Top video is Fiction, bottom is non-fiction.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
This blog is living up to it's name...
So once again I get too busy to type on this thing, except instead of reading for school I'm reading for fun.
I've officially read the entire Harry Potter series now and was surprised that I wasn't enthralled with it. It was good, but not as good as I thought it would be.
Since finishing HP, I've read the complete Hunger Games series which is absolutely fantastic! I have to say...I think I'm a little in love with Peeta. The movie is currently in production and I can see this as being nearly as big as Twilight...only nearly because there are fewer books.
I also just finished the latest in the Parasol Protectorate series, "Heartless." As always Gail Carriger is a master wordsmith in an amazing Steampunk version of Victorian London. The writing reminds me a great deal of the narrator from "Pushing Daises," which was an amazing show that I miss greatly.
If you are keeping count, this means I've read 17 books since the beginning of June. I already have the next few lined up and at the end of this month the last in the Georgina Kincaid series from Richelle Mead comes out and I can't wait! I've have my guesses about how it all ends for the last 2 books and now I'll finally find out how it all ends! It's so hard for an author to surprise me with plot twists, but I do love to find out if I'm right.
I've officially read the entire Harry Potter series now and was surprised that I wasn't enthralled with it. It was good, but not as good as I thought it would be.
Since finishing HP, I've read the complete Hunger Games series which is absolutely fantastic! I have to say...I think I'm a little in love with Peeta. The movie is currently in production and I can see this as being nearly as big as Twilight...only nearly because there are fewer books.
I also just finished the latest in the Parasol Protectorate series, "Heartless." As always Gail Carriger is a master wordsmith in an amazing Steampunk version of Victorian London. The writing reminds me a great deal of the narrator from "Pushing Daises," which was an amazing show that I miss greatly.
If you are keeping count, this means I've read 17 books since the beginning of June. I already have the next few lined up and at the end of this month the last in the Georgina Kincaid series from Richelle Mead comes out and I can't wait! I've have my guesses about how it all ends for the last 2 books and now I'll finally find out how it all ends! It's so hard for an author to surprise me with plot twists, but I do love to find out if I'm right.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Sum. Bks 5 & 6: Magicians and Revolutionaries
Book 5: The Magicians By Lev Grossman (Adult Fantasy)
When the salesperson at Borders recommended this book to me when it first came out he described it as an adult Harry Potter. Now that I have read it I would say the first third does indeed have a HP feeling to it...the author even has a reference to the famous series. But as the story moves past school and into life the feel changes and reminds me of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. As I have just referenced two well known children's series you can tell I think this writer needs some original ideas. Also, even though the author references children's books, this is NOT a story for children to read. There is adult content throughout the story and it is not meant to be read by anyone with a prudish personality. Grossman's writing style is fluid, but he creates many characters you get very little screen time, but yet his main characters don't appear completely fleshed out. With all criticism put aside, that's not say it wasn't a fun read and a sequel comes out this August and I might read that when it's available in paperback or from the half-price bookstore.
Book 6: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (YA Historical Fiction)
As most people know I usually read Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Paranormal Romances. This book is not any of those...but the main character does sorta, kinda travel back in time or least think she does. This isn't my first Historical Fiction. When I was 10 and 11 years old I would read Holocaust Fiction, but it's been a while. In Revolution, we follow a high school senior who witnessed the death of her littler brother and then has to live with the grief...which she's not doing a good job at. At a certain point she is threatened with being kicked out of school if she doesn't complete her senior thesis and her father swoops in and takes her to Paris on a business trip where she spends her winter break working on her thesis and accidentally learning about another girl her age named Alex, who lived during the French Revolution. In complete honesty I didn't know if I would like the story or not, but it captivated my imagination and was a fun, fast, and intellectually stimulating read. Here's to books with bibliographies!
NEXT
My next reading quest should cover Summer Reading books 7 - 13. It's a series of books that I've been putting off reading for over a decade and now that the last movie is coming out I think it's time to read it. If you haven't guessed it yet then you are not nearly as much as a bibliophile as I am.
