1. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
I have to say, I'm not sure why I saw this book and thought, "Hmmm.....a book full of demons? I'm SO there!" But, I did. I read this one quickly because it was interesting and I mostly liked the characters. This is part of a trilogy, but I am not going to go on. Why, you ask? Demons. That is really my only reason. The main characters were demon killers, so it's not like it was PRO demon, but still. The book was Twilight-ish in many ways, and there was a couple twists that turned out to be VERY Star Wars-ish. VERY. To the point I was thinking, "Really? No one thought that was a tad copycat-ish?" I'm really liking adding "ish" to everything tonight, can't you tell? It is 3:30 AM, yes AM. I am going to hate myself in about 3 hours. So, you will no doubt enjoy this book if you are into that whole underworld creature kind of thing. Otherwise, you probably want to skip this one.
2. A Wicked Snow by Gregg Olsen
There was wickedness and there was snow. I didn't write this review right after reading the book, so my thoughts are less than fresh. I liked it, but I really felt there needed to be more of a mother/daughter confrontation....or mother/aunt if you can forgive me for the gigantic spoiler. I have no other thoughts.
3. The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
I am 2/3 of the way through "The 19th Wife" which is about Mormon plural marriages and so I'm going to cheat and go ahead and write the review even though I haven't finished the book. It goes back and forth between the history of the Mormons and plural marriage, and specifically Brigham Young's 19th wife....and then a more modern murder mystery also involving a 19th wife in what I guess you would call a "fringe" group that still practices plural marriage. I really enjoy the more historical story and find myself blowing through the modern chapters to get them over with and back to the other story. I would call this one....interesting.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Book Reviews - April 2010
About midnight or so tonight, I realized that we were already two/three days into the month of May and I hadn't posted my April book reviews yet. Mildly alarmed that I had missed my once-a-month reason to blog, I vowed to do it sometime on Monday. Who knew I would be doing it at 2:35 am? Storms and sleep don't mix, people. I'm always telling John we need one of those emergency weather radios, but he scoffs at the idea. Actual scoffing, I tell you. Satellite TV is totally unreliable in bad weather, and how on earth am I supposed to know if we're about to die? He is, of course, sleeping peacefully in the other room. I am totally resentful of this. SOMEBODY has to stay awake wandering the house and looking out the windows for twisters. And whatever happened to those nifty tornado sirens? If we had one of THOSE, I could at least lay down and close my eyes knowing the siren would warn me of danger. I could stay on this rant all night, but since I'm thinking I've only got a good 15/20 minutes before the laptop battery dies, I'd better move on.
I write these reviews as I read the books, so that's why the below mentions me drinking a cup of tea, which sounds calming, and I can promise you I am not doing right at this moment. I think the storm is passing, but I'll be up for another good 30 minutes, just in case I'm wrong. John and Samuel have no idea, but I am ON THE JOB.
Without further ado, the book reviews:
1. Sisterchicks Go Brit! by Robin Jones Gunn
In honor of this review, I am sipping tea with half & half and honey, because that's how Pam Morgan told me they do it in England. I don't know if this is true or not, but I am totally on board. If I could smell or taste right now, I'm sure I'd be thrilled. I could really use a scone or shortbread "biscuit" at this moment. This is the third or fourth Sisterchicks book I've read, although it was a very long time ago when I read the others. I liked the other books, but never loved them enough that I wanted to continue with the series, until I saw that they were going to "Go Brit!". I have a thing about everything British, so I had to read this one. I really didn't love the book, but I did enjoy all the places in England that they visited and talked about. It was almost more of a travel guide than anything. I did cry when I read the last page, but I'm not sure that made the whole book worth it. You can't trust my tears since I tend towards the emotional side. So, if you have this Brit obsession as I do, you might enjoy it. If you don't, you probably want to skip it.
I write these reviews as I read the books, so that's why the below mentions me drinking a cup of tea, which sounds calming, and I can promise you I am not doing right at this moment. I think the storm is passing, but I'll be up for another good 30 minutes, just in case I'm wrong. John and Samuel have no idea, but I am ON THE JOB.
