Lost by Gregory Maguire

Title: Lost

Author: Gregory Maguire

Publisher: William Morrow 2001

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 352

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Telling Tales; What's in a name -- Lost or Found; ebook; Bingo - 1 Reread

How I Got It: iPad read

Children's novelist Winifred Rudge flies from her Boston-area home to London to pay a visit to her distant cousin and old friend John. Instead of receiving his guest open-armed, John is nowhere to be found. His office staff is evasive in fielding Winnie's calls, and Mac and Jenkins, a pair of superstitious home remodelers hired by John to work on the kitchen in his absence, begin behaving strangely, as eerie symbols appear on the wall and inexplicable noises issue from the walled-up chimney space. That Winnie is not alone in her victimization by an otherworldly spirit is a good sign she's not having a breakdown. Setting the story in Winnie and John's ancestral home and filling the neighboring house with John's intimidating new inamorata, Allegra, makes us root for the self-destructive Winnie, a most unlikely heroine. An essential purchase and a substantial Halloween treat.

Hmmm... I loved Wicked and I liked Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. But for some reason, I'm just not that into Lost. I remember reading this back when it was released. I thought it was imaginative. Upon rereading, I still feel it's imaginative, but I'm not really sucked into the story. I can't really get behind Winnie as a main character. And the combination of various fairy tale stories gets a bit old after a while. I would have like a more streamlined plot line. I don't think I will be rereading this one.

Vampire for Christmas by Felicity Heaton

Title: Vampire for Christmas

Author: Felicity Heaton

Publisher: Felicity Heaton 2010

Genre: Paranormal romance

Pages: 142

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Sub-Genre - Paranormal; Women Authors; ebook

How I Got It: iPad read

It was one last mission. Shannon, a demon hunter with the agency, is looking forward to leaving behind the small town and the vampire she's been stuck with for the past two years. Things are getting complicated fast and she wants out. A fresh start, free of her vampire partner, awaits her if she can survive their final mission and the lonely Christmas holidays.
It was one last mission. Rafe, a vampire doing time with the agency, watches it approach with dread weighing heavily in his stomach. Two years of working with Shannon has been difficult, especially since he started falling for her, but he doesn't want their partnership to end. He has barely a few days to make her face her feelings and stop her from leaving, and he intends to do just that.
When a slimy demon threatens the season of peace and goodwill, it's the chance Rafe has been waiting for and the moment Shannon secretly fears. Rafe's determination to prise open her heart and her own resolve to keep it closed clash as violently as they do with the demon, and threatens to end as messily.
Can Rafe make Shannon see that his love for her is real and that she feels something for him too? Can Shannon face her fears and her past, and stop herself from running away from both? Will a wish on a star bring her what her heart truly desires--a vampire for Christmas?

Sitting by the pool, I finished my previous book (review pending) and felt in the mood for a quick read. So I picked this out of the random free ebooks on my iPad. For being a very predictable paranormal romance, this one kept me entertained throughout. I loved the charactersespecially Rafe. And at 142 pages, Heaton kept the plot nice and contained. We don't need an entire backstory, just enough to get to know the characters quickly. A nice little selection for a pool read.

Reached by Ally Condie

Title: Reached (Matched #3)

Author: Ally Condie

Publisher: Dutton Books 2012

Genre: YA Dystopia

Pages: 512

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Dystopian; Seriously Series; Library Loan; Bingo -- 3 from series

How I Got It: Library loan

The wait is over.
One young woman has raged against those who threaten to keep away what matters most—family, love, choice. Her quiet revolution is about to explode into full-scale rebellion.
With exquisite prose, the emotionally gripping conclusion to the international–bestselling Matched trilogy returns Cassia, Ky, and Xander to the Society to save the one thing they have been denied for so long, the power to choose.

A decent ending to this young adult trilogy. I won't say it's been my favorite dystopian, but I did enjoy reading it. After Crossed, I was a little concerned about where the story was going. I thought it wouldn't be fresh. I thought it would be too predictable. Thankfully, Condie infects her writing with so much lyricism and poetry that I didn't mind the predictable parts. I love the different voices of Ky, Cassia, and Xander. Three distinct personalities with hopes and fears came out in the separate chapters. Overall, I think I loved the style of Reached even more than the plot. I don't usually side with style, but in this case, it leads to a strong finish.

