Oh Hey! It's September!

September?!?  UGH.  Blogging fail.

Our daughter got artist of the year at the end of her 5th grade/Elementary school year in June, as well as Honor Roll all year.

Summer was spent at home, going to the beach a couple of times, the zoo once, a few swimming lessons for the gal. Low key.

Happy First Day of Middle School to our gal!  She's not really too happy, but what can you do?  I believe I was more stressed than she was.

Oh, I celebrated TWENTY years at my work this August.  Twenty years!

Happy Lucky 13th Anniversary to Us!  This year was low-key because we're working hard to eradicate debt.  (Paid off one last flight school loan, down to one last car payment, then we tackle our one credit card bill.)  We spent $50 each on goodies (macro cell phone lens, book and Matthew West cd for me. Video game and two blu-rays for him) and went out to dinner with our gal in tow.

Next week, Happy Birthday to me!

Still working on my nail art.  LOL  Hey. I'm getting much better.


Life's been pretty low-key.  Like I said, buckling down on finances (See Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University course for more info.)

Books Read 2013

Abysmal.  This is the word that I must use for my reading rate for 2013.  Abysmal.

2010 - 56 books read
2011 - 75 books read
2012 - 60 books read

2013? This past year, I read 36.  Thirty six.

Like I said, Abysmal.

It wasn't even like I was baking a lot or ill or anything. I really don't know.  I was lazy.  What a low number of books.  Boo!

1. "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
2. "Where Do I Go" by Neta Jackson
3. "Harry Bentley's Second Chance" by Dave Jackson
4. " The Casual Vacancy" by J.K. Rowling
5. "To The Nines" by Janet Evanovich
6. "Who Do I Talk To?" by Neta Jackson
7. "The Woman Who Died A Lot" by Jasper Fforde
8. "Who Do I Lean On?" by Neta Jackson
9. "Everwild" by Neal Schusterman
10. "A Hat Full of Sky" by Terry Pratchett
11. "The Sorceress" by Michael Scott
12. "Dead Beat" by Jim Butcher
13. "The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection" by Alexander McCall Smith
14. "Wintersmith" by Terry Practchett
15. "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes"* by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
16. "Harry Bentley's Second Sight" by Dave Jackson
17. "Front Porch Princess" by Kathryn Springer
18. "Picket Fence Promises" by Kathryn Springer
19. "The Prince Charming List" by Kathryn Springer
20. "A Study in Scarlet"* by  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
21. "The Sign of Four"* by  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
22. "The Necromancer" by Michael Scott
23. "The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets" by Eva Rice
24. "Deadly Decisions" by Kathy Reichs
25. "The Stepsister Scheme" by Jim C. Hines
26. "The Colour of Magic" by Terry Pratchett
27. "Ten Big Ones" by Janet Evanovich
28. "Trains and Lovers" by Alexander McCall Smith
29. "The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells" by Andrew Sean Greer
30. "Who is my Shelter?" by Neta Jackson
31. "Proven Guilty" by Jim Butcher
32. "Fatal Voyage" by Kathy Reichs
33. "Intervention" by Terri Blackstock
34. "The Cross Gardener" by Jason T. Wright
35. "Building Better Relationships" by Bobbie Yagel
36. "The Last Dragonslayer" by Jasper Fforde

I also read books for/with Isabel, but I don't count those, nor do I count comics I read.  There are only a few books that stick out as the best of my pitiful year.

J.K. Rowlings "The Casual Vacancy."  I reviewed it here.  It was a read that stayed with me.

Pratchett's "A Hat Full of Sky" is book 2 of the Tiffany Aching series, but I liked it even better than book one.  Small review here. It was just sweet.

In the non-fiction category, I read "Building Better Relationships" for a Bible Study group that met Monday nights at church.  I fully appreciated all the helpful hints and ways to make your relationships with your loved ones, including those difficult people you cannot get away from, better. Mainly, give up the pride, which I have a lot of when dealing with specific people.

The rest were ok, good even (McCall Smith never disappoints.  Fforde is always good for a smart laugh.  Neta Jackson is hokey but sweet in this jaded world) but there were some that were just not my cup of tea.  This would include Blackstock's "Intervention" (I completely disliked the main character and will not continue reading the series), and  Pratchett's "The Colour of Magic" (I KNOW!  All you Discworld people are gasping! I loved the "Tiffany Aching" Discworld series, so I thought I'd go all the way to the start with book 1.  Not a fan. But I will have you know, I am still giving the series a chance and am currently reading book 2 anyway.  It might get better.)

So there's my list.  I'll have you know I am currently reading 4 books at a time, because I'm weird like that; "The Light Fantastic" (Pratchett's second Discworld book), "The Tail of Emily Windsnap," "The 365 Day Chronological Bible," and I'm especially excited to read "11/22/63" by Stephen King.   This 860+ page behemoth was recommended to me by my youngest brother-in-law on my husband's side. I was so impressed that he'd read it, until he told me he'd listened to it in the car; cheater.  :)  I cannot wait to get deeper into this book; the premise is fascinating!

Wish me luck for 2014.  It HAS to be better than 2013 for books!

Christmas Time with the Fairy God Person.

I've been wanting this for years. It's been on our "I Reeeeeeally Want" list on the fridge since 2011. (We have a list stuck to the side of the fridge for us tho write, throughout the year, things that we decide we want.  This way, when birthdays, anniversaries or Christmases come around, we have an idea.  So like I said, on the "list" since 2011.)

FGP has heard me mention my want of this item for several years. It was just too expensive and I never in a million years expected FGP to get it.  I figured I'd just start collecting one by one until I got all 7.   This year, FGP asked what was on my list & I mentioned nail polishes, some movies, gift cards and this gift that I still have not gotten because I would never allow David to spend so much $$ on me.

