Steamed by Katie MacAlister

Title: Steamed

Author: Katie MacAlister

Publisher: Signet 2010

Genre: Steampunk Romance

Pages: 332

Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Steampunk

I read another review of this book; one that didn't like the book very much. I must say that I have mixed feelings about this book. Some parts I loved, and others I hated.

The Good

I enjoyed the politics behind Octavia's actions. That may be because I like politics in general. I find it interesting to see how people get wrapped up in competing agendas. It wasn't hard at all to keep all the different factions separate. I loved the intrigue, the uncertain nature of various characters, the keeping secret of information. It made the book at bit more than a steampunk romance. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the steampunk world. having Jack and Hallie come from the real 2010 world created a great way for the characters to explain the steampunk technology. So the weapons and airships run on nuclear physics? Interesting. I liked the scientific side of the story.

The Bad

There were two big things wrong with the book: Hallie and the romance. Jack's sister was a nonexistant character, simply a plot device. The little we saw of her wasn't good at all. She was stuck up and stiff and stupid. I mean who gets herself captured while standing at a fountain. Wouldn't you be a little cautious in a war zone? Better yet, wouldn't you be a little cautious in a completely different world? Instead she wanders over to look at a fountain and gets captured as a spy. Seriously! We could have done without her character all together. The other issue I have is with the romance. It just wasn't believable at all. Jack comes off as a complete sex crazed chauvinist masquerading as a Quaker (really a Quaker?). And Octavia comes off as a pretentious slut. (I know harsh language, but that was my initial thought) I wasn't interested at all in their "romance." Just get to the action (fighting, no sex) scenes already.

Overall, interesting premise and background plot but boring characters and romance.

Google and Fair Use

The other day I came across this article on my tech blogs: The Book Dead May Be Dead, But Google Is Still Right by Matthew Ingram. It got me thinking about censorship, fair use, and information on the internet in general. For those that need a little background info:

Google also started scanning and indexing books that were under copyright, then offered authors and publishers the ability to “opt out” of the program and have their books removed... Others, however, said that scanning and indexing their books without explicit permission was wrong, and filed the lawsuits in 2005 that led to the agreement.

The crux of this argument is that scanning a book makes a copy of that book, and that copying is not permitted unless a copyright holder specifically agrees. The authors and publishers made this argument despite the fact that Google only ever shows a small fraction of a text when they display a book online.

Okay, so Google was supposedly "copying" the book in violation of copyright. But was this really a violation of copyright?

This is a ridiculous position, and always has been. Scanning something makes a copy of it in the same way that my viewing a web page makes a copy of it in the RAM of my computer — I’m surprised that authors and publishers haven’t tried to argue that this is secondary copyright infringement as well.

Keep in mind that Google did not "publish" the entirety of the copyrighted books anywhere. In most cases they had a preview or excerpt used in search capabilities.

I agree with Ingram that Google was in the right. Google did not violate copyright laws and was in accordance with fair use regulations.

All of this brings up some interesting questions. Who owns my blog? What about the writing in my blog? Could I sue someone for plagiarizing or borrowing from my blog? What about if they attribute a quote to me? Really it comes down to: who owns information and creativity? I think the big legal questions for the 21st century are going to be issues of intellectual property. With the expansion of the internet and the cloud, we have to redefine things like copyrights. Do they make sense for certain types of information, such as blogs? Do we all give up personal ownership for collective use? How does all this work. Am I violated some copyright issue by reprinting part of Ingram's article? Does it matter if I attributed the words to him? Where are the lines? All of things need to be discussed. I don't think any of us are going to progress by avoiding the questions or even going by the 20th century definitions. We are in a new world and need to discuss the new questions.