Drum roll please........
Harry Potter! That's right, I'm taking the HP plunge...God help me and my sleeping habits!
When the salesperson at Borders recommended this book to me when it first came out he described it as an adult Harry Potter. Now that I have read it I would say the first third does indeed have a HP feeling to it...the author even has a reference to the famous series. But as the story moves past school and into life the feel changes and reminds me of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. As I have just referenced two well known children's series you can tell I think this writer needs some original ideas. Also, even though the author references children's books, this is NOT a story for children to read. There is adult content throughout the story and it is not meant to be read by anyone with a prudish personality. Grossman's writing style is fluid, but he creates many characters you get very little screen time, but yet his main characters don't appear completely fleshed out. With all criticism put aside, that's not say it wasn't a fun read and a sequel comes out this August and I might read that when it's available in paperback or from the half-price bookstore.
Book 6: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (YA Historical Fiction)
As most people know I usually read Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Paranormal Romances. This book is not any of those...but the main character does sorta, kinda travel back in time or least think she does. This isn't my first Historical Fiction. When I was 10 and 11 years old I would read Holocaust Fiction, but it's been a while. In Revolution, we follow a high school senior who witnessed the death of her littler brother and then has to live with the grief...which she's not doing a good job at. At a certain point she is threatened with being kicked out of school if she doesn't complete her senior thesis and her father swoops in and takes her to Paris on a business trip where she spends her winter break working on her thesis and accidentally learning about another girl her age named Alex, who lived during the French Revolution. In complete honesty I didn't know if I would like the story or not, but it captivated my imagination and was a fun, fast, and intellectually stimulating read. Here's to books with bibliographies!
NEXT
My next reading quest should cover Summer Reading books 7 - 13. It's a series of books that I've been putting off reading for over a decade and now that the last movie is coming out I think it's time to read it. If you haven't guessed it yet then you are not nearly as much as a bibliophile as I am.
Drum roll please........
Harry Potter! That's right, I'm taking the HP plunge...God help me and my sleeping habits!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Sum. Bk 4: Illusions by April Lynn Pike
On Tuesday night I finished book number 4 for the summer, Illusions by April Lynn Pike. Illusions is another Young Adult novel and is the third book in its series. The stories revolves around a teenage girl who learns that she's a faerie and that her position in the human world is important to her race. And as most Young Adult novel go these days there is a wonderful love triangle between our main character, her human boyfriend, and her faerie sentry. All three books have a great story line and I can't wait of the currently unnamed fourth installment that will come out next year.
Peek-ahead: My next book is not a YA novel...I guess you could say it's time to grow up a little.
Peek-ahead: My next book is not a YA novel...I guess you could say it's time to grow up a little.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Sum. Bk 3: Everlasting by Alyson Noel and Doctor Who
OK so...book three this summer, Everlasting by Alyson Noel, is the last book in a 6 book Young Adult series that I've been reading for the last two years. The themes of the story are immortality, youth, and the importance of love and friendship; which are all things that are important to the teen world but the last two are important in all our lives. The end of the story is fulfilling and doesn't leave me wanting more. I could say more about this book and the series, but that would take a lot of time and I'm still coming down from the end-of-book high.
On another note...last night's Doctor Who (mid-season finale?) was amazing! I knew the answer to the big surprise at the end of the show more than a month ago and I couldn't be more happy that I was right! My parent's had to rewind and play the ending again because I was making so much noise (along the lines of crap, crappity, crap, crap...and several squeals of joy)! I'm not going to say what I was right about because I know people who haven't seen it yet, but if your intuitive to the world of Doctor Who I'm sure you already know it or can guess it. On that note, Doctor Who returns to BBC America at the end of the summer...or at least that's what the TV says.
