off category 12 in Reading Outside the Box

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance / Horror

Review
Cas Lowood has always worked alone on his quest to dispatch murderous ghosts and discover the demon who killed his father. But when he moves to Thunder Bay everything changes - first, he has an explainable fascination with Anna, the ghost he's come to kill; second, he accidentally picks up a team of teenagers who insist on tagging along as he rids the world of Anna's horror. And Cas isn't quite sure he wants to kill Anna anymore...

I picked this book up because of the fascinating cover art. (Yup! I'm one of those people.) I'm glad the cover was so awesome, because I enjoyed the book. Yes, it was sort of a copy of the TV show Supernatural, but that's ok. Every story has its origins in another story, right? This book was fun and quick - I enjoyed the mystery and characters. If you like teen ghost stories, this would be a good book to pick up. But I recommend you pick up the physical book and not the audio book. Ross annoyed me with his too-clear annunciations, his pauses, and his slow reading. It ruined the rhythm of the narrative, and made the dialog fall flat. There were several times I wanted to give up on the book just because the narration was annoying me - and I generally am pretty laid back about audio books.

2013 Book 44: Maisie Dobbs

Written by Jacqueline Winspear, Narrated by Rita Barrington

Reason for Reading: Real Life book club

Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery / Women's Fiction

Review
Maisie Dobbs is disappointed when her first case as a PI is to investigate a potential infidelity; however, things get a little more interesting when her investigation brings to light a suspicious death in a home for soldiers injured in WWI. But investigating the home turns out to be more dangerous than she'd thought.

This book was WAY outside my box. I generally don't read women's fiction or books that have a feminist leaning - though sometimes I enjoy such books. So this mystery wasn't for me. The mystery part of the story was very light - she investigated a potential infidelity at the beginning, and at the end she investigated a suspicious home for injured soldiers. The middle half of the book was all Maisie's background and character development, which I found off-topic and a bit contrived. Maisie is one of those WWI women who did absolutely everything the stereotypical WWI literary woman does. She got caught up in the feminist movement (somewhat), was educated beyond her class and gender, lied about her age so she could be a nurse in France, etc. etc. It's like Winspear took a list of WWI woman stereotypes and checked them all off. Thus, I felt absolutely no empathy for Maisie's character because she felt so fake to me. The little touch of mystery at the beginning and the end wasn't enough to save the book.

I can see that many readers would love this book - if you like women PI's, especially of the historical variety, then this is probably a good book for you. The series IS popular. It just wasn't for me. *shrug*

Sorry I've gotten behind on your threads everyone! I'll be doing my rounds soon!

Rachel, I think most of us are behind on the threads. If we kept up, we'd have no time for RL or to read BOOKS! And then what would we have to talk about, anyway? ;)

:) Good to know I'm not alone! But I DO TRY! I actually have have each thread that I feel I REALLY ought to visit soon listed as a separate task on my calendar. That might make catching up seem to be a bigger task than it really is - on the other hand, it gives me a sense of security that I'm not going to forget anyone. :)

Uh oh. I'm really liking our book club selection, Angel's Ink. It might mean a new series for me. I need a new series like I need another hole in my head.

I haven't even started it yet! I'm in too many book clubs and just accidentally joined another at work. haha. I need to read NOS4A2 really quickly now! But Angel's Ink is short and if you're loving it, I bet it won't be as slow and depressing as our last choice. :) I have 2 weeks, right?!

Threads? Reviews? What are those? I am soooooo far behind I won't get caught up until the snow flies. ETA--But here in Montana that's a (slim) possibility in June.

But a book club at works sounds like you have a new job. Congrats!

