Good morning! I'm sliding my post in here with a fuzzy head and blurry eyes. My son and I just flew back into town last night from our field trip to New York City, and our butts are dragging. They ran us like crazy rats, from morning until night, but we crammed a lot of activity into three days. We saw the 9/11 memorial, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Empire State Building observation deck at night, the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular (wow), the Broadway show "Newsies", Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. The kids were also taken on a study tour of the United Nations and Wall Street. Whew! Our weather was gorgeous, at least for New York...clear skies and in the 50's. It was a little bittersweet because this will be the last big field trip for this school, as he heads out to high school next year.
So now we focus on Thanksgiving! We will be leaving our kitties in the hands of our house-sitter on Saturday and heading up to St. George Island for a week. I will definitely include some pictures next Sunday. Turkey on the beach is an amazing thing.
I can't even remember what else I did this week. Who knows. I read the GN "V for Vendetta" and really enjoyed it. It wasn't easy reading, as most graphic novels are. It was complicated and chaotic, but I loved it. Now my son and I want to watch the movie. I then started "The Sea of Tranquility" by Katja Millay on the Kindle, which was a MUST READ recommendation from Rhapsody Jill. I have no choice in these matters, but in this case it was warranted. I'm about halfway through, and it is soooo good.
On audio I'm still listening to Mo Hayder's "Hanging Hill" (no listening time in NYC). I should wrap that up in the next day or so. It is good stuff...all her books are. But it isn't quite as mind-blowing to me as the Jack Caffrey series. I'm excited to see how she wraps this one up.
I think today is probably just going to be spent getting my act together for next week. We're off to church in a minute, then my son has an end-of-the-season football thing and my daughter has to be shuttled to the animal shelter. I have to think about groceries and a dirty house. Hope you all have a relaxed Sunday!
Good morning friends! As I sat pondering my past week, I decided that for the most part, it was relatively easy compared to the norm. We were in our last week of cross country practice (and most of that was moot because my daughter was out sick for a few days). No sports for the boy. Kids had Monday off (aka "Doctor Appointment Day"). Husband was in town. I actually felt like I a had a grip. So much that I actually got my Christmas cards done, the Christmas letter done, and my Shutterfly calendars made for family gifts. Bam!
Offsetting the glow of easy street were three horrid workouts from Andre...I think he was trying to kill me, because for the first time in a long time, I could barely move. Also we had our annual, obligatory conference with my son's teachers. I wasn't surprised. We have had these things since he was in 2nd or 3rd grade...the by-product of having a spirited, too-smart-for-his-own-good child. I hate these meetings. I always feel like I'm going to throw up. But it is done and all is well.
It seems I am addicted to a game called "Cubis". Just be warned. I've almost finished it though, with only one level left that I haven't gotten a three-star rating. Damn these games. They plague me.
Later next week, my son and I leave for a short, whirlwind school field trip to New York City. In the past we have gone to DC and surrounding attractions, Philadelphia, and Boston. These are great trips but they are exhausting. They pack in a huge amount of activities, and this time around we will see St. Patricks Cathedral, Empire State Building, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Statue of Liberty, United Nations, and see "Newsies" on Broadway. And maybe more I'm not remembering.
I had some good reading this week. I finished "Benediction" on audio and really liked it. It didn't blow me away, but it was solid writing, had solid themes, and was packed a powerful punch. I also listened to Joshilyn Jackson's novella that is a prequel to her upcoming new book called "My Own Miraculous". She is just so talented. She makes my heart happy. I am now about halfway through one of Mo Hayder's standalone novels called "Hanging Hill". It is good, but so far not as in-my-face as her series. Will see how it wraps up.
In print I finished "The Shining Girls" which originally got a huge amount of hype when it came out. Again, didn't blow my mind but I really liked it, not only for the fun of time traveling serial murderation, but for the historic Chicago references. Now, at the behest of my son, I am reading the "V for Vendetta" graphic novel, soon to be followed up with the movie. My son has really been digging GNs as fast as he can. I cackle maniacally at all the fun I'm going to have shopping for him for Christmas THIS year. Woo hoo!
On the agenda today is church, shuttling the daughter to and from school to work an Open House event (community service hours!), maybe a restored car show, maybe a movie (12 Years a Slave). Reading? Probably not.