Without further ado, the book reviews:
1. Sisterchicks Go Brit! by Robin Jones Gunn
In honor of this review, I am sipping tea with half & half and honey, because that's how Pam Morgan told me they do it in England. I don't know if this is true or not, but I am totally on board. If I could smell or taste right now, I'm sure I'd be thrilled. I could really use a scone or shortbread "biscuit" at this moment. This is the third or fourth Sisterchicks book I've read, although it was a very long time ago when I read the others. I liked the other books, but never loved them enough that I wanted to continue with the series, until I saw that they were going to "Go Brit!". I have a thing about everything British, so I had to read this one. I really didn't love the book, but I did enjoy all the places in England that they visited and talked about. It was almost more of a travel guide than anything. I did cry when I read the last page, but I'm not sure that made the whole book worth it. You can't trust my tears since I tend towards the emotional side. So, if you have this Brit obsession as I do, you might enjoy it. If you don't, you probably want to skip it.
I think I established in the previous review that I am emotional. I didn't used to be this way, but I believe that while pregnant with Samuel he flipped some sort of internal switch while he was kicking around in there and the waterworks have been on ever since. It's not always very bad, but give me a small amount of stress or illness and I'm done for. Add that praise & worship song about Paul and Silas and mind prisons and chains breaking and I'm seriously undone. You are probably wondering what any of that has to do with this book. I started the book on Tuesday night while I was feeling really, really, really sick. I'm not sure how far in I started the crying, but I didn't read a lot that night and I know I had one good boo-hoo session before it was over. I was really missing my Daddy.
I finished the book on Thursday late afternoon with no more tears.
I highly, highly recommend this book - especially if you are a little more stable than I am. It is funny and it makes you think a lot about your family and friends, and then it might make you cry a little too...or a lot, if you have issues. There are a few "F" bombs thrown in here and there, so be warned, but one of them did make me cackle out loud. This one is a keeper.
3. A Cry in the Night by Mary Higgins Clark
I love books by Mary Higgins Clark. I know I've read a lot of them, but probably because I read them so far apart, I have a very hard time remembering what I have read before and what is new. This was an old book I found at the used book store and the description did not seem familiar to me, so I took a chance. In several books of Mary Higgins Clark's that I've read, there is a twist or a moment where I am surprised by who is actually the evil person behind whatever is going on. That was not the case in this book. It was pretty clear from the get-go that the main character's new husband - Erich - was creepy. Really, REALLY creepy. So, even if there were a twist and he was not responsible for all the weirdness, she still needed to get away from him. So, I liked the book, but I like being surprised and I wasn't as much with this one. Mary Higgins Clark mysteries are very good and you can read them without fear of bad language or raunchy sex scenes or anything other than just a good suspenseful story.
4. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
This book was one my husband had me request on Paperback Swap. I knew nothing about it, but he read it and suggested that I would like it. I read a little over half of this book and really enjoyed it. And then I got bored with the never-ending hostage situation and crazy opera love and just wanted resolution. I tried going back to the book several times and never stuck with it longer than a page or two. Then I lost the book for a day or so, only to discover it had been in one of the many pockets in my mammoth purse the whole time. Finally, I just asked John to tell me what happened so I could read something else. And he did. Then we had this ridiculously long discussion about whether it was acceptable to have an affair if you were in a prolonged hostage situation in a third world country. Let's just say that one of us found the situation understandable, while the other one is COMMITTED TO HER MARRIAGE EVEN IN THE FACE OF THIRD WORLD TERRORISTS AND FAMOUS OPERA SINGERS. Reading is knowledge, people. Even if that knowledge is that you should never, ever, ever send your husband to a third world country.
When John wakes up and reads this, he's probably going to be perturbed that I typed that last part, but he can THANK ME FOR BEING ALIVE. The Riddle men can sleep like babies knowing I am watching out for them. Good night, dear friends.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Randomness on a Tuesday when there is no new LOST
No new LOST tonight, therefore I blog. It's this or cry, so this it be.
Stuff:
1. Couponing is WAY harder than it needs to be. Food should just be cheaper so I don't have to do all this mess.
2. Said couponing has led me to do something that hasn't started, but I'm already regretting. We signed up for the "Couponer's Special" of the Chattanooga Times where we get FOUR Sunday papers delivered to our house (and other papers during the week...) John's main concern is that our paperboy/girl/man/woman/person will HATE OUR GUTS. I fear he is correct. I predict we will cancel this service in 2 weeks.
3. I am watching the series "Bones" on Netflix and I'm in season one. My last point made me remember that in an episode I just watched, Angela says to Bones, "Love your guts, sweetie" and I just REALLY liked it. If that was how I rolled - telling people I loved them and using words like sweetie - I would SO be saying this all the time.
