Apples and Kindles

Weeks 10 and 11 of my Project 52 had me dealing with Apples and Kindles. Not quite what you think. ^_^

So, during and indoor picnic with my family, we played a round of Apples to Apples. Ever played it? It can be a lot of fun. And, I loved that this picture had the card that said "Zany" on it! Doesn't that describe this game (and families) perfectly?

 

And then, the week after had us getting our new Kindle Fire. We had a gift card to Sears and decided this would be the best bet for us. It is taking some getting used to, but overall, I think it was the best purchase we could have made (sans something practical, like tires).

 

Project 52: Week 3

20 Years of Memories

Can one call "memories" as they pertain to fiction?

This week I read (and finished today), the last book in The Wheel of Time series. I have invested over 20 years of my life into this series, and it's kind of sad to let it go!

Was I satisfied with the ending? Not really. But, then, I would have to say, that books such as these, where an amazing world has been created, where you meet SO many characters and SO many questions get asked, that you couldn't really have the perfect resolution with all questions answered. It just doesn't happen.

Although, I wish the battle scenes wouldn't have been so ... well, so. (I really dislike reading battle scenes!) But, overall, I loved this series. AND, if you've been waiting to read the series until all came out, well then, there you are!

Teaser Tuesday: The Hum and The Shiver

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

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

Teaser:

I can’t deal with the haint yet, Bronwyn thought fearfully. She felt her immobility more than ever, and winced with each crushing heartbeat; for an instant she thought she might really be having a coronary, her body too weak to survive this level of terror.

-- Page 90, The Hum and The Shiver by Alex Bledsoe

A 5-Star Book

Brian always laughs at my reviews of all things meant to entertain -- TV shows, movies, books -- because I tend to give average ratings. Out of 5 stars, I tend to give 3. Three stars meant I enjoyed it, and that it did its job. 4 means I really enjoyed it, but it still left me wanting. 5 is hard to come by. 5 must blow my socks off. Must really touch me in some way.

And, something did, recently. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Even halfway through this book it had enchanted me. And today I finished it, and it did not disappoint. Oh sure, I wish some things had turned out differently, but I see how they ended up like they did. And that perhaps they needed to.

So, here is my Goodreads review about this book:

I hardly ever give 5 star reviews, but if I could, I would give it even more stars. Yes, this book was THAT good!

I love, love, love this book. Honestly, if I could say that I was in love with a book, then I would say that about this book.

To me, this is a book that I could see myself writing (if I had this story to tell). The language was beautiful, but not overly done. The characters were interesting, but not caricatures (which could have been easy to do, seeing as this was about a circus).

The mood was Victorian and Gothic, mysterious, and magical. I felt drawn into a world that I could only compare to the movies The Illusionist/The Prestige, and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. And yet not quite, yet so much more.

When reading this book, I did not feel like I was reading a story; I felt like I was being taken on a journey, as if I was part of the experience. This was partly helped by the author's use of small vignettes regarding aspects of the circus to help draw the reader in.

The only thing that somewhat took me aback was the use of 3rd person present tense, which isn't something usually done, and that there are overlapping stories that jump a little back and forth in the timeline of this book. However, you get mostly used to the tense, and you see why the author chose to move along the timeline as she did. After all, many of her characters say, "it's all about timing."

I originally got this book from the library, but this IS a book I will own soon. It has been deemed worthy enough to join the ranks of my other beloved hardbacks.

I cannot recommend this book enough. You may not love it as much as I do, but I think you'll be hard pressed to say you didn't enjoy it.

It has officially been added to my all-time favorite books!

After I posted this, I saw some reviews by other people that gave it 1 or 2 stars. Really?? But, I guess that's what makes life interesting -- people have so many different points of view. So, this book wasn't for them, and that's okay. It was completely meant for ME. And I am totally okay with that. ^_^

The 50-Book Challenge (2010)

Around the beginning of 2009, I came across a challenge on a forum I used to frequent called "The 50-Book Challenge." The challenge: to read 50 books in a year. I once got asked on average how many books I read, and I'm a fast ready, so I said that I could probably read about 1 a week, give or take the size of the book and my interest in it. So, I decided to start to keep track of all the books I read in that year. I actually ended 2009 with 51 books! (Why I didn't blog about it, I don't know. ^_-)

So, I decided to list the books I read last year -- 2010. I once again surpassed the challenge and actually read 57 books. Oooo! *LOL* Anyway, here's the list, with a few notes about whether I recommend it), and after I will make a few comments about some specific books.

