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IMM22

2011-12-11T02:55:00.001-08:00

*In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren* So head over there if you want to check out what everyone else got, or if you want to find out how to participate!!!

So…~~~~Flashback~~~~ A few months ago, I had a super-awesome low-key b-day involving a Netflix Murder She Wrote marathon, a thin crust cheese lovers pizza (w/pepperoni, beef, and mushroom), and some quality time spent with my sis.

I couldn’t have wished for a nicer day. It wasn’t about presents—just about *being present.*

~~~~Fast Forward~~~~

And we’re back.

Well, in the meantime, I’ve had a couple of belated b-day presents trickle in…

But before we get to my awesome b-lated-b-day presents….there is some other pretty awesome stuff…

WINNING:

…like I won an ARC of Sophie Jordan’s Vanish from Harper through their First Reads contest on Goodreads!!!! :D

…and then I won some sweet Nine Lives of Chloe King swag from ABC Family channel through playing the Nine Paths to Chloe King game on their site and entering the clues. I won a t-shirt, and two cute little charms!!!

And back to my b-day presents…

First, since it ‘tis the season, I gotta give a shout out to the newest additions to my already epic Christmas collection—I am a Christmas music junkie all year ‘round, but this is the only time of year I don’t get weird looks when I start blasting it.—I had a pretty extensive Christmas collection to begin with, but these have totally upped the ante. Old school, all the way.

Bing Crosby Christmas, Bing Crosby the Voice of Christmas, Frank Sinatra: The Christmas Collection; Christmas with the Stars; Christmas Treasures; Let It Snow; Hot Songs for a Cool Yule, and Christmas by the Fire

And back to books:

In paperback, a complete collection of Jon Hassler’s novels:

I am sort of obsessed with these books. I love them.

Staggerford

Four Miles to Pinecone

Simon's Night

A Green Journey

Grand Opening

North of Hope

Dear James

Rookery Blues

The Deans List

The New Woman

The Staggerford Flood

The Staggerford Murders

And in ebook, three of my fave authors…

…and a little somthin’ somethin’ to read them on…

Yes. This. Is. A. Nook. Tablet.

YES. IT. IS. THAT. AWESOME.

—PAUSE FOR AWESOMENESS—

*sigh*drool*sigh*

That's it for me—I hope everybody is enjoying the holiday season and having a great weekend!!!!

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Breaking Dawn: Part I

2011-11-19T02:47:00.001-08:00

Well, since midnight Thursday night I have started this post in my head well over a hundred times, so many different things I want to say, so many different feelings. The only constant seems to be:

SPOILER ALERT.

Because I’m just not sure I know how to talk about Breaking Dawn (the movie/book) without even accidentally saying something spoilery. Talking about the movie shouldn’t be spoilery if you’ve read the book, it follows fairly close, no huge changes or surprises.

But I just can’t talk about it without TALKING about it—no hinting around at scenes or characters or plots—so this is your last warning:

SPOILER ALERT.

I hate to not recommend a movie, but I don’t think the book-lovers are going to enjoy it…And I don’t know that there’s enough content there for people who haven’t read the books to piece everything together.

Having read Stephanie Meyer's series, Breaking Dawn: Part I felt like so much was missing and rushed. And it makes me very nervous wondering if they left enough to fill Breaking Dawn: Part II.

For those who haven’t read the books, I think the movie may jump around a too much without giving enough background to keep up.—I was left explaining a lot of the intricacies to my movie companion, who had seen the other movies, but not read the books.

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Twilight: Lover or Hater—the Controversies

It seems about from the inception of Twilight there’ve been lovers and haters. The love movement growing stronger with each book—midnight book releases, movie adaptations, midnight movie releases, packed bookstores, multiple showings with packed theaters; sold out, people standing, sitting, or camping in line for HOURS. Team Edward and Team Jacob. (random thought: I wonder why there was no Team Bella?)

There were naysayers all along, people who thought Bella was too wimpy, Edward too creepy; not good role models. But I noticed a change after the release of Breaking Dawn—fans of the series suddenly not happy…for various reasons: the wedding, the honeymoon, the baby…the imprinting.

And as the movie release approached, I heard more waves of disenchantment coming from [former?] fans—Had it been too long a wait between movies? The splitting of the book into two movies? Edward’s wedding hair? The wedding? The honeymoon? The imprinting???

I heard all these reasons floating around the interworld, but I just let them slide. I liked the series. And honestly, I LOVED the book. Breaking Dawn was everything I could have wanted, and I was a little mystified that so many people seemed against the fairy-tale wedding and happy ending.

Anyway, although I see the many values and merits of having such discussions...I’m getting off topic…

Which is, that I am aware of all sorts of reasons for the waning interest in Breaking Dawn.

Still, I eagerly watched Breaking Dawn previews. I bought my tickets ahead of time. I showed up at the theater a few hours early.

Some hearty Twihards had showed up with lawn chairs and blankets to start the line at 6:00 pm. Three hours later, the line was only at 90—A poor showing compared to the last premier where the line had snaked around the outside of our small theater. By midnight two theaters were close to full, if not 100% sold-out.

The lights dimmed, and the crowds settled into a quiet hush.

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*sigh of puzzlement*

LOVED the soundtrack!!!

As to the movie...I liked the beginning…and I didn’t like the beginning. It was a culmination of the previews I’d seen, enmeshed with visions of the book come to life. It was beautiful. Picturesque. Grand. Sweeping.

Props to Billy Burke, who seemed to steal all his scenes as Bella’s nervous and harried father.

A wonderful ensemble cast in all.

So then, why did everything feel so rushed? And slightly empty of the normal swell of feelings that brought forth in the in books and in the previous movies???

What about it felt mechanical and jerky—very A to B, invitation to wedding to honeymoon—disjointed snapshots instead of smooth transitions? Indeed many wonderful moments…that didn’t quite fall into place together…and half-moments plucked from the book, but barely touched upon.

And then the second half of the movie…the pregnancy. *hesitant sigh*

Much like the first half of the movie, I found it rushed and filled with snapshot moments that I wished could have lingered a little longer. But this time, with the combination of the grotesque.

This is not a pretty pregnancy in the book. Nor is it one in the movie. And I wouldn’t have wanted it prettied up. But it is extreme.

And when some moments felt so void of content, I was surprised to see the clever interpretations of scenes like the wolf-thought-speak and a CSI-microscope-like view into how the vampire venom takes effect. These were very compelling movie scenes which seemed to fall flat and felt out of place without more to support them.

The birth, itself, felt almost like a different movie—but still one without direction—upon indulging in the grotesque and the extreme the movie seemed poised on the brink of horror and comedy, with Edward as a mad scientist à la Frankenstein in his lab.

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And the worst part is… I kind of want to see it again. Just to see if it could really be as bad as I thought it was.

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So, I'm really curious, now—Have you seen it?—Is it just me???

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Monday Musings: Collecting Authors and Books

2011-11-15T14:42:00.001-08:00

(Monday Musings is an awesome meme over at Should Be Reading—And if you aren’t reading her, I totally recommend checking her out!)

This week’s question from Monday Musings is:

Are you currently collecting any authors? Why?
Do you have all of their books? If not, why not?
Did you buy all the books in the collection at the same time, or did you buy a book here, a book there? Have you actually read all of the collection? If not, why not?

And for all of you naysayers out there, saying, “Nay, this is Tuesday not Monday.” Well, then I would say that we have a lot more pressing matters if you’re using the word “Nay” in conversational speech. Or that I have bronchitis right now and the days of the week are kind of blending. Take your pick.

And back to the question at hand:

YES. I TOTALLY COLLECT AUTHORS.—not that I keep them in little jars to look at, or locked in my basement (‘cause I don’t have a basement), or anything… Really, I find it’s much more practical to collect an author’s books, rather than the actual author—while the author does indeed house the entire knowledge base characters, settings, plots, to their stories, I find the books to be ever so much more portable –you can fit so many more books in suitcases and on shelves than you can authors—And with ereaders, I can have my entire library at my fingertips and not have to travel with loads of luggage. *sigh* Yes, books and ebooks are definitely the way to go—I do not in any way recommend kidnapping or storage of actual authors.

[end tangent]

Well, truthfully, I think when it comes to books I might have some addictive and hoarding tendencies. If I find a good author, I want to read EVERYTHING they’ve ever written. I absorb books like a sponge. (A sponge in a really dry climate that will dry out and need to keep absorbing things, because it will never be fully sated.)

And especially if that author has a series (which so many of them do), they’re like Pringles—how can you read just one book in a series???? How can you not want to know what happens next???

In my tweens and teens I had two bookshelves filled with five series of Sweet Valley books (SV Kids, SV Twins, SV High, SV University, and various mini-series SV Senior Year, Jessica and the Unicorns, Elizabeth in England, and all the various Chillers, Thrillers, Super Chillers, Super Thrillers, Sagas, and Holiday editions.) Don’t judge. And last February, when they released Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later, I snapped that one up, too. Don’t judge. (Pringles, remember.)(Pringles laced with crack.)

But while the majority of my Sweet Valley books remained on my shelves for quite a few years, there are other authors that rarely leave my sight, my go-to books that come with me pretty much everywhere I go. Favorites that I can pick up anytime, anywhere, and dive right in. Stories that I’ve read over and over again, and still leave me as breathless and exhilarated every time I read them as they did the first time.

