The Walking Dead: Book One

Title: The Walking Dead: Book One

Author: Robert Kirkman

Publisher: Image Comics 2010

Genre: Graphic Novel; Zombies

Pages: 304

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novels

This hardcover features the first 12 issues of the hit series along with the covers for the issues in one oversized hardcover volume. Perfect for long time fans, new readers and anyone needing a slightly heavy object with which to fend off the walking dead.

Very much in love with this series already. The drawings, all black and white, show such emotion and movement in single frames. It's just fantastic. I especially loved the pages of no dialogue, but multiple single frames acting out the screen. Just beautiful. And I definitely agree with the black and white coloring. Somehow it makes everything more bleak and horrifying. Even the zombies look scarier. s great. Each one has its own story to tell and mysteries to solve. But I think my favorites are Rick (duh!) and Tyrese. Both are those kind of people anyone would be lucky to have in the zombie apocalypse. I just hope they don't die soon. I like them way too much.

To be honest, I watched the AMC series before reading the graphic novel. They are alike, but not alike. Many of the characters are the same in the beginning, but the series definitely branches off on its on at some point. And I'm okay with that. These are two different entities. They can be different. So I'll keep reading the graphic novel and keep watching the series.

Quote Wednesday -- Hayakawa

"It is not true that we have only one life to live; if we can read, we can live as many more lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish." -- S.I. Hayakawa

I love this quote! I think I have followed this philosophy ever since I was little. I love reading, losing myself in fantastical stories. I love connecting to a character or a world. I love getting sucked in. Books are escapes. Books show us other ways of life and thinking. Books can be therapy. Books are the among the best things in this world.

Now if you will excuse me, I need to get back to my book. It's too good to leave alone for too long.

Bout of Books Readathon (Update #2)

Books to Knock Out

From Net Galley

Lord of the Vampires by Gena Showalter
Lucky Girl by Cate Lord

From Library

The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble
The Walking Dead: Book One
Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall by Bill Willingham
Fables: The Mean Seasons by Bill Willingham

From Home Library

Ringworld by Larry Niven
Men in Kilts by Katie MacAlister

Other Books I’d Love to Get to

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin
Jane Austen Made Me Do It by Laurel Ann Nattress
Ashes by Ilsa Bick
Tris and Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison
Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey
Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell
Perfect Timing by Jill Mansell
The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
Greek Street

Update

Number of books I’ve read today: 3 Total number of books I’ve read: 5 Pages Read Today: 606 Total Pages Read: 1213 Hours Read Today: 5 hours 15 minutes Total Hours Read: 10 hours 20 minutes Today #insixwords: Two blahs and one awesome read

Lucky Girl by Cate Lord

Title: Lucky Girl

Author: Cate Lord

Publisher: Entangled Sept. 6, 2011

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 268

Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer Romance - Contemporary

Jessica Devlin isn't looking for love. Heartbroken after being dumped by her unfaithful ex-fiance, she's determined to have a fabulous time during her vacation in England where she ll be maid-of-honor at her cousin s wedding. After working overtime as beauty editor of Orlando's O Tart magazine, avoiding dating, and putting on ten pounds, Jess is ready to toss her past like an empty lipstick tube and party like a single gal.
But when she steps into the church on her cousin s wedding day, she sees the one man who could sabotage her plan James-Bond-gorgeous Nick Mondinello. She s never forgotten the London marketing exec who held her in his arms after her beloved grandfather s funeral two years ago. Ambitious, and lusted after by women everywhere, Nick is completely wrong for guarded, Plain Jane Jess.
Could Spy Man Nick ever fall for her? Nope. Not unless Jess is one lucky girl.

Very predictable contemporary romance. Girl's been hurt by a jilted lover. Girl thinks she's fat and ugly. Girl spies gorgeous man whose way out of her league (or so she thinks). Girl and guy dance around their attraction, she never really believing he could like her. Girl gets guy into bed. Girl (or guy) makes a stupid mistake/lie and loses guy. Girl gets buy back through some dramatic act or he just shows up on her doorstep.