Quote Wednesday - Lederer

In what other language could your nose run and your feet smell. -- Richard Lederer

Our daily coffeehouse work session, chat session, caffeine ingestion session, etc. has gotten even crazier. We are starting to lose our minds. Some of us are starting a new venture. Some of us are dealing with spouse issues. Some of us are dealing with legal issues. Some of us are dealing with writer's block. All of us are dealing with kid issues. And all of us are dealing with sleep deprivation. As a result of all this stuff, we've sort of lost the ability to speak. Yesterday morning C was trying to share her thoughts on the new venture's logo, but it came out all timey-wimey. My reply, "Don't worry, I speak C."

English, and really language in general, is funny. Taken literally half of the things we say make no sense. Other things are very specific to the person. B has B logic and no I guess C has C language. We all have our own little phrases, constructions, tones. It makes our language more beautiful, but so much more complex. I've been noticing the funny little intricacies all week. Now if only I could write like many of us talk.

Date with a Devil

Title: Date with a Devil

Author: Anne Stuart, Cherry Adair, and Muriel Jensen

Publisher: Harlequin 2004

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 376

Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library

I'm really into the fun breezy reads lately. (Actually I'm trying to read all the books that I've already checked out from the library. I've banned myself from getting more.) This one fits in nicely. Three paranormal romance short stories featuring naughty dates. Yes, I referred to them as naughty dates. I liked the stories, but felt like they could have been turned into full length books with some time and effort. They felt a little short. The story was finished, but the characters could have offered a lot more to the reader. Alas, they were short stories. I'm still trying to decide if I should look into other works by these authors, I think I'll go to the library and peruse the covers. Good, fun read for the day. Nothing too exciting or memorable, but that's okay. I think I'll continue with the breezy fun reads and then get into heavier stuff next week.

Some Book Questions

Instead of this week's Top Ten Tuesday (Authors that Deserve More Recognition; couldn't think of any) I decided to do a book survey thingie.... Enjoy!

What was the last book you bought? - A special birthday surprise for J. I was so excited to find it and be able to use my 50% off coupon. The guy at the register was really excited, but disappointed that I bought it. He loves the subject, but really wanted to buy the book himself. There was only one copy. I'm really excited to give it to him.
Name a book you have read MORE than once. - The Great Gatsby. It's become a once every other year read.
Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it? - The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Read it sophomore year of high school. Really opened my eyes to other ideas, issues, and pushed me to take Women's Studies classes in college. And then I majored in it at IPFW.
How do you choose a book? eg. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews - Variety of sources. Lately I've been getting ideas from the various book bloggers that I follow. I have a huge spreadsheet of recommendations. I've actually crossed many off; getting them from the library.
Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction? Lately it's been lots of fiction, but I'll always have a special reading time for nonfiction, specifically history books.
What’s more important in a novel – beautiful writing or a gripping plot? Definitely gripping plot. No plot, me close book and put away. Bad writing does bug me, but doesn't necessarily hinder me from finishing a book.
Most loved/memorable character (character/book). Let's go with Jay Gatsby. Such an interesting character. We observe him from the outside seeing only a bit of him, but we all want to know more. Such an intriguing character.
Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment? Let's see. I'm reading Date with a Devil (Anne Stuart, Cherry Adair, and Muriel Jensen). I have Steamed (Katie MacAlister) and Dreadfully Ever After (Steven Hockensmith) ready to read next.
What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it? Yesterday I finished Really Unusual Bad Boys by MaryJanice Davidson. Read it in one day (usual reading behavior for less than 300 pages fun books).
Have you ever given up on a book half way in? Of course. If I can't get into a book within the first 50 pages, I put it down and move on. I have no problem ending my relationship with a book if we just don't get along.

Music Monday - Nickel Creek

I love Nickel Creek. I've loved them since the debut cd came out. And I've grown to love them even more after that. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how I look at it, Nickel Creek has stopped putting out albums, but all members have embarked on solo careers. And guess what, I have those albums too. The members pop up in the weirdest places. Sara Watkins on NeedtoBreathe's cd. Sean Watkins playing with Switchfoot. They definitely have some interesting friends. It's definitely a Nickel Creek day. Enjoy!

