This Little Piggy, by Craig McGray

This Little Piggy by Craig McGray was disgusting. McGray did not hold anything back. It was one of the most graphic stories I have read in a while.  I wasn't sure what I wanted to read, so I opened up one of my reading apps, scrolled around with my eyes closed and landed on this little story. Did I really feel like reading a horror short story, no, but I'm glad I did. I downloaded This Little Piggy ages ago and never got around to reading it. I'm glad I finally read it, but now I'm looking for something light and fluffy. 

This Little Piggy had a few great surprises.  The characters are not who you think they are when you meet them. The scene was dark. Disgusting. Appropriate to the story being told. I might read more from McGray, though I'll have to be prepared for graphic. 

Annual End of Year Book Survey – 2013 Edition!

This is the third time I’ve done Jamie’s End of Year Book Survey.  I really enjoy it.  I like looking back each year at my life in books. I've been above normal busy, so my answers might not be as long as normal, but it’s still fun.  If you do a survey, leave a message in the comments so I can come visit!  Make sure to visit Jamie's site, filled with links to more book surveys!

1. Best Book You Read In 2013?

This one is so difficult.  I read some amazing books in 2013.  I’m going to list five that I loved.... Redshirts, by John Scalzi; The Deception of Livvy Higgs, by Donna Morrissey; Prodigy, by Marie Lu; MaddAddam, by Margaret Atwood; The Little Sisters of Eluria, by Stephen King.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

This one is actually more difficult than the first question.  I loved everything I read this year.  I was surprised by a lot of books, but none of them disappointed me.  You can check out my Goodreads list for 2013.  All except one book is four or five stars.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?

I was surprised by how much I loved Soak, by Kerri Cull.  It’s a short book of poetry, and it had a coherence I didn’t expect.

 4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?

I’m going to do a three-way tie for this one: Redshirts, by John Scalzi; The Deception of Livvy Higgs, by Donna Morrissey; Horns, by Joe Hill

 5. Best series you discovered in 2013?

Legend, by Marie Lu.  I just got a copy of Champion and I can’t wait to read it!

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?

I’m cheating again: Marie Lu, John Scalzi & Morgan Rhodes.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

The poetry I read this year was out of my comfort zone, Sonnets From The Portuguese, by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Soak, by Kerri Cull.  Both have really encouraged me to read more poetry.  The God Box, by Mary Lou Quinlan was also out of my comfort zone as I don’t read a lot of non-fiction or religious material, but I found the feminist angle in the second half of the book interesting.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

I’m going to echo Jamie at The Perpetual Page Turner and say Prodigy, by Marie Lu (and Legend too!)... and Redshirts... and All The Wrong Questions.... and The Cuckoo’s Calling ... I’ll stop now.

 9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

I don’t re-read a lot, but if I did I’d read... Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel, by Seth Grahme-Smith

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?

Everything’s Eventual, by Stephen King

11. Most memorable character in 2013?

June, from the Legend series

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?

The Deception of Livvy Higgs, by Donna Morrissey & Villette, by Charlotte Bronte

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?

All of them?

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?

Emma, by Jane Austen

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?

“…as the online world became more and more pre-edited and slicked up, and as even its so-called reality sites raised questions about authenticity in the minds of the viewers, the rough, unpolished physical world was taking on a mystic allure.” (pg 169, MaddAddam)

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

Shortest: The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams

Longest: Villette, by Charlotte Bronte

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

Allegiant, by Veronica Roth – ‘nuff said.

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

Livvy Higgs & Gen from The Deception of Livvy Higgs

Toby & Blackbeard from MaddAddam

19. Favourite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

MaddAddam, by Margaret Atwood & Carrie, by Stephen King

20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:

Falling Kingdoms, by Morgan Rhodes

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?

I think fantasy, in one form or another.  YA, Adult, Urban, High....

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?

I don’t think I have a new fictional crush.  All my loves are still the same...

23. Best 2013 debut you read?

The Cuckoo’s Calling, by Robert Galbraith.

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?

Newfoundland & Nova Scotia during WWII in The Deception of Livvy Higgs.

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?

Redshirts!!

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?

And The Mountains Echoed, by Khaled Hosseinni

27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?

Falling Kingdoms, by Morgan Rhodes.   I just didn’t get the same level of buzz about it as some other YA novels.

2014-books

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2013 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2014?

The Raven Boys, by Maggie Stiefvater

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2014 (non-debut)?

