Listed in the order that I read them, below are the measly five books I managed to read in May. It's four behind the goal I've set for myself, but hopefully I can make them up over the next few months.
1. Turtle Diary; Russell Hoban
2. A College of Magics; Caroline Stevermer
3. Dangerous Tides; Christine Feehan
4. Face Down Beside St. Anne's Well; Kathy Lynn Emerson
5. American Gods; Neil Gaiman
Darkhenge is a Young Adult contemporary fantasy published in the U.S. in 2005 by Eos. Ms. Fisher is a Welsh teen fiction writer, poet and professor. All of which goes a long way to explaining the depth and richness of this novel. I originally began Darkhenge at the start of what has & will prove to be a long and ugly battle between Husband & his former employer- which is to say, I found it very hard to concentrate & I felt the novel was very slow going for the first hundred pages or so. However, this is surely due my preoccupation and stress level at the time and not due to any shortcomings on the part of Ms. Fisher.
The long and short of it is this- Chloe Drew had a riding accident and is now in a coma in a long term care facility in Britain somewhere. Ms. Fisher names a town, but I'm too lazy to look it up to see if it's a 'real place.' Her parents and her older brother are muddling along as best they can, ie: not very well at all, but they're trying. Chloe's older brother Robert is convinced (reluctantly at first) that Chloe's spirit has become trapped in a recently uncovered ancient wooden henge. So he goes after her with the help of the ancient Welsh poet, Taliesin. How Chloe, Clare, Vetch, Mac, Rob and the King of the Underworld triumph is the main thrust of the tale.
Personally I was fascinated by the juxtaposition of the ancient belief that illness can be caused by or worsened by the separation of the spirit and the body and modern Druidism. Also the interplay between modern Christianity, as represented by Mac, and ancient and modern Druidism, as represented by Vetch, was fascinating and thought provoking. Very highly recommnded. Already borrowed two more of Ms. Fisher's books from the library.
This Thursday's 13- flora and fauna seen while hiking in our local national park. Leave a link to your TT list & I'll link to you here. The purpose of TT is to get to know your fellow bloggers better.
1. Doe and Baby faun standing in the creek as I blundered around the trail like an elephant
2. Tom Turkey standing in the middle of the road- he's nearly big enough to roast..if you can catch him first!
3. Black snake slithered across my feet and toward the creek.
4. Hiker or family member tending a grave in a tiny family cemetary in the middle of the woods
5. Three gray squirrels wrestling in the leaves
6. Honeysuckle patch covered with bumblebees
7. Mountain Laurels are everywhere in the park & they're all in bloom. Beautiful white bell shaped flowers and the trunks grow in unique curly & gnarled patterns as the trees age.
8. There has been an abundance of wildflowers along the roadside and the trails' edges: yellow buttercups, white almost Marguerite type daisies- but not quite, bluebonnet types, and many others.
9. I came across a lady doing yoga beside the road yesterday. The park is a beautiful and serene place for quiet meditative practices.
10. A bunch of male frogs living along the creek held a competition to see whose chug-a-rum was louder
11. Different park- saw the mounted police doing patrols far more south than usually seen in this park. Normally they're all in DC along the Mall. The horse was gorgeous, dappled grey & tall.
12. Baby fish, no bigger than my pinkie. Nearly translucent- you can only really see their shaows along the creek bed
13. No mushrooms yet. It has been far too dry, unfortunately. Last year the kids and I had a great time identifying all of the different mushrooms we saw (and this was in July no less), but I'm wondering if this year will be different due to the dry weather.
I know I'm a bit late to jump on the Neil Gaiman fan bandwagon, but count me in. This one is set in the contemporary U.S. Shadow is the antihero; a troubled & somewhat slow headed ex-con, whose loyalty to his wife is questionable and yet touching too. We never learn Shadow's actual 'true name' as they say in fantasies- knowing a person or thing's true-name gives you power over it/him. And Mr. Gaiman certainly never let me feel like I had the power in this plot. I was never quite sure where he was taking me- and I found that quite refreshing.
What would happen if the Gods chose to be actual flesh and blood people living among us ordinary humans? What would happen when the Gods from the Old Country were challenged by the "New Gods" in America? The Greek and Norse and Russian and Egyptian and many more- pantheons all brought to America by believers upon their settlement in the New World. Threatened by the New Gods: consumerism and greed, robber barons, the internet, tv, drugs, alcohol, etc. Who would win? Can an ordinary man thrust into extrordinary circumstances triumph? And what about the nearly dead, but not quite ready to let go wife Laura?
I was absorbed enough not to attempt to research the various mythological gods and goddesses referred to in the text- an amazing feat for a nerdy chick like me. Normally I'd've sat sat on the 'net hunting them all up, but I was in too much of a hurry to try and decipher what Mr. Gaiman had in store next. I have to say I liked the ending- Shadow finally tries the trick the addicted leprechaun told him about, leaving me to wonder who Shadow really was or became over the course of the story and what huge clues did I miss because of my preoccupation?
The first 13 things that came to my mind in no particular order. I need to remind myself that the sun always comes out after the rain, there is a silver lining in every cloud, etc. The last week or ten days have been stressful & sometimes I need reminding. There are always reasons to be thankful.
Leave a link in the comments & I'll link to you. The purpose of Thursday thirteen is to get to know bloggers better.
1. Good health
2. A comfortable home
3. My family
4. Our church
5. My flower garden
6. Sunshine
7. My blog & cyber friends
8. My library
9. Rain- makes the trees & flowers grow
10. Troubles- Because having troubles in our lives reminds us that the good times are to be treasured. How can you know when the good times are if you don't have bad times??
11. Fresh strawberries & ice cream
12. Hugs
13. SEX! LOL ;0
The Japanese government is instituting a manga 'nobel' award this summer as an effort to promote Japanese culture. Link to press release HERE. Daughter & her buddies are very, very excited & hopeful that this will make manga more available & less expensive.
by E. E. Cummings
10
maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day)
and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and
milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;
and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and
may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.
For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea
by Amy Clampitt
While you walk the water's edge,
turning over concepts
I can't envision, the honking buoy
serves notice that at any time
the wind may change,
the reef-bell clatters
its treble monotone, deaf as Cassandra
to any note but warning. The ocean,
cumbered by no business more urgent
than keeping open old accounts
that never balanced,
goes on shuffling its millenniums
of quartz, granite, and basalt.
It behaves
toward the permutations of novelty--
driftwood and shipwreck, last night's
beer cans, spilt oil, the coughed-up
residue of plastic--with random
impartiality, playing catch or tag
or touch-last like a terrier,
turning the same thing over and over,
over and over. For the ocean, nothing
is beneath consideration.
The houses
of so many mussels and periwinkles
have been abandoned here, it's hopeless
to know which to salvage. Instead
I keep a lookout for beach glass--
amber of Budweiser, chrysoprase
of Almadén and Gallo, lapis
by way of (no getting around it,
I'm afraid) Phillips'
Milk of Magnesia, with now and then a rare
translucent turquoise or blurred amethyst
of no known origin.
The process
goes on forever: they came from sand,
they go back to gravel,
along with treasuries
of Murano, the buttressed
astonishments of Chartres,
which even now are readying
for being turned over and over as gravely
and gradually as an intellect
engaged in the hazardous
redefinition of structures
no one has yet looked at.
A little bit of stress lately, not related directly to me but involving the Spouse & his former employer. Kinda sidelined us for a while. Potentially serious- not involving any medical mishaps or malpractice, but directly related to the job. Gonna have to consult an employment law specialist. >:{ Not pleasant at all & definitely going to get much, much more stressful before it gets better.
As a result- no reading been done. Or at least- nothing that has stuck in my mind, anyway. An interesting YA fantasy/alternate reality by Catherine Fisher. I'm about 1/2 way done with. It has been slow going so far, but I can't be sure the problems aren't due to paragraph #1. See above. It's a library book, so I can hang on to it & renew it if I have to. Also reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Wonderful stuff so far. If I've not waited too long I've a copy of Holly Black's new novel Ironside waiting at my local library.
I hope anyone else who still stops by has had a better week than we have. Wish for better news this week!
Two more local high schools had bomb threats yesterday. This makes 5 threats since the VA Tech shootings in April. Son #1's school and another close by. Supposedly the kids at his school were made to get off the morning buses directly into the sports stadium. The other school evacuated out of the building shortly before lunches began. The kids missed their meals and classes. It's a long way between breakfast at 6:30-7:00 and lunch after school at 2:30 or later.
According to the local news, each bomb threat costs the schools $7,000 for the police services to clear the buildings. Plus- it's a felony. IMO, I think they ought to bill each person convicted the full cost of police services and another fee for the lost hours of instruction.
