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Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
all i want for hanukkah's my two front teeth
But since I won't be getting those till January or so . . . here are some awesome gifts you can give me (or people who have similar tastes):
Check it out! Lush has a Hanukkah-themed gift box! (Lush gift cards or presents will be appreciated by any lovely lady.)
This baby-blue digital camera is both adorable and pretty hooked up. It also comes in pink and white!
Tokidoki bags are finally available again, perfect for the girl of any age who loves cuteness. (I personally want the Graziosa bag in Eco Mondo, hint hint, mom!)
Speaking of things that are adorable, Animal Crossing for the DS probably can't be beat.
For girls who are a little tougher, there's always the collected Middleman comics (the tv show would be appreciated too, but it's not on DVD yet. Of course, your giftee can buy it with an itunes gift card).
There are also lots of gifts for the cooks in your life. Try the Kitchen-Aid Stand Mixer Ice Cream Maker attachment. There are also lots of cool-looking cookbooks on my cookbook wishlist. Foodies may also appreciate these cupcake salt and pepper shakers or, if you're a big spender, this cupcake charm from Tiffany (the blue lollipop is also cute).
The holiday season is fast approaching! Start thinking of what you want to buy me now!
(Just kidding!!!)
Check it out! Lush has a Hanukkah-themed gift box! (Lush gift cards or presents will be appreciated by any lovely lady.)
This baby-blue digital camera is both adorable and pretty hooked up. It also comes in pink and white!
Tokidoki bags are finally available again, perfect for the girl of any age who loves cuteness. (I personally want the Graziosa bag in Eco Mondo, hint hint, mom!)
Speaking of things that are adorable, Animal Crossing for the DS probably can't be beat.
For girls who are a little tougher, there's always the collected Middleman comics (the tv show would be appreciated too, but it's not on DVD yet. Of course, your giftee can buy it with an itunes gift card).
There are also lots of gifts for the cooks in your life. Try the Kitchen-Aid Stand Mixer Ice Cream Maker attachment. There are also lots of cool-looking cookbooks on my cookbook wishlist. Foodies may also appreciate these cupcake salt and pepper shakers or, if you're a big spender, this cupcake charm from Tiffany (the blue lollipop is also cute).
The holiday season is fast approaching! Start thinking of what you want to buy me now!
(Just kidding!!!)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
2008 book 178
Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind
This is apparently the first book in a series which I'm expecting to get a lot more buzz. It's a really promising start to what will be a crazy epic fantasy story, as a man who's now an innkeeper tells the story of his past--when he was a legendary hero. This covers his childhood in a theatre troupe and his teen years at a university learning magical fantasy things. There's romance, friendship, demons, magic, music, and jerkwads--what more does any story need? A/A-.
This is apparently the first book in a series which I'm expecting to get a lot more buzz. It's a really promising start to what will be a crazy epic fantasy story, as a man who's now an innkeeper tells the story of his past--when he was a legendary hero. This covers his childhood in a theatre troupe and his teen years at a university learning magical fantasy things. There's romance, friendship, demons, magic, music, and jerkwads--what more does any story need? A/A-.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
2008 books 176 and 177
Charlaine Harris' All Together Dead
This was a pretty good outing in the Sookie Stackhouse series--a convention of vampire higher-ups is targeted, but by who?? Lots of excitement and intrigue.
Charlaine Harris' From Dead to Worse
I was bummed to reach the last book in the series, knowing I'd have to wait months and months for the new one--and then I read it. It's by far the weakest, maybe b/c there's no overarching mystery to add narrative tension. Instead, it's all wereworlf political drama, and vampire political drama, and even the addition of some long-lost relatives for Sookie didn't make things any better. I'll still read the next one when it comes out, though.
In other news, I early voted today! The line was 45 minutes long. I was glad I'd had a book with me.
This was a pretty good outing in the Sookie Stackhouse series--a convention of vampire higher-ups is targeted, but by who?? Lots of excitement and intrigue.
Charlaine Harris' From Dead to Worse
I was bummed to reach the last book in the series, knowing I'd have to wait months and months for the new one--and then I read it. It's by far the weakest, maybe b/c there's no overarching mystery to add narrative tension. Instead, it's all wereworlf political drama, and vampire political drama, and even the addition of some long-lost relatives for Sookie didn't make things any better. I'll still read the next one when it comes out, though.
