Estella's Revenge

Story or Writing: What's Your Flavor?

2012-05-24T14:38:00.000-05:00

I posed a question on Twitter last week that got quite a few responses. I would love to share some of those, but of course, Twitter chose now to die. Arrgh! It was prompted by my own thoughts on what constitutes "immersion" reading. That is, books that make me feel as if I've been plucked up out of my life and plunked down in the middle of the story. These books also tend to be my long-time favorites.

The question:

What do you privilege or appreciate more, a good story or good writing?

I realize this is a hard question. I also realize this is a dramatically oversimplified question, but it did make me ponder for a good long while. I'm willing to concede that these two are often so inextricably linked that it's hard to pick them apart.

A story is made less of a good story by bad writing. Good writing can elevate a flimsy plot to the point of breathless admiration. But on the other hand, I know I've tossed more than a few books because the writing sucked. I've tossed more than a few because the story was abhorrent. It might be easier to answer this question: what makes you ditch a book faster: a flimsy story or crappy writing?

To approach my own question, I certainly appreciate both. Sometimes one stands out above the other. But what I was really thinking when I posed this question on Twitter was about the books I love. Love with a visceral, devoted, think-about-the-characters forever-and-feel-like-I-know-them love. Examples: of course, Outlander, but other loves of my reading life would be The Hours, Wicked, Pope Joan, The Lord of the Rings, Cider House Rules, The Great Gatsby.

What makes me love them so darn much??? Is it the story or is it the writing? Does it have to be both? Can it just be one or the other?

As I'm looking at them, I do begin to wonder if I secretly privilege a strong story line, strong characters, long stories that allow me to wallow and stretch my legs a little. Of this sample, I would say that only about half are known for their especially stellar writing (Gatsby, Cider House, The Hours). While the rest are more plot-driven (Pope Joan, Outlander, The Lord of the Rings, Wicked). It's debatable, of course. I think Maguire does a great job with his writing. Tolkien, too, obviously. But in the wider world of books and critics and stuff (for what it's worth), the first three authors are probably better received for their writing chops and the rest admired more for plot, character, and other elements of the story.

Off the top of my head, I uber-love the following general bookish characteristics:

Characters I love and want to revisit
Smooth, believable dialogue
A strong sense of place and atmosphere
A plot that makes me a little breathless wanting to know what comes next
A feeling of swept-awayness that leaves me a little unwilling to come back to real life

While I don't think any of these can be accomplished by a writer with no skills--clever and believable characters require a deft hand--I'm looking a little story-heavy here. For a long time I wouldn't have been ok with this. Formal higher education in English pushes form and technique above all else much of the time which seems to fall into the "writing" camp. That was my experience, anyway. While I appreciate stellar writing any day of the week, it also takes a little more forward movement to engage me in a meaningful, powerful way.

That is my final answer. Today. For now.

Now that I've begun to figure myself out, how about you? What leaves you wanting more and clutching a book to your heart?

Top Ten Tuesday: NOT About Books!?

2012-05-22T13:20:00.001-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

As much as I love lists about books, I'm pretty stoked about this week's topic! Top Ten Blogs/Websites NOT About Books! I do read quite a few blogs outside of the book blogosphere, and I'm a creeper so I like to know what others are reading, too. Fun!

Fashion

The Plus Side of Me written by Rebecca. This is my favorite plus-size fashion blog. Rebecca is a fantabulous blogger, has beautiful clothes, and often participates in Five Take where five bloggers take on a trend in fashion, showcasing how they put their own spin on it. Did I mention that Rebecca's dog, Lola, and my Daisy could be twins? Freaky!

Lilly's Style is another favorite fashion blog. She tackles a lot of current and hard-to-pull-off trends like those pesky bright-colored pants. Gorgeous combinations of color and texture here. Go, Lilly!

The Chloe Conspiracy is yet another tantalizing fashion blog. I particularly love the diversity of this one. Chloe highlights upcoming sales as well as her own fashion posts. She's very Audrey Hepburn in the way she wears classic pieces, but they're often in funky colors and mixed with interesting combinations of patterns. I get lots of daring ideas here, even if I'm not always daring enough to carry them off.

Photography and Design

I recently stumbled upon Andrea's (great name!) blog, Hula Seventy. Andrea describes herself as a photographer, writer, teacher, dancer. A Jacqueline of all trades (my words). I love this blog for its quirkiness and distinctive style. Go, Andrea!

Creature Comforts by Ez celebrates the little things in life. I love it for color and design inspiration. Again, it's one of those blogs that has a permeating presence. I feel like browsing there gives me a great idea of WHO Ez is. Good stuff!

Sunny Vanilla is written by Jen, a stay at home mom who loves photography, design, interior decorating, crafting, cooking, writing, and now sewing. Awesome blog. Just go read and bask in it.

Food

Rachel Rappaport's Coconut and Lime is a great food blog that I enjoy for its international flavors and interesting recipes. Rachel is also the author of the Everything Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook, which I need to add to my collection.

Skinny Taste is written by Gina Homolka, and I love this foodie blog because it doesn't skimp on the awesome. Healthy does not have to be boring.

Pink Parsley is written by Josie, who has A DEGREE IN CHEMISTRY! I'm sorry, I sit in awe. I was barely able to crawl through my chemistry class my junior year of high school. But Josie loves the chemistry and logic behind a recipe, and she cooks seasonally.

The Curvy Carrot is a really unique food blog. The subtitle says it all: "Healthy and Indulgent Meals Dangling in Front of You." From the About page:

My philosophy on food: I don’t eat meat. I eat eggs, I drink milk, and I inhale cheese. I eat seafood every once in a while. I’m not a vegan, although I do try to post recipes that are vegan-friendly.

This blog is beautifully photographed (like all of these, actually) and I love the unique recipes that I would never think of in one gazillion years.

And there you have it! Blowing the blog horn for blogs about cool stuff other than books. Because there really is other cool stuff out there. I know, I didn't catch on for a while either. :D

The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman

2012-05-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

I just realized this is the fifth of Hoffman book that I've read! For a book tart, that's pretty good. From experience, I can tell you that I enjoy her short stories the most. And before you say, "But I don't do short stories," take a moment to consider The Red Garden.