Hi Janet! I'm trying my hardest to keep up, but it's not working out well. :) It'll probably be hard for the next year or so because YES I have taken a temporary job (at Barnes and Noble) while I'm back in school for a year. After much thought and discussion, I've decided to get certified in Clinical Laboratory Science. It should be a straightforward transition because of my past experience. I really love working in a lab, and I'm pretty certain I'll love working in a clinical lab because (unlike a research lab) I'll feel that each day I've moved a little bit forward. That I've accomplished something important. I love research because it's not repetitive and takes a lot of creativity, but sometimes you get stuck in a rut, that's for sure! (I guess that's something that never really bothered me before, but it'll be nice to get away from the ruts, regardless.) Another nice thing about clinical laboratory science is that they have fewer qualified people than the number of open jobs. So, I'll have more job stability than I did in research. AND I can get a job pretty much anywhere instead of being stuck into hot-spots of biomedical research. I'm told that there are plenty of opportunities for a person with a PhD in clinical laboratory science, as well, so I'll have room to grow in a field that isn't saturated with PhDs. :)

At least, those are my optimistic hopes. We'll see next year when I'm looking for a job again!

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
Against the Tide, by Elizabeth Camden
Some Quiet Place, by Kelsey Sutton
The Last Council, by Kazu Kibuishi
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl
Prince of the Elves, by Kazu Kibuishi
Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson
Chi's Sweet Home: Volume 2, by Kanata Konami
The Emperor's Soul, by Brandon Sanderson

Books Acquired in May:

Chi's Sweet Home: Volume 2, by Kanata Konami - purchased for nephew
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, by Roald Dahl - purchased for nephew
Bone Volume 1: Out from Boneville, by Jeff Smith - purchased for nephew
Widow of Gettysburg, by Joceyln Green - free Nook book promotion
Sanctus, by Simon Toyne - free Fridays for Nook
Head to Head, by Linda Ladd - free Fridays for Nook
The Lost Code, by Kevin Emerson - free Fridays for Nook
MaddAddam, by Margaret Atwood - galley copy from publisher
NOS4A2, by Joe Hill - galley copy from publisher

ARCs Completed

Some Quiet Place, by Kelsey Sutton (Netgalley) - Complete
The Testing, by Joelle Charbonneau (Netgalley) - Complete

May Stats

Books Acquired: 9
Books Read: 13
Books off Shelves: 5
Library Books: 3
Audiobooks: 4
ebooks: 3

Young Adult & Children's: 8
Women Authors: 7
New Authors: 8
Non-Fiction: 1
Pearl Ruled:

Year-to-date Stats

Books Acquired: 25
Books Read: 59
Books off Shelves: 15
Library Books: 27
Audiobooks: 23
ebooks: 11

Young Adult & Children's: 40
Women Authors: 29
New Authors: 35
Non-Fiction: 7
Pearl Ruled: 2

2013 Book 45: Lone Wolf

Written by Kathryn Lasky, Narrated by Erik Davies

Reason for Reading: I rather liked the Ga'Hoole books, so I thought I'd try this series out, too.

Genre: Juvenile Fantasy / Anthropomorphism

Review
As an infant cub, Faolin was taken from his mother and abandoned to die. He was found by a bear who nursed him through childhood. Now as a young wolf, Faolin is once again on his own and he must find a way to rejoin his own kind. This was a cute little story, and I enjoyed it. But I don't think I would have enjoyed it half as much if I hadn't read the Ga'Hoole books first. Although the story of Faolin is independent of the three story lines in the Ga'Hoole series, Lasky's world-building in this book was a bit dependent upon the other books. The world would have seemed confusing and frustrating to me if I didn't already know all about it from the Ga'Hoole books. This is why I gave the book only 3.5 stars even though I thought it was really sweet. I will continue with this series myself, but I recommend to all of you - continue with this book if you loved the Ga'Hoole books as I did. But if you haven't read the Ga'Hoole books, start there. :)

You got a galley copy of MaddAddam?! So jealous.

>52 Esquiress: hehe ;) *evil chuckle*

>53 The_Hibernator:: How'd you manage to get it?

Well, I'm currently working for Barnes and Noble. I took a galley copy of it because it was just sitting there and no one else had taken it yet. :) So really, it's not mine...but I currently have it. :)

You suck.

:p

ETA: Morphy, you don't even read literary novels anyway!

ETA2: I mean, you do, but you don't like them because they're "miserable people being miserable"

I do too! I've read both the previous Atwood novels and even gave Year of the Flood a seven out of ten stars!