Matched:

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

Title: The Paris Wife

Author: Paula McLain

Publisher: Ballantine Books 2011

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 320

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:T4MC -- NYT Bestseller List; Genre- Historical; Women Authors; 52 Books - W28

How I Got It: Library loan

Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group—the fabled “Lost Generation”—that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Though deeply in love, the Hemingways are ill prepared for the hard-drinking, fast-living, and free-loving life of Jazz Age Paris. As Ernest struggles to find the voice that will earn him a place in history and pours himself into the novel that will become The Sun Also Rises, Hadley strives to hold on to her sense of self as her roles as wife, friend, and muse become more challenging. Eventually they find themselves facing the ultimate crisis of their marriage—a deception that will lead to the unraveling of everything they’ve fought so hard for.

This review is hard for me to write. In some ways, I loved this book and in many other ways, I was very upset by the end. Let's start with a confession: I hate Hemingway's writing. I've never been able to appreciate any of his work. In the end, this fact may have played into my thoughts on this book. Also, I knew the ending of this book before I even started it. Hemingway's life is well documented. I knew it wasn't going to be a happy ending, but I read it for our book club selection anyway. I was drawn into the story by Hadley. I loved her character. I loved her voice. I really connected with her in many ways. I saw how much she truly loved Ernest. But then there's a huge part of me that cringed every time Hadley conceded to his whims or allowed his bad behavior. I just couldn't imagine living like that and part of me wanted to give up on the book. I stayed with it, waiting to see where the doomed romance would lead. I loved the inclusion of the other real characters especially Gertrude Stein and the Fitzgeralds. Very interesting characters. But ultimately, I couldn't understand Hadley's attitude toward Ernest after the affair. I couldn't get behind her acceptance of his blamelessness. It was a bit too much for me. Ultimately I came away with a bad taste in my mouth. The book devastated me, and not in any good way. It's just not something I would recommend.

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

Title: The God Delusion

Author: Richard Dawkins

Publisher: Mariner 2008

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 480

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nerdy Nonfiction - Religion; ebook; 52 Books -- W27; Dusty Bookshelf

How I Got It: iPad read

A preeminent scientist -- and the world's most prominent atheist -- asserts the irrationality of belief in God and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11.
With rigor and wit, Dawkins examines God in all his forms, from the sex-obsessed tyrant of the Old Testament to the more benign (but still illogical) Celestial Watchmaker favored by some Enlightenment thinkers. He eviscerates the major arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of a supreme being. He shows how religion fuels war, foments bigotry, and abuses children, buttressing his points with historical and contemporary evidence. The God Delusion makes a compelling case that belief in God is not just wrong but potentially deadly. It also offers exhilarating insight into the advantages of atheism to the individual and society, not the least of which is a clearer, truer appreciation of the universe's wonders than any faith could ever muster.

I liked this Dawkins much more than The Selfish Gene. And I think the reason stems from his writing style. This book's style and language are much more accessible to the non-scientist. Dawkins takes a nice easy logical approach to the topic of God and religion. He leads us step by step through the various arguments for the existence of God and religion and shows us where they go wrong. It was a nice change to read a piece so reasoned and clear. Usually pro- and anti-religion arguments turn into ridiculous rants and name-calling. Dawkins shies away from the rants and tries to lay out logical arguments. I approve! A very interesting book.

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill by Mark Bittner

Title: The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

Author: Mark Bittner

Publisher: Three Rivers Press 2004

Genre: Nonfiction memoir

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC -- Adjective in Title; Genre -- Nonfiction; New Author; Book to Movie

How I Got It: Loan from a friend

In this appealing, heartfelt account of one man's attempt to bond with wildlife, the author tells how he made friends with a flock of birds and in the process found meaning in his own life. In the early 1990s, Bittner, a 42-year-old who was still living like a "dharma bum," discovered that there were wild parrots in the trees and on the power lines near the house he was caretaking on San Francisco's Telegraph Hill. Having nothing else to do, he decided to feed the birds on his fire escape and occupy his time by observing them. Soon they appeared every day, noisily demanding seeds, and for the next few years, he devoted most of his time to the wily and comical birds, which turned out to be cherry-headed and blue-crowned conures-escapees that originally had been caught in South America-and their progeny. Crowds gathered outside his house to see him with the parrots perched on his arms and head taking seeds from his hands, and he became famous as "the birdman of Telegraph Hill." Because he found that each bird had its own personality, he named them according to their individual characteristics, and in this charming record of their activities, they seem almost human. At a time when he lived like a hermit, the birds brought him joy and became his only friends. It's a bittersweet story-that is, until a documentary filmmaker shows up at his doorstep.

