So Many Books, So Little Time: A Lifetime Spent Reading

Committees

2012-02-05T18:22:00.000-06:00

I have officially accepted my appointment for the ALA RUSA Reading List book award committee and will be heading into year seven of continuous reading award committees. My understanding is that this indicates I may indeed have a book award addiction. People think I am addicted to getting books from the publisher but that isn't it. In fact, I love it when I can get ebook versions instead. What I am addicted to is the challenge of reading hundreds and hundreds of books every year and being force to expand my reading of new authors and types of books.

A friend pointed out I had not yet posted this years winners anywhere except Twitter so here they are. The 2011 Best Genre fiction of the year.

Established in 2007 by the CODES section of RUSA, The Reading List seeks to highlight outstanding genre fiction that merit special attention by general adult readers and the librarians who work with them.

The 2012 List

Adrenaline

*Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson, Harper Collins, (9780062060556)
Each morning, Christine wakes with no memory. From the clues she left herself, she tries to piece together her identity and sort lies from the truth. The unrelenting pace thrusts the reader into the
confusion of a waking nightmare in which revelations of her past lead to a frantic crescendo.

Read-Alikes

The Likeness by Tana French
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Memento (Summit Entertainment, 2000)

Short List

Now You See Me by S. J. Bolton, St. Martin’s (9780312600525)
Spiral by Paul McEuen, Dial Press, (9780385342117)
The Woodcutter by Reginald Hill, Harper Collins, (9780062060747)
*You’re Next by Gregg Hurwitz, St. Martin’s, (9780312534912)

Fantasy

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Doubleday, (9780385534635)
Le Cirque des Rêves is utterly unique, disappearing at dawn in one town only to mysteriously reappear in another. At the heart of the circus are two young magicians, involved in a competition neither completely understands. The dreamlike atmosphere and vivid imagery make this fantasy unforgettable.

Read-Alikes

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Prestige (Touchstone Pictures, 2006)

Short List

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, Little, Brown, (9780316134026)
The Magician King by Lev Grossman, Viking, (9780670022311)
*The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss, DAW, (9780756404734)
*Zoo City by Lauren Beukes, Angry Robot, (9780857660558)

Historical Fiction

*Doc: A Novel by Mary Doria Russell, Random House, (9781400068043)
In the early days of Dodge City, a genteel, tubercular Southern dentist forges a friendship with the infamous Earp brothers. Combining historical details and lyrical language, this gritty psychological portrait of gunslinger Doc Holliday reveals how the man became the legend.

Read-Alikes

Deadwood by Pete Dexter
Etta by Gerald Kolpan
Gunman’s Rhapsody by Robert B. Parker

Short List

Bright and Distant Shores by Dominic Smith, Pocket Books, (9781439198865)
*Lionheart by Sharon Kay Penman, Putnam, (9780399157851)
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, Viking, (9780670022694)
*The Sea Captain’s Wife by Beth Powning, Penguin, (9780452296954)

Horror

*The Ridge by Michael Koryta, Little, Brown, (9780316053662)
The unexplained death of an eccentric lighthouse keeper in the isolated Kentucky woods, followed by a mysterious threat to a nearby large cat sanctuary prompt an investigation by a journalist and the local sheriff. Palpable evil and a sense of dread drive this chilling tale.

Read-Alikes

The Dead Path by Stephen Irwin
Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman
Harbor by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Short List

The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan, Knopf, (9780307595089)
The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian, Crown, (9780307394996)
*Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory, Del Rey, (9780345522375)
The White Devil by Justin Evans, Harper Collins, (9780061728273)

Mystery

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino, Minotaur, (9780312375065)
An introverted mathematician matches wits with a brilliant former colleague to protect the neighbor he secretly adores from a murder charge. Although the reader knows the murderer’s identity from the beginning, this unconventional Japanese mystery remains a taut psychological puzzle.

Read-Alikes

Out by Natsuo Kirino
Think of a Number by John Verdon
Sherlock (BBC, 2010-2012)

Short List

Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran, Houghton, Mifflin, (9780547428499)
*Killed at the Whim of a Hat by Colin Cotterill, Minotaur, (9780312564537)
*The Snowman by Jo Nesbo, Knopf, (9780307595867)
A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny, Minotaur, (9780312655457)

Romance

Silk is for Seduction by Loretta Chase, Avon, (9780061632686)
Ambitious dressmaker Marcelline Noirot will do almost anything to secure the patronage of the Duke of Clevendon’s intended bride. Neither her calculated business plan nor his campaign of seduction can withstand the force of their mutual attraction. Witty banter and strong-willed characters make this a memorable tale.

Read-Alikes

Dangerous in Diamonds by Madeline Hunter
The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
Untie My Heart by Judith Ivory

Short List

*Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison, Berkley, (9780425241509)
A Lady’s Lesson in Scandal by Meredith Duran, Pocket, (9781451606935)
My One And Only by Kristin Higgins, Harlequin, (9780373775576)
*When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James, Avon, (9780062021274)

Science Fiction

*Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey, Orbit, (9780316129084)
The missions of a jaded cop and a dedicated ice hauler officer collide as the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. A mystery adds a noir touch to this space opera featuring deeply flawed yet heroic characters, non-stop action, and Earth versus Mars politics.

Read-Alikes

Up Against It by M. J. Locke
Pandora’s Star by Peter Hamilton
The Quiet War by Paul J. McAuley

Short List

Embassytown by China Miéville, Del Rey, (9780345524492)
The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi, Tor, (9780765329493)
*Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, Crown, (9780307887436)
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan, Algonquin, (9781565126299)

Women’s Fiction

*The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh Ballantine, (9780345525543)
A former foster child struggles to overcome a past filled with abuse, neglect and anger. Communicating through the Victorian language of flowers allows her to discover hope, redemption and a capacity for love. Damaged, authentic characters create an emotional tension in this profoundly moving story.

Read-Alikes

Like Family by Paula McLain (NF)
The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys
White Oleander by Janet Fitch

Short List

*Deep Down True by Juliette Fay, Penguin, (9780143118510)
Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister, Putnam, (9780399157127)
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown, Putnam, (9780399157226)
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty, Penguin, (9780141043760)

* My personal favorites from the list.

Blogging

2012-01-10T13:43:00.000-06:00

As you may have noticed, it has been a while since I have posted. Let's find out what I have been up to during the past few months....

New Foster Kittens: Fred and George Weasley

And George even has superpowers!

Christmas in Colorado

Birthday Month Karaoke

Birthday Month Cake

Books!

And of course, READING until 2 or later every night to be ready for the American Library Association Reading List committee meeting. Ten more days until the big meeting when we decide the best books of the year.

A Year of Skippyjon Jones

2011-10-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

When I picked Skippyjon Jones up last year at 8 weeks old I should have known I was doomed. Apart from the extreme cuteness factor, he immediately imprinted on me and wouldn't even go back to say goodbye to the lovely gentleman who bottle fed his litter until they were ready to be weaned. The rescue organization is guessing his birthday was October 18th so I thought I would do a year of Skippyjon Jones montage.

Although he is now almost full grown at twelve pounds, he is still crazy cute and probably the most personable cat I have ever owned. While he likes the big cats, he loves people and follows us around chatting all the time, begging us to play fetch or looking out the window guarding us from invaders.

Help with Horror!

2011-10-05T16:59:00.001-05:00

I am trying to pull together a list of good examples of novels for all of the horror sub-genres. Below is the list of sub-genres I have pulled from different websites. Anyone have suggestions for additional sub-genres or for the "perfect" novel for one or more of the categories?

Adrenaline John Saul
Adventure Blood Oath Christopher Farnsworth
African-American Minion L.A. Banks
Alternate History World War Z Max Brooks
American Gothic/Surreal Horror
Apocalyptic The Passage Justin Cronin
Biography/Memoir The Lighthouse at the End of the World -Stephen Marlowe
Chick-lit
Christian/Inspirational
Classic The Tell-Tale Heart Edgar Allan Poe
Contemporary
Creepy Kids Something Wicked This Way Comes - Bradbury
Crime
Cross/Multi-Genre
Cutting Edge Purity Dougless Clegg
English Gothic/Haunted Houses The Haunting of Hill House Shirley Jackson
Erotic Dark Seductions Alfonsi and Scognamiglio
Dark Fantasy
Dark Fiction
Fabulist Islands Sara Stamey
Ghost Stories Ghost Story Peter Straub
Graphic Start with the Feast Graham Masterson
Historical Those Who Hunt the Night Barbara Hambly
History
Humor Suck Christopher Moore
Hauntings The Amityville Horror Jay Anson
Inspirational Monster Frank Peretti
Literary House of Leaves Mark Z Danielewski
LGBT Lost Souls Poppy Z. Brite
Lovecraftian The Call of Cthulhu H.P. Lovecraft
Medical Coma Robin Cook
Mind Control Donovan’s Brain Curt Siodmak
Monsters Frankenstein Mary Shelley
Multicultural The Ring Koji Suzuki
Mystery F. Paul Wilson
Natural History The Fog James Herbert
Noir The Midnight Road Tom Piccirilli
Nonfiction
Paranormal
Plays
Poetry Sharp Teeth Toby Barlow
Psychological Heart-Shaped Box Joe Hill
Quirky
Rampant Animals Cujo Stephen King
Rampant Technology Dead Lines Greg Bear
Romance Prince of Wolves Susan Krinard
Saga Interview with a Vampire Anne Rice
Satanic Bargins The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde
Science Fiction Infected Scott Sigler
Soft/Quiet Charles L Grant
Splatterpunk/Extreme The Drive-In Joe Lansdale
Steampunk
Supernatural I Am Legend Richard Matheson
Time Travel
True Crime John Farris
Urban Fantasy Storm Front Jim Butcher
Werewolf St Peter’s Wolf Michael Cadnum
Western
Women’s Lives Bitten Kelley Armstrong
Young Adult Monstrumologist Richard Yancy

Blowback: The Fifth of the Enzo Files by Peter May

2011-10-05T10:36:00.001-05:00

Scottish forensic biologist, Enzo Macleod, has bet he can do what no one else has been able to do and solve seven famous unsolved cold cases from Roger Raffin’s celebrated book. Enzo has now solved four of the seven murders and is now investigating murder number five, the murder of France’s top chef, Marc Fraysse. Brutally murdered on the eve of an important announcement amid rumors that he was about to lose his coveted four star Michelin rating leads to discoveries of everything from professional jealousy to adultery as a motive for murder and also opens old wounds from Enzo’s own past.

This is a mystery for Iron Chef crowd and the mystery puzzle enthusiasts alike. Solid mystery elements and a complicated puzzle make this book a winner.

Midnight Movie by Tobe Hooper and Alan Goldsher

2011-09-01T15:34:00.000-05:00

Tobe Hooper has been invited to speak at the opening for a movie he made as a teenager. The problem, he doesn’t remember anything about the movie. After a small group of fans watch the movie at South by Southwest they start to become...strange. Soon the entire country is being affected by this strange epidemic manifesting is sexual obsession, violence, madness and yes, there are even zombies. When Tobe becomes aware that this began after watching his movie, he races to find the answers and save civilization.

Blog posts, twitter updates and email give this splatterpunk grindhouse style novel a fresh modern spin.

You Are Too Old to Wear That!

2011-08-18T20:46:00.014-05:00

Last week I was told I was too old to wear t-shirts with anything printed on them. Plain tee's are all that are left for me. When I questioned the rule, I was told because I didn't immediately tell them to mind their own business I didn't "own my choices" and that proved I shouldn't be wearing them. Until that moment in time it had never occurred to me that people might think I was trying too hard to look young by wearing a t-shirt with a SF saying on it or a wine comment. They just made me laugh and I just thought my other SF friends would get a kick out of it. Will I wear the T-Shirts again? Yes. Will I ever feel as happy wearing them as I did before? No. No matter how much I say other people's opinions don't matter, there will always be a small part of me that wonders who is judging my outfit and deciding I don't measure up.

The problem with rules like this is they seemed designed to punish people who don't do it right. I want my clothing choices and fashion moments to reflect my personality in a unique way, not make me more grown-up, dignified, fashionable or appropriate. I want to be able to be silly and quirky and fun, especially during my non-work hours and I truly don't understand how that can be defined by age. Although I do enjoy reading the fashion magazines I am tired of rules made up by some mythical fashion police. I am tired of conversations designed to judge clothing errors instead of complimenting what someone is doing right. I don't want to be one of those women who drags other women down instead of supports and encourages them. Women have it hard enough without having to worry about unwritten arbitrary rules for how they dress. This is why I will never find the People of Walmart blog funny but instead will always wonder how the person profiled feels when they find they have been highlighted there and wish I could give them a hug. I am done participating in conversations that make fun of strangers clothing and I am done tearing other people down so I can feel better about my questionable clothing choices.

Exclusively Yours

2011-07-23T13:25:00.000-05:00

Exclusively Yours - I have been having really good luck with new authors and e-books lately. When Keri Daniels boss finds out that reclusive author, Joe Kowalski, was a high school boyfriend, she demands that Keri get an exclusive interview... or lose her job. Of course, nothing is that easy. Joe and his entire family still hold a grudge because Keri chose a career after high school instead of marrying Joe and living happily ever after.

