My Newest Obsession

I have a tendency toward obsession. No, really, I do. And it usually expresses itself with me spending all of my time on whatever is obsessing me at the moment. The result is often that other things (possibly other things that have been an obsessions themselves in the past) become ignored and neglected in their turn. This blog is an example of things that get moved down the priority list, but have been an obsession in the past. Twitter has been a recent casualty also, as have many of the blogs I read thru Google Reader. Farmville (and Facebook in general) is currently enjoying an exemption, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. ;p

My current obsession is very insidious as it involves the one and only obsession that I have returned to again and again and again throughout my life. Books! No matter what else has caught my attention over all the many years of my life, reading books has always been in the background. Oh, I might move from reading a couple of books a week down to one of so a month, but I always return to my love of books. Often summer, with its wonderful outside opportunities will distract me, but winter, with it’s long nights and cold outside, will draw me back and increase my word count.

One of the drawbacks to loving books is that I have collected many, many, many books over the years. Even though I buy very few hardback books (paperbacks are smaller, easier to carry around, and –bonus- cheaper), storing books has always been an issue. If I enjoyed a book, I tend to hold on to it. Also, if a book is part of a series, I will be hesitant to let it slip thru my hands because many times the newest book in a series will bring about the desire to reread the earlier books, particularly if it has been a long time since the author last graced us with a book in that series. I buy less books when I have access to a good library, which makes my wallet happy, but they are still one of my favorite and most frequent expenses.

Every since I first became aware of e-books back in the early 90’s, I thought that they were a wonderful idea. A wonderful idea in theory, but in the execution of the idea…. not so much. To read a book on a computer screen is not an optimal reading experience. While a textbook, or technical manual, would benefit from the ease of searching on the computer, a fiction book would suffer from the inability to easily transport the book and/or the ability to curl up in bed and read about the newest adventures of my favorite characters. Even if you have a laptop, the experience left a lot to be desired. Printed books were still the best way to consume and enjoy fiction.

The advent of dedicated e-readers seemed to be a step in the right direction, but they offered their own set of problems. The first readers, which many don’t realize came out waaaaay before the introduction of the Amazon Kindle and it’s dedicated bookstore, suffered from a lack of books published for them, a relatively high price, and the fact that most people were just discovering computers and just weren’t tech savvy enough for them yet. They mostly crashed and burned. I waited.

Then, Amazon got into the game with the Kindle. I looked, I drooled, I coveted…. but I did not buy. While it finally brought e-books to the masses by making them simple to use, easy to buy, affordable, and –using their power as a major distributor—finally getting many, many books available in e-book form from publishers, the price for the reader was prohibitive, and the e-reader itself very proprietary… thus making it difficult to read anything not bought thru Amazon’s very own Kindle store.

I watched, I waited, I coveted.

Other e-readers entered the market, and competition started bringing the prices into reach. Other companies started adopting something called e-pub, a more universal format that allowed you to buy books from other places and still be able to read them on different platforms. Still… price/availability/ ease of use, not there yet.

Then came my 50th birthday and my hubs desire to get me something a bit more pricey than our standard birthday gifts. He made a proclamation. I had until my birthday to look at all of my options (Kindle, Sony, Kobo, Nook, Ipad and others) and to choose one. That would be my present.

I researched online.  I went to stores where I could get a hands on feel for the ones available locally. I read what others said. I researched some more. The decision wasn’t easy. The Sony, Nook and I-pad were available for me to touch, feel, try out. The Kindle wasn’t available locally (although that has changed in the last week –Target now carries them) but has a wonderful following of early adopters, who all seem to love it, including a couple of people I know personally. The Kobo had a great price point, but was only available thru ordering. Each one had it’s good (and bad) points. My final decision came down to ease of use, ability to borrow books in e-format from my local library, and….. superficial, I know, but the way the reader looked and felt.

Finally it was my Birthday week and a decision was demanded. I made my choice……. Welcome to my newest obsession:

 

I have owned it for less than a month and I have already read 4 books borrowed from my local library, 2 books I have downloaded from B&N for free, and I have several books waiting in my TBR list. both in my wish list on the Barnes&Noble e-book store and the one with my local library.

I adore my newest little obsession. It is light (weighing about what a paperback does), it will hold up to 1500 books in it’s built in 2 gig of memory –plus I am able to add memory with a memory card, adding up to 16 gig more. memory. It will display my own pictures (although only in black and white) as screensaver/backgrounds. Because I bought it just before Father’s day, and right before the price drop **sigh**, it came with a $50 gift card toward purchase of books. The price dropped by $50 a few days ago, but I don’t feel too bad since I got the gift card with mine, making the actual cost about the same. It will also play music/podcasts/audio books with it’s built in audio player, and even offers a rudimentary web browser (think cell phone).