It's Toxic!! Too Funny!

With Fiona Apple! I think she might need to be my next Music Monday. Not great quality, but a must watch!

Really Unusual Bad Boys by MaryJanice Davidson

Title: Really Unusual Bad Boys

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Publisher: Brava 2005

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 240

Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library

Fun, breezy read featuring an alternate? universe, the Sandlands, and three princes. Oh an by the way the princes change form into giant cats (think jaguar and not house cats). A fun romp for a lazy Sunday. Definitely nothing I would brag about or own. But I did enjoy it. Good little stories. My one big complaint about the book: it felt too short. Three stories, while related, not the same story crammed into 240 pages. I felt like the idea and storyline could have been expanded. Maybe that would have pushed my star rating higher. Oh well. It was a fun couple hours of reading. On to something else.

Highlight of the Week - Boys' Birthday Extravaganza!

The boys' 8th birthday was last week, but we had their birthday festivities this week. And boy was it a crazy time. They each got to invite a few friends to Crazy Pinz for the ball pit, arcade games, pizza, and cupcakes. I think it went really well. We had 7 friends come to the party (3 no shows). Miss B and Mr. D showed up for some extra fun and supervision (hee hee, bet they didn't think they'd be entertaining kids if they came). I had a nice time talking to C in between activities. (Glad to hear she's feeling sorta better. Now to get completely better!) We didn't have any nose bleeds, cuts, fights, arguments, etc. Everyone seemed to have a great time. To end our party time, the boys got to ride the bumper cars for the first time. You have to be 8 to ride, so this was their special treat. They had fun slamming into each other and T.

Later that night, we had the family dinner. Of course, the boys cleaned up again in the toy department. And they got an amazing cake, made by Uncle Cory!

Today, we went shopping to use all our gift cards. We had a bit from Target and a lot from Toys R Us. Here's the boys with their loot. I think they chose wisely!

Bloody Valentine by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Bloody Valentine

Author: Melissa de la Cruz

Publisher: Hyperion 2010

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 147

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Vampires; 2011 - Slim Pickings

Vampires have powers beyond human comprehension: strength that defies logic, speed that cannot be captured on film, the ability to shapeshift and more. But in matters of the heart, no one, not even the strikingly beautiful and outrageously wealthy Blue Bloods, has total control. In Bloody Valentine, bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz offers readers a new story about the love lives of their favorite vamps - the passion and heartache, the hope and devastation, the lust and longing. Combined with all the glitz, glamour, and mystery fans have come to expect, this is sure to be another huge hit in the Blue Bloods series.

Another companion novel to the Blue Blood saga. This time we get three love stories: Oliver and a mysterious stranger, Freya, Allegra (Gabrielle) and Bendix Chase, and Schuyler and Jack. The stories were a little more grown-up with sex scenes, albeit pretty PG-13 ones. I was concerned about Oliver being left when Schuyler went to Florence with Jack. Thankfully his heart has been healed. And we get the introduction of a new character; one that will probably figure into Cruz's new series, The Witches of East End. Then we get Allegra's story set in 1985. We see her a real person, not just a sleeping angel. I liked seeing the story of her and Bendix, but also the relationship between her and Charles. Interesting take on the eternal bond. Finally we get to see Schuyler and Jack. I won't give away the details, but it's a nice classic love story. Very enjoyable companion novel.

Blue Bloods (DNFed series)

Misguided Angel by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Misguided Angel (Blue Bloods #5)

Author: Melissa de la Cruz

Publisher: Hyperion 2010

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 265

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Young Adult; Vampires; A to Z Titles: M

After inheriting the dark Van Alen Legacy, Schuyler fled to Florence--with her forbidden love, Jack. Now the two of them must embark on the mission Schuyler was destined to complete: to find and protect the seven gates that guard earth from Lucifer, lord of the Silverbloods. As the Blue Blood enclave weakens yet further, fate leads Schuyler closer to a terrifying crossroads--and a choice that will determine the destiny of all vampires.

