beginning On Writing by stephen king
ok, i have to share. this book had me giggling to no end the other night. i must have been in a strange mood, but here is the passage that got me going:
…I was enchanted by the idea of shitting like a cowboy. I pretended I was Hopalong Cassidy, squatting in the underbrush with my gun drawn, not to be caught unawares even at such a personal moment. I did my business, and I took care of the cleanup as my older brother had suggested, carefully wiping my ass with big handfuls of shiny green leaves. These turned out to be poison ivy.
Two days later I was bright red from the backs of my knees to my shoulderblades. My penis was spared, but my testicles turned into stoplights. My ass itched all the way up to my ribcage, it seemed. Yet worst of all was the hand I had wiped with; it swelled to the size of Mickey Mouse’s after Donald Duck has bopped it with a hammer, and gigantic blisters formed at the placed where the fingers rubbed together. When they burst they left deep divots of raw pink flesh. For six weeks I sat in lukewarm starch baths, feeling miserable and humiliated and stupid, listening through the open door as my mother and brother laughed and listened to Peter Tripp’s countdown on the radio and played Crazy Eights.
yeah, i know. i’m picking up tidbits of writing advice but i’m mostly just entertained. on a sweet note, i did find an inscription from my dad:
kindred by octavia butler
the cover of this book is so misleading. it features a young black woman above some old housing units. the picture is sort of faded and muted which brings to mind old 19th century photographs. my first impression is that it’s some historical fiction novel. i am not interested. i do not like stories that deal much with history. not to my surprise, the story of Dana is set amidst slavery on the Weylin plantation. but what stunned me about this novel right off the bat is the extremely paranormal piece of it. the paranormal event was the perfect hook to get me into this novel and it was well-placed at the beginning of the story. yes, the novel deals with the lives of slaves on a plantation and explores the hierarchy of command of the plantation owner and his family, but it is only a backdrop of the more intriguing story of how Dana fits in to all of it.
the flow of time in this tale is interesting. it opens with the ending, then starts from the beginning, then proceeds to bounce back and forth through time. without giving away any of the awesome surprises, Dana, who is a young well-educated back woman, becomes eerily connected to Rufus, a white boy who is heir to the plantation and all its slaves. Dana must fight for Rufus’s life or it will mean she will never exist (paradox!), all the while she must adjust to life on a plantation and fight also to save and be with her husband, Kevin (who is white, which helps to twist up the plot).
i found Dana and Kevin to be an incredibly sweet and endearing couple. the understanding and love they shared was absolute. Dana was tough and smart, and she seemed to be much more thoughtful than i would have been in her situation. it is a beautiful story and one that i very much enjoyed. it ends bittersweetly and leaves a few burning questions.
and just in case you’ve read it, what is the significance of her arm?
battle royale, finally!
part 1 review
part 2 review
i am completely surprised. i cried at the end of this book. out of the freakin’ blue the author was strumming my emotions like a guitar. who knew that by the end of the novel Takami had developed an arsenal of well-developed characters? i really didn’t see that coming. i may have been distracted by tediously long descriptions of how to make a bomb and the locations of buildings, houses, etc. on the island–to name a few. i think i could have skipped pages at a time before the plot started rolling along again. i wouldn’t be surprised if another reader gave up less than half-way through due to this. but those over-achievers out there will be nicely rewarded at the end.
i thought Takami did a great job of helping me keep the characters straight. since each chapter is from a different character’s perspective, it can get a little hairy. even if i didn’t recognize who the character was right away, at some point Takami would reference something to spark my memory. i wouldn’t recommend flipping back through to sort everyone out though. when i rarely didn’t recognize someone, i just moved on, no harm done.
the killings continued to be descriptive, gory, and extremely troubling. since Takami provides the train of thought of each character, you can’t help but sympathize with some of them. those that come off as inherently evil at least garner some pity for circumstances beyond their control that turned them that way. the complexity of each character was described or at least hinted at. so everything is not always as it seems. and that helps keep the story intriguing. and the last page: poetic.
