In my current situation of 12-hour days reading is scarce. It's a snatch here, a snatch there, a full-on orgy on the rare weekend I find myself at home. I still intend to read, though, and I still have an undeniable addiction to Stephen King, which is why I was unable to keep myself from buying this book the second I saw it.
I didn't think I was ever going to finish it, though. The first story, "1922", was difficult. It was so slooooowwwwww. I could only manage a few pages at a time before I'd start itching to do something more interesting. But I made it through, and was rewarded for my efforts by the other 3 stories. I devoured the other three rather quickly compared to the first. The following is just flat-out spoilers, so consider yourself warned.
In "1922" a farmer kills his wife, convincing his son to help, and you as the reader will understand why. You might not agree with him, but you'll understand. She straight up haunts his ass with an army of rat minions, anyway, so he gets his. Very creepy.
"Big Driver" Woman gets raped. Woman seeks revenge. Woman triumphs. Kinda. Emotionally I'm sure there are ramifications. You ever notice how King uses certain tropes in nearly every book/short story he's ever written? This story relies heavily on the "main character has conversations with voices in her head/inanimate objects" one. O HEY wanna point out I'm not complaining--I like these (okay, USUALLY I like these. I will admit that sometimes I can't stop myself from listing all the similarities as I'm reading). In this one, she talks to her cat and to her Tom Tom.
"Fair Extension" Imagine meeting a guy (perhaps the devil) who will give you something, or alleviate some hardship, and instead of your soul you have to pick someone to take your problem. The guy (last name "Elvid", lol) says he doesn't want a soul. I think he called it a weak, dusty thing. Maybe. I'm not looking it up, but he says it's basically worthless. Anyway, he claims he doesn't want it, but I think he gets it anyway. The main character in this story certainly seemed to enjoy his friends horribly long run of bad luck way too much to still retain a soul, if there is such a thing. If he had one to begin with.
"A Good Marriage" You find out a horrible secret about someone very close to you. You love them. They have been lying to you. They are a monster. What do you do? Easy answer is turn them in. But how will that affect you? Your other loved ones? Do you want to be the Monster Lover? In the words of the great thespian Keanu Reeves "What do you do? What do you DO??" Darcy does. Darcy does pretty good.
Something else I've read bits of over the past few weeks is "The Skeleton Crew". My wonderful friend bought me the paperback, because I had requested it, but for reasons that I no longer remember. I know there's a story in there that I just had to reread, very important to me at the time. But hell if I can tell what it is now. So in between other stuff (and before I bought Full Dark) I'll pick it up and page through a story or two. I'm enjoying reading it again, at least.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Books I Have Started and Will Probably Never Finish
Kingdom of Fear, by Hunter S. Thompson
It's the first I've ever tried by Thompson, and I'd still like to try to read one of his earlier books just to see if this last one isn't the product of senility and maybe he is actually a pretty good writer. Dude can't stay on topic! Every passage devolves into complaining about the state of the world. Also, just to point something out to a dead man who even living would never have read my blog: dude, your book is 7 years old, and we're still going. So your predictions of horror haven't really panned out, have they?
Seven Types of Ambiguity, by Elliot Perlman
The premise is good, but I can't even make it through the first character's version of events.
Naughty Neighbor, by Janet Evanovich
Loved her Stephanie Plum audiobooks, but holy shit this narrator is annoying. I hate the inflection she puts on every other sentence. Wish I could describe it accurately.
What I have been reading: Skeleton Crew, by Stephen King
I just jump around the short stories at different times. King never fails me.
Speaking of King, Thanks to Wendy the Wonder Librarian I had an opportunity to read his short story UR, that is only available on the Kindle. What's cool is that King can write what sounds a lot like a sales pitch for a Kindle, but make it interesting. Reading the phrase "low men in yellow coats" again was freaking AWESOME. I love how he connects shit. FUCKING LOVE IT!
It's the first I've ever tried by Thompson, and I'd still like to try to read one of his earlier books just to see if this last one isn't the product of senility and maybe he is actually a pretty good writer. Dude can't stay on topic! Every passage devolves into complaining about the state of the world. Also, just to point something out to a dead man who even living would never have read my blog: dude, your book is 7 years old, and we're still going. So your predictions of horror haven't really panned out, have they?
Seven Types of Ambiguity, by Elliot Perlman
The premise is good, but I can't even make it through the first character's version of events.
Naughty Neighbor, by Janet Evanovich
Loved her Stephanie Plum audiobooks, but holy shit this narrator is annoying. I hate the inflection she puts on every other sentence. Wish I could describe it accurately.
What I have been reading: Skeleton Crew, by Stephen King
I just jump around the short stories at different times. King never fails me.
Speaking of King, Thanks to Wendy the Wonder Librarian I had an opportunity to read his short story UR, that is only available on the Kindle. What's cool is that King can write what sounds a lot like a sales pitch for a Kindle, but make it interesting. Reading the phrase "low men in yellow coats" again was freaking AWESOME. I love how he connects shit. FUCKING LOVE IT!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Books on Tape Yay!
Janet Evanovich writes these little goofy books, and I love them on CD.
Stephanie Plum has a freaking wacky-ass circle of friends and family. They can be slightly annoying sometimes (I have a love-hate relationship with both Lula and Grandma Mazur).
But they're quick, fun, little stories to listen to between jobs.
Also, got like zero time to blog. Barely time to read. Also not that into the books I've found recently.
Stephanie Plum has a freaking wacky-ass circle of friends and family. They can be slightly annoying sometimes (I have a love-hate relationship with both Lula and Grandma Mazur).
But they're quick, fun, little stories to listen to between jobs.
Also, got like zero time to blog. Barely time to read. Also not that into the books I've found recently.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The Mockingjay. THE EMM-EFFIN' MOCKINGJAY!!!!!!! by Suzanne Collins
Wow, Suzanne Collins has ripped me a new one. She is fucking great. I love how dark this one got, and how treacherous everyone was. I loved all the emotion this book made me feel! I finished it last night with tears in my eyes! I want to be the Mockingjay, only without all the death and horribleness that Katniss goes through.....I think basically I want mad bow skills and a kick-ass costume.
I'm not giving anything in this book away, in the hopes that in a few years I totally forget what it's about and then I can read it all over again.
I'm not giving anything in this book away, in the hopes that in a few years I totally forget what it's about and then I can read it all over again.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Wench, by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
It's about a group of slave women who spend their summers accompanying their white masters to a resort in Ohio. I think it's Ohio. I know that it's up North.
Lizzie is the main character, and I didn't like her. What happened to Mawu was her fault--fucking twice! She gets Mawu hurt twice, because Mawu and the other slaves have way more faith in Lizzie than she deserves. Aside from Lizzie's stupidity, I liked the book. You can tell I'm not in love with it, though, or there'd be 12 more paragraphs to this post.
Lizzie is the main character, and I didn't like her. What happened to Mawu was her fault--fucking twice! She gets Mawu hurt twice, because Mawu and the other slaves have way more faith in Lizzie than she deserves. Aside from Lizzie's stupidity, I liked the book. You can tell I'm not in love with it, though, or there'd be 12 more paragraphs to this post.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Lying Awake with T.S. Spivet
Lying Awake, by Mark Salzman
Ok, first of all--dude. Look at that picture over there. Go ahead and google this book, find a bigger version. Does it scare you, a little? Am I the only one who is disconcerted that we can't see her legs? GHOST NUN! GHOST NUN!
So anyway, that as my first reaction to the book, and I thought I'd mention it.
ON TO THE WORDS!
Not my kind of book, but not bad. When filtered through my jaded and sarcastic mind all the shit I learned about nun-hood in this tome seemed kinda hokey, but that was just me. I really appreciated the nun's inner struggle about her faith. That is what drew me in to this book, and what kept me in.
However, any enthusiasm I had for writing a blog post about it disappeared when I started reading the next book, which is so awesome it outshines "Lying Awake" completely. I really should write the blog post BEFORE I start another book. . .
Anyhow!!!!
The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet, by Reif Larsen
OMG SO GOOD!
I like extras. And books rarely come with extras. "Selected Works" has extras GALORE!!! Because T. S. is a mapmaker (and did you know that you could draw maps of anything? You can make a map of how your sister shucks corn, or the circulatory system of a beetle, ANYTHING! SKY IS THE LIMIT!!!! Actually, that's not even correct, because I bet T. S. could map Heaven if he wanted to). So, got off on a tangent; T. S. is a mapmaker, and he fills the margins with illustrations, and they are simply awesome.
Also, because it's been a few days since I finished it, and my enthusiasm has slightly dissipated, I am going to be very lazy and transcribe a series of notes I made on a junk mail postcard I was using as a bookmark. I made these notes while in the waiting room(s) of a day surgery suite, waiting on the VA to finish with my father so that we could finally go home. I am VERY THANKFUL that I brought this book with me, because it turned a horrible wait into a slightly less horrible experience. Note: I will be putting my thoughts and reasons behind the notes on the postcard in bold.
p. 36, last paragraph. I love T. S.'s thoughts on reading fiction.
p. 87 Sorry for what I did. . . This is what he says to his dead brother's room. At this point I realized that T. S. is just a kid, and that just like in "Special Topics in Calamity Physics" the narrator is not exactly trustworthy here. He is capable of hiding things from me, and everything he tells me has to be filtered through his very intelligent and yet still 12-year-old mind.
p. 139 "snagged on the baleen of my recall" -- look up. Baleen or whalebone is a filtering structure in the mouth of most whales, which they use to feed by sieving small animals from large mouthfuls of seawater.
p. 199 "I am not a reading nerd." He is explaining how he doesn't spend the entire trip reading--and I've spent nearly the entire wait today reading, at least from 36 on. I can't remember exactly where I stopped reading, but I know it was at least the beginning of Chapter 12 (p. 303).
p. 265 Holy crap T. S. just stabbed a guy!!! Very exciting passage. Also very strange. What T. S. says about reading--being in a state of belief and non-belief at the same time? This pushed me a little out of the balance for a bit.
Don't forget to mention that weird foray into the nothingness on the train. Oh yeah, this happens before the stabbing--T. S. wakes up and looks out the windows and he is nowhere. Pretty pretty weird. There is a very slight explanation later on, but the author doesn't give us any concrete answers. He does this in such a way that I'm not mad at him, though.
Book's got several sections--real, surreal, a book within a book, and basically some incredibly strange shit. This is not the same book I was reading a hundred pages or so ago. In the middle of the train ride T. S. starts reading one of his mother's notebooks (he stole it before he left, he doesn't really know why). Instead of containing research on beetles (what she's been working on for like 20 years) it's the story of his great-great-great grandmother--the first female geologist--who quits her job on an expedition west, falls in love with the very first Tecumseh Spivet, and quits science. That's the "book within a book". It's a very good book, but T. S. and I were both confused as to why she tried to write it. Also, it's unfinished. She never gets around to why the chick quit science. We think it's because she can't explain her own marriage to a man so different from her.
It is around the time that he reaches DC that I start to think perhaps he died sometime back there. DC is not what he expects, and the adults he encounters don't exactly react to him in the way that I would like. It's less like I think he died and more that I kinda hope he died, and that he's not actually experiencing all of this after all. He gets to the Smithsonian, finally, and he becomes their poster-child; he is used by them. We both began to wish for his mother, his sister, his ranch, and even his silent and removed father. SIDE NOTE: his father ridicules his maps when he tries to help after the brother dies, and I totally teared up. His father is an asshole. END SIDE NOTE. The Megatheriums? And their plot? Seriously? The book took another turn. And they knew about the stabbing and the sparrows that showed up immediately after? FUCKING HOW???
That's the end of the notes. Honestly, if my address wasn't on this card I would have just scanned it in. This turned out longer than I'd planned.
For the record, he didn't die. And his father redeems himself. And you realize that the two adults he had most trusted were lying to him, but I think he's going to be ok with it.
