What I'm Reading Now

I Can Still Read (and Occasionally Manage To)

2011-05-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

I have been reading I just haven't been blogging about it. I don't like to write reviews and it didn't seem fair to just boil it down to "I liked it" or "I didn't like it". So I'm just going to post the titles and if I feel the need to say something, I will (even if it is just liked/didn't like). I'm going to start with the stuff I've been doing since we left for New Orleans. Anything I've read since my last post is SOL unless I add it in when I get home.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman: we started listening to this on the way to New Orleans but didn't finish it before the husband went home so I read the ending. I think I might have liked it better reading it than listening to it but I will look for the second book.

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde: it's Jasper Fforde. 'Nuff said.

Writers Gone Wild by Bill Peschel: most people who write for a living are pretty screwed up.

The Widow's Season by Laura Brodie: did a really good job of keeping me guessing and I didn't feel cheated at the end.

Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch: will definitely be picking up the next books.

The Native Star by M.K. Hobson: kind of predictable but I enjoyed it. Not against getting the next one.

Archangel by Mike Conner: eh, it was ok. Not sure what the point was.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness: this one is getting its own post. LOVED IT.

#75

2009-01-02T19:44:00.000-08:00

The Sons of Heaven (The Company) by Kage Baker. The long-awaited ending to a great series. I really enjoyed it but I'm sad the saga is over.

#74

2009-01-02T19:42:00.000-08:00

The Machine's Child (The Company) by Kage Baker. Second to last book of a series I've been reading since the disastrous trip to Solvang (and the only good thing to some out it).

#73

2009-01-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

Dog Is My Co-Pilot: Great Writers on the World's Oldest Friendship by Bark Editors. I was afraid it would make me cry, but it wasn't too sad.

#72 Tattoo Girl

2008-11-11T17:04:00.000-08:00

Tattoo Girl by Brooke Stevens. Yes, I know it's out of order but for some reason I thought I'd already blogged it... Anyway, I picked this one up because of the title and almost put it back down when I saw what it was about, but I liked it. I can't say I enjoyed it because a lot of it is too dark to be enjoyable. But it was well done and thought-provoking. In the end it confirmed my belief that religion causes a lot of harm and that women are stronger than most people think.

#73 Interred With Their Bones

2008-11-11T16:57:00.000-08:00

Interred With Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell. HS gave me this because of the connection to Cardenio, the craptastic play we saw while in Boston. She warned me it wasn't great but that it was worth it. I have to say if I could have followed the logic of the "who was Shakespeare" plot then I would have enjoyed it more. It's probably just me but I got completly tangled up and ended up zoning out. So not particularly recommended by me.

#71 Empire of Ivory

2008-10-29T17:15:00.000-07:00

Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novick. Yes, I read through all three in a row. If I had had the 5th book, I would have gone straight into it.

#70 Black Powder War

2008-10-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

Black Powder War by Naomi Novick. Still love this series.

#69 Throne of Jade

2008-10-29T17:12:00.000-07:00

Throne of Jade by Naomi Novick. Love this series.

#68 All That Matters

2008-08-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

All That Matters by Jan Goldstein was shallower than I had hoped. I really didn't care so much for the 23 year old suicidal protagonist - I wanted to hear more about Nana's escape from the Nazis. Seems odd to say a book about a woman being saved from herself is shallow but that's how I feel.

#67 Sarah Canary

2008-08-19T11:10:00.001-07:00

Sarah Canary by Karen Joy Fowler was not the book I thought it was going to be - not that it was bad. I'm not sure that I can explain it other than to say I wanted it to be different than it was and if I had known I probably wouldn't have read it.

#66 Ballad of the Whiskey Robber

2008-07-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts by Julian Rubinstein - the title pretty much sums it up... Actually, I really enjoyed this one, learning about Hungary and Eastern Europe after the fall of Communism and how it affected ordinary people through the rise and downfall of a hockey goalie who robs banks and post offices. I would recommend this one, despite the slightly cheesey cover art.

#65 Coffee and Kung Fu

2008-07-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

Coffee and Kung Fu by Karen Brichoux is a light, easy read set in Boston. Have to say I was excited by that fact, hoping it would serve a bit as a travel guide. Sadly, not so much. But it was entertaining if not exactly inspiring. Well, I shouldn't say that as some parts made me wistful but in the end, it's a modern day fairy tale and everything turns out ok.

