Realizations Inspired by a Bad Book

I have discovered:

About myself -
          If there is a book I'm supposed to read, and I don't want to read it, I will find any means to put off reading it. But out of guilt I will not read anything else either. Reading screeches to an unhappy, guilty stop.

About Jadyn -
          She can push through a section in a book that nearly killed me by with violent eye rolling, and quickly catch up to my book mark. She is perseverance in a bottle! I really expected her to "set it aside" and absolve me of having to finish the dang thang.

About my Mom -
          When I try to explain glaring, laughable plot holes to her, she will defend those holes, come up with wild scenarios to make them accurate, and then pull out of her butt the caliber of a handgun required to kill a bear in a single shot. ?!? Mom, what have you been doing since I moved out?

About my Friend -
          She will listen to my endless ranting and surround me with sympathy. Thank you Dear. You are an island of sanity for me.

About my Brother -
          He will immediately jump to the same conclusion as I did, and even use the same vocabulary as I did in my head. That I'm going to be blacklisted. Rock on.

About Everyone who had the Misfortune to Listen to
Me in the Last Few Days -
          That honesty is the best policy. This I know. I never had any intention of being less than honest (though perhaps had hoped to escape) but it does my heart good to hear that everyone values honesty so much.

Have you had any realizations lately?

Time Out for Fairy Tales

Confession. I'm fairy taled out. And I'm sure you, dear Bloggies, are fairy tale reviewed out. I blame the innundation on three things:

1. My own idiosyncrasies and tendeny to get comfortable in a rut.
2. An ecstatic library frenzy. You know I don't get to go all that often, and when I went there on a date sans children...well. Five books I haven't read by this author? Grab them all! Three retellings of Beauty and Beast? My favorite! You get the picture. I had a ginormous stack that I am officially done with now.
3. The Once Upon a Time Challenge. But I have no more spots for fairy tales, so it's safe to move on.

But there is an irony. Over a year ago a friends recommended a specific book to me and I have been impatiently waiting for it to come out in paper back so I could buy it. Then I recently discovered the wonder of holds at the library and slapped a hold on this book. But I was way down the line and didn't think I'd be reading it any time soon. It came up! Now. Today. I'm headed out to get it once the Boy gets home from scouts. So even though I'm fairy taled out, I'm be reading one more.

Irony number two. It is a retelling of Rumplestitskin. I just did that. So you will be getting a double dose of that obscure one soon.

And yet, I'm getting excited. I'd really love to love it. Or even to hate it. Something stronger that what I've been feeling lately about my reading. I want to gush or bash. Politely of course. :)

But I'll tell you one thing. If this book contains any more about 'looking with the heart' or 'reading his heart' or 'understanding your own heart' or 'following your heart' or 'your heart's true music' or 'make sure you only wash your car with your heart,' I'm gonna scream. There might be a book throwing.

Stay tuned.

Bits and Even Smaller Bits

So...I put in the new comment system. I love being able to reply directly, but I don't know if it is all worth it yet. Please let me know if it is miserable to use. If it takes to long to load or even if it won't let you comment at all. (Email me if that is the case.) I am not opposed to pulling the whole thing. BUT what is it going to take for blogger to make threading possible? Can we protest? Have a comment sit in? Throw rotten tomatoes? I've actually thought of moving my whole blog over this issue...but then I chillax and remember that I'm opposed to work in general and that sounds like WAY too much work. But Bloggies, we need a plan!

Our first ARC arrived this week! (Happy Dance ~ dada da DA) But it is really for my daughter. (Though I am absolutely going to read it first because I am over-protective like that.) This leads me to ponder (1) how strange/wondrous/unfair this world is that she gets her first ARC at 10 years old after 2 review posts, and (2) what an awesome Mom I am. Hehehe.

I've come to terms with the fact that I steal book summaries from Goodreads or whatnot. I do not know why, but it used to be that I would get so annoyed with writing out a summary that I would put off reviewing a book. Lame. But I'd stare at the screen and try several times...and it just wasn't fun. So my first solution was just to not summarize at all, this stemming from the idea that if I have read it, surely everyone else has since I'm always so far behind. I have come to realize that is not true. We all read very different things!! And if I come across a book review for a book I haven't read, I get really lost if there is no summary. The moral of this story: cntrl C, cntrl V and problem solved. Peace out.