What I liked about this novel was how well adjusted and happy Joe's family was. He has great parents, siblings he loves and although there are problems, they talk them out and basically act like nice people who love each other. It was also nice to see girls enjoying "boy activities" like camping and four-wheeling. I do love my shoe shopping but it is nice to see some diversity in the kinds of activities women can and do enjoy.

My one quibble with this book is why Keri was so attached to such a crappy job with a crappy boss. I would have immediately started sending out resumes when it became clear the interview would cost a happy ending. It isn't like she was in a profession that wouldn't allow telecommuting after all.

My latest E-Read Reviews

2011-07-22T11:23:00.001-05:00

Sweet as Sin - This morning on Twitter I was discussing this novel with a fellow romance reader. I enjoyed this tremendously because I thought Inez did a good job at creating a truly tortured hero. (Please note, I enjoy tortured heroes in literature. In real life they are not so much fun to date.) My fellow reader thought there were too many plot lines that distracted from the romance. While I do agree with my fellow reader, I do think this author does a good job at creating characters I care about.

John Murphy is a children's book author who uses his writing to manage the nightmares that still haunt him. His past has truly damaged his ability to trust and, if it weren't for his sister, he might have not learned to love at all. The heroine must get past some really unacceptable boyfriend behavior and learn to accept the less than perfect parts of this hero. Please note that he is in no way abusive in this book but instead uses emotional distance to protect himself. Abusive behavior is not something I want to read in my romance novels.

My final recommendation is to pick up this author if you enjoy fresh new voices who create compelling characters. If you read for plot, you may want to pass on this offering and try her again later when she has fine tuned her voice.

Phoenix Rising - I do love a good steam punk novel and this was a fun addition to my library. Once again, what I loved most about this novel was the hero. From the product description "Evil is most assuredly afoot—and Britain’s fate rests in the hands of an alluring renegade . . . and a librarian." Now how could I not pick this one up! Wellington Books is happy with his job as an archivist for the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences until agent Eliza D. Braun drags him kicking and screaming into mystery and mayhem. Wellington was a joy to read about because he was deceptively mild mannered and ineffectual and his skills and talents are constantly being overlooked by his coworkers. As the book progresses however, the reader becomes more and more aware of how special he is. I found him a great hero that I wanted to get to know more about.

Eliza was a bit more problematic for me. I found her character a bit flat and would have liked to see more development of her less obvious flamboyant traits. Hopefully future novels will more fully develop her character. All-in-all, if you like steam punk I would recommend picking up a copy of this new series.

Beetlejuice

2011-07-17T16:55:00.000-05:00

I have a new foster kitten that has been staying with me but will be off to the adoption store soon, much to the dismay of SkippyJon Jones. He is lobbying quite hard for us to keep him. I have explained over and over about the reputation I am getting as a crazy cat lady but he seems blithely unconcerned about my my future dating prospects.

Meanwhile, Beetlejuice is settling in nicely and doesn't seem inclined to leave home either. He spends his days following SJJ around doing everything he does. To adopt this little guy fill out an application on this page. http://www.tarasdream.org/animals/detail?AnimalID=3493961

Life Changes....Damn It!

2011-07-16T15:47:00.001-05:00

I always hate it when bloggers post to say how very busy they have been but they promise to blog more in the future....so I won't say that. However, it is true to say that I have been quite busy lately. This is because of visits to family, library conferences in New Orleans and because my friends have not learned to schedule their major life changes in a way that is more convenient for me.

I have three friends moving this month. My best friend has already moved to California and his wife is moving there at the end of this month. It was kind of a two for one deal and I must say, losing two friends at once makes me very unhappy. Truly I am so happy Keith and Janet are pursuing their dream and I know they will love it but, but... what about me? Consequently, I am now in the market for new best friends and also, someone who will come get me if I break down on the side of the road at 2 am, who will come over and rake my leaves in the fall, who will remind me I need haircuts and then actually do it for me and who will indulge my passion for geeky board games. These roles may, or may not, be filled by the same applicant. Pay will be in books, lots and lots of books.

About three weeks later my friend Erin announced she is moving to Chicago. Once again, it is a fabulous job opportunity and it will be so much fun for her but I will miss her as well. The successful applicant for her position will go shopping with me, listen to my dating angst, oooh and awww over new kittens and help me brainstorm about work. Ideally this applicant should have an MLS or, at the very least, work in a library setting. She must also have impeccable taste in clothing and accessories.

Between Janet freaking out about packing and Erin freaking out about packing and me freaking out about them packing I am finding it difficult to find time for the little things. For example, another friend had her baby this week and I am still struggling to find a time to head over to her place to visit the baby and take tiny books to start her off right.

I am however booked to go to a house warming party for Brent, who has just purchased his first home, despite all my warnings.

Animal Rescue Alliance

2011-07-09T13:43:00.000-05:00

Recently T.A.R.A., the animal rescue group I volunteer with, has suffered a setback and needs money quite badly to continue functioning. Below is their description of what has happened. I have gone ahead and installed a donation widget over to the right so that you can give a little help if you are so inclined.

Tara's Dream

$75 JULY SPECIAL!
Reduced adoption fees on all of our dogs in boarding.
Regular adoption fee is $150.
See Available Dogs

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we were set to lose our boarding facility on June 23; however, we have been given a small extension. There are 10 dogs left at our current location who need to be placed in temporary foster care or adopted into a new home as soon as possible.

We had found a new building to relocate our office and boarding facility, but it has fallen through. We are desperate for a new location! We need to continue to raise money to fund the relocation, construction, and purchase of supplies (including kennels, fencing, etc.) so we can get back to our mission of saving the homeless animals of Kansas City.

If you can help by fostering, donating your time or supplies, please contact us at email@tarasdream.org. If you can help with a monetary donation, please contribute to our Save TARA fund.

Thank you for your continued support!

Romance Genre Study

2011-06-19T18:02:00.001-05:00

Right now I am working on finding books within the Romance genre for a genre studies class and am needing some feedback from the Romance readers in the crowd. I am trying to find one book that does a good job of illustrating a subgenre AND will appeal to non-romance readers. I also want a combination of old and new titles.

Here is what I have right now. Please make comments if you think of additional categories, different books, better books or even just your personal favorite books. There are a few books I have used in other genre studies handouts so I am leaving some obvious choices (J.D. Robb) off the list.

Adventure Romance
African-American - Heart’s Secret by Adrianne Byrd
Category (Series) - Stranded with her Ex by Jill Sorenson
Chick-lit -Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married by Marian Keyes
Christian/Inspirational - Sons of Thunder by Susan May Warren
Classic - Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer
Comedy - The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
Contemporary - Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Fantasy - Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughn
Futuristic - Driven by Eve Kenin
Gothic - Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart
Historical - Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale
Interracial Romance - The Color of Love by Sandra Kitt
LGBT - Shining in the Sun by Alex Beecroft
Mainstream - Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
Medical
Menage a trois - Menage by Emma Holly
Military - Over the Edge by Suzanne Brockmann
Multi-Cultural
Novel With Strong Romantic Elements
Paranormal - Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
Regency (Historical) - Marrying the Royal Marine by Carla Kelly
Romantic Suspense - Mr Perfect by Linda Howard
Romantica (Erotica Romance) - Coming Undone by Lauren Dane
Science Fiction - Finders Keepers by Linnea Sinclair
Steampunk - Iron Duke by Meljean Brook
Sweet - Mrs Mike by Benedict Freedman & Nancy Freedman
Time Travel - Outlander by Diana Galadon
Traditional
Urban Fantasy - Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward
Western (Historical) - Always to Remember by Lorriane Heath
Yaoi (highly romanticized gay romance)
Young Adult

Spring Cleaning

2011-04-30T06:25:00.001-05:00

I am getting a roommate. After a couple of years with no raise at either job, rising costs of, well, everything and a deep desire to stop working the second job at some point in my future is making me get more serious about financial planning. So I have been on a mad cleaning spree to get the house ready for her arrival and a few things have become apparent.

1. I have a very small wardrobe of clothes that are in good repair, fit right and are not dull as dishwater. My favorite person to swap clothes with could not attend my latest clothing/stuff (some silly excuse about now living in Iowa) and so I didn't net much in the way of goodies this time around. My apathy about shopping, my lack of non-work free time, my lack of enthusiasm for current clothing trends (really, who looks good in a blouse shaped like a bubble?) and my small budget have contributed to this sorry state.

2. I do not have one working flashlight in this house. This seems odd to me given my father and sister's obsession with buying family members flashlights. Does this mean they don't love me as much as they do each other? I mean I know Grandma and my nephew outrank me in the lifeboat but really, I am beginning to think I will be the first to get tossed if the boat starts to sink.

3. On the other hand, I have not been able to match the number of books going out of this house with the number of books coming in. This is a cardinal rule in the library business. Buy a new book, something has to go. I have not been a good steward of my bookshelf resources so I have boxed up a bunch and off they will go to the library booksale, the Half Price store or a womens shelter somewhere nearby.

4. I also seem to have a large number of large stockpots (just in case). If they weren't such good quality I would definitely donate them but I am waffling. Waffling when weeding is very unlike me so I am assuming I have developed an unhealthy attachment to stockpots. I may be seeking mental health help soon.

5. Three is a lot of cats. When the roommate comes there will be four. The good news is this means that I will no longer be the crazy cat lady because, while I have doubled the number of people, I have not doubled the number of cats. Now there are only two cats per person in my household. (Fosters don't count since they are only visiting.) Another sign I am not a crazy cat lady yet...I have also not resorted to creating cat hair sculpture in an effort to get a new Furminator like some people I know cough...Average Jane. Not that I wouldn't consider it. Those things are awesome but not exactly on my new finance conscious budget.

6. I found two rings I loved hidden in a kitchen cabinet. I remember taking them off before I went to Honduras four years ago and hiding them "somewhere a robber wouldn't look for them" if I was burgled while I was gone. Apparently I picked a good place because I certainly couldn't find them. On the other hand, if burglers wanted my 10 year old TV bad enough to drag it out of the house without my 90 year old neighbor noticing they were welcome to it.

7. I am going back to a world with cable in it, assuming the engineers cam find my house since I do not exist in the UVerse world. The new roommate seems to care about cable so in it goes. I am not that excited about it creeping back into my world but I am excited about wifi'ing up the house and having access to the Intertubez again.

That is it for now. Anyone else spring cleaning and if so, can I come shop at your house?

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Kitten playing fetch

2011-03-19T20:44:00.001-05:00

Just another chance to show how much cuter my kitten is than everyone elses.

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New Foster Kittens

2011-03-17T19:55:00.000-05:00

It looks like I will be getting a litter of three new foster kittens and possibly one extra. It will be interesting to see how Skippyjon Jones reacts to having a bit of competition for my time and attention.

On a positive note, Spike is finally starting to relax around Skippyjon Jones (and yes, I must write out his entire name or it isn't as funny.)

Unveiled by Courtney Milan

2011-03-15T18:00:00.001-05:00

Margaret Dalrymple has had everything taken from her by Ash Turner including her home, her family and her good name. Unaware of her identity, Ash moves into her family home and mistakes Margaret for her father’s nurse. She is bound and determined to seek revenge but as she gets to know Ash and his family, she starts to care for them and has to make a choice, revenge or a chance at love.

This book has one of my least favorite plots, the "destroy the family of the one who did me/mine wrong". But in this case, the author makes it work. She provides a nice twist by having a caretaker type hero be the one seeking revenge. Instead of coming across as dark and brooding he comes across as caring, kind and, with his own secret to make him venerable. His absolute faith in the heroine is touching and somehow believable.

Another "Best of" list I did for work

2011-01-30T14:54:00.001-06:00

If you read romance, you might find a book on this list you will enjoy.... http://www.kclibrary.org/blog/kc-unbound/thirteen-best-romance-novels-2010

Foster Kitten News

2011-01-29T09:55:00.001-06:00

It is entirely possible one of my current foster kittens might become a permanent member of my household. I am currently calling him SkippyJonJones after a children's book character. Tell me, could you resist this face?

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The Reading List Press Release

2011-01-27T15:41:00.000-06:00

* My personal favorites

The Reading List

Established in 2007 by the CODES section of RUSA, The Reading List seeks to highlight outstanding genre fiction that merit special attention by general adult readers and the librarians who work with them.
The Council, which consists of twelve librarians who are experts in readers’ advisory and collection development, selects one book from each of eight different categories. The eight genres currently included in the council’s considerations are adrenaline titles (suspense, thrillers, and action adventure), fantasy, historical fiction, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction, and women’s fiction. However, the Council is constructed in such a way to be adaptable to new genres and changes in contemporary reading interest.
The Council announces the eight winning titles at the CODES Awards Reception. A short list of honor titles (up to four per genre) is also announced. All selected titles are published on the RUSA Web site following the event.
Members interested in serving on The Reading List Council should read about serving on the Council.
Authors or publishers interested in having their book considered for The Reading List should review the selection criteria and the submission guidelines.

The 2011 List

Adrenaline

*The Nearest Exit by Olen Steinhauer, Minotaur Books (9780312622879)
Burned-out spy Milo Weaver confronts layers of deceit as his career collides with his desire to reclaim his family and his humanity. The labyrinthine intrigues enhance a building atmosphere of paranoia in this dark and emotionally-charged classic espionage thriller.

