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| Sunday, May 11, 2008 |
| Roadshow: Landscape with Drums: A Concert Tour by Motorcycle by Neil Peart |
One thing I can say for myself, the longer I am out of university, the more non-fiction books I have been reading for fun. I do not really have to challenge myself to read them, I just pick them up. I do read more memoirs than straight non-fiction, but it is not like I am closed off to anything, just depends on what I am in the mood for. I enjoyed being able to ramble on about books to someone, so I ended up reading this book faster than I originally intended. Now, back to books that do not really interest any of my friends. Sad, really! While I was reading this book and Ghost Rider, I could talk freely.
Neil Peart is an internationally acclaimed, bestselling, and award-nominated author, and for more than thirty years has been the legendary drummer and lyricist for the band Rush. For decades, Neil prepared and waited to write a book about the biggest journey of all in his restless existence, his ultimate travelogue - a concert tour. Finally, the right time and the right tour: Rush's 30th anniversary trek -- 9 countries, 57 shows, and 500,000 fans. This book covers the 30th anniversary tour for the band Rush. Being his newest book, it was available in all the bookstores, so that was my criteria for what I read next by him. The 30th anniversary for the band was almost exactly four years ago now, but you learn a lot reading this book. After Ghost Rider, I obviously knew that Rush got back together after a five-year hiatus, but when Neil Peart was living the events he covered in that book the future seemed unclear. For fans all over the world, I am sure they were happy that Peart rejoined the band and they carried on making great music. The first thing that really surprised me about this book was that they only did two shows in Canada. Considering it was their 30th anniversary and they are a Canadian band, you really think they would have done more shows here. That's what happens, though.
Anyways, during the course of this book, Neil Peart talks about what it is like to be a musician on tour with a band as recognized as Rush is, but he also talks about the landscape of his travels, reminises on his past with the band, and inserts humourous asides that made me laugh a long. One of my friends is a drummer and he had lots of drumming jokes mixed in with the story, so if my friend wasn't there, I would grab my cellphone and text message him the jokes. He said some of them made him laugh at work, and work is a better place with laughter! Actually, as I was finishing up the book early this morning, Neil Peart had one last joke, so to coincide with being finished I sent that to my friend as well. I decided to share it here as well.
A drummer was dancing around, celebrating, when the guitarist came in.
"What's up?"
"I just finished this jigsaw puzzle," the drummer replied. "It only took me six months!"
"That's not very good," the guitarist said. "Why are you so excited?"
"The box says two to six years!"
With it being mother's day, I haven't talked to my friend today, so I have no idea what he thought of that early morning piece of wisdom. It made me laugh. He said all he is doing is missing playing the drums. He doesn't have a place to set them up, so while he informs me he is in fact a drum player, I have never actually heard him play before.
Moving on. Some of the things that I pointed out to my friend, so obviously they were the things that stood out to me, were for example, the fans of Rush are mostly men. That does and does not surprise me. It explains why my female friends think I am nuts for listening to Rush, for example. Peart says it might be because they have an aggressive sound, but for whatever reason, the majority of people that listen to them are men. I like being untypical once again. Me and my friend had a big discussion about this topic actually, with him pointing out that women generally like dance-music, and Rush is not really the easiest band to dance to. I think Peart might have made the same observation. He also points out (Peart, not my friend) that the women that do listen to his music tend to understand it on a deeper level than the male fans because they actually pay attention to the lyrics. He quotes a lot of his songs in this book and explains the inspiration for sentences and things that I did not pick up on when I listened to the songs, so while I might know the lyrics to a lot of Rush's songs, it really surprised me what Peart was thinking when he wrote them.
I thought it was really interesting to read about all the planning that went into this concert. Not being a musician, I have obviously never had any experience in this avenue, so I was never really sure what happened to turn a bunch of musicians into a touring success. It takes a lot of work! Peart explains all the different people that it takes to put this plan into action, as well as how the three actual band members work together to make each night a success. I was very surprised at how little time the band actually spends together. Geddy and Alex travel in a plane together, so they see each other, but since Neil travels by motorcycle they only spend a little part of each day with him. Considering how meshed together they are when they walk out on that stage, they obviously have something that has come together seamlessly after all the years together.
I really enjoy the humour in this book. Neil includes church sign sayings, and I have to say, a lot of them were pretty funny! Some of them I did not get at all, but I imagine they mean something to someone. The interaction between Neil and his riding partners Michael and Brutus is also hillarious. He is with Michael the majority of the book and when he recounts stories you cannot help laughing at their antics. Brutus played a big part in Ghost Rider, so it was nice that he was actually in this book and not just included in the "Letters to Brutus" section. There are so many other things I can talk about in regards to this book because there are so many other things that Peart talks about. I really like his writing style, though I can understand it is not for everyone, and I strongly recommend reading him at some point and time.
This also another read for the themed reading challenge. Apparently I only challenged myself to read four books and this is my fifth, so here I was done that challenge and did not even know it! Yay to slacker me finishing a challenge!
Labels: memoir, music, Neil Peart, non-fiction, Rush, Themed Reading Challenge |
posted by Kailana @ 8:56 PM  |
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| Thursday, May 08, 2008 |
| A Long-Winded Ramble |
With the 1% challenge circulating around the blogosphere, I thought I would count and see just how many of the 1001 books I am supposed to read before I die I have actually read. The number came out to be 52. Not spectacular, but I own probably another fifty of the books from the list. I just haven't read them... Frankly, there were a lot of books on that list I have never even heard of before, so I am rather skeptical about them being something I really need to read. I toyed with the idea of joining this challenge, but I am sort of sticking to very few challenges this year because my reading numbers are down so much. I am just enjoying reading for fun. I am not even keeping track (which I may end up regretting) because if it is really low it will just make me sad! I have just dedicated 2008 as a fun reading year. I have been reading over a hundred books a year for years, some years reaching 200, so I think I need a relaxing year. I am just trying to keep this blog going because I don't want everyone to stop reading it... I might change my mind on the reading challenge. I own the book, not surprising, so I am going to go through it tonight and see if I want to join in afterall.