The first point of note is that while this is a collection of stories, it's a short story cycle. That is, all of the stories are connected by location (Blackwell, Massachusetts; Hightop Mountain; Eel River). Furthermore, each story is set in a different year, and they follow several family lineages from the first story in the 1700s to the last story in the late 1900s (1990s I'd venture). What so many readers seem to dislike about short stories is the lack of continuity throughout a collection and a lack of depth and "knowing" the characters. This short story cycle structure really alleviates some of those concerns as many of the characters carry over from one story to the next. A precocious 6-year-old girl in one story may be the adult heroine in the next.

I was prompted to put this book on my wishlist for last year's Book Blogger Holiday Swap because I read another of Hoffman's collections, Blackbird House, several years ago, and it remains a favorite short story collection. It's also a beautiful cycle set around a single farm. and a specific home. Also set in Massachusetts, it takes place on the coast while The Red Garden is all about a mountain town. On a very basic, surface level I found the mountain setting magical and comfortable. As if I were snuggling down on a family vacation when I was growing up, always a bigger fan of the cool tree cover of the mountains than a scorching coast.

It's hard for me to tell you why I love this book simply because Hoffman's writing is somewhat enigmatic. Worst descriptor for writing ever? Mayyybe! Let's see if I can do better. There is always a sense of magic in Hoffman's writing. An elusive ghost here and there. A garden graveyard for a bear where the soil turns red and the plants all grow in crimson, the embodiment of heartbreak. It's just enough to give a sense of folklore and oral history, but in meeting the individual characters we see that they're very real people with real struggles in their time. They're likely to be memorialized in magical legend later on in the book as time ticks on and the residents of Blackwell lose the details over the course of 200 years.

I'm also fond of the fact that Hoffman doesn't shy away from the tragedy in this book. It's not all a downer, but these people lose love, lose their lives, experience illness and tragedy and great joy as well. In experiencing the lifetime of a family or a location, loss is part of the deal. But Hoffman writes it in such a wonderful, bittersweet way.

A few of my favorite stories:

"The Monster of Blackwell, 1956" - A young man with physical deformities runs away to live in the forest and survives off the land. By chance, he comes to the aid of a beautiful and promising young lady with a mind toward college. A Beauty and the Beast Story. Simple, sad, but enthralling.

"The Fisherman's Wife, 1935" - A strange young woman is rumored to be a mermaid. More likely she's married to a homicidal old nut, but our hero is determined to find out.

"The Red Garden, 1986" - The secrets of the red garden come to light and a difficult, lost young woman begins to discover her place in the world and in the town of Blackwell.

A passage from "The Truth About My Mother, 1903" - A sad story to start, but a hopeful, romantic end.

My mother's true feelings were there in her face. She didn't have to say anything to show how she felt about my father. He reacted as you might imagine he would. Hateful was too small a word. I wondered if the electricity at Luna Park had seeped into his skin, and that was why his meanness grew, like a charge, burning brighter throughout the spring. Fine weather seemed to affect him adversely. But in all honesty he drank whenever there was rain or snow or wind or falling leaves. He drank and burned, and we paid the price. We often kept the lights turned off, though ours had been one of the first houses in Brooklyn to be wired. We kept a lantern beneath my bed.

As I've mentioned quite often lately, I appreciate those books that can carry me away into their imaginary world. Wrap around me like a blanket of rest and comfort. This was one of those books, and I am so thankful to have picked it up. Another winner in a string of winning reading.

Pub. Date: August 2011
Publisher: Broadway
Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-0307405975
Source: A gift from Stacy at Stacy's Books

The Sunday Salon - Finally, A Follow-Up

2012-05-20T07:33:00.002-05:00

Well it took me the better part of a week to settle on another book to read after my Voyager foray. The final verdict? The Red Garden, by Alice Hoffman. I read the better part of its 270 pages yesterday afternoon in a single sitting, and I could not have found a better book to get me into the swing of things again.

I won't say too much, since I want to properly review this little gem, but if you've had any inclination, you should try it. Great book.

What's next for me??? Still trying to starve myself of Gabaldon for a little longer before I tackle Drums of Autumn. Of all the books on my shelves the two calling loudest right now are Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire and Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier.

If I choose Son of a Witch, I expect this to go one of the following two ways:

1. I'll love going back to Maguire's world and will eat it up.
2. I'll decide I don't give a crap about any of the characters besides Elphaba and give up.

On the other hand, Remarkable Creatures is a historical fiction novel, one of the many I've read lately, so we'll see if that craving holds up. I've already read a few pages of this one, and despite the long run of historical fiction reading, it is holding my attention so far.

Keep in mind, I could be reading something completely unrelated to both of these tomorrow.

Me = book tart. Moody, moody book tart.

Happy Sunday! I hope you're all overdosing on good books.

DNFs For Now

2012-05-17T13:33:00.003-05:00

I'm striking out all over the place. Although, I do realize it's it's probably not the books' fault.

Corsets and Clockwork is not doing it for me. I find the stories a little uneventful for my taste. I know, again, probably not really, but in my current reading withdrawals, it is what it is. I was looking for some pretty heavy steampunk and in the first three tales it was hit and miss. I got a taste of atmosphere, but not enough to satisfy me. This may also be a side effect of the short story format. Likewise, I found the love in each story a little unconvincing.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is simply too "quiet" for my current mood. I will most definitely come back to it as I like the writing and I find the Major compelling so far.

Still reading I Am An Executioner though the auhor has ticked me off and made me not trust him by ending two of the three stories I've read with "I'll let you decide" type endings. Not just ambiguous but by writing something akin to "I'm not going to tell" or "You can decide." WHAT-EVER. More than once is a cop-out!

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

2012-05-16T12:27:00.000-05:00

Excellent book! Read it! Now!

I'm out.

OK, not really. I could leave it at that, but what fun is that? I have to browbeat all of you into buying and reading it yourselves. And staying up too late. And being draggy at work the next day.

I loved this installment, the third in Gabaldon's Outlander series. While I loved Dragonfly in Amber, too, this one probably came closer to my adoration for the very first novel.

