Month: August 2012

Tune in Tuesday: Behind the movie scenes

4 Comments

Alas, it’s the final Tune in Tuesday for a while, so I’ve been racking my brain to come up with the perfect song. Oddly enough, though, the one that popped into my head isn’t one of my all-time favorites. In fact, while I like the song fine, I hardly ever listen to it. But something about it makes me smile and think nostalgically of middle school — because you guys, I was totally in 7th grade when this came out. At any rate, I give you “Brimful of Asha” by Cornershop. Enjoy!

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish confessions

26 Comments

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday asks us to share our bookish confessions. What book-related guilty secrets do you have? Here are ten of mine, in no particular order:

1. In general, I always use a bookmark to save my place, but sometimes I rest the book face down or dog-ear a page if I’m in a hurry.

2. I crack the spines of my books. By the time I’m done with a paperback, there’s a row of ridged vertical lines down the spine from where I’ve held the book open a bit too vigorously.

3. I read in the bathroom if I’m going to be a few minutes. Otherwise it’s time I’m not getting back!

4. I love used books, but I’ll only buy them if they’re in pristine condition. I want my books to look pretty!

5. I still haven’t read The Hunger Games, and I’m not sure that I ever will.

6. Some of my books actually belong to my mother. My copy of Jane Eyre? Hers. Those Nancy Drew editions from the 1950s? My aunt’s, which apparently my mom stole from her once upon a time! To be fair, my mom was storing these books in cardboard boxes in the attic, so it’s not like she’s missing them.

7. When I go into a bookstore, I often take pictures of books that look interesting and then track them down at the library later. I’ve gotten to the point where I hardly ever pay full price for a book. (I do purchase books in bookstores sometimes, though. I don’t want all the brick-and-mortar bookstores to go out of business!)

8. I’m extremely reluctant to lend my books to anyone. If I do, I write the person’s name and what (s)he’s borrowed on a list, so that I can hound the person if (s)he takes too long in giving it back!

9. I often eat while I’m reading, and sometimes I leave greasy fingerprints in my books — or, worse, the library’s books.

10. Sometimes I judge people for what they’re reading on the subway. Of course, I’m sure they’re doing the same to me….

Review: The Karma Club

Leave a comment

The Karma Club by Jessica BrodyJessica Brody, The Karma Club

Maddy is a high school senior who’s thrilled to be dating Mason, an all-around great catch (good student, good athlete, class president) who’s just been profiled in a teen magazine. So when she catches him making out with another girl, she’s crushed. She doesn’t know how to make sense of what’s happened to her — that is, until she goes on a spiritual retreat and learns about the concept of karma. Maddy loves the idea that the universe will balance itself out and that Mason will be punished for what he did to her. But when karma doesn’t seem to be moving quickly enough, Maddy — with the help of her two best friends — decides to take matters into her own hands.

I won this book via some kind of read-a-thon challenge several years ago, and the other day I picked it up while searching for a light YA read. Unfortunately, I wasn’t particularly impressed, mostly because Maddy irritated the heck out of me. She is ridiculously immature for much of the novel, using (or, more accurately, severely misusing) the concept of karma to get revenge on the people who have wronged her. Some of her schemes of vengeance are extremely dangerous and could have terrible consequences — as when she frames a loutish classmate for shoplifting. I mean, he could have gotten arrested, which could have negatively impacted his entire life! I think I was supposed to find these escapades funny, but I just got angry at how thoughtless Maddy was being. Granted, she “learns her lesson” in the end, but by then it was too little, too late. Not recommended, even for YA fans.

Review: Manalive

Leave a comment

Manalive by G. K. ChestertonG.K. Chesterton, Manalive

This novel takes place in a dull, dreary London boardinghouse whose inhabitants are terribly bored and listless — that is, until Innocent Smith bursts into their lives. Smith has extremely odd manners that startle the boardinghouse dwellers at first, but soon his gaiety and zest for life become contagious, even inspiring courage and romance in the hearts of the other characters. However, just as they’re all starting to enjoy themselves, Smith is cornered by two mental health doctors who claim that he is criminally insane. They accuse him of committing murder, burglary, polygamy, and a host of other crimes. The boardinghouse residents are shocked, but one of them suggests an informal “trial” to determine whether Smith is a force of good or evil.

