Books in Bed

Chomp

1 Comment / 2013, Audiobooks, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Favorites /

I like Carl Hiaasen but I don’t love Carl Hiaasen so I figured I’d enjoy Chomp but I didn’t know I’d really, really, REALLY enjoy Chomp.

The only problem with it (well besides the neverending supply of beer the “bad guy” seemed to have and his inebriation level, but it’s middle grade fiction — that’s to be expected) was that we listened to it on audio and… Dawson, yes that Dawson, was the reader.

I kept expecting Joey and Pacey to show up… that was a little weird.

Great Cybils selection. Great book for those of you who aren’t sure you like audio books.

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I Am Number Four (The Movie)

2013, Books in Bed, Movies & Television /

Finally — a movie for my Book to Movie Challenge.

I Am Number Four (the movie), which I read last month, was not as good as the book.

Duh, right?

Except that if you remember what I said about the book, or click the link, you’ll see that I wondered if I might like the book better. So darn. I was wrong.

The relationship between John and Henri was completely different in the movie. The relationship between John and Sarah and John and Sam was different as well. Not enough character development. Not enough character, in general. They needed another 30 minutes of film to show to allow the characters to develop so that we cared about any of them.

The only thing that worked was Bernie Kosar.

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Art and Craft or Art vs Craft

2 Comments / 2013, Art, Books in Bed /

I’m having a lot of fun with art and craft books, right now. Even when I don’t absolutely love the books I’m reading and playing with, it’s fun.

Like Craft-a-Day: 365 Simple Handmade Projects. Nice cover. Nice, big book. Total impulse pick up from the library. Turns out it’s not so much 365 projects but a couple dozen projects done with 52 different themes. So, a little stuffed felt animal/item every week. Same method of creation, just a different template. Simple and pretty boring.

Most of the people on GoodReads panned this book, because it’s just the same thing over and over. That was my feeling as well. But… this wouldn’t be a bad book to have on your shelf, for simple templates or to hand to a bored child who wants to DO something.

A better book, in my opinion, is Zentangle untangled. I loved it. I want a Zentangle kit. I want the Zentangle workbook. I need a better pencil and a much better black pen!

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Farewell, Dorothy Parker

2013, Books in Bed, Chick Lit, Favorites, Women /

Total impulse pick up because I like Dorothy Parker and because Michelle really, really likes Dorothy Parker. How could I not pick up a book where the ghost of Dorothy Parker arrives to help a movie critic (and everyone else she meets) get her life in order.

Turns out the book critic helps Mrs. Parker and everyone lived happily ever after, except Dorothy Parker (who was dead) but she was happy with the way it ended too.

Farewell, Dorothy Parker is fun chick lit for those who like Dorothy Parker.

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The Lions of Little Rock

2013, Audiobooks, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge /

Here’s the problem with me and books in the Cybils Challenge — I reserve them at the library without knowing what they’re about.

The Lions of Little Rock was one of those books.

Little Rock in the 50s, so no, I wasn’t really surprised when Liz showed up at school and I knew immediately that Liz was trying to pass and this was not going to end well for anyone.

It was at that moment that I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to like the book. In those early pages I had to keep reminding myself that this is a middle grade fiction book. This is a middle grade fiction book. And before long, I wasn’t having to remind myself of that. I could just enjoy the story. And, I really did enjoy it.

I do have one question — after Judy flew from Pine Bluff to Little Rock on New Year’s Eve, how did she get back to Pine Bluff? (It’s little things like this that stick with me and bother me.)

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Goats

2013, Books in Bed, Fiction /

It’s moments like that I really wonder about how and why some books are turned into movies while others are not. I’m not talking about the obvious huge selling books, their move(s) to the big screen make sense.

I’m talking about obscure coming of age novels like Goats. (Hard as hell to find this book on Amazon because if you search for Goats, you get a ton of non-fiction about goat tending, sheesh.)

Written in 2002 — first novel by a short story writer — it’s… different.

Not great, not horrible. Just different.

There were moments of genius and moments that caused eyerolling and overall, I liked it. I might even be glad I found this on the list of books turned movies (for my books turned movies challenge.) I can’t wait to watch the movie…

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Airing Another Dirty Little Secret

2 Comments / Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Classics, Daily Dose, Personality, Pet Peeves /

Yesterday I confessed to hating Little Golden Books. (I know. I know.) Today, I have a bigger confession. This one makes me really nervous.

Until last year, I hated The Monster at the End of This Book.

I know. I KNOW.

Here’s the problem… while I loved (and still love) Sesame Street, I did not love Little Golden Books. I did not own many Little Golden Books. I did not buy many Little Golden Books for my kids.

The Monster at the End of This Book was published in 1971, (I was 8 and my brother was 4), as a Little Golden Book.

Pshaw.

For most of my life I’ve heard adults rave about how awesome The Monster At the End of This Book is. I’ve seen people I otherwise loved and respected put The Monster at the End of This Book on their favorite books of all times list.

I’ve always rolled my eyes at those people.

ALWAYS.

And then, Starbucks was doing that free song or app of the week thing, (They still do it, but this was back when it was still new and I was excited by those little cards every Tuesday), and The Monster At the End of This Book app was the free app. I shrugged and said what the hell. It’s free. I’ll look at it. I’ll delete it.

Except I did not delete it. I held on to it because the app is cute. And.

Gasp.

The book is cute.

When JMP was born I was very excited because I could play with the app with him some day… and we did that when he was here in January. It was a little dissatisfying for both of us, he was a little young — he’d be better at it now. The app is still on my phone. It’s on my iPad, too. We’ll play with it again someday.

And, I really like The Monster At The End of This Book.

I particularly like that I can buy it in formats other than Little Golden…

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