One of those books that had caught my eye at some point, but I never actively sought it out. A friend noticed it on my Goodreads To Read shelf and lent it to me. The book started off slow for me. I was not really enjoying learning about Bittner's early life or search for meaning. I was on the verge of giving up on the book, but I stuck it out a bit longer. He hadn't even encountered the parrots yet. I had to at least read until then. Once he encountered the flock, my interest in reading the book spiked. I found myself fascinated by the different bird personalities. I wanted to figure out the meaning behind their behaviors just like Bittner. I found myself growing attached to various members of the flock. Eventually my heart broke when some died. I felt joy with their triumphs. I was scared when hawks were spotted. I was pulled in the world of this anomaly. I loved the entire middle section of the book. As the end neared, my interest waned with the reintroduction of Bittner's philosophy and general life beyond the birds. I finished, but my disinterest in those sections knocked the book down a star. Still, a wondrous read. Next time I venture into the city, I'll sure be on the lookout for the parrots.

Movie:

Pretty much the book. But we get to see beautiful moving images of the parrots. The one thing the books had lacked: color photographs. Watching the movie I finally got to see what they actually looked like. Very enjoyable film, but probably not necessary to watch the film and read the book. One would have been sufficient.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Title: The Color Purple

Author: Alice Walker

Publisher: Harcourt Books 1982

Genre: Classics

Pages: 288

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC -- Published in birth year; Classics -- African American experience; Women Authors; Mount TBR; Books to Movie

How I Got It: I own it

Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Color Purple is a tale of personal empowerment which opens with a protagonist Celie who is at the bottom of America's social caste. A poor, black, ugly and uneducated female in the America's Jim Crow South in the first half of the 20th century, she is the victim of constant rape, violence and misogynistic verbal abuse. Celie cannot conceive of an escape from her present condition, and so she learns to be passive and unemotional. But The Color Purple eventually demonstrates how Celie learns to fight back and how she discovers her true sexuality and her unique voice. By the end of the novel, Celie is an empowered, financially-independent entrepreneur/landowner, one who speaks her mind and realizes the desirability of black femaleness while creating a safe space for herself and those she loves.

One of those "been on my list forever" books. I finally picked it up even after being cautioned by many people that this book is very difficult to read. They were right. It was very difficult to read through Celie's struggles. It was difficult to keep my emotions in check. It was difficult to not hate many of the characters. So, was it worth reading? I have mixed feelings about this. While I loved Walker's focus on themes and issues, I did not love the style. I was very distracted by the style and language used (misspelling, bad word choices). Because of all my distractions, I don't think I fully connected to the novel. Interesting book, but it's not going to appear on any of my best of lists.

Movie:

The movie is even more difficult to get through than the book. I had to force myself to watch until the end. The themes are so serious, I can't say that I loved the movie. In that way, I put this into the same category as Schindler's List. I feel like I've added to my experiences by watching, but it's not something I would rush out and see again. My only big critictism of the movie is it's elimination of all lesbianism. The part of the storyline seemed extremely important to Celie's growth.

Fables: Cubs in Toyland

Title: Fables 18: Cubs in Toyland

Author: Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham

Publisher: Vertigo 2013

Genre: Graphic Novel; Fantasy

Pages: 192

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC - Read in one weekend; Graphic Novel; Library; 52 Books - W26; Bingo - 1 from 2013

How I Got It: Library Loan

For years, Snow White and Bigby Wolf's cubs have grown up knowing that one of them was destined for a much greater, more grave role amongst the Fables community. But no one knew how soon it would come.
When Snow and Bigby's cub Therese receives a Christmas gift from an unknown admirer, this red plastic boat magically takes her on a journey to a desolate place known as Toyland. Will Therese be their savior? Or their destroyer? FABLES VOL. 18: CUBS IN TOYLAND is the latest epic from New York Times best-selling author Bill Willingham's hit series FABLES, as the Bigby Wolf cubs learn that adventures in the land of misfit toys is much less fun than it sounds.

