Wrapping up One Challenge and Starting Another!

Today marks the end of the R.I.P. III challenge. It is one of my favourite challenges of the year. These are the books that I read that I think count for the challenge. Sometimes I am not sure if they meet the requirements. Here is the list:

1. Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs
2. Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
3. Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse by Kaleb Nation
4. Fables - Volume 12: The Dark Ages by Bill Willingham
5. Devilish by Maureen Johnson
6. Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble
7. Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest
8. The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by Gordon Dahlquist
9. Jack of Fables - Volume 1: The (Nearly) Great Escape by Bill Willingham
10. Chaos Walking - Book One: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
11. Jack of Fables - Volume 2: Jack of Hearts by Bill Willingham
12. A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett (Tiffany Aching Trilogy, Book 2)
13. The Hunger Games Trilogy - Book Two - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
14. The Lost Journals of Ven Plypheme: The Dragon's Lair by Elizabeth Haydon (Book 3)
15. The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (The Thief Series, Book 3)
16. Stoneheart by Charlie Fletcher
17. Rampant by Diana Peterfreund
18. The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade
19. Jack of Fables - Volume 3: The Bad Prince by Bill Willingham
20. Wonderland by Tommy Kovac & Sonny Liew
21. The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
22. Jack of Fables - Volume 4: American by Bill Willingham
23. The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
24. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
25. Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood

Some of the books were even in the pool I suggested at the beginning!

Now, for a new challenge. Running from November 1, 2009 to November 30, 2010 it is the Women Unbound reading challenge hosted by Aarti, Care, and Eva.

There are three levels of participation:

• Philogynist: read at least two books, including at least one nonfiction one.
• Bluestocking: read at least five books, including at least two nonfiction ones.
• Suffragette: read at least eight books, including at least three nonfiction ones.

I am actually not sure what I want to do. I hope that is okay! It is hard to say what life will be like in 2010, so I don't want to commit to too much. My list is essentially other people's put together. I wanted to break out of my usual reads and figured it was the best way to do it.

Non-fiction:

A Border Passage by Leila Ahmed (Eva's list)
Autobiography of a Geisha by Sayo Masuda (Eva's list)
Letters from Burma by Aung San Suu Kyi (Eva's list for the author)
The Good Women of China by Xinra (Eva's list)
When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago (Eva's list)
Price of Honor by Jan Goodwin (Eva's list)
Through the Narrow Gate by Karen Armstrong (Eva's list)
Women Who Run With Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes (Eva's list)
In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens by Alice Walker (Eva's list)
Letter to my Daughter by Maya Angelou (Eva's list)
Women: An Intimate Geography by Natalie Angier (Eva's list)
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf (Eva's list)
The Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters by Charlotte Mosley (Eva's list)
The Warrior Queens by Antonia Fraser (Eva's list)
Women's Work by E.J.W. Barber (Eva's list)
Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman (Eva's Recommendation)
Women by Anne Leibovitz and Susan Sontag (Eva's Recommendation)
Alligators, Old Mink & New Money by Alison Houtte (Eva's Recommendation)
Queen of Scots by John Guy (Eva's Recommendation)
I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron (Eva's Recommendations)
West with the Night by Beryl Markham (Eva's Recommendation)
Reason for Hope by Jane Goodall (Eva's Recommendation)
Among Schoolchildren by Tracy Kidder (Eva's Recommendation)
Virginia Woolf by Hermione Lee (Eva's Recommendation)
Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (Eva's Recommendation)
Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman (Eva's Recommendation)
Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA by Brenda Maddox (Debi's list)
Promiscuities by Naomi Wolf (Debi's list)
Fearless Girls, Wise Women & Beloved Sisters: Heroines in Folktales from Around the World by Kathleen Ragan (Debi's list, and I own this one...)
Escape by Carolyn Jessop (Mee's list)
Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah (Mee's List)
Self-Made Man by Norah Vincent (Mee's list)
Desert Flower by Waris Dirie (Mee's List)
Princess by Jean Sasson (Mee's List)

Books Read:

1. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

2. I'm Sorry You Feel That Way: The Astonishing but true story of a daughter, sister, slut, wife, mother, and friend to man and dog by Diana Joseph

3. Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation by Elissa Stein & Susan Kim

4. A Thousand Sisters: My Journey into the Worst Place on Earth to be a Woman by Lisa Shannon

5. Things I've Been Silent About: Memories of a Prodigal Daughter by Azar Nafisi

Okay, nothing against anyone else, but I am going to stop there... I think my list is way too long as it is, so I don't need anymore books. I didn't expect my library to have so many of the books Eva recommended and I started with her... Maybe after I get through some I will add more lists, but for now, I am sticking with this.

Olympics 2010

Okay, I am a little excited... I love the winter Olympics and they are hosted here this year! Here being in Canada. I live on the opposite side of the country... The Olympic Torch arrived in Canada today from Greece, though. I have been watching the coverage on the television and it is hard to not get a bit caught up in everything. Now the torch is going to travel across the country and you can follow its path on an interactive website. It will be in my town on November 20.

That being said, I think I am going to be tired of Olympic commercials by then. The first time they are funny or creative or entertaining, but come February they are going to get very old very fast!