Read-Alikes

The Quiet American by Graham Greene
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carré
Night Soldiers by Alan Furst

Short List

*Caught by Harlan Coben, E. P. Dutton (9780525951582)
*Crashers by Dana Haynes, Minotaur (9780312599881)
*Deep Shadow by Randy Wayne White, Putnam Pub. Group (9780399156267)
They’re Watching by Gregg Hurwitz, St. Martin’s (9780312534905)

Fantasy

*Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay, Roc (9780451463302)
Haunted by the ghosts of fallen warriors, Shen Tai is forced into the political machinations of the Emperor’s court when he receives a rare and valuable gift. Lyrical language and complex characterization draw readers into this elaborately unfolding epic set in a fantasy world that richly re-imagines 8th century Tang Dynasty China.

Read-Alikes

Black Ships by Jo Graham
Genghis: Birth of an Empire by Conn Iggulden
The Moon and the Sun by Vonda N. McIntyre

Short List

Finch by Jeff VanderMeer, Underland Press (9780980226010)
The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman, Tor Books (9780765325525)
*The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin, Orbit (9780316043915)
*Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton, Spectra (9780345520845)

Historical Fiction

*The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer, Alfred A. Knopf (9781400041169)
In this sweeping yet intimate portrait of a Hungarian Jewish family in Europe, two lovers become enmeshed in the turmoil of the Holocaust. With gorgeous prose and an exquisite evocation of Paris and Budapest, Orringer writes movingly of their strength and the bittersweet power of hope and love.

Read-Alikes

Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres
The Piano Teacher by Janice Y. K. Lee
A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell

Short List

A Battle Won by S. Thomas Russell, Putnam (9780399156892)
*A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer, HarperCollins (9780061252518)
*The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon, Alfred A. Knopf (9780307593993)
The Rebellion of Jane Clarke by Sally Gunning, Morrow (9780061782145)

Horror

*The Dead Path by Stephen M. Irwin, Doubleday (9780385533430)
Guilt ridden Nicholas Close retreats to his family home in Australia after the tragic death of his wife, only to encounter an ancient malevolence lurking in the nearby woods. Childhood nightmares and fairytale motifs combine in this emotionally powerful tale of implacable evil. Arachnophobes beware!

Read-Alikes

It by Stephen King
Faerie Tale: A Novel of Terror and Fantasy by Raymond Feist
Dark Hollow by Brian Keene

Short List

The Caretaker of Lorne Field by David Zeltserman, Overlook (9781590203033)
*The Frenzy Way by Gregory Lamberson, Medallion Press (9781605421070)
*Horns by Joe Hill, William Morrow (9780061147951)
So Cold the River by Michael Koryta, Little Brown (9780316053648)

Mystery

*Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny, Minotaur (9780312377045)
Troubled by past mistakes, Chief Inspector Gamache, in his sixth outing, retreats to snowy and insular Quebec City where he becomes embroiled in intertwining investigations both old and new. Penny expertly delivers a layered story that is haunting, moody, and exquisitely drawn.

Read-Alikes

A Test of Wills by Charles Todd
Haunted Ground by Erin Hart
In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming

Short List

Faithful Place by Tana French, Viking (9780670021871)
The Taken by Inger Ash Wolfe, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (9780151013531)
*Think of a Number by John Verdon, Crown (9780307588920)
*Vermilion Drift by William Kent Krueger, Simon & Schuster (9781439153840)

Romance

*A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh, Vanguard Press (9781593155544)
A lady is ruined. A merchant’s son is trapped. Class differences loom large in this charming and playful take on the arranged marriage. Balogh’s Regency gem, where nothing is quite as it seems, is filled with affection and wit.

Read-Alikes

Faro’s Daughter by Georgette Heyer
In for a Penny by Rose Lerner
The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

Short List

Barely a Lady by Eileen Dreyer, Hachette (Forever) (9780446542081)
The Forbidden Rose by Joanna Bourne, Berkley (9780425235614)
*The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook, Berkley (9780425236673)
*Something About You by Julie James, Berkley Sensation (9780425233382)

Science Fiction

The Dervish House by Ian McDonald, Pyr (9781616142049)
A terrorist bomb sets off a chain of events that, over the next five days, entangles the lives of six characters. McDonald brilliantly imagines a world in which the ultramodern exists side-by-side with the ancient, and he blends science and mysticism to embody the contradiction that is Istanbul in 2027.

Read-Alikes

Pattern Recognition by William Gibson
When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger
The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

Short List

Ark by Stephen Baxter, ROC (9780451463319)
*Blonde Bombshell by Tom Holt, Hachette (9780316086998)
*Darkship Thieves by Sarah Hoyt, Baen (9781439133170)
*The Lifecycle of Software Objects by Ted Chiang, Subterranean Press (9781596063174)

Women’s Fiction

*Solomon’s Oak by Jo-Ann Mapson, Bloomsbury (9781608193301)
Recently widowed Glory Solomon collects stray animals and damaged souls. Facing bankruptcy, she creates a new life catering themed weddings. This deeply felt yet unsentimental novel explores grief, healing, and second chances.

Read-Alikes

Shelter Me by Juliette Fay
The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch by Marsha Moyer
The Blessings of the Animals by Katrina Kittle

Short List

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen, Bantam (9780553807219)
The Language of Sand by Ellen Block, Bantam Books (9780440245759)
The Love Goddess’ Cooking School by Melissa Senate, Gallery (9781439107232)
*Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff, Bantam (9780553807837)

Historical Fiction

2010-11-23T16:38:00.000-06:00

I am not hitting the crazy reading portion of my year so my posting schedule will continue to be erratic through the beginning of January. To tide you over, here is a link to the work blog where I talk about some of my favorite Historical novels of the year. http://www.kclibrary.org/blog/kc-unbound/eight-best-historical-fiction-books-2010#comments

What I have been up to....

2010-10-06T19:35:00.004-05:00

I am doing so genre round-ups for the library. http://www.kclibrary.org/blog/kc-unbound/best-new-horror-fiction.

Next up, historical fiction!

Poison: A Novel of the Renaissance by Sara Poole

2010-09-19T17:34:00.000-05:00

Poison: A Novel of the Renaissance - When Francesca Giordano’s father, the Poisoner for the Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, is murdered, she applies for the position herself. Having studied under her father she is skilled with both detecting poisons and creating undetectable poison. Navigating the deadly world of 15th Century Rome, she and Borgia plot to kill Pope Innocent VIII before he can set the Inquisitor loose on the Jews of Europe.

This historical novel had a little bit of everything. A bit of a mystery, a bit of romance and a lots of historical detail that made this debut novel a fun engaging read.

Another kitten post....

2010-09-15T18:15:00.001-05:00

I was going to try not to blog about the kittens very often but what the heck, they are cute and they make me smile.

Anyway, one of my duties is to name my little foster kittens. Since the calico is a Hemingway kitten I was thinking that she should have a Hemingway related name. She is a really feisty little thing and she plays so much I am having trouble getting her to put on weight. She is also super cuddly and bendy. When the kittens play, every so often she has to run over to me to get petted or cuddled before she goes back out to play some more. She also is the one who is constantly checking to see what I am doing and is into everything. Since the kittens first adoption event is Friday I can't do my usual and wait for the kittens to tell me what their name is. Below are some of the possible choices. Feedback or other alternatives are welcomed.

Hemingway’s Women:

Hadley Richardson – 1^st wife

Pauline Pfeiffer; - 2^nd wife

Martha Gellhorn – 3^rd wife

Mary Welsh Hemingway – 4^th wife

Grace Hall-Hemingway – his mother

Agnes von Kurowsky – first love who jilted him

Lady Brett Ashley – character in The Sun Also Rises

Margot Macomber – character in The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber

Catherine Barkley - character in A Farewell to Arms

Maria - character in For Whom the Bell Tolls

Pilar – his boat

Hemingway cats:

Emily Dickinson

Amadea

Simone De Beauvoir

Nikki Adams

Audrey Hepburn

Joan Crawford

Gertrude Stein

Sofia Loren

Since the rescue group is treating these two like siblings, they want me to name them either something related or something that starts with the same letter. I thought of naming the little male cat Ernest Hemingway but he is so laid back (well, laid back for a kitten) that I am not sure Hemingway fits him. He is also a bit more independent and willing to be on his own than the female is. He also is a purring machine.

Hemingway characters:

Jacob Barnes - character in The Sun Also Rises

Santiago - character in The Old Man and the Sea

Lieutenant Frederic Henry - character in A Farewell To Arms

Robert Jordan - character in For Whom the Bell Tolls

Hemingway cats:

Hairy Truman

Archibald MacLeish

Spencer Tracy

Pablo Picasso

Charley Chaplin

Kittehs!

2010-09-11T15:17:00.000-05:00

Last week I started volunteering with a new organization that Average Jane introduced me to. I volunteer or give money to other organizations that work with animals but I have not been able to work with the animals in a meaningful way. Most of them desperately need volunteers who are willing to do intake interviews or billing and because I work in public service I tend to get funneled into these jobs. This is fine and I am happy to do whatever is needed for a charity I support, however I really like to do something completely different during my volunteer experiences. Yes, I would be great at literacy based projects, helping people learn computer skills and customer service but sometimes I want to do something a little different from what I do during a day job.

Therefore, I have just become a foster mom for T.A.R.A and taken charge of my first two fur babies. I will keep them until they are ready to join the rest of the animals at the adoption center. This will hopefully work to my advantage because a) I am a sucker for baby animals and b) I have already promised my older cat there will be no more kittens joining our family while she is alive (not even this one). She barely survived the arrival of Spike and I don't think she could handle another permanent cat in her world. Hopefully, the kittens will cycle through fast enough to keep me from becoming overly attached or her having too much interaction with them.

Notice that the calico kitten has six toes. She is a little Hemingway kitten.

Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin

2010-09-10T12:58:00.001-05:00

Princess Ai Li is on the way to her arranged marriage when she learns the truth about her powerful new husband-to-be. During her daring escape, foreigner Ryam, comes to her aide and helps her to flee. As they are pursued across Tang Dynasty China, Ai Li and Ryam find that some things are worth fighting for.

This is a great example of a romance with star-crossed lovers who must battle family, tradition, honor and themselves before true love can prevail. The unusual setting and the cast of strong women made this story memorable.

At the concert

2010-08-18T22:48:00.001-05:00

A long-standing tradition is to go to see my friend Jackie's favorite band, Better Than Ezra every time they come to town. Last weekend was our fifth? or possibly sixth? time seeing them. (My friend on the end has not been elevated to crazed band groupie status, but we are working on him:-)

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Toys

2010-08-16T16:43:00.000-05:00

For months I have said that I had absolutely no reason to get a Kindle. But lately, I find that the Kindle apps for my computers and cell phone have made reading my award nominees really handy, especially when I am stuck at the auto repair or doctors office. I have tried the Nook apps but just don't find them as handy. The text size is great but it takes up tons and tons of space on my phone and everything has seemed to run slower since I installed it.

I think this Kindle deserves to go on my "I don't need it as much as I need assorted house repair items but I really want it" Christmas/Birthday list. Even more than that, I think I need a nicely loaded Amazon gift card so I can buy more e-books.

A Thousand Cuts

2010-08-10T16:41:00.001-05:00

A Thousand Cuts by Detective Inspector Lucia May has been assigned to investigate what looks like an open and shut case of school violence. During the course of the investigation, she finds the reasons for a school teacher opening fire on a school assembly were not as clear and straightforward as everyone would like to believe. Even as she continues to investigate in the face of extreme pressure from staff at the school, coworkers and even her supervisor she finds that discovering the reasons why the teacher did what he did will risk her the respect of her peers and even her career.

I could not stop thinking about this novel, which alternates first-hand witness police reports with third person narration of the investigation. This is an extremely effective portrayal of where mixing politics, money and a toxic school culture can lead.

This Week in Books and Media

2010-06-23T15:19:00.007-05:00

This was supposed to go up last week but I somehow forgot to save it correctly....

No time to write lengthy reviews but here is a list of what I have been reading lately. I linked to Amazon so you can go read the product description for more information.

Horns by Joe Hill - Very good. The physical and psychological horror are very nicely balanced in this novel by Stephen King's son.

Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt - Historical fiction. Not my favorite time period to read about but well done.

Caught by Harlan Coban - Excellent thriller by one of our premier writers. This is probably one of his best.

Angelology by Danielle Trusson - Beautiful alternative world building and fully fleshed out characters. Very detailed.

Darkship Thieves by Sarah Hoyt - Can't get enough of those space opera's especially one that has a female character who can kick some ass.

Crux by Moira Rogers - This was a fun paranormal romance.

The Passage by Justin Cronin - One that people are probably either going to love or hate. A new twist on zombies that I thought was a winner.

Wicked Becomes Her by Meredith Duran - Really great characters and a nice fast pace. Very good.

Devils Star by Jo Nesbo - I heard someone say that this author does evil really well. Great mystery, interesting characters and setting.

The Other Family by Joanna Trollope - Interesting premise but I never really could figure out why the second "wife" was so angry with the first wife.

The Winter Thief by Jenny White - I have a soft spot for books set in Turkey and had actually been to some of the towns mentioned in the book. Very good historical fiction with a good blend of political intrigue and mystery.

A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff - This was a charming read that was a little deeper than your usual Chick Lit type book.

I am pretty sure there are more but that should do for now.

*Note: I am an Amazon Associate. Book links will generate a small referral fee for me if used for purchases.

Free E-Book Friday

2010-06-18T15:50:00.000-05:00

Nebula Award-Nominated author Vera Nazarian is offering her novel Dreams of the Compass Rose as a free download for a limited time!