What I haven't mentioned yet but what I think is awesome--he jumps a train across country, but gets lucky in that his train is transporting at least one Winnebago, and so he spends the trip in relative comfort. Also, the Winnebago talks to him. (He and I both know that he is supplying the words, but it's still a nice touch in the story.)
OH NOES, ENTHUSIASM SUDDENLY RETURNING!!!!
You must all read this book! And you must love it! Because I say so! SO TO MY ONE REGULAR BLOG READER, AND TO MY SOMETIMES MAYBE BLOG READER THAT I'M NOT SURE ABOUT, AND EVEN YOU SPAMMERS IN CHINA--READ IT! AND TELL ME HOW MUCH YOU LOVED IT! I COMMAND YOU!!!
Chinese spammers: if you manage to post a comment on this blog post that even KIND OF mentions this book I WILL ALLOW IT TO STAY!!! Even if you link to porn!!! THAT IS HOW COMMITTED I AM TO THIS BOOK!
Ok, first of all--dude. Look at that picture over there. Go ahead and google this book, find a bigger version. Does it scare you, a little? Am I the only one who is disconcerted that we can't see her legs? GHOST NUN! GHOST NUN!
So anyway, that as my first reaction to the book, and I thought I'd mention it.
ON TO THE WORDS!
Not my kind of book, but not bad. When filtered through my jaded and sarcastic mind all the shit I learned about nun-hood in this tome seemed kinda hokey, but that was just me. I really appreciated the nun's inner struggle about her faith. That is what drew me in to this book, and what kept me in.
However, any enthusiasm I had for writing a blog post about it disappeared when I started reading the next book, which is so awesome it outshines "Lying Awake" completely. I really should write the blog post BEFORE I start another book. . .
Anyhow!!!!
The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet, by Reif Larsen
OMG SO GOOD!
I like extras. And books rarely come with extras. "Selected Works" has extras GALORE!!! Because T. S. is a mapmaker (and did you know that you could draw maps of anything? You can make a map of how your sister shucks corn, or the circulatory system of a beetle, ANYTHING! SKY IS THE LIMIT!!!! Actually, that's not even correct, because I bet T. S. could map Heaven if he wanted to). So, got off on a tangent; T. S. is a mapmaker, and he fills the margins with illustrations, and they are simply awesome.
Also, because it's been a few days since I finished it, and my enthusiasm has slightly dissipated, I am going to be very lazy and transcribe a series of notes I made on a junk mail postcard I was using as a bookmark. I made these notes while in the waiting room(s) of a day surgery suite, waiting on the VA to finish with my father so that we could finally go home. I am VERY THANKFUL that I brought this book with me, because it turned a horrible wait into a slightly less horrible experience. Note: I will be putting my thoughts and reasons behind the notes on the postcard in bold.
p. 36, last paragraph. I love T. S.'s thoughts on reading fiction.
"A novel is a tricky thing to map. At times the invented landscape provided me shelter from the burdens of having to chart the real world in its entirety. But this escapism was always tempered by a certain emptiness: I knew I was deceiving myself through a work of fiction. Perhaps balancing the joys of escapism with the awareness of deception is the whole point of why we read novels, but I was never able to successfully manage this simultaneous suspension of the real and the fictive. Maybe you just needed to be an adult in order to perform this high-wire act of believing and non-believing at the same time."p. 79--list of things to pack. It's hilarious--Underwear galore! Other things that you wear! You really need to read this for yourself. I laughed. Out loud. In public.
p. 87 Sorry for what I did. . . This is what he says to his dead brother's room. At this point I realized that T. S. is just a kid, and that just like in "Special Topics in Calamity Physics" the narrator is not exactly trustworthy here. He is capable of hiding things from me, and everything he tells me has to be filtered through his very intelligent and yet still 12-year-old mind.
p. 139 "snagged on the baleen of my recall" -- look up. Baleen or whalebone is a filtering structure in the mouth of most whales, which they use to feed by sieving small animals from large mouthfuls of seawater.
p. 199 "I am not a reading nerd." He is explaining how he doesn't spend the entire trip reading--and I've spent nearly the entire wait today reading, at least from 36 on. I can't remember exactly where I stopped reading, but I know it was at least the beginning of Chapter 12 (p. 303).
p. 265 Holy crap T. S. just stabbed a guy!!! Very exciting passage. Also very strange. What T. S. says about reading--being in a state of belief and non-belief at the same time? This pushed me a little out of the balance for a bit.
Don't forget to mention that weird foray into the nothingness on the train. Oh yeah, this happens before the stabbing--T. S. wakes up and looks out the windows and he is nowhere. Pretty pretty weird. There is a very slight explanation later on, but the author doesn't give us any concrete answers. He does this in such a way that I'm not mad at him, though.
Book's got several sections--real, surreal, a book within a book, and basically some incredibly strange shit. This is not the same book I was reading a hundred pages or so ago. In the middle of the train ride T. S. starts reading one of his mother's notebooks (he stole it before he left, he doesn't really know why). Instead of containing research on beetles (what she's been working on for like 20 years) it's the story of his great-great-great grandmother--the first female geologist--who quits her job on an expedition west, falls in love with the very first Tecumseh Spivet, and quits science. That's the "book within a book". It's a very good book, but T. S. and I were both confused as to why she tried to write it. Also, it's unfinished. She never gets around to why the chick quit science. We think it's because she can't explain her own marriage to a man so different from her.
It is around the time that he reaches DC that I start to think perhaps he died sometime back there. DC is not what he expects, and the adults he encounters don't exactly react to him in the way that I would like. It's less like I think he died and more that I kinda hope he died, and that he's not actually experiencing all of this after all. He gets to the Smithsonian, finally, and he becomes their poster-child; he is used by them. We both began to wish for his mother, his sister, his ranch, and even his silent and removed father. SIDE NOTE: his father ridicules his maps when he tries to help after the brother dies, and I totally teared up. His father is an asshole. END SIDE NOTE. The Megatheriums? And their plot? Seriously? The book took another turn. And they knew about the stabbing and the sparrows that showed up immediately after? FUCKING HOW???
That's the end of the notes. Honestly, if my address wasn't on this card I would have just scanned it in. This turned out longer than I'd planned.
For the record, he didn't die. And his father redeems himself. And you realize that the two adults he had most trusted were lying to him, but I think he's going to be ok with it.
What I haven't mentioned yet but what I think is awesome--he jumps a train across country, but gets lucky in that his train is transporting at least one Winnebago, and so he spends the trip in relative comfort. Also, the Winnebago talks to him. (He and I both know that he is supplying the words, but it's still a nice touch in the story.)
OH NOES, ENTHUSIASM SUDDENLY RETURNING!!!!
You must all read this book! And you must love it! Because I say so! SO TO MY ONE REGULAR BLOG READER, AND TO MY SOMETIMES MAYBE BLOG READER THAT I'M NOT SURE ABOUT, AND EVEN YOU SPAMMERS IN CHINA--READ IT! AND TELL ME HOW MUCH YOU LOVED IT! I COMMAND YOU!!!
Chinese spammers: if you manage to post a comment on this blog post that even KIND OF mentions this book I WILL ALLOW IT TO STAY!!! Even if you link to porn!!! THAT IS HOW COMMITTED I AM TO THIS BOOK!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Special Topics
I don't have a new car book yet, so I'm just redoing Special Topics, and guess what?
What if Andreo Verduga is the Greek's son? It could happen. And I'm not even sure the dude speaks Spanish--he didn't respond to anything Blue said to him, and dude was in pain, I think he would have reverted back to his native tongue in that situation. Later on Blue's father brings up the Greek's son, b/c he's the one kid who's not a genius or president of the UN or whatever (also possibly the only child who is actually real), and mentioning him lets the wind out of the Greek's sails a little. Remember what Blue said--the kid had dropped out of a college somewhere in Latin America? It's possible the entire lawn boy thing was a cover, and Gareth was supposed to assist Andreo with his next hit, or keep an eye on him or something.
What if Andreo Verduga is the Greek's son? It could happen. And I'm not even sure the dude speaks Spanish--he didn't respond to anything Blue said to him, and dude was in pain, I think he would have reverted back to his native tongue in that situation. Later on Blue's father brings up the Greek's son, b/c he's the one kid who's not a genius or president of the UN or whatever (also possibly the only child who is actually real), and mentioning him lets the wind out of the Greek's sails a little. Remember what Blue said--the kid had dropped out of a college somewhere in Latin America? It's possible the entire lawn boy thing was a cover, and Gareth was supposed to assist Andreo with his next hit, or keep an eye on him or something.
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, by Aimee Bender
Just going to jump right in:
Poor Rose. Her mother's preference for her brother is so obvious, and Rose handles it way better than some kids, unless being able to taste emotions in food is some sort of psychosis born from being unloved.
At first I thought the brother was autistic, or at least had Asperger's syndrome, but nah, dude's just "magic" as well, but in a different, apparently more drastic, way.
The mother is delusional, depressed, and a total fucking crackpot. She elevates her son to deity status minutes after the poor boy is born. Quote from the book: I knew, Mom said, that he would guide me. He is minutes old, lady! He's not guiding you anywhere, he's just trying to focus on your face right now and make sense of all these new sounds and shit! Although, perhaps she really could see some sort of wisdom or something in his eyes that came from the specialness of being his father's son.
At dinner one night Wonderboy decides to eat with his eyes closed after Rose dares to attempt eye contact, and the mom (rather gheyly) thinks he's trying to experience the food...deeper or something, and copies him. I swear I could have smacked her.
The dad is a robot, pretty much. Totally rebuffs his daughter's attempts at closeness. Another reason I feel sorry for her.
I really like the way Rose unveils the knowledge of her mom's affair, though, to the boyfriend and then later her mom. She does it so calm and off-hand, and totally badass.
Also, here's something weird about ME: Rose can taste emotions--yeah, I'm all for that. Very interesting character trait, and I'm on board to see how this works out for her. Then her brother can disappear and "become" objects (or whatever it is that he does) and I immediately get all NUH-UH! This is totally ridiculuous! This book is stupid. Stupid, dumb book with its retarded premise. HARRUMPH. Oh, the grandpa had a power, too? And the Dad, maybe probably? I am totally back on board!
One special character: yes.
Two special characters: FUCKING RETARDED.
But a family of special characters: back to yes.
I think that I may, in fact, be a dork.
Aimee Bender, through Rose, gives a very good explanation for the brother's disappearance--I loved that part--but she fails to explain where the specialness comes from, and I am a reader that MUST KNOW EVERYTHING!!! That is my one and only complaint with this book. Wait, my one of my two and only complaints--the mother is my other complaint. What a silly woman.
I am currently reading a book about a nun who has these experiences of God's love that may actually be caused by a small tumor, and when her doctor is explaining epilepsy to her I saw a correlation between these two very different books--what if epilepsy runs in this family? The doctor uses an example of one of his previous patients, who swore she could smell people's emotions. This IS a work of fiction, so the author could have, and very well may have, made that entire example up, but what if he didn't? What if it's entirely possible that whole areas of our brains are capable of "magical" things and sometimes a seizure or tumor can set them off? (I want to mention that I drew this conclusion because Rose's grandfather could smell the goodness in people, and that's what made me start thinking about it.)
Poor Rose. Her mother's preference for her brother is so obvious, and Rose handles it way better than some kids, unless being able to taste emotions in food is some sort of psychosis born from being unloved.
At first I thought the brother was autistic, or at least had Asperger's syndrome, but nah, dude's just "magic" as well, but in a different, apparently more drastic, way.
The mother is delusional, depressed, and a total fucking crackpot. She elevates her son to deity status minutes after the poor boy is born. Quote from the book: I knew, Mom said, that he would guide me. He is minutes old, lady! He's not guiding you anywhere, he's just trying to focus on your face right now and make sense of all these new sounds and shit! Although, perhaps she really could see some sort of wisdom or something in his eyes that came from the specialness of being his father's son.
