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Tall, Dark, and Dead by Tate Hallaway

Title: Tall, Dark, and Dead (Garnet Lacey #1)

Author: Tate Hallaway

Publisher: Berkley Books 2006

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 295

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library: Summer Romance - Paranormal

How I Got It: from the library

A delightful new comedy about witches, vampires, and the search for the perfect man.

Recovering witch Garnet Lacey manages Wisconsin's premier occult bookstore. And a fringe benefit of the job is getting customers like Sebastian Von Traum-piercing brown eyes, a sexy accent, and a killer body. The only thing missing is an aura. Which means he's dead. And that means trouble.

So what's a girl to do if she's hot for a dead man walking? Run like hell-and take full advantage of the nights

After starting two failed books, I needed a little pick-me-up in the fun sector.  And this book delivers.  A great, fast-paced paranormal romance with some mystery.  Who is Sebastian Von Traum?  Why are Vatican agents in Madison?  How is Garnet going to deal with Lilith? Why is Parrish on her doorstep?  And most importantly, what is she going to wear?

I really liked the main character, Garnet Lacey.  She has enough no-nonsense spunk but still slightly insecure.  She felt real to me.  I wanted to be her best friend.  (Well, maybe not since she has Vatican agents trailing her and likes to date vampires.)  Sebastian was the right amount of sexy, but not cardboard sexy.  He had his own personality and motives.  Thanks goodness.  I hate romances where the two characters only see each other like they have blinders on.  There is a whole world out there, remember?

The action was fast-paced and fun.  I figured I knew how the book would end, but it was still fun to ride the roller coaster.  It definitely leaves it open to the continuation of the series.

And I am looking forward to reading the rest of it.  Now if only the second book would come off hold at the library.  I have the third, but wouldn't dream of skipping around in a series.  Alas, I must wait and choose another book in between.

Garnet Lacey

  • #1 Tall, Dark and Dead
  • #2 Dead Sexy
  • #3 Romancing the Dead
  • #4 Dead If I Do
  • #5 Honeymoon of the Dead
tags: 5 stars, paranormal, romance, Tate Hallaway
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 08.09.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

Top Ten Tuesday: Addicted TV Shows

This week the topic was "Underrated Books" but I was having trouble thinking of good ones.  So I change to my own Top Ten Tuesday topic: Top Ten Addicted TV Shows.  So J has this amazing thing called an Apple TV that I don't think I could live without after now.  We have tons of TV shows at our finger tips.  He's been introducing me to some new TV shows that I have to watch and catching me up on some others that I already love.

1. True Blood -- My soap opera with vampires.  This is one of the very few tv shows where I think the show is better than the books.  Bravo HBO!  And please more shirtless Eric is the right way to go.

2. Game of Thrones -- I wanted to watch when t aired, but couldn't with normal cable. J's friend has been bugging him to watch for like forever.  So finally we watched.  And wow!  Reminded me of Rome (which I absolutely died over).  And the cliffhanger season ender was just too much!

3. Leverage -- Great intriguing show.  We can usually call the whodunit before the reveal.  But still the show is set-up so nicely that it's still fun.

4. Psych -- Hilarious!!!!!!  You have to watch.  All the pop culture references are fun to pick out.  J and I quote this show often.  (Yes, we are that geeky.)

5. Warehouse 13 -- Must have fun scifi show. The crossover episodes with Eureka are great fun.

6. Eureka -- Another scifi show.  The quirkiness is fun. Currently guest starring Felicia Day and Wil Wheaton from the awesome web series The Guild.

7. The League -- I didn't think I would like a show about fantasy football, but that's only one small part to this show.  It is gut busting funny.  I laugh out loud through the whole show.  A must see.

8. Doctor Who -- Cannot wait until August 27th when the new series starts up.  Matt Smith's doctor is really growing on me.  Not as good as Tenant, but getting close.  And Amy and Rory are just great.  And that River Song... awesome character.

9. White Collar -- A new favorite that J introduced me to a few weeks ago.  I'm currently back in the first season watching a few episodes here and there to catch up.  Intriguing premise.

10. Bored to Death -- Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson, and Zach Galifianakis.... genius team.

11. Torchwood --  Related to #8.  Watched since it spun off of Doctor Who a couple of years ago.  I just love Captain Jack and Gwen Cooper is kick ass awesome.  Was concerned about the move to the states, but the plot line this season is intriguing enough that it hasn't diminished in quality.