I have put up new tabs (seesee) and linked all my reviews and I'm so proud of myself. :) But this made me realize that scanning through what I've reviewed doesn't give you much idea of what my favorite stuff is. Only what I've read in the last few months. I'm thinking I need to review some of my favorite things from the past and make my awesome lists look more awesome. That's the master plan.

Spring is here! Of course that means snow on the poor flowers as often as blue sky....but Spring! I am waiting for some fields in the mountains to pull out their blossoms so I can grab some more epic-type pictures. Wish me luck! I'm way excited for my Spring header. (And Spring picturing is far less hazardous than Winter. So nice.)

This in not related to books, but Somebody I dote on every day turned ONE this weekend. I'm in shock. But he is just so boo-tee-full. And is a cake throw-er. Who knew?

Ooh! And I learned how to put holds on at the library. Suh-weet. (Hush up! I may be slow, but I get there. :P ) And I took the kids to the library to look for Keturah and Lord Death, (which they said they had. LIARS.) and we left without any new books. You see, it's not that my Hellions squeal/scream/shriek or unshelf books or have to go to the bathroom as soon as we enter or run around - they do do all these things - but the problem is they get lost. As awful as they might be, I'm kinda attached and tend to panic when I can't locate them. Librarying will have to wait till Dear Husband is there to help corral. Or one-on-one library outings.

And I'm rambled out.

Very Short Bookish and Blogging Thoughts

I am currently reading both of these books and am very excited about them. They are both for the Once Upon a Time challenge. I'm about half way through Confessions and am delighted in how unlike Cinderella it is so far. Anyone read either??

I am frustrated with blogger commenting. It is so cumbersome to respond. I even typed out a super long response and had blogger eat it. Arghh! So I've been researching add ons and have asked Husband to plug one in. He's been busy. Arghh! I might be pushing through on my own. *tremble* But when I get it going, you all are gonna see an explosion of responses. Has anyone tried Intsensedebate or Disqus??

My F2F book club is tonight. Bel Canto. Woowoo!! How much I look forward to getting out of the house! And then to talk about books? Heaven. And tonight I have reason to expect some animated epilogue bashing. Should be good fun. My other F2F book club is soon - I gotta finish that Bitter/Sweet Hotel book.

Taxes. I assume everyone else did theirs in February. Oh to be responsible and organized. What must it feel like? "I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." - Douglas Adams

I have been reading Fablehaven out loud to my older kids. So Exciting! We recently finished the first one and started the second. Those books pack a lot of action and interest into each page. So so good.

I've got to drive by two libraries today/tomorrow. I renewed a handful of books online for the first time last night. It was surprisingly easy. I don't get to the library near as often as I'd like on account of the screaming horde of children, so I have a few problems when I do get there. (1) I check out WAY too many books. I can't read them all that fast. (2) I forget to return them. I gather up late fees almost as fast as dirty dishes.

I've been reading some posts lately referring to the competition among bloggers for followers and stats and stuff. Really? I'm blissfully ignorant of this. Why would there be competition? What would one win?

Memes. I've also read much bashing of memes. (I looked up how to pronounce that ridiculous word and promptly forgot. I don't know what to do with that word!) At first I thought meme bashing to be, um, harsh. Yes, that's the word. But then as I "get out" more and visit more blogs I have found some justification. When I'm visiting a blog I want to get an idea of what the blogger reads, what their style is, how they review, and mostly get a feel for their personality through their writing. When the whole page is book lists and links and mailboxes and what page are you on....I get lost. I'm no wiser for scanning my brains out. I'm finding this frustrating. Any thoughts on memes?? Too much? Too little?

Enough short thoughts. If I lay down now I can close my eyes for 30 minutes. Can you imagine?

Low-lights

WARNING: This is a very self-indulgent post. Not worth reading.

I brought the computer upstairs so I could catch up on blogging while sitting next to my sick husband and waiting to give my oldest her next dose of anti-nausea medication, but my mind is so fried that I can't pull it together to write any of the reviews buzzing in my head. So I'm going to share a bunch of low-lights.

First, I want to register what a horrible blogging week this has been for me. I couldn't rub two minutes together to type up anything. I literally have a list of all the posts and reviews I want to do. I haven't even been able to visit (and meet and follow) all the new people that visited me last week yet. Frustration! I had a church activity this week for which I was a planning participant, my second little girl turned 6 on the 1st, and the week deteriorated into a horde of sick children...but the biggest reason was the cranky 11 month old boy who has a vendetta against my computer.  (Seriously, this kid knows how to pull out the power cord, hit just the right keys to open/close things, and switch off the internet access. He also knows that banging the screen triggers my current "bug" making the screen go blank, and he likes to lick it. All of it. It's shinny. Gack!) So if I haven't responded to a comment, or visited you, it is NOT because I don't plan on it or want to. I'm in the midst of a lesson in patience.