Son #1 had forgotten his cell phone so he stayed out in the stadium chatting with friends and enjoying the good weather.
If you've visited for awhile, you may remember that my FIL has been seriously ill over much of the winter. The preliminary diagnosis of cancer has been ruled out, thank heavens. He's much, much better. So far so good apparently. The underlying chronic illnesses are still there, albeit better controlled (for now).
The biggest surprise has been my MIL's forced retirement from the company she worked for. She had nearly 30 years there & planned to work another 6-7 years until their mandatory retirement age. One day in April she's getting ready to leave & she's told, "As of today you're retired with full benefits. Do not report for work again. There will be a meeting about your benefits in two weeks' time." End of story. Of course, there are quite a few people who're suffering severe financial problems due to the sudden lack of employment, but fortunately my ILs are ok despite his medical bills.
Now that they're both retired, they've planned to take a long, slow trip around the southern US by minivan. The only sure destination being Key West. My MIL has wanted him (the FIL) to take her there for years, but it was always postponed. Not after this winter! They plan to be gone until Son #1's graduation next month. He can't fly due to medical issues, so they're driving. Stop whenever & wherever they like, for as long as they like.
No one knows for sure how long his health will hold up until he gets ill again- or if he'll make it through next time. So I think they're striking while the iron is hot. More power to them, IMO. I think it's a wonderful idea, although my paternal grandparents were on their long dreamed of around the world cruise when he finally succumbed to emphysema & I can't help but think of that now.
Husband~ Has started the new job. Looves it. Seems like 5+ years of stress has been washed away from his face. Poor love. He's more energetic and upbeat & just generally perky. It's hard to see how bad things have become, sometimes, when you're stuck in the middle of a huge mess.
Son #1 & GF~ went to his senior prom last evening. They had a private dining room at our favorite formal Chinese restaurant & went on to the dance in a huge ballroom in a hotel. Poor things, apparently the only seating was right in front of the speakers & they're both deaf today. Neither thought to carry a few chairs elsewhere in the room. 0_o
Daughter~ Has been earnestly studying for her geometry final. If she scores high enough on the first test she gets an automatic A on the second one. Motivation! She's joined the chorale society at our church. The summer performance will be a medley of famous Broadway tunes. It's quite a popular group among those who can sing & she enjoys it. They do several a year & she may continue with it.
Son #2~ His best friend's parents are expecting a later in life "surprise" baby. Needless to say, the boys are totally grossed out by this turn of events. We've had great fun teasing him that perhaps we too ought to have a fourth child to fill in the void when Son #1 leaves for the great adventures of young adulthood. SHOCK AND AWE does not begin to do justice to the Son #2's reaction. We're kidding of course. Three little darlings is more than enough. But it has been funny to tease the Little Emperor a tad.
This is a new to me author, Kathy Lynn Emerson, who had this published through Perseverance Press in 2006. I have two older titles by her in my TBR. This copy is via the library, though. This title is set in 1575 (or thereabouts) Elizabethan England.
Lady Susanna Appleton is the foster mother of Miss Rosamund Appleton, who is the bastard daughter of Lady Susanna's husband. It's a long & complicated story. Kinda amazing, but who am I to ask too many impertinent questions?? Anyhow, Rosamund's a handful, even from my 21st centruy POV and so has been shuffled around in search of a suitable place for her to be 'trained.' She ends up in the tiny village of Buxton, notable only for the warm mineral waters from St.Anne's well (hence the title).
She and two coconspirators have snuck out of the house in the dead of night to have a go in the spa waters. Horror of horrors- they get caught. It was a neat opening scenario though, three middle school age girls sneaking into the spa in the dead of the night. Their French instructor, Mlle. Louise Portier, sends them home in disgrace and promises punishment to be handed out next morning after church. Only, the next morning Mlle. Portier is found dead by the well.
Why was her death ruled an accident, when Rosamund is sure it was murder? How can Rosamund investigate without raising suspicion or revealing where she actually was that night? Where did Mlle.'s special mushroom box get to? Lady Susanna descends on Buxton to get to the bottom of all these issues, bringing her stout housekeeper along for chperoneage. There are wheels within wheels, spies and counterspies and endless speculation. Not to mention a forced engagement & a creepy animal abusing teenage boy.
There are plenty of historical details, a May Day festival, nude mixed bathing, spelunking, Puritans and more. Not a hint of romance, although Ms. Emerson's bio on the inside cover says she's written a few of those too.
Written by Christine Feehan and published by Jove in 2006, Dangerous Tides is the latest installment in the Drake Sisters series. I've also posted my thoughts on the last Drake Sisters novel I read. The next installment, titled Safe Harbor, is due out June 27 this year according to Ms. Feehan's website (link in title above).
Dr. Libby Drake is a physician, a woman unsure of her femininity and beauty, a woman who finds intelligent men a huge turn on. Nerdy intelligent men, I mean. Very few women I know find ignorance or stupidity sexy. She has had a lifelong thing for Tyler Derrick, a 'brilliant' scientist- to use Libby's description. Tyler likes her, but doesn't believe in magic. He's so distrustful of her family he tells her to her face that they are charlatans, and he plans to 'prove it to her.' Despite being offended, Libby helps Tyler and their relationship grows.
Unfortunately, someone threatens Libby and/or Tyler. Who might this person be? What motivates them? How can Tyler be such a 'brilliant scientist' but not see his nose before his face? Needless to say, I figured this part out early, but I really found Libby and Tyler fascinating. She sees him pretty clearly (and loves him anyway) and is willing to watch/wait for him to work through his emotional and family issues. Tyler is an all or nothing kind of guy. Full throttle intensity in everything he does- research, hobbies and personal life. So it made sense to me that when he finally committed to Libby and understood that her family is all important to her, he does so wholeheartedly.
As I've mentioned previously, I read this series primarily for the sisters' interrelationships & this book certainly showcases that. Libby and Tyler and their growing commitment are wonderful to watch as well.
Originally published in 1994 by Tom Doherty & Assoc., ACoM was written by Caroline Stevermer. A link to Ms. Stevermer's website (a very basic one) is in the title above. Ms. Stevermer has also co-authored a series of young adult fantasy novels with Patricia Wrede. This is a young adult fantasy set in England and eastern Europe in the early 20th century.
The protagonist is Faris Nallaneen, Duchess of Galazon, eighteen years old. Faris has been sent away to a finishing school, which also has a reputation for turning out witches (unknown to Faris' evil uncle). Said evil uncle has his own reasons for sending Faris away, which he naturally doesn't reveal to her, but which likely involve political schemes and ransacking the peasants for more tax money. We watch and observe as Faris makes friends, grows and changes, makes enemies and is forced to leave school early for a fate unknown and unlooked for.
I must say I wonder why redheaded heroines are often described as either rangy/gawky/awkward or statuesque. Rarely any other description. How come? No petite curvy feminine redheads. Not that this quibble interfered with my enjoyment of this novel, I simply noticed it early on in this novel & the description made me think of many of the other novels I've read whose heroines are redheaded (or some other descriptive term that means essentially the same thing). Anyhow- back to ACoM.
Faris' best friend and her bodyguards have lots of adventures together on their journeys across Europe (pre WW I). Her new mentor is, to say the least, unusual. I found Faris to be prickly and dense at first, although these character traits are fully explained later. I thought her uncle's motives in the end (which were obvious to this romance reader, anyway!) should've been on her radar, but weren't.
A thoroughly enjoyable adventure/coming of age novel, I recommend it to all who enjoy watching young ladies come into their own.
I was actually looking for something else when I came across this little book. I remember the Hoban name from a children's story we had when I was a kid, eons past. The flap on the library jacket mentioned two strangers who meet at the London Zoo and decide to free the turtles. I couldn't resist.
It wasn't a caper story, as I wrongly assumed from the blurb. Turtle Diary is a study of how adults can be cut off from society. Similar to living in a zoo, I think. You're constantly surrounded by people, it's noisy and often disheartening and obnoxious. However, in reality, you're cut off from authentic interpersonal relationships.
The chapters alternate between the perspectives of each protagonist- one by William G. and another by Neara H. They are middle aged, single adults cast adrift from most of society for separate reasons. The turtles, though, are what bring Neara and William together. They represent a kind of authenticity, I guess. The need to be free and to interact with the world in a natural and fulfilling way.
Turtle Diary is mainly the interior monologues of the primary characters. Since I approached TD thinking it was a 'caper novel' I was initially put off by this. However, it soon became clear to me that I misinterpreted the flap (as usual) and I reevaluated my opinions. Mr. Hoban has quite a lot to say about the need to reach out to others, about isolation and about humans' need for meaningful relationships. Even if it all has to begin with a pair of turtles.
