Friday Reads - 5th Edition, A Sherlock Holmes Viewing Experience, and a Few Other Things...

Friday Reads 5th Edition

I only read the introduction to this book. I am supposed to read it for a buddy read this month, though, so I really should get around to it soon. I want to finish the Kingsolver first, though.

I didn't really need another short story collection, but this came in for me at the library and I decided to see about finishing it to post about on Valentine's day. It just seemed to be good timing.

I am really enjoying this book, but with all my other 'projects' it keeps getting pushed to the side. When I do read it I spend a bit of time with it, but obviously I need to spend a bit more!

This will probably be on here for the month. I am just reading a story or 2 here and there depending on how much time I have. I think this is going to be my method for the year because I have many short story collections that are unread.

This book continues to be rather interesting. For one thing, I think it is brave for people to share their experiences in such a public format. It also gives you things to think about. I like to say I am pretty open-minded, but there are times where I probably could be more so...

I am about halfway through this book and really enjoying it. I have been brain-storming ways to have even a little garden this year, which I do most years anyway, and I was explaining to the cc yesterday that I would really like to learn how to make cheese.

At the rate I am going this is going it will be 2013 before I finish it. It's my own fault. I never have enough hours in the day for everything that I want to do and I always have too many books on the go!

Watching BBC Sherlock Season 1: A Q & A About the Experience with Suey and Melissa.

Suey's Questions:

-- Favorite thing about this show?
Well, first up I am very happy that Sherlock Holmes is played by someone other than Robert Downey Jr. As much as I enjoy the movie versions he is just not who I had pictured for Holmes. I am a bit torn on the two actors playing Watson, though. They are both very different; but each have their strong points. On a more serious note, my favourite things about the show are the humour, creativity of changing the time period entirely and making it work, and the chemistry between Watson and Holmes. Obviously that ties into the humour over and over again, but what I actually mean is that the two actors work well together.

-- Least favorite thing about the show?
Okay, I am sure there is probably something, but nothing is really coming to mind at the moment.

-- Analyze the characters.
Well, first there is Sherlock. I think that he is played really well. I can picture the character that I have read about easily while watching him on the screen. He might not be a perfect casting choice, but that is the hard part about watching books become movies. I enjoy watching his mind work and his humour even if he is not necessarily trying to be funny. I think it is a good interpretation of how Sherlock works. Then, we have Watson. When I saw him in the very beginning I didn't really think he matched what I had always pictured as a Watson, but as I continued to watch I couldn't help thinking he captures the character very well. He is a perfect companion for Holmes and plays off him very well. I also enjoy that instead of writing their adventures into books he is blogging about it. I am just going to go with the two main characters.

-- How is this one different from other Sherlock shows?
I have to admit that I have only really watched Sherlock the one other time and that was just the Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law movies. I believe that their core the shows are very similar, but the writers also have their own interpretations of how to show it on the screen. Also, this show is actually British with British actors. The movies are not. They do have things like the humour, the connection of Holmes and Watson, etc in common, though.

-- Are you most into the stories? Or the characters? Or the actors?
I think it is a little bit of both. The stories really come together and I enjoy learning both the back stories and watching Holmes get to the bottom of the cases.  Then, I really enjoy both Holmes and Watson. They make the watching experience a lot of fun. And, in order for them to work so well they have to be played by wonderful actors. So, I enjoy all three.

My Questions:

-- Have you ever read the original novels? If so, how do you think the characters compare to those in the books? 
I have read some of the original books, but I haven't finished. I would like to catch-up this year, though. I have read enough to get an idea of the characters, though, and like I said above they might not be exactly as I pictured them, but they still have a lot going for them.

-- Which was your favourite episode of the 3?
I think the very first one was my favourite just because I enjoyed the puzzle of it all. But then, I also enjoyed when Moriarty was introduced through a voice on the phone and Holmes had to solve puzzles to save them all. I really think all three episodes had redeeming qualities that made them all very enjoyable overall.

-- Did you like how the show is set in the present day?
I love it! I think it opens up much more creativity for the show to break away a bit from the 'common' story. It also opens up the door for new technology. In the very first episode when they are having a press conference and Sherlock keeps sending text messages to all of the reporters telling them the police are wrong is priceless. This is not something that would have been possible if they had set it in the past.

