I didn't have to look at the weather forecast to know that a storm is on the way; I could feel it with the first step I took outside this morning with my dog.
As I stood on my patio and watched the steam rise off my coffee and swirl up through golden shafts of golden morning sunlight shot through a cloud-filled sky, I remembered a day like this one fifteen or sixteen years ago.
I'd just gotten home from Nice, where I'd lived and worked on a film called Mister Stitch for a few months. It wasn't the most pleasant movie in the world to work on (the other lead actor was an unprofessional nightmare) but the time I spent there working on it remains some of the best time in my life. I'd been acting since I was a child, but it wasn't until I lived in Nice and worked on Mister Stitch that I truly felt like an artist. I was fundamentally changed by the experience, seeing the world - especially entertainment - differently than I ever had before.
The day I got back from location, sometime in mid-January of that year, my friend Dave picked me up from LAX, and we went directly down the road to Manhattan Beach, to wait out the terrible rush hour traffic which stood between the airport and my house. After ten hours on an airplane, another 120 minutes to crawl 40 miles up the freeway wasn't exactly an appealing notion.
We parked in a mostly-empty lot and walked down toward the water. There was a winter storm on its way, driving powerful waves ahead of it that were so huge, they crashed up against the bottom of the pier and occasionally broke over the end of it. Wrapped up in the irrational immortality that's endemic to 22 year-olds, we walked dangerously close to the end of the shuddering pier, angry waves boiling beneath, and dared the Pacific Ocean to reach up and touch us.
I don't recall specifically what we talked about - I'm sure I regaled him with slightly-exaggerated tales of glamor and excess and artistic awakening along the French Riviera - but even now I can I clearly recall the terror and exhilaration I felt whenever foamy, freezing sea water splashed up through the spaces between the planks and soaked into the tops of our shoes.
Since I grew up and became a husband and a father, I've gone out of my way to avoid anything more dangerous than driving on the Los Angeles freeway system, so I can't imagine defying a Pacific winter storm like I did when I was in my early twenties ... but standing on my patio in my late thirties, not really defying as much as tolerating the morning chill, I was grateful for the memory.
This Saturday and Sunday I'll be volunteering at the Valley Hills Obedience Club's Obedience, Rally & Agility Trials which will be held at Woodley Park in Van Nuys, CA. I'll mainly be helping Laurie B of Poochability Dog Training. I'll also be helping out with the lunches, but I can't remember who it was that contacted me about it and I can't find the email she sent me. But it should be a busy and fun time! *note to self: bring the camera!*
Eventually, one far flung day when I get another dog, I'll be joining VHOC to do some of the fun competitions with my dog. Alas, I have yet to find a dog so I guess it's not yet time. I'll keep my hopes up and my contacts active, but in the meantime I'll focus on trying to become a better horseback rider and learn a bit about training. Since Laurie mentions on her website that she used to train horses, it might be a good conversation to talk about the differences in similarities between the dog and horse training approaches.
Anyway, if you're in the area and feel like seeing some awesome dogs, stop on by. They should be running all morning and into the early afternoon on both days.
Eventually, one far flung day when I get another dog, I'll be joining VHOC to do some of the fun competitions with my dog. Alas, I have yet to find a dog so I guess it's not yet time. I'll keep my hopes up and my contacts active, but in the meantime I'll focus on trying to become a better horseback rider and learn a bit about training. Since Laurie mentions on her website that she used to train horses, it might be a good conversation to talk about the differences in similarities between the dog and horse training approaches.
Anyway, if you're in the area and feel like seeing some awesome dogs, stop on by. They should be running all morning and into the early afternoon on both days.
calmShelby has now been dubbed "Grumpy Girl". She sits up on furniture and stares down at Wedge the kitten just ... grumbling. It's like this half-hearted attempt at a growl but it's become so constant that by now even she's tired of it and so it's just a grumble. The other day, we're sitting around and Shelby comes over for some attention. Every time Wedge came into sight, she starts up grumbling until Wedge goes out of sight. I start saying things like "damn whippersnappers" or "keep your toys out of my yard! ... or I'll keep 'em!" and things like that every time she started in. I was totally crackin' myself up.