Overall, a very quick read. But I'm now having issues with all these romances novels where the girl constantly thinks that she's ugly. When are we going to ease up on body issues? Not everyone can be/should be/wants to be a size 0 with no hips or boobs. I prefer real women curves. Jess's insistence that she's ugly (even though she's like a size 4) gets her into these awkward situations with gorgeous man Nick. Can we get some stronger (no physically strong, but emotionally strong) women in these romance novels? I think the damsel in distress act has run its course.

Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall by Bill Willingham

Title: Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall

Author: Bill Willingham

Publisher: Vertigo 2008

Genre: Graphic Novel; Fantasy

Pages: 144

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Fables Series

A volume full of backstories about the fairy- and folktale characters who figure in the hit comic book Fables gets the kind of classy treatment success merits. Every story in it is drawn by a different artist who shows off his or her distinctiveness in manners ranging from traditional comics realism and photo-based naturalism to Maxfield Parrish-Howard Pyle sumptuousness and a panoply of caricatural styles.

I absolutely loved this volume. Another Fables volume lives up to the promise of a great story. All the backstories were entertaining. Variations on the fairy tales of yore. We start with Snow White becoming Scheherazade on a mission to secure the Sultan's alliance against the Adversary. Very nicely woven as the background to the other tales. The real Scheherazade even makes an appearance. Then we get stories involving Snow and PC and the dwarves, Reynard the fox, the Frog Prince, Bigby, an unlucky rabbit general, Snow and Rose Red and Frau Totenkinder (with appearances from other Fables), a mermaid, and King Cole. Each story flows into the next with crossover events and characters. Throughout we see the real history of the Fables before they escaped to NYC. Very entertaining to hear of the origins. I think my favorite was Frau Totenkinder's story. The evil witch isn't all she seems. She's become one of my favorite characters in the entire series. And of course, the artwork was amazing. Each illustrator had their own style, but remained true to the fairy tale magic throughout. Great side volume for the Fables series!

Ringworld by Larry Niven

Title: Ringworld

Author: Larry Niven

Publisher: Del Ray 1985

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 342

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Science Fiction; 2011- With a Twist

A new place is being built, a world of huge dimensions, encompassing millions of miles, stronger than any planet before it. There is gravity, and with high walls and its proximity to the sun, a livable new planet that is three million times the area of the Earth can be formed. We can start again!

This book was really mixed. J warned me that it was harder scifi than Have Spacesuit-Will Travel and Ender's Game, and it certainly was. I liked parts of the book and then got confused about other parts. My knowledge of physics ans space travel is not on par with J's and I found myself drifting during those passages. And those passages take up about a third of the book. I kept having to reread sentences; stopping to think about what he was trying to explain. Sometimes, I completely glossed over a concept because I couldn't figure it out in a few mintes. Those were the pages that drained my reading stamina. I had to take a few reading breaks with this book. I couldn't do it all in on sitting.

On the good side, I loved all the parts focusing on interactions between the alien species. Their cultural and language differences intrigued me. I also found the explanations and mysteries of the Ringworld civilization fascinating. Those parts redeemed the book for me and kept me reading. I guess deep down I'm more of an anthropologist than a scifi geek. And that's okay.

Ringworld

#1 Ringworld
#2 The Ringworld Engineers
#3 The Ringworld Throne
#4 Ringworld's Children
#5 Fate of Worlds: Return from the Ringworld (with Edward M Lerner)

Bout of Books Readathon (Update #1)

Books to Knock Out

From Net Galley

Lord of the Vampires by Gena Showalter
Lucky Girl by Cate Lord

From Library

The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble
The Walking Dead: Book One
Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall by Bill Willingham
Fables: The Mean Seasons by Bill Willingham

From Home Library

Ringworld by Larry Niven (in progress)
Men in Kilts by Katie MacAlister

Other Books I’d Love to Get to

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin
Jane Austen Made Me Do It by Laurel Ann Nattress
Ashes by Ilsa Bick
Tris and Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison
Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey
Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell
Perfect Timing by Jill Mansell
The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
Greek Street

Update

Number of books I’ve read today: 2 Total number of books I’ve read: 2 Pages Read Today: 607 Total Pages Read: 607 Hours Read Today: 5 hours 5 minutes Total Hours Read: 5 hours 5 minutes Today #insixwords: Ringworld: much harder scifi than like

Fables: The Mean Seasons by Bill Willingham

Title: Fables: The Mean Seasons (Vol. 5)