So, how is everyone making out? I am behind on my blog reading again, not surprising, so I am also playing catch-up and never really getting much chance to comment and respond like I used to. I am not allowed on the internet at work anymore, so that sort of is why I am not around anymore. I am reading another Neil Peart book right now, but I think I want to add another book into the mix so I do not get sick of him. I just have not decided on what that book will be yet. I have SO many books! It is pretty crazy, I have to say. I thin them out and I have hardly bought books all year, and yet, the shelves are still full! It gets over-whelming sometimes trying to decide what to read next. I have lots of books that I am really excited about, but with my reading habits lately I am sort of holding on to them until I can really get into them...
My friend couldn't believe how long it took me to read the Neil Peart book I reviewed yesterday, but I just get busy and don't have time to read! I mean, I sat down with the new one yesterday, but then I had to go somewhere, so I paused. Then, I come home and plan to read the rest of the night and then my friend called, and then another friend called, and then I was tired and I went to sleep. That means I am not even 100 pages into it yet. But, you know, not really complaining. I feel like I should because reading has always been such a large part of who I am, but at the same time, I am enjoying what I am doing (for the most part) when I am not reading. Weird how that is.
In any case, I am just rambling here, huh? I think I will end this for now. What I REALLY need to do is sit down and update this stupid blog. My header vanished for some reason and I still have not actually replaced it. It has been a while too... And let's not even talk about my profile... Anyways, hi to everyone! I will try and catch up on my blog reading in this century, but no promises. haha |
| posted by Kailana @ 2:27 PM |
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| Wednesday, May 07, 2008 |
| Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road by Neil Peart |
Well, I have no idea what happened to me. I thought it had been a couple days since I updated last, but turns out it has been like a week! I still have books to send to people. I have not forgotten!
Within a ten-month period, Neil Peart suffered family losses so devastating that they left him a ghost -- physically a man but with nothing No hope, meaning, faith or desire to keep living. One year after the first tragedy, Neil was choosing between life and his own death. Finally, all he could decide upon was motion. He got on his BMW R1100GS motorcycle, and over the next fourteen months, rode 55,000 miles, in search of a reason to live. On a journey of escape, exile, and exploration, he traveled from Quebec to Alaska, down the Canadian and American coasts and western regions, to Mexico and Belize, and finally back to Quebec. While riding "the Healing Road," Neil recorded in his journals his progress and setbacks in the grieving/healing process, and the pain of constantly reliving his losses. He also recorded with dazzling, colorful, entertaining, and moving artistry, the enormous range of his travel adventures, from the mountains to the sea, from the deserts to Arctic tundra, and the dozens of memorable people, characters, friends and relatives, he met along the way, and who increasingly contributed to his healing and sense of meaning and purpose. He begins the journey with nothing, "the Ghost Rider." What he finally attains is joy, love, and indelible memories of the most extraordinary journey of his life. GHOST RIDER is a bold, brilliantly written, intense, exciting, and ultimately triumphant narrative memoir from a gifted writer and musician, who started out as a man reduced to trying to stay alive by staying on the move. I mentioned last month that I was very interested in the band Rush lately and Stephanie, I believe it was, mentioned that he had written a book about life after the death of his wife and daughter. So, you know I had to get myself a copy. It works perfectly, though, because he is a Canadian, so this will fit in with the Themed Reading Challenge. See how I justify that! My friend that got me paying attention to Rush commented on how they have loved the band for years and never felt compelled to buy a book by them. I pointed out that is because he is lucky to read a book a year, while I, well, I read... Normally a lot, but this year has just been average. In any case, I went to the store and bought another book by him, so you know that I do not feel guilty in the least buying this book.
I love how Neil Peart writes. He was just what I needed lately. He kept me up late at night reading! This is something that has hardly happened in six months! I called my Rush-fan friend at 3 in the morning one time to tell him he was missing out and to share some of the interesting things I had just learned. And thanks to the wonders of text messaging, as I read along I tend to share interesting sentences and thoughts with him. I am sure he is thrilled. To get back at me he showed me three old pictures of the three members of Rush and asked me to tell him which one was which. Evil! Anyways, let's get on with the book. Neil Peart is the lyricist for Rush, so it stands to reason that since I really like a lot of his song lyrics, there was a very good chance he could also write pose. I was willing to take that chance, and I am very glad I did!
Instead of summarizing the plot or whatever, I am just going to share what I was thinking as I read the book and some of the things that stuck out for me. First off, this is at its core a depressing book. It is about a man that lost his daughter and wife in a ten-month period. There is no way that can be a happy beginning to a book. He doesn't really know how to deal after suffering such a tragic lost, and really, who would? So, he sets out on three different motorcycle adventures during the course of this book. I suddenly really want to go on a motorcycle. I have before, but very few times, so my Rush-fan friend is going to get one of his friends to take me for a drive. That was the topic of conversation at supper today... I just have motorcycles on the mind, so I want to experience one now.