The mythology and story line took a very interesting turn in this installment of the Blue Bloods saga. And a turn that I enjoyed. I definitely didn't see the big twist coming until it was revealed. I won't reveal any spoilers, but it's a good one. Sets up the next book quite nicely.

I especially loved the inclusion of a relatively new character (she was mentioned briefly in a previous book) Deming Chen otherwise known as Kuan Yin, the Angel of Mercy. I once did a paper on Kuan Yin in college, so it was nice to see an interpretation of her in vampire form. I liked seeing the New York Blue Blood society through her eyes. A definite change of pace.

Plus we got see more of Schuyler and Jack's adventure to find the Gates and Mimi's time as Regent. My only problem with the book is that it made me want to read the next one faster. Too bad. I have to wait until October. Boo hoo!

Blue Bloods

#1 Blue Bloods
#2 Masquerade
#3 Revelations
#4 The Van Alen Legacy
#4.5 Keys to the Repository
#5 Misguided Angel
#5.5 Bloody Valentine
#6 Lost in Time
#7 The Gates of Paradise

BTT: Serial

Series? Or Stand-alone books?

It really depends. I read both. However, I do have a condition for reading series. I hate to read series until they are all published. I don't want to get into a story, like really into it, and then have to wait 1-2 years for the next chapter. Makes me angry. Of course, this past couple of months I started Melissa de la Cruz's Blue Bloods series. And of course not all of the books have been published. Argh!! Why did I start this series? I'm really kicking myself now, but I'm invested in the story. Thankfully I just got Misguided Angel from the library (had to get it from holds) and the side book, Bloody Valentine. Unfortunately the next book won't be published until later this year. I don't know if I can wait!!! But if I actually follow my rules, I do like to read series.

Coffeehouse Blues

Earlier this week, I was sitting at the coffeehouse (where I live) and we started complaining about our coffeehouse pet peeves. So I thought I would do a Top Ten Coffeehouse Pet Peeves. (Had the inspiration from this week's Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Pet Peeves).

1. Blenders: My local has two blenders that are used for blended drinks and smoothies. That in it self, isn't a huge issue. I don't mind people ordering smoothies and blended drinks. I do have an issue with the volumes. These two blenders are blenders on steroids. They are so loud; I've never heard a blender this loud. And then they blend for what seems like forever... It goes on and on and on. God forbid it's a sunny 50 degree or more day. The smoothies and blenders come with every other customer. Sometimes they sound like a dentist's drill. Argh! Can't stand them.

2. Loud Ringtones: Why do people need to have their cell phones up to the highest level? Can you not hear? (If you are hard of hearing, I'm sorry, but I'm betting that 90% of people in the coffeehouse don't have hearing issues.) And then there are those people that don't answer their phones on the first one or two rings. They let it ring and ring and ring. Answer your phone! Very annoying. And the weirder the ringtone, the more annoying it is.

3. Taking Up Multiple Spots: At the back of the coffehouse is two couches and a side chair in a half circle. The other day two guys were sitting back there. Instead of taking up one couch or the chair and one spot of a couch, they were each sprawling on a couch. In reality, only the side chair is then open for someone to sit. And people kept walking back to see if the comfies were open only to find that the two guys were taking up the whole area. (And they were loud talkers!)

4. Loud Cell Phone Talkers: People have a normal speaking volume. We are loud enough to hear each other within a few feet, but not loud enough to hear across 20 feet. And then there are those people who answer the cell phone and their voices increase three old. I would hope that you have a decent cell phone that allows you to hear who you're talking to. If not, please get a new one. But I know that I don't have to yell into my cell phone for the person on the other end to hear me.

5. Wild Music Shifts: Most coffeehouses play some sort of music. That's fine. I like music. However, I don't like huge shifts in music genres. The other day we went from classic rock to classical to 90s r&b to singer songwriter. I was having music whiplash. Please pick a genre and stick with it for the day. The genre can change from day-to-day, but please not within the day.