Since I just read When Did You See Her Last?, I think I’m focused on the next book in the All The Wrong Questions series.

3. 2014 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

I don’t know... none? All?

 4. Series Ending You Are Most Anticipating in 2014?

Ignite Me, by Taherah Mafi

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2014?

I hope to find a better reading/writing/life balance.

Thanks for making it through the whole survey!  What are your answers to these very important questions? Let me know if you’ve completed this survey or have any other end-of-year posts.  Happy Holidays!

When Did You See Her Last?

I had a great time reading the second book of Lemony Snicket's new series, All The Wrong Questions. When Did You See Her Last? was a fantastic, fun novel.  I couldn't put it down.  It was an entertaining, clever, happy and sad.  I loved it.  When I read the first book I was excited and not disappointed. I very much enjoyed Who Could It Be At This Hour? It was so much like A Series of Unfortunate Events that I had to find out when book 2 would be released.  When I got my hands on it, I couldn't wait to find out what was happening to young Lemony Snicket and the people of Stain'd-by-the-Sea.

Snicket writes that All The Wrong Questions is going to be four tales about how he asked four wrong questions (though apparently he's coming out with a book, 2.5).  The stories tell you why these were the wrong questions to ask and what Snicket should have asked instead.  I think it's a clever way to form a story, through specific questions and whether they are right or wrong. In Snicket's case, the answers tend to lead to more questions (which is probably why they were the wrong questions to ask in the first place.)

Like A Series of Unfortunate Events, the adults do not listen to the children. Even Snicket's chaperone, who is supposed to be training him, dismisses him. Snicket has had an "unusual education" and she is aware of that.  I also enjoy the calling out of parents who think their child is perfect, but is a troublemaker. It's so frustrating when the adults don't listen to the children, or underestimate them.  I love Moxie, Ellington, Pip, Squeak and all the friends young Snicket makes.  I can't wait to read more about all of them in book 2.5 and three.

The Time Machine

I love The Time Machine.  I loved it the first time I read it and I still do.  I read The Time Machine a long time ago, in my second year of University and it is when I became a fan of H.G. Wells. It led me to read The Island of Dr. Moreau and War of the Worlds and contributed to my interest in classic science fiction and fantasy.

The Time Machine is Wells's science-fiction commentary on the social classes of his time.  It's a brilliant, sad, exciting story.  It's also a very short novel, practically a novella by today's standards, and Wells packed in a lot.  The unnamed narrator travels to the year 802,701 AD.  There the world is very different from what it was in the 19th century.  People aren't quite people anymore.  The Time Traveler (who some posit could represent Wells himself) goes through many different theories before arriving at the "correct" one in the end. (Are we actually sure it's correct?  The Time Traveler has skipped over more than 800 000 years of evolution, though his final theory makes the most sense from his perspective.)  

The Time Traveler goes through a change over the course of his experiences with the Eloi and the Morlocks. I think his friends, especially the narrator go through a change as well, as they listen to the Time Traveler's story.  There's a mystery left in the end and I think it was fantastic.  I can't recommend The Time Machine enough to fans of science fiction and classics.

Horns

I've been thinking about what to write for Joe Hill's novel Horns for a while now.  I really enjoyed it.  It is a haunting, chilling tale.  Joe Hill creates characters you love, you empathize with, then they're gone.  Merrin, the girl who dies (part of the premise of the book) is a great girl.  Hill makes you love her.  While you are getting to know her, it's sad, because you know she's going to die and you know how.  It's awful, but in a way that serves the story. The novel is fantastic, though I found myself putting it down when I felt emotional.

I loved Ig Perish.  He was amazing, quirky and sweet. I was always rooting for him. I wanted Iggy to be happy. I wanted him to get justice (revenge). I wanted the truth to be known. Iggy was a fantastic, engaging main character and I was excited to be with him through his journey. I also enjoyed Ig's brother Terry.  He was an interesting character, thought to be the ideal son, but changes and becomes more. Many of the characters were more than what they first appear to be.  Of course, Ig's new ability is what allows us easy access to their inner most thoughts.

Horns has definitely made me a Joe Hill fan.  I picked up Heart-Shaped Box not that long ago and I'm eager to read it now.  I've also been hearing fantastic things about NOS4A2 and if it's anything like Horns, I'm excited to read that too.

Also, movie.  I'd like to see it.