Author: Bill Willingham

Publisher: Vertigo 2005

Genre: Graphic Novel; Fairy Tales

Pages: 168

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Fables Challenge

The title story here depicts the year after the attack from the Adversary. Summer sees the birth of Deputy Mayor Snow White's sextuplets (the father is Sheriff Bigby Wolf); fall, Prince Charming's election as mayor; winter, bad decisions by the new administration; and spring, plans to counterattack the Adversary. Two shorter pieces show Bigby Wolf on a secret mission during World War II and Cinderella entrapping a Fable who is collaborating with the Adversary. Tony Akins draws the shorter stories with less detail than Mark Buckingham does the big one; both uphold Fables' snappy good looks. Ray OlsonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Loving this volume. We get to see Cinderella as something more than a vapid princess. And we get a little bit of Bigby's history. He is fast becoming my favorite character in the series. As much as I enjoyed the two shorter stories, I must say they don't hold a candle to the long story. The setup is perfect. We see the changing tide through the changing of the seasons. Very inventive! And we get to meet a few new characters, especially the interesting and mysterious Mr. North. I can't wait to learn more about him. We also get more mysteries as Beast and Beauty take over for Snow and Bigby and Prince Charming becomes mayor. They all find out that many things are not what they seem in Fabletown. Oh yeah, and the return of Rose Red. I thought her character had more potential than the rebel sister and she's starting to show it. Can't wait for the next volume...

Fables:

The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble

Title: The Lightkeeper's Ball (A Mercy Falls Novel #3)

Author: Colleen Coble

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 2011

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 292

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer Romance - Historical

How I Got It: Borrowed from the library

In 1910, New York socialite Olivia Stewart resists an arranged, socially advantageous marriage, and the mysterious death of her sister Eleanor in Northern California is an unhappy but convenient excuse to go West to investigate. On the way, she is thrown off a Bay area ship and nearly drowned, so she has a number of reasons to hide her identity when she arrives in Mercy Falls, Calif. Her shipboard rescuer turns out to be her dead sister's fiancé Harrison Bennett, about whom she has suspicions. Harrison in turn has his reasons to distrust the Stewart family. In this atmosphere of deceit and suspicion, attraction between Olivia and Harrison grows.

I had read the first two Mercy Falls novels way back at the beginning of the year. I had been waiting for this one to release and thank goodness the library had it. Another good mystery/historical romance.

I like Coble's characters. We see the spirit of Olivia. We also get appearances by the leading ladies of the first two novels, Katie and Addie. Together they make quite the trio. I loved the side characters, Mrs. Fosberg, Mrs, Bennett, Mr. Bennett, Nealy (the dog), Euguene, Goldia. They added to the realness of the novel. I also appreciated the tone. Just like the others, I could see the Christian angle, but it was overwhelming. Any conversation the characters had about God seemed natural. I didn't suffer through the 3-page sermons like many CHF books.

My only complaint about this one: the rushed ending. I felt like the book was moving along at a nice pace until the last 30 pages when all the reveals happened one after another. How realistic is it for all the secrets to come out to different people at practically the same time. A bit far-fetched. But the other mystery was well done.

Music Monday -- Linkin Park "Waiting for the End"

I've been a fan of Linkin Park since Hybrid Theory. They're not particularly deep. They're not particularly emotional. But they do have good music to listen to in the background. It's also great driving music. I love singing along with the windows down! This week's selections comes from the iTunes Festival. I had to purchase their set right away. And definitely this is my favorite song from the set.

Lyrics (my favorite lines in bold):

[Mike:] This is not the end, this is not the beginning Just a voice like a riot rocking every revision But you listen to the tone and the violent rhythm Though the words sound steady something empty's within them We say yeah with fists flying up in the air Like we're holding onto something that's invisible there Cause we're living at the mercy of the pain and the fear Until we dead it, forget it, let it all disappear

[Chester:] Waiting for the end to come Wishing I had strength to stand This is not what I had planned It's out of my control Flying at the speed of light Thoughts were spinning in my head So many things were left unsaid It's hard to let you go

I know what it takes to move on I know how it feels to lie All I want to do Is trade this life for something new Holding on to what I haven't got

Sitting in an empty roomTrying to forget the pastThis was never meant to lastI wish it wasn't so