6. Volume Up on Computers: Please don't have your volume up on your computers. I don't want to hear your music or the television show you're watching. That's why we invented headphones. Use them.

7. Wireless Access: Consistent wireless access would be nice. Alas not many places I've been have stable wireless. Very annoying to be in the middle of something and the internet crashes.

8. Slurping: Please use your manners and don't slurp the drinks. 'Nough said.

9. Not Enough Electrical Plugs: If you're offering wireless access, please have electrical plugs or at least power strips every few feet. Access is the key. Thankfully my coffeehouse has fixed the issue as of late.

10. Slamming Toilet Seats: The restrooms are the back of coffeehouse. And for what ever reason, the people at this coffeehouse always slam the toilet seats. You can hear it from the front of the shop. Annoying!

What are your coffeehouse pet peeves?

Surrender Bay by Denise Hunter

Title: Surrender Bay (A Nantucket Love Story #1)

Author: Denise Hunter

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 2007

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 287

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Contemporary Romance

Samantha Owens' estranged stepfather has died, leaving her his cottage in Nantucket—a place she fled years ago, never planning to return. As a single mom, Samantha can't afford to pass up a financial windfall like ocean-front property. So she travels home to fix up the house and sell it . . . never suspecting that Landon Reed still lives two doors down.
As their long-dormant romance begins to bud again, Samantha must face a past that separated her from the God of her childhood. And she must tell Landon why she fled the island in the first place—a secret that could tear them apart.
Is Landon’s love really as unconditional as he claims? And will Samantha finally realize that the God she found all those years ago never abandoned her?
A heart-tugging tale of shattered trust, growing faith, and love that endures . . . all in a romantic seaside setting.

I have a bit of back story regarding this book. I knew the author. Back in middle school, Hunter and her husband went to the same church as my mother and I. At the time they had two boys that I occasionally babysat. We let the church when I was in high school and I lost track of them. A few months ago I was talking to my mom about my reading challenges. When I started to discuss my issues with Christian fiction, my mom remembered that Denise wrote Christian novels. I didn't know that at all. So I ran out to the library to grab one. I read it in two days.

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the book. I have documented my issues with Christian fiction, but this book wasn't like the others. It was more like At the Scent of Water; a moving fiction story that happens to have Christian elements and background. There weren't any multi page sermons or heavy-handed conversions. I loved the characters. Sam, the flawed female, and Landon, the caring lifelong friend trying to show her love. The bringing together of the two people didn't seem contrived or forced. It was natural. I could understand Sam's reluctance to get closer to Landon. I could understand Landon's pain over her refusals. I sped through the story, loving every minute. I definitely need to read the rest of her books. Guess I need to make another trip to the library.

Nantucket Love Story

#1 Surrender Bay
#2 The Convenient Groom
#3 Seaside Letters
#4 Driftwood Lane

Quote Wednesday - Hersey

Journalism allows readers to witness history; fiction gives its readers the opportunity to live it. -- John Hersey

Do you ever get lost in a book? Do you ever dream about a story? Do you ever wish you were a character in a book?

I do, all the time. I love getting into a story and have to invade my dreams. To me, that's is the highest compliment that I can pay an author. If your story invades my subconscious, you've made an impact on me. The same goes for changes in mood. Sometimes when I read a sad story, I find myself sad for the rest of the day. When reading At the Scent of Water, I was really depressed. The ending more than made up for my down mood, but those two days were a bit crazy.

I love nonfiction. I am constantly reading pop culture books or history books. However, nothing beats a good fiction story. Something to take me away to another world. I love it!

Under Cover by MaryJanice Davidson

Title: Under Cover

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Publisher: Brava 2003

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 294

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Contemporary Romance; A to Z Titles: U

I enjoyed this fun little read. Action adventure romance. I've decided that I like this type of contemporary romance over all the others. I want something besides the sex scenes. Those are nice, but I need plot. I need a conflict. I need something else to be driving the characters.