prophecy of the sisters by michelle zink
part 1 review
so, Lia and i are good now. there were two specific instances, one with her boyfriend james and one with her aunt virginia, where she went balls to the wall and stood up for herself. bravo. along with Lia’s growing toughness, the prophecy has become more complicated and far-reaching. by the end it’s plain that this book is definitely part of a series (jeez). in fact, once i finished, i couldn’t help but think that the adventure has yet to begin. that the entire novel was merely a set-up to the actual journey. it wasn’t as much of a letdown as i would have thought. probably because the last few chapters set up for quite an adventure and the excitement i felt far overpowered the annoying aspects.
i did have a strong emotional response to Lia’s and Alice’s little brother Henry. he and his sisters are about the same amount of years apart as my brother and me so i just kept picturing him as my brother. what a sweet and devoted little boy Henry is and his fate completely pulled at my heartstrings.
in the story, the worlds beyond the physical plane are called the Otherworlds. these are dangerous places to be, especially for those involved with the prophecy. and happily, Luisa and Sonia become a major part of the prophecy. always good to see those two. Alice is still lurking about and proved her insanely evil capabilities by the end. i will never forgive her.
i felt the tide turning in the end and the adventure looming…glad i’m along for the ride.
beginning prophecy of the sisters by michelle zink
dark and bleak. this novel even begins with a funeral. i almost put it away because i didn’t know if i was in the mood for all that. but i persevered. the story hidden amongst the dreariness became worth it. it centers around twin sisters in 1890 new york who slowly realize they are part of a prophecy. a nasty one. the “good” sister is established right away as Lia and the bad one is Alice. since we’re following along with Lia, i find Alice more intriguing with her secretively seductive ways. Lia is just confused and scared all the time, which is understandable since she’s finding out creepy things about herself and the people around her. her sweet boyfriend James found an old book in her father’s library hidden in a secret compartment which sets the plot rolling. an excerpt:
Through fire and harmony mankind endured
Until the sending of the Guards
Who took as wives and lovers the woman of man,
Engendering His wrath.
Two sisters, formed in the same swaying ocean,
One the Guardian, One the Gate.
One keeper of peace,
The other bartering sorcery for devotion.
there’s more and it just gets creepier. i’m happy with the plot so far. it’s moving along by introducing characters that help reveal more about the prophecy. i’m absolutely in love with the character of Luisa Torelli. she was introduced not a moment too soon. Luisa is like a steaming mug of godiva hot cocoa within this brooding wintry tale. another girl named Sonia has also come into play and since she’s a fortune teller or “spiritualist” as they say, she has a lot of knowledge about the prophecy. these secondary characters are lovely and i only hope Lia will hike up that petticoat and grow a set.
final review
battle royale …cont.
part 1 review
you know, when i started reading the first few pages i couldn’t help but think “why is this book boring right now?” it consists mostly of backstory so i chucked it up to that. and since it was originally written in japanese, maybe something got lost in translation? anyway, boooooring. and i was dismayed because the book weighs a ton and i knew i’d never make it through if it kept up that attitude. but like i said before, the story completely captivates once the killing starts. in fact, i’m on page 342 (21 students remaining).
i’m highly impressed that i can recognize each of the 42 students most of the time. especially when they have names like yoshio, keita, tatsumichi, toshinori, etc. That should say wonders about how well the characters are fleshed out. the story is progressing by sorting out who has given into killing and who are the ones determined to survive and escape. lots of violence and the descriptions are pretty darn descriptive. as i’m learning more about the main characters, i find myself more concerned about their well-being. some tricky stuff is coming up in the plot and some ingenious tactics are being used by some smart characters. i feel the rapid page turning about to begin so i’m thinking the next time i post on battle royale, it will be the last.
final review
the maze runner by james dashner
i admit that i bought this book at SAM’S of all places. it was sitting amongst some other YA novels that i enjoyed. i never heard of it, but the cover looked neato so i figured “what the hell”. strangely, i seem to have really good luck with the books i pick up there. i’ve had it in my book arsenal for, who knows, maybe a little under a year now and i figured it was time to dust it off and get to readin’. my husband chose it as my next read out of a pile of to-be-read books and what an awesome choice that was.
essentially, it’s about a maze, lol. but seriously, some boys are mysteriously sent up to the maze with their memories swiped and they build a way of life while trying to escape. it’s not worth saying anymore because the surprises are worth it. the author is so good at giving you just enough teaser evenly throughout the story to keep it riveting. i had a million questions the whole way through and dashner gave just enough information to keep you hooked without divulging all the answers. a quite even spread. what intrigued me the most was the feeling i got early on that the maze is part of a larger, catastrophic, all-encompassing problem. it was one of the first things i picked up on because i LOVE when stories are part of a much bigger picture. and the best part of getting to the end of a novel like this is when it says “END OF BOOK ONE”. that kind of thing sends me straight to google to discover that it’s going to be a trilogy!! could you die?! ——>next book “The Scorch Trials” out October 12.