This Week in Books and Media...and camping.

2010-06-03T10:57:00.001-05:00

This was a busy, busy week so I didn't get much reading done. Over the weekend I traveled to Minnesota for the wedding reception of a good friend. While there we socialized, drank wine, rowed boats, communed with nature and ate. Unfortunately, all of this fun did not leave much time for reading although I am halfway through about three at the moment. Next week there should be plenty of book talk.

If you are at all outdoorsy, I do highly recommend visiting the lakes in Minnesota for camping. The setting is lovely and there is plenty of water to play in. Just make sure you carry some super powerful bug spray because the rumor is, later in the season the mosquitoes are as big as your head. Just sayin...

The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah - This is often considered the book that started off the Urban (or Street) fiction genre so we picked it for our genre study book club at work. Winter, the main character, is the spoiled daughter of a drug dealer in the Brooklyn projects. When her father is arrested, her pampered life falls apart and in trying to play "the game" she quickly descends into the ugly world of drugs, violence and revenge. Written by Hip Hop star and activist, Sister Souljah, the author presents a heartbreaking look at what drugs can do to a community and to the young men and women whose lives revolve around it. The book has flaws but is worth reading for its grittiness and realism.

Murder on the Cliffs by Joanna Challis - Daphne du Maurier is the detective in this historical novel. When Daphne goes to Cornwall to visit her old nurse and do research for her first novel, she becomes enmeshed in the murder of Victoria. Victoria is the young, lower class girl who has become engaged to the eligible son of the local aristocracy. There are some clunky sections but this is an excellent novel for those who love Gothic romance, Daphne du Maurier and reading about the British aristocracy.

DVD's
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - Gifted with the ability to guide the imagination of others, Dr. Parnassus gambled with the devil and lost the soul of his daughter. In order to win her back, he must compete with the devil for the souls of five other people. The acting is fresh and inventive and the costumes and cinematography are outstanding. I enjoyed this even though sometimes I had to rewind to catch some detail I missed. Multi-tasking is not recommended for this film. This was a freaky little movie.

This Week in Books and Media

2010-05-27T08:03:00.001-05:00

Feed by Mira Grant (Horror) - I wrote a lovely long review of this book because I was so pleased with it and then promptly forgot to save it. Sigh...

Anyway, the world has changed with the advent of the zombie uprising. While traditional news reporters were still debating whether or not zombies existed the bloggers were out reporting on how to save oneself and destroy the zombies. Now bloggers are at the cutting edge of news reporting and Georgia and Shaun Mason are leading the pack (and the ratings). After being selected to become the official bloggers reporting on presidential candidate Peter Ryman, Georgia starts to notice that an unusual number of his supporters have been infected and have turned into zombies. As she investigates, she and her brother find that it is a conspiracy on a national scale. Now they just have to report on it before they also become the undead. Highly recommended and I can't wait for book two in the series.

Dweller by Jeff Strand (Horror) - When Toby was eight years old he found a monster in the woods. Instead of eating him, the monster seemed to want to be friends. Bullied in school and with no other friends to turn to, Toby befriends the monster. Unfortunately when Toby is in high school, their friendship starts to take a dark and disturbing turn. This was an intriguing horror novel that followed the friendship between a monster and a boy.

Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran (Historical) - Auda, daughter of a paper maker, mute and an albino, is caught up in the terror of the Inquisition when her actions lead the head inquisitor to decide her father is consorting with unbelievers. Although the plot is a bit unbelievable at times, this is a fantastic novel about a strong woman choosing her own path against overwhelming odds.

Except the Queen by Jane Yolen, Midori Snyder (Fantasy) - When fairy siblings, Serena and Meteora are banished from the fairy kingdom they must learn to navigate New York City as humans (with a few special powers). They make friends, master strange new technologies and eventually even make friends. When forces conspiring to bring down the fairy queen discover their presence, the lives of their friends are threatened. Jane Yolen really can't be beat when it comes to traditional fantasy. This is a beautifully written novel.

Sparrow Rock by Nate Kenyon (Horror) - My question when reading post-apocalyptic novels is why the only survivors seem to be under the age of 25? Granted, I have taken quizzes that suggest I have the survival skills of a kumquat but really, is it so much to ask that I survive the apocalypse so that I can then be eaten by horrific, genetically engineered bugs?

Pete and a group of his high school friends visit a friend's grandfather's bomb shelter to enjoy some illegal substances. When they open the hatch, they find that a series of nuclear bombs have detonated destroying the world as they know it. They promptly retreat to the bomb shelter to wait it out. Unfortunately nuclear fallout is not all they have to fear....

Galileo's Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson (Science Fiction) - This is one of the powerhouse authors in the Science Fiction world today and his complex novel follows the life of Galileo...and Galileo's mysterious trips to Europa, the second moon of Jupiter. Every time he visits this other future world, his own reality shifts and bends. I did feel like this was a bit of an homage to Galileo rather than Science Fiction novel but there is no questioning the skill this author brings to this work.

Sorcerer's House by Gene Wolfe (Fantasy) - Ex-Con, Baxter Dunn, wanders into Medicine Man and promptly inherits a mysterious house. He encounters terrifying murders, mysterious women, fey creatures and a house that is always changing and never the same. I am still trying to decide what I think of this one.

DVD's:

New Moon - Drama, drama, drama. Edward the vampire is several hundred years old (I think) and yet, he says things like "I don't want to exist in a world without you in it." Suck it up, vampire boy and deal with it. I really don't remember High School being this dramatic but then again, I wasn't in love with the undead.

And yes, the movie was still kind of entertaining.

Leap Year - A friend and I have a standing date to get together once a month. Sometimes we have movie night; sometimes we go out to dinner. We also have a track record for watching the worst movies EVER. This movie night kept our streak going nicely. Leap Year was very, very slow. The two main characters had very little chemistry, the pacing was slow and it just didn't satisfy.

Whip It - Yes, I watched this last week but during this month's Drinking Book Club we watched it again. I have to say, watching it with a group made it much more fun.

My Week!

2010-05-19T15:17:00.001-05:00

So much fun in my life these days that I don't know how to catch you all up, but luckily my bloggy friends have taken care of that for me. See here and here.

I have also been in a reading frenzy lately. Five books last Saturday for a new personal best! Here is a quick and dirty rundown.

I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells - John Wayne Cleaver is certain he is destined to become a serial killer. After all, how else do you explain his name? Or the fact that he doesn't understand empathy and thinks about killing, a lot? Still, he doesn't particularly want to become a killer so he develops rules for himself. For example, when he finds himself stalking someone, he has to ignore them for a whole week. When someone makes him angry, he compliments them. These tricks seem to be working until a series of gruesome murders suggest he is not alone and John decides to let his own monster come out to play. Supernatural elements and unexpected plot twists keep you enthralled throughout this clever novel. This has a Dexter feel when reading it but the supernatural elements make this very different book.

WWW: Watch by Robert J. Sawyer - When Caitlin Decter was fifteen years old she underwent an experimental treatment enabling her to see the world for the first time. With vision also comes an uncanny ability to also see World Wide Web space and something new and extraordinary, a new sentient entity Caitlin decides to call Webmind. As Webmind grows and develops, Caitlin enlists the help of her parents and doctor to help it learn about ethics and empathy. But a government group called WATCH has also discovered Webmind and now it is up to Caitlin to help Webmind save himself from destruction. This was a thought provoking look at the origin of consciousness. Plus, anyone who quotes Verner Vinge is tops in my book. I did not read the first in the series since I am focusing on books published this year and it all made sense to me but other reviewers recommend reading them in order. WWW: Wake is book number one in the trilogy.

Parisian Prodigal by Alan Gordon - Set in 1205, this was a very witty, historical novel. Theophilos the fool and his lovely wife investigate the murder of a prostitute by the long lost brother of the Count. I loved the historical detail in this mystery novel and the Fool's Guild was particularly fascinating. This is part of a series but I thought it could stand alone easily.

The Tale of Halcyon Crane by Wendy Webb - A Gothic romance that was interesting but I would have liked to feel a bit more dread when reading it. It just wasn't quite "spooky" enough.

The Resurectionist by Wrath James White - There was lots and lots of gore in this one which is a plus for the Horror genre but it just wasn't very well written.

Darkness on the Edge of Town by Brian Keene - I like apocalyptic type books so I actually liked this one quite a bit but there just wasn't enough terror to make it truly horrifying.

The Mage in Black by Jaye Wells - I usually like urban fantasy but could not get past the repeated references to killing magical beings with "the forbidden fruit". (apple wood, apple juice, etc...) Am I the only one that finds this giggle worthy?

Gardens of the Sun by Paul McAuley - This one was pretty good with genetic engineering, space travel, murders, war, in short, everything a good SF novel needs but it just lacked that something special that keeps me up reading until 2 am.

Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian C Esslemont - Definitely not a stand alone. I read about 100 pages and still didn't know what was going on. It gets glowing reviews though so I am going to have to go back and read the first one when my committee is over.

Whip It - I can't say I loved this movie and would watch it over and over again but I was entertained by it. Instead of the beauty pageant route, the main character longs to be in the Roller Derby. Lying about her age she joins and finds she has an aptitude for it. It is a girl following her dream story with the requisite best friend conflict and love interest with issues.

This Week in Books and Media

2010-05-06T13:20:00.092-05:00

Books:

The Season of Second Chances by Diane Meier - Joy has spent years building a career and a life in New York City but when a college Dean comes along offering a creative teaching job at Amherst College she realizes that her life has not turned out the way she expected and she decides to take the job. Once there, she buys a crazy fixer-upper Victorian home and meets someone who shows her how to give and receive friendship and open herself up to the possibilities around her. After years of being ordinary finds her way into an extraordinary life. I really liked this book.

Fireworks over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff - A grandmother tells the story of her life and loves in this sentimental tale. I usually prefer a bit more edge to my stories but this will appeal to anyone who likes Nicholas Sparks and Paul Evans.

The Gin Closet by Leslie Jamison - Beautifully written story about a woman connecting with the alcoholic aunt she knew nothing about. I could appreciate the skill it took to write this but it wasn't a very cheery book.

Off Track by Clare Curzon - This mystery got very good reviews but I don't think I was in the right kind of mood for this book. There were lots of elements to this story and I just couldn't keep my mind on the action. Clare is a fine writer though so I encourage you to take a look at this and judge for yourself.

New York by Edward Rutherfurd - Following the events that shaped the destiny of the Master's clan allows Rutherfurd to tell the story of New York, from its time as a Dutch settlement to the beloved modern city of today. From the very beginning pages until the last page of this saga is finished, we are drawn into the world of the Masters family as we follow them and the families they impact through the centuries. Freedoms are won and lost, fortunes are made and just as quickly vanish and wars are fought in this epic tale. The smooth retelling of history, well-developed characters and a fast pace make the novel a winner.

Down River by Karen Harper - Lisa's former fiance quit the rat race and run a retreat in Alaska. When her boss decides to hold their corporate retreat and his lodge, Lisa is less than thrilled. When she gets there however, she finds she must rely on him to help her figure out who on the team is trying to kill her. This romantic suspense novel was fast paced and enjoyable but Lisa and Mitch spend so much time rehashing their past relationship and sniping at each other that it diminished the romance element of this story a bit more than I usually like.

Saving Ceecee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman - Twelve year old Cecelia Honeycutt has grown up watching her mother descend into madness while her father travels more and more to escape. When the situation explodes, her great-aunt Tootie rides to the rescue and takes her Savannah where she meets a remarkable assortment of women. This is very much a coming-of-age, girl power story that was a treat to read.

The Fifth Servant by Kenneth Wishnia - When a Christian child is found dead inside the business of a Jewish merchant, the city of Prague becomes an even more deadly place for the Jewish people to live. Set during the sixteenth-century Inquisition, sexton Benyamin Ben-Akiva, his rabbinic mentor and a cast of unlikely allies must solve the murder before the anger and blood lust of the city destroy and innocent man and the Jewish Ghetto in which they live. This is a smart, historically detailed mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Total Oblivion, More or Less by Alan Deniro - Macy Palmer is trying to survive high school when her world starts to change. Electronic devices stop working, a mysterious plague starts killing neighbors and men on horseback attack the city. When her family decides to flee the city, things really start to get weird as it is discovered that America has been invaded by ancient Romans. This was a really unique novel and I found it engrossing....and a bit bizarre.

DVD's:

Grey Gardens - This was an extraordinary movie based on the documentary by the same name. Drew Barrymore was fantastic in this movie and I don't really understand why she wasn't considered for an Oscar for this roll. Playing the part of "Little Edie" Beale, she and "Big Edie" (Jessica Lange) play out on the big screen the decline from aristocratic to living together in the rotting remains of Grey Gardens, these two never lose their charm and you ache for them when life doesn't give them what they want or need.

The Time Travelers Wife - I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. I quite liked the novel by the same name but wondered how they would depict the erratic way that the main character moved through time, often against his will but they managed to convey the uncertainty and danger of his life is a really convincing way. It was no Grey Gardens but it was a good solid love story.

The Fifth Servant: A Novel by Kenneth Wishnia

2010-05-02T19:49:00.000-05:00

When a Christian child is found dead inside the business of a Jewish merchant, the city of Prague becomes an even more deadly place for the Jewish people to live. Set during the sixteenth-century Inquisition, sexton Benyamin Ben-Akiva, his rabbinic mentor and a cast of unlikely allies must solve the murder before the anger and blood lust of the city destroy and innocent man and the Jewish Ghetto in which they live.