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Life
Tuesday 08.09.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Life in Material -- RW #3

The camera shutter clicked noisily, echoing in the still house.  No one present to hear the sound. Well, no one but the photographer.  The photographer was excited at the prospect.  To everyone else, this mission was one of everyday banal.  Document the life beyond the change.  What does it mean to our things when we leave?  The photographer had become obsessed with the stuff of our lives before.  Before everything changed.  On this late September morning, the photographer entered the little white split level house at 5476 Island Dr.

A doorknob.  Not yet showing signs of decomposition.  How many had touched this?  How many had used this simple machine to escape from the cold, the rain, the humidity, the glare of the sun?  In the after, doorknobs were still in use.  But they didn't hold the promise of safety and belonging beyond like they once did.  Such a shame, thought the photographer.  This one was still shiny, almost like it was still being polished by human hands.

A chair.  How many hours were spent sitting enjoying the company of others or the company of the moving pictures on the screen?  Such a time when a few hours in front of the box was a perfectly acceptable way to spend an evening.  Now there is no time for relaxing.  There's always work to do.  Things to repair, things to make, things to watch for.  The photographer wanted to sink into the comfy arms of the chair and drift off to dreamland.  But there was only a few hours of light left.  The photographer had to move on.

The next room revealed another chair.  This one a brilliant orange.  The photographer remembered the time when everything was colorful.  Clothes, furniture, cars, people were all the colors of the rainbow.  Now the photographer was lucky to see a color this bright after the spring rains.  But those were few and far between.  The photographer sat at the foot of the chair and just stared until all the photographer could see was orange.  A color full of life.

A laundry basket.  What were these used for now?  Carrying things to and fro.  Much like the old use.  But the old use held clean and fragrant clothing.  All the dirt, sweat, and grime washed out.  A new start.

...

Now where were the new starts?  The promise and hope of something just around the corner?  The photographer couldn't find it in the settlements.  The photographer could find it in the lost things of a life in material.

tags: creative writing exercises
categories: Writings
Monday 08.08.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Music Monday -- Florence + the Machine "Howl"

How has Florence not gotten into my Music Monday yet?  It baffles my brain to think of the oversight.  I listen to Lungs constantly.  And have so many favorite songs, but I think I'm going to highlight "Howl" for this week.  Such great imagery!  And the music is awesome!

Lyrics (my favorite lines in bold):

If you could only see the beast you've made of me I held it in but now it seems you've set it running free Screaming in the dark, I howl when we're apart Drag my teeth across your chest to taste your beating heart

My fingers claw your skin, try to tear my way inYou are the moon that breaks the night for which I have to howl My fingers claw your skin, try to tear my way in You are the moon that breaks the night for which I have to

Howl, howl Howl, howl

Now there's no holding back, I'm making to attack My blood is singing with your voice, I want to pour it out The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound I hunt for you with bloody feet across the hallowed ground

Like some child possessed, the beast howls in my veins I want to find you, tear out all of your tenderness And howl, howl Howl, howl

Be careful of the curse that falls on young lovers Starts so soft and sweet and turns them to hunters Hunters, hunters, hunters Hunters, hunters, hunters

The fabric of your flesh, pure as a wedding dress Until I wrap myself inside your arms I cannot rest The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound I hunt for you with bloody feet across the hallowed ground

And howl

Be careful of the curse that falls on young lovers Starts so soft and sweet and turns them to hunters

A man who's pure of heart and says his prayers by night May still become a wolf when the autumn moon is bright

If you could only see the beast you've made of me I held it in but now it seems you've set it running free The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound I hunt for you with bloody feet across the hallowed ground

tags: Florence + the Machine
categories: Music
Monday 08.08.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Meals a la Tobe! #1

Does this meal plan look familiar?  It should.  I posted this last Sunday.  After posting it, I thought.... now that's silly.  Why would I post a meal plan before I make those things?  I don't know if the recipes are good.  I don't have any pretty pictures to put with my post.  So, I've decided to post my meal plans after the week.  This way I can add comments and pictures.  So enjoy! Recipes are from This Week for Dinner.

Sunday

-- Bertolli frozen shrimp and linguine meal (I was being kind of lazy)

Monday

-- Pork chops: I marinate them all day in soy sauce, olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, minced onion, cumin, basil, oregano (I think that’s it), then we grill them on the BBQ.

