No Rest for the Wicked

Review: The Witch of Hebron

2010-11-04T15:28:00.000-04:00

This is my very first blog tour, which I am excited about. Thanks again Jen & Lori @ Crazy Book Tours for your patience with this newbie.

Kunstler, James Howard. The Witch of Hebron: A World Made by Hand Novel. Atlantic Monthly Press. Sept 2010. 336pp. ISBN 0802119611

Synopsis:

Already a renowned social commentator and a best-selling novelist and nonfiction writer, James Howard Kunstler has recently attained even greater prominence in the global conversation about energy and the environment. In the sequel to his novel, World Made by Hand, Kunstler expands on his vision of a post-oil society with a new novel about an America in which the electricity has flickered off, the Internet is a distant memory, and the government is little more than a rumor. In the tiny hamlet of Union Grove, New York, travel is horse-drawn and farming is back at the center of life. But it’s no pastoral haven. Wars are fought over dwindling resources and illness is a constant presence. Bandits roam the countryside, preying on the weak. And a sinister cult threatens to shatter Union Grove’s fragile stability.

In a book that is both shocking yet eerily convincing, Kunstler seamlessly weaves hot-button issues such as the decline of oil and the perils of climate change into a compelling narrative of violence, religious hysteria, innocence lost, and love found.

Review:

Reading has been a chore for me lately. It takes me months to read a book now because the only time I can read for pleasure is on the treadmill at the gym twice a week; a total of maybe 40min a week reading. I read 4-5 hours a day for school. I miss reading for pleasure more than you can possibly imagine.

One of my guilty pleasures are dystopian books, so I was pretty excited to get my hands on The Witch of Hebron. I was concerned because it was a sequel to World Made by Hand, which I hadn’t read. I don’t like starting midway through a series because I am forever thinking I am missing it out on something. That actually wasn’t the case here, I am pleased to say. Yes, it takes place in the same town and ties up some loose ends, but the central characters and the major plotlines/relationships are all recapped really well here.

In Witch of Hebron, the standout hero character amongst the ensemble is Jasper Copeland. He is the son of a doctor, and at 11 wants to strike out on his own as a doctor. This is completely against the wishes of his parents, who want him to finish school like any other parent. In post-apocalyptical society there is seemingly no need for a formal education, after all there is no government anymore. There are no laws saying he needs to obey his parents, and he needs to stay in school. The reality of a post-apocalyptical world is best experienced through Jasper’s adventures. During the book, Jasper runs away and it is his experiences that truly send the message home that the world is different beyond the obvious reasons. And his medical adventures while on his own that really make the book so chilling for me. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the appendectomy performed in this book was disturbing and so incredibly well researched and written.

My only real complaint about the book was the number of pop culture references. On one hand, they do serve a purpose to make the reader feel as though the book takes places in the not so distant future. On the other hand, I think it will date the book and cause it to lose impact over the years. That said, this is a tremendously impactful book and I can’t wait to read World Made by Hand.

Rating: 4 eyeglasses.

Torture

2010-11-04T15:24:00.000-04:00

Why oh why do I go to The Book Barn and buy a bag full of books when I know I can't read them for another 6 weeks? It's one thing to buy a bunch of books and know I have a lot to read all ready, but at least there is the hope one of them will skip to the head of the line because the mood struck me to read that book. It's another thing entirely when I just buy books that have no hope of being read until the semester is over and the review books are completed.

I do have good news though. I am about to post a review for The Witch of Hebron, and I have only 30 pages left to the latest Snipesville Chroncile: A Different Day, A Different Destiny (of which I will be giving away 2 shiny copies!) So thanks for sticking around - I had no idea just how hard this semester was going to be for me. I am reading other blogs faithfully, even if I don't have time to comment.

When I'm Not Reading

2010-10-21T10:58:00.000-04:00

It's Thursday and I thought it would be a good way to use Missie's meme from The Unread Reader to explain why I haven't been around much.

When I'm not reading, this is what my week is like on average:

Monday: I get up super early to make the hour and fifteen minute commute from my boyfriend's house to work. It's 40miles but lots of traffic. I spend my lunch hour doing reading for my classes, and when I leave work at 5 I either go to acupuncture (has helped me tremendously), or I go to class and go over my cataloging homework before our weekly quiz. Usually they let us out of class late and I get home around 10:30. I'm then up until 1 or 2 working on my reading for Tuesday night's class.

Tuesday: Fortunately I have a shorter commute during the week. This is a leave early day for me because I am in class from 3:30 until 9:30 (two classes). This is my very busy day because of the insane amount of reading for these classes (historical anthropology and archives). I get home around 10:30 and once again have about 2-3 hours of reading to do for the next day.

Weds: another leave early day for me. Once again my lunch hour is spent reading and writing for tonight's class - The Crusades. If I don't have a meeting (I'm very active in 2 student organizations and this has been a tremendously busy month for us) then I am typically home by 7:30. Sometimes I have book club, or sometimes I meet up with friends. I try to be home by 10:30 again because I have to do work on my online class: Public Librarianship.

Thursday. A full work day for me and no classes. Fortunately Thursdays are quiet at work so I can catch up on my online class if I get through my work in time. After work I go to my Grandmother's for "dinner and a story" and then it's home for laundry and reading. I average about 200-300 pages of reading a night for school. This is not light reading either - I'm taking a lot of notes and I am wring a lot of papers. I'm also in the process of packing since I will be moving in the next few months.

Friday: Another full day with no classes. Fridays are a lot like Thursdays for me, but this is the day I try to get some down time. If I don't go to karaoke with my friends then I work on packing and just plain zoning out in front of the tv with the dogs.

Saturday: I am starting a 1 credit internship/project for my archives class that involves me spending any free time for the remainder of the semester on saturday mornings working on this project. Then it's off to my boyfriend's house for the weekend for some downtime (that strangely results in me cooking for him for the week). And of course I have to make time on Sundays to do my homework!

So as you can see, I haven't had very much time to read (or at all really). I'm realizing that I really took on way too much and I'm overwhelmed. I am so overwhelmed that I am flaking out, which is completely unlike me and I apologize to anyone that I've caused aggravation with because of my being over-extended. I fully expect to be my normal rational and dependable stuff by Jan 1.

Banned Book Week - Guest Post by Lily from Lillium's Realm

2010-10-01T12:47:00.000-04:00

I couldn't let banned book week go by without having someone do a guest spot for me on their favorite banned book. It just so happens this is also my favorite banned book.

Lily from Lillium's Realm was so nice to write a post on To Kill A Mockingbird for me. Without further ado:

Have you ever judged someone on the way they look? How about that guy behind you in line covered in tattoos and facial piercings? Or that lady with 8 kids and one in the belly? Or even that little old blue haired woman covered in cat hair? Or what about that group of young men just hanging out in front of the mall? When you walked past them did you hold your purse a little tighter? Try to keep an eye on them out of the corner of your eye?

Everyone would like to say “I don’t judge people!” They lie. We all judge, all the time. It is one of the first things our parents teach us as children…remember “I’m not taking you to store with me, you’re dirty.” Or “You can not wear that to church.”?? We are all judged and we are all judging all the time, but the content of what we judge each other on is often the issue.

In Harper Lee’s 1960 novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” we are introduced to Jem and Scout, the young children of Atticus Finch. The novel is set in 1930’s Alabama. The small town of Maycomb is suffering but Jem and Scout (who is really named Jean Lousie) don’t feel the Depression as bad because their father is a successful lawyer. As we are introduced to them we see the children acting like children do. Jem and Scout meet a new boy named Dill and Dill finds fascination with picking on local shut in, and in child pack fashion they do too. The main story line most remember though is the story of Tom Robinson, a local black man accused of raping a white woman. Unfortunately the town is mostly white and heavily prejudiced. Atticus agrees to defend the man, because he knows he is innocent. One of the scenes that sticks in my mind the most is where the night before the trial Atticus and his children face down a mob who is there to lynch Tom. Even though the mob is dispersed the trial begins and everyone is forced to inspect facts, but unfortunately this was not a Perry Mason ending with a nice bow on top.

This story has always stuck with me, always. I read this book when I was 12, and I was told I should not be reading “such filth” by my English teacher, no less. She told me the story was more apt to have me viewing my classmates by their race and not as people. I was outraged, as it was well known I had blonde hair and blue eyes and my family was from Germany. Want to talk about nasty? Look like me with my background the day after they show Shindler’s list in class. Good times. Anyways, she demanded I give my book to her and when I refused she wrote me up for insubordination. My dad framed the referral and put it up on the wall. There were amazing quotes from the book and ones I still use today. I actually wanted to name my son Atticus, but that was a big NO GO with his father. So to wrap this up I am going to close with my top quotes from the book:

They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions... but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience. ~ Atticus

“People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for."

"There is one way in this country in which all men are created equal—there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is the court."

"Pass the damn ham, please."

"You can choose your friends but you sho' can't choose your family, an' they're still kin to you no matter whether you acknowledge 'em or not, and it makes you look right silly when you don't."

"The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box. As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it - whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash.”

and finally my fave line from the entire book:

"When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness sake. But don't make a production of it. Children are children, but they can spot an evasion faster than adults, and evasion simply muddles 'em."

Movie Review: The American

2010-09-28T08:58:00.000-04:00

I was so excited to see The American. The trailer made it seem like it was along the lines of The Bourne Identity only with George Clooney. How can you go wrong with that?
I was feeling a bit down and figured this would be an excellent cheer up. I should have known since I didn't recognize the director or any of the cast that something was off about the movie, but again- George Clooney was in it. Oh George how you disappointed me. This was a foreign movie!
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy foreign movies. I just like to know in advance that's what I'm watching. What was wrong with the movie was the lack of plot and character development. We don't know who George is. We don't know why he has an interest in butterflies. We don't know why people are after him. It was a jumbled mess that didn't translate well into American cinema and not even George Clooney's charm could fix it.

Rating: (It pains me to say this) 1 eyeglass

Check out my Guest Post

2010-09-27T20:49:00.000-04:00

Amelia from The Authoress, one of my favorite blogs, asked me to do a guest post for her on a memorable book. I spent a lot of time going back and forth trying to decide which one to write about (I almost chose The Little Prince) until I decided on Anne of Green Gables.

Please check out The Authoress, and my guest post which is dedicated to my very best friend that I miss dreadfully since she moved away.
http://theauthoress-amelia.blogspot.com/2010/09/guest-post-jenn-no-rest-for-wicked.html

Thanks again Amelia for asking me. I had a great time going through my book memories. :-)

Book Review - The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

2010-09-24T12:27:00.000-04:00

First: An apology for being absent. I'm taking 5 classes this semester, plus a full time job, and some personal issues. I haven't had much time to breathe the past couple of weeks, let alone actually blog. Now that I have a grasp on my schedule, I hope to post twice a week if not more.

Coming up I have a fantastic give-away and review of the next installment of The Snipesville Chronicles by Annette Laing. I should be finished reading it very soon and so far it's even better than the first! Stay Tuned!

Now on to the review...

Gregory, Phillipa. The Red Queen. Simon & Schuster NY. August 2010. 382pp. ISBN1416563725

Synopsis:
Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort never surrenders her belief that her house is the true ruler of England and that she has a great destiny before her. Her ambitions are disappointed when her sainted cousin Henry VI fails to recognize her as a kindred spirit, and she is even more dismayed when he sinks into madness. Her mother mocks her plans, revealing that Margaret will always be burdened with the reputation of her father, one of the most famously incompetent English commanders in France. But worst of all for Margaret is when she discovers that her mother is sending her to a loveless marriage in remote Wales.
Married to a man twice her age, quickly widowed, and a mother at only fourteen, Margaret is determined to turn her lonely life into a triumph. She sets her heart on putting her son on the throne of England regardless of the cost to herself, to England, and even to the little boy. Disregarding rival heirs and the overwhelming power of the York dynasty, she names him Henry, like the king; sends him into exile; and pledges him in marriage to her enemy Elizabeth of York’s daughter. As the political tides constantly move and shift, Margaret charts her own way through another loveless marriage, treacherous alliances, and secret plots. She feigns loyalty to the usurper Richard III and even carries his wife’s train at her coronation.
Widowed a second time, Margaret marries the ruthless, deceitful Thomas, Lord Stanley, and her fate stands on the knife edge of his will. Gambling her life that he will support her, she then masterminds one of the greatest rebellions of the time—all the while knowing that her son has grown to manhood, recruited an army, and now waits for his opportunity to win the greatest prize.