FGP went and bought it for me. I about passed out.

What the heck am I talking about?

Click to make bigger!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have already listened to these 2 times each; from the library.  Fairy God Person could not understand why I would want to listen to them again and again, but got them all over me anyway! Ninety nine discs!

You have NO idea how excited I am!

The Tiffany Aching Adventures (A Disc World series)

I started reading Terry Pratchett because he wrote a book with one of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman.  Together they wrote "Good Omens" which was just hysterical, witty, clever, smart.  Everything you'd expect from Gaiman.  About a week after finishing, I read a review over on Epbot for Pratchett's "The Wee Free Men" and thought I'd check it out.

What a fun book it was!  I didn't know the series was set in an already-established universe called Discworld.  Pratchett's been writing Discworld books since 1983, but you don't need to read those to get into the Tiffany Aching stories, about a young girl who is a witch-in training and her protectors, the Nac Mac Feegles or the Wee Free Men, little blue fairy folk with a love of fighting, cursing, fighting, stealing and fighting.  They also like to fight.

Full of funny Scottish-sounding talk, sheep, ointments, and thieving Queens, this book was an incredibly fun Young Adult read.

"A Hat Full of Sky" was the second book and I was charmed by it. It's not often I can say that I found a second book actually better than the first.  Tiffany's growing up a bit and learning that witchcraft really isn't about magik with a "k" (the hocus pocus, boiling cauldron, bells & whistles type) but about how you deal with others less fortunate.  How you attend to their needs and their wants, even if they never thank you.  How you respect them even if they're poor and ignorant.  It was wonderful fun, with a moving message.

In "Wintersmith," an almost 13-year old Tiffany accidentally garners the affections of "Winter" himself, and has to deal with inept witches, cranky witches and clumsy wooing attempts by two different suitors.  Oh, and the Nac Mac Feegle are around, helping take care of Tiffany and adopting her Lancre Blue cheese named Horace.  (I pretty much busted out laughing at the living cheese wearing tartan.)

Now the fourth book, "I Shall Wear Midnight" I have not read yet, and Jen over at Epbot was not happy with it.  At all.  I have about 15 books in a pile I still need to read, but when I get around to it, I'll get the 4th book and hope it's every bit as good as Pratchett's first 3.  *crossing fingers*

SPRING BREAK! Sick House

Then, there was Thursday.

THIS POST IS KIND-OF GROSS.  YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.

Thursday was a day off from fun Spring-Breaky things, because Friday Jacob had no school and we were going to do fun things. Cool fun, funny-fun things.

Thursday early evening, Isabel was cutting up a slew of veggies for home-made minestrone soup from her new cookbook.

SO GOOD!! No lie!

She complained about her stomach hurting and declined eating her yummy creation because she felt bad.  About an hour after we finished making, but not eating, the soup, she RACES to my side and says she's going to be sick.  I herd her to the bathroom and hold back her hair as she proceeds to get sick into the toilet.

After getting her into warm jammies and going to buy ginger ale, the rest of the night consisted of us laying in the family room with a garbage can by her head.  She got sick about 5 more times before I slowly escorted her to the guest room for sleep (the bed's closer to the floor there, so she can reach the garbage can easier.  All our beds are REALLY high.)

Jacob's Friday off was spent at home because I could not leave little miss sickly, who was now feverish and had an upset stomach.  We watched tv, fed her soup and toast and spent the entire day in our jammies.

Maybe Saturday can be saved!

Saturday, 6:00 a.m.

"Moooooom!" says Jake,  and then I hear him throw up.  He'd been about to take a shower.  He was sitting on the toilet because he had an upset stomach and all of a sudden had to throw up.  In the tub.  He hurked about 3 times, while I covered his naked self up with a towel did the mandatory mommy-back-rubbing.

The tub was a wreck.  EVERYTHING he ate was in it, clogged up.  Off I went to buy Drano, Pepto and TP.  Wow, what the cashier must have thought!

After settling him in the guestroom for a nap, I spent 2 hours completely disinfecting their bathroom.  Shower curtains came down and were bleached.  The rug and towels were washed in hot water, the NASTY tub was cleared and cleaned, the floors were bleached, everything sprayed with Lysol, etc. etc.  Isabel was starting to feel more herself.  She showered and actually got dressed, still fighting an upset stomach, but no vomiting since Thursday.

Saturday evening David comes down from our bedroom to announce that he'd joined the barf club.  Hurrah!  I was the only one still holding on.  David wondered if I would throw up next.

Let me give you a side note. I don't throw up.  I have not thrown up since middle school.  I just don't.  David  and Isabel are throw-up champs.  Jake and I not so much.

Easter Sunday, Jacob, Isabel and I went to church leaving David at home.  He was feverish and had to use the bathroom a lot.  We 3 made it through the service and got home.  The extent of my troubles for Sunday  was an upset stomach that had me in the bathroom a lot.  No vomit, no fever.

I told David "The sickness went from youngest to oldest." (I am 3 months older than he).  He nods.  "Or," I continue, "it went from weakest to strongest."  He makes a rude gesture my way.  :)

Thus ended our Spring Break.  :(

The Casual Vacancy; A Review

Wednesday evening, January 23, 2013.

I just put down JKR's "The Casual Vacancy" (a requested Christmas gift)  not  5 minutes ago, after wiping tears from my eyes.  The last chapter killed me.  This book was such a weird read for me.  People were either liking this book or hating this book.  I took notes along the way, to remind me of little things that got me or things I disliked.

I need to preface this review for a sec with some background on me.  I am an Anglophile.  A Puerto Rican Anglophile, which fills my Scottish co-worker with laughter and praise.  He recently told me "Are you sure you're Puerto Rican?  No offense, but you'd fit right in in London."