Anyway, it is going to take 106 days for it to travel over the country.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Today is a buddy review with Amanda from The Zen Leaf. Amanda is another blogger that I am just getting to know this year. I am very happy we did a review together and hope there will be more in the future. I have the second part of the review today, so for this to make sense go to her blog and read her post first!

Kelly: I agree with you that the message was about cooperation being important for survival. I think that will continue to be an important part of the series. I also like to think he was saying that just because the technology is available to do something doesn't mean that we have to do it. I think it is an important message. What did you think about the characters? Were they believable?

Amanda: Now first I should qualify my answer - I read this book in the middle of the night during Readathon - but I personally found the characters very believable. Alek, the fumbling, sheltered 15-yr-old son of an Archduke trying to prove himself in the real world but mucking everything up. Deryn, a 15 yr old tomboy pretending to be Dylan, a 16 yr old midshipman applicant, fumbling with her attempts to act boyish when all she really wants to do is fly. And then there's the count and Dr. Barlow and all the rest - they all felt round and intricate, as if Westerfeld knew them personally. But I've always liked the way Westerfeld creates his characters. I think that's one of his strong points, as well as language play. I read in one of his books, I believe Bogus to Bubbly, that he refines his alternate-world slang by using it himself to make sure it sounds natural. It's so much fun to imagine him walking around saying, "Blisters!" when he swears or using words like "boffin" and "clart." Had you heard that?

Kelly: Yes, I believe it was in Bogus to Bubbly because I have read about that, too, and I read that book at some point this year. I think it is really great that he tries things out. There isn't really very much I want to say about the characters that you haven't all ready touched on. I thought they were written really well. I found myself, though, talking to them in my head because they really do some things that you know something bad is going to happen, but I think it is a mark of a good character when the reader gets caught up in the story so much that they are very invested in what happens to the characters. I look forward to future books to see what happens to them next and how their tentative friendship works out. Is there anything else that you want to talk about?

Amanda: Nope, I think that pretty much covers everything. I can't wait for Behemoth to come out next year. Supposedly it will be released in October. At the same time, though, I liked where this book ended - a cliff-hanger, but a mild one. You aren't automatically itching for the next one, like with The Knife of Never Letting Go. It works well as a standalone book, too. But yes, that's all. I love Westerfeld, and I think he did a magnificent job as usual for this book.

Kelly: Oh, good to know when the second book comes out. I haven't thought that far ahead to look into it! I am looking forward to it, too, but I don't have to rush out read it. I can wait. I much prefer that, actually. A promised sequel but not a huge book that is not wrapped up at all and then you have to wait a year to find out what happens next. Hopefully we will both still be blogging next year and then maybe we can review the sequel together, too! Thanks for reviewing this book with me. I look forward to next time!

Amanda: That's an excellent idea! I look forward to it, too.

This is Wednesday...

I had a full day today, so I didn't really have a chance to write up a review. Instead I thought I would share pictures from my day!
***Edited to add*** A couple people asked the reason for cutting the tree down. The reason is that the base of the tree was starting to rot and didn't want to risk it falling into the buildings during the next big storm.

***Edited to add*** I should point out that he is 81 years-old and felling this tree. He was on his way to his birthday dinner, but couldn't resist cutting down a tree first.

Since I had the camera, there are no pictures of me, but I did help! Mostly with clean-up. It takes a while to clear all those branches away! I also raked the entire lawn. And, other various tasks.

Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood

The long-awaited new novel from Margaret Atwood, The Year of the Flood is a brilliant visionary imagining of the future that calls to mind her classic novel The Handmaid’s Tale.

Adam One, the kindly leader of God’s Gardeners — a religion devoted to the melding of science and religion — has long predicted a natural disaster that will alter Earth as we know it. Now it has occurred, obliterating most human life. Two women have been spared: Ren, a young trapeze-dancer, locked inside a high-end sex club; and one of God’s Gardeners, Toby, who is barricaded inside a luxurious spa. Have others survived?

By turns dark, tender, violent, thoughtful, and witty, The Year of the Flood unfolds Toby’s and Ren’s stories during the years prior to their meeting again. The novel not only brilliantly reflects to us a world we recognize but poignantly reminds us of our enduring humanity.

Today is a buddy review with Chris from book-a-rama. This is the first time, but hopefully not the last. The review is broken into two parts. The first part is posted here and the second half is posted on Chris' blog.

Kelly: I think the best way to start this conversation off is to say why we read the book in the first place! I actually am not a big Atwood fan; but for some reason I bought Oryx & Crake when it first came out IN HARDCOVER. I have no idea why looking back, but I am sure I had a great reason at the time... Anyway, I ended up really liking it and when I heard that this book was connected to it I once again acted like a crazy person and bought an Atwood book in hardcover. How about you?

Chris: I like Atwood's dystopian novels, like Handmaid's Tale and Oryx & Crake. When I heard that The Year of the Flood was a sequel (sort of) to Oryx & Crake I wanted to read it. I really liked that it was a different point of view of the events in Oryx & Crake. Jimmy wasn't a very reliable narrator being self-absorbed and drunk or crazy a lot of the time, so seeing what else was happening in the outside world was interesting. Did you like that aspect of the book?

Kelly: I have to be honest that I hardly remembered Oryx & Crake... It came back to me as I read it, but it took me a while. I read Oryx & Crake back when it first came out, so it wasn't very fresh in my memory. I really liked the narrators to this book, though.