Review:
I didn't know how Philippa Gregory was going to tackle a woman who was so disliked, who history has virtually ignored. This is a very cold and calculating woman with very little for the reader to sympathize with. And Gregory doesn't seem to make any effort to turn her into a sympathetic character. I appreciated that because doing so would throw away any ounce of credible historical fiction.

I found the book to be slow going at first, and much more violent than The White Queen. For those expecting it to be as romantic as the Gregory novels normally are will be disappointed. This is a woman that is too pious for something as human as love. Still, it was an interesting look at a period of time and a figure most historical fiction writers ignore. It served as a good follow up to The White Queen and I'm looking forward to the next in the trilogy.

For those interested in reading more about the war of the roses and the characters in this book, I highly recommend The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman

Rating: 3 and a quarter eyeglasses

When I'm Not Reading

2010-09-09T15:34:00.000-04:00

"When I'm not reading" is a Thursday meme hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader . This is one of my favorite memes because it gives insight into bloggers beyond what they read.

This is back to school week, so when I'm not reading chances are I'm in the classroom. I work full time and I'm taking 5 classes this fall: The Crusades, Managing Archives and Special Collections, Historical Anthropology, Cataloging, and Public Librarianship. Yes, I am pretty sure I am out of my mind but it's how it worked out for me this semester.
I probably won't be posting too many reviews this semester because the assigned reading for Crusades alone is pretty intense, but I will certainly be reading modern books as much as I can to temper the tedious assigned reading.

Call For Guest Posters

2010-09-03T15:44:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone!
I am looking for some guest contributors for banned book week. I'd love to have a few bloggers write about their favorite banned book, or how a banned book affected them. If you're interested, shoot me a note at bookwormgal29@gmail.com

You don't have to have a blog to participate.

~Jenn

Very Delayed Posting, but... I Got Another Award!!

2010-09-03T12:44:00.000-04:00

Heather from Buried in Books gave me the One Lovely Blog Award. Thanks so much Heather, and stay safe this weekend!!(she's potentially in the path of Earl).

I am passing this award on to these very deserving bloggers:

Nymfaux

Jessica @ A Fanatic's Book Blog

Bella & Annabelle @ A Girl Reads a Book

Laura @ Words from the Tampa Bookworm

Margo @ The Fourth Musketeer

Steph @ The Thoughts of a Book Junky

Steph @ Fangs, Wands, and Fairy Dust (warning: this blog is for the over 18 crowd)

Hop and Follow - Sept 3rd

2010-09-03T10:31:00.000-04:00

It's time for Crazy For Book's Book Blogger Hop. This week's question is:

Do you judge a book by its cover?

I actually really don't. I will be more drawn to a book if I like the cover, but I don't recall ever turning a book away because I didn't like it. The synopsis and the first couple of pages are what is important to me; the cover art is just someone else's different taste.

It's also Friday Follow day over at Parajunkee's View.

This week she is featuring Candace at Candace's Book Blog so please check her out.

Parajunkee's question this week is:

what is your favorite brick and mortar bookstore?

I love love love The Book Barn in Niantic, CT. It's over an hour away from my house but I try to get there at least 2-3 times a year. Niantic is in such a beautiful area, so the drive is definitely worth the trip alone. The location isn't the only reason why I adore The Book Barn. They have hundreds of thousands of books divided into different buildings with names like: Hades, and The Last Page. There are cats roaming around and lots of places where you can sit and read indoors and outdoors. I love it because of the whimsy it exudes as well as the incredible collections of books for very reasonable prices. Almost all of my antique books are from here, including my 2nd edition Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott.
This place really isn't for the faint hearted. They have such a high turnover rate that it is all but impossible to walk in, grab a book you were looking for, and walk out. The books you are looking for could be anywhere, so browsing and rambling is going to happen. That is a bad thing for my wallet because inevitably I buy bags of books. Hence why I only go a few times a year!

Review: Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

2010-09-03T10:11:00.000-04:00

Maizel, Rebecca. Infinite Days (Vampire Queen Series 1). St.Martens Press. Aug 2010. ARC. ISBN0312649916

Synopsis

"Throughout all my histories, I found no one I loved more than you...no one."
Those were some of Rhode's last words to me. The last time he would pronounce his love. The last time I would see his face.
It was the first time in 592 years I could take a breath. Lay in the sun. Taste.
Rhode sacrificed himself so I, Lenah Beaudonte, could be human again. So I could stop the blood lust.
I never expected to fall in love with someone else that wasn't Rhode.
But Justin was...daring. Exciting. More beautiful than I could dream.
I never expected to be sixteen again...then again, I never expected my past to come back and haunt me...

Review:

My friend Nicole picked this up for me at ALA annual and I was so happy to read a vampire book that wasn't all sighing and Twilighty. In this book vampires are evil, bloodthirsty, and fearsome creatures. This book is about what happens when you get to become human again after centuries of being a vampire. Lenah is torn between her past and present. She misses Rhode and struggles to abandon herself to her humanity.
This is a very well written book, with a very clever and imaginative plot. Lenah was an original. As a reader I could really feel Lenah's struggle and her fear that she will once again lose her humanity. The plot is original and Lenah is a well developed character.
Once again, this is a YA book where the males just aren't as well developed. I don't understand why Lenah fell so hard for Justin. He was a selfish, self-absorbed, jerk. He was mean to her and he was mean to her friend Tony. Tony was probably the best developed character, so much so that I couldn't believe Lenah picked Justin over him!
The biggest gripe I have about the book is that lack of detail given to her coven. Why would they stop at nothing to find her when they realized she wasn't coming back? Why was Vicken so obsessed? All in all my complaints are pretty minor and don't affect the enjoyment of the book. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

Rating: 4 eyeglasses

Booking through Thursday and When I'm not Reading

2010-09-02T16:37:00.000-04:00

This week's BTT question is:

Even though it’s usually a mistake (grin) … do movies made out of books make you want to read the original?

If I loved the movie and I haven't read the books, then yes absolutely. The most recent example of this was Eat Pray Love. I poo-poo'ed the book until I saw the movie. I also read The Prestige because I loved the movie. That was a case where the movie was better than the book for me.

When I'm not reading, and if it's Thursday, I can be found at "Dinner and a Story". That's what my cousins, uncle, and I have nicknamed dinner with my Grandmother. I'm heading there in about a half an hour.

Basically 2 of my cousins, sometimes my sister, my uncle, and I meet at my grandmother's apartment for dinner. It's like fulfilling the visitation quota with reinforcements. Not that visiting my grandmother is any way a chore - she's a sassy broad who in no way acts her age (she doesn't care for old people).We eat, laugh, and have a conversation about pretty much anything.

At some point during the conversation my Grandmother (who can't hear very well but refuses to admit it) interrupts with a story about something that really had nothing to do with what we were talking about. If you let her ramble on she will eventually tell us some long forgotten family dirt. Sometimes she'll go on about people in the family we have never met before. Huck Carlstrom is our favorite person she goes on about that we've never met.

It's a fun time and really nice to spend time with my family. I often feel as though I am the black sheep because I don't get invited much to last minute family get togethers. these thursdays make me feel included and I'm sad when I can't go for stretches of time because of my class schedule.

So... check out Missie's Meme over at The Unread Reader She's featuring Jennifer @ Reading with Tequila and her love of zombie movies!

Review: Speed Dating with the Dead

2010-09-02T12:38:00.000-04:00

Nicholson, Scott. Speed Dating with the Dead. Haunted Computer Books. E-book.2010. 274pp

Summary:

When Wayne "Digger" Wilson hosts a paranormal conference at the haunted White Horse Inn, he has motives beyond searching for the inn's legendary ghosts.

Years ago, he made a honeymoon promise to his wife Beth that if one of them died, the survivor would return to the White Horse to summon the other's lost spirit. Now she's dead and Digger's back, with the daughter they conceived during that fateful honeymoon sixteen years before. And the ghost hunters are stirring up ancient evils that were better left in peace, because the inn's basement is home to a circle of demons that have been waiting for Wayne to return.

They want his teenage daughter Kendra, and they'll play whatever tricks they need in order to satisfy their dark desires. And at the White Horse Inn, not even angels can be trusted .

Review:

Mr. Nicholson was nice to send me the e-book version of this book and The Red Church (review will be forthcoming). I was particularly intrigued to read this book after learning it was based on a real hotel where a paranormal conference took place.

There is a lot going on in this book. Lots of characters with their own storyline and reasons to be at this hotel during the conference. I spent a lot of time in the beginning trying to get my bearings and figure out who was who in this book. Despite my confusion, I found myself really getting into the book fairly quickly.

I find a lot of horror novels to be formulaic. Certainly this one had its Rose Red and Poltergeist-like elements, but there was enough spooks and chills in the book to overcome most of the feelings of "I read this before". I particularly liked the storyline involving Kendra, the daughter of conference leader Digger. She was a solid character in a book where character development was sacrificed for scares. As a reader you can understand Kendra's struggle to believe what was occurring is more than tricks and her Dad's imagination.I would definitely want to read more books with her in it, especially if they also explore her relationship with Cody. I also enjoyed the over the top-ness of the conference guests who all had their own agenda.

There is a lot going on, and a lot of people to keep track of, in a relatively short (274 pp) book. I wish more was spent on character development, fewer characters, and the religious aspect of the book seemed gratuitous. I still don't understand how halo colors apply to Kendra.

Overall this was a fast read and a chilling book. The kind of book that will scare the beejeezus out of you if you are reading it home alone on a rainy/windy night.

Rating: a solid 3 eyeglasses

Review: Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang

2010-09-02T11:00:00.000-04:00

Handler, Chelsea. Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang. Grand Central Publishing. New York. 2010. ISBN 9780446552448. 247pp. Library Copy.

Synopsis

The hilarious new book from the star of Chelsea Lately and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea .

Get ready for big laughs as Chelsea Handler lets loose with more comic personal essays. In this new, no-holds-barred account of life on the ridiculous side, Chelsea mines the wealth of material that is her family, her sex life, her career, and her distinctively outrageous worldview. Here is young Chelsea discovering "The Feeling" during a third-grade sleepover and getting shafted by clueless parents over Cabbage Patch dolls...and grown-up Chelsea at the mercy of the remote control, Lean Pockets, and Sex and the City --but still managing to convince her boyfriend that there are Swiss Army knives in the soles of her $16,000 shoes. Through it all, Chelsea never lets anyone off the hook, even herself, as she delivers page after page of irreverent humor, biting wit, and deliciously off-kilter entertainment.

Review:

I've been waiting for this through my library's ILL since the book was released this spring. I was so thrilled to have it come in right when I really need to laugh. And this book makes me laugh the whole way through. Handler has a way of telling what would be considered inane stories from anyone else in a very funny manner.

As a huge fan of her show Chelsea Lately, I was all ready familiar with her opinions on her family and her now ex-boyfriend, but I don't think you need to be in order to appreciate her humor. Her re-telling of the wedding she went to with her ex, and the dog funeral had me laughing out loud. What really got me was the email communications between her and her siblings over her father's antics. Having a wacky family myself (although nowhere near the level of hers) I could really appreciate their interactions.

There were some parts of the book that seemed to drag because she had all ready told the story on her show, but overall this was a really quick read. This is definitely not a book for anyone that is offended by sarcastic and bawdy humor though.

Rating: 4 and a quarter eyeglasses.

The Winner of my 100 Follower Giveaway!!

2010-09-02T10:31:00.000-04:00

is Steph from The Thoughts of a Book Junky

Congrats Steph, you should be receiving your copy of Clockwork Angel and Torment soon.

Thank you everyone for participating. I am having another giveaway very soon, so please keep checking back!

Friday Hop & Follow

2010-08-27T12:07:00.001-04:00

This week has been an absolute whirlwind. I've been so neglectful of this little blog, but I haven't had anything to review really, and most of my spare time has been basically birthday present shopping and combing the internet for textbooks. Those of you out there who are students probably sympathize with just how tedious the process can be.

Don't forget to enter to win my 100 Follower Giveaway!!!!

