ever so fickle

Yep, that's me. Seriously, I don't even know why I have this blog. I really don't.

Actually, when I started this new blog, it was a fresh start, with a new way of doing things. I had zero intention of even trying to do my pathetic version of a "review." Nope, I just wanted a place where I could record my daily observations on what I was reading. And that's how I started out.

Then as a few of my dear friends started reading it, well, I felt sort of stupid. I mean, who the hell wants to read that kind of rambly blathering. So I started going back towards the way I used to blog about books. Not exactly reviews, but something closer anyway.

Yeah, well here's the thing...I suck at writing "reviews." And I *hate* even trying! Yep, I hate it. I'm not insightful. And I'm not eloquent. And I never will be.

 But see, I still do love reading! And I love talking about what I'm reading. And I really want to go back to the way it was when I started this blog--where I just recorded what I'd read that day and what I thought about it.

I know that's not the kind of thing that anyone else will get much from. Really, I get that. So here's where I beg you not to feel like you have to read my blog out of any sense of obligation or anything of that sort!!!!!!!!!! I promise, promise, promise that I will not take it personally--I will not assume you don't like me as a person--I will not stop reading your blog!!!!

So yeah, this is one of many changes I'm making just for me.

See you at your blog, okay?

*****
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll.

It's not exactly that I had high expectations for this book/these books. More like I had high hopes. Hell, I knew there was a chance I wouldn't even like them. Ah, but those hopes...yeah, I really, really, really wanted to be utterly charmed and enchanted.

Didn't happen.

Sort of reflexively, I told myself that I might have fallen in love had I read them first as a child. But you know, I really don't think that's the case.

And it's not that I disliked these books at all. I didn't. I just didn't love them. Still, I am glad that I *finally* got around to reading them. Seriously, I wonder how many days one can make it through without running into some sort of Alice allusion. Just knowing that I will better understand those allusions alone makes it worth the time I spent reading it. I also really enjoyed all the word play...something I wasn't really expecting, but found sort of fun.

Pretty sure I won't be rereading it though. Unless it's with one of the boys, I guess. Now Alice in Sunderland by Bryan Talbot...that I'd love to reread one of these days. :)

another three for the win column...some random thoughts

I've been on a small comics binge lately. I already talked a bit about Foiled, so I won't include that here, but really so many of the similarities I noticed between these books would also apply to that one as well. So what books am I talking about?

*I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly
*Bayou (vol. 1) by Jeremy Love
*Neil Young's Greendale by Joshua Dysart

On the surface, these books could not be more different. And yet, for some reason, their similarities jumped out at me. Maybe because these commonalities were all things that made these books so special.

1. Each of these books has a lovely young heroine. Not heroine as in "rides in on white horse and saves the day." But in my mind, heroines all, nonetheless. There is 10-year-old Barbara from I Kill Giants...and Lee, whom I'm guessing is slightly younger, from Bayou...and from Greendale, 17-year-old Sun. To various extents, we see each of them facing very real fears. Their fears and challenges are different, and the way they approach them is different. But I found myself feeling deep respect for each of them.

2. Though each approach varied, fantasy played a part in each of these books. And played its part quite well, I might add.

3. Each of these books contained beautiful art. The artists' styles were certainly different, but I loved them all. (Okay, I admit it--the art in Bayou is definitely my favorite, but I do love them all.) Here's a taste of each one:

I Kill Giants/artist JM Ken Niimura

Bayou/artist Jeremy Love

Neil Young's Greendale/artist Cliff Chiang

4. Each book deals with important issues. Trauma (I don't want to be more specific and possibly spoil it for anyone), racism, environmental issues and war. Both I Kill Giants and Bayou broke my heart, brought tears. Powerful stuff, for sure.