Thor: The Dark World

My Hubby and I finally got around to seeing Thor: The Dark World. I wish I could say I loved it.  There were parts I loved, like Thor and Loki in the ship or on the boat.  Jane and the Quantum Field Generator. Erik and Stonehenge. Loki being "righteous." Frigga! As a whole though, I thought it could be better.  I remember reading, when they were filming, that they brought Joss Whedon in to "fix" some script problems. Maybe they should have let him proof the whole thing...  Also, I was disappointed with the 3D. They didn't use it right. There were so many opportunities to make the 3D amazing (rocks and lasers my way, please).  I don't want to be too negative though.  I thought the visuals were amazing.  I liked hearing about what Jane went through after Thor left the first time. I loved the after battle scene with everyone eating breakfast, because what else is there to do? There were good surprises and great actors.  Thor was a fun movie.

Catching Fire (re-read)

I loved Catching Fire as much this time as I did the first time. I wanted to re-read the book before I saw the movie. It's what I did with The Hunger Games. I don't know when I'm going to get a chance to see the movie though. Life's been so busy lately. 

I'll keep my thoughts simple this second time. I really enjoyed Suzanne Collins' sequel. It was full of action. It entertained. The plot was more complex this time around. You get to see characters like Katniss's mother, Prim, Gale and others in a new light. What happened with Darius was so sad, the matching set that only serves to sadden Katniss. Catching Fire is a great book, the sequel to a series I often recommend. I'm excited to see the movie (soon!). 

It's Been Four Weeks

It's been four weeks since I posted anything. I couldn't believe that when I looked at my last post. I don't know if I've ever gone that long without posting something on my blog.  I've been going through some changes.  I've been very emotional about it.  One of the first things to fall to the side was my blogs.  I think about it, I think about how long it's been since I put some kind of thought about anything up.  I have 9 drafts of posts that haven't been finished yet, that aren't even close!  

The centre of all this is a new job.  I posted a while ago that my contract was ending at my old job and they weren't keeping me on.  I (luckily) found a job that started right away.  It's in the same industry, but different in what they want me to do.  I know they hired me for my industry experience and I'm grateful for not being unemployed.  This job is just a lot of work. A LOT.  Much more than my last job.  What I've lost is my work/life balance.  I'm learning to deal with the tiredness I now feel when I get home from the office.  It's mostly mental, but it seeps into my muscles.  I only seem to have the energy to take care of the kids.  Often, by the time they've gone to bed, I'm spent.  It's been a process of getting used to this and bringing my energy levels up, which I don't know if I've even accomplished that.

I almost didn't write about this absence.  I don't usually do one of those "I'm taking a break." posts.  If I don't have anything to say, I don't say anything.  But it's never been this long.  It's been a week, maybe two. I have still commented on other blogs, I've still tweeted.  My new job has blocked a lot of social media sites. Apparently it was a problem, but it seems to actually go against what my job does, as I think we need to go on Facebook, Twitter, etc., for actual, professional reasons. It was actually hindering my job one day, which is how I found out...  I digress.  What I want to say is that I'm going to try to be back.  I saw Thor, I read Horns and I've been obsessed with Sleepy Hollow.  I have started posts about all these things and more. I'd like to finish them, I'd like to get back to a happy work/life balance.  I think today is a start.

Allegiant

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around what happened.  Veronica Roth did in Allegiant what I never expected any YA author to do.  Ever.  (I know there are some people who are hating on the book and author because of the ending.  Whether someone likes or dislikes any book is subjective and everyone has a right to their opinion, I just feel like there is a lot of negativity.)  I think the character growth over the course of Allegiant and the entire Divergent series has been great.  What Veronica Roth says in her [very spoilery] interview with MTV seems true to me.  By the end of Allegient, Tris has grown up.  By the end of Allegient, I was practically in tears.

*SPOILERS*SPOILERS*SPOILERS*SPOILERS*SPOILERS*

* I wanted to make the spoilers obvious because a couple days ago, in the midst of me reading Allegiant, BAM!  I accidentally glimpsed a spoiler about the end.  Then I raced through the book, not just because it was a great read, but because I had to find out if what I saw was true or if I mis-read those words.  I hoped it wasn't true, but I knew it would be.  I was in such denial.

Even though I was going through a whole lot of - I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING, I didn't really start to get emotional until Tris's mother appears. I almost lost it.  It was only because my hubby was in the room, and I didn't want him to think I was crazy, that I kept some kind of control.  It was even more difficult to hold it together when Tobias lost it after learning the truth.