Chris: I think I read it 2 years ago. I remembered more of it as it too. I didn't recognize Glenn or Jimmy right away. I liked the female narrators as well.

Kelly: I actually think I will probably reread Oryx & Crake now that I have read this one. I want to remember the story better. Did you feel the urge to read it again?

Chris: I do. I'd like to compare the two books in case I missed anything.

Kelly: I know I missed a lot! It was too long ago! Who was your favourite narrator?

Chris: I really liked Ren. She was always so optimistic even though things were so bleak. What an odd career she had. What about you?

Kelly: I would probably say Ren, too, but I also liked Toby a lot, too. She is probably who I could see myself more in. I suppose we can't really talk about this book without discussing the Gardeners. What did you think about them?

Chris: Yeah, it's hard to choose. I liked Toby too even though she could be harsh at times.... The Gardeners. At first I thought they were just a bunch of nut jobbers but then I wondered if they were smart to hide their politics behind their bizarre dogma.

Kelly: I think Toby had to be harsh. She had a rough life and that is how she chose to deal with it all.

Chris: Yes, the stuff with her parents hardened her.
Kelly: I know. I thought the Gardeners were a bit odd in the beginning! But, as the novel progressed and we saw their story more, I thought they were a lot more than we were first lead to see them as. It impressed me, really, at times.

Chris: Yes, especially since it turned out that they were right. A lot of them had nowhere else to go and didn't believe in the whole thing themselves. But I think Adam One believed in it with his whole heart.

Kelly: I know. Adam One seemed to know what everyone needed better than they knew themselves. His entire character could have been a bit odd, but I actually think he was written pretty well.
Chris: He was a good leader. I wonder what he was before the Gardeners. What did you think about the weird science in the book?

Kelly: Me too! He would have been a good narrator. I was really curious about him and I don't think we got to see enough of him.
As to the science, it was all about strange. I think that was the point, though. Atwood was trying to make a point about science and how it can get a bit overdone. I think, anyways. What did you think?

Chris: There were no ethics. If they could do it, they would. It was terrifying! Those pigoons were awful. And lionbams- that was a ridiculous idea. Science without ethics is a bad idea. There has to be a line of "ok, this is too out there. Stop."

Kelly: The thought process behind why they combined lions and lambs was just crazy, didn't you think! It almost made sense it was so out there. It's a scary world, and we are actually not that far away from it...

To read the second half of the review head over to book-a-rama. Enjoy!

Lyrical Translation

I was working on what I might write up today, and looking through the songs that have gotten a lot of hits on my iTunes this year, and noticed something: I had a number of songs in there twice. This isn't because I have an untidy library (though I do), it's because the songs in question had been translated from another language, and the experience in English and the original language are two very, very different experiences.

An excellent example of this is, I believe, the most popular song ever in the French Language: La Vie en Rose, sung most famously by the divine Edith Piaf:

This is a song that has been much sung in English. As, for instance, by Louis Armstrong (also known as 'the love song from WALL-E ;P ):

It's really interesting looking at the two songs side by side, because they have a very, very different meaning to it. The first is the perfect Edith Piaf songs - slightly forlorn, gently moaning, a sort of paean to what cannot be. Louis Armstrong, ironically, sings the same song, and it's quintessentially Louis: cheerful, hopeful, sort of overboiling with the slight echo of a chuckle. Part of this of course is the glory of interpretation. But not all. Look at the original French lyrics:

Quand il me prend dans ses bras

Il me parle tout bas,

Je vois la vie en rose.



Il me dit des mots d'amour,

Des mots de tous les jours,

Et ca me fait quelque chose.

(Roughly translated:

When he takes me in his arms

He speaks softly,

I see life in pink.

He told me words of love,

Words of every day,

And it makes me something.)

Then, the English lyrics:

Hold me close and hold me fast

The magic spell you cast

This is la vie en rose



When you kiss me, heaven sighs

And though I close my eyes

I see la vie en rose

It's not that the English lyrics are bad (I don't know enough French to even tell you if the French ones are good poetry), but they are BARELY the same song. Both talk about feeling enraptured by love, but the first has a private, confessional feel to it, the second I pleasant, intoxicated one. In the second there is a vision of 'a world apart, a world where roses bloom', in the first, there is a sort of undercurrent, a quiet little part of the brain that knows that this cannot last, that the something will again be nothing.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing - or even necessarily a contravention of the artist's intention. A good example of this is in one of my favorite songs: Waters of March by the Bossa Nova master Antonio Carlos Jobim. In the original Brazilian Portuguese, with subtitles:

And (I don't like this video, but the absolutely gorgeous original recording of this in English by Jobim himself isn't online anywhere!) in English:

In case you missed it? The lyrics are very, very different - in fact, Jobim intended them to be so. He wrote both the English and Portuguese versions. In Brazil, the Waters in March are the floods that come down in the autumn and wash away the last of usmmer, before winter comes (Southern Hemisphere, you know...). In New York, where he wrote the English version, the Waters of March are the spring rains that stir up all the detritus of winter to carry in the life of spring time. While, admittedly, this sadly makes for an English version that is far too easy to sing in a horrible, campy lounge style (grr....), it makes two very different songs. And that's just it - translation, in music, is meant to speak to the audience it is being translated for. Jobim is famous for this. Many of the lyrics of his songs in Portuguese were written by a friend of his who was a well known poet in his own right. But the English versions usually have a very different meaning (look up the lyrics to Insensatez, or the Girl From Ipanema sometime - eye opening experience). If you want to know what is like to Brazilian, the translation seems to say, that's fine - listen to the song in Portuguese then, because the language is part of who we are. If you want to know how I feel in New York, listen in English, where I feel and speak in English.

