Reading & Drinking - Two of My Favorite Activities

Like many women, I love grabbing a drink with friends, but I never thought of pairing them with my books.  Thank God Flavorwire did!  They published this piece on 10 classic novels and the cocktails to drink with them.  Sounds like a great idea for a new book club.

Bottoms up!!!!

Retro Review: Pet Sematary by Stephen King

In honor of Stephen King's birthday, I'm republishing this retro review of one of my favorite books from my tumblr blog.

Would I call myself a fan of Stephen King? I’m not sure. Some his works are absolute genius and others…well there are a couple that I almost didn’t finish. But, man, tonight as I watched the movie, Pet Semetary, I remembered why I loved that book so much.

Growing up, my mother had a wonderful network of great aunts and uncles that she was very close to, but as she grew older, so did they. By time I was born, her loved ones already had begun to pass away and as a family we always attended their funerals.

My Grandpa

I tell you this not to be macabre, but to let you know that even as a child I knew a little more about death than most kids did. Unfortunately, it still didn’t prepare me for the loss of a beloved family pet, my mentor or the most painful one - my grandfather.

That’s why Pet Semetary hit me so hard. There’s very little I wouldn’t give up to spend one more day with Grandpa, but unlike Louis in the book, I understand that memory is a better way to keep someone alive.

Review: Bad Glass by Richard E. Gropp

Dean is stuck in a rut.  He hates his major, but father won't pay for college if he becomes a photography major.  Instead Dean takes the last of his tuition money and heads for Spokane, Washington, a city under quarantine.

His goal is to sneak into the city to document it's slow decline, but Dean has no idea what awaits him.  He doesn't know about the madness that has consumed the population and that there's no way of escaping it....

So, I have discovered that it's not wise for me to read too much into the copy on the for the novels I am reading.  Of course they are going to compare it to one of my favorite books.  They want me to read it and I fall prey to it every time. 

For the record, this book was compared House of Leaves, one of the most terrifying and enjoyable books I've ever read, so much expectations were on the high side.  While there were elements of creepy and unexplained that I desired, the book felt anti-climatic.  Maybe there were too many people disappearing and weird monsters...I'm not sure.  It just didn't do it for me, but again then again I was expecting to be as intense as House of Leaves.

And so little can achieve that level of fear. 

The Right to Publish and Inform

So I wanted to talk a little about the Kate Middleton photos. There was piece on NPR about it as I was driving home from the gym last night and here is a portion of it:

 

VICKI BARKER (Narrator): "...even as the duke and duchess' lawyers were preparing their case against Closer, its Italian sister magazine, Chi, was rushing out a special edition showing even more of the photos. Both are owned by Silvio Berlusconi. As prime minister, Berlusconi frequently invoked Italy's privacy laws to keep his colorful personal life out of the papers. British royals, he seems to believe, don't require the same protection. And Italian criminal lawyer Maurizio Bellacosa says it's not yet clear if Italian laws were broken.

MAURIZIO BELLACOSA (quoted on the radio): "It is difficult to say because we really are on the borderline between the right to inform and publish, and on the other side the protection of the privacy."

The right to publish and inform? Um...I wasn't aware that I needed to be informed about Kate Middleton's breasts.

Do You Remember Book It!?

This article in Mental Floss, reminded me what a big deal Book It! was when I was growing up. 

As kid, getting me to read was not a challenge, so when Pizza Hut started the Book It! program, in which students were rewarded with Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizzas coupons for reading, I became a machine.  I had to get that pizza, because if I did I could take all my family members on pizza date. 

For some reason the big deal, was always with the one with my dad.  I'm not sure why it mattered to me so much.  Maybe it was because time between Dad and I wasn't as readily available as it was with my mom, so the couple hours I got him all to myself was huge for me. 

Looking back on it, now I think the whole thing is kinda funny and cute all at the same time.  Here I am so proud that I earned this and basically I'm eating the pizza myself, while Papa paid for his meal and my drink.  I would say that he got the raw end of the deal, but he didn't.

Book It! started a tradition between my father and I - the Pizza Date.  Even today, we'll go see a movie or watch our beloved Ohio University Bobcats play a game and at some point we'll grab a pie to split.  The only difference now is that sometimes we order beer instead of Cokes and once in a while, I pay for the whole thing - not just my little pizza! 

Movie Review: The Hunger Games

I have a bit of a problem when the movie comes out for a book I love - when I see it, I'm always a bit disappointed.  Although there have been some failures over the years (see Tom Hanks hair in The da Vinci Code), rarely does this feeling come from the film itself.  For me the book is so special, that my expectations for the film are so high they are almost impossible to fulfill.  So it was no surprise that I was disappointed in The Hunger Games when I saw it in theaters, but watching it last night on DVD, was a revelation. 

