Top Ten Fictional Crushes

Thanks to The Broke and The Bookish for hosting such a fun meme.

Except for number one and two, they are in no particular order.

1. Roland Deschain from Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. I’ve loved him since The Gunslinger and will hopefully continue to love him, even though they’re doing some crazy movie/television thing with the books.

2. Drizzt Do’Urden from R.A. Salvatore’s Legend of Drizzt.

3. Lestat from Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. It started with Interview with a Vampire and grew with The Vampire Lestat.

4. Mikael Blomkvist from Stieg Larrson’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. He’s my new crush.

5. Fitzwilliam Darcy from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudices.

6. Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen (but really Seth Graeme-Smith’s) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Everything I liked about Lizzy in the original, plus she can kill zombies and kick ninja @$$.

7. Eric Northman from Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Series. I think I always liked him, but Dead to the World really made me fall for Eric.

8. Wolverine/Logan from the X-Men.

9. Danica from R.A. Salvatore’s series The Cleric Quintet.

10. Aragorn from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.

I thought this was going to be difficult and it was a bit. I’m not a swooner (except for Roland, I’ll always swoon for you), so I had to think about some of these guys (and girls) for a while. Each person on the list has qualities that make me happy.

When I told my husband what this week’s top ten was, he wanted to share a few crushes with me too. He didn’t reach ten, but here are my husbands top six.

1. Storm/Ororo Munro from the X-Men.

2. Hermione from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

3. Catti-Brie from R.A. Salvatore’s series, The Legend of Drizzt.

4. Danica from R.A. Salvatore’s series, The Cleric Quintet.

5. Arwen from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

6. Buttercup from William Goldman’s The Princess Bridge.

My husband reads a lot of fantasy. These are six great females and I like them a lot too. One even appears on my list!

A Poker Game, by: Stephen Crane

Stephen Crane was an American writer from the late 19th century. He is well known for his story, The Red Badge of Courage. Being the kind of girl I am, I didn’t just buy the novel, I bought, The Red Badge of Courage and Other Stories. A Poker Game (click the link to read the text online) is the last in the collection of stories.

Maybe it’s because I’m unfamiliar with his style or maybe it’s because I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. I don’t know, but I had to re-read the story just to make sure I understood the ending. Once I read it the second time and thought about what the actor, Archie Bracketts said to the main character, Bobbie Cinch, did I fully understand the end of the story. Basically, being nice can pay off in the end.

The ending seemed simplistic. Bobbie and Archie did learn something from Bobbie’s behaviour playing the last hand, but it seemed like there was a lot of build-up without enough pay off. Crane was known to write in a realist style. Maybe that’s all this is. Instead of inventing an unrealistic scenario, Crane is relaying what actually would happen.

I read The Red Badge of Courage a long time ago in school. I can’t exactly remember it, I know a soldier gets what is called a red badge of courage, but he didn’t really earn it. I remember really enjoying the story and I was glad I purchased a collection that had more of Crane’s work. A Poker Game was easy to read and I liked it, but I don’t think it lived up to my expectations.

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

Word of The Week!

Last week I found myself without a lot of free time. The week before, I actually had no new words. I seem to be making up for it this week.

From Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo:

[Greek] Amphora, (pbk, pg 58) – An amphora is a type of vase with two handles and a long, narrow neck.

Avuncular, (pbk, pg 67) – Pertaining to an uncle. A kind uncle.

From Carol Shield’s short story, Stop! (in the collection Dressing Up For The Carnival:

Anathema, (hc, pg 62) – Originally it meant something lifted up as a gift to the gods. It has come to mean something/someone that has been formally set apart or exiled. It makes sense in the case of the Queen.

Triannulus, (hc, pg 62) – I can’t find it…. In the story, they speak of the third Triannulus of her reign. I think it means the third era or stage of her reign.

From Ahab’s The Republic of Gilead:

Undergird (posted 10-10-10) – To strengthen from beneath. It can be used in engineering terms and in moral terms.

There are a lot of interesting words this week. I liked the stories and posts the words came from. Will I use any of them in the future? I don’t know.

Book Blogger Hop

The Paperback Princesses/Crazy-for-Books have given us a very interesting question for the Hop this week. "When you read a book that you just can't get into, do you stick it out and keep reading or move to your next title?" I struggled with this in July. I almost didn’t finish the book. I also discussed this with another blogger recently, but I can’t seem to remember who… Sorry.

Even though I believe that if you’re not enjoying a book, you should have the freedom to put it down and move on, I find it difficult for myself to put it into practice. I feel like, if it’s been published, there has to be a reason. If I just read a few more pages, it’ll get better. I’ve deluded myself more than once. I once read an entire book to the end and only liked one chapter and that chapter had almost nothing to do with the actual plot. There have been a couple books I’ve actually given up on, though I hope to try again another day. Am I deluding myself again? I don’t know. So, while most of the time I do stick it out until the end, I don’t always think it’s worth it.

Top Ten Books I’ll Never Read

The Broke and The Bookish have presented us with an interesting list for Top Ten Tuesday. What are the Top Ten Books I’ll Never Read? That’s really difficult. I don’t want to count any book out. However, after thinking about it, I came up with ten books, for different reasons, I don’t think I’ll ever read. This is the order they came to mind, not the order of importance, though I did want to end with number ten.

1. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy – It’s not that I don’t want to read it. I actually own it (it was 50 cents, how could I resist?). It is just so BIG. It seems like there is always something else on my shelf more appealing/less daunting.

2. A Million Little Pieces, James Frey – There was some controversy about this book when it came out. There was some lying involved. I admit to not knowing what the actual story was. I don’t tend to read something just because of media attention. It just gives me a feeling like I don’t want to read it.

3. The Firm, John Grisham – I know, I’m about to be stoned. I saw the movie, which I know isn’t always a good indicator of a book, though it wasn’t a bad movie. There’s a part of me that wants to read it, I just don’t feel like I ever will.

4. Misery, Stephen King – I know, more stoning. How could I not want to read it? As many people know, I’ve read quite a few Stephen King novels. I even own Misery. But do you know what it’s about? I do. I saw the trailers for the movie (which I also haven’t seen) and I’ve read the synopsis for the book. It’s just a tad too creepy for me.

5. The Wheel of Time, Robert Jordan – My husband owns these books (except the new ones) and has read them. He thinks, however, that I won’t like them; I’ll get bored with them. They are also really, really long. All of them.

6. The Vampire Diaries, L.J. Smith – I’ve had enough of the sugary vampires that teenage girls fall in love with. What happened to Dracula, Lestat or even Selene? The show has just put me off ever wanting to read the books (even though I think Ian Somerhalder is super sexy).

7. Confessions of an Heiress, Paris Hilton – I hope I don’t have to explain this.

8. Star, Pamela Anderson – See above.

9. Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert – Maybe if I could jet around the world to find myself, I’d be more interested in reading this book. I’m sure it’s well written to be so appealing to so many people; I just don’t think it’s for me.

10. A Shore Thing, Snooki– (Yup, it's got a title.) See 7 & 8.

Now, I’d never say never. Who knows how I’d feel about 1-6 and 9 in a year? But, if I had to choose right now, those are what I’d pick (or not pick, as the case may be.) I don’t believe in banning books, so if you’re a fan of any of these books, I support your choice to read them. Maybe your opinion on them could even change my mind. After all, I’m currently reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo because of peer pressure and really enjoying it.

Under Construction!

I’ve changed my blog. I hope it’s for the better. I’ve basically had the same looking blog for the last four years. I needed a change. I hope everyone likes it. I do. I think it’s a little more me. I’m still tweaking it. Let me know if you notice anything out of place or if you have any comments on my new look.


Loni

Thirsty Book Hop

This week’s Hop question over at the Crazy-for-Books is: What is your favourite beverage while reading or blogging?

I love tea. I have an entire section of my pantry just for my tea and tea related things. Though, on occasion, I have been known to drink a martini while sitting at the computer…

What do you like to drink, if anything?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favourite Authors

1. Margaret Atwood – For The Handmaid’s Tale; as well as all the other books I’ve read and loved.

2. Michael Ondaatje – For In The Skin Of A Lion; I know The English Patient is the big one that everyone knows, but the former came first and it got me hooked.

3. Gregory Maguire – For Wicked and Confessions Of An Ugly Stepsister; I hope the Wicked sequels live up to the first.

4. Stephen King – For The Dark Tower series; I love Roland.

5. William Shakespeare – For your entire body of work. Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, King Lear, A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream; I could go on forever, but I don’t have to, your work will.

6. Jane Austen – For the three books I’ve read so far, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion and for the rest I plan on reading.

7. Douglas Coupland – For The Gum Thief; I worked at Staples. I know what box-store monotony can do to a person.

8. Khaled Hosseini – For A Thousand Splendid Suns; I will never forget Mariam and Layla.

9. J.K. Rowling – For the Harry Potter series; I don’t usually like saying things like this, but Harry Potter might just be the Chronicles of Narnia for our generation. (Though, let’s see where we are in twenty years.)

10. Lemony Snicket – For you Unfortunate Series of Events; I loved the Baudelaire children and I’ve wondered what they would be like when they grew up.

This was another difficult one for me. There are so many authors that I love. I have to give honourable mentions to J.R.R. Tolkein, R.A. Salvatore, Charlaine Harris and Sophie Kinsella. I love and have read so many of your books too!

Thanks to The Broke and The Bookish for hosting another great Top Ten Tuesday.  Who tops your list?

Stop!, By: Carol Shields

Stop! was a fantastic little story by Carol Shields. I have it in her collection Dressing Up For The Carnival but I believe it can also be found in her Collected Stories.

Stop! follows the Queen. What she is the queen of, we don’t know. We learn that because of her “allergies” the Queen grows more and more reclusive. It seemed to me that she was a hypochondriac. Is the physician taking advantage of this, I wonder? The Queen retreats more and more from the world, from her children and the King. It’s interesting how the Queen’s perception of the world keeps her from doing the simplest of things. Stop! is the kind of short story that opens you up to what else the author has written.

After reading this short story, I wonder why I haven’t read any of her novels. I really aught to read The Stone Diaries. For those that don’t know, Carol Shields died of breast cancer in 2003 at the age of 68.

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

Roof Beam Reader: Saturdays, Uncensored! (And Banned Trilogy Giveaway!)

Check out Adam at Roof Beam Reader. He's giving away the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. If you haven't read it yet, what are you waiting for? I can't believe they were burned, only 9 years ago, in 2001 as Satanic.

