A to Z Challenge

A Town Like Alice

3 Comments / 2008, A to Z Challenge, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Women /

Remember years ago when I was looking for book ideas for Michelle belle? I don’t think it was on this blog, or the blog formerly known as Daily Dose etc…, but maybe on the original home school blog? Anyway, I had a regular reader and commenter then, from Belgium I think, and she recommended “A Town Like Alice” for Michelle to read. Michelle never got around to it but I remembered it when I was creating my A to Z list but it was not an easy book to get.

I got it, on audio, late in December and as we started to listen to it TW said “And why are we listening to this?” It started sort of slowly and the narrator sounded very Moonstone like. Almost like “Betteridge” but not quite. We both thought we were in for a very long, very slow listen… we were wrong.

It did take us a very long time to finish it but that is related to the very small amount of time we’ve spent in the car together over the last month. Or in the car together, without kids. The kids don’t really enjoy listening to bits and pieces of books and I can’t blame them. I wouldn’t like listening either if I had missed chapter upon chapter.

Anyway. A Town Like Alice. Awesome. So awesome that it’s hard to believe it was written by Nevil Shute. I am not an On the Beach fan. Love this book. Love the characters. Love the story line. Love every single thing about it – except the fact that it’s over.

Now, could someone help me figure out how to find that person who recommended the book? I’d really like to thank her and I don’t seem to be able to track down her comments – they were probably lost in some blog move or another. Or they’re buried in some transferred comment format that isn’t searchable. Whatever. I can’t find her. Help! And then go reserve this book from your library – preferably on audio.

A Town Like Alice Read More »

King Dork

3 Comments / 2008, A to Z Challenge, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Young Adult /

We’ve been listening to King Dork in the car for ages. It’s taken much longer than I had originally expected because it’s far too mature to really listen to with small children in the car – so that cut out most of the time I’d originally allotted for King Dork – the drive to/from Charleston. Ah well, it’s finished – finally. The epilogue and the glossary almost killed us, though listening to the glossary was a lot more amusing than if we’d read it. Also, specific to the audio – the music at the end was terrific but hearing “devil head” read out loud to indicate the instances of “devil head” icon appearances within the text was not much of a pleasure. That part just didn’t work for me. (If you read the book in print and didn’t listen to the songs, check out Frank Portman’s website for mp3s.

Now, about the book. I put it on my A to Z list and was sure I would have read it early in the year. I didn’t. And then I saw sassymonkey’s review and I put it off even more. So, I was prepared to be unimpressed and now that I’ve finished, I’m not sure I am impressed. I am, however, amused. Very very amused. The number of times TW and I laughed out loud cannot be counted on two hands. Laugh out loud funny in a lot of places but a little (ok a lot) slow in others.

I think I have to drop this into my “favorites” just for the Catcher in the Rye commentary. Now, I need to go reserve Brighton Rock at my library because I do not think I have ever read it. (Have you?)

King Dork Read More »

X Stands for Unknown

2 Comments / 2007, A to Z Challenge, Books in Bed, Don't Read This, Non-Fiction /

Aye yi yi. I was so desperate for a book with an X in the title for the A to Z challenge that I immediately jumped at the suggestion by Framed and Booked to read Asimov’s X Stands for Unknown. I should have known this was not a great choice when I couldn’t get it from my library and it never appeared from my inter-library loan request. I should have really known this was not going to be my kind of book when I couldn’t even get a used copy on Amazon. But still, I was desperate to finish so I tracked down a used copy somewhere else and I started reading it a few days ago.

Or if I’m honest, I started skimming it a few days ago and just finished skimming it.

It’s non-fiction and not science fiction. It’s full of math and science. It’s boring as hell. Except for the introductory essays of each chapter – those, I liked. I also enjoyed a few of the chapters on The Bible indicating the earth is flat, ungilding gold, and one about comets. Otherwise… bored stiff.

But, this leaves me with just two books from my A to Z challenge, one we’re halfway through on audio and the other is also on audio, just waiting for us to listen to it.

X Stands for Unknown Read More »

Nature Girl

2 Comments / 2007, A to Z Challenge, Books in Bed, Fiction /

We started listening to Nature Girl on audio, a couple of weeks ago, and right as we’re about to enter chapter 2, the CD went crazy. Huge, deep gash. Bah! I returned it to the library and reserved the print copy, picked it back up again late last week and another book on my A to Z challenge list is in the can!