I'm proud of Veronica Roth, in a weird way, as I don't actually know her.  She knew what kind of reaction she would receive, but she chose to stay true to her vision for the series.  Do I wish Tris had lived, that Tris and Tobias could live happily ever after, be rewarded for all the difficulties they went through? Yes. After reading Roth's post on her blog and the interview that went up on MTV today, I understand why that didn't happen. I think Roth made a brave choice and that's a big part of what Allegiant was about, bravery.

While Tris is the star of the series, she and Tobias weren't the only things I enjoyed about Allegiant.  I think I loved (and loved to hate) the cast of characters in general. Uriah was always smiling and making jokes; did he have a secret drinking problem? Christina goes through so many changes herself from the beginning of the series to the end and her friendship with Tobias.  By the end, Cara had also become one of my favourite characters. Matthew was a great addition to their crew.  I love to hate Peter and Caleb and David.  David! So the love triangle was never going to be Tris's, but her mother's!  David was wonderfully awful.

There was a lot going on in Allegiant.  Maybe too much?  Was Nita and Reggie necessary?  I don't know. Though it did provide another shake-up in Tobias and Tris's relationship (was that necessary?) and they gave the reader a view of the real world outside of Chicago.  I enjoyed Johanna's growth.  I'm not sure how I feel about Evelyn. I'm glad Marcus finally disappeared.  The plot seemed maybe overly complex, more complex than the previous books, but I still enjoyed it.

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around what happened.  This was not a simple novel with a simple ending. There was a crazy plot, multi-faceted characters and abundant emotion.  I'm keep feeling like my feelings may change the more time passes by, but I don't want to wait to post.  I've always enjoyed posting my first reaction to a book.  I think Divergent is a great series.  I think I might re-read it one day.  I'm thinking of re-reading the ending now...

You Know What Drives Me Crazy?

When I accidentally hit "Publish" instead of "Save" on a post that's not ready.  I really only have myself to blame.  Ugh.

Life Update

I have a new job and I haven't finished the old one yet! Yay! (I hope.)  I'm still a little sceptical because of my recent track record. The Hubby says not to be ridiculous; I haven't started the new job yet.  I can't help it though.  I have had a string of disappointments on the employment front. Whose fault is it?  No one's, I don't think. It's just life.  Financial situations.  Whatever. 

I'm trying to be hopeful.  What I know for certain is that I'm lucky.  The job is close to home.  The people seem nice.  The offices have a nice combination of a modern and homey feel, very warm and comfortable, neat and clean.  I hope that is a reflection on what the working environment will be like.  I start in a week and a half.  I will hopefully be smiling.

I Just Discovered The Book Blogs Search Engine!

I think it's interesting.

https://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=017997935591651423304:5fpbgt6-tou&hl=en

Carrie

Carrie was everything I wanted and more than I expected. I think most people know a bit about Carrie, even if they haven't read the novel. Before I read it I knew it was about a girl who was some kind of telekinetic, who gets blood dumped on her at the prom and then causes destruction. What I didn't know was everything that led up to that event and what happened after. There is so much more to Carrie. One thing I didn't expect was how much I would sympathize with Carrie, even though I knew what she was going to do. 

If I wasn't already a Stephen King fan, I would definitely be now. King writes Carrie not just though the regular narrative, but through reports and articles and telegrams. It was interesting and I think kept the pace of the novel moving. I was hooked from the first page. I have owned this book for a little while, but just kept not reading it. I figured I knew what happened anyway. That was not a good reason. I should have read this book ages ago. A new Carrie movie is coming out. I want to see it and I want to see the old one too. Not only do I want to see how they portray Carrie, but her mother, Sue, Tommy and Chris.

I feel like I'm just saying things people already know.  Carrie was awesome.  I don't know if I could recommend it more.  It was a perfect October read.

Some Stuff That's Been Happening

I'm skating toward unemployment again.  It's my own fault, really.  I took a job last summer (2012) that was a maternity leave contract, which meant only a guaranteed one year of employment.  I listened to the promises. We're so busy, we'll need to keep you on.  We'd like you to stay doing all this stuff. We're 99.9% sure we are going to keep you, etc, etc...  Well, that .01% chance happened.  It is just not financially feasible to keep both of us.  Well, fine.  I was not surprised but, still disappointed.