Roof Beam Reader: Saturdays, Uncensored! (And Banned Trilogy Giveaway!)

An Excellent Venn Diagram

I thought this was hilarious.

Original Image From Here

Here's the post I found it on: Stargazing blog by Malene Arpe

Book Blogger Hop

This week, our host Jennifer is asking how we promote our blogs. In the beginning, I didn’t really think about promotion. I did the blog mostly for myself. I told some friends about it and they read it sometimes. I created my blog so that when I finished a book, I could write about what I thought and felt. Though an avid reader, I don’t belong to any reading groups and until the last couple years, I hadn’t found anyone with similar tastes in books.

After a while, I decided to venture out into the blogosphere. I found some interesting blogs and started following/subscribing to RSS feeds. I commented occasionally, but it was still some time before I started promoting my blog. I haven’t done anything extraordinary. I participate in a few different weekly events, like the Hop. There’s also Short Story Monday at The Book Mine Set and Top Ten Tuesday at The Broke and The Bookish. I also comment more often on all the great blogs I’ve found. I make sure to leave quality comments, taking the time to read a couple posts, the blogger’s profile if they have one and anything else that catches my eye. I agree with Jennifer in what she said about leaving good comments behind on your visits.

I don’t have a Facebook page and I don’t Twitter (though I’ve considered both). I don’t want to stretch myself too far; I don’t want to start, only to have it fade away into nothing or have it become a chore. I write my blogs because I enjoy it. I still think about Twitter and Facebook. Maybe one day I’ll join up and you’ll find me tweeting away. Until then, I’m happy here in the blogosphere.

Top Ten Tuesdays: Top Ten Couples in Literature

I’ve decided to again join in The Broke and The Bookish’s Top Ten Tuesdays. The first five couples came to mind easily. The rest took a little thought. Once I had the first four down, I decided to expand and include favourite couples from different genres.



1. Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy – Lizzy and Darcy are the staring couple in Pride and Prejudice. They are probably number one on a lot of lists.


2. Elinor Dashwood and Edward Ferrars – Sense and Sensibility was Austen’s first published work. Though in love, Elinor and Edward never let their “sensibilities” overtake them. They use their “sense” instead.


3. Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester – The madwoman in the attic won’t keep this couple apart! Jane Eyre made me love classic literature.


4. Romeo and Juliet – Unlike the first four couples, Romeo and Juliet doesn’t have a happy ending. However, they’ve influenced countless stories about star-crossed lovers.


5. Superman/Clark Kent and Lois Lane – There is no comic couple that has endured the way Lois and Clark have. Their story has been written and re-written countless times. There have been comics, novels, television shows and movies, where even if it isn’t obvious, their love is always there.


6. Wesley and Buttercup – Okay, I haven’t actually read The Princess Bride, but I’ve seen the movie. A lot. My husband has read the book and he says the movie is pretty close. (I will read it eventually.) Wesley and Buttercup are cute and sweet. They fight the bad guy and live happily-ever-after.


7. O-Lan and Wang Lung – I recently read and reviewed The Good Earth. I still can’t even get over what an amazing novel it is. Thought not really in love, they are a partnership.


8. Drizzt and Cattie-Brie – They are a couple that began in 1988 with the Forgotten Realms novel, The Crystal Shard. No matter what genre I read, I appreciate strong female characters. Though Drizzt is the hero of these books, Cattie-Brie provides balance (and she can kick butt in a fight).


9. Arthur Dent and Trillian – They’re not your typical couple. They don’t live happily ever after. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy takes them everywhere, but they end up back at home. (I have read the five books by Douglas Adams. I have not read the new one by Eoin Colfer. I’m scared to.)


10. Aragorn and Arwen – He’s the rugged hero of The Lord Of The Rings, she’s the beautiful elven princess. There’s no real logic to why they are one of my favourites. Maybe the movie influenced me. I don’t care. They make me happy. (I thought of replacing them with Sam and Frodo. I know they weren’t a “couple”, but they were together more than any other pair in the books.)


That’s it! I considered Odysseus and Penelope, but all that waiting and they didn’t give me the same good feelings. I also considered Layla and Mariam from A Thousand Splendid Suns, but like Frodo and Sam they’re not a real couple. They were more like sister-wives (Big Love/polygamy reference). Anne and Gilbert also came to mind, but I never finished the Anne series, so I don’t know how they end up. There was also Sookie and Bill or Sookie and Eric, but I don’t know which couple I prefer.


I thought this was going to be difficult, but then I ended up with so many options!


Who are your favourite literary couples?

Word of The Week!

This week, we’re back with a couple words from the book that keeps on giving.

From Under The Dome by Stephen King.

Excrescence: describes and outgrowth of something on something else. It is usually used to descibe and abnormal or disfiguring growth. They found the thing that is generating the Dome; excrescence is used to describe a part of it that’s sticking out.

Apostate: Is used to describe someone who has renouced thier faith. No matter what he thinks, this word definitely describes Jim Rennie. The word was used by Chef Bushey to describe Big Jim Rennie, who thinks he is following the path of God, but in fact, he is doing whatever he wants and is manipulating scripture (the Bible) to justify his terrible actions.

I don’t think I’ll ever have occasion to use excrescence, but there are people who I’m sure have been described as apostate. That word will likely get used in the future.

Do the Hop!