-- Green beans

-- Rice

-- Rolls

Notice the yummy mug of rye porter beer from Peace Tree Brewery sitting next to my plate.  Awesomeness is a mug!  Overall a very good dinner.  Easy to fix.  Satisfying to eat.  Going into my "to keep" pile of recipes.

Tuesday

-- Leftovers/out: J's standing meeting with business partners leaves me alone to scavenge or go grab something quick.  I opted for leftover pork chops this night.

Wednesday

-- Orange chicken

INGREDIENTS: - 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts - 1/2 C flour - 1/2 t. salt - 1/2 t. pepper - 3 T butter

Sauce: - 2 T brown sugar - 2 T vinegar - 1 C orange juice - 1 t. nutmeg - 1 t. dried basil - 1 small can mandarin oranges - Jane Note: I add ground ginger as well. I also 1.5 X the sauce ingredients.

DIRECTIONS: Combine flour, salt and pepper in bag. Shake chicken pieces until coated. Brown on both sides in butter in skillet over medium heat. Drain off fat.

Combine sauce ingredients (1 1/2 times the recipe) and add to skillet. Cover and simmer ~30 minutes or until tender. For a “sophisticated touch” add drained mandarin oranges and heat about 5 mins.

Note: cook chicken and sauce in covered skillet, but tip the cover a little to thicken sauce towards the end of cooking time.

-- Rice

-- Carrots: Mini carrots in a saucepan, with the lid on, with butter and dried basil. I also add a bit of salt & pepper. Cook on med-low until done. Pat turns the heat up at the end to “burn” the outsides a bit.

-- Peas

I forgot to take a picture until i had already started eating.  Sorry!  Well the chicken tasted great, but the recipe didn't quite go as planned.  The sauce was supposed to thicken to more of a glaze, but it turned out very thin.  Next time I might just have to cook the sauce separately until it starts to thicken.  The rice was leftover from Monday night.  Thank goodness for rice steamers that also keep it warm for two days.  I love that thing now.  The carrots were quite done enough, but were still very good.

Thursday

-- Tacos

No picture tonight.  Easy simple dinner. I did try my hand at making my own taco seasoning.  I got a recipe randomly from the internet and changed it to suit what we had in the cupboards. It's got a little kick to it, but J and I like spicy so not problem there.  After eating, I made a 3-5 dinner batch of seasoning to put in the cupboard.  And look at me planning for my forgetfulness, I taped the recipe to the baggie.

Friday

-- Leftover/out

I was lazy and we'd eaten all the leftovers.  So J took me to P.F. Chang's.  It's pretty unbelievable, but I've never been there before.  I got Mandarin Chicken.  Decent, but not as good as other establishments, like The Mandarin back in Fort Wayne.  The dinner was okay, but I think overall the restaurant is too high priced for the quality.  So we are on a hunt to find a great Chinese restaurant in Omaha.  J hasn't found an amazing one yet, but a couple of good ones.  We'll keep trying.

Saturday

-- Salmon

-- Black bean and corn salad

From Rachael Ray’s “365: No Repeats” 4 T olive oil 1 med red onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 – 1 t red pepper flakes 1 t ground cumin salt and pepper Juice of 2 limes 3 T honey 1 t chili powder 4 6-oz salmon fillets 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 10-oz box frozen corn kernels, defrosted 1/2 C chicken stock or broth 1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained 2-3 T fresh cilantro leaves, chopped 6 C baby spinach

Preheat medium skillet over medium heat with 2 T of oil. Add onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 mins.

While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 T oil. In a shallow dish, combine the juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, salt and pepper. Add the salmon fillets to the lime-honey mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Add the seasoned salmon to the hot skillet and cook until just cooked through, 3-4 mins on each side.

To the make salad, add the bell peppers and corn kernels to the onion mixture and cook for 1 min. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add the black beans and cook until the beans are just heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the juice of the second lime, the cilantro and spinach. Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the salmon on the warm salad.

A good dinner.  Very light and refreshing.  I just thought it was missing a little something.  Maybe more lime juice and less honey.  Or maybe more garlic.  Or maybe more chili powder.  J remarked that if we ate stuff like this more often, we'd lost weight.  True, very true, and yet I can't give up my other less than healthy choice.

