Get Lost in Literature

Countdown: A Newsflesh Novella   by Mira Grant This was an ok novella... A bit of a let down after reading the Newsflesh Trilogy. What worked: I liked seeing the doctors who created the virus and the jerk who set it free as far as understanding how it all began.  And despite the peeks at the Mason family before Shaun and Georgia became a part of it, the POV of Marigold was most effective at explaining how innocent lives were being affected.  I liked at the end of each "chapter" they showed the news reports.  What didn't work: The writing was frantic and vague; I know it was supposed to be a short story, but if a prequel is going to be invented it should add to the story somehow--it needed a little development.  I wish the cause and effect had been built upon a little more; the Mason's are lovely before the infection and despite the devastating loss of their son I don't really see how they transformed into rating-hungry villains. Rating: 2/5...

This week for Quotable Thursday, I'm reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern...I admit after taking holiday craziness into consideration, I decided to pick a book I already knew I'd enjoy, having already read it (but not yet reviewed).There's no shame in reliving the magic and there is certainly plenty in this book! Then, so swiftly she appears not even to move, she picks up her jacket from the stage and flings it out over the seats where, instead of tumbling down, it swoops back up, folding into itself. In the blink of an eye folds of silk are glossy black feathers, large beating wings, and it is impossible to pinpoint the moment when it's fully raven and no longer cloth. The raven swoops over the red velvet seats and up into the balcony where it flies in curious circles. Quotable Thursday originally brought to you by Bookshelf Fantasies .

Blackout (Newsflesh Trilogy #3)  by Mira Grant I was surprised by Blackout. It does not have the high suspense of Feed, or the dark action of Deadline, but it's no less frightening. The CDC is out to prove that zombies haven't taken over the world, mad scientists have; and you're being given a truly inside look at the mad science by the pov of a clone. As you see the story inside the CDC progress, you begin to understand the gravity of the "cold equations"; the corruption, the power, the danger, involved in the science. She may have been created in a test tube, but she's still human... And they talk about her like a used car. You also get Sean's pov; he's still crazy, but the voices in his head are learning to go from helpful to venomous whenever he doubts himself. There is a severe lack of emotion in this book - not altogether unexpected from the CDC - but the team is coping with the possibility nobody's getting out alive, and if they do ...

My picks for the Tuesday Top Ten, as invented by The Broke and Bookish . This week's theme is: Top Ten Things I Am Thankful For (could be bookish or not).  Here is what I'm most thankful for this year! 1. Horses . They're my therapists; they keep grounded and sane. 2. Books. My escape from a world that tries to drive me crazy. 3. The Roof Over My Head . Seriously,when you're a broke computer-nerd/book-worm you can appreciate the fact that you have somewhere to live. 4. My Guinea Pig. He's old and ailing, but he still whistle's "Good morning," to me when I get out of bed. He's my little buddy. 5. The Internet . Some of my best friend can be contacted through it! 6. Chocolate . Mmmm.... The works of: 7. JK Rowling and Brian Jacques, 8. Edgar Allen Poe and Bram Stoker, 9. Gregory Maguire, Christopher Paolini, and Stephenie Meyer. 10.  Writers.  To the ones I didn't name and to the ones I did: Thank you for being brave en...

Pi Patel, unfortunately named after a pool, is a peculiarly devout boy growing up in India. His family consider themselves to be "Modern Indians" preferring to put their faith in Business than in God; his practises are unorthodox to his preachers and perplexing to his family.  The shifting of politics in India, force Pi's father to make the decision to sell off the zoo he owned and operated, and emigrate to Canada, beginning Pi's miraculous journey across the Pacific. After the cargo ship, transporting Pi's family and animals goes down, Pis is left stranded on a lifeboat with his belief in a higher power and a dangerous Bengal tiger... I don't consider myself agnostic or atheist, but I'm not traditionally religious... My parents aren't religious, they didn't take me to church or instruct me on what we believed; I was left to make my own conclusions about the world as I saw fit. I grew up believing in the power of books above all else; book...