-- What do you think of how while Sherlock is thinking words appear on the screen instead of the watcher being left in the dark.
I love this idea! The guy does, too. I like watching how Sherlock comes up with his ideas. The way that he thinks is wonderful. We should all be more observant!

-- What do want to see in the second season?
Well, I am going to be obvious and just say I want to know how the cliff-hanger ending is addressed.

Final Thoughts: This was fun! I don't watch a lot of things as a group, so I was excited to do something a bit different. If you have read my blog with any regularity you will notice that I enjoy buddy reads, so this was the next possible step. I also think we chose a great show to try this with. I look forward to more review with Suey and Melissa in the future, but also to more Sherlock!

Then, I just wanted to inform everyone that there will be the first months wrap-up post on Lu's blog today. Be sure and check it out and make sure you didn't miss anything. The Linky and such for February will be on this blog on the 28th. I hope to see people participate!

Lastly, I know I won't have time to join in for this event, but if anyone needs someone to write to I will happily write back. I also collect postcards... Just saying! (If you need my address just ask.)

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 12

Television

Bomb Girls - This is a Canadian mini-series set during WWII. It is 6 parts and we watched the first two the other night just to see what it is like. It is actually rather interesting. I am just a bit disappointed that it is a Canadian show and it about the American war experience, but that is pretty much to be expected. I do still enjoy shows that centre around the female experience and the women that built the bombs during the second World War.

The Muppet Show: Season 1 -  I am trying this again. I have yet to make it to the end because of various problems, so I am determined to this time around. I have watched about 5 episodes lately. 

Star Trek: The Next Generation - We were hooked up with the seasons of this show. The guy has been skipping around watching favourite episodes, but I want to eventually go back and start from the beginning. I have always figured I have seen every episode, but I am curious if I have missed any. We actually watched the very last episode last night because I always rather enjoyed it and the guy had never seen it before.

And, just because this is a bit boring, here are some more Walk off the Earth videos:

January in Review

What I Learned

Well, there really are not enough hours in the day for everything that I would like to do each month. I didn't set formal goals, but I tried to read more poetry, essays, and short stories. I think that was a success and I hope to keep it up in February. One other goal that was in the back of my mind was to try and read more non-fiction. In January I read 4. That might be a bit depressing, but I suppose it is better than none. I have a couple on the go at the moment, so hopefully February will be a bit better. 

I decided this year to start tracking more things. I am using Fyrefly's spreadsheet and I have two from Marg that I plan to get organized this weekend. It's really not that much work. I just take the book and enter it on there right away after finishing it. From Fyrefly's spreadsheet I have actually found that in January I read more books by men than women. It works out to 14 men, 6 women, and 1 short story collection by various authors. There have been years where I have kept track of this statistic, but not the last couple. I will be curious to see how the year progresses. According to Goodreads, if I continue with my goal of 240 books for 2012, I am right on track. I got 239 last year and I only read like 6 books in November and December combined, so it should be doable. 

New to Me Authors

Rachel Bertshe (MWF Seeks BFF)

Lois McMaster Bujold (Falling Free)

Isaac Asimov (Foundation)

Caroline Preston (The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt)

Erin Blakemore (The Heroine's Bookshelf)

Rae Carson (The Girl of Fire and Thorns)

Ernest Cline (Ready Player One)

Joshua Foer (Moonwalking with Einstein)

David Sedaris (Naked)

Series Talk

Fables Series: 16/16 - CAUGHT UP!

Vorkosigan Series: 1/14

The Unwritten Series: 5/5 - CAUGHT UP!

Foundation Trilogy: 1/3 (Currently reading book 2)

The Girl of Fire and Thorns Series: 1/1 - CAUGHT UP!

Scott Pilgrim Series: 6/6 - FINISHED!

Mythos Academy Series: 2/2 - CAUGHT UP!

The Source

Christmas Gift Cards: 5

Gift: 4

Used Book Store: 1

Library: 7

Review Copy: 1

Free Download: 3

If anyone is curious this works out to only actually paying for one of them, the one from the Used Book Store, and that was probably with credit.