Hey, here we are, another Sunday in front of us. We are falling back with our time, which is never a bad thing. This was the first week when my son had NOTHING GOING ON (except homework) and it was wonderful. My daughter on the other hand is still running Cross Country. Her team placed in the top five teams for Regionals this weekend, which means they are going to States. Which means another week of practices, and a trip to Tallahassee in the near future. Once everyone is free and clear of extracurriculars, I think we may be visiting the Angel of Death, Andre, in the evenings for some "enjoyable, voluntary" workouts. But that is at least a week away.
My husband was back in town, which was a nice change. Hey, I'm happy to make dinner in exchange for another set of wheels to get the kids where they need to go. And someone to make me a concoction when I have a bad day.
So, I didn't say much about it at the time but I wrote my last bloggy book review this past week. From here on out, it is my plan to write informal bookish thoughts on Goodreads (which get pulled into Facebook). I hope this works out but so far is giving me the freedom to spend the time I need with my family. I love blogging, but requires a huge amount of time for NO money and little benefit. I fully intend to visit blogs and stay in touch with those I love. I'm just hoping this gives me the balance I've been looking for.
One horrible thing that happened this week was that a woman who was messing with her cell phone inadvertently swerved across a country road, and t-boned my father in his truck. Although both cars were totaled, everyone walked away, which was a miracle. But it just reinforces how freaking INSANE IT IS TO DRIVE WHILE DISTRACTED BY A CELLPHONE. Put it away people. And if someone is trying to get in touch, pull over. A blogger friend (who is no longer blogging today) lost her granddaughter in an automobile accident caused by a texter. This is really serious stuff. If this woman, her little boy, and my dad hadn't been in big safe vehicles, someone would have died. So.
On the reading front, I finished "The Woman Upstairs" by Claire Massud on audio. And I did not like it. It had a jarring little ending, but I hated the protagonist and felt like she got what she deserved. I shant be reading any more of her novels, thank you. I now am about halfway through Kent Haruf's "Benediction" which is quiet but powerful stuff.
In print, I finished "Eleanor and Park" on the Kindle, and I AM IN LOVE WITH RAINBOW ROWELL. What a perfect book. So much that it is hard to move on. Seriously, if you have not read any of her books, you need to. I am now about halfway through "The Shining Girls" by Lauren Beukes, a story about a time-traveling serial killer (YES!) that is really provocative. I recently have received a Mo Hayder stand-alone novel in print and a whole mess of audios, all from the library, so I am really excited about the short-term reading future!
I have no idea what we are going to do today besides church. My daughter has to work at the animal shelter from 9 to 3, so I will have to attend to that. There is a Renaissance Festival going on, as well as some great movies out, but the boy has got the crud this weekend so we will see. The great news is that neither of the kids has school on Monday, so we will be getting an extra day off.
Hope you are all having a wonderful, restful Sunday!
I'd seen a number of great reviews for this book when I got a copy of the audio from Penguin, which was great timing! Penguin Audio is the bomb! I'm always curious and excited when I hear of a strong debut mystery thriller novel.
The eerie thing about the release of this novel is that its premise...about a group of women held hostage in a basement by a madman...coincided with the real life story that broke at the same time about the three women in Cleveland who escaped after ten years of a similar fate. Koethi Zan must have been shaking her head at the coincidence, and served to strike a chord with anyone who reads this book.
Synopsis: Sarah and her best friend Jennifer, scarred after being involved in a tragic childhood auto accident, have since constructed a extensive list of things to avoid for the sake of their safety. In a weak moment, however, they accept a cab ride home from a party in college, and are kidnapped and held captive in a basement with two other girls for over three years.
A decade later, Sarah (who has since changed her name) lives the life of an agoraphobic, and has no contact with the other girls who escaped all those years ago. Sarah is still haunted by the fact that Jennifer never made it out, but her body was never recovered. When Sarah learns that her captor is up for parole, she decides to take action and try to find Jennifer's body to provide proof of murder, and put the man away forever.
With the assistance of the other two girls, who harbor deep grudges against Sarah, they set off on a quest that forces them to confront their past, a sub-culture of BDSM, torture experimentation, and the truth behind what happened to Jennifer.
My thoughts: On the surface, I found this audio to be very fast-paced and spine-tingling based on the general plot. As I said before, there have been enough real-life cases of this nature to make this story all too believable. The descriptions of what these girls experienced were cringe-worthy. I don't want to minimize that.