This week’s question: Do you write the review while you’re still reading the book or do you write it after?

My answer: I write reviews after, as soon as I’ve finished a book. I get to my computer or write it the old-fashioned way with a pen and paper if I’m not near my computer. Occasionally, I let a book sit with me and write the review the next day, so the magic of the ending can fade a bit and I can think of the book as a whole. I don’t wait more than a day though; I don’t want to forget anything. If I come across a passage or an event in a book that I know I’m going to want to talk about, I flag it. Sometimes I write a little bit about it right away, then include it in my overall review of the book.

I think it would be difficult to write a review as you are reading. I find a story needs to be taken as a whole. Yes, there are often specific parts that need attention, but I don’t think you can know if you’ll love it or hate it until you reach the end. I suppose the only exception is if you find a book so terrible, you can’t finish it.

Thanks for stopping by on this week’s hop. How do you write your book reviews? Leave a comment below and I’ll stop by your blog.

Under The Dome

I finished Under The Dome! It’s a hefty book. A friend of mine, who also just finished it, called it an investment. It is an investment, in more ways than one. Stephen King's book is over one thousand pages long. So there is an investment of time. You also become invested in the characters and the outcome of their time under the dome. It’s not just the good characters you care about either, you care about the bad ones; you want to make sure the bad guys get what they deserve in the end.

The end was fantastic. I couldn’t put it down for the last 80 pages. I just kept reading, even though I knew I should get up, until the book was done. Stephen King created some amazing, compelling characters. Their history before the dome greatly influenced their behaviour once they were under it. If you paid attention, you could see the paths the characters would follow.

I warn future readers now, no character is safe. It doesn’t matter how much back story is given. It doesn’t matter if you think the outcome hinges on them. If their time comes, they die. The first section of the book is an onslaught of death. What happens when an invisible force field is put in place and you don’t know it’s there? That is the beginning of the book. When you think the dying has stopped, someone else goes.

The only part of the end I wasn’t happy with is what happened to Big Jim Rennie. I really wanted someone to shoot him in the head. If you read the book, you’ll know what I mean. He doesn’t seem to have any redeeming qualities. At least his son, Junior, has a moment with the Appleton kids where he shows kindness, though five minutes before he punched a random guy in the stomach. Though Junior is a bully, some of his behaviour might have been attributed to an actual illness. Big Jim doesn’t have that excuse. He never shows kindness unless he is getting something out if it. He knows he has a bad heart, but treats it as though it’s another person out to get him, instead of something that is a part of him. Though he attributes his behaviour to “God’s will”, all he ever does is try and take more power and control. He treated the people in the town like they were his subjects and he was the divinely chosen king.

Dale Barbara (Barbie) and Julia Shumway are great heroes. They are regular people, dealing with their own problems and lives. Barbie was trying to leave when the dome came down. He was only minutes from missing the chaos. Barbie and Julia are the people who put aside personal concern and even safety and do what is necessary to save lives. Rusty Everett does the same thing. Though only thirteen, so does Joe McClatchey. It is people like them that should have been in charge from the beginning and I kept reading the book hoping somehow Barbie would take over and make everything better.

Stephen King is often touted as the Master of Horror. I found the events in Under the Dome not as much “horror” as horrifying. There are murders, rapists, riots and suicides. There is so much hatred, contempt and corruption. There are people who don’t understand the difference between right and wrong. There are too many people abusing their power. The evil already existed in the town, the dome just amplified it.

Under The Dome is worth the investment. It’s not just a story about a supernatural event, it’s a story about the people of the town.

Barack Obama to release childrens’ book | Afterword | National Post

Is it okay that I want it?

Barack Obama to release childrens’ book Afterword National Post

The Seventh Future: Israel/Palestine, by: Margaret Atwood

Again I find myself having read a piece of fiction, unsure if it’s really a short story or not. Margaret Atwood posted The Seventh Future: Israel/Palestine on her blog, Margaret Atwood: Year of the Flood, about a month ago. I found myself drawn to it immediately. The Seventh Future is about someone who can see the future; he envision seven different future for the much disputed region. The seventh future that he sees is the one that is the most desirable. It would be hard work, but it is possible. The other six futures are different degrees of bad to worse. On a personal note, it makes me even more eager to read Year of the Flood.

Something I found intriguing is the debate on Ms. Atwood’s blog generated by this short piece of fiction. There are some very angry people out there. Someone blatantly call Margaret Atwood stupid. I was a little taken aback because I’m a fan of her work and I don’t think any writer who can create such amazing tales is stupid. Perhaps, what the person meant to say is overly optimistic or uninformed (which I don’t actually think). Yes, Margaret Atwood is a writer, not a politician or diplomat. So perhaps her opinion doesn’t have the same weight as people like Barak Obama or Tony Blair. However, her opinion is as valid as any one else’s. There are a couple people out there who really don’t like her or what she wrote. I thought The Seventh Future was insightful. I see each future that is laid out in the story as possible; the seventh is just the one we all hope for.

Thanks to John Mutford at The Book Mine Set for hosting.

Broomeshtick — 5 reasons to stop reading a novel halfway through

What does it take for you to give up on a book?

Broomeshtick — 5 reasons to stop reading a novel halfway through

Let’s Hop

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books. In honour of Book Blogger Appreciation week, each participant is sharing their love for a couple favourite blogs (like Crazy-for-Books).