What I Read

1. MWF seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche (NF) (Completed January 2, 2012)

2. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (Completed January 3, 2012)

3. Fables - Volume 16: Super Team by Bill Willingham & Company (GN) (Completed January 3, 2012)

4. Falling Free (Vorkosigan Series) by Lois McMaster Bujold (SF) (Completed January 6, 2012)

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5. The Unwritten - Volume 4: Leviathan by Mike Carey & Company (GN) (Completed January 8, 2012)

6. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (SF) (Completed January 8, 2012)

7. Foundation by Isaac Asimov (Foundation Series, Book 1) (SF) (Completed January 12, 2012)

8. The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures by Caroline Preston (HF) (Completed January 13, 2012)

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9. A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare (Play) (Completed January 16, 2012)

10. The Heroine's Bookshelf: Life Lessons, From Jane Austen to Laura Ingalls Wilder by Erin Blakemore (NF) (Completed January 17, 2012)

11. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson (Fire and Thorns Series, Book 1) (YA/F) (Completed January 21, 2012)

12. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (SF) (Completed January 21, 2012)

13. Scott Pilgrim & The Infinite Sadness (Volume 3) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Manga) (Completed January 21, 2012)

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14. Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together (Volume 4) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Manga) (Completed January 22, 2012)

15. Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer (NF) (Completed January 22, 2012)

16. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Volume 5) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Manga) (Completed January 25, 2012)

17. Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour (Volume 6) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Volume 6) (Completed January 25, 2012)

18. Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things... by McSweeney's Press (SS) (Completed January 26, 2012)

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19. Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy Series, Book 2) by Jennifer Estep (YA/F) (Completed January 30, 2012)

20. Naked by David Sedaris (Essays/NF) (Completed January 31, 2012)

21. The Unwritten - Volume 5: On to Genesis by Mike Carey & Company (GN) (Completed January 31, 2012)

Books Added to the TBR Pile

Bought:

Fables Volume 16: Super Team by Bill Willingham & Company (Gift Card)

The Fox Woman by Kiji Johnson (Gift Card)

The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier (Gift Card)

The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson (Gift Card)

The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Carloine Preston (Gift Card)

The Shadow of Malabron by Thomas Wharton (Gift Card)

The Unwritten Volume 4: Leviathan by Mike Carey (Gift Card)

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson (Gift Card)

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (Gift Card)

The History of History by Ida Hattemer-Higgins

Little, Big by John Crowley

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan

At Large and at Small: Confessions of a Hedonist by Anne Fadiman
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (gift card)
The Unwritten - Volume 5: On to Genesis by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (gift card)
Den of Thieves by David Chandler (99 cents e-book)
Phoenix Rising by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris (99 cents e-book)
Maidens' Trip by Emma Smith

Received:

The One Dish Collection by the Canadian Living Test Kitchen (Random House)

The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele (Penguin)

Paris My Sweet by Amy Thomas (Sourcebooks)

Used Credit to Acquire:
Killbox by Ann Aguirre
Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
White Tiger by Kylie Chan
The Pretty Details of So-and-so's Life by Camilla Gibb
Baba Yaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugresic
Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb
The Collected Stories by Carol Shields

Civil Campaign: A Vorkosigan Adventure by Lois McMaster Bujold

Cordelia's Honor: A Vorkgosigan Adventure by Lois McMaster Bujold

Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

Grass by Sheri S. Tepper

The Sons of Heaven: A Company Novel by Kage Baker

Diplomatic Immunity: A Vorkogsigan Adventure by Lois McMaster Bujold

Barrayer by Lois McMaster Bujold

Fate's Edge: A Novel of the Edge by Ilona Andrews

In the Garden of Iden: A Company Novel by Kage Baker

Memory: A Vorkosigan Novel by Lois McMaster Bujold

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

Rasputin's Daughter by Robert Alexander

The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov

Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller by Jeff Rubin

That is a lot of books... And, I didn't actually pay for any of them between gift cards, Christmas money, and credit at the Used Book Store. I love January! I still didn't need quite so many, but in any case...