It's time for Crazy For Book's Book Blogger Hop. This week's question is:

Do you use a rating system for your reviews and if so, what is it and why?

As you can see, I have an eyeglass rating system. I am kind of proud of it since I created it myself and I had no previous experience doing anything with manipulating graphics. Eventually I'll have someone make a prettier version. As to why eyeglasses, well I wanted something that is a bit different and also that represents me. I'm a library student and I have librarian glasses, so Voila!

It's also Friday Follow day over at Parajunkee's View.

This week she is featuring Manda @ Book Ge3K. I'm glad to have found Manda because I really enjoy her review style.

This week's question at the follow is:

My question for you guys, what is the first book that you remember reading?

The first book I remember reading is the actual book I first learned to read. In a People House by Dr. Seuss. I would read it every night and eventually read it to my brother when he was a baby.

What about you?

Movie Review: Eat Pray Love

2010-08-20T11:02:00.000-04:00

Confession time: I never read Elizabeth Gilbert's blockbuster book Eat Pray Love. I really had no interest in it and quite honestly I call(ed) it "the cult book" because everyone I know that read it started spouting these strange mantras and asking each other what their word was.

I was intrigued by the movie. I like Julia Roberts. I liked the concept of the movie. And I'm at a point in my life where I am approaching a crossroad so thought it would be a good movie for me. I didn't have very high expectations since my friends the book devotees thought it was slow and Julia Roberts was ill cast, but I had an open mind. I saw it with my friend Carolyn and enjoyed it immensely!

The scenery was beautiful. The acting was excellent (especially Richard Jenkins) and it had a perfect mix of laugh out loud moments and heart warming ones. I can see where people complained that it dragged and maybe I would be more critical if I read the book. After all, how often are you pleasantly surprised by a movie adaptation of a book you love?

More importantly, I actually was inspired by the movie. I want to pack up and move to Bali. I left with a lot to think about (much like after Inception) but I also felt as though that even if my marriage doesn't work out, I will be ok. I won't be alone forever (not with friends) and I will be able to love again. It's a message I sorely needed at this point in my life. So I am going out to buy the book this weekend. I guess you could say I'm the latest cult member and that's perfectly ok with me.

Rating: 4 and 3/4 eyeglasses.

It Seriously Can't Be Hop & Follow Friday All Ready!!

2010-08-20T10:44:00.000-04:00

Wow! Time certainly does fly and this month for me reinforces my title "No Rest for the Wicked". Crazy busy here and it doesn't look as though it will stop anytime soon.

As it is Friday, it is time for Crazy for Books' Blogger Hop.
This week's question is:
How many blogs do you follow?

I follow about 150 blogs as of right now. I'm sure there will be dozens more by the end of the day. That doesn't mean I check every day, but I do try to hit everyone at least once a week.

And it's also the Friday Follow over at Parajunkee's View. These week she is featuring Joy from Edgy Inspirational Romance

Please take a moment to check out the links and support my fellow book bloggers.

It's 100 Follower Giveaway Time

2010-08-19T15:25:00.005-04:00

If anyone is experiencing issues getting your information logged on the form, please send me an email at Bookwormgal29@gmail.com with your information and number of entries. I'll enter you in by hand to the master spreadsheet. Sorry about any aggravation!

Thank you all so much for not only following me, but also for your own reviews. My husband probably doesn't thank you because of growth rate of my TBR shelves, but I do.

So, as mentioned earlier, to thank you I am hosting a giveaway to one of my lucky followers. Unfortunately the contest is only open to US readers this time. I promise to include international readers in the future. This contest is open until Midnight Monday August 30th, with the winner to be announced on August 31st

One reader gets to pick either ONE of the following (The Distant Hours or Fall of Giants):

Or TWO from these books (Clockwork Angel, Torment, Mockingjay, or The Iron Daughter):

You can click on the photo to read more about each book. And don't forget to leave a comment when you're done.

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Booking Through Thursday

2010-08-19T14:37:00.003-04:00

I couldn't think of anything for "When I'm Not Reading" this week, so I decided to participate in Booking through Thursday. This week, instead of a question, we have a quiz. Which is OK because I really enjoy reading other people's answers.

1. Favorite childhood book?
This is really tough for me because I have no idea how to answer it. I would say the book that has remained with me since childhood and the first book that comes to mind is "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott.

2. What are you reading right now?
Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler and Speed Dating with the Dead by Scott Nicholson

3. What books do you have on request at the library?
The latest House of Night book, Brave New World, and A Vintage Affair. Oh and I think I have Spirit Bound also on request.

4. Bad book habit?
it depends on who you ask. Either leaving a book in every room of the house, my car, and my bag (just in case I want to read)or buying books even though I have so many not yet read at home.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler

6. Do you have an e-reader?
I have a Nook

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
see answers # 2 and 4

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
I read a lot more YA

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
I don't know if I really have a comfort zone

12. What is your reading comfort zone?
I don't really have one - I read really anything that strikes my fancy at the time.

13. Can you read on the bus?
No. I can't read in a car either because of motion sickness.

14. Favorite place to read?
my hammock or my husband's recliner

15. What is your policy on book lending?
I lend to friends and family that I can trust to return the book. Unless I don't to read it again, in which case anyone who wants it can take it.

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
only books I read for school

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
only books I read for school

18. Not even with text books?
I actually don't really write in textbooks. Usually I just highlight

19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English

20. What makes you love a book?well written, developed characters, and I have to be able to escape while reading.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
I tailor my recommendations based on what I think the person would like.

22. Favorite genre?
historical fiction

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
spy novels

Favorite biography?
Either Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris, or Shackleton by Roland Huntford

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
yes

26. Favorite cookbook?For nostalgic reasons, The Fanny Farmer Cookbook

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Hmm.. Probably The Happiness Project.

28. Favorite reading snack?
gingersnaps and tea.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
This happens a lot. Most recently I would say A Reliable Wife, or The Girl Who Played with Fire.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
about 50/50 I guess

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I try to find something positive to soften the blow unless I despised the book. I strive to be honest and objective.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
Latin and French

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
I don't get intimidated by books. If I hesitate to read one it's because it seems boring to me.

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
See above answer

35. Favorite Poet?
Edgar Allen Poe

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
Anywhere from 2 -8

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
rarely

38. Favorite fictional character?
Anne Shirley

39. Favorite fictional villain?I don't know if he counts but Snape from the Harry Potter series

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
I like to read chick lit on vacation, or YA. Last vacation I brought The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
a couple of days

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Tale of Two Cities

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
my husband talking

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
The Prestige

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
Timeline by Michael Crichton

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
not counting books for school? Between $100 - $200

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
I skim before buying a book

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
someone blabbing the ending

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
I try to

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
keep

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
none that I can think of

52. Name a book that made you angry.
The DaVinci Code

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
The Help

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
The Girl who Played with Fire

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
either YA books or Philippa Gregory's books

E-bites

2010-08-18T11:21:00.003-04:00

Blog with Bite is hosting a weekly meme called e-bites, which is a showcase for e-books we are to take a bite of?

Scott Nicholson sent me the digital version of two of his books to review. After some technical difficults, I was finally able to convert the e-book to Nook friendly format. I'm starting with Speed Dating with the Dead. I love a good spooky thriller and can't wait to take a bite out of it.
Here's a summary from his site Haunted Computer

When Wayne "Digger" Wilson hosts a paranormal conference at the haunted White Horse Inn, he has motives beyond searching for the inn's legendary ghosts.

Years ago, he made a honeymoon promise to his wife Beth that if one of them died, the survivor would return to the White Horse to summon the other's lost spirit. Now she's dead and Digger's back, with the daughter they conceived during that fateful honeymoon sixteen years before. And the ghost hunters are stirring up ancient evils that were better left in peace, because the inn's basement is home to a circle of demons that have been waiting for Wayne to return.

They want his teenage daughter Kendra, and they'll play whatever tricks they need in order to satisfy their dark desires. And at the White Horse Inn, not even angels can be trusted . . .

Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate

2010-08-18T11:04:00.005-04:00

Kate, Lauren. Fallen. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Dec 2009. 464pp. ISBN 385738935

Synopsis:
Seventeen-Year-Old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce s boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, WHERE every student seems to have an unpleasant even evil history.

It s only when she sees Daniel, a gorgeous fellow student, that Luce feels there s a reason to be here though she doesn t know what it is. And Daniel s frosty cold demeanor toward her? It s really a protective device that he s used again . . . and again. For Daniel is a fallen angel, doomed to fall in love with the same girl every 17 years . . . and watch her die. And Luce is a fellow immortal, cursed to be reincarnated again and again as a mortal girl who has no idea of who she really is.

Review:
Have you ever read a book that upon finishing it you decide you liked it, but when you stop to think about it you realize it really wasn't all that great of a book. In fact there was a lot wrong with it? The Twilight Books is one example for me. Fallen is another.

The plot and the creepy setting were both good. The book fails in both character development and character interactions. Luce stalks Daniel with really no reason beyond her instant attraction and feeling that she knew him before. Daniel was pretty much a jerk, and it was really easy to figure out what he is. Something was just off in how the characters interacted with each other. There was instant familiarity between them without any sort of believability, particularly considering the setting.

I'm willing to try the next book, Torment, to see if the issues I had with Fallen were just the result of a fledgling author. Overall, it was a good story that failed in its follow through.

Rating: 2 and 3/4 eyeglasses

Review: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

2010-08-18T10:37:00.002-04:00

Rubin, Gretchen. The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun. Harper. New York. 2009. 320pp. ISBN 0061583251.

Synopsis:
Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. "The days are long, but the years are short," she realized. "Time is passing, and I'm not focusing enough on the things that really matter." In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project.

In this lively and compelling account of that year, Rubin carves out her place alongside the authors of bestselling memoirs such as Julie and Julia, The Year of Living Biblically, and Eat, Pray, Love. With humor and insight, she chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier.

Rubin didn't have the option to uproot herself, nor did she really want to; instead she focused on improving her life as it was. Each month she tackled a new set of resolutions: give proofs of love, ask for help, find more fun, keep a gratitude notebook, forget about results. She immersed herself in principles set forth by all manner of experts, from Epicurus to Thoreau to Oprah to Martin Seligman to the Dalai Lama to see what worked for her—and what didn't.

Her conclusions are sometimes surprising—she finds that money can buy happiness, when spent wisely; that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that "treating" yourself can make you feel worse; that venting bad feelings doesn't relieve them; that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference—and they range from the practical to the profound.

Written with charm and wit, The Happiness Project is illuminating yet entertaining, thought-provoking yet compulsively readable. Gretchen Rubin's passion for her subject jumps off the page, and reading just a few chapters of this book will inspire you to start your own happiness project.

Review:
Right now I'm at a crossroads in my life. I don't know if my marriage is going to work out. I don't know if I should stick around this area after grad school. I don't know where to apply for PhD programs. Etc... What I do know is that I am tired of being stressed all of the time and I am very tired of putting the needs of others first in a pathetic attempt to please everyone.
So, I got a copy of The Happiness Project from the library, even though I am not particularly fond of self-help or non-fiction books that aren't related to history. I figured this was going to be different because the author chronicals her experiences and in no way is on a soapbox. Rubin uses her experiences combined with research and philosophy to answer for herself, "Is it possible to become a happier person? Is happiness a meaningful and worthwhile goal?"
I am very glad I picked up the book. While a lot of it really didn't apply to me, I was inspired to really take a look at my life and the behaviors I want to change. The change will come slowly - Rubin herself focused on one subject a month, which is important considering how difficult it is to change behavior.
While Rubin's use of quotations and feedback from readers was incredibly helpful for me, she really did come across as privileged and overly demanding of kudos. She admits she does ask too much for credit and is working on it. We all have our burdens and everything but it is really hard to sympathize with her because, let's face it, she has a pretty good upper to upper middle class life.
Am I a happier person for reading the book? Not really, but I do think it is much more tangible for me now. I know what I need to work on and I have a better idea of how to go about it. Plus I'm doing a really cool resolution chart to keep me on track!

Rating: 3 eyeglasses

A Hop Hop Here and a Follow There - August 13th

2010-08-13T12:03:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday the 13th everyone, and welcome to another edition of Crazy for Book's Blogger Hop and Parajunkee's Friday Feature and Follow. Please click on the links and explore the other book bloggers out there.