Roof Beam Reader is a fantastic blog. Every week Adam posts Uncensored Saturdays and takes a look at books that have been banned and why. As a result, I learned that I’ve read quite a few banned books.

amused, bemused and confused has two things I love. Books and tea! Teadevotee has read many of the same books that I’ve read or want to read.

The Book Mine Set is probably the first book blog I started to follow. John Mutford writes insightful and interesting reviews. He hosts The Great Wednesday Compare every week and I can’t wait to see who the battle is between. I think my guy might lose this week.

I could go on about other blogs I’ve discovered, like The Lost Entwife and The Book Brothel and so many more, but there’s only so much time in the day. Plus, I hear my little one calling me (she’s almost 16 months!) I hope to find many more fine book blogs this hop.

Have a great weekend!

Ryan Larvin Original Paintings - Browns Gallery

Ryan is an amazing artist. If you're in the area of West Yorkshire, you should definitely check out his work. Better yet, buy one of his fantastic paintings!

Ryan Larvin Original Paintings - Browns Gallery

The Book Mine Set: The Great Wednesday Compare #7- Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy VERSUS Roland Deschain

Cast your vote at The Great Wednesday Compare. I have a feeling Roland is going to lose. Poor Gunslinger.

The Book Mine Set: The Great Wednesday Compare #7- Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy VERSUS Roland Deschain

Top Ten Tuesdays: Top Ten Books I’m Dying To Read

Top Ten Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke And The Bookish. This week’s topic, pick ten books you’re dying to read.

It was difficult for me to pick just ten. I have over a hundred books that are sitting neatly in my bookcases waiting to be read. Plus, there are the books I don’t even own yet.

Except for the first book, they are in no particular order.

1. Year of the Flood, by: Margaret Atwood – I’ve been itching to read this since it was published. I almost bought it over and over again, but I was trying to be good. But I saw a stack of them at Costco last weekend, and my final bit of resistance was gone.

2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by: Stieg Larsson – I’m not dying to read this as much as a couple of my bookish friends are dying for me to read it. The copy I have is borrowed and, succumbing to peer pressure, I will read this next instead of Year of the Flood

3. Son of a Witch, by: Gregory Maguire – I’ve wanted to read this for a while. I absolutely loved Wicked and I’m going to see the musical in just over a month! I came across a copy of Son of a Witch at a used bookstore. I had to have it, especially after I bought…

4. A Lion Among Men, by: Gregory Maguire – I saw it at a different bookstore and bought it.

5. The Battle Of Jericho Hill, by: Stephen King – This is one of the graphic novels that have been written as prequels to King’s Dark Tower series of novels. Jericho is where THE big battle takes place, helping to forge the man the main character is in the novels.

6. Dead and Gone, by: Charlaine Harris – I’ve read all the books staring Sookie Stackhouse up to From Dead To Worse. After a fantastic ending, I wanted to start the next book immediately. Sadly, I don’t own this one yet.

7. The Chronicles of Narnia, by: C.S. Lewis – I know it’s more than one book, it’s seven. So maybe I’ll just say, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I can’t believe I haven’t read it yet. It seems like something I would have read as a kid.

8. Night of the Living Trekkies, by: Sam Stall and Kevin David Anderson – I just got it last month. A gift from my husband. He knows what I like and this book combines two of my favourite things, Star Trek and zombies!

9. Dracula, by: Bram Stoker – Classic gothic horror. The one that started all the vampire fiction, really. Written before vampires were teen dreams. Here, vampires are scary and I can’t wait to read it.

10. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini – I loved A Thousand Splendid Suns. It was one of the best books I’ve ever read. The only reason I haven’t read it is because I don’t own it. If I somehow got a copy tomorrow, I don’t know if I’d be reading Year of the Flood or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo next.

Word Of The Week!

This week’s words have a few different sources – two blogs and a short story.

From Virginia Woolf’s The Mysterious Case of Miss V.

Neuter: In the context of Woolf’ story, is a noun of the neuter gender. The neuter term is what the narrator says she is using in reference to Miss V. She equates Miss V. to a shadow of a piece of furniture; therefore she uses the neutral, not feminized terminology.

From Ahab at Republic of Gilead.

Proselytization: Is a way of converting people to another opinion, particularly to another religion. In modern times proselytization/proselytism have negative connotations, used to describe a forced conversion. Ahab is talking about Kirk Cameron speaking in Maryland.

From Jen at The Broke and The Bookish.

Facetiously: A flippant manner; treating a serious issue with deliberately inappropriate humour. Each week The Broke and The Bookish host Top Ten Tuesday. Each Tuesday you create a top ten list, the topic of which is given the week before at the end of the previous post. This week, Jen posted her top ten favourite words and facetiously was number two. Did you know that all the vowels appear in order?

I like facetiously the best. It’s a word I might actually use (after I learn how to pronounce it properly).

Geek and Gamer Girls!

Geek and Gamer Girls Song - Watch more Funny Videos

I've never posted a video on my blog before, but I kinda love this one.

Book Blogger Hop!

I really like this week’s question. Link to a review that you wrote in the last three months. For me, that would have to by my post about Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth. This was a novel that went beyond my expectations. It reached me on an emotional level that I am reminded of whenever I glance at the book on my shelf. I could read it again right now and be so happy.