I think the trick to liking this book is to approach it as a fable rather than as a novel in the traditional sense. There’s not much character development, nor is there a real plot to speak of; instead, the book satirizes modern psychology (“modern” being 1912, when the book was published) and explores a host of philosophical issues ranging from the profound to the (apparently) trivial. Being a diehard Chesterton fan, I enjoyed this book, but I wouldn’t recommend it to someone reading Chesterton for the first time. Start with Orthodoxy instead, which is a wonderful introduction to his style and his philosophy.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite books read during your blog’s lifespan

2 Comments

I know I’ve already posted a lot today, but at the risk of oversharing, I had to participate in this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! It’s a weekly meme sponsored by The Broke and the Bookish, and this week’s topic is your ten favorite books read during the lifespan of your blog. Now, obviously this blog is pretty new; but my previous book blog has been around since 2009, so I’m going to take my ten favorites from that blog instead. I’ve put them in chronological order because it would be far too hard to rank them otherwise!

1. Julie James, Practice Makes Perfect — Not only is this a funny, sexy contemporary romance, but it also introduced me to the concept that not all romance novels are pornographic, ill-written drivel. Some of them are, of course. But as with all genres, you have to wade through a lot of crap to get to the good stuff. (July 2009. My review.)

2. Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society — I honestly did laugh, cry, and experience a whole gamut of emotions. I loved the epistolary style and the way humor, romance and pathos are all blended to create a truly affecting story. (September 2009. My review.)

3. Jennifer Echols, Going Too Far — YA is so trendy these days that a lot of mediocre stuff is being churned out to take advantage of the genre’s popularity. If you’re wondering whether good YA is out there — good YA romance, no less! — then you definitely need to give Jennifer Echols a try. This was the first Echols book I read, and it remains my favorite. (May 2010. My review.)

4. Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day — I absolutely fell in love with this 1930s Cinderella story about a middle-aged spinster whose life is turned upside-down by a glamorous nightclub singer. Even better, this book led me to many other Persephone books, all of which were wonderful reads! (May 2010. My review.)

5. Kate Ross, Cut to the Quick — This book basically combines all my favorite literary things into one entertaining, well-written package. It’s a historical mystery set in the Regency period, and there’s even some romance among the secondary characters. Plus, the detective is a dandy! This is the first of four Julian Kestrel novels. I’ve already read the second, A Broken Vessel, but I’m still hoarding books three and four for a special occasion! (September 2010. My review.)

6. Rachel Aaron, The Spirit Thief — “Rollick” is really the only word to describe this book. It utilizes several standard fantasy tropes — wizards (both good and evil), a thief hero, a magic sword, a faux medieval setting, and a ragtag group of outsiders who must band together to save the world as they know it — and yet it manages to remain fresh and colossally entertaining. I’ve read the entire series thus far and am currently jonesing for the fifth and final book. Alas, it doesn’t come out until November! (March 2011. My review.)

7. Stephanie Perkins, Anna and the French Kiss — This YA novel is about a typical teenage girl who goes to boarding school in France, makes some friends and finds true love. The plot sounds like a horrible cliché, but trust me: Stephanie Perkins pulls it off. These teenagers felt like real people to me, and I could relate to Anna (and drool over her crush, Étienne) despite the age difference. Moreover, the romance is positively swoonworthy. (April 2011. My review.)

8. Maggie Stiefvater, The Scorpio Races — One of the few novels I’ve read in recent years that I’d describe as basically perfect. It’s dark, atmospheric, romantic, and altogether lovely. I almost didn’t give this author a chance because I’d heard about her Twilight-esque werewolf trilogy, but I’m so glad I conquered my snobbery. This might be my favorite book on the list. (February 2012. My review.)

9. Sarah Addison Allen, The Sugar Queen — Sarah Addison Allen’s books are magic. I love her evocative descriptions, especially of the supernatural occurrences that permeate her books. In this novel, for instance, one character’s passion causes eggs to fry in their cartons. Also, I could really relate to the heroine’s shyness, and I was happy when she eventually found strength and confidence. (April 2012. My review.)

