Jenny's Corner

I Ran...I Ran So Far Away...

2010-05-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

First of all -

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whee...

Now that that's out of the way, I can get down to business. Boy, has it been a long time since I blogged. But I think I may be back. Just in a slightly different form. As much as I love to read (and book suggestions and reviews will still be part of this blog), there is so much more to my life than just that. And I am feeling like I need a place to put it all out there. So this is it!

Too much has happened to do any kind of recap on things so I'll just get down to the current business.

As my title suggests (and who now has that song stuck in their head?!?!), I ran last night. 3 MILES! Well, in all honesty, I ran/walked for 3 miles. But still. I haven't been on a run since last spring. Probably around this same time. But my crazy dance show is ending and I'd like to keep my self in some semblance of shape so I am going back to running. I have actually been craving it (which is so strange for me to crave exercise). So I strapped on my running shoes and my ipod and set out. It wasn't the greatest course due to uneven surfaces and lots of broken glass but it will do in a pinch. I'm going to try to find some more scenic routes but I'll take what I can get for now.

I thought it was going to be harder than it was (not that I'm saying it was in any way easy). But it was great to be outside with my feet pounding on the ground and feeling like I could do it. I know I have a long way to go but starting is often the hardest part. And I have started. I am planning to do 3 runs next week so we'll see how that goes.

Right now I just need to concentrate on getting through 3 shows in 2 days. That will be more than enough exercise thank-you-very-much.

So I'm back. I'm laced up. I'm ready to go!

READ THIS BOOK!

2008-10-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

'Nuff said.

Where In the World...

2008-10-20T11:56:00.001-07:00

have I been??? Well, nowhere really. Just not blogging. I think I lost my mojo. I still don't really have it back. But I just wanted to touch base to say that I will be back soon with some reading updates. And hopefully pictures of the giant bag of books I picked up for $3 at the library sale yesterday!

Also, this blog may become even more inactive (is that possible???) after the first of the year as I got accepted to my master's program and between that and working full-time, I have a feeling there's not going to be much reading, let alone blogging, going on. But we'll see. I'll try to touch base as much as possible.

August Reads

2008-09-06T14:11:00.001-07:00

It is entirely too hot here to be September. I am ready for fall with it's crisp days and red, orange and yellow hues. But it's not to be. At least not yet. Darn Mother Nature or global warming or what have you!

I have been in a bit of a blogging slump but definitely not a reading slump. I read 11 books in August and listened to 3 audio books. Here are some of the highlights:

All Unwary and Last To Leave by Clare Curzon - I have found a new mystery author. Well, actually my mom found her and turned me on to her but you get the idea. Well plotted British mysteries with an interesting recurring cast headed by Superintendent Mike Yeadings. Her plots are twisty, which I like. I hate when I figure out the murderer early on. (3-1/2 out of 5 Bookmarks for both)

What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn - I am not sure where to start about my feelings on this book. In a nutshell, this is the story of a young girl's disappearance and the mystery surrounding it. But it's much more a psychological novel than a mystery. At times I found myself weighted down by this book but was determined to get through to the end. The ending was definitely satisfying but I did not thoroughly enjoy the journey. I did like the beginning of the novel which is told through Kate Meaney's eyes (the young girl who disappears). While there was still somewhat of an oppressive feeling to this section as well, I enjoyed the character of Kate. Maybe that's what made the rest of the book so tough, knowing something terrible must have happened to her. (3 Bookmarks out of 5 - well written but depressing)

Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico - This was definitely the right book for me to read after What Was Lost. Completely uplifting and brought to life a lonely charwoman with a dream - to own a dress by Christian Dior. Her journey to Paris and what happens to her while she is there was a joy to read. I whipped through this book and then happened to come across the film version at the library starring Angela Lansbury and Diana Rigg. While there were some significant changes from the book, I did enjoy the movie as well and recommend seeing it after you've read this delightful novel. (4-1/2 Bookmarks out of 5 - Charming!)

Where Memories Lie by Deborah Crombie - I adore the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series. I don't think I've been let down once by them. Great mysteries and a throroughly enjoyable partnership between the main characters. This latest installment is no exception. If you are a mystery fan and you haven't read this series yet, I highly recommend you pick it up. (4-1/2 Bookmarks out of 5)

Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich - Stephanie Plum. What more can I say? Funny as always though not my favorite of this series. (3-1/2 Bookmarks out of 5 - Perfect beach read)

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See - This book is amazing and beautiful and everything I could possibly want in a novel. Great story, wonderful characters, beautiful writing. I can not say enough about this book. Definitely in my top 5 reads this year. I loved this book. Go read it. (5 Bookmarks - Perfect)

There you have some of the standouts from my August reading fest. I will leave you with a few pictures of my trip to the Russian River.

The foggy California coast

The Russian River

Ducks!

Rocks!

Summer memories...

It's Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack...

2008-08-25T15:52:00.001-07:00

Once again it's time for Carl V's RIP Challenge! Last year I didn't do as well as I had hoped. But I have a bunch of possible books to read for this year's challenge. I am not sure which Peril I will participate in...can I just see how many books I actually read? But I think I will definitely read at least 2 books from my "pool" (great idea, Carl) listed below:

Seven Gothic Tales by Isak Dineson

The Woman In Black by Susan Hill

Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott

The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Among the Shadows by L.M. Montgomery

The Arthurian Omen by G.G Vandagriff

I have been looking forward to this challenge all year. For me, the start of the RIP Challenge now ushers in the fall season just like the start of school used to do. I am ready for summer to be over and for those crisp autumn days where I can snuggle under a blanket with a good book to begin!

Book Revew with Product Placement

2008-08-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

I love product. And by "product" I don't mean "products" as in all things we consumers can purchase with our hard-earned cash and/or our not-so-hard-earned plastic. I mean product as in all things beautifying. From lipstick to lotions to powders to perfumes, if it's guaranteed to make you less shiny, more sparkly, less stinky, more dewy then I am all over it. It's a bit of an obsession really though I have learned to control myself more now than when I was oh, say a teenager and would buy a new moisturizer with the frequency most people buy milk.

Which is why Claire Cook's Summer Blowout (which I received through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program) was right up my alley! I am usually quite picky with my "chick lit" as they call it these days. I often find the characters to be unlikeable or wishy-washy. Bella Shaughnessy is neither of those. As the story begins, Bella is newly divorced and her ex-husband is now in a relationship with her half-sister. Bella works for a chain of salon's run by her eclectic father, Lawrence "Lucky" Shaughnessy who is obsessed with all things Italian (even though the family is of Irish descent). Things get interesting quickly as Bella meets a local entrepreneur named Sean Ryan, semi-kidnaps a dog from a bride and starts setting up her own business.

Now I won't say that the plot isn't predictable. It is. You can see the happy ending coming a mile away. Even the plot twists are predictable. BUT...

There was something incredibly, dare I say it, likeable about Bella. She matches her lipstick shade to her particular mood, she starts picking up the pieces of her life even though the failure of her marriage is being constantly thrown in her face and she really starts to come into her own BEFORE she gets her man.

Now, onto product placement. I am sure this element of the book may have annoyed some people. I would not be one of them. Max Factor Lipfinity in Passionate, Sephora Fresh Gloss and OPI's My Chihuahua Bites are just a few of the product names dropped in this book. And they are just a few of the items I will be checking out on my next visit to the beauty counter.

If you are looking for a light and fluffy beach read with a likeable leading lady and even more likeable dog, then I definitely recommend Summer Blowout.

Friday Fill-In!

2008-08-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

I have been reading Literary Feline's Friday Fill-Ins for some time now and thought I would do one for the first time. So without further ado...

1. The last meal I had at a restaurant was country fried chicken with mashed potatoes - yum!

2. Intolerance is something I intensely dislike.

3. The full moon brings out the werewolves so watch out.

4. The City* is one of my favorite local expressions. (*This isn't an expression really but it's the term we use here in the Bay Area when we are referring to San Francisco. Please, out-of-towners, we beg of you not to call it "Frisco". Thank you for your support.)

5. Sometimes it's best to curl up on the couch with the cat and a good book.

6. Sex and the City is the best movie I've seen so far this year!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to ordering pizza and watching the Olympics, tomorrow my plans include trying to get to a matinee of Mamma Mia and running some errands and Sunday, I want to hang out at home, read, and get all my laundry done for the week!

Quick Catch Up

2008-08-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

Ok, here's a quick list to catch everyone up on the happenings over here at Jenny's Corner. So instead of blogging for the past oh month or so, here's what I've been up to:

Went on a fabulous vacation to Lake Tahoe. Pictures to come (hopefully this weekend if I get them downloaded off my camera).

Took another trip up to the Russian River this past weekend. We even stumbled upon The Village Inn which happens to have been where some scenes of the movie Holiday Inn were filmed. Adorable little inn. Would love to stay there sometime.

In Bookish News...

I have been doing quite a bit of reading and I will do an update of my recent reads in another post.

Currently I am reading the new Deborah Crombie, Where Memories Lie, which is so good that I stayed up way too late last night reading it. I have about 40 pages to go and should finish it today.

Then I am moving on to Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich. I am definitely in the mood for some Stephanie Plum!

I have received a couple of early review books including Summer Blowout, which I plan to start in the next couple of days so I can get my review up on LibraryThing.

Other than reading, I have been busy doing some organizing and clean up of my apartment. I have made quite a bit of progress and I am planning to get a bunch more done this weekend. Oh, and look what I just got:

This is my brand new TV stand! I am very excited about it since for the past few years I have been using a hand-me-down IKEA stand which, while it served it's purpose, didn't really work in my new space. This one is perfect and I even put it together all by myself. Ok, so there may have been a few leftover screws, a couple of stubbed toes and quite a backache but I still did it myself. That's satisfaction for you!

So that's what's new with me. What's new with you???

Bath Time!

2008-06-27T16:51:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at putting a video on my blog so we'll see how it goes. I took this with my phone so it's a little dark but the extreme close-up is kind of funny! Here's Emily...

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

I Have Knitting Questions, Do You Have Answers???

2008-06-25T10:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know I have some knitters out there who read this blog and I am hoping at least one of you is willing to impart her extensive knitting knowledge on little-ol'-beginner-knitter me. Last night I decided to get my knitting supplies organizated (is too a word) and to write a list of yarn I need for some new projects since I have a coupon for Jo-Ann's and need to use it by Sunday. Any excuse to buy yarn is a good one in my book!

Anywho, I have been wanting to knit a case for my camera and have been planning to use the cell phone cover pattern in the Stitch n' Bitch book. So I pulled out some yarn last night and got started. It's going pretty well so far but here, at last, are my questions:

1. The pattern uses 3 different yarns to make a striped pattern. I was reading the instructions for changing yarns and one of the things it says to do, if you don't want to cut the old yarn every time you start a new color, is to leave it hanging off the side but to twist it with the new yarn everytime you knit over to the side it is on. Ok, I get the concept but now I have a mixture of colors all running up the side. This isn't such a big deal since I am going to sew this particular piece in half but what if you are doing a scarf or a blanket or something else where the edges will show? Won't that look weird? Any assistance on this head-scratcher would be much appreciated!

2. Along the same lines, here is something that has been bothering me for awhile. I made a striped scarf awhile back and the one thing I don't like about it is that on the back side, you can see where I switched yarn colors because there is this funky line of the old color yarn stuck in the first row of the new yarn color. Does that make sense? Is there anyway to make this not happen???

I wish I had pictures to illustrate both my questions but, alas, I STILL haven't charged my camera batteries. Perhaps tonight will be the night!

So those are my current knitting conundrums. If anyone has any advice for me it would be greatly appreciated. Many, many thanks in advance! I will try to post some pictures in the next couple of days to show you my current camera case project!

Magical!

2008-06-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

I have always loved magic ever since I was a little girl. From the simplest card trick to the idea of casting spells, from magicians to witches to Harry Potter. Perhaps it's the desire to know (or at least to hope) that there is something greater than myself out there in the universe. Whatever it is, I find magic to be, well, spellbinding.

Which is why Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen completely captured my imagination. I couldn't put it down. I loved the idea of this magical family, each with their own special gift, living in a house that was in itself magical and includes an apple tree in the backyard with some very unusual characteristics. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a little magic in their reading. It brought to mind Alice Hoffman's books (which are often written in the magic realism style), particularly Practical Magic (although it is more reminiscent of the spirit of the movie).

I can't wait to read the author's next book, The Sugar Queen.

Bookmarks: 5 out of 5 (Cast a spell over me!)

What I've Read Lately

2008-06-12T12:16:00.000-07:00

I realize that I have not been very good at posting about the books I have finished recently. In truth, I am not very adept at writing book reviews and I really loathe writing synopsises (synopses?). So, I'm going to do a laundry list of my recent reads and a quick little note about each one along with my bookmark rating. So, here goes...

Eye of the Storm by Marcia Muller - Muller is my go to now that I have read everything Sue Grafton has written to date. Sharon McCone is actually the precursor to Kinsey Milhone so Muller's books have much the same flavor as Grafton. Plus they are set in San Francisco and the Bay Area which is where I live as well and it's always fun to read about where you live. I have read quite a few in this series already and will continue working my way through the rest. Bookmarks: 4 out of 5 (This rating is for the series as a whole)

Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich - I love me some Stephanie Plum. No books make me laugh out loud more than this series. Love, love, love it. Even a so-so book is better than most other "fluff reads" out there. Bookmarks: 4-1/2 out of 5 (Again, for the series as a whole)

Crazy Aunt Purl's Drunk, Divorced and Covered In Cat Hair by Laurie Perry - Somehow about 8 months ago I discovered Laurie's blog, Crazy Aunt Purl. Wow, can that girl write a hilarious blog post. Plus, I could completely relate to so much of what she talked about having gone through my own divorce a couple of years ago. And she knits and has cats. What's not to like? The book is slightly more serious in tone but written in the same style as her blog. Plus there are some great knitting patterns in the back which I plan to try my hand at as soon as I can get myself to the yarn store. Bookmarks: 4-1/2 out of 5 (Loved it)

The Bone Garden by Kate Ellis - British police procedural. I just happened to come across this in the library. It's not the first book in the series, cuz I love to do things out of order, but I had no trouble following along or figuring out the characters and their relationships. I will definitely be reading more of this series. Try this one if you like Elizabeth George and Deborah Crombie. Bookmarks: 3-1/2 out of 5 (Good enough for me to try another in the series)

Bachelor Brothers' Bed & Breakfast Pillow Book by Bill Richardson - I loved the first Bachelor Brothers' book and was not disappointed by the second. One of my favorite parts of these books is the different book lists offered up. My wishlist kept growing throughout both. A good cozy book for a lazy day. Bookmarks: 4 out of 5 (Light and fun)

Daisy Miller by Henry James - I read this through the DailyLit website which allows you to sign up and have books emailed to you daily in sections, kind of like a serial. Most classics are free though they do charge a fee for newer books (I am sure this has to do with whether or not the work is still under copyright). I have read a few classics which I might otherwise not have done and it's easy enough to read the short section sent each day. I found the character of Daisy Miller somewhat annoying but enjoyed the book and I certainly did not see the end coming. Plus, now I can say I have read Henry James. Bookmarks: 3-1/2 our of 5

Hideous Kinky by Esther Freud - Confession time. The real reason I wanted to read this book was because I want to see the movie with Kate Winslet (whom I love). I am so glad that I did. I loved the book even though it's not my usual fare. Oh, and the author is Sigmund Freud's granddaughter. Bookmarks: 4 out of 5

Bonjour Tristess by Francoise Sagan - Definitely one of my favorite reads so far. Makes me want to rent a villa in the South of France and spend my summer there. Well, a girl can dream anyway. Wonderful characterization and the end was a shocker. Unbelievable that the author wrote this as a teenager. I also recently watched the film version and enjoyed it as well though there were some elements that take place after the book ends that I wasn't fond of. But it is beautifully filmed and I loved the costumes. Bookmarks: 5 out of 5 (A must read and then check out the movie)

They Came To Baghdad by Agatha Christie - I listened to the audiobook and loved it. Emilia Fox has a wonderful voice and I am about to start another Christie audiobook read by her. While I love Miss Marple and Poirot as much as the next Christie fan, I really enjoy her books which don't feature any of her recurring characters. And this was no exception. Plucky heroine, exotic locales, great mystery. Bookmarks: 4-1/2 out of 5 (One of my favorite Christie's so far)

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett - I think quite a few bloggers have read this novella about Queen Elizabeth II stumbling upon a mobile library and in turn becoming an avid reader. Truly a delightful book that satisfied my inner Anglophile. I finished it in one day. Bookmarks: 4-1/2 out of 5 (Charming!)