This volume included three stories populated by the same large group of characters. Like all short story anthologies, the stories appealed to me differently.

1. "Sweet Strangers" -- This story was okay. I liked the main female character, Renee Jardin. My only issue--Renee and Eric jumping into bed (metaphorically, as there was no bed involved) within ~two hours of meeting. I know this can happen in real life, but this story felt a bit rushed. On the other hand, the plot was interesting and did a good job of introducing the characters for the next two stories.

2. "Lovely Lies" -- Definitely my favorite of the three stories. I loved Lori and Peter. Lori felt like a real character. Peter was enough of a thug for his background, but with a real soft spot inside. Great characters, good plot, interesting dialogue. I was really into this story. Read it in one setting way past my bedtime.

3. "Delightful Deception" -- Dr. Jimmy Scrye was hands down my favorite male character. But Dr. Thea Foster just didn't connect to me. I know she was supposed to be IQ (the Ice Queen). However, she was too icy. I just couldn't see how Scrye could really fall for her. I just didn't see it at all. On the other hand (yeah I know back and forth and back and forth in these stories) I loved the dialogue in this story. Snappy, imaginative, and full of sarcasm.

So far, I've read many Davidson books, and I must say I think she's really hit and miss for me. I liked the Alaskan Royals trilogy. I liked the Fred the Mermaid trilogy. I liked the first Cyborg adventure and couldn't finish the second one. I'll probably get around to the rest of her books soon. They're short, they're fun, they have fun characters, they have good sex scenes. Overall a decent author for a beach read. (Now to find a beach to read on)

Top Ten Tuesday - Book Pet Peeves

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

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. If you can't come up with ten, don't worry about it---post as many as you can!

This week's we're talking about book pet peeves. And boy do I have some!

1. Back and Forth Dialogue: Many authors can do dialogue very well, and some others not so much. I hate it when two or even three characters get into a conversation and the dialogue gets confused. When the dialogue continues for 2-3 pages, sometimes I get really lost to who's is talking. A couple of "he/she saids" thrown in can really help me keep track. Just a helpful hint for all the writers out there.

2. Deus ex machina: I absolutely hate books where the conflict magically resolves itself at the end of the book. I have the same issue with many TV sitcoms. The Brady Bunch 30 minute exposition, conflict, resolution all wrapped up in a pretty bow really gets me. Conflicts are messy. They're supposed to be. You can't just swoop in and fix the problem in one page. I hate those endings.

3. Happy Endings: No, I'm not some crazy dark person who just wants tragedy, but I do want realistic endings. If the story is all doom and gloom, don't make everyone blissfully happy in the end. If the story is happy, then it makes sense to have a happy ending. But please don't have a happy ending just for the sake of a happy ending. If it doesn't make sense, then end the book differently. This point really goes along with dislike for much of Christian fiction. Read about my thoughts here.

4. Over Description: When an author spends an entire page describing the house, I get really bored. Don't get me wrong, I love description, but in moderation. We don't need to blather on and on about the color of the ocean or whatever. I think this is why I have never like Moby Dick. Melville just goes on and on describing crap.

5. Sentences with No End: I call this the Charles Dickens syndrome. Have you actually looked to see how long some of his sentences are? Two-three pages in length. By the time I finally reach a period, I need to go back and remind myself where the sentence actually started. What the hell are we trying to say? Can't we shorten this just a bit. I think so. Periods are fun to type. Try one sometime.

6. One-dimensional Characters: This is the Ernest Heimingway syndrome. Every one of his female characters is so one-dimensional. In many cases, the book probably would have been better without them. They are cardboard cutouts. If a character appears in a book, make them meaningful, please!

7. Grammatical Errors: I'm not talking about ARCs here. I'm talking about so-called edited final copies. I have found many grammatical errors in many books. My favorite error: mixing up names. Yep, I've seen it happen in many a book. Better editing people!