Books Read During 2010

 1. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum
 2. Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan
 3. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
 4. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (Recommended)
 5. Guardian's of the West by David Eddings (Re-read) (Recommended)
 6. King of the Murgos by David Eddings (Re-read) (Recommended)
 7. Demon Lord of Karanda by David Eddings (Re-read) (Recommended)
 8. Sorceress of Darshiva by David Eddings (Re-read) (Recommended)
 9. The Seeress of Kell by David Eddings (Re-read) (Recommended)
10. Dreaming in Hindi by Katherine Russell Rich
11. Confessor by Terry Goodkind
12. The Virgin Suicides by by Jeffrey Eugenides
13. The Know-It-All by A.J. Jacob (Recommended)
14. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
15. The Tennis Partner by Abraham Verghese (Recommended)
16. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
17. The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard
18. Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #1) by Patricia C. Wrede
19. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (Re-read) (Recommended)
20. Animal Farm by George Orwell
21. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
22. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (Highly Recommended)
23. The Marvelous Land of Oz by Frank L. Baum
24. Ozma of Oz by Frank L. Baum
25. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
26. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
27. Searching for Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #2) by Patricia C. Wrede
28. Calling on Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #3) by Patricia C. Wrede
29. Talking to Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #4) by Patricia C. Wrede
30. The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard
31. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach (Highly Recommended)
32. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Recommended)
33. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (Re-read) (Recommended)
34. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
35. Home: A Memoir of My Early Years by Julie Andrews Edwards
36. Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
37. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (Recommended)
38. Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by Frank L. Baum
39. Maximized Living Nutrition Plans by K. Roberto and Dr. Lerner
40. The Road to Oz by Frank L. Baum
41. Steampunk-Style Jewelry by Jean Campbell
42. Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs
43. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (Recommended)
44. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
45. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Recommended)
46. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Recommended)
47. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Recommended)
48. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
49. Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
50. Towers of Midnight (Wheel of Time, #13) by Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson
51. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
52. The Book of Time by Guillaume Prévost (English Translation)
53. The Gate of Days by Guillaume Prévost (English Translation)
54. The Circle of Gold by Guillaume Prévost (English Translation)
55. The Emerald City of Oz by Frank L. Baum
56. The Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffmann
57. The Patchwork Girl of Oz by Frank L. Baum


I would have to say my favorite book of all 57 I read was The Secret Life of Bees. Even though some might say this is just a simple coming-of-age story, something about it really struck me. (This was about halfway through my challenge, but it really resonated with me. I also watched the movie a few months back, and I found it a faithful adaptation.)

Another really good one was The Book Thief. I actually didn't know much at all going into the book, and it was eye opening for me, showing how even many Germans (just the regular folk) didn't have it too great during WWII either.

I don't normally pick up nonfiction, but having been part of a book club where we read some, I decided to venture out a little more. A fellow book clubber recommended Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. It seems like the strangest book, and it is, but SO fascinating!! I think my favorite chapter is how the remains of victims of a plane crash can help determine what caused the crash. Very interesting stuff!! I don't think I would have normally even read a nonfiction book like this, but I do recommend it.

And, while some might think it a little pop fiction (which I used to try and stay away from, but, eh *shrug*), and young adult SciFi, I cannot help but mention The Hunger Games books. Quick, but engrossing reads, with an author that isn't afraid to kill off characters.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is such a sad tale, overall, not just because of the way Chinese women were treated back in the foot-binding days, nor because of the horrific act of foot binding (and all that it entailed), but because it follows two friends and how that friendship fares throughout the years. (BTW, have you ever looked at foot that has been bound. SO strange!! *shudder*)

And last to mention, is the hilarious The Know-It-All. It has so many funny anecdotes, that I would barely pick up book for night reading and chuckle, and Brian would say "Already?" Yes. Already! It's another nonfiction book, about a guy who decides to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica and write about his experience. Thankfully, he doesn't comment on each entry, and not EACH of his entries is funny (some are thoughtful), but overall, I was highly amused.

So, there ya go! How about you? Any good reads last year? Any recommendations? (My "to-read" list is dwindling, so I appreciate any input. ^_^

Book Review: The Way of Kings

I know I haven't done a book review in ages, even though I've almost completed my 50-books-for-the-year goal, so I've read plenty! I promise I will do a full disclosure of the books read in the year and what my faves ones were when I get there, but I did want to review (somewhat) The Way of Kings.

When Robert Jordan died, Sanderson was hand-picked to finish The Wheel of Time series. Since learning that, I have since read almost everything, save his short stories, that Sanderson has in print. (I read the first Alcatraz book, but did not like it, and therefore would not read the rest of the series.) And, I really came to love and enjoy Sanderson's style.

I came to respect him even more after he put out the first of the last three books in The Wheel of Time series. It was probably ONE of the best books in that series (of 15 books). That, to me, was a lot. It was also saying a lot that in that book, he wrote one of THE best battle scenes I have ever read. And that's saying a lot, because I don't read battle scenes. I skim them, at the best, and move on. They bore me, frankly. But this one, from the get-go, had me entranced. It was so awesome!!

So, needless to say I was expecting a LOT out of Sanderson's first foray into his epic Fantasy saga. I heard a lot of hype from other authors and the like who received advanced copies to read and review. And then ... I began on the heavy, thousand-page tome.

And, as much as I wanted to love it, I personally will have to give it an average rating, on MY scale. I'll be honest, a book like this, of this genre, with as much as I was anticipating it, I should have breezed through it within the week, perhaps two (as I did have to take some time to work on my Halloween costume). But it took me several weeks. Mostly because I would force myself to read a chapter a night, and then put it away.

I had a hard time getting into it, and normally would have put it down after a few hundred pages, but I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. And finally, finally, around the halfway mark, I actually started getting interested. I actually finished the last half in a week.