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice - Adored this book. A story of friendship and coming-of-age in post-WWII England. Absolutely wonderful. Possibly my favorite book of the year. Bookmarks: 5 out of 5 (Can't wait for more by this author)

Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart - Memoir of the summer Marjorie and her friend spent working as the first female pages at Tiffany's in New York City. Great fun. Bookmarks: 4 out of 5 (Make sure to check out the pictures of Marjorie and see how great she looks at age 82!)

Home by Julie Andrews - Who doesn't love Mary Poppins and Maria from The Sound of Music? This is the memoir of Julie Andrews' early years which show how she moved from vaudeville to Broadway to Hollywood. It definitely leaves you wanting for more and I certainly hope she writes another memoir about the next portion of her life. She comes across just as lovely and down to earth in her book as she always does in interviews and movies. Bookmarks: 4-1/2 out of 5 (Plus, she and I share the same birthday!)

Phew! That was quite a lot of catching up to do! This isn't all of my recent reads but encompasses most of them, particularly the ones I really enjoyed. I have lucked out so far this year in that I have only read (or started) a couple of books that I feel were duds. I will try to keep up on my reviews a little better over the coming months (but no promises, of course!).

I Can See Clearly Now

2008-06-06T11:28:00.000-07:00

This week marked a momentous and life altering event for me. I had Lasik eye surgery on Tuesday. I can not tell you how much this has changed my life already. Being able to see without needing contacts or glasses is something I thought would never happen. And yet, as I sit here typing this post, I am seeing 20/20 using nothing but my two little eyes. It is nothing short of a miracle.

I have wanted to have Lasik since I first heard about it some eight or nine years ago. One of my best friends had the surgery about 6 years ago and boy oh boy was I jealous! But it wasn't feasible for me at that time of my life. Financially, it is a pretty major investment. But if you have the means and you are a candidate, as Nike says, just do it! I wish I had been able to do it myself years ago.

The procedure itself is painless (though when they peeled off the tape that was holding down my eyelashes, that was no fun) and takes less than 15 minutes. All told, I was at the surgery center for a little over 2 hours. They take lots of pictures of your eye and cornea and whatnot as well as examine your eye and check for dryness and blah, blah, blah. It turns out I was a borderline candidate as they discovered that I had a thin cornea but after checking all of my numbers (no idea what all that entailed) the doctor said there was enough cornea to still do conventional Lasik and be able to go back in for an enhancement if needed. I was pretty nervous the morning of the surgery. I think one of my biggest fears was that I would get there and they would tell me I wasn't a good candidate. But my luck held out. They give you some lovely Valium to keep you relaxed and there's even a teddy bear for you to hold during the procedure. It was actually comforting to have something to hold. I think dentists should consider doing this with their patients too. Just my two cents.

Once you lay down in the chair under the very large laser machine, they tape your eyelashes down and put a suction ring over your eye. They give you some lovely numbing drops so you don't feel a thing and then they start the procedure. They make the flap, though you can't feel it, and then everything goes dark. They do something else and then your vision comes back and you look at this lovely red light and then the laser starts doing it's thing. The doctor had a firm grip on my head which was actually very reassuring because I was very afraid I would accidentally move and screw the whole thing up and then I'd be blind or something. His grip was also reassuring because that laser machine is loud. I mean loud enough that I could hear it all the way from the waiting room when I was jumping through all the pre-op hoops. And then it's over. Faster than it took me to type this paragraph. And then they do the other eye. And the whole thing is done.

And then?

I COULD SEE!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean they sat me up and I looked at the nurse and I could see her clearly. I almost burst into tears which I really didn't expect. I have never been so grateful in my whole life. And I can still hardly believe it. I keep expecting someone to pinch me and I will wake up and realize it was all just a dream.

While I seriously advocate having Lasik done if you need it and are a candidate, here are my caveats:

1. Do your research. Research your doctor, research Lasik, talk to people who've had it, talk to your eye doctor but get as much information as you can before you decide to go through with it.
2. Choose a doctor with a good reputation. My doctor has done over 40,000 Lasik procedures and is a cornea transplant specialist. He did my friend's surgery 6 years ago and comes highly recommended.
3. You get what you pay for. Sometimes bargains aren't worth it. When it comes to your eyesight you should be paying a premium. If someplace offers discounts or two eyes for the price of one or trade your pet for a new pair of eyes, run, run as fast you can far, far away.

I am off now to go view the world with my new and improved eyes. And it is a wonderful, wonderful world that I can now see with perfect vision!

Book Binge Results

2008-06-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

I was out of town yesterday so I wasn't able to post my list of books read in May until today. But, without further ado, here it is:

Bachelor Brothers' Bed and Breafast Pillow Book by Bill Richardson

Daisy Miller by Henry James

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark

Confessions of A Teen Sleuth by Chelsea Cain (only got to p. 61)

Hideous Kinky by Esther Freud

Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan

The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice

Summer At Tiffany by Marjorie Hart (I was 40 pages from finishing this on 5/31 and finished it up last night)

So I read 8 complete books plus 2 partials. That works out to about 2 books per week which seems to be my average these days. I also listened to a book on CD which I know doesn't count for this challenge but I did finish it so there you go. I read so many great books this month but I think my two favorites would have to be Bonjour Tristesse and The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets. Both had engaging female characters and both fall into the category of what I would call coming of age stories.

Here is a breakdown of the books I read by type:

Mysteries: 2
Classics: 1
Fiction: 8
Nonfiction: 2
Autobiographical novels: 1
Novellas: 2

Huge thanks to Mary for hosting a challenge that was in no way challenging to finish!

A Pseudo Challenge

2008-05-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

By now most of the book bloggers out there are aware of the 1% Well Read Challenge based on the 1001 Books To Read Before You Die book which is being hosted by 3M over at 1 more chapter. Melanie over at Indextrious Reader is trying to read more books on the list without really committing to the challenge. And since it is often the case that once I join a challenge I lose all motivation to read any of my chosen books, I thought I might do the same. I am also planning to try and get through some more of my TBR pile. So here is a list of books on the 1001 list that are also ones I already own:

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Possession by A.S. Byatt
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
The 13 Clocks by James Thurber
Love In A Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford
The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The House In Paris by Elizabeth Bowen
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Middlemarch by George Eliot
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Emma by Jane Austen
Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen

There are some rather lengthy tomes on this list so I doubt I will get through all, or even 10 or them. I would love to get through either Anna Karenina or Middlemarch as I have been wanting to read both for a very long time. But since there are also a number of other books on the list that I would really like to read as well, here are some possible alternates to the list above.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Saturday by Ian McEwan
The Hours by Michael Cunningham
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John LeCarre
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Inside Mr. Enderby by Anthony Burgess
The Country Girls by Edna O'Brien
Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico
Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson
Out of Africa by Isak Dineson
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

Well, those lists ought to keep me busy for awhile. It would be great if I could read 10 in the next 10 months but we'll see how it goes. Just reading ANY would be satisfying.

Southern Reading Challenge

2008-05-14T10:53:00.001-07:00

Maggie over at Maggie Reads is hosting the Southern Reading Challenge. I always find summer the perfect time to read books set in the South. And besides that, I have a few Southern books that have been sitting in my TBR pile for way too long.

I will read 3 of the books from the following list:

Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind by Ann B. Ross

The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc by Loraine Despres

A Short History of A Small Place by T.R. Pearson

Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts

This is the perfect challenge for the hot summer months. Now I just need to pull up a chair on the veranda and sip my mint julep while slowly fanning myself and enjoying one of these Southern reads!

Two memes

2008-05-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

Carrie at My Middle Name Is Patience has tagged me for these two memes she just posted on her blog. So without further ado, away we go:

Meme #1

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Turn to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people and acknowledge who tagged you.

I was thrown completely off balance, and I could see from his expression that my father felt the same way.
"Do you think," he said, "that she'll stay away from us for long?"
"I expect she's gone back to Paris, " I said.
From Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan

Meme #2 - Six Random Things About Me

1. I drink Tetley's tea most every morning and evening. I drink it the British way with milk and sugar. Mmm, mmm, good.
2. My little brother and I have the same birthday...six years apart. My best friend growing up? She and her brother have the same birthday...six years apart. Freaky.
3. I can tap dance. Pretty well, actually.
4. I broke my right arm in the sixth grade very badly. Both bones, completely through. My arm's never been the same.
5. I love to play board games. It's probably one of the few times my competitive side comes out.
6. I once hit a pedestrian with my car (well, technically he ran into me). Luckily, I was driving a Geo Metro at the time and the pedestrian wasn't hurt (he fell on his laptop bag...poor laptop). Still, it scared the bejeezus out of me. People, do not cross against the light even if you are in a crosswalk. Especially during rush hour on a busy street. Even more especially if there is a large vehicle stopped in the left turn lane. Amen.

I am not tagging anyone but if you haven't done either of these memes and want to play along, consider yourself tagged!

Can You Go Back?

2008-05-13T11:16:00.000-07:00

I love mysteries. Love them. Particularly those with a female sleuth, amateur or professional, as well as British mysteries, crime fighting duos and police procedurals. And I love mystery series. I think a big reason that I love them is because of Nancy Drew. My older cousin had the entire set of Nancy Drew books with the yellow spines (you remember those, right?) and she let me borrow them. I devoured them. I adored Nancy. I think at one point I wanted to BE Nancy. So many of those books were favorites of mine. Particularly The Hidden Staircase.

Considering my affection for Nancy, I was excited to learn about the book Confessions of A Teen Sleuth by Chelsea Cain. And I couldn't wait to dig in as soon as I picked it up from the library. But then something happened. I found myself not wanting to read someone picking fun at the girl sleuth who made me love mysteries. I didn't want to read the antiquated writing style which was mimicking the original series. I want to remember Nancy with fondness and not with tongue in cheek.

We show so much disdain in this day and age for things that are sweet and innocent. But why? Are we so jaded that we no longer find joy in these things? Or are we so angry and disappointed with our lives that we don't want to think about things that are kind and gentle and childlike? Whatever it is, I don't want any. Or perhaps I missed the point entirely. I don't know. I just know that this wasn't the book for me. Maybe someone else can enlighten me as to the point. In the meantime, I'll be in my roadster heading to the Lilac Inn to solve the latest whodunnit.

Bookmarks: 1 out of 5 (I only got to page 60, so maybe it's unfair to rate this at all. But what the heck, it's my blog and I'll rate what I want!)

An Audrey Weekend

2008-05-12T16:51:00.000-07:00

I am a huge, HUGE, Audrey Hepburn fan as you may or may not know. I discussed my fanaticism, ahem, love of her awhile back. You can check out that post here. This weekend added a few more Audrey items to my collection. We had an estate sale for my great aunt this weekend and I found My Fair Lady on vinyl. It has wonderful pictures of Audrey both on the outside and inside and I knew I just had to have it. And, nope, I don't own a record player.

I also received a couple of books this weekend. The first, Audrey Hepburn: A Life In Pictures, is a beautiful coffee table book filled with some pictures even I had never seen (and I thought I had seen them all, believe you me)! The forward is by Hubert de Givenchy who was a great friend of Audrey's for most of her adult life. I am thrilled to add this book to my library and can't wait to give it a thorough read.

The second book is one I had only recently come across. It's called What Would Audrey Do? by Pamela Keogh. It's billed as a guide to living your life as Audrey lived hers and also includes a lot of basic biographical information on Audrey as well. I only flipped through it briefly but am looking forward to digging into it.

I had a busy, busy weekend so I didn't get to do as much reading as I would like. But I am almost finished with Hideous Kinky (loving it) and will be posting later about Confessions of a Teen Sleuth (not what I had expected).

The Alphabet Meme

2008-05-08T10:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, by now most of the book bloggers out there have seen or done this great meme started by Simon over at Stuck In A Book but I couldn't resist. So, without further ado, here are my favorite authors (or in some cases the only author I read whose name starts with that letter) along with my favorite work by them, in alphabetical order!

Alcott, Louisa May - Little Women
Bantock, Nick - Griffin & Sabine
Colwin, Laurie - Another Marvelous Thing and Home Cooking (or truly anything she has written)
DuMaurier, Daphne - Rebecca
Evans, Nicholas - The Horse Whisperer
Fforde, Jasper - The Eyre Affair
Geras, Adele - Hester's Story
Hanff, Helene - 84 Charing Cross Road
Irving, Washington - The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Jennings, Ken - Brainiac
King, Laurie R. - The Beekeeper's Apprentice
Luard, Elisabeth - Emerald
Marsh, Ngaio - Light Thickens (or any of her mysteries set in the theatre world)
Niffenegger, Audrey - The Time Traveller's Wife
O'Shaugnessy, Perri - Invasion of Privacy
Plath, Sylvia - The Bell Jar
Quindlen, Anna - One True Thing
Rowling, J.K. - The Harry Potter series
Stewart, Mary - Any (especially The Moonspinners and her Merlin trilogy)
Tartt, Donna - The Secret History
U - ???
Van Booy, Simon - The Secret Lives of People In Love
Wouk, Herman - Marjorie Morningstar
X - ???
Yoshimoto, Banana - Kitchen
Zusak, Marcus - The Book Thief

This is a great meme and one that really made me reflect on the books I've read and loved. This list definitely includes some of my favorite reads of all time and also makes me want to go back and read more by some authors that I haven't read anything by in awhile. I'm not tagging anyone but if you want to participate, it's great fun!

Book Binge!

2008-05-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, I just discovered this challenge, hosted by MaryP, which starts today (good timing) and since I haven't done a challenge in FOREVER, I thought I'd sign up. Plus, it's pretty simple and I can read whatever the heck I want which works for me. Especially considering how many library books I have checked out right now!

Here’s how it goes: For the month of May, participants keep track of each and every book you read. At the end of the month, everyone will blog their list of books. Simple, no?

For simplicity’s sake, and to allow people time to hear about it and sign up if they want, we’ll start on Monday, May 5th. We will all publish our lists on June 1.

Other rules:
- You can include books you re-read, so long as you re-read them in between May 5 and 31.- You may also include books you start but don’t finish, just note the page at which you gave it up. Something like, “Quit, page 47 of 322″.
- You may only include books you read aloud to your children if they are at least 125 pages long.
- Students may include textbooks (if they’re at least 100 pages long).
- Unless you have a visual impairment which precludes you from reading print books (in which case, it’s unlikely you read blogs), you may not count recorded books.

I finished my first book today! Wahoo. I am off to a rousing start!

