Happy happy morning my friends! I'm pleased to announce that life has calmed down to a dull roar this week, and was able to get myself a little more in order. Only one doctor appointment, one meeting and two worker guy appointments...not bad.
The kids had Monday off from school so the three of us went to Andre the Angel of Death (formerly known as the uber-trainer) for our dose of pain. Then once my husband returned home early from work, we went to the movies...the boys going to see "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and my daughter and I seeing "The Devil Inside".
Speaking of the Angel of Death, (a name which Andre has acquired since he told me I shouldn't drink wine or eat cheese) he has been doing his job three days a week in getting me in shape. I have a long way to go, but have already lost 9 pounds and I feel great. I'd feel a whole lot greater if I I could have a glass of wine or two, though.
I got some other exciting news this week. I was contacted by a local author who is the chairperson for this year's Sleuthfest, a conference for mystery writers, which will be held in Orlando on March 1 - 4, 2012. She has invited me to sit on a panel called "Reviewing the Reviewers". I'm a little nervous about it, but at the same time, what other genre is closer to my heart than mystery? Totally cool.
I've really been in a mucky, sludgy place with my reading and blogging lately. You know I love to have a little bit of cushion in prescheduled posts, and those are dwindling away while I run around not reading. I'm going to try to pull myself out of this mess, but if things don't pick up soon, I will be forced to take a blogging break in order to get myself back on track. I refuse to chase posts everyday.
On that note, what have I been up to with my reading? I've been floundering in print, but this week was able to finish Taylor Polites' "The Rebel Wife" (Taylor rocks) and the hilarious graphic novel "What I Hate from A to Z" by Roz Chast (a recommendation from Jenners). Now I'm getting somewhere! I will be starting "The Baker's Wife" by Sarah McCoy today.
On audio, I was able to finish "Lunatics" by Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel. It was officially the goofiest, most insane thing I've ever listened to. Probably best consumed in small doses. Then I started "The Zookeeper's Wife" by Diane Ackerman for the Heathrow Literary Society, and should have it wrapped up in the next couple of days. Fascinating story, not so exciting narrator. Also, because I could only find it on MP3, I am listening to "The Dovekeepers" by Alice Hoffman in the car. I'm loving the narrator and the story, but I fear that I will not finish the 19 hour journey before my Skype book club meets. But I'll do my best.
Today we will be churching and horsing, and other than that, probably nothing of consequence. I love days like this. Hope you all have a good one. For those of you in 75% of the country with foul weather, I am sorry. 75 degrees in January is sort of getting old too (hee hee).
I'm back again with another addition to the Solid Gold Reviewer program from Audio Jukebox. I was drawn to select this title because I am always interested in how other people navigate successfully through the mother/daughter minefield with their relationship intact! My daughter is nearly 14, so I realize I have just entered the Danger Zone.
Lisa Scottoline is a successful author of legal thrillers, and her daughter is a young adult who has not only contributed with her mother on a weekly column in the Philadelphia Inquirer called "Chick Wit", but has written two essay collections with her.
The book alternates back and forth between essays written by Lisa or Francesca on topics that aren't necessarily those of the published and famous, but are completely familiar to you and I. None of them have much of a point, beyond a recounting of their daily trials and tribulations that affect us all. Hating duvet covers (I'm with you girl), wondering which is worse - a mouse problem or the exterminator, the dating scene, and the joy and sorrow of owning a pet.
My opinion: This really was a sweet book written by two women that obviously adore each other and rely upon each other for support. Some of the stories made me chuckle, and some made me very sad. Either way, it was nice to know that two published, successful women have the same issues that we do. I think if I met them, I would like them. I would comment that the book has very little to do with navigating that mother/daughter minefield I was talking about, and more about life.
Unfortunately, however, I don't think the audio forum is the way to experience this book. In my world, I plug in and go...sometimes all day, sometimes for an hour, but usually for longer periods of time. These short little vignettes are meant to be read in short doses. A few before bedtime, a few while waiting at the doctor's office, a couple while waiting for your water to heat up for a cup of tea. As a result, I started to get anxious when listening after awhile, and needed something more.