It's really affected my mood.  I couldn't concentrate on the book I was reading, so I stopped and switched books, something I rarely do.  That helped some.  I didn't feel like blogging.  This blog is sitting with 8 unfinished posts.  My other blog has three, I post less often there, so three is a lot.  I'm hoping to pull myself out. I want to finish my blog posts. I want to read more. I want to figure out a way to have fun without feeling guilty. Thanksgiving I coming up. Maybe I'll blog about my meal? Maybe not.

I Have So Many Ideas....

... for blog posts, but I just can't finish any of them.

MaddAddam

I don’t know if I can really explain how amazing MaddAddam was.  The third book in Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam trilogy, it was everything I wanted it to be.  I loved Toby.  I loved Zeb.  The ending almost had me in tears.  The Crakers are such a unique creation; they're almost human in a way that makes them sort of ideally human.  I know I'm not making sense.  

I think my favourites parts are when Toby is telling stories to the Crakers.  It's so hilarious.  Then Blackbeard, he's a brilliant character.  The books, the writing, how the days are remembered is fantastic.  It's funny too.  There are so many serious issues throughout the book.  There are some sad, angry, emotional scenes, it makes the humour really stands out.  It stands out in such a positive way.  Though the end almost made me cry, I'll always remember how many times I laughed out loud while reading.

I feel like I should still be reading this book.  There is so much to this world and so many characters with uncertain futures.  I'm a little sad that I won't be reading this book again tonight.

I don't typically pull quotes out of what I'm reading, but this one really stuck with me.

“…as the online world became more and more pre-edited and slicked up, and as even its so-called reality sites raised questions about authenticity in the minds of the viewers, the rough, unpolished physical world was taking on a mystic allure.” (pg 169)

We all know so many "Reality Shows" are "scripted".  Situations are created to keep the viewer interested. Here is a world where practically everything is online.  So much of it, that people crave the real world.  They venture out of the confines of their lives just for experience. I hope I never forget to go outside sometimes.  Also, doesn't Reality TV often drive you crazy?

Also, there's a game for the book/from the book.  Maybe I won't be saying goodbye to this world just yet.

I could keep jumping around all the thoughts I have about MaddAddam  Maybe the next time I read it, I'l be more coherent.  There will be a next time, I'm sure of it.  If you haven't read MaddAddam or the rest of the series, what are you waiting for?  If you have, I'd love to know what you think.

Reading While Walking

When I read the blog post title "Reading While Walking" over at Book Riot, I thought they were going to talk about reading while taking a walk or something like that. What it was really about was reading while in line at a coffee shop, grocery shopping, reading in snippets, whenever you can steal a few lines in our busy lives.  It was an interesting post.....

It still wasn't about what I thought it would be about, what I have been thinking about for a while now. Reading while walking.  I read on most of my lunch breaks. Why?  Because I love reading and it's one of the few (2) times a day I can read. Though I'm often interrupted, it's as uninterrupted as I'm going to get. Lately, I've been feeling the need to get out of the office and take in some fresh air.  I like going for walks, but do I want to give up my reading time?  So, can I read and walk at the same time?  If I can't, am I willing to trade? They're putting in a sidewalk on the street where my office is located, which makes it so much more tempting.  I could at least try to read while walking.  Would I look like a weirdo?  Probably.  Do I care?  I don't think so.

I decided to search "reading while walking" and got this really interesting "how to" from wikiHow.  In case you didn't know, here is how to read while walking.  

Maybe I should have started doing this while the weather was warmer, but I didn't have sidewalks then.

Does anyone out there read while walking?

It's Gotten A Bit Chilly: Top Ten Books On My Fall Reading List

I'm really hoping (more than usual) to actually stick to My Top Ten list for Fall books.  Can I read these 10 books by December?

1. Allegiant - Veronica Roth

2. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

3. The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton

3. The Thousand Orcs - R.A. Salvatore

4. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

5. Champion - Marie Lu

6. Fool - Christopher Moore

7. The Last Policeman - Ben H. Winters

8. The Raven Boys - Maggie Stiefvater

9. Horns - Joe Hill

10. Carrie - Stephen King

Can I get all ten of these books read in three months?  Probably not, I never do, but I'll try.  There are definitely a few that are more of a "priority" than others, series conclusions, must-read-before-seeing-movie, but I do want to read all of them.

Thanks to The Broke and The Bookish for hosting.