#64 Pope Joan

2008-06-24T10:18:00.000-07:00

Pope Joan: A Novel by Donna Cross is another historical fiction set in the 9th century. Damn, I love this type of book. The legend/historical fact at the heart of this one is the election of a woman (disguised as a man) to the throne of St Peter. Apparently, a lot of smart women spent their lives disguised as men through the centuries.

I really enjoyed this one - the details were meticulous but only added to the story. Plus, some of the names were familiar to me from the are in So. Indiana where my grandparents lived. That's always a nice touch.

#63 I, Lucifer

2008-06-11T19:10:00.001-07:00

I, Lucifer: Finally, the Other Side of the Story by Glen Duncan. I didn't warm up to this book right away even though I usually love books that feature angels (not religious stuff, but as characters). This one had a good concept but the delivery was a bit crude for my tastes (lots of cursing and weird sex stuff). I eventually got into it more but I still think he could have been less pornographic. And then it took me a while to realize the writer in the book had a name that was derived from the author's name (Declan Gunn). Not sure how I feel about that, as if he cares...

#62 Life of Pi

2008-06-11T19:09:00.002-07:00

Life of Pi by Yann Martel. I finally found this after more than a year and brought it to Boston with me. I loved this book. There's so much detail and spirit and it's just the coolest concept. I keep meaning to google it and see if any of it is true - doesn't really matter, though. I'd recommend this to anyone.

#61 Quite A Year For Plums

2008-06-11T19:09:00.001-07:00

Quite a Year for Plums: A Novel by Bailey White. Have to say I didn't care much for this one. The characters are quirky and interesting, but their actions don't amount to much. I guess it's meant to be a snapshot of life, but I wanted it to go somewhere or do something more concrete.

#60 Men Of Tomorrow

2008-06-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

Men Of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book by Gerard Jones. The husband asked me to read this one and although I would have never picked it up on my own I really liked it. I have to say the "true" history of comic books is nothing like what you'd imagine. It's almost sad to think of the people who got chewed up and spit out. But it's fascinating to realize that for almost all of these guys, it was just a job.

#59 The Dress Lodger

2008-04-03T08:02:00.000-07:00

The Dress Lodger by Sheri Holman. An interesting take on an historical novel... it wasn't what I expected and I wasn't sure I'd finish it, but it didn't take long to get hooked. I thought it was going to be more about the woman in the dress, which is what drew me in the first place, but when it changed direction I was happy to go along.

#58 The Stupidest Angel

2008-03-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

The Stupidest Angel: A Heatwarming Tale of Christmas Terror by Chistopher Moore. I heartily recommend this book as an alternative to the regular pablum that surrounds the holidays. My only regret is that I bought it at a church sale so Mr Moore doesn't get any royalties. Maybe I should send him a check...

#57 I Am Not Myself These Days

2008-03-04T08:17:00.000-08:00

I Am Not Myself These Days: A Memoir by Josh Kilmer-Purcell. I wasn't sure I'd be able to read this book when I started - it seemed like it might be a bit too outside of my experiences for me to enjoy. But the writing is sharp and the emotions are all too human for me to not find something of myself in it. I hope the author has found someone who has helped him find himself.

#56 Easter Island

2008-03-02T11:08:00.001-08:00

Easter Island by Jennifer Vanderbes. I really enjoyed this one, even though I wanted things to happen, to come together, that never did. I'm still not sure I'm happy about it but in the end it doesn't matter. It's a good story about several women finding themselves on this speck of land in the middle of the ocean. It really makes me want to go there for myself.

#55 Death Comes As Epiphany

2008-03-02T11:07:00.002-08:00

Death Comes As Epiphany: A Catherine LeVendeur Mystery by Sharan Newman. I picked up the 3rd in the series at a library sale and the husband was kind enough to checkout the 1st for me. It started slowly but I finally got into it and really enjoyed it. I'll be getting the 2nd one as soon as I can so I can read the 3rd one.

#54 Birds Of A Feather

2008-03-02T11:07:00.001-08:00

Birds of a Feather (Maisie Dobbs Mysteries) by Jacqueline Winspear. The second in what turns out to be a longish series. I have to say I liked the 2nd one better than the first - more character development and less revelations about the past.

#53 Maisie Dobbs

2008-02-06T17:51:00.000-08:00

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear. The husband picked out this one and the 2nd one as filler for our sale at the Shrine. When they didn't go he suggested I might like them. Historical fiction but only the 1920's and quite enjoyable.