Don't get me wrong, overall I liked it, once I made it through the first half. There just seemed to me, to be a LOT of world building and a LOT of character development, without going anywhere. And that's probably because this is not your typical "reluctant hero saves world with entourage" sort of story. Frankly, not until the end do you start to see a glimpse of a real plot. Most of the book is spent in a lot of storytelling, with a lot of battles (which, maybe, right then, should tell you something *LOL*).

A lot of people have loved this book, and I think that, maybe once it's all said and done, this will be one of the epic fantasy series that make it along with the greats, like The Lord of the Rings and The Wheel of time. We'll see. For me, though, I think I will wait until the entire series is out before picking it up to read the rest. If I'm going to make the investment on this specific one, then I want to have the story ready to finish.

But, I still love Sanderson and know he has lots more to give us in the future. And that, is that! ^_^

It's All in the Details

I realized today that I am a true details person. In other words, I love all the little details that take something from simple, to amazing, from cookie cutter, to personalized. But not cluttered. Never cluttered.

Over the last few months I've come to realize how much I come to admire and regard details, and how I try to infuse that into my own life.

The biggest moment of realization came when I was working on my Halloween/Party costume. For me to be Atropos, I had to get the details right, from the use of scissors, to the little hints of skulls (signifying the death she brings). And many people noticed those details. But it's what made the outfit complete. Whole. Interesting. At our church's Trunk or Treat, there was a little girl there dressed up like a Spanish Lady/Flamenco Dancer. She had on these cute little Mary Jane shoes (no heel, as she couldn't have been more than 4 or 5 years old), a pretty red dress on, her hair done up in curls ... and the detail that caught my eye? A white fan that she would flutter every so often. A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. And, while I know it was her mom that probably helped with the outfit, I kind of think the little girl had something to do with it. I complimented her on her fan, and she seemed as appreciative as a little girl can be. *laughs*

I love looking at scrapbookers and card makers to see how just an extra little detail here and there can take a project from simple to fabulous!

I love looking at photographers' blogs and seeing the details they capture with their cameras.

I love watching design shows and reading design blogs, to see how it's easy to transform a room with just a few details.

So, here's another attempt of mine to add some detail to my life. This time, to my home. We live in an apartment, and although we may be able to technically paint the walls, the hassle of having to paint them back isn't really appealing. So, many months ago I saw a great idea on a design blog to incorporate a little color and texture into a room that has a bookcase (or more than one). I've seen people put wallpaper on the backs of shelves (usually built ins) or paint the backs a different color, but this person used fabric instead, and wrapped it around foam core board that she cut down to fit the back of her shelves. It's easy, somewhat inexpensive* (depending on price of fabric) and can be changed out quickly, if need be. And, knowing that I couldn't/wouldn't paint, I decided to do that with my bookshelves that sit in the back of the dining area which is open to the living area.

So, here we have the before and after (which included me removing some books and repositioning others):

The fabric isn't that bright, I just had to use the flash on my camera so it was noticeable. And, there's not an imperfection in the fabric on the right side, it's just the extra light from the mirror reflecting back onto it. The effect is noticeable, for the most part, but still subtle, which I like. And I LOVE the fabric, which was a 365 photo some time back. Almost has a linen look to it, and the paisleys are so fun!

Oh, I know that my eye for details has probably come across because I'm a proofreader. It's something I've been trained to do, but that's just my case. Some people are naturally drawn to it, and some people even have a better ability to translate that into something tangible.

Slowly, but surely, I will try to do that. I usually get people that comment on my home, saying that it feels comfortable. And I'd like to think that it's because I try to pay attention to the details, that may not always be noticeable to someone's eye, but the feeling is still there.

* Total cost for the project was about $15-20 per bookcase (maybe a smidgen more). I could have cut that down, if I had gone with less expensive fabric. But, as it is, this home decor fabric was already on sale for $7 a yard. The foam core board was only $1 for each one, but unfortunately, because each space was so tall, I could only get one shelf out of each one. So, all in all, not bad for shelves I've had for several years that I wanted to spruce up.

A Day in My Life

For a photo contest (yes, one of those I do occasionally for a digiscrap site I visit) this week, we were asked to take pics of us doing ordinary things in our lives. I thought this was good for two reasons. I have been thinking of doing a 365 next year (where you take a pic a day for the whole year), but also because I didn’t know if my life was that interesting. However, I think this challenge proved that it doesn’t matter if the pic is of something mundane, if it’s something that’s going on in your life. Yes, we remember the momentous moments, but usually forget the everyday ones. So, here are my two entries.

Here I am sewing a Christmas gift for my sister. Or rather, I am pinning pattern pieces to fabric. Hopefully I’ll post the finished product here.

I read Pride and Prejudice at least once a year. It’s my favorite book, and I just finished it (as you can see, in this pic I am almost to the end).

As for the 365, what do you think? I am fairly certain I will not be posting every day on this blog, since I don’t know if I would have the time for it. However, I will be uploading to my Flickr account, and then probably doing a weekly roundup here.

Book Review: New Spring

(Just a quick note, but I have become a member of Goodreads. If you're a member, let me know so I can add you. Also, on the sidebar, I have installed Goodreads widgets so you can see what I've read and what I'm currently reading.)