Another thing I want to acknowledge is that I am very happy that things played out the way that they did. My friend likes older Rush, not so much the new stuff, but I am actually pretty infatuated with both eras (or however you want to look at it), so I am happy that the band got back together. There was a period there where Neil wasn't drumming at all, so the band took a hiatus in order for him to work through all the things that are discussed during the course of this book. If the book had any different ending then they may never have got back together, so I am happy about the ending. I also really enjoy Peart's writing style. It is coherant, for starters, much different than I am sure this rambling review is, in any case. He covers the depressing stuff, but there is a lot more going on during the course of the book. He is not boring, sometimes memoirs seem to drag on with all the contemplative stuff. He has a really refreshing sense of humour (I actually told my Rush-fan friend that he reminds me of him in many ways), so there were many times where I found myself laughing at what he was saying.
I think I especially liked the fact that I could ramble on about this book to my friend who does not read. It was refreshing because very few of my friends read, so I never really talk about books. I have to read a Pink Floyd book now, my friends orders, but since I like Pink Floyd I am not really complaining. He has actually read it, which in itself is pretty amazing! It is a really good thing he doesn't read my blog, huh? haha
Anyways, I really liked this book. I think even if you are not a Rush fan, it is a good read. I am going to plug away at another one by him, but I want to read some fantasy as my main reads. One thing I can say, I haven't read as much this year as I normally do, but I also have not really read any really bad books, so at least when I do read, I enjoy it. That is saying something!Labels: Can Lit, memoir, Neil Peart, non-fiction, Rush, Themed Reading Challenge |
| posted by Kailana @ 6:39 PM |
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| Tuesday, April 29, 2008 |
| No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong |
Readers around the world have fallen for Kelley Armstrong’s intoxicating, sensual and wicked tales of the paranormal, in which demons and witches, werewolves and vampires collide – often hilariously, sometimes violently – with everyday life. In Armstrong’s first six novels, Elena, Paige and Eve have had their way with us. Now get ready for Jaime Vegas, the luscious, lovelorn and haunted necromancer. . .
Jaime, who knows a thing or two about showbiz, is on a television shoot in Los Angeles when weird things start to happen. As a woman whose special talent is raising the dead, her threshold for weirdness is pretty high: she’s used to not only seeing dead people but hearing them speak to her in very emphatic terms. But for the first time in her life – as invisible hands brush her skin, unintelligible fragments of words are whispered into her ears, and beings move just at the corner of her eye–she knows what humans mean when they talk about being haunted.
She is determined to get to the bottom of these manifestations, but as she sets out to solve the mystery she has no idea how scary her investigation will get, or to what depths ordinary humans will sink in their attempts to gain supernatural powers. As she digs into the dark underside of Los Angeles, she’ll need as much Otherworld help as she can get in order to survive, calling on her personal angel, Eve, and Hope, the well-meaning chaos demon. Jeremy, the alpha werewolf, is also by her side offering protection. And, Jaime hopes, maybe a little more than that.
Over the last couple years, I have enjoyed several of the novels by Kelley Armstrong. Last year, I read the first three books in the series, but Dime Store Magic annoyed me, causing me to be hesitant to move on in the series. I decided the other day that I would just skip ahead to reawake my interest in the series, and then take it from there. I chose this book because I really liked Jeremy when he came up in Elena's story, so I was interested to see more from him. The books always focus on female characters, but what I did see of Jeremy was worth it. Skipping ahead to this book was also worth it, though, because I am back in love with the series and am looking forward to further exploring. I think I am over my annoyance with Paige, too, so that is a plus. As the series gets going, the books centre around one female character, but characters from previous books make appearances, as well.
I should point out that Jamie is not my sort of character at all. I am a jeans and a sweater type of person, and you would never catch me in a dress very often. I am sort of a take action sort of person and I have a really hard time asking people to help me. In many ways me and Jamie are polar opposites with her tight dresses and high-heeled shoes. This worried me a bit in the beginning, but Kelley Armstrong carries the character off well, so I did not mind. Jamie is a necromancer, a raiser of the dead. She is not even fully aware of her own powers, though, because in many ways what she is scares her. She develops a lot in the course of the novel as she comes to terms with her powers and what she is capable of doing. She is always finding herself needing other people's help, but this time she learns to take matters into her own hands.
One of the things about this book is that there was a bit more of a sexual feel to it than I remember from the other books. That does not mean they did not have any, though, it could just mean that I have forgotten them. They are not the sort of scenes that I remember for later. There was one scene in this book that I had to comment on to a friend because, well, it is not my sort of scene at all! Romance novels are just not my thing. I do not mind a bit of it here or there, but I generally find myself skimming. And, well, I have a habit of finding the scenes more humourous than anything else. So, there were a few of them in here. I am sure lots of other people enjoyed them, and they were well-written, but this book had more than I cared to enjoy.
There were a lot of interesting characters in this book. Jeremy develops a bit during this book. We learn a bit about his past and what he feels like being an alpha. Having skipped a few books, he might play central in others too, I will just have to wait and see. I am glad that he was around during this book. It was actually what drew me to this book in the first place. Elena and Clay make an appearance, along with the twins. There is one scene near the end that made me laugh and it involved them. Paige and Savannah appear a couple times, as well as Paige's boyfriend. Hope, a half-demon, helps Jamie in her investigation, and I see that the next book in the series is about Hope. She is an interesting character, so I will be interested to see what happens. Eve is another character that appears a lot during this book. She is the mother of Savannah, and really, much more interesting than Paige. She serves as Jamie's guide, so she was a really good addition to the novel.