Week summary/comments: I didn't burn anything.  I didn't cut myself.  I created multiple eatable dinners.  I'd say this week was a success cooking wise.  Looking forward to my new week of cooking adventures.  And if you want to share any interesting recipes, favorites, or general comments... please do!

tags: recipes
categories: Life
Sunday 08.07.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 2
 

Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love

Title: Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love

Edited by: Trisha Telep

Publisher: Running Press Teens 2010

Genre: YA paranormal

Pages: 430

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library: Summer Romance - Paranormal

The usual cast of otherworldly suspects—ghosts, genies, demons, banshees, witches, and more—fills the pages of this collection, but these 13 stories of the paranormal come with a twist: all are love stories, of one sort or another. Not surprisingly, there is an air of the ominous about each, and (no spoiler here!) not all end happily. Though readable and entertaining, too many of the stories will probably be predictable to fans of this sort of fiction or are too long to pack much of a punch. Nevertheless, the best selections are wonderfully offbeat, inventive, and, well, haunting. Among these: Sarah Rees Brennan’s “The Spy Who Never Grew Up,” a wickedly funny and wonderfully written story about that eternal child Peter Pan, now grown to a teenager; Diana Peterfreund’s “Errant,” a deliciously dark tale of unlikely nuns and even more unlikely unicorns; and Maggie Stiefvater’s “The Hounds of Ulster,” an unforgettable story of music and love, rooted in Irish folklore. These three stories alone make the collection well worth reading. Grades 9-12. --Michael Cart

Awesomely beautiful collection of stories.  As mentioned above, not all end happily, but I find that I like those the best.  The ones with the ominous endings make much more sense to me in the paranormal world.

My favorites (so hard to pick, but I finally did):

  1. "Lost" by Justine Mark -- Can you guess who the man in the white house is?  I certainly didn't until he said he's name.  Interesting take on a very old myth.
  2. "Behind the Red Door" by Caitlin Kittredge -- A traditional style ghost story with a secret.  The house was like another character with moods and dreams and definitely nightmares.  Very creepy story.
  3. "The Hounds of Ulster" by Maggie Stiefvater -- I love Irish mythology and this one plays off the old stories while placing it squarely in today's world.  Definitely not a happy ending, but a wonderfully crafted story of loss.

The other two mentioned in the summary paragraph above (Brennan and Peterfreund) were also amazing, but these three were my absolute favorite.  And each one of them ended on a note of despair.  Not that they didn't have an element of happiness in them.  It's just each story had such atmosphere, like a foggy day in the woods.  I loved them so much!  Curled up in my reading chair listening the Mumford and Sons channel on Pandora.  The perfect day.

tags: 5 stars, anthology, paranormal, romance, young adult
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 08.06.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

Saturday 9: I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight

Welcome to 

Saturday: 9

What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

1. Have you ever lost a lover and spent way too much time wondering what they were doing? -- Yes I admit it.  Won't tell you who though...

2. What was your favorite vacation ever? -- High school senior year spring break trip to NYC with my two besties!  Three 18-year-olds in NYC for a week = amazing tme.

3. Do you like surprises? If yes, what kinds? Or are you one of those people who absolutely has to know what's going on before it happens?  -- I absolutely love surprises.  Unfortunately it seems like the only surprises I've been getting lately are the bad ones.

4. Have you ever written a poem? Feel free to share one. Or even a dirty limerick is OK. -- For class.  I'm definitely not ever going to be a poet, I'm horrible.  I'm much better at short prose.

5. Did anything interesting show up in your mail lately besides the bills? -- Does a magazine count?  I get a magazine and bills, that's it.

6. How many of your friendships have lasted more than ten years? Which of your current friends do you feel will still be important to you ten years from now? Family members don't count. -- Hmmm... tough question.  Can I say Josh?

7. Do you own a pet? If so, do you buy them presents for holidays? Do you consider your pet(s) spoiled? If you don't own one, do you think you will one day? -- No pet currently.  At some point, I'm sure Josh and I will get a dog, but not right now.

8. It's Friday afternoon and you're planning your weekend. What's on your agenda on a hot August night? -- Dinner and a movie?

9. What's your worst nervous habit? -- Losing the ability to correctly pronounce words.

categories: Life
Saturday 08.06.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Lessons from a Scarlet Lady by Emma Wildes

Title: Lessons from a Scarlet Lady

Author: Emma Wildes

Publisher: Signet Eclipse 2010

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 310

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer Romance - Historical

No real lady should take lessons from a scarlet woman... 