Thoughts for February

I would like to finish up some of the books that are left over from January. I would like to continue to read more non-fiction, essays, poetry, and short stories. I would also like to work on some challenges. There are books I am currently reading that will count for a few.

Poetry: Read More/Blog More – A Monthly Event! - Month 1

Today is the first wrap-up post for Poetry: Read More/Blog More – A Monthly Event!  If you are joining in, you will find Mr. Linky on Lu's blog this month.

This Months Poems Recommended by Lu:

'Please' by Yusef Komunyakaa (Poem Found Here) - Read January 8, 2012
First up, I have never really talked about poetry on my blog before, so I am not entirely sure what I am supposed to say. This is a poem that to me seems about the guilt of events from a war. The narrator, or maybe even the author, did something that he is not proud of and is asking for forgiveness. I think the mood is captured very well considering it is on the shorter side. I believe you can feel the emotions that the author was trying to express and I am left feeling bad for the person that feels guilty. I am off to a good start!

'The Sea is History' by Derek Walcott (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
I was off to a good start, but the month sort of ran away from me. I wasn't able to find 'At the Screen Door' by the author above, so I skipped down to this one. I grew-up by the sea, so this poems title sounded interesting. As I was reading it I could picture waves crashing through the rhythm of the poem. I think that the author drew some interesting relationships between the sea and history. I enjoyed reading this poem.

'Cottonmouth Country' by Louise Gluck (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
This was a bit of a bleak poem. I am not entirely sure what to make of it. I think it would help if I entirely knew what a cottonmouth is. I am not even entirely positive that is a type of plant and not just a metaphor of some sort. If it is a plant, which I know I could easily look up, the poem actually makes a lot of sense to me. It is the sort of thing that could be said about most anything in this day and age, actually. The poem was short, but I don't think it would need to be any longer. It conveys its point.

'All Hallows' by Louise Gluck (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
I think so far this poem was my favourite. I think because I live in an area where the story behind it is very easy to relate to even if it doesn't directly influence myself. It is another bleak sort of poem, but that works for it. I also enjoy the imagery. I might have found a poet I like enough to explore outside of this list.

'October' by Louise Gluck (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
The list from Lu only includes the first section of the poem, but I figured while I had it all there in front of me I was going to read it. Once again it is a depressing poem, which is sad because October is my favourite month of the year. That being said, when you read the overall poem you can appreciate why the tone is what it is. Plus, I am starting to get into the rhythm of reading poetry today and appreciating the wording and imagery all that much more.

'At the Fishhouses' by Elizabeth Bishop (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
I was planning to move on to some of Jason's list, but then I noticed that this author had a connection Nova Scotia. As I live in Nova Scotia I was curious about her. This poem was so easy for me to read and picture in my minds eye because I have seen many of the things she captures. She expresses herself wonderfully and there are lines where I was thinking 'Wow, she captured that well...' Maybe I like poetry more than I thought... I still can't imagine reading whole collections of it, but this is fun so far!

'First Death in Nova Scotia' by Elizabeth Bishop (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
This is how I figured out that Bishop had a Nova Scotia connection. A poem set in Nova Scotia by someone that lived her for a time is of interest to me. This poem was slightly different than the other poem I read by her, but still very well-written. I would have enjoyed seeing Nova Scotia itself through her eyes, but her mention of loons and 'Maple Leaf Forever' were good examples of the Nova Scotia she would have known at the time.

'The Bat' by Claudia Emerson (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
I figured while I was on a roll I would check out this author. I have had bats in the house so I know how unpleasant they can be. I was saying on Twitter the other day that I am always a bit worried they will get tangled in my hair. I don't really mind them otherwise. In the warmer weather it is quite common for you to be outside and see them swooping around. I don't think I would be very happy if someone attacked one with a broom, though...

'Daybook' by Claudia Emerson (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
I think my biggest issue with poetry is that I am not so good with the abstract. When I read something I prefer knowing what is going on. This poem does exactly that. It captures something that you can entirely relate to and understand. There is still good writing and imagery but I don't have to second-guess myself for knowing what this poem may or may not be about. I like that better.