4. Every time I make hamburgers, I proclaim George Foreman as my hero. I wouldn't have thought of this one if I had washed the G.F. and put it away last night like I should have, but it is just sitting there on my kitchen counter in all it's day-old grease-covered glory.
5. I'm loving the book I'm reading, "Bel Canto", but I just really want it to be over with. I need resolution. Soon.
6. I'm starting to believe the P in PMS stands for Pre-, Post- and Potentially Permanent.
7. Is anyone else's kid bonkers for these rubberband bracelet things? It wasn't two weeks ago that Samuel was totally unfazed by them, but sometime since then they have become "cool" and he won't stop begging me to take him to buy some.
8. If I didn't have a DVR, I would never watch American Idol again. I can NOT STAND to hear all the talking, and sometimes not all the singing. Crystal Bowersox will no doubt have an album whether she wins or loses, and I will no doubt buy it. Of course, I said that about Danny Gokey and I still haven't bought his either. Now if there were a coupon for that...
9. Blogs I read nearly every day (or whenever they have a new post). There are a few others, but I read them more randomly. Let me know if there are any more good ones I should be reading.
Living Proof Ministries
Big Mama
The Pioneer Woman
Stuff Christians Like
10. I really need to quit reading blogs and go wash my George Foreman.
Stuff:
1. Couponing is WAY harder than it needs to be. Food should just be cheaper so I don't have to do all this mess.
2. Said couponing has led me to do something that hasn't started, but I'm already regretting. We signed up for the "Couponer's Special" of the Chattanooga Times where we get FOUR Sunday papers delivered to our house (and other papers during the week...) John's main concern is that our paperboy/girl/man/woman/person will HATE OUR GUTS. I fear he is correct. I predict we will cancel this service in 2 weeks.
3. I am watching the series "Bones" on Netflix and I'm in season one. My last point made me remember that in an episode I just watched, Angela says to Bones, "Love your guts, sweetie" and I just REALLY liked it. If that was how I rolled - telling people I loved them and using words like sweetie - I would SO be saying this all the time.
4. Every time I make hamburgers, I proclaim George Foreman as my hero. I wouldn't have thought of this one if I had washed the G.F. and put it away last night like I should have, but it is just sitting there on my kitchen counter in all it's day-old grease-covered glory.
5. I'm loving the book I'm reading, "Bel Canto", but I just really want it to be over with. I need resolution. Soon.
6. I'm starting to believe the P in PMS stands for Pre-, Post- and Potentially Permanent.
7. Is anyone else's kid bonkers for these rubberband bracelet things? It wasn't two weeks ago that Samuel was totally unfazed by them, but sometime since then they have become "cool" and he won't stop begging me to take him to buy some.
8. If I didn't have a DVR, I would never watch American Idol again. I can NOT STAND to hear all the talking, and sometimes not all the singing. Crystal Bowersox will no doubt have an album whether she wins or loses, and I will no doubt buy it. Of course, I said that about Danny Gokey and I still haven't bought his either. Now if there were a coupon for that...
9. Blogs I read nearly every day (or whenever they have a new post). There are a few others, but I read them more randomly. Let me know if there are any more good ones I should be reading.
Living Proof Ministries
Big Mama
The Pioneer Woman
Stuff Christians Like
10. I really need to quit reading blogs and go wash my George Foreman.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Book Reviews - March 2010
1. Maire - Linda Windsor
There was a time in my life I would have read every book in this series. Is it a series? Wait, I must conference with Google - PAUSE - OK, yes it is the first book in the Fires of Gleannmara series. I did like it. Do you have to learn anything about history for a book to be considered historical fiction? (That was just a side question and total irrelevant to this review.) What was I saying? Oh yes. Liked it. Did I love it? I think the fact that I put it in my purse and a week later realized that I had been reading a book and wondered where it had gone to pretty much answers "no" to that question. It was good though. Just not "can't put down" good. I promise I was not taking any drugs when I wrote this review.
2. A Form of Godliness - Shane Johnson
I really, really liked this book. I was also really, really freaked out by it. It begins with another 9-11 type terrorist attack (also known by it's date from that point on...) and then jumps 10 years later to show how the U.S. has changed and continues though all kinds of things that I can totally see actually happening. I can't deny that these kinds of books make me want to build some sort of hideaway and hoard canned meat and bottled water. I recommend this book highly.