The Duke of Rolthven's new wife, Brianna, is the perfect aristocratic bride. So what would society say if they saw her with a copy of Lady Rothburg's Advice--a courtesan's lessons for the boudoir? When his innocent wife suddenly becomes a vixen in the bedroom, the proper Duke is truly astounded by her seductive powers. Following a courtesan's advice might lead to trouble-but will it lead to Brianna's ultimate desire: winning her husband's love?

Another slightly trashy romance novel.  I think I am addicted to them at this point.  It such as easy read.  I dont' have to think about anything.  It's just a diversion.

This one was decent with likable characters and a predictable yet fun plot.  My favorite character was definitely Damien.  As the middle brother and not one of the romantic male leads, he played matchmaker.  A fun character.  I don't have too much else to say about this one.  It was a fun read.  If you're a romance fan and looking for an afternoon's diversion, this is the book for you.

tags: 4 stars, Emma Wildes, historical fiction, Regency, romance
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 08.05.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

Friday Fill-Ins #6

FFI And...here we go!

1. How can I read all the books I have on my TBR list?  Life's great question.

2. Good characters weed out the bad ones.

3. My hair has a life of its own most days.

4. I went to and felt awkward at my high school reunion.

5. My favorite summer fruits are ripe watermelon, peaches, blueberries, and raspberries.

6. Crazy stopping and merging driver on the highway...what was that?

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to some book reading, tomorrow my plans include maybe some South O pastries and Sunday, I want to go the art museum!

categories: Life
Friday 08.05.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

Cooking Up Murder by Miranda Bliss

Title: Cooking Up Murder (Cooking Class Mystery #1)

Author: Miranda Bliss

Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime 2006

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 233

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Local Library

Annie and Eve are life-long best friends who have absolutely nothing in common-except a lack of skill in the kitchen. So when they sign up for a cooking class at the local gourmet shop, they figure the only things at risk are a few innocent fruits and vegetables. But on the first night, Annie and Eve see their fellow student Beyla arguing with a man-a man who later turns up dead in the parking lot. Now the friends feel bound to uncover whatever secrets she's hiding, before someone else's goose-perhaps one of their own-gets cooked. -- From Amazon.com

Wow... I don't have much to say about this book.  It was quick, it was predictable, it was fun.  There wasn't anything really wrong with it.  It just wasn't an amazing book.  That's all.  The one part that I really liked--the character of Annie.  She's normal, but just neurotic enough to make her interesting and quirky.  I loaned out the other books in the series, but have decided to pause and pick up a different book.

Cooking Class Mystery (DNFed series)

  • #1 Cooking Up Murder
  • #2 Murder On the Menu
  • #3 Dead Men Don't Get the Munchies
  • #4 Dying for Dinner
  • #5 Murder Has a Sweet Tooth
tags: 3 stars, Miranda Bliss, mystery
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 08.03.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

Quote Wednesday - Doyle

"Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius." -- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

I've been thinking a lot about talents lately.  It's probably all the job interviews I've been going on.  The interviewer always ask: What are your strengths and weaknesses?  What can you bring to our company?  And what do I say?  These are such hard questions if you are going to answer truthfully.

I could say... I have a bubbly personality.  I'm open to challenges.  I love dealing with people.  I like creative projects.

I could say all that, but I would be slightly fibbing.  I'm not always bubbly.  Some days I don't want to be perky.  But I can fake it if I like the position/job I have. Sometimes I like easy work.  I admit it.  I don't want to be challenged every second of every day.  People sometimes annoy me, but it takes a lot to throw me off track.  My creativity ebbs and flows.  Some days I don't have any ideas.  I tend to go in spurts. (Case in point: my original fiction pieces on this blog.  I committed myself to creative writing, but haven't been inspired this month.)

So what are my talents?  I think I am good at adapting.  If I love a job, I put in 110%.  I can deal with difficult people without letting them get to me.  I am a good secretary.  I document well.  I can fix problems.

So where does all that lead career wise?  I was a teacher, but state licensing might be my stumbling block.  I was thinking law school, but can I network and schmooze enough to get through it?  I just don't know.