Top of the list: Tamora Pierce. I’ve been reading her books the longest—since middle-school/high-school. Reading. Rereading. And first in-line at the book-store to snap up the next one. Even if I’m living in a remote bookstore-less location (pre-ereader), and have to drive an hour away to get her newest release (at least twice). Her books went with me to college, to Pennsylvania when I spent a year on the east coast, a few months in Montana, on to San Jose, summers in Yosemite, here in So Cal, and thanks to my handy ereader, her books also came in very handy on my last few road trips. And when Mastiff (Beka Cooper Series #3) was released, I downloaded it at midnight from the comfort of my bed. Also, when I got my ereader, she was the first author that I started replenishing my library with.

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Harry Potter. Up until my junior year of college, I abstained from the Harry Potter craze, holding myself aloof, I being much too old, of course to be reading children’s books. Then, while home for Thanksgiving, I went to see the first movie. It was magical. I was enchanted. And me, a lover or reading books of movies I love, had picked up a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (adult cover, of course) to read sometime, in case I enjoyed the movie.

Back at school, a few weeks later (the week of finals, in fact) when it came down to studying, and procrastinating, I picked up my copy of Harry Potter and finished it that night. The next day I went out and got myself a copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2). I had to settle for a children’s-style paperback, because the adult covers were coordinated to be released with the movies. And again, I finished it the same night. Realizing that this was not a fad, on my next trip to the bookstore, I purchased both the third and fourth books—Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (children’s paperback, again, adult cover not having been released) and the newly released Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (hardcover). And again, I read them each in one night.

Somehow, I also passed my finals.

Now, I think most booklovers will tell you, there’s nothing worse than a mismatched collection. So it wasn’t long before I got Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone with the children’s paperback cover to match the others. And then went and got the first three in hardcover to match the fourth book. And of course, I picked up the adult covers as they were released. And a few special editions. And when I was in Ireland, I picked up a set of the British versions. And audio books for those long back-and-forth drives home from school. And the first four in French. Ne judge pas.

And like Tamora Pierce, Harry Potter went with me from the Midwest to the East Coast to the mountains and the West Coast. We spent summers in Yosemite, and then moved down here to So Cal.

And as soon as I get access to Pottermore, I am looking forward to adding a digital collection of HP to my ereader.

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On a summer home from college, I stumbled upon L.A. Meyer’s Bloody Jack series. My senior year of college I discovered Helen Gurley Brown and Winifred Wolfe. Out east I started collecting Agatha Christie. And here on the west coast, I found Tera Lynn Childs.

Each author, each series, each book opened up new worlds of fantastically rich words and characters. With Helen Gurley Brown and Winifred Wolfe it is their use of language, turns of phrases, the technicolor images of the past that spring to life with each turn of the page. With Agatha Christie it is the mystery, the who-dun-it, the quirky Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, the headstrong Tommy and Tuppence (my favorites). With Bloody Jack, the innocence, adventure, ingenuity, humor, and adventure (yes, I said adventure twice, because there’s that much adventure). And Tera Lynn Childs—Magic. Humor. Wonder. Fun.

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And just within the last month or so… Jon Hassler. I’ve been devouring his books. I can’t get enough of them. Two, in particular, I’ve already read FOUR TIMES. (Did I mention that I only discovered his books a month ago?) To be truthful, I haven’t read Mastiff yet, or the newest Bloody Jack: The Mark of the Golden Dragon: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Jewel of the East, Vexation of the West, and Pearl of the South China Sea, because I can’t tear myself away from Jon Hassler’s little world up in Northern Minnesota.

And I’m still trying to put my finger on it. I mean, obviously, I enjoy the writing and think they’re wonderful stories. But there’s more. A pull. I cannot get enough of these books, these characters, this world, these stories within stories.

As a native Midwesterner, I feel a tug to the familiar landscapes, weather, and even the names that ring of home. Even the characters remind me of people I grew up around. So, perhaps I feel a little bit of homesickness.

But there’s also travel and adventure—To Ireland (A Green Journey) where I’ve been and feel like I’m there again as I’m reading. To Italy (Dear James), where I have yet to go, but dream of seeing—and even more so through the eyes of this author.

There is romance. Epic. Sweeping. Romance.

Lonliness. And sadness. Devastating. Heartwrenching. Sadness.

Sickness. Illness. Old age.—Might there be nothing scarier than reading about old people both on the brink of life and the cusp of death???

Everyday normality. Murder. Wrongs done. Good people. Bad. Well-meaning.

And hope. Faith. Religion.

As a rule, I generally keep my religion and spirituality very personal, and take it in my books with a grain of salt. I generally steer away from faith in books, finding it false, or preachy. The stories are so full of faith and religion, religious people—but do not come off preachy. Instead thoughtful. Insightful? So why do these books, these people, these stories, make me feel so powerfully close to something I am wary to name out loud????

I find myself going back to these characters day and night. I never skip ahead. I never read books out of order (if I can help it).

But here I couldn’t stop myself.—A Green Journey, Hassler’s fourth book was made into a movie, which is how I found the books. I debated, but in the end decided to see if I liked the book as much as the movie, before getting the rest of his books. I usually get books one at a time, as I’m reading them. But I had to get all of his at once—I couldn’t imagine getting to the end of one and not having the next book to start.

And while I couldn’t allow myself to read ahead—I couldn’t help myself from reading the books out of order—knowing what happens to my favorite characters (Agatha and James), before going back to the beginning to meet all the other characters.

Indeed, they are companion books more than a series, and so I didn’t jumble things up too much by reading them out of order.

But just as strong as my compulsion to read Hassler’s books, is my compulsion to SHARE them—To see if others see what I see. Feel what I feel.

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Just For Fins Cover Reveal

2011-11-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I know that some of you live in places where it is November, Fall, or even possibly Winter. Summer might be looking like a long way off. But, I wouldn’t go planting too many snowmen this year, because I’ve already seen the first glimpse of Summer!!!!

Yes, that’s right—Tera LynnChilds IS giving us another SEAquel to get über-FINtastically FINtasmically excited about!!!!!!

Just For Fins, the third book in Tera Lynn Childs’ in magical mermaid exploits of Lily, Quince, and (that trouble-making cousin of hers) Dosinia are scheduled to be released July 3, 2012.

But you and I can *DROOL* over the cover right now!!!

Gorgeous, right!?!?!??!!? I’m all about the shiny. The sparkly. The COLORS. The eyes, the lips, the eyebrows. The PURPLE lettering. I LOVE how everything *POPS*. Honestly, I have to stop and stare at it every few seconds. *SPARKLY*

When Lily Sanderson decided to remain Crown Princess Waterlily of the mermaid kingdom Thalassinia, she knew she couldn't just coast along in the current. But since she's spent the last couple years on land-with gorgeous human Quince by her side-Lily's not sure she has the fins to lead a kingdom. Even her maddeningly pretentious cousin, Dosinia, seems to know more about ruling than she does.

But Lily has to dive in deep to keep her promise to Tellin, her mer-bond in name only, whose kingdom is suffering in the changing ocean climate. From sea animals dying to oil spills and threats to humans, Lily knows this is a seven seas-sized problem. They'll need to make some serious waves to make the mer community aware and joined together to make things right. Even if that mean facing one of the iciest queens in the mer-kingdoms.

p.s. fun fact [update]: they used the same cover model for Forgive My Fins.

Well, I know what I’m doing this summer—how about you? ;)

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NaNoWriMo Day 4

2011-11-04T05:07:00.000-07:00

I’m writing this post, not because I’m procrastinating (maybe a little bit), but because I just had a thought…

I seem to find all my best ideas when I’m not looking for them. Or when I am as far from a pen and paper (let alone my computer), as possible—falling asleep (especially this one), waking up from dreams (before falling back asleep), driving in the car, showers…Basically whenever I’m the most relaxed…and writing is the most inconvenient.

And then, at the most convenient times, I find myself staring at the screen and feeling so distracted—Instead of thinking about writing, my mind is off in a hundred other places doing a checklist for the car and groceries, wondering if there’s a correlation between writing and exercising and if I exercise more, will that improve my writing??? Even other non-NaNo writing projects seem more urgent.

So…50k aside, I think part of the purpose of NaNoWriMo is to TRAIN YOURSELF TO WRITE when you *ARE* distracted and uninspired.

And then again, good or bad, 50k IS THE POINT—good OR bad—but WORDS. They don’t have to be cohesive or interesting. This is the one thing that is all about quantity not quality. Because if you can spend a month writing 50k of the worst thing you can imagine, the most UNinspired, blah, boring, piece of work…

IMAGINE what you will be able to write when you are INSPIRED.

And remember WriMos (as said by someone very smart)—“Research isn’t writing. WRITING is writing.”

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NaNoWriMo Day 3

2011-11-03T05:33:00.000-07:00

Is it just me… or the harder and harder I try to work, do I inevitably find newer and more interesting ways to waste time?

Things that seemed useful, but were actually unconscious (or consciously suppressed) methods of procrastinating:

(besides this post)

—making sure to get lots (and lots of sleep)…how much sleep do successful authors get, anyhow (makes note to email successful authors about sleep habits)

—deciding whether to use the word “anyhow” instead of “anyway,” and going with “anyhow” because it is underused and sounds more fun

—editing/updating blog layout/sidebars

—updating NaNoWriMo profile

—deciding whether eating breakfast is *really* necessary or just another diversion

—cleaning out my inbox (dirty dirty inbox)

—organizing my documents and folders in Word

and

Not even pretending these aren’t total timesucks:

—trying out gmail’s “new look” and then deciding I need to spend as much time as possible with the “old look,” before it is forever ripped away from me

—then posting about my dislike of gmail’s “new look” on facebook and google+ (reminder: need to tweet about dislike of gmail’s “new look”)

— Slaughterhouse 90210 (It's like Failbook or Awkward Family Photos for literate people)

— google images "time suck"

NOT a timewaster: WRITING

Why? Because nothing else is WRITING, ONLY WRITING IS WRITING.