This week Parajunkee features Nymfaux who I discovered not too long ago from the follow and have really been enjoying the reviews.

Also, this week's Book Hop Question is:
How many books do you have on your 'to be read shelf’?

To be honest, I have no idea. It's not a shelf, it's a bookcase. I think it's close to 100 books (a lot of them were free from conventions like ALA). That's not including all of the books on my wishlist either. What can I say? I'm a mood reader and I just haven't been in the mood to read those books yet. My husband thinks I have a problem. I don't believe him.

So... what about you?

When I'm Not Reading - August 12th

2010-08-12T12:36:00.003-04:00

We all have life and interests outside of reading and blogging (shocking, I know!). Missie at The Unread Reader hosts "When I'm Not Reading", which is an opportunity to discuss things we like to do or what's on our mind beyond reading.

My post this week is kind of about books. I've been trying to lose weight since June. I've lost 19lbs since June 1st by actually using my gym membership and reducing the gluten and processed foods. I've been really bad about going to the gym the past 2 weeks because of stress, depression, and life getting in the way.

I'm also trying to make even healthier food decisions. I recently picked up Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet which is a fantastic overview of the vegan lifestyle. She gives advice on how to "flirt" with veganism, which is what I hope to do. I don't want to become a vegetarian or vegan, but I do want to reduce my meat consumption and just make better food choices.

So that's what I'm doing when I'm not reading. What about you?

My Very First Award!!

2010-08-12T12:17:00.005-04:00

Alissa from The Grammarian's Review bestowed me with the Versatile Blogger Award. I'm so excited - you must check out her site!

The rules for this reward are that you need to share 7 things about yourself, and pass on the award.

7 Things About Myself:

1. My absolute favorite time of year is autumn. The smell of the crisp air and wood stoves burning just gives me an instant feeling of comfort.

2. After I finish grad school (dual masters in history and library & info studies) I hope to go on for a PhD in history.

3. I would love to be a reference archivist at a museum (British Museum particularly), state archives, or a historical society. But my absolute dream job locally would be at the Heritage Harbor Museum if it ever opens.

4. The beagle pictured in my avatar is my Roswell, who died this past January.

5. I have 2 other beagles: Mr. Peabody, and Gromit (named after Wallace & Gromit)

6. I watch entirely too much tv. I dvr endless hours of it during the week and have Friday night marathon tv catch up sessions.

7. I love to sing karaoke with friends. I'm not even close to good, but it's a lot of fun.

The blogs I pass this award on to are:

1. Books are Life

2. Crazy Cat Lady's Library

3. {... is a book whore}

4. That Bookish Girl

5. Lost in Believing

6. Froggarita's Bookcase

7. A Cozy Reader's Corner Reviews

Waiting on Wednesday - August 11th edition

2010-08-11T14:23:00.001-04:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine
It's a way to give a shout out to books we are eagerly awaiting release.

The book I'm looking forward to has actually just been released, but since I don't own it yet, I'm going to spotlight it. This week I am looking forward to The 13th Chime by Emma Michaels

Synopsis:
HATRED NEVER DIES... Destiny has finally found the life that she has always wanted. She is about to finish college, has a fiancé that loves her, and a great summer on the West Coast planned with her friend, Stephanie. But her world is turned upside down when an antique clock mysteriously chimes thirteen times and someone attacks them, sending Stephanie and her mother to the hospital. Alone, and without any help from the police, Destiny has no choice but to turn to the one man she had left behind a year ago - her ex-boyfriend, David. Together, they must solve the riddle of the thirteenth chime before the clock strikes thirteen again. Yet as they face their own past and hearts, a trap over half a century old is waiting for them to become its prey. For revenge, fifty years is never too long... "The Thirteenth Chime" A spine-tingling debut novel from the hottest new author to the scene.

Doesn't that sound creepy and spine tingly? Plus Bokheim Publishing is offering a $1 discount. the details are below.

Book Review: The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue

2010-08-06T15:30:00.003-04:00

Donohue, Keith. The Stolen Child. Knopf Doubleday. New York. 2006. 336 pp. ISBN 0385516169

Synopsis:
“I am a changeling–a word that describes within its own name what we are bound and intended to do. We kidnap a human child and replace him or her with one of our own. . . .”

The double story of Henry Day begins in 1949, when he is kidnapped at age seven by a band of wild childlike beings who live in an ancient, secret community in the forest. The changelings rename their captive Aniday and he becomes, like them, unaging and stuck in time. They leave one of their own to take his place, an imposter who must try–with varying success–to hide his true identity from the Day family. As the changeling Henry grows up, he is haunted by glimpses of his lost double and by vague memories of his own childhood a century earlier. Narrated in turns by Henry and Aniday, The Stolen Child follows them as their lives converge, driven by their obsessive search for who they were before they changed places in the world.

Moving from a realistic setting in small-town America deep into the forest of humankind’s most basic desires and fears, this remarkable novel is a haunting fable about identity and the illusory innocence of childhood.

Review:
This book is haunting, beautifully written, and the kind of book that stays with you afterwards. On the surface it's a story of 2 changelings; one now human and the other the child he stole his identity from. Once you move past the surface you realize there is a lot more to this than just a tale of supernatural creatures. It's a beautiful story about relationships, love, sense of self, and enduring tragedy with the help of others.

That is not to say that this book is perfect. The writing style was lyrical but the supporting characters were not well fleshed out. The ending left the reader with far too many answer, and the storyline became a bit predictable. This is a book that leaves the reader to reflect long afterwards.

I would give this 3 eyeglasses

Hop & Follow - August 6th

2010-08-06T10:25:00.003-04:00

It's finally Friday, and it's a long weekend for me! Monday is Victory Day (also known as VJ Day) here in Rhode Island. Only RI celebrates it, so I get a day to do errands without a lot of people out and about. I'm celebrating my A in Research & Eval so I am going to indulge myself somehow. I just don't know what yet.

Since it's Friday, it is time for Jennifer @ Crazy For Book's book blogger hop where we can go out and explore what's out there in the book blogosphere. Each week my to be read list just gets bigger and bigger thanks to the great bloggers I've encountered.

This week's question is:
Do you listen to music when you read? If so, what are your favorite reading tunes?
I usually don't have music playing when I read. It can be too distracting for me, even though I often read when my husband is watching TV. I do occasionally listen to soothing solitudes-like music or Enya when I read though.

It's also time for Parajunkee's Friday Follow. This week her feature blog is on hiatus, but will be back next week. So please check out the hop & follow.

Review & Author Interview - Don't Know Where, Don't Know When by Annette Laing

2010-08-06T09:04:00.004-04:00

Laing, Annette. Don't Know Where, Don't Know When (The Snipesville Chronicles Book 1).
Confusion Press. 2007. ISBN 0979476941.

Synopis:
What a nightmare.
Hannah Dias, California Girl with Attitude, and Alex, her laid-back brother, have moved from exciting San Francisco to boring Snipesville, Georgia. Life doesn't improve when they meet Brandon, a dorky kid who is plotting his escape from the Deep South, and the weird Professor, who has a strange secret.
Suddenly, the kids are catapulted thousands of miles and almost seventy years to England during World War Two.
They fall into a world of stinging nettles, dragon ladies, bomb blasts, ugly underwear, stinky sandwiches, painful punishments, and non-absorbing toilet paper. They learn so much more than they could ever learn in a history class. Not that they want to learn it.
But they can't go home unless they find George Braithwaite, whoever he is, and whatever it is that he has to do with Snipesville.

Review:
Ms. Laing was so nice to send me a copy of her book to review. I confess that I was a little skeptical about whether or not I would like it once I discovered it was about time travel to WWII England. While I am currently in a Masters program in History and intend to get my PhD in History, I'm really not a fan of 20th century. I am particularly not interested in WWII, which my Grandfather says makes me un-American. That said, I decided to keep an open mind. I'm really glad I did. I'm also unveiling my new rating system for this book, which I'm excited about.

Laing does something here that a lot of authors struggle with. She incorporates mundane elements of daily life from the past in her book and makes it interesting. We learn about the food, what was considered luxuries in the 40's, and what was involved with being a dentist in the early 20th century. She does this in a way that appeals to young adults without being condescending. Further, this a book that also is "grown up" enough to be appreciated by adults.

These are everyday kids with everyday issues thrown into the past unexpectedly ala "Pleasantville". Which provides the plot with a mystery and also allows for the reader to better understand what the characters are experiencing. What I also liked was the fact she had an African American character thrust into a time period where he wasn't an integrated member of society, but he was a kid in a weird situation that happened to be African American - it wasn't the driving point to the character.

If I have any complaints about the book it's the beginning. There wasn't a lot of set up to the plot; the characters were thrust in together quickly and it took a while to get a feel for who they were because of it.

Over all I truly enjoyed the book. I give this 4 eyeglasses.

Ms. Laing was so kind to answer some questions about the book I had. So here is my interview:
1.I guess the first question I have is the most obvious, why World War II era England for their first time leap?

The idea for Don’t Know Where, Don’t Know When, set in England in 1940, came before the idea for the Snipesville Chronicles series. Many books have been set in World War II England, but few involve time-traveling kids, and none (to my knowledge) feature time-traveling American kids. I also just loved the contrast between the attitudes toward kids in England at this time, and attitudes in America today.

2.You seem to explore aspects of history that aren’t really studied in history classes, like what it is like to work as a dentist during WWI. Was that your intention? Will you continue to do so in further adventures? Yes, that is deliberate. I hate the way history is taught in America: The emphasis on breadth in the typical history class reduces the subject to a litany of names and dates, and learning history becomes a rather soulless exercise as a result. I wanted to give readers a chance to focus on the fascinating questions of how and why we as human beings change over time and space—and how we don’t. As for Brandon being a dentist’s apprentice…I was casting around for a suitable occupation for him. I don’t remember how I came up with dentistry, except that I found out on the web that some dentists were still taking apprentices during the First World War. Perhaps I was inspired by the fact that I have a Scottish cousin who’s a dentist, and my Scottish grandfather (on whom Mr. Gordon is partly based) was a pharmacist. I spent many happy hours as a kid alongside my grandmother (who also worked in the hospital pharmacy) wearing a specially made white coat, and labeling bottles of nasty-looking medicines. All of these things probably influenced my choice for Brandon. Oh, and a visit to the Edwardian dentist’s office in Beamish Open Air Museum in England—you’ll find I’ve described the dentist’s house almost exactly as it appears in Beamish!

3.Did you have a set idea in mind as to who your characters’ personalities were, or did they surprise you with their development during the course of the writing process? I don’t think any character emerges intact from the initial stages! But Hannah was wonderfully difficult from the start, and I always had a good sense of Brandon. Alex has become much better developed, but he is also the most conflicted and vulnerable of the three main characters. The biggest surprise for me was Mrs.D. She began as a character based in appearance and manner on my dear friend Mary and her mother, but as I wrote, she quickly morphed into one of my old teachers in England, with influences from the mother of an English friend. She kept her initial appearance, but her character absolutely changed to become much more fierce than I intended.

4.I really enjoyed how you approached Brandon’s experiences as an African American visiting two time periods where he would encounter not only prejudice because of his color, but also a curiosity because many of the people he encountered just didn’t seem to know how to take him. It added some lightness to a subject that is very difficult. Was it intentional?

It never occurred to me to set the book in a small Georgia town without black characters, and Brandon was inspired by a lovely kid I met at one of my children’s workshops. All too often, black kids are portrayed in fiction only when race is an explicit focus of the book, such as books about slavery, or the Civil Rights movement. As I strove to avoid that trap, I was also wary of acting as though his skin color was not an issue: Skin color is almost always an issue, and Brandon is a proud member of a strong black family and community in the South. Rather than pretend racism does not exist for him in England, I tried to show a divergent and realistic range of responses that whites in an overwhelmingly white society like pre-1945 England would have had to a black person in their midst. I also wanted to show how Brandon, who is such a kind and tough kid, would have coped with their reactions, through humor and anger depending on people’s intentions. As Brandon will discover, class often trumps race in English history. I have not sugarcoated his experience, but I’m proud that he has become a fully-rounded character who refuses to be stereotyped, and I’ve been inspired by the examples set by so many of the African-American students I taught as a college professor, who represented a divergent range of personalities and interests.