At dinner one night Wonderboy decides to eat with his eyes closed after Rose dares to attempt eye contact, and the mom (rather gheyly) thinks he's trying to experience the food...deeper or something, and copies him. I swear I could have smacked her.
The dad is a robot, pretty much. Totally rebuffs his daughter's attempts at closeness. Another reason I feel sorry for her.
I really like the way Rose unveils the knowledge of her mom's affair, though, to the boyfriend and then later her mom. She does it so calm and off-hand, and totally badass.
Also, here's something weird about ME: Rose can taste emotions--yeah, I'm all for that. Very interesting character trait, and I'm on board to see how this works out for her. Then her brother can disappear and "become" objects (or whatever it is that he does) and I immediately get all NUH-UH! This is totally ridiculuous! This book is stupid. Stupid, dumb book with its retarded premise. HARRUMPH. Oh, the grandpa had a power, too? And the Dad, maybe probably? I am totally back on board!
One special character: yes.
Two special characters: FUCKING RETARDED.
But a family of special characters: back to yes.
I think that I may, in fact, be a dork.
Aimee Bender, through Rose, gives a very good explanation for the brother's disappearance--I loved that part--but she fails to explain where the specialness comes from, and I am a reader that MUST KNOW EVERYTHING!!! That is my one and only complaint with this book. Wait, my one of my two and only complaints--the mother is my other complaint. What a silly woman.
I am currently reading a book about a nun who has these experiences of God's love that may actually be caused by a small tumor, and when her doctor is explaining epilepsy to her I saw a correlation between these two very different books--what if epilepsy runs in this family? The doctor uses an example of one of his previous patients, who swore she could smell people's emotions. This IS a work of fiction, so the author could have, and very well may have, made that entire example up, but what if he didn't? What if it's entirely possible that whole areas of our brains are capable of "magical" things and sometimes a seizure or tumor can set them off? (I want to mention that I drew this conclusion because Rose's grandfather could smell the goodness in people, and that's what made me start thinking about it.)
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tell Me Where It Hurts, by Dr. Nick Trout
I'm sorry, Dr. Trout. I liked this book, I really did! However, you're not a very good writer. Again, sorry.
You try really, really hard, and I find that COMMENDABLE! Sometimes, though, too hard. Sometimes the jokes were a little contrived. But, I could totally see what you were going for, so I TOTALLY appreciated the effort.
Also, although I thoroughly enjoyed all the stories about animals that you've treated, by the end of the book I had trouble keeping them all straight. I wish that instead of writing this as if it's one typical day in your life as a vet, with repeated flashbacks to other animals in addition to the ones you treated during this "day", that instead you had just started on one animal and stayed on that animal until his/her story was finished. Near the end you "run into" another doctor and her recently deceased patient, and she tells you that the owner had finally consented to euthanasia, and I had NO IDEA who she was talking about. It wasn't until I was discussing this point in Book Club this morning that I finally remembered "Ohhhh! That dog!"
And the statistical information--while interesting and informative--drew away from the rest of the book. I admit that halfway through the book I was merely skimming these passages.
I want to stress that I like this book. And, I want to point out that this book made me extra-aware of how much I love my dog, and sometimes I'd scratch her ears and noogie her head and think very seriously about laying down in the driveway with her and giving her belly rubs, even though she smells like a cesspool (not my fault, she LOVES stagnant water and I can't afford a fence).
You try really, really hard, and I find that COMMENDABLE! Sometimes, though, too hard. Sometimes the jokes were a little contrived. But, I could totally see what you were going for, so I TOTALLY appreciated the effort.
Also, although I thoroughly enjoyed all the stories about animals that you've treated, by the end of the book I had trouble keeping them all straight. I wish that instead of writing this as if it's one typical day in your life as a vet, with repeated flashbacks to other animals in addition to the ones you treated during this "day", that instead you had just started on one animal and stayed on that animal until his/her story was finished. Near the end you "run into" another doctor and her recently deceased patient, and she tells you that the owner had finally consented to euthanasia, and I had NO IDEA who she was talking about. It wasn't until I was discussing this point in Book Club this morning that I finally remembered "Ohhhh! That dog!"
And the statistical information--while interesting and informative--drew away from the rest of the book. I admit that halfway through the book I was merely skimming these passages.
I want to stress that I like this book. And, I want to point out that this book made me extra-aware of how much I love my dog, and sometimes I'd scratch her ears and noogie her head and think very seriously about laying down in the driveway with her and giving her belly rubs, even though she smells like a cesspool (not my fault, she LOVES stagnant water and I can't afford a fence).
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Special Topics in Her Perfect Symmetry of Calamity Physics (spoiler heavy)
Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger
This is the same chick who wrote "The Time-Traveler's Wife" but it is TOTALLY different. "Time Traveler" is a love story with some tragedy thrown in. "Symmetry" is more tragedy with some love stories kind of going on in the background. It seems to be a couple of stories, barely connected, going on at the same time. It starts out really good--with the death of Elspeth Noblin, English rare book dealer, cancer sufferer. She dies and her boyfriend, Robert, comes into the hospital room and removes his shoes and lays down with her. He knows she has died, he knows that things need to be done, but he also knows that there is time for that in a little while and right now he just wants to lay there with her. And then it goes to shit, but it takes a WHILE to get there, so you stick with it. By the time you realize your reading a depression it's too late, you're almost done. Might as well finish it now, right? Elspeth is a twin, but she and her sister do not speak (until a few months before her death, when she writes a few letters). She tells Robert that the story is in her diaries, and if he wants she'll leave the diaries to him. She offers him everything, but he doesn't want it (it's quite sweet). So she leaves the rest of her things to her nieces--also twins--under the condition that they cannot sell her apartment until they have lived in it for one year, and their parents are not allowed to enter. OOOH and in a letter to her sister, one of the last she sends before she passes, she mentions something about Edie (the other twin) "living her (Elspeth's) life". So right there you start thinking it's a stolen-boyfriend situation--which is close, but not exactly. However, the parentage of the younger twins (Valentina and Julia) does surprise you later on in the book. MUCH LATER ON b/c effing Robert chooses not to read the diaries until well into the twins' stay in Elspeth's apartment. Robert and Valentina start a sort of relationship, Julia and the upstairs neighbor start a sort of friendship, and Elspeth watches what she can from the afterlife. She doesn't know why, but she is a ghost, confined to her own apartment. It's actually very sweet, but like all things in this book only AT FIRST. Valentina and Julia turn out to be hugely annoying b/c Valentina is afraid of everything and Julia is a bossy bitch. Valentina is desperate to leave Julia (and later comes up with a very stupid idea concerning suicide and rebirth in her own body via ghostism) and Julia is desperate to have Valentina with her forever. Eventually Elspeth becomes strong enough to make her presence known, which is where Valentina gets her idiotic idea. That backfires, possibly owing to Elspeth's selfishness--she jumps into Valentina's body. The plan was for Valentina to go back into her body after everyone thought she was dead, but her spirit was too weak. I think Elspeth knew she'd be too weak and it was her plan all along to become Valentina.
This all muddled, I know, but I have no plan on fixing it. SO WE SHALL RESTART!!! We shall restart by cutting to the chase: Elspeth--in Val's body, alone. Robert--with Elspeth at the beginning of her reincarnation, then disappears--she's kind of a drag. Being dead and then alive has brought out the mopey bitch, I think. Julia--fares way better without Valentina that she thought she could. Might possibly become "normal". Martin--I barely mentioned him above b/c his story, in my opinion, is not really related much to the other shit--he lives happily ever after. Martin is the sweetest part of the book. Valentina--rides a bird in the coolest part of the entire book, which also happens to be the very end.
Special Topics in Calamity Physics, by Marisha Pessl
I'm going to skip a synopsis of any kind and go straight to my theory. I'm just gonna jump right on in there.
Gareth is DEFINITELY Socrates. Thanks to Amazon.com letting me search within the book! While I was trying to find the argument between Gareth and Servo (one of the few pages they wouldn't let me see, turns out) I found where Servo was talking about living in Paris or some shit and he refers to Gareth as "Soc"!!!! Obviously short for Socrates!!! I admit, while I was reading everyone else's theories on other blogs I had mostly come over to the idea of Gareth being in the Night Watchmen, but it wasn't until this passage that I knew it knew it. I'm very happy that I found that passage, b/c it fucking proved something. Everything else I have is just more conjecture. Did Andreo kill Hannah? I think maybe. Blue comes up with some interesting coincidences--such as a prominent businessman's "suicide" that occurs within like an hour of the house they live in when Andreo works for them, and the night Andreo is shot is also the night the man "hung himself" while leaving a pistol with one bullet missing nearby. Totally adds up. But for some of these notions to work you have to remember what another blogger pointed out--MojoMom, I think? I forgot where I read it--Blue is an unreliable narrator. Within the world of this book she is a young girl living a very sheltered life, and she's reporting things to us through the warped haziness of her own memory and experience. So when she says that her father found Andreo by answering an ad in the paper, you have to think she's mistaken about this, that her father possibly lied to her, for the whole Andreo-hitman theory to work. Otherwise, the the reality is that a member of the Night Watchmen actually recruits a murderer by hiring him to cut his lawn first. How do you think that went? Hey, you speak poor English and seem pretty sucky at yard work anyway, how would you feel about joining this kinda-cult I'm in? I don't think we're supposed to EVER know exactly what Andreo's job is at the house, but we can be safely assured it's not yard work. Maybe Blue's protection? Maybe he's Servo's son and Servo needed Gareth to keep an eye on him for a bit? I don't think working there had anything to do with the murder, either. It was within a short drive from the house, but it's not like he needed an alibi or anything--the whole murder was pulled off to look, successfully (or nearly-so to most small-town coppers) like a suicide.
Also, the Andreo sitings--I thought it was Blue's hormones working on her at first, but smelling his cologne at the end there seems very significant. Also significant is the inclusion of him and his smell in the "Final Exam". (Note on the Final Exam--totally hated by a LOT of fans, this one included, but also sneakily informative--otherwise how would we know about Blue's summer with Zack? I wouldn't have gotten the Andreo reminder, either. Oh, and that's also where the wonderful "Gareth Loses Face With Blue" theory comes from! OH CRAP I just re-read the final exam AGAIN, SOME MORE and realized that really? All of my theories are not MY theories. I got them all from the Final Exam. The Exam TELLS ALLL!!!!!! of Blue's theories.)
Ok, so on that note, I shall begin to poke some holes in them MUAHHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!
Not really.
But this! Maybe-seeing Andreo in Wal-Mart near her 16th birthday? And then she finds an unclaimed cart with nothing but the ShiftBush Invisible Gear? And then works that into Hannah's murder? Really? Kinda reaching there, Blue. Not to say he's doesn't need stuff like that all the time; maybe he really does kill that many of the Watchmen's enemies. Hmm. Just makes me wonder.
Ummm, I'm jumping around too much on this. IT'S 17 DISKS, Y'ALL! GEEZE, I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS STORY FOREVER NOW, MY BRAIN IS SHOT! So, uh, Blue's mom was most likley suicide. Hannah most likely partially caused it by sleeping with Gareth (who I have a love/hate thing with [loves his daughter--yay, but very full of himself and cares little about anyone else--not so yay]). The time line Blue comes up with really confuses me. Hannah and Blue's mom are childhood friends, and Hannah had run away at a young age and changed her name--so how did they meet up as adults long enough to Hannah to screw her husband? Was it a HUGE coincidence that Blue's mom just happens to meet, fall in love with, and marry a member of the Night Watchmen, the group that her bestest friend just happened to run away with years before? I haven't worked that out yet. It's like there are things I feel that I KNOW and then things that don't really gel with what I KNOW but that I can't deny just yet.
OH, and I think the group of kids that Hannah mentors, the Blue Bloods, are just bit players in this. I think the real meat of the story goes with Hannah and the Night Watchmen, and the fact that the Blue Bloods occupy nine-tenths of the book is all smoke and mirrors on Pessl's part.