It's been awhile since i picked up a Fables volume. I love this series. I love seeing the fairy tale characters grow and change. I love seeing them interact with each other. I love the enemies and the dangers. I love seeing the various worlds. This volume had a great storyline focused on Snow White and Bigby's cubs. Although, I must say that I was very surprised by the dark turn about halfway through the volume. I was not expecting that at all. At any rate, I'm excited to read more in the next volume, but I have to wait until December.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain

Title: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

Author: Mark Twain

Genre: Classics

Pages: 307

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Genre- Classics; Mount TBR; 52 Books - W25; Bingo - 5 from TBR

How I Got It: I own it!

This story is both a whimsical fantasy and a social satire chock-full of brilliant Twainisms. Hank Morgan, a 19th century American-a Connecticut Yankee-by a stroke of fate is sent back into time to 6th century England and ends up in Camelot and King Arthur's Court. Although of average intelligence, he finds himself with knowledge beyond any of those in the 6th century and uses it to become the king's right hand man, and to challenge Merlin as the court magician. Astounded at the way of life in Camelot, Hank does the only thing he can think of to do: change them. In his attempt to civilize medieval Camelot he experiences many challenges and misadventures.

Definitely not my favorite Twain piece. i found the main character to be very grating. I couldn't connect there. So instead, I turned to the other characters. Unfortunately, they were just as grating. The redeeming qualities lay in the observations of daily life in Camelot. Those kept me reading past when I wanted to give up. Well, a decent read, this is not the Twain I would recommend to others.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Title: Never Let Me Go

Author: Kazuo Ishiguro

Publisher: Vintage International 2005

Genre: Dystopian fiction

Pages: 288

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC -- Child on cover; Dystopian; Monthly - June; TBR Pile; Book to Movie

How I Got It: I own it

From the Booker Prize-winning author of The Remains of the Day comes a devastating new novel of innocence, knowledge, and loss. As children Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy were students at Hailsham, an exclusive boarding school secluded in the English countryside. It was a place of mercurial cliques and mysterious rules where teachers were constantly reminding their charges of how special they were.
Now, years later, Kathy is a young woman. Ruth and Tommy have reentered her life. And for the first time she is beginning to look back at their shared past and understand just what it is that makes them special–and how that gift will shape the rest of their time together. Suspenseful, moving, beautifully atmospheric, Never Let Me Go is another classic by the author of The Remains of the Day.

I so wanted to like this novel. I heard amazing things about the story and the style and the entire concept. However, I did not enjoy the book. My biggest complaint is with the style. The book is narrated by Kathy who is 31-years-old. A lot of the story is told by her relating a story from her childhood. I felt that Kathy was relating this stories as if she was 13. I just didn't buy the fact that she was an adult. Maybe this was intentional. Given who Kathy is and how the story progresses, it could have been done on purpose. But I felt myself being constantly distracted by the sentence construction and word choices. I just couldn't actually get behind the story. As to the plot and characters, I have mixed feelings. I liked Kathy and Tommy, but loathed Ruth. Ruth is meant to be a sticky character, but I wanted to punch her every time she appeared. Also, I figured out the big plot reveal about 30 pages in (way before the author says anything). It seemed obvious and not really that exciting. I've seen other books and movies do the idea justice. This just wasn't one of them. Although a highly recommended book, it just wasn't for me. On the next selection...

Movie:

Since, I didn't love the novel, I didn't think I would like the movie. And I was correct. I felt that the movie didn't even get into the relationship between the three leads. We seen to get an abridged version of the plot. Things happen but we don't know why or the motivation behind the characters. As such, I liked the movie less than the book. It just didn't do anything for me.

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Title: Warm Bodies

Author: Isaac Marion

Publisher: Atria 2011

Genre: Zombies

Pages: 240

Rating: 4/5 stars Movie: 4/5

Reading Challenges: T4MC - M Author; Paranormal - Zombies; Library; Book to Movie; 52 Books - W24

How I Got It: Library loan

R is having a no-life crisis—he is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he is a little different from his fellow Dead. He may occasionally eat people, but he’d rather be riding abandoned airport escalators, listening to Sinatra in the cozy 747 he calls home, or collecting souvenirs from the ruins of civilization.
And then he meets a girl.
First as his captive, then his reluctant house guest, Julie is a blast of living color in R’s gray landscape, and something inside him begins to bloom. He doesn’t want to eat this girl—although she looks delicious—he wants to protect her. But their unlikely bond will cause ripples they can’t imagine, and their hopeless world won’t change without a fight.