Audio H - Coraline

2008-01-17T17:37:00.000-08:00

Coraline by Neil Gaiman. The husband and I started listening to this years ago but I was so creeped out by the singing rats I couldn't finish it. Since my last audio book from the library was broken, I grabbed it and am nearly finished. Highly recommended. I've heard Neil read his work at Comic-Con and he's a fantastic reader. And the rats are still creepy, dammit.

Audio G - The Red Tent

2008-01-16T13:33:00.000-08:00

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant - I really enjoyed it but didn't care too much for the reader. I thought her voice was too high and light for the tone. Mostly I'm glad I listened to it rather than read it because some of those names would have thrown me right out of the story. It made me miss my mom and sister most of all.

#52 Terraforming Earth

2008-01-03T11:27:00.000-08:00

Terraforming Earth by Jack Williamson. A pretty good sci-fi tale of a bunch of clones trying to rekindle life on the planet after a meteor impact. I thought the ending was a bit weak, kind of throwing in a whole philosophy about the "next stage of evolution" at the very end w/o much expanation.

#48-51 (More Catch Up)

2008-01-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

I found an old post that wasn't published where I'd noted some books I'd read that I missed during the first catch up:

#48 Forever: A Novel by Pete Hamill. An excellant book that was hard to read at points but totally worth it.

#49 Madrox by Peter David. A graphic novel that I quite liked about a guy who can create duplicates of himself. My favorite aspect was the idea he sends the dupes out into the world to learn and experience things. Then when he absorbs the dupes back into himself, he has all of those skills and memories. That would be cool.

#50 The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross. A nice combination of science and the supernatural. I truly hope such a place doesn't exist.

#51 Little Gods by Tim Pratt. A collection of short stories by a great writer. I think I would want to be the little god of the smell of snow; like aluminum to me.

#47 To The Tower Born: A Novel of the Lost Princes

2008-01-02T09:53:00.000-08:00

To The Tower Born: A Novel of the Lost Princes by Robin Maxwell. I love historical fiction and this was a good one. A female lead and lots of intriguing ideas that take into account the power some women had in that era (although most of the behind the scenes). It was a fast read and very entertaining. I think I should keep an eye out for more of her work.

#46 Glass Soup

2007-12-31T11:03:00.000-08:00

Glass Soup by Jonathan Carroll. I really enjoy Carroll's books - they're offbeat and funny and sad and make you think. I picked this one up at the used book store over Christmas. I wasn't sure if we already had it but it didn't look familiar and I wanted something to read. I finished it in 2 days...

Audio F

2007-12-20T12:23:00.000-08:00

I'm listening to a collection of short stories by Lawrence Block. It's one the husband had lying around since we haven't had time to go by the library. They're mostly about death and murder and although I like them it's a bit macabre.

Audio E

2007-12-18T17:12:00.000-08:00

Bag of Bones by Stephen King - although I find his voice a bit odd, he's a great reader and I enjoyed listening to him as much as I enjoyed the book.

#42-#45 (In Order)

2007-12-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

#42 The Children of the Company by Kage Baker. Another good book in the series, this one reveals more details about things that are only mentioned in the earlier novels.

#43 Archangel Protocol by Lyda Morehouse. For some reason, I love books about the archangels and this one had an intriguing description. Unfortunately the book didn't live up to its promise - the angels were interesting but the main character seemed to flip-flop on her convictions as the story unfolded. It was annoying.

#44 Forever Odd by Dean Koontz. I liked the 1st one (on audiobook) so I got the 2nd and it's good, but not as good. We'll have to see what he does with the 3rd.

#45 His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik. I've had this one for awhile and I think I found out about it in EW. I really enjoyed the alternate history aspect and found the dragon endearing. I was glad to see there were more books in the series.

Audiobooks

2007-11-13T18:25:00.001-08:00

Do audiobooks count? I have an hour commute each way and listening to books is the only way not to slit my wrists while sitting in traffic. Maybe I'll letter them instead of numbering...

A - Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

B - The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

C - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

D - The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

#33-#41

2007-11-07T20:24:00.000-08:00

These aren't in exact order but at least I'll be up to date:

#33 - The Terror: A Novel by Dan Simmons (the husband's birthday present that I read first - loved it even though it was a million pages long and set on board a ship stuck in the Arctic ice in the 1700's)

#34 - Every Woman For Herself by Trisha Ashley (predictable, but the characters were a lot of fun)

#35 - The Rapture of Canaan by Sheri Reynolds (I've always been fascinated by people who are deeply religious and it was interesting to see that world from the inside, even if it was fictional)

#36 - The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier (an interesting idea and enjoyable read)

#37 - The Foolish Immortals by Paul Gallico (started out well but turned kind of odd)

#38 - Houston, We Have A Problem by Erin McCarthy (all sex with a little bit of plot, kind of like a good chocolate chip cookie)

#39 - The Graveyard Game by Kage Baker (love this series and although I'd read this book years ago, found I needed to read it again before moving on)

#40 - The Life of the World to Come by Kage Baker (can't wait to see what she does with these people)

#41 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (you knew that was coming...)

That's all I can remember for now. I'll add more if necessary.

Catch Up

2007-07-17T16:47:00.000-07:00

I finally took the time to transfer my book list from my regular blog (tells you how busy I am at work right now...)

Now I have to figure out what I've read since I've gotten home from Phx and put those in the list.

#32 Haunted Places: The National Directory

2007-07-17T16:34:00.000-07:00

Last night I finished Haunted Places: The National Directory by Dennis William Hauck. It's a state by state listing of a bunch of haunted sites, sacred areas, and ufo sightings. The husband got it for me because the building in Santa Fe where I was working was listed in it.

It was an ok read; some of the entries were fairly basic and didn't give a lot of detail, while others were more in-depth. They talked about photos that had been taken but didn't reproduce them in the book. It really needed a more careful proofreading than it got - nearly drove me nuts with all the left out words and duplications. And I couldn't believe the addresses that were listed. Seems like a good way to get stalkers and crap looking for ghosts.

I thought about passing it along to N because she likes this stuff as much as I do. If the husband was still coming to get me then I would've traded it in at the bookstore, but I guess now she can read it if she wants.

#31 Faking It

2007-07-17T16:33:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I finished Faking It by Jennifer Crusie. It's so friggin' hot in my apartment I can't sleep and I tore thru it. I picked it up at a library sale and wasn't sure if it would be good, but for $1 I gave it a chance. Quite good, with a cast of characters odd enough to make you interested but not so out there to put you off. I hope she brings them back in another book. I should check on that...

Did I mention the apartments suck? They don't turn on the air conditioning until it's 90 degrees for 3 days. Since we're working nights, a lot of our crew was trying to sleep in the hotbox conditions and we got them to turn it on sooner. Unfortunately, the system isn't AC, it's a "chiller" which is akin to having someone suck on an ice cube then blow at you from 4 feet away. Not effective. They bought fans for everyone but I didn't get one until last night when T gave me hers. It was the first decent night's sleep I've had since it started warming up.

#30 Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber

2007-07-17T16:33:00.001-07:00

This morning I lolled in bed finishing Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber by Adele Lang. It was meant to be a light-hearted bit of chick lit fluff (and that's not an insult, by the way). But the main character is a mean, bitter, self-obsessed bitch that I found annoying after the first 3rd or so. It still had its amusing moments so I kept reading but it really did turn into some sort of pathetic farce. I just don't buy someone being as bad that and not coming to a grisly end. Unless she was just stupid.

Either way, the only thing I'm grateful for is the author didn't have the "heroine" suddenly realize what a monster she'd been and go through some sort of redemption. She kept Katya as nasty as ever to the bitter end. Not a fun read, though.

#29 Impossible Things

2007-07-17T16:32:00.000-07:00

Next I read Impossible Things by Connie Willis. I love her work and would read anything she wrote. Have to say the first story, The Last of the Winnebagos, was not a good choice for right after the husband and the dog left. I sobbed as I finished it and had to call the husband to calm me down. I was ready to go home right then. But I stayed and finished the book and it was as good as her work always is.

#28 St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves: Stories

2007-07-17T16:31:00.002-07:00

I started Life of Pi before the move and it got lost...

I feel like I picked up something else but can't remember what it was, so this blog will be about the book I picked up at the used bookstore (Bookmans) in Phx when the husband was here.
St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves: Stories by Karen Russell is a weird little collection of short stories that don't seem to go anywhere. They don't follow the basic pattern of a story, at least as far as I could tell... Several of the stories just sort of stopped and others trailed off. I liked them, don't get me wrong. The ideas of some of them were exotic and just that little bit off-kilter. But it took some time to adjust.