New Spring by Robert Jordan

I have begun the process of re-reading The Wheel of Time series for the ... goodness, well, I've re-read it several times. While New Spring came out some time after the series had started, it is actually a prequel, detailing how Moiraine became Aes Sedai, the beginnings of her quest to find the Dragon Reborn, and how she met her warder, Lan.

I enjoyed this because you get to see a young, inexperienced Moiraine as she attempts to begin her quest. While Lan is very similar, you can see a little bit of youth in him, although, I get the impression that Moiraine gives him a better sense of purpose.

To see how characters come together before you originally met them, is a nice juxtaposition. It would have been nice for Jordan to write another prequel, perhaps, giving a little more detail on the next 16-18 years before The Eye of the World (first book in the series) picks up.

Jordan is a master storyteller and world builder.

Book Review: The Grand Sophy

I interrupt my regularly scheduled review of The Wheel of Time series, to review ...

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

I was at a church friend's house waiting for a meeting to start, and we started discussing books. She and I have similar tastes, and, at the end of the evening, she lent me one of her new books. She said if I liked Austen, I would like Heyer. (I have to say that she must have incredible trust in me -- lending me a new book and all. I admit, I have a VERY hard time lending out my books. But then again, she does have 5 kids under 7, so maybe her expectations regarding the overall conditions of books are low... *laughs*)

Well, I have been wanting to expand my reading repertoire, and I like Austen, and the Regency period, so I gave it a whirl before I started on The Wheel of Time.

I have to admit that the language was a little more than I expected. Not only do her characters, of course, speak in a more formal language, but the book is written that way too! Sure, I can handle it from Austen, but it did take me a little time to get used to it. However, once I did, I found some charming, amusing characters. Also, sometimes things aren't always as they seem, and for a Regency Romance, there wasn't so much romance as more match-making, and the sort. I ended up enjoying the story and wished, once again, to get just a little more resolution, even if it were just a little bit of how the characters ended up overall.

Since this is my first foray into Regency Romance, I have to say I enjoy it, and apparently this is one of Heyer's more-loved novels. So, if you want to try something new, and wouldn't MIND Regency Romance, give it a whirl!

Book Review: Warbreaker

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

Warbreaker is Sanderson's latest one-shot fantasy. Interestingly enough, he had a versi0n on his site for people to read for free. I don't think this printed copy is that different, so if you want to check it out for free, I suggest you do. I have to say, that Sanderson tends to get better and better as he writes. I think, as he has mentioned in his blog, that it has to do in part with helping to finish the Wheel of Time series. He has to manage a LOT of characters and storylines there, so I think it's helping him flesh out his own personal thoughts and ideas.

Once again, he has an interesting magic system--based on colors. Once again, he has more of a mystery at times, than a full-fledged standard fantasy, which I really like. And once again, he has sort of an ambiguous sort of setting to compare to something known. This story is mostly set in a seaside city, and I get a very Greco-Roman feel of the society and architecture, but ... that's just me! He also has some very strong femal characters, and ... as always, nothing is quite as it seems.

I love that finding out who the "bad guy" was took me some time, and frankly, took me by surprise. But see, Sanderson is fond of the "bad guy" who thinks he's doing things for the right reasons.

I really liked this book, and it sucked me in and got me reading very quickly (well, more than usual). The ONLY thing I wish is that I had a LITTLE bit more resolution at the end. But that's just a person thing, as I do wish it with a lot of books and movies, for that matter. Just a LITTLE bit more tidying up on little bits of info would be nice, authors and directors!!


Next up, I begin the massive re-reading of the Wheel of Time series in prep for the next installment due out this November (finally)! However, I will begin with the prequel, New Spring by Robert Jordan (instead of the actual Book 1). (I might read something in between, though. Never know!)

Book Review: Chainfire

Chainfire by Terry Goodkind

Chainfire is the ninth book in the Sword of Truth series (and, if anyone happens to care, is also what the Legend of the Seeker TV series is loosely based on). It's been a little while since I read the last book, and I really have forgotten a lot, though there is a lot of reminding in the book.

This book was VERY slow for a long time. I get why it had to be. Basically, a main character has disappeared but no else, it except for one person, remembers. The last third is when it really picks up. But, I have to say, as a writer myself who loves dialogue, WOW, there was a lot of dialogue in this one. And long stretches of one person speaking. It was ... interesting. This book is also part 1 of a trilogy (yeah, figure that out!), so I wasn't sure how things were going to pan out for the rest of the books, but I see now. I will say I think, mostly the story is better than Book 8, and hopefully the next one proves to have more action and story.

Coming up, Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson.

Quick Book Reviews

I've decided that after this I'm just gonna review each book after I read it, because lately, with all my other projects, I've gotten a little behind on reviewing books.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
To me, this is what Edgar Sawtelle should have been. Raw and real. While the writing was somewhat simple, it got the point across. It was also interesting to see a completely different culture. Also interesting to make you think what you migt have done in the situation that the main character was in. The ONLY thing I really didn't care for, was the last tragic event. It almost seemed too much. Like it was forced. But overall, a thoughtful read.

Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
The last book in the Mistborn series. I love that Sanderson gives enough hints, but still has those fun twists at the end. Some people are upset at the ending, but I think it really fits. It's also a nice end to the series. I heard he has planned another possible series set in the Mistborn world, but possibly set years later. Should be interesting. Sanderson is quickly growing into another favorite fantasy author!