Not that I put on phony accents and such (except when I want to embarrass the kids), but I enjoy British t.v., movies and novels.  I understand some (not all) of the slang and euphemisms and am usually the translator at work from British-English to Puerto-Rican English   (my co-workers are 3 Puerto Ricans, 1 Cuban and a Scotsman and no one can understand each other's English; it's hilarious really.) 

I'm saying this so you can understand why, although the book was slow and weird, I enjoyed reading it.  I enjoyed the slang, the attitudes, the tea, the smugness.  I enjoyed vacillating between hating and loving each of the characters, depending on the chapter.

JK Rowling can write.  The woman can write like a fiend.  She's brilliant.

If you're expecting Harry Potter loveliness, you've got the wrong book, mates.  If you don't like rude language, and sometimes it was a little much, this is not for you.  If you do not appreciate slow books with minutiae of every-day life, put it down.  I love slow books.   Let me rephrase it.  I love slow, good books.  They're not in a rush.  You take your time. It's about the details.

The book deals with a snap-shot in time of a group of residents in the small town of Pagford.  Beautiful, quaint Pagford.  The pride of many a resident.

We meet the rich residents, the down-and-out drug addicted residents in The Fields (the government housing area), the doctors, social workers, bored housewives, the man who can't make up his mind or commit, the man afraid of everything,  angsty and mean teens,  that all revolve around one man, Barry, whose death is the catalyst for the action.  We meet Barry for one chapter, but his life rippled across all of their lives.  He was a council member and his seat is open now.  We see the machinations and scheming of the council members' lives as they try to sway the  vote for or against rezoning The Fields to a neighboring town who shares the land but none of the upkeep or problems of the drug-riddled area.

There are so many characters that at first I was flipping back and forth to remember who they were.  Eventually, though, I got the hang of it.

I wanted so much for Simon Price's wife Ruth to get a backbone.  I cringed at Simon's beatings of her and her sons.  The verbal and physical abuse was painful to read.  I felt both sad for his sons Andrew and Paul, whom he called Pizza Face or Pansy respectively and beat the heck out of them, and then angry at Andrew for his mean thoughts about his mom who could not defend them.

I hated the bored wife who took pleasure in making people uncomfortable with her meanness because she was bored, and laughed when she ridiculously harbored a secret crush on a boy-band member and ended up kissing a local teen in her usual drunken state.  Stupid cow.

The love of gossip in this small town was crazy.  I thought a few times "Really?  Who acts like this?"

I saw the taunting, teasing, fighting, verbal abuse, downright evilness at the high school or around the teens and really did not fully understand.  Never having been the victim of that kind of hurt, nor my son during his high school years, those kinds of abuses seemed alien to me, but I know they exist out there.

To the city-folk out there, these little political problems might seem ridiculous, but only because we don't have the small-town mentality.

Seeing Krystal, the poor trashy girl from The Fields, struggle to live up to what Barry thought she could be, struggle with the loss of the one person on her side, struggle with a drug-addicted mother and trying to take care of her half-brother so he won't get taken away from them was heart-breaking, but at the same time, I was disgusted by her surroundings, her language and attitude.

JK's writing of Parminder and her daughter Sukhvinder was just a beautiful mix of emotions and raw, open nerves. She wrote these two so well.  I wanted Parminder to relax and let go.  Breathe.   I wanted love, peace, acceptance for Sukhvinder.

The last page, with Rhianna's song, tore me up.  "Umbrella" is used on the book several time, with special meanings in 2 funerals.  Opening with it was ok, but closing with it, once you know what it means, just sealed it.  It had me in tears.

It was a weird read.  It was a slow read.  It was a good read.

The Loot

BEHOLD.....Ze loot.

Not pictured: Two $25 gift cards to Michael's Arts & Crafts, a box of gourmet English muffins from an aunt & uncle as a family gift,  money from my mom and LOTS of money from my mother-in-law!

From my nephew and his girlfriend, who were over for Christmas:
Book 3 of the Buffy Season 8 hardcover edition.  (He got me books 1 and 2 already earlier in the year.)

The Book of Spells Wonderbook/Move Bundle!!!  LOVE!   (this was a joint gift for Isabel and me.)

A desk Nintendo calendar.

Buffy, the Making of the Slayer.  This book...is awesome.  Let me show you something.





It contains a hard cover book PLUS  a folder containing paper goodness from various episodes throughout its 7 year history.




I was pretty much Ga-Ga when I saw this inside the envelope.



Why yes, that IS the shadowcaster from season 7's "Get It Done."




J.K. Rowling's "The Casual Vacancy" from my bff Kelli.

A linen cloth from Grandma GG (along with some candies and cookies mailed and already eaten earlier as a family gift. Thanks Grandma GG!).

"Just Dance 4 for the Wii from the kids, a candle ornament from Isabel, a big candle from David (and one each $25 Michael's card from each of the kids.)

AND




Footie Pajamas from David. :)

Loving my loot!

Books Read 2012

Wow. 2012 STUNK for me, reading-wise.

While I read 75 books in 2011, I read a dismal 60 in 2012.