All in all, I really liked this book. I am glad I jumped ahead, and I am already looking forward to the next book I decide to read from the series. The back of the book says that Kelley Armstrong is up there with people like Laurell K. Hamilton, but I personally think she is better than Hamilton. I hope she keeps up the great books!
This book counts as both a Once Upon a Time challenge book and a Themed Reading challenge book.
My thanks to Random House for sending me a copy!Labels: fantasy, Kelley Armstrong, Once Upon a Time Challenge, Paranormal fantasy, Themed Reading Challenge, Women of the Otherworld series |
| posted by Kailana @ 10:05 PM |
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| Monday, April 28, 2008 |
| The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein |
I need a dog. Since Sandy died last year, I find myself never wanting to be home. In many ways I am over the loss of her, but my house still seems so empty without her. You know, my reading has not really recovered from that month. I read very little at the end of the year and it has not improved since. I am not sure if that is because of not really being over Sandy, or if it is because I never want to be at my house, so I do not sit around and read anymore. It is very hard to say. All I know is that reading this book just made me sad. I have always had a dog. There has never been a moment in my life where I didn't have one, so I really notice the difference.
Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television and by listening closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming racecar driver. Through Denny, Enzo has gained insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn’t just about going fast. Using the techniques of the race track, dogs—and human beings—can learn to navigate life’s hairpin turns.
On the night before his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny’s wife; the three-year battle for custody of their daughter, Zoë. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side. Having learned what it takes to be a compassionate and successful person, the wise canine can barely wait until his next lifetime, when he is sure he will return as a man.
A poignant love story and a moving tale of redemption, The Art of Racing in the Rain—for which rights have been sold around the world—is an unconventional, captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could see them. I really liked this book. A book narrated by a dog can be a bit tricky, but this one was done in such a way that it did not seem like a fairy tale. It really seemed like I was inside Enzo's head. I used to look at my dogs and wonder what they were thinking, and it would be nice to think that they had intelligent thoughts like Enzo did. Whether or not they did or not, though, is hard to say. All I know is that Enzo gives a canine interpretation on the life of his family, and he does it very well. As Sara Gruen says on the front cover: "The Art of Racing in the Rain has everything: love, tragedy, redemption, danger and-best of all-the canine narrator, Enzo." I totally agree with this.
On the night before Enzo goes to the vet for the very last time, he tells his story. By telling his story, he tells the story of the family that raised him from a puppy. He goes back that far to, to the days when his owner was single to when he has a family to raise and Enzo is getting older. Denny lives a rough life during this book, and Enzo is there for all of it. If Denny had told the same story, I am not sure I would have liked this book that much, but Enzo is a very good narrator. He wants nothing more than to come back in his next life as a man, and so, as a result, he is obsessed with the human world. I am jealous, he even got to go in a race car! I am a human and I haven't even had that chance!
The title comes from the fact that Denny is an aspiring racecar driver, so Enzo has grown up around race tracks and racing cars. Denny does not always have the best luck, having suffered through the loss of his wife and a custody battle for his daughter, but he knows how to keep going. Enzo helps, of course. I loved the end of this book. It was the perfect way to end it, and I found myself sitting there with the last page open for a while afterwards considering how perfect it was. If you ever wanted a dogs-eye view of the world, this is the book for you. I love dogs, that is why I picked it up, but it is more than a dogs story. You will be glad that you read that this book. I know that I am, and these are not my usual type of novels.
To learn more about this book, click here. My thanks to Harper Collins for the Advanced Reading Copy!Labels: animals, Garth Stein, General fiction, Harper Collins, Reads in 2008 |
| posted by Kailana @ 12:02 AM |
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| Sunday, April 27, 2008 |
| The Girl in Saskatoon by Sharon Butala |
Canadian history and interest has always been a subject of mine that I pay a lot of attention to, so when I saw this book, I found myself curious about just who "The Girl in Saskatoon" was. It was a topic that hit national airwaves when it happened, but it was several years ago, so I had no memory of ever hearing about it before. I am on the east coast, though, so I imagine if you were on the west it is still a topic that gets mentioned from time to time and people still remember what they were doing when they found out.
In 1961, a country singer named Johnny Cash chose a beautiful young woman named Alexandra Wiwcharuk to be his “Girl in Saskatoon” and sang to her in front of a hometown crowd. A few months later she would be found brutally murdered on the banks of the Saskatchewan River. As Sharon Butala notes, “An entire city came to a stop.” Her high school friend Alex had dreamed of becoming a glamorous stewardess; she had been crowned a beauty queen in local pageants; she was about to graduate as a nurse. Her brutal killing became a touchstone moment for Saskatoon residents: years later, people could still remember exactly what they were doing when they heard the news. Why was Alex’s murder so haunting? And why did Sharon Butala return some 40 years later to reconstruct Alex’s life and search for answers?
Some said they never forgot because the victim was so lovely and innocent; others said it because the killing was so brutal (although her skull was fractured, Alex died of asphyxiation from being buried alive); still others maintained the death never left them because the killer was never found. Butala faces down the graphic horror of these events to create a stunning and lyrical portrait of a world where life appeared so much simpler, when young country girls such as Alex came to the city and dreamed their dreams of love and marriage, when life seemed filled with endless potential. The Girl in Saskatoon is, at once, an in-depth investigation of an unsolved murder, a nostalgic coming-of-age story, an intimate quest for roots, and a meditation on the nature of good and evil and the true meaning of a life. Written in Butala’s spare but eloquent style and set against the prairie landscape that inspires all her work, this unforgettable story will appeal to fans of her bestselling book The Perfection of the Morning, as well as to true-crime readers. I have to point out, I am not much of a true crime reader. I imagine I might have overlooked this book if I didn't find it very interesting that Johnny Cash sang a song to her. It was very good marketing to put that little tidbit on the back cover. I am glad I read the book, though. It was totally new to me, as far as I can remember, so I learned a lot. It is not just a book about the murder, but about Saskatchewan and how it has changed in the last forty or so years. I have never been that far west, but I still found the evolution of the town interesting. It was also one woman's obsession with a young woman that she knew of in high school, but was never really friends with, just found herself later in life wanting to get the info out there about her brutal murder. It would be wonderful if the book sparked people's memories and the murderer was found, because the case remains open, and no one ever found out what happened to the girl in Saskatoon.