Voyager takes my favorite couple to the Caribbean, mon! There's lots of time on a ship, some time spent running crazily around the islands amidst the slave trade and other madness. An outbreak of an unsavory illness. You get the picture. I was also happy to see one of my fave peripheral characters make a raging comeback in this installment. You just never know who's going to pop up.

It's seriously taking all I have not to throw myself into Drums of Autumn, as mentioned in my previous post. While I would love to, absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that. I'll wait a week or two before I start the next book.

Which book(s) are you in love with right now?

P.S. I read all 1,027 Nook pages in six days. Would've been five, but I had to work late!

Book Fallout

2012-05-15T12:46:00.001-05:00

It always happens after a great book (or three). I'm going through my stacks and pinpointing all the books I DON'T want to read (after 50 pages or so), just waiting for the one that will "stick" and show me the way into reading something other than the Outlander series. Or maybe I'll just cave and start Drums of Autumn.

I'll get back to ya on that. Sit tight.

Currently in the running: I Am An Executioner: Love Stories by Rajesh Parameswaran

Sunday Salon - The Mother's Day Edition

2012-05-13T09:56:00.001-05:00

Happy Mother's Day! It has been a heck of a weekend, so it's nice to sit back and take it all in for a few minutes. I sent Greyson off with Chuck yesterday and settled in to spend EIGHT HOURS working on a project for dear, sweet work. There's a good chance that effort will continue today, but for now it's up in the air, and I'm taking a break.

Mom and I exchanged gifts this morning. She's a complete perfume freak, so I bought a nice Burberry Body set for her. She bestowed upon me a huuuuge bag of Lindor Truffles, a new coffee mug in turquoise and yellow that says "Mom's Sippy Cup" (perfect), and a really cute pair of turquoise and shell earrings. Greyson deemed them all "pretty" and the rest is history. :D

Mother's Day means more to me this year somehow than ever before. To be honored with a day of love and pampering is such a sweet gesture, and I'm having a lot of fun showering good stuff on my mom as well. I whipped up a breakfast casserole this morning and I have a crock pot full of "Angel" Chicken cooking right now -- thanks to the Crockin' Girls cookbook from my previous post.

While I spent a good, solid eight hours working yesterday, I took a break last night to finish up Voyager. And wow. Just WOW!!! So very good. It's really taking everything I have not to jump straight into Drums of Autumn. I'll probably break long enough to read a couple of other books and then get back to the series. A review of Voyager is coming later this week.

So now I'm faced with the task of choosing a new book! Something I haven't really thought of for almost a month. These are the contenders:

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson has been on my to-read list forever now. I finally noticed it as I was browsing the library's Overdrive selection and went ahead and downloaded it.

The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman was a gift from Stacy over at Stacy's Books back during the Book Blogger Holiday Swap. I've read a couple of the stories already, but I'm getting in the mood to jump back in.

Corsets & Clockwork: 14 Steampunk Romances edited by Trisha Telep. I've been threatening to jump into steampunk for a while now. When I saw this book reviewed over at Girlxoxo.com I knew I had to give it a go. Thanks for the recommendation, Tanya Patrice! This was a Mother's Day gift to myself -- just downloaded it. hehe

After such long, epic reading, short books and short stories are incredibly appealing. We'll see which one of these goodies "sticks." I think I'll go find out right now!

What are you doing this Mother's Day Sunday?

Weekend Cooking: Crockin' Crazy

2012-05-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.
-- Hosted by Beth Fish Reads

Good morning Weekend Cookers! I haven't participated in this event regularly because, quite frankly, I don't cook nearly as much as I used to. BUT, the review I have in store for you today is helping change that.

Disclosure: I WORK FOR THE PUBLISHING COMPANY. But I still really like this book. I waffled, but I did decide to offer you my thoughts on it.

That's how I came by a copy of this book, so I thought I'd just put it out there right from the start.

Moving on, The Crockin' Girls started grabbing attention with their Facebook page back in 2011 when they quickly amassed up to a million "likes." What began as a recipe group for other moms turned into a Facebook sensation. Now they have this fantabulous cookbook on the market and a website heavily populated with recipes and advice on slow cooking...as well as a blog and other tidbits about their lives. Their goal is to get families back to the table by saving time on the culinary preparations.

The recipes are simple and straightforward. I usually have all of the ingredients in my house on any given day. I can very easily plan my week's meals with these recipes, pick up the miscellaneous items I need on the weekend, and I'm set to crock a couple of meals a week. With leftovers it really helps flesh out the food situation when I don't feel like stopping by the store after work.

Beyond the easy recipes, this is a beautiful book. Every recipe has a corresponding pic and each page is colorful and visually textured with backgrounds and life. It's just lovely and stunning. The book itself is solidly made, and while it's hardcover, it easily lays open, flat on the counter while cooking.

Finally, there's a nice range of recipes: breakfast items, appetizers, large sections for meat-related entrees, sides, an Italian section, and finally, dessert! So far I've cooked a wooonderful breakfast casserole, a pot of "Cowboy Beans" and big plans to make some of the Italian dishes soon.

While the chapters themselves are a good range and variety, within each chapter some of the recipes got a little repetitive. There's a lot of Velveeta in this cookbook and there's a lot of chocolate lava cake. Not for the slim and trim for sure, but there is a "Crocking Lite" section on the website to help out with this issue.

So there ya have it. Having this book in my hot little hands has certainly helped get more hot meals on the table, and for that I am eternally grateful. I've had a great time picking out which recipe I'll crock next.

Here's to more weekend (and weekday) cooking!

Dragonfly in Amber - And the Series at Large

2012-05-09T12:53:00.000-05:00

I whipped through over 800 Nook pages of Dragonfly in Amber--second in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series--in about a week. Keep in mind, I am on the go for work/commute from 6am to nearly 7pm. Greyson is in bed around 8:30. If that doesn't give a clear enough indication of my addiction, I'll say it straight. I've been reading while standing in front of the elevator, going to the bathroom, and standing in line at the grocery store.

Andi's Blurb: Jamie and Claire find themselves embroiled in the frippery of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the French aristocracy. While the hell that broke loose in Outlander was largely of the physical, adventurous, sword swinging kind, Dragonfly in Amber largely resembles a game of chess. Cryptic letters, mind games, and murder abound. Still some sword swinging, but not as much.