I've read FIVE, count 'em FIVE, Atwood novels. So there. :P The Handmaid's Tale even got an eight!

I don't consider her to qualify anyway since there is actually hope and humor in her works.

If Morphy "doesn't read literary novels" that probably means she only reads 50 or fewer per year.

>59 norabelle414: haha! very true! :)

After much thought and discussion, I've decided to get certified in Clinical Laboratory Science.

Great decision and sounds like a perfect fit for you!

:) I hope so!

*still jealous*

Any chance you can mail it here when you're finished? ;)

haha. Well, there's already a queue for it. But if I get down the queue and you still can't get hold of it, I'll send it your way. :)

2013 Book 46: James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl

Reason for Reading: To keep up with my nephew's book reports

Genre: Children's Adventure / Fantasy

Review
After the tragic death of his parents, James has been living with his horrible neglectful, hateful aunts Sponge and Spiker. One day James is given a magical bag by a mysterious stranger - and in his excitement he trips on the root of a peach tree and dumps all the magic on the tree. Soon a peach larger than a house has grown out of the tree. James crawls into the peach and begins the adventure of a life-time.

This is another classic kids story that I read as a child and haven't picked up since. I'm glad I had a reason to pick it up again, because it was really funny and silly and it had a lot of nostalgia for me. Dahl has just the right amount of humor and whimsy in his books. :)



After reading the book, my nephew and I watched the 1996 stop-action movie. It was a cute movie that followed the basic story-line well enough. But it was a bit too sentimental and it lacked the dark humor of Roald Dahl's story. Cute for an hour's entertainment, but nothing I'm going to watch again and again.

Thought you could slip the Maddaddam in, did you? Good spotting, Esquiress!

When I worked at a bookstore in college, I found the conditions to be very hazardous to my budget. But we'll certainly enjoy your reviews on the all the hot new books!

Clinical Laboratory Science sounds very interesting. I was a clinical technician for about ten years before I got my research technician position.

A couple years ago, one of our post docs took his research degree, joined the military and was assigned to running the US military hospital lab in Germany. I thought it was a stretch since he'd never done any clinical stuff, but to the military, a lab is a lab.

Did you see there are several good science courses starting in Coursera this summer? The Systems Biology one starts today. The syllabus is threatening us with first order differential equations which I'm not sure I want to deal with. I can't tell you how long it's been since I took calculus, although I think I can probably borrow a calculator from work if I need to. You could join in and coach me through it. :-) It doesn't help that I'm taking off for vacation on Wednesday and so will be behind almost from the start.

I also signed up for epigenetic gene regulation and the one on apoptosis. As well as the 'science of gastronomy.' Clearly a glutton for punishment here.

Wow, a job at B&N. Perfect (but dangerous?) for an LTer!

Oh, I should so work there...

>66 streamsong: Hi Janet! I briefly considered the military, but I didn't want to be shipped out to another country (which is a distinct possibility). If I didn't have a couple of cats, that would be fine. I know it sounds cheesy, but I feel that I have an obligation to keep my cats safe now that I've adopted them, you know? And I don't know if I could have complete control over my life if I were in the military. :) But in a lot of ways it's a great way to get experience!

As for Coursera, I'm so swamped with my Genetics class, work, family, and trying to keep up on LT and my blog that I'm sure I couldn't handle those courses right now. I'll probably not look into Coursera again until I graduate next year. :)

>67 tymfos: Hi Terri! Yes, it's a great job. I'm enjoying it so far, at least. I haven't really spent a lot of money yet because I don't have any money to spend. I'm actually pretty good at controlling such urges. :)

>68 Esquiress: It's a lot of fun! I don't think I could stay in retail permanently - it's not really my style. But it'll be fun while it lasts. :)

2013 Book 47: Merlin's Blade, by Robert Treskillard

Reason for Reading: A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Genre: Young Adult Christian Fantasy