This is a smart, historically detailed mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Books This Week

2010-04-29T19:02:00.001-05:00

I actually read quite a number of books this week but left them on the counter and cannot remember all of them now. Next week is going to have a LONG list of books for you to check out.

Provocative in Pearls by Madeline Hunter - I found the heroine in this novel to be frustrating. She had so little understanding of her situation and what was possible. Her continued pursuit of an annulment seemed particularly naive although her anger and frustration was understandable. The hero was probably fairly true to life in terms of the time period but his continued insistence that she recognize that she needed his permission to do pretty much anything because she belonged to him was kind of a downer in a romance novel.

Doors Open by Ian Rankin - I struggled with this one a bit because I could not wrap my head around the kind of boredom that would make someone want to steal a priceless painting at the risk of destroying one's life. I wanted to take our main character aside and lecture him about the potential consequences of his actions. I also figured out the plot twist very early on. Having said that, I think Ian Rankin is an outstanding author and any of his books are worthy of a read.

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley - The first book in this series (which I have not read) was a smash hit so I was excited to read this one. The author does a good job of revealing the young detectives quirks and insecurities without making her annoyingly precocious and the author's skill in quickly drawing interesting and unusual characters is apparent. The mystery itself was interesting but a tiny bit thin but I found I didn't care because the characters were so very interesting.

Love in Mid Air by Kim Wright - I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. I usually am deeply irritated by novels about infidelity because I can never figure out why the character doesn't do the right thing and divorce their spouse BEFORE they go out looking for someone new. Of course, that tends to make for a very short novel when the characters behave in sensible and rational ways but it almost always makes me not like and not care about characters who behave so dishonorably.

Anyway, back to this novel, I really liked this book, not because of the infidelity and the problems with her marriage which I always find a bit trite and banal, but because of the way the book explored how her actions impacted the lives of everyone around her. I also liked that the book ended in the same way life often does, messy and unresolved. This is really an author to watch.

My Weekend

2010-04-25T19:49:00.001-05:00

This weekend was jam packed with activities. On Friday night I ran home after work to spend some time with Daisy, Catherine's dog, who periodically spends some time at my house. We usually have a good time but it does tend to break her heart that my cats emphatically refuse to play with her. After I spent some time with Daisy I headed down to RJ's Bob-Be-Que Shac k to join @sjwaters, @c_giffin and Mary Ann for some famous BBQ and music and to say hey to Twitter_Adverse_Dave. Seriously, they were just on KCPT's Check, Please! and I believe they are due to appear on Diners, Drive in's & Dives soon. They are now famous....and packed with people. Afterwards, we headed to the driveway to drink wine in front of the fire pit.

Saturday I got up early to go to yoga class with Average Jane and then out for crepes. Then I rushed home so I could walk Daisy. Unfortunately, by the time I got home it had started pouring down rain so poor Daisy just hung out with me while I got the house ready for company. At around one, some of my favorite people came over to play the board game Dune with me. Since we all had birthday parties to attend that night, we decided to set a time limit (since our last game lasted 8 hours). Beneath the Ginko owns the game which is lucky since it is almost impossible to get a hold of these days. I believe there are a few places out there where you can cobble together the game but that is quite a bit of work. The other attendee had played the game before informed us he had spent quite a bit of time thinking about his strategy and began to indulge in some quality trash talk. Everyone else was a newbie. When it came time to form alliances, Trash Talk Boy announced that by pairing up with Ginko there would be no contest and they would crush the other three of us into dust. Oddly enough, that brought out my competitive streak so @imaginary_mark/Taracuda , Fred/@bckhough and I joined forces and by the time we were done, there were some outrageously awesome strategies being devised and, may I just say, I personally kick some fairly major ass. My partners also had some truly inspired moment. Unfortunately, so did the other team. The final move was so close that it basically came down to having one slightly better card to play. If you can get your hands on this game and have the patience to read several pages of instructions, I highly recommend trying this game. I know we will be playing again. In case you are wondering, Daisy got lots of attention from the dog friendly crowd.

After the game, I headed over to my good friend Gone Mild's house for his 50th Birthday Bash. GM brews his own beer so it is always a treat to visit him. After that I headed out to Funky Town for my favorite girl's birthday party. Funky Town was quite an adventure but I think I will leave that story for others to tell. Happy Birthday this week to three of my favorite people!

This Week in Books and Media

2010-04-22T09:45:00.040-05:00

Books:

Heart's Blood by Gail Dayton - Victorian England setting except with wizards, sorceresses, alchemists and conjurers. I thought the world building and magical elements were really interesting and the mystery held my attention. The romance portion of the book was a bit weak however. I liked the characters quite a bit but just felt like too much happened in too short of a time period. I will, however, definitely pick up her next book.

Short Squeeze by Chris Knopf - I am not sure if it was the continuous use of the volunteer at a library being called a librarian or constant references to the main character smoking pot but this book got annoying and repetitive after awhile. I just wanted to say okay, we get it. You have created a quirky pot smoking character. Let's move on already.

Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb - I can't remember reading a book in this series that disappointed me. Some are better than others but none are bad. The near future setting (with really cool techie toys), the tough detective who faces down hardened criminals and serial killers with ease but panics when she is confronted with babies and determined hairdressers, and a super hot, rich fantasy of a husband who adores his wife all add to the appeal of this series. Add to that a group of friends who have managed to recognize each other as soul mates and create a family that buoys each other up during hard times and you have a winning series from my point-of-view.

Secrets of a Scandalous Bride
by Sophia Nash - This is one of the bad boy romances and I have to admit, while I like to flirt with the bad boys, the thought of dating one or marrying one leaves me a bit perplexed. Reading about them on the other hand, can be quite fun. Anyway, there were parts of this novel that I really enjoyed but I couldn't figure out why the bad boy would essentially kidnap a woman and then make her cook for him when he doesn't like food. I think having him not ask for sex (as is typical in a bad boy novel) was showing that underneath the gruff exterior beat the heart of a gentleman but I couldn't figure out why he bothered. Don't get me wrong, I liked the heroine but he didn't know anything about her and at first didn't find her particularly appealing so why would he put himself through all that trouble. Once they fell in love is when the book picked up for me and I really enjoyed how the problem that kept them apart was handled.

Beaded Hope by Cathy Liggett - This book was pretty predictable and I could see the ending coming a mile away but I did very much like the details about the African women. As always when I read about the AIDS epidemic in Africa I want to sell the house, quit the job and join the Peace Corps.

DVD's:
Fantastic Mr. Fox - This was actually pretty fantastic and I can see why it was nominated for the Oscars. It was clever and witty with a nice strong female character. I had a bit of trouble not picturing George Clooney every time Mr. Fox spoke but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Highly recommended for adults.

April 19: W. S. Di Piero’s “In Our Room”

2010-04-19T08:57:00.000-05:00

April 19: W. S. Di Piero’s “In Our Room”

In Our Room

On the strip between the lakes
I look for some trace of you
in everything that moves.
At the tip of its wake, a coot's
bone bill points through
the leaves' sponged-ink shade,
slate feathers splitting the air;
the water quivers, bright
as your bath-drenched hair
shaking off silvered bits.
A tern pulls up, tilting
through the spreading light,
then drops beak and body fast.
Two dark swifts dip past
swamp oaks like brown
twilight in our room, blinds
barring your face, while your lips
closed on some dream sound,
some word I didn't catch,
a wood-duck's straight-seamed wedge,
a cowbird shuddering from
the lake on loose bent wings.

Womans Day Magazines Essay-Contest

2010-04-18T16:42:00.000-05:00

The American Library Association (ALA) and Woman’s Day are looking for stories that showcase the importance and value of libraries within the communities they serve. Essays are due by May 9, 2010.

Women ages 18 and up are invited to send in their stories in 700 words or less to womansday@ala.org. Up to four stories will be profiled in the March 2011 issue of the magazine or at womansday.com.

Librarians can download free tools to help collect local stories from the Campaign for America’s Libraries Web site. Tools include a sample press release and newsletter copy.

A downloadable Web button that can be linked to the official rules on the Woman’s Day Web site is also available.

The initiative continues a nine-year partnership between the magazine and ALA’s Campaign for America’s Libraries that has generated millions of dollars worth of editorial coverage for libraries. Since 2002, Woman’s Day has asked its readers to write in about “how the library has changed my life,” “how the library helped improve my health” and “how the library helped me deal with the tough economy.”

Woman’s Day magazine is a Partner in the Campaign for America’s Libraries, ALA’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians.

Free E-Book Friday

2010-04-16T16:24:00.001-05:00

For a limited time, download Rides of a Dread Legion for free. It is the first book in Raymond E. Feist's The Demonwar Saga. The download includes a bonus excerpt from At the Gates of Darkness. Download it at Amazon or any of these retailers.

This Week in Books and Media

2010-04-15T15:11:00.119-05:00

This was an indulgent reading kind of week for me since three favorite authors came out with their newest books. They all do fit within the parameters of my reading award but I tend to leave these authors to others since I like them too much to effectively judge the quality. If you like urban fantasy, be sure to try Jim Butcher and Patricia Briggs. Other favorites are J.D. Robb and Gail Carriger. Try them, you might like them:-)

Books:

Changes by Jim Butcher - There are big changes in store for Harry (hence the name Changes) this time around. It seems like the bad guys keep getting badder and I am not sure what Jim will do for the next novel. Maybe a nice apocalypse?

Changeless by Gail Carriger - Book two in this series starts out with our newly married couple learning to live together in wedded bliss. Of course, this being a novel, happy and carefree can't last. This time the magical beings are being affected by a strange field that is damping magic and making the ghosts go away forever. Added to that, there are werewolf pack dynamics to work through and some new quirky characters to decipher.

Freeze Frame by Peter May - I hadn't read this author before and thought that the mystery did pretty well as a stand-alone. I wouldn't have known why the main character was working his way through unsolved murders if I hadn't read a review but that didn't detract significantly from the story. I cannot tell you what a joy it was to read a mystery with clues. Clear, well-defined clues that actually made it possible to solve the murder. I did figure out who did it but by the time I did, the clues were pretty clearly showing the way. I also liked the main character and his interactions with the townspeople. I did not, however, like the girlfriend but maybe the reason she was so awful was explained in a previous book. I will definitely look for more in this series.

Kindred in Death by J.D. Robb - Eve and Roarke are back again in their gazillionth mystery. Robb never fails to please with her complex characters. These are sexy novels and the crimes are usually pretty brutal so I wouldn't suggest this for anyone who likes clean, cozy mysteries but I love these.

Devils in Exile by Chuck Hogan - Home from the war, Neal Maven is working dead-end jobs and feels marginalized and unappreciated for his service to his country. When a mysterious stranger with flashy clothes offers a way to use the skills he learned in Iraq to take down drug mavens and dealers he jumps at the chance. Soon he is living the good life and things couldn't be going better but when he falls for his boss's lady and the rest of the team starts to get careless he decides he wants out, which is when the real trouble begins. I have said before I need my thrillers to be action packed and full of adrenaline for the entire book. This delivered from start to finish with a fully fleshed out main character who was never cliched or predictable.

Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler - This was a fun new series if you like paranormal fiction. It had a slightly different twist and a much more venerable heroine than one usually sees in the paranormal genre. The heroine knows she is different from most people and after finding a dead body in the sea one night, she suddenly discovers there is a whole world of supernatural folk living in the same town. She and the hot vampire (of course) band together to solve the mystery and also discover they have romantic feelings for each other. There are some very clear clues about the direction the next book in the series will take.

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs - I stayed up late last night to finish this one. I love the Mercy Thompson series. The main character is a shape shifting coyote who owns her own garage and repairs cars for a living. Her next door neighbor is a hot werewolf (of course), his teenage daughter and his pack. Also populating this world are the Fae, vampires, etc.... Mercy spends her spare time flirting with the werewolf, solving mysteries and trying to navigate pack politics. Start with Moon Called if you want to read this series.

DVD's:

The Men Who Stare At Goats - This was an odd movie. I liked it but it didn't completely keep my attention. I had to watch this twice because I would find myself wandering off at various points to clean the kitchen or text someone. I even did it the second time when I was making a point to watch.

Happy National Library Week!

2010-04-12T19:30:00.001-05:00

Have you told your favorite librarian how much you appreciate him or her? Don't you think you should?

My weekend

2010-04-11T22:46:00.002-05:00

This weekend I tried to take it easy for a change. I am getting tired of running amock so all I had scheduled was a yoga class and a hair appointment. It was also time for that most dreaded of activities...mowing. I will never understand the satisfaction that some people (men) derive from mowing and there is no use in explaining it to me. The first mowing of spring was rife with new challenges this year. I was given an electric mower so a friend could purchase a new and improved model. Mine plugs in so there was quite a learning curve trying to figure out how to keep the cord out of my way. You would think that years of vacuuming would have provided this knowledge, but no, I spent about half my time moving the cord around. On the plus side, starting it was a breeze. (By the end of the job I was so worn out my hairdresser took pity on me and came to my house to touch up my hair.) This year was supposed to be the year that I purchased a new mower as my environmental improvement of the year. Instead I think it will be when I purchase or build or install a composting system of some kind. I haven't done the research yet but will start working on it soon.