It feels very like reading a paperback because G also bought me a cover for it to protect it from bumps and scratches that is a very soft leather and opens up and folds around it while reading and makes it about the size, heft, and feel of reading a paperback book. It gives me a choice of 5 font sizes so I can increase or decrease the size of the words based on where I am reading, available light, or other factors. Barnes and Noble offers several free books (about 95,000 –many are books out of copyright, but some are ‘sample’ books from some really good authors they want you to try so if you like them you will buy there other books!) in addition you are able to ‘sample’ any book before buying. If you see a book, but aren’t sure you would like it, you are able to download the first couple of chapters to read for free. I am also able to buy books thru Borders, Sony, and any other outlet that sells with the e-pub or pdf file formats.

Currently I am reading Bullet by Laurell K Hamilton, which I borrowed from the library for free. One of the conveniences of my Nook is ease of obtaining my next book. Earlier this evening I finished the book I was reading (Flirt, also by Ms Hamilton). I had several options at this point. I have some books already on my reader I haven’t read yet, I could bring up the Barnes & Noble e-store right on my Nook and search for/buy/ and download a new book using my wi-fi connection (or if a wi-fi connection is not available using the FREE 3G cellular connection built right in) or I could grab my laptop, go online and choose a book from my Library’s e-book selection, download it, and ‘side load’ it on my Nook. It actually takes longer to type that than to do the  download and move the book over from my laptop :)  I chose to browse my wish list from the library, saw that Bullet was in and available for download, and decided on that…. all without leaving the comfort of my couch. Yep… obsessed and, quite possibly, in love!

A Public Service Message for the NaNoWriMo Peeps…

I don’t know how many of you out there are doing the NaNoWriMo thing, but I DO know a few of the people who occasionally pass thru here have written a novel or two. Some of you don’t plan to ever publish and only wrote for fun and your own satisfaction. (Pat)  But others have written in the hopes to someday publishing. (Karen) Still others have probably written things I don’t know about.

This link is for you. It’s a link to a Kim Komando article in the USA Today on self-publishing. You may already know of all of these places, there may be a few surprises, or you may never have heard of self-publishing at all. Still, I thought it might be a help to someone, so I’m including it here!

If anyone actually uses this and publishes something, be sure and let me know so I can pimp you!

No Brainer...

Tonight's entry is a no brainer. I was wondering what I would do for an entry tonight when I realized that I was about to finish Extras by Scott Westerfeld. This is the fourth, and currently last, book of the Uglies series. I have enjoyed these books so much that I am actively seeking out the other things Scott has written, including his newest steam punk novel, Leviathan.

The first 3 books of this series followed Tally Youngblood as she discovers that her society, based on Uglies (unaltered children under 16) and Pretties (people over 16 who have had surgery to make them 'pretty'), has a major flaw or two in it. We followed Tally from a young 'tricky' Ugly, through her discovery of what a Pretty really is after surgery, and finally as a Special as she discovers the scary flaws behind her world and watch as she tries, in her own way, to make it better, and in the process changes her world completely.

The Fourth book, Extras, opens with a new set of characters, in a world that has been altered almost overnight. Each citystate is trying to find it's own way of dealing with the changes, and we enter the world of Aya. In her society, it's all about being famous, and Aya thinks that, if she can only raise herself up into the top face rank and quit being an Extra, she will finally be happy. The first half of the book is all about Aya chasing a story and finding more than she bargained for. Just as Aya becomes the famous story Kicker that she has always dreamed of, it all starts to go terribly wrong.

The second part of the book finds Aya discovering that the world is not always as it seems, and maybe, just maybe, there is more to the world than having a high face rank. With the appearance of one of the most famous 'Faces' in Aya's world, Tally Youngblood, Aya finds herself caught up in what she thinks is an effort to save the world, but turns out to not be quite what she thought it was.

I enjoyed all four books in this series and would recommend them to anyone, young or old. I'm also hoping that this won't be Scott's last foray into this fascinating world. If I had a teenager on my holiday list, this set of books would definitely make a great present. 

R.I.P. IV --book #6

This is my final R.I.P. IV Challenge book. I finished it on Friday, but we've had a busy weekend, so I'm just finally getting around to this.

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks was a definite change of pace. It takes the whole idea of the sexy, powerful, romantic vampire and turns it on it's head. What if vampirism was more of a disease... a debilitating disease? And, what if you and your fellow vampires were trying to not suck human blood, you know, so no one would stake you? There are other problems to, such as how would you earn a living? What do you eat?