The Calm After the Storm

2008-05-05T10:34:00.000-07:00

Finally! My theatre commitments have ended. It's a bit bittersweet for me at the moment because while I am thrilled to have more free time, I am also sad not to be seeing my cast on a regular basis. But never fear! We will be getting together again in the fall to perform our big dance number at a charity show in November. So while it is good-bye for now, it is not truly over.

I have much to catch you up on my readings and other goings on. I have found a new mystery series which I will share with you as well as finally reading Crazy Aunt Purl's book, which I loved and has motivated me to pick up those knitting needles again (it's been far too long). I'll be back soon with more details, I promise!

I Actually Finished A Book!

2008-04-16T15:22:00.000-07:00

With the crazy hecticness (is so a word!) that is my life right now, I am amazed that I am doing any reading at all. But this is the final week of busyness and then I can slow down and maybe stop and smell some roses or something.

I just finished A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny. This is the second book in the Three Pines Mystery series and it definitely lived up to the first. I figured out the murderer fairly early on but the characters and the setting are so well developed that it doesn't even really matter. And I had barely put it down before I was requesting the third book from my library. If you are a mystery lover, this series is a must read!

I'll be back with more updates and details of current readings very soon...

Unsettled

2008-03-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else have this problem besides me? Say there is some aspect of your life that is going haywire (you got a new job or you moved or you said yes to too many social engagements) and that makes it incredibly difficult to focus on any other aspect of your life (like laundry or paying bills or getting to work on time) and suddenly it feels like everything has spiraled out of control.

Anyone? Or is it just me.

Well, anyway, that is the way my life is feeling right now. What with moving and rehearsing for yet another show (when am I going to be done???) and with work being super, duper crazy right now (have I mentioned lately that my boss is a lunatic?), I feel like I can barely figure out what my name is let alone try and pay my bills on time or do some laundry (clean socks where are you?). And reading? Well, fuhgeddaboutit as they say. Being unsettled in one aspect of my life means being unsettled in ALL aspects of my life. Thank goodness for fluff reading (Janet Evanovich, you know who you are) or I'd be doing no reading at all. And hence, no blogging.

Speaking of hence, what a totally underutilized word. I think I should start trying to add it into my everyday life. It adds that certain je ne sais quoi, don't you think?

So since there is little reading going on and my brain is all scattered-like, I thought I would share with you today a few of my current favorite things:

1. The drive-thru Starbucks on my new route to work. Whoever decided to put a drive-thru at a coffee place is a genius. Genius, I tell you.
2. My new apartment. Despite all the unsettledness going on, I heart my new place. I just want to give it a big hug I love it so much. Plus, not having to have your desk in your living room? Priceless (and oh so grown up)!
3. Janet Evanovich. Yes, this is my second shout out to her in this post. But she makes me laugh like nobody's business. I can't read her books in public cuz I would just make a dang fool of myself (yes, I have learned this from experience).
4. My parents. They have been my rock during this crazy move and I wouldn't be able to hang on to what little of my sanity I have left without them. Mwah - love ya mom & pops!
5. Fridays. Which means tomorrow, I don't have to come to work and sit on my hiney in front of my computer all day. I can actually do some...
6. Spring Cleaning! Ok, this may be a weird thing to put on a list of favorite things but sometimes cleaning the physical stuff helps clean out all the emotional/spiritual/unsettled inside stuff as well. And that's what I'm doing this weekend.

I hope you all have a fabulous Friday (the last one in March....can you believe it's going to be April next week?!?! Yikes!)!

Well, We're Moving On Up...

2008-02-28T11:11:00.000-08:00

Ok, it may not be to the East side but it certainly is east of where I am now (if only by a few miles). Yes, the reason I have not blogged in oh so long is because I am moving!!! Here is my new humble abode:

As you can imagine, not much reading has been going on lately. What with the impending move and all the theatre craziness I have gotten myself into lately. But this weekend is moving weekend so hopefully things will calm down a little once I get settled into my new place. Did I mention it's 2 bedrooms (which is one more than I currently have) and there's a washer/dryer in the unit?!?! All you apartment dwellers out there know how exciting that is! Plus there is tons of storage...3 closets (one's a walk-in), a linen cupboard and a storage closet off the patio. Compare that to the 2 paltry closets I have now and I am in storage heaven. Anyone want to go to Target to get some organizers???

I am reading this great book now, called Scaling Down: Living Large in Small Spaces. I wish I had picked this up BEFORE I started to move but I am getting some great ideas for cleaning out some of the stuff I have accumulated in my thirty some odd years on this planet. If you are moving or you just want to clean out and organize the place you live now, I would highly recommend this book. There is some great advice.

Oh, and in case you were curious. Emily is less than impressed with this disruption of her living space...

Twilight Is Mesmerizing

2008-01-30T12:24:00.000-08:00

I will never forget my senior year in high school when my friend Amy handed me this book called Interview With A Vampire and said "you HAVE to read this". She was right. I was completely drawn into the world of Louis and Lestat and I read every Anne Rice book I could get my hands on after that. I don't know what it is about vampires and the vampire legends that are so intriguing to me. Maybe it's that blend of exoticness and dangerousness that is so far from my real life. Maybe it's the thought of what you could do if you were essentially indestructible and could live forever. Probably it's all of the above. But whatever the case, I am hard pressed to find a well-written vampire story that doesn't suck me in (no pun intended).

Such is the case with Stephenie Meyer's Twilight. I was hooked from page 1. The vampire legend she has created differs in many ways from what you normally think of when you think of vampires. There is no cringing away from crosses, they can most certainly withstand sunlight and it takes more than a stake through the heart to kill them. They seem slightly more human than Anne Rice's vampires though they are not without their unearthly qualities. She has created her own spin on the legends that many of us know and done it very successfully. I have already requested the sequel from the library and can't wait to sink my teeth into it (pun most certainly intended)!

Bookmarks: 4-1/2 out of 5

Busy, busy, busy...

2008-01-24T14:34:00.001-08:00

I have been so busy these past couple of weeks with work and the two shows I am rehearsing that I have barely had time for any blog reading let alone posting! Somehow I have managed to finish two books since my last post and both were very good. So far my reading choices for 2008 are going well. I just started Twilight by Stephanie Meyer last night and am already sucked in (uh, no vampire pun intended).

I only have another week of intense rehearsals and then I should be back to a less hectic schedule. And hopefully some blog updates as well!

And for all you mystery lovers out there, if you haven't read Still Life by Louise Penny go pick it up. You won't be disappointed!

Mixed Reviews

2008-01-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

So my second book completed in 2008, The Secret of Lost Things by Sheridan Hay, seems to have received mixed reviews from everything I have read about it. But I have to say I LOVED IT! This was absolutely my kind of read. From the location (an old used bookstore in New York) to the characters (a young girl from Tasmania, an albino, a soon to be transsexual), I was drawn in from the get go.

Some of the criticism seems to be about the fact that there are a few different stories happening in one novel - a young girl coming of age, life and the odd characters found in a bookstore, and a mystery surrounding a possible lost novel by Herman Melville. I found all elements to be fulfilling. And the coming of age story is really the center of the novel. The main character, Rosemary (for remembrance), was so fully flushed out that I can practically see her standing before me as I type this.

I love books about books or about bookstores and I am certainly drawn to coming of age stories so this book was really a combination of some of my favorite topics. I checked this book out from the library but I think I may have to purchase it for my permanent collection. That's how much I liked it.

Rating: 5 Bookmarks (out of 5) - 2008 is off to a great start, reading-wise!

First Read - 2008

2008-01-10T14:30:00.000-08:00

My first book finished in 2008 is T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton. I have been a huge fan of Grafton's alphabet series and have worked my way through all the letters she has published thus far. Of course, I didn't read them in order which made it sometimes very frustrating along the way. Not in terms of reading the books or following the story but merely because there were times when I could not remember which ones I hadn't read (F,G, and H were particularly problematic).

All that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed T is for Trespass. Grafton really knows how to spin a good yarn. Kinsey Millhone is a fantastic heroine (although perhaps she considers herself more of an anti-heroine) and Grafton has created a world that is simultaneously comforting and gripping. This novel centers around the care of the elderly and how those providing that care can manipulate the system to disasterous ends. It was alarming for all it's realism.

The only irksome part of this book is the fact that now Grafton only has 6 more letters before she reaches the end of the alphabet! Perhaps she can move on to numbers after that???

Rating: 4.5 Bookmarks (out of 5)

Belated Happy New Year & 2007 Wrap Up

2008-01-09T09:29:00.001-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope everyone has had a wonderful start so far in 2008. My schedule has been incredibly busy but I at least wanted to do a quick wrap up of 2007 before we get too far into 2008. So, without further ado, away we go...

Books read in 2007: 69

Fiction: 64
Nonfiction: 5

Female Authors: 33
Male Authors: 36

Audiobooks: 3
Mysteries: 26 (Give or take, depending on how you qualify a mystery)
Classics: 3
Short Stories: 3
Children's Books: 6

Well, you can see that I don't read much nonfiction. I'd like to try to read a few more this year. Even if just some biographies or memoirs. But I make no promises. I read for pleasure and I enjoy reading fiction more than nonfiction. That's just me.

I have been debating whether or not to list my favorite books of last year but, ah, what the heck. These books are all ones that moved me or made me think or maybe were great just for their pure escapism!

My Favorite Books Read In 2007 (in no particular order):

1. Hester's Story by Adele Geras
2. Brainiac by Ken Jennings
3. Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
4. The Secret Lives of People In Love by Simon Van Booy
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling
6. To Dance by Siena Cherson Siegel
7. To Serve Them All My Days by R.F. Delderfield
8. Water Like A Stone by Deborah Crombie
9. The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue
10. The View From Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg

So there you have it. 2007 is over and 2008 has just begun. Here is to all those books out there just waiting to be read!

Books Read In 2007

2008-01-01T09:59:00.000-08:00

1. The View From Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
2. Chasing Shakespeare by Sarah Smith
3. The Bookman's Wake by John Dunning
4. 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith
5. The James Joyce Murder by Amanda Cross
6. Invasion of Privacy by Perri O'Shaugnessy
7. The Wind In the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
8. The Ghost & Mrs McClure by Alice Kimberly
9. Echoes of Lies by Jo Bannister
10. Lost In A Good Book by Jasper Fforde
11. True Witness by Jo Bannister
12. More Book Lust by Nancy Pearl
13. The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue
14. The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith
15. The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde
16. Memory In Death by J.D. Robb
17. Plum Love by Janet Evanovich
18. Where Echoes Live by Marcia Muller
19. 4th of July by James Patterson
20. Light A Penny Candle by Maeve Binchy
21. The Bookman's Promise by John Dunning
22. Till the Butcher's Cut Him Down by Marcia Muller
23. 2nd Chance by James Patterson
24. Water Like A Stone by Deborah Crombie
25. Pink Slip Party by Cara Lockwood
26. There's Nothing To Be Afraid Of by Marcia Muller
27. Breach of Promise by Perri O'Shaugnessy
28. The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch by Marsha Moyer
29. Hotel Paradise by Martha Grimes
30. I Do But I Don't by Cara Lockwood
31. These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer
32. The Sign of the Book by John Dunning
33. Cat Stories by James Herriott
34. Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich
35. Spare Change by Robert B. Parker
36. To Dance by Siena Cherson Siegel
37. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
38. To Serve Them All My Days by R.F. Delderfield
39. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
40. The Typhoon Lover by Sujata Massey
41. Austenland by Shannon Hale
42. Thirteen At Dinner by Agatha Christie (audiobook)
43. The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Samson
44. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
45. London Holiday by Richard Peck
46. The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud
47. The Secret Lives of People In Love by Simon Van Booy
48. Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
49. High Profile by Robert B. Parker
50. The Ghost Writer by John Harwood
51. They Have Always Lived In the Castly by Shirley Jackson
52. Sorcery & Cecilia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer
53. Notes From A Small Island by Bill Bryson
54. Trouble In the Town Hall by Jeanne M. Dams
55. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson
56. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
57. The Ghost and the Dead Deb by Alice Kimberly
58. Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie
59. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
60. Atonement by Ian McEwan
61. The Lysterdale Mystery and Other Stories by Agatha Christie (audiobook)
62. Brainiac by Ken Jennings
63. The House With A Clock In It's Walls by John Bellairs
64. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
65. Hester's Story by Adele Geras
66. Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer
67. The Queene's Christmas by Karen Harper
68. No Clue At the Inn by Kate Kingsbury
69. Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie

Some Days You Gotta Dance!

2007-12-12T09:37:00.001-08:00

A friend of mine sent this to me today and it made me laugh so I thought I would share. Nothing like a little jazz hands to start your Wednesday off right!

Lots of Catching Up To Do!

2007-12-11T16:28:00.000-08:00

My oh my, how the time does fly! I can't believe it's been a month since my last post. I am thinking this may be a bullet point post just to get caught up on all the reading and goings ons that I have been up to! So here goes:

Children's Book Week Challenge: This was my own little mini-challenge to myself. I meant to read three books but I only ended up reading two. The first was The House With A Clock In It's Walls by John Bellairs. This was a great story. It was spooky without being too scary for it's young readers. I wish I had read this one many, many years ago! I also read The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo which I also enjoyed. It was a wonderful take on the fairytale genre and I found myself thoroughly rooting for Despereaux on his quest!
It is nearing the end of the Armchair Reader's Challenge and I just know I am not going to finish by the end of this month. But I am going to read all of the books that I chose for the challenge - I AM!
I am nearing the end of The Queene's Christmas and I can tell already that this is a series and I am going to want delve into. And it is just the kind of book I am in the mood for during the holiday season! I am looking forward to the discussion over at Our Coffee Rings.
I read Atonement by Ian McEwan a couple of weeks ago. It took me a long while to decide if I was going to like it or not. While I think he has a wonderful use of language, the whole first section was really tough for me. It wasn't until I got into the second half of the book that I really became engrossed. And the ending certainly made it worthwhile, even if it wasn't the happily ever after ending you might expect. Can't wait to see the movie!
So I did get one of the lead roles in that play I mentioned in my last post. Plus it looks like I am doing the choreography for the other show as well. So if I am absent from this blog in upcoming weeks, you'll know why!
I am hoping to do a wrap up of all my reading from this past year in the next couple of weeks so stay tuned!

Phew! I think that catches up on most things. I have been running myself ragged at work the past few weeks but it looks like I'll be able to take a breather for a bit here and dig myself out from under all the piles on my desk! Here's hoping I can check in a little more often here and keep things up to date. Well, at least I'll keep trying!

The Post Where Everything Happens At Once

2007-11-12T16:55:00.000-08:00

Ok, the title of this post may be a slight exaggeration! But in the past week I have been asked to both choreograph a musical and take a lead role in a play. Both of which will be rehearsing simultaneously. Sheesh. How is a girl supposed to decide? Well, I am hoping not to decide and to figure out a way to do them both without running myself completely ragged! Fingers crossed!!!

Christmas Challenge

2007-11-09T12:12:00.000-08:00

I love the holidays! Halloween through New Year's is my favorite time of year. So I am very excited to take part in Susan's Christmas Theme Book Challenge!

***The challenge is to read two books with a Christmas theme during the months of November and December***

My selections are as follows:

A Christmas Visitor by Anne Perry

The Queene's Christmas by Karen Harper (also reading this for the book group at Our Coffee Rings)

Additional titles I am planning to read which have a Christmas theme:

No Clue At the Inn by Kate Kingsbury

The Christmas Almanac (I probably won't read this cover-to-cover but I will definitely read through a good portion of it)

On a non-holiday related note, I just received my latest purchases from bookcloseouts.com. This is a great site for discounted books that are hard to find at used bookstores! My recent purchase included The House with a Clock In It's Walls, Marking Time, Still Life and On Rue Tatin. Looking forward to them all!