Oooooh—SHINY!

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NaNoWriMo Day 2

2011-11-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

So, Day 2 of NaNoWriMo.

This is a quickie; I thought I’d share a very (eh hmmm) timely post that I just found from Abundance Blog: 20 Ways to Make Time to Write.

50,000 words might still seem daunting, or might still seem a long way off. So this for anyone who’s still worried about finding the time to write 1,667 words a day, or just wants to find more time in general (‘cause who doesn’t?).

Sometimes it’s just about making little adjustments in your routine.

Happy NaNoWriMo and best of luck!

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NaNoWriMo 2011

2011-11-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

Happy NaNoWriMo Everybody!!!!

For those not in the know, NaNoWriMo stands for NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth, which goes all the way from the beginning of November (TODAY) to the end—A month-long excursion to find out if you’ve got some writing in you!

This is a chance to try something new, to have fun, to experiment—All starting by just putting a few words a day to a page.

Here’s the math:

50,000 words=1 month—daunted? Don’t be, because you have ALL MONTH, you don’t have to write it all in one day.

50,000 divided by 30=1666.6666666666666666666666666666666666 (or approximately 1667 words a day)

Now there, doesn’t that sound a little more reasonable? For many of you bloggers, you’ll notice that your regular posts are often as long, or longer—See, totally doable!

Last year, I tried NaNoWriMo asan experiment, and here’s the biggest thing I learned:

Don’t worry; don’t stress; don’t obsess. Just WRITE.

Last year everything was new to me; I looked around and saw other people discussing which writing programs they were using and I wondered what writing program I should use. I thought of an idea, then spent hours researching, before I would let myself write. I got caught up in all the little things.

But NaNoWriMo isn’t about the little things. It doesn’t matter if you use paper and pen, a typewriter, a computer, or your good old-fashioned IPad. You can worry about formatting IN DECEMBER; for November, JUST WRITE.

I read an article recently, and I wish I could remember where it was, but the author totally blew my mind and put things in perspective when he said,

“Research isn’t writing. WRITING is writing.”

Someone else really smart (I think it was Meg Cabot?), said, (yes, it was Meg I was thinking of, but I'm kind of paraphrasing from her FAQ page.)(and by kind of, I mean, I am)

“The difference between writers and people who want to write, is that WRITERS WRITE.”

And that’s what NaNoWriMo is about. You can do all the research you want. IN DECEMBER.

And as another unknown smart person (because I’m totally blanking, here), once said,

“You can’t edit a blank page.”

For one month, just for November, JUST WRITE. Just put words on a page. Come December, you can format ‘til the cows come home and research to your heart’s content.

The point of NaNoWriMo is to give everyone who ever wanted to do something, the chance to prove to yourself that (in the voice of Rob Schneider from TheWaterboy,)

YOU CAN DO IT!

November is all about GETTING IT DONE.

Best of luck to everyone!!!!

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Gimme a Kiss

2011-10-30T10:26:00.000-07:00

I’ve always been a huge Christopher Pike fan…since forever…or at since least middle school/high school (so close to forever). I read all of his books, most of them twice. Love, LOVE, LOVED him.

So, in getting into the Halloween spirit this year, I was ecstatic to stumble upon an old paperback Christopher Pike, Gimme a Kiss.

In the scheme of things, forever is a fairly long time, and reading this book again after so much time was a little like reading it for the first time. There were bits and pieces, and lines here and there, that had been enmeshed into my tome-of-Christoper-Pike memories. But for the most part, Gimme a Kiss was a surprising blank of who did what, why, and how it happened, and I found myself reading along anxiously.

For most people, high school isn’t ever quite the same as we imagine it. It certainly isn’t for Jane Retton…which is why she fakes her diary. Instead of writing about her so-so blah everyday life, Jane writes about the kind of things that she wishes happened. And it’s no big deal, because no one’s going to read her diary. At least, no one is supposed to… In a mad rush, Jane accidently brings her diary to school with her. And out of spite, someone shares Jane’s diary with the entire school—In particular, the last entry. And everyone believes it’s true. After all, it’s Jane’s diary, Jane’s handwriting. And even though hardly any of it IS true, Jane’s boyfriend certainly isn’t denying it.

Jane is MORTified. And I absolutely LOVE the cover blurb:

Some girls would simply die.

Other girls would kill.

But Jane Retton…she would do both.

Juicy, right?

Jane plots an intense revenge scheme, unaware that someone is willing to go even farther than she is… and is planning to help make Jane’s plans into a reality.

****************************************

And while I was leaning toward who-dun-it, I absolutely couldn’t remember who it was, why, or how. Needless to say it was a perfect reread and kept me on edge the whole way.

So why did I remember some parts, tiny little details, like the cop (Lieutenant Fisher), who, in trying to ingratiate himself with a suspect/witness, lies about having an ex-girlfriend who’s father was a dentist? Seriously, that little tidbit of randomness has been stuck in my brain for I don’t know how long, while the major parts evaded me.

Then there were a few parts that I’m glad to have forgotten… I have to admit, some of the language comes off a little dated. Normally, I’d read right past that. Here’s the little scene that gave me pause:

In the beginning of the book, Lt. Fisher is questioning Jane’s friend Patty about recent events, when Patty’s father ‘looks doubtful,’ and asks Lt. Fisher if he isn’t “sort of young” to be a policeman.—A question that Lt. Fisher is all too accustomed to hearing, even at the age of 33, after having “been a police officer for a dozen years.”

Now, fast-forward to later in the book, where Fisher’s training as a MEDIC in VIETNAM, come in handy.

Yes, the 33 year-old police Lt. was also a medic in Vietnam. After reading that part, I had to reread it. Then I went back to the beginning to verify his age. Then I went to the cover page to look for the publication date. 1988. Subtract a dozen years on the police force=1976. *shakes head*

That little teensy piece of math, which I’m sure I had no problem skimming over the first time I read Gimme a Kiss, totally took me out of the story for a few seconds.

And aside from my little math equation, I could go either way on her diary entry; I don’t think it’s near as scandalous as it might have twenty years ago-ish. But then again…having something so personal read BY. THE. ENTIRE. SCHOOL.???? Um, yeah, that could maybe set someone on the edge.

But even slightly dated, Gimme a Kiss was still the fast-paced, riveting Christopher Pike I remember being glued to way back in the ‘90s. It’s a pretty quick read, perfect for imbibing your nostalgia, or just for a fun, gripping, twisty-turny edge-of-your-seat read.

(\__/)p.s. in a weird coincidence, I currently find myself living very near the very real setting of the fictional story. very random. very Halloweenie.

p.p.s. also goes toward my Read Me Baby, 1 More Time challenge. woot woot.

10:28

2011-10-28T10:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Queeb!!!!

Forget 5 O’clock—It’s 10:28 somewhere. And somewhere in a small Midwestern town off the shores of Lake Superior, students are sleeping in, skipping classes, and getting ready to party tonight. There will be a combination of people bundled and layered excessively against the late fall chill, hippies, outdoor adventurers, and outrageous costume-goers. There will be tents and mud, fires and drinks to huddle around for warmth, and there will be music.

Alarms all around are being set for 10:28 and there is a feeling of Halloween, April Fool’s Day, and snow days wrapped all in one.

Or at least that’s how I picture it, and how I remember it, from when I was there.

I don’t actually know the real story, but there are lots of stories, and I’ve always treasured the one I do know.

Queeb.

It starts out with a couple of college guys. Freshmen. And somewhere, somehow, these freshmen stumble upon a dummy…in one of the storage rooms, I believe. There was lots of plotting and planning involved. And drinking. And the next year, enrolled among the incoming freshman was a dummy named Floyd E. Queeb.—Afterall, what better way to smarten him up?

Alas, Floyd proved not to be a very good student. He didn’t attend any of his classes. He didn’t pay any of his bills. He didn’t respond to letters in his mailbox, or all his phone calls went unanswered.

However, thanks to Floyd, his roommate did land a single…And the administration didn’t uncover the truth until 10/28 that the joke was on them. And every year since, the students and alumni (and even teachers) of this small, out of the way school in the North Woods, have celebrated 10:28 and 10/28 in honor of Floyd E. Queeb.

Like I said, this story is probably not true. I have heard other stories involving dummies…so I think there might have been an actual dummy. It was general knowledge that those enterprising young freshman turned into well-loved professors, who were notoriously hush hush about the real origins.

I’ve actually come to think of part of the fun of Queeb is not knowing the truth, but to think of all the possibilities of what might have happened… Are we celebrating the ineptitude of our administrators? The ingenuity of students? Or maybe it just made for an outstanding excuse to throw a great party? …you know, because we were too impatient to wait for Halloween. ;)

So here’s to celebrating the unknown and the mysterious, for being silly and cold, and having fun because it’s there to be had.

Happy Queeb!!!!

(\__/)

A Whisper to a Scream

2011-10-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

A Whisper to a Scream

Ellory Graham detested high school. She relished the fact that she was a rebel. A wild, carefree, type of girl. She basked in the glory of being the type of girl who stood up to authority. Unfortunately for her, her upfront, honest and bitchy nature always managed to land her in some kind of trouble.

