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.

2 Books and A CD

The Help By Kathryn Stcokett
This book is set right on the edge of the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi, and it follows almost the entire way through. It is written from the point of view of Abileen an African American Maid who cares for mostly children and tends to leave before they are old enough to get mean with her. Minny another maid who has a mouth and mind for sassing but also a hard life and a lot to offer. And Skeeter a white Southern girl just returned from college, to hang out with her league friends and is really useless because not married.
There are so many reasons I would recommend this book I really identified with Skeeter because like her I have just graduated from College and really the displacement you can feel, and for so many other reasons. Plus to peek into this time and place was amazing, and not even because of the obvious differences pre -Civil Rights Movement. The way people dress, entertain, live it is so different from now (at least here). Although there are a lot of horrible stories in this book you really feel it is hopeful. And for each sad story there are stories that make you believe in the good of people, even fake people. Their stories are written very well, her voice is good and I was quite surprised when I read the back cover to see it was her first book. The Author herself had a maid and talks about the problems she faced writing this book. It is something she is not supposed to talk about but at the same time her maid meant so much to her.

Belle Isle by MoZella
This CD I love (well you know that otherwise wouldn’t take time to talk about it). I can’t even describe it is pop but I feel like it is the new version of that 60’s throw back we had recently. Once you hear it you get what I am saying. Mozella’s voice carries the CD though, the entire way through. OK the best way I can think of how to describe it is to compare it to other stuff. Jason Mraz’s first CD that fresh, happy feel even in slower songs it has that. Mozella her voice reminds me of Duffy who sang Mercy, it is strong. Let me just say this if she was a drink she would be a cold 7-Up refreshing and light. As for my fave songs I really love all of them so go give it a listen. But I will say Four Leaf Clover is my Current ringtone.

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
This is a book about a cooking class each chapter is another class and another member of the class and their story. The food descriptions are scrumptious, and in fact the way she describes everyting made me think I was sitting there in the class. Usually a book of a bumch of tied together vignettes has a lot of issues with continuity but this one does an amazing job. At the end it feels like one of the recipes in the books put together perfectly in just the right way. It is a short book and I read it in a few days a nice little detour.

New Years Greetings!

I just wanted to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year and share my excitement for things to come!!

A few of these things:
*Sherlock Holmes (which of course has already come out but I have not yet had the time to go)
*New season of Chuck - I'm just in love with him
*Alice in Wonderland - Crazy but I just can't wait
*Lost - I'm still lost but I'm considering trying again....
*Harry Potter - I think the first one of the last book comes out this year?
*Eclipse - because I just have to


Love you all and hope you're excited too!!! 


Also as an added New Year's BONUS I'll throw in a book review. On the plane home I was able to read one and a half books (not more because I get sick). The first was The Alchemist. Fascinating read I must tell you. It's about a boy who is trying to fulfill his 'personal legend'. It puts a really different spin on destiny. I recommend it highly (especially since it only took me 45 minutes to read). But, definitely read the foreword by the author before reading the book, it helps explain things a lot and lets you get more out of it.
The second one I'm almost through with is Mitch Albom's newest book Have a Little Faith. Love it just as much as I love his other books. It's about him being asked to give a eulogy for his Rabbi. There is also a story about a man who I believe becomes a Priest but I haven't gotten there yet. I already know though that I love it and I recommend it too!

Books I've read in the past month

I decided it was time to tally the books I've read lately. I was having trouble remembering and was going to make a list so why not be a critic at the same time? I have enough opinions!

Lovely Bones - By Alice Sebold. This book is about a girl who tragically gets murdered. Then she journeys with her family through their grieving process. It's fascinating actually, both her view of heaven and how different members of her family deal with the loss they've had. She is very matter-of-fact about all the things that happened to her and that she witnesses after she's died. This makes it a lot easier to take actually. Reading about a girl who has died is not ever fun but this book was much more than I thought it would be. I definitely recommend it, especially if you're going to see the movie. Read the book first, it will help you be less stressed I think.
Side note: Stanley Tucci as a bad guy....scary and love it at the same time.

City of Bones - The first book in the Mortal Instrument Series by Cassandra Clare. Here we meet Clary and are introduced with her into a world that has demons, vampires, werewolves, faeries, and most importantly Shadowhunters; those that expel demons from our world and keep us safe. It is the classic save the world from the evil Father, but this story seems a lot more fresh than other versions. And the characters are witty and sarcastic and dynamic. You have a love story like trilight but a brand new world like Harry Potter. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and series. I read this book in two days.

City of Ashes - Book two of the Mortal Instruments. Characters still trying to save the world (sorry I can't add much to the plot here) but you get to know them better and feel their struggle even more. Read in one night.