The Grand Tour by Wrede and Stevermer
This was another fun book after the Chocolate Pot, and it was really easy to get back into the flow of the writing style (set as letters) and the characters. Would still love to do this some time with someone!

The Mislaid Magician by by Wrede and Stevermer
The last book in the series. While this had some interesting little twists and turns, overall I was a little bored by this last book. I think it was because the authors introduced two new letter writers (the first two being the cousins, and the next being the husbands of the cousins). A lot of times you got double the information, which seemed like a little too much. I know why it was done, because at this point, not all the characters were together, but still. A little too, too much. Overall the series was fun, though.

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
I have a friend that's been wanting me to join a book club that she's part of. I thought it would be nice to branch out and meet new people, but not until this book did I feel like I would be able to join (because the last book I could not get a hold of). However, something more urgent came up on the night of the club meeting, and therefore, I shall have to wait. I have a hard time with 1st person POV. This was a little worse because each chapter was devoted to a different person's POV, from the little girl with cancer, to the sister, to the brother, even the lawyer. I do see how it was effective, though, in showing how each person was affected by the events in this book. The ending left me a little baffled as to "why." Since this is a book club version, it has a little interview with the author at the back and she explains why she did it. I understand what she did, but still don't get why. However, it did make me tear up.

Coming up, review of Chainfire by Terry Goodkind (ninth book in the Sword of Truth series).

Early May Book Reviews

I'm trying to cut back on how many books I get from the library, as I tend to read them more than I should be doing other things. So....

Beauty: A Retelling by Robin McKinley
I have to say that I thought this was nice, but it suffered from my having seen Disney's Beauty and the Beast. I actually have never read the original tale, but if this is a "retelling" then I hope Disney gave Ms. McKinley some credit, because at almost every step of the book I kept seeing the movie in my head. Don't get me wrong, I love the story, but, well. I think this was less ambiguous than Spindle's End, so, at least that helps, right?

Mistborn: The Final Empire, and Mistborn: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
After reading Sanderson's first novel (a one-shot fantasy), we definitely wanted to pick up his first fantasy series (for adults, because he does have a children's/young adult series as well). I have to tell you, he is well on his way to become well-known and quite prolific, and I expect to be reading him for years to come. Mistborn is very interesting in that the magic system (like Elantris) is very interesting. It's based on metals, or alloys, and the ability to "burn" them within yourself to use them for various purposes. He has interesting characters and some good twists. I really don't want to give too much away, and I have yet to finish the series (for some reason my local library does NOT have the final book!), but I suspect I will enjoy it. The second book seems more of a bridge, but still self-contained, in a way. However, I will say that while these books are considered fantasy, I can definitely see where it could work in maybe another genre, as well. (This particular world has a little bit of a steampunk meets the renaissance sort of vibe.) It's almost such a departure that you're not sure you're reading fantasy. I highly recommend Sanderson, and if you just want a good, quick read that just happens to be fantasy, start with Elantris, his first.

Heir of Sea and Fire and Harpist in the Wind by Patricia McKillip
I finished the Riddle-Master series and overall I liked it. However, while the language she uses to write is poetic and beautiful, sometimes it was hard to get past it to read the story. Also, there are quite a few instances where the character "realizes" something, but the reader doesn't get in on the joke -- which is odd because we get to see inside the character's mind a lot. The second book was from a different perspective, so that threw me off, and the third one had some chapters very akin to battle scenes that I tend to skim, although the twist at the end was interesting, but not completely shocking.

Chalice by Robin McKinley
Ah, an actually story from Ms. McKinley, and not a take on another one. It's interesting, because I read several reviews on this, and most people didn't like it, or didn't feel it was her best work. I actually liked it quite a bit, overall. I still think she has some issues with vagueness in resolving her endings. I want to know a little bit more on the why of something. I don't have to have everything explained, but still would like a little more. I thought the story was interesting -- basically every region in this book has an organization, if you will, of people with abilities that tie them to the land. It's headed by a Master, with several that work under him that make sure the land is in harmony. One of those is the Chalice, and, well, it's all a little hard to explain, but the story is of the new Chalice coming to grips with her own abilities, while dealing with a new Master of the land.

First Meetings: 3 Stories from Enderverse by Orson Scott Card
If you've never read the Ender's Game books, then what are you waiting for? However, if you don't want to think, and just want entertainment, then I don't know if you want to read these. They really will make you think about the world around you. And people. I think, for me, especially Speaker for the Dead (for some reason just the premise and story was very interesting). These are considered sci-fi, I think, but not tech heavy at all. Anyway, this is just a collection of short stories, one which includes the original novella that turned into the novel, plus some other stories. Read Ender's Game first, if you want.


I still have a few books on my list from the last recommendations made, unfortunately my library doesn't carry a huge selection and even the main library is lacking. We did end up getting a special card that allows us to check out books from other libraries that are part of a special sharing program. However, we still have to limit ourselves to nearby ones since we don't want to be driving all over the place. But, any other recommendations, let me know.

Writing Wednesday: Words and Writings

(With quick book reviews thrown in.)

I know that the last time I did a Writing Wednesday I also talked about words. But this time I want to focus on words grouped together, by authors, that become, well, prose. (I would address poetry, but I'm not very good at that, so it's just prose, and by extension, fiction.)