Adam Jacobs was everything Ellory was not. Not only was he beautiful, but he was smart, artistic, and sweet. To almost every girl he seemed like the total package- that all around perfect guy. But in a town were nothing particularly interesting happens, and gossip seems like the only fun thing to do, sometimes those perfections become flaws. And it doesn’t take long for Ellory to find out, even Adam has secrets.

But Adam’s secrets, are the kind of secrets people die for...

Sometimes love....can be deadly.

I have to say Lauren Hammond’s A Whisper to a Scream was a really fresh and original read for me—not to mention creepy to the core!

Right from the beginning Hammond sets an intense, dark, gripping mood, which carries through all the way to the last page. And I was on the edge at every twist and turn.

A Whisper to a Scream alternates between the voices of Ellory and Adam.

I think Ellory was the biggest shock for me. I usually identify with the “good girls” who are trying to do everything right. And even when they do something wrong, it’s for the right reasons, or they think it’s right at the time. But Ellory isn’t trying to be good, isn’t trying to make life easier for her mother or her teachers. Ellory hasn’t been corrupted by peer pressure or bad boys. Ellory IS the bad influence—She sneaks out at night. She sneaks out during the day. She gets drunk at parties and makes out with other girls’ boyfriends. Well, ok, if she’d been sober she probably would have just made out with single guys…

And then there’s the new guy in town, Adam. He’s smart, athletic, perfect, and dangerous. He’s a good boy, every mother’s dream… Except, you know, he’s a got this thing about blood. But Adam ISN’T a vampire. He’s worse. He’s REAL. There isn’t any afterlife if you’re in love with Adam… just blood.

I got visions of Twilight and Thomas Harris’s Red Dragon while I was reading A Whisper to a Scream—It’s dark, without the sparklies.

I finally understood what all the naysayers have been saying about Twilight. All the things about Twilight, about Bella’s and Edward’s epic and doomed love that I thought were romantic and sweet and passionate…suddenly became scary and dangerous and creepy and unsafe and NOT healthy, not to mention VERY deadly. And VERY serious.

Oddly, in almost a Frankenstein kind of way, I sympathized with Adam more than Ellory. Adam couldn’t help the way he was born, Adam can’t help being a monster. But that doesn’t mean he WANTS to be a monster.

And what do you do when you’re being pursued by a monster?

A Whisper to a Scream is twisty and turny, and by the time you get to the end you won’t know which way to go…just that you’ll want more.

Scariness factor=Nail-biter

(\__/)p.s. check out my super awesome interview with Lauren Hammond for some juicy insights into A Whisper to a Scream!
p.p.s. received E-ARC from author in exchange for fair/unbiased review. 'cause that's how I roll.

A Whisper to a Scream: Interview with Lauren Hammond

2011-10-26T01:41:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody!!!! I’m super excited today, because stopping by on her whirlwind blog-tour for A Whisper to a Scream is author Lauren Hammond.

If you haven’t read A Whisper to a Scream—I totally recommend it as a perfect read for getting in the Halloween mood!!!—Lauren is an author who always knows how to give me the creeps (in a good way!)!!! ;)

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nymfaux: First off—Hi Lauren!—I want to welcome you and thank you for stopping by!

—My head is still all a-swirl with thoughts after reading A Whisper to a Scream. You set a pretty intense mood from the beginning of the story—Is it difficult to keep that mindset, to go back and forth all the time—writing in such a dark place, then go make supper or lunch, and coming back to your writing?

Lauren Hammond: LOL. Well, most of my writing is done really late at night and a lot of it is hand-written on a notebook before I type it out. It's much easier for me that way. I have no distractions. It's quiet and it really allows me to put myself in that character's head. Not that I'm anything like Adam, but I considered him a challenge to create and I enjoy a challenge when it comes to writing. He's very dark and personally, I am not—at all.

nymfaux: On the same note, does your writing ever give you nightmares or keep you up at night?

Lauren Hammond: No. Sometimes I wish they did, though. Nightmares make pretty awesome ideas for books.

nymfaux: A Whisper to a Scream really evoked a lot of images for me while I was reading it; did you have any particular inspirations for the story or characters (hopefully not real-life!)?

Lauren Hammond: The only inspiration I had as far as real life images is the town the story takes place in. I modeled it after the town I grew up in. It's small, quaint, and there are a lot of farms. Nothing ever happened there either. My parents never locked our front door, EVER. And I could play outside at night without my parents ever worrying. I also put a little bit of myself in Ellory. I was pretty rebellious as a teen and I can remember sneaking out my best friend's bedroom window, running through a field full of soybeans, to her boyfriend's car while he waited for us on the street. Lastly, the scene where Ellory talks about her grandfather jumping from the car. That's true. That was my grandpa. He hopped out of a moving vehicle after seeing my grandma walking down the street.

nymfaux: A Whisper to a Scream alternates between Ellory’s and Adam’s points of view. Did you always see the story from both sides? Were there any difficulties switching between characters? Ever start a scene from one character’s perspective and then decide it was better from the other side?

Lauren Hammond: Oh man. This book has seen so many different stages. The original version was written without Adam's POV, actually. The original was completely from Ellory's POV. And it didn't work that way. I kept reading through it and felt something was missing and everyone else who read it always wound up hating Adam. So I knew I had to add him in. He is a very bad boy, lol, but there is also a good side to him and I wanted the readers to be able to see that. If his POV wasn't there, how would the readers be able to like him or sympathize with him at all? I don't think they would be able to. He's already a very dark character and it’s hard to like someone like that without seeing or reading about what's going on in their head. Also, the book began with Ellory's POV too. Then I switched it. I thought the opening would have a much bigger impact if I started it with Adam's POV. And apparently, according to most of the readers, it does.

nymfaux: I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I have to admit I have some love/hate feelings about Ellory and Adam’s relationship, and as a reader it was a rare experience for me that I wasn’t sure how I wanted the story to end. As the author, did you have the ending in mind when you began writing, or was it as much a surprise to you as to me?

Lauren Hammond: Ohhh no. The ending was just as much of a surprise for me as it was for you. Since I began writing it, the ending had changed three times.

nymfaux: Did you have any favorite scenes while you were writing?

Lauren Hammond: Soooo many. My favorite wasn't one scene in particular, but it was a lot of the interactions between Ellory and Adam. In a way, they're both walking around numb. Ellory chooses to live closed off, bitter after watching her parents split and she tells herself that she doesn't want to feel if it's going to cause her so much pain. Adam is numb because he can't help it. He was born that way. And what makes them so interesting is because Ellory puts up a wall on purpose and Adam is desperate to be able to feel anything at all. There's a push and pull between them and that's something I enjoyed creating. Love without conflict, craziness, and a little bit of tension to me is boring.

nymfaux: You’re a very prolific writer (12 books in one year!?!?!!?!?!!)—Obviously you’re very dedicated, can you talk about your process?—How long does a single project take you? Do you work on a one project at a time, or alternate? Do you keep a strict writing schedule 9-5, or just squeeze writing in wherever you can?

Lauren Hammond: Wait for 2012, lol! Well, for the most part I struggled with a few of the books because I had yet to find my true voice. Now that's I've found it, I'm pretty sure there's no looking back. I answered a previous question where I talk about writing in notebooks. That’s how it pretty much works. I write at night in my bedroom right before bed. And it takes me about 4 days to complete a rough draft that way. Then when I transfer it to the computer, it takes me about another two or three days, so I'd say in total it takes me about a week to write a novel.

I do write one entire book at a time. But I'm not going to say that I don't get other ideas while I'm writing the novel I'm currently working on lol. And I will begin writing those while I word on the current project b ecause I don't want to lose anything I've just thought up. I'd say for the next year there are going to be at least 15 books I'm going to release including most of the sequels for books I already have out.

I think what's most important is that I don't rush through my writing process on purpose. If I need time away from a book I'm working on, I take it and come back with a pair of fresh eyes. Honestly though, most of the time when I get an idea, I just write and write when inspirations hits... The characters stick in my head and won't shut up until I finish their story.

I swear I'm not crazy, LOL.

nymfaux: Do you think there might be any sequels in store for Ellory and Adam?

Lauren Hammond: There is :) . This is actually a trilogy. The second book is Yelling Out Loud and the third is A Cry in the Dark.

nymfaux: Anything else you want to share while you're here??? ;)

Lauren Hammond:

I have a novella out, too. He Loves Me...He Loves You Not... It's steamy and devious & if you like to walk on the dark side, check out A Whisper To A Scream. I promise, it's to die for...

Happy Halloween!

Sometimes love....can be deadly.

A Whisper to a Scream

nymfaux: Thanks again for all your time!—It’s always great to have you visit, and I’m so excited about all of your upcoming releases!!!!

A Whisper to a Scream is available at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords

For more information about Lauren Hammond and her books check her out here:

Website: www.sbaddisonbooks.com

Blog: www.laurenhammondnovelist.blogspot.com

And follow her on Twitter: @NovelistLauren

(\__/)

A Green Journey

2011-10-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

*sigh* Isn’t it wonderful when a book absolutely meets and surpasses expectations???