On another note...last night's Doctor Who (mid-season finale?) was amazing! I knew the answer to the big surprise at the end of the show more than a month ago and I couldn't be more happy that I was right! My parent's had to rewind and play the ending again because I was making so much noise (along the lines of crap, crappity, crap, crap...and several squeals of joy)! I'm not going to say what I was right about because I know people who haven't seen it yet, but if your intuitive to the world of Doctor Who I'm sure you already know it or can guess it. On that note, Doctor Who returns to BBC America at the end of the summer...or at least that's what the TV says.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Summer Bk 2: You don't know Jack Schitt!!
Really, you don't...that is unless you've read Jasper Fforde's "The Eyre Affair." This book was recommended to me by a friend and then by a classmate in a reader's advisory class during winter quarter after both heard I enjoy the original Jane Eyre. I was not disappointed in this story as the main character, Thursday Next, deals with a mastermind who wants to change beloved books and a father who randomly appears out of thin air. And yes...one of the characters is named Jack Schitt and several more have equally interesting names. If you're in the mood for an alternate universe with some very interesting history changes read "The Eyre Affair." Oh and I (heart) Mr. Rochester!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
End of school...beginning of books and movies!
Well...my first year of MLIS grad school is done. This year has been an adventure in learning that I missed school more than I thought and how to do group assignments when one of your partners is on another continent. I've felt like crap when I got my first grade and it wasn't perfect...and than was overjoyed when I got the same grade in another course the next quarter because all I cared about was passing. There were days when I was like "This is easy!" and days when I went "F*** it, I'm going shopping." Thanks to these shopping trips I have one hell of an outfit, that took three quarters of mid-quarter breakdowns to put together. And through all this I've made some really good friends in my program...but I also miss people. This summer I take a vow to see people when I can and to be "there," if I'm invited to be "there." I'll even try to invite people on occasion. But enough reflection, lets share what I've being doing the last 48 hours besides working and sleeping.
My first order of business after turning in my last paper was to read a novel. This summers first book is "Dead Reckoning" by Charlaine Harris, which is the latest book in the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire series. As always it revolves around Sookie and her crazy life...and though I won't say what happens there is a character with my name in this one! There aren't a lot of Miriam's in the world, so it's fun to see it in books on occasion. I finshied the book this afternoon (Yes, I read it in less then 48 hours), and was not disappointed. As always Charlaine left lots of room open for the next book.
In addition to reading, I saw X-Men: First Class this evening. I went to Cinebarre, since on Tuesdays all shows are $5. The movie was pretty good and it went by without me wondering how far in it is. There were a few laughs through out the movie, and a couple of cameos from actors in previous X-men films. The only down side was Beast's make-up towards the end. Overall, good enough for a matinee, but I wouldn't pay full price.
I officially have moved on to my next book of the summer, "The Eyre Affair" by Jasper Fforde, but currently am unsure of my next movie. I'm open to suggestions or being invited along. There a bunch of good movies out this summer so I'm sure I won't be unsure for long. I think this may be more of a book/movie blog this summer...since I finally do...well sort of...have enough time in the day.
My first order of business after turning in my last paper was to read a novel. This summers first book is "Dead Reckoning" by Charlaine Harris, which is the latest book in the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire series. As always it revolves around Sookie and her crazy life...and though I won't say what happens there is a character with my name in this one! There aren't a lot of Miriam's in the world, so it's fun to see it in books on occasion. I finshied the book this afternoon (Yes, I read it in less then 48 hours), and was not disappointed. As always Charlaine left lots of room open for the next book.
In addition to reading, I saw X-Men: First Class this evening. I went to Cinebarre, since on Tuesdays all shows are $5. The movie was pretty good and it went by without me wondering how far in it is. There were a few laughs through out the movie, and a couple of cameos from actors in previous X-men films. The only down side was Beast's make-up towards the end. Overall, good enough for a matinee, but I wouldn't pay full price.
I officially have moved on to my next book of the summer, "The Eyre Affair" by Jasper Fforde, but currently am unsure of my next movie. I'm open to suggestions or being invited along. There a bunch of good movies out this summer so I'm sure I won't be unsure for long. I think this may be more of a book/movie blog this summer...since I finally do...well sort of...have enough time in the day.
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