I have decided that since I do not have anything to listen to in my car yet I'm going to start the disks anew, so if I come up with any more theories I'll just post them as they come. Or I'll find a new audiobook and abandon this to the far reaches of my book shelf. Whichever.
This is the same chick who wrote "The Time-Traveler's Wife" but it is TOTALLY different. "Time Traveler" is a love story with some tragedy thrown in. "Symmetry" is more tragedy with some love stories kind of going on in the background. It seems to be a couple of stories, barely connected, going on at the same time. It starts out really good--with the death of Elspeth Noblin, English rare book dealer, cancer sufferer. She dies and her boyfriend, Robert, comes into the hospital room and removes his shoes and lays down with her. He knows she has died, he knows that things need to be done, but he also knows that there is time for that in a little while and right now he just wants to lay there with her. And then it goes to shit, but it takes a WHILE to get there, so you stick with it. By the time you realize your reading a depression it's too late, you're almost done. Might as well finish it now, right? Elspeth is a twin, but she and her sister do not speak (until a few months before her death, when she writes a few letters). She tells Robert that the story is in her diaries, and if he wants she'll leave the diaries to him. She offers him everything, but he doesn't want it (it's quite sweet). So she leaves the rest of her things to her nieces--also twins--under the condition that they cannot sell her apartment until they have lived in it for one year, and their parents are not allowed to enter. OOOH and in a letter to her sister, one of the last she sends before she passes, she mentions something about Edie (the other twin) "living her (Elspeth's) life". So right there you start thinking it's a stolen-boyfriend situation--which is close, but not exactly. However, the parentage of the younger twins (Valentina and Julia) does surprise you later on in the book. MUCH LATER ON b/c effing Robert chooses not to read the diaries until well into the twins' stay in Elspeth's apartment. Robert and Valentina start a sort of relationship, Julia and the upstairs neighbor start a sort of friendship, and Elspeth watches what she can from the afterlife. She doesn't know why, but she is a ghost, confined to her own apartment. It's actually very sweet, but like all things in this book only AT FIRST. Valentina and Julia turn out to be hugely annoying b/c Valentina is afraid of everything and Julia is a bossy bitch. Valentina is desperate to leave Julia (and later comes up with a very stupid idea concerning suicide and rebirth in her own body via ghostism) and Julia is desperate to have Valentina with her forever. Eventually Elspeth becomes strong enough to make her presence known, which is where Valentina gets her idiotic idea. That backfires, possibly owing to Elspeth's selfishness--she jumps into Valentina's body. The plan was for Valentina to go back into her body after everyone thought she was dead, but her spirit was too weak. I think Elspeth knew she'd be too weak and it was her plan all along to become Valentina.
This all muddled, I know, but I have no plan on fixing it. SO WE SHALL RESTART!!! We shall restart by cutting to the chase: Elspeth--in Val's body, alone. Robert--with Elspeth at the beginning of her reincarnation, then disappears--she's kind of a drag. Being dead and then alive has brought out the mopey bitch, I think. Julia--fares way better without Valentina that she thought she could. Might possibly become "normal". Martin--I barely mentioned him above b/c his story, in my opinion, is not really related much to the other shit--he lives happily ever after. Martin is the sweetest part of the book. Valentina--rides a bird in the coolest part of the entire book, which also happens to be the very end.
Special Topics in Calamity Physics, by Marisha Pessl
I'm going to skip a synopsis of any kind and go straight to my theory. I'm just gonna jump right on in there.
Gareth is DEFINITELY Socrates. Thanks to Amazon.com letting me search within the book! While I was trying to find the argument between Gareth and Servo (one of the few pages they wouldn't let me see, turns out) I found where Servo was talking about living in Paris or some shit and he refers to Gareth as "Soc"!!!! Obviously short for Socrates!!! I admit, while I was reading everyone else's theories on other blogs I had mostly come over to the idea of Gareth being in the Night Watchmen, but it wasn't until this passage that I knew it knew it. I'm very happy that I found that passage, b/c it fucking proved something. Everything else I have is just more conjecture. Did Andreo kill Hannah? I think maybe. Blue comes up with some interesting coincidences--such as a prominent businessman's "suicide" that occurs within like an hour of the house they live in when Andreo works for them, and the night Andreo is shot is also the night the man "hung himself" while leaving a pistol with one bullet missing nearby. Totally adds up. But for some of these notions to work you have to remember what another blogger pointed out--MojoMom, I think? I forgot where I read it--Blue is an unreliable narrator. Within the world of this book she is a young girl living a very sheltered life, and she's reporting things to us through the warped haziness of her own memory and experience. So when she says that her father found Andreo by answering an ad in the paper, you have to think she's mistaken about this, that her father possibly lied to her, for the whole Andreo-hitman theory to work. Otherwise, the the reality is that a member of the Night Watchmen actually recruits a murderer by hiring him to cut his lawn first. How do you think that went? Hey, you speak poor English and seem pretty sucky at yard work anyway, how would you feel about joining this kinda-cult I'm in? I don't think we're supposed to EVER know exactly what Andreo's job is at the house, but we can be safely assured it's not yard work. Maybe Blue's protection? Maybe he's Servo's son and Servo needed Gareth to keep an eye on him for a bit? I don't think working there had anything to do with the murder, either. It was within a short drive from the house, but it's not like he needed an alibi or anything--the whole murder was pulled off to look, successfully (or nearly-so to most small-town coppers) like a suicide.
Also, the Andreo sitings--I thought it was Blue's hormones working on her at first, but smelling his cologne at the end there seems very significant. Also significant is the inclusion of him and his smell in the "Final Exam". (Note on the Final Exam--totally hated by a LOT of fans, this one included, but also sneakily informative--otherwise how would we know about Blue's summer with Zack? I wouldn't have gotten the Andreo reminder, either. Oh, and that's also where the wonderful "Gareth Loses Face With Blue" theory comes from! OH CRAP I just re-read the final exam AGAIN, SOME MORE and realized that really? All of my theories are not MY theories. I got them all from the Final Exam. The Exam TELLS ALLL!!!!!! of Blue's theories.)
Ok, so on that note, I shall begin to poke some holes in them MUAHHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!
Not really.
But this! Maybe-seeing Andreo in Wal-Mart near her 16th birthday? And then she finds an unclaimed cart with nothing but the ShiftBush Invisible Gear? And then works that into Hannah's murder? Really? Kinda reaching there, Blue. Not to say he's doesn't need stuff like that all the time; maybe he really does kill that many of the Watchmen's enemies. Hmm. Just makes me wonder.
Ummm, I'm jumping around too much on this. IT'S 17 DISKS, Y'ALL! GEEZE, I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS STORY FOREVER NOW, MY BRAIN IS SHOT! So, uh, Blue's mom was most likley suicide. Hannah most likely partially caused it by sleeping with Gareth (who I have a love/hate thing with [loves his daughter--yay, but very full of himself and cares little about anyone else--not so yay]). The time line Blue comes up with really confuses me. Hannah and Blue's mom are childhood friends, and Hannah had run away at a young age and changed her name--so how did they meet up as adults long enough to Hannah to screw her husband? Was it a HUGE coincidence that Blue's mom just happens to meet, fall in love with, and marry a member of the Night Watchmen, the group that her bestest friend just happened to run away with years before? I haven't worked that out yet. It's like there are things I feel that I KNOW and then things that don't really gel with what I KNOW but that I can't deny just yet.
OH, and I think the group of kids that Hannah mentors, the Blue Bloods, are just bit players in this. I think the real meat of the story goes with Hannah and the Night Watchmen, and the fact that the Blue Bloods occupy nine-tenths of the book is all smoke and mirrors on Pessl's part.
I have decided that since I do not have anything to listen to in my car yet I'm going to start the disks anew, so if I come up with any more theories I'll just post them as they come. Or I'll find a new audiobook and abandon this to the far reaches of my book shelf. Whichever.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Overall, I liked it. I've never read the original Pride and Prejudice, but I'm willing to bet I'd hate it because I absolutely HATE the language Jane Austen uses. In short, it's too smart for me. But this book combines that hated Austen dialogue with ZOMBIES OMG YAY! So I REALLY enjoyed the zombie bits!
Also, I loved that the sisters were trained fighters. All of the references to their training in China, their old master, the "Seven Cuts of Shame"--I loved it, and I'm wondering what was in their place in the original? What did Elizabeth do all day in the original, since she wasn't training or playing games like "Kiss Me Buck"?
Back to zombies: one of my favorite passages is when the sisters witness a baby zombie with it's caretaker--another zombie. Elizabeth decides not to kill them, she decides to show a little mercy. I absolutely loved that part, maybe because there was really no reason for it in the general story--it's like it was a little tangent, a little window into something else, and then we're back on "Pride and Prejudice". Sure, it did serve the purpose of showing Elizabeth is capable of kindness even in the face of a horrible monstrosity, but we pretty much already knew that about her.
I'd like to read more of Seth Grahame-Smith's work. Something with more supernatural, less Austen.
Also, I loved that the sisters were trained fighters. All of the references to their training in China, their old master, the "Seven Cuts of Shame"--I loved it, and I'm wondering what was in their place in the original? What did Elizabeth do all day in the original, since she wasn't training or playing games like "Kiss Me Buck"?
Back to zombies: one of my favorite passages is when the sisters witness a baby zombie with it's caretaker--another zombie. Elizabeth decides not to kill them, she decides to show a little mercy. I absolutely loved that part, maybe because there was really no reason for it in the general story--it's like it was a little tangent, a little window into something else, and then we're back on "Pride and Prejudice". Sure, it did serve the purpose of showing Elizabeth is capable of kindness even in the face of a horrible monstrosity, but we pretty much already knew that about her.
I'd like to read more of Seth Grahame-Smith's work. Something with more supernatural, less Austen.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Crud.
I hate it when I keep putting off writing these until it's been so long I only half-remember the books.
So, yeah. I read these two since my last post, and I loved them both.
The Murderer's Daughters follows two girls from the death of their mother by their father's hand to when they both FINALLY come to terms with it. Like 40 years later. I got tired of both girl's neuroses, but so did they. I felt like it was a realistic way these girls would have reacted, given their circumstances. I enjoyed the oldest girl's little "screw you" to her aunt in the end. That was well-deserved to that old bitch.
20th Century Ghosts has been on my WANT list for a long time. Ever since I read Heart-Shaped Box years ago. Joe Hill is a wonderful, wonderful writer! I can't put it into words how much I enjoyed these stories!!!
However...I kept comparing him to Stephen King, and each time I felt a kinda bad about it. But I know that they're related, and since I first discovered King by his books of short stories, I couldn't help it! Also, there are some elements in these stories that TOTALLY remind you of King's work. I don't have the book on me right now or I'd go in more detail. I totally plan to do that when I have it, in the next post.
So, yeah. I read these two since my last post, and I loved them both.
The Murderer's Daughters follows two girls from the death of their mother by their father's hand to when they both FINALLY come to terms with it. Like 40 years later. I got tired of both girl's neuroses, but so did they. I felt like it was a realistic way these girls would have reacted, given their circumstances. I enjoyed the oldest girl's little "screw you" to her aunt in the end. That was well-deserved to that old bitch.
20th Century Ghosts has been on my WANT list for a long time. Ever since I read Heart-Shaped Box years ago. Joe Hill is a wonderful, wonderful writer! I can't put it into words how much I enjoyed these stories!!!
However...I kept comparing him to Stephen King, and each time I felt a kinda bad about it. But I know that they're related, and since I first discovered King by his books of short stories, I couldn't help it! Also, there are some elements in these stories that TOTALLY remind you of King's work. I don't have the book on me right now or I'd go in more detail. I totally plan to do that when I have it, in the next post.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
OMG
It is very, very late, but I've been putting this off for too long. This will be a very short, ill-written, rambling blog post, but aren't they all?