Often as not, I have discovered some of my favorite books and authors through movies. And in the case of Jon Hassler’s A Green Journey, I have Netflix and Angela Lansbury to thank…

It started with an itch. Out of the blue, I started craving some Murder She Wrote. I can’t think of what made me think of it in the first place, but there you go. So I queued it up and started watching. And kept watching… (*so addictive*) Well, when Netflix saw me watching Murder She Wrote, it started offering some recommendations of similar titles that I might enjoy. Mixed in with EVERY. PERRY. MASON. SPECIAL. EVER. was a little Angela Lansbury movie I’d never heard of, A Green Journey.

Netflix promised:

“Weary Catholic schoolteacher Agatha McGee leaves Minnesota for the Emerald Isle to find a longtime pen pal who might just be the man of her dreams.”

I passed it by half-a-dozen times before my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to give it a chance. As much as I’ve been addicted to Murder She Wrote, I really wasn’t expecting much from A Green Journey—But I was in a Hallmark/Lifetime-movie-of-the-week kind of mood, so it was well-suited.

Even during the first few frames, with Miss McGee writing on the blackboard, I was still having my doubts. However, my curiosity was heightened when the title changed. I’ve seen film trailers that have different working titles before the final version hits the theater. But here, one second Netflix was telling me the movie was called A Green Journey, and then the next second the title The Love She Sought was flashing across the screen. I was about to double-check that I’d clicked the right movie when I saw “based on the novel A Green Journey by Jon Hassler.”

I was torn, because honestly, The Love She Sought gave the movie more of a desperate-creepy-sad vibe, the kind of title I would usually mock. Right before skimming over it. But in that split-second decision, it was the trippy-weirdness that kept me from returning to the main menu. And not more than a few moments later, I found myself completely drawn into story.

…And having LOVED every minute of it, I re-watched it again and again, while waiting for my copy of Jon Hassler’s book to make its way to my mailbox. Having made its way to said mailbox, I was just a little bit hesitant, hoping that the book would be everything that the movie promised, and afraid that it wouldn’t be. That Jon Hassler’s written characters might not be as vivid and moving as Angela Lansbury’s staunch and vulnerable Agatha McGee; as Denholm Elliot’s Irish brogue (*sigh*) or his wry and all-to-human James O’Hannon (*sigh*); or even Robert Prosky’s devilish and charming Bishop “Dick” Baker.

Insert extremely satisfied *sigh*

The movie is, in fact, a very faithful adaptation of Jon Hassler’s book. But as wonderful and heartwarming as I found the movie, the book is that much richer, layered with romance, faith, and endearing characters that made me fall in love with them as much as they did for each other.

*******************************

Agatha McGee is a brash and unapologetic no-nonsense spinster. She’s spent her entire life devoted to her Catholic faith and 46 years teaching her sixth grade students. To the small town of Staggerford, MN, Miss McGee is as much an institution as St. Isadore’s, where she teaches, and even the Church, itself. Everyone seems to have put Agatha in a neat little box, expecting her to retire and take up knitting and bingo.

A new bishop is threatening to close St. Isadore’s school, bringing unsettling Church reforms into her world, just as Agatha is on the brink of retirement. All her life, Agatha has had her faith in the Catholic Church to keep her company, had its rituals and traditions to guide her. Can her life be coming apart at the seams, just as it seems to have passed her by?

But Agatha has never been one to fade into the background, and while she may be retiring, she’s not planning to go quietly. Agatha McGee has a secret. One that no one would ever suspect.

Agatha McGee is in love.

For five years Agatha McGee has had a pen-pal. James O’Hannon is a fellow teacher living in Ireland, a bachelor and a kindred spirit, a man as devout in his own faith as Agatha is in hers. It was their mutual dislike of the new Church reforms that drew them together into correspondence. But it was a shared longing, a shared void of companionship that they began to fill in each other. And when Agatha’s retirement gift turns out to be a trip to Ireland, Agatha is ready to abandon a lonely empty future in Minnesota for a future of hope and love in Ireland. When they finally meet, James and Agatha have the both the shyness and intimacy of an old married couple on their first date.

But James has a secret, too. Where the Church and Bishop “Dick” Baker and old age could not break Agatha, James O’Hannon leaves her devastated.

Oddly enough, it is Agatha’s nemesis, the bishop, who comes to her rescue—in more ways than one (NO—NOT THAT WAY)—The bishop mends fences between Agatha and James, becoming a dear friend to them both.

*******************************

Even after having watched the movie, I couldn’t put the book down. Jon Hassler’s writing is witty, thoughtful, insightful, and beyond it all, captivating. A Green Journey is a story as much about people’s faith as it was about romance, but it never comes off preachy. Instead, the deeper I delved into the story, the more I found myself reflecting on my own beliefs, choices I’ve made, and the turns my own life has taken. But I have to admit, I was absolutely swept away by the romance of it. *sigh* James O’Hannon *sigh*

It’s a story that more than stands on its own. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been ecstatic to discover that Hassler’s characters and the world of Staggerford, Minnesota carry over into a dozen more books. Which means its back to waiting by the mailbox, for me! ;)

(\__/) and p.s. I've been so IN LOVE with this book that I've already reread it...and am rereading it again...right now... *sigh* Agatha and James *sigh* which means I'm counting it toward my Read Me Baby, 1 More Time challenge.

Ramblings of an Obsessed Book Stalker

2011-10-18T02:12:00.000-07:00

[UPDATE: It came! It came! It CAME! IT CAME! IT CAME! It CAME! IT CAME! It's HERE!]

I am a book-stalker. Ok, no big surprise there. That’s kind of my normal state. But right now, I am an obsessed-book-stalker.

[read my ramblings at your own risk]

I have books that I’ve been planning to read. And books that I’ve been meaning to read. And reviews that I’ve been meaning to write. And a bed I’ve been meaning to sleep in…

But I just absolutely completely unconditionally obsessively fell in love with the last book I read and I cannot get it out of my head. Back in September, ready to get my spooky on, I was lining up all scariest stories from my shelves and queuing up Netflix with all those movies I’ve always been too chicken to watch, and here it is, almost Halloween, and I’ve gone and fallen in love with a romance. I blame Angela Lansbury.

Because what better time to watch and rekindle an old affection for Murder She Wrote?

And when Netflix saw that I was watching Murder, She Wrote, (along with EVERY PERRY MASON SPECIAL EVER) it recommended a made-for-tv movie, A Green Journey (which also stars the amazing Angela Lansbury). And honestly, I passed this movie by a dozen times before my curiosity gave in and forced me to watch it…If only to quench that little voice that told me it could always be worth mocking if it weren’t any good.

I think I expected it to be cheesy or over-the-top, or even preachy… And possibly a small part of me thought it might even be decent.

Oh, but then it was touching and moving, and smart and romantic, and thoughtful and insightful, and heartbreaking and soul-wrenching. So I watched it again.

And then I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So I watched it again.

And I don’t remember when, but I noticed that it was based on a book.

And even though I thought the book might be cheesy, or over-the-top, or preachy; basically everything I had feared the movie might be, I still had to hunt down that book and read it for myself.

Well, I definitely had to hunt for it. Because the online library didn’t have it, nor the local library, nor did the bookstore have a digital version available for download to my ereader. And before I pay full-price for anything, I always check the bargain sites. And when I saw a copy, I snapped it up immediately!—Immediately, except for 3 to 14 days wait for shipping.

Meanwhile I was absolutely salivating over this book. I even made my sister watch it (though I’m not positive it held the same mesmerizing effect on her).

Finally (the day before my birthday) it arrived. I was hesitant and trepidatious, worrying that the book might be everything I had feared the movie might be, and hoping that it might be everything that it was.

It was better. Better than better. I was completely smitten and in love.

And to my surprise, when I turned the last page, it was one of those books that has an order form for other books. And to my delight, one of those, Dear James, books sounded very much like a sequel.

Well, I couldn’t go to sleep not knowing if there was a sequel out there waiting for me. In an instant, I was up and at the computer. Checking the online library and the online bookstore, followed by the local library…No digital or local copies available, so back to my discount book site.

But where the first book arrived on the third day, now it’s been about six days. I check the mailbox twice a day. I’ve skimmed the book. Re-watched the movie. Reread the book. Skimmed it again. Re-checked the mailbox. Rechecked the digital library, the online bookstore, and the local bookstore for copies, in case they’ve suddenly decided to place an order for an almost 20-year-old book within the last week.

They haven’t.

Granted, I’m usually not a patient person when it comes to books. But I can’t stop thinking about what happened to Agatha and James and what happens next. I’ve resorted to rereading the cover blurb in the middle of the night, trying to compare the descriptions on goodreads vs. BN. And have I ever been so ecstatic as when I scrolled down and found an excerpt of the first chapter????

I want to say that I don’t know what it is about this book that is driving me crazy, but honestly, it’s a hundred things and the way this book just unassumingly sucked me in and tugged on my heartstrings.

I could go on forever about it being raw and tender, smart and witty, with lines that I’ve already reread a dozen times just because they felt so good and said it so right.

And I keep looking at the books on my shelves that are waiting for me, but I can’t stop thinking about the one I’m waiting for.

But when my mind is obsessed elsewhere, how can I give any of those other amazing books the attention they deserve (because they ARE amazing and DO deserve my full attention!)???

*sigh* I shall stop my rambling here, because here seems as good a spot as any. Maybe I’ll give that “sleep” thing a try, again. *shakes fist* Curse you Angela Lansbury and Netflix, why must you afflict me so?!!??!

(\__/)

Carrie

2011-10-13T05:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I’m guessing you all know the story about the girl who’s prom totally sucked, um, what’s her name?—Oh, yeah. CARRIE.