So, this was not the best book I have ever read, but it was a worthwhile read. I think true crime fans would enjoy it, I only read it because of the Canadian connection and curiousity. Alexandra Wiwcharuk, 'The Girl in Saskatoon", led an interesting life. It was just like most other people's when you get right to the bottom of it, but for some reason she was murdered on the banks of the Saskatchewan River and her murderer was never found. Her steps have been retraced until moments before her murder, but then things get hazy and no one knows what happened. There are lots of theories, of course, but none of them ever really revealed a convincing suspect. It is a shame, really. Soon it will be fifty years since she was murdered, it has already been 47, and the case is just as much a mystery. With all our technology, we cannot close this case for a grieving family and town.
There is a lot more going on in this book, but it is Sharon Butala's take on things. She could very much be in the right with her opinions, but at the same time, she could just be writing things as she calls them. Especially when she looks at the police and how they handled this case. I don't want to take one person's word for it, so I will let those who want to read it see the opinions for themselves and make their own decisions.
To see more about this book, click here. My thanks to Harper Collins for sending me an Advanced Reading Copy of this book!
This is also a book for the Themed Reading Challenge.Labels: Canadian History, Reads in 2008, Sharon Butala, Themed Reading Challenge, True Crime |
| posted by Kailana @ 4:21 PM |
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| A Meme to Waste Time |
I started this meme at work. The point is to waste time... Anyways, I cannot think of ones for all the slots, but it is more because it is 5:30 in the morning and my mind is asleep! I will fill in the rest when I get off work. Allende, Isabel -- Daughter of Time
Briggs, Patricia-- Moon Called
Carroll, Susan--The Dark Queen
Dickens, Charles--Great Expectations
Eugenides, Jeffrey--Middlesex
Franklin, Ariana--The Mistress of the Art of Death
Gaiman, Neil -- Stardust
Hobb, Robin -- Fool's Errand
Iggulden, Conn--Wolf of the Plains
Jones, Diana Wynne--Fire and Hemlock
Kay, Susan--Phantom
Lewis, C.S. -- Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe (A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle)
Montgomery, Lucy Maud--Anne of Green Gables
Nolan, Stephanie--28: Stories of AIDs in Africa
Ondaatje, Michael--Diversadero
Penman, Sharon Kay--The Sunne in Splendour
Quindlen, Anna--Black & Blue
Rollins, James--Amazonia
Snyder, Maria--Poison Study
Tolkien, J.R.R. -- Lord of the Rings
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Valente, Catherynne--In the Night Garden
Weis, Margaret --Dragons of the Autumn Twilight
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Yolen, Jane--Briar Rose
Z Labels: Meme |
| posted by Kailana @ 5:07 AM |
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| Thursday, April 24, 2008 |
| Charles MacDonald's Faerie Cottages |
In Hall's Harbour, Nova Scotia, there are these cottages that I am just in love with! I am not totally sure how I discovered them for the first time, but ever since I did, I have been dragging random people out to see them. I think they should be a tourist destination, but I believe they are privately owned. In the spirit of the Once Upon a Time Challenge, as they are called Faerie Cottages, I thought I would share pictures. I dragged one of my friends out there yesterday, and she liked them. Probably not as much as I do, but in any case. I was wandering around taking pictures on my digital camera and I startled a pheasant which flew away. I think I jumped ten feet in the air... It was interesting.
 So. this one has a really cool chimmney. It sort of reminds me of a lighthouse with the top it has. The house itself is concrete and the chimney is rocks, with some in different colours.
A close-up of the chimney. It is pretty cool, huh? I wonder how long it takes to make a house in such a fashion. There is a museum for Charles MacDonald. I think I might have to go check it out this summer. I didn't know he made these cottages until this year. I am not from the area and he is not taught in school. I local had to fill me in. They have seen the cottages on television, but I dragged them there to see them in person a few weeks ag o.
Moving on. This is the picture I took just before the pheasant incident. This house has a stonewall in the different colour rocks. I think I have a better picture.
A teaser photo of my favourite cottage. Don't you just think Hansel and Gretal when  you see this one?
The person that was with me, this is a teaser photo of her favourite cottage. That is also the field where the bird was. It was hiding in those bushes. I am really glad I didn't get too close because I imagine there was a good chance of a nest and I don't think mama bird would have been very happy to see me.
A close up view of my friends favourite cottage. As you can see, this one has rock work for the chimney and the walls. It is pretty cool, huh? I should point out that as far as I can tell, the roof of these houses is also concrete. Even that little garage-type part on the side. I would almost think that this one was built after the other one because there are more rocks, but that would just be a guess on my part. I think I am going to have to go to the museum and do some research... I also want to take some pictures when the trees have leaves and then again in the fall. I imagine they are really pretty with the falls leaves....