I know what it takes to move on I know how it feels to lie All I want to do Is trade this life for something new Holding on to what I haven't got

[Mike:] What was left when that fire was gone I thought it felt right but that right was wrong All caught up in the eye of the storm And trying to figure out what it's like moving on And I don't even know what kind of things I said My mouth kept moving and my mind went dead So I'm picking up the pieces, now where to begin The hardest part of ending is starting again

[Chester(till end):] All I want to do Is trade this life for something new Holding on to what I haven't got I'm holding on to what I haven't got I'm holding on to what I haven't got

[Mike:] This is not the end, this is not the beginning Just a voice like a riot rocking every revision But you listen to the tone and the violent rhythm Though the words sound steady something empty's within them We say yeah with fists flying up in the air Like we're holding onto something that's invisible there Cause we're living at the mercy of the pain and the fear Until we dead it, forget it let it all disappear

And a special little treat for you: Their cover of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep"

The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire

Title: The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire

Publisher: Running Press 2009

Genre: YA vampire short stories

Pages: 416

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Vampire; A to Z Titles: E

How I Got It: borrowed from library

This anthology is full of high-quality fiction that mixes some well-established authors of vampire stories with some new ones. The selections have diverse story lines, some strong on the horror component but including lighter fare with some comedy and romance, and an array of writing styles. Vampires are portrayed in a variety of ways along with their history and lore, making this an entertaining read. Particularly noteworthy are Sarah Rees Brennan's "Undead Is Very Hot Right Now," Karen Mahoney's "Falling to Ash," Holly Black's "The Coldest Girl in Coldtown," and Libba Bray's "The Thirteenth Step." These fang-tastic tales are a must for libraries with a strong vampire fan base.—Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

I loved this anthology! Such a mix of stories. All about vampires, but not all vampires are the same. My favorite stories:

"Sword Point" by Maria Snyder -- A girl training to fence stumbles upon a seedy underground. Classic horro vampires and new style vampire hunters. A great classic style story.
"The Thirteenth Step" by Libba Bray -- A mystery involving vampires and a half-way house. Had be guessing til the end. I loved te mystery of it!
"Wet Teeth" by Cecil Castellucci -- A loner vampire tries to make a friend. You know this won't end well, right? Still a great little story.
"All Wounds" by Dina James -- Defnitely did not see this one coming. I was so focused on the classic horror side of vampires, that I forgot about other supernatural beings. This really sets up a series. Wonder if there is one? Found my next assignment after the readathon.

For vampire fans, a must read. And don't be put off by the young adult classification. These stories may star teens, but they are well thought out journeys.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Title: Sense and Sensibility

Author: Jane Austen

Pages: 282

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Page to Screen; 2011 - Back in the Day

How I Got It: Own It!

Sense and Sensibility is the first published novel by Jane Austen. Originally published under the pseudonym “A Lady,” Sense and Sensibility tells the story of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, who, upon the death of their father, are left in reduced circumstances to live on the country estate of a distant relative. At Barton Park, the Dashwood sisters engage in romances with the reserved Edward Ferrars, the dashing yet fickle Mr. Willoughby, and the gentlemanly Colonel Brandon, and eventually find the fulfillment of their romantic yearnings.

I participated in a readalong of the novel. You can check out my post here. For this review, I want to focus on the the transition from page to screen. I have two versions of S&S on dvd, so I will be comparing and contrasting both.

Overall I think S&S ranks towards the bottom of my Jane Austen ranking. I find Elinor a little too stiff and Marianne a little too silly for most of the book. And I absolutely loathe Edward! Who would want a sniveling husband? Definitely not me. The biggest redeeming factor has to be Colonel Brandon. I absolutely love him.

Ang Lee version:

Although I simply adore Emma Thompson, this version radically changes the book. Characters are dropped; where'd you go Miss Steele and Lady Middleton? A few scenes are added or changed. But my biggest complaint about the movie is the tone. It makes Elinor and Edward's relationship into a Harlequin romance novel. Now I love Harlequin romance at the right time. But this is Jane Austen. We don't need the smoldering looks, the breathy sighs, the accidental (not really) touches. It seems all too out in the open. The book paints Edward and Elinor as two acquaintances who could fall in love, but cautiously and slowly. They are not the fall head over heels romantics; that's supposed to be Marianne. And speaking of Marianne, I hated the last screen shot of Willoughby at the hill watching the weddings. It makes him a much more sympathetic character. While I can't stand Willoughby's actions, I really think he did love Marianne. But we don't need more screen time for him. That shot should have been reserved for Elinor, Edward, Marianne, and Colonel Brandon. Overall, a decent version with some great actors (Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, and Hugh Laurie (my fave side character)), but a few issues concerning the tone.