January:

• The Miracle at Speedy Motors (Book 9 of the 'No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency' series) - Alexander McCall Smith
• First Among Sequels (Book 5 of the 'Thursday Next' series) - Jasper Fforde
• Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (Book10 of the 'No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency' series)  - Alexander McCall Smith
• The Double Comfort Safari Club (Book 11 of the 'No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency' series) - Alexander McCall Smith
• The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down (Book 2 of the 'Yada Yada Prayer Group' series) - Neta Jackson
• Storm Front (Book 1 of the Dresden Files) - Jim Butcher
• The Big Over Easy (Book 1 of the Nursery Crimes series) - Jasper Fforde
• Three to Get Deadly (Book 3 of the Stephanie Plum series) - Janet Evanovich

February:

• Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
• Mr. Darcy's Diary - Amanda Grange
• The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner - Stephenie Meyer
• Fool Moon - Jim Butcher (Dresden Files, Book 2)
• Four to Score - Janet Evanovich (Stephenie Plum Series, Book 4)

March:

• Rise of the Evening Star (Fablehaven book 2) by Brandon Mull
• The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde
• The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer*

April:

• The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel book 2) by Michael Scott
• Austenland by Shannon Hale
• One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde
• High Five (Stephanie Plum book 5) by Janet Evanovitch
• Grave Peril (Dresden Files book 3) by Jim Butcher
• Out of Oz (The Wicked Years book 4) by Gregory Maguire
• Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

May:

• Friends, Lovers, Chocolate (Sunday Philosophy Club book 2) - Alexander McCall Smith.
• La's Orchestra Saves the World - Alexander McCall Smith
• Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan Book 1) - Kathy Reichs
• The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party (#1 Ladies' Detective Agency book 12) - Alexander McCall Smith.
• Death Du Jour   (Temperance Brennan Book 2) - Kathy Reichs
• Shades of Grey: The Road to High Saffron - Jasper Fforde (NO, NOT "50 Shades of Grey.")

June:

• Hot Six by Janet Evanovich (book 6 of the Stephanie Plum series.)
• Summer Knight"by Jim Butcher (book 4 of The Dresden Files series.)
• Les Miserables by Victor Hugo*
• Seven Up by Janet Evanovich   (book 7 of the Stephanie Plum series.)

July:

• Death Masks  (Dresden Files series book 5) by Jim Butcher
• The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real (Yada Yada book 3) by Neta Jackson.
• Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson
• The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright

August:

• The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Tough, (Yada Yada book 4) by Neta Jackson
• The Queen of Attolia (The Queen's Thief book 2) by Megan Whalen Turner
• Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
• Blood Rites, (Dresden Files series book 6) by Jim Butcher
• Spooky Little Girl by Laurie Notaro

September:

• Jane Austen Ruined My Life -  Beth Patillo
• Everlost -  Neil Shusterman
• Eat the Cookie, Buy the Shoe - Joyce Meyer

October:

• The Constant Princess by Phillipa Gregory
• Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich
• The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught by Neta Jackson
• The Wee Free Men by Terri Pratchett
• Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

November:

• The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling by Neta Jackson
• A Heart Full of Diamonds by A.M. Jenner
• City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
• Coraline (Graphic Novel), by Neil Gaiman
• The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out by Neta Jackson
• Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

December:

• Little Men By Louisa May Alcott*
• The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad
• Undead and Unwelcome by MaryJanice Dickinson
• Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terri Prachett

I tended to read a lot of series this year.  Alexander McCall Smith's "#1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series, Neta Jackson's "Yada Yada" Series, Janet Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" Series, Jim Butcher's "Dresden" series.   All good or I would not keep reading them.

Nothing really stands out.  I mean, I loved the Yada Yada series, I continue to love Precious Ramotswe, and Stephanie Plum is my guilty pleasure, but really the only book that made me go "yay!" was Paolini's "Inheritance" because it was long-awaited and also very good.

What book in 2012 made you say "Yay?"  Tell me about your favorite.  I might add it to my ever-growing list.

Books I Read; July and August

I'm behind on my lists, but let me tell ya, 2012 is a SLLLLOOOOW reading year for me.  Horrible.

Let's see July:

"Death Masks"  (Dresden Files series book 5) by Jim Butcher
"The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real" (Yada Yada book 3) by Neta Jackson.
"Peaches" by Jodi Lynn Anderson
"The Wednesday Letters" by Jason F. Wright

And in August:

"The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Tough," (Yada Yada book 4) by Neta Jackson
"The Queen of Attolia," (The Queen's Thief book 2) by Megan Whalen Turner
"Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt," by Beth Hoffman
"Blood Rites,"   (Dresden Files series book 6) by Jim Butcher
"Spooky Little Girl," by Laurie Notaro


Still plugging along with both the sci-fi Wizard Harry Dresden's series and the Yada Yada prayer group series.  I read one from each series each month.

I picked up with book two of an OLD series I started and then forgot about, The Queen's Thief series.  I read book one back in  February of 2011 and then did not get book 2 through Paperback Swap until over a year and a half later.  Not many copies are circulating through the paperback swap system and I'd forgotten about the series.  Ms. Whalen Turner does great work.  My only complaint is that there are NO maps in her books.  She's created an entirely mythical universe with kingdoms and land masses, and includes NO maps.

Laurie Notaro is an old favorite.  She started writing witty personal stories and I read them back in 2007.  She then set out to write fiction work.  I read her first book, "There's a (Slight) Chance I might be Going to Hell" in 2007 and just now got around to her next book, "Spooky Little Girl."  I enjoy her sarcastic writing style.  This is a story about ghost school and finding your true self, in the afterlife.  Good fun.

Sci-Fi Hoedown: The Dresden Files

I've been reading Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series off and on.  I am currently on book 5.

I decided to watch the Sci-Fi show "The Dresden Files," even though friends have told me it was not very close to the books (and not very good period.)   The author was even quoted as saying that the tv show was not the books.  That is was based on an alternate reality/version of the books and if you watch it thinking it will be about the books, you'll be disappointed.   Too bad they didn't just follow the darn books.

Every episode is a Monster-of-the-Week.  There's no long story-arc.  There's hintings of past events, etc. but there is no Big Bad, no long sweeping arc; it's kind-of boring.  Every episode gets solved in 42 minutes.  Bo-ring.  No wonder it got cancelled.  You need an arc, people!  And evil uncle mentioned once in a while does not cut it.