…which incidentally rhymes with scary. Coincidence? Or random? Not sure, but that Stephen King sure is a crafty guy!

I’m honestly not sure if there’s anything I can say about Stephen King, or about Carrie that hasn’t already been said by a billion other readers…not that I’ll let that stop me.

*pause to fully capture thoughts*

So, I am totally feeling the Halloween vibe, and I figured, what better way to get into the Halloween spirit, than by picking up something by Stephen King, who’s famous for chilling, thrilling, gruesome, and scare-your-pants-off, terrifying stories??? So Stephen King, it is. Now, I have read Stephen King books before—among my favorites Misery, Green Mile: The Complete Serial Novel, and The Shawshank Redemption. However, I had never read Carrie, the one that started it all, nor seen the movie. I know, #bookbloggerfail. But now seemed like the perfect time to correct that little slight.

I remember years ago, sitting on the plaid, sofa-bed couch in our den, feet tucked under me, ready to open Carrie and see what that Stephen King guy was so popular for. I opened the book (of course)(which does tend to be the easiest way to read a book—So much harder to read when they’re closed…) I turned a couple of pages… But I just didn’t get into it, and I ended up setting it aside.

Now, umpteen years later, I thought, why not give it another go? Carrie was the first book I’d tried to read by Stephen King, but maybe now that I’ve read and enjoyed some of his other books, it would do for a second glance. Of course, the copy I’d set aside so long ago, is on a bookshelf somewhere back in WI…and since I don’t have any immediate plans for visiting, or anyone visiting me, I thought the quicker route would be to download a library copy for my nook. And yes, that did turn out to be a much more expedient alternative!

Also, I did a quick tv search and dvr’d me some Carrie. If I was going to read the book, may as well watch the movie with it… And I figured if I could make it through the movie, that would be a plus in favor of the book. Movie, better than I expected, settled it; I was going to read the book. But since I’m totally a chicken and a procrastinator, and afraid it might be too scary to read in bed, especially after watching the movie…so I just went to bed. And then, before I started reading it, I really ought to check my emails… But there was no more procrastinating when the power went out mid-email. City-wide power-outage and book about scary telekinetic girl bent on wreaking revenge—Yeah, I can take a hint.

fyi: not sure if ereaders are the ideal medium for reading books about characters with telekinetic abilities to smite you. Just sayin’.

***********************************

Maybe I shouldn’t have waited so long to read Carrie…but maybe the waiting is what made it so good.

Even after having watched the movie, the book still wasn’t what I expected—And of course, it was better (as books usually are). While the movie kept very true to the book, it told the story in a much more straightforward manner. The book, itself, seemed to piece Carrie’s story together through articles, books, and eye witness accounts of how the events unfolded, mixed seamlessly with narration from the character’s points of view as they were happening.

And here’s something other bloggers will understand: After I began blogging, I noticed that this bloggie-narator-voice started appearing in my head whenever I started reading anything, reminding me of little tid-bits and such that I should remember to add to my post. But an odd thing happened while I opened Carrie, apparently my inner narrator was as entranced as I was, as we silently made our way through page after page, completely enrapt.

Verdict: Definitely worth the wait. Carrie has totally inspired to catch up on the many other King books I’ve neglected.

p.s. Don’t be knocking telekinesis. That little black-out didn’t end until I was bearing down on the final pages. Coincidence? Or extremely determined tbr list?

(\__/)

Carrie (the movie)

2011-10-06T05:45:00.000-07:00

To get into the Halloween spirit, all October long, I’m watching, reading, and blogging about as many scary movies and books as I can dare (or bare) to read and watch.

Carrie=hands down, WORST. PROM. EVER.

*gasp* I hadn’t seen the movie before, or read the book by Steven King, but I *thought* I knew what to expect: Prom. Pig’s blood. Craziness.

Yeah, but I had NO IDEA how much craziness lay in store!

For those, like me, who haven’t read the book, or watched the movie, here’s basically everything I knew before having watched the movie or read the book:

Sissy Spacek plays Carrie White, a shy high-schooler, socially awkward, and almost backward. Carrie’s been raised by a single mother, in a very strict religious upbringing. And Carrie’s mother has neglected to teach Carrie about the changes of growing up. So when Carrie suddenly sees blood, she’s terrified that she’s dying—Carrie runs to her classmates for help. But instead, they laugh at her. They throw things at her. They taunt her. And they don’t stop, until a teacher sees and finally puts an end to it. Oh, and a light bulb explodes.

The teacher explains things to Carrie, and calms her down. But of course that isn’t the end of it…it’s just the beginning.

Carrie’s teacher, Miss Collins, is torn between being as appalled as Carrie’s classmates at her obliviousness to the facts of life, and being horrified by how Carrie’s classmates attacked her. Maybe if Miss Collins had let it go, things would have blown over. Maybe the pot was just about to boil over anyway. But of course Miss Collins can’t just leave it alone, can’t allow students to get away with such vicious bullying. So the teacher gives the girls an ultimatum—a week’s worth of detention, or no prom. Suddenly revenge plots are being hatched.

Meanwhile, if Carrie expected any comfort at home, her mother is quick to rectify that notion. Carrie=seriously traumatized. Oh, and Carrie breaks a mirror. With. Her. MIND.

Of course Carrie is suddenly suspicious when she gets asked to the prom, but with a persistent suitor, and the encouragement of a patient teacher, Carrie decides to accept.

Prom doesn’t go well.

*********************************************

Prom doesn’t go well. Understatement of understatements.

As Stephen King movies go, the ones I’ve seen have been pretty hit or miss. Even though I pretty much knew what to expect…I still wasn’t sure which way it was going to go.

But Carrie definitely goes on the GOOD pile. Carrie captured my attention and held it to the very end. And I was pleasantly surprised to see some familiar faces, like John Travolta, Amy Irving, and Piper Laurie. Still holds up—Definitely a classic!

Scariness factor: Nail-biter

More intense and suspenseful than scary.

Coming from the ‘70s, some of the clothes and the language might be a little dated, but not enough to be a distraction. Not just a classic, but a classic horror movie complete with all the staples: nudity, sexual situations, adult language, violence, and supernatural/paranormal occurrences. Nothing super-graphic; probably fine for teenagers, but definitely not for young audiences.

(\__/)

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken

2011-10-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

Well…. I thought it would be a super-awesome Halloween kick-off to start loading my dvr and my Netflix queue with all those scary, spooky, creepy, scare-the-living-daylights-out-of-you movies that I ~~would never watch in my right mind~~ have always meant to watch. So, I turned off all the lights and turned on the Netflix. And then I completely chickened out.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE movies. ALL kinds. But I don’t need scary movies to freak the frack out of me, no I’ve got my subconscious to do that all by myself. I am in serious need of a scary-movie-buddy, as apparently, I have scared them all away—My last three are in WI, MN, and AL, respectively.

*deep breaths*

Ok, so it seems that I’m going to have to ease my way into the scary movie genre. *not a scaredy-cat* *deep breaths* *I can do this*

But before I turned the lights back on, I thought I’d give my queue one last look. And low and behold, I found a compromise= The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.

First off, I’ve already seen it. Secondly, it has Don Knotts. So how scary can it be? But, it does have murder and ghosts, which makes it a perfect choice for getting in the Halloween spirit!!!

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And I was right!!!

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) stars Don Knotts as the irrepressible Luther Heggs.

Luther’s a good-hearted guy, who just can’t catch a break. Everything Luther does seems to go wrong, and not only that, but it seems to go wrong in public, in front of EVERYBODY. Luther is the kind of guy that the joke is always on him. So when it looks like Luther is finally going to be able to cover a big story for the town paper, he jumps at it! Of course, spending the night alone in the Simmon’s house on the 20^th anniversary of the famed murder-suicide is not exactly what Luther had in mind.

And when Luther’s stay at the haunted house turns out to be more than he bargained for, it’s a toss-up whether Luther will become the town joke all over again, or if he just might end up the town hero.

Two things hit me immediately once I started watching—The soundtrack and the Technicolor. I just can’t say enough about how awesome Technicolor is (not to mention it definitely lowers the scariness quotient!)!!!!—There is just something about the way that Technicolor softens, and kind of romanticizes the past, like nothing bad can happen if it’s full of pastel hues. *sigh*

As for the soundtrack—LOVE!!! It was an upbeat mix that sounded like a combination between the Scooby-Doo and Addam’s Family theme songs. Über-fun way to set an ominous, yet light-hearted tone to the movie.

As for Don Knotts. FANTASTIC. AMAZING. INCREDIBLE.

When I started the movie, I was ready for something comical and goofy, with some gags and physical comedy, along with a Halloween vibe. And I got all that. But the best thing, above all, was the way that the entire cast, with Don Knotts at the lead, completely committed to the story!!!! I found myself aching for the loveable Luther, who just couldn’t get a break. He was nervous and jittery and twitchy—and proud—and brave. You could just see that his pride was going to get him into trouble, and even when Luther could see himself putting his foot in his mouth, he still couldn’t let people walk all over him, so as a viewer, you were proud of Luther for standing up for himself. And even if it looked like he might just die trying, Luther above all things kept his word.

But really, the whole cast goes all in, making The Ghost and Mr. Chicken a movie that is just as much fun to watch today as it was when it was made!

Scariness factor=Pumpkin

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Full-Length Trailer: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1

2011-09-29T05:51:00.000-07:00

When does a person become a Twihard? I wouldn’t necessarily put myself in that category, but I’ve certainly gone to my share of both midnight book releases and midnight movie releases…

But I’ve also gone to plenty of non-Twilight movie releases…And the midnight book party??? Well, the thought of any book that builds enough clout to keep a bookstore open ‘til late, well, I’m totally there!