In other news, I early voted today! The line was 45 minutes long. I was glad I'd had a book with me.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
2008 book 175
Julia Glass' I See You Everywhere
I love Glass' books (she wrote the acclaimed Three Junes as well as the generally ignored The Whole World Over) and this was no exception. It's the story of two sisters, who alternate their stories, over twenty-five years, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. A.
I think I'm well on track to beat last year's record of 186 books--I have over two months left, after all, and probably more than 11 books in my to-read pile. Good times.
I love Glass' books (she wrote the acclaimed Three Junes as well as the generally ignored The Whole World Over) and this was no exception. It's the story of two sisters, who alternate their stories, over twenty-five years, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. A.
I think I'm well on track to beat last year's record of 186 books--I have over two months left, after all, and probably more than 11 books in my to-read pile. Good times.
2008 books 173 and 174
Charlaine Harris' Club Dead
I started reading the 6th book in the series and it kept referring back to previous events, so I figured I'd go buy the one I skipped and get caught up. Unfortunately, none of those events were in this book, just the events I'd already picked up from the 4th, but it was still a fairly enjoyable read.
Charlaine Harris' Definitely Dead
Which brings us to the 6th one. This reads like I missed a book in the series--referring to events that never happened in the books, which is really frustrating. I actually checked to make sure I had the whole series and I did. So this one is very weirdly written--I'd rather have seen the events that led to Sookie discovering her cousin was a vampire and then solving the mystery of her death, as opposed to just reading dialogue discussing it. Do any of you read these books? Did I miss one somewhere?
Anyway, after that I think I'm taking a break from vampires for a little while, and then I'll read the last two in the series.
I started reading the 6th book in the series and it kept referring back to previous events, so I figured I'd go buy the one I skipped and get caught up. Unfortunately, none of those events were in this book, just the events I'd already picked up from the 4th, but it was still a fairly enjoyable read.
Charlaine Harris' Definitely Dead
Which brings us to the 6th one. This reads like I missed a book in the series--referring to events that never happened in the books, which is really frustrating. I actually checked to make sure I had the whole series and I did. So this one is very weirdly written--I'd rather have seen the events that led to Sookie discovering her cousin was a vampire and then solving the mystery of her death, as opposed to just reading dialogue discussing it. Do any of you read these books? Did I miss one somewhere?
Anyway, after that I think I'm taking a break from vampires for a little while, and then I'll read the last two in the series.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
2008 book 172
Charlaine Harris' Dead as a Doornail
I think I'm going to be bummed when I run out of books in this series--luckily I have three more, plus the one I skipped. Anyway, in this one a sniper is shooting various shifters (Harris' terms for people who turn into animals) and Sookie has to figure out who it is! The mysteries are really secondary to other plots in these books--I counted five or six love interests in this one alone. It's all hilarious and very entertaining.
I think I'm going to be bummed when I run out of books in this series--luckily I have three more, plus the one I skipped. Anyway, in this one a sniper is shooting various shifters (Harris' terms for people who turn into animals) and Sookie has to figure out who it is! The mysteries are really secondary to other plots in these books--I counted five or six love interests in this one alone. It's all hilarious and very entertaining.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
2008 book 171
Tim Bowler's Frozen Fire
This book was really, really weird. I don't even have anything else to say about it.
This book was really, really weird. I don't even have anything else to say about it.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
2008 book 170
Charlaine Harris' Dead to the World
This is actually the 4th Sookie Stackhouse book--I picked it up at a used bookstore in Hilton Head that didn't have the third one. Luckily this is one of those series that tends to repeat itself somewhat (I even flagged a descriptive sentence in this one that's been used, word-for-word, before) so I figured out what had happened in that one pretty easily. Anyway, this one involves more vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches, etc, as Sookie's brother goes missing. Most of those characters are hot guys that Sookie lusts after in graphic terms (she's a butt girl), which is entertaining. I'm not sure why I like this series so much, except that they're like candy--totally unfilling, not healthy or good for me in any way, but so so yummy and addictive.
This is actually the 4th Sookie Stackhouse book--I picked it up at a used bookstore in Hilton Head that didn't have the third one. Luckily this is one of those series that tends to repeat itself somewhat (I even flagged a descriptive sentence in this one that's been used, word-for-word, before) so I figured out what had happened in that one pretty easily. Anyway, this one involves more vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches, etc, as Sookie's brother goes missing. Most of those characters are hot guys that Sookie lusts after in graphic terms (she's a butt girl), which is entertaining. I'm not sure why I like this series so much, except that they're like candy--totally unfilling, not healthy or good for me in any way, but so so yummy and addictive.