I admit, I'm a better writer than a storyteller. And I have found that, in writing stories, my writing skills fall a little by the wayside. I feel that as a writer, I can string together some very pretty words to really make the reader picture what I'm trying to depict. However, I do better at vignettes. Which is why the editing of my novel is so ... behind. It's quite a daunting project, because I feel so much of it has to be rewritten into what my actual style is. I was so focused on getting the story out, that I left "me" behind it. I've only managed to get the prologue redone and one scene. Sad, but true.

One of the books I read recently had very beautiful writing. The author depicted things in a new and interesting way which really kept me intrigued. Just a page in, I was struck by this phrase: "His face was weathered and brown, his eyes set in origami creases of skin." I LOVE that! Origami creases of skin. One of my favorite authors (though I have yet to read a lot by him) is Thomas Hardy. I have never read his poetry, but he infuses his novels with that same poetic beauty that just captures the pretty-word crafter in me. What can I say?

I did a quick search of my writings, and came across one of my vignettes. There's actually a little more to the scene than what I am posting, but when I look at it, I seriously wonder if I really did write it! It's so ... beautiful! *laughs* I'm not really tooting my own horn, more like wishing I could get back to this. I know, practice, practice. I really wish for my old RP days -- they helped my writing SO much!

So, a little snippet of what I once could accomplish:

Soft.

That was the susurration carried on the wind, painting the evening sky with a thin glaze. Her dusky eyes stopped scanning. Her head tilted, trying to discover the origin of the gentle whisper which was now beginning to permeate her being. Words? No words were carried in the murmuring. Her eyelids slid to close, and she let her arms fall free from their own embrace as she let herself relax. Her breathing slowed, her chest rising and falling softly, and then her eyes opened in deft surprise. "Something," her tone whispered lightly in curiosity. Eyes narrowing for a moment, she caught her lips on a simple smile. "A willow," was all the indulgence her sweet voice caressed. She turned back toward the parapet, leaning out, the violet flecks in her eyes catching the iridescent, ivory fingers of the lazy moon's light.

The silent breeze ruffled against the willow, and her eyes caught the shadows, where she blinked in surprise. Amidst the phantasms of nature, there was something manmade, though wholly unaffected in its own naturalness. This was the something. She envied his position, if it was a "he" indeed. But how could it not? To be self-removed from such a party could only be a man's tolerance.

Her reverie was broken for a moment with a smattering of applause from within, so completely isolated from her now. "Are you the one?" she wondered in a hushed vein, recalling her earlier conversation with Anteak. She smiled mildly. Whether he was or not, the intrigue had been caught. Would they meet? Could they? If the stars allowed. But only wholly as herself. Decency required the staying of clothes -- though they weren't uncommon on her. But her hair, caught in the confines of the pseudo-refinement those inside believed in, was altogether different. More applause. With each swell she removed a pin from her glossy locks, and soon it sighed in relief to be set free, glinting in the surrounding light as it played on the nightbreeze, once in awhile caressing its length almost to her knees.

She held the pins in her palms, staring at them for a moment, before she also set them free, tossing them over the balcony, where they glittered like a school of silvery fish swimming in the ocean of the night sky, on toward their destiny.

With a lull in the breeze, her hair covered her like a warm wrap as she continued to watch the shadows....

***

And now on to the quick book reviews!

Merlin and Arthur by Stephen R. Lawhead
Oh, Lawhead. You certainly do love changing up the point of view -- no matter if it's in the same book. Overall I thought Merlin was interesting, as there's a lot more to play with, as far as inventing a new story. It was mostly told in Merlin's point of view, but then Arthur changed a lot and I didn't think there was all that much more of an interesting story to tell. Not to mention the ending just kinda ... ended. I know Lawhead didn't think to make this past three books (the first was Taliesin), but there are actually more, so .... It's okay, but I think I may abandon Lawhead. Don't know.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
This was an Oprah book club book, and this is the story from which the "origami creases of skin" phrase came from. Wroblewski's writing was just beautiful. So many "mundane" seeming things were really put into a new light. I like the book up until the "ghost story" aspect was introduced. It was so REAL, so vivid, so retro-feeling that I really empathized with the characters. And then a sort of surreal element was introduced. I don't mind it, normally, especially being a reader of fantasy -- I suspend my disbelief a LOT. But, to turn so drastically. I don't know, I felt a little betrayed. Like he had sensationalize some of it to make it interesting. Overall I liked it. But ... there was just that something that bothered me.

Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card
Brian and I are fans of Card (not only because he's Mormon ^_^), and his Ender books are great. So Brian found this and gave it a try. It's a sort of "what if the American revolution didn't quite go as planned and the Native Americans really COULD wield some sort of magic and they weren't run out of their lands" re-telling of history. Apparently the seventh son of a seventh son is especially special, so ... so far the story is interesting, although there are supposed to be seven books in the series and Card has yet to announce when the last one is out.