Okay, I saved this one to showcase last... I LOVE this cottage! Isn't it amazing? With the rock walls, curved concrete roof, trees growing up the side, and the colours... I am in love. I drive out there just for this one. I mean, the others are amazing, and my friends don't always consider this one their favourite, but it is mine. I think Hansel and Gretal or a Gingerbread House. One of my friends, and an article I read, thinks Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Whatever you think, I love this house!
A close-up view of my cottage. If you click on the picture and make it bigger and then look in the window by the door you can see that there is even stonework inside the house. I would love to see the inside of this house... Even the patio is made with the coloured rocks. Can you tell I love this house? As you are driving down the road, each of the houses slowly come into view, and I am always wondering what the people I am showing the houses to for the first time are thinking. It has been a while since I experienced the houses for the first time, but even still I cannot help being amazed as these houses come into view. I am sure there are  fancier houses, but for me, the whole idea behind these houses captivates me. I have to think about how long it must have taken to put these houses together.
One last picture. This is my friend that was with me yesterdays favourite. A side view. I apparently did not take anymore pictures of the one above that is hiding in the bushes! I will have to go back and take some one of these days. Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed these cottages at least almost as much as me. I think Charles MacDonald has created a legacy with these, and the best thing of all is that through the powers of the internet, I just showed them to people that might not have been able to enjoy them otherwise! If you are ever in the area, though, and you want directions, just ask! They are ten times better close up, believe me!Labels: Nova Scotia, pictures |
| posted by Kailana @ 2:09 PM |
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| Winners! |
That apparently was not as hard as I thought... Anyways, I was sort of waiting until I had a chance to make up a list of all the books I have to give away, but I had company all day yesterday and they just left. That means, I still haven't had a chance to type it up (it is going to take a while). So, 3M and Stephanie were my first winners. (3M got them both right, but I thought I would share, work for you?) So, if you ladies will send me your addresses, I will send you books. I also need to know if you are interested in the books themselves or if you want me to tell you what else I have... If it is the latter, I am aiming to have that completed this weekend. I still have a couple shelves that I want to try and thin out a bit. There will be another give away when I have finished the list.Labels: Book Giveaway |
| posted by Kailana @ 1:02 PM |
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| Wednesday, April 23, 2008 |
| Books, books, beautiful books... |
Okay, so I have too many books and I just had to narrow them down, so you know what that means? I have decided to give books away! Yes, you read that right, I am giving books away. I haven't decided on any schedule, but I am going to take a picture of the mess that is currently on my floor and you can see just how much I need to give some away! I could take them to the second hand store for credit, and I might take some of them, but it sort of defeats the purpose.
Anyways, first up are a book in honour of the Orson Scott Reading Challenge, better known as a book by Orson Scott Card, and a copy of a Jane Austen fan fiction in honour of the fact that Jane Austen's novels seem to be everywhere lately.
Here is the idea: Which books are they? I will provide a couple clues, first person that correctly guesses which book it is, gets it. Then, when I reveal what book it is, they have the option of either taking it or picking another book out of the goodie pile. I will make up a list of all the books afterwards. Be advised the condition of the books ranges. Some are paperback, some are hardcover, some have been read, some have never been read, and some are Advanced Reading Copies. And, I am afraid that since I am a fantasy fangirl, there really are not a lot of fantasy books... Sorry folks!
The Orson Scott Card book is a bit easy where you know the author:
"A Riveting Story of Love and Destiny from the New York Times Bestselling Author" - Quoted from the front of the book.
The Jane Austen fan fiction:
"Pride and Prejudice told from a whole new perspective" - Quoted from the front of the book.
If no one gets it from these clues, I will provide more, of course.Labels: Book Giveaway |
| posted by Kailana @ 12:56 AM |
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| Sunday, April 20, 2008 |
| Random Ramblings From a Silent Blogger |
 It is the craziest thing, this weather. On Thursday me and one of my friends went to Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia. Anyways, it was nearing the end of the night and I was in the car and it dawned on me that I got sun! I was still considering it winter because we had snow not that long ago, and here I was with a bit of a burn on my face. My friend you could tell where they had been wearing their sunglasses. I don't usually have this problem, so I honestly am left thinking that the sun is stronger this year. I will be obsessed with sunscreen for the rest of the year. I totally learned my lesson! I also couldn't find my sunglasses prior to our spur of the moment roadtrip, so that was annoying. I wear glasses and I have this very nice pair of prescription sunglasses, but I searched high and low for them yesterday with no success. I am very disappointed! In the meantime I have been wearing non-prescription sunglasses over my other glasses. It must look so cool, but really, it is the cheapest method! So, the only thing I really had going for me was a baseball hat, but that is pretty much permanently glued to my head when I am not working. I didn't take pictures because it was not really a planned trip and I didn't have my camera. I am going to start carrying my camera around with me everywhere.
So, reading-wise... still not really reading. I mean, is anyone really surprised anymore? This has been a theme since last year sometime. I do have books on the go, but I am starting to wonder what to blog about since I never really have book reviews. Are my ramblings at all interesting to fill in space until I have finished a few books? I have no idea, I tend to ramble anyways. Right now I am reading The Horseman's Grave for the Themed Reading Challenge. It is a Canadian book. I actually quite like it, so hopefully I will have a review up for it soon! There is also a short story collection related to it that is in my collection somewhere. If it makes me feel any better, I have hardly bought books lately because I haven't been reading! So, while the pile is not shrinking at a great pace, it is also not increasing either.