Friday, October 17, 2008
2008 books 168 and 169
Barbara Hall's The Music Teacher
Library Journal sent this to me to review--I liked it!
Charlaine Harris' Living Dead in Dallas
This was just as silly as the first one (and not just b/c the murder mystery goes forgotten for a huge chunk of the book). But I bought a couple more of the series at a used bookstore and plan to keep reading, b/c they're pretty entertaining.
Library Journal sent this to me to review--I liked it!
Charlaine Harris' Living Dead in Dallas
This was just as silly as the first one (and not just b/c the murder mystery goes forgotten for a huge chunk of the book). But I bought a couple more of the series at a used bookstore and plan to keep reading, b/c they're pretty entertaining.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
2008 books 165, 166, 167
Trenton Lee Stewart's The Mysterious Benedict Society and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey
I had to reread the first one to fully appreciate the second, which features the same band of gifted children on a quest to save their benefactor. I really enjoy these characters, but if this series keeps on there's a real danger it'll get more and more outlandish. The sequel was just outlandish enough.
Charlaine Harris' Dead After Dark
I really can't believe HBO is doing a tv series based on this book and its sequels. It's kind of poorly written (the heroine is always saying things "tartly", sometimes on multiple pages in a row), for one thing, and for another, it's just really silly in a lot of ways. On the other hand, it's a great beach read--a psychic waitress starts dating a handsome and chivalrous vampire and they're trying to find a killer who may be after her. As always, I prefer the third corner of the requisite love triangle over the too-wonderful-to-be-believed vampire love, but at least this isn't nearly as chaste as the Twilight books. I'll read the sequel and see how it goes. (My mom brought both books for me as vacation reads.)
I had to reread the first one to fully appreciate the second, which features the same band of gifted children on a quest to save their benefactor. I really enjoy these characters, but if this series keeps on there's a real danger it'll get more and more outlandish. The sequel was just outlandish enough.
Charlaine Harris' Dead After Dark
I really can't believe HBO is doing a tv series based on this book and its sequels. It's kind of poorly written (the heroine is always saying things "tartly", sometimes on multiple pages in a row), for one thing, and for another, it's just really silly in a lot of ways. On the other hand, it's a great beach read--a psychic waitress starts dating a handsome and chivalrous vampire and they're trying to find a killer who may be after her. As always, I prefer the third corner of the requisite love triangle over the too-wonderful-to-be-believed vampire love, but at least this isn't nearly as chaste as the Twilight books. I'll read the sequel and see how it goes. (My mom brought both books for me as vacation reads.)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
2008 book 164
Kathleen Kent's The Heretic's Daughter
This is one of those books where the backstory is almost more interesting than the novel--it's based on the true story of one of Kent's ancestors, who was tried as a witch during the Salem shenanigans. The book was pretty good--a fine beach read, though it's not particularly fluffy. B.
This is one of those books where the backstory is almost more interesting than the novel--it's based on the true story of one of Kent's ancestors, who was tried as a witch during the Salem shenanigans. The book was pretty good--a fine beach read, though it's not particularly fluffy. B.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
2008 book 163
Lois Lowry's The Willoughbys
Let me say first that I LOVE Lowry's books and have read everything from the Anastasia books to the Giver and its companions to Autumn Street (which gave me nightmares but I kept re-reading it anyway). But this book was kind of a disappointment. It's a parody of old-fashioned books (a la Lemony Snicket), but it's not really very humorous and most of the characters are lifeless, boring, and unlikable. Lowry did the little sketches at the start of each chapter, which are cute, but otherwise I didn't like this much.
Let me say first that I LOVE Lowry's books and have read everything from the Anastasia books to the Giver and its companions to Autumn Street (which gave me nightmares but I kept re-reading it anyway). But this book was kind of a disappointment. It's a parody of old-fashioned books (a la Lemony Snicket), but it's not really very humorous and most of the characters are lifeless, boring, and unlikable. Lowry did the little sketches at the start of each chapter, which are cute, but otherwise I didn't like this much.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
2008 books 161 and 162
M.E. Rabb's Missing Persons Series 3 and 4
The only problem with reading these on Yom Kippur is that the characters eat in like every scene! And the 4th one involves a cooking show. Sheesh!