Mr. Hoban is likely best known as the author of the children's books featuring Frances.
The following books are precariously piled on our bedside table, each
having been started, some only a few pages, others halfway finished. I
don't have the appetite, drive, call it what you will to read
nonfiction as quickly as fiction.
1. Wild New England, Steven Gorman
2. Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan
3. Make
Money Not Excuses, Jean Kratzky
4. A Moorland Hanging, Michael
Jecks
5. The Coming Generational Storm, Kotlikoff and Burns
One coffeetable photography book, one investigative piece about our food supply, one medieval mystery and one piece about economics and governmental policy.
Edited to correct formatting problems; 6 May 2007
I only managed to finish nine books this month, not including the DNF. Listed in the order I read them.
1.The Dark Mirror, Juliet Marillier
2.Waifs and Strays, Charles de Lint
3.The Summer Country, James A. Hetley
4.Dreaming of You, Lisa Kleypas
5.Hannah's Garden, Midori Snyder
6.Monsoon Summer, Mitali Perkins
7. Fortune's Fool
8.Skinny Bitch, Barnouin and Freedman
9.Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman
Dream Hunter, Sherrilyn Kenyon
I don't know what has taken me so long to read Neil Gaiman, but I wish I hadn't waited. I very much enjoyed this book & am busily hunting up his backlist via the library and the UBS. Neverwhere is set in contemporary London, mainly under the Underground. In the front of the paperback version is a copy of the Tube map, which would've been helpful if I could've read it. Luckily we have a fold out copy of the map (from Son #1's band festival 4 years ago) which I kept tucked into the front of the book as I read along. It made things more interesting to see where he referred to. As an aside- as an American I'm sure I've missed cultural references scattered through Mr. Gaiman's work, but I found it very readable and I didn't feel like the only person at the party who didn't 'get the joke' if you know what I mean.
Onward. Richard Mayhew is an ordinary Scottish guy living the typical rat race lifestyle in London. He's engaged to the overly controlling Jessica (don't you dare call her Jess!) and seems unable to assert himself. He's there, but he allows himself to be steamrollered by the GF. Kinda like Hyacinth Bucket in the tv show Keeping Up Appearances. Until one fateful day, when Richard's running behind & Jessica's at her worst, they come across what looks like an injured homeless waif. Richard stops to help her, earning Jessica's fierce disapproval. This proves to be the event that catapults Richard into a bewildering world where nothing is what it seems and everything he's ever believed in is called into question.
Young Door is being chased by her family's worst enemy- if only she could figure out who that is. Her father asked her to avenge their murders, but Door has no idea who ordered it or why. Her world is called London Below, as opposed to London Above- where Richard is from and where you & I might visit, nothing and no one is what they appear to be. Once Richard has helped her, the consequences are unimaginable. Richard is no longer visible in London Above. His existence is wiped away. He can either wither away and become a statistic in London Below or he can soldier on and help Door on her quest. Richard chooses to help Door.
Mr. Gaiman does an admirable job keeping the reader off balance. Reading this I felt like I was following directions to a place I've never been: you think you're pretty sure you know roughly how to get there & approximately where you're going, but you're not completely sure and you know you'd better pay close attention or you're sure to be lost. That's what Neverwhere was like for me.
I laughed and I gasped and I wished Door and Richard had a chance. I wasn't sure if the Marquis was a good guy or a bad guy & I was totally surprised Hunter did what she did. One thing's for sure, I'll never look at a homeless person the same way again. Oh yes, if you read this be sure to watch out for the elderly bag lady with the white umbrella.
A few weeks back I borrowed a book of short stories from the library. In it was a fantasy written by an Aussie writer named Bill Congreve. I can't find anything by him in our local library, any of the local bookshops or via our interlibrary loan. Now a mild interest has blossomed into mild obsession. What else has he written and where can I find it?! I might be able to find him via Amazon, but the shipping from Aussie to eastern US is likely scary, scary.
Yesterday I found myself sandwiched between a giant tow truck pulling an 18 wheeler and a tour bus careening down I 495 at breakneck speed. I felt like I was driving in the Grand Canyon- dark, looming and squished. I managed to get away from them just in time to look up and see what seemed to be a quarter of a mile of wild wisteria (the lavendar colored variety) heavily in bloom growing up and over the sound barriers. They drooped in heavy swags along the edge of the road like ostrich plumes on an old picture hat. Absolutely gorgeous.
Hubby and I had dessert with a friend and her adult nephew, who is in town for the weekend. He's never been on an airplane, been out of his home state. There are still people out there who don't travel! Can you believe it?? Not even in-state or driving. I digress. We had a fantastic time, played Sorry and the Washington DC Monopoly. Supposedly the short version, but we ended at 11 pm & still weren't done. Our hostess beat us all soundly, but we had a fabulous time. We even came away with a delicious bottle of white wine, which we shall share for my birthday next month.
It's nice to hear insights from a newcomer, particularly one who doesn't travel. He was amazed at how polite people are here. Seriously. I don't associate rudeness with city folk, brusque perhaps, but not rude. Nevertheless, I was surprised to hear him say that. Then I thought that maybe he was expecting awful, horrid behavior from us city rats and was then surprised when it wasn't true after all?? He'll be in church tomorrow, so I can't wait to hear all about his adventures around town.
Just finished reading Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. Thoughts posted tomorrow.
As I've mentioned earlier, I'm not surfing on the computer much these days. Instead I loaded a whole bunch of URLs into my cell phone so I can surf whenever I've a moment waiting with the kids, etc. I can't post comments from the phone, but I do manage to keep up with nearly everyone.
There are a few interesting notes. Some custom templates will show up without background interference. CindyS and Jenster come to mind immediately. As do Marg and Karen. Some templates show up with :P all over the background (eyes closed, tongue out smileys). These are blogs with a slight background detail. The smileys render the text unreadable. KristieJ's blog does this. :( Other custom templates, like Tara's, only show her photos and no posts.
So the long and the short of it is- I am keeping up with you via cell if your blog's template cooperates with my phone. However, if you've a custom template it's iffy and I may only get to visit you once a week or whatever and only from an actual computer.
Speaking of RSS feeds- many US print media websites are behind the times. Slackers. Only one or two or three feeds. Max. The Brits are much better at this kind of stuff. For example- the NYT RSS feed only has one or two pages of links (5-10 articles). C.S. Monitor? No feeds. Might be my cheapie cell phone, but even so, I'm surprised the major U.S. print news outlets are so far behind. The digital (tv, cable, online only, etc) media are up with the times. BBC, IHT, etc. have signifigantly more content online. The mainline print outlets are going to go the way of the dinosaur if they don't keep up with the times more & better. London Review of Books has a monthly feed, even.
I guess I'm just a news junkie. But the good old boy new guys? They'd better hop on the bandwagon & quick, before the parade passes them by. The sad thing about all of this is, I'm not a digital native- by a long shot. The digital natives at my house only read an actual newspaper for one thing. The comics. Any news they get online or from the tv or from their phones.
Despite being shelved in the 'diet' section, this book ought to be shelved in nutrition. It's aimed at unhealthy and/or overweight women- skinny doesn't automatically equal healthy, you know. There are no gimmicks or facile suggestions. The authors are reccommending veganism as a healthier lifestyle, one that is likely to result in weight loss.
For those who may be unfamiliar with the term, veganism is a dietary choice, lifestyle, call it what you will, where absolutely no animal products are consumed. No eggs, dairy products (to include milk, butter, yoghurt, cheese, etc), honey, beef, pork, poultry, fish, gelatin, etc. Often this includes any other item that may contain these ingredients, thus also curtailing some baked goods and processed foods. Freedman and Barnouin also suggest giving up what are popularly referred to as "the white devils": white flour, bleached sugar & white bread. Also- coffee including decaf, tobacco products, soda regular and diet and over the counter medications.
I've given up meats for short periods of time several times in the past, once as long as two years. Never tried full veganism & am unsure I could do it. I've never liked eggs or quiche or other similar foods. I've not eaten gelatin since I was a kid. I don't put honey in my tea. I guess I'm partially there. I'm currently reading The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, which has generated a lot of uneasiness in my mind about just how healthy and safe the U.S. food supply really is. Then there is the whole lack of humane treatment of food animals, the prevalence of antibiotic usage on factory farms and a whole host of other related issues.
The tone and style reminds me very strongly of Smartbitches. Highly educated, well read, tell you like it is ("Yes, you look like a fat cow in those pants!") pals whose no holds barred style can be intimidating or off putting, especially for unwary souls. The language is salty and conversational and laden with facts, endnotes and references to other works discussing the U.S. food supply, diet, weight, and various aspects of vegetarianism.