 That being said, I bought books yesterday. They are part of the Extraordinary Canadians series put out by Penguin Canada. I have read the one on Nellie McClung, you can read my review of it here, so I am like a HUGE fangirl about this series right now. Yesterday I bought the two that were out already on Emily Carr and Lord Beaverbrook, as well as preordered the ones that will be out in the fall on Mordecai Richler, Big Bear, and Lester B. Pearson. I am so excited that I wrote a big post on it for Historical Tapestry. I will post a link when it is up. One thing I have to point out about the Extraordinary Canadians series is that it is famous Canadians of the present writing books on Famous Canadians of the past with covers by famous artists of the modern period. It is really a very cool idea, and since I am a Canadian history nerd, you can just laugh at me while I jump up and down like a little kid. Yes, I am that excited about history books! My friend laughed at me yesterday, so, really, I am used to the looks!
In music news, I am listening to Panic! At the Disco. I have heard some of their music, but my friend had their CD in the car yesterday and we were listening to it. You know that I just had to investigate further when I got home. I think they are pretty good. Not my favourite band ever, by any means, but I am listening to their new CD right now and am quite enjoying it. I have the most diverse music interest, it is really rather interesting for me to flip through my CDs and see all the random CDs I have grouped together. I used to say I only did not like country, but now that Bon Jovi is considered country and I am still a Bon Jovi fangirl (shh), I guess I even like country now. I just hate country because I live in a town where everything is country music and it gets shoved down your throat! I am more of a rocker girl, I think.
 Back on the book related topic, and how I keep talking about my various fangirl obsessions, JAMES ROLLINS HAS A NEW BOOK OUT IN JUNE! I love James Rollins, so you know I am very excited about his new book. I imagine after I finish the book I am reading, me and James Rollins will be spending some time together. I have The Judas Strain to read. I read his slowly, I know what you are thinking. As much as I love his Sigma books, though, I do wish he would write a couple more standalone books. They really are his best work. Either that or bring back more characters from the old books in the new ones. He has already done it a bit for Sigma, so I would love to see what some of the old characters were up to... Anyways, I love James Rollins. I long ago tried to figure out why, I just get excited for new books from him and that is all I am saying on the subject.
Okay, there are my rambles for the day...Labels: Extraordinary Canadians, life, new releases |
| posted by Kailana @ 3:25 PM |
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| Saturday, April 19, 2008 |
| Spring! |
After one of the longest winters ever, we finally have signs of a new season. It could still snow, but we have hope....
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| posted by Kailana @ 11:30 AM |
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| Friday, April 18, 2008 |
| What's Old is New Again |
This is not book-related, really. This is me talking about various things that have my attention of late. I should be just saying: I'm alive! But, I keep posting that, so I thought I would talk about things that interest me.
 Reading is by far my favourite past-time, but I never seem to have time for it anymore. I tell everyone I am a bit of a bookworm, but this year I am not really so much. This means that in the last few months I have had to start to think about other ways to describe myself. The truth of the matter is, not reading very much in the last few months has probably been the best thing that could've happened to me. I miss reading, don't get me wrong, but I have had lots more time to try and do other things. I love it, really. It might not last, I might go back to my nerdish ways, but I really enjoy this trying new things idea. It means that I have no idea what to say about myself anymore. So, I am going to discover myself in this blog post. Fascinating, huh?
First up, I love music. I cannot really carry a tune and all my attempts to learn an instrument have ended badly, but I love to listen to music. I never used to. I just sort of discovered a lot of the great musicians in the last few years. I also tend to find guys that are huge into music, so they rub off on me. I have the bands that I have loved my whole life like The Beatles or Bon Jovi, but I also have all the new stuff that the people in my life have introduced me to. I listen to a lot of music from my mother's generation and it drives me crazy when I am rambling on about a new band that she really should know about and she has no idea what I am talking about. I honestly do not know which parent the music obsession comes from. My parents like music, do not get me wrong, but they are sort of closed off to a lot of the greats that came from their generation.
 One of my recent discoveries was Rush. I have heard of them, of course, but I have never really listened to them before. The other day me and one of my musical friends decided to play tourist and go to Peggy's Cove. We used my car and I had his Rush CD in my car because he kept trying to get me to listen to it. I decided to put it in for him to listen to, and well, I ended up falling in love. I am going through a crazy obsession with them right now and I am so mad that I never listened to them sooner! It also drives me crazy that my mother thinks they sound like a dog dying... Anyways, they are my new band of choice. They are Canadian and so many people have no idea who they are! I have hardly ran into a person that likes them and most people have not even heard of them. Then, there is me... I have several of their CDs now and my cellphone ring tone is currently "Freewill". One of my friends sings karaoke and I have been trying to get him to tackle Rush for me, but no luck so far.
Anyways, isn't music a great thing? I like so many different kinds, and I do not only like older stuff, there are several new bands that I like. I know, you are laughing because I pretty much just used this post as an advertisement for Rush... Anyways, did I mention on here that I have actually sang karaoke a few times lately? It was bad, well, I thought it was, but it is fun. It gets me out of my comfort zone once in a while. Last night me and my friend went to four different karaoke shows. I was exhausted by the end of it. We also rode the ferry between the twin cities of Halifax and Dartmouth, as well as other tourist things. He sang Bon Jovi for me, too, so you know I was in heaven! I also bought a coat... a leather jacket that I really like. I swore I never would spend a great deal of money on a coat, but it was sort of love at first sight. My friend took me to the store to see if I could find a new coat because my poor jean jacket has seen better days, and I left with a coat that I am rather in love with. People told me all day that I looked really good in it.