This book had a very different feel than Outlander, which according to moi, is a positive thing. My biggest fear going into this book was that a formula would begin to arise. Not so much! Not only was the plot different, but there were structural adventures as well: flashbacks namely, with some rotating narrative perspectives thrown in.

I won't go getting any more specific than all that for fear of giving something away. And truthfully, after almost 2000 pages of this series gulped down since April 23rd -- 16 DAYS -- some of the plot points from one book to the next are running together. I have to think a minute to discern where Dragonfly ended and Voyager began.

The bigger question is this: WHY this series?

I know y'all are wondering the same in light of a few key points about me that I've made well known:

1. I don't do chunksters -- ever
2. I'm a book tart, rarely reading a second book by any author (waves at F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Irving)
3. And I don't do chunksters. Oh I mentioned that already?

In short, I love these characters. And I mean I LOVE them.

Claire is great because she's feisty, headstrong, useful. She is not one to lay down (figuratively) for anyone and Jamie figures that out early on in the series. She's not literally perfect, but she's smart, self-aware, loyal. She seems like a real person and not a damsel in distress. Her flaws are realistic flaws and none too annoying.

Jamie is super because he's much of the same balance. He's smart, he's loyal, he has a hell of a moral compass (for a traitor). And Gabaldon realizes these characters in a way that I never felt like they did anything to betray themselves. There were no endeavors that made me cock my head and think, "he'd do that?" They react to events in the story the way I think they should, even if what they're forced into by circumstance makes me want to throw up (with anxiety).

I want them to BE OK! TOGETHER! So badly.

The story is masterfully woven, intricate, and just WORKS. I believe it and I want to know more all the time I'm reading. The end of every chapter is NOT a cliffhanger, but reading these books has left me personally in a state of cliffhanger. One more page. One more chapter. Just a few more minutes!!!

At some point in this little adventure, I will have to take a break. Because I'm exhausted. Tearing through these books is exhausting. An endurance test not so much because of the number of pages but because I am so thoroughly invested in finding out what happens next.

I will probably force myself to take a break after I finish Voyager, but I can honestly say I haven't had a reading experience like this one since my adolescence. In my adult life I have never read a series back to back. I rarely read chunksters like this one so darn fast. I rarely meet characters I will remember for the rest of my life.

These are damn fine stories. These are damn fine characters. These are favorite books.

Thoughts While Reading

2012-05-08T08:21:00.000-05:00

Andi sits quietly reading Voyager on her Nook. These are the thoughts in her head.

8:45pm: "Wow, this is a great book, too. I hope they stay this good."

9:00pm: "I should probably go to bed kinda early tonight since I stayed up until midnight reading last night."

9:45pm: "So much for going to bed early."

9:51pm: "Right, like he'd ever do that."

9:55pm: "Move it along, Jamie."

10:15pm: "SON OF A BITCH"

10:30pm: "I can't wait until Claire gets ahold of your ass, Jamie Fraser. I'm going to bed."

Hmmphf.

It's Monday, and I'm Reading!

2012-05-07T08:44:00.001-05:00

Diana Gabaldon made me do the ugly, snotty cry as I finished up Dragonfly in Amber last night (at midnight). Now I am FORCED by the plight of these compelling characters to jump immediately into another leg of this journey. Weighing in at 1,072 pages, I am hurling myself headlong into...

Damn you, Diana Gabaldon, and your surly Scottish hero and your feisty Englishwoman. I am powerless!!!! And probably pretty annoying at this point, but I can't help myself.

It's Monday! What are You Reading? is brought to you by Sheila over at BookJourney.

The Sunday Salon - On Impending Freedom

2012-05-06T15:14:00.002-05:00

FREEDOM! That's right. I have been held in the shackles of online grading all weekend, and now I'm FREE! Yesterday was a big day all around. My mom, Greyson, and I started the day with FoxFest 2012 -- a festival here in our small town. Chuck and the Rockets joined us later in the morning for vendor booths, turtle races, good friends, and lots of food. Fried catfish for me and Fire Department BBQ for the rest. It was nothing short of delicious, but it was also super hot. I was glad to flee back to the house and the AC.

Even though I was ready to drop after half a day in the heat, mom was kind enough to keep Greyson occupied while I graded a class worth of research papers. Step 1 toward freedom.

We had a plan all along for me to spend today grading and GET IT DONE before the due date on Tuesday. I got to Starbucks this morning around 9 and I'm finished up now, taking a few minutes to blog. Just six hours worth of research papers, final exams, and gradebook tomfoolery. But I'm DONE, DONE, DONE. Did I mention I'm done? I need a couple of those cocktails now.

While I love teaching online classes, and while I'll miss the money over the summer, it's always a liberating feeling to have a break. Just one job (sorta, teaching one online class) over the summer months. What does this actually mean? MORE READING! I love caps today...sorry!

In reading news, I've just about polished off Dragonfly in Amber this week. I think it's safe to say I never have an excuse to bitch about not reading. I finished a 700-page book last week, an 800-page book this week. No more excuses. 250-400 page books should be a cake walk.

No idea what I'll read next. While I have a feeling I'm gonna want to jump straight into Voyager, I may force myself to chill a minute with another book. I have tons of goodies on my shelves. Like these...

On that note, I'm out of here and off to curl up with the rest of Dragonfly. 150 gut-wrenching pages left.

Tell me...what would you recommend I read next?

Miscellaneous Bookish Roundup!

2012-05-03T09:30:00.000-05:00

Good morning, everyone! Just a quick post this morning to round up some loose ends that are hanging out there.

First off, a reminder. If you'd like to enter the giveaway to win a copy of Michel Stone's The Iguana Tree, do your commenting now on this post. I'll draw the winning name early Saturday afternoon. I should note, this one took bronze in the Literary Fiction category in the Independent Publisher Book Awards. Congrats to Michel Stone and Hub City Press!