They recommend particular brands of food & substitutions, although they're from the left coast (ie: California) so some of these may not be easily found here. I think if you live near a Trader Joe's or MOM (My Organic Market) here in metro DC or Whole Foods Market you're likely to find a good selection of healthier foods, especially vegan items. Freedman and Barnouin also list websites, further reading sources, food additives and the like at the end of their novel. The endnotes are fully documented as is a list of the sources they used in the writing of this book.
The book attempts to get the reader to nurture herself with good healthy food and a lifestyle that promotes conscious, aware eating. One of the authors has a Master's Degree in holistic nutrition- their aim is not to get the reader feeling guilty. They freely admit their former bad habits, including such vices as double cheeseburgers and coffee. Two of my personal favorites. Skinny Bitch absolutely is a food for thought kind of book, even if you disagree with them, it's sure to make you think twice about what you put in your mouth.
This one is a DNF I'm afraid. I don't relate to either the Heroine or the Hero. The plot is too contrived. Maybe it's simply that Ms. Kenyon hasn't quite managed to suck me into her world deeply enough that I can let go of the problems that are holding me back.
I managed about 90+ pages before I stopped in frustration. It's too bad, really, I'd been looking forward to this one. I haven't returned it yet, though. Maybe I'll keep going in dribs and drabs. Haven't completely decided.
I last sat here Friday at 11 am, running through my thoughts about the past five days' events, specifically the shootings at VA Tech (Sister's alma mater). Having a Son shortly to go off to college, the good Lord willing & the creek don't rise, made the news resonate strongly with me. Finally I decided to post Friday morning, no matter that I didn't have anything new or original or thought provoking to say.
So I'm seated in front of the 'puter Friday morning at 11 am. Then Daughter calls. "Mom, there's a bomb threat at school. We've been evacuated to the stadium. They said we can go home if our parents come & pick us up. Will you come and get Friend and me so we can go home?" Needless to say, I saved my post and headed towards Daughter's school.
I had to park down the street and walk up to the campus, met along the way by several reporters & photographers. "Ma'am, did you know there were two other schools closed this morning due to bomb threats? How do you feel about these incidents, especially in light of the shootings on Monday?"
I was 90% sure (naive, perhaps?) that it was simply a test day prank- hijinks since Friday was the first warm sunny day in quite a while. I wasn't overly anxious, more agitated that some @$$ thought it would be funny, cool, ___________ fill in the blank to call school out on a Friday.
So I waited my turn, picked the girls up and drove them to our house. They DDR'ed, watched an anime movie and ate fries. Which turned out to be a treat for the friend. Her family are all vegetarians and they've never (do you believe it?) eaten at or from McD's. I was impressed on the one hand & embarrassed on the other, I had no idea this girl was a vegetarian & I would've offered her something else had I known. Still- she's teen enough to love fries!
Turns out the would be bomber was an 18 year old idiot who wanted to get his GF out of class. At least that's what happened at Daughter's school. Don't know about the other two schools (one of which is Son's GF's school- she wasn't there that day). Rumor mill says there was a 'hit list' at one school. Anyhow, the guy from Daughter's school called from a payphone in the mall across the street. They have him on the phone on camera so he will be charged with a crime. A felony, maybe? I can't remember.
I've not read much this week, but there are a few things & books on my mind which I hope to post about over the next few days.
This author seems to walk the line between fantasy and romance without falling into either category. Fortune's Fool is the third 500 Kingdoms novel I've read, only one of which really seemed romantic (the first one), if that makes any sense. Now that I know what to expect from her, I'm ok with the hybrid style. I'd never read Ms.Lackey's work before the first 500 Kingdoms title, I was disappointed in the second and now that I'm done with the third I feel like I'm on an even keel as far as Ms. Lackey's style and take on the Luna books.
Ekaterina is the seventh daughter of the Sea King's 14 children. As some of you may know, seventh children often have a special fate. Katya is precocious and observant and easily transitions from sea to land. Seeing this, her father makes her his spy. While in Nippon (equivalent to feudal Japan) on a mission, Katya receives a magic origami bird from a Japanese spirit as a gift for her help. Later, on another mission for her father, the bird will be a major player in Katya's efforts.
The hero is Sasha ______, can't remember his surname, but he's the seventh son of the King of Led Belarus. Not only that, Sasha is a Songweaver. Among other duties he roams his father's kingdom singing carefully crafted yet easily remembered singable songs praising the kingdom's positive qualities & traits & other songs that chase off any would be magical predators. These songs help shape the paths the Tradition will take in Led Belarus, thus ensuring the continuing Led Belarus' prosperity. Sasha is definitely what the romance community would call a beta hero- quiet & unassuming & intelligent, but more than capable of catching & holding what he wants.
Sasha & Katya meet at the seaside in a remote part of his father's kingdom. Each is alone & feels isolated for different reasons, but they strike up a friendship & eventually become lovers. The Tradition, around which each person in the 500 Kingdoms must work, has a couple of set storylines Sasha & Katya will be pushed to follow unless they can work out a way around it (the Tradition seems to be composed of known fairytale types; certain storylines have one or two or several possible endings depending on the characters involved). Will Sasha & Katya manage to thwart what the Tradition has in store for them? What happens when a new magical being, foreign to this area, moves in & takes over some other being's castle?
This is one of the few romances where the hero & heroine are both virgins. Not only that, the first time they have intercourse is true to actual experience. That is to say: fumbling, short, painful and unfulfilling for the female. Unlike most first time sex scenes in romances where the hero manages to get the heroine to be multi orgasmic from the start. A tiny bit of realism is always welcome, IMO. The visuals in the first few chapters reminded me very strongly of the Disney movie The Little Mermaid, but fortunately that washed away as I read along. Characters from previous 500 Kingdoms novels appreared: Sergei the ugly little horse and Gina and Adamant the pair of dragons. What else? Baba Yaga appears, as does the katschei from the Firebird Suite (among other places). There is a passing nod to Brian Jacques' series of books about forest animals.
Ms. Lackey's 500 Kingdom novels may not appeal to romance readers expecting a clear depiction of the developing relationship. I approached this book from a fantasy POV & found it highly satisfying. It is set up as a quest fantasy/adventure romance. Published this year by Luna.
Today marks the start of Holocaust Rememberance Week- Yom HaShoah. Image from The Hatikvah Center.
Prayer for the dead, translated from Hebrew, courtesy of MyJewishLearning.com
Glorified and sanctified be God's great name throughout the world
which He has created according to His will.
May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days,
and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon;
and say, Amen.
May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.
Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored,
adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He,
beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that
are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us
and for all Israel; and say, Amen.
He who creates peace in His celestial heights,
may He create peace for us and for all Israel;
and say, Amen.
Lest we forget, there are still plenty of places on our little blue marble that have plenty of genocide going on, right in plain sight. Check out google earth & the US Holocuast Museum's newest project on Darfur, Sudan. We are EACH OBLIGATED to do what we can to stop the evil among us.
Bumper stickers seen recently:
My local library has NO Tanya Huff and only half of the Assassin and Ship series for Robin Hobb. Sucks. The budget is being cut yet again & I'm betting requesting said titles won't accomplish much. And they only have the first season for Bertie & Jeeves on DVD. *pout*
Am sowly winding my way through Mercedes Lackey's new 500 Kingdoms book, Fortune's Fool. So far so good, but I'm not in much of a reading mood this week so it's been slow on my account.
Hope everyone has a good weekend & better weather!
The Husband~ was offered a position at a hospital on the very northern edge of our part of metro DC. No more $$, but it's day shift (thank you, Jesus!) and has superb bennies incl. full coverage of higher ed. Paid parking- those of you in major metro areas know what a boon this is. Totally different part of medicine, he will be trained in all things related to cardiac diseases, arrhythmias, medicines, symptoms, treatments etc. He has been a women's health specialist for the last 5 years, previously he was med-surg/oncology. We're elated, Hubby has wanted to return to university to eventually become an advance practice RN. Now he's finally getting an opportunity!
Son #1~ Did get the job at the ballpark after all. He's worked two days & loves it, although attendance has been very low due to cold nights. We'll see how he handles it when it's 90 F and the drunks are yelling and obnoxious and the kids throw up everywhere. GF has just returned home from the hospital after yet another cardiac cath & various blood tests. Some rejection in the heart, but not much & her kidneys are exhausted & cranky. They plan to attend his prom in May.