The only episode where you see anything remotely like the books is episode 8; Storm Front.  Episode 8 was supposed to be 2-hour pilot.  The network, for whatever reason, did not use it, so they took the 2 hour pilot and chopped it down into a one hour story.  It's in this episode you see a lot of book 1 Harry.  They did cast a blonde white girl in the role of Hispanic Susan.  Boo.  Other than that, we see the Blue Beetle make a guest appearance in a garage being fixed.   It was weird seeing episode 8 because you could see the exposition that would have worked for a pilot episode.  Sticking it in as a random episode felt off.

The differences between the books and the show are obvious and sometimes silly.  BookHarry carries a staff with runes.  TVHarry carries a hockey stick (no joke) or sometimes a drum stick (not chicken, for playing drums) as his power staffs.  Really?  Only is episode 8 do we see runes on the hockey stick, and that was supposed to be the first episode, not episode 8.  BookHarry hides his staff in a long black leather cloak.  Maybe the production staff did not want to have to deal with that long cloak and hiding a staff, but a hockey stick?
BookHarry lives in a cave-of-an-apartment in a basement, because his magic powers tend to zap anything electrical.  BookHarry  has no lighting, no electricity, no central heating.  TVHarry has an amazing home/office space with a gas stove, working lights and all the creature comforts.  I like that BookHarry can't be near technology because he fries it.  In the tv show, they do mention that Harry has problems with technology, but not until like episode 6, and of course episode 8, which was supposed to be episode 1.  All out of order.
BookHarry has a ghost named Bob who lives in a skull.  TVBob does live in a skull but 90% of the time, he takes on a human form to talk to Harry.  That was a weird adjustment.

BookDetective Murphy is names Karrin.  TVMurphy is named Connie.  Big whoop, I know. (from imdb: "The character of Karrin Murphy became Connie Murphy for legal reasons after it was discovered that there is an actual police officer named Karyn Murphy in Chicago." funny)   The tv version though, is not as clued in to what Harry does as the book version.  The book version has her on a squad that just deals with supernatural cases.  She and Harry are really tight.  The TVMurphy acts like she can barely tolerate him.  Bah.

Like I said, all the episodes are M.O.T.W. so there's nothing really to be invested in.   Paul Blackthorne is a good actor.  He is apparently 6' 4" but he does not look that tall in the show. I was surprised to read he was 6' 4".  BookDresden is tall too.  He's got a sexy charm in the show.  Not sure if BookDresden does.  (side note: the actor's got some full lips.)  Good actor, just..bad writing, or bad story-arcing.  Something.  Not his fault.  They should have had Jim Butcher write for the darn show.

June 2012 Reads

• "Hot Six" by Janet Evanovich (book 6 of the Stephanie Plum series.)
• "Summer Knight" by Jim Butcher (book 4 of The Dresden Files series.)
• "Les Miserables"* by Victor Hugo
• "Seven Up" by Janet Evanovich   (book 7 of the Stephanie Plum series.)

Wow, what a bad month for books.  What was I doing in June?  I was a slow reader in June I suppose.    

The Stephanie Plum series STILL keeps me laughing.  Man!  Are people in Jersey really like this?!?!?

I'm plugging along with the Dresden files series and have started watching the ill-fated series.  I'll post a Sci-Fi Palooza post on that one.  The book was full of fairies fighting and background politic craziness that has Harry going crazy.  It was a good book; verse tense and exciting.

"Les Miserable" by Mr. Hugo.  Poor Jean Valjean.  His conscious would not let him let an innocent man go to prison, and thus continuous problem after problem.  I liked Mr. Valjean; his life changed forever by the kindness of a random Bishop.  Oh, it's too long to go into.  It's a wonderful book about sin and betrayals, misconceptions, freedom and love, penance and forgiveness.  You should check it out.  

*Classics list

Books Read in May

• Friends, Lovers, Chocolate (Sunday Philosophy Club book 2) - Alexander McCall Smith.
• Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan Book 1) - Kathy Reichs
• The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party (#1 Ladies' Detective Agency book 12) - Alexander McCall Smith.
• Death Du Jour   (Temperance Brennan Book 2) - Kathy Reichs
• Shades of Grey: The Road to High Saffron - Jasper Fforde

Most of these are books in a series.  I did not enjoy the first Sunday Philosophy Club book because he writes Ms. Dalhousie as this old maid spinster who'll never be married and can never be a romantic lead.  She's 42!!  Ugh.  I read the second book mainly because I was in the McCall Smith section of the library and decided to give it another shot.  I enjoyed it more and will continue the series.

I've listened to many Temperance Brennan books on audio, but have never read any, so I decided to start with #1 and work my way up.  She is sooooo different from TV's Temperance Brennan (aka Bones.) The ONLY thing they have in common is their name and what they do.  The end.  Book Brennan has an ex-husband, a daughter in college, an alcohol problem and oh...yea, a personality.  I wonder how Kathy Reichs felt about "Bones" and how they completely destroyed/changed/whatever that character.

Shades of Grey. NOT THAT ONE.  Not the one that people are reading and I can't figure out why.  From all the reviews I have read, it's horrible fan fiction based on Edward and Bella from Twilight, and it's basically porn.  No thank you.  THIS Shades of Grey does not have '50' in front of it and is by Jasper Fforde, who is probably wishing that other author had chosen another name for his/her story.

Fforde's story deals with a Dystopia where people are classified by colors of the spectrum they can see.  There are purer colors at the top of the chain (red, purple) and those lower in the chain, especially the greys who are the bottom of the barrel.  It was slow going for me.  I was not getting it; there were many obscure references to their particular work I did not understand.  It picked up better in the middle, and in the end, you're shocked by the levels of evil and subterfuge the so-called government is involved in.  I'm interested to see what comes of the characters in book 2.