City of Glass - The last book of Mortal Instruments where the great battle takes place and Michael the Archangel arrives at the climax. Read in 5 hours. (Can you tell my obsession level that I can't just put books down)
Side Note: I love series that end. I know that we all love characters and I do love the stories. But I'm an ending girl. I spend the entire series worrying that everything is going to end up as I think it should (which is what is important). This fuels my need to read books quickly but also my need for them to end. Harry Potter really tested my limits. Usually three is all I can take and four for Twilight was a lot.

The Rising Tide - My true love genre - historical fiction. This book is by Jeff Shaara, an amazing amazing amazing historical fiction writer. This book is about the US beginnings of WWII, specifically everything we did wrong in Africa. He uses journals and first hand accounts and then writes from those characters' perspectives. You hear first hand what Eisenhower thought about Patton, and what a paratrooper was thinking as he went behind enemy lines. I love this stuff. It pulls me in. It doesn't however addict me as much as emotional books like Twilight so I don't have to finish it in one night (holy 700 pages). This book actually took me 3 months to finish but I loved every page.

Hunger Games - Okay this description I completely admit is screwy. I was told to buy this book long before I did because I read the summary and thought I had the wrong book. This book is by Suzanne Collins about a girl who gets 'drafted' into games where 16 children fight to the death. The one left standing gets to go home. This girl is a survivor and tries her best to do only that and not care about anyone else. This book is also a series so you know it doesn't end (shock = sorry). The main character though is dynamic and you get to take her journey with her as she grows up and learns the difference between being alive and surviving. This book also took me a night.

Catching Fire - The second book in the Hunger Game series we continue following the same character (again sorry). Where she tries to understand and control the many changes that have happened since she was forced into the Hunger Games. 4 hours done.
Cry Wolf - This is a book by Patricia Briggs about a werewolf pack. Werewolves have come out into the public and one girl who was changed against her will realizes that she is different from the other wolves. This book explores something we haven't really had before in a werewolves. It isn't amazing but it definitely entertainment. Cor and I call it fluff but it does its job of distracting me from the world. Two nights I think....I restrained.

Blood Bound - This book is another by Patricia Briggs that involves werewolves. It follows a girl who is a mechanic who has kind of been sucked into the world of the supernatural. Not the most deep book but it is entertaining and the perfect escape from whatever it is that I do in grad school. 3 hours if that tells you anything.

The Shack - This book by William Young is one of my most favorites in a long time. I love books that make me think about the world and the people around me and this does just that. In the book a man has lost his daughter to a tragic abduction. He is bitter and mad at the world and God. Then he gets a personal invitation to spend a weekend with God at a shack. So he does. No matter your religion (trust me on this) the things he brings up have relevence and put God in a way that makes him accessible to everyone. I think Ab might be writing more on this later so I'll stop now but definitely READ IT. If you read nothing else on this list of randoms that I've read over the month read this one. This book took me a week to read. I had to go slow to absorb and ponder.


Some other books I am currently reading (sorry I get bored so I need more than one at once): Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara about the Revolutionary War. And I Was Born on a Blue Day about an autistic sevant. So watch out for those reviews!

Still Alice

Alright let's hack this book apart a little bit.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Admittedly I am a book lover. In the worst way. I have on my shelf about 25 books (just the ones that came with me to Michigan) that I have not yet read. And I have amazing friends like Cory, Lauren, Abbey, and my mom who are either sending me books or recommending books I should comandeer from the library. And then there are books I find all on my own. If I could I would read all the time. But I have this thing called school that seriously cuts into my reading time. It is only my ability to read certain books in one sitting that allows me to know what a non-textbook is during the semester. This is one of those books. I think in all I read it over two nights and probably 6 hours in all. It's easy to get into.

A brief summary: Alice is a world reknowned psychologist who has taught at Harvard for 25+ years, has traveled the world, written a book with her biologist husband (about the connection between psychology and biology in your body) and has three kids. The book is told from her perspective which is perhaps the most heartbreaking part because Alice has early-onset Alzheimers. You're in Alice's life for about two years and you follow her from just a few symptoms to when she doesn't recognize her family.

The author does an amazing job of presenting the actual facts of Alzheimers and presenting it from the view of someone who was, by all standards, brilliant, she had a fantastic mind, and you watch from inside her head as it all slips away. Did I cry reading this book. Yes. Partly because I felt for this woman, and partly because it terrifies me that this could happen to me. This book is not exactly 'happy'. But it is fantastic. The empathy you feel not only for Alice but for her family is a product not only of the subject but of the writing. And it definitely gives a completely new perspective on people you may know with Alzheimers or just dementia. I totally recommend it, but be prepared for some sadness.