as far as the characters go, i didn’t feel one way or another about the main guy Thomas. i was mostly thankful he was there to tell me about all the craziness of the maze. i felt that the secondary characters were fleshed out a lot more for some reason. one maze runner named Minho and one sort-of leader named Newt were totally awesome to me. i felt for them more than anyone else i think. there was one little guy named Chuck who grew on me by the end as well. i’m happy that dashner was not afraid to appropriately kill off characters. it helps make more of a solid story to me. this is one of those stories where little details mean a lot at some point toward the end, so don’t skim over things that have no meaning yet. of course, dashner has a way of introducing meaningless details with an air of foreboding so it’s not likely you’ll forget them easily.
one last point, the slang in this book is hilarious. but i could understand if someone thought it was dumb. it came off as cute and clever to me. read: shuck-face, slinthead, klunk, shank. they are used A LOT. enjoy 🙂
beginning battle royale by koushun takami
the first thing i noticed was that this book is extremely heavy for its size. weird. i’m on page 78 and it’s been interesting because the killing has started. the plot is that a junior high class in japan is picked to fight to the death in an arena. very “hunger games”-ish, so i like it. there is actually a nice dictionary explanation of this killing ritual know as “the Program”.
Program n. 1. A listing of the order of events and other information […] 4. A battle simulation program conducted by our nation’s ground defense forces, instituted for security reasons. Officially know as Battle Experiment No. 68 Program. The first program was held in 1947. Fifty third-year junior high school classes are selected annually (prior to 1950, 47 classes were selected) to conduct the Program for research purposes. Classmates in each class are forced to fight until one survivor is left. Results from this experiment, including the elapsed time, are entered as data. The final survivor of each class (the winner) is provided with a lifetime pension and a card autographed by The Great Dictator. In reaction to protests and agitation caused by extremists during the first year of its enactment, the 317th Great Dictator gave his famous “April Speech.”
whaaaaaat?! awesomeness. makes for a thrilling and emotional story. and before every chapter there is a current body count. it started with 42 students, 21 girls and boys. i’m currently at “38 students remaining”. so far, the story has been narrated by a boy named Shuya Nanahara who is immediately likable. all the students are on an island and have just been released from the central location to disperse within the island. before dispersing, each student received a bag filled with food, water, and a random weapon. keeps getting better. they each have a metal collar around their neck which will explode if they try to remove it. even better, the island is divided into zones and a computer will randomly select forbidden zones. if you don’t evacuate a forbidden zone by the given time, the collar will explode. keeps the students moving around. there’s so much more but you’ll have to actually read it to get all the details, duh.
Shuya has witnessed the deaths of some classmates and still cannot wrap his head around the idea that they have to kill each other. he’s still holding out hope that he can meet with his classmates and plan a way of escaping. so far, he’s only caught up with one injured girl, Noriko Nakagawa, and they are on the run. will Shuya keep from falling into the government’s trap and believe the only way to survive is to kill his friends? I DON’T KNOW! THIS MESS IS CRAZY!
part 2 review
final review
percy jackson and the olympians: the lightning thief
i caved. i saw the movie trailer before anything and thought “what is this harry potter rip-off crap?” then it made it on someone’s end of the year best books list and that’s when i caved. i can’t help but compare it to harry potter. the adventurous trio: two boys and a girl. the girl being the genius of the group. one boy who is an adorable dimwit, then the star of the show who is brave and defiant…gee whiz. they even use the term “half-blood” for their camp name (not to mention that they have to go to this camp to hone special skills). the trio go on perilous adventures to save the world. sheesh. aside from the minor distraction of comparing percy jackson with harry potter, i enjoyed it quite a lot.