I need to think more about this talent thing.  I need to figure out what talent is my strongest and pursue something that uses that talent.  Such a long complicated process.

categories: Quote Wednesday
Wednesday 08.03.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Top Ten Tuesday: Trends You'd Like To See More Of/Less Of

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists This week the topic is "Top Ten Trends I'd Like to See More/Less Of."  But of course, I am going to separate this list into two.

Trends I Want to See More Of

1. Zombies -- Have you guessed that I absolutely freaking adore zombies?  Well, I do.  And I'm always up for a good zombie story.  Of all the supernatural being genres, this is one that I want to see more of.

2. Unicorns -- I recently read the anthology, Zombies vs. Unicorns, and found myself really loving the unicorn stories.

3. Relatable characters -- I love characters that are real.  Not every romantic female lead in a YA novel needs to be from a horrible home life or be an outcast.  Why can't we get more down-to-earth characters?

4. Funny stories -- I love humorous stories.  We don't always need a heavy-hitting drama.  I love light hearted farces also.  More Funny!

5. Food/Travel Writing -- With the exception of Eat, Pray, Love (whiny, whiny lady!) I love travel/food writing.  Joanne Harris is a master of this.  Anyone else loved Chocolat?  I know I did.

Trends I Want to See Less Of

1. Vampire/Human Romance -- Twilight has killed this for me.  I'm done with this whole thing.  No more vampire romances.

2. Christian Historical Fiction -- My disdain for sermon filled CHF is very evident on this blog.  I don't need all the cliched stories and characters.  Make is real.

3. Love/Hate Dating -- Every romance (YA and adult) that I've read lately has the main characters in a love/hate relationship.  Not every great romance starts with the leads hating one another.  People can like each other or even be friends before dating.  Let's get some variety here.

4. Bad Romance -- I love the romance genre.  But what I don't love. bad plots with tons of sex scenes.  I don't mind the sex scenes, as long as I've got a good story going into it.

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 08.02.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 2
 

Music Monday -- The Postal Service "Such Great Heights"

Give Up is such a great album.  Different than the usual Death Cab for Cutie stuff, yet similar enough that I instantly liked it.  But my absolute favorite song has to be "Such Great Heights."  The music is fun.  The lyrics are great.  An uplifting message... Enjoy this great Monday!

Lyrics (my favorite lines in bold):

I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles In our eyes are mirror images and when We kiss they're perfectly aligned And I have to speculate that God himself Did make us into corresponding shapes like Puzzle pieces from the clay And true, it may seem like a stretch, but Its thoughts like this that catch my troubled Head when you're away when I am missing you to death When you are out there on the road forSeveral weeks of shows and when you scanThe radio, I hope this song will guide you home

They will see us waving from such great Heights, 'come down now,' they'll say But everything looks perfect from far away, 'come down now,' but we'll stay...

I tried my best to leave this all on your Machine but the persistent beat it sounded Thin upon listening And that frankly will not fly. You will hear The shrillest highs and lowest lows with The windows down when this is guiding you home

P.S. The Iron and Wine stripped down version is incredibly awesome also!

tags: The Postal Service
categories: Music
Monday 08.01.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Read-A-Long Madness

I found these two awesome read-a-long events for August and just had to join.  They're both rereads, but one's from my favorite author and the other is my favorite series.

First up from Bread Crumb Reads:

"Sense & Sensibility" Read-along in August!

How this Works The novel is divided into four parts. For each part there will be an update/discussion post every Thursday. Those who intend blogging, are welcome to. On the other hand, no one has to blog. There are no obligations of any kind. Simply read and have fun with others like you!^_^

Date for Read-along 1 August 2011 - 31 August 2011

Discussion Schedule (every Thursday):

  • 11 August - discussion of Volume I
  • 18 August - discussion of Volume II
  • 25 August - discussion of Volume III

Note: Each volume is less than 150 pages each, in case you're wondering.;)

Second comes from

Pretty Deadly Reviews

It's time to kick off the Harry Potter Read Along! If you haven't all ready, it's time to crack open our dusty old copies of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

It's time to kick off the Harry Potter Read Along!

To celebrate the first day of what is sure to be total awesomeness, I've decided we all need to be sorted. It's the very first thing Harry experiences, and I thought it should be fitting that we take the ride with him.

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?

I figured I would either be a Griffindor or a Ravenclaw.  I'm okay with this sorting.

Wish me luck on both read-a-longs!

tags: readalong
categories: Books
Monday 08.01.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 
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