Catherine Jinks takes the idea of the hero in spite of themselves and runs with it. Nina, the heroine of the book, is a vampire. She was bitten in 1973 when she was 15, but because she still looks 15 she still lives at home with her Mom.  She is also the author of a popular book about a kickass...... vampiress. She often wishes her life was more like the books she writes, instead of the boring (slightly sickly) one she has. When one of her fellow support group members is killed, she sets out to try to find out who did it, and to prove that vampires are not useless.

I enjoyed this book. It was a little different than the usual vampire book. For instance, how does one go about 'fanging' a Guinea pig? What do you do when your newest pal turns out to be a werewolf? How do you dispose of all of those little Guinea pig bodies....And, how exactly did a priest get involved in all of this? If you like the absurd, you will get a kick out of this book, and you will find yourself cheering Nina and her friend Dave on. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the absurd

So, that brings my total books for this Challenge up to 6. I'm already looking forward to doing this again next year!

R.I.P. IV -- Book #5

 

Having completed the Perils of R.I.P. IV with time to spare, I was hoping to finish the last book I was reading before the deadline, and I did. However, when I went to put it away (and, incidentally pick up my next book to start from the never ending TBR pile), I realized that I missed doing a review on one of the books I had intentionally gotten to read with this Challenge in mind. But, I guess, better late than never!

I had been meaning to read this book for some  time, but like with many books, it kept getting pushed back for one reason or another. The R.I.P. challenge was the perfect excuse to pull it out and get it read.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. This is the story of Bod. Bod is a pretty normal little boy except for one thing.... he lives in a graveyard! Some pretty scary circumstances bring about this unusual living arrangement, and because of that I wouldn't recommend this book for a young child or one who is easily scared. However, for the older child, young adult (or young at heart older reader!), this book offers many delights.

Bod comes to the Graveyard as a toddler and is taken in by the residents to be raised under their protection. He has a set of ghost parents, and several of other denizens of the Graveyard become his friends, teachers, and social outlet. He also has a guardian who can come and go from the Graveyard (thus providing sustenance and other things that the ghosts cannot provide the child) and although we are never told exactly what kind of creature Silas is, we are given plenty of hints to make an accurate guess.

Bod has many adventures growing up and meets many creatures, including ghouls, werewolves, dead witches and even a little girl. But, the mystery of how he came to the Graveyard and why hangs ever present until the exciting finally when we find out exactly who Jack is.

I really enjoyed this book, and would definitely recommend it. I have added it to my list of books to be sure to pass along to my Grandson when he is old enough for it.

R.I.P. IV -- Book #4

Book #4 completes Peril the First and I am still 5 days from the deadline! Go Me!

Peril the First:

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

I obtained Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong from my local library and just couldn't wait to dive in. I have enjoyed all of Ms. Armstrong's books in the Women of the Otherworld Series and was looking forward to learning a little more back story on the men  in the series!

This book is actually a collection of short stories, some from Ms. Armstrong's website, along with a new story. It did not disappoint. If you have ever wondered about the reasons behind Jeremy's coming to power in the American (Werewolf)Pack, his uncanny knack for knowing his 'family' is in danger, or how Clay came to be his ward.... even an insight into Jeremy's past and his relationship with his own father and grandfather, this is the book for you. I absolutely enjoyed learning about Clay's early 'taming' and why he is so protective of Jeremy.

The first three stories in the book give you details and background from the time before Elena and the first book in the Otherworld series (Bitten). The fourth story is a new story and is narrated by Jeremy and is a story giving you a little more insight into his relationship with Jaime Vargas. All in all a very enjoyable romp.

I don't usually enjoy short stories. I tend to like to get to know the characters better than can usually be accomplished in such a short space. These stories are the type that I usually consider exceptions to that rule. Short stories about characters in a book or series of books that I already enjoy. Short little nips of stories, that are great for giving you a little extra insight into those characters you already like, but aren't quite enough for a whole book.

My recommendation is that, if you already like this series, you will definitely enjoy getting to know these men of the American Pack a little better.

R.I.P. IV -- Book #3

Completing Book #3 puts me halfway thru Peril the First.

Peril the First:

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

For Book number 3, I chose (Or the library chose, I had requested several books. This was the first to arrive.) to read the fourth and final book in the Twilight Series, Breaking Dawn. While I have enjoyed this series, and think Stephenie Meyer did a good job, I do not find myself quite as crazy about it as some people are. It was a good series and I am glad I read it, and I would even recommend it to certain people, who I know would enjoy it.... but it is not my absolute favorite Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, and it is not my favorite book by Ms. Meyer. I happened to pick up The Host not long ago, and I think it edged these books out just slightly as the book by Ms. Meyer that I would recommend.