- 15:57 Whoa. GE Energy Smart daylight bulbs completely rock. Clean, crisp light that makes it easy to see everything. Who knew? #
- 17:21 Yep. Still have no patience. Damn. "Patience? Yeah, yeah. How long's that gonna take?" - Ed Gruberman #
- 17:26 listening to "Ti Wan Leep/Boot To The Head!" ♫ blip.fm/~hb11p #
- 18:38 When is anything ever enough? #
( 1-56 )
57. Life of Pi by Yann Martel - Another disappointing kind of book. It was interesting in the beginning then I just got lost with the whole boat story. But I stole this book when I was waiting to do Jury Duty at the courthouse, haha, so it wasn't a big waste for me.
57. Life of Pi by Yann Martel - Another disappointing kind of book. It was interesting in the beginning then I just got lost with the whole boat story. But I stole this book when I was waiting to do Jury Duty at the courthouse, haha, so it wasn't a big waste for me.
 |
Author: P.D. James, 1962
Genre: Murder Mystery.
Other Details: Paperback 224 pages.
This was a reading group selection and although I'd certainly known how well respected James was among crime fiction buffs and writers, this was my first experience of her work.
Cover her Face was James' début crime novel and introduced Inspector Adam Dalgliesh of New Scotland Yard, who to date has featured in fourteen of her novels. This is a classic locked room murder mystery as Dalgliesh is called in to investigate the death of Sally Jupp, a young, ambitious housemaid at Martingale Manor. He has a houseful of suspects all of whom had reasons to want her out of their lives.
I had loved Agatha Christie's novels when I was younger and James really can be seen as an inheritor of that mantle of the genteel English mystery. The plotting is intricate and I found it a quick and engaging read. Adam Dalgliesh is an interesting character and I wanted to know more about him and see him at work on further cases. Luckily I'll have thirteen more opportunities.
 |
Author: Laurie Graham, 2001.
Genre: Period Fiction. Drama-Comedy.
Other Details: Paperback. 432 pages.
This ensemble novel opens in 1953 and focuses on a group of five young American Air Force wives stationed at an airbase in Norfolk, England. They fill their days with the typical concerns of 1950s homemakers and try not to think about the dangers their husbands face on a daily basis in their fight against the 'godless Commies'. On a rare trip outside the base they encounter the natives (that's us Brits!) and make a friend in Kath Pharaoh, a very down-to-earth Norfolk woman.
The novel spans forty years and charts the changing fortunes of the six women and shifting relationships within the group. The novel's narrator, Peggy Dewey, is a no-nonsense Texan who ensures that the women remain in touch over the years after they return home to the States and disperse. She also serves as a voice of her generation, the same generation as my own mother, who were raising children in the wake of WWII and dealing with the very considerable changes in society and women's roles. Through Kath's letters to Peggy, the reader also learns of the changes in Britain over the years.
Again this was a reading group selection and although this wasn't really my kind of book it was an easy, undemanding read with short chapters that I could dip into throughout the week. It did have a slow start and I found I needed to make some initial notes of the characters' names and relationships to keep them straight. I also liked the way in which the author inserted newspaper headlines in front of some chapters to highlight historical events. It has its moments of tragedy and pathos as well as lighter episodes.
67. Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl
68. Madame Verona by Dimitri Verhulst
69. Allotment and Garden Guide: A Monthly Guide to Better Wartime Gardening by Twigs Way.
Currently reading The Dice Man, Luke Rhinehart.
68. Madame Verona by Dimitri Verhulst
69. Allotment and Garden Guide: A Monthly Guide to Better Wartime Gardening by Twigs Way.
Currently reading The Dice Man, Luke Rhinehart.
Biggest difference older of a girl that I've dated: 16 years.
Biggest difference younger: 7 Years.
Biggest difference younger: 7 Years.
- Mood:
tired
- Mood:geeky
- 20:18 www.guardian.co.uk/environment/interacti
ve/2009/dec/03/story-cap-and-trade-annie-l eonard - 22:03 Christopher Walkengadget #webappcelebs
- 22:31 RT: @SuperArtFight: We setup a Facebook event for Super Art Fight 6! RSVP! Tell your friends! Tell your enemies! bit.ly/5RhNxi
- 04:19 It's my birthday in under an hour. I already took a nap and freaked out about hangers. I'm old, I get it.
- 04:52 Finishing my guest comic for @pierski finally.
- 13:31 I did a guest comic strip over at @pierski's Dueling Analogs that is up today! bit.ly/7fG0vr
- 16:10 I must be getting old. I just tried to center some type. Whoops. LEFT ALIGNED RULES.