April 2012 Reads

• "The Magician" (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel book 2) by Michael Scott
• "Austenland" by Shannon Hale
• "One of Our Thursdays is Missing" by Jasper Fforde
• "High Five" (Stephanie Plum book 5) by Janet Evanovitch
• "Grave Peril" (Dresden Files book 3) by Jim Butcher
• "Out of Oz" (The Wicked Years book 4) by Gregory Maguire
• "Midnight in Austenland" by Shannon Hale

My year is slower than last.  Booo.  Oh well.

The Magician is a continuation of a YA series I started.  Immortals, twins with power, etc.  Good stuff.

"Austenland" was ok. Not great literature, a quick read.  Being an Austen fan, I gave it a go.  Deals with an American heading off to England to immerse herself in the full Austen experience.  I thought it was a little odd, all those actors working on this property.  The money to pay to go to this place must be RIDICULOUS if you and a few other guests are splitting the cost of all these actors and grounds keepers, etc.  See? I think these logical things and ruin things for myself.  Suspension of disbelief, suspension of disbelief.  Must keep chanting.

So what do I do?  I see "Midnight in Austenland" by the same author at the library in the new release section and pick it up.  Because I am an optimist, right?  *sigh*  Same exact idea, different main character.  

Another great, crazy Jasper Fforde "Thursday Next" book.  His most recent, actually, so I will have to wait for more of his insane humor in the Next series.

I'm going to skip to "Out of Oz" by Gregory Maguire.  It's the last of his "Wicked" series.  I thoroughly enjoyed "Wicked."    "Son of a Witch" was ok, not as good.   I listened to "A Lion Among Men" in the car, so I don't count it as a read.  I was not a fan of the 3rd book and wondered how I would feel about book 4.   The book was much better than book 3, right on par with book 2.  I felt more empathy for the new character Rain.  Maguire writes characters that sometimes just fell like they have no feelings. It's odd.  Rain started out like this, but her character evolved into someone I liked very much.  We see Dorothy again, Brr the Cowardly Lion, Glinda is still vapid, and we never really know what happened to Elphaba, and that made me a little sad; I wanted to know!  

March Reads

March was another slow month.  Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" kicked my patoot and slowed me down.  That, plus travel and a birthday cake to make, and I was down for my count.

• "Rise of the Evening Star" (Fablehaven book 2) by Brandon Mull
• "The Fourth Bear" by Jasper Fforde
• "The Canterbury Tales" by Geoffrey Chaucer*

That's IT.   That is one BAD month.

The second Fablehaven book is a Young Adult selection following a couple of young siblings who find out their grandparents run a sanctuary for fairies, imps, trolls, etc. and how they have to protect it from the evil trying to attack it.

"The Fourth Bear" is the second in the Nursery Crimes series and again, another hoot by Fforde.  The man is great fun.  Literary nuts, go read him!

Lastly, "The Canterbury Tales."  I read this in college.  In middle English.  It was really a fun class.  I read it translated into modern English and still had a hard time reading it fast enough.

Whedon OVERLOAD

Yes!  In a GOOD WAY!

The same nephew that went to Mega-Con and got us the wall pictures went a leeeeeetle crazy buying me Joss-based items!  I mean, overboard.

SERIOUSLY!

I received Buffy omnibuses/omnibi?  LOL #'s 3-7 (one is missing because it was downstairs when I was taking this photo), Serenity Better Days pt 2, Spike After the Fall, Angel Omnibus 1,  Panel to Panel, Tales,
 aaaand..

HA!

I am reading them slowly.  One by one.  Savoring them for as long as possible.  Squeee!

My bookends can't even handle these anymore

February Reads

• Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
• Mr. Darcy's Diary - Amanda Grange
• The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner - Stephenie Meyer
• Fool Moon - Jim Butcher (Dresden Files, Book 2)
• Four to Score - Janet Evanovich (Stephenie Plum Series, Book 4)

Reading Paolini's 4th book in the saga was like coming home to an old friend.  I appreciate that he puts little recaps (or as I like to call them, the "Previously on The Inheritance Cycle" deal) in the front of his books to refresh my (Swiss-Cheese) memory.  It was like an old friend, his writing.  The book was very good but left me sad and really wanting more.  I do hope Paolini visits Alagaesia in the future.  This 800+ page hard cover book put a dent in my time for February reads.

Ms. Grange's "Diary" was a quick one-day read to keep my Austen-Love going.  Not as good as the "Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman" series I read , but still cute enough.

Stephenie Meyer's companion/novella to book 3 of her Twilight series was a quick fun read.  It deals with a character we meed for a few pages only in the end of the battle scene in "Eclipse."  We get to see "life" from Bree's perspective for a few days.

I read Butcher's second Dresden book, "Fool Moon."  I enjoyed the book but was very confused by all the different kinds of "werewolves" in his lore. I kept having to go back and see what each name meant over and over.  I've ordered book 3.  I like Harry and want to know more about what almost got him killed by the White Council.

Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" is as crazy as ever.  Add a non-gay transvestite, Sally Sweet (he's in it for the money) who can solve puzzles to the crazy cast that includes a gun-toting granny, a gun-toting ex-hooker-turned clerk 200 lb Lula, and gun-toting Stephanie, and you wonder....does everyone in Jersey tote a gun? Apparently so.  Funny, trashy, quick read.

Twilight Series, Revisited

As you know, I enjoy listening to books on cd in the car on the way to & from work.  I tend to do books I have already read.  I don't want to listen to a book that I have not had the pleasure yet to read.  I want a refresher and like to hear the reader's spin on everything.  Some readers are great, some are horrendous.

I decided to listen to the entire "Twilight" saga on cd.