This book finds Bella making a compromise with her Edward. She agrees to marry him, and he agrees to fulfil her wish of joining his family. Bella doesn't feel she will be missing anything by leaving her human life behind to join the Cullen Family as a full Vampiric member. She realizes she will miss her family, and that some things won't quite feel the same to her. Still, she has one wish that she wants fulfilled before she 'turns', and Edwards agreement to this causes the central problem in this book. Seems that while Vampire woman can't get pregnant, Vampire Men, on the other hand, do still have active little swimmers!

In addition to the Cullen family, including my very favorite Alice, we get Jacob Black back. I have to say that I actually would have rooted for Jacob if I hadn't known from book #1 that he would only get to be the third wheel. Still, he and Alice are my favorite characters... which is sad since they are both secondary ones. While the book ends with the very predictable 'happy' ending, it does have you wondering a little there in the middle.

Bottom line. If you liked the other books, go ahead and read this one for closure. If you were already getting a little tired of the characters... then you may not want to bother. This is not a series where you can just jump in anywhere. If you are going to read them. Start with Twilight and read them in order. I'm not sorry I read these. They were good, light fun, but I don't see me giving them a second read.

R.I.P. IV -- Book #2

Having completed Peril the Third with my first book, I have now completed Peril the second with this one.

 

Peril the Second:

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

For my second book, I chose Living with the Dead by Kelley Armstrong. This is the 9th book in her Women of the Otherworld series.

One of the reasons I really like this series is that it doesn't just follow any one character from book to book. Rather, Ms. Armstrong has chosen to create a wonderful world for her characters to inhabit, then with each book gives us a story centered around one (or a group) of characters. A character who is a the main character in one book will show up in the next as a minor character. Often you will see an event from a previous book only this time thru the eyes of a different character. This tends to keep the stories and world fresh.

This book, while good, wasn't quite as sharp as some of the others in the series. It tells a story while also exploring love-- what it means to find it, and to lose it. If you have read any of the other books in the series, you will be thrilled to find Hope Adams (the half-demon) and her boyfriend Karl (werewolf AND jewel thief) are in this up to their eyeballs.

The story is about Hope's friend, Robyn. Robyn is a regular human and has no idea that the 'Otherworld' exists, but she is about to find out! A PR rep for a 'celebutante' named Portia Kane, who is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect for the murder. In clearing her name we will get to meet a Necromancer (someone who can see/speak with the dead), who doesn't know that is what he is (he just thinks he has this odd family 'gift'), Robyn's dead husband, a whole clan of clairvoyants, and a psychopath.

While I am glad to have read this book, I would not recommend it as a starting point for this series. While for the most part this series does not require you to read them in a certain order and allows you to just jump into whichever book you pick up, this book is not one of those. You do need a little background from the other books for it to really work. If the books sound interesting, I would recommend starting with either Bitten or Dime Store Magic. However, be warned, once you dip into these books you will want to read them all to find out what happens to your favorite characters.

Library Loot: September 23-30, 2009

After rediscovering our local library this summer, I was a weekly visitor. I would pick up 5 new children's books to read with the boys, one for each day we had 'school', and I would take a look to see if there was anything of interest to me. I did discover a couple of books I might not have read otherwise, and requested a couple more. All in all, a nice summer.

But then, because of an article about e-book readers, and the Sony e-book reader in particular, I discovered a new library! Now, how would my research about e-readers lead to a library. Well, it seems that Sony has made it possible to borrow e-books easily from some libraries:

Library Finder Brings eBooks for Your Sony Reader.

With the Library Finder, you can locate a Public Library near you offering many titles, including those from the New York Times Bestsellers List. Just like you would borrow a book from your public library, you can do so with an eBook.

Simply enter your zip code or state below and click "Search". Find the library nearest you to browse, checkout and download eBooks*. Look for eBooks that are compatible (in PDF format) and optimized (in ePub format) for the Sony Reader.

When I punched in my zip code, I got a library right down the road from me, but in a different county. Still, I decided to dig around a little in their webpage to see if I could use the service. In doing so, I discovered that I could  get a library card from them, all I needed was a FL ID, which I have. For kicks, I went and got the card, just in case I might get an e-book reader at some point.

The new library is in a bigger county, and has a college sitting right in the middle of it. I tried ordering a couple of books, and instead of taking several weeks, I got all 3 books in just a few days! Since the 'new' library is on my way to the larger town I go to shop once a week, it is very convenient. Now I have 2 libraries to get books from. If one doesn't have what I want, the other probably will!

This brings me to this weeks Library Loot! I picked up 2 books when I got my new card, and requested 3 more, which have already been picked up. They came in less than a week! So I have 5 books for this weeks loot.

 

Because I now have 5 books to read, I would expect this to be my Library Loot for the next couple of weeks. LOL!