8. Characters on Covers: When I read a book, I create a picture in my head of the character. I hate when there is a picture of a "character" on the cover of a book. I prefer more abstract covers. Maybe some scenery, a specific object (the beauty of the Twilight series covers), anything but a complete person. I want to see the characters not the cover designer's version of the character.

9. Movie tie-in covers: While I appreciate movie versions of books, I don't want the movie version on the cover. I'm reading the book to read the book. If I wanted the movie, I would go see the movie. If you look at my library, I have successfully avoided these covers.

10. Misleading Blurbs: At the library (I kind of live there), I often pick books because of their blurbs and/or summaries. Imagine my surprise when I start reading the book and it's nothing like the description. How hard is it really to make sure the descriptions match the story? I guess harder than I think.

The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer

Title: The Black Moth

Author: Georgette Heyer

Publisher: Harlequin 1929

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 410

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Georgette Heyer; Support Your Local Library; 2011 - Way Back When

It tells the story of Jack Carstares, oldest son of the Earl Wyncham, disgraced six years earlier, who returns home and becomes a highwayman so that he is able to live in the land he loves without detection.
One day while out riding he foils an abduction plot mastered by the infamous Duke of Andover. Injured while rescuing the damsel in distress, he is taken home by the thankful Diana Beauleigh and her Aunt Betty, to recover. Mystery and intrigue continue to the melodrama's end...

My love for Jane Austen convinced me that I needed to read Georgette Heyer. Heyer began writing in the 1920s and continued up until the 1950s. Her works focused mostly on the Regency period with historical romances and mysteries. Some of her books are set in adjacent times, but mostly it's the beginning of the 1800s. So I picked up one of her first books (maybe her first book? the dates get a little confusing)and dived in. Side note: According to the introduction, this story as one made up for her brother, who was ill at the time.

The Good

I really liked this book. It had the right amount of action/adventure and romance to suit my tastes. I like a combination in my books. The main male character, Jack, was likable, even when he was robbing the rich or putting on the Sir Anthony Ferndale persona. The villain, Duke of Andover, was full of venom. The right amount to hate him want to see him lose the girl. The various side characters were interesting: Jim, Miles, Molly (my favorite!). They added a depth to the book.

The Bad

At times, Diana felt a little flat. She wasn't as much of a character as I hoped she would be. Maybe that's the Jane Austen in me talking. I'm so used to her complex female characters that I think I'm a bit spoiled.

The Ugly

This is more of a historical commentary than specific to the book, but it did affect my experience. I have never been able to find men dressed in the late 1700s French style of powdered wigs, makeup, satin clothing, and high heels attractive. They look very close to clowns for me (and I have a huge phobia of clowns). Every time Jack was described in this style, I pictured the clockwork robots from Doctor Who. Definitely not attractive in my book. According to the various Heyer websites, her late books are set squarely in the Regency period, so hopefully no more clown men.

Brandi Carlile "Closer to You"

It's been a rainy and gray here lately. Typical for spring in Indiana. And that kind of weather makes me want to listen to music I can sing along too. Nothing loud, nothing upbeat, just what I would categorize as singer songwriter music. So my iPod has been filled with lots of Damien Rice, Howie Day, Ben Folds, Florence + the Machine, Caedmon's Call, Jack's Mannequin, and my Music Monday pick... Brandi Carlile. I love her songs, her lyrics, but I especially love her voice! It has that gravelly quality to it. It's not conventionally pretty sounding. But it works with the music. The amazing sounds that come out of her mouth in "The Story" are perfection. There's a bit of bluegrass sound in there somewhere, bordering on country, but not quite there. I love it. Really excited to hear what she puts out next. Added note: I love the guy who sings backup for her. His voice fits perfectly without distracting from her voice.

I dedicate the video to J. So here it is, one of my favorites:

P.S. I preordered the new Josh Kelley cd and it should arrive tomorrow. I got an autographed copy and a free t-shirt. I so love him! Very excited for my late birthday present to myself!