it is a bit geared towards a younger crowd but i found myself laughing out loud a few times by some special one liners. the incorporation of traditional greek myths was very interesting and the way they were reworked to fit into a modern time was fun. i really appreciated the explanation of why certain characters in greek mythology were alive today even though they were supposed to be killed in the myths. kronos, who is the titan father of “the big three” (zeus, poseidon, and hades) is given some explanation. i wasn’t very familiar with titans in mythology and i found it refreshing that the mention of this titan father is the start of the thread to the 5 book series. it was very easy to get lost in the details of this story: the daddy/mommy issues all demigods (half-bloods) have, the dyslexia & ADHD, the magical weapons, the prophecies, the pit stops during the trio’s quest that each touch on a different myth, the tragedy of thalia…yeah, i impulsively bought the entire series in hardback and it came in this cool chest thing.
the dew breaker
i got my mitts on this one from my friend natosha. and just like dean koontz’s “the face” i kept putting it off and making moon eyes at percy jackson. but i got it together and started reading it–it’s really short so it won’t waste too much time. apparently i will never learn that i might actually like a book i know nothing about. it’s been the case many times but bad habits die hard.
this novel is essentially about a man and most everyone connected to him in some way. i don’t think i’ve read anything like this before. each chapter is about a different person and narrated by each one. only through the telling of each person’s story do you figure out who they are in relation to the man and at what time in their lives they were affected by him. we learn that a dew breaker is what torturers are called in haiti back in the day. the man was a dew breaker before he escaped to new york and the story begins with him trying to explain his past life to his daughter.
the story caught me off guard because most novels are written about a central character and their story, with minor or lesser attention to other characters and side stories. “the dew breaker” is written so that each character garners as much devotion from the reader as the man. from the man’s point of view we see that he is just trying to live his life with his past behind him. he has changed his name and appearance and talks little to the people around him. he tries to move on from his past, but in his wake are the stories of those who would never forget what he did. it’s very touching and left me feeling heavy and sad at the end. go read it.
the face
this was my first dean koontz novel. i got my hands on it during a book swap with some girlfriends. it took me forever to get started because i wasn’t really that interested. then i realized i needed to give it back, so i opened it. dang, man! that’s some good stuff. one thing that really stood out was how witty it was–i was not expecting that. i was laughing out loud constantly, which made me think “sheesh, this book has everything!” the subject matter is definitely not funny, but when wit and sarcasm are woven in so expertly, you can’t help but think that koontz can write.
the aforementioned subject matter would be creepy death threats, murders, 
anarchists run amuck, neglected children, deaths of loved ones, angels, and the devil. i sort of knew that koontz plays with the supernatural in his books, but that was it. i found it very refreshing and emotional. i think the kid in the book, fric, made me emotional. he was such a bad ass. i wanted to adopt him. i hope i have a kid just like him. he was such a bad ass. there was even a classic twist at the end that blew me away. anyway, stephen king recommended a koontz book called “the good guy” and i always respect stephen’s opinion. i may go hunting for it soon. has anyone read it?
movie notes: nah, it might be lame. the pulse of the story has to do with how the characters are affected internally.
city of glass
after royally sucking at blogtoberfest, i am back with an actual book post! here’s my excuse: i was thrown into a new project at work against my will, which stressed and annoyed me to no end that i didn’t even have the focus to look at words in a book. the timeline totally fits–i started the project at the end of september which equals one actual book review in october (lame!). the tides turned eventually and i have been greatly rewarded 🙂 no more project and no more going to work .period. BECAUSE I AM WORKING FROM HOME!!! well, sunday is officially my last day going into work (as long as my karma holds up and doesn’t curdle or anything). this means LOOOOOOOOOOTS of time for reading…hehehehehehehehe!!!!
so, let’s talk about the book that took half my life to read, shall we? it! was! really! great! the ending to clary’s adventure was spectacular. this third and last book of “the mortal instruments” series was a little more adult (that demon was so trying to rape that girl!) but it pumped some adrenaline into the story. it helped set this book apart and establish it as one of the better grand finales i have read.
so much is revealed, especially jace and clary’s origins. i already had an inkling about jace from the second book but i still managed to be surprised. you’ll see, i just don’t want to give anything away. we see idris and alicante, a grand battle with demons, actual angels (ithuriel’s story is just gut-wrenching and raziel’s appearance is AWESOME!). clary’s mother is back in action and you’ll burn right through the chapter on her backstory. and valentine’s true evil is exposed with what he did to jace, clary, and a smoldering new guy. dear sci fi/fantasy genre, why are you so good to me? this last book has officially cemented me as a fan.