Thanks for stopping by. Please, leave a comment below and/or a comment on The Good Earth.

Dark Tower Films and TV!

Check out the link below for news on the new deal to make Stephen King's The Dark Tower series into three films and a television series.  It's crazy!

Stargazing blog by Malene Arpe

The Book Mine Set: the Great Wednesday Compare #7- Hermione Granger VERSUS Fitzwilliam Darcy

Another fantastic pairing at The Great Wednesday Compare. Who couldn't you live without? Hermione Granger or Fitzwilliam Darcy. It's a tough call.

The Book Mine Set: the Great Wednesday Compare #7- Hermione Granger VERSUS Fitzwilliam Darcy

The Mysterious Case of Miss V., by: Virginia Woolf

I dove back into The Complete Shorter Fiction of Virginia Woolf This week. I found the fantastic, somewhat chilling story, The Mysterious Case of Miss V. While the story was interesting, well-written and enjoyable, I couldn’t help but apply what I knew of Woolf’s life to its text. My first reaction was that Virginia Woolf was writing what was going on in her mind. The main character is nameless, but it’s not really about her. It’s about Miss V (V for Virginia?). Miss V. is actually two people, Mary V. (elder sister) and Janet V, but they are treated as one. Woolf stresses the difference between country life and city life. In the city you can be forgotten so easily. If you do not make your presence known, you become part of the background. The narrator often calls Miss V. a shadow.

If you’re a fan of Virginia Woolf and interested in her life, this story should definitely be read. If you like somewhat creepy, thoughtful short stories, The Mysterious Case of Miss V. is for you too.

Happy Short Story Monday! Thanks to John Mutford for hosting.

Word Of The Week!

There are some interesting words this week, most provided by Stephen King. I haven’t finished Under The Dome yet. It’s a really long book!

From Under The Dome:

Incantatory: Comes from Incantation, which is a charm or spell created by words. You can find the definition here. King uses the word to describe Lissa’s walk. She’s the school librarian and known for being a little different than everyone else. Is King therefore saying that this character has a magical walk?

Declamatory: Marked by passion or pomposity. Bombastic? King used declamatory to describe a gunshot. I guess you could have a bombastic type gunshot, right?Ululating: Means to howl or wail with grief, which is perfectly fitting when describing a scream during a bloody riot.

From Sleep Talkin’ Man:

Acrimonious: Karen uses this word to describe Adam’s relationship with mole hills. Apparently Adam is bitter towards them.

Four new words this week! I’m not sure incantatory is a real word. Were you making up a new word, Mr. King? In real life, I’m not sure I’d use any of these words. In blogging/writing life, I could see myself using acrimonious, so that’s the best new word this week.

Side Note: I was trying to post Word of the Week every Friday, but the last few weeks it hasn’t happened. I don’t know if it’s just that this has been a particularly busy time for me (which it has been) or if it’s something that can’t happen on a Friday. I’m going to see what happens in the coming weeks. I’ll either do better and keep it (normally) on Fridays or I might move it to Sundays. If anyone has any thoughts on this, I’d love to hear them.

Time To Do The Hop!

Another week, another Book Blogger Hop hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-For-Books.

The questions this week: Do you judge a book by its cover? My answer: well, yes and no. If I’m browsing in a bookstore or online, then an interesting cover will definitely catch my attention. Will I buy the book because of the cover? No. I always read the synopsis first and often the first page or two. If I see a book by an author I’ve already read, I’ll pick it up even if it has a terrible cover. I think, however, if you want to get new readers, an enticing cover is important.

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment below and I’ll return the visit.

CBC News - World - Explosion reported on oil rig in Gulf of Mexico

Again?! Really!?!

CBC News - World - Explosion reported on oil rig in Gulf of Mexico

The Book Mine Set: The Great Wednesday Compare #7- Hermione Granger VERSUS Robert Langdon

Another great Great Wednesday Compare. My instincts say Hermione Granger would win over Robert Langdon every time.

The Book Mine Set: The Great Wednesday Compare #7- Hermione Granger VERSUS Robert Langdon

Princes versus Princesses

I've always really enjoyed a good Disney movie, but pictures like this make you think. Check it out at KIKA.LA's blog.

KIKA.LA: You princesses think you got it bad

Though a few months ago I came across this:

(I can't find the source!  Help!)

1142

1142 is the first story in Helen Humphreys’ The Frozen Thames. The stories in The Frozen Thames have been described as vignettes and creative non-fiction. In recorded history, the river Thames has frozen solid forty times. The stories in Humphreys’ book are based on those occurrences. After reading the first story and then looking up this information online, it made me wonder if these could be considered short stories. Then I thought, these are stories and they are short, so yes. If anyone disagrees with me, I’ll have to wait and see.

1142 is the year. Queen Matilda of England is under siege. It has been a long seven years. The Thames is frozen. Getting and idea from her maid, Queen Matilda uses the unusually cold winter and frozen river to her advantage. What happens to Matilda after the siege? Well, that isn’t part of the story.

I feel like the story is about the river and how it is used. Matilda might be the main character, but without the frozen river, who knows how the little narrative would have ended. Helen Humphreys has a way with words that I envy. I really enjoyed the story of 1142 and look forward to reading more of this interesting book.