I've also been tempted by another of my favorite bloggers, and I'll be jumping in on Allie's A Victorian Celebration. The goal: read as many Victorian pieces as you wish during the months of June and July. Realistically, I don't know how many pieces I'll read, but ideally I'd like to re-read some Dickens. I've wanted to go through A Tale of Two Cities again for years. I read it as a senior in high school, but it's been a long time since then! And if I'm feeling a non-fiction mood creep up, I might also try to throw myself into Born to Rule by Julia P. Gelardi. I've had it on my stacks for a while now, and it's about five of Victoria's granddaughters who all married into other royal families. Stretching the theme a bit, but it's still Victoria-related!

Finally, it seems like I'm getting back into the swing of my own social media (blogging, Tweeting, Pinning) and not so consumed by work all day and night. The semester is wrapping up so I'm frantically trying to get online grading done, though. If you'd like to join me in a variety of forums to watch me run around with my hair on fire, you'll find me here:

Facebook --- Twitter --- Pinterest --- Goodreads

While I know most of you are already in these places, and likely also already my friend, I am consistently astounded by the folks I love and follow and comment upon who I'll realize years later are not on my Goodreads friends list. Then I smack myself and wonder how that happened. No mas!

Have a great Thursday, everyone!!! I hope it's a bookish day.

Favorite Characters - Part the Second

2012-05-02T12:50:00.000-05:00

I started a chronicle of my favorite characters last week, and I'm continuing that little journey today. And some new characters have made their way into the mix this past week. I'm certain you won't be that surprised.

Photo Credit

A two-fer here: Jamie and Claire from Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I realize I started this whole thing with secondary characters, which would, in theory, make my fave character choices a little bit more diverse or off the beaten path. Screw that. I met Jamie and Claire this past week during my first reading of Outlander and they won me over. I had to include them here. Most of you probably know the reasons, so I'll just leave it at the pic. So funny.

Osceola (Ossie) Bigtree from Swamplandia! by Karen Russell. There are a lot of interesting, memorable characters in this book, but Ossie stuck out to me. There was most certainly a shroud of mystery around her--even moreso than the other characters--because she fancies herself a Spiritualist. Even runs away with a ghost. Ossie was absent for large portions of the book, but her enigma hung over much of the narrative. I wanted to learn more about her!

The "ghost" from The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. This was one of my very favorite books I read last year, and another chunky monkey that pulled me in completely -- to the point I wanted it to last much longer than it did. While it's never proven whether there's really a ghost haunting Hundreds Hall or if it's imagined by the nutty residents, it's a ripping good ride. That ghost sure has a sick sense of humor.

Dr. Annick Swenson from State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. What a biatch. Seriously. But she's oddly twisted and sympathetic and brilliant all at the same time. It's hard to say whether Dr. Swenson is a martyr or a purely villainous, selfish wench. Oy! I love characters I don't quite know what to do with.

The woman and Thorsteinn from "A Stone Woman" by A.S. Byatt. This is one of the most memorable stories from Little Black Book of Short Stories. Another couple of short story characters! Yay! "A Stone Woman" is really a haunting mythological tale tied to the oral tradition of Iceland. The nameless woman begins to turn to stone after her mother's death. Thorsteinn helps her find her way.

And there you have it! Some of my favorite characters, many of whom I've "met" in the last year of my reading. Going back over my reading and thinking about these characters brings back so many memorable, wonderful stories. I highly recommend each and every one.

Are You Pinterested?

2012-05-01T11:22:00.000-05:00

Trish is a total enabler. She's put together the "Pin It and Do It" challenge for the month of May, and I do believe I'm gonna have to jump in here!

I'm going with the Timid Pinner level with plans to carry out 1 to 3 of my chosen pins! The strategery right now is to tackle one recipe, one craft, and maybe try to read one book I've posted on my Book (Lust) Wishlist board. Sounds pretty well-rounded, eh?

If you visit my Pinterest page you'll see that I have a wide variety of boards: book-related, crafts, design, food, fashion, and OWLS! Lots of opportunity for creativity, but like so many others, I get bogged down and don't actually *do* these things. No more!

Thanks, Trish!

Outlander - A Gushy Review

2012-04-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

I love this book. I'm so sorry I waited so long to start the series.

Shortest blurb ever: Claire Randall is a field nurse in WWII. She's flung back in time to 18th century Scotland, ends up marrying the super-AWESOME Jamie Fraser for her safety, and all hell breaks loose. And there is a VERY BAD ENGLISHMAN afoot. See above: hell breaks loose.

There are some books that are a pure experience. One of the reasons I completely ignored Outlander before now is because 1) it's huge 2) I thought the time travel would be cheesy.

Nothing could be further from the truth. First off, I am supremely glad that Gabaldon set the beginning of this book in the 1940s. If it'd been the 1990s (when the book was published), it would've aged the book much more. Historical-on-historical was much more effective.

She did a darn fine job of painting a historical portrait. I cleave to books that can pick me up out of my everyday life and set me down in another time and place. Some of my all-time fave historical novels (Pope Joan, The Red Tent) are memorable and worthy of gushing over because they immerse. I love knowing what the characters eat, how they dress, what the setting and weather are like, how badly they stink from lack of indoor plumbing (ahem!). Anyway, yes, details are important to me -- especially when they add to the magic of a story and don't bog it down.

The characters here are so great. While I had a problem with Matthew and Diana for their mutual co-dependence in my previous read, A Discovery of Witches, I felt quite wonderfully the opposite about Claire and Jamie. These two are spitfires! Jamie is a rough and tumble Highlander, quick with a blade, potential bull in a China closet. BUT, he's also quite soft-hearted, well-mannered, and educated. It was so much fun getting to know him.

Likewise, I loved Claire, the female protagonist in the story. She's a heck of a character-- able in her healing, quick-witted, and sharp-tongued. She and Jamie go toe to toe on several occasions and I loved the hard-headed, passionate dynamic between these two.

I've said in previous posts here that I rarely jump into a second book by an author. Not the case with Outlander. It was one of those books that so thoroughly compelled me that I wanted to either turn back to the beginning and re-read it right away or jump into the second book. I decided to jump into the second, and I hope to polish off Dragonfly in Amber this week.

Y'all also know I'm somewhat terrified of the commitment that comes along with reading chunky books. Not this one. So so so so so good.

All-time favorites list good. Take that!