I do not remember disliking Bella so much.  "Twilight" was sort-of ok on cd, but listening to the reading of "New Moon" is killing me.  I remember being "Meh" when I read it last, but now she's really bugging me.  WHO loses months of their lives and cannot remember what has happened, while they're actually going through their day?  She "wakes up" and wonders when Angela got her hair cut?? What?

She's written ridiculously in this book.  I am constantly rolling my eyes at the stupid things she says and does.  The angst at her losing Edward gets old after hearing about the hole in her chest for the 50th time.  She's completely batty and I was hoping Laurent would eat her this time.

I am enjoying Jacob. He's more believable.  Well, except for the being a werewolf part.

The reader does a fare job. Not the best I have heard.  I am not a fan of the way she says "Bella." BEH-LLA, with this weird pause and Italian-like accent.  *shudder*

I have two more audio books to go.  Wish me luck!

January Reads

Here are the books I read in January:

• The Miracle at Speedy Motors (Book 9 of the 'No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency' series) - Alexander McCall Smith
• First Among Sequels (Book 5 of the 'Thursday Next' series) - Jasper Fforde
• Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (Book10 of the 'No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency' series)  - Alexander McCall Smith
• The Double Comfort Safari Club (Book 11 of the 'No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency' series) - Alexander McCall Smith
• The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down (Book 2 of the 'Yada Yada Prayer Group' series) - Neta Jackson
• Storm Front (Book 1 of the Dresden Files) - Jim Butcher
• The Big Over Easy (Book 1 of the Nursery Crimes series) - Jasper Fforde
• Three to Get Deadly (Book 3 of the Stephanie Plum series) - Janet Evanovich

Wow, January was made up of "series" books.

I'm still loving the sweetness of the" No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series.   Mma Ramotswe is one smart lady who has old time values.  Mma Makutsi cracks me up with her shoes.  I love that in this world of Botswana, the good guys go through tough times, but goodness does prevail.  Take that, Violet Sephotho!

Jasper Fforde is super intelligent.  And insane.  In a good way.  The Thursday Next series is great.  The puns, the literary asides, the random things  (Temperance Brennan, footnoter phones, defeating oral tradition and its consequences) he comes up with are hysterical.  Only one more to go, as far as what's already been published.  But I am happy to note, I have recently received books 1 & 2 of his Nursey Rhymes mystery series, so I'll still have my Fforde-Fix for a bit.

"The Yada Yada Prayer Group" series is a contemporary Christian series.  I picked up the first one for a quarter last year at the library and got the second one for free from the Paperback Swap web site.  The series deals with a completely diverse group of women in Chicago who are put together as a prayer team for mornings before the weekend-long conference.  They come from different backgrounds (school teacher, salon shop owner, real estate agent, house keeper, bagel shop worker, University professor, elementary school principal, etc.), have different histories (raised in a loving home in Ohio, in jail for stealing clothes for younger brothers, former crack addict, immigrants, etc.) as well as different races and nationalities (black & white; Hispanic, Jamaican, Jew, from Africa, etc.)  They have nothing in common except for their love of God and the sacrifice He made for them through Jesus.  This odd group of women decide to meet after the conference and stay in touch with bi-weekly meetings.  The lead character, white school teacher Jodi,  sometimes is annoying, mainly in her jealousy of another member.  That bit bothers me, but the women's relationships with each other go through tests, but remain, and ring, true.

"Storm Front" (Dresden Files, book 1):  I think I should have read this book some time way after reading "Yada Yada..."   I do not care whether a book has supernatural elements in it or not (Hello?  Buffy fan,  Harry Potter fan here) but when the author's writing has this..... "I hate Christianity" undercurrent/feel to it (Harry Dresden does not believe in God.  Wears T-shirts that says "Easter's Been Cancelled.  They found the body,") it turns me off.  I have the second book and will read it. Maybe I'll like it better after I've stepped away from the first one for a bit.  It just bugged me and it's sad, because the Harry character is quirky (I love that he hates current technology and pretty much destroys anything electronic he touches or is near) and has a spirit trapped in a skull in his lab that helps him with his potions, named Bob.

"The Big Over Easy" is another Jasper Fforde insanity that made me laugh. MAN, he is good.  Inspector Jack Spratt (he of the "could eat no fat" fame) is in charge for the NCD - Nursery Crime Division of the police department.  Nursery rhyme puns and references galore in this book.  Jack must solve the whodunnit - who pushed Humpty Dumpty off the wall and killed him.  Super-fun, just like his 'Thursday Next' series.

Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum is so ridiculously trashy, I love her.  I literally snort reading the stupid things this woman get herself into.  How in the world she's still alive as a Bounty Hunter is beyond me.  *snort* Aaaaaand there's a new movie out!  I don't care what the Razzie's say, I'm watching it!

2011 Book List

Thank goodness for Shelfari.com.  If I had not been keeping track of my books on this site, I would have lost the list.  See, our computer died in August and I lost a lot of pictures and documents, including my list of books read up to that date.

In 2010, I read 56 books.

In 2011?  75!!  (76 if you count the fact that I reread a book in November that I had read in March, cause I was bored and had my Nook with me at the time, so I re-read a book.)

I know there are people who read more, but for a working mom with a household to run, I am stoked!  Also, I don't count audio books in my car, which I listen to every day to and from work. I don't count comics that I subscribe to. I also don't count the books I read with Isabel, especially now that she reads them to me. They're way too small for me to add.


Here's my list that I had to hand-type because unfortunately, Shelfari won't let me export my list unless my profile on their site is 85% complete. Absolute poppycock, if you ask me.  What does that mean? Stupid things like "adding friends" or "editing book reviews" will make my profile be "more complete."  It's at 70% right now.  So, Shelfari is not being my friend right now.