Review
Merlin has been living peacefully as the blind son of a village blacksmith when druids invade the area with an evil stone that usurps the minds of the villagers and turns them against God. Merlin is the only villager who is unaffected by the stone's powers. His problems become worse when the High King Uther and his infant son Arthur arrive in the village and are attacked by the druids. Merlin must save his village as well as the young prince. This was a fun retelling of the young Merlin's back-story. It's marketed as a Young Adult Christian Fiction, though I think it could be enjoyed by a wider audience. Merlin's Blade isn't "preachy," which is a complaint of many Christian Fiction books, though it does (understandably) perceive the worship of a stone to be an "evil" act. The druids are portrayed as mostly bad (or at least mislead) people, but I appreciated that some of the druids were actually rather likable. I'm a fan of Christian fiction writers who are able to see the humans behind the non-Christian characters. So, if you're a fan of retellings (especially YA retellings), I think this is a book you might enjoy. It took some interesting liberties with the story of Merlin and Arthur, but it was also rather fun to see how that sword got stuck in the stone to begin with. :)

I'll be waiting for the next book in the series!

2013 Book 48: Chasing the Prophecy, by Brandon Mull

Reason for Reading: I love Brandon Mull! :)

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Review
In the final book of the Beyonder's trilogy, Rachel and Jason's group must separate into two teams - each against "impossible" odds. Jason's team goes in quest of a lost prophecy while Rachel's lays siege upon Maldor's fortress. All must learn to have faith in each other - a task which is much more difficult than it seems.

I loved the Beyonders series. I eagerly awaited the publication of this book, and read it the moment it was released. I wasn't disappointed. Brandon Mull has a vivid imagination - he's created a world that's very different from the standard epic fantasy - most of his creatures are of his own design, and follow a very creative set of rules. This book is much like the classic epic fantasies like The Hobbit in that there's a lot of traveling/walking, and most of the action takes place while on the move. Personally, I've always liked that format of fantasy - not sure why it appeals to me so much, but it does. :)

I can't wait until Mull publishes another book! :)

I don't think I could stay in retail permanently -

Me, either -- not even with books.

Wow, you really are keeping busy. I didn't know you were taking a class besides the new job. I'm sure you'll do great in both.

I'm keeping up in Systems Biology, although I got a bit behind going to the Washington coast. I sort of know this stuff from working with it, but the details, oh the details! I've decided to do lectures and quizzes and skip the discussion board and paper. I won't earn the certificate of completion--and my competitive OCD-ness is screaming at me about this--but it's the only way I can fit this in.

I went to add Anna Dressed in Blood to my wish list because of your great review, but it was already on the WL. Avoided one book bullet tonight! ;)

>73 streamsong: :) You don't have to worry about the certificate of completion. You're doing this for you, not for a certificate, right? :)

>74 TinaV95: Haha. Glad you enjoyed the review AND that you managed to avoid the bullet. :)

2013 Book 49: The Stonekeeper's Curse, by Kazu Kibuishi

Reason for Reading: My nephew loved this series :)

Genre: Children's Fantasy Graphic Novel

Review
In this second book of the widely popular children's graphic novel series Amulet (see the review for the first book here), Emily and Navin's mother is still in a poison-induced coma, and the kids must journey to a dangerous forest to find the cure. They are led by a fox-man Leon Redbeard, who says that it is his job to bring them safely to a lost city of guardians. They are chased by the Elf King's son Trellis, whose loyalties are questionable. This was a cute second book in the series - though the plot is still very childish and light. The kids (especially boys!) love it. :)

2013 Book 51: How to Train Your Dragon, by Cressida Cowell

Reason for Reading: Trying to keep up with my nephew's reading. :)

Genre: Children's Fantasy

Review
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock, the famous Dragon-whisperer of lore, had to learn about dragons somehow - and this book chronicles his growing pains. He and a team of similarly-aged kids must capture and train baby dragons in order to be accepted into their Viking clans as adults. They face expulsion if they fail! But Hiccup's dragon simply isn't cooperating. First of all, it's tiny and toothless - which is humiliating for the dragon of the son of the Chief. Second, it has an attitude problem: it refuses to be trained. It looks like Hiccup might be expelled from his Viking clan! But then some sea-dragons emerge from the depths of the ocean - and only Hiccup (well, with help from his dragon and his friends) can save his people.