You should know I’m not really a Carl Hiaasen fan. I like him well enough but I prefer Chris Moore – it’s the zombie and vampire factor. Since not everyone can include zombies and sequined love nuns in their books, I don’t mind reading the occasional Hiaasen and Nature Girl was a good one. (Though errr, I was always waiting for the zombies to show up. Or a talking fruit bat. Or something.)

I like Honey. I also liked Euginie and Tigertail. Good characters. They should return to another book some day. (I see Tigertail is a relative of an “older” character”. Interesting. I haven’t read enough Hiaasen to have known that.)

Nature Girl Read More »

Upstate

2 Comments / 2007, A to Z Challenge, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction /

When I was creating my A to Z list, back in January, and looking for a book for the letter “U”, I found Upstate. I’m not sure how I found it, but I did – it might have been on someone else’s A to Z list, it might have been in the NY Times Book pages or blog. No idea how but it is one of the five best books, so far, on my A to Z list.

Get it on audio… it’s worth it for this one.

Upstate Read More »

Sweet Swan of Avon

1 Comment / 2007, A to Z Challenge, Books in Bed, Favorites, Non-Fiction, Women /

Another book I should have read ages ago. It’s been living on my bookshelf since BlogHerCon06, thanks Blogher and Robin! Sorry it took me so long to read but Sweet Swan of Avon was worth waiting for.

I enjoyed it.

But I would since I totally don’t think Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare. I’m not sure Mary Sidney wrote Shakespeare either but it’s a heck of a lot more possible than Shakespeare writing Shakespeare.

Sweet Swan of Avon Read More »

Endymion Spring

2 Comments / 2007, A to Z Challenge, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Favorites, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

Look! Another YA book! And, another book I own but have never read! And, another book I meant to read a year ago! I’m so glad I put Endymion Spring on my A to Z list. And extra glad that I’m making a final last ditch attempt to finish the A to Z list. Otherwise, I might never have found time for Endymion Spring and it would have sat quietly unobserved on RJ’s book shelf where it’s been for a year. Heh.

It was good. I wee bit of a slow start but right about the time (chapter 3) that I mentioned it was starting slow, it picked up and didn’t quit til the end.

Awesome. And I’m so glad I knew who the “shadow” was. I like it when I’m right – which is always, ya know.

Endymion Spring Read More »

On Becoming Fearless

1 Comment / 2007, A to Z Challenge, Books in Bed, Non-Fiction, Women /

Yes, another book I own (thank you Arianna and BlogHer) that I never quite made time to read. On Becoming Fearless was better than I expected.

Better because I’m not a huge Arianna fan. I think she’s interesting. I like her blog. But no fan love here and I didn’t really know what to expect. The chapter on being fearless in relationships was a little flat – the chapters on parenting, money and work were much better.

Overall – a pretty good “self help” type of book.

On Becoming Fearless Read More »

I Have a Bed Made of Buttermilk Pancakes

2 Comments / 2007, A to Z Challenge, Books in Bed, Fiction, Young Adult /

In the spring of 2006 Sassymonkey started talking about I Have a Bed Made of Buttermilk Pancakes. She talked about it so much that I wanted to read it but it was Canadian or something and of course not available at my library. So, sassymonkey gifted me with it. And it’s been on my TBR pile ever since. I added it to my A to Z list challenge because I thought that would encourage me to get it read… and it did. I finished it last night.

But not before I griped about reading it. (and no I’m not sharing the video TW made of me griping about reading it)

The first 150 pages or so were so confusing and just a little slow. I just could not get into it and could not see why Sassymonkey had been talking about that book. And, I could NOT figure out how or why this was re-titled and published as YA in the US. (The Spell Book of Listen Taylor)

About half-way through, I figured out why Sassymonkey (and TW) enjoyed the book. I am here, grudgingly, to say that it WAS a good book. And it was interesting and different and if I’d have been Cath, I’d have killed the entire Zing family. Dead. OK not Cassie (or Taylor, part of the extended Zing family) ’cause they were kids and not involved. The rest – DEAD, completely DEAD.

I’m still not sure I like the idea of this being a YA book and I’m pretty sure there are huge groups of rabid, over-protective mommies who would hate the idea even more than I do. I just don’t see any of the YAs in my world ever sitting through the first 150 pages of this book, Coyote F*** or no Coyote F***.

I Have a Bed Made of Buttermilk Pancakes Read More »