Sh*t My Dad Says - Justin Halpern (yep, this is how I started 2011.)
The Likeness - Tana French
The Kalahari Typing School for Men - Alexander McCall Smith
Commencement - J. Courtney Sullivan
*A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
Girls Night In - various authors
*1984 - George Orwell
The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove - Christopher Moore
The Brambles - Eliza Minot
The Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
The Full Cupboard of Life -  Alexander McCall Smith
The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde
*Wives and Daughters - Elizabeth Gaskell
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
Lost in a Good Book - Jasper Fforde
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson
*The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan
The Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan
The Titan's Curse - Rick Riordan
*Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
Good in Bed - Jennifer Weiner
The Peach Keeper - Sarah Addison Allen
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies -  Alexander McCall Smith
InterWorld - Neil Gaiman
Florabama Ladies Auxiliary & Sewing Circle - Lois Battle
The Battle of the Labyrinth - Rick Riordan
Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas - James Patterson
Naked Heat - "Richard Castle"
The Last Olympian - Rick Riordan
A Jane Austen Education - William Deresiewicz
*Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
Undead & Unworthy - MaryJanice Davidson
13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson
Charming Billy - Alice McDermott
Diary of a Mad Fat Girl - Stephanie McAfee
The Time it Snowed in Puerto Rico: A Novel - Sarah McCoy
Hand-Me-Down - Lee Nichols
*Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
All the Names- Jose Saramago
The Angel Experiment - James Patterson
Knit Two - Kate Jacobs
School's Out Forever - James Patterson
The Well of Lost Plots - Jasper Fforde
Dead Reckoning - Charlaine Harris
Saving the World and Other Experiments - James Patterson
Blue Shoes and Happiness -  Alexander McCall Smith
Fablehaven - Brandon Mull
These Happy Golden Years - Laura Ingalls Wilder
Monster Island - Christopher Golden
The First Four Years - Laura Ingalls Wilder
Knit the Season - Kate Jacobs
The Weird Sisters - Eleanor Brown
Comfort Food - Kate Jacobs
Pendragon - D.J. McHale
The Merchant of Death - D.J. McHale
Mr. Chartwell - Rebecca Hunt
*Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Avonlea -  L.M. Montgomery
The Lost City of Faar - D.J. McHale
The Help - Kathryn Sockett
Anne of the Island - L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Windy Poplars - L.M. Montgomery
The Alchemist - Michael Scott (that's what she said)
Something Rotten - Jasper Fforde
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian
St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves - Karen Russell
One for the Money - Janet Evanovich
The Yada Yada Prayer Group - Neta Jackson
Anne's House of Dreams - L.M. Montgomery
A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive - Alexander McCall Smith
Two for the Dough - Janet Evanovich
One Day in May - Catherine Alliot
Heat Rises - "Richard Castle"

* - Classics List

A few notes:

Notes on some Classics:

I really enjoyed "A Tale of Two Cities" by Dickens.  Really well done.

"Madame Bovary" and "Jude the Obscure" were both written by different authors who got in trouble for being too progressive for their times.  Both books deal with adultery and are actually quite similar.


Books I Want my Money Back For:


Diary of a Mad Fat Girl - Stephanie McAfee (paid .99 and I still want my money back.)
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian - Marina Lewycka
The Likeness - Tana French (It was free; I want my time back.)


Favorites of the Year:


The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde (and all the rest in the "Tuesday Next" series.)
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson
A Jane Austen Education - William Deresiewicz
*Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
Fablehaven - Brandon Mull
The Alchemist - Michael Scott
The Yada Yada Prayer Group - Neta Jackson (*this* is how I grew up getting my "praise" on.)

New Series I am enjoying
I just started Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.  I was prepared to be haughty and look down my nose at it (book snob here) and yet I love it!

Continuing Series I Love
I still love Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.  I love its sweetness, kindness and slow pacing.  As I get closer and closer to his newer releases, I am getting sad that eventually I will have to wait for more books to be published.

What did you read?  Anything you think I should read?  Let me know. Let's talk books!

What's on the Bookshelf?

Are you looking for a sweet Chic Lit Read?

Pick up Kate Jacob's "The Friday Night Knitting Club" and its sequels, "Knit Two" and "Knit the Season."  The story of a tightly-knit (parum-pum) group of diverse women who hold each other up held my attention and made me cry.  Hard.



I also read Kate Jacob's "Comfort Food" which deals with different characters, but was still good fun.




"Mr. Chartwell" by Rebecca Hunt was a bizarre story about a seven foot+ tall talking dog who is seen by two different people, a housewife who's lost her husband and another guy. This guy named Winston Churchill.  Uh huh.  Mr. Chartwell really ends up being the personification (person? Animafication?) of depression and how these two people, as different as different can be, deal with this depression.  Will it be your lifetime friend, or will you eventually let him go?  Actually a good read once you understand what it's all about.



Everyone's read "The Help," right?  If not, what are you waiting for?  The movie?  Tee hee.


1962 Mississippi is a hotbed of racism.  White Ms. Skeeter wants to know what it's really like, so she secretly, slowly cajoles "the help" to talk about their experiences.  Funny, sad, tense, this book was a great read.

"A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian."  I picked this up for a quarter at the library book store.   The cover quotes told me it was hysterical and extremely funny.



I read and waited. Waited and read.  I did not find it funny.  I was annoyed by most of the characters and actually put the book down for 3 weeks because they bugged me. I finished it to finish it.  The ending was better than I thought it would be, but I won't read it again.

I've read some more of Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series.  I read "The  Eyre Affair" earlier this year and had to read more.   I really love these books! If you're a literary nerd, read these!!

Reading "Something Rotten" while Jacob was studying to play "Hamlet" was an extra treat.







Got any good books to recommend to me? Let me know!