Ahab's Wife, by Sena Jeter Naslung
LOTS of words. Lots of tiny, tiny words crammed onto many, many pages. What I managed to read, I liked. I liked A LOT. But alas, a month wasn't long enough to swim through this epic. Bottom line: good. I'd recommend it. I intend to finish it one day, as well.
The Gardener, by S. A. Bodeen
This took me a whole day to read. Sometimes I need a book like this: engaging, entertaining, interesting, but EASY. I love books that are easy. Your mind just wanders within the story. It's so relaxing. As you can tell by the cover: science-y. Also, it's young adult, but don't hold that against it. In The Gardener we learn of Mason, a 15 y/o kid in a small town who accidentally discovers an experiment being performed on humans. On children. He steps in, saves the day, gets the girl. Slightly distracting to the plot are the elements of the story, such as Mason's rich best friend, that seem to be there only because the author needed a "quick fix".
The Shop on Blossom Street, by Debbie Macomber
I would never read this book. Macomber is not my kind of author. However, I crave audiobooks, and I can listen to almost anything if it's being read to me, so I'll pick up books on CD that I wouldn't ordinarily be interested in.
Lydia opens a yarn store and starts hosting knitting classes. Her first class is Jacqueline, a rich old bitch, Alix, a delinquent with a GIANT chip on her shoulder, and Carole, the way-too-sweet IVF-er. By the end everyone comes to some realization and ends up happier for it. It's a nice story.
OH HEY GUESS WHAT? Macomber has written a shit-ton of Blossom Street books. I was just nosing around on Amazon and now I know that Lydia eventually tries to adopt a baby and Alix becomes a baker. SPOILERS BACK THERE, YOU WERE WARNED, BUT I GUESS TOO LATE.
I should not blog at midnight.
Ahab's Wife, by Sena Jeter Naslung
LOTS of words. Lots of tiny, tiny words crammed onto many, many pages. What I managed to read, I liked. I liked A LOT. But alas, a month wasn't long enough to swim through this epic. Bottom line: good. I'd recommend it. I intend to finish it one day, as well.
The Gardener, by S. A. Bodeen
This took me a whole day to read. Sometimes I need a book like this: engaging, entertaining, interesting, but EASY. I love books that are easy. Your mind just wanders within the story. It's so relaxing. As you can tell by the cover: science-y. Also, it's young adult, but don't hold that against it. In The Gardener we learn of Mason, a 15 y/o kid in a small town who accidentally discovers an experiment being performed on humans. On children. He steps in, saves the day, gets the girl. Slightly distracting to the plot are the elements of the story, such as Mason's rich best friend, that seem to be there only because the author needed a "quick fix".
The Shop on Blossom Street, by Debbie Macomber
I would never read this book. Macomber is not my kind of author. However, I crave audiobooks, and I can listen to almost anything if it's being read to me, so I'll pick up books on CD that I wouldn't ordinarily be interested in.
Lydia opens a yarn store and starts hosting knitting classes. Her first class is Jacqueline, a rich old bitch, Alix, a delinquent with a GIANT chip on her shoulder, and Carole, the way-too-sweet IVF-er. By the end everyone comes to some realization and ends up happier for it. It's a nice story.
OH HEY GUESS WHAT? Macomber has written a shit-ton of Blossom Street books. I was just nosing around on Amazon and now I know that Lydia eventually tries to adopt a baby and Alix becomes a baker. SPOILERS BACK THERE, YOU WERE WARNED, BUT I GUESS TOO LATE.
I should not blog at midnight.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Blockade Billy, by Stephen King
I "read" this on my way to and from work this week. (Book on CD)
It's a good story, and I love how King wrote it from the point of view of an old man in a nursing home, because that makes it damn near perfect for an audiobook. The dude even refers to Mr. King himself as if he's being interviewed right there.
William "Blockade Billy" Blakeley is the new catcher for the New Jersey Titans, way back when. He played for one season (not even the whole season, actually) and then was "erased from the records" for reasons unknown. I spent the entire story trying to guess, and because this is a King novel all my guesses concerned demons or magic. The secret to Billy is that he is a whackjob. Totally nuts. Dude's not stupid, but he's crazy--not a good combo. So if you decide to read it, or buy the book on CD, you can relax and enjoy the story and quit expecting demons to fly out of his mitt.
That's my only concern with King--I love his books and short stories, both the scary shit and the not-scary shit, but sometimes I can't tell what kind of story I'm reading and that gets in the way of my enjoyment. Not King's fault, just a problem I have.
Both the book and the CD come with a bonus short story called "Morality". I personally recommend buying the CD because "Morality" is read by Mare Winningham and she makes this thing cinema. She is fantastic! I simply cannot put into words how much her voice added to my enjoyment of this story.
"Morality" concerns a couple, Nora and Chad, their money problems, and a sick old dude named Winnie.
See, Winnie is a retired pastor who had a stroke a few years ago and hired Nora to be his nurse. Over the years he has listened to Nora, listened to her talk about her money problems and her and Chad's dream of moving to someplace up north, like Vermont, and Winnie sees an opportunity to help Nora while fullfilling one of his needs. Winnie needs to sin. He has lived a good life, never purposefully commiting any kind of sin, and he decides that he doesn't want to die without experiencing it.
I'm not going to tell you what the sin is, because King stretched it and stretched it until the last minute, and when the sin occurs it's simple and horrible and I'm not going to take that moment of realization from you.
But Nora and Chad accept the money, commit the act, and then have to face the consequences of their own consciences.
It's a great story, and Mare Winningham is freaking awesome. I cannot say that enough.
It's a good story, and I love how King wrote it from the point of view of an old man in a nursing home, because that makes it damn near perfect for an audiobook. The dude even refers to Mr. King himself as if he's being interviewed right there.
William "Blockade Billy" Blakeley is the new catcher for the New Jersey Titans, way back when. He played for one season (not even the whole season, actually) and then was "erased from the records" for reasons unknown. I spent the entire story trying to guess, and because this is a King novel all my guesses concerned demons or magic. The secret to Billy is that he is a whackjob. Totally nuts. Dude's not stupid, but he's crazy--not a good combo. So if you decide to read it, or buy the book on CD, you can relax and enjoy the story and quit expecting demons to fly out of his mitt.
That's my only concern with King--I love his books and short stories, both the scary shit and the not-scary shit, but sometimes I can't tell what kind of story I'm reading and that gets in the way of my enjoyment. Not King's fault, just a problem I have.
Both the book and the CD come with a bonus short story called "Morality". I personally recommend buying the CD because "Morality" is read by Mare Winningham and she makes this thing cinema. She is fantastic! I simply cannot put into words how much her voice added to my enjoyment of this story.
"Morality" concerns a couple, Nora and Chad, their money problems, and a sick old dude named Winnie.
See, Winnie is a retired pastor who had a stroke a few years ago and hired Nora to be his nurse. Over the years he has listened to Nora, listened to her talk about her money problems and her and Chad's dream of moving to someplace up north, like Vermont, and Winnie sees an opportunity to help Nora while fullfilling one of his needs. Winnie needs to sin. He has lived a good life, never purposefully commiting any kind of sin, and he decides that he doesn't want to die without experiencing it.
I'm not going to tell you what the sin is, because King stretched it and stretched it until the last minute, and when the sin occurs it's simple and horrible and I'm not going to take that moment of realization from you.
But Nora and Chad accept the money, commit the act, and then have to face the consequences of their own consciences.
It's a great story, and Mare Winningham is freaking awesome. I cannot say that enough.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
I READ TWO BOOKS, YAY!!!
Ok, really just one. I listened to the other one. BUT IT COUNTS!!!!
Dead in the Family, by Charlaine Harris
I am so, so happy Bill finally found him someone, so he can stop creeping me out with his stupid Sookie devotion. I just don't like that guy for some reason.
I actually finished this book like last week and kind of forgot to update the blog since I hadn't been on here for a while. So.....I remember liking it.....and, uh.......Sookie needs to get over being married to Erik. Dude's sexy, and whether she can blame it on the blood bond or not, he has feelings for her. So he loves you, you love him, quit being all pissy about being his wife.
I hope Book 11 does something with the Erik's dad and brother thing. Otherwise, that whole story line was a waste of time.
And the ending? She falls asleep in bed with her cousins? Kinda sweet, but also kinda ewwww. I know it's family, and Charlaine's not going to have them have sex or anything, but ONE OF THEM LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE YOUR BROTHER. And you just met him. HEY YOU KILLED MY PARENTS AND YOU LOOK LIKE MY BROTHER! WEIRD! WHY YES I'LL NAP WITH YOU.
Sundays at Tiffany's, by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
Got this on audiobook. I LOVE THIS PREMISE!!!!! Jane's imaginary friend comes back when she's all grown up, and they fall in love, and it's a funny and cute story, BUT IT HAS HOLES!!!
Hole #1 Jane's ring. You make a big deal about spending SIXTY-FIVE THOUSAND FUCKING DOLLARS on a RING!!!! And then it's never mentioned again. Were we supposed to assume she was wearing it the rest of the book? I NEED TO KNOW!!!!
Hole #2 Before Jane's mom dies she apologizes to Jane for being hard on her, but she says she was only trying to make sure Jane didn't turn out like her, she wanted Jane to be a better person than she was. UH, YEAH, DYING OLD LADY, I HAVE 5 CDS OF YOU THAT PROVE OTHERWISE. Was this just a dying lady talking out of her head? It was weird and I didn't like it. Here's my idea: instead of killing her, make her realize how much she's underestimated and bullied her daughter and then end the book on those two reforming their relationship.
Dead in the Family, by Charlaine Harris
I am so, so happy Bill finally found him someone, so he can stop creeping me out with his stupid Sookie devotion. I just don't like that guy for some reason.
I actually finished this book like last week and kind of forgot to update the blog since I hadn't been on here for a while. So.....I remember liking it.....and, uh.......Sookie needs to get over being married to Erik. Dude's sexy, and whether she can blame it on the blood bond or not, he has feelings for her. So he loves you, you love him, quit being all pissy about being his wife.
I hope Book 11 does something with the Erik's dad and brother thing. Otherwise, that whole story line was a waste of time.
And the ending? She falls asleep in bed with her cousins? Kinda sweet, but also kinda ewwww. I know it's family, and Charlaine's not going to have them have sex or anything, but ONE OF THEM LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE YOUR BROTHER. And you just met him. HEY YOU KILLED MY PARENTS AND YOU LOOK LIKE MY BROTHER! WEIRD! WHY YES I'LL NAP WITH YOU.
Sundays at Tiffany's, by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
Got this on audiobook. I LOVE THIS PREMISE!!!!! Jane's imaginary friend comes back when she's all grown up, and they fall in love, and it's a funny and cute story, BUT IT HAS HOLES!!!
Hole #1 Jane's ring. You make a big deal about spending SIXTY-FIVE THOUSAND FUCKING DOLLARS on a RING!!!! And then it's never mentioned again. Were we supposed to assume she was wearing it the rest of the book? I NEED TO KNOW!!!!
Hole #2 Before Jane's mom dies she apologizes to Jane for being hard on her, but she says she was only trying to make sure Jane didn't turn out like her, she wanted Jane to be a better person than she was. UH, YEAH, DYING OLD LADY, I HAVE 5 CDS OF YOU THAT PROVE OTHERWISE. Was this just a dying lady talking out of her head? It was weird and I didn't like it. Here's my idea: instead of killing her, make her realize how much she's underestimated and bullied her daughter and then end the book on those two reforming their relationship.
Friday, May 28, 2010
The Known World, by Edward P. Jones
This book has taken me an entire month to read. It's not a bad book, it's just not my kind of book. I enjoyed certain parts of it, but reading the rest was like a chore.
*I nearly cried at what became of Moses, even though I didn't like him at all in the middle of the book.
*I also nearly cried when Augustus is sold. This horrified me for some reason. It's not like I was particularly attached to him.....I just hated what happened.