- 16:23 Web designers do it with divs.
Story Or Series Title: Ruby Disappointment
Fandom: Harry Potter
Culprit Author's Name: BlackandTainted
Full Name (plus titles if any): Rubithiana Black
Full Species(es): The Extra-Sibling Sue (or in this case I suppose replacement sibling would actually be the correct term)
Hair Color (include adjectives): Hasn't been mentioned yet, but I'd imagine something like Sirius'
Eye Color (include adjectives): "Plain" Gray
Unusual Markings/Colorations: None mentioned so far
Special Possessions (if any): None so far. I'm sure it's only a matter of time
Annoying Origin: The Black Family. Allegedly.
Annoying Connections To Canon Characters: Seems to have replaced Regulus as Sirius' younger sibling. I don't think I'd have taken that trade.
Annoying Special Abilities: Cries virtually every ten minutes.
Other Annoying Traits: Pretty much just the crying so far. There's a lot of that. A LOT.
Please include a small sample of the worst of this story:
( Chapter the First )
Fandom: Harry Potter
Culprit Author's Name: BlackandTainted
Full Name (plus titles if any): Rubithiana Black
Full Species(es): The Extra-Sibling Sue (or in this case I suppose replacement sibling would actually be the correct term)
Hair Color (include adjectives): Hasn't been mentioned yet, but I'd imagine something like Sirius'
Eye Color (include adjectives): "Plain" Gray
Unusual Markings/Colorations: None mentioned so far
Special Possessions (if any): None so far. I'm sure it's only a matter of time
Annoying Origin: The Black Family. Allegedly.
Annoying Connections To Canon Characters: Seems to have replaced Regulus as Sirius' younger sibling. I don't think I'd have taken that trade.
Annoying Special Abilities: Cries virtually every ten minutes.
Other Annoying Traits: Pretty much just the crying so far. There's a lot of that. A LOT.
Please include a small sample of the worst of this story:
( Chapter the First )
Book 57
Delusions of Grandma - Carrie Fisher
The thing about a Carrie Fisher novel is that they aren't really novels at all. They're stories of things that a scarred and quirky child of Hollywood has seen, done or wanted to do. Here, Carrie becomes Cora, a screenwriter whose romance to a nice-guy lawyer is doomed from the start but manages to survive as a safety net for a friend dying of AIDS and the, creates new life when Cora, er, Carrie finds out she's pregnant. Witty, quick and filled with heartache and faux self-awareness, it isn't literature. But the writing is clear, even if there isn't much to the plot. Even as interconnected stories, swipes and sorrows, it works well enough for what it is.
Book 58
The Woman Who Gave Birth To Rabbits- Emma Donoghue
Donoghue has been a favorite of mine since reading Stir Fry about a decade ago. Her writing is astounding, able to make simple everyday moments come alive on the page. True, you can practically hear her Irish cadence on the page. But it works, repeatedly, whether she is crafting a novel or one of her many collections of short stories.
This is the latter, a collection of her takes on historical moments like, yes, the woman who faked giving birth to a dozen dead rabbits. The history is quirky, but what makes the stories work are what serves the best historical writer well: the ability to weave a narrative around an event.
And here Donoghue is in prime form. Her imagination, for instance, tackles the historical fact that Mary Wollestonecraft worked briefly as a governess. In Donoghue's hands, the reason for her dismissal is told from one of her charges, a tomboyish and wilfull child named Margaret. Another historical fact: Margaret would grow up to befriend the daughter that Wollenscraft died giving birth to: Mary Shelley.
It is the mix of the imagination and reality and Donoghue's ability to write so intimately that brings these little scraps of history alive. I wouldn't have imagined that I would care about a trivial moment in history, when a drunken soldier is tricked into marrying a spinster. Or that I'd never heard of a religious cult leader who convinces her followers to fast for 40 days to prepare for End Times.
But Donoghue takes these obscurities of history and creates the sort of detail and reason that we all crave when trying to understand how or why something may have happened. Her imagination is so vivid, it becomes hard to believe the stories happened any other way.
Book 59
The Willoughbys - Lois Lowry
This is it: the best book I've read all year.
Sure, it is technically for children. And one reason it's been sitting on my shelf for ages was its slender 176 pages seemed to be something I could put off, indefinitely.