I get the impression I am sort of rambling here... Maybe I will just end with an I'm alive comment and leave it at that.... I took these pictures... They are just random ones off my computer.Labels: life, music, pictures |
| posted by Kailana @ 11:18 PM |
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| Sunday, March 30, 2008 |
| Dragons of Spring Dawning by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman |
Book Three in the Dragonlance Chronicles.
I have completed three books for the Once Upon a Time Challenge! Go me! Last year, that would not have been a big deal, but for this year it is a great thing. It means I am sort of reading again, so hopefully I can start to really tackle my TBR pile. It would be a great thing.
Anyways, the reason I read this book was because Deslily is reading this trilogy and another Weis and Hickman trilogy for the Once Upon a Time Challenge. It got me thinking it had been a while since I read any of the Dragonlance books, so I decided to make at least one of them a part of this challenge. I was looking at some of the others I own, and I would like to read another one soon, but I don't like setting rules for reading. It tends to just make me want to read the book less.
The war against the dragon minions of Queen Takhisis rages on. Armed with the mysterious, magical dragon orbs and the shining, silver dragonlance, the
companions bring hope to the world. But now, in the dawn of a new day, the dark
secrets that have long shadowed the hearts of the friends come to the light.
Betrayal, treachery, frailty, and weakness will nearly destroy all that they
have accomplished.The greatest battle they have left to fight is within each of
them. Yet, in the end, they will be heroes.
This is not a book that you should read at work, let me tell you. I am sure that people think I am crazy because there were some scenes where I was sitting here laughing my head off. Tas and Flint are such a wonderful literary pairing. They compliment each other so well that you cannot help loving both of them. Tas is the fun-loving kender and Flint is the gruff, old dwarf. When you put the two of them together, laughter is not usually far behind. One of the main reasons that I love this trilogy so much is for these two, so you know I had to mention them first. They are more than enough reason to crack open a volume and enjoy a good story.
One of the things I like about this trilogy is that Weis and Hickman recap what happened in the previous books, but they do not shove it in your face. Sometimes trilogies spend too much time refreshing your memory and little time actually developing the story. Weis and Hickman insert information in such a way that it is not obvious that they are filling you, and the story is progressing at the same time. They do not waste their words, and I like that. I hate long, drawn out descriptions. They just tend to bore me. Lyrical writing is fine and everything, but sometimes writers waste too much time explaining the littlest thing and really should just work on getting the story on to the next chapter. I am not always a patient person.
This book in essence cleans up all the loose ends left over from the first two books. The characters reconnect in some ways, but other ways drift apart. There are many instances in this book where you honestly fear that a main character is going to die. Some authors refuse to kill central characters, but Weis and Hickman do not worry about things like that. That's another reason why these books are not great to read at work. They also will bring you to a cliff-hanger and then start talking about other characters, so then you have to wait several chapters to find out their fate. That is probably a good thing, but since I am also supposed to be working too, it is annoying to have to put down the book to work and then have to wait forever to find out what happened! After three books you sort of get attached to the characters, so it is not the best feeling in the world when you have to be parted from them.
Anyways, this book has a lot going on. I think it was a great third book, a third book that for many years was the end. There is a sort of fourth book, but it is not a necessary read. Most people don't really consider it when they talk about the books. I plan to read it one of these days, but I think this original trilogy will always be my favourite. I can see rereads in my future because I will need to visit with Tas and all the other characters that make this series so great. I want to read more in the series before I start rereads, though.
I strongly recommend this trilogy. It is a fun series, and I am sorry that I waited so long to read it! People have been recommending it to me for years, I was just too slow to get around to it. I am glad to have remedied that and I strongly recommend others do the same!Labels: Dragonlance Chronicles, fantasy, Margaret Weis, Once Upon a Time Challenge, Reads in 2008, Tracy Hickman |
| posted by Kailana @ 11:07 PM |
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| Monday, March 24, 2008 |
| Just Checking In |
So, I have been reading, but I am not really in a reviewing mood. I might come back later tonight and post a review for my second Once Upon a Time Challenge book, though. Yes, you read that right, the second one! I just have a bit left and I will be done, so I am happy. I decided to read The Golden Rose by Kathleen Bryan. It is the sequel to my first book for the challenge. I am enjoying it. The second book in a trilogy is always a risky under-taking, but this one is pretty good. Provided nothing drastic happens I will be reading book three when it comes out. That means I have to wait, though, which is the worst thing about a trilogy. I do recommend it, though.
Tomorrow I am going to my hometown for three days. One of my friends is home from out west, so I want to be able to see her. I also have other friends down there and family, so it will be nice to see some people. I either have one of two things happen when I am there, either I am bored out of my mind because it is a really small town and there is not a lot happening or I have too many things planned and never accomplish everything. What I wish is that I had a book on CD to listen to on the drive down, but I don't. So, if I vanish off the blogosphere, that would be why. Not that I have really been posting lately anyways, but I have been doing a bit better and I have been making an effort to comment on peoples' posts. Hopefully it is noticed...
Anyways, I just mostly wanted to say I am alive. I might be back later with a book review, but if not, have a good week folks! |
| posted by Kailana @ 6:09 PM |
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| Saturday, March 22, 2008 |
| The Serpent and the Rose by Kathleen Bryan |
I finished my first book for the Once Upon a Time Challenge! Yay! Life has been in the way lately, but I am determined to reclaim my reading time, so hopefully this is the start of my reading year. The Once Upon a Time Challenge is the perfect chance to reclaim my reading because it is a genre that I love and that I would normally be reading anyways. So, one book down, at least four more to go.
The Serpent and the Rose by Kathleen Bryan
Completed March 22, 2008
Reason for Reading: Once Upon a Time Challenge.
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