*Counsel Skiffington deserves death. So does the Travis dude and that stupid Indian.
*Alice, you tricky wench! I love how that whole thing turned out! When I read that part I started to wish that at least that part was true, and I really, really wanted to see her art.
*The tale of Stamford Crow Blueberry is a tangled one, but ends happily.
*It's confusing at first, but after I'd grown accustomed to it I really liked Jones' non-linear form of story-telling. I loved the little personal touches, like Tessie and her doll.
*I nearly cried at what became of Moses, even though I didn't like him at all in the middle of the book.
*I also nearly cried when Augustus is sold. This horrified me for some reason. It's not like I was particularly attached to him.....I just hated what happened.
*Counsel Skiffington deserves death. So does the Travis dude and that stupid Indian.
*Alice, you tricky wench! I love how that whole thing turned out! When I read that part I started to wish that at least that part was true, and I really, really wanted to see her art.
*The tale of Stamford Crow Blueberry is a tangled one, but ends happily.
*It's confusing at first, but after I'd grown accustomed to it I really liked Jones' non-linear form of story-telling. I loved the little personal touches, like Tessie and her doll.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Dear Zachary
This is a documentary that a man made about his best friend, Andrew, who was slain by an ex-girlfriend. The Zachary in question is Andrew's son. Kurt Kuenne started making this movie as a letter to Zachary about who is father was.
Zachary's mother? The suspected murderess.
It will make you cry. These people loved Andrew sooo much, and miss him so much. His poor father just plainly states 10 minutes into the movie that he and his wife were going to go to Pennsylvania, take care of Andrew's affairs, and then go back home and kill themselves, because what else was there to do?
Obviously, they didn't. And at one of Andrew's many memorial services held throughout the country a friend of Andrew's stood up and reminded Andrew's parents that he and all Andrew's friends practically grew up in their house, and they had many more children, and I'm crying right now. DUDE 20 MINUTES INTO THIS MOVIE AND I LOVE ANDREW AND ALL HIS FRIENDS AND HIS PARENTS AND HOLY CRAP BURN THAT MURDERING BITCH.
The bitch flees to Newfoundland, fights extradition (which Newfoundland courts made VERY EASILY) and makes it very hard for Andrew's parents to see Zachary. When she's FINALLY arrested, the grandparents get Zachary, but there are conditions. She gets to call their house every day to "talk" to the baby, and every week they are required to drive 2 hours to allow her to visit him.
I'm actually still watching the movie as I write this. A judge let her out of prison with basically a promise from the bitch that she would not run away. A PROMISE. Wow. Canada. You suck ass. The poor grandparents were forced to play nice with Shirley (bitch) in order to spend time with Zachary. Seriously, they went on outings with them, they bought him food and diapers, they talked to her all the time. And they hated it. But when Shirley would finally go back to prison for good they wanted the transition to be as painless as possible for Zachary. These people are saints.
A month before Shirley was to appear in Canadian court for yet another extradition trial (where it was pretty likely they'd put her back in prison to be extradited) Shirley drowned herself and Zachary in the ocean. Bitch.
Why am I watching this? This is heartbreaking! HEARTBREAKING!!!! Those poor grandparents, to have their son and then their grandson taken from them by the same crazy bitch.
Just watched a little more and they think she actually did this NOT as an escape from prison, but because a man she went on a few dates with refused to date her anymore after his friends showed him articles about her. She called a friend and told them she was with the man at his house. She drove to his house and left a used tampon and pictures of herself and Zachary in his front yard, and then (luckily) drugged the baby and herself (unluckily) before jumping off a pier. And I'm crying again.
The grandparents became activists. The usual: child advocates, court reform, all that. They are trying to prevent shit like this from happening.
Andrew's father wrote a book about it, and here 'tis!
Kurt Kuenne made a fantastic movie. It's heart-wrenching, and I sincerely wish that he never had the reason for it, but he took the interviews and news clips and pictures and home movies, and made them into a very touching film.
And at the very end he talks about how he almost quit the movie when Zachary was murdered, because the purpose of the whole thing was FOR Zachary. And then he realized that the movie was a letter to someone else: Andrew's parents. And he finishes it up with all these sound bites of Andrew's over the years, and Andrew's friends, all saying what wonderful people Kate and David Bagby are. Commense even more tears.
Zachary's mother? The suspected murderess.
It will make you cry. These people loved Andrew sooo much, and miss him so much. His poor father just plainly states 10 minutes into the movie that he and his wife were going to go to Pennsylvania, take care of Andrew's affairs, and then go back home and kill themselves, because what else was there to do?
Obviously, they didn't. And at one of Andrew's many memorial services held throughout the country a friend of Andrew's stood up and reminded Andrew's parents that he and all Andrew's friends practically grew up in their house, and they had many more children, and I'm crying right now. DUDE 20 MINUTES INTO THIS MOVIE AND I LOVE ANDREW AND ALL HIS FRIENDS AND HIS PARENTS AND HOLY CRAP BURN THAT MURDERING BITCH.
The bitch flees to Newfoundland, fights extradition (which Newfoundland courts made VERY EASILY) and makes it very hard for Andrew's parents to see Zachary. When she's FINALLY arrested, the grandparents get Zachary, but there are conditions. She gets to call their house every day to "talk" to the baby, and every week they are required to drive 2 hours to allow her to visit him.
I'm actually still watching the movie as I write this. A judge let her out of prison with basically a promise from the bitch that she would not run away. A PROMISE. Wow. Canada. You suck ass. The poor grandparents were forced to play nice with Shirley (bitch) in order to spend time with Zachary. Seriously, they went on outings with them, they bought him food and diapers, they talked to her all the time. And they hated it. But when Shirley would finally go back to prison for good they wanted the transition to be as painless as possible for Zachary. These people are saints.
A month before Shirley was to appear in Canadian court for yet another extradition trial (where it was pretty likely they'd put her back in prison to be extradited) Shirley drowned herself and Zachary in the ocean. Bitch.
Why am I watching this? This is heartbreaking! HEARTBREAKING!!!! Those poor grandparents, to have their son and then their grandson taken from them by the same crazy bitch.
Just watched a little more and they think she actually did this NOT as an escape from prison, but because a man she went on a few dates with refused to date her anymore after his friends showed him articles about her. She called a friend and told them she was with the man at his house. She drove to his house and left a used tampon and pictures of herself and Zachary in his front yard, and then (luckily) drugged the baby and herself (unluckily) before jumping off a pier. And I'm crying again.
The grandparents became activists. The usual: child advocates, court reform, all that. They are trying to prevent shit like this from happening.
Andrew's father wrote a book about it, and here 'tis!
Kurt Kuenne made a fantastic movie. It's heart-wrenching, and I sincerely wish that he never had the reason for it, but he took the interviews and news clips and pictures and home movies, and made them into a very touching film.
And at the very end he talks about how he almost quit the movie when Zachary was murdered, because the purpose of the whole thing was FOR Zachary. And then he realized that the movie was a letter to someone else: Andrew's parents. And he finishes it up with all these sound bites of Andrew's over the years, and Andrew's friends, all saying what wonderful people Kate and David Bagby are. Commense even more tears.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Blaaahhh!
The Shell Seekers, by Rosamunde Pilcher
May have been a good book. I couldn't finish it due to illness. One thing I can say, however, is that Rosamunde Pilcher may, in fact, not know how to properly use commas. She seemed to just sprinkle them around in her sentences, hoping to land some in the right position by accident.
Half Broke Horses, by Jeannette Walls
I really enjoyed another Jeannette Walls book--The Glass Castle--so I thought I'd like this one. I guess I wasn't in the mood for it. I quit it to start reading The Shell Seekers.
Tune in next week for another list of books I failed to read!!!!
May have been a good book. I couldn't finish it due to illness. One thing I can say, however, is that Rosamunde Pilcher may, in fact, not know how to properly use commas. She seemed to just sprinkle them around in her sentences, hoping to land some in the right position by accident.
Half Broke Horses, by Jeannette Walls
I really enjoyed another Jeannette Walls book--The Glass Castle--so I thought I'd like this one. I guess I wasn't in the mood for it. I quit it to start reading The Shell Seekers.
Tune in next week for another list of books I failed to read!!!!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
True Colors, by Kristin Hannah (audiobook)
I was all set to complain about this book, but as I was looking up the Amazon link to the audiobook I found this "unabridged" version. It's 9 disks! My version is only 5! This totally renders one, maybe all, of my complaints invalid!
Here are those complaints anyway.
First, the author goes for very long passages without mentioning some characters. I actually thought that I had spaced out during a passage and missed the Father's death, because he wasn't mentioned for half a disk. Now, of course, I figure he was probably mentioned in the unabridged version. Same goes for Luke, the family's childhood neighbor and the oldest daughter's unrequited love interest. He's there, and then he leaves, and then suddenly he's back again and they act like it's no big deal he was married and whatnot in that time. Also, there's the middle sister, Aurora, who never once gets to tell her own story. Of the 3 sisters, she's the only one who never gets to "talk", which is a total shame because of the 3 sisters she's the most level-headed, most kind-hearted, and least selfish. The other two--oldest Wynona, youngest Vivi Ann, spend a great deal of time being as selfish as possible, and failing to care about anyone's feelings but their own.
In the end, though, it's a good book and I actually like all the sisters after all.
Aurora the most, though!
Here are those complaints anyway.
First, the author goes for very long passages without mentioning some characters. I actually thought that I had spaced out during a passage and missed the Father's death, because he wasn't mentioned for half a disk. Now, of course, I figure he was probably mentioned in the unabridged version. Same goes for Luke, the family's childhood neighbor and the oldest daughter's unrequited love interest. He's there, and then he leaves, and then suddenly he's back again and they act like it's no big deal he was married and whatnot in that time. Also, there's the middle sister, Aurora, who never once gets to tell her own story. Of the 3 sisters, she's the only one who never gets to "talk", which is a total shame because of the 3 sisters she's the most level-headed, most kind-hearted, and least selfish. The other two--oldest Wynona, youngest Vivi Ann, spend a great deal of time being as selfish as possible, and failing to care about anyone's feelings but their own.
In the end, though, it's a good book and I actually like all the sisters after all.
Aurora the most, though!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Horns, by Joe Hill
One of my obligations finally ended! But after attempting several books and failing to finish them, I decided not to get anything out of the library and to reread a book I already have at the house.
That book is Desperation, by Stephen King, if anyone is interested.
However, the past Saturday I was hanging out at a Kroger, waiting on a relative to pee. Did you know they sell books at Kroger? Did you also know that the book section is BIGGER than Wal-Mart's, and actually has books that are not: romances, teen vampire romances, adult vampire romances, christian fiction (ugh), or westerns? I was browsing around a big table, making a mental list of books I'd like to buy as I circled it, when the name "Joe Hill" caught my eye. I read this guy's other novel, Heart-Shaped Box, before I started the blog, but just imagine a gushing post about how much I loved it, okay? I really, really loved it. So when I saw the name again, I got very excited, completely abandoned all the other books I'd been thinking of buying, and then stood, waiting for my relative some more, completely and totally excited.
I started reading it that night, around 10. I read until 3, because I couldn't put it down. I didn't WANT to put it down. I read it some more on Sunday, until I finished it, because it is one of the best books I've ever read.
Short synopsis: Iggy's got horns. ACTUAL HORNS. He just wakes up with them one day, after a particularly bad bender. They give him powers--not very good powers. But Ig's good, deep down, so he doesn't abuse them too much. He does find out some horrible things about the people in his life, though. I felt really bad for him the entire time. Also, dude's totally a demon now. And guess what?! You find yourself rooting for the demon. He deserves this! His life, since the death of his girlfriend (everyone thinks he did it) has been complete shit, and now he's finally going to get something good.
The only book of Hill's that I haven't read is 20th Century Ghosts, and dammit I have to read it now. I have to OWN it. I NEED IT.