BBC version:

This version is my preferred version. I love the actresses who play Elinor and Marianne. Elinor is appropriately serious, but we do get to see her emotions. Marianne is silly, but not to the point that I can't stand her on screen. Colonel Brandon is (like he should be) strong, dependable, and overall amazing! Even Edward is more likable in this one. That is the one change that I completely approve of. I don't mind Edward marrying Elinor in this one. The Miss Steeles perfectly portray two young women looking out for the "best match." And Willoughby is perfectly deplorable in this version. My one big complaint: the opening scene. We see Willoughby and Colonel Brandon's ward (we don't know them at the time) engaging in an illicit tryst. I think the story that the Colonel tells Elinor later in the movie is just fine. We didn't need the visuals to go with it. Other than that, I absolutely love this version. And watch it again, and again, and again.

Meals a la Tobe! #3

Sunday -- Flank Steak on the Grill (soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions, and ketchup marinade)

-- Rice

-- Green beans

-- Honey wheat bread

The flank steak was surprisingly juicy and so simple. A marinade for a few hours and we were ready to grill. I am so glad J bought a grill, it has been a joy this summer.

Monday

-- Thanksgiving dinner in a crockpot (Recipe from Best of Country Slow Cooker Recipes Vol. 2)

1 boneless turkey breast (3-4 lbs) 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup apple juice 1 tbsp cider vinegar 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teas ground mustard 1/2 teas ground cinnamon 1/4 teas ground cloves 1/4 teas allspice
Place the turkey skin side up in a 5 qt slow cooker. Combine the cranberry sauce, sugar, apple juice, vinegar, garlic, mustard, cinnamon, clove, and all-spice. Pour over turkey. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

-- Corn

-- Mashed potatoes

-- Honey wheat bread

One of the easiest dinners I've ever made. And man, was it delicious!!! Definitely a keeper.

Tuesday

-- Leftovers/out (J's standing meeting with business partners leaves me alone to scavenge or go grab something quick). I ate most of the rest of last night's meal, and I have to say it was still scrumptious. I am definitely adding that to my "to keep" pile.

Wednesday

-- Leftovers/out. I had my first Stampin' Up club meeting, so no cooked dinner. I grabbed some Arby's on the way home. I do love me some Arby's.

Thursday

-- Stuffed Shells (recipe from This Week for DInner)

Half box of pasta shells (about 20) 1 container ricotta cheese A few cloves of garlic, mashed through garlic press About 1 tsp. salt A few shakes of black pepper A few tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1 egg, slightly beaten About half a jar of tomato-based pasta sauce Handful shredded fresh parmesan cheese A few handfuls shredded mozzarella cheese
Boil shells as per package directions. Drain and make sure they don’t stick to each other. Mix together the ricotta, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, and egg. Stuff your shells, maybe about a tablespoon per shell. Use up all the filling for about 20-24 shells. Place shells in a 9×13 baking dish, drizzle with pasta sauce, then sprinkle the top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly, about 25-30 minutes or so.

-- Garlic Bread

The shells were a bit undercooked. J complained that they had too much garlic in them. I know now not to follow the recipe to the letter.

Friday

-- Brats on the grill (Cajun, Beer, Pineapple, and Jalapeno)

-- French fries

-- Corn on the Cob

The grocery store had an end of summer sale on the brats from the meat counter. I bought 12 and froze 8 of them. Great deal! I couldn't resist.

Saturday

-- Dinner out at Wheatfields. Yummy yummy apple pie!

Week summary/comments:

This week was a pretty good cooking week. I made a few new recipes. (The turkey one is definitely being put on my "to keep" list.) Looking forward to some new recipes to try for next week!