Silly, silly Scoopgirl.
This wacky story of the four Willoughby children and their odious parents (don't fret; the book includes a glossary in the back with a delicious description of odious) is a brilliant and hilarious slam on all the convention's of old-fashioned children's literature.
This parody offers twist after twist: four precocious children who want to rid themselves of their parents, without knowing the parents are as eager to be done with the children. Throw in a nanny, a baby left on the doorstep, a wealthy recluse with a sad secret, a few background cats and you have yourself the best send-up of faux nostalgia out there.
Lowry is overt with some of it - such as the constant musing of what "old-fashioned" people might do next) but slyly includes social commentary on capitalism and family as well as outright silliness and charm.
Everything I've seen online confirms that this, like Lowry's most known work, is for children. But I think it's actually a book for adults, masquerading as kids' book. What a wonderful find.
Delusions of Grandma - Carrie Fisher
The thing about a Carrie Fisher novel is that they aren't really novels at all. They're stories of things that a scarred and quirky child of Hollywood has seen, done or wanted to do. Here, Carrie becomes Cora, a screenwriter whose romance to a nice-guy lawyer is doomed from the start but manages to survive as a safety net for a friend dying of AIDS and the, creates new life when Cora, er, Carrie finds out she's pregnant. Witty, quick and filled with heartache and faux self-awareness, it isn't literature. But the writing is clear, even if there isn't much to the plot. Even as interconnected stories, swipes and sorrows, it works well enough for what it is.
Book 58
The Woman Who Gave Birth To Rabbits- Emma Donoghue
Donoghue has been a favorite of mine since reading Stir Fry about a decade ago. Her writing is astounding, able to make simple everyday moments come alive on the page. True, you can practically hear her Irish cadence on the page. But it works, repeatedly, whether she is crafting a novel or one of her many collections of short stories.
This is the latter, a collection of her takes on historical moments like, yes, the woman who faked giving birth to a dozen dead rabbits. The history is quirky, but what makes the stories work are what serves the best historical writer well: the ability to weave a narrative around an event.
And here Donoghue is in prime form. Her imagination, for instance, tackles the historical fact that Mary Wollestonecraft worked briefly as a governess. In Donoghue's hands, the reason for her dismissal is told from one of her charges, a tomboyish and wilfull child named Margaret. Another historical fact: Margaret would grow up to befriend the daughter that Wollenscraft died giving birth to: Mary Shelley.
It is the mix of the imagination and reality and Donoghue's ability to write so intimately that brings these little scraps of history alive. I wouldn't have imagined that I would care about a trivial moment in history, when a drunken soldier is tricked into marrying a spinster. Or that I'd never heard of a religious cult leader who convinces her followers to fast for 40 days to prepare for End Times.
But Donoghue takes these obscurities of history and creates the sort of detail and reason that we all crave when trying to understand how or why something may have happened. Her imagination is so vivid, it becomes hard to believe the stories happened any other way.
Book 59
The Willoughbys - Lois Lowry
This is it: the best book I've read all year.
Sure, it is technically for children. And one reason it's been sitting on my shelf for ages was its slender 176 pages seemed to be something I could put off, indefinitely.
Silly, silly Scoopgirl.
This wacky story of the four Willoughby children and their odious parents (don't fret; the book includes a glossary in the back with a delicious description of odious) is a brilliant and hilarious slam on all the convention's of old-fashioned children's literature.
This parody offers twist after twist: four precocious children who want to rid themselves of their parents, without knowing the parents are as eager to be done with the children. Throw in a nanny, a baby left on the doorstep, a wealthy recluse with a sad secret, a few background cats and you have yourself the best send-up of faux nostalgia out there.
Lowry is overt with some of it - such as the constant musing of what "old-fashioned" people might do next) but slyly includes social commentary on capitalism and family as well as outright silliness and charm.
Everything I've seen online confirms that this, like Lowry's most known work, is for children. But I think it's actually a book for adults, masquerading as kids' book. What a wonderful find.
In a desperate attempt not to have to update about six books all in one go, I am trying something shockingly new, updating after having only read THREE books. Please, keep to your seats. I know it's revolutionary for me, but I'm pretty sure I can make this work, at least for now.