Have I been bit? Well, I wouldn’t say I’m obsessive—but I do enjoy the books…and the movies. And I keep a special place in my heart for Stephanie Meyer's Twilight, because it reminded me of the books I used to love reading way back when…and with the momentum of Twilight’s popularity, I’ve also noticed those books I used to love? Like L.J. Smith’s and Cate Tiernan’s? They’re being re-issued and re-published and re-released, The Vampire Diaries, and now The Secret Circle, have even sprouted tv shows. And that makes me glad, because I really missed those books and authors, and I’m glad for more.

But lately, I’ve been hearing some wavering voices…people don’t seem to be as amped up for Breaking Dawn (book or movie), as they’ve felt before. Also been hearing a lot of comments about Edward’s wedding hair.

Me? I LOVED the book. And I’m REALLY looking forward to the movie!!!!

Especially after seeing THIS trailer!!!!—While I know Breaking Dawn is supposed to be split into two movies, I haven’t heard exactly where they plan to leave off the first half and take up the second…However, this is the first trailer I’ve seen where it goes beyond the *honeymoon*!!!

Breaking Dawn Pt. 1 is scheduled to be released 11/18.

So, how ‘bout you?—Planning on seeing the movie? Or are you over Twilight?

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Shout Out to Banned Books Week

2011-09-26T05:11:00.000-07:00

In case you didn’t know, or perhaps forgot, the last week of September every year (this year September 24-October 1, 2011) is Banned Books Week.

According to statistics provided by the ALA, 2010 has the fewest recorded challenges since 1990. But the fact is that every year that books are challenged, challenges our freedom of speech, the search for knowledge, and the simple enjoyment of reading.

The funny/sad thing is the books that are challenged are generally challenged by people who want to protect us, who want to protect our children.—Schools and parents initiate by far the most challenges to books—Challenging books for a variety of reasons, based on topics and material dealing with sexually explicit content, violence, offensive language, unsuitability to age group, occultism, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, nudity, racism, drugs, sex education, anti-family, political viewpoint, insensitivity, sexism, suicide, inaccuracy, anti-ethnic, and abortion.

It seems so contradictory that a child’s main source of information and education, Schools and parents, are the same ones impeding a child’s access to certain knowledge.

These are all topics that make a lot of us uncomfortable. For that matter, it might be scarier if some of these things didn’t make us uncomfortable. And when you see what some of the challenges are, they don’t seem like completely unreasonable requests from crazy people.

But challenging books and banning them don’t make the underlying issues disappear. So how about, instead of challenging books—let’s challenge ourselves to use these books as opportunities for opening up dialogue about the things that are hard for us to talk about.

Here’s a list of the top 100 banned and challenged books of the last decade.—Take a look; you may be surprised. You may have read a banned book and not even know it!—I know I was surprised by a few. The ones I’ve read are in bold. There are a few that seem familiar, but I can’t remember if I actually read them, or not. A few that I know I started, but never finished. And many more that I haven’t read, but I’ve seen the movie.

Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009

1. Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling
2. Alice series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
3. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
4. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
5. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
6. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
7. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
8. His Dark Materials (series), by Philip Pullman
9. ttyl; ttfn; l8r g8r (series), by Myracle, Lauren
10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
11. Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers
12. It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
13. Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
14. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
15. The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
16. Forever, by Judy Blume
17. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
18. Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous
19. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
20. King and King, by Linda de Haan
21. To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
22. Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
23. The Giver, by Lois Lowry
24. In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak
25. Killing Mr. Griffen, by Lois Duncan
26. Beloved, by Toni Morrison
27. My Brother Sam Is Dead, by James Lincoln Collier
28. Bridge To Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
29. The Face on the Milk Carton, by Caroline B. Cooney
30. We All Fall Down, by Robert Cormier
31. What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones
32. Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
33. Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson
34. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler
35. Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging, by Louise Rennison
36. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
37. It’s So Amazing, by Robie Harris
38. Arming America, by Michael Bellasiles
39. Kaffir Boy, by Mark Mathabane
40. Life is Funny, by E.R. Frank
41. Whale Talk, by Chris Crutcher
42. The Fighting Ground, by Avi
43. Blubber, by Judy Blume
44. Athletic Shorts, by Chris Crutcher
45. Crazy Lady, by Jane Leslie Conly
46. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
47. The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby, by George Beard
48. Rainbow Boys, by Alex Sanchez
49. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey
50. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
51. Daughters of Eve, by Lois Duncan
52. The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Paterson
53. You Hear Me?, by Betsy Franco
54. The Facts Speak for Themselves, by Brock Cole
55. Summer of My German Soldier, by Bette Green
56. When Dad Killed Mom, by Julius Lester
57. Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klause
58. Fat Kid Rules the World, by K.L. Going
59. Olive’s Ocean, by Kevin Henkes
60. Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson
61. Draw Me A Star, by Eric Carle
62. The Stupids (series), by Harry Allard
63. The Terrorist, by Caroline B. Cooney
64. Mick Harte Was Here, by Barbara Park
65. The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien
66. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor
67. A Time to Kill, by John Grisham
68. Always Running, by Luis Rodriguez
69. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
70. Harris and Me, by Gary Paulsen
71. Junie B. Jones (series), by Barbara Park
72. Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison
73. What’s Happening to My Body Book, by Lynda Madaras
74. The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
75. Anastasia (series), by Lois Lowry
76. A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving
77. Crazy: A Novel, by Benjamin Lebert
78. The Joy of Gay Sex, by Dr. Charles Silverstein
79. The Upstairs Room, by Johanna Reiss
80. A Day No Pigs Would Die, by Robert Newton Peck
81. Black Boy, by Richard Wright
82. Deal With It!, by Esther Drill
83. Detour for Emmy, by Marilyn Reynolds
84. So Far From the Bamboo Grove, by Yoko Watkins
85. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, by Chris Crutcher
86. Cut, by Patricia McCormick
87. Tiger Eyes, by Judy Blume
88. The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
89. Friday Night Lights, by H.G. Bissenger
90. A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L’Engle
91. Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George
92. The Boy Who Lost His Face, by Louis Sachar
93. Bumps in the Night, by Harry Allard
94. Goosebumps (series), by R.L. Stine
95. Shade’s Children, by Garth Nix
96. Grendel, by John Gardner
97. The House of the Spirits, by Isabel Allende
98. I Saw Esau, by Iona Opte
99. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume
100. America: A Novel, by E.R. Frank

You can check out the Banned Books Week website or the ALA for more information about banned and challenged books, events, and about celebrating the freedom to read. You can also like Banned Books Week on facebook.

What does fREADom mean to you?

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I heart Barnes and Noble

2011-09-22T00:59:00.000-07:00

FYI, (after some consideration) I have decided to pimp out my blog…kinda. Forever, I’ve noticed people becoming associates, affiliates, or adding sponsors. I’ve thought about it. I’ve seen the debates on the pros and cons—Is having advertising selling out? Does it turn people away? And frankly, it’s not like anyone is claiming to be making oodles of money from their sponsorships…quite the opposite, although some do comment that it helps fund their blog giveaways. And so I thought about it some more…and set it aside.

Personally, advertising has never affected how I look at other blogs. As a reader, I’ve subscribed equally to blogs with and without advertising. But as a consumer, I’ve never really used anyone’s advertising links. And previously, that has been my main deciding factor in not pursuing sponsorship.—Because if I didn’t use it myself, who else would? I’ve mainly seen other bloggers who are Amazon associates. But I never use Amazon. However, I always thought to myself, that if it were Barnes and Noble, I’d jump on it in a second.

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t gravitate to Barnes and Noble. I was a member for over half my life…and if the closest store weren’t an hour-and-a-half drive I’m sure I’d still be a member. I’ve always felt at home in a Barnes and Noble. Geographically, I’m hopeless; I have absolutely no innate sense of direction. But I’ve been in Barnes and Nobles across the country, and as soon as I step inside those doors, and inhale that fresh book perfume, a feeling of serenity washes over me. I’m like the book-whisperer with words from pages calling to me from the far reaches of the store. Or I’m a divining rod with pinpoint precision to find that long sought after tome. If it’s there, I’ll find it. And more often than not, I’ve come away with much more than I intended. *sigh*

So when I was reading Unputdownables post on how she decided to become a Barnes and Noble affiliate—Well, I jumped on it!!!!

Now I’m not expecting to make oodles of money…But I’m hoping that at the very least, I can offset some of my own purchases that I would be making anyway, which is enough to make it worth my while. I don’t plan for there to be any major changes with how I blog; I’ve often used cover pictures and description links from Barnes and Noble in my posts. Now it’s just official.

How it works: If you make any purchases from Barnes and Noble through a link from my blog, they give me a small percentage.—From what I can tell, all Barnes and Noble purchases (except for gift cards) qualify, which means books, ebooks, music, dvds, etc…

And as for you, my readers—This absolutely doesn’t cost you anything extra. And there is absolutely NO PRESSURE. I may let you know if I see any awesome specials or deals—But I would do that anyway. If you choose to support my blog through purchase that you were going to be making anyway—YAY!!! Then feel free to click on the links and do so. If not, I will still love you just as much!!!

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Teaser Tuesday: Pride

2011-09-20T05:12:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I’ve been reading Lauren Hammond’s Pride over the weekend, and it’s still sinking in—one of those amazing books that gave me *chills* and tears. Absolutely. Fabulous.