Then, I moved on to one of Jason's Poems:

'Goblin Market' by Christina Rossetti (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
When I first received my list from Jason and saw this poem on it I got a bit excited. I have always enjoyed this poem and even own a copy of a book where it is the title poem. I own very little poetry, so this is a huge distinction! I am thinking that anyone that enjoys this poem will have lots of other treasures for me to explore. It basically ties into my enjoyment of fantasy and fairy tales. And really, folks, this is Dante's sister. If you haven't read it you should go and do so!

Touch of Frost and Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep (Mythos Academy Series, Book 1)

Completion Date: December, 2011

Reason for Reading: I blame Cat from Beyond Books for introducing me to this series. (In a good way.)

My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest. 

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why—especially since I should have been the one who died. . .

This was one of the last books I read in 2011. I was so happy to actually read something, but I never got around to reviewing it. I have found that while young adult works its way into my reading a lot nowadays, there are very few books that wow me enough to make my best of list. I have to say that even though this one did not make it; I still really enjoyed it. You see, I really enjoy Mythology and I am getting a bit tired of vampires, witches, etc. When I learned that the main character in this series, Gwen, was a Gypsy I was intrigued. Then, I discovered that the book takes place at a boarding school. I seem to really enjoy books that have that as a setting. The thing that made me pick up the book in the end, though, was the fact that it includes Amazons, Spartans, and other historical superheroes AND the Gods and Goddesses they believed in at that time. It was just a different idea from the norm and I was in the mood for something different.

Anyway, as I was saying this book centres around Gwen Frost. She had a very normal up-bringing other than the fact that when she touched a person or their personal objects she could pick-up on their emotions, memories, etc. The Gypsy trait runs through the women in her family. Her grandmother Frost can tell the future to a degree and her mother had the ability to tell when people were telling the truth. I say 'had' because Gwen's world has been turned upside down following the horrific death of her beloved mother. It is only after that she goes to Mythos Academy and begins to learn just what people are capable of and just what amazing things have been there all along that she didn't even know about. Her mother and grandmother decided she she was going to be raised separate from that world, but situations have changed.

So, what did I think? Gwen is a kick-ass heroine. You have to give her some credit as she comes to terms with her new world, so she can still be a bit naive at times and do stupid things, but ultimately she is totally not a damsel in distress. That does not mean she doesn't need some help along the way. The people she is going to school with have been training for years and she hasn't even known about all of this for more than a few months. There is a bit of weirdness with the romance angle of the book, but I have seen much worse. Overall I was happy with the world that Jennifer Estep has created. It fits in well with the world we know about and that makes it believable. I enjoyed all of the characters and found watching everything from Gwen's perspective worked for the book. Recommended!

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep (Mythos Academy Series, Book 2)

Completion Date: January 30, 2012
Reason for Reading: Carry on with the Series.

Logan Quinn was try­ing to kill me. My Spar­tan class­mate relent­lessly pur­sued me, swing­ing his sword at me over and over again, the shin­ing sil­ver blade inch­ing closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged up his lips, and his ice-blue eyes prac­ti­cally glowed with the thrill of battle...

I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Acad­emy, and I have no idea how I’m going to sur­vive the rest of the semes­ter. One day, I’m get­ting schooled in sword­play by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gor­geous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invis­i­ble archer in the Library of Antiq­ui­ties decides to use me for tar­get prac­tice. And now, I find out that some­one at the acad­emy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword...

Then we fast-forward to January of 2012. I was browsing the library e-book catalogue looking for something else and stumbled across Kiss of Frost. I decided that I was engaged enough in the overall story to read on with the series right now instead of waiting forever which is my norm. I also decided that this way I could review the two books I had read in the series at the same time and that works for me. I am always a bit worried about the second book in trilogies because they can tend to drag, but this one continues on with the action. I think it is because there is an overarching story to the series, but at the same time there are separate events that are necessary in order to reach a conclusion. This gives the author different things to focus on with each book. So, once again I enjoyed visiting with Gwen Frost and Mythos Academy.