But I had some issues that just didn't sit well with me. The idea that someone who is scared of people, who is a serious agoraphobe, and doesn't even leave her apartment to get groceries...suddenly decides it was time for action and proceeds to fly all over the country, sneak into warehouses, interview people and chase suspicious characters...really?
And for her to partner up with two other girls that previously HATED her, and cleverly solve mysteries as a team?
It seemed too easy and contrived. I liked the idea that these women could shake off their past in this way for the greater good, like a damaged version of Charlie's Angels, but I didn't buy it. Also, in an effort to spin a healthy number of red herrings, there were a number of plot threads dangled in our path, but were never resolved. The story just felt incomplete. The author definitely has potential though, and I'm anxious to see what she comes up with next.
A few words about the audio production: Our narrator Kristin Sieh, appears to be a new voice on the scene (she did also narrate Bristol House, which is on my list), but did a great job here. She has a great tone...tough sounding, with a hint of vulnerability underneath. She was a great pick for this book.
Listening length: 8 hours and 39 minutes (320 pages)
3 out of 5 stars
Hello everyone from icy-cold Florida! Well, maybe not icy but we had a "cold front" run through there this week and we are now enjoying frigid temps of 80 degrees during the day and lows around 60. Woo hoo! It cracks me up how the TV stations go nuts when this happens. Bundle up the kids! Wind chill! Haha! They need to go visit New York or Colorado or Canada.
So this was the week from hell, I'm not afraid to admit, and I am so glad it is over. Hubby was gone all week, so I was solo. Over a 7 day period my son had four football games and two practices. My daughter had afternoon practices everyday (versus the mornings which are much more convenient) and a Districts meet. Plus a few other incidents. So when my husband flew in late yesterday I told him not to expect ANYTHING out of me today. Maybe not even church. I want to lay in bed and do nothing.
And if we are going to look at the glass half full, my son lost his playoff game yesterday, HANDILY. I was really sad to see them end their season this way, but at least now they have a small break before they start another sport. By the time you get to the end of this football season (which started August 1st) you are ready for it to end.
My daughter and I worked an adoption event last Sunday and I fell in love with another dog. This one was only 6 months old and was a love muffin. She was so good, and so affectionate. I was sternly told NO by my other half. We have too many cats. But you can see that I have serious dog sadness. I go through these phases.
I've been making progress on the reading. I finished my last Jack Caffrey book by Mo Hayder on audio, and now I am left wanting. She does have three stand-alone books (one I've already read) so I guess I have to move on to those. I then moved on to the audio of "The Woman Upstairs" by Claire Massud. I was a little hesitant on this one...people either love it or hate it. I have to admit that the narrator/protagonist is annoying me. She is quite whiny and pathetic. We will see if my mind changes.
In print I finished "Rose Under Fire" by Elizabeth Wein and I LOVED it. It was even better than "Code Name Verity". Wow that woman can write, and has proved to me that I can still be blown away by a WWII book. Then I read "The Silent Wife" by A.S.A. Harrison for my book club. I freaking blew through that one in two days. Almost a record for me I think. I liked it obviously, but the ending was not satisfying for me. There is definitely plenty to talk about and look forward to that discussion. I am now digging into "Eleanor & Park", the much-beloved.
I want to take a special moment here to let you know that my baby boy will be turning 14 tomorrow! I know everybody says this, but it is true...I can remember the day he was born. Those first steps, first words (or in his case sentences), his grade school years, all those teacher conferences (ha), all those hugs and kisses and tears...they just fly by. Gone - poof! Now he is looming over me in height, deciding where to go to high school and giving me life advice. It is scary. We celebrated last night at our favorite steak house.
So we will see if I am left to decompress in peace today or not. Hope you all have a great day!
It's really no great shocker that in wrapping up my reviews before I take leave, this one would be the last one that I'd have to write. I've been allowing the story to brew and stew in my mind, and I'm still a bit tormented about what to say. I'd seen the reviews for this, but it was Melissa at Avid Reader's Musings that finally convinced me.
Synopsis: June Elbus is not your average fourteen year-old. She is socially awkward and shy, is in love with the medieval ages, and is pudgy. Her older sister is smarter, prettier, is popular and is destined for Broadway. The only one who understands Junie is her maternal uncle and godfather, artist Finn Weiss. When Finn dies of AIDS, Junie is left adrift, confused about her family's attitude towards Finn and Finn's "special friend", and confused at why her sister is so hateful towards her. She is all alone.