movie notes: where?!
the lovely bones
get your tissue. i’m glad i’ve finally finished this book. i have to say that it took me a while to get through it. not in a bad way. i was frequently finding myself going back over what i had just read. the way alice sebold writes is so leaden with meaning and just so plain beautiful i wanted to make sure i didn’t miss anything. i’ll admit that at the halfway point, the book’s momentum picked up big time and it turned into an unputdownable page turner. i wasn’t expecting that.
i have never come across a story like susie salmon’s before. written from the perspective of a 14 year old in heaven, she brings innocence to the story and surprisingly tells it without judgement. i mean, the girl is murdered for goodness sakes! don’t worry, this is established on the first page of the book. when susie reviews her murder once in heaven she gives a play by play as she’s lured into her murderer’s trap. susie’s companion in heaven Franny eerily says it was “like taking candy from a baby”. i love that line. it caught me by surprise. it was so frank and it set the no-nonsense tone that they have in heaven. the struggle of susie’s family is heartbreaking. the effect her murder has on her friends and community is unexpected.
there is a heavy layer of forgiveness threaded throughout. the relationship of susie’s parents Jack and Abigail was particularly emotional to me. to think that they went through ALL that and they were able to fall in love again…amazing. and jack understanding that what abigail did was her way of coping and the way he patiently waited for her…amazing. at the end of the story i felt as if i had been completely ripped apart then put back together again. it was the best unhappy happy ending i have ever read.
movie notes: i’m so there. i would just like to say that i’m a huge fan of saoirse ronan (atonement) and she is an amazing pick for susie. peter jackson is directing and i think he pulled it off. december 11th. you wouldn’t want to miss it!
living dead in dallas
well, finally i’m done! i watched the first 2 episodes of true blood on tvshack and it got me all excited about the books again. there’s more murder in this one which forces sookie to join in some erotic escapades later in the story. is it me or does sookie find herself in the most sexually charged environments that have no business being there? practically her whole town participates in sex parties? oh, really? the reason behind the murders in the first book was so much more believable.
luckily, sookie and co. do a stint in dallas when her “gift” is lent out to the head vampire there. this was much more interesting since “the fellowship of the sun” is introduced causing shenanigans in the vampire community. these extremists believe vampires should “meet the dawn” and burn since their very existence is sin. sookie displays her charming train of thought at one point when she asks a fellowship member when their lock-in starts:
“At six-thirty. We want our members to get here before they rise.”
For a second, I envisioned a tray of rolls set in some warm place.
oh, sookie.
anyway, sookie helps rescue a dallas vampire from the hands of the fellowship then returns to bon temps to solve the murder of her friend…blah blah blah. it’s all pretty airy. but sookie does refine her telepathic ability and is able to communicate with other telepaths. sookie and bill break up then get back together something fierce. oh, there is also a nice twist on who bill’s descendants are. i guess i found book 2 interesting enough, but book 1 sat better with me. i hear they get better so i’m sticking to it. anyway, more fellowship of the sun please! thanks.
tv notes: i’m working on it. i’ve watched approximately 2.5 episodes which rejuvenates my interest in the books. so i need a little bit of this to want a little bit of that.
a wrinkle in time
wow, have you read this book? it’s supposed to be a children’s novel but it was written in such an advanced way and contained some very complex elements. if you read it when you were little, i suggest reading it again because you’ll probably get something completely different out of it. first of all, i’d like to bow in appreciation for all the physics this story incorporated. the plot is based on the fact that space-time can be “wrinkled” to travel from one place to another instantaneously. there’s even illustrated diagrams 🙂 stuff like this never ceases to amaze and excite me which is probably why i got my degree in physics and astronomy.
meg and the other characters use this means of transportation (called a tesseract) to try rescuing her missing father. meg’s father has been lost to “the black thing” which the characters must venture into. meg’s reaction to the black thing is chilling:
what could there be about a shadow that was so terrible that she knew that there had never been before or ever would be again, anything that would chill her with a fear that was beyond shuddering, beyond crying or screaming, beyond the possibility of comfort?