As to the book itself, Gwen learns that she has more powers that she originally thought. She uses these powers for impressive pursuits and continues to be a readable character. I am still a bit annoyed with the screwed up romance, but at least we can begin to understand it a bit more with this book. This book also gives us more insight into Gwen, the Reapers (bad guys), and the evil God Loki and what he is up to. I believe there will be a lot going on in book 3, so I am looking forward to that. I also have been thinking this is probably a series and not a trilogy because there is way too much to work on. (And, it is. I checked.) What I do know is that I say too much more I will give away book 1 to those that haven't read it, so I will just be cryptic and say that this book, and the series, are recommended.

Mythos Academy Series
Touch of Frost
Kiss of Frost
Dark Frost (June, 2012)
Crimson Frost (January, 2013)

Week in Review (4)

Random Thoughts

I am actually proud of my week even though I still didn't finish as many books as I would hope to have. I read poetry, short stories, and essays. Those are goals I have ever year that tend to get neglected, so hopefully I can keep up the momentum. The poetry is for the poetry day I am co-hosting with Lu from Regular Ruminations. For those of you that need a reminder that day is Tuesday and you can read all the details on the original post. Mr. Linky will be at Lu's blog this time around. I look forward to seeing all the posts!

On the other hand, I haven't had a time to do many things I would like to have done. I am desperately behind on blog-hopping, so hi to all the people that read this post. I should hopefully get some time tonight or tomorrow to catch-up a bit. What is everyone else up to lately? In my household it is an obsession with Walk off The Earth. The guy has been watching and listening to them obsessively. And, since I agree it is pretty cool here is their most recent video that is getting them all the attention:

Isn't it cool? And, they are Canadian... Canadians are just very talented. I look forward to seeing what they do next. I think there is a lot of pressure on them to top this video. They were even on Ellen. YouTube has definitely changed the world. They have lots of video but it is only their more recent stuff that has really stood apart from everything.

Challenge News

Nothing I finished this week counts for any specific challenges.

Weekly Reads

I read Volumes 4, 5, and 6 of Scott Pilgrim this week. Do you know what that means? I FINISHED A SERIES! In January no less. That's a great start to the year... I still am not a huge fan of the series, but overall it was a lot of fun and I am glad I got a chance to finish it. I think it helped to read the last few books in close succession. (Library)

I have seen this book around the blogosphere amidst lots of praise. And, I have to say, this book was very interesting! I actually want to read more books along the same idea because I think it would be fun (and helpful) to have a better memory. What I need is a way to remember characters names from books because I am terrible with that. I almost always have to check back when I go to write a review. Isn't that terrible? Obviously the memory idea is not going to be helpful with where you parked your car (or actually what car you are driving) or where you placed your wallet, but it is a very interesting subject. Does any one have any suggestions on books on a similar subject?

The very wonderful and sweet Debi sent me a copy of this book for Christmas and I actually read it! I have other gifts that have resided on my TBR pile for way too long. It's nice to read things in a timely fashion. If I did that all the time, though, I wouldn't have a TBR pile. Do you know I can still remember when my pile was little? Anyway, I would love to say that I loved this collection, but the stories ranged. I will do a more detailed review very soon. (Personal Copy)






Currently Reading:
The New Space Opera 2 
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
Gender Outlaws edited by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Berman
Naked by David Sedaris
Kiss of Death by Jennifer Echols
The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

Weekly Posts

Week in Review (3)

Buddy Review: Affinity by Sarah Waters

Review: Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

What are you Listening to Wednesday - Week 10

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 11 and Friday Reads 4th Edition

Launch of New Goose Lane Books Website

New Additions

Borrowed:

Scott Pilgrim's Greatest Hour (Volume 6) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Read)

Scott Pilgrim vs the Universe (Volume 5) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Read)

Below Stairs by Margaret Powell

Gender Outlaws edited by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Berman

Received:

The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele (Penguin)
Paris My Sweet by Amy Thomas (Sourcebooks)