Side Note: Hardy Jones, author of The Americanization of Li Ming which I read for Short Story Monday two week ago stopped by my blog. I’ve never had a writer stop by my blog before! He left links to some of his other works and to his website. Check out my previous post if you’re interested.

Oxford English Dictionary Will Probably Never Be Printed Again

How do we feel about this?

Oxford English Dictionary Will Probably Never Be Printed Again

Book Blogger Hop

This week’s question: Do you use a rating system for your reviews and if so, what is it and why?


Answer: I do not use a rating system for my reviews. I’ve considered it. It might make it easier to get my feelings about a book across. I’ve read a lot of blogs that have rating systems, like our host, Jennifer at Crazy for Books, Roof Beam Reader, BookSnake Reviews and many others. I’ve been seriously thinking about adopting one, a 0-10 system instead of a 1-5, but I haven’t decided yet.

Thanks for Hopping by. Leave a comment below and I’ll visit too.

200 Followers in 2 Months Giveaway!! | The Broke and the Bookish

Check out this great giveaway at The Broke and the Bookish.

200 Followers in 2 Months Giveaway!! The Broke and the Bookish

The Joy of Vampire Sex: 'True Blood' on Rolling Stone

The cover of Rolling Stone is hot! It's amazing what books can do these days.
The Joy of Vampire Sex: 'True Blood' on Rolling Stone's Latest Cover Rolling Stone Culture

Word of the Week!

Alas, there is only one word this week.

From Stephen King’s Under the Dome.

Chivvy: To vex or harass with petty attacks; to maneuver or secure gradually. Both of these definitions are applicable to the current political situation in the small town of Chester Mills as Barbie and Big Jim Rennie vie for power.

Also, for any Canadians reading this and who like Stephen King, Under The Dome (trade paperback) is on sale this weekend at Chapters for only $10! Regular price is $24.99. I warn you, though I’m really enjoying the book, it is super long.

Book Blogger Hop

Another Friday, another Hop! Welcome to all first time and returning visitors. Thanks for thanking the time to say hi. If you leave a comment below, I’ll be sure to visit your blog and return the greeting.

This week’s question: How many blogs do I follow?

This week’s answer: 42 (Wow! Hitchhiker’s Guide anyone?) Like our host, Jennifer, I don’t usually have time to read all of them everyday. I try to read as much as I can if time allows. I also don’t just read book/writing blogs. There are a couple random, make me smile, make me laugh blogs too. Though, after this week’s Hop I might be adding a few more to the list.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 8: The Long Way Home

I just completed the first volume in the Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 8 series, The Long Way Home. I was a HUGE fan off Buffy back when it was first on. I watched it all through high school and through most of university. There was one season, season 6, I believe, that I didn’t watch it that much. It was a combination of being very busy with school (and two jobs) and that season being not that good. Season 7 definitely made up for it and the Season 8 comic/graphic novel series continues the legacy of Buffy.

I had originally decided that I wouldn’t read Season 8. I didn’t want to get involved in another book series and then have to buy all of them. A friend of mine at work, who is much more of a fan than I am, wanted someone to talk about the books with, so about a week and a half ago, she gave me a bag and inside this bag were all her Buffy books. It was a few days before I dug in. I was still reading The Good Earth and had already decided what my next book would be. One day after I had finished my book, I had put my daughter down for the night, my husband was getting ready for bed, they were right there. I picked it up. By the time he was done, I was deep into the first issue (each graphic novel is a collection of five issues) and had to finish before I went to sleep. In just a few days the book was done and I wondered why I hadn’t read it sooner.

It was so good. If you’re a fan of Buffy and/or a fan of graphic novels, you’ll like The Long Way Home. It’s fun and exciting. The art is great. They are able to do things with comics that they never could on television. Joss Whedon and the other writers and artists are able to take Buffy to another level. I really enjoyed this first arc. I like who the villains are. I can’t wait to see Buffy and the other slayers kick their butts. The Long Way Home shows a Buffy with new responsibilities, along with her old friends. She also has some amazing new friends. The Long Way Home is a great hook to get you into reading the rest of Season 8.

One aspect of the book that struck me and I really liked was the last issue. The last issue is called The Chain and it isn’t about Buffy and her friends. It’s about another slayer, her mission, what she’s been through and what being a slayer has come to mean to her. It’s like a short story at the end of the novel. I really enjoyed it. It gives the reader a new insight into the Buffyverse. A note at the end, says that they’re going to do this at the end of each collection. If they’re as good as The Chain I look forward to reading them. The Long Way Home is a fantastic continuation of a television series I loved.

The Americanization of Li Ming, by Hardy Jones

It’s interesting to read a short story in which the writer’s notes seem to be a part. I’m not sure who the really main character is in the . Is it Li Ming or is it the writer who is controlling her thoughts and life? Li Ming wants to be American and she is trying to figure out how best to do that without looking like she’s trying. The writer makes side notes about the verb tenses and whether Li Ming is Chinese or Vietnamese. It is as though Jones is making the story transparent, so the reader knows it is made up, but he still manages to make Li Ming seem like a real person you can relate to. It is her struggle for identity that seems real, which manifests in her conversation with her dead mother.The Americanization of Li Ming

This is another author I couldn’t find much on. I think primarily because his first novel hasn’t been published yet. is forthcoming, according to the publication I found the story in, Shelf Life and Amazon.ca. Will I read the novel? I’m not sure. The short story was nice. Even with the interesting style, I don’t know if it’s enough to make me get his book (I like interesting styles). Though the blurb at the bottom says his work has appeared in “over twenty journals” it doesn’t say which journals, which is disappointing. Overall, I did really enjoy the short story and it piqued my interest in his work. I just don’t know if it did it enough. The lack of available content on Hardy Jones as well as readily available work makes me think that he will be forgotten.Every Bitter Thing

Note: The story is currently available at . I don’t know how long it is going to be up.Shelf Life Magazine

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

Word of the Week!

