Books in Bed

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

2009, Books in Bed, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

I wonder if I found The Forest of Hands and Teeth through the BlogHer Book Club Group or was it a book that TW saw reviewed and then asked me to reserve at the library. I hate it when I can’t remember. Quick search of the Book Club group doesn’t pull up results so I’m guessing it was TW. Or maybe it was you, some random book blogger out there?

Whatever. We listened to it on audio and boy was it long. Not really but it sure felt long. The author writes the way we picture RJ would write if she was writing post apocalyptic fiction about teens and The Unconsecrated (aka Zombies.) Yes Zombies.

The story was interesting. The characters never quite became interesting. I liked the Sisters the best and we didn’t learn nearly enough about them due to the Unconsecrated attack on the village.

I definitely liked the book more than TW did. She was frustrated by the teen girl who never seemed to learn anything. I think she did learn from her experiences, she learned the way teens do. Slowly and painfully and never quite making as much progress as you’d like.

Feels like a sequel might be in the works and I wouldn’t mind reading it if it appears.

*Update: Of course I had to go and look to see if there is a sequel in the works, should have done that before I wrote this… there’s a prequel due to be published in March 2010. Fascinating.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth Read More »

Catching Fire

1 Comment / 2009, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Favorites, Young Adult /

TW read Catching Fire first. When she got to the end she said “this ended in a really bad place.” That was an understatement.

I expected some of what happened. I did not expect most of what happened. And no, I didn’t expect it to end quite that way.

I think, besides being #TeamKatniss, I’m also #TeamPeeta.

Now how long do we have to wait until the third book is out? Because I really need to know what happens NEXT.

Catching Fire Read More »

Woman at Point Zero

2009, Books in Bed, Non-Fiction, Women /

Michelle’s financial aid and scholarship money was slow to come through and she needed her text books (Michelle is obsessive in her need to pre-read her textbooks prior to the first day of class. It’s a little weird) so I ordered them for her.

When I saw the two non textbooky books required for her woman’s studies class, I thought I had read Woman at Point Zero. In fact I was sure I had read it. But after reading the synopsis, and the reviews. I decided I had only heard about it or read about it – so I reserved a copy for myself at the library.

Nope, I hadn’t read it. No, I don’t think it’s quite as compelling as some of the Amazon reviews indicate it is. Yes, it’s a terrific book for an woman’s studies intro class. (I think Michelle will like the other assigned book better than this one… but I could be wrong. We’ll find out…)

Woman at Point Zero Read More »

Wicked Plants

2009, Books in Bed, Favorites, Non-Fiction /

I reserved Wicked Plants after seeing it in some bookstore or another. TW mentioned it because she saw it on some list or another. It was also on my Amazon wish list for awhile. And it’s terrific!

A great book to skim or pick up for a few minutes while you’re taking the dogs out to use the bathroom or waiting for the hold music to disappear prior to a conference call. It would also be a terrific book to just have on the shelf – particularly if you’re a gardener or an outdoorsy person or a trivia nut.

Wicked Plants Read More »

King George: What was his problem?

1 Comment / 2009, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Favorites, Non-Fiction /

I stayed up til midnight last night to finish King George: What was his problem?. Please do not take this to mean it is the best book ever. It’s simply a piece of my childhood rearing its ugly head and I could not help it. Blame my father.

This is what the first history textbooks should look like. Too many kids hate history because it’s boring. History is not boring. Should not be boring. If you can’t make it un-boring with the textbooks you have, then ditch them and use a book like this instead. Or call my dad.

He’ll drive you around to every battleground in the United States and force you to listen to everything he knows about THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR (it’s bolded for a reason) and you will hate it and you will be bored but not nearly as bored as trying to read a stupid dry text book. And when you’re an adult who no longer has to think about Ft Ticonderoga or who was to blame for the whole Benedict Arnold fiasco (Gates, I’m looking at you) you will find yourself happily devouring a fun book about THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR and it will be your father’s fault.

King George: What was his problem? Read More »

A Curse Dark as Gold

2 Comments / 2009, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

I loved A Curse Dark as Gold more than I love Rumpelstiltskin or any other similar story. I loved the characters. I loved the ending. Yes, I loved the ending – can you believe it? I was afraid I’d hate the ending, particularly when I was down to the last 50 pages and was loving it so much. I just knew something was going to happen to ruin it. But nope, excellent. All the way through.

Great Cybil selection!

A Curse Dark as Gold Read More »

The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder

2009, Books in Bed, Fiction, Women /

Well, it’s no Ya-Ya Sisterhood but it’s not bad. At least not until you hit the last chapter. And then it was just annoying enough to make me regret reading The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder.

I hate it when authors do that. Was it really necessary? Really, Rebecca Wells, was it? I don’t think it was. Ruining a perfectly good book like that? Tsk tsk.

The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder Read More »

A Homemade Life

1 Comment / 2009, Books in Bed, Non-Fiction, Women /

Not all blogs should become books. Molly Wizenberg’s Orangette is not one of those blogs. Her blog, which then became the book A Homemade Life was fabulous. And remember, I’m no foodie.

That’s really why I think it was a great book, it can speak to everyone. There’s a little something for everyone. And the stories, often about food and cooking and recipes are not a turn off to those of us who don’t “get” the whole food thing. Because we do get the relationships thing.

Wizenberg does the relationship story just as well as she does the food story. And, because this is so, I would like to try a half dozen of those recipes. That’s saying something.

* I would like to note that I do not know Molly. I am not a long time Orangette fan. I’ve read it before, a few times, but it has never been in my feedreader. I have no personal connection to the woman or her blog that colors how I felt about the book. (Odd since most blog to books that I read, I read because I do have a connection to the author.)

* Also, if you live in Seattle or are visiting, I’d recommend you check out Delancey. I would, if I lived there (or was going for a visit.)

A Homemade Life Read More »

Three Cybils that I didn’t love

2 Comments / 2009, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Non-Fiction, Young Adult /

The search is on for this year’s Cybils judges and this sent me into a bit of a panic. New judges and I haven’t finished last year’s winners yet? Ugh. So, I’m on a mission to get these finished asap. As sassymonkey smartly reminded me mid-freakout, I’m almost finished.

I finished 3 middle grade/YA non-fiction this weekend and I didn’t love any of them.

Swords was the most disappointing because I was really looking forward to it. It wasn’t horrible, I just wanted more than I got.

I was pretty bored by Lincoln Through the Lens but I expected to be bored so that’s ok.

I enjoyed We Are the Ship the most out of the three. I have a fondness for Negro League Baseball stories because the men behind the teams were brilliant and those stories aren’t told often enough. The athletes were fantastic but it’s the owners and managers who I’m more interested in. I got some of those stories in this book, and I appreciate that.

Three Cybils that I didn’t love Read More »