I have recently finished both Atonement and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and will get my thoughts posted on both soon.

Challenges

2007-11-06T16:47:00.000-08:00

I have just discovered A Novel Challenge hosted by Wendy. All reading challenges all in one place? Whoopee!!! I can get through a lot of blogs in a day but by the next I am scratching my head and saying, "Now where did I read about that challenge...?". Now I will have to look no further! Thanks Wendy!

All that being said, I have decided to join two new reading challenges. Well, one is technically a challenge and the other is just my own desire to read some children's books.

November 12-18 is Children's Book Week (thanks again to Wendy for putting me on to this one). In it's honor, I have decided to read a few children's books that have been lingering on my shelves for far too long:

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce
The Phoenix and the Carpet by E. Nesbit

I think I should be able to get through three children's books in one week. I will post my thoughts on the books I finish at the end of next week.

I have decided to officially join in with this year's From the Stacks Reading Challenge 07 hosted by overdue books. The rules are as follows:

If you are anything like me your stack of purchased to-be-read books is teetering over. So for this challenge we would be reading 5 books that we have already purchased, have been meaning to get to, have been sitting on the nightstand and haven't read before. No going out and buying new books. No getting sidetracked by the lure of the holiday bookstore displays.

The challenge runs from Nov. 1 through Jan. 30. Here are my 5 picks from my teetering, tottering TBR pile:

Hester's Story by Adele Geras
A Light In the Window by Jan Karon
No Clue At the Inn by Kate Kingsbury
No Graves As Yet by Anne Perry
Village School by Miss Read

I am considering joining the My Year of Reading Dangerously challenge being hosted by Estella's Revenge. I have read a few of the books on the list so I would need to substitute a few other books. I guess I better decide sooner rather than later if I am going to sign up!

Migraines - A Digression

2007-11-05T17:00:00.000-08:00

Anyone out there get migraines? I am sure there are at least a few of you who do. I have been getting migraines for about eight years now and I have two words for you on the subject - THEY SUCK. I know there are people out there who suffer from them on a weekly, if not daily, basis and to those people my heart truly goes out. I only get one about every few months and they are not fun. Nothing like spending your Saturday under the covers, eye mask on, arm thrown over the head in an attempt to stop the throbbing maniacal pain like a dagger in your skull, while simultaneously being nauseous and praying that you don't have to get out of the prone position in order to get sick. Blech, if I do say so myself.

My migraines used to take on a very usual pattern:

-Aura appears like little flashes of light in my vision
-Take Imitrex
-Lie down with eye pillow over eyes in position that induces the least amount of pain
-Sleep until Imitrex takes the pain away
-Get up and sit groggily on the couch until it's time for bed
-Sleep and wake up in the morning back to my usual self

This pattern? The one I used to rely on so that I knew what to expect from my migraine experience? Yeah, it's not being quite so patternistic anymore, if you catch my drift. Take Saturday's migraine for example. I had had a headache all week that had never really gone away. But it was just a headache which I could deal with. Saturday morning, I woke up with the same headache (so I thought) but quickly started feeling sick to my stomach. Thought maybe a little more sleep would help. Woke up around lunchtime and decided this was no ordinary headache. Time for the Imitrex. Took it and finally woke up about three hours later without the piercing pain in my skull. Phew. Still had the groggy post-Imitrex foghead going on and also my head felt sore. Touching my scalp actually hurt. This has happened the last few times I have had a migraine and, let me tell you, it's not a pleasant new development. I still felt pretty yucky on Sunday. Definitely groggy and the headache came back in the late afternoon.

I think the hardest thing to deal with, aside from the nauseousness and debilitating pain, is the fact that your whole life has to come to a complete halt. When you can't open your eyes and you can't move, you pretty much rule out just about any activity you can think of except for sleep. Which is annoying. Because even at my least productive, laziest moments, I still like to be doing something. And what a waste of a perfectly good Saturday!

Ok, enough with the venting. At least I was able to get out of the house on Sunday. Granted, I didn't feel the greatest and probably going to the used bookstore with a headache was not my wisest course of action. But I did pick up a used copy of Eat, Pray, Love which I am going to read for the Armchair Readers Challenge.

Autumnal Quote

2007-11-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

A little taste of autumn on this crisp November day...

As Ichabod jogged slowly on his way, his eye, ever open to every symptom of
culinary abundance, ranged with delight over the treasures of jolly
autumn. On all sides he beheld vast store of apples; some hanging in
oppressive opulence on the trees; some gathered into baskets and barrels for the
market; others heaped up in rich piles for the cider-press. Farther on he
beheld great fields of Indian corn, with its golden ears peeping from their
leafy coverts, and holding out the promise of cakes and hasty- pudding; and the
yellow pumpkins lying beneath them, turning up their fair round bellies to the
sun, and giving ample prospects of the most luxurious of pies; and anon he
passed the fragrant buckwheat fields breathing the odor of the beehive, and as
he beheld them, soft anticipations stole over his mind of dainty slapjacks, well
buttered, and garnished with honey or treacle, by the delicate little dimpled
hand of Katrina Van Tassel.

~From The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

R.I.P Wrap Up

2007-10-31T11:57:00.000-07:00

Sigh...

I didn't do it. I didn't finish my R.I.P. Challenge Peril. Such a bummer. I tried, really I did. I actually read 3 books, 2 of which were in my original selection. But I didn't complete all 4. On the bright side, I have 2 books all ready for next year's Challenge! Gotta put a positive spin on it somehow. Here is my wrap up of the 3 books I DID read:

The Ghost Writer by John Harwood (3-1/2 Bookmarks) - This book started out very strong but the ending for me was wrapped up a little too quickly. It did have a very gothic, ominous tone throughout which made it perfect as my first R.I.P. read. I loved the premise of this boy and girl who become penpals through somewhat mysterious circumstances and develop their correspondence into a love affair in letters. The story becomes even more intriguing when Gerard, the main character, leaves his Australia home for England to try and find Alice, his penpal. And while you know something strange is going on, I, for one, could not figure out what it was until the novel was drawing to a close.

They Have Always Lived In the Castle by Shirley Jackson (4 Bookmarks) - I don't really know what I can say about this book without giving anything away. Suffice it to say, I figured out the truth early on but I was hooked from the start and the book kept me engaged for it's entirety. The ending was fitting and satisfying even though it was quite disturbing (I get chills just thinking about it).

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (4-1/2 Bookmarks) - I love all things Jane Austen. And I completely enjoyed this one. I think fans of Austen can tell this is her first novel. Something about it feels like she's still trying to settle into the novel genre. She even talks about the merits of the novel. Northanger Abbey is not truly a gothic novel but it pokes fun, gently, at the gothic genre. All in all, another satisfying Austen read. I can't wait to see it on Masterpiece Theatre this spring!

Thanks again Carl for hosting this challenge! I am already lining up my books for next year.

Trick or Treat!

2007-10-31T10:04:00.001-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Program...

2007-10-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

To rave about my new favorite show! If you haven't watched Pushing Daisies yet, you really should. It is so eclectic and witty and truly the most original show I have seen on t.v. in a looooooooooooooooooooong time. I am in love with this show. If I could go to the Pie Hole and be served pie by Olive and meet Ted and Chuck and all the rest, I would! The only way I can describe it is to say it is like watching a cross between a Tim Burton movie and a Dr. Seuss book. What's not to love??? And I am so glad it has been picked up for the whole season. I can only hope it gets picked up for next season as well. So let's all watch, ok?

Choosing What to Read

2007-10-24T14:29:00.000-07:00

How do you go about choosing what book to read? Me? I am a moody, fickle reader...well, at least I am at the moment. Something I want to read when I wake up in the morning may not be the same thing I want to read by the time I go to bed at night. In fact, sometimes getting the book from the bookshelf to the chair I am going to sit in to read it is a feat unto itself.

I bring this up right now because I am in one of those moods where everything I had planned to read for the next few weeks just isn't working for me. I wanted to finish the R.I.P. Challenge but neither of my two remaining books are appealing to me right now. So I picked up a cozy mystery on Sunday night and finished it earlier today. It was a quick, easy read which I felt I needed after having read a few not-so-light books in the recent past. So now I am thinking I am going to start Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie since All Hallows Eve is nearly upon us but we'll see how I feel when I pick it up tonight.

This "what to read" quandry is different than not being in the mood to read. It's not that I don't feel like reading anything, because I do. Maybe I am too overwhelmed by the amount of books in my TBR pile. I don't know. Does this happen to anyone else? I know this phase will pass but it's really frustrating while it's here!

Not As Well Read As I Thought!

2007-10-18T17:35:00.000-07:00

I took this meme off of Literary Feline's blog. The books listed below are the top 106 books most often tagged as being unread by LibraryThing users. I really thought I would have read more than 20 on this list!

The instructions are simple: Bold what you have read, and italicize books you have started but couldn't finish. Add an asterisk* to those you have read more than once. Underline those on your TBR list.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
Anna Karenina
Crime and Punishment
Catch-22
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Wuthering Heights
The Silmarillion
Life of Pi: A Novel
The Name of the Rose
Don Quixote
Moby Dick
Ulysses
Madame Bovary
The Odyssey
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Eyre
A Tale of Two Cities
The Brothers Karamazov
Guns, Germs, and Steel: the Fates of Human Societies
War and Peace
Vanity Fair
The Time Traveller's Wife
The Iliad
Emma
The Blind Assassin
The Kite Runner
Mrs. Dalloway
Great Expectations
American Gods
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
Atlas Shrugged
Reading Lolita in Tehran
Memoirs of a Geisha
Middlesex
Quicksilver
Wicked : The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (I am still trying to finish it actually)
The Canterbury Tales
The Historian
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Love in the Time of Cholera
Brave New World
The Fountainhead (This one I feel I should finish someday)
Foucault's Pendulum
Middlemarch
Frankenstein*
The Count of Monte Cristo
Dracula*
A Clockwork Orange
Anansi Boys
The Once and Future King (Read pieces of it for a college project)
The Grapes of Wrath
The Poisonwood Bible
1984
Angels & Demons
The Inferno
The Satanic Verses
Sense and Sensibility
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Mansfield Park
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
To the Lighthouse
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Oliver Twist
Gulliver's Travels
Les Miserables
The Corrections
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Dune
The Prince
The Sound and the Fury
Angela's Ashes
The God of Small Things
A People's History of the United States : 1492-Present
Cryptonomicon
Neverwhere
A Confederacy of Dunces
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Dubliners
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Beloved
Slaughterhouse-Five
The Scarlet Letter
Eats, Shoots & Leaves
The Mists of Avalon
Oryx and Crake: A Novel
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed
Cloud Atlas
The Confusion
Lolita
Persuasion
Northanger Abbey
The Catcher in the Rye*
On the Road
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Freakonomics
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
The Aeneid
Watership Down
Gravity's Rainbow
The Hobbit
In Cold Blood
White Teeth
Treasure Island
David Copperfield
The Three Musketeers

I Heart Half Price Books

2007-10-18T15:57:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I have mentioned it before but there is a Half Price Books store across the park from my office. This is both a very good and very bad thing. Today it was a mixture of both. I went in for the sole purpose of picking up Ian McEwan's Atonement which for some reason I got a sudden itch to want to have in my possession (probably because the movie is coming out soon and I want to read it before that happens). And I left with not only that book but somehow these four jumped in my bag as well:

The Queen and I by Sue Townsend - Oh, how I love, love, love the Adrian Mole series. Seriously, if you haven't read it you should.

Bachelor Brothers' Bed & Breakfast by Bill Richardson - I forget where I heard about this one but it's supposed to be hilarious and I can never seem to find it so I grabbed it as soon as I saw it.

Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie - Well, 'tis the season after all!

Challenge by Vita Sackville-West - OK, I honestly couldn't tell anything about this book when I picked it up other than that I knew who VSW was. And the book gave me no clues since there was no dustjacket. But it was $1.00. Really, you can't beat that. So I bought it. I figured, at the very least, the book was a pretty green and would like nice on my bookshelf. You can read a bit about the book here. Oh, how I love a good scandal!

So there you have my bookstore weakness in a nutshell. Think how bad it was when I actually worked in a bookstore. I may as well have just signed my paycheck back over to them the instant they gave it to me. If I can ever work somewhere and I don't actually need the money, it will be in a bookstore and they can just pay me in books. Goods for services. I think that sounds fair, don't you?

In other booking news...

I am finishing up Northanger Abbey (hopefully tonight). I am enjoying it but you can definitely tell it was Jane Austen's first novel. She seems to be making some criticisms about novels in general which I found interesting. I have to go back and pull out the quote I wanted to share that reflected this.

I have no idea what to read next. I still have two books to read to finish out my original choices for the R.I.P. Challenge. I also keep checking out books from the library and I really need to get on with reading those as well. There is so much truth to the adage, "so many books, so little time"! I think I am going to dive into Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell since everyone raves about it so much and it is the perfect time of year to read it. Decisions, decisions...

Beautiful, Gorgeous, Wish You Were Here!

2007-10-16T15:46:00.000-07:00

This is where I was this weekend. Soaking up the beauty of Eugene, Oregon and supporting my alma mater as they creamed Washington State! Go Ducks!!!

Playing Catch Up!

2007-10-05T10:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday everyone! It feels like a long time since I have done a REAL post! But I figured it was about time I caught everyone up on the extremely fascinating, not-to-be-missed, goings on in Jenny's Corner of the world! Man, do I ever crack myself up!

Anywho...

A friend of mine sent me this very interesting NPR article about Why Women Read More Than Men which I thought was appropriate to share here. We book bloggers are far, far, far above the norm in terms of the quantity of reading we do. Typical Americans read only 4 books a year. Did you hear that? FOUR BOOKS A YEAR?!?!? Seriously? Yikes! Considering I have finished 52 books this year, that just seems crazy. Well, maybe not, when I really start to think about it. I guess I just surround myself with readers. We are of like minds so we must be drawn to one another. And my mom was an avid reader so I grew up reading and loving books and libraries (though she also instilled the very bad habit of returning books late to the library since my hometown library never charged late fees). But I digress...

I have taken a break from my R.I.P. books and am very close to finishing both Bill Bryson's Notes From A Small Island and Trouble In the Town Hall by Jeanne M. Dams. I am enjoying both and will finish them this weekend. Then it's back to the R.I.P. Challenge with Northanger Abbey. I am hoping to go see The Jane Austen Book Club this weekend. I haven't actually read the book but the movie looks pretty good and hopefully will get me in the mood for Northanger Abbey!

What fun things are you all up to this weekend???

Bad Blogger!

2007-10-03T11:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, I honestly don't know what happened. I seem to have lost my blogging oomph. Is that even a word? Oh well. I can't seem to find any motivation to blog these days which is why there have been no posts for almost three weeks now. And no responses to any comments (though I did respond today and I think I am all caught up - whew!). I am not sure what it is exactly. I guess I have just been busy and have had my mind on other things and I figured if I couldn't come up with something interesting or witty to say, well then why say anything at all? Right?

But I am here! I have been reading! I am deep in the midst of the R.I.P. Challenge and loving it. And I promise I will try and get motivated to post about my goings on more frequently.

Consider this a virtual wave to all my bookloving cohorts in the blogging world! Blog with you soon...

Booking Through Thursday - Comfort Food

2007-09-13T15:34:00.001-07:00

I haven't done a Booking Through Thursday recently but this one caught my eye!