I'm not quite sure, but I think I may read Black Hole by Charles Burns next. While I'm open to all possibilities, I'm just sort of guessing that it's not going to remind me so much of these ones.

book gushing and blame

I'll start with the gushing. :) I read Foiled by Jane Yolen last night. I know a few different people who have read this, with somewhat mixed results. But I'm happy to report that I fall squarely in the "I adored this book!" camp. I stayed up past my bedtime finishing it. And then I immediately had to get on the computer to try to find out when the second book was coming out. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the answer. All I know is that I want it NOW!!! And then I had to email Chris to gush because I knew he'd understand. Heck, I was tempted to wake Gray up to talk to him about it, too, but I managed to stop myself. ;)

So what did I love so much about this book?

1. Aliera. Socially awkward, tremendously talented, incredibly authentic.

2. The art. Wow, Mr. Cavallaro...you are an amazing artist!

3. The black/white vs. color concept.

4. The ways it reminded me so much of Gray...fencing, social anxiety, role-playing...yeah, it's no wonder he loved this book, too.

5. The ending! Oh, oh, oh...what can I say...I utterly adored the turn this story took! It's not that it was totally unexpected--after all, it is Jane Yolen writing, right? And she gave subtle hints throughout the book. But still, it delighted me to no end. :D

Yep, another one for the win column.

*****
I don't actually want to combine my rambling about books with a blame post. But with so many books sitting here on the computer table waiting to be put away, I figured I'd go ahead and deal with a few more.

Sweetness and Light: The Mysterious History of the Honeybee by Hattie Ellis. (Sorry for the blurry image.) This is one that Rich and I sort of bought together, as we both love bees. In fact, I think if we were more of a honey-loving family, we'd really be tempted to try beekeeping. Anyway, if I have a correct feel for the book, it examines not just the honeybee but also human relationships with this incredible animal. Sort of a blend of biology, human history, and natural history.

When She Was White: The True Story of a Family Divided by Race by Judith Stone. This is the story of Sandra Laing, born to Afrikaner parents in South Africa during apartheid. She was officially registered as "white" and was sent to a boarding school exclusively for whites. There she was persecuted for her brown skin, and was eventually kicked out of the school and reclassified as "coloured" (mixed race). Her parents fought this ruling, and the law was eventually changed and Sandra officially became "white" again. This book follows not only Sandra's story as a child and as an adult, but it also looks at the cruelty and the insanity of apartheid. I added this book to my wish list in the days before I started keeping track of where I first heard of them, but I'm fairly certain it was on NPR. POINT FOR NPR.

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci. No question who gets the blame for this one! It's been on my wish list ever since I read Ana's review! The only thing that makes no sense is why it took me so long to buy it! :)  POINT FOR ANA.

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. There's a bit of blame sharing to be done on this one. Despite the fact that I'm a little intimidated by this book, I've wanted to read it for a long time simply because Dewey loved it so much. It's been on my paperbackswap wish list for what seems like forever. And you know, I was finally starting to get close to the top of the list. But then Ana read and reviewed it, and I found my patience had simply run out. ;)  I simply had to buy it! POINTS FOR DEWEY AND ANA.

The Unwritten: Inside Man (vol. 2) by Mike Carey and Peter Gross. (Simply could not find the cover image that graces my copy anywhere.) So Ana, I'm really sorry--I realize this seems a tad unfair, but I'm blaming you for this one, too.  It's your fault I bought the first volume, because of your incredible review. If I had read the first one and then had to buy the second, I wouldn't shoulder you with the blame. But since I haven't actually read it yet (sorry Kelly!), the fact is that I trust you so much that I knew I had to buy this one, too. See it is your fault! POINT FOR ANA.

Okay, that makes a tiny dent in this embarrassing pile anyway. But there's plenty more blame to come. :)

Well, that makes a teeny dent in this embarrassing pile...but there's plenty more blame to come...

graphic novel binge

As shocking as it was that I finally finished a book day before last, it doesn't compare to the shocking events of yesterday...when I finished two! Both graphic novels. And then I started a third. Yep, another graphic novel. Got me thinking how awesome it would be to just indulge myself in a big old comic binge. I have so many I'm dying to read right here in my very own house. I know I must start putting together Annie's literature course here (I've already procrastinated a few days longer than I meant to). While we're using a lecture series, which should mean much less work on my part, I still have many, many books to get read. I'm thinking it might be cool to focus on that reading, with massive amounts of graphic novels thrown in. So much for my summer reading plan of finishing up all the books I have started. Maybe I can come up with some mixture of all three. Or maybe I can stop worrying about it and just see what transpires. ;)