 

Men of the Otherworld, The Reformed Vampire Suport Group and The Graveyard book will all fit in nicely with the RIP Challenge. Specials is the 3rd book in the Uglies Series I have been reading, and the Artemis Fowl book is the 3rd in that series. I have Breaking Dawn (from the other library) that I am finishing for the RIP challenge, and I just finished -and need to do an entry on- Living With the Dead.

With the holidays coming up, I've got to say that visiting the library will make me feel a little less guilty about my book habit, I am also more willing to 'experiment' with a book I might not like if I'm not having to spend money on it, and lastly, it is nice to go ahead and read a book like Dead and Gone or Men of the Otherworld now in hardback instead of waiting impatiently for a year for it to come out in paperback. I LOVE hardbacks, but between the price and the size difference making them more difficult to store, I usually wait and get the paperback (Well, not the Harry Potters, of course! LOL!). Mmmmmm instant gratification!

R.I.P. IV -- Book #1

 

Peril the Third:

Read One book of any length, from any of the subgenres listed earlier in the post.

This is the easiest of the Perils. One book. Anyone can read at least one book in any genre, right? So, if you are thinking that the R.I.P. Challenge might be fun and just want to dip your toe in, this is the Peril for YOU!

I just happened to be reading the latest Sookie Stackhouse novel, Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris, when I decided to do this challenge. What luck. The Sookie series(or he Southern Vampire Mysteries) certainly qualify for this challenge. We have vampires (of course), werewolves, other shifters, witches, and even fairies! What makes this series fun is that it is set in a little backwater town in Louisiana, and the main character tries, somewhat successfully, to juggle her 'normal' life with all of the supernatural stuff she has managed to get mixed up in during the (currently) 8 books in this series.

This time we find Sookie and her friend, both human and Supe, dealing with the aftereffects of the 'coming out' of the Werewolves and other shifters. Following the lead of the Vampires from a few years earlier, the 'two-natured' have decided to come forth and tell the world of their existence.

There are many repercussions to the announcement, and it eventually leads to a murder. This murder is the central mystery for this book, but even when they think they have figured it out, all is not what it seems. Once again Sookie finds herself mixed up in the strange world and politics of her great-grandfather, the Fairy Prince. And, she and her pals had better figure out what is going on quick or there might not be a Sookie around for the next book!

I enjoyed this book. Heck, I've enjoyed this whole series! A lot of people are discovering these books because of the HBO series, True Blood. They may or may not be disappointed. While the names and premise of the books (that the vampires have come out of the 'closet') and the HBO version are the same, the book and TV versions of what happens are different. HBO was serious when they said based on the books. Still, I have read all of books currently available AND have bought and watched the HBO series on DVD (I don't get HBO). I've enjoyed both for what they are, I just consider them as two different stories!

 

RIP IV (R.eaders I.mbimbing P.eril IV!!!)

I debated doing this challenge this year. Seriously, I have trouble even taking the time to post in my poor neglected blog, let alone take on a challenge! Still, I looked at the books in my TBR pile, and the books I have been reading this summer and realized that my obsession interest in paranormal and urban fantasy series would fit right in, so, Here Goes:

 

First, since I know you will all want to join in, let's have the link to Carl's Blog. This really cool man has been doing this for the last ummm... IV , yep that would be four years. This Link takes you directly to the entry about the RIP IV Challenge, This Link takes you to the review site. Be very, very careful going HERE, if you don't want to be buying more books to add to that TBR pile!!

I'm only going to commit to Peril the Second:Read Two books of any length, from any subgenre of scary stories that you choose. But, in my typical hodge podge approach to life, I will probably complete Peril the First:Read Four books of any length, from any subgenre of scary stories that you choose, also.

I've almost finished Charlaine Harris' Dead and Gone (one of the Sookie Stackhouse series), so look for my first review in a day or so... or even later today if I get a stretch of uninterrupted free time. This book is seriously addicting!

I'll also probably be using this Challenge as an excuse to go out and add to my TBR pile. I TOLD you not to go HERE unless you wanted more books... I was sooo serious! LOL!

Surprisingly Good Read

 

 

I just finished the Stephenie Meyer Book, The Host. The ideas and characters in the book caught my attention and kept me turning pages to see just how it was all going to work out. There are moral dilemmas, questions about right and wrong, love triangles (or maybe quadrangles?), and what it means to be friends.

Ms. Meyer is most widely known for her YA series of books which have become the phenomenon known as Twilight. I've read the first 2 books of the Twilight series, and although I enjoyed them enough that the third and final book is sitting in my TBR pile, I have to say I think this book is better.

This is the blurb from Stephenie Meyer's own web site:

Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves—Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love

The book explores many ideas, one of the most important being what exactly makes you a human? The story is told not from the point of view of the surviving humans, but from the alien who has been thrust into their midst. Slowly both sides start to see the worth in each other, and even as Wanda, as she comes to be called, is accepted into the renegade humans fold, they each begin to change each others points of view.