Okay . . . picture this (really) worst-case scenario: It’s cold and raining, your boyfriend/girlfriend has just dumped you, you’ve just been fired, the pile of unpaid bills is sky-high, your beloved pet has recently died, and you think you’re coming down with a cold. All you want to do (other than hiding under the covers) is to curl up with a good book, something warm and comforting that will make you feel better.
What do you read?
(Any bets on how quickly somebody says the Bible or some other religious text? A good choice, to be sure, but to be honest, I was thinking more along the lines of fiction…. Unless I laid it on a little strong in the string of catastrophes? Maybe I should have just stuck to catching a cold on a rainy day….)

I would pick up a mystery. Something cozy or else a series that I have read and loved (Elizabeth George and Deborah Crombie come to mind). Either that or I would re-read anything by Laurie Colwin. Maybe Home Cooking which definitely falls in the category of comfort food!

At A Loss For Words

2007-09-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

So I had truly intended my next post to be book reviews of the last two books I read. I even started the post and got so far as to do most of the review for The Emperor's Children. And then I reread what I had written. And, let me tell you, I was not pleased. Do you ever find that the right words just won't come? That what you have written seems pointless and merely a regurgitation of other reviews and comments? Well, that's where I am today. Hopefully, it will soon pass and I will get my reviews posted. But, in case my brain fart becomes a permanent condition, I must say that I recommend The Emperor's Children and I absolutely loved the short story collection, The Secret Lives of People In Love by Simon Van Booy.

I am currently reading High Profile by Robert B. Parker. It is the latest in his Jesse Stone series and definitely a fast read. I haven't read any of the Spencer novels but I have read all of the Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall series. Both series' are enjoyable, quick reads. I am really only reading this High Profile now because I had it on hold at the library and I have to return it since I can't renew it. But as soon as I am done, I am diving into my R.I.P. reads. I am planning to start with The Ghost Writer. I also have another book on hold at the library, Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert, which I think fits in perfectly with the R.I.P. Challenge. So many books, so little time.

So aside from busily reading away, I am currently obsessed with the BBC adaptation of Bleak House which aired last year on television and which I just checked out from the library. It is SO GOOD. I haven't read the book and I remember at the time it came out thinking that it looked, well, bleak. But it isn't. Well, at least not totally. Andrew Davies (who wrote the screenplay for the Colin Firth version of Pride & Prejudice) wrote the screenplay for Bleak House and he has done a wonderful job once again. I adore Esther, played by Anna Maxwell Martin. And even Gillian Anderson, who I thought might be miscast in this all British ensemble, is very good as Lady Dedlock. She made me forget entirely that she ever played Scully. In some ways, I can't wait to finish this series and in others I am trying to prolong watching it since I am enjoying it so very much. I think I may need to add this DVD to my ever growing collection of British miniseries.

So I guess that sums things up for now. Maybe I'll get those reviews posted later. I am working on my latest knitting project - Another scarf, you ask? Why, yes, yes it is - and will post pictures when it is finished.

Oh yes, and stay tuned for the story of the Scrabble-loving cat!

New Book Reviews

2007-09-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

Title: The Emperor's Children
Author: Claire Messud
Bookmarks: 4

I think I should first start off by saying that The Emperor's Children is definitely a novel that is not for everyone. I don't even think it would have been for me, necessarily, except that maybe I was in the right frame of mind to read it at the time I picked it up. It is the story of three thirty-something friends, Danielle, Marina and Julian) who are well-educated and living in New York City. The story revolves around their lives and loves as they each are still trying to find their way in the world. Enter Marina's cousin, Bootie, who sets into motion a chain of events that ultimately changes all of their lives.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first two-thirds of this book. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships even though I wanted to shake some sense into each of them at different points along the way. But their lives intrigued me. A bit of a SPOILER ahead...

The last portion of the book occurs during and after 9/11. While I found all of the characters' differing reactions to be an honest portrayal of how people responded to this disaster, it was a bit heavy for a novel that had largely centered on the intellectual and emotional aspects of these few peoples' lives. Although perhaps that was the author's point. That this national tragedy did slam itself into our otherwise ordinary lives and turn our world upside down.

Ok, SPOILER over!

The novel ends without tying up all the loose ends. But it does so in a way that makes it feel as if life is just continuing on. And we don't always get everything wrapped up nicely and tied with a ribbon in real life.

Something about the style of this novel reminds me of The Secret History by Donna Tartt, a novel I loved when I first read it in high school. I think mostly because the characters are intellectual and come from backgrounds which make them feel that they have a certain amount of entitlement.

Title: The Secret Lives of People In Love
Author: Simon Van Booy
Bookmarks: 4-1/2

I loved this amazing collection of short stories. I don't often pick up short stories but I really should do so more often. I really enjoy them. Simon Van Booy's stories all have that slice of life feel to them. They remind me very much of Laurie Colwin's short story collections. The characters are real and flushed out as are their stories. I can't recommend this book enough!

How Do You Spell Relief? V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N

2007-09-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh....vacation. I love it. I just spent the past seven luxurious days not going to work. It was glorious. Where did I go, you ask? Well, nowhere, actually. I stayed home. But what could be a better vacation than that? No crowds, no lines, no airports, no traffic jams. Just home sweet home and the comfort of my own bed. Of course, it was blistering hot and my wall unit just barely cools off my apartment. But these were minor inconveniences compared to the bliss of sleeping in with no place I HAD to go and nothing I HAD to do.

My freshman college roommate and her husband and sons came for a visit which was great fun. I haven't seen them in over a year so it was good to spend some time catching up with them. I took them to the City and we did some touristy things (rode the cable cars, went to fisherman's wharf) so I guess I didn't totally avoid lines or crowds but it wasn't too bad on a Tuesday. The weather was perfect which was unusual for San Francisco, even in August. 73 degrees and sunny with a light breeze. OK, maybe more than a light breeze...

But the city looked beautiful in the sunshine. Here's a shot of Coit Tower and the Transamerica building.

So aside from playing tour guide, I got to spend some quality time working on some of my hobbies. I started a new knitting project (yes, it's yet another scarf) and did A LOT of scrapbooking which I haven't worked on for some time. I think I finished about a dozen pages which I am very pleased about. I may try and take some pics of some of my favorite pages.

I have, of course, been doing some reading although I haven't finished anything recently. I am reading, and enjoying, Bill Bryson's Notes From A Small Island but put it down so I could read The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud which finally came in at the library. It is due back this Saturday and I must finish it since there are more holds on it so I won't be able to renew it. It is wonderful. I have quite a lot of thoughts about this book and would love to discuss it with anyone else who has read it once I am finished. I am curious to see if some of my projections about where the story is going pan out. I am also working my way through the short story collection The Secret Lives of People In Love by Simon Van Booy. I really like his writing style. Something about the stories reminds me of Laurie Colwin but I can't quite put my finger on it. It's not the style but more the moment out of time feel to them as well as how he draws you right inside the point of view of each story. In any case, the stories are thoroughly engrossing and I am finding myself reading them one at a time, trying to savour each morsel.

On other book related topics...

I am considering joining the Book to Movie Challenge but I have yet to come up with my 3 books/movies. I'd like to choose 3 that I have neither read the book nor seen the movie. But there are so many to choose from that it's making it tough! I am going to try and get my choices made by the end of the week.

Phew! I think that catches everyone up with the goings on in my corner of the world!

Book Reviews

2007-08-25T11:52:00.001-07:00

I am very delinquent in posting the reviews to the last three books I completed but here they (finally) are.

Title: The Case of the Missing Books: A Mobile Library Mystery

Author: Ian Sansom

Bookmarks: 2-1/2

The Case of the Missing Books is the story of Israel Armstrong who has taken a position as a librarian in a remote town in Ireland. Upon arrival, he discovers the library has shut down and he will now be in charge of the mobile library, much to his dismay. To add insult to injury it turns out that all of the books have been stolen and it is up to Israel to locate them and open the mobile library.

The book really sounded like something I would love. But I found myself irritated by Israel who was a complete mess and just seemed to keep making a fool of himself in every new situation. Everyone in the town seemed out to make his life miserable and their characters really began to grate on my nerves after awhile. The mystery itself was not much of a mystery and I found myself more concerned with whether or not Israel had had a shower and why it was he couldn't take a half hour to get himself a decent pair of pants.

I believe there is a sequel to this book and that possibly the author intends to make a series out of it but I don't think I'll be back for more.

Title: London Holiday

Author: Richard Peck

Bookmarks: 3-1/2

This was my second book in the Armchair Travelers Reading Challenge and I enjoyed it much more than my first selection. London Holiday is the story of three childhood friends from Missouri - Lesley, Margo and Julia - who, following a senseless act of violence upon one of them, had off to London for a much needed holiday. They are booked to stay at Mrs. Smith-Porter's bed and breakfast. Mrs. Smith-Porter is far and away the most interesting character in the story and I could have read an entire book just about her life.

She never wore a watch and had long ago learned how to shape a day without one. After all, she never had a train to catch, or a theater
curtain. When she stood, she was taller than any tree in view, and
people around her looked suddenly up. It was never her intention to
draw attention to herself in public, and this always did.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about London and how these three women find themselves and really come into their own. The only criticism I had with the book was that I found the relationships of the three main characters to be not entirely believable. I often, though certainly not always, find this to be the case when male authors write about women's friendships. I just think the relationships end up sounding a little hollow. But this is certainly a minor gripe and not one to deter me from recommending this book.

Title: Stardust

Author: Neil Gaiman

Bookmarks: 4

This is my second Neil Gaiman book (the first being Coraline) and my first of his adult fantasy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and finished it in about a day. I won't rehash the plot since I know that there are many Neil Gaiman fans out there already. I found the characters to be richly drawn and even characters, such as Victoria Forrester, who could have been merely one dimensional caricatures turn out to be much more than just that.

I am not normally drawn to fantasy novels or series and most books involving "quests" end up wearing me out after awhile. I picked up this book mostly because the movie has just been released and I would really like to see it but I know I'll never read the book if I see the movie first. So now I can happily go see the movie now that I have read and enjoyed the book. And I will definitely be reading more Neil Gaiman in the future.

R.I.P. II ~ Peril the First

2007-08-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

I have finally made my four selections for the 2007 Readers Imbibing Peril Autumn Reading Challenge. And, without further ado, here they are:

1. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
2. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
3. The Ghost Writer by John Harwood
4. Among the Shadows by L.M. Montgomery

I am also considering a few alternate titles as well including All Hallow's Eve by Charles Williams, The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, and Tryst by Elswyth Thane. I found all of these titles in Book Lust by Nancy Pearl under the "Ghost Stories" section. Nancy Pearl's books are a great way to learn about new authors, titles and even new subjects. I highly recommend them.

I have added the R.I.P. Challenge to my sidebar and will get the link up to the book reviews after I post my first one.

Happy (or should I say Perilous) Reading, Everyone!

Tag - I'm It!

2007-08-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

Carrie over at My Middle Name Is Patience tagged me for this meme. I love Scattergories so this is right up my alley!

The game is SCATTERGORIES ... and it's harder than it looks! Here are the rules:
* Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the questions.
* They MUST be real places, names, things ... NOTHING made up!
* If you can't think of anything, skip it.
* You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.
* If your name happens to start with the same letter as mine, sorry, but you can't use my answers!

1. My name: Jennifer (aka Jennyellen)
2. Famous Singer/Band: Journey
3. Four letter word: Jump
4. Street: Junipero Serra
5. Color: Jade
6. Gifts/Presents: Jewelry
7. Vehicle: Jeep
8. Things in a Souvenir Shop: Jackets
9. Boy Name: Joseph
10. Girl Name: Janine
11. Movie Title: Jumanji
12. Drink: Java
13. Occupation: Journalist
14. Celebrity: Judi Dench
15. Magazine: Jane
16. U.S. City: Jacksonville
17. Pro Sports Teams: The (Utah) Jazz
18. Fruit: Juice (yeah, that's a copout but I am drawing a blank)
19. Reason for Being Late for Work: Jam on the freeway (that's traffic jam, not the kind you eat)
20. Something You Throw Away: Junk
21. Things You Shout: Jackpot!
22. Cartoon Character: The Jetsons

Ok, I won't tag anyone this time around but next time...watch out! I'll be back later today with more updates and my full R.I.P. Challenge list!

2007 Reader's Imbibing Peril Autumn Reading Challenge (R.I.P. II)

2007-08-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

IT'S HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Carl V. at Stainless Steel Droppings has announced the start of R.I.P. II. I have been hording books since the end of last year's challenge and can't wait to get started on this year's. I am planning to do Peril the First which Carl describes as follows:

Read Four books of any length, from any subgenre of
scary stories that you choose.

I will get my full list posted in my sidebar in the next couple of days but my first two books are Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke and Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. I am so excited to do this challenge again. THANKS CARL!

Catching Up!

2007-08-20T09:45:00.001-07:00

Lots has happened since my last post of any substance so let's get right to it.

I have finished three books since I last posted. The first was The Case of the Missing Books: A Mobile Library Mystery by Ian Samson. The second was Stardust by Neil Gaiman. And last night I finished my second Armchair Traveler Reading Challenge book which was London Holiday by Richard Peck. I will post my reviews of all three books in a separate post. Of the three, I enjoyed Stardust the most.

I have also listened to two, well almost two, audiobooks since last posting. As such, I'd like to take a moment to discuss audiobooks. I enjoy listening to audiobooks. They are a great way to pass my commute time, such as it is. But here's the thing. I find myself spacing out a lot while listening to books on CD. Suddenly I find myself making my grocery list or silently swearing at the obnoxious driver who just cut me off or thinking about what I am going to do with the rest of my day and I have no idea what has been going on in the audiobook for who knows how long. Luckily my car CD player has a rewind button! This makes me wonder how much of an audiobook I am actually retaining. I have pondered the idea that maybe I am retaining MORE than if I actually read the book since my subconscious is absorbing it even if I am not fully paying attention. Uh-huh. Yep. Sounds like a plausible idea to me. Anyway, I will continue to "listen" to audiobooks since I do enjoy them. Does anyone else suffer from this same problem?

Speaking of audiobooks...I listened to Agatha Christie's Thirteen At Dinner which was very good. I definitely think the reader of an audiobook makes a huge difference in how listenable (is that a word?) it is. Hugh Fraser did an excellent job with this one (and how can you not like listening to a British accent?!?). I tried listening to The Cat Who Dropped A Bombshell by Lilian Jackson Braun but I just couldn't finish it. It wasn't holding my attention at all and I had to go to the library this weekend to pick up some holds and ended up returning it at the same time. I have enjoyed the earlier books in this series but I agree with other reviewers that the author seems to have lost her way with this series and perhaps it's time to retire it.

In non-book related news, I finished another knitting project! Ok, it's another scarf but I did fringe on this one and it is really cute. This is a very belated birthday gift for one of my friends so I hope she likes it!!! Picture to come as soon as I charge the battery on my camera (I am very bad about this).

Still Here!

2007-08-14T08:41:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a week, I must say! I am still going full steam ahead so I don't have much time for posting at the moment. Just popped in to say hi and update my sidebar.

However, I promise to be back later this week with book reviews, some thoughts on audiobooks (does anyone else zone out while listening to them?), and all the other new and exciting happenings here at Jenny's Corner!

Rest In Peace

2007-08-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

There are no words to express the sadness I am feeling for one of my dear friends today. She has suffered more loss this summer than anyone should have to. About three weeks ago her paternal grandmother passed away somewhat unexpectedly. At the time, her uncle (her mother's brother) was also very ill and they knew they did not have much more time with him. He passed away on Sunday. Then yesterday came the worst news of them all. Her father was found dead in his apartment by her aunt after no one had heard from him in a few weeks. It appears to be a heart attack.