3. Halos - Kristen Heitzmann
I read this book in just a couple of days. It is not horribly long and it kept my attention from the very beginning. It was somewhat predictable, and I was fairly sure who the "bad guy" was, although at one point she did make me wonder if I might be wrong about that. I liked it and recommend it.
At this moment I'm about 1/2 way through "So Long Insecurity" by Beth Moore and "Sisterchicks Go Brit" by Robin Jones Gunn. Also in my TO BE READ pile is "The Middle Place" by Kelly Corrigan, along with so many other books that it would take too long to type them all.
There was a time in my life I would have read every book in this series. Is it a series? Wait, I must conference with Google - PAUSE - OK, yes it is the first book in the Fires of Gleannmara series. I did like it. Do you have to learn anything about history for a book to be considered historical fiction? (That was just a side question and total irrelevant to this review.) What was I saying? Oh yes. Liked it. Did I love it? I think the fact that I put it in my purse and a week later realized that I had been reading a book and wondered where it had gone to pretty much answers "no" to that question. It was good though. Just not "can't put down" good. I promise I was not taking any drugs when I wrote this review.
2. A Form of Godliness - Shane Johnson
I really, really liked this book. I was also really, really freaked out by it. It begins with another 9-11 type terrorist attack (also known by it's date from that point on...) and then jumps 10 years later to show how the U.S. has changed and continues though all kinds of things that I can totally see actually happening. I can't deny that these kinds of books make me want to build some sort of hideaway and hoard canned meat and bottled water. I recommend this book highly.
3. Halos - Kristen Heitzmann
I read this book in just a couple of days. It is not horribly long and it kept my attention from the very beginning. It was somewhat predictable, and I was fairly sure who the "bad guy" was, although at one point she did make me wonder if I might be wrong about that. I liked it and recommend it.
At this moment I'm about 1/2 way through "So Long Insecurity" by Beth Moore and "Sisterchicks Go Brit" by Robin Jones Gunn. Also in my TO BE READ pile is "The Middle Place" by Kelly Corrigan, along with so many other books that it would take too long to type them all.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Book Wish List
I'm fairly certain I've mentioned Paperback Swap - or PBS - on here before (www.paperbackswap.com). One of my favorite things on PBS is my Wish List. I love getting an email that one of my wish list books is available. Here is a sampling of some of the books currently on my wish list, where my standing is on the list, and (if they gave it) the estimated time until I will be offered the book. I love to go check my list every week or two and see if I'm getting any closer to some of the books and where my position on the list is.
Some of the books I requested in both paperback and hardcover, because I just want it however I can get it first. In those cases, I've only listed one of those times. They only give you estimated times if that book has been posted on a regular enough basis to calculate an estimate. Some of these seem unreasonably long, but it goes faster than you would think.
If anyone has book suggestions for my list, I'd love to hear them!
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff - 91 of 91, estimated 11 weeks
Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin - 44 of 224
The Commoner: A Novel by John Burnham Schwartz - 37 of 37, estimated 13 weeks
Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home by Rhoda Janzen - 292 of 293, estimated 146 weeks!!!!
The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan - 2 of 4, estimated 1 week
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See - 68 of 678, estimated 17 weeks
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski - 252 of 316
The Telling (Seasons of Grace) by Beverly Lewis - 47 of 182
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - 37 of 250
Some of the books I requested in both paperback and hardcover, because I just want it however I can get it first. In those cases, I've only listed one of those times. They only give you estimated times if that book has been posted on a regular enough basis to calculate an estimate. Some of these seem unreasonably long, but it goes faster than you would think.
If anyone has book suggestions for my list, I'd love to hear them!
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff - 91 of 91, estimated 11 weeks
Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin - 44 of 224
The Commoner: A Novel by John Burnham Schwartz - 37 of 37, estimated 13 weeks
Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home by Rhoda Janzen - 292 of 293, estimated 146 weeks!!!!
The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan - 2 of 4, estimated 1 week
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See - 68 of 678, estimated 17 weeks
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski - 252 of 316
The Telling (Seasons of Grace) by Beverly Lewis - 47 of 182
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - 37 of 250
Monday, March 8, 2010
Glue, Don't Fail Me Now!
There are no pictures to show you of the science fair storyboard that we completed yesterday. By completed, I mean threw together in such a fantastic hurry that I knew only bad would come of it. We had reasons for the rush, for wanting to get it there yesterday, when we could have turned it in tonight. In retrospect, those reasons seem kind of idiotic, and mostly related to me and my impatience. Lesson learned.