Well, we headed to B&N last night. Mostly to be somewhere with AC. Our third day of temps in the 90s had our house up into the mid-80s...and what can I say?...we're complete pantywaists when it comes to the heat. Anyway, while sitting there in the cafe, I ended up reading The Nobody by Jeff Lemire. I didn't mean to...I picked it up to read the first few pages to see if I wanted to buy it, but I got so sucked in that I couldn't put it down until I'd finished all 144 pages. According to descriptions, it is a loose retelling of H.G. Well's The Invisible Man. But I can't compare, as I've never read Well's classic. But I can say I very much enjoyed this book...with its themes of loneliness and loss and identity and paranoia. It won't make my top three reads of the year, but it was definitely worth my time.

At home, I finished up the last 68 pages of Arabian Nights (and Days). I think I said earlier that this wasn't my favorite in the series. But then, they can't all be my favorite, can they? The last two chapters took a detour (though a relevant one, and one that I can tell is going to connect to the main arc). At first I wasn't sure about this storyline, but I ended up loving it! (Sad to say, I really didn't like the art in these last two chapters though. A totally subjective call there--just not my style.) Had the next volume been sitting there, I undoubtedly would have picked it up immediately. However, I was just too lazy to get out of bed and get it from the library, so instead...

I started reading The Stand: American Nightmares (the second volume in the graphic adaptation of Stephen King's novel). Read the first 27 pages, before the need to sleep just overpowered me. I find it incredibly hard to judge this graphic novel series. I'm enjoying them a lot! But I've read the novel so many times now that I'm just automatically filling in all kinds of little details. I honestly cannot judge how different my reading experience might be if I wasn't so familiar with King's original book.

a book finished...shocking

Last 55 pages done. I was beginning to feel like I was never going to finish a book again. Don't even know why...I've certainly gone longer stretches than this without finishing a book before. And I assuredly will again. Anyway, The Lightning Thief is definitely one for the win column!

Random thoughts:

*I learned so much about Greek mythology! (Okay, so I was starting at a knowledge level of nearly zero, but still.) And it's encouraged me to learn even more. I'll have to ask Gray for book suggestions. ;)

*I've heard that the series, while good, goes a little downhill after this first book. But you know, I think I'm going to have to judge for myself. :) Not that I'll immediately be reading the rest (too many other books I'd like to get finished), but I will definitely be continuing. And I'd really love to read The Red Pyramid, Riordin's new series about Egyptian mythology! (That was something I was fascinated with as a kid.)

*By a certain point in the book, I started wondering if I was going to get tired of it. It was closing in on one too many monsters to outsmart on their quest. But just as I was starting to wonder, things switched up and completely kept my interest.

*I'm really looking forward to our family book club meeting...can't wait to see what Gray has to ask me.

So, in other reading...

Another chapter (22 pages) in Arabian Nights (and Days). Maybe I can even finish that book today...yeah, high hopes, huh? And another article (7 pages) in Urban Farm.

two days in row!

Finished another book last night (92 pages worth). That makes two days in a row finishing up a book. Which I realize is a common occurrence for many, but it most certainly isn't for me. And of course, the book I finished last evening, Seedfolks, was an itty bitty thing. Oh but it was a wonderful little thing. On the anniversary of her father's death, which is recognized each year by her family, a little girl is feeling left out because she never knew her father. And what made her equally sad was that he had no memories of her because he died before she was born. Kim's father had been a farmer all his life, and she decides to reach out to him by planting some bean seeds. Of course, inner-city Cleveland is a long way from their native home of Vietnam, and April is a bit premature for planting beans here. Kim plants her seeds in a huge vacant lot, a lot used as a garbage dump by the inhabitants of the neighborhood, as well as by others who seem to feel no compunction about hauling off their debris and dumping it the poor section of town. Her act doesn't go unnoticed by a woman living in one of the surrounding buildings. She watches Kim as she comes back each day watering her seeds. And next we get to hear her little piece of the story. (At first, she suspects that Kim is up to no good.) And thus the book continues forward. Person by person. Story by story. We see this ugly piece of land slowly transformed. We see people begin to talk to people they never would have dreamed of talking to anywhere else. We see a community of care sprout from ground. It's not that every story is pretty, or everyone has altruistic motives, but that only adds to the beauty of this little book.