This movie is perfect.  While there have been some changes and adaptations made (the expansion of Caesar Flickerman's role and the addition of the Gamemaker, Seneca Crane) in order to convert the novel to film, there is very little changed about the story.  What changes are made remain true to the book and the characters that began this phenomenon.  

If you've read the book, you will be thrilled with the wverything about the film and if you haven't, well I can't imagine not wanting read the book the moment the credits roled.

Highly recommeneded.

More on the Jack Reacher movie!!!!

While I'm still skeptical about Tom Cruise playing Jack Reacher, I will admit they got one thing right - the desk sergeant! 

Reognize him???  It's Lee Child!!!  How nice of them to give Jack's creator a cameo in the film. 

Literary Insults

Want to criticize someone as well as dazzle others with your superior intelligence?  Well look no further, because Flavorwire did a great piece on the best literary insults.  It's totally made my day.

I may even have to add a few of my own personal favorites....

NPR's Best Loved Young Adult Novels

This summer had readers vote and nominate their favorite Young Adult Novels and Series.  The results were released today and while there were a few trilogies, etc. that I didn't finish, I at least finished the book or a book in the series listed for a total of 38 books

How many have you read?

More of Mara Dyer!

If you haven't had your fill of Mara and you've read at least the first book, check out this piece from Michelle Hodkin.  It's Noah's perspective on first meeting our heroine.  Kinda fun!

Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I loved the Evolution of Mara Dyer, but if you haven't read the first book, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, please wait until you have read the volume one before reading this review.  Thanks!

When last we left Mara she had seen Jude, her ex-boyfriend who had supposedly died when the asylum crashed, but when she tries warn everyone about it, she's put under psychiatric watch and eventually an outpatient therapy program.  Her condition is considered PTSD from the building collapse and Jude's attempted rape and if Mara can keep smiling, she can convince the world that she doesn't need therapy.  Then she can find out why Jude is there.

As the walls keep closing in on Mara - inexplicable notes appear in her backpack, a childhood doll moves around her home, sleepwalking - Noah is her only saving grace, but how long can she keep pretending?

This was a good sequel.  It gets a little slow in the center, but Hodkin builds to a fantastic cliffhanger, that left me breatheless.  Evolution doesn't come out for over a month and I am already clamoring for the final volume in this series.

High reccommended!!!!!

Retro Review: The Affair by Lee Child

In honor of the new Jack Reacher book being out today, I thought I'd post the review from my old tumblr blog of last year's release, The Affair, which is now in paper back.  Enjoy!

For those of you who are not familiar with the leading character, Jack Reacher is a loner, carrying nothing more than is his toothbrush and wallet at any given time. He drifts from town and during his stay, he inevitably walks into trouble. And because Jack does not like a bully, he always sets things right before he leaves.

This book is little different though.

Lee Child does not often take his on trips to memory lane. We spend most of our time with Jack Reacher as a his is now - a retired military man who wanders across the United States. In this novel, I was delighted to see Child take me back to the beginning. The Affair, his 16th novel ends where The Killing Floor, the first book in the series begins.

It was excellent to say the least. The thing I loved most about this book was that it was written in first person from Jack’s point of view, but not in a traditional way. This was not written as it happened, but as man looking back almost 15 years at a very critical point in his life. Reacher conveys to the reader how different the world was pre-September 11th, but also how different he was before he left the army.

That type of story telling is very rare in a series. Most of the time, when an author delves into character history, it is just that - how the character came to be where he/she is now. They are not prone to reflect on prior events in their lives as people frequently do. By allowing Reacher to do so, Child makes him adds another element of realism to him - further solidifying his relationship with the reader.

Good Job Lee Child!!!! I look forward to reading the next one.

Retro Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I just started the sequel to this fabulous book and I thought I would post my review for book #1, which I read in 2011.  Enjoy!!!

What if one day you woke up only to find out:What if one day you woke up only to find out: What if one day you woke up only to find out:

What if one day you woke up only to find out:

 

•  The condemned asylum, that you & your 3 friends were in, collapsed.

•  Since then, you have been in a coma.

•  The only survivor is you.

•  You have no memory of how it happened.

 

That alone would be difficult to recover from, but then PTSD hallucinations begin. As the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur, you begin to wonder, what really happened that night and…if you were the one who killed your friends.

 

Buy this book now! It will keep you up at night, wondering what actually happened to Mara.

 

PS You should know that this book is the first in a series, so we have more to look forward to from Michelle Hodkin.