This week’s words are varied in their meaning and sources.

From Alice French’s Spring and Summer.

Muskeg: An acidic soil type common in Arctic and boreal areas. It makes sense that this word was used since the short story took place on the Canadian tundra. A better description of muskeg can be found here.

From the blog, Stargazing.

Barnet: British slang for hair. From rhyming slang, Barnet fair hair (whatever that means). Stargazing was quoting the British Sun, who wrote an article on Emma Watson’s new hair, which apparently has to do with her attempt to land the lead role in The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo. [Aside: Am I the only one in the world who hasn’t read this book?]

From the blog, Sleep Talkin’ Man.

Numpty: Also British slang. It’s another word for “moron”. If you haven’t checked out the Sleep Talkin’ Man blog, I suggest you do. It’s hilarious.

I feel like all of the words can be a part of my vocabulary. I think I like “numpty” the best. I feel like I can use it here and no one would know what I was saying.

Book Blogger Hop

This week’s question:

I’m pretty sure I have over a hundred books on my bookshelves, definitely not just a pile. I love books, I love buying them and having them look oh-so-pretty on my shelves. I think I’m addicted to book-buying the way some women are addicted to shoes and it’s an addiction my husband encourages and sometimes shares.

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books.

If you’re hopping by, leave a message below and I’ll hop by to say, Hi!

Roof Beam Reader: The 100+ Followers Super Giveaway!

He's giving away books! I love books. All you have to do is be a public follower of his blog, then fill out the form. It's a great blog. I just discovered it and I enjoy the reviews.

Roof Beam Reader: The 100+ Followers Super Giveaway!

The Book Mine Set: The Great Wednesday Compare #6- Libraries VERSUS William Shakespeare

Which could you live without? I don't know.

The Book Mine Set: The Great Wednesday Compare #6- Libraries VERSUS William Shakespeare

Lindsay Lohan Was Busy Writing in Prison

Are you going to read this?

Lindsay Lohan Was Busy Writing in Prison

Spring and Summer, by: Alice French

I found Spring and Summer among the stories of From Ink Lake, a collection of Canadian short stories. From what I can tell, Alice French has written two works, an account of her life called, My Name is Masak from which this story comes and The Restless Nomad. She was born on Baillie Island in the Northwest Territories. In my search for a picture of her, I found a lot of pictures of French Toast as well as French food. There were also pictures of Alice In Wonderland and Alice Munro. Sadly, none of her.

I wish I could find out more about her. Alice French wrote a vividly descriptive account of a spring and summer in the tundra. She starts with the new growth, buds and blossoms. She talks a lot about the birds, where they mate, their particular behaviours. What I found really interesting was her account of whaling with her family and the other families. She describes the process of utilizing every bit of the animals they hunt. Then they return to school and their identities are buried until next year.

As much as I enjoyed the description of Inuit life, I did however, find the story lacking in something. A point, perhaps? Perhaps that was because this was an excerpt from her first book. By being an excerpt is there more that wasn’t chosen to be included in this collection, something that would have made it feel more complete? I didn’t know that it was an excerpt until after I read the story, then read the short bio about her in the back of the book. Going in, maybe it would have changed my feeling while reading the story, or maybe I wouldn’t have read the story. Alice French is definitely worth a read, though I don’t know how easy it will be to get her books.

Visit the host of Short Story Monday, John Mutford at The Book Mine Set.

Mila's Daydreams: Mila Had a Little Lamb

I love this blog.  It's super cute!

Mila's Daydreams

Toy Story 3

What an amazing movie! I can’t believe an animated movie (in my head I was thinking “cartoon”) almost made me cry. I teared up twice at the end. I held it back though. I love Woody and Buzz and Barbie & Ken and all the others. There are such interesting characters. The Monkey was awesome.

Toy Story 3 is another amazing film by Pixar. I was so happy I saw it in 3D too. Toy Story 3 is fun for kids, but carries emotional relevance for adults too. The hidden grown-up jokes were a lot of fun too. The Pixar “cartoon” tackles abandonment and growing up in a way that kids can understand and adults can relate to. It really is one of those movies that the whole family can watch and enjoy.

I really can’t say enough good things about it, but I don’t want to ruin it for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet. (Of course, if anyone wants to talk about it, I’m happy to discuss it.) It’s currently at 99% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. I remember when it came out, it was 100% for a long time. So, I suppose, there are a few people out there that don’t like it. Fine. You can’t please everyone.

Okay, I have one criticism, not about the story itself, but about the 3D. It’s not really worth it to pay 3D. Nothing really jumps out at you off the screen. There were more 3D effects in the trailers for other films than the actual movie. Everyone should still see it, but it doesn’t have to be at the extra 3D cost. Toy Story 3 reminds you about growing up, but remembering the joy of being a kid playing with toys.