5.Poor Hannah had such a rough time of it, and was such an unlikeable character at times. What lesson do you think stuck out the most to her during her adventure?

I have to say that I suspect that many of those who disparage Hannah actually identify with her, but don’t want to admit it! What do you say, Jennifer?J She’s undeniably self-centered, but she does indeed have a very hard time. Her loyalty to her brother speaks well of her, I think, as does her courage. Hannah learned in 1940 that her attitude was unacceptable to the adults she met, but she’ll find that her outspokenness comes in handy at times during her adventures. So is the problem that Hannah is intrinsically “bad”, or that she needs to find out who she is and where she belongs?

The most important thing Hannah learned in Don’t Know Where, however, was to allow herself to love and to trust. Her relationships with Mrs. D. and Verity meant even more to her than is immediately apparent.

6.If you found yourself swept back in time somewhere, where would you like to be? What would be the time period you dread the most?

I suppose I would want to visit England in the 1930s—somewhere recent enough that I would speak the language, and that I would have access to some decent medical care (although no antibiotics!) That way, I could also dodge World War II, and see all the historic buildings that the Nazis later destroyed—the churches in London alone would keep me busy. Where would I most dread? England during the Black Death in the mid-14th century, I guess! Too scary! Thanks for the great interview, Jennifer!

It's Hop & Follow Time Again! 7/30

2010-07-30T15:19:00.003-04:00

I can't tell you how happy I am that it is Friday and my albatross known as LSC557 Research & Evaluation in Library & Information Service is off my back!

Once again it's time for Jennifer @ Crazy For Book's book blogger hop where we can go out and explore what's out there in the book blogosphere. Each week my too be read list just gets bigger and bigger thanks to the great bloggers I've encountered.

Also, please check out her giveaway to celebrate Penguin Books 75th anniversary (Happy Birthday Penguin!). She's giving away a book of your choice from this list

To answer this week's question: My favorite new to me author is Brunonia Barry. Not only is she fairly local (from Salem) but her writing style is just so easy and similar to Alice Hoffman. She's a wonderful storyteller.

It's also time for Parajunkee's Friday Follow. This week she's featuring Amelia from The Authoress, who has a great point of view. It's refreshing to see what teens think about books and taking time to write reviews.

So please check out the hop & follow.

Book Review: The Passage by Justin Cronin

2010-07-30T14:19:00.002-04:00

Cronin, Justin. The Passage. Random House. New York. ISBN 0345504968. 784pp

Synopsis:

“It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.”

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

Review:

I've actually been putting off this review for a few weeks. Partially because I've been overwhelmed with this massive research proposal due today for school. Mostly because I've been struggling with how to review this book.

First of all: the size of this book is pretty daunting. If you have an e-reader I would recommend downloading it. Not only is it cheaper, but it's much easier to carry around with you.

I've read countless reviews before buying The Passage from people proclaiming this was the best book of 2010. I bought it not sure what it was about other than it was dystopian and involves vampires. I love dystopian books and I love vampires. Can't go wrong with something that combines the two!

I guess the best way to describe the book is to call it a combination of The Stand, 28 Days Later, and with some elements of Lost thrown in. For me it was a roller coaster ride of epic proportion. I was sucked in from the very beginning. Yet, there is a lot going on in the book, and it's not very well described at times. Certainly there are some huge time leaps in the book and it's not made clear that it's a leap in time. You also don't always know who's point of view you are seeing. The Passage leaves the reader going "huh?" at times. Certainly there were points in the book that I was bored and hoping it got better. Each time I was ready to abandon The Passage for something lighter and fluffier, it became great again. I think Cronin was trying to keep his reader guessing and wondering where or what is going on. To not feel comfortably settled in the world he created.

I have to warn you - there is a lot of stuff going on and not much is explained. Additionally, the elements that are explained don't necessarily make sense. I was very disappointed in the ending. Allegedly there is a planned sequel in the works, which will hopefully clear up a lot of confusion. Overall this is a thrilling read, but you will be confused at times. If you can get past that it's worth it.

I did like the book, and I do recommend it for those who are willing to just "go with it". It's just not an easy book to read, and I think it is something you need to be prepared for in advance.

Rating: I'd give this a 7.75/10

Fellow True Blood Fans

2010-07-26T15:24:00.002-04:00

What do you think of the season so far? I'm especially interested if you've read the books (I haven't).

While I am enjoying the fact that Tara is finally getting back to the sassy Tara of season 1, Sookie has a bit of brevity with her spunk, and stangely enough I'm amused by the Franklin storyline - I can't say that I'm jazzed about season 3. The gore is starting to become gratuitous and I'm really bored by the Jason and Sam storylines.

I don't know. I think that maybe they just have too much going on and maybe it would be better if there were less active storylines. I also really dislike Bill this season. It's funny how some characters you love one season grate on your nerves the next. I found myself fast forwarding through Tara's scenes last year, but I am enjoying her this year. I really enjoyed Jason's storyline last year, but find him tedious this year. Is it this convoluted in the books?

Some nerdiness my fellow "bookies" will understand

2010-07-23T15:21:00.002-04:00

So just a minute ago I totally threw my husband off-guard by conferencing him in with Alex the Cox Cable man. See I totally forgot that tonight Pillars of the Earth begins on Starz. Now, Pillars is tied for my favorite book of all time and I've been pretty giddy that they did a miniseries.

Side Note: It goes to show you just how stressed/depressed/out of sorts I have been to forget about this.

Thank goodness my cousin made a comment to me about it or I would have missed it. Unfortunately we don't have Starz. And I'm not authorized on our cable account (never get around to finding the pin #). So that's why I had to conference in my completely confused husband and tell him to repeat after me "I want to order Starz". Then I disconnected him and finished my order. Voila!

So the bright spot on my cruddy week is to pop open a bottle of wine and enjoy Pillars of the Earth tonight with my beagle boys. I might even sample the rum cake I am making for a girl's night tomorrow night.

Hopping and Following- July 23rd edition

2010-07-23T14:14:00.003-04:00

It's Friday and once again it's time for Crazy for Book's Book Blogger Hop.

This week's question is: Tell us about the book you are currently reading.

I just finished The Passage by Justin Cronin, and I'm going through a not so good time right now, so I really needed something fluffy and mindless.

So I'm reading The Five Greatest Warriors by Matthew Reilly. It's the third installment in his Jack West Jr series. It's an adventure novel that combines race to the death, quest for world dominance, and trying to save the world from destruction. If you're into that sort of thing, I highly recommend you read The 7 Deadly Wonders (the first book).

Meanwhile, Parajunkee is hosting the Friday Feature & Follow. Each week she selects a blogger to feature. This week's spotlight is on VampAngel . I've been a follower of hers for a while now because I like her candid reviews of books, and you gotta love a gal that is a fellow fang fan.

so check out the hop & follow to get to know some pretty great people in the blogosphere!

When I'm Not Reading

2010-07-22T14:35:00.003-04:00

I can't believe it's been 12 days since I've posted. Things have been pretty busy here with work, school, and personal issues going on at home that I get too depressed even thinking about. Plus I've got a sinus infection - so not much fun to be had here.

To get back into the swing of things, I figured I would start with participating in "when I'm not reading", which is a new meme hosted by Missie @ The Unread Reader . It's nice to learn what fellow book bloggers are into besides books and blogging.

For me, when I'm not reading I am often working on my genealogy. I am fascinated by the stories of what life was like in the past, particularly in regards to my family. Unfortunately I do not have much beyond names and dates for a lot of my family but I have been truly fortunate to meet some great people that share my interest (and even some long lost cousins).

Right now, I'm on a hunt to unconver some old medical records for my Great Grandmother's cousins Christina and Charles Hodde. They were siblings and both hospitalized at the Massachusetts School for the Feeble Minded (later known as the Walter Fernald School). I'd like to know why they were institutionalized, because back then it could have been for anything. Also, they were institutionalized at a time when US mental institutions were truly horrible places (and MA institutions were among the worst). The Fernald School participated in some nasty experiments in the name of eugenics and I would like to know if my relatives were test subjects.

Monday...

2010-07-12T11:09:00.003-04:00

Every Monday, MizB over at Should be Reading asks a question. This week's question is:
Can you read amidst distractions? (tv, others talking, sporting events, etc)

Absolutely! I don't know if it's a talent (probably not) or a skill I've honed throughout the years (most likely), but at least 75% of the time I've got something going on in the background while I am reading. I read during commercials, while Mike is watching tv, while I am waiting in line, while I am outside with the dogs (barking and neighbors screaming), or countless other reasons there is noise going on around me. I'm pretty good about being able to tune things out; however very loud conversations and yelling are almost impossible for me to ignore unless it's a very good book.

Meanwhile in the blogosphere, Sheila over at Book Journey hosts a weekly "What are you Reading" Monday. The downside of this meme is that I come away with entirely too many books on my ever expanding wish list. There are just so many people out there in the community that read fantastic sounding books.

This week I am still plugging along with The Passage by Justin Cronin, but hope to be done this week. I'm also reading Book 1 of The Snipesville Chronicles, "Don't Know Where, Don't Know When" by Annette Laing that she so nicely sent me a copy of.

I couldn't tell you what I am planning to read next. I have a really busy next couple of weeks coming up with school and unfortunately research journal articles are going to have to take precedence over novels :-(

So what are you reading? And can you do it with distractions?

Hopping and Following Again! July 9th

2010-07-09T09:11:00.010-04:00

Happy Friday everyone!! It's time again for Jennifer's Book Blogger Hop @ Crazy For Books, and Parajunkee's Friday Follow.

For those who aren't familiar with the Hop/Follow process, just click on the links and check out other bloggers. It's a great way to see what is out there, meet new bloggers, and support each other.

Make sure to check out the featured Friday Follow Blog - The Unread Reader

Jennifer @ Crazy for Books has a twist on this week's Hop. She wants us to talk about our favorite authors and why they are our favorites.

I have a whole bunch of favorite authors, depending on the genre. My all time favorite since childhood is Louisa May Alcott. Not only was she also from Massachusetts (although born in PA), but her books represent happy childhood memories for me. And her female characters were so well developed and showed there was more to being a girl that being silly, prissy, and lacking adventure.

As an adult, my favorite author is Bernard Cornwell. I just love his approach to historical fiction. His characters are so lifelike. He takes his readers on an adventure through history while incorporating fictional elements for storytelling. His interpretation on the Arthurian legend is amazing. And he doesn't delve too much into "bodice heaving" and "Loin stirring" that a lot of historical fiction has. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with erotica or romance novels. It's just that if I want to read those books, then I pick out those books. When I'm reading historical fiction, I want to learn something while enjoying a story. I always learn something new when I read a Cornwell book, even when I'm reading a book on a topic I know a lot about because I've spent a lot of time researching over the course of my school work.

Other favorites include: Jim Butcher (his Dresden books are so much fun to read), Ken Follett (Pillars of the Earth is my favorite book), Jane Austen (her social commentary in her novels is nothing short of genius), Alice Hoffman (I adore the whimsical and magical elements to her stories), and so many more.

Booking Through Thursday - July 8th

2010-07-08T10:07:00.005-04:00

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly random question about books and reading, and a good way to gain some insight on bloggers. This week's question is:
Do you have friends and family to share books with? Discuss them with? Does it matter to you?

I am very fortunate that I have people in my life to share books with. My family in particular loves to share books. For me, it's a reminder and an amazement at how alike we are because we gravitate to a lot of the same books.

A common present is a book or gift card to Borders or B&N. My Dad often gets books that I am dying to read and if he isn't out of books to read he will usually let me read it first because I read faster. Unfortunately my reading speed has slowed down significantly since I started grad school. I think right now my Dad has 4 books of mine that he is currently reading.

I don't have many friends that I share books with, but lately I've seen an increase in friends who read. I don't know if it's because I'm expanding my horizons to include readers, or if I'm having a positive influence on people I have known for a long time ;-). I have a book club where we sort of discuss the book we read for about 5 minutes, but by and large I don't get to voice my opinion on books much. I wish I got a chance to talk about them more, but I guess that's why I started blogging.

As far as whether or not it matters, I have to say that yes it does. Like I said, the fact we share books is a great reminder of how alike several members are with me in my family. Books are such a huge part of my life (I'm in library school for a reason!) and I like being able to share my thoughts and opinions on books, and hear the opinions of those who also read. I don't know a better way to expand my reading horizons. Thank goodness for the book blogosphere!