This isn't a rare thing, classically, of course - after all, we don't routinely translate operas into English. And, in the end it offers a beautiful, fascinating vision of the differences and similarities between cultures. The complaint, fo course, is that we English speakers don't necessarily get to understand all the beuatiful things Jobim intended in the original. But then, I think that's a little short-sighted, listening to the Portuguese version (and I speak not a lick of Portuguese), you know the feeling inteded in it - it's familiar and human, even if you have no idea what's being said. And in the end, the Portuguese says it better, even without understanding, than the English does. So, you have, English singers (this version is by the beautifully voiced Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan), covering the Portuguese:

Week in Review and Sunday Book Coveting

Random Thoughts

It is the Sunday of the read-a-thon weekend! I really hope someone will be awake to read this post! The read-a-thon is always really fun. At some insane hour, though, I was talking to Nymeth about how disorganized I felt this year. I normally read and comment a lot more on blogs, but this year I honestly think I am getting to a point where I am blogged out. I read a lot of blogs and BBAW wasn't that long ago. I might be headed to one of my blogging breaks, but that is normal for this time of the year. It also could just be stress!

Or, it could be the fact that I was surrounded by such talent for cheering this year. I mean, Jill came up with the greatest comments EVER! I don't know if there is an award for best cheerleader, but if there is, she should win! Take this for an example, it is to the tune of 'Time Warp' from the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show:

It's astounding, time is fleeting
Reading takes its toll
But listen closely, not for very much longer
You've almost met the goal

I remember doing the Read-a-thon
During those moments when
The blackness would hit me and sleep would be calling
Let's do the readathon again...
Let's do the readathon again!

It's just a book in your hand
And then a flip of the page
With your eyes on the words
You let your mind engage
But it's the cheerleaders that really drive you insane,
Let's do the readathon again!

Your book is dreamy, or hot and steamy
It stars a banshee, or no one at all
It’s in another dimension, there’s no comprehension
Oh no, there’s none at all
With a bit of a page flip
You're suddenly on a space ship
And nothing can ever be the same
You're strung out on cookies, you sound like a Wookie
Let's do the readathon again!

Well I was strolling through the bookstore just havin’ a look
When what should I espy but my next book
It shook me up, it took me by surprise
It had a sale tag and Care gave it 5 pies.
It lured me in and I felt a change
Time meant nothing, never would again
Let's do the readathon again!

Isn't that the greatest thing ever? It could be the fact that it is 4 in the morning, but I love it!

Moving on! The read-a-thon is a bit bittersweet this year. The Hour 15 mini-challenge was all about remembering Dewey and I read some wonderful posts! Like I said yesterday, I knew who Dewey was, I read her blog and she read mine, but I would call us more acquaintances than friends. I do wish I had gotten to know her better, though! I do hope that whatever happens when you die; Dewey is aware of the lasting impact she has made in this blogging world!

Weekly Reads

I managed to finish 7 books this week. I almost wish I had read for the read-a-thon because it would have been nice to have read even more, but I am happy with what I did accomplish. It brings my total for the year to 322. I am extremely impressed with this number! I have read so many fantastic books this year. Actually, I would say my most common comment for the read-a-thon was saying something about the book someone was reading and how I had already read it and enjoyed it! I have read a lot of books...


The new Scott Westerfeld was a great read! It is hard to believe I hadn't read him before this year and now he is on my auto-buy list. This book had a great story, but it is also just really nice. The cover art both inside out was fantastic and it had excellent illustrations included inside. This is a book that will look very nice on my shelves! This is going to be a buddy read with Heather.

The new Margaret Atwood. This book was long-listed for the Giller, too, so it is another read for my Giller-a-thon. I have three more short-listed books to read for that, though, so I need to get to them before November 10. A review of this will be up on Tuesday as a buddy review with Chris from book-a-rama. It's our first buddy read together! (We were supposed to read another book last month, but I couldn't get into it.)







I have wanted to read this book since it first came out. I am so glad that I finally found the chance. A retelling of a classic fairy tale done quite well. Juliet Marillier has also retold that same fairy tale. I read her book a couple years ago. This book wasn't anything ground-breaking for the retelling, but it was fun.






I don't know what to think about this book. On the one hand it was fascinating because I am no scientist, but I even thought the main one presented in this book was very, very wrong. He really thought if it was done from an early age a boy could be raised as a girl and honestly think that they are a girl. I don't! Anyway, I actually ended up having a big discussion with the cc about this book. I think that is why I read non-fiction, actually, because even though very few of my friends read I can always find someone interested enough in the topic I am reading about to discuss it with me. Other times I found that I got really bogged down with information, though, and I will admit that I hardly read a chapter because I found it the same thing that had been said before and not that interesting at all anymore.


This book is a testament to my young adult reading for this year. I have read almost all of the authors presented in this book before! Before this year, I had read one (Libba Bray). 2009 was very much the year of young adult for me. The collection starts off with a guy and a girl at a convention. One is a klingon on and the other is a Jedi. They wake up in bed together, which is not really 'allowed', so it is fun to see what happens next. I have to bring this back to the library because someone wants it, so I need to figure out a review and will hopefully post it this week.