Both authors actually narrated their own work, and they had very pleasant reading voices, so this was not the issue.
My best advice would be...if you are in the mood for something light, and female issue-driven, buy the book and put it on your nightstand. It will serve you well!
2.5 out of 5 stars
There has been buzz about Chevy Stevens ever since her debut novel, "Still Missing" was first published. Deemed a taught and mental thriller, all the reviews I ever read said it was near impossible to put down. Shame on me for allowing not one but TWO copies sit on my shelves unread.
I was pretty happy when Stevens' second novel, "Never Knowing", was selected for Heathrow Literary Society's January read. The member who nominated the book said she read both books in two days. A very high recommendation indeed! Around the holidays, with all the chaos, this is just what I needed.
Synopsis: Sara Gallagher has always been curious about her birth parents. With two siblings born naturally to her parents after her adoption, she has always felt left out, less loved. As an adult, however, she has a daughter of her own, and is engaged to be married in just a few months to a man who deeply loves her. Life is good.
To get some closure before starting her new life, Sara decides to hire an investigator to find her birth mother. When the research uncovers the fact that not only was her mother the sole survivor of a serial murderer, but that Sara was a product of rape from that incident, all hell breaks loose. The serial murderer "John" is still out there, and soon learns he has a daughter. He contacts Sara and tries to form a relationship with her. This could be an opportunity for the police to finally catch the most wanted man in Canadian history, but things are a bit more complicated for Sara.
She is worried she might have inherited her father's temper. But she is strangely drawn to him. But he is dangerous. And he could hurt her loved ones. And what about that handsome police officer to whom she has grown close throughout the investigation? Will her happy, normal life ever again be within her reach?
My thoughts: Overall, I thought this was a decent thriller. While there was some action, it was more heavily focused on the complicated, mental underpinnings of being stalked by a paternal serial murderer. I suspect our book club will enjoy untangling all of the rat's nest of emotions addressed here...fear, betrayal, horror, fascination, morbid curiosity, forbidden sexual attraction, the power of maternal instinct, courage...it's all in there.
On the other hand, there were aspects of this story that drove me mad. A great deal of time was spent immersed in the protagonist's inability to make a damned decision. Will she help the police catch her father and defy her fiancé and family, or turn her back on her social responsibility? She waffled at least four times. In reality, yeah, I can understand this confusion. But for purposes of plot, it did not inspire my investment in Sara, and grew old fast. Two waffles would have been enough.
I also thought there were some missed opportunities in the lack of development of the relationship between Sara and her birth mother. It was a very large, loose thread. In fact, there were loose threads everywhere you turned, the focus primarily resting on the father/daughter interaction. What about her adoptive parents, her father's anger and her mother's illness, her dead ex-husband. I'm sure this was by design, but it left me wanting.
A word about the audio production: Nine out of ten times, an audio can make a good book better, but not in this case. The narrator, Carrington MacDuffie, was not a new voice for me. I'd listened to her in "The Little Giant of Aberdeen County" and thought she did a wonderful job. In this case, however, her depiction of Sara did not help matters. Her inflections were forced and insincere (the only comparison I can make is to Shirley Temple, which is cute in a little girl in the 1930's who dances and sings, but doesn't work in this case). About two discs into the audiobook, I began the terrible process of trying to separate the words and plot from what I was hearing in my ears.
3 out of 5 stars
One of the main highlights of Krakow Poland, besides the Wawel Castle, is the Wawel Cathedral. Two cathedrals once stood in its place, the first constructed in the 11th century and the second in the 12th century, both destroyed by fire. The current one that stands was built in the 14th century, and is an almost overwhelming display of marble, gold and Renaissance architecture.
Within its walls (no photography allowed) is the tomb of nearly every important figure in Polish history...kings, queens, war heroes, and even the Polish President that died in an airplane crash in 2010. It is a humbling experience to walk past all these gilded tombs.