Bout of Books Readathon (Starting Line)

Read-a-Thon Goals

Read at least 5 books
Review at least 5 books
Knock out at least one reading challenge hurdle
Get rid of some NetGalley and library books
FB ban in effect
Only be on Google Reader (reading and commenting) for 1:30 a day

Books to Knock Out

From Net Galley

Lord of the Vampires by Gena Showalter
Lucky Girl by Cate Lord

From Library

The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble
The Walking Dead: Book One
Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall by Bill Willingham
Fables: The Mean Seasons by Bill Willingham

From Home Library

Ringworld by Larry Niven
Men in Kilts by Katie MacAlister

Other Books I’d Love to Get to

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin
Jane Austen Made Me Do It by Laurel Ann Nattress
Ashes by Ilsa Bick
Tris and Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison
Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey
Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell
Perfect Timing by Jill Mansell
The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
Greek Street

How Much Time I Intend to Read

At least 2 hours per day... I don't have a huge amount of things going on this week, so hopefully I can block out some time.

Really looking forward to some dedicated reading. I have way too many unfinished reading challenges sitting on my blog. And J has been pressuring me about reading more scifi. This is the perfect opportunity to accomplish both goals.

Crafty Crafty Me

It's been a bit boring around here without the boys. I don't have much to fill up my day yet, so I started to look around... what could I do? What do I enjoy doing? What should I be doing? Of course, I take care of a lot of the random household stuff right now (still unpacking, organizing, getting rid of stuff). Plus I read, look for a job, blog, etc. But I needed more. And I found something! Stampin' Up! There's a Stampin' Up club here in Omaha that meets once a month to make some projects. I decided to check it out. And I'm glad I did. I had so much fun. Everyone gets one free class and then can either pay per month for the class or join the club to get member perks. We made three cards.

I especially loved the purple one! It's my favorite color. And I needed a birthday card for my grandmother for Saturday and her favorite color is purple. Perfect!!!!! The fall colors card would be great for a birthday or Father's Day or Thanksgiving or lots of other things. And while I don't love the design of the last one, I did get to learn how to emboss. I've always wanted to try it for scrapbooking, but couldn't see where it would fit.

After the class was over, I talked to the demonstrator about the club (how it works, etc.) and we ended up talking for almost two hours. It was a lot of fun. Before I left, I decided to join! At least for the next six months, I have somewhere to be for one night a month. Card making!!!! And all you friends out there, watch out for some homemade cards coming your way!

Now that I found one thing, time to find another.... I'm leaning towards some academics...

Fables: March of the Wooden Soldiers by Bill Willingham

Title: Fables Vol. 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers

Author: Bill Willingham

Publisher: Vertigo 2004

Genre: Graphic Novel; Fantasy

Pages: 240

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Fables Series

How I Got It: borrowed from library

Willingham's happy idea of bringing the Fables--that is, the characters of Europe's best-known fairy tales--to contemporary New York rolls merrily, dangerously along in two stories. The former, "The Last Castle," guest-drawn by P. Craig Russell and Craig Hamilton, flashes back to the Fables' last stand in their home world; echoing the Disney and John Wayne Alamo flicks and Peter Jackson's Two Towers, it winningly introduces the long title story, in which Boy Blue reencounters the love he loses in "The Last Castle"--the grown-up Red Riding Hood. But is this the same Red? Reason for doubt precedes her in goblin sightings near a door between this and the Fables' worlds--and goblins can only be harbingers of impending attack by the Adversary, who drove the Fables into exile. Meanwhile, what's with these toughies in black suits who look like Pinocchio? Willingham never sacrifices a joke for the sake of a thrill, or vice versa, and artist Mark Buckingham continues matching Willingham joke for thrill, and vice versa. Ray OlsonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

"The Last Castle" was a great account the last battle. We finally get to know more about Boy Blue who has always been a background character until this point. I loved the inclusion of Red Riding Hood and Robin of Loxley and the Crow Brothers. And the story gives you som background leading to the main story...

"The March of the Wooden Soldiers." We finally get to see a battle between The Adversaries forces and the residents of Fabletown. We all knew it was coming, it just took four volumes to get there. The leadup and battle were artfully staged. I especially loved the scenes with Pinocchio. A very nice touch. And we get to revisit some of the Fable Farm residents. Plus Prince Charming redeems himself in battle, setting himself up to run for Mayor of Fabletown.