Daughter~ was confirmed last Sat. April 7th on the Great Vigil of Easter. It was a beautiful and moving ceremony, my favorite of the entire church calandar except maybe choral tenebrae. We managed to buy her a new dress & new shoes, and have her hair cut, all courtesy of the wonderful & understanding Grand-Mere. Merci grandmere! No BF, or so she says. Daughter does write fanfic based on manga & anime characters with a GF. The trip with her church youth group is still a go at this point despite the iffy funding.
Son #2~ continues to chug along his merry way- perennially cheerful, smiley and helpful. Also becoming a serious wiseacre in his old age. Not that I'm surprised. He and the Hubby have big bathroom plans: replace the insides of the toilet (Son's favorite!) and fiddle with the showerhead & related plumbing. He sang at nearly every service last week, but says he liked tenebrae best too despite a sore throat. This Link is a clip from the Dominican Priory in DC during tenebrae this last week.
Cassieopeia Brittman has parented her mother Anne for most of her childhood, which was spent wandering the U.S. barely one step above homelessness. Finally Cassie and Anne have settled into a small university city south of Anne's (and Cassie's) birthplace, a small farm. After promising Cassie she'd spend her student years single and unattached, Anne brings Gunnar the Swedish Viking filmmaker home one morning. Poppie Brittman (Anne's father), a reclusive and eccentric (Aren't they always?) but extrememly talented painter is in ICU in the local communtiy hopsital. Anne and Cassie must drop everything to return to the small rural community Anne fled when Cassie was very small. All is not what it seems, though. Who is Melvin Steiger, really? Why does everyone in town like him when it is immediately obvious he's not helped Poppie around the property as he ought to have? Who is the mysterious fiddler who rescues Cassie more than once and how could he possibly be in a photo of Cassie's grandparents when Poppie was a babe?
This novel reminds me strongly of Solstice Wood by Patricia McKillip (my thoughts on Ms. McKillip's book in the title link). Less intense & less layered perhaps, but they both resonate. Excellent book. Plan to hunt up Ms. Snyder's other works at the library. Published by Viking in 2002.
A detailed, finely nuanced coming of age tale set in India and California. The Gardner family, most often of Berkeley CA has arranged to spend the summer in India doing various charity projects in the orphanage that raised Sarah Gardner to age 4. Sarah's daughter Jasmine is unhappy about the change of summer scenery, primarily because she's fallen in love with her best friend and business partner Steve Morales- who is being preyed upon by practically every girl that matters at their local school. Jazz would prefer to spend the summer at home & keep Steve safe. Of course, being 15, actually getting up the courage to tell him how she feels is impossible. India is wonderful and scary and interesting and overwhelming all at once. Each member of Jazz's family is compelled to change and grow before the end of summer and the long long flight to CA.
MS really kindled a desire to learn how to make yummy authentic Indian curries, made me reflect on the beautiful Indian women in our area- their saris and gold jewellry & how very feminine they look. Jazz suffers from many of the typical female pychological issues: low self esteem, poor body image, emotional honesty, etc, but what really touched me is Ms. Perkins' portrayal of a girl trying to wall herself into a protective cocoon and the country that helps her gain inner strength and courage.
Definitely planning to look up other works by Ms. Perkins. This title like others she's written are aimed at young adult readers.
I know there are quite a few romance readers out there who feel Derek Craven is the bestest, hottest, most tortured romance hero ever- except maybe Jamie Frazer. I like Derek. I agree he's right up there as far as the deprived, tortured soul aspect. Not so sure on the bestest, hottest part though. Derek Craven is a prostitute's get, raised in the deepest slums of London by sympathetic prostitutes after his mother leaves him in the gutter. After a harrowing childhood on the streets, he's the owner of London's most posh, upscale gambling den. Like many deprived souls before him, Derek finds comfort in amassing material items and money as a hedge against past privations. Derek has also hidden many of his finer qualities behind a protective facade designed to keep the unobservant at bay.
I had the most problems with Derek's love interest, Sara Fielding. Raised by older indulgent parents, Sara manages to be an intrepid adventuress & author- yet Ms. Kleypas asks us to believe that such a woman would seriously consider marrying Percy the henpecked, overindulged, cosseted only child whose every thought is governed by his mother. Why would Sara do this? *eye roll* *insert sarcasm here* Because Percy is safe and solid and no one else could possibly love Sara anyway. *snort* Yet this woman runs around the London slums consorting with thieves and prostitutes and slumlords without qualms or protection (she patently doesn't know how to properly shoot the pistol she carries). Lies to her parents' friends who are trying to keep her safe. Deceives her parents (& Percy, as if that should matter) and seems blithely unconcerned that such deceptions might negatively mark her character and ruin her reputation.
My biggest 'drop you right out of the story' moment occurs when a drunken Sara is in the middle of a riot in the London dockyards with one of Derek's rivals, a man she barely knows & who has an unsavory reputation even in the stews. Jenner, the man she ran out of Derek's club with, has dumped her in the middle of the street when some thugs try to make off with his horses. Derek rescues her & tells the toughs threatening to rape her, "Back off! She's mine!" or some such blather. In the middle of all this hullabaloo, while a quantity of men are trying a) rape you and b) kill you Ms. Kleypas asks the readers to believe that this is Sara's first night drinking alcohol and the first time Sara realizes she loves Derek- that she, Sara, really is his. I had to stop there & I put the book down over the long Easter weekend to try & set aside this bit of inanity. I mean really- you're drunk, you run off with a stranger who abandons you in the middle of the street in a bad part of town and a bunch of toughs try to abduct and rape you. THIS is when you realize who you love.
I did manage to put this series of actions aside & finish DOY. I like Derek (and Sara) quite a lot on either side of this night's actions. Although she continues to like Jenner even after this incident. The ending. The maniacal Joyce & her sociopath husband, who allowed Joyce to nearly murder Derek because Derek deserved it for cuckolding other husbands. The devoted friends. Etc. Almost didn't make it though.
Originally published by Avon in 1994. Haven't decided if it's a keeper since it came so close to being a DNF, but it's on the 'wait and see' shelf. Ms. Kleypas is an author I often either really like or really don't like. This is the first on the fence title (by her) for me.
This was published by Ace in 2004. James A. Hetley has a webpage, but it appears to be down right now. The link in the title is to an interview. The Summer Country a dark alternate reality/urban fantasy set in contemporary Maine and in a rural alternate world, the Summer Country of the title, where magic and magical beings of all descriptions are the modus operandi.
Maureen and Jo Pierce are sisters living in a tiny town. One night Maureen gets accosted by one stranger and rescued by another. Her rescuer, one Brian Arthur Pendragon Albion, has some fantastical tales to tell. Unfortunately for Brian Maureen isn't the type to give a guy any slack and she tries to send him on his way. Unfortunately, weird things begin to happen to her from that night forward. Maureen gets 'magiced' across the boundary into TSC. Turns out, the majority of the dominant beings in TSC are sterile. Only a select few are fertile- thus they are dying out & are indesperate need of fresh blood. Maureen and Jo happen to be magical beings despite being raised as ordinary humans and are completely illiterate in the ways and means of TSC. Thus, Maureen (but not Jo) is needed to infuse fresh genes into TSC. What happens to her there is the thrust of this story.
Maureen reminds me of Christine Feehan heroines- deeply damaged by childhood trauma, chip on her shoulder, prickly, yet vulnerable too. Maureen is only 28, but has a long history of severe alcoholism & serious mental disorders behind her. Her past history made parts of this novel hard to read, but I thought her issues were senstively handled as is her relationship with her sister. I had some problems with how her emotional and mental state was described toward the end of this novel, but the saga continues in the next installment, which is titled The Winter Oak (already available). I'm hopeful Mr. Hetley will continue with the complexity and depth of Maureen and Jo's characters and I hope he will resist temptation to wrap up these novels into neat little packages with every last little string tied and tucked in.
I'm trying for the first time the 'posting via email' feature blogger offers. Sorry I can't remember the exact name blogger gives it. Kinda irritating trying it from my cell phone, but- here we are kids! 8-) Tomorrow I'll post my thoughts on the most recent book I finished: The Summer Country by James A. Hetley.
The Dark Mirror, Juliet Marillier~
Would you send your four year old son far away to be raised by adults whose sole purpose is to mold him into a future monarch? Would you do it of you knew he would be raised ignorant of who his parents are until he became a young adult? Raised without the benefit of laughter or playtime and with only one other child- and a girl six years younger at that? Such a one would be Bridei, whose sole purpose is to be molded into a future monarch whose intention is to ensure the future of the old religion & beliefs and way of life in his kingdom. His childhood companion is Tuala, a child of faery, given directly to Bridei by the Goddess herself on the longest & holiest night of the year. Bridei must fight tooth and nail for the one thing he can claim as his own- Tuala. Tuala must overcome inbred, superstitious fears of her 'otherness' as well as Bridei's foster father's open distrust and dislike of her. Will Tuala and Bridei survive their childhood and achieve their dreams? Can they fulfill their destiny despite the meddling of humans and faeries (much like the meddling in Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream)?