You may climb the steps to the bell tower, where you can touch this 28,000 pound bell for good luck. Nope, you can't ring it. It takes 12 people to do that.
Every time I visit Sandmeyer's Bookstore in Chicago, I have a ball talking to the owner, Ellen, and letting her recommend her favorite books to me. The two of us move through the store, pointing out this or that with commentary, and every shelf or two I grab something. On my last visit, she pointed to this book and said "Oh this one is hilarious! It is a mystery narrated by a dog." My first reaction was to repel in horror. Another "Racing in the Rain" to rip my heart out! Ellen assured me that no, the dog does not die. The dog will make you laugh.
As it turns out, this is the first of a series of four books that involve Chet and his P.I. master Bernie.
Synopsis: Chet and Bernie are a team, through thick and thin. Bernie is a recently divorced, down-on-his-luck private eye who is struggling to make ends meet. Chet is his dog who brings lots of skills to the relationship. He is an (almost) certified K-9 dog, a great jumper, loves to ride shotgun in Bernie's beat-up old Porsche, and is Bernie's biggest fan.
One day Bernie is approached by a distressed woman whose 15 year-old daughter has gone missing. After a short period of time, Bernie is reassured that the girl has been located in Las Vegas and will be coming home soon, but something doesn't feel right. Too much trouble has been happening to Bernie and Chet in the form of the girl's smarmy real estate father and some Russian mobsters. The Bernie/Chet team is like a dog with a bone (ha) and refuses to rest until the details are nailed down and the girl is home safe.
My thoughts: Ellen was right, this book was hilarious. The entire story is narrated by Chet. So we only know what Chet hears in conversations around him or what Bernie tells him. Sometimes Chet will take a nap, go to the groomer's, or get lost in a rawhide chew, and in those cases, we might miss out on a few things. Which is part of the fun. The dog has a great attitude, ready to bite the leg of a bad guy, responds to anyone who will scratch behind his ears or give him treats, and is a loyal friend.
The mystery at hand is not all that complicated, with Russian mobsters being almost stereotypical antagonists, but that is not why we are here. We are here because in the first 30 pages we fall in love with Chet. He makes you want a dog just like him because he is funny and cool and unashamed of his doggy impulses. It is obvious to me that the author knows his canines well. Will this clever hook in telling a cozy mystery get old? Well, the pressure is on Quinn's shoulders.
Without a doubt I will be reading the rest of the series, to see if he is up to the challenge!
4 out of 5 stars
Six months ago, if you had asked me if I were interested in seeing a silent black and white film...a NEW film...I would have turned you down. I mean really? In the days of big budget, special effects and CGI, who would even have the guts to make such a thing anyway?
Michel Hazanavicious, backed by the Weinstein Company, that's who. And it appears that the director's boldness has paid off in spades. Jean Dujardin has already won the Best Actor Award in Cannes, where it premiered, and has been nominated for six Golden Globes in 2011, the most any one movie received.
Dujardin plays George Valentin, a successful but self-absorbed silent movie star who runs into a Hollywood hopeful Peppy Miller (played by an ebullient Berenice Bejo), making a random but fated connection.
As Peppy earns her way into the movies through her dancing and contagious smile, and starts to climb her way to stardom through the emergence of sound film, George becomes a has-been and loses everything he owns. That connection between the two actors is never broken though, and in a melodramatic and heart-warming climax, this one will leave you with a great big grin on your face knowing you have just witnessed something special.
It was amazing to me how much you can understand from good acting and facial expressions, devoid of words. After perhaps 10 minutes of hearing nothing but music, I completely forgot this was a silent film and was swept away by the romance and nostalgia of it all. George was dashing, Peppy was gorgeous (she absolutely LIGHTS up the screen), and to add flavor there was even a loyal little Jack Russell terror and a devoted chauffeur (James Cromwell). We even were treated with a little John Goodman as the studio director.