Oh and I've joined Book Blogs. Check out my page and friend request me if you'd like.

Waiting on Wednesday - July 7th

2010-07-07T10:31:00.003-04:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly Meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine . This a chance for us to share what new releases we are looking forward to.

My choice this week is The Distant Hours by Kate Morton to be released on November 9, 2010 by Simon & Schuster.

I've read and enjoyed both of her previous books, The House at Riverton and The Forgotten Garden
Kate Morton has a wonderful knack for creating a setting that instantly transports the reader into the world of her characters. The books almost have a fairy tale like feel to them despite not being fairy tales at all. Maybe it's the quintessential creepy castle-like home in the books, or the eccentric characters found in the story. Regardless, the author is a talented story-spinner and I look forward to her future endeavors.

Book Review: The Doomsday Key (Sigma Force Series # 6) by James Rollins

2010-07-06T12:26:00.003-04:00

Rollins, James. The Doomsday Key (Sigma Force Series #6), Harper Collins, New York. 564pp. Isbn 9780061231414

Synopsis:

At Princeton University, a famed geneticist dies inside a biohazard lab. In Rome, a Vatican archaeologist is found dead in St. Peter's Basilica. In Africa, a U.S. senator's son is slain outside a Red Cross camp. The three murders on three continents bear a horrifying connection: all the victims are marked by a Druidic pagan cross burned into their flesh.
The bizarre murders thrust Commander Gray Pierce and Sigma Force into a race against time to solve a riddle going back centuries, to a ghastly crime against humanity hidden within a cryptic medieval codex.
Aided by two women from his past--one his ex-lover, the other his new partner--Gray must piece together the horrifying truth. But the revelations come at a high cost, and to save the future, Gray will have to sacrifice one of the women at his side.
That alone might not be enough, as the true path to salvation is revealed in a dark prophecy of doom...

Review:

The Sigma Force Series is one of my guilty pleasures, and one I share with my Dad. I love the fast paced action this series brings, along with its incorporation of history and some sort of current topic into the story. In this case, the book combines The Doomsday Book, GM foods, saints, prophecies, and a mysterious plague with its usual fight to save the world from destruction and chaos.

I enjoyed the book overall, but thought it was really slow paced in the middle of the book. There was just too much going on and imho too many cliches. I just wasn't into the book as much as I have gotten into his others. The book did pick up towards the end, and left me satisfied, but I truly felt as though I had to work to get to that point of satisfaction.

I do recommend the series, starting with Sandstorm and hope this book was just a blip on an otherwise solid series.

Rating: 5/10

Book Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

2010-07-06T12:08:00.005-04:00

Collins, Suzanne. Catching Fire (Hunger Games Series #2). Scholastic Inc. NYC. 2009. 400 pp, ISBN 0439023491

Synopsis:
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Review:

I was so disappointed that the e-book version of this book wasn't available for nook download when I finished The Hunger Games because I couldn't fathom waiting to return home from vacation to find out what happened next in district 12. It's now available in e-book, but I ran out and bought this as soon as I got home. This sequel did not disappoint.

If The Hunger Games was about tenacity, Catching Fire is about consequences. Despite her new home and plenty of food, Katniss isn't able to enjoy her victory. Throughout the book she struggles with the consequences her defiance against the Capitol has brought on herself, those she loves, and throughout Panem.

Katniss in Catching Fire is beginning to understand the importance of standing for something, and she is faced with a level of cruelty at the Capitol that she is just beginning to understand. I felt this was a much more grown up book than The Hunger Games, and it was certainly darker. I felt the love triangle was a bit tedious at times in its immaturity, but overall this was a solid sequel.

Rating: 8.5/10

Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2010-07-06T11:49:00.003-04:00

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. Scholastic Inc. NYC. 2008. 374p. ISBN 0439023483

Synopsis:
Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place

Review:
This series was on the fringes of my radar since January at the ALA midwinter conference. The Scholastic booth was giving out copies of Catching Fire, the follow up to The Hunger Games. My friend Nicole had recommended it to my friend Matt to read. Matt was trying to read more YA books, and Nicole mentioned this was the hottest thing going for the YA crowd.

Fast forward to May. I was looking for something easy and light to read on the plane to Nashville, so I grabbed The Hunger Games from the library. I could not put this book down. I was up reading late into the night on vacation trying to find out what happened next.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot for those who haven't read it yet. Basically the setting for the book is a future version of North America that has been renamed Panem, and is divided into 13 districts. Decades earlier, there was an uprising in district 13. That district had been destroyed and each year as a reminder to the remaining district, there is a reaping. The reaping is a lottery where a boy and girl from each district are selected to represent their district in the hunger games - a televised event where you must be the last one standing to make it out.

The book is hardly cheerful, but it was so well written and gripping that the subject matter isn't as heavy as you would expect. There is savagery abound in the book, but there also is defiance, humor, tenderness, a love triangle, and plenty of suspense. The character of Katniss in particular was incredibly well developed and as a reader I was riveted by her. I don't often get that sucked in to a book.

Review: 9.5/10

Hop, Hop, Follow - July 2nd

2010-07-02T15:03:00.004-04:00

It's Friday again, can you believe it? and once again it's time for Jennifer's Book Blogger Hop @ Crazy For Books, and Parajunkee's Friday Follow. I didn't think I would be able to participate this week because of all the things on my plate, but I'm happy to say I've made some time!

If you are interested to find out what's what, just click on the links and check out other bloggers. It's a great way to see what is out there, meet new bloggers, and support each other.

Jennifer @ Crazy for Books has a twist on this week's Hop. We're supposed to introduce ourselves, and talk about how we started blogging. So allow me to introduce myself:

I'm Jenn (or Jennifer - whichever) and I started blogging pretty recently. I had to subscribe to a bunch of library-related feeds for a collection development class, and came across a lot of great blogs by librarians reviewing books and talking about their work. Abby the Librarian in particular inspired me, and I decided that it would be a fun thing to do. Additionally, I get asked a lot for book recommendations and so I thought this was a great way to keep track of what I read and what I liked/disliked.

Some of the great bloggers I discovered this week are:

- Stacy @ A Novel Source

- Kathy @ Inside of a Dog

- Heather @ Buried in Books

- fellow library school student Googie @ Bookworm in Training

Wishing you all a safe, relaxing, and fun filled 4th.

Waiting on Wednesday

2010-06-30T15:32:00.005-04:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we get to talk about upcoming new releases that we are looking forward to.

This is my first WoW and I'm sharing a book that I just found out was being released:
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett.

I am super excited because Pillars of the Earth is my favorite book (which is soon to be a mini-series on Starz that my husband is going to be annoyed when he finds out I ordered Starz just to watch it).

Fall of Giants is scheduled for release on 9/28/10. Unfortunately I'll be eyes deep in a course load of epic proportions by then, but I'm going to make time to read it come hell or high water!

Here's the publisher overview:

The first novel in The Century Trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families-American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh-as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage.

Thirteen-year-old Billy Williams enters a man's world in the Welsh mining pits...Gus Dewar, an American law student rejected in love, finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson's White House...two orphaned Russian brothers, Grigori and Lev Peshkov, embark on radically different paths half a world apart when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription, and revolution...Billy's sister, Ethel, a housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts, takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German embassy in London...

These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as, in a saga of unfolding drama and intriguing complexity, Fall of Giants moves seamlessly from Washington to St. Petersburg, from the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty. As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. It is destined to be a new classic.

In future volumes of The Century Trilogy, subsequent generations of the same families will travel through the great events of the rest of the twentieth century, changing themselves-and the century itself. With passion and the hand of a master, Follett brings us into a world we thought we knew, but now will never seem the same again.

Movies/TV Shows based on Books

2010-06-29T15:25:00.002-04:00

I haven't been blogging as much as I would like because I'm overloaded with school work and work work. It's the end of the fiscal year and everyone is in a rush to get their billing out asap. People actually expect their employees to work - the nerve of some people's children!

I have to come up with a topic to do a photo proposal on for my library research & eval course. I read an article based in the UK on the success of tv tie-ins on library circulation, which I am kicking around the idea of doing for my topic.

I was discussing the topic with a friend of mine, who pointed out that a tv tie-in version of a book probably would be something that would repel me from buying/checking out the book. I prefer reading a book before seeing the movie that was based on it. I don't know why - I am usually disappointed. But if it's a tv series that is based on a book, I won't read the books until after the series is over. I guess I'm afraid reading the books would ruin the series for me, because the element of surprise would be gone. Off the top of my head, I am thinking of True Blood and Pretty Little Liars.

So, for those of you who have read the Sookie Stackhouse books and are a fan of the series, what are your thoughts? Do you find the show to be more predictable and less enjoyable? Same goes for Pretty Little Liars.

Hopping and Following - June 25th

2010-06-25T08:25:00.002-04:00

It's Friday (I can't believe it - where has the week gone?!) and once again it's time for Jennifer's Book Blogger Hop @ Crazy For Books, and Parajunkee's Friday Follow.

Click on the links and check out other bloggers. It's a great way to see what is out there, meet new bloggers, and support each other.

I'm really behind in reviews this week. I'm planning on putting up a couple this weekend, and as well as check out the hop & follow as soon as I finish reading and writing an evaluation of "The Effects of Free Choice on Student Learning" by Ya-Ling Lu and Carol Gordon for my research & eval class.

Happy Friday Everyone and Happy Hopping!!

Teaser Tuesday - June 22

2010-06-22T20:45:00.003-04:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should be Reading. The rules are simple:

- open up your current book to a random page

- select a 2 sentence teaser from somewhere on that page

- Make sure you don't post any spoilers!!

- don't forget to mention the name and author of your book.

I'm currently reading (and loving) The Passage by Justin Cronin:

"Whatever happened to her at the compound, whatever the virus was, she appeared to have weathered it; and yet the business with the light was strange. And other things: why, for instance, did Amy's hair not seem to grow?

Blogger Hop and Follow My Book Blog Friday 6/18

2010-06-18T12:00:00.003-04:00

It's Friday and time for this week's blogger hop. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a weekly opportunity hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books for book bloggers to get their name out there, check out each other's blogs, and just support each other. Click on the link to check it out.

It's been crazy at work this week, so I haven't had a chance to check out some blogs yet. I hope to do it during my lunch break. I'm going to check out fellow newbie bloggers this week, and I will report back with my highlights.

This week's highlights are:

Elizabeth @ Swords for Fighting

Rica and Okapi @ The Smarty Owl

Book Snob @ Book snob

This week I'm also doing Parajunkee's Follow My Book Blog Friday. This is a fantastic way to get your blog out there and find new ones to follow. Click on the link to read all about it.

Have a great weekend everyone!

A Fluff Post

2010-06-18T09:55:00.008-04:00

So I really haven't posted this week because I figure no one wants to hear my thoughts on the book I've been reading this week (and for the next month), "Applications of Social Research Methods to Questions in Information and Library Systems" by Barbara M. Wildemuth. Heck, I don't want to hear about it and I have to read the book. No offense to Barbara or anything, but the topic is pretty mind numbing.

It's Friday, and my Dad's birthday, so I thought a fluff post is in order. So here are my prefered reading spots, and issues that come up when I try to utilize them.

Prefered spot #1 is my husband Mike's recliner. It's fluffy and so comfy, like sitting on a marshmallow

There are 3 problems associated with this spot. One, Mike actually likes to use his chair (can you believe the nerve?). Two, the lighting isn't the greatest in that corner of the room (as you can tell by the darkness of the picture). Three, I can't seem to sit there without both beagles climbing on top of me. Exhibit A: Gromit has taken over

Spot # 2 is my couch. This is where I am a lot because I can stretch out, have good lighting, and there's easy access to the coffee table and my comfy Nantucket beach sticker blanket.

There aren't too many negatives, aside from the cushions sliding out if I sit up to read, and not much back support if I lay down. However, once again I get edged out by a beagle. Exhibit B: Peabody, my shadow.

The sheet is on the couch because of the dog fur. Peabody doesn't always like it when I read, and will usually face me and push his head down on the book until I put the book down.

So those are my usual reading spots when I'm not in bed or in the hammock.