Published in 2004 by Tom Doherty Publishing. Link to Ms. Marillier's website in book title above. 
Waifs and Strays, Charles de Lint~
Published in 2002 by Viking Books. Link to Mr. de Lint's website in book title above. A collection of short stories by Mr. de Lint themed around young adults. Some set in his fictional city of Newford. All are excellent. Guaranteed to make you want to hunt down Mr. de Lint's backlist- and it's a deep one.
Below is a list of what I read over the month of March, listed in the order I read them. They are also on the sidebar alphabetically by author.
1.The Semptster's Tale, Margaret Frazer
2.Hunter's Moon, O.R. Melling
3.The Summer King, O.R. Melling
4.Wildwood Dancing, Juliet Marillier
5.They Call Me Naughty Lola, ed. by David Rose
6.The Traitor's Tale, Margaret Frazer
7.Blood Red Horse, K.M. Grant
8.P.S. I Love You, Cecilia Ahern
9.The Faery Reel, ed. Datlow and Windling
10.Oceans of Fire, Christine Feehan
11.Green Jasper, K.M. Grant
Plus there were 2 DNFs this month.
The further adventures of Ellie, Gavin, Will, Kalim and Hosanna the blood red horse. In this, the second installment of their saga, home (England) does not prove to be as welcoming as the brothers might wish. Gavin questions his worthiness as a leader because he lost an arm on Crusade. You'd think it would be seen as an honorable loss, in battle & for God etc. but apparently not. Will proves that it is always wiser to think before you leap into action. Kalim again proves that loyalty and honor can sometimes win out over the desire for vengeance. & Ellie? Well, Ellie and Old Nurse, that ale swilling, obese & beloved old woman? Together they prove that women too can be courageous and honorable and brave. Richard the Lionhearted, Prince John, Saladin and that evil swine Constable de Scabious all make their bows. As does a certain young lady named Marissa (I think. Again, it would be nice if I took notes before returning these books!), who like people everywhere, seems determined to make more trouble than she's worth.
Anyhow- the third in this series is titled Blaze of Silver and will be published next month.
I just realized my 2nd bloggiversary was last week on the 21st! I love coming here & chatting about books & life in the wilds of suburban DC. Parenting & unexpected road trips & the horrors of schools who want checks with commas.
Husband is in the middle of juggling applications at two different hospitals on opposite ends of our area. One is in his medical subspecialty (obstetrics & women's health), one is completely different (cardiac step down & icu). Each location has good points & bad ones, but one has vastly better benefits. The other, though, has two employees husband has worked with previously & respects. Don't know how it will fall out, but the situation where he is currently employed isn't improving, it has deteriorated. So we're on tenterhooks at the moment.
Son #1 continues to muddle along. The ballpark job has hit a snag. He thought the orientation was tonight, but we arrived & the place was empty. Not a soul. He says he tried calling twice to confirm the date and time, but never was able to speak to a live human, only phone trees. Poor guy is disappointed. We'll try & talk to a human tomorrow. OTOH, one of his buddies is trying to line him up with a part time job with a lawn service. We'll see how things shake out. On the college apps- two acceptances, one yet to hear from. We're holding off on decisions until we hear about financial aid packages from each place. GF is sick with stomach flu, but otherwise ok. She's in school part time & trying to hang tough. I'm attempting to get them to decide whose prom they're going to attend.
Daughter continues to hang tough with geometry. She volunteers at the county animal shelter & is thinking about getting a summer job at the mall, hopefully at her favorite anime store. *eye roll* On Easter Eve, the Great Vigil (April 7th) she will be confirmed at our church & we're planning a big family party to celebrate on Easter Sunday. The big trip her Sunday School class has been planning *snort* has hit that eternal snag- $$$. Supposedly airfares have risen dramatically in the last few weeks, eating into the budget. My problem is that the adults planning this little escape have known for months where the kids wanted to go & ought not have waited so long to pay deposits etc. Now the kids may have to completely retrench & choose another location. I'm angry about the whole situation, it has been mismanaged from the word go & there's no one to blame but the adults in charge, but the kids will pay for the lack of advance planning & guidance.
Son #2 has been accepted into the IBMYP magnet program in our school district. This is the same program Daughter is on the tail end of. It is an excellent program & we respect it highly. He's very very excited. Some of his friends have been accepted as well & he's looking forward to trading homework horror stories & having some of the same teachers Daughter had. Musically he continues to sing & play piano. No voice change yet. There's a new male choir member at church who sings tenor all the way to alto (& beautifully too). He & the Son have traded laughs a time or two, as he started as a boy soprano just as Son is now.
Finished this one over the weekend. Struggled to overcome wanting to smack the heroine for her self centered, 'me first & your side of the story doesn't count' view of past events with the hero. Previous to this novel Alexsandr & Abigail had a brief relationship in Russia. Apologies if I've mispelled his name. Sacha was a policeman/member of the secret police/spy. Abby fell afoul of the law, became a suspect and ended up being interrogated & then deported. Even four years later, Abby expected Sacha to drop everything & ruin his career to prevent her from being interrogated & imprisoned. Like the other Drake Sisters novels, this one takes place in northern California.
I had a very hard time wrapping my mind around her expectations which were based on a brief but intense relationship. I mean, they were is Russia for goodness sake. What did she think their justice system was going to be?To my mind, there aren't many marriages that would have withstood such events, never mind the fact that almost no one would flush an entire career down the toilet for a person they barely knew (even if the sex was fantastic). I thought Abby's refusal to read Sacha's letters or even to listen him or to consider that his side of the story was equally valid was stupid and juvenile. I'm not saying she had to agree with him or condone his actions, but for heavens' sake, woman, grow up!
Anyhow, the plot is that Abby has returned home to help plan her sisters' upcoming wedding. She witnessed a Russian mafia hit on an Interpol agent & the attempted murder of several locals. Sacha's partner is murdered. Who is smuggling art through the area & why? Why won't they just use a different route to get their goods into the country? That being the typical way things are done- when the route is too 'hot' it's dropped. More than that, now that Sacha's found Abby again he's determined to make her hear his side of the story & regain her trust and love.
I read this series for the relationship between the sisters as opposed to the romances. The hero, Sacha, is typical Feehan in that he's immensely devoted to his love interest & is emotionally wounded. Anyhow, I think I need to reread John Le Carre now!
An anthology of short stories, compiled by two prominent editors in the fantasy genre. Originally published by Viking in 2004. Several prominent authors: Patricia McKillip and Neil Gaiman among others. This is a wonderful title for those times when you're overly busy & need something you can pick up & put back down at random. I loved the artwork at the beginning of each story. Favorite pieces: Catnyp by Delia Sherman; the story by Bill Congreve who is an Australian author I'm adding to my library list, his piece was very evocative of his homeland; Never Never by Bruce Glassco, which attempts to set Capt. Hook straight as to the true purpose of Never Never Land. In truth all of the stories in The Faery Reel are good, these simply stick out in my memory more than most. Also included in an appendix is a list of related titles, a few of which I've already borrowed from my library. Each story is followed by an editors note about the author's career & lists titles recently comleted (as of publication date of this volume) or soon to be published as well a awards received.
I finished this a couple of days ago & needed some time to sort out my thoughts before posting about it. Cecelia Ahern is the Irish Prime Minister's daughter. Not that that affected what I think about the book or the author, I just thought that was an interesting tidbit. Set in contemporary Ireland, P.S. I Love You is about Holly. Just turning thirty, newly & unexpectedly widowed after the sudden death of her husband Gerry, PSILY follows Holly's emergence from grief into a new life of her own. I guess it's a chick lit, but the subject matter was surprisingly serious for what appeared (my mistake for judging the cover & the blurb) to be more light hearted than it turned out to be.
Gerry has written ten letters to Holly & mailed them to her parents' home, Holly doesn't pick them up until Gerry has been dead two months. One letter per month until the end of the year (March through December inclusive), each letter gives Holly a new task to help her move on. Some are funny (karaoke) and some are poignant & painful (sorting through his belongings). Holly & Gerry had quite a close circle of friends who helped her nurse Gerry through his illness & attempt to help her through grief.
My biggest problem is the fact that Holly's friends, while patient & supportive to an extent, all eventually tell Holly she 'needs to get a grip and move on.' One of the friends goes so far as to say so to Holly's face- and then says 'don't tell so & so I was here (his wife) 'cuz she doesn't know I came.' Oh & BTW, the wife is preggers & needs Holly to stop grieving & be a supportive friend. Someone else is getting married & tells Holly to stop moping & help her celebrate the upcoming wedding. Poor Gerry hasn't even been in his grave a year!
