Monday, August 22, 2011

Ode to the Series Part Uno


Recently I saw most of the HACK group and it reminded me about our lovely little blog It also re-invigorated me to start again. And when this morning I woke up with an idea in my head to write about- I set to it.
I am making a new commitment to the old blogging, if we were married we would have a renewal of our vows somewhere on a beach (in my head all renewal of vows are on beaches).
I also saw most of the HACK group at the last Harry Potter movie where I cried real tears. Tears that I knew would turn into the ugly cry so I shoved my tongue against the roof of my mouth to make it stop (bt dub it also helps with sneezes). And it was not that the movie was so depressing it just felt like the end of something I would miss. The movie taught me a couple of lessons: never trust anyone at a bank, or anyone who has a fascination with snakes, sometimes you should trust some people and Dragon Abuse is never funny. But this made me think about all the series in my life and while there is something great about one book there is also something fantastic about revisiting characters over and over again.
 
So this is part 1 of a 3 part blog Ode to the Series. Why? Because then maybe I will blog. Ha ha self I tricked you.
First part the books, second part the movies and third part the miniseries.
-HP: If you know some die hard Fantasy/Sci Fi fans you may get some flack for loving these and extolling all their originality. But I cannot help it. I read the first when I was 13 and was hooked from then on. It was so easy for me to walk into this world. And the fact that the series ended when I was only a few years older than the main characters made me feel like we got to grow up together.

-The Hunger Games: My little sister recently read the first of these books while in a cabin in Russia with the rest of the people from her school program. And she found herself wondering who each of them would be and what action they would take. That is what these books do to you- they shake your mentality a little bit. Make you wonder how you would behave in a world that demands you to kill others to survive yourself.

-Mercy Thompson Books (Patricia Briggs): These are books about a shifter mechanic who is entangled with the local werewolf pack and den of vampires. They are a heavier fluff mostly fun but some dark elements. Except the one with the demon named Cory in it because well it freaked me out to hear my name doing those things. Thanks a lot Patricia!

-Merit Books & Dark Elite: Chloe Neil writes about The Vampire Houses of Chicago in the Merit Books and a Boarding School with rumblings in the basement in The Dark Elite. And she uses Chicago like an extra character in her book, making me want to go there more and more. These really are just fun fantasy novels she lets one out every 6 months or so too so you don’t have to wait that long to check in with your charecters.

Holding off but I love the first book:Warning these first 2 are in the very beginning of their runs and both books end with so much in the air I was convinced my trusty Kindle had malfunctioned and left the last few chapters off.

-A Discovery of Witches: Genetics and Witches and Vampires oh my. A smart novel about the origin of all and the question of the difference between them. This book is also about power and who gets to make the rules between all these groups.

-My Name is Memory: A book about 2 soul mates quite literally who travel from life to life searching for one another. And another soul who is also looking for them- well at least that is as simple as I can make it.

-Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Some of you die hard Austen fans might take offense. But the dark humor in this book was hilarious to me and you still get most if not all of the original P&P story. There is also a prequel and a sequel I am going to start soon. Oh and in case you are still not sold Elizabeth is not the zombie she just kills them. I also got each for $1 on Amazon and that never hurts.
Ok so what series are the rest of you into? Come on sharing is caring.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Good Reads Website

Warning this site is completely addictive and you will be on their forever.
Basically this is a website where you can connect with your friends and all the books they have, are or will be reading. It is like having access to their booksleves at all time. You also rate and review them. My friend Kelley signed me up and now I am spending far too much time on it.

So try it out and if you like it friend me!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

13 Reasons Why/ Adele 21/ A Discovery of Witches

13 Reasons Why By Jay Asher
      This is a story about a girl who commits suicide and then records 13 tapes each side has a a different story that involves a different person who she says contributed to her act.

Product Details      I have no idea why I liked this book maybe it is because you never really know what these people are thinking- even after reading this book you do not know. To be honest I was just curious as to what she would say to the people she felt take part. Would it be vengeful, angry, reflective or more at peace with it all? And I also just cared about the character in the book who receives the tapes. The one who we are listening to the tapes with. I want him to be ok, to be able to not let this wreck him and get something, anything out of the situation. But I would recommend this book to anyone who deals with teenagers, works at a crisis line, has depression in their family (friends included) or even had a bad time in HS. Because it could always be worse, and sadly enough there are signs. It gives you a small piece of the puzzle and that is more than most can do.
      And honestly she tries she does.

Adele 21
Product Details      I loved her first CD 19 and to be honest I like a girl who stands behind her voice and talent and not the flash. I was a little wary with this CD because many of the reviews I read referred to it as a Classic. And while I would not go that far, the girl has lungs. and it will remain in heavy rotation in my library.
 Love love love: Rolling in the Deep, Set Fire to the Rain, Rumor Has It- well most of the CD.


Product DetailsA Discovery of Witches by Deborah E. Harkness
      I am a quarter through this book, and here is what I think it is about. OK we have the Witch/Vampire friendship going. Their search for their origin- why they are the way they are. It involves evolution, genetics, accepting your power, and basically the class system all the supernatural creatures have set for themselves: The Witches, Daemons and Vampires. What grounds it is this Vampire/Witch combo are professors, have doctorates in various fields and are going after this idea from both sides. They are researching it and using their supernatural powers to look into it. It all takes place at Oxford. So far I love it, but really mix genetics even slightly in with anything supernatural and I am hooked.


Check out if you need to spice up your Music Library: The Black Keys, Sleigh Bells and Sharon Jones. Very unique sound for each and lots of talent and last time I checked super cheap on Amazon MP3.