Let us begin with Angels and Demons a book my mother relentlessly shoved at me until I finally broke down and read it. I'm not sure why I didn't want to, since I'd thought The DaVinci Code was possibly the funniest thing ever but, for some reason, I was loath to appear as if I were hopping back on the Dan Brown bandwagon. Grudgingly I must admit that Angels and Demons wasn't that bad. In fact, for the most part it was pretty good, for an adventure story, and less ridiculous than its more famous sequel. True, I saw the ending coming from a good hundred pages away, but just because you aren't surprised doesn't make it not fun. I sort of half recall hearing on NPR that Mr. Brown wrote Angels and Demons without having done any research. I don't know if that's actually true or if it's some sort of manufactured memory, but I was pretty bewildered when Mr. Brown's protagonist asserts that Christianity stole the notion of god-eating (communion, that is) (true) from the Aztecs. You know how it works, you're reading along, perfectly happy, with your suspension of disbelief engaged, and then something breaks through that barrier and you're suddenly thinking "From the AZTECS? Is he f----ing kidding me?" because, of course, there's no WAY western culture could have stolen ANYTHING from the Aztecs until something like the early 1500's, when Cortez (I think) explored South America, and I'm pretty sure communion was already an established Christian practice by then. Yeah... pretty sure. That aside, it was still a highly entertaining romp, and if you're reading this sort of a book for actual FACTS, well, you're not the sort of person I'd be asking about South American history.
Then was a random Agatha Christie I'd picked up for very little cash. It was called The Man in the Brown Suit and it was hilarious. I suppose, in a way, it was a murder mystery, since there was certainly a murder (or two?) in the beginning, and the identity of the murderer is revealed in the end, but nobody seems particularly invested in the fact. It's mostly the story of a young woman, left without relatives or money, who decides she's going to go have adventures and then she does. You tend to forget about the murder, you never really cared about the murdered person anyway, you just want to see what the main character will do next. I wouldn't be surprised if this novel were a sort of a bridge between her typical murder mysteries and novels published under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, though this isn't a patch on how dark those are.
Last is a manuscript, unpublished, written by my mother, Ms. Mary Shartle, entitled The Hermit: The Life and Legend of Lily Martindale. It's only in second or third draft form right now and was sitting on the coffee table when I had run out of things to read. "I don't want you to read it for another couple of months," she said, "I've got some editing to do," and, of course, I ignored her. She does have some editing to do, but it's a pretty strong story.
And that gets me to 86/100ish. Odds are I won't make it this year, but it'll be close.
Let us begin with Angels and Demons a book my mother relentlessly shoved at me until I finally broke down and read it. I'm not sure why I didn't want to, since I'd thought The DaVinci Code was possibly the funniest thing ever but, for some reason, I was loath to appear as if I were hopping back on the Dan Brown bandwagon. Grudgingly I must admit that Angels and Demons wasn't that bad. In fact, for the most part it was pretty good, for an adventure story, and less ridiculous than its more famous sequel. True, I saw the ending coming from a good hundred pages away, but just because you aren't surprised doesn't make it not fun. I sort of half recall hearing on NPR that Mr. Brown wrote Angels and Demons without having done any research. I don't know if that's actually true or if it's some sort of manufactured memory, but I was pretty bewildered when Mr. Brown's protagonist asserts that Christianity stole the notion of god-eating (communion, that is) (true) from the Aztecs. You know how it works, you're reading along, perfectly happy, with your suspension of disbelief engaged, and then something breaks through that barrier and you're suddenly thinking "From the AZTECS? Is he f----ing kidding me?" because, of course, there's no WAY western culture could have stolen ANYTHING from the Aztecs until something like the early 1500's, when Cortez (I think) explored South America, and I'm pretty sure communion was already an established Christian practice by then. Yeah... pretty sure. That aside, it was still a highly entertaining romp, and if you're reading this sort of a book for actual FACTS, well, you're not the sort of person I'd be asking about South American history.
Then was a random Agatha Christie I'd picked up for very little cash. It was called The Man in the Brown Suit and it was hilarious. I suppose, in a way, it was a murder mystery, since there was certainly a murder (or two?) in the beginning, and the identity of the murderer is revealed in the end, but nobody seems particularly invested in the fact. It's mostly the story of a young woman, left without relatives or money, who decides she's going to go have adventures and then she does. You tend to forget about the murder, you never really cared about the murdered person anyway, you just want to see what the main character will do next. I wouldn't be surprised if this novel were a sort of a bridge between her typical murder mysteries and novels published under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, though this isn't a patch on how dark those are.