I think this book is probably aimed at middle grade readers. And while it's not something I think either Gray or Max would pick up on their own, I'm hoping I can convince them to read it. And I just had a copy sent to my dear friend Chris. Because he's the one who really sparked my enthusiasm for own little garden this year! :D

After finishing Seedfolks, last night I decided to go ahead and start my assigned reading for our family book club. I'm soooooo thrilled that Gray chose The Lightning Thief for me! I've been wanting to read it for ages. Read the first chapter (15 pages) last night, and let me tell you, thus far, I am definitely not disappointed! Yep, think I'm going to love this one. :D  Added bonus: I have a feeling I'm going to learn a bit about Greek mythology--something about which I know very little but would very much like to learn since Gray is so obsessed.

not meeting goals

Have much school work to get done today, but I thought I'd make some reading goals anyway. I'd love to knock out at least 100 pages from Harry Potter. I'd love to finish Field Notes from a Catastrophe. And I need to a couple chapters from The Body Book and about 35 pages in The Encyclopedia of the Human Body. Hmmm...as I am the slowest reader on the planet, I guess I'd better get started...

Oh my. I suck. Seriously pathetic amount of reading got done today. One chapter in The Body Book. Sixteen pages. Which is fantastic when compared to how much I read of The Encyclopedia of the Human Body--zero pages. But about The Body Book. It's really an awesome little book about the human body and how it works. I'd say it's probably geared towards middle grades, but sheesh--I'm learning so much! It's written in a really fresh, interesting way. While it doles out all the important info about how our bodies work, it also talks about all kinds of stuff that is really of more interest on a day to day level. And it answers all these really cool questions that I didn't realize I even had until I started reading. :)

And I only managed to get five pages read in Field Notes from A Catastrophe. Yep, five. *sigh* I know, I know--it sounds like a lousy excuse, but I really would have knocked out a lot more, but Annie and I are both trying to read this book at the same time. I'd just gotten started when she asked if she could have it, so I relinquished control. After all, it is a school assignment for her. It's a super wonderful book though, and I'll be sure to talk about more on a day I get a bigger chunk read.

Okay, it's 10:30 already. And I got so freakin' little sleep last night that my eyes probably won't stay open for more than a page or two (if I'm lucky). But I'm going to go give Harry a go.

Well, I managed 22 pages. I'm now about halfway through the book, and I have to say that I think this is my favorite one yet. I'm so glad Rich picked this for me for family book club--if he hadn't who knows  when I might have gotten to it. And speaking of family book club, Rich finished his book--which means I'm the last to finish yet again. But finish I will. And I'm so excited for the next round, because Chris will be joining us! :D

*****
And in the dangerous world of blog reading, this book was added to my wish list:

*The Dark House Book of Hauntings, a graphic novel anthology (thanks to Chris's bad blogger post)

a little work, a little play

First up, I finished the last eleven pages of chapter 7 in The Century. I won't say much more, as I already gushed yesterday...but yes, it is very much enjoyable reading.

Next, it was eight pages in our environmental science textbook (Environment: The Science Behind the Stories by Jay Withgott and Scott Brennan). Covering efforts being made to mitigate global climate change.

Indulgent plans to give myself a couple of hours to read for fun before bed. But they sort of fell through. I couldn't help myself--I couldn't quit watching Rich play with his new iPhone. ;)  Anyway, I ended up only reading 26 pages in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. (This is the book Rich picked for me for this round of our family book club...and I'm absolutely, positively loving it! Yes, I know, I'm like one of three people who hasn't already read it. Better late than never, right?)

*****
And in the dangerous world of blog-reading, this has been added to my wish list:

*Junk Beautiful by Sue Whitney and Ki Nassauer (thanks to Carl's review)