10. Elizabeth Wein, Code Name Verity — This novel features espionage and female pilots during World War II, but at heart it’s a story about the friendship between two young women who happen to meet during the war. The story is told through journals, which allows the narrative to unfold in an interesting way. It’s a heartbreaking book — I sobbed through the last 60 pages — but so, so good. (May 2012. My review.)

Review: Bachelor Boys

Leave a comment

Bachelor Boys by Kate SaundersKate Saunders, Bachelor Boys

Cassie Shaw grew up next door to the Darling family, who gave her the warmth and affection that her own family lacked. She would do anything for the Darlings, especially for Phoebe, whom Cassie has loved as a mother all her life. Now Phoebe is dying of leukemia, and she’s worried about her two sons, Fritz and Ben. She asks Cassie to find suitable wives for her boys so that they’ll have someone to take care of them when Phoebe is gone. Cassie has no choice but to agree with Phoebe’s plan, but secretly she has reservations. Fritz and Ben are both incredibly handsome and charming, but they’re also unemployed and living in their mother’s basement. How can she turn these unkempt bachelors into marriage material — especially when all her efforts at matchmaking seem to go catastrophically wrong?

I don’t have too much to say about this book. It’s fairly typical chick lit, and I found it a quick and entertaining read. Cassie is a likable narrator and comes across as very self-aware — though that doesn’t prevent her from making some absolutely terrible decisions. I’m not sure how I feel about Fritz and Ben, honestly. The book attempts to redeem them, but they are consistently portrayed as immature and careless in their everyday lives. The bright spot of the book is Phoebe, and the other characters are at their best in their relationships with her. Of course, her sweetness and charm make her inevitable death all the more heartbreaking, and I actually teared up in a few places. So I can’t exactly characterize this book as a “light” read, but I did enjoy it. I didn’t completely buy into the romance, but the book is entertaining enough for an afternoon or two.

Review: Agent of Change

3 Comments

Steve Miller & Sharon Lee, Agent of Change

Val Con yos’Phelium has just completed his latest covert mission  when he runs into a young woman being attacked by five or six mercenaries. Against his better judgment, he enters the fray and helps her to fend off her attackers. As a result, he learns that Miri Robertson is a mercenary and ex-bodyguard who has run afoul of the Juntavas, a kind of interplanetary mafia. Both on the run, Val Con and Miri decide to team up: together they will acquire adequate money and transportation to make good their escape. Of course, their plan is complicated by several more attacks from both the Juntavas and the local police. As they fight their way to freedom and encounter various friends and foes, Val Con and Miri also begin to develop feelings for each other beyond simple partnership.

You know that saying about judging a book by its cover? Well, this is one situation where you can absolutely do it. This book is a fairly conventional (to the best of my knowledge — I haven’t read that much sci fi) space opera with a hint of romance. And yes, there are giant turtles! I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but afterward I started noticing a lot of unanswered questions. For example, we know that Val Con is a spy and that his handlers have somehow rewired his brain; he’s able to make precise calculations about his chances of survival over a given period of time. But we don’t really know anything about his employers or the nature of his work as a spy. There are several other novels in this series, and I’m guessing this is not the first one, although it’s proven hard for me to verify the order of the books. So maybe that’s why I found the story a bit confusing. I’m not curious enough to track down the rest of the books, so I suppose I’ll just have to live with those loose ends. Still, this novel is a fun read for what it is.

Bout of Books 5.0 Wrap-up

2 Comments
Bout of Books Read-a-Thon

As of last night, Bout of Books 5.0 has officially come to an end. I had a lot of fun during this read-a-thon, although I didn’t participate in as many mini-challenges or do as much networking as I would have liked. Thanks to all who stopped by to leave encouraging comments; it was great to hear from you all! I really enjoyed stopping by other blogs and viewing their Bout of Books progress as well.

My goals were (1) to read for at least 30 minutes every day, and (2) to read three books from start to finish. Happily, I achieved both of them! If my extremely haphazard time estimates are accurate, I read for a grand total of 12 hours and 40 minutes. I’m not going to do the math right now, but it definitely averages out to more than 30 minutes a day! 🙂 And I actually read four books from start to finish: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen, Blotto, Twinks and the Ex-King’s Daughter by Simon Brett, Agent of Change by Steve Miller & Sharon Lee, and Bachelor Boys by Kate Saunders. I enjoyed all four, though Garden Spells was definitely my favorite!