Rating:

Snuggle (with nuzzles and purring) -- Skewer

Pub. Date: June 1991
Publisher: Random House
Format: E-Book
ISBN-13: 9780440335160
Source: Purchased the e-book

The Sunday Salon - The Week That Tried To Kill Me with Awesomeness

2012-04-29T08:40:00.000-05:00

This week was not all awesomeness. It began early Monday morning with Greyson sick. I stayed home with him half a day on Monday, then passed him over to my mom for the latter half of the day so I could make an appearance at work. He was feeling better and went to daycare on Tuesday, but he came home with a fever. Took the day off on Wednesday to take him to the doc, and just as I'd suspected: two ear infections and a sore throat (didn't expect the sore throat part).

This is decidedly not awesome as the boy has had chronic ear infections since he was born. Next step: ear, nose, and throat specialist. I see tubes in our future, and I'm ready for 'em!

In the midst of all this, the awesome happened. I was looking for another book to keep me engaged after I finished up A Discovery of Witches, and boy did I find the motherload in Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. This is not my official review, because I'm getting my thoughts together on how exactly I want to gush about it. BUT, I will say that it's supremely gushworthy, and I knocked off all 700+ pages in a week. Pretty impressive for someone with no attention span, eh?

In fact, I sat around for a couple of hours after I finished the book yesterday, trying to decide what to attempt next, and the answer was clear. The next book in the series! So I'm currently reading Dragonfly in Amber and while it's ripping my heart out, I will endure and probably polish this one off just as quickly as the first.

This is one of those series that Heather and my other trusty book buddies have been telling me to read since my Yahoo! Groups days back in 2001. Why in heaven's name did I wait so long?! I don't even know. Madness.

The other series my book peeps have been telling me to read is A Song of Fire and Ice by George RR Martin. Tammy, I'm gonna read it soon. I swear. I've learned my lesson. I should just shut up and listen to you all because we all share a big communal brain.

The rest of my Sunday will consist of grading a truckload of essays and exams. There are a couple of weeks left in the semester, and I'm READY FOR IT TO BE OVER. As much as I like having a teaching outlet left to get that "fix," I'm just tired. Ready for a break. One summer online class is so much better than four regular semester online classes.

With that, I'm off to jump into the grading. Be well, y'all! Have any other recommendations for books that will grab me by the hair and knock me off my feet? Keep 'em coming.

A Discovery of Witches

2012-04-26T11:49:00.002-05:00

I have been in a slump, but I'd like for you all to meet the book that busted it. Why, yes! It's A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness!

I've had this one on my wishlist since it started taking over the blogosphere, but I put it off because I was bound and determined to start the year with as many Tournament of Books books as possible. But after I started this new gig and the brain fog kicked in, I just needed something, anything, to GET ME READING.

Blurb from Publishers Weekly: In Harkness's lively debut, witches, vampires, and demons outnumber humans at Oxford's Bodleian Library, where witch and Yale historian Diana Bishop discovers an enchanted manuscript, attracting the attention of 1,500-year-old vampire Matthew Clairmont. The orphaned daughter of two powerful witches, Bishop prefers intellect, but relies on magic when her discovery of a palimpsest documenting the origin of supernatural species releases an assortment of undead who threaten, stalk, and harass her. Against all occult social propriety, Bishop turns for protection to tall, dark, bloodsucking man-about-town Clairmont. Their research raises questions of evolution and extinction among the living dead, and their romance awakens centuries-old enmities.

I have no idea how to review this book, but I'm pressing on. It was wonderful and it was horrible all at the same time. Let's break it down.

The historical is SUPER fabulous. Matthew Clairmont is 1,500 years old, so he has SEEN SOME HISTORY and befriended (or pissed off) just about every big historical name one could think of. In many ways his lifestyle in the contemporary landscape is a throwback to the old world with shades of his past coloring his and Diana's everyday interaction. This is one of those books that made me feel as if I was picked up and set down in another life, another time. I was also a big fan of the Oxford setting, where Claire and Matthew work. The academic side of the novel was also ridonkulously fulfilling. And kind of romantic in its own way.

On another front, the Matthew/Diana romance is fun but also supremely annoying. I have found over the years that books appealing to my sense of romance can help kick start my reading when things are slowing down. Such was the case here. Matthew is dreamy in that knightly sort of way, willing to tear the throat out of anyone or anything in his path to save his special lady friend. On the flip side of that, there's a distinct case of Twilight syndrome involved. He's always in charge, always giving orders, always telling her to take a nap or drink some tea or calm down or suck it up. Blahhhrrrgggg! She's an OXFORD ACADEMIC! Most of the female academics I know are the sharpest, most straightforward, silver tongued, hard-headed women I know. And I admire them for it. Diana was too darn spineless for my taste. Overall, her willingness to keep secrets, avoid Matthew's secrets, and flake out dampened the overall effect for me.

The world building was impressive in the beginning. I really liked gaining knowledge of the vampire/witch/daemon trifecta of disaster. Talk about volatile otherworldly race relations. As the book progressed and got more complicated in its world building it became almost ineffectively confusing. I think there were plot holes, but I'd have to go back and read it again to make sure. Or maybe I was just skimming to see if Diana and Matthew would get down with the sexytimes already. *ahem*

I realize you're probably confused. I said I liked this book. It's book crack. Those were my very words on Twitter. And indeed, both are true. It had some big issues that bugged me AFTER I closed the book. While I was in the book, I was totally invested in finding out what would happen next. Afterward I wanted to slap Diana and Matthew both. Really hard.

Will I read the second? Absolutely. I have to find out what happens and how some of the issues in this first installment shake out.

Have you read it? What did you think? Have you had a bookish encounter like this one--you were totally rapt but wanted to roll your eyes at everyone after you closed the book?

Note: this book will count toward my personal Chunkster Challenge since it weighs in at 587 virtual pages.

Pub. Date: February 2011
Publisher: Penguin
Format: E-Book
ISBN-13: 9780143119685
Source: Purchased the e-book

Top Ten Tuesday - or Top Five on Wednesday!

2012-04-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

Visit The Broke and the Bookish blog (click the pic) to participate, weekly!