25 Things About Me

Thought I would join the stupid fun and tell everyone a little bit about myself. Take what you want from answer, but please do not psychoanalysis. That Freud was a crackpot!

1. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? Closed of course. I still have an issue with the dark.

2. Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotels? They become my travel sizes. I love them!

3. Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? Tucked in at the bottom. They usually come out about a day after I tuck them in, so then I just get all tangled in the sheets.

4. Would you rather be attacked by a bear or a swarm of bees? I vote bees... I've had tattoos, so it would just be like that but a whole lot, right?

5. Do you have freckles? Nope 6. What is your biggest pet peeve? Being interrupted while talking. Please wait for a me to finish the sentence, then you can interject. Interrupting tells me that you weren't actually listening to me.

7. Have you ever peed in the woods? Unfortunately, yes. Hopefully, never again.

8. Do you ever dance if there’s no music playing? Sometimes to amuse the boys.

9. Do you chew your pens and pencils? Only if I'm really stressed out.

10. Is it okay for guys to wear pink? Sure, why not?

11. What do you dip a chicken nugget in? Honey mustard or the old standard, ketchup.

12. What is your favorite food? Chocolate chip

13. What movies could you watch over and over and still love? Ever After!!!! And Love Actually, any Harry Potter, Indiana Jones (except the last one), Shaun of the Dead

14. Were you ever a boy/girl scout? Hell no. Me playing in the woods, never happen.

15. Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine? No... nobody needs to see that.

16. Can you change the oil on a car? Nope. But I've never tried or learned, so I could probably do it with a little help.

17. Ever gotten a speeding ticket? Never. In all my years of going 10 over, I've never been pulled over for speeding. (not having my lights on is another issue altogether)

18. Ever ran out of gas? Once, as I was pulling into the parking lot for work. Someone got an earful after that incident (it wasn't my car)

19. Are you lazy? Sometimes

20. When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween? Usually a witch, but I was also a princess one year and probably a few other silly things.

21. How many languages can you speak? English, duh. And a bit of Spanish. I'm passable but tend to remember only the present tense of verbs.

22. Who is better…Leno or Letterman? I'm going to go with Letterman only because he and I went to Ball State University.

23. Do you sing in the car? All the time. Even when the boys laugh at me. Extra loud when no one else is in the car.

24. Ever eat a pierogi? Yeppers. They're good if made right.

25. First concert? Amy Grant -- hey I was 12 and it was the mid 90s. Very appropriate for then!

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Title: The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book #5)

Author: Rick Riordan

Publisher: Scholastic 2009

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 381

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Young Adult; 2011 - Mind the Gap

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos's army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan's power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it's up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time. In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy's sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.

The boys and I started reading the Percy Jackson series a few months ago. They were finally at an age where they were interesting in reading a "big book" but couldn't necessarily read it on their own. So this series became our bedtime book. We would snuggle under the covers and dive into a world where the Greek gods still exist and their children are the new heroes.

I must say that I came into their series with a bit of trepidation. Would I, a grown adult, like a children's series? I was pleasantly surprised. I loved the series. I love the characters. They are relatable, but also age appropriate. None of this "I'm 12, but I act 30" crap. I loved the retelling of the Greek myths. Often Riordan mentions part of a myth or we meet a character from the myths. Every time that happened, my boys (especially N) would then want to hear the rest of the myth and story. I love that this series inspired my boys to go and seek out more information. Riordan gives us just enough to spark an interest. I love it! My only pet peeve: I couldn't read it faster.

The boys are bugging me to buy the first book of his next series, The Lost Hero, but it's still only in hardback. I refuse to pay new hardback prices. I'm waiting until I find it at Half Price Books or a really good bookstore coupon to use. In the meantime, we've decided to read Ruyard Kipling's Just So Stories. I'm excited to read it!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The Lightning Thief
The Sea of Monsters
The Titan's Curse
The Battle of the Labyrinth
The Last Olympian