Mom's Not All

24 Hour Read-A-Thon Join Up Post

Friday, April 9, 2010

Hi there everybody, The Read-A-Thon is tomorrow and I am going to try to do it again. Last time I didn't get to read as much as I wanted but I still participated and that is what counts. This time I remembered it and then I totally forgot about it but I am so glad I remembered it again before it passed, even if I only remembered one day before the Read-A-Thon begins. Only remembering with one day to spare means I don't have anyone to watch my son (he's 3) and I haven't picked up any kids books from the library yet which means I will have to do a run to the library in the morning to pick up an audio book and a bunch of kids books to keep the little guy interested and still be reading for the Read-A-Thon. That worked wonderfully last time. Maybe I can' download an audio book tonight...that will save time at the library since I also have to hit up the post office tomorrow no way around it. I am hoping to read a bit in the morning then hit the post office/library and then be able to read a lot in the afternoon. I won't be able to read super late into the night because it will be just me and the little guy on Sunday too and he doesn't let me sleep in just because I want to do a Read-A-Thon but I plan to read until I am too sleepy, then just not push myself too much. One of these times I will just be able to stay up all night and read, that will be great but for this time I will just do the best I can. I also plan to do blog posts as much as possible shooting for once per hour while I am reading. So stay tuned.

Book Review - Living Dead In Dallas by Charlaine Harris

Saturday, April 3, 2010

I have been waiting for this book to come in to my library back in New Orleans since before Christmas I almost thought I wasn't going to be able to finish the Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge I signed up for and then I came to visit my Mom in Fort Myers, Florida. I can't sing the praises of the library system here enough. They have so many copies of this book I just walked in a picked it off the shelf, I had to finish it fast but it was easy because this series is just so damn entertaining.

Living Dead in Dallas (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 2) by Charlaine Harris is wonderfully engrossing. I barely put it down from start to finish. This book veers wide from the plot of True Blood (the HBO series based on the books) which makes it all the more exciting. I love the TV show and I love the books so I can't wait to get the next in the book series to see where she takes it and I can't wait for the new season of the show to start to see what they use and what they don't and also what they fill in and change along the way. The show has been so well done up to this point that it can't be bad.

I don't want to give a description because I don't want to give anything away and the description on Amazon is lacking tot he point of uselessness so I will just say this, READ IT!

Currently "Reading":
Book - The Adventures of Doctor Who. Omnibus comprising: Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks; Doctor Who and the Revenge of the Cybermen; Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster by Terrance Dicks
E-Book - The Man Upstairs & Other Stories - From the Manor Wodehouse Collection, a selection from the early works of P. G. Wodehouse by P.G. Wodehouse
Audio - The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs by Alexander McCall Smith

Book Review - Count Karlstein by Phillip Pullman

Friday, April 2, 2010

In an effort to get started on the What's in a Name Challenge I picked up Count Karlstein by Phillip Pullman on audio at my local library. I had never read a Phillip Pullman novel for the simple reason that his adult novels are really nothing like what I normally read so I just pass them over in the bookstore. This one being a young adult novel (recommended ages 9-12) I decided to give it a try. In short, I liked it. I wasn't swept away by it to the point that I would go pick up his adult books but found it pleasant and mildly entertaining.

From Amazon Review:
"I might have occupied my mind usefully with Improving Thoughts, but the only improvement I could imagine then was a pair of wings, to enable me to fly to freedom. And, of course, a Head for Heights. I cleaned the dust from the window and peered out hopefully, but there was nothing but a Horrid Precipice, with jagged crags several thousands of feet below." Such are the woes of young Charlotte, locked in a tower room of her uncle's gloomy Castle Karlstein in 19th-century Switzerland. Escaping this predicament seems the least of her worries: in a solemn blood pact, her evil uncle, Count Karlstein, has promised to sacrifice his two orphaned nieces, Lucy and Charlotte, to Zamiel the Demon Huntsman--on midnight of All Souls' Eve--in return for his current riches.
First, however, the heartless Count and his "lip-licking, moist-handed, creeping, smarming" secretary, Herr Arturo Snivelwurst, will have to catch Lucy, too--and it is no small task with the headstrong, 14-year-old Hildi Kelmar; her 18-year-old, handsome-in-a-scowling-sort-of-way brother, Peter; and the intrepid English teacher Miss Augusta Davenport on the girls' side. As Miss Davenport herself points out, "an English gentlewoman can rise above any circumstances, given intelligence and a loaded pistol." The events in this delightful gothic farce unfold quickly in a variety of narrative voices, artfully building in suspense to a powerful, terrifying, deeply satisfying stand-off between the Count and the Demon Huntsman of Impenetrable Darkness himself. Subplots and loose ends are gracefully, happily, justly tied up in the light of day, finally allowing readers to exhale."