#27 The Girls' Guide To Hunting And Fishing

2007-07-17T16:31:00.001-07:00

When I started The Girls' Guide To Hunting And Fishing by Melissa Bank, I was really into it and thought it was going to be a good find. I was wrong. Maybe I'm the wrong generation for it, or maybe I just don't have the life experiences to appreciate it, but I was disappointed in everything after the teenage years. I just kept wondering what point it was trying to make... And when they threw in the bit from another woman's perspective, I was totally off. I couldn't figure out if they had jumped years again or what. I wouldn't recommend it.

#26 Pattern Recognition

2007-07-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

I just finished Pattern Recognition by William Gibson. It was the husband's choice and I'm glad he gave it to me. Initially, I had trouble suspending my disbelief over the main character's allergy to branding (the use of trademarks and such) but I finally just accepted it. Mostly, I was worried that Gibson would take the predictable route and the ending would suck. There are a lot of scenarios that get set up and it's easy to assume he'd go with the trite conclusion. I haven't read enough by him but I should have guessed the husband wouldn't recommend it if he was that kind of writer. Basically, try to read it without trying to read into it and it'll take hold.

I will admit I'm wondering if it would be possible to recreate the experience of the "footage" in the real world but with the prevalence of YouTube, it's probably already being done...

#24 & 25 The Book Of Night With Moon and To Visit The Queen

2007-07-17T16:29:00.000-07:00

While in Pasadena one weekend, we stopped at a very nice used book shop. I don't remember the name, but it had a good selection and seemed friendly. The husband found 2 books for me that had cats on the covers. Sad but true, I usually like that kind of thing. Anyway, I just finished reading the books and I have to say I hope there will be a 3rd in the series.

Diane Duane's The Book Of Night With Moon and To Visit The Queen feature cats as the main characters. Not ordinary cats, though; these cats are wizards and they control the gates that allow any wizard to jump from one place to another. Sounds kind of stupid, but I liked them and I thank the husband for picking them out for me.

#23 Labyrinth - Continued

2007-07-17T16:28:00.000-07:00

The husband picked up Labyrinth at the library and I was able to finish it. I quite enjoyed it and read it pretty quickly, but I hope the author didn't think she had come up with a fantastic twist. I had it figured out pretty early on. But that didn't stop me from liking it and I hope to read more of her one day.

#23 Labyrinth

2007-07-17T16:27:00.002-07:00

Not sure if this can really be counted as #23, but I'm planning on finishing it so I'll leave it.I started Labyrinth by Kate Mosse and was enjoying it, but I'd gotten it from the library and my time ran out on it. I read about this one in Time magazine and it's been a winner. It started out as a parallel worlds sort of thing, but I never really made it back to the present day chapters so I'm not sure. I'll have to get online and put a hold on it so I can finish it.

#22 1634: The Ram Rebellion

2007-07-17T16:27:00.001-07:00

1634: The Ram Rebellion by Eric Flint is a collection of short stories about some of the peripheral characters in his 1632 series. This one I liked. The main books are enjoyable and these stories fill in some gaps you never even noticed.

#21 Duchess of Nothing: A Novel

2007-07-17T16:26:00.002-07:00

I read Duchess of Nothing: A Novel by Heather McGowan. I think it was a Daily Candy recommendation but I didn't care for it. The main character was whiny and annoying and I wanted her to get on some meds and stop screwing up the little boy's life. I kept hoping it would get better but no love for me.

I hate when I get a bad book, because I'm compelled to finish most everything I start. I only know of 1 book I didn't finish (can't remember the title right now).

#20 The Rosetta Codex

2007-07-17T16:26:00.001-07:00

The Rosetta Codex by Richard Paul Russo. It wasn't bad, but it looked better than it turned out to be. I wonder if he'll do a sequel, since the premise of the book was for a guy to go thru some pretty crappy things in order to help an alien species regenerate. Seemed to be a lot of people suffering for little to no payoff. Maybe it was too much like real life...

#19 Fables

2007-07-17T16:25:00.002-07:00

I read the entire run of the comic Fables by Bill Willingham. Brilliant stuff. I hope the husband buys the next graphic novel soon so I can keep up. I prefer them to the individual comic, you get a longer read out of it w/o the high probability of damaging the goods.

#18 Bandbox

2007-07-17T16:25:00.001-07:00

Started a book called Bandbox by Thomas Mallon that I got in Santa Barbara. It's about the staff of a men's magazine during the 1920's. There are a lot of characters and I'm not always the best at keeping track of who everybody is. It's a quick read, though and that's always good.