Been meaning to pick this one up for awhile. I finally snapped it up from the library and was pleasantly surprised. I expected a fairly standard YA novel. I expected sappy characters and ridiculous inner monologues. Instead, I got a great quirky zombie novel. Everything about the characters and storyline felt new and shiny. Even the take on zombie lore was new. I loved the dichotomy between the fleshies and the boneys. I loved R and Julie and Nora and even M. I read this book in one day sitting by the pool and it was a lovely afternoon. Definitely a recommend.

Movie:

Usually I hate voice overs in movies, but for reason this one just works. Right away, the movie dove right into the book with minor changes. To be fair, there are changes, but they are small ones for the most part. We lose some of the conversations and actions of M and the other zombies at the airport. We also lose the piece with R's wife and children. The big omission that I wished to see was more of the boneys. I wanted to visualize the "church" and see the boneys with their Polaroids. I wanted to witness the wedding. But overall, I still really enjoyed the movies.

The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs

Title: The Firebrand (Chicago Fire #3)

Author: Susan Wiggs

Publisher: Mira 2010

Genre: Historical romance

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC - Something 'Hot" in the title; Romance; Mount TBR; Seriously Series; Bingo - 3 from series

How I Got It: I own it!

And Lucy Hathaway is running for her life. As she rushes past a fine hotel engulfed in flames, a wrapped bundle tumbles from a window into her arms. Seconds later the building crumbles—and Lucy is astonished to discover the swaddled blanket contains a baby.
Five years later Lucy walks into Rand Higgins's bank and knows: the orphan she rescued that day actually belongs to this ruthless financier. Now, to keep the child she's come to love, she'll have to give up her hard-won freedom and become his wife. But giving Rand her heart? That, she could never have expected…

An enjoyable read, but definitely nothing to get too excited about. I liked Lucy much more than Kathleen or Deborah of the first two books. Maybe it was Lucy's determination or her politics or her general demeanor. But I definitely felt drawn to her. After the fire, I was also attracted to Rand. He hurt and needed someone to understand. I had hoped that Lucy would eventually see that and soften towards him. While it wasn't the best romance series I've ever read, I did enjoy my time.

Chicago Fire:

Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris

Title: Pride and Prescience (Mr. and Mrs. Darcy #1)

Author: Carrie Bebris

Publisher: Forge 2004

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 287

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Jane Austen; Women Authors; TBR Pile; Bingo - 3 from series

How I Got It: I own it

The lovely Caroline Bingley is engaged to marry a rich and charismatic American. Unfortunately, this windswept courtship is marred by many strange events-- nocturnal wanderings, spooked horses, carriage accidents, and even an apparent suicide attempt. Soon the whole Bingley family seems the target of a mysterious plot, with only the Darcys recognizing the danger.

I finally convinced myself to read one of the Jane Austen sequels. This one was a mystery story featuring the characters from Pride and Prejudice. Overall I found it a fairly decent mystery novel. The characters are true to their real Austen selfs. The mystery is intriguing. The setting in London and Netherfield is fairly fun. I was okay with the book until the last 30 pages. The ending to too unbelievable. I was very disappointed. Because of my thoughts those last few pages, I will not be continuing on in this series.

Mr. and Mrs. Darcy (DNFed series)

Pride and Prescience
Suspense and Sensibility
North by Northanger
The Matters at Mansfield
The Intrigue at Highbury
The Deception at Lyme

The Mistress by Susan Wiggs

Title: The Mistress (Chicago Fire #2)

Author: Susan Wiggs

Publisher: Mira 2010

Genre: Historical romance

Pages: 395

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Genre - Romance; Mount TBR; Seriously Series; 52 Books - W23

How I Got It: I own it!

Most days Kathleen O'Leary is a penniless maid. But tonight she takes a risk and masquerades as a glamorous heiress, thanks to a borrowed gown and her friends' sense of adventure. To her surprise, the ruse succeeds—even Dylan Kennedy, Chicago's most eligible bachelor, seems enraptured.
But like Kathleen, Dylan isn't who he says he is. And before their true identities can be revealed to one another, fire erupts, sending rich and poor alike running for their lives. Now, though virtually strangers, Kathleen and Dylan must rely on each other for survival. And when the embers cool, they'll find that the greatest risk has been to their hearts….