Another enjoyable book in this series. I think I said before that I will probably just talk about the series in one post after I see how far I read into this year. This is the fourth book and I am going to put the fifth book on hold at some point today.









I read this book because Sassymonkey posted a list of library books that she didn't think she was going to be able to get to. This book was on the list and I thought it looked really good, so I requested it from the library. I have had it out for a while, so I am glad that I finally read it. Written in lyrical form it is a very effective look at the power of having a voice.






As for what I am reading now... I am supposed to be reading a book by Sara Douglass for a buddy read. I have entirely misplaced the book, though, so I am way late on that one! Then, I am supposed to be reading a book by Jennifer Fallon, but I haven't started it yet. Oh, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I am supposed to be reading that, too. What am I actually reading? I started Generation A by Douglas Coupland last night and have been listening to Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer on audio in my car. The narrator is fantastic!

Weekly Posts

Guest Post: Music Munday: Reading and Writing
Review: Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman
Review: The Blue Notebook by James A. Levine
Review: The City & the City by China Mieville
24-Hour Read-a-thon Post: Though the Weather Outside is Frightful...
24-Hour Read-a-thon Post

Library Loot

The Man with the Golden Torc by Simon Green
Traveling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd
Fruit by Brian Francis
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett
Alice Munro: Writing her Lives: A Biography by Robert Thacker
Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown by Maud Hart Lovelace
What is the What by David Eggers
The Lace Makers of Glenmara by Heather Doran Barbieri
The Nymph and the Lamp by Thomas H. Raddall
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Note's From the Hyena's Belly by Nega Mezlekia

Sunday Book Coveting

From last weeks list: I have read Geektastic. I think Eucalyptus is going back to the library unread. I also read Princess of the Midnight Ball. The rest of the books I still want to read! I would love to read Libba Bray's book, Kelley Armstrong's book, Derek Landy's, and finish the Douglas Coupland this week. Since I own all of them, though, it is likely that won't happen... I also need to read the Giller-a-thon books I have left and then write up posts for all of them. See, I can really covet my own books because even if I own them, it doesn't mean I have time to read them!

24-Hour Read-a-Thon

Well, today is the day for the read-a-thon! I have been blog hopping, which is fun! I added all the blogs to google reader in their own 'Read-a-thon' folder. I am so organized! (ha!) Anyway, this way I can just read when blogs are updated and it is a bit of a time-saver. (So far, anyways!) I am actually think that I might read for a bit, so if I stop commenting I will be back later! I have been reading, but not books. I have about a hundred pages to go in Geektastic and then I have no idea what I am going to read next. I think after I finish this post I am going to collect a little pile of possibities.

I do know that tonight will consist of blog reading and writing my post for tomorrow! Good luck to all the readers and have a lot of fun today. All the charities being read for are so lucky to have such dedicated readers today, wouldn't you say? And, lots of love to Dewey because without her this day would not be the big success that it is. She was a fantastic community-builder, which I think is proven by the fact that everything is carrying on even without her! It's unfortunate that 2008 was such a bad year for me and blogging because I missed out on a lot. One of those things was developing my friendship with Dewey. We knew each other, but I think we could have known each other a lot better!

Okay, enough rambling. I am going to go track down some books! Happy reading!

Though the Weather Outside is Frightful...

It is really okay because in not too many hours it will be time for the Dewey's Read-a-thon! According to the Weather Channel it is supposed to rain all weekend, but since I will probably be spending a lot of time either on the computer or maybe doing a bit of reading, I really don't care! (Or, I am going to pretend that I don't care, at least.)

I have been following the read-a-thon since the beginning, but with the exception of the very first one, I have never officially signed up. I am not sure why that is, but I am always around. Last one I had just joined Twitter, so I was commenting on blogs and spending large amounts of time chatting with people. It was really a lot of fun! So, if you are like me and haven't committed to either cheer-leading or readng, you can still participate, discover new blogs, and maybe get some reading done.

In the spring, I didn't read at all, but I think I might sneak some pages this time. I sort of wish I had thought ahead and made a 'maybe' pile and took a picture, but I think I hate commitments... That's the same with reading as other avenues of my life. The only for sure I am considering is Geektastic edited by Holly Black and Cecil, uh, I'd need to look her last name up to make sure I am spelling it right. It's due back to the library on Monday and I think it has holds, so no renewals. Otherwise, I am not going to make any plans. It's not like I have any shortage of books on my TBR pile and out from the library.

Otherwise, I will likely be cheering people on. I am going to skip Six Sentence Saturday for this week, because I doubt anyone will be interested. If I do in fact read for the read-a-thon I will just review the books I read in that method. I will do my Sunday post, though, because I really like that post.

Anyway, happy reading to everyone! The piles I have seen are crazy, but I think everyone is going to have a lot of fun!

The City and The City by China Mieville

New York Times bestselling author China Miéville delivers his most accomplished novel yet, an existential thriller set in a city unlike any other–real or imagined.

When a murdered woman is found in the city of Beszel, somewhere at the edge of Europe, it looks to be a routine case for Inspector Tyador Borlú of the Extreme Crime Squad. But as he investigates, the evidence points to conspiracies far stranger and more deadly than anything he could have imagined.