Bought:
At Large and at Small: Confessions of a Hedonist by Anne Fadiman

Second-Hand Store (Using Credit): (Yes, I had a lot of fun with it this week...)
Civil Campaign: A Vorkosigan Adventure by Lois McMaster Bujold
Cordelia's Honor: A Vorkgosigan Adventure by Lois McMaster Bujold
Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch
Grass by Sheri S. Tepper
The Sons of Heaven: A Company Novel by Kage Baker
Diplomatic Immunity: A Vorkogsigan Adventure by Lois McMaster Bujold
Barrayer by Lois McMaster Bujold
Fate's Edge: A Novel of the Edge by Ilona Andrews
In the Garden of Iden: A Company Novel by Kage Baker
Memory: A Vorkosigan Novel by Lois McMaster Bujold
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Rasputin's Daughter by Robert Alexander
The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov
Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller by Jeff Rubin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 30, 2012

Goose Lane Editions launches new website

[Fredericton, NB] In 1994, still in the birthing years of the Internet, Goose Lane Editions, Canada’s oldest independent book publisher, made history by becoming one of the first publishing houses in the world to launch their own website. After 18 years, the site has gone through numerous transformations, changing to suit our evolving culture as technology improved and users became more computer-savvy. Now, we are proud to announce the newest iteration of www.gooselane.com, with new features, new content, and a new promotion to kick off the launch.

In addition to a complete visual redesign, we have added new website elements such as twitter feeds and ongoing blog posts by our many employees. Sample chapters are available for many books, and an ongoing stream of events and notices is added to the main page every day.

To celebrate our launch, we’d like to extend a special offer. For every day the week of January 23, we will be offering one book a day at a special highly-discounted price. Roadsworth, YOU comma Idiot, The Famished Lover, Miller Brittain, The Black Watch, Beaverbrook: A Shattered Legacy, and Ganong: A Sweet History of Chocolate will each take over one day of the week with a drastically discounted price to help celebrate our new look and attitude. All this, in addition to our regular feature of free shipping on orders of $60 or more. To take advantage of these offers, simply create an account with Goose Lane. By doing so, you’ll also ensure that you are regularly updated on upcoming special offers.

We’ve been around a long time, both physically and electronically. Here’s to many more years together.

CONTACT INFO

To obtain review copies, arrange for interviews or to request permission to publish excerpts, contact Corey Redekop at credekop@gooselane.com or (888) 926.8377. High-res book cover and author image files are also available at www.gooselane.com

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 11 and Friday Reads 4th Edition

I simply forgot to update my blog yesterday. I don't even have an excuse! Today is a snow day for the schools but so far there is very little snow. Casey is sitting in the window watching it fall, though. It is one of her favourite activities. She is in her glory as it is because some nice person dug all of her toys out from under the couch.

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 11

This was another quiet viewing week...

Television

BBC Sherlock Holmes Season 1 - I started this show back in December, but I just kept failing to get back to it. In the end I watched the first episode 3 times. I was supposed to review this in more depth with a couple other people, but not sure what is going on now.

Once Upon a Time - We finally caught-up in this show. I am still really enjoying it! We watched 1 episode one night and the other 2 another. I am looking forward to the new episode on Sunday! 

Friday Reads 4th Edition

I finished my other short story collection, so I decided to see what this one was like. I am not even sure where it came from, but it fits in with the Science-Fiction Experience. I have only read the first story so far.

I have owned this book forever! I am happy that I am finally getting around to it. This is for a buddy read with Ana from things mean a lot. I think this is the first time I have ever read any of Kingsolver's non-fiction, but she writes really well.

I cannot remember for sure where I heard of this book, but when it arrived for me at the library the other day I decided to see what it was all about. It is easy to read a bit of it here and there.

Reading this book right now is just silly because I have so much else on the go, but I am actually quite enjoying it. I have been reading it slowly for the first little while. 

I did get a chance to read a  large chunk of this yesterday. I started it at the beginning of the month, but then it was sort of sat down and not picked up again. It is a really good book but there is only so much time in a day and I read too many books at a time.

I did actually read some of this since my last post, but I STILL haven't finished book 1. I am not sure why I am reading this book so slowly. I think the key is not to keep putting it down because then it takes me forever to get back to it. I am enjoying it, but it is not knocking my socks off... I will hopefully get back to it soon.

What Are You Listening to Wednesday - Week 10

Debi at still with nothing of importance is doing this project where she had some of her favourite people send her lists of books she should read, movies she should watch, songs she should listen to, etc. Ana, from things mean a lot, sent her a list of songs that I will be working my way through over the coming Wednesdays. The meme itself is hosted at Dolce Bellezza.