While I have to classify this as a Sci-Fi story - there are aliens after all - I think it is a very accessible story and would be enjoyed by any person who has ever questioned what makes a human, what is love and/or wonders about the best and worst our race (as in the human race) can be.

I enjoyed this story enough that I have my fingers crossed that Ms. Meyer will again visit these characters in another book. Wonder if it is a book you would enjoy? How about the chance to read a little bit before you buy or borrow from the library. Ms. Meyer has an excerpt you can read on her website. go to this page which has all the info on the book and click the link for the excerpt. Cool, huh?

Library Loot #1

One of the cool things that came out of my adventures in tutoring this summer was my re-discovery of our local library. I wanted the boys to see that reading could be fun, not boring. To do that I needed a good variety of interesting and not boring kids books. To fulfil this goal I found myself standing in our local library for the first time in a long while.

One of my first goals when we moved here was to find the local library and get a card. I had my library card the first week.... unfortunately I was coming from a place with a large well stocked library to a much smaller, less up to date one. I visited a time or two, but was disappointed in the selection and spent the next couple of years visiting the book store instead of the library.

Imagine my surprise and delight when I found the library had made several improvements in the last 3 years. The selection of the type of books I enjoy was still very sparse, but the interlibrary loan system was much, much better. I could now go online and order the books/authors I was interested in and they would find their way to my local library and thus into my hands. While I still buy quite a few books, my budget is happy that I am also supplementing with some selections from the library.

A blog I read (Drey's Library) found a cool meme called Library Loot:

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

This week I just returned 2 books and picked up 2 more. I'm going to list all 4 books since I just discovered this really cool meme!

I returned The Host by Stephenie Meyer and Pretties by Scott Westerfeld (This is the 2nd in the Uglies Series, and I have the 3rd Specials on order).

I picked up Breaking Dawn by Stephenie  Meyer (The third in the Twilight Series) and Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (the 9th of the Sookie Stackhouse books)

Have you been to the library lately?

Quest the First -- Book 5

 

Here we are at Book #5 and the final book for Quest the First! Supernatural: Nevermore by Keith R.A. DeCandido.

I don't normally read a lot of tie-in books for TV shows, but I absolutely LOVE this series,and since season 4 has ended and season 5 has yet to start, I was feeling a little Winchester withdrawal.  So when I saw this book on a rack I had to give it a try. It is pretty well done, with Mr. DeCandido doing a good job of finding the voice of the two main characters, Sam and Dean Winchester.

The brothers are in New York City doing a favor for a friend. They are there to see why a ghost is haunting a house of a local who plays in a tribute band. But, while in the city the boys get caught up in a bigger mystery. Someone is murdering people seemingly based on the creepy stories of legendary writer Edgar Allan Poe. The mystery of why this is happening and the race to stop the last murder and find the killer lead the brothers on a bizarre journey that ends up being less about the supernatural and more about the strange ideas people get in their heads. The ritual the killer seems to be trying to reproduce is from a bogus charlatan, but the killer obviously believes it will work and bring Poe back from the dead.

While doing their investigations, they meet some people who know more about the brothers and their father than they do about them. In fact, they have never heard of them and are wondering why their Dad never mentioned them. Can they be trusted? But, the boys need all the help they can get, from where ever they can get it to stop this madman from killing his last victim right in front of their eyes....

This was a quick read, and was good enough that I might try out the other two books the author has written based on the Supernatural TV Show. At least it will give me my Sam and Dean fix while I wait for the 5th and final season to get under way.

This completes the  Quest the First for me, and also I have completed the Journey since it  only required me to read one book during this time. I've really enjoyed this challenge, and look forward to doing Once Upon a Time -IV- next year!

 

 

If you want to join in the Challenge, pop over to Stainless Steel Droppings to see how it all works. Come on, join us, you know you want to!

Quest the First -- Book 4

 

 

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris is Book #4.

When I went to pick my next book from my TBR pile, I just couldn't resist the next book in the Southern Vampire Series. I really like the main character Sookie, and all of her neighbors, both human and supernatural.

This book starts off with a naked man on the side of the road and never slows down. There are Vampires, of course, but we also get to see more of the Weres and the shifters, learning more of their cultures. This book also introduces us to the Witches and to a new supernatural who, while not getting a full explanation for, seems to be an interesting species and one I'm sure we will see more of.