Borlú must travel from the decaying Beszel to the only metropolis on Earth as strange as his own. This is a border crossing like no other, a journey as psychic as it is physical, a shift in perception, a seeing of the unseen. His destination is Beszel’s equal, rival, and intimate neighbor, the rich and vibrant city of Ul Qoma. With Ul Qoman detective Qussim Dhatt, and struggling with his own transition, Borlú is enmeshed in a sordid underworld of rabid nationalists intent on destroying their neighboring city, and unificationists who dream of dissolving the two into one. As the detectives uncover the dead woman’s secrets, they begin to suspect a truth that could cost them and those they care about more than their lives.

What stands against them are murderous powers in Beszel and in Ul Qoma: and, most terrifying of all, that which lies between these two cities.

Casting shades of Kafka and Philip K. Dick, Raymond Chandler and 1984, The City & the City is a murder mystery taken to dazzling metaphysical and artistic heights.

Quote from Random House Website

I was reviewing a book yesterday that came out in July. I read that book back in July and thought that was terrible. It gets worse, though! This book came out in May and I read it before it was even released. I am only reviewing it now! Isn't that terrible? It is safe to say that I am not going to be able to do this review justice, but I really like Mieville, so I figured I should at least make an attempt! This is only the second book I have read by him, but I have enjoyed him so far. I mean the above description compares him to Kafka, Philip K. Dick, and Raymond Chandler. I'd say that is saying something, but since I have yet to read any of those three I would have to take other people's word on it.

What I really liked about this book was it was different. I generally read a lot of fantasy and science-fiction, so I like it when an author has a fresh idea. This book might not be non-fiction and it might take place in an imaginary world, but you can see traces of our own world in the story that he is telling. I think that is why I liked it so much. It was unbelievable without being all that far-fetched. Make a few changes and it could be our own worlds fate. It's not a fast read by any means. It took me a while to get into it, but that happened with his previous book too. Once you get going with Mieville, though, you are sure to be captivated. He is quickly becoming one of my favourite fantasy/sci-fi authors! I really must take the time to read his other books.

Anyway, this was an enjoyable read. I am glad that I read it! I just wish I had reviewed it a bit more hastily so I could review it a bit better! My thanks, though, to Random House for sending me a copy!

The Blue Notebook by James A. Levine

Dear Reader:

Every now and then, we come across a novel that moves us like no other, that seems like a miracle of the imagination, and that haunts us long after the book is closed. James Levine’s The Blue Notebook is that kind of book. It is the story of Batuk, an Indian girl who is taken to Mumbai from the countryside and sold into prostitution by her father; the blue notebook is her diary, in which she recalls her early childhood, records her life on the Common Street, and makes up beautiful and fantastic tales about a silver-eyed leopard and a poor boy who fells a giant with a single gold coin.

How did Levine, a British-born doctor at the Mayo Clinic, manage to conjure the voice of a fifteen-year-old female Indian prostitute? It all began, he told me, when, as part of his medical research, he was interviewing homeless children on a street in Mumbai known as the Street of Cages, where child prostitutes work. A young woman writing in a notebook outside her cage caught Levine’s attention. The powerful image of a young prostitute engaged in the act of writing haunted him, and he himself began to write.

The Blue Notebook brings us into the life of a young woman for whom stories are not just entertainment but a means of survival. Even as the novel humanizes and addresses the devastating global issue of child prostitution, it also delivers an inspiring message about the uplifting power of words and reading–a message that is so important to hold on to, especially in difficult times. Dr. Levine is donating all his U.S. proceeds from this book to help exploited children. Batuk’s story can make a difference.

Sincerely,

Celina Spiegel
Publisher

Quote from Random House Website

I received a copy of this book back when it first came out and read it soon after. Unfortunately, it is one of many books I really wanted to review and am only now getting around to! I wish I was better with reviewing because I know I am not really doing these fantastic books justice, but at the same time I feel like I should say something! I know now that I am never going to review everything that I read this year, but I am still going to try and get through some of them.

This is a book that I honestly feel like all I can say to give it justice is that you really need to read it. I won't say that I loved the book. It's more than this book blew me away. I was impressed that a male, middle-class citizen could get inside the head of a female prostitute and tell her story so brilliantly. It is hard to get in the head of the other sex, we all know that to be true, so when authors tackle the opposite as their main characters it can be a bit hit-or-miss. This was a hit. Levine told this story of Batuk in such clarity that you could honestly feel that you were reading the diary of a 15-year-old girl who was living these experiences. It is even safe to say that it read more like non-fiction than fiction.

This book is actually pretty short. That's actually why I read it when I did. It just arrived in the mail and I wanted a short book to feel a bit accomplished. What I got was a book that will stick with me for a long time. It was fate because so many books I want to read and they wind up sitting on my TBR pile forever, but I read this one right away and I am so glad that I did! I still wish I had reviewed this a bit closer to reading it. I remember the general storyline, but I am afraid details are asking a bit much!

A very special thanks to Random House for sending me a copy of this book! I probably wouldn't have read it otherwise! (This is one of the reasons why I love review copies of books. And, the library. Both are great for getting you out of your comfort zone!)

Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman

This is a prayer for a blueberry girl . . .