Still reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel, but I'm almost done with it! I'm loving the story, although I admit maybe I didn't need quite so much detail on what happens when hyena eats a zebra... Oncoming death is terrible enough, but worse still is oncoming death with time to spare, time in which all the happiness that was yours and all the happiness that might have been yours becomes clear to you. You see with utter lucidity all that you are losing. Pi's not having a great time of it right now, but there is no reason you shouldn't! Happy Thursday! Quotable Thursday originally brought to you by Bookshelf Fantasies .

Deadline (Newsflesh Trilogy #2) by Mira Grant Shaun and his friends are in hiding; forced to lay low after the conspiracy they uncovered out on the campaign trail. An employee from the CDC shows up at their door, just after being declared dead. She's got information they need, as a new threat looms on the horizon-- Kellis-Amberlee has a new and dangerous vector as the conspiracy just keeps growing. This book was even better than the first! The first book was a bit more technical with a closer look at the bloggers of the future, the suspense dribbled out a little slower amidst confusion as the characters began to assemble the pieces of a conspiracy. Which seemed so awesome while I was reading, I didn't bother to imagine the the next level of the story would be so drastically different. The second book there is no shortage of action: zombies, running, screaming, paranoia... The conspiracy is here, and there is no where to hide. Biology and virology now overshadow our...

My picks for the Tuesday Top Ten, as invented by  The Broke and Bookish . Today's subject for Tuesday Top Ten: Books I'd Recommend To X Person ...(Lister's choice, who to recommend to). In this case, these are the books I'd recommend to The Reader Who Wants to Get Lost in a Fictional World . These recs are for the reader who just wants to escape and go on an adventure. These are some of my favorite retreats (some of these are series). 1. Harry Potte r by JK Rowling. I spent half of my life living in these books; at the end of the day, there are still few things better than hopping on the Hogwarts Express and seeing Harry and the gang. 2. The Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant . This is a newer, but completed trilogy; it's a frightening fun world to play in during those long summer waits between seasons of The Walking Dead. 3.   The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. High fantasy; a poor farm boy, Eragon, is changed forever when he discovers a sto...

Today for Quotable Thursday, I'm reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Just beyond the ticket booth Father had painted on a wall in bright red letters the question: DO YOU KNOW WHICH IS THE MOST DANGEROUS ANIMAL IN THE ZOO? An arrow pointed to a small curtain. There were so many eager, curious hands that pulled at the curtain that we had to replace it regularly. Behind it was a mirror.  This book is a rarity for me; its not often I see the movie then read the book, usually its the other way around. But the movie was awesome, which meant the book must be better! And so far, I have not been disappointed. Quotable Thursday originally brought to you by  Bookshelf Fantasies .

Feed (Newsflesh Trilogy #1)  by Mira Grant Scientists cured cancer...Then they cured the common cold. But when the two cures mixed, they created a virus that caused the dead to rise. During the rising, bloggers suddenly became invaluable, these online journalists able to get information out to the public faster than newspapers and the speed saved lives... 20 years later, Shaun, Georgia, and Georgette are talented bloggers invited to cover a presidential candidate's campaign trail and wind up uncovering a dangerous conspiracy that changed the world. This was fantastic. I'm not a huge dystopia fan but as far as futuristic-world-gone-to-hell stories this was pretty incredible. The book starts fairly humorous to ease the reader into the horror in which the character are actually accustomed to living. Which is a nice place to start a zombie book-- when the running and screaming is over and people are back living their lives as best they can. Then with each new action scene,...

My picks for the Tuesday Top Ten, as invented by  The Broke and Bookish .  Today's theme is: Top Ten Covers I Wish I Could Redesign. Honestly, I never gave much thought to this subject before now and we've all heard the old adage, "Never judge a book by its cover," but a well designed book cover can make a world of difference. I've certainly picked up books for no other reason than the the cover caught my eye... and put off reading others because they didn't look as sharp.  On my To-Read List.  On my To-Read List.  Read this, it was an okay book.  Read this, wasn't perfect but it was entertaining.  This is on my To-Read, and I know I'm going to enjoy it when I finally dig in, but I just dislike looking at the cover! So I only picked 5 this week... To distract from my short list, I present you with: A capuchin on a swing.