And now for a series I'd like to think of as Books Have Finally Addled My Brain.

(1) This Christmas as bought my husband the first 13th Reality book. James Dashner is a local author that I've heard endless wonderful things about and I figured my husband would love it...and I'd get to read it later. :) Recently, I found the first two books at our Costco, so I grabbed the next book as well. Mr. Husband has now informed me that I bought him the second book for Christmas when I thought I was buying the first, and that I bought the first book at Costco when I thought I was buying the second. Huh? I'm not usually that clueless. Help?

(2) After proudly showing my brother (who, for the record, is not a "fiction" reader or an artist of any sort) my new header for my blog (we have that sort of relationship - I share what is important to me and he dutifully listens/looks and ahhs at the right places), when he asked where I had acquired the pictures.

"I took them!"

"You own that chair?"

"Yes."
"Which she bought just for the pictures." (Thanx Mr. Husband.)

"You put it in the snow?"

"Yes."

"How'd you get it out there?"
"I carried it."

"And the books?

"Yes."

"In a forest."

"Well, kinda."

"And took pictures of it?"

"Yes."

"Where are your footprints?"

"I, uh, walked up the side, way over that way, and around that tree, them put the tray there to hide anything."

Incredulous stare.

Every answer was more sheepish. I rarely have felt so silly. But later I plucked up my resolve. Crazy I might be, but I love my pictures. And winter will be the hardest season. It's all downhill from here.

(3) Another humbling conversation, this time with my 8 year old son.

Me: Looklooklook! I have 15 followers! Isn't that great?!

X: 15 is...not that many.

Me: But...but...a month ago I only had 4. (whimper)

X: Well...that's an...increase.

(4) There is no period in my header. And I can't just FIX it. That requires Husband's help since he did something to resize it and upload in some special yaddah yaddah way. Grumble grumble.

(5) With all the blogs I'm am now reading and following, I find I'm having an association problem. My mind is on overload. For each blog I want to remember the name, the look/layout, the blogger's name, and bio info. That's four things! For each blog! How do you all do it? I'd really love to hear any tricks you have.

Hoping next week is better for blogging. :)

Ramblings

I came to realization that commenting was often like small talk. I don't have anything against small talk. In fact, it is probably one of society's biggest lubricants. (Now don't blame me if that brought any questionable references to your mind!) The problem is that I have never been good at small talk. I tend to keep my thoughts to myself, even when they are positive thoughts. I can remember many a time that while sitting next to someone I wanted to know better, my mind and mouth froze - I could think of nothing to say. I have noticed a similar problem with commenting and commenting on comments. Geez. Small talk. A work in progress.

I have been reading and reviewing A LOT of fairy tale retellings lately. This is partly due to my love of the genre, and partly due to a recent book club for which I read 4 retellings. It is happenstance that my return to blogging coincided with this fairy tale binge. I really do read much more widely than this. But I am loving my current obsession.

Fablehaven 5 by Brandon Mull (a local Utah author) is coming soon. March 23. How freaking exciting is that!! There is a launch party which sounds really cool...but I don't know that my hoard of noisy children would mix well with lines. I'm still thinking about it though. Regardless, we'll be out on the 23rd grabbing our copy!

The next Sisters Grimm is coming out in May. Book 8: The Inside Story by Michael Buckley. Way excited for this one too!

I wanted to mention that I loved loved loved this new version of Emma. It was longer than your average movie (4 episodes) so it had time to get through more than just the twists and turns of the storyline. This version focused more on the relationship between Emma and Mr. Knightly. They fought. Over and over. And it was glorious. There was sarcasm and teeth grinding. {Swoon} There was all the other stuff too - the soap opera confusion and the necessary humbling of the over confident Emma. The experience was even better because I watched it with two newbies. One was my teenage friend who was properly involved and stressed and asking questions (which I wouldn't answer) and making predictions. The other was my brother who was exasperated because he couldn't tell one male character from another, but who thought it was surprisingly entertaining. He was concerned most for Jane Fairfax and Harriett, wanting to watch the movie through to make sure they got happy endings as well. Good stuff.