I thought I would enjoy this book. But it seems that I just couldn't get behind the characters at all. Dylan was just so abrasive up until the very last page. And Kathleen was just way too naive especially for someone who was around the upper crust all the time. I didn't like how quickly she stooped to his level of honesty or her complete disregard for honor (even though she yelled about it the entire book). I'm sad to say it just wasn't my cup of tea. I'm going to finish the series hoping that the last book about Lucy has some better characters.

Chicago Fire:

The Hostage
The Mistress
The Firebrand

MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche

Title: MWF Seeking BFF: My Year Long Search for a New Best Friend

Author: Rachel Bertsche

Publisher: Ballantine Books 2012

Genre: Nonfiction - Memoir

Pages: 347

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nerdy Nonfiction - Relationships; Blogger Recommendations; Women Authors; Mount TBR

How I Got It: I won it

When Rachel Bertsche first moves to Chicago, she’s thrilled to finally share a zip code, let alone an apartment, with her boyfriend. But shortly after getting married, Bertsche realizes that her new life is missing one thing: friends. Sure, she has plenty of BFFs—in New York and San Francisco and Boston and Washington, D.C. Still, in her adopted hometown, there’s no one to call at the last minute for girl talk over brunch or a reality-TV marathon over a bottle of wine. Taking matters into her own hands, Bertsche develops a plan: She’ll go on fifty-two friend-dates, one per week for a year, in hopes of meeting her new Best Friend Forever.

I won this ARC over a year ago. I kept meaning to read it, but somehow just never picked it up. I finally did and found myself underwhelmed. I thought the premise was interesting as I am in fairly the same boat Bertsche was. But I quickly tired of the long drawn out observations and scientific research. It made the entire endeavor feel a bit too forced. I kept wanting to ask why Bertsche felt it necessary to reach the 150 total friends. Why can't you be happy with a couple of great friends, a few casual friends, and some acquaintances? I also tired of the comparisons to a Sex and City type friendship. That was a television show, not real life. Adult women with family and job responsibilities can't just lounge around all day for brunch or shopping. We need to be more selective in how we use our time. I just couldn't get behind the whole book.

The Postman by David Brin

Title: The Postman

Author: David Brin

Publisher: Bantam Books 1985

Genre: Scifi - Post-Apocalyptic

Pages: 428

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Dystopian; New Author; ebook; 52 Books - W22

How I Got It: iPad read

He was a survivor--a wanderer who traded tales for food and shelter in the dark and savage aftermath of a devastating war. Fate touches him one chill winter's day when he borrows the jacket of a long-dead postal worker to protect himself from the cold. The old, worn uniform still has power as a symbol of hope, and with it he begins to weave his greatest tale, of a nation on the road to recovery.

Another science fiction book J has been bugging me to read for the past few years. I went into it skeptical, but was hooked after Gordon's first encounter on the mountain. I immediately latched onto this reluctant hero, the pretend postman, who eventually becomes something much more than a man. I loved the discussions of society and civilization. I loved seeing the different sides argue about which way was right. I even liked the gender arguments (although I must say Brin paints feminism in a very specific manner that I personally disagree with). The characters are intriguing. The action sequences kept me on the edge of my seat. And by the end, I was rooting for the band of misfits to beat to the survivalists and remake a nation.

Emma by Jane Austen

Title: Emma

Author: Jane Austen

Pages: 446

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC - A author; Classics - Reread; Monthly - April; Books to Movies; Bingo - 4 rereads

How I Got It: Own It!

Book: Every time I read Emma, I like it more and more. I remember the first time I read the novel, I hated Emma. I thought she was selfish and immature. And she is, but that's only at the beginning. In the novel, we see a great growth arc. Emma starts to realize her faults and tries to change them. I just love the entire story. And this novel has some great side characters. I loathe Mr. and Mrs. Elton. but that's okay, I'm supposed to. I laugh at Miss Bates and Mr. Woodhouse. I adore Mr. Knightley. And I might say, that I partially loathe Miss Fairfax and Frank Churchill. In all the characters, we get a great rounded out cast. At this point, I think Emma is my third favorite Austen.