Television I'm Looking Forward To This Fall

I'm excited about television this fall.  There are shows I've been waiting for what seems like ages to see.  I want to know what is going to happen.  (The list is in no particular order.)

Agents of SHIELD - Do I need to explain this?  I love Marvel.  I'm excited to watch SHIELD dealing with superhuman related problems. (Please be good...)

Dr. Who 50th Anniversary Special  (when does the new season start anyway?) - I don't think I should need to explain this.  It's Dr. Who!

The Legend of Korra - I think the first episode actually aired on the weekend and I missed it. Yikes!  I'm hoping YTV.com will still have the episodes to watch on their website, which is mostly where I watched last year.  It's a great show, the continuation of Avatar: The Last Airbender.  I just love Korra.

Once Upon A Time - I'm excited to see Neverland.  I'm hoping that it makes me enjoy the show they way I did during the first season.  

Grimm - To be honest, I didn't really watch the first season.  I watched the first episode and didn't really like it. Then I eventually gave the show another chance, watching a later episode from the first season and decided again the show wasn't for me.  Then last year, I caught an episode by accident and thought the show had gotten interesting.  I liked the Nick/Juliet conflict and loved Monroe with Rosalee.  The season finale was crazy!

The Walking Dead - Season three was not that good.  I got bored.  If my Hubby wasn't still watching the show, I might have stopped.  I'm looking forward to this show because of hope.  I have hope that the fourth season will be better.

Masterchef Junior - I really enjoy Masterchef.  Something about this show just gets me. (It's probably the food.) Then I see that they are actually making a kid version of this show for the fall. Well, I just have to watch.

There are other shows I like that I want to see, but I'm not searching them on the internet, trying to find out when they start.  I haven't been listening to news about those other shows all summer. So while I may watch other television, they aren't generating the kind of excitement or anticipation these ones are managing.

What are you looking forward to?

Top Ten Books I'd Like to See Made Into Movies

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic from The Broke and The Bookish was originally done on April 2011 (wow, I've been doing this meme a long time!)  Here is my original list, plus a few comments:

1. Oryx and Crake, 2. The Year of the Flood – I’d like to see both books made into movies. I think they’d be horrific and disturbing and fantastic films. They’d (hopefully) be the kind of movie that makes an impact, where you never really forget the story, just like the books.

Comment: This still holds.  I don't know if it will ever happen, though.  I'm reading MaddAddam right now and so far could be added to the list too.

3. The Hunger Games – Oh wait. They’re already making this into a movie. Yay! It better be good.

Comment: I really enjoyed The Hunger Games movie and I'm looking forward to Catching Fire.

4. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – Oh wait. They’ve already made a Swedish movie, now we’re just waiting for the “Hollywood Blockbuster” to come out. I’ve heard the Swedish movie is amazing. The Hollywood movie better be good.

Comment: I never got around to seeing either version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.  I don't know why.

5. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell – Though parts of the book dragged, if you take some of it out, this would make for an exciting movie.

Comment: I think this would still make a good movie, but after reading some awesome books in the last couple years, I might replace it with John Scalzi's Redshirts.

6. Wicked – It’s a musical already, but it’s not as close to the book or as dark as the book. I think a movie could really show Elphaba at her best and worst.

Comment: I would still love to see a dark, movie version of Wicked.

7. Remember Me? – This one might make up for not having a great interpretation of Confessions of a Shopaholic I think the premise and outcome are unique and interesting. It wouldn’t be another formulaic chick-flick.

Comment: I think someone did a TV show with this sort of premise.  It didn't work out.  Instead, I think I'd like to see Wither, though I don't think a movie that has pregnant teenagers would fly.

8. The Paper Bag Princess – If they’ve done Where The Wild Things Are, why not The Paper Bag Princess? Let’s give the girls someone fantastic to look up to. It’s one of my favourite children’s books and I think a movie of it could be wonderful.

Comment: I still would love to see a movie about Elizabeth besting a dragon.

9. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies – This would be so awesome.

Comment:  I don't know if this movie is ever going to happen.  It was, then it wasn't, and now I don't know.

10. A Series of Unfortunate Events – I know they did a movie encompassing the first three books, which was fantastic. I enjoyed the performances of Jim Carrey, Glenn Close and the actors who played the Baudelaire siblings. They’d probably have to start over since the actors have aged so much, but they’re such wonderful books, I think it would be worth it.

Comment: I think a movie of Who Could It Be At This Hour? would be pretty cool instead.