All of my problems revolve around Holly's buddies. I don't think they were truly friends. As far as I'm concerned they were shallow & thoughtless & drank like fish. On more than one occaision they drag Holly out to some event & proceed to get so drunk one or more of them black out- friends who help you like that? Don't need 'em. Finally Holly lands a job she loves & works like the devil to earn her boss' respect & help herself move on. What do the friends do? Berate her for suddenly becoming a workaholic. Never mind that Holly needs the cash & has no real work history & so does need to prove her worth to the boss.
In all honesty, I really like Holly. She sees most of her shortcomings & her strengths & copes admirably with all life throws at her. Her family, like everyone else's, is a mixed bag of ok, pain in the bum & supportive. I thought the letters were a wonderful construct to show Holly's personal growth & her close relationship with Gerry. But the friends? Could've been better. Then again, no friend can be everything you need in a time of crisis, but jeez. Too, Holly could've spoken up earlier & more often and told them what for. None of us are perfect though.
For all of my disike of Holly's friends I enjoyed Ms. Ahern's story about Holly & Gerry. Holly was a likeable person who measured up in the end & became a better person. I'm on the lookout for more of Ms. Ahern's work.
And return to us soonest. I hope all is well. Brussels must be hectic. Hugs.
In case anyone's wondering, Maili's blog has disappeared. Last I heard she was moving to Brussels in January, but her blog addy was suspended & is now gone. If anyone has heard from her or knows if she has a new blog going please leave a link.
Just a quick synopsis of a young adult book I recently finished. It's first in a trilogy, second is out in pb & the third one comes out next month. Naturally I've lost my notes & therefore my mind, so I'm stuck with whatever I can remember (which usually isn't much).
Blood Red Horse by K. M. Grant an adventure laden coming of age tale set in late 12th century England & Jerusalem. Two brothers, Gavin & Will, set off with their benign & negligent dad to Crusade in the Holy Land, restoring control of Christ's country to the rightful Christians. Their father's ward, Eleanor (Ellie), is left behind at the mercy of Constable de Scabious (who turns out to be as horrible as his name). Will's beloved stallion Hosanna, what a great name for a horse BTW!, goes along and has more adventures all by himself than one would think possible. Young Kalim, an orphaned Muslim under the care of Sultan Saladin himself, proves to be a troubled but sometimes compassionate leader who is fated to love Hosanna as much as Will. Meantime, Ellie gets tutored, on the sly, in reading and ends up in serious trouble as a result. Naturally, Will and Gavin return barely in time to save the day.
I really enjoyed this first volume in the de Granville trilogy, the next one is titled Green Jasper and sits in the library pile waiting its turn. BRH is intense and dark, but also more true to history & (hopefully) less biased against Muslims than many other historical fiction novels, regardless of audience. Some of the early scenes with Hosanna are heartbreaking a la Black Beauty & I really struggled to like Gavin through the entire book. Kalim I liked & understood, but Gavin struck me as an overindulged whiner whose daddy ought to have disciplined more than he did. There are hints at the end, though, that Gavin will change quite a bit as the trilogy moves on.
The Traitor's Tale is the most recent installment in the ongoing Sister Frevisse 15th century historical mystery series. Link to descrption of book and image of book jacket in link in title. This one takes place a few months after The Sempster's Tale, which I read a week or ten days ago. Some of the dangling strings leftover from TST are merely mentioned in passing. I'm not altogether pleased with that, frankly, but there's nothing I can do about it.
Basically this is a political espionage whodunit. Frevisse has been dragged out of her convent again to provide solace and support for her bereaved and beseiged cousin Alice de la Pole, Duchess of Suffolk. Joliffe pops up. He and Frevisse and Alice must work together to try and save both Alice's young son John (the new duke) and the Duke of York from unknown but powerful political enemies.
One is A Factory of Cunning by Philippa Stockley. This is set up so that the story evolves via letters written by the characters. Normally this doesn't bother me, but for some reason I just couldn't submerge myself into Ms. Stockley's creation. Another possible factor: vengeance appears to be a main motivation behind the lead character, "Mrs. Fox." Again, this wouldn't normally be an issue. It simply didn't gel for me. Another time, perhaps.
The second is Secrets of the Night by Jo Beverley. I find the whole premise shaky at best: well off young woman in a comfortable marriage of convenience finds a Malloren injured by the wayside, takes him home and has her way with him for an entire weekend specifically to conceive a child to prevent a sectarian relative from inheriting the estate. Not only that, but they manage to 'fall in love' over the course of the weekend, despite the fact that she insists on wearing a mask, keeps him locked in his room & swears no one can know the true course of events.
So, you remember I said I'm not on the 'net much 'cuz of burnout? Ok, yesterday I discover my cell phone has RSS capability (at no extra charge! YAY!). Meaning, I can list a bunch of sites I want to keep track of & the phone stores it- saving me precious hunt & peck typing time, not to mention crackberry thumb (an authentic disorder, BTW). Unlike my Brother, living among the golden waves of grain, who could type 100+ wpm. Or at least, he claims he used to.
Anyhow, I've had fun entering sites & blogs & whatnot into my little phone so I can keep track of youse guys even while away from a full size 'puter. Only one or two hitches. One:I can't leave comments. The phone claims the sites have unauthenticated security certificates. Whatever. So, Jenster's adorable rant about her motormouth kid? Couldn't leave a sympathy comment. Two: some sites whose entries have hyperlinks won't come up. Example- Smartbitches won't come up either on the 'net (the phone surfs too) or on the RSS aggregator. However, Tara's blog comes up on both the RSS and on the phone's 'net fine even with hyperlinks (which work, BTW).
I'm not complaining. The phone was cheap (less than $100), as 'net capable phones go. So a glitch or two, here & there? No biggie. Son #2 has loaded Lemonade Tycoon onto it & plays it in the car. Also. The younger two kids have already beaten the other game (Tropical Madness) I put on it & now regularly beg me to pony up the $$$ for more games. Any reccs for cell phone games with great graphics? That my kids won't beat as soon as its loaded onto the phone?
Son #1~ Suffering with what is called 'short timers attitude' in the military. In other words, he can't seem to be bothered with homework, projects, etc. because, and I quote, "I'm graduating in June, mom." Well, let me tell you- if he keeps up with the current attitude it'll be a miracle if he makes it. Has been hired for the summer to work selling concessions for the local farm baseball team. Very excited, although the pay is minimum wage. Real life, here we come!
Son's GF~ He keeps telling me, "not really GF/BF, mom", but they talk on the phone an hour a day. I've been married nearly 20 years & we don't talk that much. LOL ;) Anyhow, she's been permitted to return to school on a greatly reduced schedule. Which is good news all 'round. Is back in hospital for a cardiac cath, but supposedly this is a routine check on her heart health & rejection status.
Daughter~ Hanging on in geometry by her fingernails. I've gotta hand it to her, though. She's persistant & disciplined & tries her damndest. I've already advised her not to choose a career field where lots of math is necessary. She tells me calculators are a girl's best friend. She and some GFs spent the night and pulled an all night Supernatural season 1 marathon. Very nearly went to an anime convention, but was derailed at the last minute by a previous obligation to volunteer at the animal shelter.
Son #2~ Still puttering along. Is finally done with his detested piano primers & has moved on to "real music". He has also had his first lesson on the organ at church & talked about stops & pedals & ranks & buttons for days afterwards. Very excited young man, let me tell you. Oh & BTW- he's nearly as tall as Daughter despite being almost 4 years younger. She's not best pleased either. What else? He applied for the same specialty program Daughter is going through. Notification letters to be mailed end of the week. Husband claims Son is nervous about getting in, but I've not seen that from him.
Husband~Works for the Army medical system here in DC. The same one that has been pilloried around the world for lack of adequate care, etc. Needless to say, the whole damn place is in an uproar, which looks to be worsening over time. Not exactly good for his stress level. On the upside, his birthday is coming up soon & he's requested b'fast in bed. After the kids go to school. ;)
They Call Me Naughty Lola, edited by David Rose and published by Scribner in 2006, is a collection of some of the most creative, painful and funny personal ads placed in the London Review of Books. I saw it on a table of new books at the library and couldn't resist. Occasionally I read the personals in our local paper for exactly the same reason- laughs. Yes, I'm mean enough to laugh at other people's desperation. Rarely have I ever seen ads quite as funny as these, though. Then again- I love the Brits' dry, ironic sense of humor. Best read in bed curled up beside your special someone so s/he too can laugh at humanity's gift for creativity even in the face of bleak despair and overwhelming loneliness. Whatever the well of inspiration, this is certainly worthy of a spot on your bedside table.