#17 A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian

2007-07-17T16:24:00.002-07:00

While in Santa Barbara, I picked up a couple of books and just got a chance to start reading one of them - A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka. It's an odd book and I'm not sure how much I like it. The premise revolves around an 84 year old widow who marries a 36 year old gold-digger who wants to immigrate. The guy has 2 daughters and one of them starts out thinking this may be a good thing! WTF? Who in their right mind thinks it's about anything other than the money (other than ANS)? I'm going to finish it and see if it redeems itself, but it's not hopeful.

#16 The Strange Adventures of Rangergirl

2007-07-17T16:24:00.001-07:00

I read The Strange Adventures of Rangergirl by Tim Pratt a few weeks back. It was quite enjoyable and for some reason, Sofie really likes the sound of "Rangergirl." She tilts her head back and forth every time we say it.

Anyway, I hope he's writing a sequel.

#15 The River King

2007-07-17T16:23:00.002-07:00

I started reading Alice Hoffman's The River King. I've read several of her books, but stopped after they butchered Practial Magic by making it into that dreadful movie.

Anyway, this one is as good as I remember her work being. She has an interesting style that flows so well, you read and read and read and don't even realize how much time has passed.

#14 Death Train to Boston

2007-07-17T16:23:00.001-07:00

Death Train to Boston by Dianne Day is my current read (it's the next in the Fremont Jones series). The format of this one is a bit different from the others but I'm enjoying it and will continue to read the series as I can find the books. This one has a lot to do with Mormons - an interesting group of people, to be sure. Not being very religious, I find people who are devout fascinating in a "sleeps-on-a-bed-of-nails" kind of way. I'll let you know if it ends well. That really is my biggest complaint about anything - they hook you and pull you along, then just drop you at the end. So far DD hasn't done this to me, but I'm always wary.

#13 Milton's Teeth and Ovid's Umbrella: Curiouser and Curiouser Adventures in History

2007-07-17T16:17:00.002-07:00

I read Milton's Teeth and Ovid's Umbrella: Curiouser and Curiouser Adventures in History by Michael Olmert. I actually finished it before I left Santa Fe, but I didn't have the time to blog about it. Basically it's the history of various things that we take for granted like playing cards and umbrellas. It was an ok book - some of the topics were interesting and some were not... there were some entries that had better info in the endnotes.

#12 Emperor Norton's Ghost

2007-07-17T16:17:00.001-07:00

I picked up the next Fremont Jones mystery Emperor Norton's Ghost while I was at home this weekend. Since my trip back to Abq was so time-consuming, I managed to read the whole thing. If I'd known, I'd have brought the one after that as well.

#11 The Bohemian Murders

2007-07-17T16:16:00.000-07:00

I finished Fire and Fog and moved right into The Bohemian Murders. I realized why I like Dianne Day so much - her characters have the usual sorts of miscommunications and misunderstandings, but she doesn't drag them out. Fremont, the main character, is a very reasonable woman and usually confronts the issue at the first possible opportunity. Not like every sitcom made today. Damn, I hate watching the convolutions people go thru because they misheard a conversation or something. So even though I have other stuff to read, I'll probably plow thru these in short order.

#10 Fire and Fog

2007-07-17T16:15:00.000-07:00

The husband and I went to the Iliad bookstore while I was home and we got the rest of the Dianne Day series about Fremont Jones. So I've started Fire and Fog, which begins with the earthquake of 1906. Seems appropriate with it being the centennial and all.

#9 The Big Over Easy

2007-07-17T16:14:00.002-07:00

I forgot to mention I started a new book a couple of days ago... Jasper Fforde's The Big Over Easy. I've read all of his Thursday Next series and the husband picked up this new one featuring Jack Spratt. I really enjoy his style and hope he comes out with more soon.

#8 The Strange Files of Fremont Jones

2007-07-17T16:14:00.001-07:00

I started a new book last night The Strange Files of Fremont Jones by Dianne Day. I picked it up at a used bookstore in ABQ with the husband. I also bought the 2nd book since I thought the premise looked particulary good. It's set in 1905 in San Francisco, so I'm sure if the action continues long enough the earthquake will figure into it. The lead is female and she's one of those "ahead of her time" characters. We'll see how good it ends up being.