Finally, I am back to the list...

The Songs for This Week Are:
The Butcher by Owen Pallet
Rambling Man by Laura Marling
Behold! The Nightmare by The Smashing Pumpkins
Friends as Lovers by Zwan
Waltz #2 by Elliott Smith

'The Butcher' by Owen Pallet
Do you want to know what is really cool about Owen Pallet? He is Canadian and he recorded a CD with the Nova Symphony Orchestra. For those thinking 'um, okay'; I live in Nova Scotia. I had never heard of him or the concert before, but I was intrigued and had to listen to it. As a result the song itself got a bit pushed aside.... This is not my favourite song necessarily, but it is the only video I could find where the music at least is Pallett and the Symphony.




Then, we move on to 'Rambling Man' by Laura Marling. I actually really enjoyed this song and consider it my favourite off the list itself. I am going to explore Laura Marling more.




I had heard The Smashing Pumpkins song before. The only album I ever owned was Adore and this song was on it. I used to like Bill Corgan's voice, but I think I have moved away from it over the years. That is not to say I don't still enjoy his music to a point and I enjoyed 'Behold! The Nightmare' back when I heard it for the first time. Unfortunately I couldn't find a video to share that wasn't terrible, but it was a good song!

Then, there is Zwan. I know a few people that went to see them back when they toured back in the early 2000's. I had forgotten all about them until I got to their song on the list. I did listen to them a bit back when they came out, but they were not a 'go to' band. Still, this is a decent song by them that I hadn't heard in ages and probably never would have thought about without this project. Billy Corgan is a WAY better writer than a musician...




Lastly, we have 'Waltz #2' by Elliott Smith. I did like this song, but between discovering Owen Pallett's Nova Scotia connection, rediscovering The Smashing Pumpkins and Zwan, and really enjoying 'Rambling Man' it sort of fell to the wayside this week. You should still listen to it!

Falling Free (Vorkosigan Series) by Lois McMaster Bujold

Falling Free (Vorkosigan Series) by Lois McMaster Bujold

Completion Date: January 6, 2012
Reason for Reading: Science-Fiction Experience.

Leo Graf was an effective engineer...Safety Regs weren't just the rule book he swore by; he'd helped write them. All that changed on his assignment to the Cay Habitat. Leo was profoundly uneasy with the corporate exploitation of his bright new students till that exploitation turned to something much worse. He hadn't anticipated a situation where the right thing to do was neither save, nor in the rules...

Leo Graf adopted 1000 quaddies now all he had to do was teach them to be free.

I have been hearing about this series from people like Meghan and Fyrefly, and probably other people that I am not thinking about right now, so I knew I was going to have to get around to reading it. In 2011 there was a chance to download the entire series for your e-reader, so I of course jumped on that. (I am not sure if it is still available because I no longer have the link where I found them.) Anyway, I was excited about a new science-fiction series because I used to read lots of science-fiction and have largely moved away from it. I still really enjoy science-fiction, though, and always want to read more each year. I am hoping that this year will be the year.

Falling Free was a good introduction to Bujold's writing. I have never read her before despite her being on my list for ages. If her other books are anything like this one than I am in for some great reading in my, hopefully, not-so-distant future. I all ready am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. It seems like it will be enjoyable based on what other people have been saying. This book is based around Leo Graf who is an engineer for a society that has developed other worlds and is quite comfortable in space. He had been working for a while and was a bit set in his ways, but what he found on this particular job changed his life for the better. In this book we are introduced to the quaddies and witness just what it is like when genetic engineering has gone a bit far.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and think it is a great reading experience.

Vorkosigan Saga:
Dreamweaver’s Dilemma (short story)
Falling Free
Shards of Honor
Barrayar
The Warrior's Apprentice
Mountains of Mourning (novella)
The Vor Game
Cetaganda
Ethan of Athos
Labyrinth (novella)
Borders of Infinity (novella)
Brothers in Arms
Borders of Infinity
Mirror Dance
Memory
Komarr
A Civil Campaign
Winterfair Gifts (novella)
Diplomatic Immunity
Cryoburn