Needless to say she is beside herself with grief. She is on a plane to Chicago to be with her family and to attend two wakes and two funerals in the next week. All of my love and thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family. I can't imagine what they all must be going through. May the love of family and friends carry them through this sorrowful time.

The Meme of Four

2007-08-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

Literary Feline did this meme over at Bookish Kitty and tagged anyone who hadn't done it yet and that includes me! So here goes...

Four jobs I have had or currently have in my life:

- Dance teacher
- Pizza delivery person
- Bookseller
- Executive Assistant (this is the one I am currently doing)

Four countries I have been to:

- Canada
- Mexico
- England
- France

This, I am afraid, also makes up ALL the countries I have been to. I wish it were more!

Four places I'd rather be right now:

- Home, on my couch, reading a book
- At the beach, also reading a book
- In one of the countries I have yet to visit (particularly Italy), but probably not reading a book unless it's a travel guide
- At a cafe in Paris, drinking cafe au lait and, yes, reading a book

Four foods I like to eat:

- Potato chips
- Chocolate chip cookies hot out of the oven
- Cheese
- Sushi

And there you have it. Now you know a little more about me. Exciting, huh? I am not going to tag anyone but feel free to do this if you haven't already!

Lazy Sunday

2007-08-05T16:19:00.001-07:00

Emily has the right idea about how to spend this lazy, overcast Sunday afternoon.

I actually finished two books this weekend. And I wish I could say I really enjoyed them but the fact is I feel pretty lukewarm about both.

Title: The Typhoon Lover

Author: Sujata Massey

Bookmarks: 2-1/2

The Typhoon Lover is part of the series about Rei Shimura, a Japanese-American antiques dealer living in Tokyo who ends up solving mysteries. The first few books of this series I really enjoyed (check out The Salaryman's Wife). Now it's been a few years since I last read one in the series so maybe my reading tastes have changed but I found something to be lacking in this installment. I found some issues with Rei's decision making and her reactions to certain situations. Maybe I have just outgrown the type of mystery where the main female character keeps putting herself in perilous situations over and over again and only seems to escape at the end by sheer luck. This is a series that started strong and I would highly recommend the first few installments.

Title: Austenland

Author: Shannon Hale

Bookmarks: 2-1/2

I wanted to like this book. Actually, I wanted to LOVE this book. A novel about a girl obsessed with Mr. Darcy as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice? Ummm...has the author been reading my mind? Unfortunately, only partially. The premise of this novel sounded like something that would be right up my alley. Jane Hayes is gifted a holiday at "Pembrook Park" where you can go to live out your Austenian fantasies complete with Regency costumes and Darcy-like characters. But once again the female protagonist makes bad decisions and really seemed to have a weak character, one I could never fully relate to. There was so much potential in this idea that I really wish the novel were more fully realized. This is a quick read and I zipped through it in a few hours and as much as I would really like to recommend it I ultimately can not. I would say, instead, read the original Pride and Prejudice in all it's wonderful glory.

However, reading Austenland does make me wish there was a real life place like Pembrook Park and that it contained this:

Sigh...

Friday Spells Relief!

2007-08-03T15:24:00.000-07:00

This has been a doozy of a week. Work was incedibly stressful (never get in the middle of an argument between the boss and the boss's husband who also happens to be the Chairman of the Board...very, very bad), I have a tiny part in a local, independent short film and we shot both Tuesday and Wednesday night this week until the wee hours which ate into my precious sleeping hours, last night I had a dance rehearsal for said film and today my dad had to have a heart procedure which I was very, very worried about. More than worried really.

BUT...

All is well. Dad's ok. He has to stay overnight at the hospital so I am going with mom to visit him as soon as I get off work. And I am going to pick him up tomorrow, since mom has to work, and take him home and make sure he gets propped up with plenty of pillows, and yummy things to eat and drink, and a good book to read.

I plan to take it easy as much as I can this weekend because I feel completely pooped out and on the verge of getting sick. But I have much updating to do on my blog which I am hoping to do over the next couple of days so stay tuned.

I hope your Friday is providing all of you with much needed relief from your week as well!

Why I Love Tivo & My Latest Must Have

2007-07-31T15:16:00.001-07:00

I love Tivo. Love, love, love it. I honestly don't know what I did before Tivo.

And here's one of the reason's why:

I was innocently fast forwarding through the July 15th episode of CBS Sunday Morning (love that show) when I came across this amazing singer...

And even though I am incredibly broke until payday, I will be busting into my piggy bank so I can run out tonight to get this CD. See? Without my Tivo, I would have missed out on learning about Regina Spektor's wonderful, quirky music. And I did it without having to watch commercials. Thank you, Tivo. Thank you.

You can check Regina out at her website.

To Serve Them All My Days

2007-07-31T09:52:00.001-07:00

Title: To Serve Them All My Days

Author: R.F. Delderfield

Rating: 4-1/2 Bookmarks

My first REAL book review on this blog. I have been trying to decide how exactly I want my book reviews formatted so this may be a work in progress for some time. I kept trying to figure out some clever system of rating my books, rather than the usual stars or what have you. I kept coming back to bookmarks because it seemed apropos. I am hoping at some point to create some sort of icon to represent the number of bookmarks I am awarding but my html skills are just not quite that strong as of yet.

Now, onto the book itself! It's the story of David Powlet-Jones (affectionately referred to as Pow-Wow) who is injured during World War I and is kindly offered a post as a teacher at a boy's school in Devon. He feels unequipped for the job but takes it anyway, having no other real prospects and still feeling the ill effects of the war. The school begins to heal him in ways both physical and mental. And under headmaster Algy Herries, who is like a non-magical Dumbledore, David flourishes and begins to live once again.

The book covers over twenty years of David's life at Bamfylde School and all of the triumphs and tragedies that make up this singular man's life. I won't go into all the details which make up the essence of this sprawling novel so as not to spoil it for anyone who hasn't yet read it.

For some reason, I have always loved books about boys' schools. Probably goes back to when I first read A Separate Peace by John Knowles. There is something intriguing about a school that you live at as well as attend. I think the school becomes it's own character shaped by all the people who pass through it's doors. There is a sense of community deeper than you feel if you merely attend a day school.

This is not a book to be read at a lightning pace. It is slow and meandering as I believe life in England was during the period between the two World Wars. I am normally a very fast reader but it took me nearly a month to finish this one (albeit with a few detours to read other books along the way). It wasn't that I wasn't enjoying the book and was slogging through it. I felt more like I wanted to savour this world that I had entered. I felt as much a part of Bamfylde and Pow-Wow's life as any of the other characters depicted in the novel. I don't think you can really ask much more of a book than that.

It's Friday! And A Comment on BAD

2007-07-27T17:20:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Literary Feline for informing me that I am suffering from BAD (Book Acquisition Disorder). I am so glad I finally have a name to put to my disease. Phew! And I can definitely tell from the comments to my post that I am in GOOD company!

Speaking of BAD, the books I ordered from Amazon? On Monday? Arrived on WEDNESDAY! Can you see the look of shock on my face through the computer? You could have knocked me over with a feather when I got home from work Wednesday evening to find an Amazon box propped against my door. For a moment I thought maybe someone had bought me a gift or perhaps I was suffering from BAD so badly (har, har) that I blocked out a previous order. So this is the second wonderful surprise from Amazon (the first being the arrival of my Harry Potter book on the day of it's release without upgrading from super saver shipping) in a week! As much as I love my local independent bookstores, I also have much love for Amazon.

Anywho...this has been a really busy week and I am looking forward to not having any plans this weekend. Sunday I plan to lounge around the house all day and read and watch movies and basically be a lazy bum. Aaaaahhh...heaven. I am hoping to finish To Serve Them All My Days and get my review/thoughts posted on my blog this weekend. For some reason it is taking me an inordinately long time to finish this book even though I am loving it. I think I must be savoring it.

Happy Friday everyone!

A Quote

2007-07-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

"To be a philosopher is not merely to have subtle thoughts, nor even to found a school, but so to love wisdom as to live according to its dictates, a life of simplicity, independence, magnanimity, and trust."

From Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Must...Stop...Buying...Books...

2007-07-23T16:15:00.000-07:00

I have a disease.

Bibliomania, bookaholism, whatever you want to call it, I just can't help myself from buying more books. Even though I have piles and piles and PILES of books to read at home and even though I continue to check books out from the library and my friends and I swap books on a regular basis, I still can't help myself.

Case in point. I was on Amazon today trying to look up an author's name I couldn't remember when there on book page was a link to selected Random House books that are currently buy 2, get 1 free. So I had to see what the selected books were, right? At first I thought that there wasn't going to be much that I was interested in - lots of nonfiction and some pretty heavy fiction. Then, I came across It's Not About the Tapas: A Spanish Adventure on Two Wheels and I thought that it could be an alternate for The Armchair Traveler's Reading Challenge. So into my shopping cart it went - plonk.

Then, for awhile, it actually seemed like I might not find anything else I really wanted. But, wait, stop the presses, THIS looks promising. Plonk, another one into the cart.

Two out of three...there's GOT to be at least one more book in this selection that I want to read. And, lo and behold, there it was! How did I pass up this little gem the first three times I looked at this page? Gift From the Sea has been one of those books I have wanted but always seem to forget about when I get to the bookstore. PLONK.

So there you have it. Willpower lost once again. Three more books soon to be added to the towers that already loom over me in my cramped, one bedroom apartment. And yet, the little bibliomaniac, bookaphile inside me is doing the dance of joy (complete with fingers snaps and hip shakes) over the expected delivery of three new worlds just waiting to be explored.

Someone should really lock me up. But, please, leave a few unread books for me? Thanks so much.

A Harry-ific Weekend! (No spoilers)

2007-07-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

I love amazon.com. Despite the fact that I ended up not upgrading shipping on my Harry Potter book from super saver to standard, my book still managed to arrive on Saturday! 12 hours later, I was finished! I don't want to say too much in this post since I know there are many people who haven't read/are still reading it. All I will say is that I think J.K. Rowling did a wonderful job of bringing closure to a much beloved series and character. I will post more on the book later in the week once I have had some more time to digest my feelings on the end of my journey in Harry's world.

In other news, here is the picture I promised of my latest knitting effort. I am still scared to move much beyond scarves and other simple knits. My skills still need a lot of work. If anyone has thoughts on other projects maybe a step up in difficulty from a scarf, I am all ears!

Saturday's tea went off without a hitch! Well, my scones were a little flat but they tasted yummy all the same. The sanwiches were delicious, particularly the cucumber with a cream cheese/blue cheese spread. I think I could have tea everyday and never tire of it!

I am off to bed now, I didn't finish Harry Potter until 3:30am and spent all day in the city at a theatre festival so I am tuckered out!

I Heart Fridays!

2007-07-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

I love Fridays. All the potential of a weekend with no job to go to is spread out before me. Think of all I could accomplish! Books to read, movies to watch, friends and family to spend time with, crafts to start or complete, this list is endless. Alas, I will probably only do a fraction of what I planned but isn't that the other joy of the weekend? Not having to do anything!

This weekend is actually pretty full. Tonight my mom and I are going to see La Vie En Rose which I am very excited about. I love that song and I don't really know much about Edith Piaf so hopefully this will enlighten me. Something tells me I am going to want the soundtrack after I see this!

Tomorrow I am having a birthday tea for one of my friends. We will be drinking tea, and enjoying scones and sandwiches without the crust. My inner Anglophile feels released!

Then Sunday I am off to the SF Theatre Festival to see some friends perform. So it should be a full weekend!

Somewhere in there, I want to get to the yarn store and finish my book so I can start the new Harry Potter as soon as it arrives on my doorstep!

How Apropos!

2007-07-19T12:07:00.000-07:00

Which Author's Fiction are You?

Jane Austen wrote you. You are extremely aware of the power of a single word.
Take this quiz!

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Booking Through Thursday - Harry Potter Style

2007-07-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

1. Okay, love him or loathe him, you’d have to live under a rock not to know that J.K. Rowling’s final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, comes out on Saturday… Are you going to read it? Yes, yes, yes! I am really looking forward to it. I am busy finishing my current book so I can dive into HP as soon as I get it.

2. If so, right away? Or just, you know, eventually, when you get around to it? Are you attending any of the midnight parties? I am not going to the extreme of the midnight parties (although if I had kids who were into the series I would take them). I did pre-order my copy through amazon but I didn't upgrade my shipping so I will get it sometime next week.

3. If you’re not going to read it, why not? Yeah, why not????

4. And, for the record… what do you think? Will Harry survive the series? What are you most looking forward to? I really hope he does survive but I have my concerns. I still think Snape is a good guy and Dumbledore's not really dead but that's the extent of my theories on what's to come. The one thing I would really like to see is Ron and Hermione finally get together!

Speaking of Harry Potter, I think I need this clock...

And maybe this sign...

One final note about Harry Potter...I know there are a lot of people out there who aren't fans and some who think that the series is highly overrated (and maybe it is, but does it really matter in the scheme of things?). I think that we should let people enjoy the series for enjoyment's sake. If it gets people (especially children who otherwise would never pick up a book) reading and talking about books then that is a good thing. J.K. Rowling may not be Hemingway or Woolf but she has created an extremely imaginative world that has captivated people of all ages and I can't see that there is anything wrong with that.

Ok, stepping off my soapbox now. I'll be back later with updates and photos of my latest knitting project

Up For A Challenge!

2007-07-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

I have decided to join The Armchair Traveler Reading Challenge hosted by Lesley over at A Life In Books. Here are my picks:

1. Walden by Henry David Thoreau (This is one of those books I have been meaning to read and since the location is essential to the story I thought it would work well here.)

2. Notes From A Small Island by Bill Bryson (I have wanted to read more Bill Bryson so here's my chance.)

3. Paris Out of Hand by Karen Elizabeth Gordon (Karen Elizabeth Gordon's books are really inventive. I have owned this book for many, many years and really only flipped through it. Now I plan to dive in.)

4. Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (I have been wanting to read this book since I first heard about it. It sounds like a very interesting journey, both physically and spiritually.

5. London Holiday by Richard Peck (My second choice set in England...hmmm...oh well. I am an Angophile at heart so if I can't be there, I might as well read about it.)

6. I am thinking either something that takes place in the South or else the next mystery on my list by Sujata Massey (since Japan, and Japanese culture, play an important part in the stories).

That's my list (subject to change due to my fickle reading whims)! I am off now to immerse myself in distant lands.

To Dance

2007-07-14T21:13:00.000-07:00

I love dancing. Love, love, love it! I love watching it, doing it, reading about it. Which is why, when my mom told me about this new graphic novel To Dance by Siena Cherson Siegel, I knew I had to read it. I will confess that I am not a huge fan of the graphic novel. In high school a friend of mine wrote one that I enjoyed but I really don't seek them out.

To Dance is the author's story of her life as a young dancer at the School of American Ballet which, at the time, was run by George Balanchine. She came from Puerto Rico to Boston and eventually to New York to study. I am always fascinated by the discipline it requires to be a ballerina. This is a wonderful behind the scenes look at the world of ballet. The illustrations really bring to life the joy of dancing. I checked this out from the library but I think I am going to have to add this to my permanent library.

Speaking of libraries...

My to be read piles are really growing out of control. But between Bookmooch, the used bookstore near my office and the library my piles are growing out of control.

And that's not all...

Emily is less than impressed.

One last note, go see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Go now.

I'll wait.

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaack!