Evan Burl and the Falling (Evan Burl #1)  by Justin Blaney Evan Burl is abandoned to Daemanhur castle, under the supervision of his Uncle Mazol. He steals a letter, from the man he believes to be his father, that insists Evan is going to be very powerful and very evil someday, and will eventually suffer a Falling. Determined to prove the letter wrong, Evan dedicates himself to the protection of the Roslings: 12 little girls who are sent to Daemanhur -- who aren't allowed to eat, who can't get sick, who can't die -- and are forced into slavery. When the Roslings start to fall ill, Evan is forced to confront his destiny. This is one of those books that has the ability to make a reader nervous about literary quality. The copyright page and note from the author acknowledge self-publication--and while self-published authors may have some intriguing ideas they often feel the need to take "creative writing" to a grammatically incorrect extreme. Right away my do...

The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike #1)  by Robert Galbraith aka J.K. Rowling Cormoran Strike -- illegitimate son of a rockstar, amputee, and ex-military investigator --is a down on his luck private investigator. He's got no home, no money, and he's just lost his girlfriend. Robin Ellacott --newly engaged, working for a Temp Agency, enthusiastic and discreet-- is Strike's new secretary, to her fiance's horror. The police say supermodel Lula Landry, jumped to her death one winter night, but her brother, John Bristow, doesn't believe it. He hires Cormoran Strike to prove that his sister wasn't suicidal and to find out who was with her the night she died. This book starts humorously, with a few moments that made me laugh out loud, but the comedy fizzles out as the plotline slowly turns on. As far as mysteries go, this isn't overly suspenseful. This isn't a nail biting, stay-awake-reading-all-night type of mystery. This is a procedural, a ste...

Today for Quotable Thursday, I'm reading: Evan Burl and the Falling by Justin Blaney . First, the rolling mountains and hills lumbered toward me like hulking bullies, begging for a fight. Then houses and barns popped out of the ground, like grasping hands from a fresh grave, pulling me down into the earth where I belong. I've only just started this, seems like fantasy with a touch of steampunk. Too soon to tell...well, anything,--Its off to a confusing start. Quotable Thursday originally brought to you by Bookshelf Fantasies . Also, a quick note:  I will be out of town tomorrow, but I've scheduled a review for The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith to post without me. I'll check the comments when I return (supposing there are any). If there aren't I'll talk to you next week!

Smart Mouth Waitress (Life in Saltwater City #2) by Dalya Moon Peridot is an 18 year old smart mouthed waitress. Her mom took off to LA to record an album leaving Perry in charge of her moody dad and her stoner brother. Despite being in charge of her household, Perry's given herself a mission: find a boyfriend. This is great light reading, the story flows with wit that borders somewhere between sarcastic and socially awkward... Grammatically, the comma placement needs a little work, but the sentence structure was hardly the most distracting thing. The characters: eh. They had their high points and low points.  Perry, the main character, comes off as a strong leading lady in some scenes, an image helped by her smart mouth... But her desire to change who she is, simply to impress men and get laid is a bit ridiculous. I know she's 18, but c'mon; she's taking care of her family, working, driving-- one would think she's responsible enough to know better...

My picks for the Tuesday Top Ten, as invented by  The Broke and Bookish . This week's theme is Top Ten Sequels I Can't Wait To Get My Hands On. My choices are a mixture of books that haven't been published yet, books that might be published, and books I can't currently afford without tossing my budget out the window. 1. Firstly, I'm waiting for the third, but currently unnamed book, in Felix J Palma's series of historical fiction. I know technically he never named an upcoming novel, but he did name his series " Trilogia Victoriana " and my Spanish is just good enough that I know the word "Trilogy" when I see it. 2.Another trilogy ender, that I have to wait for, Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss . I'm told the final installment will be " The Doors of Stone. " I want to know how Kvothe wound up an innkeeper and why Bast wants him out of retirement. 3.  Inferno by Dan Brown . Its out there, but right now ...