I am glad that the What's in a Name Challenge brought me to finally read a Philip Pullman book but I don't think I'll be doing it again any time soon.

1. Food

2. Plant

3. ~~Title~~

4. Place Name

5. Body of Water

6. Music Term

National Poetry Month

Thursday, April 1, 2010

It is National Poetry Month! To celebrate I am going to share some of my favorite poetry with you, my readers all month long! Now I would love to say I will share poetry every day but then I will inevitably miss a day then I will feel bad and then it will all fall apart so I will say this I will share a poem with you every possible day that I can or remember to do so.

To start I am going to share a short and sweet poem from my favorite poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay.

My candle burns at both ends

It will not last the night

But ah, my foes and oh, my friends

It gives a lovely light

Enjoy!

Zora Hurston And The Strange Case Of Ruby McCollum by C. Arthur Ellis - Book Trailer

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

I love Zora Neale Hurston, I have to find this book somewhere, maybe the library?!

Book Review - Logan and the Magic Fish by Otto Scamfer

Friday, March 26, 2010

I received a digital version of Logan And The Magic Fish by Otto Scamfer from the author for review. It is a children's book so I opened the PDF with my son sitting on my lap. The illustrations are brilliant, with enough detail to be interesting but clear cut and colorful so they appeal to even the youngest readers.

Logan and the Magic Fish is the story of what happens when Logan makes a magical catch on a late season fishing trip. The large orange fish offers to grant Logan 3 wishes if he will just release him back into Blue Lake. After making his 3 wishes Logan hurries home only to find his life hasn't changed at all. Frustrated and angry Logan returns to the lake to confront the magic fish. His doubts are laid to rest as the magic fish explains to him that with food to eat and a warm bed to sleep in he is already a rich boy, with family and friends who love him and want to spend time with him he is already popular and that happiness can only truly be recognized and enjoyed if your life has some sadness.

I really enjoyed this book, each moment I was really with Logan and that is hard to accomplish in a children's picture book. With my son's blonde hair and prospects of fishing with his grandfather this coming summer I think it was easy for me to see him as Logan. I only hope that my son can learn the valuable lessons that Logan at such a young age. Reading a wonderful story like Logan and the Magic Fish will give him a head start.

Currently "Reading":
Book - The Adventures of Doctor Who. Omnibus comprising: Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks; Doctor Who and the Revenge of the Cybermen; Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster by Terrance Dicks
E-Book - The Man Upstairs & Other Stories - From the Manor Wodehouse Collection, a selection from the early works of P. G. Wodehouse by P.G. Wodehouse
Audio - Count Karlstein by Philip Pullman

The books I am currently reading have wonderfully long titles, do they not?

My favorite from the Wonderfully Weird Book Videos

Thursday, March 25, 2010

I came upon the article at Huffington Post, 5 wonderfully weird book videos. The above video is my favorite because even though I still don't really know what the book is about this video was the most polished while the others where just plain WEIRD and if I'm still not going to know anything about the book I should at least be properly entertained. You can see all the other wonderfully weird videos here.

Currently "Reading":
Book - The Adventures of Doctor Who. Omnibus comprising: Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks; Doctor Who and the Revenge of the Cybermen; Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster by Terrance Dicks
E-Book - Logan And The Magic Fish by Otto Scamfer
Audio - Count Karlstein by Philip Pullman