But then she strikes up a tentative relationship with Finn's partner Toby, and realizes that there is someone else out there that misses Finn as much as she does. Although her family believes that Toby was the one who killed Finn, Junie finds comfort and kinship with him.
With this intense debut novel, Brunt adeptly tells a coming-of-age story filled with friendship, loss, jealousy and healing.
My thoughts: It is very hard to sum up all the feelings that this story conjured. The whole coming-of-age thing is complicated and emotionally-loaded all by itself. Fourteen is a tough age when you are trying to figure out who you are, where you fit in, and what love is. My heart physically hurt for Janie.
But then you combine the whole stigma of AIDS in the 80's, with everyone trying to figure out the why and the how, and not being comfortable talking about it. I can't imagine navigating through that as a teenager.
For spice, we then throw in the hurt and anger and jealousy between Finn and his sister (Junie's mother), the hurt and anger and jealousy between Junie and her sister, the resentment of Junie and Finn's relationship, the anger and blame at Finn's partner? The frustration at being perfect, the frustration at being labeled weird, and the need for human connection?
This book? It's SAD, people, so much that it will break your heart. But it is also so tender, and the characters are so delicately drawn. And at the end, you can sit back and feel a sense of peace for where the author leaves us. So my advice is, don't let the dire subject matter drive you away from this one. It is a beautiful story.
A few words about the audio production: Our narrator for this audio was Amy Rubinate, who was a new voice for me. Apparently she has a full career in voiceovers for animation, video games, commercials, as well as a career on-stage. She has a very youthful sound, and is perfect to read for young protagonists.
Listening length: 11 hours and 46 minutes (368 pages)
4.5 out of 5 stars
For some reason, when I received this audio in the mail from Penguin Audio, it didn't initially pique my interest, despite the fact that I do love true stories. But then I heard that some friends were reading it for a book club, and Kathy told me SHE had listened to it and been blown away. I pulled the discs off the shelf, loaded them on the iPod, and then waited until I was in a non-fiction mood.
Synopsis: This is an amazing story about a team of nine boys from the University of Washington...a rag-tag group of farmers and blue-collar workers with a special bond...who trained and competed during their years in college and in their senior year went on to the 1936 Olympics and captured the gold.
The heart of the story is focused on Joe Rantz, one of the rowers who grew up without any support of family. His mother died when he was young, his step-mother had no use for him so he was kicked out of the house as a teenager to fend for himself. He scrapped for work to pay for college, and refused to accept defeat in any part of his life. We also get to know the charismatic yet nonverbal coach, the eccentric British genius who designed the team's boats, as well as their other boys.
This inspirational story recounts obstacle after obstacle that these boys encountered...everything from the overwhelming competition of the money and tradition of the Ivy League crew teams, sickness, lack of funding from the university, the Great Depression, and the heavily favored German team on their home turf. It is a true testament to the tenacity of the human spirit.
My thoughts: I am so glad I was persuaded to listen to this...what a heartwarming story. It just doesn't hit any closer to home than this, and makes you stand up a little straighter knowing what can be accomplished if the will is strong.
There is much to be learned here. The author educates us in the basics of the sport of crew. I had no idea it was so intense and physically rigorous. We learn about the engineering of the perfect boat. We learn about the rumblings of trouble in Berlin, the efforts made to elevate Nazi Germany to world class status, and the documentation of these efforts made by Leni Riefenstahl.
The human perspective was equally as compelling. The average boy would have admitted defeat had they battled against the odds thrown at Joe Rantz. One particular story I will never forget...that at the Olympics, one of the rowers was deathly ill - nearly comatose - but the team refused to compete without him. So they put him in the boat, though he could barely sit up, and everyone compensated for him. And they still won gold.
This is the type of book that I would compare to "Unbroken" or "Devil in the White City"...pieces of history that everyone should read and appreciate.
A few words about the audio production: Our narrator for this book was Edward Herrmann, who actually did read "Unbroken" as well as many other non-fiction audios. His voice doesn't vary much, and does take some time to get used to. Eventually, however, you get accustomed to his style and is actually pleasant to listen to.
Listening length: 14 hours and 25 minutes (416 pages)
4.5 out of 5 stars
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