Last is a manuscript, unpublished, written by my mother, Ms. Mary Shartle, entitled The Hermit: The Life and Legend of Lily Martindale. It's only in second or third draft form right now and was sitting on the coffee table when I had run out of things to read. "I don't want you to read it for another couple of months," she said, "I've got some editing to do," and, of course, I ignored her. She does have some editing to do, but it's a pretty strong story.
And that gets me to 86/100ish. Odds are I won't make it this year, but it'll be close.
I was reading about the "slow parenting" movement yesterday. My reaction? That's just what I thought normal life was.
To me, normal is letting the girl run around half-naked for the entire morning because she isn't interested in getting dressed and there's no real reason to bother. Having things to do is cool, and having nothing in particular to do is also cool. I just happened to grow up around a house where my parents were around on the weekend and we rarely had excess money to throw at activities. That means that I spent alot of time in the dirt. Dirt's normal. Yard work is normal. Vacuuming and dusting is normal.
I don't call "slow parenting" a movement because I think, on the whole, that "slow parenting" is the predominant style. You only need a few wacky parents to drive everyone crazy.
To me, normal is letting the girl run around half-naked for the entire morning because she isn't interested in getting dressed and there's no real reason to bother. Having things to do is cool, and having nothing in particular to do is also cool. I just happened to grow up around a house where my parents were around on the weekend and we rarely had excess money to throw at activities. That means that I spent alot of time in the dirt. Dirt's normal. Yard work is normal. Vacuuming and dusting is normal.
I don't call "slow parenting" a movement because I think, on the whole, that "slow parenting" is the predominant style. You only need a few wacky parents to drive everyone crazy.
Michael need a hit and he needs it bad. Wait, it's not really a "hit" he needs but a shot, no make it a double shot. Michael is in real trouble. His drug of choice? Caffeine. And when the steaming water hits grounds, it's like elixir dripping down from on high. Coffee is life.
Tony Murphy's new book, a collection of daily comic strips, is good for the voyeur in all of us. What could be more entertaining than watching a neurotic stumble, tip-toe, and crawl through life? Murphy's characters are so real you feel like you could run into them at any cafe in the world. Did I mention that I laughed -- out loud?
If you're stuck for a present for that special someone who squirms at the idea that he or she is actually in a relationship or for your long-suffering Barista order of copy of It's All About You: A Daily Comic Strip right now.
--
Tony Murphy's new book, a collection of daily comic strips, is good for the voyeur in all of us. What could be more entertaining than watching a neurotic stumble, tip-toe, and crawl through life? Murphy's characters are so real you feel like you could run into them at any cafe in the world. Did I mention that I laughed -- out loud?
If you're stuck for a present for that special someone who squirms at the idea that he or she is actually in a relationship or for your long-suffering Barista order of copy of It's All About You: A Daily Comic Strip right now.
--
- Location:NYC
- Mood:
okay - Music:Silence
Summaries taken from back of books.
17. Dracula by Bram Stoker
Summary: Unquestionably the most famous vampire story ever written, Dracula has mesmerized readers since its publication in 1897. A gothic tale of dread and eroticism, it tells how a young man ends Dracula's reign of terror.
Genre: Horror, Vampires
Thoughts: I thought a lot about what I could say about this book. I liked it...I did. Maybe I've become desensitized but I don't really consider this a horror story. There weren't moments when I was scared. Instead I was kinda rooting for Dracula through the whole thing. Take for instance the scenes when Van Helsing and the rest of the guys were investigating...lol...they were like bumbling fools. I kinda wanted Dracula to come put and smack them around because they were acting like morons. And also, I love Renfield. He was the best. The stuff with him...that was creepy. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who hasn't read it. Also the version I have the editor is Leonard Wolf and I thought the footnotes (yes, footnotes) were fascinating.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
18. Adam's Fall by Sandra Brown
Summary: For the past few years, Lilah Mason has watched her sister find love, get married, and have children, while she's been more than content to channel her energies into her career. A physical therapist with an unsinkable spirit and unwavering compassion, she's one of the best in the field. But when Lilah takes on a demanding new case, her patient's life isn't the only one transformed. Her new patient, Adam, challenges her methods and authority at every turn. Yet Lilah is determined to help him recover the life he's lost. What she can't see, until it's much too late, is that while she's winning Adam's battle, she's losing her heart... And as professional duty and her passionate yearnings clash, she must choose the course right for them both.
