5 Children’s Graphic Novels (One Cybils Shortlist)

2014, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Comics & Graphic Novels, Cybil Challenge /

Since I didn’t love love love the first Hereville book last year, I wasn’t so sure I’d enjoy How Mirka Met a Meteorite but it turns out, I loved it! I quite enjoyed it and found it much better than How Mirka Got Her Sword (I think that’s what the first one was called.) I highly recommend it. (This one is on the Cybils shortlist)

Next, four books in the Squish series, none of which is on the Cybils shortlist but I wanted to read these first because #5 IS on the shortlist… now I’m waiting for it to be ready for me at the library.

I really like this series. There’s just a tiny bit of science in here, disguised as fun. I love all three of the main characters, plus Squish’s dad and the extra characters that appear to help us learn good growing up lessons. I do hope we see Squish’s mom someday… This series is by the Babymouse author and I love Babymouse so it makes sense that I’d like Squish, too. Oh, the science experiment and “How to draw…” pages in the back are EXCELLENT.

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Frommer’s EasyGuide to Miami and Key West (2014)

2014, Books in Bed, Non-Fiction /

Total impulse pick up at the library a couple of weeks ago. I was roaming, waiting for TW to finish filling her bag and I saw Frommer’s EasyGuide to Miami and Keywest 2014 on the shelf. I figured what the heck — we’ve been to Miami but if we get lucky enough to make it to BlogHer Food in a few months, it wouldn’t hurt to take a peek at what was new and interesting and/or nearby the hotel.

It was a fun read late last night and made me homesick. And, I have a couple of ideas for things to do if we find ourselves with some free time in Miami in May.

(Just a note to myself, read in 1/14 – counted in 1/4)

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The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon

2014, Audiobooks, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Women /

For a minute there, I thought this was the end of the #1 Ladies Detective Agency… but no, it seems like everything’s going to work out ok. Thank goodness Mma Makutse is a modern woman. Sheesh.

I really enjoyed The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon. It was odd though because the two cases didn’t quite end the way the cases normally end. We know what happened but the people involved in the cases… not so much. Interesting. I would have liked to hear how things were resolved with the copy shop chick and with the lawyer/boy/aunt/mother. We usually get at least a small scene with Mma Ramotswe getting things straightened out. Interesting.

The best part… Charlie. Charlie and the baby. Awesome.

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Lost Lake

1 Comment / 2014, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Women /

If you have read all of Sarah Addison Allen’s previous works and LOVE HER and LOVE them then you might want to consider not reading Lost Lake. Or at least reading it with the understanding that it’s not quite the same. The magical element(s) are there, but it is not so magical as the others. Some of the reviews I read indicate there was NO magic. Or they pointed out one bit of magical storyline and completely missed the other. All very interesting — people tend to think of magic, particular Addison-Allen’s brand of magic as light, fluffy, shimmery, happy, good things…. people should look again and think a little harder, shouldn’t they?

In some ways I liked this book more than her other books (which puts me in the minority from what I can tell from the few reviews I surfed.) There’s a lot of sadness in this book, even when the characters are happy — or when they were happy, the sadness just kind of leaks out all over the place. I liked that.

The characters and location are well written and described, as usual. I’d like to go visit Lost Lake but only if those characters are there, too.

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Trust Me On This

2014, Books in Bed, Chick Lit, Fiction /

I didn’t feel like reading graphic novels a couple of days ago and another Jennifer Crusie novel sounded like a good idea, luckily Trust Me on This was still on the library cart.

It took me longer to get into this Jennifer Crusie novel than it usually does. I think it was the setting up of all of the major characters, particularly the con man and his g/f. Once I got settled, I was amused — particularly by Harry and Vic. It’s not often you see older characters given these roles in books that are primarily about 30/40 somethings. Nice touch.

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The House on Tradd Street

2014, Books in Bed, Chick Lit, Fiction /

I saw a review of the fourth book in the Tradd Street series and thought I’d fallen behind on this series. Turns out, I hadn’t actually started it. (Sometimes I get my series’ confused, particularly when they’re set in Charleston or by authors who typically write about the south.)

So I figured what the heck, I’d reserve the first one, The House on Tradd Street, since I like Karen White anyway.

I can be pretty picky about books set in Charleston. Get one thing wrong and I’ll hold it against you for the whole book. That didn’t happen in this one. Nothing was really out of place or so wrong that it irked me. And, you mention Jestine’s and Blossom and Magnolia and I’m yours for life… well maybe not quite, but it makes me very happy.

The book itself, the storyline and characters, was pretty good. I like a good Charleston ghost story and this was one of those. I’ll probably try and keep up with the series throughout the year — these will be nice easy reads during travel periods or high-stress times.

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My Love/Hate (No Wait, My HATE/HATE) Relationship with the USPS

3 Comments / Daily Dose, Day to Day, Pet Peeves /

I kind of hate my mail carrier. But then I feel badly about that because it’s colder than cold out there and it’s got to be a horrible experience to drive around and deliver the mail.

Then again, our mail carrier(s) (because I’m sure we’ve had several since moving) suck a whole lot even when the weather isn’t bad, so I stop feeling badly for hating them.

They leave “We missed you so you have to pick up your package at the post office” notices all of the time, though they didn’t actually get out of their little mail truck to see if we were home. Because we absolutely were home and the dogs would have told us if someone knocked at the damn door.

They bring us more mail for other people than mail actually addressed to us. Which makes me wonder how much of our mail is ending up at other people’s houses… no, I’m not going to wonder about that. I’m going to pretend that’s not happening.

When I’ve caught the mail carrier to say “THIS IS NOT OURS” he’s said, well it must be miss-addressed and then I point out, no it’s not. It’s for the people on Melise Dr (across the street from us), he grumbles under his breath like it is MY FAULT that I’m not the person who the mail was addressed to.

They’ve folded up large photo envelopes and stuff them into the mail box.
They’ve wadded up mail to try and get MORE mail to fit into the mailbox.

Today, TW went to the street and found Michelle’s college diploma not IN the mailbox but stuck between the box and the mail flag. Just out there. In the open. In the GOD BLESSED WIND and freezing yukkiness. What would have led the mail carrier to think this was an appropriate delivery of mail? In this particular case, if he didn’t want to get out of the car in -20F, then fine — LEAVE ME A NOTICE and let me go pick it up, for godsakes. You’ve done it a million other times, for no good weather reason…

This kind of thing is why the USPS is in trouble. Why would I want to send ANYTHING via US mail and risk it being treated that way? I think my goal for 2014 should be to see if I can NEVER mail anything via US MAIL again. Ever.

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The Bronte Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily and Anne

2014, Books in Bed, Cybil Challenge, Non-Fiction, Young Adult /

From the Cybils Short List, The Bronte Sisters (and brother, because you can’t actually have a book about the three sisters without mentioning the poor brother — more than mention him, give him just about as much page space as the sisters…)

A pretty good book for kids who don’t know much about the Brontes. A little boring for me since I seem to have read quite a few books about them. The photos were a nice touch — helped with the dryness of the text from time to time. Nice job including sections from their works. Overall, nicely done.

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