2007-07-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

Wow. It has been a loooooooong time since my last post. Not that anyone has been reading this blog but me. But I have decided to try again at this blogging thing. Like journaling, I have the best of intentions to remain motivated and to keep at it on a regular basis but no such luck so far. And yet I can't completely give up. I love reading other people's blogs and would love to have an account of my day-to-day ramblings and ponderings. So I am back to give it the ol' college try one more time!

What have I been doing these past, oh, six months? Well, pretty much what I was doing when I last left here. Reading, working, knitting off and on, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah. I am hoping to do a post this weekend with some catch up on what I have been up to and talk about some of the really good books I have read during the first half of this year. I can't believe 2007 is half over already. My how time flies!!!

Tonight is Harry Potter night! I am really excited to see the movie. I saw Daniel Radcliffe interviewed on The Today Show on Wednesday and he is so adorable and charming. Pretty much like Harry. I think it's great that he seems so down to earth and like he really has his head on straight. Which much be tough considering he will always be associated with one of the greatest literary characters of this generation. I will post my thoughts on the movie tomorrow. And, of course, I have already pre-ordered Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows from amazon. I originally ordered it with super-saver shipping but now I am thinking of upgrading it to standard since I can get guaranteed delivery on the release date. I normally wouldn't do it but I am worried somehow the ending will get spoiled if I don't start reading it right away. Decisions, decisions...

I just finished reading Spare Change by Robert B. Parker. This is one of his Sunny Randall books. To be honest, I am not sure I liked it as much as the previous ones in this series. But I think I have to think about it a little more before I render my final thoughts. There is one character whose lack of moral fiber was a little disturbing. And I'm not talking about the killer!

I have lots more to revise in this blog so I am off to work on that. Stay tuned for more updates later!

Books Read In 2006 (Partial List)

2007-01-01T10:44:00.000-08:00

1. Jane & Prudence by Barbara Pym
2. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
3. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
4. The Three Incestuous Sisters by Audrey Niffenegger
5. Jamaica Inn by Daphne DuMaurier
6. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
7. Blue Screen by Robert B. Parker
8. The Book Thief by Marcus Zuzak
9. Booked to Die by John Dunning
10. At Home In Mitford by Jan Karon
11. Tied Up In Tinsel by Ngqio Marsh
12. Sixpence House by Paul Collins
13. A Cat On Jingle Bell Rock by Lydia Adamson
14. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
15. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
16. Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
17. Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor
18. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
19. A Week In Winter by Marcia Willett
20. The Cheshire Cat's Eye by Marcia Muller
21. A Walk Through Fire by Marcia Muller
22. Eye of the Storm by Marcia Muller
23. Edwin of the Iron Shoes by Marcia Muller
24. Leave A Message for Willie by Marcia Muller
25. Ghost of A Chance by Yasmine Galenorn

Some Thoughts

2006-11-14T15:28:00.000-08:00

After finishing Booked To Die by John Dunning, I have done some thinking about this book. While I enjoyed the premise and loved the fact that the main character opened a bookstore there has been one thing that keeps bothering me. Why was it necessary to continually kill off people close to Janeway? It is almost as if the author is purposefully isolating his main character though I am not sure to what end. To make it plausible that he would continue to seek justice even after leaving his career in law enforcement? I am intrigued enough that I will read the next book in the series but I hope people don't continue to die. There is a dark edginess to this series that isn't normally my cup of tea but I am willing to give it a shot if the storylines stay somewhat realistic and don't start veering towards melodrama.

On the other hand, I am about a third of the way through At Home In Mitford and am loving every page. Just the sort of cozy novel I am in the mood for and I can see that I will need to start picking up the rest of the Mitford series.

In knitting news, I still haven't charged the battery in my camera so still no picture of my first completed scarf but I swear I will post it soon! I have started a baby blanket for a dear friend who is preggers and I am not sure how it is going to turn out. Fingers crossed that I like the finished product!

Hello!

2006-11-09T09:26:00.000-08:00

I'm back! Did you miss me??? My how the time gets away from me sometimes. Between work and the play that I am in that just opened last weekend I have been busy, busy, busy! But I have returned to catch up on my blogging (while I haven't posted in awhile I have managed to keep up with my blog reading).

Since my last post I have finished The Book Thief (there are no words - fantasmagoric may come close), started and finished Booked to Die (excellent start to the series), finished my first knitted scarf (pictures coming soon) and decided to participate in the From the Stacks Challenge over at Overdue Books.

Here is my pick of 5 books from the teetering, tottering to-be-read pile:

1. At Home In Mitford - Jan Karon

2. Tied Up In Tinsel - Ngaio Marsh

3. Sixpence House - Paul Collins

4. A Cat On Jingle Bell Rock - Lydia Adamson

5. The Man In the Queue - Josephine Tey

My list has a definite Christmas/mystery/cozy slant to it but that's what I am in the mood for as the weather turns chilly and I just want to stay curled up on the couch with my cat, a good book and a cup of tea.

Reading In Bed Meme

2006-10-19T17:04:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest meme from Booking Through Thursday :

Do you read in bed? For how long? Do you fall asleep reading? Will a good book keep you up all night? I read in bed every night. Usually for about 45 minutes to an hour, maybe longer depending on what time I go to bed/how good the book is I am reading. I occasionally fall asleep reading but I try not to because I always end up bonking myself on the nose with my book. A really good book may not keep me up ALL night but it will certainly keep me up WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY past my bedtime!

Where do you keep your nighttime reading? Do you have a special table next to the bed? Are there many books there? Do you keep books there that you aren't reading (finished or unread)? All my reading sits on my nightstand next to my bed. I think there are about six books or so on there right now. Yes, there some books I'm not currently reading as well but you just never know when I will want to pick them up and start them!

Finished!

2006-10-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

I have finally finished The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. Hurrah! I am not sure why it took me so long to read it. I was really enjoying it so it wasn't that I was struggling through it or anything. This may sound weird, and maybe it's just me, but I think it takes me longer to read a heavy hardcover than it does to read a lighter-weight paperback. Maybe it's all in my head but it really does appear that way. Maybe someday I'll have to figure out a way to test that theory.

The Historian was the perfect read for the R.I.P Challenge. And while I am not normally much of a history buff, I loved all the detail in the story relating to Eastern Europe (I was very thankful for the map on the inside cover). I read Dracula a number of years ago while taking a gothic novel class in college (one of the best classes I have ever taken in my life) and this book was an interesting take on Dracula and the vampire legend. It focused mostly on the life of Vlad the Impaler (the "real" Dracula) but included numerous references to Bram Stoker's novel as well. Other readers have commented on the difficulty following the three timelines that the story occurs in but I only found it occasionally confusing at the start of a new chapter. I did think it was a good way to move the story along and cover all the necessary information the reader needed. All in all, I would highly recommend this book.

As it is mid-October and the R.I.P. Challenge is nearly at an end, I thought it would be good to take stock of where I am.

Books read:

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (Finished 10/15/06)

Three Incestuous Sisters by Audrey Niffenegger (Finished 9/24/06)

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier (Finished 9/24/06)

Coraline by Neil Gaiman (Finished 9/13/06)

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (Finished 9/17/06)

Books still to read:

Ghost Stories by Edith Wharton

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

I have read 5 books (though they are not all my original 5) so technically I have completed the challenge. I would, however, still like to finish my last two books. I am halfway through Edith Wharton and Northanger Abbey is next in line so it looks like I may complete them before the challenge is over as well.
At the moment I am taking a bit of a break to read some "fluff". I have a few "fluff" authors I like to read when I just feeling like reading for the sake of reading and not to really learn anything or engage my mind in anything strenuous. Janet Evanovich, Nora Roberts, Marcia Muller, Robert B. Parker are all included in this category. Enjoyable books (series for the most part) that don't require a lot from me. I am currently zipping my way through Blue Screen by Robert B. Parker and should be finished with it tonight. Then I will return to my regularly scheduled program, er, book.

A Short Story Meme

2006-10-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

Since I am still deeply immersed in The Historian and not ready to comment on it or any other books at the moment, I am posting this short meme from Booking Through Thursday :

Do you read short stories? Yes but not as often as I read novels

Why or why not? The reason I don't read them as much as novels is that if I come across a story or characters that I am really enjoying then the story is always over much to soon for my liking. This is, however, a plus when I am not liking the story. My favorite short stories are by Laurie Colwin.

What do you like and dislike about short stories? Hmmm...I think I answered this in #2.

Totally unrelated, I came across this wonderful Jane Austen website, The Republic of Pemberley and am slowly working my way through it. It is putting me in the mood for my final R.I.P. read, Northanger Abbey!

Yikes! More Books!

2006-10-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

As I posted last week, my "to be read" pile is out of control. I believe there are over 50 books at home that need to be read by yours truly. And that number just keeps growing. Why, you ask? I will tell you why. Because I have no willpower. Truly. I know there are many of you out there who can relate to this. It is an obsession or an addiction or possibly both. But, all things considered, there are worse obsession/addictions to have. I truly did not mean to purchase more books for myself this weekend but, well, I had to go pick up a book for my mom and I had a coupon that if I spent $35 I got $10 off. It just couldn't be helped. I had to get some books from my wishlist.

The latest additions to my library are Hotel Paradise by Martha Grimes and The Book Th ief by Markus Zusak. I have already started The Book Thief even though I am still working through The Historian. I am thoroughly enjoying The Historian but, for some reason, it is taking me a really long time to read it. Which is strange for me because I am usually a very fast reader. I think I need to start going to bed earlier so I can read longer. I do most of my reading in bed but lately I find my eyelids starting to droop after only a few pages. I suppose working full time, rehearsing for a play and taking a knitting class makes me rather sleepy. Another idea is to stay up until the same time but instead of watching another mindless television program, I should READ! Yes, I think I rather like that idea.

Friday Thought

2006-10-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

"There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort." - Jane Austen

Such true words. Particularly on this chilly fall morning. Guess this weekend it's time to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea.

Books, books, books, books, books, books, books

2006-10-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

As I posted in my last entry, my birthday was on Sunday. Woo hoo. Birthdays are good. Well, I was having a bit of a struggle with this most recent one but I am trying to let it go. Getting older doesn't have to be a bad thing...especially if it means getting presents! Doubly especially if those presents are BOOKS!

First I received the third Harry Potter in hardcover. I have read the whole series but I borrowed most of them from a friend to read so now I am set on collecting them all. Three down, three to go.

I also received Step Ball Change by Jeanne Ray. I have been a dancer since the age of three so the title of this book intrigued me and it's been on my wishlist for some time. It looks like a good read for when I just want something light.

Lastly, I received The Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring. This looks like it will be a good beach read next summer...or if I make it to Mexico at the end of the year!

In addition to the books I received as birthday presents, I have also been lent about 20 or so books from my dear friend who likes to read the same types of books I do. Oh dear. My "to read" pile has grown exponentially overnight! I have no idea how I am going to get to all of them. I think I may need to come up with some kind of system. So many books, so little time!

My Weekend To Do List

2006-09-29T12:24:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to write about today, well, nothing I can think of anyway. So here is what I plan to do this weekend:

1. Finish my laundry. All I have left are sheets and towels. If I feel ambitious maybe I'll hand wash some things. Yeah, probably not.
2. Go to Trader Joe's. I love TJ's. If you don't have a TJ's near you, I am so very, very sorry.
3. Watch my Netflix movies that came in the mail yesterday.
4. Watch the shows I Tivoed this week.
5. Read more of The Historian which I am very much enjoying.
6. Go and see some friends in a stage production of Everything I Ever Needed to Know I Learned In Kindergarten.
7. Iron all the clothes I washed yesterday. Ugh.
8. Get some exercise. I really need to work on this because I am very, very lazy.
9. Sleep in.

And most importantly...

10. CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY*!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's this Sunday...Happy early birthday to me!

I love pink sugar roses. My grandfather was a baker and growing up I always got a cake covered in pink sugar roses for my birthday. Talk about a sugar high.

*It is also my brother's birthday. No, we're not twins. In fact, he is six years younger than I am. Just thought I'd share.

Audrey

2006-09-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

I haven't mentioned it yet in my blog posts, but I have a huge obsession with Audrey Hepburn. Anyone who knows me knows this. It all started when I was sixteen. I was home sick from school and so my mom rented a bunch of old movies for me. One of which was Breakfast At Tiffany's. I was mesmerized. Audrey was so beautiful and elegant- I watched the movie three times in two days. I then proceeded to rent every other movie that she was in that I could get my hands on...Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Funny Face to name a few.

Since then, I have purchased (or been given) just about every piece of Audrey memorabilia I can get my hands on. I currently have four framed posters, all her movies, a mug for my daily cup o' tea, two calendars (one for home, one for work), two purses, a wallet, a mirror, postcards, and books. Let's not forget books!

My favorites include Audrey Style, Audrey Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit. While my original interest in Audrey was as an actress and fashion icon, it didn't take long for me to discover what a beautiful person she was on the inside. To learn more about her, you can visit her website. I am very excited to see that they are now offering an Audrey t-shirt for sale (which I will be purchasing) and all the profits go to the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund.

I hope with Gap's new commercials for the Audrey Hepburn pant that more people will come to know and love Audrey for the beautiful person she was.

Thoughts on Recent Reads

2006-09-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

I read The Three Incestuous Sisters over the weekend. And the first thing that struck me was the dedication page. There was a picture of three locks of hair. At first glance, they appeared so real that I actually ran my hand over them to feel if there was real hair attached to the page. That impressed me. As a fan of The Time Traveller's Wife, I was very interested in Audrey Niffenegger's other works. So when I came across Sisters, and it fit so well into the R.I.P. context, I decided I had to read it. Or, more correctly, look at it. There isn't much reading to be had in this book and, for me, that took something away from my experience. It is described by the author as a "visual book" and it is certainly that. The art has definite resemblances to Edward Gorey's work and each picture takes you further into the story. I would be very intrigued to see the drawings in their original form as I think they would be even more visually stunning. The book itself has familiar themes - love, birth, death and redemption. I enjoyed Sisters for it's visual impact but I would have liked for it to have had more depth to it's story. Just as I was really starting to become engaged with the characters, the book was over.

My other read this weekend was Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier. I had high hopes for this book because I read Rebecca many years ago and loved, loved, loved it. Jamaica Inn is the story of Mary Yellan, a young woman whose mother dies and who must then go and live with her aunt and uncle at the Jamaica Inn. It is obvious from the start that her uncle is the worst possible kind of man and that her aunt is a mere shell of the woman she used to be. The barren descriptions of the moors add to an overall feeling of foreboding and set the gothic tone of the book. I guessed fairly early on where the story was going but I wasn't all that thrilled that I was right. I didn't want Mary to make the choice she made. For me, it weakened her character and made me wonder whether or not she made the right decision. It was a good but not great book.

Blogger Beta

2006-09-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

I have decided to give Blogger Beta a go and have changed my blog over to this format. So far, it's made it much easier for me to add content to my blog seeing as how I am not very HTML savvy...yet. I will keep working on adding to my blog to make it more interesting to all those who stop by (if there is anyone...anyone?...hello?).

I'll be back later for more bookish ponderings.

Toodles.

Book Blogging Leads to Book Buying

2006-09-26T14:51:00.000-07:00

I have no willpower.

None.

Zip, zero, zilcho.

At least when it comes to bookstores.

And, at times, it can be very, very bad that there is a Half Price bookstore across the park from my office. My lunch hour can become very pricey indeed. But they do have the most wonderful clearance carts and today I just couldn't resist. I had wandered into the store and picked up two different books that I ended up putting back (one because I believe a friend of mine is lending it to me and the other because they had a bunch of copies and I figured I could come back for it later if I really wanted it). I was being so strong as I marched myself out of the store with only minutes left on my lunch. And then, there it was, a beautiful old hardcover book on the clearance cart. The Spring Madness of Mr. Sermon by R.F. Delderfield. I have been wanting a copy of his book To Serve Them All My Days but haven't picked it up yet. So when I saw this lovely hardcover for a mere $3, I decided I had to have it. So then I couldn't leave without perusing the entire cart to see if there was anything else of interest. There was.