A much-loved baby grows into a young woman: brave, adventurous, and lucky. Exploring, traveling, bathed in sunshine, surrounded by the wonders of the world. What every new parent or parent-to-be dreams of for her child, what every girl dreams of for herself.

Let me go places that we've never been, trust and delight in her youth.

Nationally bestselling author Neil Gaiman wrote Blueberry Girl for a friend who was about to become the mother of a little girl. Here, he and beloved illustrator Charles Vess turn this deeply personal wish for a new daughter into a book that celebrates the glory of growing up: a perfect gift for girls embarking on all the journeys of life, for their parents, and for everyone who loves them.

Give her all these and a little bit more, gifts for a blueberry girl.

Wouldn't it be nice if you were friends with a best-selling author and he wrote a poem for your daughter? Then, he goes one step further and publishes the poem and has the fantastic artist Charles Vess illustrate it. That would be one lucky little girl!

Neil Gaiman is a hit-or-miss author with me. I really liked this book, though! It was cute between the great writing and the fantastic art. I am glad I read it. Picture books are not my normal type of books, but I made an exception for Gaiman. It is worth reading!

Thanks to Harper Collins for sending me a copy of this book.

Music Monday: Music and Writing

Hi! This is Amanda from The Zen Leaf doing a Music Monday guest post over here for Kailana. I want to talk about the way music has influenced my writing. I'm a semi-published author (meaning I've had some stories and poems published in literary journals, but have yet to publish a full novel), and have been writing since early childhood. Since my teen years, music has played an integral role in my writing. Its influence takes two forms: either I gleen ideas from misheard lyrics, note fragments, or the tone set by a song; or a band or album can help me get in the mood for writing.

The band that has influenced me the most is Stiffs Incorporated. Yes, I know I've talked about these guys more times than I can count, but I can't help but gush over them. Stiffs Inc was a small band with a cult-like following that existed in the 90s. They put out two very different albums, Nix Nought Nothing and Electric Chair Theatre Presents. I can't explain why, but for some reason, just listening to this band makes my brain churn out ideas. I've written numerous stories with their albums on in the background, and when I'm feeling in a writing-rut, a quick listen to a few of their songs helps to re-energize me. I also always listen to them if I'm working out a plot problem. For some reason, they untangle my mind. The video below is of their song Chelsea, from Nix Nought Nothing.



Not all my writing influence comes from Stiffs Inc, however. Many times songs set the tone or mood of a story/novel, or help spark an idea. I have two examples of this. Two years ago, while listening to Lifeless by Stolen Babies (below), I had a vision of a girl sitting on a hill in her pajamas, looking out over the ocean, her arms wrapped around her knees and the wind blowing her hair back. The image had little to do with the words of the song, but a lot to do with the atmosphere. That image blossomed into a novel called MatchMakers Incorporated - a dystopian novel about the world as run by a matchmaking corporation, and one woman's struggle to find happiness and love in a society where everything is planned out by the government. The penultimate scene has my main character sitting out on that hill I originally saw. I listened to Lifeless all the time while writing this novel.



Sadly, an actual video of Lifeless doesn't seem to exist on youtube, but this has the song itself. I could have used a live version, but I liked this better.

Second example: I completed my most recent novel, Phantom, last month. It has a miriad of songs connected with it, including a whole soundtrack of mid-90s alternative music (REM, The Cranberries, Pearl Jam, etc) and the original cast recording of Music of the Night (from Phantom of the Opera). These songs are all touched upon in the text itself, but in the background, only visible to me, is another song which helped set the tone of the painful climactic scenes: Ordinary Life by Elizaveta. Listening to this song on repeat helped put me in the place I needed to be in order to write out the sufficient level of pain in those scenes. Writers: We're masochists.



(Sadly, this is another non-video...but at least you can hear the song.)

I guess I should quit now. Music means more to me and my writing than I can ever possibly put into words, but I hope this post can give you some idea.

Week in Review and Sunday Book Coveting

Random Thoughts

To start things off, it is almost time for the read-a-thon! Since my next post of this nature will be afterwards, I just wanted to wish everyone participating good luck. I have seen the piles and all of the plans. I think it is going to be a lot of fun! I'll be around, I am sure, but I am not going to actively participate. Maybe in the spring I will read, but otherwise I have always been a lurker for the read-a-thon. Or, a cheerleader. When the read-a-thon first happened Dewey actually had a hard time finding cheerleaders compared to readers, so it is good to see that isn't the case anymore! Anyway, happy reading!

On another note, three years ago I hosted a very informal reading challenge on my blog. This was back when reading challenges were not nearly as popular as they are now! I have been thinking the last few weeks about doing it again and then Sassymonkey brought it up in an email that she sent me. It only lasts the month of November and the goal is to read fiction or non-fiction dealing with one of the major wars. There is no book limit, or really any rules. It is just because it is Remembrance Day in Canada, Veteran's Day in the U.S., etc. I look at it as a way to support those that gave their lives for our countries. I hope people will informally join in! (And if you are thinking about it, let me know!)

Weekly Reads

This week was a bit of a slow one in some ways. I read good books, but I felt like it took me forever to accomplish it.

I am so glad that I read this book. It was the perfect vampire and paranormal novel for Halloween. It was creepy, that's for sure. I look forward to more books in the trilogy as they are released. There were a few graphic scenes, but otherwise it was a good read.