Gwyneth Paltrow version 1996:

This movie version has some great qualities. The side character actors pull off their scenes well. Alan Cummings is gorgeous as Mr. Elton. I really love Jeremy Northam as Mr. Knightley. My favorite scene of his is when he chastises Emma for her treatment of Miss Bates. Spot on! While I love these characters, I'm not a huge fan of Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma. She's too old acting. She comes off as mean instead of just insensitive. And the archery scene irks me way too much. I just can't get completely behind this one.

2009 Miniseries:

I love this version. Romola Garai has that childlike countenance that makes me believe her as a young slightly naive lady. Michael Gambon is great as Mr. Woodhouse. He delivers those great unintentionally funny lines with ease. Although, if I'm not looking at the screen, my mind always got to Dumbledore. Tamsin Grieg is a great chatty Miss Bates. I just want to invite her to my house for tea. But the prize goes to Johnny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightley. Almost every line has a tinge of sarcasm. I definitely fall for him in the first scenes. This version does a great job with the book's content. It doesn't deviate too much and hits all the good scenes. This is my favorite movie version.

The Hostage by Susan Wiggs

Title: The Hostage (Chicago Fire #1)

Author: Susan Wiggs

Publisher: Mira 2010

Genre: Historical romance

Pages: 443

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:T4MC - Read a book that shows a woman from behind; Women Authors; Mount TBR; Seriously Series; 52 Books in 52 Weeks - W21

How I Got It: I own it!

Deborah Sinclair is a beautiful, accomplished young heiress with a staggering dowry. But her fortune does her no good when, one horrible night, Chicago is engulfed in flames.
Tom Silver will walk through fire to avenge a terrible injustice—and he may have to. But when he makes Deborah a pawn in his revenge, the heat of the inferno fades next to the attraction he feels for his captive. And the further he takes her from everything she's known, the stronger their passion grows, until it threatens to consume them both.

Another one of my fluffy romances to entertain me. I liked this one, but definitely not as much as some of the others I've read. I liked the storyline. Although predictable, it kept my attention throughout. I especially loved the section on Isle Royale. It was definitely the most realistic section of the book. Tom Silver was a great character. Deborah got annoying, but she became more realistic later in the book. I'm planning on finishing this series sometime in the near future.

Chicago Fire:

The Hostage
The Mistress
The Firebrand

The Walking Dead Volume 17

Title: The Walking Dead Volume 17

Author: Robert Kirkman

Publisher: Image Comics 2012

Genre: Graphic Novel, Zombie

Pages: 132

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; Library Loan; Bingo -- 5 from everyone but me

How I Got It: Library Loan

In this volume of the NYT bestselling survival horror, Rick and his band of survivors work to build a larger network of thriving communities, and soon discover that Negan's "Saviors" prove to be a larger threat than they could have fathomed. Crossing Negan will lead to serious, dire consequences for the group; it seems that for the first time since the Governor's reign of terror that Rick may have Something to Fear.

After the slightly less exciting Volumes 15 and 16, the story is back on track. This volume contained actual surprises and action sequences. People we cared about died. New plans were formulated. I feel like things are finally back on track. I'm excited to be reading again. Unfortunately, I have to wait until Volume 18 is released in June to see what happens. Loving the big cliffhanger!

The Walking Dead: Book 7

Title: The Walking Dead: Book 7

Author: Robert Kirkman

Publisher: Image Comics 2010

Genre: Graphic Novel; Zombies

Pages: 304

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novels; Library Loan; Bingo - 5 from everyone but me

Rick and his group learn the dangers of living behind the safety of the Community walls, and much worse: what happens when those walls give way to those outside. Collects The Walking Dead #73-84. Rick and his group rebuild from the events of NO WAY OUT, and learn that maybe they can take part in A LARGER WORLD. Collects The Walking Dead #85-96. (Volumes 15 and 16)

I'm still loving the series, although I will admit that some of the characters bug me. For example, at times Andrea is strong and independent. She knows exactly what to do and how to act. At other times, she is just so darn insecure. I want to have her killed off. I much prefer Michonne, even with the look into her emotions. But I still enjoy seeing what happens to the survivors. I'm keeping with the series until the end, or at least for another couple of volumes...