What books would you like to see made into movies?  For those who did this topic before, do your choices still hold?

This Guy, by Chuck Wendig

This is the picture he has posted of
himself on his website...

For a while, I kept hearing (seeing) Chuck Wendig's name.  I'm not sure where... Goodreads? Bloggers? John Scalzi's blog? His name kept jumping out at me, so I went to his website.  It's interesting.  He has some great advise for writers.  His blog posts are fun and engaging.  He calls his site NSFW and NSFL.  I don't know if that's necessarily true, though I do have some privacy where I work....  One of his headers is "Holy Shit, Free Stories".  Well, how could I resist that?

I decided to keep it simple and I read the first free short story on the list, This Guy.  This Guy is a truly weird story.  I kept trying to figure out what the narrator's "deal" was.  Was it a dream?  Was he insane?  Was this actually happening?  I felt awful for his wife Mary.  I don't know what I would do in her situation.  I can't really say much more about the story without giving it all away.  It's violent, maybe slighly confusing (in a good way) and engaging.  More than anything, it's made me want to read more by this author.

Short Story Monday is hosted by John at The Book Mine Set.

Oryx and Crake

Oryx and Crake makes me want to know more about this world! I liked Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake better the second time around.  I remember the first time reading it thinking that the beginning dragged.  I did not think that this time. Maybe I've changed as a reader. I really enjoyed reconnecting with Jimmy/Snowman, Crake and Oryx.  I liked being reminded of what the Crakers were like. I liked the glimpses of Amanda and Ren (and Bernice!).  I liked being reminded of what Snowman thought of the smoke and the people around it.  I am more excited to read MaddAddam than I was before.  It was just what I needed before diving in.  I'm a little sad that I didn't give myself enough time to re-read The Year of the Flood, but I considered it a more recent read, though it was still a few year ago that I read it.  I remember it pretty clearly, but maybe one day I'll re-read the entire trilogy.

I like the way time shifts through the novel.  It has a fluidity, as it follows Snowman's thoughts.  Jimmy's time with Oryx was intriguing, then getting to know Crake and back to Oryx.  Oryx is such an enigmatic character.  I'd like to know more about what she really thinks.  I think the best glimpse at her inner workings comes at the end of the novel.  She is so dismissive about everything that has happened to her, everything that Jimmy is outraged about; is it because she is trying to forget or it all seemed normal to her?  Jimmy and Crake were also interesting in the way they developed and changed through the course of events.

I could really go on and on about how much I enjoyed my re-read of Oryx and Crake. Beyond just being immersed in an amazing story, Oryx and Crake has, for me, validated re-reading.  I never used to re-read; I always thought that there were too many unread books for me to take the time to go back and read ones I already knew.  Then a couple years ago, I decided I should revisit some old favourites, I had to make sure the reason they were so loved still held.  Re-reading Oryx and Crake has been my best  re-reading experience thus far (even better than Their Eyes Were Watching God, which I loved).  I can honestly say I liked it better the second time, I feel closer to the characters and I'm ready to read the final book in the series.  

So, The Summer Is Over?

Where I live, the first day back to school, the day after Labour Day weekend, marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall. Summer isn't technically over until the Autumn Equinox on September 22nd, but that's not how it feels.  I love autumn, but there's so much more work.  Summer always seems to feel more relaxed.  Everything slows down.  I thought I'd take a look back at the summer of 2013 and see what some of my favourite things were.

Books:

I read a lot this summer.  A couple of my favourite summer books were The Cuckcoo's Calling and Emma... and Who Could It Be At This Hour?. (It was really difficult to pick.  These were just the first three that came to mind.)

Movies:

It was a slow summer for movies for me.  I blame the children... we just couldn't always find a babysitter.  I did manage to get out and see Wolverine, which was so much better than I expected.

I also did a full rewatch of Clueless after reading Emma.  It's a pairing I highly recommend.

Television:

I tend to think of Continuum as a summer show, even though it premiered in April. It's on throughout the summer when all the "regular" shows are done. The season finale was fantastic and I can't wait to see what they're going to do with the show next year.

Theatre:

We went to Stratford to see Tommy this year and it was amazing.  I recommend it to everyone.

Food:

At the beginning of the summer, I blogged about using the Bone Dust Rub.  I still enjoy it... I made enough that I still have a fair amount sealed in a container.

Those are just a few highlights.  How was your summer?