I read American Born Chinese earlier this year, so when I saw that the library had another book by the author I decided to give it a try. It turned out to not be as good as his first book, but I still liked it.

I really, really liked this book! I read Garden Spells earlier this year. Still haven't reviewed it, but I really liked that one, too. I think I might review both books together. I honestly didn't think the books were for me, but the magic realism made the book something I had to continue with. This one had a woman that books appeared to. The minute I read that I knew I was going to be spending some time with the book!

I mentioned on Twitter one day that the library had all the books in this series but this one and how annoying that was. I ended up getting two offers o f copies! It arrived in the mail yesterday from Harper Collins in the U.S. I think I will probably see how far I get in this series I get by the end of the year and then talk about the progress. This is book 3 and I have book 4 on hold at the library! I wouldn't say this is the best series ever, but I do enjoy it!

I feel like I have had this book out from the library forever, but I finally read it! Very proud of myself. I really liked it, too, so that was a plus. Disappointed that the library is going to make it complicated to read the rest of the series, but I will survive!

I really like non-fiction books about animals. I have wanted to read this book for a while and was happy to see it sitting on a display at the library the other day. It was good, but there were a few dull parts that I didn't really care about and I skipped most of a chapter because I was a bit bored, but still glad I read it!




As for what I am reading right now: I am very disorganized and have a small pile of books on the go. Very rare for me nowadays! We will see what winds up getting read this week...

Weekly Posts

Six Sentence Saturday
Review: Rampant by Diane Peterfreund
Review: Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb
Review: The Love we Share Without Knowing by Christopher Barzak
Review: Wonderland by Tommy Kovac
Guest Post: Music Munday: Josh Groban

Library Loot

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Dewey: The small-town library cat who touched the world by Vicki Myron
IWK: A Century of Caring for Families by Stephen Kimber
Prairie Tale: A Memoir by Melissa Gilbert
Tigerheart by Peter David
The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan
Canuck Rock: a history of Canadian popular music by Ryan Edwardson
The awakening by Kelley Armstrong

Sunday Book Coveting

I have started making Sunday Book Coveting books that I really want to read. In most cases I own them... I covet my own books because there are not enough hours in the day. It is as simple as that!

What books do you really want to read? I have way more that I could post about, but that's nothing new. That's sort of the point of a TBR pile, right?

Six Sentence Saturday

Welcome to Six Sentence Saturday.
Where I try to express my thoughts on recent reads using only 6 sentences!!!!.
At the end of each review I will post a
rating scale of 1-5 using the cute and original (lol) Playing Cards.
Rating scale will be as follows:

5 of Hearts- You must read this book NOW!!
4 of Hearts- A great read, put it on your TBR list.
3 of Hearts- Glad I read but no big deal
2 of Hearts- Why did I finish this?
Joker Card - Don't bother (why did I?)

Moon & Sun: The Ruby Key (Book One) by Holly Lisle
I have to say that I really, really enjoyed this book! I don't even know where I heard of it from, but I got it from the library and thought that the writing was really well done. I enjoyed the characters and the setting and looking forward to the next book in the trilogy. Even though it has been a few months since I read this book, the story is still in my mind, which is a mark of a good book. This was my first read by Lisle, but it hopefully won't be the last! I recommend it!


Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
I read this because I have heard good things about it and wanted to see what all the hype was about. I liked it overall, but it wasn't my general type of read. I like books with a bit more action, and this book was more about thinking. I also didn't really like the ending and thought the book could be a bit longer, but at the same time it worked for the story. That's not to say that I didn't like the book, though. I am glad I read it and would probably read more from Petterson if the chance presented itself.
Slaughter-House Five by Kurt Vonnegut
I made a plan to read all of Vonnegut's novels, but this is the only one I have accomplished so far! It is probably one of his most famous books, but while I am sure it was ground-breaking when it came out, I didn't find it was anything extraordinary. I remember that I read it, but it didn't have any lasting impression on me. I still plan to read more from him, but I wish the first book that I chose was a bit more memorable. I do like his writing style, though. The story just didn't blow me away, and I suppose that is okay.



Babymouse: Our Hero by Jennifer Holm (Book 2)
BabyMouse: Beach Babe by Jennifer L. Holm (Book 3)
I think the Babymouse books are so cute! The library didn't have the first one, but it didn't really seem to matter. The books are about the same characters, but the story isn't such that you have to have read the one before it in order to understand the next one. The art and the story are very simplistic in nature, but that made them enjoyable. I keep meaning to carry on with the series, but never think of it when I am browsing the library website. They are a very quick read, though, and would be perfect for a read-a-thon setting!




The Missing Book One: Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix
This was actually a very interesting first book to a trilogy! My biggest problem with it was that this book seemed to be all about setting everything up, and then when things were ready to be played out it was to be continued in book two. So, this book starts a really interesting idea and has interesting characters, but I don't think it can really stand on its own. I feel like you need to read the rest in order to be able to fully say anything about the first book, which is rather annoying, but also a very good money-making idea for publishers! I did enjoy it, though, and look forward to when the library has a copy of the sequel. Margaret Haddix is an author I have been meaning to read for a while, and I think this was a good introduction to her work!






I use Six Sentence Saturday as a way to catch-up on all the books I haven't reviewed this year! What are some books (or a book) that you haven't reviewed this year and really should? Try and review them in six sentences in the comments!