My big purchase was a tomato plant. This is not the first year I have attempted to plant something that would provide me a few fresh veggies. However, due to my being the only person in my neighborhood without a dog, this experiment has not gone well in the past. My plants usually last a week or so before they are murdered by either rabbits or squirrels. This year I am going to try a container plant that will come inside with me when I cannot protect it adequately. I don't actually have high hopes but I can't give up on the fresh vegetable idea quite yet.

Free E-Book Friday

2010-04-09T11:24:00.000-05:00

This is the last day but if you like poetry head over to May's Machete and sign up for a free e-copy of her book of poetry. http://maysmachete.blogspot.com/2010/04/free-e-book.html

My week in Books and Media

2010-04-09T09:04:00.021-05:00

Soulless by Gail Carriger - I loved this novel. The Victorian era is great for creating women characters who, with their British sensibilities and self confidence in their ability to handle everything life throws at them, barrel through life moving obstacles and people out of their way with their trusty parasol. Throw some vampires and werewolves into this alternate reality setting and Alexia, a heroine whose lack of soul makes her utterly immune to the undead and you have the makings of a great story. This was a very inventive tale and the main character reminded me of one of my favorite mystery heroines, Amelia Peabody (series written by Elizabeth Peters.) I have now ordered book #2 in order to continue my journey with Alexia.

Pieces of Sky by Kiki Warner - I actually enjoyed this one quite a bit and felt like the author did a good job evoking emotion and building a solid romance. However, it did, at times, feel like there was too much going on. Not only was she running from the evil brother-in-law, he was in the middle of a blood feud with the man who massacred half his family, the ranch burned down, the dog died.... Well, you get the idea.

First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost - Good, popular basic premise of a woman in danger with a "good" vampire to the rescue, this was a serviceable romance but a bit disjointed. The author is at the start of a new series a new series and it shows.

The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine - This story of a woman and her two daughters living in gentile poverty in a New York suburb started off really well but gradually lost steam as the characters became more and more self-pitying. I think this was meant to be a Jane Austin spinoff but it had none of the sparkling wit of the original.

The Queen's Governess by Karen Harper - This one is quite good if you like historical novels. The main character is a lady-in-waiting for Anne Boleyn and is trusted enough to eventually become the governess for Queen Elizabeth (before she becomes queen, of course.) This is based on the life of Catherine "Kat" Ashley and covers the death of Anne Boleyn through Kat's death.

The Golden Season by Connie Brockway - I believe I said before that I really like romance novels that have characters I would like to know in real life. Even without the fabulously rich part, the two main characters in this novel are really wonderful people. They are genuinely kind, caring people who rescue family members from bad circumstances at great personal cost to themselves because it is the right thing to do. This is an A+ novel.

The Most Intimate Place by Rosemary Furber - I don't think I have a handle on this novel yet and may have to hold off talking about it until next week. By then I may have made up my mind what I think of it....or possibly not.

DVD's:

2012 - I think I can recommend you all pass on this particular movie unless you really have nothing else AT ALL to do. I like the apocalypse film genre but this one did nothing for me.

We Are Published

2010-04-08T18:17:00.000-05:00

The article my committe members worked on last week is now ready for viewing:-)

http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6724627.html?nid=4683&source=link&rid=17149762

Traditions

2010-04-04T17:54:00.001-05:00

In the years I have lived in Kansas City I have developed some traditions. Several years ago I started going to Tomfooleries on the Plaza for Easter brunch. Some years it is three of us, some years it is ten of us. Sure we could go at other times of the year but Easter brunch has become a tradition. This year my friends Vince and Thundabolt, @Taracuda, @Imaginary_Mark and Twitter Adverse Dave, @WeezieBarker and Brent joined me for mimosas and custom omelets. Now I am official stuffed beyond what is wise.

Tomorrow continues another long standing tradition of going to the season home opener for the Kansas City Royals. This group has evolved over the years as well. I used to go with a group of Commerce Bank friends and then, when I joined Rotary I would go with my Rotary Club buddies. This year I finally had to canceled my membership in Rotary because I could no longer get to my Friday morning meetings. Luckily, this year my friend Brent came to my rescue with tickets for the season home opener. I invited him last year and this year he returned the favor. Tomorrow we will be heading out to celebrate the potential of a better year for the Royals. I have non-meat options packed and plenty of beer and pretzel dollars set aside. Now the only question is: Since I don't have a Royals T-Shirt, which of the following T-Shirts should I choose?

National Poetry Month

2010-04-03T09:03:00.000-05:00

Celebrate in style. If you haven't done so already, be sure to sign up for The Borzoi Reader Poem-A-Day email.

From The Crooked Inheritance, Marge Piercy’s seventeenth collection of poetry, a fresh turn on girls and horses.

Seven Horses
When I was a pencil of a girl
I had seven horses, one
for each day of the week.
Thunder, Lightning, Sun
and Moon, East Wind
North Wind and Red Roses.
Only I could see them,
roan and black, grey,
palomino, dapple, white
and the strange one
the flying red horse
from the Mobil sign.
I rode them to school,
home, to the store.
I rode them down the slopes
of rocky night. In adolescence
I never mooned over horses.
Later, they were something cops
charged at us in demonstrations.
I’d sooner ride a cow.
No, it was not horseflesh
but power I craved
and speed. I longed to gallop
out of our tight mortgaged house

furnished with shouts and razors,
out of the smoke of frustrations
burning like old tires.
I wanted to stick out my neck
and gallop at full tilt off
any map I had ever seen.

Visit the author online and see her reading schedule for the spring at www.margepiercy.com and on Facebook

This Week in Books and Media

2010-04-01T09:21:00.065-05:00

Books:
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley - I always appreciate something out of the ordinary and this novel definitely features an unusual hero. From what I can tell, Ian appears to have Aspergers, and as a young child was confined to a mental asylum, which during Regency times was quite brutal. He is also suspected of the murder of a prostitute. The only thing that keeps him from being returned to the asylum or to prison is his wealthy and powerful brother's protection. Finding a heroine who could deal with the assorted issues he brings to the relationship is quite a trick and I think this novel does an admirable job of finding him someone with a past who can think creatively and has a different perspective on the world.

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier -This historical novel chronicles the lives of Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot, both real people who lived Lyme and spent their lives hunting the fossils that lined the beach. Mary Anning, despite her "low class" background, made several discoveries that revolutionized the way the natural world is perceived today. As someone with an interest in fossils and science, I found it intriguing enough to finish but I suspect not everyone would be as tolerant of the amount of detail in this novel. I read the first part of this and then finished it as a Book-on-CD and I think it worked better when read aloud. Descriptions of the constraints upon women were much more tedious when I was trying to read it than it became when I listened to it.

Winterland by Alan Glynn - I really wanted to like this more than I did but I realized at about halfway through the book, the main character was just getting started on her vengeance filled quest. I am really picky about my thriller/adrenaline novels. I want the action to start two pages in and not let up until the very end and this one didn't quite do it for me.

DVDs:
Zombieland - Well, this was fun. A zombie infection has taken over the United States and four rather odd people band together to get to California to find Zombieland. There are obnoxious characters and much killing of zombies with assorted tools, guns, hedge clippers, well, what's not to like. With a special guest appearance by Zombie Bill Murray.

Emma (2009) - Before watching this I went to Amazon.com and read some of the reviews. I found the usual "we love this beyond words because we love anything Jane Austin" and the "we loath this movie because nothing can do justice to the original Jane Austin text". In other words, Jane Austin fanatics are the most suspect reviewers ever. Having said all that, I liked this version of Emma. Sure there were some moments that were not true to the book but they weren't jarring for me and I thought the expanded length actually provided much more detail than many of the other movie adaptions. I thought Romola Garai did a good job playing a slightly snobbish but essentially good-hearted matchmaker and I really liked Jonny Lee Miller's portrayal of John Knightley. And yes, the actor is 38, which makes him about the same age as Knightley is in the book. It is Romola who is much older than Emma is in the novel. (Sorry, but there was a huge amount of criticism about his age on Amazon. Look up the details before you criticize, people!)

GAMES:

Dune - And the activity that cut into my reading time this week: Dune, The Boardgame. Some friends spent nine hours (give-or-take) at my house learning the in's-and-out's of this complicated board game from the 70's. We had a fabulous time and ate much cheese and are clearly all big geeks because we want to do it again very soon.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

2010-03-30T17:12:00.000-05:00

I have all kinds of things to talk about lately but no time to actually log in and post so the post about CSA's and the Roller Derby and the latest game night fun will have to wait until another time. I do have a few minutes to expand on one of last weeks reads.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - Yeine Darr has grown up expecting to be the ruler of a small impoverished kingdom but after her mothers murder she is summoned to the capital city of Sky by her Grandfather, the most powerful ruler in existence. When she arrives, he pits her, his niece and his nephew in a battle for the kingdom. She only wants only to find the person responsible for killing her mother but she slowly realizes that the losers of the competition will not only lose the kingdom but their lives. As she struggles to understand the politics of this race of people she also comes in contact with the gods and must fight to stay one step ahead of them all.

As a stand alone or as the beginning of a series, the mythology and world building in this novel are well thought out and believable and Yeine is a multifaceted character with a creatively, distinctive voice. Told in first person, the author leads the reader through the story Yeine is experiencing, which makes for a vividly told and sympathetic narrative. This complex political novel is also a fast paced tale of intrigue that pulls you in and will not let you go.

Free E-Book Friday

2010-03-26T15:04:00.000-05:00

MobileRead has a wealth of short stories and books available for download.

Android Apps....

2010-03-25T18:19:00.001-05:00

I love my Droid phone. I think everyone should have one because it makes errands and staying connected so much easier. On the assumption that you will now be running right out to buy one of the magical devices because I told you to, here are a couple of bookish iPhone and Android Apps you will need. The first app has just been released by Overdrive. Overdrive is one of the leading providers of ebooks for libraries to purchase for checkout to patrons. In case you were not aware, you can go to almost any public library and download audiobooks and ebooks for three weeks as a "checkout". Until now this process has been a bit unwieldy and required you to tether your reader/mp3 player to your computer and then download to the computer and sync to your device.

Now you can download the Overdrive app to your smartphone, go to the Overdrive mobile website, select your public library of choice and log-in, select your books and then download them straight to your phone. All-in-all, it works really well with the audio formats as long as you make sure you are downloading the correct file type. It is still a little problematic for the ebook formats and Kindle is still not usable with this format although I believe Sony Reader has finally opened up their devices so they can be used this way.

The other app I really like is the WorldCat app. WorldCat is a database of library databases. In other words, libraries all over the world dump updates of their entire online catalog into WorldCat's database several times a year. The function of the WorldCat app is to show you which libraries own a specific title. This is handy in a town like Kansas City with multiple library systems when you need a book right away. All you do is search in WorldCat and it will tell you which different libraries own a book and it sorts them so the Missouri libraries are first, the Kansas libraries are second and then all other libraries in the country are listed in alphabetical order. You can then link directly to the closest library to see if the book is on the shelf or checked out.

This Week in Books and Media

2010-03-24T07:20:00.004-05:00

Eternal Hunter by Cynthia Eden
The author has created an interesting paranormal world and her characters are complex and likable. However, between the mystery and the interactions with other characters I didn't feel like I got to spend enough time watching the romance develop. There was lots of sex (apparently a must for the shapeshifter crowd) but not enough of the two characters interacting in other ways so this ended up feeling like a cross between an erotica novel and a romance.

Beyond the Night by Joss Ware
This one is billed as a romance but it was so much more. I really enjoyed this novel and was impressed by how well the author merged romance, SF/Fantasy and Adrenaline into a premise that worked well. The characters were likable and it was easy to see why the two main characters were drawn to each other. I loved that the hero quickly realized that the heroine needed to feel in control and let her take over in a variety of situations instead of turning into Mr. Alpha Male to show how manly he was. The ways the heroine chose to protect herself felt plausible given her background and her choices made sense. And really, having a post-apocalyptic romance that works is quite an achievement. However, considering it as a romance, I would have liked to see a bit more emphasis on the relationship building aspect. I also would have preferred a more believable (or at least more complete) explanation of the magic involved in the apocalypse.

Death at the Alma Mater by G.M. Malliet
The character and setting were interesting (set in England at a university fund-raising weekend) and well done and I really liked the detective but the mystery itself was a little too slight and didn't really give the reader the tools needed to solve the crime.

Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster
This was one of my book discussion group reads and it was a quick lighthearted read. There have been several weight loss memoirs along the way and this was one of the more humorous of the bunch. Possibly because of her reliance on humor, her weight loss dealt with the physical aspects of the problem but never really addressed the mental issues that caused them. Most of us who don't deal with that aspect of weight gain end up re-gaining the weight back over and over. Look elsewhere for a weight loss manual and read this for the humor.

America, America by Ethan Canin
Another book club book. While I recognized the skill the author brought to this novel of American politics, I was largely untouched as I watched the drama unfold. This has been hailed as a "great American novel" and it is certainly skillfully executed but I put it down and didn't give it another thought until I was trying to write this quick review (a sign it left me a bit cold.)

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
Wow! Unlike the last novel, I could not put this one down and felt vaguely hostile about having to stop halfway through to come to work. The setting was unique (even for a fantasy novel) and the characters were engaging. One of the best things I have read this year.