Happy Birthday Dad, and thanks for passing on your love of reading to me. I consider it a win win situation for us both (namely because of the free books).

Musing Mondays

2010-06-14T14:58:00.004-04:00

Musing Mondays is hosted by MizB at Should be Reading

This week's question is:

Who in your family (both immediate & extended) are readers, and who are not?

My husband is also a reader, but he doesn't read as much as I do. That's probably changed since lately he's been downloading more mp3 books from the library in lieu of reading a physical book. He goes through books a lot faster in the audio version.

My Dad is a huge reader. His whole side of the family is actually (well parents and siblings at least). I like to say I'm a genetically predisposed bibliophile, and we share a lot of books (mostly adventure and history). I fell in love with the works of Bernard Cornwell thanks to my Uncle Brian's contribution of The Archer's Tale and now he's my favorite author.

Strangely enough, my Mom doesn't read much and neither of my siblings are readers. My brother reads Guns & Ammo and Bass Pro Shop circulars. My sister reads a bit, but it takes her forever to read a book. And she won't see a movie if she's reading the book until it's finished. Which is a family joke because she still hasn't finished Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which she's been working on for years. So she has only seen the first 2 movies.

Book Blogger Hop 6/11

2010-06-11T11:24:00.003-04:00

* Sarah at Loving Books, who is hosting Summer at Hogwarts, which I am definitely going to check out.
* Arena at The Nerd's Wife . Boy can I relate to the life of a nerd's wife, plus she has adorable dogs!)
* Fellow newbie book blogger Niki at Niki's Book Reviews

Review: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

2010-06-11T09:30:00.005-04:00

Grahame-Smith, Seth. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Grand Central Publishing (Hatchette Books), New York. 352 pp. 2010

Synopsis (from BN.com):

When Abraham Lincoln was nine years old, his mother died from an ailment called the "milk sickness." Only later did he learn that his mother's deadly affliction was actually the work of a local vampire, seeking to collect on Abe's father's unfortunate debts.
When the truth became known to the young Abraham Lincoln, he wrote in his journal, "henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become learned in all things - a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose."
The purpose? Elimination of all vampires.
While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for reuniting the North with the South and abolishing slavery from our country, no one has ever known about his valiant fight against the forces of the undead. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.

Review:
This was a book I was dying to read (no pun intended). I'm going through serious True Blood withdrawals, so I figured this would be an excellent way to hold me over from the end of the Vampire Diaries season to the beginning of True Blood.

I was expecting this book to be cheesy. Instead, I found this was a very well done blend of history and vampire fiction. Grahame-Smith cleverly introduced a plausible introduction to how the journal was found (in fact, I actually would have liked to read more about the discovery and writing process). His combination of real historical events and realistic looking photoshopped photographs with the journals and vampire elements was so well done that I started questioning my own knowledge of history. And I'm working on a master's degree in history!

Grahame-Smith's use of nineteenth centure language made the journal entries incredibly believable as having been written by Lincoln. His writing also explains the periods of depression that Lincoln was famous for. I really enjoyed the introduction of other famous characters to the story, like Edgar Allan Poe. I thought the ending left a lot to be desired because it seemed really out of character and more of an afterthought than a twist. Abe's hunting sidekicks came across more as bumbling sidekicks that were thrown in to the mix than legitimate supporting characters. I also want to learn more about Henry Sturges

Overall, this book was a very pleasant surprise for me. I look forward to the movie adaptation that is supposedly in the works. Rating: 8/10

Review: The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees

2010-06-11T08:49:00.005-04:00

McNess, Kelly O'Connor. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, Penguin Group. New York. 352pp. 2010.

Synopsis (From BN.com)

In the bestselling tradition of Loving Frank and March comes a novel for anyone who loves Little Women. Millions of readers have fallen in love with Little Women. But how could Louisa May Alcott-who never had a romance-write so convincingly of love and heart-break without experiencing it herself? Deftly mixing fact and fiction, Kelly O'Connor McNees imagines a love affair that would threaten Louisa's writing career-and inspire the story of Jo and Laurie in Little Women. Stuck in small-town New Hampshire in 1855, Louisa finds herself torn between a love that takes her by surprise and her dream of independence as a writer in Boston. The choice she must make comes with a steep price that she will pay for the rest of her life.

Review:

Louisa May Alcott is one of my all time favorite authors. I still treasure the hardcover version of Little Women that I received on my 8th birthday. I still re-read it every year, and shop old bookstores for early copies of her books. I've been successful with Jo's Boys, Little Men, and 8 Cousins, but not with Little Women. If I were to have a holy grail, it would probably be a first edition of Little Women. So, as you could imagine, I was both thrilled and hesitant to read this book. I put it off for months before I decided it was time to read a new interpretation of Louisa. I was not disappointed.

McNees did extensive research on the Alcott family, which is apparent with every detail of the book, and makes this feel much more than a work of biographical fiction. She chose to write her book about a period in Louisa's life that very little is known about, the summer of 1855. Here she weaves a beautiful and touching summer love story between Louisa and a young shopkeeper. Both are torn between their desire for each other, and their obligation to care for their families because of the failings of their fathers.

While the love story is touching and well done, the true highlight of the book for me was how well developed Louisa was. McNees did an amazing job of showcasing Louisa's struggles and her resentment towards her Father for emotionally (and financially) neglected his family. This is a far different father than portrayed in Alcott's writings. My criticism with this book was the lack of development of the sisters and Marmee. Marmee comes across as slightly hysterical and very overprotective. She lacked the dynamic of the Marmee I know and love from the books.

I also got the sense of being rushed through. The romance seemed too quick. The ending almost seemed as an after thought, which was a shame considering the amount of care and detail that went into crafting the character of Louisa.

This was a fast paced read, and another book that can be shared by Mothers and Daughters alike. Rating: 7.5/10

Review: A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

2010-06-10T14:40:00.003-04:00

Donnelly, Jennifer. A Northern Light. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2003. 400 pgs.

Synopsis (from BN.com):
In 1906, sixteen-year-old Mattie, determined to attend college and be a writer against the wishes of her father and fiance, takes a job at a summer inn where she discovers the truth about the death of a guest. Based on a true story.

Review:
I read this was Jennifer Donnelly's first YA book. Her writing style was so well done. Her characters were well written, and she was able to tell a story in a manner in which both young adult and adult readers can enjoy.
I was pulled in right away to Mattie's world. I felt her heartbreak over the loss of her Mother, her frustration with having to take on adult responsibilities so young, and her desperation to continue her education.
While Mattie was a fictitious character, the death of Grace Brown really did happen. Incorporating the murder as a surrounding event in the life of a girl on the verge of womanhood was an inspired idea because it brings a whole new dynamic to who Grace Brown was. Mattie's struggle over whether or not she should break the promise she made to her Mother, to Grace, and to her family is heartbreaking.
The only complaints I have about the book are its somewhat abrupt ending, and there were some issues with fluidity in regards to the timeline. The book jumps around a bit and was a bit difficult to stay with during the jumps because it wasn't as evident that this was a different time period. Despite the minor criticism, this is a beautifully written and moving book that could appeal to both mothers and daughters.

Word of warning to any moms that might want to read this with her daughter: there are some sexual situations discussed in the book.

Rating 8/10

A Delayed WWW Wednesdays

2010-06-10T14:22:00.002-04:00

For some reason, blogger has been uncooperative with me the past 2 days. I went through the effort of saving this post, so I figured it would be a waste if I didn't go back and publish it. Anyhow....

MizB over at Should be Reading hosts the weekly WWW Wednesday. To participate you answer the following questions:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

I am currently reading The Doomsday Key by James Rollins.

I just finished Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

As far as what I think I'll be reading next, I'm not entirely sure. Probably Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Final Update

2010-06-06T16:49:00.003-04:00

Unfortunately the internet was down pretty much all weekend for me
(lots of heavy thunderstorms), so I couldn't update.

On Friday night/Saturday morning I continued to read until 4:30am (did I mention I have a dog that refuses to allow me to sleep, pee, or really do anything that involves leaving his side during a thunderstorm?). So total time reading on Friday was 10 hours and 15 min. During that time I completed A Northern Light and The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott. Rating for Louisa May Alcott is 7.5/10

Saturday was a busy day for me as I had a get together to attend that took up the late afternoon and evening. Plus my husband came home. I only read a total of 30min of Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter before bed. 10hrs 45min total.

Today is my husband's birthday and I read from 10-12 while he played his computer game. I haven't finished Abe Lincoln, which I would like to do tonight after Mike goes to bed. I did exceed my goal of 12 hours by 45min.

48 Hour Challenge Update 1

2010-06-04T23:39:00.004-04:00

6 hours and 10min in and one book down (380 pages). I give A Northern Light an 8/10.
I'm going to spend the next 20min checking out some blogs before I move on to The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott.

Lots of luck to my fellow challengers, and Happy Reading!

48 Hour Reading Challenge

2010-06-04T17:43:00.007-04:00

The 48 hour Reading Challenge is hosted by Mother Reader (click to link to her blog for info. Here are the basic rules from her site:

The weekend is June 4–6, 2010. Read and blog for any 48-hour period within the Friday-to-Monday-morning window. Start no sooner than 7:00 a.m. on Friday the fourth and end no later than 7:00 a.m. Monday the seventh. So, go from 7:00 p.m. Friday to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday... or maybe 7:00 a.m. Saturday to 7:00 a.m. Monday works better for you. But the 48 hours do need to be in a row. That said, during that 48-hour period you may still have gaps of time in which you can’t read, and that’s fine

I'm mostly doing this challenge as a lark since my husband is off camping tonight. I have a lot going on this weekend (party, yard work, husband's birthday, needy dogs) but I am shooting to log 12 hours or more. I want to try it out in hopes next time around I can devote more time and incorporate the charitable part of the challenge.

My official start time is 5:30 EDT this evening. I'm not sure how much I'll be blogging during the weekend but I hope to at least pop in and update with what I am reading and the rating of the book I finished. I will save my reviews for later this week.
Right now I'm reading A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Book Blogger Hop 6/4/10

2010-06-04T11:51:00.002-04:00

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly event hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books. (click on the link to read the rules and hopefully join. For those who aren't familiar, the hop is basically a way for book bloggers to support each other, meet new and interesting people, and share their love of books. I wasn't able to participate in the last hop because I was on vacation. But I'm back and excited to meet new book friends.

This week's hop brought me to:
- Lady Scribble's Book Lounge. I haven't been able to read much of her blog yet, but when I saw her top 10 list of female characters she admires, I knew I would like her.

- Super Librarian She's a librarian, I'm a library student. I really like how she includes recommendations with her reviews.

Review: The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

2010-06-03T11:26:00.004-04:00

Larsson, Stieg.The Girl Who Played with Fire.Vintage. New York. 2009. digital edition. 671 pages.

Summary: (from Publisher's Weekly)
Fans of intelligent page-turners will be more than satisfied by Larsson's second thriller, even though it falls short of the high standard set by its predecessor, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which introduced crusading journalist Mikael Blomkvist and punk hacker savant Lisbeth Salander. A few weeks before Dag Svensson, a freelance journalist, plans to publish a story that exposes important people involved in Sweden's sex trafficking business based on research conducted by his girlfriend, Mia Johansson, a criminologist and gender studies scholar, the couple are shot to death in their Stockholm apartment. Salander, who has a history of violent tendencies, becomes the prime suspect after the police find her fingerprints on the murder weapon. While Blomkvist strives to clear Salander of the crime, some far-fetched twists help ensure her survival. Powerful prose and intriguing lead characters will carry most readers along. (Aug.)

Review:

I really tried to like this book. Really tried my hardest. The beginning was promising - Lisbeth is enjoying her pilfered wealth at a hotel in Grenada. She hasn't spoken to Blomkvist in over a year and no one knows where she is. Meanwhile, in Sweden, Millenium has embarked on a partnership with a man that is about to publish an expose on the sex traffic trade in Sweden. But murders happen and Lisbeth appears to be the killer.

Sounds interesting, right? Murder. Corruption. Sex. Violence. The hunt for the real killer. Should be action packed. Well... It was, but really there were just too many characters and too many things going on in the book. We did learn more about Lisbeth, including why she was declared incompetent as a teen, but the reveal was very anti-climatic.