This was a hilarious book. My nephew, who isn't a fan of reading, just gobbled this one up. He even sounds excited to read the next one. :) There are funny pictures drawn throughout the story, and the narration itself is laugh-out-loud funny it a childish way. I really enjoyed this book.

I also loved the 2010 movie which was VERY loosely based on the book. The basic setting was the same - a Viking boy named Hiccup must save his clan from destruction at the teeth of hungry dragons - but that's about all that's the same. In the movie, dragons are creatures to be hunted. They aren't kept as pets. Both the book and the movie are very cute and very funny. But in order to enjoy both, you need to be the type of person who is willing to accept that just because the plot is different, doesn't mean the story is bad. (This is difficult for many people to admit!)

accept that just because the plot is different, doesn't mean the story is bad. (This is difficult for many people to admit!)

I agree entirely. ...so long as it isn't a book I've read, in which case, of course the story is bad! It can't possibly be right if they do it all wrong, obviously.

...says the guy who is going to see World War Z next week...I'll be sure to post how bad it is after I've seen it.

Rachel, you sound busy, busy these days. Good luck with school and enjoy the job working with books. I worked in an independent bookstore for awhile when I lived in CO and enjoyed it very much, especially getting to take home new books! For the job, of course. Lol.

Rachel - nice to see your nephew keeping you on your toes with his reading! Have a lovely weekend.

Where art thou, Rachel? I hope you're busy with good things.

Well, it's July, so she's probably preparing for winter.

Actually, we're in road construction season. So she's probably caught in traffic.

Yo! Rachel! Long time, no post!

Hi Rachel! Stopping by to say hello. I hope everything's ok in your world and you pop in to update us soon!

Rachel!

I miss you!

*Sniffle*

Hey Rachel, I was going to join the masses in wondering where you had gone to, but...... well....... geez....... I have to say, I am a little concerned by the picture you have posted in #87.

*YIKES!*

:) I've been busy with work and the class I'm taking. I haven't gotten anything read, and haven't been on the internet much recently (except for the class). But I'm not gone altogether! :)

That picture is from the zombie run this weekend.

#87 That red really becomes you!

Hello Rachel,

finally a visit after a long absence. Well, when reaching the photo of the zombie run I thought I was on the wrong thread LOL. Looks like you enjoyed that weekend very much. Any other photos from the run you would care to share with us?

And what fab reading you have been doing with your nephew, brings back when the memories when I read those books with Alex. Looking forward to follow your book musings again :) *big smile*

87: Just when I thought Rachel couldn't get any hotter... :P

Hi everyone! Thanks for all the perk-me-up comments to make me come back and be social on LT again. :) I'm sure as soon as I get out of my reading slump I'll be back in action on LT.

Bianca, I was in the zombie run with katelisim, so I have another picture with her, but I didn't want to post it because I wasn't sure if she wanted her picture put up. I noticed she doesn't have very many pictures on LT, so I'll leave it up to her if she wants to put up the other photos. :)

Stephen, I don't think zombies are very hot. They're more ambient temperature.

87: Love it! Btw, I was in Houghton, MI a few weeks ago. We stayed on Portage Lake near the university. Lovely little town -- in the summer. I imagine it's quite different in the winter.

:) It's a lovely town in the winter, too - if you like snow. They're pretty good about removing snow very quickly there, so the roads are actually easier to navigate than roads in other parts of the country. Ohio's roads were terrible whenever it snowed! When I moved there, I was told "people in Ohio don't know how to drive in snow." I soon realized that nobody anywhere knows how to drive in snow, but SOME people know how to remove snow from roads and when to get the snowmobiles out and put the cars away. :)

I think the only time Houghton is not a lovely town is in the spring. All those huge piles of melting snow can be hideous.

This is your weekly nudge/hug/we miss you drive-by post. *grins*

I think the only time Houghton is not a lovely town is in the spring. All those huge piles of melting snow can be hideous.