I was also impressed with the director's clever slight-of-hand at using sound within the movie to symbolize the materialization of "talkies". I won't go into the details, but was delighted with this creative little twist.
Also contrary to everything modern cinema is about, the movie only ran an hour and 40 minutes. Perfect. Admittedly, it has its share of predictability, in keeping with silent movies of the 1920's (thinking of the woman tied up on the train tracks only to be saved at the last minute by her knight in shining armor) but that is exactly why you will leave the theater smiling. This is what movies used to be about.
The rating is PG-13 for one fun bird-flipping scene, some alcohol consumption and a threat of violence. My kids (aged 13 and 12) loved it. The release of The Artist has been limited thus far (only shown for one week at our only indie theater), but when it gets multiple Oscar nominations (and I promise you it will) there may be a chance for a wider audience to experience this magical film.
Good morning everyone! I will just warn you...I have had "one of those weeks". A Sandy Week. I never mean to overwhelm you or sound like I am whining or bragging or anything like that. I have no intentions of reciting my week for any reason except just to take a personal inventory of WHY I didn't get a damn thing done. Makes me feel better.
As I told you last week, my sister was visiting so that contributed to the busy-ness, but can't really blame her for the overall chaos. I drug that poor girl around with me everywhere I went. I took her to my workout classes with Andre on Monday and Wednesday morning (I also worked out Thursday morning, but she was doing her best downward dogs with my mom). I took her to my book club meeting Monday night (discussing "Before I Go To Sleep" by S.J. Watson) and my Heathrow Literary Society on Tuesday (discussing "Never Knowing" by Chevy Stevens). No she didn't read the books but who cares. We watched movies almost every night that we were home. We cooked. We went to see "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy", which was very good. We visited my friend Craig's wine store to do some birthday shopping for my husband.
I had a walking date with a good friend on Tuesday so we could catch up on our lives. I had an Adult Literacy League meeting on Wednesday night - the event is coming up on March 1st, so everything has kicked into high gear. We celebrated my husband's actual birthday Thursday night. I went on a field trip with about 150 4th, 5th and 6th graders to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure all day Friday. And in between all that, my daughter had her horseback riding lessons, her weekly Confirmation class, and the kids had their own workout sessions with Andre as well. Thank God I have my parents down here to help shuttle.
I also took my husband to the Magnolia golf course at Disney yesterday for 18 holes for his birthday.
I don't mind saying that I'm tired.
So I guess it should come as no shock that I read virtually NOTHING this week. I tried really hard to get into "The History of History" but it is a dense book and it was going nowhere. I will just have to come back to it later. So I turned to a new book that I got from Kenneth Dixon (I have read and reviewed two of his previous books, which are always quirky and fun). His new book, entitled "The Photo Album", is only 125 pages long, and I'm on page 50. This is as good as it is going to get folks. Until I can get my life back in order. After I knock that one out, I am going to settle in with Taylor Polites "The Rebel Wife" which was one I got at SIBA and has been getting some serious accolades. I don't mind saying that the SIBA bloggers fell in love with Taylor when we met him. Then I think I will having a Sarah Pekkanen fest after that.
On audio, I did slightly better. Only because I squeezed in a day of housecleaning on Wednesday. I finished "11/22/63" by Stephen King, and if I said I loved it last week, well now we are talking stratospheric, emotional, put-it-on-my-favorite-of-all-time love. I was vacuuming and sobbing (sweeping and weeping?) when I wrapped that one up. After that, nothing is going to measure up I am afraid. I did want to allow time for some Penguin Audios, since they have been sending me some great selections, so I started a short one called "Lunatics" written and narrated by Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel. It is really an insane thing, this audio. I am speechless.
Today we are scheduled for church, horseback riding lessons, and a track banquet in the evening. The kids don't have school on Monday, so once the three of us work on our fitness in the morning with Andre, we will see if anything else gets accomplished. Maybe a nap?
Posts