Sorcery and Cecelia by Wrede and Stevermer
Ah, one recommended to me by my friends. At first I had a little bit of a time getting into it, because it's written as letters back and forth from cousins, set in the Regency period (or close to it) and so you don't have much to go on for character introduction, but I quickly got into it (it's Austen meets magic) and I was so sad that it was so short and quick! I definitely want to pick up the next one, and it makes me wish I could do something like this with a friend (the authors wrote the stories in bits, just like letters, where the other didn't know what the one was writing, and so on, they then got together in the end to flesh out things). So fun!

Spindle's End by Robin McKinley
Another recommendation. I wanted to get Beauty, but even though the library said it was on the shelf, I couldn't find it, so I picked this one up instead. Overall I really liked this book, the story was definitely a new one and a very fresh take on the Sleeping Beauty story. However, the first few ... chapters, it seemed like, were world-building, and I honestly feel that it wasn't necessary. I don't mind a little info dump (maybe a couple of graphs), but chapters??? Also, toward the end of the story, the way everything gets resolved seemed a little ... murky. I can't quite figure out how the heroine did what she did. I feel it was poorly written, and a little lengthy to "save the day." I also didn't "feel" one of the relationships. It didn't seem realy to me. But, it gave me enough of the author to make me want to try Beauty.

What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris
I picked this one up because I love period pieces and felt that something Regency, without being girly, would be refreshing. Maybe I prefer the girly. I don't know, for having been written by a woman, it seemed a lot like a man. Does that sound funny? It's a mystery, with a murder having taken place (and VERY gruesome and perhaps I could have done without some of the imagery), but while the pacing of the whodunit was pretty good, I think the ending was a little bit of a let down, ONLY because, to me, the person that did end up doing, wasn't a character I had remembered very well. Maybe that's good, or maybe not. I had to go: wait, who was that again?? Anyway, I guess I don't think it's my cup of tea, but at least I'm trying new things, right?

As always, I'm up for recommendations (still have some on my list from last time, but finding them at the library isn't always an easy task).

Book Reviews

I have been meaning to do some quick book reviews on the last few books I have read, and noticed that it has gotten a little out of hand, so I better get crack-a-lackin’ so I don’t fall too too far behind. Almost all of the books on my read list (seen on the right-hand side of my blog) have come from the library, and a few were read before I started my new blog, but I wanted to get them in. So, my sorta-mini book reviews (from oldest read to most current)....

Naked Empire by Terry Goodkind
Naked Empire is Book 8 of the Sword of Truth series. Truth is, most of the books in this series are pretty much self contained, even though to know what’s going on in one, you need to have read the previous ones, but you can read the next one without really feeling that need to read the next one (not usually any cliff hangers here). If any of you watch Legend of the Seeker, it is based on these books. However, these books have a lot of the same, as far as plot, and sometimes the main character seems a little too preachy and a little too righteous. I really liked the first books of this series, but the later ones are just okay.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Being a religious and spiritual person myself I was very curious about these books. Were they really as bad as many churches claimed they were? (Granted, there were many protests on the Harry Potter books and I paid them no mind – it’s one of my favorite series!) Overall, I liked this one, though I could see where the main character was a little hard to like. A spoiled, bratty child all of a sudden thrust in the role as proposed savior seemed a little far-fetched. However, there is one point in the book where I got emotional (it’s when a little kid gets cut off from his daemon, and the way it was written really touched me). Overall I enjoyed it enough to make me want to read the next one (and want to see the movie as well).

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Elantris was a very pleasant surprise to me. The reason we picked it up is because Sanderson was hand-picked to finish the last book in The Wheel of Time series (since Robert Jordan passed away before finishing it), and I was a little concerned to see if he was up to the task. This was his first published novel, written when he was 24 or 25, though it took him several years to get it published. (I think I wrote my NaNoWriMo novel around the same time. Yeah, where is THAT?) I like this fantasy novel because it’s a one-shot, which is rare for fantasy books these days. His writing style’s nice and concise, his characters believable, and his take on a magical system interesting. Brian and I liked it so much that we even got one of our friends to read it and she couldn’t put it down – and she doesn’t really read fantasy!

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman
This book is told from a different point of view than The Golden Compass. You can see a little more of the author’s agenda against the church in this one, but I didn’t find it as captivating and interesting as the first one. However, at this point I felt I was invested and decided to continue. I didn’t have to, but it wasn’t so horrible.

The Riddle-Master of Hed by Patricia McKillip
It took me a LONG time to get into this book, but I must say that toward the end, I was intrigued by what would happen next – just enough for a cliff hanger. McKillip’s writing style is a little hard to get into. Seems almost archaic, even though it isn’t. I’ve been trying to get a hold of the next one, but it’s a different library. Hopefully it will keep my interest.

The Amber Spyglass by Phillip Pullman
The last book of this series, and frankly, kind of disappointing. That the main character was supposed to be a new Eve (yes, as in Adam and), and how she was supposed to be tempted by this great thing, well, it all turned out a little anticlimactic for me. And I feel Pullman was really pushing his hatred against the church in this last book. Brian couldn’t finish it, though I did, just so I could. Overall, this series was just okay, for me. Nothing to add to my personal collection, though.