I was hosting a TLC Tours stop yesterday for The Iguana Tree by Michel Stone, so I thought I'd post my Top Ten Favorite Characters today instead! But then I started writing, and I'm pretty passionate about these characters, so I wrote more than I anticipated. Instead, I've decided to focus on five of my favorite characters and I'll deliver another five later this week or early next. Keep an eye out!

Now, I knowwww everyone thinks I'm gonna stick Estella at the top of the list. And I'm tempted. I mean really and truly tempted. BUT, I'm going to resist the urge and tell you about some of my favorite characters who are not necessarily central characters. These folks really deserve some time in the spotlight as peripheral characters can sometimes be even more memorable than our protagonists.

Miss Havisham from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens -- Isn't this a stunning image? Helena Bonham Carter will play the enigmatic and iconic nut job in Mike Newell's adaptation of the famous Dickens novel. I can never get enough of the rotting dress and the room and the falling-in estate. I love it all. I don't know that another character (besides Estella, and they go hand-in-hand) has ever struck my imagination in quite the same way.

Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens -- This is a name I see far too little in my blog surfing. One of Dickens' most memorable characters, Carton was an attorney and a lush. A more or less throw-away human being until he did a "far, far better thing" than this reader expected him to do! I will always think of Carton as Ronald Colman played the role in the 1935 film adaptation. Thanks to my high school English teacher, Dr. Partin, for making us watch this film.

Ysabeau from A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness -- Having just finished the book, I haven't even written up my review! However, in thinking back over it, I'm sure many readers would immediately jump to the bookish Diana or the super-hawt vampire, Matthew. BUT, I'm going with Ysabeau, Matthew's vampire "mother." She was a far more multifaceted and interesting character for me. She was angry, bitter, prejudiced, but also underwent a change to maternal. A complicated one, that Ysabeau.

Nessarose, The Imminent Thropp of Munchinkinland from Wicked by Gregory Maguire -- What a beast, this one. It's funny how Nessarose becomes such an antagonist. She's one-side in her religious and political views, she's beautiful but deformed. She's a mixture of religion and rigidity. I just wanted to kick her in the face, but she's such an interesting foil to Elphaba. She is quite a memorable character.

Arnold Friend from the short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have you Been?" by Joyce Carol Oates -- I couldn't leave out a short story! Come on! And if you've been here for a minute, you'll remember that I gush about this selection at every available opportunity. Arnold Friend is truly a creepy, weird, disturbing character. He's damaged somehow, though the ambiguity of the story can only leave us looking for answers. I have my own, but you'll have to read the story to figure out what Arnold Friend has in his boots. Trust me, just do it. :) Oh, and why are you looking at a Bob Dylan pic? Because Friend looked an awful lot like him in description and Oates was influenced by a Dylan song in writing this story.

Who are some of your lesser-sung favorite characters???

The Iguana Tree by Michel Stone

2012-04-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Synopsis from the Publisher: Michel Stone’s debut novel, set against the backdrop of illegal immigration, is one family’s story of fateful decisions, risky border crossings, and a struggle for humanity. With a dream of a more prosperous life for his family, Héctor crosses into America on a harrowing journey in a welded-shut metal compartment under a delivery truck, making his way to job on a tree farm on Edisto Island, SC. He tells Lilia, his young wife, to stay behind with her newborn until he can pay for her travel. Impulsive and impatient, Lilia abandons her village, hands off her baby to a smuggler who should not have been trusted, and swims the dark Rio Grande. The tragedy unfolds across the southern United States. As Michel Stone weaves her tale of hope and human dignity, of sorrow and suffering, we see not only the devastating consequences of Lilia’s and Héctor’s decisions, but the consequences of decisions we have made as a society and as a nation. With its themes of loss, betrayal, and redemption, The Iguana Tree has the resonance of myth.

When TLC approached me with The Iguana Tree, by Michel Stone, I took a few minutes to think about it. The synopsis is certainly convincing, but this book is squarely outside of my usual reading choices. The perils of U.S. border crossing is not a topic I thought I'd be keen to read, even though it's a huge issue in my state of Texas. Ultimately I chose to accept the book for exactly these reasons...that it is outside my usual choices, and I wanted to push myself.

Unfortunately, I have to tell you that I've not yet finished the book (about halfway through). It is NOT the fault of Michel Stone or her gripping writing. It's a problem that's a little embarrassing -- the type is really small! I kid y'all not, I opened it, started reading the beautifully crafted prose, and my eyes crossed.

I blame this new development on a couple of things:

1. I never go to the eye doctor as I should. I haven't needed to wear glasses since I was 11 years old, BUT...

2. A job on computers all day and night has made my eyes much more tired lately and prone to strain.

3. I'm spoiled to Nook books where I can make the type larger. This issue never even crossed my mind as a possibility.

For these reasons, I've been taking it slow, but I am thoroughly enjoying the book. Lilia and Hector's plight grabbed me right off the bat, and Stone's deft hand at describing the atmosphere and landscape helped me become quickly invested in the story. While it is harsh at times, harrowing indeed, the writing adds a glaze of beauty over the whole thing. While the stories are nothing alike, it reminds me a little bit of how I felt read The Hours. A heavy story but beautiful nonetheless.

Win a Copy!

That said, I have some goodies in store! One lucky reader will win a copy of The Iguana Tree. All you have to do is leave a comment.

My thanks to Hub City Press for providing a giveaway book. I also need to put in a plug for this delightful publisher. When I received the book it was wonderfully packaged with some goodies and extras like a great bookmark. The book itself is also a beautiful edition. It's hefty, sturdily made, and the paper is good quality. I blame my eyes on the slow reading, completely.

See the book trailer below. :)

Shameless Impulse Purchases

2012-04-23T14:52:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since I've bought books with any regularity. With plenty on my stacks and a wishlist eight miles long, the library and I get along just fine on most occasions.

But.

You knew there was a but.

Sometimes, a reader just needs some new material. ESPECIALLY when coming off of a ridiculous slump. Case in point. When I finished reading A Discovery of Witches, which was a very successful foray into paranormal/historical/romance for me, I had to keep the good mojo flowing.

Drumroll, please!