The End of Austen In August (2013)

The end of Austen In August has come.  I meant to read and watch so much more.  There's always next year.  I really enjoyed sharing the love for Jane Austen with so many people.  I've found a few more blogs to stalk follow.  I hope everyone else had a great time too.  

Here is what I read:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel

Emma

Here is what I watched:

Clueless

I think I might continue reading Austen related works for a while. I really wanted to read Dawn of the Dreadfuls after PPZ:TGN, but I thought I should read one actual book by Jane Austen for Austen in August.  Emma was fantastic and Clueless was the perfect followup.

Thanks to Adam at Roof Beam Reader for hosting this fun event.  What was your favourite Austen in August  book or movie this month?

A to Z Book Survey

I saw the A to Z Book Survey at What Red Read, who saw it at Sarah Says Read, who got it from The Perpetual Page Turner, the survey creator. I've done two A to Z type surveys in the past.  One was AmaZing Books: From A to Z, listing favourite books beginning with each letter of the alphabet.  The other was Authors From A – Z, Almost, a list of favourite authors with last names starting with each letter of the alphabet. Am I joining a bandwagon? Or do I just like any excuse to list things?

Authors you've read the most books from:  Stephen King, followed closely by J.K. Rowling (I’ve read everything Rowling has written, including The Causal Vacancy and The Cuckoo’s Calling).  *Goodreads was very helpful with this.

Best sequel ever: I am reading/have read quite a few series.  Who had the best sequel?  To hopefully make this easier, I’m sticking to the second book in a series… Even thought it's been a while, I think the best sequel might actually be The Vampire Lestat from Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.

Currently reading: Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood.  It’s a re-read in preparation to read the final book, Maddaddam.

Drink of choice while reading:  Water or Tea.

Ereader or physical book: Yes.

Fictional character that you probably would have dated in high school:  Peeta (The Hunger Games) maybe?  He bakes!

Glad you gave this book a chance: Falling Kingdoms, by Morgan Rhodes and The Crystal Shard, by R.A. Salvatore.

Hidden gem book: I’m going to echo Red a bit on this one.  Kindred, by Octavia Butler.  Read it.  Also, Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston.

Important moment in your reading life: I think I'm copying Red again... My blog. I love sharing what I'm reading and other bookish and life things with everyone.

Just finished: All the Wrong Questions #1: Who Could It Be At This Hour?, by Lemony Snicket

Kind of books you won't read: I’ll read almost anything.  I tend to steer away from Romance/Erotica, but never say never.

Longest book you read: Goodreads says…. Under the Dome, by Stephen King!  That was my guess too.

Major book hangover because of: Most recently, I would say Their Eyes Were Watching God, maybe Villette, by Charlotte Brontë.

Number of bookcases you own: 5 and they’re bursting at the seams.  I need at least one more, if not two.

One book you've read multiple times: I don’t re-read a lot, but I’m trying to do that more.  The most recent book I've re-read was Their Eyes Were Watching God.

Preferred place to read: Bed or the rocking chair next to the window in the living room.

Quote that inspires you: “The writer who breeds more words than he needs is making a chore for the reader who reads." - Dr. Seuss

Reading regret: I get distracted, especially if I'm ereading, because I have a tablet, not a dedicated reader, so I get little notifications and popups talking to me all the time.

Series you started and need to finish: I read too many series and I need to finish more of them.  Probably the two that have lurked the longest are The Legend of Drizzt, by R.A. Salvatore and The Vampire Chronicles, by Anne Rice.

Three of your all-time favorite books: The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood, Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowling and Kindred, by Octavia Butler

Unapologetic fangirl for: Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, R.A. Salvatore, Khaled Hoseinni, J.K. Rowling and there are too many to name....

Very excited for this release: I was very excited for Maddaddam, by Margaret Atwood, but I just got my copy yesterday (yay!)  Tied for second, Allegiant, by Veronica Roth and Champion, by Marie Lu.

Worst bookish habit: Allow me to quote Red this time: "Feeling the need to finish a book even if I'm not liking it. I need to learn to let go"

X marks the spot! start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book: The Sweet Hereafter, by Russell Banks.  I've had the book for a LONG time and haven't read it.  It's because I know what happens and I might cry.

Your last bookish purchase: On Saturday I bought Alif the Unseen, by G. Willow Wilson and Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut.

Zzz-snatcher: Most recently I'd say The Cuckoo's Calling.

Wahoo!  I really enjoy doing these things.