One major gripe about the book is the number of seemingly indestructible people in this book. Lisbeth in particular is almost comic book superhero: she's rich, violent, has a photographic memory, is an expert hacker, a vigilante, bisexual, and now is a practically professional level boxer. What happens in the end (which I won't give away even though it's glaringly obvious in the summary of book 3) also makes her out to be almost superhuman. I'm waiting for her to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
This book would have been so much better if they cut about 1/3 of it out and reduced the characters by half. and maybe found some better ways to describe the giant with a ponytail.
This book got rave reviews from everyplace I've seen it reviewed, so maybe this is another case of A Reliable Wife where I am wondering if I read a different book than the rest of the blogosphere because I just didn't get the appeal. Rating: 4/10

Teaser Tuesday 6/1/10

2010-06-01T11:46:00.004-04:00

What is it?
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Rules:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My book: The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

"Salander had not had such a rush since she visited Grona Lund amusement park several years before and rode on the Freefall. She went on it three times and could have gone another three if she had the money."

That's taken from the page I am currently on. I'm finding myself at a point where I'm struggling through the book a bit and can't wait for it to end.

Review: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

2010-05-27T15:43:00.006-04:00

Larsson, Stieg. Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Knopf Doubleday.ISBN 9780307454546. 2005

Synopsis:
Mikael Blomkvist, a financial reporter, was convicted of libel against a top Swedish industrialist. He is hired by Henrik Vanger to write his family history and investigate the unsolved disappearance/murder of his niece Harriet decades earlier. If he solves the case, Henrik will give Mikael the ammunition he needs for revenge. To do so, he will need the help of Lisbeth Salander, a brilliant anti-social investigator.

Review:
This was a book that I kept picking up, and then putting back down practically every time I was at a bookstore. Something kept drawing me to it, but the plot seemed a bit too complicated to hold my interest. I finally read it because it was my May book club selection, and I am glad I did. This book was captivating and easily one of the best books I've read this year.

I was warned in advance that it takes about 60 pages to get into the book, because of the need to set up the plot. I was hooked from page one. The characters are well fleshed out and wonderfully flawed, the plot is gritty and suspenseful and surprisingly dark. I figured out what happened to Harriet right away, but I didn't care- the book kept me guessing and enthralled throughout the book. The subject matter was particularly graphic and disturbing in the second half of the book, dealing with violence against women, and not for the faint of heart. If I have any complaint about the book, it's the ending. What happens after the mystery is solved just doesn't mesh with what Mikael is portrayed to be. Rating: 9/10

This book was so good that the second book in the trilogy (The Girl who Played with Fire) has jumped up to the top of my to be read list.

Review: Changes (Dresden Files Book 12) by Jim Butcher

2010-05-27T12:15:00.004-04:00

Butcher, Jim. Changes (Dresden Files Book 12), Penguin, New York. ISBN 9780451463173. April 2010

Synopsis: Harry Dresden receives a call from his old girlfriend Susan Rodriguez that their daughter has been kidnapped by Duchess Arianna Ortega of the Vampire Red Court. A daughter he never knew existed. Harry has to tap into his own darkness and call in favors he never wanted to, or expected to, need in order to save his daughter in the midst of the war between the white council and red court. Will he lose everything in order to save his daughter?

Review:
This series is the epitome of summer reading for me. A great mindless series filled with action, magic, humor, and darkness. I am still sad that the tv series was cancelled after just a couple of episodes. As the series progresses, the character gets more and more evolved and the tone of the books gets darker. This book is another great chapter in the saga of Harry Dresden, Wizard.

However, I thought the author indulged himself in a few too many cliches this time around. I can't get into specifics without spoiling the book, but the cliff hanger ending was particularly cliched. He also relegated too many old favorites to barely supporting status. I particularly missed Bob's humor in this book. the title is particularly apropos here, but I wonder if there are too many changes going on - how can Harry go on from here and be the character we know and love?

Despite my plot issues, this is a fast paced book that is an easy and thrilling read that certainly leaves the reader eagerly anticipating the next book. Fortunately for us left wondering what next, the upcoming book of short stories has an epilogue to Changes, so we don't have to wait until next April to find out what happened to Harry.

I would highly recommend this series to anyone looking for light, fun, sci-fi books. While the author does spend some time recapping the basic premise of the character in each book, I wouldn't recommend starting later in the series. Start at the beginning with Storm Front Rating 7/10

Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2010-05-27T11:50:00.004-04:00

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games (Hunger Games Series #1). Scholastic Inc. 2008

Synopsis:
Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

Review
This book has been on my radar since ALA midwinter this past January. One of the freebies was the second book in the series (Catching Fire), which my friend Matt snatched up the last of after my friend Nicole mentioned how popular the series was with the YA crowd. I got my copy of The Hunger Games from the library in time for me to take it as plane reading for Nashville. I figured it would be pretty light reading. Holy cow the book was fantastically riveting. I was sucked in from the very beginning and lost a lot of sleep because I stayed up reading the book into the wee hours of the morning.
While elements of the book reminded me a lot of the movie Surving the Game , Collins did an amazing job crafting the world of Panem. It was so vivid that I was instantly transported as soon as I opened the book. The heroine Katniss is well written and complex, and Collins doesn't abandon the fleshing out of the supporting characters. I could feel for these characters and visualize each of them in their world.
This book is action packed and filled with twists, humor, and tears. It's also a great example of the excellent adult friendly teen lit out there that kids (probably grade 6 +) can share with their parents. Rating 9.5/10

Plane Reading

2010-05-19T11:23:00.003-04:00

I am leaving for Nashville tomorrow (YAY!!) at a very ungodly hour (boo). I haven't even packed yet, which is completely unheard of for me and shows just how hectic my week has been. I haven't even had much time to think about my plane reading.

I just finished Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (review forthcoming) and am trying to decide what I want to download next for nook reading. I really want to read the latest Matthew Reilly but it's pricey on e-book, and the latest Bernard Cornwell but I want to get that in hardcover to match the rest of the series.
I just received the Hunger Games from the library, which will definitely be brought along but I feel as though I need to load up Nooky as well. I guess I'll hit B&N on the way home to buy trashy magazines (a definite must for any traveling) and see what sales pop up on Nooky while I am there.

I'm always interested in what others choose to read on the plane, so I'm also looking forward to checking that out while on the plane.

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

2010-05-10T16:34:00.002-04:00

So Sheila over at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books hosts a weekly what are you reading discussion. She's got a pretty impressive list and group of followers, which I highly recommend checking out.

I just finished the latest Dresden Files book, Changes (review to come shortly) and I'm just starting Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. I feel so late jumping on the bandwagon, but grad school and working full time isn't exactly conducive towards maintaining an active literary life. This is a book club book and I'm hoping it breaks a sad recent trend of books that have been highly recommended to me that I dislike. So far... so good.

My first book blogger hop!

2010-05-07T12:48:00.003-04:00

Jennifer over at Crazy-for-Books is hosting a book blogger hop as a way for readers and bloggers to discover new blogs. It's a weekly event, but this is my first go at it. I'm very excited to meet new people in the blogosphere. All ready I've discovered some great sites like "Page Turners" http://pageturnersbooks.blogspot.com/

Here are the instructions:

http://www.crazy-for-books.com

ABOUT THE HOP The Book Blogger Hop is hosted at Crazy for Books. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blogger Hop to give us all book bloggers and readers a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on!

So, I created this weekly BOOK PARTY where book bloggers and readers can connect to find new blogs to read, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start PARTYING!!

If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know! Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added! And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!

Review: A Reliable Wife

2010-05-07T11:37:00.005-04:00

Goolrick, Robert. A Reliable Wife. 1 ed. New York: Algonquin Books, 2010. Print.

Summary: Rural Wisconsin, 1909. In the bitter cold, Ralph Truitt, a successful businessman, stands alone on a train platform waiting for the woman who answered his newspaper advertisement for "a reliable wife." But when Catherine Land steps off the train from Chicago, she's not the "simple, honest woman" that Ralph is expecting. She is both complex and devious, haunted by a terrible past and motivated by greed. Her plan is simple: she will win this man's devotion, and then, ever so slowly, she will poison him and leave Wisconsin a wealthy widow. What she has not counted on, though, is that Truitt — a passionate man with his own dark secrets —has plans of his own for his new wife. Isolated on a remote estate and imprisoned by relentless snow, the story of Ralph and Catherine unfolds in unimaginable ways.

With echoes of Wuthering Heights and Rebecca, Robert Goolrick's intoxicating debut novel delivers a classic tale of suspenseful seduction, set in a world that seems to have gone temporarily off its axis. -- Algonquin Books

A Reliable Wife was last month's book club choice. I admit to looking forward to reading it based on the rave reviews and its place in the recommendation shelf at my local Barnes & Noble. Sadly, I was disappointed in the book.
Mr. Goolrick does have a talent for setting a scene. His description of the desolate Wisconsin winters and the loneliness of Ralph Truitt were deftly portrayed, but the story left a lot to be desired.
The characters weren't sufficiently sketched out. The plot was very similar to the movie Original Sin with Antonio Banderas and Angelina Jolie, and the dialog was very soap-opera like. There was nothing about this book that seemed fresh or original. Rating: 3/10

You can tell it's the end of the semester

2010-05-07T10:48:00.002-04:00

I tend to go a bit book crazy with the end of the semester. It's been so long since I've been able to read books I want to read, unless book club books count. So I go a little nuts ordering books from the ILL catalog. right now I have The Hunger Games, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, and Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang on order. Granted I have at least a couple of dozen books at home in my to be read bookcase, but being a mood reader I am just not in the mood to read them yet.

I am so looking forward to opening a bottle of wine, cracking open a book, and enjoying the next 3 weeks without classes.

The Forgotten Garden

2010-04-20T11:59:00.003-04:00

Morton, Kate. The Forgotten Garden: A Novel. New York: Washington Square Press, 2009. 560p ISBN 1416550542. $15.95

A young girl is adopted by a dock master after being abandoned on a ship bound for Australia in 1913. On her twenty-first birthday the same young woman learns she is not who she thoughts she was. Armed with a small suitcase containing a book of fairy tales written by a woman she remembers as The Authoress, Nell leaves her adopted family and embarks on an odyssey to discover her true identity. Upon Nell’s death, her granddaughter Cassandra discovers she has inherited a cottage in Cornwall she never knew existed. Cass sets off to England to finish Nell’s quest and solve the mystery of her family tree.

Morton skillfully weaves the story of three women separated by generations, leaving the reader on the edge of his/her seat trying to solve the mystery of who this four year old girl was that was abandoned on a ship, and why was she left behind. Morton’s novel combines Victorian sensibility, gothic intrigue, fairytales, and romance. For fans of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden, there is a cameo by the author and more than a passing similarity to the tale.

At times the plot stumbles with too many extraneous details and unnecessary hints at possible incestuous relationships. The male characters are not as well crafted as the women, and the number of characters can be difficult to keep track of at times. The similarities to The Secret Garden left this reader wanting more originality. Morton’s second novel is an engrossing read that keeps the audience on a merry chase thinking they have discovered the answers but in fact they have not. Rating: 8.5/10

New Beginning

2010-04-06T16:16:00.003-04:00

So I've decided to try again with this blog thing and focus on book and entertainment reviews. And since it takes up so much of my day to day reading habits, I'm sure I'll be blogging about the every day life of a library/history student.

To start things off, I'm going to review The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Heretics-Daughter/Kathleen-Kent/e/9780316024495/?itm=1&USRI=heretic%27s+daughter

Synopsis:
Sarah Carrier is a stubborn, willful daughter in 17th century Massachusetts struggling against her Mother and the world she lives in. She finds a new respect and appreciation for her Mother during the Salem witch hysteria. This is a true story told from the 10th generation descendant of Martha Carrier.

Review:
This is one of those books that I've picked up at the store, looked at, and put back a multiple number of times. When I was able to get an advanced reader copy at ALA midwinter, I figured it was a sign I should read the book. I'm glad I did.
I've read plenty of books about the Salem witch hysteria, and this book is a fresh perspective. Not only does it tell the story of a woman outside of Salem, but it is told from the perspective of her daughter. The story is not just about the hysteria; it's about the relationship between a mother and a daughter, it's about the bond of a family admist turmoil, and it's written by a descendant of the protagonist.