DVD's
Love Happens
I watched this on movie night and it was tedious. I could not for the life of me figure out why the main character would want to date Jennifer Aniston's character. I think they were going for clever and quirky but I thought she was awful. The most touching scene in this romantic comedy was with the main character and his ex father-in-law. Call me crazy but I want to feel a little emotional when the actual romance is happening.

The French Chef with Julia Child
A friend is deeply enamored of this series and said she is having a wonderful time learning to cook with the DVDs. She is young enough that she didn't grow up with her mom watching these but I do remember seeing Julia when I was much, much, much too young to cook. As I watch these I remember how charming and intensely likable Julia is. I do wonder if, in today's society, she would be as reviled as every successful woman in television seems to become. Oprah, Martha, Rachel Ray, etc... all hated intensely in today's society.

The Tick
I was at a friends for an impromptu movie night and she pulled out this TV series. I could not stop giggling as I watched it. Now I need to go find the rest of the series or haunt her house until I get to watch the rest.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
This was another we watched on movie night that just happened to be on TV. It had these mysterious things called "commercials" that we had to watch in order to see the movie. Do you know how long it has been since I have seen a commercial? I was still dating the last ex (okay, I have no idea how many years ago that was) and I had actual cable to accommodate his KU basketball obsession. Anyway, I love these books and movies with a passion and, if you don't, you are a bit of grinch.

The Big Bang Theory: The Complete First Season
I like geeks and nerds way more than I should so this TV series charmed me. I love when they go into their neighbor's house and reorganize it while she is asleep (or maybe I just want someone to do that for me.) It probably doesn't help that these guys remind me a bit of one of my BFFs. And yes, using that label when you are no longer 14 is just sad, but I couldn't help it. It just suited the moment.

Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred
I am really loving the yoga class I take on the weekends but can't get to classes during the week and on a couple of nights I don't have an hour to devote to it. So I decided I needed a supercharged workout that wasn't quite so long. This DVD features three 20 minutes workouts and the beginning one is hard enough that the next day you can feel it. It is a little hard on the knees since the trainer is inordinately fond of jumping jacks so I am still trying to decide if I should buy a copy or try a few more options. At the very least I will probably go scavenge Half Price Books to see if they have a super cheap copy.

Something About You by Julie James

2010-03-18T17:38:00.003-05:00

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde just wanted a little pampering when she checked into a luxury hotel to wait for her floors to be refinished. Instead she ended up witnessing a murder. And to make matters better, she finds that her nemesis, FBI agent Jack Pallas, has been assigned to the case. Now they have to work together to solve the murder before the killer finds out she is a witness.

This romance is such a treat and a refreshing example of a novel that creates believable smart characters who behave in logical straightforward ways. When Cameron witnesses a murder, she does not argue that she can take care of herself but instead gratefully accepts the protection of the FBI. In spite of a misunderstanding from their past, they are professional and work together without petty bickering. When there is a chance to clear up the misunderstanding, the characters take it. They build a relationship built on communication, trust and respect which is what makes this contemporary romantic suspense novel a winner.

The Book

2010-03-17T20:30:00.002-05:00

So the book with my chapter in it came today. There would be a picture if I wasn't posting from my phone. :-D

What happens to our brains when we learn.

2010-03-16T12:56:00.000-05:00

The Teaching Company posted an interesting video about what happens to our brains when we learn. If you are interested in brain research, it is well worth watching.

2010 Support Your Library Challenge

2010-03-15T12:47:00.002-05:00

I almost always get my books from the library as opposed to purchasing them. It used to be monitoring your library account was a little tricky so I sympathized with people who said they didn't use the library because it was hard to keep track of the books. Now with reminders that books are almost due and the advent of online account access, it is easy. In this economy it is also a smart choice to use the library.

For that reason I thought I would let you all know about the 2010 Support Your Library Challenge hosted by the Home Girl's Book Blog. I've already read 52 library books this year. How many have you read?

The Rules are simple:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post. To learn how to sign up without having a blog, click here.

2. There are four levels:

--The Mini – Check out and read 25 library books.

--Just My Size – Check out and read 50 library books.

--Stepping It Up – Check out and read 75 library books.

--Super Size Me – Check out and read 100 library books.

(Aim high. As long as you read 25 by the end of 2010, you are a winner.)

3. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Young Reader – any book as long as it is checked out from the library count. Checked out like with a library card, not purchased at a library sale.

4. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

5. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

6. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010.

7. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your post where your library books will be listed. Include the URL to this post so that other viewers can find this fun challenge. If you’d prefer to put your list in the sidebar of your blog, please leave your viewers the link to the sign up page. Again, so viewers can join the challenge too.

Free E-Book Friday

2010-03-12T14:17:00.000-06:00

If you have a Kindle, Sony e-reader or a Nook you can download a free copies of Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison.

Finished!

2010-03-11T18:17:00.004-06:00

Here are the book I finished this week. Mind you, this doesn't even begin to scratch the surface...

A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh - wonderful straightforward romance novel. The plot twist wasn't particularly tricky but I do so love it when characters really like each other. This is a novella so it was a bit spare but I appreciated it after a couple of my other reads.

Highlanders Homecoming by Melissa Mayhue - I enjoyed this romance but I found the fantasy world building to be a bit convoluted. Reading the series in order might have made for a better reading experience but it didn't completely work as a stand-alone novel.

Be Careful What You Pray For by Kimberla Lawson Roby - I hadn't read this author before and had no idea what to expect. Who know there was that much sinning in a pastors life? Very dramatic. This one kind of reminded me of a Danielle Steel novel.

Crawlspace: A Home Repair is Homicide Mystery by Sarah Graves - Perfectly serviceable mystery but it didn't really capture my imagination.

Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale - This is an outstanding author with a gift for romance. I wish this novel would have been edited a bit more and it would have been a top 10 novel for the year. Still, the characters are delightful and their actions perfectly suit their respective characters.

Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins - This is another one that just barely missed the mark for me. I thought the premise was intriguing and I loved the hero. If only the heroine had been a little quicker on the uptake and had treated my boy just a little better.
Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd - An adrenaline novel that just didn't get my adrenaline pumping.

State of Decay by James Knapp - This one was interesting. I thought the idea of one's body to be used as a soldier zombie after death was very inventive. The plot ended up becoming a little too convoluted but it was definitely worth reading. I think this will be an author to watch in the future.

Online Tutorials

2010-03-08T19:27:00.004-06:00

I am noticing that a lot of our patrons are having difficulty figuring out how to use our self-checkout machines without help from staff, which defeats the purpose of the self-checkout machines. What do you think? As a library customer, would you make time to watch an online one-minute tutorial?

My Oscar Picks...

2010-03-07T15:18:00.003-06:00

I have never managed to win the contest at our Oscar parties in spite of (or perhaps because of) seeing most of the nominees. Still, it is fun to guess so I am going to give you my picks for the different categories.

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Actor in a Leading Role: Jeff Bridges
Actress in a Leading Role: Meryl Streep
Actor in a Supporting Role: I liked Matt Damon but I am going to have to go with Christoph Waltz
Actress in a Supporting Role: Mo'Nique
Animated Feature Film: I did not get a chance to see all of these. Up is my choice.
Art Direction: Sherlock Holmes
Cinematography: Avatar
Costume Design: Coco Before Chanel
Directing: Kathryn Bigalow for The Hurt Locker
Documentary Feature: I didn't get to see all of these. I am going with Food, Inc.
Documentary Short: I saw none of these. I am going to pick Rabbit a la Berlin because I like the title.
Film Editing: Inglorious Basterds
Foreign Language Film: The White Ribbon since that is the only one I saw.
Makeup: Star Trek
Music (Original Score): The Hurt Locker
Music (Original Song): "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart
Short Film (Animated): Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty (although I think Logorama will win)
Short Film (Live Action): The Door
Sound Editing: Inglorious Basterds
Sound Mixing: The Hurt Locker
Visual Effects: Avatar
Writing (Adapted Screenplay): Precious
Writing (Original Screenplay): Up

There are a few of these that I had more than one possibility but these ended up being my favorites.

Movie Update

2010-03-07T14:00:00.005-06:00

This week I finished up every currently available movie that has any kind of Oscar nomination (including best song). As always, there was plenty I didn't get to see but I managed to cover a lot of ground this year.

I made a run to Blockbusters earlier in the week and picked up Food, Inc. and Coco Before Chanel. Since I have been reading so heavily in the area of the environment and the impact large industrial farms are having on communities none of the information in Food, Inc. was particularly new. For those who have not been investigating this issue, the movie may have a profound impact on the way you purchase your food. Every piece of evidence points to the need to support local farmers, especially those who use more traditional farming methods, organic processes and minimal shipping. The major problem with this approach is that buying organic and locally grown is still a luxury for those who have money, not something that everyone can afford. Someday, I hope documentaries like this will change the system enough so that everyone can have equal access to the most healthy foods.

Coco Before Chanel was not a particularly in-depth treatment of Coco Chanel's life during her teens and early twenties but I did like it. Since I didn't know anything about her, I enjoyed the biographical details and the slice-of-life depictions of France during that time period.

I took time off this week to watch some movies only showing during the day and managed to catch the last four still in the theaters. Invictus is the story of how Nelson Mandela used rugby to try to take the first steps to uniting South Africa after the fall of apartheid. The elements of a good underdog sports story are all there and done well but for me, the most fascinating parts of the movie are those that showed Nelson Mandela's struggles as president. Besides, I could watch Morgan Freeman eat soup and still be charmed and entertained. Also, Matt Damon was the character to such an extent that for a good part of the movie I thought he was a South African actor who just happened to look like Matt.

I recruited a friend and her daughter to go with me to The Princess and the Frog which turned out to be a typical Disney and I have to admit I was a little disappointed with this effort. The most fun part of the movie was watching my friends daughter dance around to the admittedly catchy musical offerings.

The Last Station is about the last days of the life of Tolstoy and I love the details about the Tolstoyan movement and how it changed in good and bad ways with the addition of zealots. The dynamics between Tolstoy and his wife felt a little overacted but overall it was an interesting movie.

Jeff Bridges has a lot of guts acting in a movie that made him look like a broken down alcoholic country singer and he did a outstanding job with this role. Crazy Heart was very good, which is saying a lot considering my aversion to country music.

On Saturday I finished up the part 2 of the AMC Oscar Showcase.

Up is my choice for best animated feature of the year. It was touching but not overly sentimental, it had great humor and enough action to keep you interested throughout the movie. Pixar did an outstanding job with this movie.

A Serious Man was an odd movie. It started off pretty well portraying a man whose life is falling apart around him but at about the halfway mark it started to drag and by the end, it had completely derailed. Added to that, it never really explained the opening snippet about the dybbuk and what it had to do with the rest of the movie. Any thoughts on that?

The Hurt Locker is my choice to win the Oscar. It is a strong realistic portrayal of what Iraq is really like and what our soldiers are going through over there. I liked that it presented the story in a relatively unbiased way, telling a story and not beating us overhead with a message. I do think it was an elegantly constructed, finely wrought movie.

An Education is a difficult one for me to assess. I disliked the main character immensely and could not get past the fact that he was, for all intents and purposes, a pedophile. It made it very difficult for me to appreciate the technical aspects of the movie. Having said that, it was a fairly typical British movie.

I saw District 9 on DVD so did not stay to see it on the big screen. For the most part, I enjoyed this but I do feel that a little more work and editing would have turned this into one of the great SF classics. It was good but didn't quite reach the outstanding mark. As a side note, it is a bit distressing to realize how universal the theme of humans destroying anything different or profitable to them is in the movie making business.

Free E-Book Friday

2010-03-05T16:38:00.000-06:00

The Book Depository is offering 100's of free e-books as well as many low price paper editions. It's a great way to discover lots of strange and obscure titles and authors.

Progress Report

2010-03-04T19:06:00.004-06:00

As I have started reading for my new award committee I have not yet had a WOW moment resulting in a solid nomination for my committee. This makes me a little sad since other committee members have started nominating books left and right. I have HUGE lists built and I am confident that somewhere on them are some fabulous new titles that are award worthy but I want one now! I just started the new Bernard Cornwell and have high hopes for it. Wish me luck.

On the bright side, I have found some friends to help me pre-screen books so that my huge lists aren't quite so, well, huge. I will be fun to hear what friends think of the books on my list. If I decide to read them, it will also be fun to see how our genre reading tastes match (or don't). At the very least, by the end of the year I should be able to match them up with really great books I know they will love.

Library programming

2010-03-01T18:44:00.004-06:00

The last couple of weeks have been spent monitoring news about the Waldo rapist in order to determine what kinds of community information the library may need to provide to the community. Right now we are working with the police department to put together some self-defense classes but it may take a few weeks since they are currently swamped with requests.

I do understand why women are flocking to the workshops. Having someone lurking in the community who targets and harms women is scary stuff. But while it is good for people to learn how to defend themselves, I really wish that when different groups put together self-defense workshops during the rest of the year they would be as in-demand as they are at the moment. I am sad that it takes such a tragedy to pack the room with attendees.

At the movies....

2010-02-28T14:24:00.005-06:00

Every year, some dear friends get together to watch the Oscars (or more accurately, look at all the sparkly attire and make fun of the fashion disasters.) Although I don't tend to be overly competitive, this addition of a ballot and voting has switched on my competitive OCD and I MUST watch each and every nominee even if all they only were nominated in the Best Song catagory.