The only problem with reading these on Yom Kippur is that the characters eat in like every scene! And the 4th one involves a cooking show. Sheesh!
2008 books 158, 159, 160
My cable went down last night, which meant no tv and no internet, which meant I was really at a loss for what the hell to do with myself! So, I read some books. However, I'm a little cranky at being woken up by the comcast guy before 9 am (though grateful to have cable and internet back) and also thirsty, so not really in the mood for book blogging.
Scarlett Thomas' The End of Mr Y
Reread this, it's still pretty good.
M.E. Rabb's Missing Persons Series 1 and 2
I reread the first two and probably will read the 3rd and 4th today. It's a fun series.
Scarlett Thomas' The End of Mr Y
Reread this, it's still pretty good.
M.E. Rabb's Missing Persons Series 1 and 2
I reread the first two and probably will read the 3rd and 4th today. It's a fun series.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
things to do on yom kippur to distract yourself from hunger
Or, what I'll be doing for the next 25ish hours!
1. Knit and watch Doctor Who.
2. Read. (The new Art Spiegelman book totally has Jewish content, even!)
3. Play DS. Luckily Harvest Moon crops don't really look appetizing. Will my brain age go down the hungrier I get?
4. Think holy thoughts and atone for stuff.
5. Try not to obsess over the pumpkin bread intended for the break-fast.
Hope everyone has an easy fast!
1. Knit and watch Doctor Who.
2. Read. (The new Art Spiegelman book totally has Jewish content, even!)
3. Play DS. Luckily Harvest Moon crops don't really look appetizing. Will my brain age go down the hungrier I get?
4. Think holy thoughts and atone for stuff.
5. Try not to obsess over the pumpkin bread intended for the break-fast.
Hope everyone has an easy fast!
Sunday, October 05, 2008
2008 book 157
Josephine Tey's The Daughter of Time
Sometimes I read something somewhere that inspires me to put a book on my library hold list, but by the time it comes in, I can't remember why I wanted to read it! That was the case with this book, which was still a mildly enjoyable short novel about a bed-ridden man who decides to investigate the life of Richard the Third and whatever happened to his nephews in the tower.
Sometimes I read something somewhere that inspires me to put a book on my library hold list, but by the time it comes in, I can't remember why I wanted to read it! That was the case with this book, which was still a mildly enjoyable short novel about a bed-ridden man who decides to investigate the life of Richard the Third and whatever happened to his nephews in the tower.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
2008 book 156
Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Yay, I finally managed to get this from the library and I read it all in one sitting. It's getting tons of buzz--huge international bestseller, finally translated into English, etc. It's so much more than a mystery though--it really delves into all the characters, especially the leads (a journalist embroiled in scandal and the titutal tattooed computer hacker). Things do get pretty grisly (and bad things happen to a cute animal, of course, as that's the trend in books I read these days) but the story and its wrap-up are really satisfying. A.
Yay, I finally managed to get this from the library and I read it all in one sitting. It's getting tons of buzz--huge international bestseller, finally translated into English, etc. It's so much more than a mystery though--it really delves into all the characters, especially the leads (a journalist embroiled in scandal and the titutal tattooed computer hacker). Things do get pretty grisly (and bad things happen to a cute animal, of course, as that's the trend in books I read these days) but the story and its wrap-up are really satisfying. A.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
2008 book 155
Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn
This is probably my all-time favorite movie--I still have a worn VHS copy from when my dad taped it off of TMC for me in approximately 1986. He got me the DVD a couple of years ago and I watched it last night--and it was totally edited! (The "Damn you!" was edited out.) Anyway, it made me want to reread the book, which I actually never knew existed until I was in like college. The movie is actually really close to the book, since Beagle wrote the screenplay, but I can't read the dialogue without hearing Mia Farrow's anguished tones (that's b/c I know the movie almost by heart). Anyway, great book.
This is probably my all-time favorite movie--I still have a worn VHS copy from when my dad taped it off of TMC for me in approximately 1986. He got me the DVD a couple of years ago and I watched it last night--and it was totally edited! (The "Damn you!" was edited out.) Anyway, it made me want to reread the book, which I actually never knew existed until I was in like college. The movie is actually really close to the book, since Beagle wrote the screenplay, but I can't read the dialogue without hearing Mia Farrow's anguished tones (that's b/c I know the movie almost by heart). Anyway, great book.
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