That's right, kids, I'm going for more historical/sf/romance! My good bloggy buddies (and book group buddies, back in the day) have been trying to get me to try Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon, forever. Really, for like 12 years.

Heather (@capriciousreadr) actually Tweeted the following to me:

@estellasrevenge AND JAMIE. If you don't fall head over heels for Jamie I may have to disown you.

Do you see the threats!?! That's serious business. I'm about 100 pages in, and so far Outlander = total book crack. I'm addicted. And away we go. And I already like Jamie. Even though he's stinky and all taped up from a musket wound...in a time with no indoor plumbing. Ahem!

And I also bought a book I'd never even heard of until I saw its cover and pinned it last week:

I Am An Executioner: Love Stories by Rajesh Parameswaran. Behold the blurb.

In I Am an Executioner, Rajesh Parameswaran introduces us to a cast of heroes—and antiheroes—who spring from his riotous, singular imagination. From the lovesick tiger who narrates the unforgettable opener, “The Infamous Bengal Ming” (he mauls his zookeeper out of affection), to the ex-CompUSA employee who masquerades as a doctor; from a railroad manager in a turn-of-the-century Indian village, to an elephant writing her autobiography; from a woman whose Thanksgiving preparations put her husband to eternal rest, to the newlywed executioner of the title, these characters inhabit a marvelous region between desire and death, playfulness and violence. At once glittering and savage, daring and elegant, here are wholly unforgettable tales where reality loops in Borgesian twists and shines with cinematic exuberance, by an author who promises to dazzle the universe of American fiction.

This one seems like it has just the right amount of humor and morbidity and oddity for me. I like 'em off the wall, and I REALLY like short(ish) stories! I have high hopes. Anyone else read it?

Nosy bookworms want to know: what are your latest impulse purchases?

The Sunday Salon - Of Parties and Books and a Tantrum

2012-04-22T12:31:00.002-05:00

What the HECK IS GOING ON HERE!!! Note: if you'd rather skip my Sunday morning rant and the recap of G's bday party I totally respect that. Skip on down to "here are the books."

For those of you who don't follow me on Twitter, here are the deets:

It's Sunday, I'm working today (yay). I'm kicked out at Starbucks with my laptop for several hours (slated 9am-2pm). Have already finished a round of bi-weekly reports for Day Job. Now I'm grading a gazillion papers for my remaining online classes. A bit ago, a huge, loud, ridiculous family came in and pulled up the three tables to my right and proceeded to be obnoxious for an hour. *hisssss* I realize it's a public place and all, but none of the other talkers in the joint have felt the need to be quite so oblivious.

Anywho, I get over the Starbucks-loud-family fiasco and I'm faced with a brand new BLOGGER INTERFACE!!! Change + me = temper tantrums. I'll probably eventually love it, but today is just not the day to whip out a new look on me, Blogger. It seems I now have to scroll a page down to actually see my dashboard, but I can quickly and easily change my interface language to Bengali. SWEET! *sarcasm....dripping sarcasm*

Moving on.

Yesterday was a most successful birthday party for Mr. G. We had family and friends come out to a rather large, impressive park nearby. There was a splash area, a lake with a fishing dock, plenty of room to fly kites, and a balance of shade and sunshine. We had cake and some other munchies and generally enjoyed ourselves. And easy clean up. Very important!

HERE ARE THE BOOKS!

While I was absolutely zonked last night, I managed to make some time to knock off another 50 pages or so of A Discovery of Witches. I read some more this morning before I came out to grade, too, so I feel sure I'll finish today barring any weird incidents (knock on wood). The action is really picking up in this last section, and I'm loving it! The book is not without some annoyances, but we'll talk about that later.

I think a big chunky paranormal romancey novel was just what I needed to bust the slump. Hopefully, I'm gonna keep this roll going with Outlander by Diana Gabaldon next. I've never tried it, but I think now is the time.

I feel much better now that I've vented. What are you reading today?

Personally: Guess Who Turned TWO Yesterday?!

2012-04-18T12:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a bittersweet day. Greyson is growing up so fast; it's hard to believe he turned two years old. I look back and I have no idea where the time went -- into work, housekeeping, and family squabbles. But also into trips to the park, meals, bath time, naps, books and toys.

So much has changed over the last two years. Not just Greyson himself, but the way we go about our day, the way our family functions, the jobs, the routines.

Yes, it was a bittersweet day to look back, but Greyson is the sweetest part of everyone's day every single day. He's full of laughs and smiles and new words. He has the best "please" in town. He giggles and has an attitude. He's turning into a real individual: a hard-headed, opinionated, joyful, giggly little man reminiscent of Chuck and me in equal parts. It makes me happy to see him make everyone around him happy.

He also shares his birthday with my mom--his NooNoo--so they celebrated with hugs and snuggles. She has been an enormous help to me even though I don't think it's fair sometimes that we take up so much of her time. She insists she's glad to help, and in seeing her interact with him, I believe her.

Greyson is two. I never realized just how fast the time passes.

Got wrapped up watching Alvin and the Chipmunks and forgot about gifts!

Looking things over.

Waiting patiently (mostly).

The Sunday Salon - Of Yucky Weather and Lounging

2012-04-15T13:48:00.000-05:00

Yucky weather is right. Cloudy, drizzly, and a chance of severe storms throughout the day. Needless to say, I've spent the day in my jammies grading papers and watching mindless TV. Greyson, the will-be-TWO-on-Tuesday toddler, woke me up by hoisting himself over my sleeping frame at 6am. You might've seen me lamenting this fact on Twitter. I set the kid up with breakfast, made myself some eggs and toast, and we were off to a good start.

We've watched copious amounts of DVRed Caillou episodes. I made some quick chicken salad for lunch. He's napping (that should be winding down any time now). Since I've spent the bulk of this middle part of the day grading, I think I'm going to reward myself with some reading time this afternoon. With the kiddo rested, he should be willing to play with toys until dinner time.

I'm not far into A Discovery of Witches, so I hope I can focus enough to really dig in this afternoon. On another reading-related note, my Google Reader is CLEAR for the first time in over a month. Go me!

Off to lounge some more, finish some laundry, and generally enjoy a lazy Sunday. I hope you're doing the same!