Overall, a very good volume. Can't wait to read the next installment.

Fables:

Fables: Storybook Love by Bill Willingham (Repost)

I am reposting my original review for Legends in Exile to count for my Fables Series Reading Challenge. I reread the volume, but didn’t have anything to add to my review.

Title: Fables Vol. 3: Storybook Love

Author: Bill Willingham

Publisher: DC Comics 2004

Genre: Graphic Novel; Fantasy

Pages: 190

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon; Fables Series Challenge

How I Got It: borrowed from library

Definitely my favorite so far in the Fables series. This series is really growing on me. I just had to keep reading. Since it's a graphic novel, I read it in less than an hour.

The main story focused on the lingering problems of an unrequited love of Bigby to Snow, a fugitive Goldilocks, a poor Prince Charming, and a devious Bluebeard. I loved how they resolved (at least temporarily) some of the storylines set up in Volume 1. We also meet Briar Rose, second wife to Prince Charming (turns out Cinderella, who we met in Volume 1, was wife #3). And we encounter the mounted police made up of Fable rats and Lilliputians (you know, from Gulliver's Travels).

Beyond the main story, we got a story of Jack set in the Civil War, a two-parter concerning a nosey reporter, and the story of the Barleycorn vase. All three were entertaining, but the Jack story was my favorite. With an appearance and then disappearance of Death, Jack showed just how morally ambiguous he really is. I imagine this will come up later in the series.

Fables:

Fables: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham (Repost)

I am reposting my original review for Legends in Exile to count for my Fables Series Reading Challenge. I reread the volume, but didn’t have anything to add to my review.

Title: Fables Vol. 2: Animal Farm

Author: Bill Willingham

Publisher: DC Comics 2003

Genre: Graphic Novel; Fantasy

Pages: 112

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon; Fantasy; Fables Series Challenge

How I Got It: borrowed from library

Definitely not as good as Legends in Exile, but still a good graphic novel. This story revolved around Fabletown's non-human inhabitants. They attempt a takeover of control of Fabletown and hopefully the Homelands. Of course, not everything goes as planned. And Snow White and Rose Red are caught in the middle. The twists and turns and intrigue weren't a surprise. I felt like I had read this story before. The plot was overdone and old. The characters were fairly interesting. However, Snow White was such a disappointment after her excellent debut. Read this volume in about an hour. It wasn't a wasted hour, but definitely not the best. Here's hoping that Volume 3 is better.

Fables:

Fables: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham (Repost)

I am reposting my original review for Legends in Exile to count for my Fables Series Reading Challenge. I reread the volume, but didn't have anything to add to my review.

Title: Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile

Author: Bill Willingham

Publisher: Vertigo 2002

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 128

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon; Fantasy; A to Z Authors: W; Fables Series Challenge

How I Got It: borrowed from library

Another graphic novel to add to my growing comic addiction. This one intrigued me because of the subject matter: fairy tale characters. I love anything with fairy tale stories or characters. And this one did not disappoint. A pulpy detective story featuring the murder of Rose Red. I loved the inclusion of all kinds of various characters (my fave: Prince Charming who married and divorced both Snow White and Cinderella). Each had a very different personality than their original story, which is definitely a good thing. I find most old versions of fairy tales very flat when to comes to characterization. This volume had loads of personality.

As to the story line, I like the premise and most of the execution. The only part I didn't like: the ending. Having the killer of Rose Red be exposed in during a party felt way too staged. I wasn't buying the staged wrap-up of the story. It was a bit of a let down after a great story.

Fortunately, this was volume one of the Fables series. I didn't even realize it when I started reading. Now I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Fables:

Friday Fill-Ins #8

And...here we go!

1. It's fun to make cards.... I just joined a Stampin' Up club and sooooo excited!

2. Stuffed shells is easy to make except when you don't cook the pasta long enough...

3. I like to be on a beach anywhere.

4. Why some people think it's okay to just take up the whole aisle with their cart at the grocery store, I will never know!

5. Something I'm very much excited about: finishing The Last Survivors trilogy tonight/tomorrow.

6. Rushing to the store before the storm hit was well worth it.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to brats on the grill, tomorrow my plans include a movie? and Sunday, I want to go visit Joslyn Castle!