“IT” is the being who manipulates minds in order to spread the blackness. there are some very compelling scenes in this story that don’t fall short of ripping your emotions apart. from witnessing meg’s mother’s breaking heart to realizing that wonderful calvin is loved by no one to meg pouring out her love to save her brother. the premise of the story is simple: a misfit realizes she would endure all the pain and misery of the world in order to enjoy all the love and happiness it can bring. but the book is written so expertly that i was happy to go along with it.
this isn’t just an emotional rollercoaster though! when the characters arrive in a world controlled by IT, i found myself on the edge of my seat. the descriptions of all the children bouncing their balls in sync and all events happening at the allotted time made my skin prickle. it’s a small book so read it. you’ll be glad you did.
movie notes: what?! i just went to imdb and saw that there is, in fact, a movie. how did i not know this? i’m going to tvshack.net to see if i can find it. it looks pretty cheesy though.
catching fire–the review
well, i can finally breathe! this book was just everything i expected it to be. i’m still on the high of finally getting my eyeballs in catching fire. this usually means that the plethora of good stuff completely outshone anything that may have been wrong with the story.
book 2
practically every old favorite makes an appearance or gets honorable mention. it’s the inclusion of dead and gone characters and the slight development in the background characters that made me feel really connected to the story. i was so pumped when rue was mentioned a fair amount. the interaction with katniss and district 11 is so heartbreaking and fiercely powerful that i had to take a moment to slap myself together. but it was over for my already fragile tear ducts when katniss has a run-in with a new character and fellow district twelver named darius…you’ll see (and maybe you won’t act like a big baby like me, but every heartless savage is entitled to their own reaction).
the plot twist is pretty sweet and allows the introduction of new characters who i loved right off the bat. the biggest surprise came from johanna who i was initially annoyed with, but she became one of my favorites due to her fabulous way of speaking the truth. suzanne collins did a great job of including the hunger games in this book without rehashing the same storyline that we saw in the first. and the ending? well, it is just the darndest thing of a cliffhanger…practically a climax of the story that is abruptly cut off…until next time.
i really don’t want to give away any spoilers because this series is so full of surprises it would be a shame to even shed light on the storyline. but here’s a morsel from our very own katniss, a girl after my own heart:
For dessert we dip chunks of fruit in a pot of melted chocolate, and Cinna has to order a second pot because i start just eating the stuff with a spoon.
movie notes: eyes peeled!
CATCHING FIRE
in my possession!
ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh!!!! i can hardly contain my excitement! i have just returned from walmart on the off chance that they might have the second installment of the hunger games which was released today AND THEY DID! there it was stacked next to a fresh supply of hardback copies of the hunger games, how appropriate 🙂
finally!!!!!
i will make quick work of this one no doubt–i started reading while i was in line to pay. it’s simply 2 legit 2 quit. happy reading and stay tuned for a review post!
city of ashes
i have the weary lightheadedness that comes from reading nonstop for hours on end, all day. as is my ritual, i spent my saturday at work finishing my book–work shmurk i say. can i get a resounding “hell yeah!” to how entertaining this series is? i am referring to “the mortal instruments” series of which i have finished the second book. there was so much more delicious development of the characters in this one and lots of sticky plot twists.
city of ashes
there was extra stuff on faeries and vampires of which some very interesting plot developments came (i’ll just go ahead a rub simon’s name all in that). and of course there was more exploration of the “flowers in the attic” syndrome affecting jace and clary. and would you believe? their relationship seemed questioned in this book, as if maybe they aren’t related after all!! the seed of doubt is unmistakably planted by the faerie queen, the inquisitor, and a side story about a woman who killed herself when she was 8 months pregnant. not to mention the almost constant declarations that jace and clary have no resemblance to valentine….hhmmmm…it’s a conundrum. i may pop over to walmart to buy the last book tonight.
i thought there was a lot more graphic violence in this one (but hey, the more the merrier) and more outrageously horrific situations that were quite expertly described. it’ll hit you right from the start <<enter the silent brothers>>.
i saw that the badassness of certain characters was cranked up a huge notch. and speaking of badassness, i would like to present this tasty tidbit of my favorite whip-wielding shadowhunter:
not that traditional princess behavior was like isabelle at all. isabelle with her whip and boots and knives would chop anyone who tried to pen her up in a tower to pieces, build a bridge out of the remains, and walk carelessly to freedom, her hair looking fabulous the entire time.
movie notes: pop on over to mindful musings for some sweet news!