I live in a snow-prone area, and we have the same problem -- and our town's major festival is at that time of year. Not terribly scenic . . . It's not just the snow, but also all the anti-skid stuff mixed in with it. Ugly.

The last time we heard from Rachel she was participating in the online dating discussion. In light of her absence I think it' safe to assume she has been dismembered and buried in the back yard of a creepy guy with adorable teenager-like facial hair. I should have warned you not to date hipsters! *sigh* It's all my fault.

Rachel is fine. I saw her Saturday. Her life is just very stressful right now and she doesn't spend much time online.

99: Thanks. I’d noticed her absence enough to scout around for evidence of recent activity, figured from July posts that RL was happening, but it’s good to know for sure.

Aw! I'm sorry to hear things are stressful for her. :(

The next time you see her you'll have to give her a hug for me and tell her I'm glad she hasn't been dismembered yet.

Sorry to hear she is stressed, but relieved that she is not dismembered.

I had been blissfully unaware of the dismembering possibility, and now I will try to forget it. :-) Ape, maybe you need to host a less gruesome theme month.

Here I am! I'm alive! I think I've only finished one book in the last several months, though.

Thanks for your concern everyone! I'll try to get active on LT again soon. :)

Hurray! It's wonderful to hear from you, Rachel. *Hugs*

:) Good to "see" you again Stephen.

Quick smile and wave. Sorry things are stressful right now.

(Taking a quick glance over shoulder to make sure there ain't no dismemberators lurking about on the thread.)

Don't look at me!

I hardly ever dismember my victims.

:P

Hi Rachel! *waves*

#108 You need to stop brandishing that long knife while making such statements, Stephen.

Oh! Sorry, I always forget...

Hi, Rachel! I'm glad to see that you're alive and intact.

:) Glad everyone here is excited that I'm still alive. I'm going to try to make my comeback slowly here - I'll just give a weekly update without much detail. Hopefully I'll get the time to write reviews again some day soon.

Reading and Film completed this week

2013 Book 61: Spirit Animals: Wild Born, by Brandon Mull


Doctor Who Season 1: The Aztecs (4 episodes)



Newly Acquired

2013 Book 61: Spirit Animals: Wild Born, by Brandon Mull


Genre: Children's Fantasy, appropriate age range 8-10.

Reason for Reading: Brandon Mull is one of my favorite authors, and so of course I had to read this book as soon as it came out.

Review
In children's eleventh year, they undertake a ceremonial transformation into adults by calling their "spirit animals." Most children fail to call any animal at all, but none in history have ever called one of the Great Beasts. So when four children call the spirits of the four Great Beasts who died years ago in a brutal war to save humanity, the kids are quickly swept up into an adult world of conspiracies and danger.

This is an adorable first book in a series. It is appropriate, both in maturity and reading level, for an 8-10 year old - and it would be equally enjoyable to boys and girls. The children's adventures are exciting, but not violent or scary. Some interesting questions of ethics are brought up: for instance, should we support the people who have always been in power and who appear to fight for "good," even when they haven't ever helped us?

I look forward to the rest of the books in the series.

Thoughts
Although this book was in no way overtly religious, it definitely has the savior vs. super-powerful-creature-of-evil allegory which is common in epic fantasy. I doubt there is any explicit religious intent with this allegory, and I think it's fascinating how this allegory slips into our literature so smoothly. It seems that our minds are programmed to search the world for saviors and for physical manifestations of evil. One could as easily interpret such naturally occurring patterns either as the cause or the effect of religious beliefs. I mean, it's as easy to say that we search for a savior because in our hearts we know He is out there as it is to say that we believe in a Savior because that's the mechanism our brains have developed to cope with life's difficulties. But whichever way you believe (and most people have an opinion on the subject), it is undeniable that we crave such stories.

Rachel, you are missed in these parts. Hope you have a wonderful festive season and return to the fold shortly.

Have yourself a merry little book-filled Christmas!

Rachel, as Paul said, you are missed here. I send best wishes to you for the New Year.