Genre: Romance
Thoughts: And now on the other end of the spectrum a contemporary romance. First off, if I had picked up this book in a bookstore and read the description I never would've bought it. I don't do romances. There needs to be something else going on (history, sci-fi, fantasy, something) besides the romance or I think it's lame or boring. This book was recommended to me as a quick read that's light and fun. It was exactly that. It's a book you could easily read in one sitting. The couple has the whole love-hate thing going which I'm such a sucker for. There was good witty banter which is another of my weaknesses. It was fun. I do think the ending was a little sudden and frankly unnecessary. My one grievance was that I would have liked to have read the first meeting between Lilah and Adam all those years ago. I think it would've of been fun and interesting.
Rating: a solid 3 out of 5.
Hmm, my goal was 25 this year I don't think I'll make hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in 2 more to round it out to 20.
17. Dracula by Bram Stoker
Summary: Unquestionably the most famous vampire story ever written, Dracula has mesmerized readers since its publication in 1897. A gothic tale of dread and eroticism, it tells how a young man ends Dracula's reign of terror.
Genre: Horror, Vampires
Thoughts: I thought a lot about what I could say about this book. I liked it...I did. Maybe I've become desensitized but I don't really consider this a horror story. There weren't moments when I was scared. Instead I was kinda rooting for Dracula through the whole thing. Take for instance the scenes when Van Helsing and the rest of the guys were investigating...lol...they were like bumbling fools. I kinda wanted Dracula to come put and smack them around because they were acting like morons. And also, I love Renfield. He was the best. The stuff with him...that was creepy. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who hasn't read it. Also the version I have the editor is Leonard Wolf and I thought the footnotes (yes, footnotes) were fascinating.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
18. Adam's Fall by Sandra Brown
Summary: For the past few years, Lilah Mason has watched her sister find love, get married, and have children, while she's been more than content to channel her energies into her career. A physical therapist with an unsinkable spirit and unwavering compassion, she's one of the best in the field. But when Lilah takes on a demanding new case, her patient's life isn't the only one transformed. Her new patient, Adam, challenges her methods and authority at every turn. Yet Lilah is determined to help him recover the life he's lost. What she can't see, until it's much too late, is that while she's winning Adam's battle, she's losing her heart... And as professional duty and her passionate yearnings clash, she must choose the course right for them both.
Genre: Romance
Thoughts: And now on the other end of the spectrum a contemporary romance. First off, if I had picked up this book in a bookstore and read the description I never would've bought it. I don't do romances. There needs to be something else going on (history, sci-fi, fantasy, something) besides the romance or I think it's lame or boring. This book was recommended to me as a quick read that's light and fun. It was exactly that. It's a book you could easily read in one sitting. The couple has the whole love-hate thing going which I'm such a sucker for. There was good witty banter which is another of my weaknesses. It was fun. I do think the ending was a little sudden and frankly unnecessary. My one grievance was that I would have liked to have read the first meeting between Lilah and Adam all those years ago. I think it would've of been fun and interesting.
Rating: a solid 3 out of 5.
Hmm, my goal was 25 this year I don't think I'll make hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in 2 more to round it out to 20.
- Mood:
relaxed
Winter Solstice
Rosamunde Pilcher
5 people, elderly has-been actress Elfieda, (and her dog, Horace), her friend and companion, widower Oscar, Elfrieda's cousin's daughter Carrie, Carrie's 14-yr-old niece Lucy, and stranded stranger Sam, each at loose ends in their lives, each dealing with their own heartache, end up together at Christmas in a home in Scotland that is half-owned by Oscar.
No one feels much like celebrating Christmas, but, at first for Lucy's sake, and then on their own behalfs, plans for Christmas come together after all.
The threads of the subplots, as each seeks to heal his or her own heartache are perfectly, beautifully woven together.
I loved Winter Solstice! Rosamunde Pilcher is a favorite author whom I used to read all the time. Picking up a book of hers again, after several years, was like revisiting a comfortable, old friend. Also, I could not have picked a better time of year, or better weather to read this book! It's been positively chilly here in California lately, and the weather and holiday mood have only enhanced the cozy, comfortable reading experience.
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