#7 You Are a Dog

2007-07-17T16:13:00.000-07:00

You Are a Dog by Terry Bain is my current read. I saw it on Daily Candy and went out and bought it. It's life from the dog's point of view and it made me laugh out loud. I can just imagine the same thoughts running through Sofie's head. Of course, it also has some moments where I hope Sofie doesn't feel that way because it breaks my heart. It's a fast read and I'll finish it tonight. Gonna make the husband read this one...

#6 It's Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things To Consider

2007-07-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

Last night I read It's Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things To Consider a collection of quotes by and about Jim Henson. It's a sweet book and a nice reminder of the wonderful things he gave to our world. There's at least one quote in there I want to send to the husband specifically, but I'm thinking it might be nice to make a "quote of the day" from some of the rest.

#5 V for Vendetta

2007-07-17T16:11:00.002-07:00

I read the Alan Moore graphic novel V for Vendetta. The husband and I had gone to see the movie and he was so upset with the changes they made we left fairly quickly. I figured I'd better read the source material. It's a good story, even though I kept hoping they'd reveal V's identity, but I understand the point of not doing so. I'm not sure an audience would have liked the movie as much if they had stuck to the story more closely, but I'd have to finish watching the film to see what they did end up doing to it.

V, in the graphic novel, is not a typical Hollywood hero nor is he one of those "heart of gold" type characters, either. He has a point and he's very ruthless in making it. He does some despicable things that I can't imagine they let him do in the movie. And I'm not surprised they didn't let Portman be a hooker, as the original Evey was.

FYI - I finished Rasputin's Daughter which wasn't great, but wasn't bad either. It attempts to dispel some of the myth surrounding the man, but I'm not sure if I should believe it anymore than I can believe the myths. I'd need to look into the research that was done to support the theories but I don't know that I care enough to bother.

#4 Rasputin's Daughter

2007-07-17T16:11:00.001-07:00

I started a new book last night since I didn't feel like watching TV. It's Rasputin's Daughter by Robert Alexander (also wrote The Kitchen Boy). Another Russian revolution historical fiction novel. It's pretty good and I stayed up too late reading it.

#3 Replay

2007-07-17T16:10:00.000-07:00

I picked up a book for the husband yesterday that he had found when he was here but hadn't bought - Replay by Ken Grimwood. After getting it, I went to finally have my car washed and decided to take a look at it while I was waiting. It was intriguing enough that I started reading it and now I have to have it done before I go back to LA for the 3 day Easter weekend. I'm really enjoying it and since some of it is set in Atlanta, it's a blast from the past for me. I hope he comes up with a good reason for what's happening, though. I'd hate for it to be a waste.

#2 The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar

2007-07-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

I started The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar by Robert Alexander last night. We picked it up in ABQ at the used bookstore there. Actually, I picked up the second book ("Rasputin's Daughter"), saw that there was first and got both. I'll save the review for afterward, but so far I like it.

And I got lazy last night and watched House rather than list all of my future reading... love that show and Hugh Laurie (yes, the husband knows all about it).

#1 The Cat's Pajamas

2007-07-17T16:08:00.000-07:00

Since I can't figure out how to modify the right-hand-side to put in a book list, I've decided to just post each time I read something.

I just finished a collection of short stories by Ray Bradbury entitled The Cat's Pajamas. I really liked Bradbury when I was younger and even managed to use his work for a lot of my English papers. I was very disappointed to find that he didn't age with me; I wasn't enjoying most of his more recent efforts. But I liked this book and I'm glad I took the chance on it.

Tonight I'm starting something new, but I'm not sure what. I brought several books with me and we bought several more in ABQ. I think I'll just put them in a pile and pull one out. When I get home I'll edit this blog and list everything I've got here in SF to read...

Consolidation

2007-06-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the list of books I've managed to read between being married, working, going to the gym, playing with the dog and cats, and sleeping. It's not a long list but I've got a stack of books ready to go. I'm debating listing the scripts I have to read for work but since I don't actually manage to read most of them, and there's only 2 a year, it probably won't matter. Maybe I should include the comic books/graphic novels I read, too. Can't say there's a lot of them either, but every little bit helps. Since today is payday I won't have time to do much more than get this thing started. The posting of books will have to wait.

The inspiration for this blog came from girlfiend. She's looking for recommendations and I wanted to peruse my blog for my book list, but realized I couldn't easily access any titles without scrolling thru all of my entries. Too Much Work. So here I am and I hope it works out.