Taliesin by Stephen R. Lawhead
Some time ago I read another Lawhead series (this is the Pendragon cycle) which incorporated a man from our known world who goes back in time to a world where the Celts rule and there are also seemingly magical abilities. I liked that series overall, except for the end, which bothered me for several reasons (don’t want to ruin anything for anyone) and put me off of Lawhead for awhile. But we were at the library needing to find something to read, and Brian likes Lawhead, so …. One thing that he does, which I find interesting, is that he likes to shake things up, as far as point of view. I don’t know if I like it, but he’s consistent about changing it. Heh. Interestingly, this book begins before Merlin and how he comes to be. It was interesting enough to pick up the next one to see what HE does with a re-telling of this well-known story.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
I picked this up at Wal-Mart to complete my Harry Potter collection (yes, I even have some student “books”) and actually liked some of the moral tales. A fresh take on stories that have morals to them that are new, yet interesting.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
A recommendation not only by my friend Christine, but also by Amazon.com based on my reads and searches. I don’t know how exactly one would describe this story: third-person, first-person narrative? Basically, it’s a person telling another person about his life. Yes, it’s fantasy, and yes, set in a sort of medieval/renaissance-type setting, and of course, there’s magic. The writing isn’t necessarily overly wowing, but for some reason, this story really drew me in. Maybe because it’s kind of like a memoir, or an auto-biography, someone wanting to tell you his life story, and I very much enjoyed it and was very disheartened to see it end (and know that it’s several months yet before the next one comes out).

Stardust by Neil Gaiman
I read Gaiman’s blog on a regular basis. I really like him from what I can tell based on his blog and the like. However, some of his stories I like, and others I don’t. Granted, I haven’t read a lot, but enough. I have not seen the movie based on this book. His writing on his shorter novels always seems a little more simpler, but yet he weaves a nice rich world, with interesting creatures and characters. This, I believe, is supposed to be almost like a fairy tale or moral tale, of sorts, and overall I liked it, though sometimes I found the Star a little too … erm, dunno, well, not likable. So far, out of what I have read, Neverwhere is my favorite Gaiman-only book (because Good Omens was pretty funny, but co-written).


All in all, I have to say that Name of the Wind and Elantris were my favorites out of the ones I’ve read so far, which is nice. It means there are newer authors on the scene that we can expect some great things from (and I know Sanderson has a series called Mistborn which I’ve read is even better than Elantris, except those are at another library).

Thank you for giving some recommendations, some of which I even got this last time at the library. If you have any others, pass them on. Oh, and while fantasy IS my genre of choice, I do like other things. Remember, Pride and Prejudice IS my favorite novel.

I'm a Sucker For ...

Books. Hardback. In a series (especially). I love books, but prefer to own them only if I can get them in hardback. I also love a good series (or, books by the same author which are made by the publisher to look nice while on a shelf). I have many series, from fantasy, to, well, Harry Potter (which I guess is considered fantasy?). This photo came closest to meeting the photo challenge (though by no means is this the only set of books I have) -- darn you, tricky macro setting!

I was inspired by my friend Stephanie who found this photo challenge from a friend. I'm always trying to improve my photo-taking skills (how else can I justify a DSLR down the road???), so I figured I'd give it a try.

Kristine’s photo challenge:

Objective: Finish the sentence, “I’m a sucker for…” by taking a photograph using the macro setting on your camera. You can be as concrete or as abstract as you like. Make sure you write a blog post about it too.

Kickin' It Old School At the Library

Reading is one of my pleasures. It has been for a very long time. During my college days I didn't get to read much for pleasure, and sometimes life (or the Internet) seemed to get in the way, but in finding Brian I found an equal lover of books. We both love to read. However, I will say that I'm a book snob, or, I should say, I'm a hardback book snob. If I own a book, it must be in hardback. AND, I usually only stick to my genre of choice, fantasy, because if I am going to buy an expensive book, it better be what I like to read.

But recently I have discovered the marvels of the modern library. I can honestly say that, except for my school days, I have never had a library card. I know, I know, gasp all you want, but there it is.

So, after moving to a neighboring city and needing to fill our time with less-expensive entertainment, Brian and I went and got library cards. Gone, mostly, is the Dewey Decimal system (at least at this place). No longer do you have to go to someone to get checked out. No. Now all you have to do is scan your library card and then scan the book, and then a receipt prints out with your lovely books to read and when they're due back (and don't forget other things like DVDs, audio books and CDs). My library sits on a lovely lot with a man-made pond in the back with a fountain, has a cafe next to it, AND even has a parking garage below it (which came in VERY handy a few days ago when it was cold and rainy). My only concern is that this library is a branch of the bigger library, so it doesn't have as much to check out, but they will transfer books -- you just have to let them know.

Now I am free to check out books because they seem interesting, and while they may sit on a corner of a table awaiting to be read, they won't clutter up my house or shelves, because they will go back in a few weeks. I can venture into new genres and if I don't like the book, then, oh, well, I have a few others to read. At our last trip Brian and I got 4 books and 5 CDs. One of the books I knew Brian wouldn't read at all. It seemed like my cup of tea. Victorian. Written by an English author. But, alas, the language (and subsequent convoluted plot and numerous characters) did me in before page 100. But, you know what. That's just fine. I can now move along.

So, if you haven't before, or haven't recently, I heartily recommend your local library!

(Oh, and if you have any books to recommend, I'm always looking for something new or different to read. If you look on the right, somewhere will be a list of my current read, as well as my previous reads.)