So, this weekend I went to the AMC Oscar Showcase. I have been attending these since AMC started doing them and I always have a great time in spite of the hours of sitting that are required. This year, because the Oscars now have 10 nominees, AMC has split the movies between two weekends. Unfortunately, that means that my group of 10+ friends who spent the day with me last year decided not to do it again this year. Luckily a small group still joined me for week #1. Next weekend I will attend alone. (I think)

Avatar was surprising good and in fact, I got a little teary during the tragically romantic parts. The dialog and story were clunky and could have used some work but the cinematography was out-of-this world. Even if you are not a SF geek, I suggest you try to make time to see this one. This just wouldn't be the same on a small screen and the idea that this might change the way movies are made is not as outlandish as I previously thought. This should be a shoo-in for all of the cinematography and special effects Oscar awards.

Up in the Air was an interesting choice for an Oscar nomination. It was the polar opposite of Avatar. The movie is set primarily in airports, hotels and offices and the gray tonality of the film matched George Clooneys characters personality. It was interesting to explore the idea of losing the baggage and people from your life and reducing your life to a suitcase and a hotel room. This would be a good one to rent since this is a movie more about ideas than action and aventure. No big screen theatrics are needed to explore ideas about what makes a life worth living.

Precious was good but exceptionally grim. I had already seen this movie and thought this held up well with a second viewing. It is definitely a movie that celebrates literacy as a way out of an awful situation and made me want to go to Literacy Kansas City to sign up to be a tutor. Realistically, with the part-time job I would have very little time to spend two or three days a week tutoring but someday it will be on my ever expanding to-do wish list.

The Blind Side was not a movie I was looking forward to since I get very grumpy when I have to sit through a movie designed to play on my sympathies in overly sentimental ways but in spite of myself, I was charmed. I would love to have to the courage to take a stranger into my home and immediately treat them like family. This is worth watching for the feel good factor but in my opinion, not really a viable Oscar contender.

Inglourious Basterds is Tarantino at his best. Certainly it was bloody but it entertaining as only he can be. This rewrite of Hitler's WWII felt completely fresh and new and even if it was a work of complete fiction, it was nice to see the Jewish people fight back. Tarantino is not for everyone but if you can stand the violence, it was a spectacular movie.

Other movies I watched this week:

In the Loop - An Office-type movie in a British political setting. I should have liked this better than I did but I ended up getting distracted and wandering off a lot. Maybe it would have played better on the big screen for me.

Bright Star - Romance between poet John Keats and next door neighbor Fanny. Interesting setting and time period but I could not for the life of me see why she would fall for him other than his romantic poetical demeanor. This was directed by the same woman who directed The Piano, another movie with "romantic" elements I failed to appreciate.

The Cove - a scathing diatribe against the dolphin entertainment industry and Japan for encouraging the fishing of dolphins. Not a balanced look, but a passionate one and for anyone who loves animals and finds dolphins appealing, this is a horrifying and radicalizing look at a practice that is deadly for dolphins and humans alike.

Paris 36 - I haven't cared much for any of the more musical offerings this year and this movie was no exception. In spite of the main character's rather sad life, apparently the driving force for the plot, I couldn't bring myself to care that much about the characters or want to know what was going to happen next. I do tend to like French movies but this one just didn't do it for me.

The White Ribbon - my movie watching friend loathed this one but I found it to be oddly compelling. I had originally thought this would be a horror movie but instead it was a study of "man's inhumanity toward man". It was very dark and dour and very, very German. I do wonder if I would have stuck with it if I had been watching it at home on DVD however.

The Young Victoria - I liked this one very much in spite of its rather slow pace. It made me want to find some good biographies on the the couple and find out if the movie accurately represented this rather charming love story.

Free e-book Friday

2010-02-26T21:27:00.000-06:00

From the press release: "The eBook edition of Daniel Blythe’s X Marks the Box: How to Make Politics Work for You, is being given away in its entirety and completely free for three weeks preceding the publication of the print edition."

Go to the author’s site, www.xmarksthebox.co.uk, or Waterstones’ ebooks homepage http://www.waterstones.com/ebooks until March 4th.

Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

2010-02-25T20:21:00.001-06:00

Last night we met for Book Group and discussed Very Valentine: A Novel. Well, mostly we gossiped but we did discuss the book for a few minutes.

Very Valentine is the story of an Italian American 30-something named Valentine, who has moved in with her Grandmother so she can learn the custom shoe industry from her. At around the time she meets a good looking Italian boy she learns that the family shoe business is in deep financial trouble. Trying to save the company puts strain on all of her relationships and she must try to decide what is truly important to her. This is very much a Chick-Lit title with more focus on the main character growing as a person than on her romances.

During the discussion, there was some unhappiness with the relationship between Valentine and her boyfriend, especially from the attendees who are romance readers. However, learning that this is the first in a trilogy did seem to make a difference to a few of the people who expressed this frustration. Others found the not-so-perfect relationship to be very typical of the modern dating world and felt it contributed to the style and pacing of the story. One person thought there was too much focus on the back story and family dynamics. Everyone agreed that her relationship with her Grandmother was the strongest part of the book and very charming.

I personally enjoyed this novel very much. I liked the dynamics with her family and co-workers much more than I did the sections about her budding relationship. I love novels in which the character or characters build their own family (especially when they throw in a couple of quirky characters.) I will definitely be checking out the second in the series, Brava, Valentine: A Novel which came out February 9, 2010.

Book Club

2010-02-24T22:13:00.003-06:00

The newest book club I belong to is a "Martini" Book club. This usually means we are more interested in the martini than the book (Very Valentine in case you are interested.)

I couldn't make the martini I selected because there is a suspicious lack of lychee liquor in Kansas so I took the liquor store workers advice and made a Full Moon Martini, consisting of equal parts Grand Marnier and Amaretto with a healthy blast of lime. It was okay but not spectacular. My favorites are still the citrus martinis like the Key Lime Martini or the Lemon Drop Martini which is why I was so excited about the Lychee Martini. I should have looked at a few more recipes and I would have found I could use Lychee juice instead for the Martini.

The food, on the other hand was very good. I decided since the book was partially set in Italy I would have some good Italian olives, marinated mozzerella, and bruschetta. At the last minute I because fascinated with this blog and decided I simply must try the Crock-Pot Baked Brie. I will definitely be making this again. It was easy and really, really good.

Happiest Cities

2010-02-23T18:44:00.000-06:00

I have been hearing about Kansas City not doing well in this survey. It's good to know we don't come in at the bottom of the list.

The 10 happiest cities are:

1. Boulder, CO
2. Holland-Grand Haven, MI
3. Honolulu, HI
4. Provo-Orem, UT
5. Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
6. Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA
7. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
8. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
9. Ogden-Clearfield, UT
10. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA

... and the 10 unhappiest cities are:

153. Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL
154. Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
155. Shreveport-Bossier City, LA
156. Evansville, IN-KY
157. Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
158. Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA
159. Flint, MI
160. Charleston, WV
161. Modesto, CA
162. Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
From USA TODAY

In Over My Head

2010-02-22T20:01:00.001-06:00

books in a stack (a stack of books)
Originally uploaded by austinevan.

In my excitement to get started with my new committee I may (or may not) have submitted 36 suggestions to read for the month of February. You would think that this would teach me to be a little more judicious in my choices for March....but you would be wrong. For next month (so far) I have compiled a list of 78 titles. If I keep up this pace I will have to quit both jobs and stay home to read which is clearly an unworkable plan. Therefore, I am going with Plan B which involves recruiting friends topre-screen some of the titles on my list. I already have a few victim....I mean, volunteers lined up.

Anyone else interested in reading some books and giving me your opinion?

Oscar Short Films

2010-02-21T14:10:00.003-06:00

This weekend I went to the Tivoli for the 2010 Short Film Oscar showcase.

Here is my favorite animated short film:

My favorite live action short film was The Door (not a happy film). My friend almost fell out of her chair laughing at Instead of Abracadabra. Sadly, neither of these are online right now but you can download them from iTunes.

The next night I went to A Single Man and Nine. I really liked A Single Man, a story about a man distraught about the loss of his beloved partner, even though I ended up teary most of the way through the movie. Nine, on the other hand, was tedious. Maybe it was because I was a woman, the plot, man thinking about all of the women in his life and realizing he was messing them all up, was not at all to my taste.

Free E-Book Friday

2010-02-19T16:10:00.000-06:00

Science Fiction authors are always the first to see the possibilities of offering free literature online. This weeks offering is from a website called Free Speculative Fiction Online http://www.freesfonline.de/. I hope you find a story or two to read and enjoy.

My Favorite Things

2010-02-18T19:30:00.008-06:00

So I lied. I told you that I would be reading the book, Crawl Space, last night but at the last minute this book came in. I LOVE Connie Willis novels and her newest is a continuation of one of my favorite time travel books, To Say Nothing of the Dog: Or How We Found The Bishop's Bird Stump at Last. Between dipping into this book and going to see the movie The Young Victoria, (for my Oscar movie watching marathon) I did not end up reading Crawl Space. I am sure it is a lovely book, but dude, it just can't compete with time travel.

And it starts again....

2010-02-17T14:48:00.002-06:00

I just turned in my first suggestion list (40+ books) for the new book award committee and ordered them all from the library. Now I present you with the first book I will be reading for the new award....

What I Am Working On

2010-02-15T12:35:00.000-06:00

I spent most of last week working on a new Readers Advisory training plan for my staff. Readers Advisory, for those who don't know, is the ability to suggest books that a reader will enjoy (NOT what you think they should be reading) and it is one of my favorite library related things to do. There is more to it than that but you get the idea. Every month my staff will meet to discuss different genres of books. Our first session will be an organizational meeting and then we will jump right in and start with mysteries. During the second meeting we will explore useful tools and discuss the appeal factors of our first genre and then we will have a discussion on a book that the entire group reads together. For the third session each person will pick a book from a different sub-genre and do a short review and book talk. We will continue with the training until all the genres are covered....and then we will start over again.

The beauty of this new plan is that the basic structure of it was a gift from a librarian at the St Louis County Library. Two of the book lists were gifts from library friends on a Listserv. After consulting a Genre studies book, I contacted the author (another librarian) and got some tips from her. The collaboration among libraries is only one of the many reasons I love being a librarian.

Valentine's Day Love

2010-02-14T14:17:00.019-06:00

Public Service Announcement. It is important to know that pink hearts are the rejects of the candy heart world. Show them a little love and pick a pink heart next time you indulge.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! This morning a friend sent out the following tweet: "RT @kst8ter76 Was just discussing with a friend the tragedy of people not knowing how important they are to others. For V-day lets #spreadlove" To honor this idea, over the next few months I am going to attempt to highlight some of the special people in my life.

In a past post I have mentioned how important the blogger community has become during the past two years. One of the couples I met shortly after I started attending the blogger meet-ups was a couple named Bea and Logtar who have are now a big part of my life. They are two of the most loving, generous, positive people I have ever met and to know them is to love them. (Plus, Bea loved books which made me predisposed to love her.) Several months ago, they broke the blogger community's collective hearts by moving to Chicago. I know it was a wonderful opportunity for them but we all miss their exuberance and joy. Luckily, they also miss us and come back to visit as a special Valentine's Day treat. Their visit made my weekend special. Photo of Bea and Logtar courtesy Average Jane

So Many Books, So Little Time: A Lifetime Spent Reading

Committees

The 2012 List

Adrenaline

Read-Alikes

Short List

Fantasy

Read-Alikes

Short List

Historical Fiction

Read-Alikes

Short List

Horror

Read-Alikes

Short List

Mystery

Read-Alikes

Short List

Romance

Read-Alikes

Short List

Science Fiction

Read-Alikes

Short List

Women’s Fiction

Read-Alikes

Short List

Blogging

A Year of Skippyjon Jones

Help with Horror!

Blowback: The Fifth of the Enzo Files by Peter May

Midnight Movie by Tobe Hooper and Alan Goldsher

You Are Too Old to Wear That!

Exclusively Yours

My latest E-Read Reviews

Beetlejuice

Life Changes....Damn It!

Animal Rescue Alliance

Romance Genre Study

Spring Cleaning

Kitten playing fetch

New Foster Kittens

Unveiled by Courtney Milan

Another "Best of" list I did for work

Foster Kitten News

The Reading List Press Release

* My personal favorites

The Reading List

The 2011 List

.style2 { color: rgb(2, 47, 89); } Adrenaline

Read-Alikes

Short List

.style2 { color: rgb(2, 47, 89); } Fantasy

Read-Alikes

Short List

.style2 { color: rgb(2, 47, 89); } Historical Fiction

Read-Alikes

Short List

.style2 { color: rgb(2, 47, 89); } Horror

Read-Alikes

Short List

.style2 { color: rgb(2, 47, 89); } Mystery

Read-Alikes

Short List

.style2 { color: rgb(2, 47, 89); } Romance

Read-Alikes

Short List

.style2 { color: rgb(2, 47, 89); } Science Fiction

Read-Alikes

Short List

.style2 { color: rgb(2, 47, 89); } Women’s Fiction

Read-Alikes

Short List

Historical Fiction

What I have been up to....

Poison: A Novel of the Renaissance by Sara Poole

Another kitten post....

Kittehs!

Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin

At the concert

Adrenaline

Fantasy

Historical Fiction

Horror

Mystery

Romance

Science Fiction

Women’s Fiction