the little lady agency
hurrah! i’ve finished the little lady agency and i totally wish i was british (speaking of being british, my dad’s making yorkshire pudding tonight which is so random). i had such a good time with this book. it really reminded me of bridget jones but was original enough to keep my interest. the main character melissa is the “little lady” in question who starts her own “homme improvement” business helping helpless men with their social lives. she struggles to find a career, love, and happiness and does it all with the humor and grace of an upbeat woman stumbling through life. there was nothing super exceptional about the story, nothing magnificently awesome (like, say, an episode of LOST is from beginning to end) but it was gratifying to root for melissa’s success and see her end up with something good. the story includes a few juicy twists for good measure.
the little lady agency
i have to say that when melissa mentioned topshop i beamed since that is simply my favorite shop at the moment! and when she said she drives a subaru forrester i got so excited i told my husband who, incidentally, could care less (i am a subie owner by the way). i have the next two books at my disposal which i will get around to eventually but we all should know that fantasy/sci fi takes precedence in my life.
movie notes: non-existent
dead until dark
finished the first book in the popular sookie stackhouse series which we all probably know is the basis for the show “true blood”. my first impression is that it was entertaining. this take on vampires was very adult, so that was a nice change from previous books i’ve read. i also liked the bits of southern charm peppered throughout (story takes place in Louisiana). reading this book actually made me feel like i was indulging in a guilty pleasure because it only appealed to my superficial senses. i mean, how many times did sookie and bill need to bed each other?? (aaawwww, sookie sookie!)
book 1
i was sucked into the story only after the murders started happening. the descriptions of sookie and bill at the beginning just weren’t enough to fully capture my interest. but as my friend mendie agrees, i always appreciate a story that surprises me, and the resolution at the end of the whodunnit murder spree was an eye-popper. i’m looking forward to development of the main characters in the rest of the books ’cause right now, bill and sookie seem kind of shallow. although i will say that i love sam and hope to see a lot more of him (in whatever form). and why does sookie get the dickens beat out of her all the time and not seem that upset? and why does she act all scared just running from house to car (and vice-versa) yet when the murderer is in the dark woods around her house she decides her best bet is to run throughout the woods? enough questions. i did like how she got all katniss everdeen in those woods though (the hunger games, people!). anyway…
i will read the rest of the series as soon as i can get my greedy hands on them. does anyone know if the series is complete? (leave comments guys!!!) i’m into buying completed boxed sets these days. i would recommend these books to everyone of course because they’re so easy to read. and sometimes its nice to have a brainless, carnal read.
tv notes: i don’t have hbo. boo!!! as usual, i’m going to have to buy this series because all i do is read about how awesomely awesome it is. as if i have enough money to fund all of my diversions.
city of bones
a goody
looky looky, sarah found a gem! finally, a book that i really truly enjoyed. AWESOME AWESOME fantasy! it’s truly amazing to me when authors take a fresh perspective on the same mythological characters known to everyone. this is the first book in the series “the mortal instruments”. the author cassandra clare introduces her own fantasy concoction of “shadowhunters” with their badass rune markings who are the coolest things since sliced bread. i thought the plot was pretty unpredictable, although not as expertly done as j.k. rowling. clare might have foreshadowed a tad too much since i was able to guess a few events right before they happened. the continuity of the story flowed pretty flawlessly which lent for smooth reading.
city of bones
one of the things that i really appreciated was the main male character, jace. finally!!! we no longer have a gorgeous-beyond-belief, smooth-talking, great-at-everything guy who steals our heroine’s heart. jace is cool, arrogant, proud, and brutally honest–and these are the characteristics that are surprisingly attractive! he doesn’t feel the need to coddle the girl that he’s attracted to like she’s a delicate flower…probably because the girls in this book are blade-wielding, rune-wearing, ass-kicking demon slayers! and don’t worry, it’s not cheesy, more mystical and magical than anything.
obviously, i would recommend this book to everyone, especially if fantasy is your thing. this one is well done. i cannot wait to get my hands on the next 2. oh, and stephenie meyer gave her stamp of approval if you care about that–it’s right smack in the middle of the dang cover.
movie notes: ……..