That book is Desperation, by Stephen King, if anyone is interested.
However, the past Saturday I was hanging out at a Kroger, waiting on a relative to pee. Did you know they sell books at Kroger? Did you also know that the book section is BIGGER than Wal-Mart's, and actually has books that are not: romances, teen vampire romances, adult vampire romances, christian fiction (ugh), or westerns? I was browsing around a big table, making a mental list of books I'd like to buy as I circled it, when the name "Joe Hill" caught my eye. I read this guy's other novel, Heart-Shaped Box, before I started the blog, but just imagine a gushing post about how much I loved it, okay? I really, really loved it. So when I saw the name again, I got very excited, completely abandoned all the other books I'd been thinking of buying, and then stood, waiting for my relative some more, completely and totally excited.
I started reading it that night, around 10. I read until 3, because I couldn't put it down. I didn't WANT to put it down. I read it some more on Sunday, until I finished it, because it is one of the best books I've ever read.
Short synopsis: Iggy's got horns. ACTUAL HORNS. He just wakes up with them one day, after a particularly bad bender. They give him powers--not very good powers. But Ig's good, deep down, so he doesn't abuse them too much. He does find out some horrible things about the people in his life, though. I felt really bad for him the entire time. Also, dude's totally a demon now. And guess what?! You find yourself rooting for the demon. He deserves this! His life, since the death of his girlfriend (everyone thinks he did it) has been complete shit, and now he's finally going to get something good.
The only book of Hill's that I haven't read is 20th Century Ghosts, and dammit I have to read it now. I have to OWN it. I NEED IT.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Books I Have Started But Haven't Finished
Under the Dome, by Stephen King
Alice in Wonderland, by T.T. Sutherland (Not the original--it's a book based on the movie)
Returning to Earth, by Jim Harrison
These are all books I've read the first 100 or so pages of in the last 2 weeks. First was the King book--pretty good, very long, not enough time to read it. The Alice book: kind of sophmoreish, lent it to my sister. The Harrison novel is the book club selection. I just started it last night, but I have too much stuff to do. I can't fit reading in any time this week. What I've read, though, I like.
Useless post, I know, some day I hope to start these again and I need a place to record the titles, :P.
Alice in Wonderland, by T.T. Sutherland (Not the original--it's a book based on the movie)
Returning to Earth, by Jim Harrison
These are all books I've read the first 100 or so pages of in the last 2 weeks. First was the King book--pretty good, very long, not enough time to read it. The Alice book: kind of sophmoreish, lent it to my sister. The Harrison novel is the book club selection. I just started it last night, but I have too much stuff to do. I can't fit reading in any time this week. What I've read, though, I like.
Useless post, I know, some day I hope to start these again and I need a place to record the titles, :P.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Two Very Different Books
Shutter Island, By Dennis Lehane
Dragged at times, so that I had to skim a lot of sections. That led to a quick reading, and a false sense of urgency. Both actually added to the experience. It was surprising--not what I expected from the previews for the movie--and very good.
Anyone But You, by Jennifer Crusie (audiobook)
This actually made me LOL! I liked it way more than I thought I would--I've read Crusie before, and I'm not a huge fan of her writing style. But having it read to me instead of having to read it was MUCH better! She could have made it way shorter if Nina'd stopped saying "don't think that!" and "squash those feelings!" and "he doesn't like you that way!" You start to get really pissy with her after awhile.
Dragged at times, so that I had to skim a lot of sections. That led to a quick reading, and a false sense of urgency. Both actually added to the experience. It was surprising--not what I expected from the previews for the movie--and very good.
Anyone But You, by Jennifer Crusie (audiobook)
This actually made me LOL! I liked it way more than I thought I would--I've read Crusie before, and I'm not a huge fan of her writing style. But having it read to me instead of having to read it was MUCH better! She could have made it way shorter if Nina'd stopped saying "don't think that!" and "squash those feelings!" and "he doesn't like you that way!" You start to get really pissy with her after awhile.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Mennonite in a Little Black Dress, By Rhoda Janzen
Loved it!
It's Rhoda's memoir, of sorts. She jumps around A LOT, but mainly it covers a few months to a year after her divorce, when she goes to stay with her Menno parents while she recovers from a nasty car accident. You learn about her family, you learn about her upbringing, and why she has this or that taste in men or friends or whatever. It's great! You learn a tiny bit about Mennonites as well--enough to know that her Mennonites and "my" Mennonites are pretty different.
It's Rhoda's memoir, of sorts. She jumps around A LOT, but mainly it covers a few months to a year after her divorce, when she goes to stay with her Menno parents while she recovers from a nasty car accident. You learn about her family, you learn about her upbringing, and why she has this or that taste in men or friends or whatever. It's great! You learn a tiny bit about Mennonites as well--enough to know that her Mennonites and "my" Mennonites are pretty different.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tinkers, by Paul Harding
Largely incomprehensible. Lots of passages that are very "trippy", others are merely confusing.
I did learn some intersting stuff about clocks, though.
Basically it's about George, who's dying. He's hallucinating a little bit, and remembering some stuff, and then suddenly you're in his father's head, seeing things from his point of view.
I feel like a lot of stuff was going on that I just wasn't smart enough to understand.
I did learn some intersting stuff about clocks, though.
Basically it's about George, who's dying. He's hallucinating a little bit, and remembering some stuff, and then suddenly you're in his father's head, seeing things from his point of view.
I feel like a lot of stuff was going on that I just wasn't smart enough to understand.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Divine, Part II
This author didn't bother doing any research AT ALL. Mary is rescued from her basement prison and, b/c she can't remember her last name, is placed into foster care. She has absolutely no counselling. She is placed in a temporary home for a few months, where she does actually do some healing, and then she is placed in her "permanent" home, where the father tries to have sex with her. She runs away, steals a car, ends up in juvenile prison. So what happened? Did she not tell anyone about the dude trying to have sex with her? Did they just not believe her? Did they not think that maybe they should have made some plans to make sure she was healing mentally as well as physically? I know the American foster system isn't perfect, and I'm not an expert, but I'm fairly sure they just don't get a chick out of a basement and then put her in society like, "Ok. Go be normal and shit."
And what happened to Jimbo and Lou???? Was there no fucking trial? They pimped an underage girl, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A DAMNED TRIAL. Also, there are no reporters badgering her for interviews. That's also weird. They say many times that her story was broadcast across the nation, and EVERYONE seems to recognize her--but would they really if the only footage they have of her is the rescue itself? No interviews or followups? There's a real-life version of this story--the woman who was abducted at 10 and found recently? She was kept in a series of sheds in her captor's backyard. See, I can't even remember her name, let alone her face, and news outlets talked about that girl for MONTHS. She could knock on my door today, and I wouldn't know her. But Mary Madison from Divine is still recognized ON THE STREET 3 years after her rescue.
OOOHH, that reminds me of another thing that's pissing me off: we are reminded many times how beautiful Mary is. It's annoying, is screams of "Mary Sue". (For explanation of that term, please go here: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MarySue) Further evidence of Mary Sue: both Karen Kingsbury and Mary Madison are blondes with blue eyes. Just sayin'.
And what happened to Jimbo and Lou???? Was there no fucking trial? They pimped an underage girl, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A DAMNED TRIAL. Also, there are no reporters badgering her for interviews. That's also weird. They say many times that her story was broadcast across the nation, and EVERYONE seems to recognize her--but would they really if the only footage they have of her is the rescue itself? No interviews or followups? There's a real-life version of this story--the woman who was abducted at 10 and found recently? She was kept in a series of sheds in her captor's backyard. See, I can't even remember her name, let alone her face, and news outlets talked about that girl for MONTHS. She could knock on my door today, and I wouldn't know her. But Mary Madison from Divine is still recognized ON THE STREET 3 years after her rescue.
OOOHH, that reminds me of another thing that's pissing me off: we are reminded many times how beautiful Mary is. It's annoying, is screams of "Mary Sue". (For explanation of that term, please go here: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MarySue) Further evidence of Mary Sue: both Karen Kingsbury and Mary Madison are blondes with blue eyes. Just sayin'.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Divine, By Karen Kingsbury
I haven't finished this audio book. I believe I'm on Chapter 6, though.
Karen Kingsbury is an awful writer. I don't mind the Christian stuff, honestly! But her actual writing technique sucks! She suffers from the same affliction some Harlequin romance writers have--she describes some things in such minute, boring-ass detail. I find myself skipping through entire tracks on the CDs, waiting for the character to stop musing internally so the story will start to progress again.
She also has no idea what a 10-year-old actually sounds like--her version of a 10-year-old girl sounds more like a 5 or 6 year old.
Ok, one gripe about the Christian stuff: the little girl is comforted by the thought that God has a plan for her, and her grandmother tells her that God means for her to do great things. Know what lies on the road to great things? Child sex slavery.
I am going to continue to skip around the story on the CDs, b/c even though it's hard to shut the critical part of my mind down that hates this book, I'd still like to know how it ends.
Karen Kingsbury is an awful writer. I don't mind the Christian stuff, honestly! But her actual writing technique sucks! She suffers from the same affliction some Harlequin romance writers have--she describes some things in such minute, boring-ass detail. I find myself skipping through entire tracks on the CDs, waiting for the character to stop musing internally so the story will start to progress again.
She also has no idea what a 10-year-old actually sounds like--her version of a 10-year-old girl sounds more like a 5 or 6 year old.
Ok, one gripe about the Christian stuff: the little girl is comforted by the thought that God has a plan for her, and her grandmother tells her that God means for her to do great things. Know what lies on the road to great things? Child sex slavery.
I am going to continue to skip around the story on the CDs, b/c even though it's hard to shut the critical part of my mind down that hates this book, I'd still like to know how it ends.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
A Book I Read, A Book I Heard, and Some Books I Didn't Read
The book I read: The Chicken Dance, by Jacques Couvillon
This book almost made me cry, and then it made me angry, but I still love it.
I almost cried when Don, the main character, is trying to show his parents his picture in the paper for winning a prize and his mother belittles it before snapping at him to stop blocking the TV. I got angry when the book ends and she still hasn't gotten told off by Don. She gets told off by the father, but he's a sad sack--he doesn't give the telling off any "oomf". In the end Don even decides to stay with her, when he has TWO other choices! Yeah, he lets a chicken choose, and he has a good reason for doing that, but I still wouldn't stay with her. She deserves to be alone.
I couldn't put the book down, though. It's one of those you have to read until the end, and no stopping!
The book I heard: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C. S. Lewis
I've started to listen to audio books in the car--I have book radio on Sirius, but they don't always play books or audio theater that I actually like.
This telling is not just a dude reading the story; it's theater. Every character has his or her own actor, and there's even sound effects. It was a little hard getting used to at first, the background noises were distracting, but after a while I really got into it. The stand-out scene in this had to be Aslan's death. The White Witch lets out a scream that is fucking chilling! I almost turned the CD off, seriously.
Books I didn't read:
"Y" City, by Wade Rivers
I read the first 20 or so pages......it's boring. And he writes in this exaggerated drawl that sounds forced.
Last Night in Twisted River, by John Irving
I like two of his other books (Owen Meany and Cider House Rules), so I really thought I'd like this, but I could NOT get into it. I'm going to try again some day when I'm in more a John Irving mood, I guess.
This book almost made me cry, and then it made me angry, but I still love it.
I almost cried when Don, the main character, is trying to show his parents his picture in the paper for winning a prize and his mother belittles it before snapping at him to stop blocking the TV. I got angry when the book ends and she still hasn't gotten told off by Don. She gets told off by the father, but he's a sad sack--he doesn't give the telling off any "oomf". In the end Don even decides to stay with her, when he has TWO other choices! Yeah, he lets a chicken choose, and he has a good reason for doing that, but I still wouldn't stay with her. She deserves to be alone.
I couldn't put the book down, though. It's one of those you have to read until the end, and no stopping!