The naked man turns out to be Eric, the vampire, boss of her ex-boyfriend Bill. But this is an Eric who has lost his memory and seems to be a kinder, gentler Eric than the one Sookie has known in the past. Poor Eric doesn't remember anything, and whoever took his memory may be trying to kill him. Soon Sookie has not only an amnesiac Eric to worry about, but also a missing brother. While investigating what happened to Eric and to her brother, Jason, Sookie is reunited with the Were Alcide, and with his help finds herself heading straight into a supernatural battle involving the vampires, the werewolves, and some witches... And, if that isn't enough, who are those shifters who live isolated in the little town of Hotshot just outside of Bon Temps? You'll need to pick this book up to find the answers to these and other questions.

I'm really liking these books, and I've already picked up the next book in the series. I'm sure it won't be long before I dive right back into the happenings in Bon Temps and the surrounding areas.

If you want to join in the Challenge, pop over to Stainless Steel Droppings to see how it all works. Come on, join us, you know you want to!

Quest the first -- Book 3

 

 

I chose Small Favor by Jim Butcher as my third book.

Being a Wizard should be more fun and less dangerous... unless you are the Wizard Harry Dresden. Trouble just seems to follow poor Harry around. I have really loved this whole series of books, and this one is no exception. If you are looking for a good story with great characters and lots of action and maybe a little mystery thrown in... this is a series for you.

While you can read this book without having read any of the others in the series, knowing the cast of characters and their background does make the story even better. For instance, the Small Favor in the title of the book? It's being asked of Harry by Mab, the Queen of the Winter Court of the Sidhe. Harry has had enough prior contact with Mab to know that she is not someone to cross casually, and he does owe her a favor after the whole attack on the Fairy Realm thing... and while Mab is neither the good or the bad guy, neither Court of Fairy is coming clean with what they actually know.

During the course of the book you will come across Harry's half-brother, who happens to be a Vampire, Sidhe  from both the Winter and Summer Courts of Fairy, other Wizards, a couple of Knights of the Cross, some Knights of the Blackened Denarius (who are Fallen Angels.. yep, those Fallen Angels!),  a little girl who just happens to be the Archive of all Knowledge, some members of the Chicago Mob, and even Harry's friend who is a member of the Chicago Police Force. And all of these people have a different agendas and different ideas about what is right and wrong and different world views. Jim Butcher does a great job of keeping all the plot points rolling along and juggling all the different things that seem to be happening till everything finally comes together in the end.

If you like detectives, wizards, and urban fantasies, you will love this. This book delivers a well-rounded story while still advancing the mystery we have slowly been uncovering in the multi-book story arc.

If you want to join in the Challenge, pop over to Stainless Steel Droppings to see how it all works. Come on, join us, you know you want to!

Discover a Classic in a New Way....

What is the significance of May 3rd? Well, if you are a reader of classic books (or movies), you might recognize the date as the day that Jonathan Harker makes his first entry in his journal and the reader embarks on a journey thru a story that is considered to be one of the classics of literature... Dracula.

Whitney Sorrow has decided to give the readers of her blog, Dracula, the chance to read the story from a different perspective than that of a bound book. In her words:

Experience Bram Stoker's Dracula in a new way -- in real time. Dracula is an epistolary novel (a novel written as a series of letters or diary entries,) and this blog will publish each diary entry on the day that it was written by the narrator so that the audience may experience the drama as the characters would have.

There are many novels that are considered to be classics. Some I have read, others I know the story, or have seen the movies based on them, but have never sat down and read the actual book. Dracula, surprisingly, is one of the those. I think this will be a unique way to enjoy it in written form for the first time. Anyone wish to join me?

Fortuitous Find

Sometime last week I wrote a post on bookstores and the problems they were having competing with online offerings. In that post, I mentioned how I love to go and just wander around a bookstore and admire the books, and how sometimes a book that you might not have ever seen or thought about reading, will jump right off the shelf, into your hands, and go home with you....

Thursday a friend asked if I would give her a ride to get her hair cut and stop a couple of other places. One of the places she needed to go was a bookstore. Twist my arm! I had just been to a bookstore on Tuesday, so I wasn't looking for anything in particular. But, since this was a different bookstore from Tuesday's, I was happy to wander the shelves , checking out discontinued, sales, and new arrivals.

As is my custom, my feet eventually led me to the Scifi/fantasy section. And there, sitting facing outward, was a book with an absolutely wonderfully beautiful cover. It was one of those large paperbacks that I normally don't like since I can't tuck them in my purse. Still, it had such a wonderful cover that I pulled it off the shelf to have a look. The blurb on the back was oh so interesting, and inside the back cover was an ad for the next book in the series. I asked the clerk, and she said it would be out in May. Interesting cover, cool story idea, next book out almost immediately? Sold!