his dark materials
you might recognize the first book in this trilogy called “the golden compass”. if you don’t mind outright atheism, then this is a lovely selection. the atheism doesn’t get really gory until the last book. i couldn’t put this series down if not for the sheer fact of wanting to see how the heck it ends–the story steps all over hallowed ground so you may find yourself holding your breath and trying to look away.
his dark materials
fantasy aspect gets an A++. there’s also a lot of physics stuff in there that gave the geek in me some heart palpitations. ahem, just be opened minded when it comes to the religious stuff (don’t worry, it’s not preachy–things just sort of are the way they are). it’s a really great adventure but i thought it ended on a very sad and lonely note. and i don’t think i would have felt so lonely if there had been a stronger, more just perception of God or religion–and i’m not even a really religious person.
movie notes: it’s such as shame that they’re not going to make the last two. i read somewhere that the church had so many people boycott the golden compass which caused it to tank at the box office which led to the last two movies not being made, boooooooo! i don’t know how much truth there is in that, but it sure would have been super to at least see the other two. humph!
blue moon
why do i bother? …because i love reading, that’s why! so i guess it’s been only a day and i’m done with the second installment of “the immortals” series. i knew all my wishing for originality was in vain BUT it was, in fact, more original that the first book “evermore” (see previous post). i got to learn more about immortals which i had hoped for and the ending leaves a huge setup for an even more original third book (out feb 2010)…we shall see.
blue moon
there was, without a doubt, ATROCIOUS copying of the twilight series. please judge the following: a new male character is introduced who is trying to steal affection from our female character “ever” (her name is ever, remember?) while our male hero damen slips into the background, and there’s mention (in the first book, too) of how fast damen drives because he has a built-in police detector as part of his psychic abilities. and this takes the cake: there is a line in this book that says, and i quote, “the lions are now lunching with lambs”. at this point i took a great pause and thought “if alyson keeps doing this, i’m going to have to send her a nasty email”. but the moment passed and i continued reading.
alyson really is a good writer, which is why i can stand to read this series. and there’s still enough intrigue and suspense that i will still label this series as readable and enjoyable although still u.n.o.r.i.g.i.n.a.l.
movie notes: nada
evermore
well i’m back with a post after a long hiatus. after posting right when i was through with “running with scissors”, i decided it is much more fun to post right when i finish a book. but i had no new material…until i went to sam’s club 2 days ago and BEHOLD, i have 5 new books. i completed the first today which is “evermore” by alyson noel.
evermore
i have seen this book at walmart and was put off by its suspiciously “twilight”-looking cover and i finally caved when i saw it at sam’s. ugh, the cover is not the only twilightish thing about this book. like, EVERYTHING is. there’s the copious mentions of “wuthering heights”, the extraordinarily handsome and wealthy boytoy who is immortal and suave, the girl who is an attractive out-of-place misfit who tries to guess what he is (and mentions vampire)…the list goes on. even the sequel is called “blue moon”! the aggravating thing is that alyson is a good writer! much better than stephenie. alyson’s story just lacked originality. i found myself really interested whenever she deviated from the twilight formula but really annoyed when she so obviously abused it. i even got to a point (when damen, the boytoy, specifically says he’s not good at baseball when asked if there’s anything he’s not good at) where i actually paused and thought about not finishing the book. but it was an easy enough and suspenseful enough read that i persevered.
the mythology surrounding immortals was really interesting and i felt that alyson should have concentrated on that more. it’s almost as if she was purposefully holding her story back so she could fit it into the twilight mold. she should have taken “the hunger games” road and developed a story just as good without practically plagiarizing. i mean, there wasn’t even a need for the characters to be in high school. it actually would have been more dynamic having the characters be twentysomethings instead…but there you go. and i will say this: if i hadn’t read twilight, i would think that this story rocked.
i have the sequel “blue moon” and the only hope i have is that the similarities will end here. the girl (whose name is ever) is already an immortal by the end of the first book, so i hope this is where we get to dive in to the whole immortal mythology and veer off the twilight path. and another odd thing is at the end of “evermore”, there’s an advertisement for the release of “blue moon” in August 2009…ummmmm…but there it was on display at sam’s and here it is in my possession. did sam’s just accidentally release it early? it’s like no one is taking these books seriously–and rightly so, i’d have to say.
i could see someone who adores twilight having no problems with this book. or even someone who loves that exact type of story and doesn’t read much of anything else…but see for yourself.
movie notes: God, no.
the bookend. 