So I now have in my possession a lovely hardcover of Trollope's Barchester Towers ($2), a trade paperback of The Book Borrower ($2) which I have wanted to read for ages and a trade paperback of The Eyre Affair ($1) which I can't believe I haven't read yet. So $8 for 4 books. Not bad. Especially considering the two hardbacks which are in great condition. So as you can see, my willpower left me yet again.

Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore? - Henry Ward Beecher

Banned Books Week

2006-09-25T15:18:00.000-07:00

This week is Banned Books Week 2006. Clicking on the icon to the left will take you to the ALA's page where you can learn all about banned and challenged books. Click here if you would like to submit your favorite banned book. I listed Forever by Judy Blume as mine. Not really because it is my favorite book on the list but moreso because it has a personal "banned book" story for me. When I was twelve, my mother listened to a friend of hers who told me I shouldn't read this book. I was going through a big Judy Blume phase at the time and had read just about every book she had written up to that point. And, of course, as soon as my mother said I couldn't read this book, I absolutely had to read it. So I checked it out from the library and hid it under my mattress. I read it every chance I got and when I had finished it, I couldn't understand why my mother had told me I couldn't read it. We had already had quite a few very frank discussions about sex and had even taken a class for mothers and daughters to discuss all those important female aspects of growing up so reading about teenage love and sex was not something that shocked me. The forbiddenness that surrounded this book was something that really puzzled me for some time.

Years later I mentioned to my mom the fact that she had told me I couldn't read this book. She herself was perplexed as to why she would have done that and, in fact, didn't remember having done so. It really was very out of character for her. We had a good laugh about it and she said she really should have read the book herself rather than basing her decision not to let me read it on someone else's word.

Here is a list of all the challenged books* that I have read (both as a child and an adult):

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Forever by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
Blubber by Judy Blume
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Deenie by Judy Blume
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume

*Taken from the ALA's list of The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000

I finished reading Jamaica Inn this weekend (a review to follow later this week) so I can scratch that off my RIP Reading List. I have already started to read The Historian which wasn't on my original list but I just couldn't resist it. A young girl, mysterious disappearances and Dracula - what more could a girl want?

Every now and then we all need a little

2006-09-22T14:37:00.000-07:00

Hope

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

-Emily Dickinson

Oh, Bother

2006-09-21T17:23:00.000-07:00

It's Thursday and I am in a bothersome sort of mood. I think it started last night at the library. I was just there to pick up two books that I had on hold. An older gentleman, a library employee, was working near the area where they keep all the hold books which also happens to be near the self-checkout stations. He was slowly pacing back and forth and checking out what all the patrons were doing. Not in a creepy way but sort of in a "I'm-going-to-pounce-on-the-first-person-I-see-who-I-think-needs-help" kind of way. Now, when I go into the library or a bookstore, I am one of those people who likes to be left alone. I am very intelligent, have worked in a bookstore myself, and am perfectly capable of deciding whether or not I need someone's help. And, if I do need help, I seek it out. Last night was not one of those times. But as I headed to the self-checkout, I could tell this gentleman really thought I was in need of assistance. Granted, the checkout machine was being a little fickle with me and I was nervous because of said gentleman's pacing and staring but I truly did have everything under control. Nevertheless, he still took it upon himself to come over and explain to me the inner workings of the checkout machine. He was really very sweet about it but it still bothered me. I left the library as quickly as I could after that.

Speaking of the library...

I have to register a complaint about our main library. For being the central library of the county, it is really a sad little library. And the adult fiction section! Let me first start by saying that they keep it in the "cage". Yep, cage. That's what the library employees call it (I know this because my mother works for the library). The cage is basically the second floor of the building which is enclosed by a mesh, metal wall thing on one side that looks down over the main floor of the library. I really should try and get a picture of it, it's something to see. The biggest problem I have with the cage is that it makes me claustrophobic. And I am not one that is usually bothered by confined spaces. But it does sort of make you feel like you're in, well, a cage. I would frequent one of the other (nicer) libraries in the area but the central library is on my way home from work which makes it handy.

Ok, I really didn't mean for this post to turn into such a rant. On a non-ranting note, I am finally getting into Jamaica Inn. It was a little slow going at first but now the story is getting more intriguing and I'm finding myself wondering what is going to happen to Mary next? I also started reading The Three Incestuous Sisters last night. Read may be too strong a word since there are very few words in the book. But the pictures are beautiful and the story, for what little words there are, pulls you right in. I expect to finish it tonight and will try to give more thoughts on it tomorrow.

Until then...bon soir mes petites livres.

Newberry Medal Winners

2006-09-20T14:12:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about some of the beloved books I read as a child. I was a voracious reader. I would check out a dozen books at a time from the library and, more often than not, finish them all before their due date (of course, that doesn't mean they got returned on time but that is a story for another post). With all this thinking about children's literature I started thinking about children's books that I haven't read. I should work some more children's literature into my reading. But where to start? Well, where better than the Newberry Awards (some of my favorite books of all time are Newberries)? I don't plan to try to read all of the books on the list but I thought I would try and read one or two every couple of months. To start, I thought a list of the Newberry Winners that I have read might be appropriate (my favorites in bold):

1936: Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
1946: Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski
1963: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
1967: Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt
1968: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
1977: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
1978: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
1979: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
1981: Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson
1983: Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt
1984: Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
1990: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
1994: The Giver by Lois Lowry

So out of 84 years of winners, I have read 13. That leaves 71 to choose from. Where to start? The Midwife's Apprentice sounds right up my alley!

A Note on Bookmarks

2006-09-19T15:31:00.000-07:00

This looks like a thoughtful spot to rest. - Winnie the Pooh bookmark

Last night, as I was picking up my latest choice from my TBR pile and was heading to my box to pick out a bookmark, I started thinking about my bookmarks. I think if you have a box filled with bookmarks, you probably have enough bookmarks that it can be considered a collection. A collection of bookmarks. Huh. And yet, I love my bookmarks. I find it hard to think about parting with any of them. I have bookmarks with tassels and some without, I have bookmarks with quotes and with pictures and with pictures and quotes, some are homemade, some are freebies from bookstores, some are gifts, some I bought myself, some are ripped/missing tassels/stained, I even have a wooden one from Hawaii shaped like a surfboard.

I use different bookmarks depending on what I'm reading. Sometimes a quote on the bookmark seems to be the same mood as the book I'm reading. Sometimes I want the comfort of a bookmark given to me by a friend. Sometimes, if I'm desperate, I just use the store receipt. I have currently been in a bit of a bookmark rut and have used my Mary Engelbreit, 'A Good Book Is A Good Friend' for the past dozen or so books I have read.

What is my fascination with bookmarks? I am not quite sure. I just know that when I see them hanging on that rack in the bookstore, I have a hard time not buying one. Even though I know I don't need one (which is probably why lots of my friends and family have received bookmarks as gifts). I think bookmarks also play into my need to be organized. They allow me to go right to the place in my book where I left off. No flipping through pages, wracking my brain trying to remember what happened last, or accidentally going too far ahead and giving away some part of the plot I didn't yet need to know.

I guess I owe a thank you to my bookmarks for always helping my find my spot.

Click here for an interesting history of the bookmark.

The Thirteenth Tale

2006-09-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

"I read gory tales of historic heroism that nineteenth-century parents thought were suitable for children, and gothic ghost stories that were surely not; I read accounts of arduous travel through treacherous lands undertaken by spinsters in crinolines, and I read handbooks on decorum and etiquette intended for young ladies of good family; I read books with pictures and books without; books in English, books in French, books in languages I didn't understand, where I could make up stories in my head on the basis of a handful of guessed-at words. Books. Books. And books."

I finished The Thirteenth Tale over the weekend and have had to give myself a couple of days to digest it before sitting down to write about it. I won't give another synopsis of the novel here as there are many already floating out and about on the web. To say I enjoyed this book is really an understatement. To say I became immersed in the atmosphere, the characters and each of their stories is more to the point. The quote above is exactly why I fell into this book with abandon. Such abandon that I found it difficult to pull myself out of the world of Margaret, Miss Winter, Aurelius and all the rest.

Having finished such a wonderful book always makes it hard to start another one right away. I find I need time to let the last book settle in me before starting something new and yet how can I not be reading anything??? I can't. It's just not possible. I thought Edith Wharton's Ghost Stories would be a good way to ease myself out of the world of The Thirteenth Tale. So far I am halfway through the second story. But, of course, last night I decided that I needed to start another novel, so Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier it is. Already I can see it is going to fit in well with my other RIP reads.

Speaking of the RIP Challenge, I keep running across more books that fit the criteria and my list keeps growing. To add to the five books I've already listed are:

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Three Incestuous Sisters by Audrey Niffenegger (this one has me really intrigued)

There are many more but these are two I have on hold at the library. I really must stop or I'll never finish them all by the end of October. Although, like I said, I do often run out of steam or find other books that I must put down everything else for and read. But for the time being, I am very caught up in all the moody, gothic wonderfulness of these books.

Time to read.

And the Nominees Are...

2006-09-18T09:27:00.000-07:00

100_0554[1]edit
Originally uploaded by jennyellen25.

I have had a very exciting "first" happen to me this weekend. In my spare time, I like to try my hand at being a thespian in local community theatre productions. Theatre is something that I have been involved with off and on since I was a young girl and it provides me with another outlet from the dull, dull, dullness of my job. Over the past few years I have been involved in quite a few plays (both onstage and behind the scenes) and have gained a new circle of friends who love the theatre as much, if not more, than I do.

But on to my news...

I have received a Shellie Award nomination (our community's small scale equivalent of the Tony awards) for my portrayal of Margery Pinchwife (that's me in the gold dress in the photo above) in The Country Wife. I have never been nominated for anything before! This nomination means a lot to me because this play is one I was so desperate to be a part of and it almost didn't happen. The artistic director for the theatre changed one of the performance dates for me because I had a conflict (a good friend's wedding that I just could not miss) and made it possible for me to be cast. This show was also made up of some really wonderful actors, people I had been wanting to work with for some time. It also gave me a chance to be part of a period piece (and I looooove period pieces) which I haven't really done since some Shakespeare plays many moons ago.

The show also received nominations for Lead Actor, Costumes and Set Design. I don't know if any of us have even the slightest chance of winning but it will be an exciting awards show nonetheless!

Anticipation!

2006-09-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

I think tomorrow I might have some exciting news. I am trying not to get my hopes up but I do have all my fingers and toes crossed.

Stay tuned...

Some Books, A Movie and A Meme

2006-09-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

After hearing about The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, I knew I had to get this book. So last night on my way home I picked it up. I justified this by the fact that I had both a 40% off coupon and a gift card so the book ended up costing me a mere $3.50. What a deal! I started reading it last night and am thoroughly engrossed even though I am only on page 18. This is my kind of book. My cat, Emily, also seemed to enjoy the book because the moment I set it down on the bed she came over, sniffed it, and proceeded to lay down upon it. I wish I had had my camera handy.

I finished Coraline in only 2 hours. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. It did get me thinking about how I would have felt about it had I read it at a much younger age. I think it would have scared the you-know-what out of me. As it was, reading it in bed the other night gave me a bit of the creeps. Maybe I am just easily scared. The description of the "other mother" was perfectly frightening. It was the perfect book to begin my R.I.P. challenge and now I am ready for more.

I also watched Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events last night thinking that it's tone would be in keeping with my somewhat dark, brooding and gothic style book reading. And, while the art direction, costuming, music and other elements were in keeping with this tone, I found Jim Carrey to be, well, too Jim Carrey for my liking. It kept taking me out of the story and making it impossible to suspend my disbelief every time he went into one of his shticks. I admit that I haven't read this series of books so I have no idea if he played Count Olaf as he is portrayed in them. I do agree with some of the critics who felt this would have been better directed by Tim Burton (whom I love, love, love). I thoroughly enjoyed the other actors (Billy Connelly, Catherine O'Hara and Meryl Streep in particular) and thought the children were perfect - cute without being overly precocious.

*******

I have discovered the memes over at Booking Through Thursday and have decided to add today's meme to my blog. So here goes...

Do you tend to read more books written by one gender over the other? It does appear to be that way.

If so, which one? Men? Or women? Is this a deliberate choice? Or just something that kind of happened? More women than men. It is not so much a deliberate choice as that the topics written by women tend to appeal to me more. However, I should say that the book itself is much more important to me than who wrote it.

And (without wanting to get too personal), is this your gender? That would be a yes.

That's all for today. Our northern California weather has decided to cooperate and be somewhat "fallish" today though I've heard it's not yet here to stay. But tonight I will take advantage of it and curl up under a blanket with my new book and a cup of tea.

May I R.I.P? I Think I May!

2006-09-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

I finished reading Jane and Prudence last night. I agree with one of the quotes on the cover that it very much feels like something Jane Austen would have written had she lived in the 20th century. I loved the slice of life feel it had to it, particularly that everything was not tied up in a neat bow at the end but left for the reader to decide what happens next. That's not the type of ending I want for all of my books but for this one it worked perfectly.

Now, on to...

I have been reading all about Carl V's Reader's Imbibing Peril (R.I.P) Autumn Challenge and have decided to jump on the bandwagon. This is really a great idea for a reading challenge and one that puts me in the mood for autumn - if only our California weather would cooperate. I know I am a little late in joining but seeing as how I am new to this blogging world hopefully all will be forgiven!

My reading choices are as follows:

1. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (Finished 9/13/06)
2. Ghost Stories by Edith Wharton
3. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (Finished 9/17/06)
4. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
5. Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier (Finished 9/24/06)

We'll see how this goes. I have a tendency to lose focus on things like this and get distracted by other books I hear about and decide I must read at this very moment. But, hopefully, I can sustain and get through at least a few of these. I have started Coraline already and I am sure I will finish it by tomorrow.

Here's to many happy fall days of reading!

A Bouncing, Baby Blog!

2006-09-12T14:35:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am! I have entered the world of blogging. This whole concept is new to me so please bare with me while I figure all of this out. I have been reading other people's blogs for some weeks now and thought that if they could all do it, I certainly could! Plus, it would be a good place for me to put down all of the things that I normally forget. Particularly books that I have read. I love books. I love all things literary actually. It's why I was an English major in college. I have been a voracious reader for as long as I can remember. I love bookstores and libraries and other people's bookshelves. I am always interested in what other people are reading while eating lunch/riding BART/sitting in the park/etc. I am a bit obsessed with reading other reader's blogs at the moment. Of course, all that does is give me an even longer list of books that I must, must read right now.

At the moment, I am reading Jane and Prudence by Barbara Pym. I am an avid Anglophile and am currently going through a stronger-than-usual Brit obsession - reading and viewing anything British that I can get my hands on. Mostly Jane Austen or other period pieces. Who knows how long this will last.

I am also slowly working my way through Agatha Christie: An Autobiography. I am not much of a non-fiction reader and since biographies fall in this category, I don't often read them. But I love Agatha Christie's books and am intrigued by her as a person so I am slowly making my way through it, however I keep getting distracted by the fiction I love so well. I do vow that I will finish it one day...

Once I get the hang of this, there will be many more posts to come. I am still working out how to add links and pictures and whatnot so this blog will probably be very blah until I get my head around all of that. But I am pleased as punch to be here. Stay tuned...