Samuel got off the school bus this afternoon and announced to me that his project was "destroyed". We drove over and looked upon the mess. Labels, pictures and other things scattered on the ground. I whipped the glue bottle out of my purse and went to work. All while bent down on my knees on the gym floor in my black work pants with my rear in the air. I realized a little too late that my sweater had ridden up and every one on the left side of the gym could see my underwear. Including Samuel's teacher. And Science Club teacher. I'm sure they were greatly impressed with me. And my lack of adhesive skills. I should be ashamed to call myself a scrapbooker.
I don't care if it wins an award, I just want the thing to stay together until 8:00 pm tomorrow night.
UPDATE: As of 7:00 pm tonight, the board was still holding up. Only 25 more hours. Fingers crossed!
Samuel got off the school bus this afternoon and announced to me that his project was "destroyed". We drove over and looked upon the mess. Labels, pictures and other things scattered on the ground. I whipped the glue bottle out of my purse and went to work. All while bent down on my knees on the gym floor in my black work pants with my rear in the air. I realized a little too late that my sweater had ridden up and every one on the left side of the gym could see my underwear. Including Samuel's teacher. And Science Club teacher. I'm sure they were greatly impressed with me. And my lack of adhesive skills. I should be ashamed to call myself a scrapbooker.
I don't care if it wins an award, I just want the thing to stay together until 8:00 pm tomorrow night.
UPDATE: As of 7:00 pm tonight, the board was still holding up. Only 25 more hours. Fingers crossed!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Book Reviews - February 2010
My second month of book reviews...and you thought I'd forget.
As last month, I will point out that I claim no professionalism or quality in these reviews. This is just what I thought - take it or leave it.
1. Casting the First Stone - Kimberla Lawson Roby
This book was my bookclub's February pick. During the whole first half of the book, I felt that the storyline following very closely to the storyline in "And the Shofar Blew" by Francine Rivers. The character's choices and the outcomes were different in the second half and it did not end the same. If the author's intention was to make me hate the husband, she succeeded. I spent most of the book wanting the wife to stab him dead. Due to the similarities with the other book, I couldn't help but compare them and I enjoyed Francine River's more.
2. True Colors - Kristin Hannah
I started this book at 8:30 am on a snow day and finished it (491 pages!) at 12:20 am late that night - less than 24 hours later. To say it kept my attention would be an understatement. I felt as though I identified with each of the three sisters in this book at some point, and I was very drawn into their story and relationship. This author has been compared to Jodi Picoult, and while there are some similarities, I did not see this as the same kind of book. While there were themes that were brought up that could be considered controversial such as what Picoult tackles in each of her books, this book was mainly focused on the three sisters and their relationship to one another. I recommend it.
I'm concerned that I only finished TWO books in February, especially knowing that one of them was read in a single day. What on earth was I doing all month? It wasn't housework, I can promise you that. Stay tuned for March reviews. I'm almost done with "Maire" and will shortly be starting on "a form of godliness".
As last month, I will point out that I claim no professionalism or quality in these reviews. This is just what I thought - take it or leave it.
1. Casting the First Stone - Kimberla Lawson Roby
This book was my bookclub's February pick. During the whole first half of the book, I felt that the storyline following very closely to the storyline in "And the Shofar Blew" by Francine Rivers. The character's choices and the outcomes were different in the second half and it did not end the same. If the author's intention was to make me hate the husband, she succeeded. I spent most of the book wanting the wife to stab him dead. Due to the similarities with the other book, I couldn't help but compare them and I enjoyed Francine River's more.
2. True Colors - Kristin Hannah
I started this book at 8:30 am on a snow day and finished it (491 pages!) at 12:20 am late that night - less than 24 hours later. To say it kept my attention would be an understatement. I felt as though I identified with each of the three sisters in this book at some point, and I was very drawn into their story and relationship. This author has been compared to Jodi Picoult, and while there are some similarities, I did not see this as the same kind of book. While there were themes that were brought up that could be considered controversial such as what Picoult tackles in each of her books, this book was mainly focused on the three sisters and their relationship to one another. I recommend it.
I'm concerned that I only finished TWO books in February, especially knowing that one of them was read in a single day. What on earth was I doing all month? It wasn't housework, I can promise you that. Stay tuned for March reviews. I'm almost done with "Maire" and will shortly be starting on "a form of godliness".
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