The thing about bullies is, you can never let them see that they are getting the best of you.

pg. 4, Pride (ebook), Lauren Hammond

One, maybe, just maybe, good things really did happen in my life. And two, today was the day that Olivia Lennox changed my life forever.

pg. 7 Pride (ebook), Lauren Hammond

So, what are YOU excited about this week?

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Tales with Scales Giveaway Winners

2011-09-19T05:17:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Monday to everyone!!!!

I want to thank everyone who entered, tweeted, and posted about my

Tales with Scales Giveaway!!!

and made it a super awesome celebration for two of my favorite authors and their two amazing new books—Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs and Vanish by Sophie Jordan!!!!

And without further ado (because it’s always fun to say that…), HERE are the winners!!!!!

(winners have all been notified)

Splash Team/Venom Squad

Book+Swag

Congratulations to Janhvi J.!!!!!!!!

Team Draki Book+Swag

Congratulations to Booksie!!!!!!!!

Venom Squad+Team Draki Swag

Congratulations to:

Savanna U.!!!!!!!!

Cesya C.!!!!!!!!

Julie N.!!!!!!!!

Cheyenne T.!!!!!!!!

Pedro Pablo!!!!!!!!

Thanks again to everyone who entered!!!!

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Follow Friday 13

2011-09-15T22:55:00.000-07:00

Hoppy Friday Everyone!!! Or Thursday, as the case may be… ;)

but first, some breaking news:

Congratulations to Parajunkee’s View on WINNING for BEST BOOK BLOG FEATURE or SERIES OF POSTS—BBAW 2011!!!!!!!!

and back to our regularly scheduled programming...

HOW IT WORKS:

For anyone who’s new—Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly meet and greet meme hosted by ParaJunkee and Alison Can Read, where she features a blogger of the week, and all us awesome bloggers can hop around, introduce ourselves, and meet each other.

This week Parajunkees’s Featured blogger is

Alaiel

from

Librarian Mouse

—so be sure to check her out!!!

And Alison Can Read is featuring;

Cristi

from

Alaskan Book Cafe

—make sure to stop and say hi!!!

If you want to join in the fun just hop on over to Parajunkee’s View and Alison Can Read for Feature and Follow Friday. Then just add your name to the list and start hopping!

Easy-peasy ;)

Now for the Q and A portion of this weekend:

Parajunkee asks:

Q. It's that pesky magic book fairy again! She has another wish: What imaginary book world would you like to make a reality?

Hmmm….This one is hard because there are SO MANY to choose from!!!! It would definitely have to be a world that included magic and amazingness. My top three choices would have to be:

Hogwarts

Tortall

Thalassinia

I wish there could be a Hogwarts with Dumbledore, Sirius, Remus, and Snape…but without Voldemort—Even though Voldemort totally provides Harry with his most thrilling adventures. It’s that age old question; can you have one without the other???

I love Tamora Pierce’s Tortall for its wonder and adventure—magic, gods, knights, battles, talking animals, and animals that can understand people. But not a big fan of Duke Roger.

And then there is Tera Lynn Childs’ Thalassinia. I mean mermaids!!!!!!!! What’s not to love???? And as of yet, Lilly’s mischievous cousin is the most dangerous thing you have to keep an eye out for…And jellyfish… I’m just not sure how I feel about a totally seafood diet…

Yeah…I would be happy with any of those!!!

How ‘bout you?—What’s your perfect world???

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and p.s. As long as you're here...

Don't forget to enter my AWESOME giveaway.

FRIDAY 11/16 is the LAST DAY TO ENTER.

Two of my favorite authors just released two amazing new books—Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs and Vanish by Sophie Jordan!!!! It seems like I’ve been waiting FOREVER for these books!!! And *drool* now that they’re here, I want to celebrate by sharing some of my official swag that I’ve collected as a member of Tera’s Venom Squad and Splash Team, and Sophie’s Team Draki. I have also acquired a SIGNED copy of Firelight from Sophie and a SIGNED copy of Forgive My Fins from Tera (I have my ways), and now is your chance to win a copy!

The Secret Circle CW Premiere

2011-09-15T05:26:00.000-07:00

Ummm… How many awesome things can I say about L.J. Smith???????

I absolutely fell. in. love. with her books waaaaaaaaaaay back when. High-schoolish. Early/mid-‘90s. Yeah, maybe I shouldn’t date myself, but just ‘cause everybody else is jumping on the bandwagon…I’m just sayin’, for once I was early to the show.

And my FAVORITE favorite L.J. Smith series was absolutely The Secret Circle. *sigh*

When they made the movie, The Craft, it was like getting a little taste about what I LOVED so much about The Secret Circle. And then when they turned The Vampire Diaries into a tv show, I crossed my fingers that The Secret Circle might be next.

And now it IS. And to tell you the truth, I don’t know if I’m excited or scared. I have to say, the show looks pretty AMAZING. But I LOVE LOVE LOVED the books and I have such fond memories of reading them…and it looks like the show has only cast for a coven of half the size. I was so excited, until I heard that little tidbit. But then, all of a sudden my mind starts racing—if they cut characters, who could they cut?—There are definitely some that are more background than others, but that doesn’t make them any less interesting!!! And if they’re already changing that… What’s next?

Of course, the only way to find out for sure…is to watch it.

The Secret Circle premiers *TONIGHT* (9/15) on the CW.

And I have a feeling I’ll be watching with baited breath. *inhale*

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Dear Enemy

2011-09-14T05:13:00.000-07:00

You may or may not remember that I reread Jean Webster’s Daddy Long-Legs not too long ago. Well, I couldn’t reread Daddy Long-Legs without having to reread Dear Enemy along with it!

Daddy Long-Legs was one of those books that I picked out from the Scholastic order forms, way back in grade school. It wasn’t until much later, I think when I was home on break from college, that I discovered Dear Enemy. In fact, I almost didn’t—And if I had been minding my own business, I certainly never would have!!! I happened to be browsing the shelves of the local cigar/bookstore, when I overheard another customer mention Daddy Long-Legs to the sales clerk. My ears perk up whenever I hear people start talking about good books—especially about a childhood favorite!!! But when I heard “sequel,” well, I just couldn’t help myself—This was certainly news to me!!! I quickly ascertained the title (Dear Enemy), and I had to have it RIGHT AWAY. Except for one tiny little glitch: The bookstore didn’t have it. Neither did the other bookstore. Or anywhere, for that matter. Because it was OUT. OF. PRINT. One of the most undesirable phrases a booklover can ever hear. :(

Of course, I didn’t give up. I was starting to get savvy about this whole “internet” thing, and started looking to see if I could find it online somewhere. Of course, I never thought I’d find the entire text online, available to read—Not stolen, or anything illicit, but a simple matter of public domain. Incidentally, I have come to <3 the phrase “public domain.”

Mind you, this was still LONG before ereaders. So thank goodness Dear Enemy isn’t a terribly long book, because it was just me and my computer screen.

The first time I read Jean Webster's Dear Enemy, I enjoyed it, but remember it wasn’t exactly what I expected, either. I think I expected it to be more of a sequel, a continuation of Judy’s story, from Daddy Long-Legs. But instead I found it to be more of a companion novel, told from the viewpoint of one of Judy’s college roommates—Sallie. But by way of Sallie McBride, I did get some updates on what happened to Judy, and I ended up really enjoying the story.

Dear Enemy, like Daddy Long-Legs, is told in an epistolary style, through the letters of Sallie McBride as she writes to her old friend Judy Abbot, and also to her new enemy, Dr. Robin MacRae. Judy has set to Sallie the task of reforming Judy’s childhood home—The John Grier Home for Boys and Girls. Sallie reluctantly takes on the job of Superintendant, but is ever-ready to hand it back. But until a suitable replacement can be found, Sallie is determined to do the best she can—even if it means alienating her entire staff, along with the surly Doctor.

Knowing what to expect, I think I enjoyed Sallie’s story much more as I reread it, comparing and contrasting her character with Judy’s. Judy and Sallie both possess a certain whimsy and flightiness in their attitudes, but the main difference comes from their backgrounds, which clearly colors their perspectives. Judy grew up in a dour orphanage, so when a mysterious benefactor appears, it’s as if all her dreams have come true. Afterwards, Judy’s outlook always seems to carry with it a gratitude for all the good things she enjoys, and life, in general. Meanwhile, Sallie comes from a hovering family and a very comfortable background. Sallie has never really had to do without, or to make do, before, and is definitely hit with a bit of culture shock upon entering The John Grier Home. Not only that, but her supportive family, and her prospective husband are suddenly not-so-supportive of Sallie’s initiative. She’s had everything handed to her for most of her life, and now finds herself fighting for something she’s not even sure she wants.

I especially love the sense of history that comes with reading older books. Dear Enemy was written and is set in the early 1900s, and just brims with nostalgia. Some of my favorite parts are the glimpses of life back then; the introduction of the automobile mixed with horses and buggies; the combination of letters and telegrams, along with the telephone; women’s roles, standing up to men, going to college, and even a divorce—all before women won the right to vote!!! And as a reader, I particularly love seeing the differences in language, both in writing and speaking styles. Dear Enemy is a light, fun read both by itself, or as a companion novel to Daddy Long-Legs!!!

(\__/) p.s. counts toward Read Me Baby, 1 More Time, the 2011 Ebook Challenge, and Show Me the Free reading challenges!