The book I heard: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C. S. Lewis
I've started to listen to audio books in the car--I have book radio on Sirius, but they don't always play books or audio theater that I actually like.
This telling is not just a dude reading the story; it's theater. Every character has his or her own actor, and there's even sound effects. It was a little hard getting used to at first, the background noises were distracting, but after a while I really got into it. The stand-out scene in this had to be Aslan's death. The White Witch lets out a scream that is fucking chilling! I almost turned the CD off, seriously.
Books I didn't read:
"Y" City, by Wade Rivers
I read the first 20 or so pages......it's boring. And he writes in this exaggerated drawl that sounds forced.
Last Night in Twisted River, by John Irving
I like two of his other books (Owen Meany and Cider House Rules), so I really thought I'd like this, but I could NOT get into it. I'm going to try again some day when I'm in more a John Irving mood, I guess.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins
All I have to say about this book is STUPID FUCKING CLIFFHANGER!
That's it.
The end.
Oh wait! I totally need to tell you about the rest of the book, the part of the book that did not make me want to smash faces.
So.....TUNE IN NEXT YEAR FOR THE EXCITING CONCLUSION TO THIS WEEK'S BLOG!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA!!! I am so funny!
This book, like Hunger Games, is awesome. It picks up a few months after Hunger Games ends, handily explains what has happened since, and engrosses you with tails of rebellion, intrigue, yet more Hunger Games, lies, secret plans, even secret-er plans, the evil President Snow, who smells like blood and roses AND THEY NEVER EXPLAIN WHY.
Under the direction of President Snow, Katniss and Peeta must pretend to get married to try to convince the Districts that Katniss defied the Capitol out of crazy love rather than actual defiance. This doesn't work. So President Snow devises a way to get Katniss back in the Hunger Games (I'm not explaining how), to kill her. He knows that to just have her killed (even if it looks like an accident) would just spur on even more rebellion. This, also, does not work. While in the arena more districts rebel. Also, everyone has a secret agenda and no one tells Kat or Peet (or us) until the last 10 pages, which is very exciting.
My only problem: Kat doesn't know if she loves Gale or Peeta. Her back and forth, and "but were those feelings only because I was trying to save him? or me? or those people?" mental conversations with herself got annoying. Here's what I've decided: forget Gale. He wasn't in the games, so he can't know what's in your head AT ALL. It's like being in a war, or prison--those who haven't done it can never really understand. Peeta is where it's at: dude totally knows what you've been through, you've slept with the dude (no sex, just sleeping) countless times. When you trust someone enough to sleep in their arms, you love them. Now shut up about it.
That's it.
The end.
Oh wait! I totally need to tell you about the rest of the book, the part of the book that did not make me want to smash faces.
So.....TUNE IN NEXT YEAR FOR THE EXCITING CONCLUSION TO THIS WEEK'S BLOG!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA!!! I am so funny!
This book, like Hunger Games, is awesome. It picks up a few months after Hunger Games ends, handily explains what has happened since, and engrosses you with tails of rebellion, intrigue, yet more Hunger Games, lies, secret plans, even secret-er plans, the evil President Snow, who smells like blood and roses AND THEY NEVER EXPLAIN WHY.
Under the direction of President Snow, Katniss and Peeta must pretend to get married to try to convince the Districts that Katniss defied the Capitol out of crazy love rather than actual defiance. This doesn't work. So President Snow devises a way to get Katniss back in the Hunger Games (I'm not explaining how), to kill her. He knows that to just have her killed (even if it looks like an accident) would just spur on even more rebellion. This, also, does not work. While in the arena more districts rebel. Also, everyone has a secret agenda and no one tells Kat or Peet (or us) until the last 10 pages, which is very exciting.
My only problem: Kat doesn't know if she loves Gale or Peeta. Her back and forth, and "but were those feelings only because I was trying to save him? or me? or those people?" mental conversations with herself got annoying. Here's what I've decided: forget Gale. He wasn't in the games, so he can't know what's in your head AT ALL. It's like being in a war, or prison--those who haven't done it can never really understand. Peeta is where it's at: dude totally knows what you've been through, you've slept with the dude (no sex, just sleeping) countless times. When you trust someone enough to sleep in their arms, you love them. Now shut up about it.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
I may have found a way to tolerate Dean Koontz!
Odd Hours, by Dean Koontz
I recently finished listening to the audio version of "Odd Hours". I had tried to read the actual book twice before, and both times I hadn't been able to get through it. Koontz is too annoying--he bitches about the world too much. He writes about ONE FREAKING DAY in Odd's life, but the telling takes 7 hours because he can't go 5 minutes without making a joke at society's expense. We get it, Dean. The world is not up to your expectations. We are all petty, and small, and shallow, and stupid (except, of course, those who read your books. THAT PART OF SOCIETY IS GREAT, RIGHT?) Also, here's another lesson you get beaten into you with every Koontz book: DOGS ARE TOTES MAGIC, YOU GUYS! But only golden retrievers. Other breeds are just dogs. Plain old, garden variety, non-going-to-impart-upon-you-some-magical-wisdom-and-shit dogs. OH AND ALSO WAY TO END WITHOUT EXPLAINING WHAT THAT STUPID PREGNANT CHICK'S DEAL IS, ASSHOLE.
Oh, but anyway--audio version is way more entertaining. Narrator is awesome. I was really starting to see the characters so much better thanks to his voices.
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Again with the cliffhangers! That's 2 books in one freaking week! I'd REALLY be more pissed about this if I didn't have the sequel to Hunger Games in my possession already.
This book was really hard to put down. Collins is FANTASTIC at storytelling, she really made me feel the tension, experience the excitement, and stuff of that nature. Basic story as simply as I can tell it: It's America's future, life is hard unless you live in the one privileged sector, the Capital. Every else lives in the Districts--1 through 12. Every year they have the Hunger Games--each district has a raffle in which a girl and a boy are chosen (aged 12-18) and sent to the Capital to compete to the death. The Game is televised, and everyone is required to watch. It's a reminder to the districts that they are under the Capital's complete control, and it's a punishment for the rebellion the Districts had performed many years before. Main character is Katniss--she goes in place of her little sister. Because I already had book 2, I knew she was going to win, I just didn't know how Collins was going to have her character defeat everyone else in the Games in such a way that the reader wouldn't hate her--when I say they fight to the death, I mean it. They fight to the freaking death. But Collins does great. She even puts in a little romance, using a fun little plot twist to make it believable to the reader.
I start the sequel tomorrow. Very looking forward to it.
Currently reading "The Cannibals", a Stephen King story. You can download it from his website, which is FREAKING AWESOME. I actually downloaded it a while ago, just haven't had a chance to read it. OK, and also I forgot it was there.
http://www.stephenking.com/library/unpublished/cannibals_the.html
I recently finished listening to the audio version of "Odd Hours". I had tried to read the actual book twice before, and both times I hadn't been able to get through it. Koontz is too annoying--he bitches about the world too much. He writes about ONE FREAKING DAY in Odd's life, but the telling takes 7 hours because he can't go 5 minutes without making a joke at society's expense. We get it, Dean. The world is not up to your expectations. We are all petty, and small, and shallow, and stupid (except, of course, those who read your books. THAT PART OF SOCIETY IS GREAT, RIGHT?) Also, here's another lesson you get beaten into you with every Koontz book: DOGS ARE TOTES MAGIC, YOU GUYS! But only golden retrievers. Other breeds are just dogs. Plain old, garden variety, non-going-to-impart-upon-you-some-magical-wisdom-and-shit dogs. OH AND ALSO WAY TO END WITHOUT EXPLAINING WHAT THAT STUPID PREGNANT CHICK'S DEAL IS, ASSHOLE.
Oh, but anyway--audio version is way more entertaining. Narrator is awesome. I was really starting to see the characters so much better thanks to his voices.
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Again with the cliffhangers! That's 2 books in one freaking week! I'd REALLY be more pissed about this if I didn't have the sequel to Hunger Games in my possession already.
This book was really hard to put down. Collins is FANTASTIC at storytelling, she really made me feel the tension, experience the excitement, and stuff of that nature. Basic story as simply as I can tell it: It's America's future, life is hard unless you live in the one privileged sector, the Capital. Every else lives in the Districts--1 through 12. Every year they have the Hunger Games--each district has a raffle in which a girl and a boy are chosen (aged 12-18) and sent to the Capital to compete to the death. The Game is televised, and everyone is required to watch. It's a reminder to the districts that they are under the Capital's complete control, and it's a punishment for the rebellion the Districts had performed many years before. Main character is Katniss--she goes in place of her little sister. Because I already had book 2, I knew she was going to win, I just didn't know how Collins was going to have her character defeat everyone else in the Games in such a way that the reader wouldn't hate her--when I say they fight to the death, I mean it. They fight to the freaking death. But Collins does great. She even puts in a little romance, using a fun little plot twist to make it believable to the reader.
I start the sequel tomorrow. Very looking forward to it.
Currently reading "The Cannibals", a Stephen King story. You can download it from his website, which is FREAKING AWESOME. I actually downloaded it a while ago, just haven't had a chance to read it. OK, and also I forgot it was there.
http://www.stephenking.com/library/unpublished/cannibals_the.html
Saturday, January 9, 2010
TWO BOOKS
The Shining, by Stephen King
AHHHH SO GOOD.
This book made me sleep with a lamp on for one night (after I read about the vixen of room 217). This book also gave me the literary equivalent of a "screamer" (it's a stupid fucking type of youtube video that always features a scary face and a recorded scream to totally fucking freak you right the fuck out. And possibly scream out loud so you look like an idiot.) The screamer in question occurred when Danny walks around a corner and is confronted with a bloody man wearing a silver dog suit, with small, red eyes. I have a gift, my friends. I can get so immersed in a book that I picture it happening right as I read it, and when I read something scary there is no time for a filter to take out the truly horrifying shit before BAM! there it is right in my head. And once it's in there, there's no getting it out.
I believe I may have gasped. Out loud. In my empty room. FROM ONLY A BOOK.
Another little animated gif that will stay with me forever: Jack beating his own head with a mallet. Was that in the movie? It should have been. I refuse to watch it to find out, because I LIKE sleeping, and I'd like to do it again, soon. And regular.
I can't believe that I went this long without reading this book, though. I can't believe what I went SO LONG missing!!!
Ghost in the Machine (Skeleton Creek 2), by Patrick Carman
Same as the first one--LOVE the videos. Got a little annoying because I kept having to load of the computer for the nephew, but at least when it was my turn to read the book I could skip it all. I'm really glad this is the end, because the cliffhanger ending of the first one REALLY pissed me off.
AHHHH SO GOOD.
This book made me sleep with a lamp on for one night (after I read about the vixen of room 217). This book also gave me the literary equivalent of a "screamer" (it's a stupid fucking type of youtube video that always features a scary face and a recorded scream to totally fucking freak you right the fuck out. And possibly scream out loud so you look like an idiot.) The screamer in question occurred when Danny walks around a corner and is confronted with a bloody man wearing a silver dog suit, with small, red eyes. I have a gift, my friends. I can get so immersed in a book that I picture it happening right as I read it, and when I read something scary there is no time for a filter to take out the truly horrifying shit before BAM! there it is right in my head. And once it's in there, there's no getting it out.
I believe I may have gasped. Out loud. In my empty room. FROM ONLY A BOOK.
Another little animated gif that will stay with me forever: Jack beating his own head with a mallet. Was that in the movie? It should have been. I refuse to watch it to find out, because I LIKE sleeping, and I'd like to do it again, soon. And regular.
I can't believe that I went this long without reading this book, though. I can't believe what I went SO LONG missing!!!
Ghost in the Machine (Skeleton Creek 2), by Patrick Carman
Same as the first one--LOVE the videos. Got a little annoying because I kept having to load of the computer for the nephew, but at least when it was my turn to read the book I could skip it all. I'm really glad this is the end, because the cliffhanger ending of the first one REALLY pissed me off.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)