What if one day you woke up only to find out:   •The condemned asylum, that you and your 3 friends were in, collapsed. •Since then, you have been in a coma. •The only survivor is you. •You have no memory of how it happened. That alone would be difficult to recover from, but then PTSD hallucinations begin. As the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur, you begin to wonder, what really happened that night and…if you were the one who killed your friends.   Buy this book now! It will keep you up at n...mo

Review: The White Forest by Adam McOmber

On the outskirts of lives, Jane Silverlake, a young woman living a quiet existence who loves nothing more than spending time with her two best friends, Maddy and Nathan. Things are perfect between them - laughing, sharing secrets and exploring the wild heath in Jane's estate.  

One day Nathan goes missing and Jane has to confront the secret she shared with them - the one that allows Jane to hear the soul of an object. The secret Maddy has done her best to ignore and now they must work together to bring Nathan home.  

I really wanted to enjoy this book. It was purported to be similar to Erin Morgenstern's The Circus, which was one of my top 10 from 2011, but sadly it was not. It's possible that my expectations were too high, but I just found myself bored with the main character. There was nothing that allowed me to connect with her, so instead of sympathizing with how she struggled with her strange powers, I found her to whiney.  Rather than rooting for her to find Nathan, I really just wanted the book to end, so I wouldn’t have to listen to how isolated her magic made her feel.   

For me, this was not a good read, but I also grew impatient with Frodo in the Lord of Rings trilogy for a similar reason – he couldn’t stop talking about how hard it was to carry the ring.  

Just something else to consider….

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Retro Review: I Suck at Girls by Justin Hapern

To say I feel neurotic when I’m dating is an understatement. I worry so much. Does he like me? Could he be the one? What if he is the one and I screw it up? This thoughts get me so stressed out that I often consider becoming the crazy dog lady and never leaving my apartment again. Reading I Suck at Girls by Justin Halpern reminded me that this happens to everyone. In this book, he chronicles every failure and triumph he experienced with women up until he proposed to his girlfriend. Justin’s datin...moreREpoReposted from my tumblr blog. To say I feel neurotic when I’m dating is an understatement. I worry so much. Does he like me? Could he be the one? What if he is the one and I screw it up? These thoughts get me so stressed out that I often consider becoming the crazy dog lady and never leaving my apartment again. Reading I Suck at Girls by Justin Halpern reminded me that this happens to everyone. In this book, he chronicles every failure and triumph he experienced with women up until he proposed to his girlfriend. Justin’s dating life has been no more or less glamourous than my own, but between his writing and his father’s always crass yet, direct advice, I realized that we all having our dating follies. Some are meant to be laughed at and others a little more painful, but they take us to where we are today. It may be safer for me to stay indoors with my dog all the time, but then what would I have to talk about with my friends? Anyways if you need a little bit of levity about dating or if you want to laugh your butt off, then read I Suck at Girls. I promise you’ll feel better. Note: The language in this book is not the greatest, so if you’re afraid of being offended, ask some to read it aloud to you and ditch the language.

 

News: An Honest Look at Love from Justin Halpern

Justin Halpern, the author of Shi*t My Dad Says, released another book this past May about his journey to find love, I Suck at Girls.  Both books are wonderful! 

While I'm posting the retro review from my old blog, take a look at this great interview with him on Match.com.

Review: Sun Storm by Asa Larson

Rebecka Martinsson has put her past behind her. The disillusioned small town girl has been replaced by cynical tax attorney at one of the most highly regard law firms in Stockholm, but Rebecka's is stunned when she sees that Viktor, brother of childhood friend and a religious figure at a prominent church, has been murdered.  Her world is shattered when Sanna, Viktor’s sister, calls her moments later to ask for help.   

Now Rebecka must return to her childhood home to face the demons she thought she had left behind long ago. 

So I realize the plot on this sounds rather trite, but instead of sticking to the formula for this type of story – stress of going home, proving to people you’ve changed – Åsa Larsson’s paints a portrait of a woman who goes home without letting it intimidate her.   

Usually the character must stay with a parent/relative and shrinks into the child she or he was, but rather quake in fear when confronted by old foes, Rebecka stays true to the woman she has become.  She does not bend to their will, because our heroine is not there to prove how much she has changed.  Rebecka has moved beyond her small town childhood and is simply there to help a friend.   

I should warn you though, that this series is totally addicting.  Larsson’s work builds into pulse pounding conclusions with only a few pages of resolutions afterwards, resulting in some major cliff hangers.  If handle it, by all means, read on! 

Highly recommended for fans for Scandinavian crime fiction!!!