Wildwood Dancing was written by Juliet Marillier and published by Alfred A. Knopf in 2007. Link to the publisher page for this book is in the title above. This is an amalgamation of Eastern European fairytales set in Romania during the nineteenth century. I know I've forgotten one or two tales Ms. Mariller refers to, but the ones I recognized while reading WD are: 12 Dancing Princesses, the Frog Prince and Baba Yaga. Like other works in Ms. Mariller's backlist, WD features strong young women on the cusp of adulthood. WD is a young adult fantasy.
Five sisters: Tatiana, Jenica, Paula, Iulia and Stela live in a derelict castle in the Romanian countryside with their widower father and a few elderly servants. Their father is seriously ill with what appears to be a lung infection and must spend the winter at the seaside. Leaving the girls alone at the castle with only their uncle and an older male cousin to turn to for help should they need it. As soon as father leaves odd and sinister events happen. The uncle is killed in an hunting accident (but was it really?), leaving the girls at the mercy of their cousin-a greedy, deliberately intimidating older teen who belittles and bullies his cousins. Their father is out of touch- deliberately perhaps?
Like the best traditional fairytales, before they were judged "too violent" and subsequently rewritten, Wildwood Dancing is full of menace and threats. Yet it also lovingly depicts a close and loving family who care for each other and those they are responsible for. Will Tati and Jena make peace over Sorrow? Will their cousin spoil it all? Who killed the dwarf and the young lady down in the village? Why doesn't their father reply to Jena's letters? Who fixed the fence? Will Jena and Gogu figure it all out before it's too late??
Unlike the first book in this series (Hunter's Moon), The Summer King is bittersweet & heartfelt. There are themes galore: grief and mourning, denial and acceptance, life and death, sacrifice for the greater good. All of which are universal, none of which have pat answers. TSK is aimed at young adult audiences and stars a young woman on the brink of adulthood.
Laurel is returning to Ireland on the first anniversary of her twin sister's death. Her twin, Honor, died in what appeared to be a freak accident the previous summer. Laurel is mostly in denial about Honor being gone, an attitude which is not helped when Laurel reads Honor's diary and becomes suspicious about what really happened. There is a push-pull relationship with the male lead (Ian) & a time deadline. Faerie and the fate of humanity is integral, but what stood out most for me was Laurel's struggle to come to terms with Honor's death.
Like Hunter's Moon, The Summer King is a quest storyline. To achieve her goal, though, Laurel is forced to confront her inner demons and external forces working both for her and against her. For me, it was hard to balance Laurel's emotional struggles against the adventures she and Ian have together (and boy are they prickly!). Without giving anything away, I found the denoument simulatneously deflating and a relief & the epilogue sort of confused me yet was hopeful. I'm very muddled about it all, to be honest.
Then again, my own expectations of a stereotypical happily ever after, all problems neatly wrapped into a neat bow color my thoughts. Just as Laurel was stuck in denial, so am I stuck with hoping for a hint at a happy future. The Summer King is a thought inspiring work not easily set aside.
This is the first in the Chronicles of Faerie series, originally pubbed years ago & is now being reworked & repubbed. Orla Melling is the pseudonym of an Irish Canadian author- or could be a Canadian Irish author, depending on how you look at things. Favorite little tidbits: the author supplies a glossary with pronounciation & translations & the book is filled with Gaelic poetry & lyrics & there have been at least two or three new words I had to look up. New vocabulary words for Scrabble games! Yay! Yes, I am a nerd.
Anyhow, Hunter's Moon is aimed at young adults. Ms. Melling's work reminds me of Tamora Pierce in that the heroines of this tale are young women on the cusp of full adulthood. HM is set in the present though & full of references to current musicians & technology. Gwen & Findabhair, which is pronounced fin-a-veer the book says (God I hope I spell that properly, I don't have the book to check), are cousins on a road trip/adventure in Findabhair's native country of Ireland. Gwen is actually American but the girls nurtured a close relationship despite the distance.
Gwen is a follower, thus when Findabhair changes the agenda Gwen goes along despite misgivings & disiking deceiving her aunt & uncle. Unfortunately, Findabhair has been bespelled by a hunky goth-type fairy guy & she ditches Gwen while they're illicitly camping inside a mound at Tara, the ancient seat of Irish kings (& fairies too). So Gwen wakes up alone in the mound. Where did Findabhair go & how can Gwen get her back? Will she prevail against the ancient magics conspiring to steal her cousin away for good? Also- hunky fairy guy #2 in command vs. young Irish guy who claims to be the hereditary king of his little island?? Decisions, decisions.
After that follows a wonderful road adventure, quest type storyline. Leprechauns and ancient magics older than faerie take their turn onstage. As I said- this book could be a tour guide for those of us in love with ancient places where the veil of the world is thin. Full of lore & poetry. Plus? An ending that made me cry. What more could a girl wish for?!
This is a library book, but I want one of my own. Enjoy!
Another Sister Frevisse mystery, this one taking place in London. Sister Frevisse has a dual mission. Buy hard to get supplies for her convent, St. Frideswide's, choose fabric and patterns for vestments honoring the now deceased Duke of Suffolk (a commission from Frevisse's cousin Alice, the Duke's widow) and a secret, unknown mission on Alice's behalf.
The political atmosphere in England is fraught with strife. There are minor uprisings & generalized discontent- aimed primarily at the nobility around the king, but Henry isn't widely loved either. London has been the focus, being both the seat of power and the commercial and economic hub of England. Too, there are rumblings that there are heresies spreading through the kingdom.
Into all of this Frevisse and her fellow travellers from St. Frideswide are dropped. The commercial goods must be ordered and paid for, the vestment cloth and embroidery patterns must be chosen, negotiated and paid for. Not to mention figuring out Alice's secret mission. All in the hustle and bustle of London.
There are really two plots happening in this book. Frevisse must help solve a murder that occurs amid negotiations with a cloth merchant and she must complete Alice's mission too. A teenage boy is found murdered beneath a local church, his body defaced with odd carvings. Could it be a nasty heresy imported from the Continent? Or perhaps connected with the cloth merchant's hidden trade? Part of a political plot, even? This same merchant is also one of the contacts Frevisse had for Alice's mission.
Of the two plots, only the murders are solved. Frevisse's mission on Alice's behalf has been left unfinished, presumably to be continued in the next volume. I'm impatient to see what happens with Frevisse's mission for Alice. What kind of problems must Alice be having for her to ask a cloistered nun for help? Help that is, honestly, a little underhanded and deceitful? I also felt that Frevisse's actions after the murders in London was not as aboveboard & honest as I expected. Her actions, taken in concert with the assistance of the merchant's family, left me out in the cold. I was very surprised that Frevisse's conscience allowed her to go through with what she did. Even so- I want to know if she accomplished Alice's mission. What is happening in Alice's world? And can Frevisse really go through with it all?
Other questions- could you fall in love with someone knowing he lived a double life? That he likely had a family elsewhere? That you & he didn't have a chance at an honest future together? Love him deeply despite knowing he purposely hid things from you? Love him even though he was technically fobidden in your country & that your faith holds him anathema? Is love & sex worth all of these painful questions?? Maybe some of these questions too can be answered next.
The next book in the series is Traitor's Gate.
I'm going through kind of a dry spell with the blog. Not feeling very motivated to post or surf (say it ain't so!) but I've been reading much more than before. So I decided to slow down with the posting a little and only put up my thoughts about what I'm reading. Hopefully, less time in front of the computer will help the creative juices replenish.
Meantime, I hope everyone else out there is ok & doing fine. I have been surfing a little bit, usually from my cell phone which won't allow me to post messages. So I'm kinda keeping track, but I'm not necessarily leaving messages. I feel kinda guilty about not being here every day, but I'm sure I'll be back to form soon.
During February, I managed to read the following books. In no particular order they are:
1.The Sharing Knife:Beguilement, Lois McMaster Bujold
2.If Angels Burn, Lynn Viehl
3.Once A Knight, Christina Dodd
4.Ithaka, Adele Geras
5.The Wind Dancer, Iris Johansen
6.My Wicked Fantasy, Karen Ranney
7. Clerk's Tale, Margaret Frazer
8. To The Castle, Joan Wolf
9.A Play of Isaac, Margaret Frazer
10.The Bastard's Tale, Margaret Frazer
11.The Widow's Tale, Margaret Frazer
12.The Hunter's Tale, Margaret Frazer
13.The Merchant's Partner, Michael Jecks