 

When I got home I saw an entry in my RSS feed about the book/cover over at the Tor site. Since I had just bought the book, I clicked thru and was pleased to get a lot more info. Seems these books are going to be just one of three trilogies set in this universe. All three of the books are already out in England. They decided to do these wonderful complimentary covers for the US release and are releasing them one each month for 3 months. World's End was April, Darkest Hour will be in May, followed by Always Forever in June!! This is wonderful news for me because one of the things that drives me crazy is waiting for the next book in a series to come out. LOL! I think that is why I often wait till a couple of books are out in a series before I dive in.

Click here for a better look at all the covers, and an interview about the books, the covers, and how they all came about.

Oh, and just to wet your appetite for what's inside, here is part of the blurb from the back cover:

IN TIMES OF TROUBLE, HEROES ARISE!

A dragon firebombs a freeway. Shape-shifters stalk the commercial district. The deadly Wild Hunt wreaks havoc on the highway.
A pedal-to-the-floor, high-octane fantasy thriller that pitches magic and wonder into a pop culture mash-up of the modern world. Described as “One part Lord of the Rings, one part Illuminatus!, one part Arthurian romance, one part Harry Potter—100 % original!”

For more info on the book, and author, and to read the rest of the blurb from the back of the book, click here.

Bookstores - Dinosaurs or Here to stay?

It seems that many people fear for the continuing existence of bookstores. Over the last few months I have read about the struggle many bookstores are facing, and in fact, know of two local stores that are no longer in business.  I was shocked when I dropped in the mall a couple of weeks back and realized that there was no longer a bookstore there. I remember when there would always be one, if not two, bookstores in any mall.

Why the closings? When the question is asked, many talk about the economy, disposable income, and online bookstores as some of the problems faced by today's book retailers. One problem is  online stores have less overhead, can stock more titles without worrying about shelf space, they don't charge taxes, and many are now offering services such as no shipping fees. In order to stay in business bookstores are feeling a need to compete.

What got me to thinking about this? This article about a bookstore in England that thinks it has found a way to compete... at least with the problem of out of print or sold out books. They have installed a machine that prints out a book for you, cover and all, in the time it takes to brew a cappuccino! The techno geek in me was fascinated by this attempt to be competitive.

While the techno geek in me was going WOW!, the part of me who loves books wasn't so sure. See, I don't buy my books from online stores, and still trek down to the local bookstores on a regular basis. I may read about and decide I want a book based on recommendations, both online and from friends in the solid world, but I still go to the bookstore to buy it. Why? Because half the fun of going to buy new books is the experience of wandering thru the store and coming across a book that you might not have discovered if it hadn't caught your eye. Checking out the Just Arrived Shelves, wandering in the sections for other genres than the ones you normally read, picking up a book that the title or cover has caught your attention and opening it up and reading a little to see if it catches your interest... I've discovered many the treasure in an author or book that I wouldn't have ever found  if I was just shopping online.

Would I still read/buy books if I could only order them? Yes. Would I miss being surrounded by books and wandering around amidst them to see if I might find a hidden jewel? Oh Yes! I don't see Bookstores being replaced, but I do see them changing to reflect new technology. A machine than can print off a book not in stock  on demand, a place to download an e-book to your reader instead of buying a hardcopy, having people working in your store that love books and are ready to recommend something you might like? Definitely. But, not to have the opportunity to pick up, touch, and see books... I think that the world would be a little less bright if that happened.

Opinions? Thoughts? Do you order all of your books online? Do you go to the local bookstore? A little of each? While I have no problem buying a book online, I would not be happy if that was my only choice.

Quest the First --Book 2

For my second book -- New Moon by Stephenie Meyer 

 

 

This is the second book in the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. I was late coming to this series, but since I enjoyed the first book, was looking forward to dipping back into this world. In the first book, there were hints that the local Indian tribe knew about Vampires in general and Edward's family in particular. In this book, due to circumstances that cause a separation of Bella from Edward, we get to discover more about the why and how of this knowledge.

This book is mostly about Jacob and Bella, and the growing friendship between them. I liked the character of Jacob that we met briefly in Twilight and enjoyed learning more about him. With Jacob we now have the third leg in what is to become a triangle.

Mild spoilers alert:

Edward left Bella to protect her, but she seems to be a magnet for the supernatural. First there is Jacob and the newly forming Werewolf pack, followed by the return of a the female vampire from the first book... who's reason for reappearing is to seek her revenge against Bella for the death of her mate in Twilight! After Bella commits what appears to be suicide, Alice returns. With the help of Alice, Bella travels to Italy and an encounter with the Volturi, the reining 'royals' of the vampire world, to save Edward.

All in all this was an enjoyable romp in a well thought out world. There were enough twists and turns to keep you interested and reading right along. I look forward to the third book to be released in paperback.

Want to join in the Once Upon a Time III Chalenge, stop in over at Stainless Steel Droppings and you too can play along!